| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US09117120B2 |
Field of vision capture
A system includes at least one sensor, and a computing device coupled to the at least one sensor. The computing device includes a processor, and a computer-readable storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon. When executed by at least one processor, the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to identifying a dominant eye of the occupant, determine a first position associated with the dominant eye of the occupant, determine a second position associated with the occupant, and determine a first line-of-sight by extending a first line-of-sight between the first position and the second position. |
| US09117118B1 |
Systems and methods for capturing and processing documents
Systems and methods for processing documents involve directing an imager at a document and automatically capturing the document when predetermined criteria are satisfied. The captured document can then be subjected to image processing, including separating the document into individual data field images and performing optical character recognition (OCR) processing on the individual data fields so extract data that can then be used to determine eligibility for benefits. |
| US09117117B2 |
Systems and methods for mobile image capture and processing
In various embodiments, methods, systems, and computer program products for capturing and processing digital images captured by a mobile device are disclosed. The claimed algorithms are specifically configured to perform and facilitate loan application processing by capturing an image of a document using a mobile device, and analyzing the image (optionally in conjunction with additional data that may also be captured, determined, or otherwise provided to the loan application process) to determine loan-relevant information. Select loan-relevant information may be extracted, compiled, and/or analyzed to facilitate processing of the loan application. Feedback may be provided to facilitate facile application processing, e.g. by ensuring all requisite information is submitted with the loan application. Image capture and document detection are preferably performed using the mobile device, while all other functions may be performed using the mobile device, a remote server, or some combination thereof. |
| US09117111B2 |
Pattern processing apparatus and method, and program
Even when a local area is varied, degradation in recognition accuracy and detection accuracy is suppressed. To that end, a pattern processing apparatus includes a reference local area setting portion 1802 for setting a reference local area based on the detection result of a feature point by a face organ feature point detecting portion 101, a varied local area generating portion 1803 for generating a plurality of varied local area patterns by referring to an image area near the reference local area, a similarity calculating portion 106 for calculating similarities in the reference local areas and in the varied local area patterns between the input pattern and the registered pattern, a representative similarity calculating portion 107 for calculating representative similarity from among the similarities, and a classifying portion 109 for determining a class to which the input pattern belongs. |
| US09117110B2 |
Face detection-processing circuit and image pickup device including the same
A face detection-processing circuit includes a down-scaler, a face detection unit, a control unit and a down-scaling ratio controller. The down-scaler is configured to scale down a resolution of an input image including at least one subject person according to a down-scaling ratio to provide a first image. The face detection unit is configured to detect a face of the least one subject person in the first image and generate coordinate information on a region of the detected face part (face region). The control unit is configured to calculate a face detection index indicating a ratio of the face region to the first image based on the coordinate information to provide control signals based on the face detection index and a face detection signal indicating whether a face is detected. The down-scaling ratio controller is configured to adjust the down-scaling ratio in response to the control signal. |
| US09117109B2 |
Facial recognition
An example method includes receiving a first image and a second image of a face of a user, where one or both images have been granted a match by facial recognition. The method further includes detecting a liveness gesture based on at least one of a yaw angle of the second image relative to the first image and a pitch angle of the second image relative to the first image, where the yaw angle corresponds to a transition along a horizontal axis, and where the pitch angle corresponds to a transition along a vertical axis. The method further includes generating a liveness score based on a yaw angle magnitude and/or a pitch angle magnitude, comparing the liveness score to a threshold value, and determining, based on the comparison, whether to deny authentication to the user with respect to accessing one or more functionalities controlled by the computing device. |
| US09117103B2 |
Image information processing apparatus and method for controlling the same
An image information processing apparatus performs three-dimensional measurement of an object using a captured image obtained by projecting onto the object a projection pattern containing a two-dimensional symbol sequence that is obtained by assigning a predetermined symbol to each code in a projection code string in which a plurality of types of codes are arranged two-dimensionally and capturing an image of the object. The apparatus obtains an imaging pattern by extracting a symbol sequence from the captured image, and converts symbol dots in the imaging pattern into corresponding codes, thereby obtaining an imaging code string. The apparatus obtains a predetermined number of codes according to one sampling feature selected from a plurality of types of sampling features, generates an information code string by arranging the obtained codes, and determining the correspondence between the information code string and a part of the projection code string, thereby performing three-dimensional measurement. |
| US09117102B2 |
Automated imaging of predetermined regions in series of slices
The invention provides a method for the magnified depiction of samples, wherein at least two sections from a sample, which are present on at least one sample carrier, are depicted in magnified form using an apparatus for the magnified depiction of samples, wherein the sample carrier is connected to the apparatus via a sample carrier holder, wherein the position of the depicted sample carrier regions in relation to the apparatus and the magnification stage used are recorded, at least one selected feature contained in the image information from the sections depicted in magnified form, particularly at least one suitable contour and/or structure, is/are used to define local coordinate systems, which are specific to the respective section, for the at least two sections depicted in magnified form, at least one region within at least one of the sections depicted in magnified form is/are selected (selection region) and the relative position of this at least one selection region in relation to the local coordinate system defined for the respective section, and the position of said selection region in relation to the apparatus, are ascertained, the relative position of this at least one selection region is transmitted to the local coordinate system of the at least one further section depicted in magnified form in order to stipulate at least one corresponding adjacent region on this section, the position of the adjacent region in relation to the apparatus is ascertained, and the at least one previously stipulated selection region and/or the at least one corresponding adjacent region is/are approached by the apparatus and depicted in magnified form, preferably at high magnification. In addition, the invention provides an apparatus—that is set up to carry out the method—for the magnified depiction of samples and also a computer program product which prompts an apparatus for the magnified depiction of samples to carry out the method. |
| US09117100B2 |
Dynamic learning for object tracking
Techniques described herein relate to mobile computing device technologies, such as systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer-readable media for tracking an object from a plurality of objects. In one aspect, the plurality of objects may be similar. Techniques discussed herein propose dynamically learning information associated with each of the objects and discriminating between objects based on their differentiating features. In one implementation, this may be done by maintaining a database associated with each object and updating the dynamic database transferred while the objects are tracked. The tracker uses algorithmic means for differentiating objects by focusing on the differences amongst the objects. For example, in one implementation, the method may weigh the differences between different fingers higher than their associated similarities to facilitate differentiating the fingers. |
| US09117097B2 |
Electronic device using data theft protection
An electronic device includes a washer, a printed circuit board, and a screw. The printed circuit board includes a copper foil, a detecting unit and a processing unit. The copper foil comprises a plurality of electrical signal interfaces surrounding a first via defined in the copper foil. The washer defines a second via and includes a transmission metal. The screw combines the printed circuit board and the washer through the second via and the first via. The detecting unit stores an original logic level signal, and detects logic level signals of the electrical signal interfaces in real-time. The processing unit compares the original logic level signal and the detected logic level signal, to determine whether the electronic device is disassembled. If the electronic device is disassembled, the electronic device stops working. |
| US09117096B2 |
Protection of safety token against malware
Security token for the authentication of access to a self-service terminal, comprising an interface for a connection to the self-service terminal, comprising authentication information, characterized by a second interface that allows a connection of a memory stick the contents of which are made available to the self-service terminal, wherein access to the memory stick is dependent on the authentication information. |
| US09117095B2 |
Data security for digital data storage
A computing system includes data encryption in the data path between a data source and data storage devices. The data encryption may utilize a key which is derived at least in part from an identification code stored in a nonvolatile memory. The key may also be derived at least in part from user input to the computer. |
| US09117094B2 |
Data location obfuscation
Programs running on an open architecture, such as a personal computer, are vulnerable to inspection and modification. This is a concern as the program may include or provide access to valuable information. As a defense, the actual location of data can be hidden throughout execution of the program by way of periodic location reordering and pointer scrambling, among other things. These techniques serve to complicate static data flow analysis and dynamic data tracking thereby at least deterring program tampering. |
| US09117091B2 |
System and method for securing virtual computing environments
A computer implemented method includes introducing unpredictable temporal disruptions to the operating states of an authorized process and an unauthorized process. The authorized process is migrated to a virtual machine to avoid the unpredictable temporal disruptions while the unauthorized process is subject to the unpredictable temporal disruptions and thereby experiences an unstable environment that induces operating faults. |
| US09117089B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling access in a social network service
A key-based method for controlling access in a social network service includes: generating a core key and sub keys by segmenting a master key that is unique to a file owner, with the sub keys assigned differently to multiple groups that are divided according to trust level and relationship type; determining the group to which a file requester belongs by using at least one of a friend list of the file requester, a trust level between the file requester and the file owner, and a friend list of the file owner, and distributing a sub key corresponding to the determined group to the file requester, when the file requester requests a key distribution; and determining whether or not access to a file of the file owner is authorized by using the sub key distributed to the file requester and the core key, when the file requester requests the file. |
| US09117084B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer readable media for measuring detection accuracy of a security device using benign traffic
Methods, systems, and computer readable media for measuring detection accuracy of a security device using benign traffic are disclosed. According to one method, the method occurs at an Internet protocol (IP) traffic simulator having a first communications interface and a second communications interface. The method includes sending, by the first communications interface, a plurality of benign data packets to a security device, wherein the plurality of benign data packets is engineered to be similar to one or more malicious data packets. The method also includes receiving, by the second communications interface, zero or more of the plurality of benign data packets via the security device. The method further includes determining, using statistics associated with the plurality of benign data packets, a detection accuracy metric associated with the security device. |
| US09117072B2 |
Software exploit detection
A method may include, in a computing device including a processor, memory, an operating system, and at least one installed application, detecting an attempted exploitation of at least one known vulnerability associated with the device. The attempted exploitation may be logged. At least one remedial action may be performed on the device based on the logged attempted exploitation. The known vulnerability may be associated with the operating system and/or the at least one installed application. The at least one known vulnerability may include one or more of at least one known coding flaw in the operating system or in the at least one installed application, at least one known weakness in a protocol running on the computing device, a known family of coding flaws in the operating system or in the at least one installed application, an unauthorized triggering of premium SMS services, and/or triggering of a hostile misconfiguration. |
| US09117069B2 |
Real-time vulnerability monitoring
A security information management system is described, wherein client-side devices preferably collect and monitor information describing the operating system, software, and patches installed on the device(s), as well as configuration thereof A database of this information is maintained, along with data describing vulnerabilities of available software and associated remediation techniques available for it. The system exposes an API to support security-related decisions by other applications. For example, an intrusion detection system (IDS) accesses the database to determine whether an actual threat exists and should be (or has been) blocked. |
| US09117065B2 |
Dynamic interactive identity authentication method and system
An identity authentication system includes a storage unit, a display character set generation unit, a display unit and a password authentication unit. An identity authentication method includes the following steps: generating the dynamic display character sets; inputting a dynamic input code; and comparing the dynamic input code with the user password. This invention can improve the security of identity authentication and is convenient to use. |
| US09117059B2 |
Methods for administering an autonomous rights component, autonomous rights administration systems and devices carrying out the methods
A method for an autonomous rights administration component of a computer system includes recording devices of the computer system, determining unique identifiers for each recorded device, permanently storing the unique identifiers, defining a usage rights contingent and a usage rights requirement and activation of at least one application function on the basis of a comparison of the usage rights contingent with the usage rights requirement.The invention furthermore relates to an autonomous rights administration system and a device for a rights administration of this type. |
| US09117050B2 |
Integrated circuit including cross-coupled transistors having gate electrodes formed within gate level feature layout channels with gate contact position and offset specifications
A semiconductor device includes conductive features that are each defined within any one gate level channel that is uniquely associated with and defined along one of a number of parallel gate electrode tracks. The conductive features form gate electrodes of first and second PMOS transistor devices, and first and second NMOS transistor devices. The gate electrodes of the first PMOS and first NMOS transistor devices extend along a first gate electrode track. The gate electrodes of the second PMOS and second NMOS transistor devices extend along a second gate electrode track. A first set of interconnected conductors electrically connect the gate electrodes of the first PMOS and second NMOS transistor devices. A second set of interconnected conductors electrically connect the gate electrodes of the second PMOS and first NMOS transistor devices. The first and second sets of interconnected conductors traverse across each other within different levels of the semiconductor device. |
| US09117047B2 |
Diagnosis device, control method of diagnosis device, and recording medium
A diagnosis device including a storage unit configured to store first circuit configuration information, a circuit unit configured to configure a first plurality of circuits based on the first circuit configuration information and a second plurality of circuits based on second circuit configuration information, and a processor configured to update the first circuit configuration information to the second circuit configuration information and configured to diagnose all circuits newly added by the second circuit configuration information of the second plurality of circuits. |
| US09117046B1 |
Method of generating data for estimating resource requirements for a circuit design
A method of generating data for estimating resource requirements for a circuit design is disclosed. The method comprises identifying a plurality of intermediate circuit modules of netlists for circuit designs; elaborating each intermediate circuit module of the plurality of intermediate circuit modules according to an associated plurality of parameter sets; generating an estimate of resources for each intermediate circuit module and parameter set of the associated plurality of parameter sets; and storing the estimates of resources for the intermediate circuit modules. |
| US09117045B2 |
System and method to predict chip IDDQ and control leakage components
A method for predicting and controlling leakage wherein an IDDQ prediction macro is placed in a plurality of design topographies and data is collected using the IDDQ prediction macro. The IDDQ prediction macro is configured to measure subthreshold leakage and gate leakage for at least one device type in a semiconductor test site and in scribe lines using the IDDQ prediction macro and establish a leakage model. The method correlates the semiconductor test site measurements and the scribe line measurements to establish scribe line control limits, predicts product leakage; and sets subthreshold leakage limits and gate leakage limits for each product using the leakage model. |
| US09117043B1 |
Net sensitivity ranges for detection of simulation events
Processing a circuit design can include determining a first set of net sensitivity ranges for a net of the circuit design, wherein at least two net sensitivity ranges of the first set are partially overlapping, and translating the first set of net sensitivity ranges into a second set of net sensitivity ranges comprising a plurality of member net sensitivity ranges with no partially overlapping member net sensitivity ranges. A net sensitivity tree can be constructed that includes hierarchically ordered nodes. Each node can specify a net sensitivity range of one member of the second set of net sensitivity ranges. |
| US09117040B2 |
Induced field determination using diffuse field reciprocity
Methods and systems are provided for determining the surface electromagnetic impedance of a conductive element and applying the diffuse field reciprocity principle using that surface electromagnetic impedance to determine electric fields induced in the conductive element. An exemplary method involves determining a surface electromagnetic impedance matrix for the conductive element based on its physical dimensions and an excitation frequency for an incident electromagnetic wavefield, applying diffuse field reciprocity to determine a metric indicative of an induced field based on the surface electromagnetic impedance matrix and an energy metric for the incident electromagnetic wavefield, and displaying a graphical representation of the metric on a display device. |
| US09117038B2 |
System and method for optimizing the design of an ultrasonic transducer
A system and method for determining optimal values for the geometrical features of an ultrasonic transducer having one or more elements, the method including backprojection ray-tracing to determine the parameters required for apertures located on an ultrasonic probe surface. The ultrasonic probe design system includes an interface for inputting statement parameters, insonification requirements, and geometric constraints, with an engine responsive to the interface and configured to determine and provide an optimized transducer geometric design output. |
| US09117036B2 |
Fast exit from low-power state for bus protocol compatible device
A bus protocol compatible device, includes a transmitter having a first mode for providing a reference clock signal to an output, and a second mode for providing a training sequence to the output, and a power state controller for placing the transmitter in the first mode for a first period of time in response to a change in a link state, and in the second mode after an expiration of the first period of time. |
| US09117034B2 |
Data processing apparatus, computation device, control method for data processing apparatus
A data processing apparatus includes a plurality of computation devices connected to each other by a communication path. Each of the computation devices includes: a switching section provided to each of terminals and switchable between an upper layer use state in which communication is performed by a communication section between a given terminal of a plurality of terminals and a corresponding internal path and there is no connection performed by a bypass section between a corresponding pair of the plurality of the terminals, and an upper layer non-use state in which communication is not performed by a communication section between the given terminal of the plurality of the terminals and the corresponding internal path and connection is performed by the bypass section between the corresponding pair of the plurality of the terminals. |
| US09117032B2 |
Facilitating routing by selectively aggregating contiguous data units
Aggregation of contiguous data packets, such as contiguous I/O adapter stores, is disclosed. Commensurate with receiving data packets to be written to a memory, multiple contiguous data units of the data packets are aggregated into an aggregated data block. The aggregated data block is validated for writing to memory responsive to either the aggregated data block reaching a size which with inclusion of a next contiguous data unit in the aggregated data block would result in the aggregated data block exceeding a configurable size limit, or a next data unit of the plurality of data units to be written to memory being non-contiguous with the multiple contiguous data units. |
| US09117030B2 |
System and method to predict elapsed response time for a query during application development stage
A system, method and computer program product to predict elapsed response time of a query during an application stage is disclosed. The query is executed over a database and is classified based on a mode of access of the database by the query. The database is emulated to obtain an emulated database. After classification, an access pattern of the database by the query along with one or more parameters is determined. By applying a classification specific technique over the access pattern and the one or more parameters, an input-access time of the query on the emulated database is then calculated to determine the elapsed response time of the query. |
| US09117029B2 |
Deferred evaluation and presentation of a custom diagnostic analysis
A device receives code generated via a technical computing environment (TCE), performs a test on the code to generate a test result, and generates test information based on the performance of the test on the code. The device outputs or stores the test result, and receives, based on the test result, a request for a diagnostic analysis of the code. The device performs, based on the request, the test information, and at least one diagnostic, a diagnostic analysis of the code to generate a diagnostic result, and outputs or stores the diagnostic result. |
| US09117023B2 |
Dynamic generation of test segments
A computerized apparatus, method and computer product for generating tests. The apparatus comprises: a processor; an interface for obtaining a test template associated with a computerized system that comprises a template segment comprising instructions and directives or related control constructs; a test generator for generating a test associated with the template segment, comprising: a simulator for determining a state of the system associated with an execution of the test; a selector for selecting a template instruction or segment from the test template based on the state of the system; and a generator configured to generate a multiplicity of instructions based on system's state and on the selected template segment, wherein the test generator further comprises a verifier configured to verify that a previously generated instruction is in line with the current state of the system and with the selected template instruction or segment. |
| US09117022B1 |
Hierarchical arbitration
Systems and methods for increasing speed and reducing area for arbitration logic in an integrated circuit (IC) are provided. For example, in one embodiment, a method includes arbitrating at least one master request in a first level of arbitration blocks. A second level of arbitration blocks arbitrates at least two arbitration blocks from the first level. A first level of multiplexers multiplex at least one master payload based at least in part upon the arbitration of the first level of arbitration blocks. A second level of multiplexers multiplex at least two signals propagated from the first level of multiplexers. |
| US09117021B2 |
Methods and apparatus to manage concurrent predicate expressions
Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed to manage concurrent predicate expressions. An example method discloses inserting a first condition hook into a first thread, the first condition hook associated with a first condition, inserting a second condition hook into a second thread, the second condition hook associated with a second condition, preventing the second thread from executing until the first condition is satisfied, and identifying a concurrency violation when the second condition is satisfied. |
| US09117019B2 |
Debugging remote software applications across WAN connections
The present disclosure describes methods, systems, and computer program products for providing remote debugging of a software or cloud application across a wide area network. A method includes transmitting, from a remote communication device to a client or cloud computing device, instructions to adjust a running application to a debugging mode; receiving, at the remote communication device from a server, aggregated thread data in a data packet by using a second debugging data protocol different from the Java Debug Wire Protocol; receiving a debugging command and applying the debugging command to the application running in the debugging mode. |
| US09117017B2 |
Debugger with previous version feature
According to embodiments of the invention, methods, computer readable storage medium, and a computer system for providing multiple versions of elements of a program in a single compile are disclosed. The method may include receiving a request to compile a current version of a program for debug. The method may also include identifying, by an integrated development environment, a previous version of an element of the program, wherein the previous version of the element is identified by comparing the current version of the program to a previous version of the program. The method may also include inserting the previous version of the element into the current version of the program. The method may also include creating a compiler directive identifying the previous version of the element. The method may also include compiling the current version of the program for debug. |
| US09117011B2 |
Characterization and functional test in a processor or system utilizing critical path monitor to dynamically manage operational timing margin
Guardband validation for a device having a critical path monitor involves first applying multiple calibration settings to the monitor during functional operation of the processor, and recording corresponding guardbands which result in reduced timing margin. A desired guardband can later be selected for validation. The calibration settings can be based on delays for a critical path. A calibration test procedure can be used to determine the calibration delays for different operating frequencies or voltages that are set or, alternatively, the calibration delays can be set and resultant frequencies measured which are used to calculate the guardband amounts. The critical path monitor may include a modified calibration delay circuit which provides a calibrated delay signal to a critical path synthesis circuit, and the multiple calibration settings can be applied by changing delay taps of the calibration delay circuit in response to a bias delay signal from a power management controller. |
| US09117010B2 |
Automated method of recording contents of medication packages vended from a plurality of vending machines in an electronic record that stores records for a plurality of patients associated with respective vending machines
An automated method is provided for recording contents of medication packages vended from a plurality of vending machines in electronic records, such as an electronic medication administration record (eMAR), that store records for a plurality of patients who are associated with respective vending machines. A vending event causes the electronic record to be populated. The contents of the medication packages vended from the vending machines are recorded in electronic records without communicating patient names or vended medications in the electronic message sent from the vending machines. |
| US09117009B2 |
Report creation support apparatus, creation support method thereof and program
In an apparatus configured to generate a report based on diagnosis target images, image characteristic conditions to identify a plurality of diagnosis target images specified by a user as a group are derived, search conditions of images similar to the diagnosis target images by using the obtained image characteristic conditions are determined, a database is searched for one or more similar images satisfying the search conditions; and image findings satisfying predetermined conditions is extracted from image findings attached to one or more obtained similar images. |
| US09117007B2 |
Visualization of streaming real-time data
A system facilitates dynamic data visualizations. The system includes an analysis component that periodically processes one or more incoming data streams to determine a visualization form from a plurality of visualization forms. A visualization component dynamically generates the visualization form based in part on the processing of the incoming data streams. |
| US09117005B2 |
Statistics collection using path-value pairs for relational databases
A method, system, and computer readable medium for collecting statistics associated with data in a database are disclosed. The computer readable medium implements the method comprises determining an amount of memory needed to collect statistics for data associated with a defined data type in a relational database. The defined data type is based upon a mark-up language using a tree structure with one or more root-to-node paths therein. The amount of memory is allocated as determined for collecting the statistics for the data of the defined data type. A statistics collection is performed for the data of the defined data type in a single pass through the database and within the amount of memory which has been allocated. The performing includes at least determining a total number of instances of at least one path-identifier associated with a given value within a given set of documents. |
| US09117004B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing user interface
A computer implemented method for presenting a user-interface on a device, the method includes the steps of loading an user interface on the device, the user interface having at least one media element, reading a media element including a plurality of object elements, selecting at least one object element within the media element based on a platform information of the device, and presenting a media content of the media element using a parameter set in the at least one object element. |
| US09117003B2 |
System, method and computer program product for navigating content on a single page
In accordance with embodiments, there are provided mechanisms and methods for navigating content on a single page. These mechanisms and methods for navigating content on a single page can enable optimized navigation of displayed content, more efficient content processing and resource use, increased content display speed, etc. |
| US09117002B1 |
Remote browsing session management
A browsing process is directed to the generation and management of a browse session at a network computing provider. A client computing device requests a remote browse session instance at a network computing provider. The browse session instance may correspond to requested network content. The network computing provider retrieves the requested content through an instantiated network browse session instance, and performs a first set of processing actions to generate a processing result. The processing result may be provided to the client computing device for display, including performing a second set of processing actions on the processing result at the client computing device. Metrics related to the retrieval, processing, and use of requested network content may be recorded and transmitted to a metric reporting server. |
| US09116999B2 |
Pre-fetching of network page content
Disclosed are various embodiments for pre-fetching of resources referenced on a network page. A predicted next network page is retrieved by a computer system. The predicted next network page references at least one resource. At least one attribute of the resource is evaluated according to at least one retrieval criteria. At least one resource is retrieved if the attribute meets the retrieval criteria. |
| US09116998B2 |
Guest browser
One embodiment of a guest browser system, among others, includes a guest browser interface configured to provide an address bar interface for accepting a network address for retrieving a first web page. The guest browser interface is rendered from code of a second web page, where content of the second web page is rendered by an installed web browser. The system further includes a guest browser engine configured to retrieve contents of web pages. The guest browser engine is built from code provided by the second web page and is used to update content of the second web page with content from the first web page. Other systems and methods are also provided. |
| US09116997B2 |
Presenting user preference activities
Determining preference activities to present to a current user includes: obtaining a plurality of candidate preference activities; determining a recommendation weight for one of the plurality of candidate preference activities with respect to the current user; and presenting at least some of the plurality of candidate preference activities based on recommendation weights corresponding to the plurality of candidate preference activities. |
| US09116990B2 |
Enhancing freshness of search results
Methods, systems, and computer-storage media for improving the freshness, or the apparent freshness, of search results are described. In an embodiment, the first portion of search results presented on a search results page are based on responsiveness to the search query and a second portion of results describe only recently published documents that are responsive to the search query. In an embodiment, a more recent version of the document, which is not directly used to determine responsiveness, is used to build the caption for a search result. Another way to make search results appear fresh is to include a publication time within the search result caption. In one embodiment, the publication time is generated by calculating a point in time between when a document is first added to a search index and the previous time the search engine visited the site where the document was found. |
| US09116987B2 |
Systems and methods for the identification and/or distribution of music and other forms of useful information
The present invention relates generally to the field of telecommunications systems and methods. More specifically, the present invention is directed to systems and methods for identifying and/or distributing music and other types of useful information for users in a very simple and convenient manner. A variety of systems and methods are disclosed which provide users with quick and convenient access to various forms of information, such as, for example, audio information including music and news items as well as coupons and other information. The systems and methods allow users to store data representative of a time of transmission and preferably a source of transmission so that data of interest may be identified for ordering an/or downloading. |
| US09116984B2 |
Summarization of conversation threads
Automatically summarizing electronic communication conversation threads is provided. Electronic mails, text messages, tasks, questions and answers, meeting requests, calendar items, and the like are processed via a combination of natural language processing and heuristics. For a given conversation thread, for example, an electronic mail thread associated with a given task, a text summary of the thread is generated to highlight the most important text in the thread. The text summary is presented to a user in a visual user interface to allow the user to quickly understand the significance or relevance of the thread. |
| US09116982B1 |
Identifying interesting commonalities between entities
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for generating descriptions of relationships between entities. In one aspect, a method includes identifying one or more related entities for a particular entity based at least in part on commonalities between the particular entity and the one or more related entities, sorting the commonalities according to a measure of uniqueness of each of the commonalities, and identifying a subset of the commonalities having a measure of uniqueness above a lower measure of uniqueness threshold. The identified subset of commonalities can include one or more commonalities. One or more commonalities can be selected from the subset of commonalities as indicative of a relationship to the particular entity, and a description of the relationship can be identified based on the selected one or more commonalities. |
| US09116975B2 |
Systems and user interfaces for dynamic and interactive simultaneous querying of multiple data stores
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a computer system and interactive user interfaces configured to enable efficient and rapid access to multiple different data sources simultaneously, and by an unskilled user. The unskilled user may provide simple and intuitive search terms to the system, and the system may thereby automatically query multiple related data sources of different types and present results to the user. Data sources in the system may be efficiently interrelated with one another by way of a mathematical graph in which nodes represent data sources and/or portions of data sources (for example, database tables), and edges represent relationships among the data sources and/or portions of data sources. For example, edges may indicate relationships between particular rows and/or columns of various tables. The table graph enables a compact and memory efficient storage of relationships among various disparate data sources. |
| US09116974B2 |
System and method for clustering data in input and output spaces
A method of clustering a plurality of documents having input and output space data is disclosed that uses both input and output space criteria. The method can include aggregating documents into clusters based on input and/or output space similarity measures, and then refining the clusters based on further input and/or output space similarity measures. Aggregating the documents into clusters can include forming a hierarchical tree based on the input and/or output space similarity measures where the hierarchical tree has a root node, branching into intermediate nodes, and branching into leaf nodes covering individual documents, where the hierarchical tree includes a leaf node for each document of the plurality of documents. The method can then include forming a forest of sub-trees of the hierarchical tree based on cluster criteria. Textual and numeric similarity measures can be used depending on the type and distribution of data in the input and output spaces. |
| US09116971B2 |
Data synchronization using a composite change clock
A method can include: calculating a maximum sync anchor change number; and creating a sync action entry, the sync action entry having a sync action change number and a composite change clock number, the composite change clock number set: to the maximum sync anchor change number when the sync action change number of the sync action entry is less than the maximum sync anchor change number, and to the sync action change number of the sync action entry when the sync action change number of the sync action entry is less than a sync action change number of a subsequent sync action entry and the sync action change number of the sync action entry is greater than the maximum sync anchor change number. |
| US09116970B2 |
In-database connectivity components analysis of data
A method determines the connectivity components defined by a set of relations over a set of data elements. For each first data element of a selected subset of data elements, a second data element that is linked to the first data element by a path of relations is selected as its representative, using a randomization process. A new set of relations is created by replacing each first data element of the subset by its representative in at least part of the set of relations. |
| US09116969B2 |
Generation of electronic pedigree
A pedigree data processing system receives a first item from an upstream partner and generates a receive native event for the first item. The mechanism receives pedigree data for the first item from the upstream partner, generates at least one synthetic event based on the pedigree data and stores the receive native event and the at least one synthetic event in a pedigree data repository. The pedigree data processing system determines whether to send electronic pedigree information for the first item to downstream partners using push data exchange or pull data exchange. The pedigree data processing system generates an electronic pedigree for the first item using pull data exchange based on the receive native event and the at least one synthetic event and provides the electronic pedigree to a first downstream partner pedigree system. |
| US09116965B2 |
Method and apparatus for monitoring performance characteristics of a system and identifying faults
A method of monitoring a system is disclosed, in particular to identify the cause of conditions outside expected operating conditions. The output of one or more sensors associated with a system is monitored and data from the one or more sensors is arranged as a plurality of modes with each mode being defined by a different condition in which the system may operate. Faulty conditions are identified by monitored data being outside one of the plurality of modes. The use of a plurality of modes enables operation of the system to be defined and tracked more precisely and false alarms may be reduced. At least one of the modes may be established to indicate a particular failure of the system. This failure mode may have a likely cause of the failure associated with it such that diagnosis and repair may be facilitated quickly and easily. |
| US09116962B1 |
Context dependent recognition
Context data can be used to determine the current context and/or to predict the future context of a user. When the disclosed technology knows of the user's likely context, it can prepare for object recognition (e.g., image recognition, speech recognition, etc.) by (downloading and) locally storing (i.e., holding) object data related to the context. This allows for the object recognition to be performed locally and for any additional information about the object to be provided without communication over a network, thereby reducing resources such as time, cost, and processing power. If, however, the object data related to the context is not available locally, such object data can still be downloaded from a server/cloud. In some embodiments, if a likely future context is predicted and the object data related to that future context is not available locally, the object data can be downloaded from a server/cloud prior to the future context. |
| US09116951B1 |
Identifying information resources for contact center agents based on analytics
Various embodiments of the invention provide methods, systems, and computer program products for determining a pattern for communications conducted between agents at a contact center and contact parties. In particular embodiments, the pattern is based on a utilization of one or more information resources by the agents during the communications. Depending on the embodiment, the communications may comprise one or more of telephone calls, text messages, emails, and Web chats. In addition, in various embodiments, a particular information resource from among the one or more information resources is identified based on the pattern and is associated with a keyphrase found in at least two of the communications. Accordingly, as a result of the association, the particular information resource is made available to at least one agent at the contact center during a time the agent is fielding a subsequent communication in which the keyphrase is detected. |
| US09116947B2 |
Data-record pattern searching
A record-pattern expression of a record pattern of data records is translated to a character-pattern expression of a character pattern. A data-record series of data records is converted to a character string in which each character in the character string corresponds to a respective data record in the data-record series. Pattern instances of the character pattern in the character string are searched to identify ordinal character positions in the character string of characters in the character pattern instances. Data records at ordinal record positions in the record series of data records corresponding to the ordinal character positions are reported. |
| US09116945B1 |
Prediction of human ratings or rankings of information retrieval quality
A statistical model may be created that relates human ratings of documents to objective signals generated from the documents, search queries, and/or other information (e.g., query logs). The model can then be used to predict human ratings/rankings for new documents/search query pairs. These predicted ratings can be used to, for example, refine rankings from a search engine or assist in evaluating or monitoring the efficacy of a search engine system. |
| US09116942B2 |
Conflict resolution via metadata examination
A computing device detects a synchronization conflict between two versions of a file. In particular, the file may comprise a digital photo. The computing device may characterize a nature of a difference between metadata fields as immutable, mergeable, or subsumable. Core metadata fields may be defined such that a nature of a difference, or conflict, is categorized as immutable. Non-core metadata fields may be defined such that a nature of a difference, or conflict, is characterized as either mergeable or subsumable. A conflict between corresponding mergeable non-core metadata fields may be resolved by merging values of the corresponding non-core metadata fields. A conflict between corresponding subsumable non-core metadata fields may be resolved by replacing a value of a non-core metadata field of an older of the two versions of the file with a value of a corresponding non-core metadata field of a younger of the two versions of the file. |
| US09116940B1 |
Searching for join candidates
Systems and techniques are provided for receiving an input column and a search keyword and providing one or more suggested columns with which to merge the input column. A coverage score and a refinity score are calculated for potential columns based on the input column as well as a search score based on the search keyword. The one or more suggested columns may be determined based on the coverage score, refinity score, and/or the search score. The input column and/or a potential column may be modified based on a function and the modification may result in a plurality of modified input and/or potential columns. Coverage, refinity, and search scores may be calculated based on the modified columns. |
| US09116938B2 |
Updating index information when adding or removing documents
In several aspects, an electronic device and method index a repository of N documents by W words, by not storing between queries, N*W numbers that are specific to each word i and each document j, normally used to compute a score of relevance to a query, of each document j. Instead, the electronic device and method generate the N*W word-specific -document-specific numbers dynamically at query time, based on a set of W numbers corresponding to the W words, and one or more sets (e.g. x sets) of N numbers corresponding to the N documents. Query-time generation of word-specific-document-specific numbers reduces memory otherwise required, e.g. to store these numbers. Hence, in certain aspects W+xN numbers are maintained between queries, and these numbers are changed incrementally when a new document is added to the set or an existing document is removed. Maintaining W+xN numbers reduces processing otherwise required, to start from scratch. |
| US09116936B2 |
Inline learning-based selective deduplication for primary storage systems
A computing device receives a plurality of writes; each write is comprised of chunks of data. The computing device records metrics associated with the deduplication of the chunks of data from the plurality of writes. The computing device generates groups based on associating each group with a portion of a range of the metrics, such that each of the chunks of data are associated with one of the groups, and a similar number of chunks of data are associated with each group. The computing device determines a deduplication affinity for each of the groups based on the chunks of data that are duplicates and at least one metric. The computing device sets a threshold for the deduplication affinity and in response to any of the groups exceeding the threshold, the computing device excluding the chunks of data associated with a group exceeding the threshold, from deduplication. |
| US09116931B2 |
Integrated, configurable, analytical, temporal, visual electronic plan system
An integrated, configurable, analytical, temporal, visual, electronic plan system includes one or more row descriptors that each include a plurality of row descriptor properties, column descriptors each including a plurality of column descriptor properties, cells mapped to one of the row descriptors by a unique row descriptor identifier and to one of the column descriptors by a unique column descriptor identifier, and each of the cells including a numeric formula or a user-defined formula that references other cells. The user-defined formula includes the unique row descriptor identifier and/or the unique column descriptor identifier from other cells initially expressed by an abbreviation associated with a row descriptor and/or an abbreviation associated with a column descriptor. Using the unique identifiers, changes to the natural language descriptions and/or abbreviations are automatically rendered to any formulas that reference them without having to reconfigure and/or persist new versions of those formulas. |
| US09116924B2 |
System and method for image selection using multivariate time series analysis
An image selection method includes receiving a collection of images and optionally, filtering the collection of images. The filtering may include removing images that are near-duplicates of other images in the collection. A plurality of features is extracted from each of the images in the optionally-filtered collection. The optionally-filtered collection of images is considered as a time-ordered sequence of images and is segmented to form a sequence of segments. Each segment includes at least one of the images. The segmenting of the sequence of images is based on the extracted features and positions of the images in the sequence of images. Images from the segments are selected to form a sub-collection of the images. |
| US09116920B2 |
Image capture and identification system and process
A digital image of the object is captured and the object is recognized from plurality of objects in a database. An information address corresponding to the object is then used to access information and initiate communication pertinent to the object. |
| US09116919B2 |
Method and apparatus for evaluating an attribute of a point of interest
A method of evaluating an attribute of a point of interest 150 comprises associating a region 152 with the point of interest 150; and evaluating 148 the attribute according to a comparison of position data 154,156,158 of a plurality of users with position data defining the associated region. |
| US09116918B1 |
Methods, systems, and media for interpreting queries
Mechanisms for interpreting queries are provided. In some implementations, a method for interpreting queries is provided, comprising: receiving a search query in a search domain; determining search terms based on the search query; determining, for each of the search terms, whether a search term corresponds to an entity name, wherein the entity name is derived from metadata associated with the search domain; in response to determining that entity names correspond to a portion of the search terms, determining an entity type and an entity score associated with each of the corresponding entity names; determining a remaining portion of the entity names by removing at least one of the matching entity names based on the entity score and contextual information in the search query; and performing a search in the search domain with the remaining portion of entity names, wherein each entity name in the remaining portion of entity names is searched corresponding to the associated entity type. |
| US09116915B1 |
Incremental scan
This disclosure relates to a method, article of manufacture, and apparatus for scanning data. In some embodiments, this includes examining attributes of a first directory, wherein the attributes include at least one from a group comprising a next tentative scan date, a modified time, and a dirty indicator, determining if the dirty indicator has been set, if the dirty has been set, scanning files in the first directory, if the dirty indicator has not been set, determining if the first directory has been modified, if the first directory has not been modified, determining if the next tentative scan date equals to a system date, if the next tentative scan date equals to the system date, scanning the files, if the next tentative scan date does not equal to the system date, examining attributes of a second directory, and if the first directory has been modified, scanning the files. |
| US09116913B2 |
File storage system and file cloning method
A file storage performs control to create a virtual parent file having an identifier capable of uniquely identifying a parent file among storage systems and volumes, and to acquire block layout information of the parent file using said identifier. The file storage creates a virtual parent file in the volume in which the clone file is created, and sets the file as a virtual parent file of the clone file so as to enable creation of a clone file of a parent file that exists in a different volume or a different storage system. Moreover, by combining creating the virtual parent file and switching the identifier of the parent file which is pointed by the virtual parent file, migration of clone files and parent files astride storage systems and volumes is enabled. |
| US09116912B1 |
Methods and devices for modifying pre-existing media items
A server system with one or more processors and memory maintains a database for a plurality of root media items, where: a respective root media item is associated with a family tree that includes a genesis node and multiple leaf nodes; and the genesis node corresponds to the respective root media item and a respective leaf node of the multiple leaf nodes corresponds to a first modified media item that is a modified version of the respective root media item. The server system: receives at least a portion of modified metadata corresponding to a second modified media item that is a modified version of a media item corresponding to a respective node in the family tree; and, in response, appends, to the family tree, a new leaf node that is linked to the respective node, where the new leaf node corresponds to the second modified media item. |
| US09116910B2 |
Data de-duplication in a distributed network
A computer-implemented method for efficient data storage is provided. A first storage medium associates data stored on one or more data storage media with a unique identification value (ID) for the purpose of determining de-duplication status of the data. In response to receiving a request to read the data from a logical address, the first storage medium retrieves the data from a second storage medium based on the unique ID. In response to receiving a request to write the data to a logical address, the one or more data storage media store at least one copy of the data based on the de-duplication status of the data. |
| US09116908B2 |
System and methods for accelerated data storage and retrieval
Systems and methods for providing accelerated data storage and retrieval utilizing lossless data compression and decompression. A data storage accelerator includes one or a plurality of high speed data compression encoders that are configured to compress data. The compressed data is subsequently stored in a target memory or other storage device whose input data storage bandwidth is lower than the original input data stream bandwidth. Similarly, a data retrieval accelerator includes one or a plurality of high speed data decompression decoders that are configured to decompress data at a rate equivalent to or faster than the input data stream from the target memory or storage device. The decompressed data is then output at rate data that is greater than the output rate from the target memory or data storage device. |
| US09116907B2 |
System and method for compressing production data stream and filtering compressed data with different criteria
Production data are streamed by a shop floor (a field) of a plant towards a data compression processor inside a MES/ERP server. The data stream is segmented in field data intervals of variable duration, each one carrying a tag composed of initial timespan s°, final timespan e°, and the variation v° undergone by the monitored variable. The processor takes a first incoming tag and calculates a data compression interval of constant duration y which is a function of e°, then it creates a vector [s°, e°, v°, m=v°, n=e°−s°]. Until the incoming tags fall into the current compression interval, subsequent variations v° are summed up and subsequent s° and e° updated, obtaining an updated vector [s, e, v, m, n], otherwise the compression vector is stored in a SQL database and a new compression interval entered. |
| US09116906B2 |
Centralized read access logging
Systems and methods are disclosed for creating a read-access log. A business application may send a request for data to a backend system using a communication protocol. At the backend system, the request may be observed and a determination made as to whether the request for data is log-relevant. The determination may be based on a log configuration record associated with the business application making the request. A record may be written in a read-access log when it is determined that the request for data is log-relevant. The log record may include information used to map entity information from the retrieved data to a semantic entity. |
| US09116905B1 |
System and method for cataloging data
A method, computer program product, and computing system for includes processing a log file to determine the location of one or more data files within a data environment. The log file indicates the occurrence of a data operation event within the data environment. A data operation is performed on at least a portion of the one or more data files located via the log file. |
| US09116899B2 |
Managing changes to one or more files via linked mapping records
A computer program product includes program code for managing changes to one or more files via a link is associated with the changes that result in an updated version of the one or more files. A changed section determiner determines which sections associated with the one or more files have changed. The changed section operator further determines metadata regarding the nature of the changes to the sections. Based on the metadata a metrics generator generates a first weight associated with each of the changed sections. A mapping record generator generates a mapping record for each of the changed sections. A first mapping record comprises data associated with the first weight. The first mapping record is associated with a particular version of the one or more files and is linked to mapping records associated with other changed sections using the link. |
| US09116897B2 |
Techniques for power analysis
Techniques for power analysis for data centers are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for power analysis for a plurality of computing platform components comprising receiving information associated with a component, retrieving, using a computer processor, electronically stored data associated with the component, estimating power usage of the component based at least in part on the stored data, and outputting an indicator of power usage. |
| US09116891B2 |
Media content router
The present invention is a router with extended capabilities allowing it to make digital media content on a home local area network accessible over a wide area network such as the Internet, and a method for using such a media content router. The router can provide automated services for the local files such as photolab processing of digital images, or file backups. A pair of the routers can collaborate to play home media content at an away location when feasible, or transfer such files for away storage. |
| US09116890B2 |
Triggering actions in response to optically or acoustically capturing keywords from a rendered document
A system for processing text captured from rendered documents is described. The system receives a sequence of one or more words optically or acoustically captured from a rendered document by a user. The system identifies among words of the sequence a word with which an action has been associated. The system then performs the associated action with respect to the user. |
| US09116888B1 |
Customer controlled data privacy protection in public cloud
Data to be submitted to a remote node is selectively protected. In various embodiments, an indication is received to protect a data value that is to be submitted, using a browser, to a remote node. A security key that is associated with the remote node is determined automatically. The data value is selectively encrypted using the security key. The encrypted data value is provided to the browser to be submitted to the remote node. |
| US09116886B2 |
Document translation including pre-defined term translator and translation model
A computer-implemented method includes receiving, at a translation server in communication with a network, a request for a translation of text in a source language to a target language. At least a portion of the text is translated at the translation server from the source language to the target language to obtain a translated version of the text in the target language. Translating the text includes determining one or more terms from the text corresponding to a pre-defined term translator, applying the pre-defined term translator to the one or more terms, and translating a set of additional terms from the text from the source language to the target language via a translation model. The method additionally includes providing, via the translation server, the translated version of the text to a web server. |
| US09116885B2 |
Techniques for a gender weighted pinyin input method editor
A computer-implemented technique can receive a first input from a user including one or more characters of a first language, which is a transliteration of a second language. The technique can determine a coefficient indicative of a gender of the recipient. The technique can determine and display potential translations of the first input to the second language based on the coefficient. The technique can receive a selection by the user of one of the potential translations to obtain a selected character. The technique can adjust the coefficient based on the selected character to obtain a modified coefficient. The technique can determine and display potential translations of second input from the user to the second language based on the modified coefficient. |
| US09116884B2 |
System and method for converting a message via a posting converter
A system and method for converting a message via a posting converter is provided. At least one incoming message is received from a composition device. Characteristics of the message are determined. The characteristics include a target device to which the message is directed and an application through which the message will be presented. An appropriate template is selected for the message based on at least one of the message characteristics. The message is converted to a different format using the selected template. The converted message is provided for display on the target device. |
| US09116882B1 |
Identification of matrilineal or patrilineal relatives
Determining relative relationships among a plurality of individuals, comprising: accessing user-specified genealogical information of at least some of the plurality of individuals and genetic information of recombinable deoxyribonucleic acids (DNAs) of at least some of the plurality of individuals; determining, using one or more computer processors and among the plurality of individuals, one or more related individuals who are relatives of a target individual, and information pertaining to the one or more related individuals, and presenting information pertaining to at least one of the one or more related individuals, including to present an indication of whether the at least one of the one or more related individuals is a matrilineal relative or a patrilineal relative of the target individual. |
| US09116880B2 |
Generating stimuli for use in soliciting grounded linguistic information
A processing system is described which generates stimulus information (SI) having one or more stimulus components (SCs) selected from an inventory of such components. The processing system then presents the SI to a group of human recipients, inviting those recipients to provide linguistic descriptions of the SI. The linguistic information that is received thereby has an implicit link to the SCs. Further, each linguistic component is associated with at least one feature of a target environment, such as a target computer system. Hence, the linguistic information also maps to the features of the target environment. These relationships allow applications to use the linguistic information to interact with the target environment in different ways. In one case, the processing system uses a challenge-response authentication task presentation to convey the stimulus information to the recipients. |
| US09116879B2 |
Dynamic rule reordering for message classification
Embodiments are directed to generating a customized classification rule execution order and to identifying optimal ordering rules for previously processed data. In an embodiment, a computer system fingerprints a message received via a computer network. The fingerprinting identifies specific characteristics of the message. The computer system compares the message's fingerprint to various stored message fingerprints generated from previously received messages. The comparison determines that the fingerprint does not match the stored fingerprints. The computer system applies classification rules to the message according to a predetermined rule execution order to determine a classification for the message. The computer system then generates a customized classification rule execution order to order those classification rules that optimally identified the message's class at the top of the customized classification rule execution order. |
| US09116877B2 |
Psycho-linguistic statistical deception detection from text content
An apparatus and method for determining whether a text is deceptive may comprise analyzing a body of textual content known to be one of text containing true content and text containing deceptive content; identifying psycho-linguistic cues that are indicative of a text being deceptive; statistically analyzing, via a computing device, a given text based upon the psycho-linguistic cues to determine if the text is deceptive. The apparatus and method may further comprise weighting the psycho-linguistic cues and statistically analyzing based on the weighted psycho-linguistic cues. The statistically analyzing step may be performed using one of a cue matching analysis, a weighted cue matching analysis, a Markov chain analysis, and a sequential probability ratio testing binary hypothesis analysis. The psycho-linguistic cues may be separated into categories, including increasing trend cues and decreasing trend cues and analyzed according to presence in a category from within the categories. |
| US09116874B2 |
Virtual machine test system, virtual machine test method
An objective of the present invention is to efficiently perform a platform level test on a computer system comprising virtual machines that are automatically built according to predefined templates. A virtual machine test system according to the present invention creates a virtual machine according to a system template defining a combination of a network topology type of virtual machines and a role of each of the virtual machines, and performs a platform level test according to a test item defined for each of the combination (refer to FIG. 1). |
| US09116873B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer readable media for adjusting load at a device under test
Methods, systems, and computer readable media for adjusting load at a device under test are disclosed. According to one method, the method occurs at a testing platform. The method includes determining whether a current operations rate associated with a device under test (DUT) is near a target operations rate, wherein the current operations rate is associated with one or more simulated users being simulated by the testing platform. The method also includes adjusting the current operations rate by increasing or decreasing the number of simulated users interacting with the DUT in response to determining that the current operations rate associated with the DUT is not near a target operations rate. |
| US09116872B1 |
Method and apparatus for mapping data sets to fields in electronic forms
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for mapping data sets to fields in electronic forms to facilitate rapid entry of data. During operation, the system receives a selection of a first field in an electronic form. In response to receiving the selection of the first field, the system retrieves a first set of data items that have previously been entered into the first field. Next, the system highlights the data items in the first set of data items such that each data item in the first set of data items has a different highlight. The system then receives a selection of a first data item from the first set of data items. In response to receiving the selection of the first data item, the system receives a selection of a second field in the electronic form. Next, the system retrieves a second set of data items that have previously been entered into the second field. The system then determines a second data item from the second set of data items that was previously submitted with the first data item. Finally, the system highlights the second data item with a same highlight as the first data item. |
| US09116870B2 |
Process and method for saving designated registers in interrupt processing based on an interrupt factor
A microcomputer includes: a plurality of register lists having a plurality of register patterns, respectively, wherein each of plurality of register patterns designates registers, data of which are to be saved in a data memory; an instruction fetch control circuit configured to fetch instruction code from an instruction memory in response to an interrupt request issued based on occurrence of an interrupt factor; and a register data saving control circuit configured to acquire one register pattern from one of the plurality of register lists in response to the interrupt request, and issue a microinstruction based on the acquired register pattern in response to the interrupt request. An instruction executing section is configured to execute the microinstruction prior to the fetched instruction code, to save the data of registers designated based on the acquired register pattern in the data memory. |
| US09116867B2 |
Memory model for a layout engine and scripting engine
Various embodiments provide an interface between a Web browser's layout engine and a scripting engine. The interface enables objects from the layout engine to be recognized by a memory manager in the scripting engine and interact in a streamlined, efficient manner. In accordance with one or more embodiments, the interface allows browser layout engine objects to be created as objects that are native to the scripting engine. Alternately or additionally, in some embodiments, the native objects are further configured to proxy functionality between the layout engine and the scripting engine. |
| US09116866B2 |
Methods and systems for detecting sequence variants
The invention provides methods for identifying rare variants near a structural variation in a genetic sequence, for example, in a nucleic acid sample taken from a subject. The invention additionally includes methods for aligning reads (e.g., nucleic acid reads) to a reference sequence construct accounting for the structural variation, methods for building a reference sequence construct accounting for the structural variation or the structural variation and the rare variant, and systems that use the alignment methods to identify rare variants. The method is scalable, and can be used to align millions of reads to a construct thousands of bases long, or longer. |
| US09116863B1 |
Systems and methods for assembling documents
A document builder is provided. The document builder includes a memory unit configured to store a document outline, wherein the document outline includes at least a template link to a template and at least a mini-document link to each of a plurality of mini-documents, and a processing device. The processing device is configured to receive the document outline from the memory unit, retrieve the template using the template link, retrieve each of the plurality of mini-documents using the mini-document links, and automatically assemble a final document from the retrieved template and from the retrieved plurality of mini-documents. |
| US09116860B2 |
Cascading failover of blade servers in a data center
Cascading failover of blade servers in a data center implemented by transferring by a system management server a data processing workload from a failing blade server to an initial replacement blade server, with the data processing workload characterized by data processing resource requirements and the initial replacement blade server having data processing resources that do not match the data processing resource requirements; and transferring by the system management server the data processing workload from the initial replacement blade server to a subsequent replacement blade server, where the subsequent replacement blade server has data processing resources that better match the data processing resource requirements than do the data processing resources of the initial replacement blade server. |
| US09116854B2 |
Method of evaluating image correlation with speckle patter
An image correlation for images having speckle pattern is evaluated. Modulation transfer function (MTF) curves of speckle-pattern images captured at different times are figured out. Whether a correlation value between the MTF curves meets a threshold is checked. If the correlation value is smaller than the threshold, speckle-pattern images are re-selected for re-figuring out the MTF curves and the correlation value. Thus, error of strain and displacement for digital image correlation owing to blurring images of the on-moving target object is figured out; calculation time of the digital image correlation is reduced; and accuracy on measuring physical parameters of the target object before and after movement is improved for digital image correlation. |
| US09116851B2 |
System and method for virtual tape library over S3
System and method embodiments are provided herein to enable VTL backup and retrieval over S3 storage technology. An embodiment method includes mapping a plurality of data blocks for VTL storage into a plurality of S3 objects for S3 storage, and storing the S3 objects at one or more locations for S3 storage over one or more networks, wherein the mapping enables stateless backup and restore of the data blocks. An embodiment network component includes a Small Computer System Interface configured to receive a plurality of data blocks form one or more servers, a data library storage including tape storage, disk storage, or both that is configured to store the data blocks, a blocks-to-objects mapping engine configured to map the data blocks into a plurality of S3 objects, and a S3 interface configured to transfer the S3 objects to one or more locations for S3 storage over one or more networks. |
| US09116847B2 |
System and method for high performance enterprise data protection
High performance, enterprise-level data protection system and method provides efficient block-level incremental snapshots of primary storage devices, and instant availability of such snapshots in immediately mountable form that can be directly used in place of the primary storage device. Related systems and applications are described, including an “Enterprise Image Destination” (EID) for backup images; a mirroring technique whereby a replacement physical primary facility may be created while working with a second storage unit as the primary source file system; and a technique for eliminating redundant data in backup images when multiple systems with partially common contents (e.g., operating system files, common databases, application executables, etc.) are being backed up. A number of examples showing “Fast Application Restore” (FAR) with the use of the invention are also provided. |
| US09116839B2 |
Prediction of horizontally transferred gene
Method(s) and system(s) for identifying horizontally transferred genes are described herein. The method includes defining a cuboid in a three dimensional space, wherein the cuboid includes fragment points corresponding to the genomic fragments belonging to a plurality of sequenced microbial genomes, and dividing the cuboid into a plurality of grids. The method further includes selecting one or more grids corresponding to a selected genome and classifying each of the selected grids as one of majority, minority, and mixed grids, based on number of fragment points corresponding to the selected genome in each of the selected grids. Further, at least one genomic fragment from the minority and the mixed grids is identified as the horizontally transferred gene based on a distance ratio assessment. |
| US09116838B2 |
Determining lyapunov exponents of a chaotic system
Systems and methods for calculating the Lyapunov exponent of a chaotic system are described. In one particular embodiment, a Lyapunov exponent calculating method includes obtaining a value indicative of a condition of a chaotic system and assigning the value to first and second precision levels, the second precision level having a higher level of precision than the first precision level. The method also includes iterating the chaotic system over time and comparing the value at the first precision level with the value at the second precision level. From the comparison of values at the first and second precision levels, the method calculates the Lyapunov exponent for the chaotic system. |
| US09116836B2 |
Tunneling transaction packets
The present disclosure describes apparatuses and techniques for tunneling transaction packets. In some aspects a packet is received from a peripheral device via a first data interface of a device. The packet includes an address for resource access and an identifier that identifies the peripheral device or a function thereof. Based on this identifier, it is determined whether the peripheral device is attempting to access an internal resource of the device or a resource of a host device connected to a second data interface of the device. If the peripheral device is attempting to access the resource of the host device, the packet is routed to the host device via the second data interface without modifying the address for resource access. By so doing, the peripheral device can exchange data with the host device without using address translation. |
| US09116834B2 |
Methods and apparatus for calculating electromagnetic scattering properties of a structure and for reconstruction of approximate structures
Algorithm for reconstructing grating profile in a metrology application is disclosed to numerically solve a volume integral equation for a current density. It employs implicit construction of a vector field that is related to electric field and a current density by a selection of continuous components of vector field being continuous at one or more material boundaries, so as to determine an approximate solution of a current density. The vector field is represented by a finite Fourier series with respect to at least one direction, x, y. Numerically solving volume integral equation comprises determining a component of a current density by convolution of the vector field with a convolution operator, which comprises material and geometric properties of structure in the x, y directions. The current density is represented by a finite Fourier series with respect to x, y directions. Continuous components are extracted using convolution operators acting on electric field and current density. |
| US09116825B2 |
Memory controller
A memory controller is provided. The memory controller includes a memory interface and an encoding module. The memory interface is configured to couple to a memory chip. The encoding module is coupled to the memory interface and includes a shared memory and a parity generation module. The parity generation module is coupled to the shared memory. The parity generation module reads at least one basic vector from the shared memory, determines a dimension of the at least one basic vector, generates a generation matrix according to the at least one basic vector, converts a raw data into a codeword through the generation matrix, and stores the codeword into the memory chip through the memory interface. |
| US09116824B2 |
System and method to reduce read latency of a data storage device
A data storage device includes a memory and a controller. The controller is configured to receive a read request that indicates a logical address. The controller is further configured to perform a first read operation to retrieve a representation of an entry of a logical mapping table from the memory, and perform a second read operation to retrieve a representation of a codeword from the memory. The controller is further configured to decode the representation of the codeword to determine whether an error exists at the entry, and, prior to completion of decoding, to initiate a third read operation to retrieve first read data from a first physical address corresponding to the logical address as determined based on the representation of the entry. |
| US09116821B2 |
Method and system for USB device virtualization
Methods and systems are provided to allow personal computer users to virtualize a local USB device so that they can remotely connect to a server and interact with the server as if the local USB device was physically connected to the server. They connect a remote USB target hardware device to the target system through a physical USB connection, and the device interacts with the local user's computer over a network. The target system is unaware that the USB device is not connected directly to the system through a physical connection, and the target system does not need special software to implement the remote USB device. The USB target hardware device connected to the target computer may be physically connected and disconnected. |
| US09116820B2 |
Dynamic central cache memory
The specification and drawings present a new apparatus, method and software related product for using a cache/central cache module/device (instead of e.g., system DRAM) which can serve multiple memory modules/devices. Each memory/IO module/device connected to the same memory network (e.g., via hub, bus, etc.) may utilize memory resources of this cache module/device either in a fixed manner using pre-set allocation of resources per the memory module/device, or dynamically using run-time allocation of new resources to an existing module/device per its request or to a new module/device connecting to the memory network (e.g., comprised in a host device) and possibly requesting memory resources. |
| US09116818B2 |
Methods and systems for retrieving and caching geofence data
Mobile device systems and methods for monitoring geofences cache a subset of geofences within a likely travel perimeter determined based on speed and direction of travel, available roads, current traffic, etc. A server may download to mobile devices subsets of geofences within a likely travel perimeter determined based on a threshold travel time possible from a current location given current travel speed, direction and roads. Mobile device may receive a list of local geofences from a server, which may maintain or have access to a database containing all geofences. The mobile device may use the cashed geofences in the normal manner, by comparing its location to the cached list of local geofences to detect matches. In an embodiment, the mobile device may calculate or receive from the server an update perimeter, which when crossed may prompt the mobile device to request an update to the geofences stored in cache. |
| US09116817B2 |
Pointer chasing prediction
A system and method for efficient scheduling of dependent load instructions. A processor includes both an execution core and a scheduler that issues instructions to the execution core. The execution core includes a load-store unit (LSU). The scheduler determines a first condition is satisfied, wherein the first condition comprises result data for a first load instruction is predicted eligible for LSU-internal forwarding. The scheduler determines a second condition is satisfied, wherein the second condition comprises a second load instruction younger in program order than the first load instruction is dependent on the first load instruction. In response to each of the first condition and the second condition being satisfied, the scheduler can issue the second load instruction earlier than it otherwise would. The LSU internally forwards the received result data from the first load instruction to address generation logic for the second load instruction. |
| US09116816B2 |
Prefetching for a parent core in a multi-core chip
Embodiments of the invention relate to prefetching data on a chip having at least one scout core, at least one parent core, and a shared cache that is common between the at least one scout core and the at least one parent core. A prefetch code is executed by the scout core for monitoring the parent core. The prefetch code executes independently from the parent core. The scout core determines that at least one specified data pattern has occurred in the parent core based on monitoring the parent core. A prefetch request is sent from the scout core to the shared cache. The prefetch request is sent based on the at least one specified pattern being detected by the scout core. A data set indicated by the prefetch request is sent to the parent core by the shared cache. |
| US09116814B1 |
Use of cache to reduce memory bandwidth pressure with processing pipeline
A data read/write system includes a system clock, a single port memory, a cache memory that is separate from the single port memory, and a controller coupled to an instruction pipeline. The controller receives, via the instruction pipeline, first data to write to an address of the single port memory, and further receives, via the instruction pipeline, a request to read second data from the single port memory. The controller stores the first data in the cache memory, and retrieves the second data from either the cache memory or the single port memory during one or more first clock cycles of the system clock. The controller copies the first data from the cache memory and stores the first data at the address in the single port memory during a second clock cycle of the system clock that is different than the one or more first clock cycles. |
| US09116808B2 |
Method and system for determining device configuration settings
A method and system for determining and updating configuration settings on a device are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method for updating configuration settings on a device may include detecting an error condition produced by executing an app on the device, collecting information associated with the error condition, the app and the device responsive to the detected error condition, sending a request for new configuration settings, wherein the request includes the collected information, receiving one or more new configuration settings in response to the request, and updating one or more configuration settings of at least one of the device or the app using the new configuration settings received. |
| US09116800B2 |
Block-based storage device with a memory-mapped interface
Described herein are methods for accessing a block-based storage device having a memory-mapped interface and a block interface. In one embodiment, an apparatus (e.g., block-based storage device) includes a storage array to store data and a memory-mapped interface that is coupled to the storage array. The memory-mapped interface includes memory-mapped memory space. The memory-mapped interface receives direct access requests from a host to directly access memory-mapped files. The apparatus also includes a block interface that is coupled to the storage array. The block interface receives block requests from a storage driver to access the storage array. |
| US09116796B2 |
Key-value addressed storage drive using NAND flash based content addressable memory
A NAND Flash based content addressable memory (CAM) is used for a key-value addressed storage drive. The device can use a standard transport protocol such as PCI-E, SAS, SATA, eMMC, SCSI, and so on. A host writes a key-value pair to the drive, where the drive writes the keys along bit lines of a CAM NAND portion of the drive and stores the value in the drive. The drive then maintains a table linking the keys to location of the value. In a read process, the host provides a key to drive, which then broadcasts down the word lines of blocks storing the keys. Based on any matching bit lines, the tables can then be used to retrieve and supply the corresponding data to the host. |
| US09116793B2 |
Maintaining versions of data in solid state memory
Various embodiments are directed to maintaining versions of data within a solid state memory. At least one request to write at least one dataset to a logical page of a solid state memory is received from a file system. At least one physical page in a data block of the solid state memory associated with the logical page is identified. A processor stores the dataset in the at least one physical page. At least one data versioning tag is associated with the at least one dataset in a data structure associated with the logical page. The data versioning tag identifies the at least one dataset as a given version of the logical page. The at least one dataset is maintained as accessible from the at least one physical page irrespective of subsequent write operations to the logical page in response to associating the at least one data versioning tag. |
| US09116790B2 |
Methods of and apparatus for storing data in memory in data processing systems
A data array 20 to be stored is first divided into a plurality of blocks 21. Each block 21 is further sub-divided into a set of sub-blocks 22, and a set of data for each sub-block 22 is then stored in a body data buffer 30. A header data block 23 is stored for each block 21 at a predictable memory address within a header buffer 24. Each header data block contains pointer data indicating the position within the body buffer 30 where the data for the sub-blocks for the block 21 that that header data block 23 relates to is stored, and data indicating the size of the stored data for each respective sub-block 22. |
| US09116789B2 |
Chaining move specification blocks
An abstraction for storage class memory is provided that hides the details of the implementation of storage class memory from a program, and provides a standard channel programming interface for performing certain actions, such as controlling movement of data between main storage and storage class memory or managing storage class memory. |
| US09116788B2 |
Using extended asynchronous data mover indirect data address words
An abstraction for storage class memory is provided that hides the details of the implementation of storage class memory from a program, and provides a standard channel programming interface for performing certain actions, such as controlling movement of data between main storage and storage class memory or managing storage class memory. |
| US09116787B1 |
Electronic control system for mobile heavy equipment machinery
A control system for mobile heavy equipment machinery includes an electronic control module for receiving and processing pulse width modulated control signals. There is a programmable logic controller (PLC) that receives position sensor generated input signals selectively from manual and remote sources. The PLC processes the input signals and transmits such signals in pulse width modulated format to the electronic control module, which processes the signals and directs corresponding output signals to control operation of the equipment. |
| US09116783B2 |
Bus connection circuit, semiconductor device and operation method of bus connection circuit for making procedure for switching between a 1-cycle transfer and a 2-cycle transfer unnecessary
A bus connection circuit connects a bus master and a plurality of bus slaves. The bus connection circuit includes a mirror area access detecting circuit and a processing circuit. The mirror area access detecting circuit detects that the bus master accesses a mirror area of a first bus slave of the plurality of bus slaves, and output a detection signal based on a detection result. The processing circuit executes processing preset in correspondence to the detection result, to an area or data as an access object, based on the detection result. |
| US09116782B2 |
Vehicle auxiliary system with global positioning system control
A system for a vehicle includes a vehicle support subsystem in communication with the GPS subsystem, the vehicle support subsystem operable in response to the GPS subsystem. The system can control a vehicle characteristic (e.g., tire inflation pressure, suspension system, suspension damping system, ride height adjustment system) based at least in part on terrain obtained from a global positioning system (GPS), current weather information, and/or historical weather information. |
| US09116776B2 |
Updating software objects
Updating of a software object is described. A first version of a software object is instantiated. User-inputted data used by the first version of the software is received from a user, and a current configuration state and the user-inputted data are registered. A second version of the software object is instantiated and the current configuration state and the user-inputted data of the first version of the software object are exported to the second version of the software object. |
| US09116767B1 |
Deployment pattern monitoring
A computer system can detect a request for status information relating to a particular deployment pattern; query, in response to the request, a deployment pattern registry for deployment configuration information about the particular deployment pattern; test deployment capabilities for the particular deployment pattern by: verifying installation files for the particular deployment pattern are accessible; identifying one or more candidate deployment components for a hypothetical deployment of the particular deployment pattern; installing, on the one or more candidate deployment components, a virtual machine that is configured to test computing resources of the one or more candidate deployment components; and deleting the virtual machine in response to receiving test results regarding the resources of the one or more candidate deployment components. The system can generate a notification in response to detecting a failure in the testing. |
| US09116765B2 |
System and method for obfuscating data using instructions as a source of pseudorandom values
Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for obfuscating data using instructions as a source of pseudorandom values. Obfuscation is performed by receiving instructions and data and compiling the instructions and the data into an executable file having a text section and a data section. The text section can include instructions and the data section can include data segments. The system obfuscates the data section iteratively by generating a hash of an address for a respective data segment, and based on the hash, identifying a corresponding address in the text section that includes at least one instruction. The system retrieves a mask key from the corresponding address and applies the mask key to the respective data segment, yielding a masked data segment. In one embodiment, integrity verification of obfuscated data is performed without exposing the data in an unprotected state by utilizing multiple mask keys. |
| US09116761B2 |
System and method for preventing single-point bottleneck in a transactional middleware machine environment
A transactional middleware system can exchange messages between a local machine and a remote machine using Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA) protocol to achieve short latency in a manner like a local message transfer. The transactional middleware machine environment can prevent single-point bottleneck and achieve short latency. The transactional middleware machine environment comprises a first message queue associated with a server in a first transactional machine, wherein the server operates to be accessed using a queue address in the first message queue. The transactional middleware machine environment further comprises a second message queue associated with a client in a second transactional machine. The client operates to send a service request message to the server directly using the first message queue, and the server operates to receive the service request message from the first message queue and send a service response message directly to the client using the second message queue. |
| US09116758B2 |
Method and system for sharing a hotkey between application instances
According to an example, when there is a hotkey message of a hotkey, an application instance that registers the hotkey receives the hotkey message, distributes the hotkey message to an application instance that does not register the hotkey, determines whether there is an application instance that does not register the hotkey and is to process the hotkey message; when there is the application instance that does not register the hotkey and is to process the hotkey message, receives feedback information about processing the hotkey message returned from the application instance that does not register the hotkey; and when there is not the application instance that does not register the hotkey and is to process the hotkey message, processes the hotkey message. |
| US09116757B2 |
Data processing apparatus including plurality of applications and method
An object of the present invention is to provide a data processing apparatus in which, merely by an arbitrary indicator being specified by a user from the array of indicators representing plural types of instructive information which is acceptable during the execution of an application, an operation allotted to the indicator is executed. In the present invention, a CPU recognizes a mark on a paper sheet specified by a user through the analysis of an image of the paper sheet photographed by a document camera, and after reading out a command corresponding to the mark with reference to a mark table based on the mark, instructs the currently executed application to perform an operation corresponding to the command. |
| US09116756B2 |
Image sharing
A method, apparatus, and system for performing image sharing. A first computer is coupled to an external device capable of acquiring data. A second computer is coupled to the first computer. A direct access to data acquired by the external device is provided to the second computer. |
| US09116753B2 |
System and method for dynamic scaling based on a reference architecture
A method includes, on a virtualization platform, creating a first runtime instance of a virtual appliance. The virtual appliance includes a solution stack of software components selected from a reference architecture. The method further includes, responsive to satisfaction of at least one performance criterion, dynamically scaling-out the solution stack to one or more additional runtime instances of the virtual appliance. The dynamically scaling-out includes distributing a subset of the solution stack to each of the first runtime instance and the one or more additional runtime instances. |
| US09116751B2 |
Reconfigurable device, processing assignment method, processing arrangement method, information processing apparatus, and control method therefor
According to the present invention, in changing the circuit configuration of a reconfigurable device, a circuit configuration change period is shortened while avoiding a dependency on processing contents without increasing the size of a circuit due to addition of a mechanism. Considering an execution order relation between a plurality of data flows, a setting change count necessary for changing the circuit configuration in changing processing is decreased within a constraint range, thereby shortening the circuit configuration change period. |
| US09116750B2 |
Optimizing collective communications within a parallel computer
Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for optimizing collective communications within a parallel computer comprising a plurality of hardware threads for executing software threads of a parallel application are provided. Embodiments include a processor of a parallel computer determining for each software thread, an affinity of the software thread to a particular hardware thread. Each affinity indicates an assignment of a software thread to a particular hardware thread. The processor also generates one or more affinity domains based on the affinities of the software threads. Embodiments also include a processor generating, for each affinity domain, a topology of the affinity domain based on the affinities of the software threads to the hardware threads. According to embodiments of the present application, a processor also performs, based on the generated topologies of the affinity domains, a collective operation on one or more software threads. |
| US09116748B2 |
System and method for determining processing elements allocation
A unit, computer readable medium and method for providing dynamic processing elements allocation in a network for a task of a user based on a request of the user. The method includes receiving at the unit of the network the request that includes at least a required condition or a preference related to the task, determining a first processing elements allocation in the network for executing the task such that the first processing elements allocation complies with the request, monitoring whether a trigger is received and indicates that at least a characteristic of the request is violated by the first processing elements allocation, and determining, in response to the received trigger, a second processing elements allocation in the network for executing the task such that the second processing elements allocation complies with the request. |
| US09116747B2 |
Sparse threaded deterministic lock-free cholesky and LDLT factorizations
Systems and methods are provided for implementing a sparse deterministic direct solver. The deterministic direct solver is configured to identify at least one task for each of a plurality of dense blocks, identify operations on which the tasks are dependent, store in a first data structure an entry for each of the dense blocks identifying whether a precondition must be satisfied before tasks associated with the dense blocks can be initiated, store in a second data structure a status value for each of the dense blocks that is changeable by multiple threads, and assign the tasks to a plurality of threads, wherein the threads execute their assigned task when the status of the dense block corresponding to their assigned task indicates that the assigned task is ready to be performed and the precondition associated with the dense block has been satisfied if the precondition exists. |
| US09116743B2 |
Storage medium, information processing apparatus, and migration method
A computer-readable storage medium stores program code for causing a computer to perform a method. The method includes steps of creating a redundant configuration including a physical device used by an operating system of the computer and a virtual device of a virtual machine running on another computer connected via a network to the computer, based on identification information of the virtual device; and transferring memory contents of the operating system to the other computer. |
| US09116741B2 |
Computer program product, and information processing apparatus and method
According to an embodiment, a computer program product includes a computer-readable medium including program, when executed by a computer, to have a plurality of modules run by the computer. The computer includes a memory having a shared area, which is an area accessible to only those modules which run cooperatively and storing therein execution module identifiers. Each of the modules includes a first operation configured to store, just prior to a switchover of operations to an other module that runs cooperatively, an identifier of the other module as the execution module identifier in the shared area; and a second operation configured to execute, when the execution module identifier stored in the shared area matches with an identifier of own module immediately after a switchover of operations from the other module, a function inside the own module. |
| US09116739B2 |
Fast and scalable concurrent queuing system
This disclosure is directed to a fast and scalable concurrent queuing system. A device may comprise, for example, at least a memory module and a processing module. The memory module may be to store a queue comprising at least a head and a tail. The processing module may be to execute at least one thread desiring to enqueue at least one new node to the queue, enqueue the at least one new node to the queue, a first state being observed based on information in the tail identifying a predecessor node when the at least one new node is enqueued, observe a second state based on the predecessor node, determine if the predecessor node has changed based on comparing the first state to the second state, and set ordering in the queue based on the determination. |
| US09116738B2 |
Method and apparatus for efficient execution of concurrent processes on a multithreaded message passing system
A graph analytics appliance can be employed to extract data from a graph database in an efficient manner. The graph analytics appliance includes a router, a worklist scheduler, a processing unit, and an input/output unit. The router receives an abstraction program including a plurality of parallel algorithms for a query request from an abstraction program compiler residing on computational node or the graph analytics appliance. The worklist scheduler generates a prioritized plurality of parallel threads for executing the query request from the plurality of parallel algorithms. The processing unit executes multiple threads selected from the prioritized plurality of parallel threads. The input/output unit communicates with a graph database. |
| US09116734B1 |
Dispersive storage area networks
A method of monitoring symptoms of a person includes repeating, over a period of time, the steps of: selecting, by the person, one or more symbolic representations corresponding to one or more symptoms from a predefined set of symbolic representations presented to the person; and electronically recording data regarding the one or more symbolic representations selected by the person such that the data is electronically accessible later for generating a history of the symptoms of the person over the period of time. The data is transferred over virtual networks using virtual dispersive routing and stored in dispersive storage area networks (SANs). The data is classified as trusted, corrupted, invalid or uncertain, and/or as trusted, ambiguous and inadequate. |
| US09116731B2 |
Cloud reference model framework
A computing device implemented method, in one embodiment, can include a cloud transformation module transforming content for a compute platform. Additionally, the method can include a cloud control module receiving the content from the cloud transformation module. The method can also include the cloud control module provisioning a virtual machine appliance to form the compute platform. Furthermore, the method can include a cloud instantiation module executing the provisioning of the cloud control module. In addition, the method can include a cloud appliance module adding middleware to a virtual machine to create the virtual machine appliance. Moreover, the method can include a cloud virtualization module producing a virtualized representation of the compute platform. |
| US09116729B2 |
Handling of binary translated self modifying code and cross modifying code
A processor includes a processor core to execute a first translated instruction translated from a first instruction stored in first page of a memory. The processor also includes a translation indicator agent (XTBA) to store a first translation indicator that is read from a physical map (PhysMap) in the memory. In an embodiment, the first translation indicator is to indicate whether the first page has been modified after the first instruction is translated. Other embodiments are described as claimed. |
| US09116727B2 |
Scalable network overlay virtualization using conventional virtual switches
In one embodiment, a system includes a server running a virtualization platform, the virtualization platform including logic adapted for creating one or more virtual machines (VMs) and logic adapted for managing a virtual switch (vSwitch), a controller in communication with the server, the controller including logic adapted for assigning a media access control (MAC) address and a virtual local area network (VLAN) identifier (ID) to each of the one or more VMs, wherein a specific tenant to which the one or more VMs belongs is indicated using a tenant ID derived from the VLAN ID, the MAC address, or a combination thereof. Other systems, methods, and computer program products are also described according to more embodiments. |
| US09116724B2 |
Stateless virtual machine
Some embodiments of using snapshotting and virtualization to perform tasks in a known and reproducible environment have been presented. A computing device generates a temporary snapshot of a state of a virtual machine. A session of the virtual machine is started on the computing device using the temporary snapshot. The temporary snapshot is automatically destroyed when the session is terminated, wherein any changes made to the state during the session are removed by destroying the temporary snapshot. |
| US09116721B2 |
Object display order changing program and apparatus
An icon line is displayed on a screen so as to align icons laterally. When a user slides a stick laterally based on an originating point corresponding to a point on an icon of the icon line, it is possible to scroll the icon line laterally in accordance with the stick being moved, and when a user slides a stick vertically based on an originating point corresponding to a point on an icon of the icon line, it is possible to move only the icon of the icon line in accordance with the stick being moved. Therefore, a user is allowed to easily change the display order in which a plurality of objects are displayed on the screen. |
| US09116720B2 |
Decision tree ensemble compilation
In one embodiment, a decision tree is evaluated in interpreted mode while statistics are collected. The decision tree is then represented as source code, and each decision in the decision tree is annotated with instructions determined based on the collected statistics. The source code is compiled into machine code, and the machine code is optimized based on the instructions annotating each decision in the decision tree. |
| US09116718B2 |
Derive size contribution of features
A development tool for optimizing a software program is disclosed herein. The tool may be implemented as machine readable instructions, part of a specially configured computer, or part of a practical application of a specialized process. The tool may comprise: an automation rig for executing the program, a capture tool having a plurality of data recorders, an aggregator for generating cluster data based on code block execution patterns, and a code writer for generating optimized binary programs. |
| US09116716B2 |
Systems and methods for declarative applications
Embodiments of the disclosure are directed to systems and methods to process a declaratively-specified computer application by interpreting a structure and a behavior specification. Application data items are interpreted using a processing concrete model based on the structure specification. Application functionality is provided by processing the application data items in accordance to the behavior specification. The application information may further be used in an embodiment of the disclosure to perform additional processing and provide an added functionality. Various embodiments of the disclosure allow additional functions for declarative application such as performing domain activities, accessing data items, transferring application data, storing data and milestones and rendering data items. |
| US09116714B2 |
Methods and systems for file processing
The present disclosure relates to a method and system for file processing. The file processing method may include the steps of scanning a source files, identifying a target code block, and generating a first abstract syntax tree (AST) reflecting the structure of the target code block. The file processing method may further include the steps of identifying a position to place a plugin code, placing the plugin code into the first AST, generating a second AST reflecting the structure of the target code block with the plugin code, and using the write-back interface to write the second AST into the source file. The present disclosure may improve the efficiency and enhance the flexibility of the file processing system. |
| US09116712B2 |
Compile based obfuscation
Compiler based obfuscation is described. To protect portions of a code project with obfuscations, the code is modified within a compiler to produce one or more modifications that obfuscate the code as part of a compilation process. A compiled version of the code is generated having the modifications that are produced within the compiler. In one approach, the compiler is configured to consume an obfuscation description that indicates portions of the code to protect and specifies the modifications to make to the indicated portions. Various different modifications of code may be performed during the compilation process to implement corresponding obfuscation features. For example, the modifications made within a compiler may include, but are not limited to, modifications designed to enable tamper detection, anti-debugging, and/or encryption of the code. |
| US09116711B2 |
Exception handling in a data processing apparatus having a secure domain and a less secure domain
Processing circuitry can operate in a secure domain and a less secure domain. In response to an initial exception from background processing performed by the processing circuitry, state saving of data from a first subset of registers is performed by exception control circuitry before triggering an exception handling routine, while the exception handling routine has responsibility for performing state saving of data from a second subset of registers. In response to a first exception causing a transition from the secure domain from a less secure domain, where the background processing was in the less secure domain, the exception control circuitry performs additional state saving of data from the second set of registers before triggering the exception handling routine. In response to a tail-chained exception causing a transition from the secure domain to the less secure domain, the exception handling routine is triggered without performing an additional state saving. |
| US09116710B2 |
Dynamic user interface authoring
A system and method for facilitating authoring computer code to facilitate rendering a display of data via a user interface display screen. An example method includes accepting a signal from a user input device to specify an attribute in accordance with a definition of a class of attributes in a data model; providing the specification of the attribute to a software component characterizing a webpage, wherein the software component includes an indicator for dynamic rendering of at least a portion of data included in the data model and associated with the attribute; and storing the definition of the class of attributes and data associated with the attribute, for retrieval and rendering of the data on a target device. The example method may include providing a mechanism for modifying attributes of the data model and propagating data model changes to webpage computer code. |
| US09116709B2 |
Computationally efficient system for developing configurable, extensible GUI for database centric enterprise business applications
The present invention provides a computationally efficient system and method for developing extensible and configurable Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs) for Database-centric Business application Product Lines using model driven techniques and also reduce the cost as well as time for creating new GUIs for Database-centric Business application Product Lines that enables effective maintenance and smooth evolution using model driven technique. The invention provides modeling of commonality and variability of GUI thus leading to a single GUI for Database-centric Business application Product Lines. The invention enables a model-based solution to address extensibility and configurability of both structural and behavioral aspects in a GUI of Database-centric Business application Product Lines and it also support to realize variations at runtime in the presentation layer by using the variable fields which can check the configuration data from a configuration database and decide whether to render itself or not. |
| US09116708B2 |
Program creation support apparatus, program, and information system
A program creation support apparatus (100) includes: a table storage unit (110) which stores a basic program management table (112) that manages a basic program, an individual requirement management table (114) that manages individual requirements of users, and a user management table (116) that manages individual requirements in association with the users; a template storage unit (122) that stores model forms of aspects; a program editing unit (130) that presents an editing target program to a program developer, receives editing operations of inserting individual requirements of each user, and edits the program; an individual requirement management unit (128) that registers the received individual requirements in the respective management tables in association with corresponding sets of program strings of the basic program with respect to each target user; and an aspect synthesizing unit (140) that synthesizes the aspect using the model forms in accordance with each management table. |
| US09116707B2 |
Dependency resolution in polyphasic modules
Some embodiments provide a system that facilitates the development, maintenance, and execution of a software program. During operation, the system obtains a module declaration for a module to be used in the software program. Next, the system resolves one or more dependencies of the module using the module declaration and a list of available modules for the software program. Finally, the system uses the resolved dependencies to manage the software program throughout the life cycle of the software program. |
| US09116706B2 |
Yunten's web application methodology and web programming language (YWAM and WPL)
This invention introduces a structured software engineering methodology for developing interactive network application systems that use a web browser as a user-dialog engine. The methodology uses two server types: Application Server(s) for instantiating and executing an application instance in binary code, and HTTP Server(s) for delivering to the user's browser the textual HTML+Javascript user-dialog documents used by this application instance during its execution. An application is accessed by executing at the user's browser an Application Instantiation Page (AIP) which is a part of this invention. The methodology is built into a notational programming language. |
| US09116705B2 |
Mainframe-based browser
In various embodiments, a programmable apparatus for use in a computing environment is provided. The apparatus may include a browser configured for viewing at least the following portions of a mainframe system: at least one enterprise architecture framework (EAI) component of an EAI framework operatively associated with the mainframe system; an extensible language tag name including at least one of an associated default value or an edit table identification; an edit table entry. |
| US09116701B2 |
Memory unit, information processing device, and method
A memory unit comprises at least two volatile memory elements, analyzing circuitry and power gate. The memory elements may for example be latches, flip-flops, or registers. Each of the memory elements has at least two different states including a predefined reset state. The analyzing circuitry generates a power-down enable signal in response to each of the memory elements being in its reset state. The power gate powers down the memory elements in response to the power-down enable signal. The memory elements may be arranged to assume their reset states upon powering up the memory unit. |
| US09116697B2 |
Techniques to control self refresh display functionality
Techniques are described to monitor a level of graphics processing activity and control power usage based on the level. When no graphics processing activity is detected for a period of time, then a timing controller for a display device is instructed to capture a current image and repeatedly display the captured image. The graphics processing devices can be powered down. When graphics processing activity is detected, the graphics processing devices are powered up and the components used to capture an image and display the captured image are powered down. |
| US09116696B2 |
Mobile terminal device, operation method, program, and storage medium
A mobile terminal device includes a touch panel where a specified input operation is performed with an indicator, an input detection unit, and an operation determination unit. The input detection unit detects the pattern of the input operation based on the position of the indicator on the touch panel, and decreases the frequency of execution of processing arranged to detect the input operation performed on the touch panel when an input operation performed on the touch panel is not detected over a specified time period. When the pattern of the input operation is detected in the case where the execution frequency of the processing arranged to detect the input operation is low, the operation determination unit causes a controlled unit determined to be an operation target in relation to the pattern of the input operation to execute a specified operation. |
| US09116692B1 |
System and method for improving power conversion for advanced electronic circuits
A system includes a circuit having a plurality of electronic function blocks interconnected in series, a power source unit coupled to the circuit, for supplying power to the plurality of electronic function blocks, and a control unit coupled to each of the plurality of the electronic function blocks and to the power source unit. The control unit is configured to monitor activity levels of each of the electronic function blocks, and adjusts the activity level of each of the plurality of electronic function blocks. The control unit determines a voltage level suitable for the corresponding adjusted activity level, and adjusts the power supplied to each of the plurality of electronic function blocks in order to achieve the corresponding determined voltage level at each of the plurality of electronic function blocks. |
| US09116686B2 |
Selective suppression of branch prediction in vector partitioning loops until dependency vector is available for predicate generating instruction
A method for suppressing prediction of a backward branch instruction used in a vector partitioning loop includes detecting the first backward branch instruction that occurs after a predicate generating instruction. The predicate generating instruction generates a predicate vector that is dependent upon a dependency vector where each element of the dependency vector indicates whether a data dependency exists between elements of a vector instruction. The method also includes receiving an indication of a prediction accuracy of a prediction of the backward branch instruction. If the prediction accuracy does not satisfy a threshold value, the prediction of the backward branch instruction is suppressed until the dependency vector on which the predicate-generating instruction depends is available. |
| US09116682B2 |
Uninterruptible power supply device with alerts abnormal end of power-off processing of a computer system
An uninterruptible power supply device has a main power source and a backup power source and supplies power to a computer. The uninterruptible power supply device has an output power detection circuit and a control circuit which measures time until a completion of the power-off process of the computer. The control circuit alerts or extends a set time until the power-off according to the measured time. |
| US09116680B2 |
Dynamically building locale objects or subsections of locale objects based on historical data
During a first execution of software, historical data is logged that indicates which locale objects were used. During a second execution of the software, the historical data is read, and locale objects or subsections of locale objects are dynamically built from locale source files based on the historical data in the log that indicates which locale objects were used during the first execution. Any other locale objects or subsections that are needed that are not built initially during the second execution are dynamically built from locale source files when requested at run-time. Dynamically building locale objects or subsections based on which locale objects were used in one or more previous executions saves time that would otherwise be required to build the locale objects when they are needed at run-time. The result is significant savings in system-wide resources while still allowing for access to a large number of possible locales. |
| US09116678B2 |
I/O module with power-uninterruptible USB port
An I/O module such as a card reader module for connecting a computer having a first and second USB port is disclosed. The I/O module includes an I/O controller connecting the first USB port, a charging controller connecting the second USB port and a third USB port connecting the charging controller. The I/O controller determines what a power state of the computer is according to communication between the first USB port and the I/O controller and then sends a control signal depending upon the power state to the charging controller. The charging controller changes the third USB port into a pure charger mode without data transfer or a normal mode with both charging and data transfer capabilities according to the control signal. |
| US09116674B2 |
Heat dissipation in computing device
A computing device is disclosed. The computing device includes a shock mount assembly that is configured to provide impact absorption to sensitive components such as a display and an optical disk drive. The computing device also includes an enclosureless optical disk drive that is housed by an enclosure and other structures of the computing device. The computing device further includes a heat transfer system that removes heat from a heat producing element of the computing device. The heat transfer system is configured to thermally couple the heat producing element to a structural member of the computing device so as to sink heat through the structural member, which generally has a large surface area for dissipating the heat. |
| US09116673B2 |
Storage server rack system and storage servers
A storage server rack system includes a rack and multiple storage servers assembled inside the rack. The rack includes an integrated power module and a fan wall. The integrated power module distributes a power to the storage servers. The fan wall is disposed by a side of the storage servers for dissipating heat. Each storage server includes a case, an electrical connection module, a motherboard and multiple storage units. The case has a first lateral side and a second lateral side disposed oppositely to each other. The electrical connection module is disposed on the first lateral side and connected to the integrated power module. The motherboard is disposed inside a first heat dissipation space in the case and electrically connected to the electrical connection module. The storage units are disposed outside the first heat dissipation space in the case and electrically connected to the electrical connection module. |
| US09116665B2 |
Modular protective cover with accessory slot for portable electronic device
A protective cover for a portable electronic device that includes a main body portion that is adapted to at least partially surround and enclose a portable electronic device. The main body portion includes a rear section that has an accessory slot defined therein. The accessory slot removably receives an accessory assembly that includes a base having an accessory mounted thereto. |
| US09116663B2 |
Method for changing device modes of an electronic device connected to a docking station and an electronic device configured for same
The present disclosure provides a docking station for docking one or multiple portable electronic devices, such as a tablet and a mobile telephone or smartphone. The present disclosure provides a method for changing device modes of an electronic device connected to a docking station, as well as an electronic device and a docking station configured for same. |
| US09116662B1 |
Image display device
An image display device includes a flexible display unit bendable by external force from a first state to a second state, the second state being a bent state; pressing members disposed on a rear surface of the flexible display unit and to apply the external force to the flexible display unit; a driving unit to generate a driving force to provide the external force to the pressing members such that bending of the flexible display unit is implemented; and a sensing unit to sense a degree of bending of the flexible display unit to provide a basis for determining a direction of the driving force. |
| US09116661B2 |
Storage serve
A storage server includes a cage, a midplane fixed on the cage, a fan module on midplane, at least one host, detachably disposed on the cage and electrically connected to the midplane, a plurality of HDD backplanes, detachably disposed on the cage and electrically connected to the midplane, and a plurality of data HDDs, detachably disposed on the cage and electrically connected to the HDD backplanes. The host can be detached from the cage along a first direction. The HDD backplanes can be detached from the cage along a second direction opposite to the first direction. The data HDDs and the host are respectively located at two opposite sides of the fan module, the data HDDs can be detached from the cage along a third direction intersected with the second direction and the first direction. |
| US09116660B1 |
Midplane for orthogonal direct connection
A novel midplane is shaped with voids through which a dataplane connection is made between components on one side of the midplane and components on the opposite side of the midplane. The voids in the novel midplane offer numerous advantages in the design of network devices, including improved cooling performance, minimizing rack unit space and maximizing interface density, improved signal integrity allowing greater bandwidth through elimination of midplane signaling connections, improved upgradability of orthogonal direct connectors with little or no impact on the midplane or chassis, and proper alignment between the components of the dataplane. |
| US09116654B1 |
Controlling the rendering of supplemental content related to electronic books
Architectures and techniques are provided to control the rendering of supplemental content associated with electronic books. For example, electronic books may be associated with content that is in addition to the content originally provided to an individual acquiring the electronic book, such as annotations, social networking site information, media outlet information, and the like. Individuals may control the supplemental electronic book content that is rendered via their client devices via actuation of a physical input device or a representation of an input device shown via a touch sensitive display. The amount of supplemental content that is rendered may correspond to information associated with a specified number of categories of supplemental electronic book content based on a supplemental content rendering level. In other implementations, the amount of supplemental electronic book content that is rendered may correspond to an amount of supplemental content to be rendered for each category of supplemental content. |
| US09116644B2 |
Image forming system, image forming apparatus, transmission apparatus, and non-transitory computer readable medium for distributing print data to other image forming apparatuses
An image forming system includes at least one transmission apparatus, and plural image forming apparatuses, wherein the transmission apparatus includes a transmission section that transmits printing data to a first image forming apparatus of the plural image forming apparatuses, wherein the first image forming apparatus includes a receiving section that receives printing data from the transmission apparatus or other image forming apparatuses, and a printing data transmission section that transmits the printing data or substantially identical printing data generated on the basis of the printing data, to the image forming apparatuses other than the own apparatus among the plural image forming apparatuses, when printing data which is substantially identical to the printing data received by the receiving section cannot be acquired from the image forming apparatuses corresponding to the predefined reference number among the plural image forming apparatuses. |
| US09116643B2 |
Retrieval of electronic document using hardcopy document
A method for managing a first version and a second version of an electronic document (ED), including: obtaining a request to print the first version of the ED; generating, in response to the request, a print job based on the first version of the ED and identifying a storage location of the second version of the ED, of which at least a part of contents is different from the first version of the ED; and sending the print job to a printer to generate a hardcopy document (HD) based on the first version of the ED, where the HD includes a graphical element specifying the storage location of the second version of the ED, and where the second version of the ED is accessible to a reader of the HD by visiting the storage location specified in the graphical element of the HD. |
| US09116636B1 |
System and method for adjusting QOS
A method, computer program product, and computing system for defining a plurality of LUNs within a storage array. The plurality of LUNs may be organized into a plurality of LUN groups. A first LUN group included within the plurality of LUN groups has a first QOS level and a second LUN group included within the plurality of LUN groups has a second QOS level. The first LUN group is assigned to a first server based at least in part upon the first QOS. The second LUN group is assigned to a second server based at least in part upon the second QOS. |
| US09116634B2 |
Configure storage class memory command
An abstraction for storage class memory is provided that hides the details of the implementation of storage class memory from a program, and provides a standard channel programming interface for performing certain actions, such as controlling movement of data between main storage and storage class memory or managing storage class memory. |
| US09116631B2 |
Mobile device and method of managing data using swap thereof
A mobile device includes a storage configured to store data, a buffer memory configured to include a swap victim buffer area and a normal data area, and an application processor configured to select page data to be swapped from the normal data area and to perform a swapping operation on the selected page data. The swapping operation performs an instant swapping operation or a lazy swapping operation according to a data type of the selected page data. |
| US09116628B2 |
Apparatus and method for providing a multicore programming platform
A computer-implemented method for generating a memory map of a target computer includes specifying, from a plurality of identifiers stored in a memory of a host computer, at least one identifier associated with a memory layout of the target computer. The method further includes specifying a value associated with the specified at least one identifier. The method further includes generating a memory map definition of the memory map using the at least one identifier and the associated at least one value. The method also includes deploying software on the target computer, the software incorporating the memory map definition and including an executable instruction that references the at least one identifier which is replaced with the associated value. |
| US09116627B2 |
Variable page sizing for improved physical clustering
A data size characteristic of contents of a related unit of data to be written to a storage by an input/output module of a data storage application can be determined, and a storage page size consistent with the data size can be selected from a plurality of storage page sizes. The related unit of data can be assigned to a storage page having the selected storage page size, and the storage page can be passed to the input/output module so that the input/output module physically clusters the contents of the related unit of data when the input/output module writes the contents of the related unit of data to the storage. Related methods, systems, and articles of manufacture are also disclosed. |
| US09116626B2 |
Failsafe directory file system in a dispersed storage network
A file directory system comprises a directory file, a directory address for the directory file, and a directory address failsafe mechanism. The directory file includes one or more directory entries and one or more corresponding addresses for the one or more directory entries. The directory address failsafe mechanism functions to dispersed storage error encode the directory address to produce a plurality of encoded components of the directory address and transmit the plurality of encoded components of the directory address to a plurality of agent modules. |
| US09116623B2 |
Optimizing storage system behavior in virtualized cloud computing environments by tagging input/output operation data to indicate storage policy
A method, system and computer program product for optimizing storage system behavior in a cloud computing environment. An Input/Output (I/O) operation data is appended with a tag, where the tag indicates a class of data for the I/O operation data. Upon the storage controller reviewing the tag appended to the I/O operation data, the storage controller performs a table look-up for the storage policy associated with the determined class of data. The storage controller applies a map to determine a storage location for the I/O operation data in a drive device, where the map represents a logical volume which indicates a range of block data that is to be excluded for being stored on the drive device and a range of block data that is to be considered for being stored on the drive device. In this manner, granularity of storage policies is provided in a cloud computing environment. |
| US09116621B1 |
System and method of transfer of control between memory locations
Disclosed are system and method for controlling execution of a program. An example method includes determining a memory sector of interest in a first virtual memory location; duplicating the memory sector of interest in a second virtual memory location; tagging the memory sector of interest in the first virtual address space and the duplicated memory sector in the second virtual address space with different tags; selecting between the memory sector of interest and the duplicated memory sector a memory location for execution of the program; executing, by a hardware processor, the program in the selected memory location until receipt of a notification to transfer execution of the program from a memory sector tagged with one tag to a memory sector tagged with a different tag; and transferring program execution to the memory location other than the one in which the notification was received. |
| US09116620B2 |
Controller and method for memory aliasing for different flash memory types
A controller and method for memory aliasing for different flash memory types are presented. In one embodiment, a controller is presented having one or more interfaces through which to communicate with a plurality of memory dies, wherein at least one of the memory dies is of a different memory type than the other memory dies. The controller also has an interface through which to communicate with a host, wherein the interface only supports commands for a single memory types. The controller further contains a processor that is configured to receive a logical address and a command from the host, determine which memory die is associated with the logical address, and translate the command received from the host to a form suitable for the memory type of the memory die associated with the logical address. |
| US09116619B2 |
Displaying storage device status conditions using multi-color light emitting diode
Displaying storage device status conditions using multi-color light emitting diodes (LEDs) involves monitoring values of a status condition of at least one persistent storage device. The values are mapped to two or more colors, and at least one multi-color LED displays the two or more colors in response to the respective values. |
| US09116612B2 |
Pressure sensitive controls
The use of pressure-sensitive controls is disclosed in which controls respond differently to different pressure applied by a stylus on a digitizer. Users interacting with displayed controls may modify the speed, increment, or other property of the control by pressing harder or softer. Devices that allow for the input of location and pressure information may use embodiments of the invention, including computers with pressure sensitive mice or digitizer tablets, PDAs, or tablet computers. Controls that may use pressure to augment their behavior include scrollbars, spinner controls, resize handles, buttons, drop down menus and so forth. |
| US09116609B2 |
Methods, apparatuses and computer program products for generating regions of interest using gestures via a user interface
An apparatus is provided for generating a region(s) of interest for a medical image(s). The apparatus includes at least one memory and at least one processor configured to receive an indication of one or more touches at corresponding locations on a touch enabled display. The respective touches define a touch point at the corresponding location. The processor is further configured to generate one or more regions of interest associated with areas of a medical image(s) responsive to receipt of the indications. A location of respective regions of interest corresponds to locations of touch points. The processor is further configured to define a diameter of regions of interest based on a width/pressure of the touch points and define the regions of interest to include a disc including a contour(s). The regions of interest correspond to an area for annotating the medical image(s). Corresponding computer program products and methods are also provided. |
| US09116604B2 |
Multi-device visual correlation interaction
Multi-device visual correlation interaction includes displaying, by a first device, a user interface representation of a user interface displayed by a second device, the user interface representation containing one or more element representations, each element representation corresponding to an element contained within the user interface displayed by the second device; receiving from a user of the first device, a selection of a particular element representation of the user interface representation, the particular element representation corresponding to a particular element contained within the user interface; transmitting to the second device, by the first device, a contextual information request corresponding to the selection; in response to transmitting the contextual information request, receiving from the second device, by the first device, contextual information corresponding to the selection; and generating based on the contextual information, by the first device, a contextual list of actions associated with the particular element. |
| US09116600B2 |
Automatically personalizing application user interface
A computer-implemented method for automatically personalizing applications includes: receiving, in a computer system, user behavior data for multiple users of at least one application program, the application program having a user interface with multiple input controls displayed on multiple different panes, and the user behavior data reflecting actions performed using the input controls on the panes; identifying, using the computer system, at least one usage pattern in the user behavior data as meeting a usage pattern criterion; storing a personalization record based on identifying the usage pattern, the personalization record specifying the usage pattern as a sequence of activating at least some of the input controls on at least some of the panes; and automatically generating, using the computer system and based on the personalization record, a modified user interface according to the identified usage pattern. |
| US09116599B2 |
Systems and methods for visualizing a 3D scene using a flexible display
A system and method for visualizing a 3D scene using a flexible display are disclosed. The 3D scene reflects a model of graphics objects, where each graphics object is represented by 3D primitives such as vertices, lines, or surfaces. A display processor generates a 2D image of the 3D scene using various graphics rendering techniques such as non-linear ray-tracing algorithms. A sensor associated with the flexible display detects that a surface profile of the display has been altered, which causes the display processor to generate a new 2D image of the 3D scene. The effect is that flexing the display allows the user to view the 3D scene from a different perspective. In one embodiment, the different perspective is viewing the object from a different camera position. In another embodiment, the different perspective is provided by generating an exploded view of an assembly of graphics objects. |
| US09116598B1 |
User interface for use in computing device with sensitive display
A user interface at a computing device with a sensitive display is disclosed. A dialog is popped up, on the sensitive display, at a position that is predetermined pixels away from the position of hover or a tap of an object detected by the sensitive display. A menu for operation of a computer program is displayed responsive to such hover being detected above a predetermined location within a screen of the computer program on the sensitive display. An assistance object for assisting a tappable object to be tapped is displayed responsive to such hover being detected above the tappable object on the sensitive display. A tappable object is emphasized responsive to such hover being detected above the tappable object on the sensitive display. |
| US09116597B1 |
Information management software
Computer systems are managed by providing systems programmers with visual displays and user interfaces that identify certain issues and allow the system programmer to readily apply fixes, patches, and other updates without tediously sifting through a mountain of information and manually addressing those issues. The systems herein, provide a more streamlined approach for the system programmer by reducing the possibility of overlooking a particular issue that may adversely affect the system. |
| US09116596B2 |
Sharing images and comments across different devices
Some embodiments provide tools that allow a user to share content on one device with multiple other users using different devices. To facilitate the sharing operations, the content sharing tools allow the user to (1) create a shared stream that represents a set of shared content and (2) invite one or more recipients to subscribe to the shared stream. When a recipient subscribes to the shared stream, the set of content is streamed across one or more of his or her devices. The content sharing tools of some embodiments can be used to exchange comments regarding the stream's content. |
| US09116594B2 |
Mobile terminal and control method thereof
A mobile terminal is provided that includes a display unit configured to display one or more windows at a time, and a controller configured to generate a first window and a second window separate from the first window when an event occurs in the first window. The controller is configured to control the display unit to display at least one of the first window and the second window. Methods for controlling the mobile terminal are also provided. |
| US09116592B2 |
Data processing device for processing input data to be used for printing, printer including the processing device, and non-transitory computer readable recording medium storing a data processing program
A data processing device includes an input unit including an input detection region, a detection unit, a partition region setting unit, a valid region setting unit, a longitudinal direction determination unit and a magnification determination unit. The detection unit detects input to the input detection region. The partition region setting unit partitions the input detection region into partition regions. The valid region setting unit sets, among said partitioned partition regions, a partition region in which input is detected as a valid region. The longitudinal direction determination unit determines a longitudinal direction of the valid region. The magnification determination unit determines a magnification for enlarging or reducing a size of a drawing corresponding to the input in the valid region, so that a width along a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the valid region conforms to a width along a transverse direction of a printing medium. |
| US09116590B2 |
5-wire resistive touch screen pressure measurement circuit and method
A 5-wire touch screen system includes a touch screen (10) including a wiper (11) and a resistive layer (16) aligned with the wiper and first (UL), second (UR), third (LR), and fourth (LL) resistive layer contacts, wherein a touch on the screen presses a small portion of the wiper against the resistive layer, producing a touch resistance (RZ) between them at a touch point on the resistive layer. The wiper and various contacts are selectively coupled to first (VDD) and second (GND) reference voltages, respectively, to generate an analog touch voltage (VZ) at the touch point. The wiper and various contacts are selectively coupled to an analog input (56) and a reference voltage input of an ADC (48) for converting the touch voltage (VZ) to a digital representation. Analog voltages (VX) and (VY) at the touch point are converted to corresponding digital representations by the ADC. |
| US09116589B2 |
Single-layer projected capacitive touch panel and method of manufacturing the same
A single-layer projected capacitive touch panel has a glass cover, a touch sensing circuit layer, an insulating ink layer, a conductive wire layer, an insulator layer, a conductive glue layer and a flexible printed circuit (FPC) board. The touch sensing circuit layer, the insulating ink layer, the conductive wire layer, the insulator layer and the conductive glue layer are mounted on a circuit surface of the glass cover in sequence. The insulating ink layer covers the touch sensing circuit layer and has multiple through slots. Each through slot is filled with an electric conductor. The FPC is fastened on the conductive wire layer by a conductive glue layer. Therefore, the touch panel of the present invention is thinner, provides better penetrability and costs less than conventional projected capacitive touch panels. |
| US09116584B2 |
Dielectric layer for touch sensor stack
In one embodiment, a touch sensor includes a substrate comprising a first surface. The touch sensor further includes a plurality of first electrodes comprising one or more conductive materials on the first surface. The touch sensor further includes a dielectric layer formed over the first electrodes and at least a portion of the first surface. The dielectric layer has a dielectric constant less than or equal to approximately 3. |
| US09116582B2 |
Capacitive touch panel having protrusions formed between drive and/or sensor electrodes
A capacitive touch panel includes elongated drive electrodes arranged next to one another and having a characteristic spacing between adjacent drive electrodes. The capacitive touch panel also includes elongated sensor electrodes arranged next to one another across the drive electrodes and having a characteristic spacing between adjacent sensor electrodes. The drive electrodes and/or the sensor electrodes have protrusions into the spaces between adjacent electrodes. The characteristic spacing between the sensor electrodes may be at least substantially greater than the characteristic spacing between the drive electrodes. The sensor electrodes may have a pitch based upon a touch diameter of a finger, and the touch panel may be capable of sensing a stylus having a touch diameter substantially less than the touch diameter of the finger. |
| US09116579B2 |
MIMO sonic touch panel and MIMO smart sound potential server
A multi input and multi output (MIMO) sonic touch panel includes at least a sonic touch module and a display module. The sonic touch module includes a first carrier layer, a first vibrating layer and a first conducting layer. The first vibrating layer is disposed at the first carrier layer. The first conducting layer is disposed at the first carrier layer or the first vibrating layer and coupled with the first vibrating layer. The first conducting layer and the first vibrating layer are located at the same side or the opposite side of the first carrier layer. The display module is disposed opposite to the sound touch module. Besides, a MIMO smart sound potential server is also disclosed. |
| US09116578B2 |
Optical distance determination device, optical touch monitoring system and method for measuring distance of a touch point on an optical touch panel
An optical distance determination device includes a first image sensor, an auxiliary image sensor, and a distance measuring module. The first image sensor is for capturing a first image comprising image information of an object. The auxiliary image sensor is for capturing an auxiliary image comprising image information of the object, and a physical distance between the first image sensor and the auxiliary image sensor. The distance measuring module is for calculating pixel distance of an image formation position of the object in the first image and the auxiliary image for calculating an approximate distance between the object and the first image sensor according to the pixel distance, the physical distance, and focal lengths of the first image sensor and the auxiliary image sensor. |
| US09116576B2 |
Photosensitive pixel circuit of touch module
A photosensitive pixel circuit of a touch module including an output transistor and a light detection unit is provided. The output transistor receives a reference signal and provides a touch voltage controlled by a light detection voltage. The light detection unit is electrically connected to the output transistor, and receives a touch scan signal. The light detection unit detects an intensity of a light according to the touch scan signal so as to correspondingly provide the light detection voltage. |
| US09116575B2 |
Capacitance sensing circuit and power supplying apparatus utilizing the capacitance sensing circuit
A capacitance sensing circuit, comprising: a first voltage source; a first switch, wherein the first voltage source charges a sensing capacitor to a first voltage when the first switch is conductive; a base capacitor; a second voltage source; a second switch, wherein the second voltage source charges the base capacitor to a second voltage when the second switch is conductive, where the first switch and the second switch are simultaneously conductive via a control signal; a first comparator, for outputting a first comparing result according to a voltage difference between a sensing voltage on the sensing capacitor and a base voltage on the base capacitor, and a voltage difference between the first voltage and the second voltage; and a voltage holding circuit, for keeping the base voltage at a reference voltage. |
| US09116574B2 |
Optical touch device and gesture detecting method thereof
A gesture detecting method is adapted to an optical touch device. The optical touch device includes an indication plane and two image sensing units disposed at two corners of one side of the indication plane. The gesture detecting method includes steps of sensing two images of a gesture by the two image sensing units, wherein the gesture is performed on the indication plane; determining whether at least two touch points exist in one of the two images; if at least two touch points exist in one of the two images, generating a quadrangle according to a far left boundary and a far right boundary of each of the two images; calculating a reference radius of a reference circle corresponding to the quadrangle; and determining whether the gesture is a grab gesture according to a variance of the reference radius. |
| US09116572B2 |
Disambiguation of touch input events on a touch sensor panel
A touch input device configured to detect a touch input event and determine if the touch input event is caused by a floating object is provided. The touch input device includes one or more electrodes that scanned with a set of stimulation signals to first detect the presence of a touch event and then scanned with subsequent sets of stimulation signals in order to determine if the touch event is from a grounded object, a poorly grounded object, or a floating object. |
| US09116569B2 |
Touch-sensitive display method and apparatus
A portable electronic device comprises at least one force sensor configured to generate a force signal based at least in part on a force applied to a touch-sensitive display and a processor configured to receive the force signal and to provide a feedback signal when the force exceeds a force threshold. The at least one force sensor may be integrated into the touch-sensitive display. |
| US09116567B2 |
Systems and methods for managing the display of content on an electronic device
Systems and methods are provided for managing the display of content on an electronic rollable device (600). According to certain aspects, the systems and methods facilitate communications and applications of a rollable device with a display screen interface. The device detects an interaction with the display screen interface by a user (605), such as the user grasping the device. From the interaction, the device identifies a position of the user's hand and, based on the position, a set of configuration settings, and/or other variables, determines a display region on the touchscreen to display a graphic (635) associated with the communications and applications. The device displays the graphic within the display region and receives and processes input from the user. |
| US09116564B2 |
Touch screen panel and display device with the same
A touch screen panel, which may be included in a display device, is capable of removing influence due to static electricity applied from the outside by forming a guard ring pattern at an edge of one surface of a window substrate and by implementing a connection part electrically connected to the guard ring pattern so as to directly contact a bezel supporting the touch screen panel. The touch screen panel includes: a transparent substrate divided into an active area and a non-active area positioned at an outside portion of the active area; sensing patterns formed in the active area of a first surface of the transparent substrate; sensing lines formed in the non-active area of the first surface of the transparent substrate and connected to the sensing patterns; and a window substrate provided with a guard ring pattern attached to a second surface of the transparent substrate and formed at an edge of a surface thereof attached to the transparent substrate, and at least one connection part extended from one side of the guard ring pattern. |
| US09116560B1 |
Touch pen with haptic feedback
The touch pen with haptic feedback includes a first ball configured for communicating with a touch-sensitive surface, a body having a first opening configured for retaining the first ball, a second ball bearing against the first ball, the second ball being configured for controlling the movement of the first ball along the touch-sensitive surface, an inverted cradle including a plurality of arms, each of the plurality of arms having a first end and a second end, and a plurality of third balls, the third balls mounted on the second end of a corresponding one of the arms, the plurality of third balls bearing against the second ball. The plurality of third balls is configured for improving haptic feedback and accuracy when the first ball is in communication with the touch-sensitive surface. |
| US09116556B2 |
Dual mode mouse device
A point device is used with a computer device, and the point device includes a fixed base and a main body. The fixed base has a first hinge portion and a sensing displacement module, the first hinge portion locates on one end of the fixed base, and the sensing displacement module is electrically located in the fixed base to generate a displacement signal. Further, the main body includes a second hinge portion and a processing unit, and the second hinge portion locates on one end of the main body and pivoted on the first hinge portion. The main body and the fixed base are selectively rotated to a first angle or a second angle. Wherein, the processing unit is electrically located in the main body and is electrically connected to the sensing displacement module for receiving the displacement signal and transmitting the displacement signal to the computer device. |
| US09116553B2 |
Method and apparatus for confirmation of object positioning
A method and apparatus for determining an indication of interaction in a direction towards a webcam. The method includes the steps of determining an object in a region of interest, determining a first size of the object in the region of interest and tracking the object in the region of interest. A second size of the object in the region of interest is then determined, and a push interaction is confirmed as having taken place if the ratio of the second size to the first size is greater than a predetermined value. |
| US09116552B2 |
Touchscreen keyboard providing selection of word predictions in partitions of the touchscreen keyboard
A method, including receiving an input of a character from a virtual keyboard displayed on a display; generating at least two sets of predicted input characters based on the input character; displaying at least two of the generated sets of predicted input characters at an input field, wherein each displayed set is displayed at a position in a defined arrangement; and selecting one of the displayed sets of predicted input characters in accordance with a gesture received at a partition of the virtual keyboard is disclosed. An electronic device and a non-transitory computer-readable medium to perform the method are also disclosed. |
| US09116546B2 |
System for haptically representing sensor input
A haptic representation system is provided that generates a haptic effect in response to sensor input. The sensor input is mapped to a haptic signal. The haptic signal is sent to an actuator configured to receive the haptic signal. The actuator utilizes the haptic signal to generate the haptic effect. |
| US09116544B2 |
Method and system for interfacing with an electronic device via respiratory and/or tactual input
Aspects of a method and system for interfacing with an electronic device via respiratory and/or tactual input are provided. In this regard, respiratory and tactual input may be utilized to interact with an electronic device via a user interface. The user interface may comprise a control region that may enable navigating and selecting objects, a fixed region that may enable display of information that may be independent of a state of, or activity in, the control region, and a content region that may enable display of information that may depend on a state of, or activity in, the control region. Accordingly, objects and/or information displayed on the electronic device may be affected and/or manipulated via tactual and respiratory input. Additionally, each region of the user interface may comprise one or more zones and a size, shape, and/or location of each region may be customized by a user. |
| US09116538B2 |
Method and apparatus to increase efficiency in a power factor correction circuit
A power factor correction (PFC) controller includes a capacitor, an error amplifier, a switching frequency adjuster, a comparator, and a drive signal generator. The current source generates a current that is representative of an instantaneous input voltage of a PFC converter to charge the capacitor when a power switch of the PFC converter is off. The switching frequency adjuster generates an adjusted error signal in response to an error signal generated by the error amplifier. The comparator compares a voltage on the capacitor with the adjusted error signal to generate a first signal to end an off time of the power switch. The drive signal generator controls switching of the power switch in response to the first signal. The switching frequency adjuster changes the adjusted error signal in response to changes in the error signal to adjust an average switching frequency of the power switch. |
| US09116536B2 |
Data center
A data center inside a shipping container having computing equipment and associated devices located in its interior. The data center includes computing equipment, an internal network, an external network, power supplies, a lighting system, and a controller. The power supplies and the lighting system connect to the controller, which in turn connects to the internal network. The computing equipment connects to the power supplies. A remote computing device connected to the external network communicates with the controller through the internal network. The remote computing device receives information from the controller and instructs the controller to selectively energize and de-energize the power supplies and the lighting system. The controller may have a user interface configured to display data associated with the computing equipment and other devices and systems located within the container. |
| US09116534B2 |
DC-DC controller having transient response enhancement
A DC-DC controller is provided. The DC-DC controller is connected to an output stage and a load, and the output stage is connected to the load through an output inductor. The DC-DC controller includes an error amplifier, a pulse width modulation (PWM) generation circuit and a compensation circuit. A first input terminal of the error amplifier is connected to one terminal of the output inductor. A second terminal of the error amplifier receives a reference voltage. The PWM generation circuit is connected to the error amplifier and provides a PWM signal to the output stage. The compensation circuit is at least connected to an output terminal of the error amplifier. The compensation circuit includes an adjustable capacitor circuit. The adjustable capacitor circuit adjusts an equivalent capacitance value according to a change of the load dynamically, so as to speed up a reaction rate in the transient response. |
| US09116533B2 |
Cascoded semiconductor devices with gate bias circuit
The invention provides a cascode transistor circuit with a depletion mode transistor and a switching device. A gate bias circuit is connected between the gate of the depletion mode transistor and the low power line. The gate bias circuit is adapted to compensate the forward voltage of a diode function of the switching device. The depletion mode transistor and the gate bias circuit are formed as part of an integrated circuit. |
| US09116532B2 |
Power semiconductor device module
A power semiconductor device module includes a plurality of inverters, each having a first transistor and a second transistor that are interposed in series between a first potential and a second potential and that operate complementarily. The plurality of inverters are assembled into a module. Only one predetermined inverter of the plurality of inverters is configured to detect temperatures of the first and second transistors, and control terminals for detection of the temperatures of the first and second transistors protrude from sides of the module. |
| US09116531B2 |
Methods and systems for current output mode configuration of universal input-output modules
A system includes a triple modular redundant (TMR) control system comprising three controllers. Each controller of the three controllers includes a current driver system configured to detect and regulate a portion of a total current output of the TMR control system, and a universal input-output (UIO) system comprising a plurality of universal input-output (UIO) ports, wherein the universal input-output (UIO) system is configured to detect the portion of the total current output and the total current output of the TMR control system via one or more of the plurality of the UIO ports, compare the portion of the total current output and the total current output of the TMR control system, and adjust the portion of the total current output according to a predetermined total current output threshold. |
| US09116529B2 |
Thermostat with self-configuring connections to facilitate do-it-yourself installation
A thermostat compatible with single-HVAC- and dual-HVAC-transformer systems may include a first power return wire connector, a second power return wire connector, and a user-moveable mechanical element that physically blocks wire insertion into the first wire connector when in a first position and physically allows wire insertion into the first wire connector when in a second position. The thermostat may also include a switching circuit that may be in a first configuration when the mechanical element is in the first position, and in a second configuration when the mechanical element is in the second position. The first wire connector may be electrically coupled to the second wire connector in the first configuration, and first wire connector may be electrically isolated from the second wire connector in the second configuration to promote foolproofing against undesired isolation of the first and second wire connectors. |
| US09116525B2 |
Reference angle detecting device
A reference angle detecting device includes a control shaft connected to a controlled object, an electric motor causing the control shaft to rotate via a worm gear mechanism, a stopper disposed on a motion track of a worm wheel, an angle sensor that can detect a rotation angle of the control shaft, and a controller. The stopper includes a spring member which is elastically deformable in an operation direction of the worm wheel. The controller drives the electric motor to operate so that the worm wheel may face the stopper, and stores the rotation angle at a time point when a change rate ω of the rotation angle θ detected by the angle sensor changes to a value less than a predetermined threshold ω1 as a reference angle θ0. Therefore, the reference angle can be detected with high accuracy for control of an angle of the control shaft. |
| US09116520B2 |
Automatic estimation process and device for a flight parameter vector in an aircraft, as well as detection methods and assemblies for a failure affecting such a vector
Embodiments of the disclosure include methods and devices in which a flight parameter vector for an aircraft is automatically estimated and then compared to a threshold to determine whether the flight parameter vector is accurate. The detection device estimates a coefficient vector in an observation window, calculates an estimated flight parameter value, and minimizes an error associated with the observation window when calculating the estimated flight parameter value of the flight parameter vector. Comparisons may be performed by a failure detector or a flight control computer to determine failures impacting the flight parameter vector. |
| US09116519B2 |
Method for implementing quality alarms in an energy management system
Methods for creating high quality alarms raise EMS operator awareness to abnormal conditions in monitored assets across multiple sites in a single EMS software platform. An embodiment includes steps for accessing an alarm designer software tool that contains a library of alarm definitions and the ability to create new alarm definitions, clone and edit existing alarm definitions, lock alarm definitions and delete alarm definitions. Applicable data is defined using channel attributes identifying which channel or channels associated with the multiple monitored sites are to be evaluated for alarming conditions. The alarm frequency, trigger conditions, pending open duration, close conditions, and pending close duration are also defined. Alarms can trigger upon one or more channels' behavior over periods of time and conditional relationships between multiple channels. Close conditions for an alarm can be, but are not required to be, the resolution of the trigger conditions. |
| US09116518B2 |
Method and a device for detecting an electrical failure affecting an electric control system of a hydraulic actuator of variable geometries of an aeroengine
After the control system has been started, which system has two control paths that are used as alternatives for delivering a control electric current to an electrohydraulic member for transforming said current into hydraulic power that is delivered to the actuator, and before powering a starter-generator of the engine, the detection method comprises implementing the following steps for each of the control paths in succession: delivering a predetermined test electric current over said path; evaluating a difference between the test electric current and a measurement of the electric current as transformed into hydraulic power by the electrohydraulic member; and if said difference is greater than a predefined threshold, detecting an electrical failure on said path. |
| US09116517B2 |
Method, system and computer product for controlling a manufacturing process
A method and a system control a manufacturing process. The method includes providing an MES system with a product definition model having at least one product-related entity. Define for one product-related entity a set of product-related entities referencing the one product-related entity and each other via a nested structure. Define for each product-related entity a set of product-related parameters to define the information that may be sent to the MES system. Within the product definition model, define an additional entity called parameter exchange definition for providing a tool for defining how data of product-related parameters of nested product-related entities and of the parent product related entity are to be exchanged among each other. At engineering time, build the given product definition of the given final material by inserting the entities. At run time, instantiating the entities into run-time production requests objects obtained by the given product definition. |
| US09116514B2 |
Configurable process control device with electronic display assembly
A configurable process control device, which includes a field device, such as a valve position controller, that can be configured by a user to emulate any one of a plurality of different types of process control devices, is provided with an electronic display assembly. The electronic display assembly is operatively connected with a control circuit that is arranged to respond to the specific configuration of the field device to cause the electronic display assembly to display information relevant to the specific type of control device the field device has been configured to emulate. The information may include safety certification information specific to each of the different types of process control devices that the field device can be configured to emulate. |
| US09116513B2 |
Methods and systems for efficient security screening
A path of a security checkpoint may lead from an entrance to an identification checkpoint, and from the identification checkpoint to at least one recomposure station. A display may display an expected wait time for at least one person to pass from the entrance to the exit, the person using at least the first portion of the path. A first audio system may provide a type of music to a first area covering at least a second portion of the path, a location of the first area and the type of music determined based on proximity of the second portion of the path to the identification checking station. A second audio system may provide instructions to a second area covering at least a third portion of the path, a location of the second area determined based on proximity of the third portion to the identification checking station. |
| US09116508B2 |
Analog electronic timepiece which controls hand movement based on measurement of an external magnetic field
An analog electronic timepiece includes a magnetic field measurement unit; a time counting unit; a plurality of hands which are arranged so as to be rotatable; a hand control unit which controls rotation of the plurality of hands; and a timing control unit which controls such that a period of time for executing the rotation of the hands by the hand control unit does not overlap with a period of time for measuring an external magnetic field by the magnetic field measurement unit. |
| US09116507B2 |
Universal timepiece
A universal timepiece includes a manual mechanism to shift selectively some of geographical labels borne by a dial by 1/24th of a revolution, to make it possible to change, by one hour, local times associated with the geographical labels during a change from wintertime to summertime or from summertime to wintertime. |
| US09116503B2 |
Developing unit, process cartridge and electrophotographic image forming apparatus
A developing unit for an electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a developing roller, having a shaft member, for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive drum using a developer; and a bearing for rotatably supporting the shaft member, the bearing including a bearing base portion of a first resin molded material and a bearing portion of a second resin molded material different from the first resin molded material, the bearing portion having a through-hole, wherein the bearing portion includes a contact portion contacting a stepped abutting portion of the shaft member, and a retaining portion overlapping with the bearing base portion in a direction crossing with an axial direction of the shaft member. |
| US09116502B2 |
Image forming apparatus for maintaining positions of photosensitive drums relative to casing
An image forming apparatus includes a cartridge and a casing. The cartridge includes a photosensitive drum, a developing roller, a developing frame, and a drum frame. The developing frame is movable between a contact position and a separated position. A separating member provided on the drum frame acts on the developing frame, so that a reaction force is exerted in a reaction force direction. The casing includes a positioning member, an urging member, and a separation pressing member. The positioning member has a first surface and a second surface. The urging member is configured to urge an end portion of the photosensitive drum toward the positioning member in an urging direction. The first surface is configured to support the end portion at a position downstream of the urging direction. The second surface is configured to support the end portion at a portion downstream of the reaction force direction. |
| US09116500B2 |
Image forming apparatus having two housings and method for assembling the same
An image forming apparatus includes a first housing, a second housing pivotable relative to the first housing in such a manner as to be located to an open position and a close position, a slider provided in one of the first and second housings configured to be slidable relative to the one in a slide moving direction, a connecting portion provided in the other of the housings; an arm member configured to connected each of the slider and the connecting portion to be pivotable relative to each of them, and an elastic member comprising a first engaging portion engaging with the slider and a second engaging portion engaging with the one of the housings. The elastic member applies, to the slider, a force in a direction in which the slider moves closer to the connecting portion, when the second housing is in the close position. |
| US09116497B2 |
Image forming apparatus and control method
An image forming apparatus includes a fixing section, a low voltage detection circuit, an arithmetic control section, and a storage section. The fixing section has a heater and fixes a toner image on recording paper with heat of the heater. The low voltage detection circuit detects a drop in an input voltage from a power source. The arithmetic control section determines, when a drop in the input voltage is detected by the low voltage detection circuit, whether the drop in the input voltage is linked to working of the heater. The arithmetic control section lowers the temperature of the heater when the drop in the input voltage is linked to the working of the heater, and causes the storage section to store a result of the detection by the low voltage detection circuit when the drop in the input voltage is not linked to the working of the heater. |
| US09116494B2 |
Fixing device having a fuser pad of varying thickness and image forming apparatus incorporating same
A fixing device includes a rotatable, flexible fuser belt, a fuser pad, and a pressure member. The rotatable, flexible fuser belt is looped into a generally cylindrical configuration. The fuser pad extends in an axial, longitudinal direction thereof inside the loop of the fuser belt. The pressure member extends in the axial direction opposite the fuser pad with the fuser belt interposed between the fuser pad and the pressure member. The pressure member presses against the fuser pad through the fuser belt in a load direction to form a fixing nip therebetween, through which a recording medium is conveyed in a conveyance direction. The fuser pad includes an upstream section, a midstream section, and a downstream section having differing thicknesses is a load direction arranged in series from upstream to downstream in the conveyance direction. |
| US09116490B2 |
Image forming apparatus having communication board for near field communication
An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit; a housing configured to store the image forming unit, the housing including an outer peripheral wall; a power supply unit disposed inside the housing; and a near field communication board including an antenna for near field communication, the near field communication board being disposed at a position of the outer peripheral wall apart from the power supply unit by a communicable distance or more. |
| US09116486B2 |
Control device, control method, and image forming apparatus
A control device includes an acquiring unit acquiring code image data expressing a code image having dots arranged in an array that expresses information; a generating unit extracting the dots from the code image and generating patch image data expressing patch images having the dots orderly arranged in different densities; an image-formation control unit controlling an image forming unit so as to form the patch images based on the patch image data in accordance with a preset image forming condition by using an invisible toner; a measuring unit measuring densities of the patch images; and a changing unit changing the image forming condition if at least one measured density is outside a density range set according to a corresponding dot density based on a correspondence relationship between the measured densities and densities of the dots, so that all of the measured densities are set within the corresponding density ranges. |
| US09116484B2 |
Image forming apparatus, power control method, and recording medium
An image forming apparatus comprises: a piezoelectric sensor that produces an variable output signal depending on the amount of infrared energy; a human body detecting device having a lens that forms a detecting area serving for detecting if the person enters; a peak detector that detects a peak of an output signal produced when the person enters the detecting area; an offset voltage judgment portion that judges if the output signal falls to the offset voltage after the peak; a moving direction judgment portion that judges the direction in which the person moves in the detecting area; and a mode controller that switches the power supply mode to a first mode if the power supply mode is found to be a second mode requiring less power than the first mode while the moving direction judgment portion judges that the person moves toward the image forming apparatus. |
| US09116482B2 |
Image forming apparatus
A heating member has a multi-layered structure of n layers in total to which layer numbers are assigned sequentially from one on a heat source side to a surface in contact with a recording medium. An n−th layer is heated by the heat source. The thermal permeability of the n−th layer is larger than the thermal permeability of a n−1−th layer and satisfies the following relationship: √{square root over (αnt)}≦dn where, αn[m2/s] is the thermal diffusivity of the n−th layer, and dn[m] is the thickness of the n−th layer. |
| US09116475B2 |
Fixing device fixing transferred developing agent image to sheet
Some fixing devices include a nip member, an endless belt, a rotating member and a stay. The stay, in some arrangements, has a first supporting face. Additionally, the first supporting face includes a first downstream edge. The first downstream edge includes a first portion, a third portion, and a second portion. According to various aspects, the second portion is positioned between the first portion and the third portion. The second supporting face includes a second downstream edge. The second downstream edge has a fourth portion, a sixth portion, and a fifth portion. According to further aspects, the second portion and the fifth portion define a first distance while the first portion and the fourth portion define a second distance, and the third portion and the sixth portion define a third distance. The second distance and the third distance is longer than the first distance in some examples. |
| US09116474B2 |
Image forming apparatus and translation control method
An image forming apparatus includes: a fixing unit that heats and presses a recording sheet having a toner image formed thereon, by means of a fixing nip portion to thereby fix the toner image to the recording sheet; a translation section that translates the fixing unit in a direction that is orthogonal to a conveying direction of the recording sheet; and a controlling section that controls the translation section so that the fixing unit is translated by a translation amount that is one-half of a value obtained by subtracting an image width of the toner image from a sheet width of the recording sheet. |
| US09116471B2 |
Image forming apparatus
A control part provided in an image forming apparatus controls a moving unit so as to cause a secondary transfer rotary member to move from an intermediate position to an abutment position at a first moving speed in the case of bringing the secondary transfer rotary member into abutment against an intermediate transfer member during an exposure period or a primary transfer period, and to cause the secondary transfer rotary member to move from a separation position to the abutment position at a second moving speed higher than the first moving speed in the case of bringing the secondary transfer rotary member into abutment against the intermediate transfer member during a period other than the exposure period and the primary transfer period. Thus, the productivity can be prevented from being degraded while a load change at a time of the abutment of the secondary transfer rotary member is reduced. |
| US09116469B2 |
Cleaning device and image forming apparatus
A cleaning device includes a cleaning device body including a cleaning member, the cleaning member being in contact with a surface of an image carrier so as to remove developer retained on the surface of the image carrier; and a fixing member that fixes an end of the cleaning device body in a longitudinal direction to a side surface of a frame that supports the image carrier and corresponds to the end of the cleaning device body in the longitudinal direction. |
| US09116467B2 |
Developing apparatus having a cutting surface at an end portion and process cartridge
A developing apparatus used in an image forming apparatus, including: a developer carrying member configured to carry a developer; and a control member configured to control the amount of a developer carried on the developer carrying member, wherein the control member is manufactured by cutting a supporting member covered with a covering member in a cutting direction intersecting a surface of the supporting member so as to be a predetermined length in the longitudinal direction thereof, and the covering member provided on the upstream side of the control member in the cutting direction comes into contact with the developer carrying member. |
| US09116461B2 |
Developing device
A developing device is provided. The developing device includes a housing, a developer carrier which is rotatably supported by the housing, and a layer thickness regulating member which includes a blade configured to contact the developer carrier along a rotational axial direction of the developer carrier, a support member supporting the blade, and a reinforcement member provided at an opposite side to the support member with respect to the blade and reinforcing the blade. The support member includes a first part which contacts the blade, and to which the blade is fixed, a second part which is connected to the reinforcement member, and a third part which is attached to the housing. As viewed from the rotational axial direction, the first part and the third part are provided on a same first plane, and the second part is provided on a second plane intersecting with the first plane. |
| US09116460B2 |
Reducing toner adhesion to a development device of an image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a latent image forming device that forms a latent image, a latent image carrier that carries the latent image, a development device that develops the latent image, and a controller. The development device includes a developer carrier that faces the latent image carrier and carries toner on a rotary surface thereof that rotates in a rotation direction perpendicular to a width direction of the developer carrier, and a regulation member that regulates the thickness of a layer of the toner on the surface of the developer carrier. The controller moves the toner on lateral end regions in the width direction of the surface of the developer carrier toward the latent image carrier. The end regions are located outside a maximum image forming region within a regulation member facing region of the surface of the developer carrier facing the regulation member. |
| US09116457B2 |
Optical deflector, optical scanning apparatus, and image forming apparatus
An optical deflector including a rotary member supported by a bearing shaft and rotatively driven by a motor for deflecting a plurality of laser beams separated from each other in a rotational axis direction of the rotary member is disclosed. The optical deflector includes a polygon mirror having four sides arranged about the rotational axis direction. Each of the four sides is a continuous plane having a plurality of effective reflection areas separated from each other in the rotational axis direction. |
| US09116455B2 |
Charging device
A grid of a charging device is cleaned without causing the grid to contact a member to be charged. In this structure, to suppress non-uniform charging due to wear of the grid, which is pulled toward a discharge electrode, for a long time, first and second protective layers are provided. The first protective layer is provided on a surface of a base member of the grid that faces the cleaning member. The second protective layer is provided on a surface of the base member that faces the pressing member. The second protective layer is thicker than the first protective layer. |
| US09116454B2 |
Density detection apparatus and method and image forming apparatus
A density detection apparatus includes the following elements. An image forming unit forms density detection images having different area ratios. A measuring unit measures an amount of reflected light. A storage unit stores reference values and also stores a representative value thereof. A determining unit determines a threshold for the area ratios of the density detection images on the basis of a variation among the reference values. A density obtaining unit obtains, for a density detection image having an area ratio which exceeds the threshold, a density level by using the amount of light reflected by the density detection image and the representative value, and obtains, for a density detection image having an area ratio which is equal to or smaller than the threshold, a density level by using the amount of light reflected by the density detection image, the associated reference value, and the representative value. |
| US09116447B2 |
Microscope for reticle inspection with variable illumination settings
A mask inspection microscope for variably setting the illumination. It serves for generating an image of the structure of a reticle arranged in an object plane in a field plane of the mask inspection microscope. It comprises a light source that emits projection light, at least one illumination beam path, and a first diaphragm for generating a resultant intensity distribution of the projection light in a pupil plane of the illumination beam path, that is optically conjugate with respect to the object plane. The mask inspection microscope has at least one further diaphragm for generating the resultant intensity distribution. The first diaphragm and the at least one further diaphragm influence the resultant intensity distribution of the projection light at least partly at different locations of the pupil plane. |
| US09116445B2 |
Resonant cavity conditioning for improved nonlinear crystal performance
Systems and methods to improve the performance of nonlinear crystals in a resonant cavity are presented. A humidified purge gas is supplied to a resonant cavity of a laser based illumination source that includes a nonlinear crystal. A small amount of water vapor is added to a clean, dry purge gas to prevent excessive drying of the nonlinear crystal during storage or operation. In some embodiments, a humidity injection system includes at least two parallel flow paths. One flow path includes a humidity injector and another does not include humidity injection. The amount of water vapor added to the purge gas flow is determined at least in part by the relative flow rate between the parallel flow paths. In some embodiments, the amount of water vapor added to the purge gas flow is regulated based on a measurement of humidity in the resonant cavity. |
| US09116444B2 |
Method of calculating amount of fluctuation of imaging characteristic of projection optical system, exposure apparatus, and method of fabricating device
In a case where a substrate is exposed to exposure light of a first wavelength band, an exposure coefficient, which is defined as an amount of fluctuation of an imaging characteristic of a projection optical system per unit of exposure energy, for the first wavelength band is calculated using data of the amount of fluctuation of the optical characteristic of the projection optical system. An exposure coefficient for a second wavelength band that is different from the first wavelength band is calculated using the exposure coefficient for the first wavelength band. In a case where the substrate is exposed to exposure light of the second wavelength band, the amount of fluctuation of the imaging characteristic of the projection optical system is calculated using the exposure coefficient for the second wavelength band. |
| US09116443B2 |
Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method
In a single or multiple stage lithography apparatus, a table provides a confining surface to a liquid supply system during, for example, substrate table exchange and/or substrate loading and unloading. In an embodiment, the table has a sensor to make a measurement of the projection beam during, for example, substrate table exchange and/or substrate loading and unloading. |
| US09116440B2 |
Optical module for guiding a radiation beam
An optical module includes a chamber capable of being evacuated and a mirror in the chamber. The mirror includes a plurality of individual mirrors. Each individual mirror includes: a mirror body including a reflection face; a support structure; and a thermally conductive portion that mechanically connects the support structure to the mirror body. For at least one individual mirror, the thermally conductive portion includes a plurality of thermally conductive strips arranged radially, adjacent thermally conductive strips being separated from each other, and each of the plurality of thermally conductive strips connecting the mirror body to the support structure. For at least one individual mirror, an actuator is associated with the mirror body, the actuator being configured to displace the mirror body relative to the support structure in at least one degree of freedom. |
| US09116439B2 |
Illumination system and lithographic apparatus
An illumination system is disclosed having a polarization member that includes first and second polarization modifiers movable into at least partial intersection with a radiation beam such that the respective polarization modifier applies a modified polarization to at least part of the beam. The illumination system further includes an array of individually controllable reflective elements positioned to receive the radiation beam after it has passed the polarization member, and a controller configured to control movement of the first and second polarization modifiers such that the first and second polarization modifiers intersect with different portions of the radiation beam. |
| US09116438B2 |
Method of correcting flare and method of preparing extreme ultra violet mask
A method of correcting flare includes measuring flare of a test pattern, calculating point spread functions (PSFs) of the flare as a function of distance, and correcting the flare using corresponding PSFs for an influence range of the flare. The influence range is divided into a first range less than a predetermined distance and a second range equal to or greater than the predetermined distance, and corresponding PSFs are separately applied to the first and second ranges to correct the flare. |
| US09116435B2 |
Extreme ultraviolet lithography mask
An EUV mask includes a low thermal expansion material (LTEM) substrate, a reflective multilayer (ML) above one surface of the LTEM substrate, and a conductive layer above an opposite surface of the LTEM substrate. A capping layer is provided above the reflective ML, a buffer layer is provided above the capping layer, and an absorption stack is provided above the buffer layer. The absorption stack comprises multiple layers. A multiple patterning process is performed on the absorption stack to form multiple reflective states. |
| US09116429B2 |
Resist underlayer polymer, resist underlayer composition including the same, and method of patterning using the same
A resist underlayer polymer, a resist underlayer composition including the same, and a method of patterning using the same, the resist underlayer polymer including a repeating unit represented by at least one of Chemical Formula 1 and Chemical Formula 2: |
| US09116427B2 |
Composition for forming resist underlayer film and pattern-forming method
A composition for forming a resist underlayer film includes a polysiloxane and a solvent. The solvent includes an organic solvent having a standard boiling point of no less than 150.0° C., and water. A content of the organic solvent is no less than 1% by mass and no greater than 50% by mass with respect to a total amount of the solvent. A content of water is no less than 1% by mass and no greater than 30% by mass with respect to the total amount of the solvent. |
| US09116419B2 |
Projector
A projector includes a light source lamp, a lighting control unit adapted to supply a lamp electric power to turn on the light source lamp, a cooling unit adapted to send a cooling fluid to cool the light source lamp, and a start control unit adapted to, from the start of turn-on of the light source lamp until a predetermined period elapses, adjust at least one of the length of the predetermined period and a limited flow rate, which is the flow rate of the cooling fluid per unit time sent from the cooling unit within the predetermined period, on the basis of an operation history of the light source lamp to control the operation of the cooling unit. |
| US09116418B2 |
Spring-loaded ceiling mount for a security camera
A ceiling mount for a security camera includes a back end located in a ceiling space when the ceiling mount is mounted, a front end located below the ceiling when the ceiling mount is mounted, and a spring-loaded clamp to clamp the ceiling mount to the ceiling. The spring-loaded clamp includes a spring connected to a force application member. The clamp can be locked in a loaded state before the mounting process begins. When in the loaded state the spring in the clamp is sufficiently deflected to allow the ceiling to pass between the front end and the force application member. During mounting, once the back end has been pushed into the ceiling space the clamp can be released from the loaded state, which allows the spring to push the force application member against the ceiling and secure the ceiling mount to the ceiling. |
| US09116417B2 |
Imaging apparatus, lens apparatus, and imaging apparatus control method
In a camera system having an interchangeable lens and a camera body, a lens controller and a camera controller conduct timely change between a first communication method for a video shooting mode and a second communication method for a still-image shooting mode, and reciprocally communicated via a contact unit. The camera controller acquires time information in advance by an initial communication with the lens controller, and upon changeover from the first communication method to the second communication method, it interrupts communication after request information for changeover of the communication methods is transmitted to the lens controller, and initiates communication in the second communication method after elapse of a transition time indicated by time information. Upon changeover from the second communication method to the first communication method, the camera controller initiates communication in the first communication method after elapse of a transition time indicated by the time information. |
| US09116402B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
An array substrate includes a gate line extending in a first direction, a source line extending in a second direction orthogonally crossing the first direction and an auxiliary capacitance line having a trunk portion extending in the first direction so as to cross the source line and a branch portion branched from the trunk portion and extending along the source line. A switching element includes a drain line arranged under the auxiliary capacitance line so as to face the trunk portion and the branch portion thereof. A pixel electrode includes a main pixel electrode extending substantially in parallel to the source line and a contact portion electrically connected with the drain line. A counter substrate includes a couple of main common electrodes extending substantially in parallel to the main pixel electrode on the both sides sandwiching the main pixel electrode. |
| US09116401B2 |
Horizontal stripe liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display device for improving picture quality includes a common electrode formed on a first substrate, gate lines and data lines formed on a second substrate bonded to the first substrate by a sealing member with liquid crystals disposed therebetween, thin film transistors connected to the gate lines and to the data lines, pixel electrodes formed in subpixel regions, each pixel electrode having a long side in a direction of the gate lines and having a short side in a direction of the data lines fanout lines for supplying a driving signals from the driving chips to the data lines, first conductive spacers formed between the fanout lines connected to different driving chips, for supplying a common voltage to the common electrode, and second conductive spacers formed between the fanout lines connected to the same driving chip, for supplying the common voltage to the common electrode. |
| US09116400B2 |
Liquid crystal display having minimized bezel area
A liquid crystal display includes a first substrate including pixels arranged in m columns by n rows, n data lines disposed, m gate lines arranged substantially parallel to the data lines, n data distribution lines arranged to cross the m gate lines and electrically connected to the data lines, respectively, source driving chips disposed on a first portion of the first substrate, and a gate driver disposed on a second portion of the first substrate. Each of the data distribution lines is connected to a subset of the pixels arranged in a corresponding row, and each of the gate lines is connected to a subgroup of the pixels arranged in a corresponding column. The source driving chips apply data signals to the pixels through the first data lines and the data distribution lines, and the gate driver applies gate signals to the pixels through the gate lines. |
| US09116399B2 |
Blue-phase liquid crystal panel and blue-phase liquid crystal display device
A blue-phase liquid crystal panel is described which includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a blue-phase liquid crystal layer between the first substrate and the second substrate; a first electrode located on one surface of the first substrate, a first substrate coupling film located on another surface of the first substrate; a second electrode located on one surface of the second substrate; the first electrode and the second electrode forming a vertical electric field; the first substrate coupling film converting the direct front light of the backlight module into slant front light having a predetermined angle with the perpendicular electric field direction. By generating a vertical electric field, the liquid crystal panel enhances the electric field strength and uniformity of the blue-phase liquid crystal layer, and by changing the angle of light of the backlight source entering the liquid crystal cell, subjecting the incident light to phase retard, thus lowering the operating voltages of the blue-phase liquid crystal panel. |
| US09116398B2 |
Array substrate and an LCD device
The present invention discloses an array substrate, which includes a thin-film transistor, a data line, a gate line, and a pixel electrode. The array substrate further includes a common electrode. The common electrode has a first region, a second region, and at least one opening. The first region is defined on the common electrode, and the first region is a projection of the pixel electrode on a plane where the common electrode is located. The second region is defined on the common electrode, and the second region is close to at least one edge of the first region. The at least one opening is disposed on the second region of the common electrode. |
| US09116394B2 |
Display panel
A display panel includes a pair of substrates, a pixel structure, and a display medium layer disposed between the pair of substrates. The pixel structure is disposed on one of the substrates, and includes first and second sub-pixels. The first sub-pixel includes a first pixel electrode, wherein the first pixel electrode has a first spacing in a first main region and has a second spacing in a first minor region, wherein the second spacing is smaller than the first spacing. The second sub-pixel includes a second pixel electrode, wherein the second pixel electrode has a third spacing in a second main region and has a fourth spacing in a second minor region, wherein the fourth spacing is larger than or equal to the third spacing, and wherein the first spacing is larger than the third spacing. |
| US09116393B2 |
Method of manufacturing an alignment substrate and liquid crystal display panel having the same
A liquid crystal display panel may include a first substrate, a second substrate facing the first substrate and including a plurality of colloidal particles obtained by thermally treating a surface of the second substrate facing the first substrate, and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first and second substrates to contain liquid crystal molecules. The size of each of the plurality of colloidal particles may vary according to the length of time heat is applied. |
| US09116392B2 |
Liquid crystal display
A liquid crystal display including a twisted nematic liquid crystal panel and first and second substrates with the twisted nematic liquid crystal panel arranged therebetween. A first biaxial retardation compensation film faces the first substrate and a second biaxial retardation compensation film faces the first biaxial retardation compensation film with the twisted nematic liquid crystal panel arranged therebetween. |
| US09116388B2 |
Backlight module and liquid crystal display
A backlight module and a liquid crystal display are provided. The backlight module includes an optical film, a reflection member and a light-emitting unit. A reflection surface of the reflection member includes multiple side edges. The light-emitting unit is disposed on one intersection position formed by the side edges of the reflection surface, and a light-emitting direction of the light-emitting unit faces the reflection surface. The reflection surface has a default track, whereby the lights emitted from the light-emitting unit can be projected to the reflection surface, and then uniformly entering into the optical film after being reflected by the reflection surface. |
| US09116382B2 |
Liquid crystal display device having uniform brightness
A liquid crystal display device having brightness uniformity at its front and lateral sides is provided according to one or more embodiments. In one embodiment, the liquid crystal display device includes a reflection sheet reflecting light, an optical plate including a substrate for guiding light, a height-varying portion formed on one surface of the substrate, not facing the reflection sheet, and a prism pattern formed on the height-varying portion, and a plurality of light sources arranged on one lateral surface of the optical plate in a first direction so as to correspond to a position of the height-varying portion having a height not greater than an average height from the one surface of the substrate to the height-varying portion, wherein the prism pattern extends in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, and the average height is in a range of about 0.1% to about 10% of the thickness of the substrate. |
| US09116381B2 |
Electro-optical device and electronic apparatus
An electro-optical device includes an electro-optical panel and a retaining member. The retaining member includes a first retaining portion that extends along a first side of the electro-optical panel and a second retaining portion that extends along a second side, the first side intersects a direction in which cooling air flows, the first retaining portion is formed to be flush with a panel face of at least one of a light incident side and a light emitting side of the electro-optical panel, and the second retaining portion is formed to protrude from at least one of the panel faces. |
| US09116377B2 |
Liquid crystal display and the outer frame assembly thereof
A liquid crystal display and an outer frame assembly are disclosed. The outer frame assembly includes a front frame and a back frame. The front frame includes a plurality of inserting portions having clasp portions. The back frame includes a first cover, a second cover and a looking plate between the first cover and the second cover. The first cover, the locking plate, and the second cover respectively includes a plurality of first through holes, a plurality of second through holes, and a plurality of locking recesses. The inserting portions are inserted into the first through holes, the second through holes and the locking recesses. The locking plate is pulled to engage with the clasp portions. The locking plate is positioned so as to fix the front frame and the back frame with respect to each other. The outer frame assembly of the liquid crystal display may be assembled and disassembled in an efficient way. |
| US09116375B2 |
Connection structure for panel and frame, and holding member device thereof
The present invention provides a connection structure for panel and frame and holding member thereof. The connection structure includes a panel and a frame supporting the panel. The panel and the frame use a plurality of holding members to fix and hold. The holding member includes a presser and a connection part extending from one side of the presser. The connection part includes a first extension part and a second extension part. The first extension part and the second extension part connect a corresponding connection element on the side of the frame. As such, the present invention saves the front frame and fixes a liquid crystal panel and a frame of a liquid crystal module to reduce the transportation risk, protect the liquid crystal panel from damage, simplify the overall assembly structure of the liquid crystal module and reduce the assembly cost. |
| US09116372B2 |
Driving substrate and display apparatus using the same
An exemplary driving substrate includes a substrate, a plurality of first and second signal transmission lines, a first insulation layer and a plurality of switch devices. The first signal transmission lines are disposed on the substrate, and each includes a first line segment(s) and a first connecting segment(s). The first insulation layer is disposed between each first line segment and each first connecting segment, and each first connecting segment is electrically connected to the adjacent first line segment(s) through an opening(s) of the first insulation layer. The second signal transmission lines are disposed on the substrate and electrically insulated and intersected with the first signal transmission lines thereby defining a plurality of pixel regions on the substrate. The switch devices are respectively disposed in the pixel regions, and each is electrically connected to corresponding first and second signal transmission lines. The driving substrate has better reliability. |
| US09116369B2 |
LCD device and a method of manufacturing the same
A liquid crystal display (LCD) device and a method of manufacturing the same are proposed. A first transparent conducting layer is disposed on a first via for forming a testing point. A second transparent conducting layer is disposed on a second via and a third via. The first transparent conducting layer is connected to the second transparent conducting layer. By means of the method of manufacturing, the first transparent conducting layer and the second transparent conducting layer are still connected to each other after a process of edge exposure. It ensures that the testing point could be connected to a first metallic wiring layer and a second metallic wiring layer, preventing the testing point from malfunctioning. |
| US09116366B2 |
Tunable RF filter device using optical waveguide paths with splitter and combiner pairs and related methods
A tunable Radio Frequency (RF) filter device includes a tunable optical source generating an optical carrier signal, and a modulator coupled to the tunable optical source and modulating the optical carrier signal with an RF input signal. The tunable RF filter device may include first and second optical waveguide paths coupled to the modulator and having first and second dispersion slopes of opposite sign from each other, one or more of the first and second optical waveguide paths comprising an optical splitter and combiner pair therein, and an optical-to-electrical converter coupled to the first and second optical waveguide paths and generating an RF output signal with a frequency notch therein based upon the tunable optical source. |
| US09116363B2 |
System and method of programming an energized ophthalmic lens
A method and a system for the selection and programming of an energized ophthalmic lens are disclosed. More specifically, the energized ophthalmic lens which can include a variable state arcuate shaped liquid meniscus lens capable of changing vision correction properties upon the receipt of an activation signal. According to some aspects of the disclosure, the system and method comprise vision simulation software configured to use patient's eye related data and product design options to select the ophthalmic lens and an operational protocol for the change of optical properties. |
| US09116361B2 |
Optical unit with shake correcting function
An optical unit may include a fixed body, a movable module which holds an optical element, a swing support point which swingably supports the movable module, and a shake correction drive mechanism structured to swing the movable module with the swing support point as a swing center. The swing support point may be structured of an abutted portion of two members in an optical axis direction between a bottom part of the movable module and a bottom part of the fixed body. At least one of the two members may be made of elastic material. |
| US09116359B2 |
Stereoscopic image display apparatus
To enable a viewer to recognize a stereoscopic image even when a posture of the viewer is changed in front of a display device by providing a stereoscopic image display apparatus including: a lens sheet which is adjacent to a display surface of a display device, and is configured by arranging a plurality of plano convex lenses along an arrangement direction of display elements, consecutively side by side while varying a distance from the display surface; a storage unit storing stereoscopic display images corresponding to parallax points with respect to a display object at a plurality of viewing points; a sensing unit which senses a posture changing amount of a visual organ of a human body; a selection unit selecting the stereoscopic display images for the respective viewing points according to the posture changing amount sensed; and a display controller allowing the stereoscopic display images on the display device. |
| US09116352B2 |
Optical element, display apparatus, and method for manufacturing optical element
A method for manufacturing an optical element includes forming a functional layer (half mirror layer) on a first face of a first translucency member that is made of cyclo olefin polymer or cyclo olefin copolymer, and forming an inorganic coating layer having translucency (silicon oxide layer) on a second face of a second translucency member that is made of cyclo olefin polymer or cyclo olefin copolymer. The method for manufacturing an optical element further includes bonding the first face side of the first translucency member to the second face side of the second translucency member by an adhesive layer. |
| US09116349B2 |
Image display device
An image display device having a scanning characteristic excellent in the linearity without being upsized is provided. The image display device includes: an optical scanning unit that scans a light emitted from a light source in a first direction and a second direction of an image plane due to a rotational movement of reciprocation of a reflecting surface of the light; and an optical system enlarges a scanning angle of the scanned light, in which the optical system has a free curved surface lens on an optical scanning unit side, and has a free curved surface mirror on an image plane side. The free curved surface mirror may be arranged so that the first direction is substantially parallel to a first plane defined by an incident optical beam and a reflected light in the free curved surface mirror when the optical scanning unit remains static in the center of the scanning range. |
| US09116347B2 |
Arrangement for adjusting illumination devices in transmitted-light microscopes
An illuminating system for transmitted-light microscopes has a illuminator unit seated on a bracket. A condenser is mounted on the bracket by way of a condenser holder and is rotatable with respect to the bracket. The condenser has an integrated modulator slider that slidably extends through the condenser. The bracket has an upright portion with a window through which the modulator slider may be fed in the direction facing away from the operator. the bracket may be provided with a stand mount. |
| US09116344B2 |
MEMS anchors
The invention relates to an improved apparatus and method for the design and manufacture of MEMS anchoring structures for light modulators in order to address the stresses of beams mounted on them. |
| US09116342B2 |
Virtual image display apparatus
A light blocking member that is a light blocking structure disposed in an exit pupil position can remove in advance a light component of video image light that undergoes unintended reflection to avoid generation of ghost light and allows formation of a satisfactory image. Further, a projection lens and other components form an intermediate image in a prism, and the video image light totally reflected off at least two surfaces of the prism, a third surface, a first surface, and a second surface in this order, passes through the first surface and reaches an eye of a viewer, whereby the prism can be thin and the overall optical system can be compact and lightweight and provide wide angle, bright, high-performance display. |
| US09116340B2 |
Mobile wireless display for accessing data from a host and method for controlling
An apparatus includes a monocular display with a wireless communications interface, a user input device, a transmitter, and a controller. The monocular display is positioned relative to the user's eye to display images to the user while occluding less than half of the user's maximum viewing space. The apparatus can incorporate a wireless communication controller that not only provides a video link to a host device, but also provides for control and management of a host device and other more devices. In this context, a host device may be any appropriate device that sources audio, video, text, office functionality and other information, such as a cell phone, personal computer, laptop, media player, and/or the like. The apparatus and the host may support Microsoft Windows SideShow, Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), and Virtual Network Computing (VNC). |
| US09116339B2 |
Combiner positioning system
A combiner positioning system for a head-up display includes a carrier and a camwheel. The carrier supports a combiner for the head-up display, and the combiner is movable between a stowed position and a display position. The camwheel is rotatable about a camwheel axis. The rotation of the camwheel about the camwheel axis engages the carrier and moves the combiner between the stowed position and the display position. |
| US09116337B1 |
Increasing effective eyebox size of an HMD
An apparatus for a head mounted display includes light bending optics to deliver display light from an image source to a near-to-eye emission surface for emitting the display light to an eye of a user within an eyebox. An eye tracking camera system acquires an image of the eye for tracking movement of the eye. A controller is coupled to the eye tracking camera system to receive image data and to determine a location of the eye based on the image data. The controller is coupled to an eyebox actuator to dynamically adjust the lateral position of the eyebox based upon the location of the eye to extend an effective size of the eyebox from which the eye can view the display light. |
| US09116331B2 |
Projection lens system having variable magnification
A projection lens system is constructed as a zoom lens system which is for use with a laser light source and performs magnification variation by moving at least a lens group along the optical axis, and the projection lens system fulfills the following conditional formula: (|AC(B2−G)|+|AC(R2−G)|)/(|AC(B1−G)|+|AC(R1−G)|)<0.8, where AC(B2−G) represents longitudinal chromatic aberration between the wavelengths λB2 and λG; AC(R2−G) represents longitudinal chromatic aberration between the wavelengths λR2 and λG; AC(B1−G) represents longitudinal chromatic aberration between the wavelengths λB1 and λG; and AC(R1−G) represents longitudinal chromatic aberration between the wavelengths λR1 and λG. |
| US09116329B2 |
Imaging lens
An imaging lens in which a positive (refractive power) first lens group, positive second lens group, and negative third lens group are arranged in order from the object side to the image side. The first lens group includes a positive first lens having a convex object-side surface and a negative second lens having a concave image-side surface near the optical axis. The second lens group includes third and fourth lenses each having at least one aspheric surface. The third lens group includes a negative fifth lens having a concave object-side surface near the axis, a positive sixth lens having a convex image-side surface near the axis, and a negative seventh lens having a concave image-side surface near the axis. The lenses are not joined to each other and the seventh lens has an aspheric image-side surface whose shape changes from concave to convex as the distance from the axis increases. |
| US09116327B2 |
Imaging lens system
An imaging lens system includes, sequentially from an object side to an image side: a first lens having a positive refractive power; a second lens having a negative refractive power; and a third lens having a negative refractive power, wherein a viewing angle θ satisfies following condition, 0.3<|tan θ|<0.8. |
| US09116324B2 |
Stacked fiber optic modules and fiber optic equipment configured to support stacked fiber optic modules
Embodiments disclosed in the detailed description include stacked fiber optic modules and fiber optic equipment supporting stacked fiber optic modules. In one embodiment, a stacked fiber optic module is provided. This embodiment of the stacked fiber optic module comprises a body having a first sub-body and a second sub-body where the second sub-body can translate relative to the first sub-body. The stacked fiber optic module further comprises a first plurality of fiber optic components disposed in a first longitudinal axis in the at least one front side. The stacked fiber optic module also further comprises a second plurality of fiber optic components disposed adjacent the first plurality of fiber optic components in a second longitudinal axis parallel or substantially parallel to the first longitudinal axis in the at least one front side. |
| US09116323B2 |
Pressure-balanced subsea enclosure with elastomeric fill material
A pressure-balanced enclosure for subsea use, and in particular for use as a submersible junction box in which subsea cables can be joined. The apparatus maintains a balanced pressure within the termination chamber; it is field installable, testable, and repairable. The termination chamber is not oil-filled; instead, it is substantially filled with a solid particulate fill material which includes a portion of elastomeric material. |
| US09116321B2 |
Optical fiber cord
An optical fiber cord includes an optical fiber cord main body with a round sectional form, the optical fiber cord main body including a core which has an optical fiber ribbon in which N (N is an even number of 4 or larger) coated optical fibers are arranged in parallel, and a sheath which covers the core. In the optical fiber ribbon, connected parts and non-connected parts are intermittently formed in a longitudinal direction between the adjacent coated optical fibers. |
| US09116319B2 |
Photonic integrated circuit having a plurality of lenses
Disclosed is a photonic integrated circuit having a plurality of lenses and a method for making the same. The photonic integrated circuit is comprised of optical circuitry fabricated over an underlying circuitry layer. In some embodiments, the optical circuitry includes a dielectric material having recesses disposed within, layers of a light waveguide material deposited within the recesses, and lenses disposed over each layer of waveguide material. The underlying circuitry layer may include, for example, a semiconductor wafer as well as circuitry fabricated during front end of line (FEOL) semiconductor manufacturing such as, for example, sources, gates, drains, interconnects, contacts, resistors, and other circuitry that may be manufactured during FEOL processes. The underlying circuitry layer may also include circuitry manufactured during back end of line semiconductor manufacturing processes such as, for example, interconnect structures, metallization layers, and contacts. |
| US09116318B2 |
Optical module with device unit electrically isolated from optical receptacle
An optical module is disclosed where an optical coupling efficiency between an optical device and an external fiber may be improved. The optical module includes an optical receptacle and a device unit assembled with the optical receptacle only via a stub as forming a gap to isolate these two components. The gap is filled with insulating resin or tightly covered by an insulating ring to reinforce the stub to be hard for an increased moment by the optical assemblies in the device unit. |
| US09116309B2 |
Optical connector
An optical connector includes an optical fiber, and a ferrule configured to hold the optical fiber, wherein the ferrule has a front part, a rear part, a deformable mechanism to connect between the front part and the rear part, and an opening to allow the optical fiber to bend along with displacement of the deformable mechanism, and wherein the deformable mechanism has a restrictor to restrict the displacement or deformation of the deformable mechanism, the restrictor being provided at least between the deformable mechanism and the front part or between the deformable mechanism and the rear part. |
| US09116307B2 |
Sleeve for optical connector, and optical connector
A sleeve for an optical connector into which a ferrule arranged to hold an optical fiber is to be inserted, and by which an optical connector in which the sleeve is to be housed can be reduced in size in a direction that the optical connector is fitted into a counterpart optical connector. A sleeve for an optical connector includes a portion having a tube shape, into which a ferrule is to be inserted, and a hook portion at one end of the sleeve, the hook portion protruding in a diameter direction of the tube-shaped portion. |
| US09116302B2 |
Optical metapolarizer device
An optical metapolarizer device polarizes light while mitigating the absorptive or reflective losses associated with traditional polarizers. The metapolarizer device transmits light of one polarity and rotates the other polarity so that it is closer to the transmitted polarity. As a result, although the light exiting the metapolarizer device is highly polarized, the total transmissivity of the device can be well in excess of 50%, and can approach 100% in the theoretical limit. |
| US09116299B2 |
Lens apparatus
A lens apparatus includes zoom and focus units, zoom, and focus position detectors, a focus driver, an in-focus distance unit, used to input a command, a memory storing a table representing a focus position associated with the zoom position and the in-focus distance, and a controller controlling the focus driver based on the command and performing periodically first operation of determining a zoom number based on the zoom position, second operation of determining an in-focus-distance number based on the command, third operation of calculating a provisional target for the command based on data extracted from the table with reference to the zoom and in-focus-distance numbers, fourth operation of calculating a target associated with the zoom position from the provisional target, fifth operation of driving the focus unit to the target. Between the first and fifth operations, the fourth operation is performed but the second and third operations are not. |
| US09116298B2 |
Multi-mode interference device
A multi-mode interference (MMI) device includes a substrate layer, a core layer grown on the substrate layer for propagating an optical signal, and a cladding layer grown on the core layer for guiding the optical signal. The MMI device also includes a non-uniform pattern of patches forming a non-uniform refractive index distribution within the MMI device. |
| US09116296B2 |
Optical fiber device having mode stripper thermally protecting structural adhesive
An optical fiber device includes a first optical element for transmitting light. An output fiber includes an output fiber core having a light receiving end optically aligned to receive light from the first optical element, and includes at least a first outer cladding on a clad portion. The output fiber includes a mode stripper adhesive with a first adhesive composition and a structural adhesive with a second adhesive composition thereon. The mode stripper adhesive is positioned closer to the first optical element than the structural adhesive to strip a majority of power of cladding guided mode(s) light before reaching the structural adhesive. The mode stripper adhesive has a lower hardness as compared to the structural adhesive, and is substantially indexed matched to an outermost layer of the output fiber that it is in direct contact with. |
| US09116295B2 |
Deformable lens assembly
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to an imaging device having a deformable lens. |
| US09116294B2 |
Waveguide lens for coupling laser light source and optical element
A waveguide lens includes a substrate, a planar waveguide, a media grating, and a pair of electrode. The planar waveguide is formed on the substrate and configured to couple with a laser light source that emits a laser beam into the planar waveguide along an optical axis. The media grating is formed on the planar waveguide and arranged symmetrically about a widthwise central axis that is collinear with the optical axis. The electrodes are formed on the substrate, positioned at two opposite sides of the waveguide lens, and arranged symmetrically about the optical axis. |
| US09116293B2 |
Tunable reflectors based on multi-cavity interference
A reflective structure includes an input/output port and an optical splitter coupled to the input/output port. The optical splitter has a first branch and a second branch. The reflective structure also includes a first resonant cavity optically coupled to the first branch of the optical splitter. The first resonant cavity comprises a first set of reflectors and a first waveguide region disposed between the first set of reflectors. The reflective structures further includes a second resonant cavity optically coupled to the second branch of the optical splitter. The second resonant cavity comprises a second set of reflectors and a second waveguide region disposed between the second set of reflectors. |
| US09116289B2 |
Transparent conductive element, information input apparatus, and display apparatus
A transparent conductive element is provided and includes a conductive layer having a first surface and a second surface and a medium layer formed on at least one of the first surface and the second surface. In the transparent conductive element, at least one of the first surface and the second surface is a wave surface with a wavelength shorter than or equal to that of visible light; the ratio (Am/λm) of a mean peak-to-peak amplitude Am to a mean wavelength λm of the wave surface is 1.8 or less. The mean thickness Dm of the conductive layer is larger than the mean peak-to-peak amplitude Am of the wave surface. |
| US09116288B2 |
Optical instrument, and control method for optical instrument
An optical instrument of the present invention comprises a ring member which is arranged to be rotatable with respect to a lens barrel, and also to slide in an optical axis direction to a first position and a second position, a rotation position detection section for outputting a preset distance that has been set by a rotation operation, when the ring member is at the second position, and a control section for, when the ring member has been subjected to a slide operation between the first position and the second position, moving a photographing lens at a first speed or a second speed up to a distance corresponding to an operation position. |
| US09116285B2 |
Light directing film
Light directing film is disclosed. The light directing film includes a first structured major surface and an opposing second major surface. The first structured major surface includes a plurality of unitary discrete structures. Each unitary discrete structure includes a light directing portion that is primarily for directing light and includes a plurality of first side facets. Each first side facet makes an angle with the plane of the light directing film in a range from about 35 degrees to about 55 degrees. Each light directing portion also includes a first base that is defined by the plurality of first side facets and has a first minimum dimension. Each light directing portion also has a first maximum height. Each unitary discrete structure also includes a bonding portion that is primarily for bonding the light directing film to a surface. The bonding portion is disposed on and between the plurality of first side facets and includes a plurality of second side facets. Each second side facet makes an angle with the plane of the light directing film greater than about 70 degrees. The bonding portion also includes a second base that is defined by the plurality of second side facets and has a second minimum dimension less than about 10% of the first minimum dimension. The bonding portion also has a second maximum height. The ratio of the second maximum height to the second minimum dimension is at least about 1.5. |
| US09116277B2 |
Lighting device, display device, and television receiver
The edge light type backlight device (12) includes a light guide plate (19); an LED light source (17); a reflective sheet (25), the edge thereof on the side facing the LED light source (17) extending toward the LED light source (17) beyond the surface of the light-guiding plate (19) that faces the LED light source (17); and a chassis (14) that has a bottom plate (14a) and side plates (14b) rise from one surface of the bottom plate (14a) and that stores therein the LED light source (17), the reflective sheet (25), and the light guide plate (19). The LED light source (17) is affixed to the side plate (14b) of the chassis (14). In the reflective sheet (25), near an edge of the reflective sheet (25) on a side facing the LED light source (17), a fold line (25a) for bending is disposed across two edges connected to that edge. |
| US09116274B2 |
Lighting assembly
A lighting assembly includes a light engine and a light guide. The light engine edge lights the light guide and includes a control assembly that controls light output according to one or more parameters to produce light output from the lighting assembly with a desired characteristic. Lighting assemblies are combined to form a modular lighting assembly. |
| US09116264B2 |
Light guide plate producing method, die structure, transfer molding apparatus, light guide plate, area light source device, liquid crystal display device, and mobile device
A method for producing a light guide plate includes forming a light introduction part that introduces light incident through an end face, and forming a light guide plate body that has a thickness less than a maximum thickness of the light introduction part, forming the light guide plate body to be continuously joined to the light introduction part, and forming the light guide plate body so as to cause a light controller to output the incident light to an outside. The light guide plate producing method further includes a conveying step of conveying a resin sheet between a first die and a second die, which are disposed while facing each other, wherein a transfer surface is provided in at least one of surfaces facing each other in the first and second dies. |
| US09116260B2 |
Optical device having an alignment mechanism
Techniques described herein generally relate to optical devices and methods of manufacturing optical devices. An example optical device includes a first substrate having a first optical element, a second substrate coupled to the first substrate, and cured resin. The first substrate has a first optical element. The second substrate has at least one supporting structure and a second optical element supported by the at least one supporting structure. The at least one supporting structure has at least one receptor. The cured resin is arranged in the at least one receptor of the at least one supporting structure effective to position the second optical element relative to the first optical element. |
| US09116257B2 |
Method and apparatus for sea current aided, enhanced azimuth seismic data acquisition
A system of designing and acquiring 3D marine seismic surveys such that the prevailing sea current is parallel or orthogonal to a major axis of the area to be surveyed. By steering the vessel and towed seismic source and receiver arrays through the water, heading into the sea current at some significant angle away from the sea current direction, then the resultant movement of the seismic source and receiver arrays will result in a much richer sampling and measurement of the earth's sub-surface by virtue of increasing the range of source-to-receiver azimuths available. By adopting this method, the final 3D seismic image of the subsurface will be more accurate and will be correctly focussed. Also line change times may be reduced significantly and the overall carbon footprint of the seismic survey may be lessened. |
| US09116254B2 |
Method of and apparatus for exploring a region below a surface of the earth
A passive method for exploring a region below the surface of the earth. The method comprises using a single sensor located in turn at a plurality of locations to obtain seismic data obtained by recording ambient seismic interface waves in a frequency range whose lower limit is greater than 0 Hz, and whose upper limit is less than or equal to substantially 1 Hz. The data are processed so as to obtain a measure of the energy in a frequency band within the frequency range. For example, the seismic data may be filtered and may be subjected to amplitude normalization before being transformed into the frequency domain. The energy measure may then be calculated by integrating the spectrum in the frequency domain over a desired frequency range. The resulting calculated energy provides information about the region of the earth being explored. |
| US09116243B1 |
High altitude ice particle detection method and system
An optical system for detection of atmospheric ice particles is described. The optical system includes a laser light source configured to emit laser light, a photodetector, a first lens element and detection electronics. The first lens element is arranged to image light from the laser light source onto a measurement volume, and to direct scattered light received from the measurement volume to the photodetector. The detection electronics is connected to the photodetector, and is configured to receive a light detection signal from the photodetector and to indicate whether or not the atmospheric ice particles exist in the measurement volume based on the light detection signal. |
| US09116241B2 |
Radar sensor and method for detecting precipitation using a radar sensor
In the method for detecting precipitation using a radar sensor, the radar sensor emits a transmission signal, whose frequency is varied periodically in successive modulation ramps. Signals received by the radar sensor are analyzed to determine precipitation on the basis of two different criteria. In the method, a first criterion relates to signals which are received during a pass-through of a modulation ramp, and a second criterion relates to a comparison of signals which are received during a pass-through of at least two successive modulation ramps. |
| US09116240B2 |
System and method for ensuring ADS-B integrity of departing aircraft
A system for ensuring Automatic Dependent Surveillance—Broadcast (ADS-B) integrity of an aircraft includes a designated aircraft interrogation area, an ADS-B receiver, and an alerting mechanism. The ADS-B receiver is configured to receive ADS-B data from the aircraft when the aircraft is located in the designated area and to send a signal to the alerting mechanism indicating that the aircraft is in the designated area. |
| US09116238B2 |
Configurable ultrasound measurement logic in a mobile computing device
A device, system, method, and machine readable medium for configurable ultrasound Doppler measurements from a mobile device are disclosed. In one embodiment, the device includes an oscillator capable of generating an ultrasound frequency sound wave. The device also includes an ultrasound emission module capable of emitting a first ultrasound wave at a first frequency and at a first power level and a second ultrasound wave at a second frequency and at a second power level. The device also an ultrasound receiver and amplifier module capable of receiving and amplifying ultrasound emission waves. The device also includes processing logic capable of receiving the first and second ultrasound waves and displaying those waves on a display device. |
| US09116235B2 |
Mode S anti-reflection algorithm for eliminating false tracks due to reflected replies in ground radar systems
A Mode S anti-reflection method for eliminating false tracks due to reflected replies in ground radar systems, wherein the information contribution of the replies (at the level of raw video) is analyzed with the aim of calculating the position of the reflectors. The possible presence of ADS-B reports can be used, otherwise it will be effectuated a geometrical analysis of the distribution of the replies and will be compared with the plot(s) extracted by the radar sensor. The possibility of correlating along time the moving of the plots, their place of origin and average duration of the tracks generated by them will allow to understand whether the plot is relevant to a reflection or not. In the case of “reflection”, a reflectors map is updated automatically in order to avoid the enabling of the initialization of the track in that area. |
| US09116234B2 |
System, method, and computer program for a low power and low cost GNSS receiver
A system and method for an advanced GNSS receiver that is operable to provide an ultra-fast, autonomous and reliable TTFF that does not require an initial position, at the same time, minimizing processing power and hardware cost. The system and method is able to reliably recover the time of transmission of the received signals using I/Q sample lengths on the order of milliseconds, and is capable of operating autonomously without the need of aiding technologies such as the AGPS technology for which there are privacy and service availability concerns. |
| US09116227B2 |
Hybrid radar integrated into single package
A radar apparatus includes a phased array receiver, with a steerable receive beam. The receiver elements are grouped into subarrays, which each provide a subarray signal to a mixer. The mixer signals are then used by a DBF algorithm to determine narrow virtual beams within the receive beam. The receive beam is used to obtain radar data from sectors of the field of view, and the sectors may be approximately as wide as the receive beam. The order in which sectors are examined may be determined by the sector importance, related to the presence, nature, and/or behavior of previously tracked targets within each sector. |
| US09116223B1 |
Systems, methods, devices and arrangements for emergency call services and user participation incentives
A variety of methods, systems, devices and arrangements are implemented for emergency call centers. According to one such method, a location database is populated from a plurality of endpoint devices. The location database determines locations for nodes in a data transmission route from information received from the endpoint devices. Emergency calls using these nodes are located using the populated database. |
| US09116220B2 |
Time synchronizing sensor continuous and state data signals between nodes across a network
Techniques are provided for synchronization of sensor signals between devices. One or more of the devices may collect sensor data. The device may create a sensor signal from the sensor data, which it may make available to other devices upon a publisher/subscriber model. The other devices may subscribe to sensor signals they choose. A device could be a provider or a consumer of the sensor signals. A device may have a layer of code between an operating system and software applications that processes the data for the applications. The processing may include such actions as synchronizing the data in a sensor signal to a local time clock, predicting future values for data in a sensor signal, and providing data samples for a sensor signal at a frequency that an application requests, among other actions. |
| US09116216B2 |
MR compatible compression based nuclear imaging system for breast cancer
An apparatus combines magnetic resonance (MR) and nuclear imaging of human breast for cancer diagnosis. An MRI system including an MR breast RF coil is combined with a nuclear imaging system having a detector disposed or disposable within the MR breast RF coil arranged and configured for the performance of simultaneous or sequential coregistered breast MRI and nuclear imaging. A selectively controlled compression mechanism for lightly compresses the breast being imaged. The remotely controlled compression mechanism is integrated with the MR breast RF coil. |
| US09116208B2 |
Address and command port with tap and master controller circuitry
An address and command port interface selectively enables JTAG TAP domain operations and Trace domain operations within an IC. The port carries TMS and TDI input and TDO output on a single pin and receives a clock signal on a separate pin. The addressable two pin interface loads and updates instructions and data to the TAP domain within the IC. The instruction or data update operations in multiple ICs occur simultaneously. A process transmits data from an addressed target device to a controller using data frames, each data frame comprising a header bit and data bits. The logic level of the header bit is used to start, continue, and stop the data transmission to the controller. A data and clock signal interface between a controller and multiple target devices provides for each target device to be individually addressed and commanded to perform a JTAG or Trace operation. |
| US09116207B2 |
IC gating selection on first/second and deselection on second/third counts
Control events may be signaled to a target system having a plurality of components coupled to a scan path by using the clock and data signals of the scan path. While the clock signal is held a high logic level, two or more edge transitions are detected on the data signal. The number of edge transitions on the data signal is counted while the clock signal is held at the high logic state. A control event is determined based on the counted number of edge transitions on the data signal after the clock signal transitions to the low logic state. |
| US09116206B2 |
ASICs having programmable bypass of design faults
A relatively small amount of programmable logic may be included in a mostly ASIC device such that the programmable logic can be used as a substitute for a fault-infected ASIC block. This substitution may occur permanently or temporarily. When an ASIC block is temporarily substituted, faulty outputs of the ASIC block are disabled just at the time they would otherwise propagate an error. The operations of the temporarily deactivated ASIC block(s) may be substituted for by appropriately programmed programmable logic. Thus, a fault-infected ASIC block that operates improperly 1% of the time can continue to be gainfully used for the 99% of the time when its operations are fault free. This substitution can be activated in various stages of the ASIC block's life including after: initial design; pilot production; and mass production. This provides for cost saving and faster time-to-market, repair, and maintenance even years after installation and use. |
| US09116205B2 |
Test coverage of integrated circuits with test vector input spreading
An apparatus and method is provided for switching input pins to scan channels to increase test coverage. In one embodiment, a scan system connects a small number of input pins to several scan channels so that the input pins may be selectively switched. The input pins may transmit independent test vectors to test a large number of test areas on a semiconductor chip. The scan system may include a switching device such as a multiplexer (MUX). |
| US09116196B2 |
Low offset vertical hall device and current spinning method
One embodiment of the present invention relates to a vertical Hall-effect device. The device includes at least two supply terminals arranged to supply electrical energy to the first Hall-effect region; and at least one Hall signal terminal arranged to provide a first Hall signal from the first Hall-effect region. The first Hall signal is indicative of a magnetic field which is parallel to the surface of the semiconductor substrate and which acts on the first Hall-effect region. One or more of the at least two supply terminals or one or more of the at least one Hall signal terminal comprises a force contact and a sense contact. |
| US09116193B2 |
Electronic device and method for detecting current leakage of electronic components in the electronic device
A method for detecting current leakage of electronic components in an electronic device determines a target electronic component that needs to be analyzed for current leakage in response to a user selection. The target electronic component is controlled to enter into a power-off state, and a first current value of the electronic device is acquired from a digital power supply. The target electronic component is activated into a working state, and then is controlled to enter into a sleep state. A second current value of the electronic device is acquired from the digital power supply. It is determined that the current leakage is occurring in the target electronic component, if a first difference between the second current value and the first current value is more than a predetermined value. |
| US09116187B1 |
System and method for measuring signal distortion
A system has an extended dynamic range for measuring distortion in an output signal of a device under test (DUT), the output signal having at least a first fundamental signal. The system includes a first combiner and a test receiver. The first combiner is configured to inject a first cancellation signal generated by a first signal source into the output signal from the DUT, at least one of a first magnitude and a first phase of the first cancellation signal being adjustable for suppressing the first fundamental signal. The test receiver is configured to receive and measure the output signal having the suppressed first fundamental signal. |
| US09116174B2 |
Electrical connecting apparatus and method for assembling the same
An electrical connecting apparatus includes a wiring base plate having a first surface coupled with a reinforcing plate and provided on an opposite surface with first electrical connection portions, a probe base plate provided on a first surface with second electrical connection portions corresponding to the first electrical connection portions and provided on a second surface with probes electrically connected to the second electrical connection portions, anchor portions formed on the first surface of the probe base plate and provided with screw holes, cylindrical spacers having first ends removably coupled with the anchor portions, having screw grooves, and passing through the wiring base plate and the reinforcing plate, reference plates having reference planes to receive the spacers and removably coupled with the reinforcing plate, shims inserted between the respective reference plates and the reinforcing plate, and bolt screwed in the screw groove of the spacer. |
| US09116171B2 |
Current measuring apparatus
What is disclosed is a current measuring apparatus comprising: a mains connector, such as a plug, for connecting to a wire of a mains supply; an apparatus connector, such as a socket, to provide for electrical conduction to an electrical apparatus; a coil in series between the mains connector and the apparatus connector; and a measurement circuit that is operative to measure a voltage drop across the coil. In particular the coil is one present to also filter the mains signal. Also disclosed is a mains voltage powered consumer product, a network and an adaptor utilizing the current measuring apparatus. |
| US09116164B2 |
Pseudo-differential accelerometer with high electromagnetic interference rejection
A pseudo-differential accelerometer resistant to EMI is disclosed that includes a device with a sensor core connected to an integrated circuit including a chopper, differential amplifier, and dummy core. The chopper swaps input to output connections during different states. The dummy core is coupled to a dummy chopper input. Three bond wires coupling the sensor output to a sensor chopper input, a first chopper output to a first sensor input, and a second chopper output to a second sensor input can connect the sensor and integrated circuit. The device can include a dummy pad and dummy bond wire connecting the dummy pad to the dummy chopper input. This configuration requires four bond wires connecting the sensor and integrated circuit. A neutralization core can be connected to the sensor chopper input. The chopper can change states to smear noise across a wide range, or away from a band of interest. |
| US09116161B2 |
Free fatty acid particle dispersion solution and preparation method thereof
Provided is a preparation method of a free fatty acid particle dispersion solution, the preparation method including: a) dissolving fatty acid in a solvent to prepare a fatty acid solution; and b) injecting the fatty acid solution in a non-solvent having miscibility with the solvent to prepare a free fatty acid particle dispersion solution. |
| US09116160B2 |
Method and arrangement for gas chromatographic analysis of a gas sample
The invention relates to a gas sample to be analyzed, wherein said sample is guided by means of a carrier gas through a separator unit having a downstream thermal conductivity detector providing a chromatogram having peaks for different analytes as a measurement signal. When using a thermal conductivity detector having a heated gold thread coated with a parylene F, hydrogen is used as a carrier gas, and a peak for the analyte hydrogen sulfide is generated by differentiating the chromatogram at the location of said analyte. The invention permits unlimited use of hydrogen as a carrier gas, even if the analyte is oxygen. |
| US09116159B2 |
VEGF-A121 assay
The invention provides a method for determining the level of VEGF-A121 isoform in a sample by selectively removing the VEGF-A165 isoform from the sample using a neuropilin-1 pull-down procedure, then determining the total amount of VEGF-A remaining afterward. The invention provides methods of treating a patient suffering from a disease which may benefit from the administration of a VEGF antagonist by determining the level of VEGF-A121 in the patient's circulation. Methods of diagnosis, prognosis, monitoring, and patient stratification are also provided. |
| US09116157B2 |
Ice-cleaved alpha-synuclein as a biomarker
The present disclosure provides ICE-cleaved alpha-synuclein fragments as biomarkers for alpha-synuclein-associated disease or disorder and/or for ICE-regulator therapy. |
| US09116149B2 |
Multi-chain eukaryotic display vectors and uses thereof
A eukaryotic expression vector capable of displaying a multi-chain polypeptide on the surface of a host cell is provided, such that the biological activity of the multi-chain polypeptide is exhibited at the surface of the host cell. Such a vector allows for the display of complex biologically active polypeptides, e.g., biologically active multi-chain polypeptides such as immunoglobulin Fab fragments. The present invention describes and enables the successful display of a multi-chain polypeptide on the surface of a eukaryotic host cell. Preferred vectors are described for expressing the chains of a multi-chain polypeptide in a host cell separately and independently (e.g., under separate vector control elements, and/or on separate expression vectors, thus forming a matched vector set). The use of such matched vector sets provides flexibility and versatility in the generation of eukaryotic display libraries, for example the ability to generate and to display multi-chain polypeptides by combining and recombining vectors that express variegations of the individual chains of a multi-chain polypeptide. Entire repertoires of novel chain combinations can be devised using such vector sets. |
| US09116140B2 |
Apparatus and method for non-destructively diagnosing crop growth using terahertz waves
An apparatus and method for non-destructively diagnosing crop growth using terahertz waves are provided. The apparatus includes an information extractor configured to extract status information on a crop from information on an image of the crop taken using terahertz waves, a database configured to store growth-stage-specific information on the crop, and a status determiner configured to compare the status information on the crop extracted by the information extractor with the growth-stage-specific information stored in the database, and determine the degree of growth of the crop. |
| US09116137B1 |
Selective electrical coupling based on environmental conditions
An environmental monitoring device that includes a switching mechanism is described. During operation of the environmental monitoring device, the switching mechanism (such as a switch) selectively electrically couples a first electrical-connection node and a second electrical-connection node. For example, using the switching mechanism, an electronic device that is electrically coupled to the first electrical-connection node may be selectively electrically coupled to a second electronic device that is electrically coupled to the second electrical-connection node. The selective electrical coupling may be based on one or more measurements of an environmental condition in an external environment that includes the environmental monitoring device. Moreover, a sensor mechanism in the environmental monitoring device may provide sensor data based on the one or more measurements. Alternatively, an antenna and an interface circuit in the environmental monitoring device may receive the sensor data from a third electronic device. |
| US09116135B2 |
Method for detecting a surface pattern of a solar cell
A surface pattern detecting method includes: capturing a surface image of a sample element to be detected, wherein the surface image containing N grayscale pixels and wherein the N is a positive integer; selecting f×N pixels with small grayscale value based on a selection ratio f in order to define a pattern zone and further calculating a pattern mean of the pattern zone based on pixel amount and grayscale value of the pattern zone; selecting f×N pixels with big grayscale value in order to define a background zone and further calculating a background mean of the background zone based on pixel amount and grayscale value of the background zone; and determining whether the surface image has a defect based on the pattern means of the pattern zone and the background mean of the background zone. |
| US09116133B2 |
Bore inspection system and method of inspection therewith
An imaging system for inspecting an inner surface bounding a component bore is provided along with a method of inspection therewith. The system includes a laser light source configured to emit a laser beam. Further, a camera is configured to image a reflection of the laser beam from the inner surface. At least a first minor is disposed within the bore. The laser light source is configured to emit the laser beam directly from the laser light source in substantially parallel relation to the central axis incident on the first mirror and the camera is configured to view a reflection of the laser beam from the inner surface. |
| US09116124B2 |
Feedback control in microfluidic systems
Systems and methods for controlling fluids in microfluidic systems are generally described. In some embodiments, control of fluids involves the use of feedback from one or more processes or events taking place in the microfluidic system. For instance, a detector may detect one or more fluids at a measurement zone of a microfluidic system and one or more signals, or a pattern of signals, may be generated corresponding to the fluid(s). In some cases, the signal or pattern of signals may correspond to an intensity, a duration, a position in time relative to a second position in time or relative to another process, and/or an average time period between events. Using this data, a control system may determine whether to modulate subsequent fluid flow in the microfluidic system. In some embodiments, these and other methods can be used to conduct quality control to determine abnormalities in operation of the microfluidic system. |
| US09116123B2 |
Gloss measuring device and image forming device including same
A gloss measuring device that measures a gloss of an image formed on a sheet which is being transported, the gloss measuring device includes a light emission portion that emits light toward the sheet, a light reception portion that receives the light reflected specularly off the image formed on the sheet, and a position adjustment unit that performs adjustment such that the sheet being transported is in a measurement reference position. |
| US09116122B2 |
Surface plasmon resonance biosensor
An optical biosensor is provided for detecting a bio-molecular sample by Goos-Hänchen (GH) enhancement of Aharonov-Albert-Vaidman (AAV) amplification to a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) detector. The sensor includes pre- and post-selection polarizers respectively upstream and downstream of a right-isosceles prism with a metal film and a liquid medium disposed on a diagonal side of the prism. Laser light passes through the first polarizer, reflects at the film, passes through the second polarizer and is detected with a shift determined by a pointer estimator to indicate the sample. |
| US09116119B2 |
Brillouin optoelectronic measurement method and apparatus
The present invention relates to a Brillouin optoelectronic measurement method comprising the step of, providing a signal (s1) in an optical fiber (100), wherein said signal (s1) is time-frequency coded. The present invention further relates to a corresponding device for use in such a method. |
| US09116116B2 |
Optical analyzer and wavelength stabilized laser device for analyzer
Provided is an optical analyzer which can promote enhancement of measurement sensitivity, cost reduction, size reduction, structural flexibility, disturbance resistance, and the like, at the same time. A laser device to be used in such optical analyzer is also provided. An optical analyzer comprises a laser light source (2); a wavelength selection element (3) for selecting and leading out light having a wavelength substantially equal to the absorption wavelength of an analysis object from among light outputted from the laser light source (2); an optical detection means (5) for detecting the intensity of light red out from the wavelength selection element (3); and a drive current control means (6) for increasing or decreasing the drive current of the laser light source (2) near a specified current value thereof for outputting light of the absorption wavelength, and setting the drive current at such a current value as the intensity of light detected by the optical detection means (5) has a peak value. The laser light source (2), the wavelength selection element (3), and the optical detection means (5) are mounted on a single substrate (11) which can regulate the temperature to a constant level. |
| US09116113B2 |
Sensing method of electrochemical sensor
A sensing method of an electrochemical sensor including the following steps is provided. First, a fluorescent material is immobilized on a surface of an electrode so as to form a sensing electrode. The sensing electrode is then used to execute an electrochemical test of a target in a light-shielding environment. |
| US09116112B2 |
UV protective skin treatment compositions and screening methods
Methods of screening antioxidants for skin protective capacity and antioxidant formulations which protect the skin from UV radiation are disclosed, including using the Briggs-Rauscher Oxidant Method method to one or more antioxidants for predicting protection to the epidermal layer. One antioxidant formulation for use in sunscreens, lip-balms and other types of skincare products for protecting the skin from UV radiation includes a mixture of antioxidants in the skincare product including an effective amount of arbutin in combination with BHT, wherein the ratio of arbutin to BHT ranges from 1:4 to 4:1, and wherein the measured BROM value of the antioxidant mixture is greater than the sum of the BROM values of the individual antioxidants in the mixture at the same concentration. The measured BROM value of the resultant product is greater than or equal to 0.2 sec/μg. The antioxidant formulation may also optionally include hydroquinone, resveratrol, uric acid and/or atorvastatin. |
| US09116108B1 |
Electron beam inspection optimization
An electron beam (E beam) inspection optimization is provided, in which a plurality of initial inspection regions in a chip are obtained, wherein a center of each of the initial inspection regions is a defect point. Thereafter, reset inspection regions are regenerated without overlap, wherein each of the reset inspection regions is within a scope covered by a field of view (FOV) and the scope contains at least one of the defect points. Afterwards, a center of the reset inspection region is transferred into an inspection center, and then an E beam inspection is performed on the inspection center. |
| US09116106B2 |
X-ray detection apparatus for X-ray fluorescence analysis
The X-ray detection apparatus is equipped with an X-ray irradiation unit, an X-ray detector, and a movable collimator having a plurality of apertures. The collimator is provided with a window unit through which light passes, and the apertures and the window unit are aligned in one direction. The collimator moves in the direction so as to change the diameter of an aperture for narrowing X-rays from the X-ray irradiation unit to be used for irradiation of a sample and move to a position to allow an imaging unit to photograph a sample through the window unit. It becomes possible to photograph a sample even in a state where the X-ray irradiation unit, the X-ray detector and the collimator are positioned proximally to each other. |
| US09116103B2 |
Multiple angles of incidence semiconductor metrology systems and methods
An apparatus includes (i) a bright light source for providing an illumination beam at multiple wavelengths selectable with a range from a deep ultraviolet wavelength to an infrared wavelength, (ii) illumination optics for directing the illumination beam towards a sample at selectable sets of angles of incidence (AOI's) or azimuth angles (AZ's) and polarization states to provide spectroscopic ellipsometry, wherein the illumination optics include an apodizer for controlling a spot size of the illumination beam on the sample at each of the selectable AOI/AZ sets, (iii) collection optics for directing an output beam from the sample in response to the illumination beam at each of the selectable AOI/AZ sets and polarization states towards a detector that generates an output signal or image based on the output beam, and (v) a controller for characterizing a feature of the sample based on the output signal or image. |
| US09116098B2 |
Ultrasonic detection method and system
An ultrasonic detection method and system are disclosed. The ultrasonic detection method includes providing an ultrasonic detection system having a first ultrasonic device arrangement and a second ultrasonic device arrangement, positioning the ultrasonic detection system in a peripheral offset position with respect to an object to be measured, and transmitting and receiving an ultrasonic beam between the first ultrasonic device arrangement and the second ultrasonic device arrangement, thereby obtaining ultrasonic detection information about the object. Additionally or alternatively, the transmitting and receiving of the ultrasonic detection method obtains data on a volume greater than that which is capable of being analyzed by a single probe arrangement. The ultrasonic detection system includes the first ultrasonic device arrangement and the second ultrasonic device arrangement positioned in a peripheral offset position with respect to an object to be measured. |
| US09116097B2 |
Part fixture for nondestructive inspection
An ultrasound inspection system includes a part fixture at least partially submerged in a liquid bath. The part fixture includes at least one surface with a plurality of elongated protrusions extending from the surface and a fluid flow ingress aperture in the surface. A part to be inspected is secured on the fixture by circulating the liquid through a channel in the fixture such that the liquid flows around the part and into the ingress aperture. The part engages and is supported by the elongated protrusions, wherein the elongated protrusions are configured such that they do not interfere with the ultrasonic testing performed on the part. |
| US09116096B2 |
Multi-radiation unit and radiation imaging system including the unit
A multi-radiation unit includes: a multi-radiation tube which has a plurality of electron sources, a plurality of targets and an intermediate electrode having openings through which electrons emitted from the electron sources pass; a selection circuit that allows electrons to be emitted from a selected electron source selected from the plurality of electron sources; an intermediate electrode potential defining unit that defines a potential of the intermediate electrode; a storage unit that stores, for each of the plurality of electron sources, an electrostatic control condition of the intermediate electrode for obtaining a predetermined irradiated state of a target corresponding to the selected electron source; and a changing unit that changes, when electrons are emitted from the selected electron source, the electrostatic control condition of the intermediate electrode based on the electrostatic control condition stored in the storage unit for the selected electron source. |
| US09116092B2 |
Device and method for measuring the rheological properties of a yield stress fluid
A device and a method are provided for measuring the yield stress of a fluid. The device includes a container for receiving the fluid therein and an auger having a shaft extending along an axis and a helical flange extending radially about the shaft. The auger is movable in the fluid between a first position and a second position. A sensor is operatively connected to the auger. The sensor measures a force on the auger as the auger moves from the first position to the second position. A linkage is interconnected to the sensor. The linkage translates motion to the auger. |
| US09116088B2 |
Methods and systems for DNA isolation on a microfluidic device
The present invention relates to methods and systems for the isolation of DNA on a microfluidic device and the subsequent analysis of the DNA on the microfluidic device. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention relate to methods and systems for the isolation of DNA from patient samples on a microfluidic device and use of the DNA for performing amplification reactions, such as PCR, and detection, such as thermal melt analysis, on the microfluidic device. |
| US09116087B2 |
Automated systems and methods for preparing biological specimens for examination
The systems and methods disclosed herein permit automated preparation of biological specimens for examination. The disclosed systems and methods provide fast, efficient, and highly uniform specimen processing using minimal quantities of fluids. The methods include at least a fixing phase for fixing a biological specimen to a substrate such as a microscope slide, a staining phase for staining the specimen, and a rinsing phase for rinsing the specimen. One or more of the fixing, staining, and rinsing phases include one or more agitation cycles for distributing reagents evenly and uniformly across the specimen. The systems can be implemented as a standalone device or as a component in a larger system for preparing and examining biological specimens. |
| US09116076B2 |
Systems and methods for canceling electrical crosstalk from measurements of optical signals
An exemplary optical transmission system comprises an optical subassembly (OSA) coupled to an optical receiver via an optical fiber. The OSA comprises a laser diode configured to transmit optical signals across the optical fiber, and the OSA further comprises an avalanche photodiode (APD) configured to receive optical return signals from the optical fiber. The system further comprises a crosstalk canceller configured to estimate an amount of electrical crosstalk affecting measurements of the return signals in order to cancel such crosstalk from measurements of subsequent optical signals received by the APD. |
| US09116074B2 |
Measuring plug and method for assembling a measuring plug
Disclosed is a pressure-measuring plug for a combustion engine. An interconnection structure in the plug body electrically couples by means of a flexible printed circuit board (PCB) an electrical sensing element at one end of the plug body to connector terminals of the plug at the other end of the plug body. An elongated support structure fixates a part of the flexible PCB in the plug body to enable the flexible PCB to withstand automotive conditions and to facilitate during assembly to put the flexible PCB through the hollow plug body. |
| US09116071B2 |
System and method for visual inspection and 3D white light scanning of off-line industrial gas turbines and other power generation machinery
Internal components of gas or steam turbines are inspected with a 3D scanning camera inspection system that is inserted and positioned within the turbine, for example through a gas turbine combustor nozzle port. Three dimensional internal component measurements are performed using projected light patterns generated by a stripe projector and a 3D white light matrix camera. Real time dimensional information is gathered without physical contact, which is helpful for extracting off-line engineering information about the scanned structures. Exemplary 3D scans, preferably with additional visual images, are performed of the gas path side of a gas turbine combustor support housing, combustor basket and transition with or without human intervention. |
| US09116066B1 |
Devices and methods for system-level disk drive vibration and shock testing
A vibration testing apparatus comprises a first mooring bar coupled to the base; a second mooring bar coupled to the base such that the second mooring bar is disposed away from and faces the first mooring bar to define a space between the first and second mooring bars; a first strap comprising a first end secured to the first mooring bar, and a second strap comprising a first end secured to the first mooring bar. A second end of each of the first and second straps may be secured to the second mooring bar such that the first and second straps span the space between the first and second mooring bars and such that a tension on at least one of the first and second strap is controllable. |
| US09116063B2 |
Sensor unit
A sensor unit may include a ceramic member including a first face and a second face opposite to each other with a predetermined interval, a sensor part mounted on the first face, a plurality of metal pins fixed to the second face, a plurality of internal wirings passing through the ceramic member, each of the plurality of internal wirings connecting the sensor part with one of the plurality of metal pins, and a metal member formed on a circumferential end of the second face and joined with a housing by welding. |
| US09116058B2 |
Impact indicator
According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a device and technique for impact detection is disclosed. The impact indicator includes a first member having a reservoir for holding an indicator fluid; and a second member couplable to the first member over the reservoir and configured to form a capillary gap between at least a portion of an interface between the first and second members. Responsive to receiving a predetermined level of impact, the indicator fluid moves from the reservoir to the interface between the first and second members and wicks into the capillary gap via capillary action, the indicator fluid disposed within the capillary gap providing a visual indication of the received predetermined level of impact. |
| US09116057B2 |
Integrated reference vacuum pressure sensor with atomic layer deposition coated input port
An integrated reference vacuum pressure sensor with an atomic layer deposition (ALD) coated input port comprises a housing with an port for a media to enter the housing; a substrate and stress isolation member in the housing; wherein a channel extends through the substrate and the stress isolation member, wherein a trace is embedded within the stress isolation member, wherein stress isolation member and substrate surfaces exposed to the channel are coated with an ALD; a sensor die bonded to the stress isolation member, the sensor die comprising a diaphragm having circuitry, wherein a side of the diaphragm is exposed to the channel and the circuitry is mounted to another side of the diaphragm; a via extending through the sensing die electrically connecting the circuitry to the trace; and a cover bonded to the stress isolation member, the cover having a recess, the sensor die in the recess. |
| US09116055B2 |
Combustion turbine flashback sensing system employing fiber Bragg grating sensors
A combustion turbine flashback sensing system with a sensor cable that includes an optical fiber having at least one and preferably multiple fiber Bragg grating (FBG) temperature sensors along the fiber. The sensor cable is oriented in a combustor turbine upstream a combustion zone, so that it is capable of sensing temperature at multiple sensing points within the combustor. A protective conduit having a first thermal conductivity circumscribes the optical fiber. A sensor shield is oriented in circumferential proximity to the FBG temperature sensor. It is preferable that each such sensor has an associated sensor shield. The sensor shield has a thermal conductivity greater than the conduit thermal conductivity. The sensor shield facilitates FBG sensor rapid thermal response, with sufficient thermal and mechanical shielding to isolate the sensor from harsh operating conditions within the combustor, while the less thermally conductive conduit provides greater isolation protection for the cable structure. |
| US09116053B2 |
System for measurement with pearls
A system is provided for measurement with one or more sensors including at least one signal conductor and at least one pearl, wherein the pearl a device configured to change an impedance mismatch with an external environmental effect. |
| US09116052B2 |
Temperature measuring devices and related methods
Exemplary embodiments are disclosed herein of temperature measuring devices. In an exemplary embodiment, a temperature measuring device includes a temperature sensing means, at least two reference voltage sources, and a reference voltage selection means for selecting one reference voltage source from the at least two reference voltage sources to generate a reference voltage output. The temperature measuring device also includes an A/D converter for converting an analog signal output by the temperature sensing means to a digital signal based on the reference voltage output. The temperature measuring device further includes a temperature calculation means for calculating a temperature to be measured based on the digital signal output by the A/D converter. |
| US09116050B2 |
Sensor-based thermal specification enabling a real-time metric for compliance
An apparatus may include an integrated circuit die having a plurality of temperature sensors and a control unit integrated thereon. The control unit can calculate an average die temperature based on readings from the plurality of temperature sensors, compare the average die temperature to a specification temperature and control an off-die cooling system based on the comparison. |
| US09116048B2 |
Circuits for and methods of accurately measuring temperature of semiconductor junctions
A system for and method of providing a signal proportional to the absolute temperature of a semiconductor junction is provided. The system comprises: a preprocessing stage configured and arranged so as to process a signal from the semiconductor junction so as to produce a preprocessed signal including a resistance error term; and a temperature to voltage converter stage for converting the preprocessed signal to a voltage proportional to absolute temperature representing the absolute temperature of the semiconductor junction; wherein the system is configured and arranged so as to remove the resistance error term so as to produce a resistance error free signal representative of the semiconductor junction temperature. |
| US09116046B2 |
Device and method for determining a direction from a surface of one or more photodetector elements of an integrated circuit to a source providing electromagnetic waves and method for manufacturing an device
In various embodiments a device is provided. The device includes an integrated circuit that includes one or more photodetector elements and a blocking structure monolithically integrated with the one or more photodetector elements. The one or more photodetector elements are arranged relative to the blocking structure such that electrical currents provided by the one or more photodetector elements in response to electromagnetic waves received by the one or more photodetector elements are indicative of a direction to a source providing the electromagnetic waves. |
| US09116042B1 |
Cavity ring down spectroscopy using measured backward mode data
In cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS), scattering into the backward mode of a traveling wave ring-down cavity can degrade conventional CRDS performance. We have found that this performance degradation can be alleviated by measuring the backward mode signal emitted from the ring-down cavity, and using this signal to improve the processing for extracting ring-down times from the measured data. For example, fitting an exponential to the sum of the intensities of the forward and backward signals often provides substantially better results for the ring-down time than fitting an exponential to the forward signal alone. Other possibilities include extracting cavity eigenmode signals from the forward and backward signals and performing separate exponential fits to the eigenmode signals. An optical circulator can be used to facilitate measurement of the backward mode signal. |
| US09116041B1 |
System and method for spectral infrared thermal imaging
A thermal imaging system includes at least one light source in the line of sight of at least one substance of interest. At least one thermal imager is in the line of sight of the substance of interest and is associated with the light source. The light source is configured to selectively transmit infrared wavelengths in the range of about 2 to 25 microns to irradiate the substance of interest. The thermal imager is configured to detect thermal responses of the irradiated substance of interest. |
| US09116040B2 |
Radiation detection device with improved illumination range having a photodetector that operates in two detecting modes
A pixel comprises a photodetector and a control circuit. The pixel is provided with an output terminal designed to connect an analysis circuit. The photodetector is configured to have two different operating modes associated with different biasing conditions. A switch connecting the photodetector to the output terminal of the pixel and a circuit for a connecting/disconnecting the control circuit with the output terminal of the pixel and with the photodetector allow to switch between the two operating modes. A comparator compares the voltage across the capacitive load with respect to a threshold value and outputs first and second signals according to the comparison. The comparator is connected to the circuit for connecting/disconnecting the control circuit and to the switch. |
| US09116038B2 |
Integrated optical illumination reference source
An integrated illumination reference source for generating an illumination reference signal may include an optical element having a first outer surface and a second outer surface, such that the first and the second outer surface are substantially opposing. The optical element receives an incident optical signal at the first outer surface and projects the incident optical signal from the second outer surface onto a surface. A reflective device that is located on a region of the second outer surface is offset from an optical axis of the optical element. The reflective device includes a reflective surface that reflects a portion of the incident optical signal from the second outer surface back through the first outer surface, whereby the reflective surface of the reflective device is encapsulated between the first outer surface and the second outer surface of the optical element. |
| US09116035B2 |
Method and apparatus for image scanning
A method of estimating an in-focus level of a target in an image scanning apparatus, wherein the image scanning apparatus comprises a first line scan detector configured to obtain one or more image scan lines of the target and a second line scan detector configured to obtain one or more focus scan lines of the target, the second line scan detector comprising at least one focus shifting element such that each focus scan line is obtained at respective first and second focus levels, wherein the first focus level is different from the second focus level, the method comprising: obtaining at least one focus scan line of the target using the second line scan detector; obtaining at least one image scan line of the target using the first line scan detector, the image scan line being obtained at a respective third focus level; calculating at least one focus parameter using the at least one focus scan line; and estimating a nominal in-focus level of the target using the at least one focus parameter. |
| US09116033B2 |
Verification system for large-scale weighing machine and self-location loading-unloading load measuring device
A verification system for a large-scale weighing machine comprises at least four tension frameworks penetrating through a weighing platform hole preset on a weighing platform surface of the weighing machine, for connecting to a weighing platform foundation and being disposed perpendicular to the weighing platform surface, at least four self-adjusting loading-unloading load measuring devices disposed corresponding to the tension frameworks, and a constant-load control device connected with the loading-unloading mechanism and allows the loading-unloading mechanism to maintain constant applied load while loading. The self-adjusting loading-unloading load measuring devices includes a self-adjusting loading-unloading mechanism and a high-precision load measuring instrument adjacent to the top side of the loading-unloading mechanism. The high-precision load measuring instrument is at least three times larger than an accuracy of the weighing machine. The verification system has a rational structure and can greatly improve operating efficiency and safety and save cost. |
| US09116032B2 |
Weighing device measuring sum forces coupled together from two or more weighbridges
The invention relates to a weighbridge for forming a scale, in which a load is distributed onto individual levers by means of two or more bridge elements, wherein oppositely rotating levers are coupled to one another in each bridge element in order to create a sum force in each individual bridge element. The sum forces from each bridge element are coupled via connection elements to superimpose them in order to form an overall measurement force detected by a force compensation system. |
| US09116031B2 |
Weighing cell based on the principle of electromagnetic force compensation with optoelectronic position sensor
A weighing cell based on the principle of electromagnetic force compensation and having an optoelectronic position sensor that includes a light source, a light receiver, and a shutter vane. The light receiver functions to generate a position sensor signal corresponding to a deflection of the shutter vane from a zero position which occurs as a result of placing a load onto a load receiver of the weighing cell. A controller functions to regulate compensation current in response to the position sensor signal in such a way that the shutter vane and the movable parts of the weighing cell connected to the shutter vane are returned to the zero position by the electromagnetic force between a coil and permanent magnet system of the weighing cell. |
| US09116030B2 |
Liquid level transducer with isolated sensors
A transducer for determining the level of liquid within a container includes a mounting head adapted for connection to the container and a sensor assembly adapted to extend into the container. A housing of the sensor assembly has a hollow interior that is isolated from liquid within the container. A plurality of sensor elements are located within the interior. A float rod is pivotally connected to the housing and a float is connected to a distal end of the float rod. An actuator located outside the housing is operatively associated with the float rod for pivotal movement therewith. The actuator is operative to change an electrical state of at least one of the sensor elements to thereby indicate a level condition of the liquid within the container. A snap-fit assembly of the mounting head and sensor assembly is also disclosed. |
| US09116028B2 |
Thermal flow sensor and method of generating flow rate detection signal by the thermal flow sensor
Provided is a thermal flow sensor capable of obtaining a flow rate detection signal that differs depending on a flow direction of a fluid, with a simple configuration and at low cost. The thermal flow sensor includes: a bridge circuit (1) for outputting a flow rate detection signal (VM); a fluid direction detection circuit (2) for outputting a fluid direction detection signal (VD); and an arithmetic circuit (3, 4, 6) configured to: generate a first output signal (VQF) and a second output signal (VQR) based on the flow rate detection signal (VM) and the fluid direction detection signal (VD); and select the first output signal (VQF) when the fluid direction detection signal (VD) shows normal flow and select the second output signal (VQR) when the fluid direction detection signal (VD) shows reverse flow, to thereby output a flow rate detection signal (VOUT). |
| US09116027B2 |
Flow meter
A flow meter comprises a flow tube, a magnetic switch and an adjustment assembly. The flow tube has two ends screwed respectively with a first fastening member and a second fastening member, and includes a jutting seat, a sleeve, a magnetic element and an elastic element inside. The magnetic switch is located on a lateral surface of the flow tube, and includes a magnetic induction member disposed inside to form magnetic induction with the magnetic element and a first gear rack. The adjustment assembly engages with the first gear rack for control. When the sleeve is pushed by liquid to generate displacement alteration, distance between the magnetic induction member and sleeve can be quickly adjusted by the adjustment assembly. In the event that the magnetic element in the sleeve exceeds the limit range of the magnetic induction member, a notice is sent to shut down electric power. |
| US09116020B2 |
Encoder, lens apparatus, and camera capable of detecting position of object
An encoder includes a cylinder configured to be rotatable in a circumferential direction, a scale attached to the cylinder, and a detector configured to detect a position of the cylinder by using the scale, and the cylinder includes a fixed holder holding the scale, a scale holder configured to be movable in the circumferential direction of the cylinder and holding the scale, and a scale biasing portion configured to bias the scale via the scale holder toward a side of the fixed holder so that the scale is attached to an inner wall of the cylinder. |
| US09116015B2 |
Display system for work vehicle having a display switching command device for switching a display in a display device
A display system for a work vehicle is disclosed including a display device (43) having an information display area (49), a display control unit (44) for controlling the display device, and a display switching command device (52A) which outputs a display switching command for switching a display in the display device. The display control unit (44) selects and sets, based on an output from the display switching command device (52A), one or more of an operating time display mode for displaying an operating time of an engine, an instantaneous fuel consumption display mode for displaying an instantaneous fuel consumption, an average fuel consumption display mode for displaying an average fuel consumption, and an amount of used fuel display mode for displaying an amount of used fuel, as a display mode for the information display area (49). |
| US09116010B2 |
Calculation of energy optimized route
Methods are provided for determining an energy optimized route for a vehicle. In one example, the method includes providing a plurality of cost factors, each cost factor influencing the energy consumption of the vehicle. At least one cost factor is selected from among the cost factors. A composite cost factor is determined using the selected at least one cost factor. An energy optimized route is then determined based on the composite cost factor. Systems are also provided for determining an energy optimized route for a vehicle. An example system includes a set of cost factors, each cost factor influencing the energy consumption of the vehicle. A classification unit is included for selecting cost factors for the route and for including the selected cost factors in a composite cost factor for the route. A calculator is also included for calculating the energy optimized route based on the composite cost factor. |
| US09116007B2 |
System and method for journey planning, finding K shortest paths through a time/space network
A method and apparatus for selecting a path defining a journey through a time-tabled transportation network comprises determining forming a data set comprising a sequence of K shortest paths through the transportation network from an origin location “o” to a destination location “d”, each path with an increasing cost; and selecting a path from the K shortest paths based upon a filter criteria which may be one not used in the determination of the K shortest paths. The network comprises a public transportation network. The filter criteria not used in the determination of the K shortest paths may be one that does not obey the principal of optimality. The determining step is performed utilizing an algorithm that filters the available paths through the network according to a selected filter criteria plus a selected buffer amount Δ of the filter criteria. The selecting step utilizes only the rankings of the K shortest paths. |
| US09116002B2 |
Context determination to assist location determination accuracy
A location aware device includes a navigation system and one or more environment sensors. Sensor output(s) are aggregated and used to determine a context for the location aware device. Based on the determined context, context data is generated and provided to a navigation engine where it can be used to determine a navigation solution. |
| US09116001B2 |
Adaptive estimation of frame time stamp latency
A mobile device compensates for a lack of a time stamp when an image frame is captured by estimating the frame time stamp latency. The mobile device captures images frames and time stamps each frame after the frame time stamp latency. A vision based rotation is determined from a pair of frames. A plurality of inertia based rotations is measured using time stamped signals from an inertial sensor in the mobile device based on different possible delays between time stamping each frame and time stamps on the signals from the inertial sensors. The determined rotations may be about the camera's optical axis. The vision based rotation is compared to the plurality of inertia based rotations to determine an estimated frame time stamp latency, which is used to correct the frame time stamp latency when time stamping subsequently captured frames. A median latency determined using different frame pairs may be used. |
| US09115994B2 |
Systems and methods sideband heterodyning detection
Systems and methods for sideband heterodyning detection are provided. In certain embodiments a system includes an optical resonator configured to allow light to resonate therein; at least one light source that is controlled to form multiple optical fields, wherein each field is phase or frequency modulated at a common modulation frequency and is at a different frequency. The system also comprises multiple heterodyne modulators that phase or frequency modulate a respective field in the multiple fields at a respective heterodyne frequency to form multiple sidebands, wherein the corresponding heterodyne frequency is different for each heterodyne modulator; at least one coupler that couples the multiple sidebands into the optical resonator; and a feedback control that is configured to detect the multiple sidebands transmitted out of the resonator to create multiple detected sideband signals and adjust frequencies of the plurality of fields based on the multiple detected sideband signals. |
| US09115991B2 |
Apparatus and method for detecting gyro sensor signal
Disclosed herein are an apparatus and a method for detecting a gyro sensor signal. The apparatus includes: a preamplifier unit outputting sensing voltage and inverse phase sensing voltage; a sample and hold unit holding the sensing voltage and the inverse phase sensing voltage for a predetermined period at a predetermined point in time; an averaging unit removing offset; a current passing unit providing a current path of output voltage of the averaging unit; a comparing unit comparing a signal output from the averaging unit and reference voltage with each other to output a comparison signal; and a pulse counter unit generating and outputting a count signal that is in proportion to a width of the comparison signal. |
| US09115988B2 |
Image projecting apparatus, image projecting method, and medium
An image projecting apparatus that includes an illumination measuring unit that measures illumination of light illuminated on a side of the image projecting apparatus opposite a supported surface of the image projecting, an illumination calculator that calculates illumination at the projection surface based on the measured illumination, and a projection light intensity determining unit that determines luminous intensity of projection light from an image projecting unit that projects an image on the projection surface. The illumination calculator calculates illumination at the projection surface based on optical reflecting characteristics of the installation environment of the image projecting apparatus. |
| US09115984B2 |
Method of generating height information in circuit board inspection apparatus
A method of generating height information in a circuit board inspection apparatus, first, obtaining a first image corresponding to a first area and a second image corresponding to a second area with partially overlapped to the first area of a test board. Next, the first image and the second image are matched based on the overlapped area of the first and second area. Sequentially, a relative positional relationship of the first and second images is obtained from the result of matching. Sequentially, a combined grid image is generated by combining the first grid image and the second grid image based on the relative positioning relationship, wherein the first and second grid images are obtained by irradiating a grid patterned light toward a measurement object formed on the board inspection apparatus. Therefore, it is possible to generate an exact height information. |
| US09115981B2 |
Apparatus and method for investigating an object
The present invention refers to an apparatus and a method for investigating an object with a scanning particle microscope and at least one scanning probe microscope with a probe, wherein the scanning particle microscope and the at least one scanning probe microscope are spaced with respect to each other in a common vacuum chamber so that a distance between the optical axis of the scanning particle microscope and the measuring point of the scanning probe microscope in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the scanning particle microscope is larger than the maximum field of view of both the scanning probe microscope and the scanning particle microscope, wherein the method comprises the step of determining the distance between the measuring point of the scanning probe microscope and the optical axis of the scanning particle microscope. |
| US09115980B2 |
Row bar thickness measurement device, system and methods
A device and system for precise measurement of a thickness and determination of a profile of a slider row bar. The device includes a bar mount fixture having a structure for supporting the row bar by an edge, a first probe and a second probe on either side of the row bar, each probe being a non-contact sensor with a measurement precision of 0.5 micrometer, with each of the probes laterally moveable in relation to the bar mount fixture. Also included are methods of using a device for precisely measuring of a thickness and determining of a profile of a slider row bar. |
| US09115978B2 |
Measurement device for measuring the anatomical shape of the leg
The present invention relates to a device (1) for measuring the anatomical shape of the leg comprising a support frame (10) and an angle measuring instrument (20) connected to said support frame (10). The device according to the present invention is characterized in that said angle measuring instrument (20) comprises at least one goniometer (22a, 22b) and at least one rod (21) hinged to said goniometer (22a, 22b), and in that it also comprises light spot projecting means (23a, 23b) connected to said angle measuring instrument (20). |
| US09115975B2 |
Position monitoring system with reduced noise
An interferometry system for monitoring changes in the position of an object, the system includes a spectrally broadband light source, a sensor module having an interferometer that direct portions of the light received from the source along separate paths. The system includes an intensity monitor having a detector configured to measure the intensity of additional light derived from the source and to produce a monitor output signal. The system includes an electronic processing module to process a sensor output signal based on the monitor output signal to account for intensity fluctuations in light output by the source, and determine information about the changes in the position of the object. The intensity monitor is configured to characterize the intensity fluctuations as a function of wavelength or intensity fluctuations that are spectrally correlated. |
| US09115972B2 |
Optical tomographic imaging apparatus and imaging method therefor to acquire images indicating polarization information
An imaging apparatus adjusts the polarization directions of irradiation beams (to a diffraction grating) corresponding to first and second beams respectively which have different polarization directions (for example, by adjusting a relative angle formed between light-emitting ends of respective polarization maintaining fibers) so that the spectral characteristics of the irradiation beams at the diffraction grating coincide with each other. Then, the imaging apparatus acquires a tomographic image indicating polarization information for a object based on beams (that come from the diffraction grating for splitting and diffracting a beam from the adjustment unit) corresponding to the first and second beams respectively which have different polarization directions. |
| US09115969B2 |
Multi-use urgent response resource kit
In another embodiment of the present invention, an organizer assembly includes an article holding body and a mounting structure. The article holding body has a first body segment, a second body segment and a hinge segment connected between the first body segment and the second body segment. The first body segment, the second body segment and the hinge segment jointly define opposing major faces of the article holding body. An ammunition magazine holding structure, a shotgun shell holding structure, an article containment pocket and a canister holding structure are provided on a first one of the opposing major faces. The mounting structure is selectively attachable to and detachable from the first body segment at a second one of the opposing major faces. |
| US09115968B1 |
Course self-correcting projectile
A new fuze that reduces projectile miss-distance to a target, by correcting for discrepancies in anticipated round velocities through its flight. As a result, the fuze-equipped projectile is nominally aimed at a target and maintains improved accuracy relative to a conventional round. The fuze adjusts for the discrepancies in velocity by using an internal electric motor to mechanically actuate a drag-altering surface on the fuze body. In order to adjust for errors in the anticipated velocity, the fuze compares its preprogrammed velocity to its actual velocity at a given point in time during flight. An anticipated velocity table versus time in flight is constantly referenced so that appropriate adjustments in velocity can be made. |
| US09115961B2 |
Corrosion-inhibited projectiles, and shot shells including the same
Corrosion-inhibited copper-containing projectiles and shot shells including the same. The projectiles include a core that is formed from a core material, and an outer coating that is formed from a coating material. The core material includes copper, and optionally may include at least 50 wt % copper. In some embodiments, the outer coating maintains a corrosion rate of copper within the core material below 0.00075 mmpy. The shot shells include a shot charge that includes a plurality of the projectiles. |
| US09115958B2 |
Dual field optical aiming system for projectile weapons
A system for aiming a projectile weapon includes a telescopic sight for use with a second sighting device, such as a reflex sight or other non-magnifying sight. The telescopic sight has an eye point spaced apart rearwardly from its eyepiece and positioned at a vertical plane containing a line of initial trajectory of the weapon to which the aiming system is mounted so that a line parallel to the line of initial trajectory does not intersect the eyepiece. The location of the eye point facilitates concurrent use of a second sighting device at a normal mounting height and viewable past the eyepiece, thereby allowing the viewer to change views between the telescopic sight and the second sighting device with little eye movement and essentially no head movement. |
| US09115954B1 |
Double-barreled bullpup pump-action shotgun
A double-barreled bullpup pump-action shotgun has a frame with two forward-extending barrels arranged side-by-side, a pair of tube magazines, each positioned beneath a respective barrel, an action attached to the frame and operable to load ammunition from the tube magazines to the barrels, and a trigger assembly attached to the frame, the action being located at least in part behind the trigger assembly, and the trigger assembly including a trigger linkage to connect the trigger assembly to the action and to operate the hammers behind the bolts. The action may be a pump action. The trigger assembly may include a plurality of hammer trips, each having a sloped forward surface. The trigger assembly may include a plurality of sears having tails, and the sloped surfaces of the hammer trips may lift the tails of the sears during a portion of a complete cycle of the action. |
| US09115950B2 |
Firearm suppressor
A firearm suppressor is provided. The firearm suppressor includes an outer body having an inner portion. A noise suppressor component is within the outer body of the firearm suppressor. The outer body may include a front portion, a rear portion, and a channel running from the front portion to the rear portion. The present invention may further include an accessory rail protruding from the outer body of the firearm suppressor. |
| US09115948B2 |
Support apparatus
A support apparatus includes a main element supported by lanyard. The main element includes one or more channels for supporting an object such as a firearm in a substantially vertical position. The support apparatus may include a hook or other fastener for removably coupling to a vehicle or other fixed object. In some embodiments, channel dividers are semi-spherical in shape, and may be generally semispherical with a teardrop (i.e., drooping) shape. The channel dividers may be sacks or vessels filled with an elastic type substance (e.g., silicon) and be firmed to elastically grip the firearm and provide a firm support. |
| US09115946B2 |
Soft recoil system
One embodiment of a gun configured with the soft recoil system comprises a plurality of recoiling parts that initially moves in the direction of the projectile being fired before moving in a direction opposite to that of a projectile during the firing of the round. The soft recoil system throttles the movement of the recoiling parts such that the energy expended during the firing of the round is spread over a longer time period and a longer distance than would normally occur. The soft recoil system stores at least a portion of the energy transferred to the recoiling parts and the user may selectively release at least a part of that portion of energy to offset the energy imparted to the gun during the firing of the next round. |
| US09115933B2 |
Flame detection device
The present invention is directed to a flame detection device comprising a flame signal receiver (1), a flame signal passage (11) and a flame signal transmitting mechanism, characterized in that, the flame signal passage (11) passes through a furnace shell (12) into inner of the furnace and comprises an outside-furnace passage portion (11a) and an inside-furnace passage portion (11b); wherein a pressure-resistant optical mechanism (10) is arranged at the outermost end of the outside-furnace passage portion, said pressure-resistant optical mechanism hermetically and transparently separate the flame signal receiver from the flame signal passage; and wherein the inside-furnace passage portion (11b) is provided with a cooling mechanism (19). Such a flame detection device is to be arranged on a furnace shell, and it could not only conduct a flame detection on the furnace under high temperature and high pressure, but also has a selection of the proper flame signal receivers installed for different stages of operation as desired. |
| US09115923B2 |
Shield for an ice dispensing assembly of a cooling compartment
A shield for an ice dispensing assembly of a cooling compartment. The shield has at least one side member that increases in width along its length downwardly from a top of the shield. The shield blocks ice from falling directly from an ice maker into an ice chute of the cooling compartment. |
| US09115918B2 |
Refrigerator with icemaker chilled by thermoelectric device cooled by fresh food compartment air
An icemaker is mounted remotely from a freezer compartment. The icemaker includes an ice mold. A thermoelectric device is provided and includes a warm side and an opposite cold side. A flow pathway is connected in communication between the cold side of the thermoelectric device and the icemaker. In one aspect, a fan is operatively positioned to move air from the fresh food compartment across the warm side of the thermoelectric device and a pump moves fluid from the cold side of the thermoelectric device to the icemaker. Cold air, such as from a refrigerator compartment, may be used to dissipate heat from the warm side of the thermoelectric device for providing cold fluid to and for cooling the ice mold of the icemaker. |
| US09115916B2 |
Method of operating a cooling system having one or more cooling units
A method of calculating net sensible cooling capacity of a cooling unit includes measuring a discharge pressure from of fluid from a compressor and a suction pressure from an evaporator, calculating a condensing temperature of fluid flowing from the compressor and an evaporating temperature of fluid flowing from the evaporator, calculating a mass flow rate of fluid flowing from the compressor, calculating enthalpy of fluid flowing from the compressor, of fluid flowing from the thermal expansion valve, and of fluid flowing from the evaporator, calculating a mass flow rate of fluid flowing through the hot gas bypass valve, and calculating net sensible cooling capacity. Embodiments of cooling units and other methods are further disclosed. |
| US09115915B2 |
Support assembly for photovoltaic panels
A support assembly for supporting photovoltaic panels includes a plurality of support units connected one by one. Each of the plurality of support units includes a support beam, a pair of standing posts, a strengthening bar and at least one horizontal beam. The pair of standing posts, the strengthening bar and the at least one horizontal beam are pivotably mounted on the support beam via connecting members. When used, the strengthening bar rotates relative to the support beam and collectively constitutes a triangle with the support beam and one of the pair of standing posts to avoid distortion. When packaged, the pair of standing posts and the strengthening bar rotate relative to the support beam to be received in the receiving groove respectively, and the at least one horizontal beam rotates relative to and is disposed in parallel to the support beam. |
| US09115913B1 |
Fluid heater
An apparatus for heating fluid includes a tank for holding fluid to be heated, and a fuel wafer in fluid communication with the fluid. The fuel wafer includes a fuel mixture including reagents and a catalyst, and an electrical resistor or other heat source in thermal communication with the fuel mixture and the catalyst. |
| US09115912B2 |
Fluid heating device
The present invention relates to a fluid heating device which can instantaneously heat a fluid which is flowing for the purpose of supply or circulation. It comprises: a ceramic heater in the form of a flat plate having terminal lead wires for applying a power source; partition plates, to top and bottom of the ceramic heater, which allow the fluid which is to be heated to move towards the ceramic heater and which said partition plates have horizontal-movement fluid pathways such that fluid which has been heated by means of the ceramic heater is discharged; a flow path forming plate having a fluid through path such that the fluid on the horizontal-movement fluid pathways can move vertically to the fluid pathway of the next layer; an upper cover having an inlet hole for the supply of a fluid for heating the outside surface of the uppermost partition plate; and a final lower cover having an outlet hole for discharging the heated fluid onto the outside surface of the lowermost partition plate. |
| US09115911B2 |
Direct-fired ductable heater
A direct-fired heater suitable for connection to duct work is provided. The heater comprises a combustion chamber defined by a combustion chamber wall, a burner plate at one end proximate a fan blade and an exhaust plate at an opposite end, the burner plate having openings therein for allowing airflow into the combustion chamber and the exhaust plate have an opening therein for allowing exit of heated exhaust from the combustion chamber, the combustion chamber wall extending past the burner plate. A first airflow zone exists between the outer shell and the combustion chamber allowing airflow between the fan blade and the outlet in the outer shell. An injector for injecting gas into the combustion chamber in proximity to the openings in the burner plate is used. The heater also comprises a nose cone between the outlet in the outer shell and the exhaust plate. |
| US09115910B2 |
Fan filter unit and air purification system for dust-free room
A fan filter unit (FFU) includes a fan, and a filter screen coupled with an air inlet of the fan. An air inlet of the filter screen is further configured with an auxiliary filter screen, and a minimum diameter of dust particles filtrated by the auxiliary filter screen is greater than a minimum diameter of the dust particles filtrated by the filter screen. |
| US09115908B2 |
Systems and methods for managing a programmable thermostat
Systems and methods for managing a programmable thermostat are described herein. One or more system embodiments include a programmable thermostat having a first management profile; a data acquisition subsystem; and a data analysis subsystem. The data acquisition subsystem is configured to receive thermostat data from the programmable thermostat, and the data analysis subsystem is configured to receive the thermostat data from the data acquisition subsystem, and determine a second management profile for the programmable thermostat based, at least in part, on the thermostat data. |
| US09115907B2 |
Ventilation controller
A ventilation system for a building in some cases includes a main HVAC blower for moving temperature-conditioned air through the building plus a smaller ventilation blower for providing fresh air. A controller regulates the ventilation blower's speed to provide a target ventilation flow rate regardless of changes in the pressure differential between the indoor and outdoor air. To ensure that the target rate is appropriate for a particular building, the target flow rate is determined based on a ventilation setting that reflects a specified number of bedrooms and a specified amount of floor space of the building. |
| US09115902B2 |
Household appliance, in particular oven
Household appliance (10, 40), in particular an oven, comprising a casing (12, 42), which defines a cavity (14, 44) having an opening (16, 46), and a door (18, 48) for opening and closing said opening (16, 46), wherein the door (18, 48) comprises a front wall (20, 50) and a frame (22, 52), wherein the frame (22, 52) comprises at least one window portion (30, 60) made of a transparent material and being visible from outside the appliance (10, 40), and in that an optical deflecting device (32, 62) is provided for projecting an image of the interior of the cavity (14, 44) on the window portion (30, 60). |
| US09115897B2 |
Gas turbine engine systems and methods involving enhanced fuel dispersion
Gas turbine engine systems and methods involving enhanced fuel dispersion are provided. In this regard, a representative method for operating a gas turbine engine includes: providing a gas path through the engine; introducing a spray of fuel along the gas path downstream of a turbine of the engine; and impinging the spray of fuel with a relatively higher velocity flow of air such that atomization of the fuel is increased. |
| US09115894B1 |
Two-chamber eductor based incinerator with exhaust gas recirculation
The invention is directed to an optimized two-chamber eductor based incinerator system. The two-chamber optimized incinerator system includes a primary and a secondary combustion chamber, the system having a single fuel fired burner located in one of the secondary combustion chamber, or the eductor. The system also includes an eductor connecting the primary combustion chamber to the secondary combustion chamber, the eductor creating a recirculation flow through the first and the second combustion chambers. |
| US09115893B2 |
Process for incinerating NH3 and a NH3 incinerator
This invention relates to a process for incinerating NH3 in an NH3 incinerator comprising a first incineration step at controlled sub-stoichiometric incineration conditions and a second incineration step with at a greater than stoichiometric amount of oxygen, whereby a product stream is produced with reduced NO formation. The invention also relates to an NH3 incinerator. |
| US09115890B2 |
Ignition system for portable LPG burner
A gas-fired heat gun is ignited using an electrode tip located downstream of a flame holder such that the electrode tip is in the path of the flowing gas. The electrode is connected to a voltage source that causes a spark to jump from the electrode tip to another part of the heat gun, such as the flame holder or a casing of the heat gun, when a trigger is pulled, thereby igniting the flowing gas. The electrode is typically a thin wire extending through a portion of a diffuser defining a portion of the gas flow path upstream of the flame holder. The electrode may be continuous from the diffuser to a terminal end downstream of the flame holder. |
| US09115889B2 |
Rich-lean combustion burner and combustion apparatus
In a rich-lean combustion burner, each of outer rich-side flame holes disposed on both outer sides is supplied with rich-side mixture in the same amount and mixing state as the others. A lower end part of a central rich-side burner part is projected into an interior of a tubular part to which a rich-side mixture is introduced. First communication holes are opened, respectively, in both side walls of the lower end part. A second and a third communication holes in fluid communication with an outer rich-side burner part are opened in a tubular part. The second and the third communication holes are oriented so as to face each other without any obstruction, other than a space, therebetween. Furthermore, a pocket part which is a space part adapted to collect and accumulate dust particles is formed on the downstream side up to a closed end. |
| US09115888B2 |
Rich-lean combustion burner
A rich-lean combustion burner has a supply channel through which a lean-side mixture is supplied to lean-side flame holes; and a supply channel through which a rich-side mixture is supplied to rich-side flame holes. The supply channels are partitioned from each other. A third plate member including a pair of plate parts which are bent to form a V shape at its lower end edge as a fold line is employed to form a central rich-side burner part. A slit part is partitioned and formed between side edges of a pair of first plate members on both longitudinal sides for forming lean-side flame holes on width-wise sides of the central rich-side burner part. With the lower end part in front, the V-shaped third plate member s inserted into the slit part, thereby being interposed between the first plate members. |
| US09115885B2 |
Water tight LED assembly with connector through lens
An LED assembly includes an optically active lens, an LED board seated on a first surface of a hear sink, and a gasket disposed between the lens and the heat sink. The lens and the first surface of the heat sink defining a cavity receiving the LED board, with the gasket configured to water-tightly seal the cavity. At least one electrical connector extends through a wall of the lens, with one end provided inside the cavity and connected to the LED board, and another end disposed outside the cavity and connected to a power source. |
| US09115883B1 |
Variable length lamp
A lamp that houses an illumination source such as, for example, a number of light emitting diodes (LEDs), is selectively adjustable to vary the length of the lamp to accommodate a number of installation types and configurations. The single lamp housing design meets all the required lamp standards and can be used interchangeably within fixtures requiring differed lamp lengths. The lamp includes a base that is configured to be coupled to a power source of a lamp fixture. The lamp has a neck coupled to the base and a housing arrangement this is movable relative to the neck that can move between an extended and retracted position via a guide arrangement. |
| US09115879B1 |
Light tower
A light tower has a mast, preferably provided in sections which can lift, some possibly with a rack and pinion system, and others possibly with a winch and pulley system. Some embodiments have a remote control to raise and lower the mast. Some embodiments have an array of lights atop the mast which can be rotated not only relative to horizontal light axes, but also relative to a horizontal array axis which is parallel to, but not collinear with, the horizontal light axes. Furthermore, some embodiments preferably provide at least one, if not a number of lights which can be unplugged from the array and connected into connections at the housing while still allowing for rotation of the lights (such as about horizontal and/or vertical axes). |
| US09115877B1 |
Mounting apparatus for a light emitting diode module
A mounting apparatus for a light emitting diode module provides a support structure for attaching a light emitting diode module directly to a light bulb in a lighting system. A bulb bracket includes a bulb clip that can be mechanically attached to a conventional bulb such as a fluorescent, neon or incandescent light bulb. A light emitting diode module can be secured to the bulb bracket using a module clip or another attachment disposed between the bracket and the module. Additional light emitting diode support structures include a mounting bar securable directly to a light bulb or other structure in a lighting system such as a sign box wall. An expandable support bracket is also provided for supporting one or more light emitting diode modules. |
| US09115876B1 |
LED light having LED cluster arrangements
An improved light-emitting diode (LED) light fixture can include a circuit board, multiple LED clusters, and a master power controller. The LED clusters can be arranged on the circuit board and can include at least seven LEDs electrically connected in series and a regulator circuit. The LEDs of an LED cluster can be arranged such that one LED is located at a central point of the LED cluster and the remaining LEDs are arranged in a circular geometry around the center LED. The master power controller can be coupled to the circuit board and can be configured to control power provided to the LED clusters. |
| US09115874B2 |
Optical semiconductor illuminating apparatus
Embodiments of the invention provide an optical semiconductor illuminating apparatus, which includes a heat dissipating base; a light emitting module comprising at least one semiconductor light emitting device and mounted on a lower side of the heat dissipating base; and a plurality of heat dissipating fins each having opposite edges protruding from opposite sides of the heat dissipating base and being mounted on an upper surface of the heat dissipating base. |
| US09115870B2 |
LED lamp and hybrid reflector
A lamp comprises an enclosure having a reflective surface and an exit surface through which light is emitted from the enclosure and a base. A plurality of LEDs are located in the enclosure and are operable to emit light when energized through an electrical path from the base. The reflective surface comprises a first reflective layer applied to the enclosure and a second reflective layer over the first reflective layer. The first reflective layer is a metalized surface. The second layer comprises a transparent carrier such as silicone mixed with a reflective media such as TiO2, Barium Sulfate and/or ZnO or silver. |
| US09115862B2 |
Colour-tunable light source unit with phosphor element
The invention concerns a light source unit of tunable spectral properties, having a pump light source and a phosphor element for a conversion of pump light into converted light intended for illuminating a target, wherein the phosphor element has at least two phosphor element sections interacting differently with pump light, and wherein the light source unit further comprises a deflecting unit, such as a zoom lens or a variable diffraction grating, for deflecting the pump light so as to vary a distribution of pump light incident onto the phosphor element with respect to the different phosphor element sections, in order to vary spectral properties of the combined converted light beam emanating from the light source unit. |
| US09115859B2 |
Artificial sunlight radiation device
An artificial sunlight radiation device (10) includes a xenon light source (9), a condensing element (2), a tapered coupler (3), an optical filter (4), a light guide plate (16), a light extracting member (17), and a side-surface reflection member (15) that is provided at one or more side end surfaces of the light guide plate (16), reflects a portion of the light output from the light guide plate (16), and directs the portion of the light toward a radiation surface. |
| US09115858B2 |
Extended length flexible LED light strip system
An extended length flexible LED light strip system for extending the length of a flexible LED light strip. The extended length flexible LED light strip system generally includes a protective covering having a passage, a light strip extending within the passage of the protective covering, a first power bus and a second power bus within the protective covering, and a plurality of connectors electrically connecting the light strip to the power buses at selected lengths. A power coupler is provided that includes a pair of prongs that extend into the protective covering and electrically contact the power buses to provide DC power to the power buses. |
| US09115855B2 |
White light source
A white light source 1 of an embodiment has color temperature of 2600 [K] or more and less than 3200 [K]. The white light source of the embodiment has a ratio of a minimum emission intensity to a maximum emission intensity in a wavelength region of from 450 to 610 [nm] on an emission spectrum of 0.16 or more and less than 0.35. |
| US09115853B2 |
Lighting device
A lighting device includes at least one light source arranged in contact with an electrically conducting layer, and mechanically secured to an electrically insulating heat sink element. |
| US09115849B2 |
Alarm mat
An alarm mat includes a sheet, and sound producer from which sound is produced by air inflow and outflow. The sheet is provided with a plurality of projections made of an elastic material, projecting toward an upper-surface side of the sheet with top portions thereof continuously extending, and each having a sealed cavity inside. The plurality of projections are juxtaposed to each other. The sound producer is loaded in the sheet in a manner that air flows in and out of the projections through the sound producer alone. |
| US09115845B2 |
Rail, adhesive mounted, to display utensils and other objects
An esthetically pleasing article support in long thin rail form (11) is described. This rail is mated to double stick foam tape (12), the remaining face of that tape is affixed to a support structure (wall, under-shelf, door) (FIG. 1, FIG. 9). A double ended hook (15, 17, 30) linked to the rail through a pierced tab (24′, 27′) formed in the rail (23, 26) or coupled to the rail through a hasp (14,17, 20′) supports the article. When hasps engage the tape unwelcome hook motion is blocked. The double ended hook may be moved to alternate positions on the rail without use of additional equipment, without disturbing adhesive bonds and without disturbing other utensils. Use of a thin rail conserves material and permits effective application of pressure to the tape-structure interface to insure bonding and permits delivery of a rail-tape-protective liner assembly in space saving coiled form. |
| US09115842B2 |
Apparatus and method for inspection of underground pipes
A system for inspecting an underground conduit from within comprises a data acquisition subsystem configured to be placed within the conduit and to move along at least a portion of the conduit to obtain data regarding the conduit. The system comprises a data storage subsystem configured to be placed within the conduit and to move along the conduit. The data storage subsystem receives and stores at least a portion of the data from the data acquisition subsystem for retrieval after the data acquisition subsystem has moved along the conduit. |
| US09115841B2 |
Apparatus for sealing a conduit
An apparatus and a method for sealing a conduit. The apparatus includes a housing, a tube for reciprocably extending through the housing bore, a rod reciprocably extending through the tube, a seal assembly associated with the tube and the rod, wherein the seal assembly includes at least one seal element which expands radially in response to an axial setting force, a proximal collar associated with the tube for engaging with a proximal end of the seal assembly, and a distal collar associated with the rod for engaging with a distal end of the seal assembly, wherein moving the rod axially relative to the tube in a proximal direction results in the axial setting force being applied to the seal assembly. The method includes using the apparatus to perform maintenance or repair on the conduit or its associated fittings. |
| US09115838B2 |
Rapid-connect coupler
A rapid-connect gas coupler is shown and described herein. In an embodiment, the rapid-connect gas coupler includes a spring-loaded probe within a probe cavity, which is defined by a housing and one or more latch segment. The probe can engage with a gas connector, which causes the latch segment to engage and couple with the gas connector. |
| US09115834B2 |
Quick connector
A quick connector assembly for quickly connecting and establishing fluid communication between a male end form having a bead and a tube. The quick connector assembly includes a housing having a stem portion for receiving the hose and a female receiving portion for receiving the male end form. The quick connector includes a locker which is moveable between a non-engaged position for allowing the male end form to be inserted into or withdrawn from the quick connector assembly and an engaged position for trapping the male end form in the quick connector assembly. The locker includes a pair of outside legs, each having a notch, and the housing includes a pair of windows for receiving the notches when the locker is in the engaged position. The locker cannot be moved back to the non-engaged position until the outside legs are pulled outwardly, thereby disengaging the notches from the windows. |
| US09115830B1 |
Jacketed line coupling
A conduit assembly has a slip coupling arrangement which allows two separate process or product flow streams with differential temperatures to flow side by side while subject to repeated cycles of thermal expansion and contraction. An inner pipe extends through an outer pipe with an annular plate welded therebetween as a liquid-tight seal at an assembly first end. A slip coupling outer element is fixed to the outer pipe at a second end and has two O-rings engaged within grooves. A slip coupling inner element is fixed to the inner pipe and extends within the outer element with a land which engages the O-rings, allowing thermal expansion and contraction of the conduit assembly with the inner element moving axially with respect to the outer element while retaining a liquid tight seal therebetween. For large temperature variations or long conduit runs, the slip coupling may be longer with polymer slider rings. |
| US09115828B2 |
Transverse pipe flange separator
A device for separating pipe flanges through the application of a transverse force. The device contains a frame, a frame retaining plate, a pusher pin, a leveling pin, an anchoring pin, a member, and anti-slip screws. |
| US09115826B2 |
Cable fastener with cable management function
A cable fastener with cable management function is revealed. The cable fastener is a hollow frame formed by two first side walls disposed at an interval along the length direction and two second side walls. The frame has an opening perpendicular to a length direction and two convex bodies arranged symmetrically on inner surfaces of the second side walls. A plurality part of a cable with equal length is respectively mounted into the opening of each cable fastener, passed through the convex bodies and secured in the frame. A plurality of bend points is formed on the cable along the length direction so that the cable is bent into bundles. The cable management and positioning is achieved. |
| US09115825B2 |
Valve sound reducing trim assembly with pressure relief mechanism
A cage for a control valve trim assembly includes a cage body having an opening at one end and a wall extending from the opening, a plurality of cage openings disposed in the wall, and a pressure relief mechanism disposed in the cage wall. |
| US09115823B1 |
Protective cap for valve cap assembly and valve cap assembly
The present invention is to a protective valve cap and a valve cap assembly. The protective valve cap secures and protects a valve and a valve cap during shipping and manufacturing of the assembly of parts comprising the valve and a valve cap assembly. The protective valve cap has a first end comprising a cylinder having a diameter and a length to fit inside and substantially secure the valve cap, a second end comprising an open cylinder having a diameter and a length to fit over and substantially secure an end of a valve that engages the valve cap, and an interferant structure, preferably a solid wall structure, integrally formed with and disposed between the ends and having a diameter larger than the ends. |
| US09115822B2 |
Remote drain plug system
A remote drain plug system is described. The system includes a control cable having an inner wire and an outer layer, a cable actuator coupled to a first end of the control cable, the cable actuator adapted to move the inner wire within the outer layer, a drain plug housing coupled to a second end of the control cable, and a drain plug coupled to the inner wire at the second end of the control cable, the drain plug adapted to be able to be positioned relative to the drain plug housing. A method of operating the remote drain plug system includes providing an actuator controller, receiving a selection of “open” from the actuator controller, and extending the remote drain plug away from a drain plug housing such that water is able to flow through the drain plug housing. |
| US09115820B2 |
Fluidic control element with rounded shaft
A fluidic control element includes a housing having a fluid space formed between at least two housing parts. First and second flow channels may each have a sealing seat that opens into the fluid space. The fluidic control element may further include a two-armed lever which is configured to swivel in the fluid space. Each arm of the lever may be configured to open and close one of the flow channels in a corresponding end position. Additionally, a valve body may have a load-carrying core including a shaft mounted in the housing. The shaft may be rounded at least in the region in which it is embedded in a sealing ring that surrounds the lever arms. |
| US09115819B2 |
Single-lever mixing cartridge
The invention relates to a single-lever mixing cartridge, comprising a head piece (1), which accommodates a bottom piece (8), and a disk control having a control disk (5) that is arranged in a rotatable and pivotable manner via a rotatably and pivotably mounted spindle (2). The bottom piece (8) is connected to the head piece (1) via a latching connection and is sealed against the head piece (1) by means of a sealing element. Furthermore, one, preferably two inlet channels (81) and an outlet channel (82) are provided in the bottom piece (8), wherein the bottom piece (8) has an axial shoulder (83) through which only the inlet channels (81) are guided. |
| US09115818B2 |
Single-lever mixing cartridge
The invention relates to a single-lever mixing cartridge, comprising a head piece (1), which accommodates a bottom piece (8), and a disk control having a control disk (5) that can be displaced via an at least pivotably mounted spindle (2). An outer thread for screwing into a fitting is provided, and a fastening ring (16) is provided which has the external thread (161) and which is placed on the head piece (1) and is captively held thereon. |
| US09115812B2 |
Plug valve with a spring biased plug
In a plug valve with a plug supported around its axis of rotation in a flow passageway of the valve housing, the plug is supported in a floating manner against a spring force pressing the plug against an annular sealing element. The spring force is provided by a spring element bearing against the valve housing and engaging with a trunnion of the plug. The sealing element is supported in a fixed position against a flow passage opening. |
| US09115806B2 |
Control device for automatic transmission
A first hydraulic pressure control unit forms an oil path to supply oil to a frictional engagement element when a select lever is located in a travel range or between the travel range and a non-travel range and forms an oil path to discharge the oil from the frictional engagement element when the select lever is located in the non-travel range. An abnormality determination unit cancels an abnormality determination when only a travel range signal is output from a range signal output unit after a signal of the range signal output unit is determined to be abnormal, and maintains the abnormality determination when only a non-travel range signal is output from the range signal output unit. A second hydraulic pressure control unit forms an oil path to supply the oil to the frictional engagement element during the abnormality determination or when only the travel range signal is output, and forms an oil path to discharge the oil from the frictional engagement element before the abnormality determination or when only the non-travel range signal is output. |
| US09115805B2 |
Transmissioin clutch return spring pressure learn using PID control
A method for determining the return spring pressure of a clutch in a vehicle transmission includes using proportion-integral-derivative (PID) control logic of a controller to introduce a calibrated error into a pressure command of a holding clutch during a coast-down maneuver of the vehicle. The calibrated error causes a slip level to occur across the holding clutch. The method includes maintaining the slip level using the PID control logic and separately commanding engine torque at different threshold low values during the coast-down maneuver. The pressure/input torque relationship for the holding clutch is recorded for both threshold low levels as the controller continues to maintain the slip. The return spring pressure is calculated using the recorded pressure/input torque relationship. The holding clutch may be controlled a subsequent shift maneuver using the learned return spring pressure. A vehicle is also disclosed having a controller configured to execute steps of the method. |
| US09115799B2 |
Compact gearbox for ram air turbine oil management
A ram air turbine gearbox housing includes a housing body that has a first flange that defines a first plane and a second flange that defines a second plane that is transverse to the first plane. The housing body extends around an axis and has a first axial end and an opposite, second axial end that are each open to an internal cavity of the housing body. The housing body includes a radially-enlarged section at least partially defining an oil sump within the internal cavity of the housing body. |
| US09115797B2 |
Method of setting reference position of actuator in automated manual transmission
A method of setting a reference position of an actuator in an automated manual transmission, may include acquiring a full stroke by checking both ends in a shifting direction, determining whether or not the full stroke is within a normal range, moving a finger to a position that is half of a previous full stroke when the full stroke acquired at the procedure of acquiring the full stroke exceeds the normal range as a result of determining whether or not the full stroke is within the normal range, and determining whether or not a selection operation is carried out at the position that is half of the full stroke after moving the finger to the position that is half of the previous full stroke. |
| US09115794B2 |
Integrated drive generator pump plate
An integrated drive generator includes a pump plate having first and second parallel faces defining a first thickness. A passage extends between the first and second faces through the pump plate. Webbing is provided in the passage having a second thickness less than the first thickness. The webbing provides a first volume and the passage provides a second volume. A ratio of the second volume to the first volume is 20.8. |
| US09115788B2 |
Ring-type tensioner
In a ring-type tensioner, a resilient ring that cooperates with external grooves formed on a plunger to restrict retracting movement of the plunger in a tensioner housing, is formed with manipulation parts that extend through a cut-out portion in the housing and have bulged portions that are spaced by gaps from opposed walls of the cut-out portions. A rod-shaped tool inserted into one of the gaps cooperates with the bulged portion and the wall on opposite sides of the gap to expand the ring. The manipulation parts can be formed with tool-holding portions. |
| US09115787B2 |
Chain guide and chain tensioner device
Disclosed is a lightweight and inexpensive chain guide that has little mechanical loss. The chain guide comprises: a plurality of rollers (2) which make contact with a chain; a chain guide base (10) which supports the plurality of the rollers (2) disposed along a direction of travel of the chain, and a plurality of shafts (3) attached to the chain guide base (10) at predetermined intervals along the direction of travel of the chain. Each of the rollers (2) includes a rolling-element bearing portion constituted of a cylindrical outer ring main body (20) encompassing an outer circumferential face of the shaft (3), and a plurality of rolling elements (21) disposed between the outer circumferential face of the shaft and an inner circumferential face of the outer ring main body (20). The outer ring main body (20) is supported on the chain guide base (10) via the shaft (3) so as to be in rolling contact with the chain. |
| US09115786B2 |
Driving force transmitting device which disposes gears in a small space and optical unit
A driving force transmitting device includes a first gear that rotates about the same rotational shaft as that of a small wheel portion and a second gear that engages with the small wheel portion and to which a rotational driving force is transmitted from the first gear. A rib member that rotatably supports the second gear is provided at a rotational center of the second gear. A first end portion of a rotational shaft is pivotally supported by an attachment plate within a root circle of the first gear. The annular rib member is provided on a web face of the first gear. The rib member has the same rotational shaft as the first gear and co-rotates with the first gear while supporting a second end portion of the rotational shaft. |
| US09115784B2 |
Transmission belt
The invention provides a transmission belt that can suppress lowering in transmission efficiency and has improved durability. A rubber layer adhered to core wires is formed to have a durometer hardness (shore A) of not less than 72 and not more than 85, or have a tensile stress of not less than 0.5 MPa and not more than 1.7 MPa when stretched 10% in the belt longitudinal direction at 25° C., and the rubber layer is formed to have a weight increase of 90% or less after immersed in light oil for 48 hours at 25° C. or have a weight increase of 80% or less after immersed in toluene for 48 hours at 25° C. Alternatively, the rubber layer adhered to the core wires is formed to have a storage modulus of not less than 10 MPa and not more than 50 MPa and a tan δ of not more than 0.15 as measured by dynamic viscoelasticity measurement under conditions at a static load of 3 kgf/cm2, a dynamic strain of 0.4%, a frequency of 10 Hz and a temperature of 25° C. in a tensile mode in a belt longitudinal direction. |
| US09115783B2 |
Device for fastening and clamping straps
In order to create a device for fastening and clamping straps that also permanently withstands high mechanical loads of the type that occur during the tensioning of slacklines, in particular longlines, at least one pair of pivoting levers are be provided, between which two mutually parallel clamping plates with flat clamping surfaces are hinged, the clamping surfaces being at least as wide as the strap and being provided with securing devices for securing the strap in the clamped state. The pivoting levers are fastened to a tensioning device, for example a chain hoist, on actuation of which the pivoting levers absorb the tension and transmit it to the clamping plates so that the clamping surfaces of the clamping plates are pressed together, thereby securely clamping the strap fitted between the clamping surfaces. |
| US09115782B2 |
Ball balancer and washing machine having the same
Disclosed is a ball balancer that increases a rate of balls in ball detention portions and restricts aggravation of unbalance caused by balls outside of the ball detention portions. When a rotation speed of a rotator is less than a first rotation speed, the ball detention portion allows the ball moved from a rolling face to be detained therein and to allow the ball therein to come into contact with the released ball outside thereof to prevent separation of the released ball from the rolling face. Anti-separation portions are provided to come into contact with the released balls outside of the ball detention portions to prevent separation of the released balls from the rolling face. When the rotation speed is greater than the first rotation speed, the ball detention portion allows separation of the ball therein to the rolling face by centrifugal force applied thereto. |
| US09115780B2 |
Pulsation damper
A pulsation damper (1) for damping pressure pulsations of a fluid is insertable into the fluid line as intermediate piece by forming an axial flow channel (3), and the pulsation damper (1) featuring a housing (2). The pulsation damper (1) is characterized by the fact that the housing (2) has at least one hollow space (23) communicating with the flow channel (3) and in which at least one attenuator (4) is disposed movably in axial direction. |
| US09115779B2 |
Suspension apparatus
A suspension apparatus includes: a cylindrical outer tube; an inner tube a piston rod of which one end portion retains a piston; and a partition wall member that is mounted to an upper end portion of the inner tube to define an upper end portion of an annular oil chamber, that has a bowl portion, and that divides a space inside the inner tube into an inner space and an outer space of the bowl portion, in which the partition wall member divides the outer space into a gap space and a space other than the gap space, a through-hole is formed in the partition wall member, and at least one of the partition wall member and the inner tube is provided with a communication path through which an upper portion of the annular oil chamber communicates with the gap space. |
| US09115775B2 |
Internally ventilated brake disk rotor
Internally vented brake disk rotors have a form of a cylindrical slab with an annular geometry and have an axis of circular symmetry for its outer circumference and its inner circumference and a center hole which is symmetric with regard to the axis. The brake disk contains at least two parallel ring disks which are connected with each other by a repeating series of ribs, the configuration of the brake disk rotor is symmetric with regard to different sense of rotation of the brake disk, i.e. symmetric to at least one plane spanned by the axis of rotation of the brake disk and one radius of the cylindrical brake disk. |
| US09115774B2 |
Centrifugal de-clutch
A mechanical mechanism is used to prevent a rotor of an aircraft from rotating when the rotor is not in use. The mechanical mechanism disengages when the speed of the rotor exceeds a speed threshold and the mechanism reengages when the speed of the rotor is below the speed threshold. |
| US09115772B2 |
System and method for automatically calibrating the clutches within a transmission of a work vehicle
In one aspect, a computer-implemented method for automatically calibrating clutches within a transmission of a work vehicle may include determining, with a computing device, whether a plurality of predetermined conditions are satisfied for performing a clutch calibration on a clutch of the transmission. The predetermined conditions may require that the work vehicle be in park and that a predetermined time period has elapsed since a previous clutch calibration was performed on the clutch. In addition, the method may include automatically initiating the clutch calibration without requiring operator input when the predetermined conditions are satisfied and performing the clutch calibration in order to calibrate the clutch. |
| US09115771B2 |
Flanged freewheel
A flanged freewheel (1) with an outer ring (2) which is configured as an angled flange part and which has an axially oriented ring flange (5) that forms a running surface (7) for clamping elements and a radially oriented flange area (3) for attaching the flanged freewheel (1). In order to retain or improve the strength of the outer ring (2)—despite a reduced wall thickness (x)—a ring collar (13) that faces radially inwards is provided at the free end face (12) of the ring flange (5). |
| US09115766B2 |
Coupling module of window covering
A coupling module of a covering includes an elongated main member, a coupling device, and an adjusting unit. The elongated main member has an axial direction and a radial direction, and has a stop wall at one end thereof. The coupling device is movably connected to the main member, and the adjusting unit is connected to the coupling device to move the coupling device between a first position and a second position, wherein the coupling device is moved in a direction parallel to the radial direction, and a distance between the coupling device and the stop wall when the coupling device is at the first position is shorter than that between coupling device and the stop wall when the coupling device is at the second position. |
| US09115763B2 |
Torque limiting assembly
A torque limiting assembly is disclosed and can include a generally cylindrical bearing and a tolerance ring disposed around the generally cylindrical bearing. The torque limiting assembly is configured to be installed between and rotatably couple an inner and an outer component. The torque limiting assembly is configured to rotate with respect to at least one of the inner and outer components when a threshold torque, T, is exceeded. |
| US09115758B2 |
Shield restricting axial movement
In one example, an FDB motor having a shield member is provided. In one example, the method includes disposing a first member and a second member for relative rotation about an axis of rotation. An annular shield member is attached to the first member, the shield member disposed adjacent a fluid reservoir for containing a bearing fluid. The reservoir is filled through an aperture (e.g., a fill hole) in the shield member. Thereafter, the aperture is at least partially sealed. The aperture may be hermetically sealed via one or more laser pulses. In other examples, a two piece shield is provided for shielding a reservoir without a fill hole. |
| US09115756B2 |
Replaceable axial journal for auxiliary bearings
A system and method are provided for an auxiliary bearing system. The system and method may include a sleeve extending circumferentially about a rotary shaft and coupled thereto. The system and method may also include an axial journal disposed circumferentially about the rotary shaft and adjacent an axial end of the sleeve. The system and method may further include a locking nut coupled to the rotary shaft. The locking nut may be configured to force the axial journal to engage the axial end of the sleeve to at least partially resist axial movement of the axial journal along the rotary shaft. The system and method may further include a gripping assembly disposed circumferentially about the rotary shaft. The gripping assembly may be configured to engage the axial journal to at least partially resist radial movement of the axial journal relative to the rotary shaft. |
| US09115747B1 |
Articulating grease shield for use in a constant velocity joint
An articulating grease shield has a plurality of ring members, wherein each ring member has a central opening through which an axle is positioned through, the central opening allowing for each of the ring members to move freely with articulation of the axle and to form a barrier to keep a lubricant within a constant velocity joint. |
| US09115742B2 |
Pinned connections
Improved connection systems for pinned connections are disclosed. Although the connection systems may be utilized in dragline excavating systems, the connection systems may also be utilized for pinned connections in a variety of other types of mining, dredging, forestry, and construction equipment. An insert utilized in the connections systems has a frustroconical shape that joins with an aperture in an element being joined by the connection system. |
| US09115740B2 |
Fixer for handheld, portable, mobile device
A fixer for handheld, portable, mobile devices includes an extension rod that has one end provided with a positioning frame for holding and positioning an external mobile device, and has an opposite end provided with a securing member for attaching and securing the extension rod and the positioning frame onto an external article, wherein the securing member and the external article are fixedly connected by a locking unit so as to suspend the mobile device. The fixer is portable and can be easily and quickly mounted on or dismounted from any nearby handrail, particularly as one typically provided in a public transportation vehicle. |
| US09115736B2 |
Work vehicle fluid heating system
A fluid heating system for a work vehicle includes a pressurized fluid circuit having a pump for providing pressurized fluid to the fluid circuit. A control module for controlling a first control device is in fluid communication with the fluid circuit, the first control device operable between a first position and a second position. The first position of the first control device permits a load sense pressure to be applied through the first control device, thereby preventing pressurized fluid from the pump flowing to a pressure return tank for heating the pressurized fluid. The second position of the first control device prevents the load sense pressure from being applied through the first control device, thereby permitting pressurized fluid from the pump flowing to a pressure return tank and resulting in heating of pressurized fluid of the fluid circuit. |
| US09115734B2 |
Vehicle height adjusting device for motorcycle
An object of the present invention is to reduce current consumption for switching and holding an actuation position of an electromagnetic change-over valve included in a vehicle height adjusting device for a motorcycle and to surely hold the actuation position. In a rear-wheel side vehicle height adjusting device for a motorcycle, after applying a startup current to a solenoid of a change-over valve in order switch an actuation position of the change-over valve, while switching an applied current to the solenoid to a holding current which is smaller than the startup current and holding the actuation position of the change-over valve, a control section intermittently applies a large current, which is larger than the holding current, to the solenoid. |
| US09115732B1 |
Actuator with integrated force and position sensing
An actuator including a housing and a force sensing mechanism positioned within an interior of the housing and in operable communication with the actuator, the force sensing mechanism capable of measuring the various forces exerted by or on the actuator without losing any of the energy being transmitted by the actuator. A high precision position sensing mechanism can also be included with the actuator. |
| US09115721B2 |
Turbofan and graphics card with the turbofan
The present invention provides a turbofan and a graphics card with the turbofan. The turbofan comprises: a turbofan assembly which admits air in an axial direction and dispenses air in a radial direction; an inlet fan assembly disposed at an inlet of the turbofan assembly and disposed coaxially with the turbofan assembly; and a driving means for driving the turbofan assembly and the inlet fan assembly to rotate. The turbofan provided by the invention gathers the ambient air to the inlet through the inlet fan assembly disposed at the inlet of the turbofan assembly, so as to change a negative pressure state at the inlet. Consequently, the cooling efficiency of the turbofan is improved effectively and the noise of the turbofan is reduced. |
| US09115719B2 |
Scroll fluid machine with cooling fan and passage
A scroll fluid machine having: a compressor body including a fixed scroll and an orbiting scroll opposed to the fixed scroll, the orbiting scroll orbiting; a drive shaft connected to the orbiting scroll; a cooling fan provided on another side of the drive shaft opposite to the orbiting scroll, the cooling fan generating a cooling wind; and a cooling wind passage surrounded by walls in all directions, the cooling wind passage sending the cooling wind of the cooling fan to the compressor body, when the cooling wind passage being disposed left and the drive shaft being disposed right when seen from a direction in which the drive shaft extends, a size of the cooling wind passage in the left and right directions being smaller in upstream than downstream of the cooling wind passage. |
| US09115717B2 |
Axial disc and gear pump with axial disc
An internal gear pump for a hydraulic vehicle brake system has axial discs which, by the exertion of pressure on the outer sides thereof, are pressed against gearwheels of the internal gear pump for lateral sealing, provided on the inner sides thereof with grooves through which the gearwheels convey brake fluid as they are driven in rotation, which brake fluid thereby passes, for lubrication, between the axial discs and the gearwheels of the internal gear pump. |
| US09115715B2 |
Compressor with pressure reduction groove formed in eccentric part
A rotary compressor includes a drive mechanism having a drive shaft with an eccentric part, and a compression mechanism. The compression mechanism includes a tubular cylinder covering an outer periphery of the eccentric part, a piston arranged inside the cylinder and fitted onto the eccentric part, an upper end plate closing an upper end of the cylinder, and a lower end plate closing a lower end of the cylinder. A lower end surface of the eccentric part defines a thrust bearing surface slidably contacting an upper end surface of the lower end plate. The drive shaft has an oil path with lubrication oil circulating through the oil path. The eccentric part has a circumferentially extending pressure reduction groove opening at part of the thrust bearing surface close to an inner circumferential side to reduce a pressure of the lubrication oil supplied from the oil path to the pressure reduction groove. |
| US09115714B2 |
Screw compressor having lubricating oil system
Providing a screw compressor 1 having a lubricating oil system, the compressor being provided with a plurality of radial bearings 5 and a plurality of thrust bearings 6, a rotor shaft 2a or 3a is supported rotation-freely by each bearing, wherein at least one radial bearing 5 or at least one thrust bearing is provided with a hole space 25 or 34 with a bottom, the hole space being bored in the radial bearing and the thrust bearing so that a temperature-detecting terminal 26 is inserted in the hole space 25 or 34; at least one penetrating hole 28 or 35 is provided at the casing wall 1c of a casing that houses the radial bearing 5, so that the outside of the casing communicates with a space s1 for inserting the radial bearing, through the penetrating hole, the space s1 28 or 35 being formed inside of the casing wall; the temperature-detecting terminal 26 together with a sheath tube 27 is led into the space s1 through the penetrating hole 28 or 35. |
| US09115713B2 |
High-pressure pump
A high-pressure pump includes a plunger for pressurizing a fuel, a cylinder accommodating the plunger reciprocatably in its axial direction and a pump body. The pump body defines a pressurization chamber, a low-pressure fuel passage hydraulically connecting a fuel inlet and the pressurization chamber, and a discharge passage. The pump body further defines a cylindrical space around the cylinder. The fuel flows into the cylindrical space from the low-pressure fuel passage so as to cool the cylinder. The entire outer surface of the cylinder can be surely cooled. |
| US09115712B2 |
Swing barrel type positive displacement pump using cross shaft joint bearing
A swing barrel type positive displacement pump using a cross shaft joint bearing includes a main shaft (1) for connecting with a motor. The upper part of the main shaft (1) is slantwise provided with a rotating barrel (2) which swings along with the rotation of the main shaft (1). The periphery of the rotating barrel (2) is evenly provided with more than three pin shafts (3). Each pin shaft (3) is sleeved with a cross shaft joint bearing (4). Each cross shaft joint bearing (4) includes a bearing (41) sleeved on the pin shaft (3). The outer ring of each bearing (41) is fixedly connected with a swing sleeve (42). Fixed shafts (421, 421′) with the same axis extend along the left and right sides of the swing sleeve (42), respectively. The fixed shafts (421,421′) are sleeved with a left and right bearing (43, 43′), respectively. The outer rings of the left and right bearings are fixedly connected with left and right cross shaft swing sleeves (44, 44′), respectively. The top ends of the left and right cross shaft swing sleeves (44, 44′) are fixedly connected with each other. The bottom ends of the left and right cross shaft swing sleeves (44, 44′) are fixedly connected with a connecting bar (5) which is hinged with a piston in a displacement chamber. The positive displacement pump has low wear, low energy consumption, sensitive rotation, high rotation speed, and long service life. |
| US09115711B2 |
Method for determining the displacement of a radial piston machine
A method of determining displacement of a radial piston machine (1) having adjustable eccentricity (e). The radial piston machine (1) includes cylinders (2) arranged in a pivoting manner and a drive shaft that drives an eccentric (5). The rotation angle of the drive shaft is labeled as α and the pivoting angle of the cylinders (2) is labeled β. The pivoting angle β is measured and from the measured values for the pivoting angle β, the eccentricity (e) and hence the displacement (v) are calculated. |
| US09115708B2 |
Fluid balancing systems and methods
Hemodialysis dialysis systems are disclosed. Hemodialysis systems of the invention may include a dialysate flow path including a balancing circuit, a mixing circuit, and/or a directing circuit. The circuits may be defined within one or more cassettes. The fluid circuits may be at least partially isolated, spatially and/or thermally, from electrical components of the system. A gas supply may be provided in fluid communication with the dialysate flow path and/or the dialyzer to, urge dialysate through the dialyzer and blood back to the patient. The hemodialysis systems may include fluid handling devices actuated using a control fluid, optionally delivered using detachable pump. Fluid handling devices may be generally rigid and of a spheroid shape, optionally with a diaphragm dividing the device into compartments. |
| US09115704B2 |
Method and device for assembling swash plate-type fluid machine
A method of assembling a shaft assembly having a plurality of pistons each installed on a swash plate via a pair of shoes matching with both end surfaces of the swash plate, respectively. The method includes: supporting a shaft having the swash plate in a vertical axis posture; incorporating the shoes between a first guide surface of a guide member and each of the pistons and between a second guide surface of the guide member and that piston, respectively; guiding the plurality of pistons to the swash plate in the vertical axis posture using the guide member; and matching the shoes with both the end surfaces of the swash plate respectively while disposing the pistons at circumferentially equidistant positions of the swash plate, respectively. |
| US09115702B2 |
Hydraulic control system
The invention relates to a hydraulic system comprising a source of high pressure (A), a consumer (C) connectable to the source of high pressure (A) via a flow control valve (21), and a solenoid valve (22) arranged to control the flow control valve (21). The hydraulic system further comprises a hydraulic pilot valve (31) selectively controllable by the solenoid valve (22) to connect a control chamber (28) in the flow control valve (21) either to the source of high pressure (A) or to a low pressure side (T). When the solenoid valve (22) is actuated, the consumer (C) is pre-pressurized via a by-pass conduit prior to the opening of the flow control valve (21). At the same time, the source of high pressure (A) is arranged to act on a first and a second end (32, 33) of the hydraulic pilot valve (31) wherein a spring (36) is arranged to displace the hydraulic pilot valve (31) and connect the control chamber (28) to the low pressure side (T) to open the flow control valve (21). |
| US09115701B2 |
Osmotic heat engine
A method of converting thermal energy into mechanical work that uses a semi-permeable membrane to convert osmotic pressure into electrical power. A closed cycle pressure-retarded osmosis (PRO) process known as an osmotic heat engine (OHE) uses a concentrated ammonia-carbon dioxide draw solution to create high osmotic pressures which generate water flux through a semi-permeable membrane against a hydraulic pressure gradient. The depressurization of the increased draw solution volume in a turbine produces electrical power. The process is maintained in steady state operation through the separation of the diluted draw solution into a re-concentrated draw solution and deionized water working fluid, both for reuse in the osmotic heat engine. |
| US09115697B2 |
Fluid interacting device
A rotary turbine including at least one blade is disclosed. The rotary turbine includes a blade arrangement in which the orientation of the at least one blade movably changes relative to the fluid flow and also changes relative to an orbital path taken by the rotary turbine thereby increasing flow area usage and minimizing friction. Certain embodiments of the present disclosure include a rotary turbine with blade orientations that are linearly coupled to the orbital orientation of the turbine. Other embodiments of the present disclosure include a rotary turbine with blade orientations that are non-linearly coupled to the orbital orientation of the turbine. |
| US09115693B2 |
Device for establishing admittance and transport of cargo to and from a wind turbine construction above ground level
A device for establishing admittance and transport of cargo to and from a wind turbine construction above ground level and having a part which can be raised and/or lowered by wires and winches located at ground level and connected with snatch blocks attached to a part so that it can be raised and/or lowered in relation to the construction. The part has a number of travelling crabs according to the numbers of winches and the travelling crabs are guided of the wires between the winches and the snatch blocks, and that the part with the travelling crabs is displaced upwards or downwards by the wires. Advantageously, the wires are used for both hoisting the part and as guide for the travelling crabs. |
| US09115692B2 |
Piezoelectric-based vertical axis wind turbine
A system and method for a piezoelectric-based vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) are disclosed. The piezoelectric-based VAWT may generate electricity in response to a deformation (e.g., a stretching or bending) of piezoelectric material. For example, the piezoelectric material may be included on or within a wind turbine blade. The wind turbine blade may be struck by an object or may hit an object. Such an action may cause the wind turbine blade to vibrate and subsequently cause the piezoelectric material to deform and generate electricity. |
| US09115691B2 |
Wind energy capture device for a system for producing electricity from jetstreams
A jet stream wind energy capture device including two pair of parallel sail line tracks. Each track pair includes chain support beams; a plurality of rotatable chain gears connected to the support beams of each track; and sail-line chains that ride upon the chain gears. Generator(s) are attached to the gears. At least one sail is attached to the chains whereby the sails move along the tracks in a cyclical downwind and upwind path thereby moving the chains to rotate their chain gears, which in turn provides energy to the generator(s). |
| US09115685B2 |
Tidal stream generator
A generating apparatus for generating electrical power from a horizontal water flow comprises a fixed hub on a support structure and a power wheel arranged for rotation about a vertical axis about the hub. The power wheel includes rotor vanes adapted to cause rotation of the power wheel when the power wheel is subject to a substantially horizontal water flow. One or more generators are provided on the hub to produce electrical power output from rotation of the power wheel relative to the hub. A shroud is rotationally mounted on the hub and arranged to cover at least some of the rotor vanes of the power wheel, so that the water flow is concentrated on the rotor vanes on one side only of the power wheel. A directional controller holds the shroud in a predetermined rotational position relative to the hub dependent on the direction of the water flow. |
| US09115682B2 |
Methods and systems for operating a driveline disconnect clutch
Systems and methods for improving operation of a hybrid vehicle are presented. In one example, application of a driveline disconnect clutch to start an engine is described. The approach applies the driveline disconnect clutch to rotate an engine and at least partially disengages the driveline disconnect clutch to reduce the possibility of a reduction in torque applied to vehicle wheels. |
| US09115681B2 |
Protection device of engine starting device
Disclosed is a protection device of an engine starting device that protects the engine starting device provided with a plurality of starting devices including a starter capable of starting an engine and a motor/generator capable of starting the engine, the engine being started by driving the motor/generator under a first condition, the engine being started by driving the starter under a second condition less generated than the first condition, wherein the starter is forcedly driven on a regular basis. |