| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US09358179B2 |
Mobile massage and spa units
A mobile massage and spa unit includes a body, a lighting system and a massage table. The body includes a front, rear, and side walls and a divider extending between the side walls to divide the body into a front section and a rear section. A perimeter of the rear section is defined at least partially by a surface of the divider, a surface of the rear wall, and surfaces of the side walls. Such surfaces are coated with a reflective material. The lighting system includes one or more controllable RGB fixture mounted within the rear section and configured to emit a selected color light. The emitted light is reflected via the coated surfaces to illuminate the rear section with the selected color light. The massage table is disposed within the rear section and centered between the side walls thereof. A working area is defined completely around the massage table. |
| US09358178B1 |
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation device
A cardiopulmonary resuscitation device includes a case having an extension portion extending therefrom. In operation, the user places the case across the chest of a person being given CPR, and presses the case into the person's chest, applying uniform force in according to a rhythm guided by audible and/or visual feedback. The cardiopulmonary resuscitation device includes a control circuit having a display screen, and a distance sensor apparatus operatively coupled to the control circuit. The distance sensor apparatus is carried by the extension portion which can be situated over the edge of the person, and provides a sensor signal to the control circuit in response to movement of the case. The display screen displays a distance and rate that the case has been moved during CPR, and both an audible sound and visual light are emitted each time the device is applied properly to the person receiving CPR. The device is automatically activated once a certain amount force is applied to the case. |
| US09358176B1 |
Crutch underarm support
The invention relates to improvements in walking crutches that have an underarm support mounted on one end of a longitudinally extending leg. The improvements include providing the underarm support with symmetrical side portions having symmetrical concave, curved, smooth surfaces, and an upper concave, curved, smooth surface to provide less discomfort when contacting the user's side, more comfortable support of the user's underarm and greater ease of use of the crutch by compression of the underarm support between the user's side, arm and underarm. |
| US09358175B2 |
Assistive walking device with adjustable dimensions
An adjustable walker includes a tubular frame construction having front and lateral telescoping tubes defining a walker space for a user. The lateral tubes have handgrips suitable for being grasped by a user. The front telescoping tubes are adjustable in length to adjust the width of the walker space for the user and the lateral telescoping tubes are adjustable in length to adjust the height of the handgrips. Locking mechanisms are provided for locking the front telescoping tubes and the lateral telescoping tubes. Actuators on the handgrips selectively unlock the locking mechanisms to allow a user to adjust the width of the walker space and for selectively unlocking the second locking to allow a user to adjust the height of said handgrips to adjust the height and/or width of the walker by use of said actuators on said handgrips without bending or letting go of the walker. |
| US09358173B2 |
Rehabilitation and training apparatus and method of controlling the same
A rehabilitation and training apparatus is built based on the empirical law by introducing physical therapists' experiences into the apparatus to simulate therapy with hands in the course of rehabilitation. The apparatus includes a multi-axis robotic arm having first to eighth arm segments, and a high-precision control system for controlling movements of the multi-axis robotic arm. The control system provides an active, a passive and an auxiliary mode; receives and computes information about a patient's movements and muscle force detected by potentiometers and force sensors provided in the multi-axis robotic arm; and accordingly, drives actuators to apply an aiding force or a resisting force to assist the patient in completing rehabilitation exercises. The apparatus also includes a humanized operating interface, via which a doctor or a physical therapist may obtain related rehabilitation data for assessment and adjustment of rehabilitation therapeutic courses. A method of controlling the apparatus is introduced. |
| US09358172B2 |
Knitted compression garment and knitted fabric
A therapeutic medical garment having a variable pressure profile along its length and includes a knitted tubular body and a knitted anti-slip portion formed proximate one end of the tubular body with an inner surface adapted for residing against a wearer's skin. The knitted anti-slip portion includes at least first and second high friction yarns simultaneously knitted to form a repeat having a raised surface texture on the inner surface of the anti-slip portion. One of the first and second high friction yarns is a low-elasticity yarn, and at least one of the first and second high-friction yarns is knitted to reside on and form the raised surface texture on the inner face of the anti-slip portion. |
| US09358171B1 |
Personalized decorative urn for pets
A personalized decorative urn for retaining the ashes of a loved one, such as a deceased pet, in a decorative container suitable to be personalized in a way to honor the loved one interred therein includes a container body which defines a rigid receptacle with integral side photo slots and a top neck sized to receive a removable lid. Each photo slot defines a three closed side, one open side enclosure which is sized to receive and securely hold a conventional printed photograph. The top neck is configured to allow an attachable card to be coupled with the container body through a decorative ribbon. In operation, the personalized decorative urn allows a loved ones ashes to be held in a container which has been decorated by an end user with photographs and other written indicia placed in the photo slots or in the attachable card. |
| US09358170B2 |
Surgery table apparatus
A surgery table utilizing first and second sections which are hingedly attached to one another. First and second sections are also connected to supports apart from the hinged portion. An elevator moves one of the sections upwardly and downwardly at the support. The resultant position of the frame formed by the first and second sections may take the configuration of a flat surface or an upwardly or downwardly oriented “vee”. |
| US09358168B2 |
Patient position detection for patient support surface
A patient support apparatus includes a patient support surface to support a patient. The patient support surface has at least one air bladder that is inflated and/or deflated to achieve a turn assist function and/or a therapy function of the patient support surface. A graphical user interface (GUI) is configured to receive user inputs from a caregiver to initiate the turn assist or therapy functions. The patient support apparatus has control circuitry coupled to the GUI. The GUI is controlled by the control circuitry to display information indicating that the patient is improperly positioned on the patient support surface for either the turn assist function or the therapy function. Alternatively or additionally, the control circuitry indicates that the patient is improperly positioned for raising a head section of a bed frame. |
| US09358167B2 |
Furniture member power mechanism with selectable lift movement and zero gravity position
A furniture member has a base frame including first and second frame members each having a first or second frame support tube. A mechanism includes a motor connected to the base frame and a torque tube connected to first and second support brackets and the motor. A stiffening tube assembly has first and second side stiffening tubes, the first frame support tube connected to the first side stiffening tube and the second frame support tube connected to the second side stiffening tube. Multiple rotation links include a first set connected to the first frame support tube and the first side stiffening tube, and a second set connected to the second frame support tube and the second side stiffening tube. The rotation links allow mechanism rotation to a forward lift position by motor operation displacing the torque tube and thereby forwardly rotating and lifting the side stiffening tubes. |
| US09358166B2 |
Transport chairs
In some embodiments, a transport chair includes a base frame, a seat assembly pivotally mounted to the base, and a footrest assembly pivotally mounted to the base frame, the footrest assembly being associated with the seat assembly so as to pivot in unison with the seat assembly until the seat assembly is pivoted forward to an extent at which the footrest assembly contacts the floor or ground, at which point the footrest assembly does not pivot further upon further forward pivoting of the seat assembly. |
| US09358165B2 |
Front suspension system for an electric wheelchair
A front suspension system for an electric wheelchair includes front pivot shaft, a front wheel retainer, an elasticity resistance member, and a front shock absorber. The front shock absorber is disposed on a horizontal first section of the front wheel retainer so as to improve climbing capability of the wheelchair. The elasticity resistance member is disposed between the frame and the front wheel retainer and has two ends connected to the front wheel retainer and the abutting member of the frame, respectively. When the front wheels encounters bumpy road and makes the front wheel retainer pivot, the elasticity resistance member will be compressed to produce a reaction force toward the front wheel retainer and the abutting member of the frame, respectively, so that the front wheel retainer is pressed down to keep pressing against the flat bearing surface, and the frame is also pressed downward to prevent tipping backward. |
| US09358164B2 |
Easily dissociable wheelchair
A wheelchair (10) comprising:—a seat module (10) including a seat frame (11) supporting a seat (12);—a backrest module (20) including a backrest frame (21) connected to said seat frame (11) and supporting a backrest (22);—a front frame module (30) including a front frame (31), said front frame (31) including left and right bended legs (31a, 31b) removably connected at their upper end to said seat frame (11) and at their lower end to a footrest (32), said bended legs (31a, 31b) being supported by caster wheel assemblies (35, 36) via caster support (34);—a rear wheel module (40) including left and right rear wheels (41a, 41b) pivotally connected to an axle (42), said rear wheel module (40) being removably connected to said seat module (10) through left and right connecting elements (43a, 43b); wherein said seat frame (11) consists in left and right longitudinal profiles (11a, 11b) extending in the same plane. |
| US09358158B2 |
Patterned neo-epithelialization dressings, systems, and methods
Systems, methods, and apparatuses are presented that involve forming patterns on neo-epithelium that allow increased functionality and may more nearly resemble the original epithelium. In one instance, a patterned neo-epithelium dressing for treating a tissue site having granulation tissue includes an interface member for placing proximate the granulation tissue and a plurality of three-dimensional features formed on a second, patient-facing side of the interface member. Other systems, methods, and apparatuses are disclosed. |
| US09358155B2 |
Dual blade ophthalmologic surgery device
A dual blade device comprising an elongate probe having first and lateral second cutting edges and a blunt protruding distal tip, useable for performing an ab interno procedure to remove a strip of trabecular meshwork tissue from a human eye. |
| US09358154B2 |
Presbyopia correction through negative spherical aberration
Devices, systems, and methods for treating and/or determining appropriate prescriptions for one or both eyes of a patient are particularly well-suited for addressing presbyopia, often in combination with concurrent treatments of other vision defects. High-order spherical aberration may be imposed in one or both of a patient's eyes, often as a controlled amount of negative spherical aberration extending across a pupil. A desired presbyopia-mitigating quantity of high-order spherical aberration may be defined by one or more spherical Zernike coefficients, which may be combined with Zernike coefficients generated from a wavefront aberrometer. The resulting prescription can be imposed using refractive surgical techniques such as laser eye surgery, using intraocular lenses and other implanted structures, using contact lenses, using temporary or permanent corneal reshaping techniques, and/or the like. |
| US09358153B2 |
Inhibition of platelet activation, aggregation and/or adhesion by hypothermia
A method for treating acute coronary syndromes (i.e., unstable angina or non-Q-wave MI) or transient ischemic attacks in a human or animal patient by placing a heat exchange apparatus in the patient's vasculature and using that heat exchange apparatus to cool the patient to a temperature (e.g. 30-36 degrees C.) at which platelet inhibition (i.e., inhibition of platelet activation and/or aggregation and/or adhesion) occurs. Anti-shivering drugs or anesthesia may be administered to patients whose body temperature is cooled below that patient's shivering threshold (typically approximately 35.5 degrees C.). If it is determined that platelet inhibition is no longer desirable, such as when the patient is about to undergo a surgical or interventional procedure wherein bleeding could be problematic, the hypothermia-induced platelet inhibition may be rapidly reversed by using the intravascular heat exchange apparatus to re-warm the patient's body to normothermia or near normothermia. |
| US09358152B2 |
Device and method for the reduction of pain associated with needle sticks
A device that is used to reduce the pain of a needle stick to a person, the device having a casing containing a vibratory device and a temperature reducing device, and a method for using the device to reduce the pain of a needle stick by applying both thermal and vibration analgesia to a subject during a needle stick. |
| US09358151B2 |
Therapeutic cooling pillow
An apparatus and method of relieving hot flashes or body overheating or insomnia by applying to the body of a person in need of relief therefrom a cooled elongate flexible pillow filled with pellets having sufficient weight and flow properties to provide a comforting wrapping effect on the back of the neck. A preferred filler is wheat berries. In a particular embodiment, the pillow is draped over the stellate-ganglion area of the neck. |
| US09358150B2 |
Methods and devices for non-invasive cerebral and systemic cooling alternating liquid mist/gas for induction and gas for maintenance
Methods for cerebral and systemic cooling via a patient's nasopharyngeal cavity are described. In one method, a cooling assembly is inserted into a nasal cavity through a patient's nostril. A substantially dry gas is delivered through a lumen of the catheter onto the surface of the patient's nasal cavity. Evaporative heat loss cools the patient's nasal cavity. If additional cooling is needed, a liquid coolant is delivered through a separated lumen of the catheter. The liquid coolant is nebulized at a plurality of delivery ports on the distal end of the catheter and is delivered onto the surface of the patient's nasal cavity in combination with the dry gas. The dry gas enhances evaporation of the nebulized coolant and additional cooling is provided from the evaporative heat loss of the liquid coolant. |
| US09358144B2 |
Gastrointestinal implants
A device for inducing weight loss in a patient includes a tubular prosthesis positionable at the gastro-esophageal junction region, preferably below the z-line. In a method for inducing weight loss, the prosthesis is placed such that an opening at its proximal end receives masticated food from the esophagus, and such that the masticated food passes through the pouch and into the stomach via an opening in its distal end. |
| US09358141B2 |
Stent deployment device
A stent deployment device (110) is provided for deploying a stent in a lumen of a patient. The device can include a catheter (112), a first balloon (122) positioned near a distal end of the catheter and a second balloon (123) adjacent to the first balloon. Alternatively, the second balloon can be positioned over the first balloon. The device also includes an expandable stent (210) positioned over the first balloon and the second balloon. The first balloon comprises a semi-compliant material, a noncompliant material or a compliant material. Similarly, the second balloon comprises a semi-compliant material, a noncompliant material or a compliant material. The first balloon is expandable to a first diameter, while the second balloon can be expandable to a second diameter. |
| US09358130B2 |
Surgical instrument and method of positioning an acetabular prosthetic component
An orthopaedic surgical instrument for positioning an acetabular prosthetic component in a patient's surgically-prepared acetabulum includes a surgical tool configured to be coupled to the acetabular prosthetic component, and a gravity-based position indicator removably coupled to the surgical tool. The position indicator includes a first marking indicating a first position of the acetabular prosthetic component, and a second marking indicating a second position. |
| US09358128B2 |
Expandable fusion device and method of installation thereof
The present invention provides an expandable fusion device capable of being installed inside an intervertebral disc space to maintain normal disc spacing and restore spinal stability, thereby facilitating an intervertebral fusion. In one embodiment, the fusion device includes a body portion, a first endplate, and a second endplate, the first and second endplates capable of being moved in a direction away from the body portion into an expanded configuration or capable of being moved towards the body portion into an unexpanded configuration. The fusion device is capable of being deployed and installed in both configurations. |
| US09358125B2 |
Coaxial screw gear sleeve mechanism
An improved mechanism for expanding or lifting a device in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention is a coaxial screw gear sleeve mechanism. In various embodiments, coaxial screw gear sleeve mechanisms includes a post with a threaded exterior surface and a corresponding sleeve configured to surround the post, the corresponding sleeve having a threaded interior surface configured to interface with the threaded exterior surface of the post and a geared exterior surface. A drive mechanism can be configured to interface with the geared exterior surface of the sleeve, causing a device utilizing such a mechanism to expand or lift between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration. |
| US09358123B2 |
Bone fusion device, apparatus and method
A bone fusion method, apparatus and device for insertion between bones that are to be fused together and/or in place of one or more of the bones, such as, for example, the vertebrae of a spinal column. The bone fusion device comprises one or more extendable plates having a central rib. The bone fusion device includes one or more support channels configured to receive an insertion instrument that is then secured to the bone fusion device via a coupling mechanism. As a result, the coupled device is able to be securely positioned between vertebrae using the insertion instrument with minimal risk of slippage. |
| US09358120B2 |
Expandable coil spinal implant
Coiled spinal implants for disc, vertebral body, and spinal motion segment replacement or reconstruction comprise a plurality of loops and spaces between the loops, with the loops formed of a hollow material and having a plurality of apertures or a longitudinal gap that extend(s) through the sidewalls of the loops and into the hollow center. The coiled implants include one or more balloons within the hollow center, the spaces between the coil loops, and/or within the central void that the coil surrounds. Filling the balloon expands the loops and thereby increases the height of the coil. Bone graft material or bone cement may be deployed from the apertures or gap. |
| US09358113B2 |
Delivery system
A covering for delivering a substance or material to a surgical site is provided. The covering, with substance provided therein, may be referred to as a delivery system. Generally, the covering may be a single or multi-compartment structure capable of at least partially retaining a substance provided therein until the covering is placed at a surgical site. Upon placement, the covering may facilitate transfer of the substance or surrounding materials. For example, the substance may be released (actively or passively) to the surgical site. The covering may participate in, control, or otherwise adjust, the release of the substance. |
| US09358105B2 |
Support device for heart valve prostheses
A support device for implanting a stentless heart valve prosthesis having three leaflets adapted for coapting and defining three corresponding commissures is disclosed. The support device includes a shaft defining a manipulation axis, the shaft having a proximal portion and a distal portion, and three support formations integrally formed and extending from the proximal end of the shaft, the support formations angularly distributed about the manipulation axis of the shaft, such that each of the support formations correspond to locations of each of the commissures of the stentless heart valve prosthesis. The shaft includes a connection portion flexibly connecting the shaft and the support formations to permit a displacement of the manipulation axis with respect to the support formations. The shaft, the plurality of support formations and the connection portion are integrally formed from a single tubular element. |
| US09358100B2 |
Hair transplant material
A hair transplantation material prepared by a process comprising: refrigerating a hair portion comprising a hair shaft, a hair root, and a cell-collagen layer; and sterilizing the refrigerated hair. |
| US09358099B2 |
Method of implanting a stent graft and creating a fenestration therein
A stent graft provides for a fenestration to be created by a side branch fenestration creation device. A kit comprises a side branch fenestration creation device and a stent graft in which a fenestration may be created thereby. |
| US09358096B2 |
Methods of treatment with drug eluting stents with prolonged local elution profiles with high local concentrations and low systemic concentrations
A drug eluting stent can include a stent body having a polymeric coating with a lipophilic and/or hydrophilic element. A drug that has a bioactivity that inhibits cell proliferation can be disposed in the polymeric coating. The drug can be present in the polymer at an amount greater than or equal to about 150 μg/cm2. The polymeric coating and drug are configured to cooperate so as to form a diffusion pathway with tissue when the stent is disposed in a body lumen such that the drug preferentially diffuses into the tissue over a body fluid passing through the body lumen such that a maximum systemic blood concentration of the drug is less than about 40 ng/ml. |
| US09358094B2 |
Retrieval systems and methods for use thereof
The devices and methods described herein relate to improved structures for removing obstructions from body lumens. Such devices have applicability in through-out the body, including clearing of blockages within the vasculature, by addressing the frictional resistance on the obstruction prior to attempting to translate and/or mobilize the obstruction within the body lumen. |
| US09358093B2 |
Bio-implantable devices having super-hydrophobic surface and method for manufacturing thereof
The present disclosure relates to a bioimplantable device having a superhydrophobic surface and a method for manufacturing the same. The bioimplantable device, which includes a biocompatible substrate and a superhydrophobic nanostructure formed on the surface of the biocompatible substrate, is capable of preventing blood clot formation by blocking contact with proteins, water, blood platelets, etc. when used for blood vessels. |
| US09358088B2 |
Oral hygiene implement and oral hygiene device
An oral hygiene implement attachable to a handle of an oral hygiene device is provided. The implement includes a housing; a functional element movably mounted at the housing such that it can be driven into a motion; a motion transmitter element coupled with the functional element; and an adhesive layer provided at the motion transmitter element for adhesively coupling the motion transmitter element with a drive shaft of the handle when being attached. |
| US09358083B2 |
Method of composing and designing a set of teeth
Disclosed is a computer-implemented method of designing a number of dental restorations for a patient, wherein the method includes: selecting a composed set of teeth including a number of teeth, where the number of teeth are arranged spatially relative to each other forming a high aesthetic composition; applying the composed set of teeth to a virtual three dimensional representation of the patient's present oral situation to obtain an initial set of teeth; optionally modifying one or more parameters of one or more of the teeth in the initial set of teeth to obtain a finalized set of teeth. |
| US09358081B2 |
Lingual bracket
A lingual bracket has a bracket body (1) and a movable wing (2). The bracket body (1) includes a bracket seat (11) with non-skid pattern on its lower surface and a stationary wing (12) integrally and protrudingly provided onto an end of the bracket seat. A through hole (13) is arranged along the central axis of the stationary wing (12). A movable wing (2) has an arch wire hook (21) at an end and a fixed portion (22) at the other end. The fixed portion end of the movable wing passes through the through hole in the stationary wing, and a spring (3) is sleeved on the section of the movable wing passing through the through hole. One end of the spring (3) is engaged against the stationary wing (12), and the other end is retained on the fixed portion of the movable wing. The arch wire hook (21) of the movable wing (2) can hook an arch wire (4) by constant orthodontic force provided by the spring (3). |
| US09358069B2 |
Surgical forceps
A forceps includes an end effector assembly having first and second jaw members movable relative to one another between a spaced-apart position, a first approximated position, and a second approximated position. One or both of the jaw members including a first stop member coupled thereto and disposed between the jaw members. The first stop member is longitudinally translatable along a surface of the at least one jaw member from a first position, wherein the first stop member inhibits approximation of the jaw members beyond the first approximated position, and a second position, wherein the first stop member inhibits approximation of the jaw members beyond the second approximated position. |
| US09358068B2 |
Devices for the treatment of biological tissue
An apparatus for treating a subcutaneous fat region is provided. The apparatus includes a housing that has a skin contacting portion defining a chamber. The apparatus also includes a first spaced region in the housing through which a coolant passes and a second spaced region in the housing that is at least partially evacuated of air. The apparatus further includes a source of electromagnetic radiation, a source of vacuum in fluid communication with the chamber, and a source for the coolant. |
| US09358066B2 |
Flexible microwave catheters for natural or artificial lumens
A microwave delivery device, including a coaxial feedline having an inner conductor, an inner dielectric insulator coaxially disposed about, the inner conductor, and an outer conductor coaxially disposed about, the inner dielectric, and a radiating portion operably coupled to a distal end. The radiating portion includes a radiating portion inner conductor operable coupled to and extending from a distal end of the coaxial feedline inner conductor, a shielding outer conductor helically wrapped about the radiating portion inner conductor and operably coupled to the coaxial feedline outer conductor; and a shielding dielectric positioned between the radiating portion inner conductor and the shielding outer conductor wherein the width of the shielding outer conductor varies according to the longitudinal position thereof along the coaxial feedline inner conductor, and a cap operably coupled to a distal end of the radiating portion inner conductor and the shielding outer conductor to provide an electrical connection therebetween. |
| US09358060B2 |
Self-retaining driver for a bone screw
A driver instrument for engaging and transferring rotational torque to a bone anchor already screwed into a bony structure. The driver instrument may be advanced through an incision while disengaged from the bone anchor and thereafter engaged in a driver socket of the bone anchor. The driver instrument includes an elongate shaft extending distally from a handle, a tapered distal tip, and a driver engagement feature located proximally of the tapered distal tip. The tapered distal tip and the driver engagement feature are configured such that the longitudinal rotational axis of the driver instrument automatically moves into parallel alignment with the longitudinal rotational axis of the bone anchor as the driver engagement feature of the driver instrument is advanced into the driver socket of the bone anchor. |
| US09358058B2 |
Methods and apparatus for treating vertebral fractures
Methods and apparatus for treating bones, including, in one or more embodiments, methods and apparatus for treatment of vertebral fractures that include a containment assembly for cement containment and/or a balloon assembly for maintaining vertebral height. A containment assembly comprising a containment jacket adapted to be deployed inside bone; and a dividing wall that separates the interior of the containment jacket into a proximal region and a distal region, the dividing wall having an opening for providing access to the distal region from the proximal region. |
| US09358052B2 |
Method for fixation of bone fragments at bone fractures
The present invention relates to a device for fixation of bone fragments at bone fractures. The device comprises at least two fixation means (5, 6) and a securing plate (4). With the object of preventing or counteracting re-dislocation, the respective fixation means (5, 6) each have a first fixing portion (19) for fixing the fixation gleans in an inner bone fragment (3), a second fixing portion (21) for locking the fixation means to the securing plate (4) which is disposed on the outside of an outer bone fragment (2) and allows movement of the outer bone fragment relative to it, so that the fixation means are prevented from changing their angular position relative to the securing plate and relative to one another, and a middle portion (22) which is situated between the fixing portions and runs through the outer bone fragment, along which middle portion the outer bone fragment can slide inwards towards the inner bone fragment in which the fixation means is fixed. |
| US09358046B2 |
Rod coupling system and devices and methods of making and using the same
Provided are rod coupler devices, systems, kits and methods, which include at least one saddle having a concave configuration that either abuts a bone fastener and/or a locking cap and is shaped so as to contact the rod in two or more lines of contact, which reduces pressure on the rod, and therefore permits use of a rod having various materials, such as PEEK, without significant deformation of the rod. Also provided is the saddle itself and integrated locking caps that include a saddle, the locking cap and a set screw. Also provided are elongate rods having advantageous shapes, configurations, and/or compositions for rod coupler devices, systems and methods. Further provided are screw and cap devices and systems that themselves include a concave configuration so as to contact a rod in two or more lines of contact, which reduces pressure on the rod. |
| US09358043B2 |
Distraction membrane
The present invention relates to an arched membrane and/or a membrane having rounded edges for regenerating a bone, in particular a distraction membrane, suitable for callus distraction, notably in the jaw region, to the use of the membrane for callus distraction, and to methods for callus distraction. |
| US09358041B2 |
Wicking fluid management in a surgical access device
The present invention generally provides methods and devices for removing fluid from a surgical instrument. Surgical access devices and seal systems are generally provided having one or more valves or seal assemblies to create a closed system between the outside environment and the environment in which the surgical access device is being inserted. In one embodiment, a seal assembly is provided and can include a seal having an opening configured to receive a surgical instrument therethrough and a fluid remover in the form of an absorbent element, a scraper element, a wicking element, or any combination thereof can be associated with the seal and configured to remove fluid from the opening and/or a surgical instrument. |
| US09358040B2 |
First-entry trocar system
A surgical access system comprises a trocar, an insufflating optical obturator slidably insertable into the trocar, and a laparoscope slidably insertable into the obturator. A distal end of the obturator comprises a tip, at least a portion of which comprises a wall with a generally uniform thickness comprising a transparent material. At least one vent hole disposed at the obturator tip is fluidly connected to a gas flow channel defined by an interior surface of the obturator and the laparoscope, which is fluidly connected to an insufflation gas inlet disposed at a proximal end of the trocar. Improved optical characteristics of the trocar system permit precise and accurate visual placement thereof into a body cavity. Accordingly the access system is suitable as a first entry surgical access system. Embodiments of the trocar access are also useful for drug delivery, and/or for fluid and/or tissue aspiration. |
| US09358039B2 |
Transseptal needle apparatus
In various examples, an apparatus includes a needle assembly including an outer cannula including a tubular sidewall disposed around a lumen. At least a portion of the sidewall includes an exterior including a polymeric material configured to inhibit skiving of an interior of a dilator with movement of the outer cannula within the dilator. An inner cannula is disposed within the lumen and is selectively slidable with respect to the outer cannula. A handle is disposed at a proximal portion of the needle assembly. The handle includes a first handle portion coupled to and movable with the outer cannula. A second handle portion is coupled to and movable with the inner cannula, wherein the first handle portion is selectively movable with respect to the second handle portion to extend a distal end of the inner cannula from within the lumen of the outer cannula. |
| US09358038B2 |
Spinal canal access and probe positioning, devices and methods
Methods and devices for detecting positioning of a probe in a tissue of a patient. A method can include providing a detection device; advancing a device coupled probe through the tissue of the patient and toward the patient's spinal canal; detecting a change in pressure about the distal portion of the coupled probe during advancing, where the detected pressure change indicates probe positioning in the patient's spinal canal; outputting the detected pressure change or indication of probe positioning to a visual display. |
| US09358037B2 |
Method and apparatus for centering a microcatheter within a vasculature
The invention is directed to methods and apparatus for centering a microcatheter within a vasculature. In one aspect, the methods and apparatus can be used to support centering and to facilitate a guidewire to cross through a chronic total occlusion. In one embodiment, the catheter apparatus includes: a microcatheter having a lumen, a distal opening and a distal end; one or more guidewires for passing through the lumen of the microcatheter; an inner shaft having a lumen, a distal opening and a distal end for passing the inner shaft over the microcatheter; an outer shaft having a lumen, a distal opening and a distal end for passing the outer shaft over the inner shaft; and a self-expandable scaffold structure disposed towards the distal end of the inner shaft. The self-expandable scaffold structure is preferably non-occluding thereby allowing blood to flow through the scaffold. Preferably, the inner shaft and microcatheter are capable of being independently operable. |
| US09358031B2 |
Wristed robotic tool with replaceable end-effector cartridges
In one embodiment of the invention, a replaceable electrosurgical end effector cartridge is provided to couple to a mechanical wrist of a surgical instrument for a robotic surgical system. The replaceable electrosurgical end effector cartridge includes two end effectors, a fastener to rotatably couple the two end effectors together, and a cam mechanism. At least one of the two end effectors is a moveable end effector having a jaw portion, an off-center portion, and a base portion. The cam mechanism is coupled to the base portion of the at least one moveable end effector to pivot it about the fastener to open and close the jaw portion of the at least one moveable end effector with respect to the other. |
| US09358030B2 |
Ultrasonic surgical tool
The shaped output is for use with an ultrasonic surgical tool vibratable in torsional mode. The output has a generally cylindrical first waveguide (1) with, at a distal end a second waveguide extension member (3) of reduced diameter. The second waveguide (3) is curved in one plane from the axis of the first waveguide. It has at least two blade faces (4) extending radially outwardly from its distal end. |
| US09358027B2 |
Thoracoscopic instrument
Various embodiments relate to a surgical instrument. The surgical instrument includes a first handle member having a first handle portion and a first shaft portion; a first end member connected to the first handle member having a first instrument portion and a tab; a second end member connected to the tab of the first end member having a second instrument portion and a shaft portion; a second handle member connected to the shaft portion of the second end member; and a lock that releasably connects the second handle member to the shaft portion of the first handle member. |
| US09358024B2 |
Methods for treating airways
This relates to treating an asthmatic lung and more particularly, relates to advancing a treatment device into the lung and treating the lung with the device. This also includes additional steps of treating the airway wall, applying energy or heat to the airway wall in an asthmatic lung. |
| US09358023B2 |
Systems and methods for opening of a tissue barrier
Systems and methods for opening a tissue to a target value using microbubbles are disclosed herein. In an embodiment of a method for opening a tissue to a target value using microbubbles, a region of the tissue is targeted for opening, an acoustic parameter corresponding to the target value is determined, and an ultrasound beam is applied to the target region at the acoustic parameter such that the tissue at the target region is opened to the target value with the microbubbles. The acoustic parameter can be selected to control an acoustic cavitation event and, in some embodiments, controlling an acoustic cavitation event can include controlling a location, number and/or magnitude of acoustic cavitation events. |
| US09358017B2 |
Sonotrode
A sonotrode for an ultrasonic surgical instrument has a shaft and an instrument head at a distal end of the shaft. The instrument head is equipped with a cutting structure for the treatment of bones. The shaft has a helical cut-out. The helical cut-out is provided with a transversely running shoulder. A method produces a sonotrode and a surgical instrument having such a sonotrode. As a result of the shoulder in the helical cut-out, the torsional vibration of the instrument head is amplified such that bone material can be ablated in a particularly effective fashion. |
| US09358016B2 |
Drill with depth measurement system
A measurement system and method for determining a depth of penetration of a working portion of a surgical instrument (e.g., a rotating drill bit in a bore). A first sensor outputs a first signal representative of a displacement of the leading edge of the drill bit in the bore. A second sensor outputs a second signal representative of a force applied to the leading edge of the drill bit. A processor outputs a third signal representative of the depth of penetration of the leading edge of the drill bit when the leading edge of the drill bit passes from a first medium having a first density to a second medium having a second density. The third signal is based on the first and second signals. |
| US09358015B2 |
Endoscopic surgical clip applier with wedge plate
An apparatus for application of surgical clips to body tissue is provided and includes a handle assembly; a shaft assembly including a housing extending distally from the handle assembly and defining a longitudinal axis; a plurality of surgical clips disposed within the shaft assembly; a jaw mounted adjacent a distal end portion of the shaft assembly, the jaw being movable between an open spaced-apart condition and a closed approximated condition; and a pusher bar reciprocally disposed within the housing of the shaft assembly and being detachably connectable to the housing of the shaft assembly, the pusher bar being configured to load a distal-most surgical clip into the jaws during distal movement and remain connected to the housing of the shaft assembly and in a distally advanced position during an approximation of the jaws. |
| US09358008B2 |
Surgical device
A wound closure device for closing a surgical wound includes at least one compressive clip for applying pressure to a patient's tissue. The clip includes a first clamping arm, a second clamping arm, and a flexible pin maintained between the first and second clamping arms in a press-fit relationship. Each of the first and second clamping arms has a proximal first end, an opposing distal second end and a sidewall extending therebetween. The clip has a first position in which the proximal first ends of the first and second clamping arms partially engage or do not engage each other and a second position in which the proximal first ends of the first and second clamping arms pivotally engage each other. In the second position of the clip, a compressive force generated at the proximal first ends is transferred through the first and second clamping arms to the distal second ends. |
| US09358005B2 |
End effector layer including holding features
An end effector is disclosed which comprises a first jaw, a second jaw, a staple cartridge, an anvil, and at least one layer positioned intermediate the first jaw and the second jaw. The layer may include a pattern of holding features defined on a tissue contacting surface of the layer. The pattern of holding features can extend between a proximal end of the layer and a distal end of the layer. The pattern of holding features may be defined by a network of interconnected channels skew to a longitudinal axis of the layer. The network of interconnected channels may be configured to mitigate and/or control the flow of patient tissue relative to the layer. |
| US09358004B2 |
Articulating apparatus for endoscopic procedures
According to an aspect of the present disclosure, an endoscopic surgical device is provided. The surgical device includes a handle assembly including a drive mechanism actuatable by a trigger; and an endoscopic assembly including a proximal end portion extending from the handle assembly; a distal end portion pivotably connected to the proximal end portion of the endoscopic assembly; and a rotatable inner actuation shaft extending from the handle assembly and into the distal end portion of the endoscopic assembly, the inner actuation shaft including a flexible portion extending across the pivot connection. The surgical device includes an end effector selectively connectable to the distal end portion of the endoscopic assembly and to a distal portion of the rotatable inner actuation shaft. The end effector includes a splined inner tube rotatably supported in an outer tube; and a plurality of surgical anchors loaded in the inner tube of the end effector. |
| US09358000B2 |
Tungsten alloy suture needles
A method for making a curved tungsten alloy suture needle comprising the step of heating tungsten alloy needle blanks or a tungsten alloy suture needle to a temperature below the recrystallization temperature of the alloy. The tungsten alloy suture needles described herein have a desirable combination of stiffness, strength, ductility, and surface color. |
| US09357991B2 |
Method and apparatus for stitching tendons
Methods and apparatuses for repairing a tear in soft tissue are disclosed. A method according to the principles of the present disclosure includes connecting an intermediate member to a bone anchor and placing the intermediate member on the soft tissue. The method further includes inserting a first suture through the intermediate member and the soft tissue to attach the intermediate member to the soft tissue and fixing the bone anchor to bone to secure the soft tissue to the bone. |
| US09357983B2 |
Method of making reduced backlash joint
A joint and a corresponding method of creating a precision-fit joint, including creating a mating surface on a first joint component so that the mating surface includes one or more interfering features, connecting a second joint component with the mating surface such that the interfering feature is compressed, and heating the mating surface above a glass transition temperature or melting temperature of the mating surface, or otherwise treating the surface, so as to induce flow of material from the interfering feature to a area of relatively low pressure between the first joint component and the second joint component. |
| US09357982B2 |
Tampon assembly
A tampon assembly includes a flexible and relatively thin impermeable portion having two opposite side faces and an outer edge which is oval in shape so that the oval shape of the impermeable portion has a largest dimension as measured through the center of the impermeable portion and a smallest dimension as measured through the center of the impermeable portion, and the largest dimension is at least about 1.5 times the size of the smallest dimension. The assembly further includes an absorbent pad portion which is secured to one side face of the impermeable portion so that when the assembly is positioned within a user, the absorbent pad portion is positioned in a condition for absorbing fluids and the outer edge of the impermeable portion sealingly engages the walls of the vaginal canal. |
| US09357980B2 |
Ultrasound diagnostic apparatus and method for identifying blood vessel
An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus which detects a target blood vessel of a subject based on reflected ultrasound waves obtained, using an ultrasound probe, from the subject, the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus including: a B-mode image generation unit which generates a tomographic image of the subject, based on the reflected ultrasound waves; a blood flow image generation unit which generates blood flow information indicating a blood flow region of the subject in the tomographic image, based on the reflected ultrasound waves; and a blood flow region determination unit which determines whether or not the blood flow region corresponds to the target blood vessel, by analyzing the blood flow information generated by the blood flow image generation unit. |
| US09357978B2 |
Three dimensional fetal heart imaging by non-ECG physiological gated acquisition
An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system acquires 3D data sets of the fetal heart by use of a gating signal synthesized from detected motion of the fetal heart. A sequence of temporally different echo signals are acquired from a location in the anatomy where motion representative of the heart cycle is to be estimated, such as a sample volume in the fetal carotid artery or an M line through the fetal myocardium. A heart cycle signal is synthesized from the detected motion and used to gate the acquisition of fetal heart image data at one or more desired phases of the fetal heart cycle. In an illustrated embodiment 3D data sets are acquired from multiple subvolumes, each over the full fetal heart cycle, then combined to produce a live 3D loop of the beating fetal heart. |
| US09357976B2 |
System and method of noise deletion in computed tomography
An imaging system includes a computer programmed to reconstruct original CT projection data, estimate noise in image space, forward project the image noise estimate to generate an initial projection noise estimate, modify the initial projection noise estimate using a statistical property of noise in projection space, remove noise in the original CT projection data by subtracting the modified noise estimate therefrom to generate noise-removed projection data, and reconstruct a final image based on the noise-removed projection data. |
| US09357974B2 |
Integrated portable digital X-ray imaging system
A method for processing a radiographic image of a patient, executed at least in part on a host processor, initiates exposure in response to an instruction entered from an operator console and obtains radiographic image data from a digital detector that is subjected to the exposure. The obtained radiographic image data is analyzed according to a set of predefined criteria for diagnostic suitability of the image. One or more results of the diagnostic suitability analysis at the operator console is indicated and a listing of one or more corrective actions at the operator console according to the indicated results is provided. |
| US09357972B2 |
Intraoral radiographic sensors with cables having increased user comfort and methods of using the same
A radiological image sensor has an electronic substrate and an imaging chip held within a housing, the imaging chip having electronics that create a dead space, with a cable attached to the housing at a cable button connector, the dead space being at a short distal side of the generally rectangular sensor opposite the short mesial side at which the cable exits the cable button connector. The mesial side of the sensor either does not have a dead space created by electronics of the imaging chip or the dead space found on the mesial side of the sensor is less than approximately 4 mm, and, preferably, approximately 2 mm or less. The cable can be a flat cable with a length of approximately one meter or less that can be connected to a round cable. |
| US09357971B2 |
X-ray CT photographic apparatus
An X-ray CT photographic apparatus including: a beam shaping mechanism that regulates an irradiation range of an X-ray generated from an X-ray generator and shapes the X-ray into an X-ray cone beam; and a main body controller that changes a read region, where an X-ray detection signal is read in the X-ray detector, according to the irradiation range of the X-ray cone beam. The main body controller changes the irradiation range of the X-ray cone beam to an x-axis direction during an X-ray CT photography such that only a set CT photographic region is irradiated with the X-ray cone beam according to the set CT photographic region input through a CT photographic region setting unit. The main body controller changes a read region in an X-ray detector with respect to the x-axis direction in a detection surface of the X-ray detector during the X-ray CT photography. |
| US09357968B2 |
Self-cleaning sensor surfaces for implantable sensor systems
Implantable sensor system including a sensor which is situated in a housing, the housing having a measurement region which is permeable for the parameters to be detected by the sensor, wherein the measurement region has an erodible protective coating which is permeable for the parameters to be detected by the sensor. |
| US09357961B2 |
Device for enabling patient self testing and treatment self- administration and system using the device for managing the patient's health care
A portable unit comprises a sampling mechanism used by a patient to take a sample of a bodily fluid or tissue that can be tested for any property indicative of a medical condition of the patient, a microprocessor for determining a treatment for the condition based on a test of the sample, and an administration mechanism for administering the treatment based on the determination by the microprocessor. Operationally, the unit samples a bodily function, evaluates the sample, determines from stored protocols and criteria if treatment is required, and administers treatment. Two-way wireless communication between the unit and one or more remote networks enables numerous functionalities, including (i) collection and collation of medical information and records relating to multiple users of information stored by their units for access by healthcare providers, regulatory agencies, insurance carriers, pharmaceutical companies, and others, (ii) unit maintenance and resupply of consumables, and (iii) direct user-to-user communication. |
| US09357959B2 |
Method and system for dynamically updating calibration parameters for an analyte sensor
Methods and apparatuses including determining a calibration parameter associated with a detected analyte value, calibrating the analyte value based on the calibration parameter, and dynamically updating the calibration parameter are disclosed. Also provided are systems, kits, and computer program products. |
| US09357955B2 |
Portable analytical device and system
A portable analytical device including at least one optical unit and optionally an adapting device are provided. The optical unit includes a light beam receiving area, a sample holder, a light beam exiting area, and a lens component. The adapting device holds the optical unit and an external hand-held computing device (EHCD), such that the optical unit is coupled to the EHCD. |
| US09357954B2 |
Simultaneous measurement of pulse and regional blood oxygen saturation
Methods and systems are provided that allow for the simultaneous calculation of pulse and regional blood oxygen saturation. An oximeter system that includes a sensor with a plurality of emitters and detectors may be used to calculate a pulse and/or regional blood oxygen saturation. A plurality of light signals may be emitted from light emitters. A first light signal may be received at a first light detector and a second light signal may be received at a second light detector. A pulse and/or regional blood oxygen saturation value may be calculated based on the received first and/or second light signals. The pulse and regional blood oxygen saturation values may be calculated substantially simultaneously. The calculated pulse and regional blood oxygen saturation values as well as other blood oxygen saturation values may be displayed simultaneously in a preconfigured portion of a display. |
| US09357953B2 |
System and method for diagnosing sleep apnea
Various embodiments may provide methods and systems capable of evaluating physiological parameter data. The methods and systems may include monitoring a patient to produce a signal comprising a sequence of numerical values for blood oxygen saturation over a time period. The signal may be analyzed to identify two or more desaturation patterns within the time period, and at least two numerical differences are calculated between the desaturation patterns. A saturation pattern detection index may be calculated using the numerical differences between the desaturation patterns. The saturation pattern detection index may be used to provide an indication of a physiological condition. Other embodiments may provide a medical device that may be used to evaluate physical parameter data according to the techniques described. |
| US09357952B2 |
Implantable biosensor and methods of use thereof
Provided herein is a stabilized oxygen transport matrix that includes a reversible oxygen binding protein, such as hemoglobin, immobilized throughout the stabilized oxygen transport matrix. The stabilized oxygen transport matrix is used to transport oxygen and can be used as an oxygen transport region and a reaction region of an analyte sensor, such as an implantable glucose sensor. The reversible binding protein can also function as an oxygen probe within the analyte sensor. |
| US09357950B2 |
Apparatus and method of fluid aspiration
An in-line sampling system that includes a sampling valve and a syringe for selectively introducing a fluid to and aspirating a fluid from a downstream fluid conduit connected to a catheterized patient. The syringe has a fluid chamber into which fluid is aspirated, a volume regulator for adjusting the volume, a fluid line through which fluid flows through the syringe to a downstream fluid conduit. The syringe also has a valve mechanism for selectively controlling fluid flow along the fluid line and selectively shifting the volume regulator to adjust the volume of the fluid chamber. A housing provides for the fluid chamber and mounts the fluid line, valve mechanism and volume regulator. |
| US09357948B2 |
Method and system for determining the values of parameters representative of a movement of at least two limbs of an entity represented in the form of an articulated line
A method determining values of parameters representing a movement of an entity represented by an articulated chain, by a sensor assembly including at least one sensor for a parameter representing an orientation of a first segment of the articulated chain, the method including: reception of an orientation value measured and supplied by the orientation sensor; estimation of a value of at least one first parameter representing a movement of the first segment by processing the orientation value; and, based on a predetermined movement model of the articulated chain, as a time change model, including at least one relationship of time dependency between the at least one first parameter and at least one other parameter representing a movement of another segment of the articulated chain: estimation of a value of the at least one other parameter by application of the time change model to the estimated value of the at least one first parameter. |
| US09357946B2 |
Breath condensate sampler and detector and breath/breath condensate sampler and detector
The present invention provides a direct sampler and detector for analytes found in exhaled breath condensate. Analytes in the breath condensate are detected instantaneously as they condense prior to reaching the sensor surface or condense directly on the sensor surface. Because the analysis or assay is performed immediately after patient exhalation, analyte stability is significantly improved providing accurate, reliable, consistent, and clinically applicable results. In certain embodiments, combined breath condensate/breath samplers and detectors are provided, enabling multiplexed analysis of condensed and vapor-phase analytes provided in a single sampling session. Breath is collected and directed to one or more subsystems. Within each subsystem, the breath portion is either condensed or prevented from condensing. The technique also allows real-time continuous monitoring, thus allowing immediate feedback to both medical professionals and additional hardware such as ventilators, anesthesia machines, drug infusion systems and cardiac pacemakers. |
| US09357944B2 |
Impedance measurement and demodulation using implantable device
An implantable medical device performs impedance measurement and demodulation, such as for obtaining lead impedance measurements, or thoracic impedance measurements, such as for extracting respiration, cardiac stroke, or fluid status information. A 4-point FIR filter demodulator can be used to demodulate a two-phase current excitation waveform. The demodulator can also be used to measure noise for triggering a noise response. Among other things, an increased excitation current level can be used when noise is deemed to be present. |
| US09357941B2 |
Brain-computer interface test battery for the physiological assessment of nervous system health
A battery of three or more sensory and cognitive challenge tasks actively or dynamically challenge the brain to monitor its state for assessment of injury, disease, or compound effect, among others. The system analyzes and assesses a personalized biometric brain health signature by integrating the use of electroencephalography (EEG), somato-sensory, neuropsychological, and/or cognitive stimulation, and novel signal processing and display. The system also provides for early detection of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), vascular dementia (VAD), mixed dementia (AD and VAD), MCI, and other dementia-type disorders, as well as brain injury states such as mild Traumatic Brain Injury and can provide some or all of the following improvements over conventional systems and methods, including: (1) Increased sensitivity, specificity, and overall accuracy; (2) early detection of disease and injury; and (3) enhanced portability with remote data acquisition capability. |
| US09357935B2 |
Systems and methods to identify cardiac dysynchrony
The current technology is relevant to a system having an implantable medical device, where the system is configured to identify a patient condition comprising cardiac dysynchrony, configured to notify a clinical user of the identified condition and configured to identify a therapy appropriate for the identified condition. |
| US09357931B2 |
Medical systems and methods
This disclosure generally relates to medical systems and methods. In one aspect of the invention, a method includes determining a fluorescent light intensity at one or more points on each of multiple recorded images, and producing an image based on the determined fluorescent light intensity at the one or more points. |
| US09357924B2 |
Composition, method, system and kit for optical electrophysiology
The present invention provides a method of optical electrophysiological probing, including: providing a fluorescing chemical probe; contacting a thick portion of tissue with the fluorescing chemical probe to create a thick portion of treated tissue; applying a first range of wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation to the treated portion of tissue; and detecting a plurality of depth-specific emission wavelengths emitted from the thick portion of treated tissue. |
| US09357918B1 |
System and method for drug screening and monitoring pupil reactivity and voluntary and involuntary eye muscle function
A system and method for drug screening for testing an iris for use of a chemical known to have a neurological effect that interferes with normal functioning of the iris and the voluntary muscles of the eye. The system and the method involve testing and documenting reactivity of the iris under known light conditions and can test for the presence of horizontal nystagmus. The identity of a subject can be confirmed by applying an iris pattern recognition model of a captured image of an iris of the eye compared with an image of an iris stored in a library of baseline color or a library of infrared eye images. The system and the method involves providing alarms when one eye pupil diameter exceeds or falls below the opposite eye pupil diameter and when horizontal gaze nystagmus has been determined to be present. |
| US09357916B2 |
Analysis and visualization of OCT angiography data
Methods for analyzing and visualizing OCT angiography data are presented. In one embodiment, an automated method for identifying the foveal avascular zone in a two dimensional en face image generated from motion contrast data is presented. Several 3D visualization techniques are presented including one in which a particular vessel is selected in a motion contrast image and all connected vessels are highlighted. A further embodiment includes a stereoscopic visualization method. In addition, a variety of metrics for characterizing OCT angiography image data are described. |
| US09357908B2 |
Retractor blade extender tower
A blade extending tower is provided for setting blade depth on retractors having telescoping or extending blades. The blade extending tower features a base, a column extending from the base, and mating features on the column configured to engage the blades of a retractor to extend the blades to a desired blade depth. Blade depth of the retractor is set buy sliding the retractor onto the blade extending tower such that the mating features of the blade extending tower engage the blades or the retractor, stopping the blades progression while the rest of the retractor continues along the length of the column. Thus the blades of the retractor are extended from the retractor to a depth determined by the configuration of the blade extending tower. |
| US09357907B2 |
Device for performing examination through the uterine cavity
A device for performing examination through the uterine cavity, preferably to carry out a computed tomography virtual hysterosalpingography, by the use of a speculum and a cannula or probe, wherein the device comprises a support for centering in the speculum and the probe is retained in a central end of the support to guarantee the centering of the probe within the cervix and the holding of the probe in the desired position during the test. |
| US09357906B2 |
Surgical illumination devices and methods therefor
A surgical illumination device includes a LED with a positive terminal, a negative terminal, and a heat transfer pad. A flexible circuit has first and second electrically conductive traces extending from a proximal end to a distal end thereof. The first conductive trace is electrically interconnected with the positive terminal, the second conductive trace is electrically interconnected with the negative terminal, and a heat transfer window on the flexible circuit is aligned with the heat transfer pad. The illumination device includes a heat sink having a distal end with a distal end face. A thermally conductive adhesive pad is disposed between the LED and the distal end face of the heat sink. The thermally conductive adhesive pad is aligned with the heat transfer window of the flexible circuit and the heat transfer pad of the LED base. |
| US09357905B2 |
Airway device, airway assist device and the method of using same
An airway device is provided for opening a patient's airway. The airway device provides dual tubes which allow the patient to breathe on his/her own, to be ventilated, or to be intubated. The airway device includes a camera which provides constant visualization of the patient's tissues during insertion of the airway device and during the entire medical procedure. A transmission lumen monitors heart and breath sounds. Information from the camera and the transmission lumen is relayed to a microprocessor to allow for monitoring which may be remote. An airway assist device may be used with the airway device for properly positioning the patient's tongue is also disclosed. The airway assist device is inserted into the patient's vallecula to manipulate the patient's tongue. |
| US09357902B2 |
Updateable endoscopic video imaging system with unified electro-optic cable
A control unit is detachably coupled to a camera and receptive of the imaging data with a plurality of data processing instructions being stored on the camera and/or the control unit such that when the camera is coupled to the control unit, the plurality of data processing instructions transfer the imaging data from the camera to the control unit. The data processing instructions being field upgradeable with a portable upgrading module which may couple directly to either the camera and/or the control unit. |
| US09357900B2 |
Combined assembly for dispensing washing agents and ozone for a washing machine, in particular a dishwashing machine
An assembly including an integrated device for dispensing washing agents, having a body intended to be mounted in an opening of a sheet-like wall which delimits the washing chamber and which has a peripheral formation which protrudes towards the outside and is intended to abut against the surface of the wall surrounding the opening, on the side of the wall which faces the washing machine; and an ozone-generating device, with a housing which has an outlet opening and contains electric ozone-flow generating means suitable for emitting a flow of ozone towards the outlet opening, so as to introduce it into the washing chamber of the machines. |
| US09357899B2 |
Dishwasher support structures
Support structures for dishwashers are disclosed. An example dishwasher for treating dishes according to a cycle of operation includes a tub defining a treating chamber with an opening, a frame coupled to and structurally supporting at least a portion of the tub, a dish rack mount coupled to the frame, and a dish rack coupled to the dish rack mount, wherein the weight of the dish rack is substantially borne by the frame. |
| US09357898B2 |
Method of separating chemistries in a door-type dishmachine
The present disclosure relates to a dishmachine that includes at least two tanks and methods of using the tanks to isolate, substantially isolate, or incrementally isolate different chemistries from each other during a cycle. The disclosed dishmachine design and method allows for the use of two different, and potentially incompatible, reactive, or offsetting chemistries to be used in the same dishmachine cycle. |
| US09357897B2 |
Hands-free pot scrubber
A portable, hands-free device for cleaning a cooking utensil includes a motor, a source of electrical power electrically coupled to the motor, and scrub brushes mechanically coupled to the motor. |
| US09357896B2 |
Cleaning element and cleaning tool
It is an object of the present invention to provide effective technique for a higher cleaning effect and higher operability of a cleaning element. According to the representative cleaning element 110, a distance d1 between adjacent ones of the fusion bonded parts 114 is longer than a length d2 or d3 formed on both of the pair adjacent fusion bonded parts 114 and 116 in the respective longitudinal end regions of the cleaning element 110. |
| US09357895B2 |
Gravity feed solution distribution system
A gravity feed solution distribution system for use with surface maintenance and conditioning machines includes front and rear counter-rotating brush rollers within a shroud, a manifold having delivery ports and disposed within the shroud above the counter-rotating brush rollers, an agitating blade extending from an inner surface of the shroud and underneath the manifold to contact the front counter-rotating brush roller, and a baffle extending downward from an inner surface of the shroud above the front counter-rotating brush roller to contact the front counter-rotating brush roller. |
| US09357893B2 |
Mobile device generating map information to an electronic device
A mobile device moving in a specific area including a driving unit, an environment sensing unit, a control unit and a transmittal unit is disclosed. The driving unit moves according to a first driving signal. The environment sensing unit detects an outline of the specific area to generate detection information. The control unit processes the detection information to generate first map information and position information. The transmittal unit transmits the first map information to an electronic device. The electronic device generates second map information according to the first map information, and the control unit generates the first driving signal according to the first map information, the second map information and the position information. |
| US09357892B2 |
Vortex-flow vacuum suction nozzle
A vacuum suction nozzle comprises a nozzle body comprising a first end and a second end, a nozzle passage extending through the nozzle body from the first end to the second end, and a plurality of channels traversing the first end. The channels enter the nozzle passage tangentially. Each channel may be wider proximate an outer surface of the nozzle body than proximate the nozzle passage. A vacuum system comprises the nozzle and a vacuum generator coupled to the nozzle. A method for vacuum cleaning comprises inducing a vortex flow proximate the nozzle with a vacuum generator, and translating the nozzle generally parallel to a surface to remove particulates from the surface. |
| US09357885B2 |
Bathing vessel and method therefor
A bathing vessel includes a base support having a base board that extends between a top, a bottom, first and second side edges, and first and second ends. Two legs are attached on the bottom of the base board, inboard from the respective first and second side edges. The base board is at least partially encapsulated in a polyurethane material. |
| US09357881B2 |
Oil level detection system for deep fat fryer
A detector configured to indirectly monitor a level of liquid within a container is provided. The detector includes a temperature sensor and a heat producing element proximate to the temperature sensor. A shell is disposed around the temperature sensor and heat producing element, the shell is configured to be disposed within a container and to provide a barrier between liquid disposed within the container and each of the temperature sensor and heat producing element. The heat producing element is configured to transfer heat generated therein to the shell, and the sensor is configured to measure a surface temperature of the heat producing element. |
| US09357877B2 |
Cookware and cook-packs for narrowband irradiation cooking and systems and methods thereof
A methodology and product or system configurations are provided which allow food to be directly irradiated for cooking applications which involve the impingement of direct radiant energy on food or comestible items. Cooking vessels or cook-packs are used that are optically transmissive in visible or infrared narrow wavelength bands emitted in suitable narrowband cooking or heating systems. |
| US09357874B2 |
Hot and cold beverage maker and method of use
A beverage maker to selectively brew hot or cold beverages employs both a heating unit and a cooling unit. The heating unit heats a liquid, typically water, and uses the heated liquid to hot brew a beverage. Using any of a number of touch sensitive buttons, a coolant can enter a cold brewing unit which subjects the hot brewed beverage to cooling via a helical structure. Further, there may be a resting plate for the container to receive the beverage that can be selectively cooled or heated. The end result is a quick and efficient way to brew either a hot or cold beverage. |
| US09357871B2 |
Coffee machine with dispensing regulation and a method relating thereto
The present invention relates to a coffee machine for producing and dispensing coffee-based beverages comprising a hydraulic pump (35), at least one dispensing device (13) comprising a filter unit (31) apt to contain ground coffee and a supply unit (14) apt to supply water to the filter unit when the filter unit is engaged with the supply unit and a hydraulic circuit which brings the hydraulic pump into fluid communication with the supply unit of the dispensing device, the hydraulic circuit comprising a supply duct (11) which supplies hot water under pressure to the supply unit, characterized in that it further comprises a system for controlling the dispensing pressure which comprises a control unit (22), a pressure sensor (21) disposed along the hydraulic circuit and apt to generate a control signal representative of the pressure detected, the pressure sensor being electronically connected to a control unit to detect the dispensing pressure, and a hydraulic variable-flow valve (36) disposed along the hydraulic circuit and apt to supply variable quantities of water to at least one dispensing device, the variable-flow valve being actuated by an electronic drive controlled electronically by the control unit in order to regulate the flow rate of water output as a function of a detected dispensing pressure value.The invention relates, moreover, to a method for controlling the dispensing pressure in a coffee machine. |
| US09357868B2 |
Skew adjustment mechanism for a window covering
A skew adjustment method and apparatus for adjusting the skewed condition of a movable rail of a window covering in which the movable rail is supported by lift cords wrapped around spools. A drive train disconnecting mechanism is used to disconnect a first spool from a second spool, the first spool is rotated relative to the second spool, thereby changing the length of the first lift cord relative to the second lift cord until the movable rail is in the desired position; and then the first and second spools are reconnected so the first and second spools rotate together. An end cap may be used to enable multiple disassemblies and reassemblies of the end cap to access the skew adjustment mechanism. In one embodiment, there are two movable rails, and the lift cords for both movable rails extend through the same rout holes in the covering. Disconnecting the first spool from the second spool may activate a mechanism that prevents the second spool from rotating. |
| US09357867B2 |
Remotely controlled adjustable mailbox support
A remotely controlled adjustable mailbox support uses a stepping motor, controlled by a microprocessor/CPU, to raise a mailbox platform above a level where the mailbox can be damaged by a passing snow plow. Based on remote command signals received by a internal communications module, the time and duration when the mailbox is raised can be controlled, as well as the height to which it is raised. An optional temporary rf-signal over-ride capability for mail carriers and/or snow plow operators is also provided, as well as control application software for wireless mobile devices. |
| US09357863B1 |
Mattress cover and bed skirt system
A mattress cover and skirt system includes a skirt configured to be secured to the mattress. The skirt includes a flexible skirt panel defining an upper edge, a lower edge, and an elastic element disposed along at least a portion of the lower edge. The mattress cover system includes a mattress cover panel configured to be removably attached to the skirt. The mattress cover panel includes an upper layer, a lower layer, and a cushioning member disposed between the upper and lower layers. A connector system includes at least one first connector member disposed along the upper edge of the skirt and at least one second connector member disposed proximate the outermost edge of the mattress cover panel. The second connector member is configured to engage the first connector member so as to removably attach the mattress cover panel to the skirt. |
| US09357860B1 |
Shower caddy with detachable parts
A hanging shower caddy has detachable shelves which engage brackets that extend from the front of the legs of the caddy back; preferably a stringer on the shelf interacts with a tie that connects the legs, to inhibit vertical lifting of the shelf from the bracket. Alternatively, the top rear rail of a shelf engages notches at the front of the legs. A pole caddy has a removable shelf with tangs that engage holes or other features in a collar that is clamped to the pole. The legs of the back of a hanging caddy are hinged so the top of the back folds for compact shipment. |
| US09357854B2 |
Juvenile walker
A juvenile walker includes a seat supported for movement on a movable base. The elevation of the seat can be changed by a caregiver. |
| US09357850B2 |
Seating unit convertible to bed
A seating unit having a foldable bed includes: a base with an internal cavity and a rear wall; a foldable bed that includes separate and distinct head, intermediate and seat sections, wherein in a folded position, the intermediate and seat sections are generally horizontally disposed and positioned in vertically stacked relationship, and the head section is generally vertically disposed and positioned adjacent the rear wall of the base, and in an unfolded position, the head, intermediate and seat sections are generally horizontally disposed and in serial alignment with each other; and a bed folding mechanism that is attached to the base and the head, intermediate and seat sections that controls the movement of the bed between the folded and unfolded positions. |
| US09357847B2 |
Reclining seating unit with power actuators
A reclining seating unit includes: a base; an arm frame; a seat having a seat frame; a backrest mounted and pivotally interconnected to the seat frame; a footrest unit; a reclining mechanism attached to the seat and the backrest, the reclining mechanism configured to control relative movement of the seat and backrest between upright and reclined positions; a footrest mechanism attached to the seat, the footrest unit, and the arm frame, the footrest mechanism configured to control relative movement of the footrest unit and the seat between retracted and extended positions; a first linear actuator attached to the reclining mechanism and to the seat configured to move the seat and backrest between the upright and reclined positions; and a second linear actuator attached to the footrest mechanism and to the seat configured to move the footrest unit between the retracted and extended positions. |
| US09357846B2 |
Supporting apparatus for suspending two displays
A supporting apparatus for suspending two displays includes: a base seat unit including a fixing bracket and a pillar that is connected to the fixing bracket; two suspending arms, each having a first end portion that is movably connected to the pillar unit such that each of the suspending arms is movable along the pillar, and a second end portion that is opposite to the first end portion; two slide track units respectively connected to the second end portions of the suspending arms; and two display-supporting bracket units movably connected to the slide track units for mounting the displays. Through operation of the suspending arms, the sliding track units and the display-supporting bracket units, the displays can be moved to juxtapose and contact each other. |
| US09357844B2 |
Hanging corner shelf assembly
A hanging corner shelf assembly is provided which includes a first member and a second member, which diverge from one another. Each member includes a first side and a second side, an inner side and an outer side. The first and second members are configured for attachment to one another. The hanging corner shelf assembly further includes at least one shelf member extending from the first member and the second member, wherein a longitudinal axis of the at least one shelf member is generally perpendicularly oriented relative to a longitudinal axis of each of the first and second members and at least one hanging member is included, wherein the at least one hanging member is engageable to the first and/or second member. |
| US09357840B2 |
Supporting consumer products
A shelving apparatus includes a frame structure formed with vertical members and horizontal members and a shelf adjustable between positions and supported, at each position, by the vertical members. The vertical members and horizontal members define a volume therebetween, and each of the vertical members include notches formed on a vertical surface of the vertical member. The shelf includes a frame; a product surface coupled with the frame; a first rod coupled to the frame and insertable into at least a portion of a respective notch of one of the vertical members; and a second rod coupled to the frame and insertable into at least a portion of a respective notch of another of the vertical members. The second rod is forcibly biased, by a biasing member coupled with the frame, against at least one of the vertical members. |
| US09357835B2 |
Transversal cleaning apparatus
Apparatuses and methods of using and making apparatuses that may clean concave and convex surfaces are discussed. The apparatus may be capable of substantially contacting and cleaning concave, convex, planar, and non-planar surfaces. |
| US09357833B2 |
Brush with replaceable twisted-in-wire bristle assembly
A brush for cleaning a grill or other surface having a bristle assembly of twisted-in-wire material that is removable and replaceable. |
| US09357830B2 |
Belt hanger for handheld device
A belt hanger detachably supports the handheld device, whether or not carried in a pouch or holster, to a wearer's waist belt to comfortably and securely carry the device while preventing the device from sagging and hanging outward from the wearer's body. The belt hanger includes a rigid hanger body, a flexible strap cover and a quick connector part, which couples directly to the handheld device or its carry pouch or holster. The hanger body has a rectangular shape and a central belt channel for receiving the user's waist belt. The cover strap is bonded to the hanger body and wraps over the hanger body so that one end covers one its faces and the opposite loose end extends over the belt channel and its other face to act as the closure strap for belt hanger. The opposite loose end of the cover strap is secured to the hanger body by a pair of snaps. |
| US09357828B2 |
Bag that distributes weight over the back of a person
An apparatus includes a bag to carry one or more objects on the back of a person, and a cushion for connection to a surface of the bag. The cushion is used for making substantially continuous contact with the back when the bag is carried on the back. The apparatus may be a backpack or any other type of bag. |
| US09357823B2 |
Luggage frame structure
Frame structures (106a, 106b, 206) for luggage pieces (100) formed of one or more frame supports (110, 210) and one or more frame elements (108) may be assembled with the luggage piece. Luggage pieces may include an outer layer (102), an inner layer (104), and at least one frame structure (106a, 106b, 206) with one or more frame elements (108) and one or more frame supports (110, 210). The frame elements (108) may be joined to the inner layer (104), the outer layer (102), or both, and may be arranged between the outer layer (102) and the inner layer (104). The frame supports (110, 210) may be joined to the outer layer (104), and one or more frame elements (108) may be joined to the frame supports (110, 210). The frame structures (106a, 106b, 206) may provide support and/or reinforcement to the luggage piece (100). |
| US09357817B2 |
Reversible wrist strap insert and curved cutout for centering wrist strap
A device is disclosed for wearing on a wrist or other body part including a central piece held on the body part by a pair of straps. The proximal end of a strap includes a mounting pin for sliding into and out of a slot on the central piece. The proximal end of the strap further includes a positioning curve which mates with a correspondingly shaped receiving curve on the central piece when the strap is properly affixed and centered on the central piece. When properly affixed and centered on the central piece, the positioning curve on the strap aligns with the receiving curve of the central piece, so that the positioning and receiving curves are at their lowest energy state, resisting lateral movement out of a centered position. |
| US09357816B2 |
Slider for slide fastener and the slide fastener comprising the same
There is provided a slider for slide fastener, including a slider body and a pull tab. A pair of supporting parts rotatably supporting the pull tab are provided on an upper surface of the slider body, and a claw for snapping elements of the slide fastener is provided on the pull tab. The pull tab is rotatable between a first posture in which the pull tab is placed down on the slider body and a second posture in which the pull tab is erected from the slider body. A stop member is provided on at least one of the slider body and the pull tab. The stop member limits the pull tab in an erect position of the second posture such that a front end of the claw is located within a protection space. |
| US09357808B2 |
U-form hat bracket
Disclosed is a cap shaping and forming insert device having a U-shaped structure that is placed in the front interior sweatband portion of a billed cap to prevent collapse and deformation thereof. The cap insert comprises a structure having at least two opposing vertically oriented arm members perpendicular to an elongated member disposed thereinbetween. The elongated member remains along the sweatband portion of the cap while the vertical arm members extend upward and into the interior crown of the cap. The cap insert is flexible and yet maintains a user-formed shape that can be used to maintain a desired shape of a billed cap once deployed therein. Moreover, a billed cap can be worn simultaneously with the cap insert therein. The cap insert can be washed and dried using standard methods while the cap insert is disposed therein in order to further preserve the structural integrity of the billed cap. |
| US09357807B2 |
Size adjustment arrangement for a garment
A size adjustment arrangement for a garment comprises a base member, a ratchet member, a line, a spool, and an actuator. The base member is coupled to the garment and the ratchet member and spool are rotatably coupled to the base member. The line is wound on the spool with the line extending through at least one channel in the garment. The actuator is selectively rotatable in a first direction and a second direction without activation of any release mechanism. When a first force is applied to rotate the actuator in the first direction, the line is wound upon the spool. When a second force is applied to rotate the actuator in the second direction, the line is unwound upon the spool. The ratchet member and the spool are blocked from rotation when neither the first force nor the second force is applied to the actuator. |
| US09357804B2 |
Proprioceptive topical ankle gear and methods of use
The present invention is directed to topical ankle gear for enhancing performance and reducing the risk of injury. The topical ankle gear and kits preferably comprise a flexible sleeve and a lateral foot-ankle buttress, Achilles buttresses, and/or an extendable strap. The topical ankle gear of the present invention is designed to be worn during periods of physical activity to reduce injury and to train and strengthen the athletes muscles against injury, advantageously increasing proprioception by stimulating critical sensory and tactile receptors in the foot and ankle. |
| US09357800B2 |
Edibles comprising a high resolution image
Disclosed are methods of printing high resolution images on edible substrates with dispersed pigmented inks using a drop-on-demand ink-jet printer. Dispersed pigmented white inks useful with the inventive methods are also disclosed. White images having a resolution greater than 200 dpi can be printed on chocolate using the methods and inks disclosed herein. The inventive methods and inks may also be integrated with a consumer-driven site vending or e-commerce application in which the consumer provides the image to be printed and edibles bearing the printed image are prepared for rapid turnaround. |
| US09357797B2 |
Dietary supplement containing alkaline electrolyte buffers
An improved dietary and/or therapeutic supplement composition comprising a quantity of a dietary and/or therapeutic supplement agent having a pH that upon ingestion with food or a beverage would limit the effectiveness of the agent and a sufficient amount of an alkaline electrolyte additive is provided in combination with the agent to raise the pH of the composition to a level of from about 8 to about 12.5 to increase the effectiveness and functional utilization of the agent while the composition is in the person's stomach. |
| US09357796B2 |
Carotenoid-containing aqueous suspensions and powders, methods of producing the same and uses thereof
Aqueous suspensions comprising: (a) at least one carotenoid, (b) at least one modified starch, and (c) sucrose; wherein the at least one carotenoid is present in the suspension in an amount of 1 to 25% by weight, based on the dry matter of the aqueous suspension; and wherein the at least one carotenoid and the sucrose are present in the suspension in a ratio by weight of 1:2 to 1:80; powders comprising: (a) at least one carotenoid, (b) at least one modified starch, and (c) sucrose; wherein the at least one carotenoid is present in the powder in an amount of 1 to 25% by weight, based on the weight of the powder; and wherein the at least one carotenoid and the sucrose are present in the powder in a ratio by weight of 1:2 to 1:80; and processes of producing such suspensions and powders along with uses thereof. |
| US09357790B2 |
Processes for removing waxes and phospholipids from vegetable oils and increasing production of food grade lecithin therefrom
A process for removing impurities from a crude vegetable oil. The process involves mixing the crude vegetable oil with removal reagents and pumping the mixture through a multi-stage, hydrodynamic cavitation device. The mixture is subjected to hydrodynamic cavitation processes, which result in the repeated generation and collapsing of vapor bubbles of volatile components in the process fluid, leading to the formation of an emulsion of vegetable oil and a water-phase from the process fluid into an emulsion. The water-phase contains the impurities. The vegetable oil and water-phase are then separated. Lecithin may be made from the phospholipids in the water-phase after appropriate drying processes. |
| US09357787B2 |
Forced moisture evacuation for rapid baking
A baking device is provided. The baking device includes a housing enclosing a baking compartment and an air handling compartment, the air handling compartment and the baking compartment being separated by a pressure panel that defines a rear wall of the baking compartment, the pressure panel including an aperture allowing fluid communication between the baking and air handling compartments. A blower wheel is mounted in conjunction with the aperture, such that rotation of the blower wheel urges air movement from the baking compartment and into the air handling compartment. A secondary blower is arranged in fluid communication with the air handling compartment, wherein operation of the secondary blower urges ambient air into the air handling compartment. |
| US09357785B2 |
Method for treatment and control of plant disease
The present invention provides methods for development of a virulent bacteriophage-based treatment for the control of plant diseases caused by Xylella fastidiosa. The invention further provides methods of isolating and propagating bacteriophage virulent to X. fastidiosa in a Xanthomonas bacterial host and for treating or reducing symptoms of X. fastidiosa infection in a plant. The invention further provides methods of isolating and propagating bacteriophage virulent to Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri and for treating or reducing symptoms of Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri infection in a plant. |
| US09357784B2 |
Method for physical plant treatment
The present invention relates to a method for physical plant treatment by means of electrostatic charge, wherein a transfer of the electrostatic charge takes place via water treated by way of an influence process, wherein the water comprises water clusters having an electron deficit due to the treatment by means of an influence process, wherein the water treated by means of an influence process can be obtained by the following process steps: Introducing the water to be treated into a galvanic element, Aligning the charges and free electrons in the electric field, Separating the charges by motion and by the influence resulting therefrom and Collecting and discharging the de-electronized positively-charged fraction. The method for physical plant treatment allows comprehensive and effective control of fungal diseases, simultaneously avoiding toxicological impact on the environment. |
| US09357782B2 |
Substituted azines as pesticides
The invention relates to compounds of the general formula (I), wherein the variable have the meanings as indicated in the claims, or a physiologically acceptable salt thereof. The active ingredients have advantageous pesticidal properties. They are especially suitable for controlling endoparasites in warm-blooded animals. |
| US09357772B2 |
Antimicrobial cationic polycarbonates
Antimicrobial cationic polymers having one or two cationic polycarbonate chains were prepared by organocatalyzed ring opening polymerization. One antimicrobial cationic polymer has a polymer chain consisting essentially of cationic carbonate repeat units linked to one or two end groups. The end groups can comprise a covalently bound form of biologically active compound such as cholesterol. Other antimicrobial cationic polymers have a random copolycarbonate chain comprising a minor mole fraction of hydrophobic repeat units bearing a covalently bound form of a vitamin E and/or vitamin D2. The cationic polymers exhibit high activity and selectivity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive microbes and fungi. |
| US09357769B2 |
Polyacrylamide based agricultural compositions
A polyacrylamide based agricultural composition as a microemulsion is provided in form of a water-in-oil microemulsion with polyacrylamide dissolved in the water phase where the polyacrylamide solids content is from about two up to about 15 percent by weight, which is then further diluted in water at the time of use to impart the desired characteristics of the polymer to the water phase or to the material to which the water phase is applied. |
| US09357767B2 |
Organ transporter
A perfusion apparatus includes a coolant container having a basin-receiving recess that is at least partly surrounded by an inner chamber; a basin that is shaped to fit within the basin-receiving recess of the coolant container; and a cradle that is shaped to accept an organ and fit within the basin. The basin-receiving recess of the coolant container, the basin and the cradle each have positioning elements that are oriented such that the cradle is keyed to fit within the basin and the basin is keyed to fit within the coolant container, each in a single predetermined orientation. The plurality of positioning elements on the basin may include a plurality of protrusions on an outer surface of the basin. |
| US09357753B1 |
Aquarium and pond filter suction barrier
A filter intake suction guard for an aquarium or fish pond filter having a tubular filter intake tube. The suction guard having a substantially enclosed hollow housing with an outlet opening defined therein for receipt of a filter intake tube therein with a first open end of the filter intake tube in fluid communication within the housing interior. The housing also having a first wall which is spaced apart from the first open end of the filter intake tube, and having a plurality of intake openings defined therein and which are configured and dimensioned to prevent fish from entering the housing interior but allow water to enter the housing interior and exit the housing interior via the first open end of the filter intake tube. |
| US09357750B2 |
Pet chew toy
A pet chew toy comprises a layer of animal product about a core. |
| US09357748B2 |
Animal enclosure with dual door assembly
The present disclosure provides an animal enclosure including a plurality of members defining an interior of the enclosure. One of the plurality of members includes a first member having a frame structure and door assembly formed by a plurality of interconnected horizontal and vertical wires. At least two of the horizontal wires of the frame structure form a hook positioned inside the defined opening. The door assembly is coupled to the frame and moves between an open and close positions. The door assembly includes a first door and a second door removably coupled to one another. The enclosure also includes a latch assembly for releasing the door assembly from the frame structure. In the close position, at least one horizontal wire of the first door and at least one horizontal wire of the second door are coupled to the hooks formed by the at least two horizontal wires of the frame structure. |
| US09357747B1 |
Switchgrass cat litter
A cat litter product is provided and includes manufacture primarily from a pelletized Switchgrass. The litter product is pelletized via an extrusion technology process so as to form particles the size of wheat grain. The litter product provides, collectively, a non-toxic and naturally safe, biodegradable, odor-eliminating, scented, anti-bacterial litter that clumps in a convenient size for easy disposal and which has little dust and reduces tracking by cats. |
| US09357745B2 |
Crowd gate control system and method
A method for controlling a crowd gate comprises operating a milking parlor for a plurality of dairy livestock. The milking parlor comprises an entrance located adjacent to a holding pen, and a crowd gate that forms a side of the holding pen and moves toward and away from the entrance to the milking parlor. The method further comprises determining that dairy livestock should enter the milking parlor, and operating the crowd gate in response to determining that dairy livestock should enter the milking parlor. Operating the crowd gate comprises moving the crowd gate away from the entrance to the milking parlor prior to initiating movement towards the entrance, pausing the movement of the crowd gate, and moving the crowd gate towards the entrance of the milking parlor. |
| US09357740B2 |
Hybrid spinach variety 51-333 RZ
The present invention relates to a Spinacia oleracea seed designated 51-333 RZ, which exhibits medium bolting, an erect plant habit, ovate first foliage leaves, semi-savoy mature leaves and resistance to downy mildew (Peronospora farinosa f. sp. spinaciae) races Pfs1 to Pfs13 and strain UA4410. The present invention also relates to a Spinacia oleracea plant produced by growing the 51-333 RZ seed. The invention further relates to methods for producing the spinach cultivar, represented by spinach variety 51-333 RZ. |
| US09357735B2 |
Soybean variety XB22C14
A novel soybean variety, designated XB22C14 is provided. Also provided are the seeds of soybean variety XB22C14, cells from soybean variety XB22C14, plants of soybean XB22C14, and plant parts of soybean variety XB22C14. Methods provided include producing a soybean plant by crossing soybean variety XB22C14 with another soybean plant, methods for introgressing a transgenic trait, a mutant trait, and/or a native trait into soybean variety XB22C14, methods for producing other soybean varieties or plant parts derived from soybean variety XB22C14, and methods of characterizing soybean variety XB22C14. Soybean seed, cells, plants, germplasm, breeding lines, varieties, and plant parts produced by these methods and/or derived from soybean variety XB22C14 are further provided. |
| US09357732B2 |
Soybean variety 01046898
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated 01046898. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety 01046898. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety 01046898 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety 01046898 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods. |
| US09357731B2 |
Soybean variety 01046948
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated 01046948. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety 01046948. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety 01046948 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety 01046948 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods. |
| US09357723B1 |
Soybean variety XB73D14
A novel soybean variety, designated XB73D14 is provided. Also provided are the seeds of soybean variety XB73D14, cells from soybean variety XB73D14, plants of soybean XB73D14, and plant parts of soybean variety XB73D14. Methods provided include producing a soybean plant by crossing soybean variety XB73D14 with another soybean plant, methods for introgressing a transgenic trait, a mutant trait, and/or a native trait into soybean variety XB73D14, methods for producing other soybean varieties or plant parts derived from soybean variety XB73D14, and methods of characterizing soybean variety XB73D14. Soybean seed, cells, plants, germplasm, breeding lines, varieties, and plant parts produced by these methods and/or derived from soybean variety XB73D14 are further provided. |
| US09357716B1 |
Method and apparatus for primocane management
The primocane management apparatus enables an operator to manipulate primocane-fruiting blackberries so that the primocanes are periodically bent into a horizontal configuration. The primocanes of the primocane-fruiting blackberries are managed so that the horizontally-grown primocanes produce an increased amount of fruit relative to conventionally-grown vertical primocanes. |
| US09357715B2 |
Vertical planter
A self contained decorative planter for cultivating and displaying plants that comprises; a power supply, a hollow structure for accepting plants oriented with the root or base of the plant facing the inside of the structure, a reservoir in contact with an ultrasonic transducer for producing a water or nutrient vapor to distribute throughout the inside of the hollow structure, and a lighting system in which light is directed towards the outside surface of the structure. The hollow structure may take on wide range of decorative shapes with plants artistically arranged throughout with the leaf or flower portions oriented outward. |
| US09357712B2 |
Pole-attached power tool systems
Embodiments of a pole-attached power tool system, and related methods, are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a pole-attached power tool system may include a pole having a first end, a second end, and an interior region; a handle disposed proximate to the first end of the pole; an electric motor disposed proximate to the first end of the pole; a power tool disposed proximate to the second end of the pole; and a drive member disposed within the interior region, the drive member mechanically coupled with the electric motor and the power tool to transfer power generated by the electric motor to the power tool. |
| US09357710B2 |
Intelligent selection and remapping of ellepots
In various embodiments, a method for removing selected ellepots from a plurality of germination ellepot trays and remapping the selected ellepots to a planting ellepot tray is provided. The method can include placing one of a plurality of germination ellepot trays onto an ellepot ejection dock of an ellepot workstation. Each germination ellepot tray comprises an array of ellepot receptacles having an ellepot disposed in each receptacle, wherein each ellepot is populated with a plant germinating therein. The method can additionally include, acquiring tray information identifying the respective germination ellepot tray, and automatically dislodging one or more selected populated ellepots from the respective germination ellepot tray utilizing the acquired germination ellepot tray information. Subsequently, each dislodged populated ellepot is sequentially transferred from the respective germination ellepot tray to one of a plurality of receptacles of a planting ellepot tray. |
| US09357701B1 |
Edger for utility vehicle
An edging system includes a mounting bracket adapted to be mounted to a portion of a vehicle, the mounting bracket having a control arm receiving member, a control arm rotatably connected to the control arm receiving member so that the control arm is rotatably connected to the mounting bracket, a control arm moving device connected to the mounting bracket, the control arm moving device having an end portion adapted to engage a portion of the control arm, and an edger assembly connected to an end portion of the control arm. The edger assembly can include a frame assembly connected to the end portion of the control arm, and a cutting member carded by the frame assembly. The activated position of the edger assembly may be defined as the edger assembly being positioned so that the cutting member engages a portion of the ground adjacent to the edger. |
| US09357699B2 |
Robotic mower with secured screw-nut interface for adjustable cutting height
A robotic mower includes a chassis, a cutting motor driving at least one cutting blade, and a height adjustment assembly. The cutting motor is mounted on a motor bracket. The motor bracket provides structural support for the cutting motor at an adjustable level relative to the chassis. The height adjustment assembly includes a biasing element, a screw engagement nut, and a height adjustment screw. The screw engagement nut is operably coupled to the motor bracket to enable adjustment of a height of the motor bracket via rotation of the height adjustment screw. The height adjustment screw rotates to translate the screw engagement nut vertically along the height adjustment screw based on an engagement of teeth on the screw engagement nut with threads of the height adjustment screw. The teeth of the screw engagement nut are urged toward the threads of the height adjustment screw via the biasing element. |
| US09357698B2 |
Cutting machine with improved cinematics
A cutting machine with a chassis including a frame and a coupling support configured to be mounted on a three-point hitch of a tractor, and with an arm connected directly to the frame by a first articulation and extending, at least during work, laterally relative to the frame, the arm carrying a work element and configured, by a displacement device, to be pivoted relative to the frame between a work position, a maneuver position, and a transport position. The displacement device includes a connecting-rod and at least a first jack articulated between the frame and the connecting-rod and a second jack articulated to the arm and connected to the connecting-rod by a pin. The connecting-rod is directly connected to the arm by a second articulation, and the second articulation is separate from the first articulation. |
| US09357693B2 |
Air cart metering system
An agricultural cart including a product metering system comprising an auger assembly extending generally along an axis non-parallel to a horizontal plane and non-perpendicular to the horizontal plane, and a holding chamber disposed at an upstream end of the auger assembly and configured to reduce pulsations within a flow of agricultural product from the auger assembly. The agricultural cart also includes an air source coupled to the product metering system and configured to transfer the agricultural product to an agricultural implement via an airflow. |
| US09357690B2 |
Tractor-implement coupling mechanism
A coupling assembly couples a towed implement having a tongue to a vehicle having a pickup hitch. The coupling assembly includes a coupler manifold which is mounted to the vehicle and which supports vehicle couplers. An implement coupler frame is attached to the tongue, and an implement plate is movably coupled to the implement coupler frame. The implement plate supports implement couplers for mating engagement with the vehicle couplers. The manifold is engagable with the implement plate. Spring members are biased to urge the implement plate towards the manifold. |
| US09363934B2 |
Controlling access to components in a server housing to enforce use of a grounding strap
A method includes sensing ambient conditions in a datacenter containing a server, and determining whether the ambient conditions exceed predetermined threshold conditions representing risk of electrostatic discharge. A lid to the server is locked in a closed position in response to the ambient conditions exceeding the predetermined threshold conditions. However, the lid to the server is unlocked in response to a grounding strap being connected to the server. Optionally, the grounding strap may be identified and the server lid will only unlock if the identified grounding strap is associated with authorization to unlock the server lid. |
| US09363933B2 |
Electrical device
An electrical device has a housing that includes a main body and a lid both of which are electrically conductive. The lid is fastened to a top surface of a sidewall of the main body so as to cover the main body. On at least one of a bottom surface of the lid and the top surface of the sidewall of the main body, there are formed a plurality of protrusions at predetermined positions; each of the protrusions abuts against that one of the bottom surface of the lid and the top surface of the sidewall which is opposed to the protrusion. Except at those predetermined positions where the protrusions are formed, there is provided, between the bottom surface of the lid and the top surface of the sidewall of the main body, a gap via which the internal and external spaces of the housing communicate with each other. |
| US09363928B2 |
Module-type data center and method of controlling the same
A module-type data center includes: a casing including a first intake opening, a second intake opening, and an exhaust opening; an air conditioner provided in the casing and configured to generate a first airflow by taking in outside air through the first intake opening and bringing the outside air into direct contact with a refrigerant; a fan unit provided in the casing and configured to generate a second airflow by taking in the outside air through the second intake opening; and an electronic device provided in the casing and configured to be air-cooled by a mixed airflow of the first airflow and the second airflow and release an exhaust airflow after the air-cooling to the exhaust opening. The first intake opening and the second intake opening are provided on different surfaces of the casing. |
| US09363924B2 |
Ground-based heat sink facilitating electronic system cooling
Cooling methods are provided which include providing a heat sink having a housing with a compartment, a coolant inlet, and a coolant outlet. The housing is configured for a coolant to flow from the coolant inlet through the compartment to the coolant outlet, wherein the coolant is transferring heat extracted from one or more electronic components. The heat sink further includes one or more heat pipes having a first portion disposed within the compartment of the housing and a second portion disposed outside the housing. The heat pipe(s) is configured to extract heat from the coolant flowing through the compartment, and to transfer the extracted heat to the second portion disposed outside the housing. The second portion outside the housing is disposed to facilitate conducting the extracted heat into the ground. |
| US09363923B2 |
Deflection device and electronic device having the same
A deflection device and an electronic device are disclosed. The deflection device is located in the electronic device for guiding airflow generated by a fan device to at least one electronic component. The deflection device includes a first fixed part and a plurality of strip structures. The first fixed part is used for fixing the deflection device in a suitable position. One end of each of the strip structures is connected to the first fixed part and able to undergo compression deformation independently such that forms a first shape when not compressed or a second shape when compressed. When the deflection device is fixed in a suitable position of the electronic device and close to the electronic component, the shape of the at least one strip structure is changed from a first shape to a second shape for guiding the airflow to the electronic component. |
| US09363922B2 |
Horizontal manager for equipment racks and enclosures
A filler panel/horizontal manager for a rack includes two latching regions that mirror each other. The latching regions include a pair of guide posts configured to enter both round-shaped and square-shaped holes and guide the filler panel into a rack. The latching region further includes a pair of locator walls configured to enter square shaped holes along with the guide posts to guide the filler panel into a rack. Each latching region includes one or more latching members having surfaces for engaging a railing of a rack. At least one pair of latching members includes an angled stepped surface configured to engage railings of different thicknesses. One or more outwardly extending cable management elements may be associated with a front face of the filler panel/horizontal manager to facilitate wire/cable management functionalities. |
| US09363919B2 |
Supporting frame for computer expansion card
A supporting frame includes a first engagement section, a supporting section and a second engagement section. The first engagement section is fixed on one side of the motherboard. The supporting section is connected between the first engagement section and the second engagement section and is adjacent to another side of the motherboard. The second engagement section is spaced apart from the first engagement section for fixing a fastening plate of the expansion card. In this way, the motherboard could be placed on a working surface horizontally or stands upright on the working surface with the support of the supporting frame. |
| US09363915B1 |
Adaptable slice electronics packaging
A system and method for building an electronic system with line-replaceable units (LRUs) is presented. The system includes a first LRU electronic module with a first connector on a side of the first LRU electronic module and a second LRU electronic module with a second connector on a side of the second LRU electronic module. To build the electronic system, the first connector on the first LRU electronic module is connected to the connector on the second LRU electronic module to form a first LRU electronic module and a second LRU electronic module combination with the first connector and the second connector interior to the module combination formed by the first LRU electronic module and the second LRU electronic module. The first connector and the second connector cannot be seen from outside the module combination formed by the first LRU electronic module and the second LRU electronic module. |
| US09363909B2 |
Positioning and adjusting device of display
The present invention provides a positioning and adjusting device of the monitor, comprising a supporting frame, the main body of the monitor is installed on a supporting frame in an inclined way, the rear seat is hinged to the upper end of the supporting frame, the display panel is in sliding connection with the rear seat; a convex part is disposed on the backside and extended into the inner cavity of the rear seat, a convex pin is disposed next to the side of the convex part, and a hook is set on the inner cavity of the rear seat that makes the display panel in a downward positioning status, when the convex pin is moving upward along the display panel. The device can adjust the vertical position of the display panel and adjust the tilt angle of the display panel to meet the watching needs of consumers. |
| US09363905B2 |
Cosmetic co-removal of material for electronic device surfaces
This is directed to providing a cosmetic finish on a component constructed by connecting several elements. A single manufacturing process, such as machining or grinding, can be applied to the connected elements to remove material from some or all of the elements and to form a smooth and continuous surface across interfaces between the individual elements of the component. In some cases, settings of the material removal process can be adjusted based on the material of the component elements. For example, the settings can be adjusted based on the manufacturing or mechanical properties of each element material. |
| US09363902B2 |
Three-dimensional multilayer solenoid transformer
This disclosure provides implementations of inductors, transformers, and related processes. In one aspect, a device includes a substrate having first and second surfaces. A first inducting arrangement includes a first set of vias, a second set of vias, a first set of traces arranged over the first surface connecting the first and second vias, and a second set of traces arranged over the second surface connecting the first and second vias. A second inducting arrangement is inductively-coupled and interleaved with the first inducting arrangement and includes a third set of vias, a fourth set of vias, a third set of traces arranged over the first surface connecting the third and fourth vias, and a fourth set of traces arranged over the second surface connecting the third and fourth vias. One or more sets of dielectric layers insulate portions of the traces from one another. |
| US09363899B2 |
Inkjet system for printing a printed circuit board
A printing process for printing (P) an ink pattern on a substrate is provided. The ink pattern to be printed is based on an available pattern layout (R). The pattern layout defines a desired layout of the ink pattern to be printed. Based on the pattern layout an input image (rii) for allocating dot positions of the ink pattern is generated. The printing process comprises a step of comparing a scan (S) image (rsi) with the input image to carry out a quality inspection (Q) to detect any print defects in the printed ink pattern. The printing process comprises a step of providing a decision (os) on an approval or a rejection of the printed ink pattern. In case of an approval, the substrate can be supplied to a subsequent processing station (E) to finalize the substrate. In case of a rejection, the substrate including print defects can be recycled (D). |
| US09363898B2 |
Method for manufacturing an electronic module and an electronic module
This publication discloses an electronic module and a method for manufacturing an electronic module, in which a component is glued to the surface of a conductive layer, from which conductive layer conductive patterns are later formed. After gluing the component, an insulating-material layer, which surrounds the component attached to the conductive layer, is formed on, or attached to the surface of the conductive layer. After the gluing of the component, feed-throughs are also made, through which electrical contacts can be made between the conductive layer and the contact zones of the component. After this, conductive patterns are made from the conductive layer, to the surface of which the component is glued. |
| US09363897B2 |
Substrate with built-in electronic component
Provided is a substrate with built-in electronic component including a component storage layer and two buildup layers. The component storage layer includes an electronic component and a cover portion having an insulating property. The electronic component includes a terminal surface and a main body. The cover portion includes a first surface formed to be flush with the terminal surface, covers the main body of the electronic component, and has a first linear expansion coefficient. The two buildup layers each include an insulating layer and a via portion. The insulating layer is adjacent to the cover portion and has a second linear expansion coefficient larger than the first linear expansion coefficient. The via portion is provided in the insulating layer and connected to the terminal surface. The insulating layer of one of the two buildup layers is formed to be in contact with the terminal surface and the first surface. |
| US09363896B2 |
Ceramic electronic component and method for manufacturing the same
A ceramic electronic component includes a ceramic element assembly and external electrodes. The external electrodes are disposed on the ceramic element assembly. The external electrodes include an underlying electrode layer and a first Cu plating film. The underlying electrode layer is disposed on the ceramic element assembly. The first Cu plating film is disposed on the underlying electrode layer. The underlying electrode layer includes a metal that is diffusible in Cu and a ceramic bonding material. The metal that is diffusible in Cu is diffused in at least a surface layer in the underlying electrode layer side of the first Cu plating film. |
| US09363893B2 |
Printed circuit board arrangement comprising an oscillatory system
The invention relates to a printed circuit board arrangement, more particularly a multilayer printed circuit board. The printed circuit board arrangement comprises at least two printed circuit boards which are arranged parallel to one another and connected to one another. According to the invention, in the case of the printed circuit board arrangement of the type mentioned initially, at least one surface region of one printed circuit board is connected to another printed circuit board of the printed circuit board arrangement by means of an element embodied in an elastic and/or damping fashion in such a way that an oscillatory system, more particularly a spring-mass system, an oscillatory bending strip or a flexurally oscillatory board is formed by means of the surface region of the printed circuit board and the element. |
| US09363892B2 |
Circuit assembly and corresponding methods
A circuit assembly (1800) includes a first circuit substrate (1200) defining a first major face (1201) and a second circuit substrate (1500) defining a second major face (1502). A plurality of electrical components (1203,1204,1205) can be disposed on one or more of the first major face or the second major face. One or more substrate bridging members (1301,1302,1303,1304) are disposed between the first circuit substrate and the second circuit substrate. Each substrate bridging member can define a unitary structure having a first end bonded to the first major face and a second end bonded to the second major face to bridge the first circuit substrate and the second circuit substrate. |
| US09363890B2 |
Circuit board and method of manufacturing same
Provided is a method of manufacturing a circuit board including preparing a board structural body (11) and covering a conductor circuit element (13) on an outermost layer of the board structural body (11) with a cover film (14), wherein a heat treatment is performed while having a release material (15) interposed between the cover film (14) and a heat-processing device. The release material (15) is a laminate at least including, sequentially from the cover film toward the heat-processing device, a low friction film (16) selected from an ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene film and a polytetrafluoroethylene film, a first aluminum foil (17), a first high-density polyethylene film (18a), a second high-density polyethylene film (18b), and a second aluminum foil (19). The first high-density polyethylene film (18a) and the second high-density polyethylene film (18b) are positioned such that respective MD directions are perpendicular to each other. |
| US09363886B2 |
Electronic substrate and an electronic apparatus
An electronic substrate has a tabular base material which can install a heater element and a cooling structure that cools the heater element. The electronic substrate can be plugged in/out in a case in the direction which is almost parallel to the face of the base material. The cooling structure has a first heat radiation part with a hollow shape and a heat transfer part. The first heat radiation part radiates the generated heat of a heater element installed in the base material. A heat transfer part transfers the generated heat to the first heat radiation part. The first heat radiation part has a first joint surface formed along a face which is almost vertical to the insert and removal direction of the base material. The first heat radiation part is connected to a second radiation part set up in the case thermally through the first joint surface. |
| US09363885B1 |
Method of fabricating heat dissipating board
A method of fabricating a heat dissipating board according to the present invention, includes: a substrate intermediate forming step of forming a substrate intermediate with an insulating layer made of an insulating resin material and a conducting layer made of a conductive material formed on the insulating layer; a through hole forming step of forming a through hole having an approximately cylindrical shape, the through hole penetrating through the substrate intermediate; an inserting step of inserting a heat conducting member to be disposed in the through hole, the heat conducting member being made of a metal and having an approximately cylindrical shape; and a plastically deforming step of plastically deforming the heat conducting member to be secured in the through hole. Prior to the inserting step, an annealing step of annealing the heat conducting member is performed. |
| US09363882B2 |
Neutron generation target, device, and method
An object is to be capable of inducing a nuclear fusion reaction at a relatively high efficiency and downsize a device. A nuclear fusion device 1 of the present invention includes a nuclear fusion target 7 including a target substrate 7a containing deuterium or tritium and a thin-film layer 7b containing deuterium or tritium stacked on the target substrate 7a, a vacuum container 5 for storing the nuclear fusion target 7, and a laser unit 3 for irradiating two successive first and second pulsed laser lights P1, P2 toward the thin-film layer 7b of the nuclear fusion target 7, and the intensity of the first pulsed laser light P1 is set to a value that is smaller than that of the second pulsed laser light P2 and allows peeling of the thin-film layer 7b from the target substrate 7a. |
| US09363877B2 |
System and method to reduce oscillations in extreme ultraviolet light generation
A droplet generation system for use with a laser produced plasma (LPP) extreme ultraviolet (EUV) source plasma chamber is described. During EUV generation, oscillations can occur as a function of droplet time-of-flight within the plasma chamber. To reduce these oscillations, a droplet controller adjusts the rate at which droplets are generated which, in turn, dictates the droplet time-of-flight. The droplets are a result of coalescence of generated microdroplets such that the rate at which the droplets are generated is dictated by a frequency of a signal used to generate the microdroplets. This adjustment can be a modulation of a baseline droplet frequency. In some instances, the modulation function may be a sinusoid or implemented as a pseudo-random switch. |
| US09363867B2 |
Intelligent and emergency light control
Methods, apparatuses and systems of an intelligent light controller controlling a light, are disclosed. One method includes interpreting a switch from a normal power supply to an emergency power supply. Upon interpreting the switch from the normal power supply to the emergency power supply, the intelligent light controller controllably powers the light for a predetermined period of time. Further, the intelligent light controller executes an energy-savings behavior control of the light. |
| US09363866B2 |
Touch switch and vehicle interior lighting device having the touch switch
A touch switch including: at least two of operation faces provided side by side; a detection electrode provided in each of the operation faces and including a wiring pattern of an electric conductor formed on or immediately below the operation face; and a controller connected to each of the detection electrodes to perform a switching operation by detecting variations of capacitance sensed by each of the detection electrodes, the variation of capacitance being generated when a human body part is in proximity to or in contact with each of the operation faces. At least one of the detection electrodes includes a wiring pattern more sparsely formed in a vicinity area of a boundary with another operation face adjacent thereto compared to a wiring pattern of the detection electrode provided in the adjacent operation face. Therefore, detection errors or accidental operations between adjacent switches can be prevented from happening. |
| US09363860B1 |
Intelligent light source
Intelligent light source and methods to make various types of an intelligent light source for the benefit of a user. One embodiment is a method of making an intelligent light source. A second embodiment is an intelligent light source that has a data processor. A third embodiment is an intelligent light source that has a display. Various embodiments having a display can display one or more parameters. |
| US09363855B2 |
Control system for controlling one or more controllable devices sources and method for enabling such control
The invention relates to control system configured for controlling at least one controllable device. The device has been assigned a corresponding identifier and is configured for transmitting an identification signal comprising the identifier of the device. The control system comprises a display for displaying a control item configured for controlling the controllable device. The control system also comprises a receiver configured for wirelessly receiving the identification signal comprising the identifier. The control system is configured for assigning a position of the control item on the display to the device identified by means of said received identifier. |
| US09363851B2 |
Heating device and method for manufacturing the heating device
A heating device is provided, comprising a shaped body, which has at least two regions comprising different compositions of a ceramic material with a positive temperature coefficient of electrical resistance. A method for manufacturing a heating device is furthermore specified. |
| US09363850B2 |
Communication systems and methods in a communication system
Communication systems and methods in a communication system for allocating an amount of baseband resource in one of a plurality of digital units to a radio unit serving a cell are provided. The methods include estimating the amount of the baseband resource to be allocated to the radio unit, identifying a digital unit of the plurality of digital units on which a neighbor radio unit, serving a neighbor cell, situated in a geographical vicinity of the cell is allocating baseband resource, determining that the digital unit has available baseband resource of the estimated amount, and if so, allocating the estimated amount of baseband resource in the digital unit to the radio unit. |
| US09363849B2 |
Single antenna sharing for multiple wireless connections
A wireless device includes: a first radio and first transceiver configured to transmit and receive according to a first radio access technology; a second radio and second transceiver configured to transmit and receive according to a second radio access technology; a first antenna and a second antenna connected to the first radio and the second radio; a switch; and a control unit configured to control the switch to configure connections of the first and second antennas to the first and second radios. The control unit is configured to control the switch to disconnect the second radio from the second antenna in response to a receiving, by the second radio through the second antenna, a signal that is below a predetermined threshold, and to connect the second radio to the first antenna during a wakeup period of the second radio. |
| US09363848B2 |
Communication control device, mobile station, and communication control method
A communication control device includes a traffic monitoring unit, the number of ranks calculation unit, a rank value calculation unit, a communication control unit, and a download unit. The traffic monitoring unit monitors a traffic amount between a content server and a base station. The number of ranks calculation unit calculates the number of rank values that servers as a reference for determining a download destination mobile station of data based on a monitoring result by the traffic monitoring unit. The rank value calculation unit calculates the rank value for each mobile station using the number and radio communication quality of a plurality of mobile stations. The communication control unit determines the download destination mobile station in order from a mobile station having a high rank value at a determination timing. The download unit downloads the data to the mobile station determined as the download destination. |
| US09363845B1 |
Apparatus and method for carrier aggregation and fast network switching with a single-baseband-modem, carrier-aggregation-capable wireless-communication device
Disclosed herein are systems and methods for carrier aggregation and fast network-switching with a single-baseband modem, carrier-aggregation-capable wireless-communication device (WCD). One embodiment takes the form of a system that includes a first RF integrated circuit (RFIC), a second RFIC, a baseband processor coupled to the first and second RFICs, a first carrier-aggregation circuit, a fast-network-switching connection manager coupled to the baseband processor, and a mode controller coupled to the baseband processor and to the fast-network-switching connection manager. The mode controller is configured to selectively place the wireless-communication device in a carrier-aggregation mode or in a fast-network-switching mode. In the carrier-aggregation mode, the WCD is operable to conduct carrier aggregation using at least the first carrier-aggregation circuit. In the fast-network-switching mode, the WCD is operable to conduct fast network switching using the fast-network-switching manager. |
| US09363844B2 |
Enhance performance of making an emergency call during radio link failure over radio access technology
Methods, systems, apparatuses and devices are described for managing a call during radio link failure. In one embodiment, radio link failure over a radio access technology may be detected during or after a call setup procedure. A public land mobile network and an equivalent public land mobile network may be selected. An initial search for cells of the radio access technology may be performed over the selected public land mobile network and the equivalent public land mobile network. The initial search may be performed once or twice based on a configurable parameter. |
| US09363843B2 |
Radio communication method, radio communication system, and radio station
A radio communication method including: transmitting first information from a first radio station to a second radio station before determining an activation of a second logical processing entity that is to be activated in a first processing layer of the second radio station in association with a first logical processing entity that has been activated in the first processing layer of the second radio station, the first information relating to the activation of the second logical processing entity, the first information being transmitted using a first control signal in a higher layer of the first processing layer, transmitting, when determining the activation of the second logical processing entity, second information for instructing the activation from the first radio station to the second radio station, the second information being transmitted using a second control signal in the first processing layer. |
| US09363840B2 |
Application based connectivity event triggering
In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus, a computer program product and a method is provided for application based connectivity event triggering. The example embodiment comprises determining, at an apparatus, whether an active application satisfies predefined criteria for connectivity event, and triggering a radio module at the apparatus to enter into a device discovery mode for transmitting device discovery messages in response to determining that the apparatus is actively operating an application satisfying the predefined criteria for connectivity event. |
| US09363839B2 |
Method for establishing bearer for machine to machine service and network transmission device
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a method for establishing a bearer for a machine to machine service and a network transmission device, where the method includes: receiving a user plane resource establishment request message sent by an MTC device, where the user plane resource establishment request message includes at least one of MTC features, QoS requirements, a service indication request and a group identity; determining negotiated QoS parameters according to the user plane resource establishment request message; and establishing a transmission bearer with the MTC device according to the negotiated QoS parameters. The present invention provides a method for establishing a transmission bearer between a network and an MTC device. |
| US09363829B2 |
Random access in dynamic and shared spectrums
Systems and methods for using a communication system in a spectrum are provided. For example, a random access or RACH procedure may be performed where the random access or RACH procedure may be configured to reduce secondary interference and/or to be used in a pixel-based environment. The random access or RACH procedure may include selecting a RACH preamble; sending a RACH preamble and/or format information; determining a transmission power of the RACH preamble and/or the format information; determining a random access radio network temporary identifier (RA-RNTI) and preamble ID associated with the RACH preamble; and/or selecting a physical RACH (PRACH). |
| US09363828B2 |
Signaling for preamble used for random access
According to one embodiment, a method of requesting a random access connection between a mobile terminal and a base station includes: receiving, by the mobile terminal, information comprising at least one signature root sequence index, a cyclic shift parameter, and a number of signatures used for representing a boundary between a first signature set and a second signature set; preparing, by the mobile terminal, random access signatures according to the at least one signature root sequence index and the cyclic shift parameter, wherein at least one of the random access signatures is associated with the first signature set and the remaining of the random access signatures are associated with the second signature set; and selecting, by the mobile terminal, a random access preamble from the first signature set or the second signature set based on a message size and a radio condition. |
| US09363825B2 |
Indication map delivery method, indication operation method, device, and system
An indication map delivery method, an indication operation method, a device, and a system are provided. In the embodiments of the present invention, a compressed Indication Map (IM) generated by a wireless access device includes at least one of a tiny partial bitmap sub-element, a skipped indication bits sub-element, and an indication bit offset sub-element, and consecutive indication bits with the same value at positions in an original IM can be compressed into a skipped indication bits sub-element, an indication bit offset sub-element, or the like. The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention facilitate improvement of compression efficiency of an IM, and further reduce radio air interface resources occupied for sending the IM and improve IM sending efficiency. |
| US09363823B2 |
System and method for managing resources in heterogeneous network
The present invention discloses a system and method for managing resources in a heterogeneous network, which includes a primary system and a secondary system and a communication coverage range of which is divided into a plurality of regions, the system including: a heterogeneous network resource management module configured to collect and manage resource usage status within a managed region; and a secondary system resource management module configured to acquire the resource usage status of each region from the heterogeneous network resource management module and to allocate resources to the secondary system by utilizing the acquired resource usage status of each region in accordance with a priority determined based on an efficiency of resource multiplexing between each region and the secondary system. According to the technical solution of the invention, the resource usage efficiency can be improved greatly. |
| US09363822B1 |
Method and system for assigning resources to user equipment devices (UEs)
A method and system for assigning resources to user equipment devices (UEs) is disclosed. A communication system may include a wireless network that allocates, among a plurality of UEs, resources on a given carrier. The wireless network may support carrier aggregation using a combination of the given carrier and at least one other carrier. The method involves the wireless network making a determination that (i) a first UE is operating without carrier aggregation and (ii) a second UE is operating with carrier aggregation. The method further involves, in response to making the determination, the wireless network giving the first UE higher priority than the second UE for resource assignment on the given carrier. |
| US09363821B2 |
Apparatus and method for allocating resources in cooperative communication system
A method for allocating a resource in a serving base station (BS) in a cooperative communication system is provided. The method includes detecting a base station identifier (BSID) of the serving BS and a BSID of each of other serving BSs included in the cooperative communication system; determining an available resource which the serving BS will use and an available resource which each of other serving BSs will use based on the BSID of the serving BS and the BSID of each of the other serving BSs; and transmitting information on the determined available resources to cooperative communication cell member BSs which the serving BS manages. |
| US09363819B2 |
Machine to machine (M2M) frame within a frame
A method for use in a wireless communications system includes transmitting M2M signals in an allocated narrow portion of bandwidth in a wideband structure. The allocated portion of the bandwidth may be allocated to narrow band M2M (NB-M2M) devices using a low complexity narrowband technology to access a frame structure within an existing wideband deployment. |
| US09363817B2 |
Mutual information based signal to interference plus noise ratio estimator for radio link monitoring
An effective SINR mapping based approach can be used to average the MI or RBIR values corresponding to narrowband SINR values in frequency between the resource blocks of the E-UTRA grid structure and then to estimate the downlink radio link quality from the averaged mutual information domain value by mapping it back to wideband SINR value covering the whole or partial E-UTRA system bandwidth. This wideband SINR value can then be further averaged in time and used as a downlink radio link quality estimate for E-UTRA radio link monitoring. Mutual information based effective SINR mapping is one example of an effective SINR mapping based approach. |
| US09363815B2 |
Method for SDMA transmission in multicarrier MU MIMO system and base station
The present invention provides a method for scheduling a SDMA user group in an MU MIMO system and a base station. The method comprise the following steps: calculating, according to channel state information, a projection matrix of a channel matrix of each user in a user group on a joint channel matrix of other users in the same user group, where the user group is selected from a plurality of users; calculating a capacity metric of the user group according to the projection matrixes; and selecting an optimal user group according to the metrics of a plurality of user groups. The present invention effectively eliminates the MUI on terminal users at the transmitter side, and reduces the computational complexity. |
| US09363813B2 |
Mobile communications system, gateway, method of controlling gateway, and computer readable medium therefor
A gateway communicating with a base station, includes a receiver that receives an incoming message including identification information of the base station and one or more parameters indicating an environment of the base station. The gateway also includes a memory that stores correspondence information including a cell identifier in association with at least one of the received identification information and the received one or more parameters. The gateway also includes a controller that determines the cell identifier, corresponding to a cell of the base station, based on the correspondence information and the incoming message, and generates an outgoing message, including the determined cell identifier, to be sent to a core network device. The gateway also includes a transmitter adapted to transmit the outgoing message. |
| US09363812B2 |
Method and apparatus for white space operation by a mobile entity
A method by an access point for wireless communication service includes receiving configuration parameters from a core network entity for operation as a base station using at least one non-white space (non-WS) bandwidth. The method further includes determining whether the received configuration parameters comprise an indication for the access point to use white space (WS) for the service. The method further includes requesting authorization information from a WS database to operate in the WS, in response to the received parameters comprising the indication. An access point comprising a processor, memory and transceiver may be configured to perform the elements of the method, using a computer-readable storage medium or other means. |
| US09363808B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling inter-cell interference
Provided are a method and an apparatus for controlling inter-cell interference in a wireless communication system. A first cell receives control information related to the configuration of a downlink control channel from a second cell, and the first cell determines a transmission resource of the downlink control channel in accordance with the control information. |
| US09363803B2 |
Method and device for allocating resource for uplink control channel in wireless communication system
Provided are a method and a device for allocating a resource for an uplink control channel in a wireless communication system. The method for allocating a resource for an uplink control channel in a wireless communication system comprises: receiving at least one downlink subframe; and allocating a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resource for transmitting an acknowledgement/not-acknowledgement (ACK/NACK) for the at least one downlink subframe, wherein the PUCCH resource is allocated on the basis of a control channel element of a control channel for scheduling each of the at least one downlink subframe, and if a particular subframe that satisfies a particular condition is included in the at least one downlink subframe, a control channel element included in the special subframe is excluded from the control channel element used to allocate the PUCCH resource. |
| US09363799B2 |
Method for transmitting an uplink control signal, user equipment, method for receiving an uplink signal, and base station
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for determining whether or not to transmit an uplink control signal in a first subframe according to whether or not a subframe (the first frame) corresponding to a transmission time of the uplink control signal is within an active time, or whether or not the first subframe is one of a constant number of subframes after the last subframe of the active time, and the active time is a time for the reception of resource allocation information for data retransmission. |
| US09363793B2 |
Methods and apparatus for optimizing paging mechanisms using device context information
Methods and apparatus enabling a wireless network to optimize paging channel operation, based on mobile device context information. In one embodiment, the wireless network is a cellular network (e.g., LTE-Advanced), and both base stations and cellular user devices dynamically exchange and maintain a paging agreement. The paging agreement limits the paging channel operation, thereby minimizing unnecessary scanning and usage of irrelevant radio resources. Such paging mechanisms are limited to the air interface between the base station and the mobile device, and are compatible with existing legacy devices and network entities. Networks with appropriately enabled user devices may improve their resource utilization. Base stations may advantageously reclaim freed-up cellular resources to support other services. |
| US09363792B2 |
Apparatus method and computer program element for efficient control and supervision of the activity of a communication device
The communication device has three useful data transmission states, where the communication device in the first and in the second state has associated first communication resources and in the third state has associated second communication resources, with the second communication resources being fewer than the first communication resources. Provision is made for there to be state changes from the first state to the second state, from the second state to the third state, from the third state to the first state and from the second state to the first state. |
| US09363791B2 |
Broadcast signal transmitter, broadcast signal receiver, and method for transceiving broadcast signals in broadcast signal transceivers
A broadcast signal receiver according to the present invention comprises: a demodulator for performing OFDM demodulation on a received broadcast signal including a frame for the delivery of a broadcast service: a frame demapper for outputting the frame, the frame including a preamble that contains first signaling information, and a plurality of link-layer-pipes (LLPs) that contain PLP data, second signaling information and third signaling information, with the PLP data including a base layer and an enhancement layer of the broadcast service; and a decoder for decoding the first signaling information, for decoding the second and third signaling information, and for selectively decoding the PLP data by using the third signaling information. |
| US09363790B2 |
Scheduling of dynamic broadcast channel
System(s) and method(s) are provided that facilitate scheduling system information. Scheduling of system information exploits a control channel associated with a broadcast channel (BCH), and utilizes reference information (e.g., a time reference or a scheduling reference) in addition to system information typically carried by scheduling units (SUs). Scheduling proceeds primarily according to three planning types. (i) A SU carries an indication of a time at which a disparate SU is to be scheduled in the control channel associated with the BCH. The indicated time is a specific time slot in the control channel or a lower bound for an actual scheduling instant. (ii) A first SU indicates a time cycle, or time period, for scheduling disparate scheduling units in the control channel associated with the BCH. (iii) A first SU carries a time indication to a second SU in a same control channel, the second SU indicates a time at which a third SU is to be scheduled. |
| US09363787B2 |
Method for receiving and providing multicast broadcasting service
A method for adaptively receiving and providing a multicast broadcasting service (MBS) according to at least one of capability and a channel status of a mobile station (MS) is disclosed. In more detail, a base station provides the MBS to MSs using different layers according to the capabilities and/or the channel statuses of the MSs, and the MSs adaptively receive the MBS according to the respective capabilities and/or the channel statuses of the MSs. |
| US09363783B2 |
Mobile device positioning in dynamic groupings of communication devices
A wi-fi based mobile positioning system determines mobile device positioning by count stamped packets communicated between the mobile device and access points according to a standard wifi protocol. Ad-hoc groups of wifi network nodes are formed and then broken with a mobile device as that mobile devices moves relative to fixed nodes, such as access points. Within an ad-hoc group, the nodes count stamp packets by latching a local counter within each node. Count-stamps are collected and used to generate ranges for a mobile device relative to nodes in an ad hoc group. A positioning services determines the position of the mobile device from the ranges. |
| US09363782B2 |
Methods and apparatus for wireless device positioning in multicarrier configurations
The described aspects include methods and apparatus for performing positioning for a user equipment (UE). The UE can communicate with a plurality of serving cells in a multicarrier configuration, and can indicate a plurality of serving cell identifiers corresponding to the plurality of serving cells in a message to a positioning server. The positioning server can obtain location information corresponding to at least a portion of a plurality of cells, or related eNBs, related to the plurality of serving cell identifiers, and can communicate the location information to the UE. The UE can perform positioning based at least in part on the location information. |
| US09363780B2 |
System and method of uplink power control in a wireless communication system
An apparatus may include a transceiver operable to receive a downlink message from a base station for a serving cell, the downlink message allocating a set of control parameters. The apparatus may also include a processor circuit communicatively coupled to the transceiver and an uplink power control module operable on the processor circuit to read the set of control parameters, and apply a signal-to-noise-and-interference (SINR) parameter based on the received set of control parameters to determine physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) power to be applied for a PUSCH transmission. Other embodiments are disclosed and claimed. |
| US09363777B2 |
Fast recovering for network listening schemes in synchronization over air for small cells
The present invention provides methods, apparatuses and a program relating to fast recovering for network listening schemes in synchronization over air for small cells. The present invention includes tracking, at a first base station, a reference signal of a second base station, determining, whether the reference signal can be tracked, if it is determined that the reference signal can be tracked, adjusting, at the first base station, a system clock of the first base station based on the reference signal of the second base station, and estimating and storing parameters relating to a frequency difference between the system clock of the first base station and a system clock of the second base station, and if it is determined that the reference signal cannot be reliably tracked, adjusting the system clock of the first base station based on the stored parameters. |
| US09363775B2 |
Method of carrying out synchronization tracking and a wireless device using the same
There are provided a method of carrying out synchronization tracking and a wireless device using the same. The wireless device receives CSI-RS (Channel Status Information-Reference Signal) setting for prescribing the CSI-RS from a base station, and TRS (Tracking Reference Signal) setting for prescribing the TRS from the base station. The wireless device tracks the synchronization based on the TRS. |
| US09363774B2 |
Method for transmitting sounding signal in wireless communication system
Disclosed is a method for allowing a station to transmit a sounding signal in a multiple-antenna wireless communication system, the method including receiving a group defining information about a group to which the station belongs from an access point (AP); determining a transmission time taken in transmitting a sounding signal by the respective stations, which belong to the group, on the basis of the group defining information; and transmitting a sounding signal to the AP in accordance with the transmission time and preset transmission order when receiving a sounding request signal from the AP. |
| US09363771B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling uplink power in a wireless access system
A method for reporting power headroom value in a wireless access system that supports a carrier aggregation, and a user equipment (UE) for performing the method are discussed. The method according to one embodiment includes receiving a uplink transmission grant allocating uplink resources on a predetermined subframe in an anchor uplink component carrier (UL CC); obtaining power headroom value for the anchor UL CC, if the UE is configured with a simultaneous physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) and physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) transmission; and reporting the power headroom value to a base station. The power headroom value is calculated. |
| US09363764B2 |
Method and system for wireless coverage redundancy
Devices and methods are provided for providing wireless coverage redundancy in case, for example, the backhaul of an access point (AP) base station is not available. In one embodiment, the method involves monitoring the backhaul, and in response to the backhaul being available, facilitating communication between an access terminal (AT) and the macro network via the backhaul. In addition, or in the alternative (e.g., when the backhaul is not available), a communication signal between the AT and a macro base station (or another AP base station) may be boosted. |
| US09363759B2 |
Power control protocol for highly variable data rate reverse link of a wireless communication system
A subscriber unit performs power control of a reverse link by sending heartbeat messages to a base station, permitting the base station to determine a reverse link quality report. Using a reverse link quality report message received from the base station, the subscriber unit calculates its reverse power level and maintains the reverse power level during the standby state. |
| US09363758B2 |
Determination of initial transmit power based on shared transmit-power information
Methods and systems are disclosed herein that may be used to share transmit-power information between mobile stations. An exemplary method involves a first mobile station: (i) determining a verified transmit power (VTP) for the first mobile station; (ii) using the VTP to generate a transmit-power message, wherein the transmit-power message is usable to determine an initial transmit power (ITP) for the second mobile station; and (iii) the first mobile station sending the transmit-power message to at least the second mobile station. For instance, the first mobile station may set the ITP for the second mobile station equal to the VTP for the first mobile station, and include an indication of the ITP in the transmit-power message. Alternatively, the first mobile station may calculate the ITP for the second mobile station by adjusting its VTP according to the ratio of the distance between the second mobile station and the serving base station, and the distance between the first mobile station and the serving base station. |
| US09363756B2 |
Electric-power supplying apparatus, method, and program
An electric-power supplying apparatus may include a power supply configured to supply electric power to an electric device via a power supply line, and at least one processor programmed to perform acts including transmitting a command signal to the electric device via the power supply line, receiving a response signal from the electric device via load modulation on the power supply line, and registering setting information for establishing wireless communication between the electric device and the apparatus based on the received response signal. An electric apparatus may include a power plug configured to receive electric power and a command signal from an external device, and an IC chip configured to use load modulation to transmit a response signal, in response to the command signal, to the external device via the power plug. |
| US09363752B2 |
Target wake time flow identification in TWT acknowledgement
Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide methods and apparatus for generating a frame with timing information for a target wake time (TWT) and an identification of the TWT. An example method generally includes generating a frame generating a frame comprising timing information for a target wake time (TWT) and an identification of the TWT to which the timing information applies, and outputting the frame for transmission. |
| US09363751B2 |
Communication device, communication method, communication system, and base station
A communication device, system and method cooperate to transmit a signal from a base station, where the signal includes a current frame and a target frame. A counting unit counts a frame period and a reception control unit causes the receiving unit to transition to a sleep state. A reception control unit causes the receiving unit to return from the sleep state before a counting result of the counting unit reaches the target frame. The reception control unit also causes the receiving unit to return to the sleep state over a time period based on a difference between a current frame and the target frame. |
| US09363749B2 |
Dynamic power scaling of digital modems
A system and method dynamically scale power consumed by the circuitry of an electronic device based on channel state and/or data rate. The electronic device then operates according to the power scaling. The scaling may be in accordance with an effective data rate, a number of multiple input multiple output (MIMO) layers, receiver type, a cell scenario, or a number of carriers. A number of MIMO layers can be predicted based on at least one of channel conditions or a channel quality index (CQI). |
| US09363739B2 |
Optimization on network assisted proximity services discovery management
Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for network assisted ProSe discovery management are provided. One method includes establishing, by a network element, a discovery context of a user equipment, and transmitting a discovery context establishment request comprising beacon information on at least one other user that a user of the user equipment is interested in discovering. |
| US09363729B2 |
Method and system for soft handoff in mobile broadband systems
The present invention provides a method and system for facilitating efficient handoff and data throughput in mobile broadband communication systems. Methods implemented by a system constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention include selectively enabled soft handoff, performing Layer 2 bearer functions at the base station and using the mobile device to coordinate soft handoff and interference avoidance without the need for a centralized coordination function. |
| US09363723B2 |
Non-persistent heterogeneous neighbors
A heterogeneous network comprising macro network devices and micro network devices operates to maintain a dynamic data set of neighbor relations for a potential transfer of a User Equipment (UE) device from one network zone to another network zone. In response to detecting a failure of a macro network device to establish a network connection with a network device, a dynamic management of the data set initiates. A capacity number of network connections is determined for the macro network device (e.g., macro eNB sector carrier) based on the data set of neighbor relations. A threshold number is determined from the network neighbor device data, representing the set of micro network devices with which the macro network device is operable to establish the network. A defined number of micro network devices is maintained that is less than the threshold number of the network neighbor device data. |
| US09363721B2 |
In-device coexistence interference report control method and apparatus of network in mobile communication system
An in-device coexistence interference report control method of a network for terminal to inform the network of interference among heterogeneous radio communication modules coexisting in the terminal is provided. The method includes determining, at a terminal when a terminal capability enquiry message is received from a base station, whether the base station supports an In-Device Coexistence (IDC) interference report, transmitting, when the IDC interference report is supported, a terminal capacity information message to the base station, receiving a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connection reconfiguration message including information on whether terminal's IDC interference indicator transmission is permitted from the base station; and transmitting an RRC connection reconfiguration complete message to the base station in response to the RRC connection reconfiguration message. The in-device coexistence interference indication control method is advantageous in preventing the UE from transmitting useless in-device coexistence interference indication messages, resulting in reduction of unnecessary signaling. |
| US09363716B1 |
Coverage area adjustment for circuit switched fallback
A first access node co-located with a second access node. The first access node communicates using a first type of wireless service. Scan results indicate whether a wireless device meets a first threshold criteria for being served by the second access node using a second type of wireless service. A time series of a count of these wireless devices is determined. From the time series, an indicator of a moving average of the time series is determined. Based on the moving average, the wireless devices are configured with an indicator of a second threshold criteria that determines whether a respective one of the wireless devices meets a second threshold criteria for being served by the first access node using the first type of wireless service. |
| US09363715B2 |
Modem and method for handing over IP multimedia subsystem sessions from a packet-switched network to a circuit-switched network
A modem and a method for handing over Internet protocol (IP) multimedia subsystem (IMS) sessions from a packet-switched network to a circuit-switched network. One embodiment of the modem includes: (1) a physical layer through which IMS packets for a plurality of IMS sessions are transmittable and receivable, and (2) a control layer configured to gain access to respective IMS session data for the plurality of IMS sessions, the respective IMS session data originating from a host IMS application. |
| US09363713B1 |
Exchange of network signaling values between base stations to improve handover performance
Disclosed is a method and system for accounting for network signaling values in handover decisions. A serving base station may receive a message from a served user equipment device (UE) indicating that handover condition is met for handing over to one or more target base stations. The serving base station can determine a respective network signaling value being used by each target base station, and thereby determine how much uplink attenuation the UE would be directed to apply for each potential handover. The serving base station can also determine its downlink power and that the target base stations as measured by the UE. The serving base station can then make a handover decision taking account of a change in uplink attenuation for each potential handover. |
| US09363712B2 |
Satellite communication system for a continuous high-bitrate access service over a coverage area including at least one polar region
A system comprises a constellation of satellites placed in non-geostationary orbit, user terminals located in a coverage area, and N anchor stations able to ensure bidirectional communications with the user terminals by way of at least one satellite. The system furthermore comprises a network of routers interconnected with one another and to the Worldwide Internet Network, each anchor station is connected to the Worldwide Internet Network by way of a router, and each anchor station comprises a management device for managing the handovers to ensure service continuity for the communications. This management device is able to control the handovers between the successive orbiting satellites progressing over the coverage area, the handovers between anchor stations, or the handovers between simultaneously successive satellites and anchor stations. |
| US09363710B1 |
Systems and methods for managing in-vehicle system network connectivity
Systems and methods for managing in-vehicle system network connectivity. A media system processor may determine an application requirement of an application running on the media system and an available bandwidth of a cellular communication link of the media system. The processor may receive available cellular communication link bandwidths of one or more mobile devices in communication with the media system. The processor may rank an ability of the media system, the first one or more mobile devices to meet the application requirement based on their respective available bandwidths, select the highest ranked of the media system, and the one or more mobile devices via a short-range communication to receive content for presentation by the media system, and may receive the content for the selected highest ranked of the media system, and the one or more mobile devices. |
| US09363705B2 |
Network capacity redistribution with frequency re-use
Redistribution of network capacity in a network having a plurality of base stations is contemplated. The redistribution may include reallocating or otherwise reusing primary channels assigned to the plurality base stations to increase capacity proximate one or more of the base stations. The network capacity may be increased in this manner without having to add new base stations. |
| US09363702B2 |
Method and system for enabling device-to-device communication
Mobile communication devices, such as user equipment (UE) using 3GPP-LTE or LTE Advanced, may communicate directly with another UE through a system called Device-to-Device (D2D) communication. The establishment of a D2D communication session may involve having one of the UEs trigger the signaling procedures. In particular, a D2D resource re-allocation method may be used to optimize the D2D communication resource utilization efficiency in a dynamic manner, which is fully controlled by one of the D2D pair (termed the master UE or M-UE). The M-UE may be arranged to re-allocate resources based on the buffer status report (BSR) of the UEs in the D2D communication session. The M-UE may be further arranged to dynamically change the configuration of the transmission window based on characteristics of the D2D communication session. |
| US09363699B2 |
Base station apparatus and radio communication method for receiving information indicative of channel quality from mobile station
A wireless communication method and apparatus are provided for selecting quality-reporting sub-carrier bands based on sub-carrier band quantity information received from a base station. The method includes generally four steps. First, from a base station, information indicating quantity of sub-carrier bands is acquired. Second, channel quality of each of a plurality of sub-carrier bands within a communication band is measured from a received signal. Third, sub-carrier bands are selected from the plurality of sub-carrier bands, wherein quantity of the selected sub-carrier bands corresponds to the quantity of sub-carrier bands indicated by the acquired information. Fourth, information indicating channel quality of the selected sub-carrier bands is reported to the base station. |
| US09363696B2 |
Analyzing device, analyzing method, and analyzing program
An analyzing device includes a memory and a processor coupled to the memory. The processor is configured to receive an acknowledgement from a wireless communication device for each of a plurality of data which is transmitted through a wired network and transmitted to the wireless communication device by a wireless communication which is capable of retransmitting data, from the wired network, calculate a reception interval of the plurality of acknowledgements, and analyze a retransmission cycle in the wireless communication based on a difference of the calculated reception interval of the plurality of acknowledgements. |
| US09363694B2 |
Determining connection states of a mobile wireless device
Methods, apparatuses and computer readable media are described that determine a connection state between a mobile wireless device and a wireless network upon detection of an interruption of a connection between the mobile wireless device and the wireless network. The mobile wireless device transmits an uplink resource allocation message to the wireless network, and when receiving no response to the uplink resource allocation message, transmits a random access message to the wireless network. When receiving no response from the wireless network to the random access message, the mobile wireless device executes a radio link failure procedure. In an embodiment, the uplink resource allocation message includes a unique identifier for an existing radio resource control connection between the mobile wireless device and the wireless network. |
| US09363688B2 |
Repair method and device for missing detection of control channel
Embodiments of the present invention provide a repair method for missing detection of a control channel and relate to the field of communications. The method includes detecting whether a user equipment misses detecting a physical downlink control channel. After it is detected that the user equipment misses detecting the physical downlink control channel, a repair is performed using a repair policy. |
| US09363685B2 |
Methods for robust wireless communication for nodes located in vehicles
A communication method for a wireless communication network in a vehicle is disclosed where the network includes a plurality of sensor nodes and a receiving node. The method includes wirelessly transmitting first sensor data from a first sensor node and second sensor data from a second sensor node using first and second frequency channels, and receiving the first and second sensor data at the receiving node. The method can include rearranging the order of transmitting sensor data, and aggregating sensor data at the sensor nodes. The method can include testing the quality of the wireless links; and using the links with the best quality whether indirect or direct links. The receiving node can simultaneously receive data from more than one node using different frequencies. The nodes can transmit data in parallel using different frequencies. The network can include helper nodes. The wireless communication network can be designed as a tree. |
| US09363684B2 |
Determining loss of IP packets
A method of determining loss of IP packets that are transported over a network (102), where each IP packet comprises a number of data packets. The method comprises: i) extracting (501) a first data packet from a first IP packet (41), ii) extracting (502) a second data packet from a second IP packet, iii) retrieving (503, 504) a first sequence number from a first data packet and a second sequence number from a second data packet, where each of the sequence numbers is indicative of a sequence of data packets and has a value belonging to a set of a number of unique values, iv) calculating (505) a difference (Δcc) between the sequence numbers, and v) determining (506) a number (k) of lost IP packets, as a function of the difference (Δcc) between the sequence numbers. Related computer readable medium and customer equipment are also described. |
| US09363680B2 |
Transmitting data packets in multi-rat networks
In order to transmit data packets in multi-RAT networks, a method and system of network controllers are provided including simultaneous establishment of radio connections over multiple different Radio Access Technologies or RATs, with User Equipment or UE 13, being one radio connection firstly established over one primary RAT under a single PDP context and one or more radio connections established over at least one secondary RAT, different from the primary RAT, and under the same single PDP context; simultaneous transmission of data packets over the different RATs towards the UE 13 and combination of the transmitted data by higher layer protocols at the UE 13. In the present method/system, a connection is established for user plane transmission on the same PDP context between a primary network controller 11 of the primary RAT and the secondary network controller 12 of a secondary RAT. More than one secondary RAT may be involved. |
| US09363679B2 |
Robust parametric power spectral density (PSD) construction
This disclosure describes techniques for constructing power spectral density (PSD) maps representative of the distribution of radio frequency (RF) power as a function of both frequency and space (geographic location). For example, the disclosure describes techniques for construction PSD maps using robust basis pursuit forms of signal expansion. |
| US09363677B2 |
Pilot selection for OFDMA carrier tracking
A device includes a signaling interface to receive OFDM signaling for an OFDM channel from a plurality of transmit nodes and an OFDM receiver process the OFDM signaling. The device further includes a channel allocation module to determine, for each transmit node, a corresponding SNR for each of a plurality of subchannels of the channel and to allocate, to each transmit node of the plurality of transmit nodes, a corresponding subset of subchannels of the plurality of subchannels. The channel allocation module further is to select, for each subset of subchannels, one or more subchannels for use as pilots by the corresponding transmit node based on the SNRs of the subchannels in the subset. The device further includes an OFDM transmitter to transmit configuration information to the plurality of transmit nodes, the configuration information representing the allocation of the subchannels and the selection of subchannels for use as pilots. |
| US09363671B2 |
Authentication for relay deployment
Techniques for proving enterprise mode security for relays are disclosed. For example, enterprise mode security based on IEEE 802.1x is provided for relays or other similar devices to extend the coverage of access point hotspots or other similar access point use cases. According to one aspect, a relay incorporates an authentication client associated with an authentication server. According to another aspect, a four address format is employed for tunneling messages via a relay between a station and an access point. According to another aspect, a cryptographic master key associated with an access point and a station is provided to a relay to enable the relay to be an authenticator for the station. |
| US09363668B2 |
Sensor network, sensor management server, key updating method and key updating program
A sensor network includes a sensor management server which is mutually connected with many sensor terminals. The sensor management server includes: a key delivery module for transmitting a key update message to the respective sensor terminals; a communication volume detection module for detecting a communication volume used for transmitting the key update message; and a multiplicity determination module for specifying a numerical value as a multiplicity, which represents the lower limit number of key update messages transmitted to the respective sensor terminals, according to the detected communication volume. The multiplicity determination module specifies the multiplicity such that the communication volume for transmitting or retransmitting the key update message takes the minimum value, and the key delivery module transmits the key update message by using the minimum communication volume that corresponds to the specified multiplicity. |
| US09363667B2 |
System and method for user-privacy-aware communication monitoring and analysis
Methods and systems for monitoring, analyzing and acting upon voice calls in communication networks. An identification system receives monitored voice calls that are conducted in a communication network. Some of the monitored voice calls may be conducted by target individuals who are predefined as suspects. In order to maintain user privacy, the system selects and retains only voice calls that are suspected of being conducted by predefined targets. The techniques disclosed herein are particularly advantageous in scenarios where the network identifiers of the terminal used by the target are not known, or where the target uses public communication devices. In accordance with the disclosure, content-based identifiers such as speaker recognition or keyword matching are used. |
| US09363664B2 |
Techniques for determining communication state using accelerometer data
Techniques for communicating with a user on a network include receiving acceleration data that indicates acceleration of a mobile network node associated with a user of a network. A communication state for the user is determined based at least in part on the acceleration data. The communication state indicates a type of network communication suitable for communicating with the user. Network communications with the user are based on the communication state. Among other uses, such techniques allow a network communicating with a human through a mobile node carried by the human to infer from stopped or unusual motions when the human's ability to receive or act on communications is impaired or otherwise affected. |
| US09363662B2 |
Portable terminal on which multiple SIMs are capable of being mounted, and method of selecting SIM therein
A method of selecting a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) in a portable terminal on which multiple SIMs are capable of being mounted, includes determining whether an application/service that is currently being executed is an application or a service for which security is previously set, selecting a SIM that is previously set for security use or a SIM that is set for general use, according to a result of the determination, and performing communication. |
| US09363660B2 |
Processing data in a cluster of network nodes
Measures for processing data in a telecommunications network. At a cache, a subscriber configuration data request requesting subscriber configuration data for a subscriber device is received from a network node in a cluster of network nodes. In response to receipt of the subscriber configuration data request, it is determined that a shared cache store does not contain subscriber configuration data for the subscriber device. In response to the determination, subscriber configuration data for the subscriber device is retrieved from a subscriber configuration network node. The subscriber configuration data for the subscriber device retrieved from the subscriber configuration network node is transmitted to the network node. |
| US09363657B1 |
Method and system for obtaining emergency caller location
A method and system for determining if a phone has changed locations includes a subscriber phone equipment coupled to a phone system through a subscriber access line. The subscriber phone equipment includes a location test module and a datastore. The location test module includes a first subscriber access line identity for the subscriber access line. The datastore includes a first subscriber location for the first subscriber access line identity. The location test module obtains a second subscriber access line identity for the subscriber access line, obtains a second subscriber location for the second subscriber access line identity, and compares the first subscriber location and the second subscriber location. If the first subscriber location does not match the second subscriber location, then the subscriber phone equipment has changed locations. If the first subscriber location matches the second subscriber location, then the subscriber phone equipment has not changed locations. |
| US09363644B2 |
System and method for detection of indoor tracking units
Disclosed is a system and method for obtaining ad-hoc the spatial layout and setup of installed radio-based indoor tracking systems at particular locations. The systems and methods can be implemented via an installed or web-based application that performs the ad-hoc detection of indoor beacons, which includes detecting the signal strength of all beacons at a location while the user performs a previously configured gesture. From the trajectory of the gesture and the recorded signal strengths, the disclosed systems and methods derive the distance and direction of all beacons, which are laid out in a 2D map. Thus, the present disclosure can implicitly calibrate signal strengths to high-accuracy distances, thereby producing the spatially accurate 2D setup of the previously unknown space, in addition to indoor tracking on a decimeter level, which is efficient and increasingly cost effective for device tracking and advertising purposes. |
| US09363643B1 |
Method and apparatus of processing data displayed on a mobile station interface based on user preferences
A method and apparatus of monitoring a mobile station's activity to determine user behavior is disclosed. One example method may include determining a location of the mobile station, and determining data that is accessible to the mobile station based on its location. The method may also include transmitting the data to the mobile station, tracking the movement of the mobile station over a specified time interval, and compiling a report of the mobile station's activity within the specified time interval. |
| US09363639B2 |
Sharing content
A system and method shares content with third parties based on the location of the third parties at the time the content was created. The third parties with which content is shared are selected by identifying those third parties which were within a zone of geographic proximity around the location at which the content was created at the time of its creation. |
| US09363637B2 |
Multi-tiered detection of a geofence
Methods, program products, and systems for multi-tier detection of a geofence are disclosed. In general, in one aspect, a mobile device can be configured to perform a task when the mobile device enters a geographic region. The mobile device can monitor a current location using a multi-tiered approach. A baseband subsystem can monitor a coarse location of the mobile device using a CDMA system identifier, a CDMA network identifier, a CDMA zone identifier, or a CDMA base station identifier, in that order, as the mobile device moves closer to the geographic region. The baseband subsystem can notify an application subsystem when the mobile device is in a cell that intersects the geographic region. The application subsystem can perform the task upon notification. |
| US09363636B2 |
Sending geofence-related heuristics to multiple separate hardware components of mobile devices
Methods and apparatus are directed to geofencing-related heuristics for computing devices. A computing device with a plurality of sensors can receive a plurality of heuristics. Each heuristic can be configured to generate command(s) for the sensors based on one or more heuristic inputs. The heuristic input(s) can include an input related to a geofence. The computing device can receive a plurality of signals from the sensors. The computing device can determine, based on the plurality of signals, an activity class for the computing device. The activity class can specify an activity associated with the computing device. The computing device can select a heuristic from the plurality of heuristics at least based on the activity class. The computing device can execute the selected heuristic to generate the command(s) for the sensors. |
| US09363635B2 |
Obtaining a geo-fence without a network download
Methods and systems for providing and obtaining a geo-fence without a network download are disclosed. An embodiment generates geo-fence parameters and encodes the geo-fence parameters on a portable storage media, wherein the geo-fence parameters are transferred to a location-enabled mobile device when the location-enabled mobile device scans the portable storage media. An embodiment scans, by a location-enabled mobile device, a portable storage media, wherein the portable storage media stores geo-fence parameters, and wherein scanning the portable storage media transfers the geo-fence parameters to the location-enabled mobile device. An embodiment includes a non-transitory portable storage media comprising geo-fence parameters, including a perimeter of a geo-fence and one or more alert conditions associated with the perimeter of the geo-fence, wherein scanning the portable storage media transfers the geo-fence parameters to a location-enabled mobile device. |
| US09363634B1 |
Providing context-relevant information to users
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for predicting context-relevant information based on large-scale aggregations of data. One of the methods includes receiving a user context of a user, wherein the user context specifies a location of a user device being used by the user. Data that represents counts of websites visited by users matching the user context is obtained. Data that represents counts of websites visited by users in general is obtained. Using the obtained counts, one or more likely websites visited by users matching the user context more frequently than by users in general is determined. Information identifying the one or more likely websites in response to receiving the user context is provided. |
| US09363629B2 |
Method and apparatus for obtaining location of user
A method of obtaining a location of a user includes obtaining first location information of the user; searching a pre-stored first map for a plurality of candidate areas corresponding to the first location information; selecting at least one search area from the plurality of candidate areas corresponding to the first location information based on second location information of the user; and determining the location of the user using at least one search area. |
| US09363627B1 |
Rack server system
A rack server system and a wireless communication method are disclosed. The rack server system includes a rack management control unit and a server node. The rack management control unit includes a rack management control module and a first ZigBee communication module. The server node includes a first baseboard management control module and a second ZigBee communication module. The rack management control module generates a first serial communication signal. The first ZigBee communication module is electrically coupled with the rack management control module and transforms the first serial communication signal into a first wireless signal. The first baseboard management control module generates a second serial communication signal. The second ZigBee communication module is electrically coupled with the first baseboard management control module and transforms the second serial communication signal into a second wireless signal. |
| US09363624B2 |
Electronic apparatus with a touch panel and data transmission method for a body area network
The present invention discloses an electronic apparatus and a data transmission method. The electronic apparatus includes a touch control communication unit for executing touch control input or communication data transmission, a touch control driving unit for providing a driving signal to and receiving a touch control signal from the touch control communication unit, a communication driving unit for providing communication data to be transmitted to and receiving it from the touch control communication unit, and a control unit for controlling the touch control communication unit to be in a first working status in which the touch control communication unit is electrically connected to the touch control driving unit and executes touch control input or a second working status in which the touch control communication unit is electrically connected to the communication driving unit and executes communication data transmission according to predetermined conditions. |
| US09363620B2 |
System for controlling audio frequencies of electronic appliances and a method of the same
The system comprises a master controller and an audio plug connected to the master controller. The audio plug includes at least four contacts electrically connected to corresponding poles of an audio frequency interface. Electrical coupling devices are disposed on circuits which respectively connect a first contact and a second contact with the master controller. The circuits between each electrical coupling devices and the correspondent contact are short circuits. |
| US09363616B1 |
Directional capability testing of audio devices
A test system for testing directional capabilities of an audio device includes a horizontal linear actuator and a vertical linear actuator. The horizontal linear actuator supports a rotary actuator upon which the audio device is placed. The vertical linear actuator supports a sound source. To test the device, the actuators are controlled to establish multiple relative positions of the audio device and the sound source. A test sound is emitted at each of the relative positions. The audio device is configured to provide data generated in response to the test sound at each of the relative positions. The test system receives and records the data along with coordinates indicating the relative positions to which the data corresponds. |
| US09363615B2 |
Delay measurement apparatus and delay measurement method for network music session
In this system, a terminal A retrieves terminal's input delay time Tia from input of an audio signal to start of transmission of the audio signal, transmission delay time Tn from the start of transmission of the audio signal to reception of the audio signal by a partner terminal B, partner's reception buffering delay time Tbfb from reception of the audio signal to output of the audio signal by a reception buffer portion BFb of the partner terminal B, and partner's output delay time Tob from input of the audio signal to output of the audio signal by an audio reproduction portion DRob of the partner terminal B. The terminal A then sums up these delay times to determine input/output delay time Ttab from the input of the audio signal by the terminal A to the output of the audio signal by the audio reproduction portion DRob of the partner terminal B. |
| US09363614B2 |
Method of fitting a hearing aid system and a hearing aid fitting system
In a method of fitting a hearing aid system, a hearing aid user's hearing loss is classified and the hearing aid fitting is adapted in response to this classification. The hearing loss classification is, in one example, classified by determining an audiogram for the user, testing the user's hearing function under conditions that, for a user with that audiogram, would result in a predicted intelligibility, and comparing the measured intelligibility to the predicted intelligibility. Also disclosed is a hearing aid fitting system (100, 200) adapted to carry out the method. |
| US09363610B2 |
MEMS process and device
A method of fabricating a micro-electrical-mechanical system (MEMS) transducer comprises the steps of forming a membrane on a substrate, and forming a back-volume in the substrate. The step of forming a back-volume in the substrate comprises the steps of forming a first back-volume portion and a second back-volume portion, the first back-volume portion being separated from the second back-volume portion by a step in a sidewall of the back-volume. The cross-sectional area of the second back-volume portion can be made greater than the cross-sectional area of the membrane, thereby enabling the back-volume to be increased without being constrained by the cross-sectional area of the membrane. The back-volume may comprise a third back-volume portion. The third back-volume portion enables the effective diameter of the membrane to be formed more accurately. |
| US09363608B2 |
Acoustic transducer
Provided is an acoustic transducer including: a semiconductor substrate; a vibrating membrane provided above the semiconductor substrate, including a vibrating electrode; and a fixed membrane provided above the semiconductor substrate, including a fixed electrode, the acoustic transducer detecting a sound wave according to changes in capacitances between the vibrating electrode and the fixed electrode, converting the sound wave into electrical signals, and outputting the electrical signals. At least one of the vibrating electrode and the fixed electrode is divided into a plurality of divided electrodes, and the plurality of divided electrodes outputting the electrical signals. |
| US09363607B2 |
Plane-type speaker and AV apparatus
A plane-type speaker where, on one of the main surfaces of an exciter film, there are placed piezoelectric films which are expanded and contracted by sound-releasing driving signals applied thereto. An oscillation plate is secured to the excited film through frame members. The oscillation plate has a flat-plate shape and is secured to the exciter film while having a warped shape such that it is gradually spaced further away from the exciter film, with decreasing distance from the secured ends to a center area, when viewed at a side surface. This realizes a state where the exciter film is pulled outwardly with respect to the secured ends due to bending stresses therein. If sound-releasing driving signals are applied to the piezoelectric films in this state, the exciter film contracts and expands along with the expansion and contraction of the piezoelectric films, thereby causing the oscillation plate to oscillate. |
| US09363603B1 |
Surround audio dialog balance assessment
A surround audio dialog balance assessment method, apparatus, and system as disclosed herein is an audio monitor or is associated with an audio monitor. Preferred surround audio dialog balance assessment methods, apparatuses, and systems automate the process of monitoring audio signals through a broadcast chain. |
| US09363602B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing virtualized audio files via headphones
Embodiments of the subject invention relate to a method and apparatus for providing virtualized audio files. Specific embodiments relate to a method and apparatus for providing virtualized audio files to a user via in-ear speakers or headphones. A specified embodiment can provide Surround Sound virtualization with DTS Surround Sensations software. Embodiments can utilize the 2-channel audio transmitted to the headphones. In order to accommodate for the user moving the headphones in one or more directions, and/or rotating the headphones, while still allowing the user to perceive the origin of the audio remains is a fixed location, heading data regarding the position of the headphones, the angular direction of the headphones, the movement of the headphones, and/or the rotation of the headphones can be returned from the headphones to a PC or other processing device. Additional processing of the audio files can be performed utilizing all or a portion of the received data to take into account the movement of the headphones. |
| US09363601B2 |
Audio output balancing
An example implementation involves a first playback device receiving audio content to be played by the first playback device and a second playback device. The first playback device may be configured to play respective portions of the audio that are respectively below and above a first crossover frequency. The playback device determines a first limiting result that represents playback of the second portion of the audio content by applying, to the second portion of the audio content, a pre-determined volume-limiting function that is associated with the second playback device, where the first limiting result indicates frequencies at which a playback volume of the second playback device is limited. The playback device determines a second crossover frequency based on the indicated frequencies at which the playback volume of the second playback device is limited and plays a third portion of the audio content that is below the second crossover frequency. |
| US09363597B1 |
Distance-based audio processing for parametric speaker system
A hybrid ultrasonic audio system includes one or more ultrasonic speakers and one or more conventional speakers. An optical imaging system may be used to automatically determine the distance of a listener relative to the audio system. Channel processors apply distance-related transfer function filters to one or more of the audio channels based on the determined distances to equalize the amplitude of the audio played by the ultrasonic speakers relative to the conventional speakers. Channel processors may further apply a phase or time delay to the audio channels to match the phase and time delay of the ultrasonic speaker audio to the conventional speaker audio. |
| US09363596B2 |
System and method of mixing accelerometer and microphone signals to improve voice quality in a mobile device
A method of improving voice quality in a mobile device starts by receiving acoustic signals from microphones included in earbuds and the microphone array included on a headset wire. The headset may include the pair of earbuds and the headset wire. An output from an accelerometer that is included in the pair of earbuds is then received. The accelerometer may detect vibration of the user's vocal chords filtered by the vocal tract based on vibrations in bones and tissue of the user's head. A spectral mixer included in the mobile device may then perform spectral mixing of the scaled output from the accelerometer with the acoustic signals from the microphone array to generate a mixed signal. Performing spectral mixing includes scaling the output from the inertial sensor by a scaling factor based on a power ratio between the acoustic signals from the microphone array and the output from the inertial sensor. Other embodiments are also described. |
| US09363594B2 |
Earbud with membrane based acoustic mass loading
An in-ear earphone housing has a speaker driver installed therein. The driver has a diaphragm with a front face and a rear face, and a motor to vibrate the diaphragm in accordance with an audio signal. A back volume chamber is positioned behind the driver within the earphone housing. The diaphragm is part of a wall of the back volume chamber. An acoustic mass loading membrane that is part of a wall of the back volume chamber, and that is to vibrate in response to acoustic waves produced by vibration of the diaphragm impinging on a front face of the membrane, is provided. Other embodiments are also described and claimed, including a polymer production process for an elastic material. |
| US09363592B2 |
LED lighting device and speaker
Embodiments consistent with the present disclosure provide an LED lighting device and speaker. The LED lighting device and speaker may include an LED lighting unit, a speaker, an outer casing, and a power supply module. The LED lighting unit and the speaker are placed on the outer casing. There is also a sound guiding tube on the outer casing. The sound guiding tube on the outer casing may expand the audio bandwidth, enhance bass quality, reduce speaker vibration displacements, and protect the speaker. Further, the gap between the sound guiding tube and the bottom of the outer casing provides a heat dissipation path for the heat generated by the power supply module. In addition, the sound guiding tube and the hollowed lampshade forms a path that increases the air circulation between the interior and exterior of the LED lighting device and speaker. Finally, the sound guiding tube adds to the heating dissipating surface of the LED lighting device and speaker and therefore improves the efficiency of heat dissipation. |
| US09363589B2 |
Liquid resistant acoustic device
An acoustic port of acoustic device is covered with a mesh and/or other structure that resists entry of liquid and/or other materials into the acoustic device. Apertures of a housing that are separated by an umbrella section are coupled to the acoustic port such that the umbrella section may cover the acoustic port. In this way, when liquid enters one or more of the apertures, the umbrella section may direct the liquid away from the mesh such that pressure from the liquid upon the mesh may be reduced. As such, potential damage to the mesh and/or internal acoustic device components may be mitigated. In some implementations, the apertures may be covered with an additional mesh. Such additional mesh may further reduce the pressure of entering liquid on the mesh covering the acoustic port of the acoustic device. |
| US09363588B2 |
Panel-form loudspeaker
A panel-form loudspeaker is disclosed. The panel-form loudspeaker includes a cover having a bottom forming an opening in a middle portion thereof; a vibration plate at least partially accommodated in the opening; an actuator fixed with the cover and engaging with the vibration plate for driving the vibration plate to vibrate; a gap formed between the vibration plate and the bottom of the cover; and a suspension. The vibration plate includes an inner surface and an outer surface opposite to the inner surface. The suspension includes a first connecting portion connecting with the inner surface of the vibration plate, and a second connecting portion connecting with a top of the bottom for suspending the vibration plate in the opening. |
| US09363583B2 |
System and method for reducing the stimulated Raman scattering crosstalk in channel monitoring
System, apparatus, and method embodiments are provided for suppressing the stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) crosstalk in multiple wavelength channel signals propagating in fiber links, such as in WDM/DWDM or other optical communications systems. The SRS is reduced or suppressed by separating the channels into two sets of different channels, such as even and odd channels, and then performing subtraction of signal amplitudes between the two sets of channels. The channels are separated by an interleaver into the two sets. Alternatively, a wavelength selective switch (WSS) is used to separate the channels into the two sets on which the subtraction of signal amplitudes is then performed. In an embodiment, the signals are low frequency modulation signals used for channel monitoring for optical communications systems. |
| US09363581B2 |
Compact multicast switches, MxN switches and MxN splitters
New architectures for multicast switches, and other optical switches and splitters, that have substantially reduced insertion loss, crosstalk and better overall optical performance in comparison to existing optical switches and splitters. Optimized waveguide mesh layouts are used to substantially reduce the number of waveguide crossings, which reduces insertion loss. The reduction in the number of crossings also reduces the complexity of the mesh and provides better crossing angles to reduce crosstalk and other issues. Instead of crossing all of the waveguides connected between splitter outputs and switch inputs, the waveguides are crossed in sets of waveguides. |
| US09363576B2 |
Advertisement insertion systems, methods, and media
Systems, methods, and media for providing an advertisement in correspondence with a radio broadcast are provided. A radio broadcast receiver receives the radio broadcast. An audio output outputs the radio broadcast as an audio signal. A display controller determines an advertisement for display in correspondence with the audio signal. A display is configured to display the advertisement, and a processor controls a movement within the advertisement during the display of the advertisement on the display. The movement is controlled in accordance with a speed of motion determined by the processor. |
| US09363571B2 |
Touch sensing apparatus and method
An apparatus may include a processor and a touch sensing device coupled to the processor. The apparatus may further include a force determining module operative on the processor to receive a detection signal from a first portion of the touch sensing device, determine a contact area at the first portion based upon the detection signal, map the first portion to a target operation, and send control instructions to perform the target operation based on the contact area. |
| US09363570B2 |
Broadcast receiving apparatus for receiving a shared home screen
Disclosed are a broadcast receiving apparatus and a method for operating the same. A broadcast receiving apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an interface to access an electronic device that stores home screen information including a background image and a plurality of execution items, and to receive the home screen information from the electronic device, a controller to scale at least one of the background image and the execution items of the received home screen information, and a display to display a home screen including the scaled background image and execution items. As such, user convenience may be improved. |
| US09363562B1 |
Method and system for authorizing a user device
There is described a computer-implemented method for authorizing a user device, comprising: use of a processor for receiving an extracted identifier transmitted by a secondary device to be authorized over a telecommunication network, the extracted identifier being previously extracted by the secondary device to be authorized from an acoustic signal generated by an authorized main device, the acoustic signal corresponding to a transmitted audio signal received by the authorized main device and having a reference identifier embedded therein; use of the processor for validating the received identifier; and upon successful validation, use of the processor for transmitting an authorization confirmation to the secondary device. |
| US09363558B2 |
Methods and apparatus to measure a cross device audience
Methods and apparatus are disclosed to generate a cross device panel by determining that a first panelist associated with a first panel data and a first device is also associated with a non-paneled device. Example methods and apparatus disclosed herein match, via a processor, a second panelist associated with second panel data to the first panelist based on (1) the second panelist having demographics matching the first panelist and (2) the second panelist being associated with a second device corresponding to the non-paneled device of the first panelist, and generate a cross device panelist profile for the first panelist, the cross device panelist profile comprising at least some of the first panel data and at least a portion of the second panel data. |
| US09363557B2 |
Methods and systems for forecasting and measurement of media viewership using a combination of data sets
Future media viewership is forecast based on time ordered analysis of historical viewership information from an individual or combination of a plurality of data sets. Forecast models having coefficients derived from comparisons of time series representations of data sets across a plurality of time periods and data sources join together disparate data sets. Individual data sets from disparate data sources may be compared to identify possible untrustworthy data or data that requires further investigation. Organizing viewership information in a time series allows for imputing missing data in a respective data set. |
| US09363554B2 |
Intelligent device system and method for distribution of digital signals on a wideband signal distribution system
A plurality of intelligent device systems for use with a wideband signal distribution network, and methods for transmitting digital information and receiving digital and non-digital information onto and off of an RF carrier through a wideband signal distribution network, are disclosed. The intelligent device systems provide networks of intelligent devices that modulate and demodulate digital video, IP video/data/voice and digital wireless onto, and off of, a wideband signal distribution system, such as an analog carrier system, using existing EIA/TIA 568 standard wiring infrastructure. The methods modulate and demodulate digital video, IP video/data/voice and digital wireless onto, and off of, a wideband distribution system, such as an analog carrier system, and separate IP portions from non-IP portions. |
| US09363550B2 |
Information processing apparatus, television receiver, information processing method, program, and information processing system
There is provided an information processing apparatus including an operation section which performs remote control of a television receiver, and a content information acquisition section which acquires content information related to content provided by the television receiver, and causes a storage section to store the content information. |
| US09363547B2 |
Set top box having reset button and light guide
A set top box comprises a front wall; a first printed circuit board on an interior surface of the front wall; an actuation reset switch on the first printed circuit board on a side of the first printed circuit board opposite the front wall; and a reset button assembly having a fulcrum between an activation end and reset button end, wherein the reset button end has a reset button and the activation end has an actuation prong, wherein the actuation prong faces the actuation reset switch and the reset button faces the same direction as actuation prong. |
| US09363544B2 |
Methods and systems for adjusting the amount of time required to consume a media asset based on a current trip of a user
Methods and systems are described herein for a media guidance application that adjusts the amount of time required to consume a media asset based on a current trip of a user. For example, the media guidance application may determine, based on the current progress of the user in the media asset, whether or not the user with complete the media asset before the end of a current trip. |
| US09363535B2 |
Coding motion depth maps with depth range variation
This disclosure describes techniques for coding 3D video block units. In one example, a video encoder is configured to determine a first real-world depth range for a first depth view component comprising a reference view component, determine a second real-world depth range for a second depth view component comprising a current view component, wherein the current view component is predicted relative to the reference view component, determine a predictive block for a portion of the current view component from the reference view component, adjust values of the predictive block based on a difference between the first real-world depth range and the second real-world depth range, and predict the portion of the current view based on the adjusted values of the predictive block. |
| US09363533B2 |
Method and apparatus for video-encoding/decoding using filter information prediction
Provided is a scalable video-decoding method based on multiple layers. The scalable video-decoding method according to the present invention comprises: a step of predicting first filter information of a video to be filtered using the information contained in an object layer and/or information contained in another layer, and generating second filter information in accordance with the prediction; and a step of filtering the video to be filtered using the second filter information. According to the present invention, the amount of information being transmitted is reduced, and video compression performance is improved. |
| US09363526B2 |
Video and image compression based on position of the image generating device
An apparatus, computer readable medium, and method of compressing images generated on an image generating device, the method including responsive to a generated image and position and orientation data associated with an image generating device which generated the image, selecting a previously generated image having a similar position and a similar orientation as the generated image; and if a comparison between the selected previously generated image and the generated image indicates the difference between one of the previously generated images and the generated image is less than a threshold difference, then compressing the generated image using the previously generated image. The method may include generating the generated image from light incident to the image generating device, and generating the position and orientation associated with the image generating device. |
| US09363525B2 |
Image decoding method, image coding method, image decoding apparatus, image coding apparatus, and image coding and decoding apparatus
The image decoding method includes: determining a context for use in a current block to be processed, from among a plurality of contexts; and performing arithmetic decoding on a bit sequence corresponding to the current block, using the determined context, wherein in the determining: the context is determined under a condition that control parameters of neighboring blocks of the current block are used, when the signal type is a first type, the neighboring blocks being a left block and an upper block of the current block; and the context is determined under a condition that the control parameter of the upper block is not used, when the signal type is a second type, and the second type is “no_residual_data_flag”. |
| US09363524B2 |
Method and apparatus for motion compensation reference data caching
A method and apparatus for processing a current macro-block of a current frame for motion compensation based on reference data from a reference frame using a sliding window cache to cache the reference data are disclosed. The method steps comprise processing a current sub-block of the current macro-block for motion compensation, determining the reference data for the current sub-block based on a reference sub-block in the reference frame, determining whether the reference data is within a sliding window, if the reference data is within the sliding window, checking for a valid tag corresponding to the reference data, responsive to the valid tag, retrieving the reference data from within the sliding window cache and processing the reference data for motion compensation. |
| US09363523B2 |
Method and apparatus for multi-core video decoder
A method and apparatus for a multi-core video decoder for decoding a single bitstream are disclosed. The multi-core video decoder comprises a first video decoder configured to receive the bitstream, parse header information to determine buffer management for a plurality decoding jobs based on the header information, and assign decoding jobs based upon the buffer management. A second video decoder configured to receive the bitstream and decode the bitstream based on an assigned decoding job from the first video decoder. |
| US09363521B2 |
Picture coding device, picture coding method, picture coding program, picture decoding device, picture decoding method, and picture decoding program
In a case where a partition mode in which luma signals are partitioned horizontally and vertically is set when an intra prediction of a picture signal is made in units of minimal coding blocks set in advance, an intra prediction unit is configured to make an intra prediction of a chroma signal in units of prediction blocks of the intra prediction of chroma signals within the minimal coding block set in accordance with a chroma format. A second bitstream constructing unit constructs a bitstream of information relating to a luma intra prediction mode of a prediction block of luma signals and information relating to a chroma intra prediction mode of a prediction block of chroma signals. |
| US09363518B2 |
Systems and methods for encoding and decoding
Systems and methods for multimedia encoding and decoding are disclosed. The systems and methods include multimedia format detection systems, decoder functionality generation systems, decoder instantiation systems, and multimedia processing engines which are capable of selecting a decoder or playback mechanism for each input encoded multimedia stream. The functionality of the decoder or playback mechanism is represented as syntax elements which may be further encoded. The functionality for decoding or playback is then stored or transmitted with the multimedia bitstream. Alternatively, the functionality and multimedia bitstream can be embedded in or associated with a second digital bitstream. Further, the functionality associated with an encoded multimedia stream can be used to instantiate a decoder or playback mechanism and the encoded multimedia stream decoded with the instantiated decoder or mechanism. |
| US09363513B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer program products for assessing a macroblock candidate for conversion to a skipped macroblock
A sequence of encoded data associated with a block of video is assessed to determine if: quantized coefficients of transformed residual pixel data associated with the block are equal to zero, the block was encoded using a temporal compression process, a slice that includes the block is configured to be encoded using only one reference picture list or two reference picture lists, the block is unpartitioned or was encoded in direct mode, a reference picture used to encode the block is the reference picture associated with a lowest index value on the one reference picture list, and an actual motion vector associated with the block is equal to a predicted motion vector associated with the block. |
| US09363510B2 |
Scan-based sliding window in context derivation for transform coefficient coding
A video coding process that includes defining a context derivation neighborhood for one of a plurality of transform coefficients based on a transform coefficient scan order. The process also includes determining a context for the one of the plurality of transform coefficients based on the context derivation neighborhood. The process also includes coding the one of the plurality of transform coefficients based on the determined context. |
| US09363503B2 |
Image access method and image access apparatus
An image access method applicable to an image access device is provided. The method includes: providing a plurality of codes that respectively represent a plurality of image sources; determining a plurality of sets of access settings according to a pixel format arrangement, each set of access setting corresponding to a code arrangement combination composed of the codes; and sequentially accessing data of the image sources by the image access apparatus according to the code arrangement combinations corresponding to the access settings. |
| US09363501B2 |
Combining depth-maps from different acquisition methods
A method and system capturing three-dimensional information of a scene on a structure includes operating a light pattern projector to project a known light pattern onto the scene; using at least two cameras, taking images of the scene, the images being two-dimensional images taken chronologically synchronous; using first and second images, and the known position and orientation of the cameras with respect to each other, extracting a first depth map of the scene; using the first image, the known light pattern, and the known position and orientation of the first camera and the light pattern projector with respect to each other, extracting a second depth map of the scene; and using the extracted first depth map and the extracted second depth map of the scene together to make a 3D measurement of the scene. |
| US09363495B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method, program, and recording medium
An information processing apparatus, method and computer-readable medium that generates a plurality of movement trace tracks based on stored position information, generates a content track based on acquired content information, generates a track list by combining the plurality of movement trace tracks and the content track, and outputs the track list. |
| US09363479B2 |
Methods and systems for voice and video messaging
Methods and systems for voice and video messaging are provided here. In some embodiments a method for voice and video messaging may include establishing a telecommunication session with a calling device associated with a first user in response to an indication that a call request from the calling device directed to a called identifier associated with a second user failed, providing to the calling device an option to leave a video message and an option to leave an audio message, receiving a selection from the calling device indicating the selection of the option to leave a video message, disconnecting the established telecommunication session, and receiving a video message from the calling device. |
| US09363478B2 |
Architecture for high availability conferencing
Providing high availability multi-way conferencing. Separate signaling and media components may be provided within an MCU or among a cluster of MCUs. A signaling server may control signaling aspects of a conference while a media server may provide media support for the conference. In the event of media server failure, the signaling server may assign a new media server to provide media support for the conference. A backup signaling server may also monitor the signaling server and may provide signaling support for the conference in the event of signaling server failure. |
| US09363476B2 |
Configuration of a touch screen display with conferencing
A communication system includes a touch screen display device with first and second cameras mounted on opposite sides of the touch screen display device so a field of view for each camera is pointed inward relative to the touch screen display device. A conferencing subsystem controls conferencing communication to send and receive touch screen display signals and video signals. |
| US09363472B2 |
Video injection for video communication
A method for video communication comprises initiating video communication on a channel with a first electronic device, communicating first content on the channel with the first electronic device, selecting second content from a source external to the video communication, switching video communication using the second content, and transmitting the second content on the channel to the first electronic device instead of the first content. |
| US09363471B2 |
Sharing content
A user terminal comprising: a network interface; a display; a content sharing module configured to display content shared with a further user terminal on the display, and receive position data from the further user terminal via the network interface, said position data indicating a position within the shared content associated with a user at the further user terminal; and a communications module. The communications module configured to: receive video data from the further user terminal over a communications network during a communication event with at least said further user terminal via the network interface; and control the video data received from said further user terminal to be displayed on said display in dependence on the position within the shared content associated with the user at the further user terminal. |
| US09363469B2 |
Passive-active terminal adapter and method having automatic return loss control
Return loss due to excessive signal reflection into a cable television (CATV) network from an inoperative or abnormally operative terminal adapter is minimized, to communicate enhanced passive downstream signals to passive subscriber devices such as “life-line” telephone sets. A predetermined termination impedance is substituted for an active branch circuit of the terminal adapter whenever reduced input voltage, over-current or under-current conditions exist in the terminal adapter. |
| US09363468B2 |
Vehicle video display system
A vehicle display system and methods of controlling the same. In certain embodiments, an image processing module receives video signals from a video camera and generates first video data in a first format. A system management mode (SMM) program is stored in a memory. When executed at a processor, the SMM program reads the first video data from a first area of the memory, converts the first video data to second video data in a second format, and writes the second video data to a second area of the memory. A PCI express switch forwards the first video data in the first format to a memory controller for storing in the first area of the memory, and forwards the second video data in the second format from the second area of the memory to the graphic controller. |
| US09363465B2 |
Data processing apparatus and data processing method
A data processing apparatus which transmits a clock signal to a recording medium, transmits a command to the recording medium and receives data output from the recording medium in response to a timing signal obtained by delaying the clock signal. The apparatus transmits to the recording medium a transmission command in a predetermined data string including a predetermined pattern and receive the predetermined data output from the recording medium. The apparatus adjusts a delay amount of the timing signal based on a reception result of the predetermined data string in a first mode or second mode. The reception result is based on timing signals each including a delay amount, in a first range in the first mode and in a second range narrower than the first range in the second mode. |
| US09363464B2 |
Systems and methods for history-based decision making in a television receiver
Various embodiments facilitate history-based decision making in television receivers, such as set-top boxes. In one embodiment, a history-based decision facilitator (“HBDF”) is provided. The HBDF facilitates decision making in a television receiver based on device history data received from the television receiver. In one embodiment, the HBDF receives an indication of an operation to be performed by the television receiver, the operation including one or more parameters. In response, the HBDF determines values for the one or more parameters, based on device history data received from the television receiver. The HBDF then provides the determined parameter values to the television receiver. In one example application, the HBDF can determine a tuner of the television receiver to utilize for recording a program, based on the history of the television receiver, such as that the determined tuner is typically idle during the scheduled recording time period. |
| US09363458B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method, program, and information processing system
Disclosed herein is an information processing apparatus including: transmission data acquisition section configured to acquire transmission data including program data and EPG data including program information for a predetermined period of time; EPG extraction section configured to extract the EPG data from the transmission data; program selection section configured to select a given program as a selected program; search word extraction section configured to extract a search word from the program information of the selected program; search word transmission section configured to transmit the search word to a program server; program information reception section configured to receive, from the program server, the program information including a program identification ID configured to identify a related program related to the selected program; program information storage section configured to store the program information; and processing section configured to identify the program by using the program identification ID, and perform a process targeted at the identified program. |
| US09363454B2 |
Solid-state imaging unit and electronic apparatus with a signal charge accumulated in a photoelectric conversion section is divided to be read in predetermined times of intermediate transfer operations and a complete transfer operation
A solid-state imaging unit includes: a pixel section including a plurality of pixels each including a photoelectric conversion section, a charge-voltage conversion section, and a transfer transistor transferring charge accumulated in the photoelectric conversion section to the charge-voltage conversion section; and a storage section storing information about an optimum value of an intermediate voltage to be applied to a gate of the transfer transistor at time of an intermediate transfer operation when a signal charge accumulated in the photoelectric conversion section is divided to be read in a predetermined times of the intermediate transfer operations and a complete transfer operation. |
| US09363453B2 |
Solid-state imaging device and camera system
A solid-state imaging device includes: a pixel section wherein pixels including photoelectric conversion devices are arranged in a matrix; and a pixel driving section including a row selection circuit which controls the pixels to perform an electronic shutter operation and readout of the pixel section. The row selection circuit has a function of selecting a readout row from which a signal is read out and a shutter row on which reset is performed by discharging charge accumulated in the photoelectric conversion devices, in accordance with address and control signals. The row selection circuit can set, in accordance with the address and control signals, in the pixels of the selected row, at least a readout state, a discharge state where a smaller amount of the charge accumulated in the photoelectric conversion devices than the reset is discharged, an electronic shutter state, and a charge state where the charge is accumulated in the photoelectric conversion devices. |
| US09363452B2 |
A/D converter, A/D conversion method, solid-state imaging element and camera system
A solid-state imaging device having an analog-digital converter, and an analog-digital conversion method are described herein. An example of a solid-state imaging device comprises a bit inconsistency prevention section configured to prevent bit inconsistency between output of a low-level bit latch section and a high-level bit counting section. |
| US09363448B2 |
System and method for providing and interacting with coordinated presentations
Disclosed is system and method to generate coordinated presentation, and that includes: a curating content module to curate content selected by a user for inclusion in the coordinated presentation; an audio/visual input module to capture, at least via a camera, a plurality of images for inclusion in the coordinated presentation; a display module to display, via a display coupled to the computing device, a first arrangement of all of the curated content. Moreover, a user interface module can be provided that comprises a touch-screen interface to enable user-based selection and manipulation of a portion of the curated content and a video mixer module to integrate the plurality of images captured by the camera together with a portion of the curated content via a user selection from the touch-screen interface. The coordinated presentation is configured to enable respective interaction with the portion of the curated content at each of the remote devices. |
| US09363446B2 |
Automatic exposure control for sequential images
An exposure control method and an image processing system are provided. The image processing system comprises: an image sensor module, configured to provide at least two types of source images in parallel, each type of the source images has different exposure setting; a pre-processing unit, configured to determine luminance distribution of the source images on block basis, perform a first exposure control according to the luminance distribution of the two types of source images, and generate output images according to the source images in RAW image domain, and a post-processing unit, configured to determine luminance distribution of the output images, and perform a second exposure control according to the luminance distribution of the output images in normal image domain; wherein exposure settings of the image sensor module is adjusted according to the first exposure control and the second exposure control. |
| US09363445B2 |
Flash collision detection, compensation, and prevention
Certain aspects relate to systems and techniques for flash collision detection, compensation, and prevention. For example, the flash of another camera or other sudden increases in ambient lighting of an image scene can introduce unwanted quality degradations into captured images, such as over-exposure of part or all of the captured image. Flash collision can be detected through a row sum calculation and comparison process in some examples. In some examples, flash collision can be compensated for by analysis of row sum data from a number of preview frames. In other examples, flash collision can be mitigated or prevented through use of a flash traffic controller. |
| US09363444B2 |
Background model update method for image process
The present invention relates to a background model update method for image process. The accuracy of distinguishing a foreground image from the background model can be improved by adjusting the background model update level according to image variations such as brightness variation, motion variation, color variation, etc. |
| US09363432B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method
For each of respective viewpoints, the capturing condition at the viewpoint, and each frame image captured from the viewpoint in accordance with the capturing condition are acquired. One of the viewpoints is selected as a reference viewpoint by using the acquired capturing conditions. Predicting coding and intra-coding are performed for the acquired images. For each of the respective viewpoints for each frame, the coding result of the frame image captured from the viewpoint by predicting coding or intra-coding is output. When performing predicting coding for an image captured from the reference viewpoint, predicting coding is performed by referring to the image captured from the reference viewpoint without referring to images captured from the viewpoints other than the reference viewpoint. |
| US09363426B2 |
Automatic camera selection based on device orientation
At least two camera lenses on a mobile may be provided. The camera lenses may be configured to face the same or substantially the same direction, at least one of the two camera lenses positioned along one edge of the mobile device and at least another one of the two camera lenses positioned along another edge. Automatic selection of a camera lens among said at least two camera lenses for activation may be enabled based on detecting the current orientation of the mobile device. |
| US09363425B2 |
Color filter arrangements for fused array imaging systems
Electronic devices may include camera modules. A camera module may include an array camera having an array of lenses and a corresponding array of image sensors. The array of image sensors may include a monochromatic image sensor such as a green image sensor and a polychromatic image sensor such as a red and blue image sensor. The red and blue image sensor may include a color filter array of red and blue color filter elements formed over an array of image pixels. The red and blue color filter elements in the polychromatic image sensor may be arranged in a checkerboard pattern, a zigzag pattern that extends vertically from the top of the pixel array to the bottom of the pixel array, or a diagonal strip pattern. The electronic device may include processing circuitry for combining monochromatic images from the monochromatic image sensor with polychromatic images from the polychromatic image sensor. |
| US09363424B2 |
Camera module having a guide unit
The camera module according to an embodiment of the present invention including: a printed circuit board on which an image sensor is mounted; a holder member installed on the printed circuit board; a lens module located in the holder member; and a guide unit formed protruding from the surface of the holder member opposite to the image sensor. |
| US09363422B1 |
Cell-based compression with edge detection and interleaved encoding
An example embodiment may involve obtaining (i) an a×b attribute macro-cell, and (ii) a×b pixel macro-cells for each of a luminance plane, a first color plane, and a second color plane of an input image. The a×b pixel macro-cells may each contain 4 non-overlapping m×n pixel cells. The example embodiment may also involve determining 4 attribute-plane output values that represent the 4 non-overlapping m×n attribute cells, 1 to 4 luminance-plane output values that represent the a×b pixel macro-cell of the luminance plane, a first color-plane output value to represent the a×b pixel macro-cell of the first color plane, and a second color-plane output value to represent the a×b pixel macro-cell of the second color plane. The example embodiment may further involve writing an interleaved representation of the output values to a computer-readable output medium. |
| US09363420B2 |
Color conversion method, color conversion program, and recording medium
A color conversion method includes: a step (a) of obtaining paper white information including a spectral reflectance and a scanner response value of a paper white portion of a document, a step (b) of searching for a registered scanner profile corresponding to paper white information the same as or similar to the paper white information, from a plurality of registered scanner profiles for paper types, and a step (c) of determining whether a new scanner profile needs to be created corresponding to the paper white information obtained in the step (a), according to a result of searching in the step (b). |
| US09363419B2 |
User preferences based on categories of images
Methods and systems receive an image-processing request relating to user images from a user. Such methods and systems classify the user images into user-request image-element categories. Such methods and systems also retrieve previously stored user-specific preferences for the user-request image-element categories from a computer storage, when the previously stored user-specific preferences for the user-request image-element categories are maintained in the computer storage. However, when the previously stored user-specific preferences for the user-request image-element categories are not maintained in (are absent from) the computer storage, such methods and systems obtain additional user-specific preferences for the user-request image-element categories. Such methods and systems can then processes the image-processing request by altering renditions of the user images according to the previously stored user-specific preferences and/or the additional user-specific preferences. |
| US09363417B2 |
Information processing system, input/output device, and authentication method
An information processing system includes an operation terminal and an input/output device connected to each other. The operation terminal includes a notification unit configured to send a notification based on information from the input/output device indicating that communication is possible with the input/output device. The input/output device includes an imaging unit, a detection unit for detecting the operation terminal capable of communicating with the input/output device, a transmission unit for to transmitting the information indicating that communication is possible with the input/output device, to the detected operation terminal, a determination unit for determining whether the imaging unit has taken an image of a predetermined action after the information has been sent, and an authentication unit for acquiring terminal information from the detected operation terminal, and performing authentication based on the terminal information, when the image of the predetermined action is determined to have been taken by the determination unit. |
| US09363416B1 |
Digital image attribute plane compression
An example embodiment may involve obtaining an m×n pixel cell from an input image. Each of the m×n pixels in the m×n pixel cell may be associated with at least one color value. An m×n attribute cell may be determined, elements of which may be associated in a one-to-one fashion with respective pixels in the m×n pixel cell. The m×n pixel cell may be compressed in a lossy fashion, and the m×n attribute cell may be compressed in a lossless fashion. Compression of the m×n pixel cell may be based on at least part of the m×n attribute cell. An interleaved representation of the compressed m×n pixel cell and the compressed m×n attribute cell may be written to an output medium. |
| US09363414B2 |
Halftone mechanism
A method is disclosed. The method includes applying a human visual system (HVS) model to a Continuous Tone Image (CTI) and a initial Half Tone Image (HTI) to generate a perceived CTI and a perceived HTI and computing a change in pixel error for a first pixel by toggling the first pixel with all the possible output states and swapping the first pixel with all neighbor pixels. |
| US09363413B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method and recording medium for distinguishing handwritten text applied to a printed document
An information processing apparatus for converting image data created from an optically read manuscript to character data is provided. The information processing apparatus includes a data converting unit configured to convert the image data of a printed character printed beforehand on the manuscript and an added character added after the printed character has been printed to the character data; a character data distinguishing unit configured to distinguish, of the converted character data, between printed character data converted from the image data corresponding to the printed character and added character data converted from the image data corresponding to the added character; an edit information accepting unit configured to accept added character data edit information; and a character data edit unit configured to edit, according to the accepted added character data edit information, the distinguished added character data. |
| US09363409B2 |
Image management system and methods using digital watermarks
The present invention relates to image management systems and methods. In one implementation we provide a method to provide geo-location feedback corresponding to an image area selected by a user. A digital watermark embedded in the selected image area is decoded, and the decoded digital watermark includes or points to geo-location information associated with the selected image location. In another implementation we provide an alert engine to notify a network station that information associated with a digital watermark identifier is available. |
| US09363407B2 |
Image sensor unit and image reading apparatus
In an image sensor unit including a plurality of sensor chips mounted in a line on a sensor substrate, image signals from the sensor chips are sequentially read according to a reading order among the sensor chips, a current consumption circuit that consumes set current is arranged, and the current consumption circuit starts consuming the set current in response to a signal indicating end of reading of the image signals by all of the sensor chips and ends consuming the set current in response to a signal indicating start of reading of the image signals first by the sensor chip after a start signal to thereby reduce variation in the current consumption of the image sensor unit. |
| US09363406B2 |
Illumination apparatus and paper sheet distinguishing apparatus
Provided is a light source unit that emits linear light to an original, the light source unit including: light sources that emit light; a light guide that is formed in a rod shape and that guides the light from the light sources to the original; a frame that houses the light sources and the light guide; and a circuit board including a conduction portion electrically connected to the light sources, wherein the circuit board is provided with a slit in a longitudinal direction of the light guide, the slit is disposed closer to the original than the light guide, and the light from the light guide is emitted to the original through the slit. |
| US09363405B2 |
Light irradiation system, image scanning apparatus, and image forming apparatus
A light irradiation system for irradiating light to an irradiation area extending in a main scanning direction of a document face when placed on an image scanning apparatus includes a light source; a light guiding member to guide light emitted from the light source; and a reflector to reflect a part of light exiting from the light guiding member to the document face. The irradiation area is irradiated by the reflection light reflected by the reflector and a direct light exiting from the light guiding member without reflection at the reflector. The light guiding member includes an incidence surface where the light from the light source enters; and an exit surface where the light entered from the incidence surface exits. The reflector is disposed at a position in a direction that light intensity of light emitting from the light source becomes the strongest. |
| US09363404B2 |
Image scanning apparatus
An image scanning apparatus is configured to obtain a greatest gray gradation value when the light source illuminates the gray reference member at a first light quantity value, obtain a gradation value of a black signal output by the signal conversion unit when the light source is powered off, calculate a first difference value, set a second light quantity value, set a correction light quantity value, obtain a second difference value by subtracting the gradation value of the black signal from the second gradation value of a white signal, calculate a shading correction value based on a ratio of the second difference value to the first difference value, control the scanning unit to scan the image on the original sheet with controlling the light source to illuminate the original sheet in accordance with the second light quantity value, and apply the shading correction in accordance with the shading correction value. |
| US09363403B2 |
Image forming apparatus, control method, and storage medium storing a program
When it is determined that transmission of an execution history corresponding to at least one job to an external apparatus can be completed before a transition time at which a transition from a first operation mode, in which a job can be executed, to a second operation mode, in which the power consumption amount is less than that of the first operation mode, transmission control is performed such that transmission of the execution history to an external apparatus is started. |
| US09363395B2 |
Image processing device, display device and non-transitory computer readable recording medium
An image processing device, comprises: a display part; a manipulation detecting part for detecting an operation; an image inputting part for inputting image data; a storage part for storing the image data; an image processing part for performing image processing in accordance with a processing process set in advance; an image outputting part for outputting an image in a predetermined way to output based on the processed image data; a display controlling part for displaying a processing path to process the image data on the display part, and for moving an icon image corresponding to the image data along the processing path; and a job controlling part for temporarily suspending the processing performed by the image processing part or the image outputting part when the manipulation detecting part detects the operation on the display part, and making change in the image processing or the way to output. |
| US09363389B2 |
Mobile communication system and method for managing signaling message in system thereof
A method is provided that creates signaling climate data records (CDR) via and a mobile communication system on a network, in order to charge signaling messages sent by user equipment (UE). The invention proposes two embodiments of the method for creating signaling CDR where an MME which has received signaling messages from UE notifies a PGW with a signaling CDR creation function of the message reception, and the PGW creates the signaling CDR. The MME can charge for the signaling message transmitted from the UE, without the additional components. |
| US09363388B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer readable media for providing targeted services to telecommunications network subscribers based on information extracted from network signaling and data traffic
Methods, systems, and computer readable media for providing targeted services to telecommunications network subscribers based on information extracted from network signaling and data traffic are disclosed. According to one aspect, the subject matter described herein includes a method for providing targeted services to telecommunications network subscribers based on information extracted from network signaling and data traffic. The method includes collecting subscriber and network related information from nodes in a telecommunications network, storing the subscriber and network related information in a repository for storing and maintaining that data, analyzing the information stored in the repository to determine subscriber interests, behaviors, and/or preferences, creating policy rules based on determined subscriber interests, behaviors, and/or preferences, and implementing the created policy rules in response to network events. |
| US09363386B2 |
Acoustic echo cancellation based on ultrasound motion detection
A method includes receiving an ultrasound signal at an ultrasound receiver from an ultrasound transmitter. The method also includes detecting movement of at least one object based on the received ultrasound signal and at least one previously received ultrasound signal. The method further includes modifying a parameter of an acoustic echo canceller in response to the detected movement. |
| US09363385B2 |
Telephone network access device
A telephone network access device switchable between a VOIP service and a PSTN service includes an RJ-11 port, a voice splitter, a first relay, a second relay, a SLIC chip, a CPU, and a ring detection unit. The ring detection unit outputs a first switch signal in response to detecting a ring signal of a PSTN communication. The second relay connects the telephone to the VOIP network in response to a power on event. The CPU controls the first relay and the second relay to connect the telephone to the PSTN network in response to the CPU receiving the first switch signal, and controls the second relay to reconnect the telephone to the VOIP network when the PSTN communication ends. |
| US09363382B2 |
Conference presence based music-on-hold suppression system and method
A private branch exchange (PBX) (or network hosted device) is described herein that is capable of obtaining information (e.g., in-a-conference presence state) that indicates a user is participating in a multi-party conference call which is being hosted by an external conference/collaboration bridge and is further capable of disabling a music-on-hold feature on an extension associated with a device belonging to the user such that if the user places the device on-hold then no sound (e.g., music, radio) will be injected into the multi-party conference call. |
| US09363365B1 |
System and method for evaluating the quality of a communication session
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for evaluating the quality of a communication session or of a communication path used for the communication session. One of the methods includes initiating a communication session between a first communications device and a second communications device, wherein initiating the communication session comprises routing session data for the communication session along a first communication path between the first communications device and the second communications device; generating, at the first communications device, a plurality of reference content samples; generating a recording of the communication session as received at a first destination along the first communication path; and evaluating a quality of the communication session or of the first communication path by comparing the plurality of reference content samples with the recorded communication session. |
| US09363359B2 |
Mobile terminal and method for controlling the same
A mobile terminal and a method of controlling the same are provided. In a state where a message application is executed, when a view mode of the mobile terminal is converted to a landscape view mode, the mobile terminal displays at least one selectable item related to the message application in a partial area of a screen. |
| US09363358B2 |
Wireless Bluetooth apparatus with intercom and broadcasting functions and operating method thereof
A wireless Bluetooth apparatus with intercom and broadcasting functions and operating method thereof are disclosed. The wireless Bluetooth apparatus receives a voice message from a first user, divides it into a first partial voice message and a second partial voice message, and transmits them to a first electronic apparatus corresponding to the wireless Bluetooth apparatus through wireless Bluetooth technology. The first electronic apparatus uses a communication application program to transmit the second partial voice message to a second electronic apparatus corresponding to a second user corresponding to the first partial voice message. The second electronic apparatus uses the communication application program to receive the second partial voice message and transmits the second partial voice message to another wireless Bluetooth apparatus corresponding to the second electronic apparatus through wireless Bluetooth technology. |
| US09363344B2 |
High frequency module and high frequency component
A high frequency module is configured to be compatible with a cellular phone with a plurality of specifications without increasing the number of ports in a switching device. The high frequency module includes a switching device and a module board. The switching device includes a common port and connection switch ports. The module board includes external connection ports and a third filter circuit. An external connection port is connected to one of the connection switch ports of the switching device via a transmission line inside the module board. The third filter circuit is connected to a second external connection port and a third external connection port independently from the device connection ports of the switching device. |
| US09363343B2 |
Audio jack connector integrated into enclosure
An electronic device enclosure that includes a housing and a frame and an integrally formed connector shell. The connector shell includes a first portion integrally formed with the housing and a second portion integrally formed with the frame. The first and second portions of the connector shell are joined at first and second mating surfaces, respectively, forming a cavity therebetween in which a plurality of receptacle connector contacts are positioned. |
| US09363342B2 |
Mobile terminal and arrangement to generate a bending force on a display
A mobile terminal is provided that includes a display configured to output visual information, a frame covering a rear surface of the display, and an adhesive member that provided between the rear surface of the display and the frame and configured to couple the display to the frame, the frame formed in a curved shape to generate a bending force causing the display to curve when the display is coupled to the frame using the adhesive member. |
| US09363339B2 |
Staged data compression, including block level long range compression, for data streams in a communications system
Approaches for staged data compression are provided, where each stage reflects a progressive increase in granularity, resulting in a scalable approach that exhibits improved efficiency and compression performance. The first stage comprises a long-range block-level compressor that determines redundancies on a block-level basis (based on entire data blocks, as opposed to partial segments within data blocks). The second stage comprises a long-range byte-level compressor that compresses an uncompressed block based on byte segments within the block that match previously transmitted segments. The duplicate segments are replaced with pointers to matching segments within a decompressor cache. Nonmatching segments of the data block are left uncompressed and passed to a third stage short-range compressor (e.g., a grammar-based compressor). The staged progression in granularity provides advantages of maximizing the compression gain while minimizing processing and storage requirements of the compressor and decompressor. |
| US09363333B2 |
Server-side scheduling for media transmissions
A server that incorporates the subject disclosure may perform, for example, operations including monitoring current transport characteristics of an internet protocol network communicatively coupled to the server and to a mobile device. Data packets are transported to the device according to a dynamic adaptive streaming over hypertext transfer protocol. A future transport characteristic of the network is predicted according to the trajectory of the device. A request is received from the device for transmission of a data packet, and a time for fulfilling the request is scheduled according to the current and predicted transport characteristics. The operations further comprise selecting a transmission rate for transmission of the data packet to the mobile device responsive to detecting the time for fulfilling the request. The device performs buffering of the data packet for a future presentation of the media content. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US09363331B2 |
Data allocation method and data allocation system
A data allocation method executed by a data allocation system. The data allocation method includes allocating to a first processing apparatus included among a plurality of processing apparatuses and allocating based on a first communication speed of the first processing apparatus, data having communication amount information on a frequency at which the processing apparatuses access the data, and further supplying first priority level information to the first processing apparatus; and exchanging based on variation of a communication speed of at least one processing apparatus among the processing apparatuses, the data or the first priority level information, and data or second priority level information allocated to a second processing apparatus included among the processing apparatuses and having a second communication speed. |
| US09363329B1 |
Identifying correlated components of dynamic content
Identifying content correlation is disclosed. At an intermediary server, requests for a requested dynamic content are monitored. Responses to the requests are monitored. It is determined that a corresponding content component of the requested dynamic content in a plurality of the responses to the requests are correlated. A new request for the requested dynamic content is received. A cached version of the correlated content component is provided in response to the new request. |
| US09363321B2 |
Analytics based scoping of HTML5 web storage attributes
A method, system, and computer program product for optimizing storage of Web storage attributes through analytics is provided. The method includes identifying and storing in memory of a computer, utilization of different Web storage attributes by different end users across different Web application sessions from different Web browsers and analyzing the stored utilization of different Web storage attributes to identify a past scope of utilization for each of the different Web storage attributes. The method further includes, responsive to receiving a request from a requestor for an optimal storage location of a particular Web storage attribute, determining an identified past scope of utilization for the particular Web storage attribute, mapping the determined identified past scope of utilization for the particular Web storage attribute to the optimal storage location, and returning an indication of the mapped optimal storage location of the particular Web storage attribute to the requestor. |
| US09363318B2 |
Method and system for launching an application
A vehicle computing system having at least one controller communicating with a transceiver. The at least one controller programed to configure a wireless signal having a first application identifier for a first application to be launched at a nomadic device. The at least one controller further programed to broadcast the wireless signal including the first application identifier via the transceiver. |
| US09363317B2 |
Method and system for global namespace with consistent hashing
A method for writing data to a storage pool. The method includes receiving a virtual identifier (ID) and an offset for an object, extracting a node identifier (ID) that identifies a first storage server in the storage pool from the virtual ID, obtaining an object layout (OL) for the object from the first storage server, hashing an object ID and an offset ID to obtain a hashed value, where the virtual ID comprises the object ID and where the as offset ID is generated from the offset, identifying a second storage server in the storage pool using a global namespace layout (GL), the OL, and the hashed value hashed value, and issuing a write request to write data to the object in the second storage server, where the write request comprises the object ID and the offset. |
| US09363314B2 |
Systems and methods for event notification framework in a machine-to-machine (M2M) context
Systems and methods provide for managing subscriptions to changes in resources in a Machine-to-Machine (M2M) system at a communications node. A method for such includes receiving, at an interface, a first subscription request from a first user to an application event; determining, by a processor, if other devices are subscribed to the application event; reading, by the communications node, the first subscription request including data, semantics and syntax; storing, in a memory, binding information for the first user and the application event; and transmitting, by the interface, if, based on said step of determining, no other devices are subscribed to the application event a second subscription message toward an M2M application server (AS). |
| US09363312B2 |
Transparent header modification for reducing serving load based on current and projected usage
A method and system for dynamically altering the delivery of web content to end users based on server load. Responsive to receiving a client request for web content, utilization metrics are collected from a plurality of devices that deliver the web content to the end users. Individual load levels for the devices are determined respectively, based on the utilization metrics of the devices, a combined load level is determined for two or more of the devices having the same device type based on the individual-load levels, and a service level to provide to the client is determined based on the combined load level. The request header is modified to specify a rate to deliver the web content to the client based on the service level. The request is sent with the modified header to one of the devices to serve a variant of the web content to the client at the specified rate. |
| US09363305B2 |
Remote contextual access to operating system desktops
Methods, systems, and techniques for remote contextual access to an operating system desktop are provided. Example embodiments provide a desktop state agent the harvests information from a user's desktop regarding state of various objects such as open documents, recent documents, links, shared links, bookmarks, upcoming events, and/or recent emails. The harvested information is translated to html or other web browser recognized language where possible and uploaded to be accessible to a web server configured to respond to requests for desktop state using a web address. In one embodiment, the RCAS allows access to a user's desktop transparently—without the user needing to take explicit action. Further, a remote mobile device can render the desktop data without using a session or connection to the user's desktop machine and without use of a remote desktop protocol. |
| US09363301B2 |
System and method for providing a micro-services communication platform
A multi-tenant media communication platform system and methods. The platform system includes media communication micro-services and micro-service configuration for a plurality of entities configured for use of the platform system. Enrolling an entity in the platform system includes setting entity configuration for use of the platform system by the entity. A micro-service request is processed according to the entity configuration. The micro-service request is a request for use of at least one micro-service of the platform system on behalf of the entity. Use of each micro-service is accounted for on behalf of the entity. Billing information for the entity is generated based on the accounting for the use of each micro-service on behalf of the entity. Entity configuration includes micro-service configuration, and micro-service configuration specifies at least one of: an endpoint mapping to at least one application logic URI, an event callback URI, and an event application logic URI. |
| US09363298B2 |
Methods and systems for aggregating presence information to provide a simplified unified presence
Methods and systems for providing simplified presence for a user are described. The user has a plurality of associated communication devices registered with a communications server, and each communication device enables at least one communication service class. The server has a user data entry associating the user with each of the plurality of communication devices. To hide the details of the user-associated devices from third parties, a virtual device is defined and associated with the user. Presence information received at the server from the various devices is aggregated together to create aggregated presence information that indicates at least the service classes available from the user-associated devices based on the received presence information. A virtual device presence document is generated containing the aggregated presence information and is provided to a presence server as presence information associated with the user. |
| US09363292B2 |
Systems and methods for providing a smart group
The present invention is directed towards systems and methods for establishing and applying a policy group to control a user's access to an identified resource. A policy group representing an aggregate of one or more access configurations for a user to access one or more identified resources may be established via a policy manager. The policy group may include a login point component representing an entry point to access the identified resource. The login point may be configured via the policy manager to specify a uniform resource locator for the entry point. One or more authentication and authorization methods may be selected for the login point component. The device may receive a request to access the uniform resource locator. The device may initiate the policy group for evaluation. The device may initiate, with the user, one or more authentication and authorization methods specified by the login point component. |
| US09363291B2 |
Systems and methods for managing lost devices of multiple types with multiple policies using melded profiles associated with groups
This disclosure facilitates managing lost devices. In some embodiments, a system receives a first device type from a first agent on a first device, and a different second device type from a second agent on a second device. The system receives a first group associated with the first device and a different second group associated with the second device. The system determines that the first device and the second device are lost and accesses a database storing first and second configuration classes associated with the first and second devices, respectively. The system creates first and second device-dependent classes based on the first and second device types and the first and second configuration classes, respectively. The system melds the first device-dependent class into a first melded profile and the second device-dependent class into a second melded profile, using the respective groups, and applies the melded profiles to the corresponding device. |
| US09363286B2 |
System and methods for detection of fraudulent online transactions
Disclosed are some aspects of systems and methods for providing security for online transactions. An example method includes determining, at a security service, that an online transaction related to a payment service has been initiated at a computer by a user of the computer, collecting first information from the computer and second information from the payment service, and determining, based on the collected information, whether the online transaction is suspicious These aspects further include, when the online transaction is determined to be suspicious, determining whether a malicious program can be identified on the computer and when the malicious program is identified, performing corresponding remedial actions with respect to the detected malicious program. |
| US09363285B2 |
Communication system, network for qualification screening/setting, communication device, and network connection method
The present invention provides a network connection method which prevents connection by virus-infected communication devices or communication devices intended for unauthorized access to a network, and enables connection to the network in a simple manner. A user of a requestor communication device connects to a main network by inserting a cable of the communication device to a port of a network device. When the requestor communication device is connected one-on-one to a reception box by a check-in network inside the network device, check-in is performed using the reception box. When the reception box determines through check-in processing that the requestor communication device satisfies connection qualifications, the reception box switches the network, to which the requestor communication device will be connected, from the check-in network to the main network. The requestor communication device then makes a transition to actual use of the main network. |
| US09363284B2 |
Testing web applications for security vulnerabilities with metarequests
A method includes instantiating, in response to a request by an executing application, an input data object with one or more uninitialized fields and traversing a path toward a sink in the executing application to a branching point of the executing application. In response to reaching the branching point, one or more parameters are provided for some or all of the one or more uninitialized fields of the input data object, wherein the one or more parameters were determined prior to beginning of execution of the executing application to cause a branch to be taken by the executing application toward the sink. The path is traversed toward the sink at least by following the branch in the executing application. Apparatus and computer program products are also disclosed. |
| US09363283B1 |
Systems and methods for reputation scoring
Systems and methods of the present disclosure are directed to providing a digital reputation score. The server can generate a first reputation score of a user based on the user's online activity, identity verification, and online transaction history. The server can identify, from the user's online account, a first set of online accounts with which the user established a unidirectional trust relationship from the user to the first set of online accounts. The server can identify, from the user's online account, a second set of online accounts with which the user established a unidirectional trust relationship from the user to the second set of online accounts. The server can generate a second reputation score based on the first number and second number of trust relationships from the first set and second set of online accounts respectively. The server can generate a third reputation using the first and second reputation scores. |
| US09363281B1 |
Detecting covert routing
A method and apparatus for detecting covert routing is disclosed. In the method and apparatus, data addressed to an unrestricted computer system traverses a first routing path. The data may be caused to traverse a second a routing path to be received by the unrestricted computer system, whereby a response received from the unrestricted computer system may be indicative of a potential that the data traversing the first routing path was covertly routed to a restricted computer system. |
| US09363280B1 |
System and method of detecting delivery of malware using cross-customer data
According to one embodiment, a computerized method comprises receiving a set of indicators of compromise (IOCs) associated with a known malware of a first message type from a first source and receiving one or more IOCs (IOC(s)) from a second source that is different from the first source. Thereafter, a determination is made as to whether the received IOC(s) from the second source correspond to the set of IOCs received from the first source. If so, information associated with at least the set of IOCs is used to locate a malware of the first message type that is undetected at the second source. |
| US09363279B2 |
Assessing threat to at least one computer network
Apparatus configured to determine predicted threat activity based on stochastic modelling of threat events capable of affecting at least one computer network in which a plurality of systems operate. |
| US09363275B2 |
Sampled deterministic finite automata for deep packet inspection
In one embodiment, a method includes sampling text in a received packet at a network device and analyzing the sampled text using a sampled deterministic finite automata (DFA) to identify matches between a set of regular expressions and the text. The sampled DFA is created with the regular expressions sampled at a sampling rate calculated for the regular expressions using operations including selecting a minimum sampling rate from sampling rates computed for each of the regular expressions based on a minimum length of the text that can match the regular expression. An apparatus and logic are also disclosed herein. |
| US09363269B2 |
Zero day threat detection based on fast flux detection and aggregation
A method in a cloud-based security system includes operating a Domain Name System (DNS) resolution service, proxy, or monitor in the cloud-based security system; receiving DNS records with time-to-live (TTL) parameters; checking the TTL parameters for indication of a fast flux technique; and detecting domains performing the fast flux technique based on the DNS records. A cloud-based security system includes a plurality of nodes communicatively coupled to one or more users; and a Domain Name System (DNS) service providing a resolution service, proxy, or monitor in the cloud-based security system; wherein the DNS service is configured to receive DNS records with time-to-live (TTL) parameters; check the TTL parameters for indication of a fast flux technique; and detect domains performing the fast flux technique based on the DNS records. |
| US09363257B2 |
Secure federated identity service
Federated identity is the means of linking a person's electronic identity and attributes, such that the user can be authenticated with a single sign-on, across multiple systems and organizations. A system and a method is proposed to provide a unique user digital identifier which is different for each security identity services subscriber. |
| US09363250B2 |
Hub coordination service
In implementations of a hub coordination service, a device includes a communication interface for communication coordination with one or more associated devices of the device, and the associated devices correspond to hub members. A hub manager is implemented to receive a task input to create a task for one or more of the hub members to complete. The hub manager can register the task in a hub that is a private, shared space of the hub members, and then initiate communication of the task to respective associated devices of the one or more hub members for notification of the task to be completed. |
| US09363248B1 |
Data encryption in a network memory architecture for providing data based on local accessibility
A network memory system is disclosed. The network memory system comprises a first appliance configured to encrypt first data, and store the encrypted first data in a first memory device. The first appliance also determines whether the first data is available in a second appliance and transmits a store instruction comprising the first data based on the determination that the first data does not exist in the second appliance. The second appliance is configured to receive the store instruction from the first appliance comprising the first data, encrypt the first data, and store the encrypted first data in a second memory device. The second appliance is further configured to receive a retrieve instruction comprising a location indicator indicating where the encrypted first data is stored, process the retrieve instruction to obtain encrypted response data, and decrypt the encrypted response data. |
| US09363247B2 |
Method of securing files under the semi-trusted user threat model using symmetric keys and per-block key encryption
A computer system and method for securing files in a file system equipped with storage resources that are accessible to an authenticable user operating with an untrusted client device under the semi-trusted client threat model. The file to be secured is stored in one or more blocks belonging to the storage resources along with symmetric per-block key(s) KBi assigned to each of the blocks in the file. The blocks are encrypted with the symmetric per-block keys to obtain encrypted blocks. The user is assigned user key(s) and each per-block key that was used for encryption is in turn encrypted with one of the user's keys to derive wrapped key(s) for each encrypted block. Wrapped key(s) are placed in encrypted block headers and introduce a level of indirection to encrypted file(s) that is appropriate for the semi-trusted client threat model. |
| US09363245B1 |
Secure network access
The present invention relates to a system and method for facilitating access to secure network sites, such as sites providing secure financial information. An active software agent is utilized to fetch passwords and user identifiers from a user computing system and to use the passwords and identifiers to extract required information from the secure site. The password sites and identifiers are encrypted and an encryption key is stored at a network mode remote from the user's computer and is fetched in order to enable the passwords and identifiers to be decrypted so that the active agent can use them to obtain the required information. |
| US09363243B2 |
External indexing and search for a secure cloud collaboration system
An end-to-end secure cloud-hosted collaboration service is provided with a hybrid cloud/on-premise index and search capability. This approach includes on-premise indexing and search handling, while relying on the cloud for persistent storage and search of the index. The on-premise indexer receives a copy of an encrypted message from the cloud-hosted collaboration service. The encrypted message has been encrypted with a conversation key. The indexer receives the conversation key from an on-premise key management service, and decrypts the encrypted message with the conversation key. A set of tokens are extracted from the decrypted message, and subsequently encrypted with a secret key, different than the conversation key, to generate a first set of encrypted tokens. The first set of encrypted tokens is transmitted for storage in a search index on the cloud-hosted collaboration service. |
| US09363242B2 |
Trusted communications between untrusting parties
A system and method is disclosed for assuring that networked communications between parties playing a game on a network (e.g., the Internet) are not tampered with by either of the parties for illicitly gaining an advantage over the other party. An initial sequence of tokens (e.g., card representations) for playing the game are doubly encrypted using an encryption key from each of the parties. Accordingly, during play of the game neither party can modify the initial sequence of game tokens during the game. At termination of the game, at least one of the parties can fully decrypt the initial sequence of tokens, and thereby, if desired, compare the played token sequence with the corresponding the initial token sequence. |
| US09363240B2 |
Method and system for reducing network latency
Method, system, and programs for reducing network latency in a network. A first connection is established between a relay and a host in the network. The relay receives non-confidential information from the host over the first connection. A second connection is then established between the relay and a node in the network. The relay then communicates with the node, over the second connection, non-confidential information on behalf of the host based on the received non-confidential information from the host. The relay also forwards, over the first and second connections, confidential information between the node and the host. |
| US09363239B1 |
Intelligent deliverable message annotation
Enabling recipients to share tags that they associate with received e-mails includes receiving an e-mail from a sending user addressed to a receiving user, the e-mail including a header and a body and being capable of supporting attachments to the e-mail that are distinct of the body. The receiving user is enabled to perceive the e-mail and associate at least one tag with the e-mail, the at least one tag being a textual descriptor for the received e-mail distinct from the header, body, and attachments of the received e-mail. The received e-mail and the at least one tag are stored in a data store associated with the receiving user. The at least one tag is propagated to at least one of the sending user and another recipient of the e-mail to whom the sender sent the e-mail. |
| US09363238B2 |
Repackaging demographic data with anonymous identifier
Using uniquely generated identifiers in a network-based ecosystem in which a plurality of client devices request media content and software applications from online distribution system and additionally request invitational content from invitational content providers. Separating users' demographic data from a device-specific identifier in favor of uniquely generated identifiers and using the client device to enforce the substation of uniquely generated identifiers in favor of a device identifier, thereby using the client device to serve as a proxy in creating a firewall to exclude system partners from access to a device identifier. |
| US09363237B2 |
Secure data exchange between data processing systems
A data transfer method performed at a proxy server includes intercepting a data request from a client computer that is directed to a target server, encrypting profile information, augmenting the data request by adding the encrypted profile information to the data request, and sending the augmented data request to the target server. A data transfer method that is performed at an information server includes receiving a data request from a proxy server, extracting profile information added to the data request by the proxy server, using the extracted profile information to generate a response, and sending the response to the proxy server. |
| US09363235B2 |
Multi-service VPN network client for mobile device having integrated acceleration
An integrated, multi-service virtual private network (VPN) network client for cellular mobile devices is described. The multi-service network client can be deployed as a single software package on cellular mobile network devices to provide integrated services including secure enterprise VPN connectivity, acceleration, security management including monitored and enforced endpoint compliance, and collaboration services. The multi-service client integrates with an operating system of the device to provide a VPN handler to establish a VPN connection with a remote VPN security device. The VPN network client includes to data acceleration module exchange network packets with the VPN handler and apply at least one acceleration service to the network packets, and a VPN control application that provides a unified user interface that allows a user to configure both the VPN handler and the data acceleration module. |
| US09363234B2 |
Fast update filter
A method may include defining a filter for a network device, the filter including a rule and a particular number of prioritized fields, where at least one of the prioritized fields is formatted to accept input as a range of values. The method may also include receiving a rule modification for the filter, the rule modification including at least one input as a range of values, and performing a check for conflicts of the rule modification with the rule in the filter. The method may further include expanding the input range of values to form multiple rules equivalent to the rule modification with the input range of values, establishing backtracking links to integrate the multiple rules with the existing rule, and adding the multiple rules to the filter. |
| US09363231B2 |
System and method for monitoring network communications originating in monitored jurisdictions
A method of monitoring network communications originating in monitored jurisdictions includes a step of identifying a monitored jurisdiction within a computer network based on predetermined criteria. The computer network includes at least one monitored jurisdiction and at least one unmonitored jurisdiction. A database is queried to identify at least one communication identifier associated with the monitored jurisdiction. The method also includes a step of storing a list including the at least one communication identifier. Only network communication having communication identifiers included in the list are monitored. |
| US09363230B2 |
System and method for scalable geographic addressing framework
A bridge device at a first tier receives a geographic addressing packet destined for a target region containing a plurality of devices. The bridge device applies a bridging function using the geographic address packet to determine whether to transmit the geographic addressing packet. The bridging function utilizes certain information based on the geographic addressing packet. The bridge device determines to transmit the geographic addressing packet to a second tier based on the bridging function indicating that the geographic addressing packet should be transmitted to the second tier. |
| US09363224B2 |
System and methods for communicating in a telecommunication network using common key routing and data locality tables
A combination of a common key routing (CKR) method and a data locality table (DLT) method may be used to route communication messages in a telecommunication network to achieve improved data locality and reduce secondary key lookups. A processor in a multiprocessor computing system may receive a first communication message that includes subscriber identifiers that uniquely identify a subscriber, generate a common key based on the subscriber identifiers included in the first communication message, and identify a first logical scalable unit that includes a first database memory that stores subscriber data relating to the subscriber by querying a data locality table with the common key. The processor may also identify a first application processor in the multiprocessor computing system that is part of the first logical scalable unit and send the first communication message to the first application processor. |
| US09363223B2 |
Optimizing messages to users of a social network using a message that includes a user's performance of a desired activity associated with a link included in the message
Techniques to optimize messages sent to a user of a social networking system. In one embodiment, information about the user may be collected by the social networking system. The information may be applied to train a model for determining likelihood of a desired action by the user in response to candidate messages that may be provided for the user. The social networking system may provide to the user a message from the candidate messages with a selected likelihood of causing the desired action. |
| US09363218B2 |
Information processing device, information processing system and computer-readable storage medium
An information processing device of the present invention includes a connecting section which connects application modules capable of performing application processing, a receiving section which receives an electronic mail including a command transmitted from a terminal device, an interpreting section which interprets the command included in the electronic mail received by the receiving section, a designating section which designates, from among the application modules connected by the connecting section, an application module corresponding to the command interpreted by the interpreting section as the execution destination of the command, an acquiring section which acquires a processing result of processing performed by the application module designated by the designating section, and a transmitting section which creates a response electronic mail with the processing result acquired by the acquiring section as a response, and transmits the response electronic mail to the terminal device. |
| US09363214B2 |
Network appliance architecture for unified communication services
A system and method for implementing a service oriented architecture that supports complex event processing and business activity monitoring. An enterprise service bus (ESB) generates a first list of one or more devices, receives a selection from a user associated with a first device of a second device in the first list, generates a second list that includes functions associated with the selection from the first user, receives a request from the first device to perform one of the functions in the second list, translates a first communication protocol of the request received from the first device into a second communication protocol used by the second device to create a translated request, translates a first message format of the request into a second message format and transmits the translated request to the second device. |
| US09363210B2 |
Distributed network control system with one master controller per logical datapath set
A network control system for managing a plurality of managed switching elements that implement a plurality of logical datapath sets. The network control system includes a first controller instance that manages the logical datapath sets by generating, based on logical forwarding plane data, physical control plane data. The network control system also includes a second controller instance that manages the managed switching elements by receiving physical control plane data and sending the physical control plane data to the switching elements. |
| US09363206B2 |
Method and apparatus for selecting passive port of transparent clock node based on PTP
Provided are a transparent clock passive port election method and device based on the PTP protocol. In the method, by extracting the TLV field of a received announce message, a first port of a network device acquires the clock identification information, forwarding times information and port identification information carried in the TLV field, and then compares the forwarding times information and clock identification information carried in the TLV field to the forwarding times information carried in the TLV field contained in a received announce message from a port by itself, and its own clock identification information, so as to select a port as a passive port. Therefore, by adding the comparison factors, such as clock identification information, forwarding times information and port identification information, in the TLV field of an announce message, a transparent clock is allowed to support the PTP protocol, thus avoiding a protocol storm formed by a PTP message in a complex topology network and a ring network constituted by the transparent clock to improve the stability of the network. |
| US09363202B1 |
Low-latency cost-effective upstream scheduler
Systems, methods and computer readable media for providing low-latency scheduling on upstream channels. Systems and methods can include a low-latency scheduler and a network interface. The low-latency scheduler can assign a first group of upstream channels for standard communication of packets on a network, and to assign a second group of upstream channels for communication of small upstream packets on the network. The network interface can communicate transmission opportunities identified by the low-latency scheduler to the subscriber devices. The transmission opportunities for subscriber devices are assigned such that devices with a threshold amount of traffic receive transmission opportunities in the first group of upstream channels, and subscriber devices with less than the threshold amount of traffic receive transmission opportunities in the second group of upstream channels. |
| US09363201B2 |
Method and apparatus for allocating client resources to multiple applications
A quota management system for Personal Video Recorders (PVRs) in which the storage space available on connected storage devices is shared between multiple content providers or multiple software programs. |
| US09363199B1 |
Bandwidth management for data services operating on a local network
A bandwidth manager associated with a local network may comprise memory that stores network load data for the local network and one or more processors. The processors can be configured to: receive a request for bandwidth from a first data service operating on a first computing device on a local network; determine available bandwidth for the first computing device based on the network load data for the local network; allocate a first bandwidth to the first computing device based in part on the available bandwidth; and adjust the allocated first bandwidth based in part on network load during a data transmission by the first computing device. |
| US09363196B2 |
Ultra low power-data driven networking processing device for avoiding overload
The present invention is provided with: a data-driven processor comprising at least a firing control which determines whether or not firing conditions have been met by determining whether or not all packets necessary for instruction execution have been received when a packet that convey a part of partitioned data to be processed has been input, and a data processing unit for performing processing corresponding to the packets transmitted from the firing control if the firing conditions have been met; a power supply circuit for supplying power to the data-driven processor; and overload avoidance means for refusing input of the packets to the data-driven processor, if a determination has been made that a data processing load in the data-driven processor may reach an overloaded state in which the data processing may stall, on the basis of current consumption in the data-driven processor. Accordingly, power consumption in a networking system is reduced. |
| US09363195B2 |
Configuring cloud resources
A method, system, and program product for identifying cloud resources are provided, and further a method, system, and program product for configuring cloud resources are provided. The method for identifying cloud resources may include receiving a request with respect to at least one resource in a cloud and determining a set of resources among the at least one resource in the cloud in accordance with the received request. Determining the set of resources may include consulting an ontology including metadata associated with the at least one resource in the cloud and computing the set of resources based on the metadata and the received request. Additionally, the method may include computing a cost factor with respect to the determined set of resources. Furthermore, the method may include rendering, in response to the received request, the determined set of resources and the cost factor with respect to the determined set of resources. |
| US09363192B2 |
Automatic remediation in a distributed computer system with multiple clusters of host computers
A system and method for performing automatic remediation in a distributed computer system with multiple clusters of host computers uses the same placement selection algorithm for initial placements and for remediation placements of clients. The placement selection algorithm is executed to generate a placement solution when a remediation request in response to a remediation-requiring condition in the distributed computer system for at least one client running in one of the multiple clusters of host computers is detected and a remediation placement problem for the client is constructed. The placement solution is then implemented for the client for remediation. |
| US09363191B2 |
Service access apparatus, method, computer program and computer program product for selective initiation of communication
It is presented a service access apparatus arranged to selectively initiate communication with a network node providing a service. The service access apparatus comprises: a data obtainer arranged to obtain a multilevel hierarchical identifier associated with a user of the service access apparatus and when the multilevel hierarchical identifier does not have a lower level first, reversing the multilevel hierarchical identifier; a concatenator arranged to determine a combined domain name; a domain name lookup client arranged to perform a domain name lookup using the combined domain name, and receiving a response of the domain name lookup; and a communication initiator arranged to, when the response comprises a valid resource record for the network node, initiate communication with the network node using a node pointer in the resource record. A corresponding method, computer program and computer program product are also presented. |
| US09363189B2 |
Credit based flow control in lossless ethernet networks
In one embodiment, a system includes a hardware processor and logic integrated with and/or executable by the processor or media access control (MAC) functionality of a network port. The logic is configured to negotiate a credit aging duration during initialization of a link between a receiving endpoint and a sending endpoint, the receiving and sending endpoints being connected in a network fabric. The link includes at least one virtual link. The logic is also configured to receive an a Count of available flow credits from the receiving endpoint. The amount of available flow credits are used to determine a capacity to process packets at the receiving endpoint. The exchange of flow credits is performed on a per virtual link basis. Other systems, methods, and computer program products are presented according to more embodiments. |
| US09363185B2 |
Method and system for determining sustainable throughput over wireless networks
Sustainable average data throughput rates for data transfer between a sender and a receiver are determined for a network in a steady-state condition. Delivery performance for data transferred in non-steady-state conditions is disregarded in determining sustainable average data throughput rates. The rates may be used to adapt file delivery to network conditions. |
| US09363180B2 |
Service chaining in a cloud environment using Software Defined Networking
A system and method for steering traffic through a set of services is provided. A service path or service chain is assigned to a received packet based on a classification of the packet and correlation of the packet with a traffic flow. A new service chain identifier can be created if no such correlation exists. A next service type and a particular instance of the next service type can be determined in accordance with the service chain identifier. A next destination for the traffic can be set in accordance with the instance of the next service. |
| US09363177B2 |
System and methods for communicating in a telecommunication network via independent key routing and proxies
A combination of an independent key routing (IKR) method and a data proxy architecture (DPA) method may be used to route communication messages in a telecommunication network to achieve improved data locality and reduce secondary key lookups. A processor may receive a first communication message that includes subscriber identifiers that uniquely identify a subscriber, generate a plurality of keys for a plurality of message types, identify a first logical scalable unit (LSU) that includes a first memory that stores a first type of data via a database API and a first key, identify a second LSU that includes a second memory that stores a second type of data relating to the subscriber via the database API and a second key of the plurality of keys, store the first communication message and the first key in the first database memory, and store the first key in the second database memory. |
| US09363176B2 |
Virtual machine network controller
Embodiments relate to virtual networks. An aspect includes a method for controlling a virtual network including analyzing header content of packet traffic, where the packet traffic corresponds to one or more virtual machines run on a computer. The method includes performing flow routing of the packet traffic through a virtual network based on the analyzing overlay virtual network identifiers or virtual extensible local area network (VXLAN) identifiers in the header content. |
| US09363164B2 |
Logical inter-cloud dispatcher
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and system for establishing a network communication path between a source node and a destination node. A destination geographic area of the destination node is determined. An intermediate node located in an intermediate geographic area that is adjacent to a source geographic area of the source node and is in a direction that is toward the destination geographic area is determined based at least in part on the destination geographic area. Connectivity with the intermediate node is requested or established. A determination is made as to whether the adjacent intermediate geographic area is the destination geographic area. If the determined adjacent intermediate geographic area is not the destination geographic area, a next intermediate node in another intermediate geographic area that is adjacent to the intermediate geographic area and is in a direction that is toward the destination geographic area is determined. |
| US09363160B2 |
System and method for provisioning and managing network access and connectivity
Systems and methods for providing distributed network solutions to end user customers by acting as a neutral demarcation point between the last mile and the long haul portion of a telecommunications network. A network provisioning platform evaluates transport alternatives to identify routes and networks having the highest reliability metrics. Access circuits are aggregated to the optical level at the earliest possible point in the network. Service to on-net networks are provisioned rapidly. |
| US09363156B2 |
Scalable testing in a production system with autoshutdown
A network-based production service is configured to process client requests for the production service via a network, capture production request data defining the requests and store the production request data in a data store. A test system comprising one or more controllers creates test jobs according to a test plan for testing the production service. The test plan creates a test profile for using specified production request data to simulate a load on the production service. Each job created by the test plan specifies a portion of production request data. A job queue receives and queues test jobs from one or more controllers configured to add test jobs to the job queue according to the test plan. Workers access jobs from the job queue and the production request data from the data store as specified in each job and replay the production request data to the production service. |
| US09363153B2 |
Monitoring similar data in stream computing
A method, system, and computer program product for monitoring similar data in stream computing are disclosed. The method may include, monitoring at least one input stream of tuples to be processed by an application. The application may comprise one or more processing elements operating on one or more computer processors and each tuple is an instance of data. The method may also include, identifying a first tuple in the input stream and the first tuple is a first instance of first data. Also, the method may include, identifying a second tuple in the input stream and the second tuple is a second instance of first data. Furthermore, the method may include, determining that the second tuple satisfies criteria for superseding the first tuple and eliminating the first tuple from the application. |
| US09363149B1 |
Management console for network security investigations
Techniques and mechanisms are disclosed that enable network security analysts and other users to efficiently conduct network security investigations and to produce useful representations of investigation results. As used herein, a network security investigation generally refers to an analysis by an analyst (or team of analysts) of one or more detected network events that may pose internal and/or external threats to a computer network under management. A network security application provides various interfaces that enable users to create investigation timelines, where the investigation timelines display a collection of events related to a particular network security investigation. A network security application further provides functionality to monitor and log user interactions with the network security application, where particular logged user interactions may also be added to one or more investigation timelines. |
| US09363148B2 |
Graphical user interface for displaying information related to a virtual machine network
A graphical user interface for displaying information related to a virtual machine network is disclosed. In an embodiment, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium stores instructions that, when executed by a computer, enable a graphical user interface to be displayed. The graphical user interface, which assists in graphical representation of log data entries in a virtual machine network, includes a circular element that is divided into slices and virtual machine indicator elements that represent virtual machines within each slice. The slices represent various groupings of the virtual machines within the virtual machine network. |
| US09363147B2 |
Indicating status using a standalone icon
A stand-alone icon (i.e., an icon that is not part of an application interface) is provided to facilitate communications across a network between users of at least one communications program. The icon represents a contact or a set of contacts. Status information regarding the contact or set of contacts is received and displayed using the icon or in response to an operation performed on the icon. The icon additionally may provide an interface for performing actions related to the contact or set of contacts. The actions may generally include, for example, retrieving profile information about the contact, setting an alert to indicate that the contact's network/login status (e.g., login, logout, or idle) has changed, or performing communications with the contact. |
| US09363134B1 |
Lightweight browser monitoring and viewing
Troubleshooting, training, and other services that can be provided remotely to a user of an application, Web page, or similar component can take advantage of a lightweight approach to monitoring, viewing, and/or control. A page being viewed by a user can have client executable code contained therein, wherein actions of the user with respect to the page can generate events that can be sent to a remote queue, service, server, etc. A local copy of the page can be created that can be viewed and/or operated by a person providing the service to the user. A listener component can be configured to retrieve events from the queue, etc., and send those events to the local device such that the local copy can be updated, causing the local copy to accurately reflect what the user is seeing and doing with respect to the page. |
| US09363129B2 |
Method and a device for decoding differentially modulated symbols
A method for decoding differentially modulated received symbols, the differentially modulated received symbols corresponding to a transmission of a differentially modulated version of a codeword out of a set of possible codewords, the received symbols being transferred onto resources of a channel, the resources being equally spaced. A receiver, for each possible codeword: obtains a vector of differentially demodulated symbols by differentially demodulating the differentially modulated received symbols obtained by combining two consecutive differentially modulated received symbols; calculates the product of each differentially demodulated symbol by the conjugate of the element of the codeword having the same rank within the codeword as the differentially demodulated received symbol; calculates the sum of the products; decodes the vector of differentially demodulated symbols by selecting the codeword for which the sum of the products is the maximum. |
| US09363127B1 |
Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) transmitter and receiver windowing for adjacent channel interference (ACI) suppression and rejection
An optimum time domain windowing scheme for orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM)-based waveforms in the sense of spectral concentration is proposed. Instead of evenly suppressing the sidelobes along the frequency, the sidelobe power is concentrated within a guard band while maximally suppressing the power for a desired frequency range. This is achieved by employing optimum finite duration pulses, prolate spheroidal wave functions (PSWF), to shape the OFDM transmit pulse. Also with per-subcarrier windowing scheme, the effect of inner subcarriers on sidelobes is diminished by utilizing the concentration bandwidth versus out-of-band power trade-off in PSWF and the multicarrier nature of the OFDM. |
| US09363124B2 |
Transmission and reception signal processor and method
A transmission apparatus includes a plurality of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) modulation signal generators, which generate a first OFDM modulation signal and a second OFDM modulation signal. The transmission apparatus also includes a transmitter that transmits the first OFDM modulation signal from a first antenna and the second OFDM modulation signal from a second antenna, in an identical frequency band. A reception apparatus is provided, which includes a plurality of antennas that receive a plurality of OFDM modulation signals; a plurality of OFDM demodulators that transform the plurality of OFDM modulation signals to a plurality of reception signals using Fourier transform; an estimator that outputs a distortion estimation signal using one or more symbols for demodulation included in the plurality of reception signals; and a demodulator that compensates for distortion of the reception signals using the distortion estimation signal and demodulates a data symbol included in the reception signals. |
| US09363122B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting training field
Disclosed are a method and apparatus for transmitting a training field. The method for transmitting a training field in a wireless LAN system comprises the steps of: transmitting additional long training field (LTF) indication information; and transmitting a frame including the additional LTF and partitioned data fields. The additional LTF comprises a field for demodulating the partitioned data fields included in the frame, the additional LTF indication information includes information on the location of the additional LTF included in the frame, and the partitioned data field includes at least one sub-field. Accordingly, the present invention can enhance channel estimation performance. |
| US09363120B2 |
OFDM transmission and reception for non-OFDM signals
Methods and apparatuses for Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) communication of non-OFDM radio signals are disclosed. The non-OFDM radio signals are force-modulated into OFDM signals. In one example, a non-OFDM signal is received and is processed into an OFDM signal to produce a created OFDM signal. An actual OFDM signal is also received and is processed together with the created OFDM signal. |
| US09363118B2 |
Non-contact power supply transmitter system, receiving device, and analog circuit
A non-contact power supply transmitter system 100 transmitting an electric power from a transmitting device (TX) 200 to a receiving device (RX) 300 with a non-contact power supply transmitter method, the TX 200 including: a transmitting coil 202; a driver 204 causing the transmitting coil 202 to generate a power signal of the electromagnetic field; and an FSK modulation unit 240 transmitting an FSK signal Sf through the transmitting coil 202, the RX 300 including: a receiving coil 302; an FSK demodulation unit 330 demodulating the FSK signal Sf received through the receiving coil 302; and a controller 312 inputting the FSK signal demodulated by the FSK demodulation unit 330, the FSK demodulation unit 330 is composed of an analog circuit. The non-contact power supply transmitter system, the receiving device, and the analog circuit can realize a low power, space-saving FSK communication. |
| US09363116B2 |
Multi-standard front end using wideband data converters
Embodiments provide an area, cost, and power efficient multi-service transceiver architecture. The multi-service transceiver architecture simplifies receiver/transmitter front ends needed for a multi-service architecture, by replacing significant portions of multiple receiver and/or transmitter front ends with a single ADC and/or DAC, respectively. In embodiments, a plurality of received service contents are combined into one composite analog/RF signal and applied to an ADC. The ADC converts the composite signal into a composite multi-service digital signal. Digital techniques are then used to separate the plurality of service contents into a plurality of respective digital streams that each can be independently demodulated. Similarly, in the transmit direction, a plurality of digital streams, including a plurality of service contents, are combined into one composite digital signal. The composite digital signal is applied to a DAC to generate a composite multi-service analog/RF signal for subsequent transmission over a coaxial cable or wirelessly via an antenna. |
| US09363115B2 |
System and method for aligning data bits
Systems and methods are disclosed for aligning multiple data bits by adjusting the timing of input lines for those data bits. Embodiments include a hierarchical structure for comparing the timing of multiple sets of bits. Other embodiments include aligning data bits from multiple chips in a 3D die stacking architecture. |
| US09363111B1 |
Decision feedback equalizer (DFE) utilizing error propagation information
Embodiments include a method comprising: receiving a signal comprising a plurality of symbols; estimating that a first symbol of the plurality of symbols has a first value; based on the first value of the first symbol, cancelling, at least in part, inter symbol interference that the first symbol has on a second symbol of the plurality of symbols; determining a first error associated with the first value of the first symbol; and in response to the first error being higher than a threshold value, generating, for the first symbol, a second value that is different from the first value of the first symbol, and based on the second value of the first symbol, cancelling, at least in part, inter symbol interference that the first symbol has on the second symbol. |
| US09363109B2 |
Anti-sampling offset processing method and method for channel estimation in wireless communication system
Provided are an anti-sampling offset processing method and apparatus for channel estimation in a wireless communication system, and the method includes: a main path threshold and a first side lobe threshold are acquired based on a result of IFFT during the channel estimation, wherein the first side lobe threshold is smaller than the main path threshold; a noise reduction threshold and a second side lobe threshold are acquired based on a measurement result of Interference on Signal Code Power (ISCP), wherein the second side lobe threshold is smaller than the noise reduction threshold; a predetermined number of strongest paths are selected from main paths determined according to the main path threshold and the noise reduction threshold and a predetermined number of paths adjacent to the strongest paths are labelled as side lobes; and the paths labelled as side lobes are selected according to a final threshold and paths equal to or larger than the final threshold are reserved for participation of subsequent demodulation, wherein the final threshold is the greater one of the first side lobe threshold and the second side lobe threshold. In the present disclosure, impacts of sampling offsets in a wireless communication system on channel estimation are taken into consideration, and side lobes of a main path are introduced into a demodulation process, thereby improving reception performance of a terminal in the wireless communication system. |
| US09363107B2 |
Accessing and processing monitoring data resulting from customized monitoring of system activities
A mechanism for accessing and processing monitoring data resulting from customized monitoring of system activities. A method of embodiments of the invention includes invoking, via a Command-Line Interface (CLI) shell console, a performance monitor at a host computer system to perform monitoring of activities of a plurality of system components of one or more computer systems. The CLI shell console provides an abstraction layer for interfaces and further provides host performance information via a common interface independent of operating systems, monitoring use-cases, monitoring tools, or programming languages employed at the host computer system. The method further includes accessing monitoring data generated from monitoring of the activities by the performance monitor. |
| US09363102B1 |
Methods and apparatus for implementing anycast flow stickiness in stateful sessions
Methods and apparatus for implementing anycast flow stickiness in stateful sessions are described. For the first packet from a source device to an anycast group, a destination anycast endpoint is selected from the anycast group by a routing process via an algorithm that is specified for the anycast group. A record of the mapping of the source device to the destination anycast endpoint may be stored. Additional packets in the flow are routed to the same anycast endpoint as the first packet according to the stored information. Alternatively, a hashing technique may be used to route packets to an anycast endpoint. The packets may be encapsulated in an encapsulation format that includes network substrate routing information to the destination anycast endpoint; anycast forwarding decisions are made at the overlay network level and not at the network substrate level, and thus flow stickiness can be maintained. |
| US09363099B2 |
UPnP/DLNA with RADA hive
A system, a controller, and methods are described herein for enabling a user of a user device while located in a visited local area network (e.g., their friend's local area network) to remotely access a device which is located within a home local area network (e.g., their household local area network). |
| US09363097B2 |
Acquiring safety status information
A method begins by a processing module obtaining a set of identifiers (IDs) corresponding to a set of user devices, wherein each user device of the set of user devices is associated with a corresponding safety status level. For each identifier (ID) of the set of IDs, the method continues with the processing module generating a safety status request that includes the ID, outputting the safety status request to a user device of the set of user devices that corresponds to the ID, receiving a safety status response of a set of safety status responses, wherein the safety status response includes a corresponding safety status level of one user device of the set of user devices, and indicating the safety status level of the safety status response when an ID of the safety status response compares favorably to at least one ID of the set of IDs. |
| US09363093B2 |
Utilizing eye tracking to determine attendee engagement
Eye tracking for the purpose of detecting attendee disengagement with respect to a presentation including a visual display communicated over a network. The eye tracking method includes: during a play of the presentation, tracking eye positions of a set of control party(ies); during a play of the presentation, tracking eye positions of a set of non-control party(ies); determining a set of divergence value(s) corresponding to divergence between the eye position(s) of the control party(ies) and the non-control party(ies); and determining a disengagement value corresponding to relative disengagement of the non-control party(ies) based, at least in part on the set of divergence value(s). |
| US09363092B2 |
Selecting a video data stream of a video conference
Computer program code receives input information for setup a video conference, and attributes of participants associated with one or more video endpoints in the video conference. The program code parses the input information to determine whether there are video data streams available for broadcast, and parameters in an access control file granting one or more of the participants a right to control which of the video data streams available for broadcast they view. The program code extracts parameters from the input information. The program code stores the parameters that are extracted as metadata. The program code compares the metadata with the attributes of the participants associated with the one or more video endpoints to determine matches. The program code requests a multipoint control unit to send one or more of the video data streams based on the access control file, criteria specified by the participants, and the matches determined. |
| US09363091B2 |
Power over Ethernet devices, systems and methods
An interface device is configured for interfacing one or more external devices to Ethernet Power Source Equipment PSE. The interface device includes a jack for connection to the PSE, and first and second output jacks. The first output jack provides an Ethernet power and data connection for an external device. The second output jack provides a DC power connection for an external device. A power extractor circuit provides a signature to the PSE, and provides a predefined output signal in response to receiving a power signal from the PSE. At least one delay element electrically connects the network connection jack and the first output jack, after a predefined delay from a time at which the power extractor circuit provides the output signal. |
| US09363090B1 |
Authorization of communication links between end user devices using intermediary nodes
Systems, methods, and software for operating communication systems are provided herein. In one example, method of operating a communication system to establish secure communications between a first user device communicating in a first communication network and a second user device communicating in a second communication network is presented. The method includes, responsive to a communication request received from the first user device, establishing a secure communication link between the first user device and a first security node. When a second security node has a security relationship established with the first security node, the method includes establishing the secure communication link for the secure communications between the first user device and the second user device using at least the security relationship between the first security node and the second security node, and exchanging the secure communications over the secure communication link. |
| US09363089B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information storage apparatus, information processing system, and information processing method and program for controlling content use
There is provided an information processing apparatus including: a data processing unit, on which a medium as an information storage apparatus is mounted, which controls reproduction of content stored on the medium, wherein the data processing unit executes host device ID registration processing for outputting a host device ID, which is an identifier of the host device, to the medium and storing the host device ID on the medium, receives the host device ID, which is stored on the medium, from the medium after execution of the host device ID registration processing, executes connection consistency confirmation processing for executing matching processing between the received host ID and the host device ID of the host device, and executes or continues content reproduction under a condition that the matching processing has been established in the connection consistency confirmation processing, or stops the content reproduction if the matching processing has not been established. |
| US09363086B2 |
Aggregate signing of data in content centric networking
One embodiment provides a system that facilitates routers in verifying content objects in a cost-effective manner by aggregating content objects into a secure content catalog. During operation, a client computing device receives a secure content catalog, which indicates a set of content objects and their corresponding digests. The catalog is digitally signed with the private key of a producer of the catalog. The client computing device constructs an interest for a content object, where the interest indicates a name for the content object and the corresponding digest for the content object, which is based on the secure content catalog. The name for the request content object is a hierarchically structured variable length identifier (HSVLI) which comprises name components ordered from a most general level to a most specific level. |
| US09363084B2 |
Methods and apparatus for controlling the transmission and receipt of email message
Methods and apparatus for identifying unwanted email messages by transmitting metadata with an outbound email message that indicates the total number of email messages sent by that sender in a predetermined time period, or alternatively indicates the total number of email messages which are equivalent to the outgoing message that have been sent. In addition the metadata may include an identification of the sender and a “pledge” made by the sender. A pledge may take the form of a binding commitment from the sender that the information contained in the metadata is accurate, and/or that the sender promises to abide by predetermined good conduct rules designed to limit unwanted email. The outgoing message may be further signed by the sender with a digital signature that provides means for verifying the content of the message and the pledge as well as the identity of the sender. |
| US09363081B2 |
License administration device and license administration method
A license administration device manages grant or denial of each optional function in a plurality of licensee devices. The licensee device stores key information encrypted with a cipher key so as to issue a license change request activating or restricting the predetermined optional function. Upon receiving a license change request restricting the predetermined optional function, the license administration device overwrites the key information of the licensee device with a default key. Subsequently, upon receiving a license change request activating the predetermined optional function, the license administration device applies an upgrade key to the key information of the licensee device. The default key or the upgrade key can be decrypted using a cipher key unique to the licensee device. The license administration device manages the licensed maximum for the predetermined optional function and reflects an increment or decrement to the licensing maximum by applying the default key or the upgrade key. |
| US09363080B2 |
System for managing cryptographic keys and trust relationships in a secure shell (SSH) environment
A system for managing cryptographic keys and trust relationships in a secure shell (SSH) environment by mapping network servers, clients, and appliances and locating SSH keys and key pairs associated with each device. The system provides for mapping the network topology and all SSH keys and key pairs stored on network connected devices, and the creation of a master database of all devices, keys and key pairs, key types and encryption strength, and user accounts with which each key or key pair is associated. The mapping and database enable the effective management of SSH keys and key pairs, detection of errors and weakness, elimination of orphaned or outdated keys, correction of all deficiencies, and replacement of keys in accordance with policies set by the organization maintaining the network. |
| US09363079B2 |
Method of generating message authentication code and authentication device and authentication request device using the method
Provided are a method of generating a message authentication code and an authentication device and an authentication request device using the method. The method includes generating a second secret key by encrypting seed data, a first secret key, and first auxiliary data using an encryption algorithm; and encrypting the seed data, the second secret key, and second auxiliary data using the encryption algorithm, wherein the encryption algorithm receives data of a preset base number of bits and encrypts the received data, and the number of bits of the second auxiliary data varies according to a difference between the number of bits of the first secret key and the number of bits of the second secret key. |
| US09363074B2 |
Encryption processing apparatus, encryption processing method, and computer program
A common-key blockcipher processing configuration with enhanced immunity against attacks such as saturation attacks and algebraic attacks (XSL attacks) is realized. In an encryption processing apparatus that performs common-key blockcipher processing, S-boxes serving as non-linear transformation processing parts set in round-function executing parts are configured using at least two different types of S-boxes. With this configuration, the immunity against saturation attacks can be enhanced. Also, types of S-boxes present a mixture of different types. With this configuration, the immunity against algebraic attacks (XSL attacks) can be enhanced, thereby realizing a highly secure encryption processing apparatus. |
| US09363073B2 |
Cryptographic countermeasure method by deriving a secret data
A method of protecting a circuit from attacks aiming to discover secret data used during the execution of a cryptographic calculation by the circuit, by, executing a transformation calculation implementing a bijective transformation function, receiving as input a secret data, and supplying a transformed data, executing a cryptographic calculation receiving as input a data to process and the transformed data, and executing an inverse transformation calculation receiving as input the result of the cryptographic calculation, and supplying a result that the cryptographic calculation would have supplied if it had been applied to the data to process and directly to the secret data, the data to process belong to a stream of a multiplicity of data, the transformed data being supplied as input to the cryptographic calculation for all the data of the stream. |
| US09363068B2 |
Vector processor having instruction set with sliding window non-linear convolutional function
A processor is provided having an instruction set with a sliding window non-linear convolution function. A processor obtains a software instruction that performs a non-linear convolution function for a plurality of input delayed signal samples. In response to the software instruction for the non-linear convolution function, the processor generates a weighted sum of two or more of the input delayed signal samples, wherein the weighted sum comprises a plurality of variable coefficients defined as a sum of one or more non-linear functions of a magnitude of the input delayed signal samples; and repeats the generating step for at least one time-shifted version of the input delayed signal samples to compute a plurality of consecutive outputs. The software instruction for the non-linear convolution function is optionally part of an instruction set of the processor. The non-linear convolution function can model a non-linear system with memory, such as a power amplifier model and/or a digital pre-distortion function. |
| US09363067B2 |
Data signal transceiver circuitry for providing simultaneous bi-directional communication via a common conductor pair
Interface circuitry and method for transmitting and receiving downstream and upstream data signals simultaneously via a common conductor pair. The composite signal containing the downstream and upstream data signal components being conveyed by the common conductor pair is isolated, e.g., via signal filtering or buffering, and combined with an appropriately scaled inverse replica of the outgoing upstream data signal to subtract out upstream data signal components and thereby provide the downstream data signal substantially free of any upstream data signal components. |
| US09363066B2 |
Methods and apparatus for flexible use of frequency bands
Methods and systems are disclosed for communicating in a wireless communications system utilizing a plurality of frequency bands for downlink (DL) transmission and a plurality of frequency bands for uplink (UL) transmission. In an embodiment, a mobile device receives a DL signal via a DL frequency band. The DL signal contains DL-UL frequency-band association information. The DL signal is decoded to obtain the DL-UL frequency-band association information which is used to determine a UL frequency band for UL transmission. The mobile device configures its radio-frequency (RF) circuitry to operate in the UL frequency band for UL transmission. |
| US09363064B2 |
Comp transmission feedback method, device and system
The present invention relates to the field of communications. Disclosed are a CoMP transmission feedback method, device and system, the method comprising: determining an inter-mode reference relationship between at least two configured modes according to configuration information transmitted by a base station (s101); at each feedback instance. determining the parameter in the current mode via the parameter in a reference mode and according to the reference relationship between modes (s102); and feeding back the channel state information containing the parameter in the current mode according to the configuration of the current mode (s103). The present invention realizes the sharing of pre-coding matrix indicator/rank indicator (PMI/RI) information among a plurality of channel quality indicators (CQIs) having different interference assumptions, and realizes the sharing of RI information among different transmission points, thus achieving a dependency relationship among a plurality of feedback modes. |
| US09363063B2 |
Processing uplink data transmissions in a heterogeneous wireless network
In a heterogeneous wireless network that includes a macro base station and one or more micro base stations, a wireless device to wirelessly transmit, in a first time slot at a first position in a first transmission subframe, data over a first physical communication channel. An ACK/NACK control message is received over a backhaul network connection a first time period after the first time slot. A response message is transmitted to the wireless device such that when the control message is received prior to the second time slot, then the response message uses data reception information from the control message and when the control message is not received prior to the second time slot, then the response message indicates that the data was successfully received. |
| US09363056B2 |
Method and apparatus for setting plurality of reference signal configurations in wireless communication system
Provided are a method for operating a user equipment in a wireless communication system and the user equipment for performing same. The user equipment receives a plurality of channel state information (CSI) reference signal (RS) configurations for indicating different usages, and performs an action based on each of the CSI RS configurations. |
| US09363055B2 |
Method and apparatus for configuring a sounding reference signal for a segment carrier
Methods, apparatus and computer program products configure a sounding reference signal (SRS) for a segment carrier that serves as a contiguous bandwidth extension of a component carrier, such as a component carrier that is backwards compatible with prior releases of a mobile terminal. In the context of a mobile terminal, the method receives a triggering message that identifies respective configurations of the SRS for the component carrier and the associated segment carrier. The configuration of the SRS for the component carrier is different than the configuration of the SRS for the segment carrier. The method also causes the SRS to be transmitted in accordance with the respective configurations identified by the triggering message via uplink subframes of the component carrier and the segment carrier. |
| US09363051B2 |
Mobile communication system and mobile communication method
A non-anchor radio base station (310B) comprises an interface (315B) that notifies the anchor radio base station (310A) of a delay profile between the non-anchor radio base station (310B) and the UE (10). An anchor radio base station (310A) comprises an interface (315A) that notifies a non-anchor radio base station (310B), notifying the delay profile which does not satisfy a predetermined condition, of stoppage of a process of transmitting an uplink signal before decoding through a backhaul network. The non-anchor radio base station (310B) comprises an interface (315B) that stops the process of transmitting the uplink signal before decoding when the non-anchor radio base station (310B) is notified of the stoppage of the process of transmitting the uplink signal before decoding. |
| US09363048B2 |
Downlink OFDMA for service sets with mixed client types
Techniques are provided herein to allow a wireless network access point (AP) to more fully use its bandwidth in order to leverage the different bandwidth capabilities of different types of wireless client devices that the AP serves. The AP generates control parameters for usage of a plurality of channels in a bandwidth during a downlink transmission interval. The control parameters comprise information indicating channel assignments that result in multiple downlink transmissions that at least partially overlap in time to different wireless client devices according to their respective bandwidth capabilities. The AP transmits the control parameters in a control frame in advance of the downlink transmission interval on each of the plurality of channels in the bandwidth. |
| US09363044B2 |
Radio communications
An arrangement is described for adapting outer loop precoder phase combiner in a radio communication system having coordinated multipoint transmission. In the arrangement ACK/NACK-message received as a response to a transmitted data packet is used for adapting the phase. When a NACK-message is received the phase may be adapted or it may be further determined if the error was due to error in channel code or due to destructive inter-point signal combining. If the error was due to destructive combining the phase is adjusted. |
| US09363043B2 |
Generation and application of a sub-codebook of an error control coding codebook
There is provided a method of encoding and decoding data using an error control code having a codebook G. The codebook G is a sub-codebook of a codebook P. Each codeword g in the sub-codebook G has an autocorrelation amplitude that is different from and higher than each correlation amplitude between g and each of the other codewords in the sub-codebook G. In one specific embodiment in which the codebook P is that of a Reed-Muller code, using G instead of P reduces the likelihood of the presence of more than one maximum correlation amplitude when computing the non-coherent decision metric during decoding. |
| US09363041B2 |
Wireless power transfer in-band communication system
A wireless charging in-band communication system includes a transmitter module that formats a message using CRC calculation and attaches the results of the CRC calculation to the message for message error detection. The transmitter includes channel encoding for message error correction. A modulation module performs biphase modulation for DC balanced signals and impedance switching to change reflected impedance seen by the source. A synchronization module prepending the message with a synchronization sequence having Golay complementary codes. Moreover, the in-band communication includes a receiver module that receives the message from the transmitter module. The receiver module includes an impedance sensing circuit to detect changes in the reflected impedance of the transmitter module. The receiver module includes a front end filter used for pulse shaping and noise rejection. A preamble detection block includes a Golay complementary code correlator used for message detection, synchronization, and equalization coefficient estimation and selection. A decoding module performs biphase demodulation with error correction with a DC offset being estimated as the average value of the signal over the length of the message before channel decoding Also, the decoding module performs equalization, error correction channel decoding,and error detection (CRC). |
| US09363040B2 |
Apparatus for transmitting and receiving a signal and method for transmitting and receiving a signal
A method for transmitting and receiving a signal and an apparatus for transmitting and receiving a signal are disclosed. The method includes receiving the signal from a first frequency band in a single frame including at least one frequency band, demodulating the received signal by an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) method and parsing the signal frame, acquiring a symbol stream of a service stream from the at least one frequency band included in the parsed signal frame, demapping symbols included in the symbol stream and outputting the demapped symbols to sub streams, multiplexing the output sub streams and outputting one bit stream, and deinterleaving and error-correction-decoding the output bit stream. |
| US09363038B2 |
Evolved node B channel quality indicator (CQI) processing for heterogeneous networks
Methods and apparatus for processing channel quality information (CQI) and scheduling resources subject to cooperative resource allocation based on the CQI are provided. To convey the CQI for protected/unprotected subframes in a single report, a new vector CQI format may be utilized. Two alternatives for CQI processing this vector format and the advantages of each are described. In the first alternative, a single entry from the CQI vector is selected for processing by a downlink scheduler and/or other media access control (MAC) blocks (e.g., a PHICH, DCI power control, and/or PDCCH scheduler). In the second alternative, the selection from the CQI vector is made on a per-subframe basis, and both the subframe and the selected CQI element are processed by the downlink scheduler and/or the other MAC blocks. In this manner, better scheduling decisions may be made using the CQI vector. |
| US09363037B2 |
Link adaptation feedback method and transmitting device
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a link adaptation feedback method, including: receiving, by a device, a link adaptation feedback frame sent by a communication peer end, where the link adaptation feedback frame includes a modulation and coding scheme request sequence identifier (MSI), where the MSI is configured to indicate space-time block coding type information. |
| US09363033B2 |
Multiplexed pulse modulation using superposition
The present invention relates to an optical transmitter for transmitting data. The optical transmitter includes a pulse generator for generating N data streams overlapping in time from a de-multiplexed data source. Each respective data stream has pulses with shapes unique to that respective data stream. The transmitter also includes an optical source optically transmitting an output pulse that is generated by summing the uniquely shaped pulses from each respective data stream that are overlapping in time. Each output pulse represents N bits of the data source, where N>1. |
| US09363030B2 |
Communication method and device in time division duplexing system
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a communication method and a device in a time division duplexing system. The communication method in a time division duplexing system includes: notifying a user equipment of an uplink-downlink configuration of a radio frame; specifying a part of downlink subframes corresponding to the uplink-downlink configuration of the radio frame as MBSFN subframes; and sending first information to the user equipment, where the first information is used to indicate that multicast areas of the MBSFN subframes are used for uplink communication or downlink communication. |
| US09363029B2 |
Time division duplex wireless network and associated method using modulation groups
A transceiver for use in a wireless access network comprising a plurality of base stations, each of the plurality of base stations capable of bidirectional time division duplex (TDD) communication with wireless access devices disposed at a plurality of subscriber premises in a corresponding cell site of the wireless access network. The transceiver is associated with a first base station and comprises transmit path circuitry associated with a beam forming network for transmitting directed scanning beam signals in a sector of a cell site of the first base station. The transmit path circuitry transmits at a start of a TDD frame a broadcast beam signal comprising a start of frame field and subsequently transmits downlink data traffic in a downlink portion of the TDD frame to at least one of the wireless access devices using at least one directed scanning beam. |
| US09363023B2 |
Semiconductor device for electrical isolation using a photocoupler and isolator to convey a signal
A semiconductor device including: a filter circuit to subdivide and output the received signal as a first signal with a relatively low frequency and a second signal with a relatively high frequency; a first channel containing a photocoupler to convey the first signal output from the filter circuit; a second channel containing an isolator to convey the second signal from the filter circuit; and a signal synthesis circuit to sum and output the first signal conveyed by way of a first channel and a second signal conveyed by way of a second channel. |
| US09363020B2 |
Optical transceiver having inner fibers for coupling optical receptacle with transmitter and receiver modules
An optical transceiver that implements an inner fiber to optically connect an optical receptacle with an optical module is disclosed. The optical module in a ceiling thereof forms a gap against a printed circuit board (PCB) electrically connected with the optical module by a flexible printed circuit (FPC) board. The inner fiber is extended in a gap formed between the PCB and the FPC, or between the FPC and the ceiling of the optical module. |
| US09363016B2 |
Apparatus and method for reducing traffic on a unified optical and coaxial network
A coaxial line terminal (CLT) comprising an optical port configured to couple to an optical line terminal (OLT) via an optical distribution network (ODN), an electrical port configured to couple to a coaxial network unit (CNU) via an electrical distribution network, and a processor coupled to the optical port and the electrical port, wherein the processor is configured to receive from the OLT a plurality of first frames addressed to the CNU, receive from the OLT a plurality of second frames not addressed to the CNU, forward the first frames to the CNU, and prohibit the second frames from being forwarded to the CNU. |
| US09363012B2 |
Fiber optic telecommunications card with energy level monitoring
A transceiver card for a telecommunications box for transmitting data over a first optical fiber and receiving data over a second optical fiber. The card has transmitter for transmitting data over the first optical fiber, the transmitter having a laser and a modulator, a fiber output optically connected to the laser for connecting the first optical fiber to the card, a fiber input for connecting the second optical fiber to the card, a receiver optically connected to the fiber input for receiving data from the second optical fiber, and an OTDR optically connected between the transmitter and the fiber output or between the receiver and the fiber input. An energy level detector is also provided between the receiver and the fiber input. |
| US09363011B2 |
Monitoring and controlling optical nodes
A method and apparatus for monitoring and controlling an optical node 100. The optical node 100 including one or more optical components 120, 121 or 122 connected by optical fiber carrying an optical signal 102. The optical signal 102 including a plurality of optical channels. A set of measurement sequences is determined, each measurement sequence defining a set of optical channels from the plurality of optical channels and a measuring sequence for measuring an optical property of the set of optical channels. A measurement sequence is selected from the set of measurement sequences based on the operating conditions of the optical node 100. The optical properties of the set of optical channels of the selected measurement sequence are measured. The measured optical properties are analyzed to determine whether one or more optical components 120, 121 or 122 are causing the optical node 100 to operate outside the tolerance of a defined set of operating conditions. The operation of the determined optical components 120, 121 or 122 are adjusted to enable the optical node 100 to operate in accordance with the defined set of operating conditions. An optical performance monitor is also provided for use with the method and apparatus. |
| US09363007B2 |
Relay device and method of adjusting relay device
A relay device in a system in which a transmission signal of a base station is relayed via a plurality of relay devices, includes: a first antenna configured to receive the transmission signal; a second antenna configured to communicate a target relay device being a relay destination relay device for the transmission signal; a communication unit configured to perform notification of setting information of the first and second antennas to other relay devices including the target relay device, and communication for acquiring setting information of the other relay devices; and an analysis unit configured to analyze a cause of a relay status lower than a criterion when the relay status of the transmission signal is lower than the criterion. |
| US09363002B2 |
Precoding with partially stale feedback
A system and method in which a base station treats the Channel State Information (CSI) from wireless terminals as only partially-stale, and exploits this partially-stale CSI to predict the current channel from old estimates of the channel. The predicted channel is then used to design a precoder. The base station shapes the transmitted signal with the precoder so as to match it as closely as possible to the current channel. Particular embodiments thus combine the benefits of the stale feedback scheme with precoding to match the channel. Consequently, the signal received at a terminal is better conditioned, thereby providing a greater overall boost in performance of the communication arrangement between the base station and the terminal. The usage of partially-stale CSI can be important for dense networks with a large number of simple terminals. |
| US09362998B2 |
Hybrid automatic repeat request-acknowledge (HARQ-ACK) codebook generation for inter-band time division duplex (TDD) carrier aggregation (CA)
Technology to determine a Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest-ACKnowledge (HARQ-ACK) codebook size for inter-band time division duplex (TDD) carrier aggregation (CA) is disclosed. In an example, a user equipment (UE) operable to determine a HARQ-ACK codebook size for inter-band TDD CA can include computer circuitry configured to: Determine a HARQ bundling window for inter-band TDD CA including a number of downlink (DL) subframes using HARQ-ACK feedback; divide the HARQ bundling window into a first part and a second part; and calculate the HARQ-ACK codebook size based on the first part and the second part. The first part can include DL subframes of configured serving cells that occur no later than the DL subframe where a downlink control information (DCI) transmission for uplink scheduling on a serving cell is conveyed, and the second part can include physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) subframes occurring after the DCI transmission of the serving cells. |
| US09362997B2 |
Method for performing hierarchical beamforming in wireless access system and device therefor
A method for performing hierarchical beamforming in a wireless access system and a device therefor are disclosed. Particularly, the method comprises: an initial step for allowing a base station to transmit a plurality of first beams, to which different steering vectors are applied, to a terminal through corresponding reference signals, and a repetition step for allowing the base station to transmit a plurality of second beams, to which different steering vectors are applied, to the terminal through corresponding reference signals by considering feedback information that contains an index of one or more beams received from the terminal, wherein the repetition step can be repeated up to a predetermined number of times. |
| US09362994B2 |
Communication method and apparatus using analog and digital hybrid beamforming
A communication method and apparatus using analog and digital hybrid beamforming are provided. The method includes receiving a first message including a measurement and selection condition for hybrid beamforming from a Base Station (BS), measuring channels of a plurality of BS transmission beams, selecting at least one BS transmission beam based on channel measurements, transmitting report information about the selected at least one BS transmission beam to the BS, receiving from the BS a second message, estimating an effective channel matrix for the selected final BS transmission beam according to the measurement and report condition, determining feedback information for digital beamforming of the BS based on the effective channel matrix, transmitting the determined feedback information to the BS, and receiving a data burst from the BS according to a Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) mode and/or a configuration scheduled based on the feedback information. |
| US09362992B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting channel status information in multi-carrier wireless communication system
The present invention relates to a wireless communication system, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for transmitting channel status information (CSI) in a wireless communication system which supports multiple carriers. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for transmitting channel status information for multiple carriers comprises the steps of: measuring downlink channels for first and second carriers which are closely placed to each other on the frequency domain; determining channel status information for the first carrier on the basis of a result of the channel measurement for the first carrier; determining channel status information for the second carrier on the basis of a part of the channel status information for the first carrier and a result of the channel measurement for the second carrier; and transmitting channel status information for the first and second carriers. |
| US09362989B2 |
Transmission method, reception method, transmitter, and receiver
When transmitting signals from a plurality of base stations (broadcasting stations), the base stations include at least a first base station having a first antenna with a first polarization and a second base station having a second antenna with a second polarization that is different from the first polarization. Then, when the first base station transmits a signal from the first antenna having the first polarization, the second base station transmits the same signal as the first antenna of the first base station from a second antenna having the second polarization, at the same time. |
| US09362986B2 |
Wireless power system with selectable control channel protocols
A wireless power system includes a wireless power transmit and receive units. The wireless power transmit unit includes a wireless power transmit circuit that generates a wireless power magnetic field and a transmit unit transceiver that transceives a communication regarding the wireless power magnetic field in accordance with a control channel protocol. The wireless power receive unit includes a wireless power receive circuit, a transceiver, and a processing module. The wireless power receive circuit converts the wireless power magnetic field into a voltage. The receive unit processing module is operable to: identify the control channel protocol; determine whether the receive unit transceiver is capable of communication using the control channel protocol; and, when the receive unit transceiver is capable of communication using the control channel protocol, coordinate configuration of the receive unit transceiver to transceive the communication regarding the wireless power magnetic field via the control channel. |
| US09362982B2 |
Method and apparatus for performing multi-symbol rate vectoring
The present invention is directed to methods and apparatuses for performing concurrent vectoring of systems having communications performed at different symbol rates. In embodiments, where a common binder includes different sub-groups of lines having corresponding different symbol rates, the invention includes methods and apparatuses for managing and concurrently vectoring all the lines of the different sub-groups. |
| US09362979B2 |
Ultra wideband time-delayed correlator
The present invention is for a method and apparatus to improve an ultra wideband (UWB) digital receiver's performance sensitivity. A transmitted signal stream has each data bit having multiple identical modulated pulses separated by a constant time interval. The received signal stream is applied to a plurality of signal processing groups where the original signal is duplicated in each processing group. The duplicated signal stream in each signal processing group is delayed by a different constant time interval between modulated pulses in the original signal stream and the two signal streams in each signal processing group is correlated and magnitude summed and combined to form a final signal stream which is detected to improve the sensitivity of the receiver. |
| US09362977B2 |
Incremental preamble detection
In one embodiment, the present invention is a method for performing incremental preamble detection in a wireless communication network. The method processes non-overlapping chunks of incoming antenna data, where each chunk is smaller than the preamble length, to detect the signature of the transmitted preamble. For each chunk processed, chips of the chunk are correlated with possible signatures employed by the wireless network to update a set of correlation profiles, each profile comprising a plurality of profile values. Further, an intermediate detection is performed by comparing the updated profile values to an intermediate threshold that is also updated for each chunk. Upon receiving the final chunk, the correlation profiles are updated, and a final preamble detection is made by comparing the updated profile values to a final threshold. Detections are performed on an incremental basis to meet latency requirements of the wireless network. |
| US09362976B2 |
Wireless local area network system and receiver adapted for use thereof and associated method
A wireless local area network (WLAN) includes a server and receiver in communication with the server as a network client. A plurality of radio frequency (RF) front-end circuits are each configured for receiving wireless signals from mobile nodes within the WLAN along an allocated channel specific for a front-end circuit. A plurality of baseband processors each specific to an allocated channel are connected to a respective front-end circuit for the allocated channel and capture a desired signal specific to the allocated channel. A system controller is connected to each baseband processor for configuring each baseband processor and processing the desired signal and obtaining message data and signal metrics for each allocated channel that are communicated to the server. |
| US09362975B2 |
Low noise amplifier and method for carrier aggregation and non-carrier aggregation
A low noise amplifier for carrier aggregation and non-carrier aggregation is provided. The low noise amplifier includes a plurality of symmetrical half circuits, a plurality of bias circuits, where each of the plurality of bias circuits is connected to one of the plurality of symmetrical half circuits, a plurality of capacitors, where each of the plurality of capacitors is connected to one of the plurality of symmetrical half circuits for Alternating Current (AC) coupling an RF signal containing at least one component carrier, and a control logic circuit connected to each of the plurality of symmetrical half circuits for configuring the low noise amplifier to process one component carrier or a plurality of component carriers. |
| US09362967B2 |
Transmitter noise suppression in receiver
Systems and methods for suppressing transmitter noise in a receive band of a co-located receiver that are suitable for wideband applications are disclosed. In one embodiment, an analog radio frequency transmit signal output by a transmitter includes a desired signal in a transmit band of the transmitter and transmitter noise in a receive band of a main receiver. A secondary receiver obtains a secondary receiver input signal that is representative of at least the transmitter noise in the receive band of the main receiver and outputs a digital feedforward signal. A digital feedforward transmit noise cancellation subsystem generates a digital transmitter noise cancellation signal that is representative of the transmitter noise in the receive band based on the digital feedforward signal and subtracts the digital transmitter noise cancellation signal from a digital receive signal output by the main receiver to thereby provide a compensated digital receive signal. |
| US09362965B2 |
Phase noise suppression
A transmitter comprises a local oscillator circuit operable to generate a reference signal, a modulator circuit operable to generate a data-carrying signal using the reference signal, and a test signal generator circuit operable to generate a test signal using the reference signal. The test signal has a first bandwidth, and a test signal insertion circuit is operable to combine the data-carrying signal and the test signal to generate a combined signal. An amount of bandwidth in the combined signal allocated to the test signal is greater than the first bandwidth such that a component of the combined signal corresponding to the test signal is bordered by whitespace. A receiver may then use the test signal to determine and correct for phase noise introduced in the transmitter. |
| US09362963B2 |
Radio-frequency signal reception circuit and isolated signal transmission apparatus
A radio-frequency signal reception circuit that detects an input signal includes an input reference terminal, a first input terminal into which a first input signal is input, a second input terminal into which a second input signal is input, an output terminal and output reference terminal from which an output signal is output, a first detector circuit that detects the first input signal and outputs a first output signal, which is a positive-voltage pulse signal, to the output terminal, a second detector circuit that detects the second input signal and outputs a second output signal, which is a positive-voltage pulse signal, to the output reference terminal, and a transistor connected to the input reference terminal and output reference terminal. The input signal includes the first input signal and second input signal. The output signal includes the first output signal and second output signal. |
| US09362959B2 |
Data processing in a digital subscriber line environment
A device is suggested comprising a first DSL system operating in a first frequency band, a second DSL system operating in a second frequency band and a filter unit connected to a line and to each of the first DSL system and the second DSL system. |
| US09362951B2 |
Decoding method, decoding circuit, memory storage device and controlling circuit unit
A decoding method, a memory storage device, a memory controlling circuit unit and a decoding circuit for low density parity code (LDPC) are provided. The decoding method includes: reading a data bit of each memory cell; performing a parity check procedure on the data bits to generate a plurality of checks; in an iterative decoding of LDPC, obtaining a reliability message of each data bit according to the checks and deciding an index of an error bit from the data bits according to the reliability messages; determining whether the index of the error bit and the checks comply with a parity criteria; and if the index of the error bit and the checks comply with the parity criteria, stopping the iterative decoding and outputting the index of the error bit. Accordingly, a decoding latency is decreased. |
| US09362948B2 |
System, method, and computer program product for saving and restoring a compression/decompression state
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for saving and restoring a compression-decompression state. In operation, data is processed, the processing including compressing or decompressing the data. Additionally, a state of the processing is saved. Further, the state of the processing is restored. |
| US09362947B2 |
Sorting decoder
A sorting decoder captures the rank-order of a set of input analogue signals in the digital domain using simple logic components such as self-timed first state elements, without requiring conventional analogue-to-digital signal converters. The analogue signals are each compared against a monotonic dynamic reference and the resulting comparisons are snapshot by a self-timed first state element for each input signal, or the last member of a sorted collection of input signals, at the time when it reaches the reference signal, so that a different snapshot representing the signal value ranking relative to the other signal values is produced for each input signal. The resulting rank-order estimation snapshots are binary signals that can then be further processed by a simple sorting logic circuit based on elementary logic components. |
| US09362946B2 |
Determination of encoding based on perceived code point classes
A method, a computer program product, and a computer system for determination of encoding based on received code point classes are provided. The computer implemented method includes transferring data in a text form. The computer implemented method includes, in response to determining that decoding the data in text form passes, transferring some or all of the data in a binary form. The computer implemented method includes calculating code point class proportions for the data in the text form and the data in the binary form and determining a best form for transferring the data, based on comparison of the code point class proportions. |
| US09362942B1 |
System characteristic identification systems and methods
A digital to analog converter samples a first digital signal to produce first digital values and that outputs a first analog signal corresponding to the first digital values to a system. A mixer mixes a second analog signal output by the system in response to the first analog signal with a periodic signal to produce a mixed signal. An integrator integrates the mixed signal and generates an integrator signal based on the integration. An analog to digital converter converts samples of the integrator signal into second digital values. A correction module generates third digital values based on the first digital values and corrections for the integrator and the DAC. A correction determination module determines coefficients based on pairs of ones of the third digital values and ones of the second digital values. A pre-distortion module pre-distorts a second digital signal based on the coefficients to produce the first digital signal. |
| US09362938B2 |
Error measurement and calibration of analog to digital converters
Methods of measuring capacitance error in a successive approximation register (SAR) analog to digital converter (ADC) are described, including a method in which said ADC includes a register and a digital to analog converter (DAC), and the method comprises connecting a first capacitance associated with a first bit of the DAC between a first reference voltage and a second reference voltage, connecting a first set of one or more capacitances associated with one or more other bits of the DAC between the first reference voltage and a third reference voltage, connecting the first capacitance between a first node and the third reference voltage, connecting the first set of one or more capacitances between the first node and the second reference voltage, and measuring a voltage at the first node to determine a representation of a difference between the first capacitance and a total capacitance of the first set of one or more capacitances. |
| US09362935B2 |
System and method for analog to digital conversion
Parallel analog to digital converted (ADC) architectures that can be used to replace single path ADC architectures. The parallel ADC architecture can comprise N branches and one ADC per branch. These ADCs can be identical. However each branch can have a different path adjustments applied to the ADC. The path adjustments can be biases and/or gains and each ADC receives a different combination of biases and/or gain to generate multiple adjusted input signals. These are then combined to generate a quantized output signal. Using these parallel architectures a range of weighting and offset combining schemes can be employed to achieve improvements in signal to noise ratio and to reduce the impact of clipping as compared to a single path ADC architecture. |
| US09362932B2 |
A/D converter circuit and semiconductor integrated circuit
An analog-to-digital converter circuit having a simple design and capable of preventing an increase in surface area and other problems. An analog-to-digital converter circuit for converting an analog input signal to a digital quantity includes an analog-to-digital converter unit that converts analog input signals to pre-correction digital values, and a corrector unit that digitally corrects the pre-connection digital values output from the analog-to-digital converter unit. The corrector unit includes a weighting coefficient multiplier unit that outputs a post-correction digital value obtained by multiplying the weighting coefficients provided for each bit by each bit of the pre-correction digital value output from the A/D converter unit and summing them, and a weighting coefficient search unit that searches for weighting coefficients so as to minimize an error signal generated based on the post-correction digital value and an approximate value for the post-correction digital value. |
| US09362926B2 |
High-reliability holdover method and topologies
System and methods for a clock system disciplined to an external reference. In one embodiment, the clock includes a flywheel oscillator controlled by the external reference and a free running holdover oscillator. The holdover oscillator provides increased accuracy during periods of holdover when the external reference is not available. In a further embodiment, the flywheel oscillator is additionally controlled by a phase-locked loop with the holdover oscillator frequency as input, and a control switch for switching the flywheel oscillator to analog control if the phase-locked loop exhibits a fault. |
| US09362925B2 |
Circuits and methods for eliminating reference spurs in fractional-N frequency synthesis
Disclosed are circuits and method for reducing or eliminating reference spurs in frequency synthesizers. In some implementations, a phase-locked loop (PLL) such as a Frac-N PLL of a frequency synthesizer can include a phase frequency detector (PFD) configured to receive a reference signal and a feedback signal. The PFD can be configured to generate a first signal representative of a phase difference between the reference signal and the feedback signal. The PLL can further include a compensation circuit configured to generate a compensation signal based on the first signal. The PLL can further includes a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) configured to generate an output signal based on the compensation signal. The compensation signal can include at least one feature for substantially eliminating one or more reference spurs associated with the PLL. |
| US09362922B2 |
Oscillator circuit and method for generating an oscillator signal
The present invention relates to an oscillator circuit, comprising a switched capacitor circuit comprising a parallel circuit with a current input to be supplied with a reference current on one side and being connected to a reference terminal on the other side. The parallel circuit further comprises a first capacitor in a first branch and, in a second branch, a second capacitor connected in-between a first and second switch. A switch control unit comprises a first input coupled to the current input of the parallel circuit and a second input to be supplied with a reference voltage as well as an oscillator output for providing an oscillator signal. The switch control unit is being designed to operate the first and second switch such that, in a charging phase, the first and second capacitor is charged to a respective level depending on the reference voltage and, in a discharging phase, the charge stored on the first capacitor is discharged using the charge stored on the second capacitor. |
| US09362921B2 |
Oscillator, electronic apparatus, and moving object
A temperature-compensated piezoelectric oscillator as an oscillator includes a piezoelectric resonator incorporating a resonator element, an electronic component (IC) as a circuit element having a function of driving the resonator element and a thermosensor, and a wiring board provided with a conductor film, and the piezoelectric resonator element and the electronic component (IC) are disposed side by side in an area where the conductor film is disposed. |
| US09362919B1 |
Devices for utilizing symFETs for low-power information processing
A Boolean gate includes at least one symmetric tunneling field-effect transistor (SymFET) for low-power information processing. SymFETs are ideal for applications that demand low power and have moderate speed requirements, and demonstrate better dynamic energy efficiency than CMOS circuits. Negative differential resistance (NDR) behavior of SymFETs leads to hysteresis in inverters and buffers, and can be used to build simple Schmitt-triggers. Further, pseudo-SymFET loads may be utilized in circuits similar to all-n-type or dynamic logic. For example, latches and flip-flops as well as NAND, NOR, IMPLY, and MAJORITY gates may employ SymFETs. Such SymFET-based devices require fewer transistors than static CMOS-based designs. |
| US09362918B2 |
Programmable interconnection device
The invention relates to a programmable interconnection device, comprising: first rows of functional blocks, each functional block having inputs and outputs; second rows of programmable interconnection cells; horizontal connections, each connecting a programmable interconnection cell of the second row with only one other cell of that row; and connection bundles comprising transverse connections connecting a given programmable interconnection cell with functional blocks of the neighboring first row; the cells being suitable together for interconnecting the inputs and the outputs of each functional block of each first row with the outputs and the inputs of all of the other functional blocks of the same row. |
| US09362917B1 |
Low voltage differential signaling (LVDS) driving circuit
An LVDS (Low Voltage Differential Signaling) driving circuit includes a first transistor, a second transistor, a third transistor, a fourth transistor, a first resistor, a second resistor, and a bias driver. The first transistor is coupled between a supply voltage and a first node. The second transistor is coupled between the supply voltage and a second node. The third transistor is coupled between the first node and a ground voltage. The fourth transistor is coupled between the second node and the ground voltage. The first resistor is coupled between the first node and a third node. The second resistor is coupled between the second node and the third node. The bias driver generates bias signals for controlling the first, second, third, and fourth transistors according to a data signal. |
| US09362916B2 |
Circuit arrangements and methods of operating the same
In various embodiments, a circuit arrangement may be provided. The circuit arrangement may include a level shifting stage configured to be coupled to a first reference voltage, the level shifting stage having an output node. The circuit arrangement may further include a first input electrode in electrical connection with the level shifting stage. The circuit arrangement may also include a second input electrode in electrical connection with the level shifting stage. The circuit arrangement may further include a load having a first end and a second end, the first end coupled to the level shifting stage and the second end for coupling to a second reference voltage. In addition, the circuit arrangement may include a bypass circuit element connected in parallel to the load. The bypass circuit element may be configured to allow current to flow through upon application of an external voltage for bypassing the load. |
| US09362915B1 |
LVDS with idle state
A low voltage differential signaling generating circuit, which comprises a current source a pair of output nodes for providing a differential signal by virtue of a voltage difference therebetween, first and second differential switch circuitries and a bypass circuitry. The first differential switch circuitry selectively connects the current source to the first output node based on a control signal to cause a current flow from the first output node to the second one. The second differential switch circuitry selectively connects the current source to the second output node based on the control signal to cause a current flow from the second output node to the first one. The bypass circuitry is arranged in parallel to the first and second differential switch circuitries and is selectively switched based on an idle mode signal to prevent a current between the output nodes. |
| US09362914B2 |
Sampling circuit for sampling signal input and related control method
A sampling circuit for sampling a signal input includes a signal generation circuit, a sampling switch and a control circuit. The signal generation circuit is arranged for generating a first control signal. The sampling switch has a control node, and is arranged for determining a sampling time of the signal input according to a signal level at the control node. The control circuit is arranged for controlling the signal level at the control node, wherein when the signal level at the control node corresponds to a first level, and before a signal level of the first control signal is changed in order to adjust the signal level at the control node to a second level, the control circuit couples the first control signal to the control node. |
| US09362910B2 |
Low clock-power integrated clock gating cell
In an integrated clock gating (ICG) cell a latch is coupled to a NOR gate. The NOR gate receives an enable signal. The latch is configured to generate a latch output in response to the state of the enable signal. The latch includes a tri-state inverter. A NAND gate is coupled to the latch and the NAND gate is configured to generate an inverted clock signal in response to the latch output and a clock input. |
| US09362907B2 |
Method of dynamically adjusting threshold values and related electronic device
A method of dynamically adjusting threshold values for an electronic device is disclosed. The method comprises setting the base proximity value to a maximum proximity value; polling a detected proximity value; determining a first range where the detected proximity value falls according to a mapping table; setting the base proximity value to a largest value of the first range; determining a high threshold value and a low threshold value according to the base proximity value; and resetting the base proximity value to a default value when the proximity function is disabled. |
| US09362901B2 |
Controlling turn on FETs of a hot plug device
A method for controlling the in-rush current to a hot plug device. The method includes providing a series of turn on pulses to the gates of a plurality of turn on FETs on a hot plug device coupled to a direct current power source, wherein each pulse causes the plurality of FETs to pass current from the direct current power source to a subsystem of the hot plug device, and wherein each pulse has a duration that ends before the impedance of the turn on FETs falls below a safe operating region. The method further includes providing a steady turn on signal to the FETs in response to the output voltage from the FETs to a subsystem of the hot plug device exceeding a predetermined voltage threshold. |
| US09362897B2 |
Method and apparatus for an integrated PN-junction oscillator
An integrated oscillator circuit has a plurality oscillator stages including a first oscillator stage, an odd number of intermediate oscillator stages, and a last oscillator stage arranged in series. Each of the oscillator stages has a reverse-biased diode device and a transistor coupled in series between a power supply and a ground. Each diode device has an anode and a cathode, and each transistor has a control terminal for controlling a current flow from a first terminal to a second terminal. In each oscillator stage, the anode of the diode is coupled to the first terminal of the transistor at an internal node. The control terminal of the transistor in each oscillator stage is coupled to the internal node of a proceeding oscillator stage. Further, the control terminal of the transistor in the first oscillator stage is coupled to the internal node of the last oscillator stage. |