US10158706B2

A communication method for a data sharing system which is constituted by a plurality of communication nodes, and through which data transmitted from a transmission source node are propagated by having the respective communication nodes repeatedly transmit the data, includes: a transmission step in which a first communication node transmits a transmission stop message including a hash value of data in relation to which repeated transmission is to be stopped; a reception step in which a second communication node receives the transmission stop message; and a stopping step in which the second communication node stops transmission of data having an identical hash value to the hash value included in the transmission stop message. The hash value is preferably encrypted using a public key cryptosystem. A transmission source node of the transmission stop message may be a transmission source node or a destination node of the data to be stopped, or another node.
US10158705B2

When monitoring that a host migrated, a software defined network (SDN) controller may actively detect a port located by the host. Besides, when detecting the port located by the host, the SDN controller may bind the host to the port where the host is located, so as to limit migration of the host. When not detecting a port located by the host, the SDN controller may also block packets from the host.
US10158697B2

To manage channel ownership in a publish-subscribe data processing environment, a determination is made at a first server that a subscription request from a client relates to a channel, the channel having a channel identifier. At an exchange component in a messaging middleware, a session queue associated with the client is bound to the channel. A mandatory delivery message is configured to be routed using a publisher identifier by the exchange component, the publisher identifier being related to the channel identifier. The mandatory delivery message is communicated from the first server to the exchange component to indicate an intent of the first server to become a publisher of the channel. The mandatory delivery message causes the channel ownership of the channel to be limited to a single publisher.
US10158692B2

A system replicates Internet websites on a large number of user computers having browsers. The system includes a gateway platform having a gateway server and a cache. In the broadcast mode, the gateway server periodically or continuously images broadcast data (e.g., popular websites), compresses the website images, and stores the compressed website images in the gateway cache. The gateway server then broadcasts all of the compressed broadcast data to all (millions) of the user computers over a broadcast device (such as a satellite), for subsequent display by the user in the browser. In the unicast mode, the user requests unicast data (e.g., less-popular websites or websites having highly user-customized information) at the browser. The gateway server images that one web page, compresses the unicast data, and transmits the compressed unicast data over the broadcast device substantially in real time to the one requesting user computer.
US10158689B2

A realtime kernel supports realtime communications between communicants operating on respective network nodes. The realtime kernel handles the complex tasks of connecting to communicants, virtual areas, and other network resources, switching those connections in response to user inputs, and mixing realtime data streams. The realtime kernel enables developers to focus on developing high-level communications functionality instead of low-level plumbing code. The realtime kernel imposes relatively low computational resource requirements so that realtime communications performance can be achieved using a wide range of computing devices and network connections that currently are available.
US10158683B2

An information sharing system includes a group management server and at least one terminal. The group management server includes a mark generating circuit that generates a group ID for uniquely identifying a group. The terminal includes a mark analysis circuit that analyzes the imaged mark; and a second communication control circuit that controls the second communication circuit to communicate with the group management server and the file server, and sends a request for the user ID stored in the second storage circuit based on the analysis results to join the group indicated by the group ID. The shared folder management circuit of the group management server set an access right for the received user ID on the shared folder when receiving the request from the terminal.
US10158674B2

Methods and systems for assigning security settings to one or more nodes within an enterprise network are disclosed. One method includes receiving network concordance data at an enterprise security management configuration tool from a plurality of nodes within an enterprise network, and receiving, in a configuration user interface, a selection of an affinitization level selected from a plurality of discrete affinitization levels, each of the discrete affinitization levels corresponding to a different extent to which nodes within an enterprise are grouped into profiles. The method also includes automatically grouping each of the plurality of nodes identified in the network concordance data into a plurality of profiles based on the selected affinitization level, and applying a common security policy to each of the nodes included in one of the plurality of profiles.
US10158672B2

Context aware microservice networks and contextual security policies for microservice networks are provided herein. In some embodiments, a system includes a plurality of microservices, each of the plurality of microservices having a plurality of distributed microservice components. At least a portion of the distributed microservice components execute on different physical or virtual servers in a data center or a cloud. The system also includes a plurality of logical security boundaries, with each of the plurality of logical security boundaries being created by a plurality of enforcement points positioned in association with the plurality of distributed microservice components. Each of plurality of microservices is bounded by one of the plurality of logical security boundaries.
US10158653B1

A cyber security system that uses artificial intelligence, such neural networks, to monitor the security of a computer network and take automated remedial action based on the monitoring. The security system autonomically learns behavior profiles, attack profiles and circumvention techniques used to target the network. The remedial action taken by the system includes isolating any misuse that has been identified, surveilling the misuse in the isolated environment, analyzing its behavior profile and reconfiguring the network to enhance security.
US10158650B1

A method of verifying an unverified token received may include accessing an external data store to receive data vectors that may be associated with a user of the client device; filtering data vectors that are not input data vectors; grouping data vectors into first groups based on a text field in each of the data vectors; selecting second groups from the first groups where each of the second groups include data vectors with a similar value field; selecting third groups from the second groups where each of the third groups includes data vectors with a similar input interval; for each of the third groups, determining a group value based on the value fields and input intervals; calculating an estimated token based on the group values for each of the third groups; and determining whether the unverified token can be verified by the estimated token.
US10158649B2

A method for privacy-enhanced evidence evaluation may comprise: sending a request for pre-evaluation information regarding evidence data of a target object to a first network entity from a requesting node; obtaining the pre-evaluation information from the first network entity, in response to successful verification of the requesting node at a second network entity; and calculating an evidence evaluation of the target object based at least in part on the pre-evaluation information, wherein the pre-evaluation information comprises re-encrypted evidence data of the target object associated with one or more time slots, and wherein the re-encrypted evidence data of the target object at an associated time slot is resulted at least in part from encrypted evidence data of the target object collected by the first network entity from one or more evidence providers at the associated time slot, by using a re-encryption key from the second network entity.
US10158645B1

In an embodiment, a submission history table is maintained by tracking an identification of each user making a submission of a confidential data value and a timestamp of when the corresponding submission was made. A first confidential data value submission is received from a user having a first identification. Member usage information for the user having the first identification, are retrieved based on the first identification. The submission history table is referenced to determine a length of time since the user having the first identification last made a submission of confidential data. It is determined that the user having the first identification is not permitted to submit confidential information based on the member usage information and the length of time since the user having the first identification last made a submission of confidential data. In response to the determining, the first confidential data value is discarded.
US10158641B2

Real-time techniques for determining all access requests to an attribute-based access control policy which evaluate to a given decision, “permit” or “deny”. The policy is enforced to control access to one or more resources in a computer network. In one embodiment, a method includes: (i) receiving a reverse query and a set of admissible access requests, each of which includes one or more attributes in the policy and values of these; (ii) extracting attributes to which all access requests in the set assign identical values; (iii) reducing the ABAC policy by substituting values for the extracted attributes; (iv) caching the policy as a simplified policy; (v) translating the simplified policy and the given decision into a satisfiable logic proposition; (vi) deriving all solutions satisfying the proposition; and (vi) extracting, based on the solutions, all access requests from the set for which the policy yields the given decision.
US10158640B2

A system, method and apparatus for efficiently accessing Internet resources are disclosed. The system, method and apparatus employ a portable device for receiving and transmitting information such as contact information, voting information and medical information, for example.
US10158633B2

In one embodiment, a human interactive proof portal 140 may use a biometric input to determine whether a user is a standard user or a malicious actor. The human interactive proof portal 140 may receive an access request 302 for an online data service 122 from a user device 110. The human interactive proof portal 140 may send a proof challenge 304 to the user device 110 for presentation to a user. The human interactive proof portal 140 may receive from the user device 110 a proof response 306 having a biometric metadata description 430 based on a biometric input from the user.
US10158632B2

Apparatus and methods are provided for enabling a plurality of applications running on a user device or in communication therewith to share data. In one exemplary embodiment, a single user device is configured to run a plurality of heath-monitoring applications which collect data from a respective plurality of health-monitoring devices and/or via user entry. According to the present disclosure, once the applications are linked, the user accesses, views, and analyzes the plurality of health-related data from the plurality of applications at a single application. Moreover, once the applications are linked, the user may sign-in to one application and be automatically signed into the other applications. In this manner, the user's activity and updated information entered, sensed, or otherwise collected into or by one application may be accessible at the other applications for analysis and display therein as well.
US10158602B2

A method and apparatus are provided for a client device to be allocated an Internet Protocol (IP) address by a Group Owner (GO) device, for direct communication between the client device and the GO device. The method includes transmitting, by the client device, an Association Request message to the GO device, receiving an Association Response message from the GO device, in response to the Association Request message, and receiving, by the client device, an IP address of the client device allocated by the GO device, during an authentication process between the client device and the GO device.
US10158601B2

In aspects of the disclosure, a method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for wireless communication are provided. In one aspect, the apparatus determines if a connection to a PLMN has been established. In another aspect, the apparatus builds a FQDN based on the determination by attempting to build the FQDN using each of the prioritized FQDNs in order of priority until the FQDN is built, building the FQDN using a PLMN ID of the PLMN if it is determined that the PLMN is found in the list, or building the FQDN based on the wildcard PLMN if it is determined that the list comprises the wildcard PLMN. Further still, the apparatus selects an ePDG based on the FQDN.
US10158594B2

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to systems and methods for differentiating a conversation scope within an email application. A personal view may be rendered within an email application. The personal view may include at least one personal message and one group message. A group header may be rendered within the personal view in response to a selection of the at least one group message. The group header may include at least a group trigger. A group view may be rendered within the email application in response to a selection of the group trigger. The group view may include a group view header.
US10158585B2

Generally, this disclosure provides devices, methods and computer readable media for packet processing with reduced latency. The device may include a data queue to store data descriptors associated with data packets, the data packets to be transferred between a network and a driver circuit. The device may also include an interrupt generation circuit to generate an interrupt to the driver circuit. The interrupt may be generated in response to a combination of an expiration of a delay timer and a non-empty condition of the data queue. The device may further include an interrupt delay register to enable the driver circuit to reset the delay timer, the reset postponing the interrupt generation.
US10158584B2

Methods and systems are provided. Exemplary methods may include: providing a first data packet to a first interface, the first data packet including a first address and being received from a computing device, the computing device being at a premises and coupled to a third interface, the first interface coupled to a first broadband connection received at the premises, the first broadband connection being coupled to a service using a first data network; determining at least one second data packet to be received at the first interface from the service is lost or delayed; supplying a second address to the computing device for communications with the service, in response to the determining; receiving from the computing device a third data packet including the second address; modifying the third data packet including replacing the second address with the first address; and giving the modified third data packet to a second interface.
US10158582B2

Embodiments of techniques and systems associated with device-to-device (D2D) resource sharing are described. In some embodiments, a D2D communication channel between a first device and a second device is established and a sharing request is received at the first device, from the second device, including a credential identifying the second device. Data representative of a first resource locally available to the first device, but not locally available to the second device, is provided to the second device by the first device. Use of the first resource may be controlled in accordance with an instruction transmitted to the first device from the second device. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
US10158581B2

The invention relates to a method, by a control node (100, 150), for selecting one of a plurality of media forwarding elements (200, 250) in a network for forwarding an additional media data stream by the selected media forwarding element, the method comprising the steps of receiving (S21, S31, S100) a load message from one of the media forwarding elements, the load message containing information about a load level of said one media forwarding element and about how media data streams from a first area (300) of the network from which said one media forwarding element receives the media data streams contribute to the load level of said one media forwarding element. The received information is stored in a storage unit (130) of the control node. When a setup request for an additional media data stream is received, the setup request requesting a selection of one of the media forwarding elements for the second media data stream by the control node (100, 150). One of the media forwarding elements is selected for the additional media data stream taking into account the stored information, wherein, for the selection, it is checked based on the stored information whether the set up request for the additional media data stream is relating to a media data stream from the first area (300), wherein, if the second media data stream is relating to a media data stream from the first area (300), said one media forwarding element is excluded (S23, S105) from the selection of the media forwarding element for the additional media data stream.
US10158580B2

Systems and methods for sharing resources between multiple processing streams. An example method may comprise: maintaining, by a processing device, a first variable indicating a number of processing streams waiting to access a resource; performing an operation on a second variable comprising a first portion and a second portion, the operation comprising updating the first portion to reflect a number of available units of the resource and further comprising reading the second portion reflecting a value of the first variable.
US10158565B2

In a first enclave of a label switching network (LSN), a protocol data unit (PDU) of the LSN is formatted to include a network service field specifying a service to be applied to the PDU. The service field can be positioned between PDU data link layer and network layer fields. The PDU specifies PDU routing/forwarding information for a path in the LSN ending in an LSN second enclave, and routing/forwarding for a destination between path segments in a non-LSN. The PDU is communicated from the first enclave, via the non-LSN, to the second enclave in accordance with the routing/forwarding information for the destination between path segments in the non-LSN. In the second enclave, each network service specified for the PDU is determined and then applied to the PDU. The second enclave transmits the network serviced PDU from the second enclave in accordance with the routing/forwarding information of the PDU in the label switching network.
US10158555B2

A more efficient mesh network can be achieved by optimizing relay hops between node devices. A number of routes can be determined between node devices of various orders. Furthermore, a number of more efficient routes can be determined between the node devices of various orders. Based on the more efficient routes, relay paths between the node devices can either be maintained or terminated. Accordingly, route metrics can be updated dynamically to reevaluate which routes are more efficient than other routes, thereby optimizing system performance.
US10158554B1

Systems and methods for managing the link topology of a directional wireless network having mobile communications nodes. In a general aspect, the method includes the steps of receiving a plurality of resource requests from a plurality of mobile communications nodes, classifying the received plurality of resource requests as at least one class of traffic flow overlay having one or more specified constraints, determining a link topology solution based upon the at least one class of overlay and the one or more specified constraints, and publishing a topology policy based upon an optimized link topology solution to the plurality of communications nodes. The determination of the link topology solution may involve the use of a mixed integer linear programming solver, a Lagrangian relaxation solver, and/or a Lagrangian relaxation solver implementing a Lagrangian heuristic.
US10158546B2

A system and method for power reduction in network equipment includes collecting network traffic statistics for a network segment that includes a plurality of network links between a first node and a second node, determining an amount of network traffic on the network segment based on the first network traffic statistics, determining whether the amount of network traffic is above a first threshold, selecting a first network link from the network links that are shutdown when the amount of network traffic is above the first threshold; directing that the first network link be brought up; determining whether the amount of network traffic is below a second threshold less than the first threshold, selecting a second network link from the network links that are online when the amount of network traffic is below the second threshold, and directing that the second network link be shut down.
US10158541B2

Business transactions and the nodes processing the transactions are monitored and actions are applied to one or more nodes when a performance issue is detected. A performance issue may relate to a metric associated with a transaction or node that processes the transaction. If a performance metric determined from data captured by monitoring does not satisfy a health rule, the policy determines which action should be performed to correct the performance of the node. When a problem is detected for multiple nodes, the present technology may address a subset of the multiple nodes rather than apply an action to each node experiencing the problem. When a solution is found to correct the problem with the subset of nodes, the solution may be applied to the other nodes experiencing the same problem.
US10158524B2

A device may detect an event associated with a user device. The event may include at least one of a data reachability event, a loss of connectivity event, or a loss of reachability event. The device may determine, based on detecting the event, event information associated with the event. The event information may include information that identifies a type of a packet data network (PDN) connection when the event includes a data reachability event. The event information may include information that identifies a reason for detachment from a network when the event includes a loss of connectivity event. The event information may include information indicating that one or more PDN connections have been closed when the event includes a loss of reachability event. The device may provide the event information for reporting to one or more devices that are to receive event reports associated with the user device.
US10158523B2

A system and method for network topology management includes a network controller having a control unit one or more ports coupled to the control unit and configured to couple the network controller to a plurality of switches in a network, and a memory coupled to the control unit and configured to store a topology of the switches. The topology includes a plurality of switch groups. The network controller is configured to assign a topology management module to each of the switch groups, receive a message from a switch indicating a topology change, determine when the topology change is a network link failure between switches within a first switch group that the network link failure is internal to the first switch group, and handle the network link failure when the network link failure is internal to the first switch group using the topology management module assigned to the first switch group.
US10158519B2

Embodiments of the present disclosure describe device, methods, computer-readable media and system configurations for coordinating a plurality of self-optimization operations, such as an energy-saving management operation and a capacity and coverage optimization operation, to reduce conflicts between changes to configuration parameters of a wireless network access node caused by the self-optimization operations. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
US10158515B2

Disclosed is an apparatus for transmitting a broadcast signal, including: an input formatting module configured to demultiplex an input stream into at least one Data Pipe (DP); a BICM (Bit Interleaved Coding and Modulation) module configured to perform error correction processing on data of the DP; a frame building module configured to map the data of the DP to symbols within a frame; an OFDM generation module configured to generate a transmission signal by inserting a preamble into the frame and performing OFDM modulation; and a transmission parameter control module configured to set at least one transmission parameter and control transmission signal processing of the frame building module and the OFDM generation module.
US10158504B2

In a transmission system, a transmission signal is generated from transmission data. The transmission signal has a series of shaped pulses, such as raised-cosine or root-raised-cosine shaped pulses. A reception signal, based on the transmission signal having passed through a transmission channel, is sampled to generate sampled digital data. The sampled digital data is filtered through a super-Gaussian filter to regenerate the transmission data.
US10158501B2

A management server receives a plurality of communication requests including a first communication request and a second communication request and controls the order of execution of a plurality of tunnel connection requests which are based on the plurality of communication requests. The first communication request is a communication request which is a request for communication with data transfer from the side of the at least one device toward the side of at least one application. The second communication request is a communication request which is a request for communication with data transfer from the side of the at least one application toward the side of the at least one device. The management server performs a first tunnel connection request which is based on the first communication request, in preference to a second tunnel connection request which is based on the second communication request.
US10158485B2

A processing system includes a memory and a cryptographic accelerator module operatively coupled to the memory, the cryptographic accelerator module employed to implement a byte substitute operation by performing: a first mapped affine transformation of an input bit sequence to produce a first intermediate bit sequence, an inverse transformation of the first intermediate bit sequence to produce a second intermediate bit sequence, and a second mapped affine transformation of the second intermediate bit sequence to produce an output bit sequence.
US10158481B2

Systems, apparatus, and methods using an integrated photonic chip capable of operating at rates higher than a Gigahertz for quantum key distribution are disclosed. The system includes two identical transmitter chips and one receiver chip. The transmitter chips encode photonic qubits by modulating phase-randomized attenuated laser light within two early or late time-bins. Each transmitter chip can produce a single-photon pulse either in one of the two time-bins or as a superposition of the two time-bins with or without any phase difference. The pulse modulation is achieved using ring resonators, and the phase difference between the two time-bins is obtained using thermo-optic phase shifters and/or time delay elements. The receiver chip employs either homodyne detection or heterodyne detection to perform Bell measurements.
US10158474B2

A method, an apparatus, and a computer-readable medium for wireless communication are provided. The apparatus may be a first user terminal. The first user terminal receives, on a first DL communication channel of multiple DL communication channels, a DL MU PPDU includes MPDUs transmitted from an access point to multiple user terminals including the first user terminal on the multiple DL communication channels. The first user terminal obtains an UL channel indication and a BA indication. The first user terminal transmits, on a first UL communication channel of multiple UL communication channels, a first BA to the access point based on the UL channel indication and the BA indication simultaneously or concurrently with a BA transmission from the rest of the multiple user terminals to the access point on the rest of the multiple UL communication channels. The first BA acknowledges one or more of the MPDUs.
US10158471B2

The embodiments of the present invention provide a demodulation reference signal processing method, a base station and a user equipment. A processing method includes: generating, by a base station, a DMRS corresponding to an E-PDCCH by using information that is available before a UE receives the E-PDCCH sent by the base station; and mapping, by the base station, the DMRS onto a time-and-frequency resource corresponding to a downlink control channel region and used for transmitting a reference signal, and sending the DMRS to the UE. In the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the base station and the UE no longer use an SCID for generating the DMRS, which solves the problem that the UE cannot obtain the SCID before receiving the E-PDCCH and cannot generate the DMRS, and further, cannot demodulate the E-PDCCH, and enables demodulation of the E-PDCCH.
US10158470B2

The present invention relates to a secondary station comprising means for communicating with at least one primary station, the secondary station comprising means for receiving from the primary station a subset of reference symbols selected out a set of possible reference symbols, the reference symbols of the subset being associated with a spatial channel, wherein a transmission characteristic of the subset of reference symbols depends on the spatial channel.
US10158460B2

An orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) frame tone allocation includes a 256 tone payload consisting of 228 data and pilot tones and 28 null tones. The 28 null tones consist of guard tones and at least one direct current (DC) tone. In one example, the 256 tone payload consists of 224 data tones, 4 common pilot tones, and 28 null tones. In another example, the 256 tone payload consists of 222 data tones, 6 common pilot tones, and 28 null tones. In yet another example, the 256 tone payload may consist of 220 data tones, 8 common pilot tones, and 28 null tones. The OFDMA frame may be a downlink OFDMA frame or an uplink OFDMA frame.
US10158459B2

A method for multiple access to a frequency band of a communication channel of a communication network with carrier sensing and collision avoidance, including a division of the frequency band into a set of request-to-send sub-bands dedicated to the transmission, by source nodes to a destination node, of request-to-send messages for communicating data on the frequency band is provided. The method includes an evaluation of a communication channel load, and, as a function of the result of the evaluation, a re-division of the frequency band to modify the number of sub-bands of the set of request-to-send sub-bands.
US10158450B2

A method and a first node for handling a feedback procedure requiring transmission of feedback messages indicating either an acknowledgement, ACK, or a non-acknowledgement, NACK, of correct reception of data transmitted on a forward link in a radio communication with a second node in a radio network. The first node obtains a latency requirement of the radio communication corresponding to the time from transmission of the data until the data becomes outdated. The first node further applies a first transmission mode employing said feedback procedure when the latency requirement is above a latency threshold, and applies a second transmission mode omitting said feed back procedure when the latency requirement is below the latency threshold.
US10158448B2

A method, implemented in a hybrid network element supporting switching at a plurality of layers, for multilayer resource management between the plurality of layers, includes operating a control plane at Layer N between a plurality of network elements in a network, wherein control plane signaling at the Layer N is processed at each network element in a path for a service in the network; and operating a resource management protocol at Layer N+1 with another network element in the network by injecting and extracting messages from and to the control plane into a data path in the Layer N+1, wherein a service at the Layer N+1 operates over the Layer N, and wherein the resource management protocol messages are processed at an originating network element and a terminating network element and not at intermediate network elements in the path.
US10158446B2

In a multi-carrier cellular system, a second synchronization code (a Walsh code or a GCL series code) mapped on a second synchronization channel is used as a signal for specifying in which cell of the base station a mobile station terminal device itself is. A signal transmitted from the base station to the mobile station terminal device is mapped in a radio frame having two-dimensional extension in frequency and time directions. When mapping a certain series number of the second code for specifying a cell or a cell group on the radio frame as the second synchronization channel, phase rotation or circular shift in which one radio frame is one cycle is applied to the second synchronization code. On the receiving side, the head timing of the radio frame is known by knowing the phase rotation angle or the amount of circular shift of the second synchronization code.
US10158444B1

The present invention generally relates to methods and apparatuses for event-driven and stateless precision time transfer. In one embodiment, a master device creates and launches Precision Timing Protocol (PTP) Sync packets, as well as Follow-up packets in the case of two-step clock operation, on an event-driven basis in response to the receipt of a Delay Request message from a slave device, rather than based on scheduling performed by the master device. Doing so reduces the load on the master device and permits the master to serve a larger number of slave devices. In addition, PTP Announce messages, which are not used for calculating the time offset between master and slave devices, may be sent in response to some Delay Request messages using an adjustable sampling rate (e.g., 1 every x Delay Request messages).
US10158427B2

A laser communication system its integrated microradian-accuracy Acquisition and Tracking Sensor (ATS) to perform a celestial navigation fix to determine the attitude of the laser communications payload, including the integrated ATS and the co-boresighted laser beam, prior to establishing a laser communication link with a second vehicle such as a high-altitude aircraft or satellite. The laser communication system may use a legacy platform INS to initially point its narrow FOV ATS at one or more stars to obtain the vehicle's attitude therefrom. Then the precision payload attitude determined with the ATS star tracker fix is used to point the co-boresighted laser beam to establish a laser communications link with the second vehicle.
US10158425B2

Methods, systems, and devices are described for commissioning light fixtures. One method may include receiving, at a mobile device, an encoded light signal from a light fixture in a plurality of light fixtures. The encoded light signal may be decoded to obtain an identifier associated with the light fixture, and a correspondence between the identifier and a plurality of locations of the plurality of light fixtures may be determined.
US10158420B1

A dynamic satellite map updating system measures geographic position and travel information of in-flight aircraft in a fleet of aircraft equipped to establish in-flight connectivity services from a plurality of satellite beams. The in-flight aircraft include an on-board satellite map program with satellite map parameters to indicate which satellite beam of a group of available satellite beams is the most desirable based on the in-flight aircraft's geographic location. The system selects in-flight aircraft, determines updated satellite map parameters for the selected aircraft, and transmits the updated satellite map parameters to the aircraft to assemble new satellite map programs to relieve wireless data outage conditions on one or more of the satellite beams. The dynamic satellite updating system may transmit the updated satellite map parameters over an existing satellite data connection to make up-to-date adjustments to the communications load among the group of available satellite beams.
US10158417B2

A radio communication system includes: a plurality of base stations; and a relay station, which relays communication between any one of the plurality of base stations and a terminal, wherein the plurality of base stations include a master station, which communicates with the relay station, and a peripheral base station, which does not communicate with the relay station, and wherein when a signal of a control channel of the master station is not able to be received, the relay station transmits a communication unavailable signal to the master station and the peripheral base station.
US10158394B2

An alternative method of data communications using orthogonal time frequency shifting (OTFS) wireless waveforms configured so as to transmit data in a manner that is relatively insensitive to communications channel distortions and frequency shifts. In contrast to prior methods taught by applicant, the present disclosure teaches an alternative modulation scheme that maps data symbols intended for data transmission onto a symplectic-like 2D Fourier transform which operates on a form of the original data symbols. This 2D Fourier transform in turn is passed through a filter bank of narrow band filters, and the output in turn used to modulate transmitted waveforms according to various time slices until the entire 2D Fourier transform has been transmitted. At the receiver, and inverse of this process can be used to both characterize the data channel and correct the received signals for channel distortions, thus receiving a clear form of the original data symbols.
US10158393B2

Embodiments of the invention use signaling mechanisms that enable dynamic reconfiguration of the UL/DL resource partitioning by user equipment (UE) in a TDD wireless communication system, such as the 3GPP TDD Long Term Evolution (TD-LTE) system. The dynamic reconfiguration of the UL/DL resource partitioning disclosed herein may also be applied to any other TDD wireless system employing dynamic reconfiguration of the TDD UL/DL configuration.
US10158382B2

Apparatuses and methods for power amplification and signal transmission using complex delta-sigma modulation are disclosed. In one embodiment, a complex delta sigma modulator unit comprising a complex polar quantizer within an integrator loop is disclosed. The complex polar quantizer quantizes the envelope of a complex integrated signal and produces a complex quantized output signal of substantially constant envelope. The complex quantized output signal is used in deriving a complex feedback signal within the integrator loop of the complex DSM. The complex quantized output signal may be used in driving a power amplifier substantially at saturation. In some embodiments, an adjacent channel power ratio (ACPR) enhancement technique is used to reduce the quantization noise in the complex quantized output signal.
US10158371B2

A conditional correlated multiple sampling (CCMS) single slope (SS) analog-to-digital converter (ADC) is provided. The CCMS SS ADC includes a comparator, arranged to compare an analog signal with a ramp signal and generate a comparison result; and a CCMS control circuit, arranged to determine a swing of the ramp signal according to a magnitude of the analog signal. An image sensor system using the CCMS SS ADC and a method of CCMS SS analog-to-digital conversion are also disclosed.
US10158364B1

A circuit having a tracking loop and a realignment loop is disclosed. The circuit includes: a phase frequency detector (PFD) module for comparing a phase difference of a first input signal and a second input signal; a pump module for converting PFD phase error to charge, wherein the pump module further comprises a low pass filter (LPF); an adjustable realignment module for adjusting a realignment strength, the adjustable realignment module receives a first plurality of inputs from the PFD module, the adjustable realignment module transmits a second plurality of outputs to the pump module; and a ring oscillator unit, the ring oscillator unit receives a first input from the pump module and a second input from the adjustable realignment module, and based on the first and second inputs produces a feedback signal.
US10158358B2

An input circuit for an I/O module for an industrial controller or the like provides a shunt regulator for precisely controlling the maximum current through the LED of an optical isolator. Substantial improvement in the current regulation decreases power dissipation in the optical isolator element. A low voltage shunt circuit prevents leakage from the shunt regulator from activating the optical isolator at low voltages allowing more sensitive optical isolators providing additional power dissipation savings.
US10158353B2

The present disclosure includes circuits and methods that adjust and correct duty cycles of circuits. The circuits and methods receive a signal from a first circuit and forward the received signal to a second circuit that retrieves a first setting (X) that provides a measure of duty cycle of the received signal. The circuits and methods then invert the received signal, retrain the second circuit based upon the inverted received signal, and retrieve a second setting (Y) of the retrained second circuit. The second setting (Y) provides a measure of duty cycle of the inverted received signal. The circuits and methods then adjust the duty cycle of the received signal based upon the first and second settings (X, Y) and further retrain of the second circuit to provide an improved duty cycle in a direction closer to 50 percent.
US10158346B2

A pulse triggered flip flop circuit includes an exclusive OR clock generating stage that receives an input clock, data and produces an output clock pulse. The stage produces a output clock pulse that only goes away when the data is fully captured. The stage disables the output clock pulse only when the data is fully captured. Moreover, the circuit only toggles when the input data changes, reducing power consumption in some embodiments.
US10158345B2

Methods and apparatuses for use in tuning reactance are described. Open loop and closed loop control for tuning of reactances are also described. Tunable inductors and/or tunable capacitors may be used in filters, resonant circuits, matching networks, and phase shifters. Ability to control inductance and/or capacitance in a circuit leads to flexibility in operation of the circuit, since the circuit may be tuned to operate under a range of different operating frequencies.
US10158344B2

A single-chip tunable bandpass filter is provided having a bandpass filter circuit with all tuning components for the bandpass filter circuit formed on the single-chip to provide a programmed center frequency for the tunable bandpass filter. The bandpass filter circuit may include, but is not limited to, a plurality of serially coupled singe stage biquad filter circuits coupled to an input formed on the single-chip and configured to provide a bandpass filtered output signal to an output formed on the single-chip. The bandpass filtered output may be provided by an output buffer formed on the single-chip. The single-chip includes at least one tuning input to receive data for tuning stored in a data register formed on the single-chip. The data register provides control bits to the tuning components that include a programmable resistor responsive to the control bits to vary the programmable resistor to adjust programmed center frequency.
US10158343B1

A push-pull tunable coupler includes a push transformer, a pull transformer and two compound Josephson junctions arranged in upper and lower branches. Absent biasing, the balanced push and pull of current between the branches causes current from a first object to circulate within a loop and not to be coupled to a second object. Biasing of at least one of the compound Josephson junctions unbalances the push and pull of current in the branches to couple the first and second objects. The coupler has reduced sensitivity to differential-mode noise around the off state, is completely insensitive to common-mode noise, and is capable of inverting the coupled signal with appropriate relative biasing of the compound Josephson junctions.
US10158341B2

A filter device includes first, second and third filter circuits that are connected to a common terminal. The first filter circuit includes a first inductor that is closest to the common terminal along a first signal line and a first capacitance element that is connected in parallel with the first inductor, the second filter circuit includes a series arm resonator, which is a second acoustic resonator, that is closest to the common terminal along a second signal line, and the third filter circuit includes a third acoustic resonator that is closest to the common terminal along a third signal line.
US10158335B2

A Gated CDS Integrator (GCI) may amplify low-level signals without introducing excessive offset and noise. The GCI may also amplify the low level signals with accurate and variable gain. The GCI may include a modulator preceding an amplifier such that offset or noise present in a signal path between the modulator and a demodulator input is translated to a higher out of band frequency, and thereafter reduced by a double sampled discrete time integrator which also reduces thermal noise. The thermal noise may also be reduced by averaging the output of the discrete time integrator.
US10158334B2

A capacitive gain amplifier circuit amplifies an input signal by a pair of differential amplifier circuits couples in series. The first differential amplifier circuit is reset during an autozero phase while disconnected from the second differential amplifier circuit, and the first and second differential amplifier circuits are connected together in series during a chop phase. A set of feedback capacitors is selectively switched in between respective outputs of the second differential amplifier circuit and respective inputs of the first differential amplifier circuit during the chop phase.
US10158326B2

An audio amplifier has an input for an audio signal being amplified and an output powering a load on the basis of the amplified audio signal; a generator of reference voltage of very high linearity and low output impedance, able to receive, as input, the audio signal to be amplified; a power current generator including a power voltage generator whose output is connected to the output of the reference voltage generator through a coupling inductance; and a signal adder introducing, for its control, as input to the power current generator, a signal representative of the current provided as output by the reference voltage generator. The signal adder is able to introduce a signal ( L ⁢ di LOAD dt ) representative of the product of the value of the coupling inductance and the drift with respect to time of the current ( di LOAD dt ) provided to the load.
US10158324B2

Switching interference is a primary artifact which affects the accuracy of arc detectors. To address switching interference, conventional arc detectors employ computationally intensive techniques which are often designed specifically for a target application. Thus, conventional arc detectors require a significant amount of hardware to accurately detect arc faults, which can increase costs of the power systems and prohibit wide deployment of arc detectors. With improved signal processing, a unique method for arc detection can accurately detect arc faults efficiently while tolerate switching interference from an inverter of the power system. Specifically, the method provides accurate but efficient arc detection by using a small Fast Fourier Transform with coherent sampling that is accomplished with a common clock generator in combination with signal conditioning. The overall system implementing the method is also programmable to suit a variety of target applications.
US10158321B2

Methods and systems for mounting an array of photovoltaic modules atop a rooftop are disclosed. In particular the mounting hardware includes a photovoltaic module tray supported above the rooftop by a number of support structures fastened to the rooftop. The photovoltaic module trays include bottom and sidewalls configured to support and align photovoltaic modules along the rooftop. Since the bottom wall supports the weight of the photovoltaic module, the sidewalls can have a thin form-factor that allows the photovoltaic modules trays to be tightly spaced. In this way, the photovoltaic module tray can occupy very little area on the roof allowing the effective collection area of photovoltaic modules supported by the photovoltaic module trays to be significantly larger than photovoltaic modules using wider photovoltaic module frames.
US10158309B1

A motor control device includes: a receiver module used to receive a remote control signal, and generating a remote control input signal in response to receipt of the remote control signal; and a control module used to receive an input voltage, used to be coupled to a pull switch device for receiving a pull switch input signal therefrom, coupled further to the receiver module for receiving the remote control input signal therefrom, and used to be coupled further to a variable frequency DC motor of a ceiling fan. Based on the input voltage, the pull switch input signal and the remote control input signal, the control module operates the motor by turning on/off the motor, or by adjusting a rotary speed of the motor when the same is turned on.
US10158303B2

Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture to perform torque balance control of co-shafted motors are disclosed. An example method includes calculating a first torque value based on first phase currents of a first motor that is driving a shaft connected to a control surface, and calculating a second torque value based on second phase currents of a second motor that is driving the same shaft. The example method also includes determining a first shared torque value based on the first calculated torque value and a first sharing factor, and determining a second shared torque value based on the second calculated torque value and a second sharing factor. The example method also includes determining a torque error based on the first shared torque value and the second shared torque value, and determining a first torque adjustment associated with the first motor based on the torque error.
US10158301B2

A power tool is provided, including a housing; a brushless DC (BLDC) motor arranged within the housing, the motor including a stator and a rotor rotatably disposed within the stator; a power module electrically disposed between the motor and a power supply, the power module including power switches; an actuator engageable by a user; and a control module configured to control a switching operation of the power switches to begin supply power to the motor when the actuator is engaged. The control module monitors engagement and disengagement events of the actuator, and ignores a subsequent engagement of the actuator if at least one of number of actuator engagement events and/or number of actuator disengagement events exceeds a predetermined threshold value within a predetermined time.
US10158291B1

A DC/DC converter is provided for operation within a narrow voltage range during normal conditions, while allowing for a wider input voltage range for short periods of time. A first switch is coupled across first and second input terminals, and a capacitor is coupled in parallel with the first switch and across the input terminals. A second switch is coupled in series with the first input terminal and between the first switch and the capacitor. Operation of the switches is regulated in accordance with a bypass mode of operation when received input power is within a defined range, and a boost mode of operation when received input power is less than a threshold value, wherein the received input power is boosted to a bulk output power within the defined range. Boost operations may in various embodiments be provided via, for example, a critical conduction scheme or continuous conduction scheme.
US10158285B2

In various embodiments, a circuit is provided. The circuit may include a plurality of cascode stages connected in series with one another, a voltage divider which is connected in parallel with the plurality of cascode stages and is coupled to the cascode stages in order to make available a first electrical backup potential at least one cascode stage of the plurality of cascode stages, and a controller which is configured to couple the at least one cascode stage of the plurality of cascode stages to a predefined second electrical backup potential if a voltage which is present at the voltage divider satisfies a predefined criterion.
US10158277B2

The present invention relates to a haptic actuator, and the vibrating body includes a first magnet and a second magnet that are disposed on one end of the coil member in the vertical direction to be spaced apart from each other; a third magnet and a second magnet that are disposed on the other end of the coil member in the vertical direction to be spaced apart from each other; a first magnetic body that is mounted on one end of the first magnet and the third magnet in the horizontal direction; a second magnetic body that is mounted on the other end of the second magnet and the fourth magnet in the horizontal direction; and the first weight and the second weight that is mounted the first magnetic body and the second magnetic body respectively, the polarities of the first magnet and the second magnet having a north pole in the direction facing each other and a south pole in the opposite direction thereof, and the polarities of the third magnet and the forth magnet having a north pole in the direction facing each other and a south pole in the opposite direction thereof, a magnetic field lines emanating from the north poles of the first magnet, the second magnet, the third magnet, and the fourth magnet being to be converged to the coil member.
US10158272B2

An electric machine includes a housing having an air inlet opening near a front or rear end of the housing for aspirating air, and an air outlet opening for expelling air. The housing accommodates a stator, and a rotor is mounted in the housing for rotation about an axis of rotation. Mounted on a side of the housing in parallel relation to the axis of rotation is a hood-like attachment to cover the air inlet and outlet openings so that air expelled from the housing through the air outlet opening is fed back to the air inlet opening. Disposed in the stator are pipes for flow of a liquid cooling medium to directly cool the stator during operation. At least some of the pipes project beyond the stator toward the front and rear ends, so that during operation heat is removed by the pipes from air flowing in the housing.
US10158270B2

The present invention relates to a variable power transmission device which comprises: a power generator, a front driver module and a rear driver module; a power generator and any one selected from the front driver module and the rear driver module; or a power generator. The variable power transmission device produces a rotational force from a combination of: an induced magnetic field generated by the front driver module; a rotating magnetic field generated by the front driver module and the power generator; a rotating magnetic field generated by the power generator and the rear driver module; and an induced magnetic field generated by the power generator together with the rear driver module, using the power supplied from a power applying driving body or the power supplied from a power receiving driving body, increases the rotational force through acceleration, and transmits the power to the power receiving driving body.
US10158263B2

A method of cooling an electric motor is provided utilizing axial cooling channels that are integral to the stator teeth, thus allowing direct contact between the circulating coolant and the lamination stack and providing an efficient means of removing motor assembly heat. Additionally, as the coolant flows out of the cooling channels it impinges on the end windings, thereby providing a secondary means of cooling the motor assembly.
US10158255B2

An inductive power transfer system comprises a primary unit, having a primary coil and an electrical drive unit which applies electrical drive signals to the primary coil so as to generate an electromagnetic field. The system also comprises at least one secondary device, separable from the primary unit and having a secondary coil which couples with the field when the secondary device is in proximity to the primary unit. A control unit causes a circuit including said primary coil to operate, during a measurement period, in an undriven resonating condition. In this condition the application of the drive signals to the primary coil by the electrical drive unit is suspended so that energy stored in the circuit decays over the course of the period. A decay measurement unit takes one or more measures of such energy decay during the measurement period. In dependence upon said one or more energy decay measures, the control unit controls the electrical drive unit so as to restrict or stop inductive power transfer from the primary unit.
US10158254B2

A resonant coupling power transmission system includes a resonance type power transmission device 1 having a resonance type power supply 11 to supply power, and a resonance type transmission antenna 13 to transmit the power supplied by the resonance type power supply 11, and a resonance type power reception device 2 having a resonance type reception antenna 21 to receive the power transmitted by the resonance type transmission antenna 13, and a reception circuit 23 to supply the power received by the resonance type reception antenna 21 to a load, and the characteristic impedance of each of the functional units is set in such a way that there is provided a correlation among the resonance characteristic value of the resonance type power supply 11, that of the resonance type transmission antenna 13, and that of the resonance type power reception device 2.
US10158234B2

The present invention is an apparatus and method for using aggregated loads from a plurality of distributed energy resources to perform a function at a power distribution feeder. The invention includes a plurality of distributed energy resources, wherein at least one distributed energy resource includes a renewable energy resource, a communication network, a control device, a power distribution feeder coupled to the control device, and an energy storage system coupled to the power distribution feeder. The control device sends a signal to the plurality of distributed energy resources via the communication network. The signal is a request to switch a status of one or more of the distributed energy resources if one or more distributed energy resources is within a predetermined condition. Loads from the one or more of the distributed energy resources that switched status are aggregated to perform a function at the power distribution feeder.
US10158232B2

A distributed control node enables total harmonic control. The control node measures current drawn by a load, including harmonics of the primary current. A metering device can generate an energy signature unique to the load including recording a complex current vector for the load in operation identifying the primary current with a real power component and a reactive power component, and identifying the harmonics with a real power component, a reactive power component, and an angular displacement relative to the primary current. The control node can control a noise contribution of the load due to the harmonics as seen at a point of common coupling to reduce noise introduced onto the grid network from the load.
US10158224B1

An exemplary apparatus provides a regulated DC voltage output from an input from supply DC voltage source. A regulation circuit having an input terminal coupled to the supply DC voltage source, an output terminal on which is provided the regulated DC voltage output, and a current control terminal capable of controlling a maximum current that can flow through the regulation circuit where a level of maximum current is controlled proportionate to an amount of resistance connected to the current control terminal. A surge control circuit connected to the current control terminal automatically supplies a variable resistance beginning with one resistance at turn-ON and varying to another resistance at a predetermined time interval after turn-ON to limit the current that can flow at turn-ON until a steady state of the regulation circuit is reached.
US10158210B2

A high power diode laser module is provided with improved high temperature handling and reliability, the module including a housing made of a thermally conductive material and providing a module interior extending between a plurality of housing surfaces, at least one diode laser disposed in the module interior and situated to emit a laser beam, one or more optical components disposed in the module interior and coupled to the at least one diode laser so as to change one or more characteristics of the laser beam, a waveguide in optical communication with the module interior and situated to receive the laser beam from the one or more optical components, and an optical absorber disposed in the housing and situated to receive stray light which is associated with the laser beam and which is propagating in the module interior so as to absorb the stray light and conduct heat associated with the stray light away from the module interior and into the housing.
US10158206B2

A brush holder apparatus includes a stationary support member having at least one groove, a fork electrical connector, and a conductive bar configured to pass through a portion of a main body of the stationary support member. The conductive bar provides electrical conductivity with a collector mount and fork electrical connector. A brush holder is releasably affixed to the stationary support member, and has at least one rail that slides along the groove(s). The brush holder has a knife electrical connector that mates with the fork electrical connector. A brush spring is clipped on the brush holder, and presses a brush against a collector of a dynamoelectric machine. The brush spring is replaceable in the brush holder. The brush spring or brush holder has a friction enhancing material attached to an area where the brush spring attaches to the brush holder.
US10158189B2

A terminal reception chamber (201) of a connector (1) includes a first chamber (201A), a second chamber (201B) and a third chamber (201C). The connector includes a first housing (100) defining a mating terminal insertion hole (102), a second housing (200) defining the first chamber and the second chambers and attached to the first housing, and a third housing (300) defining the third chambers and attached to the first housing and the second housing to contact with the first housing and the second housing and to inseparably connect the first housing and the second housing.
US10158187B1

A conductor module attachment structure includes a case having a connection conductor, a recessed groove that is provided protrusively on an outer wall of the case, a protector that extends along the recessed groove and is formed into a U-shape and that is configured that an opening portion of a U-groove of the protector is closed by an inner wall face of the recessed groove when the protector is inserted into the recessed groove, a voltage detecting line that is routed in the U-groove of the protector, a voltage detecting terminal that is connected to one end of the voltage detecting line, a terminal retaining portion that is provided on the protector and positions the voltage detecting terminal contactably with the connection conductor.
US10158184B2

The invention relates to an electrical connection device (100) including a terminal block (10) and busbar (12) assembly, the terminal block (10) including a first connection point (6) for receiving the lug (24) of a first cable and a second connection point (7) for receiving the lug (20) of a second cable. The second connection point (7) is adjacent to and offset from the first connection point (6). The connection points (6, 7) are positioned such that, when the two cables are connected substantially parallel to the axis, the second cable or the lug (20) thereof prevents access to the first connection point (6). The connection points (6, 7) are preferably offset horizontally and vertically. Preferably, a control cable is connected to the first connection point (6) and a power cable is connected to the second connection point (7).
US10158182B2

A first waveguide guides a first radio wave whose electric field is vibrated in a first direction along a second direction. A second waveguide guides the first radio wave along the second direction and is cascade connected to the first waveguide. An input and output end multiplexes the first radio waves from the first and second waveguides and outputs the multiplexed radio wave, and outputs the first radio wave branched off from a radio wave from outside to the first and second waveguides. A first waveguide shift portion is shifted from the first waveguide in the first direction. A second waveguide shift portion is shifted from the second waveguide in the first direction. The vibration directions of electric fields of radio waves passing through the end parts of the first and second waveguide shift portions are rotated by 90° about a third direction.
US10158170B2

A parabolic cylindrical reflector antenna that comprises two or more antenna feeds each directed towards a parabolic cylindrical reflector, wherein the antenna feeds are positioned in one or more line-arrays parallel to a focal line of the parabolic cylindrical reflector, and the line-array is substantially centered opposing the reflector. The antenna comprises a controller configured to scan along a straight edge of the reflector by electronically adjusting a phase of each of the antenna feeds, thereby changing the incident angle of an energy beam relative to the reflector. The controller is configured to scan along a curved edge of the reflector by moving, using a mechanical positioning mechanism, the antenna feeds in a direction parallel to a directrix of the reflector while maintaining the positioning or by electronically selecting one of two or more parallel line-arrays.
US10158168B2

Improved radio-transparent communication tower panel security devices that can be easily mounted to and strapped around the cover panels of communication towers, including flag-supporting cellular communication towers, so as to band and secure the cover panels thereto and prevent them from falling off in high winds and/or other adverse weather conditions, while preventing wear and tear of flags and their lanyards. Preferably, the communication tower panel security device employs a flexible plastic tubing assembly and a ratchet-based connecting/tensioning assembly for safely securing radiation-transparent panels covering antenna service bays of a wireless telecommunication tower.
US10158166B2

Disclosed herein is a method for applying a conformal coating to one or more radio frequency elements of an antenna or antenna array. Said method is characterized in that the conformal coating is based on a thermoplastic material produced from a mixture comprising a thermoplastic polymer and an olive pomace.
US10158160B2

A metamaterial for receiving electromagnetic waves having any polarization is provided. The metamaterial allows for receipt and/or propagation of electromagnetic waves at a resonant frequency of the metamaterial.
US10158156B2

A microwave transmission line having a coplanar waveguide and a pair of conductive members, each one of the pair of conductive members having a proximal end disposed on a portion of a corresponding one of a pair of ground plane conductors of the coplanar waveguide and a distal end disposed over, and vertically spaced from, a region between a center conductor of the coplanar waveguide and a corresponding one of the pair of ground plane conductors of the coplanar waveguide. The distal ends are laterally separated from each other by a region disposed over the center conductor.
US10158147B2

A sealed battery manufacturing method includes inserting a supply nozzle (120) into an opening (33) that is opened outwardly, the opening (33) being formed in a battery container (33); and introducing a detection gas (He) into the battery container in such a manner that injection of the detection gas from the supply nozzle (120) is started at a pressure smaller than a predetermined injection pressure, and then an injection pressure of the detection gas (He) is increased by stages until the injection pressure of the detection gas (He) reaches the predetermined injection pressure.
US10158146B2

Polymer electrolytes incorporating PS-PEO block copolymers, PXE additives, and lithium salts provide improved physical properties relative to PS-PEO block copolymers and lithium salt alone, and thus provide improved battery performance.
US10158144B2

A main object of the present invention is to provide a solid electrolyte material with high Li ion conductivity and heat stability. To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a solid electrolyte material comprising a composition of Li3PS4-xOx (1≤x≤3), a crystal phase A having a peak at a position of 2θ=17.80°±0.50°, 25.80°±0.50° in X-ray diffraction measurement using a CuKα ray, and a crystal phase B having a peak at a position of 2θ=22.30°±0.50°, 23.14°±0.50°, 24.80°±0.50°, 33.88°±0.50°, 36.48°±0.50° in X-ray diffraction measurement using a CuKα ray.
US10158139B2

One embodiment of the present invention is a unique fuel cell system. Another embodiment is a unique desulfurization system. Yet another embodiment is a method of operating a fuel cell system. Other embodiments include apparatuses, systems, devices, hardware, methods, and combinations for fuel cell systems and desulfurization systems. Further embodiments, forms, features, aspects, benefits, and advantages of the present application will become apparent from the description and figures provided herewith.
US10158137B2

A control method and system of a fuel cell system are provided. The control method includes draining the voltage of a fuel cell stack by charging a high voltage battery. In addition, the method includes draining the voltage of the fuel cell stack by connecting a fuel cell load device to the fuel cell stack, which is performed when the voltage of the fuel cell stack decreased by the first draining process is less than a predetermined first reference voltage.
US10158135B2

A reforming unit for a fuel cell system is provided. The reforming unit may comprise a reforming section, a heat exchanging section and a bypass plenum. The reforming section reforms a hydrocarbon containing fuel. The heat exchanging section effects a heat transfer between a fluid flowing therethrough and the fluid flowing through the reforming section, the bypass plenum, or both. The bypass plenum provides a flowpath for the hydrocarbon-containing fuel to bypass the reforming section. The bypass plenum may comprise a flow restrictor in the outlet of the bypass plenum to control the amount of fluid communication between the outlet of the bypass plenum and the outlet of the reforming section.
US10158133B2

A fuel cell system is provided. The system includes a fuel cell stack, a plurality of valves operated to be selectively opened or closed to supply fuel to the fuel cell stack and remove impurities, and a pressure sensor that detects a state of pressure of fuel supplied to the fuel cell stack. A fuel cell controller then determines whether the pressure sensor or the plurality of valves are faulty by comparing increase or decrease time of the pressure detected by the pressure sensor with a reference range of time delay, as the plurality of valves are operated to be opened or closed.
US10158132B2

A fuel gas supply apparatus of a fuel cell system includes a pressure reducing valve, an interruption valve, and an injector in a hydrogen supply channel. A controller of the fuel cell system includes a drive cycle setting unit for setting the drive cycle of the injector based on a load of the fuel cell stack, and a water state determination unit for determining whether or not quantity of water content in the fuel cell is excessive by determining whether or not the quantity of water content is a predetermined quantity or more.
US10158131B2

A method for preparing a fuel cell system for a starting operation involves performing a start preparation routine when switching off of the fuel cell system and/or when the temperature falls short of a predetermined temperature threshold value in order to discharge water and moisture from the fuel cell system. The start preparation routine is changed in accordance with measured values detected within a predetermined time interval before the stopping of the fuel cell system.
US10158125B2

A fuel cell is formed by laminating a plurality of cells. Each cell includes a membrane electrode assembly and two separators, which hold the membrane electrode assembly in between. Each separator includes a base member made of a metal material. A first layer is provided on the surface of the base member. The first layer includes a resin film and conductive particles that have greater hardness than the oxide film of the base member. Between the separators that are adjacent to each other, the first layers are in contact with each other.
US10158115B2

In an example, the present invention provides a method for forming a film of material for a solid state battery or other energy storage device. The method includes providing a first precursor species, and providing a second precursor species. The method also includes transferring the first precursor species through a first nozzle and outputting the first precursor species in a first molecular form and transferring the second precursor species through a second nozzle and outputting the second precursor species in a second molecular form. The method includes causing formation of first plurality of particles, ranging from about first diameter to about a second diameter, by intermixing the first precursor species with the second precursor species. The method also includes cooling the first plurality of particles at a rate of greater than 100° C./s to a specified temperature.
US10158113B2

A vehicle battery unit includes at least one first battery, at least one second battery, and a harness. The at least one first battery has a first battery connector. The at least one second battery has a second battery connector. A harness has harness connectors connected to the first battery connector and second battery connector. The harness holds the harness in such a manner that connecting portions of the harness connectors are directed toward a direction substantially perpendicular to a battery arranging direction in which the at least one first battery and the at least one second battery are arranged.
US10158111B2

A preparation method of a separator according to the present disclosure includes preparing an aqueous slurry including inorganic particles, a binder polymer, and an aqueous medium, and coating the aqueous slurry on at least one surface of a porous polymer substrate to form an organic-inorganic composite porous coating layer, wherein capillary number of the aqueous slurry has a range between 0.3 and 65.
US10158108B2

When cellulose is used as a separator, the cellulose is impregnated with an ionic liquid. Charge and discharge are repeated with this separator touching a surface of a current collector; then, the separator is changed in color. Thus, it is an object to provide a power storage device with a structure in which a side reaction other than a battery reaction, e.g., a change in color of separator, is unlikely to occur. In the power storage device, a separator impregnated with an ionic liquid is not in contact with a surface of a current collector. The separator has a tubular shape, a bag-like shape, or a sheet-like shape. The separator includes cellulose. The power storage device including the ionic liquid is non-volatile and non-flammable. The power storage device can be bent.
US10158105B2

A rechargeable battery pack including a housing, a plurality of battery cells at least partially positioned within the housing, and a latch mechanism. The latch mechanism including a first linkage member, a second linkage member in operable communication with the first linkage member, and a locking pawl directly coupled to the second linkage member and movable with respect to the housing between a locked position and an unlocked position.
US10158098B2

Embodiments described herein generally relate to a method and apparatus for encapsulating an OLED structure, more particularly, to a TFE structure for an OLED structure. The TFE structure includes at least one dielectric layer and at least two barrier layers, and the TFE structure is formed over the OLED structure. The at least one dielectric layer is deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD). Having the at least one dielectric layer formed by ALD in the TFE structure improves the barrier performance of the TFE structure.
US10158093B2

The invention relates to a method for manufacturing an electronic device, particularly a device including a flexible and/or low-cost substrate and/or carbon nanotubes, and also relates to electronic devices produced using said method. The method for manufacturing an electronic device, including a substrate mad of a material M and an active semiconductor material layer (3), includes the following steps: a) providing a carrier (10) made of an alkali metal salt or alkaline earth metal salt, preferably sodium chloride (NaCl) or potassium chloride (KCl); optionally, b) depositing a dielectric material layer (2) onto one surface of the carrier; c) forming an active semiconductor material layer (3) on one surface of the carrier when Step b) is not implemented or on the free surface of the layer when Step b) is implemented; d) forming different components of the electronic device on and/or under the layer; e) depositing a protective layer onto the layer stack, obtained in Step d), of the different components of the electronic device, said protective layer being made of the material M required for the substrate (1); and f) removing the carrier (10) by dissolving one or more of the components of said electronic device on a substrate different from the substrate (1). In said removal of the carrier, the method does not include any step for manufacturing one or more of the components of said electronic device on a substrate different from the substrate (1). The invention is of use in the field of electronics in particular.
US10158080B2

An amino fluorene polymer including a first repeating unit represented by Formula 1: wherein, in Formula 1, A, F, F′, m1, n1, n2, R1, R2, R3, and R4 are the same as described in the specification.
US10158077B2

A light-emitting composition comprises a polymer and a phosphorescent light-emitting material. The polymer comprises conjugating repeat units of formula (I) and up to 20 mol % of conjugation-blocking repeat units of repeat units of formula (II): Ar1 represents an aryl or heteroaryl group; R1, which may be the same or different in each occurrence, is a substituent; p is 0 or an integer; Ar2 in each occurrence independently represents a substituted or unsubstituted aryl or heteroaryl group; and Sp1 represents an acyclic spacer group that does not provide any conjugation path between the two groups Ar2. Optionally, p is 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4 and each R1 is a non-polar substituent. Each R1 is advantageously selected from C1-30 hydrocarbyl substituents. A light-emitting device comprises an anode, a cathode and a light-emitting layer between the anode and the cathode, the light-emitting layer comprising a light-emitting composition as described.
US10158074B2

An organic layer deposition assembly for depositing a deposition material on a substrate includes a deposition source configured to spray the deposition material, a deposition source nozzle arranged in one side of the deposition source and including deposition source nozzles arranged in a first direction, a patterning slit sheet arranged to face the deposition source nozzle and having patterning slits in a second direction that crosses the first direction, and a correction sheet arranged between the deposition source nozzle and the patterning slit sheet and configured to block at least a part of the deposition material sprayed from the deposition source.
US10158069B2

A manufacture includes a first electrode having an upper surface and a side surface, a resistance variable film over the first electrode, and a second electrode over the resistance variable film. The resistance variable film extends along the upper surface and the side surface of the first electrode. The second electrode has a side surface. A portion of the side surface of the first electrode and a portion of the side surface of the second electrode sandwich a portion of the resistance variable film.
US10158063B2

A monolithic, bulk piezoelectric actuator includes a bulk piezoelectric substrate having a starting top surface and an opposing starting bottom surface and a at least two electrodes operatively disposed on the bulk piezoelectric substrate consisting of at least two discrete electrodes disposed on either/both of the starting top surface and the starting bottom surface and at least one electrode disposed on the respective other starting bottom surface or starting top surface. A stage includes a base, at least two of the monolithic, bulk piezoelectric actuators disposed on the base, a movable platform disposed on the base, and a respective number of deformable connectors each having a first connection to a respective one of the piezoelectric actuators and a second connection to a respective portion of the movable platform. A method for monolithically making a monolithic, bulk piezoelectric actuator involves a direct write micropatterning technique.
US10158062B2

A method is provided of forming a superconductor device interconnect structure. The method includes forming a first high temperature dielectric layer overlying a substrate, forming a base electrode in the first high temperature dielectric layer with the base electrode having a top surface aligned with the top surface of the first high temperature dielectric layer, and depositing a second high temperature dielectric layer over the first high temperature dielectric layer and the base electrode. The method further comprises forming a first contact through the second dielectric layer to a first end of the base electrode, forming a Josephson junction (JJ) overlying and in contact with the first contact, and forming a second contact through the second dielectric layer to a second end of the base electrode.
US10158054B1

An LED lighting device is disclosed. The LED lighting device uses a violet LED chip as a light source for exciting quantum dots. The quantum dots excited by the light of the violet LED chip are mixed with each other to form white light. So, the LED lighting device not just has the effects of providing a high luminous efficiency and preventing the blue light from damaging human eyes only, but also provides a better color rendering ability.
US10158052B2

The invention provides a lighting unit comprising a source of blue light, a source of green light, a first source of red light comprising a first red luminescent material, configured to provide red light with a broad band spectral light distribution, and a second source of red light comprising a second red luminescent material, configured to provide red light with a spectral light distribution comprising one or more red emission lines. Especially, the first red luminescent material comprises (Mg,Ca,Sr)AlSiN3:Eu and/or (Ba,Sr,Ca)2Si5-xAlxOxN8-x:Eu, and the second red luminescent material comprises K2SiF6:Mn.
US10158050B2

A light-emitting diode package includes a frame portion with a chip-mounting region defined in an upper portion thereof, and first and second frames spaced apart from each other. A light-emitting diode is mounted on at least a portion of the chip-mounting region with a bonding layer interposed therebetween. The frame portion includes a depressed portion formed on an upper surface thereof, and the depressed portion includes the chip-mounting region defined on a bottom thereof. The depressed portion also includes a step portion disposed at an outer upper end thereof.
US10158049B2

A method according to embodiments of the invention includes positioning a flexible film (48) over a wafer of semiconductor light emitting devices, each semiconductor light emitting device including a semiconductor structure (13) including a light emitting layer sandwiched between an n-type region and a p-type region. The wafer of semiconductor light emitting devices is bonded to a substrate (50) via the flexible film (48). After bonding, the flexible film (48) is in direct contact with the semiconductor structures (13). The method further includes dividing the wafer after bonding the wafer to the substrate (50).
US10158038B1

An exemplary photodetector includes a SPAD and a capacitor. The capacitor is configured to be charged, while the SPAD is in a disarmed state, with a bias voltage by a voltage source. The capacitor is further configured to supply, when the SPAD is put in an armed state, the bias voltage to an output node of the SPAD such that a voltage across the SPAD is greater than a breakdown voltage of the SPAD.
US10158037B2

An optical transducer, optoelectronic device, and semiconductor are disclosed. An illustrative optical transducer is disclosed to include a plurality of p-n stacks, where each p-n stack comprises at least a p-layer and an n-layer, and formed therein a built-in photovoltage between the p-layer and the n-layer. The p-layers and n-layers are disclosed to have substantially the same n-type material in substantially the same composition such that each p-n stack in the plurality of p-n stacks has a substantially similar built-in photovoltage. The optical transducer is further disclosed to include a plurality of connecting layers, each connecting layer in the plurality of connecting layers being sandwiched between two adjacent p-n stacks for electrically connecting the two adjacent p-n stacks. The p-n stacks in the plurality of p-n stacks may be arranged such that the built-in photovoltage of each p-n stack additively contributes to an overall electric potential of the transducer.
US10158030B2

A tunable capacitor may include a first terminal having a first semiconductor component with a first polarity. The tunable capacitor may also include a second terminal having a second semiconductor component with a second polarity. The second component may be adjacent to the first semiconductor component. The tunable capacitor may further include a first conductive material electrically coupled to a first depletion region at a first sidewall of the first semiconductor component.
US10158024B2

An array substrate and a display device are provided. The array substrate includes a base substrate and a gate metal layer, an active layer and a source/drain metal layer disposed on the base substrate; the gate metal layer includes a gate line and a storage electrode line that extends in parallel to the gate line; the active layer includes a first pattern taken as a channel region of a thin-film transistor (TFT) and a second pattern at least partially overlapped with the storage electrode line in a thickness direction of the base substrate, or the source/drain metal layer includes a data line pattern and a metal layer pattern at least partially overlapped with the storage electrode line in the thickness direction of the base substrate.
US10158013B1

A semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing the semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a silicon carbide drift layer, a buried silicon carbide layer and an oxide semiconductor layer; the buried silicon carbide layer is located within the silicon carbide drift layer and the buried silicon carbide layer is covered by the oxide semiconductor layer. Therefore, breakdown behavior and/or long-time reliability of the semiconductor device may be further improved.
US10158010B2

This disclosure relates to methods of forming bipolar transistors, such as heterojunction bipolar transistors. The methods may include forming a sub-collector over a substrate, forming a first portion of a collector over the sub-collector and doping a second portion of the collector to form a doping spike. The method may further include forming a third portion of the collector over the doping spike and forming a base of the bipolar transistor over the third portion of the collector.
US10158009B2

A method of making a graphene base transistor with reduced collector area comprising forming an electron injection region, forming an electron collection region, and forming a base region wherein the base region comprises one or more sheets of graphene and wherein the base region is intermediate the electron injection region and the electron collection region and forms electrical interfaces therewith.
US10158008B2

A change in electrical characteristics of a semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor is prevented, and the reliability of the semiconductor device is improved. An oxide semiconductor is formed over a substrate; an insulator is formed over the oxide semiconductor; a metal oxide is formed over the insulator; a conductor is formed over the metal oxide; a portion of the oxide semiconductor is exposed by removing the conductor, the metal oxide, and the insulator over the oxide semiconductor; plasma treatment is performed on a surface of the exposed portion of the oxide semiconductor; and a nitride insulator is formed over the exposed portion of the oxide semiconductor and over the conductor. The plasma treatment is performed in a mixed atmosphere of an argon gas and a nitrogen gas.
US10158002B2

A method of making a semiconductor switch device and a semiconductor switch device made according to the method. The method includes depositing a gate dielectric on a major surface of a substrate. The method also includes depositing and patterning a gate electrode on the gate dielectric. The method further includes depositing an oxide to cover the top surface and sidewall(s) of the gate electrode. The method also includes, after depositing the oxide, performing a first ion implantation process at a first implantation dosage for forming a lightly doped drain region of the switch device. The method further includes forming sidewall spacers on the sidewall(s) of the gate electrode. The method also includes performing a second ion implantation process at a second implantation dosage for forming a source region and a drain region of the semiconductor switch device. The second implantation dosage is greater than the first implantation dosage.
US10158000B2

Systems and methods are provided for fabricating a semiconductor structure including sidewall spacers. An example semiconductor structure includes: a gate structure, a first sidewall spacer, and a second sidewall spacer. The gate structure is formed over a substrate. The first sidewall spacer is adjacent to the gate structure, a top part of the first sidewall spacer including a first dielectric material, a bottom part of the first sidewall spacer including a second dielectric material. The second sidewall spacer is adjacent to the first sidewall spacer, the second sidewall spacer including a third dielectric material.
US10157999B2

A method includes forming a first hard mask over a semiconductor substrate, etching the semiconductor substrate to form recesses, with a semiconductor strip located between two neighboring ones of the recesses, forming a second hard mask on sidewalls of the semiconductor strip, performing a first anisotropic etch on the second hard mask to remove horizontal portions of the second hard mask, and performing a second anisotropic etch on the semiconductor substrate using the first hard mask and vertical portions of the second hard mask as an etching mask to extend the recesses down. The method further includes removing the vertical portions of the second hard mask, and forming isolation regions in the recesses. The isolation regions are recessed, and a portion of the semiconductor strip between the isolation regions protrudes higher than the isolation regions to form a semiconductor fin.
US10157990B2

A semiconductor device is provided, which includes a substrate, a shallow trench isolation (STI), a gate dielectric structure, a capping structure and a gate structure. The STI is in the substrate and defines an active area of the substrate. The gate dielectric structure is on the active area. The capping structure is adjacent to the gate dielectric structure and at edges of the active area. The gate structure is on the gate dielectric structure and the capping structure. An equivalent oxide thickness of the capping structure is substantially greater than an equivalent oxide thickness of the gate dielectric structure.
US10157975B2

A method includes determining an active region pattern density of a first region of an integrated circuit layout based on a total area of each active region in the first region and an area of the first region. The method includes determining an active region pattern density of a second region of the integrated circuit layout based on a total area of each active region in the second region and an area of the second region. The method includes determining an active region pattern density gradient between the first region to the second region. The method includes determining whether the first region or the second region includes a resistive device. The method includes modifying a portion of the resistive device to include an incremental resistor in response to the first region or the second region including the resistive device.
US10157972B2

An organic light-emitting diode display is disclosed. In one aspect, the display includes a substrate including a pixel area and a peripheral area surrounding the pixel area and an organic light-emitting element formed in the pixel area and including a first electrode, an organic emission layer, and a second electrode. The display also includes a common voltage line formed in the peripheral area and configured to provide a common voltage to the second electrode, wherein the common voltage line and the first electrode are formed of the same material.
US10157963B1

A semiconductor device includes a substrate and a memory structure disposed above the substrate. An embodied memory structure includes a bottom electrode disposed above the substrate, a barrier layer disposed at the bottom electrode, a resistance switching layer disposed on the bottom electrode and above the barrier layer, and a top electrode disposed on the resistance switching layer and covering the resistance switching layer. A bottom surface of the resistance switching layer is spaced apart from an uppermost surface of the barrier layer by a distance.
US10157956B2

A method for monolithic integration of a hyperspectral image sensor is provided, which includes: forming a bottom reflecting layer on a surface of the photosensitive region of a CMOS image sensor wafer; forming a transparent cavity layer composed of N step structures on the bottom reflecting layer through area selective atomic layer deposition processes, where N=2m, m≥1 and m is a positive integer; and forming a top reflecting layer on the transparent cavity layer. With the method, non-uniformity accumulation due to etching processes in conventional technology is minimized, and the cavity layer can be made of materials which cannot be etched. Mosaic cavity layers having such repeated structures with different heights can be formed by extending one-dimensional ASALD, such as extending in another dimension and forming repeated regions, which can be applied to snapshot hyperspectral image sensors, for example, pixels, and greatly improving performance thereof.
US10157955B2

By selectively anisotropically etching a stack film formed to cover a plurality of photodiodes and a gate electrode layer of a MOS transistor, the stack film remains on each of the plurality of photodiodes to form a lower antireflection coating and the stack film remains on a sidewall of the gate electrode layer to form a sidewall Using the gate electrode layer and the sidewall as a mask, an impurity is introduced to form a source/drain region of the MOS transistor. After the impurity was introduced, an upper antireflection coating is formed at least on a lower antireflection coating At least any of the upper antireflection coating and the lower antireflection coating is etched such that the antireflection coatings on the two respective photodiodes are different in thickness from each other.
US10157954B2

An optical sensor including a semiconductor substrate; a first light absorption region formed in the semiconductor substrate, the first light absorption region configured to absorb photons at a first wavelength range and to generate photo-carriers from the absorbed photons; a second light absorption region formed on the first light absorption region, the second light absorption region configured to absorb photons at a second wavelength range and to generate photo-carriers from the absorbed photons; and a sensor control signal coupled to the second light absorption region, the sensor control signal configured to provide at least a first control level and a second control level.
US10157951B2

A complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor (CIS) with a simplified stacked structure and improved operation characteristics includes an upper chip, in which a plurality of pixels are arranged in a two-dimensional array structure, and a lower chip below the upper chip including a logic region having logic circuits and a memory region having embedded therein magnetic random access memory (MRAM) used as image buffer memory for storing image data processed by the logic region.
US10157950B2

A semiconductor device is provided. The semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate. An isolation feature is disposed in the semiconductor substrate to define a pixel region and a periphery region of the semiconductor substrate. A transistor gate is formed on the semiconductor substrate in the pixel region, in which the transistor gate has a first sidewall and a second sidewall opposite to the first sidewall. A photodiode is disposed in the semiconductor substrate and adjacent to the second sidewall of the transistor gate. A patterned spacer layer is formed on the photodiode and on the transistor gate. The patterned spacer layer includes a first sidewall spacer on the first sidewall of the transistor gate, and a protective structure covering the photodiode and a top surface of the transistor gate.
US10157942B2

Semiconductor devices and methods of forming semiconductor devices are disclosed. In some embodiments, a first trench and a second trench are formed in a substrate, and dopants of a first conductivity type are implanted along sidewalls and a bottom of the first trench and the second trench. The first and second trenches are filled with an insulating material, and a gate dielectric and a gate electrode over the substrate, the gate dielectric and the gate electrode extending over the first trench and the second trench. Source/drain regions are formed in the substrate on opposing sides of the gate dielectric and the gate electrode.
US10157940B2

The present invention provides a manufacturing method of LTPS array substrate, wherein the LTPS array substrate contains at least a metal mask layer, a buffer layer, an active layer, a gate insulating layer and a gate layer. The manufacturing method is to form the gate layer by patterning the gate layer using the metal mask layer as a photomask, and a width of the formed gate layer is smaller than a width of the metal mask layer so that a vertical projection of the gate layer falls within the scope of the metal mask layer. In the present invention, the cost of producing a metal mask for the gate electrode is saved by patterning the gate layer using the metal mask layer as a photomask, so that the cost of producing LTPS is saved and the process of production is simplified.
US10157921B2

An integrated circuit device can include a substrate having a first area and a second area and a pair of first fin-shaped active areas each having a first shape protruding from the first area in a first direction, adjacent to each other, and extending in a straight line. A fin separation insulating film can be between the pair of first fin-shaped active areas in the first area and a second fin-shaped active area can protrude from the second area in the first direction and have a second shape that is different from the first shape, wherein respective widths of each of the pair of first fin-shaped active areas are less than a corresponding width of the second fin-shaped active area.
US10157912B2

A semiconductor device includes dummy gate structures formed on a dielectric layer over a substrate and forming a gap therebetween. A trench silicide structure is formed in the gap on the dielectric layer and extends longitudinally beyond the gap on end portions. The trench silicide structure forms a resistive element. Self-aligned contacts are formed through an interlevel dielectric layer and land on the trench silicide structure beyond the gap on the end portions.
US10157909B2

A 3D semiconductor device, the device including: a first layer including first transistors each including a silicon channel; a second layer including second transistors each including a silicon channel, the second layer overlaying the first transistors, where at least one of the second transistors is at least partially self-aligned to at least one of the first transistors; and a third layer including third transistors each including a single crystal silicon channel, the third layer underlying the first transistors, where a plurality of the third transistors form a logic circuit, and where the logic circuit is aligned to the second transistors with less than 200 nm alignment error, where the first layer thickness is less than one micron, and where the first transistor is a junction-less transistor.
US10157908B2

Electrostatic discharge (ESD) devices and methods of manufacture are provided. The method includes forming a plurality of fin structures and a mesa structure from semiconductor material. The method further includes forming an epitaxial material with doped regions on the mesa structure and forming gate material over at least the plurality of fin structures. The method further includes planarizing at least the gate material such that the gate material and the epitaxial material are of a same height. The method further includes forming contacts in electrical connection with respective ones of the doped regions of the epitaxial material.
US10157907B2

An integrated circuit (IC) structure is provided. The IC structure comprises a deep n-well (DWN), a first circuit, a second circuit, a first power line and a second power line. The first circuit is in the DWN. The second circuit is outside the DWN and electrically connected with the first circuit. The first power line is configured to provide the first circuit with power. The second power line is configured to provide the second circuit with power. The second power line is electrically connected with the first power line. The first power line and the second power line are in different conductive layers.
US10157903B2

A semiconductor device that improves the discharge capacity with respect to ESD without increasing the surface area of the semiconductor device includes a first conductive portion including plural portions, each of the plural portions having a first type of conductivity, and each of the plural portions extending in a first direction and being arranged in parallel at a distance from each other in a second direction that intersects the first direction; and a second conductive portion including an island portion provided between the respective plural portions of the first conductive portion and extending in the first direction, the second conductive portion having a second type of conductivity that is different from the first type of conductivity.
US10157892B1

Semiconductor packages and methods of forming the same are disclosed. The semiconductor package includes a plurality of chips, a first dielectric layer, a first redistribution structure, a second dielectric layer and a second redistribution structure. The first dielectric layer encapsulates the chips. The first redistribution structure is disposed over the plurality of chips and the first dielectric layer. The second dielectric layer surrounds the first dielectric layer. The second redistribution structure is disposed over the first redistribution structure, the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer.
US10157891B2

An interconnect apparatus and a method of forming the interconnect apparatus is provided. Two integrated circuits are bonded together. A first opening is formed through one of the substrates. A multi-layer dielectric film is formed along sidewalls of the first opening. One or more etch processes form one or more spacer-shaped structures along sidewalls of the first opening. A second opening is formed extending from the first opening to pads in the integrated circuits. A dielectric liner is formed, and the opening is filled with a conductive material to form a conductive plug.
US10157877B2

A solder joint layer has a structure in which plural fine-grained second crystal sections (22) precipitate at crystal grain boundaries between first crystal sections (21) dispersed in a matrix. The first crystal sections (21) are Sn crystal grains containing tin and antimony in a predetermined proportion. The second crystal sections (22) are made up of a first portion containing a predetermined proportion of Ag atoms with respect to Sn atoms, or a second portion containing a predetermined proportion of Cu atoms with respect to Sn atoms, or both. The solder joint layer may have third crystal sections (23) which are crystal grains that contain a predetermined proportion of Sb atoms with respect to Sn atoms. As a result, solder joining is enabled at a low melting point, and a highly reliable solder joint layer having a substantially uniform metal structure can be formed.
US10157868B2

A fan-out semiconductor package includes: a first interconnection member having a through-hole; a semiconductor chip disposed in the through-hole and having an active surface having connection pads disposed thereon and an inactive surface; a second interconnection member disposed on the first interconnection member and the active surface of the semiconductor chip and including a redistribution layer electrically connected to the connection pads; and an encapsulant encapsulating at least portions of the first interconnection member and the semiconductor chip. The first interconnection member includes a first insulating layer in contact with the second interconnection member, a first redistribution layer disposed on a surface of the first insulating layer in contact with the second interconnection member and electrically connected to the connection pads, and a blocking layer disposed on the surface of the first insulating layer on which the first redistribution layer is disposed and surrounding the through-hole.
US10157867B1

In an embodiment, a device includes: an interconnect structure over a substrate, the interconnect structure including a first metal line and a second metal line, the first metal line longer than the second metal line; a surface dielectric layer over the interconnect structure; a plurality of first vias in the surface dielectric layer; a first bonding pad in the surface dielectric layer, where the first bonding pad is connected to a first end of the first metal line through the first vias; a plurality of second vias in the surface dielectric layer; a second bonding pad in the surface dielectric layer, the second bonding pad and the first bonding pad separate from each other, where the second bonding pad is connected to a second end of the first metal line through the second vias; and a third bonding pad in the surface dielectric layer, where the third bonding pad is connect to the second metal line through a third via.
US10157860B2

Methods of forming microelectronic package structures, and structures formed thereby, are described. Those methods/structures may include attaching a stiffener on a substrate, wherein a first section of the stiffener and a second section of the stiffener are on opposite sides of an opening. At least one component may be attached on the substrate within the opening, wherein the at least one component is disposed between the first section of the stiffener and the second section of the stiffener, and wherein the stiffener comprises a grounding structure disposed on the substrate.
US10157854B2

A package includes a device die, a molding material encircling the device die, wherein a top surface of the molding material is substantially level with a top surface of the device die, and a bottom dielectric layer over the device die and the molding material. A plurality of redistribution lines (RDLs) extends into the bottom dielectric layer and electrically coupling to the device die. A top polymer layer is over the bottom dielectric layer, with a trench ring penetrating through the top polymer layer. The trench ring is adjacent to edges of the package. The package further includes Under-Bump Metallurgies (UBMs) extending into the top polymer layer.
US10157852B2

A multi-stacked package-on-package structure includes a method. The method includes: adhering a first die and a plurality of second dies to a substrate, the first die having a different function from each of the plurality of second dies; attaching a passive device over the first die; encapsulating the first die, the plurality of second dies, and the passive device; and forming a first redistribution structure over the passive device, the first die, and the plurality of second dies, the passive device connecting the first die to the first redistribution structure.
US10157848B2

A chip card module arrangement may include a first surface and a second surface, which are opposite from one another, and a chip receptacle for one or more semiconductor chips on the surfaces. The chip card module arrangement may further include a connecting material receiving area on one of the two surfaces, the connecting material receiving area only taking up a portion of the surface.
US10157838B2

A method for fabricating a backside device contact using a silicon-on-insulator substrate that includes a device layer, a buried insulator layer, and a handle wafer, includes forming a trench in the device layer. The trench is filled with a contact plug. The backside device contact includes the contact plug. After the trench is filled with the contact plug, the handle wafer is removed to reveal the buried insulator layer. The buried insulator layer is partially removed to expose the trench containing the contact plug. A final substrate is connected to the buried insulator layer such that the contact plug contacts metallization of the final substrate. A device structure is formed using the device layer.
US10157827B2

A method for forming a semiconductor device comprises forming a gate stack on a channel region of a semiconductor, forming a source/drain region adjacent to the channel region, depositing a first insulator layer over the source/drain region, and removing a portion of the first insulator layer to form a first cavity that exposes a portion of the source/drain region. A first conductive material is deposited in the first cavity, and a conductive extension is formed from the first conductive material over the first insulator layer. A protective layer is deposited over the extension and a second insulator layer is deposited over the protective layer. A portion of the second insulator layer is removed to form a second cavity that exposes the protective layer, and an exposed portion of the protective layer is removed to expose a portion of the extension. A second conductive material is deposited in the second cavity.
US10157811B2

A chip package includes a chip, a dam layer, a permanent adhesive layer, a support, a buffer layer, a redistribution layer, a passivation layer, and a conducting structure. A conducting pad and a sensing device of the chip are located on a first surface of a substrate of the chip, and the conducting pad protrudes from the side surface of the substrate. The dam layer surrounds the sensing device. The permanent adhesive layer is between the support and the substrate. The support and the permanent adhesive layer have a trench to expose the conducting pad. The buffer layer is located on the support. The redistribution layer is located on the buffer layer and on the support, the permanent adhesive layer, and the conducting pad facing the trench. The passivation layer covers the redistribution layer, the buffer layer, and the conducting pad.
US10157806B2

A submodule comprising: a substrate, a power semiconductor component, a connection device, a terminal device and an insulating body. The substrate has conductor tracks electrically insulated from one another, and the component is electrically conductively connected to a track. The connection device is a film composite with a first surface facing the component and the substrate and an opposed second surface. The insulating body has: a first partial body, connected to an edge of the substrate, a first cutout for a terminal, a second partial body, embodied as a pressure body and a second cutout, with a pressure element projecting therefrom. The second partial body is movable relative to the first partial body in the direction of the substrate to press with the pressure element onto a section of the second surface. The section is within the area of the component in projection along the direction of the normal thereto.
US10157803B2

A semiconductor device and method can comprise measuring a true position of each of a plurality of semiconductor die within an embedded die panel and determining a total radial shift of each of the plurality of semiconductor die. The total radial shift of each of the plurality of semiconductor die can be distributed to two or more layers for each of the plurality of semiconductor die by assigning a portion of the total radial shift to each of the layers according to a priority list to form a distributed radial shift for each of the layers. A transformation for each of the layers for each of the plurality of semiconductor die can be transformed using the distributed radial shift for each of the layers. A unit specific pattern can be formed over each of the plurality of semiconductor die with the transformation for each of the layers.
US10157800B2

A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a first source/drain feature, a second source/drain feature and a dielectric plug. The substrate has a semiconductor fin. The first source/drain feature is embedded in the semiconductor fin. The second source/drain feature is embedded in the semiconductor fin. The dielectric plug extends from above the semiconductor fin into the semiconductor fin. The dielectric plug is in between the first source/drain feature and the second source/drain feature. The dielectric plug is separated from the first source/drain feature and the second source/drain feature.
US10157764B2

A thermal shield is disclosed that may be disposed between a heated electrostatic chuck and a base. The thermal shield comprises a thermal insulator, such as a polyimide film, having a thickness of between 1 and 5 mils. The polyimide film is coated on one side with a layer of reflective material, such as aluminum. The layer of reflective material may be between 30 and 100 nanometers. The thermal shield is disposed such that the layer of reflective material is closer to the chuck. Because of the thinness of the layer of reflective material, the thermal shield does not retain a significant amount of heat. Further, the temperature of the thermal shield remains far below the glass transition temperature of the polyimide film.
US10157758B2

Provided are a work heating device which is capable of heating a work piece with high soaking properties as well as fine temperature control and which remains highly reliable over a long-term use by preventing the deformation or the like of a chuck member, and a work treating device that uses the work heating device. The work heating device is a work heating device in which the chuck member including a work attraction electrode for work attraction and a heater member including a heating element for work heating are layered, and which is capable of heating with the heater member the work piece stuck by attraction on the chuck member side, in which the heater member includes a chuck attraction electrode for causing the chuck member to stick by attraction, between a surface of the heater member that is opposed to the chuck member and the heating element, so that the chuck member and the heater member are layered detachably. The work treating device is obtained by putting the work heating device on a base platform.
US10157750B2

The present invention provides a plasma processing method and a plasma processing apparatus. The plasma processing method enables consistent processing by realizing a high selectivity and a high etching rate when etching a laminated film using a boron-containing amorphous carbon film, realizes high throughput including prior and post processes by simplifying a mask forming process, and has shape controllability of vertical processing. In the present invention, in a plasma processing method for forming a mask by plasma-etching a laminated film including an amorphous carbon film containing boron, the boron-containing amorphous carbon film is plasma-etched by using a mixed gas of an oxygen gas, a fluorine-containing gas, a halogen gas, and a silicon tetrafluoride gas, or a mixed gas of an oxygen gas, a fluorine-containing gas, a halogen gas, and a silicon tetrachloride gas.
US10157748B2

A finFET semiconductor device and method for fabricating such a device are presented. The semiconductor device includes a first fin formed in a first semiconducting layer, a second fin formed in a second semiconductor layer, and an insulating layer disposed between the first fin and the second fin. The first fin, the second fin, and the insulating layer form a stacked structure above a substrate. Sidewalls of the first fin are substantially more vertical than sidewalls of the second fin.
US10157737B2

Semiconductor devices comprising two-dimensional (2D) materials and methods of manufacture thereof are described. In an embodiment, a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising 2D materials may include: epitaxially forming a first 2D material layer on a substrate; and epitaxially forming a second 2D material layer over the first 2D material layer, the first 2D material layer and the second 2D material layer differing in composition.
US10157730B2

A plasma system includes an RF generator and a matchbox including an impedance matching circuit, which is coupled to the RF generator via an RF cable. The plasma system includes a chuck and a plasma reactor coupled to the matchbox via an RF line. The RF line forms a portion of an RF supply path, which extends between the RF generator through the matchbox, and to the chuck. The plasma system further includes a phase adjusting circuit coupled to the RF supply path between the impedance matching circuit and the chuck. The phase adjusting circuit has an end coupled to the RF supply path and another end that is grounded. The plasma system includes a controller coupled to the phase adjusting circuit. The controller is used for changing a parameter of the phase adjusting circuit to control an impedance of the RF supply path based on a tune recipe.
US10157729B2

Systems and methods for soft pulsing are described. One of the systems includes a master radiofrequency (RF) generator for generating a first portion of a master RF signal during a first state and a second portion of the master RF signal during a second state. The master RF signal is a sinusoidal signal. The system further includes an impedance matching circuit coupled to the master RF generator via an RF cable to modify the master RF signal to generate a modified RF signal and a plasma chamber coupled to the impedance matching circuit via an RF transmission line. The plasma chamber is used for generating plasma based on the modified RF signal. A statistical measure of the first portion has a positive or a negative slope.
US10157727B2

A method of operating a charged particle microscope comprising the following steps: Providing a specimen on a specimen holder; Using a source to produce a beam of charged particles; Passing said beam through an illuminator comprising: A source lens, with an associated particle-optical axis; A condenser aperture, which is disposed between the source lens and specimen and is configured to define a footprint of said beam upon the specimen; Irradiating the specimen with the beam emerging from said illuminator; Using a detector to detect radiation emanating from the specimen in response to said irradiation, and producing an associated image, specifically comprising the following steps: Choosing a set of emission angles from said source; For each emission angle in said set, selecting a corresponding sub-beam that emits from the source at that emission angle, and storing a test image formed by that sub-beam, thereby compiling a set of test images corresponding to said set of emission angles; Analyzing said set of test images to evaluate illuminator aberrations generated prior to said condenser aperture.
US10157722B2

An inspection device for inspecting a surface of an inspection object using a beam includes a beam generator capable of generating one of either charge particles or an electromagnetic wave as a beam, a primary optical system capable of guiding and irradiating the beam to the inspection object supported within a working chamber, a secondary optical system capable of including a first movable numerical aperture and a first detector which detects secondary charge particles generated from the inspection object, the secondary charge particles passing through the first movable numerical aperture, an image processing system capable of forming an image based on the secondary charge particles detected by the first detector; and a second detector arranged between the first movable numerical aperture and the first detector and which detects a location and shape at a cross over location of the secondary charge particles generated from the inspection object.
US10157715B2

A switch apparatus has a wireless function and is provided with a body, a knob, which is assembled to the body and can be switch-operated, an antenna coil for communication operations, which is wound on the body, and a connecter terminal. The connecter terminal includes at least one terminal, which is provided to the body by insert molding and is bonded to the antenna coil, and at least one pin.
US10157711B2

A method for synthesizing a graphene-polyaniline hybrid composite, including oxidatively exfoliating natural graphite flakes to yield a graphene body, functionalizing the surface of a graphene substrate with aniline groups wherein the surface of the graphene body is functionalized with aniline groups via a diazonium reaction, and polymerizing the aniline groups, wherein covalently-grafted polyaniline-graphene nanocomposites are formed by in-situ polymerization of aniline in the presence of aniline-functionalized graphene oxide, an oxidant, and an acid dopant.
US10157704B2

A power transmission device having a surface a part of which defines a power transmission plane. The device includes: a power transmission coil structure including 2N planar coils laminated in a perpendicular direction to the power transmission plane and wirelessly transmitting AC power to a power receiving device via the power transmission plane and being disposed on a side toward the power transmission plane; and a magnetic substance disposed on a side of the power transmission coil opposite from the power transmission plane, wherein the 2N planer coils constitute coil groups including a coil group in which an i'th closest planar coil to the power transmission plane out of the 2N planar coils and the i'th-closest planar coil to the magnetic substance out of the 2N planar coils are connected in series, and the coil groups are connected in parallel to each other.
US10157703B2

An inductor element includes a resin substrate which is an insulating substrate including conductor patterns, and coils defined by the conductor patterns. Two coils are arranged on the same plane, and connected in series. Adjacent coils define a closed magnetic circuit. That is, the winding direction and the connection of the coils are determined such that magnetic flux that interlinks coils that are adjacent in the planar direction define a loop. There are also provided an inductor bridge and a high-frequency filter that include the inductor element.
US10157697B2

The present invention provides a wire harness manufacturing support system including: a worktable on which a plurality of electric wires constituting a wire harness are wired; and a database that holds wiring route data corresponding to each wire of the plurality of electric wires. The wire harness manufacturing support system is configured so that wiring routes are sequentially displayed on the worktable based on the plurality of wiring route data held in the database.
US10157694B2

This copper alloy for an electronic/electric device includes Mg at an amount of 3.3 atom % to 6.9 atom % with a remainder substantially being Cu and inevitable impurities, wherein a strength ratio TSTD/TSLD is more than 1.02, and the strength ratio TSTD/TSLD is calculated from a strength TSTD measured by a tensile test carried out in a direction perpendicular to a rolling direction and a strength TSLD measured by a tensile test carried out in a direction parallel to the rolling direction.
US10157693B2

A neutron moderation material for use in a BNCT beam shaping assembly. The neutron moderation material comprises three elements, i.e., Mg, Al, and F, wherein the mass fraction of the Mg element is 3.5%-37.1%, the mass fraction of the Al element is 5%-90.4%, and the mass fraction of the F element is 5.8%-67.2%; the sum of the weights of the Mg, Al, and F elements is 100% of the total weight of the neutron moderation material. The neutron moderation material may be doped with a small amount of 6Li-containing substances, and the addition of the 6Li-containing substances effectively decreases the content of γ-rays in epithermal neutron beams.
US10157688B2

A device for isolating, accumulating, indicating and venting gas in a fluid system pipe includes a coupling affixed to a system pipe. The coupling includes an isolation valve. A standpipe is attached to the coupling. The standpipe holds a float trapped between a flow retaining orifice and a closed upper end save for an angled hole therein that allows gas to flow around the float. An indicator exterior to the pipe indicates the float's level in the standpipe regardless of system pressure changes. A vent valve attached above the standpipe allows controlled ventilation of the gas flowing from the system pipe through the standpipe and through the vent valve. Accumulation of gas from the system pipe lowers the float in the standpipe, at which point the user vents the gas, causing the float to rise with the rising fluid level.
US10157668B2

An example device in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure includes at least one current comparator, a plurality of threshold currents, and a controller. The current comparator is to compare a memristor current to a plurality of threshold currents. The controller is to set a desired memristance state of a memristor according to a memristance feedback tuning loop based on a plurality of threshold levels. The controller is to apply positive and negative voltages to the memristor during the feedback tuning loop to achieve the desired memristance state of the memristor.
US10157665B2

A word-line enable pulse generator for a SRAM is provided. The word-line enable pulse generator includes a delay unit. The delay unit is configured to delay a word-line enable pulse signal to be provided to a plurality of word line drivers of the SRAM. The delay unit includes a first transistor coupled between the plurality of word line drivers of the SRAM and a first power source, a resistance unit coupled between the first transistor and a second power source that is different from the first power source, and a second transistor coupled between the first transistor and the resistance unit. The first transistor has a gate for receiving an enable signal. The second transistor has a gate for receiving the enable signal. An edge of the word-line enable pulse signal is delayed from the enable signal by a delay time corresponding to a resistance of the resistance unit.
US10157660B2

A memory is disclosed that includes a logic die having first and second memory interface circuits. A first memory die is stacked with the logic die, and includes first and second memory arrays. The first memory array couples to the first memory interface circuit. The second memory array couples to the second interface circuit. A second memory die is stacked with the logic die and the first memory die. The second memory die includes third and fourth memory arrays. The third memory array couples to the first memory interface circuit. The fourth memory array couples to the second memory interface circuit. Accesses to the first and third memory arrays are carried out independently from accesses to the second and fourth memory arrays.
US10157639B2

A medical image diagnosis apparatus including an image collection system that collects first dynamic images extending over a first period and a display control circuit that uses the first dynamic images and time information related to an image corresponding to a first predetermined time phase in the first period to simultaneously display the first dynamic images, the first predetermined time phase, and a relationship of the image currently displayed with a time phase in the first period at least in a predetermined period going back from the predetermined time phase in a monitor.
US10157635B2

A tolerance ring can be disposed between an inner component and an outer component, the inner and outer components defining stepped sidewalls. In an embodiment, a preassembly can include an outer component defining a bore having a stepped inner sidewall, an inner component having a stepped outer sidewall, and a tolerance ring adapted to be disposed between the inner component and the bore. In an embodiment, an assembly can include an outer component defining a bore having a stepped inner sidewall, an inner component having a stepped outer sidewall, and a tolerance ring disposed between the inner component and the bore. In an embodiment, a hard disk drive preassembly can include an actuator arm defining a bore having a stepped inner sidewall, a pivot having a stepped outer sidewall, and a tolerance ring adapted to be disposed between the pivot and the bore.
US10157632B1

The present disclosure generally relates to data storage devices, and more specifically, to a magnetic media drive employing a magnetic recording head. The head includes a main pole, a heavy metal structure surrounding at least a portion of the main pole at a media facing surface (MFS), and two magnetic structures sandwiching the heavy metal structure. Spin-orbit torque (SOT) is generated from the heavy metal structure, inducing magnetization switching (or precession) in the magnetic structures. The SOT reduces the magnetic flux shunting from the main pole to the trailing shield, and the magnetization switching sharpens the write field profile in the cross-track direction. The SOT based head with the magnetic structures sandwiching the heavy metal structure increases both track density (tracks per inch) and linear density (bit per inch), which in turn increases the areal density capability (ADC), which is the product of tracks per inch and bit per inch.
US10157630B2

In some embodiments, a record stabilizer is configured to fit both common size spindle holes (e.g., as commonly found in 12″ singles or LPs) and larger hole types (e.g., as commonly found in 7″ 45 rpm singles, typically referred to as “45s”). In some embodiments, the stabilizer achieves this functionality using one side that is substantially flat (for common size spindle holes) and another side with a built-in adapter to protrude into larger spindle holes. In some embodiments, the record stabilizer also serves as an adapter, e.g., allowing 45s to be played on turntables with common size spindles without using any other adapter.
US10157625B2

The subject disclosure is directed towards a technology that may be used in an audio processing environment. Nodes of an audio flow graph are associated with virtual mix buffers. As the flow graph is processed, commands and virtual mix buffer data are provided to audio fixed-function processing blocks. Each virtual mix buffer is mapped to a physical mix buffer, and the associated command is executed with respect to the physical mix buffer. One physical mix buffer mix buffer may be used as an input data buffer for the audio fixed-function processing block, and another physical mix buffer as an output data buffer, for example.
US10157624B2

An apparatus for processing an audio signal including a sequence of blocks of spectral values includes: a processor for processing the sequence of blocks using at least one modification values for a first block to obtain aliasing-reduced or aliasing-free first result signal in an overlap range and using at least one second different modification value for a second block of the sequence of blocks to obtain an aliasing-reduced or aliasing-free second result signal in the overlap range; and a combiner for combining the first result signal and the second result signal in the overlap range to obtain a processed signal for the overlap range.
US10157621B2

An apparatus includes a receiver configured to receive at least one encoded signal that includes inter-channel bandwidth extension (BWE) parameters. The device also includes a decoder configured to generate a mid channel time-domain high-band signal by performing bandwidth extension based on the at least one encoded signal. The decoder is also configured to generate, based on the mid channel time-domain high-band signal and the inter-channel BWE parameters, a first channel time-domain high-band signal and a second channel time-domain high-band signal. The decoder is further configured to generate a target channel signal by combining the first channel time-domain high-band signal and a first channel low-band signal, and to generate a reference channel signal by combining the second channel time-domain high-band signal and a second channel low-band signal. The decoder is also configured to generate a modified target channel signal by modifying the target channel signal based on a temporal mismatch value.
US10157620B2

A system and method are presented for the correction of packet loss in audio in automatic speech recognition (ASR) systems. Packet loss correction, as presented herein, occurs at the recognition stage without modifying any of the acoustic models generated during training. The behavior of the ASR engine in the absence of packet loss is thus not altered. To accomplish this, the actual input signal may be rectified, the recognition scores may be normalized to account for signal errors, and a best-estimate method using information from previous frames and acoustic models may be used to replace the noisy signal.
US10157616B2

A method for displaying received radio voice messages onboard an aircraft is provided. The method post-processes, by at least one processor onboard the aircraft, a set of speech recognition (SR) hypothetical data to increase accuracy of an associated SR system, by: obtaining, by the at least one processor, secondary source data from a plurality of secondary sources; comparing, by the at least one processor, the set of SR hypothetical data to the secondary source data; and identifying, by the at least one processor, an aircraft tail number using the set of SR hypothetical data and the secondary source data; identifies, by the at least one processor, a subset of the received radio voice messages including the tail number; and presents, via a display device onboard the aircraft, the subset using distinguishing visual characteristics.
US10157613B2

Network connected devices are controlled. A command is received. A graph model is applied to identify a subset of nodes related to the command. The graph model includes a plurality of nodes that each correspond to a device and the graph model includes a plurality of edges that specify relationships between the plurality of nodes. The subset of nodes is activated in response to the command.
US10157608B2

According to an embodiment, a voice processing device includes an interface system, a determining processor, and a predicting processor. The interface system configured to receive neutral voice data representing audio in a neutral voice of a user. The determining processor configured to determine a predictive parameter based at least in part on the neutral voice data. The predicting processor configured to predict a voice conversion model for converting the neutral voice of the speaker to a target voice using at least the predictive parameter.
US10157607B2

A computer-implemented method according to one embodiment includes identifying a request for audio data, determining one or more factors associated with the request, adjusting a speed of the audio data to create adjusted audio data, based on the one or more factors, and returning the adjusted audio data in response to the request.
US10157603B2

A noise detector and a sound signal output device are provided that can detect high accuracy various types of noise including composite noise. The noise detector (30) for detecting noise contained in an input signal (s1) includes a noise discrimination portion having a plurality of discrimination portions to which an input signal is input and a noise determination portion (35) determining noise based on individual discrimination results of the plurality of discrimination portions. The noise discrimination portion includes at least two of a frequency component discrimination portion (32) discriminating the presence or absence of noise based on a frequency component of the input signal, a temporal change discrimination portion (33) discriminating the presence or absence of noise based on a temporal change of the input signal and a high-frequency component discrimination portion (34) discriminating the presence or absence of noise based on a high-frequency component of the input signal The noise determination portion determines noise based on individual discrimination results of the plurality of discrimination portions.
US10157598B2

A mouthpiece cap for a wind instrument including a body defining a cavity substantially complementarily shaped to a mouthpiece for a wind instrument. The body includes a top portion, a bottom portion that extends further than the top portion, and a plenum about a front end of the body. The mouthpiece cap further including a reed support positioned about a bottom portion of the body.
US10157596B2

An image controlling apparatus in a digital photo frame includes a base defining an accommodating space, a pivot shaft, a conducting member on the pivot shaft and switching contact points in a circle with a radius of the conducting member. The pivot shaft and the conducting member are received in the accommodating space, and the conducting member can rotate under gravity, when two of the plurality of switching contact points are connected by the conducting member, the image controlling apparatus sends a predetermined controlling signal to control display orientation of an image. The digital photo frame is further disclosed.
US10157589B2

A display apparatus includes a color selector configured to select a preferred color corresponding to at least one among a main target and a sub-target determined in an image based on color distribution; a color converter configured to perform color conversion by setting a degree of color conversion of at least one among the main target and the sub-target and converting a color of the at least one among the main target and the sub-target in the image based on the set degree of color conversion; and a controller configured to display the color-converted image via a display panel.
US10157582B2

A display device includes a video input unit that receives a video signal; a display control unit that corrects the video signal; and a display unit that has a screen on which a video according to the corrected video signal is displayed. The display device further includes a gradation correction map generation device that generates a gradation correction map which indicates a corresponding relationship between a plurality of positions on the screen and a correction value for gradation of the video signal at each of the positions; the gradation correction map generation device generates the gradation correction map according to a luminance unevenness map which indicates a corresponding relationship between the plurality of the positions and uncorrected luminance, which is luminance when correction is not performed, at each of the positions, and a second gamma characteristic which indicates a corresponding relationship between luminance at a specific position on the screen.
US10157581B2

A image display medium driving device includes a voltage application unit that applies a voltage between a pair of substrates, at least one of which is transparent, of an image display medium including plural types of particles which are sealed between the pair of substrates, are attached to the substrates, and start to be separated from the substrates at different times when a predetermined voltage is applied and a control unit that controls the voltage application unit such that a time when the voltage is applied between the pair of substrates varies depending on image information.
US10157571B2

The present disclosure provides a display panel, a method for driving the same and a display device. A pixel circuit of the display panel includes a storage capacitor, a driving transistor, an initialization module configured to apply an initial voltage to a first end of the storage capacitor via a current-level gate scanning line within an initialization time period, a compensation module, a data writing module, a resetting module configured to enable the current-level gate scanning line to be electrically connected to a second end of the storage capacitor within a light-emitting time period, and a light-emitting control module. The driving transistor is in an on state within the light-emitting time period, so as to drive a light-emitting element to emit light.
US10157569B2

An organic light-emitting display apparatus includes a plurality of pixels, each including: an organic light emitting diode (OLED); a driving transistor; and a first node therebetween; a sensor for sensing a first current from the driving transistor when a first reference voltage is applied to the first node and sensing a second current from the driving transistor when a second reference voltage is applied to the first node, when a first source data signal, corresponding to a first gray level, is transferred to a corresponding one of the pixels; a driving current determiner for generating characteristic information of the driving transistor based on the first and the second currents and determining a driving current of the driving transistor, corresponding to the first gray level, based on the characteristic information of the driving transistor and current-voltage information of the OLED, which is stored in the memory.
US10157565B2

A display substrate and a display device including the display substrate are disclosed. In one aspect, the display substrate includes a plurality of pixels formed in a substantially circular pixel area and a driving circuit formed in a peripheral area surrounding the pixel area and configured to drive the pixels. A boundary is formed between the pixel area and the peripheral area, and the boundary is substantially concentric with respect to an arc defining the substantially circular pixel area. The driving circuit comprises a conductive pattern having a first side which extends in a peripheral direction crossing the boundary.
US10157547B2

A method of navigation of an aerial drone in the presence of at least one intruding aircraft in an airspace zone surrounding the drone, wherein an estimated distance between the drone and the intruding aircraft is calculated based on a strength of the signal received and validated if an estimated value of an element of positioning data calculated by the drone using the estimated distance substantially corresponds to a measured value of the element of positioning data. An aerial drone designed for implementation of this method.
US10157544B2

A method for determining positional data for use in the operation of a vehicle system (3) of a motor vehicle (2), wherein image data of at least one surveillance camera (9, 10, 11) recording at least a portion of the surroundings of the motor vehicle (2) and/or the motor vehicle (2), provided externally to the motor vehicle (2) for determining the positional data of at least one recorded object (13) are evaluated and made at least partially available to the vehicle system (3).
US10157541B2

A vehicle surveillance system includes: a photographing unit configured to photograph a target vehicle; a positional information acquisition unit configured to acquire positional information indicating a position of the photographing unit; a surveillance information generation unit configured to extract a vehicle number from an image acquired by the photographing unit and generate surveillance information on the basis of at least the vehicle number and the positional information; and a surveillance information output unit configured to output the surveillance information generated by the surveillance information generation unit. The photographing unit, the positional information acquiring unit, the surveillance information generation unit, and the surveillance information output unit are installed in a mobile surveillance vehicle.
US10157539B1

Certain aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to wireless communication. In some aspects, a user equipment may receive sidelink control information (SCI) associated with a remote vehicle; identify a threat metric associated with the remote vehicle based at least in part on one or more characteristics of the remote vehicle, wherein the one or more characteristics are determined based at least in part on vehicle information received in one or more transport blocks corresponding to prior SCI associated with the remote vehicle and received prior to the SCI; and process the SCI based at least in part on the threat metric. Numerous other aspects are provided.
US10157535B1

A wireless reminder device affixed to a door determines that a person is walking through the door by way of using a motion detector. The device can also determine who is walking through the door based on how the door is moved or what handheld wireless transmission device is paired with, connected to, or providing the strongest signal to the reminder device. Such devices can include passive RFID, Bluetooth, or WiFi devices.
US10157532B2

Methods, systems, and machine readable medium are provided for a detection system for identifying unsafe activity occurring at a shelving unit. A plurality of distance sensors are disposed at a top end of the shelving unit and point downwards towards a bottom end of the shelving unit. The plurality of sensors are configured to detect presence of a person near the shelving unit. An initial height of the person is determined, and a change in height of the person is detected. A processor determined whether the change in height indicates unsafe activity at the shelving unit. If unsafe activity is determined, then an alert is generated.
US10157529B2

A child safety device and system is disclosed that alerts one or more authorized users when a caregiver walks away from a child in a car seat or similar location, when leaving a child alone is dangerous or otherwise undesirable, such as in a hot car. Detailed logging enables a review of all times that the caregiver was detected as moving too far from the child in a monitored location. The device includes at least one pressure sensor to detect the presence of a child in a location, a Bluetooth Low Energy beacon to provide a signal when energized, and a battery electrically connected to both the Bluetooth Low Energy beacon and the at least one pressure sensor, the Bluetooth Low Energy beacon being energized when pressure is applied to the pressure sensor, and the Bluetooth Low Energy beacon being deactivated when no pressure is applied to the pressure sensor.
US10157519B2

An electronic gaming machine configured to: provide an interactive application including fungible objects; receive and distribute user input; a wager controller constructed to: receive wager request instructions; determine a wager outcome; and transmit the wager outcome; and the application controller operatively connecting the interactive controller and the wager controller, the application controller constructed to: receive the user input; determine whether to trigger a wager; when a wager is triggered, generate wager request instructions; transmit the wager request instructions to the wager controller; receive fungible object data comprising a fungible object; determine the fungible object; generate fungible object instructions based on the fungible object; transmit the fungible object instructions to the interactive controller.
US10157517B2

A roulette apparatus (1) comprises at least one mechanical roulette wheel (2) with pockets (3) to receive a ball (4) and roulette-display-system (10) with graphical electronic display (11) surrounding the roulette wheel (2). The electronic display (11) comprises display fields (12) to display single betting numbers (N). A sensor unit (20), a drive unit (30) and a control system (40) are provided and the control system (40) is adapted to receive status information from the sensor unit (20) about the roulette wheel (2) and/or the ball (4) rested in one of the pockets (3) and cause the roulette wheel (2) based on the received status information to be adjusted in a unambiguous final position in relation to the display (11), wherein the pocket (3) with the ball (4) lies completely in congruence with the directly adjacent respective display field (11).
US10157516B2

The present invention relates to a gaming machine, methods of gaming systems. In particular, a gaming machine which provides a spinning reel game of chance is provided. Certain symbols are controlled to expand to cover other symbols of virtual spinning reels, in order to provide the player with a dynamic visual game appearance.
US10157512B2

A method of controlling access to a building is provided. The method comprising: receiving a visitor access request for a visitor mobile device; determining a residential group assigned to the visitor mobile device, the residential group including at least one residential mobile device; transmitting the visitor access request to at least one of a resident mobile device within the residential group and a manager device; receiving an access grant from at least one of the resident mobile device within the residential group and the manager device; and granting a visitor mobile device access to at least one of a selected elevator car, a selected door, and a selected floor.
US10157511B2

A method for diagnosing a state in a vehicle, which has a CAN communications bus to which electronic control units of the vehicle are connected, includes providing a rest state of the vehicle; coupling a diagnostic testing device to at least one diagnostic terminal of the vehicle; monitoring of the CAN communications bus by the diagnostic testing device with regard to CAN messages sent out after entry into the rest state; detecting of a CAN message sent out on the CAN communications bus after entry into the rest state, and assigning of the detected CAN message to an electronic control unit sending out the CAN message; providing information regarding a chronological appearance of the detected CAN message in a series of CAN messages appearing on the CAN communications bus after entry into the rest state; and providing information for identifying the electronic control unit sending out the detected CAN message.
US10157510B2

A method according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, learning an energy consumption efficiency of a vehicle in an energy domain by periodically filtering a ratio of a distance traveled to an energy consumed. The learning step is executed by a control module configured to monitor the energy consumption efficiency.
US10157509B2

An incident management system in a public transit network receives incident data collected by one or more sensors of the transit network, segments a display screen into multiple cells so that each of the cells corresponds a route segment and a time segment in which one or more vehicles in the transit network traveled, and outputs a graphical representation for each cell. The sensors may be installed on a vehicle to detect various types of incidents such as disturbance, safety and mechanical issues, or any incidents external to the vehicle. The graphical representation may be indicative of the estimated future incident rate for the route segment and the time segment to which each cell corresponds, and displayed by a color scale in a heatmap. The system may estimate the incident rate using a linear model that can be obtained in a training process.
US10157508B2

The disclosure provides method and device for providing alert information on a vehicle and storage medium. The method includes analyzing user behavior data of a certain period of time in association with a user terminal to obtain vehicle restriction dates during the certain period of time, determining a vehicle restriction pattern based on the vehicle restriction dates, determining a new vehicle restriction date based on the vehicle restriction pattern, and providing the alert information on the vehicle to the user terminal based on the new vehicle restriction date. In the disclosure, a user terminal analyzes user behavior data automatically and acquires a user restriction pattern, and derives a vehicle restriction date according to the user restriction pattern and intelligently alerts the user to vehicle restriction when the above vehicle restriction date is upcoming.
US10157505B2

Systems and methods for timing of a passing of an object past a monitored location using a timing system and an automated object detection system detecting the passing of the object at the monitored location, and also having a remote entry computer system being positionable at a current location selected from a plurality potential locations each of which is set apart and different than the monitored location and having a clock determining a present time, a user interface receiving user input data, and a memory storing an offset time value, and the remote entry computer system receiving the user input data, receiving a user data input time associated with the receipt of the user input data, and storing the received user input data and the user data input time, and determining of an adjusted time value responsive to the determined remote time value and the stored offset time value.
US10157501B2

Points of interest are added to a flight plan overlaid on a map. Camera switch-on and switch-off locations are automatically added to the nearest leg of the flight plan. An observation triangle joining the point of interest and the camera on and off locations is displayed so that the user can easily visualize the range of angles from which the point of interest is viewed. The triangle may be colored and/or partially transparent. Adjustment of the camera on and off locations is possible, with the system automatically adjusting the observation triangle. In a similar way, lines of interest and curves of interest may be added to the flight plan.
US10157500B2

Systems and methods are provided for utilizing depth from volume rendering for 3D printing. Three-dimensional (3D) mesh data may be generated based on one or more volume rendered images and/or volumetric datasets corresponding thereto, obtained during medical imaging (e.g., based on echo ultrasound signals during ultrasound imaging). Generating the 3D mesh data may comprise computing a plurality of depth values, where each depth value corresponds to a particular voxel in the volumetric medical imaging datasets. The 3D mesh data may be configured to enable producing a physical volume representation of one or more objects and/or structures in the one or more volume rendered images. Thus, the 3D mesh data may be used for 3D printing. For example, 3D printing data may be generated based on the 3D mesh data. The 3D printing data may be configured and formatted based on a pre-defined 3D printing standard or file format.
US10157499B1

Multiple 3D perspectives are captured on a multilayered two dimensional display. Features on a 3D model are identified and transformed to an edge wireframe snapshot and layering information from an attached components list on a foreground layer.
US10157492B1

One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a method for pre-computing Z-values using an IGPU and, subsequently, conveying these Z-values to a DGPU. The graphics driver partitions the display into rectangular M-by-N tiles of pixels. For each tile, the graphics driver generates a quad geometry that encompasses the corresponding pixels. For each image frame, the graphics driver configures the IGPU to generate and down-sample a Z-buffer, creating a coarse Z-texture that contains a Z-value for each tile. The graphics driver transfers the coarse Z-texture to the system memory and configures the DGPU to apply the coarse Z-texture to the quad geometries, thereby generating a coarse Z-buffer in which the M-by-N pixels included in each tile are assigned the Z-value for the particular tile. Among other things, this technique enables the IGPU to pre-compute Z-values for the DGPU without straining the system memory bandwidth or defeating the Z-buffer compression techniques used by the DGPU.
US10157489B2

The present invention relates to an ultrasound imaging system (10) comprising an ultrasound probe (20) having a transducer array (21) configured to provide an ultrasound receive signal. The system further comprises a B-mode volume processing unit (30) configured to generate a B-mode volume (31) based on the ultrasound receive signal, and a B-mode image processing unit (40) configured to provide a current B-mode image (41) based on the B-mode volume (31). The system further comprises a memory (50) configured to store a previously acquired 3D-vessel map (51). Also, the system comprises a registration unit (60) configured to register the previously acquired 3D-vessel map (51) to the B-mode volume (31) and to select a portion (61) of the 3D-vessel map corresponding to the current B-mode image (41). Further, the system comprises a display configured to display an ultrasound image (71) based on the current B-mode image (41) and the selected portion (61) of the 3D-vessel map (51). The present invention further relates to a method for providing such ultrasound image with vessel information and a corresponding computer program.
US10157482B2

A PET image reconstruction method and device are provided. According to an example, a first diffusion expression representing a diffusion degree of projection data from a first incident point to a first crystal may be obtained with a first diffusion distribution, a second diffusion distribution, a point source position and position information of the first crystal in a projection direction. A second diffusion expression representing a diffusion degree of projection data from a second incident point to a second crystal may be obtained with the first diffusion distribution, the second diffusion distribution, the point source position and position information of the second crystal in the projection direction. A diffusion relationship representing a correspondence relationship between the point source position and projection data in the projection direction may be obtained with the first diffusion expression and the second diffusion expression. A PET image may be reconstructed according to the diffusion relationship.
US10157481B2

An apparatus for processing a medical image includes an image processor including a plurality of processors, the plurality of processors configured to reconstruct a cross-sectional image of an object by performing a first operation having a first priority and a second operation having a second priority that is lower than the first priority, and a controller configured to monitor whether a malfunction occurs among the plurality of processors, and configured to assign, to at least one of the plurality of processors, at least one of the first operation and the second operation to be performed, based on a result of monitoring of the plurality of processors.
US10157478B2

The disclosed embodiments provide a system that facilitates use of an image. During operation, the system uses a set of images from a camera on a device to obtain a set of features in proximity to the device, wherein the set of images comprises the image. Next, the system uses the set of images and inertial data from one or more inertial sensors on the device to obtain a set of three-dimensional (3D) locations of the features. Finally, the system enables use of the set of 3D locations with the image.
US10157472B2

Methods and apparatus are provided for determining moisture content of corn. In one example, a method includes processing a captured image of an ear of corn using a threshold value to create a segmented binary image comprising a first plurality of blobs, determining at least one characteristic of a plurality of corn kernels represented by the first plurality of blobs, and estimating a moisture value for the ear of corn based on the at least one characteristic of the plurality of corn kernels. In some embodiments, the method includes generating a luminance intensity profile across a region of the captured image containing at least one corn kernel in the plurality of corn kernels, computing a derivative of the luminance intensity profile; an determining, with reference to the derivative of the luminance intensity profile, a location of a boundary of the at least one corn kernel.
US10157467B2

A system and method for detecting central pulmonary embolisms in a subject's vasculature is provided. In some aspects, the method includes receiving, using the input, a set of images representing a vasculature of the subject's lungs, automatically analyzing the set of images to segment the main arteries associated with the subject's lungs and separate the main arteries from surrounding tissues. The method also includes automatically extracting central pulmonary embolism candidates from the set of images after segmenting and separating the main arteries, and automatically evaluating the central pulmonary embolism candidates in three-dimensional (3D) space by applying a series of rules. The method further includes automatically displaying a report indicating evaluated central pulmonary embolism candidates on a display.
US10157462B2

A system and method for automatically detecting and quantifying adiposity distribution is presented herein. The system detects, segments and quantifies white and brown fat adipose tissues at the whole-body, body region, and organ levels.
US10157460B2

Systems and methods of medical imaging includes acquiring a plurality of projection images. A first projection image and a second projection image from the plurality of projection images are selected that are adjacent to a received focal point. A first set of object locations in the first projection image and a second set of object locations in the second projection image are identified that contribute to a pixel of the synthetic projection image. A value for the pixel of the synthetic projection image is calculated from the pixels of the first set of object locations and the pixels of the second set of object locations. The synthetic projection image is created with the calculated value.
US10157450B2

A system and method are described for enhancing readability of document images by operating on each document individually. Monochromatic light sources operating at different wavelengths of light can be used to obtain greyscale images. The greyscale images can then be used in any desired image enhancement algorithm. In one example algorithm, an automated method removes image background noise and improves sharpness of the scripts and characters using edge detection and local color contrast computation.
US10157446B2

An image processing system and method for determining an intrinsic color component of one or more objects present in a sequence of frames, for use in rendering the object(s), are described. Some of the frames of the sequence are to be used as lighting keyframes. A lighting estimate for a lighting keyframe A of the sequence of frames is determined. A lighting estimate for a lighting keyframe B of the sequence of frames is determined. A lighting estimate for an intermediate frame positioned between the lighting keyframes A and B in the sequence is determined by interpolating between the lighting estimates determined for the lighting keyframes A and B of the sequence. The determined lighting estimate for the intermediate frame is used to separate image values representing the object(s) in the intermediate frame into an intrinsic color component and a shading component, for use in rendering the object(s).
US10157441B2

A hierarchical system for detecting an object with parallel architecture and a hierarchical method thereof is disclosed. The system includes at least one image-retrieving device retrieving at least an image and searching a plurality of obstacle position images in it. The image-retrieving device is electrically connected with an image-processing device to receive the obstacle position images transmitted by the image-retrieving device, uses parallel architecture classification to obtain at least one object image and a plurality of cropping frames thereof from the obstacle position images, synchronously separates the cropping frames to retrieve characteristic values of each cropping frame, uses convolutional neural network to simultaneously recognize the characteristic values of each cropping frame, and searches and outputs the correct cropping frame from the object image, thereby immediately detecting the object outside a vehicle and obtaining the cropping frame of the object to avoid detection error.
US10157440B2

A processing apparatus is described. The apparatus includes a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU) and data sharing logic to perform static physical data sharing between the CPU and the GPU by changing code written for the GPU to operate with CPU variables.
US10157434B2

Disclosed herein is a musical works administration service to digital music service providers (DSPs), to provide a streamlined approach for such DSPs to comply with copyright licensing, accounting, and reporting requirements. The service receives, from the DSP, information relating to sound recordings used by the DSP during a relevant time period. Using several matching techniques, the service identifies specific musical compositions embodied in each sound recording, and also determines corresponding publisher-share information. Subsequently, the service employs several mechanisms to attempt to obtain licenses for publisher-shares that are not already covered by preexisting client licenses. Based on the client's usage of such sound recordings and other related information, the service also performs accounting, reporting, and payment operations for the client. The service, in some instances, receives funds from the client and makes corresponding royalty payments (and makes accounting reports available) to the respective rights holders.
US10157433B2

Systems and methods presented herein can allow an inspector or other user to document damage or other information at a house using a mobile device, such as their cell phone. The mobile device can execute an application that allows the user to select a house and a property feature of the house. The user can then take pictures or video, which are stored according to the house and property feature for later retrieval. The user can also select a tag that gets stored and retrieved based on the house and property feature. The user can further record audio for association with the pictures or video.
US10157423B1

Methods and systems for monitoring use, determining risk, and pricing insurance policies for a vehicle having autonomous or semi-autonomous operation features are provided. According to certain aspects, with the insurance customer's permission, operation of an autonomous (or semi-autonomous vehicle) by a vehicle operator may be monitored. Based upon vehicle and/or other data analysis, an identity of the operator may be determined, and operating data regarding the autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle while the operator at least partially controls the autonomous vehicle may be monitored. A vehicle operator profile that includes information regarding an operating style of the vehicle operator based upon the operating data may be determined. Risk levels associated with operation of the autonomous vehicle based upon the information regarding the vehicle operator's operating style may be determined. Insurance discounts may be provided to risk averse vehicle owners and/or operators, or those that utilize vehicle risk mitigation or prevention technology.
US10157420B2

A computer implemented system and method are disclosed involving technological advancements in the processing of electronic transaction processing results. The system may comprise a computer apparatus implementing a checking account system, a savings account system, a merchant account and investment account on a funds management system, and one or more computer systems and mobile devices including a communication interface, processor, memory storing computer-executable instructions, and savings modules. Reward amounts may be calculated based on various techniques.
US10157417B2

Multiple simultaneous auctions can be monitored and participated in using a single bidding device operated by a single remote bidder. A multi-windowed environment allows for the display of active bidding windows and docked bidding windows. The active bidding windows are fully functional bidding windows and include auction status, product information and the like. The docked bidding windows provide a subset of the information but, nonetheless provide real-time auction status information and allows for bidders to enter bids into the auctioning process without having to move the bidding window into an active status. A customer-identifier selector of identifier allows the remote bidder to associate a customer with a particular bidding window. The customer-identifier advantageously helps the remote bidder to track who purchased items are associated with, as well as providing control structure over the bidding process.
US10157405B1

Embodiments disclosed herein may include a system including a server configured to receive from the mobile device the digital image capturing the object, execute an object recognition protocol to identify one or more image features of the digital image, determine an identification of the object based upon the one or more features of the digital image identified by the executed object recognition protocol, generate an object profile of the object based upon one or more data records of the object stored in the system databases where each respective record containing at least one data point corresponding to a valuation of the respective object, determine a value of the data point based upon the valuation of the respective object and a characteristic of a member, and transmit to the mobile device the object profile for the object captured in the digital image.
US10157398B2

The systems and methods of the disclosure allow user from various countries to take advantage of offers when they are traveling internationally. Once the purchase associated with the offer is made, the transaction information may be processed by the system, such that, the credit and debit associated with the purchase are transmitted to the transaction account and the merchant. The transaction information may be further processed to determine whether the particular transaction is eligible for a reward. Where the transaction is eligible for a reward, the credit and debit associated with reward are transmitted to the transaction account and the sponsoring entity. The reward may be provided in any suitable currency or in various currencies based on the parameters governing the reward offer.
US10157395B2

In one embodiment, a computing system receives a first set of location updates sent by a first user. Each location update corresponds to a user visit to a particular place, and each location update is determined by a mobile client device of the corresponding user via a first or a second location method. The computing system receives a second set of location updates sent by a second user, sent via only the first location method. A place-visit factor for the second user is calculated based on the total number of unique places visited by the second user within a particular period of time, a first number of places visited by the first user determined from location updates sent via the first location method, and a second number of places visited by the first user determined from location updates sent via the second location method.
US10157391B2

A distributed telecommunication network including a VPN, a cellular network, a LAN, an Ethernet network, a server, a database, all communicatively coupled to the backbone of the network, a Wi-Fi network, a firewall, and a mobile device, communicatively coupled to the Wi-Fi network and the cellular network, wherein the database is configured to store a profile of a user of the distributed telecommunication network, the profile including a biography of the user, user relationships, a plurality of posts, an activity level of the user, and wherein the server is configured to determine whether the profile belongs to a category using a weighted average of a biography indication related to the biography of the profile and a post indication related to posts and relationship indication related to user relationships.
US10157382B2

Provided is a secure payment device. The secure payment device includes: a payment terminal on which a pin-pad including a keypad module is mounted and which is capable of communicating with a mobile terminal via a short-range communication; a mobile terminal accommodation unit coupled to one surface of the payment terminal to detachably couple the mobile terminal to the payment terminal; and a mounting unit screw-fastened to one surface of the payment terminal and including at least one fixing protrusion configured to slide into and be fixed at a fixing groove formed on one side surface of the mobile terminal accommodation unit, wherein the payment terminal includes at least one flexible protrusion configured to slide into and be fixed at a fixing groove formed on the other side surface of the mobile terminal accommodation unit. The secure payment device is detachably coupled to the mobile terminal having any one of various shapes to enhance security during requesting or approving payment using a card, such as a credit card or a debit card, or payment of other electronic transactions while providing convenience in use.
US10157381B2

A mobile device is provided. The mobile device includes a display unit, a sensor configured to sense user's touch done on a surface of the display unit in a disabled state of the display unit, a storage unit configured to store preset gesture information, a controller configured to enable the display unit when a user's touch operation matched with the gesture information is sensed, execute a wallet application, and display an execution screen, and a communication unit configured to transmit information for a selected payment option to an external apparatus when the payment option is selected on the execution screen and perform a payment. The payment is simply done.
US10157370B2

A method and corresponding apparatus provided for automatically re-formatting and adjusting elements of a wizard facility displayed a user device. The elements can be adjusted based on the type of device being used and space available to display the wizard facility. Information related to each step of the wizard facility can be displayed to the user in different display areas. Each displayed area relates to a specific step, i.e., a completed step, the current step, or a future step and includes visual representations, which can allow the user to interact with the displayed information. Additionally, an interactive progress bar can be displayed that visually represents the user's progress of the wizard facility. The method and apparatus can automatically re-format and adjust the visual elements of the progress bar depending on the type of device being used and the available space to display the progress bar.
US10157362B1

Many people acquire items such as souvenirs when travelling. This disclosure describes systems and methods for shipping items acquired while travelling. In one implementation, an item is dropped off and a description of the item is provided. The item is delivered to a fulfillment center. A fulfillment center computing system may inspect the item by verifying that the description of the item corresponds to the item. By inspecting the item, the fulfillment center computing system may perform additional services, such as processing a tax refund incurred when item was purchased.
US10157357B2

A computer-implemented active strategy management platform (ASMP) performs the functions of: receiving ideas from at least one organizational stakeholder; receiving a selection of one or more of the ideas to implement as a strategic plan for a corresponding organization; transforming, via the ASMP, the idea into at least one strategic plan of the corresponding organization; transforming the at least one strategic plan into a plurality of operational execution components that align routine operational activities of the organization with broad strategic intentions; and identifying and outputting operational data related to executing strategic ideas in a manner that improves an ability of the organization to realize transformational business goals. The ASMP also automatically detects, based on the relationships mapped within a relational database, changes in operational execution that will impact strategic outcome achievement, in order to enable an organizational leader to proactively make necessary course corrections to a strategic plan.
US10157356B2

Embodiments are directed to modeling resource allocations. A data model may be provided to an activity modeling engine. The activity modeling engine may be employed to provide an activity model based on the data model, such that the activity model may include activity objects that each may be associated with bills-of-materials (BOMs). Resource allocations from source activity objects to target activity objects may be provided based on the BOMs, such that the resource allocations may be modeled using unit values defined by the BOMs. A report visualizing the activity model may be provided and presented on a hardware display.
US10157347B1

A system, or platform, for processing enterprise data is configured to adapt to different domains and analyze data from various data sources and provide enriched results. The platform includes a data extraction and consumption module to translate domain specific data into defined abstractions, breaking it down for consumption by a feature extraction engine. A core engine, which includes a number of machine learning modules, such as a feature extraction engine, analyzes the data stream and produces data fed back to the clients via various interfaces. A learning engine incrementally and dynamically updates the training data for the machine learning by consuming and processing validation or feedback data. The platform includes a data viewer and a services layer that exposes the enriched data results. Integrated domain modeling allows the system to adapt and scale to different domains to support a wide range of enterprises.
US10157337B1

Embodiments presented herein describe an RFID system for detecting RFID tags in order to track inventory such as a pallet or individual packages. The RFID system includes at least one portal located in an inventory transport area. For example, the portal may be disposed at or near a dock door in a warehouse in order to detect when an RFID tag (and the corresponding inventory) passes through the door—e.g., when the inventory is loaded onto a truck. In one embodiment, the portal defines at least two RFID detection regions. For example, the portal may generate a RFID sensing region and a RFID read region. In one embodiment, a wide beam antenna generates the RFID sensing region while a narrow beam antenna generates the RFID read region.
US10157334B2

Disclosed is a method for identifying lawn grass which includes capturing an image of the terrain in front of a mower, segmenting the image into neighborhoods, calculating at least two image statistics for each of the neighborhoods, generating a binary representation of each image statistic. The binary representation of each image statistic is generated by comparing the calculated image statistic values to predetermined image statistic values for grass. The method further includes weighting each of the binary representations of each image statistic, and summing corresponding neighborhoods for all image statistics. A binary threshold is applied to each of the summed neighborhoods to generate a binary map representing grass containing areas and non-grass containing areas.
US10157332B1

An image creation and editing tool can use the data produced from training a neural network to add stylized representations of an object to an image. An object classification will correspond to an object representation, and pixel values for the object representation can be added to, or blended with, the pixel values of an image in order to add a visualization of a type of object to the image. Such an approach can be used to add stylized representations of objects to existing images or create new images based on those representations. The visualizations can be used to create patterns and textures as well, as may be used to paint or fill various regions of an image. Such patterns can enable regions to be filled where image data has been deleted, such as to remove an undesired object, in a way that appears natural for the contents of the image.
US10157331B1

The present disclosure relates to image preprocessing to improve object recognition. In one implementation, a system for preprocessing an image for object recognition may include at least one memory storing instructions and at least one processor configured to execute the instructions to perform operations. The operations may include receiving the image, detecting a plurality of bounding boxes within the image, grouping the plurality of bounding boxes into a plurality of groups such that bounding boxes within a group have shared areas exceeding an area threshold, deriving a first subset of the plurality of bounding boxes by selecting bounding boxes having highest class confidence scores from at least one group, selecting a bounding box from the first subset having a highest score based on area and class confidence score, and outputting the selected bounding box.
US10157327B2

An image processing device includes a plurality of object feature amount calculation units to calculate an object feature amount related to an object on an image, from a current frame of a moving image based on different standards, a feature amount selection unit to select an object feature amount to be used from the plurality of object feature amounts, which is calculated based on the different standards, using object attribute information related to an object on a previous frame of the moving image, an object information calculation unit to calculate object information related to an object on the current frame using the selected feature amount and object information related to the object on the previous frame, and an object attribute information calculation unit to calculate object attribute information related to the object on the current frame based on the calculated object information related to the object on the current frame.
US10157325B2

A hand-held or otherwise portable or spatial or temporal performance-based image capture device includes one or more lenses, an aperture and a main sensor for capturing an original main image. A secondary sensor and optical system are for capturing a reference image that has temporal and spatial overlap with the original image. The device performs an image processing method including capturing the main image with the main sensor and the reference image with the secondary sensor, and utilizing information from the reference image to enhance the main image. The main and secondary sensors are contained together within a housing.
US10157321B2

A method and system for detecting vehicle events and classifying them based on contextual vehicle information. The method includes detecting a vehicle event using vehicle movement data, and then obtaining and analyzing contextual vehicle information associated with the vehicle event. The contextual vehicle information may be indicative of an external condition that led to the vehicle event, such as an object in the vehicle's path, that helps classify the vehicle event for purposes of insurance risk assessment. Another disclosed method involves comparing the vehicle movement data with the vehicle performance requirements for each of the plurality of insurance carrier plans, and notifying a vehicle operator when the vehicle data satisfies the vehicle performance requirements for any one of the insurance carrier plans. Example systems may include a telematics unit installed to a vehicle that is configured to collect vehicle movement data and contextual vehicle information.
US10157316B2

Interactive display and rendering device, system and method for wine bottles. are disclosed. An interactive wine management and display device and method using a scanning instrument capable of scanning information regarding a bottle of wine; an imaging instrument capable of collecting an image of at least a portion of a bottle of wine; a connection to a wine database containing information regarding wines; a connection to a database having images of wine bottles. The device is able to render the images as well as information on the wine to a display for user interaction.
US10157315B2

There is provided an image capturing apparatus that captures a plurality of images, calculates a three-dimensional position from the plurality of images, and outputs the plurality of images and information about the three-dimensional position. The image capturing apparatus includes an image capturing unit, a camera parameter storage unit, a position calculation unit, a position selection unit, and an image complementing unit. The image capturing unit outputs the plurality of images using at least three cameras. The camera parameter storage unit stores in advance camera parameters including occlusion information. The position calculation unit calculates three dimensional positions of a plurality of points. The position selection unit selects a piece of position information relating to a subject area that does not have an occlusion, and outputs selected position information. The image complementing unit generates a complementary image, and outputs the complementary image and the selected position information.
US10157307B2

In one embodiment, a method includes capturing one or more images of a physical environment surrounding the first user; determining that one or more of the images comprises a face; generating a facial image by cropping a region of the image comprising the face; sending instructions to perform facial recognition on the facial image; receiving a name associated with a second user of the online social network, wherein the face is associated with the second user, wherein the first user is represented by a first node on a social graph maintained by the social-networking system and the second user is represented by a second node on the social graph, and the first node and the second node are connected by at least one edge; and providing an audible indication of the name associated with the second user.
US10157306B2

A system, method, and computer program product for evaluating a conformance of sets of curves using curvature information from curve segments to identify conforming curve segments. These curve segments are evaluated for relative positional variations in a context of a cluster by triangulating corresponding points among the curve segments of the cluster. Little to no deviation between corresponding lengths in the clusters indicate a high probability of match. Confirmation may be done by a more rigorous pattern matcher based upon the conforming curve segments of a cluster.
US10157304B2

A fingerprint identification module, a fingerprint identification device and a display device are provided. The fingerprint identification module includes a transparent substrate, an emission part, a receiving part and a moving part, wherein the emission part and the receiving part are provided adjacent to opposite edges of the transparent substrate, and the emission part and the receiving part are fixed on the moving part, wherein, light emitted from the light sources is incident in the transparent substrate at a first angle θ1 so as to be propagated in the transparent substrate in a total reflection form; the transparent substrate is provided with an adjusting structure configured to allow the light to exit; the receiving part is configured to receive the light exiting through the adjusting structure; and the moving part is configured to allow the emission part and the receiving part to be moved.
US10157301B2

Methods pertaining to encoding and decoding binary identifiers within a cell array are described. A binary identifier received by computing device can be encoded according to an encoding scheme. The cell array can include multiple encoded cells, each of which indicates a predetermined sequence of two or more bits, and which includes a perimeter, and both an alignment mark and a line pattern within the perimeter. The line pattern can be one of an empty-cell line pattern, a pattern including one or more asymmetrical radial vectors, one or more diametrical vectors, a symmetric cross, or a symmetrical star, or some other line pattern. The encoding scheme can define a plurality of cell colors that correspond to a predetermined sequence of two or more bits. The bits corresponding to a cell color can be redundant to bits corresponding to a line pattern for confirming accuracy of decoding a cell.
US10157295B2

A system and method for authenticating data files using a block chain network. An exemplary method includes identifying data files in electronic data storage, computing hash values for files, adding pairs of the hash values and computing hash values for each resulting pair, continuing this process to a root level of a hash tree, and sending the root hash to a blockchain network in which one or more nodes in the blockchain network adds the hash value as one or more blocks in a blockchain.
US10157293B2

In one embodiment, a method includes receiving, from a client system of a first user, a request to post content to the online social network, identifying a plurality of second users, wherein each second user is associated with a privacy setting, and wherein a percentage of the identified second users have a privacy setting likely to make the content posted by the first user accessible to the second user, determining, for each identified second user, whether the content posted by the first user is accessible to the second user, and sending, to one or more client systems of one or more of the second users, respectively, instructions for presenting the content posted by the first user, wherein the content is sent to second users determined to be able to access the content and is not sent to second users determined to be not able to access the content.
US10157292B2

A system for viewing session takeover is provided. A plurality of user accounts have access to patient medical data images. A locking mechanism is operable by each user to prevent access to patient medical data until subsequent user authentication, without terminating a viewing session. A storage medium maintains configuration parameters associated with the primary user account. A session controller establishes a viewing session by retrieving the patient medical data for viewing on the display. The session controller applies the configuration parameters associated with the primary user account to the viewing session of the secondary user. A log records each user access associated with each viewing session.
US10157290B1

The disclosed computer-implemented method for encrypting files may include (i) detecting an event within a network that triggers an encryption of a file on the network, (ii) performing, in response to detecting the event, both encrypting the file to a file encryption key and encrypting the file encryption key to a public key of a source of the file, (iii) receiving, from a client, a file access request that includes the encrypted file encryption key, and (iv) transmitting, in response to determining that the client is authorized to access the file, a re-encrypted file encryption key to the client to enable the client to access the file. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US10157285B2

Systems and arrangements for integrating two or more overlapping requirements from different assessments are presented. In some examples, determining whether requirements are considered overlapping may include identifying a plurality of aspects of each requirement and comparing the aspects to aspects of other requirements to determine whether at least a threshold number of aspects are the same. Upon identifying two or more overlapping requirements, the system may integrate the two or more overlapping requirements into an integrated requirement. A unique identifier may be generated for the integrated requirement and associated with the integrated requirement. Data may be received responsive to a request for data for an integrated requirement and the system may associate the received data with the integrated requirement and may map the received data to the two or more requirements integrated into the integrated requirement.
US10157275B1

An access management system is disclosed that can employ multi-factor authentication (MFA) using multiple types of authentication. In at least one embodiment, techniques may include implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA) including knowledge-based authentication (KBA). MFA may be based on multiple factors, such as “what you know” (e.g., a password or an answer to a question known by a user) and “what you have” (e.g., a trusted device registered for a user). In at least one embodiment, multiple devices (e.g., a desktop computer and a mobile device) may be utilized to provide for stronger authentication using a combination of what a user has. The combination of MFA based on what you know (e.g., KBA) and what you have (e.g., a trusted device) may further ensure authentication is not compromised. The techniques disclosed herein may provide for a stronger form of authentication to reduce, if not eliminate, possible vulnerabilities for access management.
US10157273B2

Embodiments of methods, apparatuses, and storage mediums associated with eye movement based knowledge demonstration, having a particular application to authentication, are disclosed. In embodiments, a computing device may determine whether a received input of a pattern of eye movements is consistent with an expected pattern of eye movements of a user when the user attempts to visually locate a piece of information embedded in a display. In embodiments, the expected pattern of eye movements may include patterns related to fixations and/or other statistical patterns, however, may not be limited to such patterns. In applications, determining consistency or correlation with the expected pattern of eye movements may identify the user by simultaneously verifying at least factors of authentication—that of biometric criteria related to a user's pattern of eye movements and a password or other information known to the user.
US10157272B2

A method for evaluating strength of an audio password by an electronic device is described. The method includes obtaining an audio signal captured by one or more microphones. The audio signal includes an audio password. The method also includes evaluating the strength of the audio password based on measuring one or more unique characteristics of the audio signal. The method further includes informing a user that the audio password is weak based on the evaluation of the strength of the audio password.
US10157268B2

Each program thread running on a computing device has an associated data stack and control stack. A stack displacement value is generated, which is the difference between the memory address of the base of the data stack and the memory address of the base of the control stack, and is stored in a register of a processor of the computing device that is restricted to operating system kernel use. For each thread on which return flow guard is enabled, prologue and epilogue code is added to each function of the thread (e.g., by a memory manager of the computing device). The data stack and the control stack each store a return address for the function, and when the function completes the epilogue code allows the function to return only if the return addresses on the data stack and the control stack match.
US10157262B1

Systems and methods are provided for determining patient financial responsibility for multiple prescription products across multiple healthcare transactions. A service provider computer can receive multiple healthcare transactions, and can evaluate each to determine if it includes a total group transaction number and a transaction number. The service provider computer can compare the transaction number to the total group transaction number to determine if all transactions within a group have been received. Once received, the transactions can be transmitted to the claims processor computer for adjudication. Upon receiving the adjudicated response for each transaction within the group, the service provider computer can identify the patient co-pay for each of the adjudicated responses in the group and can calculate a total patient pay amount based on the group of patient co-pays. The total patient pay amount may then be transmitted to a healthcare provider computer associated with a healthcare provider.
US10157261B2

Methods and computer systems are described herein for identifying small molecules that bind to selected RNA structural features (e.g., to RNA secondary structures). Also described are compounds and compositions that modulate RNA function and/or activity.
US10157240B2

In various example embodiments, a system and method for generating a concept graph are presented. Trending queries are determined from a query log stored in a database. Item pages that correspond to the trending queries are identified. Aspects from the item pages are also identified. The aspects from the item page may be stored as pre-defined data within the database. Query nodes for each of the trending queries are generated, and the query nodes are included in a graph. Leaf nodes for each of the aspects are generated. Connections between the leaf nodes and the query nodes are generated. A destination page that includes various aspects is generated.
US10157239B2

Techniques for identifying common neighbors of two nodes in a graph are provided. One technique involves performing a binary split search and/or a linear search. Another technique involves creating a segmenting index for a first neighbor list. A second neighbor list is scanned and, for each node indicated in the second neighbor list, the segmenting index is used to determine whether the node is also indicated in the first neighbor list. Techniques are also provided for counting the number of triangles. One technique involves pruning nodes from neighbor lists based on the node values of the nodes whose neighbor lists are being pruned. Another technique involves sorting the nodes in a node array (and, thus, their respective neighbor lists) based on the nodes' respective degrees prior to identifying common neighbors. In this way, when pruning the neighbor lists, the neighbor lists of the highly connected nodes are significantly reduced.
US10157233B2

The present invention is directed to methods of and systems for ranking results returned by a search engine. A method in accordance with the invention comprises determining a formula having variables and parameters, wherein the formula is for computing a relevance score for a document and a search query; and ranking the document based on the relevance score. Preferably, determining the formula comprises tuning the parameters based on user input. Preferably, the parameters are determined using a machine learning technique, such as one that includes a form of statistical classification.
US10157229B1

A system for providing a search service is disclosed and includes a processor-based search service application builder component that provides a search model representing a search service application for a first object of a plurality of objects. The search model is based at least on a user-defined end-user input field corresponding to a first attribute of a plurality of attributes associated with the first object and a user-defined search result output field corresponding to a second attribute of the plurality of attributes. The search model is also associated with a backend data store that supports a storage structure configured to store information relating to the first object. The system also includes a processor-based deployment engine that automatically configures a search engine system associated with the backend data store system to generate and/or update search index(es) based on at least one of the first attribute and the second attribute.
US10157227B2

Provided is an image processing apparatus including at least one processor configured to implement: an image processing unit which receives at least one image captured by at least one camera, analyzing the captured image, and generates a summary image related to occurrence of an event among the captured image; and a controller which controls the image processor to generate the summary image in response to at least one of a user request received from a user terminal and a predetermined condition being satisfied.
US10157220B2

A processor expands a search expression. The processor determines nodes representing query terms of a search expression. The nodes have associated text for search term expansion, and represent at least one concept in a semantic graph of nodes that represents a domain of semantically related concepts. The processor determines i) a center of focus within the semantic graph for the two or more nodes based, at least in part, on a spreading activation in the graph and ii) a contextual relevance for the two or more nodes with respect to node the center of focus. The processor selects, for a query term, a node based on contextual relevance between that node and the query term and expands the search expression using an associated text of that node.
US10157217B2

Systems and methods for the crowdsourced clustering of data items in accordance embodiments of the invention are disclosed. In one embodiment of the invention, a method for determining categories for a set of source data includes obtaining a set of source data, determining a plurality of subsets of the source data, where a subset of the source data includes a plurality of pieces of source data in the set of source data, generating a set of pairwise annotations for the pieces of source data in each subset of source data, clustering the set of source data into related subsets of source data based on the sets of pairwise labels for each subset of source data, and identifying a category for each related subset of source data based on the clusterings of source data and the source data metadata for the pieces of source data in the group of source data.
US10157214B1

A mechanism for migrating data from a database management system to a remote data store may maintain a row-level mapping of keys to locations, where the location comprises the original location or one of a plurality of destination partitions. Requests to read and write data may be redirected during migration and processed by storing the requested data in one of the destination partitions and updating the row-level mapping. Additional data may be migrated by a background process.
US10157207B2

A supplemental data report generation device may interface with one or more databases to generate a supplemental data report document for reporting actions of an aggregate user reporting entity. The device may retrieve a set of criteria for the supplemental data report, such as a set of items to be covered by the report, an action property, and a reporting rule based on the action property. The device may review action records stored in a record data store and identify actions that have the action property. Operational attributes associated with the plurality of actions may be identified through the action records. The device may use the operational attributes associated with the action records to determine if they are subject to the reporting rule, and these actions may be included in the supplemental data report.
US10157201B2

A method of searching for and providing information about a natural language query having a simple or complex sentence structure, includes: generating a mashup query language having a tree structure in a plurality of levels based on at least one query entity included in a natural language query language via a semantic analysis of the natural language query language; determining whether the plurality of levels are linked through a query entity forming each of the plurality of levels based on attribute information of the mashup query language; searching for data corresponding to the query entity forming each of the plurality of levels from a knowledge database based on a result of the determining, and deriving main information and at least one piece of entity information corresponding to the natural language query language from found data; and laying out a search result screen including the main information and the at least one piece of entity information.
US10157196B2

A data migration system and method operate within a database platform system, which includes first and second databases, to provide data migration between databases. The data migration includes automatically generating a globally unique identifier for each record of the first database, such as upon creation of each record. Records in the second database are updated or inserted according to whether or not records in the second database have globally unique identifiers that correspond to globally unique identifiers of records in the first database.
US10157189B1

Method for providing position-based information to a mobile device with at least one imaging device includes obtaining, using the imaging device, an image including a stationary pattern of pixels, searching through a database of pixel patterns for a pixel pattern that most closely matches the pattern of pixels in the obtained at least one image, the database containing pixel patterns and positional information about the pixel patterns, and retrieving from the database as a result of the searching, positional information about one of the pixel patterns that is deemed to most closely match the pattern of pixels in the obtained at least one image. Data is provided to the mobile device, i.e., to a data output device or functionality thereof, dependent on the retrieved positional information about one of the pixel patterns that is deemed to most closely match the pattern of pixels in the obtained at least one image.
US10157188B2

A clearinghouse for integrating information related to released criminal offenders. The clearinghouse includes a computer system that receives geospatial location information related to released criminal offenders from multiple disparate systems, the geospatial location information including date and time information. The computer system then converts the information to a homogenous data format. The present invention further includes a method of integrating information related to released criminal offenders.
US10157173B2

A method for determining optimal column widths used in the rendering of data tables displayed in a graphical user interface. The method includes receiving a table parameter associated with the contents of the table and determining if the table parameter has changed. If the table parameter has changed, statistical values are calculated for visible columns of the table. A user choice for a run time column width and a default column width are received for each of the columns. A readability index for data displayed in the visible columns is calculated. A maximum readability index for visible columns is calculated. The optimal column widths based on the maximum readability index are determined. The column widths are set to the optimal column widths. The optimal column widths are stored as meta-data. The table of data is displayed using the optimal column widths.
US10157171B2

An annotation data generation assisting system includes: an input/output device receiving an input through an interactive process; morphological analysis system 380 and dependency parsing system performing morphological and dependency parsing on text data in text archive; first to fourth candidate generating units detecting a zero anaphor or a referring expression in the dependency relation of a predicate in a sequence of morphemes, identifying a position as an object of annotation and estimating candidates of expressions to be inserted by using language knowledge; a candidate DB storing estimated candidates; and an interactive annotation device reading candidates of annotation from candidate DB and annotate a candidate selected by an interactive process by input/output device.
US10157149B2

According to one embodiment, a memory device includes: a nonvolatile semiconductor memory; and a controller which controls the semiconductor memory. The controller includes: a first memory which stores a first key; a second memory which stores a second key; a first generator which generates a third key based on a random number; a second generator which generates a fourth key based on the first key and the third key; and an encryptor which encrypts the second key with the third key. The third key and the encrypted second key are stored in a host device enabled to access the memory device.
US10157148B2

A semiconductor device may include a first address cache configured to store a physical address of a semiconductor memory device and a write count associated with the physical address, an address monitor configured to update the physical address and the write count in the first address cache based on a received write request, and an arbiter configured to store a write address and write data associated with the write request in a write cache in response to a command from the address monitor, wherein the command generated by the address monitor is based on whether an update is made to the physical address and the write count in first address cache.
US10157142B2

In one embodiment, a block data transfer interface employing offload data transfer engine in accordance with the present description includes an offload data transfer engine executing a data transfer command set to transfer a block of data in a transfer data path from a source memory to a new region of a destination memory, wherein the transfer data path bypasses a central processing unit to minimize or reduce involvement of the central processing unit in the block transfer. In response to a successful transfer indication, a logical address is re-mapped to a physical address of the new region of the destination memory, instead of a physical address of the original region of the destination memory. In one embodiment, the re-mapping is performed by a central processing unit. In another embodiment, the re-mapping is performed by the offload data transfer engine. Other aspects are described herein.
US10157139B2

Aspects include computing devices, apparatus, and methods implemented by the apparatus for implementing asynchronous cache maintenance operations on a computing device, including activating a first asynchronous cache maintenance operation, determining whether an active address of a memory access request to a cache is in a first range of addresses of the first active asynchronous cache maintenance operation, and queuing the first active asynchronous cache maintenance operation as the first asynchronous cache maintenance operation in a fixup queue in response to determining that the active address is in the first range of addresses.
US10157138B2

A method of calculating warp results for at least one out of driver assistance and autonomous driving, the method may include executing, for each target pixel out of a group of target pixels, a warp calculation process that includes: (a) Receiving, by a first group of processing units of an array of processing units, a first weight and a second weight associated with the target pixel. (b) Receiving, by a second group of processing units of the array, values of neighboring source pixels associated with the target pixel (c) Calculating, by the second group, a warp result based on in response to values of the neighboring source pixels and the pair of weights (d) And providing the warp result to a memory module.
US10157134B2

A multiprocessor data processing system includes multiple vertical cache hierarchies supporting a plurality of processor cores, a system memory, and a system interconnect. In response to a load-and-reserve request from a first processor core, a first cache memory supporting the first processor core issues on the system interconnect a memory access request for a target cache line of the load-and-reserve request. Responsive to the memory access request and prior to receiving a systemwide coherence response for the memory access request, the first cache memory receives from a second cache memory in a second vertical cache hierarchy by cache-to-cache intervention the target cache line and an early indication of the systemwide coherence response for the memory access request. In response to the early indication and prior to receiving the systemwide coherence response, the first cache memory initiating processing to update the target cache line in the first cache memory.
US10157131B2

A higher level shared cache of a hierarchical cache of a multi-processor system utilizes transaction identifiers to manage memory conflicts in corresponding transactions. The higher level cache is shared with two or more processors. A processor may have a corresponding accelerator that performs operations on behalf of the processor. Transaction indicators are set in the higher level cache corresponding to the cache lines being accessed. The transaction aborts if a memory conflict with the transaction's cache lines from another transaction is detected, and the corresponding cache lines are invalidated. For a successfully completing transaction, the corresponding cache lines are committed and the data from store operations is stored.
US10157130B1

Systems, methods and a computer program product the differential storage and eviction for information resources from a browser cache. In an embodiment, the present invention provides differential storage and eviction for information resources by storing fetched resources in a memory and assigning, with a processor, a persistence score to the resources. Further embodiments relocate the resources from a sub-cache to a different sub-cache based on their persistence score, and remove the resource from the memory based on the persistence score.
US10157127B2

A data storage device and method for operating the data storage device are disclosed. The data storage device includes a memory device including a plurality of memory regions, and a controller for selecting one or more candidate memory regions among the plurality of memory regions based on erase counts of the plurality of memory regions, and determining an adjustment value based on the number of candidate memory regions. The controller selects a number of victim memory regions among the one or more candidate memory regions, and performs a garbage collection operation on the selected number of victim memory regions. The number of victim memory regions may be equal to or less than the adjustment value, for example. The controller may determine whether candidate memory regions exist for which garbage collection has not been performed, and may select victim memory regions depending on amounts of valid data stored therein and a number of free memory regions. The controller may also determine a mode value based on the number of free memory regions.
US10157124B1

A method, system, and computer program product for providing data services, using a single control path, on a data storage resource selected from a plurality of heterogeneous storage resources, the computer-executable method comprising receiving an input relating to data services, analyzing the input to determine an appropriate type of data service to provide on the data storage resource, and based on the analyzing, providing the appropriate type of data service on the data storage resource.
US10157122B1

Methods and apparatuses are described for automated generation and execution of computer software test cases. A digitized voice segment is captured that corresponds to speech submitted by a user of a remote device. A software automation test case is generated using one or more phrases extracted from the digitized voice segment. The software automation test case is executed against a plurality of browser-based software applications using a plurality of automation testing tools, including converting the software automation test case into a plurality of tool-and-browser specific test cases, each based upon test case requirements of a selected automation testing tool and test case requirements of a selected browser-based application. An automation execution report is generated based upon the execution of each of the plurality of tool-and-browser specific test cases.
US10157116B2

A method includes receiving samples of data over a time range from a start time to an end time, determining a mean/median of the data samples within a historic time window, and determining a mean/median of the data samples within a recent time window. The method also includes determining a data sample delta based on a difference between the mean/median of the data samples within the recent time window and the mean/median of the data samples within the historic time window. The method also includes determining whether the data sample delta exceeds a delta tolerance, and when the data sample delta exceeds the delta tolerance, determining a regression in performance. The method also includes transmitting a regression alert to a user device. The user device is configured to notify a user associated with the user device of the regression in performance.
US10157107B2

A system for progressive just-in-time restoration of data from backup media. Backup data may be divided into a plurality of chunks and stored on any kind of media such as a direct attached storage (DAS) disk, object storage, USB drive, network share or tape. An index map is maintained that indicates the location of each of the plurality of chunks in cloud storage, the index map representing contiguous blocks of backup data of a volume. The backup data may be compressed, encrypted, or de-duplicated. The backup data may be located on different media, object stores, or network shares, or at differing geographic locations. To perform a recovery, a virtual LUN or virtual volume is mounted and provided to the operating system and applications of the restored computer. Chunks may be progressively copied from cloud storage to a data cache and restored in response to requests for blocks.
US10157104B2

Systems for managing operating on folders that comprise a large number of objects in a cloud-based collaboration platform. A cloud-based environment includes storage devices that store content objects accessible by collaborating users. The content objects are identified by one or more hierarchical path identifiers comprising a folder identifier corresponding to a logical grouping. The hierarchical path identifiers are stored in a relational database. Methods receive an operation command from a user to operate on the content objects associated with the logical grouping, after which a relational database search query is generated. Processing of the query returns a plurality of result sets corresponding to respective portions of the content objects associated with the logical grouping. The operation command is applied iteratively over the plurality of result sets, and the command is finalized after the last iteration. Collaborators can perform certain operations on content objects even while the iterations are in progress.
US10157097B2

Techniques for codeword decoding are described. In an example, a system accesses information about a block of a storage device of the system. The block includes data lines and redundant lines. The data lines are available to store data and include a bad data line that is unreliable for data storage. The redundant lines include a redundant line that replaces the bad data line, and a free redundant line that remains available after replacement of all bad data lines from the data lines. The information includes an identifier of the bad data line and an identifier of the free redundant line. The system accesses a codeword stored in the block. A portion of the codeword is stored in the free redundant line. The system decodes the codeword based on the identifier of the bad data line and the identifier of the free redundant line.
US10157089B2

An event management structure for an embedded system, which supports multiple waiters waiting on the same event without replicating the events for each waiter, is provided. Notifications of events are received from entities within an embedded system. The event management architecture then posts the events to a central queue and generates a unique identification tag for each posted event. Additionally, entities within the embedded system are allowed to wait on specific events. More specifically, entities may request access to specific events based on the unique identification tag associated with a particular event. In further implementations, data associated with queued events may be provided to the waiters. In some implementations, events matching a specific description since a particular event, identified by its unique identification tag, may be requested by entities in the embedded system.
US10157087B1

A clock generator circuit includes an internal reference clock generator, a sequential circuit, and a pulse generator circuit. The internal reference clock generator circuit receives a clock buffer signal, a reset signal, and provides a first clock signal. The sequential circuit receives the first clock signal, and provides an internal reference clock signal based on the first clock signal. The pulse generator circuit receives the internal reference clock signal, a slow ring oscillator clock signal, and the reset signal. The pulse generator circuit counts a number of internal reference clock signals cycles for each cycle of the slow ring oscillator clock signal, and generates a pulse signal in response to the number being equal to zero during a cycle of the slow ring oscillator clock signal. The pulse signal toggles the flip-flop clock circuit to recover from a deadlock.
US10157063B2

A computer-readable storage medium, method and system for optimization-level aware branch prediction is described. A gear level is assigned to a set of application instructions that have been optimized. The gear level is also stored in a register of a branch prediction unit of a processor. Branch prediction is then performed by the processor based upon the gear level.
US10157060B2

Techniques and mechanisms for exchanging control signals in a data path module of a data stream processing engine. In an embodiment, the data path module may be configured to form a set of one or more data paths corresponding to an instruction which is to be executed. In another embodiment, data processing units of the data path module may be configured to exchange one or more control signals for elastic execution of the instruction.
US10157058B2

An adaptive self-configuring sensor node is disclosed herein. The node is associated with one or more sensor, and can include a microcontroller unit (MCU), sensors and a wired/wireless communication module (e.g., transceiver) to communicate the data collected by the sensors. Sensor node software running on the CPU can be adaptively reconfigured based on the sensors connected with the node, and using configuration data that is read from a non-volatile memory (NVM). The NVM can further store loadable sensor device specific data acquisition and processing (DAP) routines corresponding to one or more of the sensors, which can be executed to configure a sensor or cause collection or processing of sensor data.
US10157052B2

Methods, systems, and computer program products for managing software changes and upgrades are described. Software change information of a plurality of changed objects of a software package is obtained, the software change information comprising a name of an object being changed and a type of the object being changed. An object dependency graph for the object is generated, the object dependency graph providing a data structure for identifying dependency relationships of the object being changed, and usage statistics for the object and the object type are retrieved. An identity of a module impacted by a software change is determined based on the data structure and an overall rating of the software change is generated.
US10157051B2

A method for execution by a dispersed storage and task (DST) processing unit includes obtaining distributed storage and task network (DSTN) address range information for each memory device of a set of memory devices associated with a storage unit targeted for an upgrade; obtaining a list of slice names associated with selected slices stored in each memory device of the storage unit; retrieving the selected slices associated with the list of slice names; generating an integrity check value for the selected slices; storing one or more of: the integrity check value, the selected slices, or the list of slice names as original integrity information in a memory; and enabling an upgrade sequence of the DST execution unit.
US10157047B2

A method at an electronic device communicatively coupled to a mobile device includes: receiving user inputs defining a prototype of an application for the mobile device; sending one or more images for the prototype to the mobile device for display in a user interface of the application; sending initial display parameters for the one or more images to the mobile device; receiving user-interaction data from the mobile device corresponding to interaction of a user with the mobile device while the mobile device is displaying a respective image of the one or more images in accordance with the initial display parameters for the respective image; determining an updated display parameter for the respective image, in accordance with the user-interaction data; and sending an indication of the updated display parameter to the mobile device, wherein the mobile device is to display the respective image in accordance with the updated display parameter.
US10157032B2

Disclosed is a method for logically positioning a second display screen relative to a first display screen including detecting a collision event of a cursor with an edge the first display screen, logically positioning the second display screen at the edge of the first display screen, calculating a projected path of the cursor, displaying the cursor on the second display screen, detecting a mouse event, calculating an offset between the mouse event and the projected path, and logically repositioning the second display screen consistent with the offset.
US10157027B2

A drawing unit configured to draw a print target content is instructed to draw a content and a predetermined element. Based on a notification from the drawing unit, which corresponds to the drawing instruction and has been made regardless of completion of drawing to the instruction, drawn data is acquired from the drawing unit. If the acquired data includes the predetermined element, a print apparatus is caused to execute printing based on the acquired data. If the acquired data includes no predetermined element, data is acquired from the drawing unit again without causing the print apparatus to execute printing based on the acquired data.
US10157026B2

A communication system may comprise an information processing device and a communication device. Communication between the communication device and the information processing device using the first wireless communication scheme may be performed. The communication device may send the connectable network identification information to the information processing device. Communication between the information processing device and the communication device using the second wireless communication scheme and using the second network may be executed, in case that the first network belongs is not included in one or more networks identified by the connectable network identification information. Communication between the information processing device and the communication device using the second wireless communication scheme and using the first network may be executed, in case that the first network is included in the one or more networks identified by the one or more connectable network identification information.
US10157019B2

The present disclosure describes data transfer in a memory device from sensing circuitry to controller. An example apparatus includes a controller coupled to a memory device. The controller is configured to execute a command to transfer data from a latch component to a register file in the controller. The memory device includes an array of memory cells and the latch component is coupled to rows of the array via a plurality of columns of the memory cells. The latch component includes a latch selectably coupled to each of the columns and configured to implement the command to transfer the data. The memory device includes a data line to couple the latch component to the register file to transfer the data. The controller is configured to couple to the data line and the register file to perform a write operation on the transferred data to the register file in the controller.
US10157004B2

A storage system and method for recovering data corrupted in a host memory buffer are provided. In one embodiment, a storage system is provided comprising a non-volatile memory and a controller in communication with the non-volatile memory. The controller is configured to receive a logical-to-physical map from a volatile memory of a host for storage in the storage system's non-volatile memory; determine if there is an error in an entry in the logical-to-physical map; in response to determining that there is no error in the logical-to-physical map, store the logical-to-physical map in the non-volatile memory; and in response to determining that there is an error in an entry in the logical-to-physical map, attempt to recover the entry from a location in the storage system before storing the logical-to-physical map in the non-volatile memory. Other embodiments are provided.
US10156994B2

Techniques for reducing Solid State Device Input/Output latency are disclosed. In some embodiments, the techniques may be realized as a method for reducing Solid State Device Input/Output latency comprising receiving a write request at a Solid State Device, monitoring a plurality flash memory channels of the Solid State Device to identify Input/Output requests, evaluating, using load balancing circuitry, identified Input/Output requests to determine a load of one or more of the plurality of flash memory channels, and assigning a destination flash memory channel out of the plurality of flash memory channels to the write request based on the determined load.
US10156993B1

A method is used in managing inline data compression in storage systems. A request is received to update data of a data object previously stored in an allocation unit of a segment in a storage system. The segment comprises of a set of allocation units in a compressed format. A determination is made as to whether the updated data of the data object can be stored in the compressed format in the allocation unit of the segment. Based on the determination, a free allocation unit is selected from a list of free allocation units managed by the storage system for writing the updated data in the compressed format to the free allocation unit.
US10156980B2

Methods and systems for providing input to a computing device based on a toggle gesture performed during a drag gesture are provided. A drag gesture can be performed on a touch screen to manipulate a user interface object. For example, the drag gesture can move the user interface object or resize the user interface object. Such manipulation commands may have alternate modes or options. For example, a user may want to place a copy of the user interface object rather than simply moving it. Accordingly, a toggle gesture can be performed during the drag gesture to choose an alternate manipulation command. For example, a drag gesture can be performed to move an object, and a toggle gesture can be performed during the drag gesture to copy the object instead of moving it.
US10156969B2

Methods and devices for selectively presenting a user interface for a phone application are provided. More particularly, a change in the display mode of a multiple screen device can be determined. More particularly, a presentation of a user interface for an in-process call of a phone application can be retained after receiving a flick in an off-screen gesture area of the device. However, the user interface moves from a first screen to a second screen (or vice versa) in response to receiving the flick. The user interface provides detail information about a phone call that is currently in-process.
US10156968B2

Displaying a recommended page by a terminal device may include page presenting recommended information being displayed. Click information of a click operation is captured, which is performed by a user on a display area of the recommended information via a display screen. The page includes a calculated hotspot range. The hotspot range is a range determined after analyzing previous click information and valid information, where a valid click probability is greater than a probability set value. Whether the click operation is valid may be determined based on the click information and the hotspot range. When determining that the click operation is valid, a request for obtaining the recommended page corresponding to the recommended information may be transmitted to a server.
US10156958B2

A system comprising at least one hardware processor; at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing processor-executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one hardware processor, cause the at least one hardware processor to perform: generating an object hierarchy comprising a plurality of objects corresponding to active graphical user interface (GUI) elements of a first application program, the generating comprising: obtaining a hierarchical representation of the active GUI elements of the application program; generating an object for each of at least some of the active GUI elements represented in the hierarchical representation; and organizing the generated objects into the object hierarchy based on relationships among active GUI elements represented in the hierarchical representation; and controlling, using software robot computer program and the generated object hierarchy, the first application program to perform the first sub-task.
US10156956B2

A system includes a data record (such as an Electronic Medical Record (EMR)) and a user interface for modifying (e.g., storing data in) the data record. The data record includes both free-form text elements and discrete data elements. The user interface includes user interface elements for receiving free-form text data. In response to receiving free-form text data via the free-form text user interface elements, a suggested action is identified, such as a suggested action to take in connection with one of the discrete data elements of the data record. Output is generated representing the suggested action. A user provides input indicating acceptance or rejection of the suggested action. The suggested action may be performed in response to the user input.
US10156955B2

A method and cloud server for capturing and encoding a video from a website through a toolbar are disclosed. The method of capturing the video through the toolbar may include retrieving and selecting video from the website and capturing the selected video. The method of uploading the object on the webpage through the toolbar may include analyzing object information about the object on the webpage through the toolbar, selecting and transferring the object to an upload area through the toolbar using an account.
US10156951B2

A touch panel includes: a lower electrode substrate that includes: a first substrate surface; a first conductive film on the first substrate surface; and four electrodes on the first substrate surface; an upper electrode substrate that includes: a second substrate surface; a second conductive film formed on the second substrate surface and facing the first conductive film; an insulating layer formed on the second conductive film; and a conductive layer formed on the insulating layer, and a control unit that applies voltage to the electrodes and that detects a contact position at which the upper electrode substrate comes into contact with the lower electrode substrate by using an electric charge which is moved from the lower electrode substrate to the upper electrode substrate by the contact.
US10156945B2

An electronic device includes a touch screen controller. The touch screen controller is configured to asynchronously measure a capacitance between a sense line and a drive line of a sensing layer with respect to a horizontal sync signal of a display layer. In addition, the touch screen controller is also configured to disconnect from the sense line for a given period of time following a rising edge of the horizontal sync signal so as to reduce capacitive coupling of display noise from the horizontal sync signal to the sensing layer.
US10156943B2

A touch panel including a transparent dielectric layer having a front surface and a reverse surface opposite to the front surface, first electrodes each extended in a first direction of a pixel matrix and formed on the front surface of the transparent dielectric layer such that the first electrodes are arranged in a second direction of the pixel matrix which crosses with the first direction, and second electrodes each extended in the second direction and formed on the reverse surface of the transparent dielectric layer such that the second electrodes are arranged in the first direction. Each of the first electrodes includes first main electrode wirings and first sub electrode wirings. Each of the second electrode includes second main electrode wirings and second sub electrode wirings. The first main electrode wirings cross the second main electrode wirings when viewed from the front surface of the dielectric layer.
US10156930B2

A touch panel includes a capacitive touch panel unit and a pressure sensor unit. The capacitive touch panel unit includes a film and touch panel electrodes, and the pressure sensor unit includes a film and pressure sensor electrodes. An electrode layer in which the pressure sensor electrode is formed is the same as an electrode layer in which the touch panel electrode is formed. An electrode layer in which the pressure sensor electrode is formed has a non-formation portion where the pressure sensor electrode is not formed at the position opposite to the touch panel electrode.
US10156928B2

Apparatuses, methods and storage medium associated with extended user touch input are disclosed herein. In embodiments, an apparatus may include a touch input driver to detect and report user touch inputs through a touch-sensitive screen of the apparatus. Further, the touch input driver is to provide support for user touch input at an extended point or area of the touch-sensitive screen beyond an actual touch point or area of the touch-sensitive screen. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
US10156923B2

An in-cell touch display panel, a driving method thereof and a display device are provided. The display panel includes a common electrode layer and a plurality of touch sensing electrodes. The common electrode layer comprises a plurality of first touch driving electrodes and a plurality of second touch driving electrodes that are configured for loading of common electrode signals in a display period and for loading of touch signals in a touch period. The second touch driving electrodes include a plurality of second touch driving sub-electrodes. Projections of the touch sensing electrodes on an array substrate are at gaps of the second touch driving sub-electrodes that are adjacent within the second touch driving electrodes. With this display panel, the touch sensitivity can be enhanced.
US10156916B2

An input device identification method is applicable to an input device including at least three contact surfaces. The input device identification method includes the steps of: storing distances between contact surfaces (s01); acquiring coordinates of respective contact surfaces of the input device placed on the touch panel (s02); calculating distances between the acquired coordinates (s03); calculating a similarity ratio between a shape formed by the respective acquired coordinates and a shape formed by the respective contact surfaces on the basis of the calculated distances and the stored distances (s04); and identifying the input device by comparing the stored distances and the calculated distances after converting either one of the stored distances and the calculated distances to the same scale as the other on the basis of the similarity ratio (s05).
US10156914B2

An ambidextrous mouse is disclosed. The ambidextrous mouse is configured for both left and right handed use. The mouse may include right handed buttons on the front side of the mouse and left handed buttons on the back side of the mouse. The user may change the handedness of the mouse by rotating the mouse about a vertical axis of the mouse such that the left hand can use the left hand buttons and the right hand can use the right hand buttons. The mouse may include a handedness selection system for configuring the mouse for right handed or left handed use even though the mouse has the capability for both right and left hands.
US10156909B2

Provided are a gesture recognition device, a gesture recognition method and an information processing device for making it possible to quickly recognize a gesture of a user. The gesture recognition device includes a motion information generator that generates body part motion information by performing detection and tracking of the body part, a prediction processor that makes a first comparison of comparing the generated body part motion information with previously stored pre-gesture motion model information and generates a prediction result regarding a pre-gesture motion on the basis of a result of the first comparison, and a recognition processor that makes a second comparison of comparing the generated body part motion information with previously stored gesture model information and generates a result of recognition of the gesture represented by a motion of the detected body part on the basis of the prediction result and a result of the second comparison.
US10156907B2

A device for analyzing the movement of at least one moving element (EM), provided, for at least one moving element, with first means (DET1) for determining the orientation of a moving coordinate frame (Rm) connected in motion to the moving element (EM), with respect to a reference coordinate frame (Rr), including second means (DET2) for determining at least one locus of points (Tx, Ty, Tz) of at least one surface from at least one respective direction of an oriented axis (x, y, z) of the moving coordinate frame (Rm) connected in motion to the moving element (EM) and said surface.
US10156906B2

A gesture control system includes a processor, the processor in communication with a plurality of sensors. The processor is configured to perform the steps of detecting, using the plurality of sensors, a gesture in a volume occupied by a plurality of occupants, analyzing a prior knowledge to associate the gesture with one of the plurality of occupants, and generating an output, the output being determined by the gesture and the one of the plurality of occupants.
US10156899B2

A user of a computing device may interact with the computing device through the user's eye movement. An image of the user's eyes or face, captured by a camera on the computing device, may be analyzed using computer-vision algorithms, such as eye tracking and gaze detection algorithms. During use of the computing device, one or more lights illuminating the user, or cameras viewing the user, may become blocked. The device may be equipped with more lights or cameras than are necessary to perform gaze detection by the device. In an over-equipped device, the additional lights or cameras can remain dormant until a blockage is detected. In response to a camera or light becoming blocked, a dormant light or camera can be activated.
US10156893B1

Apparatuses in data input/output circuits of a semiconductor device are described. An example apparatus includes an output driver and a pre-output driver. The pre-output driver includes: an output terminal coupled to the output driver and provides an output signal to the output driver; an output stage that receives a data signal and provides the output signal to the output terminal responsive, at least in part, to the data signal; and a slew rate control stage coupled to the output stage and controls a current flowing through the output stage. The output stage is disposed between the slew rate control stage and the output terminal.
US10156881B2

A method for controlling a user experience with an application on an electronic device is provided. The method includes the following steps: detecting a temperature of the electronic device; detecting a power of the electronic device; calculating a power-thermal hint according to the detected temperature and the detected power; and adjusting a complexity level of the application according to at least the power-thermal hint so as to control the user experience with the application.
US10156873B2

A Rack Information Handling System (RIHS) has a liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger (LTLHE) that is received in a rear section of a rack and includes node-receiving supply port/s and return port/s. LTLHE includes a first liquid manifold extending between the node-receiving supply port/s and the node-receiving return port/s. LTLHE includes a second liquid manifold capable of being in sealed fluid connection to a supply conduit and a return conduit of a liquid cooling supply for fluid transfer of a second cooling liquid. LTLHE includes a transfer plate formed of thermally conductive material separating the first and second liquid manifolds for transferring heat from the first cooling liquid to the second cooling liquid. RIHS includes a node-receiving chassis configured to receive inserted liquid cooled nodes that sealingly engage for fluid transfer of the first liquid to LTLHE embedded in the rack for heat absorption and transfer by the second liquid.
US10156870B2

An electronic device may include a printed circuit board (PCB) including at least one electronic component, and an electrically conductive enclosure surrounding the at least one electronic component to provide electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding for the at least one component. The electrically conductive enclosure may include a frame, made of a resilient, electrically conductive material, on a mounting surface of the PCB, surrounding the at least one component, and an electrically conductive shielding cover extending across an open top area defined by the frame. The frame may be attached to the PCB and the cover by an electrically conductive material to provide for electrical continuity. The frame may be made of a resilient, electrically conductive material so that the frame may compress in response to an externally applied force, and may return to an original, non-compressed form upon removal of the externally applied force.
US10156866B2

In a display device, the display unit chassis is configured by including a peripheral wall section which is disposed to cover the circumference of a liquid crystal panel, and a bezel case section which is disposed between the liquid crystal panel and the peripheral wall section in a state of covering a surface of a peripheral edge of the liquid crystal panel, side-edge sections whose engagement is limited only to the liquid crystal panel are disposed on both of left and right sides of the bezel case section.
US10156859B2

Described is an apparatus which comprises: a first power supply node to supply input power supply; a power transistor coupled to the first power supply node; a multiplexer to selectively control gate terminal of the power transistor according to whether the power transistor is to operate as part of a low dropout voltage regulator (LDO-VR) or is to operate as a digital switch; and a second power supply node coupled to the power transistor, the second power supply node to provide power supply to a load from the power transistor.
US10156857B2

A system and method for injecting slurry includes a first elongated tank comprising a first end having a first volume and a second end having a second volume, said first volume separated from the second volume, a first pipe having a first end external to the first elongated tank receiving clear fluid and a second end coupled to the first volume and a plurality of slurry valves fluidically coupled to the first elongated tank. The plurality of slurry valves have a first state communicating high pressure slurry from the second volume to the slurry injection site and a second state communicating low pressure slurry into the second volume. A plurality of clear fluid valves are fluidically coupled to the first elongated tank and communicate high pressure clear fluid to the first volume in the first state and communicate low pressure clear fluid from the first volume in the second state.
US10156848B1

Methods and systems for autonomous and semi-autonomous vehicle routing are disclosed. Roadway suitability for autonomous operation is scored to facilitate use in route determination. Maps of roadways suitable for various levels of autonomous operation may be generated. Such map data may be used by autonomous vehicles or other computer devices in determining routes based upon criteria for vehicle trips. Such routes may be automatically updated based upon changes in road conditions, vehicle conditions, operator conditions, or environmental conditions. Emergency routing using such map data is described, such as automatic routing and travel when a passenger is experiencing a medical emergency.
US10156847B2

An autonomous moving device includes a database that stores information on which objects are necessary to avoid and which are not necessary to avoid. When the autonomous object travels, an object detection unit detects an object on the road by using a sensor; a collation unit collates the detected object on a road surface with an object stored in the database; a determination input unit receives an input of an operator regarding whether or not to avoid the object where there is no data which is the same as or similar to the object in the database as a result of collation which is performed by the collation unit; and an operation generation unit commands the next operation of the moving object, based on the result of collation which is performed by the collation unit and the determination unit.
US10156846B2

A lane changing apparatus of an autonomous vehicle includes a lane recognizer, a vehicle information collector, control information, calculator, a controller and a steering apparatus. The lane recognizer is configured to recognize a lane of a road on which the vehicle is driving and extract road information from the recognized lane. The vehicle information collector is configured to collect vehicle information by a variety of sensors installed in the vehicle. The control information calculator is configured to calculate control information for changing the lane by using the vehicle information and the road information. The controller is configured to control a yaw rate of the vehicle based on the control information upon changing the lane. The steering apparatus is configured to change a moving direction of the vehicle according to a control of the controller.
US10156845B1

Embodiments include method, systems and computer program products for autonomous vehicle operation using altered traffic regulations. The computer-implemented method includes receiving, by a processor, request data that represents a request to use altered traffic regulations. The processor determines a current location of one or more autonomous vehicles associated with the request. The processor determines that an authority associated with the processor governs at least a portion of a road network associated with the request. The processor determines resolution of the request, wherein determining the resolution is based at least in part on a determination that the authority associated with the processor governs the associated portion of the road network associated with the request. The processor generates resolution data representing the resolution and transmits the resolution data.
US10156833B2

A building management system includes a plurality of devices of building equipment that operate across multiple building equipment domains. Each of the plurality of devices serves one or more spaces. The building management system also includes a control engine configured to, for each space, associate the space with a first group of the plurality of devices. The first group includes multiple devices that serve the space and that operate across the multiple building equipment domains. The control engine is further configured to select a space profile from a plurality of space profiles. At least two of the space profiles are associated with a different type of space serving a different function, and at least two of the space profiles include settings for the multiple devices of the first group. The control engine is also configured to distribute the settings defined by the selected space profile to the multiple devices of the first group.
US10156828B2

A cartridge includes a cover member that includes a flat portion, a substantially circular hole portion formed in the flat portion, an arc portion inserted through the hole portion, a first cutaway portion having a shape formed by cutting in the hole portion radially outward, the first cutaway portion arranged in a position opposed to the protrusion portion when viewed in a direction of a rotational axis, and a second cutaway portion having a shape formed by cutting the flat portion toward a photosensitive drum in the direction of the rotational axis to expose a coupling member when viewed in a direction orthogonal to the rotational axis.
US10156827B2

A cartridge including a photosensitive drum, a cleaning unit that supports the photosensitive drum, a process member that acts on the photosensitive drum, the cartridge being detachable from a main body of the image forming apparatus in a rotational axial direction of the photosensitive drum. The cartridge further including a first position determination position determining a downstream position with respect to the main body in a mounting direction of the photosensitive drum, and a second position determination portion that determines an upstream position with respect to the main body in the mounting direction. Furthermore, in a cross section orthogonal to the mounting direction, a distance from an axis of rotation of the photosensitive drum to the second position determination portion in a predetermined direction is larger than a distance from the axis of rotation to the first position determination portion in the predetermined direction.
US10156824B2

A binding device includes a first pressing member that presses a recording-medium stack from one surface side of the recording-medium stack, a second pressing member disposed at a position opposed to the first pressing member to press the recording-medium stack from the other surface side of the recording-medium stack, and a reduction part provided in at least one pressing member of the first pressing member and the second pressing member to reduce creases in recording media of the recording-medium stack when an end portion of the at least one pressing member is pressed against the recording-medium stack.
US10156820B2

A sheet heating device includes a heater, a power supply for the heater, and a control unit configured to set an initial power supply level of the power supply at a start of a sheet heating job by the heater based on the sheet heating job and according to whether or not maximum and minimum power supply levels from a last sheet heating job are stored, and control the power supply level of the power supply during the sheet heating job based on a temperature detected by the temperature sensor.
US10156819B2

An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device that fixes a toner image which is developed with a liquid developer containing a toner and a volatile carrier oil on a recording medium, a heating device that is disposed on an upstream side of the fixing device in a feed direction of the recording medium, and heats the toner image on the recording medium in a non-contact manner, in which heating is controlled such that a porosity of the toner image on the recording medium in an outlet of the heating device is in a range of 20% by volume to 40% by volume, and a drying path that is disposed between the heating device and the fixing device in the feed direction of the recording medium, and dries the recording medium by evaporating the carrier oil in the recording medium.
US10156814B2

A developing device includes a developing roller, a toner supply roller, a casing, a film member, a biasing member, a link member, a link member drive mechanism, and an oscillation mechanism. The film member is disposed on an upper surface of an inner wall portion of the casing, with the biasing member coupled to one longitudinal end of the film member. The link member is coupled to the other longitudinal end of the film member. The link member drive mechanism drives the link member. The link member drive mechanism makes the link member intermittently pull the film member to thereby cause reciprocation of the film member in a longitudinal direction. The oscillation mechanism causes an upper end portion of the film member to oscillate in a direction orthogonal to the upper surface of the inner wall portion along with the reciprocation of the film member.
US10156810B2

A powder conveying device includes: a conveying nozzle, provided with a powder receiving opening; an open/close member to open/close the powder receiving opening; a flange provided to the open/close member; a biasing member to bias the open/close member; and a container setting section to which a part of a powder container is to be fit. The powder container includes: a conveyor to convey the powder from a second end of the powder container to a first end; a container opening protruding from the first end; a nozzle receiving opening into which the conveying nozzle is to be inserted; and a butting portion provided in the container opening, to butt against the flange. When the powder container is attached to the powder conveying device, the container opening is fitted to the container setting section, and the flange and the biasing member are housed in an inner space of the container opening.
US10156809B2

An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device which forms an image on a recording medium and an image scanning device which transmits scanned image data to the image forming device. The image forming device includes a receiver, a first image forming unit, a second image forming unit, and a controller. The receiver receives at least one of external image data transmitted from an external device and the scanned image data as input image data. The first image forming unit forms a developer image based on the input image data on the recording medium. The second image forming unit forms a mark image on the recording medium. The controller determines whether to make the second image forming unit form the mark image or not depending on a type of a transmission source of the input image data.
US10156803B2

Provided is a carrier for electrostatic charge image development which provides a two-component developer having a high electric charge amount, a suppressed variation in an electric charge amount caused by an environmental change, and excellent durability, even if a low temperature fixable toner is used.A carrier for electrostatic charge image development of the present invention includes: carrier particles in which a core particle surface is coated with a coating material containing a resin, wherein the coating material contains phosphorus element, and the resin contains structural units derived from an alicyclic (meth)acrylic acid ester compound.
US10156802B2

A toner includes a binder resin; and a plate-shaped pigment having a silica coated layer on the surface, an average-particle diameter of from 10 μm to 25 μm, and an aspect ratio of from 20 to 125.
US10156797B2

A method of determining edge placement error within a structure produced using a lithographic process, the method including: receiving a substrate having a first structure produced using the lithographic process, the first structure having first and second layers, each of the layers having first areas of electrically conducting material and second areas of non-electrically conducting material; receiving a target signal indicative of a first target relative position which is indicative of target position of edges between the first areas and the second areas of the first layer relative to edges between the first areas and second areas of the second layer in the first structure during the lithographic process; detecting scattered radiation while illuminating the first structure with optical radiation to obtain a first signal; and ascertaining an edge placement error parameter on the basis of first signal and the first target relative position.
US10156788B2

The present invention provides a resist underlayer film composition for lithography, containing a compound having an indenofluorene structure. This resist underlayer film composition is excellent in filling property, generates little outgas, and has high heat resistance.
US10156787B2

A composition for forming an interlayer insulating film including a polymerizable monomer, an alkali-soluble elastomer containing a polymerizable group, an imide compound represented by general formula (z-1), and a polymerization initiator, an interlayer insulating film containing a polymerized product thereof, a method for forming an interlayer insulating film pattern, and a device including the interlayer insulating film on a support. In the formula (z-1), R1 and R2 represent a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, Rz00 represents a divalent organic group containing an aliphatic hydrocarbon group and/or an aromatic hydrocarbon group, Rz01 and Rz02 represent an alkyl group or an alkoxy group, and n1 and n2 are 0 or 1.
US10156784B2

A method includes directing an acoustically agitated fluid stream at a first surface of a substrate to cause the substrate to vibrate mechanically thereby dislodging contaminant particles on the substrate. The first surface of the substrate is opposite a second surface of the substrate. The second surface of the substrate includes a pattern. An amplitude of the acoustically agitated fluid stream is configured to produce an acoustic response along an entirety of the second surface.
US10156775B2

There is disclosed a substantially integrated, concealed, and discreet device for extending and holding a mobile recording device. A user of this holder device can unlock the mechanism, pull an extension arm segment which will pull past the body of the recording device so as to form a handle and extension and thereby allow the user to capture audio, video, and other images at a distance greater than if holding the mobile recording device directly in his or her hand. Thus an extensible mobile recording device holder is provided that allows for a compact and concealable mechanism and efficient deployment so that users can quickly and adequately capture images from more varied and greater perspectives.
US10156761B2

A device for emitting a light beam intended to form an image including one or more sources, each emitting a beam of the laser type, and an attenuation means situated downstream of the source or sources that allows the varying of the optical power of the light beam by transmitting or reflecting the beam or beams as a function of a supply current of the attenuation means. The device forms the light beam from the one laser beam or from the bringing together of the laser beams by combination.
US10156760B2

A method for manufacturing a liquid crystal device includes preparing a precursor solution comprising a monomer, a blue dye, a green dye, and a red dye dissolved in the monomer, and liquid crystal molecules; and polymerizing the monomer of the precursor solution to form a liquid crystal layer. The blue dye, the green dye, and the red dye reflect light of different wavelengths from each other. A black color is available in a single pixel when, based on total amount of the blue dye, the green dye, and the red dye, the blue dye is present in an amount ranging from about 25 wt % to about 30 wt %, the green dye is present in an amount ranging from about 40 wt % to about 50 wt %, and the red dye is present in an amount ranging from about 25 wt % to about 30 wt %.
US10156758B2

A liquid crystal display is provided according to the present disclosure, which pertains to the technical field of display. At least one liquid crystal sub pixel comprises a first branch sub pixel, a second branch sub pixel, and a third branch sub pixel, respectively having a first thin film transistor and a first branch sub pixel electrode, a second thin film transistor and a second branch sub pixel electrode, and a third thin film transistor and a third branch sub pixel electrode.
US10156752B2

A manufacturing method of a backlight unit includes providing a solder paste on a printed circuit board and forming a solder part in a first area of the printed circuit board, aligning a bank mask on the printed circuit board to align a first opening defined through the bank mask with a second area of the printed circuit board not overlapped with the first area, providing a bank material in the first opening and forming a bank on the printed circuit board in an area corresponding to the second area, separating the bank mask from the printed circuit board including the bank thereon, and connecting the solder part of the printed circuit board and a light emitting unit to each other.
US10156751B2

A display device includes a substrate including first, second, third, and fourth pixel areas, first, second, and third color filters at the first, second, and third pixel areas on the substrate, respectively, and a fourth color filter at the fourth pixel area on the substrate, the fourth color filter having a plurality of holes, wherein the plurality of holes includes a first hole, a second hole, and a third hole adjacent to each other, and wherein a first imaginary straight line passing through a center of the first hole and a center of the second hole has an angle in a range from about 20 degrees to about 80 degrees with respect to a second imaginary straight line passing through the center of the first hole and a center of the third hole.
US10156741B2

An electro-optic modulator device includes a modulation region, a reflecting region, a conductive line and an anti-reflecting region. The modulation region includes a doped region. The reflecting region is over the modulation region. The conductive line is connected to the doped region. The conductive line extends through the reflecting region. The anti-reflecting region is on an opposite surface of the modulation region from the reflecting region.
US10156733B2

A lens device comprises a connect assembly, a lens assembly and a drive assembly. The lens assembly is disposed on the connect assembly and has a central axis. The drive assembly comprises a first coil, a magnet and a second coil. The first coil is wound around the lens assembly. The magnet is disposed on the connect assembly and has a first magnetic pole, a second magnetic pole, a first direction of magnetic field and a second direction of magnetic field. The first direction of magnetic field and the second direction of magnetic field are not parallel to each other. The first direction of magnetic field points toward the first coil. The second coil is disposed on the connect assembly. The second direction of magnetic field points toward a part of the second coil.
US10156729B2

An optical wavelength converter includes a first substrate, a first wavelength conversion material, and a second substrate. The first substrate has at least one first segment. The first wavelength conversion material is contained in the first segment for converting a first waveband light into a second waveband light. The second waveband light is reflected by the first segment. The second substrate is arranged beside the first substrate, and has at least one second segment. The first waveband light is transmitted through the second segment.
US10156717B2

In an electro-optical device, light is incident on a mirror by penetrating a cover, and the light reflected by the mirror is emitted by penetrating the cover. Here, the cover includes a first light-transmitting plate and a second light-transmitting plate facing the first light-transmitting plate, and a gap which is open toward both sides in a first direction is provided between the first light-transmitting plate and the second light-transmitting plate due to a spacer.
US10156710B2

A microscope with at least one illumination beam that is phase modulated in a section along its cross-section with a modulation frequency and a microscope lens for focusing the illumination beam into a test as well as a detection beam path and at least one means of demodulation, wherein at least one polarization altering item is scheduled in the illuminating beam path, for which a phase plate is subordinated that exhibits at least two areas with different phase influence.
US10156705B1

The present disclosure discloses a camera optical lens. The camera optical lens includes, in an order from an object side to an image side, a first lens, a second lens, a third lens, a fourth lens, a fifth lens, and a sixth lens. The camera optical lens further satisfies specific conditions.
US10156704B1

The present disclosure discloses a camera optical lens. The camera optical lens including, in an order from an object side to an image side, a first lens, a second lens, a third lens, a fourth lens, a fifth lens, a sixth lens and a seventh lens. The camera optical lens further satisfies specific conditions.
US10156703B2

An optical imaging system includes a first lens, a second lens, a third lens, a fourth lens, a fifth lens, and a sixth lens sequentially arranged from an object side to an imaging plane. An object-side surface of the fourth lens is convex, an object-side surface of the fifth lens is concave, and an angle of view of the optical system is 100 degrees or more.
US10156702B2

The present disclosure provides an image lens assembly comprising, in order from an object side to an image side: a first lens element with positive refractive power having an object-side surface being convex in a paraxial region thereof; a second lens element; a third lens element having an object-side surface being convex in a paraxial region thereof; a fourth lens element; a fifth lens element with an image-side surface having at least one convex critical point in an off-axial region thereof, both of an object-side surface and the image-side surface thereof being aspheric; and a sixth lens element having an image-side surface being concave in a paraxial region thereof and at least one convex critical point in an off-axial region thereof, both of an object-side surface and the image-side surface thereof being aspheric.
US10156700B2

A six-piece optical lens for capturing image and a six-piece optical module for capturing image are provided. In order from an object side to an image side, the optical lens along the optical axis includes a first lens with refractive power, a second lens with refractive power, a third lens with refractive power, a fourth lens with refractive power, a fifth lens with refractive power and a sixth lens with refractive power. At least one of the image-side surface and object-side surface of each of the six lens elements is aspheric. The optical lens can increase aperture value and improve the imagining quality for use in compact cameras.
US10156695B2

An image processing apparatus includes: an image acquisition unit configured to acquire a plurality of images having different depths of field for an object; a designation unit configured to instruct a user to designate an area of the object; a presentation unit configured to present at least two candidate images from the plurality of images based on the depths of field and an object distance of the area; and a selection unit configured to instruct the user to select an image from the candidate images.
US10156690B2

A fiber connection assembly includes a first and a second coupling member. The first coupling member includes a first housing, a protrusion protruding from a first side of the first housing, and a first optical connector arranged in the protrusion. The second coupling member includes a second housing, a recess arranged at a first side of the second housing and a second optical connector arranged in the second housing in or next to the recess. The coupling members can be coupled by moving the first member relative to the second coupling member in a first direction towards and onto the second coupling member, thereby inserting the protrusion into the recess, and then by rotating the first coupling member relative to the second coupling member in a plane perpendicular to the first direction and around a rotation axis until the first optical connector is connected to the second optical connector.
US10156679B2

Optical coupling designs are disclosed to provide a photonic device, for example, that includes a substrate; an optical waveguide formed on the substrate and configured as a multimode waveguide to support light in different optical waveguide modes; and an optical fiber structured as a multimode fiber to support light in different optical fiber modes, the optical fiber located above the optical waveguide and optically coupled to the optical waveguide via evanescent coupling to allow light to be coupled between the optical fiber and the optical waveguide.
US10156678B2

A composite optical waveguide is constructed using an array of waveguide cores, in which one core is tapered to a larger dimension, so that all the cores are used as a composite input port, and the one larger core is used as an output port. In addition, transverse couplers can be fabricated in a similar fashion. The waveguide cores are preferably made of SiN. In some cases, a layer of SiN which is provided as an etch stop is used as at least one of the waveguide cores. The waveguide cores can be spaced away from a semiconductor layer so as to minimize loses.
US10156674B2

A multicore fiber for communication 10 which allows propagation of an optical signal includes: a clad 12; a core 11a which is arranged in a center of the clad 12; and seven to ten cores 11b which are arranged at equal intervals surrounding the core 11a, and the cladding diameter is 230 μm, distances between centers of the mutually neighboring cores 11a and 11b are 30 μm or more, distances between the centers of the cores 11b and an outer peripheral surface of the clad 12 are 35 μm or more and a mode field diameter of light propagating in the cores 11a and 11b is 9 μm to 13 μm.
US10156672B2

The present invention is directed to an optical fiber that includes a glass core region that has nano-sized structures configured to scatter light propagating in the glass core region. The glass core region has an average refractive index navg. The fiber includes an interior glass cladding region that has an interior cladding refractive index n2 that is less than navg. The fiber includes an outer cladding region that has an outer cladding refractive index n3 that is less than n2. A refractive index difference of n2−n3 corresponds to a bend uniformity diameter; the light exiting the outer cladding at a fiber bending location is substantially non-uniform when a bending diameter of the fiber bending location is less than the bend uniformity diameter.
US10156670B2

A polarizing film includes a high-temperature elongation film of a polyolefin and a dichroic dye, and the polyolefin has zero shear viscosity (η0) ranging from about 2600 Pa·s to about 17400 Pa·s at a temperature of about 210° C. (±3° C.).
US10156665B2

According to an embodiment a device comprises: an image sensor, an optical system comprising at least one lens, and an infrared, IR cut-off filter, transmission characteristics of the IR cut-off filter comprising a ripple with low transmission between wavelengths corresponding to blue and green.
US10156664B2

Provided are a mask inspection apparatus and a mask inspection method that can prevent a reduction in a reflectance of a drop-in mirror, which is caused by carbon contaminants. A mask inspection apparatus according to the present invention includes a drop-in mirror including multi-layer film and a reflective surface. The drop-in mirror is configured to reflect illumination light incident on the reflective surface and illuminate the mask. An area of the reflective surface is configured to be greater than an area of an illuminated spot irradiated with the illumination light on the reflective surface. The drop-in mirror is configured to be movable. A position of the illuminated spot on the reflective surface is configured to be moved when the drop-in mirror is moved.
US10156650B2

A multimode seismic unit can selectively operate in any one or more of multimode readout modes. In one embodiment, a multimode seismic unit (1600) includes a physical mode selector switch (1602). The mode selector switch (1602) allows for manual selection of output modes including wireless, nodal, dual mode or automatic mode selection. The unit (1600) further includes an antenna (1604) for RF transmissions and a data port (1606) for uploading data in a nodal mode. The multimode unit can be used to implement a variety of single mode and multimode seismic arrays.
US10156648B1

Source and receiver locations are optimized for acquiring seismic data used in compressive sensing reconstruction. A minimized multidimensional mutual coherence map, which includes a mutual coherence value at each (x,y) location in the mutual coherence map, is used to determine the optimal source and receiver locations from available source and receiver locations in respective, uniformly spaced, target survey grids.
US10156646B1

The systems and methods described herein measure a collected energy signal from a first pixel of a radiation pixelated detector during at least one event, and measure adjacent energy signals from at least two pixels adjacent to the first pixel of the radiation pixelated detector during the at least one event. The systems and methods generate a first spectrum based on the collected energy signal of the at least one event within an energy window. The energy window is a predetermined energy range for medical imaging. The systems and methods determine a delta charge based on the collected energy signal and the adjacent energy signals generated during the at least one event, generate a second spectrum based on the delta charge of the at least one event outside the energy window, and stretch the second spectrum to combine with the first spectrum to form a corrected energy spectrum.
US10156645B2

A radiation detector system is provided that includes a semiconductor detector, plural pixelated anodes, and a side anode. The semiconductor detector has a surface. The pixelated anodes are disposed on the surface, and are arranged in a grid defining a footprint. The side anode is disposed outside of the footprint defined by the plural pixelated anodes, and has a length extending along at least two of the pixelated anodes.
US10156644B2

A counting X-ray detector includes, in a stacked array, a converter material for converting X-ray radiation into electric charges and an electrode. In an embodiment, the electrode is electrically conductively connected to the converter material. The electrode is designed to be at least partly transparent. In an embodiment, the electrode includes: an electrically conductive contact layer, an electrically conductive first intermediate layer, an electrically conductive high voltage layer, a second intermediate layer and an electrically conductive heating layer.
US10156643B2

According to one embodiment, a radiation detector includes a substrate, control lines, data lines, a photoelectric conversion part provided in a region drawn by the control and data lines, and including thin film transistors and photoelectric conversion elements electrically connected to the corresponding control and data lines, a control circuit electrically connected to the control lines, a signal detection circuit electrically connected to the data lines, at least one reference potential part electrically connected to the signal detection circuit, and a determination part electrically connected to the signal detection circuit. The signal detection circuit detects a first current integral value via the data lines and detects a second current integral value from the at least one reference potential part. The determination part determines an incidence start time of a radiation on the basis of a difference between the detected first and second current integral values.
US10156630B2

A method for passively locating a non-movable transmitter on the ground implemented by a group of at least one receiving station, each of the receiving stations comprising a detector of radars and a time reference, the set of time references being mutually synchronized, the transmitter transmitting a set of periodic pulses, wherein a first estimation of the position of the transmitter is carried out by the Bancroft scheme on the basis of the mean arrival times of the pulses transmitted by the transmitter at the level of each station of the group of at least one receiving station, the result obtained being used thereafter as point for initializing a maximum likelihood scheme so as to converge toward the position of the transmitter.
US10156628B2

The present invention relates to a method of determining the indoor position of a mobile computing device using the signal strength measurements of a plurality of electromagnetic signals which are emitted from fixed locations. By using a heuristic which takes the observed behavior of signal strength measuring devices into account, the method allows to increase the accuracy and robustness of similar known methods.
US10156624B2

In a method and magnetic resonance apparatus for reconstructing an MR image of a volume segment within an examination object, MR data within the volume segment are acquired according to a separation method by MR data for a k-space line being acquired respectively in steps while a readout gradient is activated in the same readout direction. An image of a first substance and an image of a second substance are thereby reconstructed. A shift length, by which the image of the first substance and the image of the second substance are displaced relative to one another due to the chemical shift in the readout direction is determined. The image of the first substance and/or the image of the second substance is shifted as a function of the shift length, to compensate for the relative displacement between the images of the first and second substances in the readout direction due to the chemical shift. An MR image is generated by combining the images of the first and second substances.
US10156619B2

Static magnetic field inhomogeneity is reduced by measuring inhomogeneity of a static magnetic field distribution in an imaging space, evaluating a distribution of a correction magnetic field that should be generated by a correction magnetic field generating unit disposed in the vicinity of the imaging space based on the measured static magnetic field distribution, reducing the electric current value of the superconducting coil to a predetermined (greater than zero) low current value smaller than a rated current value, notifying an operator to set a correction magnetic field of the correction magnetic field generating unit to the correction magnetic field evaluated by calculation in a state where an electric current at the low current value is flowing in the superconducting coil and a low static magnetic field B_low is being generated, and repeating the above operations.
US10156616B2

The present invention provides an RF shimming method for a nuclear magnetic resonance imaging apparatus comprising: a transmission coil having a plurality of channels that respectively transmit high frequencies to an object and a calculation unit performing RF shimming calculation that determines at least one of amplitudes and phases of the high frequencies to be transmitted respectively to a plurality of the channels so as to improve homogeneity of a high-frequency magnetic field distribution generated by the transmission coil and reduce a specific absorption ratio of the object. Objective function parameters for setting the objective function are determined according to contribution to the SAR for each of the channels during the RF shimming calculation based on the objective function and the restriction condition.
US10156613B2

An A/D conversion device acquires an inter-terminal signal of one or more battery cells when detecting a voltage across the battery cells. The A/D conversion device acquires a failure diagnosis signal during a failure diagnosis. A control unit causes the A/D conversion device to perform A/D conversion processing in a ΔΣ mode or a hybrid mode, in which acquiring remaining bits of higher bits after subjecting the higher bits to a ΔΣ type A/D conversion processing, when detecting the inter-terminal signal of the battery cells. The control unit causes the A/D conversion device to perform the A/D conversion processing in a cyclic mode or a hybrid mode, when detecting the failure diagnosis signal during the failure diagnosis.
US10156611B2

Automatic test equipment (ATE) may include: a test instrument to implement a communication protocol to communicate to a unit under test (UUT), where the test instrument is memory storing bytecode that is executable, and where the test instrument being configured to identify an event in communication between the test instrument and the UUT and, in response to the event, to execute the bytecode. The ATE may also include a test computing system to execute a test program and an editor program, where the editor program is for receiving human-readable code and for generating the bytecode from the human-readable code, and the test program is for registering the event with the test instrument and for downloading the bytecode to the test instrument for storage in the memory.
US10156596B2

A method for measuring a voltage using a capacitive voltage divider (CVD) and an analog-to-digital converter includes the steps of measuring a bandgap or reference voltage and determining a first code value of the bandgap or reference voltage, charging a first capacitor to a voltage to be measured and determining a second code value of voltage of the first capacitor, charging a second capacitor to a second known voltage and determining a third code value of voltage of the second capacitor, and determining the voltage to be measured by applying the first, second, and third code values.
US10156592B2

The present application relates to a circuit arrangement for sensing a current. The circuit arrangement comprises a current sense circuit configured to cause the sense current through a sense transistor, wherein the sense current is representative of a load current through a load transistor. The current sense circuit comprises a differential difference amplifier with a first differential input terminal pair coupled across the drain electrode and the source electrode of the load transistor and a second differential input terminal pair coupled across the drain electrode and the source electrode of the sense transistor. The current sense circuit is operable to force the same voltage difference value across the drain electrode and the source electrode of the load transistor as across the drain electrode and the source electrode of the sense transistor.
US10156588B2

A contact tip for a sequential test of electronic components comprises a base material and a hard material, wherein the base material and the hard material are fixed to each other and wherein the hard material has a thickness of at least 0.03 mm. The contact tip may be the contact tip of a contact element used for a sequential test of electronic components. A method of producing a contact tip of a contact element used for a sequential test of electronic components, comprises: Providing a plate made up of a base material and a hard material, wherein the base material and the hard material are fixed to each other; Cutting the plate along a cut line to form the contact tip wherein the cut line runs through the base material and the hard material and wherein the hard material has a thickness of at least 0.03 mm in a section where the cut line cuts the hard material.
US10156585B2

The invention provides a liquid cell for an atomic force microscope. The liquid cell includes a liquid cell housing with an internal cavity to contain a fluid, a plurality of conductive feedthroughs traversing the liquid cell housing between the internal cavity and a dry side of the liquid cell, a cantilevered probe coupled to the liquid cell housing, and a piezoelectric drive element disposed on the cantilevered probe. The cantilevered probe is actuated when a drive voltage is applied to the piezoelectric drive element through at least one of the conductive feedthroughs. A method of imaging an object in a liquid medium and a method of sensing a target species with the liquid cell are also disclosed.
US10156584B2

An acceleration sensor includes a fixing portion, a weight portion, a detection beam, support beams, and a metal wiring. The weight portion is supported on the fixing portion so as to be freely displaced. The detection beam is connected to the fixing portion and the weight portion and piezoresistive elements are provided on the detection beam. The support beams are provided separately from the detection beam and are connected to the fixing portion and the weight portion. Both ends of the metal wiring are extended to the fixing portion and the metal wiring is wired so as to pass through the support beams.
US10156576B2

The purpose of the present invention is to develop: a method for selectively separating a glycoprotein derived from the central nervous system from a body fluid or a central nervous system cell; and a method for searching for an index marker for central nervous system diseases, which utilizes the aforementioned method. A protein derived from the central nervous system, which occurs in a trace amount in a body fluid or a central nervous system cell, can be selectively enriched by a two-stage separation procedure comprising removing a glycoprotein having sialic acid at a non-reducing terminal thereof from the body fluid or the central nervous system cell and then separating a glycoprotein having N-acetylglucosamine at a non-reducing terminal thereof.
US10156556B2

The present disclosure discloses a method for determining ecological risks of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon in a water body. The method may include (1) screening representative species of a water ecological system in a region; (2) obtaining toxicity data of benzoapyrene; (3) calculating benzoapyrene concentration values HC5 of 95% of species in the protected water ecological system; (4) determining types of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon pollutants and corresponding environmental concentrations thereof by sampling, and analyzing concentration distribution characteristics of various polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; (5) calculating ecological risk quotient values RQi of specific polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon pollutants; and (6) calculating a total ecological risk quotient value RQt and confirming concrete ecological risks. The method may analyze whether potential risks caused by the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon pollutants are acceptable, and determine whether the total level of the ecological risks of the water body needs to be controlled.
US10156547B2

Apparatus is provided having an acoustic-based air probe with an acoustic source configured to provide an acoustic signal into a mixture of concrete; and an acoustic receiver configured to be substantially co-planar with the acoustic source, to respond to the acoustic signal, and to provide signaling containing information about the acoustic signal injected into the mixture of concrete.
US10156544B2

Methods and systems for hydrating and calibrating an electrochemical sensor are disclosed. The method comprises providing an electrochemical sensor, providing a calibration solution to a measuring chamber of the electrochemical sensor, contacting the sensor with the calibration solution within the measuring chamber, exposing the sensor and the calibration solution to an elevated temperature, and over a cooling period, cooling the sensor and the calibration solution with a tempering device, wherein the temperature is controllable within a device error range of temperature, performing a plurality of calibrations of the sensor, wherein a calibration of the plurality of calibrations is valid for a calibration margin of temperature error, the calibration margin of temperature error exceeds the device error range of temperature, and controlling a decrease of the temperature of the sensor and the calibration solution not to exceed the calibration margin of temperature error between consecutive calibrations of the sensor.
US10156540B2

A test strip for biological component measurement includes a substrate. A pair of a working electrode and a counter electrode, a sensor unit that produces an electrochemical reaction with a bodily fluid of a measurement subject and produces a change in electrical characteristics, a resistance portion having an electrical resistance expressing attribute information including a sensitivity of the test strip, and a pair of wires connected to both ends of the resistance portion are provided on the substrate. The resistance portion has a plurality of narrow patterns, each having a resistivity and provided so as to be distanced from each other. An end portion of each narrow pattern is near another narrow pattern. A substantially circular pattern is provided to overlap locations where the end portions of the narrow patterns are near each other, enabling the end portions to conduct with each other.
US10156539B2

A modified graphite electrode comprising a coating of electrochemically reduced graphene oxide. The modified graphite electrode may be employed in detecting of uric acid. A sensing device comprising the modified graphite electrode and a method of making the modified graphite electrode are described herein.
US10156531B2

The connectivity between different pore types in porous media is measured by using low-field nuclear magnetic (NMR) and fast field cycling NMR techniques. Due to the fluid exchange between connected pores, T1(T2) NMR relaxation times of proton nuclei of fluids in the different pore types are shifted. By comparing the T1(T2) NMR relaxation times of porous media samples which are 100% brine saturated with relaxation times for the samples containing brine and hydrocarbon in the different pore systems of the samples, the connectivity between the pores can be measured.
US10156523B2

A stand-off optical measuring system based on Raman scattering for detecting and identifying chemical threat substances includes a spectrometer having a dispersive device in front of a 2-dimensional detector, with the entrance of the spectrometer being a coded aperture. The measuring system is configured to be able to quickly adapt to different measuring conditions by the coded aperture being a programmable coded aperture.
US10156517B2

This N2O analysis device is provided with: a light source (11) which radiates laser light onto an exhaust gas (5) containing N2O, H2O and CO2; a light receiver (13) which receives the laser light that has been radiated onto the exhaust gas (5); a light source control unit (14a) of a control device (14), which controls the wavelength of the laser light radiated by the light source (11) to between 3.84 μm and 4.00 μm; and a signal analyzing unit (14b) of the control device (14), which calculates the N2O concentration by means of infrared spectroscopy, using the laser light received by the light receiver (13) and the laser light controlled by the light source control unit (14a) of the control device (14).
US10156507B2

A method of characterizing free volume of a rock sample includes test operations that measure pressure decay data from stepwise pressurization of the rock sample with a test gas. An initial free volume of the rock sample is calculated as a function of the pressure decay data. An initial maximum storage capacity of the rock sample is derived as a function of the initial free volume of the rock sample. A volume of test gas adsorbed as a liquid is calculated based on the maximum storage capacity of the rock sample. An updated free volume of the rock sample is calculated based on the initial free volume and the volume of the test gas adsorbed as a liquid. An updated maximum storage capacity of the rock sample is derived as a function of the updated free volume. Calculations of the volume of test gas adsorbed as a liquid, the updated free volume and the updated maximum capacity of the rock sample can be repeated until the updated maximum storage capacity and the updated free volume converge respectively to give the maximum storage capacity and free volume of the rock sample.
US10156502B2

The present invention addresses a problem of providing a tissue piece treating method and a tissue piece treating apparatus by which treatment of a tissue piece by each of liquid chemicals can be favorably performed and a running cost can be reduced. In order to address the problem, in a tissue piece treating method in a tissue piece treating apparatus (30) for executing an immersion treatment process by each of the liquid chemicals by supplying the liquid chemicals with different types into a treatment tank (40) in which a basket (42) accommodating the tissue piece is disposed in a predetermined order, a liquid supply/drain cycle in which the liquid chemical in such an amount that the entire basket (42) is exposed in the treatment tank (40) is drained from the treatment tank (40) during the execution of the immersion treatment process by each of the liquid chemicals, and the drained liquid chemical is supplied into the treatment tank (40) so that the entire basket (42) is immersed is repeatedly performed so as to agitate the liquid chemical.
US10156498B2

Systems and methods may include sending, to a downhole tool emulator, at least one input signal that represents one or more conditions in a simulated well system. The downhole tool emulator may include one or more electronic components to be placed in a downhole tool. The at least one input signal may be generated based at least partially on a reservoir model of the simulated well system. The method may include receiving at least one output signal that represents a response of the downhole tool emulator to the one or more conditions. The method may also include sending, to the downhole tool emulator, at least one command that represents an operation of the downhole tool emulator. The at least one command may represent a change in the operation of the downhole tool emulator based at least partially on the one or more conditions and the response.
US10156475B2

A radiation measuring device for measuring electromagnetic radiation originating from an external source. The radiation measuring device includes, a spectrometer, a pyranometer, a pyrgeometer, a diffuser, and a control unit. The spectrometer and a pyranometer are positioned in a sensor zone of a housing of the radiation measuring device. The spectrometer measures visible shortwave radiation and near-infrared shortwave radiation received at the sensor zone. The pyranometer measures shortwave radiation received at the sensor zone. The pyrgeometer is positioned in another sensor zone of the housing and measures longwave radiation received at the other sensor zone. The control unit receives radiation measurements from the spectrometer, pyranometer, and pyrgeometer. A corrected amount of radiation received at the sensor zones of the radiation measuring device is determined from the received radiation measurements. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US10156474B2

A transmission spectroscopy device can direct light into a sample, and determine properties of the sample based on how much light emerges from the sample. The device can use a cell to contain the sample, so that the size of the cell defines the optical path length traversed by light in the sample. To ensure accuracy in the measurements, it is beneficial to calibrate the device by measuring the size of the cell periodically or as needed. To measure the size of the cell, the device can perform a transmission spectroscopy measurement of a known substance, such as pure water, to produce a measured absorbance spectrum of the known substance. The device can subtract a known absorbance spectrum of the known substance from the measured absorbance spectrum to form an oscillatory fringe pattern. The device can determine the size of the cell from a period of the fringe pattern.
US10156471B2

A combination scale is provided that includes a combinatorial computation unit and two operation modes; a normal operation mode, and a corrective operation mode in which correction values are decided. The correction values are for use in correcting errors of measured weight values calculated from weight signals of weight sensors. In the normal operation mode, the combinatorial computation unit corrects the measured weight values using the correction values decided in the corrective operation mode. Then, the combinatorial computation unit executes combinatorial computations based on the corrected measured weight values.
US10156470B2

A parallel-guiding mechanism in accordance with the present invention comprises a load-receiving portion for receiving a load of a to be weighed object; a fixing portion including an end portion, an extending portion extending forwardly from the end portion and mounting portions extending forwardly from the extending portion, and parallel-guiding members connecting the load-receiving portion to the fixing portion. The mounting portions include a first mounting portion and a second mounting portion. A receiving space is formed between the first mounting portion, the second mounting portion and the extending portion for receiving at least a portion of the load-receiving portion. A containing space for receiving the extending portion is formed between the parallel-guiding members, the load-receiving portion and the end portion. The parallel-guiding members include an upper parallel-guiding member and a lower parallel-guiding member. The load-receiving portion, the fixing portion and the parallel-guiding members are formed integrally of one piece of solid material.
US10156455B2

A context-aware voice guidance method is provided that interacts with other voice services of a user device. The voice guidance does not provide audible guidance while the user is making a verbal request to any of the voice-activated services. Instead, the voice guidance transcribes its output on the screen while the verbal requests from the user are received. In some embodiments, the voice guidance only provides a short warning sound to get the user's attention while the user is speaking on a phone call or another voice-activated service is providing audible response to the user's inquires. The voice guidance in some embodiments distinguishes between music that can be ducked and spoken words, for example from an audiobook, that the user wants to pause instead of being skipped. The voice guidance ducks music but pauses spoken words of an audio book in order to provide voice guidance to the user.
US10156445B2

An inertial measurement device comprising a housing, a plate connected to the housing via a first stage of suspension, an inertial measurement unit comprising vibrating sensors having predetermined first resonant modes of vibration and mounted on the plate via a second stage of suspension; the first stage has a resonant frequency lower than a bandwidth of the inertial measurement unit, and the second stage has a resonant frequency higher than a resonant frequency of the first stage and lower than the first resonant modes of the vibrating sensors, the first stage having four resilient suspension elements and a center of stiffness corresponding substantially to the center of gravity of the assembly formed by the plate, the second stage, and the inertial measurement unit; the second stage having one to three resilient suspension elements.
US10156434B2

Optical coherence tomography imaging systems and methods are disclosed. According to an aspect, an optical coherence tomography imaging system includes a scanner configured to obtain images and to convert the images to electrical signals. The system also includes a computing device comprising an OCT module configured to receive the electrical signals, to apply an OCT imaging technique, and to generate imaging data.
US10156429B2

Aspects of the disclosed subject matter involve an airborne-based network for implementing a laser-based visual disruption countermeasure scan pattern system, method, and computer program product. The scan pattern can be comprised of a plurality of lasers each with their own scan pattern and may be used to disrupt an optical system of a weapon or an individual. One vehicle in the network can transmit target information and/or scan information to one or more other vehicles or to a non-vehicle remote location in the network.
US10156426B2

Test systems coupled to a device under test (DUT) with different segments or stages and related methods are provided. Exemplary test systems include logic that executes concurrent determinations or tests for multiple DUT segments or stages. Exemplary test systems can include logic that concurrently executes various tests associated with different DUT segments including determinations or testing for a specified DUT test environment, determinations or tests of when data will be made available to various DUT segments, and various determinations or tests that may be completed before data is made available to specified DUT segments. At least one embodiment of a first stage concurrent determination test system determines first stage tests do not require a specified target and high pressure gas conditions for DUT testing and at least one embodiment of a second stage concurrent test system does require a specified target and high pressure gas conditions for DUT testing.
US10156425B2

A sighting device for a bow which attaches to a release mechanism being used with said bow. The sighting device includes a sighting assembly, a positioning-and-orienting arm with multiple degrees of freedom, and a mounting clamp. The sighting assembly includes an annular plate, a sight eyepiece, and a support arm. The sight eyepiece is oriented normal to the annular plate and is positioned within a lateral boundary that is defined as an extension of an inner wall of the annular plate. The support arm is swivelably and adjacently connected to the annular plate and holds the sight eyepiece in place. A first end of the positioning-and-orienting arm is adjacently attached to the annular plate and a second of the positioning-and-orienting arm is attached to the mounting clamp. The mounting clamp is attached to the release mechanism, thus positioning the sighting assembly directly in front of the user's eye.
US10156424B2

An iron sight system for handguns including a notched blade rear iron sight, providing view windows through blade structure predominantly to the left and to the right of a defined notch, and the notched blade rear iron sight combined with a front iron sight providing a view therethrough.
US10156422B1

A firearm stock assembly includes a firearm stock and a recoil reduction device. The recoil reduction device includes a butt plate and a first collapsible element connected between a butt end of the firearm stock and the butt plate. The first collapsible element is configured to maintain a fixed distance between the butt end and the butt plate until a compressive force between the firearm stock and the butt plate reaches a recoil threshold.
US10156421B2

A stock for a firearm. In some embodiments, the stock is configured for bi-directional folding to either side of a receiver of the firearm. In some embodiments, the stock is configured for length adjustment. A biasing element is provided for the length adjustment that biases a proximal (butt) subassembly of the stock against the shoulder of the user. The user can adjust the length of the stock by moving his or her shoulder fore and aft against the butt of the stock. The bi-directional folding and the shoulder length adjustment aspects may be incorporated into a single embodiment.
US10156415B2

A compact slingbow/quiver combination including first and second arms joined by a generally central cross piece. Slingbow arms are interconnected by at least one latex band for projecting arrows. Central cross piece includes an internal centerfire aperture for receiving arrows for launching. A rest and guide element with pliable bristles is secured within the centerfire aperture to support arrows without damage to fletching. The band includes an intermediate nocking segment adjustably positioned at the centerfire aperture to engage arrow nocks. Slingbow arms include internal storage chambers. At least one chamber is configured as a quiver for arrow storage; other chamber(s) may store other items for the archer. The central cross piece projects rearwardly of the slingbow where it (1) receives an arrow for launch and (2) absorbs band impact thus avoiding wrist slap. Slingbow arms and central cross piece may be conveniently and inexpensively constructed from detachable polyvinylchloride conduit elements.
US10156414B2

A barrel bushing and retained bias assembly are provided for engaging a barrel of a firearm to accommodate relative longitudinal movement of the barrel bushing and the barrel. The barrel bushing includes a retaining channel for retaining the bias assembly, such that a portion of the bias assembly extends into a bore of the barrel bushing to contact and be partly compressed by the outside diameter of the barrel.
US10156410B1

A trigger mechanism for a firearm includes a hammer element pivotable between a ready position and a fired position, and a trigger element pivotable between a first position that retains the hammer element in the ready position, and a second position that releases the hammer element. The hammer element may include a hammer sear having an initial sear surface and a terminal sear surface. The trigger element may include a trigger sear that at least partially engages a portion of the hammer sear when the hammer element is in the ready position.
US10156401B2

A plate heat exchanger includes a casing in which heat transfer plates are arranged, wherein a first distribution tube and a second distribution tube that extend through respective first port openings and second port openings of the heat transfer plates includes outlets and inlets that face each other, a first passage and a second passage extend along the casing and along first sides and second sides of the heat transfer plates and comprise outlets and inlets that face each other.
US10156396B2

The present invention provides for a system for operating a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. A controller operates compressors in tandem connected to an evaporator. In response to detection of a pre-freezing condition of in the coils of the evaporator, the controller adjusts an operating condition of the HVAC system.
US10156388B2

The invention is directed to an energy efficient thermoelectric heat pump assembly. The thermoelectric heat pump assembly preferably comprises two to nine thermoelectric unit layers capable of active use of the Peltier effect; and at least one capacitance spacer block suitable for storing heat and providing a delayed thermal reaction time of the assembly. The capacitance spacer block is thermally connected between the thermoelectric unit layers. The present invention further relates to a thermoelectric transport and storage devices for transporting or storing temperature sensitive goods, for example, vaccines, chemicals, biologicals, and other temperature sensitive goods. Preferably the transport or storage devices are configured and provide on-board energy storage for sustaining, for multiple days, at a constant-temperature, with an acceptable temperature variation band.
US10156384B2

A climate control system is provided and may include a compressor, a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger, and a coolant flow path. The compressor may include a suction port, a first discharge port and a second discharge port. The first heat exchanger may be in fluid communication with the first discharge port. The second heat exchanger may be in fluid communication with the second discharge port. The coolant flow path may be in fluid communication with the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger.
US10156382B2

An improved heat trap disposed in at least one of an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe for delivery of cold water into and hot water out of a water tank. The improved heat trap includes a tubular body and a seal element comprising first and second axially spaced flapper members which are adjoined by a spine. The seal element extends through the tubular body whereby the first and second flapper members form a seal against an interior surface of the tubular body to prevent the delivery of water through the tubular body.
US10156377B2

In one embodiment, an HVAC system includes a first control unit communicatively coupled to a first plurality of HVAC units and a first interactive display. A second control unit communicatively coupled to a second plurality of HVAC units and a second interactive display. The first control unit is operable to detect and connect to the second control unit using a Wi-Fi direct protocol to create an HVAC control network that is designated as a primary communications network. The first control unit further operable to detect a Wi-Fi network including a wireless access point. The first control unit operable to re-designate the HVAC control network as a secondary communications network and to designate the Wi-Fi network as the primary communications network. The first control unit may also detect and connect to the second control unit over the Wi-Fi network, wherein the first control unit may receive a first temperature change request from the first interactive display and transmit the first temperature change request to the second control unit over the Wi-Fi network.
US10156375B2

An air exhaust apparatus includes a housing, a shaft, a bearing part, a propeller, and an impeller disposed at a lower portion of the shaft. The housing has a space formed therein and an outlet formed at an upper portion thereof to discharge air flowed into the space. The shaft is installed inside of the housing in a vertical direction. The bearing part supports the shaft to revolve. The propeller is disposed at an upper portion of the shaft to be rotated by an exhaust suction flow in a duct. The impeller includes a rotating plate having a through hole for air inlet and a plurality of fins formed on the rotating plate, and is rotated with the propeller. A funnel-shaped vortex is formed under the impeller when the propeller and impeller revolve.
US10156371B2

Apparatus for the cooling of a process fluid. The apparatus comprises a process fluid circuit along which there are provided in succession a compressor, a condenser, a first throttling member and an evaporator which can effect heat exchange with a fluid requiring treatment, and a regulating device. The regulating device includes an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber, and a calibrated passage hole which provides further communication between the inlet chamber and the outlet chamber in addition to a main passage.
US10156367B2

A heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system includes a compressor, a condenser operably connected to the compressor, and an evaporator operably connected to the compressor and to the condenser. A relocatable interface panel is in operable communication with one or more components of the HVAC system to issue commands to the HVAC system via operator inputs at the interface panel. An electrical lead connects the interface panel to the one or more components. A plurality of installation points are located at the HVAC system for installation of the interface panel thereto. The interface panel is selectably installed to an installation point of the plurality of installation points at an installation site of the HVAC system.
US10156365B2

A gas off security device for a gas range, which includes a cross bar sized to span a control width of the gas range, is connected to the gas range via a left mount and a right mount. Each of a plurality of knob locks are slidably mounted on the cross bar and are used to define a slot sized to receive a handle portion of one gas control knob. The knob locks can be adjusted for different gas ranges via set screws that allow the knob lock to be set at a selected location along the length of the cross bar. The gas control knob is blocked from being turned from an off position to an on position when the cross bar is mounted to the gas range and the handle portion of the control knob is received in the slot of one of the knob locks.
US10156364B2

According to one embodiment, a range for cooking includes a combustion chamber having a bottom surrounded by sidewalls that extend upward to an upper rim. The range further includes at least one gas burner positioned at the bottom of the combustion chamber, and a platen positioned on the upper rim. The platen has an interior opening above one of the at least one gas burner with a first flange. The range further includes at least one removable outer plate positioned on the first flange of the platen, and an enclosure disposed to surround the gas burner and that is operative to cause preferential heating of the removable inner plate by radiation from a flame at the one of the at least one gas burner and radiation from the enclosure.
US10156363B2

A crossfire tube assembly is positioned between adjacent combustors, the crossfire tube assembly having a primary body made up of a first telescoping sleeve slidably engaged with a second telescoping sleeve. An interlocking raceway is configured to limit axial travel length of the telescoping sleeves and lock the telescoping sleeves to each other. A bias is positioned between the first telescoping sleeve and the second telescoping sleeve. First and second floating collars are removably disposed to the first and second telescoping sleeves at a first and second floating collar annulus. First and second liner collars are disposed between the first and second floating collars on the first and second combustors. The crossfire tube assembly is adapted to provide fluid communication from the first combustor to the second combustor serving a gas turbine.
US10156355B2

A steam-temperature control device for a gas- and steam turbine plant, including a feed water line, a feed-water control valve located in the feed water line and a water injection line which branches off from the feed water line upstream of the feed-water control valve in the flow direction of said water and which opens into an injection cooler is provided. The steam-temperature control device is characterized in that a pre-heating device for the injection water is connected in the water injection line. A method for controlling the steam temperature in a gas- and steam turbine plant is also provided.
US10156349B2

A modular lighting system for providing light in various areas includes one or more canopies, a set of buses, a set of hangers for supporting the bars from canopies and, optionally other supports, a set of pendants with light emitting elements and a set of hangers for supporting the pendants from the bars. The bars include two segments with conductive rails disposed or imbedded in their inner surfaces. The hangers have one or two rods and bases shaped and sized for mounting on the bars with the rods contacting the conductive rails. The hangers and bars cooperate to allow the hangers to be placed anywhere along the bars. The pendants and hangers may be sized and shaped so that the pendants trapped the ends of the hangers forming a supporting mechanical interlock therebetween. Pendants can be hanged on the bars singly, or in clusters.
US10156344B2

The invention includes a drop lens that is generally rectangular-shaped and fits over a housing of a light fixture. The drop lens may include two side portions that attaches to and/or engages with the side panels of the housing. The drop lens includes an inner lens that extends between each of the side portions of the drop lens. The inner lens may be preferably constructed of a flexible plastic material so that it can be flexed and bent to engage the side portions of the drop lens. The inner lens disperses the light from the light source, thereby creating a uniform and consistent luminance on the bottom, sides, and ends of the drop lens. Additionally, the invention may include an upper lens that extends between and is slidably engaged with each of the side panels of the housing. The upper lens slides within the housing to hide the light source through a gap or seam between a first drop lens section and the second drop lens section.
US10156338B2

A lighting device includes an output adjustment circuit, a smoothing circuit and a control circuit. The smoothing circuit receives a binary rotation detection signal according to the rotation of a fan and smooths the rotation detection signal to produce a smoothed signal. The control circuit detects a rotation malfunction of the fan when the smoothed signal is greater than or equal to an upper limit threshold over first predetermined time or when the smoothed signal is smaller than or equal to a lower limit threshold over second predetermined time.
US10156336B2

A tail light for installation on a vehicle having an electrical system includes a tail light housing configured to replace an existing housing of an existing tail light of the automobile, the tail light housing having a hollow interior, a circuit board positioned within the hollow interior of the tail light housing and comprising independently controllable segments having light emitting diodes (LEDs) configured to transmit light from an outward facing surface of the circuit board; and a controller electrically connected to the electrical system of the vehicle and the tail light. The controller has a microprocessor and memory. The controller is configured to receive signals from the electrical system of the vehicle, interpret the signals received from the electrical system of the vehicle, and in response control illumination of the independently controllable segments.
US10156330B2

A LED ceiling lamp is provided. The LED ceiling lamp includes a lamp base including a metal frame with a mountain shaped cross section, the accommodating slot is formed through two ends of the lamp base; a power module configured in the accommodating slot of the lamp base; a plurality of first fixing units fixed at a bottom wall of the accommodating slot of the lamp base at intervals; a movable lamp light detachably assembled into the accommodating slot of the lamp base; and a plurality of second fixing units fixed to the heat dissipation unit at intervals. With the configuration of the first fixing units and the second fixing units, the movable lamp light can be fixed to or detached from the lamp base quickly. As a result, it is much more convenient.
US10156324B2

A light source device includes a first semiconductor light source, a second semiconductor light source, and a wavelength converter. The first semiconductor light source emits light in a first wavelength range. The second semiconductor light source emits light in a second wavelength range different from the first wavelength range. The wavelength converter absorbs the light in the first wavelength range to emit light in a third wavelength range different from either of the first wavelength range and the second wavelength range, and transmits the light in the second wavelength range substantially entirely.
US10156323B2

A retrofit light fixture for retrofitting an existing strip-style light fixture, the retrofit light fixture includes a housing, a light emitting diode, a driver, and a bracket. The housing includes a base portion, a side portion, and an end cap. The housing defines an interior space. At least one of the base portion and the side portion define an elongated opening. The driver is disposed within the interior space of the housing and configured to interface with the light emitting diode. The bracket includes a body and a locking flange. The locking flange is configured to selectively engage with a portion of a housing of the existing strip-style light fixture. The bracket is slidably coupled to the housing with a fastener that extends through the elongated opening. The bracket is selectively repositionable between a disengaged orientation and an engaged orientation.
US10156321B2

Methods and systems are provided for controlling operational parameters of a CO2 compression surface facility or pipeline in order to maintain a CO2 stream having impurities flowing in the pipeline in a liquid or supercritical phase. Sensors may be provided to sense whether the flow is single-phase or two-phase flow, and feedback provided to adjust the pressure and/or temperature at the pipeline inlet. The system is preferably optimized to limit power consumption and/or cost.
US10156316B2

In one aspect, a boat lift includes a base, a boat support pivotally attached to a given portion of the base, and one or more stabilizers extending from the given portion of the base.
US10156309B2

A lock mechanism of a tubular body includes a housing to which a tubular body is mounted, a lock member locking and unlocking the housing and the tubular body, and a ring member rotatably attached on an outer periphery of the housing and moving the lock member between a lock position and an unlock position. When a locking portion of the lock member is locked to a locked portion of the housing, the lock member is retained in the unlock position. When the tubular body is inserted in the housing to unlock the locking portion and release an urging force accumulated in the lock member, the lock member moves to the lock position together with the ring member to lock the tubular body. When the ring member is slid in an axis direction of the tubular body after being locked, the tubular body can be locked with one touch.
US10156308B2

A connector includes a cylindrical connector housing having through-holes extending in a circumferential direction formed on right and left, a cylindrical male member to be entered into the connector housing and having a circumferential groove conforming with the through-holes in a state wherein the male member enters into the connector housing; and an elastic lock member including an intermediate portion, and right-and-left leg portions projecting to right and left from the intermediate portion to be received into the through-holes. Sliding inclined surfaces to be engaged with loose ends of the leg portions of the lock member are provided on an outer periphery of the connector housing. The lock member takes an engagement position where the leg portions enter into the circumferential grooves from the through-holes; and a release position where the leg portions escape toward the through-holes from the circumferential groove.
US10156302B1

A system for organizing, insulating and supporting pipes within a mechanical/electrical/plumbing (MEP) rack including a composite panel supported in the rack, the composite panel being fabricated from a first non-metallic panel and a second metallic panel, the first panel being adhered to a rear surface of the second panel. A plurality of passageways extend through the composite panel, each passageway being defined by a first opening extending through the first panel and a second opening extending through the second panel. So that the innermost diameter of the first passageway is defined by the first panel, the second opening is arranged concentrically around the first opening.
US10156299B2

A vacuum valve, having a valve seat including a valve opening (axis (A)), and a first sealing surface around the valve opening and defines a first sealing plane (ES), having a valve disk with a second sealing surface corresponding to the first sealing surface and defining a second sealing plane (ET), additionally having a first coupling element, connected to the valve disk and comprising a receiving means and a drive unit coupled with the first coupling element and is configured to provide the valve disk adjustable from an open position to a closed position. The drive unit and the valve disk are configured to provide a fine control position, wherein the valve disk is tilted relative to the valve seat where ES and ET enclose a defined angle (α), and the seal abuts fully against one of the two sealing surfaces and in part against the other sealing surface.
US10156297B2

A sanitary high pressure valve assembly is provided. The valve assembly includes an inlet adaptor for admitting pressurized gas into a sanitary central passageway for release into a storage vessel containing granular material for the purpose of aiding flow of the granular material from the storage vessel. The valve assembly also includes an isolation chamber for housing serviceable parts that are isolated from the sanitary central passageway.
US10156293B1

In one or more embodiments, a pressure relief valve for a fluid pump has a valve head that has a recessed outlet-side surface that confronts a support end of a spring such that the valve head extends past the support end of the spring toward a pump outlet. The spring is biased to urge the valve head against a valve seat to a seated position. The spring is also configured to be compressed when fluid pressure at an inlet to the relief valve exceeds fluid pressure at the outlet by at least a predetermined amount such that the valve head is pushed away from the valve seat to an unseated position. A pressure relief valve may have multiple outlets at least some of which have unequal flow areas such that fluid pressure distribution across the flow area of the pressure relief valve cavity is nonsymmetrical.
US10156291B2

In order to control the disengagement limit position of a movable dog relative to a fixed dog of a motor vehicle transmission, the following steps are implemented: acquiring position values of the movable dog; detecting an abutment position of the movable dog against the fixed dog for a predefined period; and calculating the limit position from the position value of the movable dog in abutment against the fixed dog.
US10156285B2

A tensioning rail for a drive chain, in particular for a chain drive of an internal combustion engine, comprises a basic body and a spring unit, the basic body including a sliding surface for contact with the drive chain and a press-on surface. The spring unit comprises a tensioning end arranged on the press-on surface and a support end supportable on a counter bearing, a wear protection element being provided, which is arranged at the support end of the spring unit. In addition, the invention relates to a chain drive including such a tensioning rail as well as to the use of such a tensioning rail for a chain drive of an internal combustion engine.
US10156281B2

To assemble an end portion (12) of a crankshaft (10) defining an axis (100) of revolution, forming at least one first bearing surface (30), turned radially outward, and a shoulder (32), on which threaded holes (34) lead outward, with a flywheel (24) comprising axial bores (36) and a bearing (28) for guiding the crankshaft relative to an engine housing (26) in rotation about the axis of revolution, attachment screws (16) passing through the axial bores of the flywheel and screwed into the threaded holes in the crankshaft end portion are provided, thus rigidly connecting the flywheel to the crankshaft end portion. The guide bearing comprises at least one unitary guide ring (42) positioned on the first bearing surface (30) and having a first transverse surface (44) axially bearing on the shoulder (32). The unitary guide ring comprises axial bores (48) which are aligned with the threaded holes (34) in the crankshaft and the axial bores of the flywheel (36) and have the screws (16) passing therethrough.
US10156274B2

The invention relates to a caliper for disc brake comprising a caliper body which defines a housing compartment for an associated brake disc and houses at least one pair of pads arranged on opposite sides of the housing compartment along an axial direction. The caliper body comprises at least one thrust piston axially operable against the pad, at least one axial guide which supports and guides the pad in the axial direction and a first thrust spring which exerts a thrust on the pad. Said thrust has a first axial component, axially directed in a direction of approach to the pistons, and a first radial component, perpendicular to the axial direction. Advantageously, the caliper body comprises at least one compensation spring which exerts an axial thrust on the pad in a direction of approach to the pistons. The second axial component annuls the momentum given by the friction force exchanged between the pad and the axial guide with respect to the point of application of the first axial component on the pad.
US10156271B2

A center piece is coupled to a flange member to thereby form a second oil path between an intermediate wall portion of the center piece and the flange portion. A male screw portion is formed on an outer peripheral surface of a cylindrical portion of the center piece, and a nut member in which a female screw portion is formed on an inner peripheral surface is screwed to the male screw portion. Accordingly, the flange member is pressed onto the intermediate wall portion to thereby couple the center piece to the flange member. As a result, the center piece can be coupled to the flange member without causing backlash.
US10156269B2

A clutch center includes a pressure receiving part and is accommodated inside a clutch housing. A pressure plate includes a pressure applying part disposed at an interval from the pressure receiving part in an axial direction. A clutch portion is disposed between the pressure receiving part and the pressure applying part, and allows and blocks transmission of a power between the clutch housing and the clutch center. A first cam portion is disposed on one side of the clutch center in the axial direction, and increases an engaging force of the clutch portion when a forward drive force acts on a clutch device. A second cam portion is disposed on the other side of the clutch center in the axial direction, and reduces the engaging force of the clutch portion when a reverse drive force acts on the clutch device.
US10156260B1

Disclosed is a two-component power take-off (PTO) coupling system for efficient and simplified attachment of implements to a power take-off system of a tractor or other prime mover, having a first component to be attached to the PTO shaft of the tractor or other driver and a second component attached to the implement to be coupled. The coupling system serves to eliminate the difficult task of attaching or detaching a power shaft on a rotary driven farm implement such as a rotary cutter, tiller, generator, pump, etc. to tractor power take off (PTO) or any other driver that has an auxiliary splined power out-put shaft. It is designed for any application in any industry that requires frequent connecting or disconnecting of a rotating shaft to transfer power or torque. The coupling system can accommodate two different series PTO shaft types for example, if the implement has a type two (2) shaft but the owner's tractor is a type one (1) the coupling system can be adapted to accommodate both.
US10156259B2

A bearing component composed of steel which contains carbon not less than 0.95 mass % and not more than 1.1 mass %, silicon less than 0.3 mass %, manganese less than 0.5 mass %, sulfur less than 0.008 mass %, and chromium not less than 1.4 mass % and less than 1.6 mass % and is composed of remainder iron and an impurity and having a carbonitrided layer formed at a surface portion including a contact surface which is a surface in contact with other components is provided. An average concentration of nitrogen in the surface portion is not lower than 0.3 mass % and not higher than 0.6 mass % and variation in nitrogen concentration in the surface portion is not higher than 0.1 mass %. An amount of retained austenite in the surface portion is not greater than 8 volume %.
US10156245B2

An apparatus includes a drive mechanism, a first cylinder comprising a first piston coupled to the drive mechanism, and a second cylinder comprising a second piston. The first cylinder includes a first fluid reservoir and a second fluid reservoir, with the first piston disposed between the first fluid reservoir and the second fluid reservoir. The second cylinder includes a third fluid reservoir and a fourth fluid reservoir, with the second piston disposed between the third fluid reservoir and the fourth fluid reservoir. The apparatus further includes a first fluid line coupling the first fluid reservoir to the fourth fluid reservoir, and a second fluid line coupling the second fluid reservoir to the third fluid reservoir. The first piston comprises a threaded portion disposed in a threaded aperture of the first cylinder.
US10156240B2

HVLP (High Velocity Low Pressure) motor-driven fans and other types of fans, blowers and vacuums take advantage of different thermal and mechanical properties of dissimilar materials used in the motor-driven fans. The dissimilar materials include aluminum for a stacked arrangement of fan wheels and spacers, steel for a shaft that supports the fan wheels and spacers, and a polymeric adhesive. In some examples, the polymeric adhesive is trapped between the aluminum and steels parts. Compared to steel and aluminum, the adhesive has a relatively high coefficient of thermal expansion but relatively low strength such that thermal expansion of the adhesive exerts additional clamping pressure during startup and during high temperature operation. The additional clamping pressure reduces vibration and eliminates other causes of fan or motor failure.
US10156239B2

The inverter-integrated electrical compressor is provided with an inverter-accommodating case (2) partitioned by a partitioning wall (3) and a low-pressure refrigerant channel inside a housing, an inverter device (1) being incorporated within the inverter-accommodating case (2); wherein the inverter device (1) is provided with a plurality of high-voltage electric components (5, 6) constituting a filter circuit, a plurality of semiconductor switching elements (7), and a control substrate (8) on which an inverter circuit and a control circuit are mounted; and the plurality of semiconductor switching elements (7) are installed in a fixed manner on the side surfaces (17) of a heat-radiating block (16) provided perpendicularly relative to the partitioning wall (3).
US10156234B2

A hydrostatic energy generator includes at least a first chamber and a second chamber, wherein the first chamber and the second chamber are at least partially filled with a fluid in order to exploit hydrostatic energy, such as for instance static or hydrostatic pressure or head, to generate and deliver energy, such as hydraulic energy, electrical energy, or mechanical energy. A first piston is movably arranged within the first chamber and a second piston is movably arranged within the second chamber, wherein the first piston is mechanically or hydraulically connected to the second piston. The first chamber includes a first passageway for inlet and/or discharge of the fluid and a second passageway for inlet and/or discharge of the fluid. The second chamber includes a third passageway for inlet and/or discharge of the fluid and a fourth passageway for inlet and/or discharge of the fluid.
US10156230B2

A diaphragm type fuel pump includes a rod, one end of which is coupled to a diaphragm, a plunger which is slidably fitted with respect to the other end of the rod, and a plunger biasing member which biases the plunger toward the other end of the rod. The other end of the rod has a first pin extending outward radially. A through hole extends through the plunger in a radial direction. The through hole has a size which allows the first pin to move in a longitudinal direction of the rod. The first pin is in contact with one edge of the through hole. A gap is formed between another edge of the through hole and another end surface of the rod. A second pin in parallel to the first pin can be fitted into the gap.
US10156219B1

A method and a controller for controlling spark timing in a cold start condition for an engine in a vehicle propulsion system. The method includes determining whether the engine is in a cold start condition, and advancing spark timing before top dead center in a combustion cycle such that combustion heat is primarily received by a surface in a combustion chamber in the engine if the engine is in a cold start condition.
US10156208B2

An inspection apparatus includes a pressure sensor, a reference orifice, a pump, and a switching valve. The reference orifice is disposed in a first communication passage communicating a pressure passage receiving the pressure sensor, with a tank passage communicating with a fuel tank. The pump depressurizing or pressurizing the pressure passage includes an intake port and a discharge port, and one of which communicates with an atmospheric passage communicating with the atmosphere and the other one communicates with the pressure passage. The switching valve and switches between a state shutting off a communication of a second communication passage that leads to the pressure passage and passages other than the pressure passage and communicating the atmospheric passage with the tank passage and a state shutting off a communication of the atmospheric passage and passages other than the pump and the atmosphere and communicating the second communication passage with the tank passage.
US10156204B2

An improvement to a free-piston Stirling machine having a cylinder mounted within a housing. The cylinder has a flange for mounting the cylinder within the housing to a transition plate with a central opening for receiving the cylinder. An elastic rim bounds and surrounds the opening and extends in an axial direction from the plate to a crest of the rim. The crest of the rim is in contact against a first axially facing side of the cylinder flange. The interior side of the rim is outwardly spaced from the exterior side of the cylinder. A compliant clamp is attached to the transition plate and is positioned on the opposite, axially facing side of the cylinder flange. The compliant clamp has an elastic spring extending against the cylinder flange which applies a force urging the cylinder flange in an axial direction against the crest of the elastic rim.
US10156201B2

Methods and systems are provided for reducing port injection fuel errors by selectively reactivating a direct fuel injector. Responsive to an increase in driver demand received while delivering fuel to a cylinder via port injection only, wherein the increase in driver demand is received late in the port injection window, the port injection error is addressed by reactivating a direct injector on the same engine cycle and delivering at least a portion of the fuel mass corresponding to the error via the direct injector. Additionally, a portion of the fuel mass may be delivered by the port injector on the same engine cycle by extending the end of injection timing, if possible.
US10156200B2

The abnormality diagnosis system comprises an air-fuel ratio control means which sets the target air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas to a first set air-fuel ratio set to a first side of a rich side or a lean side, then, when a downstream side output air-fuel ratio is at the first side, switches the target air-fuel ratio to a second set air-fuel ratio set to a second side at the opposite side from the first side. The abnormality diagnosis system calculates the time from when the target air-fuel ratio is switched to when the downstream side output air-fuel ratio starts to change toward the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio based on a differential value of the downstream side output air-fuel ratio and, when the calculated time is a predetermined time or more, judges that a dead time at the downstream side air-fuel ratio sensor is abnormal.
US10156198B2

Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards free-piston combustion engines. As described herein, a method and system are provided for displacing a free-piston assembly to achieve a desired engine performance by repeatedly determining position-force trajectories over the course of a propagation path and effecting the displacement of the free-piston assembly based, at least in part, on the position-force trajectory. In a dual-piston assembly free-piston engine, synchronization of the two piston assemblies is provided.
US10156191B2

A stroke transmitter is presented. The stroke transmitter includes a conduit for providing a passage to a fluid, an actuating unit for increasing pressure in an hydraulic fluid, a valve unit configured to operate depending on the pressure of the hydraulic fluid, the valve unit arranged inside the conduit to regulate a flow of the fluid, and a pipe connecting the actuating unit and the valve unit for communicating the pressure of the hydraulic fluid between the actuating unit and the valve unit. The actuating unit is arranged outside the conduit.
US10156181B2

A cooling system in a vehicle includes a cooling fluid pump (3) that circulates cooling fluid in the cooling system, a cooler (5) for the cooling of the cooling fluid, and a valve (10) to lead cooling fluid to the cooler (5) for cooling or to a return line (13) without cooling. A first circuit (6) includes cooling channels (6a) for the cooling of the combustion engine (1) and a second circuit (17) for the cooling of a hydraulic retarder. The first circuit (6) leads cooling fluid from the cooling fluid pump (3) to a first inlet (10c) at the valve (10). The second circuit (17) leads cooling fluid to a second inlet (10d) at the valve (10). In operating conditions in which the hydraulic retarder is not activated, the valve (10) blocks the second inlet (10d) and thus the circulation of cooling fluid through the second circuit at the same time that it receives cooling fluid from the first circuit (6) through the first inlet (10c).
US10156165B2

A hydraulic vane-type camshaft adjuster, having a stator and a rotor arranged therein such that the rotor can rotate during control mode, wherein the rotor and the stator form at least two working chambers and are separated by a vane. A locking pin immobilizes the rotor in a rotationally fixed manner in relation to the stator wherein the locking pin is connected to an active accumulator, which deflects the pin if required. The active accumulator is arranged below a rotation axis on a camshaft. A method is also provided.
US10156164B2

A camshaft adjuster (4) with a stator (20) that has an outer part (50) for concentrically holding a rotor (22) with vanes (34) arranged around the rotor (22) and a segment (52) projecting from the outer part (50) for engaging between two vanes (34) of the rotor (22), in order to form, together with the two vanes (22), pressure chambers (44) of the camshaft adjuster (4). A cover (1564, 156) is located on an axial side of the ring-shaped outer part, and the cover includes a cavity for holding hydraulic fluid from the pressure chambers (44). The segment (52) may also have a cavity (70) for holding a hydraulic fluid from the pressure chambers (44).
US10156159B1

Squeeze film damping systems and methods therefore are provided that include features for optimizing the damping response to vibrational loads experienced by a rotary component of a gas turbine engine. In one exemplary aspect, a damping system actively controls a dynamic sleeve to adjust the damping response. In particular, the dynamic sleeve is disposed within a chamber defined by a damper housing. The damping system controls the damper gap by translating the dynamic sleeve. When the dynamic sleeve is translated, a variable damper gap is varied, allowing for fluid to squeeze into or out of the damper gap, thereby adjusting the damping response to the vibration of the rotary component.
US10156158B2

An oil supply assembly for a bearing damper of a gas turbine engine includes an oil supply tube configured to supply oil in a first direction. The assembly also includes a bearing support having a bearing damper path connecting the bearing damper to the oil supply tube and a bearing compartment path connecting a bearing compartment to the oil supply tube. The assembly also includes a check valve disposed within the bearing damper path and configured to allow fluid communication in the first direction from the oil supply tube to the bearing damper and block fluid communication in a second direction opposite the first direction.
US10156149B2

Various embodiments of the invention include turbine nozzles and systems employing such nozzles. Various particular embodiments include a turbine nozzle having: an airfoil having: a suction side; a pressure side opposing the suction side; a leading edge spanning between the pressure side and the suction side; and a trailing edge opposing the leading edge and spanning between the pressure side and the suction side; and at least one endwall connected with the airfoil along the suction side, pressure side, trailing edge and the leading edge, the airfoil having a fillet at the trailing edge proximate the at least one endwall.
US10156148B2

A transition duct assembly has a plurality of transition ducts (2). Each transition duct has a tubular main body and has a flange portion provided at a downstream end of tubular main body (3). There is a gap between neighboring flanges. A plurality of seals seal the gaps between the flange portions (4) of neighboring transition ducts (2). Each seal (5) is received in two opposing receiving channels (7) formed in side edges (8) of neighboring flange portions (4). Each seal is a one-piece and bent elongate spring steel strip.
US10156144B2

An airfoil for use in a gas turbine engine is provided. The airfoil having: a pressure surface and a suction surface each extending axially from a leading edge to a trailing edge of the airfoil, at least one of the pressure surface, the suction surface, the leading edge and the trailing edge terminating at an edge of a tip section of the airfoil; a plurality of internal cooling channels located within the airfoil; and at least one cooling hole in fluid communication with at least one of the plurality of internal cooling channels, wherein the at least one cooling hole is aligned with an opening or diffuser that extends directly from the at least one cooling hole and wherein the opening or diffuser is formed in and extends through the edge of the tip section of the airfoil.
US10156138B2

A method for collecting a formation fluid for testing includes introducing a formation sample tool having a first port and a second port into a wellbore. A first fluid is injected through the first port into the formation to clear a sample passage and allow access to uncontaminated formation fluid. A second fluid is injected through the second port into the formation to provide a barrier adjacent to or around the sample passage. A sample of the uncontaminated formation fluid is removed from the formation through the first port.
US10156128B2

An expandable tubular for use in a wellbore includes: a pin formed at a first longitudinal end of the expandable tubular; a box formed at a second longitudinal end of the expandable tubular; a tubular body connecting the pin and the box; and an elastomeric seal disposed in a groove of the box. Each of the pin and box has: a torque shoulder; and a thread. The pin has an asymmetric protrusion formed on an inner surface thereof.
US10156125B2

A bottom hole assembly (BHA) has a plug below a debris catcher and an optional telescoping joint. A cleaning tool is above the debris catcher with another cleaning tool further up the BHA that is designed to clean the riser that extends up from the BOP. The plug is spotted and released to commence the BOP cleaning and the riser cleaning. The cleaning tools can be reconfigured to allow through flow after the cleaning is done so that the rams can be closed around a drill collar and a pressure test take place. With the BHA above the BOP the rams can be closed against each other for another pressure test from above. In a variety of options for the method, the plug can be retrieved after released or left in the hole in the set position.
US10156115B2

An improved weight-set hanger system and method of securing the weight set hanger for use comprises three independent locking mechanisms that are built into an actuator/packoff assembly. These independent locking mechanisms comprise two locking rings, one of which fastens the actuator/packoff assembly to a spool body, and the other of which internally locks the hanger to the actuator/packoff assembly. A third locking mechanism comprises a plurality of screw down spring loaded lock pin assemblies, which, in an embodiment, are spaced out at 90 degree intervals.
US10156105B2

A drill string (2) for a floating drill rig, the drill string (2) comprising: a bore (4) running the length of the drill string (2) and configured to receive a drilling fluid; and a controllable dynamic flow restriction (14) in the bore, wherein the controllable dynamic flow restriction (14) is operable to restrict flow of the drilling fluid through the bore (4) and thereby generate excess pressure in the drill string when the drill string (2) moves down, and to allow additional drilling fluid to be pushed through the bore (4) and out of the fluid connection under the excess pressure generated when the drill string (2) moves upward.
US10156102B2

A gap sub has electrically-conductive parts held together by electrical insulators which engage in channels formed in the parts. The electrical insulators hold the parts in a spaced-apart electrically-insulated relationship. In some embodiments, the electrical insulators are removable to allow separation of the parts. An insulating oil or other fluid may fill the gap.
US10156094B2

A window covering can be configured as roll-up shade. The window covering can have a plurality of clips that are configured to be moveable from a first position in which the clips engage window covering material and a second position at which the clips do not engage the window covering material. When the clips are in the second position, the window covering material is manually adjustable from between a fully extended position to a retracted position. When the window covering material is moved to a retracted position, the lower portion of the window covering material may be rolled up upon height adjustment to form a roll of the window covering material. After the adjustment of the window covering material, the clips can be moved to their first position to engage the unrolled material to maintain a position of the rolled up material.
US10156091B1

A door has a stile and rail frame and a center element secured to the stile and rail frame. Openings extend through the margins of the center element, and inside and outside outer skins or elements are secured to the stile and rail frame. The inside and outside outer skins have openings adjacent to and laterally spaced apart from the openings through the margins of the center element, whereby air flows through the opening in the inside outer skin, through the openings in the margins of the center element, and through the opening in the outside outer skin in a non-linear manner to prevent pressure buildup in a room to comply with the government recommended pressure of three pascals or less.
US10156086B2

A dual entry safety cuff port for use in a correctional facility. The dual entry safety cuff port includes a frame and a panel, the panel configured to slide within the frame between a fully open position and a closed position. The dual entry safety cuff port also includes a lock. The lock configured to allow operation of the dual entry safety cuff port from either side of the panel. The dual entry safety cuff porter further includes a flange on the panel, the flange configured to stop the panel in the fully open position.
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