| Document | Document Title | |
|---|---|---|
| US09059000B2 |
Methods and structures for protecting one area while processing another area on a chip
Increased protection of areas of a chip are provided by both a mask structure of increased robustness in regard to semiconductor manufacturing processes or which can be removed with increased selectivity and controllability in regard to underlying materials, or both. Mask structures are provided which exhibit an interface of a chemical reaction, grain or material type which can be exploited to enhance either or both types of protection. Structures of such masks include TERA material which can be converted or hydrated and selectively etched using a mixture of hydrogen fluoride and a hygroscopic acid or organic solvent, and two layer structures of similar or dissimilar materials. |
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| US09058999B2 |
Low voltage metal gate antifuse with depletion mode MOSFET
An antifuse according to an embodiment of the invention herein can include a depletion mode metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (“MOSFET”) having a conduction channel and a metal gate overlying the conduction channel. A cathode and an anode of the antifuse can be electrically coupled to the gate, such that the antifuse is programmable by driving a programming current between the cathode and the anode to cause material of the metal gate to migrate away. Under appropriate biasing conditions, when the antifuse is unprogrammed, the conduction channel is turned on unless a voltage above a first threshold voltage is applied to the gate to turn off the conduction channel. The gate can be configured such that when the antifuse has been programmed, the conduction channel remains turned on even if a voltage above the first threshold voltage is applied between the gate and a source region of the MOSFET. |
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| US09058998B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit
An input signal having a high level or a low level is input to a pad. A first protection element includes a first transistor configured as an N-channel MOSFET designed so as to withstand ESD. A second protection element includes a second transistor configured as a P-channel MOSFET designed so as to withstand ESD. A capacitance element is connected to a second line, and forms an RC filter together with a filter resistor. The capacitance element includes at least one from among a third transistor having the same device structure as that of the first transistor and a fourth transistor having the same device structure as that of the second transistor. |
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| US09058992B2 |
Lateral diode compatible with FinFET and method to fabricate same
A structure includes a fin having first end and second ends and a substantially intrinsic portion between the first and second ends. The structure further includes a first region of doped semiconductor material disposed on the first end of the fin and a second region of doped semiconductor material disposed on the second end of the fin. The first region has one of the same doping polarity or an opposite doping polarity as the second region. The structure also includes a third region of doped semiconductor material disposed on the intermediate portion of the fin adjacent to the first region and the second region. The third region has a doping polarity that differs from the doping polarity of at least one of the first and second regions and forms a p-n junction with the at least one of the first and second regions. |
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| US09058991B2 |
Diode string
Devices and methods are provided, wherein a diode string is provided in a well and the well is biased with an intermediate voltage between voltages applied to terminals of the diode string. |
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| US09058989B2 |
Large area thin freestanding nitride layers and their use as circuit layers
Thin flat crack-free freestanding nitride layers are fabricated by laser patterning of the interface and/or opposing surface of the nitride layer. The nitride layer is substantially flat once removed from the non-native substrate. The thin flat crack free nitride layers are between 3 and 250 microns thick and can have areas greater than 1 cm2. |
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| US09058988B2 |
Methods for depositing layers having reduced interfacial contamination
Methods of depositing layers having reduced interfacial contamination are disclosed herein. The inventive methods may advantageously reduce contamination at the interface between deposited layers, for example, between a deposited layer and an underlying substrate or film. In some embodiments, a method of depositing a layer may include annealing a silicon-containing layer having a first layer disposed thereon in a reducing atmosphere; removing the first layer using an etching process to expose the silicon-containing layer after annealing; and depositing a second layer on the exposed silicon-containing layer. |
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| US09058987B2 |
Rare-earth oxide isolated semiconductor fin
A dielectric template layer is deposited on a substrate. Line trenches are formed within the dielectric template layer by an anisotropic etch that employs a patterned mask layer. The patterned mask layer can be a patterned photoresist layer, or a patterned hard mask layer that is formed by other image transfer methods. A lower portion of each line trench is filled with an epitaxial rare-earth oxide material by a selective rare-earth oxide epitaxy process. An upper portion of each line trench is filled with an epitaxial semiconductor material by a selective semiconductor epitaxy process. The dielectric template layer is recessed to form a dielectric material layer that provides lateral electrical isolation among fin structures, each of which includes a stack of a rare-earth oxide fin portion and a semiconductor fin portion. |
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| US09058983B2 |
In-situ hardmask generation
In some examples, a process to generate an in-situ hardmask layer on porous dielectric materials using the densifying action of a plasma in conjunction with a sacrificial polymeric filler, the latter which enables control of the hardmask thickness as well as a well-defined interface with the underlying ILD. |
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| US09058982B2 |
Silicon oxynitride film and method for forming same, and semiconductor device
An insulating film that does not contain hydrogen or free fluorine and has good film properties is provided. A silicon oxynitride film includes silicon, nitrogen, oxygen, and fluorine, wherein the elemental percentage (N+O+F)/Si of the total (N+O+F) of nitrogen (N), oxygen (O), and fluorine (F) to silicon (Si) is in a range of 1.93 to 1.48, and in the silicon oxynitride film, an elemental percentage of silicon ranges from 0.34 to 0.41, an elemental percentage of nitrogen ranges from 0.10 to 0.22, an elemental percentage of oxygen ranges from 0.14 to 0.38, and an elemental percentage of fluorine ranges from 0.17 to 0.24. The film can be formed on a substrate by inductive coupling type plasma CVD whereby a plasma is generated by inductive coupling using a silicon tetrafluoride gas, a nitrogen gas, and an oxygen gas as a material gas. |
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| US09058979B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit having a switch, an electrically-conductive electrode line and an electrically-conductive virtual line
A semiconductor integrated circuit including: a circuit block having an internal voltage line; an annular rail line forming a closed annular line around the circuit block and supplied with one of a power supply voltage and a reference voltage; and a plurality of switch blocks arranged around the circuit block along the annular rail line, the plurality of switch blocks each including a voltage line segment forming a part of the annular rail line and a switch for controlling connection and disconnection between the voltage line segment and the internal voltage line. |
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| US09058973B2 |
Passive devices fabricated on glass substrates, methods of manufacture and design structures
Passive devices fabricated on glass substrates, methods of manufacture and design structures are provided. The method includes forming an opaque or semi-opaque layer on at least a first side of a glass substrate. The method further includes forming one or more passive devices on the opaque or semi-opaque layer on a second side of the glass substrate. |
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| US09058965B2 |
Ion trap quadrupole mass filter
An ion trap mass spectrometer is provided, including: an electron emitter; an ion trap storing ions generated by ionization resulting from an impact with electrons emitted from the electron emitter; a secondary ion filter for blocking out secondary ions generated due to ions selectively released by the ion trap; and a detector detecting ions selectively released from the ion trap, wherein the electron emitter, the ion trap, the secondary ion filter, and the ion detector are arranged on the same axis, so that a pure mass spectrum can be measured by excluding the secondary ions which are causes of background noise signals in the procedure of detection of the ions by the ion trap mass spectrometer. |
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| US09058963B2 |
Parallel mass analysis
A system and method of mass spectrometry is provided. Ions from an ion source are stored in a first ion storage device and in a second ion storage device. Ions are ejected from the first ion storage device to a first mass analysis device during a first ejection time period, for analysis during a first analysis time period. Ions are ejected from the second ion storage device to a second mass analysis device during a second ejection time period. The ion storage devices are connected in series such that an ion transport aperture of the first ion storage device is in communication with an ion transport aperture of the second ion storage device. The first analysis time period and the second ejection time period at least partly overlap. |
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| US09058962B2 |
Magnet unit and magnetron sputtering apparatus
A magnet unit has a first magnet element and a second magnet element. The first magnet element includes a first magnet which is provided to stand upright on a yoke plate, a second magnet which is provided to stand upright on the yoke plate and has a magnetic pole unlike the first magnet, and a third magnet which is provided with a tilt between the first magnet and the second magnet. The second magnet element includes a fourth magnet which is provided to stand upright on the yoke plate, a fifth magnet which is arranged to stand upright on the yoke plate and has a magnetic pole unlike the fourth magnet, and a sixth magnet which is provided with a tilt between the fourth magnet and the fifth magnet. The first magnet element and the second magnet element are alternately arranged in an endless shape. |
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| US09058957B2 |
Charged particle beam apparatus
A charged particle beam apparatus is provided with a parameter adjustment practice function for allowing any user to easily learn manual focus adjustment and stigma adjustment. Control conditions of the focus arrangement of an objective lens, an X-stigmator and a Y-stigmator are set according to the user's operation. According to a group of the focus adjustment, an X-stigma adjustment and a Y-stigma adjustment which are set, a practice-purpose image corresponding to the control conditions is read out from a storage device and is displayed on a screen. |
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| US09058952B2 |
Intelligent magnetic latching miniature circuit breaker
This invention discloses a type of intelligent magnetic-hold miniature circuit breaker, comprising a casing, a magnetic-hold relay, and a drive circuit, wherein said drive circuit receives control signal and then drives operation of said magnetic-hold relay; said magnetic-hold relay comprises a dynamic spring assembly, a static spring assembly, a deflector rod, a pushing piece, and a magnetic steel assembly; rotation of said magnetic steel assembly drives said deflector rod and then closing or opening of contacts of said dynamic spring assembly and said static spring assembly via said pushing piece; said miniature circuit breaker also includes a central processor, a communication chip, a mutual inductance module, and a current conditioning circuit. Said mutual inductance module is installed on the extension wire of the dynamic spring assembly. Said current conditioning circuit is connected to said central processor and said mutual inductance module respectively. Said central processor drives the magnetic-hold relay via said drive circuit according to current state signal from said current conditioning circuit, to realize overload protection. |
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| US09058946B2 |
Electrical switch arrangement and device for controlling an apparatus comprising such an arrangement
An electrical switch arrangement for controlling an electronic apparatus. The arrangement includes a reinforcement member, an electrical switch with tactile effect, a force transmission member which cooperates with the electrical switch with tactile effect, a permanent magnet which acts on a magnetic disc linked to the force transmission member to slow down the displacements of the force transmission member, and an electromagnet with controlled electrical power supply. When powered, the electromagnet produces a magnetic field which cancels the magnetic field of the permanent magnet. |
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| US09058944B2 |
Lighting system for electric parking brake switch
Disclosed is a lighting system for an electric parking brake switch. The lighting system includes a panel in which an installation space and an operation space are formed at an upper portion thereof. In addition the system includes a switch that is installed in the installation space and is shaft coupled to perform pivotal motion. Furthermore, a prism is installed within the switch wherein one surface is exposed toward the operation space. The prism is configured to allow light which enters from underside bottom surface to pass therethrough and travel vertically upward after exiting from an upper surface, and to refract within thereof and then travel toward the operation space. Additionally, a light source is disposed at a lower end portion of the panel and is configured to emit light to the prism. |
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| US09058939B2 |
Configuration of an arc runner for a miniature circuit breaker
An arc runner configured to provide a substantially constant separation between a side surface of a conductive contact carrier and an arc discharge surface of the arc runner during an initial portion of a separation of two contacts. The arc discharge surface is preferably a flat surface oriented perpendicular to an axis of rotation of one contact away from the other. The conductive contact carrier having the side surface is configured to allow the arc runner to repeatedly travel along its side without mechanical interference during repeated openings and closings of the contacts. During the initial portion of the separation of the contacts, an electrical arc generated between the contacts during the separation is desirably transferred off of the contacts to the arc discharge surface after the separation between the contacts exceeds the distance between the side surface and the arc discharge surface. |
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| US09058937B2 |
Touch panel
The Present Disclosure provides a touch panel, comprising a main panel and a light-emitting touch module disposed underneath. The main panel is provided with a plurality of display patterns thereon. A light-emitting touch module includes a first circuit board provided with a plurality of touch sensors, a plurality of light-emitting devices and a plurality of light guiding parts attached to the side edges of the light-emitting devices so as to evenly project the light emitted from the light-emitting devices upward to the display patterns. The light-emitting touch module further comprises a light reflecting part disposed underneath the light guiding parts capable of reflecting the light emitted from the bottom surface of the light guiding parts back to the light guiding parts, which is further projected upward from the display patterns so as to improve the brightness of the patterns. |
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| US09058919B2 |
Water proof press contact terminal and method for forming water proof press contact terminal
A water proof press contact terminal includes a base portion, a pair of first press contact pieces, a pair of second press contact pieces, and a covering member. The first press contact pieces are provided at both sides of a front part of the base portion. The second press contact pieces are provided at both sides of a rear part of the base portion, press contact a sheath of a wire. The covering member is provided on the base portion. A core wire of the wire is inserted into the covering member so as to be covered in a waterproof manner, and is press contacted by the first press contact pieces together with the covering member. |
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| US09058918B2 |
Method for producing water tree-resistant, TRXLPE-type cable sheath
TRXLPE-type cable sheaths are prepared by a method in which a solid polymer is mixed with a liquid water tree-resistant agent either by dosing or direct injection. In the dosing method, the solid polymer, e.g., high pressure LDPE, is sprayed or otherwise contacted with the liquid agent, e.g., PEG, the agent is allowed to absorb into the polymer, and the polymer with absorbed agent is then fed to an extrusion apparatus for extrusion over a sheathed or unsheathed wire or optic fiber. In the direct injection method, the solid polymer is first fed to an extrusion apparatus, and the liquid agent is sprayed or otherwise contacted with the polymer before the two are blended with one another through the action of the mixing elements of the apparatus. |
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| US09058916B2 |
Composite conductive polymer composition, method of manufacturing the same, solution containing the composition, use of the composition
The purpose is to provide a technique which enables various kinds of conductive polymer composition to be dissolved in an organic solvent and to be used to form a conductive membrane on a target portion easily. Provided is a composite conductive polymer composition, a method of manufacturing the same, and a solution obtained by dissolving the composition in an aromatic solvent, ester-based solvent or ketone-based solvent. The composition is obtained by doping a π-conjugated polymer (β) with a polymer compound (A), wherein the polymer compound (A) is obtained from (a-1) a monomer having a sulfonic acid group and a polymerizable vinyl group in an amount of 20 to 60 mol %, (a-2) a polar monomer having a hydrophilic group and a polymerizable vinyl group in an amount of 20 to 60 mol %, and (a-3) another polymerizable monomer in an amount of 20 to 60 mol %, and the n-conjugated polymer (β) is obtained from a monomer compound selected from the formulas (I) to (III) in the formula (I) to (III), at least one of R1 to R4 represent an alkoxy group of C1 to C10, and the other groups represent H, an alkyl group of C1 to C10, or an alkoxy group of C1 to C10; at least one of R5 and R6 represent an alkoxy group of C1 to C10, and the other group represents H, an alkyl group or an alkoxy group of C1 to C10, or R5 and R6 jointly represent an alkylenedioxy group of C1 to C8; and R7 represents H, an alkyl group of C1 to C6, or an aromatic ring group. |
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| US09058908B2 |
Method for producing actinium-225 and isotopes of radium and target for implementing same
The invention relates to the field of nuclear technology and radiochemistry, more specifically to the production and isolation of radionuclides for medical purposes. The method for producing actinium-225 and isotopes of radium comprises irradiating a solid block of metallic thorium of a thickness of 2 to 30 mm, which is contained within a hermetically sealed casing made of a material which does not react with thorium, with a flow of accelerated charged particles with high intensity. The irradiated metallic thorium is removed from the casing and is either heated with the addition of lanthanum and the distillation of radium or is dissolved in nitric acid with the recovery of actinium-225 by extraction. A target for implementing this method consists of blocks of metallic thorium of a thickness of 2 to 30 mm, which are contained within a hermetically scaled casing made of different materials which do not react with thorium. |
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| US09058907B2 |
Method to extract tritium from irradiated boiling water reactor control rod blades
A method for extracting tritium from irradiated boiling water reactor control rods that have cruciform-shaped. Bands of a malleable metal are wrapped around the flat portions of the blades, one band near the top of each blade panel and a second band near the bottom. The bands are crimped and an inlet penetration is formed through one of the bands and the panel and an outlet penetration is formed through the second band and the panel. A termination of each end of a closed loop conduit is sealably connected to the inlet and outlet for transporting a carrier gas through the interior of the panel. The carrier gas passing through the interior transports the tritium out of the panel to a tritium getter filter to capture the tritium. The carrier gas then recirculates through the system. |
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| US09058906B2 |
Fuel element storage and cooling configuration
A fuel element storage and cooling configuration includes a fuel element storage pool and a cooling system having at least one first heat exchanger disposed in the fuel element storage pool and at least one second heat exchanger disposed in a heat sink and located at a distance therefrom, above a highest point of the first heat exchanger. The two heat exchangers are connected, using a pipe system, to form a closed circuit, which is at least partially filled with a flowable coolant. If the temperature of the first heat exchanger is increased with respect to the second heat exchanger, natural circulation of the coolant, and thus heat transport from the fuel element storage pool to the heat sink, is ensured without a pump apparatus. |
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| US09058904B2 |
Method for injecting electrons into a fusion-fuel derived plasma
Systems for enhancing preignition conditions of a fusion reaction are disclosed. A first system includes a target chamber for receiving a fusion fuel, and energy driving means oriented to direct plasma confinement structure onto to the fusion fuel to facilitate ignition of a controlled fusion reaction of said fusion fuel. A plurality of electron sources provides electron beams of a predetermined energy and one of fluence and quantity, directed onto and illuminating, a fusion fuel-derived plasma for controlling the ratio of ion temperature and electron temperature of the plasma. A second system comprises a central target chamber for receiving a spherical pellet of fusion target material and at least first and second pluralities of energy drivers oriented to supply temporally-staged X-ray pulses to the fusion target material in a 3-dimensionally symmetric manner about said pellet. A third system combines aspects of the first and second systems. |
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| US09058903B2 |
Methods and circuits for disrupting integrated circuit function
Methods and circuits for disrupting integrated circuit function. The circuits include finite state machines connected to memory arrays. The finite state machines are sensitive to a predetermined sequence of addresses sent to the memory array or the time between a series of memory array errors detected by an error detection circuit. Upon detection of the pre-set addresses or errors the finite state machines either (i) enable or disable specific circuit functions or (ii) disrupt the operation of the integrated circuit. |
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| US09058902B2 |
Method of detecting transistors mismatch in a SRAM cell
The present invention provides a method of detecting the transistor mismatch in a SRAM cell. The SRAM cell comprises two pass-gate transistors and a bi-stable circuit including two pull up transistors and two pull down transistors. The method comprises: providing two measuring transistors, whose gates are connected to a second word line, sources are connected to the outputs of the bi-stable circuit respectively and drains are connected to two measuring terminals respectively; turning on the measuring transistors and turning off the pass-gate transistors; detecting the voltage-current curve of the two pull down transistors and the two pull up transistors through the measuring transistors at the measuring terminals so as to detect the transistor mismatch in the SRAM cell. |
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| US09058900B2 |
System, semiconductor memory device and operating method thereof
A method for operating a semiconductor memory device including a memory block constituted by first memory cells used as main memory cells and second memory cells includes reading out an erase count of the memory block stored in the second memory cells, erasing the memory block, increasing the read-out erase count, and storing the increased erase count in the second memory cells. |
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| US09058882B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device of an embodiment includes a p-type semiconductor substrate, a first P-well formed in the semiconductor substrate, and on which a plurality of memory cells is formed, an first N-well surrounding the first P-well and electrically separating the first P-well from the semiconductor substrate, a first negative voltage generation unit configured to generate a first negative voltage, a boost unit configured to boost a voltage and generate a boosted voltage, and a well voltage transmission unit connected to the first negative voltage generation unit, the boost unit, and the first P-well, and configured to switch a voltage between the first negative voltage and the boosted voltage, the voltage being applied to the first P-well. |
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| US09058881B1 |
Systems and methods for partial page programming of multi level cells
Multiple bits of data are programmed together to each cell of a segment of a word line while other segments of the same word line are unprogrammed. Subsequently, additional segments are similarly programmed. Data is read from a partially programmed word line (with a mix of programmed and unprogrammed segments) using a single reading scheme. |
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| US09058877B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device comprises a cell unit including a first and a second selection gate transistor and a memory string provided between the first and second selection gate transistors and composed of a plurality of serially connected electrically erasable programmable memory cells operative to store effective data; and a data write circuit operative to write data into the memory cell, wherein the number of program stages for at least one of memory cells on both ends of the memory string is lower than the number of program stages for other memory cells, and the data write circuit executes the first stage program to the memory cell having the number of program stages lower than the number of program stages for the other memory cells after the first stage program to the other memory cells. |
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| US09058870B2 |
Hash functions used to track variance parameters of resistance-based memory elements
Parameters indicative of resistance variance of the memory elements are tracked. The resistance variance affects values of data stored in the resistance-based memory elements. A hash function is performed for each memory element. The hash function returns a reference to one of a plurality of counter elements. A value of each counter element is modified in response to the tracked parameter data of the associated memory element. Read operations affecting the memory elements are adjusted based on the values for the associated counter elements. |
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| US09058869B2 |
Applying a bias signal to memory cells to reverse a resistance shift of the memory cells
Data is written to cells of a resistance-based, non-volatile memory. An activity metric is tracked since the writing of the data to the cells. In response to the activity metric satisfying a threshold, a bias signal is applied to the cells to reverse a resistance shift of the cells. |
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| US09058864B2 |
Semiconductor apparatus
A semiconductor apparatus includes: a command control unit configured to generate a read strobe signal, a write strobe signal, a read command, and a write command; a clock enable signal generation unit configured to generate a read clock enable signal in response to the read strobe signal and generate a write clock enable signal in response to the write strobe signal; a clock control unit configured to generate a first control clock signal and a second control clock signal in response to an internal clock signal, the read clock enable signal, and the write clock enable signal; and a latency shift unit configured to generate a first latency signal in response to a delayed read command and the first control clock signal and generate a second latency signal in response to a delayed write command and the second control clock signal. |
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| US09058863B2 |
Reference frequency setting method, memory controller and memory storage apparatus
A reference frequency setting method of a memory storage apparatus including the following steps is provided. A setting code is read from a memory module or a storage unit by a first signal transmission path and stored into a register circuit. The setting code includes a first setting information. Whether the data having a specific frequency is inputted is detected. If not, the setting code stored in the register circuit is read, such that an oscillator circuit module of the memory storage apparatus generates a first reference frequency based on the first setting information. If yes, the setting code stored in the register circuit is updated by a second signal transmission path, and the updated setting code is read, such that the oscillator circuit module generates a second reference frequency based on a second setting information. The updated setting code includes the second setting information. |
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| US09058860B2 |
Methods and apparatus for synthesizing multi-port memory circuits
Multi-port memory circuits are often required within modern digital integrated circuits to store data. Multi-port memory circuits allow multiple memory users to access the same memory cell simultaneously. Multi-port memory circuits are generally custom-designed in order to obtain the best performance or synthesized with logic synthesis tools for quick design. However, these two options for creating multi-port memory give integrated circuit designers a stark choice: invest a large amount of time and money to custom design an efficient multi-port memory system or allow logic synthesis tools to inefficiently create multi-port memory. An intermediate solution is disclosed that allows an efficient multi-port memory array to be created largely using standard circuit cell components and register transfer level hardware design language code. |
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| US09058858B2 |
Method and apparatus for dual rail SRAM level shifter with latching
An apparatus includes a level shifter and a switching circuit. The level shifter includes an input, a first output, and second output having a logic value complementary to a logic value of the first output. The switching circuit includes a data input, a feedback input coupled to the second output of the level shifter, and an output coupled to the input of the level shifter. The switching circuit is configured to selectively latch, based on a select signal, a logic state of the level shifter at the second output. |
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| US09058849B2 |
Electronic device with hard disk frame
A hard disk frame for holding a hard disk drive can include a supporting plate defining a first opening, a first group of positioning portions and a second group of positioning portions. Each of the first and second group of the positioning portions can define a second opening. The second openings can communicate with the first opening. The first group of the positioning portions can enable the hard disk drive to be mounted to the supporting plate at a first direction, and a second group of the positioning portions can enable the hard disk drive to be mounted to the supporting plate in a second orientation different from the first direction. As a result, the hard disk can be arranged in the hard disk frame at different orientations. |
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| US09058845B2 |
Synchronizing a map to multiple video formats
A method comprising comparing a frame rate of a source video program to a frame rate of a target video program to generate a conversion factor between the two sources; retrieving a target frame and retrieving, responsive to a location of the target video frame within the target video program, and responsive to the conversion factor, a source video frame from within the source video program; determining, by means of an image comparison, equivalence between the target frame and the source frame; and synchronizing, responsive to the determining, the target frame and the source frame, the synchronizing enabling a set of non-sequential segments of the target video program to be equivalent to a set of non-sequential segments of the source video program. |
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| US09058842B2 |
Systems and methods for gate aware iterative data processing
The present inventions are related to systems and methods for iterative data processing scheduling. In one case a data processing system is disclosed that includes a data detector circuit and a data decoder circuit. The data detector circuit is operable to apply a data detection algorithm to a data set to yield a detected output. The data decoder circuit is operable to repeatedly apply a data decoding algorithm to the detected output to yield a decoded output over a number of passes, where the number of passes is within an allowable number of local iterations selected based at least in part on a read gate signal. |
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| US09058841B2 |
Method and system for editing video sequences
A method and system for editing video sequences. The method includes playing a first video sequence on a device and introducing one or more objects randomly in the first video sequence. The method further includes determining one or more randomized properties associated with the randomly inserts objects. Moreover, the method includes recording the one or more randomized properties. The system includes a device. The device includes a memory that stores one or more objects and one or more randomized properties associated with the one or more objects; a random generator that introduces the objects randomly from the memory in a first video sequence; and a processor operable to play the first video sequence including randomly introduced objects, determine the one or more randomized properties associated with the one or more objects and to record the one or more randomized properties. |
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| US09058839B1 |
Secure online pictures
A secure picture generating device and corresponding method are described herein for receiving a picture and then generating a secure picture executable file which functions to secure the picture when it is posted to an online social media site or elsewhere on the Internet. In addition, a secure picture displaying device (which has a display or is connected to one or more remote displays) and corresponding method are described herein for receiving a secure picture executable file and then executing the secure picture executable file to display a selected portion of the picture at any one time on the display/remote display in a manner wherein the picture is perceivable by the human eye on the display/remote display but an image copy of the display/remote display at any given time will not capture the entire picture. |
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| US09058838B2 |
Multimedia storage systems and methods
An article of manufacture includes a machine-readable medium that stores a multimedia content file in a first format and multiple program sets. Each program set is a version of software that, when executed by a respective electronic system, produces the multimedia content file in a second format for use in the respective electronic system. A first program set is compatible with a first operating system executed by a first electronic system and a second program set is compatible with a second operating system executed by a second electronic system. The second operating system is distinct from the first operating system. |
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| US09058837B2 |
Method and apparatus for managing contents
An apparatus and/or system implements a method for storing and reproducing contents received through broadcast signals, where the method of managing content includes reconstructing a broadcast signal received from a broadcasting company, transmitting a content ID and predetermined authentication information to the broadcasting company, the content ID used to discriminate content contained in the broadcast signal, receiving content management information including a content key corresponding to the content ID from the broadcasting company, encrypting the content using the content key, and storing the encrypted content in a content storage apparatus. |
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| US09058836B2 |
Data transfer apparatus
A data transfer apparatus comprises drive apparatus to move a received tape along a path in a longitudinal direction of the tape, a transducer head to transfer data to and/or from the tape, a tape lifter to contact the tape; and control apparatus operable, in response to a tape speed related condition or event, to cause relative movement between the tape lifter and the tape into mutual contact, thereby biasing the tape away from surface to surface contact with the transducer head. |
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| US09058832B2 |
Method of manufacturing a bit patterned media on a magnetic media disk
A method of forming a bit patterned media on a magnetic media disk may include forming topographic features on a substrate and defining trenches therebetween. The method also may include forming non-magnetic material on the topographic features to define non-magnetic portions. In addition, magnetic material may be formed on the non-magnetic portions to define magnetic portions for a recording layer, such that the magnetic portions have a magnetic width that is greater than a non-magnetic width of the non-magnetic portions. |
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| US09058825B2 |
Apparatus, systems and processes for reducing a hard disk drive's access time and concomitant power optimization
Rotational latency is reduced in a standard conventional form factor HDD system by replacing, for example—the prior art rotary arm actuator of a conventional HDD, with one or more belts and pulleys and one or more read/write heads mounted on, or otherwise associated with the belts. Multiple scaled iterations facilitate energy savings and power optimized systems, without compromise to data access performance. |
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| US09058824B2 |
Devices including a gas barrier layer
Devices that include a near field transducer (NFT); a gas barrier layer positioned on at least a portion of the NFT; and a wear resistance layer positioned on at least a portion of the gas barrier layer wherein the gas barrier layer includes tantalum oxide (TaO), titanium oxide (TiO), chromium oxide (CrO), silicon oxide (SiO), aluminum oxide (AlO), titanium oxide (TiO), zirconium oxide (ZrO), yttrium oxide (YO), magnesium oxide (MgO), beryllium oxide (BeO), niobium oxide (NbO), hafnium oxide (HfO), vanadium oxide (VO), strontium oxide (SrO), or combinations thereof; silicon nitride (SiN), aluminum nitride (Al), boron nitride (BN), titanium nitride (TiN), zirconium nitride (ZrN), niobioum nitride (NbN), hafnium nitride (HfN), chromium nitride (CrN), or combinations thereof silicon carbide (SiC), titanium carbide (TiC), zirconium carbide (ZrC), niobioum carbide (NbC), chromium carbide (CrC), vanadium carbide (VC), boron carbide (BC), or combinations thereof or combinations thereof. |
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| US09058821B2 |
Computer-readable medium for recording audio signal processing estimating a selected frequency by comparison of voice and noise frame levels
A computer implemented method comprising: setting a plurality of frames on a time axis between a first waveform of an input to audio processing and a second waveform of an output from the audio processing, detecting a voice frame and a noise frame in the first and second waveform, calculating a first and second spectrum from the first and second waveform, adjusting level of the first or second spectrum of the noise frame, setting the adjusted first and second spectrum of the noise frame as a third and fourth spectrum, calculating a distortion amount of the noise frame from the third and fourth spectrum, estimating a noise model spectrum from the first or second spectrum, determining a selected frequency by comparison of voice and noise frame spectrum levels, and calculating a distortion amount of the voice frame from the first and second spectrum of the voice frame at the selected frequency. |
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| US09058810B2 |
System and method of performing user-specific automatic speech recognition
Speech recognition models are dynamically re-configurable based on user information, application information, background information such as background noise and transducer information such as transducer response characteristics to provide users with alternate input modes to keyboard text entry. Word recognition lattices are generated for each data field of an application and dynamically concatenated into a single word recognition lattice. A language model is applied to the concatenated word recognition lattice to determine the relationships between the word recognition lattices and repeated until the generated word recognition lattices are acceptable or differ from a predetermined value only by a threshold amount. These techniques of dynamic re-configurable speech recognition provide for deployment of speech recognition on small devices such as mobile phones and personal digital assistants as well environments such as office, home or vehicle while maintaining the accuracy of the speech recognition. |
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| US09058805B2 |
Multiple recognizer speech recognition
The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a method that includes receiving audio data that corresponds to an utterance, obtaining a first transcription of the utterance that was generated using a limited speech recognizer. The limited speech recognizer includes a speech recognizer that includes a language model that is trained over a limited speech recognition vocabulary that includes one or more terms from a voice command grammar, but that includes fewer than all terms of an expanded grammar. A second transcription of the utterance is obtained that was generated using an expanded speech recognizer. The expanded speech recognizer includes a speech recognizer that includes a language model that is trained over an expanded speech recognition vocabulary that includes all of the terms of the expanded grammar. The utterance is classified based at least on a portion of the first transcription or the second transcription. |
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| US09058803B2 |
Multichannel audio stream compression
A method for compressing an audio stream, including a plurality of signals, describing a sound scene produced by a plurality of sources in a space, by: identifying the sources from an audio stream; determining a frequency band, energy level and spatial position in the space for each of the identified sources; determining, for each identified source, a spatial resolution corresponding to the smallest difference in position of said source in the space which a listener is capable of perceiving, on the basis of: the frequency band, the energy level, and the spatial position of said source; and, on the frequency band, energy level, and spatial position of at least one subset of the other identified sources; generating a compressed stream comprising the information required to restore each identified source with at least the same corresponding spatial resolution. |
|
| US09058794B2 |
Tools for bowed string musical instruments
A tool for musical string instruments that is to be mounted in contact with a vibrating part of the instrument, made up of two stably coupled portions (11, 13; 16, 17; 25, 26, 27, 28), one made of wood, the other made of a material different from wood. |
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| US09058791B2 |
Image processing device
An image processing device includes an image processing unit, an over-driving unit, and an up-sampler. The image processing unit receives a full-resolution 3D input image and outputs a half-resolution 3D image to a memory. The over-driving unit is coupled to the image processing unit and the memory for over-driving a current half-resolution 3D image outputted from the image processing unit according to a previous half-resolution 3D image stored in the memory. The up-sampler is selectively coupled to the over-driving unit for up-sampling an over-driven half-resolution 3D image outputted from the over-driving unit to output a full-resolution 3D output image. |
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| US09058788B2 |
Apparatus, display device, and method thereof for processing image data for display by a display panel
A method of processing image data for display by a display panel of a display device is provided. The method comprises receiving main image pixel data representing a main and side image pixel data representing a side image. In a first processing step, a mapping is performed of the pixel data to signals used to drive the display panel. The mapping is arranged to produce an average on-axis luminance which is dependent mainly on the main image pixel data and an average off-axis luminance which is dependent at least to some extent on the side image pixel data. In a second processing step, the received side image pixel data are processed to emphasize at least one feature of the side image which might otherwise be perceived by a viewer as being de-emphasized in the side image displayed off axis as a result of the first processing step. |
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| US09058786B2 |
Active matrix type liquid crystal display device and related driving methods
An active matrix type liquid crystal display is disclosed. The liquid crystal display comprises a plurality of pixel elements arranged in the form of a matrix. Each of the pixel elements comprises a liquid crystal element and a dynamic memory. The dynamic memory performs consecutively, a first, a second, a third, a forth, a fifth, and a sixth refreshes for inversing a digital output status of the dynamic memory, and an interval between the first and the second refreshes is different from an interval between the third and the forth refreshes, and the interval between the third and the forth refreshes is different from an interval between the fifth and the sixth refreshes. |
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| US09058782B2 |
Display device and driving method thereof
Disclosed herein is a display device with an adjustable viewing angle. The display device at least includes a first sub-pixel and a second sub-pixel adjacent to the first sub-pixel. When the display device is operated in a wide viewing angle mode, the first and second sub-pixels each have an on-axis brightness at a predetermined gray level. When the display device is operated in a narrow viewing angle mode, the first and second sub-pixels respectively have a on-axis brightness at a first gray level and a second on-axis brightness at a second gray level. The on-axis brightness at the first gray level is substantially less than the on-axis brightness at the predetermined gray level of the first sub-pixel. |
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| US09058780B2 |
2D/3D switchable and touch sensitive display and method for driving the same
A 2D/3D switchable and touch sensitive display, comprising a display panel with a plurality of pixels and a LC cell is disclosed. The LC cell is disposed on the display panel for providing 2D/3D switchable and touch sensitive function. The LC cell comprises a first substrate and a second substrate opposite to each other, a plurality of first electrodes disposed on the first substrate, a plurality of second electrodes disposed on the second substrate, and a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first electrodes and the second electrodes. The second electrodes interlaced with the first electrodes. The liquid crystal layer is controlled by a voltage between the first electrodes and the second electrodes for adjusting light path from the display panel and/or touch sensing. |
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| US09058775B2 |
Method and system for driving an active matrix display circuit
A method and system for driving an active matrix display is provided. The system includes a drive circuit for a pixel having a light emitting device. The drive circuit includes a drive transistor for driving the light emitting device. The system includes a mechanism for adjusting the gate voltage of the drive transistor. |
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| US09058772B2 |
Display device and driving method thereof
A display device includes a plurality of luminescent pixels arranged in a display. A power supply is connected to the plurality of luminescent pixels and configured to apply a high potential and a low potential to the plurality of luminescent pixels. A voltage measurer is configured to measure, for at least one pixel from among the plurality of luminescent pixels arranged in the display, at least one potential of the high potential and the low potential applied to the at least one pixel. A voltage regulator is configured to regulate the power supply in accordance with the at least one potential measured by the voltage measurer by setting a potential difference between the high potential and the low potential applied to the at least one pixel to a predetermined potential difference. |
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| US09058770B2 |
Circuit for preventing static electricity and display device having the same
A static electricity prevention circuit of a display device including: a driving circuit configured to drive a display unit that displays an image, at least one clock signal wire configured to transmit a clock signal to the driving circuit, at least one transistor electrically coupled to the dock signal wire, and at least one capacitor including a first electrode coupled to a source electrode and to a drain electrode of the transistor, and a second electrode configured to be maintained at a voltage, |
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| US09058766B2 |
Device and method for detecting a short-circuit during a start-up routine
A device and method for detecting a short circuit in an electrical component during a start-up routine. In an embodiment, a device may have a problematic display having a short circuit that may result in damage to other components of the device if the device were allowed to fully startup during a normal start-up routine. Thus, power supplied to the panel may be initiated in stages so as to monitor any current that may be flowing through the panel, which in turn, may be indicative of a short circuit in the panel. If enough “leakage” current is detected through the panel during this staged startup routine, then a short-circuit detection circuit may interrupt the startup routine and lock out the operation of the device until the detected short circuit in the panel can be addressed. |
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| US09058763B2 |
System and method for automatic aggregation of multiple physical display devices into a single logical display surface
A system and method automatically determines aligned edges of display devices for an aggregate display. The system includes a first mobile unit (MU) and a second MU. The first and second MUs include respective emitters, sensors, transceivers, and display devices. The emitters of the MUs are activated to transmit edge patterns based upon an inter-device communication such that when one of the sensors of the first MU receives the edge pattern from the second MU and vice versa, the MUs have an aligned edge. Select emitters of the MUs are activated to transmit a further edge pattern based upon a further inter-device communication such that when a corresponding sensor of the first MU receives the further edge pattern from the second MU and vice versa, the aligned edges are verified to be aligned. |
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| US09058762B2 |
Apparatus and method for driving LED display
This disclosure provides an output stage for a LED driver circuit. The output stage has an input module, a regulator module for maintaining a constant internal voltage, and an output module for generating output signals. |
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| US09058761B2 |
System and method for LCD loop control
An LCD controller includes a charge pump for generating a charge voltage responsive to an external voltage and a clock signal. The controller further includes an oscillator for generating the clock signal responsive to an oscillator control signal. An LCD driver voltage circuit generates a plurality of LCD driver voltages for driving segments of an associated LCD display. A loop control circuit within the LCD controller monitors an LCD driver voltage from the LCD driver voltage circuit and generates the oscillator control signal responsive thereto to enable and disable the oscillator. |
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| US09058750B2 |
Flight simulator vibration system
The invention relates to a flight simulator vibration system, particularly to a crew seat (1), a flight control stick (20) and a panel (30) vibration system of a flight simulator with at least one plate of the crew seat (1), the flight control stick (20) and/or the panel (30) being equipped with predefined momentum weights (13, 16) and electric motors driving said respective momentum weights. Speed governors are controlling individually said electric motors (7, 8, 9, 21, 33, 34). |
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| US09058745B2 |
System for facilitating traffic flow within a space
A system for facilitating vehicular and/or foot traffic movement in a space. First and second lane routes are defined within the space for vehicular and/or foot traffic. Traffic moving in the first lane route either crosses the second lane or merges with traffic moving in the second lane route. A mirror system with a reflective surface is operatively situated within the space to allow traffic moving in at least one of the first and second lane routes to view, through the reflective surface on the mirror, traffic moving in the other of the first and second lane routes as the traffic in the at least one of the first and second lane routes approaches or arrives at a crossing or merge location. The mirror system has a source of illumination that generates an extended pattern of light around a portion of the reflective surface. |
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| US09058744B2 |
Image based detecting system and method for traffic parameters and computer program product thereof
An image-based detecting system for traffic parameters first sets a range of a vehicle lane for monitoring control, and sets an entry detection window and an exit detection window in the vehicle lane. When the entry detection window detects an event of a vehicle passing by using the image information captured at the entry detection window, a plurality of feature points are detected in the entry detection window, and will be tracked hereafter. Then, the feature points belonging to the same vehicle are grouped to obtain at least a location tracking result of single vehicle. When the tracked single vehicle moves to the exit detection window, according to the location tracking result and the time correlation through estimating the information captured at the entry detection window and the exit detection window, at least a traffic parameter is estimated. |
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| US09058743B2 |
Automatic landing method and device for an aircraft on a strong slope runway
An automatic landing method and device for an aircraft on a runway with strong slope. The device includes means to automatically transmit, a runway slope value to an automatic piloting system of the aircraft, and said automatic piloting system uses the slope value to automatically manage the flare phase upon landing. |
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| US09058741B2 |
Remotely accessing a ventilator
A method for remotely accessing a ventilator. The method includes receiving a request to remotely access ventilator data, at the ventilator, from a remote device; transmitting the ventilator data to the remote device from the ventilator; and receiving remote caregiver data, at the ventilator, from the remote device, wherein the remote caregiver data is based on the ventilator data. |
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| US09058737B2 |
Wakefulness-maintaining device and wakefulness-maintaining method
A wakefulness-maintaining device capable of maintaining a driver's wakefulness by making the driver aware of changes in sound characteristics. A wakefulness-maintaining device (100), which maintains a person's wakefulness, wherein: a switching time control part (102) analyzes the characteristics of perceived sounds acquired by a microphone provided inside the vehicle, the perceived sounds comprising control sounds played back by the wakefulness-maintaining device (100) and environmental sounds around the person when no control sounds are being played back; an in-car sound-accumulating part (103) accumulates the perceived sounds; an acoustic pressure change-setting part (105) sets the control method to be used on the environmental sounds on the basis of the characteristics of the perceived sounds accumulated by the in-car sound-accumulating part (103); and a control sound-generating part (106) applies the control method, set by the acoustic pressure change-setting part (105), on the environmental sounds and generates control sounds. |
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| US09058734B2 |
Alert sensing and monitoring via a user device
A device may configure recognition of a first alert. The device may store information associated with recognition of the first alert. The device may determine a response action to be associated with recognition of the first alert. The device may store information identifying an association between the first alert and the response action. The device may detect a second alert. The device may determine that the second alert matches the first alert based on the information associated with recognition of the first alert. The device may retrieve the stored information identifying the association between the first alert and the response action based on determining that the second alert matches the first alert. The device may perform the response action based on retrieving the stored information identifying the association between the first alert and the response action. |
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| US09058731B2 |
Smoke detector with airflow barrier
A smoke detector system that includes an airflow barrier installed between a detector base unit and a mounting surface to ensure there is separation between the detector base unit and the mounting surface. The barrier isolates and seals the smoke detector to prevent the formation of condensation in or around the smoke detector. The barrier further includes a cavity that can collect condensation if condensation does occur. The condensation is then directed to a channel that extends around the periphery of the airflow barrier. Additionally, the channel includes weep holes so that condensation has a means to exit the detector. |
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| US09058729B2 |
In-situ overheat alert for equipment
Malfunction or failure of mechanical, electrical and electro-mechanical equipment, for example equipment used in manufacturing operations, is often preceded by an increase in the operating temperature of at least some portion of the equipment. A temperature-sensitive, active material-containing actuator is pre-selected to operate at a pre-determined temperature indicative of impending equipment failure and placed in thermal contact with the equipment. If the equipment achieves the pre-selected temperature the actuator signals this by displaying a flag or providing some other passive visual indication. Alternatively, or additionally, the actuator may issue an electrically-powered alert including visual or audible alerts or a wireless communication. Selected actuators are based on smart materials including shape memory alloys (SMA), shape memory polymers (SMP) and paraffin wax, all of which may be adapted to operate over a temperature range sufficient to encompass the expected range of pre-determined temperatures. |
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| US09058728B2 |
Haptic systems, devices, and methods using transmission of pressure through a flexible medium
Systems, devices, and methods for producing haptic actuation are disclosed. An exemplary haptic system comprises a transducer and a transmission medium. The transducer induces pressure waves within the transmission medium, which is a sealed capsule with a flexible geometry. A surface of the sealed capsule thus produces haptic effects on a contact surface. |
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| US09058727B2 |
Cash drawer
A point-of-sale system includes a stand that supports a tablet computer. The tablet computer can be connected through a hub to other peripheral components, such as a cash drawer. The cash drawer can include a slidable drawer including a front face, a back face, a first side face, a second side face, and a bottom face and having sliding rails that are hidden from a top view of the drawer. An inner shell is attached to the drawer and two sliding rails, the two sliding rails positioned under the inner shell. Further, a latch is movable between a first position in which the latch holds the drawer in a closed position and a second position in which the latch releases the drawer to an open position. An actuator is used to move the latch between the first and second positions. |
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| US09058724B2 |
Controlling application data in wagering game systems
A wagering game system and its operations are described herein. In embodiments, the operations can include obtaining data provided from a first application. In some examples, the first application is a wagering game application presented on a wagering game machine. The operations can also include determining a subscription level associated with a second application. The subscription level indicates access to the data from the first application. Further, the operations can also include, providing a service to the second application. In some examples, the service is one of a plurality of tiers of services that correspond to the subscription level. In some examples, the service has one of a plurality of degrees of access to the data from the first application according to the subscription level. |
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| US09058723B2 |
Credit and enabling system for virtual constructs in a hybrid game
Systems and methods in accordance with embodiments of the invention operate a controlled entity hybrid game. A controlled entity hybrid game includes a real world engine constructed to provide a randomly generated payout of real world credits from at least one wager in a gambling game, an entertainment software engine constructed to execute an entertainment game providing outcomes based upon a player's skillful execution of the entertainment game; and a game world engine constructed to manage the entertainment software engine and communicate, to the gambling game, a gameplay gambling event occurrence based upon a player's instruction of a controlled entity to consume an element of the entertainment game that triggers a wager in the gambling game, and change the element on the basis of the randomly generated payout and an entertainment game variable. |
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| US09058717B2 |
Multi-game video poker machine and system with asymmetrically accessible customization features
A gaming system with asymmetric customization capabilities and a method of enabling asymmetric customization of a wagering game are disclosed. A plurality of selectable game-play features are provided for utilization during the wagering game. Players accessing the game-play features are unequally limited as to which features are available for modification, depending on means of access. All features, however, are available for game-play, regardless of means of access. |
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| US09058713B2 |
Interactive internet lottery
The invention relates to a method for generating a ticket to participate in a lottery draw. The ticket combination of elements is generated using an outcome of a computer-controlled interactive game, preferably a video game, played by at least one player. The elements of the ticket combination are selected among a list of predetermined elements, the predetermined elements corresponding to possible outcomes for the interactive game. The ticket combination may depend on the success of the player in the computer-controlled interactive game. Some of the participants may purchase a ticket bearing a ticket combination without using an outcome of the computer-controlled interactive game. Subsequently, the elements of a winning combination are randomly drawn among the list. |
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| US09058707B2 |
System and method for managing and maintaining abrasive blasting machines
A system and method for managing abrasive blasting may include timing duration of blast media being blown in performing abrasive blasting using an abrasive blasting machine. Time duration that an operator worked in association with the duration of the blast media being blown may be received. A blasting efficiency ratio may be computed based on the duration of the blasting media being blown and duration of that the operator worked. The blasting efficiency ratio may be displayed to a user. |
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| US09058706B2 |
Motor vehicle camera and monitoring system
A camera that is mounted on a vehicle is used to monitor the vehicle, the driver and the contents therein. The camera includes an external housing, a camera module having a camera lens, a lighting component, a dimmer switch and a transmission medium. The external housing may be made of alloy. The camera module may capture video data and the transmission medium may be coupled to the camera module to transmit the captured video data as a live video stream to an external device. The lighting component included in the fleet camera apparatus may include LEDs and have infra-red capabilities to provide a night vision mode. The dimmer switch is included to control the LEDs' brightness. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
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| US09058704B2 |
Electronic vehicle key
An electronic vehicle key is provided. The electronic vehicle key includes a battery and a controller receptive to electrical power from the battery. The electronic vehicle key further includes a connecting circuit receptive to electrical power from a vehicle. The electronic vehicle key still further includes an interface circuit that is configured to provide an electrical connection between the connecting circuit and the controller, at least when the battery is ineffective for electrically powering the controller. |
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| US09058700B2 |
Franking system with a verified distribution point
A method of franking a mailpiece that is to be put into a letter box associated with a mail-receiving office, including, in a portable communications device of a sender of the mailpiece, firstly an operation of inputting an identifier of said letter box, and secondly an operation of transmitting the identifier together with other postal data, including at least one franking amount and an unique identification code relating to the mailpiece, to a server of a franking service having the function of issuing a franking authorization for the sender. |
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| US09058699B2 |
System and method for image composition using non-destructive editing model and fast gradient solver
Systems and methods for interactive image compositing may integrate image searching using visual search criteria (e.g., color, composition, tonal distribution, or lighting effects), non-destructive image compositing, and high-performance rendering using a fast gradient solver to provide an efficient workflow for users. An image compositing application, executable by a CPU and/or GPU, may employ a sketch-and-refine approach, whereby a user draws a rough perimeter around an object of interest in an image and (following an initial application of the fast gradient solver to a lower-resolution version of the image) receives a preview of how it would fit into a composition. The fast gradient solver may differentiate between the object and its background by applying artificial intelligence techniques and/or dependent on user-supplied hints. In a second stage, the fast gradient solver may refine the solution for a final rendering of the composite image by operating on successively higher-resolution versions of the image. |
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| US09058696B2 |
Display controller, display control method and computer-readable medium
A graph image generation unit 42 constructs a two-dimensional space and generates data of a graph image in the space, in which a graph G of a type is rendered. A coordinate receiving unit 43 receives an arbitrary coordinate in an arbitrary timeline TL designated by a user operation, among coordinates in at least two axes defining the space. A line image generation unit 44 acquires information of the space from the graph image generation unit 42, and generates data of the line image in the space, the line image passing through at least the coordinate in the received timeline TL. An image synthesis unit 45 generates data of the synthesized image by combining the data of the graph image with the data of the line image 111b in which the line is rendered. A display control unit 46 controls a display unit 17 to display the synthesized image. |
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| US09058694B2 |
Multi view image display apparatus and control method thereof
A multi view image display apparatus is provided. The multi view image display apparatus includes: a depth adjuster configured to adjust a depth of an input image; a renderer configured to render a multi view image based on the input image of which depth is adjusted; a display configured to arrange a multi view image in a preset arrangement pattern in order to display the multi view image; and a controller configured to control the depth adjuster to shift the depth of the input image based on depth information related to at least one object of the input image so that an object satisfying a preset criteria has a preset depth value. |
|
| US09058692B1 |
Systems and methods for image-based object modeling using multiple image acquisitions or reconstructions
Systems and methods are disclosed for integrating imaging data from multiple sources to create a single, accurate model of a patient's anatomy. One method includes receiving a representation of a target object for modeling; determining one or more first anatomical parameters of the target anatomical object from at least one of one or more first images of the target anatomical object; determining one or more second anatomical parameters of the target anatomical object from at least one of one or more second images of the target anatomical object; updating the one or more first anatomical parameters based at least on the one or more second anatomical parameters; and generating a model of the target anatomical object based on the updated first anatomical parameters. |
|
| US09058690B2 |
Ray cone hierarchy renderer
Some aspects of the disclosure include systems and methods for grouping rays into sets according to their directions. In some cases, the rays of the directional sets may then be organized into a hierarchy according to their origins and bounding cones are generated for the hierarchy nodes. The resulting bounding cone hierarchy may be intersected with a bounding volume hierarchy or other scene hierarchy. |
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| US09058685B2 |
Method and system for controlling a 3D processor using a control list in memory
A graphics processing device generates control lists for controlling processing of 3D graphics. Control lists comprise primitive data for the 3D graphics, pointers to primitive data and control data. Tags that correspond to records within the control lists may be utilized for the control of processing. The graphics processing device may comprise a 3D pipeline comprising parallel processors. Processing is performed on a tile by tile basis and comprises a tile binning phase and/or a tile rendering phase. The two phases of processing may be performed in parallel on different sets of data. Control lists comprise a main list and/or sub-lists, for example, tile lists. Control lists may comprise links to other lists. Processing control may advance through the control lists without interaction from a driver and/or from a processor that is external to the graphics processing device. |
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| US09058684B1 |
Level of detail blurring and 3D model data selection
A set of nodes for rendering a 3D model using a set of camera parameters based on at least a threshold error value may be selected. Each node corresponds to a bundle of data for rendering a geographic area at a particular resolution and the camera parameters including a point of view for rendering the 3D model. For a given node of the set of nodes, a smallest circle of confusion within a bounding box of the geographic area of the given node may be determined using the set of camera parameters closest to a particular parameter of the set of camera parameters. A diameter of the smallest circle of confusion is compared to the threshold error value. Based on this comparison, the threshold error value is adjusted. The adjusted threshold error value is used to select a new node to replace the given node in the set of nodes. |
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| US09058681B2 |
Sensor-enhanced localization in virtual and physical environments
In one embodiment, a computer-based system comprises a measurement device, a display, a processor, and logic instructions stored in a tangible computer-readable medium coupled to the processor which, when executed by the processor, configure the processor to determine a position and orientation in a real three dimensional space of the measurement device relative to at least one real object in the three dimensional space and render on the display, a perspective view of a virtual image of a virtual object corresponding to the real object in a virtual three-dimensional space, wherein the perspective view of the virtual object corresponds to the perspective view of the real object from the position of the measurement device. |
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| US09058676B2 |
Mechanism to detect idle screen on
In an embodiment, a display pipe is configured to composite one or more frames of images and/or video sequences to generate output frames for display. Additionally, the display pipe may be configured to compress an output frame and write the compressed frame to memory responsive to detecting static content in the output frames. The display pipe may also be configured to read the compressed frame from memory for display instead of reading the frames for compositing and display. In some embodiments, the display pipe may include an idle screen detect circuit configured to monitor the operation of the display pipe and/or the output frames to detect the static content. |
|
| US09058673B2 |
Image mosaicking using a virtual grid
Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with generating a mosaic image using a virtual grid are described. In one embodiment, a method includes analyzing, by a processor of an apparatus, a boundary of a requested image to determine source images that collectively form an area that includes the requested image. The method also includes generating, by the processor, a virtual grid from coordinates of the source images by identifying edges of the source images from the coordinates to define rows and columns of the virtual grid within the boundary. The rows and columns of the virtual grid define virtual tiles in the virtual grid. |
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| US09058670B2 |
Trajectory detection and analysis in sporting events
It is provided a method for conveying data on a flying object in a scene. The method including capturing video frames of the scene by video cameras to get video frames which include image of the object, identifying the object in captured video frames to get associated object parameters, calculating motion variables, solving motion equations for anticipated object trajectory taking into account certain effects, and conveying data to displaying devices. The certain effects are an effect of object collision with a ground surface, air friction, wind effect, and interaction of a spinning object with air. The method may be applied to a ball in a sporting playing field. The cameras may have variable operating parameters desirable for the calculating the motion variables, which may be determined by camera calibration using captured artifacts of the scene. Shadow of the object may be captured as well and be used to provide data absent due to occluding a of the object from a video camera. Also, the captured frames of a ball may be used to calculate parameters relating to a bat which hits the ball. |
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| US09058667B2 |
Detail preserving image transfer operations
Systems, methods, and computer readable media to approximate edge-preserving transformations with global transfer functions are described. In general, a first transfer function that approximates an edge-preserving operation can be found which, together with an enhancement filter (e.g., dynamic range compression) may be used to generate a global transfer function. Alternatively, a second transfer function may be found that approximates the behavior of the combined first transfer function and enhancement filter. Together the first and second transfer functions may generate a global transfer function. It has been determined that a down-sampled version of an input image may be used to develop the global transfer function. Application of global transfer functions in accordance with this disclosure can generate an output image that exhibits the same overall tonality of the input image without introducing the loss of detail and other artifacts attributable to local processing (e.g., the application of edge-preserving filters). |
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| US09058664B2 |
2D-2D fusion for interventional guidance in trans-catheter aortic valve implantation
A method for fusing 2D fluoroscopic images with 2D angiographic images for real-time interventional procedure guidance includes using a 2-dimensional angiographic image to detect injection of a contrast agent into an anatomical structure, where the contrast agent first appears in a detected image frame, subtracting a background image from the detected image frame and binarizing the subtracted image frame to segment the anatomical structure from the subtracted image frame, registering the segmented anatomical structure with a predefined shape model of the anatomical structure to generate an anatomical mask, generating an anatomical probability map from the anatomical mask using intensity information from the subtracted image frame, where the anatomical probability map expresses a probability of a pixel in the subtracted image frame belonging to the anatomical structure, and fusing the angiographic image with one or more subsequently acquired 2-dimensional fluoroscopic images of the anatomical structure using the anatomical probability map. |
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| US09058662B2 |
Systems and methods for non-destructive editing of digital images
In one embodiment, a method includes receiving at least one transformation identifier associated with a first image maintained by a social networking system. The transformation identifier includes at least one transformation version. The method further includes determining at least one transformation for application to the first image based on the at least one transformation identifier and the at least one transformation version. |
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| US09058661B2 |
Method for the real-time-capable, computer-assisted analysis of an image sequence containing a variable pose
The invention relates to a method for the real-time-capable, computer-assisted analysis of an image sequence of an object consisting of elements that can be moved relative to each other and are interconnected, said sequence containing a variable pose, wherein the individual images of the image sequence are recorded by way of a time-of-flight (TOF) camera such that said images can be processed by a computer, and contain brightness and distance data as functions of the pixel coordinates of the camera for each image of the sequence, comprising the following steps: a. Capturing the pixels of an individual image forming the object, b. calculating a three-dimensional (3D) point cloud in a virtual space, said point cloud representing the surface of the object that is visible to the camera, by a computational projection of object-depicting pixels in such a space, while taking captured distance data to the object into consideration, c. fitting a model of the object consisting of nodes and edges into the computer-generated 3D point cloud for the individual images, wherein the nodes represent a selection of elements of the object and the edges represent the connections of said elements amount each other, d. iteratively updating all node positions by applying a learning rule for training a self-organizing map having a previously defined number of randomly selected dots of the point cloud, e. repeating steps a. to d. for each subsequent individual image of the sequence, wherein for the fitting in step c. the result of step e. of the preceding image is used in each case, and f. determining the varying pose from the positions of predetermined nodes of the model which have been captured in at least representative images of the image sequence. |
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| US09058660B2 |
Feature searching based on feature quality information
Techniques for searching in an image for a particular block of pixels that represents a feature are described herein. The techniques may include generating feature quality information indicating a quality of the feature with respect to blocks of pixels of the image. The feature quality information may be utilized to locate a block of pixels in a subsequent image that corresponds to the feature. For example, the feature quality information may be utilized to determine whether a block of pixels that has a threshold amount of similarity to the feature actually corresponds to the feature. |
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| US09058654B2 |
Method for reducing noise in a sequence of fluoroscopic images by temporal and spatial filtering
In the field of medical imaging using fluoroscopy, a method for reducing noise in a sequence of fluoroscopic images acquired by an X-ray detector comprises for each image (xn) of the sequence: applying temporal filtering to the image (xn) at instant n, the temporal filtering comprising fluoroscopic noise reduction processing; applying spatial filtering to the image (yn) at instant n, the spatial filtering comprising: transforming the image (yn) acquired at the instant n from the spatial domain into the curvelet domain using a curvelet transform, each transformed image being represented by a set of coefficients, thresholding the coefficients of the image (yn) using a thresholding function, the thresholding function cancelling the coefficients below a third predetermined threshold, and preserving or adjusting the coefficients above the third predetermined threshold, transforming the image (Zn) whose coefficients have been thresholded from the curvelet domain into the spatial domain using an inverse curvelet transform. |
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| US09058652B2 |
Method for reducing noise in tomographic image and recording medium having noise reducing program stored therein
A method for reducing noise in a tomographic image, includes: acquiring phase information of a noise component signal, the signal being provided as a signal corresponding to a noise component of the tomographic image and included in a spectrum interference signal output from a detector of a swept source optical coherence tomography device; acquiring a tomographic image in response to a spectrum interference signal with a corrected phase deviation based on the acquired phase information; and reducing the noise component of this tomographic image. |
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| US09058648B2 |
Image acquisition for chemiluminescent samples
An image system for detecting chemiluminescence in a sample uses a highly binned, short exposure initial image to calculate the exposure time for a final image of the sample. After calculation of the exposure time, at least two final images are taken, with saturated pixels removed and replaced in a first image with corresponding unsaturated pixels from a second image. The corresponding pixels are adjusted to reflect the different intensity levels between the first and second images, and the first image becomes the final image reflecting the detected chemiluminescence. |
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| US09058647B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and storage medium
An information processing apparatus includes a region acquisition unit configured to obtain a specific region of a subject, a tomographic image acquisition unit configured to obtain a tomographic image of the subject, and a display control unit configured to cause a display unit to display a region indicating probability of existence of the specific region in the obtained tomographic image. |
|
| US09058644B2 |
Local image enhancement for text recognition
Various embodiments enable regions of text to be identified in an image captured by a camera of a computing device for preprocessing before being analyzed by a visual recognition engine. For example, each of the identified regions can be analyzed or tested to determine whether a respective region contains a quality associated with poor text recognition results, such as poor contrast, blur, noise, and the like, which can be measured by one or more algorithms. Upon identifying a region with such a quality, an image quality enhancement can be automatically applied to the respective region without user instruction or intervention. Accordingly, once each region has been cleared of the quality associated with poor recognition, the regions of text can be processed with a visual recognition algorithm or engine. |
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| US09058642B2 |
Method of processing a viewport within large format imagery
A method of processing a viewport within an image arranged as a matrix of tiles from a container file is provided. The method includes receiving a request to read data of the viewport starting from a point of origin of the viewport, the viewport having a pixel width and a pixel height, the viewport being a portion of an image that is stored in a record within the file container; computing column numbers or row numbers, or both, of the tiles containing the viewport; and reading in parallel or asynchronously each row or each column of tiles containing the viewport. |
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| US09058641B2 |
Image processing device and image processing method
An image processing device includes a control unit which controls a read out of a reference image which is referred to when performing motion compensation on an image, with a range based on a maximum value of a motion amount in a vertical direction of a motion vector of the image as a target; and a motion compensation processing unit which performs motion compensation on the image using the motion vector and the reference image which is read out according to the control by the control unit. |
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| US09058639B2 |
Multi-compatible low and high dynamic range and high bit-depth texture and video encoding system
A method of processing image data includes generating image data including luminance and chrominance data representing a selected object, separating the luminance and chrominance data, storing the separated luminance and chrominance data in corresponding separate spaces in memory, and separately compressing the stored luminance and chrominance data. |
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| US09058635B1 |
Medical patient data collaboration system
Systems and methods for mitigating breakdowns in communications among healthcare providers are described, among other features. A communications system can be provided for communicating patient information among health care providers, who may include clinicians, doctors, interns, residents, physician's assistants, nurses, or any other health care personnel. The communications system can enable tracking of the responsibility relationships between changing providers and patients. In addition, the communications system can allow rapid and reliable messaging between any provider and the provider responsible for the patient at any one time. |
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| US09058632B2 |
Community interaction using mobile communication devices
Techniques are provided for delivering content to mobile communication devices related to interactions of members with a user community. The method involves detecting a communication session involving a mobile communication device; determining one or more context parameters associated with the communication session; and delivering content related to the context parameters to one or more mobile communication devices. Data is stored at a central computing entity that indicates association or membership of a plurality of mobile communication device users in a user community. The central computing entity detects when an action is taken by one mobile device user that is a member of the user community, and sends a notification to members of the social circle based on the detected action. These techniques allow individuals who are involved in a user community to maintain their interaction with the user community using their mobile communication devices. |
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| US09058631B2 |
Method and system for e-commerce transaction data accounting
Method and system for e-commerce transaction data accounting are disclosed. A method comprises: a second server receiving transaction data from a first server; the second server analyzing the received transaction data to identify a classification of the received transaction data; the second server obtaining historical transaction data from a second database based on the classification of the received transaction data, wherein the second database obtains transaction data that meet a preset condition from a data warehouse system and compares the transaction data that meet the preset condition with previously obtained transaction data to update inconsistency in the transaction data that meet the preset condition; and the second server combining the received transaction data and the historical transaction data to produce current transaction data. |
|
| US09058624B1 |
Message shopping over an electronic marketplace
Disclosed are various embodiments for shopping using a messaging system. A message from a user, such as an email message, is stored in a memory for processing. The email message includes a plurality of line items. At least one item may be identified corresponding to each one of the plurality of line items by searching an electronic catalog associated with an electronic commerce system. At least one item is available for purchase through the electronic commerce system. The at least one item may be included in a list associated with a user account for the user. The user account is managed by the electronic commerce system. Further embodiments include automatically transmitting a reply email message to the user indicating that at least one item has been included in the list if the attempt to identify is successful. |
|
| US09058621B2 |
Automatic price display control by emulation of electronic cash register price lookup
A system and method for distribution of product price and/or sales data in a retail establishment. Product price and/or sales data is stored locally, either in a central computer or master electronic cash register (ECR) or remotely at a master computer. The product price data is stored in the form of a price look-up (PLU) table. The price data can be pushed from the master ECR, local or master computers to and ECR emulation hub to an ECR emulation hub. Similarly, the ECR emulation hub can request product price data from the master ECR, local or master computers. Once the product price data arrives at the ECR emulation hub, it can be processed and sent to a display, which will be located near the appropriate product. The ECR emulation hub can also record and/or transmit prices actually charged for products over time to allow for automatic auditing of promotional pricing offers such as those made by manufacturers of the product. The ECR emulation hub acts like an ECR, thereby requiring no special software or hardware modifications to existing pricing display systems that already support ECRs. |
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| US09058615B2 |
Product evaluation system and product evaluation method
A product evaluation system and a product evaluation method allow people to quickly, inexpensively, and accurately evaluate large amounts of products including those that do not have information attached in advance in the manufacturing stage. The system comprises an I/O component that functions as a product identification mechanism that identifies product type including at least one of product, product group, product brand, or product category, a characteristic acquisition mechanism that acquires characteristic information of the product, an evaluator that performs authentication and value estimations of products, and a data store that stores information related to the product. The evaluation mechanism performs authentication and value estimations of products based on characteristic information of the product acquired by the characteristic acquisition mechanism, and genuine product characteristic information, counterfeit product characteristic information, and value information and market information for each condition included in the information related to products stored in the data store. |
|
| US09058612B2 |
Systems and methods for recommending software applications
A potentially beneficial software product is recommended to a user based, in part, on an analysis of parameters associated with the user's usage of software applications already installed on the user's computer. |
|
| US09058608B2 |
Placement attribute targeting
Methods, computer-readable media, and systems for placement attribute targeting are described. In one example, an advertiser can specify attributes of one or more web pages on which their advertisements can be displayed. Based on a page attribute of the web page that a user accesses, one or more advertisements can be transmitted to the user for display, where the advertisements are chosen such that the page attribute matches the attribute specified by the advertiser. In some implementations, a computer-implemented method includes determining an attribute of a web page to be displayed to a user at a location, selecting content corresponding to the determined web page attribute, and transmitting the selected content to the location for display as at least part of the web page. |
|
| US09058603B1 |
Client-side encryption of form data
Disclosed are various embodiments that facilitate client-side encryption of form data. A network page that includes client-side code that encrypts one or more data items using a public key is sent to the client. The data items are provided by a user in one or more form fields of the network page. The data items and one or more unencrypted data items are obtained from the client over an encrypted channel. The data items are encrypted using the public key when the data items have not been encrypted by the client-side encryption code. The data items are sent in an encrypted state to a server over an internal network. A firewall is interposed between the internal network and the server to protect the server from the internal network. |
|
| US09058601B2 |
Payment system and method
In one embodiment, transferring payment between a first user and a second user of a communication system includes displaying a contact list in a user interface of a client executed at a user terminal of the first user, the contact list including the second user. The client retrieves and displays at least one page from a payment provider responsive to the first user selecting the second user from the contact list. The client transmits, to the payment provider, information related to the payment entered into the page by the first user, which causes the payment provider to transfer the payment from an account of the first user to an account of the second user. |
|
| US09058598B1 |
Systems and methods for distribution of cash
The invention provides systems and methods for transferring cash to and from branch banks. The method may include the steps of inputting first data relating to cash usage at a plurality of branch banks; inputting second data relating to cash usage at the particular branch bank, the second data including a known ending balance at the particular branch bank; and assimilating the first data and the second data to constitute forecasting data; and performing forecast processing to determine an amount of cash to be transferred to or from the branch bank. The forecast processing may include (1) forecasting a cash in amount and forecasting a cash out amount based on the forecasting data, and generating a projected ending balance based on the forecasted cash in amount, the forecasted cash out amount, and the known ending balance; (2) generating a forecasted ending balance; and (3) comparing the projected ending balance with the forecasted ending balance to determine a cash shipment amount. The method may also include generating a cash transfer request based on the cash shipment amount; and effecting a transfer of cash with the branch bank based on the cash transfer request. |
|
| US09058596B2 |
Determining availability based on percentage available
An embodiment of the invention provides a system and method for displaying the scheduling availability of a user. The system includes an occupancy module for analyzing the schedule of the user to determine the occupancy for a time period in the schedule. The time period includes an available time slot and/or an occupied time slot. A processor connected to the occupancy module determines whether the occupancy for the time period is above a threshold level of occupancy. The threshold level of occupancy includes a maximum number of occupied time slots, a maximum percentage of occupied time slots, a maximum amount of occupied time, and/or a maximum percentage of occupied time. A scheduling module connected to the processor automatically displays the scheduling availability of the user as unavailable for the time slot when the occupancy for the time period is above the threshold level of occupancy. |
|
| US09058595B2 |
Methods and systems for managing an electronic calendar
Methods and systems for managing an electronic calendar are described. One exemplary method includes displaying a calendar on a display device, the calendar having at least one time range, and displaying an invitation, before it is accepted, on the calendar in the at least one time range with other events which are already accepted. Another exemplary method includes displaying a calendar on a display device and displaying a list of user-selectable calendars comprising an invitation calendar which presents invitations which have not yet been accepted or declined on the invitation calendar. Other methods are described, and machine readable media and systems are also described. |
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| US09058592B2 |
Reporting compromised email accounts
The claimed subject matter provides a method for detecting compromised accounts. The method includes receiving a communication from a sender's account to a recipient. The sender's account is associated with a sender. The method also includes presenting a compromised account reporting interface to the recipient based on specific conditions. Further, the method includes receiving a selection by the recipient indicating the sender's account is compromised. The method also includes determining that the sender's account is compromised based on the selection. Additionally, the method includes generating, in response to a selection by the recipient, a report indicating that the account is compromised. |
|
| US09058591B2 |
System and method for email-based donations
An electronic commerce (e-commerce) system may send advertisement emails to customers that are registered with the e-commerce system. The advertisement emails may include mailto hyperlinks. Each mailto hyperlink describes an email message that may be generated when that hyperlink is selected. When a mailto hyperlink is selected, the generated email message may include one or more parameters related to a donation that be made by the customer to a non-profit organization. For example, the generated email message may include a customer identifier, and/or one or more parameters that indicate the non-profit to which a donation should be made, and an amount to be donated. The generated email message may then be transmitted to the e-commerce system. The e-commerce system may receive the message and, based on the parameters in the received message, communicate with a payment processing system to perform the donation indicated in the message. |
|
| US09058590B2 |
Content upload safety tool
Embodiments of content safety upload techniques are presented herein. In an implementation, outbound communications of client are monitored to detect personal identifying information (PII) in the content being communicated. Upon detection of PII one or more actions may be taken to manage the PII, for example warning a user, providing options to send or delete the communication, seeking approval and so on. Further, released PII may be tracked to permit reporting and subsequent management of PII released in outbound communications. |
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| US09058584B2 |
Method and apparatus for storage of data for manufactured items
Exemplary embodiments are directed to a method and apparatus for storage of data for a batch of manufactured items. The method comprises defining, by a lower limit identifier and an upper limit identifier, a range of unique item identifiers for the batch, wherein each manufactured item in the batch is allocated a unique item identifier falling within the range. The number of unique item identifiers allocated to the manufactured items is smaller than the number of unique item identifiers in the range. The unique item identifiers allocated to the manufactured items are defined by the lower limit item identifier of the range, the upper limit item identifier of the range and an indication of those item identifiers in the range which are not allocated to a manufactured item. |
|
| US09058583B2 |
Systems and methods for mobile access to item information
Example systems and methods of mobile access to information for items or objects, such as, for example, product and inventory items found in a warehouse or on a shop floor, are presented. In one example, an identifier is received at a mobile communication device. A search request including the identifier is transmitted from the mobile communication device to an enterprise resource planning system. Information descriptive of at least one item is received at the mobile communication device from the enterprise resource planning system in response to the search request. The information is presented to a user of the mobile communication device. |
|
| US09058582B1 |
Method for establishing a secure protocol for pairing an RFID tag and asset monitoring device within a container suite
The present invention provides a method for automatically pairing a first container monitoring device equipped with a RFID reader and a second container in which stored data is embedded within an RFID tag or data storage device. The present invention provides a protocol for secure and supervised access between the first container monitoring device and the second container monitoring device as prescribed from an authorizing remote monitoring station. |
|
| US09058581B2 |
Systems and methods for managing information associated with legal, compliance and regulatory risk
Some embodiments include a system, method, apparatus and means for managing information associated with risk. In some embodiments, information associated with risk is collected, analyzed, stored, and disseminated. According to some embodiments, the information associated with risk is utilized to identify risk. |
|
| US09058579B2 |
Techniques for instantiating and configuring projects
Techniques for project management instantiation and configuration are provided. A master project includes policy directives that drive the dynamic instantiation and configuration of resources for a project. The resources are instantiated and configured on demand and when resources are actually requested, in response to the policy directives. |
|
| US09058577B2 |
Network centric structured communications network
The present invention is a network centric management and communications system and method enabling users with commitments to communicate, manage, notify, assign, link, and/or collaborate with other users. The system includes a database storing one or more user accounts corresponding to nodes on a network, user accounts connected by interdependencies forming social connections between individual users having responsibilities and structuring communications via dependency links between interdependent users. The system includes a data server, receiving responsibility data comprising requirements data for creating interdependencies, transmitting assigned commitments, and updating responsibility data. The system further includes a communications link to provide status updates and/or notifications of responsibilities to affected users regarding their status that appropriate corrective action may be taken before one or more commitments to requirements are broken, wherein one or more commitments of a responsibility are modified and/or updated. The system can host multiple projects simultaneously in the data server. |
|
| US09058566B2 |
Control device, control method, and computer program product
According to an embodiment, a control device includes a detecting unit, a communication unit, and a control unit. The detecting unit detects that a power-supplied device is connected to a power supply line relaying supply of power. The communication unit receives consumer authentication information including consumer identification information for identifying a consumer from a communication device when it is detected that the power-supplied device is connected to the power supply line, transmits the consumer authentication information to a first server, receives power-supply-availability determination information representing whether supply of power to the power-supplied device is possible or not, from the first server, and transmits power measurement information representing power supplied to the power-supplied device through the power supply line and the consumer identification information to a second server. The control unit supplies power to the power-supplied device when the power-supply-availability determination information represents that supply of power is possible. |
|
| US09058563B1 |
Suggesting activities
A method includes receiving inputs indicative of a user state of each user of a group of users. The inputs include sensor inputs from one or more and/or user inputs received from a graphical user interface. The method includes determining a collective user state for each user based on the received inputs and determining one or more possible activities for the group of users and one or more predicted outcomes for each activity based on the collective user states. The method includes executing one or more behaviors that evaluate the one or more possible activities and/or the corresponding one or more predicted outcomes, selecting one or more activities based on the evaluations of the one or more possible activities and/or the corresponding one or more predicted outcomes, and sending results including the selected one or more activities from the computing device to one or more screens. |
|
| US09058561B2 |
Systems and methods of cognitive patterns knowledge generation
A processor based system and method of generating cognitive pattern knowledge of a sensory input is disclosed. The method comprising the steps of receiving sensory input to create at least one concrete pattern, receiving at least one abstract pattern comprising abstract segments and vertically blending the concrete pattern with the abstract pattern by selectively projecting abstract segments to create a vertically blended pattern whereby the vertically blended pattern represents cognitive pattern knowledge of the sensory input. In some embodiments, the systems and methods further comprise creating a measure of a degree of vertical blending and when the measure of the degree of vertical blending exceeds a threshold, horizontally blending at least two abstract patterns to create a horizontally blended abstract pattern. |
|
| US09058559B2 |
Management apparatus, image forming apparatus management system for managing usage of the image forming apparatus
A management apparatus connected to an image forming apparatus for managing usage of the image forming apparatus is disclosed. The management apparatus includes a user data storage part for storing user identification data and use restriction data corresponding to the user identification data, and a use restriction data acquiring part for acquiring the use restriction data corresponding to the user identification data. |
|
| US09058557B2 |
Image forming apparatus, setting method, and non-transitory computer-readable recording medium encoded with setting program
An image forming apparatus includes a setting screen displaying portion to display a setting screen on a display portion, an input screen displaying portion to display an input screen including input keys on the display portion, a position detecting portion to detect a position designated by a user on a display surface of the display portion, an item selecting portion to select one of a plurality of setting items on the setting screen, a setting value accepting portion to accept a value determined by the input key designated by the user as a setting value for the setting item being selected, and a designation accepting portion, provided independently of the position detecting portion, to accept a user's designation. The input screen displaying portion displays the input screen on the display portion when the designation accepting portion accepts a first designation in the state where the setting screen is being displayed. |
|
| US09058554B2 |
Transponder with tamper protection
The invention relates to sewable tamper detection elements for radio frequency identification devices, and to radio frequency identification devices with such tamper detection elements. The devices can be sewn into a seam of a garment so that the tamper detection element is partially inside the garment, e.g. as part of a care label. This makes removing the device difficult without breaking the tamper detection element, and thereby shoplifting attempts can be more reliably noticed. For this purpose, the tamper detection element is formed so that sewing through it does not break the element. The radio frequency identification device may be formed asymmetric so that the tamper detection element is on a different side from the antenna elements with respect to the chip. In this manner, the disturbance from the tamper detection element to the antenna can be minimized. The tamper detection element may be formed so that it contains a transparent opening on which text can be printed. |
|
| US09058553B2 |
Contact/non-contact type hybrid IC card, communication method, program and communication system
A contact/non-contact type hybrid IC card is provided which includes a non-contact interface to communicate in a non-contact manner with a non-contact type reader/writer through an antenna, a contact interface to communicate in a contact manner with a contact type reader/writer through a contact terminal, a storage unit to store personal identification information input from the contact type reader/writer through the contact interface during a contact communication mode by the contact interface, and a control unit to remove a limitation of a prescribed function in a non-contact communication mode by the non-contact interface based on the personal identification information stored in the storage unit during the contact communication mode and switch a communication mode from the contact communication mode to the non-contact communication mode with the limitation of the prescribed function being removed. |
|
| US09058549B2 |
Integrated circuit providing an external switching functionality
The present invention relates to an integrated circuit (30) comprising a logic circuit (42) and reception means (34) for receiving external signals and for transmitting said received external signals to said logic circuit (42), and it relates to a device coupled to such an integrated circuit and to methods for manufacturing and operating such an integrated circuit and for transmitting control data to a device. In order to provide such an integrated circuit (30) for an extended functionality in comparison with conventional transponders, an integrated circuit (30) comprising a logic circuit (42); at least two external contacts (44a, 44b), switching means (46) connecting said logic circuit (42) to said external contacts (44a, 44b) and reception means (34) for receiving external signals and for transmitting said received external signals to said logic circuit (42) is proposed, wherein said integrated circuit (30) is operable in a first operation mode for providing a switching functionality—through said external contacts (44a, 44b) by said switching means (46) for switching an electrical connection between said external contacts (44a, 44b), wherein said switching means (46) are controlled by said logic circuit (42) in response to said received external signals. Further, a corresponding device coupled to such an integrated circuit (30) and corresponding methods for manufacturing and operating such an integrated circuit (30) and for transmitting control data to a device are proposed. |
|
| US09058548B2 |
Payment card system and method
Embodiments of the invention relate to payment cards and methods for making payment cards. In one embodiment, a card comprises a first layer and a second layer adjacent to the first layer. The second layer comprises a plurality of particles comprising metal, and the plurality of particles comprise at least about 15 volume % of the second layer. In another embodiment, a mixture is prepared comprising polymer and a plurality of particles comprising metal. The plurality of particles comprise at least about 15 volume % of the mixture. The mixture is pressed and an outer layer is applied. The mixture and outer layer are then cut to form the card. |
|
| US09058546B2 |
Image forming apparatus for providing user interface and method thereof
A method for providing a user interface of an image forming apparatus and image forming apparatus are provided. The method includes displaying a setting user interface (UI) to set a function of the image forming apparatus, and when a user manipulation is not input to the setting UI for a predetermined time before a user finishes setting the function, temporarily storing setting information that the user has input through the setting UI. The method includes when a predetermined event occurs, re-displaying the setting UI corresponding to the setting information. Accordingly, the UI is effectively provided. |
|
| US09058545B2 |
Automatic registration of image pairs of medical image data sets
In a method, device and storage medium encoded with programming instructions for automatic image registration of image data of a current medical image MR study and at least one reference study, corresponding image pairs of the current study and the reference study are formed automatically with an association machine without needing the analyze the respective image data or pixel data. The pair determination takes place exclusively on the basis of the DICOM header data. A synchronized image processing and/or presentation of the generated image pairs takes place at a monitor. |
|
| US09058544B2 |
Device and method for detecting a region of interest on a delivery object
A device and method for detecting a region of interest on a delivery object. In the method cluster identification data is stored. An item of the cluster identification data represents a cluster of image data items in a training set of image data items. A group of heat maps is stored. A heat map is associated with a cluster represented by the cluster identification data, and provides for cells of a grid a probability distribution for a probability of the cell belonging to a defined region of interest given the number of blobs in the cell. When a new image data item of the delivery object is received, the cluster identification data may be used to associate the input image data item with at least one cluster, and the heat map of the associated cluster to determine at least one region of interest in the image data item. |
|
| US09058534B2 |
System and method for implementing network communication for a bar code scanner
A scanning system and method are disclosed which may include a bar code scanner module incorporated within a housing; and a wireless network transceiver coupled to the bar code scanner module and operable to communicate with at least one other communication device, the bar code scanner and the transceiver forming a scanning device. The transceiver may communicate employing Zigbee network protocol. |
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| US09058532B2 |
Image pick-up device and POS system including the same
An image pick-up device, which photographs an object to generate an image signal, including: an opening formed to pass light therethrough; a transparent plate which covers the opening; an image detector arranged to generate the image signal; an optical lens forming an image of the object on the image detector through the transparent plate when the object is positioned in an imaging area; a lighting device arranged to illuminate the object and is placed both in an inner area in which the imaging area outside the housing is folded into the housing with reference to the transparent plate, and in an outer area of the imaging area in the housing; and an optical-path modifying element which modifies an optical path of a potential stray light. |
|
| US09058526B2 |
Data collection module and system
A data collection module including an illumination assembly and an imaging assembly, a processor configured to operate the illumination and imaging assemblies, at least one network interface configured to communicate with a terminal module, at least one power supply and a terminal module interface configured to communicate with a terminal module when the data collection module is mated with the terminal module. |
|
| US09058525B2 |
Device for holding a magnetic reading head
A device is provided for supporting a magnetic reading head. The device includes a guide for guiding and cushioning the reading head. The guide is mounted between a base of the reading head and a bearing surface parallel to the base, and includes at least one part made of a material, the Young's modulus of which is greater than 200 N/mm2. |
|
| US09058523B2 |
Masking module for a video surveillance system, method for masking selected objects, and computer program
In addition to the clear advantages of video monitoring systems for securing monitoring regions and optionally for following suspicious objects, there is the requirement to secure the private environments of people in the regions being monitored. A masking module (4) for a monitoring system (1) is disclosed for the above, wherein the monitoring system (1) has at least one monitoring camera (2) designed and/or arranged for observing monitoring regions with moving objects (14, 16), comprising a selection device for selecting objects as selected objects (16), wherein the masking module (4) is designed to output the selected objects (16) or partial regions thereof subsequently together called selected objects (16) in a masked form, wherein the masking module (4) is designed to limit the masking of objects (16) to at least one selected physical partial region (15, 18) of the monitoring region. |
|
| US09058522B2 |
Logo presence detection based on blending characteristics
A video processing system detects an overlay image, such as a logo, in a picture of a video stream, the overlay for example being a broadcaster's logo. The detection is based on evaluation of blending characteristics of a picture frame. The method of detection of an overlay defines first and second areas within the image, the first and second areas being non-overlapping. Next an alpha-blended value is calculated for the mean color value of the second area with an overlay color value. Then, if the mean color value of the first area is closer to the alpha-blended value than it is to the mean color value of the second area, the overlay can be indicated as detected and defined within the picture. Detection of the overlay can be used to identify an owner of the video, or detect when a scene change such as a commercial occurs. |
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| US09058520B2 |
Systems and methods for hands free inspection
Systems and methods for inspecting a device are disclosed. The method includes arranging the device in a known position relative to a plurality of movable cameras. The plurality of movable cameras is mounted on a controllable actuator. The plurality of cameras is pointed at the device by controlling the controllable actuator to position the camera with a user interface. An image of the device generated by the camera is displayed on a mobile and wireless display. The computing device also causes a rendered virtual image of the device to be displayed on the mobile and wireless display. A stream of interest and a region of interest is selected at the mobile and wireless display from the images generated by the cameras. |
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| US09058519B2 |
System and method for passive live person verification using real-time eye reflection
Systems, methods, and apparatus for detecting a live human face in an image are disclosed. The methods, systems, and apparatus are capable of capturing an image of a verification pattern that has been reflected from a defined region of interest of a user's eye. The captured image can be compared to the emitted verification pattern to determine whether the captured reflection matches the emitted pattern and is within the region of interest to verify a live user of an electronic device. |
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| US09058514B2 |
Apparatus and method for estimating joint structure of human body
Disclosed herein is an apparatus and method for estimating the joint structure of a human body. The apparatus includes a multi-view image acquisition unit for receiving multi-view images acquired by capturing a human body. A human body foreground separation unit extracts a foreground region corresponding to the human body from the acquired multi-view images. A human body shape restoration unit restores voxels indicating geometric space occupation information of the human body using the foreground region corresponding to the human body, thus generating voxel-based three-dimensional (3D) shape information of the human body. A skeleton information extraction unit generates 3D skeleton information from the generated voxel-based 3D shape information of the human body. A skeletal structure estimation unit estimates positions of respective joints from a skeletal structure of the human body using both the generated 3D skeleton information and anthropometric information. |
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| US09058509B1 |
Screen privacy filter using software
A software-based privacy filter is provided on a computing device. First, a content window is opened and displayed on a display of the computing device. Then a semi-transparent topmost window is created, wherein the semi-transparent topmost window includes a moving privacy pattern designed to obscure first portions of the content window at a first time and obscure second portions of the content window at a second time. The semi-transparent topmost window is then displayed on top of the first content window on the display of the computing device. |
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| US09058498B2 |
Runtime environment management of secure communications on card computing devices
A card computing device may be configured to establish and manage secure channel communications between terminal applications and local applications installed on the card computing device. A runtime component of the card computing device may be configured to generate a registry of applications available as endpoints for secure channel communications, either in response to applications registering as endpoints or based on installation parameters on the card computing device. The runtime component may provide a list of the registered applications to a terminal application. The runtime component may establish a secure channel between a terminal application and a local application and may receive and decrypt secure commands from the terminal application. The runtime component may forward the decrypted commands to the local application and encrypt and forward responses from the local application to the terminal application. |
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| US09058494B2 |
Method, apparatus, system, and computer readable medium to provide secure operation
Technologies are provided in embodiments for receiving an enclave program for operation in an enclave, identifying at least one shared object dependency of the enclave program, determining whether the shared object dependency corresponds to at least one enclave shared object, causing association between the shared object dependency and the enclave shared object in circumstances where the shared object dependency corresponds to the enclave shared object, and causing association between the shared object dependency and an enclave-loadable non-enclave shared object in circumstances where the shared object dependency fails to correspond to the enclave shared object. |
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| US09058493B1 |
System, method, and computer program for conditionally implementing protected content
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for conditionally implementing protected content. In use, protected content is identified. Additionally, one or more elements associated with the protected content are verified. Further, the protected content is conditionally implemented, based on the verifying. |
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| US09058492B1 |
Techniques for reducing executable code vulnerability
Techniques for reducing executable code vulnerability are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for reducing executable code vulnerability comprising analyzing a binary file, using at least one computer processor, to identify a vulnerable executable code structure, and configuring the identified executable code structure to reduce vulnerability. |
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| US09058491B1 |
Enabling a secure boot from non-volatile memory
A system may include a host that may include a processor coupled to a non-volatile memory over a secure communication protocol. As a result, prior to release for manufacturing, a binding code may be established between the host and the non-volatile memory. In some embodiments, this binding code may be stored on the non-volatile memory and not on the host. Then during a boot up of the system, the boot up process may be initiated by the host using code associated with the host, followed by secure booting using the secure protocol using code stored on the non-volatile memory. |
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| US09058488B2 |
Malware detection and computer monitoring methods
A method is disclosed, where some embodiments of the method include installing at least one benign malware indicator on one or more computing devices, monitoring the one or more computing devices for the presence of the at least one benign malware indicator, and responsive to determining the benign malware indicator is no longer present, sending a notification indicating the benign malware indicator is no longer detected as present on the one or more computing devices. Other embodiments include performing an antivirus scan or identifying unauthorized software programs. An apparatus and one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-readable instructions capable of performing similar actions, the latter in conjunction with a computer executing instructions stored on the media, are also disclosed. |
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| US09058487B2 |
Method of detecting potential phishing by analyzing universal resource locators
A method for detecting potential phishing URLs includes extracting a URL from a document, analyzing the URL context, and comparing the URL to stored trusted URLs and stored known phishing URLs. The URL context includes anchor text and surrounding content associated with the URL. The method further includes generating a phishing alert based on the comparing and the analyzing. |
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| US09058486B2 |
User behavioral risk assessment
A particular activity performed by a particular user of a computing device is identified, for instance, by an agent installed on the computing device. It is determined that the particular activity qualifies as a particular use violation in a plurality of pre-defined use violations. A behavioral risk score for the particular score for the user is determined based at least in part on the determination that the particular activity of the particular user qualifies as a particular use violation. Determining that the particular activity qualifies as a particular use violation can include determining that the particular activity violates a particular rule or event trigger corresponding to a particular pre-defined use violation. |
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| US09058485B1 |
Data loss prevention (DLP) through removeable media
Method and apparatuses for detecting violations of data loss prevention (DLP) in NTFS removable media and non-NTFS removable media are described. In NTFS, when an application opens a data file, a DLP file system filter driver internally opens the same data file using file system transaction and is transparent to the application. Application read/writes are redirected to the remote transaction. When the application tries to close the file, the DLP agent scans the data being written to the file for detection of violations and commits or aborts the remote transaction depending upon the detection of a violation of the policy. |
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| US09058483B2 |
Method for validating an untrusted native code module
A system that validates a native code module. During operation, the system receives a native code module comprised of untrusted native program code. The system validates the native code module by: (1) determining that code in the native code module does not include any restricted instructions and/or does not access restricted features of a computing device; and (2) determining that the instructions in the native code module are aligned along byte boundaries such that a specified set of byte boundaries always contain a valid instruction and control flow instructions have valid targets. The system allows successfully-validated native code modules to execute, and rejects native code modules that fail validation. By validating the native code module, the system facilitates safely executing the native code module in the secure runtime environment on the computing device, thereby achieving native code performance for untrusted program binaries without significant risk of unwanted side effects. |
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| US09058482B2 |
Controlling user access to electronic resources without password
Described herein are devices and techniques for remotely controlling user access to a restricted computer resource. The process includes pre-determining an association of the restricted computer resource and computer-resource-proximal environmental information. Indicia of user-proximal environmental information are received from a user requesting access to the restricted computer resource. Received indicia of user-proximal environmental information are compared to associated computer-resource-proximal environmental information. User access to the restricted computer resource is selectively granted responsive to a favorable comparison in which the user-proximal environmental information is sufficiently similar to the computer-resource proximal environmental information. In at least some embodiments, the process further includes comparing user-supplied biometric measure and comparing it with a predetermined association of at least one biometric measure of an authorized user. Access to the restricted computer resource is granted in response to a favorable comparison. |
|
| US09058479B2 |
Pass-pattern authentication for computer-based security
Implementing security access includes mapping input elements of an input device to a coordinate system. Each of the input elements is assigned to a point on the coordinate system that is defined by respective coordinate values. The security access also includes receiving a number of inputs via corresponding input elements. An input element assigned to a first input of the number of inputs is denoted as a starting point for a sequence. Beginning with an input in the sequence that immediately follows the first input in the sequence, the security access further includes identifying a directional orientation of each of the input elements as compared to an input element immediately preceding the input element in the sequence, creating a directional pattern sequence from the directional orientation identified for each of the input elements, and providing access to an information source using the directional pattern sequence as an authentication mechanism. |
|
| US09058478B1 |
System and method of determining entities operating accounts
A system is provided that determines the likelihood of an account is being used by a computer program to automatically generate and send information to other accounts. In one aspect, the system calculates the likelihood for one account based on the amount of the account's social interaction with other accounts and the likelihood that such other accounts and are being used by a computer program to automatically generate and send information to other accounts. |
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| US09058476B2 |
Method and image forming apparatus to authenticate user by using smart card
A method and an image forming apparatus authenticate a user by using a smart card. The image forming apparatus includes a card reader to, if a smart card is inserted, extract user information from the smart card, an input unit to input information required for user authentication, a storage unit to store the input information in correspondence with the extracted user information, a user account management unit to request to authenticate the user of the smart card based on the extracted user information and the input information, or the extracted user information and the stored information, and a user authentication unit to authenticate the user according to the authentication request. |
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| US09058473B2 |
User authentication via evoked potential in electroencephalographic signals
Techniques are disclosed for authentication and identification of a user by use of an electroencephalographic (EEG) signal. For example, a method for authenticating a user includes the following steps. At least one electroencephalographic response is obtained from a user in accordance with perceptory stimuli presented to the user. The user is authenticated based on the obtained electroencephalographic response. The authenticating step may be based on detection of an event-related potential in the obtained electroencephalographic response. The event-related potential may be a P300 event-related potential. The method may also include the step of enrolling the user prior to authenticating the user. The enrolling step may include a supervised enrollment procedure or an unsupervised enrollment procedure. |
|
| US09058472B1 |
System and method of applying access rules to files transmitted between computers
Disclosed are systems and methods for providing access to computer files, including receiving, by a hardware processor, from a remote computer, a request to access a file; determining one or more parameters of at least one of the requested file, the remote computer and a user of the remote computer; determining, based on the one or more parameters, access rules for the requested file, wherein the access rules specify at least encryption requirements for the requested file, and applying, by the hardware processor, the access rules to the requested file. |
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| US09058471B2 |
Authorization system for heterogeneous enterprise environments
A unified authorization system for an enterprise that includes heterogeneous access control environments is provided. Components in the enterprise utilizing either Java Platform Security (JPS) or Oracle Access Manager (OAM) can both use the unified authorization system to perform authorization. A common policy store can contain policies applicable to diverse components in a canonical form conducive to varieties of access control models. The data model used within the common policy store can support access control features found in both role-based policies and delegable access control administration. The common policy store can enable the querying and retrieval of authorization policies that are based on various access control models. A unified administrator interface permits administrators of applications following any kind of access control model to administer policies for resources. A unified policy decision engine can evaluate whether authorization policies are satisfied, regardless of the access control models that those policies follow. |
|
| US09058470B1 |
Actual usage analysis for advanced privilege management
Methods and computer program products for analyzing privilege usage are disclosed. Event information is identified for each user, including a list of events and a count of each listed event. Privilege information of each user is identified, including a list of privileges of the user. The event information and privilege information of users with similar events are compared. Events are mapped to privileges based on the comparison to generate an event-privilege mapping. Users with similar counts for similar events may be used for comparison. A computer system is disclosed that includes an event identifier, a privilege identifier and an event-privilege mapper. |
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| US09058468B2 |
System and method for preventing unauthorised use of digital media
A method for protecting digital media content from unauthorized use on a client, is described. The method comprising the steps of receiving from a server on the client a list of processes, instructions, activity descriptions or data types that must not be active simultaneously with playback of the digital media content (“the blacklist”). The method further comprising checking, on the client, for the presence of any items on the list; and continuing interaction with the server, key management and playback of protected content only if no items on the list are detected on the client. A system is also described. |
|
| US09058458B2 |
Structure for logic circuit and serializer-deserializer stack
Serializer-deserializer (SERDES) and integrated circuit package including a package substrate, first and second SERDES dies having a SERDES circuit, and a logic die having a logic circuit. The SERDES circuit communicatively connected to the package substrate. The first and second SERDES dies positioned adjacent, in a plane, and disposed on the package substrate. The logic circuit communicatively connected to the SERDES circuit and to the package substrate. The logic die stacked vertically and disposed on the first and second SERDES dies. A method of assembling a SERDES and integrated circuit package including providing a SERDES structure selected from a menu of SERDES die and SERDES circuit combinations. A design structure of a SERDES and integrated circuit package including a package substrate, first and second SERDES dies having a SERDES circuit, and a logic die having a logic circuit. The SERDES circuit communicatively connected to the package substrate. |
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| US09058457B2 |
Reticle data decomposition for focal plane determination in lithographic processes
A method of determining focal planes during a photolithographic exposure of a wafer surface is provided. The method may include receiving data corresponding to a surface topography of the wafer surface and determining, based on the received data corresponding to the surface topography, a plurality of regions having substantially different topographies. Reticle design data is received for exposure on the wafer surface, whereby, from the received reticle design data, reticle design data subsets that are each allocated to a corresponding one of the determined plurality of regions are generated. A best fit focal plane is then generated for each of the determined plurality of regions. |
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| US09058456B2 |
Method and system to fix early mode slacks in a circuit design
An improved method for fixing an early mode slack in a hierarchically designed hardware device with at least one source macro, an integration unit and at least one sink macro comprises: Loading hardware design timing data to determine pins where an early mode slack fix can be applied to fix an early mode slack; for each such pin determining a location across the design hierarchy for the early mode slack fix by calculating a weight value for each of a selection of fix locations of the early mode slack based on absolute values of arrival times of data signals, ratio and difference between arrival times of late mode data signals and early mode data signals; and assigning the early mode slack fix to the determined location based on said weight value. |
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| US09058455B2 |
Backside integration of RF filters for RF front end modules and design structure
A design structure for an integrated radio frequency (RF) filter on a backside of a semiconductor substrate includes: a device on a first side of a substrate; a radio frequency (RF) filter on a backside of the substrate; and at least one substrate conductor extending from the front side of the substrate to the backside of the substrate and electrically coupling the RF filter to the device. |
|
| US09058451B2 |
Automatic synthesis of complex clock systems
A global optimization method to synthesize and balance the clock systems in a multimode, multi-corner, and multi-domain design environment is described. The method builds a graph representation for a clock network. The method determines an optimal clock network balancing solution for the clock network by applying linear programming to the graph. To apply linear programming to the graph, the method generates a set of constraints for the graph and determines a proper insertion delay for each edge of the graph by solving for a minimal skew based on the set of constraints. The method implements the optimal clock network balancing solution. |
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| US09058450B1 |
Efficiently using cell libraries with a large number of cells
Techniques for using subcell libraries allow efficient handling of a large number of cells. To improve design accuracy using cell libraries, very large cell libraries are needed. However, optimization tools are not able to use very large cell libraries directly, since their results suffer. Very large cell libraries are organized into sublibraries that are adapted to be processed by optimization tools. This allows improvement in the design quality of integrated circuits, while allowing the designs to be processed by optimization tools. |
|
| US09058446B2 |
Flexible and adaptive formulations for complex reservoir simulations
A method for performing a simulation of a subsurface hydrocarbon reservoir is disclosed. Each cell in a reservoir model has an equation set representing a reservoir property. A stability limit is determined for each cell. Each cell is assigned to an explicit or implicit formulation. A solution to the system of equations is solved for using an initial guess and an explicit or implicit formulation. A stability limit is calculated for the converged cells. When the number of unconverged cells is greater than a predetermined amount, a reduced nonlinear system is constructed with a list of unconverged cells. The reduced nonlinear system is solved with the implicit formulation, and other cells are solved with the explicit formulation. Parts of the method are repeated until all equation sets satisfy a convergence criterion and a stability criterion, and the solved solution is output. |
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| US09058445B2 |
Method and system for reservoir modeling
A method is presented for modeling reservoir properties. The method includes constructing a coarse computational mesh for the reservoir. The coarse computational mesh comprises a plurality of cells. The method further includes determining a plurality of flows for each of the plurality of cells based on Dirichlet boundary conditions. Additionally, the method includes determining a solution to a coarse pressure equation for the reservoir based on the plurality of flows. |
|
| US09058444B2 |
Planning economic energy dispatch in electrical grid under uncertainty
A method for solving a two-stage non-linear stochastic formulation for the economic dispatch problem under renewable-generation uncertainty. Certain generation decisions are made only in the first stage and fixed for the subsequent (second) stage, where the actual renewable generation is realized. The uncertainty in renewable output is captured by a finite number of scenarios. Any resulting supply-demand mis-match must then be alleviated using high marginal-cost power sources that can be tapped in short time frames. The solution implements two outer approximation algorithms to solve this nonconvex optimization problem to optimality. Under certain conditions the sequence of optimal solutions obtained under both alternatives has a limit point that is a globally-optimal solution to the original two-stage nonconvex program. A further decomposition approach derived from the Alternating Direction Method of Multipliers algorithm is implemented. |
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| US09058443B2 |
Planning economic energy dispatch in electrical grid under uncertainty
A system and computer program product for solving a two-stage non-linear stochastic formulation for the economic dispatch problem under renewable-generation uncertainty. Certain generation decisions are made only in the first stage and fixed for the subsequent (second) stage, where the actual renewable generation is realized. The uncertainty in renewable output is captured by a finite number of scenarios. Any resulting supply-demand mis-match must then be alleviated using high marginal-cost power sources that can be tapped in short time frames. The solution implements two outer approximation algorithms to solve this nonconvex optimization problem to optimality. Under certain conditions the sequence of optimal solutions obtained under both alternatives has a limit point that is a globally-optimal solution to the original two-stage nonconvex program. A further decomposition approach derived from the Alternating Direction Method of Multipliers algorithm is implemented. |
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| US09058441B2 |
Methods for modeling of FinFET width quantization
A method for modeling FinFET width quantization is described. The method includes fitting a FinFET model of a FinFET device to single fin current/voltage characteristics. The FinFET device comprises a plurality of fins. The method includes obtaining statistical data of at least one sample FinFET device. The statistical data includes DIBL data and SS data. The method also includes fitting the FinFET model to a variation in a current to turn off the finFETs device (IOFF) in the statistical data using the DIBL data and the SS data and determining a model for a voltage to turn off the finFETs device (VOFF). The method also includes fitting the FinFET model to the VOFF. |
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| US09058439B2 |
Process for designing rugged pattern on golf ball surface
A golf ball 2 has numerous craters 8 on its surface. The craters 8 are arranged randomly. Of the surface of the golf ball 2, a part other than the craters 8 is a land 10. By the craters 8 and the land 10, a rugged pattern is formed on the golf ball 2. A process for designing the rugged pattern includes the steps of: (1) assuming a plurality of states; (2) assuming a large number of cells on a spherical surface; (3) deciding an initial state of each cell; (4) determining whether or not to change a state of the each cell based on states of a plurality of cells located adjacent to the each cell; (5) updating the state of the each cell based on the determination; and (6) assigning a land 10 or a recess to the each cell according to the state of the each cell. |
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| US09058437B2 |
Semiconductor memory device with high-speed data transmission capability, system having the same, and method for operating the same
Semiconductor memory device with high-speed data transmission capability, system having the same includes a plurality of address input circuits and a plurality of data output circuits and a training driver configured to distribute address information input through the plurality of address input circuits together with a data loading signal for a read training, and generate data training patterns to be output through the plurality of data output circuits. |
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| US09058436B1 |
Method and system for reducing the effect of component aging
Methods, systems and circuits for reducing aging of at least one component of a data path are disclosed. First data transmitted over a data path may be monitored in an active state to allow generation of second data, where the second data may be transmitted in an inactive state over the data path to improve the balance of any imbalance in the static probability of one logical state versus another caused by transmission of the first data. Portions of data to be transmitted over a data path may be compared to previously-transmitted portions of data to determine a respective data bus inversion (DBI) setting each portion of data, where the DBI settings may be used to increase the toggling of bits of the data path and improve the balance of the static probability of one logical state versus another. |
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| US09058430B2 |
Testing a software application interfacing with multiple external software applications in a simulated test environment
A method and system for testing a software application. A description of a test suite for testing the software application being tested (ABT) is inserted into a test database. The ABT is invokes multiple external software applications during execution of a test script of the test suite. Each external application invoked by the ABT is replaced by a corresponding simulator during execution of the test script. Output data to be returned to the ABT by each invoked simulator is inserted into the test database, after which each test script of the test suite is executed. The executing includes: sending a request, by the ABT to each simulator invoked in each test script, for requested data; and receiving, by the ABT, the requested data from each simulator invoked in each test script. The received requested data includes the output data that had been inserted into the test database. |
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| US09058429B2 |
Usability testing tool
Systems, methods and apparatus for usability testing of remote interfaces or online applications via a user test application are disclosed. A parser of the user test application receives an HTTP request for a page of the interface or application to be tested from an evaluating participant. The parser creates an iframe that contains a URL of the user test application with a task URL related to the remote interface or online application to be tested appended to the URL. An HTTP request is made to the interface or online application based on the HTTP request and the user test application processes an HTTP response from the interface or online application and transmits the HTTP response to the participant as if the participant made the request directly from the remote interface or online application. |
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| US09058424B1 |
Automatic unit test generation and execution
A computing device may obtain usage information relating to an execution of a function within code. The usage information may include a set of input values and an output value obtained based on executing the function using the set of input values. The computing device may further determine that the function has been executed a particular quantity of times using the set of input values and obtaining the output value, and may generate a unit test, for the function, based on determining that the function has been executed the particular quantity of times using the set of input values and obtaining the output value. |
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| US09058420B2 |
Synchronous decoupled program analysis in virtual environments
Dynamic program analysis is decoupled from execution in virtual computer environments and is carried out synchronously with program execution. Decoupled dynamic program analysis is enabled by separating execution and analysis into two tasks: (1) recording, where system execution is recorded with minimal interference, and (2) analysis, where the execution is replayed and analyzed. Synchronous decoupled program analysis is enabled by suspending execution or data outputs of the program until a confirmation is received that the analysis is in sync with the program execution. |
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| US09058419B2 |
System and method for verifying the integrity of a safety-critical vehicle control system
A control system according to the principles of the present disclosure includes an operation control module, a fault detection module, a remedial action module, and a reset module. The operation control module controls operation of a vehicle system. The fault detection module detects a fault in the operation control module when the operation control module fails an integrity test. The remedial action module takes a remedial action when the fault is detected. The reset module resets the operation control module when the fault is detected and the remedial action is not taken. |
|
| US09058413B2 |
Management of pharmacy kits
A system for managing pharmacy kits comprises a reading station configured to read tag information from a plurality of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags associated with a pharmacy kit, and an information processing system operatively connected to the reading station and configured to receive the tag information from the reading station and determine a status of the pharmacy kit based on the tag information, a plurality of stored templates defining contents to be included in each of a plurality of pharmacy kits, and a plurality of kit records indicating the current contents of a plurality of pharmacy kits. |
|
| US09058410B2 |
Integrated electronic patient health care data coordination system
A patient care coordination system that includes a plurality of hand-held computers in communication with a cloud computing network or a remote server that has an accessible database of all patients and the health care information of each. The cloud computing network or remote server synchronizes, in real time, patient health care information input in any one of the plurality of hand-held computers with all the others of the plurality of hand-held computers that are each able to download and view the patient health care information in the database in a user friendly graphic user interface. |
|
| US09058409B2 |
Contextual data visualization
A method for contextual data visualization includes receiving data selected by a user and meta-data associated with the data. The data is analyzed, using a processor of a computing device, to determine content and structure attributes of the data that are relevant to visualization of the data. The meta-data is analyzed, using a processor of the computing device, to determine a context in which the visualization of the data will be used. A database comprising an aggregation of visualization records from a plurality of users is accessed and at least one template from the data visualization records that matches the data attributes and context is selected. A data visualization is created by applying at least one template to the data. |
|
| US09058408B2 |
System and method of controlling interactive communication services by responding to user query with relevant information from content specific database
An electronic communication system is controlled by a content service provider to return relevant information from a content specific database in response to a user query. The content service provider compiles a plurality of content specific databases, each dedicated to a category of information of interest to the user. The user registers a user profile with the content service provider. A query, including the selected content specific database, is transmitted from the user to the content service provider. The selected content specific database is searched for the first level query within context of the user profile. A menu of matches is generated from the content specific database for the first level query. The menu is organized by relevance scores assigned to the matches based on correspondence to the first level query. The menu is transmitted from the content service provider through the electronic communication network to the user. |
|
| US09058404B2 |
System and method for using a device description repository
A method, computer program product, and computer system for using a device description repository comprises calculating an index by a processor based upon, at least in part, at least a portion of a plurality of user preferences associated with a computing device. One of a first experience and a second experience may be provided to the computing device based upon, at least in part, the index. |
|
| US09058403B2 |
Data display apparatus using category-based axes
A user input selecting a first data item is received. Multiple informational categories associated with the selected first data item are accessed based on the received user input selecting the first data item. Multiple data items within a first of the multiple informational categories associated with the selected first data item are retrieved. Multiple data items within a second of the multiple informational categories associated with the selected first data item are retrieved. A display is generated. The display includes the first data item, the multiple retrieved data items within the first informational category arranged according to a first category-based axis that extends away from the first data item, and the multiple retrieved data items within the second informational category arranged according to a second category-based axis that extends away from the first data item. Rendering of the generated display is enabled. |
|
| US09058401B2 |
Aggregating plug-in requests for improved client performance
In one embodiment, computer-readable instructions, when executed, cause a client browser to wait for all of the markup language in a document object model to be loaded, and upon loading, parse the document object model for supported tags, create placeholder frames for each supported tag, and bundle all the tags into a single meta-request for a server. Upon receiving each response, the instructions are further operable to cause the client browser to replace the hidden frames with its corresponding response, thereby reducing the number of socket connections from the client to the server. |
|
| US09058397B1 |
Quick response code business card
A business card having a QRC image, and method and system for transferring business card information from a QRC to a mobile communication device is disclosed herein. A SMS message comprising contact data for a business is sent from a QRC server to the mobile communication device, which results in pop-up display on the mobile communication device. The pop-up display includes a V-card for the business. |
|
| US09058396B2 |
Rules for navigating to next content in a browser
In one or more embodiments, a flip ahead input, such as a gesture, provides touch users with an ability to easily navigate various websites. The flip ahead input can be utilized to advance to the next portion of relevant content. In at least some embodiments, the flip ahead input resides in the form of a forward swipe. In one or more embodiments, the flip ahead input is configured to be utilized in association with an aggregated browsing history from multiple users. The aggregated browsing history is analyzed to generate rules that are then downloaded to a client device and used by a suitably-configured web browser to ascertain the next portion of content when a flip ahead input is received. |
|
| US09058389B2 |
Interface for a universal search
A search engine may perform a search for a user search query over a number of possible search categories. For example, the search query may be performed for general web documents, images, and news documents. The search engine ranks categories based on the search query and/or the documents returned for each category and presents the search results to the user by category. Higher ranking categories may be presented more prominently than lower ranking categories. |
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| US09058388B2 |
Internet and database searching with handheld devices
The presently claimed invention relates to network searching and handheld devices. One claim recites a method including: from a first wireless device, wirelessly communicating with a second wireless device to determine whether the second wireless device has performed an internet or database search; receiving, at the first wireless device, information from the second wireless device regarding the internet or database search, if the information satisfies predetermined criteria on the first wireless device, requesting from the second wireless device at least a subset of results obtained from the internet or database search. Another claim recites: a method of searching comprising: receiving search criteria in a first, handheld mobile device; upon sensing a second, handheld mobile device by the first, handheld mobile device, automatically and wirelessly querying the second, handheld mobile device to determine whether the second, handheld mobile device has any content stored thereon corresponding to the search criteria; and receiving content corresponding to the search criteria from the second, handheld mobile device. Of course, other claims and combinations are also provided. |
|
| US09058386B2 |
System and method for generating media bookmarks
Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer-readable media for transmedia video bookmarks, the method comprising receiving a first place marker and a second place marker for a segment of video media, extracting metadata from the video media between the first and second place markers, normalizing the extracted metadata, storing the normalized metadata, first place marker, and second place marker as a video bookmark, and retrieving the media represented by the video bookmark upon request from a user. Systems can aggregate video bookmarks from multiple sources and refine the first place marker and second place marker based on the aggregated video bookmarks. Metadata can be extracted by analyzing text or audio annotations. Metadata can be normalized by generating a video thumbnail representing the video media between the first place marker and the second place marker. Multiple video bookmarks may be searchable by metadata or by the video thumbnail visually. |
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| US09058384B2 |
System and method for identification of highly-variable vocalizations
A system and method for identifying a bird vocalization is presented. An input audio signal representing the bird vocalization is captured. A fingerprint of the input audio signal is then generated. A score of a similarity of the fingerprint to at least one of a plurality of predetermined fingerprints is determined by determining a desirable alignment between the fingerprint and the at least one of a plurality of predetermined fingerprints. A report can be generated based on the score of the similarity and an identity of the at least one of the plurality of the predetermined fingerprints, the report identifying a bird species associated with the bird vocalization. |
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| US09058383B2 |
Document processing method and system
A method and system for filtering a candidate document in a candidate document set are provided. The method includes receiving one or more entity word—topic word pairs and identifying one or more entity words of the candidate document and topic words. The method also includes determining whether to add the candidate document into a filtered document set using the entity words and topic words in the given entity word—topic word pairs and the identified entity words and topic words in the candidate document. The method further includes adding the candidate document into a filtered document set in response to determining that the candidate document should be added into the filtered document set. |
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| US09058382B2 |
Augmenting a training set for document categorization
A method and system for augmenting a training set used to train a classifier of documents is provided. The augmentation system augments a training set with training data derived from features of documents based on a document hierarchy. The training data of the initial training set may be derived from the root documents of the hierarchies of documents. The augmentation system generates additional training data that includes an aggregate feature that represents the overall characteristics of a hierarchy of documents, rather than just the root document. After the training data is generated, the augmentation system augments the initial training set with the newly generated training data. |
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| US09058381B2 |
Method of and apparatus for identifying machine-generated textual identifiers
Methods and systems provide tracking or logging requests to resolve non-existent textual identifiers and classifying the textual identifier into a predefined set of taxonomical categories to support the detection of machine generated textual identifiers. Detection includes calculating a measure of probability based on the analysis and classification of prior textual identifier requests from a set of requests for a specific textual identifier. |
|
| US09058377B2 |
Fixed width encoding document posting lists
This specification describes technologies relating to fixed width encoding/decoding of document posting lists. In general, one aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in apparatuses that include a server obtaining a list of one or more of document identification numbers, each of the document identification numbers uniquely identifying a document; an encoding device operatively connected to the server, the encoding device generating a sequence of deltas from the sequential list of one or more of the document identification numbers, and encoding each delta in the sequence of deltas using a fixed-width encoding scheme. |
|
| US09058374B2 |
Concept driven automatic section identification
Mechanisms are provided for generating section metadata for an electronic document. These mechanisms receive a document and analyze the document to identify concepts present within textual content of the document. The mechanisms correlate concepts within the textual content with one another to identify concept groups based on the application of one or more rules defining related concepts or concept patterns. The mechanisms determine sections of text within the textual content based on the correlation of concepts within the textual content. Based on results of the determining, the mechanisms generate section metadata for the document and store the section metadata in association with the document for use by a document processing system. |
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| US09058373B2 |
Apparatus and method for incremental physical data clustering
In a data storage and retrieval system wherein data arranged in nodes is stored and retrieved in pages, each page comprising a cluster of nodes, a method comprising: monitoring ongoing data retrieval to find retrieval patterns of nodes which are retrieved together and to identify changes in said retrieval patterns over time; and periodically reclustering the data nodes among said pages dynamically during usage of the data to reflect said changes, so that nodes more often retrieved together are migrated to cluster together and nodes more often required separately are migrated to cluster separately, thereby to keep small an overall number of page accesses of said data storage and retrieval system during data retrieval despite dynamic changes in patterns of data retrieval. The low number of page accesses allows the reclustering to be carried out concurrently with data access. |
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| US09058368B2 |
Methods and apparatus for information organization and exchange
Methods and apparatus for information organization and exchange by providing a data store of interconnected items of information that together form an intent-driven taxonomy. This allows users to easily discover and exchange real-time items of information across applications. |
|
| US09058365B2 |
Systems and methods providing touchscreen report navigation
According to some embodiments, a database may store business information and meta-data associated with the business information. A processor coupled to the database may generate: (i) a first report associated with at least some of the business information, wherein the first report is to be displayed in a first area of a display of a remote touch sensitive device, and (ii) a second report associated with at least some of the business information, wherein the second report is to be displayed in a second area of the touch sensitive device. A communication port coupled to the processor may transmit the first and second reports and receive a destination location from the touch sensitive device, wherein the destination location is associated with a movement of a selected report element of the first report. According to some embodiments, the processor may, if the destination location is not associated with a report, generate a third report based on at least some of the business information and the selected report element. If the destination location is associated with the second report, the processor may generate a modified second report based on a pre-determined analytical mapping between the first and second reports, if available. |
|
| US09058358B2 |
Merging apparatus and merging method
A merging apparatus includes a first database in which a plurality of attributes including a key attribute that is set in advance as a key for merging is set and a second database in which one or a plurality of attributes excluding the key attribute is set. Furthermore, the merging apparatus checks an attribute that is set in the first database against an attribute that is set in the second database and extracts a common attribute that is set in common in both the first database and the second database. Then, the merging apparatus merges the first database with the second database by determining whether attribute values classified under the extracted common attribute match. |
|
| US09058357B1 |
Strategies for prefetching database blocks
Data of a columnar database is organized into extents. Each extent occupies contiguous storage on the disk. An extent stores database blocks of a column of a database table. The database system adds new database blocks of a column to the extents assigned to that column. When a request for adding a block to a table is received, the extent for the table and column combination is obtained and the block added to the extent. Prefetching strategies are used to retrieve database blocks in advance of an actual request. The rate of prefetching is determined per column. The rate of prefetching is adjusted based on the number of faults encountered for the column. Database blocks no longer needed in memory are pushed out. When a scan process is reading blocks, as soon as the block has been processed it is scheduled to be pushed out. |
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| US09058351B2 |
Apparatus and method for read optimized bulk data storage
A computer readable storage medium includes executable instructions to store load data in new rows of an append only table within a data warehouse, without updating or deleting existing rows in the append only table. The new rows are added in a database transaction that guarantees that the distributed reads and writes of all transactions are processed reliably and that the transactions obey snapshot isolation rules. Data changes associated with the load data are maintained in a separate update table. Data from the append only table is merged with data changes from the update table to supply read data. |
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| US09058340B1 |
Service for associating network users with profiles
A system is disclosed that maps user IDs (such as IP addresses) and geographic regions to particular categories or “segments” reflective of user profiles. The mappings may be based on behavioral data reflective of user browsing activities, offline data (e.g., survey data or demographic data), or a combination thereof. In one embodiment, the mappings are generated using data collected by a plurality of Internet Service Providers (ISPs) regarding their subscribers. The system also includes a query interface that enables content providers to retrieve segment data associated with particular user IDs. |
|
| US09058338B2 |
Storing a small file with a reduced storage and memory footprint
An I/O request to store a file in a file-system is received. A determination is made whether the size of the file does not exceed a threshold size. Exceeding the threshold results in storing at least a portion of the file in a block of the file-system devoid of sub-blocks. A determination is made whether the size of the file does not exceed a size of unallocated space within a single block in the file-system. The single block includes a set of sub-blocks. Responsive to the size of the file not exceeding the threshold size and the size of unallocated space within the single block, the file is stored, at an address, in a first subset of the set of the sub-blocks of the single block. The address identifies the single block and a position of a sub-block in the subset. |
|
| US09058336B1 |
Managing virtual datacenters with tool that maintains communications with a virtual data center that is moved
This disclosure relates to a system for managing virtual datacenters. The disclosure describes a system in which virtual datacenters may be self contained logical units. These units may be managed from a central management tool. This management tool is able to manage the virtual datacenters from any location. If the virtual datacenters are moved, the tool maintains communications with them. |
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| US09058330B2 |
Verification of complex multi-application and multi-node deployments
Systems and methods are disclosed for identifying software components stored on one or more virtual machines (VM). An installation directory is traversed and an ordered installation index of file paths and content identifiers are created for the files thereof. The installation index may be transmitted to a client that accesses artifact indexes for artifacts of software installed on the VMs. The artifact indexes include file paths and content identifiers for the fields of the artifact. Where all artifacts of a software package are found in the installation index, the package is deemed to be installed and a portal for accessing the VM may be updated to so indicate. The software packages found to be installed on a VM may be evaluated with respect to an application manifest to verify proper provisioning according to the manifest. |
|
| US09058329B1 |
Deriving associations between assets
A system and method for deriving associations between assets is disclosed. The system comprises a signature module, a matching module and an association module. These components of the system are communicatively coupled to each other. The signature module generates a first fingerprint for a first asset. The matching module determines a matching fingerprint that matches the first fingerprint from a candidate set. The matching module determines a first asset type for the first asset associated with the first fingerprint and a second asset type for a second asset associated with the matching fingerprint. The matching module determines an association test. The association module associates the first asset with the matching asset based on whether the association test is passed. |
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| US09058328B2 |
Search device, search method, search program, and computer-readable memory medium for recording search program
A search server includes an extracting unit that extracts a search target matching a search condition based on profile data, and a transmitting unit that transmits the search target to a user terminal. The search condition includes a first frequency of appearance for each of one or more specified topics specified by a user in a first specified period and a second frequency of appearance for each of the specified topics in a second specified period being later than the first specified period. The extracting unit extracts the search target where the frequency of appearance for each of the specified topics in a first search target period and a second search target period being later than the first search target period are identical or similar to the first frequency of appearance and the second frequency of appearance, respectively. |
|
| US09058327B1 |
Enhancing training of predictive coding systems through user selected text
An exemplary predictive coding system can be programmed to update a plurality of training documents based on a portion of a training document selected by a user. The predictive coding system generates a machine learning engine based on the updated plurality of training documents. The predictive coding system predicts a classification for one or more remaining documents from the plurality of training documents using the machine learning engine. |
|
| US09058315B2 |
System and method for parameterizing documents for automatic workflow generation
One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a method for generating a new workflow for an application. The method includes generating a parameter tree related to a current workflow, wherein the parameter tree includes a different node corresponding to each parameter included in one or more documents associated with the current workflow, modifying a value associated with a first node included in the parameter tree based on an input, wherein the first node corresponds to a first parameter included in a first document associated with the current workflow, evaluating a second document associated with the current workflow based on the modified value associated with the first node, and generating the new workflow based on the evaluated second document. |
|
| US09058312B2 |
What-you-see-is-what-you-get editor with user interface for editing the underlying structure of content
Systems and methods for represent and manipulate (i.e., processing) the underlying structure of a structured document (e.g., a mark-up language document), while maintaining a What You See Is What You Get (WYSIWYG) environment. The traditional WYSIWYG editor view is paired with a Visual Document Structure Indicator (VDSI) pane to allow for both WYSIWYG and structure editing within a single interface. The VDSI pane includes left pane and upper pane, which are configured along the left and top borders, respectively. The document editor allows document content to be created, edited, and maintained in the WYSIWYG environment while keeping document structure information available to the user. |
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| US09058311B1 |
User timeframe selection for delivery of media resources
Systems, methods, and software for operating a user communication device are provided herein. In a first example, method of operating a user communication device is provided which includes displaying a HTTP link associated with a media resource and receiving a user selection of the displayed HTTP link. The method also includes displaying a delivery time schedule menu for the media resource responsive to the user selection of the displayed HTTP link, and receiving a delivery time schedule instruction indicating a user-acceptable time frame for receipt of the media resource. The method also includes generating and transferring an HTTP request packet with an HTTP header that indicates the user-acceptable time frame for receipt of the media resource into the user communication device, and receiving the media resource associated with the HTTP link according to the delivery time schedule instruction and responsive to the HTTP header in the transferred HTTP request packet. |
|
| US09058308B2 |
System and method for identifying text in legal documents for preparation of headnotes
A method for generating feature graphs employed for creation of a head note in a legal document is provided. The method enables identifying one or more predetermined features in a plurality of legal documents. The one or more predetermined features are based on grammatical constituents of text in the legal document. The plurality of legal documents is manually identified as headnote and non headnote. The method further enables obtaining data related to the availability of the one or more identified predetermined features in the sentences manually identified as headnote and non headnote in the plurality of legal documents. Furthermore, the method enables computing likelihood of a sentence being a headnote based on the obtained data. The method further enables generating feature graphs corresponding to each predetermined feature based on the computed likelihood and obtained data and storing the generated feature graphs in a repository. |
|
| US09058307B2 |
Presentation generation using scorecard elements
Scorecard data including scorecard views, and the like are exported to a presentation application for generating a presentation based on the scorecard data. Briefing book definitions are generated based on the scorecard data, default parameters and user-defined parameters for providing a user selections for the presentations. Using composite objects, scorecard and report views may be reformatted, resized, laid out, and paginated according to the presentation preferences. Once the user selections are received the presentation may be rendered generating charts based on the data, grouping and breaking down views, incorporating unstructured data, and the like. |
|
| US09058302B2 |
Combined matrix-vector and matrix transpose vector multiply for a block-sparse matrix
Systems and methods for combined matrix-vector and matrix-transpose vector multiply for block sparse matrices. Exemplary embodiments include a method of updating a simulation of physical objects in an interactive computer, including generating a set of representations of objects in the interactive computer environment, partitioning the set of representations into a plurality of subsets such that objects in any given set interact only with other objects in that set, generating a vector b describing an expected position of each object at the end of a time interval h, applying a biconjugate gradient algorithm to solve A*Δv=b for the vector Δv of position and velocity changes to be applied to each object wherein the q=Ap and qt=AT(pt) calculations are combined so that A only has to be read once, integrating the updated motion vectors to determine a next state of the simulated objects, and converting the simulated objects to a visual. |
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| US09058301B2 |
Efficient transfer of matrices for matrix based operations
Techniques for transferring a matrix for performing one or more operations are provided. The techniques include applying a permutation on at least one of one or more columns and one or more rows of a matrix to group each of at least one of one or more columns and one or more rows of the matrix with a same alignment, blocking at least one of the grouped columns and grouped rows, and performing one or more operations on each matrix block. |
|
| US09058297B2 |
Device with privileged memory and applications thereof
A device includes a key store memory, a rule set memory, a plurality of cryptographic clients, and a key store arbitration module. The key store memory stores a plurality of cryptographic keys and the rule set memory stores a set of rules for accessing the cryptographic keys. A cryptographic client is operable to issue a request to access a cryptographic key(s) and, when access to the cryptographic key is granted, execute a cryptographic function regarding at least a portion of the cryptographic key to produce a cryptographic result. The key store arbitration module is operable to determine whether the request to access the cryptographic key is valid; when the request is valid, interpret the request to produce an interpreted request; access the rule set memory based on the interpreted request to retrieve a rule of the set of rules; and grant access to the cryptographic key in accordance with the rule. |
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| US09058293B2 |
Management of point-in-time copy relationship for extent space efficient volumes
A storage controller receives a request to establish a point-in-time copy operation by placing a space efficient source volume in a point-in-time copy relationship with a space efficient target volume, wherein subsequent to being established the point-in-time copy operation is configurable to consistently copy the space efficient source volume to the space efficient target volume at a point in time. A determination is made as to whether any track of an extent is staging into a cache from the space efficient target volume or destaging from the cache to the space efficient target volume. In response to a determination that at least one track of the extent is staging into the cache from the space efficient target volume or destaging from the cache to the space efficient target volume, release of the extent from the space efficient target volume is avoided. |
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| US09058289B2 |
Soft information generation for memory systems
Implementations include systems, methods and/or devices suitable for use in a memory system that use error control codes to improve the reliability with which data can be stored and read. Some implementations include systems, methods and/or devices enabled to generate and utilize soft information for decoding encoded data read from a storage medium. More specifically, some implementations utilize a collection of characterization vectors that include soft information values for bit-tuples that may be read from the storage medium for various combinations of the storage medium characterization parameter values. Some implementations are enabled to determine and utilize read comparison signal values associated with one or more storage medium characterization parameter values. And some implementations are enabled to determine and utilize shifted read comparison signal values associated with one or more storage medium characterization parameter values and an identified error condition. |
|
| US09058284B1 |
Method and apparatus for performing table lookup
Method and apparatus for performing table lookup are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes providing a lookup table, where the lookup table includes a plurality of translation modes and each translation mode includes a corresponding translation table tree supporting a plurality of page sizes. The method further includes receiving a search request from a requester, determining a translation table tree for conducting the search request, determining a lookup sequence based on the translation table tree, generating a search output using the lookup sequence, and transmitting the search output to the requester. The plurality of translation modes includes a first set of page sizes for 32-bit operating system software and a second set of page sizes for 64-bit operating system software. The plurality of page sizes includes non-global pages, global pages, and both non-global and global pages. |
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| US09058281B2 |
Allocating memory usage based on quality metrics
A tiered memory system includes a memory controller for a primary memory and a secondary memory, where the secondary memory is used as a cache for the primary memory. The memory controller is configured to cause redundant data that is stored in the primary memory of the memory system to be stored in first memory locations of the secondary memory. The controller causes data that is not stored in the primary memory to be stored in second memory locations of the secondary memory. The second memory locations have at least one of lower bit error rate and higher access speed than the first memory locations. |
|
| US09058277B2 |
Dynamic evaluation and reconfiguration of a data prefetcher
Methods and systems for prefetching data for a processor are provided. A system is configured for and a method includes selecting one of a first prefetching control logic and a second prefetching control logic of the processor as a candidate feature, capturing the performance metric of the processor over an inactive sample period when the candidate feature is inactive, capturing a performance metric of the processor over an active sample period when the candidate feature is active, comparing the performance metric of the processor for the active and inactive sample periods, and setting a status of the candidate feature as enabled when the performance metric in the active period indicates improvement over the performance metric in the inactive period, and as disabled when the performance metric in the inactive period indicates improvement over the performance metric in the active period. |
|
| US09058275B2 |
Data returned responsive to executing a start subchannel instruction
An abstraction for storage class memory is provided that hides the details of the implementation of storage class memory from a program, and provides a standard channel programming interface for performing certain actions, such as controlling movement of data between main storage and storage class memory or managing storage class memory. |
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| US09058271B2 |
Satisfying memory ordering requirements between partial reads and non-snoop accesses
A method and apparatus for preserving memory ordering in a cache coherent link based interconnect in light of partial and non-coherent memory accesses is herein described. In one embodiment, partial memory accesses, such as a partial read, is implemented utilizing a Read Invalidate and/or Snoop Invalidate message. When a peer node receives a Snoop Invalidate message referencing data from a requesting node, the peer node is to invalidate a cache line associated with the data and is not to directly forward the data to the requesting node. In one embodiment, when the peer node holds the referenced cache line in a Modified coherency state, in response to receiving the Snoop Invalidate message, the peer node is to writeback the data to a home node associated with the data. |
|
| US09058269B2 |
Method and apparatus including a probe filter for shared caches utilizing inclusion bits and a victim probe bit
A method and apparatus use one or more inclusion bits and a victim bit to filter probes to shared caches. One embodiment of the method includes filtering a probe or snoop of one or more of a plurality of first caches based on a plurality of first bits, such as inclusion bits, associated with a line indicated by the probe or snoop. Each of the plurality of first bits is associated with a different subset of the plurality of first caches and each first bit indicates whether the line is resident in a corresponding subset of the plurality of first caches. A second bit, such as a victim probe bit, indicates whether the line is resident in more than one of the plurality of first caches in at least one of the subsets of the plurality of first caches. The first caches may be L1 caches and the first bits may be stored in an L2 cache of a multilevel cache. |
|
| US09058265B2 |
Automated fault and recovery system
A mechanism is provided for handling incidents occurring in a managed environment. An incident is detected in a resource in the managed environment. A set of incident handling actions are identified based on incident handling rules for an incident type of the incident. From the set of incident handling actions, one incident handling action is identified to be executed based on a set of impact indicators associated with the set of incident handling rules. The identified incident handling action is then executed to address the failure of the resource. |
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| US09058260B2 |
Transient condition management utilizing a posted error detection processing protocol
In a data processing system, a memory subsystem detects whether or not at least one potentially transient condition is present that would prevent timely servicing of one or more memory access requests directed to the associated system memory. In response to detecting at least one such potentially transient condition, the memory system identifies a first read request affected by the at least one potentially transient condition. In response to identifying the read request, the memory subsystem signals to a request source to issue a second read request for the same target address by transmitting to the request source dummy data and a data error indicator. |
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| US09058257B2 |
Persistent block storage attached to memory bus
A method of configuring a computer memory system includes receiving a request from customized software driver or a BIOS extension software or a customized legacy BIOS or a customized UEFI PMM extension software or a customized UEFI BIOS, scanning memory module sockets in response to the request, recognizing memory modules in the memory module sockets, the memory modules being made of, at least in part, persistent memory modules (PMMs), configuring the PMMs to be invisible to the OS, and storing the mapping information to a designated protected persistent memory area, and presenting the PMMs as a persistent block storage to the OS. |
|
| US09058252B2 |
Request-based server health modeling
Requests for content can be received from clients and forwarded to servers, and responses to the requests can be received from the servers and forwarded to the clients. A health model can also be maintained. The health model can be based on information in the responses and possibly also on information in the requests, and the health model can indicate the health of the servers in responding to different types of requests. The health model may differentiate between health in responding to requests with different features in URLs of the requests, such as different namespaces and/or different extensions. |
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| US09058250B2 |
In-situ computing system failure avoidance
A remaining time to replace can be updated taking into account time variation of a failure mechanism of a device. Starting with an initial remaining time to replace, an effective operating time can be determined periodically based on an operating parameter measured at a tracking interval, and remaining time to replace can be updated by subtracting the effective operating time. The technique can be applied to multiple failure mechanisms and to multiple devices and/or components each having multiple failure mechanisms. |
|
| US09058247B2 |
Risk potential calculation apparatus
A risk potential estimating device 20 of a driving support apparatus 10 calculates the risk potential of an object at each of a plurality of points which are set around a host vehicle 100. When there is a pedestrian M2 in a blind spot B caused by a pedestrian M1 in the field of view of the host vehicle 100, the risk potential estimating device 20 omits the calculation of the risk potential of the pedestrian M2. When there is the pedestrian M1 close to the host vehicle 100, first, the behavior of avoiding the pedestrian M1 is performed. Therefore, the risk potential of the pedestrian M1 may be calculated at each point. In many cases, the calculation of the risk potential of the pedestrian M2 which is located in the blind spot B caused by the pedestrian M1 and is away from the host vehicle 100 is redundant. When the calculation of the risk potential of the pedestrian M2 which is located in the blind spot B caused by the pedestrian M1 is omitted, it is possible to reduce the load of an operation for calculating the risk potential while maintaining the accuracy of calculating the risk potential around the vehicle. |
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| US09058246B2 |
Vehicle control device
A vehicle control device capable of more appropriately carrying out travel control of an own vehicle carried out while acquiring travel information of a leading vehicle by an inter-vehicle communication is provided. Provided is a vehicle control device for carrying out vehicle control of acquiring inter-vehicle communication information of a leading vehicle travelling in front of an own vehicle, and controlling a travel state of the own vehicle based on the acquired inter-vehicle communication information of the leading vehicle, wherein control of the inter-vehicle communication is changed according to a parameter at the time of the vehicle control. |
|
| US09058244B2 |
Durable and coherent cache transactions between volatile and non-volatile memories
A system for conducting memory transactions includes a non-volatile main memory and a memory buffer including a plurality of cache lines. Each of the cache lines includes content and one or more bits signifying whether a memory transaction corresponding to the content of the cache line has been performed to completion and whether the content of the cache line matches content of a corresponding location of the non-volatile main memory. When the one or more bits of a cache line of the plurality of cache lines signifies that the transaction has been performed to completion and the content of the cache line does not match the content of the corresponding location of the non-volatile memory, access to modify the content of the cache line is restricted until the content of the cache line is written to the corresponding location of the non-volatile main memory. |
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| US09058243B2 |
Releasing blocks of storage class memory
An abstraction for storage class memory is provided that hides the details of the implementation of storage class memory from a program, and provides a standard channel programming interface for performing certain actions, such as controlling movement of data between main storage and storage class memory or managing storage class memory. |
|
| US09058238B2 |
Electronic device with customizable embedded software and methods therefor
An electronic device comprising: a central processing unit; memory in data communication with the central processing unit; a network connector in data communication with the central processing unit; a firmware image stored in a compressed format within the memory, wherein the firmware image includes a plurality of software components; and an update agent stored within the memory and configured to provide a list of software components for communication out the network connector, wherein the electronic device is configured to communicate the list of software components out the network connector and receive a modified firmware image in a compressed format that includes at least one additional software component. |
|
| US09058233B1 |
Multi-phase software delivery
A service manager component associated with a set of hosts receives an update to be implemented on the set of hosts. The service manager component can then determine a penalty model that approximates the likely impact associated with an error in the update. Based on the penalty model, the service manager component selects a first subset of hosts to receive and implement the update and an observation window to determine whether an error has emerged or has been detected. If no errors are detected during the observation window, the service manager component can select additional subsets and observations windows and repeat the process or, alternatively, implement the update in the remaining set of hosts and monitor the system until it receives the next update. |
|
| US09058231B2 |
Deployment of operating systems with detection of loop conditions
A deployment request from a target machine is received for an operating system on a source machine. Tracking information indicative of an evolution of the deployment of the operating system is received. Deployment of the operating system is enabled or refused in response to each deployment request according to the tracking information. |
|
| US09058225B2 |
Secure and reliable mechanism to provide a single object instance in a clustered system
An example system for transmitting data between applications may include an access module that accesses a data object associated with a first application running on a first node. The access module may access the data object without using a class library. The system also includes a communication module that transmits via a network to a second node, data associated with the data object. The communication module may transmit the data for use by a second application running on the second node, and the data object may be accessible by at most one application at a time. |
|
| US09058224B2 |
Serialization of asynchronous command streams
A plurality of asynchronous command streams are established. A first command stream shares a common resource with a second command stream. A synchronization object is incorporated into the first command stream. A central server arbitrates serialization of the first and second command streams using the synchronization object. The central server arbitrates serialization without direct communication between the first and second command streams. |
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| US09058217B2 |
Preferential CPU utilization for tasks
A set of like tasks to be performed is organized into a first group. Upon a determined imbalance between dispatch queue depths greater than a predetermined threshold, the set of like tasks is reassigned to an additional group. |
|
| US09058216B2 |
Method for estimating job run time
A process controller adapted to provide an estimated prediction of a processing time for a data processing job to be run on one or more of a plurality of data processing devices that operate within a distributed processing system having a range of platforms, the process controller being in communication with a job prediction engine adapted to calculate an estimated processing time associated with the data processing job, wherein the process controller uses the estimated processing time to determine the estimated prediction and is further adapted to control the assignment of the data processing job to the data processing devices upon acceptance of the estimated prediction by a user. |
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| US09058213B2 |
Cloud-based mainframe integration system and method
The present technology concerns a cloud-based mainframe integration system for providing at least one client access to at least one mainframe, the at least one mainframe being accessible over a persistent communication connection. The cloud-based mainframe integration system comprises, at least one mainframe integration server, adapted for routing communications between the at least one client and the at least one mainframe. The at least one MIS is located within a cloud computing environment separate from a computer network in which the at least one mainframe is located. The at least one MIS also is adapted for communicating with the separate network over a non-persistent communication connection. |
|
| US09058211B2 |
Pre-validation in a computing on demand system
A method and system may receive a request to provision one or more computing resources, such as a physical or virtual server based on configuration information received from a user via a web portal. An availability of the one or more computing resources may be pre-validated. When the pre-validating for all of the one or more computing resources is not successful, an alert message may be output to the user via the web portal indicating that one or more of the requested computing resources is not available. When the pre-validating for all of the one or more computing resources is successful, one or more jobs may be queued in a jobs database based on the request to provision the one or more computing resources, dequeued by a workflow engine, and executed to configure the one or more computing resources. |
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| US09058210B2 |
Weighted request rate limiting for resources
Methods and systems to automatically respond to consider the weight of a request when responding to requests associated with resources are described. In one embodiment, an interface module may be configured to receive a request associated with consumer identifier and a resource. A calculator module may be configured to determine a weight of the request and a usage module configured to calculate, using a processor, a usage level associated with the consumer identifier, the usage level based on a usage history associated with the consumer identifier. An enforcer module may also be configured to respond to the request based on the usage level and the weight of the request. In one embodiment, the usage module may also be configured to update the usage level associated with the consumer identifier based on the weight of the request. |
|
| US09058207B2 |
Simulation apparatus, method, and computer-readable recording medium
A simulation apparatus is disclosed, including a group switching part. The group switching part refers to a priority management table, which manages priority information of priorities to assign a CPU for multiple groups of tasks stored in a storage area, and changes the priorities of the multiple groups of tasks, when an event occurs to activate a task to be executed in verifying of software by using a simulation. |
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| US09058204B2 |
Control method and control device for releasing memory
A control method and a control device for releasing memory are provided. The method implements: obtaining information of current running programs in a terminal device; checking programs whose running states are idle in the current running programs according to the obtained information; closing programs whose running states are idle and releasing corresponding memory. |
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| US09058200B2 |
Reducing computational load of processing measurements of affective response
Systems and methods for reducing the computational load of processing measurements of affective response of a user to content. A content emotional response analyzer (content ERA) receives a segment of content, analyzes it, and outputs an indication regarding whether a value related to a predicted emotional response to the segment reaches a predetermined threshold. Based on the indication, a controller selects a processing level, from among at least first and second processing levels, for a processor to process measurements of affective response. The first level may be selected when the value does not reach the predetermined threshold, while the second level may be selected when the value reaches it. The processor is configured to utilize significantly fewer computation cycles to process data operating at the first processing level, compared to the number of computation cycles it utilizes to process data operating at the second processing level. |
|
| US09058199B2 |
Pre-warming destination for fast live migration
A method for fast migrating of a source virtual machine located on a source host to one or more destination hosts is provided. A source migration manager receives an identity of a destination host. The source migration manager copies at least one data segment corresponding to a portion of a state of a source virtual machine to the destination host. The source migration manager remains in a warm-up phase and continues copying data segments corresponding to the state of the source virtual machine to the destination host, even if the entire state of the source virtual machine has been copied to the destination host. The source migration manager receives a command to migrate the source virtual machine to the destination host after copying the at least one data segment to the destination host. If a warm-up exit condition has been attained, the source migration manager exits the warm-up migration phase. |
|
| US09058198B2 |
System resource sharing in a multi-tenant platform-as-a-service environment in a cloud computing system
A mechanism for system resource sharing in a multi-tenant PaaS environment in a cloud computing system is disclosed. A method of embodiments includes receiving, by a virtual machine (VM), identification of resource-usage groups that each define resource constraints to apply to applications having a type of the resource-usage group, establishing a resource control policy on the VM for each of the identified resource-usage groups, the resource control policy to enforce the resource constraints of its associated resource-usage group, configuring a plurality of resource control tools of the VM to implement each resource control policy, identifying a resource-usage group of an application to be created on the VM, applying, by the one or more resource control tools to the application, the resource control policy of the identified resource-usage group of the application, and executing the application with the defined resource constraints on the VM. |
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| US09058196B2 |
Host machine level template caching in virtualization environments
A computing device receives a command to start a virtual machine, the virtual machine having a read-only layer and a copy-on-write (COW) layer. The computing device accesses the COW layer of the virtual machine from a network storage. The computing device determines whether the read-only layer of the virtual machine is cached in a local storage. Upon determining that the read-only layer of the virtual machine is cached in the local storage, the computing device starts the virtual machine based on a combination of the downloaded COW layer and the cached read-only layer of the virtual machine. |
|
| US09058188B2 |
Transformative user interfaces
Various examples include systems, methods, and software that provide transformative user interfaces. Some examples include a container renderable within a user interface of a computing application. In some such examples, code of the container may be executable to receive an object to present within the container. Further, and based on a context of the container, such examples may present a view of the object within the container based on rendering information retrieved by the container via a rendering service of the object defining how the object is to be presented within the particular context of the container amongst a plurality of possible contexts within which the object can be rendered. In some examples, a container may further override and modify object behaviors when depending upon at least the particular container or context the context thereof. |
|
| US09058186B2 |
Device, method, and graphical user interface for managing concurrently open software applications
A method includes displaying a first application view. A first input is detected, and an application view selection mode is entered for selecting one of concurrently open applications for display in a corresponding application view. An initial group of open application icons in a first predefined area and at least a portion of the first application view adjacent to the first predefined area are concurrently displayed. The initial group of open application icons corresponds to at least some of the concurrently open applications. A gesture is detected on a respective open application icon in the first predefined area, and a respective application view for a corresponding application is displayed without concurrently displaying an application view for any other application in the concurrently open applications. The open application icons in the first predefined area cease to be displayed, and the application view selection mode is exited. |
|
| US09058176B2 |
Domain-specific generation of programming interfaces for business objects
A code generator may determine an object metadata model which defines structures and behaviors of objects adapted for use in at least one software application, where the code generator includes an object analyzer configured to determine at least one object instance of the object metadata model, a domain analyzer configured to determine a domain associated with the at least one object instance, and a template selector configured to select a domain-specific code template based on the domain. The code generator may generate a domain-specific application program interface (API) configured to facilitate interactions of the at least one object instance during execution of the at least one software application, using the domain-specific code template. |
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| US09058174B2 |
Wiring web widgets of a web mashup
For wiring web widgets of a web mashup application, a web widget registry may be generated based on one or more properties of the web widgets of the web mashup application. Based on the web widget registry, the web widgets of the web mashup application may be wired together, without requiring input from a user. Cycles among the web widgets may also be detected and removed. |
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| US09058173B2 |
Method for controlling a mobile terminal device by calculating a concurrency based on the calculated CPU utilization for a foreground or background operation executed by the device
A method for controlling a mobile terminal device that includes a multi-core CPU and a display that displays an execution result of an application program executed by the multi-core CPU includes detecting an application program of which an execution result is displayed, calculating a CPU load per thread in the application program detected in the detecting, and increasing the number of cores operating in the multi-core CPU when the number of threads, each of the threads causing the CPU load to be equal to or higher than a first value, is equal to or higher than a second value. |
|
| US09058171B2 |
Data processing method, and relevant devices
A data processing method, a data processing system, and relevant devices are provided, which are used to reduce system power consumption. The method in embodiments of the present invention includes: performing sampling on an analog signal to obtain an analog sample value; performing analog-to-digital conversion on the analog sample value to obtain a digital signal; dividing bits forming the digital signal into at least two bit groups; and turning off output of bits in at least one bit group if a preset turnoff condition is satisfied. A data processing system and relevant devices are further provided. |
|
| US09058164B2 |
Power consumption reduction in a multiprocessor system
Methods and apparatus provide for reducing power consumption by decreasing operating frequencies of waiting processors in a multiprocessor system. Power consumption may be reduced by having a processor enter a low frequency mode when the processor is in a loop waiting for data that have been locked by another processor. The frequency of operation of the waiting processor may be reduced to a fraction (one half, one quarter, etc.) of the normal, initial clock frequency. The multiprocessor system may monitor a number of times (loop count) that a waiting processor takes the wait loop and compare the number to a threshold. When the loop count is greater than or equal to the threshold, the clock frequency of the waiting processor is reduced. When the waiting processor ceases to wait and does not take the wait loop branch (e.g., because the other processor has released the lock on the data), the loop count is reset to zero and the frequency of operation of waiting processor is increased to an increased frequency, such as the normal, initial level. |
|
| US09058163B2 |
Known good code for on-chip device management
In one embodiment, a processor comprises a programmable map and a circuit. The programmable map is configured to store data that identifies at least one instruction for which an architectural modification of an instruction set architecture implemented by the processor has been defined, wherein the processor does not implement the modification. The circuitry is configured to detect the instruction or its memory operands and cause a transition to Known Good Code (KGC), wherein the KGC is protected from unauthorized modification and is provided from an authenticated entity. The KGC comprises code that, when executed, emulates the modification. In another embodiment, an integrated circuit comprises at least one processor core; at least one other circuit; and a KGC source configured to supply KGC to the processor core for execution. The KGC comprises interface code for the other circuit whereby an application executing on the processor core interfaces to the other circuit through the KGC. |
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| US09058162B2 |
Storage control apparatus, storage apparatus, information processing system and processing method therefor
A storage control apparatus includes: a pre-processing-execution determining block for determining whether or not either one of an erase operation and a program operation is to be executed as pre-processing in a write operation to be carried out on a predetermined data area to serve as a write-operation object; and a pre-read processing block for reading out pre-read data from the data area prior to the write operation if a result of the determination indicates that the pre-processing is to be executed. The apparatus further includes a bit operating block for carrying out: the pre-processing and one of the erase and program operations which is not the pre-processing as post-processing if a result of the determination indicates that the pre-processing is to be executed; and the post-processing without carrying out the pre-processing if a determination result indicates that the pre-processing is not to be executed. |
|
| US09058160B2 |
Method and apparatus for dependency tracking in javascript
A method and apparatus for dependency tracking in a JavaScript is disclosed. The method comprises defining a plurality of properties as JavaScript property objects, evaluating at least one expression containing at least one property object in the plurality of property objects to define at least one dependent property, notifying the at least one dependent property when a state of the property object changes, and updating the state of the at least one dependent property based on the changed state of the property object. |
|
| US09058158B2 |
Electronic device
An electronic device includes a motherboard, a power module, a hard disk module, a fan module, a heating module and a power-supply wind scooper. The power module is arranged on a front side of the motherboard along a longitudinal direction, and has a power-supply opening. The hard disk module is stacked on the module. The fan module is located on a rear side of the motherboard along a transverse direction, and further provides airflows towards the power-supply opening of the power module. The heating module is arranged on the motherboard, and further located between the fan module and the power module. The power-supply wind scooper shields a part of the power-supply opening, so as to respectively guide parts of the airflow into the power module and the heating module. |
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| US09058150B2 |
Server
A server, for being disposed in a server cabinet removably, includes a shell, a mother board, a power input port and a connecting element. The mother board is disposed in the shell. The power input port, disposed on the shell, is electrically connected to the mother board. The power input port is used for inputting power to the mother board. The connecting element is disposed on the power input port and electrically connected to the mother board. The connecting element is used for making the mother board communicate with a rack management controller so the rack management controller determines the position of the server in the server cabinet according to the communication. With the server removed from the server cabinet, the power input port and the connecting element are separated from the electrically conductive component and the one of the connectors, respectively, to stop the electrical connection. |
|
| US09058143B1 |
System for providing an alternative control interface to specialty printing devices
The invention provides an alternative applications programming interface (API) for a software application to interface with and to control the operation of a variety of one or more specialty printing devices. The alternative API provides a superset of control functionality relative to an API that would typically be provided by a specialty printing device driver. In some embodiments, this alternative API is provided via a specialty printing module (SPM) that is remotely accessible to a software application via a computer network. The SPM can provide for interface and control of specialty printing devices that would otherwise be un-accessible to a software application via a specialty printing device driver, and can provide such locally or remotely accessible functionality to the software application, without necessarily requiring employment of a specialty printing device driver. |
|
| US09058141B2 |
Methods for facilitating coordinated movement of a digital image displayed in an electronic interface
A system includes a server having access to least one processor and a data repository, the server including a non-transitory physical medium and software running from the non-transitory physical medium, the software providing for establishing a client-server connection between the server and at least one user-operated computing appliance connected to the network, maintaining an active data session between one or more users involved in working with the image and/or text-based projects through a graphics user interface (GUI), facilitating division of an image into a fractal image components for presentation on editable canvas in the GUI using more than one photo slot to present the fractal image components, coordinating the positions of the fractal views together, and translating the positional data resulting from the movement of a fractal image component in one photo slot to all of the other photo slots hosting the fractal image presentation. |
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| US09058137B2 |
Printing apparatus, method for controlling printing apparatus, and storage medium
A printing apparatus includes an instruction unit configured to issue a print instruction for printing print data stored in a storage device or a print server, a determination unit configured to determine whether authentication information is included in the print data, and a printing unit configured to, when the instruction unit issues the print instruction without performing authentication operation for authenticating a user and when the determination unit determines that authentication information is included in the print data, print the print data in response to an input of the authentication information by the user, and when the instruction unit issues the print instruction after performing authentication operation for authenticating a user and when the determination unit determines that authentication information is included in the print data, print the print data without prompting the user to input authentication information. |
|
| US09058131B2 |
Specification files for call translation and trace
A method and apparatus for storing a function specification file is described. In an exemplary method, the function specification field is capable for providing other software to facilitate execution of an application in a second operating system with the presence of a first operating system and the application is compiled for the first operating system. In another exemplary method, a preprocessor receives the function specification file comprising function definition data for a library function. The preprocessor processes the function definition data to generate header information and function code for the function. In another exemplary method, the preprocessor generates an automatic logging framework for the interposing library based on the function definition data. Further, a function in an interposing library logs calls to a corresponding library function. |
|
| US09058128B1 |
Power management for electronic devices
An electronic user device can provide intelligent power management. The device can monitor information such as charge level and rate of power consumption, and determine an appropriate time to charge the device. If a device is placed on a charger at a time when the device does not require charging, and the charging could potentially shorten the life of the device battery, the device might activate an internal switch or communicate with the charger to prevent the device from being charged. The device can be configured to notify the user when the device should be charged using any number of notification approaches. If the device is unable to be charged during a certain period, or the rate of power consumption exceeds at least one set value, the device can adjust functionality of various components and/or applications in order to conserve power until the device is able to be charged. |
|
| US09058127B2 |
Data transfer in cluster storage systems
Embodiments include methods, apparatus, and systems for data transfer in storage systems. One embodiment includes a method that transmits a state of cached write data and mapping metadata associated with a disk group from a first array to a second array and then transfers access to the disk group from the first array to the second array while host applications continue to access data in the disk group. |
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| US09058122B1 |
Controlling access in a single-sided distributed storage system
A distributed storage system that includes memory hosts having non-transitory memory storing data chunks of files. Each data chunk is associated with an access control list. Each memory host also includes a network interface controller in communication with the memory for servicing remote direct memory access requests and a computing processor in communication with the memory and the network interface controller. The computing processor executes a host process that registers a set of remote direct memory accessible regions of the memory storing data chunks with the network interface controller. In response to receiving a connection request from a client process of a client to access a data chunk, the host process establishes a remote direct memory access capable connection with the client process when both the client and the data chunk are associated with the same access control list. |
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| US09058120B2 |
Setting optimal space allocation policy for creating dependent snapshots to enhance application write performance and reduce resource usage
In one embodiment, a system includes a network storage controller having logic adapted for receiving a request to duplicate at least a portion of a volume stored on the first disk array, logic adapted for creating at least one dependent volume on the first disk array, and logic adapted for duplicating the at least the portion of the volume to the at least one dependent volume on the first disk array to create a snapshot. Other systems, computer program products, and methods are described according to more embodiments. |
|
| US09058119B1 |
Efficient data migration
One or more techniques and/or systems are disclosed that provide for improved speed and efficiency when transferring data from a source data storage device to a destination data storage device in a data storage network. A data storage network is configured such that a source data storage device, a destination data storage device and a migration server can communicate with each other. Both a source data storage drive and a destination data storage drive are mapped to the migration server. The migration server identifies controllers coupled to the data storage network for the source and destination data storage drives. A route of data transfer is mapped from the source data storage drive to the destination data storage drive through the identified controllers, and the data is transferred from the source data storage drive to the destination data storage drive using the mapped route of data transfer. |
|
| US09058116B2 |
Intra-device data protection in a raid array
A system and method for intra-device data protection in a RAID array. A computer system comprises client computers and data storage arrays coupled to one another via a network. A data storage array utilizes solid-state drives and Flash memory cells for data storage. A storage controller within a data storage array is configured to identify a unit of data stored in the data storage subsystem, wherein said unit of data is stored across at least a first storage device and a second storage device of the plurality of storage devices, each of the first storage device and the second storage device storing intra-device redundancy data corresponding to the unit of data; and change an amount of intra-device redundancy data corresponding to the unit of data on only the first storage device. |
|
| US09058111B2 |
Read training a memory controller
Provided are a device and computer readable storage medium for programming a memory module to initiate a training mode in which the memory module transmits continuous bit patterns on a side band lane of the bus interface; receiving the bit patterns over the bus interface; determining from the received bit patterns a transition of values in the bit pattern to determine a data eye between the determined transitions of the values; and determining a setting to control a phase interpolator to generate interpolated signals used to sample data within the determined data eye. |
|
| US09058105B2 |
Automated adjustment of input configuration
A method and system for automatically adjusting input configuration are disclosed. The method may include monitoring information input by a user into a graphical user interface (GUI). The method may further include determining an input configuration state of the computing system set by the user for the information input into at least one field of the GUI at an initial input instance. The method may also include, at one or more subsequent input instances, automatically adjusting the input configuration state for the field to the determined input configuration of the initial input instance. A computer program product is also disclosed. |
|
| US09058103B2 |
Gestures for keyboard switch
In one embodiment, a method includes displaying a first one of a plurality of touch-screen keyboards on a touch-screen display of a computing device; and, in response to a touch gesture comprising a path comprising two or more points on the touch-screen display, displaying a second one of the keyboards on the touch-screen display in place of the first one of the keyboards. |
|
| US09058100B2 |
Using motion gestures to send, save, delete, and reject a message
A method for providing a user interface includes creating a representative image of a media content, displaying the representative image on a screen, making the representative image a movable object on the screen, monitoring a motion gesture to move the representative image, and performing a corresponding action based on the motion gesture. The action includes saving, deleting, sending, or rejecting a message including the representative image and the media content or a link to the media content. |
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| US09058099B2 |
Touch screen device and operating method thereof
A touch screen device and an operating method are provided in which only a specific position on a touch screen is activated to receive signals. The touch screen device includes a screen including a display configured to display menu images thereon and a detector configured to detect a screen touch, and a controller configured to control operations of the device according to the screen touch detected by the detector. The controller may cause the detector to be divided into an execution area configured to execute a menu when the menu placed on the execution area is touched, and a selection area configured to sequentially move the menu images to the execution area when the selection area is touched. Alternatively, the controller may cause the detector to be divided into a moving area configured to move a menu from a touch point along a drag line while the menu is dragged, and an execution area configured to execute the relevant menu when the touch on the execution area is released. With a touch screen device so configured, the menus are executed only in a limited execution area. |
|
| US09058098B2 |
Display control device
An information processing apparatus including an interface that receives a display switching instruction to switch an object displayed on a display, and a processor that controls the display to switch objects displayed on the display based on the display switching instruction, controls the display to stop switching objects for a predetermined period of time when a predetermined object is displayed on the display, and controls the display to resume switching objects displayed on the display upon determining that the predetermined period of time has elapsed. |
|
| US09058097B2 |
Method for adjusting navigation frame, navigation apparatus and recording medium
A method for adjusting a navigation frame, a navigation apparatus, and a recording medium are provided. In the method, a navigation frame is displayed on a screen of a device in a form of a three-dimensional picture. When an event is received, the angle of view of the navigation frame is adjusted to make the size of the navigation frame reduce and a window corresponding to the event is displayed in an area of the screen that is emptied due to the reduction of the navigation frame. |
|
| US09058094B2 |
Method and apparatus for facilitating user selection of an item category in an online auction
A method and apparatus are disclosed for facilitating category selection by a user in a computerized auction. A category field is provided, containing a plurality of category entries used to categorize an item in the auction. One category entry is selected in the category field and at least one subcategory field is provided, containing a plurality of subcategory entries also used to categorize the item in the auction, the subcategory entries corresponding to the one selected category entry of the plurality of category entries. At least one subcategory entry corresponding to the one selected category entry is further selected in the at least one subcategory field for further processing. |
|
| US09058091B2 |
Input device and input method
Provided is an input device that may sense a first contact occurring along a planar coordinate axis among three-dimensional (3D) spatial coordinate axes to generate first contact information, to sense a second contact occurring along a vertical coordinate axis among the 3D spatial coordinate axes to generate second contact information, to analyze contact information including at least one of the first contact information and the second contact information to generate an input signal to control a predetermined display device, and to transmit the generated input signal to the display device. The display device may control an object that is displayed on the display device, based on the input signal. |
|
| US09058090B1 |
Collaborative information sharing in a virtual world
A system and method are provided for enabling information sharing in a distributed virtual world. In general, a virtual world client associated with a user participating in a virtual world operates to obtain one or more annotations associated with virtual world constructs identified as being of interest to the user. The virtual world constructs of interest to the user may be identified by the user or identified automatically by the virtual world client. In one embodiment, the one or more annotations are defined by other users participating in the virtual world. Once the one or more annotations are obtained, the virtual world client may, for example, present the one or more annotations to the user, present a portion of the one or more annotations to the user, notify the user that the one or more annotations are available, or the like. |
|
| US09058089B2 |
Sponsored-stories-unit creation from organic activity stream
A method includes receiving sponsor specifications designating story characteristics, monitoring an organic activity stream for entries matching the story characteristics, and, in response to identifying an entry as matching the story characteristics, providing for display the entry in a predetermined area of a web page. |
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| US09058077B2 |
Tactile touch screen for electronic device
An electronic device includes a base, a touch screen display, a pair of switches and operational components. The touch screen display is connected to the base, movable relative thereto and includes a display device and a touch-sensitive input surface overlying the display device. A pair of switches disposed between the base and the touch screen display and configured such that one of the switches is actuated in response to application of a force anywhere on the touch-sensitive input surface of the touch screen display and both of the switches are actuated in response to application of more than one force on the touch-sensitive input surface of the touch screen display. The operational components include a controller connected to the touch-sensitive input surface and a processor connected to the controller and the display. |
|
| US09058071B2 |
Method for detecting a sustained contact and corresponding device
The invention relates to a method for determining the location and duration of a sustained contact of a touch event performed by a user on a surface of an object comprising the steps of: a) determining the location of the touch event, in particular based on an acoustic signal generated by the impact of the touch on the surface, and b) determining the duration of the touch event based on a perturbation of a signal generated in or on the object by a transducer characterized in that step b) comprises analyzing the signal generated at or close to N natural frequencies of the object, with N being one or more. The analysis close to the natural frequencies allows the reliable determination of not only the location of a touch event but also whether the user continues to interact with the surface of the object which is due to the important damping of the generated signal in the presence of the touch. The invention also relates to a touch sensitive device configured to carry out the method. |
|
| US09058063B2 |
Tracking system calibration using object position and orientation
To calibrate a tracking system, a computing device receives positional data of a tracked object from an optical sensor as the object is pointed approximately toward the optical sensor. The computing device computes a first angle of the object with respect to an optical axis of the optical sensor using the received positional data. The computing device receives inertial data corresponding to the object, wherein a second angle of the object with respect to a plane normal to gravity can be computed from the inertial data. The computing device determines a pitch of the optical sensor using the first angle and the second angle. |
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| US09058061B2 |
Mobile terminal
A touch panel 1 is arranged on the front face of a key display unit 2 and accepts an input to a numeric keypad displayed on the key display unit 2. When a key of the numeric keypad displayed on the key display unit 2 is pressed, the control unit 4 measures the time for which the key is kept pressed long with a timer 5 and updates characters assigned to the key one by one by regarding that the key is pressed once each time a predetermined period of time passes while the key is kept pressed long, and then displays each character on the display unit 3. Further, the control unit 4 notifies a vibration unit 6 of the timing of updating the character each time the predetermined time passes while the key is kept pressed long. The vibration unit 6 vibrates the touch panel 1 based on the timing of updating the character notified by the control unit 4. Thus a mobile terminal that enables a user to input a desired character without watching the mobile terminal is provided. |
|
| US09058060B2 |
Keyboard module and method for fabricating the same
A keyboard module includes a base, a plurality of retaining members and a plurality of keycaps. Each of the retaining members includes a bottom portion, a bending portion and an upper portion. The bottom portion is disposed on the base. The bending portion is connected to the bottom portion and extends along a direction away from the bottom portion. The upper portion is connected to the bending portion. The keycaps are respectively disposed on one of the upper portions corresponding thereto. After the keycaps are pressed by an external force, the upper portions are abutted by the keycaps, and the bending portion is deformed. |
|
| US09058054B2 |
Image capture apparatus
Methods and systems for capturing an image are provided. In one example, a head-mounted device (HMD) having an image capturing device, a viewfinder, a gaze acquisition system, and a controller may be configured to capture an image. The image capturing device may be configured to have an imaging field of view including at least a portion of a field of view provided by the viewfinder. The gaze acquisition system may be configured to acquire a gaze direction of a wearer. The controller may be configured to determine whether the acquired gaze direction is through the viewfinder and generate an image capture instruction based on a determination that the acquired gaze direction indicates a gaze through the viewfinder. The controller may further be configured to cause the image capturing device to capture an image. |
|
| US09058053B2 |
Virtual reality display system
A method and apparatus for displaying a virtual environment. First eye position information for a first eye in a head of a person and second eye position information for a second eye in the head of the person is received. A first image of the virtual environment for the first eye is generated based on the first eye position information. A second image of the virtual environment for the second eye is generated based on the second eye position information for the second eye. The first image and the second image for display are sent to the person. |
|
| US09058052B2 |
Adjustable armrest mechanism for a materials handling vehicle
An adjustable armrest mechanism is provided, which is adapted to be coupled to a vehicle frame. The armrest mechanism comprises a base fixed to the vehicle frame, armrest apparatus movably coupled to the base such that the armrest apparatus moves relative to the control handle and pivots about a virtual pivot point in front of the control handle, and a locking device for releasably locking the armrest apparatus to the base in one of at least two positions. |
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| US09058051B2 |
Grip
A grip comprises a grip body forming a gripping control portion of a manually operable device to be held with the operator's palm and fingers. The grip body includes a ball-receiving surface coming into contact with the ball of the thumb, a palm-receiving surface coming into contact with a middle portion of the palm and the ball of the little finger, a finger-receiving surface coming into contact with the fingers, an open surface positioned between the tips of the fingers and the ball of the thumb for receiving the thumb when the grip body is held, and a switch mounted on a top portion of the grip body to be operable with the thumb. The grip body further comprises a thumb-guiding portion in the form of a shallow groove formed at an upper part of the ball-receiving surface of the grip body, the inside of the first joint of the thumb being placed along the thumb-guiding portion when the switch is operated, and a rising portion formed on at least either one of portions between the thumb-guiding surface and the open surface and between the thumb-guiding surface and the palm-receiving surface for applying resistance when the operator's hand advances into the switch. |
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| US09058047B2 |
Semiconductor device
Provided is a startup circuit which allows a reference voltage generating circuit to start up and reach a stable equilibrium state in an extremely short period. The startup circuit is configured to hold voltage which is substantially the same as internal voltage of the reference voltage generating circuit in the stable equilibrium state even when power is not supplied to the startup circuit. The voltage is output from the startup circuit to the reference voltage generation circuit when the reference voltage generating circuit is started. |
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| US09058046B1 |
Leakage-aware voltage regulation circuit and method
A voltage regulation circuit and method where a pre-charge device (PCD) and a power gate device (PGD) are connected to a voltage line that supplies power to at least one additional device. The PCD pre-charges the line toward a supply voltage (Vdd) and PGD limits voltage changes on the voltage line caused by leakage current in the additional device(s) and does so differently under different leakage conditions. Specifically, the PGD is controlled by a variable reference voltage (Vref), which is closer to Vdd when a leakage condition is low relative to when the leakage condition is high. Since Vref is relatively high when the leakage condition is low and relatively low when the leakage condition is high, the power gate device will turn on after a smaller amount of voltage change on the voltage line when the leakage condition is low as compared to when the leakage condition is high. |
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| US09058045B2 |
Current generator, notably for current of the order of nano-amperes, and voltage regulator using such a generator
An ultra-low current generator and a voltage regulator using such a generator. The generator includes a first set of Q transistors connected as a current mirror and able to be linked to a supply voltage; a second set of Q-1 transistors connected as a current mirror and each connected in series to one of the transistors in the first set of transistors; a first transistor connected in series with a transistor in the second set of transistors; and a second transistor, connected as a current mirror with the first transistor, and connected in series with a transistor included in the first set of transistors. The first transistor operates in its linear zone, a value of a current generated by the current generator depends on an equivalent resistance of the first transistor, and the first and second transistors have ultra-long channels, with a very large length/width ratio. |
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| US09058042B2 |
Pressure relief valve assembly
A pressure relief valve assembly includes a housing, a diaphragm assembly separating the housing into a sensing pressure section and a tank pressure section, the sensing pressure section configured to sense both atmospheric pressure and the pressure in the tank pressure section and the tank pressure section is configured to only sense the pressure in the tank pressure section, an orifice disposed between the sensing pressure section and the tank pressure section allowing fluid to flow in through the orifice when the pressure in the sensing pressure section is less than the pressure in the tank pressure section fluid to flow out through the orifice when the pressure in the sensing pressure section is greater than the pressure in the tank pressure section. |
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| US09058041B2 |
Hybrid dosing unit
An assembly provides a proportioned gas flow and includes a device that provides a pressurized flow of said gas, a release unit that releases the proportioned gas flow, and a chamber having an inlet fluidically connected to the device and an outlet fluidically connected to the release unit. The assembly further includes an admission valve inserted between the inlet of the chamber and the device, a metering valve inserted between the outlet of the chamber and the release unit, and a computer programmed to control the admission valve and the metering valve to provide a proportioned gas flow to the release unit. The assembly further comprises a calibrated orifice inserted between the outlet of the chamber and the release unit. |
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| US09058039B2 |
Method and apparatus for reckoning position of moving robot
A method and apparatus for reckoning a position of a moving robot using dead-reckoning and range sensing. The method includes performing dead-reckoning to determine a variation state in accordance with motion of the moving robot, calculating an absolute position of the moving robot by sensing a distance between the moving robot and at least one fixed position, predicting an optimized current position of the moving robot using the variation state and the absolute position, determining whether the optimized current position is within a specified effective area, and correcting the optimized current position in accordance with the determined result. |
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| US09058035B2 |
Precise ascertainment of actuating position for a motor-driven vehicle part
A method is specified for ascertaining an actuating position of a vehicle part that can be moved by an electric actuating motor. The speed of an actuating motor correlated therewith is acquired in a time-resolved manner during an actuation process. An initial no-load phase of the actuation process is identified, during which the actuating motor rotates while overcoming the system tolerance of the actuating mechanism without motion of the vehicle part. An actuating position measure for the actuating position of the vehicle part is ascertained from the motor rotation, with this measure being corrected during the no-load phase. By averaging over time, a test quantity is ascertained from the second derivative or the measured quantity correlating herewith. The end of the initial no-load phase is identified in this process when the test quantity exceeds a predetermined limit. |
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| US09058031B2 |
Display module for toolless coupling with programmable controller
An automation controller that includes a central processing unit configured to communicate via an input/output module with automation devices of a process controlled by the automation controller. The automation controller also includes a retention feature configured to toollessly couple with a detachable display and memory module. Further, the automation controller includes a controller connector configured to communicatively couple with a display connector of the detachable display and memory module such that the automation controller and the detachable display and memory module are communicatively coupled, wherein the central processing unit is configured to transmit data for presentation on a display of the detachable display and memory module and configured to receive data from a memory and/or a data entry feature of the detachable display and memory module when the detachable display and memory module is communicatively coupled to the automation controller. |
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| US09058027B2 |
Internet based spa networking system having wireless spa nodes
A spa node comprising a spa controller, a power sense adapter configured to compute power being drawn by selected spa components; a spa network adapter, and a home network adapter, each of the three adapters including a wireless transceiver wherein the spa network adapter is configured to receive power data transmitted over a wireless link by the power sense adapter and to further receive status/performance data from the spa controller. The home network adapter is configured to receive power and status data transmitted by the spa network adapter over a wireless link and to convert that data to a form suitable for transmission to an Internet access point. The home network adapter is further linkable over the Internet to a central server, a dealer computer and a spa owner or user computer. |
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| US09058020B2 |
Mechanism for advancing a karussel cage by periodic jumps
A mechanism for advancing, by periodic jumps, a cage of an escapement mechanism, including: a pivoting retaining mechanism authorizing or preventing pivoting of the cage, depending on whether the retaining mechanism is moving or not; and a stopping mechanism cooperating with the retaining mechanism to allow or prevent the pivoting of the retaining mechanism according to the position of the stopping mechanism. The trajectory of the retaining mechanism interferes with that of the stopping mechanism, both being external to the cage, and the retaining mechanism includes a flirt pinion carrying a flirt arranged to cooperate with the stopping mechanism and whose trajectory interferes with the stopping mechanism, the flirt pinion cooperating with a toothing of the cage, via an inverter wheel set. |
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| US09058018B2 |
Process cartridge and image forming apparatus
A process cartridge is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus. The process cartridge includes a first unit provided with an image bearing member and a second unit that is provided with a developer carrying member for carrying a developer, with the second unit being connected with the first unit so as to be movable between a contact position in which the developer carrying member is contacted with that image bearing member and a spacing position in which the developer carrying member is spaced from the image bearing member. The second unit includes a recess or opening into which a main assembly electrical contact provided in the main assembly of the apparatus to apply a voltage to the process cartridge when the process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the apparatus and second unit is positioned in the spacing position. |
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| US09058017B2 |
Electrophotographic image forming apparatus and development cartridge
An electrophotographic image forming apparatus and development cartridge are provided. The apparatus including a separating member mounted in a development cartridge. The separating member includes a development nip separating portion and a charging nip separating portion respectively separating a development nip and a charging nip when the development cartridge is mounted in a mounting portion of a photoreceptor cartridge mounted in a body. |
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| US09058008B2 |
Image forming apparatus that prevents image defect caused by off-centering of rotating shaft of photosensitive drum
An image forming apparatus that is capable of forming an electrostatic latent image on the surface of a photosensitive member with high position accuracy even when the shaft of the photosensitive member is off-centered. In the apparatus, exposure devices form electrostatic latent images on respective photosensitive drums, and developing devices develop the electrostatic latent images. An intermediate transfer belt rotates in contact with the photosensitive drums. A rotary encoder detects a rotational speed of a drum shaft of each photosensitive drum. An amount of off-centering of the drum shaft is detected, and a correction coefficient for correcting positional displacement of electrostatic latent images is calculated. A control unit corrects timing of exposure using the calculated correction coefficient, and controls the exposure device to form the image on the photosensitive drum based on the corrected timing of exposure. |
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| US09058004B2 |
Management apparatus that manages a plurality of image forming apparatuses, management system, and method of controlling management apparatus
A management apparatus that enhances efficiency of maintenance work of a plurality of image forming apparatuses. An apparatus management server is connected to a plurality of image forming apparatuses via a network. Each image forming apparatus includes a storage unit for storing information indicative of wear levels of members for outputting a color image, on a color-by-color basis. The management service acquires the information from each image forming apparatus, and selects an image forming apparatus for outputting an image based on the acquired information such that differences between the wear levels of the members become smaller between the image forming apparatuses. |
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| US09058003B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer, a toner image forming unit, a detector, and a controller to adjust an image forming condition based on a detection result by the detector. During a non-printing period, multiple toner patterns are formed in an end and center portions of the image bearer in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the image bearer moves, and a smaller number of toner patterns selected from the multiple toner patterns are formed in a non-image area, in the end portion of the image bearer, during a printing period. The controller determines a target density X of the smaller number of toner patterns by X=H (a mean detected density of the multiple toner patterns formed in the end portion)×J (a predetermined reference value)/I (a mean detected density of the multiple toner patterns formed in the end portion and in the center portion). |
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| US09058001B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a toner image forming unit that forms and continuously transfers a toner image based on image data onto a transported sheet from the front to the rear in a sheet transport direction as the sheet is transported, a fixing unit positioned downstream of the toner image forming unit in the transport direction and that fixes the transferred toner image onto the sheet, an image determining unit that determines whether the formed toner image is a scattering toner image that causes toner scattering during the transfer, and a speed controlling unit that controls, when it is determined that the toner image is a scattering toner image, a transport speed of the sheet and a transfer speed of the toner image to the sheet such that the speeds are slower than those when it is determined that the toner image is not a scattering toner image. |
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| US09057999B2 |
Image forming apparatus capable of printing at a plurality of speeds
An image forming apparatus (multifunction peripheral) includes an input portion and a job execution portion. The input portion includes an operation portion configured to accept user's setting input and stop of a job, and a communication portion, so as to accept a content confirmation input of a job to be executed. When executing a job for which the content confirmation input is not accepted, the job execution portion executes the job at lower speed for a predetermined number of sheets from first than a job for which the content confirmation input is accepted, and executes the job at the same speed after the predetermined number of sheets as the job for which the content confirmation input is accepted. |
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| US09057988B2 |
Developing device and image forming apparatus
A developing device having: a developing sleeve in which a magnetic member is inserted, transporting two-component developer to a developing area facing an image carrier; and a restriction member for restricting the amount of developer to be no greater than 250 g/m2. The average of absolute values of magnetic flux density within a restriction area falls within a range of 40 mT to 70 mT under a condition that no developer exists within the restriction area. The restriction area extends along the outer circumferential surface between a closest point on the outer circumferential surface, which is closest to the restriction member, and a point 2 mm upstream from the closest point in a rotational direction of the developing sleeve, and has a height that is half a minimum distance between the closest point and the restriction member. |
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| US09057986B2 |
Shutter mechanism, developer accommodating container, process cartridge and image forming apparatus
A shutter mechanism capable of opening and closing an opening through which a developer accommodated in a container is movable includes a shutter member movable to open and close the opening; and a limiting member for limiting movement of the shutter member in a direction of opening the opening. When the container is inclined, the limiting member moves to a position where the limiting member limits the movement of the shutter member. |
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| US09057985B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a development device, a supply developer container, a supply developer supply member, a toner density detecting portion, and a controller. The controller controls an image formation condition based on first information regarding a humidity of the developer accommodated in the developing device, second information regarding a humidity of the developer accommodated in the supply device, and third information regarding a supply amount supplied by the supply device. |
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| US09057979B2 |
Apparatus for and method of forming image
An apparatus for and method of forming images. The apparatus includes a photosensitive member, a charging member configured to electrify a surface of the photosensitive member to a predetermined electric potential, an exposure member configured to form an electrostatic latent image on the electrified surface of the photosensitive member, and a developing member configured to develop a toner image on the surface of the photosensitive member on which the electrostatic latent image is formed. The developing member converts a toner disposed near the photosensitive member into a cloud state using ultrasonic oscillation and adheres the cloud-state toner to the electrostatic latent image due to a bias voltage applied between the developing member and the photosensitive member. |
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| US09057976B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a control unit controlling first and second voltage application mechanisms and shifting a difference Vdif (=Vrs−Vdr) between Vrs and Vdr toward polarity opposite to normal charge polarity of a developer as S decreases, where S is an absolute value of a speed difference between a circumferential speed of an image bearing member, which rotates while bearing an electrostatic latent image and a circumferential speed of a developer bearing member, which rotates at a constant circumferential speed ratio with respect to the image bearing member to develop the electrostatic latent image while bearing the developer, Vdr is a voltage that the first voltage application mechanism applies to the developer bearing member, and Vrs is a voltage that the second voltage application mechanism applies to the developer supply member. |
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| US09057974B2 |
Image forming apparatus having photosensitive member exposed to plural beams, and control apparatus for light source of image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus capable of suppressing density unevenness of a toner image formed on a photosensitive member. A light amount of a light beam that exposes an end portion of the photosensitive member is made different from a light amount of a light beam that exposes a central portion thereof in order to suppress a density difference between a toner image density at the central portion of the photosensitive member and that at the end portion thereof in a scanning direction of the light beams. |
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| US09057973B2 |
Charging member and image forming apparatus
A charging blade for charging a surface of an image bearing drum by contacting thereto includes a charging portion for effecting electric discharge to the surface of the drum; a non-charging portion not effecting the electric discharge to the surface of the drum, wherein the non-charging portion can contact the drum to provide a dischargeable gap between the charge portion and the drum, and at least a part the non-charging portion is made of a substance having a resistance higher than that of the charge portion to prevent no discharge occurs from the non-charging portion to the surface of the drum; and a support for the non-charging portion and the charge portion, wherein the non-charging portion and the charge portion are separation members and are not contacted to each other. |
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| US09057971B2 |
Toner and method for producing toner
Provided is a toner that is excellent in terms of low-temperature fixability and hot offset resistance, has a wide fixing temperature range from a low-temperature region to a high-temperature region, and has high thermal storability.When the toner is measured with a capillary rheometer, t(1) is 60 seconds or more and t(5) is 30 seconds or less and the toner satisfies the following formulae (1) and (2) 65.0[° C.]≦T(5)≦90.0[° C.] (1) 4.5≦t(1)/t(5)≦10.0 (2). |
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| US09057966B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and memory medium
An information processing apparatus for processing information generated by an exposure apparatus which exposes a substrate to radiant energy, comprises an information collecting unit configured to collect first apparatus information obtained by the exposure apparatus via an operation thereof with respect to each of a plurality of first regions which form a first array defined on the substrate, a converting unit configured to convert at least a part of the first apparatus information collected with respect to each of the plurality of first regions by the information collecting unit into second apparatus information with respect to each of a plurality of second regions which form a second array, a statistical processing unit configured to statistically process the second apparatus information, and an analyzing unit configured to analyze the statistical processing result obtained by the statistical processing unit. |
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| US09057965B2 |
Method of generating a set of defect candidates for wafer
A method of generating a set of defect candidates for a wafer includes generating a filtration area according to a graph operation of one or more of a plurality of layout areas. The wafer includes at least one die manufactured according to a mask, and the mask is prepared by combining the plurality of layout areas. The method further includes generating the set of defect candidates by omitting a subset of initial defect candidates having positions within the filtration area. |
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| US09057962B2 |
Source-collector module with GIC mirror and LPP EUV light source
A source-collector module for an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography system, the module including a laser-produced plasma (LPP) that generates EUV radiation and a grazing-incidence collector (GIC) mirror arranged relative thereto and having an input end and an output end. The LPP is formed using an LPP target system wherein a pulsed laser beam travels on-axis through the GIC and is incident upon solid, moveable LPP target. The GIC mirror is arranged relative to the LPP to receive the EUV radiation therefrom at its input end and focus the received EUV radiation at an intermediate focus adjacent the output end. An example GIC mirror design is presented that includes a polynomial surface-figure correction to compensate for GIC shell thickness effects, thereby improve far-field imaging performance. |
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| US09057961B2 |
Systems and methods for lithography masks
Structure of mask blanks and masks, and methods of making masks are disclosed. The new mask blank and mask comprise a tripe etching stop layer to prevent damages to the quartz substrate when the process goes through etching steps three times. The triple etching stop layer may comprise a first sub-layer of tantalum containing nitrogen (TaN), a second sub-layer of tantalum containing oxygen (TaO), and a third sub-layer of TaN. Alternatively, the triple etching stop layer may comprise a first sub-layer of SiON material, a second sub-layer of TaO material, and a third sub-layer of SiON material. Another alternative may be one layer of low etching rate MoxSiyONz material which can prevent damages to the quartz substrate when the process goes through etching steps three times. The island mask is defined on the mask blank by using various optical proximity correction rules. |
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| US09057947B2 |
Method for aligning substrate and mask and method for preparing semiconductor device
The invention relates to the technical field of an alignment method, and discloses a method for aligning substrate and mask, including: firstly forming at least one set of alignment marks on a mask plate; selecting a certain number of large-size substrates as sample substrates; forming a plurality of sets of alignment marks on each sample substrate using the mask plate and the at least one set of alignment marks formed thereon to divide the sample substrate into a plurality of sub-substrate areas; and then performing mask process on the respective sample substrates, accurate alignment for each sub-substrate area can be realized by means of the plurality of sets of alignment marks on the sample substrate, and one sub-substrate area can be accurately aligned by means of at least two sets of alignment marks formed on the sample substrate. In the alignment, positions of the plurality of sets of alignment marks formed on the sample substrate are recorded and stored, and mask process on a non-sample substrate is performed based on parameters relating to the stored positions of the plurality of sets of alignment marks, thus the seaming degree between patterns in the same layer and the coincidence degree between patterns in different layers on the non-sample substrate are guaranteed, so that mass production for large-size substrates with good quality can be realized. The invention also discloses a method for preparing semiconductor device. |
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| US09057945B2 |
X-ray apparatus with a radiation detector
The present embodiments relate to an X-ray apparatus having a movable detector housing, in which a radiation detector is arranged. The X-ray apparatus includes at least one releasable interlock device configured to inhibit or enable the maneuverability of the movable detector housing. At least one control element is arranged on the movable detector housing, using which the at least one releasable interlock device is actuated. At least one grab handle element is also arranged on the movable detector housing. The movable detector housing is movable by hand and is holdable by a patient using the at least one grab handle element. |
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| US09057944B2 |
Shutter glasses and image display system comprising at least one of a drive circuit or a drive power supply accommodated on a temple portion of a frame member
A pair of shutter glasses comprises: a pair of shutter members each of which has the following states switchable from one to the other: an incident light transmitting state and an incident light blocking state; a frame member in which the pair of shutter members are accommodated; and a drive circuit and a drive power supply that drive the shutter members. The frame member includes: a rim to which the shutter members are attached; and a pair of temples each of which has one end connected to the rim. At least one of the drive circuit and the drive power supply is accommodated on the other end side of the temple. |
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| US09057942B2 |
Single camera for stereoscopic 3-D capture
A stereoscopic 3-D imaging apparatus has a camera and a wedged optical component attachable to the front of the camera. The wedged optical component is rotatable around the front of the camera using a rotating device, and the rotating device controls the rotation speed of the wedged optical component. The camera is capable of capturing stereoscopic 3-D images, resulting in lower costs and a simple capture process. |
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| US09057941B2 |
Reflection type screen for front projection display apparatus
Provided is a front reflection screen for a front projection display apparatus. The front reflection screen includes a reflection layer configured to reflect an incident light including an image light projected from a projector and an external light, and a tint layer disposed before the reflection layer and including light absorbing particles to block a portion of the incident light. |
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| US09057939B2 |
Light source structure of projector
A light source structure of a projector includes at least a solid state lighting element, at least an optical collimator lens, a condenser lens, and a light dispersing apparatus. The solid state lighting element generates a plurality of radial beams, which are incident, to the optical collimator lens. The optical collimator lens converts the radial beams into a plurality of parallel beams which strike the condenser lens. The parallel beams are concentrated and focused by the condenser lens into a projecting beam. The light dispersing apparatus is positioned on at a focal point of the condenser lens and receives the projecting beam to scatter the projecting beam uniformly. |
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| US09057929B2 |
Quinolinium single crystals for use in nonlinear optics
The present invention relates to quinolinium-derived single crystals for use in nonlinear optics, which exhibit high molecular orientation and macroscopic optical nonlinearity. When the quinolinium-derived crystals according to the present invention are applied to THz wave light sources, higher THz wave generating efficiency may be obtained as compared with inorganic crystals or existing organic crystals. |
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| US09057922B2 |
Method for repairing driver circuit structure
Disclosed is a driver circuit structure integrated in a display panel. The driver circuit structure includes a plurality of transistors and a backup transistor. After completing the driver circuit structure, the disclosure inspects it to find an inactive transistor. The inspection process first, isolates the electrical connection between the inactive transistor and the first electrode line and/or the electrical connection between the inactive transistor and the second electrode line. Next, the source electrode of the backup transistor and the first electrode line and/or electrically connecting the drain electrode of the backup transistor and the second electrode line are electrical connected. |
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| US09057920B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
An object of the present invention is to provide a transflective liquid crystal display device having an excellent visibility obtained by optimizing the arrangement of a color filter, which would become a problem in the process of fabricating transparent and reflective liquid crystal display devices, for the transflective liquid crystal display device. In the present invention, the arrangement of a color filter is optimized for improving the visibility of the transflective liquid crystal display device. In addition, the structure, which allows the formation of color filters without increasing the capacitance that affects on a display, is fabricated. Furthermore, in the process of fabricating the transflective liquid crystal display device, an uneven structure is additionally formed without particularly increasing an additional patterning step for the formation of such an uneven structure. |
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| US09057915B2 |
Liquid crystal integrated circuit and method to fabricate same
A structure includes a first substrate having a first surface and a second substrate having a second surface facing the first surface; liquid crystal material disposed between the first and second surfaces; a first upstanding electrode disposed over the first surface and extending into the liquid crystal material towards the second surface; and a first planar electrode disposed upon the first surface and electrically connected with the first upstanding electrode. The first planar electrode at least partially surrounds the first upstanding electrode. A combination of the first upstanding electrode and the first planar electrode forms at least a portion of a pixel of a liquid crystal display. Various methods to fabricate the structure are also disclosed. |
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| US09057910B2 |
Display panel, display apparatus having the same and method of manufacturing the same
A display panel including a substrate on which a switching element is disposed, a first electrode connected to the switching element, an image displaying layer disposed under the first electrode, a second electrode disposed under the image displaying layer and insulated from the first electrode, a protective layer disposed under the second electrode and surrounding a lower surface and side surfaces of the image displaying layer, and an upper polarizing plate disposed on the substrate, and making contact with the substrate. |
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| US09057909B2 |
Liquid crystal lens and 3D display device
A liquid crystal lens and a 3D display device are provided. The liquid crystal lens comprises a lower substrate, an upper substrate disposed opposite to the lower substrate and a common substrate disposed between the upper substrate and the lower substrate. A plurality of first lenses are disposed between the lower substrate and the common substrate, each of the first lenses only converging light component of the incident natural light in a first polarization direction. A plurality of second lenses are disposed between the upper substrate and the common substrate, each of the second lenses only converging the light component of the incident natural light in a second polarization direction different from the first polarization direction. The 3D display device of the invention can reduce loss of light energy and enhance display luminance of the 3D display device as a whole. |
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| US09057906B2 |
Capacitive touch screens, method of driving the same and displays
A capacitive in cell touch panel, its driving method and a display device, in which, on the TFT array substrate, a pixel structure in which two adjacent rows of pixel units form one pixel unit group and two gate signal lines are disposed between the two rows of pixel units of the pixel unit group is adopted. Positions of gate signal lines between adjacent pixel unit groups can be saved by modifying positions of gate signal lines of two adjacent rows of pixel units and TFT switches. As such, touch driving lines with touch function can be set at the saved positions for gate signal lines and touch sensing electrodes can be disposed on the color filter substrate and extend in the column direction of the pixel units to realize touch function while ensuring high aperture ratio. |
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| US09057903B2 |
Flat panel display
A flat panel display such as an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display or a liquid crystal display (LCD) is disclosed. In one aspect, the OLED display includes: an OLED panel, a foam member attached to the bottom side of the panel by interposing an adhesive layer therebetween and a flexible circuit board electrically connected to the panel and curved and then attached to the foam member. The foam member includes a corresponding portion corresponding to the flexible circuit board and a non-corresponding portion not corresponding to the flexible circuit board, and the adhesive layer forms an air outlet path in at least the non-corresponding portion. |
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| US09057889B2 |
Ocular product customization
A device is comprised of a first portion shaped like an ocular product frame and designed to substantially cover the ocular product frame. The cover has a second portion substantially shaped like an ocular product leg and designed to substantially cover the ocular product leg. The second portion of the cover couples to the first portion of the cover. |
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| US09057888B2 |
Fabric sunshade
A fabric sunshade can be used alone or may be assembled with glasses having temples. The sunshade has a first edge, an opposed second edge, and third and fourth edges that each extend between the first edge and the second edge. An opening in the sunshade is disposed nearer to the first edge than the second edge. The sunshade is symmetrical about an axis that extends from the first edge to the second edge and passes through the opening. In close proximity to each of the third and fourth edges the sunshade is provided with a fastening system that may be used to fasten a first portion of the sunshade to a second portion of the sunshade when the sunshade is folded over on itself either in a direction perpendicular to the axis of symmetry or in a direction parallel to the axis of symmetry. |
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| US09057881B2 |
Illumination system for a projection apparatus and projection apparatus
An illumination system and a projection apparatus adopting the illumination system are provided. The projection apparatus comprises the illumination system and a light modulator. The illumination system comprises at least one light source, a curved reflecting component, a phosphor wheel, a polarizer and a half wave retarder. The light provided by the at least one light source passes through the curved reflecting component and the phosphor wheel to provide a first light in a first time sequence and a second light in a second time sequence. The first light and the second light are transformed into a first polarized light and a second polarized light respectively in different time sequences by the polarizer and the half wave retarder. |
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| US09057878B2 |
Light scanning unit and image forming apparatus comprising the same
A light scanning unit includes: a light source unit; a polygon mirror for deflecting and scanning light emitted from the light source unit, in a main scanning direction, and having a plurality of deflection surfaces and a plurality of edges at which adjacent deflection surfaces meet one another; an image forming optical system for condensing the deflected light; and a synchronization detection optical system for detecting a portion of light that is divided and reflected at an edge of the polygon mirror. The light scanning unit may be incorporated into an image forming apparatus. |
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| US09057875B2 |
Display mirror assembly
A display mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a display mirror assembly for a vehicle having a front shield including a first side and a second side. A partially reflective, partially transmissive element is mounted on the first side. A rear shield is disposed behind the front shield. A display module is mounted between the front shield and the rear shield and includes in order from the front shield: a display; an optic block; a heat sink having an edge lit PCB mounted along a top edge thereof; and a PCB. The front shield is secured to at least one component of the display module with a first retaining feature and the rear shield is secured to at least one component of the display module with a second retaining feature. A housing at least partially surrounds the front shield, display module, and rear shield. |
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| US09057874B2 |
Virtual cursor for road scene object selection on full windshield head-up display
A method to select a feature in a view in front of a vehicle includes monitoring the view in front of the vehicle visible through a graphic projection display, monitoring a user input to the graphic projection display, determining the selected feature based upon the monitored view and the monitored user input, determining a registered graphic representing the selected feature for display upon the graphic projection display, and displaying the registered graphic upon the graphic projection display. |
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| US09057872B2 |
Dielectric enhanced mirror for IMOD display
This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus for display device including a dielectric stack positioned between a first electrically conductive layer and a second movable electrically conductive layer. In one aspect, the dielectric stack includes alternating dielectric layers of high and low indices of refraction. By controlling the refractive indices and thicknesses of layers within the dielectric stack, the display device's states of light reflection may be reversed, such that light is reflected when the movable layer is positioned in proximity to the first electrically conductive layer. |
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| US09057871B2 |
Set of compound lenses and imaging apparatus
A set of compound lenses according to the present invention forms, on an imaging device, an optical image of an object. The set of compound lenses includes a focus lens group including one or more lenses; a driving unit shifting a range of focus by moving the focus lens group within a predetermined range during an exposure period; and a correcting lens group correcting a shift in a position of an image formed on the imaging device to one pixel or less, the shift occurring when the focus lens group moves within the predetermined range. |
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| US09057870B2 |
Zoom lens
A zoom lens includes a first lens group, a second lens group, a third lens group, a fourth lens group, a fifth lens group and a sixth lens group, all of which are arranged in sequence from an object side to an image side along an optical axis. The first lens group is with positive refractive power. The second lens group is with negative refractive power. The third lens group is with positive refractive power. The fourth lens group is with negative refractive power. The fifth lens group is with positive refractive power. The zoom lens satisfies the following condition: |fw/f6<0.15, wherein fw is an effective focal length of the zoom lens at a wide-angle end and f6 is an effective focal length of the sixth lens group. |
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| US09057869B2 |
Positive-lead type zoom lens and image pickup apparatus equipped with the same
A zoom lens includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens unit having positive refractive power, a second lens unit having negative refractive power, and a third lens unit having positive refractive power, wherein at least the first to third lens units move during zooming from a wide-angle end to a telephoto end, and a focal length f2 of the second lens unit, a focal length ft of the entire zoom lens at the telephoto end, and a refractive index Nd2n of a lens having negative refractive power closest to the object side included in the second lens unit are appropriately set. |
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| US09057868B1 |
Optical lens system
An optical lens system includes an aperture stop and an optical assembly, the optical assembly includes, in order from an object side to an image side: a first lens element with a positive refractive power; a second lens element with a negative refractive power; a third lens element with a positive refractive power; a fourth lens element with a positive refractive power; a fifth lens element with a negative refractive power; the aperture stop is located between an image-side surface of the first lens element and an object to be photographed. The optical lens system satisfies the following conditions: 0.55 | |
| US09057867B2 |
Mirror and reflective device for generating solar power
A hard coat layer 8 is provided on an outermost surface layer of a film mirror 10 having a first resin base material 1 and a silver reflection layer 3, and the hard coat layer 8 contains a polyfunctional acrylic monomer and a silicon resin having an active energy ray reactive unsaturated group. |
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| US09057858B2 |
Fiber optic closure
A component for a closure is disclosed herein. The component includes a collar extending around a central axis. The component also includes a first expansion housing positioned outside the collar in a radial direction relative to the central axis. The first expansion housing has an interior region in communication with an interior of the collar. The first expansion housing also includes a first adapter mounting wall defining a plurality of first adapter mounting openings in which a plurality of first fiber optic adapters are mounted. The first fiber optic adapters include first connector ports adapted for receiving connectors from outside the first expansion housing. |
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| US09057857B2 |
Fiber optic assembly for optical cable
A fiber optic assembly includes a buffer tube forming an elongate passage and a plurality of optical fibers positioned therein. The buffer tube includes at least one layer of a composite material that includes a base material and a filler material blended therein. Particles of the filler material have an acicular structure, having a longest dimension that is on average at least ten times a narrowest dimension of the particles. Further the buffer tube has kink resistance. |
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| US09057852B2 |
Optical receptacle and optical module including the same
An optical receptacle disposed between a photoelectric conversion device and an optical fiber includes a light separating section for separating incident light into monitor light and fiber coupled light, which section includes a segmented reflective surface and a segmented transmitting surface. The reflective surface for reflecting light as monitor light is disposed in a segmented manner with spaces in a segmentation direction. The transmitting surface is disposed in a segmented manner in areas where the reflective surface is not disposed, so as to transmit a portion of light other than the reflected light in a direction directly oppose to the direction of the reflected light and to advance the other portion of light towards the side of an end face of the optical fiber. |
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| US09057851B2 |
Optical coupling element and optical fiber connector using same
An optical coupling element includes a first side surface and an upper surface. The upper surface defines a first cavity and a tapering hole which permits the insertion and precise fixing in place with adhesive of an optical fiber, without any gap or play in the attachment which would allow misalignment between the optical fiber and a light coupling lens. |
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| US09057847B2 |
Male optical connector and female optical connector and related optical fiber coupling assembly
A male optical connector includes a connector body, a hollow pusher, a number of lenses, and two elastic shielding plates. The connector body defines a receiving hole with an opening and includes a connection surface in the receiving hole. The connection surface faces the opening. The pusher extends from the connector body and surrounds the receiving hole. The lenses are received in the receiving hole. The two elastic shielding plates have two fixed ends fixed to opposite sides of the pusher, and opposite free ends overlappable to cover the opening. |
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| US09057846B2 |
Systems and methods for subsea optical can buses
Messages on controller area net work (CAN) buses are communicated over subsea optical links. An adaptor couples a CAN bus to an optical link. The adaptor detects a direction of transmission, that is, whether a signal began on the CAN bus coupled to the adaptor or on the optical link coupled to the adaptor. Signals from the CAN bus are conditionally transmitted to the optical link depending on the detected direction of transmission. The adaptor can operate at the physical layer without analyzing contents of the CAN bus communications. |
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| US09057845B2 |
Multi-ferrule optical fiber cable assembly
An optical fiber cable assembly includes an optical fiber cable, an optical fiber connector, and a strain relief member. The optical fiber connector has a housing with at least two ferrules supporting a plurality of optical fibers of the cable. Each ferrule has at least two ribbons of optical fibers therein. The strain relief member has a flexible corrugated conduit. A method is also disclosed. |
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| US09057844B2 |
Grating edge coupler and method of forming same
An apparatus for optical coupling comprises a substrate, a first waveguide formed on the substrate and includes a grating structure directing light in a first direction, and a second waveguide formed on the first waveguide and including an angled portion directing the light in a second direction different from the first direction. |
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| US09057843B2 |
Immersed asymmetric reflector with reduced color
A film construction (610) includes a group of microlayers that reflect normally incident light polarized along a first axis more than normally incident light polarized along a second axis. The microlayers are arranged into optical repeat units (ORUs) that have a layer thickness distribution along a thickness axis perpendicular to the first and second axes that provides the group of microlayers with an intermediate reflectivity over an extended reflection band for a given incidence condition. The ORUs include thinner ORUs whose thicknesses are less than an average thickness, and thicker ORUs whose thicknesses are greater than the average thickness. The group of microlayers is optically immersed in a medium having a refractive index greater than air, such that “supercritical light” can propagate through the microlayers. The microlayers are oriented such that, on average, the thinner ORUs are closer than the thicker ORUs to an output surface of the construction. By “supercritical light” is meant that travels through the film at an angle that is more oblique than can be achieved by illumination from air using a flat, smooth air/film interface. |
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| US09057842B2 |
Polarizing plate, method of manufacturing the same and liquid crystal display employing the same
Disclosed are a polarizing plate manufacturable by a manufacturing method safe in work and less imposing a burden on the environment using protective films excellent in adhesion with the polarizer and a method for manufacturing the same. A liquid crystal display device using the polarizing plate and having both a large viewing angle and a high visibility (high contrast and so forth) is also disclosed. The polarizing plate made by holding both surfaces of the polarizer held with protective films is characterized in that at least one protective film is a protective film hydrophilized by either a plasma treatment or a corona treatment and that the surface energy of the protective films before the hydrophilization and the surface energy of the protective films after the hydrophilization satisfy a predetermined relational expression. |
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| US09057841B2 |
Wavelength division multiplexing
Technologies relating to wavelength division multiplexing are provided. In one implementation, a wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) coupler is provided. The WDM coupler includes an input block including a first tube, the first tube holding an input dual fiber pigtailed capillary, the capillary holding an input fiber and a reflection fiber, a center block including a center tube holding a first inner tube and a second inner tube, the first inner tube holding a first lens within the first inner tube and the second inner tube holding a second lens within the second inner tube, the center block further including a WDM filter positioned between the first lens and the second lens and secured to the end surface of the first inner tube, and an output block including a second tube holding an output single fiber pigtailed capillary, the capillary holding a transmission fiber. |
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| US09057838B2 |
Apparatus and methods for the determination of a birefringence axis of a polarization-maintaining optical fiber
In some embodiments, a non-transitory processor-readable medium storing code includes code to cause a processor to receive an image signal associated with an image of an end face of a polarization-maintaining optical fiber (PM fiber), determine a center position of the PM fiber, perform a local image equalization on the end face, and define an edge map of the end face. The code can perform a Hough space analysis on the edge map to determine the center position of a first structure and/or a second structure on the end face. The first structure and the second structure can each define at least in part a birefringence of the PM fiber. A birefringence axis of the PM fiber can be calculated based on at least two of the center position of the PM fiber, the center position of the first structure and the center position of the second structure. |
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| US09057834B2 |
Holder attached mirror for vehicle
A holder attached mirror for a vehicle is provided, in which a mirror plate is fixed to a plate-shaped mirror holder by an adhesive sheet, including a plurality of first grooves parallel to each other, which are formed on the surface of the mirror holder attached with the adhesive sheet on the surface of the mirror holder side to which the adhesive sheet is attached. |
|
| US09057832B2 |
Double layer interleaved p-n diode modulator
A method for fabricating an optical modulator includes forming n-type layer, a first oxide portion on a portion of the n-type layer, and a second oxide portion on a second portion of the n-type layer, patterning a first masking layer over the first oxide portion, portions of a planar surface of the n-type layer, and portions of the second oxide portion, implanting p-type dopants in the n-type layer to form a first p-type region and a second p-type region, removing the first masking layer, patterning a second masking layer over the first oxide portion, a portion of the first p-type region, and a portion of the n-type layer, and implanting p-type dopants in exposed portions of the n-type layer, exposed portions of the first p-type region, and regions of the n-type layer and the second p-type region disposed between the substrate and the second oxide portion. |
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| US09057831B2 |
Optical waveguide with light-emitting element and optical touch panel with the same
In an optical waveguide 10 with a light-emitting element to be used in the present invention, a core includes: a main path; and a plurality of branched paths branched at a plurality of branched points from the main path. The main path has two sides faced to each other, in which one side has a plurality of branched points and the other side does not have any branched points. The plurality of branched points are provided on a straight line substantially parallel to a light guiding direction of the main path. The width of the main path becomes narrower as the main path moves away from a light-emitting element. An angle θ formed by the other side without a branched point and the light guiding direction of the main path is 0.3 to 1.7°. |
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| US09057828B2 |
Multi-port light sources of photonic integrated circuits
A multi-port light source of a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) may include a light emission portion for generating light; and a plurality of waveguides on opposite sides of the light emission portion to guide the light. A multi-port light source of a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) may include a first layer including a first pattern and a second pattern that are different from each other; an insulating layer on at least a region of the first layer; an active layer on at least a region of the insulating layer; and a reflective layer on the active layer. |
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| US09057820B2 |
Thiourethane-based lens elements and processes for their production
An optical lens element resin composition including: dicyclohexylmethane diisocyanate; a polythiol compound having 3 or 4 thiol groups; and a thermal catalyst. |
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| US09057817B2 |
Low diameter optical fiber
Small-radius coated optical fibers having large mode field diameter and low bending losses. The coated fiber may have an outer radius of 110 μm or less, while providing a mode field diameter of 9.0 μm or greater and a bending loss when wrapped about a 15 mm mandrel of 0.5 dB/km or less at wavelength of 1550 nm. The coated fiber may have a mode field diameter of 9.2 μm or greater and may have a bending loss at 1550 nm of 0.25 dB/km or less when wrapped about a 20 mm mandrel or a bending loss at 1550 nm of 0.02 dB/km or less when wrapped about a 30 mm mandrel. |
|
| US09057815B2 |
Angular alignment of optical fibers for fiber optic ribbon cables, and related methods
Angular alignment of optical fibers for fiber optic ribbon cables and related methods are disclosed. Employing optical fibers disposed in a ribbon matrix can increase bandwidth between two interconnection points. In one embodiment, optical fibers are angularly aligned during the process of forming a fiber optic ribbon cable. To angularly align the optical fibers, each of the optical fibers include an angular alignment feature to facilitate uniform or substantially uniform angular orientation along a cable when the optical fibers are prepared to be disposed in the ribbon matrix to form a fiber optic ribbon cable. By purposefully aligning the optical fibers during formation of the fiber optic ribbon cable, end portions of the optical fibers are aligned in the ribbon matrix. Thus, end portions of the ribbon matrix are not required to be removed to expose and align the end portions of optical fibers when the ribbon cable is connectorized. |
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| US09057813B2 |
Optical fiber
An optical fiber of the invention satisfies Δcore>Δic>Δtmax>Δtmin, −0.15%≧Δtmax>Δtmin≧−0.7%, and 0.45≦(rtmax−rin)/(rout−rin)≦0.9 where the relative refractive index difference of the core is Δcore, the relative refractive index difference of the internal cladding coat is Δic, the relative refractive index difference of a highest refractive index layer in the trench coating is Δtmax, the relative refractive index difference of a lowest refractive index layer in the trench coating is Δtmin, the radius of an internal edge of the trench coating is rin, the radius of an external edge of the trench coating is rout, and the radius of an internal edge of a highest refractive index layer in the trench coating is rtmax and where the relative refractive index differences are based on a refractive index of the outermost cladding coat. |
|
| US09057810B2 |
Light-emitting module, backlight assembly having the same and display apparatus having the same
A light-emitting module includes a light source, a printed circuit board (“PCB”) and a light absorption portion. The light source generates and emits a light, and the light source is on a first surface of the PCB. The light absorption portion is on the first surface of the PCB and absorbs the light. |
|
| US09057809B2 |
Light irradiation device and image forming apparatus
A light irradiation device includes: a light source to output diffused light; and a light guide member to guide the diffused light to an irradiation point. The light guide member includes an incidence surface which the diffused light enters, a first emission surface to emit the entered diffused light, while further diffusing the entered diffused light with a first diffusion characteristic to emit the diffused light at a first diffusion angle, and a second emission surface to emit the entered diffused light, while further diffusing the entered diffused light with a second diffusion characteristics to emit the diffused light at a second diffusion angle. The second diffusion angle provided by the second diffusion characteristic is smaller than the first diffusion angle provided by the first diffusion characteristic. |
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| US09057807B2 |
Display apparatus
A display apparatus including: a cover; a display panel which is accommodated in the cover; a plurality of light emitting elements arranged in at least one edge of the cover from a rear surface of the display panel; a lens which extends in parallel with an arrangement direction of the light emitting elements and is arranged in a light emitting direction; a reflection sheet installed in a rear surface of the display panel; and a holder which includes a holder main body that extends along the at least one edge, a light emitting element accommodator formed in a surface of the holder main body to accommodate therein the light emitting elements and a lens supporter that is spaced from the light emitting element accommodator and is formed in the surface of the holder main body to couple and support the lens. |
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| US09057806B2 |
Light source and backlight module having the same
A light source includes a carrier, a plurality of solid-state light-emitting devices, a light-incoupling component, a first reflector, and a plurality of second reflectors. The solid-state light-emitting devices and the light-incoupling component are configured on the carrier. The light-incoupling component has a bottom surface, a top surface, a plurality of side surfaces adjoining the bottom surface and the top surface, and a through hole extending from the bottom surface to the top surface. The solid-state light-emitting devices are located in the through hole. The first reflector covers the through hole. The second reflectors are configured on the side surfaces. Light emitted from the solid-state light-emitting devices enters the light-incoupling component via a sidewall of the through hole and leaves the light-incoupling component via the top surface thereof. |
|
| US09057804B2 |
Methods, apparatus and systems for measuring snow structure and stability
The present inventions relate generally to methods, apparatus and systems for measuring snow stability and structure which may be used to assess avalanche risk. The disclosed apparatus includes a sensing unit configured to sense a resistance to penetration as the sensing unit is being driven into a layer of snow. The disclosed apparatus may also be configured to take other environmental measurements, including temperature, humidity, grain size, slope aspect and inclination. Methods and apparatus are also disclosed for generating a profile of snow layer hardness according to depth based on the sensed resistance to penetration and identifying areas of concern which may indicate an avalanche risk. Systems and apparatus are also disclosed for sharing the generated profiles among a plurality of users via a central server, and for evaluating an avalanche risk at a geographic location. |
|
| US09057801B2 |
Geophysical data acquisition system
A geophysical data acquisition system includes at least one geophysical sensor. The at least one geophysical sensor has associated therewith a signal generator configured to generate a signal corresponding to a type of the at least one geophysical sensor. The system includes at least one signal acquisition unit having a plurality of input channels. The at least one geophysical sensor is in signal communication with one of the plurality of input channels. The plurality of input channels each includes a detector for receiving and identifying the signal generated by the signal generator. The at least one signal acquisition unit includes amplification, filtering and digitizing circuits automatically configurable in response to the type of sensor identified by the detected signal. |
|
| US09057799B2 |
Induction logging signals and directional guidance antenna systems
An apparatus for estimating a property of an earth formation penetrated by a borehole includes: a carrier configured to be conveyed through the borehole; a transmitter antenna disposed at the carrier and configured to emit electromagnetic energy; a direction guidance antenna configured to receive the electromagnetic energy from the transmitter antenna and direct the electromagnetic energy into the formation and to receive a signal from the formation indicative of the property; a receiver antenna configured to receive the signal from the direction guidance antenna; and a processor configured to receive the signal from the receiver antenna and to estimate the property using the received signal. |
|
| US09057796B2 |
Systems and methods for acquiring and characterizing time varying signals of interest
A sensor system responsive to acoustic or seismic signals. One system includes a frame and a piezo-electric sensor element. The sensor element, responsive to a wavefield of seismic or acoustic energy, is positioned about the frame. Coupling between the sensor element and the frame is so limited as to render direct coupling of the sensor element with the wavefield the predominant means for stimulating the sensor element with seismic energy. Another system includes a frame and a cable element, responsive to a seismic or acoustic wavefield, extending about the frame. Coupling between the cable element and frame is so limited as to render direct coupling of the sensor element with the wavefield the predominant means for stimulating the sensor element with acoustic or seismic energy. The element may be coaxial cable or have piezo-electric properties to generate a charge differential measurable as a voltage between conductors. |
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| US09057794B2 |
Method for measuring subterranean formation density using a neutron generator
A method for determining a bulk formation density using a neutron generator includes detected secondary gamma rays and evaluating the detected gamma rays according to pre-determined selection criteria. Selected gamma rays are then used to compute the formation density. The selection criteria may include, for example, a time delay between the detection of a neutron and an associated particle and/or a direction of propagation of the neutron. |
|
| US09057792B2 |
Device and method for detection of water flow in ground
The invention relates to a device and a method to determine whether a water leakage has occurred in ground by means of Doppler radar. The device comprises a radar emitting unit for emitting electromagnetic waves into the ground, a receiver unit for receiving signals reflected from a fluctuating water surface, a signal processing unit which band pass filters the received signal to obtain a signal that only comprises the Doppler shifted frequencies, creates a measure of the derivative of the reflected signal and, in a decision processor, compares this measure with a threshold value corresponding to the signal value of the background. If the measure of the derivative exceeds said threshold value a leakage is considered to have occurred. |
|
| US09057790B2 |
Scintillation detection device with pressure sensitive adhesive interfaces
A scintillator device includes an optically clear substrate, a scintillator plastic layer overlying the optically clear substrate, and an optically clear polymer layer between the optically clear substrate and the scintillator plastic layer. The optically clear polymer layer can mechanically and optically couple the scintillator plastic layer to the optically clear substrate. Further, the clear polymer layer can be configured to substantially reduce the formation of cracks in the scintillator plastic layer due to thermal expansion, thermal contraction, or a combination thereof, of the scintillator device. |
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| US09057789B2 |
Radiation measuring device
A radiation measuring device includes: a detector that detects radiation; a preamplifier that amplifies a signal outputted from the detector; a shaping amplifier that shapes the waveform of the signal outputted from the preamplifier; an A/D converter that converts the analog signal output from the shaping amplifier to a digital signal; and a digital data processing unit that calculates digital signal output from the A/D converter, wherein energy information of the radiation inputted to the detector is obtained from a pulse height of the pulse signal processed by the preamplifier and the shaping amplifier, and the pulse height of the current pulse is corrected in the digital data processing unit by performing an arithmetic operation using the pulse height information of the current pulse digitalized by the A/D converter, the generation time information of the preceding pulse, and the pulse height information of the preceding pulse. |
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| US09057786B2 |
Algorithm for a wireless, motion and position-sensing, integrating radiation sensor for occupational and environmental dosimetry
Described is an apparatus, method and machine-readable medium for determining radiation dosages based on a solution vector for each radiation field and an objective function. |
|
| US09057785B1 |
Radar operation with increased doppler capability
A method may include generating for transmission a repeating sequence of N constant-frequency pulses of width t seconds at interpulse intervals of T seconds, with each pulse in the sequence having a particular constant phase according to a quadratic phase sequence, which phase is applied to each pulse in a first sense of modulation. The method may further include modulating the phase of echo energy received from one or more objects reflecting the transmitted repeating sequence of N constant-frequency pulses with a second sense of modulation opposite to the first sense of modulation. The method may further include producing from the modulated received echo energy N unique and discrete frequency translations of the received echo energy as a function of range r of the reflecting objects, of magnitude equal to multiples of 1/NT Hz, which may preserve the spectrum of the received echo energy, forming in combination a composite signal frequency spectrum. |
|
| US09057784B2 |
Illumination light shaping for a depth camera
Various embodiments of a time-of-flight (TOF) depth camera and methods for projecting illumination light into an image environment are disclosed. One example embodiment of a TOF depth camera includes a light source configured to generate coherent light; a first optical stage including an array of periodically-arranged lens elements positioned to receive at least a portion of the coherent light and to form divergent light; a second optical stage positioned to receive at least a portion of the divergent light and to reduce an intensity of one or more diffraction artifacts in the divergent light to form illumination light for projection into an illumination environment; and an image sensor configured to detect at least a portion of return illumination light reflected from the illumination environment. |
|
| US09057782B2 |
Realization of time-domain ultra wideband ground-penetrating radar using high speed accumulation and interpolated sampling
Embodiments of the disclosed technology use high-speed interpolated (interdigitated) sampling for the specific purpose of GPR (Ground-Penetrating RADAR). This technology solves several issues associated with high-speed sampling in GPR which included 1) dynamic range limitations, 2) regulatory compliance issues, 3) sampler core offset error, and 4) timing errors. High-speed interpolated sampling GPR is implemented using a high-speed ADC in combination with trigger logic (such as an FPGA) and a programmable delay generator. The FPGA or other trigger logic generates a series of randomly dithered trigger pulses. A variable delay generator (or “Vernier”) is synchronously controlled in order to produce the fractional timing. The timing of the pulses is randomly or pseudo-randomly dithered, and the phase of the interpolation is shuffled in order to avoid producing discrete spectral lines in the radiated RADAR signal. |
|
| US09057778B2 |
Remote sensing using coherent sonic wave photoacoustic detection and methods
A method and system for detecting composition of a physical space comprising: a laser beam source; an acoustic sensor; a beam focusing mechanism for focusing the laser beam at predetermined points in the physical space to generate a thermal inhomogeneity which results in the propagation of a pressure wave that propagates outward from the predetermined excitation point at a propagation velocity approximating the speed of sound for the particular composition of the media; at least one processor for controlling the timing for the laser beam focusing to generate thermal inhomogeneities; whereby the laser focal point is moved sequentially along the light-of-sight at various excitation points by the beam focusing mechanism approximately at the phase front velocity to define a series of predetermined excitation points and pressure wave propagations such that the series of pressure wave propagations combine to produce a coherent pressure wave detectable by the acoustic sensor. |
|
| US09057773B1 |
Weather information display system and method
Systems and methods for displaying weather data relating to weather near an aircraft are provided. A method includes generating a three-dimensional weather profile of the weather near the aircraft based on reflectivity data from radar returns of a weather radar system of the aircraft. Generating the three-dimensional weather profile includes estimating weather data above a freezing layer height using a function that is based on a rate of reduction in reflectivity above the freezing layer. The method further includes transmitting weather display data to a display device, the weather display data being configured to cause the display device to display a visual representation of the three-dimensional weather profile. |
|
| US09057770B2 |
Method for recording a magnetic resonance image
In a method for recording a magnetic resonance image with a magnetic resonance device, in which several projection image data records are recorded in succession with different gradient orientations, from which, through back projection, the magnetic resonance image is reconstructed, the recording of a projection data record in a recording time frame proceeds with a temporal frequency modulated excitation pulse of a pulse duration, wherein, through the frequency modulation of the excitation pulse, all spins to be recorded within the scope of the projection data record are excited in a temporal sequence and wherein the frequency modulation function describing the frequency modulation during the pulse duration exhibits at least one maximum and/or at least one minimum. During the excitation duration, a time-resolved reception signal is detected. The projection data record is determined from the reception signal through evaluation. |
|
| US09057768B2 |
Local coil for a magnetic resonance device
A local coil for a magnetic resonance device includes a double resonance conductor loop arrangement having at least one conductor loop, and a converter apparatus configured for converting operating energy received at a first resonance frequency into an operating voltage. The local coil also includes an electronics arrangement operated with the operating voltage for processing magnetic resonance signals received at a second resonance frequency. |
|
| US09057766B2 |
Isolating failing latches using a logic built-in self-test
A mechanism is provided for identifying a failing latch within an integrated circuit device. A test sequence is initiated on a set of scan chains associated with an identified failing multiple input signature register. For each test portion in a set of test portions in the test sequence, a comparison is performed between an output of the multiple input signature register and a corresponding value in a set of expected values. Responsive to determining a match, a value of a counter is incremented. Responsive to a failure to match, incrementing of the counter is stopped, and the value of the counter providing an indication of the failing latch in the integrated circuit device is read out. |
|
| US09057765B2 |
Scan compression ratio based on fault density
A processor-implemented method for determining scan compression ratio based on fault density. The processor-implemented method may include calculating, by a processor, a fault density value for each of a plurality of partitions of an integrated circuit. The fault density is computed by the processor based on a ratio of a total number of faults per partition to a total number of flip-flops per partition. The processor-implemented method further includes the processor determining a compression ratio for each of the plurality of partitions based on the fault density value for each of the plurality of partitions and applying the compression ratio to each of the plurality of the partitions of the integrated circuit. |
|
| US09057764B2 |
Detection of unchecked signals in circuit design verification
An unchecked signal detection mechanism runs simulation tests of circuit designs that normally pass. Before a simulation test is run, noise is injected into one randomly chosen signal. A random constant value is assigned to the randomly chosen signal. The constant random value is forced on the selected signal for the duration of the simulation test. Signals for which simulation tests always pass, even when their value is forced, are likely not checked and declared as suspect. The subset of suspect signals is then checked to determine whether their checkers are indeed missing or defective. Any verification flaws (holes) found are then fixed. |
|
| US09057762B1 |
Faulty chains identification without masking chain patterns
Aspects of the invention relate to techniques for cycle-based scan chain diagnosis for integrated circuits with embedded compactors. With various implementations of the invention, no-failing-bits output channels of a compactor are first identified based on output data of a test. Next, good scan chains are identified based on scan chains associated with the no-failing-bits output channels. From scan chains other than the good scan chains, analysis of bits outputted from failing-bits output channels per clock cycle is performed to identify suspected faulty scan chains. |
|
| US09057760B2 |
Circuit for detecting structural defects in an integrated circuit chip, methods of use and manufacture and design structures
Detection circuits, methods of use and manufacture and design structures are provided herein. The structure includes at least one signal line traversing one or more metal layers of an integrated circuit. Circuitry is coupled to the at least one signal line, which is structured to receive a signal with a known signal from the at least one signal line or a signal from a different potential and, based on which signal is received, determine whether there is a structural defect in the integrated circuit. |
|
| US09057758B2 |
Method for measuring current, method for inspecting semiconductor device, semiconductor device, and test element group
An object is to provide a current measurement method which enables a minute current to be measured. To achieve this, the value of a current flowing through an electrical element is not directly measured, but is calculated from a change in potential observed in a predetermined period. The detection of a minute current can be achieved by a measurement method including the steps of applying a predetermined potential to a first terminal of an electrical element comprising the first terminal and a second terminal; measuring an amount of change in potential of a node connected to the second terminal; and calculating, from the amount of change in potential, a value of a current flowing between the first terminal and the second terminal of the electrical element. |
|
| US09057757B2 |
Testing of electroluminescent semiconductor wafers
Forward voltage drift in a probe system for the characterization of a light-emitting wafer is virtually eliminated by directing compressed air to the probe so as to ensure that the exact same temperature conditions exist during repeated measurements of the wafer. In one embodiment of the invention, an air flow at room temperature is used, either continuously or intermittently. In another embodiment, the temperature of the probe is controlled by flowing a liquid or a gas through micro-channels built into the probe. In yet another embodiment, the probe is connected to a solid-state Peltier cell that is computer-controlled to maintain the probe's temperature at a predetermined set-point. A temperature-controlled chamber or a thermal reservoir enclosing the probe could be used as well. The results obtained showed remarkable repeatability. |
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| US09057755B2 |
Device for monitoring internal arc in gas insulated switchgear
A device for monitoring internal arc in gas insulated switchgear. The device includes: at least one or more partial discharge sensors that electronic wave signals of partial discharge generated by internal arc in a gas section of the gas insulated switchgear; at least one or more gas pressure wave sensors that measure pressure wave signals due to expansion of a gas produced by internal arc in the gas section of the gas insulated switchgear; a data acquiring unit that receives the electronic wave signals measured by the partial discharge sensors and the pressure wave signals measured by the gas pressure sensors, finds out internal arc on the basis of the received sensor measure information, and determines the reason and the position of the internal ark; and a transmitting unit that transmits the sensor measurement information and determination information from the data acquiring unit to a super-system. |
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| US09057754B2 |
Economical magnetic locator apparatus and method
Magnetic locators for detection of buried objects, such as ferromagnetic objects, are disclosed. Inputs provided from one or more magnetic sensors, such as three three-axis magnetic sensors, as well as from other sensors, such as accelerometers and gyroscopic sensors, may be used to determine magnetic field distortion indicative of ferromagnetic objects and provide output information corresponding to the detected object. |
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| US09057753B2 |
Sensing device, power reception device, power transmission device, non-contact power transmission system, and sensing method
There is provided a sensing device including a circuit including at least a coil electromagnetically coupled to an outside; a temperature detection unit for detecting a temperature of the coil; a sensing unit for measuring a Q value of the circuit; and a correction unit for correcting the Q value measured by the sensing unit based on temperature information detected by the temperature detection unit. |
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| US09057752B2 |
Method and apparatus for detecting a loose electrical connection in photovoltaic system
A power circuit configured to generate and distribute DC electrical power, the power circuit includes a photovoltaic (PV) system that includes an array of PV modules electrically coupled to a combiner box, and an inverter positioned to receive DC electrical power from the array of PV modules and output AC electrical power. The PV system also includes a signal generator coupled to a first portion of the PV system, and a signal detector coupled to a second portion of the PV system, the signal detector configured to detect secondary signals generated at a loose connection of an electrical joint in the PV system, wherein the secondary signals result from a signal generated by the signal generator. |
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| US09057751B2 |
Ground fault detection for an electrical subsea control system
A ground fault detection circuit for detecting ground faults in electrical subsea conductor lines including a first electrical conductor line, a second electrical conductor line, a first ground fault detection line, and a second ground fault detection line. The ground fault detection circuit further includes a first resistor operatively connected to a voltage source and the first ground fault detection line, a second resistor operatively connected to the voltage source and the second ground fault detection line, and a voltage detection device configured to detect the voltage at an output end of the first resistor to determine the presence of a ground fault in at least one of the first and second conductor lines. |
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| US09057750B2 |
Test of a testing device for determining a voltage state of a high-voltage vehicle electrical system
A method for testing a testing device for determining a voltage state of an on-board high-voltage electrical system of a motor vehicle includes establishing a predetermined voltage state in the on-board high-voltage electrical system by supplying a test voltage to the on-board high-voltage electrical system and determining the voltage state with the testing device and comparing the determined voltage state with the predetermined voltage state This ensures that, before maintenance work on the on-board high-voltage electrical system is performed, a voltage-free state of the on-board high-voltage electrical system determined by the testing device is actually present, thereby eliminating risk to maintenance personnel due to an accidentally applied voltage. |
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| US09057749B2 |
Sensing element and signal sensing device with the same
A sensing element suitable for sensing an interference signal radiated by an object under test is provided, including a substrate, a ground plane and a sensing antenna. The ground plane is disposed on a first surface of the substrate. The sensing antenna is disposed on the first surface of the substrate and is located on a first side of the ground plane. The sensing antenna and the ground plane are separated by a preset distance. Besides, the sensing antenna is electrically connected to the ground plane through a coaxial wire and receives the interference signal through the ground plane. |
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| US09057748B2 |
Assembly and method for testing an electronic circuit test fixture
A method provides testing of an electronic circuit test system that includes a test fixture having headed and headless test probes, a shorting plate and a test probe verification plate with apertures. A probe verification test includes: moving the test probe verification plate and the shorting plate into position, where the shorting plate engages any test probe that extends through an aperture of the verification plate; and transmitting an electrical signal to each of the test probes. The electricity flow associated with each of the test probes is analyzed to determine if any of the headless test probes have an open circuit. In response to detecting an open circuit: one or more of the headless test probes are indicated as (a) defective in the test fixture or (b) missing from the test fixture; and the specific locations in the test fixture of the defective or missing test probes are identified. |
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| US09057747B2 |
Film sensor
A film sensor includes a polarizing film, an antistatic layer and a capacitive sensor that are laminated in this order, the capacitive sensor having a transparent film, a transparent electrode pattern formed on one side of the transparent film, and an adhesive layer formed on the one side of the transparent film to embed the transparent electrode pattern. The transparent film is disposed between the antistatic layer and the transparent electrode pattern. The antistatic layer has a surface resistance value of 1.0×109 to 1.0×1011Ω/□. |
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| US09057744B2 |
Protective relaying device
According to one embodiment, a protective relaying device includes a phase difference calculating unit configured to calculate a phase difference between a phase obtained by shifting a phase of first current data by 180°, and a phase of second current data, a setting unit configured to calculate a target value of elimination of a sampling synchronization error caused by a difference between a transmission delay time of up-transmission, and a transmission delay time of down-transmission on the basis of the phase difference, and to set the calculated target value, and a sampling synchronization control unit configured to carry out control of sampling synchronization such that a difference between a time TM and a time TF. |
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| US09057735B2 |
Methods and compositions for diagnosis and prognosis of renal injury and renal failure
The present invention relates to methods and compositions for monitoring, diagnosis, prognosis, and determination of treatment regimens in subjects suffering from or suspected of having a renal injury. In particular, the invention relates to using assays that detect one or more markers selected from the group consisting of cytochrome c and insulin-like growth factor IA as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in renal injuries. |
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| US09057732B2 |
Mass spectrometry assay for congenital adrenal hyperplasia
Methods are provided for detecting the amount of one or more CAH panel analytes (i.e., pregnenolone, 17-OH pregnenolone, progesterone, 17-OH progesterone, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), androstenedione, testosterone, deoxycorticosterone, 11-deoxycortisol, and cortisol) in a sample by mass spectrometry. The methods generally involve ionizing one or more CAH panel analytes in a sample and quantifying the generated ions to determine the amount of one or more CAH panel analytes in the sample. In methods where amounts of multiple CAH panel analytes are detected, the amounts of multiple analytes are detected in the same sample injection. |
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| US09057731B2 |
Methods and kits for predicting a response to an erythropoietic agent
Methods for predicting a response to an erythropoietic agent in a subject include providing a biological sample from the subject, and determining an amount in the sample of at least one peptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOS: 1-17. If there is a measurable difference in the amount of the at least one peptide in the sample, when compared to a control level of the same peptide, the subject is then predicted to have a good response or a poor response to the erythropoietic agent. Kits for predicting a response to an erythropoietic agent are further provided and include one or more antibodies, or fragments thereof, that specifically recognize a peptide of SEQ ID NOS: 1-17. |
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| US09057730B2 |
Arrays and methods of use
Methods are provided for producing a molecular array comprising a plurality of molecules immoblised to a solid substrate at a density which allows individual immobilised molecules to be individually resolved, wherein each individual molecule in the array is spatially addressable and the identity of each molecule is known or determined prior to immobilisation. The use of spatially addressable low density molecular arrays in single molecule detection and analysis techniques is also provided. Novel assays and methods are also provided. |
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| US09057727B2 |
Screening methods using G-protein coupled receptors and related compositions
The present invention provides screening methods for GPCRs based on the discovery that the affinity of a receptor agonist for a GPCR (such as the parathyroid hormone receptor) when not bound to a G-protein is correlated with the length of time over which the agonist is effective, independently of its pharmacokinetic properties. The invention also provides PTH- and PTHrP-derived polypeptides. |
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| US09057720B2 |
Reducing/oxidizing activity of maternal urine as indicator of fetal gender related characteristics
The present invention provides a method for determining the gender of an unborn child by assaying the overall reducing/oxidizing or redox activity of the maternal urine or other body fluid. The method can be used to determine fetal gender at any time point during the entire pregnancy, the earliest being the first day of a missed menstruation. The body fluid may be processed before assaying. Processing may involve aging the body fluid, or purification of various fractions. The methods of the present invention also provide for a means for pre-conception baby gender planning by assaying the overall redox activity of a non-pregnant female's urine or other body fluid. The overall redox activity of a urine sample correlates with the gender specific compatibility of the ovum being released during a particular menstrual cycle. Therefore, assaying the overall redox activity of a non-pregnant female's urine will help a couple conceive a baby having a desired gender. |
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| US09057716B2 |
Bactericidal antibody assays to assess immunogenicity and potency of meningococcal capsular saccharide vaccines
The disclosure provides compositions, methods and kits for assessing immunogenicity, potency, or both, of meningococcal capsular saccharide vaccines. The assessment is based upon measurement of binding of a bactericidal antibody to a capsular saccharide component in the vaccine. |
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| US09057715B2 |
Cell culture apparatus and mass automatic cell culture device having it
The present invention relates to a cell culture apparatus and a mass automatic cell culture device having it. There is provided a cell culture apparatus comprising a cylindrical cell culture flask which is air-tightly sealed and formed of a transparent material to observe an internal portion thereof, an injection unit for supplying the cell and the culture solution into the cell culture flask, a collection unit for discharging the cells and the culture solution from the cell culture flask, and a cell culture flask receiving part which is comprised of first and second vertical frames in which a plurality of injecting parts and collecting parts, and plate type connection parts which are respectively disposed between upper ends and lower ends of the two opposed vertical frames to be spaced apart from each other in regular intervals, and a mass automatic cell culture device having it. |
|
| US09057705B2 |
Surface-enhanced raman spectroscopy substrate for arsenic sensing in groundwater
A surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrate formed from a plurality of monolayers of polyhedral silver nanocrystals, wherein at least one of the monolayers has polyvinypyrrolidone (PVP) on its surface, and thereby configured for sensing arsenic is described. Highly active SERS substrates are formed by assembling high density monolayers of differently shaped silver nanocrystals onto a solid support. SERS detection is performed directly on this substrate by placing a droplet of the analyte solution onto the nanocrystal monolayer. Adsorbed polymer, polyvinypyrrolidone (PVP), on the surface of the nanoparticles facilitates the binding of both arsenate and arsenite near the silver surface, allowing for highly accurate and sensitive detection capabilities. |
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| US09057704B2 |
SERS-sensor with nanostructured surface and methods of making and using
A surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) sensor includes a substrate with a nanostructured surface. The nanostructured surface has a quasi-periodic, anisotropic array of elongated ridge elements having a wave-ordered structure pattern, each ridge element having a wavelike cross-section and oriented substantially in a first direction. The sensor also includes a plurality of metal elements disposed, at least in part, on tops of the ridge elements. |
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| US09057702B2 |
Compact wide-field fluorescent imaging on a mobile device
Wide-field fluorescent imaging on a mobile device having a camera is accomplished with a compact, light-weight and inexpensive optical components that are mechanically secured to the mobile device in a removable housing. Battery powered light-emitting diodes (LEDs) contained in the housing pump the sample of interest from the side using butt-coupling, where the pump light is guided within the sample holder to uniformly excite the specimen. The fluorescent emission from the sample is then imaged using an additional lens that is positioned adjacent to the existing lens of the mobile device. A color filter is sufficient to create the dark-field background required for fluorescent imaging, without the need for expensive thin-film interference filters. |
|
| US09057696B2 |
Fluid-borne particle detector
There is disclosed improved apparatus and methods for detection of shape, size and intrinsic fluorescence properties of a fluid borne particle wherein the apparatus comprises a laser, two light sources, two detectors, and optionally a third detector. The apparatus is particularly suitable for detection of airborne biological particles. |
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| US09057695B2 |
Apparatus and method for irradiating a scattering medium with a reconstructive wave
A system and method for irradiating a medium including irradiating the medium with an electromagnetic wave which is scattered in the medium and modulated in frequency at a position in the medium; obtaining information corresponding to an interference pattern generated by interference between the modulated electromagnetic wave and a reference wave; and generating a phase conjugate wave, based on the obtained information, which irradiates the medium. |
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| US09057692B2 |
Device for measuring refractive index of medium based on optical delay technology and its method
A device for measuring refractive index of medium based on optical delay technology comprises: a signal processing and controlling module, an optical transmitter module, and an optical receiver module, wherein the signal processing and controlling module controls the optical transmitter module to transmit an optical signal having a certain wavelength; the optical signal is injected into a medium to be measured; the optical signal is transmitted and delayed by the medium; the optical receiver module receives the optical signal delayed, and transforms the optical signal delayed into a electrical signal; the electrical signal is amplified and transmitted to the signal processing and controlling module; the signal processing and controlling module measures a delay time between transmitting and receiving the optical signal; and the refractive index of the medium at the certain wavelength is calculated based on the delay time and a known length of the medium. |
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| US09057686B2 |
Non-destructive inspection apparatus having an ergonomic grip and associated method
A non-destructive inspection apparatus, system and associated method are provided to facilitate the inspection of a workpiece. The non-destructive inspection apparatus includes an ultrasonic sensor configured to be placed in operable contact with the workpiece. The ultrasonic sensor is configured to emit ultrasonic signals into the workpiece and to receive return signals from the workpiece. The non-destructive inspection apparatus also includes a grip operably connected to the ultrasonic sensor such that the grip and the ultrasonic sensor are movable in concert. The grip is configured to support an operator's palm, such as a majority of the operator's palm, such that force applied to the ultrasonic inspection apparatus by the operator is transferred via the grip to the ultrasonic sensor. The non-destructive inspection system may also include a computer in communication with the non-destructive inspection apparatus to receive information relating to the return signals received by the ultrasonic sensor. |
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| US09057684B2 |
Gamma ray imaging systems and methods
A system for imaging a gamma source includes a pixelated Compton scattering layer, for Compton scattering of gamma photons emitted by the gamma source, and a non-pixelated full-energy detector for detecting at least a portion of Compton scattered gamma photons geometrically encoded by a coded aperture positioned between the pixelated Compton scattering layer and the full-energy detector at a distance from the pixelated Compton scattering layer. A method for imaging a gamma source includes (a) detecting coincidence events, each including Compton scattering in a pixelated Compton scattering layer, and transmission to a non-pixelated full-energy detector of a Compton scattered gamma photon transmitted through a coded aperture located at a distance from the pixelated Compton scattering layer, and (b) determining an image of the gamma source from the detection of the coincidence events. |
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| US09057673B2 |
Method of preparing RNA from ribonuclease-rich sources
Methods for preparing RNA from ribonuclease-rich sources while avoiding RNA degradation are described. The lysis protocol for ribonuclease-containing samples is performed at high pH to accelerate cell lysis and with a reducing agent that inactivates ribonucleases (RNases) by reducing disulfide bonds essential for RNase activity. Samples are briefly incubated for up to five minutes at high pH followed by addition of a reagent to lower the pH to a level at which the RNA is stable. This method of RNA extraction has many advantages over existing methods of RNA preparation, including that cell lysis is efficient, RNases are rapidly inactivated, and sample incubation times are short (less than 5 minutes), which protects RNA from degradation. The lysing procedure is performed entirely in aqueous solution with no heating, precipitations, or buffer exchanges required. Thus, a quick, simple procedure for extracting RNA is provided, which can easily be automated. |
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| US09057671B1 |
System and method for biological specimen mounting
A system and method for mounting a section onto a substrate, the system comprising: a fluid channel including: a fluid channel inlet that receives the section, processed from a bulk embedded sample by a sample sectioning module positioned proximal the fluid channel inlet, a section-mounting region downstream of the fluid channel inlet, and a fluid channel outlet downstream of the section-mounting region; a reservoir in fluid communication with the fluid channel outlet; and a manifold, fluidly coupled to the reservoir, that delivers fluid from the reservoir to the fluid channel inlet, thereby transmitting fluid flow that drives delivery of the section from the fluid channel inlet toward the section-mounting region. |
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| US09057666B2 |
Method of and apparatus for measuring viscous and elastic properties of a gluten-containing substance
A method of measuring viscous and elastic properties of a gluten-containing substance includes: bringing the gluten-containing substance into a powder, adding a predetermined amount of aqueous liquid to a predetermined amount of the powder, kneading the powder and liquid to a dough to develop the viscoelastic character of the gluten in the dough- and extracting viscoelastic gluten from the dough by rinsing with the liquid. The method further includes: shaping the gluten, placing the shaped gluten between two parallel planar surfaces, compressing the gluten by moving the planar surfaces towards each other at a controlled rate, until a maximum compression force or a minimum spacing is reached, releasing the force on the planar surfaces so that these can move away from each other due to elastic recovery of the compressed gluten, measuring the distance between the planar surfaces during the compression and elastic recovery of the gluten, and storing the measured values. |
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| US09057665B2 |
System and method utilizing time-slice-eradication to eliminate the effects of wavelength non-linearities from swept-wavelength testing of optical components for sources with non-linearities
A system and method for correcting non-linearities in the output of a tunable laser over a sweep range. Electromagnetic radiation is directed over a range of wavelengths to a measurement system from the tunable laser source, wherein the measurement system collects data over the range of wavelengths. The electromagnetic radiation emitted over the range of wavelengths is monitored. A non-linearity in one or more wavelengths over the range of wavelengths is determined. A signal is transmitted to the measurement system to cease collecting data when the one or more wavelengths having the non-linearity is output from the tunable laser source or the data is ignored. |
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| US09057664B2 |
System and method for quantifying the presence of components in the exhaust of commercial and/or heavy-duty vehicles
A system and/or method for quantifying the presence of one or more components in vehicle exhaust, and more particularly to a non-contact, sampling system and method for quantifying the presence of one or more components in exhaust emissions of commercial and/or heavy-duty vehicles that emit exhaust at an elevated level, under actual operating conditions. |
|
| US09057661B2 |
Tire pressure observation after detecting abnormal pressure condition
A tire pressure observation method and computer readable medium is provided. Upon detection of an abnormal pressure condition, a tire pressure observation method provides for various maintenance actions. A computer readable medium may contain instructions for a tire pressure observation controller directing the controller to present messages at different stages of the maintenance actions to assist maintenance staff in properly performing the maintenance actions, for example, observing the tire pressure. |
|
| US09057657B2 |
Device for disinfecting, sterilizing, and/or maintaining medical instruments and method for identifying the occupancy of an instrument holder in such device
A device for disinfecting, sterilizing, and/or maintaining medical, in particular dental instruments. The device is optimized in various areas, facilitating the fully automatic, reliable, and reproducible preparation of dental instruments. |
|
| US09057655B2 |
Force sensor and method for testing its reliability
A force sensor includes a transducer with a measuring element operatively connected to a measuring object for generating measuring signals of a force acting on the measuring object, and two in parallel transmission channels transmit mutually corresponding signals of the measuring signals independently from one another and connected in parallel to the same transducer. A test signal is evaluated in a transmission channel in which the test signal has been injected and in another transmission channel in which the test signal has not been injected. In another testing method, the transmitted signals are compared. |
|
| US09057652B2 |
Torque detecting apparatus
A torque detecting apparatus detects a torque applied to a first shaft, based on a relative rotational displacement between the first shaft and a second shaft caused by torsion in a coupling shaft which couples the first shaft and the second shaft. The torque detecting apparatus includes: first and second magnets which are coupled to the first shaft and the second shaft so as to rotate together with the first shaft and second shaft, respectively; and a plurality of magnetic sensors which are disposed between the first magnet and the second magnet and which detect a rotational angle of the first shaft and a rotational angle of the second shaft. |
|
| US09057647B2 |
Detached-type temperature indicator and method for using the same
A detached-type temperature indicator and method for using the same is disclosed. The indicator includes a temperature sensing module and a temperature display module. These two modules are separated apart with a distance, and the temperature change sensed by the temperature sensing module can be displayed on the separate temperature display module without using any power sources. This indicator is suitable for observing the magnetic sensing patterns which reflect the temperature variations within the package from the exterior of the package without opening the package. Also, this indicator may be used repeatedly. |
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| US09057646B2 |
Image forming apparatus for measuring a color of a measurement image
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit configured to form a measurement image on a sheet, a measurement unit configured to measure the measurement image formed on the sheet to output a measurement value, a white reference plate provided at a position facing to the measurement unit, and a correction unit configured to correct the measurement value output from the measurement unit according to a distance from the measurement unit to the white reference plate in a case where the measurement image formed on the sheet is measured. |
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| US09057645B2 |
System for distributing and controlling color reproduction at multiple sites
In a color imaging system, multiple rendering devices are provided at different nodes along a network. Each rendering device has a color measurement instrument for calibrating the color presented by the rendering device. A rendering device may be a printer in which the measuring of color samples on a sheet rendered by the printer is provided by a sensor coupled to a transport mechanism which moves the sensor and sheet relative to each other, where the sensor provides light from the samples to a spectrograph. A rendering device may also be a display having a member supporting a color measuring instrument for receiving light from an area of the screen. The color measuring instruments provide for non-contact measurements of color samples rendered on a display or a sheet, and are self-calibrating by the use of calibration references. |
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| US09057644B2 |
Illuminance and proximity sensor
An illuminance and proximity sensor includes a first sensing unit that senses infrared light and green light, and forwards a first sensing signal corresponding to a result of the sensing, a second sensing unit that filters visible light, senses the infrared light, and forwards a second sensing signal corresponding to a result of the sensing, and a control unit that produces an illuminance using a first difference value from subtracting the second sensing signal from the first sensing signal, and a proximity using a second difference value from subtracting the first difference value from the second sensing signal. |
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| US09057637B2 |
Method and device for the optical measurement of state variables and the level in a container for liquefied gases, and device therefor
A method and a device for optically determining state variables inside a container (1) for liquefied gases. In the method and device, light emitted by an illumination unit (2) travels within an optical waveguide (7, 9) to a contact point (33) with the content of the container (1) and is partially reflected there, the intensity of the reflected light is measured by an image sensor (4), and a state variable is determined from the intensity. In order to create a comprehensive “image” of the state variables in the container and of the container content, several optical waveguides (29, 29′) are guided to contact points (33) which are distributed within the container (1) and form measurement points (9.1, 9.2, 9.3, . . . , 9.n). Locally assigned state variables (refractive index, density, temperature, etc.) of the container content are determined from the measured values obtained at the measurement points (9.1, 9.2, 9.3, . . . , 9.n) and are evaluated along with the spatial coordinates of the measurement points (9.1, 9.2, 9.3, . . . , 9.n) in the container (1). |
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| US09057636B2 |
Self-calibrating mechanism and self-calibrating method for flow rate sensor, and diagnostic mechanism and diagnostic method for fluid sensor
A valve fully closing part; a calibrating volume calculation part that calculates a calibrating volume on the basis value of an integration of a flow rate measured value outputted from a flow rate sensor in a fluid parameter changing interval; and a calibration part that calibrates a flow rate on the basis of the calculated calibrating volume and a preset reference volume are provided. |
|
| US09057634B2 |
Noise detection and avoidance
A process variable transmitter includes a sensor drive controller that outputs a sensor drive signal that is used to drive a sensor that senses a process variable. The sensor drive controller changes the frequency of the sensor drive signal to avoid frequencies and associated harmonics at which noise occurs and which could interfere with the sensor signal. |
|
| US09057632B2 |
Apparatus and method for measuring flow rate of meter
A water meter of the present invention may accurately measure a flow rate and reduce power consumption. The water meter includes a body including an inlet unit and an outlet unit, an impeller unit provided to rotate due to a fluid flowing in the body, a cover member that covers one side of the impeller unit and includes a guide groove formed therein, and sensors that are provided on one side and the other side of the cover member and are spaced apart from each other to face each other. The impeller unit includes blades interfering with the fluid, a shaft forming a rotational center of the blades, and a cut-off unit that extends from one side of the plurality of blades to be inserted into the guide groove, and selectively cuts off signal transmission between the plurality of sensors. |
|
| US09057631B2 |
Smoke detector with an easily-readable and highly-visible battery-life display
A smoke detector with an easily-readable battery-life display is an apparatus that visually displays the remaining battery life for a smoke detector through an analog or digital device. The apparatus primarily includes a smoke detector, a battery power indicator, and a reference resistor. The battery power indicator is positioned on the underside of the smoke detector so that a person can look up at the smoke detector mounted on a ceiling and view the battery power indicator. The reference resistor draws a small amount of current from the battery, which allows the battery power indicator to measure the gradual reduction of voltage readings across the reference resistor and consequently determine the remaining battery life, and thus displaying the remaining battery life in the appropriate zone (red, yellow or green). |
|
| US09057630B2 |
Metrological scale
A method of applying a marking onto a metrological scale. The method comprises locating one or more markings on the scale substrate in a provisional state; checking whether the one or more markings located on the scale substrate are acceptable; and finalising the one or markings which are acceptable so as to transform the one or more markings into a finalised state. |
|
| US09057628B2 |
Position sensor and linear actuator
A linear magnetic position sensor may include a magnetic field generating unit having two permanent magnets for generating a magnetic field. A Hall sensor may be disposed in a region of the magnetic field forming a linear measuring section, wherein the Hall sensor and the magnetic field generating unit are linearly displaceable relative to one another along a longitudinal direction in order to position the Hall sensor within the measuring section. The permanent magnets may be polarized in a transverse direction running perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The permanent magnets may be spaced apart from one another in the longitudinal direction. Each pole of one of the permanent magnets may be connected to a pole of the other permanent magnet via a magnetic conductor element. |
|
| US09057624B2 |
System and method for vehicle navigation with multiple abstraction layers
Systems and methods for vehicle navigation with multiple abstraction layers are disclosed. A particular embodiment includes: receiving data sets from a plurality of sources; generating, by use of a data processor, a routing overlay based on a routing to a selected destination; generating, by use of the data processor and data from the data sets, a plurality of navigation abstraction layers corresponding to the routing; generating at least one navigation abstraction layer by smoothing or simplifying the shape of the routing overlay; and presenting at least one of the plurality of navigation abstraction layers to a user via a display interface. |
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| US09057621B2 |
Navigation system and method of using vehicle state information for route modeling
A vehicle includes a powertrain controller, an energy storage system (ESS), a traction motor, an electrical device such as an HVAC system and/or auxiliary system, and a navigation system. The navigation system generates a recommended eco-route or other travel route. The navigation system receives vehicle state information including a current powertrain state from the controller and a power load value from the device(s), including a state of charge of the ESS. The vehicle state information is used to select between a charge-depleting and a charge-sustaining costing model. The route is generated using the selected model, and then displayed. The navigation system includes a host machine which selects the model and generates the route, and a display screen for displaying the route. A method for generating the route includes receiving the current powertrain state and power load values, and using the state information to select between the charge-depleting and charge-sustaining models. |
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| US09057614B2 |
Method and apparatus for vehicle tracking
A computer-implemented tracking method includes receiving a tracking request at a vehicle associated computing system (VACS). The method also includes authenticating the tracking request and determining a vehicle location via a GPS in communication with the VACS. The method further includes transmitting the vehicle location from the VACS to a tracking request associated computing system (TRACS). The method also includes monitoring the vehicle for at least one delay-event. The method additionally includes transmitting data corresponding to the delay event to the TRACS, contingent on the occurrence of at least one delay-event. |
|
| US09057610B2 |
Robotic laser pointer apparatus and methods
A robotic laser-pointing apparatus has an instrument center, a first rotation axis, a second rotation axis, and a pointing axis, with the first rotation axis, the second rotation axis and the pointing axis in a known relationship to the instrument center. A laser source provides a pointing-laser beam along the pointing axis. A pointing drive system aims the laser beam by rotating the pointing axis about the instrument center in response to a pointing-direction control. Focusing optics having a focusing-optics drive serve to focus the pointing-laser beam in response to a focusing-optics control. A processor, responsive to target-position information, generates the pointing-direction control and the focusing-optics control. Some embodiments include an electronic-distance-measurement system having a measurement beam. Some embodiments provide for compensation of aiming errors of the pointing-laser beam and the measurement beam. |
|
| US09057599B2 |
Touch probe
A touch probe comprising a fixed member; a feeler held by one or several elastic elements in a resting position relative to said fixed member, said feeler being capable of moving from said resting position in response to a deflection force; a detection system comprising a light source driven by the displacements of the feeler relative to said fixed member; an optical image sensor receiving the light emitted by said light source; an optical mask interposed on the light path between said light source and said optical image sensor. |
|
| US09057597B2 |
Method for determining the roughness of an internal surface
A method for determining the roughness of an internal surface of a metal substrate or a metal layer is provided. By the correlation of a single destructive measurement in order to determine the roughness and the conductivity measurement of a transition region, the roughness is determined for other samples without destructive measurement. |
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| US09057594B2 |
Sapphire lens-based optical fiber probe for optical coherence tomography
A probe for an optical coherence tomography system according to an embodiment of the current invention includes a sheath having a proximal end and a distal end and defining a lumen therein, an optical fiber disposed at least partially within the lumen of said sheath, and a sapphire lens attached to the distal end of the sheath to form a fluid-tight seal to prevent fluid from entering the lumen of said sheath. The optical fiber has an end arranged in an optical path with the sapphire lens to provide optical coupling between the sapphire lens and the optical fiber. |
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| US09057593B1 |
Dual-function gage for measuring dimensions of a fastener assembly
An apparatus capable of measuring pin protrusion and collar swage height in a fastener assembly. The apparatus comprises: a gage body; a shaft that is translatable along its axis; an instrument that measures the absolute axial position of the shaft relative to a zero position; pin protrusion and collar swage height measurement contact members coupled to the shaft; and a slotted gage plug that is rotatable and axially displaceable relative to the gage body. The gage plug sits on the swaged collar during measurements. When the collar swage height measurement contact member is disposed in the slot in the gage plug, pin protrusion can be measured. When the collar swage height measurement contact member is not disposed in the slot and instead rests on top of the gage plug, the collar swage height can be measured. |
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| US09057590B1 |
Enhanced reliability miniature piston actuator for an electronic thermal battery initiator
A system for a piston actuator comprising a configuration with lead styphnate charge material and Nichrome® bridgewire, wherein the device configuration provides very high reliability, including piston actuator applications; resistance of the bridgewire is carefully controlled to optimize power transfer from the firing circuit to the bridgewire and charge material. |
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| US09057586B2 |
Actuation device for adjusting or setting a parameter of an optical device including a telescopic sight
An actuating device for setting an optical parameter of an optical device including a telescopic sight. The actuating device includes a first coupling part rotatable about a rotation axis and an index element pushable onto the first coupling part for assuming an operating position. A guide arrangement guides the index element on the first coupling part and is configured to permit a push-on of the index element in the direction of the rotation axis and to permit a twisting of the index element relative to the first coupling part at least in a direction perpendicular to or tangential to the rotation axis. A second coupling part is configured to provide friction forces counteracting a twisting of the index element relative to the first and second coupling parts when the index element is in the operating position thereof. |
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| US09057585B1 |
Illumination associated with a weapon
The disclosed embodiments relate to illumination associated with a weapon. In one embodiment, a lighting device for mounting on a weapon comprises a light source, an inertial sensor, and a controller. The light source can be used to illuminate a portion of a target. The inertial sensor can be used for sensing the forces acting on the lighting device. The controller can be configured to activate the light source when the lighting device is in a firing position for more than a first predetermined time period, and deactivate the light source when the lighting device is in a non-firing position for more than a second predetermined time period. |
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| US09057583B2 |
Sight system
A sight system is provided which may be selectively used in a variety of different ways. In one example, the sight system may be positioned on a rifle to provide a rifle sight system. In this example, the sight system may be positioned on the rifle barrel a substantial distance away from a user's eye. Advantageously, such an implementation may permit a user to effectively sight the rifle without compromising situational awareness. In another example, the sight system may be used to provide a telescopic sight with a reticle (e.g., a dot, crosshair, mark, or other appropriate shape) superimposed on an image (e.g., a zoomed or non-zoomed image) displayed from a camera. In another example, the sight system may be used to provide an occluded sight in which a camera and/or display of the sight system is disabled. As a result, a reticle may be displayed over an opaque background. |
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| US09057582B2 |
Simulation system
A simulation system for use in military exercise of combat in an area having at least one building has a transmitter arranged on a firearm for simulating firing of a shot and a detector to be arranged on the body of a soldier. Sensors are adapted to sense whether the transmitter and the detector are located indoors or outdoors. The detector is designed to discriminate between normal power signals fired from outdoors and indoors, whereas the transmitters is adapted to emit signals of normal power when located outdoors and signal of normal power as well as a substantially lower power when located indoors. |
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| US09057580B2 |
Quick draw gun holster with interactive accessory device
In accordance with the present disclosure, novel quick draw hand gun holsters are described, together with methods for using them, that are capable, at a user's option, of activating a light accessory, such a light and/or laser sighting device, when the gun is drawn from the holster, and of deactivating it when the gun is inserted in the holster. Additional embodiments are also described. |
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| US09057578B2 |
Simulation bullet includable BB bullet magazine
A simulation bullet includable BB bullet magazine includes an enclosure, an elastic element arranged in the enclosure, an internal receptacle slidably received in the enclosure, and at least one simulation bullet movably receivable in the enclosure. The internal receptacle has an end coupled to the elastic element. The simulation bullet is arranged to contact the end of the internal receptacle that is distant from the elastic element. With such a structure, when the simulation bullet is loaded into the enclosure, the internal receptacle is pressed downwards. To shoot BB bullets, the simulation bullet is pushed out of the enclosure, whereby the elastic element moves the internal receptacle upward to a ready-to-shoot position. As such, a user, when operating and using the device, can fully experience of the fun of operation and thus, an advantage of being interesting and easy to operate can be achieved. |
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| US09057577B2 |
Rifle dry-fire apparatus and method
A rifle lower receiver has a trigger well and a magazine well. A hammer is disposed in the trigger well and configured to pivot from a first hammer position to a second hammer position in response to moving a trigger from a first trigger position to a second trigger position. A gear member attached to the lower receiver has a predefined number of gear teeth and a locking pin extending from the gear member. A pawl is connected to the trigger and operationally engages the gear member to increment the gear member once per trigger pull. Upon reaching a predefined number of trigger pulls, the locking member locks the trigger. A release lever on the lower receiver is operably configured to advance the gear member one increment to unlock the trigger. A method of dry-fire training is also disclosed. |
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| US09057573B1 |
Pistol hammer
A pistol hammer has a pistol cam formed around a hammer pin axis and configured to accommodate a strut. A pistol rear portion is immediately adjacent to the pistol cam. A pistol spur is immediately adjacent to the pistol rear portion. A pistol head is immediately adjacent to the pistol spur. The pistol head has a flat face that terminates at a flat face point. A concave front face is immediately adjacent to the pistol head extending in a smooth arc from the flat face point through an offset point to a termination point immediately adjacent to the pistol cam. The concave front face is configured to make contact toward a center of the firing pin retainer with a moment arm configured to fire the pistol with minimal force. |
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| US09057572B2 |
Firearm extraction system
An extraction system for extracting a cartridge from a firing chamber of a firearm includes an extractor mounted within the firearm bolt which has a bolt head with a plurality of lugs proximate a bolt face, a cartridge recess extending axially inward from the bolt face, and an extractor aperture extending radially outward through one of the lugs. A spring aperture extends axially through the one lug and intersects with the extractor aperture. The extractor is slidably mounted within the extractor aperture and has a hook portion for coupling with the cartridge and a transverse spring bore extending through a mid-section of the extractor. The extraction system further includes an extractor spring having an anchor portion mounted about the outer surface of the bolt and a cantilever spring portion inserted through the spring aperture and into the transverse hole in the extractor, for resiliently biasing the extractor toward the cartridge recess. |
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| US09057570B1 |
Loader for magazines with projecting side button
A magazine loader (10) for firearm magazines (40) has a projecting side button (50) coupled to a follower (52). Two similar and substantially flat flaps (12, 14) are hinged by a pin (18) along their longer side. A torsion spring (16) encompasses the pin and is positioned between the flaps, forcing them apart. Each flap has a substantially rectangular opening (20A, 20B) sized and positioned to fit over a magazine. The flaps can angle between an open position and a closed (parallel and touching) position. To load the magazine, a user squeezes and holds the flaps ends closed to align the openings so that the openings can be slid over the magazine to push the button down. Upon releasing the flaps they open, locking the openings on the magazine. Rounds (60) then can easily be loaded into the magazine. The loader may use a grasping member in lieu of flaps. |
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| US09057569B2 |
Ceramic heat sink material for pressure contact structure and semiconductor module using the same
A ceramic heat sink material for a pressure contact structure includes a resin layer on a ceramic substrate. The resin layer can have a durometer (Shore) hardness (A-type) of 70 or less, and an average value of gaps existing in an interface between the ceramic substrate and the resin layer is 3 μm or less. The resin layer can be formed by solidifying a thermosetting resin which is fluidized at a temperature of 60° C. |
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| US09057564B2 |
Cooling tower with indirect heat exchanger
A heat exchange apparatus is provided with an indirect evaporative heat exchange section and a direct evaporative heat exchange section. The indirect evaporative heat exchange section is usually located above the direct evaporative heat exchange section, and an evaporative liquid is passed downwardly onto the indirect heat exchange section. The evaporative liquid that exits the indirect evaporative heat exchange section then passes downwardly across and through the direct heat exchange section. The evaporative liquid is collected in a sump and then pumped upwardly to be distributed again across the indirect heat exchange section. The indirect heat exchange section is comprised of a plate type heat exchanger.An improved heat exchange apparatus is provided with indirect evaporative heat exchange section consisting of a plate type heat exchanger which provides more surface area per volume compared to other designs. The indirect plate style heat exchanger may be combined with one or more direct evaporative heat exchange sections in multiple arrangements. |
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| US09057561B2 |
Industrial oven having a rotary pipe
The industrial oven according to the invention has a rotary pipe and a fixed material supply device which is connected in the region of a front-face opening of the rotary pipe, there being provided between the rotary pipe and the material supply device a sealing arrangement which comprises a gas seal which is delimited from the operating chamber of the rotary pipe acted upon with material by at least a first gap between the rotary pipe and the material supply device. The sealing arrangement further has an annular chamber which is provided between the first gap and the gas seal and which has a discharge opening which is connected to the operating chamber. A lifting device is further provided in the annular chamber in order to lift out of the operating chamber material which has become introduced into the annular chamber through the first gap and to convey it back to the operating chamber through the discharge opening. |
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| US09057560B2 |
Developments in or relating to a hand dryer
A method of manufacturing a nozzle part for a hand dryer. The nozzle part has a nozzle body and an air outlet aperture in the nozzle body, and the method includes molding the nozzle body from plastic as a single part and then post-machining the air outlet aperture in the molded plastic nozzle body. |
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| US09057559B2 |
Cellulose pulp dryer having blow boxes, and a method of drying a web of cellulose pulp
A cellulose pulp drying box for drying a web of cellulose pulp having blow boxes that are operative for blowing gas towards the web of cellulose pulp for drying the pulp. At least 10% of the total number of blow boxes of the drying box are provided, in their respective face, with openings having a characteristic measure of 1.8 to 3. mm and constituting at least 20% of the total degree of perforation of the face of the respective blow box. |
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| US09057556B2 |
Select fill sensor system for refrigerator dispensers
A refrigerator includes a dispenser having a dispenser well, a control for regulating a product dispensing operation, and a select fill sensor system for automatically initiating and terminating the dispensing operation. An optical sensing system includes a camera within the dispenser well in communication with a controller for sensing the fill rate of a container within the dispenser well. The dispensing rate of product is adjusted depending on the product fill rate of the container such that optimum fill rates are obtained without overflow or spilling events. In this manner, a hands-free dispenser is provided that can be utilized regardless of the shape or size of container utilized. |
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| US09057552B2 |
Cooler having removable wheel assembly
A cooler includes a main body which includes a base, an upper rim, and one or more cooler walls extending therebetween. The cooler in some embodiments further includes a removable wheel assembly which includes two coaxial wheels, and an axle. The two coaxial wheels are removably securable to the axle. The cooler still further comprises a wheel fastening system configured to secure the removable wheel assembly to the base of the main body which includes a mount, a clip hingedly connected to the mount, and a locking clasp configured to lock the clip into a closed position to secure the wheel assembly. The cooler yet further comprises a lid including two wheel storage recesses, each being sized and dimensioned to receive and retain one of the coaxial wheel of the wheel assembly, and an axle storage recess sized and dimensioned to receive and retain the axle of the wheel assembly. |
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| US09057550B2 |
Refrigerator
A refrigerator is provided. The refrigerator includes an evaporator configured to evaporate a coolant and to cool a storage compartment, a compressor configured to compress the coolant evaporated in the evaporator, a condenser configured to condense the coolant compressed in the compressor, a hot line configured to receive condensed coolant, a first capillary tube configured to receive condensed coolant from the hot line, a second capillary tube configured to receive condensed coolant and arranged to allow bypassing of the hot line, a first coolant configured to adjust flow of condensed coolant from the hot line to the first capillary tube and a second coolant adjusting valve configured to control flow of condensed coolant from the condenser to the hot line and the second capillary tube. |
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| US09057548B2 |
Receiver with flow metering device
A receiver (50) is provided for collecting a refrigerant flowing through a refrigerant flow circuit. The receiver housing (52) defines an enclosed volume (55) establishing a refrigerant collection reservoir, and has an inlet (54), a first outlet (56), and a second outlet (58). A refrigerant metering device (70) is disposed within the enclosed volume (55) in operative association with the second outlet (58) for controlling a flow of refrigerant discharging through the second outlet (58). The refrigerant metering device (70) may be a capillary tube metering device (72). The receiver (50) may also include a refrigerant filter/dryer (80) disposed within the enclosed volume (55). |
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| US09057547B2 |
Surged heat pump systems
Surged heat pump systems, devices, and methods are disclosed having refrigerant phase separators that generate at least one surge of vapor phase refrigerant into the inlet of an evaporator during an on cycle of the compressor. This surge of vapor phase refrigerant, having a higher temperature than the liquid phase refrigerant, increases the temperature of the evaporator inlet, thus reducing frost build up in relation to conventional refrigeration systems lacking a surged input of vapor phase refrigerant to the evaporator. The temperature of the vapor phase refrigerant is raised in relation to the liquid phase with heat from the liquid by the phase separation, not by the introduction of energy from another source. The surged heat pump systems may operate in highest heat transfer efficiency mode and/or in one or more higher temperature modes. |
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| US09057546B2 |
Solar tracker
A free-standing solar tracker comprises a base, a support frame, a panel assembly comprising one or more solar panels, and an actuator to rotate the panel assembly to track the movement of the sun. The solar tracker is designed to be free-standing and requires no foundation. When the solar tracker is deployed, the base forms a pan to contain a ballast material for holding the base in place. The base of the solar tracker is designed to serve as a “suitcase” to contain most of the components of the solar tracker, making it easier to transport the solar tracker 10 to a location where the solar tracker is installed. |
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| US09057542B2 |
Snap-on structural connector
A connector is provided and includes a first and second side wall that are connected by a base. The side walls have recesses such that a structural member's protrusions can be interposed between the side wall's recesses and snapped into place to connect the connector to the structural member. |
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| US09057540B2 |
Frame for a solar module
A frame for a solar module that includes at least one solar cell. The solar-module frame has a frame corner having a corner connector made of a first material, in particular made of aluminum, and having a corner element made of a second material, which is different from the first material, in particular made of plastics material. |
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| US09057532B2 |
Return fan control system and method
A return fan control system for an HVAC system comprises a supply fan control loop, a return fan control loop and a building pressure control system. The supply fan control loop comprises a duct pressure controller arranged to control a supply fan to a duct pressure setpoint. The return plenum pressure control loop comprises a return plenum pressure controller arranged to automatically control a return fan to a return plenum pressure setpoint determined by a setpoint reset function. The building pressure control system is operable to control a building pressure. The building pressure control system may comprise a building pressure control loop and an outside air control loop cooperatively arranged to control an exhaust damper in response to an outside air intake. |
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| US09057528B2 |
Utilizing gaseous flow to redirect particulate matter
A method of and system for preventing particulate matter, such as debris, precipitation, and condensation from occupying a space or accumulating upon a surface by directly engaging the surface or creating an air-curtain effect adjacent the space utilizing a selectively actuated gaseous flow. |
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| US09057525B2 |
Home appliance with unitary bake element retainer
A home appliance having an oven with a bake element, the home appliance including an appliance body, an oven cavity defined within the appliance body, a bake element operationally associated within the oven cavity, a bake element retainer supporting the bake element and mounted adjacent the oven cavity, and a mounting arrangement formed integrally with the bake element retainer for mounting the bake element within the oven cavity. |
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| US09057524B2 |
Shielding wall for a fuel supply duct in a turbine engine
A burner assembly for a firing system for firing fluidic fuels is provided. The burner assembly has a burner hub, an air inlet channel and a fuel inlet channel, wherein the fuel inlet channel is at least partially designed in the burner hub. A screening wall is arranged in the fuel inlet channel. The screening wall is spaced apart from a wall of the fuel inlet channel so that an intermediate space is formed between the wall of the fuel inlet channel and the screening wall. A sleeve is equipped with at least one radial positioning means that ensures a clearance of the sleeve from the wall of the fuel inlet channel. The at least one radial positioning means of the sleeve is designed as a positioning projection arranged in a circular manner, protruding out radially. |
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| US09057523B2 |
Microcircuit cooling for gas turbine engine combustor
A combustor component of a gas turbine engine including a heat shield panel. The heat shield panel a defines microcircuit flow path within a thickness of said heat shield panel. |
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| US09057519B1 |
Chimney cap
A chimney cap assembly capable of being secured to a chimney or flue of either air-cooled or non-air-cooled types, embodiments of the chimney cap assembly including a collar member and an overlap joint. The collar member having a compressible portion with an outside circumference that is compressible to a compressed circumference smaller than an opening of the chimney or flue. The collar member also having an overlap joint with a pivot whereby the compressible portion of the collar member can be compressed. Embodiments of the chimney cap assembly include the collar member being attached to a base. Embodiments of the cap assembly also include means to form a ledge on the chimney or flue and a lower mesh structure. Also disclosed are embodiments of kits to provide such means to form a ledge and a lower mesh structure. |
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| US09057516B2 |
Superheated steam generators
Modularized, superheated steam generators comprise a steam module (46), a thermocouple module (41), and an electrode module (45) assembled within a containment enclosure (66). The multi-stage steam module (46) comprises a plurality of first stage pressure vessels (77) surrounding and feeding a second stage pressure vessel (78). The steam module (46) is coaxially surrounded by insulation (48) disposed within a cylindrical shroud (72). The electrode module (45) radiantly heats the steam module with resistive heating elements (119). The thermocouple module (41) includes thermocouples monitoring first stage temperatures within and between pressure vessels (77). PLC computer SCADA software (600) operates the generators. Thermocouple data is analyzed to control heater temperatures, the water feeding system (340), and outputted steam temperature. PLC software (600) provides operating logic (602) establishing a start up subroutine (602), a ramp up subroutine (603), a steady state subroutine (605), and a shut down subroutine (606). |
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| US09057514B2 |
Solid state lights with thermosiphon liquid cooling structures and methods
A solid state lighting (SSL) device with a solid state emitter (SSE) being partially exposed in a channel loop, and methods of making and using such SSLs. The SSE can have thermally conductive projections such as fins, posts, or other structures configured to transfer heat into a fluid medium, such as a liquid coolant in the channel loop. The channel loop can include an upward channel in which the SSE is exposed to warm the coolant in the upward channel, and a downward channel through which coolant moves after being cooled by a cooling structure. The coolant in the channel loop can naturally circulate due to the heat from the SSE. |
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| US09057513B2 |
Electrical assembly for connecting components of a lighting system for illuminating store shelving
Quick-connect disconnect connectors are provided as part of an electrical assembly used to electrically couple components to the end of an electrical track section. The connectors have a tongue portion insertable into the end of the track only one way to ensure against cross-wiring and include structures for retaining electrical contacts and strain reliefs. The connectors readily disconnect from the end of the track when force is applied which might be sufficient to damage the track or electrical assembly to prevent such damage. |
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| US09057510B2 |
Suspension device
A suspension device (101) for suspending objects (102), such as light fittings, at a distance from a ceiling (103). The suspension device comprises at least one rod member (104) and one flexible suspension line (105), wherein the rod member (104) is longer than 250 mm. The rod member has at least one attachment means (106) for at least one magnetic fastener (107, 108), and at least one alignment means (109) for slidably suspending (Z1) an upper portion (105′) of the suspension line relative to the longitudinal direction of the rod member. The suspension device further comprises at least one suspension means (110) for connection to both the suspension line (105) and the object (102), and a length-adjusting device (111) for adjusting the length (L1) of the suspension line between the rod member (104) and the suspension means (110). |
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| US09057509B2 |
Backlight module and backlight lamp guide thereof
A backlight module and a backlight lamp guide for the backlight module. The backlight lamp guide (5) comprises: a fixed base (3); a lamp clamping portion (2) provided on a first side of the fixed base (3); and a snap-fit structure (4) provided on a second side of the fixed base (3) opposite to the first side, wherein the snap-fit structure (4) comprises a snap-fit resilient structure (44); when the snap-fit structure (4) and a back cover (7) are snap-fitted, the snap-fit resilient structure (44) is elastically deformed, to exert an elastic retaining force on the back cover (7) in a direction away from the fixed base (3). The snap-fit resilient structure (44) facilitates a sufficient snap-fit of the snap-fit structure (4) with the back cover (7) of a backlight module. |
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| US09057507B2 |
LED lamp
An LED lamp includes an envelope, a circuit board, a plurality of LEDs, a lamp body and a lamp holder. The LEDs are arranged on the circuit board. The envelope covers the LEDs. The lamp body is connected between the envelope and the lamp holder. The lamp body includes a first chamber and a second chamber. The lamp body defines therein a plurality of first channels and a second channels. The first channels are defined adjacent to the envelope. The second channels are defined in the vicinity of the lamp holder. |
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| US09057505B2 |
Lamp with replaceable decorative cover
The present invention relates to a lamp structure field, and discloses a lamp with a replaceable decorative cover, comprising a radiator having an opening in an end thereof; an LED source and a reflector disposed in a cavity of the radiator; and a decorative cover covering the opening of the radiator, wherein the radiator is provided with a plurality of elastic sheets, the decorative cover is clamped and fixed to the radiator through the elastic sheets in a detachable manner. The lamp with replaceable decorative cover of the present invention, whose decorative cover is disposed on a bottom of the lamp through the special design elastic sheet in a detachable manner and may be replaced at any time according to different requirements of the user, satisfies the various requirements of the user, in addition, the simple structure, stable connection, simple assembly and convenient disassemble further improve the practicality of the product. |