| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US09652724B2 |
Permit compliance system
A system and method is disclosed that enables the display of permits and/or permit information related to a specific location, collection of permitting data onsite, comparison of the onsite data to permitted constraints, and reporting the results of the inspection (as required under the appropriate regulatory policy or as requested by the organization or entity being inspected), as well as sending immediate notifications, as appropriate, to decision makers. In certain embodiments, the system and method may also offer predictions on the likelihood of an enforcement action against the organization given factors such as, but not limited to, the type of violation, degree of violation, and enforcement actions against others for similar violations. In other embodiments, the system and method allows the permittee to mitigate the risk of a violation by notifying emergency personnel in addition to decision makers within the organization. |
| US09652721B2 |
System and method for secure addition of machine readable identification to an off-line database
A system that allows secure identification tokens (e.g., smart cards or RFID tags), often used for enabling such systems, to be securely added to a secure, local database of identification tokens authorized to operate the device, system or service. Such authorizations may be open-ended or have an expiration date. The addition of the identification token is achieved without requiring communication with a central controller by wired or wireless means, but is instead triggered by a message authorizing the addition of an identification token to the local database. The same invention can be used, in some embodiments, to allow magnetic stripe cards or biometric measurements to become authorized to operate or allow access to the system or device or service. |
| US09652719B2 |
Authoring system for bayesian networks automatically extracted from text
A system and computer program product that facilitates authoring of a Bayesian Belief Networks by: accessing text content stored in a content storage device; identifying statements within said accessed text content indicating a dependence relation; extracting said statements indicating said dependence relation from said text content; and aggregating said extracted statements into a form suitable for representation as a BBN network structure. To identify statements indicating a dependence relation, the system identifies one or more lexical and semantic attributes of variables within a text unit indicating a conditional dependence relation between two or more variables. The system further processes the text content to extract probabilistic information and probability statements and aggregate the probability statements into a quantitative layer of the BBN structure. |
| US09652716B2 |
Extracting interpretable features for classification of multivariate time series from physical systems
A method and system are provided. The method includes extracting shapelets from each of a plurality of time series dimensions of multi-dimensional time series data. The method further includes building a plurality of decision-tree classifiers, one for each time series dimension, responsive to the shapelets extracted therefrom. The method also includes generating a pairwise similarity matrix between respective different ones of the plurality of time series dimensions using the shapelets as intermediaries for determining similarity. The method additionally includes applying a feature selection technique to the matrix to determine respective feature weights for each of shapelet features of the shapelets and respective classifier weights for each of the decision-tree classifiers that uses the shapelet features. The method further includes combining decisions issued from the decision-tree classifiers to generate a final verdict of classification for a time series dimension responsive to the respective feature weights and the respective classifier weights. |
| US09652715B2 |
Detection of communication topic change
A computer processor determines a first span of a communication, wherein a span includes content associated with one or more dialog statements. If the content of the first span contains one or more topic change indicators which are identified by at least one detector of a learning model, the computer processor, in response, generates scores for each of the one or more indicators. The computer processor aggregates scores of the one or more indicators of the first span, which may be weighted, to produce an aggregate score. The computer processor compares the aggregate score to a threshold value, wherein the threshold value is determined during training of the learning model, and the computer processor, in response to the aggregate score crossing the threshold value, determines a topic change has occurred within the first span. |
| US09652705B1 |
RFID tag on flexible substrate arrangement
RFID tag structures are disclosed. In one embodiment, the RFID tag includes a flexible substrate, a strap attached to the substrate, an RFID IC mounted on the strap, and an antenna. The strap has a first surface, a second surface, and first and second terminals exposed on the first surface. The second surface of the strap is attached to the substrate. The RFID IC is electrically coupled to the first and second terminals. The antenna is attached to the first surface of the flexible substrate and connected to the first and second terminals on the first surface of the strap. |
| US09652702B2 |
Electronic apparatus
In an electronic apparatus in which a plurality of controller chips are cascade-connected, if an error occurs in a given chip, the present invention allows at least chips on the upstream side of the error chip to share the existence of the error chip. The electronic apparatus of this invention includes a plurality of control chips which are cascade-connected. Each control chip includes a watchdog timer, and a transfer unit configured to supply, to a second another control chip positioned on the upstream side, as an interrupt signal from the watchdog timer, an OR signal of an interrupt signal generated by the watchdog timer and an interrupt signal generated by another watchdog timer in a first another control chip positioned on the downstream side. |
| US09652697B2 |
Card holding member and card connector
The card holding member is able to hold a card having terminal members and is able to be inserted into a card connector, and includes a frame portion opposing the side surfaces of the card. The frame portion includes a first metal portion composed of a metal plate, a second metal portion composed of a metal plate being a separate component from the first metal portion, and a resin portion surrounding and covering at least a portion of the first metal portion and the second metal portion. |
| US09652695B2 |
Label consistency for image analysis
Systems and techniques for labeling objects within an image. The objects may be labeled by selecting an option from a plurality of options such that each option is a potential label for the object. An option may have an option score associated with. Additionally, a relation score may be calculated for a first option and a second option corresponding to a second object in an image. The relation score may be based on a frequency, probability, or observance corresponding to the co-occurrence of text associated with the first option and the second option in a text corpus such as the World Wide Web. An option may be selected as a label for an object based on a global score calculated based at least on an option score and relation score associated with the option. |
| US09652692B1 |
Machine vision system for capturing a digital image of a sparsely illuminated scene
A method includes producing two or more measurements by an image sensor having a pixel array, the measurements including information contained in a set of sign-bits, the producing of each measurement including (i) forming an image signal on the pixel array; and (ii) comparing accumulated pixel currents output from pixels of the pixel array in accordance with the image signal and a set of pixel sampling patterns to produce the set of sign-bits of the measurement; buffering at least one of the measurements to form a buffered measurement; comparing information of the buffered measurement to information of the measurements to produce a differential measurement; and combining the differential measurement with information of the set of pixel sampling patterns to produce at least a portion of one or more digital images relating to one or more of the image signals formed on the pixel array. |
| US09652691B2 |
Method of predicting crop yield loss due to N-deficiency
A method for determining the yield loss of a crop using remote sensor data is described. The yield loss is determined using the reflectivity of light by the crop canopy measured from remote sensor data such as an aerial photograph. Pixel color values from the aerial photograph, expressed relative to pixel values from nitrogen-sufficient areas of the field, are transformed to yield losses using a transformation that was developed using empirical data. A similar method is described to determine recommended nitrogen fertilization rates for the crop fields. The yield loss data is useful for nitrogen fertilization management decisions, as it allows a producer of crops to weigh the expense of fertilization against the loss of revenue due to yield loss induced by nitrogen deficiency. |
| US09652690B2 |
Automatically capturing and cropping image of check from video sequence for banking or other computing application
A mobile device with camera automatically captures an image of a check from a video sequence. A computing application assesses quality metrics of a frame of the video and, if acceptable, initiates capture of the check in that frame without user selection. Metrics include an aspect ratio of the check, image quality of the routing transit symbols that delineate a routing transit number on a MICR line of the check, distances between the routing transit symbols and to an edge of the check, recognition of digits of the routing transit number, checksum of the routing transit numbers, and image sharpness. Other embodiments note cropping of the check from the background of the image, properly orienting the check for viewing, and providing color coded visual feedback to users about the quality of the image frame about the check, to name a few. |
| US09652687B2 |
Image processing apparatus that performs development by adjusting saturation level of each color signal, image processing method, and storage medium
An image processing apparatus capable of performing development by adjusting the saturation level of each color signal, without losing gradation in a high-luminance area. Saturation levels of color signals of three colors are calculated on photographed data. Color signal values in each pixel of the photographed data are acquired as pixel information. If it is determined, based on the saturation levels and the pixel information, to perform substitution, substitution for a color signal having the second highest saturation level is performed according to a color signal having the highest saturation level, and substitution for a color signal having the lowest saturation level is performed according to the color signals having the highest and second highest saturation levels. Predetermined processing is performed on photographed data on which substitution processing has been performed to thereby generate the developed data. |
| US09652684B2 |
Image processing for classification and segmentation of rock samples
The present invention relates to method for processing an image, said image representing a rock sample. The method comprises receiving said image; for each current threshold value in a plurality of threshold values determining a threshold image, the threshold image having pixels associated with a first color value or a second color value, the determination of the threshold image being based on the received image and the current threshold; and for each current connected set of pixels associated with the first color value in the threshold image, determining a connected volume or a connected surface area of said current connected set of pixels. In addition, the method comprises determining numbers of connected sets of pixels associated with the first color value for a plurality of connected volumes or connected surface areas and for a plurality of thresholds. |
| US09652683B2 |
Automatic extraction of closed caption data from frames of an audio video (AV) stream using image filtering
Exemplary methods of extracting closed caption images from frames of an audio video (AV) stream are described. A first set of frames of a first AV stream including CC images and a second set of frames not including the CC images are received. Each pixel in the first frame is replaced with a dummy pixel, upon determination that a pixel at a corresponding position in the corresponding frame has a same color value to generate a filtered frame including dummy pixels and non-dummy pixels. First coordinates of the top-left most pixel of the first frame that is not a dummy pixel and second coordinates of the bottom-right most pixel of the first frame that is not a dummy pixel are determined. The filtered frame is cropped along the first and second coordinates to extract the CC image. |
| US09652682B2 |
System and method for detecting and tracking a curvilinear object in a three-dimensional space
A system for detecting and tracking a curvilinear object in a three-dimensional space includes an image acquisition system including a video camera arranged to acquire a video image of the curvilinear object and output a corresponding video signal, the video image comprising a plurality n of image frames each at a respective time ti, where i=1, 2, . . . , n; and a data processing system adapted to communicate with the image acquisition system to receive the video signal. The data processing system is configured to determine a position, orientation and shape of the curvilinear object in the three-dimensional space at each time ti by forming a computational model of the curvilinear object at each time ti such that a projection of the computation model of the curvilinear object at each time ti onto a corresponding frame of the plurality of image frames of the video image matches a curvilinear image in the frame to a predetermined accuracy to thereby detect and track the curvilinear object from time t1 to time tn. |
| US09652680B2 |
Techniques including URL recognition and applications
Methods are systems are provided that include obtaining a digital image from a digital photograph, such as may be taken by a digital camera or a camera phone. The digital image includes, for example, a URI or URL, which may be contained within a visible frame. A character recognition technique, such as an optical character recognition technique, may be used to recognize the URI or URL from the digital image. The URI or URL may be used to access a corresponding Web page. The character recognition technique may be applied on the digital camera or cell phone itself, or remotely. |
| US09652679B2 |
Method and device for reproducing content
Provided is a device including: a display unit configured to display handwritten content based on an analog handwritten input of a user; a user input unit that receives a user input of selecting a portion of the handwritten content displayed on the display unit; and a control unit reproduces a segment of multimedia content, which corresponds to the portion of the handwritten content, from the multimedia content synchronized with the handwritten content. |
| US09652677B2 |
Object detection device for recognizing an object in an input frame image using past frame image information
An object detection device detects an object being recognized (such as a pedestrian) in a frame image, and identifies an area where a detected object which is detected in the frame image is present. A frame image is input after the frame image. The object detection device detects the object being recognized in the frame image, and identifies an area where a detected object which is detected in the frame image is present. When a distance from center coordinates of the area to center coordinates of the area is smaller than a reference distance, the object detection device determines that the detected object which is detected in the frame image is identical to the detected object which is detected in the frame image. |
| US09652675B2 |
Identifying presentation styles of educational videos
The presentation style of a video is identified. A set of features that represents the video is computed. A pre-learned video presentation style classifier is then used to weight each of the features in the set of features and determine a presentation style that is predominately employed in the video based on the weighting of the features. |
| US09652673B2 |
Method for identifying calcification portions in dual energy CT contrast agent enhanced scanning image
The present invention relates to a method for identifying calcification portions in a dual energy CT contrast agent enhanced scanning image, the method including: filtering the pixels in the dual energy CT contrast agent enhanced scanning image to acquire pixels to be grouped; grouping the pixels to be grouped in a plurality of pixel groups according to the positions of the pixels to be grouped in the dual energy CT contrast agent enhanced scanning image; material-decomposing the pixels in each pixel group; and determining the pixels corresponding to the calcification portions in the plurality of pixel groups according to the result of the material-decomposing. Therefore, the calcification portions can be identified accurately. |
| US09652671B2 |
Data lifting for exception processing
Embodiments of the invention include systems, methods, and computer-program products for lifting metadata from financial documents to allow for automated exception processing. As such, allowing for automated decisions for exception processing to systematically be resolved base on matches between lifted metadata. The exceptions may include one or more irregularities such as bad micro line reads, outdated check stock, or misrepresentative checks that may result in a failure to match the check to an associated account for processing. As such, once an exception is identified during the processing the metadata lifted from the document with the exception may be utilized to search financial records at the financial institution to attempt to identify the correct version of the document. Subsequently, the system may correct the irregularity systematically and automatically. |
| US09652666B2 |
Human review of an image stream for a parking camera system
Providing human review of an image stream for a parking camera system is disclosed. Initially, a first image stream is received from a first camera having a first field of view showing a first vehicle or at least one destination location. Next, it is determined that a value for the at least one type of information relating to the at least one destination location or the first vehicle has failed to be automatically detected. In response, an exemption event is generated. Presentation of the at least part of the first image stream to a human operator is then enabled. Finally, the value for the at least one type of information relating to the at least one destination location or the first vehicle is received from the human operator. |
| US09652664B1 |
Facial recognition using fractal features
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for facial recognition using fractal features are disclosed. In one aspect, a method includes the actions of accessing data encoding a facial image, the facial image including a face. The actions further include generating a hierarchical graphical model of the face in the facial image, the hierarchical graphical model including more than nodes from at least one level, each level approximating the face within a contour. The actions further include applying a bank of filters to the face at a particular node, each filter spanning more than one scale and at least one direction. The actions further include analyzing filter responses from the bank of filters applied at each direction to obtain a similarity measure that consolidates filter responses from filters applied at more than one scale. The actions further include generating a vector representation. |
| US09652663B2 |
Using facial data for device authentication or subject identification
Exemplary methods, apparatus, and systems are disclosed for authenticating a user to computing device. In one exemplary embodiment, an indication of a request by a user to unlock a mobile device in a locked state is received. One or more images of the face of the user are captured. Facial components of the user from the one or more captured images are extracted. A determination is made as to whether the user is an authorized user or a non-authorized user based at least in part on a comparison of the facial components of the user extracted from the one or more captured images to facial components of the authorized user from one or more authentication images of the authorized stored on the mobile device. If the user is determined to be the authorized user, the mobile device unlocked; otherwise, the mobile device is maintained in its locked state. |
| US09652657B2 |
Electronic device including finger sensor having orientation based authentication and related methods
An electronic device may include a housing, and a finger sensor carried by the housing to sense a user's finger placement at different rotational angles. The electronic device may also include an orientation sensor carried by the housing to sense an orientation thereof, and a processor coupled to the finger sensor and the orientation sensor. The processor may acquire finger-matching biometric data of the user's finger at an unknown rotational angle relative to a known rotational angle of finger-enrollment data, generate an estimated rotational angle of the acquired finger-matching biometric data and based upon a sensed orientation of the housing, and attempt an authentication of the user based upon the estimated acquired rotational angle. |
| US09652652B2 |
Method and device for identifying a two-dimensional barcode
A method of identifying a two-dimensional bar code in digital image data of the bar code having first and second type elements arranged in an ordered grid and an outline that includes an L-shape solid line without transitions between the first and second type elements. The method includes calculating a gradient field from the digital image data, specifying a gradient of the pixel value in the digital image data; calculating gradient magnitude data from the gradient field; performing a thresholding operation on the calculated gradient magnitude data and obtaining edge segment image data; detecting linear segments in the edge segment image data; identifying pairs of the detected linear segments; and sampling partial digital image data and detecting a presence of the first and second type elements in partial digital image data. |
| US09652649B2 |
Chip-type antenna device and chip structure
A chip structure for mounting on a clearance area of a printed circuit board includes a packaged chip and a monopole coupling antenna. The packaged chip has an insulating body, an electronic component embedded in the insulating body, and a plurality of grounding pads electrically connected to the electronic component. The monopole coupling antenna has a grounding radiating metal and a monopole radiating metal. The packaged chip is electrically connected to the grounding radiating metal by the grounding pads. The monopole radiating metal is disposed on the insulating body and spaced apart from the electronic component and the grounding radiating metal. The monopole radiating metal is configured to couple the grounding radiating metal and the electronic component by using a feeding circuit to connect the packaged chip and the monopole radiating metal and using a grounding circuit to connect the grounding radiating metal and the printed circuit board. |
| US09652647B2 |
Article management system, article management method, and non-transitory computer readable medium storing article management program
An article management system includes RFID tags (102) fixed above a reader transmission line (101), a metal sheet (103) having an opening (103a) at positions corresponding to RFID tags (102) located within an assigned position (108) assigned to place an article (106), a tag reading unit (104) that reads the plurality of RFID tags (102) by electromagnetic coupling through the reader transmission line (101), and an article presence/absence determination unit (105) that determines presence or absence of the article (106) at the assigned position (108) on the metal sheet (103) based on results of reading the plurality of RFID tags (102). It is thereby possible to manage articles at high speed even when a plurality of RFID tags are placed. |
| US09652644B2 |
Printable, writeable article for tracking counterfeit and diverted products
A system includes a printed, writeable memory, an initiating computer, the initiating computer having a processor configured to execute instructions that cause the computer to generate an original value, and a memory interface to allow the computer to write the original value to the memory. The system also includes an object to which the printed, writeable memory is attached, the object having a characteristic usable to derive a seed, a reader device having at least one reader to read the original value from the memory, the reader device having at least one reader, the reader to retrieve the original value, and a recipient computer having a processor configured to execute code that causes the processor to generate an authentication value and compare the authentication value to the original value. |
| US09652642B2 |
Magnetic secure transmission device hardware
A system for a baseband near field magnetic stripe data transmitter includes a mobile phone, a magnetic stripe transmission (MST) device and a payment button. The mobile phone includes a payment wallet application and is configured to transmit a stream of pulses including magnetic stripe data of a payment card. The MST device includes a driver and an inductor, and the MST device is configured to receive the stream of pulses from the mobile phone, to amplify and shape the received stream of pulses and to generate and emit high energy magnetic pulses including the magnetic stripe data of the payment card. The inductor is driven by a series of timed current pulses that result in a series of high energy magnetic pulses that resemble the fluctuating magnetic field created by a moving magnetic stripe. The payment button is programmed to be associated with a pre-selected payment card and activating of the payment button initiates the emission of high energy magnetic pulses including the magnetic stripe data of the pre-selected payment card. |
| US09652640B1 |
Card locking
A chip-enabled card is detected within a card reader. The card reader locks the chip-enabled card in the card reader until an indication is received indicating that a card transaction with the chip-enabled card has ended and preventing the chip-enabled card from being removed while the chip-enabled card is locked in the card reader. |
| US09652638B2 |
Unlocking a storage device
An electronic device has a lower power state in which power to a storage device is disabled. Predetermined information stored in a memory is useable to unlock the storage device during a procedure to transition the electronic device from the lower power state to a higher power state. The predetermined information is different from a credential for use in unlocking the storage device. |
| US09652636B2 |
Verifying motion data for accessing hardware elements
Aspects of the present disclosure are directed towards a method of electronic verification of motion data. This includes collecting a first set of motion data that corresponds to a first set of motion characteristics generated from physically moving a hardware element of a computer ending upon inserting the hardware element of the computer into a computer chassis. This can further include determining an approved set of motion data and comparing the first set of motion data to the approved set of motion data. This can further include determining a difference between the first set of motion data and the approved set of motion data. This can further include determining that the difference does not satisfy a threshold. This can further include executing a reaction sequence in the computer, in response to determining that the difference does not satisfy the threshold. |
| US09652635B2 |
Secure processor and a program for a secure processor
The instruction code including an instruction code stored in the area where the encrypted instruction code is stored in a non-rewritable format is authenticated using a specific key which is specific to the core where the instruction code is executed or an authenticated key by a specific key to perform an encryption processing for the input and output data between the core and the outside. |
| US09652634B2 |
Maintaing encryption keys to provide encryption on top of data deduplication
Exemplary methods, apparatuses, and systems generate an encryption key based upon data content of a portion of data to be encrypted by the encryption key. The encryption key is stored as one of a plurality of encryption keys within a subset of storage. Each of the plurality of encryption keys is generated based upon corresponding data content. A checksum representing the plurality of encryption keys is calculated. In response to receiving an input/output (I/O) request for data encrypted by the encryption key, a verification checksum representing the plurality of encryption keys is calculated. The requested data is decrypted using the encryption key in response to verifying the checksum and verification checksum match. |
| US09652633B2 |
Systems and methods of verifying an authenticated document biosignature
In systems and methods of generating an authenticated document biosignature, a processor of a verification device may calculate a base verification score associated with a user based on at least one identification input, the identification input comprising one or more identification features, a feature validity rating of each identification feature, a source where the one or more identification feature are received, and a source validity rating, wherein at least one of the identification features includes a biometric identification feature. The processor of the verification device may generate a glyph based on the base verification score and the identification input. The glyph may be associated with a document, and may be used to verify the identity of the user associated with the glyph. |
| US09652631B2 |
Secure transport of encrypted virtual machines with continuous owner access
Managing encrypted datasets is illustrated. A method includes obtaining a first decryption key. The first decryption key is configured to be used to decrypt an encrypted dataset that has been encrypted using a first encryption mechanism. The first encryption mechanism is associated with the first decryption key that can be used to decrypt the dataset. The method further includes encrypting the first decryption key with a second encryption mechanism. The method further includes encrypting the first decryption key with a third encryption mechanism. The method further includes creating a package including at least the first decryption key encrypted with the second encryption method and the first decryption key encrypted with the third encryption method. The method further includes signing the package with a guardian signature and signing the package with a signature created from the first decryption key. |
| US09652630B2 |
Enhanced view compliance tool
An apparatus comprises a network interface and a processor communicatively coupled to the network interface. The network interface communicates with a database comprising a plurality of columns and a plurality of views. Each view is associated with at least one column of the plurality of columns. The processor receives a request to determine one or more noncompliant views of the database. For each view and each column associated with the view, the processor determines whether the column is associated with a privacy indicator that indicates that the column should be masked and whether the view masks the column. The processor then determines that the view is noncompliant if the view does not mask at least one column that should be masked, and generates a report that indicates whether each view of the database is noncompliant. The network interface communicates the report. |
| US09652625B1 |
System and method of counteracting unauthorized access to microphone data
Disclosed are systems and methods for counteracting unauthorized access to microphone data. An example method include storing, in a data buffer, audio data received from an audio endpoint device, installing, a software driver associated with the audio session, where the software driver prevents access to the audio data by unauthorized software applications, and receiving process identifier data from a software application requesting to access the audio data stored in the data buffer. Furthermore, the method includes determining whether the application requesting access to the audio data is an unauthorized software application and controlling the software driver to prevent access to the audio data by the determined unauthorized software application. |
| US09652622B2 |
Data security utilizing disassembled data structures
Various examples are directed to machines and methods for disassembling and reassembling data structures. An ordered set of functions may be applied to a data array comprising a plurality of data units, each associated with a unique coordinate set. Data units returned by the ordered set of functions may be written in order to one or more disassembled data containers. |
| US09652614B2 |
Application reputation service
Technologies for an application reputation service to assist users with minimizing their computerized machines' exposure to and infection from malware, including an application reputation service that contains the reputations for elements (e.g., applications) that are known to be non-malicious as well as those known to be malicious. In one example, when a user attempts to install or execute a new application, the service is queried by the user's machine with a set of identities for the element. The service determines the reputation of the application by referencing a knowledge base of known reputations and returns an indication (e.g., an overall rating, or a flag) of how safe that application would be to install and run on the user's computer. |
| US09652610B1 |
Hierarchical data security measures for a mobile device
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for determining, at a remote computing device, whether a first security measure has been compromised, wherein the first security measure is executed on a mobile device; and based on a determination that the first security measure has been compromised, performing a corrective measure, wherein the corrective measure is performed after a delay. |
| US09652609B2 |
Entry/exit architecture for protected device modules
The entry/exit architecture may be a critical component of a protection framework using a secure enclaves-like trust framework for coprocessors. The entry/exit architecture describes steps that may be used to switch securely into a trusted execution environment (entry architecture) and out of the trusted execution environment (exit architecture), at the same time preventing any secure information from leaking to an untrusted environment. |
| US09652608B2 |
System and method for securing inter-component communications in an operating system
System and methods for securing inter-component communications in an operating system are provided. Systems and methods provided herein secure inter-component communications in an operating system by selectively generating instances when inter-component communication requests occur, whereby each of the generated instances are attached to a newly created blocked permissions list. System and methods further manage the invocation of Application Programming Interfaces by applications or instances in the operating system by determining whether the invocation of the Application Programming Interface is allowed or declined based on the blocked permissions list and default permission list associated with each invoking application or instance. |
| US09652607B2 |
System and method for enforcing security policies in a virtual environment
A method in one example implementation includes intercepting a request associated with an execution of an object (e.g., a kernel module or a binary) in a computer configured to operate in a virtual machine environment. The request is associated with a privileged domain of the computer that operates logically below one or more operating systems. The method also includes verifying an authorization of the object by computing a checksum for the object and comparing the checksum to a plurality of stored checksums in a memory element. The execution of the object is denied if it is not authorized. In other embodiments, the method can include evaluating a plurality of entries within the memory element of the computer, wherein the entries include authorized binaries and kernel modules. In other embodiments, the method can include intercepting an attempt from a remote computer to execute code from a previously authorized binary. |
| US09652605B2 |
Privately unlocking a touchscreen
A device, method and computer program product are provided for unlocking a touchscreen. In response to entering a touchscreen unlocking interface, a slide-to-unlock button is displayed on a touchscreen at its initial position, wherein the slide-to-unlock button is divided into two portions. In response to pressing a first portion of the slide-to-unlock button and sliding the slide-to-unlock button along a specified trace, information about a position of the slide-to-unlock button on the specified trace is displayed on a second portion of the slide-to-unlock button. In response to performing a first action on the pressed first portion of the slide-to-unlock button, information about a position of the slide-to-unlock button on the specified trace when the first action is performed on the first portion of the slide-to-unlock button is received. |
| US09652596B2 |
Deductive multiscale simulation using order parameters
Illustrative embodiments of systems and methods for the deductive multiscale simulation of macromolecules are disclosed. In one illustrative embodiment, a deductive multiscale simulation method may include (i) constructing a set of order parameters that model one or more structural characteristics of a macromolecule, (ii) simulating an ensemble of atomistic configurations for the macromolecule using instantaneous values of the set of order parameters, (iii) simulating thermal-average forces and diffusivities for the ensemble of atomistic configurations, and (iv) evolving the set of order parameters via Langevin dynamics using the thermal-average forces and diffusivities. |
| US09652595B1 |
Kit that improves impaired hepatic glucose processing in subjects
A kit for individualized intravenous exogenous insulin-based therapy, which includes a portable data storage in communication with client device processor. The data storage can have computer instructions, a database of metabolic factors, a library of weight management protocols, a diabetic treatment model, and a library of care plan templates. The kit for individualized intravenous exogenous insulin-based therapy includes a blood glucose meter, a plurality of intravenous catheters fluidly engageable with a fluid source, and a plurality of metabolic enhancements. |
| US09652594B2 |
Medication storage and dispensing apparatus having linear drawer assembly including discrete storage modules
A medication storage and dispensing workstation for use in a medication management system administering the inventory and distribution of pharmaceuticals and medical supplies in a healthcare environment is disclosed. The workstation incorporates a linear drawer assembly having a plurality of discrete, removable, storage modules for containing medications and/or other medical supplies. The storage modules are arranged in a linear array extending longitudinally along the travel path of the linear drawer assembly. Each storage module, in turn, comprises a drawer that is extensible laterally relative to the linear arrangement of the storage modules. As such, the drawer assemblies comprise a compartmentalized “drawer-in-drawer” arrangement that provides an efficient use of storage space and enables a user to utilize the workstation in a workspace having a smaller footprint that traditional storage cabinet apparatus. |
| US09652589B2 |
Systems and methods for using a touch-sensitive display unit to analyze a medical image
A user interface including a touch-sensitive display unit that has a display area and is configured to show a medical image and a user-selectable element on the display area. The display unit is configured to detect an operator touch and detect a location of the operator touch in the display area. The user-selectable element includes an activating portion and a location indicator. The display unit is configured to move the user-selectable element along the medical image as directed by the operator when the activating portion is touched. The location indicator and the activating portion have fixed positions with respect to each other as the user-selectable element is moved along the display area. The user-selectable element is configured to operate in an activated state and in an inactivated state. The user-selectable element configured to modify the medical image when in the activated state. |
| US09652585B2 |
Comparative genomic hybridization array method for preimplantation genetic screening
A method for determining the presence of a copy number imbalance in genomic DNA of a test sample is provided. The method can separately measure hybridization of a single test sample to a first hybridization array and hybridization of a plurality of reference samples to a plurality of other, respective test arrays. A determination of copy number can be based on the best fit reference array, relative to the test array. The best fit can be determined based on the closest or most similar signal-to-noise ratio of the measured signals. |
| US09652574B2 |
Simultaneous multi-layer fill generation
Techniques are disclosed for optimizing the pattern density in the circuit layout design of a circuit layer. A layer in circuit design is analyzed to define empty regions that can be filled with fill polygons (referred to hereafter as “fill” regions). Next, a pattern of fill polygons is generated. After the fill polygons have been defined, the layout design for the layer is divided into separate areas or “windows,” and a target density for each window is determined. Once this target density for the window has been determined, the fill polygons required to most closely approach this target density are generated and added to the circuit layout design. This process may be repeated with progressively different (e.g., smaller) fill polygons, until each window meets or exceeds both the specified minimum density and complies with the specified maximum density gradient. Additionally, some implementations may allow a user to simultaneously optimize the density of multiple layers of a circuit by adding fill polygons to multiple layers of a circuit design simultaneously. Representations of sections of a multilayer fill structure will then be added to corresponding layers the circuit design until a specified target density is met. |
| US09652573B1 |
Creating and using a wide-gate data structure to represent a wide-gate in an integrated circuit (IC) design
Systems and techniques are described for designing an integrated circuit (IC). Some embodiments explicitly represent wide-gates as distinct objects in an IC design data model. One or more IC design representations that are used in an IC design flow may natively support such wide-gate objects. These new objects can enable rapid access and preservation of wide-gates, thereby improving the runtime and/or quality of results (QoR) of an IC design system. |
| US09652570B1 |
Automatic implementation of a customized system-on-chip
Implementing a system-on-chip (SOC) design specified as a high level programming language (HLL) application may include querying, using a computer, a platform description to determine an available interface of a platform for a target integrated circuit and generating, using the computer, hardware for a function of the HLL application marked for hardware acceleration and hardware coupling the marked function with the available interface of the platform. Implementing the SOC design may also include modifying, using the computer, the HLL application with program code configured to access the generated hardware for the marked function and building, using the computer, the hardware and the software of the SOC design. |
| US09652567B2 |
System, method and apparatus for improving accuracy of RF transmission models for selected portions of an RF transmission path
Systems and methods for determining an RF transmission line model for an RF transmission system includes generating a baseline RF transmission line model characterizing the RF transmission system. A plasma RF voltage, RF current, RF power and/or a corresponding RF induced DC bias voltage is calculated from the baseline RF transmission line model. An end module including the electrostatic chuck, a plasma and an RF return path is added to the baseline RF transmission line model to create one or more revised RF transmission line models. A revised plasma RF voltage, a revised plasma RF current, a revised plasma RF power and/or a corresponding revised RF induced DC bias voltage is calculated from each of the revised baseline RF transmission line models. The revised RF transmission line models are scored to identify a best fitting revised RF transmission line model as a complete RF transmission line model. |
| US09652564B2 |
Well tool scale buildup test, model and mitigation
Testing scale buildup in a well tool can include pressurizing separate cationic and anionic solutions, then heating the separate solutions, mixing together the solutions, and exposing the well tool to the mixed solutions. A well tool can be constructed by a) determining velocities of flow at a predetermined offset from surfaces of a geometric model representative of the well tool, b) calculating scale buildup on the surfaces based at least in part on the velocities, c) reducing pressure change per unit distance along selected ones of the surfaces having greater than a predetermined level of scale buildup, and d) repeating steps a-c until all scale buildup is no greater than the predetermined level. A method of predicting scale buildup can include inputting a parameter indicative of flow through a well tool to a mathematical model, which determines a rate of scale buildup on a surface of the well tool. |
| US09652563B2 |
Method of designing random pattern, apparatus for designing random pattern, and optical substrate including random pattern according to the same method
Disclosed are a method of designing a random pattern, an apparatus for designing a random pattern and an optical substrate including a random pattern according to the same method. The method includes setting a plurality of unit valid pattern regions in a pattern design region; forming a random point coordinate in the unit valid pattern region; and connecting the random point coordinate in the unit valid pattern region to other random point coordinates adjacent to the random point coordinate in a first direction or a second direction. |
| US09652556B2 |
Search suggestions based on viewport content
Computer-implemented methods for providing suggestions for a search based on a visibility of content within a viewport of a device. In one aspect, a method includes receiving information on content currently loaded for display on a device. The information includes an indication of whether at least one portion of the content has entered a viewport of the device. The method also includes identifying, based on the content, at least one suggestion to provide for display with the search field, wherein the at least one suggestion is weighted based on whether a portion of the content referring to at least one suggestion has entered the viewport of the device, and providing the at least one suggestion for display with a display of a search field on the device. Systems and machine-readable storage media are also provided. |
| US09652554B2 |
Systems and methods for adding users to a networked computer system
Systems and methods are provided for adding new nodes to a computer networked system. The systems and methods may identify a first set of nodes in a networked computer system. The first set of nodes may be included in a first hash computation that clusters the first set of nodes into communities. An application shard space including a first space and a second space may be generated. The first set of nodes may be mapped to application shards in the first space based on the first hash computation. The application shards in the first space may be assigned to a first set of machines of the networked computer system. The second space may be maintained for mappings of nodes not included in the first hash computation to application shards in the second space. |
| US09652552B2 |
Dialog server
In one embodiment, a dialog server comprising: a memory comprising instructions executable by one or more processors; and the one or more processors coupled to the memory and operable to execute the instructions, the one or more processors being operable when executing the instructions to: receive, from a client, a request for a dialog and one or more parameters associated with the request; process the request and the one or more parameters to extract information concerning the dialog; generate, based on the information concerning the dialog, code that implements one or more functionalities supported by the dialog, wherein the code can be processed directly by a web browser executing on the client; and transmit, to the client, the code for execution in the web browser. |
| US09652548B2 |
Venue prediction based on ranking
A technique is disclosed for presenting possible cheek-in venues to a mobile device user, such as for the purpose of checking in with social networking services such as Foursquare. The disclosed technique operates by training a model during an initial training sequence. The trained model, representing a teamed hypothesis, describes venues that are ranked according to their relevance to users who are also described by the model. During a subsequent run-time sequence, the system receives real-time geolocation data that represents users, wherein the data includes user geolocation and the level of accuracy of the geolocation. The system generates a set of candidate venues, ranks the generated candidate venues by applying the learned hypothesis, which can be dependent on the level of accuracy, and presents the user with the ranked venues as possible cheek-in venues. The user can then select the venue actually being checked into from the presented check-in venues. |
| US09652547B2 |
Framework for suggesting search terms
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for presenting local query suggestions. In general, one aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods that include the actions of determining a general location and a specific location for a client device. Methods also include while receiving a query stem, and before receiving an input submitting a query to the search engine, obtaining general queries containing the query stem, each general query having a first quality measure. Methods also include obtaining local queries containing the query stem, each local query having a second quality measure. Methods also include combining at least one of the general queries and at least one of the local queries into combined queries, the combined queries having a presentation order based on the respective quality measures of the queries. Methods also include presenting the queries. |
| US09652546B2 |
System and method for prior art analytics and mapping
A computer-implemented method and system are provided for monitoring developments in a field of prior art. The method comprises using one or more processors receive a search query including a first patent concept related to the field of prior art; search the Internet as a function of the search query; generate a first set of search results; store the first set of search results in a database; conduct a subsequent search on the Internet as a function of the search query; generate a second set of search results; compare the first and second sets of search results to identify differences in the results; and communicate the differences to a user. An ontology of patent concepts may be stored in a system database. The searches may be conducted automatically on a regular basis thereby notifying the user of any intervening changes in the field of prior art. |
| US09652543B2 |
Task-oriented presentation of auxiliary content to increase user interaction performance
Auxiliary content provided in addition to search results is selected and presented to aid the user in completing tasks and increasing user interaction performance. Auxiliary content is processed utilizing existing search engine categorization and identification mechanisms, thereby facilitating the determination of similarities between the auxiliary content and indexed content that is identified as being responsive to a search query. At least some of the search results identified as being responsive to the search query are compared to auxiliary content to identify similarities, including visual similarities. Similar auxiliary content are selected to aid the user in completing tasks, and such selected auxiliary content is provided with the search results, including in a visually distinct or separated manner. |
| US09652542B2 |
Securely extending analytics within a data warehouse environment
A vendor is authenticated for use of a retailer's data warehouse and limited access rights are assigned to the vendor for access. The vendor accesses a graphical user interface (GUI) to select an available analysis module for execution against the data warehouse. Schemas are presented in the GUI based on the access rights, and specific schema selections are made by the vendor. The analysis module is then configured and executed against the data warehouse and filtered results are presented to the vendor; the results filtered based on the access rights assigned to the vendor. |
| US09652541B1 |
In-line editing of search refinements
An editable search refinement specification can be displayed with search results for a search query. The search refinement specification can include terms of the search query and any modifiers to the query, such as categories, filters, and other refinements. A user can edit portions of the search refinement specification inline, with other portions of the specification being retained, in order to adjust the search. Using such an approach, a user can adjust a search query without losing any context or refinement from a previous search that the user would like to use for the subsequent search. Various options can be provided with the search refinement specification, such as to edit any portion, delete one or more portions, suggest refinements, go to other specifications, and the like. The search refinement specifications also can be saved for use at a later time. |
| US09652540B2 |
Transactional cards
Methods, systems, and products create credit cards, debit cards, and other transactional cards. An image is received and provided on a transactional card. Account information is retrieved and associated with the transactional card. A machine-readable element is also provided on the transactional card and includes the account information. |
| US09652539B2 |
Popularity of content items
Search results may be yielded based on a search query. A search query inspired by a user may be received. Based on the search query, multiple search results each including links may be determined. The multiple search results may include a first search result that includes a link to a first digital instance that describes or embodies a first content item, and a second search result that includes a link to a second digital instance that describes or embodies a second content item. A perceived popularity may be assessed for each of the first and second content items. The perceived popularity may be a measure of the popularity of the first and second content items, and may be distinct from a popularity of the first and second digital instances. A presentation of the multiple search results may be determined based on the accessed perceived popularity. |
| US09652536B1 |
Data upload via electronic communications
Techniques are described for using electronic communications to enable users to supply data to an online service, such as a fee-based online search functionality service that provides user-specific data searching capabilities. The electronic communications may, for example, be email communications, and may be used to supply data in various manners, such as based on the communications' body contents and/or file attachments. In addition, users may configure various types of data analysis or manipulation operations to be performed on data supplied via electronic communications. After a user's data has been supplied to and optionally manipulated by the online service in a configured manner, that user (or others to whom that user provides access) may access that data from the online service in various manners, including by using one or more data retrieval access interfaces that are distinct from an electronic communication address used to supply the data. |
| US09652535B2 |
Presentation of query with event-related information
In an embodiment, a method is provided for presenting a query directed at an information resource. In this method, a number of queries is accessed over a time period. A burst of the number of queries is detected within the time period. It should be noted that a burst is a determinable increase in the number of queries received within the time period relative to a historical number of queries received in a preceding time interval. Event-related information that is associated with the burst in the time is searched, and the query in conjunction with the event-related information is displayed at a display unit. |
| US09652532B2 |
Methods for operating audio speaker systems
A method for allowing multiple audio sources to play sound through an audio speaker system is disclosed. The method includes designating a plurality of audio sources to provide audio sounds to the audio speaker system. The audio speaker system may receive an audio sound from each of the plurality of audio sources and create a playlist of received audio sounds. Creating the playlist may include ordering the received audio sounds in a sequential order and rotating between each of the plurality of audio sources. The audio speaker system may play each audio sound from the playlist via the audio speaker system. |
| US09652530B1 |
Generating and applying event data extraction templates
Methods and apparatus are described herein for generating and applying event data extraction templates. In various implementations, a set of structural paths may be identified from a corpus of communications. A first structural path of the set of structural paths, associated with a first segment of text, may be classified as transient in response to a determination that a frequency of occurrences of the first segment of text across the corpus satisfies a criterion. Event heuristics may be applied to the communications of the corpus. A determination may be made, based on the applying, that the communications of the corpus are event-related. An event data type may be assigned to the transient structural path based on the applying. An event data extraction template may be generated to extract, from one or more subsequent communications, one or more event-related segments of text associated with the transient structural path. |
| US09652526B2 |
Text processing method, system and computer program
A method includes hierarchically identifying occurrences of some of the words in the set of sentences; creating a first index for each of some of the words based on the upper hierarchy of occurrences identified for each word; receiving input of a queried word; hierarchically identifying occurrences of the queried word in the set of sentences; creating a second index based on the upper hierarchy of occurrences identified for the queried word; comparing the first index and the second index to calculate an estimated value for the number of occurrences of a word in the neighborhood of the queried word; and calculating the actual value of the number of occurrences of a word in the neighborhood of the queried word based on an upper hierarchy and lower hierarchy of the occurrences on condition that the estimated value is equal to or greater than a predetermined number. |
| US09652516B1 |
Constructing reports using metric-attribute combinations
Report construction techniques are disclosed. A first data set is received. The first data set includes a plurality of tables and a plurality of keys. One or more metric-attribute combinations is identified in the first data set. One or more dashboard reports is generated based on prioritized metric-attribute combinations from the first data set. |
| US09652514B2 |
Systems and methods for redirect handling
The present invention is related to a method for routing requests among a plurality of database servers. A device intermediary to a client and a plurality of database servers receives a request to access a database provided by the plurality of database servers. The plurality of database servers can include a first database server configured to process write requests and one or more second database servers configured to process read requests. The device determines that the request to access the database is a read request. The device identifies, responsive to determining that the request is a read request, one of the one or more second database servers to send the request instead of the first database server. The device then transmits the request to the identified second database server. |
| US09652511B2 |
Secure matching supporting fuzzy data
Provided are techniques for secure matching supporting fuzzy data. A first bloom filter for a first data element is retrieved, wherein each of the characters in the data element has been encrypted with a beginning offset position of the character and encrypted with an end offset position of the character to produce two encrypted values that are added to the first bloom filter. A second bloom filter for a second data element is retrieved. The first bloom filter and the second bloom filter are compared to determine whether there is a match between the first data element and the second data element. |
| US09652510B1 |
Systems and user interfaces for data analysis including artificial intelligence algorithms for generating optimized packages of data items
Systems and user interfaces enable integration of data items from disparate sources to generate optimized packages of data items. For example, the systems described herein can obtain data items from various sources, score the data items, and present, via an interactive user interface, options for packaging the data items based on the scores. The systems may include artificial intelligence algorithms for selecting optimal combinations of data items for packaging. Further, the interactive user interfaces may enable a user to efficiently add data items to, and remove data items from, the data packages. The system may interactively re-calculate and update scores associated with the package of data items as the user interacts with the data package via the user interface. The systems and user interfaces may thus, according to various embodiments, enable the user to optimize the packages of data items based on multiple factors quickly and efficiently. |
| US09652501B1 |
RLE-aware optimization of SQL queries
SQL queries are optimized to operate directly on compressed data (and obtain the correct result) rather than requiring that the data be first decompressed prior to processing a query. Certain characteristic pattern trees are mapped against a logical input query plan that includes certain logical operators such as a DECOMPRESS that precedes a JOIN or a GROUPBY in association with a COUNT to identify instances in the plan that match a characteristic pattern. Upon locating a match, the input query plan is transformed into a logically equivalent plan that operates correctly on compressed data, by analyzing the interplay of the semantics of logical query operations with the compressed data and substituting less costly structures and operations. DECOMPRESS operations are moved to operate subsequent to a JOIN or eliminated altogether, and COUNT operations are replaced by a different operation, such as SUM, that is logically equivalent for compressed data. |
| US09652498B2 |
Processing queries using hybrid access paths
Embodiments of techniques related to optimizing and processing queries are disclosed. In one embodiment, a query to access data of one or more databases is received, and a hybrid access path for accessing the data is generated. Generating the hybrid access path may include determining a plurality of candidate access paths and respective path cost values and selecting, based on the respective path cost values, two or more candidate access paths from the plurality of candidate access paths. Generating the hybrid access path may include generating, based on the two or more candidate access paths, the hybrid access path, the hybrid access path including at least one decision point and a set of options. The at least one decision point of the hybrid access path may indicate a difference between two or more candidate sequences of operations of candidate access paths from the two or more candidate access paths. |
| US09652491B2 |
Out-of-order execution of strictly-ordered transactional workloads
A method of transaction processing includes receiving a plurality of transactions from an execution queue, acquiring a plurality of locks corresponding to data items needed for execution of the plurality of transactions, executing each transaction of the plurality of transactions upon acquiring all locks needed for execution of each transaction, and releasing the locks needed for execution of each transaction of the plurality of transactions upon committing each transaction. The plurality of transactions have a specified order within the execution queue, the plurality of locks are sequentially acquired based on the specified order of the plurality of transactions within the execution queue, and an order of execution of the plurality of transactions is different from the specified order of the plurality of transactions within the execution queue. |
| US09652489B2 |
Compliance verification system
In one embodiment, a system including a memory and processor is provided. The memory stores a plurality of quality rules and control rules. The processor receives a request comprising a plurality of parameters and data elements. The processor determines that the request is missing a first data element and that a second data element of the plurality of data elements is corrupt. The processor determines that a first number of data elements should have been communicated and a third number of data elements should have been processed. The processor determines that a second number of data elements were communicated and a fourth number of data elements were processed. The processor generates a report indicating that: the plurality of parameters is missing the first data element, the second data element is corrupt, the first number is less than the second number, and the fourth number is less than the third number. |
| US09652486B2 |
Power saving techniques for a navigation application
A method of conserving power for a navigation application of a device is provided. The method determines a time for timely departure to an event that is stored in a calendar application of the device. The time for timely departure is determined based on the starting time of the event and an estimated travel time from the current location of the device to the location of the event. The method provides the time for timely departure to the calendar application. The method calculates the time for providing an update to the time for timely departure based on the remaining time before the time for timely departure. The method hibernates the navigation application until the time for providing the update. The method repeats the determining, providing, calculating, and hibernating several times. |
| US09652484B2 |
Displaying logical statement relationships between diverse documents in a research domain
Method and apparatus for analyzing a document against a managed research domain. A managed research domain provides an infrastructure where logical statements in research documents stored in the research domain repository are quantified and semantically analyzed. A user may submit a draft research document for analysis against the managed research domain to compare the draft against the current research knowledge in particular topics. The draft research document is annotated to reflect how the logical statements in the draft compare to the statements made on similar topics in the managed research domain. |
| US09652481B2 |
Mixed source media playback
Playlists having media items from more than one source are described. Media items in a first library are mapped to media items from an online media item store. Media items within the playlist that can be found in the first library will be played from the first library, while media items not within the first library will be played from the online media store. By identifying media items present in both libraries and playing them only from the first library, the described method can reduce the royalties needing to be paid by the online media store. Further methods are disclosed for setting limits on the number of media items that can be shared by a second library. |
| US09652479B2 |
Recovering from a pending uncompleted reorganization of a data set
Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for recovering from a pending uncompleted reorganization of a data set managing data sets in a storage. In response an initiation of an operation to access a data set, an operation is initiated to complete a pending uncompleted reorganization of the data set in response to the data set being in a pending uncompleted reorganization state and no other process currently accessing the data set. |
| US09652478B2 |
Method and apparatus for generating an electronic document schema from a relational model
Methods and apparatus for generating a schema for data asset information are disclosed. In one example, complex type information corresponding to a logical relational data model that defines an organization of the data asset information is accessed. The logical relational data model includes a parent entity and child entities corresponding to the parent entity. Treating the complex type information produces scrubbed complex type information. The treatment of the complex type information includes, at least, the removal of foreign keys from child entities. The scrubbed complex type information is then translated to produce a hierarchical data model corresponding to the logical relational data model. A schema is then generated for the data asset information based upon the hierarchical data model. |
| US09652475B2 |
Highlight reels
Techniques and apparatuses for generating highlight reels are described. These techniques and apparatuses enable a user to quickly and easily generate a highlight reel to highlight audiovisual media, such as photos and video clips. |
| US09652471B1 |
Intelligent file system with transparent storage tiering
A file system manager implemented at a provider network identifies a storage device of a first group of storage devices of a provider network as an initial location of a file system object. Based on an access metric associated with the object, the file system manager initiates a transfer of contents of the object to a second storage device of a different storage device group, without receiving a client request specifying the transfer. In response to an access request received via a file system programmatic interface, contents of the object are provided from the second storage device. Based on a second access metric, the object is transferred back to the first group of storage devices. |
| US09652470B2 |
Storing data in a dispersed storage network
A method begins by a dispersed storage (DS) processing module transmitting a set of write commands for storing a set of encoded data slices in storage units of a dispersed storage network (DSN) and determining whether at least a first threshold number of write responses have been received within a response time period. When the at least the first threshold number of the write responses have been received within the response time period, the method continues with the DS processing module determining whether a total number of responses have been received within another response time period. When the total number of responses have not been received within the other response time period, the method continues with the DS processing module issuing a sub-set of write commit commands corresponding to a response number of encoded data slices for which a response was received. |
| US09652467B2 |
Inline tree data structure for high-speed searching and filtering of large datasets
A data structure comprises a clump header table and an inline tree data structure. The inline tree, representing filterable data fields of hierarchically organized data records, comprises an alternating sequence of first-level binary string segments, each followed by one or more corresponding second-level binary string segments. Each clump header record includes an indicator of a location in the inline tree of corresponding binary string segments. A dedicated, specifically adapted conversion program generates the clump header file and the inline tree for storage on any computer-readable medium, and the inline tree can be read entirely into RAM to be searched or filtered. A dedicated, specifically adapted search and filter program is employed to list or enumerate retrieved data records. Run-time computer code generation can reduce time required for searching and filtering. One example includes spatial searching and filtering of data records that include spatial coordinates as data fields. |
| US09652466B2 |
Alternate data stream cache for file classification
Described is caching classification-related metadata for a file in an alternate data stream of that file. When a file is classified (e.g., for data management), the classification properties are cached in association with the file, along with classification-related metadata that indicates the state of the file at the time of caching. The classification-related metadata in the alternate data stream is then useable in determining whether the classification properties are valid and up-to-date when next accessed, or whether the file needs to be reclassified. If the properties are valid and up-to-date, they may be used without requiring the computationally costly steps of reclassification. Also described is using more than one alternate data stream for the cache, and extending the classification-related metadata through a defined extension mechanism. |
| US09652463B2 |
Method and system and file format of generating content by reference
A method of generating content defined by a file of a prescribed format. A portion of a first work of content is automatically identified responsive to a user selection thereof. The first work of content may be audio, video, and still images. A reference to the portion of the first work of content is generated responsive to the identifying. Instructions associated with the portion of the first work of content operable for use by a playback device to render the content are generated. The reference and the instructions are incorporated in a digital file of a prescribed format operable for use by the playback device during rendition of the content. The file may be stored in a memory component. The playback device is operable to use the reference to access the portion of the first work of content from a source other than the file during rendition of the file. |
| US09652460B1 |
Mobile media information capture and management methods and systems
Aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to systems and methods of capturing electronic media files, tagging and annotating said electronic media files, capturing associated information (e.g., time and place information), embedding the captured information, tags, and annotations as metadata into the media file, automatically transferring and routing media files with embedded metadata into specific electronic destination(s) like electronic folders or databases, and managing the transfer and organization of the captured files with embedded metadata on backend systems, storage repositories, or other management systems. |
| US09652456B2 |
Automated relationship management for darwin information typing architecture
Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to relationship management in information architectures and provide a novel and non-obvious method, computer system and computer program product for managing links in a Darwin Information Typing Architecture (DITA). In one embodiment of the invention, a method for managing DITA links can include reading an information unit file comprising a plurality of topics and reading a relationship management file corresponding to the information unit file, wherein the relationship management file comprises at least one link corresponding to at least one of the plurality of topics, wherein a link comprises a reference to or from a second topic. The method can further include displaying in a graphical user interface the plurality of topics and displaying in the graphical user interface a description of each link corresponding to the plurality of topics. |
| US09652452B2 |
Method and system for constructing a language model
Disclosed herein are various embodiments of methods and systems for constructing a first language model for use by a first Language Processing (LP) application of a plurality of LP applications. Each LP application of the plurality of LP applications receives one or more of a language based input, a derivative of the language based input, a response to the language based input and a derivative of the response. The method includes processing at least one input by a second LP application of the plurality of LP applications. Based on the processing of the second LP application, at least one output is generated. Subsequently, at least a portion of the first language model is constructed based on the at least one output. |
| US09652451B2 |
Natural language query
The invention allows end users to obtain immediate, accurate information from structured databases without writing complex database query commands. The invention allows two different, but synchronized, methods of end user information requests: Spoken or typed Natural Language requests, and a Visual Request Specification method. Furthermore, the invention provides a user the means of “teaching the system the correct interpretation” when an information request was misunderstood by the invention's Natural Language Understanding module. |
| US09652450B1 |
Rule-based syntactic approach to claim boundary detection in complex sentences
A method for automatically extracting claim candidates from complex sentences includes providing a parse tree of a text sample to be analyzed, disassembling the parse tree into a set of basic meaning-bearing clauses, assembling clauses of the set of basic clauses into a set of complex coherent statements based on permissible syntactic structures, testing the complex statements and discarding those statements that are not coherent when considered alone, discarding those complex statements that either do not provide additional information about a subject, or are too complex, removing information from a complex statement that provides supportive details about the subject, and discarding statements that restrict their subject, so that the subject cannot be generalized encompass a broader subject. |
| US09652448B2 |
Methods and systems for removing or replacing on-keyboard prediction candidates
Methods and electronic devices are provided for processing prediction candidates in connection with virtual keyboards and touch-sensitive displays. A display area of the touch-sensitive displays a virtual keyboard. Within the virtual keyboard is a plurality of keys, each of at least some of the keys corresponding to one or more different characters of a plurality of characters. The methods and devices may detect a selection of one or more of the keys. The methods and devices may generate one or more sets of characters based on the one or more characters corresponding to the selected key. The methods and devices may display the sets of characters within or substantially within the virtual keyboard. The methods and devices may detect a gesture associated with one of the displayed sets of characters, and, in response to detecting the gesture, remove the one of the displayed sets of characters from the virtual keyboard. |
| US09652441B2 |
System and method for creation of templates
Embodiments described herein allow for the creation of templates from existing web pages, making it possible to create pages. Embodiments can provide visual tools so that a user can convert an existing web site or web page into a template. The template may be made available to a web content management application for the creation of web pages. According to one embodiment, a template developer can visually identify selectable portions of the web page in a rendering of the web page; receive a first component selection of a first selected portion of the web page; and store template data comprising the first component selection. A template builder can create a template and components based on the template data in a format consumable by a web content management system. |
| US09652439B2 |
System for converting data to a markup language
Systems and methods are provided through which data parseable against a document type definition by generating a list of a possible paths of an input element that is not encoded against the document type definition, determining the path that is the best fit with the document type definition, and then generating the element in the syntax of the document type definition. Determining the path that is the best fit includes parsing the path against the document type definition. The best fit is expressed in a scoring scale, in which the best score indicates the best fit. Thereafter, the path with the best fit is translated in accordance to the document type definition or markup language. |
| US09652436B1 |
Games, prizes, and entertainment for powered cards and devices
Advanced payment applications are provided to improve the functionality of cards and devices. For example, a user interface may be placed on a card (e.g., a physical button) or a telephonic device (e.g., a virtual button on a capacitive touch screen). Manual input provided to this user interface may, for example, cause a purchase to be paid by credit and points may be earned for the purchase. A different manual input may, for example, cause a purchase to be paid by credit and points not be earned for the purchase in exchange for one or more chances to win a prize in a random lottery. An instant winner functionality may be provided on a card. For example, a card may randomly become an instant winner based on, for example, time and/or use. |
| US09652430B2 |
Configurable serial and pulse width modulation interface
A reconfigurable register device includes an arrangement of storage elements arranged sequentially in a chain structure. Each storage element stores a state of a binary signal. A combinatorial logic circuitry connectable to the arrangement of storage elements enables the arrangement of storage elements to form a binary synchronous counter. A bypass logic circuitry connectable to the arrangement of storage elements enables the arrangement of storage elements to form a serial shift register. A switching circuitry has a mode signal input terminal receiving a mode signal indicative of at least one of a counter mode and a shift register mode. The switching circuitry is configured to connect the arrangement of storage elements to the combinatory logic circuitry if the mode signal indicates the counter mode, and to connect the arrangement of storage elements to the bypass logic circuitry if the mode signal indicates the shift register mode. |
| US09652427B2 |
Processor module, micro-server, and method of using processor module
A processor module includes at least one storage device, at least one central processing unit (CPU) that uses a preset interface, and a module controller to relay a connection between a common interface bus formed on the based board and an interface used by the CPU. |
| US09652424B2 |
Information processing apparatus and control method of information processing apparatus
An information processing apparatus includes a control unit configured to activate the information processing apparatus in a first activation mode or a second activation mode, a receiving unit configured to receive an operation for activating the information processing apparatus in the first activation mode from a user, a notification unit configured to notify the control unit of information corresponding to the operation of the user received by the receiving unit, and a connection unit configured to connect the control unit and the receiving unit without connecting the notification unit and to notify the control unit that a user has operated on the receiving unit, wherein the control unit activates, in the case where it is not notified via the connection unit that a user has operated on the receiving unit, the information processing apparatus in the second activation mode without waiting for activation of the notification unit. |
| US09652423B2 |
CAN and flexible data rate CAN node apparatus and methods for mixed bus CAN FD communications
Controller area network (CAN) communications apparatus and methods are presented for CAN flexible data rate (CAN FD) communications in a mixed CAN network with CAN FD nodes and one or more non-FD CAN nodes in which a CAN FD node wishing to transmit CAN FD frames sends a first predefined message requesting the non-FD CAN nodes to disable their transmitters before transmitting the CAN FD frames, and thereafter sends a second predefined message or a predefined signal to return the non-FD CAN nodes to normal operation. |
| US09652420B2 |
Hardware control interface for IEEE standard 802.11
A standardized 802.11 hardware control interface may be provided such that a driver may communicate with any one or more of a variety of network adapters. |
| US09652419B1 |
Method and system for filtering flow table counters
A system, method, and non-transitory computer-readable medium for filtering flow table entries is described. A trusted device may send a table read request to a network interface controller (NIC) that includes predicate logic. The NIC will use the received predicate logic to filter flow table entries. The entries that satisfy the criteria specified by the trusted software are moved to a Direct Memory Access (DMA) buffer on the NIC to create a subset of entries. Once some or all of the flow table has been scanned, the subset of entries may be transferred from the DMA buffer on the NIC to a memory of the trusted host via a DMA transfer to be further processed by the trusted host. |
| US09652414B1 |
Balancing response times for synchronous I/O requests having different priorities
A computing environment, such as an data mirroring or replication storage system, may need to process synchronous I/O requests having different priorities in addition to handling I/O requests on the basis of synchronous or asynchronous groupings. The system described herein provides a data storage system that addresses issues involving efficient balancing of response times for servicing synchronous I/O requests having different priorities. Accordingly, the system described herein provides for maintaining an optimal response time for the host-synchronous I/O requests and the optimal throughput of non-host-synchronous I/O requests using a host-synchronous request time window within which processing of non-host-synchronous I/O requests is throttled. The host-synchronous request time window may be selected to enable the optimal response time for the host-synchronous I/O and also to minimize the impact on the overall throughput of the I/O processor of the storage device. |
| US09652411B2 |
Image forming apparatus that transmits and receives information between platforms, recording medium, and method
An image forming apparatus includes a storage device, main process circuitry, and sub-process circuitry. The main process circuitry writes main-side transmission information to the storage device by all transmission/reception methods usable by the main process circuitry itself. The sub-process circuitry executes a specific process using the main-side transmission information read from the storage device to write process result information that indicates an execution result of the specific process to the storage device by a sub-usable method. The main process circuitry reads the process result information that has been written to the storage device by the sub-process circuitry by the sub-usable method from the storage device by the sub-usable method. |
| US09652407B2 |
Method for processing error directory of node in CC-NUMA system, and node
A method for processing an error directory of a node in a cache coherence non-uniform memory access (CC-NUMA) system and a node are provided. The method effectively reduces a possibility of a breakdown of the system caused by accumulation of the error bits in the directory memory of the CC-NUMA system. The method comprises: when a quantity of bits of a correctable error of a directory stored in a directory memory of the node is greater than a preset threshold, controlling all processors in the CC-NUMA system to write dirty data in a corresponding cache back to a corresponding main memory, flush the dirty data, and directly flush clean data in the corresponding cache; and controlling the CC-NUMA system to enter a quiescent state, clearing a record stored in the directory memory to zero, and controlling, after the zero clearing is completed, the CC-NUMA system to exit the quiescent state. |
| US09652401B2 |
Tagged cache for data coherency in multi-domain debug operations
A tagged cache is disclosed for data coherency in multi-domain debug operations. Access requests to a memory within a target device are received for data views associated with debug operations, and access requests include virtual addresses associated with virtual address spaces and client identifiers associated with requesting data views. Virtual addresses are translated to physical addresses within a tagged cache using address translation tables that associate virtual addresses from the different virtual address spaces with client identifiers and with physical addresses within the cache. Data within the cache is cached using the physical addresses. Further, when data is written to the cache, virtual address tags within the cache are used to identify if other virtual addresses are associated with the physical address for the write access request. If so, client identifiers stored within the address translation tables are used to notify affected data views of changed data. |
| US09652400B2 |
Fully associative cache memory budgeted by memory access type
A fully associative cache memory, comprising: an array of storage elements; an allocation unit that allocates the storage elements in response to memory accesses that miss in the cache memory. Each memory access has an associated memory access type (MAT) of a plurality of predetermined MATs. Each valid storage element of the array has an associated MAT. For each MAT, the allocation unit maintains: a counter that counts of a number of valid storage elements associated with the MAT; and a corresponding threshold. The allocation unit allocates into any of the storage elements in response to a memory access that misses in the cache, unless the counter of the MAT of the memory access has reached the corresponding threshold, in which case the allocation unit replaces one of the valid storage elements associated with the MAT of the memory access. |
| US09652399B2 |
Expedited servicing of store operations in a data processing system
In at least some embodiments, a processor core generates one or more store operations by executing one or more store instructions in an instruction sequence. The one or more store operations are marked as a high priority store operations in response to detecting, in the instruction sequence, a window opening instruction and a window closing instruction bounding the one or more store instructions and are not so marked otherwise. The one or more store operations are buffered in a store queue associated with a cache memory of the processor core. Handling of the one or more store operations in the store queue is expedited in response to the one or more store operations being marked as high priority store operations and not expedited otherwise. |
| US09652398B2 |
Cache replacement policy that considers memory access type
An associative cache memory, comprising: an array of storage elements arranged as M sets by N ways; an allocation unit allocates the storage elements in response to memory accesses that miss in the cache memory. Each memory access selects a set. Each memory access has an associated memory access type (MAT) of a plurality of predetermined MATs. Each valid storage element has an associated MAT; a mapping that includes, for each MAT, a MAT priority. In response to a memory access that misses in the array, the allocation unit: determines a most eligible way and a second most eligible way of the selected set for replacement based on a replacement policy; and replaces the second most eligible way rather than the most eligible way when the MAT priority of the most eligible way is greater than the MAT priority of the second most eligible way. |
| US09652396B2 |
Cache element processing for energy use reduction
A method for accessing a cache memory structure includes dividing a multiple cache elements of a cache memory structure into multiple groups. A serial probing process of the multiple groups is performed. Upon a tag hit resulting from the serial probing process, the probing process for remaining groups exits. |
| US09652392B2 |
Using L1 cache as re-order buffer
A method is shown that eliminates the need for a dedicated reorder buffer register bank or memory space in a multi level cache system. As data requests from the L2 cache may be returned out of order, the L1 cache uses it's cache memory to buffer the out of order data and provides the data to the requesting processor in the correct order from the buffer. |
| US09652390B2 |
Moving data between caches in a heterogeneous processor system
Apparatus, computer readable medium, integrated circuit, and method of moving a plurality of data items to a first cache or a second cache are presented. The method includes receiving an indication that the first cache requested the plurality of data items. The method includes storing information indicating that the first cache requested the plurality of data items. The information may include an address for each of the plurality of data items. The method includes determining based at least on the stored information to move the plurality of data items to the second cache. The method includes moving the plurality of data items to the second cache. The method may include determining a time interval between receiving the indication that the first cache requested the plurality of data items and moving the plurality of data items to the second cache. A scratch pad memory is disclosed. |
| US09652389B2 |
Hash discriminator process for hierarchical cache system
A coordinating node maintains globally consistent logical block address (LBA) metadata for a hierarchy of caches, which may be implemented in local and cloud based storage resources. Associated storage endpoints initially determine a hash associated with each access request, but forward the access request to the coordinating node to determine a unique discriminator for each hash. |
| US09652388B2 |
Method, apparatus and system for performing management component transport protocol (MCTP) communications with a universal serial bus (USB) device
In an embodiment, a host controller is configured to control communication with a plurality of universal serial bus (USB) devices, and to couple to a management controller and a host processor. The host controller includes a filter logic to filter information from a management control transmission protocol (MCTP) endpoint of a first USB device from being communicated to the host processor and to provide the MCTP endpoint information to the management controller. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US09652386B2 |
Management of memory array with magnetic random access memory (MRAM)
An embodiment of the present invention includes a mass storage device with a storage media that includes magnetic random access memory (MRAM) devices with a NAND flash interface and NAND flash memory devices that are coupled to the MRAM devices. The storage media is partitioned into a hybrid reserved area made of a combination of MRAM array and NAND array and a hybrid user area made of a combination of MRAM array and NAND array. The mass storage device further includes a controller with a host interface and a flash interface coupled to the MRAM and NAND flash memory devices through the flash interface. |
| US09652379B1 |
System and method for reducing contentions in solid-state memory access
Embodiments of the invention are directed to enabling concurrent commands from command requesters in a non-volatile solid-state storage subsystem in a manner that reduces contentions among the commands. Embodiments group blocks of memory into multiple sets of superblocks and associate a command requester to each superblock set. In one embodiment, the superblock sets are dynamically associated with a requester. In one embodiment, the superblock sets are dynamically associated with requesters based in part on at least one of internal memory management needs and host command throughput. In one embodiment, an erase command is executed on a superblock within a set and a simultaneous write command is executed on a superblock within another set. |
| US09652374B2 |
Sparsity-driven matrix representation to optimize operational and storage efficiency
Embodiments of the invention relate to sparsity-driven matrix representation. In one embodiment, a sparsity of a matrix is determined and the sparsity is compared to a threshold. Computer memory is allocated to store the matrix in a first data structure format based on the sparsity being greater than the threshold. Computer memory is allocated to store the matrix in a second data structure format based on the sparsity not being greater than the threshold. |
| US09652373B2 |
Adaptive statistics for a linear address space
Embodiments relate to adaptive memory apportioning. An aspect includes, statistics captured for a plurality of elements of a partitioned linear address space. Each addressable location is an element in the address space. Subspaces of the partitioned linear address space are rated based on captured statistics of at least one element. The subspaces are differentiated, based on the frequency of access, as being of lesser and greater significance. The boundaries that separate the subspaces are altered so as to effect coarser granularity in the subspaces determined to have the lesser significance and finer granularity in the subspaces determined to have the greater significance. |
| US09652363B2 |
Dependent object delegation tester
A dependent object delegation testing approach can feature use of a dependent object delegation tester object that prompts a service provider to make delegation calls and a mock enterprise services infrastructure that include mock objects for receiving the delegation calls and verifying compliance of those delegation calls with one or more predefined check types. |
| US09652361B2 |
Targeted multi-tiered software stack serviceability
As disclosed herein a method, executed by a computer, for enabling multi-tiered software stack diagnostic collection includes initiating, on a first tier of a multi-tiered software stack, a targeted diagnostics collection corresponding to a symptom of a failure, determining a symptom to a reason code mapping corresponding to the symptom in a product of a subsequent tier, and issuing a command to the product of the subsequent tier to initiate targeted diagnostics collection corresponding to the reason code. Problems or failures in a multi-tiered software stack environment may require analyses of programs or products corresponding to each tier of a multi-tiered software stack. The method described herein enables simultaneous collection of diagnostics for programs or products corresponding to each tier of a multi-tiered software stack. A computer system, and a computer program product corresponding to the method are also disclosed herein. |
| US09652355B2 |
Bottleneck detection device, method and recording medium storing program
In a method which analyzes system behavior using performance indices related to time, a program portion that has become a bottleneck is discovered; however, discovery is not made back to the cause of the same. This bottleneck detection method, when varying a load to measure behavior of a system, performs measurement regarding a plurality of performance indices. Then by analyzing the results of the same by way of analysis unit, program portions that are bottlenecks are identified, and causes of the program portions being bottlenecks are identified. |
| US09652348B2 |
Debugging in a data processing apparatus
A data processing apparatus has a debug state in which processing circuitry 105 executes instructions received from the debug interface 115. Control changing circuitry 135 prohibits the execution of instructions in a predefined privilege mode when in the debug state if a control parameter has a predefined value. In response to a first exception being signalled while in the debug state, where the first exception is intended to be handled at the predefined privilege mode, and further in response to the control parameter having the predefined value, signalling circuitry 115 signals a second exception to be handled at a different privilege mode from the predefined privilege mode and sets information identifying a type of the first exception. Consequently, without having to enter the prohibited (predefined) privilege mode, the debugger 110 can be made aware of the first exception that would ordinarily be handled at the predefined, i.e. prohibited privilege mode. |
| US09652346B2 |
Data consistency control method and software for a distributed replicated database system
A distributed replicated database system having a plurality of federated database systems and methods of updating and reading database records from the distributed replicated database system are disclosed. Each federated database system contains a complete copy of a database. Moreover, each federated database system comprises at least one server divided into at least one logical partition. A logical partition contains records of the database and all logical partitions in a federated database system cumulatively stores all records in the database. A data structure is maintained which indicates whether the records in a given logical partition are up-to-date. When an update or insert request is received, the data structure is modified to indicate that all logical partitions storing a copy of the record to be updated, or partitions into which the new record is to be inserted, are not up-to-date. When the record has been updated or inserted, the data structure is modified to indicate that the logical partition storing the record is up-to-date. When a read request is received, the record is read from an up-to-date logical partition storing the record. |
| US09652343B2 |
Raid hot spare system and method
A RAID (redundant array of independent disks) hot spare (RHS) system and method that permits a daisy-chain of interconnected pass-thru disk drive controllers (PTDDCs) each connected to a SATA local disk drive (LDD) storage element (DSE) to support a hot spare disk (HSD) such that a failing disk drive (FDD) in the RAID array can be immediately replaced by a HSD within the PTDDC daisy-chain without operator intervention is disclosed. The PTDDCs within the daisy-chain are configured in RAID fashion to support mirroring of one or more drives in the PTDDC daisy-chain. The PTDDCs monitor functional status of LDDs attached to each PTDDC. FDD failure triggers activation of a HSD in the PTDDC daisy-chain and automatic mirror copying along the PTDDC daisy-chain of RAID data from a master disk drive (MDD) mirrored to the LDD. FDD-PTDDC and HSD-PTDDC LBA mapping registers are updated after mirror copying completes. |
| US09652339B2 |
Fault tolerant listener registration in the presence of node crashes in a data grid
A processing device to perform operations comprising receive, from a listener of a second node in a data grid system, a filter defined by search criteria of a search query. The operations can include determine, at the first node, that a third node in the data grid has crashed. The operations can further include iterate over backup data of the third node that is stored at a memory of the first node to determine the backup data that matches the filter. The operations can further include communicate, to the listener, the backup data that matches the filter. |
| US09652338B2 |
Dynamic checkpointing systems and methods
A method for determining a delay in a dynamic, event driven, checkpoint interval. In one embodiment, the method includes the steps of determining the number of network bits to be transferred; determining the target bit transfer rate; calculating the next cycle delay as the number of bits to be transferred divided by the target bit transfer rate. In another aspect, the invention relates to a method for delaying a checkpoint interval. In one embodiment, the method includes the steps of monitoring the transfer of a prior batch of network data and delaying a subsequent checkpoint until the transfer of a prior batch of network data has reached a certain predetermined level of completion. In another embodiment, the predetermined level of completion is 100%. |
| US09652335B2 |
Systems and methods for restoring data from network attached storage
A system and method for communicating, browsing, verifying and routing data in storage operation systems using network attached storage devices is provided. In some embodiments, the system may include a management module and a media management component connected to the management server, which interoperate with network attached storage devices to provide the communicating, browsing, verifying and routing functions. |
| US09652332B2 |
Information processing apparatus and virtual machine migration method
A storage unit stores information indicating a backup history of data associated with each of a plurality of virtual machines operating on one or more information processing apparatuses. An operation unit determines an order of migrating each of the plurality of virtual machines to one or more other information processing apparatuses, based on the information indicating the backup history. The operation unit controls the information processing apparatus so as to migrate each of the virtual machines in the order. |
| US09652324B2 |
Solid state disk controller apparatus
A solid state disk controller apparatus comprises a first port; a second port having a plurality of channels; a central processing unit connected to a CPU bus; a buffer memory configured to store data to be transferred from the second port to the first port and from the first port to the second port; a buffer controller/arbiter block connected to the CPU bus and configured to control read and write operations of the buffer memory based on a control of the central processing unit; a first data transfer block connected between the first port and the buffer controller/arbiter block and configured to transfer data to be stored/read in/from the buffer memory bypassing the CPU bus; and a second data transfer block connected between the second port and the buffer controller/arbiter block and configured to transfer data to be stored/read in/from the buffer memory bypassing the CPU bus. |
| US09652320B2 |
Device validation, distress indication, and remediation
A wireless communications device may be configured to perform integrity checking and interrogation with a network entity to isolate a portion of a failed component on the wireless network device for remediation. Once an integrity failure is determined on a component of the device, the device may identify a functionality associated with the component and indicate the failed functionality to the network entity. Both the wireless network device and the network entity may identify the failed functionality and/or failed component using a component-to-functionality map. After receiving an indication of an integrity failure at the device, the network entity may determine that one or more additional iterations of integrity checking may be performed at the device to narrow the scope of the integrity failure on the failed component. Once the integrity failure is isolated, the network entity may remediate a portion of the failed component on the wireless communications device. |
| US09652318B2 |
System and method for automatically managing fault events of data center
Disclosed are an automated management system and method for fault events of a data center. A fault event monitoring unit is configured to check statuses of servers to detect occurrence of a fault event, and if a fault event occurs, determine whether an automated action is possible. A fault event related action recommending unit is configured to, with respect to a fault event that is newly detected by the fault event monitoring unit or determined to be difficult to be resolved by an action stored in a fault event related action storage unit, search for and extract information related to the fault event determined to be difficult to be resolved from information accumulated in a fault event information knowledge storage unit, and based on the extracted information, generate and output a group of automated action candidates for the fault event determined to be difficult to be resolved. A fault event action unit is configured to automatically take an action against a fault event detected by the fault event monitoring unit by use of the action accumulated in the fault event related action storage. |
| US09652312B2 |
Realtime processing of streaming data
The invention described here is intended for enhancing the technology domain of real-time and high-performance distributed computing. This invention provides a connotative and intuitive grammar that allows users to define how data is to be automatically encoded/decoded for transport between computing systems. This capability eliminates the need for hand-crafting custom solutions for every combination of platform and transport medium. This is a software framework that can serve as a basis for real-time capture, distribution, and analysis of large volumes and variety of data moving at rapid or real-time velocity. It can be configured as-is or can be extended as a framework to filter-and-extract data from a system for distribution to other systems (including other instances of the framework). Users control all features for capture, filtering, distribution, analysis, and visualization by configuration files (as opposed to software programming) that are read at program startup. It enables large scalable computation of high velocity data over distributed heterogeneous platforms. As compared with conventional approaches to data capture which extract data in proprietary formats and rely upon post-run standalone analysis programs in non-real-time, this invention also allows data streaming in real-time to an open range of analysis and visualization tools. Data treatment options are specified via end-user configuration files as opposed to hard-coding software revisions. |
| US09652310B1 |
Method and apparatus for using consistent-hashing to ensure proper sequencing of message processing in a scale-out environment
Example embodiments of the present invention provide a method and a system for using consistent-hashing to ensure proper sequencing of message processing in a scale-out environment. The method includes receiving a stream of a plurality of messages and performing a consistent-hash on each message of the plurality of messages. Each message then may be distributed toward a respective downstream worker of a plurality of downstream workers for processing according to results of the hash. |
| US09652309B2 |
Mediator with interleaved static and dynamic routing
A system for routing an application message detects that routing rules are dynamic and static. The system then invokes a rules engine to receive the dynamic routing rules and interleaves the dynamic routing rules with static routing rules. The system then executes the interleaved rules to route the message. |
| US09652300B2 |
Systems, methods, and computer program products for preemption of threads at a synchronization barrier
Systems and methods for the processing of EU threads (also known as warps) in a thread group. The status of each EU thread in the group may be monitored, to determine if it is executing or if it is halted and waiting at a synchronization barrier. If certain threshold conditions are met, the waiting EU threads may be preempted to allow execution of threads from another thread group. The threshold conditions may include a minimum number of EUs in use, a minimum number of EU threads in the first thread group that are waiting at the synchronization barrier and/or a maximum number of EU threads that are still executing, and a minimum wait time for one or more of the EU threads waiting at the barrier. |
| US09652299B2 |
Controlling the state of a process between a running and a stopped state by comparing identification information sent prior to execution
A hardware thread causes a SleepID register of a WAKEUP signal generation unit to store a SleepID that identifies the hardware thread when suspending a process due to waiting for a process by another CPU. The WAKEUP signal generation unit causes the WAKEUP data register of the WAKEUP signal generation unit to store a SleepID notified by a node when a process that the hardware thread waits ends. The WAKEUP signal generation unit outputs a WAKEUP signal that cancels the stop of the hardware thread to the hardware thread when the SleepIDs of the SleepID register and the WAKEUP data register agree with each other. |
| US09652296B1 |
Efficient chained post-copy virtual machine migration
A hypervisor receives, from a second host at a third host, at a second time after a first time, a first plurality pages. The first plurality of pages were copied at the first time, from a first host to the second host. The hypervisor receives a mapping at the third host, sent from the second host. The mapping indicates a first location of a second plurality of pages and a second location of a third plurality of pages. The hypervisor detects a page fault at the third host. The page fault is associated with a required page that is absent from the third host. Responsive to detecting this, the hypervisor queries the mapping, to determine a source location of the required page and identifies a source host for the source location. The hypervisor receives the required page, from the source host at the third host. |
| US09652288B2 |
Allocation of computational resources with policy selection
A method for adaptively allocating resources to a plurality of jobs. The method comprises selecting a first policy from a plurality of policies for a first job in the plurality of jobs by using a policy selection mechanism, allocating at least one resource to the first job in accordance with the first policy, and in response to completion of the first job, updating the policy selection mechanism to obtain an updated policy selection mechanism by using at least one processor. Updating the policy selection mechanism comprises evaluating the performance of the first policy with respect to the first job by calculating a value of a metric of utility for the first policy based on conditions associated with execution of the first job and updating the policy selection mechanism based on the calculated value and a delay of execution of the first job. |
| US09652287B2 |
Using databases for both transactions and analysis
Among other things, requests are received for tasks to be performed in a database. The tasks include tasks that will cause changes in data of the database and other tasks that must be executed on data in the database that is consistent time-wise. At least some of the data that will be changed by the change-causing tasks comprises data that must remain time-wise consistent for the other tasks. The other tasks are executed in the database while the change-causing tasks are also being executed in the database, without requiring a replication or reconfiguration of the database. |
| US09652282B2 |
Software-assisted instruction level execution preemption
One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for instruction level execution preemption. Preempting at the instruction level does not require any draining of the processing pipeline. No new instructions are issued and the context state is unloaded from the processing pipeline. Any in-flight instructions that follow the preemption command in the processing pipeline are captured and stored in a processing task buffer to be reissued when the preempted program is resumed. The processing task buffer is designated as a high priority task to ensure the preempted instructions are reissued before any new instructions for the preempted context when execution of the preempted context is restored. |
| US09652281B2 |
System and method for virtualization aware server maintenance mode
In accordance with the present disclosure, a system and method are herein disclosed for providing a virtualization aware server maintenance mode. In one embodiment, an event is triggered in when a system action request is received by an information handling system. The event is processed and the hypervisor is placed in maintenance mode. The virtualization manager is notified that the mode of the hypervisor has changed and the virtualization manager stores the information associated with the mode status change. The virtualization manager may also notify other remote access consoles or virtualization managers of the mode status change of the hypervisor. A maintenance mode lock may be acquired when the hypervisor is placed in maintenance mode and released after the system action has been processed. |
| US09652279B1 |
Remotely interacting with a virtualized machine instance
A system and method for remotely interacting with a virtualized machine instance (VMI) through a trigger mechanism resident at the VMI. When the VMI receives a request via the trigger mechanism, the VMI responds to the request, such as by obtaining a program and executing the program locally at the VMI. |
| US09652278B2 |
Virtual machine migration via a mobile device
Embodiments relate to virtual machine (VM) migration via a mobile device. A method includes requesting, by a mobile device, a source computer to capture a state and memory contents of a VM executing on the source computer. The VM includes the state, the memory contents, and data. The state and memory contents of the VM are stored on the mobile device. Security information about a target computer is determined by the mobile device. A migration of the VM to the target computer is initiated by the mobile device. The initiating includes sending the stored state and memory contents of the VM from the mobile device to the target computer. An activation of the VM on the target computer is initiated and access is provided to at least a subset of the data of the VM. The subset is selected based on the security information. |
| US09652274B2 |
Techniques for handling memory accesses by processor-independent executable code in a multi-processor environment
A method and apparatus for virtual address mapping are provided. The method includes determining an offset value respective of at least a first portion of code stored on a code memory unit, generating a first virtual code respective of the first portion of code and a second virtual code respective of a second portion of code stored on the code memory unit; mapping the first virtual code to a first virtual code address and the second virtual code to a second virtual code address; generating a first virtual data respective of the first portion of data and a second virtual data respective of the second portion of data; and mapping the first virtual data to a first virtual data address and the second virtual data to a second virtual data address. |
| US09652270B2 |
Apparatus and method for virtualized computing
Embodiments of apparatus and methods for virtualized computing are described. In embodiments, an apparatus may include one of more processor cores and a cache coupled to the one or more processor cores. The apparatus may further include a hypervisor operated by the one or more processor cores to manage operation of virtual machines on the apparatus, including selecting a part of the cache to store selected data or code of the hypervisor or one of the virtual machines, and locking the part of the cache to prevent the selected data or code from being evicted from the cache. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed. |
| US09652263B2 |
Migrating servers into a secured environment
In one approach, one or more computer processors provision an instance in a cloud computing environment, wherein the instance includes one or more local disks. The one or more computer processors boot the instance from a boot image such that an operating system exists in a main memory of the instance. The one or more computer processors copy an image file to the one or more local disks of the instance, where copying the image file overwrites the one or more local disks. The one or more computer processors reboot the instance. |
| US09652261B2 |
Data card and communication method and system
A data card and a communication method are provided. The method includes: when being connected to a terminal, a data card being enumerated as an MBIM device to an operating system of the terminal; and the data card communicate with the terminal via a CID message. The present invention achieves the installation of the data card in a driver-free mode, and thus the communication efficiency of the data card is improved. |
| US09652250B2 |
Controller initializing device and method
A controller initializing device and method is configured to initialize controllers. When a device is powered on, a basic input and output system of the device initializes a first chip of the device. The basic input and output system starts a power on self test and initializes a first controller of the device. The basic input and output system outputs a trigger signal when the power on self test of the basic input and output system ends. A baseboard management controller of the device accesses the first controller when the baseboard management receives the trigger signal. |
| US09652246B1 |
Banked physical register data flow architecture in out-of-order processors
In a method of executing instructions in a processing system, respective global age tags are assigned to each of the one or more instructions fetched for processing by the processing system. Each global age tag indicates an age of the corresponding instruction in the processing system. Respective physical registers in a physical register file are allocated to each destination logical register referenced by each instruction. The respective global age tags are written to the in respective physical registers allocated to the destination logical registers of the instructions. The instructions are executed by the processing system. At least some of the instructions are executed in an order different from a program order of the instructions. |
| US09652244B2 |
Processing bypass directory tracking system and method
A processing bypass directory system and method are disclosed. In one embodiment, a bypass directory tracking process includes setting bits in a bypass directory when a corresponding architectural register is written. The bits are selectively cleared in the bypass directory each cycle. The configuration of the bits is utilized to determine which stage of a bypass path processing information is at. |
| US09652243B2 |
Predicting out-of-order instruction level parallelism of threads in a multi-threaded processor
Systems and methods for predicting out-of-order instruction-level parallelism (ILP) of threads being executed in a multi-threaded processor and prioritizing scheduling thereof are described herein. One aspect provides for tracking completion of instructions using a global completion table having a head segment and a tail segment; storing prediction values for each instruction in a prediction table indexed via instruction identifiers associated with each instruction, a prediction value being configured to indicate an instruction is predicted to issue from one of: the head segment and the tail segment; and predicting threads with more instructions issuing from the tail segment have a higher degree of out-of-order instruction-level parallelism. Other embodiments and aspects are also described herein. |
| US09652240B2 |
Stack pointer value prediction
Methods and apparatus for predicting the value of a stack pointer which store data when an instruction is seen which grows the stack. The information which is stored includes a size parameter which indicates by how much the stack is grown and one or both of: the register ID currently holding the stack pointer value or the current stack pointer value. When a subsequent instruction shrinking the stack is seen, the stored data is searched for one or more entries which has a corresponding size parameter. If such an entry is identified, the other information stored in that entry is used to predict the value of the stack pointer instead of using the instruction to calculate the new stack pointer value. Where register renaming is used, the information in the entry is used to remap the stack pointer to a different physical register. |
| US09652238B2 |
Instruction set architecture with opcode lookup using memory attribute
A circuit arrangement decodes instructions based in part on one or more decode-related attributes stored in a memory address translation data structure such as an Effective To Real Translation (ERAT) or Translation Lookaside Buffer (TLB). A memory address translation data structure may be accessed, for example, in connection with a decode of an instruction stored in a page of memory, such that one or more attributes associated with the page in the data structure may be used to control how that instruction is decoded. |
| US09652236B2 |
Instruction and logic for non-blocking register reclamation
A processor includes a logic to execute a first instruction and a second instruction. The first instruction is ordered before the second instruction. Each instruction references a respective logical register assigned to a respective physical register. The processor also includes logic to reassign a physical register of the second instruction to another logical register before retirement of the first instruction. |
| US09652230B2 |
Computer processor employing dedicated hardware mechanism controlling the initialization and invalidation of cache lines
A computer processing system includes execution logic that generates memory requests that are supplied to a hierarchical memory system. The computer processing system includes a hardware map storing a number of entries associated with corresponding cache lines, where each given entry of the hardware map indicates whether a corresponding cache line i) currently stores valid data in the hierarchical memory system, or ii) does not currently store valid data in hierarchical memory system and should be interpreted as being implicitly zero throughout. |
| US09652224B2 |
Identifying software code experts
A method, computer program product, and system for identifying collaborators is described. One or more software developers may be mapped to one or more software code elements. One or more expert rankings of the one or more software developers may be determined with respect to the one or more software code elements. One or more current code elements associated with an active software developer may be identified. A request for assistance from an expert may be received from the active software developer. One or more potential experts may be identified based upon, at least in part, the one or more current code elements and the one or more expert rankings. |
| US09652223B2 |
Method and apparatus for executing integrated application program
The present disclosure provides methods and apparatus for executing integrated application programs. An implementation class of an instantiation application program is executed in a first process, to obtain a context of a first application program including a first identifier. Or an implementation class of an instantiation application program is executed in a second process, to obtain a context of a second application program including a second identifier. It is determined whether an identifier corresponding to a current process is the first identifier or the second identifier. If the identifier corresponding to the current process is the first identifier, the first application program is executed when an initialization starts. Or, if the identifier corresponding to the current process is the second identifier, the second application program is executed when an initialization starts. |
| US09652220B2 |
Zero down-time deployment of new application versions
The disclosure generally describes methods, software, and systems, including a method for application versioning. An updated version of a software component to be executed by an application is received while an instance of the application is executing using an instance of a current version. The updated version is stored with new version information, concurrently with the current version. A request is received for execution of the application that uses the software component. Invoking logic in the application is updated to invoke the software component. The updating includes modifying the invoking logic to invoke the updated version using the updated version information in the invoking logic. The updating causes the invoking logic to invoke, at runtime, the updated version. Instances of the application invoked prior to the receiving and storing continue to execute using the current version. The application is provided for execution, including the updated invoking logic. |
| US09652218B2 |
Feature exploitation evaluator
In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method includes maintaining a feature repository that includes one or more current feature descriptors describing one or more current features currently incorporated into a computer system. A new feature descriptor is read describing a new feature. By a computer processor, the new feature descriptor is evaluated with respect to a computer system. The evaluating includes comparing the new feature descriptor to the one or more current feature descriptors. Exploitation data is generated based on the evaluating, where the exploitation data describes a potential use of the new feature on the computer system. The exploitation data is returned to a user. |
| US09652214B1 |
Pluggable extension of software applications
Various embodiments of systems and methods to provide pluggable extensions of software applications are provided herein. In one aspect, plugin application package is received for deployment. The plugin application package includes configuration data to comprising various definitions for the deployment of the plugin application. In another aspect, configuration data of a host software application is updated with at least a part of the configuration data of the plugin application. The host application is reconfigured based on the updated host configuration data to refer to the plugin application. In yet another aspect, one or more plugin services provided by the plugin application are exposed through the reconfigured host application, to handle corresponding user requests. |
| US09652211B2 |
Policy management of deployment plans
A deployment system enables a developer to define a logical, multi-tier application blueprint that can be used to create and manage (e.g., redeploy, upgrade, backup, patch) multiple applications in a cloud infrastructure. The deployment system supports the use of nested policies to manage a deployment plan. Upon determining compliance to the nested policies, the application can be deployed according to an application blueprint, which means any needed VMs are provisioned from the cloud infrastructure, and application components and software services are installed. |
| US09652210B2 |
Provisioning a device with multiple bit-size versions of a software component
A provisioning system to automatically determine the appropriate components to install or make available for installation on a target computer system. The provisioning system ensures the provisioning of software components that are appropriate to each target computer system without requiring user input. The provisioning system can identify support for 64-bit software components. The provisioning system checks a field in the processor to determine longword, that is 64-bit support, or checks an entry in a file maintained by an operating system to determine 64 bit support. If 64-bit support is not detected then a 32-bit component is installed to ensure that the target computer system is capable of executing the software component. |
| US09652208B2 |
Compiler and method for global-scope basic-block reordering
An embodiment method of global scope basic-block reordering includes profiling an application having a source code decomposable into a plurality of basic-blocks. The profiling yields a global basic-block sequence. The method also includes generating a hierarchical locality model according to the global basic-block sequence. The method also includes generating a target code according to the hierarchical locality model. |
| US09652205B2 |
Method, system and computer program for bytecode weaving
A method, computer apparatus and computer program product for bytecode weaving is described herein. The method includes determining when a code module such as an OSGi bundle that requires bytecode weaving becomes available for loading into a system. Code associated with the code module is loaded. This code may be part of the module itself or part of a separate entity, such as an OSGI bundle fragment, but does not require weaving. Responsive to loading the code associated with the code module, a reference is received to the entity responsible for loading the code associated with the code module. A code entity (which does require weaving) within the code module is identified and a woven set of bytes are provided to the code loading entity identified via the returned reference. Consequently, the woven set of bytes represents a transformed version of the identified code entity. |
| US09652199B2 |
Doorbell-less protocol for solid state drive interface
The present disclosure relates to methods and systems for performing operations in a communications protocol. An example method can include submitting, from a device, a request for a queue entry representing a command from a host comprising a request for data stored at a device memory location; receiving the command from the host; and executing the command. An example method can also include selecting a bit string representing whether a requested data stream has been received, and storing the bit string into a memory buffer portion to mark the buffer portion. The method can include receiving, into the memory buffer, the stream. The method can include retrieving contents of the buffer portion, and determining whether the contents contain the bit string. If so, the method can include determining that portions of the stream have not been received. Otherwise, the method can include determining that the stream has been received. |
| US09652196B2 |
Smart audio routing management
Examples described herein automatically route audio signals associated with applications to appropriate audio endpoints when a computing device is operating in a disjoint mode. Smart audio routing management of audio signals is based on content output destinations for applications associated with the audio signals. Smart audio routing management enables computing devices operating in a disjoint mode to receive audio signals relevant to application content rendered or displayed over multiple devices, and correctly route individual audio signals to audio endpoints that correspond to a location where associated application content is displayed. |
| US09652194B2 |
Cable with video processing capability
In an embodiment, a host computing device includes an internal display and also includes a connector to connect to an external display. A cable is provided to connect to the connector and to connect to the external display. The cable includes video processing capabilities. For example, the cable may include a memory configured to store a frame buffer. The frame buffer may store a frame of video data for further processing by the video processing device in the cable. The video processing device may manipulate the frame in a variety of ways, e.g. scaling, rotating, gamma correction, dither correction, etc. |
| US09652193B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing service by using screen mirroring
A method for providing a service related to a plurality of mirroring images displayed on a screen of a sink device is provided. The method includes determining a first object in a first mirroring image that is displayed on the screen of the sink device, based on a user input, as the first object is moved to a location in a second mirroring image that is displayed on the screen of the sink device, determining a second object that corresponds to the location to which the first object has been moved, determining a service related to the first object and the second object, from among services provided via the second mirroring image, and outputting a result of the determined service. |
| US09652189B2 |
Non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing printer driver causing computing device to perform prohibition processing, and print control method of the printer driver
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a printer driver, when being executed by a processor of the computing device, causes a computing device to perform prohibition processing including: obtaining setup items associated with print features of the printer device and corresponding option values from PrintTicket, to create check data; checking the check data for a setup item causing a conflict between option values; and in response to finding a setup item causing a conflict between option values, replacing an option value in the PrintTicket, which is set for the setup item causing the conflict, with another option value. |
| US09652184B2 |
Workflow regeneration in a print shop environment
Systems and methods are provided for regenerating workflows for print jobs at a print shop in response to changed conditions. The system identifies a first workflow of print shop activities for a print job, and directs resources of the print shop to perform the activities of the first workflow. The system also stores rules that describe activities at the print shop. Further, the system detects a triggering event and halts processing of the first workflow. The system identifies rules defined for the customer, identifies activities available at the print shop, and generates a second workflow for the print job based on the changed condition, the rules defined for the customer, the available activities, and a job ticket of the print job. The system further directs the resources of the print shop to perform the activities of the second workflow. |
| US09652183B2 |
Image processing system for identifying image processing apparatuses using a terminal apparatus
An image processing system comprises a portable terminal and multiple image processing apparatuses. The portable terminal comprises: a determining portion which determines a target identification operation proving the identify of a target image processing apparatus; a display which displays information about the target identification operation; and an instructing portion which instructs the multiple image processing apparatuses to return answer information. The multiple image processing apparatuses each comprises: a detector which detects that the operation corresponding to the target identification operation has been performed; and a transmitter which transmits to the portable terminal, the answer information and apparatus information. Then the portable terminal further comprises: a receiver which receives the answer information and the apparatus information; and an identifying portion which identifies the target image processing apparatus based on the answer information and the apparatus information. |
| US09652181B2 |
Library apparatus including a cartridge memory (CM) database stored on a storage cloud
In one embodiment, a system includes a storage cloud comprising storage media, a cartridge memory (CM) database stored to the storage media, and a storage controller, wherein the storage controller is configured to communicate with one or more data storage drives located in one or more data storage libraries, each data storage drive being configured to write and/or read data to/from a plurality of data storage cartridges therein, and control the one or more data storage libraries as a single logical library, wherein the CM database includes a plurality of entries, each entry corresponding to a data storage cartridge. In another embodiment, the data storage cartridge includes a data storage medium configured to store more than about 100 MB of data, a physical CM configured to store less than about 100 KB of data, and a visible indicator displayed on an exterior of the housing. |
| US09652178B2 |
Systems and methods for protecting virtual machine data
A computer-implemented method for protecting virtual machine data may include (1) receiving a request to perform a granular backup operation on data stored by a guest system within a virtual machine, (2) identifying a storage container that comprises an agent that performs backup operations, (3) attaching the storage container to the virtual machine in response to the request, and (4) performing the granular backup operation by sending an instruction to the guest system within the virtual machine to execute the agent. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed. |
| US09652177B2 |
Memory controller including host command queue and method of operating the same
Disclosed is a memory controller, including: a host interface suitable for queuing a plurality of host commands from a host in a host command queue; a state register storing ready set bits respectively corresponding to the plurality of host commands; a memory command generating unit generating and queuing memory commands and state update information corresponding to the queued host commands in a memory command queue, respectively; and the memory command performing unit performing an operation in response to the queued memory commands. The memory command performing unit obtains state update information corresponding to the performed memory command from the memory command queue, and updates a ready set bit of a host command corresponding to the performed memory command based on the obtained state update information. |
| US09652176B2 |
Memory controller for micro-threaded memory operations
A micro-threaded memory device. A plurality of storage banks are provided, each including a plurality of rows of storage cells and having an access restriction in that at least a minimum access time interval must transpire between successive accesses to a given row of the storage cells. Transfer control circuitry is provided to transfer a first amount of data between the plurality of storage banks and an external signal path in response to a first memory access request, the first amount of data being less than a product of the external signal path bandwidth and the minimum access time interval. |
| US09652175B2 |
Locally generating and storing RAID stripe parity with single relative memory address for storing data segments and parity in multiple non-volatile memory portions
A memory controller receives a command to perform a memory operation, the command including a data packet comprising a plurality of data divisions. In response to receiving the command, for each individual memory device, the memory controller assigns to the individual memory device a respective data division, the respective data division including a plurality of data segments, and determines a single relative memory address associated with an address specified by the received command. The memory controller assembles a sub-request comprising a single contiguous instruction portion, which includes the single relative memory address and one or more instructions to perform the memory operation, and the respective data division, the respective data division following the single contiguous instruction portion, and transmits the sub-request to every memory portion of the number of memory portions of the individual memory device. |
| US09652172B2 |
Data storage device performing merging process on groups of memory blocks and operation method thereof
A data storage device capable of improving operation performance by optimizing internal operations is disclosed. The operation method of the data storage device includes grouping memory blocks based on the number of valid pages included in each of the memory blocks; and determining whether to perform a merging process on the groups of memory blocks based on a merging determination value. |
| US09652169B2 |
Adaptive concurrency control using hardware transactional memory and locking mechanism
A method includes the following steps. Runtime statistics related to data transaction processing in a concurrent system are collected. A given request to access shared data in the concurrent system is receive. Based on the collected runtime statistics, the number of reattempts the given request can make to access the shared data prior to access control being switched from a hardware transactional memory to a locking mechanism is adaptively determined. |
| US09652166B2 |
Secondary storage operation instruction tags in information management systems
According to certain aspects, a system can include a client computing device configured to: in response to user interaction, store an identifier associated with a first tag in association with a first file; and in response to instructions to perform a secondary copy operation, forward the first file, a second file, and the identifier associated with the first tag. The system may also include a secondary storage controller computer(s) configured to: based on a review of the identifier associated with the first tag, identify the first file as having been tagged with the first tag; electronically obtain rules associated with the first tag; perform on the first file at least a first secondary storage operation specified by the rules associated with the first tag; and perform on the second file at least a second secondary storage operation, wherein the first and second secondary storage operations are different. |
| US09652165B2 |
Storage device and data management method
Regardless of which of the multiple storage subsystems provided with the same identification information is accessed from a plurality of host computers, multiple volumes provided with the same identification information among the storage subsystems are subjected to extent exclusion sharing. Therefore, a multiplex volume provided with the same identification information among the plurality of storage subsystems and a first storage subsystem for processing input/output requests by the channel command to the multiplex volume are provided, wherein if the channel command received from the host computer or via a control unit of a second storage subsystem is an input/output request of the multiplex volume, a control unit of the first storage subsystem determines the access authority regarding an extent range of the multiplex volume designated by the channel command, based on information on whether an input/output processing regarding the extent range is already executed based on another request. |
| US09652164B2 |
Solid-state mass storage device and method for processing forced unit access write commands
Mass storage devices and methods of operating thereof adapted for use with a host and for storing data thereof includes at least one non-volatile memory for storing the data, at least one volatile memory, a memory controller configured for reading and writing the data and metadata to and from the non-volatile memory and the volatile memory, and an auxiliary power supply, wherein the memory controller locates the data on the non-volatile memory with the metadata. When processing a write command that requires all data to be written to the non-volatile memory before confirmation is returned to the host computer system that the write command has succeeded, the mass storage device is configured to write the data to the non-volatile memory, write the metadata to the volatile memory, and once the both data and metadata are written, return a completion status of the write command to the host computer system. |
| US09652163B2 |
Coordinated space reclamation in space-efficient flashcopy volumes
A method for releasing storage space in a space-efficient volume is disclosed. In one embodiment, such a method includes maintaining, for a space-efficient volume, a bitmap comprising a bit for each track in the space-efficient volume. A host system indicates whether a track is one of used and unused by marking the corresponding bit in the bitmap. A storage controller reads the bitmap and frees tracks from the space-efficient volume that the bitmap indicates are unused. In certain embodiments, the bitmap is stored on the space-efficient volume. For example, the bitmap may be appended to a volume table of contents (VTOC) stored on the space-efficient volume. A corresponding system and computer program product are also disclosed. |
| US09652159B2 |
Relocating data in tiered pool using multiple modes of moving data
An example of an information storage system includes physical storage drives for providing real storage areas to a pool which is tiered into tiers different in performance, and a controller. The controller monitors accesses in a first tier in the pool. The controller determines a loaded state of the first tier based on the accesses to the first tier. The controller holds management information relating loads to the first tier to relocation speeds and/or modes of moving data in data relocation between a second tier in the pool and the first tier. The controller determines at least one of a relocation speed and a mode of moving data in data relocation between the second tier and the first tier based on the determined loaded state of the first tier and the management information. |
| US09652154B2 |
Storage module and host device for storage module defragmentation
A storage module and host device for storage module defragmentation are disclosed. In one embodiment, a host controller sends a storage module a first set of logical block addresses of a file stored in the storage module. The host controller receives a metric from the storage module indicative of a fragmentation level of the file in physical blocks of memory in the storage module. If the metric is greater than a threshold, the host controller reads the file and then writes it back to the storage module using a different set of logical block addresses. To avoid sending the file back and forth, in another embodiment, the host controller sends the fragmentation threshold and the different set of logical block addresses to the storage module. The storage module then moves the file itself if the metric indicative of the fragmentation level is greater than the threshold. Other embodiments are provided. |
| US09652149B2 |
Input device and electronic device
An input device includes a storage section, a display section, a touch sensor, a control section, and a display switch section. The control section switches the display state of a to-be-deleted symbol string on the display section to any one of a second half hiding state, a first half hiding state, and a full display state every time the display switch section is pressed during touch operation on the display section by a user. The second half hiding state is to hide a second half symbol string, out of the to-be-deleted symbol string, displayed behind a deletion reference position. The first half hiding state is to hide a first half symbol string, out of the to-be-deleted symbol string, displayed before the deletion reference position. The full display state is to display the to-be-deleted symbol string in full. |
| US09652148B2 |
Soft keyboard with keypress markers
Disclosed herein are technologies that improve user interaction when using a soft keyboard of a touchscreen device (e.g., a smartphone or tablet computer). More particularly, the technologies described herein provide feedback to a user regarding keypress accuracy on a soft keyboard of a touchscreen device. In accordance with one aspect of the technologies, a keypress marker is presented to indicate the location of touch on the soft keyboard. |
| US09652147B2 |
Method and apparatus for shifting software input panel and recording medium thereof
A method and an apparatus for altering a key function of a software input panel (SIP) of an electronic device and a recording medium thereof are provided, wherein the SIP includes a plurality of keys, and the number and layout of the keys are fixed. In the present method, first, an operating interface of an electronic device is switched, wherein the operating interface includes the SIP. Then, each key of the SIP is switched to an input word corresponding to the operating interface. As a result, the input word corresponding to each key of the SIP is automatically altered according to the current operating interface, and accordingly inputting through the SIP is made very convenient. |
| US09652146B2 |
Ergonomic motion detection for receiving character input to electronic devices
Sliding and non-sliding touch input to an electronic device may be selected so that the motions associated with a character to input are intuitive and thus easy to remember. The motions for the contacts of the touch input may be selected ergonomically in a way enabling touch-typing, thus increasing user comfort for longer periods of use. Multiple repositionable finger contact regions are maintained on a contact surface in an arrangement that is easily accessible for the user's fingertips. Each available input character is associated with a unique finger contact or set of simultaneously-entered contacts, each contact being either sliding or non-sliding contact, and the sliding contacts having a direction associated with the character. One example touch surface is a touch screen. Another example touch surface is the table upon which the electronic device sets and thus separate from the electronic device and freeing space on the device for other use. |
| US09652142B2 |
System and method of mode-switching for a computing device
A first device such as a portable computing device can be configured to act as a text-entry device (in a text-entry mode) and a cursor control device (in a cursor control mode) for a second device. The first device can include a touch-sensitive display capable of receiving text inputs and cursor inputs for controlling the display of a second device which is communicatively coupled to the first device. The first device can be configured such that selection of certain items displayed by the second device can cause the first device to switch from a text-entry mode to a cursor control mode. The first device can be configured such that rotation of the device between a landscape orientation and a portrait orientation causes the device to switch between modes. The first device can be configured such that sideways movement of the device causes the device to switch between modes. |
| US09652139B1 |
Graphical representation of an output
Aspects of the present disclosure relate to graphical representation of an output. A server provides for presentation, at a display device, of a first graphical representation of an output for a class. The server receives a selection of a time range for the class. The server determines, based on the output for the class during the selected time range, a baseline output. The server provides for presentation, in response to the selection of the time range, of a second graphical representation of the output, during the time range, for a family from the class, the second graphical representation indicating a difference between the output for the family and an output value for the family predicted based on the baseline output. |
| US09652138B2 |
System and method for multi-tasking of a medical imaging system
A medical imaging system capable of acquiring medical imaging data of a patient includes a console coupled to the system, the console comprising a computer programmed to enable a first user to perform a first task on the system via the console, and enable a second user to perform a second task simultaneously with the first task via a remote device. |
| US09652137B2 |
Method and device for confirming and executing payment operations
A method and device for providing one-step payment approval and confirmation are disclosed. The device concurrently displays a data entry region and a confirmation region in a user interface of the device, where the data entry region is to accept user entry of payment data associated with a payment operation and the confirmation region is to require a sliding input to cause execution of the payment operation. While displaying the data entry region containing payment data received from a user, the device detects a user input in the confirmation region of the user interface. The device determines, in accordance with a predetermined criterion, whether the detected user input qualifies as a sliding input that follows a predefined motion path. Upon determining that the detected user input qualifies as the required sliding input, the electronic device executes the payment operation in accordance with the received payment data. |
| US09652136B2 |
Method and apparatus for a slider interface element
A method comprising determining to provide for adjustment of a first setting, causing display of a first curvilinear slider interface element that relates to a value of the first setting, receiving an indication of a drag input associated with the first curvilinear slider interface element, causing adjustment movement of the selection point relative to the curvilinear slider interface element in proportion to the drag input, and determining a value of the first setting is based, at least in part, on a position of the first selection point relative to curvilinear slider interface element is disclosed. |
| US09652135B2 |
Mobile device of bangle type, control method thereof, and user interface (ui) display method
A mobile device is provided. The mobile device includes a body of a bangle type configured to be worn on a user body, a display mounted in the body, a motion sensor configured to detect a motion, a storage configured to store control information which is differently set according to a motion state, and, when a motion is detected by the motion sensor, a controller configured to change a screen of the display according to control information corresponding to the detected motion. Accordingly, the mobile device is easily carried and used. |
| US09652133B2 |
Method and apparatus for designating entire area using partial area touch in a portable equipment
A portable device is configured to perform a touch input method. The method includes determining whether an input for selecting a specific divided area is detected in a divided touch area on a screen divided into a plurality of areas. The method also includes, if the input for selecting the specific divided area is detected, moving the selected specific divided area to the divided touch area. The method further includes, if a specific input occurs in the selected specific divided area moved to the divided touch area, performing a function of an item indicated by the specific input. |
| US09652132B2 |
Handling touch inputs based on user intention inference
Users can navigate and manipulate content, such as by scrolling a document or selecting content in the document, by using various touch inputs that indicate a behavior that the user is trying to perform. In order to improve the user interface experience for a user, embodiments analyze touch inputs to determine when a user would like to perform a navigational jump and then execute such a jump, based on the specific touch inputs involved. |
| US09652124B2 |
Use of beacons for assistance to users in interacting with their environments
Beacon-based guidance functionality is described herein that assists the user in navigating over a desired route within an environment, or otherwise interacting with the environment. The environment, in turn, is populated with a plurality of beacons having, in one implementation, respective non-overlapping ranges. The desired route traverses ranges associated with a route-specific set of beacons, from among the plurality of beacons. In one manner of operation, the beacon-based guidance functionality determines whether a user is within a range of one of the route-specific beacons. Based on that knowledge, the beacon-based guidance module can generate guidance information which directs the user towards a next waypoint in the route. |
| US09652122B2 |
Technique for enabling multiple actions to be performed on an active data item
A record is processed, and a determination is made as to whether a data item in the record is usable by any one of a plurality of applications that are operable on the device. The detected data item is made actionable by assigning multiple actions to the data item, so that each action is programmatically initiated responsive to a designated input. |
| US09652120B2 |
Electronic device and method for controlling a screen
The present disclosure relates to an electronic device and a method of controlling a screen. The method of controlling a screen of an electronic device includes transmitting a request comprising at least one keyword to a server. Thumbnails are arranged into an image. The thumbnails are associated with digital content corresponding most with at least one keyword in the request. The image is rendered on a screen. |
| US09652119B2 |
Method and apparatus for user interface based on gesture
A method for a user interface based on a gesture includes setting at least one gesture region including at least one basic region and at least one navigation region based on a preset location or a detected location of at least one object to be tracked, the at least one navigation region including at least one item, detecting a gesture of the at least one object to be tracked using an input device, and recognizing, from the detected gesture, at least one of a select gesture for selecting any one item among the at least one item of the at least one navigation region and a confirm gesture for moving from the at least one navigation region to the at least one basic region. |
| US09652115B2 |
Vertical floor expansion on an interactive digital map
A digital map of a geographic area is displayed via a user interface, and a 3D representation of a multi-story building located in the geographic area is displayed on the digital map. The 3D representation includes multiple stacked floor maps corresponding to the floors of the multi-story building. In response to the detection of a pinch gesture that is applied to the 3D representation, a vertical distance between each floor map is expanded relative to the detected pinch gesture to reveal features of an internal map that corresponds to each floor map. |
| US09652113B1 |
Managing multiple overlapped or missed meetings
Managing multiple overlapped electronic conference meetings is provided. Real time streams of speech data are received from a plurality of overlapping electronic conference meetings a registered user is scheduled to participate in. It is determined that a real time stream of speech data corresponding to an electronic conference meeting includes a trigger. It is determined that the registered user is not currently participating in the electronic conference meeting including the trigger. A notification that includes a selectable control element is sent, via a network, to the registered user regarding the electronic conference meeting along with a transcript of the electronic conference meeting. The registered user is joined to the electronic conference meeting in response to receiving an input selecting the selectable control element. |
| US09652112B2 |
Dynamic adjustment of video quality
A video quality module receives data indicating a visibility status of a tab of a web browser running on a user device. The video quality module determines, based on the data indicating the visibility status of the tab whether the tab of the web browser is currently visible to a user of the user device, the tab of the web browser comprising a streaming media player. If the tab of the web browser is not currently visible to the user, the video quality module decreases a quality of a video component of a streaming media file playing in the streaming media player. |
| US09652109B2 |
Predictive contextual toolbar for productivity applications
A predictive contextual toolbar is presented that provides an identifiable region on which predicted commands can be surfaced. This user interface can be presented in cases where an indication of a request for a command (such as a formatting tool) is received, for example, while a user is interacting with a canvas of a productivity application. When conditions for surfacing a predictive command are met, the system can display an identifiable region on which predicted commands are surfaced according to context associated with the conditions for surfacing the predictive command. The identifiable region may be an extension of a mini toolbar. One or more dynamic predicted commands can be surfaced on the identifiable region to provide easily accessible, user specific, context related commands. |
| US09652105B2 |
Electronic device, wireless power receiving apparatus, and display apparatus
Disclosed are an electronic device, a wireless power reception apparatus, and a display device. The electronic device, which is equipped with a wireless power receiving apparatus to wirelessly receive power from a wireless power transmission apparatus, includes a signal receiving part to receive a signal required to operate the electronic device, and a wireless power signal removing part to remove a signal having a frequency used for wireless power transmission among signals received in the signal receiving part. |
| US09652101B2 |
Two-dimensional sensor arrays
Sensors incorporating piezoresistive materials are described. One class of sensors includes piezoresistive material that is held or otherwise supported adjacent conductive traces on a substrate. Another class of sensors includes conductive traces formed directly on the piezoresistive material. Two-dimensional sensor arrays incorporating piezoresistive materials are also described. |
| US09652098B2 |
Display device including touch sensor
The inventive concept relates to a display device including a touch sensor. More particularly, the inventive concept relates to a display device including a hybrid touch sensor for sensing a touch position and a touch pressure. The display device includes: a display panel for displaying an image; and a touch sensor unit provided on the display panel, wherein the touch sensor unit includes a sensing electrode layer including a first touch sensor and a pressure sensing electrode, a conductor, and an elastic layer provided between the sensing electrode layer and the conductor, the first touch sensor includes a plurality of touch electrodes for sensing a touch position, the plurality of touch electrodes including a transparent conductive material, and the pressure sensing electrode, the conductor, and the elastic layer form a second touch sensor for sensing a touch pressure by a foreign object. |
| US09652095B2 |
Pixel circuit, method for driving the same, organic light-emitting diode display panel, and display device
The present disclosure provides a pixel circuit, its driving method, an OLED display panel and a display device. The pixel circuit includes: a display driving module configured to, within a time period and under the control of a first scanning signal from a first scanning line, a second scanning signal a the second scanning line and a control signal from a control line, compensate for a threshold voltage of a driving transistor with a data signal from a data line and a second signal from a second signal source, so that a light-emitting driving signal for the OLED is irrelevant to the threshold voltage of the driving transistor at a third stage of the time period; and a capacitive touch detection module configured to, within the time period and under the control of the first scanning signal and the control signal, detect a touch signal from a touch screen. |
| US09652092B2 |
Touch-sensitive input device
A touch-sensitive input device (2) in the form of a touch panel is described. The device comprises a transparent substrate (11) and at least one transparent electrode (14) disposed on the substrate, the at least one electrode comprising a layer (16) of opaque conductive material having holes (35) therein so as to form a mesh of opaque conductive material. |
| US09652091B1 |
Touch sensitive display utilizing mutual capacitance and self capacitance
Systems and methods are provided for detecting gestures using both mutual capacitance and self capacitance touch sensing. These systems may be incorporated into devices utilizing an in-cell touch system, where the display controller is also used to drive the transmitter lines for mutual capacitance scans. The receiver lines can be used in conjunction with the transmitter lines for mutual capacitance sensing, or can be used alone for self capacitance sensing, even when the display controller is not operating, such as when the display is turned off. One-dimensional touch detection using the receiver lines alone can be used to generate different types of gesture inputs or to trigger body proximity sensing. |
| US09652088B2 |
Fabrication of touch sensor panel using laser ablation
Fabrication of a touch sensor panel using laser ablation is disclosed. The fabricated touch sensor panel can have its touch sensors formed from conductive layers disposed on a surface such as an undersurface of the panel's cover substrate. A fabrication method can include ablating a first conductive layer to define the first part of the touch sensors and then ablating a second conductive layer proximate to the first conductive layer to define the second part of the touch sensors. The touch sensor panel can be incorporated into a mobile telephone, a digital media player, or a personal computer. |
| US09652087B2 |
Telecommunication unit having a projection device and method for operating a telecommunication unit having a projection device
A telecommunication unit is provided, having a projection device for projecting image information onto a projection area located outside the telecommunication unit, the telecommunication unit being configured so that the projection device projects the image information in various first directions of a projection direction range onto the projection area, starting from the telecommunication unit. The telecommunication unit has an input detection device next to the projection device; the telecommunication unit being further configured so that, using the input detection device, a user input undertaken using a movement of a body part of a user is detectable; the user input taking place, starting from the telecommunication unit, in a detection direction range located outside the projection direction range; the user input being contactless with respect to the telecommunication unit. |
| US09652084B2 |
Near touch interaction
A near-touch interface is provided that utilizes stereo cameras and a series of targeted structured light tessellations, emanating from the screen as a light source and incident on objects in the field-of-view. After radial distortion from a series of wide-angle lenses is mitigated, a surface-based spatio-temporal stereo algorithm is utilized to estimate initial depth values. Once these values are calculated, a subsequent refinement step may be applied in which light source tessellations are used to flash a structure onto targeted components of the scene, where initial near-interaction disparity values have been calculated. The combination of a spherical stereo algorithm, and smoothing with structured light source tessellations, provides for a very reliable and fast near-field depth engine, and resolves issues that are associated with depth estimates for embedded solutions of this approach. |
| US09652082B1 |
Space efficient electronic device component configurations
Some implementations include electronic devices having space efficient component configurations. In some instances, an electronic device may include an electronic display, a light source, and a lightguide having one or more reflective surfaces. This disclosure describes, in part, configurations of these and other components that create opportunities for efficiently using space associated with the electronic device. |
| US09652076B1 |
Gesture fingerprinting
Various implementations related to gesture fingerprinting are described. In one such implementation, a computer-implemented method includes receiving input from a user entered via an input device; determining a gesture and one or more attributes associated with the gesture based on the input; matching the gesture to a gesture model for the user using the one or more attributes; and optimizing the gesture model based on subsequent input received from the user. |
| US09652072B2 |
Full in-cell sensor
A display device having an integrated capacitive sensing device includes receiver electrodes disposed on a back side of a color filter glass. Transmitter electrodes of the capacitive sensing device are configured with a size and geometry that reduces the capacitive coupling between the transmitter and receiver electrodes. The transmitter electrodes may be made of one or more prongs or segments from a segmented common electrode. |
| US09652071B2 |
Method and apparatus for handwriting input
The present disclosure relates to the field of a human-machine interaction, and provides a method and apparatus for handwriting input which enable the user to perform the handwriting input more freely in the position, and thus enhance the user experience. The handwriting input method comprises the steps of: detecting the input action of the user who is performing the suspending handwriting input with the handwriting input apparatus; converting the input action to input information; and transmitting the input information via communication to the display device for receiving and displaying the input information. The embodiments of the present disclosure can be applied to the technique of handwriting input in a long distance. |
| US09652068B2 |
Electronic device and information processing method
The present disclosure discloses an electronic device and an information processing method, which can solve the technical problem that the conventional electronic device's surface panel is easily damaged under an external force. The electronic device comprises: a panel located on a first surface of the electronic device, a force-bearing surface of the panel being a deformable surface; a first sensor corresponding to the panel and configured to detect a deformation quantity of the force-bearing surface; and a processor connected to the first sensor and configured to determine a first parameter of an applied force applied on the force-bearing surface based on the deformation quantity and to determine a corresponding execution instruction based on the first parameter. |
| US09652066B2 |
Electronic device including finger biometric sensor including transparent conductive blocking areas carried by a touch display and related methods
An electronic device may include a touch display including at least one display layer, and at least one transparent conductive layer thereon defining touch sensing pixels. The electronic device may also include a finger biometric sensor carried by the touch display and that includes a finger biometric sensing layer including an array of transparent conductive finger biometric sensing pixels capacitively coupled to the at least one transparent conductive layer of the touch display. The finger biometric sensor may also include switchable transparent conductive blocking areas between the finger biometric sensing layer and the at least one transparent conductive layer of the touch display and may be selectively switchable between blocking and reading states. |
| US09652064B2 |
Touch display module and driving method thereof and source driver
A touch display module, a driving method thereof and a source driver are provided. The touch display module includes a touch display panel and at least one source driver. The source driver is coupled to a plurality of data lines of the touch display panel. In a display mode, the source driver respectively outputs a plurality of pixel driving signals to the data lines for driving the touch display panel to display a corresponding image. In a touch mode, the source driver clusters the data lines into multiple groups, and respectively outputs a plurality of touch driving signals to the groups. The data lines belonging to a same group are provided with a same touch driving signal in the touch mode. |
| US09652056B2 |
Touch-enable cursor control method and electronic device thereof
A method of operating a touch screen and an electronic device thereof are provided. The method includes the operations of sensing an object approaching the touch screen, and displaying a pointer at a predetermined position of the touch screen in response to the object. |
| US09652055B2 |
Layer stack for a touch panel and method for forming a layer stack
A layer stack for a touch panel is described. The layer stack includes a substrate including a polymer for depositing one or more layers on the substrate; a patterned transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layer provided over the substrate, which comprises areas of TCO and gaps between the areas of TCO; a first dielectric material provided in the gaps of the patterned TCO layer and a dielectric layer being deposited directly on the TCO areas of the TCO layer and directly on the first dielectric material. Further, a touch panel including a layer stack and a method for forming a layer stack for a touch panel is described. |
| US09652054B2 |
Interactive projector device
An interactive device includes a first sensor, a first button, an accelerometer, a processor, and a transmitter. The first sensor is configured to receive coordinate information from a coordinate projection of a projector. The first button is configured to transmit an erase signal when the first button is pressed. The accelerometer is configured to provide angle information for the interactive device. The processor is in communication with the first sensor, with the first button, and with the accelerometer. The processor configured to receive the coordinate information from the first sensor, to receive the erase signal from the first button, to receive the angle information from the accelerometer, and to generate erase information based on the coordinate information, the erase signal, and the angle information. The transmitter is in communication with the processor, and is configured to transmit a delete request including the erase information received from the processor to the projector. |
| US09652052B2 |
Optical mini-mouse
There is provided an optical mini-mouse including a mouse case and a navigation module. The mouse case includes a valley and a flat region arranged along a length direction and the valley extends along a width direction. When the mouse case is rotated about the valley, the navigation module is configured to detect a rotation. |
| US09652051B2 |
System and method for redirection and processing of audio and video data based on gesture recognition
An information handling system includes a redirection module and an audio/video module. The redirection module receives an audio data frame and an image data frame, analyzes the image data frame for a trigger event. In response the trigger event being detected in the image data frame, the redirection module replaces the audio data frame with a silent audio data frame and provides the silent audio data frame to the audio/video module. Otherwise the redirection module provides the audio data frame to the audio/video module. The audio/video module receives and transmits either the audio data frame or the silent audio data frame. |
| US09652050B2 |
Adjustable ergonomic keyboard
An input system includes at least one base portion. A plurality of multi-function keys, a function lock key, and a function activation key are located on the at least one base portion and coupled to a key function engine. The key function engine is configured to provide the plurality of multi-function keys in a first function mode. The key function engine may then change the function mode of the plurality of multi-function keys from the first function mode to a second function mode in response to receiving a first input through the function activation key that is followed by a second input that is received through the function lock key. The key function engine may then change the function mode of the plurality of multi-function keys between the second function mode and the first function mode in response to each subsequent input that is received through the function activation key. |
| US09652049B2 |
Electrical connector having an external switch
An input device may include: (a) a connector that recognizes a connection of an external device; (b) a switch located at an upper end portion of the connector and that connects an electrical signal when a physical input of a threshold pressure or more is pressed; (c) a substrate connected to a connection terminal of the switch and mounted at a surface in which the switch is not located; and/or (d) a key base that presses the switch. |
| US09652048B2 |
Divisible keyboard for imprecise input
A sectionable keyboard is described. A mobile device including the keyboard includes a processor. A memory is coupled to the processor. A software application capable of executing on the processor is stored in the memory. The keyboard is coupled to the processor and provides input from the user. The keyboard includes a plurality of keys that is separated into a plurality of sections. Each section includes a multiple of physically adjacent keys such that a selection of the input is chosen when two or more of the physically adjacent keys in each section are activated simultaneously. The physically adjacent keys in each of the sections correspond to a different input. |
| US09652045B2 |
Electronic apparatus and method for controlling response
An electronic apparatus is described and includes a first body; a second body; and at least two connecting devices, wherein the first body is connected with the second body in a slidable manner through the at least two connecting devices. The first body slides to a first state relative to the second body through the at least two connecting devices, and the first body slides to a second state relative to the second body through the at least two connecting devices. The first state is a first limit position of the sliding distance provided by the at least two connecting devices that the first body slides relative to the second body, and the second state is a second limit position of the sliding distance provided by the at least two connecting devices that the first body slides relative to the second body. |
| US09652042B2 |
Architecture for controlling a computer using hand gestures
Architecture for implementing a perceptual user interface. The architecture comprises alternative modalities for controlling computer application programs and manipulating on-screen objects through hand gestures or a combination of hand gestures and verbal commands. The perceptual user interface system includes a tracking component that detects object characteristics of at least one of a plurality of objects within a scene, and tracks the respective object. Detection of object characteristics is based at least in part upon image comparison of a plurality of images relative to a course mapping of the images. A seeding component iteratively seeds the tracking component with object hypotheses based upon the presence of the object characteristics and the image comparison. A filtering component selectively removes the tracked object from the object hypotheses and/or at least one object hypothesis from the set of object hypotheses based upon predetermined removal criteria. |
| US09652039B2 |
Management methods and systems for item change
Management methods and systems for item change are provided. First, a plurality of items are provided. An instruction for performing a change between the items is received. When the change between the items is performed, a notification is generated to inform the performance of the corresponding change. |
| US09652037B2 |
Whole-body human-computer interface
A human-computer interface system having an exoskeleton including a plurality of structural members coupled to one another by at least one articulation configured to apply a force to a body segment of a user, the exoskeleton comprising a body-borne portion and a point-of-use portion; the body-borne portion configured to be operatively coupled to the point-of-use portion; and at least one locomotor module including at least one actuator configured to actuate the at least one articulation, the at least one actuator being in operative communication with the exoskeleton. |
| US09652027B2 |
Thread scheduling based on performance state and idle state of processing units
A computing system having a plurality of processing units configured to perform work by having threads assigned to the processing units. A thread scheduler is coupled to the plurality of processors and configured to schedule threads to the processing units. A power manager is coupled to the thread scheduler and controls performance states or idle states of the processing units. The thread scheduler maintains information about current performance state or idle state per processing unit. The information includes a multi-level description of the processing units in the computing system. The multi-level description includes three or more different entry values of different levels for performance state or idle state for processing units. The power manager provides the multi-level description of the processing units to the thread scheduler, which is configured to schedule threads to the processing units based on the multi-level description. |
| US09652025B2 |
Communication device
A communication device configured to performing communication with an external device. The communication device includes a calculation unit, a recording unit configured to record a first firmware that makes the calculation unit function in a first mode, and a second firmware that makes the calculation unit function in a second mode that is different from the first mode, and a communication unit, when the calculation unit receives a signal from the external device in a designated state switching from execution of the first firmware to execution of the second firmware, configured to make a response not according to contents of the received signal. |
| US09652019B2 |
System and method for adjusting processor performance based on platform and ambient thermal conditions
A system and method for efficient management of operating modes within an integrated circuit (IC) for optimal power and performance targets. A semiconductor chip includes processing units each of which operates with respective operating parameters. Temperature sensors are included to measure a temperature of the one or more processing units during operation. A power manager determines a calculated power value independent of thermal conditions and current draw. The power manager reads each of a first thermal design power (TDP) value for the processing units and a second TDP value for a platform housing the semiconductor chip. The power manager determines a ratio of the first TDP value to the second TDP value. Additionally, the power manager determines another ratio of the first TDP value to the calculated power value. Using the measured temperature, the ratios and the calculated power value, the power manager determines a manner to adjust the operating parameters. |
| US09652015B2 |
Low-power touch button sensing system
A capacitance sensing circuit receives an application of a power supply. The capacitance sensing circuit controls a switch circuit to connect the power supply to a processing device responsive to the application of the power supply. The capacitance sensing circuit receives, via a control interface and from the processing device, control information to configure the capacitance sensing circuit. The capacitance sensing circuit disconnects the power supply from the processing device subsequent to receiving the control information. |
| US09652014B2 |
Electrical energy management and monitoring system, and method
A system and method are provided for managing electrical power consumption by individual electrical circuits in a building. The system includes a power control device in electrical communication with a multi-circuit power infeed and a multi-circuit power output, each of which includes at least two electrical conductors on separate circuits. The power control device includes respective electrical switches associated with the conductors of the power infeed and power output, an electronic communications module, and a computer processor in communication with the switches and the communications module. The processor is operable to open and close the electrical switches independently, in response to an occupancy signal and/or a trigger or scheduled event stored by the power control device. When a period of non-use is detected or anticipated, the power control device de-energizes one or more circuits, to limit unnecessary energy consumption within the system. A receptacle-level power control is also disclosed. |
| US09652013B2 |
Piezo driver having passive energy storage component recharging capability
A piezo driver is described that is configured to furnish electric charge to a piezo component during a first operational state and configured to transfer electric charge from the piezo component to a passive energy storage component during a second operational state. In one or more implementations, the piezo driver includes a passive energy storage component configured to store electric charge. The piezo driver also includes a voltage converter configured to electrically connect between a piezo component and the passive energy storage component. The voltage converter is configured to furnish electric charge from the passive energy storage component to the piezo component during a first state of operation and configured to furnish electric charge from the piezo component to the passive energy storage component during a second state of operation. |
| US09652007B2 |
Voltage control circuit
A voltage control circuit includes a processing unit, a power control circuit, a first impedance circuit, a first switch, and a current source. The power control circuit is used for outputting a core voltage to the processing unit. The first switch and the first impedance circuit are connected in parallel between the processing unit and the power control circuit, and they feedback a feedback voltage to the power control circuit. The current source is used for providing or extracting an operating current via the first impedance circuit or the first switch. The first switch is turned on and the processing unit receives a first core voltage when the processing unit operates at a normal mode. The first switch is turned off and the processing unit receives a second core voltage when the processing unit operates at an overvoltage mode. |
| US09652006B2 |
Power management in a discrete memory portion
Systems and methods of operating a computing system may involve receiving, at a control interface, an instruction to alter a power state at a memory device, and directing, by the control interface, a controller to control a power supply to a memory device channel to alter the power state in the memory device. |
| US09652004B2 |
Hand-held electronic devices and related methods for improving thermal behavior of such devices
Hand-held electronic devices and methods for improving thermal behavior of such devices are provided. In this regard, a representative hand-held electronic device includes: a processor operative to execute instructions; a kinetic energy harvester operative to generate electrical power responsive to movement of the hand-held electronic device; and a Peltier component in thermal communication with the processor, the Peltier component being operative to receive power from the kinetic energy harvester and to remove heat from the processor. |
| US09652003B2 |
Heat dissipation assembly and portable electronic device employing same
A heat dissipation assembly includes a main body, a heat conductor element, and a heat dissipation member. The heat conductor element is mounted to the main body and in thermal conductive contact with at least one electronic component. The heat dissipation member is mounted to the main body and is in thermal conductive communication with the heat conductor element. The heat generated by the at least one electronic component is transmitted through the heat conductor element to the heat dissipation member. |
| US09652002B2 |
Modular tablet case
A tablet computer with modular assembly having interchangeable end cap portions, and a method for installing the same. The assembly provides a universal design and customized features to a range of tablets. The modular assembly has a tablet carrier encasing a selected type of tablet computer and an exterior housing enclosing the tablet carrier. The exterior housing contains at least one battery and a controller for communication with the selected tablet computer. The housing also includes end cap portions configured to communicate with the controller and implement a function. The end caps can be interchanged. The tablet carrier and/or exterior housing can also include one or more programmable buttons with actuators for electromechanically actuating a button or an application associated with the tablet. |
| US09652000B1 |
Converter
A converter includes a connecting block and multiple conversion modules corresponsive to each positioning slot. The connecting block has multiple positioning slots. Each conversion module includes a printed circuit board, and a positioning notched edge formed at an edge of the printed circuit board, and at least a portion of each printed circuit board is accommodated into the corresponsive positioning slot, and each positioning notched edge is latched and coupled to an edge of the corresponsive positioning slot, and each printed circuit board has a first connector and a second connector electrically connected to the first connector, and both of the first connector and the second connector are configured on both sides of the connecting block respectively. |
| US09651997B2 |
Methods, systems and apparatus to manage a spatially dynamic display
Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed An example apparatus to update a spatially adjustable display disclosed herein includes a display size monitor to acquire an indication of a size of the spatially adjustable display, a service image comparator to compare the indication of the size to a size model, and a source image adjuster to invoke visual configuration adjustments to an output image of the spatially adjustable display based on parameters identified in the size model. |
| US09651993B2 |
Docking device
A docking device used for attaching a portable electronic device thereon including a base, a lever, a button, and a locking member is provided. The lever pivoting in the base has a first end and a second end opposite to each other. The button and the locking member are movably disposed in the base respectively such that the button and the locking member are extruded out or hidden in the base respectively, wherein the button is located on a moving path of the first end, and the locking member is located on a moving path of the second end. When the portable electronic device is assembled to the docking device, the portable electronic device presses the button into the base to drive the first end, such that the second end drives the locking member out of the base to lock with the portable electronic device. |
| US09651992B2 |
Wearable devices and associated systems
A wearable computing device can have a processor, a memory, and a display so operatively coupled to the processor and the memory as to display an output therefrom. The processor and the memory can be positioned in a resiliently flexible body. The resiliently flexible body can include a first end and an opposed second end, a first edge and an opposed second edge, wherein the first and the second edges extend between the first end and the opposed second end. The body can also have a wearer-engagement portion positioned between the first end and an intermediate region, wherein the finger-engagement portion of the resiliently flexible body circumferentially so extends around a longitudinally extending axis positioned parallel to the first end and spaced apart from the resiliently flexible body as to define an open interior region, wherein the interior region of the wearer-engagement portion defines an inner surface extending between the first edge and the second edge and between the first end and the intermediate region, wherein the wearer engagement portion further defines an outer surface positioned outward of the interior region and opposite the interior surface. A display portion of the body can be positioned between the intermediate region and the second end, wherein the display is positioned in the display portion on a same side of the resiliently flexible body as the outer surface of the wearer-engagement portion. A user input device can be positioned opposite the interior surface and outward of the interior region, and between the first end and the display portion. |
| US09651991B2 |
Mobile terminal and control method thereof
A mobile terminal and a control method are provided. The mobile terminal includes: a body formed to wrap around at least one region of a wrist; a projection unit disposed to the side of the body and projecting image information; a display unit disposed on a front surface of the body and configured to output first screen information; and a controller configured to control the projection unit to project screen information corresponding to first screen information currently displayed on the display unit, on the basis of a pre-set type touch applied to the display unit. |
| US09651990B2 |
Portable electronic device and method of manufacturing the same
Portable electronic device capable of processing information, said portable electronic device including a body arranged to be capable of being secured to the user, and at least one electronic assembly for processing information, the body of the portable electronic device being formed by a layer of plastic material which gives the portable electronic device a shape and thickness, characterized in that the portable electronic device includes a first impermeable plastic film which serves as a coating for the layer of plastic material, and a second impermeable plastic film secured to the periphery of the first impermeable plastic film, and in that the electronic assembly for processing information is arranged between the first and second impermeable plastic films.The invention also concerns a method of manufacturing a portable electronic device. |
| US09651989B2 |
Mobile terminal
Provided is a mobile terminal. The mobile terminal including: a body including a front surface, a side surface and a rear surface, a touch screen including a first region that is disposed on the front surface and formed to have a first curvature and a second region that is disposed on the side surface and extending from the first region and formed to have a second curvature, a sensing unit configured to sense a touch input applied to the touch screen; and a control unit configured to: display on the first region of the touch screen at least a portion of an execution screen of an application, detect a touch input applied to the execution screen, and display on an interface region located between the first region and the second region at least a portion of a graphic object associated with control of an execution screen. |
| US09651983B2 |
Clock generation device and semiconductor device including the same
A clock generation device and a semiconductor device including the same are disclosed, which may tune an internal clock to a desired frequency. The clock generation device may include an oscillator configured to tune an oscillation signal in response to a tuning signal, and adjust a period of an internal clock. The clock generation device may include a counter configured to count the internal clock in response to a count enable signal, and output a count signal. The clock generation device may include a comparator configured to compare the count signal with a test count signal including a target count number of the internal clock, and output the tuning signal. |
| US09651978B2 |
Apparatus and method for power management with a two-loop architecture
Described are apparatuses and methods for power management. The apparatus may include a power gate including a plurality of current sources. The power gate may be coupled to a load. The apparatus may further include a voltage control circuit, coupled to the power gate, to determine and select one or more current sources of the plurality of current sources to supply to the load. The apparatus may further include a current control circuit, coupled to the voltage control circuit, to control individual current sources of the one or more current sources to output a constant current. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed. |
| US09651975B2 |
System, method and apparatus for power demand adjustment based on consumer annoyance
A processing apparatus predicts a first demand amount and a first supply amount in the plan period, selects a candidate group, which is a candidate of a target of a load control, from among the plurality of devices, sends confirmation information that indicates a confirmation of the load control to a communication destination corresponding to the candidate group, upon receiving refusal information that indicates that the load control is refused, excludes the device corresponding to the refusal information from the candidate group, after the selection of the candidate group, receives second demand information and second supply information, predicts a second demand amount and a second supply amount in the plan period, selects a target group, which is a target of the load control, from among the candidate group, and sends a command to the control apparatus corresponding to the target group. |
| US09651974B2 |
Electrical power transmission line length measurement and average temperature estimation
A system and method for measuring length of an electrical power transmission line, and for estimating the average temperature of the line over the measured length. A signal is applied to the line and reflected from a reflection point to obtain a present measure of the line's length. A modified catenary equation uses the length measurement and other variables to estimate average temperature. This temperature measurement can then be used to determine how much power the line is presently capable of safely carrying. |
| US09651973B2 |
System and method for estimating and providing dispatchable operating reserve energy capacity through use of active load management
A method for generating a value for available operating reserve for electric utility. Electric power consumption by at least one device is determined during at least one period of time to produce power consumption data, stored in a repository. Prior to a control event for power reduction and under an assumption that it is not to occur, power consumption behavior expected of the device(s) is determined for a time period during which the control event is expected to occur based on stored power consumption data. Additionally, prior to the control event, projected energy savings resulting from the control event, and associated with a power supply value (PSV) are determined based on devices' power consumption behavior. Amount of available operating reserve is determined based on projected energy savings. |
| US09651972B2 |
Demand regulating system, demand regulating apparatus, and consumption device management apparatus
The priority of a demand regulating control for a device is changed in accordance with a simple operation by a consumer. A demand regulating system has an operation unit that selects from among a plurality of consumption devices, on the basis of priority information and a regulating quantity, a plurality of control-target devices, which are targeted for demand regulating control reducing consumption of the resource. A control unit executes the demand regulating control on the basis of a control instruction; and an input unit receives a first operation by the consumer, and transmits first request information requesting a change in the priorities of the plurality of control-target devices, to the operation unit in accordance with the first operation. The operation unit, upon receiving the first request information, specifies the plurality of control-target devices, and changes the priorities of the plurality of control-target devices in the priority information. |
| US09651971B2 |
Control device, power control system, and power control method
An HEMS 700 provided in a consumer having independently operable power supply means (PV 100, storage battery 200, PCS 400 and the like) and at least one load 300, for controlling the power supply means and the load 300, determines an during-independent-operation schedule that is an operation schedule of the load during the independent operation on the basis of a period when the independent operation is performed, a power supply status of the power supply means, and a status of the load 300. |
| US09651966B2 |
Compensation network for a regulator circuit
A linear regulator includes a drive circuit having an input and an output, with the output configured to drive a control terminal of a power transistor for the delivery of a load current. An error amplifier functions to amplify a difference between a reference signal and a feedback signal to generate an error signal at the input of the drive circuit. A compensation circuit includes a series circuit formed by a compensation capacitor and a variable resistance circuit, where the series circuit is coupled to the input of the drive circuit. A current sensing circuit operates to sense the load current. The resistance of the variable resistance circuit is varied in response to the sensed load current. |
| US09651962B2 |
System and method for a linear voltage regulator
In accordance with an embodiment, a method of operating a power supply includes measuring an output signal of the power supply, determining a control voltage based on the measured output signal, and determining whether a supply voltage of a voltage follower circuit is greater than a first threshold. When the supply voltage of the voltage follower circuit is greater than the first threshold, the control voltage is applied to an input of the voltage follower circuit and an output of the voltage follower circuit is applied to a control node of an output transistor in a first mode. When the supply voltage of the voltage follower circuit is not greater than the first threshold, the voltage follower circuit is shut down and the control voltage is applied to the control node of the output transistor in a second mode. |
| US09651961B2 |
Multi-mode voltage regulation with feedback
Methods and systems to regulate a voltage with multiple selectable voltage regulator (VR) modes, using multiple corresponding circuits and/or a configurable circuit. The circuit may be configurable for one or more of a power-gate VR mode, a switched-capacitor VR (SCVR) mode, and a linear mode, such as a low drop-out (LDO) VR mode. A feedback controller, such as a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller, may configure and/or control a multi-mode VR for a selected VR mode. The feedback controller may select a VR mode based on a reference voltage and voltage ranges associated with the VR modes. The circuit may be configurable as banks of VRs, and the controller may be implemented to transition between VR modes by switching sub-banks between modes until the transition is complete. |
| US09651959B2 |
Single-inductor dual-output (SIDO) power converter for hysteresis current control mode and control method thereof
The present disclosure illustrates a single-inductor dual-output (SIDO) power converter for hysteresis current control mode and a control method thereof. In the SIDO power converter provided by the instant disclosure, a detecting circuit, connected to the upper bridge transistor, determines whether the inductive current reaches the upper limit threshold or the lower limit threshold, and further drives a control circuit to turn on or off the corresponding upper bridge transistor and/or the lower bridge transistor, so as to simplify the operation of the hysteresis current control mode. |
| US09651953B2 |
Flow controller
A flow controller for a heating system with a housing, which has an inlet connection for a heating medium, an outlet connection for the heating medium, and a preadjustment connection, with a rate regulating module, and with a handle, which acts together with a movably disposed structural element of the rate regulating module to preadjust the flow. To change the preadjustment of the flow via the handle, an effective cross section of a first flow-through opening for the heating medium can be adjusted and to regulate the preadjusted flow of the heating medium, a sleeve of the rate regulating module and a cup of the rate regulating module are disposed axially movable to one another. The inflow to the rate regulating module occurs on an outer side via the first flow-through opening which is provided on the sleeve and upstream of the second flow-through opening. |
| US09651952B2 |
Method and device for the cyclic digital transmission of a position value of a moving object with inertial mass
In a method and device for the cyclic digital transmission of a position value of a moving object with inertial mass, the value range of the transmitted position value is restricted such that no complete rotation or, in the case of a linear motion, other complete period caused by mechanical conditions may be mapped, and the actual position is formed by detecting value-range exceedances in an evaluation unit. |
| US09651948B2 |
Roll attitude-dependent roll rate limit
Systems and methods are provided for a roll attitude dependent roll rate limit that may limit an aircraft to a lower roll rate limit under normal flight conditions. The systems and methods may detect situations where a higher roll rate limit may be desirable and allow the aircraft to exceed the lower roll rate limit, to either a higher roll rate limit or a roll rate between the lower and higher roll rate limit. |
| US09651947B2 |
Apparatus for switching driving mode of vehicle and method thereof
Systems and techniques are disclosed for switching a vehicle driving mode. A sensing unit senses a state of a driver of a vehicle configured to be driven automatically or manually. An intention detecting unit detects whether the driver intends to switch from an automatic driving mode to a manual driving mode based on the state of the driver. An operation detecting unit detects whether the driver is able to operate the vehicle in the manual driving mode based on the state of the driver. A driving state predicting unit predicts a driving state of the vehicle in the manual driving mode based on detecting that the driver is able to operate the vehicle in the manual driving mode. A control unit determines that the predicted driving state of the vehicle meets a preset condition and switches from the automatic to the manual driving mode. |
| US09651945B1 |
Dynamic management system, method, and recording medium for cognitive drone-swarms
A method, system, and recording medium including a mission receiving device configured to receive a mission for the drone-swarm based on a user input, a drone and pattern recruiting device configured to recruit a plurality of drones based on the mission, and a flocking goal device configured to arrange the plurality of drones in the drone-swarm in a pattern to satisfy the mission. |
| US09651943B2 |
Methods and systems for creating or performing a dynamic sampling scheme for a process during which measurements are performed on wafers
Various methods and systems for creating or performing a dynamic sampling scheme for a process during which measurements are performed on wafers are provided. One method for creating a dynamic sampling scheme for a process during which measurements are performed on wafers includes performing the measurements on all of the wafers in at least one tot at all measurement spots on the wafers. The method also includes determining an optimal sampling scheme, an enhanced sampling scheme, a reduced sampling scheme, and thresholds for the dynamic sampling scheme for the process based on results of the measurements. The thresholds correspond to values of the measurements at which the optimal sampling scheme, the enhanced sampling scheme, and the reduced sampling scheme are to be used for the process. |
| US09651940B2 |
Numerical control device
A numerical control device for controlling a machine tool while sequentially reading out an NC program from a host computer includes an external program invoking unit configured to invoke an encrypted NC program, a communication setting information storing unit configured to store setting information for communicating with the host computer, an NC program acquisition determining unit, an encrypted NC program acquisition request transmitting unit, an encrypted NC program decrypting unit, and an NC program display prohibiting unit. |
| US09651938B2 |
Interference checking device
An interference checking device 1 checks, during machining using an NC machine tool 20, interference between structures of the NC machine tool 20, a tool and a workpiece, and includes an interference check processing unit 2 virtually moving models and checking the occurrence of interference based on a position control signal from a numerical controller 30, and an operation effect degree evaluating unit 6 evaluating the degree of an effect of an operation on a possibility of the occurrence of interference. When a predetermined operation is performed during machining of a workpiece following a first workpiece, the interference check processing unit 2 moves the models at intervals determined based on the degree of the effect evaluated by the operation effect degree evaluating unit 6. |
| US09651936B2 |
Machining method
Using a machine tool, a workpiece is machined while periodically varying the rotational speed of a spindle thereof. Correlation data on correlation between a speed variation rate RVA of the spindle rotational speed, a speed variation period ratio RVF thereof, and vibration of a tool when machining the workpiece while periodically varying the spindle rotational speed is previously obtained. Based on the correlation data, the speed variation rate RVA and the speed variation period ratio RVF are set so that the vibration of the tool and machining accuracy are within their respective allowable ranges, and based on the set speed variation rate RVA and speed variation period ratio RVF, a variation amplitude and a variation period of the spindle rotational speed are determined. The spindle is rotated at the rotational speed varying at the determined amplitude and period with respect to a target rotational speed, thereby machining the workpiece. |
| US09651932B2 |
Numerical control device for controlling five-axis processing machine
A numerical control device for controlling a five-axis processing machine includes a tool-direction instruction correction unit, and corrects a tool-direction vector so that a tool direction of a processing program smoothly changes. The tool-direction instruction correction unit refers to a tool-direction correction tolerance set in advance by a tool-direction correction tolerance setting unit. |
| US09651925B2 |
System and method for zoning a distributed-architecture heating, ventilation and air conditioning network
The disclosure provides an HVAC data processing and communication network. In an embodiment, the network includes a first zone and a second zone. The first zone has a first demand unit and a first subnet controller configured to control an operation of the first demand unit via a data bus. The second zone has a second demand unit and a second subnet controller configured to control an operation of the second demand unit via the data bus. The second subnet controller is further configured to communicate with the first subnet controller via the data bus. |
| US09651924B2 |
Common automation system controller
A common automation system controller configured using a hierarchical approach for use in a building automation system. |
| US09651921B1 |
Metronome embedded in search results page and unaffected by lock screen transition
The present disclosure provides systems and methods for providing a metronome embedded in a search results page. One example computer-implemented method includes displaying, by a mobile computing device, a search results webpage that includes a metronome user interface. The method includes receiving, by the mobile computing device, a user input that requests implementation of the metronome at a tempo. In response to receiving the user input, the method includes generating, by the mobile computing device, an audio clip that exhibits the tempo. The method includes using, by the mobile computing device, an audio player application to play the audio clip. The audio player application does not experience interruption or latency when the mobile computing device transitions to a lock screen state during playback of the audio clip. |
| US09651917B2 |
Image forming apparatus having cooling mechanism, cooling device, and cross-flow fan
A cooling device includes a fan main body, a first housing, a second housing, a drive portion, and a rotation control portion. The second housing is configured to be rotatable between a predetermined first rotation position P1 and a second rotation position P2 reached through a rotation by a predetermined angle about a shaft from the first rotation position P1. The rotation control portion controls the drive portion to move the second housing to the first rotation position P1 or the second rotation position P2. |
| US09651915B2 |
Process cartridge modification and method for retractable process cartridge drive
A modification for an imaging cartridge is provided for use with certain aftermarket or non-OEM cartridge drive mechanisms. At least one wall of a cartridge guiding member is removed to increase a clearance between the guiding member and the cartridge drive mechanism. |
| US09651913B2 |
Image forming apparatus having a holder that moves relative to an opening/closing door
A sheet conveyance apparatus includes an apparatus main body, an opening/closing door movably supported by the apparatus main body so as to be capable of opening a conveyance path through which a sheet is conveyed, a sensor lever configured to rotate when pushed by the sheet in the conveyance path, a holder rotatably holding the sensor lever and movably supported by the opening/closing door, a positioning portion provided in the apparatus main body and configured to perform positioning of the holder by coming into contact with the holder, and a sheet detection sensor provided in the apparatus main body and configured to generate a signal corresponding to the position of the sensor lever. |
| US09651909B2 |
Job processing apparatus for storing and executing received jobs, control method and storage medium thereof
When it is judged that a predetermined operation for eliminating a cause for stopping a job is being executed, a following job is restricted from being executed prior to a stopped job. A control method for controlling a job processing apparatus for storing received jobs in a storage unit and sequentially executing the stored jobs includes determining, when a cause for stopping the job to be executed is generated, whether a state in which the cause for stopping the job is not eliminated has continued for a predetermined time, executing, when it is determined that the state in which the cause for stopping the job is not eliminated has continued for the predetermined time, a following job that follows the job is executed prior to the job, judging whether a predetermined operation for eliminating the cause for stopping the job is being executed, and restricting, when it is judged that a predetermined operation for eliminating the cause for stopping the job is being executed, the following job is restricted from being executed prior to the job. |
| US09651907B1 |
Image forming apparatus, density adjusting device, non-transitory computer readable medium, density adjusting method, and image forming method
An image forming apparatus includes a density adjusting unit that executes first formation of forming a first color sample in a transfer area on an image carrier, first adjustment of adjusting output characteristics of an image forming unit to reduce a difference between a measured density of the first color sample and a first target density, second formation of forming a second color sample in a non-transfer area on the image carrier, second adjustment of adjusting the output characteristics to reduce a difference between a measured density of the second color sample and a second target density, and third adjustment of adjusting the output characteristics to reduce a difference in output density between the transfer and non-transfer areas, if the difference between the measured density of the second color sample and the second target density exceeds a predetermined extent after repeating the second formation and the second adjustment. |
| US09651906B2 |
Image forming apparatus, and method for controlling image forming apparatus, which registers a specific symbol as a number with digits larger than the digits that can be displayed
An image forming apparatus, which is provided with a display device including a plurality of segments, registers a number having digits larger than the digits that can be displayed on the display device as a specific symbol other than numbers from 0 to 9 to be displayed on the display device including the plurality of segments, and controls the display device including the plurality of segments to display the registered arbitrary number when the display device including the plurality of segments is instructed to display the specific symbol. |
| US09651901B2 |
Fixing device and image forming apparatus
A fixing device includes a cleaning member configured to clean a fixing member and a re-adhering member to which toner that adheres to the cleaning member is caused to re-adhere. The re-adhering member is disposed so as to face the fixing member. A surface of the cleaning member, which makes contact with the fixing member, may be constituted by a nonmetal member, and a surface of the re-adhering member, which makes contact with the cleaning member, may be constituted by a metal member. |
| US09651896B2 |
Method for reattaching a floating magnetic roller section of toner cartridges
A method for remanufacturing toner cartridges, wherein original equipment manufacturer (OEM) sealant is removed and replaced with an aftermarket sealant. A hopper assembly is disassembled from a toner cartridge and cleaned to remove residual toner. The hopper assembly is then heated using an oven, heat gun, etc. in order to loosen the OEM sealant binding the hopper assembly. Once thoroughly heated, the hopper assembly is dismantled into a hopper section and a mag section. The OEM sealant is removed from the hopper section and replaced with the aftermarket sealant using an automated robot as the hopper section is held by a jig. A floating mag gasket attached to the mag section is either cleaned and reinstalled or replaced with a new floating mag gasket. The mag section is then reattached to the hopper section using an alignment tool in order to ensure proper positioning of components to create a fluid tight seal. |
| US09651894B2 |
Developer cartridge and electrophotographic image forming apparatus including the same
Provided is a developer cartridge attachable to and detachable from a main body of an image forming apparatus. The developer cartridge includes: a memory unit including a contact portion moved to a first position hidden inside the developer cartridge and a second position protruding outside the developer cartridge; an operating portion configured to move the contact portion to the first position and the second position; an outlet configured to discharge a developer; and a first shutter having an opening position and a closing position for opening and closing the outlet and moved to the closing position and the opening position when the contact portion is moved to the first position and the second position. |
| US09651887B2 |
Image forming device, image forming method and program
The problem of the present invention is to be capable of executing color shift correction processing also in consideration of a mechanical inclination component in an image forming device. For solving the problem, the image forming device according to the present invention comprises information processing unit, first measurement requesting unit, holding unit of curve information, notifying unit of curve information, receiving unit of a measurement pattern image, measurement processing unit, determining unit of a result of the measurement processing, and second measurement requesting unit. |
| US09651886B2 |
Carrier core particles for electrophotographic developer, carrier for electrophotographic developer, and electrophotographic developer
This invention is directed to a method for manufacturing carrier core particles for electrophotographic developer containing iron, manganese, and calcium as a core composition. The method includes (A) a mixing step of mixing an iron-containing raw material, a manganese-containing raw material, and a calcium-containing raw material to prepare a mixture thereof, (C) a granulation step of granulating the mixture after the mixing step, and (D) a firing step of firing a powdery material, which is obtained by granulating the mixture in the granulation step, at a predetermined temperature to form a magnetic phase. The calcium-containing raw material is provided in a granular form, and primary particles of the calcium-containing raw material have a volume mean diameter of 1 μm or less. |
| US09651885B2 |
Electrostatic latent image developing toner
An electrostatic latent image developing toner includes toner particles that each include a toner core and a shell layer disposed over a surface of the toner core. The shell layer contains a hydrophobic thermoplastic resin and a hydrophilic thermosetting resin. The hydrophobic thermoplastic resin is contained in an amount of no less than 0.2% by mass and no greater than 4.7% by mass relative to mass of the toner particles. The hydrophilic thermosetting resin is contained in an amount of no less than 0.01% by mass and no greater than 0.71% by mass relative to mass of the toner particles. The hydrophobic thermoplastic resin is exposed at a surface of each of the toner particles. |
| US09651881B2 |
Toner containing aromatic materials and method of forming an image using the same
A toner includes toner particles, each containing binder resin and a plurality of microcapsules dispersed therein, each of the microcapsules containing a liquid material. A method for forming an image on a medium includes forming an electrostatic latent image on a carrier, forming a toner image by developing the electrostatic latent image using the toner, transferring the toner image onto a medium, and fixing the transferred toner image on the medium. |
| US09651875B2 |
Illumination system and lithographic apparatus
An illumination system is disclosed having a polarization member that includes first and second polarization modifiers movable into at least partial intersection with a radiation beam such that the respective polarization modifier applies a modified polarization to at least part of the beam. The illumination system further includes an array of individually controllable reflective elements positioned to receive the radiation beam after it has passed the polarization member, and a controller configured to control movement of the first and second polarization modifiers such that the first and second polarization modifiers intersect with different portions of the radiation beam. |
| US09651874B2 |
Scanned-spot-array DUV lithography system
A DUV scanned-spot-array lithography system comprises an array of phase- Fresnel microlenses, which focus multiple radiation beams through intermediate foci at the object surface of a projection system. The intermediate foci are imaged by the projection system onto corresponding focused-radiation spots on an image plane, and the spots expose a photosensitive layer proximate the image plane as the layer is scanned in synchronization with modulation of the beams. The modulators may comprise micromechanical shutters proximate the intermediate foci for ON/OFF switching, in series with transmission grating modulators for gray-level control, and the microlenses may also be actuated to provide dynamic beam centering control. A nodal line printing technique may be used to provide ultra-high-resolution and high-throughput maskless printing capability in conjunction with multi-patterning or dual-wavelength recording processes. |
| US09651866B2 |
Modified polyacrylate dispersant, pigment dispersion, coler photoresist, color filter substrate and display device
The disclosure discloses a polyacrylate dispersant, a pigment dispersion, a color photoresist, a color filter substrate and a display device. The polyacrylate dispersant of the disclosure is a polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane-modified polyacrylate dispersant prepared by an esterification reaction of a polyacrylate dispersant and polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane. Due to a steric hindrance effect of the structure of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane, the polyacrylate dispersant of the disclosure may significantly improve the stability of pigment dispersion when used for dispersing pigment powder. A color photoresist prepared based on the pigment dispersion has a prominent heat resistance, an excellent resolution and a surface smoothness, as well as a low dielectric constant. |
| US09651865B2 |
Negative-type photosensitive coloring composition, cured film, light-shielding pattern for touch panel, and touch panel manufacturing method
The purpose of the present invention is to provide a negative-type photosensitive coloring composition ideal for forming a white, light-blocking pattern and which not only has excellent chemical resistance, but also has extremely excellent heat resistance and does not yellow or crack even when undergoing high-temperature processing. This negative-type photosensitive coloring composition contains (A) a white pigment, (B) a polysiloxane obtained by co-hydrolyzate condensation of an alkoxysilane compound containing a compound of a specific structure, (C) polyfunctional acrylic monomers, (D) a photoradical polymerization initiator and (E) an organic solvent. |
| US09651864B2 |
Negative resist composition, method for producing relief pattern using the same, and electronic component using the same
An object of the present invention is to provide a negative resin composition which can produce a pattern with high sensitivity, high resolution and low line edge roughness in pattern formation by exposure to electron beams or EUV, a method for producing a relief pattern and an electronic component using the negative resist composition.Disclosed is a negative resist composition comprising a phenolic compound (A) which has: two or more phenolic hydroxyl groups per molecule; one or more substituents of one or more kinds selected from the group consisting of a hydroxymethyl group and an alkoxymethyl group per molecule in the ortho-position of any of the phenolic hydroxyl groups; and a molecular weight of 400 to 2,500, wherein the content of the phenolic compound (A) is 70% by weight or more of the total solid content of the negative resist composition. |
| US09651863B2 |
Pattern forming method, active light sensitive or radiation sensitive resin composition, resist film, method for manufacturing electronic device, and electronic device
The pattern forming method includes (1) forming a film using an active light sensitive or radiation sensitive resin composition, (2) exposing the film to active light or radiation, and (3) developing the exposed film using a developer including an organic solvent, in which the active light sensitive or radiation sensitive resin composition contains a resin (A) having a group which generates a polar group by being decomposed due to the action of an acid, the resin (A) has a phenolic hydroxyl group and/or a phenolic hydroxyl group protected with a group leaving due to the action of an acid, and the developer including the organic solvent contains an additive which forms at least one interaction of an ionic bond, a hydrogen bond, a chemical bond, and a dipole interaction, with the polar group. |
| US09651860B2 |
Imprinting method and imprinting apparatus, sample shot extraction method, and article manufacturing method using same
Provided is an imprinting method that is capable of strictly performing the interpolation of the application distribution of an uncured resin material to be applied to a substrate for each shot as well as efficiently performing the reinterpolation of the application distribution of the uncured resin material for each shot while reducing the workload in a generation step. The imprinting apparatus of the present invention includes a mold 20 on which a mold pattern is formed; a mold driving unit 14 that allows the mold 20 move toward and away from a substrate 30; a dispenser 17 that applies an uncured resin material to the substrate 30; a light source 19 that cures the uncured resin material as a resin pattern; a dispenser control unit 43 that controls the dispenser 17 by generating the application distribution of the uncured resin material to the resin pattern for each of a plurality of shots; and a main control unit 40 that interpolates the application distribution of the uncured resin material, which has been generated by the dispenser control unit 43, using shot layout information in consideration of the relative position among the positions of a plurality of shots, the dispenser 17, and the light source 19 with respect to the substrate 30, as variables. |
| US09651859B2 |
Mask blank, transfer mask and method of manufacturing transfer mask
Provided is a mask blank which enables EB defect correction to be suitably applied and which further enables a reduction in the thickness of a light-shielding film. A mask blank 10 is used for producing a transfer mask adapted to be applied with ArF exposure light and has a light-shielding film 2 on a transparent substrate 1. The light-shielding film 2 is composed mainly of a material containing a transition metal, silicon, and at least one or more elements selected from oxygen and nitrogen. An etching rate of the light-shielding film by a fluorine-containing substance in a state of not being irradiated with charged particles is low enough to at least ensure etching selectivity with respect to an etching rate of the light-shielding film by the fluorine-containing substance in a state of being irradiated with the charged particles. |
| US09651855B2 |
Methods for optical proximity correction in the design and fabrication of integrated circuits using extreme ultraviolet lithography
A method of optical proximity correction (OPC) in extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUV) lithography includes providing a patterned layout design including first and second design polygons that correspond with the pre-pattern opening, wherein the first and second design polygons are separated by a separation distance, and correcting the patterned layout design using OPC by generating (1) a third polygon that has dimensions corresponding to a combination of the first and second design polygons and the separation distance and (2) and filled polygon within the third polygon, thereby generating an OPC-corrected patterned layout design. EUV photomasks may be manufactured from the OPC-corrected patterned layout design, and integrated circuits may be fabricated using such EUV photomasks. |
| US09651854B2 |
Projector
A projector includes a light source module, an optical engine, a light valve and a projecting lens. The light source module includes light sources, optical fibers and a light integration rod. Each of the light sources provides an illumination sub-beam. Each of the illumination sub-beams transmits to the light integration rod through the corresponding optical fiber, and passes through the light integration rod and emits out to form a first illumination beam. The optical engine includes a phosphor wheel located at a transmission path of the first illumination beam and converting the first illumination beam into a second illumination beam. The light valve is located at a transmission path of the second illumination beam and converts the second illumination beam into an image beam. The projecting lens is located at a transmission path of the image beam and projects the image beam out of the projector. |
| US09651853B2 |
Light source device and projector
A light source device includes a phosphor layer having a side surface, a bottom surface, and an upper surface opposed to the bottom surface, a substrate disposed on the bottom surface side of the phosphor layer, and a reflecting member disposed outside the phosphor layer. The phosphor layer generates fluorescence in response to irradiation with excitation light. The fluorescence generated in the phosphor layer is emitted from the upper surface and the side surface. The fluorescence emitted from the side surface enters the reflecting member. |
| US09651851B2 |
Light source device and projector
An advantage of some aspects of the invention is to provide a light source device and a projector which can acquire a type of a light source. A light source device includes a light source which emits light; and light source housing which accommodates the light source therein. The light source housing includes an attaching unit which can attach a conducting member having conductivity to a surface of the light source housing, and the conducting member is attached to the attaching unit according to the type of the light source. Accordingly, it is possible to acquire the type of the light source based on the presence or absence of the conducting member electrically connected to the terminal of a device to which the light source device is attached, independent of the temperature of the light source device. |
| US09651849B2 |
Low outgassing resonator
An optical resonator is provided made of low-outgassing materials, including at least one chamber, a non-linear crystal arranged in the chamber, and an array of mirrors arranged in the chamber and including a plurality of mirrors for deflecting a light beam. To specify such a resonator which is low-outgassing and which ensures fine adjustment of the optical elements at the same time, the present invention proposes that the non-linear crystal and at least one mirror of the array of mirrors is arranged on one movable carrier each, wherein the said carrier is fabricated from a low-outgassing material and seals the chamber. Furthermore, a sealing system is provided including a housing, an optical element and a sealing element of indium or indium alloy, which is arranged between the housing and the optical element, wherein the optical element has a lateral surface and the sealing element is arranged on the lateral surface. |
| US09651848B2 |
Optical modulator directional measurement system
In an optical modulator directional measurement system embodiment, one or more modulation waves may be measured and directionally discriminated by measuring the modulations of one or more lightwaves. The optical modulator transmission function magnitude for a most phase-matched modulation may be substantially greater than that for other modulations. At sufficiently high modulation frequency, the most phase-matched modulation magnitude may be substantially greater than the other modulation magnitudes. Accordingly, a modulation wave may be distinctly measured by measuring the modulation of the most phase-matched lightwave. |
| US09651847B2 |
Electrophoretic insulated glass unit
An electrophoretic insulated glass unit (IGU) comprises an electrophoretic laminate and a pane spaced apart from the electrophoretic laminate, the respective inner faces of the laminate and the pane defining a sealed cavity there between. An outer face of the electrophoretic laminate is in contact with an environment. One inner face of the cavity has a coating that is transparent to visible light and which rejects infrared light greater than a cut-off wavelength. The electrophoretic laminate includes an electrophoretic device including charged particles of at least one type in an electrophoretic cell, the particles being responsive to an electric field applied to the electrophoretic device to move between: a first extreme light state in which particles are maximally spread within the cell to lie in the path of sunlight through the cell and to strongly absorb visible sunlight transmitted through the cell and a second extreme light state in which the particles are maximally concentrated within the cell to remove them from the path of sunlight through the cell and to substantially transmit visible sunlight through the cell. The coating is arranged to direct thermal radiation emitted by the charged particles to the environment in contact with the outer face, and the sealed cavity is arranged to direct thermal conduction diffusing from the charged particles to the environment in contact with the outer face. |
| US09651843B2 |
Thin film transistor array substrate and manufacturing method thereof
A thin film transistor array substrate comprises a bottom gate disposed on a substrate and a bottom gate insulating layer covering the bottom gate, a semiconductor oxide layer disposed on the bottom gate insulating layer and an etch blocking layer covering the semiconductor oxide layer and including a first via, a drain disposed on the etch blocking layer contacting with the semiconductor oxide layer through the first via and an insulating protection layer covering the drain, a second via arranged in the insulating protection layer, the etch blocking layer and the bottom gate insulating layer, a top gate disposed on insulating protection layer contacting with the bottom gate through the second via. The disclosure further discloses a method for manufacturing a thin film transistor array substrate. The thin film transistor of the disclosure prevents the threshold voltage thereof from being drifted in a case of negative bias illumination stress (NBIS). |
| US09651841B2 |
Display device
To reduce the area of a portion where a plurality of transistors are provided in a region around a display region and to reduce the area of the region around the display region, a display device includes a first transistor and a second transistor each as a transistor, and the transistor includes a connection wiring that electrically connects a semiconductor film and a source-drain electrode to each other via an opening portion provided in an insulating film. The first transistor and the second transistor are adjacent to each other, and there is a clearance between an end portion, on the side of the second transistor, of the connection wiring in the first transistor and an end portion, on the side of the second transistor, of the opening portion in the first transistor. |
| US09651838B2 |
Array substrate and manufacturing method thereof, display panel and display device
The invention provides an array substrate and a manufacturing method thereof, a display panel and a display device, the array substrate includes a base substrate, and a data line, a switching device and a voltage compensation module arranged on the base substrate, the switching device is connected between the data line and the voltage compensation module so that the data line is electrically connected to the voltage compensation module when a voltage on the data line is lower than a preset low voltage or higher than a preset high voltage. The array substrate uses a PN junction as the switching device between the data line and the voltage compensation module, and due to a low leakage current between a P terminal and an N terminal of the PN junction, the power consumption of the array substrate can be reduced. |
| US09651830B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
In a first substrate, a first organic insulating film is arranged in an active area, and includes a first surface and a first concave portion in a peripheral area outside the active area. The first concave portion is located more close to a substrate end side than the first surface. In a second substrate, a shield layer is arranged in the peripheral area facing the first substrate. A second organic insulating film includes a second surface facing the first surface and a second concave portion facing the first concave portion. The second organic insulating film overlaps the shield layer in the peripheral area. A pillar-shaped spacer is arranged between the first surface and the second surface in the peripheral area. A seal material contains the pillar-shaped spacer and is arranged between the first surface and the second surface, and between the first concave portion and the second concave portion. |
| US09651828B2 |
Liquid crystal display device and method for manufacturing liquid crystal display device
The present invention provides a liquid crystal display device capable of reducing image sticking phenomena and of maintaining the voltage holding ratio, the liquid crystal display device being produced using photo-alignment technology and PSA technology in combination. The liquid crystal display device according to the present invention includes a pair of substrates, a liquid crystal layer disposed between the pair of substrates, an alignment film formed on at least one of the pair of substrates, and a polymer layer for controlling the alignment of liquid crystal molecules formed on the alignment film, wherein the polymer layer is formed by polymerization of one or more species of monomers added in the liquid crystal layer, the polymerization being initiated by radicals generated of the one or more species of monomers upon absorption of light, and the alignment film includes a polymer material having a main chain that contains an imide structure and a side chain that contains a photoreactive functional group, and has undergone a photo-alignment treatment. |
| US09651826B2 |
Wavelength conversion member, backlight unit, and liquid crystal display device
An aspect of the present invention relates to a wavelength conversion member, which comprises a wavelength conversion layer, wherein the wavelength conversion layer comprises at least one quantum dot which has a property of being excited with exciting light to emit fluorescence, and at least one oxygen permeability coefficient-reducing agent, an oxygen permeability coefficient per 1 mm thickness of the wavelength conversion layer is less than 150.0 cm3/m2/day/atm, and the oxygen permeability coefficient-reducing agent is a compound which exhibits an oxygen permeability coefficient-reducing capability of reducing the oxygen permeability coefficient per 1 mm thickness of the wavelength conversion layer by equal to or more than 30% per 10 parts by weight of the oxygen permeability coefficient-reducing agent relative to 100 parts by weight of the wavelength conversion layer except for the oxygen permeability coefficient-reducing agent. |
| US09651821B2 |
Surface-modified metal oxide particle material, dispersion liquid, silicone resin composition, silicone resin composite body, optical semiconductor light emitting device, lighting device, and liquid crystal imaging device
By using a surface-modified metal oxide particle material obtained by performing surface modification on a metal oxide particle having an average primary particle diameter of 3 nm or more and 10 nm or less with a surface-modifying material having at least a phenyl group and a group capable of undergoing a crosslinking reaction with a functional group in a silicone resin-forming component, the surface-modified metal oxide particle material which has high heat resistance and may further exhibit high transparency and gas barrier properties when used for a sealing material for optical semiconductor light emitting device, or the like is provided and a dispersion liquid, a silicone resin composition and a silicone resin composite each containing the surface-modified metal oxide particle material, as well as an optical semiconductor light emitting device, a light fitting, and a liquid crystal imaging device each using the silicone resin composite, are also provided. |
| US09651819B2 |
Polarising plate for a planar-switch mode LCD, and a planar-switch mode LCD comprising the same
A polarizer for use in an IPS-LCD includes: a polarizing element; and a retardation film laminate attached to a surface of the polarizing element. The retardation film laminate includes a combination of a +B film and a −B film or a combination of a +B film and a +A film. |
| US09651818B2 |
Liquid crystal display panel comprising different spacing distances between pixel electrodes corresponding to specific color resist blocks
The present invention provides a liquid crystal display panel, in which the spacing distance of the pixel electrodes that correspond to the green resist blocks from the pixel electrodes corresponding to red and blue resist blocks adjacent thereto is made greater than the spacing distance between the pixel electrodes corresponding to the red resist blocks and the pixel electrodes corresponding to the blue resist blocks, this being equivalent to expanding the distance between a green sub-pixel of the liquid crystal display panel and a blue sub-pixel and a red sub-pixel adjacent thereto, thereby reducing the possibility of the background light corresponding to the red and blue sub-pixels being diffused into the green sub-pixel and reducing the amount of green light mixed with peripheral portions of red and blue images and thus improving the issue of large view angle color shifting of the liquid crystal display panel; and also, cell thickness of the liquid crystal display panel corresponding to the green resist blocks is reduced so as to further reduce the amount of the background light corresponding to the red and blue sub-pixels being diffused into the green sub-pixel and reduce the amount of green light mixed with the peripheral portions of the red and blue images and thus improving the problem of large view angel color shifting of the liquid crystal display panel and enhancing quality of displaying. |
| US09651817B1 |
Nanoplasmonic optical filter and display employing same
A nanoplasmonic optical reflective includes a particle layer including nano-particles in a substrate material. The nano-particles are arranged in one or more arrays to provide a nano plasmonic reflection of electromagnetic radiation at a selected wavelength. A color display includes a light source configured to emit light, and a nanoplasmonic filter section the nanoplasmonic optical filter. The color display further includes pixel addressing electronics configured to address pixels within the nanoplasmonic filter section, and display optics arranged to display a color image based on addressed pixels by the pixel addressing electronics and the nanoplasmonic reflection or transmission of the light in selected wavelength bands. The color display may be arranged in passive reflective, passive transmissive, active reflective, or active transmissive architectures. |
| US09651811B2 |
Display device and method of manufacturing the same
A display device includes a substrate, a cover layer, a liquid crystal layer, at least one electrode, and a sealant layer. The cover layer is disposed on the substrate and includes a tunnel-shaped cavity. The liquid crystal layer is disposed in the tunnel-shaped cavity. The at least one electrode is configured to apply an electric field to the liquid crystal layer. The sealant layer is configured to seal the tunnel-shaped cavity. The liquid crystal layer includes a plurality of domains defined by liquid crystal molecules pre-aligned in different directions. |
| US09651810B2 |
Display panel and method of manufacturing a display substrate for use in the display panel
A display panel includes a first substrate and a second substrate facing the first substrate. The first and substrate includes a plurality of pixel areas and a non-pixel area disposed adjacent to the pixel areas. The display panel further includes a plurality of signal lines disposed on the second substrate. The display panel further includes a color filter disposed on the first substrate or the second substrate. The display panel further includes an inorganic layer disposed on the color filter layer, an organic layer disposed on the inorganic layer, and a conductive layer disposed on the organic layer. |
| US09651806B2 |
Display panel
A liquid crystal display panel (1) includes a TFT substrate (10), a CF substrate (20) facing the TFT substrate (10), a frame region around a display region (D), and a sealing material (26) in the frame region. The frame region includes a wide frame region (F1) adjacent to a terminal region (T), and a narrow frame region (F2) having a smaller width than the wide frame region (F1). A dummy structure (2) overlapping the sealing material (26) as viewed from above is in the CF substrate (20) in the wide frame region (F1). |
| US09651805B2 |
Substrate incorporating a repair structure for rubbing cloth
The present invention provides a substrate, wherein a repair structure is arranged on the substrate and used for repairing surface fibers of rubbing cloth. According to the substrate provided by the present invention, by virtue of the repair structure on the substrate, the curvatures of the surface fibers of the rubbing cloth can be the same when the rubbing cloth passes through the repair structure, thus improving the arrangement orderliness of the surface fibers of the rubbing cloth, and then effectively alleviating the phenomenon of poor rubbing. |
| US09651798B1 |
Thermoplastic film to prevent eyeglasses from slippage
A thermoplastic film that can be applied to various skin-engaging portions (e.g., the nose pads and/or earpieces) of a pair of eyeglasses to prevent slippage of the eyeglasses. The thermoplastic film comprises a composition that reacts to the wearer's body heat to become sticky. The resultant bond with the wearer's skin is sufficiently strong so as to prevent the pair of eyeglasses from slipping due to sudden movement, and is resistant to perspiration, oil or the like. |
| US09651797B2 |
Lens drive apparatus, camera module and camera
A lens drive apparatus that displaces a lens holder in a direction of an optical axis and a direction orthogonal to the optical axis comprises: an assembly that is formed by assembling the lens holder together with a magnet disposed around the lens holder; a housing that has a base and a cover that are configured to house the assembly; a coil that is disposed at a position facing the magnet in the housing and displaces the assembly in the direction orthogonal to the optical axis in collaboration with the magnet; and a Hall device that is provided to the base and detects a position of the magnet in the direction orthogonal to the optical axis. |
| US09651793B2 |
Laser pulse modulation device
A laser pulse modulation device is disclosed and includes a first laser source, a second laser source, and a polarizing beam splitter. The first laser source is used to generate a first linearly-polarized pulsed laser beam which oscillates in a direction parallel to a propagation direction thereof. The second laser source is used to generate a second linearly-polarized pulsed laser beam which oscillates in a direction perpendicular to a propagation direction thereof. The polarizing beam splitter is used to overlay the first linearly-polarized pulsed laser beam and the second linearly-polarized pulsed laser beam to form a first combined pulsed laser beam. |
| US09651784B2 |
See-through computer display systems
Aspects of the present invention relate to methods and systems for a head-worn computer with a content display where the head-worn computer can be changed from an augmented reality system where there is relatively high see-through transmission through the display to a virtual reality system where the is no or relatively little see-through transmission through the display. |
| US09651780B2 |
Vehicular information display device
A vehicular information display device is equipped with a first reflection portion that is formed by a front windshield itself or a combiner that is provided on the front windshield, a second reflection portion that is formed by a second combiner that is provided apart from the front windshield, and a floodlight that projects display light onto the first reflection portion and the second reflection portion. The vehicular information display device is characterized in that the first reflection portion and the second reflection portion generate a three-dimensional indication with a virtual image according to the first reflection portion and a virtual image according to the second reflection portion superimposed on each other, or an integral indication with a virtual image according to the first reflection portion and a virtual image according to the second reflection portion integrated with each other. |
| US09651779B2 |
Head-up display device and display unit
A pair of first guide lights are displayed side by side adjacent to an HUD display area with emitted light from first light sources, and a pair of second guide lights are displayed at the outer sides of the respective first guide lights with emitted light from second light sources. At least one of the number of lighting lights, the lighting cycle, and the lighting order of the first light sources and the second light sources is changed in accordance with a differential value between the current speed and a speed limit set for a road on which the vehicle is traveling. |
| US09651775B2 |
MEMS device
A MEMS micro-mirror device comprising, a MEMS micro-mirror, a support structure and, a first and second torsional arm which each connect the MEMS micro-mirror to the support structure, wherein the first and second torsional arms are arranged to define a first oscillation axis about which the MEMS micro-mirror can oscillate; a single actuation coil for oscillating the MEMS micro mirror about the first oscillation axis, at least a portion of the single actuation coil being arranged to cooperate with the MEMS micro mirror; a magnet which is arranged such that a magnetic field generated by the magnet submerges at least the portion of the single actuation coil which cooperates with the MEMS micro mirror; wherein the single actuation coil is configured to extend along the first and second torsional arms. |
| US09651774B2 |
Optical scanning observation apparatus having variable sampling time, and method and computer readable storage device
Provided is an optical scanning observation apparatus including: a light source unit (30) for outputting laser light; a scanning part (23) for scanning, on an object of observation (70), a condensing position of the laser light output from the light source; and a detection unit (40) for sampling signal light obtained through scanning of the laser light, and converting the signal light into an electric signal, in which a sampling time for detecting signal light per one sampling is varied in accordance with changes in scanning rate of the scanning part (24) scanning on the object of observation (70). In this manner, variation in resolution of an image resulting from changes in scanning rate per each sampling can be reduced. |
| US09651771B2 |
Manufacturing method for an electrowetting device
A method of providing a layer of a first fluid and a layer of a second fluid on a first area of a support plate of an electrowetting device includes providing an emulsion of dispersed first fluid and continuous second fluid, the emulsion including an amount of the second fluid for forming the layer of the second fluid. |
| US09651769B2 |
Optical modulation unit and stereoscopic display device comprising same
The present inventive concept provides, for an optical modulation unit of which the manufacturing is simplified and the performance is improved and a stereoscopic display having the same, an optical modulation unit and a stereoscopic display device comprising the same, the optical modulation unit comprising: a liquid crystal cell having different phase delay amounts of penetrated light in the on and off states; and a phase delay film part arranged on at least one among an optical path of light having passed through the liquid crystal cell and an optical path of light entering into the liquid crystal cell, and comprising a phase delay film having a fixed phase delay amount, wherein when a wavelength of light, which has passed through both the liquid crystal cell and the phase delay film part, is λ, a phase delay amount of the light having passed through both the liquid crystal cell and the phase delay film part is λ/4 when the liquid crystal cell is in the on state and −λ/4 when the liquid crystal cell is in the off state, or is −λ/4 when the liquid crystal cell is in the on state and λ/4 when the liquid crystal cell is in the off state. |
| US09651768B2 |
Eyepiece lens and imaging apparatus
An eyepiece lens consists of, in order from the observed object M side, a first spherical lens having a positive refractive power, a second spherical lens having a negative refractive power, and a third lens having a positive refractive power with at least the observed object-side surface thereof having an aspheric shape. The eyepiece lens satisfies the condition expression below: 0.0095 |
| US09651764B2 |
Interchangeable reflective assembly for a chromatic range sensor optical pen
Reflective assemblies are provided that may be attached to the end of a chromatic confocal point sensor optical pen. Each reflective assembly includes a reflective surface (e.g., a turning mirror) oriented for directing a measurement beam along a measurement axis at a selected angle relative to the central Z-axis of the optical pen. Reflective assemblies with different orientations for the measurement beams (e.g., 60 degrees, 120 degrees, etc.) allow for measurements of workpiece features that cannot be achieved with a measurement beam directed in a normal incident manner or at a standard 90 degree orientation. In one implementation, the reflective assemblies may be kinematically located and retained using magnetic coupling, and may be rotated and reseated in different rotational orientations about the central Z-axis of the optical pen. A set of such reflective assemblies greatly increases the measurement capability of a single optical pen, in an economical manner. |
| US09651755B2 |
Fiber optic interconnect systems and methods
Embodiments of the present invention relate to the field of fiber optic connectivity, and more specifically, to systems and methods for connecting fiber optic transceivers. In an embodiment, the present invention provides a system which enables the interconnection of fiber optic transceivers such as, for example, 24-fiber transceivers like the 100GBASE-SR10 transceivers while maintaining appropriate fiber polarity. |
| US09651754B2 |
Fiber optic ribbon
A fiber optic ribbon includes optical fibers, each including a core surrounded by cladding, and edge bonding rigidly connecting the optical fibers to one. The ribbon further includes a stress-isolation layer surrounding the optical fibers and edge bonding, and a hardened shell surrounding the stress-isolation layer. The edge bonding mitigates independent movement of the optical fibers relative to one another within the stress-isolation layer. At 25° Celsius and at sea level, the Young's modulus of elasticity of the hardened shell is, on average, at least twice that of the stress-isolation layer. Accordingly, the hardened shell mitigates damage to the stress-isolation layer from external sources of wear, the stress-isolation layer cushions the optical fibers relative to external sources of stress and provides some flexibility to the optical fibers within the hardened shell, and the edge bonding mitigates attenuation of the optical fibers associated with fiber-on-fiber loading internal to the stress-isolation layer. |
| US09651751B1 |
Compact optical transceiver by hybrid multichip integration
A compact optical transceiver formed by hybrid multichip integration. The optical transceiver includes a Si-photonics chip attached on a PCB. Additionally, the optical transceiver includes a first TSV interposer and a second TSV interposer separately attached nearby the Si-photonics chip on the PCB. Furthermore, the optical transceiver includes a driver chip flip-bonded partially on the Si-photonics chip through a first sets of bumps and partially on the first TSV interposer through a second sets of bumps. Moreover, the optical transceiver includes a transimpedance amplifier module chip flip-bonded partially on the Si-photonics chip through a third sets of bumps and partially on the second TSV interposer through a fourth set of bumps. |
| US09651750B2 |
Optical connector
An optical connector has an optical waveguide slit and a pass-through hole. The optical waveguide slit is a hole that extends from an insertion surface of a connector body into the connector body. The optical waveguide slit accommodates a sheet-like optical waveguide whose tip abuts against a slit bottom. The pass-through hole is provided near the slit bottom, and passes through the top surface of the connector body and the top surface of the optical waveguide slit. |
| US09651746B2 |
Optoelectronic device and method for assembling an optoelectronic device
An optoelectronic device and a method for assembling an optoelectronic device are provided which obviate the need for providing additional structural elements only for aligning purposes, thus reducing the costs and effort for manufacturing the optoelectronic device. An optoelectronic substrate is mounted on a mounting surface of a mounting substrate; a coupling region of the optoelectronic device faces a reflection element. A fiber endpiece is arranged at a mounting distance from the mounting surface, the mounting distance being larger than a distance of the coupling region from the mounting surface. The mounting surface is exposed and free of any further substrates, layers or structures for mechanically connecting or contacting the optical fiber. A fiber portion which is arranged at a distance from the fiber endpiece contacts a glue droplet arranged on or above the mounting surface of the mounting substrate. |
| US09651745B2 |
Optical connector module for aligning optical connectors to optical connecting seat
An optical connector module includes a substrate including a base disposed on an upper surface of the substrate; an electronic chip disposed on the upper surface of the substrate; an optical component disposed on the base and electrically connected to the electronic chip; a socket fixed on the substrate for coving the optical component, and including at least one guide hole and a light transmitting window; a fixing block including at least one guide pin and at least one opening, wherein the guide pin is inserted into the guide hole to fix the fixing block on the socket and to orient the opening to the optical component via the light transmitting window; and an optical fiber with one end running through the opening of the fixing block to orient the end to the optical component via the light transmitting window. |
| US09651743B2 |
Gradient index (GRIN) lens holders employing a recessed cover, and optical connectors and methods incorporating the same
Gradient index (GRIN) lens holders employing groove alignment feature(s) and a recessed cover, as well as optical connectors and methods employing such GRIN lens holders, are disclosed. In one embodiment, the GRIN lens holder contains one or more internal groove alignment features configured to secure one or more GRIN lenses in the GRIN lens holder. The groove alignment features are also configured to accurately align the end faces of the GRIN lenses. The GRIN lens holder also contains a recessed cover having a front face that is negatively offset with respect to a mating surface of the GRIN lens holder. The GRIN lens holders disclosed herein can be provided as part of an optical fiber ferrule and/or a fiber optic component or connector for making optical connections. |
| US09651742B2 |
Global link connector system
A connector mating system that can enable the coupling and decoupling of electrical or optical communications channels, while in a deep, sub-oceanic, sea-floor environments, during which time the contacting interfaces of the said channels remain fully protected from the destructive effects of the said environment. The system features a Wet-Mate Connector (WMC) that provides a means for electrical, optical and hybrid interconnection within an extremely hostile environments. |
| US09651738B2 |
Distributed feeding circuit for antenna beamforming array
A distributed feeding circuit for antenna beamforming array comprises a plurality N of inputs and a plurality N of outputs, wherein the said circuit is adapted for receiving, on at least one input, an electrical signal at a microwave frequency, modulated on at least one optical carrier, the circuit comprising at least one assembly of at least two optical dividers, two delay lines of length zero or substantially equal to a fraction of the wavelength of the signal at its microwave frequency and two means for combining two optical signals, the assembly being arranged and the delay lines being configured so that the theoretical transfer function of the circuit is an orthogonal matrix. |
| US09651736B2 |
Self-alignment due to wettability difference of an interface
Some embodiments relate to a method of processing a workpiece. The workpiece includes a first surface region having a first wettability coefficient, and a second surface region having a second wettability coefficient that differs from the first wettability coefficient. A liquid, which corresponds to an optical structure, is dispensed on the first and second surface regions of the workpiece, wherein the liquid self-aligns to the second surface region due to the difference between the first and second wettability coefficients. The self-aligned liquid is hardened to form the optical structure. |
| US09651735B2 |
Optical fiber array for achieving constant color off-axis viewing
Some implementations described herein involve defining a viewing angle range, also referred to herein as a viewing cone. The viewing cone may be produced by an array of optical fibers on a display. The optical fiber array may include tapered optical fibers that are capable of increasing the amount of light transmitted through the optical fiber array. The optical fiber array may be a graded index optical fiber array, wherein the refractive index of the optical fiber cores varies along the axis of the optical fibers. |
| US09651734B2 |
Autostereoscopic display illumination apparatuses and autostereoscopic display devices incorporating the same
Embodiments are generally directed to autostereoscopic display device illumination apparatuses having one or more optical fibers (i.e., flexible light diffusing waveguides) as linear emitters for illuminating columns of pixels of a display panel within the autostereoscopic display device. In some embodiments, the linear emitters are defined by a single optical fiber that is arranged on a substrate in a serpentine manner to form an array of linear emitters. In some embodiments, the linear emitters are defined by several optical fibers. Illumination apparatuses of some embodiments may also include a prism device configured to create multiple images of the optical fiber(s). |
| US09651733B2 |
Back plate and method for manufacturing the same and backlight module
A back plate, a method for manufacturing the back plate and a backlight module are provided. The method for manufacturing the back plate includes the following steps. A main body is provided. The main body includes a bottom portion and at least one sidewall connected to the bottom portion. The sidewall has a plurality of grooves, and each of the grooves has a first side surface and a second side surface. A first recess and a second recess corresponding to the first recess are respectively disposed on the first side surface and the second side surface. An external force is applied on the bottom portion to form each of the bottom portion and the sidewalls into arc shape, in which the first side surface contacts the second side surface of each groove, and a hole portion is formed between the first recess and the second recess. |
| US09651730B2 |
Lighting device and luminaire
Disclosed is a lighting device comprising an exit window (30); a plurality of solid state lighting elements (20) arranged in an annular pattern; an optical element (10, 50) for redirecting the luminous output of the solid state lighting elements towards said exit window, the shape of said optical element defining a cavity (15) on a central axis of the lighting device, said cavity being shielded from said luminous output; and a driver circuit (40) for driving at least some of said solid state lighting elements located in said cavity. A luminaire including such a lighting device is also disclosed. |
| US09651723B2 |
Optical filter member and imaging device provided with the same
An optical filter member includes a transparent base; and an optical film disposed on a surface of the base. The optical film includes a first, a second and a third dielectric multilayer films, in the respective multilayer films a plurality of dielectric layers having different refractive indexes being laminated. The first dielectric multilayer film has a first light transmission range within a wavelength of visible light. The second dielectric multilayer film has a second light transmission range falling within the first light transmission range and has an average refractive index higher than that of the first dielectric multilayer film. The third dielectric multilayer film blocks light having twice a wavelength of a central wavelength of the second light transmission range. The second dielectric multilayer film is disposed, together with the first dielectric multilayer film or the third dielectric multilayer film, on a same main surface side of the base. |
| US09651715B2 |
Nanostructured material and method of making the same
Nanostructured material exhibiting a random anisotropic nanostructured surface, and exhibiting an average reflection at 60 degrees off angle less than 1 percent. The nanostructured materials are useful, for example, for optical and optoelectronic devices, displays, solar, light sensors, eye wear, camera lens, and glazing. |
| US09651714B2 |
Antireflection multilayer film
An antireflection multilayer film is formed by alternately laminating high refractive index layers and low refractive index layers having indexes of refraction different from each other. The high refractive index layer is an oblique deposition layer formed by depositing an inorganic material such as tantalum pentoxide onto the surface of an optical element from a diagonal direction, and has minute internal structures composed of slant columnar structures growing along to the deposition direction. The low refractive index layer is an isotropic and dense layer. |
| US09651711B1 |
Boring inspection systems and methods
This disclosure relates generally to apparatus, systems, and methods for boring in earth or other environments, both manmade and natural. More specifically, but not exclusively, the disclosure relates to devices and methods for inspecting the path of a bore (e.g., including horizontal, angular, vertical bores in 3-dimensional space) to detect any damage caused by the boring activity to infrastructure in the path of the bore. Such infrastructure may include, but not by way of limitation, gas lines, sewer lines, communication lines (e.g., fiber optic lines), electric lines, and other infrastructure. The disclosure further relates to devices and methods for mapping locations of underground objects, geological compositions, and other detectable underground features. |
| US09651710B2 |
Downhole fluid properties analysis device and tools comprising such a device
A downhole fluid properties analysis device connectable to a downhole sampling flow line having an internal diameter between 2 to 15 mm adapted to let flow the fluid, a hydrocarbon multiphase fluid from a hydrocarbon subsurface reservoir, to be analyzed. The analysis device includes an analysis pipe portion and a first optical probe arranged to transmit a light into the fluid and a second optical probe, connected to a spectrometer and arranged to produce a signal resulting from an interaction of the fluid with said light indicative of the downhole fluid properties. Each optical probe has an elongated body mounted through the wall of the analysis pipe portion and a needle-shaped tip with an external diameter less than 1 mm. The tips of the probes project into a flow section of the analysis pipe portion such that the first tip faces the second tip. |
| US09651707B2 |
Methods and systems for joint seismic and electromagnetic data recording
Methods and data acquisition systems enable joint acquisition of seismic and electromagnetic data in a target area using stand-alone digital recorders. |
| US09651703B2 |
Constant phase
Various embodiments are described that relate to a loop with a constant phase. The loop can function as an antenna and be used in object detection. A current source can be used to power the loop such that the loop produces a magnetic field and electric field. The magnetic field can be powerful enough to detect a dielectric while the electric field is so small that it does not interfere with nearby communication equipment. Thus, detection can occur without disruption of other important devices. |
| US09651700B2 |
Mapping resistivity distribution within the earth
Resistivity in subsurface earth at locations kilometers away from wells in the reservoirs is mapped and monitored. An electromagnetic source with an electrode is deployed a borehole in the reservoir, and a group of sensors at counter electrodes is deployed at a number of other locations radially spaced at some distance from the well. The source transmits a current which flows to the counter electrodes causing an electromagnetic field which is sensed at the sensors. The source is activated at different depths in the well and ratios of the electromagnetic field sensed with the source at different depths used to obtain data to map the resistivity. The sensors are capable of sensing electromagnetic fields along two orthogonal axes, and the measurements at a sensor along these axes used to reduce undesirable effects of noise and other factors on the data measurements. |
| US09651697B2 |
Noise attentuation using a dipole sparse Tau-p inversion
An input seismic data set is obtained, and a first inversion is conducted on a first frequency filtered input seismic data set across all slowness values in the plurality of slowness values using an inversion matrix with dipole modulation containing a plurality of Tau-p operators and a plurality of dipole terms to transform the first frequency filtered input seismic data set from a time domain to a Tau-p domain having a plurality of first inversion Tau-p coefficients. Each Tau-p coefficient associated with one of the plurality of slowness values. The first inversion Tau-p coefficients are used to identify a subset of slowness values from the plurality of slowness values, and iterative sparse Tau-p inversion using the identified subset of slowness values is performed. The input seismic data set is modified to generate a noise attenuated seismic data set based on the iterative sparse Tau-p inversion. |
| US09651696B2 |
Shear noise attenuation and data matching for ocean bottom node data using complex wavelet transforms
Methods and systems for shear noise attenuation based on matching vertical particle velocity data and pressure data are described. The shear noise attenuation is based on the fact that different stages of the analysis can be performed with different numbers of wavelet orientations. The analysis is performed for frequency sub-bands for all wave numbers and vice versa. |
| US09651694B2 |
Specular filter (SF) and dip oriented partial imaging (DOPI) seismic migration
According to one embodiment, subsurface ray directions in beam migration or subsurface wave propagation directions in reverse time migrations are used to obtain additional Specular Filter (SF) and Dip Oriented Partial Imaging (DOPI) images. SF migration applies a specular imaging condition during migration with a pre-specified subsurface dip field. It boosts the S/N ratio in both images and gathers, by effectively removing migration noise. DOPI images are produced by decomposing a standard migration image according to subsurface dip inclination or/and dip azimuth groups, providing various views of the subsurface image. Both SF and DOPI migration images can supply valuable additional information compared to a standard migration image, and they can be efficiently generated during migration. |
| US09651692B2 |
Vibrator truck with a lift system comprising at least one flexible strap
A vibrator truck includes a vehicle and a vibration assembly mobile relative to each other by a lift system having at least one footbase and configured to lift up/down the vibration assembly. The lift system includes at least one flexible strap and a coupling device configured to couple the at least one flexible strap to the vibratory part and the at least one footbase. |
| US09651689B2 |
Detector arrangement for the detection of ionizing radiation and method for operating such a detector arrangement
A detector arrangement (10) for the detection of ionizing radiation comprises at least one light sensing device (14) and a multifunctional coating (12) arranged in an interacting relation to said at least one light sensing device (14), whereby said multifunctional coating (12) is configured to perform the functions of reflecting light of a given wavelength; and converting at least part of thermal and/or epi-thermal neutrons entering said multifunctional coating (12) into light (15). |
| US09651685B2 |
Radiation detection element and radiograph detection device
A radiation detection element includes plural hexagonal pixels arrayed in a honeycomb form and having sensor portions that generate charges due to radiation being irradiated. The radiation detection element includes charge accumulating capacitors that accumulate generated charges, and TFT switches for reading-out the charges accumulated at the capacitors. The radiation detection element includes scan lines disposed parallel in a first direction, to which switching signals that control switching of the TFT switches are outputted; and data lines disposed parallel in a second direction intersecting the first direction, to which charges read-out by the TFT switches are outputted. The TFT switches are disposed to be, in the first direction, connected to the data lines from alternately different sides of the data line, and such that an arrangement of source electrodes and drain electrodes of the TFT switches is the same in the first direction. |
| US09651684B1 |
Radiation detector
A radiation detector can include both an upper-level and a low-level discriminator. Pulses with amplitudes below a lower pre-selected value will be discarded as noise by the low-level discriminator. Only pulses with amplitudes at or above the lower pre-selected amplitude but at or below a second higher pre-selected value will be subjected to PSD to distinguish between pulses corresponding to neutrons and pulses corresponding to gamma rays. Pulses with amplitudes above the second higher pre-selected value of the upper-level discriminator will be counted as neutron or ionic particle pulses without subjecting these pulses to any PSD. |
| US09651683B2 |
Image pickup panel and image pickup processing system
An image pickup panel (1) includes: photodetection sections (10) each including a photodetector (11-1) and a receiver (11-2) which are integrally molded and having solder bumps (12) formed thereon, the photodetector converting received light into a current signal, the receiver converting the current signal into a voltage signal; and a wiring layer (20) including a wiring pattern installed therein and allowing the photodetection sections to be mounted thereon for respective pixels by the solder bumps, the wiring pattern being connected to the photodetection sections. |
| US09651677B2 |
GNSS signal processing with ionospheric bridging for reconvergence
Methods and apparatus provide for positioning of a rover antenna from GNSS data derived from multi-frequency signals and correction data derived from a network of reference stations. Rover antenna position and multi-frequency ambiguities are estimated at each epoch. An ionospheric filter models variation in ionospheric bias per satellite. A set of ionospheric carrier-phase ambiguities is estimated at least when the multi-frequency ambiguities have attained a predetermined precision. The estimated ionospheric carrier-phase ambiguities are cached. After detecting interruption of signal at the rover antenna and determining reacquisition of signals at the rover antenna, an ionospheric bias per satellite over an interruption interval is predicted. For each satellite, a cached ionospheric carrier-phase ambiguity is combined with a predicted ionospheric bias to obtain a post-interruption ionospheric ambiguity estimate. The post-interruption ionospheric ambiguity estimates are used to aid estimation of rover antenna position after signal reacquisition. |
| US09651673B2 |
Energy conservation apparatus for geofence applications
Methods, systems and devices are provided for operating a GPS engine in an active geofence monitoring state for no more than a first QoS period to obtain a first GPS fix. The GPS engine may also be set to operate in the active geofence monitoring state for no more than a second lower QoS period to obtain a second GPS fix in response to determining the first GPS fix was not obtained. The method may determine whether a geofence breach is detected in response to determining the GPS engine obtained the first GPS fix. The GPS engine may be set to operate in the active geofence monitoring state for no more than the second QoS period to obtain the second GPS fix in response to determining the geofence breach is not detected. The GPS engine may thus operate in the active geofence monitoring state to obtain the second GPS fix. |
| US09651668B2 |
Method and system for determining an error in the estimation of the time taken to cross the ionosphere
A method for determining an error in the estimation of time taken to cross the ionosphere by a signal along a vertical sight axis associated with a receiver, the vertical sight axis cutting the ionosphere at a point of interest, the vertical sight axis being an axis passing through the receiver and a satellite of interest, comprises: determining at least two points of cutting of the ionosphere by two sight axes between a satellite and at least two ground stations; determining at least one angle formed by segments going from the point of interest to two of the cutting points; and determining the spatial dispersion of the cutting points with respect to the point of interest on the basis of the angle, by finding the difference with a predetermined angle and taking the average of the difference or differences. |
| US09651666B2 |
Global positioning system signal reception with increased resistance to interference
A method and apparatus for identifying a position of a receiver. A number of first radio frequency signals including navigation information at the receiver is received. The number of first radio frequency signals is sent from a number of platforms configured to receive second radio frequency signals from a plurality of satellites in a global positioning system. The position of the receiver is identified using a number of distances and a number of angles identified from the number of first radio frequency signals and a number of positions for the number of platforms. |
| US09651660B2 |
Device and method for processing echo signals, computer readable media storing echo signal processing program and wave radar apparatus
An echo signal processing device is provided. The device includes an image generating module configured to generate an echo image at a plurality of timings, the echo image generated based on echo signals received by an antenna installed in a movable body. The device also includes a positional information acquiring module configured to acquire absolute positional information of the movable body. The device also includes an analytic area specifying module configured to specify an analytic area in the echo image by an absolute position, based on the absolute positional information. The device also includes a storage configured to store analytic area images, each analytic area images being a part of each echo image, the part corresponding to the analytic area. The device also includes a calculating module configured to calculate echo signal information regarding the echo signals from the analytic area, based on the stored analytic area images. |
| US09651657B2 |
Radar surveillance system
A radar surveillance system is described in which the radar beam re-visits each area of interest after a short period of time, by electronically reconfiguring a scanned beam to an offset position for an interleaved sub-dwell, within a scan period. This ‘look-back’ capability, where the area under test is re-visited after approximately 1 second, allows the natural de-correlation of sea clutter to take place between the initial and look-back samples of the surveillance area. The re-visit time can be adjusted to best exploit the de-correlation characteristics of the sea clutter return. |
| US09651649B1 |
Passive acoustic detection, tracking and classification system and method
An acoustic sensing system and method includes at least one cluster of acoustic sensors in communication with a computing device. The computing device is configured to process received acoustic signals, and provide at least one of detection of the acoustic source presence; determination of direction of arrival of an acoustic wave emitted by an acoustic source; and classification of the acoustic source as to its nature. The cluster may include at least two sensors and the computing device may be configured to process the received acoustic signals and provide localization of the acoustic source in three dimensions. The cluster of acoustic sensors may comprise at least one seismic wave sensor. |
| US09651647B2 |
Navigation track correction
Methods and systems disclosed herein may include receiving signals along a traveled path over a period of time; recording signal power levels of the received signals over the period of time; receiving a first estimated track of the traveled path; identifying a feature of the received signal power levels, wherein the feature is caused by the signals having traveled different propagation paths; and generating a second estimated track based on the feature and the first estimated track. |
| US09651644B2 |
Method and magnetic resonance system to acquire MR data in a predetermined volume segment of an examination subject
In a method and a magnetic resonance (MR) system, a marked area is determined that demarcates a predetermined volume segment of the subject relative to the regions adjacent thereto. Nuclei in the predetermined volume segment are excited, or nuclei in a region adjacent thereto are saturated with an RF excitation pulse at the same time a magnetic field gradient is activated. The center frequency of a frequency range of the RF excitation pulse and the direction of the magnetic field gradient are adjusted dependent on resonant frequencies of substances present within the predetermined volume segment in order, starting from the predetermined volume segment to shift an actual excitation volume segment excited by the RF excitation pulse toward the marked area, or to shift a saturation volume saturated by the RF excitation pulse away from the marked area. MR data are then acquired from the predetermined volume segment. |
| US09651642B2 |
Magnetic resonance system and method to acquire MR data and to determine a B1 magnetic field
In a method and magnetic resonance (MR) system to acquire MR data within a volume segment, the MR data are repeatedly acquired with a sequence that which includes the following steps. A first resonant RF pulse is radiated and a second resonant RF pulse is radiated. A dephasing first gradient is applied after the first resonant RF pulse and before the second resonant RF pulse. A third resonant RF pulse is radiated after the second resonant RF pulse. A second gradient is applied after the third RF pulse in order to refocus a stimulated echo of a magnetization component prepared by the first gradient. MR data are read out, and a fourth resonant RF pulse is radiated after the readout of the MR data, to reduce the longitudinal magnetization. |
| US09651639B2 |
Method and device for determining a change over time in a biomarker in a region to be examined
A method for determining a change over time in a biomarker in a region to be examined of a patient is provided. The change is determined from magnetic resonance data using a magnetic resonance measuring system with sequences and protocols for measuring the biomarkers by functional resting state connectivity by rsfMRI, perfusion values, magnetic resonance spectra of voxels, or morphometry of organs. A control unit has programs which evaluates the biomarker and a data memory which stores the results of the evaluation and additional data. During a first examination, a quantity result of the biomarkers is determined and stored in the data memory. During a follow-up examination, at least one previous item of the result and additional data from the first examination stored in the data memory are used for determining a quantitative change in the biomarker. |
| US09651637B2 |
Method for the determination of a spatial assignment or spatial distribution of magnetic particles
A method related to Magnetic Particle Imaging (MPI) includes a signal processing step in which MPI time signals are acquired and successive acquisition cycles are completed within one scanning period. From the scanning period, an image acquisition period is selected for which a composite time signal is generated by concatenating measured values acquired in immediate succession. A corrected time signal is determined from the composite time signal by windowing, performing a Fourier transform, and reducing a number of frequency values by eliminating intermediate frequencies of the Fourier transform of the windowed, composite time signal. In a reconstruction step, a spatial assignment and/or distribution of the magnetic particles is computed, and in an outputting step, the results of the reconstruction and/or one or more parameters derived therefrom are stored and/or displayed. |
| US09651635B2 |
Bias circuit for stacked hall devices
Embodiments relate to stacks of Hall effect structures, in which the potential at the contacts of each Hall effect structure throughout a stack of Hall effect structures changes monotonically. An output associated with the Hall effect structure in each layer of the stack can be compared against the output of a counterpart Hall effect structure in another stack to ascertain the strength of an incident magnetic field. |
| US09651633B2 |
Magnetic core flux sensor
A magnetic core flux sensor assembly may include a flux sensor core portion and an elongated opening for receiving a conductor winding through the flux sensor core portion. The flux sensor core portion may include a width from a perimeter edge of the flux sensor core portion to the elongated opening that is constant. An electrical current flowing through the conductor winding generates a magnetic field about the conductor winding and a magnetic flux flow in the flux sensor core portion. One or more sensor holes may be positioned relative to the elongated opening for sensing the magnetic flux flow at different distances from the elongated opening. A sensor conductor winding may extend through each pair of sensor holes. The magnetic flux flow generates an electrical signal in each sensor conductor winding. The electrical signal corresponds to the magnetic flux flow at a location of the particular sensor conductor winding. |
| US09651630B2 |
Circuitry and method for monitoring a power supply of an electronic device
The disclosure relates to a circuitry including a first contact connected to a power supply, a first compare unit connected to the first contact and to a first reference signal, wherein the first compare unit is configured to compare a voltage at the first contact with the first reference signal and provide a first output signal for further processing. |
| US09651627B2 |
Accumulated power consumption sensor: application in smart batteries systems
A device is provided for monitoring the total current discharged from a battery. The device includes a bridge circuit of resistors in which one of the resistors has a resistance which varies according to the current which has passed through it. Whenever the battery passes a current to a load, a small portion of the current is passed through the bridge circuit. |
| US09651625B2 |
Battery monitoring apparatus and battery monitoring system
A battery monitoring apparatus comprises a reception section to receive a radio signal and to output power and a demodulated signal according to the radio signal; a first power source circuit to perform power supply based on the power; a decode circuit to operate upon receiving the power supply from the first power source circuit and to output an activation signal and a command based on the demodulated signal; a second power source circuit to be activated according to the activation signal and to perform power supply; a battery monitoring circuit to operate upon receiving the power supply from the second power source circuit and to output a monitoring result of a state of the battery according to the command; and a transmission section to operate upon receiving the power supply from the second power source circuit and to wirelessly transmit the monitoring result. |
| US09651624B2 |
Systems and methods for state of charge estimation
The present disclosure includes systems and methods for state of charge estimation. In one embodiment, the present disclosure includes a method comprising receiving a voltage corresponding to a state of charge of a battery, converting the voltage to an estimated state of charge using different algorithms across different ranges. In another embodiment, an offset state of charge is applied to a first state of charge to produce an estimated state of charge. |
| US09651616B2 |
Reducing power requirements and switching during logic built-in-self-test and scan test
A number of switching transitions of flip-flops during testing is kept below a threshold. Scan-in test data is applied to the flip-flops. Testing result data scanned-out from the flip-flops is captured, and a prediction is made of a number of switching transitions of the flip-flops between a current capture clock cycle and a next capture clock cycle—in particular, for the next capture clock cycle—thereby using the scan-in test data for the next capture clock cycle and the testing result data scanned-out of the current capture clock cycle. Furthermore, the testing setup values are modified before the next testing cycle is executed based on the prediction in order to enter a new configuration of a testing circuit such that the predicted number of switching transitions of the flip-flops stays below the threshold. The testing setup values comprise parameters for modifying the capture clock cycle and a seed value for generating test patterns. |
| US09651614B1 |
Systems and methods for SerDes physical layer qualification and mitigation
Embodiments are related to systems and methods for data processing, and more particularly to systems and methods for clock recovery in a data receiver. |
| US09651613B2 |
Circuit board testing system
A circuit board testing system includes a testing fixture and a computer system. The testing fixture includes a contact element, a switching circuit, a connection module, and a data acquisition unit. The contact element is connected with a circuit board. The switching circuit is connected with the contact element. The connection module is connected with the circuit board and the computer system. Consequently, an electric power is transmitted from the computer system to the circuit board through the connection module. By enabling the connection module, the data acquisition unit acquires a real voltage value corresponding to the electronic component. The computer system is connected with the testing fixture. According to the real resistance value, the computer system judges whether the electronic component passes the test. |
| US09651612B2 |
Method and device for diagnosing a discharge circuit of an electrical system
A method and an apparatus for diagnosing a discharge circuit, wherein provision is made for the discharge circuit for discharging an electrical system, in particular for discharging an electrical system of a vehicle capable of being electrically driven. In order to achieve this end, means are provided which partially discharge the electrical system by means of said discharge circuit in a procedural step for diagnosing said discharge circuit. |
| US09651608B2 |
Light-emitting device diagnostic circuit
A diagnostic circuit for inspecting a light-emitting device having light-emitting elements. The diagnostic circuit includes a power source module, a buffer module, and an abnormality detection module. The buffer module includes a plurality of buffers. Each buffer has a buffer input terminal and a buffer output terminal. The buffer input terminal receives a first power source signal from the power source module, and the buffer output terminal outputs a second power source signal to one of the light-emitting elements. The abnormality detection module includes a plurality of comparators. Each comparator has a pair of detection input terminals and a detection output terminal. The detection input terminals is configured to receive the first and second power source signals. The detection output terminal outputs a comparison signal to generate a diagnostic result. |
| US09651607B2 |
Photo device inspection apparatus and photo device inspection method
A photo device inspection apparatus is an apparatus for inspecting a solar cell panel, which is a photo device. The photo device inspection apparatus includes an irradiation part configured to irradiate the solar cell panel with pulsed light radiated from a femtosecond laser, which is a light source, an electromagnetic wave detection part configured to detect a pulse of an electromagnetic wave radiated from the solar cell panel in response to irradiation with the pulsed light, and a current detection part configured to detect a current generated by the solar cell panel in response to irradiation with the pulsed light. |
| US09651598B2 |
Device and method for detecting discharges
A method and a device for detecting an edge glow phenomenon in a composite panel, including at least one cable for introducing current into the said composite panel, at least one current return cable, at least one insulating panel bracketed to the composite panel, and means for detecting an edge glow on an outer surface of the said composite panel. |
| US09651597B1 |
Systems and methods for monitoring capacitor banks
A system includes a capacitor unit having one or more capacitors within a body of the capacitor unit, wherein the capacitor unit comprises at least two bushings. The system includes a monitoring system having a first antenna. The monitoring system is configured to couple to the at least two bushings to form a resonant frequency (LC) circuit having a capacitance based at least in part on an effective capacitance of the capacitor unit. The monitoring system is configured to send a first signal to a radio frequency (RF) reader at a frequency based at least in part on the effective capacitance of the capacitor unit via the first antenna. The first signal is associated with health of the capacitor unit. |
| US09651595B2 |
Cell and method for electrical measurements of highly reactive powder and liquid samples
The invention refers to a chamber for measurements of electrical properties of reactive powder or liquid samples, allowing the measurement of various electrical parameters to be carried out. The present invention provides the chamber in two variants of embodiment: the multiple use chamber and the single use chamber. The construction of the chamber provides the possibility of carrying out the measurements with the sample placed directly between parallel active surfaces of the electrodes placed coaxially and sliding in a precise manner in to a thin-walled cylinder made of insulating material providing electric insulation. Elements remaining in contact with the sample are made of chemically inert materials. Additionally, a module containing a pair of the electrodes and the cylinder made of insulating material is detachable from the rest of device elements, that enables its loading and hermetic closure in a glovebox filled with inert gas. The device provides the possibility of carrying out the electrochemical measurements as a function of temperature and pressure. The present invention also refers to a method of carrying out measurements of electrical properties of reactive powder or fluid samples, wherein a sample is loaded into a measurement chamber in an inert gas atmosphere, then the gaseous phase is removed from spaces between parallel active surfaces of electrodes and additionally, solid samples are subjected to compression, and then in the system of regulated temperature and/or pressure a measurement of a selected electrical parameter as a function of time and/or temperature and/or pressure is carried out. |
| US09651589B2 |
Method for correcting electric power loss in an HVDC system
A method for measuring electric power loss of a high voltage direct current (HVDC) system comprises the steps of measuring the amount of transmission electric power and the amount of receiving electric power; calculating a first electric power loss amount based on a difference value between the measured amount of the transmission electric power and the measured amount of the receiving electric power; calculating the amount of loss generated in each of positions in the HVDC system based on an impedance value of each of the positions; calculating a second electric power loss amount based on a sum value of the calculated loss amounts; and determining a correcting value for correcting the amount of electric power loss generated in the HVDC system based on a difference value between the first electric power loss amount and the second electric power loss amount. |
| US09651587B2 |
Apparatus including electrodes, a rectifier or circuit, and an illuminated or non-illuminated indicator for visual indication of energized electrical conductors
An apparatus is for visual indication of an energized state of electrical conductors. The apparatus includes two electrodes structured to capacitively couple to two energized electrical conductors, respectively, in order to harvest an electric field. A rectifier is powered from one or both of the two electrodes. An illuminated indicator or a non-illuminated indicator is powered from the rectifier. |
| US09651583B2 |
Measurement module, electronic apparatus, power supply tap, power supply unit, and built-in measurement module
A measurement module includes a pair of input terminals, a pair of current paths connected to the pair of input terminals, and a pair of output terminals. A partition that is a non-magnetic insulating portion partitions an internal space of the measurement module into two spaces. Low-current components such as a magnetic detection element are disposed in a space different from a space in which the pair of current paths are housed. The presence of the partition allows the low-current components and the pair of current paths to be disposed close to one another, thus making it possible to reduce the size of the measurement module. |
| US09651578B2 |
Assembly method of direct-docking probing device
An assembly method of direct-docking probing device is provided. First, a space transforming plate made by back-end-of-line semiconductor manufacturing process is provided, so the thickness of the space transforming plate is predetermined by the client of probe card manufacturer. Then a reinforcing plate in which a plurality of circuits disposed is provided, which has larger mechanical strength than the space transforming plate. After that the reinforcing plate and the space transforming plate are joined and electrically connected by a plurality of solders so as to form a space transformer. Then, a conductive elastic member and a probe interface board are provided. Thereafter, the space transformer and the conductive elastic member are mounted on the probe interface board. After that, at least one vertical probe assembly having a plurality of vertical probes is mounted on the space transforming plate, and the vertical probes is electrically connected with the space transforming plate. |
| US09651574B2 |
Acceleration sensor structure and use thereof
A MEMS-sensor structure comprising first means and second means coupled for double differential detection and positioned symmetrically to provide quantities for the double differential detection in a phase shift. If the sensor deforms, due to a specifically symmetric positioning of the first and second means, the effect of the displacement is at least partly eliminated. |
| US09651570B2 |
Automatic centrifuge, pre-analysis system with automatic centrifuge and the control techniques of that system
A determination mechanism which obtains information about the weight of the specimen housed in the specimen container is arranged on a conveyor line for connecting between a loading module and an automatic centrifugal unit, the specimens are held without being installed at an adaptor until the number of the specimens which can be subjected to a centrifugal processing at once by the automatic centrifugal unit arrives, and the specimens are installed after the arrival in an order from a heavier specimen at the adaptors to be paired, which are installed at the symmetric positions to each other across the rotation central axis. Also, the specimen is installed at the gravity-center position of the adaptor first, and the subsequent specimens are installed from the inner side at the point-symmetric positions to each other across the gravity-center position. |
| US09651569B1 |
Satellite testbed for evaluating cryogenic-liquid behavior in microgravity
Provided is a testbed for conducting an experiment on a substance in a cryogenic liquid state in a microgravity environment. The testbed includes a frame with rectangular nominal dimensions, and a source section including a supply of the substance to be evaluated in the cryogenic liquid state. An experiment section includes an experiment vessel in fluid communication with the storage section to receive the substance from the storage section and condense the substance into the cryogenic liquid state. A sensor is adapted to sense a property of the substance in the cryogenic liquid state in the experiment vessel as part of the experiment. A bus section includes a controller configured to control delivery of the substance from the storage section to the experiment vessel, and receive property data indicative of the property sensed by the sensor for subsequent evaluation on Earth. |
| US09651567B2 |
Test strips for determining coagulation factor activities
Test strips for determining the activity of a coagulation factor in a blood sample are provided. The strip comprises a support, a sample inlet port for deposition of a blood sample, and a reaction area comprising a blood coagulation reagent. The sample inlet port is connected to the reaction area, and the coagulation reagent comprises blood plasma deficient in the coagulation factor for which activity is to be measured, an ionic citrate source an ionic calcium source, and either one or more coagulation contact phase activator reagents and phospholipids or a mixture of tissue factor and phospholipids. The disclosure further relates to in vitro methods for measuring an activity of a coagulation factor. |
| US09651562B2 |
Cathelicidin as novel inflammatory bowel disease marker and therapy for colitis associated intestinal fibrosis
Method of diagnosing and treating inflammatory bowel disease are disclosed herein. Inflammatory bowel disease can be treated and diagnosed using cathelicidin peptides and detection agents thereof. Specifically, method of treating and diagnosing Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are disclosed herein. |
| US09651561B2 |
Diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis and related conditions
The technology described herein relates to KIM-1 and the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of endometrial diseases and disorders. |
| US09651559B2 |
Display of binding agents
The present application relates to a method of preparing a genetic package displaying oligomers of modular antibody domains binding to a target and to a scaffold ligand as well as to vectors and libraries of genetic packages produced thereby. The invention further relates to methods of selecting suitable linker sequences for use in such oligomer display. |
| US09651557B2 |
Method and kit for the detection of hepatitis-specific antibodies
The present invention relates to an improved method for detecting antibodies to a hepatitis virus in a tissue sample from individuals, which can reliably detect antibodies in recently infected individuals and which provides much lower false positive results in individuals that have cleared their hepatitis infections. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved method and kit which utilizes an activator of (i) hepatitis virus-primed lymphocytes, (ii) memory cells specific for said hepatitis virus, (iii) hepatitis virus-specific antibody production, or (iv) a combination thereof in a tissue sample to stimulate the production of antibodies from newly primed B cells, if present. |
| US09651552B2 |
ELISPOT method having two filter systems
An ELISPOT method of in vitro diagnosis of tuberculosis includes enriching or separating liquid blood fraction from its cellular components including visualizing immunocompetent cells by detecting different dyes and using at least two different filter sets, each including one narrowband excitation filter and one narrowband blocking filter, wherein the narrowband excitation filter is transmissive for light provided for luminescent excitation of a respective dye and the narrowband blocking filter is transmissive for light emitted by a respective dye and measuring the number of immunocompetent cells that secrete at least interferon-γ and interleukin-2 as a reaction to an antigen by superimposing at least two two-dimensional images generated during visualization to avoid luminescence of different dyes interfering and strong luminescence being superimposed on weak luminescence. |
| US09651548B2 |
Self-regulating chemo-mechano-chemical systems
A chemo-mechano-chemical (C1-M-C2) system includes a base supporting an actuatable structure, said structure comprising a functionalized portion and being embedded in an environmentally responsive gel capable of volume change in response to an environmental stimulus; a first fluid layer disposed over the base and in contact with the actuatable structure, said first fluid layer comprising the environmentally responsive gel; and a second fluid layer in contact with the actuatable structure, wherein the layers are positioned such that the functionalized portion is in contact with the second layer in a first relaxed state and in contact with the first layer in a second actuated state and wherein the functionalized portion interacts with at least one of the layers to provide a chemical or physical response. |
| US09651547B2 |
Electrochemical methods and devices for amending urine samples for immunosensor detection
The present invention is directed to methods and devices for amending undiluted and partially diluted urine samples in a manner suitable for performing immunoassays for target analytes, for example NGAL. Generally, the urine sample is treated with reagents including at least one of buffer materials, water soluble proteins, urease, and other interferent mitigants. These reagents control the pH of the urine sample in a manner suitable for immuno-binding reactions and ameliorate interferences, particularly during the detection step. |
| US09651546B2 |
Peptides, devices, and methods for the detection of ehrlichia antibodies
The invention provides peptide compositions and mixtures useful for the detection of antibodies that bind to Ehrlichia antigens. The peptide compositions and mixtures comprise polypeptide sequences based on an immunogenic fragment of the Ehrlichia Outer Membrane Protein 1 (OMP-1) protein. The invention also provides devices, methods, and kits comprising such peptide compositions and mixtures useful for the detection of antibodies that bind to Ehrlichia antigens and the diagnosis of monocytic and/or granulocytic ehrlichiosis. |
| US09651539B2 |
Reducing background fluorescence in MEMS materials by low energy ion beam treatment
Methods for fabricating materials useful for optical detection in microfluidic and nanofluidic devices, such as those used in nanopore-based nucleic acid sequencing are described herein. In certain variations, a method of reducing background fluorescence in a MEMS material may include the step of treating a surface of the MEMS material with a low energy ion beam. |
| US09651537B2 |
Method of monitoring quality and/or aging of oil
The quality and/or aging of an oil is monitored, notably in-situ, using a resonator sensor, for example a quartz crystal microbalance sensor (QCM). Changes of the frequency response of the sensor may be used to detect or monitor the presence of one or a combination of water, fuel, metallic debris, plastic debris and reaction products from degradation of oil components and/or oil additives (including oxidation products and acids). At least one of the major surfaces of the resonator sensor may include a component capturing surface layer provided with impression sites adapted to retain components of the oil indicative of the oil's quality, aging or contamination and both major surfaces of the sensor are preferably immersed in the oil to be monitored. |
| US09651533B2 |
Short-wave infrared super-continuum lasers for detecting counterfeit or illicit drugs and pharmaceutical process control
A measurement system includes a wearable measurement device for measuring one or more physiological parameters, including a light source comprising a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) configured to generate an output optical beam with a near-infrared wavelength between 700 nanometers and 2500 nanometers. The light source is configured to increase signal-to-noise ratio by increasing a light intensity and pulse rate of the LEDs. The system includes a plurality of lenses configured to receive the output optical beam and to deliver an analysis output beam to a sample. The wearable measurement device includes a receiver configured to process the analysis output beam reflected or transmitted from the sample and to generate an output signal that may be transmitted to a remote device configured to process the received output status to generate processed data and to store the processed data. |
| US09651519B2 |
Biochemical analysis instrument
An analysis instrument comprises plural modules connected together over a data network, each module comprising an analysis apparatus operable to perform biochemical analysis of a sample. Each module comprises a control unit that controls the operation of the analysis apparatus. The control units are addressable to select an arbitrary number of modules to operate as a cluster for performing a common biochemical analysis. The control units communicate over the data network, repeatedly during the performance of the common biochemical analysis, to determine the operation of the analysis apparatus of each module required to meet the global performance targets, on the basis of measures of performance derived from the output data produced by the modules. The arrangement of the instrument as modules interacting in this manner provides a scalable analysis instrument. |
| US09651516B2 |
Sensor and method for removing interfering substance
A technique is provided, wherein any influence, which would be otherwise exerted on a reaction of an objective substance caused by a reagent enzyme by an interfering substance contained in a specimen, is suppressed in relation to an electrochemical sensor for measuring the objective substance contained in the specimen. A sensor comprises a substrate; a detecting unit which is provided on the substrate and which detects an objective substance; a filter which covers the detecting unit, which permits permeation of the objective substance on one hand, and which regulates permeation of an interfering substance contained in a sample on the other hand; and removing unit which removes the interfering substance adhered to the filter. |
| US09651515B2 |
Biosensor, manufacturing method of biosensor and method of detecting object
A biosensor includes a substrate, an electrode layer, a conductive polymer layer and a bio-recognizing element. The electrode layer is disposed on the substrate. The conductive polymer layer is disposed on the electrode layer and partially covers the substrate. The bio-recognizing element is disposed on the conductive polymer layer. A chemical reaction takes place between the object and the bio-recognizing element, and the chemical reaction decreases the conductivity of the conductive polymer layer. |
| US09651509B2 |
Method for investigating early liner collapse in a shaped charge
An apparatus and method for investigating and analyzing early shaped charge liner collapse and liner material, wherein such method uses material from an actual liner, in order to collect data on the explosive event and its impact on the material. |
| US09651503B2 |
System and method for surface inspection
A system includes a vessel floating on a body of water. The system also includes at least one conduit extending from the vessel to below the body of water. The system also includes a scanning device disposed within the at least one conduit. The scanning device includes at least one two-dimensional (2D) line scanner and a rotary encoder coupled to the at least one 2D line scanner. The scanning device is configured to generate three-dimensional (3D) image data of a surface of the at least one conduit or at least one component disposed within the at least one conduit. |
| US09651502B2 |
Method and system for detecting micro-cracks in wafers
An inspection method comprises receiving light emanating from a first surface of a wafer substantially along a first axis for obtaining a first image of the first surface therefrom, the wafer having a crack formed therein and the first image containing at least one portion of the crack. The inspection method also comprises receiving light emanating from the first surface of the wafer substantially along a second axis for obtaining a second image of the first surface therefrom, the second image containing at least one second portion of the crack, the first surface extending substantially parallel a plane, and the orthographic projection of the first axis on the plane being substantially perpendicular the orthographic projection of the second axis on the plane. The inspection method further comprises constructing a third image from the at least one first portion of the crack and the least one second portion of the crack of the first and second images respectively. More specifically, the third image is substantially processable for inspecting the crack in the wafer. |
| US09651500B2 |
Sizing defect detection system and sizing defect detection method
A light emission part projects a laser light toward an edge portion of a formation. The laser light extends in a direction intersecting a conveyance direction of a forming belt. A light receiving part is opposed to the light emission part and located on the opposite side of the formation. The laser light passes through an area above an upper surface of the formation at least partially and is partially blocked by rising of the edge portion of the formation. A control device determines occurrence of the glue-joint failure on the basis of whether the quantity of light received by the light receiving part is reduced by at least a predetermined value or a predetermined rate, and provides or gives a visual display or a warning of the occurrence of glue-joint failure. |
| US09651496B2 |
Rare earth downconverting phosphor compositions for optically encoding objects and methods and apparatus relating to same
A rare earth (RE) downconverting phosphor composition may contain two or more lanthanide materials each having a host and at least one downconverting emitter. Each lanthanide material emits a detectable electromagnetic radiation emission peak at an intensity, which is proportional to the amount of emitter present, upon excitation with an absorbable electromagnetic radiation, the emitted radiation having a lower energy, i.e., a longer wavelength than the absorbable radiation. One or more ratios of the intensities of the emitted detectable electromagnetic radiation may be used to uniquely identify the composition. Alternatively, the RE downconverting phosphor composition may contain a lanthanide material having a host and at least two emitters. The lanthanide material emits at least two different detectable electromagnetic radiation emission peaks each at an intensity upon excitation with an absorbable electromagnetic radiation, the emitted radiation having a lower energy, i.e., a longer wavelength than the absorbable radiation. |
| US09651492B2 |
Optical detector
Disclosed herein is an optical detector at least including: a first substrate in which a plurality of wells are formed; a second substrate in which a heating section is provided to heat the wells; a third substrate in which a plurality of photoirradiation sections are provided in alignment with the wells; and a fourth substrate in which a plurality of photodetection sections are provided in alignment with the wells. |
| US09651483B1 |
Compositions of inorganic luminescent materials
Disclosed herein are material compositions that include a metal doped, alumina rich yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG:M). Also provided according to embodiments of the invention are scintillator compositions that include Y3-xMxAl5+yO12+z, as a primary phosphor and wherein 0≦x<0.03, 0.001 |
| US09651482B2 |
Sensor device with OLED
A sensor device configured to be attached to a drug delivery device and configured to illuminate the drug delivery device when attached, the sensor device having an OLED having a transparent first electrode, a transparent second electrode and a central layer disposed between the first and second electrodes, the central layer comprising at least one organic layer, the at least one organic layer configured to emit light through the transparent first electrode, and an optical sensor arranged to receive light reflected from a surface of the drug delivery device, wherein the central layer of the OLED has a region without the at least one organic layer and wherein the optical sensor is arranged, when the sensor device is attached to the drug delivery device, to view a predetermined area of the surface of the drug delivery device through the region without the at least one organic layer. |
| US09651481B2 |
Method and apparatus for liberating gases from drilling fluid
A gas trap includes a sample enclosure, a bubbler enclosure, an agitator, and a brushless, DC motor. The sample enclosure has a liquid inlet, a gas sample outlet, and a sample enclosure wall with a sample enclosure wall portion and a shared wall portion. The bubbler enclosure has a bubbler air inlet, a bubbler air outlet, and a bubbler enclosure wall with a bubbler enclosure wall portion and the shared wall portion. The sample and bubbler enclosures are fluidly coupled through the shared wall portion so that sufficiently pressurized bubbler air entering through the bubbler air inlet maintains the drilling fluid in the sample enclosure at a level determined by the location of the bubbler air outlet when the liquid inlet and the bubbler air outlet are both submerged in the drilling fluid. |
| US09651467B2 |
Raw material fluid density detector
This invention is related to an optical-analysis-type raw material fluid density detector including a detector main body and a light oscillation unit and a light detection unit that are provided on the upper surface or the under surface of the detector main body, in which the detector main body has at least one recess formed in the upper surface and the under surface, a fluid flow path connecting a fluid inlet of the detector main body to the recess, a fluid flow path connecting the recesses to each other, and a fluid flow path connecting the recess to a fluid outlet of the detector main body; the light oscillation unit is disposed in the recess that is closest to the inlet; and light detection units are disposed in the remaining recesses. |
| US09651464B1 |
Spring performance tester for miniature extension springs
A spring performance tester and method of testing a spring are disclosed that has improved accuracy and precision over prior art spring testers. The tester can perform static and cyclic testing. The spring tester can provide validation for product acceptance as well as test for cyclic degradation of springs, such as the change in the spring rate and fatigue failure. |
| US09651463B2 |
Apparatus and method for producing analysis samples
Apparatus for producing analysis samples for X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy that includes a crucible holder that supports a crucible with sample material and a casting dish that is provided underneath the crucible. The crucible is tiltably mounted in the crucible holder and the crucible holder along with crucible holder and the casting dish is handled as a single unit for loading and unloading the oven. The oven has a floor on which the crucible holder is positioned upright, and the portion of the floor receiving the crucible holder is designed as a turntable which imparts oscillating rotational motion to the crucible holder and crucible holder. The method entails placing the crucible with the sample material in the crucible holder while they are outside the oven and then placing entire crucible unit loosely in the oven. |
| US09651462B1 |
Method and system for sampling and separating submicron-sized particles based on density and/or size to detect the presence of a particular agent
A system for sampling and separating submicron-sized particles to detect the presence of an agent such as viruses in an environmental sample, which includes collecting means for collecting a sample suspected of containing submicron-sized particles from the environment, size separation means receiving the submicron-sized particles from the collecting means for separating the submicron-sized particles based on size into at least one size range, and a microscale particle counter adapted for counting the size separated submicron-sized particles received from the size separation means. The particle counter includes at least one cantilever each corresponding to submicron-sized particles of a particular size range, wherein the cantilever is deflectable from a first to a second position to permit passage of the submicron-sized particle therethrough, and wherein the corresponding deflection of the cantilever generates a count signal. |
| US09651457B2 |
Method for detecting deterioration in a turbomachine by monitoring the performance of said turbomachine
A method for detecting degradation of a turbine engine by monitoring performance of the turbine engine, the turbine engine including plural functional modules, the method including: measuring plural physical parameters of the turbine engine to form a current performance index for the turbine engine; calculating plural degraded performance indices for the turbine engine, assuming that, for each degraded performance index, only one functional module of the turbine engine has degraded; calculating plural cost indices corresponding to the difference between the current performance index and a degraded performance index; determining an optimum cost index corresponding to the one with a lowest value for all the degraded performance indices; and detecting degradation of the module of the turbine engine, the degraded performance index of which is associated with optimum cost index. |
| US09651455B2 |
Mass-airflow measurement conversion apparatus for internal combustion engine carburetors
A mass-airflow measurement conversion apparatus for internal combustion engine carburetors includes a plurality of pressure sensors disposed at different location along an air intake path of an internal combustion engine, each sensor adapted to sense a pressure of air flowing into the internal combustion engine and output an electrical signal as a pressure signal corresponding to the sensed air pressure; and a calculation section that receives the pressure signals and generates a mass air flow signal as an output signal based on the received pressure signals. |
| US09651453B2 |
Method for monitoring combustion processes in a combustion engine
A method for extracting characterizing features from an ion current trace retrieved from spark plugs of cylinders of an internal combustion engine, comprises the steps of: i. dividing the ion current signal into crank angle subintervals; ii. calculating a measure of ion current in each crank angle subinterval; and iii. Performing a calculation on the measure of ion currents from different subintervals such that the result of the calculation is dimension free. Further it relates to a method of monitoring combustion processes where a plurality of ion current signals from a number of spark plugs (4A, 4B) are retrieved and used in combination. |
| US09651450B2 |
Method and OTDR apparatus for optical cable defect location with reduced memory requirement
Optical time domain reflectometer (OTDR) systems, methods and integrated circuits are presented for locating defects in an optical cable or other optical cable, in which a first optical signal is transmitted to the cable and reflections are sampled over a first time range at a first sample rate to identify one or more suspected defect locations, and a second optical signal is transmitted and corresponding reflections are sampled over a second smaller time range at a higher second sample rate to identify at least one defect location of the optical cable for relaxed memory requirements in the OTDR system. |
| US09651449B2 |
Simulator
A movement simulator [100] has at least three translational degrees of freedom and has at least three actuator assemblies [106, 108, 110] each of which having a four bar parallelogram/trapezoidal link arrangement. A stiffener [214] is also disclosed. |
| US09651448B1 |
Liner system for detection of leaks or the presence of water
A liner system for detecting the presence or absence of water in soil includes a liner having opposite electrically conductive layers separated by an insulating layer, a number of electrodes embedded in the conductive layers, and a number of electric field detectors embedded in one of the conductive layers. |
| US09651447B1 |
Radiographic method and apparatus for detection of cracks, defects, or leak pathways in materials and assemblies
Example systems and methods for testing materials and assemblies for voids, cracks, or other defects are provided. One example system for testing a part includes a chamber configured to accept the part, and a vacuum source connected to the chamber. The example system also includes a fluid source connected to the chamber and configured to provide a radioactive or isotope-labeled fluid to the chamber. In addition, the example system includes a detector configured to detect a presence or absence of radioactivity or the isotope-labeled fluid in the part. |
| US09651444B2 |
Method of cumulative helium mass spectrometric combination test by using argon as gross-leak tracer gas
The present invention discloses a method of cumulative helium mass spectrometric combination test by using argon gas as gross-leak tracer gas, and specifically gives the procedure for this gross-leak and fine-leak combination test, comprising steps and methods of selecting helium-argon prefilling method or helium-argon pressuring method, fixed or flexible scheme and the criterion RAr0max for argon measured leak rate of gross-leak test according to the rigour grade THemin, cavity volume, leak rate of surficially absorbed helium and argon and the history of the test of a component under test; designing time for pressuring of helium-argon pressuring method, the maximum test-waiting time of fine-leak test and the criterion for helium measured leak rate, helium-argon prefilling and helium-argon pressuring, removing absorbed helium and argon gas, gross-leak test, fine-leak test and complementally testing bigger gross leak, which enhances the sensitivity of gross-leak test, lengthens the maximum test-waiting time of fine-leak test, tremendously expands the range of adapted cavity volume and criterion for measured leak rate of fine-leak test, thus making the cumulative helium mass spectrometric combination test more applicable, convenient and practical. |
| US09651443B2 |
System and method for protecting rotary machines
The present disclosure is directed to a system and method for protecting a rotary machine in a high noise environment. In one embodiment, the method includes a step of measuring a vibration signal during operation of the rotary machine. Another step includes modulating the vibration signal at a desired frequency to generate a modulated signal having a direct current (DC) value. The desired frequency varies as a function of an operational parameter of the rotary machine. The method also includes a step of filtering the modulated signal via one or more low-pass filters. Another step includes comparing an amplitude of the filtered signal to a threshold amplitude for one or more components of the rotary machine. The threshold amplitude is indicative of an imbalance within one or more components of the rotary machine. The rotary machine is then operated based on the comparison so as to protect the rotary machine from damage caused by the imbalance within the one or more components of the rotary machine. |
| US09651439B2 |
Axial force testing device for spindles of machines
An axial force testing device includes a spindle and a frame. Multiple mediate members are mounted to the spindle which is rotatable relative to the frame by the mediate members. A first fixing member is connected to a first end of a scale which shows the axial force. A first contact member contacts the first fixing member and is mounted to the spindle. A second fixing member is connected to a second end of the scale. A second contact member contacts the second fixing member and is mounted to the spindle. The second contact member has a first contact portion which contacts the mediate members. A locking member is locked to the spindle and presses the first contact member, the first fixing member, the scale, the second fixing member, the second contact member and the mediate members. The axial force applied to the mediate members is displayed on the scale. |
| US09651437B2 |
Torque steering angle sensor
A torque steering angle sensor is provided. The sensor includes a ring magnet with magnetic poles, magnetic path forming members to vary in location relative to the magnetic poles depending on torsion of a torsion bar, one pair of magnetic flux collecting rings for the magnetic path forming members, a first detecting element to detect a magnetic field between the flux collecting rings, a second detecting element to receive a magnetic field from the ring magnet, a slide magnet for producing a magnetic field in a different direction from that of the magnetic field of the ring magnet in the second detecting element, and a sliding mechanism to move the slide magnet toward or apart from the second detecting element with rotation of a rotary member of an electrically assisted power steering device. The second detecting element detects the magnetic fields received from the ring magnet and the slide magnet. |
| US09651434B2 |
Pressure array sensor module and manufacturing method thereof and monitoring system and monitoring method using the same
A pressure array sensor module including an array electrode board, a plurality of pressure sensing elements, at least one first conductive structure and at least one second conductive structure is provided. The array electrode board includes a substrate and an array electrode. The array electrode, disposed on the substrate, has a first electrode pattern and a second electrode pattern. Each pressure sensing element, disposed on a sensing position of the array electrode board, includes a top electrode layer, a bottom electrode layer and at least one pressure sensing layer disposed between the top and bottom electrode layers. The top electrode layer has a first lead. The bottom electrode layer has a second lead. The first conductive structure is electrically connected between each first lead and a corresponding first electrode pattern. The second conductive structure is electrically connected between each second lead and a corresponding second electrode pattern. |
| US09651433B2 |
Force detector, robot, electronic component carrying apparatus, electronic component testing apparatus, part processing apparatus, and moving object
A force detector includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a circuit board provided between the first substrate and the second substrate, and an element mounted on the circuit board and outputting a signal in response to an external force, wherein a hole is formed in the circuit board at a location where the element is placed, and a first convex part inserted into the hole and protruding toward the element is provided on the first substrate. Further, the element is placed within a periphery of the first convex part as seen from a direction perpendicular to the first substrate. |
| US09651425B2 |
Color sensor
A color sensor array includes a plurality of sensors. Each of the plurality of sensors has a width dimension and a length dimension that is elongated with respect to the width dimension. The length dimensions of the sensors are substantially equal to one another and parallel to an illumination plane. Each of the plurality of sensors includes a face defined by opposing first and second elongated sides and opposing first and second non-elongated sides. The first non-elongated sides of the plurality of sensors are aligned with one another along an axis that is substantially perpendicular to the illumination plane. |
| US09651423B1 |
MEMS optical device comprising a MEMS magnetic sensing mechansim and MEMS light absorbing structure
A MEMS optical device and an array composed thereof are disclosed herein, wherein the MEMS optical device comprises a light absorbing element, a deforming element, and a magnetic detector, wherein the magnetic detector comprises a magnetic source and a magnetic sensor. |
| US09651416B2 |
Fault detection, localization and performance monitoring of photosensors for lighting controls
A method and system for monitoring sensors of a lighting control system. The method comprises performing a training of a plurality of sensors of the lighting control system (210) to determine a joint probability distribution function (PDF) of the illuminance at a given time t; collecting parameters from the training and storing the parameters in a prior data storage (S212); observing illuminance of the plurality of sensors (S222); determining if there is at least a faulty sensor from among the plurality of sensors based in part on the parameters stored prior data storage (S224); and locating a faulty sensor based on the determination of the existence of the at least a faulty sensor and the prior data (S232, S234). |
| US09651415B2 |
Method and system for monitoring distillation tray performance
Systems and methods for detecting an operational condition of a tray of a distillation column with a sensing cable including an optical fiber sensor array operatively coupled to an optical signal interrogator. An output of the sensing cable corresponding to at least one sensor location on the optical fiber sensor array is monitored. The output of the sensing cable is classified as one of a predetermined set of classifications including at least a stable condition classification and a unstable condition classification determined based upon the output relative to a predetermined threshold. A signal is generated when the output of the sensing cable is classified as the unstable condition classification. |
| US09651410B2 |
Paddle style orifice plate with integral pressure ports
A differential pressure fluid flow meter element for insertion between the connecting flanges of conduit sections of a fluid carrying conduit includes a flat orifice plate having a fluid contacting region for positioning in a flow of fluid through the conduit and a handle extending outward from an outer portion of the fluid contacting region. The flat orifice plate includes at least one pressure port formed in the fluid contacting region of the plate, and at least one impulse line channel formed in the flat orifice plate and extending from one of the at least one pressure port through the handle to a corresponding transmitter interface port. A plurality of apertures formed in the handle and disposed and arranged relative to the at least one transmitter interface port allow mounting of the process variable transmitter directly to the paddle style orifice plate handle, with the transmitter substantially perpendicular to a plane of the handle. |
| US09651408B2 |
Structure of physical sensor
To suppress variations of a vacuum pressure atmosphere in a physical sensor, a physical sensor in which a sensing part that measures a physical quantity is provided in a vacuum space, includes a sensor part in which a plurality of substrates are stacked, and a cavity substrate 9 having a space and provided on an upper surface side or a lower surface side of the sensor part by bonding, wherein the sensing part communicates with a space of the cavity substrate via a ventilation passage 11a provided in the sensor part. |
| US09651405B1 |
Dynamic adjustment of a sampling rate for an optical encoder
A light source in a rotary optical encoder can illuminate a pattern on a rotatable shaft and an optical sensor can detect either the light that is reflected or transmitted based on the pattern. A sampling rate of the optical sensor is dynamically adjusted based on a rotational speed of the rotatable shaft. A pulse rate of the light source may also be dynamically adjusted based on the sampling rate of the optical sensor. |
| US09651403B2 |
Absolute position measurement method, absolute position measurement apparatus and scale
Provided are an absolute position measurement method, an absolute position measurement apparatus, and a scale. The scale includes a scale pattern formed by replacing repeatedly arranged pseudo-random-codes with a sequence of a linear feedback shift register of N stages using a first symbol with first width representing a first state and a second symbol with second width representing a second state. The first is divided into two or more first symbol areas of different structures, and the second symbol is divided into two or more second symbol areas of different structures. There is at least one overlap area in which the first symbol and the second symbol overlap each other to have the same structure. |
| US09651402B2 |
Encoder scale and method of manufacturing the same
An encoder scale for an electromagnetic induction linear encoder includes a substrate, an electroconductive layer exhibiting electroconductivity and provided to one surface of the substrate, and an electric conductor provided on the electroconductive layer. The electroconductive layer is wider than the electric conductor in a plan view of the substrate and is grounded. The electroconductive layer is formed on the entire one surface of the substrate except a guide surface, and glass is exposed on the guide surface. |
| US09651401B2 |
Inductive sensor
A sensor and a method for detecting objects using an inductive sensor. An electrical alternating field is generated by using an oscillating circuit, wherein the amplitude and/or frequency of a signal of the oscillating circuit changes when an object is present. The signal of the oscillating circuit is rectified. The rectified signal is relayed to a high-pass filter, wherein damping of the oscillating circuit caused by nonmoving objects is filtered by the high-pass filter. The signal is compared with a threshold value, and an output signal is generated when the signal value is above or below the threshold value. |
| US09651398B2 |
Method for checking a total distance which is travelled by a motor vehicle and is displayed therein
A method for checking a total distance travelled by a motor vehicle and displaying the total distance in the motor vehicle includes: detecting a change in a component of a control device of the motor vehicle, change in the component being irreversible and taking place over a time period; assigning the magnitude and/or type of the change in the component to a comparison distance, related to the time period, travelled by the motor vehicle; comparing a distance detected by an odometer of the motor vehicle during the time period with the comparison distance; and an operator of the motor vehicle retrieving a result of the comparison or the operator receiving an automatic transmission of the result of the comparison. |
| US09651394B2 |
Information displaying apparatus and method thereof
An information displaying apparatus and method thereof capable of accurately displaying event information on a captured actual image are provided. The information displaying apparatus may include a controller configured to detect a location of a specific point within an image captured by a capture unit and to match event information corresponding to an event generated location on map data to the captured image based on the location of the specific point and a current location; and a display unit configured to display the matched result. |
| US09651393B2 |
Driving support device, driving support method, and recording medium storing driving support program
To provide a driving support device that, when a vehicle approaches signs arranged in the vicinity of a plurality of roads, provides information of a sign that targets at a road on which the vehicle travels, and suppresses provision of information of a sign that does not target at the road on which the vehicle travels.The driving support device of the present invention includes: sign recognition means for detecting a sign from a video acquired from an imaging device mounted to a vehicle that travels on a road, and recognizing information represented by a detected sign that is the sign detected and a first relative position that is a relative position of the detected sign to the road; map data storage means for storing a second relative position that is a relative position of the sign to the road; sign position determination means for determining conformity of the detected sign and a map sign that is the sign whose second relative position the map data storage means stores by determining if the second relative position and the first relative position conform; and output means for outputting the information that the detected sign represents, when it is determined that the detected sign and the map sign conform. |
| US09651390B1 |
Mapping road illumination
A method and apparatus for mapping road illumination. A server receives high beam data. The server receives roadway conditions. The server calculates a high beam frequency for a road segment based on the high beam data and the roadway conditions. The server calculates road illumination from the high beam frequency. The server augments a geographic database with road illumination information. |
| US09651384B2 |
System and method for indoor navigation
The system for indoor navigation includes a global coordinate generator for dividing an indoor space, extracting a feature point where images photographed by cameras installed at predetermined locations overlap, and generating a global coordinate of the feature point, a database for storing information about the image and global coordinate of the feature point generated by the global coordinate generator, and a mobile device for extracting a feature point from an image of a surrounding environment photographed by a camera thereof, comparing the extracted feature point with the feature point stored in the database, and estimating location and direction thereof by using a global coordinate of a coincident feature point. |
| US09651382B1 |
Methods and systems for determining altitudes for a vehicle to travel
Methods and systems for determining altitudes for a vehicle to travel are provided. In one example, a method comprises receiving information indicating a desired location for a balloon and a time period for traveling to the desired location. A region may include the desired location, and the region can be divided into a plurality of cells. The method may include determining estimated cell locations that can be reached by the balloon over a time interval by following a wind at a given altitude. The method may also include assigning a cost value to each cell based on a proximity of the estimated cell locations to a cell including the desired location. The method may further include determining for each cell an altitude for the balloon to travel based on the assigned cost value, and storing information indicating the cost value and the altitude for the balloon to travel. |
| US09651380B2 |
Integrated optical coupler and fibre-optic system having such an integrated optical coupler
The invention relates to an integrated optical coupler (1) comprising a substrate (3), at least two planar waveguides (4), which are arranged on or in the substrate (3) and consist of a material having a virtually isotropic refractive index (anisotropy of the refractive index of less than 10−6), and al least three monomode fibers (8, 9, 10) coupled to the planar waveguides (4). One of the monomode fibers (8) is a polarization-maintaining fiber. A fiber optic system according to the invention comprises an integrated optical coupler (1) according to the invention, a light source (21) that is suitable for generating light beams, and a first pigtail fiber (22), which is connected at one end to the light source (21) and at the other end to the polarization-maintaining fiber (8) of the integrated optical coupler (1). |
| US09651378B2 |
Nuclear magnetic resonance gyroscope system
One embodiment includes a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) gyroscope system. The system includes a vapor cell that encloses an alkali metal and a gyromagnetic isotope. The system also includes a magnetic field source that generates a magnetic field aligned with a sensitive axis of the NMR gyroscope system and which is provided through the vapor cell to cause the alkali metal and the gyromagnetic isotope to precess. The system also includes a laser that generates an optical beam that polarizes the alkali metal in the vapor cell to facilitate the precession of the alkali metal and the gyromagnetic isotope. The system further includes an angular rotation sensor configured to calculate a rotation angle about the sensitive axis based on a measured characteristic of a detection beam corresponding to the optical beam exiting the vapor cell, the characteristic being associated with the precession of the gyromagnetic isotope. |
| US09651376B2 |
Microelectromechanical gyroscopes and related apparatus and methods
In one embodiment, an apparatus comprises a micromechanical gyroscope and a circuit. The micromechanical gyroscope is configured to be excited in a first mode by a drive signal, and configured to be excited in a second mode by a gyroscopic effect. The circuit is coupled to the micromechanical gyroscope and configured to detect the gyroscopic effect when the micromechanical gyroscope is in the second mode. |
| US09651375B2 |
Yaw-rate sensor with a compensating mass
A yaw-rate sensor, having a substrate which has a main extension plane, for detecting a yaw rate about a first direction extending either parallel to the main extension plane or perpendicular to the main extension plane. The yaw-rate sensor has a drive device, a first Coriolis mass and a second Coriolis mass, the drive device being configured to drive at least one part of the first Coriolis mass and at least one part of the second Coriolis mass in a direction parallel to a drive direction extending perpendicular to the first direction. |
| US09651373B1 |
Gravity-based angle sensor with LED indicator
A gravity-based angle sensor apparatus includes an outer housing (which may be incorporated into a carpenter's level or other reference frame) that contacts or is fastened to a workpiece, and a sensor assembly rotatably mounted within the outer housing. The sensor assembly includes a frame having internal cavities for supporting a LED light module and a sensor responsive to the orientation of the sensor assembly. The sensor electrically bridges two terminals of the LED light module to activate an LED indicator lamp when the sensor assembly has a reference horizontal orientation. |
| US09651369B1 |
Method and system for in-situ determination of a chemical composition of films during growth process
System and method for determining the composition of deposited thin films by acquiring multiple sequential X-ray spectra for a film of interest during the deposition process as the film thickness increases, computing intensities of peaks found in the X-ray spectra corresponding to elements present in the film material, followed by computing, for each pair of elements, ratios of corresponding peak intensities, graphing the intensities and ratios against a parameter correlated to the film thickness, and applying a physically meaningful function to the graphed data for best fitting the data down to a ratio RA/B(0) for each pair of the elements for a virtual film of zero thickness. Elemental concentrations ratio for each pair of elements is subsequently computed as a product of RA/B(0) and a factor which is specific for the pair of elements, constant for the instrument as set up, and independent of elements concentrations, and of film thickness. |
| US09651367B2 |
Curvature measuring in a substrate processing apparatus
A substrate processing apparatus has a process chamber, a long-shaped window on a wall surface of the process chamber, an irradiator configured to irradiate a first laser beam and a second laser beam to a substrate in the process chamber via the long-shaped window so that incident points of the first and second laser beams are aligned substantially along a long side direction of the window, a detector configured to have a light reception surface receiving the first and second laser beams reflected by the substrate and passing through the window, the detector being configured to detect incident positions of the first and second laser beams on the light reception surface, and a calculator configured to calculate a curvature of the substrate by using a relative position of the first laser beam and the second laser beam which are detected by the detector. |
| US09651366B2 |
Detecting method and optical apparatus using the same
A detecting method and an optical apparatus using the detecting method are provided. The optical apparatus includes a structured light generation unit and a sense judging unit. When a structured light from the structured light generation unit is projected on a test surface, a test pattern and a test light spot are shown on the test surface. The sense judging unit judges whether the test surface is flat according to a deformation amount of the sensed test pattern, and acquires a distance between the test surface and the optical apparatus according to an area of the sensed test light spot. The detecting method judges whether a test surface is flat and detect a distance of the test surface. Since the structured light is used to detect the distance and the flatness of the test surface, the measuring complexity is reduced. |
| US09651365B2 |
Optical positioning sensor
A sensor is disclosed that can include a light component in support of a first light source operable to direct a first beam of light, and a second light source operable to direct a second beam of light. The sensor can also include an imaging device positioned proximate the light component and operable to directly receive the first beam of light and the second beam of light, and convert these into electric signals. The imaging device and the light component can be movable relative to one another. The sensor can further include a light location module configured to receive the electric signals and determine locations of the first beam of light and the second. beam of light on the imaging device. In addition, the sensor can include a position. module configured to determine a relative position of the imaging device and the light component based on the locations of the first beam of light and the second beam of light on the imaging device. |
| US09651363B2 |
Systems and methods of object measurement in an automated data reader
Systems and methods of determining object dimensions of objects passed through a read zone of an automated data reader are disclosed. A system can include a data reader to read an optical code disposed on the objects, a transport mechanism, an object measurement system to measure dimensions of objects that are transported by the transport mechanism, a light plane generator to project a light plane that produces a light stripe on an object, and a camera to capture image data of objects and a light stripe thereon that can be processed to determine a deviation of a light stripe relative to an optical center within the image data. A deviation from the optical center is used to determine one or more dimensions of the object. |
| US09651362B2 |
Dimensioning system with guided alignment
A dimensioning system including a computing device running an alignment software program is disclosed. The alignment software uses range information from a range sensor in order to generate alignment messages. The alignment messages may help a user define a frame of reference and align the dimensioning system's range sensor for improved dimensioning performance. |
| US09651360B1 |
Optical methods for determining positions of optical discs in tightly packed cylindrical arrays
A cylindrical array of tightly spaced optical discs is arranged such that all optical discs in the array share the same axis of symmetry. An optical system is aligned with the optical disc array. The optical system includes a light source, such as a diffuse reflector, and a photo detector, such as a photo detector. The photo detector is aligned to receive either light transmitted through the optical disc array or light reflected off the optical disc array. Illumination directed at the optical disc array results in a pattern of alternating light and dark illuminations, or bands. The photo detector focusing on the cylinder surfaces of the optical discs detects the light/dark transitions and thus enables counting of discrete optical discs. |
| US09651358B2 |
Grazing-incidence interferometer with dual-side measurement capability using a common image plane
A grazing-incidence interferometer includes first and second spaced-apart diffractive optical elements with a generally planar object disposed therebetween. The first diffractive optical element forms sheared first-diffracted-order light beams that reflect from opposite first and second surfaces of the object at grazing-incidence angles, while a zero-diffracted-order light beam goes unreflected. The second diffractive optical element combines the unreflected zero-diffracted-order light beam and the sheared reflected beams to form a collimated, combined beam. A 1× double-telecentric relay system relays the combined beam to a folding optical system that forms first and second interference images on a diffusing screen located at an image plane. Digital images of the first and second interference images are obtained and processed to characterize the thickness variation of the object. |
| US09651355B2 |
Proximity detection
In certain embodiments, a proximity sensor includes a sensing element, an oscillator connected to the sensing element, and control circuitry connected to the oscillator. The sensing element has a capacitance to ground that is variable as a function of the proximity of an object to the sensing element. The oscillator includes a capacitor. The control circuitry is configured to supply an excitation to the oscillator and a charge to the sensing element, and to measure the resonant frequency of the oscillator. The control circuitry provides a signal indicative of the proximity of the object to the sensing element. |
| US09651351B2 |
Gap assessment tool
A gap assessment tool includes a base and an edge probe. The base fits to an exterior exhaust element of a vehicle, and includes the first of a pair of defined measurement locations. The edge probe is supported by the base for movement to an extended position in which, with the base fitted to the exterior exhaust element, the edge probe contacts an edge of an exterior body panel of the vehicle spaced from the exterior exhaust element, and includes the second of the pair of defined measurement locations. With the base fitted to the exterior exhaust element, and with the edge probe moved to the extended position and contacting the edge of the exterior body panel, a measurement between the pair of defined measurement locations is indicative of a part of a gap between the exterior exhaust element and the edge of the exterior body panel. |
| US09651344B1 |
Target device for toy gun
A target device for toy gun comprises a control circuit board, an isolation net, a metal sensing board, a first buffering board, a display board, and a second buffering board. The control circuit board is arranged inside an upper cover of a box. The isolation net is arranged at a front side of the control circuit board. The metal sensing board is arranged at a front side of the isolation net and electrically connected with the control circuit board. The first buffering board is arranged at a front side of the metal sensing board. The display board is arranged at a front side of the first buffering board and electrically connected to the metal sensing board and the control circuit board. The display board may display scores, flash lights, make a sound, and display numeral indications. The second buffering board is arranged at a front side of the display board. |
| US09651343B2 |
Methods and apparatus for small arms training
Method and apparatus for a small arms training system. In exemplary embodiments, a training system includes a control system, shooter systems that can include a user interface, and a target system that collects projectile position information in relation to a target. In one embodiment, the systems are linked via a mesh radio network and are configured to process GPS information for rapid and accurate positioning of the shooter in relation to the target. |
| US09651340B1 |
Ballistic resistant vehicle window insert
A window insert assembly providing ballistic protection for a window of a vehicle side door. The window insert assembly includes a window insert formed from a ballistic-resistant material and a wedge assembly to wedge the window insert within a window frame of the vehicle door. A method of providing ballistic protection for the window. |
| US09651339B2 |
Vest having releasable components
A releasable vest having a front panel; front shoulder strap elements that include at least one front shoulder strap attachment opening; a back panel; a first waist belt element that extends from the front panel and has at least one waist belt element attachment opening formed through the waist belt element; a second waist belt element that extends from the front panel and has at least one release loop attached thereto, wherein the at least one release loop is capable of being passed through the waist belt attachment opening of the first waist belt element and the at least one front shoulder strap attachment opening of the front shoulder strap elements; and a release lanyard that is capable of being passed through the release loop so as to releasably secure the first waist belt element and the at least one shoulder strap element to the release loop. |
| US09651337B1 |
Windage adjustable pistol sight
A sight for a pistol has a sliding fit within a channel in the slide of the pistol. A fastener retains the sight to the slide. The fastener passes through a slot in the slide. The slot is surrounded by a countersink surface and has a major dimension oriented transversely to the longitudinal axis of the slide. The fastener has a conical head with a cone angle which may be the same as or different from the angle of the countersink surface. |
| US09651335B2 |
No-gun-contact hand-gun shoulder-supported shooting platform
A handgun shoulder support platform includes a shoulder support stably supporting a handgun to a shooter's shoulder when shooting the handgun, thus providing greatly improved shot accuracy. A hand-engaging bracket (“perch”) on the front section matably engages and supports a shooter's hand while the shooter is grasping the grip of the handgun, but without any direct contact between the bracket and the hand gun. The bracket is L-shaped to support a backside and bottom of the shooter's hand. |
| US09651333B1 |
Archery aid
An archery aid for a compound bow includes a tri-pod base; a mounting frame including a connection element for coupling the bow to the archery aid; and an assembly connecting the mounting frame to the tri-pod base. A dampening system dampens for/aft forces on the archery aid. A method of stabilizing an arrow in flight includes mounting a compound bow to an archery aid, the archery aid including a tri-pod base; and shooting the arrow from the compound bow mounted to the archery aid. The archery aid dampens the shot by minimizing kicking. |
| US09651331B2 |
Toy bow and toy crossbow using the same
A toy bow configured to adjust an angle of both ends of its limb by an angle adjustor, thereby enabling the user to easily change the size and the angle of the limb, if necessary. The benefit not only extends to using the bow, but also to storing and carrying to bow due to its reduced size. Preferably, the limb is detachably mountable to a stock of a crossbow to conveniently change its application from a toy bow to a toy crossbow and vice-versa. |
| US09651329B2 |
Trigger device for a semi-automatic handgun
The invention relates to a trigger device for a semi-automatic handgun, including a locking element swivel-mounted around a first axis and acting on a trigger element via a locking face, and a shot limitation device, which has a control element with locking or control faces defining at least two locking positions for a pawl swivel-mounted around a second axis.To allow limited and precisely metered firing for rapid-fire sequences, it is provided that the control element is formed by a sear arranged in the path of action between a trigger and the trigger element, which acts on the trigger element through the locking element and the pawl swivel-mounted on the locking element around the second axis. |
| US09651328B1 |
Ambidextrous bolt release for a lower receiver
An ambidextrous bolt release that includes an ambidextrous bolt release lever; a bolt catch pivotable about a bolt catch pivot aperture between a bolt engagement and a bolt release position, wherein the bolt catch comprises a bolt engagement projection, and wherein the bolt catch comprises a bolt catch projection; and a connector bar extending from a first into a second end and attached or coupled between the ambidextrous bolt release lever and the bolt catch, such that vertical movement of the ambidextrous bolt release lever results in vertical movement of the connector bar and rotation of the bolt catch. |
| US09651322B2 |
Cleaning device for a combustion boiler
A cleaning device for a combustion boiler, comprising a high-temperature-resistant cleaning hose for feeding a cleaning medium into the combustion boiler, a hose reel which can be rotated about a first axis of rotation, wherein the cleaning hose can be wound at least partially in said reel, and wherein the hose reel comprises an opening through which the cleaning hose can be guided during winding or unwinding parallel to the first axis of rotation. |
| US09651321B2 |
Methods of controlling fan capacity and coil capacity in HVAC systems
A method for regulating a discharge fan and a coil of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (“HVAC”) system includes maintaining a discharge fan capacity at a low fan capacity setting and varying a coil discharge air temperature between a low discharge air temperature limit and a high discharge air temperature limit. The method also includes, when the coil discharge air temperature reaches the low discharge air temperature limit, varying a fan speed of the variable speed discharge fan between a low fan speed setting and a high fan speed setting so as to maintain a space temperature at a space temperature setpoint set for a space, while maintaining the coil discharge air temperature at the low discharge air temperature limit. |
| US09651319B2 |
Laminated roll of sealed graphite pouches and methods for making the same
Laminated rolls of sealed graphite pouches and methods for making the same are provided. The laminated roll can include a first substrate having a length and a plurality of sealed pouches disposed on the substrate at predetermined intervals along its length. Each sealed pouch can include a graphite sheet having first and second sides, the first side affixed to the substrate, and a second substrate affixed to at least the second side of the graphite sheet and to a portion of the substrate to fully seal the graphite sheet within an enclosed space. In one embodiment, the roll of sealed graphite sheet pouches can be fixed to a roll of another substrate in a roll-to-roll fashion and the combined rolls can be cut into discrete portions for use in a particular application. For example, the roll of the other substrate can be a roll of enhanced spectral reflector (ESR). |
| US09651314B2 |
Air conditioner with grooved inner heat exchanger tubes and grooved outer heat exchanger tubes
To increase a heat exchange capacity of an indoor heat exchanger without increasing a pressure loss inside tubes of an outdoor heat exchanger. A heat exchanger is constituted by an indoor machine equipped with an indoor heat exchanger 10 constituted by a plurality of heat transfer tubes 12A, which have a spiral grooves 13A formed with a predetermined lead angle Ra on inner faces of the tubes and are made to pierce a plurality of fins 11, and an outdoor machine equipped with an outdoor heat exchanger 20 constituted by a plurality of heat transfer tubes 22A which have a lead angle Rb of spiral grooves 23A smaller than that of a heat transfer tubes 10A used for the indoor heat exchanger 10 and are made to pierce a plurality of fins 11. |
| US09651312B2 |
Flexible thermal ground plane and manufacturing the same
Methods, apparatuses, and systems are disclosed for flexible thermal ground planes. A flexible thermal ground plane may include a support member. The flexible thermal ground plane may include an evaporator region or multiple evaporator regions configured to couple with the support member. The flexible thermal ground plane may include a condenser region or multiple condenser regions configured to couple with the support member. The evaporator and condenser region may include a microwicking structure. The evaporator and condenser region may include a nanowicking structure coupled with the micro-wicking structure, where the nanowicking structure includes nanorods. The evaporator and condenser region may include a nanomesh coupled with the nanorods and/or the microwicking structure. Some embodiments may include a micromesh coupled with the nanorods and/or the microwicking structure. |
| US09651307B2 |
System, methods, and apparatus for aggregate dewatering
A dewatering device for aggregate product can be used to retro-fit existing aggregate product dewatering facilities in order to more efficiently capture product. The dewatering device can be movable to allow for the portability of the device relative to existing dewatering facilities. The device is adapted to receive a slurry of aggregate product and water and to vibrate to dry the aggregate product. A recycle system is included to receive any fines that may otherwise be lost by the system. The recycle system captures the fines and redirects them back towards the vibrating process of the vibrating device to direct them towards an exit of the vibrating device in order to use said fines as well as the other dewatered aggregate product. The portability of the device allows the device to be used with the existing facilities without the need to completely replace existing components for dewatering aggregate product. |
| US09651302B2 |
Purification method and purification apparatus for feed air in cryogenic air separation
A purification method for feed air in cryogenic air separation of the present invention includes purifying the feed air for the cryogenic air separation by using a temperature swing adsorption method, wherein the whole region of a carbon dioxide adsorbent layer packed in an adsorption column is used as a mass transfer zone of a carbon dioxide. Also, a purification apparatus for feed air in cryogenic air separation of the present invention includes at least two adsorption columns; and a moisture adsorbent and a carbon dioxide adsorbent being laminated and packed in the adsorption columns, wherein the packed amount of the carbon dioxide adsorbent is the same as the amount of the carbon dioxide adsorbent in the region of the carbon dioxide adsorbent which a mass transfer zone of a carbon dioxide occupies at the end of an adsorption step, and a temperature swing adsorption method is used. |
| US09651301B2 |
System and method for liquefying and storing a fluid
A fluid is liquefied from a gaseous state to a liquid state, and the liquefied fluid is stored. In one embodiment, the fluid is oxygen. Mechanisms are employed that enhance the durability, longevity, reliability, efficiency, of a system used to liquefy the fluid. |
| US09651299B1 |
Apparatus and method for beverage container cooler with deflected compliant seal
A supplemental cooling device for a beverage container. Ice and water are introduced through a top opening in a housing which is wider than the outside diameter of the container, so the container is freely inserted into the housing. A lid assembly with a compliant seal is removably threaded to the housing. When in a relaxed and open position, the seal has an opening which is also wider than the outside diameter of the beverage container. After inserting the container, the lid assembly is tightened against the housing, and the compliant seal is deflected against the beverage container to isolate the annular space between the housing and beverage container, thereby allowing the housing and beverage container to be tipped for drinking without spilling the coolant. Once the drink is consumed, the compliant seal may be disengaged so that it is open again, permitting easy removal of the beverage container. |
| US09651293B2 |
Cooled storing system for photo catalytic decomposition of ethylene
A cooled storing system for photo catalytic decomposition of ethylene is a reefer container or a refrigerator with a cooling unit including an evaporator, the surface of which is at least partly coated in TiO2. A UV-source is arranged so that light emitted therefrom falls on the surface provided with TiO2, whereby an active surface for photo catalysis is provided. When in use, an airflow created inside the system passes over the photocatalytic surface permitting decomposition of organic compounds such as ethylene present therein. |
| US09651286B2 |
Refrigeration monitoring system and method
A system is provided and may include a refrigeration circuit having a condenser, a first sensor producing a signal indicative of a detected condenser temperature of the condenser, and processing circuitry in communication with the first sensor. The processing circuitry may determine a derived condenser temperature independent from information received from the first sensor and may compare the derived condenser temperature to the detected condenser temperature to determine a charge level of the refrigeration circuit. |
| US09651285B2 |
Refrigerating cycle apparatus
A refrigerating cycle apparatus is provided. The refrigerating cycle apparatus may include a refrigerant switching valve, which may be moved to a predetermined position through a simple circuit structure, during a blackout (power outage). Further, in a case in which input power is cut off due to a blackout, while the refrigerating cycle apparatus operates, oil may be collected. Even if input power is cut off due to a power outage, in a state in which the refrigerant switching valve is open while a refrigerating cycle apparatus having two compressors of two stages (2tage-2comp) is operating, the refrigerant switching valve may be converted to a closed state. This may reduce a pressure difference between the two compressors, and prevent damage to the compressors. |
| US09651282B2 |
Refrigeration and air-conditioning apparatus and humidity control device
An air-conditioning system includes a pump that sends, to an evaporator, a cooling fluid that exchanges heat with a refrigerant at the evaporator, and a first heat exchanger that exchanges heat between ambient air and the cooling fluid that has undergone the heat exchange at the evaporator. A sensible heat exchange cycle is formed by annularly connecting the evaporator, the heat exchanger, and the pump by using a pipe. This system is also includes an air-sending unit that sends air to a second heat exchanger, moisture absorbing-and-desorbing devices that are provided at a passage of the air sent by the air-sending unit and that are disposed in front of and behind the first heat exchanger, and an air-path switching device that reverses a passing direction of air passing through the moisture absorbing-and-desorbing device, the first heat exchanger, and the moisture absorbing-and-desorbing device. |
| US09651276B2 |
Heater for solvents and flammable fluids
A heater for solvents and flammable fluids having a heater core, an hermetically sealed electrical chamber, and a housing cap. The heater core includes a process fluid tube, a heating element, and a thermal well, all enclosed within a cast aluminum billet. The heating element, the process fluid tube, and the thermal well are all thermally associated with one another. The electrical chamber is embedded in a first end of the cast aluminum billet. Electrodes from the heating element extend into the electrical chamber and are connected to electrical wires. The electrical chamber is filled with a non-conducting epoxy that covers and encloses the electrical connections. The housing cap is sealingly disposed on the first end of the cast aluminum billet covering the electrical chamber. |
| US09651275B2 |
Adiabatic cooling unit
Examples described herein relate to adiabatic cooling units. For example, a method for mixing gases within an adiabatic cooling unit includes allowing a first gas at a first temperature to enter a mixing chamber on a non-exposed side of an adiabatic cooling media and utilizing a first baffle to direct the first gas in a direction away from the adiabatic cooling media. The method includes allowing a second gas at a second temperature to enter the mixing chamber on an exposed side of the adiabatic cooling media and allowing the first gas and the second gas to mix in the mixing chamber creating a mixed gas. The method also includes creating an inlet with the first baffle and a second baffle to direct the mixed gas away from the adiabatic cooling media and allowing the mixed gas to enter through the exposed side of the adiabatic cooling media. |
| US09651272B2 |
Air-conditioning control system and air-conditioning control method
A base terminal receives the air-conditioning control information from the server, and on the basis of the received air-conditioning control information, when a power consumption value in a site is greater than the target power value for demand control, the base terminal transmits, to air-conditioning control equipment, a control instruction that sets an air conditioner to OFF, and when the temperature measured in an area is greater than the upper limit temperature when the air conditioner is performing a cooling operation, or when the temperature measured in the area is less than the lower limit temperature when the air conditioner is performing a heating operation, the base terminal transmits a control instruction that sets the air conditioner to ON. |
| US09651271B2 |
Method and system for controlling consumption
This invention relates to methods and systems for controlling consumption, particularly power consumption, more particularly by appliances in a building, and is generally suitable for integration with building management systems. Embodiments of the invention provide methods and systems which probabilistically limit the aggregated power load of a plurality of climate control appliances in a building to a selected value, while seeking to minimize the deviation from target environmental conditions within the building. The embodiments of the invention propose distributed decision-making by individual devices based on projected deviation from the target conditions after a period of activity or inactivity. |
| US09651270B2 |
Hydraulic device and evaporative system with such a hydraulic device
The invention relates to a hydraulic device (15; 55) for an evaporative system (11), comprising at least one pump (22; 62) and a housing (16; 56) with a water inlet (17; 57) and one or more water outlets (19; 59), wherein the at least one pump (22; 62) is mounted on the housing (16; 56) and a water tank (20; 60) is provided by the housing (16; 56), the water tank (20; 60) being arranged between the water inlet (17; 57) and the one or more water outlets (19; 59), wherein the at least one pump is provided for pumping water through the one or more water outlets. The invention furthermore relates to an evaporative system (11) with such a hydraulic device (15; 55). |
| US09651266B2 |
Gas hot water heating device and system
A gas hot water heating device and a system with heating function are disclosed. The device includes a combustion device (1), an inlet (E) and an outlet (G) of a hot water pipeline (2), an inlet (I) and an outlet (H) of a heating loop (3), and a water tank (4). The device also includes a first heat exchanger (5), a second heat exchanger (6) and a third heat exchanger (7). A flue gas outlet (1-2) of the combustion device (1) is connected with flue gas passages of the first heat exchanger (5) and the second heat exchanger (6) in order and in series. A first water flow passage (5-1) and a second water flow passage (5-2) are arranged in the first heat exchanger (5), and the water tank (4) and the first water flow passage (5-1) of the first heat exchanger (5) are communicated between the inlet (E) and the outlet (G) of the hot water pipeline (2) in series. The second heat exchanger (6) and the third heat exchanger (7) can exchange heat with water in the water tank (4). |
| US09651264B2 |
Brick assembly with magnetic attachment, and methods of making and use thereof
A brick assembly may include a molded brick having a planar surface and at least one magnetic attachment for magnetically securing the brick assembly to a ferromagnetic surface. A mold assembly for manufacturing a brick assembly may include a mold chamber and at least one magnetic attachment seat or a hinged metal door. A method for manufacturing a brick assembly may include using a mold assembly, a mold material, and at least one magnetic attachment. |