最新美国发明专利
Document Document Title
US09229885B2 Adaptive scheduling queue control for memory controllers based upon page hit distance determinations
Methods and systems are disclosed for adaptive scheduling queue control based upon page hit distance determinations. A threshold occupancy value is determined for a window of previous access requests to a memory and used to adaptively control a number of access requests stored in a scheduling queue buffer. For certain embodiments, a page hit distance (PHD) determination for each access request and historical page hit distance data is used to adjust the threshold occupancy value that determines the number (N) of access requests stored in the buffer prior to removing an access request and using it to access the memory. For each access request, the page hit distance represents the number of previously received access requests since the last access request to access the same page of memory. An average PHD can be determined over a number (M) of previous access requests and used to control the threshold occupancy value.
US09229884B2 Virtualized instruction extensions for system partitioning
A method and circuit for a data processing system provide virtualized instructions for accessing a partitioned device (e.g., 14, 61) by executing a control instruction (47, 48) to encode and store an access command (CMD) in a data payload with a hardware-inserted partition attribute (LPID) for storage to a command register (25) at a physical address (PA) retrieved from a special purpose register (46) so that the partitioned device (14, 61) can determine if the access command can be performed based on local access control information.
US09229880B2 Location sensitive solid state drive
A data storage system including a SSD includes a capability to detect whether its location is acceptable for function, and a capability to self-disable in the event the location of the device is unacceptable, or to self-enable only while the location of the device is acceptable.
US09229879B2 Power reduction using unmodified information in evicted cache lines
Embodiments of the present disclosure describe techniques and configurations to reduce power consumption using unmodified information in evicted cache lines. A method includes identifying unmodified information of a cache line stored in a cache of a processor, tracking the unmodified information using a bit vector comprising one or more bits to indicate the unmodified information of the cache line, and selectively suppressing a write operation or send operation for the unmodified information of the cache line that is evicted from the cache to an input/output (I/O) component coupled to the cache, the selective suppressing being based on the one or more bits, and the I/O component being an outer component external to the cache. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
US09229878B2 Memory page offloading in multi-node computer systems
Systems and methods for memory page offloading in multi-processor computer systems. An example method may comprise: detecting, by a computer system, a memory pressure condition on a first node; invalidating a page table entry for a memory page residing on the first node; copying the memory page to a second node; and updating the page table entry for the memory page to reference the second node.
US09229874B2 Apparatus and method for compressing a memory address
An apparatus and method for converting between a full memory address and a compressed memory address. For example, one embodiment comprises one or more translation tables having a plurality of translation entries, each translation entry identifiable with a pointer value and storing a portion of a full memory address usable within the processor to address data and instructions; and address translation logic to use the translation tables to convert between the full address and a compressed version of the full address, the compressed version of the full address having the pointer value substituted for the portion of the full memory address, wherein a first portion of the processor performs operations using the compressed version of the full address and a second portion of the processor performs operations using the full address.
US09229872B2 Semiconductor chip with adaptive BIST cache testing during runtime
A method is described that includes during runtime of a semiconductor die, determining that a next BIST test sequence of a storage component embedded on the die is appropriate. The method further includes applying a BIST test sequence to each valid entry in the storage component. The method also includes marking any newly invalid entries in the storage component as invalid and configuring a respective replacement entry for each of the newly invalid entries.
US09229869B1 Multi-lock caches
Processes are disclosed for decreasing contention in caches in order to increase the efficiency of multi-threaded or multi-processor systems. By using multiple locks in a cache, smaller portions of the cache can be locked during cache updates (e.g., during a data update or a storage block eviction). As only small portions of the cache are locked at any given time, contention between threads, particularly in multi-processor implementations, will likely be reduced. For example, if different threads are trying to update different entries in the cache, the threads can proceed with updating the cache concurrently.
US09229868B2 Data recovery for coherent attached processor proxy
A coherent attached processor proxy (CAPP) that participates in coherence communication in a primary coherent system on behalf of an attached processor external to the primary coherent system tracks delivery of data to destinations in the primary coherent system via one or more entries in a data structure. Each of the one or more entries specifies with a destination tag a destination in the primary coherent system to which data is to be delivered from the attached processor. In response to initiation of recovery operations for the CAPP, the CAPP performs data recovery operations, including transmitting, to at least one destination indicated by the destination tag of one or more entries, an indication of a data error in data to be delivered to that destination from the attached processor.
US09229856B2 Optimized configurable NAND parameters
Configurable parameters may be used to access NAND flash memory according to schemes that optimize such parameters according to predicted characteristics of memory cells, for example, as a function of certain memory cell device geometry, which may be predicted based on the location of a particular device within a memory array.
US09229855B2 Apparatus and method for routing information in a non-volatile memory-based storage device
Various systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer-readable media for accessing a storage device are described. In certain example embodiments, an active/active fault-tolerant storage device comprising two or more controllers may be implemented. In one aspect, each controller may have two or more processing entities for distributing the processing of the I/O requests. In one embodiment, the configuration of the components, modules and the controller board may be arranged in a manner to enhance heat dissipation, reduce power consumption, spread the power and work load, and reduce latency. In one embodiment, each controller may be coupled to the non-volatile memory (NVM) blades comprising the non-volatile memory (NVM) storage medium. In one example implementation, a standardized protocol, such as the Peripheral Component Interconnect Express protocol may be used for communicating amongst the various components of the controller and also the NVM storage medium.
US09229850B1 Mapping data storage and virtual machines
A method is used in mapping data storage and virtual machines. A logical volume from a data storage system is provided for use by a hypervisor. The hypervisor is queried through a web service to identify a virtual machine of the hypervisor. It is determined that the virtual machine is using the logical volume.
US09229847B1 Memory sharing for buffered macro-pipelined data plane processing in multicore embedded systems
Disclosed are an apparatus and method of operating and allocating a shared memory between various applications operating via a processing computing platform. One example may include receiving a first buffer context switch request message from a first application operating via a processor, transmitting a first buffer context switch flag to the processor operating the application confirming the first buffer context switch request was received, receiving a second buffer context switch request from a second application with a different processing cycle operating via the processor and transmitting a second buffer context switch flag to the processor operating the second application confirming the second buffer context switch request was received. Once the applications have been identified and confirmed, a synchronization operation may be performed to create a shared number of memory units between at least two different buffers and provide the shared memory units to the first application and the second application.
US09229844B2 System and method for monitoring web service
Provided are a system and a method for monitoring a web service. The web service monitoring system includes a management module configured to provide an interface for receiving an test scenario and a policy for a simulation test of a target system from an administrator and outputting the simulation test result of the target system to the administrator, a database configured to store the received policy and test scenario, and an agent configured to access the target system according to the test scenario and the policy stored in the database and carry out the simulation test of the target system.
US09229841B2 Systems and methods for detecting errors and recording actions on a bus
Systems and methods to detect errors and record actions on a bus are disclosed. In one embodiment, the bus is a serial low-power interchip media bus (SLIMbus) within a computing device. The SLIMbus is coupled to peripherals and a sniffer is positioned within the computing device and coupled to the SLIMbus. The sniffer mimics another SLIMbus peripheral. However, the sniffer uses a pair of multiplexers to know when to record data on the SLIMbus. The data, including the control header and payload of the data signal is captured and logged. The logged data is then exported to memory where it can be further processed so as to help debug communication on the SLIMbus.
US09229836B2 Coexisting standard and proprietary connection usage
A method for coexisting standard connection and proprietary connection use is disclosed. The method may include connecting a peripheral device to a host computing device, wherein the peripheral device is connected via one of a standard connection type and a proprietary connection type. The method may include detecting the connection type. The method may include determining if the connection type is supported by the host computing device. The method may also include rendering a message indicating the connection type is not supported by the host system if the connection type is not supported.
US09229834B2 Online application system and method for implementing the same
An online application system and a method for implementing an online application system are disclosed. A method for implementing the online application system includes a) receiving a user search request from a user browser; b) searching for a match according to the search request and obtaining an online application that matches with the search request to form a search result page; and c) presenting the online application before the user browser in a form as a canvas page which is embedded in the search result page and is directly accessible from the search result page. The present disclosure also provides an online application system. The technical solutions disclosed herein allow a user to directly search out an online application via a search engine without a need to click multi-level linkages, thereby providing a quick and convenient search process which enhances the users' experiences with networks.
US09229828B2 Mechanism for achieving high memory reliability, availability and serviceability
A mechanism is described for achieving high memory reliability, availability, and serviceability (RAS) according to one embodiment of the invention. A method of embodiments of the invention includes detecting a permanent failure of a first memory device of a plurality of memory devices of a first channel of a memory system at a computing system, and eliminating the first failure by merging a first error-correction code (ECC) locator device of the first channel with a second ECC locator device of a second channel, wherein merging is performed at the second channel.
US09229825B2 Quick failover of blade server
Failover process for switching from a “failing” blade server to a “replacing” blade server. This process includes the following steps: (i) booting a replacing blade server to a set of operating system(s) including a first operating system; and (ii) subsequent to the booting of the replacing blade server, sending command data to the replacing blade server. The command data includes a command for the replacing blade server to configure itself to replace the failing blade server.
US09229824B2 Caching rebuilt encoded data slices in a dispersed storage network
A method begins with a processing module of a computing device of a dispersed storage network (DSN) executing a rebuild function to produce a rebuilt encoded data slice for storage in a targeted storage unit of the DSN. When the targeted storage unit is currently unavailable, the method continues with the processing module storing the rebuilt encoded data slice in local memory of the computing device, recording storage of the rebuilt encoded data slice in the local memory, and recording that the targeted storage unit is currently unavailable. When the targeted storage unit is currently available, the method continues with the processing module sending the rebuilt encoded data slice to the targeted storage unit and recording storage of the rebuilt encoded data slice by the targeted storage unit.
US09229820B2 Information processing device with memory dump function, memory dump method, and recording medium
An information processing device, including: a memory; a processing unit which operates a virtual machine, an operating system which is executed on the virtual machine, and a hypervisor which controls the virtual machine; and a control unit which controls a system including the memory and the processor. The processing unit stops the operating system when detecting an error of the hypervisor, notifies the control unit of a first memory area used by the hypervisor, stops the hypervisor, changes a memory area used by the hypervisor into a second memory area different from the first memory area notified by the control unit, starts the hypervisor using the second memory area as an available area, starts the operating system, and reads data in the first memory area, and writes the data to a file as a dump file of the hypervisor.
US09229819B2 Enhanced reliability in deduplication technology over storage clouds
Methods and systems for enhancing reliability in deduplication over storage clouds are provided. A method includes: determining a weight for each of a plurality of duplicate files based on parameters associated with a respective storage device of each of the plurality of duplicate files; and designating one of the plurality of duplicate files as a master copy based on the determined weight.
US09229818B2 Adaptive retention for backup data
Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to adaptive retention for backup data. In aspects, space may be needed on a backup storage in order to store additional backup data. In response, an indication that space is needed provided to a retention manager. The retention manager attempts to prune data on the backup storage to free up space on the backup storage. Before deleting a version on the backup storage, the retention manager determines whether deletion conditions are met. The retention manager may apply one or more retention policies in its efforts to free space. The retention manager may manage and free the space such that versions of files already stored are preserved for the longest possible time.
US09229816B2 Hybrid system architecture for random access memory
Provided is a hybrid RAID controller coupled to a system control board. Coupled to the hybrid RAID controller are a DDR RAID controller, a RAM RAID controller, and a HDD/Flash RAID controller. A DDR RAID control block is coupled to the DDR RAID controller and includes (among other things) a set of DDR memory disks. Further, a RAM control block is coupled to the RAM RAID controller and includes a set of RAM SSDs. Still yet, a HDD RAID control block is coupled to the HDD/Flash RAID controller and includes a set of HDD/Flash SSD Units.
US09229814B2 Data error recovery for a storage device
A storage device is described that detects a data error and then notifies a distributed file system, for example, of such error. A data recovery can then be initiated in many ways, one way by the storage device.
US09229813B2 Error correction with on-demand parity sectors in magnetic data storage devices
Data storage devices are described with an ECC system that generate additional on-demand ECC information for a previously written track to provide for correction of data errors in the track and thereby avoid having to rewrite the track. Embodiments of the invention address the squeeze-error problem that arises when writing the next (second) track in a sequence causes errors to be introduced in the adjacent previously written (first) track. In alternative embodiments the existence of the data errors in the first track can be detected by reading the track or by estimating the number of likely errors using head position data measured while writing the first and second tracks. The additional on-demand ECC information can be written on any track that is available.
US09229806B2 Block closure techniques for a data storage device
A data storage device includes a non-volatile memory and a controller. A method includes initiating a write operation to write first data to a first word line of a multi-level cell (MLC) block of the non-volatile memory. The method further includes compensating, in response to an event that interrupts programming at the first word line, for incompletion of a write disturb effect at the MLC block due to the event by copying second data from a second word line of the MLC block to a second block of the non-volatile memory or by writing dummy data to the second word line.
US09229805B2 Memory system and wear-leveling method thereof based on erasures and error correction data
Provided is a memory system and wear-leveling method. A memory system includes a flash memory device and a memory controller. The flash memory device includes a plurality of memory blocks, each including a plurality of memory cells. The memory controller is configured to control the flash memory device based on erase event information and error checking and correction (ECC) event information of each of the memory blocks such that use of the memory blocks is distributed more uniformly.
US09229800B2 Problem inference from support tickets
The described implementations relate to processing of electronic data. One implementation is manifested as a system that can include an inference engine and at least one processing device configured to execute the inference engine. The inference engine can be configured to perform automated detection of concepts expressed in failure logs that include unstructured data. For example, the inference engine can analyze text of support tickets or diary entries relating to troubleshooting of an electronic network to obtain concepts identifying problems, actions, or activities. The inference engine can also be configured to generate output that reflects the identified concepts, e.g., via a visualization or queryable programming interface.
US09229799B2 Information handling system swappable boot storage device
A storage device actuator on an information handling system accepts an end user input to eject a first non-volatile storage device that stores the operating system running on the information handling system. Boot logic running on firmware of the information handling system initiates a shutdown of the operating system at the information handling system in response to an eject actuation and then permits ejection of the first non-volatile storage device. The storage device actuator detects insertion of a second non-volatile storage device into the information handling system and in response to the detection of the insertion initiates a boot by the boot logic of an operating system stored on the second non-volatile storage device.
US09229798B2 Error handling method, memory storage device and memory controlling circuit unit
An error handling method, a memory storage device and a memory controlling circuit unit are provided. The method includes obtaining a finished event corresponding to a channel; determining whether the finished event is a failed event, if the finished event is the failed event; stopping an operation of the channel and performing a first update operation on a counting value corresponding to the channel; and if the finished event is not the failed event, keeping the counting value corresponding to the channel unchanged and processing the finished event. The step of the processing the finished event includes performing a second update operation on the counting value corresponding to the channel if the finished event is the failed event, and recovering the operation of the channel if the counting value matches a threshold criterion. Accordingly, it can improve the accessing performance.
US09229796B1 System and method for determining disk failure indicator to predict future disk failures
Techniques for determining a disk failure indicator for predicting disk failures are described herein. According to one embodiment, diagnostic parameters are received which are collected from a set of known working disks and a set of known failed disks of a storage system. For each of the diagnostic parameters, a first quantile distribution representation is generated for the set of known working disks, and a second quantile distribution representation is generated for the set of known failed disks. The first quantile distribution representation and the second quantile distribution representation of each of the diagnostic parameters are then compared to select one or more of the diagnostic parameters as one or more disk failure indicators for predicting future disk failures.
US09229793B2 System, method and computer program product for routing messages to a server
In accordance with embodiments, there are provided mechanisms and methods for routing messages to a server. These mechanisms and methods for routing messages to a server can enable dynamic data migration within a system, increased efficiency, improved user experience, avoidance of data loss, etc.
US09229785B2 Policy-based workload performance optimization for dynamically distributed OSGi application
A method for scheduling execution of an application is provided. The method comprises monitoring a usage state of resources of a first virtual machine that executes the application, so as to determine whether the usage state reaches a predetermined state. The method further comprises migrating an application module consuming the resources to a second virtual machine having corresponding resources, if the usage state reaches a predetermined state.
US09229782B2 Collectively loading an application in a parallel computer
Collectively loading an application in a parallel computer, the parallel computer comprising a plurality of compute nodes, including: identifying, by a parallel computer control system, a subset of compute nodes in the parallel computer to execute a job; selecting, by the parallel computer control system, one of the subset of compute nodes in the parallel computer as a job leader compute node; retrieving, by the job leader compute node from computer memory, an application for executing the job; and broadcasting, by the job leader to the subset of compute nodes in the parallel computer, the application for executing the job.
US09229781B2 System and method for allocating spare system resources
A system and method for allocating and/or utilizing spare computing system (e.g., personal computing system) resources. Various aspects of the present invention may, for example and without limitation, provide a system and/or method that communicates incentive information with computing systems, and/or representatives thereof, regarding the allocation of computing resources for utilization by other computing systems and/or incentives that may be associated with such utilization. Various aspects of the present invention may, for example, allocate one or more resources of a computing system for utilization by another computing system based, at least in part, on such communicated incentive information.
US09229777B2 Dynamically relocating workloads in a networked computing environment
Embodiments of the present invention provide an approach for dynamically relocating a set of workloads among geographic regions of a networked computing environment (e.g., a cloud computing environment) based on infrastructure/computing resource needs. In a typical embodiment, it is determined whether a first geographic region of the networked computing environment has a first set of computing resources with an available capacity that meets a needed capacity for handling a set of workloads that is initially associated with the first geographic region. If not, a second geographic region of the networked computing environment having a second set of computing resources with the needed capacity is identified. In general, this determination can be made based upon multiple factors such as: a set of performance requirements, stored in at least one computer data structure, needed to handle the set of workloads; a set of environmental parameters, stored in the at least one computer data structure, having a potential to affect the handling of the set of workloads; and/or a set of cost parameters, stored in the at least one computer data structure, associated with handling the set of workloads. Once the second geographic region has been identified, the set of workloads can be associated with and handled thereby.
US09229775B2 Dynamically adjusting global heap allocation in multi-thread environment
Global heap allocation technologies in a multi-thread environment, and particularly to a system for dynamically adjusting global heap allocation in the multi-thread environment, and more particularly to a method and system for dynamically adjusting global heap allocation by monitoring conflict parameters of the global heap allocation method. The present invention provides a system for dynamically adjusting global heap allocation in multi-thread environment, comprising: identifying a global heap allocation method in an application program; judging whether the global heap allocation method is a multi-thread conflict hot point; and using a local stack to allocate memory space requested by the global heap allocation method in response to a “yes” judging result. The system according to the present invention is adapted to purposefully dynamically adjust the intrinsic global heap allocation method in the program according to a real-time running state, reduce the lock contention on the global heap, and effectively improve a resource allocating efficiency and a resource utilization rate.
US09229769B2 Monitoring of computer events and steps linked by dependency relationships to generate completed processes data and determining the completed processes data meet trigger criteria
A data processing system (1) is programmed with an interface (2) for capturing events which arise, and a process engine (3) for automatically monitoring captured events to identify completion of steps, each comprising a plurality of events linked by dependency relationships; and to identify completion of processes, each comprising a plurality of steps linked by dependency relationships. Software functions (5) execute in response to output of the process engine (3). The process engine (3) processes events to recognize a plurality of potential steps, but terminates other potential steps when completion of a step is determined. The process engine (3) processes steps to recognize a plurality of potential processes, but terminates other potential process when completion of a process is determined. The dependency relationships include Boolean AND operators and Boolean OR operators. There is a discrete start event for each step and a discrete start step for each process. The engine executes a plurality of processes simultaneously, applying captured events in real time to relevant steps, some events being applied to a plurality of steps.
US09229765B2 Guarantee real time processing of soft real-time operating system by instructing core to enter a waiting period prior to transferring a high priority task
A method to guarantee real time processing of a soft real time operating system in a multicore platform by executing a thread while varying a core in which the thread is executed and apparatus are provided. The method includes assigning priority to a task thread, executing the task thread, determining a core in which the task thread is to be executed, and if the core is determined, transferring the task thread to the determined core.
US09229761B2 Generating, at least in part, at least one packet indicating, at least in part, at least one command and/or issuing, at least in part, at least one result of execution, at least in part, of the at least one command
An embodiment may include circuitry to be included, at least in part, in a node in a network. The circuitry may expose, at least in part, a virtual function (VF) via which a subset of a physical function (PF) of the circuitry may be accessible. The circuitry may generate, at least in part, a packet that may indicate, at least in part, a command, and/or may issue, at least in part, a result of execution of the command by another (external) node in the network. The packet may be received, at least in part, by the other node. The command may be issued to the VF from a virtual machine (VM) resident, at least in part, in the node. The result may be issued, at least in part, to the VM, via the VF. Many modifications, variations, and alternatives are possible without departing from this embodiment.
US09229760B2 Virtual memory management to reduce power consumption in the memory
Reducing virtual memory power consumption during idle states in virtual memory systems comprising tracking the topology of the system memory by the system hypervisor and operating system running on any selected virtual machine hosted by the system hypervisor. The idle states in the system memory are dynamically monitored and then the power consumption states in the system memory are dynamically reduced through the interaction of the hypervisor and the operation system running on the selected virtual machine.
US09229759B2 Virtual machine provisioning using replicated containers
A virtual machine manager that provisions of virtual machines on hosts that share a tenant store. Virtual machines can be provisioned using an arraying subsystem of the tenant store without having to actually physically copy all of the operating system files for each virtual machine. Instead, the arraying subsystem virtually copies the operating system files by generating virtual operating system containers that point to a master operating system container that actually contains operating system content in the tenant store. To increase the limit on the number of virtual operating system containers that can be virtually copied from a master operating system container, the master operating system container may itself by physically, rather than virtually copied. Then, virtual operating system containers may be virtually copied from any of the master operating system containers that contain the same operating system content.
US09229758B2 Passive monitoring of virtual systems using extensible indexing
Aspects of the present invention provide a solution for passively monitoring a computer system. In an embodiment, an indexing agent operates on a physical server having a plurality of virtual servers. The indexing agent has a framework having a plurality of indexing layers. Each of these indexing layers is adapted to index a virtual server along a different abstraction level to extract abstraction level features indicative of changes in the virtual server. Further, each of the indexing layers has an application programming interface, which is adapted to receive one or more external indexing modules to be plugged into the framework. Each indexing module is adapted to provide instructions to the indexing agent while the indexing layer to which it is plugged is indexing the associated abstraction level of the virtual machine.
US09229756B2 User datagram protocol (UDP) packet migration in a virtual machine (VM) migration
Embodiments of the invention relate to receiving, by a first processor comprising a processing device, an indication that a migration of a virtual machine from the first processor to a second processor is to occur. The first processor transmits user datagram protocol (UDP) packets intended for the virtual machine to the second processor based on the indication. A signal is transmitted to the virtual machine to enter an offline state, wherein the offline states comprises a transfer of at least one of a central processing unit (CPU) state and a memory state, and wherein the virtual machine is configured to halt a processing of the UDP packets in response to receiving the signal. The virtual machine is reactivated once the migration of the virtual machine from the first processor to the second processor is complete. The virtual machine is instructed to resume the processing of the UDP packets.
US09229755B2 User datagram protocol (UDP) packet migration in a virtual machine (VM) migration
Embodiments of the invention relate to receiving, by a first processor comprising a processing device, an indication that a migration of a virtual machine from the first processor to a second processor is to occur. The first processor transmits user datagram protocol (UDP) packets intended for the virtual machine to the second processor based on the indication. A signal is transmitted to the virtual machine to enter an offline state, wherein the offline states comprises a transfer of at least one of a central processing unit (CPU) state and a memory state, and wherein the virtual machine is configured to halt a processing of the UDP packets in response to receiving the signal. The virtual machine is reactivated once the migration of the virtual machine from the first processor to the second processor is complete. The virtual machine is instructed to resume the processing of the UDP packets.
US09229754B2 Dynamic scaling of management infrastructure in virtual environments
Methods, systems, and computer programs for performing management tasks in a virtual infrastructure are presented. The method includes detecting a decrease, below a predetermined threshold, in a number of tasks waiting to be processed by a plurality of virtual centers (VCs) executing as virtual machines (VMs) in a virtual infrastructure, wherein each of the plurality of VCs is a management VM for the managed objects of the virtual infrastructure. The method further includes, based on the detected decrease in the number of tasks waiting to be processed, selecting one or more VCs of the plurality of VCs to be removed, distributing managed objects handled by the selected one or more VCs to one or more non-selected VCs of the plurality of VCs, and removing the selected one or more VCs.
US09229749B2 Compute and storage provisioning in a cloud environment
In one embodiment, a method includes receiving at a network device, resource information comprising attributes for compute and storage resources in a network, identifying a need for provisioning a virtual element, and selecting one of the compute and storage resources for use in provisioning the virtual element. Selection of the compute or storage resource includes analyzing the resource information for the compute resources and the storage resources in the network. An apparatus is also disclosed.
US09229748B2 Method and system for improving startup performance and interoperability of a virtual application
A data structure including simple and complex objects. Each simple object includes a content type indicator, a size indicator, and one or more simple data types. Each complex object includes a content type indicator, a size indicator, and one or more child objects. The complex objects include a layer object having first and second child objects. The first child object is a collection of complex objects storing information for configuring a virtual filesystem of a virtual application at application startup. The second child object is a collection of complex objects storing information for configuring a virtual registry of the virtual application at application startup. Reading of selected simple and complex objects may be deferred at startup based on the content type indicator. Deferred objects may be read after startup when access to information stored by the deferred object is request by the virtual application.
US09229745B2 Identifying load-hit-store conflicts
A computing device identifies a load instruction and store instruction pair that causes a load-hit-store conflict. A processor tags a first load instruction that instructs the processor to load a first data set from memory. The processor stores an address at which the first load instruction is located in memory in a special purpose register. The processor determines where the first load instruction has a load-hit-store conflict with a first store instruction. If the processor determines the first load instruction has a load-hit store conflict with the first store instruction, the processor stores an address at which the first data set is located in memory in a second special purpose register, tags the first data set being stored by the first store instruction, stores an address at which the first store instruction is located in memory in a third special purpose register and increases a conflict counter.
US09229744B2 Prevention of classloader memory leaks in multitier enterprise applications
A classloader cache class definition is obtained by a processor. The classloader cache class definition includes code that creates a classloader object cache that is referenced by a strong internal reference by a classloader object in response to instantiation of the classloader cache class definition. A classloader object cache is instantiated using the obtained classloader cache class definition. The strong internal reference is created at instantiation of the classloader object cache. A public interface to the classloader object cache is provided. The public interface to the classloader object cache operates as a weak reference to the classloader object cache and provides external access to the classloader object cache.
US09229743B2 Prevention of classloader memory leaks in multitier enterprise applications
A classloader cache class definition is obtained by a processor. The classloader cache class definition includes code that creates a classloader object cache that is referenced by a strong internal reference by a classloader object in response to instantiation of the classloader cache class definition. A classloader object cache is instantiated using the obtained classloader cache class definition. The strong internal reference is created at instantiation of the classloader object cache. A public interface to the classloader object cache is provided. The public interface to the classloader object cache operates as a weak reference to the classloader object cache and provides external access to the classloader object cache.
US09229738B2 Software development tool for providing user context information to improve message quality at development time
A message occurrence can be detected when a software application runs on a computing device. The message occurrence can be an occurrence where a text containing message is presented upon a user interface of the software application or a log associated with the software application is updated with a text containing message. A user context for the message occurrence can be determined. The user context can include a user sequence and an execution path. Message occurrence information can be conveyed to a message context catalog. Within the message context catalog, the message occurrence information can be indexed against unique message identifiers. Message occurrence information from the message context catalog can be presented in a computer's user interface when a message uniquely identified by the message identifier is presented in the user interface. The user interface can permit a user to edit text of messages.
US09229737B2 Method and system of emulating devices across selected communication pathways through a terminal session
Emulating devices across selected communication pathways by way of a terminal session. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods including establishing a terminal session between a first computer system and a second computer system (the second computer system distinct from the first computer system, and the second computer system having a management processor with a plurality of communication pathways to a main processor of the second computer system), configuring the management processor to send data regarding emulation of a first mass storage device across a first selected pathway of the plurality of communication pathways to the main processor (the configuring by way of the terminal session), and emulating (by the management processor) the first mass storage device across the first selected pathway.
US09229736B2 Method and apparatus for controlling interrupt in portable terminal
A method and an apparatus for controlling an interrupt in a portable terminal are provided. The method includes executing an application based on user's control, determining whether an event occurs during the application execution, displaying information representing the event occurrence on a screen while continuing the application execution, and determining whether to interrupt the application by the event based on user's control.
US09229728B2 Processing system of electronic device and operating method thereof with connected computer device
A processing system capable of connecting to a computer device comprising a second processing unit is provided. The processing system comprises a first processing unit and a first storage unit. The first storage unit is coupled to the first processing unit for storing at least a first programming code and a second programming code. At a first time point, the first processing unit accesses the first programming code from the first storage unit to set the processing system. At a second time point after the first time point, the first processing unit receives an instruction from the second processing unit and transfers the second programming code to the second processing unit in response to the instruction. The second processing unit controls the processing system with the second programming code.
US09229727B2 Interactive display device
A device is configured to receive information that identifies entity representations, receive first entity information associated with a first entity representation, and receive second entity information associated with a second entity representation. The device is configured to generate a first tag associated with the first entity representation, and generate a second tag associated with the second entity representation. The device is configured to receive user input information including information regarding user selections of entity representations, determine a relationship between the first tag and the second tag, and store an association between the first and second entity representations. The device is configured to detect an interaction associated with the first entity representation, and to provide the second entity representation based on the interaction and based on the association between the first and the second entity representations.
US09229721B2 Executing subroutines in a multi-threaded processing system
This disclosure is directed to techniques for executing subroutines in a single instruction, multiple data (SIMD) processing system that is subject to divergent thread conditions. In particular, a resume counter-based approach for managing divergent thread state is described that utilizes program module-specific minimum resume counters (MINRCs) for the efficient processing of control flow instructions. In some examples, the techniques of this disclosure may include using a main program MINRC to control the execution of a main program module and subroutine-specific MINRCs to control the execution of subroutine program modules. Techniques are also described for managing the main program MINRC and subroutine-specific MINRCs when subroutine call and return instructions are executed. Techniques are also described for updating a subroutine-specific MINRC to ensure that the updated MINRC value for the subroutine-specific MINRC is within the program space allocated for the subroutine.
US09229718B2 Method and apparatus for shuffling data
Method, apparatus, and program means for shuffling data. The method of one embodiment comprises receiving a first operand having a set of L data elements and a second operand having a set of L control elements. For each control element, data from a first operand data element designated by the individual control element is shuffled to an associated resultant data element position if its flush to zero field is not set and a zero is placed into the associated resultant data element position if its flush to zero field is not set.
US09229714B2 Memory control apparatus, memory apparatus, information processing system, and processing method for use therewith
There is provided a memory control apparatus including: a pre-read processing section reading pre-read data from a data area to be written to before a write process in a predetermined data area of a memory cell array; a conversion determination section which, upon selectively allowing the pre-read data to transition to either a first conversion candidate or a second conversion candidate of the write data to be written in the write process, generates a determination result for selecting either of the candidates based on the larger of two values of which one is the number of bits transitioning from the first value to the second value and of which the other is the number of bits transitioning from the second value to the first value; and a conversion control section selecting either of the candidates in accordance with the determination result.
US09229712B2 Bicycle component control apparatus
A bicycle component control apparatus is basically provided with a communication interface and a controller. The communication interface is configured to communicate with at least one electric bicycle component and at least one manually operated input member. The controller is electrically coupled to the communication interface, and programmed to control the at least one electric bicycle component based on operation of the at least one manually operated input member. The controller is programmed to decide an operation mode of the at least one electric bicycle component differently based on a number of manually operated input member coupled to the controller via the communication interface.
US09229711B2 Optimizing on demand allocation of virtual machines using a stateless preallocation pool
A method, computer system, and computer program product for allocating virtual machines in a stateless preallocation pool on a computing device is provided. In response to determining that a virtual machine is to be removed from an active pool in a computing device, it is determined whether the virtual machine is to be moved to a preallocation pool of the computing device. In response to determining that the virtual machine is to be moved to the preallocation pool, the virtual machine is cleansed of stateful data by removing unique information about the virtual machine's prior allocation while in the active pool. The virtual machine is moved to the preallocation pool. In response to determining that the virtual machine is needed in the active pool, the virtual machine is moved from the preallocation pool to the active pool.
US09229709B2 Polyphasic modules for software development
The disclosed embodiments provide a system that facilitates the development and maintenance of a software program. This system includes a software development kit (SDK) and a runtime system for the software program. During operation, the system associates classes of the software program with module declarations for a set of modules and uses the module declarations to manage dependencies in the software program throughout the life cycle of the software program.
US09229708B2 Software-developing structured-data-file creating apparatus and method capable of efficiently creating data file used in developing program for device
A software-developing structured-data-file creating apparatus of the present disclosure includes a storage unit configured to store a specification list comprising specific values associated with a plurality of individual items indicative of specifications of a device and a location-path list comprising location paths associated with individual portions of the plurality of individual items. The software-developing structured-data-file creating apparatus also includes an input unit, configured to associate common portions of the location paths. The software-developing structured-data-file creating apparatus additionally includes a structured-data-file creating unit configured to create a data file comprising the common portions of the location paths in the location-path. The corresponding values in the specification list are added to the individual location paths.
US09229701B2 Local store data versioning
Embodiments are directed to maintaining coherence between web application versions, to maintaining proper versions between web application clients and servers and to determining whether to apply a web application update. In one scenario, a computer system receives a data request from a web application client for certain specified data. The data is indexed according to a web application schema, and the data request includes a web application client version identifier. The computer system determines that the requested data is not accessible using the web application schema, updates the web application schema to a current version of the web application schema and processes the received data request using the updated web application schema.
US09229700B2 Methods and systems for dynamic upgrade of an access manager
Methods and systems are described for upgrading an access manager framework. In response to an upgrade request from a client, current and new versions of the access manager framework are identified. Upon successful identification of the current version, one or more supported upgrade paths are determined for the upgrade process. An appropriate upgrade path from the current version to the new version is determined upon successful identification of the current and/or new version of the access manager framework. In response to determination of the appropriate upgrade path, a version specific program upgrade component and a version specific upgrade program are associated with the determined upgrade path. In addition, a set of information may be extracted from the access manager framework, transformed, and imported to the upgraded access manager framework based at least in part upon the determined version specific upgrade program and the version specific program upgrade component.
US09229699B2 Method, system and device for execution of a software application
A method of executing a software application. A storage device stores connection data, an identifier of the software application, a context selector, and an application launcher. An execution device connects, using the connection data, to a server. The storage device transfers the context selector to the execution device, which executes it to generate a first context for the execution device. The identifier and the first context are sent to the server from which the storage device receives the software application, which is stored with the first context. The application launcher is transferred to the execution device for execution. A second context of the execution device is generated and the storage device checks if it matches the first context. If so, the storage device transfers the software application to the execution device where it is executed.
US09229693B1 Build service for software development projects
A computing resource service provider may provide developers with access to a build service configured to generate compilation artifacts associated with software development projects. The build service may obtain a build description and source code suitable for generating the compilation artifact. The build service may then cause one or more build resources to be provisioned and included in a build instantiation using computing resources of the service provider. The build instantiation may generate the compilation artifact, using the one or more build resources, based at least in part on the obtained source code. The developer may then be provided with access to the compilation artifact generated by the build instantiation.
US09229688B2 Automated latency management and cross-communication exchange conversion
A system and method for performing functional decomposition of a software design to generate a computer-executable FSM and a graphical representation of the design in a decomposition diagram stored in a program database with source code, test code, and other program data. The method includes searching for pre-existing software modules that meet program design requirements. Modules needing work are displayed on Gantt or PERT charts as tasks, and may be annotated with start dates, and completion dates. Percent complete of the design is automatically generated and updated, and may be displayed on the charts. The decomposition is automatically used to introduce error detection states into the FSM for recognizing invalid states and saving checkpoints, and for recognizing and repairing both race conditions and deadlock conditions in the design.
US09229687B2 Private two-party computation using partially homomorphic encryption
A product of prime numbers and a quadratic non-residue of one of the prime numbers are received as a public key from a first party. The product of prime numbers comprises a first group and the prime numbers respectively comprise a first sub-group and a second sub-group of the first group. Data of the first party is automatically encrypted bit-wise using a computerized device by encrypting first bit values of the data of the first party as quadratic residue and encrypting second bit values of the data of the first party as quadratic non-residue to produce a first intermediate number. The first intermediate number is automatically multiplied by the quadratic non-residue of the public key using the computerized device to complete encryption of the data of the first party. A square root of a value is received from a second party. The second party does not have the quadratic residue and the quadratic non-residue. A single bit of the data of the first party is automatically decrypted for the second party by factoring the product of prime numbers to evaluate whether the single bit has a square root in the first sub-group or the second sub-group based on the square root of the value from the second party.
US09229685B2 Automated corruption analysis of service designs
Methods and arrangements for conducting corruption analysis of service designs. A service design is accepted. Corrupting factors within the service design are assessed, and a corruption susceptibility score is generated. An alternative service design is generated responsive to a corruption susceptibility score fulfilling predetermined criteria.
US09229682B2 Parallel device for solving linear equation set in finite field
The present invention relates to a parallel device for solving linear equations over finite fields, including a processor, an input port, an output port, a pivot finding component, a partial inversion component, a normalization component and an elimination component. The processor is connected to each of the pivot finding component, the partial inversion component, the normalization component, the elimination component, and the input port and the output port. The partial inversion component is connected to the elimination component and the normalization component. The pivot finding component is connected to the elimination component. The present invention enables parallel computing to a certain extent with fast solving speed and simple design, and thus can be widely used in various engineering fields.
US09229681B2 Method and apparatus for smart voice recognition
A display device with a voice recognition capability may be used to allow a user to speak voice commands for controlling certain features of the display device. As a means for increasing operational efficiency, the display device may utilize a plurality of voice recognition units where each voice recognition unit may be assigned a specific task.
US09229678B2 Image display system, image processing apparatus and control method thereof
An image display system including a first image display apparatus, a second image display apparatus and an image processing apparatus is provided. When the first image display apparatus and the second image display apparatus each display a partial image of an image to be displayed, the first image display apparatus and the second image display apparatus each display the partial image based on a feature of the entirety of the image to be displayed.
US09229674B2 3D printing: marketplace with federated access to printers
Systems, methods, and media for optimizing and facilitating 3D printing services in a marketplace environment are provided. In one example, a system comprises a memory and at least one module, executing on one or more computer processors, to host or participate in a 3D printing service marketplace environment including marketplace participants and a federated network of 3D printing service providers. The at least one module receives a 3D printing request from a marketplace participant to print a 3D object at a 3D printing service provider, and communicates with at least some of the federated network of 3D printer service providers within the marketplace environment. In response to the received request, the at least one module lists at least some of the 3D printing service providers based on a 3D printer identifier metric.
US09229673B2 Printing apparatus which prints on a sheet conveyed from one of sheet storage units
It is determined whether an attribute of the sheet of a printing target job is different from the attribute of a sheet in a sheet storage unit designated by the attribute of the sheet of the job. When it is determined that the attribute of the sheet of the printing target job is different from the attribute of the sheet in the sheet storage unit, it is determined whether the attribute of the sheet of another job also designates the sheet storage unit. When it is determined that the attribute of the sheet of the other job also designates the sheet storage unit, a warning about a change of the attribute of the sheet in the sheet storage unit is displayed.
US09229672B2 Auditing system and method for controlling the same
An auditing system that stores job history information of a job to be executed by an image forming apparatus may include a setting unit and an acquisition unit. The setting unit sets page filtering conditions. In response to the page filtering conditions including a setting of a ratio of pages containing image data to be acquired to all pages included in the job to be executed by the image forming apparatus, the acquisition unit randomly acquires image data of a number of pages corresponding to the ratio, from the pages included in the job, as the job history information.
US09229671B2 Method of embedding optical security feature using virtual printer and security feature service
A method for embedding an optical security feature in a digital document with a virtual printer and a security feature service and then sending the digital document to a hardware printer.
US09229670B1 Flexible attribute tracking and report generation for a workflow
System and methods for flexible attribute tracking and report generation for a workflow. One embodiment is a workflow server that receives a selection of attributes to track for print jobs as the print jobs are processed in a print system, and generates print reports based on the attributes being tracked. The workflow server receives an indication to remove a first attribute from tracking, receives an instruction to include data for the first attribute in a print report, retrieves the data for the first attribute that was recorded before removal of the first attribute from tracking, and includes the data for the first attribute in the print report while the first attribute remains removed from tracking.
US09229665B2 Printing control server, printing control method, and printing system for controlling printing using email address
A printing control server includes a device management section which manages a printer device and a device designating character string unique to the printer so as to be associated, a settings management section which manages a printing condition and a printing conditions designating character string set for each printing condition so as to be associated, a receiving section which receives an email including a domain in a destination address, a settings section which, when a first address where a local section includes the device designating character string and a second address where a local section includes the printing conditions designating character string are included as the destination of the email, sets the printing condition corresponding to the second address with the printer device corresponding to the first address as a printing destination, and a printer communication section which executes printing based on the email using the printing condition.
US09229662B2 Method and apparatus for printing in a distributed communications network
A method and system is provided for printing jobs received from enterprise customers through a global printing network. One aspect relates to an architecture that interfaces customers, communication service firms (CSFs), and downstream digital print service providers (PSPs) in a global communications network. Such an architecture permits last-mile production functions that allow the distribution of print jobs to be optimized, containing costs, maintaining quality, and performing billing functions that improve the quality of such networks and make a global print network feasible. As a result, Enterprise customers benefit from lower costs and global sourcing while print service providers and graphics service firms benefit from increased revenue due to increased utilization of the overall global network.
US09229661B2 Total quotas for data storage system
Quotas are tracked for user usage of hard disk drive space and offline backup storage space. The quota is enforced against the total space utilized by a user, not just high tier hard drive space usage. When data is migrated from hard disk drive space to backup storage space, data metadata is updated to reflect data kept offline for the user. As such, when users request to store new data, the data usage of hard disk space and backup storage space is determined from the metadata that reflects both data types, and the total storage spaced for the user is used to grant or reject the user's request to store more data in the system.
US09229659B2 Identifying and accessing reference data in an in-memory data grid
Embodiments relate to providing normalization techniques for reference data in an in-memory data grid. An aspect includes monitoring object creation and access in an in-memory data grid and identifying reference data in an object field of a plurality of object instances. A reference map for the object field is created and the reference map is replicated across all partitions of the in-memory data grid. The reference data of an embodiment is stored in the reference map and the object field is updated to identify the reference map. Accordingly, the reference data may be accessed using the created reference map.
US09229657B1 Redistributing data in a distributed storage system based on attributes of the data
Accesses to a number of data blocks stored in a distributed storage are observed. Following observation of the accesses, the stored data blocks are redistributed. In one aspect, redistribution of the data blocks includes determining the access patterns for one or more of the data blocks based on the observed accesses, and determining the storage sizes for the one or more data blocks. Thereafter, based on the determined access patterns and determined storage sizes, the one or more data blocks are sorted. Subsequently, the one or more data blocks are redistributed or rebalanced across a number of storage devices of the distributed storage based on the sorting. In one aspect, the one or more data blocks are redistributed according to either a uniform distribution scheme or a proportional distribution scheme.
US09229652B2 Computer system and storage control method of the same
A computer system dynamically assigns the storage capacity from pool volumes to the access target in the higher-level system, and can immediately respond to the change of the status of the pool having the pool volumes. The control device provides a plurality of first pools, provides a second pool, allocates a storage area from one of the first pools to a logical area of the logical volume to store data to the logical area, and stores the data in the allocated storage area, adds at least one of the one or more pool volumes in the second pool to the first pool, according to the status of the first pool, and adds at least one pool volume provided by storage areas of at least one storage device to the second pool, according to the status of the second pool.
US09229650B2 Graphics processing method for three-dimensional images applied to first buffer for storing right-view contents and second buffer for storing left-view contents and related graphics processing apparatus thereof
A graphics processing method for three-dimensional images, applied to a first buffer for storing right-view contents and a second buffer for storing left-view contents, includes the following steps: sending drawing commands respectively related to the right-view contents and the left-view contents to a drawing engine; when a current Vsync status indicates that a display engine is not operating within a right Vsync period of a right-view frame, the drawing engine drawing the right-view contents stored in first buffer; when current Vsync status indicates that the display engine is not operating within a left Vsync period of a left-view frame, the drawing engine drawing the left-view contents stored in second buffer; during the right Vsync period of the right-view frame, the display engine displaying right-view contents stored in first buffer; and during the left Vsync period of the left-view frame, the display engine displaying left-view contents stored in second buffer.
US09229644B2 Targeted copy of data relocation
In a nonvolatile memory array that has a binary cache formed of SLC blocks and a main memory formed of MLC blocks, corrupted data along an MLC word line is corrected and relocated, along with any other data along the MLC word line, to binary cache, before it becomes uncorrectable. Subsequent reads of the relocated data directed to binary cache.
US09229643B2 Compatible virtual machine joiner
A method, system and computer readable medium for joining multiple virtual machines (VMs). The method includes identifying a first virtual machine (VM) executing a first operating system (OS) for joining with a second VM executing a second OS, wherein the first OS and the second OS are compatible. A new VM having a new disk is created, wherein the new disk includes the contents of a first existing disk of the first VM and a second existing disk of the second VM.
US09229640B2 Inexpensive solid-state storage by throttling write speed in accordance with empirically derived write policy table
Many of the benefits of solid-state-based storage devices can be obtained, while minimizing the costs associated therewith, by write-throttling solid-state storage media in accordance with empirically derived capabilities. Untested solid-state storage media can be obtained inexpensively due to the lack of waste that is otherwise been inherent in the testing and subsequent discarding of solid-state storage media whose capabilities do not meet stringent manufacturer standards. The untested solid-state storage media is initialized through a testing procedure that empirically identifies capabilities of individual solid-state blocks, or groupings of blocks, within such solid-state storage media. Such empirically obtained capability information is then utilized to throttle the speed at which data is written to the solid-state storage media. Additionally, it can enable binning of individual solid-state blocks, or individual groupings of blocks, into bins that can comprise different performance thresholds.
US09229637B2 Volume copy management method on thin provisioning pool of storage subsystem
Exemplary embodiments provide integrated thin provisioning pool for primary logical volume and secondary logical volume in a storage subsystem. A storage system comprises a processor; a memory; and a storage controller. In one embodiment, the storage controller is configured to allocate storage area from a first pool in response to a write request, and to control allocation of storage areas for a plurality of related data, which are to be allocated from the first pool, from different specified RAID groups in the first pool. In another embodiment, the storage controller is configured to allocate storage area from a first pool in response to a write request, and to control allocation of storage areas for a plurality of related data, which are to be allocated from the first pool, from different RAID groups in the first pool.
US09229636B2 Drawing support tool
A graphical user interface displays a shape. Further, a buffer region that is adjacent to an edge of the shape is displayed at the graphical user interface. In addition, a set of drawing data located within the buffer region is received from a user input device. A first subset of the drawing data that is located in the buffer region at a predetermined distance from the edge and a second subset of the drawing data in the buffer region that is located at a distance from the edge that exceeds the predetermined distance are determined with a processor. Further, the first subset of drawing data is displayed. In addition, the second subset of drawing data is prevented from being displayed at the distance. The process also displays the second subset of drawing data at the predetermined distance.
US09229635B2 Wireless handheld device able to accept text input and methods for inputting text on a wireless handheld device
A wireless handheld device able to accept text input, including a display screen and a virtual keypad having a plurality of keys displayed on the display screen, wherein a first key of the virtual keypad is operable to display a first character associated with the first key in a text passage shown on the display screen in response to a first contact of a pointer with a first area on the display screen corresponding to the first key, the first contact including the pointer contacting and moving from the first area along a first direction while the pointer is in continual contact with the display screen, and wherein the first key of the virtual keypad is also operable to display a second character associated with the first key in the text passage shown on the display screen in response to a second contact of the pointer with the first area the display screen corresponding to the first key, the second contact including the pointer contacting and moving fro the first area along a second direction while the pointer is in continual contact with the display screen.
US09229633B2 Selective sharing of displayed content in a view presented on a touchscreen of a processing system
A method for sharing a view presented on a touchscreen of a processing system. Whether a show gesture state is enabled on the processing system and whether a gesture event gate is open on the processing system are determined. The show gesture state determines whether a gesture detected by the touchscreen is depicted onto a version of the view shared with another processing system. The gesture event gate determines whether a corresponding gesture event is passed to an application that is active in the view.
US09229627B2 System and method for graphical rights indication
Systems and methods are provided for a non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions configured to retrieve a first list of operations for a device including a sensor, an actuator, or a combination thereof, included in an industrial control system. The instructions are also configured to display a first color for each operation in the first list of operations indicative of a modification privilege related to the respective operation.
US09229626B2 Notification management
A system and method for notification management includes collecting information for a number of objects within a management tool for security assets. The display of the information is displayed on a window of a graphical user interface of the management tool. In response to user interaction with the graphical user interface, a notification tool window of a notification tool is displayed. The notification tool window is layered over at least a portion of the window of the graphical user interface. In response to user interaction with the notification tool window, notification instructions are created for at least one of the number of objects based on a portion of the information of the window of the graphical user interface. The notification instructions are operable to cause the notification tool to communicate at least one notification communication to at least one recipient concerning at least one object.
US09229621B2 Electronic palette system
The present embodiments provide a system for generating design palettes over a network. In one embodiment, the system comprises a database configured to store design product data corresponding to one or more design features of a plurality of design products. A user interface is configured to allow submission of information specifying one or more requested design features. An e-palette server is in operative communication with the database and the user interface. The e-palette server is configured to receive the requested design features and to generate a subset of the design products. Each design product in the subset of the design products shares at least one design feature in common with the requested design features. An e-palette generator is configured to generate a design palette including at least one design product from the subset of design products and to send the design palette to the user interface for display.
US09229618B2 Turning pages of an electronic document by means of a single snap gesture
A system and associated method for contextualizing a page turn in an electronic book pursuant to a snap gesture made by a user on a touch screen of a tablet device, as performed by an e-reader program running in the tablet device. The snap gesture is quantified with data elements including linger time and direction of the snap gesture. The quantified snap gesture is utilized in identifying a target page number to display on the touch screen responsive to at least one predefined data element of the quantified snap gesture such that the user is enabled to turn multiple pages of the electronic book by the snap gesture as turning multiple pages of a paper book.
US09229612B2 Electronic device, controlling method for screen, and program storage medium thereof
An electronic device, a controlling method of a screen, and a program storage medium thereof are provided. The screen includes a display panel and a touch-sensitive panel. The display panel shows a root window on which all display contents are shown. The controlling method comprises the following steps. A command signal is received. The coordinate system of the screen is transformed with a transformation according to the command signal.
US09229611B2 Automatic management of client data consistency
A system is provided that automatically manages data consistency of a web application. When the system sends a data entity to a user interface component that the system has determined is an updatable user interface component, the system stores a version indicator for the data entity within a resource scope. When the system receives a request to update the data entity, the system compares the version indicator stored within the resource scope with a version indicator stored within a data store. When the two version indicators are identical, the system updates the data entity. When the two version indicators are not identical, the system raises an exception.
US09229610B2 Methods and systems for visually forming relationships between electronic content
Methods and systems are discussed for visually forming relationships between electronic content. Electronic content from a computing device may be received. The electronic content may be displayed on a graphical user interface. The received electronic content may be analyzed to identify characteristics of the electronic content. The received electronic content may be visually related to previously received electronic content on a graphical user interface. The received and the previously received electronic content may be visually related by applying a relationship hierarchy to the identified characteristics.
US09229609B2 Navigable visualization of a hierarchical data structure
An example system generates, for a target data set, a navigable space based upon quantitatively-visualized menus. The navigable space is provided within a viewing area on a display device and comprises a stacked bar chart at the left end of a viewing area and, on the right end of the viewing area, a bar graph comprising set of bars. The stacked bar chart is also usable as an actionable menu.
US09229607B2 Guided page navigation
Configuring a set of guided documents for operation of a business activity based on a workflow for the activity, industry expertise, and a plurality of models of source data that is relevant to the business activity, wherein points of entry to access the guided documents are organized around one or more industry-specific data dimensions.
US09229605B2 Geometric assembly
A drawing system has software (SW) providing tools to enable a user to create geometric objects in a display, and to select and drag the objects in the display. An assembly engine is a part of the SW, and monitors properties of objects and movement of objects in the display. The assembly engine monitors features and properties of a first object selected and dragged, and features and properties of second objects in the display, determines compatible geometric features that might be joined in assembly between the first and second objects, and upon compatible features for join being moved within a preprogrammed threshold distance (TD) in the display, affects a join operation, bringing the compatible features of the first and the second object together in an assembly and redrawing the assembly.
US09229603B2 Methods, systems, apparatuses, and computer-readable mediums for provisioning petrotechnical workflows in a cloud computing environment
A method, system, and computer readable storage medium according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, may provide a cloud computing environment (CCE) that includes a plurality of resources, and receives, at the CCE, a request from a user for performing a petrotechnical workflow. The user may be remotely located with respect to the CCE. Furthermore, embodiments of the present disclosure may provision one or more of the plurality of resources for performing the petrotechnical workflow; perform the petrotechnical workflow using the one or more provisioned resources; and associate a cost with usage of the one or more provisioned resources for performing the petrotechnical workflow.
US09229602B2 Electromagnetic resonance sensing apparatus using small number of channels
An electromagnetic sensing apparatus built in a touch screen having at least one soft key is provided, in which a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) has at least one sub-area corresponding to the at least one soft key, a controller has at least one input/output channel and controls electromagnetic sensing of the electromagnetic sensing apparatus, and a loop unit extends from one of the at least one input/output channel, has at least one sub-loop arranged in the at least one sub-area on the PCB, and outputs current induced by an electromagnetic field. Each sub-loop outputs a different output value with respect to the electromagnetic field.
US09229598B2 Touch pen
A touch pen for a capacitive touch screen is provided. The touch pen includes a signal receiver conductor, a signal detecting and adjusting circuit, and a signal transmitter conductor. The signal receiver conductor receives a first touch signal from the capacitive touch screen. The signal detecting and adjusting circuit enlarges the first touch signal to a second touch signal having a standard intensity with a first magnification factor, a second magnification factor and a third magnification factor. The signal transmitter conductor issues the second touch signal to the capacitive touch screen. According to the second touch signal, the capacitive touch screen senses a position of a touch point of the touch pen.
US09229594B2 Touch panel
A touch panel is disclosed, which includes a substrate, plural sensing units, plural wires, and a grounding component. The substrate includes a touch area and a wiring area surrounding the touch area. The sensing units are formed in the touch area. The wires are formed in the wiring area and are connected to the sensing units. The ground component is formed in the wiring area and includes plural hollow portions and conductive portions. At least parts of the hollow portions and at least parts of the conductive portions are alternatingly arranged. The situation of metal peeling can be prevented by slicing the grounding component in the touch panel.
US09229592B2 Shear force detection using capacitive sensors
An input device having a sensing region overlapping an input surface includes a first substrate, a second substrate physically coupled to the first substrate, and a sensor electrode disposed on the first substrate and configured to detect input objects in the sensing region. A first force sensor includes a first electrode disposed on the first substrate and a first conductive portion of the second substrate capacitively coupled with the first electrode. The first conductive portion is configured to move relative to the first electrode such that a first variable capacitance of the first force sensor changes in response to force applied to the input surface in a first direction parallel to the touch surface.
US09229590B2 Display device
A display device includes a display panel including data lines, gate lines crossing the data lines, and pixels arranged in a matrix form, a touch screen which is embedded in the display panel or is installed on the display panel, a data driving circuit supplying a data voltage to the data lines, a gate driving circuit supplying a gate pulse to the gate lines, and a touch sensing circuit which supplies a driving signal to lines of the touch screen and senses a touch input. The gate driving circuit alternately drives pull-down transistors connected in parallel to one gate line. The gate driving circuit drives one of the pull-down transistors or simultaneously drives the pull-down transistors during a drive period of the touch screen.
US09229588B2 Touch-sensitive display
A touch-sensitive display includes a sense electrode comprising a first conductor having a first elongate edge and a second elongate edge that is longer than the first elongate edge, and a second conductor having a third elongate edge and a fourth elongate edge that is longer than the third elongate edge, wherein the first conductor is coupled to the second conductor and spaced from the second conductor such that a first distance from an end of the second elongate edge to an end of the fourth elongate edge is less than a second distance from an end of the first elongate edge to an end of the third elongate edge. The touch-sensitive display also includes a drive electrode spaced from the first conductor and the second conductor and extending between the first conductor and the second conductor.
US09229586B2 Touch system and method for determining the distance between a pointer and a surface
A method for determining the distance from a tip of a pointer to a surface using a light source and a single camera, the method comprising detecting in an image captured by the camera a tip of the pointer, determining in the image captured by the camera the intensity of a set of pixels below the tip of the pointer, the intensity defining a reflection by the surface of the tip of the pointer illuminated by the light source, and determining the distance from the tip of the pointer to the surface depending upon the intensity of the set of pixels below the tip of the pointer and an intensity of pixels of the tip of the pointer in the image.
US09229585B2 Projection system, image generating method, and computer-readable storage medium
A projection system includes a projection unit configured to project a projected image on a surface for projection; an image capturing unit configured to capture an image of an image-capturing area representing an area; an operation detection unit configured to detect any user operation on an operation target image representing a targeted image for the user operation by using the captured image; a calculation unit configured to calculate image-capturing area coordinates for specifying a position of the image-capturing area in the projected image based on the captured image and the projected image; a position determination unit configured to determine a position of the operation target image in the projected image based on the image-capturing area coordinates; and a projected image generating unit configured to generate a projected image in which the operation target image is laid out on the determined position.
US09229584B2 Information input apparatus
The present invention is directed to the provision of an information input apparatus that can change the projection position of an input image by tracking a target object and can detect an information input to the input image. More specifically, the invention provides an information input apparatus includes a projection unit which projects an input image, a projection position changing unit which changes the projection position of the input image, a detection sensor which detects the position of a detection target, and an information detection unit which causes the projection position changing unit to change the projection position of the input image by tracking the position of the detection target detected by the detection sensor, and which detects an information input to the input image based on data supplied from the detection sensor.
US09229579B2 Optical touch system
An optical touch system includes an image sensor for detecting at least one object and a processor coupled to the image sensor. The processor is configured to determine the number of pixel clusters created by the at least one object on an image generated from the image sensor and to generate gesture information when the number of pixel clusters is greater than a predetermined pixel cluster number.
US09229578B2 Image sensor and optical touch system including the same
An image sensor includes a plurality of light detecting elements. The plurality of light detecting elements are arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, wherein a flat field picture generated by the image sensor, the intensity standard deviation of pixels in each pixel column is greater than that of pixels in any pixel row, or the intensity standard deviation of pixels in each pixel row is greater than that of pixels of any pixel column.
US09229576B2 Apparatus and method for preventing false touches in touch screen systems
A method comprises during a frame period finding a first EFT noise influenced sensor of a touch screen panel, determining whether the first EFT noise influenced sensor is located at a last transmitting/driving line of the touch screen panel, designating the frame period as a noise influenced frame period using an absolute value threshold if the first EFT noise influenced sensor is not located at the last transmitting/driving line and designating the frame period as the noise influenced frame period using a percentage threshold if the first EFT noise influenced sensor is located at the last transmitting/driving line.
US09229575B2 Adaptive touchscreen system
A touchscreen system for adapting a user interface broadly comprises a controller and a display screen, the display screen comprising a touchscreen. The display screen is operable to present the user interface. The controller may be configured to detect a defect in an area of the touchscreen, determine a location on the display screen related to the defect, and adapting the user interface on the display screen to compensate for the defect.
US09229572B2 Touch device and driving method thereof
A touch device includes a touch panel that includes driving lines, sensing lines, a virtual key, a self-sensing line, and a shielding line. The touch panel has a display region and a non-display region. The driving lines extend along a first direction in the display region and further extend into the non-display region. The sensing lines extend along a second direction in the display region and extend into the non-display region. The first direction is different from the second direction. The virtual key is located in the non-display region and between the driving lines and the sensing lines to shield the driving lines from the sensing lines. Each of the self-sensing line and the shielding line is located in the non-display region, connected to the virtual key, and located between the driving lines and the sensing lines to shield the driving lines from the sensing lines.
US09229566B2 Manufacturing method of flexible display device and manufacturing method of touch screen panel
Provided is a method of manufacturing a flexible display device, comprising: forming a concavo-convex area comprising a first concavo-convex pattern on one surface of a carrier substrate; forming a flexible substrate on the one surface of the carrier substrate; forming a display element configured to display an image on the flexible substrate; and separating the flexible substrate from the carrier substrate.
US09229565B2 Method of manufacturing display apparatus
A method of manufacturing a display apparatus includes providing a display panel including two substrates facing each other and a display device disposed between the two substrates; providing a touch screen panel attached onto an outer side surface of one of the two substrates; attaching a multilayer protection film including a plurality of films having acid resistance onto the touch screen panel; etching the other of the two substrates; and removing the multilayer protection film. The protection films have penetration holes, each of the protection films having a different average area of the penetration holes in a plan view.
US09229563B2 Foldable touch screen panel
A foldable touch screen panel includes a thin film substrate including polymer resin, a sensing electrode part including a plurality of sensing electrodes patterned on a surface of the thin film substrate, and a metallic wiring part including a plurality of metallic wirings located outside the sensing electrode part and coupled to an end of the sensing electrodes, wherein the sensing electrode part includes a foldable area and a non-foldable area where at least a portion of the sensing electrode part is removed.
US09229558B2 Method of manufacturing touch panel and touch panel
A method of manufacturing a touch panel, includes forming a print layer on a peripheral portion of a surface of a touch panel body portion; coating resin on the surface of the touch panel body portion on which the print layer is formed and, after coating, curing the resin to form a resin layer; and adhering an optical clear adhesive sheet on a surface of a cover film and further adhering the surface of the cover film, at which the optical clear adhesive sheet is adhered to, to the surface of the touch panel body portion at which the resin layer is adhered to.
US09229557B2 Interactive and 3-D multi-sensor touch selection interface for an automated retail store, vending machine, digital sign, or retail display
Vending machines, automated retail stores, and retail displays with a computer controlled, activation system that senses either the gesture of a customer proximate product display tubes or a touch-screen selection on a computer screen. Item-based lighting produces variable visual effects in conjunction with actual or potential vends to provide an enhanced vending experience. Offered products are stored within display tubes that are arranged in orderly geometric arrays. RGB lighting through a plurality of LED banks associated with each display tube are controlled by the activation system Combinations of differently colored LED's are computer controlled on a per product basis to artistically illuminate available products and assist customers. Pre-programmed lighting sequences can switch LEDs off and on, vary their intensity, and alter resultant colors.
US09229554B2 Touch screen panel for display device
This disclosure relates to a touch screen panel for a display device. The touch screen panel includes a base layer, a plurality of first electrode strings, a plurality of second electrode strings, a plurality of first routing wires, a plurality of second routing wires; a third wire formed between the first routing wires and the second routing wires, an insulation layer that covers the first and second routing wires and the third wires and has contact holes exposing a part of the third wire, and a shield pattern that is formed on the insulation layer contacts the third wires through the contact holes, and overlaps either the first routing wires or the second routing wires.
US09229551B2 Capacitive sensor and detection method using the same
The present invention provides a capacitive sensor and detection method using the same. The capacitive sensor of the present invention includes at least one detecting plate and at least one reference plate surrounding each detecting plate. All of the reference plates are electrically coupled to the same first wire, and each reference plate is electrically coupled to a second wire. When an electrical signal is provided to the first wire and each second wire, one or more detecting plates touched or approached can be detected simultaneously based on the signal difference between each second wire and the first wire.
US09229544B2 Method and apparatus for processing content written in an application form using an e-pen
A method and apparatus process content written in an application form. In one embodiment, stroke data corresponding to content written in fields of an application form is obtained from an e-pen. Then, words corresponding to the written content are extracted from the stroke data and confidence value is assigned to each of the words with respect to each of fields in the template application form. Each of the words corresponding to the written content is mapped to one of the fields in the template application form based on the confidence value assigned to each of the words. Moreover, a tag is assigned to each of the words indicating a mapping between each of the words and one of the fields, and the words along with the assigned tags are stored in the storage unit.
US09229543B2 Modifying stylus input or response using inferred emotion
An aspect provides a method including: identifying one or more symbols input to a surface of a first device; determining, using at least one processor, one or more modified input parameters associated with input of the one or more symbols; determining a modification to an association for the one or more symbols based on the one or more modified input parameters; and executing an action corresponding to a modified association for the one or more symbols. Other aspects are described and claimed.
US09229541B2 Coordinate detection system, information processing apparatus and method, and computer-readable carrier medium
A coordinate detection system includes a coordinate detecting apparatus that is mounted on a display apparatus, detects approach of an indicating object toward the display apparatus, detects a position coordinate of the indicating object on the display apparatus, and outputs a notice indicating the approach of the indicating object and the position coordinate; a contact detecting apparatus that detects whether the contact detecting apparatus is in contact with the coordinate detecting apparatus and outputs a notice indicating contact or non-contact of the contact detecting apparatus; and an information processing apparatus that includes a control unit that, upon reception of the notice indicating the approach of the indicating object, determines whether the notice indicating the contact of the contact detecting apparatus is received within a predetermined time, and issues an event indicating the contact of the contact detecting apparatus when receiving the notice of the contact of the contact detecting apparatus.
US09229539B2 Information triage using screen-contacting gestures
A user is able to triage information on a touch-enabled computing device. Information objects are displayed on a touch-sensitive screen of the device. Whenever the user makes a first gesture on the screen using a first user input modality, the first gesture and that it was made using this first modality are identified, a first information management operation specifically associated with the first gesture being made with this first modality is also identified, and this first operation is implemented on the objects. Whenever the user subsequently makes a second gesture on the screen using a second user input modality which is different than the first modality, the second gesture and that it was made using this second modality are identified, a second information management operation specifically associated with the second gesture being made with this second modality is also identified, and this second operation is implemented on the objects.
US09229537B2 Covering structure, input device, and manufacturing method of covering structure
A covering structure including a bottom covering layer, a top covering layer, and a thermoplastic material layer is disclosed. The thermoplastic material layer is laminated between the bottom covering layer and the top covering layer. The thermoplastic material layer includes a first thermoplastic material layer part and a second thermoplastic material layer part that are connected to each other. The first thermoplastic material layer part has a first thickness. The second thermoplastic material layer part has a second thickness. The first thickness is larger than the thickness of the top covering layer. The first thickness is 4˜7 times of the second thickness. The disclosure further discloses an input device using the covering structure and a manufacturing method of the covering structure.
US09229533B2 Information processing apparatus, method, and program for gesture recognition and control
An information processing apparatus includes a detection unit configured to detect a gesture made by a user, a recognition unit configured to recognize a type of the gesture detected by the detection unit, a control unit configured to control operation of a first application and a second application, and an output unit configured to output information of the first application or the second application. If the gesture is recognized by the recognition unit while the control unit is controlling the operation of the first application in the foreground, the control unit controls the operation of the second application operating in the background of the first application on the basis of the type of the gesture recognized by the recognition unit.
US09229530B1 Wireless haptic feedback apparatus configured to be mounted on a human arm
A virtual interaction system includes a haptic feedback apparatus, a depth camera and a processing circuit. The haptic feedback apparatus includes an solenoid mount supporting a plurality of solenoids, a plurality of hand mounts, and a controller. The solenoid mount is configured to be mounted onto a human arm. The plurality of hand mounts are configured to be mounted onto a plurality of positions on a human hand. Each of the plurality the hand mounts includes at least one contact element. Each contact element is controllably moveable by a corresponding solenoid. The controller is configured to receive an input signal, and generate, based on the input signal, a plurality of solenoid control signals.
US09229529B2 Apparatus and control method based on motion
A device includes a display panel configured to display an interface. The device includes a motion sensor configured to detect a motion of the device and to output a detection signal in response to the detection of the motion. The device includes circuitry configured to control, based on the detection signal, the display panel such that at least one of a display position and a display size of an element displayed in the interface changes, wherein when the motion includes a physical shock on the device, the detection signal includes an indication of a hitting position corresponding to a position on the device where the physical shock is detected by the motion sensor, and the circuitry controls the display panel such that the at least one of the display position and the display size of the element changes based on the hitting position.
US09229528B2 Input apparatus using connectable blocks, information processing system, information processor, and information processing method
A block tool, which can be assembled by a user, is configured with multiple types of blocks and is shot by a camera for capturing a still image or a moving image. The position coordinates of a marker of the square-pillar block in a three-dimensional space are obtained by image recognition. Also, a connecting position and the type of each block, a gradient vector of the square-pillar block, an angle between two blocks constituting the square-pillar block, and the respective blocks' lengths are obtained so as to derive the shape, posture, and position of the block tool, and corresponding information processing is then performed.
US09229525B2 Adaptive latency tolerance for power management of memory bus interfaces
A method includes, in a memory system that includes a host and a storage device connected by a bus interface, assessing in the storage device a power supply state of the memory system. In the storage device a latency tolerance is selected for the bus interface based on the assessed power supply state. The selected latency tolerance is indicated from the storage device to the host, for application to the bus interface.
US09229523B2 Memory controller with transaction-queue-dependent power modes
A memory controller component of a memory system stores memory access requests within a transaction queue until serviced so that, over time, the transaction queue alternates between occupied and empty states. The memory controller transitions the memory system to a low power mode in response to detecting the transaction queue is has remained in the empty state for a predetermined time. In the transition to the low power mode, the memory controller disables oscillation of one or more timing signals required to time data signaling operations within synchronous communication circuits of one or more attached memory devices and also disables one or more power consuming circuits within the synchronous communication circuits of the one or more memory devices.
US09229522B1 Mobile battery performance by identifying apps that disproportionally run background tasks that prevent mobile devices from sleeping
Power consumption on a mobile computing device is reduced, by identifying and managing apps that prevent the mobile device from sleeping while the screen is off. It is detected when the screen is turned off and when it is subsequently turned back on. During the ensuing period of time, it is determined which specific apps prevent the mobile device from sleeping. This can take the form of identifying each specific app on the mobile device that has an unreleased wake lock at any point during the given period of time while the screen is off. The prevention of the device from sleeping while the screen was off is quantified by app according to power consumption, based on factors such as duration. Any apps for which the quantified prevention of the mobile device from sleeping while the screen was off meets a specific threshold are identified and managed.
US09229515B2 Cloud management method of electronic devices
A cloud management method of electronic devices is disclosed herein. The method comprises collecting at least one first information from a electronic device by an information collector comprising a safe power switch; calculating a temporary safe interruption value by the information collector via analyzing a predetermined number of times of a working current or voltage of the electronic device, or calculating a safe interruption value by a local server or a first server; and writing back the temporary safe interruption value or the safe interruption value to the safe power switch. Preferably, a power supply of the electronic device is cut off by the safe power switch in response to the working current or voltage surpassing the temporary safe interruption value or the safe interruption value.
US09229514B2 Managing electric energy distribution to multiple loads using selective capping
An electric energy distribution system may include plural loads configured to receive electric energy from a common feed or branch. Each of the loads may be configured to operate in at least first and second modes such that it may consume current, VA or power up to a first cap when running in its first mode and up to a second cap when running in its second mode. The first cap may be higher than the second cap. A sensor component may monitor a parameter that corresponds to an aggregate amount of electric energy being consumed by all of the plural loads from the common feed or branch. A manager component may be configured, when the parameter meets or exceeds the threshold, to select one of the loads currently running in its first mode and to cause the selected load to run in its second mode.
US09229513B2 Battery capacity displaying system for wireless peripheral device
A battery capacity displaying system includes a host, a display device in communication with the host, and a wireless peripheral device. The display device is connected with the host. The display device is in communication with the host, and includes a triggering element. When the triggering element is pressed, a wireless signal containing a battery capacity data is transmitted from the wireless peripheral device to the host. After the wireless signal is received by the host, a residual battery capacity corresponding to the battery capacity data is displayed on the display device. Consequently, the user can realize the residual battery capacity of the wireless peripheral device at any appropriate time according to the practical requirements.
US09229511B2 Redundant power system
A redundant power system has a first power supply and a second power supply. The first power supply has a first controller with a first communication port and a first I/O port and has a normal mode, a master mode and a slave mode. An external device can send a mode setting command to the first controller through the first communication port. The first I/O port is set as an input port or an output port according to the mode executed by the first controller, wherein the output port is for indicating a power providing status of one power supply and the input port is for determining a power providing status of the other power supply. The power supplies can provide an appropriate power to a server according to the modes executed by the two controllers.
US09229510B2 Power management method for electro-chemical batteries in low capacity state
A power management method for electro-chemical batteries in low capacity state is provided, including: obtaining battery information based on device hardware, to know in advance the maximum allowable current and maximum allowable power when the battery power is low; by detecting the changes in the voltage versus current, updating BCC curve; using BCC curve as power budget to control the ON/OFF of device function thread; and determining whether the minimum battery capacity and the control restriction are reached, and when the minimum battery capacity and the control restriction are reached, turn off the battery through normal shutdown process; otherwise, return to the step of obtaining battery information.
US09229507B1 Managing data center power usage
Techniques for managing a power usage of a computing device include receiving a set of executable instructions to perform a task on a computer of a plurality of computers; determining whether an expected amount of power used by the computer to execute the set of executable instructions to perform the task will exceed a desired power budget; based on the determination that the expected amount of power to execute the set of executable instructions will exceed the desired power budget, modifying the set of executable instructions; and executing the modified set of executable instructions at the computer to perform the task. The computer uses an actual amount of power to execute the modified set of executable instructions, and the actual amount of power is different than the expected amount of power.
US09229506B1 Dynamic power regulation
Aspects of the disclosure provide an integrated circuit (IC) chip. The IC chip includes a power demand determination unit upstream of a command execution circuit. The power demand determination unit is configured to determine, before command execution, an expected power demand of the IC chip for executing a command that is input to the command execution circuit.
US09229505B2 Power control apparatus
There is provided a power control apparatus including a power supply control unit that executes power supply control with respect to a device connected to a power supply line, a connector that is connected to a cable to perform versatile communication between the power supply control unit and an external device, and a switch that is provided at a predetermined position of a circumferential portion of the connector and physically intercepts the versatile communication between the power supply control unit and the external device.
US09229504B1 Power bus aggregated from shelf-level bus elements
A system includes a rack with shelves and one or more groups of shelf-mountable electrical systems. Each of at least two of the shelf-mountable electrical systems includes one or more chassis, shelf computing devices, a shelf power supply mechanism, and one or more power-pooling bus elements. For at least one of the groups, a power-pooling bus element of at least one shelf-mountable electrical systems is electrically coupled to a power pooling bus element of at least one other of the shelf-mountable electrical systems in the group such that the power-pooling bus elements form an inter-shelf power-pooling bus for one or more of the computing devices in the group.
US09229503B2 Thermal power budget allocation for maximum user experience
A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for allocating a total power budget among a plurality of components of a user device are provided. The apparatus prioritizes the plurality of components based on a user experience model (performance/power model) for each of the plurality of components. The user experience model (performance/power model) of a component includes a measure of component attribute as a function of component power consumption. The apparatus allocates portions of the total power budget among the user-device components based on priority established by the user experience model. The apparatus may further prioritize the components based on weights assigned to the components.
US09229502B2 Fast wake-up of differential receivers using common mode decoupling capacitors
Embodiments of an AC coupled bus charging system are disclosed that may allow for different charging currents. The charging system may include a charging circuit and a control circuit. The charging circuit may be operable to controllably select different charging currents dependent upon the output of the control circuit.
US09229494B2 Accessories for use with housing for an electronic device
This disclosure relates generally to a device for retaining an electronic device as well as for methods for using the device for the purpose of doing the same. In various instances, the electronic device includes a housing and the retaining device is adapted for interfacing with the housing of the electronic device. The housing may be a separate unit from the electronic device or part of the electronic device itself. In various instances, the housing is a separate unit from the electronic device, within which the electronic device is fitted. In certain instances, the housing for the electronic device is adapted for protecting the device from one or more of shock, liquid, dust, snow, and the like. The electronic device may be any suitable electronic device, such as a computer, mobile computer, notebook computer, tablet computer, telephone, personal digital assistant, or the like.
US09229491B2 Tablet computer
A tablet computer includes a mobile phone mounting portion which has determined width and length and is formed in the rear of the tablet computer in a recessed manner, guide grooves which are longitudinally formed on both lateral walls of the mounting portion, and a separation prevention member which is fixedly inserted into the guide grooves and has width and length corresponding to those of the mounting portion. The separation prevention member includes wing fixing portions which are fixedly inserted into the guide grooves of the lateral walls, determined width of wings which are extended upwards from the wing fixing portions and formed to bend toward the center of the mounting portion, respectively, and a determined width of cover which is provided in the range between one end of the separation prevention member and the wings.
US09229485B2 Electronic device and method for switching state thereof
A method and an electronic device for switching state, relating to the field of electronic device applications, for facilitating a user carrying and using a peripheral keyboard is described. The electronic device includes a casing that includes a display unit for displaying on a first surface of the casing; an input unit being movably disposed on a second surface of the casing; according to different positional relationships between the input unit and the casing. The electronic device has at least two different operating modes: a tablet operating mode or a laptop operating mode. The device is usefully applied to a tablet type electronic device.
US09229478B2 Housing and electronic device using the same
A housing includes a substrate, a transition layer disposed on the substrate, and a color layer disposed on the transition layer. The transition layer is a mixing coating layer of metal carbonitride. The metal contains titanium and one of which selected from the group consisting of aluminum, chromium, and iron. The color layer is a titanium-chromium-aluminum layer. An electronic device using the housing is also described.
US09229477B2 Multi-function information handling system with multi-orientation stand
A tablet information handling system processes information with processing components disposed in a planar housing for presentation as images at a display disposed at the upper surface of the planar housing. Support members extend at the lower surface of the planar housing to support the planar housing in an upright configuration having the housing in a first orientation or an inclined configuration having the housing in a second orientation. A cooling fan controller manages cooling airflow direction through the planar housing based upon the orientation of the planar housing to blow hot air exiting the housing in a direction away from the likely location of an end user relative to the planar housing.
US09229472B2 Method for supplying electric power to a timekeeping circuit within a portable electronic device
An apparatus for providing electric power to a portable computer is disclosed. The apparatus includes a timekeeping circuit, a voltage regulator, a set of battery cells and a controller. The timekeeping circuit includes a clock circuit and a memory for storing a calendar time that is updated based on time information generated by the clock circuit. The battery cells can supply electric power to the voltage regulator, and the voltage regulator is capable of supplying electric power to the timekeeping circuit. When the output voltage from the battery cells exceeds a first voltage threshold, the controller directs the voltage regulator to supply electric power to the timekeeping circuit. When the output voltage from the battery cells drops below the first voltage threshold, the controller directs one of the battery cells to supply electric power to the timekeeping circuit.
US09229467B2 Bandgap reference circuit and related method
A device includes a bandgap reference circuit and a start-up circuit. The bandgap reference circuit includes an amplifier and a first transistor. The amplifier has an inverting input terminal, a non-inverting input terminal, and an output terminal. The first transistor has a gate electrode electrically connected to the output terminal. The start-up circuit has a first path electrically connected to the output terminal and the non-inverting input terminal, and a second path electrically connected to the output terminal and the inverting input terminal.
US09229465B2 Current-starved inverter circuit
A current-starved inverter circuit includes first and second current-mirror circuits, first and second transistors, a detector, and a current-booster. The first and second transistors receive a first source current and a first sink current from the first and second current-mirror circuits, respectively, and an input voltage signal, and generate an inverted input voltage signal (an output voltage signal). The detector generates a first detection signal when the output voltage signal exceeds a first threshold value and a second detection signal when the output voltage signal is less than a second threshold value. The current-booster, which is connected to the detector, receives the first and second detection signals and provides a second source current and a second sink current to the first and second transistors to pull-up and pull-down a voltage level of the output voltage signal, respectively.
US09229452B2 Detection of and counter-measures for jackknife enabling conditions during trailer backup assist
A vehicle comprises a trailer angle detection apparatus and a trailer backup control system coupled to the trailer angle detection apparatus. The trailer angle detection apparatus is configured for outputting a signal generated as a function of an angle between the vehicle and a trailer towably attached to the vehicle. The trailer backup control system includes a jackknife enabling condition detector and a jackknife counter-measures controller. The jackknife counter-measures controller alters a setting of at least one vehicle operating parameter for alleviating an adverse jackknife condition during backing of the trailer by the vehicle when the jackknife enabling condition detector determines that a jackknife enabling condition has been attained at a particular point in time during backing of the trailer by the vehicle.
US09229451B2 Locomotion of amorphous surface robots
An amorphous robot includes a compartmented bladder containing fluid, a valve assembly, and an outer layer encapsulating the bladder and valve assembly. The valve assembly draws fluid from a compartment(s) and discharges the drawn fluid into a designated compartment to displace the designated compartment with respect to the surface. Another embodiment includes elements each having a variable property, an outer layer that encapsulates the elements, and a control unit. The control unit energizes a designated element to change its variable property, thereby moving the designated element. The elements may be electromagnetic spheres with a variable polarity or shape memory polymers with changing shape and/or size. Yet another embodiment includes an elongated flexible tube filled with ferrofluid, a moveable electromagnet, an actuator, and a control unit. The control unit energizes the electromagnet and moves the electromagnet via the actuator to magnetize the ferrofluid and lengthen the flexible tube.
US09229448B1 Energy management system and method for vehicle systems
An energy management system and method for a vehicle system operate the vehicle system according to a current trip plan as the vehicle system travels along a route during a trip. The current trip plan designates operational settings of the vehicle system. The system and method also revise the current trip plan into a revised trip plan responsive to current, actual operation of the vehicle system differing from the current trip plan by at least a designated threshold amount. The revised trip plan designates operational settings of the vehicle system and includes an initial designated operational setting that matches the current, actual operation of the vehicle system.
US09229447B2 Method and device for automatically detecting erroneous air data on an aircraft
A method for detecting erroneous air data on an aircraft includes determining a current air parameter and a current altitude pressure parameter which collectively define a current point of control for the aircraft. The method also includes verifying whether the current point of control is situated in a characteristic envelope indicating operating limits for the aircraft. When the current point of control is outside the characteristic envelope, then a detection piece of information identifying at least one of the parameters as an erroneous parameter is emitted, which causes that erroneous parameter to be invalidated and an alarm signal to be sent to the crew. Therefore, an erroneous air data parameter is readily addressed and discarded using the method and associated device.
US09229446B2 Production line quality processes
Methods, systems, and software for improving the product quality of a production line having multiple production steps, at least some of which employ multiple individual tools, including producing product lots using different combinations of tools, setting a quality benchmark for the resulting product lots, identifying product lots that meet the quality benchmark, identifying the tools used to produce the identified quality product lots, and producing additional product lots using at least substantially the identified quality tools.
US09229444B2 Numerical control (NC) program and process for simplified reproduction on a machine tool
A computer-implemented method is described, comprising receiving data that represents a workpiece part type to be produced on a machine tool for machining flat starting materials. The method includes preparing a first numerical control program which is adapted for producing the workpiece part type from a flat starting material on the machine tool, and attaching one or more extractable data sets prepared from the received data to the first numerical control program, wherein the extractable data sets represent one or more parameters including the tools, tool steps and associated machining parameters for producing a single workpiece the workpiece part type on the machine tool. The method further includes extracting the extractable data sets from the attached first numerical control program for adjusting the one or more parameters, integrating the adjusted one or more parameters into a second numerical control program; and providing the second numerical control program to the machine tool.
US09229439B2 Method and device for operating a driven axle in a machine tool
In a device and a method for operating a driven axle in a machine tool, in particular in an injection-molding machine, at least two different drives are coupled to form a common effective drive, wherein the performance and energy consumption data for each drive are stored in the form of characteristic values or characteristic curves. To use the effective drive as optimally as possible in terms of energy, it is proposed to determine the performance requirement for the driven axle, to determine the particular operational combination of the different drives that requires the least expenditure of energy based on the determined performance requirement and to drive the drives with the determined particular operational combination.
US09229436B2 Method for determining the setpoint contact pressure value for conveying a welding wire of a welding device and corresponding welding device
The invention relates to a method for determining a setpoint value (pset) for the contact pressure of conveying rollers (29, 30) of at least one device (8) for conveying a welding wire (9) of a welding device (1), and a corresponding welding device (1). In order to improve the determination of the setpoint value (pset) for the contact pressure of each conveying device (8), data of the defined parameters (Pi) together with data from additional parameters (Pz) relating to the configuration of the welding device (1) are stored in a database (26) together with the setpoint values (pset), determined in each case empirically, of the contact pressure or a calculation rule for calculating the respective setpoint values (pset) of the contact pressure, and the setpoint value (pset) of the contact pressure of each conveying device (8) is determined empirically or by calculation depending on this defined parameters (Pi) and additional configuration parameters (Pz) from the database (26) and is indicated on at least one display (28).
US09229428B2 Image forming apparatus capable of receiving different cartridges
An image forming apparatus includes a mounting portion to which one of a plurality of kinds of cartridges having different configurations is mountable, a fan device for cooling the cartridges mounted to the mounting portion with air flow provided thereby, and a changing device for changing a state of the air flow in accordance with the configuration of the cartridge mounted to the mounting portion. The changing device includes a contact member contactable to the cartridge mounted to the mounting portion, and the contact member is displaceable in accordance with a configuration of the mounted cartridge to change the state of air flow.
US09229422B2 Developer supplying apparatus
A developer receiving apparatus includes a receiving portion displacably provided and configured to receive developer supplied from a supply container. The receiving portion including a receiving port configured to receive the developer and a first engaging portion engageable with the supply container to displace the receiving portion toward the supply container so as to connect the receiving portion with the supply container in a mounting operation. A covering member is displaceably provided in the receiving apparatus and covers an upper part of the receiving port. The covering member takes a closing position closing the upper part of the receiving port when the supply container is not mounted, and includes a second engaging portion engageable with the receiving portion to displace the covering member to a retracted position retracted from the closing position to permit the receiving portion to connect with the supply container in the mounting operation.
US09229421B2 Image forming apparatus having a developing cartridge and including a connection terminal to contact the developing cartridge
An image forming apparatus includes a body, at least one developing cartridge, which is disposed inside the body to form an image and is provided at one side thereof with an interface terminal to receive a power, a tray movably coupled to the body while accommodating the at least one developing cartridge, a cover coupled to one side to open/close the body such that the tray moves to outside the body, a link member configured to guide the movement of the tray and to move according to the open/close movement of the cover while being connected to the cover, and a connection terminal configured to make contact with the interface terminal by being pressed by the link member when the cover closes the body and to be separated from being released for pressing force when the cover opens the body.
US09229419B2 Image forming apparatus having resin frame and image forming unit
An image forming apparatus, including an image forming unit, a first frame, and a first beam, is provided. The image forming unit includes a photosensitive drum. The first frame is made of resin and is arranged on one end, along an axial direction of a rotation axis of the photosensitive drum, of the image forming unit. The first beam is formed in an elongated shape. The first beam is arranged along a planar face of the first frame. The first beam is fixed to the first frame by a fixing member at a first portion, which is in a position closer to a first longitudinal end of the first beam, and is loose from the first frame to be movable at least along the axial direction at a loose part, which is in a position closer to a second longitudinal end of the first beam than the first portion.
US09229407B1 System and method for optimal ink limiting on multi-pass clear jobs
A print job is received into a print engine having an image processor. A page of the print job is analyzed for a color gamut and for clear toner. For multi-pass print jobs, toner usage per pixel for each color of the color gamut and the clear toner is determined. Adjusted pixel values for the clear toner are calculated using a predetermined percentage. Adjusted pixel values for the color toner are calculated for each color of the color gamut based on the maximum toner limit. A first layer of the page is rendered using the adjusted pixel values. Then, the adjusted pixel values are scaled for clear toner usage based on the predetermined percentage for the clear toner on the first pass using a tone reproduction curve. Subsequent layers of the page are rendered in selected passes using only the scaled pixel values for clear toner usage.
US09229404B2 Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a controller controls a first and the second image forming unit to form a measurement image on the image bearing member, wherein the measurement image is composed with a first measurement image having a first color, and a second measurement image having a second color with a lower reflectance than the first color, a radiation unit emits a irradiation light to the measurement image, a light receiving unit receives a reflected light from the measurement image, a comparison unit compares a light amount of the reflected light from the measurement image with a threshold value, and a changing unit increases the threshold value, if a measurement time period during which a light amount of the reflected light from the measurement image is equal to or greater than the threshold value is longer than a predetermined time period.
US09229403B2 Recording material image capture device and image forming apparatus
A recording material image capture device includes light sources radiating light to a recording material, an image capture element receiving the light which is reflected on a surface of the recording material, a cover member provided between the image capture element and the recording material so that the reflected light passes through the cover member, a roller pressing the recording material toward the cover member, and an output portion outputting, based on an image captured by the image capture element, a value related to the recording material to which the light is radiated. The roller is a rotating member which rotates along with movement of the recording material, and the roller includes a recess portion which is prevented from contacting with an entire portion corresponding to the image used for determining the recording material, and projecting portions which are brought into contact with the recording material.
US09229402B2 Recording device and control method
A recording device is disclosed which has a push switch and no display. A menu item is sequentially changed out of a plurality of menu items, which are arranged in a specific order, by operating the push switch. Sub-pluralities of menu items are sequentially skipped based on the continuous operation of the push switch to quickly arrive at a desired menu item, without the need to select each and every menu item in sequential order.
US09229400B2 Image forming apparatus having a power supply common to primary transfer and secondary transfer
An image forming apparatus sequentially transfers toner images formed on a plurality of photosensitive drums onto an intermediate transfer member or a transfer material to form an image. The image forming apparatus includes an intermediate transfer belt provided with electrical conductivity, and a power supply for applying a voltage to a secondary transfer roller to pass a current from the secondary transfer roller to the plurality of photosensitive drums via the intermediate transfer belt, thus primarily transferring the toner images from the plurality of photosensitive drums onto the intermediate transfer belt.
US09229392B2 Fixing device fixing a toner image on a recording medium and image forming apparatus including the same
A fixing device includes a fixing belt, a pressuring member, a nip forming member, a supporting member, a heating source, a heat conducting member, and a reflecting member. The pressuring member comes into pressure contact with the fixing belt to form a fixing nip. The nip forming member presses the fixing belt toward the pressuring member. The heat conducting member comes into contact with an inner circumference face of the fixing belt and absorbs a radiant heat emitted from the heating source. The reflecting member includes a reflecting part and a regulating part. The reflecting part reflects the radiant heat emitted to the supporting member toward the heat conducting member. The regulating part is unified with the reflecting part and comes into contact with the inner circumference face of the fixing belt to regulate looseness of the fixing belt.
US09229390B2 Fixing device and image forming apparatus
A fixing device includes a fixing belt, a pressuring rotation body, a drive transmission member, a detected member, and a rotation detecting part. The fixing belt rotates around a rotation axis. The pressuring rotation body comes into pressure contact with the fixing belt to form a fixing nip. The drive transmission member is held by one end part of the fixing belt. The detected member is held by another end part of the fixing belt. The rotation detecting part detects the rotation of the detected member. The fixing belt is configured to co-rotate with the rotation of the drive transmission member by friction force between the one end part of the fixing belt and drive transmission member. The detected member is configured to co-rotate with the rotation of the fixing belt by friction force between the other end part of the fixing belt and detected member.
US09229389B2 Fixing device and image forming apparatus
A fixing device includes an endless belt, a heater disposed opposite the endless belt to heat the endless belt, and a pressing rotary body contacting an outer circumferential surface of the endless belt. A nip formation pad presses against the pressing rotary body via the endless belt to form a fixing nip between the endless belt and the pressing rotary body, through which a recording medium is conveyed. The nip formation pad includes a nip face disposed opposite the endless belt. The nip face includes a first region having an increased thermal conductivity and a second region having a decreased thermal conductivity and being adjacent to the first region in an axial direction of the endless belt.
US09229386B2 Image forming apparatus, control method for image forming apparatus, and program
In an image forming apparatus including an image forming unit configured to transfer a developing agent to a sheet for image forming and a plurality of fixing units each configured to perform a heat-fixing process on the developing agent transferred to the sheet by the image forming unit, whether the sheet is of a type for which a plurality of fixing units are to be used for performing a heat-fixing process is determined. It is controlled so as to electrify one fixing unit of the fixing units and not to electrify the other fixing units not to be used until the number of sheets having undergone the heat-fixing process by using the one fixing unit is equal to a predetermined number if the determining determines that the sheet is of a type for which a plurality of fixing units are to be used for performing a heat-fixing process.
US09229384B2 Image forming apparatus and safety circuit mounted on the same apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit having a heater and fixing a toner image formed on a recording material onto this recording material. The heater includes a first heat-generating member and a second heat-generating member, a first driving element provided on a power supply path to the first heat-generating member; a second driving element provided on a power supply path to the second heat-generating member, a control unit controlling the first driving element and the second driving element respectively, first detection unit for detecting current flowing through the first heat-generating member, a second detection unit of detecting current flowing through the second heat-generating member, and a safety circuit receiving a first output of the first detection unit and a second output of the second detection unit.
US09229378B1 Fixing device and image forming apparatus
Provided is a fixing device including an endless belt that rotates around an axis, transmits light, and has an inner peripheral surface to which a lubricating liquid adheres, a lens that has a curved surface having a top portion closest to the inner peripheral surface at one end when viewed in the axial direction, and concentrates light incident on the curved surface on a developer image on a medium that comes in contact with an outer peripheral surface of the belt that comes in contact with the other end, and a light source that allows the light to be concentrated on the developer image to be incident on a portion on an upstream side of the belt of an outer peripheral surface of a portion of the belt facing the top portion in the rotation direction.
US09229376B2 High voltage power supply and image forming apparatus
A high voltage power supply including a first high voltage output unit that outputs a high voltage having a predetermined polarity, and including second and third high voltage output units that output a high voltage having a polarity opposite to the predetermined polarity. Rectification units that are connected to the first high voltage output unit separate a current path to the second high voltage output unit from a current path to the third high voltage output unit.
US09229364B2 Developer supply container and developer supplying system
A developer supply container includes a developer accommodating portion for accommodating a developer, a discharge opening for permitting discharging of the developer from the developer accommodating portion, a drive inputting portion for receiving a driving force, and a pump portion. The pump portion is driven by the driving force received by the drive inputting portion to alternate an internal pressure of the developer accommodating portion between a pressure lower than an ambient pressure and a pressure higher than the ambient pressure. In addition, a regulating portion regulates a position of the pump portion at a start of operation of the pump portion so that in an initial operational period of the pump portion, air is taken into the developer accommodating portion through the discharge opening, and a nozzle portion connected to the pump portion and has an opening at an end that is disposed adjacent to the discharge opening.
US09229363B2 Network printer system
Electronic systems, such as printing systems, often use components that have integral memory. The integral memory can be used to store information about the component. In some printing systems this memory includes a portion that stores a value indicative of a print yield. Disclosed is a method and system for allowing the memory to have data indicative of an increased print yield.
US09229362B1 Image forming apparatus for controlling the density of multiple toners and image forming method for the same
In accordance with one embodiment, an image forming apparatus has a first image forming section, a second image forming section and an image forming agent adhesion amount control section. The first image forming section forms an image with decolorable image forming agent. The second image forming section forms an image with non-decolorable image forming agent. The image forming agent adhesion amount control section carries out a control to make the amount of the non-decolorable image forming agent adhered to a sheet smaller than that of the decolorable image forming agent adhered to the sheet.
US09229358B2 Developing apparatus, process cartridge, and interval guarantee member
A developing apparatus used in an image forming apparatus including a developer bearing member configured to develop a latent image formed on an image bearing member and rotate together with the image bearing member so that opposed surfaces thereof rotate in the same direction, an interval guarantee member configured to maintain a distance between the developer bearing member and the image bearing member by coming into abutment with the developer bearing member and the image bearing member, and a biasing member configured to bias the interval guarantee member toward the upstream side in the direction of rotation of the developer bearing member by applying an elastic force generated by elastic deformation on the interval guarantee member.
US09229352B2 Image forming apparatus that controls correction of image forming positions and method of controlling the same
An image forming apparatus capable of correcting light amounts of light beams which expose a photosensitive member with simple construction. The image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum, and a beam scanning device including a plurality of semiconductor lasers which emit light beams for exposing the photosensitive drum, and a memory which stores first correction data for correcting the light amount of each light beam in a manner associated with each of the plurality of semiconductor lasers. A CPU outputs second correction data for being commonly used in correcting the light amounts of the light beams emitted from the plurality of semiconductor lasers to the beam scanning device. A laser driver IC provided in the beam scanning device controls the light amount of the light beam emitted from each semiconductor laser based on the first correction data and the second correction data.
US09229350B2 Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier; a transferring unit; a fixing unit; a conveying unit; and a sheet shape detecting unit as defined herein, and a discharge position where the sheet is discharged from the conveying path, a feed position where the sheet is fed to the sheet conveying path and a detection position where the shape of the sheet is detected by the sheet shape detecting unit are arranged in this sequence along a sheet conveying direction to be close to one another, immediately downstream in the sheet conveying direction from a fixing position where the toner image is fixed to the sheet.
US09229348B2 System for optimizing ink usage on a 5 colorant capable printer
A system and method for optimizing toner usage on an output device capable of rendering in five or more colorants includes receiving a print job for rendering a print job. The method includes generating at least one candidate colorant combination using multiple colorants. The method includes determining at least one factor including (i) a toner usage, (ii) a toner cost, and (iii) an accuracy of the at least one candidate colorant combination for rendering a select object of the print job. The method further includes selecting an ideal candidate colorant combination based on a comparison of the at least one factor with one of a second candidate colorant combination and an original CMYK colorant combination.
US09229346B2 Image forming apparatus that controls discharge and replenishment of developer based on the electric charge amount of the developer contained in developing part and compositions of existing developer and new developer
In an image forming apparatus, a case containing a developer includes a first storage storing developer information indicating a composition of the developer. A developing part receives the developer from the developer-containing case. An acquiring part acquires the developer information in the first storage, when the developer-containing case is installed to an installed part. A decision part decides whether or not a composition of the developer in existing developer information in a second storage is different from another composition of the developer in newly acquired developer information. An electric charge amount measuring part measures an electric charge amount of the developer in the developing part. A developer replacement controlling part controls discharge and replenishment of the developer in the developing part on the basis of the measured electric charge amount, when the decision part decides that both compositions are different.
US09229343B2 Method for producing electrostatic latent image developing toner
In producing an electrostatic latent image developing toner, fine particle aggregates are formed by aggregating fine particles containing a binder resin and fine particles containing a release agent in an aqueous medium in the presence of an aggregating agent containing an alkali metal sulfate, and toner particles are formed by coalescing components contained in the fine particle aggregates in an aqueous medium in the presence of hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose.
US09229341B2 Reticle support that reduces reticle slippage
A system and method substantially eliminate reticle slip during the movement of a reticle stage. The system includes a mask holding system, a mask force device, and a support transport device. The mask holding system includes a support device and a holding device where the holding device releasably couples a mask, e.g., a patterning device such as a reticle having a pattern, to the support device. The mask force device is releasably connected to the mask in order to provide an accelerating force to the mask, such that a projection optic in a lithographic apparatus may accurately project a pattern imparted by the patterning device onto a target portion of the substrate by using a radiation beam. The support transport device is coupled to and moves the mask support device concurrently with the mask force device.
US09229338B2 Substrate, a method of measuring a property, an inspection apparatus and a lithographic apparatus
Scatterometry for measuring overlay. A second set of superimposed gratings are superposed over a first set of superimposed gratings. The second set of gratings have a different periodicity from the first set of gratings or a different orientation. Consequently the first order diffraction pattern from the second set of superimposed gratings can be distinguished from the first order diffraction pattern from the first set of superimposed gratings.
US09229337B2 Setting method of exposure apparatus, substrate imaging apparatus and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium
A method of setting an exposure apparatus to expose exposure sectors defined on a resist film formed on a surface of a substrate with proper values of an exposure amount and a focus value for forming a pattern having a predetermined dimension includes exposing and developing an exposure sector defined on a reference substrate by a first exposure apparatus having a first state, and imaging the same. The method exposes and develops exposure sectors defined on an inspection substrate by a second exposure apparatus having a second state where at least one of the exposure amount and the focus value is unknown, and forms and images a pattern on the inspection substrate. The method determines the proper values for the exposure amount and the focus value for the second state based on luminance of the exposure sector of reference data and luminances of the exposure sectors of inspection data.
US09229333B2 Exposure apparatus, movable body drive system, pattern formation apparatus, exposure method, and device manufacturing method
While a wafer stage moves linearly in a Y-axis direction, surface position information of a wafer surface at a plurality of detection points set at a predetermined interval in an X-axis direction is detected by a multipoint AF system, and by a plurality of alignment systems arranged in a line along the X-axis direction, marks at different positions on the wafer are each detected, and a part of a chipped shot of the wafer is exposed by a periphery edge exposure system. This allows throughput to be improved when compared with the case when detection operation of the marks, detection operation of the surface position information (focus information), and periphery edge exposure operation are performed independently.
US09229330B2 Method for writing nanoscale patterns
A method of performing nanolithography is disclosed, comprising the use of a system having a plasmonic writing head that enables super-resolution exposures of a material. The super-resolution exposures are carried out using light directed onto a material using plasmonic structures, and in particular using plasmonic structures having specially designed super-resolution apertures, of which the “bow-tie” and “C-aperture” are examples. These specially designed apertures create small but bright images in the near-field transmission pattern. In one embodiment, a writing head comprising an array of these apertures is held in close proximity to a lithography material. A data processing system is provided to re-interpret the data to be patterned into a set of modulation signals used to drive the multiple individual channels and the multiple exposures. A detector system using light of a second wavelength to monitor the exposures is also provided.
US09229329B2 Peeling liquid for a resist
The invention discloses a peeling liquid for a resist, which relates to an optical element and is used for removing the color resist and the protective layer on a color filter rapidly and efficiently. The peeling liquid for a color resist on a color filter comprises an alkali metal alkoxide with a mass percentage of 10-45%, an organic amine with a mass percentage of 10-30%, a surfactant with a mass percentage of 5-30%, a solvent with a mass percentage of 20-60%, and an alcohol with a mass percentage of 1-55% in terms of the peeling liquid for a resist with a mass percentage of 100%. The peeling liquid for a resist in invention is used for removing the color resist and the protective layer of the substandard product in a color filter.
US09229325B2 Method for making lithographic printing plates
Lithographic printing plate are formed by imagewise exposing a positive-working lithographic printing plate precursor with infrared radiation to form an imaged precursor comprising exposed regions and non-exposed regions, and processing the imaged precursor to remove the exposed regions using a processing solution having a pH of 12 or more, that contains a metal cation M2+ selected from barium, calcium, strontium, and zinc cations, and is substantially silicate-free. The positive-working lithographic printing plate precursor comprises a grained and anodized aluminum-containing substrate, a first ink receptive layer comprising at least one water-insoluble, alkali solution-soluble or -dispersible first resin, a second ink receptive layer disposed over the first receptive layer, and an infrared radiation absorber in an amount of at least 0.5 weight %, in either or both of the first ink receptive layer and the second ink receptive layer.
US09229323B2 Pattern-forming method
A pattern-forming method includes providing a resist film on a substrate using a photoresist composition. The resist film is exposed. The exposed resist film is developed using a developer having an organic solvent content of 80 mass % or more. The photoresist composition includes a first polymer, a second polymer, and an acid generator. The first polymer is a base polymer and includes a first structural unit that includes an acid-labile group. The second polymer includes a second structural unit that includes an acid-labile group, and has a fluorine atom content higher than a fluorine atom content of the first polymer. The second structural unit is represented by a formula (1) or a formula (2).
US09229321B2 Salt and photoresist composition comprising the same
A salt represented by formula (I): wherein Q1 and Q2 each independently represent a fluorine atom or a C1-C6 perfluoroalkyl group; Lb1 represents a C1-C24 divalent saturated hydrocarbon group or the like; R1, R2, R3 and R4 independently in each occurrence represent a C1-C12 aliphatic hydrocarbon group, or the like; and Z+ represents an organic counter ion.
US09229320B2 Resist composition and method for producing resist pattern
A resist composition contains; a resin having a structural unit derived from a compound represented by the formula (a); and an acid generator represented by the formula (B1). wherein R1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; A10 represents a single bond, an optionally substituted C1 to C6 alkanediyl group or a group represented by formula (a-1) defined in the specification; W1 represents an optionally substituted C4 to C36 alicyclic hydrocarbon group; A20 in each occurrence independently represents an optionally substituted C1 to C6 aliphatic hydrocarbon group; R2 in each occurrence independently represents a C1 to C12 perfluoroalkyl group; n represents 1 or 2; Q1 and Q2 independently represent a fluorine atom or a C1 to C6 perfluoroalkyl group; Lb1 represents an optionally substituted C1 to C17 divalent aliphatic hydrocarbon group; Y represents an optionally substituted C1 to C18 aliphatic hydrocarbon group; and Z+ represents an organic cation.
US09229318B2 Circuit apparatus having a rounded trace
In various embodiments of the present invention a circuit apparatus having a rounded trace, a method to manufacture the circuit apparatus, and a design structure used in the design, testing, or manufacturing of the circuit apparatus are described. An artwork layer having an adaptable-mask section allows a graded amount of light to pass into an underlying photoresist layer. Subsequent to developing the photoresist layer, the graded amount of light creates a rounded geometric void used as a mold or sidewall for the creation of at least a portion of a rounded trace. The photoresist layer is removed resulting in a circuit apparatus having a rounded trace.
US09229317B2 Blankmask and method for fabricating photomask using the same
Provided is a blankmask with a light-shielding layer including a light block layer and an anti-reflective layer, and a hard mask film. The light block layer and the anti-reflective layer are formed by combining a layer formed of a MoSi compound and a layer formed of a MoTaSi compound. Thus, the blankmask enables formation of a pattern of 32 nm or less, since the light-shielding layer can be thinly formed to a thickness of 200 to 700 and a photomask having pattern fidelity corresponding to the resolution of the pattern can be formed. The light-shielding layer has an optical density of 2.0 to 4.0 at an exposure wavelength of 193 nm, chemical resistance, and a sufficient process margin for defect repair. Further, the hard mask film is formed to a thickness of 20 to 50 using a compound including tin (Sn) and chromium (Cr), thereby decreasing an etch rate of the hard mask film. Accordingly, a resist film can be formed as a thin film, thereby manufacturing a high-resolution blankmask.
US09229316B2 Method for producing substrate with multilayer reflective film, method for producing reflective mask blank and method for producing reflective mask
Disclosed is a method for producing a substrate with a multilayer reflective film for EUV lithography including a multilayer reflective film disposed on a principal surface of a substrate, the method including a multilayer reflective film formation step of forming the multilayer reflective film on the principal surface of the substrate in such a manner that the multilayer reflective film has a slope region in which the film thickness is decreased in a direction from the inside to the outside of the substrate on a peripheral portion of the principal surface, and a fiducial mark formation step of forming fiducial marks in the slope region by removing at least a portion of the multilayer reflective film, the fiducial marks serving as references for a defective location indicated by defect information with respect to the surface of the substrate with the multilayer reflective film.
US09229315B2 Reflective mask blank and method of manufacturing a reflective mask
Provided are a reflective mask blank and a reflective mask which are capable of improving the contrast for inspection light having a wavelength of 200 nm or less in an inspection, capable of improving the contrast for exposure light in use of the mask, and capable of forming a high-resolution fine pattern. A reflective mask blank 10 includes a substrate 1, and a multilayer reflective film 2 adapted to reflect exposure light, a protective film 6 composed mainly of ruthenium (Ru) or its compound on the multilayer reflective film 2, and an absorber film 4 adapted to absorb the exposure light, which are formed in this order on the substrate. The absorber film 4 has a laminated structure including an uppermost layer 4b and a lower layer 4a. The uppermost layer 4b is formed of a material composed mainly of a nitride, an oxide, an oxynitride, a carbide, a carbonitride, or an oxycarbonitride of at least one or more elements selected from Si and Cr. A reflective mask 20 is obtained by forming a transfer pattern in the absorber film of the reflective mask blank.
US09229313B2 Exposure apparatus and device manufacturing method
An exposure apparatus includes an atmosphere maintaining unit which maintains an exposure chamber in an air atmosphere, a gas supply unit which supplies air or a mixed gas containing air and an inert gas to a local space, between a final surface of a projection optical system and a substrate, a detector which detects an alignment mark and a reference mark formed on the substrate stage, and a controller. The controller controls the gas supply unit not to supply the mixed gas to the local space when the detector detects the reference mark, and controls the gas supply unit to supply the mixed gas to the local space when an instruction to detect the alignment mark upon setting the local space in a mixed gas atmosphere, and expose the substrate based on the detection results of the reference mark and the alignment mark is issued from the recipe.
US09229310B2 Display device comprising a screen having a network of three dimensional reflective microstructures
The general field of the invention is that of display systems including an image projector and an associated display screen, said display system being intended for use by an observer situated at a specified location, said display screen having two transparent and substantially parallel faces, and said display screen having on at least one of its transparent faces a plurality of regularly distributed optical patterns. The image projector according to the invention illuminating the screen at a plurality of angles of incidence determined by the position and size of the display screen, and said angles of incidence being centered on an average angle of incidence, the optical patterns have at least one curved reflective surface orientated so as to reflect the light rays having at least the average angle of incidence in one or more directions corresponding to said specified location of the observer. A plurality of embodiments are described.
US09229307B2 Displays employing multimode optical fiber and low-speckle light sources
An apparatus comprising a visible light source(s), multimode optical fiber(s), light coupler(s), an optional spatial light modulator(s), and an optional projection lens(es). The light source has a 1/e half-width emission bandwidth. The light coupler couples the light source to the multimode optical fiber(s) such that objective speckle contrast is reduced. The multimode optical fiber(s) may pass light from the coupler to an optional spatial light modulator. The spatial light modulator may modulate the light to form an image. The projection lens may transfer light onto an image plane or to illuminate objects. The objective speckle contrast at the end of the multimode fiber in combination with the projection lens diameter (if employed) and wavelength diversity may result in viewed images at the viewer's eye, or other detector, exhibiting speckle contrast that may be 1% or less.
US09229303B2 Projector light source having three cooling airflow delivery ports
A light source includes an arc tube having a light emission portion for emitting light. A reflector reflects the light toward an illumination receiving area with the arc tube fixed to the reflector. A housing houses the reflector to form a space through which cooling air flows. The housing has three delivery ports disposed side by side as ports from each of which the cooling air is delivered toward the direction of the light emission portion. A first delivery port included in the three delivery ports is located such that the center of the first delivery port is disposed substantially at a position aligned and runs parallel to the optical axis of the arc tube. Second and third delivery ports included in the three delivery ports are disposed in the vicinity of one and the other sides of a first delivery port, respectively, with respect to the optical axis.
US09229300B2 Position adjustment system for a projection lens
A lens position adjustment system (10) permits adjustment of the position of a projection lens (5) relative to a projector (100) for making a Scheimpflug adjustment. The projection lens (5) has an optical axis (6). The system (10) comprises: a first support part (20) for fitting to, or forming part of, the projector (100); a second support part (40) for fitting to, or forming part of, the projection lens (5); and a connecting part (30). The connecting part (30) is pivotally connected to the first support part (20) and pivotally connected to the second support part (40) and configured to permit independent adjustment of the second support part (40) relative to the first support part (20) about two axes of rotation (7, 8) which intersect, and are perpendicular to, the optical axis (6) of the projection lens (5). A locking mechanism (28, 29, 51-58) is provided for securing a position of the second support part (40) relative to the first support part (20).
US09229296B2 Focal-plane shutter for camera and digital camera equipped therewith
A focal plane shutter is provided with a switching mechanism having an electromagnet and a stopping member. The stopping member is provided with an engaging portion able to lock an engagement portion provided in a first driving member for a leading edge, and an operating portion wherein a direction of a force, in relation to the electromagnet, switches, in accordance with switching between an application and removal of an electric current in a single direction to the electromagnet, so as to move the engaging portion to a position wherein it is able to release locking of the engagement portion when the electric current is applied, and to move the engaging portion to a position wherein it is able to lock the engagement portion when the electric current is removed.
US09229294B2 Apparatus and method for operating an acousto-optical component
An apparatus for controlling an acousto-optical component influencing at least one of illumination light and detection light in a microscope is described. The apparatus comprises a radio-frequency generator for supplying the acousto-optical component with a radio frequency. The radio-frequency generator is configured to compensate deviations in the characteristics of the light due to temperature fluctuations in the acousto-optical component by adapting the radio frequency. The apparatus can be operated by generating a control signal for controlling the radio frequency of the radio-frequency generator; measuring the temperature of the acousto-optical component; adapting the control signal depending on the measured temperature; and sending the adapted control signal into the radio-frequency generator for compensating deviations in the characteristics of the light due to temperature fluctuations and can be used in optical coherence tomography, particularly white light interferometry, optical tweezers in lithography, and distance measurement.
US09229286B2 Array substrate, manufacturing method for the same and display device
According to one aspect of the present invention, the provided is an array substrate. Specifically, the first conductive strip that is coupled to the first data shorting bar and the second conductive strip that is coupled to the second data shorting bar are formed on the array substrate. The width of the first conductive strip is greater than the width of the first data shorting bar. The width of the second conductive strip is greater than the width of the second data shorting bar. The first conductive strip is overlapped with the second conductive strip. Such a structure of the array substrate effectively increases the overlapped capacitance between the data metal layer and the gate metal layer.
US09229280B2 LCOS panel and method of manufacturing the same
A method of manufacturing LCOS panel is disclosed. The method includes: providing a silicon substrate on which at least one conductive pad is formed and a transparent substrate on which a transparent electrode layer is formed; dispensing or coating a sealing material on a predetermined area of the silicon substrate or the transparent substrate; bonding the silicon substrate with the transparent substrate; singulating the bonded silicon substrate and transparent substrate such that at least one space is provided between the silicon substrate and the transparent substrate on an outer side of the sealing material and a part of the transparent electrode layer is exposed in the space; and dispensing a conductive adhesive into the space to connect the transparent electrode layer to the conductive pad. The method is able to achieve a smaller-size of the LCOS panels, a higher production yield and a lower process requirement.
US09229278B2 Liquid crystal device and the manufacturing method thereof
A liquid crystal device is disclosed. The liquid crystal device includes a TFT array substrate, a CF substrate, and a liquid crystal layer. The TFT array substrate includes a first electrode layer and a first alignment layer covering the first electrode layer. A color CF layer is formed between a glass substrate and a passivation layer of the TFT array substrate. The TFT array substrate further includes a black matrix and a photo spacer arranged thereon. The CF substrate includes a second electrode layer and a second alignment layer covering the second electrode layer. The liquid crystal layer is arranged between the first alignment layer and the second alignment layer. In addition, a manufacturing method of the liquid crystal device is disclosed. In this way, the liquid crystal devices have good alignment effects, and the color shift issues at wide viewing angle and the aperture rate are enhanced.
US09229277B2 Display substrate, display panel having the same, method of manufacturing the same and method of manufacturing the display panel
A display substrate includes a first electrode and a first alignment layer disposed on the first electrode. The first alignment layer includes first and second alignment parts. The first electrode has a first opening portion formed therethrough. The first and second alignment parts are disposed at two sides of the first opening portion. The first and second alignment parts have the different alignment directions from each other.
US09229275B2 Display panel and display apparatus including the same
A display apparatus includes a first substrate, a second substrate disposed on the first substrate, and a controllable layer disposed between the first and second substrates. The first substrate includes a pixel. The pixel includes a display region and a non-display region. The first substrate further includes: a transistor disposed in the non-display region; a protection layer disposed on and covering the transistor; a first electrode disposed on the protection layer; and a second electrode disposed on the first electrode, the second electrode being insulated from the first electrode and including a slit disposed in the display region. One of the first electrode and the second electrode is electrically connected to the transistor via a contact hole extending through the protection layer. The other of the first electrode and the second electrode is configured to receive a common voltage. The contact hole and the slit do not overlap one another.
US09229273B2 Reflection type liquid crystal device having a tilt mechanism and LCD projector
A reflection type liquid crystal device has: a liquid crystal cell held between a pair of substrates and an optical compensation plate disposed outside the pair of substrates. The optical compensation plate has a first optical axis along the thickness direction thereof. The liquid crystal cell has a pretilt at which a second optical axis of a liquid crystal molecule of the liquid crystal cell is inclined with respect to a plate surface of the liquid crystal cell. The optical compensation plate is tiltable in a first direction in which a standard angle becomes larger, wherein the standard angle is defined as an acute angle between the first optical axis and the second optical axis when the optical compensation plate is located parallel to the plate surface of the liquid crystal cell.
US09229265B2 Method of preparing monodisperse particle, monodisperse particle prepared by using the method, and tunable photonic crystal device using the monodisperse particle
A method of preparing a monodisperse particle may include mixing at least two types of monomers in a solvent, placing an initiator in the solvent, and forming a particle having a copolymer shape by polymerizing the at least two types of monomers. The particle may have a size controlled by a content of the at least two types of monomers.
US09229263B2 Liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display device includes first and second polarizers with absorption axes orthogonal to each other; first and second substrates between the first and second polarizers and at least one of which has a transparent electrode; and a twisted-nematic liquid crystal cell disposed between the first and second substrates, wherein a light scattering film is provided at a viewing side of the first and second polarizers and includes a support member and a liquid crystal layer composed of a liquid crystal compound, wherein the pitch of the liquid crystal compound ranges between 0.35 μm and 3 μm and is oriented at 45° relative to a liquid-crystal direction of the liquid crystal display device, wherein the liquid crystal layer has a thickness between 0.17 μm and 10 μm, and wherein a weighted scattering area ratio of a goniophotometer scattering profile of the light scattering film satisfies the following expression. S 60 / ( S 0 ) 2 × 1000 > 40 S 0 = ∑ S 0 ⁡ ( θ ) × θ ∑ S 0 ⁡ ( θ ) S 60 = ∑ S 60 ⁡ ( θ ) × exp ⁡ ( - 0.2 × θ ) ∑ S 60 ⁡ ( θ )
US09229259B2 Cholesteric writing board display device
A cholesteric liquid crystal writing board display device includes a plurality of cholesteric liquid crystal writing tablets and a front cover layer extending over the cholesteric liquid crystal writing tablets. The cholesteric liquid crystal writing tablets are tiled together by the front cover layer such that the writing board display device appears nearly seamless. Or, the writing tablets can be spaced apart from each other.
US09229257B2 Liquid crystal display and manufacturing method thereof
A liquid crystal display includes: an insulation substrate; a microcavity layer disposed on the insulation substrate and having a reversed taper side wall; a pixel electrode disposed in the microcavity layer on the insulation substrate; a liquid crystal layer disposed in the microcavity layer; and a common electrode which covers the liquid crystal layer.
US09229254B2 Electro-optical devices using dynamic reconfiguration of effective electrode structures
Variable liquid crystal devices for controlling the propagation of light through a liquid crystal layer use a frequency dependent material to dynamically reconfigure effective electrode structures in the device. The drive signal source uses pulse-width modulation to set a frequency and an amplitude of the drive signal.
US09229250B2 Electro-optical modulator interface
A relatively high-speed, high-efficiency CMOS two branch driver core that may operate under relatively low supply voltage may include thin oxide CMOS transistors configured to generate rail-to-rail output swings larger than twice a supply voltage and without exceeding safe operating area limits. Each of the two branches may include two stacked CMOS inverter pairs configured to drive a respective load capacitance coupled between respective CMOS inverter outputs, in phase opposition to the other branch. A pre-driver circuit input with a differential modulating signal may output two synchronous differential voltage drive signals of a swing of half of the supply voltage and DC-shifted by half of the supply voltage with respect to each other and that may be applied to the respective CMOS inverter inputs of the two branches.
US09229247B2 Method for producing polarizing lenses, and polarizing lens obtained by said method
The invention relates to a polarizing lens consisting, in order, of a polyamide mechanical substrate, a polyvinyl alcohol intermediate layer, and a cellulose triacetate outer layer. The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing such a lens.
US09229246B2 Attachable/detachable covering lens
An attachable/detachable covering lens for covering eyeglass lenses is disclosed. A transparent optical material is suitably shaped to cover at least a portion of an eyeglass lens. The transparent optical material is coupled to the eyeglass lens by adhering means. The adhering means may comprise a viscosity of the transparent optical material. Embodiments of the disclosure provide mechanisms to easily provide attachable/detachable temporary lenses such as a sun-shield, temporary eyesight correction to the prescription lenses for applications such as reading, watching TV, or 3-D movie viewing. Embodiments of the disclosure also provide mechanisms for providing an easily attachable/detachable temporary prescription lens over special purpose glasses.
US09229245B2 Earpiece-less eyeglass apparatus and strap attachment mechanism
An earpiece-less eyeglass apparatus and retainer-strap attachment mechanism. First and second attachment mechanisms are mounted on each side of a lenticular frame. Each attachment mechanism includes a stemball assembly, a socket housing, and a spring. The stemball assembly includes a shaft, a narrow neck, and a ball. The socket housing includes a primary socket, a secondary socket, and a narrow slot joining the primary and secondary sockets. The spring is mounted within the primary socket and the slot, and is shaped to form a rounded portion within the primary socket and a narrow restriction portion within the slot for receiving, respectively, the ball and the neck of the stemball assembly. The narrow restriction portion locks the ball into the secondary socket without placing stress on the housing when the neck of the stemball assembly is slid through the slot, moving the ball into the secondary socket.
US09229243B2 Two-dimensional/three-dimensional switchable display apparatus
A new 2D/3D switchable display apparatus matches a polarization direction of light output from a 2D image display panel with a rubbing direction of a lower alignment layer of a liquid crystal lens, and tilts a rubbing direction of an upper alignment layer of the liquid crystal lens and a direction of a polarization axis of a polarizer at a predetermined angle, thereby reducing a loss of light passing through the liquid crystal lens, making it possible to improve luminance of images, improve the quality of 3D images in the horizontal direction, prevent or reduce color separation and moire phenomena, and reduce the manufacturing cost.
US09229241B2 Stereoscopic image display device and driving method thereof
A stereoscopic image display device and a driving method thereof, which correct the viewing position of a viewer in initial driving of a 3D display mode, are discussed. The stereoscopic image display device includes a display module, a barrier module, a position detector, and a position detector. The display module separates a left-eye image and a right-eye image to display a stereoscopic image. The barrier module is disposed in correspondence with the display module, and forms a light transmitting area for transmitting the left-eye image and right-eye image and a light blocking area for blocking the left-eye image and right-eye image. The position detector detects position information on a viewer which views the stereoscopic image displayed on the display module. The position detector corrects positions of the light transmitting area and light blocking area on the basis of viewing position information on the viewer.
US09229240B2 Lens grating and display device
Disclosed is a lens grating comprising: a plurality of lens units arranged in a column, any two adjacent lens units having a transparent spacer therebetween, the transparent spacers in the column comprising odd-number spacers and even-number spacers, wherein the odd-number spacers only allow light emitted from first images to transmit through to a first viewing area, and the even-number spacers only allow light emitted from second images to transmit through to a second viewing area The lens units are adapted to refract the light emitted from the first images and the light emitted from the second images respectively to the first viewing area and the second viewing area. A display device is also disclosed, the display device comprising the above lens grating and a display module.
US09229239B2 Light redirecting film and display system incorporating same
Light redirecting film is disclosed. The light redirecting film includes a first major surface that includes a plurality of first microstructures that extend along a first direction. The light redirecting film also includes a second major surface that is opposite to the first major surface and includes a plurality of second microstructures. The second major surface has an optical haze that is not greater than about 3% and an optical clarity that is not greater than about 85%. The light redirecting film has an average effective transmission that is not less than about 1.75.
US09229238B2 Three-chip camera apparatus
A three-chip camera apparatus includes: a color separation prism which includes an incident surface perpendicular to an optical axis, a first emission surface parallel to the incident surface, a second emission surface inclined at a first inclination angle with respect to the optical axis, and a third emission surface inclined at a second inclination angle greater than the first inclination angle; a first imaging device which is disposed in parallel to the first emission surface; a second imaging device which is disposed in parallel to the second emission surface; and a third imaging device which is disposed in parallel to the third emission surface.
US09229231B2 Updating printed content with personalized virtual data
The technology provides for updating printed content with personalized virtual data using a see-through, near-eye, mixed reality display device system. A printed content item, for example a book or magazine, is identified from image data captured by cameras on the display device, and user selection of a printed content selection within the printed content item is identified based on physical action user input, for example eye gaze or a gesture. Virtual data is selected from available virtual data for the printed content selection based on user profile data, and the display device system displays the selected virtual data in a position registered to the position of the printed content selection. In some examples, a task related to the printed content item is determined based on physical action user input, and personalized virtual data is displayed registered to the printed content item in accordance with the task.
US09229228B2 Conformal capable head-up display
A system and method of displaying a conformal-capable head-up display image is provided. A pre-distorted right-eye image and a pre-distorted left-eye image are separately generated and projected toward a windscreen. The pre-distorted right-eye image is reflected off of the windscreen to supply a reflected right eye image to a right eyebox, and the pre-distorted left-eye image is reflected off of the windscreen to supply a reflected left eye image to a left eyebox. The reflected right-eye image and the reflected left-eye image are each non-distorted images.
US09229216B2 Systems and methods for protection of eyepiece displays
An electronic eyepiece includes a digital microdisplay and an electrically switchable light blocking mechanism configured to selectively transmit or block light transmitted along an optical path toward the digital microdisplay to protect the microdisplay from the risk of light focus damage. Further, a method of protecting a digital microdisplay of an electronic eyepiece from light focus damage includes determining a risk of light focus damage, and selectively opening or closing an optical path to the digital microdisplay responsive to the risk of light focus damage exceeding a predetermined risk threshold.
US09229212B2 Image-acquisition device
An image acquisition apparatus 1A includes a sample stage 10 for placing a sample S thereon, an image pickup device 20 capable of acquiring a two-dimensional image and TDI driving, an image pickup optical system 30 including an objective lens 32, a scanning unit for acquiring an observation image while scanning the sample S by the image pickup device 20 and the image pickup optical system 30, and a focus oscillation control device 40 for controlling oscillation of a focus in the sample S so that an image pickup focus in the sample S oscillates at an oscillation frequency fs in an optical axis direction. The focus oscillation control device 40 sets the oscillation frequency fs so that the oscillation frequency fs substantially coincides with Ns times (Ns is an integer not less than 1) the basic frequency, which is a reciprocal 1/Ti of an image pickup period Ti of TDI driving in the image pickup device 20. Thus, an image acquisition apparatus capable of efficiently acquiring an observation image with focus extended can be realized.
US09229210B2 Tissue specimen stage for an optical sectioning microscope
A tissue specimen stage is provided having a window with surface curvature upon which an excised tissue specimen is locatable, a carriage having a tissue specimen receptacle to which the window is mounted, and a platform supporting the carriage and presenting the window to the objective lens of an optical sectioning microscope. The carriage is mounted to the platform for movement along two rotational axes so that the carriage's movement follows the curvature of all or part of the window while maintaining the same optical geometry of the window with respect to the objective lens. The window has surface curvature adapted to at least approximate the shape or curvature of the non-histologically prepared tissue specimen to be placed thereupon.
US09229207B2 Laser scanning microscope with focus-detecting unit
A laser scanning reflection or fluorescent microscope is provided with focusing-detecting unit having a laser beam focusing objective, an image detector that detects light reflected from the sample or back fluoresced light emitted by the sample, and a drive that simultaneously displaces the objective and the image detector.
US09229206B2 Projection optical system and image projection apparatus
Disclosed is a projection optical system, including a first lens group configured to include at least one lens and have a positive refractive power, a second lens group configured to include at least one lens and have a positive refractive power, a third lens group configured to include at least one lens and have a negative refractive power, a fourth lens group configured to include at least one lens configured to have an aspheric surface or a free-form surface, and a concave mirror, wherein the first lens group, the second lens group, the third lens group, the fourth lens group, and the concave mirror are arranged in order and the projection optical system is a non-telecentric optical system.
US09229199B2 Zoom lens system, imaging apparatus, and method for manufacturing zoom lens system
A zoom lens system includes, in order from an object, a front group G1 having negative refractive power, a rear group G2 having positive refractive power, zooming being conducted by varying a distance between the front group G1 and the rear group G2, the front group G1 including at least a negative lens and a positive lens, and the rear group G2 including, in order from an object side, a first partial group LA having positive refractive power, a second partial group LB having negative refractive power, a third partial group LC having positive refractive power and a negative lens LD, and predetermined conditions being satisfied, thereby providing a zoom lens system which is compact in size, and has small back focus and excellent optical property.
US09229192B2 Mirror device
A mirror device may include: a mirror including a base plate, a reflective film on a first surface of the base plate, and a plurality of first protrusions on a second surface of the base plate; a plurality of support parts for respectively supporting the plurality of the first protrusions, each support part having a groove formed therein for guiding the first protrusion; and a plurality of clamps for respectively pressing the plurality of the first protrusions against the respective grooves in the plurality of the support parts.
US09229189B2 Lens barrel and digital camera having the same
A lens barrel projects out of a main body of a camera during photographing and is accommodated in the main body of the camera during non-photographing and includes a plurality of lens assemblies including an escape lens assembly to be movable along a reference optical axis of the camera, and an escape unit to control the escape lens assembly to escape from the reference optical axis while the escape lens assembly moves from a photographing position to a non-photographing position, wherein lenses of the escape lens assembly have an optical axis that is in a skew position with respect to the reference optical axis in a position where the escape lens assembly has escaped.
US09229187B2 Fan-out assemblies and fiber optic assemblies including fiber management structure for furcations
Fiber management structures for fan-out assemblies that are used to furcate a fiber optic cable are disclosed, as are fiber optic assemblies with fiber management structures and related methods. The fiber management structures each include channels extending between opposed first and second ends. A plurality of fan-out tubes are received in the plurality of channels such that the fiber management structure organizes the fan-out tubes, thereby allowing a compact furcation body to be formed even when furcating high fiber count cables.
US09229185B2 Fiber optic enclosure with tear-away spool
A fiber optic enclosure includes a housing and a cable spool assembly disposed on an exterior surface of the housing. The cable spool assembly has a first tear-away end and a second tear-away end. The first and second tear-away ends include at least one area of weakness extending from an inner diameter of the cable spool assembly to an outer diameter of the cable spool assembly. A mounting plate is rotationally engaged with the cable spool assembly such that the cable spool assembly and the housing selectively and unitarily rotate about an axis of the mounting plate.
US09229178B2 Photoelectric coupling module with fiber module connected to lens module by positioning pole
A photoelectric coupling module includes a fiber module and a lens module. The fiber module defines a number of receiving holes and at least one positioning hole. The lens module includes a main body and at least one positioning pole. The main body includes a lens portion and a receiving portion. The lens portion includes a central portion and an edge portion surrounding the central portion, the central portion includes a plurality of lenses. The receiving portion is positioned on the edge portion. The at least one positioning pole is received in the receiving portion, and is positioned on the edge portion. One end of the fiber module is received in the receiving portion. The at least one positioning pole is received in the at least one positioning hole, and the lenses are aligned with the receiving holes.
US09229171B2 Optical communication device
An optical communication device includes a first fiber, a second fiber, a light-emitting unit, a light receiving unit, and a lens unit. The first fiber and the second fiber are located at two opposite sides of the lens unit. The lens unit includes a first entrance surface, a first exit surface, a first reflecting surface, a second entrance surface, a second exit surface, and a second reflecting surface. The first entrance surface is perpendicular to the first exit surface. An included angle between the first entrance surface and the first reflecting surface is 45 degrees. The second entrance surface is perpendicular to the second exit surface. An included angle between the second entrance surface and the second reflecting surface is 45 degrees. The first reflecting surface is perpendicular to the second reflecting surface. The first entrance surface and the second exit surface are coplanar.
US09229165B2 Micro-optic adapters and tips for surgical illumination fibers
A microstructure optical adapter or tip according to the present disclosure may incorporate precision micro structure optical components engaging the input or output end of light energy delivery devices for customized light delivery of the light energy. The incorporation of precision micro structure optical components in injection molded plastic or glass parts will allow for inexpensive modification of the output light while also serving to protect the end of the illumination device. The micro structure optical components may also be incorporated in an adapter to tailor the light energy to the subsequent device.
US09229163B2 Butterfly optical network with crossing-free switches
In a multi-chip module (MCM), optical waveguides in a first plane convey modulated optical signals among integrated circuits (which are sometimes referred to as ‘chips’). Moreover, an optical-butterfly switch, optically coupled to the optical waveguides, dynamically allocates communication bandwidth among the integrated circuits. This optical-butterfly switch includes optical components in the first plane and a second plane, and optical couplers that couple the modulated optical signals to and from the first plane and the second plane. In this way, the MCM communicates the modulated optical signals among the integrated circuits without optical-waveguide crossings in a given plane.
US09229160B2 Optical fiber preform, method for producing optical fiber, and optical fiber
An easily producible optical fiber preform which is drawn to an optical fiber having a core containing a sufficient concentration of alkali metal is provided. An optical fiber preform 10 is composed of silica-based glass and includes a core portion 20 and a cladding portion 30. The core portion 20 includes a first core portion 21 including a central axis and a second core portion 22 disposed on the perimeter of the first core portion 21. The cladding portion 30 includes a first cladding portion 31 disposed on the perimeter of the second core portion 22 and a second cladding portion 32 disposed on the perimeter of the first cladding portion 31. The core portion 20 contains an alkali metal at an average concentration of 5 atomic ppm or more. The concentration of the OH group in the perimeter portion of the first cladding portion 31 is 200 mol ppm or more.
US09229156B2 Laser systems and methods
An architecture comprising laser sub-modules may be used to reach the optical output powers desired for projection display for 2D and 3D viewing. Monitoring and control of the laser sub-modules within the architecture may be performed to achieve desired performance metrics.
US09229155B2 Side-edge backlight module
The present invention provides a side-edge backlight module, which includes: a backplane (2), a backlight source (4) mounted in the backplane (2), and a light guide plate (6) mounted in the backplane (2). The backlight source (4) includes a circuit board (42), a plurality of LED lights (44) mounted to and electrically connected with the circuit board (42), a plurality of vertical heat dissipation boards (46) mounted to the circuit board (42) and arranged between the LED lights (44), and horizontal heat dissipation boards (48) perpendicularly connected to the vertical heat dissipation boards (46). The horizontal heat dissipation boards (48) are mounted to the backplane (2). By mounting the vertical heat dissipation boards to the circuit board of the backlight source and mounting the horizontal heat dissipation boards to the bottom board of the backplane, with the horizontal heat dissipation boards and the vertical heat dissipation boards being jointed to or engaging with each other, the side-edge backlight module of the present invention effectively enhances the heat dissipation performance. Further, the vertical heat dissipation boards are arranged between adjacent LED lights and are located on the same side of the circuit board as the LED lights so as to further enhance the heat dissipation performance and thereby improving the quality of the side-edge backlight module.
US09229151B2 Light guide
Provided a light guide (11) including side surfaces on which light is incident, a reflection prism surface having plural prisms (12) on which light is reflected, and a light emitting surface from which the light is emitted, in which the reflection prism surface includes a first region (PA) in which a pitch of the prisms (12) varies and a second region (TA) in which a depth of the prisms (12) varies. In the light guide (11), the first region is arranged in the side surface on which the light is incident, and a second region (TA) is arranged adjacent to the first region and in an inward side of the light guide (11).
US09229147B2 Backlight module suitable for transportation
The present invention relates to a backlight module suitable for transportation, which comprises a backlight unit, the backlight unit comprises a backplate, and a light source, as well as an optical film, a light guide plate and a reflection plate arranged in sequence on the backplate from up to down; the backlight module further comprises a fixing belt used for fixing the optical film, the fixing belt being tightly tied outside the backlight unit along at least one of the length and width directions of the backlight unit. This backlight module uses the fixing belt to fix the optical film instead of using the rubber frame to press against the optical film, thus the cost of the rubber frame assembly is saved, the optical film can be prevented from translocating due to vibration, and the winding strength can be ensured to be moderate.
US09229145B2 Lighting device
A lighting device comprising a plurality of light emitting elements (1), and a beam shaping optics (7) having an entrance aperture (6). Each light emitting element is optically connected to a set of optical fibers (5) each having a first end optically connected to the light emitting element and a second end optically connected to the entrance aperture (6), so as to guide collimated light from the light emitting element to the beam shaping optics (7). The light emitting elements are distributed over an area larger than the entrance aperture (6).
US09229144B2 Redirecting optics for concentration and illumination systems
An optical system having an optical waveguide for outputting light, a receiver for receiving the light, and redirecting optics for outputting the light from the optical waveguide. The optical system can be used for light illumination. The optical system can further be used for diffusing light in illumination applications by replacing the receiver with a light source such that the light flows in the reverse of the concentration system.
US09229142B2 Optical film, polarizing plate, liquid crystal display, and method of manufacturing optical film
Provided is an optical film which is resistant to repelling, bright dots, irregularity, and the use of such an optical film in a liquid crystal display leads to high front contrast, reduced grayscale inversion, and a reduced difference between a front image and an oblique image in grayscale reproducibility and color. The optical film including a first optically anisotropic layer; and a second optically anisotropic layer on the first optically anisotropic layer, wherein the first optically anisotropic layer is a layer of liquid crystal compounds aligned and fixed by polymerization, and the surface tilt angle of molecules of the liquid crystal compound is in a range of 5° to 80° at a site in contact with the second optically anisotropic layer.
US09229136B2 Microlens array unit and image processing apparatus
A light blocking ink includes a vinyl ether compound, an alicyclic epoxy compound, an oxetane compound, a light blocking material, and a photoacid generating agent. The light blocking ink may be employed in a microlens array unit to block stray light. The microlens array unit may be employed in an image processing apparatus.
US09229134B2 Opto-electronic apparatus with metallic structure
An opto-electronic apparatus with a metallic structure is provided, and includes a light-permissible medium and a metallic structure. The metallic structure is disposed inside or over the light-permissible medium, and is formed from arrangement of at least one metallic unit. Each metallic unit includes at least three metallic blocks of which centers of mass define a polygon. After passing through the metallic structure, an electromagnetic wave has a distribution curve of transmittance versus wavelength, wherein the distribution curve has at least one transmittance peak value corresponding to at least one wavelength in a one-to-one manner. The area of the polygon is smaller than or equal to λ2, the minimum side length (dmin) is smaller than or equal to λ, and an averaged width (W) satisfies the following relationship: 0.01λ
US09229125B2 TDEM forward focusing system for downhole use
A method and apparatus for estimating a parameter of interest of an earth formation ahead of a carrier within borehole. The method including estimating one or more functions based on received signals that may reduce the sum of the signals received by a first receiver, and estimating the parameter of interest based on signals received by one or more additional receivers by applying the one or more functions and, if necessary, a defocusing factor, such that reception of information from downhole of a selected downhole location is enhanced relative to reception of information uphole from the selected location. The apparatus including two or more transmitters, two or more receivers, and a processor to estimate one or more functions, and, based on these functions, the parameter of interest.
US09229122B2 Image-domain 4D-binning method and system
A method for increasing similarity between a base seismic survey and a monitor seismic survey of a same surveyed subsurface during a 4-dimensional (4D) project. The method includes receiving first seismic data associated with the base seismic survey; receiving second seismic data associated with the monitor seismic survey, wherein the monitor seismic survey is performed later in time than the base seismic survey; migrating the first and second seismic data to an image-domain; and calculating, with a processor, a set of decimating weights based on the migrated first and second seismic data in the image-domain, to maximize a similarity between the first seismic data and the second seismic data.
US09229121B2 Seismic imaging system for acoustic-elastic coupled media using accumulated Laplace gradient direction
The description relates to a seismic imaging technology technique for modeling a subsurface structure through waveform inversion in the Laplace domain. The seismic imaging system comprises a scaled gradient calculating unit calculating a scaled gradient, a modeling parameter updating unit updating the model parameters using the scaled gradient direction, and an iteration control unit controlling the scaled gradient calculating unit and the modeling parameter updating unit to repeat processing iteratively until a stopping criteria is met.
US09229115B2 Temperature stability for a digital positron emission tomography (PET) detector
A detector maintains thermal stability between two different operating modes. The detector includes at least one controller which sets the detection sensitivity of the detector to a level disabling the detection of gamma photons. The controller further controls a heat generator to maintain the temperature of the detector at a predetermined temperature. The predetermined temperature is the steady state temperature of the detector when the detection sensitivity of the detector is set to a level enabling the detection of gamma photons. A method for maintaining thermal stability of a detector between two different operating modes is also provided. Approaches are also disclosed for normalize acquired imaging data during image reconstruction using dark current-dependent normalization factors.
US09229103B2 Multi-elevational antenna systems and methods of use
The present disclosure provides systems and methods associated with an antenna system comprising a tension member configured to be towed by an aerial platform and/or secured to an orbiting satellite. In some embodiments, a first end of the tension member may be secured to the aerial platform and the second end may extend unsecured from the aerial platform at a different elevation than the first end. A plurality of antenna assemblies, each comprising at least one antenna, may be secured to and spaced along the length of the tension member. Each of the plurality of antennas may be adapted for use with a particular frequency or frequency bandwidth. For example, each of the plurality of antennas may be adapted or tuned for one or more frequencies useful for synthetic aperture radar (SAR). In some embodiments, a receiving system, a communication link, and/or an antenna location system may be utilized.
US09229099B2 Omnidirectional retrodirective antennas
Embodiments of the invention are directed to retrodirective radio-frequency systems wherein a transmit antenna array includes at least one row of N transmit elements and a receive antenna array includes at least one row of N receive elements that correspond one-to-one to the transmit elements and wherein the transmit and receive elements are located on spaced planes, and centered about a common axis and located at common transmit distance and a common receive distance, respectively. In some embodiments the one row of transmit and receive elements comprises “n” rows of elements, where “n” is an integer greater than one, thereby forming a two-dimensional array. In some embodiments the total transmit radiation pattern provides an azimuth coverage of 360 degrees. In other embodiments, it may provide less coverage but be operable as independent sectors. In some embodiments, the desired transmit wave form will be identical between all transmit elements of the array, one possible example being pseudo random noise imparted on a sinusoidal carrier.
US09229098B2 Detection of radar objects with the aid of a radar sensor of a motor vehicle
A method and a system for detecting radar objects with the aid of an angle-resolving radar sensor of a motor vehicle in the presence of an object which extends in the driving direction laterally next to the motor vehicle's own lane and reflects radar waves, a measured position distribution which corresponds to a distribution of azimuth angles of received radar signals of the radar sensor reflected off a radar object being compared to a model of a position distribution which is expected taking into account the presence of the object extending in the driving direction next to the vehicle's own lane, and is a function of a distance from the radar object and a position of a radar object being determined based on the result of the comparison.
US09229096B2 Time-of-flight imaging systems
Electronic devices may include time-of-flight image pixels. A time-of-flight image pixel may include first and second charge storage regions coupled to a photosensor and a transfer transistor with a gate terminal coupled to the first storage region. An electronic device may further include a light pulse emitter configured to emit pulses of light to be reflected by objects in a scene. Reflected portions of the emitted pulses of light may be captured along with background light by the time-of-flight image pixels. Time-of-flight image pixels may be configured sense the time-of-flight of the reflected portions of the emitted pulses. The electronic device may include processing circuitry configured to use the sensed time-of-flight of the reflected portions to generate depth images of a scene. Depth images may include depth-image pixel values that contain information corresponding to the distance of the objects in the scene from the electronic device.
US09229095B2 Adaptive dynamic cluster deinterleaving
Described herein are methods and systems capable of dynamically adapting weights in response to a received stream of pulses by deinterleaving a stream of pulses according to an initial weighted distance, adjusting the weighted distance, and deinterleaving the stream of pulses according to the adjusted weighted distance.
US09229094B2 Method and device using observed time difference of arrival for positioning mobile station
A method using OTDOA for positioning a mobile station includes: transmitting to the mobile station an OTDOA capability request message to inquire about a communication system format supported by the mobile station and signal reception quality information of each base station of a communication system supported, where the OTDOA capability request message includes a plurality of communication formats existent in a current service area of the mobile station and corresponding signal reception quality information, provided for the mobile station to select based on the communication system format supported by the mobile station; receiving an OTDOA support capability message returned by the mobile station, where the OTDOA support capability message includes the communication system format supported by the mobile station and corresponding signal reception quality; sending to the mobile station auxiliary positioning information based on the communication system format supported by the mobile station and the corresponding signal reception quality.
US09229092B2 Adaptive passive scanning and/or active probing techniques for mobile device positioning
Various methods, apparatuses and/or articles of manufacture are provided which may be implemented to support mobile device positioning through the use of adaptive passive scanning and/or adaptive active probing techniques. For example, a mobile device may acquire signals from wireless transceivers, identify wireless transceivers based, at least in part, on the acquired signal(s), determine a received signal strength measurement for each of the wireless transceivers based, at least in part, on the acquired signal(s), and determine a transmission power of a probe signal to be transmitted to at least one of the wireless transceivers based, at least in part, on at least one of the received signal strength measurements.
US09229083B2 Magnetic resonance method and system to generate an optimized MR image of an examination subject
A magnetic resonance method and system for generation of an optimized MR image of an examination subject operate as follows. A pulse sequence including a series of at least two RF pulses is radiated into the examination subject to generate at least one optimized signal, wherein the second and possibly every additional RF pulse is radiated before the effect of the first or a preceding RF pulse on the spin system in the examination subject has decayed. The radiated RF pulses are generated by parallel transmission coils. At least the signal resulting after the last radiated RF pulse of the pulse sequence is acquired. The pulse sequence is repeated with modified spatial coding until signals have been generated and acquired in a desired positional space. The optimized MR image per pulse sequence is calculated from at least one of the acquired signals.
US09229080B2 Method for reconstructing images of a multi-channel MRI system
This disclosure provides an method for reconstructing a multi-channel magnetic resonance image (MRI), comprising: measuring k-space data at each channel of a multi-channel MRI system coil array; reinforcing the consistency of the k-space data to suppress the noise in the k-space data by a linear relationship among the k-space data at different channels; and reconstructing a magnetic resonance image by the multi-channel k-space data wherein the consistency of the k-space data is reinforced.
US09229079B2 Parallel magnetic resonance imaging method for radial trajectory
A parallel imaging (PI) method has been frequently used as a method for shortening an image acquisition time in the MRI field. The PI technique is a method for acquiring data using multi-channel coils, that is, several coils, when acquiring the data in MRI. According to this technique, data, the amount of which is smaller than that when the data is obtained using only one coil, is acquired, and then an image is obtained using coil information. According to an embodiment, a new image reconstruction method is proposed which adopts an expectation maximization (EM) technique that is different from the existing GRAPPA or SENSE technique when an image is obtained using PI data acquired through the radial trajectory.
US09229078B2 Method for reducing mechanical vibrations in a magnetic resonance imaging system
The present embodiments relate to a method for reducing mechanical vibrations in a magnetic resonance imaging system that includes a gradient system having a gradient coil body and an electrically conductive shroud that at least partly encloses the gradient coil body. The method includes determining a mechanical natural vibration mode of the gradient coil body in the magnetic resonance imaging system, and determining excitation force components for the natural vibration mode. The method also includes determining electrically conductive areas of the gradient system, which during operation of the magnetic resonance imaging system, generate a Lorentz force component that contributes to the excitation force components. The method further includes modifying the determined electrically conductive areas such that a minimal number of the Lorentz force components coincide with the excitation force components.
US09229072B2 Method and high-frequency check device for checking a high-frequency transmit device of a magnetic resonance tomography system
A method for checking a high-frequency transmit device of a magnetic resonance tomography system, excitation vectors that represent high-frequency signal strengths on the individual transmit channels are determined for a plurality of time points or time periods. High-frequency exposure values absorbed in an examination object are determined in accordance with predetermined check rules on the basis of the excitation vectors. The high-frequency transmit device is restricted in function when an exposure check value that is based on at least one high-frequency exposure value reaches or exceeds a predetermined limit check value. The check rules are predetermined as a function of a current transmit mode of the high-frequency transmit device. The respective transmit mode of the high-frequency transmit device is verified on the basis of the excitation vectors. When a transmit mode change is detected, the check rules are changed, and/or the high-frequency transmit device is restricted in function.
US09229068B2 Magnetic sensor device
A magnetic sensor device may include a magnetic sensor element structured to detect a magnetic property of a medium. The magnetic sensor element may include a sensor core having a body part and one or a plurality of protruded part(s) which is protruded from the body part, an exciting coil which is wound around the sensor core, and a detection coil which is wound around the sensor core. The body part and the protruded part of the sensor core forms an open magnetic path, and a stepped part is formed on a side face of at least one piece of the protruded part.
US09229067B2 Apparatus and method for in-field magnetic measurements
A magnetic field verifier apparatus includes a magnetic field detection element configured to produce a voltage signal in response to an applied magnetic field wherein the voltage signal corresponds to the strength of the applied magnetic field. Substantially identical circuit boards or units are connected to a central unit or mother board to place magnetic field detection elements of each board or unit in an mutually approximately orthogonal relationship. A microcontroller is in communication with the voltage signal. The magnetic field verifier apparatus is configurable to sense particular field strengths at various frequencies and store the readings to provide the user with a reliable verification that a particular magnetic field strength has been produced in a particular environment.
US09229066B2 Integrated fluxgate magnetic sensor and excitation circuitry
Improved magnetic sensor excitation circuitry is presented for providing a periodic bidirectional excitation waveform to a fluxgate magnetic sensor excitation coil using a bridge circuit connected to the excitation coil and having lower transistors for switched selective connection to a current mirror input transistor to mirror a current provided by pulsed current source, and with integrated filtering to control pulse rise times and slew rate.
US09229059B2 Memory test system and method
An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure illustrates a memory test system comprising a memory device, a probe card, and a tester. The memory device comprises a memory die with a plurality of memory banks, a plurality of input circuits, and a plurality of output circuits, wherein each of the input circuits has a first input pin and a second pin, the first input pins of the input circuits are used to read a plurality of patches of data stored in memory cells of the memory banks, and the second input pins are used to receive a compressed result. The output circuits receive compressed signals output from the input circuits, and the probe card mixes the compressed output signals output from the output circuits to output a mixed compressed output signal to the tester.
US09229057B2 Pattern synthesis apparatus and semiconductor test system having the same
A semiconductor test system includes a user device configured to operate a reference device in accordance with an interface signal based on a timing signal having a variable operating frequency, a pattern synthesis apparatus configured to measure an interval between adjacent edges of the timing signal transmitted from the user device, and extract a logic value of the interface signal in accordance with the timing signal so as to generate test pattern data, and a test device configured to receive the test pattern data, reconstruct the timing signal based on the measured interval, generate a test driving signal such that the logic value is extracted from a device under test (DUT) based on the reconstructed timing signal, and apply the test driving signal to the DUT so as to determine an operating state of the DUT.
US09229055B2 Decompressed scan chain masking circuit shift register with log2(n/n) cells
Electronic scan circuitry includes a decompressor (510), a plurality of scan chains (520.i) fed by the decompressor (510), a scan circuit (502, 504) coupled to the plurality of scan chains (520.i) to scan them in and out, a masking circuit (590) fed by the scan chains (520.i), and a scannable masking qualification circuit (550, 560, 580) coupled to the masking circuit (590), the masking qualification circuit (550, 560, 580) scannable by scan-in of bits by the decompressor (510) along with scan-in of the scan chains (520.i), and the scannable masking qualification circuit (550, 560, 580) operable to hold such scanned-in bits upon scan-out of the scan chains through the masking circuit (590). Other scan circuitry, processes, circuits, devices and systems are also disclosed.
US09229053B2 Methods and apparatus for debugging lowest power states in System-On-Chips
Methods and apparatus for debugging finite state machine are disclosed. The method includes implementing a debug logic circuit and connecting the debug logic circuit to a system on chip (SoC) voltage source. The method includes operating a finite state machine that sequences the SoC from a low power state to a next low power state and generating respective output signals corresponding to the low power states and wherein the finite state machine is connected to Always On voltage source. The method includes masking the output signals to generate respective masked output signals, and applying the masked output signals to SoC circuit elements to prevent from transitioning into low power states and hence keeping the debug logic circuitry alive. The method includes debugging the finite state machine in the lowest power state by the debug logic circuit.
US09229049B2 Systems and methods for conforming test tooling to integrated circuit device profiles with compliant pedestals
A test socket assembly, useful in association with a thermal control unit used to maintain a set point temperature on an IC device under test, has at least one compliant pedestal is configured to facilitate the testing of integrated circuits where the device under test comprises a substrate having multiple IC chips with different heights and testing requirements.
US09229048B2 Devices and methods for providing an impulse circuit
Devices include an impulse current generator that is configured to provide a direct impulse current (DIC) that includes a specified waveform to a test load during a test duration, a continuous power supply that is configured to provide a continuous power to the test load during the test duration, a trigger circuit that is configured to determine a trigger condition that corresponds to the DIC and to generate a trigger signal responsive to determining the trigger condition, and a current bypass circuit that is configured to receive the trigger signal generated by the trigger circuit and to conduct a majority portion of the DIC being conducted by the load responsive to the trigger signal.
US09229044B2 Minimum-spacing circuit design and layout for PICA
PICA test methods are shown that includes forming semiconductor devices having proximal light emitting regions, such that the light emitting regions are grouped into distinct shapes separated by a distance governed by a target resolution size; forming logic circuits to control the semiconductor devices; activating the one or more semiconductor devices by providing an input signal; and suppressing light emissions from one or more of the activated semiconductor devices by providing one or more select signals to the logic circuits.
US09229043B2 Partial discharge sensor for a high voltage insulation monitoring device
The present invention relates to a partial discharge sensor for a high-voltage insulation monitoring device comprising a housing and located in the housing a measurement circuit for measurement of partial discharges in a high voltage system to be tested and a coupling capacitor having one electrode connected to the measurement circuit and the other electrode to a first high voltage conductor to be connected to a high voltage line of the system to be tested, wherein it further comprises a calibration circuit located in the housing and comprising a calibration capacitor having one electrode connected to the calibration circuit and the other electrode connected to said first or a second high voltage conductor to be connected to a high voltage line.
US09229041B2 Automatic test system
An automatic test system includes a mechanical frame, a test device mounted to the mechanical frame for testing the electrical performance and the mechanical performance of the connector, a packing device mounted to the mechanical frame for packing the connector which is completed to be tested, a transmission device mounted to the mechanical frame for transmitting the connector to each workstation of the test device and the packing device, a moving device mounted to the mechanical frame for moving the connector to each workstation of the test device and the packing device corresponding to the transmission device, and a control system electrically connected with and controlling the test device, the packing device, the transmission device and the moving device for completing the transmission, test and packing action of the connector.
US09229036B2 Energy harvest split core design elements for ease of installation, high performance, and long term reliability
A power distribution monitoring system is provided that can include a number of features. The system can include a plurality of power line sensing devices configured to attach to individual conductors on a power grid distribution network. In some embodiments, the power line sensors can include a split-core transformer. In some embodiments, a power line sensing device is disposed on each conductor of a three-phase network. The sensing devices can be configured to measure and monitor, among other things, current and electric-field on the conductors. Methods of installing, sealing, and protecting the split-core transformers of the power line sensors are also discussed.
US09229035B2 Current detection circuit and switch regulator using the same
In one embodiment, a current detection circuit configured to determine an input current and an output current of a switching regulator, can include: (i) a mirror circuit configured to mirror a current flowing through a main power transistor of the switching regulator to generate a sampling signal that is in proportion to the main power transistor current; (ii) a current generating circuit configured to perform a first average value calculation of the sampling signal based on a switching cycle of the switching regulator to determine the input current; and (iii) the current generating circuit being configured to perform a second average value calculation of the sampling signal based on a conduction duty cycle of the main power transistor to determine the output current.
US09229032B2 Current sensor
A current sensor includes a magnetoresistive element that has a stripe shape and that has a sensing axis in a certain direction. The magnetoresistive element includes element portions that are disposed so as to be spaced apart from each other in a longitudinal direction of the stripe shape, and permanent magnet portions, each of which is disposed between adjacent ones of the element portions. Each element portion has a layered structure including a free magnetic layer whose magnetization direction is changed with respect to an external magnetic field, a non-magnetic intermediate layer, and a ferromagnetic pinned layer whose magnetization direction is pinned. The permanent magnet portion includes a hard bias layer, and an electrode layer that is disposed so as to cover the hard bias layer.
US09229029B2 Hybrid electrical contactor
An electrical connection between an electrically conductive probe on one device and a compliant pad on another device can be formed by piercing the compliant pad with the probe. The probe can contact multiple electrically conductive elements inside the pad and thereby electrically connect to the pad at multiple locations inside the pad.
US09229027B2 Atomic force microscopy controller and method
A method for determining a loop response for an apparatus for an atomic force microscope is disclosed. The method comprises: determining a loop response for an on-surface movement of a cantilever over a frequency range; determining a loop response for an off-surface movement of the cantilever over the frequency range; and adjusting an output of the controller at a frequency based on the loop response for the off-surface movement. An atomic force microscopy system is disclosed.
US09229024B2 Method for adjusting a self mixing laser sensor system for measuring the velocity of a vehicle
The method is based on a determination of the orientation of the sensor to the surface moving with respect to the sensor and then acquiring data where the lateral velocity is small and the forward velocity is large. Then, the orientation of the sensor with respect to the direction of the forward velocity is determined and the velocity data subsequently measured are corrected using the measured orientation of the sensor with respect to the reference surface and the forward velocity direction.
US09229022B2 Deceleration information notification device and deceleration information notification method
The present invention is intended to notify vehicle deceleration information more accurately. When an engine torque Te has a negative value, a sound volume adjustment coefficient kt is calculated depending on the engine torque Te, and a sound volume is adjusted depending on the sound volume adjustment coefficient kt. The sound volume adjustment coefficient kt is set to have a larger value as the absolute value of the engine torque Te becomes larger.
US09229018B2 Sample analyzer and sample analyzing method
The present invention is to present a sample analyzer for analyzing a target substance in a sample by carrying out a target substance separating process for separating a complex containing the target substance and a magnetic particle from other substances other than the complex. The sample analyzer executes the target substance separating process with respect to a second container held by a second holder with a second nozzle while executing the target substance separating process with respect to a first container held by a first holder with a first nozzle, and completes the target substance separating process with respect to the first container with the first nozzle and completes the target substance separating process with respect to the second container with the second nozzle.
US09229016B2 Information notification sample processing system and methods of biological slide processing
A sample processing system that may be automated and methods are disclosed where samples are arranged on a carrier element and a process operation control system automatically processes the samples perhaps robotically with an operationally-influential exteriorly-consequential information monitor or a data capture element. Significant process details as well as operationally-influential exteriorly-consequential information may be monitored and an automatic notice element may cause notification of a person at some display that may be remote. Various people may be notified, such as an administrator, a supplier, or a manufacturer of an opportunity for some action such as reagent reordering or the like. A simulated motion display may be included to “watch” simulated operation in real time or long after completion of the actual processing.
US09229014B2 Methods of assessing the need for and the effectiveness of therapy with antioxidants
The invention relates to diagnostic methods for assessing the need of a subject for treatment with an anti-oxidant, or alternatively, for determining the utilization efficiency and ultimate effectiveness of anti-oxidant therapy in subjects having been treated with antioxidants. More specifically, the methods of the present invention are particularly useful in prophylactic assessment of individuals at risk for developing diseases or conditions in which oxidative stress plays a role, such that an appropriate therapeutic regimen can be prescribed for that individual, thus leading to alternative therapies and/or life style changes. The invention further relates to methods for assessing the need for, the utilization efficiency and the effectiveness of therapy in subjects having received therapy with specific antioxidant and immune enhancing formulations. Kits are also provided for measuring the levels of markers of oxidative stress and immune cell numbers.
US09229013B2 Vasoactive hormone-based stratification of patients suffering from diseases related to endothelial function/dysfunction
The present invention relates to a method for the stratification of a subject having an acute or a chronic disease, wherein the disease affects endothelial function/dysfunction, comprising the steps of (i) taking a sample of bodily fluid from the subject; (ii) determining in the sample of bodily fluid the concentration of a vasoactive hormone or fragments thereof or precursors or fragments thereof having a length of at least 12 amino acid residues; (iii) stratifying the subjects into either of the categories: (a) responder to a medication for treatment of the disease, (b) non-responder to a medication for treatment of the disease not showing an unfavorable effect after having received the medication; (c) subjects showing an unfavorable effect after having received the medication. The invention also relates to the use of an antibody or a functional fragment thereof in the method according to the invention.
US09229012B2 Specific A1AT monoclonal antibodies for detection of endometriosis
Provided herein are monoclonal antibodies with a high binding affinity to isoforms of alpha 1-antitrypsin (A1AT), hybridoma cells producing the same, and their uses in diagnosing and/or detecting endometriosis from a serum sample of a subject suspicious of having endometriosis or a subject under health examination.
US09229009B2 Methods and kits for detecting misfolded proteins
Methods, kits and compounds are provided that relate to the diagnosis, treatment, and/or prevention of preeclampsia.
US09229006B2 Small water-soluble quantum dots
Water-soluble, stable fluorescent PEGylated alkanethiol-coated quantum dots are made by contacting quantum dots with PEGylated alkanethiol in a non-oxidative, water-immiscible organic reaction solvent under a non-oxidative gas, wherein the reaction solvent is in contact with an aqueous phase, at elevated temperature and time sufficient to coat the dots with the PEGylated alkanethiol, wherein resultant water-soluble, stable fluorescent PEGylated alkanethiol-coated dots enter the aqueous phase.
US09229002B2 Nucleic acids encoding bacteriophage tail proteins
The present invention relates to bacteriophage tail proteins and the derivatives and fragments thereof that are capable of binding endotoxins in the absence of bivalent positive ions, especially Ca2+ or Mg2+. Further, the present invention relates to methods for depleting endotoxins from solutions and samples using the bacteriophage tail proteins according to the present invention and to a detection method for endotoxins.
US09229001B2 Method and apparatus for performing assays
An apparatus is provided for performing an chemical, biochemical, or biological assay on a sample comprising: a microfluidic assay cartridge (1) that contains at least one sample inlet well (2) configured to receive a sample; and a microfluidic sub-unit (3) associated with the microfluidic assay cartridge (1) and comprising microfluidic channels (8), micro-valves (4, 4a, 9) and at least one separate and fluidicly-isolated isolation channel (5), and at least one hollow element (14); the at least one hollow element (14) being functionalized with a capture moiety or molecules (15) so as to form at least one reaction vessel (19); the microfluidic channels (8) and micro-valves (4, 4a, 9) configured to respond to signaling containing information about performing the assay and to controllably receive the sample and at least one reagent in the at least one reaction vessel (19), and to provide from the at least one reaction vessel (19) light containing information about the assay performed on the sample inside the at least one reaction vessel (19) as a result of said at least one reagent.
US09228997B2 Sobriety monitoring system
A system and method of monitoring sobriety using a hand-held breath testing device that, on receipt of a user's breath, generates a breath test signal comprising substance content data and user identification data, and wirelessly transmits the breath test signal to a breath test signal receiving station. The breath test signal includes substance content data and user identification data. The substance content data includes a blood alcohol level and the user identification data includes compressed image data. The signal receiving station is monitored by a supervisor who is able to intervene should the blood alcohol level be greater than a predetermined threshold, or should the user identification data no match with a reference user identification data.
US09228993B2 Method of measuring shear bond strength of cement
An apparatus for determining shear bond strength of a cement to be set within a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation consists of a housing, a vertical rod which extends from the uppermost portion of the housing through the lowermost portion of the housing, a base plate for positioning onto the bottom of the housing and for supporting the lowermost portion of the vertical rod, and a test plate for positioning onto the top of the housing through which the uppermost portion of the vertical rod extends. The apparatus may further contain a push rod. Shear bond strength is determined by introducing into the housing a sample core of the formation prior to introduction of a slurry containing the cement. The force required to break the bond between the vertical rod and the set cement may be used to determine the shear strength between the casing within the wellbore and the set cement when the cement is hardened within the wellbore. The force required to break the bond between the set cement and the sample core may be used to determine the shear strength between the set cement and formation core when the cement is hardened within the wellbore.
US09228986B2 Simultaneous determination of multiple analytes in industrial water system
A method using a multi-purpose reagent composition to simultaneously determine concentrations of at least two analytes in a water sample. In one embodiment, the multi-purpose reagent composition used is for simultaneously determining free chlorine concentration and pH and comprises a free chlorine sensitive dye and a pH indicator. In another embodiment, the reagent composition used is for simultaneously determining of free chlorine and anionic polymer and includes a free chlorine sensitive dye, a pH buffer, a cationic dye, and an organic co-solvent. Thus, the pairs of free chlorine and pH or free chlorine and anionic polymer are determined using a single reagent composition. The reagent composition can also be the main reagent for one analyte analysis when it is used alone and also function as an ancillary reagent when it is combined with a second reagent composition for the determination of another analyte.
US09228982B2 Single injection valve for HPLC combining sample introduction, wash cycles and diagnosis
A switchable valve for a sample injector includes a first valve member and a second valve member that can moved with respect to the other. The first valve member includes a plurality of ports, the second valve member includes a plurality of fluid paths. The plurality of ports include eight circumferential ports distributed along a circumference and one central port arranged at a central position of the first valve member. The plurality of fluid paths include three arcuate fluid paths so as to be couplable with at least two of the circumferential ports and one straight fluid path extending between the central position and a circumferential position so as to be couplable with the central port and one of the circumferential ports.
US09228980B2 Non-destructive evaluation methods for aerospace components
The disclosed embodiments generally relate to non-destructive evaluation methods. In an embodiment, a method for non-destructive evaluation of a aerospace component includes positioning a first plurality of sensors in the region of interest, positioning a second plurality of sensors in the region of interest, inducing a vibration in the region of interest using the first plurality of sensors and receiving a resonance frequency spectra using the second plurality of sensors, and comparing the received resonance frequency spectra against a reference spectra to determine the presence of an anomaly in the region of interest.
US09228977B2 Contactless conductivity detector
A portable electrophoretic contactless conductivity detection (C4D) system for analysis on a microfluidic chip houses in one embodiment a fluidic compartment for receiving the microfluidic chip, and four detection electrodes: first and second emitting electrodes, and first and second receiving electrodes. The first emitting electrode and the first receiving electrode are adjacent to a first channel wall of the microfluidic chip, and the second emitting electrode and the second receiving electrode are adjacent to a second channel wall, where the second channel wall is opposite to the first channel wall. In an embodiment, the electrodes are provided as portions of a removable cartridge cell.
US09228976B2 Method and apparatus for detecting nucleotides
A system and method employing at least one semiconductor device, or an arrangement of insulating and metal layers, having at least one detecting region which can include, for example, a recess or opening therein, for detecting a charge representative of a component of a polymer, such as a nucleic acid strand proximate to the detecting region, and a method for manufacturing such a semiconductor device. The system and method can thus be used for sequencing individual nucleotides or bases of ribonucleic acid (RNA) or deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). The semiconductor device includes at least two doped regions, such as two n-typed regions implanted in a p-typed semiconductor layer or two p-typed regions implanted in an n-typed semiconductor layer. The detecting region permits a current to pass between the two doped regions in response to the presence of the component of the polymer, such as a base of a DNA or RNA strand. The current has characteristics representative of the component of the polymer, such as characteristics representative of the detected base of the DNA or RNA strand.
US09228973B2 Gas sensor
A MISFET-type hydrogen gas sensor having low power consumption which can be operated for one year or longer at a low voltage power source (for example, 1.5 to 3 V) is achieved. A sensor FET is formed in a MEMS region 34 where a Si substrate 22 of a SOI substrate is bored, and a heater wiring 32 is arranged so as to be folded between a Pi-Ti—O gate 28 and a source electrode 31S of the sensor FET and between the Pt—Ti—O gate 28 and a drain electrode 31D thereof, respectively. Further, a plurality of through-holes 36 obtained by removing a protective film so as to expose an embedded insulation layer of the SOI substrate are formed in a region where an intrinsic FET region 35 where the sensor FET is formed does not overlap with the MEMS region 34 and except for bridge regions 90, 90S, 90G, and 90H where lead-out wirings 20S, 20D, 20G, and 20H are formed and except for reinforced regions 91.
US09228957B2 High speed method and system for inspecting a stream of parts
A high-speed method and system for inspecting a stream of parts using at least one transparent traveling carrier of a conveyor subsystem are provided. The subsystem has a forward reach and a return reach. The method includes controllably receiving a stream of parts in rapid succession on the at least one traveling carrier and utilizing the subsystem to transfer the stream of parts in rapid succession to a part inspection station. The bottom surface of each part is illuminated through its traveling carrier with radiant energy when the part is located at the inspection station to generate reflected radiation signals which travel through its traveling carrier. A bottom image of each illuminated bottom surface is formed from the reflected radiation signals at an imaging location between the forward and return reaches at the inspection station. The bottom images are detected at the imaging location.
US09228955B2 System and method for detecting analytes present in a gas sample
Provided is a system for detecting analytes of interest present in a gas sample, including a layer of porous material, positioned at the surface of a substrate so as to extend longitudinally along a fluidic flow path of the gas sample, said porous material containing a plurality of probe molecules, each probe molecule being able to react with the analyte of interest by causing a change in the spectral properties of said probe molecule. Also included is a a pump for generating a flow of the gas sample along the fluidic path so that the gas sample comes into contact with said layer of porous material. The system also includes at least one optical detection device capable of successively detecting, at distinct detection areas of said porous material layer distributed along said fluidic path, a change in the spectral properties of at least one of said probe molecules.
US09228948B2 Spatial positioning of spectrally labeled beads
Devices, systems, kits, and methods for detecting and/or identifying a plurality of spectrally labeled bodies well-suited for performing multiplexed assays. By spectrally labeling the beads with materials which generate identifiable spectra, a plurality of beads may be identified within the fluid. Reading of the beads is facilitated by restraining the beads in arrays, and/or using a focused laser.
US09228943B2 Dynamically adjustable semiconductor metrology system
The present invention may include an illumination source, a detector, a selectably adjustable optical system including a dynamically adjustable illumination pupil of the illumination arm, a dynamically adjustable collection pupil of the collection arm, a dynamically adjustable illumination field stop of the illumination arm, a dynamically adjustable collection field stop of the collection arm, a sensor configured to measure one or more optical characteristics of one or more components of the optical system, and a control system configured to selectably dynamically adjust at least one of the illumination pupil, the collection pupil, the illumination field stop, the collection field stop, and a spectral radiance of the illumination source.
US09228942B2 Turbidimeter
The present invention is intended to provide a turbidimeter having a simple and sturdy structure which is hard to break and exhibits excellent long-term stability by reducing a number of sealing positions, wherein a cylindrical sensor head forming a measurement space is formed of an optically-transparent material. A side wall of the sensor head has accommodating spaces for accommodating a light source, transmitted light detector, and scattered light detector. An inner surface of the side wall of the sensor head is configured to serve as: an optical window for guiding inspection light to the measurement space; an optical window for guiding transmitted light to the transmitted light detector; and an optical window for guiding scattered light to the scattered light detector.
US09228940B2 Systems, methods, and apparatuses for in situ monitoring of cement fluid compositions and setting processes thereof
Optical analysis systems, methods, and apparatuses for analyzing fluids may be useful for in situ monitoring fluids that relate to cementing operations. For example, a method may include containing a cement fluid composition in a flow path comprising a wellbore; and optically interacting the cement fluid composition with an integrated computational element, thereby generating an output signal corresponding to a characteristic of the cement fluid composition, the integrated computational element being coupled to a tool.
US09228936B2 Birefringence measurement of polycrystalline silicon samples or the like
A birefringence measurement system includes a lens mounted for selective movement into and out of use in the optical setup so that a wide range of sample types can be handled by the system without reconfiguring the primary components of the optical setup of the system (moving the detector, changing the light source power, etc.) in a manner that would sacrifice the cost effectiveness, efficiency, mechanical reliability and repeatability of measurements for such systems.
US09228935B2 Device for detecting an analyte in a bodily fluid
A device is proposed for detecting at least one analyte in a bodily fluid. The device comprises at least one test element with at least one two-dimensional evaluation region. The device furthermore comprises at least one spatially resolving optical detector having a plurality of pixels. The detector is designed to image at least part of the test element onto an image region. In the process, at least part of the evaluation region is imaged onto an evaluation image region. The detector is matched to the test element such that a predetermined minimum number of pixels is provided for each dimension within the evaluation image region. The pixels are arranged in a two-dimensional matrix arrangement. The matrix arrangement has pixel rows and pixel columns, wherein the pixel rows are arranged substantially parallel to a longitudinal direction of the evaluation region and/or of the evaluation image region.
US09228928B2 Continuous or instrumented indentation device
This invention relates to a new portable device with no solid frame, which makes it possible to carry out instrumented indentation of a material to deduct its mechanical properties. Continuous or instrumented indentation consists in measuring the force and displacement when an indenter is pushed into the tested material. The device is made up of a sleeve with a reduced volume and its lower base, which may be of variable shapes adapted to that of the material to test, a piston sliding in the sleeve, the displacement of which is controlled by the hand of a user, a manipulating arm, a mechanical column or a robot, an elastic ring or a spring limiting the displacement of the piston, three displacement sensors arranged in an equilateral triangle around a single-piece indenter having any shape, and a force sensor that makes it possible to measure the change in the force depending on the depression made by the indenter in the tested material.
US09228926B2 Chemical ionization with reactant ion formation at atmospheric pressure in a mass spectrometer
The invention relates to the production of water cluster ions (“hydronium clusters”) at atmospheric pressure for the chemical ionization of analyte molecules. It is proposed that a corona discharge at the Taylor cone of an aqueous liquid, preferably pure or slightly acidified pure water, is used instead of corona discharges on metal tips, which have been the usual method up to now. The hydronium clusters of the form [H(H2O)n]+ can be produced in a discharge chamber, which is separate from the ionization chamber, and introduced into the ionization chamber through a capillary. In the ionization chamber, the hydronium clusters can be heated and reduced in size by means of electrical acceleration and gas collisions, and thus made more reactive in order that analyte molecules of low proton affinity can also be ionized.
US09228922B1 Optical time domain reflectometer calibration standard
The invention is a fiber optic cable calibration standard in combination with a device for calibrating distance and attenuation parameters of an optical time domain reflectometer (OTDR). The calibration standard includes a fiber optic cable spool assembly and inspection apparatus. The invention is also a calibration method. An OTDR to be calibrated against a National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standard.
US09228920B2 Method and device for estimating the optical power of corrective lenses in a pair of eyeglasses worn by a spectator
This invention relates to a method for estimating the optical power of corrective lenses in a pair a eyeglasses worn by a spectator, characterized in that it comprises the following steps: acquire two consecutive images of this spectator's face located in front of a means for acquiring these two images, one of these images being acquired with eyeglasses and the other without, calibrate one of the two acquired images with respect to the other, identify the position of the iris of each eye in each image, evaluate the size magnification or size reduction of each imaged iris, and estimate the optical power of the corrective lenses based on the evaluated magnification or reduction.
US09228919B1 System for leak detection in pipelines by optical means
Optical methods and systems for the detection of leakages in fluid transporting pipelines. An exemplary system comprises at least one pair of light transmitter and light sensor positioned at the pipe wall itself. The discontinuity of fluid flow by bubbles and entrained particles resulting from a crack on the pipe wall is reflected in the light rays received by the light sensor. The discontinuity is recorded and converted into an optical signal that is transmitted wirelessly to a processing unit at a receiving station.
US09228916B2 Self calibrating micro-fabricated load cells
Self calibrating micro-fabricated load cells are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a self calibrating load cell comprises a resonant double ended tuning fork force sensor and a phase locked loop circuit for detection of frequency changes upon external load application to the resonant double ended tuning fork force sensor.
US09228913B2 Electrostatic pressure sensor
An electrostatic pressure sensor has a supporting diaphragm bonded to be held between first and second pedestal plates, a sensor chip supported on a top face of a center portion of the second pedestal plate. The supporting diaphragm has in the center portion thereof a large-diameter hole that forms a slit-shaped space between the first and second pedestal plates. The first pedestal plate has at least one inlet hole, for the fluid being measured, connecting to the slit-shaped space. The second pedestal plate has at least an outlet hole, connecting to the slit-shaped space, for directing the fluid being measured to the pressure-sensitive diaphragm of the sensor chip. The pedestal plate has an inlet hole of the first pedestal plate and an outlet hole of the second pedestal plate do not overlap each other in the direction of thickness of the first and second pedestal plates.
US09228909B1 Methods and systems for sensing tension in a timing belt
In examples, methods and systems for sensing tension in a timing belt are provided. In one example, a transmission device is provided that comprises a timing belt transmission configured to cause rotation of an output hub, and the timing belt transmission includes a timing belt with markings. The transmission device also includes a detector for detecting the markings on the timing belt as the timing belt is placed under a tension due to a load at the output hub, and a distance between the markings on the timing belt changes as the timing belt is placed under the tension. The transmission device also includes one or more processors for determining output torque of the timing belt transmission based on the distance between the markings on the timing belt or based on a time between detected markings.
US09228908B2 Photosensitive tactile sensor
A tactile sensor including a piezoresistive layer having its electric resistance varying according to mechanical stress exerted thereon, the piezoresistive layer being at least partially transparent to light; a photosensitive layer, having its electric resistance varying according to the quantity of incident light thereon, the photosensitive layer being arranged opposite the piezoresistive layer; and electric connection elements electrically connecting in parallel the piezoresistive layer and the photosensitive layer.
US09228905B2 RTD measurement device
Aspects of the invention provide for a resistance temperature device (RTD) measurement device. In one embodiment, aspects of the invention include a RTD measurement device that includes: an input including a plurality of terminals from an RTD sensor; a plurality of burnout switches, each burnout switch connected to a terminal of the RTD sensor; a plurality of resources; and a switch block connecting the plurality of terminals and the plurality of resources to determine a measurement of the RTD sensor.
US09228903B2 Infrared imager
Devices, methods, and systems relating to infrared imager devices, methods for providing infrared imagers, methods of operating infrared imagers, and infrared imager systems are disclosed. An infrared imager system includes a number of lenses, a beam splitter, an imager array, and a thermo-optical array, wherein the beam splitter directs light to the imaging array and to the thermo-optical array.
US09228901B2 Optically variable entity authenticating device and method
Disclosed is a device for the authentication of an optically variable entity exhibiting a color shift with changing viewing-angle, the device comprising a plate of light-refractive material, said plate having two surfaces and an array of light-refracting protrusions or recesses on at least one of said surfaces, and being disposed in said device such as to provide, aside each other, a direct view and a view through said plate onto at least parts of said optically variable entity, said view through said plate being an angularly deflected view, resulting from light refraction at said protrusions or recesses. Further disclosed is a method for authenticating an optically variable entity, as well as the use of a plate having two parallel surfaces and an array of positive or negative light-refracting protrusions or recesses on at least one of said surfaces for authenticating an optically variable entity.
US09228894B2 Optical sensor and filter assembly with epoxy mounting structure and method of assembly
A mounting structure between the spectral filter and optical sensor includes one or more beads of epoxy that are bonded to the face of the sensor at locations adjacent and bonded to the edge of the spectral filter around its perimeter. Placement of the epoxy so that it bonds to the edge of the spectral filter improves the robustness of the package to sheer stresses. Placement of the epoxy at the edge, suitably in discrete spot bonds, also avoids putting epoxy in the optical path, contaminating the optically active area or using epoxy to control the gap height. Alignment of the spectral filter in the plane (x,y) may be achieved using fiducial marks on the sensor and filter. Alignment of the spectral filter out of the plane (z) may be achieved using incompressible spacer balls that set the gap height precisely to the diameter of the ball. Alternately, the spectral filter may be placed in direct contact with the optically active area of the sensor.
US09228892B2 Compact, low cost Raman monitor for single substances
Apparatus for performing Raman spectroscopy may include a first laser source having a first emission wavelength and a second laser source having a second emission wavelength. A separation between the first and second emission wavelengths may correspond to a width of a Raman band of a substance of interest. A switch may provide switching between the first and second laser sources. An ensemble of laser emitters may be provided. A Bragg grating element may receive laser light from the ensemble. An optical system may direct light from the Bragg grating element into an optical fiber. A combined beam through the optical fiber may contain light from each of the emitters.
US09228884B2 Hand-operated weighing system and weighing work method
A weighing system (100) comprises a platform scale (50) on which a container containing objects is placed; and a hand-operated combination weigher 10 including a plurality of weighing trays 12 on which the objects are put; wherein a controller of the weighing system (100) derives a target weight of the objects in the combination weigher (10) using a weight of the container which is weighed by the platform scale (50); and the controller selects a combination of the weighing trays (12) so that a combination weight of the objects on the weighing trays (12) falls within an allowable range of the target weight.
US09228883B2 Weighing unit and combination weigher using the same
A weighing unit includes a mounting fastener member including a vertical portion; a load cell disposed at the one side of the vertical portion and including an elastic body of a rectangular frame shape including a fastened portion fastened to a vertical surface and a movable portion opposite to the fastened portion. A plurality of strain gauges are bonded to the elastic body, a weighing hopper disposed at an opposite side of the load cell with respect to the vertical portion, and has a discharge gate, a coupling member is fastened at one end to the movable portion, and a hopper retaining section including receivers and protrusions, for retaining the weighing hopper, extends from the one end portion to the other end portion in a downward direction to a location below the elastic body; and a gate opening/closing mechanism attached to the coupling member.
US09228882B2 Vehicle seat occupant detection device with an adjustable threshold
A vehicle seat occupant detection device with an adjustable threshold is provided. The device includes a sensor, a spring, and an adjuster. The sensor is configured to indicate a first state when a seat is not occupied and a second state when the seat is occupied. The spring is configured to urge the sensor toward the first state. The adjuster is coupled to the spring. The adjuster is operable to vary a force threshold that the device transitions from the first state to the second state.
US09228879B2 Fluid level indicator
A fluid level indicator is provided. The indicator includes a body having a first end and a second end. The body has a first arm and a second arm extending between the first end and the second end. The first arm and the second arm defining a slot therebetween. The body further including a first plurality of teeth extending from a side of the first arm in the slot. The first plurality of teeth extending on an angle away from the first end toward the second arm. The body still further including a second plurality of teeth, extending on an angle away from the first end toward the first arm. A float member is provided having a first member and a second member with a shaft disposed therebetween. The float member being arranged with the shaft member disposed in the slot.
US09228876B2 Liquid sensor using temperature compensation
A liquid sensor system can detect whether liquid is present at a location within a tank or other container, such as an aircraft fuel tank. The system can include a sensor that has a heated negative temperature coefficient (NTC) element and a temperature compensator element. The sensor may be located within the tank. The elements can be polarized by voltages from separate voltage sources. The voltages can be compared to detect a presence or level of liquid within the tank. Only two wires may be needed to connect the sensor with components outside the tank. The system may be able to detect liquid using less than twenty five milliamps and a sensor temperature that is less than two hundred degrees Celsius.
US09228873B2 Fluid blob tracking for evaluation of multiphase flow simulations
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for fluid blob tracking. One of the methods includes identifying, by a computer system, a connected fluid phase region in a flow simulation. The method includes tracking, by the computer system, the connected fluid phase region over a first timeframe and a second timeframe. The method also includes determining, by the computer system, movement of the connected fluid phase region from the first timeframe to the second timeframe based on the tracking.
US09228868B2 Magnetically inductive flowmeter for determining the flow rate of a fluid flowing through a measuring tube
A magnetically inductive flow meter unit for determining a flow rate of a fluid flowing through a measuring tube, having a measuring tube having a measuring channel and a measuring sensor, which is disposed in the measuring channel and is oriented in alignment with the wall of the measuring tube, the measuring sensor including an electrode head, which is made of an electrically conductive material and has a fluid contact section, the electrode head being in direct contact with the fluid flowing through the measuring tube by means of the fluid contact section, the electrode head having an indentation on the side facing the fluid, which forms at least part of the fluid contact section.
US09228866B2 Process fluid flow transmitter with finned coplanar process fluid flange
A process fluid pressure measurement system is provided. The system includes a process fluid pressure transmitter having a pair of process fluid ports disposed coplanar with one another on a bottom surface thereof. The process fluid pressure transmitter is configured to measure a differential pressure between the pair of process fluid ports and provide an indication of the measured differential pressure over a process communication loop. A process fluid flange has a first surface configured to mount to the surface of the process fluid pressure transmitter, a second surface opposed to the first surface, and at least one lateral sidewall extending between the first and second surface. A plurality of fins are disposed proximate the lateral surface.
US09228865B2 Multi-analyzer and multi-reference sample validation system and method
Validation systems and methods are described. Specifically, the disclosed validation system has the ability to simultaneously or sequentially analyze the Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) or any other property of process samples taken from the same or different sources. The validation system is scalable to validate with multiple reference samples to one or multiple analyzers. The system is also scalable to operate multiple streams of a single or multiple fuels to multiple analyzers.
US09228863B2 Retractable assembly
A retractable assembly for immersion-, flow- or add-on measuring systems in analytical process technology for measuring at least one measured variable of a medium in a containment, comprising: an essentially cylindrical housing; an immersion tube, which is movable axially in the housing between a service position out of the medium and a process position in the medium; and a sensor for measuring the measured variable. The sensor is arranged in the immersion tube, wherein the sensor protrudes at least sectionally out of the immersion tube at the end of the immersion tube remote from the medium; and an openable and closable cover, which surrounds at least the section of the sensor protruding out of the immersion tube. The sensor in the opened state of the cover is mountable and demountable, respectively, in and from the immersion tube. The retractable assembly is characterized in that the cover at least sectionally travels with the movement of the immersion tube and in the process position is located at least sectionally in the housing.
US09228859B2 Customizable embedded sensors
A method of constructing a sensor includes depositing a first material in a predetermined arrangement to form a structure. The depositing results in at least one void occurring within the structure. The method further includes depositing a second material within the voids. The second material may have electrical properties that vary according to deformation of the second material. The method also includes providing electrical access to the second material to enable observation of the one or more electrical properties. A sensor includes a structure that has one or more voids distributed within the structure. The sensor also includes a material deposited within the one or more voids. The material may be characterized by one or more electrical properties such as piezoresistivity. The sensor includes a first contact electrically coupled to a first location on the material, and a second contact electrically coupled to a second location on the material.
US09228857B2 Position detection apparatus having a determining unit to determine the reliability of calculated position of a movable member
A position detector which detects the position of a movable member relative to a fixed member includes a signal detector configured to detect periodic signals which respectively indicate predetermined values concerning the position of the movable member relative to the fixed member and change at different periods in accordance with a position change, a signal processor configured to generate displacement signals based on the periodic signals detected by the signal detector and sequentially output the generated displacement signals while switching the signals at a predetermined period, a position calculator configured to calculate a position of the movable member relative to the fixed member based on the displacement signals, and a reliability determining unit configured to determine that the reliability of the position calculated by the position calculator is low, if the displacement amount of the movable member in the predetermined period is larger than a predetermined threshold.
US09228855B2 Magnetic logic units configured to measure magnetic field direction
An apparatus includes circuits, a field line configured to generate a magnetic field based on an input, a sensing module configured to determine a parameter of each circuit, and a magnetic field direction determination module configured to determine an angular orientation of the apparatus relative to an external magnetic field based on the parameter. Each circuit includes multiple magnetic tunnel junctions. Each magnetic tunnel junction includes a storage layer having a storage magnetization direction and a sense layer having a sense magnetization direction configured based on the magnetic field. Each magnetic tunnel junction is configured such that the sense magnetization direction and a resistance of the magnetic tunnel junction vary based on the external magnetic field. The parameter varies based on the resistances of the multiple magnetic tunnel junctions. The magnetic field direction determination module is implemented in at least one of a memory or a processing device.
US09228851B2 Display of estimated time to arrival at upcoming personalized route waypoints
An in-vehicle system and method for selecting and displaying on a roadmap upcoming waypoints and associated information, including an estimated time to arrival at the waypoints. In an embodiment, driving history is stored and analyzed, including routes taken and previous destinations, and used to determine and display personalized waypoints.
US09228842B2 System and method for determining a uniform external magnetic field
A processing apparatus, optionally integrated into a device having a plurality of sensors including a magnetometer, generates navigational state estimates for the device. The processing apparatus has a magnetometer-assisted mode of operation in which measurements from the magnetometer are used to estimate the navigational state and an alternate mode of operation in which the navigational state of the device is estimated without measurements from the magnetometer. For a respective time period, the processing apparatus operates in the alternate mode of operation. During the respective time period, the processing apparatus collects a plurality of magnetometer measurements and determines whether they meet measurement-consistency requirements. If the measurements meet the measurement-consistency requirements, the processing apparatus transitions to the magnetometer-assisted mode of operation. If the measurements do not meet the measurement-consistency requirements, the processing apparatus continues to operate in the alternate mode of operation.
US09228839B2 Method for generating split screen according to a touch gesture
A method for generating split screen is disclosed. The method includes displaying a picture on a touch screen; touching the touch screen to circle a first area of the picture and to move along a first direction after circling the first area; and displaying and zooming out the picture in a first display block of the touch screen, and displaying and zooming in the first area in a second display block indicated by the first direction.
US09228838B2 Thermal imaging camera with compass calibration
A thermal imaging camera may include an electronic compass that can be calibrated after assembly of the thermal imaging camera. The electronic compass may include a magnetic sensor configured to sense three orthogonal components of a magnetic field. In some examples, the camera includes a processor configured to receive a plurality of measurements from the magnetic sensor as a physical orientation of the magnetic sensor is changed in a three-dimensional space. The processor may generate a plurality of data points from the plurality of measurements and control a display so as to display a simulated three-dimensional plot of the data points. The processor may control the display so the display updates in substantially real-time as new data points are generated by changing the physical orientation of the magnetic sensor.
US09228837B2 Light detection circuit
An electronic light detection circuit for detecting an intensity modulated light signal on a photosensitive element under backlight condition. The circuit comprises the photosensitive element, in particular as a light position detector for detecting a striking position of the light signal spot within a detection window, an amplifier with high input resistance connected to an output of the photosensitive element and a backlight suppression circuitry.The backlight suppression circuitry is connected to the output of the photosensitive element in parallel to the amplifier and comprises an electronic active resonator structure. The active resonator, structure is designed in such a way to provide a load impedance to an output of the photosensitive element with a low load impedance for low frequencies for suppression of natural and artificial backlight-saturation of the photosensitive element and a high load impedance at the frequency of the intensity modulated light signal.
US09228835B2 Visual stakeout
A method for marking a point of interest in a live image on a navigation device is provided. A position of a navigation device is determined based on navigation signals received from satellites. An orientation of the device is determined based on data from an orientation sensor. A first live image is obtained from a first camera and displayed. A first marker is displayed in the first live image. The first marker indicates a first location of the point of interest in the first live image. A second live image is obtained and displayed. A second marker is displayed in the second live image. The second marker indicates a second location of the point of interest in the second live image. The first and second locations are based on the position of the device, the orientation of the device and the position of the point of interest.
US09228832B2 Level
A level includes a first planar surface having a first longitudinal edge and a second longitudinal edge and a second planar surface having a third longitudinal edge and a fourth longitudinal edge. The first longitudinal edge and the third longitudinal edge define a first side plane and the second longitudinal edge and the fourth longitudinal edge define a second side plane. A vial has a long axis and contains a liquid and a gas bubble. A web is coupled to the first and second planar surfaces such that the first and second planar surfaces are spaced apart from and parallel to each other. The web includes a first side surface on the first plane and a second side surface. A first recess pattern is arranged to engage a first electrical component and a second recess pattern is arranged to engage a second electrical component.
US09228831B2 Fluid tilt sensor within ink tank supply item for micro-fluid applications
A container for holding a volume of fluid and having a housing defining an interior for retaining the volume of fluid; at least one in-tank tilt sensor connected to a controller and disposed inside the housing for generating a signal corresponding to a level of fluid inside the housing; and a support material attached to the housing and connected to the at least one in-tank tilt sensor to mechanically support the at least one in-tank tilt sensor such that the at least one in-tank tilt sensor is not in direct contact with the fluid inside the housing. The in-tank tilt sensor detects a change in fluid level which may only be caused by tilting of the imaging device. When tilting is registered, protective action is taken to prevent fluid from leaking.
US09228829B2 Method and system for measuring distance
A method and a system for measuring a distance from a reference point to an object are provided. The method comprises the following steps. At least one image of an object is captured through a lens comprising a phase mask composed of a parallel plate and a wedge prism. At least two corresponding regions of interest (ROI) are obtained from the images. The regions of interest correspond to identical portions of the object. The relative coordinates between corresponding locations within the corresponding regions of interest is measured. The distance is calculated according to the relative coordinates.
US09228825B2 Positional change measurement device, positional change measurement method, and image forming apparatus
An objective is to achieve a positional change measurement device which measures positional change of a dynamic measured surface by using speckle patterns while easily reducing influence of fluctuations in a measurement environment temperature. Provided is a positional change measurement device including: a light source; an illuminating optical system configured to guide light from the light source to a measured surface; an imaging optical system; an image pickup device configured to acquire a speckle pattern by receiving reflection light from the measured surface via the imaging optical system; and detected-length compensation means for compensating for fluctuations in a detected length caused by temperature fluctuations. Positional change of the measured surface is measured based on a result of cross-correlation computation performed on multiple speckle patterns acquired at predetermined time intervals.
US09228816B2 Method of determining a common coordinate system for an articulated arm coordinate measurement machine and a scanner
A method of determining a mathematical transformation to place three-dimensional (3D) coordinates of points measured by an articulated arm coordinate measurement machine (AACMM) and 3D points measured by a scanner in a common coordinate system is provided. The method including providing the 3D scanner and the AACMM having a probe. The scanner and AACMM each have a local frame of reference. Three non-collinear targets are measured with the probe and then with the scanner. 3D probe reference coordinates and 3D scanner reference coordinates are determined based on the measurement of the targets by the AACMM and scanner. The mathematical transformation is determined based at least in part on the 3D probe reference coordinates and the 3D scanner reference coordinates, the mathematical transformation characterized at least in part by a collection of parameters.
US09228811B2 Gas generator provided with a safety device for slow warm-ups
The present invention relates to a gas generator (10) comprising a body (12) delimiting at least one part of a combustion chamber (20), said part housing a primary pyrotechnic charge (16) adapted to generate gases in the combustion chamber (20) when said charge is initiated in combustion, and a slide valve (60) located outside said body (12) and defining with the latter a second chamber (66) housing a secondary pyrotechnic charge (74) whereof the self-ignition temperature is less than that of the primary pyrotechnic charge (16). A gas flow channel (50) for flowing gas out of the combustion chamber (20) is formed in the body (12). According to the invention, the slide valve (60) blocks this channel when it is in a first position, and under the effect of gases released by said secondary pyrotechnic charge (74), the slide valve is adapted to move to a second position wherein the channel (50) is no longer sealed off, allowing the gases contained in the combustion chamber (20) to flow outwards to the exterior.
US09228808B2 Systems and methods for detecting cartridge description
An apparatus, according to various aspects of the present invention, produces contractions in skeletal muscles of a target to impede locomotion by the target. The apparatus is used with a provided deployment unit that deploys an electrode away from the apparatus. The electrode conducts a current through the target. The apparatus includes a detector that detects indicia describing the deployment unit and a processing circuit that performs a function of the launch device in accordance with the indicia.
US09228807B1 Anti-ship cruise missile barrier
A barrier for providing defense against attack from airborne cruise missiles includes a buoyant lighter than air structure. A curtain is suspended from structure and depends from the structure to a level approximately even with the surface. The barrier is deployed across a path identified as a potential attack path for an incoming threat. An incoming missile strikes the curtain which is adapted such that at least a portion of the curtain separates from the barrier and envelopes or entangles the incoming missile. The portion of the curtain covers the flight control planes of the missile and deprives the missile of lift. The missile falls to the surface short of its intended target. The intended target may be a ship which may deploy the barrier at a selected distance from the ship along a determined path of attack.
US09228804B2 Modular firearm forend
In one embodiment, a forend for a firearm includes an adapter module configured to mount below a barrel and in front of a receiver of a specific model of a firearm, such as a shotgun, and a universal firearm accessory module coupled to one or more surfaces of the adapter module. The adapter module can include an upper surface that substantially conforms to a lower surface of the barrel, a longitudinal bore configured to receive a tubular magazine of the firearm concentrically therein, and lower and external side surfaces defining a plug. The accessory module can include a firearm accessory and an upper and internal side surfaces defining a socket configured to receive the plug of the adapter module in a complementary plug-in engagement. The accessory can be a source of a light useful for illuminating a target or aiming the firearm.
US09228801B2 Attachment firing apparatus
An attachment firing apparatus, in particular a grenade launcher, for mounting on the barrel of a firearm, having an anchoring part that can be fixedly mounted on the firearm and having a support part that can be detachably connected to the anchoring part via a coupling, a launch tube in the support part being openable and closable relative to a breech, wherein the coupling is locked in the closed position of the launch tube and breech and can be opened in the open position of the launch tube and breech.
US09228800B2 Universal magazine mounting system
A magazine mounting platform having at least one mounting fixture for insertion into the magazine compartment of a firearm thus securing the firearm in place. The magazine mounting fixture may include at least one dowel pin operable for insertion into receivers on the platform. Some embodiments may also include a rotational adapter which allows for a firearm mounted on the fixture to be rotated. Risers may be included to provide additional support for a firearm by securing in place a barrel or a stock. Some embodiments may include magazine mounts for M4 carbine type, AR rifle type or Model 1911 pistol type firearms.
US09228797B2 Firearm handgrip with tool component
A handgrip for a firearm is disclosed. The handgrip features a tool, in particular a melee component, stowed within a portion of the handgrip, the remaining portion of the melee component forming a finger guard. A latch is provided to hold the melee component in the stowed position. The interface of the melee component with the handgrip component may be either a rotatable interface, utilizing a lower pivot point and a latch such that the melee component may be rotated out of the handgrip or may be a sliding interface, with the melee component sliding within a provided trench. Two latching mechanisms for a rotating interface are disclosed. Other tools, such as bipods and flashlights, may be adapted to also fit the provided trench.
US09228796B2 Utility foregrips for use with firearms, and related methods
A foregrip for a firearm may comprise a mounting device configured to attach to a mounting rail of a firearm and a grip body. The grip body may include a top portion configured to be removably attached to the mounting device and a lateral side portion configured to be gripped by the hand of a person using a firearm. A cavity may be disposed within the grip body, and a blade may be disposed at least partially within the cavity, wherein the blade is movable between a refracted position and a deployed position relative to the grip body.
US09228794B2 Extendable tang for a firearm
Extendable tangs are used to increase the surface area of grips so as to better enable users with larger hands to adequately control smaller items. Tangs are stowed within the body of a grip and deployed through one of a number of mechanisms, including spring-loaded and non-spring loaded mechanisms.
US09228792B2 Fluid delivery system for personal mobility devices
This invention is a scooter manufactured in combination with a water cannon or a scooter accessory comprising: a scooter having a platform, standard, and handle; a fluid reservoir carried by said scooter in fluid communications with an actuator; a nozzle in fluid communications with said reservoir and carried by said handle so that fluid contained in said reservoir is forced through said nozzle when said actuator is activated. The nozzle can rotate without moving the handle and the actuator can be activated by the rider's hand or foot and be manual or motorized.
US09228785B2 Fractal heat transfer device
A heatsink comprising a heat exchange device having a plurality of heat exchange elements each having a surface boundary with respect to a heat transfer fluid, having a fractal variation therebetween, wherein the heat transfer fluid is induced to flow with respect to the plurality of fractally varying heat exchange elements such that flow-induced vortices are generated at non-corresponding locations of the plurality of fractally varying heat exchange elements, resulting in a reduced resonance as compared to a corresponding heat exchange device having a plurality of heat exchange elements that produce flow-induced vortices at corresponding locations on the plurality of heat exchange elements.
US09228784B2 Plate heat exchanger
The invention relates to a plate heat exchanger comprising a plurality of plates having flow channels, wherein a first plate has a front side having at least one flow channel for a first fluid and a second plate has a front side having at least one flow channel for a second fluid, and wherein the plates have through openings via which the flow channels for the same fluid are respectively connected to one another, wherein a front plate, which is placed in front of the front side of the first plate, has ports for the first fluid and for the second fluid, wherein an end plate forms the end of the aligned plates, wherein the plates and ports are formed from plastic, and wherein the plates are bonded or welded tightly together.
US09228782B2 Microwave oven
The invention concerns a microwave oven (10) for the heat treatment of ceramic components, in particular of dental ceramic components (12). It is equipped with a susceptor (14) which is positioned in the swell or in the area between a source of microwaves and the component. The susceptor (14) is made of highly pure silicon carbide of hexagonal, rhombohedral or cubic crystal structure, which has in particular a 2H, 4H, 6H or 3C crystal structure.
US09228779B2 Infrared float bar
Infrared air float bar for use in floating and drying a continuous planar web of a material in a dryer. Direct radiated or reflected infrared electromagnetic energy from an infrared light source in a removable channel assembly accelerates drying, or evaporation of solvents, or curing of web material passing in proximity to the bar, either by infrared electromagnetic energy, or in combination with convention airflow. The infrared source is cooled by pressurized air passing through an interior portion of the removable air bar channel assembly, and the air is further conducted into fluid contact with the web in an air gap between the emitter and web to promote convective heat transfer and to contribute to the air pressure field supporting web flotation. The removable channel assembly is configured for replacement of the infrared emitter and to allow the setting of the pressurized cooling air flow to the optimum level.
US09228776B2 Refrigerator pantry compartment
A compartment for storing items in a mullion wall separating refrigerated compartments is provided. One exemplary embodiment provides a refrigerator with a first refrigerated compartment selectively coverable by a first door and a second refrigerated compartment selectively coverable by a second door. A mullion separates the first and second refrigerated compartments. A storage compartment is located in the mullion and separable from the first refrigerated compartment by a selectively closeable lid.
US09228774B1 Concealed mount for refrigerator appliance door panel
A refrigerator appliance and a door for a refrigerator appliance are provided. The refrigerator appliance includes features for firmly attaching a decorative panel to a door of the refrigerator appliance, where such features are hidden from the view of a user of the refrigerator appliance. The door for a refrigerator appliance includes concealed features for attaching a decorative panel to the door.
US09228772B1 Transport refrigeration system
Self-contained refrigeration units include evaporator modules, condenser modules, compressor modules, control subassemblies, and all other refrigeration components in compact interconnected modular packages. The modules, which are assembled in rigid or flexible self-contained monoblock refrigeration units, are installable, removable and replaceable as complete self-contained refrigeration units without requiring transport downtime for servicing and repairing of the refrigeration units. Vehicles with refrigeration systems arrive at a distributor and have malfunctioning units removed and complete units replaced and installed and are back on the road within minutes. Dealers' inventories are small and non complex and dealers' workers need not be skilled transport refrigeration mechanics. Dealer trucks have light cranes to remove and replace complete self-contained refrigeration units on site.
US09228768B2 Method and apparatus for drying compressed gases
A method maintains, in a compressed gas dryer, working through condensation of moisture contained in the air and with dryer thermal load demands, an operation that keeps the temperature of the evaporator, near the outflow of the compressed air, in range between a value sufficiently high to avoid freezing the moisture in the compressed air and a value sufficiently low to avoid compromising the effect of moisture condensation generated by the decreased temperature. This objective is achieved with a compressor by-pass conduit on which is mounted a selectively controllable adjusting valve. The operation includes: measurement of the evaporation temperature (Tev), and verification the temperature is higher than a preset value (Set_Tev); starting the compressor; opening the valve for a preset time, and then closing it; verification that the temperature is higher than a preset value; if the time elapsed is longer than a predetermined time, then the valve is opened.
US09228767B2 Method for determining proper wiring of multiple 3 phase motors in a single system
A method for determining proper wiring of multiple three-phase motors in a refrigeration system is disclosed. The method may include energizing a plurality of three-phase motors with a first input phase rotation and recording performance data, energizing the plurality of three-phase motors with a second input phase rotation and recording the performance data, evaluating the performance data and determining if each of three-phase motors is properly wired, operating the refrigeration system in a normal mode if all of the three-phase motors are properly wired, or operating the refrigeration system in a less efficient mode if at least one three-phase motor is improperly wired.
US09228764B2 Cooling head for temperature-control phase change cooler
A cooling head for a temperature-controlled phase change cooler has a main body, an evaporating chamber within the main body, at least two cap tubes and at least a heat source mounted onto the periphery of the evaporating chamber. With one of the cap tubes, the coolant is guided into the evaporating chamber, then the cooling head of the phase change cooler could be quickly cooled down due to rapid heat absorption characteristic of the evaporated coolant. In such a case, a heat source is used for heating by a control mechanism, and the temperature could be adjusted to a desired temperature point within the limited range of low temperature according to the user demands. When the preset temperature point is higher than normal temperature, the control mechanism could change properly the flux via one of two cap tubes, and provide proper amount of coolant for evaporative cooling.
US09228759B2 Circulating-type hot-water supply device
A circulating-type hot-water supply device (1) is provided with a heat exchanger abnormality determining unit (62), which inhibits execution of a suitable temperature maintaining operation when the suitable temperature maintaining operation continued for a predetermined time or more and stops a circulating pump (25), and when a temperature rise range of a detected temperature of a heat exchanger outlet temperature sensor (2) after stopping the circulating pump (25) becomes equal to or more than a temperature rise threshold value determined according to a selected state of burner blocks (3a),(3b) in a combusted state immediately before stopping the circulating pump (25), determines that a heat exchanger is in an abnormal state.
US09228756B2 Support apparatus
The present disclosure relates to shelving systems and methods that are adaptable to a number of applications, including building heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (“HVAC”) systems, shelving units for holding children's games and toys, closet organizers with hangers and shelves, storage systems in a garage or workshop, storage shelves over a garage door, and as a shelving unit for audio and visual equipment. The shelving unit includes a means for attachment to an overhead member, such as a steel beam, wood rafter, wood joist, wood beam, or ceiling, a generally J or L shaped bar, the ability to raise or lower the J or L shaped bar to provide for storage at different heights, an extension member removably coupled to the J or L bar, and wherein the extension member has a length that provides for storage space of different widths. In another aspect, an inverted shelving stand is provided. In still a further aspect, a U shaped swiveling hanging unit is provided.
US09228755B2 Vent and cover plate assembly for dust-free workshop floor
The present disclosure discloses a vent and cover plate assembly for dust-free workshop floor, including a plurality of vents arranged on the dust-free workshop floor and cover plates that are each associated with a corresponding vent. The vents each include a hole and clamping slots arranged at an outer periphery of the hole, and the cover plates each include a cover body and clamping feet arranged at an outer periphery of the cover body. The cover body engages with the hole, and the clamping feet engage with respective clamping slots. The vent and cover plate assembly for dust-free workshop floor is firm and secure in engagement clamping and thus has small possibility of rolling over.
US09228747B2 Combustor for gas turbine engine
A combustor comprises an annular combustor chamber formed between the inner and outer liners, the annular combustor chamber having a central axis. Fuel nozzles are in fluid communication with the annular combustor chamber to inject fuel in the annular combustor chamber. The fuel nozzles are oriented to inject fuel in a fuel flow direction having an axial component relative to the central axis of the annular combustor chamber. Nozzle air inlets are in fluid communication with the annular combustor chamber to inject nozzle air generally radially in the annular combustor chamber. A plurality of dilution air holes are defined through the inner and outer liner downstream of the nozzle air inlets, the dilution holes configured for high pressure air to be injected from an exterior of the liners through the dilution air holes generally radially into the combustor chamber, a central axis of the dilution air holes having a tangential component relative to the central axis of the annular combustor chamber.
US09228746B2 Heating device having a secondary safety circuit for a fuel line and method of operating the same
A secondary safety circuit for a gas-fired device and method of operating the circuit. The secondary safety circuit includes a low-voltage direct current power source, a valve, and at least one sensor. The valve can be positioned in a pilot burner gas line. The secondary safety circuit ensures the valve is closed upon detecting an unsafe condition with the sensor.
US09228741B2 Liquid fuel swirler
A flow directing device for imparting swirl on a fluid includes a flow directing body having an inboard surface and opposed outboard surface. A flow channel is defined in the outboard surface of the flow directing body for conducting fluids flowing through the flow directing body. The flow channel includes a channel floor and a sidewall extending from the channel floor to the outboard surface of the flow directing body. A swirl port extends from the sidewall of the flow channel though the flow directing body to the inboard surface of the flow directing body for mitigating pressure loss when discharging fluid from the flow channel.
US09228739B2 Automatic fueling of liquid fuel burners
An assembly for creating a fire display from a liquid fuel comprises a fuel receiving reservoir connected to a burner by a conduit, the conduit providing a flow channel for a liquid fuel from the reservoir to the burner. When a container of liquid fuel is placed in a bottle receiving tray the fuel is dispensed into the reservoir and in turn flows into the burner. Flammable vapors over the liquid fuel in the burner can then be ignited. The arrangement provides a continuous feed of fuel to the burner and allows safe replacement of the fuel container and replenishment of the fuel in the burner while the flame is present.
US09228733B2 LED light fixture having circumferentially mounted drivers adjacent external heat sinks
A light fixture and a housing thereof for managing thermal energy includes multiple cavities separated by a partition wall and each configured to house components of the light fixture, in particular an LED array and LED drivers to power the LED array. The housing further includes a heat transfer flow path radially defined between the first cavity and the partition wall, and a fin in fluid communication with the cavity housing the LED drivers. The heat transfer flow path is positioned for dissipation of heat from the LED array and the fin is positioned for dissipation of heat from the LED drivers.
US09228732B2 Modular LED lighting systems, including flexible, rigid, and waterproof lighting strips and connectors
Modular lighting systems are provided that comprise lighting strips physically and electrically connectable with one another by way of flexible connectors. The lighting strip devices can be made of flexible or rigid material to allow for applying the lighting devices along flat as well as contoured surfaces and can be waterproof or water resistant. A modular lighting strip system is provided comprising: two or more lighting strips comprising a non-conductive substrate strip with an electrical circuit; a plurality of light sources operably connected to the electrical circuit; a plug or socket at opposing ends of the strip; one or more connectors for providing electrical and physical interconnection of the lighting strips comprising: one or more plug and/or socket and one or more flexible wires interconnecting the plugs or sockets, which are operably configured to provide for side-by-side interconnection of lighting strips.
US09228731B2 Bulb with sensing function and camera
A bulb comprises a lower case, a circuit board, an upper case, a sleeve, a sensor cap, and a camera. The lower case is provided with an electrical contact portion at a bottom thereof. The circuit board is mounted within the lower case and provided with a plurality of light emitting elements and an infrared sensor. The upper case is mounted on an upper edge of the lower case and defines an opening at a center thereof. The sleeve is mounted to the lower case and fitted with the opening of the upper case. The sensor cap is mounted on top of the sleeve. The camera is located adjacent to the infrared sensor. Thereby, when an infrared source enters the sensing scope of the infrared sensor, the camera can be triggered to take images and the light emitting elements can be turned on to perform illumination.
US09228729B2 Lamp with a single arm
A lamp suitable for desk tops and the like includes a leg or upright resting on a base or other stationary element. An arm is secured to the leg and has a light source at its end. The arm and upright can be pivoted about various axes to allow the light source to be positioned arbitrarily to various positions. A support mechanism is provided inside the upright and the arm. The mechanism includes coil springs that are selectively compressed as the arm and upright are moved to generate supporting forces. The arm and upright does maintain their position and do not fall over after the light source has been positioned to the desired location. In another embodiment, the leg is omitted.
US09228724B2 Modular LED lamp structure with replaceable modules
A LED lamp structure includes a LED emitting module and a radiator module. The radiator module includes a holder with an elastic slice to connect electrically to a driver unit for supplying power. The driver unit may be disposed in the radiator module or within the LED emitting module. Therefore, the structure of the LED lamp is simplified. The modules can be replaced when they break down, without having to discard the whole set of LED lamp, thus eliminating the unnecessary waste, in achieving cost-effectiveness and environment protection.
US09228719B2 Illumination system and projection apparatus
An illumination system including a plurality of first light emitting elements, a wavelength-converting unit, a first reflector and a second reflector is provided. The first light emitting elements respectively emit a plurality of exciting beams. The wavelength-converting unit is disposed on transmission paths of the exciting beams and converts the exciting beams into a first color light beam. The first reflector is disposed on the transmission paths of the exciting beams, and disposed between the first light emitting elements and the wavelength-converting unit. The first reflector has a hole. The exciting beams from the first light emitting elements are reflected by the first reflector. The second reflector reflects the exciting beams, reflected by the first reflector, to the wavelength-converting unit. The exciting beam reflected by the second reflector is transmitted to the wavelength-converting unit through the hole. A projection apparatus is also provided.
US09228718B2 LED light bulb
In one embodiment, an LED light bulb includes an LED module, a base part on which the LED module is disposed, and a globe attached to the base part. The LED module includes an ultraviolet to violet light-emitting LED chip mounted on a surface of a substrate. The globe has a shape in which a cross section in a direction in parallel to the surface of the substrate is circular. A phosphor screen emitting white light by absorbing the ultraviolet to violet light emitted from the LED chip is provided on an inner surface of the globe. The globe has a shape in which a diameter D1 at an attaching part to the base part is smaller than a diameter D2 at a maximum portion of the cross section.
US09228716B2 Reflective nanofiber lighting devices
A fiber-based reflective lighting device and a housed lighting device. The fiber-based reflective lighting device which includes a source configured to generate a primary light, and a substrate having a nanocomposite mat of reflective fibers having a diameter less than 1,000 nm which diffusively reflects light upon illumination with at least the primary light. The nanocomposite mat includes a reflectance-enhancing coating conformally disposed around an outer surface of the fibers, having a refractive index different from the reflective fibers, and which increases a reflectance of the substrate in the visible spectrum. The lighting device includes a light exit configured to emanate the reflected light. The housed lighting device includes a housing, a source configured to generate primary light and direct the primary light into the housing, the reflective nanocomposite mat of reflective fibers, and a light exit in the housing configured to emanate the reflected light from the housing.
US09228712B2 Day running lamp for motor vehicle and motor vehicle having same
A day running lamp includes a laser light source, a light splitting element, a number of light path adjusting elements, a number of scattering elements, and a lampshade. The laser light source is configured for emitting a single laser beam, and the splitting element is configured for splitting the single laser beam into a number of divided beams. Each of the light path adjusting elements is configured for adjusting a light path of corresponding divided beams into parallel beams. The scattering elements are configured for diffusing the parallel divided beams onto the lampshade.
US09228707B2 Lighting system comprising at least one luminous band
In various embodiments, a lighting system may comprise at least one connection element and at least one luminous band having at least one band-shaped unit circuit board, whereby the unit circuit board is equipped with at least two semiconductor light sources, and has at least one contact area arranged between at least two semiconductor light sources, whereby the contact area is configured so it can be severed and the contact area and the connection element are configured such that after severing of the contact area the connection element can be applied onto the contact area and at least one circuit can be closed on the unit circuit board by applying the connection element onto the contact area.
US09228706B2 Lighting array providing visually-captivating lighting effects
An apparatus is disclosed in one embodiment of the invention as including an array of lighting modules organized in an alternating grid-like pattern. Each lighting module includes a pair of opposing light-emitting sides and a pair of opposing light-obstructing (e.g., light-reflecting) sides. Each lighting module in the grid-like pattern is mounted transversely to the lighting modules that are adjacent to it. As a result, each lighting module in the array illuminates the light-obstructing sides of lighting modules that are adjacent to its light-emitting sides.
US09228705B2 Portable multi-purpose illumination device
A portable multi-purpose illumination device that wraps into a compact shape for storage and includes a holding and storage device; a positioning member that is extendable and that is connected to the holding and storage device and around which at least a portion of the positioning member is wrapped for storage; and a light source housed within the holding and storage device and powered by connection to a power source which is at least one of (a) a power supply electrically connected via the positioning member and (b) a detachable battery housed within the holding and storage means. The positioning member is manually deformable and may be attached to various structures. The holding and storage device additionally features a retainer for various lenses and mirrors. The illumination device may be used to view a target object obscured from direct view by an intervening object by positioning the mirror appropriately.
US09228703B2 Soft flashlight
A flashlight includes a core having first and second surfaces, a side edge portion, and proximal and distal ends; along with first, second and third cavities. Light generating components include a light emitter in the first cavity, a switch in the second cavity and a battery disposed in the third cavity. A ribbon cable electrically couples the switch and battery. A first sheet-like stiffener overlays the first surface of the core. A first cover sheet overlays the first sheet-like stiffener to sandwich the sheet like stiffener between the first surface of the core and the first cover sheet. A second cover sheet overlays the second surface of the core. The first and second cover sheet members are joined together to form a flexible casing having an interior cavity. The core stiffener and light generating components are disposed within the interior cavity.
US09228701B2 Illuminated stripe and illuminated stripe system
An illuminated stripe includes light-emitting light sources and a member for conducting current to the light sources and a casing part. The light sources and/or the member for conducting current to the light sources are at least in part surrounded with the casing part. At least a part of the casing part includes a first substance, and at least a part of the casing part includes a second substance.
US09228699B2 LED lamp
An LED lamp includes a lamp body and a plurality of LED modules. The lamp body defines a pair of inserting holes in each of two opposite sides thereof. The LED modules each have a pair of inserting pins at a side thereof and a pair of inserting holes in an opposite side thereof. In assembly, the LED modules are electrically connected to the lamp body via inserting the inserting pins of the LED modules into the inserting holes of the lamp body and into the inserting holes of adjacent LED modules. In disassembly, the LED modules are detached from the lamp body and the adjacent LED modules via pulling the inserting pins of the LED modules out of the inserting holes of the lamp body and the adjacent LED modules.
US09228698B2 Terahertz wave generating device which outputs a terahertz frequency electromagnetic wave via Cherenkov phase matching
An electromagnetic wave emission device includes a nonlinear crystal which receives exciting light Lp having two wavelength components λ1 and λ2, and outputs terahertz waves L1-L6, a total reflection layer which is in contact with the nonlinear crystal, and totally reflects the terahertz waves L2, L4, and L6 output from the nonlinear crystal, a substrate which mounts the total reflection layer, and top clads which are placed on an opposing surface of the nonlinear crystal, and transmit the terahertz waves L1-L6.
US09228697B2 3D-camera and method for the three-dimensional monitoring of a monitoring area
A 3D-camera (10) is provided, having at least one image sensor (14a-b) and at least one illumination unit (100) which comprises a light source and which is configured for generating an irregular illumination pattern (20) in an illumination area (12) of the 3D-camera (10). The light source comprises a semiconductor array (104) having a plurality of individual emitter elements (106) in an irregular arrangement, and a respective individual emitter element (106) generates a pattern element (112) of the irregular illumination pattern (20).
US09228696B2 Variable height arm structures, systems, and methods
Enhanced variable-height mounting arms comprise structures that allow any of improved cleanability and/or improved adjustment of height or counterbalancing. An exemplary enhanced variable-height arm comprises an upper shell structure that substantially extends over the upper and side regions of the mounting arm, forming a four-bar linkage. A lower cover is mounted to the upper cover across the bottom side of the arm, and defines holes therethrough for extension of the opposing ends of the arm. The variable-height arm further comprises a bias element, wherein one end of the bias element is adjustably fixable in relation to a defined curve, non-linear path or slot, such as within a curved slot. The variable-height arm may preferably further comprise a mechanism for adjusting any of the height or counterbalance for the structure.
US09228676B2 Electroosmotic movable device
An electroosmotic movable device is provided, which includes a liquid chamber that houses a liquid, a conductive movable structure that is placed in the liquid chamber and has a rotating shaft or a supporting point and further has a conductive portion, and an electrode for applying an electric field to the conductive movable structure. The conductive movable structure is enabled to move by an electroosmotic flow which occurs in an electric double layer portion formed by being paired with an electric charge induced in the conductive movable structure owing to the electric field which is applied from the electrode.
US09228672B2 Electromagnetic valve and fixing structure
An electromagnetic valve has: a coil; a casing encircling the coil and having a cylinder portion and nail portions; a movable core moving axially in the wound coil; a fixed core set at an opening end of the casing; a valve body fixed to the opening end of the casing together with the fixed core by bending inwards the nail portions; and a spool valve body moving axially in the valve body. The nail portion is provided with a wide width portion at a root side, a narrow width portion at a top side and a stepped portion between the wide width portion and the narrow width portion. The stepped portion is positioned at a substantially same position as an outer edge of one end portion of the valve body, or positioned at a cylinder portion side with respect to the one end portion outer edge of the valve body.
US09228670B2 Soil moisture responsive irrigation flow control valve
A housing has at least one port for allowing entry of subterranean water into an interior of the housing when the housing is buried in soil. The housing has an inlet fitting configured to be coupled to drip tubing and an outlet for discharging water conveyed from a pressurized water source conveyed through the tubing. A valve includes a valve member that is movable to open and close a fluid communication path between the inlet fitting and the outlet. A hygroscopic member is positioned in the interior of the housing and is capable of absorbing subterranean water and expanding to move the valve member to close the fluid communication path. A spring element is positioned to bias the valve member to open the fluid communication path.
US09228664B2 Rotary multi-port valve
A rotary multi-port valve has a valve body having a primary flow port and a plurality of secondary flow ports. A rotary diverter is rotatable within the valve body and has an internal piston receptacle. A port selector piston is linearly moveable by hydraulic pressure from a de-energized position within the piston receptacle to an energized position for sealing with a selected flow port and accomplishes development of a spring force during hydraulically energized piston movement. Upon reduction of the hydraulic pressure the stored spring force returns the port selector piston to its de-energized position freeing the rotary diverter member for selective rotation to another selected flow port.
US09228662B2 Rigid piston valve incorporating a solenoid
A rigid piston assembly for use in a conventional flush valve includes a rigid piston and a solenoid configured to fixedly engage within the valve body. A flush valve for a plumbing fixture as well as a method of retrofitting a piston valve into a diaphragm flush valve body includes a rigid piston and solenoid configuration.
US09228661B2 Butterfly valve
A lightweight butterfly valve having a disk maintained in a fixed position on a compound shaft through an interlocking relation ship between each of the individual shafts of the compound shaft and the disk as the disk is moveable between an open or closed position with the butterfly valve may having other features such as an electric drive to quickly rotate the compound shaft to provide for rapid opening and closing the butterfly valve, a disk position indicator and a shaft stop to prevent the disk from being driven past a full open condition.
US09228660B2 Sliding member
An annular sliding member which is used in a mechanical seal, is attached to a rotating shaft, and slidably comes into contact, by being applied with energizing force in the axial direction, with another annular sliding member attached to a housing, wherein the sliding surface which comes into contact with the other sliding member is formed from: a dynamic pressure generating groove which guides a fluid to be sealed from a region to be sealed to the side of a region to not be sealed of the sliding surface, and a concave-convex section configured from a plurality of minute grooves which have a shallower depth than the dynamic pressure generating groove.
US09228656B1 Method for operating an automatic transmission
A method for operating an automatic transmission is provided. The method includes synchronizing a first positive shifting element of the at least one positive shifting element with a first process, a second process or a third process depending upon an input speed and/or an output speed of the automatic transmission. The first process, the second process and the third process can provide smooth and/or satisfactory shifting of the first positive shifting element at various input speeds and output speeds of the automatic transmission.
US09228654B2 System and method for automatic neutral and automatic return-to-range for use with an automatic transmission
A powertrain incorporating an automatic transmission and an electrical control unit for control thereof, the electrical control unit implementing a return-to-range feature that will return to the automatic transmission to a previously selected forward (and, in some embodiments, reverse) gear when the service brake is applied first and then the parking brake is released while the service brake remains applied. Other embodiments are also disclosed.
US09228645B2 Vacuum stable mechanism drive arm
A drive mechanism including a rotary actuated motor configured to rotatably drive a drive arm between a first position to a second position and an actuator responsive to movement of the arm, wherein the actuator is thermally isolated from the arm in both the first position and the second position to create a thermal barrier. The drive arm is configured to engage and advance the actuator between the first position and the second position, while remaining physically spaced from the actuator in the first position and the second position. The drive arm includes a recess such as an opening, wherein the actuator has a member configured to reside in the recess and remain thermally isolated from the arm in both the first position and the second position. In one preferred embodiment, a shutter of an imaging device is positioned in response to the actuator, which shutter remains thermally isolated from the motor and arm. Other devices may be driven as well, such as switches.
US09228644B2 Driving-side pulley
A driving-side pulley includes a cam mechanism that presses a movable sleeve in a first direction by utilizing a relative rotation of the movable sleeve in the normal direction with respect to an axis-line-direction fixed member, the first direction being a direction that has a pressing surface pressed against a corresponding side surface of a belt.
US09228643B2 Chain tensioning device
A chain tensioning device is basically provided with a main body, a chain guide and a rotary fluid damper unit. The main body is configured to be mounted to a bicycle. The chain guide is pivotally coupled to the main body to rotate around a rotational axis with respect to the main body. The rotary fluid damper unit is operatively connected between the main body and the chain guide to provide rotational resistance to the chain guide around the rotational axis. The rotary fluid damper unit is a separate unit from the main body, the rotary fluid damper unit being detachably mounted on the main body.
US09228642B2 Chain tensioner
To provide a chain tensioner that has a simple structure, is universally usable and capable of supplying sufficient and necessary oil when restarted after a long time after the stop of oil supply, and enables reduction of its length and size. Urging unit 140 provided in an oil pressure chamber 101 to be extendable and contractible urges a plunger 120 outward from a plunger bore 111 in a tensioner body 110 of the chain tensioner 100. A connection groove 122 is formed in the outer circumference of the plunger 120 to form a supply chamber 102. An oil reservoir chamber 123 is formed inside the plunger 120. A leak groove 125 is formed in the outer circumference of the plunger 120 on the side of the oil pressure chamber 101 such as to extend into the supply chamber 102.
US09228637B2 Power unit of shaft drive type vehicle
A power unit includes a cam damper mechanism having a cam member reciprocally and unrotatably provided on one of a pair of bevel gears, and rotatably provided on an extended shaft; a lifter member slidably and unrotatably provided on the extended shaft in an axial direction; a damper spring configured such that one end portion thereof is supported on a first flange portion of the extended shaft, and the other end portion thereof biases the lifter member toward the cam member in an axial direction by abutting on the lifter member, and the biasing force is supported by the one bevel gear. The extended shaft has the one of the bevel gears and the cam damper mechanism between the first flange portion and a first bearing, and is accommodated in the bevel gear case so as to be fixed to a bevel gear holder along with the first bearing.
US09228636B2 Method and tool for adjusting cable grips
A tool for adjusting a grip. The tool includes a tubular section for containing the grip while receiving a cable. A first stop is positioned in or near a first end of the tubular section to provide an opening for introducing the cable into the tubular section while the grip is contained in the tool. One of first and second stops is arranged for displacement along the longitudinal axis with respect to the other stop. With the grip positioned between the first and second stops, when one of the stops is displaced toward the other stop a force is applied against the grip, causing the size of the bore to increase and the length of the grip to be contracted.
US09228634B2 Wheel balancing weight and method of manufacture
A wheel balancing weight has a mass body with a groove in a first face and a groove surface recessed to a groove depth relative to the first face and has groove walls opposite one another across the groove. Blind slots have a slot depth greater than the groove depth and are formed at least partly into the groove surface and intersect each side wall. An attachment clip has a clip portion and an attachment portion with a pair of opposed side edges. A protruding element protrudes outward from each side edge. The attachment portion is seated in the groove between the groove walls such that each protruding element extends at least partly into one of the slots to a depth beyond the groove depth. Mass body material adjacent the groove walls is deformed and overlies portions of the side edges and protruding elements on the attachment portion.
US09228628B2 Crush-can attached to a frame rail through a vehicle body
An impact absorption assembly includes a bumper that is attached to a crush-can. The crush-can is assembled within a frame rail or other chassis frame member. A load path for a low speed impact is provided from the bumper through the crush-can and to the frame rail. An outer body structure defines an opening through which the crush-can is assembled to avoid damage to the outer body structure that may include a back-light support panel, a lift-gate and a rear tail light.
US09228625B2 Amorphous metal alloy
The invention relates to an amorphous metal alloy which may be used in the field of mechanical applications, in particular as a spring. This amorphous metal alloy corresponds to the formula FeaCObNicNbdVeBfTag in which: 0≦a≦70; 0≦b≦70; 8
US09228617B2 Drive shaft structure
The invention relates to a power transmission system of the automotive vehicle. A drive shaft structure, comprising a drive shaft and a hydraulic overload protector, the drive shaft comprises a first shaft and a coaxial second shaft, the hydraulic overload protector comprises a mounting rack, a crank shaft and at least a pair of hydraulic cylinders, a communicating tube is provided between two cylinders of the pair of hydraulic cylinders, a bi-directional pressure valve is provided on the communicating tube, said crank shaft comprises a spindle and a connecting rod shaft, said spindle is connected with said mounting rack rotatably, said first shaft is fixed with said mounting rack, said second shaft is fixed with said spindle, said connecting rod shaft is connected with said mounting rack via said cylinders. The invention discloses a drive shaft structure which can stop power transmission when the vehicle is overloaded, can restore power transmission automatically when the load meets the requirements and can buffer the resistance fluctuation during the driving process of the vehicle, the invention solves problems that the drive shaft will fracture when the vehicle is overloaded and when the resistance changes which increases the use cost and brings inconveniences to users.
US09228616B2 Universal joint
A universal joint includes a first rotating member, an annular connecting member, a pair of first connecting assemblies, a second rotating member, and a pair of second connecting assemblies. The annular connecting member is rotatably sleeved on the first rotating member, the connecting member defines a pair of first connecting holes at opposite sides and a pair of second connecting holes at opposite sides. The pair of first connecting assemblies respectively extends into the pair of first connecting holes to rotatably connect the first rotating member to the connecting member. The second rotating member is rotatably sleeved on the connecting member. The pair of second connecting assemblies respectively extends into the pair of second connecting holes to rotatably connect the second rotating member to the connecting member.
US09228612B2 Tapered roller bearing
A tapered roller bearing includes: an outer ring; an inner ring; a plurality of tapered rollers; and a cage that holds the tapered rollers at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the tapered roller bearing. A small-diameter-side inner periphery end portion of the cage is located at a position inward of an axially outer small end face of the inner ring in the axial direction of the tapered roller bearing. A small-diameter-side end face of the cage has an inwardly tilted face that is tilted inward in the axial direction from the inner periphery end portion from the radially inner side to the radially outer side.
US09228608B2 Motion guide apparatus
Provided is a motion guide apparatus including a track member with a rolling-element rolling surface and a moving member with a load rolling-element rolling surface, the moving member being movably assembled to the track member via a rolling element provided between the moving member and the track member, wherein: the cross-sectional shape of each of the rolling-element rolling and the load rolling-element rolling surfaces has a circular arc shape projecting in the direction that the rolling-element rolling surface and the load rolling-element rolling surface face each other; the rolling element has a drum-shaped cross-section with a diameter gradually reduced from both ends of the rolling element so as to correspond to the cross-sectional shape of the rolling-element rolling surface and the load rolling-element rolling surface; and the rolling-element rolling surface and the load rolling-element rolling surface configure an angular contact structure via the rolling element.
US09228603B2 Crack-proof screw
A crack-proof screw comprises a head; a rod having a first end extending from the head and having a rod thread near the head and expanding threads far away from the head; each expanding thread encircled through an angle smaller than 360 degrees; the screwing direction of the expanding thread being identical to or different from that of the rod thread; a tapered tail extending from a second end of the head; the expanding threads on the rod being near the tapered tail; the tapered tail having two drilling threads; each drilling thread can be extended to or not extended to the tip end of the tapered tail.
US09228600B2 Portable wind-resistant panel-frame kit, system and method
A portable panel-frame construction kit, system and method are described. A multiplicity of elongated frame members are releasably interconnectable to form a wall frame segment having at least one aperture therethrough, wherein facing sides of the frame members are coplanar with one another and at least a pair of the frame members are disposed on opposite sides of the aperture. A gasket channel is formed at the facing side of each frame member. Each gasket channel has a respective insertion axis oriented generally parallel to its respective facing side, and may be formed by fixed engagement between a cladding element and facing side of the respective frame member. A panel member is tautly securable to the wall frame segment by initial stretching of the panel member and insertion of mounting gaskets into respective gasket channels. A pull tab may be provided to facilitate removal of the gaskets from the channels.
US09228595B2 Gas-liquid auxiliary supporter for a dry granulator
The present invention provides a gas-liquid auxiliary supporter for dry granulator including a hydraulic cylinder housing, a lower air piston, a plunger, an upper cover and an upper air piston, wherein the hydraulic cylinder housing is arranged with a hydraulic oil inlet, the lower air piston is arranged with an oil channel for hydraulic oil to flow through, an opening at one end of the oil channel connects to the hydraulic oil inlet on the hydraulic cylinder housing, while an opening at the other end of the oil channel is arranged on the lower end face of the lower air piston, the plunger is arranged in the opening arranged at the lower end face of the lower air piston, the upper cover is fixedly connected to the upper end face of the hydraulic cylinder housing, the upper air piston is disposed in the upper cover with sliding fit, a containing chamber is defined by the lower end face of the upper air piston, the upper end face of the lower air piston and the hydraulic cylinder housing. By adopting such structure, the gas-liquid auxiliary supporter can provide support when the dry granulator runs, and the supporting force can be withdrawn when dry granulator stops, and the supporting force provided can be kept at a constant value to ensure the dry granulator works stably.
US09228588B2 Turbomachine component temperature control
Apparatus and methods for expanding a process fluid are disclosed. The apparatus includes a casing having an inlet and an outlet, and a component carrier disposed in the casing. The component carrier and the casing defining a cavity therebetween, and the component carrier at least partially defines a process flowpath fluidly communicating with the inlet and the outlet of the casing. The apparatus also includes a rotor disposed at least partially in the component carrier, with the rotor at least partially defining a first expansion stage intersecting the process flowpath. The apparatus also includes a bleed port extending from the process flowpath at a first point of the process flowpath to the cavity, to provide a thermal buffer fluid to the cavity.
US09228583B2 Liquid pump device
The invention relates to a liquid pump device, having a pump shell body, a soft rubber pressing device, a discharge channel, a sealed discharge cap, and a guiding tube. The pump shell body has an upper shell and a lower shell connected to form a first cavity communicated with the discharge channel. The lower shell has an arc surface with an upward opening. A flange is arranged at the lower end of the arc surface of the lower shell, a through hole being arranged at the middle of the flange. The soft rubber pressing device forms a second cavity with the lower shell. The sealed discharge cap has at least one cut forming a discharge port, and is sleeved to an end portion of the discharge channel. The guiding tube is arranged in the through hole of the flange, and is communicated with the second cavity via the feeding channel.
US09228582B1 Fluid pump and cartridge
In a fluid pump and cartridge assembly, a cartridge includes a material inlet port, a material outlet port, and a feed screw. The feed screw delivers fluid to be dispensed from the fluid inlet to the outlet port. The fluid inlet is preferably elongated in a direction along a longitudinal axis of the feed screw to enhance consistency in material flow through the cartridge. The feed screw is preferably driven by a closed-loop servo motor to achieve high-performance dispensing resolution. The assembly is preferably compatible with fixed-z and floating-z cartridges.
US09228580B2 Fluid transporter and fluid transporter driving method
A fluid transporter which transports fluid by pressing a plurality of radially disposed pressing shafts against a tube held in a circular-arc shape in directions from the inside of the circular-arc shape in accordance with rotation of a rotational pressing plate having a plurality of projections on the outer circumference thereof so as to allow flow of fluid includes: a first detecting section which detects the rotation angle of the rotational pressing plate; a second detecting section which detects the rotation angle of either a driving rotor for giving a rotational force to the rotational pressing plate or a reduction transmission mechanism for connecting the driving rotor and the rotational pressing plate; a data table which shows the relationship between the rotation angle of the rotational pressing plate and a cumulative delivery amount; and a controller which controls the drive of the driving rotor.
US09228579B2 Method and device for industrial biolayer cultivation
A compact, high-yield, bio-reactor for use as small, medium and large-scale production unit for therapeutic proteins, proteins in general and enzymes based on controlled activity of the cells or micro organisms and the production of such as high value antibodies for pharmaceutical and/or bio-diagnostic applications.
US09228577B2 Swash plate type variable displacement compressor
In a compressor, a link mechanism, which allows change of the inclination angle of the swash plate, is arranged between the drive shaft and the swash plate. An actuator is arranged in a swash plate chamber, while being rotational integrally with a drive shaft. The actuator includes a rotation body, a movable body, and a control pressure chamber. The swash plate has a fulcrum, which is coupled to the link mechanism, and a point of application, which is coupled to the movable body. The drive shaft is located between the fulcrum and the point of application.
US09228576B2 Swash plate type variable displacement compressor
A compressor includes an actuator. The actuator is arranged in a swash plate chamber, while being rotational integrally with a drive shaft. With reference to the swash plate, the actuator is located in a region in which a first cylinder bore is located. The actuator includes a rotation body fixed to the drive shaft, a movable body, and a control pressure chamber. A link mechanism is located between the drive shaft and the swash plate. As the inclination angle of the swash plate is changed, the link mechanism moves the top dead center position of a first head by a greater amount than the top dead center position of a second head.
US09228573B2 Wabble plate type variable displacement compressor
A wabble plate type variable displacement compressor has a wabble plate rotation preventing mechanism including an inner ring axially movable relative to a main shaft, an outer ring connected to the wobble plate, a plurality of balls placed between guide grooves of the inner and outer rings and performing power transmission, and a sleeve axially movably engaged with the inner ring, provided so as to be axially movable together with the inner ring. A shape differs between the axial cross-sectional profiles of substantially concave spherical surfaces formed respectively in the inner periphery of the outer ring and the outer periphery of the sleeve such that the closer to the axial opposite ends of the contact portion between both the surfaces the position is, the greater the clearance between these surfaces. Implementation of the wabble plate rotation preventing mechanism in such a compressor can provide excellent durability and silent performance.
US09228564B2 Integrated wind turbine
An integrated wind turbine. Each turbine blade has a flexible skin. Openings in the leading edge lead to one or more inflation chambers for ram air inflation during operation. A pivotal connection with the support post allows the plurality of turbine blades to yaw such that the rotor plane remains substantially perpendicular to the wind direction. The wind turbine may also include self-deploying drag vanes that extend away from the flexible skin when the wind speed is greater than the speed of the airfoil.
US09228563B2 Wind energy recovery in the wheels of vehicles
One embodiment of an apparatus for wheel slipstream energy recovery in wheeled vehicles comprising a plurality of wheel spokes (21) of a wheel attached to a rotatable motoring shaft (22) which in turn is connected to a motor (26) and a generating propeller (23) attached to a rotatable generating shaft (24) which in turn is connected to a generator (25). Operation of the motor (26) results in the motoring propeller (21) to rotate and generate an accelerating slipstream towards the generating propeller (23) which results in the generator (25) rotating to convert recovered rotational energy into other forms of useable energy. The motor (26) may be an electric motor or an internal combustion engine. The generator (25) output is available for charging batteries or powering electrical loads in either electric or conventional vehicles. Both motor (26) and generator (25) are motoring and generating simultaneously.
US09228562B2 Convertible wind turbine nacelle cover
A convertible nacelle cover with an integrated platform for avoiding the use of auxiliary devices when performing maintenance operations on the components of a wind turbine nacelle, in cases in which the nacelle is not large enough to allow workers to stand on it. The cover has at least two movable parts, which can be opened for maintenance operations, in such a manner that one of them becomes a working platform. Therefore, the nacelle cover is, per se, the place where the operator stands to perform the maintenance operations. It is especially designed to be used in small and medium size wind turbines.
US09228561B2 Device for capturing energy from an oscillating drive member
Disclosed herein is a device (10) for capturing energy from ocean waves. The device (10) comprises a base (12) adapted for stationary mounting relative to a fluid flow generated by the ocean waves. A drive member (14) is movably connected relative to the base (12) and adapted to be driven in oscillatory rotational motion relative to the base (12). An array of paddles (14c) extend from the drive member (14), such that forces applied to the paddles by the ocean waves drive the drive member in oscillatory rotational motion relative to the base (12), A plurality of removable modular energy transfer mechanisms (20) are associated with the drive member (14) and adapted to be driven by the oscillation of the drive member.
US09228553B2 Method of refurbishing a fuel injector
Methods are disclosed to refurbish a fuel injector to original manufacturing operational tolerances.
US09228550B2 Common rail injector with regulated pressure chamber
A needle type fuel injector has a needle control chamber at a pressure subject to a control valve in a control valve chamber which in an opening phase is lifted from its seat to expose the control valve chamber, connecting passages, and needle control chamber to a low pressure drain and in a closing phase is urged against the seat to isolate the control valve chamber, connecting passages, and needle control chamber from the drain. Resistance to the flow or displacement of fuel through the control valve seat is provided by a pressure regulating valve as the control valve rapidly closes against its seat, thereby reducing the rate of closure and thus the impact of the control valve on the seat.
US09228546B2 Method for actuating an element in the air supply tract of an internal combustion engine, in particular a throttle flap
A method for actuating an element (22) in the air supply tract (29) of an internal combustion engine (19), characterized in that the element (22) is actuated such that it opens the air supply tract (29) before the pinion (10) engages into the toothed ring (16) of the internal combustion engine (19).
US09228544B2 Internal combustion engine and method for operating an internal combustion engine
The invention relates to an internal combustion engine (1) with a crankcase (3) and a cylinder head (4) having exhaust ports (9) feeding into an exhaust manifold (10) for exhaust gas from the combustion chambers (5) of the internal combustion engine (1). Provision is hereby made for the cylinder head (4) to include at least one region of a heating channel (12) which is different from the exhaust ports (9) and the exhaust manifold (10) and has an inlet side (14) branching from one of the exhaust ports (9) or the exhaust manifold (10), and which is flowed through by an exhaust mass flow that is adjustable by an actuator (13). The invention further relates to a method for operating an internal combustion engine (1).
US09228536B2 Load shedding techniques for dual fuel engines
Systems and methods for controlling operation of dual fuel internal combustion engines in response to a load shedding event are disclosed. The control techniques mitigate the amount of uncombusted gaseous fuel passing into the exhaust and/or aftertreatment system and reduce the rate at which uncombusted gaseous fuel enters the cylinders to reduce engine torque output and/or speed in response to the load shedding event.
US09228531B2 Piston having combustion bowl and engine using same
A piston for balancing combustion efficiency and smoke generation with NOx production includes a combustion face forming a combustion bowl having a compound curvature increased in sharpness in a radially outward direction. An outer bowl surface defines a large radius of curvature adjacent an inner bowl surface, and a medium radius of curvature adjacent a cylindrical wall surface. The inner bowl, outer bowl, and wall surfaces together contour the combustion bowl, such that a diameter of the combustion bowl is about 124 mm so as to establish a bowl to bore ratio of about 0.71 in a direct injection compression ignition engine with a compression ratio of about 15:1 to 17:1.
US09228530B2 Piston for internal combustion engine
A piston for an internal combustion engine comprises a crown, a skirt section extending from the crown, and an oil ring groove. The piston further comprises a drain hole and a cooling channel. The drain hole extends from the oil ring groove to an inside space of the piston. The cooling channel is formed in the crown at a level above the oil ring groove, and arranged to covey a cooling oil. The cooling channel includes a channel segment which is located near the drain hole and which is formed to have a sectional shape avoiding the drain hole.
US09228529B2 Engine protecting apparatus for preventing the inflow of moisture
The present invention relates to an engine protecting apparatus for preventing the inflow of moisture, which drops the RPM (revolutions per minute) of an engine by generating an RPM drop request signal when moisture drain does not occur, wherein a time is counted from the point when a moisture detection signal is received from a WIF sensor installed in a moisture separator, and moisture drain is checked at the point when a counted cumulative time exceeds a set time. When moisture drain is not performed even after a signal for moisture drain is received from a moisture detecting sensor installed in the moisture separator, a driver is aware of the seriousness of moisture separation to thus separate moisture in the moisture separator as soon as possible. This prevents fatal damages which may be aroused in an injector or fuel system due to the introduction of moisture into an engine.
US09228528B2 Feedback control system
An object of the invention is to provide a feedback control system that calculates a P term and an I term on the basis of a deviation between a target value and a measured value of a control amount, and calculates a correction amount to be applied to an operation amount of a control subject on the basis of a PI term, which is a sum of the P term and the I term, wherein divergence of the I term in a condition where the PI term is restricted by a guard is prevented while improving a convergence property of the I term following removal of the restriction applied to the PI term by the guard. For this purpose, the feedback control system calculates, as a corrected previous value of the I term, a value obtained by subtracting a difference between a value of the PI term prior to restriction by the guard and a value of the PI term following restriction by the guard, from a value of the I term, and then updates the value of the I term by adding an update amount calculated from the deviation between the target value and the measured value of the control amount to the corrected previous value of the I term.
US09228525B2 Method and systems for engine fuel injection control
Various methods and systems are provided for indexing an injector map and subsequently controlling fuel injection to an engine. In one embodiment, a non-transitory computer readable storage medium with memory comprises fuel injector activation data indexed in the memory according to an input parameter, instructions for determining a modified pressure value based on a determined pressure and a modified pressure function, and instructions for generating a fuel injector activation output by interpolating among the indexed fuel injector activation data with the modified pressure value as the input parameter.
US09228519B2 Estimation device for cylinder intake air amount in an internal combustion engine
An estimation device for a cylinder intake air amount in an internal combustion engine can estimate a cylinder intake air amount to a sufficient accuracy for suitable engine control, in either of steady state operation and transient operation with a small number of adaptation constants and a small amount of calculation load, without requiring a huge memory capacity. The relation between an opening degree and an effective opening area of a throttle valve has been learned, while calculating the cylinder intake air amount in an S/D method from a volumetric efficiency correction factor map adapted by valve timing at the time of steady state operation, and in a period from a transient change until an exhaust manifold temperature is converged, an intake air amount is calculated based on the relation thus learned. The cylinder intake air amount is calculated based on a physical model of an intake system response delay.
US09228515B2 Controller and control method for internal combustion engine
An ECU determines whether or not an engine water temperature has exceeded a predetermined value; and actively opens and closes a wastegate valve, and calculates a shift in a learning value amount. The ECU determines whether or not the learning value shift amount is sufficiently large to surpass a predetermined value and when the determination result is Yes (when the condition is fulfilled), takes in the learning value shift. The ECU determines whether or not the engine water temperature is sufficiently low to be below a predetermined value and reflects the learning value shift in the air-fuel ratio learning value.
US09228514B2 Control device for internal combustion engine and vehicle incorporating control device
An ECU for controlling an engine counts the continued period of stopping the engine in a low-temperature environment. The ECU sets the idle rotational speed at a first idle rotational speed when the stopped period is below a predetermined threshold value, and at a second idle rotational speed higher than the first idle rotational speed when the stopped period exceeds the reference value. Accordingly, resonance at the driving force transmission system during idle operation can be prevented even in the case where a mount employed for attaching the engine to the vehicle is hardened as a result of undergoing a low-temperature environment for a long period of time, and the resonant rotational speed of the driving force transmission system including the engine varies.
US09228510B2 Engine control systems and methods
A system comprising an air actuator configured to control air delivered to an engine; a fuel actuator configured to control fuel delivered to an engine; and a controller configured to: actuate the air actuator in response to a first torque signal; and actuate the fuel actuator in response to a second torque signal.
US09228508B2 Method for determining the low pressure exhaust gas recirculation mass flow in the air system of an internal combustion engine
In a method for determining a low pressure exhaust gas recirculation mass flow {dot over (m)}Opt in the air system of an internal combustion engine (10) with low pressure exhaust gas recirculation, the determination of the low pressure exhaust gas recirculation mass flow {dot over (m)}Opt involves a preliminary low pressure exhaust gas recirculation mass flow {dot over (m)}EGRLPDs which is determined from a function involving, in particular, the pressure p42 upstream and the pressure p12 downstream of a low pressure side exhaust gas recirculation valve EGRVIvLP (29), the temperature TEGRVIvPUs downstream of the low pressure side exhaust gas recirculation valve (29), and the geometry arEGRVIvLP of the low pressure side exhaust gas recirculation valve (29). According to the invention, at least one mass balance based variable is also considered in the determination of the low pressure exhaust gas recirculation mass flow {dot over (m)}Opt.
US09228507B2 Dual fuel common rail system and diesel only method of operating same
A dual fuel common rail system may be operated in a regular mode in which a relatively large charge of gaseous fuel is ignited by compression igniting a relatively small injection quantity of liquid diesel fuel. The dual fuel system may be operated in a single fuel limp home mode in which liquid diesel fuel is injected at higher pressures. Over pressurization of the gaseous fuel side of the fuel system due to leaked liquid fuel is avoided by regularly injecting leaked liquid fuel, but not gaseous fuel, from the gaseous nozzle outlet set during the limp home mode of operation.
US09228501B2 Bleed valve override schedule on off-load transients
In one aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a method for controlling a position of a bleed valve of a gas turbine engine. The onset of an off-load transient may be determined. Values representative of the turbine rotor inlet temperature and the exhaust outlet temperature may be determined. Also, the amount of time elapsed since the onset of the off-load transient may be determined. Three provisional bleed valve command positions may be determined based on value representative of the turbine rotor inlet temperature, the value representative of the exhaust outlet temperature, and the amount of time elapsed, respectively. The provisional bleed valve command position associated with the lowest relative value may be selected. Then, the bleed valve position may be adjusted to match the selected bleed valve command position.
US09228500B2 Fuel metering system electrically servoed metering pump
A fuel metering system for supplying fuel to load includes a variable displacement piston pump having an adjustable hanger that is movable to a plurality of positions. The variable displacement piston pump is configured to receive a drive torque and, upon receipt of the drive torque, to supply fuel to the plurality of loads at a flow rate dependent on the position of the adjustable hanger. A hanger actuator is coupled to receive hanger position commands and is operable, in response thereto, to move the adjustable hanger to the commanded position.
US09228499B2 System for secondary fuel injection in a gas turbine engine
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a turbine combustor having a primary fuel injection system, a first wall portion disposed about a primary combustion zone downstream from the primary fuel injection system, and a second wall portion disposed downstream from the first wall portion. The turbine combustor also has a secondary fuel injection system disposed between the first wall portion and the second wall portion, where the secondary fuel injection system is removable form the first and second wall portions.
US09228495B2 Vortex reducer
The present disclosure relates to a vortex reducer (100) for a bleed flow (104) in an axial turbomachine comprising a rotor disc (113). The vortex reducer may comprise one or more guide channels (122) arrangeable adjacent to a first side (113a) of the rotor disc to at least partially de-swirl the bleed flow. The vortex reducer may further comprise a passage (130) connecting the first side of the rotor disc to a high pressure flow source capable of providing flow (134) to the first side of the rotor disc to mix with the bleed flow on the first side of the rotor disc.
US09228494B2 Hybrid cycle SOFC-inverted gas turbine with CO2 separation
A new gas turbine-fuel cell Hybrid Cycle is proposed. The fuel cell advantageously operates close or under atmospheric pressure and is fully integrated with the gas turbine that is based on an Inverted Brayton-Joule Cycle. The idea of the invention is to capitalize on the intrinsic oxygen-nitrogen separation characteristic of the fuel cell electrolyte by sending to the Inverted Brayton-Joule Cycle only the anodic flow, which is the one free of nitrogen. In this way the flow that expands in the turbine consists only in steam and carbon dioxide. After the expansion the steam can be easily condensed, separated and pumped up. Therefore the compressor has mainly only to compress the separated carbon dioxide. This effect generates a substantial advantage in term of efficiency and enables separating the carbon dioxide. The new proposed Hybrid Cycle enables to: substantially increase the system efficiency compared to the known gas turbine-fuel cell Hybrid Cycle, maintain the fuel cell operating under or close to atmospheric pressure and separate the carbon dioxide.
US09228481B2 Water pump mounting structure in internal combustion engine
A water pump mounting structure includes a water pump cover and a water pump housing. The water pump housing includes an upper extending portion and a lower extending portion. The upper extending portion includes a first upper fastening portion and a second upper fastening portion. The second upper fastening portion is provided between the first upper fastening portion and a pump driving shaft. The lower extending portion includes a first lower fastening portion and a second lower fastening portion. The second lower fastening portion is provided between the first lower fastening portion and the pump driving shaft.
US09228480B2 Piston crown cooling gallery insert
An internal combustion engine piston includes a crown including a ring belt portion including an outer wall and ring grooves, wherein the outer wall has a first end, a combustion bowl including an inner wall having a second end, a top wall extending between the inner and outer walls, and an annular cavity between the inner and outer walls, including an opening opposite the top wall, and at least partially defining a cooling gallery. At least one insert protrudes into the cooling gallery so as to axially overlap the ring grooves to direct coolant to desired portions of the crown.
US09228479B2 Marine diesel engines
In a marine conversion of a “Duramax” V8 diesel engine, each bank of cylinders has a jacketed exhaust manifold including a solid elongated casting including coolant galleries and a central exhaust duct. Recirculating coolant cools each cylinder then enters the exhaust manifold through separate apertures aligned with openings made by removal of a frost plug. Each manifold coolant aperture has a controlled diameter, ensuring most of the coolant passes along the length of the engine then along the manifold yet enough coolant cools each cylinder. The coolant then traverses and cools a manifold extension and a turbocharger.
US09228477B2 Exhaust system having a system for removing condensate
An exhaust system, for a vehicle driven by an internal combustion engine, has a system for removing condensate (141) that includes a first line section (110) for fluid connection with exhaust gas (160), at least one second line section (120) for fluid connection with exhaust gas (160), and at least one suction line (130; 131; 132; 136; 137; 138). The suction line (130; 131; 132; 136; 137; 138) is disposed between the bottom (124) of the at least one second line section (120) and the first line section (110), and includes an opening (135) configured to be passed over by exhaust gas (160) passing through the first line section (110).
US09228475B2 Exhaust silencing device
An exhaust silencing device connected to an exhaust system of an engine is provided in which two outlet pipes that have at an upstream end thereof an opening portion opening within the silencer main body and that discharge exhaust gas within the silencer main body to an outside thereof are disposed within the silencer main body along a bottom thereof so that the distances thereof from the lowest part of the bottom are substantially equal, and the opening portion of one outlet pipe is directed further toward the bottom of the silencer main body than is the opening portion of the other outlet pipe. Such exhaust silencing device efficiently discharges to the outside the condensed water building up within the silencer main body so as not to impair an effect in reducing exhaust resistance by providing two outlet pipes that guide the exhaust gas to the outside.
US09228474B2 Method and system of determining failure of urea quality sensor
A method and a system determines failure of a urea quality sensor. The method may include: determining whether a urea temperature is higher than a predetermined temperature; determining, if the urea temperature is higher than the predetermined temperature, whether a vehicle speed is faster than a predetermined vehicle speed; determining, if the vehicle speed is faster than the predetermined vehicle speed, whether a difference between a current urea quality and a previous urea quality is higher than a predetermined urea quality; and storing a failure code if the difference between the current urea quality and the previous urea quality is higher than the predetermined urea quality.
US09228473B2 System and method of controlling maximum hydrocarbon injection for diesel particulate filter regeneration
A method of providing hydrocarbons to an engine exhaust for regenerating a diesel particulate filter within an exhaust system of a diesel engine. A mass flow rate of exhaust gas within an exhaust system is determined. A mass flow rate of oxygen within the exhaust gas entering the diesel oxidation catalyst is determined. A set point indicative of an allowable mass flow rate of oxygen within the exhaust gas exiting the diesel oxidation catalyst is received. A hydrocarbon threshold that may be injected into the exhaust system is calculated. Hydrocarbons are injected into the exhaust system upstream of the diesel oxidation catalyst, wherein the injected hydrocarbons do not exceed the calculated threshold amount of hydrocarbons.
US09228463B2 Exhaust gas purification control device for an internal combustion engine
An exhaust gas purification control device for an internal combustion engine is provided with: a detection unit for detecting an air-fuel ratio or rich/lean state of exhaust gas that flows out of a first catalyst disposed at upstream side; estimating unit for estimating the oxygen adsorption amount on the first catalyst and a second catalyst; and an enrichment control unit for enriching or set the degree of richness temporarily by varying the degree of richness of injected fuel when the amount of the oxygen adsorption on the first catalyst and the second catalyst is estimated to be equal to or greater than a predetermined value. The enrichment control unit sets the degree of richness of the injected fuel to a first degree of richness that is greater than stoichiometry from the start of the enrichment process, and maintains the first degree of richness even after the output of the detection unit has reached a stoichiometric air-fuel ratio or rich/lean value.
US09228459B2 Actuator for axial displacement of a gas exchange valve in a combustion engine
An actuator for axially displacing an object includes an actuator piston disc and an actuator piston rod, which together form an actuator piston, a cylinder volume, the actuator piston disc dividing the cylinder volume into a first part and second part and being displaceable in the cylinder volume between an inactive and active position, a pressure fluid circuit arranged for controllable fluid communication with the first part, and a first hydraulic circuit including a liquid-filled space, the actuator piston rod being disposed to be axially displaced in relation to the liquid-filled space in connection with axial displacement of the actuator piston disc in the cylinder volume. The actuator piston includes a second hydraulic circuit, the liquid-filled space being in fluid communication with an inner cavity in the second hydraulic circuit when the actuator piston disc is in the inactive position, the inner cavity partly being delimited by a positioning piston.
US09228458B2 Valve seat insert
In one example, a valve seat insert for a cylinder head seat pocket of an internal combustion engine is described. The valve seat insert comprises an annular body comprising a first material and including an inner surface, an outer surface opposite the inner surface, a front surface adjoining the inner and outer surfaces, and a back surface opposite the front surface adjoining the inner and outer surfaces. The front surface includes an inner circumference greater than an inner circumference of the back surface. The back surface includes a first recession inlaid with a sacrificial anode comprising a second material different from the first material and having an exposed surface. In this manner, it may be possible to substantially prevent corrosion of the cylinder head seat pocket.
US09228457B2 Valve timing adjusting device, apparatus for manufacturing same and method for manufacturing same
A valve timing adjusting device for and engine includes a sprocket configured to rotate by receiving drive power from a driving shaft, a vane rotor fixed to a driven shaft so as to be rotatable relative to the sprocket, a housing that includes an oil chamber housing the vane rotor and is fixed to one end in a thickness direction of the sprocket, a bolt fixing the sprocket to the housing, and a knock pin inserted into a sprocket hole formed in the sprocket at one end thereof and into a housing hole formed in the housing at the other end thereof to restrict relative relation between the sprocket and the housing. The knock pin abuts against an inner wall of the sprocket hole at one end thereof, and abuts against an inner wall of the housing hole at the other end thereof.
US09228455B1 Outboard motors and marine engines having cam phaser arrangements
A marine engine for an outboard motor comprises a bank of piston-cylinders, an intake camshaft that operates intake valves for controlling inflow of air to the bank of piston-cylinders, an exhaust camshaft that operates exhaust valves for controlling outflow of exhaust gas from the bank of piston-cylinders, and a cam phaser disposed on one of the intake camshaft and exhaust camshaft. The cam phaser is connected to and adjusts a timing of operation of the other of the intake camshaft and exhaust camshaft with respect to the one of the intake camshaft and exhaust camshaft.
US09228454B2 Systems, methods and devices for rocker arm position sensing
A system for monitoring operation of an internal combustion engine having a rocker arm assembly for actuating an engine valve is disclosed. The rocker arm assembly includes a first arm with a first end, a second arm also having a first end pivotally connected near the first end of the first arm, a latch that when latched secures the first arm relative to the second arm in a latched mode, and when unlatched allows the first arm to move relative to the second arm in an unlatched mode. The system also employing a sensor attached to one of the first and second arms that can detect when the arms are moving relative to each other, and adapted to provide a signal indicating the sensed movement.
US09228450B2 Nozzle particle deflector for a gas turbine engine
A particle deflector for a gas turbine engine deters accumulation of particles in cooling passages of nozzle vanes of the engine. The particle deflector is arranged to be disposed around a turbine housing over cooling passages that supply cooling air to nozzle vanes within the housing. The particle deflector includes circumferentially distributed mounting holes for mounting the particle deflector to the turbine housing. The particle deflector also includes circumferentially distributed spacers to space the particle deflector from the housing.
US09228448B2 Background radiation measurement system
A turbine section according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, an airfoil including an edge and a probe positioned a distance from the airfoil. The probe is configured to detect radiation emitted from a radiation source. A sensor is operatively coupled to the probe and is configured to generate a signal utilized to determine when the edge of the airfoil extends into a line-of-sight between the probe and the radiation source.
US09228439B2 Cooled turbine blade with leading edge flow redirection and diffusion
A cooled turbine blade having a base and an airfoil, the base including cooling air inlet and an internal cooling air passageway, and the airfoil including an internal heat exchange path beginning at the base and ending at a cooling air outlet at the trailing edge of the airfoil. The airfoil also includes a “skin” that encompasses a tip wall, an inner spar, a leading edge rib, and a leading edge air deflector. The leading edge rib is configured to form a leading edge chamber in conjunction with the leading edge of the skin. The leading edge air deflector is shaped and positioned such that cooling air leaving the leading edge chamber is both turned and diffused.
US09228438B2 Variable vane having body formed of first material and trunnion formed of second material
A variable vane includes a variable vane body that has an airfoil portion. The variable vane body is formed of a first material. A trunnion is attached at one end of the variable vane body. The trunnion includes a pivot formed of a second, different material.
US09228437B1 Turbine airfoil with pressure side trailing edge cooling slots
An air cooled turbine blade with a trailing edge cooling circuit that is formed by casting the airfoil with a pressure side trailing edge lip being oversized, and then machining away material from the pressure side wall to leave a pressure side bleed slot with a smaller (t/s) ratio than can be formed by casting alone. In another embodiment, the airfoil is cast with a trailing edge exit hole, and then the material on the pressure side wall in the trailing edge region is machined away to leave a pressure side bleed slot instead of an exit hole.
US09228433B2 Apparatus and process for wellbore characterization
An apparatus and a process for wellbore characterization are disclosed, including: separating, in a separation vessel, drilling mud from gas produced during drilling of a wellbore; transporting the separated produced gas from the separation vessel to a downstream process; and measuring at least one of a temperature, a pressure, a mass flow rate, and a volumetric flow rate of the separated produced gas during transport using one or more sensors. Properties of the gas separated from the mud may be used to determine characteristics of a wellbore.
US09228431B2 Frequency location apparatus, methods, and systems
In some embodiments, an ex-situ apparatus and a system, as well as a method and an article, operate to transmit wideband modulated pulses to generate an externally-projected oscillating magnetic field in a material body, to record one or more raw echo free induction decay (REFID) signals during echo acquisition periods following some of the second modulated pulses, and to transform the acquired REFID signals via frequency decomposition to determine a preferred nuclear magnetic resonance frequency associated with a maximum amplitude of decomposed frequency components. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are described.
US09228429B2 Carbon dioxide content of natural gas from other physical properties
An apparatus and method are described to estimate a fraction of carbon dioxide present in a downhole fluid. The apparatus includes a carrier configured to be conveyed through a borehole penetrating the earth. The apparatus also includes a pressure sensor disposed at the carrier and configured to measure an ambient pressure of the downhole fluid and an ambient temperature sensor disposed at the carrier and configured to measure a temperature of the downhole fluid. A processor of the apparatus receives the ambient pressure and the ambient temperature measurements and solves for the fraction of carbon dioxide in the downhole fluid using a correlation function with the ambient pressure and the ambient temperature as inputs to the correlation function.
US09228424B2 Method of treating the near-wellbore zone of the reservoir
The invention describes a method for treating near-wellbore zones involving the steps of injecting a magnesium metal with a catalyst into the desired area of the formation to be treated. Subsequently, combustive-oxidizing solution (COS) is injected into the zone of the formation to be treated. The COS initially reacts with the magnesium, which in turn initiates a vigorous oxidation reaction of the COS. The reaction gases and heat produced by the COS oxidation reaction are harnessed to enhance the productivity of the well by creating fractures in the treatment zone and by melting of paraffin and resin deposits in the treatment zone. As a final step, acid is injected into the formation to react with the formation thereby further enhancing the porosity of the fractures. In one embodiment, the COS uses ammonium nitrate as the oxidizer, and in another, urea or ethylene glycol may be added as a reaction fuel.
US09228421B2 Insert assembly for downhole perforating apparatus
An insert for perforating a subterranean formation sealingly engages a port in a production casing run into a wellbore intersecting the formation. The insert has a core where in a first mode it prevents fluid passage through the insert, and a second mode where the core disengages from the insert upon a treatment fluid reaching a threshold pressure in the casing, and ejects from the insert as a projectile to initiate and contribute to the fracture and stimulation of the formation by the pressurized treatment fluid exiting the port. The insert has a chamber which is filled with a gel that prevents wellbore cement from setting and is covered by a perforated debris shield that permits the equalization of pressure between the chamber and the annulus between the casing and wellbore.
US09228415B2 Multidimensional data repository for modeling oilfield operations
A method for performing oilfield operations including collecting a model data set from the oilfield for populating a location of a plurality of locations in a multidimensional data repository, the plurality of locations accessible based on a plurality of dimensions of the multidimensional data repository, performing, using a processor of a computer, analysis of at least the model data set retrieved from the location of the plurality of locations to generate a result, adjusting, using the processor, the multidimensional data repository based on the result, and adjusting the oilfield operations based on the multidimensional data repository.
US09228403B1 Gripper assembly for downhole tools
A gripper assembly for anchoring a tool within a downhole passage and for possibly assisting movement of the tool within the passage. The gripper assembly includes an elongated mandrel and flexible toes that can be radially displaced to grip onto the surface of the passage. The toes are displaced by the interaction of a driver slidable on the mandrel and a driver interaction element on the toes. In one embodiment, the toes are displaced by the interaction of rollers and ramps that are longitudinally movable with respect to one another. In another embodiment, the toes are displaced by the interaction of toggles that rotate with respect to the toes.
US09228392B2 Venetian blind comprising pairwise interconnected slats
A venetian blind comprises a plurality of pairs 1 of horizontal slats 3, 5 which are connected together at the ends by means of a rope or tape 15. The Figure shows the venetian blind in partially closed position. The slats can rotate around the longitudinal axis both clockwise and anti-clockwise, so that the top or bottom respectively is rotated to the side facing the window. The venetian blind has cords to which the slats are attached with their longitudinal edges. By pulling at the cords the slats can be rotated clockwise or anti-clockwise.
US09228391B2 Bracket and a method to attach protective covers
This disclosure provides a device and a method to protect building openings with plywood panels during storm. The device and method is also provided to protect inside of buildings when windows or doors are broken. The bracket of this disclosure is simple and easy to make, and it allows attachment of plywood panels without shaping to cover windows and other building openings of any shape.
US09228390B2 Safety door
There is provided a safety door having a rotary body hinged to a door frame and a slider overlapping with an end of the rotary body. The safety door includes a fastening portion provided on at least one surface of an overlapping region of the rotary body and the slider, thus preventing separation and deformation of the overlapping region and guiding a movement of the slider, and a stopper preventing the slider from being removed from the rotary body and fixing or restricting a position of the slider. The rotary body and the slider decrease a width of a door by an overlapping movement of a female guide groove and a male protrusion. The safety door further includes a resilient pad provided between the protrusion and the guide groove and supporting an impact generated by a reduction in the width of the door.
US09228389B2 Triple pane window spacer, window assembly and methods for manufacturing same
A spacer, window assembly, method of manufacturing a window assembly, and method of manufacturing a spacer is described herein involving window assemblies having three sheets of material, which will be referred to as a triple pane assembly. Two interior spaces are defined within the window assembly: a first air space between the first sheet and intermediary sheet and a second air space between the second sheet and the intermediary sheet.
US09228385B2 Apparatus and method for extending door brake lifespan
The present disclosure includes a retrofitted door brake. The retrofitted door brake may, in various embodiments, comprise a hub comprising a cylindrical central axle, a plurality of projections extending radially away from an outer circumference of the central axle, and/or a cam comprising a plurality of pins that hold the projections away from a channel wall of a brake housing. The pins may be configured to break away from the cam to release the projections into contact with the channel wall, and the pins may be fitted with a cover, such that the pins are capable of withstanding abrasion and wear. The cover may comprise a cylinder having an axially running aperture, and/or a beveled edge that shaves a layer of the outer surface from one of the plurality of pins as it is fitted over the pin.
US09228381B2 Lid lock apparatus for vehicle
A lid lock apparatus for a vehicle includes a driving motor, a moving member causing a lid member provided at a vehicle body to be inhibited from opening in a state where the moving member projects from the housing to engage with the lid member, the moving member being retracted into the housing by the driving motor to release the engagement between the moving member and the lid member, and a pulling member connected to the moving member and pulled in a case where the moving member is inhibited from moving by the driving motor to cause the moving member to be retracted into the housing and to release the engagement between the moving member and the lid member. The moving member is movable relative to the pulling member in a moving direction of the moving member in a case where the pulling member is inhibited from operating.
US09228374B2 Lock structure and guidance mechanism thereof
A lock structure at least includes a driving plank and a guidance mechanism. The guidance mechanism and the driving plank are mutually coupled at a same unlatch position via the guidance mechanism, or, the guidance mechanism and the driving plank are mutually coupled at a same lock position, which prevents the driving plank from wrong installation to avoid a destruction of the lock structure or reinstallation.
US09228373B2 Combination-identifiable padlock
A combination-identifiable padlock has a shell, a combination lock cylinder, a key lock cylinder and an identification assembly. The combination lock cylinder, the key lock cylinder and the identification assembly are mounted in the shell. When the correct key is inserted, the key lock cylinder is rotatable to actuate the identification assembly and combination lock cylinder is actuated to identify the combination. Therefore, the combination is retrievable to avoid the combination lock cylinder to become unusable when the combination is forgotten.
US09228368B2 Anti-limb entrapment insert
Missing covers on pipes of a pool circulation system can create a hair and limb entrapment hazard for swimmers. The present invention provides pipe insert with a cylindrical body having a plurality of fins that extend into the cylindrical body to prevent the entrapment of limbs in the pipes of the pool circulation system. The fins further comprise a geometry that easily sheds hair strands to prevent hair from getting trapped in the pipe.
US09228365B2 Bracket assembly and form side walls for forming concrete structural components
A system is provided for retaining a flowable and curable building material to form a portion of a foundation of a structure of interest. A first and second side wall receive and retain the building material in a channel bound by the side walls. At least one of the side walls defines an interior cavity. A venting conduit is disposed within the structure of interest and coupled to the interior cavity to form a first passage. A bracket assembly retains the side walls in the predetermined configuration and includes two or more reinforcement posts and a separator bar. The separator bar has a first and second set of apertures proximate a first and second end that are sized to receive and retain a pair of the reinforcement posts at locations to establish a width of the components of the side walls and the channel being formed therebetween.
US09228363B2 Tile alignment and leveling device
A device for aligning and leveling tiles as they are laid in floors, walls, countertops, or the like. The device has a locking assembly and a bottom plate combined with a shaft that extends from the bottom plate through the locking assembly so that the locking assembly is movable along the length of the shaft. In use, the device is placed between adjacent tiles so that the locking assembly and bottom plate hold adjacent tiles at a desired height as the setting bed dries. The locking assembly has flexible members adapted to exert a constant compressive force against the tiles during the tile leveling process.
US09228362B2 Decking system and anchoring device
The present invention is an anchoring device for joining three boards. It includes a substantially flat horizontal top element having a top view configuration which includes two sides and has a first predetermined width as measured wide to side at its maximum width between the two sides. There is at least one substantially vertical support member attached to the underside of the top element along an imaginary center line and extending downwardly from the top element for a predetermined length, which has two sides and a second predetermined width as measured at its maximum width. There is a substantially flat horizontal bottom element with two sides and has a third predetermined width at its maximum width. The first predetermined width is greater than the second predetermined width and the third predetermined width, and the third is greater than the second.
US09228354B2 Metal roof penetration thermal break
Disclosed is a system for improving the condensation resistance of metal roof penetrations. When environmental conditions are right, the curbs associated with metal roof penetrations can experience condensation on metal parts for which there is no thermal break. The disclosed system provides a mechanism to implement a thermal break to prevent the formation of condensation.
US09228353B2 Roof top snow removing apparatus, method, and computer program product
A roof top snow removing apparatus includes a plowing unit configure to plow snow disposed upon a roof top, a motor unit coupled to and providing a motive force for the plowing unit, a track system to guide the motor unit about the roof top, and a controller to control the motor unit based on received input from a user.
US09228352B2 Insulated skylight assembly and method of making same
A skylight assembly is provided with a glazing unit which transmits light while limiting heat transfer. The glazing unit has spaced apart top and bottom layer defining an enclosed cavity at least partially filled with translucent insulating particles. A peripheral frame formed in situ from a polymeric material about the glazing unit forming a leak-tight joint.
US09228348B2 NP-EIFS non-permissive exterior insulation and finish systems concept technology and details
A new concept wall system is provided, wherein the Exterior Insulation and Finish System cladding is created using components with no water absorption, a very low vapor permeability and sealing properties, accommodated with an installation technology which extend the materials properties to the assembly, together with bonding and sealing the intersections and terminations, creating a Non-Permissive to water and vapor diffusion, Exterior Insulation and Finish System (NP-EIFS). The present invention relates to an EIFS cladding having two air and vapor barriers, one applied to the substrate, a continuous liquid membrane with sheathing joints sealed to be moisture barrier for inside vapors, and an exterior weather and vapor barrier which is created using closed cell extruded polystyrene insulation boards, special assembled with joints sealed, to create a non-permissive insulation envelope of the enclosure. Another object of the invention is to provide waterproof and air/vapor-proof details, a new concept of flashing and sealant application around windows/doors and other constructive elements to avoid thermal bridges and air leakage inside thermal envelope and wall assembly. Methods of installation are included.
US09228340B2 Vacuum thermal insulation material equipped with a getter material for water-fraction and gas adsorption, and production method therefor
The vacuum thermal insulation material of the present invention comprises: a core material part which is hermetically sealed under reduced pressure; a getter part which is provided on one side in the middle of the core part; and an outer skin material part which surrounds the core material part and is hermetically sealed. In the getter part, a getter material, comprising a mixture of a hygroscopic material and a gas-adsorbing material, is packed in the form of a nonwoven fabric. In the vacuum thermal insulation material of the present invention, the hygroscopic material is any one of calcium oxide, calcium chloride, zeolite, silica gel, alumina and activated carbon, while the gas-adsorbing material is an oxygen-adsorbing material comprising a Fe based compound; and the hygroscopic material and the gas-adsorbing material are mixed in a ratio of between 20:1 and 200:1.
US09228339B2 Wall sheathing, siding and roof decking hangers
A corrosion resistant, metal building construction connective hardware for installing wall sheathing, siding, and roof decking to a structure with a resting mount (24) of sufficient depth to fit the material being hung and a holding lip (26) that forms a front edge that can be imprinted for identification and verification purposes. The lip is easily painted or stained to match the exterior finish. The invention is versatile and multiple pieces can be connected to the foundation mudsill to install sheathing; to the bottom edge of sheathing to install siding; and to each roof rafter tail-end to install the roof decking.
关于PatentHub
关于我们 加入我们 联系我们 帮助中心
PatentHub产品
专利百科 商标查询 专利交易 大学排行榜 行业专题库
API接口 排行榜 专利资讯 最新中国发明专利 最新美国发明专利
PatentHub联系方式
QQ：3307693423 QQ：3236401158