最新美国发明专利第2015-06-30期 - 专利汇|PatentHub专利检索|专利查询网|发明专利查询分析

Document	Document Title
US09067695B1	Solar array transfer orbit power maximizer A method, system, and apparatus are disclosed for a solar array transfer orbit power maximizer. The present disclosure teaches a solar array circuitry design that can produce more stowed transfer orbit power than the traditional solar array. The disclosed design is able to achieve the additional stowed transfer orbit power by simply reassigning circuits without adding additional solar cells. In one or more embodiments, the disclosed method involves allocating a first plurality of solar cells to at least one circuit on an inboard panel of the solar array, and allocating a second plurality of solar cells to at least one circuit on an outboard panel of the solar array. The method further involves assigning at least one solar cell from at least one circuit on the inboard panel that is not needed during beginning of life (BOL) to at least one circuit on the outboard panel of the solar array.
US09067694B2	Position-based gyroless control of spacecraft attitude A system and a method for commanding a spacecraft to perform a three-axis maneuver purely based on “position” (i.e., attitude) measurements. Using an “inertial gimbal concept”, a set of formulae are derived that can map a set of “inertial” motion to the spacecraft body frame based on position information so that the spacecraft can perform/follow according to the desired inertial position maneuvers commands. Also, the system and method disclosed herein employ an intrusion steering law to protect the spacecraft from acquisition failure when a long sensor intrusion occurs.
US09067689B2	Aircraft refueling system and method of refueling an aircraft An aircraft refueling system for use with a supplying aircraft is provided. The refueling system includes at least two strips of material coupled to a lower portion of the supplying aircraft. The at least two strips are separated by a distance and comprise a material that facilitates the at least two strips becoming progressively visible to a pilot of a receiving aircraft as the receiving aircraft approaches the supplying aircraft.
US09067688B2	Turboshaft engine attached to a pylon of the fuselage of an aircraft by a failsafe suspension system A suspension system including a front suspension plane located at an intermediate turboshaft engine casing and connecting same to a pylon, a rear suspension plane located at an exhaust casing of the turboshaft engine and connecting same to the pylon, and a failsafe intermediate suspension plane located between the front and rear planes and including at least one connecting rod connecting the turboshaft engine having a structural outer casing to the pylon, the connecting rod mounted on the turboshaft engine with a predetermined clearance that renders the connecting rod inoperable while the suspension system of the rear plane is operating. The connecting rod is advantageously arranged between the outer casing and the pylon, and an element made of a flexible material is combined with the connecting rod to create the predetermined clearance by an elastically deformable nature thereof.
US09067685B2	De-icing systems and methods An de-icing system comprising a shield that is configured to deform in a pre-determined way that de-bonds accreted ice. In some embodiments, the shield has a variable (non-uniform) stiffness across its width and/or length such that it undergoes a twist-like or other suitable deformation when subjected to a force. In some embodiments, the system includes a plurality of electro-mechanical actuators configured to generate the force applied to the shield.
US09067684B2	Electrical power supply device for powering at least one piece of equipment of an aircraft rotor, and an aircraft An electrical power supply device (10) comprising a pole (11), said pole (11) having a non-rotary casing (15) and a rotary casing (12) provided with fastener means (14) for fastening to a mast. The pole (11) includes a non-rotary converter (20) fastened to the non-rotary casing (15) and generating AC at a frequency higher than one kilohertz. The pole also includes a rotary transformer (25), said rotary transformer (25) having a primary member (26) secured to the non-rotary casing (15) and a secondary member (27) secured to the rotary casing (12), the primary member (26) being connected to the non-rotary converter (20) to receive said AC, and the secondary member (27) being suitable for electrically powering equipment (100) of a rotor (2).
US09067678B2	Side feeder air guiding element for an aircraft air-conditioning system An air guiding element for an aircraft air-conditioning system includes a distributing pipe having an air inlet opening arranged in the region of an end face of the distributing pipe and an air discharge opening arranged in the region of a generated surface of the distributing pipe. The air guiding element further comprises a flow diverting element having a first section connected to the air discharge opening of the distributing pipe and a second section arranged downstream of the first section relative to the direction of the air flow through the air guiding element. The second section is configured to deflect the air as it flows through the second section at an angle of approximately 45 to 135° relative to the direction of the air flow through the first section, and a diffuser which is arranged downstream of the second section.
US09067676B1	Convertible helicopter ring member A convertible helicopter ring member includes a ring member and a drive mechanism. The drive mechanism orients the ring member substantially in-plane with a tail rotor of a helicopter during a first mode of helicopter operation and orients the ring member substantially off-plane with the tail rotor of the helicopter during a second mode of helicopter operation that is different from the first mode.
US09067674B2	Plasma-enhanced active laminar flow actuator system The invention regards a plasma-enhanced active laminar flow actuator system (1) adapted to an aerodynamic surface (3) which has a nano-engineered composite material layer (5) comprising a set of electrodes arranged (7′, 7″) in at least an upper (P1) and a lower (P2) plane extending parallel with the aerodynamic surface (3); the electrodes (7′, 7″) comprising nano filaments (9); the electrodes (7′) of the upper plane (P1) are arranged in the aerodynamic surface (3) such that they define a smooth and hard aerodynamic surface (3); conductors (11, 11′) of nano filaments (9″) arranged for electrical communication between a control unit (13) and each of the electrodes (7′, 7″), wherein the control unit (13) is adapted to address current between cooperating electrodes (7′, 7″) of the upper and lower plane (P1, P2) from a current supply depending upon air flow characteristic signals fed from air flow sensor means (19).
US09067670B2	Frame for an opening provided in an aircraft fuselage A door frame is provided at an opening made in a fuselage of an aircraft that is delimited by a skin. The frame includes an upper longitudinal stiffener and a lower longitudinal stiffener and two vertical substructures, each arranged on one side of the opening, connected by the upper and lower longitudinal stiffeners. The frame also comprises at least one stop provided at the level of the opening that uptakes radial forces exerted by the door. Each vertical substructure comprises at least three walls made of composite material that are connected to one another to form a box substructure having a closed and hollow cross-section in a sectional plane perpendicular to an axis of the length of the vertical substructure.
US09067669B2	Carbon fiber hold open rod A hold open rod system is provided. The system may include, a cylindrical bracket having a first portion with a first bore for coupling to an elongate tensile member and a second portion remote from the first portion, having a second bore for coupling to a fastener; and a tubular jacket surrounding the at least a portion of the bracket, the elongate tensile member and at least a portion of the fastener. A method of constructing a hold open rod may be provided. The method may include: attaching a bracket to an end of a composite tube; attaching the composite material to an elongate tension member; operatively connecting a fastener to the elongate tension member; and extending the elongate tension member through at least part of the bracket.
US09067668B2	Adaptable solar airframe with a flexible photovoltaic system Methods and apparatus for an adaptable solar airframe are provided herein. In some embodiments, an adaptable solar airframe includes an expandable body having an aerodynamic cross-section that reduces parasitic air drag at any given thickness of the body, further being able to change its shape in flight in response to changes in the relative position of the sun; and a flexible solar PV system attached to the surface of the expandable body.
US09067664B2	Automatic thruster control of a marine vessel during sport fishing mode A marine vessel is disclosed having a control system for automatically controlling thrusters for steering the marine vessel for the purpose of aiding an angler who has hooked a fish. The control system will automatically control the thrusters based on the positions of the propulsion unit control levers if the control levers are split. The control system may also control the thrusters if the propulsion unit control levers have moved past a predetermined threshold. The predetermined threshold can be set by the operator of the marine vessel.
US09067657B2	Unfolded life jacket Disclosed in the present invention is an unfolded life jacket which comprises a fixed floating body provided with a notch through which a user's head passes; straps comprising interconnecting straps attached to the fixed floating body, the interconnecting straps being tied with intermeshing loop straps to hold the user's body; a movable floating body comprising a front movable floating block and a rear movable floating block, to which the fixed floating body is attached, respectively, a rope being attached to the front movable floating block and the rear movable floating block, the rope being tied with the intermeshing loop straps, an adhesion part limiting the front movable floating block and the rear movable floating block on the intermeshing loop straps. It helps the user to keep in a vertical state in water so as to stabilize the gravity center and keep the head out of the water surface.
US09067651B1	Inflatable flex wing water float A towable aquatic vehicle with flexible wings is disclosed. The towable aquatic vehicle includes one or more elongated inflatable tubes and two flexible inflatable wings. The one or more elongated inflatable tubes have first and second outer sides, each defining an elongated edge of the one or more elongated inflatable tubes. A first inflatable wing is pivotally secured to the first side of the one or more elongated inflatable tubes, and a second inflatable wing is pivotally secured to the second side of the one or more elongated inflatable tubes. The first inflatable wing and the second inflatable wing are positioned opposite with respect to each other. The towable aquatic vehicle with flexible wings provides steerability to the rider/user and allows the user to ride the towable aquatic vehicle in various different riding positions.
US09067647B2	Portable boat ladder The portable telescoping boat ladder is easily stored, installed, and used. The ladder comprises a ladder assembly mounted to a base assembly. The ladder assembly comprises telescoping ladder sections able to be collapsed into a stored position with the rungs adjacent each other. The base assembly comprises a platform, a means for engagement with a boat hand rail, and a means for providing a maximum angle at which the ladder assembly may be deployed.
US09067646B2	Auxiliary deck for pontoon boat An auxiliary deck assembly for a pontoon boat includes a stowable auxiliary deck and mounting structure. The mounting structure swingably supports the auxiliary deck for swinging movement between stowed and operating positions. The auxiliary deck is configured so that the auxiliary deck surface is generally aligned with the primary deck surface when the auxiliary deck is in the operating position. The auxiliary deck is further configured so that the auxiliary deck surface is oriented at a generally upright angle relative to the primary deck surface when the auxiliary deck is in the stowed position.
US09067643B2	Interchangeable superstructures and hulls for ocean going vessels An ocean going vessel with interchangeable superstructure and hull in which the superstructure has control units for controlling propulsion and steering, as well as components for communication and navigation. The superstructure and the hull each have an interface providing quick connect and disconnect capability between the control units of the superstructure and the components being controlled of the hull. A system for interchanging superstructures and hulls for ocean going vessels is enabled in which the superstructure of an inbound vessel is removed and transferred to an outbound hull with the use of a crane at the port facility. This facilitates quick turnaround time of the superstructure and crew of the inbound vessel. This also enables inbound ship hulls to be inspected without delaying the outbound hull that has been preloaded from being shipped out of port with the transferred superstructure.
US09067641B2	Bicycle front derailleur with a variable actuation ratio A front derailleur comprises a base member structured to be attached to a bicycle frame member, a chain guide operatively connected to the base member, and an actuation mechanism coupled to the base member and to the chain guide for moving the chain guide relative to the base member between a first position corresponding to a location for positioning a chain on a first sprocket and a second position corresponding to a location for positioning the chain on a second sprocket. The actuation mechanism is configured so that an actuation ratio of the derailleur when the chain guide is located in the first position is greater than or equal to 1.5 times the actuation ratio when the chain guide is located in the second position.
US09067639B2	Bottom bracket assembly of a bicycle and left crank arm assembly thereof A bicycle bottom bracket assembly that reduces the accumulation of dirt and/or corrosive substances inside the shaft extending between the crank arms of the assembly. The bottom bracket assembly includes a shaft having a through-cavity that extends along its longitudinal direction; a crank arm is associated with each end portion of the shaft, and the through-cavity extends unobstructed through the crank arms and the shaft.
US09067637B2	Adjustable folding handlebar for human powered vehicles Embodiments of the present invention comprise a folding handlebar to allow the rider to adopt an aerodynamic riding position without superfluous bars protruding left and right and a control system so the rider has full access to braking and gear changing whether riding in the aero or non aero position.
US09067636B2	Vehicle-height adjustment apparatus of motorcycle In a vehicle-height adjustment apparatus of a motorcycle having a hydraulic jack and a hydraulic pump attached to a hydraulic shock absorber, a structure is provided in which an oil return path of a hydraulic jack and a suction port of a hydraulic pump are not required to be opened in a sliding surface of a piston in a damper tube. In the vehicle-height adjustment apparatus of a motorcycle, an oil return path is opened in an outer flow path of the damper tube to cause the oil of a jack chamber to return to the oil chamber of the damper tube when a plunger of the hydraulic jack reaches a protruding end in the jack chamber.
US09067635B2	Frame unit for bicycle and method of manufacturing the same A frame unit for a bicycle may include a left frame body in which a part of a seat tube, a part of a frame, and a left stay are integrally formed, and a right frame body in which a part of the seat tube, a part of the frame, and a right stay are integrally formed, and wherein the left frame body and the right frame body are joined to each other along edges of the left and right frame bodies so as to integrally form the head tube, the seat tube, and the frame.
US09067633B2	Bicycle convertible to a stroller A bicycle convertible to a three-wheeled vehicle comprises a pair of auxiliary wheels mounted on either side of the rear wheel. The auxiliary wheels are movable between a raised position in which the auxiliary wheels are raised from the supporting surface when the bicycle is in a bicycle mode and a lowered position in which the auxiliary wheels contact the supporting surface when the bicycle is in a stroller mode. A locking mechanism is provided for locking the auxiliary wheels in the raised and lowered positions.
US09067630B2	Gooseneck trailer hitch lock A locking device according to the present invention, for use with a trailer gooseneck, the trailer gooseneck having a post with upper and lower ends, the upper end being attached to a trailer and the lower end. The lower end forms a recess and a pair of bore holes at a right angle to the centerline of the recess for accepting a coupler for receiving a hitch. The coupler is removed to allow insertion of the locking device. The locking device includes a body adapted to fit into the recess of the lower end, a pair of locking pins within the body of the locking device, a cam within the body of the locking device and a lock to prevent the cam from being turned when the lock is engaged. The locking pins face opposite directions and are adapted to be inserted into the bore hole on the two sides of the recess. When the body is inserted into the recess and the cam is turned in one direction, the cam moves the pair of locking pins outward so that the locking pins are inserted into the bore hole, but partially remain within the body. When the cam is turned in the opposite direction, the pair of locking pins are withdrawn into the body of the locking device and the locking device can be removed from the recess. In one form, return springs engage the pair of locking pins.
US09067628B2	Apparatus for forming a vacuum adhesion A method, apparatus, and system for adhering a vacuum to a surface is provided. A seal is positioned relative to a surface. The seal is associated with a structure and is in communication with a channel within the structure. The seal is rotated relative to the structure such that the seal at least partially conforms to the surface. Air is drawn into the channel within the structure through the seal such that the seal adheres to the surface.
US09067624B2	Cross member for a frame of a vehicle as well as frame for a vehicle A cross member for a frame of a vehicle. The cross member provides a particularly high stiffness of the frame and has a particularly low weight. A first support arrangement (18) having 4, 5, 6 or more support legs connects a cross member (10) to a first frame rail (16a) of the frame (12), and a second support arrangement (24) having 4, 5, 6 or more further support legs (26a-d) connect the cross member (10) to a second frame rail (16b) of the frame (12). At least two of the four support legs of the respective first and second support arrangement are bent upwards from the base portion, the other support legs (20b, 20c) being bent downwards.
US09067622B2	Vehicle roof made of glass comprising localized zones of compressive stress An automotive vehicle roof that has two longitudinal edges and two transverse edges and that is symmetrical with respect to a median longitudinal plane, the roof consisting of a glazing unit including at least one mineral glass sheet, the sheet including a border of compressive edge stresses and at least two localized zones of compressive stress inside the border, the zones being placed symmetrically relative to the plane of symmetry and each localized zone of compressive stress being less than 30 cm from a longitudinal edge.
US09067620B2	Emergency steering system of construction equipment The present disclosure relates to construction machinery such as an excavator or a wheel loader, and more particularly, to an emergency steering apparatus for construction machinery, capable of controlling a steering operation at the time of emergency in which a part of equipment malfunctions or is in an inoperable state. More specifically, an emergency steering apparatus for construction machinery according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a steering actuator; an emergency hydraulic pump connected to the steering actuator through a pair of driving flow paths; an emergency steering unit configured to receive working oil, which is discharged from the emergency hydraulic pump, and operate a steering means; and an emergency steering controller configured to control whether or not the emergency hydraulic pump is operated.
US09067608B2	System and method for early train detection A train detection security system and method include sensor units arranged for being fixed to at least one rail. The sensor units are arranged for detecting a first signal induced by a moving train. Each sensor unit is divided in at least a first chamber and a second chamber, where the first and second chambers are separated by an electromagnetic shield. The first chamber includes a piezoelectric element fixed to an outer wall of said first chamber, and an amplifier. A warning signal is generated in a control system based on the approaching train.
US09067605B2	Fittings for autorack railroad car An autorack rail road car has an underframe having a main deck, and a rack mounted to the underframe. The rack supports one or more decks above the main deck, and also supports, or defines, an enclosure that protects the automobiles carried as lading. One way to prolong the life of the rack is to delay corrosion. Corrosion may start in locations that are difficult to clean, or that have not been cleaned prior to painting. Autorack upper decks may use longitudinally extending stringers. A stringer of closed section may be less prone to facilitating early corrosion, and may be less prone to drip rust-filled water on automobiles carried as lading. In some embodiments the stringer may be placed at a slope discontinuity in the lading deck, and may overlap that slope discontinuity.
US09067603B2	Adaptative cruise control An adaptive cruise control system for a motor vehicle includes a forward looking object detecting arrangement for simultaneously detecting several target objects moving in the predicted path and adjacent paths of the equipped vehicle. The detecting arrangement is arranged to continuously monitor velocity and distance to each of the target objects, and a processing arrangement processes signals from the detecting means to provide information of distance to and relative speed of vehicles travelling in front of the equipped vehicle.
US09067602B2	Technique for providing measured aerodynamic force information to improve mileage and driving stability for vehicle Disclosed is a technique for providing aerodynamic force information to improve gas mileage and driving stability of a vehicle. In particular, a plurality of pressure sensors are provided in a vehicle body and are configured to sense the pressure of air received from each of several points of the vehicle when the vehicle is driven. A first unit then calculates an air resistance value by measuring aerodynamic force data which the vehicle receives from air based on a pressure value of air sensed by the pressure sensor and driving information depending on the driving of the vehicle, and a method thereof.
US09067600B2	Engine speed control apparatus and method for a hybrid vehicle A vehicle powertrain system has an engine, a damper and an electric machine configured to be selectively mechanically coupled with the engine via damper. The vehicle powertrain system also has at least one controller programmed to filter a frequency content of a speed or torque command for the electric machine corresponding to a resonant frequency of the engine, damper and electric machine to reduce resonance of the engine, damper and electric machine.
US09067598B2	Method and apparatus for controlling a high-voltage electrical system for a multi-mode transmission A multi-mode transmission for a powertrain system includes a high-voltage electrical system with a high-voltage battery and high-voltage electrical bus coupled to a power inverter electrically coupled to torque machines configured to transform electric power to torque. A method for controlling the multi-mode transmission includes monitoring voltage and current on the high-voltage electrical bus, and estimating electric power limits for the high-voltage electric bus including a constrained battery power command based upon a total motor torque electrical power for the torque machines. Torque commands for the torque machines are constrained in response to the estimated electric power limits for the high-voltage electric bus. Operation of the torque machines of the multi-mode transmission is controlled in response to the torque commands for the torque machines.
US09067596B2	Control apparatus of hybrid vehicle A control apparatus of a hybrid vehicle has an engine, a motor, an engine-driven generator, and a battery. A controller determines an engine output based on an efficiency function that is defined by a drive power of the vehicle, a generated electric power from the generator, and a discharged electric power from the battery. The determined engine output controls the efficiency function to be kept in a value range that includes a maximum efficiency value of the efficiency function.
US09067592B2	Control device A control device that controls a vehicle drive device in which a first engagement device, a rotating electrical machine, a second engagement device, and an output member are sequentially arranged in this order from an input member side on a power transmission path that connects the input member drivingly coupled to an internal combustion engine to the output member drivingly coupled to wheels. The control device controls both the first engagement device and the second engagement device to a slip engaged state, and causes the rotating electrical machine to generate electric power.
US09067590B2	Method for operating a hybrid vehicle and hybrid vehicle A method for operating a hybrid vehicle and a hybrid vehicle are disclosed. The hybrid vehicle includes a supercharged internal combustion engine having an overboost function and at least one electric drive. An overboost phase of the supercharger of the internal combustion engine is followed by a regeneration phase of the supercharger and a corresponding drop in torque, wherein the at least one electric drive is used to at least partially compensate for the drop in torque of the internal combustion engine during the overboost regeneration phase of the supercharger. Thus, an improved driving behavior with an extended overboost phase can be achieved.
US09067586B2	Hybrid working machine A hybrid working machine includes an engine, a motor generator connected to the engine, a variable displacement hydraulic pump configured to be driven to rotate with the output of the engine, and a control part configured to control the rotation speed of the engine and the variable displacement hydraulic pump. The control part is configured to determine the target rotation speed of the variable displacement hydraulic pump based on a hydraulic load and control the rotation speed of the engine using the target rotation speed.
US09067585B2	Control device for hybrid vehicle A gradient determination control unit releases the hold of a gradient determination result when a state where a road surface gradient detected by a gradient detection unit is smaller than a gradient release determination threshold value continues for a second predetermined time or longer if a vehicle is determined to be in a traveling state by a traveling state determination unit, and releases the hold of the gradient determination result when the road surface gradient detected by the gradient detection unit becomes smaller than the gradient release determination threshold value if the vehicle is determined to be in a stopped state by the traveling state determination unit.
US09067579B2	Method and system for controlling a vehicle powertrain A method and system for controlling a powertrain in a vehicle includes steps including registering a road condition. If the registered road condition corresponds to normal road conditions then a first gear selection control algorithm is used intended for driving the vehicle in a normal mode corresponding to the conditions on an ordinary road. If the registered road condition corresponds to soft surface road conditions then a second gear selection control algorithm is used intended for driving the vehicle in a soft surface mode corresponding to the conditions on an soft surface road. In this way, a vehicle can be adapted to be provided with an AMT to work in a satisfactorily way under an increased diversity of conditions.
US09067578B2	Method for operating a regenerative braking system of a vehicle and control unit for a regenerative braking system of a vehicle A method/controller for operating a vehicle regenerative braking system by operating in a first braking mode, in which a generator braking torque of a generator is not zero and is equal to a first regenerative portion predefined for the first mode, and controlling the system out of the first mode into a second braking mode having a second regenerative portion, which is smaller than the first portion, so that brake fluid is pumped out of a storage volume of the system into at least one wheel brake cylinder and/or at least one brake circuit of the system via at least one brake fluid delivery mechanism; by activating the delivery mechanism via a setpoint delivery output variable, which is established/predefined for a setpoint brake pressure having a setpoint pressure rise which increases over time, so that an actual brake pressure having an actual pressure rise increase over time is built up.
US09067577B2	Vehicle braking system A vehicle braking system includes a master cylinder for producing an upstream hydraulic pressure corresponding to an operation given to a brake operation part, a shut-off valve provided between the master cylinder and a wheel cylinder, a hydraulic-pressure source for producing a downstream hydraulic pressure between the shut-off valve and the wheel cylinder in a close instruction receiving condition of the shut-off valve, and a controller for setting a target value of the downstream hydraulic pressure based on an operation amount and controlling the downstream hydraulic pressure based on the target value. According to the vehicle braking system, a driver is prevented from feeling discomfort through a brake operation without an increase in a power consumption of a shut-off valve provided between the master cylinder and the wheel cylinder.
US09067575B2	Brake system and vehicle comprising a brake system A vehicle and a brake system for a vehicle include at least one hydraulic pump, wherein the at least one hydraulic pump is connected to an input fluid conduit and an output fluid conduit. A flow resistance unit is provided in the output fluid conduit of the at least one hydraulic pump for being selectively coupled into the output fluid conduit when brake torque is requested.
US09067573B2	Method, system and device for controlling a vehicle brake system To operate an electrically controlled pressurized-fluid brake system, an external brake request signal is received, a curve radius of a vehicle track of the vehicle is determined, at least one limit value is determined based on the curve radius, at least one variable representing a brake pressure to be supplied to wheel brakes is compared with the at least one limit value, the at least one variable is limited based on the comparison, the at least one variable is outputted, and braking pressure is supplied to the wheel brakes based on the outputted at least one variable.
US09067572B2	Brake arrangement of a rail vehicle A brake arrangement of a railway vehicle includes an electrical brake device having an electronic brake controller and having an electro-pneumatic regulator with a pressure sensor. An emergency brake device has a pressure reducer in series with a valve device. A shuttle valve device is also present at a pneumatic output of the electrical pneumatic braking device and a pneumatic output of the emergency brake system and is connected at the inputs thereof. The output of the valve device is connected to a control valve device connected upstream of a brake cylinder. The brake arrangement can be a direct braking arrangement and can be converted in a simple manner to an indirect braking arrangement. The valve device is an electromagnetic emergency stop valve working according to the principle of de-energizing to close, and the pressure sensor of the electro-pneumatic regulator is connected to the output of the shuttle valve device.
US09067569B2	Wiper blade apparatus capable of assembling various mount types of wiper arms Provided is a wiper blade apparatus on which various mount types of wiper arms are capable of being assembled. The wiper blade apparatus includes a lever member supporting a wiper lip, the lever member and a clip member coupled to the lever member. The lever member includes a clip accommodation hole, a first mount hole and a first popping groove. An inner wall of the first popping groove is separated from the lever member by a force of about 3 kgf to about 5 kgf that is applied in a width direction of the lever member to form a hole through which the first popping groove faces the first mount hole, and a pin arm type wiper arm or a slide arm type wiper arm is mounted by passing through the first mount hole and the first popping groove.
US09067567B2	Vehicle wiper apparatus A vehicle wiper apparatus is applied to a vehicle provided with a wiping surface including a first wiping area at a passenger's seat side and a second wiping area at a driver's seat side. A first wiper includes a first wiper blade configured to wipe the first wiping area. A second wiper includes a second wiper blade configured to wipe the second wiping area. A washer nozzle is arranged on the first wiper to supply washing liquid to the second wiping area. The washer nozzle sprays washing liquid so that the supply of washing liquid toward a front side in an advancing direction of the second wiper blade switches to a rear side in the advancing direction when the second wiper blade moves from the first reversing position to the second reversing position during the wiping operation of the first and second wipers.
US09067566B1	Active bolster for pedestrian protection A vehicle instrument panel has a pedestrian protection zone along a forward side. The instrument panel generally has a low stiffness that avoids impact forces in the pedestrian protection zone greater than a predetermined force. An accessory component mounted on the instrument panel within the protection zone has a stiffness that could generate an impact force above the predetermined force. A cover providing a trim surface of the instrument panel has an annular wall region between inner and outer tear seams which encompass the accessory component. An annular bladder wall joined to the annular wall region forms a substantially toroidal expandable chamber. An inflator is arranged to supply an inflation gas into the expandable chamber during an impact of a pedestrian to tear the tear seams and expand the expandable chamber above the instrument panel body to intercept the pedestrian prior to impacting the accessory component.
US09067564B2	Airbags with sewn leak reducing panels An airbag or inflatable cushion assembly can include an inflatable cushion and a throat liner. The throat liner can be coupled to an interior surface of the inflatable cushion at one or more coupling sites. The one or more coupling sites can include one or more panels that can be coupled to at least a portion of both of the inflatable cushion and the throat liner. The one or more panels can be configured to control or inhibit egress of an inflation gas at the one or more coupling sites.
US09067554B2	Seat belt control device, seat belt retractor, seat belt device, seat belt control method, and program Based on the operation of a motor driver (16), a counter (13) makes an addition to and a subtraction from a heat generation counter value which is stored in a storage (14) and represents the temperature variation of a motor (7) and/or the motor driver (16). Once a switching decider (12) decides that a shift has been made from a normal operation mode, in which operating power is supplied, to a sleep mode which has a lower power consumption than that in the normal operation mode, a power source controller (15) refers to the heat generation counter value; and, when the heat generation counter value is equal to or more than a specified threshold value, the power source controller (15) stands by until the counter (13) makes a subtraction from the heat generation counter value to the threshold value and then shifts to the sleep mode.
US09067547B2	Door belt molding for vehicle A door belt molding for a vehicle installed in a door panel of a vehicle kept close to a door glass may include a weather strip having a fixing groove and a locker formed in upper and lower portions of an external side to be mounted in a hem of the door panel and a plurality of contact lips disposed on an internal side to contact the door glass. The door belt molding may further include a mold having supporters formed at upper and lower ends to be installed in the door panel to surround the weather strip and a mold clip installed in the hem of the door panel through a cut portion of the weather strip to fix the mold to the door panel.
US09067546B2	High voltage protection interlock system for serviceability An interlock system and method are provided for protecting high voltage electrical couplings. The interlock system may control access to the electrical couplings based on the voltage of the electrical couplings. The interlock system may also selectively energize and de-energize the electrical couplings based on the position of a lid.
US09067542B2	Interior rearview mirror system An interior rearview mirror system suitable for use in a vehicle includes an interior rearview mirror assembly having a mirror casing and a transflective reflective element. The transflective reflective element has an electrochromic active region, and a plurality of user input elements is disposed outside of the electrochromic active region and below the electrochromic active region. Each of the individual user input elements is a touch or proximity sensor. A plurality of display elements is disposed behind the transflective reflective element at the electrochromic active region, and each display element is selectively activated by activation of a respective user input element. Each of the individual display elements and its associated respective one of the individual user input elements are located local to one another such that a cognitive relationship between actuation by a user of a respective user input element and activation of its associated display element is established.
US09067537B2	Vehicle periphery monitoring device Provided is a vehicle periphery monitoring device capable of making a driver reliably recognize the shape of an object to which attention should be paid. According to an image processing unit (1) (vehicle periphery monitoring device), for example, when it is highly probable that the shape of the object is difficult to be visually recognized through the output image because of the reason that the object is present far from the vehicle or other reason, an enlarged image (Q′) of the object (Q) is displayed on an HUD (7) so as not to overlap with the object (Q).
US09067532B2	Adjustment device of a lighting and/or signalling device of a motor vehicle, and the assembly procedure of such a device Adjustment device of the position of a first part of a lighting and/or signaling device of a motor vehicle in relation to a second part of this device. The adjustment device has a screw in mechanical liaison with the first part and in helical liaison with the second part, the helical liaison comprising: a sliding pivot liaison linking the screw to the second part, the screw being clipped into a bore which has an opening according to a first axis (X) and a conformation completed on the second part which matches the threads of the screw.
US09067531B2	Ambient lighting jig assembly and method An ambient lighting jig assembly generally includes a support assembly, a trim panel, an insert panel, and a light source. The support assembly defines an inner support cavity. The trim panel is configured to be coupled to the support assembly and at least partly defines a jig opening. The insert panel is configured to be rotatably coupled to the support assembly within the jig opening and has a reflective surface. The light source is configured to emit a light stream. Further, the light source is configured to be rotatably coupled to the support assembly within the inner support cavity at a plurality of angular positions so that the light stream is projected onto the reflective surface for use in determining an optimal angle for the insert panel and the light source.
US09067530B2	Illuminated interior equipment component for a vehicle The invention relates to an interior equipment component for a vehicle, comprising a light emission element for emitting light and a strip-shaped light guide element. The light guide element has here a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first surface is one of the two largest surfaces of the light guide element, and the second surface is a surface which deviates therefrom, and the first surface comprises an input face. In addition, the light guide element and the light emission element are arranged and configured in such a way that light from the light emission element can be input into the light guide element via the input face and can be output via the second surface.
US09067526B2	Estimating the remaining life of shape memory alloy actuators Mechanical devices powered by Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) wires or other linear elements offer advantages in automotive applications. Such SMA-powered devices are commonly reliable and long-lived but have a finite lifetime. Measurements of the electrical resistivity of an SMA element during operation of the element may be related to the remaining lifetime of the element. Because operation of SMA elements is promoted by heating the element, usually by passage of an electric current, the resistivity measurements, and hence assessment of SMA element operation, may be made without interruption to the operation of the SMA-powered device and without addition of dedicated sensors.
US09067523B2	Container auto-lock system A container according the present application includes a container auto-lock system. The container auto-lock system is integrated into the outboard apertures of the lower castings of a domestic sized container. The container auto-lock system includes a locking mechanism which is configured to recess when the container is lowered onto a surface lacking an acceptable receiving aperture. The locking mechanism is also configured to automatically lock when placed on top of a domestic sized container. The container auto-lock system is configured to be compatible with international sized container by allowing the inboard apertures on each lower casting to be available for attaching the domestic container on top of an international container with a conventional locking device.
US09067521B1	Cargo organizer Board channels of a cargo organizer are defined by towers disposed at the rear margins of the organizer base and upstanding walls spaced forwardly from the towers. The upstanding walls are located rearwardly of a base plate adapted to be placed underneath an item of cargo to be contained. The board channels are formed at an angle to each other, such that each of several organizers may be disposed at respective vertices of a cargo restraining polygon. The organizer walls are joined to the base by inserting barbs disposed on the lower surface of the walls into respective barb receivers. Side margins of the barb receivers mate with side margins of recesses in the lower margin of the wall. Relieved areas formed in the front surface of the organizer wall mate with upstanding plates of the base.
US09067519B2	Vehicle seat An attaching member includes a cover attaching portion to which a portion of a cover directly or indirectly attaches, a board attaching portion to which one end of a board member attaches, and an engaging portion that engages with a frame member. The portion of the cover is attached to the cover attaching portion, the board member is attached to the board attaching portion, mutual positions of the portion of the cover and the board member are fixed, and the engaging portion is engaged with the frame member.
US09067515B2	Locking device In a reclining device, a pawl is guided by guide walls formed in a guide while both of side portions thereof are applied thereto, so as to be movable only radially inwards and outwards. The pawl is divided into two divisional pawls configured to obliquely contact with each other, so as to be pressed and moved away from each other in opposite lateral directions and to be pressed against the guide walls positioned in respective lateral directions when the pawl is pressed and moved in the advancing direction by the pressing cam. A division line is set to form inclined surfaces that are configured to bring the two divisional pawls into face contact with each other obliquely with respect to the advancing moving direction of the pawl, and vertical surfaces that are configured to bring the two divisional pawls into face contact with each other in a direction perpendicular to the pawl advancing moving direction.
US09067513B2	Seat slide position detection device for vehicle A seat slide position detection device for a vehicle includes: a fixed rail attached to a vehicle floor; a movable rail supported to the fixed rail slidably in a longitudinal direction of the fixed rail; a detected portion disposed in a predetermined area of the fixed rail extending in the longitudinal direction; and a position sensor attached to the movable rail and having a sensor detector in a position of the position sensor opposed to the detected portion. The position sensor includes a protrusion attached to the movable rail with an extremity portion of the protrusion in contact with the movable rail.
US09067510B2	Seat back assembly Embodiments of the present invention include a seat back assembly comprising a seat back with a recess and a tray table assembly. The table body is configured to substantially fit within the recess. An amenity compartment may also be coupled to the seat back above the tray table assembly and may be configured to also substantially fit within the recess. The amenity compartment may be a bezel or an upper literature pocket. A latching mechanism releasably engages the tray table assembly with the amenity compartment. The amenity compartment may be coupled to the seat back via a hook that engages a slotted bracket on the seat back and projections that engage receptacles on the seat back. A protective covering may be inserted between the seat back and the amenity compartment and coupled to the seat back without additional fasteners. The protective covering may be a full shroud, a partial shroud, or a dress cover.
US09067509B2	Seat occupancy determination apparatus A seat occupancy determination apparatus includes first and second load sensors arranged at one end of a lower side of a seat in a width direction, and a load decrease determination process portion determining a load decrease caused by a turning of a vehicle in a case where an inclination of a decrease of a load detected by the load sensors is gentle in a state where a seat belt detection portion detects a disengagement state of a seat belt while an occupant seated state is determined by a determination portion, the load decrease determination process portion determining the load decrease caused by an occupant moving away from the seat and that the occupant is not seated on the seat in a case where the inclination of the decrease of the load detected by the load sensors is steep.
US09067507B2	Electric automobile An electric vehicle is provided in which left and right drive wheels are driven by respective motors, and which enables slip control in a simple structure while preventing a driver who used to drive an engine vehicle with a differential from feeling uncomfortable. The vehicle includes a controller having a computer controlling the two motors including a basic control unit, a slip determiner, and a dual-wheel-drive-reduction unit. The control unit determines driving forces of the motors such that the forces are equal to each other, depending on a depression of an accelerator pedal. The determiner detects slippage between each of the wheels, and a road surface. The dual-wheel-drive-reduction unit reduces, when the determiner determines that greater slippage has occurred at at least one of the wheels, drive currents of the motors.
US09067504B1	Perturbative injection for battery parameter identification A battery system includes a traction battery and at least one controller that implement a model of the traction battery. The system may monitor current input and voltage output of the traction battery. The at least one controller may inject a plurality of current signals into the battery when it detects the input current to be approximately zero and a corresponding terminal voltage to be generally constant. Each of the injected current signals has a discrete frequency. The controller may measure voltage responses to the injected currents indicative of impedances of the traction battery at the discrete frequencies. The controller may output parameters representing an equivalent circuit model of the traction battery based on the impedances, and operate the battery based on the parameters.
US09067503B2	Electric vehicle charging station advertising systems Disclosed herein are representative embodiments of methods, apparatus, and systems relating to electric vehicle charging stations (“EVCSs”) and electric vehicle supply equipment (“EVSE”) that are configured to display advertisements to a user. For example, in one embodiment, advertisements are displayed on a display device of the EVCS or EVSE as the EVCS or EVSE awaits user interaction. An indication is received of user interaction with the EVCS or EVSE. A transaction is facilitated between a user and the EVCS or EVSE by which the user indicates that one or more electric vehicle batteries of an electric vehicle are to be charged via one of one or more charging ports of the EVCS or EVSE. A charging operation is performed that provides an electric charge to the one or more electric vehicle batteries of the electric vehicle via the one of the one or more charging ports.
US09067496B2	Route for vehicles and method of building the route A route for vehicles driving on a surface of the route includes a plurality of shaped blocks adapted to position and/or to hold a plurality of line sections of one or more electric line. Each shaped block comprises recesses forming spaces and/or projections delimiting spaces for receiving at least one of the line sections. The electric line or lines extend(s) through the spaces and extend(s) along the surface of the route in and/or about the travelling direction of vehicles. The shaped blocks and the electric line or lines are supported by a base layer of the route and are covered by a cover layer of the route. The material of the cover layer is also located in regions of the route sideways of the shaped blocks so that the shaped blocks and the cover layer form an integrated layer on top of the base layer.
US09067487B2	Collapsible fuel door housing for a vehicle A collapsible fuel-door housing is provided and may include a first housing and a second housing slidably attached to the first housing and moveable from a first state overlapping the first housing to a second state adjacent to the first housing. The fuel-door housing may also include a locking mechanism moveable between an unlocked state permitting movement of the second housing into the second state and a locked state restricting relative movement between the first housing and the second housing to maintain the second housing in the second state.
US09067484B2	Electric vehicle control systems An electric vehicle may include a first drive axle to drive a first wheel of the electric vehicle, a first electric motor mounted directly on the first drive axle, a power supply such as a battery to power the first electric motor, and a controller to control the electric motor. The electric vehicle may include a second drive axle to drive a second wheel and a second electric motor mounted on the second drive axle. The electric motor may be only mounted on the first drive axle. The battery may be formed from an array of batteries.
US09067481B2	Compartment cover system for covering compartment of pickup truck A pickup compartment cover system having a covering layer with a front and a back frame edge. Both a driver and a passenger side include a frame edge fixed at the head of the frame edge, a buckle having a slot with an inward opening, a lock casing on an end of the back frame edge having a lock tongue cavity with an outward opening; a lock tongue provided inside the tongue cavity at the tail with a pulling rod section passing backward through the casing, and a compression spring surrounding the pulling rod section inside the lock tongue cavity pushed on one end against the lock tongue and on the other end against a tip of the lock tongue cavity so the lock tongue protrudes outside of the opening and the opening can further be locked into the slot. The two pulling rod sections connect through a pulling cord.
US09067475B1	Method and system of heating cabin of hybrid electric vehicle A method and a system of heating a cabin of a hybrid electric vehicle are provided and minimize the operation of a heater and an engine by reducing the demand temperature of coolant taking into account of power of the heater and improve fuel economy accordingly. The method of heating a cabin of a hybrid electric vehicle adjusts temperature of air supplied into the cabin of the vehicle using a heater disposed adjacent to the cabin of the vehicle and coolant supplied from an engine.
US09067473B2	Fan arrangement A blower arrangement having n fans, where n>1, has a housing arrangement for receiving said fans (24, 26, 28). The housing arrangement features a) a first housing part (22) having flow-through openings (76) that are each associated with one of the fans, and having at least one installation opening (78) through which a fan can be introduced into said first housing part (22) and can be mounted in the region of the associated flow-through opening (76); and b) a second housing part (40) that is connected, on one side, to the first housing part (22) on the side thereof having the at least one installation opening (78), and, on the other side, defines an air exit opening (42).
US09067472B2	Arrangement for the rear end of a motor vehicle with a fuel filler line and a compound crank The invention relates to an arrangement for the rear end of a motor vehicle with a fuel filler line and a compound crank which exhibits two trailing arms and a cross member connecting the trailing arms with each other, with the trailing arms being pivotably supportable in the direction of their longitudinal axis on their one end area including a connection element on the body shell of the vehicle, and having on their other end area a holder for a wheel bearing unit. Provision is made that the filler line crosses at least one of the trailing arms in the area between a connection site for the cross member and the connection element. The invention further relates to a compound crank for the rear end of a motor vehicle, and a rear end of a vehicle.
US09067468B2	Underbed hitch mounting system An underbed hitch mounting system is described. The mounting system may be utilized for towing vehicles wherein the mounting system may selectively accommodate either a fifth wheel hitch or a gooseneck hitch. The mounting system may include at least one rail capable of being connected to a vehicle frame, wherein the rail includes at least one socket. The socket may be engaged with a receiving member, wherein the receiving member may be engaged with a leg of a fifth wheel hitch. A mid rail may be connected to the rails and may include a hitch ball socket that is capable of engagement with a hitch.
US09067462B1	Apparatus for holding and drying paint brushes Apparatus for holding and drying paint brushes is utilized with a paint bucket and includes a lid structure including brush handle retention elements for covering the bucket, a base containing liquid absorbent material to absorb paint or other liquids from the paint brushes, and a connector connecting the base and lid structure.
US09067461B2	Gas pressure control valve A gas pressure control valve having a valve body with a gas inlet and a gas outlet is described. An inner cap is provided bounding in part a chamber within the valve body in communication with the gas inlet. The valve body contains a spring loaded piston comprising a piston head and a piston rod. The piston rod includes a conduit providing communication between the chamber bounded in part by the inner cap and a chamber adjacent the piston head and the gas outlet. The piston is operable to move between a closed configuration in which the piston rod prevents communication between the gas inlet and the chamber bounded in part by the inner cap and an open configuration in which the piston rod permits communication between the gas inlet and the chamber bounded in part by the inner cap. The piston head is in a sealing engagement with the valve body via a first seal and the piston rod is in a sealing engagement with the inner cap via a second seal contained within the chamber bounded in part by the inner cap, the second seal being held in a fixed position within the chamber.
US09067459B2	Multi-purpose mathematical drawing templates system A drawing template set includes a planar anchor ring having an outer diameter and an inner diameter, a rotary increment scale marked at least part way along the outer diameter, and a first registration interface at at least one point on the inner diameter, and a planar template having an outer diameter providing a slip fit into the inner diameter of the planar anchor ring, one or more through slots or other openings enabling a user to draw specific lines and shapes on a drawing surface to which the template may be applied, and a second registration interface on the outer diameter matching the first registration interface of the planar anchor ring, enabling the user place the planar template in the anchor ring for use, to remove it as desired, and to replace it with a different template fashioned for a different purpose.
US09067457B2	Ring binder mechanism having unitary structure A ring binder has an elongate body and rings. Each ring includes ring members moveable between open and closed positions. The body and rings are made of one or more moldable polymeric materials. The binder suitably includes a retaining system operable to selectively and releasably hold the ring members in the closed position. The ring members and body can suitably formed together as one piece from a moldable polymeric material. Alternatively, the ring members can be made separately from the body and snapped into the body to form the ring binder.
US09067454B2	Book with an elastic strap band The present invention relates to a cover which comprises a front cover portion (1), a back cover portion (2), and an elastic strap band (3) being attached to the back cover portion (2), wherein the elastic strap band (3) is configured to be wrapped around the front cover portion (1) for keeping the cover (6) closed, the elastic strap band (3) is stretched at a predetermined stretching factor, when being wrapped around the front cover portion (1) for keeping the cover (6) closed, and the elastic strap band (3) is configured to be further stretched for releasing the front cover portion (1) so that the cover (6) can be opened. According to the invention, an image (4) is disposed on the elastic strap band (3) so as to be stretched with the elastic strap band (3), wherein the image (4) has a predetermined shape, when the elastic strap band (3) is stretched at the predetermined stretching factor and/or a movable member (7) is attached to the elastic strap band (3), wherein the movable member (7) is configured to be movable along the elastic strap band (3).
US09067452B2	Erasing apparatus An erasing apparatus according to an embodiment includes an erasing section configured to erase an image formed on a sheet by heating the sheet that is transported through the erasing section, the erasing section including a heating roller, a press roller in contact with the heating roller. A motor rotates the heating and press rollers. A transportation section transports the sheet. The erasing apparatus further includes a controller that controls the erasing section and the transportation section so that a transportation speed of the sheet transported through the erasing section is a first transportation speed lower than a normal speed if a predetermined period of time from a start of a job has not elapsed.
US09067449B2	Image recording method by serially transferring intermediate images Provided is an image recording method, including an intermediate image formation step of forming an intermediate image by applying ink onto a first intermediate transfer member; a first transfer step of transferring, onto a second intermediate transfer member, the intermediate image that is formed on the first intermediate transfer member; and a second transfer step of transferring, onto a recording medium, the intermediate image that is transferred onto the second intermediate transfer member, in which the following relationship is satisfied: Fa
US09067445B2	System and method of printhead calibration with reduced number of active inkjets A method for printhead location identification includes identifying a plurality of amplitudes for a portion of pixel columns in image data generated from a portion of an image receiving surface in which marks formed by an inkjet in the printhead are printed. The amplitudes are generated from a portion of each pixel column including expected locations for a portion of the printed marks in a process direction. The method further includes identifying a cross-process location of the inkjet from a pixel column corresponding to a pixel column with a maximum local amplitude value and storing the location of the inkjet in a memory for printhead registration.
US09067443B2	Image forming apparatus and method for discharging a medium An image forming apparatus is capable of placing a line feed operation on hold. A memory holds an amount of line feed and discharge direction information. A controller parses the printer control data, and detects the position of the print medium based on the detection signal. An image forming section prints on the print medium while transporting the print medium. When the discharge direction information indicates a direction opposite to a direction in which the print medium is line fed. When the position of a final printed area on a page of print medium is within the page of the print medium, if a line feed is performed, the controller adds a new amount of line feed to the amount of line feed in the memory, and then places the resultant amount of line feed on hold.
US09067439B2	Method and apparatus for feeding media sheets in an image production device A method and apparatus for feeding media sheets in an image production device is disclosed. The method may include applying air downward to a top of a trailing edge of a media sheet located at a top of a media stack that is to be fed to an image production section of the image production device, the applied air causing the top media sheet to separate from the media stack, and feeding the separated top media sheet to the image production section.
US09067435B2	Coupling of digital printer and finishing Various disclosed embodiments relate to structures and methods for printing systems. In some embodiments, a device, e.g., a festoon, may be used to accumulate excess material. The festoon may be located between a print head and a finishing component to eliminate misalignment/mis-registration difficulties between printed images and finishing options. In some embodiments, registration images and other procedures may be used alone or in conjunction with the festoon placement to further reduce errors and waste.
US09067434B2	Ink jet textile printing apparatus A tray mounting unit in which it is possible to replace a plurality of types of set trays; a detector capable of detecting the type of set tray mounted on the tray mounting unit in a state where the target textile printing material is set; a determining unit determining whether the type of set tray detected by the detector and the type of set tray recognized in advance are matched or mismatched; and a control unit performing a predetermined operation based on the determining result of the determining unit, are provided. Thus, inconsistencies in the type of set tray may be detected thereby preventing textile printing defects caused by such inconsistencies.
US09067432B2	Printer apparatus and laminating method A printer apparatus including a printing-medium conveying unit conveying a printing medium, a sheet conveying unit conveying a thermal transfer sheet having an image protecting layer to be thermally transferred onto an image formed on the printing medium, a thermal head with heating elements linearly arranged in a direction orthogonal to a conveyance direction of the printing medium, and a control unit driving and controlling the thermal head. For selectively applying different amounts of thermal energy to the heating elements to form an uneven pattern on the image protecting layer thermally transferred onto the image on the printing medium, the control unit randomly divides a row of the heating elements into heating element groups each including at least two adjacent heating elements, applies the same amount of thermal energy to heating elements in the same heating element group, and applies different amounts of thermal energy to adjacent heating element groups.
US09067431B1	Method of controlling printer and printer A method of controlling a printer includes measuring a first voltage value of a power supply of the printer before energizing heat generating elements of a print head of the printer. The method also includes calculating, by a controller of the printer, the number of heat generating elements that are simultaneously energizable based on the measured first voltage value of the power supply, an end voltage value of the power supply, an internal resistance value of the power supply, a resistance value of each of the heat generating elements, and a current value of an electric current flowing through a motor of the printer for conveying recording paper. The method further includes performing printing on the recording paper by the print head using the heat generating elements of the calculated number.
US09067429B2	Method and apparatus for obtaining homogeneous ink for inkjet devices In order to obtain homogeneous ink for CIJ printers, an inkjet is divided into individual equally large ink droplets, at least part of the ink droplets is provided with an electric charge, and the ink droplets are guided by a deflection device. The ink droplets which are deflected by a predefined amount are collected by a homogenization droplet catcher and are used for printing.
US09067428B2	Liquid supply method A liquid ejecting apparatus including a main tank configured to agitate a liquid accommodated in the main tank; a sub tank configured to receive the liquid supplied from the main tank; heads that eject the liquid supplied from the sub tank; and a liquid supply tube having connector tubes that branch off to the heads respectively; a pump that sucks liquid from the main tank and discharges such liquid to the sub tank; and a valve separated from the pump that operates to allow or restrict flow of the liquid between the main tank and the sub tank. The main ink tank may include a drawer assembly, a portion of which is manually movable to agitate the liquid. The main tank may have a capacity that is greater than that of the sub tank.
US09067427B2	Liquid discharge head and image forming apparatus A liquid discharge head includes nozzles that discharge liquid droplets, individual channels in communication with the nozzles, a liquid introducing part in communication with the individual channels, a common liquid chamber that supplies liquid to the individual channels, and a filter part arranged between the common liquid chamber and the liquid introducing part. The filter part has filter holes for filtering the liquid over a range of the individual channels in a nozzle array direction. The filter part has at least one reinforcement rib arranged in the nozzle array direction. The reinforcement rib is partially arranged over the range of the individual channels in a direction perpendicular to the nozzle array direction. Filter regions divided by the reinforcement rib are arranged to be in communication via a communication region where the reinforcement rib is not arranged, and the filter holes are arranged at the communication region.
US09067423B2	Liquid container A liquid container according to an aspect of this invention has a containing chamber in which a liquid which temporarily generates gas by a chemical change of contained components is contained, a circulation port which communicates with the containing chamber and circulates the liquid, and a valve provided in such a manner as to connect the containing chamber to the outside thereof, in which the hydrogen penetration amount of a member partitioning the containing chamber is 0.0001 ml/cm2·day·atm or more and 0.01 ml/cm2·day·atm or lower per day and at least one kind of the contained components can be a base metal pigment.
US09067422B2	Ink cartridge, method for manufacturing ink cartridge, ink-jet recording apparatus, and ink-jet recording method An ink cartridge including: a water-based ink for ink-jet recording which contains a dye represented by a general formula (1), a triazole-based compound, and water; and a metallic component which has a contact surface contacting with the water-based ink, a concentration of a iron-oxidized component at the contact surface being not more than 5 atomic % wherein, in the general formula (1), Pc (Cu) represents a copper phthalocyanine nucleus represented by a general formula (Pc).
US09067419B2	Recording apparatus There is provided a recording apparatus including a recording head that can eject an ink onto a sheet, a transport unit that transports the sheet to the recording head, a housing that contains the recording head and the transport unit, a case that is arranged on an outer surface of the housing so that the bottom portion thereof is positioned higher than a bottom surface of the housing, and that serves as a holder which holds an ink container containing an ink, and a supply unit that supplies the ink from the ink container to the recording head.
US09067410B2	Method for realising flat articles comprising images Starting from a virtual representation of a flat-developing component, the method identifies and subsequently memorizes at least an assembly constituted by an image, a closed line containing the image, and reference crosses associated thereto; the assembly is paginated in the virtual representation such as to define an intermediate file from which a printing file is obtained with which an RIP software program can be loaded to pilot a printing machine. If the component is to be cut, with the aim of obtaining articles bearing relative images, data is obtained from the intermediate file for managing a cutting machine which cuts the component along the closed line.
US09067407B2	Screen printing method and device including a closed squeegee mechanism and a paste deposition mechanism In a returning path operation for moving a closed type squeegee mechanism in a direction opposite to a squeezing direction after an outward path operation where paste is packed into pattern holes by moving the closed type squeegee mechanism in the squeezing direction, the paste supplied to the outside of the closed type squeegee mechanism on an upper surface of a mask is spread due to a deposition member, by moving the deposition member of a paste deposition mechanism in a state close to an upper surface of the mask in the direction opposite to the squeezing direction. Therefore, a paste film having a predetermined thickness is formed.
US09067403B2	Spraying module for spraying an outer surface of a rotating cylinder The invention relates to a spraying module for spraying the outer surface of a rotating cylinder or roller, for example, a printing cylinder of a rotary printing press, with a liquid mist by means of spray nozzles, wherein the spray direction of the spray nozzle lies in a range, relative to the horizontal, for a spray jet directional angle gamma of 30° to 150°.
US09067399B2	System for forming an image on flexographic media A system for forming an image on a flexographic media includes a digital front end that provides a screened image; locating transition points from data regions to non-data regions in said screened image; determining a distance between pixels in adjacent data and non-data regions; if the distance is greater than a predetermined distance modify said screened image to remove a shoulder of pixels at the transition point; and an imaging device the screen modified image on the flexographic media.
US09067397B2	Hybrid pipe design and method of manufacture A hybrid flexible pipe and method of manufacture having one or more web layers over a tubular core and a polymer layer over the web layers and tubular core. A flexible helical reinforcement layer having gaps between strips is wrapped on top of the polymer layer. A second flexible helical reinforcement layer having gaps between strips is helically wrapped around the first helical reinforcement layer in the opposite direction. A sheath layer is positioned as the outermost layer. A first flexible helical anti-extrusion layer having a first anti-extrusion strip can be helically wrapped around the first flexible helical reinforcement layer in substantially the same direction as the first flexible reinforcement layer and a second flexible helical anti-extrusion layer having a second anti-extrusion strip can be helically wrapped around the at least one second flexible helical reinforcement layer in substantially the same direction as the second flexible helical reinforcement layer.
US09067394B2	Method for applying adhesive on an elastic strand in assembly of a personal disposable hygiene product A method of dispensing adhesive onto a stretched elastic strand includes applying a first volume of adhesive onto a first portion of the elastic strand, applying a second volume of adhesive onto a second portion of the elastic strand, and applying a third volume of adhesive onto a third portion of the elastic strand. The second volume is less than the first and third volumes. When the elastic strand is adhesively secured to a substrate to form a personal disposable hygiene product, the first and third portions of the elastic strand define opposing ends of the elastic strand, which are adhered with a larger amount of adhesive capable of limiting movement of the strand at the opposing ends, thereby maintaining the integrity of the bond between the substrate and the elastic strand.
US09067392B2	Membrane file for batteries, having a shut-off function The invention relates to a biaxially oriented microporous film composed of at least two coextruded layers encompassing an external shut-off layer and another layer, wherein both layers contain a mixture of propylene homopolymer and propylene block copolymer and β-nucleation agent. The propylene block copolymer I of the other layer has a melting point exceeding 140° C. and the propylene block copolymer II of the external shut-off layer has a melting range starting at a temperature ranging from 50 to 120° C. The melting point of the propylene block copolymer I is greater than the melting point of the propylene block copolymer II. The film can be used as a separator in a primary or secondary battery.
US09067387B2	Decorative film structure and decorative member A decorative film structure includes: a surface layer constituted by a transparent or translucent resin layer; an achromatic layer constituted by dots provided on a back surface of the surface layer; and a metal luster layer provided on the back surface of the surface layer to fill a gap between the dots. As surface roughness of a front surface of the surface layer, an Ra is 2 μm or less and either an Rmax is 4 μm or less or a Sm is 50 μm or more. A lightness L* of the achromatic layer is 0-80. An area of each dot when viewed from a front side of the surface layer is 10−3-105 μm2. A dot area percentage per a unit area when viewed from the front side of the surface layer is 1-80%. A stimulus value Y45° of the metal luster layer is 10000 or more.
US09067380B2	Composite laminate ceramic electronic component A composite laminate ceramic electronic component that includes co-fired low dielectric constant ceramic layers and high dielectric constant ceramic layers. The low dielectric constant ceramic layers and high dielectric constant ceramic layers are each composed of a glass ceramic containing: a first ceramic composed of at least one of MgAl2O4 and Mg2SiO4; a second ceramic composed of BaO, RE2O3 (RE is a rare earth element), and TiO2; glass containing each of 44.0-69.0 wt % of RO (R is an alkaline-earth metal), 14.2-30.0 wt % of SiO2, 10.0-20.0 wt % of B2O3, 0.5-4.0 wt % of Al2O3, 0.3-7.5 wt % of Li2O, and 0.1-5.5 wt % of MgO; and MnO. The content ratios of the first ceramic, second ceramic, glass, and MnO are varied between the low dielectric constant ceramic layers and the high dielectric constant ceramic layers, wherein the content of MnO in the low dielectric constant ceramic layers is 7.5-18.5 wt % MnO.
US09067379B2	Stiffened multi-layer compartment door assembly utilizing elastic averaging A stiffened multi-layer assembly composed of an inner layer and an outer layer mutually aligned by elastic averaging at the peripheral interface therebetween which provides both a precise alignment and a torsionally stiffened structural configuration when the first and second layers are mutually mated and snapped together to form the stiffened multi-layer assembly.
US09067377B2	Filling shoe The invention relates to a filling shoe (9) for filling a molding cavity (10) of a pressing mold with a powder, comprising a casing (14) with at least one filling cavity (13) having at least one side wall, wherein at least one filling opening (18), via which the powder can be introduced into the filling cavity (13), is designed on the casing (14). At least one stripping element (21) connected to a drive unit (23) is arranged in the filling cavity (13), wherein the at least one stripping element (21) is rotatable.
US09067373B2	Process for the manufacture of flexible pipe A process for the manufacture of flexible pipe from a composition comprising: a polymeric part (a) consisting of a thermoplastic polymer obtained by homopolymerization or copolymerization of a monomer of butene-1, or a blend of a thermoplastic polymer obtained by homopolymerization or copolymerization of a monomer of butene-1 with one or more compatible thermoplastic polymers, a polydiorganosiloxane (b) having a minimum Williams plasticity of 30 determined by the ASTM 926 test method and an average of at least 2 alkenyl radicals per molecule, an organohydrido silicon compound (c) having an average per molecule of at least 2 silicon atoms bound directly to a hydrogen atom, a hydrosililation catalyst (d) which process comprises (i) the provision of a cured polydiorganosiloxane (B1) obtained by crosslinking of the compounds (b) and (c) in the presence of catalyst (d), (ii) causing the cured polydiorganosiloxane (B1) to be dispersed in the polymeric part (a) thus obtaining a thermoplastic elastomer and (iii) molding, for example by extrusion, the thermoplastic elastomer into a flexible pipe. The thermoplastic elastomer used and the resulting pipes comply with the requirements of standard KTW-270 (A) in relation to drinking water contamination.
US09067371B2	Wrinkle control method and tool therefor A method for forming a laminate component, the method comprising the steps of: a) providing a tool having a molding surface; b) arranging a stack of ply layers on the molding surface of the tool; and c) molding the stack of ply layers over the molding surface in a molding process, wherein the tool has a wrinkle control feature in its molding surface for managing the development of wrinkle in the ply layers during the molding process, and wherein the wrinkle control feature cooperates with the stack of ply layers during the molding process to produce a local surface undulation in a nominal surface of the laminate component nearest the tool to either prevent wrinkling in the ply layers or initiate wrinkling in one or more of the ply layers at a predetermined location. Also, a tool having a wrinkle control feature, and a laminate component so formed.
US09067367B2	Method and system for performing an infrared treatment A method for performing an infrared treatment includes the steps of receiving an extruded product and feeding the extruded product to an oven including at least one lamp unit. The lamp unit includes a lamp, a reflective surface enclosing a first side of the lamp and positioned to direct radiation from the lamp, and a glass disposed between a second side of the lamp and an extruded product, wherein the glass separates the lamp and the extruded product. The method further includes the step of creating cross-linking between layers of the extruded product by directing the radiation at the extruded product. Still further, the method includes the steps of directing a first gas flow at a surface of the product and directing a second gas flow at the glass at an intensity, direction, and temperature that prevents the glass from becoming an infrared source.
US09067365B2	Positioning device for a manual welding machine The invention relates to a positioning device (203) for a manual welding machine (300), particularly for a plastic welding machine, comprising at least one contact shield (16) associated with the manual welding machine (300) and a positioning ring (3) associated with the material to be welded. In order to perform precise welding and to prevent the subsequent slipping of the manual welding machine (300), according to the invention, the positioning ring (3) can be fixed to the material to be welded and a contact shield (16) that can be inserted in the positioning ring (3) transfers a pressure distributed evenly over the circumference to the materials to be welded, in order to allow secure welding over a large area.
US09067364B2	Coated fabric from monoaxially drawn plastic tapes and bag produced therefrom A coated fabric includes a fabric from monoaxially drawn polymer tapes, in particular polyolefin or polyester tapes, preferably polypropylene or polyethylene terephthalate tapes. The fabric is coated with a sealing layer from a thermoplastic synthetic material the melting point of which is below the crystallite melting point of the fabric tape material. The coated fabric is excellently suitable for hot-air, ultrasonic, heated tool, infrared or laser beam welding.
US09067362B2	Method of using ultrasonic vibration to secure body tissue with fastening element A suture and a suture retainer are positioned relative to body tissue. Ultrasonic vibratory energy is utilized to heat the suture retainer and effect a bonding of portions of the suture retainer to each other and/or to the suture. Portions of the body tissue may be pressed into linear apposition with each other and held in place by cooperation between the suture and the suture retainer. The suture retainer may include one or more portions between which the suture extends. The suture retainer may include sections which have surface areas which are bonded together. If desired, the suture may be wrapped around one of the sections of the suture retainer. The suture retainer may be formed with a recess in which the suture is received. If desired, the suture retainer may be omitted and the sections of the suture bonded to each other.
US09067356B2	Method for producing fine convex pattern structure and fine convex pattern production system A method for producing a fine convex pattern structure having a fine convex pattern projecting from a flat portion in a predetermined direction with respect to the flat portion includes: using an imprint mold that has a fine concave pattern corresponding to the fine convex pattern and forming the fine convex pattern projecting from the flat portion under a condition in which the fine convex pattern is inclined to the flat portion side from the predetermined direction; and causing the fine convex pattern to project in the predetermined direction with respect to the flat portion by inducing electric charges at least on the inclined fine convex pattern.
US09067351B2	Varying transition zone manifold The present invention provides an extrusion die that includes a manifold transition zone that comprises a varying included angle. The varying included angle provides unparalleled freedom of design to achieve diverse fluid dynamic objectives, such as reduced residence time across the manifold width, reduced transition stagnation, improved streamlining of the mass flowing through the manifold, and reduced differential clamshell deflection across the flow channel width. The manifold may be transformed from one cross-sectional shape to another cross-sectional shape beneficially related to the varying included angle, including change from a generally extended cross-sectional shape to a generally teardrop-shaped cross-section. The manifold may include a first transition zone portion that includes the varying included angle, and a second transition zone portion that includes a constant included angle, and that is particularly beneficial for receiving an internal deckle.
US09067350B2	Controlled circumferential impregnation device A device for molding by impregnation of at least one reinforcing layer constituting a piece to be molded or at least one reinforcing layer covering a piece, with a resin in liquid form. The device includes a mold extending around the reinforcing layer by defining a resin circulation space, an end piece for supplying resin in the circulation space, an end piece for evacuating the surplus resin as well as elements for generating a flow of resin in the circulation space. The mold includes a flexible conduit and elements for mechanically deforming the flexible conduit to shape the circulation space according to the impregnation parameters.
US09067343B2	Aging apparatus and method An aging apparatus and method capable of shortening time for removing molded products from an injection molding device and cooling the same, thereby enhancing production efficiency. The aging apparatus includes an injection molding device configured to produce molded products and allow the molded products to be removed and fall therefrom, a guide pipe to guide the molded products falling from the injection molding device therethrough in such a manner that bottoms of the molded products are directed downwards, a tub mounted below the guide pipe, the tub containing water to cool the molded products falling into the tub through the guide pipe and absorb shock applied to the molded products, and a conveying device to convey the molded products cooled by the water in the tub to the outside.
US09067342B2	Mold chase for integrated circuit package assembly and associated techniques and configurations Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a mold chase for integrated circuit package assembly and associated techniques and configurations. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a package substrate, the package substrate including a first die mounted on the package substrate by a plurality of first interconnect structures, and a plurality of second interconnect structures disposed on the package substrate and configured to route electrical signals of a second die, protecting a top surface of individual interconnect structures of the plurality of second interconnect structures from deposition of a mold material, and depositing the mold material on the package substrate between the individual interconnect structures of the plurality of second interconnect structures. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
US09067333B2	Micro-fabricated guidewire devices having elastomeric fill compositions A guidewire device comprising a micro-fabricated elongated outer member having an outer surface and an interior surface forming a lumen extending from a proximal end to a distal end and a plurality of fenestrations made through said outer surface and said interior surface into a least a portion of said lumen; an outer elastomer laminate layer in contact with at least a portion of said outer surface and filling at least a portion of said plurality of fenestrations; and an inner member disposed within a substantial portion of said lumen, and embodiments thereof.
US09067330B2	Cutting apparatus A cutting apparatus includes an angle change unit configured to change an angle made by a cutting blade and an object to be cut. The angle change unit is configured to change the angle between a first angle during a non-cutting time and a second angle at which the blade is tilted during a cutting time so that the second angle is rendered smaller than the first angle. The first abutment limits a swinging movement of the blade while the first angle is made by the blade and the object. The second abutment limits the swinging movement of the blade while the second angle is made by the blade and the object. The angle between the blade and the object is changed from the first angle to the second angle by resistance to which the blade is subjected from the object with the relative movement of the blade.
US09067328B2	Cutting device and method of production of cleaning member using cutting device The invention relates to a cutting device which cuts a web member, which includes fiber bundles which extend continuously in a machine direction MD and which is intermittently conveyed in said machine direction, in a crossing direction CD which crosses the machine direction. The cutting device has a plurality of disk shaped rotary blades which rotate about rotary shafts which extend along the machine direction while moving in said cross direction so as to thereby cut said web member when the web member is at a stop. The plurality of rotary blades are arranged so as to be substantially aligned in the crossing direction and includes a rotary blade which rotates in one direction and a rotary blade which rotates in the opposite direction.
US09067324B2	Gripping device, transfer device with same, and method for controlling gripping device A gripping device comprises: a gripping unit for gripping a work; a controller for controlling the gripping operation of the gripping unit; and contact sections attached to the gripping unit contacting the work, the contact sections being adapted to deform following the shape of the work, and to maintain the deformation. The gripping operation of the gripping unit presses the contact sections against the work to cause the contact sections to follow the outside of the work, and grips the work with the shape of the contact sections maintained. After predetermined number of times of gripping operation, the controller changes the positions of the contact points of the contact sections with the work when the work is gripped. As a result, different works having different shapes can be stably gripped and the lifetime of the contact sections can be extended to be longer than that of conventional products. The change, by the controller, in the positions of the points on the work with which the contact sections are in contact when the work is gripped is performed by shifting the contact sections in a plane vertical to the gripping direction.
US09067315B2	Display control device, display control method, computer program product, and communication system A control system, a control method and a non-transitory computer readable storage medium cooperate to assist control for an autonomous robot. An interface receives recognition information from an autonomous robot (22), said recognition information including candidate target objects to interact with the autonomous robot (22). A display control unit (42) causes a display image to be displayed on a display of candidate target objects, wherein at least two of the candidate target objects are displayed with an associated indication of a target object score.
US09067309B2	Automatically speed adjusting ratchet wrench A two-piece planet carrier for use in a power hand tool, the carrier comprising a drive portion mountable to a rotor of the tool and a pinned portion having a crank pin. The crank pin operatively connectable to a drive shaft of the tool to provide rotation and torque to the drive shaft. The pinned portion rotatably engaged with the drive portion such that rotation of the rotor will cause the drive portion and the pinned portion to rotate relative to each other as a function of a load applied to the drive shaft such that an offset between a crank pin center axis and a drive portion axis of rotation is variable as a function of the load, wherein the variance of the offset will vary a rotational speed and an amount of torque delivered to the drive shaft as a function of the load.
US09067308B2	Ratchet wrench and body used in ratchet wrench A ratchet wrench comprises a body, a ratchet, a first pawl, and a second pawl. Each of the first pawl and the second pawl can move between a first position and a second position relative to the ratchet. The first position is a position where the ratchet wrench can transmit torque to said driven element from respective first pawl or second pawl, and the second position is a position where no torque is transmitted from respective first pawl or second pawl. A control member can pivot or rotate to stay in one of a first position, a second position, and a neutral position for different operations. The body has an operating part comprising a groove. The groove comprises two accommodation chambers having inclined surfaces and can accommodate the first pawl and the second pawl.
US09067307B2	Hexa-lobed head bit A hexa-lobed headed bit having a hexa-lobed shaped head having a first length, a first width and grooves and protrusions, the grooves and protrusions extending along substantially the entire length of the head, the bit further including a shaft having a second length and a second width, the second width being greater that the first width, the shaft being connected to the head via a shoulder which may be sloped to gradually widen the first width to the second width and having grooves and protrusions extending along the shoulder, the shoulder grooves and protrusions substantially continuing from the grooves and protrusions extending along substantially the entirety of the length of the head.
US09067305B2	Polycrystalline diamond A method for making a polycrystalline diamond (PCD) construction comprises providing a cemented carbide substrate comprising carbide grains cemented together by a cement material, subjecting the substrate to a first pressure treatment, treating the substrate to remove at least some of the cement material from at least a region of the substrate adjacent a boundary defined by the substrate, and subjecting the substrate to a second pressure treatment, in contact with or bonded at the boundary to a diamondiferous structure.
US09067304B2	Methods of forming polycrystalline compacts Methods for forming cutting elements, methods for forming polycrystalline compacts, and related polycrystalline compacts are disclosed. Grains of a hard material are subjected to a high-pressure, high-temperature process to form a polycrystalline compact. Inclusion of at least one relatively quick spike in system pressure or temperature during an otherwise plateaued temperature or pressure stage accommodates formation of inter-granular bonds between the grains. The brevity of the peak stage may avoid undesirable grain growth. Embodiments of the methods may also include at least one of oscillating at least one system condition (e.g., pressure, temperature) and subjecting the grains to ultrasonic or mechanical vibrations. A resulting polycrystalline compact may include a high density of inter-granularly bonded hard material with a minimized amount of catalyst material, and may provide improved thermal stability, wear resistance, toughness, and behavior during use of a cutting element incorporating the polycrystalline compact.
US09067303B2	Method of executing shot peening A chamber having a water jet generation apparatus and a mesh installed inside is pushed against a surface of a peening object. A rotary vane of the water jet generation apparatus, disposed in a region in the chamber between the mesh and the chamber, is rotated to generate a water jet flowing toward the peening object in one region in the chamber, the one region is a region closer to the peening object than the mesh. A plurality of shots 4 put in the region 30A moves toward the peening object along with the water jet and collides with the surface of the peening object. After the collision, the shots move toward the mesh along with the water jet. Compression residual stress is given to the surface of the peening object with which the shots have collided. Thus, spreading of contaminants peeled off from a peening object can be prevented.
US09067299B2	Printed chemical mechanical polishing pad A method of fabricating a polishing layer of a polishing pad includes successively depositing a plurality of layers with a 3D printer, each layer of the plurality of polishing layers deposited by ejecting a pad material precursor from a nozzle and solidifying the pad material precursor to form a solidified pad material.
US09067298B2	Polishing pad with grooved foundation layer and polishing surface layer Polishing pads with grooved foundation layers and polishing surface layers are described. In an example, a polishing pad for polishing a substrate includes a foundation layer having a pattern of grooves disposed therein. A continuous polishing surface layer is attached to the pattern of grooves of the foundation layer. In another example, a polishing pad for polishing a substrate includes a foundation layer with a surface having a pattern of protrusions disposed thereon. Each protrusion has a top surface and sidewalls. A non-continuous polishing surface layer is attached to the foundation layer and includes discrete portions. Each discrete portion is attached to the top surface of a corresponding one of the protrusions of the foundation layer. Methods of fabricating polishing pads with a polishing surface layer bonded to a grooved foundation layer are also described.
US09067295B2	Monitoring retaining ring thickness and pressure control A chemical mechanical polishing apparatus includes a carrier head including a retaining ring having a plastic portion with a bottom surface to contact a polishing pad, an in-situ monitoring system including a sensor that generates a signal that depends on a thickness of the plastic portion, and a controller configured to receive the signal from the in-situ monitoring system and to adjust at least one polishing parameter in response to the signal to compensate for non-uniformity caused by changes in the thickness of the plastic portion of the retaining ring.
US09067289B2	Heat exchanger with telescoping expansion joint A heat exchanger comprises a shell comprising a hollow shell body and separate shell end members attached thereto. A number of tubes is disposed within the shell body which is sized to permit both ends of the tubes to project outwardly therefrom to facilitate access for attaching the tubes ends to respective tube header plates, after which time the shell end members are slid over the shell body towards the shell body ends for attachment to respective header plates. The heat exchanger can include an expansion element attached between a shell end member and the shell body, wherein the expansion element is positioned adjacent a slidable joint formed by an overlapping section of the shell body and shell end member. Together, the expansion element accommodates axial movement and the slidable joint carries vibration loads between the shell body and shell end member.
US09067281B2	Laser cutting system for cutting a workpiece with a laser beam at a variable cutting speed The laser cutting system for cutting a workpiece with a laser beam along a cutting line at a variable cutting speed includes a movable machining head for placing the laser beam on the respective workpiece, a user interface for specifying the respective cutting line and for specifying a minimum path accuracy of the laser beam, and a control device for controlling a movement of the machining head along the cutting line relative to the respective workpiece and for controlling a plurality of process variables of a cutting process. A second subset of the process variables comprises exclusively one or more process variables which have no influence on the power of the laser beam available for cutting. At least one process variable of the second subset can be controlled by way of the control device as a function of at least one variable control parameter.
US09067279B1	Apparatus for joint sealing using tube expansion and friction welding The apparatus for joint sealing using tube expansion and friction welding includes a friction welding apparatus including a clamping assembly and a tube expansion apparatus. A tube having a beveled edge is inserted into an aperture in a tube sheet. The tube expansion apparatus expands the end of the tube with the beveled edge to swage the tube to the sheet. A tube sleeve having an edge beveled at an angle complementary to the beveled edge of the tube is clamped to the spindle of the friction welding apparatus. The tube sleeve is abutted to the beveled edge of the tube with the application of pressure and the spindle is rotated or oscillated to friction weld the tube sleeve to the tube and the tube sheet, forming a sealed joint. The process may be repeated to form a heat exchanger tube assembly having sealed joints.
US09067278B2	Pulse spread laser A system and method for precision welding using a fiber laser is disclosed in which varying intensity laser pulses are spread across the material junction in a number of high aspect ratio areas. The power density applied along each area is varied to accommodate differences in the material characteristics of each material while allowing for the creation of a more uniform weld pool alloy.
US09067270B2	Heat exchanger and method of joining heat exchanger pipe A heat exchanger comprises a first plate and a second plate. A coolant flow passage is formed by brazing the first plate and the second plate by use of a first brazing filler metal. A pipe is brazed between a first groove portion provided in the first plate and a second groove portion provided in the second plate by use of a second brazing filler metal. A pair of first flanges provided contiguously with the first groove portion. Each of the first flanges includes an inner surface. A pair of second flanges provided contiguously with the second groove portion. Each of the second flanges includes an inner surface. At least one of the inner surfaces of the first flanges and the inner surfaces of the second flanges is covered with the second brazing filler metal. The first and second flanges are held by jigs upon brazing of the pipe.
US09067264B2	Method of manufacturing pure titanium hydride powder and alloyed titanium hydride powders by combined hydrogen-magnesium reduction of metal halides The invention relates to energy-saving manufacturing of purified hydrogenated titanium powders or alloying titanium hydride powders, by metallo-thermic reduction of titanium chlorides, including their hydrogenation, vacuum separation of titanium hydride sponge block from magnesium and magnesium chlorides, followed by crushing, grinding, and sintering of said block without need for any hydro-metallurgical treatment of the produced powders. Methods disclosed contain embodiments of processes for manufacturing high purity high-purity powders and their use in manufacturing near-net shape titanium and titanium-alloy articles by sintering titanium hydride and alloyed titanium hydride powders produced from combined hydrogen-magnesium reduction of titanium chlorides, halides and hydrides of other metals. Additional titanium hydride powder introduced with titanium tetrachloride beneficially affects the kinetics of magnesium-thermic reduction due to formation of additionally-emitted atomic hydrogen, which helps to reduce presence of oxides, and so cleans inter-particle interfaces of the product and enhances diffusion between all components of the powder mixture.
US09067259B2	Method for producing a body made from a granular mixture The invention relates to a method for producing a body including: preparing a granular mixture including a) at least 90 wt % of mineral oxide grains; b) 0.3 to 3 wt % of resin polycondensed with formaldehyde and/or the derivatives thereof, the percentage being calculated in terms of dry resin extract; c) 0.001 to 1 wt % of a hardening agent, the percentage being calculated in terms of dry hardener extract; d) 0.005 to 0.35 wt % of a formaldehyde scavenger compound; and e) 0.2 to 3 wt % of water; contacting said granular mixture with a surface of a forming tool; and insufflating a gas flow at 50 to 380 degrees into the granular mixture for 1 to 300 seconds in order to at least partially cure said mixture, the formaldehyde scavenger being carbohydrazide.
US09067256B2	Systems and processes for the production of metallic frames Systems and methods for producing metallic frames from wire or strip or other material of prismatic cross section, which material may subjected to plastic bending, and the ends of which are joined together. The production process for metallic frames occurs in three phases, in three separate positions, which may function independently of one another. In the first position the wire or strip (1) may be pulled from a spool, be straightened (2), then measured (4) in length and cut. At the second position the beginning and end of wire material (1) are there transferred, and there the ends are joined. In the third phase the frame is transferred, with its ends joined, and the measurements and bendings of the sides are made, so as to produce a desired product configuration at the third position.
US09067252B2	System and method of forming hole in blank during hydroforming process A method of forming a hole in a hollow blank during a hydroforming process is provided. The method includes placing a blank in a cavity of a hydroforming die, the hydroforming die being configured to permit a punch to engage the blank. An interior of the blank is pressurized with a fluid. Further, a cutting end of a punch is applied through a wall portion of the blank and into the interior of the blank to form a hole. Furthermore, the cutting end of the punch is removed from the interior of the blank such that the cutting end of the punch is configured to allow material of the blank surrounding the formed hole to move away from the interior of the blank.
US09067249B2	Tapered-roll stand for making seamless pipe A tapered roll stand for making seamless pipe has a stationary frame formed relative to a workpiece-travel direction with a pair of laterally and horizontally oppositely open windows. Respective cover doors carried on the frame are vertically shiftable between respective closed positions covering the respective windows and open positions offset therefrom and exposing the respective windows. A pair of tapered rolls are each shiftable horizontally through a respective one of the windows into a use position inside the frame, lying to a respective horizontal side of the direction, and rotatable about a respective axis forming an acute angle with the direction. A pair of Diescher disks are vertically engageable with a workpiece extending in the direction between the tapered rolls, and respective roll-positioning actuators carried on the doors are couplable with the tapered rolls in the use position for setting positions of the tapered rolls.
US09067248B2	No-slit hot rolling of railroad rails A method of recycling a one-piece rail having a base portion and a head portion spaced from each other by a substantially flat web portion. The steps include: heating the rail to a plastic state; feeding the heated rail through a first reduction pass to reduce a cross section of the rail without slitting the rail, thereby forming a bar; feeding the bar through a second reduction pass in which the cross section of the bar is further modified and then slitting the bar along the web portion into two bar pieces, one containing the former head portion and one containing the former base portion, as the bar leaves the second reduction pass; and rolling the two bar pieces, in a single pass line, through a series of reduction passes to produce a desired final cross section of the pieces.
US09067245B2	Waste collection system A waste collection system to identify and classify waste materials into a plurality of pre-established categories and then to sort into and collect the waste materials by the plurality of the pre-established categories for subsequent disposal comprising a cabinet to house a plurality of collection bins or containers corresponding to the plurality of pre-established categories of waste materials to receive and collect the waste materials by the corresponding pre-established category, a waste sorting assembly to selectively direct the waste materials into the collection bin or container corresponding to the particular category of waste material, a latch mechanism to selectively engage the waste sorting assembly to control access into the cabinet and a system control to identify and classify waste materials into one of the plurality of pre-established categories and to direct the categorized waste material into the appropriate or corresponding collection bin or container for subsequent disposal.
US09067244B2	Method for coating granulated products to improve granule adhesion, staining, and tracking A building material product and a method of making building material products, having increased resistance to granule rub off and staining. The building material product comprises a substrate having embedded granules and an acrylic latex coating positioned on the granules, where the polymer of the acrylic latex coating has the repeating structural unit [CH2—C(R1)(R2)], where R1 is hydrogen or C1-C8 alkyl; R2 is hydrogen, cyano or —COOR; and R is a linear or branched hydrocarbon containing 1-22 carbon atoms, with the proviso that R1 and R2 are both not hydrogen. The method includes applying this acrylic latex water based composition to a granule embedded substrate.
US09067242B2	Methods for obtaining hollow nano-structures Methods are provided for obtaining hollow nano-structures which include the steps of providing a suspended film starting layer on a support substrate, depositing on the starting layer a sacrificial layer, performing, in progressive sequence, a complete erosion phase of said support substrate and starting layer and performing an at least partial erosion phase of the sacrificial layer previously deposited on the starting layer so as to obtain holes passing through the starting layer and passing or non passing through the sacrificial layer, depositing, on the side of the support substrate opposite to that where the starting layer is put, at least one covering layer arranged to internally cover the holes created by the progressive erosion. Hollow nano-structures formed by such methods are also provided.
US09067238B2	Method for improving plating on non-conductive substrates A method of treating a laser-activated thermoplastic substrate having a metal compound dispersed therein is described. The substrate is contacted with an aqueous composition comprising: (i) a thiol functional organic compound; (ii) an ethoxylated alcohol surfactant; and (iii) xanthan gum. By use of the treatment composition, when the substrate is subsequently laser-activated and plated by electroless plating, extraneous plating of the substrate is substantially eliminated.
US09067220B2	Self regulating fluid bearing high pressure rotary nozzle A fluid bearing nozzle assembly is disclosed that has a hollow cylindrical body, an inlet nut fastened to the cylindrical body, and a hollow tubular shaft member coaxially carried within the housing body and captured between the inlet nut and the body. The inlet nut has a stem portion extending into a central bore through the shaft member forming an inlet bearing area rotatably carrying the shaft member thereon. The shaft member has a spray head fastened thereto for rotation of the head with the shaft member. An inner wall of the housing body and an outer portion of the shaft have complementary shapes forming a regulating passage therebetween. The shaft has helical grooves that spiral around the shaft to one or both ends to impart rotation to the shaft and spray head.
US09067218B2	Rotary spray shower head A rotary spray shower head includes a main body, a water distributing plate, a rear faceplate, an impeller, a pinion, a driven gear, a water outlet head assembly and a discharge faceplate. The present invention is simple in structure. When in use, one portion achieves an ordinary discharge function of the shower head, and another portion achieves a rotary discharge function. The present invention uses the pinion and the driven gear to constitute a planet deceleration. The rotating speed can be controlled, and the rotary spray discharge effect is good.
US09067217B2	Purification of metal-organic framework materials A method of purification of a solid mixture of a metal-organic framework (MOF) material and an unwanted second material by disposing the solid mixture in a liquid separation medium having a density that lies between those of the wanted MOF material and the unwanted material, whereby the solid mixture separates by density differences into a fraction of wanted MOF material and another fraction of unwanted material.
US09067214B2	Separation process for plastics materials A materials-separation process includes a sorting operation in which plastics materials including at least first and second plastics materials are sorted from paper and metal materials so that the first plastics material may be separated from the second plastics material.
US09067210B2	Method and device having a simplified constructions for the reference grinding of wheat A process for simplified production of a reference milling for determining the milling quality of wheat, includes: a first crushing of a wheat sample; a first sieving of the crushed product into three distinct levels of particle size; a second crushing of oversize particles resulting from the first crushing; a second sieving of the oversize particles thus crushed; a mixing of coarse semolina resulting from the sievings; a third crushing of the mixture of the coarse semolina; a third sieving of the mixture of the coarse semolina thus crushed into two distinct levels of particle size; a mixing of fine semolina resulting from each of the three sievings; a fourth crushing of the mixture of fine semolina; a fourth sieving of the mixture of the fine semolina thus crushed into a single level of particle size; a mixing of the flours resulting from sievings, the mixture constituting the desired milling.
US09067207B2	Optical approach for microfluidic DNA electrophoresis detection Aspects of the disclosure provides a DNA analyzer to facilitate an integrated single-chip DNA analysis. The DNA analyzer includes an interface for coupling a microfluidic chip to the DNA analyzer. The microfluidic chip includes a first domain configured for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of DNA fragments, and a second domain fluidically coupled to the first domain to receive the DNA fragments and perform electrophoretic separation of the DNA fragments. The DNA fragments are tagged with fluorescent labels. The DNA analyzer includes a detection module to excite the fluorescent labels to emit fluorescence and detect the emitted fluorescence. The detection module includes a laser source, a set of optical elements, a filter module and a photo-detector.
US09067206B2	Chip for analyzing fluids being moved without an outside power source A chip for analyzing fluid being moved without an outside power source includes: a pre-treatment portion into which fluid of a target-being analyzed substance is injected and mixed with an identification substance; a channel portion in which a specific reaction of the fluid such as an antigen-antibody reaction is conducted; and a washing portion into which the fluid is received. The pre-treatment portion includes: a specimen injection portion into which the fluid is injected; a first buffer portion protruding upwardly with respect to the specimen injection portion connected thereto to have a height greater than that of the specimen injection portion relative to the channel portion, such that the fluid is firstly received in the first buffer portion; and at least one specimen leading guide which destroys surface tension of the fluid flow moving from the specimen injection portion to the first buffer portion.
US09067199B2	Method for making a catalyst comprising a phosphorus modified zeolite to be used in an alcohols dehydration process The present invention is the use of a catalyst to convert an alcohol into light olefins in a dehydration process wherein said catalyst comprises a phosphorus modified zeolite and is made by a method comprising the following steps in this order, a) the essential portion of the phosphorus is introduced into a zeolite comprising at least one ten members ring in the structure, b) the phosphorus modified zeolite of step a) is mixed with at least a component selected among one or more binders, salts of alkali-earth metals, salts of rare-earth metals, clays and shaping additives, b)* making a catalyst body from mixture b), c) an optional drying step or an optional drying step followed by a washing step, d) a calcination step, d) an optional washing step followed by drying, e) optionally a small portion of phosphorus is introduced in the course of step b) or b) or at end of step b) or b)*.
US09067194B2	Method of regenerating used catalyst [Problem] Provided is a method for regenerating a catalyst, the method decreasing the SO2 oxidation rate, which has been increased by Fe and V compounds, of a spent denitration catalyst to an extremely low level, and improves the oxidation activity of the catalyst for metal mercury by the regeneration treatment.[Solving Means] A method for regenerating a catalyst, including steps of immersing a spent denitration catalyst composed mainly of titanium oxide in (a) a mixed aqueous solution containing phosphate ions and oxo-acid ions of one or more elements selected from vanadium (V), molybdenum (Mo), and tungsten (W), (b) a heteropoly acid compound aqueous solution containing phosphorus and one or more elements selected from V, M, and W, or (c) a mixed aqueous solution containing a phosphate compound and a vanadyl compound, and then drying the catalyst.
US09067191B2	Hydrodesulfurization catalyst for hydrocarbon oil, process of producing same and method for hydrorefining The present invention provides a hydrodesulfurization catalyst that exhibits a high desulfurization activity when used in hydrotreatment of hydrocarbon oil, in particular straight-run gas oil. The catalyst includes at least one type of metal component selected from Groups VIA and VIII in the periodic table, supported on a silica-titania-alumina support where the total of the diffraction peak area indicating the crystal structure of anatase titania (101) planes and the diffraction peak area indicating the crystal structure of rutile titania (110) planes is ¼ or less of the diffraction peak area indicating the aluminum crystal structure ascribed to γ-alumina (400) planes, as measured by X-ray diffraction analysis. The catalyst has (a) a specific surface area (SA) of 150 m2/g or greater, (b) a total pore volume (PVo) of 0.30 ml/g or greater, (c) an average pore diameter (PD) of 6 to 15 nm (60 to 150 Å), and (d) the ratio of the pore volume (PVp) of pores having diameters within ±30 percent of the average pore diameter (PD) being 70 percent or greater of the total pore volume (PVo).
US09067188B2	System and method for continuously producing polyoxymethylene dialkyl ethers A reaction system and method for producing polyoxymethylene dialkyl ethers (RO(CH2O)nR, n=1-8) by continuous acetalation of formaldehyde and aliphatic alcohol in the presence of an acid ionic liquid catalyst. The reaction system includes an acetalation reaction unit, a product separation unit, and a catalyst regeneration unit. The recyclable material and catalyst are separated by combining extraction and rectification, and a recovery rate of more than 99% for the catalyst is achieved. Water, as the byproduct, is separated from the reaction system by destroying the azeotrope of water, alcohol, aldehyde, and RO(CH2O)nR, so that the product separation and catalyst regeneration are facilitated and the catalytic cycle is achieved.
US09067187B2	Catalyst system and method for gas phase oxidation using an upstream layer The present invention relates to a process for gas-phase oxidation, in which a gaseous stream comprising an aromatic hydrocarbon and molecular oxygen is passed through two or more catalyst zones. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a catalyst system for gas-phase reaction using a preliminary zone.
US09067186B2	Stability control of a hydrogen generating system and method A method of and apparatus for efficient on-demand production of H2 and O2 from water and heat using environmentally safe metals are disclosed. In one aspect, the apparatus for hydrogen generation through water-decomposition reaction includes a main reactor, an oxidizer reactor, and a computer-control system. The computer system is configured to control each of the components of the hydrogen gas production system for stable hydrogen-gas production.
US09067179B2	Microfluidic device facilitating gas exchange, and methods of use and manufacture thereof The invention provides systems and methods for exchanging gas in a microfluidic device, and methods for preparing such microfluidic devices. The systems and methods can be used to transfer oxygen to blood to assist lung function in a patient.
US09067174B2	System and method for concentrating gas A gas concentrating system is provided. The system includes, for example, a gas separation system having at least one separation space, at least one sensor connected to the separation space and providing at least one output signal indicative of the progress of gas separation, at least one pump system associated with gas separation system; and a controller. The controller includes, for example, logic reading the sensor output signal and logic controlling at least one parameter of the pump system based on the sensor output signal. The parameter of the pump system can be any parameter affecting the characteristics or operation of the pump system. Examples are disclosed but are not intended to be limiting.
US09067171B2	Membrane for separating methane or carbon dioxide, and production thereof The present invention discloses a process for producing a membrane for separating methane or carbon dioxide, having excellent heat resistance, durability and anti-chemical agent resistance (anti-corrosion resistance). The present invention is related to a process for producing a membrane for separating methane or carbon dioxide, which comprises the following steps: (a) preparing a metal alkoxide solution by (i) mixing an acid catalyst, water and an organic solvent, (ii) adding thereto tetraalkoxysilane and mixing, and (iii) then adding thereto a hydrocarbon group-containing trialkoxysilane, of which a hydrocarbon group is selected from the group consisting of an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms and a phenyl group, and mixing, (b) applying the metal alkoxide solution on an inorganic porous support, and then (c) calcining the inorganic porous support having metal alkoxide solution layer at a temperature of 30 to 300° C.
US09067170B2	Absorbing agent, method for manufacturing an absorbing agent and use of an absorbent agent An absorbent agent is provided. The absorbent agent is particularly for separating carbon dioxide from the flue gas of a fossil-fired combustion device. The absorbent agent comprises a two-component mixture including a free amino acid and an amino acid salt, wherein the free amino acid exhibits a surplus compared to the amino acid salt based on the molar concentration. This creates variability in the PCBN value, which may be attained through different absorption and desorption process temperatures. A method for manufacturing the absorbent agent is also provided.
US09067169B2	Methods of preparing an impurity-depleted hydrogen stream, methods of analyzing content of an impurity-depleted hydrogen stream, and pressure swing adsorption apparatuses Methods of preparing an impurity-depleted hydrogen stream, methods of analyzing content of an impurity-depleted hydrogen stream from a pressure swing adsorption process, and pressure swing adsorption apparatuses are provided herein. In an embodiment, a method of analyzing content of an impurity-depleted hydrogen stream from a pressure swing adsorption process includes providing a hydrogen-containing feed stream to a pressure swing adsorption zone. The hydrogen-containing feed stream further includes an impurity content including methane and carbon monoxide. Methane and carbon monoxide are adsorbed from the hydrogen-containing feed stream in the pressure swing adsorption zone. The impurity-depleted hydrogen stream is withdrawn from the pressure swing adsorption zone, with the impurity-depleted hydrogen stream having a residual methane content and a residual carbon monoxide content. The residual methane content of the impurity-depleted hydrogen stream is sensed.
US09067168B2	Integrated adsorber head and valve design and swing adsorption methods related thereto An adsorber with minimal dead volume especially suited to reverse-flow applications comprises: a) an adsorber body; b) a first head engaged with said adsorber body; c) a first conduit extending from outside said head to at least partially through said head; and d) a first valve in flow communication with said first conduit controlling fluid flow along a flow path extending from the first valve and through the adsorber body. The adsorber is especially suited for use in a process for swing adsorption separation processes.
US09067164B2	Filter systems with dirty air chamber spacer elements and methods of using the same Filter systems and methods described herein include one or more spacer elements positioned in the dirty air chamber along with the filter elements attached to the spacer elements. The dirty air inlet delivers a dirty air stream into the dirty air chamber along a dirty air flow axis.
US09067162B2	DT vapor wash An agricultural product treatment system. A preferred embodiment of the invention includes a truncated conical section which has a small diameter at one end in fluid communication with a conduit array conveying particulate matter from the DT. An open large diameter end of the structure is axially coextensive and coaxial with an expanded diameter conduit portion.
US09067160B2	Exhaust gas purification system A diesel particulate defuser (“DPD”) is connected to an exhaust pipe of a diesel engine, an exhaust gas temperature during automatic regeneration of the DPD is detected, and the difference between the detected exhaust gas temperature and a target regeneration temperature is determined. In a case where an exhaust pipe injection amount is PID controlled based on this difference, when an exhaust brake valve is closed during traveling automatic regeneration, the exhaust pipe injection is stopped and calculation of an integral control term by the PID control is continued as long as the exhaust valve brake valve is closed, and when the exhaust brake valve is opened, the integral control term that has been continuously calculated is taken as an initial operation amount.
US09067152B2	Systems and methods for improving rate of evaporation Systems and methods for increasing the rate of evaporation for a liquid. Systems and methods include use of evaporation membranes having large surface areas exposed to the ambient environment.
US09067148B2	Interactive talking dolls A set of interactive toys that perform a sequence of actions in response to one another without external activation other than an initial actuation to begin the sequence of actions. Preferably, each toy has an activation switch and/or a receiver for a wireless signal such as an infrared signal which activates the toy. Upon activation, the toy performs a desired action, such as the enunciation of a speech pattern, and signals another toy to perform a responsive action. Preferably, the toy are capable of performing several different action sequences, such as the enunciation of different conversations, the performance of different A movements, etc. Additionally, the toys are programmable by a remote control device. The remote control device either functions as an activation switch, initiating a random or predetermined (yet not user determined) sequence of interactions, or as an interaction selector, such that a desired sequence of actions may be selected.
US09067147B1	Toy figure combiners A toy construct assembly system is designed for use with standardized toy construction building elements having standardized multiple male and female coupling elements. The system includes several small toy constructs, each having building elements and additional build parts that assemble to create the small toy construct in at least two distinct builds and then dissemble into its constituent parts. Each build of the small toy construct includes a small figure assembled from the building elements to which a plurality of the additional build parts are detachably coupled to create an assembled small toy construct. In addition, a combiner assembly set includes combiner assemblies that detachably couple with building elements of the small toy construct to create a large toy construct. The large toy construct is assembled from the plurality of small toy constructs and the combiner assembly set.
US09067145B2	Virtual representations of physical agents A robotic system is integrated with one or more mobile computing devices. Physical configurations of individual components of the system in physical space, or agents, under control of a user or users, are duplicated in a representation in virtual space. Some degree of real-time parity is maintained between the physical and virtual spaces, so as to implement a virtual environment that mirrors the physical one. Events occurring within one environment can directly influence and bear consequence on the course of events occurring within the other environment. Elements of virtual space thereby become truly interdependent and unified on a peer footing with elements in physical space. In at least one embodiment, the system is implemented as an application in entertainment, such as the manifestation of a video game in physical space.
US09067142B2	System and method for collaboration Techniques are disclosed for facilitating a shared activity conducted by multiple participants via remote devices, particularly when there are more players then available remote devices. For example, the shared activity may be users playing electronic versions of a variety of card games or board games (or other game types). Users interact with a central device and one or more remote devices. The central device may be used to present “public” information on a central game play field—such as a game board, draw and discard piles, place cards, current scores, whose turn it is, etc. And the remote devices are used to present “private” game information to individual players—such as a player's “hole cards” or letter tiles. Further, users may make game choices and provide game input by interacting with the handheld device.
US09067141B2	Systems and methods for conducting a sweepstakes in a gaming environment Certain embodiments provide systems and methods for sweepstakes awards in a gaming environment. Certain embodiments provide a method including accumulating sweepstakes entries for a player based on at least one sweepstakes entry criterion and randomly selecting a winner from the pool of sweepstakes entries. The sweepstakes entries are associated with the player and incorporated in a pool of sweepstakes entries. In certain embodiments, the at least one sweepstakes entry criterion comprises at least one of one entry per player, accumulating points based on play, accumulating points based on machine outcome, and coin in. In certain embodiments, the method further includes determining eligibility of a player for the sweepstakes. In certain embodiments, eligibility is determined based on at least one of a player group, a machine group, a machine denomination, a machine type, a machine manufacturer, a game manufacturer, a game theme and a game title, for example.
US09067138B2	Playing browser based games with alternative controls and interfaces Methods, systems, and computer programs for playing browser based game with alternative controls and interfaces are presented. One method includes an operation for detecting an alternate device for playing the game. The alternate device generates alternate inputs, and the game is not predefined to be played with the alternate device. A query for information to map the alternate inputs to play the game is sent to a server, and a mapping of alternate inputs to native inputs is generated with the information received from the server. The game is predefined to be played with a native device that provides the native inputs to the game. Further, the method includes an operation for translating the alternate inputs generated with the alternate device to corresponding native inputs according to the mapping to cause corresponding actions in the game.
US09067137B2	Computer-readable storage medium having information processing program stored therein, information processing apparatus, information processing system, and information processing method A game apparatus takes an image of a marker placed in the real space. The game apparatus calculates the position and the orientation of the marker with respect to the game apparatus on the basis of the marker included in the taken image, and sets a marker coordinate system on the marker. In addition, the game apparatus detects the direction of gravity on the basis of acceleration detected by an acceleration sensor included in the game apparatus. Next, the game apparatus calculates the direction of gravity in the marker coordinate system on the basis of the detected direction of gravity, and determines the orientation of the virtual character on the basis of the calculated direction of gravity in the marker coordinate system. Then, the game apparatus displays the virtual character on a display device.
US09067130B2	Method and apparatus for awarding the value of winning tickets dispensed by a vending machine A method is provided of awarding the value of winning tickets dispensed by a vending machine to patrons who purchased the winning tickets. The tickets are preprinted with game content and are associated with a deal of tickets that includes at least some predetermined winning tickets. For each winning ticket, the patron selects a ticket redemption option provided by the vending machine to either immediately redeem the value of the winning ticket at the vending machine, or defer immediate redemption. Electronic records are provided in a database for each winning ticket that include an indication of whether the winning ticket was redeemed. The deferral option allows the patron to redeem the value of the winning ticket at a cashier, wherein the electronic records are used by the cashier to assist in the redemption process. The dispensed winning ticket is redeemed in accordance with the first option or the second option without needing to be re-inserted into the vending machine.
US09067129B2	Cylindrical labyrinth Cylindrical labyrinth that comprises a plurality of cylindrical bodies (10), where each one of them presents an outer wall (11) with a labyrinthine path (12) configured to be traversed by a ball (2) between an entry (13) into the labyrinthine path (12) and an exit (14) from the labyrinthine path (12); and a longitudinal shaft (20) configured to pierce and align the cylindrical bodies (10) and to allow the rotation thereof with respect to said shaft (20). Each cylindrical body (10) comprises a transparent cover (70) configured to cover the outer wall (11) of said body (10) and to prevent the ball (2) from falling out from the labyrinthine path (12) thereof.
US09067128B2	Balanced six-sided dice Balanced six-sided dice are provided. In this regard, a representative die includes a cubical body provided with a corresponding set of five indicia on each face, wherein four of the five indicia of each set form a square pattern with a fifth of the indicia being positioned at a center of the corresponding face.
US09067126B2	Cue easy hold glove This invention is a Cue easy hold glove to be worn by cue sports players while engaging the game of cue sports. It is of a wearable material and has stalls for the thumb and the index finger, extends in a semi circular pattern to point on the wrist and extends along a line parallel the fore arm to a point below the wrist, held down with a band.
US09067122B2	Protective athletic garment and method A protective athletic garment provides segmented padding is patterned to conform to the size, shape and motion of the muscles it is protecting. Segmented padding is supplemented in joint areas by tangentially-stepped articulated shielding, each comprising a hingeably interconnected series of rigid shells. The structure and orientation of the shells deflects impact forces tangentially, while the rotational mobility of the shielding has a force-damping effect. The protective athletic garment has a combination of latticed resilient padding covering vulnerable body areas, such as chest, arms and back, plus articulated, perforated rigid shield panels over joints areas, such as shoulders and elbows. Synergistic dynamic interaction of padding and shielding is achieved by converting impact forces to torques within a series of articulated shield panels and spreading out the forces transmitted to the underlying padding both over area and time.
US09067120B2	Tennis score device A tennis score device includes a body and multiple ball blocks. One end of the long axis of the body is pivotally connected with a supporting rod, so that the body can rotate with respect to the supporting rod. Both sides of the body are formed with an accommodating recess, respectively. Each of the ball blocks has a connecting base and a ball base connected to the corresponding connecting base. Each of the ball blocks are mounted in sequence in the accommodating recesses on both sides of the body via the connecting base. For each of the ball blocks, the side of the ball base opposite to the connecting base has at least one concave ball area for holding a ball.
US09067119B1	Ball launching device A ball launcher includes a base and a thrower arm defining a ball cradle. An arm holder is disposed on the base and pivotally supports the thrower arm about a first axis of rotation, the thrower arm spring biased about the first axis of rotation. A rotating shaft defines a second axis of rotation substantially parallel to the fore-aft axis. A ball loader is coupled to the rotating shaft for common rotation about the second axis of rotation, the ball loader defining a ball receptacle. A loader arm is releasably connected to the rotating shaft for common rotation about the second axis of rotation. The loader arm defines a longitudinal axis substantially perpendicular to the second axis of rotation of the rotating shaft and has a length extending away from the rotating shaft.
US09067117B1	Golf swing improvement device The invention features a golf swing improvement device meant to improve a golf player's game. The device includes a first and second member connected with each other by way of a hinge portion. Extrusions extending from an outer wall of the first member protect the device from being hit by a player's dub during play, practice or while putting. The device also contemplates a configuration to enable use of golf alignment devices and/or sticks.
US09067116B1	Golf swing training device and method A golf swing training apparatus and method for improving golf swing tempo and rhythm uses a lighted strip that sequentially illuminates the backswing and foreswing patterns of a desired golf swing tempo. A control unit operatively connected to the light strip is programmed to control and vary the speed and tempo of the lighting sequence of the strip as desired.
US09067114B2	Flying disc target and method of using the same A flying disc target which includes a frame having a plurality of adjustable legs and a support member having a plurality of hinges, each leg coupled to a hinge of the support member and a target member detachably coupled to the frame, the target member having a first surface and an opposing second surface, the target member includes at least one pocket extending from the first surface toward the second surface, wherein the pocket is configured to receive and store a flying disc.
US09067110B1	Golf club head with center of gravity adjustability The present invention comprises a golf club head comprising a body having a crown, a sole, a front wall and a hosel, wherein the body defines a hollow interior. The golf club head further comprises a center of gravity adjustment assembly wherein the center of gravity adjustment assembly is positioned within the hollow interior of the body, and allows the center of gravity of the golf club head to be adjusted by at least 0.050 inch, preferably along a vertical axis.
US09067102B2	Weight training device An improved weight training device is configured to allow horizontal, vertical and rotational movement while ensuring safety. The improved weight training device includes a barbell that is immediately adjacent to two swivel bearing assemblies. The barbell is configured to slide through the two swivel bearing assemblies. A horizontal guide bar is immediately adjacent to each swivel bearing assembly. Each swivel bearing assembly is configured to slide along its horizontal guide bar. At least four vertical guide assemblies are in the improved weight training device. A vertical guide assembly is mechanically coupled to each end of each horizontal guide bar. Each vertical guide assembly is configured to slide vertically along its vertical guide bar. There are at least two brakes. Each brake is mechanically coupled to the barbell and further mechanically coupled to two of the vertical guide assemblies.
US09067097B2	Virtual locomotion controller apparatus and methods Apparatus and methods are disclosed for a virtual locomotion controller user interface and system that combines data obtained from various sensor devices to allow users to control the movements of their representation in a virtual world using sensorimotor responses closely resembling the tasks and actions they would physically perform in the real world. As a result, users can specify an avatar's locomotion style by assuming body postures normally associated with that type of movement, while controlling locomotion speed or displacement through foot forces and/or stepping motions and locomotion direction through foot and body orientation.
US09067096B2	Systems and methods for providing automated workout reminders Systems and methods are provided for monitoring a user's progress towards a workout goal spanning multiple workouts and providing a workout reminder based on the progress. An electronic device can monitor the user's progress towards the goal by monitoring the user's rate of motion and/or one or more physiological parameters of the user. Based on the user's progress towards the goal, the electronic device can provide a workout reminder. For example, if a user's progress is not sufficient to achieve the workout goal, the electronic device may provide a reminder to the user. The reminder can include a visual and/or audio alert to the user, and the reminder may interrupt other functions on the device.
US09067095B2	Method and game for cyclists A game for cycling takes place on velodromes, or tracks. The game has three teams competing at the same time to claim victory and advance to higher levels of competition. Each cyclist on a team accumulates points based upon crossing a finish line in the first group of five. Each team has nine members with sprinter and long distance roles. Each team competes in up to ten races during a single game. When teams increase to four in an area, the four teams form a division. After twelve games, the teams and divisions hold a two game playoff that aids in the selection of a national team. The national teams then compete in a worldwide championship game. The game includes select lighting and camera equipment suitable for creating an attractive television product.
US09067092B2	Compact fire fighting monitor A fire fighting monitor includes a first pipe having an inlet and an outlet and a passageway with a central axis. The passageway extends from the inlet to the outlet and has a curved portion wherein the outlet directs the flow of fluid in a direction angled to the flow of fluid into the inlet. The monitor includes a second pipe mounted about the outlet of the first pipe, which is pivotally mounted about a pivot axis, which is located at the outlet of the first pipe. The second pipe also has an outlet in fluid communication with the outlet of the first pipe and is pivotal about the pivot axis over a range of motion greater than 90°.
US09067087B2	Membrane-enabled reverse lung An air revitalization apparatus and method simultaneously removes carbon dioxide, water vapor, and heat from air and produces oxygen gas, hydrogen gas, and concentrated carbon dioxide gas, does not require an explosion proof enclosure, and includes a fan configured to blow air into a first gas-liquid contactor, an electrochemical cell including first through fourth passages configured to emit hydrogen gas, permit a flow of a carbonate-hydroxide solution, permit a flow of carbonate-bicarbonate solution, and emit oxygen gas, respectively, the first and fourth passages separated by at least three gas-impermeable membranes, and a second gas-liquid contactor, where the first gas-liquid contactor, second passage, and a first pump are configured to circulate the carbonate-hydroxide solution therethrough, where the second gas-liquid contactor, third passage, and a second pump are configured to circulate the carbonate-bicarbonate solution therethrough, and where the output of the first passage is operationally coupled to the second gas-liquid contactor.
US09067082B2	Dental bleaching compositions having long-term rheological stability and devices, kits and methods that utilize such compositions Dental bleaching compositions include a dental bleaching agent, a generally linear high molecular weight (i.e., greater than about 500,000) polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) and/or polyethylene oxide (PEO) tissue adhesion agent included in amount that imparts a high level of adhesiveness, a rheology-modifying agent such as fumed silica or fumed alumina that reduces or eliminates stringiness otherwise caused by the high molecular weight PVP and/or PEO, and a solvent or carrier. Dental bleaching compositions may include carboxypolymethylene instead of or in addition to PVP and/or PEO, wherein the fumed silica or fumed alumina increases long-term rheological stability even in the presence of a high concentration of dental bleaching agent. Dental treatment devices including a barrier layer and a quantity of the dental bleaching composition positioned adjacent to the barrier layer.
US09067081B2	Carrying case handle for defibrillator and accessories A substantially rigid defibrillator carrying case having a hinged side, a latch disposed on a latch side opposite the hinged side, and a handle disposed on a handle side disposed between the hinged side and the latch side. The carrying case is constructed without protrusions and with an arcuate and semi-rigid or rigid handle, which combine to allow easy removal and deployment of the contents from a vehicle storage location to a cardiac arrest patient. The carrying case is further constructed with a wide angle viewing ready status light pipe for greater ease of maintenance of the contents.
US09067080B2	Method and apparatus of remotely-operated automated external defribrallator incorporated into a handheld device A rescue cell apparatus used for cardiac defibrillation of a patient, the apparatus comprising: a hand held device for sending and receiving communication signals and configured to be used as a remote control to administer a defibrillation pulse to the patient for cardiac defibrillation; a defibrillator unit having a sensor electronic pad positionable on the patient, the sensor electronic pad adapted to deliver the defibrillation pulse; and a second electronic pad, connectable by an electrical wire to the defibrillator unit, the second electronic pad positionable on the patient and adapted to detect ECG signals and to deliver the defibrillation pulse to the patient; and an image recognition module configured in the handheld device, and adapted to verify positioning of the sensor electronic pad and the second electronic pad on the patient before defibrillation.
US09067078B2	Hermetic sealing method for a battery fillport using sealing member A method of manufacturing an energy storage device for a medical device that includes creating an aperture in a case. The aperture includes an inner surface. The method also includes introducing an electrolyte into the case through the aperture and moving a sealing member into the aperture. The sealing member includes an outer surface. Furthermore, the method includes sealing the aperture only with the sealing member and creating a substantially hermetic seal between the inner surface of the aperture and the outer surface of the sealing member.
US09067076B2	Management of multiple stimulation program groups The disclosure describes a method and system that allows a user to manage multiple groups of stimulation programs that provide stimulation therapy. A physician may prepare a plurality of programs, arranged in groups that each focus on one area, that the patient may evaluate in an effort to determine if any programs provide efficacious therapy. Since the patient may be evaluating many groups by using a patient programmer, managing the groups may be difficult. The patient programmer may enable the patient to hide ineffective groups to minimize the number of groups available for therapy. In addition, the programmer may allow the patient to mark each group or program as effective or ineffective, to more easily manage groups and programs during stimulation therapy. In addition, the patient may unhide a group or program if the patient desires to reevaluate a formerly hidden option.
US09067072B2	Switchable dual-coil communication circuitry for extending communication range in an implantable medical device system Two LC circuits (each with its own coil) are used in either or both of an external controller or an implanted medical device to extend the range at which the two devices can communicate. Only one of the LC circuits (i.e., one of the coils) is used when the device is transmitting, while both LC circuits (i.e., both coils) are used when the device is receiving. When receiving, the LC circuits are preferably connected in series. The series connection of the LC circuits does not affect the resonant frequency, and thus this resonant frequency is the same for both transmission and reception despite the different LC circuits used. Switching circuitry is controlled to disconnect one of the LC circuits when the device is transmitting, and to connect the LC circuits in series during reception.
US09067071B2	System and method for neuromodulation A method of treating autonomic imbalance in a patient includes energizing a first therapeutic element disposed in a superior vena cava of the patient to deliver therapy to a parasympathetic nerve fiber (e.g. vagus nerve), and energizing a second therapeutic element disposed within the superior vena cava to deliver therapy to a sympathetic cardiac nerve fiber. A neuromodulation system includes a parasympathetic therapy element adapted for positioning within a blood vessel, a sympathetic therapy element adapted for positioning within the blood vessel; and a stimulator to energize the parasympathetic therapy element to deliver parasympathetic therapy to a parasympathetic nerve fiber disposed external to the blood vessel and energize the sympathetic therapy element within the blood vessel to deliver sympathetic therapy to a sympathetic nerve fiber disposed external to the blood vessel. The therapy decreases the patient's heart rate and elevates or maintains the blood pressure of the patient.
US09067068B2	Channel specific gain control including lateral suppression A system is described for generating electrode stimulation signals for stimulation electrodes in an implanted electrode array on a given side of a bilateral cochlear implant system. A pre-processor module processes an acoustic audio signal with a bank of filters to generate a set of band pass signals each corresponding to a band of audio frequencies associated with one of the filters. An automatic gain control (AGC) circuit performs a channel specific dynamic amplitude mapping of the band pass signals to generate a set of compressed band pass signals. The AGC circuit uses a bilateral multiplication matrix characterizing a lateral suppression network and having at least one non-zero coupling element from a contralateral side. A stimulation timing module extracts stimulation information from the compressed band pass signals to generate stimulation timing signals. A pulse shaper module develops the stimulation timing signals into electrode stimulation signals to the stimulation electrodes.
US09067066B2	Particle beam therapy device and particle beam therapy device operation method A control unit is provided with, a retaining section that retains a plurality of operation patterns each being a pattern of operation to be periodically repeated by an accelerator, the operation patterns having respective operation conditions adjusted for different emission times of an particle beam, to cause a deflection electromagnet in the accelerator to have an intended magnetic field intensity even under a presence of a hysteresis; a reading section for a plurality of slices of an irradiation target in a depth direction, which reads an irradiation condition for each of the slices; a selection section that selects the operation pattern suitable for each of the slices, on the basis of the read irradiation condition; and a main control section that controls, for each of the slices, the accelerator on the basis of the selected operation pattern and an irradiation device on the basis of the irradiation condition.
US09067063B2	Expandable brachytherapy apparatus and methods for using them Brachytherapy treatment apparatus are provided that include an elongate core member, a plurality of expandable catheters or other elongate members and a balloon or other expandable member on a distal portion adjacent the core member. Each catheter includes a distal end coupled to the core member distal end, a proximal end movable relative to the core member, and a lumen extending between the proximal and distal ends for receiving a source of radiation therealong. The balloon is expandable independently of the catheters such that the balloon may be expanded after expanding the catheters, e.g., to facilitate imaging and/or dose planning. Optionally, a working channel may be provided for receiving an aspiration catheter or other instrument or at least one of the catheters may include an aspiration lumen and one or more ports, e.g., for aspirating material from a region surrounding the distal portion.
US09067062B2	Irradiation/cooling combination for application in photodynamic therapy The invention relates to an irradiation-cooling combination for application in photodynamic therapy having an irradiation element (120), a cooling element (130) permeable by the emitted radiation in an irradiation pass-through direction, wherein said cooling element is designed for attachment between the irradiation element (120) and a treatment surface (160) of a patient. The cooling element (130) has an optical pass-through surface that can be cooled as an attachment to the treatment surface (160). Additional components of the invention are a first fastening device (150) for defined positioning of the irradiation-cooling combination opposite the treatment surface (160), a second fastening device (140) for attaching the irradiation element (120) on the cooling element (130), a control unit (110) and a power supply (100). The invention provides effective pain management during photodynamic therapy in connection with a mobile treatment system and larger treatment areas by means of a uniform radiation field.
US09067060B2	Skin treatment and hair treatment device with protruding guards The present invention relates to the fields of skin care and energy-tissue interaction. More particularly, the invention relates to a device and method for enhancing operation and treatment safety during applications of energy to the skin and human body.
US09067059B2	Light delivery device A light delivery device comprising an optical fiber having a non-feature portion and a feature portion having features that force light to couple out radially from the feature portion and provide a desired radial light output pattern. A method of photodisinfection of a cavity comprising of providing this device, apply a photosensitizing composition to treatment site within the cavity, and inserting at least a portion of the device into the cavity; and applying light delivered by the device from a light source to the treatment site within the cavity at a wavelength absorbed by the photosensitizing composition so as to inhibit or eliminate microbes located at the treatment site. The present invention also includes a method of making the device and a treatment kit containing the device and a container containing a photosensitizing composition.
US09067057B2	Percutaneous gateway, a fixing system for a prosthesis, a fixture and connecting means for signal transmission A percutaneous gateway is provided for permanently transmission between inside of a body and outside of the body, comprising an implant (10) adapted to be at least partly anchored in a bone (1). The implant (10) has a transmission means (30) that allows a long-term stable communication through a transmitting device (20) adapted to extend from an implantable component (90) through the bone (80) to a device (91) at the outer end (3) of the percutaneous gateway.
US09067055B2	Defibrillator with pre-connected electrode pads with reduced susceptibility to false asystole indications A defibrillator electrode set for a defibrillator and a defibrillator which senses the capacitance of an attached electrode set includes an electrode set coupled to the defibrillator by an adapter cable. The adapter cable and electrode set are pre-connected to the defibrillator prior to use. The electrodes are stored in a sealed foil package to retard gel desiccation prior to use. To reduce the capacitance of the electrode set seen by the defibrillator, the capacitance between the stored electrodes and the foil package is reduced by using a thicker dielectric layer for the layer of an electrode which opposes a wall of the foil package. In a constructed embodiment, one sixteenth inch thick polyethylene foam may be used for the electrode layer opposing the wall of the foil package.
US09067051B2	Valve device for controlling a flow of a fluid through a fluid channel, arrangement and multi-way valve device The invention relates to a valve device for controlling a flow of a fluid through a fluid channel, having a tube (2) made of a flexible material, in which a section of a fluid channel is formed, a valve component (1) assigned to the tube (2), a cantilevered arm (8), which is designed to be reversibly displaceable on the valve component (1) against a restoring force supplied at least partially by the cantilevered arm (8) itself, a squeeze element (10), which is arranged on a distal end of the cantilevered arm (8) for support of the cantilevered arm (8) on the valve component (1) and is configured to control a flow of a fluid through the fluid channel by pressing against an outside surface of the tube (2), optionally up to the closing of the fluid channel, and an actuator (11) which is configured to displace the squeeze element (10) in various control directions against the restoring force on the cantilevered arm (8), so that the pressure of the squeeze element (10) on the outside surface of the tube (2) and thereby the flow through the fluid channel can be regulated. In addition, the invention also relates to a system having at least one valve device and a pressure-applying device as well as a multi-way valve device having multiple valve devices.
US09067043B2	Tunneled catheter with hemostasis mechanism A hemostasis component for an invasive medical device has an inflatable cylinder affixed to the medical device at a location aligned with an ingress point of a patient. An inflation source is in fluid communication with the inflatable cylinder and a flow control valve that is effective to regulate the flow of fluid from the inflation source to the inflatable cylinder is provided. The flexible cylinder is located on the proximal end of a tunneling catheter, where it exits the skin. A thin tube is provided to inflate the flexible cylinder. In the event of bleeding, the flexible cylinder is inflated for as long as is needed to achieve hemostasis, without having to place sutures. Inflation is a simple procedure that can be done by the patient, as opposed to having to place a suture, which must be performed by a physician or a physician's delegate, under sterile conditions.
US09067040B2	Lubricious extruded medical tubing A medical tube having improved lubricity is disclosed. The medical tube is produced by extruding a polymer material blended with a lubricity enhancing additive through a resilient die. The polymer material can be medical-grade high-density polyethylene, and the lubricity enhancing additive can be a silicone-based or alloy-based material. The medical tube can include one or more internal elongated protuberances so as to reduce the internal surface area of the medical tube available to generate friction on a guide wire inserted or withdrawn through the medical tube.
US09067035B2	Drying substances, preparation and use thereof There is provided herein a dryer polymer substance comprising a polymer grafted with a compound having sulfonic groups, wherein the substance is adapted to pervaporate a fluid such as water, water vapor or both. There is further provided a process for the preparation of a dryer polymer substance adapted to pervaporate a fluid, the process includes processing a polymer into a desired form, activating at least a portion of the polymer, and grafting the activated portion of the polymer with a compound having groups adapted to be sulfonated.
US09067033B2	Compact oronasal patient interface A breathing arrangement includes a patient interface, at least one inlet conduit, and a headgear assembly. The patient interface includes a mouth covering assembly including a cushion structured to sealingly engage around exterior of a patient's mouth in use, a nozzle assembly including a pair of nozzles structured to sealingly engage within nasal passages of a patient's nose in use, and a flexible element connecting the mouth covering assembly and the nozzle assembly. The at least one inlet conduit is structured to deliver breathable gas into at least one of the mouth covering assembly and the nozzle assembly for breathing by the patient. The headgear assembly is removably connected to at least one of the mouth covering assembly and the nozzle assembly so as to maintain the mouth covering assembly and the nozzle assembly in a desired position on the patient's face.
US09067026B2	Vascular graft A vascular access graft (1) comprises an elongate conduit (2) having proximal and distal ends (3, 4). At least a portion of the elongate conduit (2) has a self-sealing property such that the portion remains impermeable after puncturing by a dialysis needle. The vascular access graft (1) also comprises a helical fin (6) projecting inwardly from the inner surface (5) of the elongate conduit (2) and extending parallel to the axis of the elongate conduit (2).
US09067021B2	Needleless injector The present invention relates to a needleless injector. The needleless injector includes a piston shaft with a plurality of holders on an outer surface in a circumferential direction; a cylinder assembly which slidably receives and supports the piston shaft in the forward and backward directions; and a plurality of balls which are received in the cylinder assembly and disposed around the piston shaft, the plurality of balls being movable in a radial direction and inserted into the plurality of holders when the piston shaft is moved in the backward direction. The injector also includes a trigger button slidably coupled to a rear end of the cylinder assembly to form a trigger end interrupting the movement of the balls inserted into the holders in the radial direction, the trigger button releasing the interruption of the trigger end when the piston shaft is slid in the forward direction.
US09067016B2	Infusion monitoring device and method for monitoring the infusion dripping rate and alarming for the irregularities of the infusion The present invention discloses an intravenous infusion monitoring device for monitoring the infusion dripping rate. This device is attached to an infusion tube above the dripping chamber, including two polar plates forming a capacitor, a capacitance measurement unit electrically connected to the capacitor, a micro control unit (MCU) configured to collect data from the capacitance measure unit and analysis and display the infusion dripping rate. A method for monitoring infusion rate includes setting the infusion solution surface to a specific height in the dripping chamber so that the infusion solution in the tube is conducted and have a pulse change of the capacitance at the moment when a droplet drips down, determining the cycle of the pulse corresponding to the infusion rate and displaying the dripping rate by LCD screen, and alarming when the infusion irregularities occurs such as too fast, too slow or fully stop.
US09067015B2	System for injecting fluids in a subject Devices and systems for injecting fluids and/or other materials into a targeted anatomical location, in particular, a joint or intra-articular space, include a handpiece assembly having a needle extending from its distal end, a fluid delivery module comprising a cassette and a fluid transfer device. A conduit is generally configured to place the fluid delivery module in fluid communication with the handpiece assembly. Medicaments, formulations and/or other fluids or materials contained within vials that are secured to a cassette or other portion of the fluid delivery module can be selectively delivered into an anatomy through a needle located at the distal end of the handpiece assembly. In some embodiments, ultrasound or other imaging technologies can be used to locate a joint or other targeted anatomical location.
US09067013B2	Medical article securement device A securement device (10) secures a medical article (12) to the body of a patient and prevents longitudinal movement of the medical article (12) relative to the securement device (10). The securement device (10) includes a base portion (50) that is disposed over at least a part of a securement piece (20). The securement piece (20) forms a channel (19) configured to receive at least a portion of the medical article (12). The device (10) includes at least one actuator (40). The at least one actuator (40) is coupled with the securement piece (20) and configured to move the securement piece (20) between open position and a closed position. When the securement piece (20) is in the open position, it can receive at least a portion of the medical article (12). When the securement piece (20) is in the closed position, it prevents the received medical article (12) from moving in the longitudinal direction relative to the securement device (10). In some embodiments the securement piece (20) has engagement members (23) extending from the inner surface of the securement piece (20). In an embodiment, the securement device (10) includes an opening (28) that receives an outwardly extending member of the medical article (12).
US09067011B2	Device for delivery of powder like medication in a humid environment A device for placement in an environment, particularly a humid environment, for delivery of medication to said environment. The device comprises a reservoir (103) having an orifice (104), a conveying unit for conveying a reservoir's content (106) through the orifice (104) and an actuator arrangement for driving the conveying unit. In order to provide a reliable delivery of medication in a humid environment, the conveying unit comprises an auger (110) extending in the reservoir (103).
US09067007B2	Motor assembly for catheter pump A catheter pump is disclosed herein. The catheter pump can include a catheter assembly that comprises a drive shaft and an impeller coupled to a distal end of the drive shaft. A driven assembly can be coupled to a proximal end of the drive shaft within a driven assembly housing. The catheter pump can also include a drive system that comprises a motor and a drive magnet coupled to an output shaft of the motor. The drive system can include a drive assembly housing having at least one magnet therein. Further, a securement device can be configured to prevent disengagement of the driven assembly housing from the drive assembly housing during operation of the pump.
US09067006B2	Compressible and expandable blade for a fluid pump The invention relates to a compressible and expandable blade for the rotor of a fluid pump having at least two lamellae which are disposed adjacently, are pivotable respectively relative to an axis of rotation of the rotor and moveable relative to each other, and abut against each other in the expanded state of the blade such that they form together a continuous blade surface.
US09067005B2	Centrifugal pump apparatus A centrifugal blood pump apparatus includes an impeller provided in a blood chamber, a permanent magnet provided in one surface of the impeller, a permanent magnet provided in an inner wall of the blood chamber, a permanent magnet provided in the other surface of the impeller, and a magnetic material and a coil provided in a motor chamber for driving the impeller to rotate via a diaphragm. Grooves for hydrodynamic bearing are formed in the diaphragm facing the impeller, and in the inner wall of the blood chamber, respectively. As a result, the impeller can be smoothly activated to drive by controlling a coil current.
US09067002B2	Tailored aliphatic polyesters for stent coatings An aliphatic polyester polymer for stent coating is described.
US09067001B2	Coatings for implantable medical devices The present application teaches a coating having a biologically compatible compound conjugated to, or blended with, a polymer, wherein the polymer includes at least one olefin-derived unit and at least one unit derived from a vinyl alcohol, an allyl alcohol, or derivatives thereof.
US09067000B2	End-capped poly(ester amide) copolymers This invention relates to poly(ester amide)s (PEAs) comprising inactivated terminal amino and carboxyl groups, methods of synthesizing the inactivated PEAs and uses for them in the treatment of vascular diseases.
US09066996B1	Method to control the biodegradation rates of polymer structures Methods to selectively control the bio-degradation rates of biologically compatible microstructures and methods to control the bio-degradation rates of three-dimensional biological scaffolds, such as ordered open-cellular polymer structures used as biological growth templates are disclosed. Medical uses and application of these materials are disclosed.
US09066992B2	Polymers for implantable devices exhibiting shape-memory effects The present invention is directed to polymeric compositions comprising a biodegradable copolymer that possesses shape-memory properties and implantable devices (e.g., drug-delivery stents) formed of materials (e.g., a coating) containing such compositions. The polymeric compositions can also contain at least one non-fouling moiety, at least additional biocompatible polymer, at least one biobeneficial material, at least one bioactive agent, or a combination thereof. The polymeric compositions are formulated to possess good mechanical, physical and biological properties. Moreover, implantable devices formed of materials comprising such compositions can be delivered to the treatment site in a conveniently compressed size and then can expand to dimensions appropriate for their medical functions.
US09066988B1	Photocatalytic device with curved reflectors A photocatalytic device has an ultraviolet light source and a plurality of photocatalytic structures, such as hydrated quad-metallic catalyst surfaces. The photocatalytic device has curved reflectors that are positioned to reflect ultraviolet light against a face of the photocatalytic structures. The curved reflectors are shaped to minimize the distance traveled by the ultraviolet light between the light source and the photocatalytic structure. The curved reflector is further shaped to direct reflected ultraviolet against the surface of the photocatalytic structure in a perpendicular direction.
US09066986B2	Anti-CEACAM6 antibodies and uses thereof The present invention relates to isolated or purified antibodies or fragments thereof specific for CEACAM6 and their use as therapeutic or diagnostic tools. Specifically, the present invention is directed to antibodies or fragments thereof specific for a linear epitope of CEACAM6. In vivo and in vitro methods of diagnosis as well as therapeutic methods are also described.
US09066983B2	Peptidic antigen that induces antibody recognizing three-dimensional structure of HIV and method for synthesizing same An object of the present invention is to provide an HIV antibody-inducing peptide antigen that is effective in developing an antibody or a vaccine having specificity and binding activity for the three-dimensional structure of a neutralization target, i.e. the mechanism by which HIV invades a target cell; a method for synthesizing the same; a vaccine comprising the peptide antigen, or an HIV three-dimensional structure-recognizing antibody induced by the peptide antigen; and a preventive and/or therapeutic agent for HIV infection comprising the peptide antigen, the vaccine, or the HIV three-dimensional structure-recognizing antibody as an active ingredient.
US09066981B2	Actinically-crosslinkable siloxane-containing copolymers The invention provide a class of actinically-crosslinkable silicone-containing prepolymers obtained by functionalizing an intermediary copolymer to have two or more thiol or ethylenically-unsaturated groups covalently attached thereto, wherein the intermediary copolymer is an atom-transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) product of a reactive mixture comprising a polysiloxane ATRP macroinitiator and at least one hydrophilic vinylic monomer. The present invention is also related to silicone hydrogel contact lenses made from a prepolymer of the invention and methods for making the contact lenses in a cost-effective way and with high consistency and high fidelity to the original lens design.
US09066978B2	Dose selection of adjuvanted synthetic nanocarriers Disclosed are synthetic nanocarrier compositions with coupled adjuvant compositions as well as related methods.
US09066976B2	Method for therapeutic angiogenesis The present invention relates to the E2EPF UCP-VHL interaction and the uses thereof, more precisely a method for increasing or reducing VHL activity or level by regulating UCP activity or level to inhibit cancer cell proliferation or metastasis or to increase angiogenesis. The inhibition of UCP activity is accomplished by any UCP activity inhibitor selected from a group consisting of a small interfering RNA (RNAi), an antisense oligonucleotide, and a polynucleotide complementarily binding to mRNA of UCP, a peptide, a peptide mimetics and an antibody, and a low molecular compound. In the meantime, the increase of angiogenesis is accomplished by the following mechanism; UCP over-expression is induced by a gene carrier and thus endogenous VHL is reduced, leading to the stabilization of HIF-1α which enhances VEGF activation based on the HIF-1α stabilization. The method for regulating UCP activity or level results in the increase or decrease of VHL activity or level, so that it can be applied to the development of an anticancer agent and an angiogenesis inducer.
US09066975B2	Jucara and acai fruit based dietary supplements The present invention relates to stable, palatable, freeze-dried, fruit-based compositions. Specifically, the inventions relates to compositions of Açai fruit and Jucara fruit with high antioxidant capability and cyclooxygenase-inhibitory activity, and their uses. The invention further provides for methods of making stable, palatable, freeze-dried, fruit-based compositions from Açai fruit and Jucara fruit.
US09066967B2	Oligonucleotide analogues targeting human LMNA Provided are LMNA-targeted antisense oligonucleotides for reducing expression of one or more aberrantly spliced LMNA mRNA isoforms that encode progerin.
US09066965B1	Purified limonin glucoside for prevention and treatment of chronic diseases One exemplary embodiment of the disclosure provides methods and compositions for treating a subject suffering from Alcoholic Liver Disease, Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, and certain cancers, or a combination thereof, by administering a therapeutically effective amount of purified liminoid glucoside or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof to the subject. In another exemplary embodiment, the disclosure provides methods and compositions for treating a subject suffering from elevated circulating concentrations of liver enzymes wherein the liver enzymes are selected from gamma glutamyl transferase, alanine amino transferase, alkaline phosphatase and complement fraction 3 or a combination thereof, the method comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of purified liminoid glucoside or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof to the subject wherein the treating results in a decreased circulating concentration of the liver enzymes.
US09066963B2	Methods of treating breast cancer with anthracycline therapy The application describes methods for screening subjects with breast cancer to determine if the breast cancer will be responsive to a breast cancer therapy including an anthracycline. The application also describes methods for treating subjects with breast cancer by screening them for the likelihood of the effectiveness of treating the cancer with a therapy including anthracycline and administering the therapy in subjects when it is found that anthracycline is likely to be effective.
US09066954B2	Fused heterocyclic derivatives and methods of use Selected compounds are effective for prophylaxis and treatment of diseases, such as HGF mediated diseases. The invention encompasses novel compounds, analogs, prodrugs and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, pharmaceutical compositions and methods for prophylaxis and treatment of diseases and other maladies or conditions involving, cancer and the like. The subject invention also relates to processes for making such compounds as well as to intermediates useful in such processes.
US09066948B2	Oxadiazolo[3,2-a]pyrimidines and thiadiazolo[3,2-a]pyrimidines The present invention relates to compounds of formula P-1 and related compounds and compositions useful for inhibiting and/or reducing platelet deposition, adhesion and/or aggregation. The definitions of A, Y, R1, R2, Ra, Ra′, Rb, Rb′, Rc, Rc′, Rd, Rd′, Re, and Re′ are provided herein. The present invention further relates to methods for the treatment or prophylaxis of thrombotic disorders, including stroke, myocardial infarction, unstable angina, peripheral vascular disease, abrupt closure following angioplasty or stent placement and thrombosis as a result of vascular surgery.
US09066946B2	P2X7 modulators The present invention is directed to compounds of Formulas (I, IIa and IIb): The invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising compounds of Formulas (I, IIa and IIb). Methods of making and using the compounds of Formulas (I, IIa and IIb) are also within the scope of the invention.
US09066942B2	Oral dosage forms for oxygen-containing active agents and oxyl-containing polymer The disclosed invention is drawn to pharmaceutical tablets that provide delivery of active agents having at least three oxygen-containing groups, as well as a second active ingredient. Non-limiting examples of three oxygen-containing group active agents include guaifenesin, codeine, hydrocodone, and their pharmaceutically acceptable salts. In one embodiment, a pharmaceutical tablet for oral administration once every 12 hours is provided. The tablet includes a first active agent that is a tri-oxy active agent, a second active agent, and a release rate controlling non-ionic oxyl-containing hydrophilic polymer. The total oxyl content of the hydrophilic polymer in the tablet is about 4×10−4 moles to about 2.0×10−3 moles.
US09066936B2	Solid pharmaceutical composition comprising a benzimidazole-7-carboxylate derivative and a pH control agent The present invention provides a solid pharmaceutical composition containing compound (I) having an angiotensin II receptor antagonistic action and defined in the specification and a pH control agent, which composition is superior in the stability and dissolution property of compound (I).
US09066934B2	Composite material comprising pectin and calcium phosphate and method for its realisation A method for obtaining a composite material including an aqueous solution of pectin and a suspension/solution of calcium phosphate mixed together, wherein said solution of pectin cross-links with a portion of the calcium obtained from the solution of calcium phosphate and wherein a portion of the calcium phosphate in suspension remains as inorganic phase and composite materials obtained by this method.
US09066923B2	Methods for Alzheimer's disease treatment and cognitive enhancement The present invention relates to compositions comprising a combination of PKC activators and PKC inhibitors and methods to modulate α-secretase activity; improve or enhance cognitive ability; and/or reduce neurodegeneration in individuals suffering from diseases that impair cognitive ability, particularly Alzheimer's Disease. The invention also relates to methods for improving or enhancing cognitive ability. The present invention also provides methods for increasing the generation of non-amyloidogenic soluble APP (sAPP) comprising the activation of protein kinase C (PKC) in the brain and inhibiting PKC in peripheral tissues. Macrocyclic lactones (i.e. bryostatin class and neristatin class) are preferred PKC activators and Vitamin E is a preferred PKC inhibitor for use in the inventive composition.
US09066919B2	Hyaluronan as a chemo-sensitizer in the treatment of cancer This application provides methods and compositions for the treatment of cancer. The application provides compositions including hyaluronic acid and a chemotherapeutic agent such as irinotecan that are useful in the treatment of cancer.
US09066916B2	Method of treating neurohormonal imbalance The disclosure pertains to methods of reducing decompensation through acute intervention including in subjects afflicted with acute decompensated heart failure. Particularly, the disclosure provides methods for treating acute cardiac decompensation by administering a pharmaceutically effective amount of relaxin.
US09066910B2	Methods and compositions of cannabis extracts In one embodiment, a method is provided for obtaining an extract from a cannabis plant for medical uses. In one embodiment, a method for obtaining an extract from a cannabis plant for medical uses is provided. The method comprises (a) providing cannabis flower trimmings with trichome material, (b) providing clean, cold water to at least cover cannabis the cannabis flower trimmings, (c) agitating the mixture of cannabis flower trimmings and water (d) soaking the cannabis flower trimming in cold water for at least one minute, (e) removing cannabis flower trimmings from the water, (f) removing the trichome material from the water and (g) drying the trichome material to contain no more than 10% total water weight.
US09066908B2	Method of treating bone disorders using TSG-6 The invention provides use of a TSG-6 polypeptide, or a polynucleotide encoding an TSG-6 polypeptide, in the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment or prevention of a bone disease or condition associated with bone resorption by osteoclasts.
US09066906B2	Lunasin-containing complex and purification of lunasin from plants A method of purifying lunasin or a lunasin-containing complex produced in a plant includes providing a plant material from the plant, and isolating the lunasin-containing complex from the plant material, and/or releasing lunasin from the lunasin-containing complex. A composition for treating a cancer or an inflammation-related disease in a subject includes a lunasin-containing complex. A composition for treating a cancer or an inflammation-related disease in a subject includes a lunasin polypeptide and/or a lunasin-containing complex; and curcumin, wherein the combination of the a lunasin polypeptide or lunasin-containing complex and the curcumin has a synergistic effect. A method for treating a cancer or an inflammation-related disease includes administering a composition including a lunasin-containing complex, or a lunasin polypeptide and/or a lunasin-containing complex, and curcumin.
US09066902B2	Fatty acids as anti-inflammatory agents Compounds of formula I and their metabolites are potent mediators of an inflammatory response: (I) where a, b, c, d, e, f, V, W, X, Y, Ra, Ra′, Rb, Rb′, Rc, and Rc′ are defined herein. In particular, the compounds of the invention are candidate therapeutics for treating inflammatory conditions.
US09066895B2	Method of storing a vaccine containing an aluminum adjuvant The invention relates to a method for loading and storing a vaccine composition, containing the antigen adsorbed on the aluminum adjuvant which (a) comprises (i) loading the composition into a container; and (ii) closing the container with a device in particular acting as a stopper, the surface of the device getting into contact with the composition being coated with a fluoropolymer such as Teflon™; and/or (b) loading the composition into a container wherein the inner surface of which is coated with polymerized silicone. The use of fluoropolymer or polymerized silicone optimizes the adsorbed antigen stability upon storage. In a particular embodiment, the antigen is the hepatitis B surface antigen and the aluminum adjuvant is aluminum oxy hydroxide.
US09066888B2	Plaster causing reduced skin irritation A plaster containing an active ingredient for the transdermal administration of a pharmaceutical active ingredient, having a removable protective film and an adhesive layer. The plaster includes at least one compound that is contained in the adhesive layer or lies adjacent the adhesive layer between the adhesive layer and the removable protective film and that can be applied to the skin to at least reduce skin irritation.
US09066886B2	Transdermal drug delivery system containing granisetron Disclosed herein is a transdermal system in a matrix form capable of enhancing granisetron carrying efficiency and improving transdermal absorption while inhibiting recrystallization, which comprises: at least one transdermal enhancer selected from a group consisting of polyglyceryl-3 oleate, polyethyleneglycol-20 almond glyceride, polyethyleneglycol-12 palm kernel glyceride, isopropyl myristate and oleyl alcohol; and an acrylate polymer.
US09066883B2	Administration of cells and cellular extracts for rejuvenation The invention describes methods and agents for improving cosmetic appearance, for promoting, improving or restoring health of cells and tissues, preferably skin, and more preferably, for restoring aged or damaged skin to a healthy appearance. In some embodiments, the invention relates to compositions of cells, eggs, cell extracts, egg extracts, and extract components such as purified nucleic acids, polypeptides, lipids, carbohydrates or other natural products.
US09066879B2	Hair treatment agents containing selected fatty acid amides and selected silicones Hair treatment agents include a synergistic combination of selected fatty acid amides and selected silicones.
US09066876B2	Microfabricated nanopore device for sustained release of therapeutic agent A drug delivery device that includes a capsule for implantation into the body; the capsule further includes a reservoir for containing a substance such as a therapeutic agent, at least one port for allowing the substance to diffuse from or otherwise exit the reservoir, and a nanopore membrane in communication with the capsule at or near the exit port for controlling the rate of diffusion of the substance from the exit port. The device also includes an optional screen for providing structural stability to the nanopore membrane and for keeping the pores of the nanopore membrane clear. One embodiment of the drug delivery device includes an osmotic engine internal to the device for creating fluid flow through the device.
US09066874B2	Dicationic ethers with polyhydroxyl functionality Described are novel dicationic polyhydroxyl compounds and their uses in personal care compositions.
US09066871B2	Sodium-hypochlorite-based body wash compositions Sodium hypochlorite-based compositions that are non-toxic and have antimicrobial and cleansing properties may include from about 0.025% to about 10% by weight of sodium hypochlorite. For example, the compositions may include less than 1% by weight of sodium hypochlorite (e.g., less than 0.5% by weight of sodium hypochlorite). The compositions may further include sodium laureth sulfate, cocamidopropyl betaine, cocamide MEA, disodium EDTA, and deionized water. Such compositions may be applied externally to a mammalian body through rinse-off or leave-on applications. Compositions also may be incorporated as a component of other products, such as deodorants, towelettes, or powders.
US09066868B2	Carnitine granulate and methods for its production Subject of the invention is a method for the production of a carnitine granulate, which includes the steps of (a) providing an aqueous solution comprising at least 65% (w/w) carnitine, (b) providing a particulate carrier comprising silica, the carrier having an average particle size of more than 150 μm, and (c) mixing the aqueous solution and the carrier. Another subject of the invention is a carnitine granulate.
US09066867B2	Amphoteric liposomes A serum-stable mixture of lipids capable of encapsulating an active agent to form a liposome, said mixture comprising phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine in a ratio in the range of about 0.5 to about 8. The mixture may also include pH sensitive anionic and cationic amphiphiles, such that the mixture is amphoteric, being negatively charged or neutral at pH 7.4 and positively charged at pH 4. Amphoteric liposomes comprising such a mixture may be used for encapsulating nucleic acid therapeutics, such as oligonucleotides and DNA plasmids. The drug/lipid ratio may be adjusted to target the liposomes to particular organs or other sites in the body.
US09066860B2	Oil-in-water emulsified composition The present invention is an oil-in-water emulsified composition and a sunscreen cosmetic characteristically comprising the following (a)-(j): (a) Octocrylene (b) Bis ethylhexyloxyphenol methoxyphenyl triazine (c) Hexyl diethylaminohydroxybenzoylbenzoate (d) 4-tert-butyl-4′-methoxybenzoylmethane (e) Water soluble polymer (f) Water-swelling clay mineral (g) Oil component having IOB of 0.05 or more (h) Higher fatty acid (i) Surfactant (j) Water The object of the present invention is to provide a sunscreen cosmetic that manifests a superior ultraviolet absorption effect and is superior in terms of the emulsification stability and the sensation during use.
US09066859B1	Viscoelastic cleansing gel The present invention is directed to a cleansing composition comprising:(a) at least one nonionic surfactant; (b) at least one amphoteric surfactant; (c) at least one component selected from (i) a nonionic thickener or (ii)(1) a cationic agent combined with (ii)(2) an anionic surfactant, or a mixture of nonionic thickener plus cationic agent and/or anionic surfactant; and (d) water.
US09066858B2	Pharmaceutical composition for the sublingual administration of progesterone, and method for its preparation A pharmaceutical composition is described for the sublingual administration of progesterone in the form of a rapidly-disintegrating tablet, which is capable of promoting a greater bioavailability of the progesterone; a method for preparing said pharmaceutical composition is also described.
US09066856B2	Stable preservative-free mydriatic and anti-inflammatory solutions for injection The present invention relates to stable, preservative- and antioxidant-free liquid formulations of phenylephrine and ketorolac for injection.
US09066852B2	Dental adhesive primer composition The present invention relates to a dental adhesive primer composition for use in dental fields employed to bond dental materials, such as restoration materials, dental crown materials, prosthetic materials, esthetic materials, orthodontic materials, preventive materials, core build-up materials and root canal materials, to ceramics, metals, resins, composite resins, glass ionomer cements, and hard biotissues (enamel or dentin of natural tooth). The present invention also relates to a dental adhesive primer composition including a dental adhesive composition which can be used not only in combination with another adhesive composition but also alone.
US09066851B2	Extended length botulinum toxin formulation for human or mammalian use An extended duration pharmaceutical composition including a botulinum neurotoxin, an adhesive agent, and a stabilizing macromolecule. The composition effectively has all the properties to cause chemodenervation through a facial muscle, or other muscle, that predecessor botulinum toxin preparations have had as well as agents which create a fibrotic adhesion on the under surface of facial muscles (or other muscles) to the facial bone (or other bones) so that the facial bone tethers the under surface of the facial muscle, thereby causing fibrosis to the underlying fat pad. The composition can be used to treat various disorders. Methods of modifying facial contour for functional or cosmetic purposes in a human patient are disclosed which involve injecting a therapeutically effective amount of the disclosed compositions. A method of quantifying the extended duration of the compositions is also disclosed.
US09066843B1	Massage and dilating device The invention relates to a device for the enlargement and/or stimulation and/or massaging of orifices of the body, such as the vagina or anus. The device is made up of a motor unit operatively engaged to a rotatable drive shaft, an insertion section located at the distal end of the massage device comprising a plurality of axially spaced drive cams rotationally coupled to the drive shaft, a control unit at the proximal end of the massage device for operating the drive shaft, and a flexible neck lying between the control unit and the insertion section to allow the user to adjust the positioning of the insertion section inside or immediately outside of the orifice being treated. In use the device is inserted into an orifice of the body and activated to adjust various functions of the device, such as varying the extent of expansion and contraction of the device, and adjusting the speed of vibration or rotation of the drive cams.
US09066839B2	Moving bath tub and a lift for bathing ICU patients The invention consists of two parts. The first part is a lift made of four columns placed at the corners of the patient's bed. Connected to the columns, a bed made of a net of intersecting threads placed between the patient and the bed and are used to carry the patient in the sleeping position over the bed. The second part is a bath tub and a moving cleaning system on suitable moving equipments that can be easily moved to be inserted above the patients bed or below the patient via the aforementioned net. The patient is brought down to be cleaned in the bath tub using the crane.
US09066838B2	Disposable diaper having reduced absorbent core to backsheet gluing The present disclosure generally relates to disposable diapers having absorbent cores comprising superabsorbent polymer particles which are immobilized by adhesive. The absorbent cores are attached to the backsheets of the disposable diapers in certain attachment zones to reduce see-through and the formation of tension lines on the backsheets.
US09066835B2	Absorbent article The present invention provides an absorbent article that allows full use of the absorption performance of an absorbent polymer without inhibiting the swelling of the absorbent polymer due to the absorption of excreted body fluids, and that can be biodegraded with efficiency when it is disposed after use by burial in the soil or the like. The absorbent article includes at least one inner bag-like member, an absorbent polymer, and an outer bag-like member. The inner bag-like member is formed into a thin and substantially sheet-like form of a sheet having biodegradability and fluid permeability, and includes multiple accommodation spaces that are detached from the outside and separated from one another. The absorbent polymer has biodegradability and a substantially granular or powder form and is contained in each of the accommodation spaces in the inner bag-like member so as to be freely movable within the accommodation spaces.
US09066833B2	Incontinence article in pant form In an incontinence article in pant form, a crotch section having an absorption body, is connected to stomach and back sections in respective overlapping regions of the crotch section and the stomach section, and the crotch section and the back section, wherein the incontinence article has a first fold axis formed by a transverse center axis of the incontinence article, second fold axes extending outside on either side of the absorption body, and a third fold axis in a region of the absorption body, wherein regions of the stomach section and the back section which laterally protrude over the crotch section are folded about the second fold axes toward the longitudinal center axis, wherein after folding the incontinence article about the third folding axis, the border of the stomach and back band does not protrude over the first fold axis wherein a mass per area of the absorption body decreases from a region of the transverse center axis toward stomach-section side and back-section side ends of the absorption body.
US09066831B2	Absorbent article with pressed grooves overlying a compressed region and method of manufacturing the same An absorbent article having a compressed region formed by a compressing process in an absorption layer on a side facing to the backsheet; and a plurality of pressed grooves are formed by a pressing process in the absorption layer on a side facing to the topsheet, within a region opposed to the compressed region.
US09066830B2	Apparatus to manufacture absorbent body An apparatus for manufacturing an absorbent body includes: a sheet supplying mechanism for supplying a sheet from a sheet roll; a crusher for crushing the sheet into a fibrous matter by scraping a reeling-out tip end of the reeled out sheet; and a fiber stacking device for forming the absorbent body in a predetermined shape by laminating the fibrous matter to be sent out from the crusher. When switching a supply of the sheet to the crusher from one to another sheet supplying mechanism, at least two sheet supplying mechanisms supply the sheet to the crusher over a predetermined period including a period in which the one sheet supplying mechanism decreases a sheet reeling-out speed, in correspondence with the period in which the one sheet supplying mechanism decreases the sheet reeling-out speed, the other sheet supplying mechanism increases a sheet reeling-out speed.
US09066829B2	Ear warmer with fabric member An ear warmer comprises a frame and a fabric member. The frame has an ear portion and a band portion. The ear portion of the frame includes a first side and a second side opposite the first side. The first side of the ear portion defines an interior portion of an opening. The second side of the ear portion defines an exterior portion of the opening. The fabric member includes at least its own ear portion coupled to the ear portion of the frame. The ear portion of the fabric member covers the interior portion of the opening in substantially its entirety and covers less than an entirety of the exterior portion of the opening.
US09066827B2	Expandable slide and lock stent An expandable slide and lock stent is provided that comprises a plurality of radial elements interconnected to form a tubular member. Each radial element can comprise a helical backbone and at least one elongate member extending from the helical backbone in a circumferential direction. Each backbone can have at least one slot that can be configured to receive an elongate member of an adjacent radial element.
US09066823B2	Ureteral stent In some embodiments, a ureteral stent includes an elongate member having a first portion and a second portion, which is coupled to the first portion. The first portion of the elongate member is configured to be disposed within a kidney of a patient. The second portion of the elongate member, which has a sidewall that defines a lumen, is configured to deliver fluid from a first location of the sidewall of the second portion to a second location of the sidewall of the second portion via capillary action. The second portion of the elongate member is configured to be disposed within at least one of a bladder and a ureter of the patient.
US09066822B2	Vacuum pump systems for prosthetic limbs and methods of using the same Pump systems for use in suspension of a prosthetic device from a residual limb and methods of suspending a prosthetic device from a residual limb are disclosed. The pump systems include a mechanically activated pump having a first compression member coupled to a second compression member, a compressible bladder disposed between the first and second compression members, and coupling elements that engage and couple together the first and second compression members. The mechanically activated pump may be connected with an electrically activated pump within a fluid circuit of a hybrid pump system to provide vacuum engagement between a prosthetic device and a residual limb.
US09066821B2	Suspension liner system with seal A suspension liner sleeve adapted to provide an interface between a residual limb and a prosthetic socket, and having outer and inner surfaces. The liner sleeve includes an elongate, generally conical body portion formed from at least one material segment defining the liner outer surface. The at least one material segment being at least radially elastically extensible from a relaxed non-extended condition and including proximal and distal end areas. The liner sleeve includes a layer of polymeric material disposed on the at least one material segment and defining the liner sleeve inner surface, and a plurality of resilient seal elements protruding radially from the liner sleeve outer surface. The plurality of seal elements extend around at least one peripheral portion of the liner body portion. A pair of opposed annular recesses may be adjacently located above and below each of the at least one seal element.
US09066816B2	Spinal nucleus replacement implants A multi-piece intervertebral disc augmentation implant that may be assembled within the annulus fibrosus is disclosed. The implant may be guided into a precise location through a relatively small opening in the annulus fibrosus with the aid of an elongated guide.
US09066800B2	Dual valve prosthesis for transcatheter valve implantation A dual valve prosthesis having first and second prosthetic valve components with a linkage that connects the first and second prosthetic valve components together is disclosed. Each of the first and second prosthetic valve components includes a stent structure with a prosthetic valve secured therein. In a disclosed method, the first and second prosthetic valve components include prosthetic mitral and aortic valves, respectively, and the dual heart valve prosthesis is configured to replace both the native mitral and aortic valves of the heart in a single transcatheter heart valve implantation procedure. The linkage between the first and second prosthetic valve components is configured to secure the anterior mitral valve leaflet against a wall of the left ventricle when the dual valve prosthesis is implanted within the heart.
US09066796B2	Multi-focal intraocular lens system and methods for dynamic visual environments The invention pertains to methods, components, and operations of multi-focal intraocular lens systems, including range finding for driving same and for discriminating between multiple objects and varying brightness conditions. The invention also pertains to intraocular photosensors and range-finding methods to be used with intra-ocular lens systems, and components, that provide multi-focal IOL capabilities in dynamic visual environments.
US09066795B2	Method and devices for tissue expansion A device for maintaining or achieving soft tissue expansion applicable to any body region already temporarily expanded including: an adhesive element deformable and capable of adapting to the shape of this body region, and which can then itself become mechanically rigid enough to resist tendency of the expanded tissue to recoil or to which a second material can be applied to form a stent adapted to the shape of the body area to provide the necessary structural rigidity to prevent recoil of the expansion and thereby induce its retention of its expanded shape after the stent is removed.
US09066788B2	Orthosis An orthosis comprising a dynamic, flexible, elastic stiffener that is configured to extend across a joint. The stiffener is configured to extend across a joint in a first configuration, wherein the stiffener is preferably substantially planar, and a second configuration when a patient's muscle is under contraction such that the stiffener allows some joint movement but resists flexion of the joint to impede joint movement. The stiffener rebounds to its first configuration after the muscle contraction has terminated. The orthosis may be used to impede the movement of any joint, including a wrist joint and finger joints, an elbow joint, a knee joint, and an ankle joint and toe joints. Preferably, the flexible stiffener is made from a heat treated and tempered spring steel so that is has desirable dynamic and elastic properties.
US09066780B2	Magnetic device to control obesity and related method of use A medical device includes an outer shell defining a cavity, wherein the shell is movable between a deformed and unstressed state, a magnet disposed within the cavity, and a filler material carried within the cavity conforming to the interior shape of the shell in the unstressed state and being capable of holding its shape in the deformed state. The filler material converts from the deformed state to the unstressed state at a temperature not greater than human body temperature.
US09066777B2	Curing light device A light device includes a housing and a tip structure configured to be removably coupled with the housing. The tip structure includes a light emitting device that is operable for emitting light positioned at a distal end of the tip structure and a body for housing the light emitting device. The housing is formed of an autoclavable material capable of withstanding autoclaving. A power supply circuit is positioned in the housing and coupled to the light emitting device to power the device when the tip structure is coupled with the housing. The power supply circuit is rechargeable and includes at least one ultracapacitor element for being charged and the power supply circuit configured to discharge the ultracapacitor as a current source to drive the at least one light emitting device.
US09066773B2	Rotary drive cutter for dentistry A dental rotary drive cutting tool, which can limit breaking location to the shank side, and increase life span until breakage, is provided. A peeso reamer (10) as the dental rotary drive cutting tool according to the present invention includes a cutting portion (11) formed on the tip side, a shank (12) formed in a base, and a neck part (13) formed between the cutting portion (11) and the shank (12), wherein the neck part (13) includes a tapered portion (13a), which is wider on the tip side and narrower on the base side, and a straight portion (13b), which has a constant thickness with the same diameter as that of the end of the tapered portion on the base side. While it breaks at the narrowest portion of the tapered portion, this portion is a straight portion, and thus increase in life span is possible.
US09066764B2	Long bone fixation system and methods A method of stabilizing a fractured bone includes: a) providing a first support member in a medullary canal of a fractured bone; b) providing a second support member outside the fractured bone; c) providing a transverse connector adapted to link the first support member to the second support member in an angle-stable connection; d) connecting the transverse connector to the first and second support members in an angle-stable connection; e) providing one or more bone screws adapted to be connected to the second support member in an angle-stable connection; and f) implanting the bone screws such that the shank of the screw is implanted in the fractured bone while the head of the screw is connected to the second support member in an angle-stable connection. The system provides superior fixation of long bones that allows for early functional range of motion without loss of alignment or fixation.
US09066760B2	Telescoping interspinous fixation device and methods of use The present invention provides spinous process implants and associated methods. In one aspect of the invention, the implant includes at least one extension with a first part and a second part where at least one arm is coupled to each of the first part and the second part. The first part and the second pan are movable from a compact to a distracted state. In another aspect, the present invention provides a second extension that is slidingly coupled to the first and second arms. The second extension further comprises a third part and a fourth part that move with the first and second part.
US09066759B2	Receiving part for receiving a rod for coupling the rod to a bone anchoring element and a bone anchoring device A receiving part for coupling a rod to a bone anchoring element includes: a receiving part body with a rod receiving portion and a head receiving portion having an open end for introducing a head of a bone anchoring element, and a locking ring, wherein the head receiving portion includes a plurality of flexible wall portions, the flexible wall portions and the locking ring being configured to engage each other at circumferentially distinct pressure areas having positions corresponding to circumferentially separated projections on at least one of the flexible wall portions or the locking ring, and wherein the locking ring exerts a first force on at least one of the flexible wall portions at a corresponding pressure area, and exerts a second force less than the first force on the at least one flexible wall portion in a region circumferentially adjacent to the corresponding pressure area.
US09066751B2	Instrumentation and method for mounting a surgical navigation reference device to a patient Instrumentation and methods are provided for mounting a surgical navigation reference frame to a patient. A trocar may be positioned within a cannula to form an insertion device adapted for percutaneous introduction into the patient. A bone anchor having a bone engaging portion is inserted through the cannula for anchoring to bone. The bone anchor cooperates with the cannula to form a mounting device adapted for coupling with the surgical navigation reference frame. An image-guided surgical procedure may be performed at a location remote from the anchoring location. In a specific embodiment, a minimally invasive surgical procedure is performed, with a reference frame anchored to the pelvic bone, and more specifically to the iliac region of the pelvic bone. A second reference frame may be anchored to the femur.
US09066746B2	Compact endoscopic surgical blade assembly and method of use thereof An endoscopic surgical device having a slotted clear cannula, a blade and a housing, wherein the cannula is attached to the housing, and wherein the blade is enclosed in the housing and is slidable into the cannula is disclosed. The blade is enclosed within the housing and cannula, and has a horizontally-oriented pushing component and a vertically-oriented cutting component that protrudes through the slot of the cannula. The device further has a device for locking a viewing device in place relative to other components of the device. A method for a performing an operative procedure on a target tissue in a subject using the endoscopic surgical device is also described.
US09066745B2	Reciprocating rotary arthroscopic surgical instrument A surgical instrument includes a cutting member with an implement for cutting tissue, and a drive coupled to the cutting member to simultaneously rotate and translate the cutting member in response to a force applied to the drive. A method of cutting tissue includes positioning an outer member such that tissue is located within the outer member, engaging the tissue with an inner member, and simultaneously rotating and translating the inner member to cut the tissue. A tangential cutting force is applied to the tissue with the inner member to mechanically cut the tissue. The inner member is mechanically driven to undergo simultaneous rotation and translation.
US09066742B2	Intra-vascular device with pressure detection capabilities using pressure sensitive material A laser catheter with a pressure sensor is provided according to embodiments of the invention. The pressure sensor may be coupled with the distal end of the laser catheter and may comprise any of various piezoelectric materials, for example Polyvinylidene Difluoride (PVDF). In various embodiments of the invention the pressure sensor is configured to detect pressure longitudinally and coaxially. The pressure sensor may provide an electric potential that is proportional to the vessel pressure and may be used to monitor and/or adjust laser parameters. In other embodiments the results from the pressure sensor may be used to determine the vessel size and/or the type of material being ablated.
US09066736B2	Laser-based method and system for selectively processing target tissue material in a patient and optical catheter assembly for use therein A laser-based method and system for selectively processing target tissue material in a patient and optical catheter assembly for use therein are provided. The system includes a laser subsystem for generating an output laser beam. The system further includes a catheter assembly including at least one optical fiber having a proximal end coupled to the laser subsystem for guiding the output laser beam along a propagation path. The beam has optical and temporal properties and a predetermined selected wavelength. The catheter assembly is sized to extend through an opening in a first part of the patient and to a tissue material processing site within the patient. The catheter assembly includes a beam delivery and focusing subsystem which has an adjustable focal distance and disposed in the propagation path and that accepts the output laser beam and adjustably positions the beam into at least one focused spot on the target tissue material disposed within a second part of the patient at the site based on distance to the target tissue material from a predetermined point on the propagation path at the site for a duration sufficient to allow laser energy to be absorbed by the target tissue material and converted to heat to produce a desired physical change in the target tissue material without causing undesirable changes to adjacent non-target material disposed within the second part of the patient. The target tissue material is characterized by an absorptive coefficient. The predetermined wavelength is selected to achieve a penetration depth into the second part of the patient of approximately one millimeter or more.
US09066734B2	Patient-specific sacroiliac guides and associated methods A patient-specific alignment guide includes a patient-specific portion and a guiding element having a through opening. The patient-specific portion has a patient-specific surface preoperatively configured to mate as a negative of a portion of an iliac crest of a pelvis of a specific patient and mate to the iliac crest only in one position. The guiding element has a preoperatively configured orientation and location relative to the patient-specific portion for preparing a bore in the bone of the patient to direct a bone screw at the preoperatively configured orientation and location for sacroiliac fixation.
US09066732B2	Method and apparatus for bone removal Methods and apparatus for surgical treatment of vertebrae, comprising a brush-like tamp component for addressing cancellous bone and a slider component that may be distally advanced over the brush-like tamp component while both are (preferably) aligned within a working cannula providing access to a drill channel within the vertebrae. Distal advancement of the slider creates a combination of it and the brush-like component. A handle provides mechanical advantage.
US09066730B2	Medical device An attachment for a surgical instrument including a drive input hub for connection to a power source; a drive output hub for connection to a surgical instrument; and a body connecting the drive input hub to the drive output hub, the body including a mechanism for transferring drive from the input hub to the output hub, and wherein the body, the drive input hub and the drive output hub are at least in part not coaxial. A method for surgically preparing a bone using the attachment is also provided.
US09066728B2	Surgical tools facilitating increased accuracy, speed and simplicity in performing joint arthroplasty Disclosed herein are tools for repairing articular surfaces repair materials and for repairing an articular surface. The surgical tools are designed to be customizable or highly selectable by patient to increase the speed, accuracy and simplicity of performing total or partial arthroplasty.
US09066727B2	Patient-specific computed tomography guides An orthopedic device for joint arthroplasty includes a patient-specific alignment guide constructed and configured for a specific patient from medical scans that show a bone surface of a bone of the patient without any overlying soft tissue. The patient-specific alignment guide includes a patient-specific inner surface configured to be offset from and mimic the bone surface and form a clearance for soft tissue overlying the bone surface. The alignment guide also includes a plurality of patient-specific contact areas configured to mate and register directly on the bone surface without intervening soft tissue for direct bone registration. The plurality of patient-specific contact areas includes non-contiguous surface contact areas.
US09066726B2	Multi-electrode apposition judgment using pressure elements Apparatus and methods for determining positioning of a energy delivery element include deploying a energy delivery element at a treatment site proximal to a vessel wall; using a multi-region pressure sensing apparatus to sense pressures applied in a plurality of directions about the energy delivery element; and determining an orientation of the energy delivery element based on the pressures measured in the plurality of directions about the energy delivery element.
US09066725B2	Irrigant distribution system for electrodes An ablation electrode assembly is provided with improved irrigation cooling of the assembly and ablation site. The assembly includes a proximal end configured to be coupled to a catheter shaft and a distal end configured to deliver ablation energy to tissue. The assembly further includes a fluid manifold extending from the proximal end to the distal end and configured to fluidly communicate with a fluid lumen in the catheter shaft. The fluid manifold defines an axial passageway centered about a longitudinal axis extending in the longitudinal direction of the assembly. The axial passageway has a distal end terminating prior to the distal end of the electrode assembly. The assembly further includes means for creating turbulence in fluid exiting the first axial passageway.
US09066724B2	Surgical instrument A device for morcellating tissue within a body cavity of a patient comprises a stationary tube (8) having a distal end portion, and a bipolar electrosurgical electrode assembly (13) located at the distal end of the tube. The electrosurgical electrode assembly (13) comprises first and second electrodes (14, 16) separated by an insulation member (15). When an electrosurgical cutting voltage is applied to the electrode assembly (13), and relative movement is initiated between the tube (8) and the tissue, a slug of severed tissue is formed within the tube such that it can be removed from the body cavity of the patient. The bipolar electrosurgical assembly (13) has a first circumferential region (A) and a second circumferential region (B), the first circumferential region (A) being longer than the second circumferential region (B). In the first circumferential region (A), the first electrode (14) is disposed further forwardly as compared with the second electrode (16); and, in the second circumferential region (B), the second electrode (16) is disposed at least as far forwardly as compared with the first electrode (14).
US09066718B2	Method and apparatus for anastomosis Apparatus and methods for performing a surgical anastomotic procedure are disclosed herein. Apparatus according to the present disclosure include at least one fastener including a first fastener portion having an anchoring leg portion, a second fastener portion including an anchoring leg portion, wherein the first and second fastener portions are operatively associated with one another to selectively fix the position of the first fastener portion relative to the second fastener portion.
US09066717B2	Suture passer guides and related kits and methods This disclosure relates to suture passer guides and related kits and methods. In certain aspects, a suture passer guide includes an elongate member and a suture positioning member that can be radially extended from a distal end region of the elongate member and rotated relative to the elongate member such that the suture positioning member can reposition a suture from a first side area of the elongate member to a second side area of the elongate member.
US09066716B2	Suture coil and suture sheath for tissue repair A medical device is provided comprising a suture thread coated with a stiffening agent and having a shape of a coil having a plurality of windings. The suture thread may be used to reconnect soft tissue to bone tissue. The suture thread may be used in conjunction with a suture sheath which is inhibited from movement relative to the suture thread.
US09066713B2	Neuromodulation cryotherapeutic devices and associated systems and methods Neuromodulation cryotherapeutic devices and associated systems and methods are disclosed herein. A cryotherapeutic device configured in accordance with a particular embodiment includes an elongated shaft and a cooling assembly at distal portion of the shaft. The shaft can be configured to locate the distal portion intravascularly at a treatment site within or otherwise proximate a renal artery. The cryotherapeutic device can further include a supply lumen configured to carry liquid refrigerant toward the cooling assembly. The cooling assembly can include an applicator in fluid communication with the supply lumen and configured to deliver cryotherapeutic cooling to nerves proximate the target site when in a deployed state.
US09066703B2	Medical ultrasound 2-D transducer array architecture: spot of arago An ultrasound device including a main processing unit, a probe part, an array, and an apodization unit that receives an ultrasound signal from the array, the signal having multiple channels, that determines a weight for each channel based on an apodization profile being one of ring-centered and edge-centered, and that multiplies the received ultrasound signal by the determined weight for each channel. The array includes a first area including a first plurality of elements having a first functionality, a second area including a second plurality of elements having a second functionality, and a third area including a third plurality of elements having a third functionality different from the first functionality. The second area further includes a fourth area having a number of elements that are switchable between the second and third types of functionality. The array also includes a dynamic spot including the third and fourth areas.
US09066700B2	Laryngoscope blade A laryngoscope blade which improves the transmission of light from the laryngoscope to enhance the amount of light reflected from an area of interest in a patient. The laryngoscope blade has a channel which extends at least partially though the blade and receives a light source. The channel has a substantially transparent end face which is situated towards the blade end and has an optical element adapted to reduce the ambient light signal from the light source in the channel.
US09066699B2	Lancing devices A lancing device includes a housing (10, 12) for receiving in use a replaceable lancet (34) introduced into said housing, a drive (58, 59) actuable to drive the lancet momentarily to project its tip from the housing, and a nose portion (14) having an aperture through which said lancet projects when fired. The nose portion is threadedly engaged (78, 81) with the forward end (10) of the housing to allow the penetration depth of said lancet tip to be pre-set, and is resiliently deformable between a position in which it is locked against rotation and a position in which it is free to rotate.
US09066697B2	Analyte monitoring device and methods of use An analyte monitor including a sensor, a sensor control unit, and a display unit is disclosed. The analyte monitor may also be part of a drug delivery system to alter the level of the analyte based on the data obtained using the sensor.
US09066690B2	Blood collection needle assembly Disclosed is a needle assembly for viewing flashback during a blood collection procedure. The needle assembly including a housing having a base portion defining a cavity and an extension extending distally from the base portion, the extension being of a transparent material and defining a lumen therethrough, a first cannula supported within the extension and extending distally from the extension, the first cannula having a piercing tip configured to enter a vessel, and a second cannula supported within the cavity of the base portion, wherein the second cannula is fluidly communicated with the first cannula via the lumen formed in the extension.
US09066689B2	Lancet wheel and method for producing a lancet wheel The invention relates to a lancet wheel comprising multiple annularly positioned lancets (3), which have a lancet body (3b) that is made of metal and ends in a lancet tip (3a), and a carrier (5), to which the lancets (3) are connected via radially running webs (6), which allow raising of the lancets (3) into the usage position. According to the invention, it is provided that the lancets (3) are radially aligned, and the webs (6) have a plastic body, which predefine an intended bending point, around which the webs (6) are bent to raise the lancets (3). Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for producing a lancet wheel.
US09066681B2	Methods and systems for enhancing ultrasonic visibility of energy-delivery devices within tissue In accordance with aspects of the present disclosure, electrosurgical systems are provided generally including at least one energy-delivery device for delivering energy to tissue when inserted or embedded within tissue. The energy-delivery device can be a tissue ablation device, such as an ablation probe, needle, etc. for ablating tissue as commonly known in the art. The electrosurgical systems include at least one structure and/or operational characteristic for enhancing ultrasonic visibility of the energy-delivery devices within tissue during ultrasonography.
US09066678B2	Ophthalmic endoilluminators with directed light Certain embodiments of an endoilluminator may include a cannula, an intermediate material, and an optical fiber. The cannula has a substantially cylindrical shape that defines an interior region and has a cylindrical axis. The intermediate material is disposed within the interior region. The optical fiber is disposed within the intermediate material and has a fiber optical axis and a distal end configured to emit light. The emitted light has an illumination pattern with an illumination axis that is not parallel to the cylindrical axis.
US09066676B2	Endoscopic image display apparatus An endoscopic image display apparatus reads taken image data in which a taken image outputted from an endoscope is recorded, and reproduces and displays the taken image. The taken image data includes intensity information about a plurality of fundamental color components. The endoscopic image display apparatus includes an intensity changing unit which selectively reduces intensity of a specific color component in the taken image data by using the intensity information.
US09066672B2	Single injection methods for obtaining conductance measurements within luminal organs using impedance devices Single injection methods for obtaining conductance measurements within luminal organs using impedance devices. In at least one method embodiment, the method is performed by introducing at least part of an impedance device into a mammalian luminal organ, the impedance device comprising an elongated body and a detector positioned along the elongated body, obtaining conductance measurements indicative of a fluid native to the mammalian luminal organ and indicative of a fluid injection while the detector is present within and outside of the lumen of the outer sheath, and calculating a size parameter of the mammalian luminal organ based in part upon some of the obtained conductance measurements.
US09066666B2	Patient monitor for monitoring microcirculation A patient monitor capable of measuring microcirculation at a tissue site includes a light source, a beam splitter, a photodetector and a patient monitor. Light emitted from the light source is split into a reference arm and a sample arm. The light in the sample arm is directed at a tissue site, such as an eyelid. The reflected light from the tissue site is interfered with the light from the reference arm. The photodetector measures the interference of the light from both the sample arm and the reference arm. The patient monitor uses the measurements from the photodetector to calculate the oxygen saturation at the tissue site and monitor the microcirculation at the tissue site.
US09066665B2	Heart monitoring device The present invention includes devices, methods and systems for reporting a heart rate comprising: an input device; a microprocessor coupled to the input device and a power supply, wherein the microprocessor is programmed with a predetermined heartbeat threshold and calculates the number of times the input device is actuated over a predetermined amount of time; and a display connected to the microprocessor that receives the calculated heart rate and displays whether the heart rate is below, at or above predetermined threshold, e.g., when a patient has less than 60 heartbeats per minute, between 60 and 100 heartbeats per minute and greater than 100 heartbeats per minute.
US09066664B2	Data transfer A data transfer component receives cardiac data from a heart sensor while the data transfer component is electromechanically coupled with the heart sensor sensitive to heart activity. A standard electromechanical interface of the data transfer component and a counterpart of the heart sensor are repeatedly connectable and disconnectable. The received data is stored in the data transfer component. The stored data is transferred from the data transfer component to an external device while the data transfer component is electromechanically coupled with the external device by using a coupling between the standard electromechanical interface of the data transfer component and a counterpart of the external device which are repeatedly connectable and disconnectable.
US09066663B2	Heart monitor A heart monitor for use as a non-invasive screening tool for identifying potential atrial fibrillation in patients comprises a sensor for producing an output waveform of the patient's actual sinus rhythm, a processing unit arranged to store the normalized waveform of an ideal sinus rhythm and to compare the actual and ideal sinus rhythm waveforms and to produce an output dependant on the difference on a display. The value of the output is indicative of whether the patient is atrial fibrillation or other cardiac arrhythmia.
US09066661B2	Strain sensor element and blood pressure sensor A strain sensor element comprises a laminated film which has a magnetic free layer, a spacer layer, and a magnetic reference layer. The free layer has a variable magnetization direction and a out-of-plane magnetization direction. The reference layer has a variable magnetization direction which is pinned more strongly than the magnetization of the free layer. The spacer layer provided between the free layer and the reference layer. A pair of electrodes is provided with a plane of the laminated film. A substrate is provided with either of the pair electrodes and can be strained. The rotation angle of the magnetization of the free layer is different from the rotation angle of the magnetization of the reference layer when the substrate is distorted. Electrical resistance is changed depending on the magnetization angle between the free layer and the reference layer, which allows the element to operate as a strain sensor.
US09066658B2	Method and system for video based image detection/identification analysis for fluid and visualization control In a surgical system, a system controller executes a video signature identification and image control routine to maintain quality of a video image taken by a video camera located at a surgical site and provided on a video display. The system includes a video camera/light source handpiece for insertion into a patient body. A tool is inserted separately into the surgical site. Fluid input into the surgical site is provided by a liquid pump or by an insufflator. Video signals are analyzed and fluid input/output, fluid pressure, and/or tool operation is automatically controlled to maintain image quality of the surgical site without manual adjustments.
US09066653B2	Devices, systems, and methods for visualizing and manipulating tissue One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a tissue imaging device that includes a catheter body, a hood, and a visualization assembly. The catheter body includes a distal end portion, a proximal end portion, and at least one lumen extending between the distal and proximal end portions. The catheter body includes at least one drainage port having a first opening and at least one infusion port having a second opening. The first and second openings are located about a lateral aspect of the catheter body. The hood projects distally from the distal end portion and is configured to self-expand into an expanded deployment state that defines an open area therein. The visualization assembly is disposed within the open area and extends distally from the distal end portion of the catheter body.
US09066650B2	Medical control system A medical control system comprises: first and second controllers; a touch panel operation unit which receives an operation to the controllers; a switching unit which selectively switches a connection state between first and second states. The operation unit has a touch signal transmission unit which transmits a signal to the first controller when and the operation unit is touched in the first state. The first controller has a first operation command transmission unit which transmits to a peripheral equipment an command in which an operation content of the peripheral equipment is specified by the signal, a first connection state detection unit which detects a change of connection state from the first state to the second state by the switching unit during a period the operation unit is being touched, a first control unit which stops a transmission of the command in accordance with a detection result of the detection unit.
US09066645B2	Cleaning appliance A cleaning appliance of the canister type includes separating apparatus for separating dirt from a dirt-bearing fluid flow, a floor engaging rolling assembly comprising a system for drawing the fluid flow through the separating apparatus, a chassis connected to the rolling assembly and including at least one floor engaging support member, and a duct for conveying the fluid flow to the separating apparatus. At least part of the duct is connected to the chassis for pivoting movement relative to the chassis. A biasing arrangement is provided for engaging the duct to urge the pivoting part of the duct towards a rest position relative to the chassis.
US09066641B2	Tool for removing ice and moisture from a surface A tool for removing ice and residual moisture from a surface includes a semi-annular attachment having multiple teeth arrayed about the periphery on the forward facing edge thereof, the attachment including a substantially straight-edged scrapper bar disposed laterally across the anterior edge of the attachment opposite the multiple teeth, a semi-annular handle guard affixed to the semi-annular attachment, the handle guard including a laterally disposed handle grip, and a flexible squeegee panel mounted to the semi-annular handle guard along the front peripheral edge thereof, the panel disposed above the multiple tooth array.
US09066633B1	Hygienic washing system for use with a washroom fixture A hygienic washing system for use with a washroom fixture having a hose and nozzle assembly. The a hose and nozzle assembly includes a hose comprising flexible-plastic tube having; a proximal end; and a distal end; a nozzle comprising rigid-plastic having a first end and a second end comprising a hooked-end; a controller for controlling flow of water through the hose and nozzle assembly; and attachers comprising at least one suction cup. The controller comprises adjustable wheeled buttons comprising a volume-control button, a temperature-control button, and an on/off actuation button. The on/off actuation button is manipulatable between an on condition and an off condition, the on condition permitting the flow of the water, the off condition not permitting the flow of the water. The device is useful for hygienically cleaning individuals after latrine use.
US09066632B2	Portable walk-in bathtub A portable, walk in type bathtub includes an entrance and a door attached thereto to allow someone to walk into the bathtub without stepping over a wall. A replaceable water tank is attached to the tub such that clean water is directed from the water tank to the tub. Once the water has been used, the dirty or black water is directed to a separate tank within the water tank attachment. Once all of the clean water from the water tank has been used, the water tank is detached from the tub housing and a new tank containing clean water is attached to the tub to further facilitate bathing. The tub and water tank include wheels attached to the bottoms thereof to facilitate movement of the tub and water tank. The wheels may be raised and lowered to facilitate movement and locking of the tub in place.
US09066629B1	Numerically controlled espresso grinder A coffee grinder using a stepper or servo motor in which the amount of ground coffee output is correlated to degrees or increments of burr rotation. By controlling burr rotation a precise amount of coffee is delivered eliminating excess coffee from being ground.
US09066628B2	Grinder facilitating adjustment of grinding fineness The invention relates to a grinder with granularity adjusting mechanism, which comprises a container (1) for holding condiments and a grinding head assembly for grinding the condiments; wherein the grinding head assembly comprises a driving component (2), a female grinding head (3) and a male grinding head (4), the grinder further comprises the adjusting knob (5) that changes a gap between the male grinding head (4) and the female grinding head (3) by moving axially the male grinding head (4). As the design of the adjusting knob, it is convenient for the adjustment between the male grinding head and the female grinding head.
US09066625B2	Configurable device to break dried pasta A device to break dried pasta, including a body, driveshaft, plate and driver. The body includes a receptacle and a recess. The receptacle is to receive a pasta strand and to communicate a portion of the pasta strand into the recess. The driveshaft extends through the body into the recess, and has a first portion extending at least along the receptacle and a second portion extending in relation to a height of the recess. The plate is secured to the second portion and includes a planar surface having a radial projection extending toward the recess. The planar surface is to abut the portion of the pasta strand received into the recess. The driver has an axial opening to removeably engage the first portion. The driver is enabled to rotate the driveshaft that in turn rotates the plate causing the projection to break the pasta strand.
US09066624B2	Liquid food or beverage machine having a drip tray and a cup support A machine for preparing a liquid food or beverage that includes a liquid food or beverage module having a liquid or beverage outlet; a support device that is located under the beverage outlet and that has an arrangement for evacuating liquid; and a collector, such as drip tray, for collecting liquid evacuated by the support device. The support device has a dispensing area on or above which a recipient may be placed for collecting a liquid food or beverage dispensed from the outlet. The support device also includes a non-dispensing area adjacent to the dispensing area, the non-dispensing area being arranged to support recipients upon use and for evacuating liquid to the collector.
US09066622B2	System and method for preparing a liquid beverage from a cartridge A system and device for preparing a liquid beverage from a cartridge. The device includes a supply unit for supplying an injection fluid into the cartridge, a cartridge holder configured to accept and support the cartridge with the cartridge holder being detachable from the device. A complementary insertion mechanism of the device is configured to receive the cartridge holder in the device. The cartridge is positioned in the supply unit in an injection position with its injection surface substantially in an inclined plane relative to the horizontal plane and the injection mechanism is offset from the highest edge of the cartridge. The cartridge holder preferably comprises a linear wedge-shaped insertion member having a bearing surface inclined along an angle. The method of operation of the system and device are also disclosed.
US09066618B2	Apparatus for extracting juice A juice extracting apparatus of the present invention includes an extracting case having a juice outlet and a sludge outlet communicating an internal space thereof with an outside, an extracting screw unit positioned in the internal space of the extracting case, the extracting screw unit having a screw shaft connected to a drive shaft of a driving unit, a screw blade formed on an outer peripheral surface of the screw shaft and a sun gear mounted at the lower end of the screw shaft, a rotary extracting net unit in which the extracting screw unit is positioned, the rotary extracting net unit having a mesh net and a ring gear provided at its lower portion, and a discharge guide unit positioned at the lower portion of the rotary extracting net unit for guiding the sludge resulting from the extracting.
US09066617B2	Multi-positional, locking artificial tree trunk A locking artificial tree trunk including a first generally cylindrical, hollow trunk portion including an upper end, the upper end defining a notch, and a second generally cylindrical trunk portion including a body portion, a lower end having an insertable portion, and an upper end. The locking artificial tree trunk also includes a coupling mechanism having a body portion and an upper portion having a tab, and defining a channel for receiving the insertable portion of the lower end of the second trunk portion. The body portion is inserted substantially into the upper end of the first trunk portion with the tab of the upper portion aligned with the notch, thereby preventing rotation of the coupling mechanism within the upper end of the first trunk portion.
US09066609B2	Infant patient transfer device A patient transfer device is utilized to transport infant patients between locations within a hospital environment. The patient transfer device includes a center, support section and a pair of side sections that can be moved into contact with each other to surround the infant patient. The first and second side sections each include a handle that can be brought into close proximity to each other and can be grasped by a single hand of a clinician. The patient transfer device includes a stiffening device that is positioned within the center section to provide support for the infant patient during transport. A hold down device is included on one or both of the first and second side sections to securely hold tubes and wires connected to the infant patient during transport of the infant patient.
US09066607B1	Collapsible accessory platform for a child's playard A foldable frame for supporting a bassinet for fitment on a child's playard comprising a pair of longitudinally extending upper frame rails connected at each end to a one of pair of transversely extending end members for pivotal movement about the transverse axis. A longitudinally extending lower frame rail is connected at each end to the respective end members and spaced apart from the upper frame rails. The length of the lower frame may be adjusted enabling the end members to pivot inwardly from an unfolded position toward a folded position and reduce the spacing between the upper and lower frame rails. The upper frame rails further include a wing pivot at each end member connection which are aligned to allow the upper frame rails to pivot about a longitudinal axis and reduce the frame width when the frame is folded, but do not allow pivoting when the frame is unfolded.
US09066603B2	Adjustable bedding foundation and process of making same A bedding foundation used to support a mattress has a mechanism therein for moving the mattress between inclined and flat positions. The foundation combines desirable features of conventional non-adjustable bed bases and adjustable bed bases. A wire assembly and a motorized lift assembly comprising a motorized drive mechanism may be secured to a base of the foundation. The motorized lift assembly pivots a lifter which has two curved portions which function to raise and lower a deck board to incline and lower the mattress. If desired, a second motorized lift assembly may be incorporated into a bedding foundation for use with another deck board.
US09066598B1	Foot support and protection system A novel foot support device includes a first sidewall adapted to engage the lateral side of a first foot, a second sidewall adapted to engage the lateral side of a second foot, and a backwall adapted to engage both the plantar region of the first foot and the plantar region of the second foot. In a particular embodiment, the first sidewall includes an inclined interior surface, the second sidewall includes an inclined interior surface, and the backwall includes an inclined interior surface. In another particular embodiment, the foot support device includes two discrete regions, one of which engages a user's left foot and the other of which engages the user's right foot.
US09066596B2	Seating assembly A seating assembly 10 having a pair of armrests 12, 14; a footrest 20; a backrest 30, and a seat portion 24 which may each be independently and selectively moveable.
US09066595B2	Structure for mounting seating body of chair The structure for mounting a seating body according to the present invention includes a seating body mounting portion, a leg mounting portion and a screw. The seating body mounting portion is provided to a back surface of a seating face of a seating body, and has a screw hole. The leg mounting portion is provided to a leg member, and includes a through-bore formed thereon into which a screw shaft can be inserted. The screw fixes the seating body mounting portion and the leg mounting portion. The seating body mounting portion contacts the leg mounting portion on a first region in which the screw hole is formed and on a second region which is spaced from the first region via a groove.
US09066593B2	Systems and methods for portable furniture The present invention relates to lightweight collapsible portable chairs. In one embodiment, the portable chair has a sling and a chair frame which includes a first pair of bars and a second pair of bars. Each bar of the first pair of bars includes a joint configured to contact a ground surface. In another embodiment, the chair frame includes a front of bars, a back pair of bars, a pair of joints and a center bar configured to securely couple the pair of back joints to each other. In some embodiments, the chair frame includes a front support assembly. In other embodiments, the chair frame includes a pair of lower bars.
US09066591B2	Fixing device for a slide assembly A fixing device of a slide assembly has a bracket. The fixing device includes an insertion member, an engaging member and a resilient member. The insertion member is connected to the bracket and has a slot. The engaging member is pivotally connected relative to the bracket and has an operation portion and an arm which extends through the slot of the insertion member. The arm has a first protrusion. The resilient member provides a force to the engaging member to extend the first protrusion beyond the slot of the insertion member. By moving the operation portion, the first protrusion is controlled to be retracted toward the slot of the insertion member.
US09066589B2	Learning suite furniture system A furniture system for use in a classroom, the furniture system comprising a table assembly including a top member and at least a first leg support member, the top member forming a substantially flat top surface and circumscribed by an outer edge, the at least one leg support member supporting the top member in a substantially horizontal position, a table dock supported by the table assembly adjacent the top surface and forming a table dock channel that opens upwardly where the dock channel is unobstructed by the top member, at least a first substantially flat display panel including a display surface on at least a first of two oppositely facing and substantially parallel side surfaces, the panel circumscribed by a panel edge and an easel assembly spaced apart from the table assembly and including an easel coupler, wherein the panel edge is receivable within the table dock channel to support the display panel in a substantially vertical orientation adjacent the flat top surface and wherein the display panel is alternatively engageable with the easel coupler to be supported in a substantially vertical orientation spaced apart from the table assembly.
US09066588B1	Multi-functional, reconfigurable furniture system A selection of inter-changeable box-shaped modular units is comprised of a plurality of combination shelving assemblies and box-shaped shelving assemblies. A cabinet has an upper plate and a parallel lower plate, a left side plate and a right side plate, and an intermediate plate providing a right and a left central opening. The right central opening engages a selection of a user's choice of inter-changeable box-shaped modular units comprised of shelving assemblies and box-shaped shelving assemblies. The left central opening provides housing including housing for an associated mattress. The cabinet is movable between horizontal and vertical orientations. In the horizontal orientation the repositionable support panels of the cabinet provide support for a mattress. In the vertical orientation the cabinet includes a desk and a computer work station.
US09066587B1	Slide rail system and connecting device used for slide rail assembly A slide rail assembly includes first and second rails. The second rail, slidable relative to the first rail, has a rear portion. A connecting device includes a main body containing a supporting portion and a transverse portion substantially perpendicularly connected to the supporting portion, a locking element pivotally connected to the supporting portion, and a movable element. When the locking element is rotated to a first position, a contact portion of a locking rod is pressed against the moveable element; once the locking element is rotated from the first position to a second position, the contact portion of the locking rod is no more pressed against the moveable element, thus allowing the movable element to be displaced relative to the main body.
US09066579B2	Process for producing a toothbrush having a bristle area design A process for producing toothbrushes covered with bristles in an anchor-free manner, in which a tuft of bristles with cylindrical bristles and/or pointed bristles is introduced into a receiving recess of a mold of a bristle-providing machine and, by means of a profiled pin guided in the receiving recess, force is applied to the end facing the pin of the bristles of the tuft of bristles for the alignment thereof, so that the bristles of the tuft of bristles are aligned by means of an end face of the profiled pin and, as a result, form the topography that complements the topography of the end face of the profiled pin, wherein the profiled pin has on the end face that acts on the bristles a discontinuous surface, which forms multiple levels. This achieves a bristle area configuration that has multiple areas of use. A correspondingly produced toothbrush is also described.
US09066576B1	Truck hammock A system for securing a hammock in a vehicle bed. The system includes a hammock. The system also includes a bed support configured to attach to the vehicle bed and secure a first end of the hammock. The system further includes a hitch support configured to attach to a vehicle hitch receiver and secure a second end of the hammock.
US09066575B2	Eyeglass and other personal items holder A holder for securing eyeglasses, sunglasses or other personal items that may be securely incorporated into an article of clothing or accessory at the time of manufacture. The holder includes a base member that can be inserted into or attached to the article of clothing or accessory. A hanger is connected to the base member and includes a loop connected to a support base. One or more openings can be provided on the base member. The support base and base member can be integrally formed. The support base can be formed from part of the article of clothing or accessory. The holder allows a wearer to insert a piece of a pair of eyeglasses, or a part of another personal item, through the loop and allows the item to assume a secure and relatively flat position. The holder may also include an RFID tag and/or a covered loop.
US09066574B2	Support for an electronic device A support and arrangement for its connection to a harness or shoulder straps fitted to a motorcycle driver where the support is used to mount a electronic device, such as a tablet onto the drivers back for use by a motorcycle passenger during travel. The support includes support straps that each include a buckle for travel therealong that mounts a male connector where the buckles are capable of being adjusted along the supports straps by the passenger during travel, where the male connectors fit into female couplings secured to ends of a handle, and the handle ends include an arrangement for mounting to a casing wherein the electronic device is maintained, or to the back of the electronic device itself, and an arrangement is provided for tilting the electronic device lower end outwardly from the driver's back.
US09066569B2	Apparatuses, methods and systems for removing elastic bands from hair An elastic band removal apparatus includes a cutting element for removing elastic bands from hair. The cutting element may include a grasping element and an adjacent receptacle that are configured to engage a portion of an elastic band, as well as a severing edge configured to apply a localized pressure to the portion of the elastic band to cut or break the elastic band. The elastic band removal apparatus may comprise a comb, with the cutting element being carried by a spine of the comb, at or near an end of the comb. Methods for removing elastic bands from hair may include the use of such an elastic band removal apparatus. A grooming kit may include an elastic band removal apparatus, one or more elastic bands and a package for carrying the elastic band removal apparatus and the one or more elastic bands.
US09066568B2	Portable apparatus for the steam treatment of hair A portable apparatus for the steam treatment of hair, comprising a housing including a liquid tank, and a means for supplying a steam generator with liquid having a vaporization chamber in thermal contact with an electric heating member, the vaporization chamber communicating with one or more openings for dispensing steam towards a lock of hair. The generator is supplied with liquid by an electric pump, and the flow rate of the steam thus generated is higher than 5 g/min, and preferably of between 10 g/min and 60 g/min.
US09066567B2	Lens shield portable eyeglasses fashion accessory case A spectacle case that optimizes portability, ease of folding, adequate spectacle protection, lens cleaning ability, & usability as a fashion accessory that can clip anywhere on your clothing, while also minimizing manufacturing labor & costs.
US09066566B2	Transparent shell structure for luggage and the like A transparent shell structure for luggage and the like includes an outer shell, a decorative plate, a lining, and a plurality of corner protectors. The outer shell has an inner space with a frame. One side of the decorative plate is a patterned surface. Each of the four corners of the decorative plate has a notch, so that the four sides thereof are bent inside the inner space. The decorative plate is restricted within the outer shell. The lining is attached to the decorative plate and disposed in the inner space of the outer shell with the decorative plate, connecting to the frame by the sides. The corner protectors are connected to the four corners of the outer shell.
US09066565B2	Luggage with shells having varied depths A luggage case (100, 600, 700, 800, 900) may include opposing sidewalls forming minor faces (105, 106), opposing sidewalls forming major faces (101, 102), and opposing end walls (103, 104) together forming an article defining an enclosed space (109). A line of separation (150) may be formed in said minor faces (105, 160) and end walls (103, 104). A first portion of the line of separation (150) may extend along a first portion of opposing minor faces (105, 106) at a location proximate one of said opposing major faces (101, 102) and corresponding one of said opposing end walls (103, 104) positioned therebetween. A second portion of the line of separation (150) may extend along a second portion of said opposing minor faces (105, 106) in a direction away from said one of said opposing major faces (101, 102) and towards other of said opposing major faces (101, 102).
US09066559B2	Bi-layer orthotic and tri-layer energy return system A tri-layer energy return system is provided. The tri-layer energy return system includes a base; an orthotic; a platen directly or indirectly operably coupled to the base, the orthotic or both. A lever including a slide portion is movably received by said base. A tensioning member is coupled to said orthotic at an attachment point thereof.
US09066550B2	Pivoting dual chin strap snap feature for football helmet A football helmet having a shell, and having a chin protector with chin cup and chin straps, has dual snaps on its chin strap buckles and dual snaps on each side of the helmet shell for improving the snap connection between the chin straps and the helmet to reduce the chances the helmet wearer will loose the helmet during play. Dual snaps on the sides of the helmet are carried on pivoting snap carriers to allow the chin protector to rotate with respect to the helmet shell.
US09066549B2	Extensible garment fabric An extensible garment fabric has an edge fixed in length by a relatively inextensible tape or cord made from a material capable of being either eliminated or made extensible by subsequent processing. A garment has an extensible garment fabric and an extensible waistband with the edge of the extensible garment fabric fixed via the relatively inextensible tape or cord being attached to the extensible waistband.
US09066547B2	Jacket having a warming pocket in which pockets on both sides can be joined and separated Disclosed is a jacket having warm pockets with both pockets being attachable and detachable which is characterized in that in an ordinary jacket which can be opened and closed by a certain engaging element such as a zipper and buttons and has a pocket at left and right sides formed about the engaging element, respectively, for a user to insert his hands into the left and right pockets, both the separated pockets can communicate like one longitudinal pocket, and a tube-like passage is formed from both the pockets and the backside of a jacket, and a warming element is accommodated in both the pockets or the tube-like passage for the purpose of effectively warming the hands of a user as well as a user's body.
US09066544B1	Protective knee pads for toddlers and children A knee pad includes a double layer elastic fabric tube which is proportioned to cover the knee region of a child and a pattern of rubber-like miniature pads located on the outer surface of the fabric tube. The elastic fabric tube includes an outer layer and an inner layer. The inner surfaces of both of the layers include cloth loops which are disposed in a facing relationship with each other allowing the outer and inner layers to slide relative to one another.
US09066537B2	Pea-based protein mixture and use thereof in a liquid nutritional composition suitable for enteral feeding This invention relates to a pea-based protein mixture and use thereof in a liquid nutritional composition, in particular suitable for tube feeding, and further relates to said liquid nutritional composition for providing long-term complete enteral nutrition to patients in need thereof. More specifically, the pea-based protein mixture and the liquid nutritional composition comprising said pea-based protein mixture comprises more than 25 weight % and up to 80 weight % of vegetable protein comprising a source of intact pea protein and a source of intact soy protein. The invention relates further to a method for long-term enteral nutrition of patients in need thereof comprising administering an effective amount of said liquid nutritional composition comprising said pea-based protein mixture, in particular comprising a defined amount of intact pea protein and a second vegetable intact protein, other than pea protein.
US09066532B2	Soft moist extruded animal feed The animal feed of the present invention is a soft extruded nugget with a chewy, moist interior. These nuggets have a high moisture content and preservatives. The animal feed also has a long shelf life given the high moisture content. The animal feed of this invention is provided to young animals after weaning from a liquid diet.
US09066530B2	Process and apparatus for manufacturing frozen aerated confections A process for manufacturing frozen aerated confectionery products is provided, the process comprising; providing two rollers wherein each roller has a multiplicity of open cavities on its surface and wherein the rollers are aligned so that the surfaces touch; providing filling means for filling said cavities with a frozen aerated confection at a temperature higher than the temperature of the rollers; filling two cavities, one on each roller, with a frozen aerated confection having an overrun of between 10% and 130%; allowing the frozen aerated confection to expand outside its cavity; and counter-rotating the rollers so that respective cavities in the two rollers lie opposite one another and the frozen aerated confection in a cavity of the first roller is pressed against the frozen aerated confection in an opposite cavity of the second roller; characterized in that the surfaces of the rollers in which the cavities are located are conical. An apparatus for operating the process is also provided.
US09066529B2	Method and apparatus for flavored ice making A method and system may make iced beverages containing flavored ice cubes made from a flavored beverage. The method and system may include dynamically altering a freeze-cycle of an ice maker to account for various parameters, such as freezer temperature. When freezer temperature rises above a set-point temperature, the freeze-cycle may be stopped, and only resumed once the freezer temperature returns to back below the set-point temperature. The freeze-cycle may be dynamically lengthened by the amount of time that the freezer temperature remains above the set-point temperature. The set-point temperature may be substantially below the freezing point of the beverage, which in turn may be below the freezing point of water, to ensure that the beverage is frozen into ice cubes at the completion of the freeze-cycle. In one embodiment, the flavored beverage may have a non-clear color, such as coffee, and the flavored ice cubes are coffee ice cubes.
US09066528B2	Confectionary core coating method A method and machine for coating confectionary product cores, whereby a mass of cores for coating is loaded into a chamber of a rotary drum and coated to form a shell on each core; forming the shell including at least one step of spraying the cores with sweet syrup, followed by at least one step of drying the syrup sprayed onto the cores; the drying step being performed by reducing the pressure in the chamber to less than −0.2 bar, and heating the sprayed cores to a maximum of 35° C. using electromagnetic radiation, preferably microwaves.
US09066527B2	Microbial oils with lowered pour points, dielectric fluids produced therefrom, and related methods Methods and compositions for the production of dielectric fluids from lipids produced by microorganisms are provided, including oil-bearing microorganisms and methods of low cost cultivation of such microorganisms. Microalgal cells containing exogenous genes encoding, for example, a sucrose transporter, a sucrose invertase, a fructokinase, a polysaccharide-degrading enzyme, a lipid pathway modification enzyme, a fatty acyl-ACP thioesterase, a desaturase, a fatty acyl-CoA/aldehyde reductase, and/or an acyl carrier protein are useful in manufacturing dielectric fluids.
US09066524B2	Fat/meat grading method and system Method and system for processing of meat trim products, where trim products are supplied as a sequence of collections of trim (COTs), each collection of trim (COT) comprising a plurality of trim products, whereby: a fat/meat relationship for a collection of trim (COT) is measured; a collection of trim (COT) is transferred to a selected station by a separator, controlled by a controller; and whereby a batch is completed at a selected station on the basis of data for said fat/meat relationship, said batch comprising one or more collections of trim (COTs) and fulfilling a predetermined criterion regarding a total fat/meat relationship.
US09066519B2	Herbicidal benzoxazinones The present invention relates to benzoxazinones of the general formula (I) wherein the variables are defined according to the description, processes and intermediates for preparing the benzoxazinones of the formula (I), compositions comprising them and their use as herbicides, i.e. for controlling harmful plants, and also a method for controlling unwanted vegetation which comprises allowing a herbicidal effective amount of at least one benzoxazinones of the formula (I) to act on plants, their seed and/or their habitat.
US09066514B2	Non-level multilayer antibacterial sheet A non-level multilayer antibacterial sheet comprises a high-fiber substrate, at least one oil absorption film located on the high-fiber substrate and a non-level oil absorption film located at one side of the oil absorption film remote from the high-fiber substrate. The oil absorption film can absorb anti-mildew essential oil. The non-level oil absorption film includes a non-level polyester layer and a second oil absorption layer. The non-level polyester layer and second oil absorption layer form a plurality of housing spaces between them to store the anti-mildew essential oil. Through the oil absorption film and non-level oil absorption film, total amount of absorbed essential oil can be increased to lengthen lifespan of the antibacterial sheet. The housing spaces can store more essential oil and also accelerate evaporation thereof. Thus the anti-mildew essential oil can be dispersed more efficiently to enhance mildew proof effect.
US09066513B2	Method for preparation of an aqueous glyphosate concentrate composition having mixture of amine salts A method for preparing a glyphosate herbicidal aqueous concentrate to improve the handling of the concentrate, the method comprising forming a mixture of at least two nitrogen bases, and reacting the mixture of the at least two bases with glyphosate acid to provide an aqueous mixture of glyphosate salts wherein the concentration of glyphosate (based on glyphosate acid equivalent) is at least 200-gae/L.
US09066507B2	Back strain alleviating fishing pole harness with rotatably engaging pole receptacles An apparatus wearable on a torso of a user to support a fishing rod is disclosed. A primary panel is defined by an external side, an internal side, and a central section. The internal side has a contour substantially conforming to an abdominal side of the torso, while the central section is interposed between a left peripheral section and a right peripheral section, and further defined by a tapered top end apex, through which a center axis spanning a length of the central section extends. Partial spherical sockets are in a spaced relationship aligned in a single column along the center axis. The socket is receptive to a corresponding partial spherical joint member in a rotating engagement, and the joint member is coupled to the article. A harness member secures the primary panel to the torso and redirect horizontal forces against the primary panel to a vertical direction.
US09066504B2	Fishing reel conversion attachment Disclosed herein are devices for transferring mechanical force from an electric motor to a fishing reel. Also disclosed are method of using devices to transferring mechanical force to a fishing reel. In an exemplary embodiment, the device includes a body that has at least one groove and at least one slot that are configured for removably engaging a crank arm of a fishing reel. The fishing reel crank arm includes a first end attached to a crank knob arm assembly for attaching the crank arm to the reel. The crank arm also has a second end that includes a crank handle shaft projecting from said second end. The body includes, at the first side, a groove defined therein for receiving the crank arm and a slot defined along an edge of the body for removably engaging the crank handle shaft.
US09066503B2	Filtering device for ponds and the like A filtering device, allowing to provide an effective filtering without either requiring particular efforts to the user or imposing him or her to operate in excessively hard positions, comprises a filtering element comprised between a first and a second supporting surface, the distance between the supporting surfaces being adjustable, so as to compress the filtering element by moving the supporting surfaces the nearer the other, and actuating device apt to modify the distance of the supporting surfaces. The actuating device is selectively connectable to a surface of the supporting surfaces in a such way that the actuating device can alternatively move unrelated to motion of the surfaces so as to be placed in an operative configuration or move integral to the surface so as to modify the distance between the surfaces in order to compress the filtering element.
US09066500B2	Retractable leash apparatus A retractable leash apparatus includes opposed first and second open ends and defines an interior area. A retraction assembly is operatively coupled to the handle member and defines an inner space and an aperture, the retraction assembly having a spool rotatably positioned in the inner space. A leash member having a first end is connected to the spool, the spool being selectively movable between a retracted configuration in which the leash is substantially inside the inner space and an extended configuration in which the leash member is substantially outside the inner space. The handle member includes a partition positioned in the handle member interior area so as to divide the handle member interior area into a first interior portion and a second interior portion, the first interior portion being selectively accessible through the first open end and the second interior portion being selectively accessible through the second open end.
US09066498B2	Bird support and protection device and method of supporting and protecting a bird A bird support and protection device includes a body portion shaped to cover a crop of bird, being of a long-stretch material having a long-stretch direction, and having a top edge and an opposing bottom edge separated by first and second opposing side edges, a first securing strap attached to the first side edge parallel to the long-stretch direction, a second securing strap attached to the second side edge parallel to the long-stretch direction, the first and second securing straps being operable to be releasably secured at a back of the bird to attach the device to the bird such that the body portion substantially covers and supports the crop and to provide a non-constricting and adjustably secure fit.
US09066497B2	Foam spring mattress configured with variable firmness A method includes selecting an arrangement of foam springs, the arrangement that matches user-selected firmness requirements; attaching foam springs to a foam panel in a removable, replaceable manner; and inserting the foam springs and the foam panel into a containment facility. A mattress includes foam springs; a foam panel to which an arrangement of the foam springs is attached in a removable, replaceable manner; a containment facility within which the foam springs and the foam panel are disposed; and a side rail with indentations within which sides of at least some of the foam springs are disposed. The mattress may also include a fabric webbing, attached to the containment facility, within which some of the foam springs are disposed in a removable, replaceable manner; and an attachment device attaching together at least two of the foam springs.
US09066495B2	Food and/or water delivering, receiving, and feeding apparatus A food and/or water delivery and receiving device especially suited for pets including a receiving dish, an elongated delivery tube, and a handle, where the food and water delivery tube is generally disposed vertically relative to the ground and is fluidly connected to the dish at a first end and open to receive food and/or water at a second end, and where the delivery tube further includes an ergonomic handle extending generally perpendicularly from a point near the second end of the delivery tube and where the open second end of the delivery tube is further configured to hold a bottle or other conveying device for liquid or food.
US09066493B2	Animal containment fence and method of assembling animal containment fence An animal containment fence includes posts that may be anchored to a surface, connection members that may be transversely coupled to the posts, and flexible cross-members disposed between the posts by telescopically and reciprocally engaging the connection members transversely coupled to the posts. The engagement between the connection members and the cross-member moves reciprocally upon a flexion of the cross-member due to application of a force less than a release force to the cross-member. The engagement between the connection members and the cross-member releases upon a flexion a flexible cross-member due to application of a force equal to or greater than a release force. A method of assembling the animal containment fence includes anchoring posts to a surface, transversely coupling connection members to the posts, and telescopically and reciprocally engaging cross members with the connection members.
US09066492B1	Wheat variety W030410S2 A wheat variety designated W030410S2, the plants and seeds of wheat variety W030410S2, methods for producing a wheat plant produced by crossing the variety W030410S2 with another wheat plant, and hybrid wheat seeds and plants produced by crossing the variety W030410S2 with another wheat line or plant, and the creation of variants by mutagenesis or transformation of variety W030410S2. This invention also relates to methods for producing other wheat varieties or breeding lines derived from wheat variety W030410S2 and to wheat varieties or breeding lines produced by those methods.
US09066489B2	Soybean variety A1035374 The invention relates to the soybean variety designated A1035374. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety A1035374. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety A1035374 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety A1035374 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods.
US09066486B2	Soybean cultivar WN1013170 The present invention is in the field of soybean variety WN1013170 breeding and development. The present invention particularly relates to the soybean variety WN1013170 and its progeny, and methods of making WN1013170.
US09066485B2	Cotton variety 10R051B2R2 The invention relates to the novel cotton variety designated 10R051B2R2. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants, plant parts and derivatives of the cotton variety 10R051B2R2. Also provided by the invention are methods of using cotton variety 10R051B2R2 and products derived therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing cotton plants by crossing the cotton variety 10R051B2R2 with itself or another cotton variety and plants and seeds produced by such methods.
US09066484B2	Cotton variety 10R013B2R2 The invention relates to the novel cotton variety designated 10R013B2R2. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants, plant parts and derivatives of the cotton variety 10R013B2R2. Also provided by the invention are methods of using cotton variety 10R013B2R2 and products derived therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing cotton plants by crossing the cotton variety 10R013B2R2 with itself or another cotton variety and plants and seeds produced by such methods.
US09066480B2	Watermelon variety TCS-146-1901 The invention provides seed and plants of the watermelon line designated TCS-146-1901. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of watermelon line TCS-146-1901, and to methods for producing a watermelon plant produced by crossing a plant of watermelon line TCS-146-1901 with itself or with another watermelon plant, such as a plant of another line. The invention further relates to seeds and plants produced by such crossing. The invention further relates to parts of a plant of watermelon line TCS-146-1901, including the fruits and gametes of such plants.
US09066479B2	Watermelon variety WML-EJ11-2553 The invention provides seed and plants of the watermelon line designated WML-EJ11-2553. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of watermelon line WML-EJ11-2553, and to methods for producing a watermelon plant produced by crossing a plant of watermelon line WML-EJ11-2553 with itself or with another watermelon plant, such as a plant of another line. The invention further relates to seeds and plants produced by such crossing. The invention further relates to parts of a plant of watermelon line WML-EJ11-2553, including the fruits and gametes of such plants.
US09066478B2	Watermelon variety TML-EJ00112 The invention provides seed and plants of the watermelon line designated TML-EJ00112. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of watermelon line TML-EJ00112, and to methods for producing a watermelon plant produced by crossing a plant of watermelon line TML-EJ00112 with itself or with another watermelon plant, such as a plant of another line. The invention further relates to seeds and plants produced by such crossing. The invention further relates to parts of a plant of watermelon line TML-EJ00112, including the fruits and gametes of such plants.
US09066477B2	Watermelon variety TML-EJ09112 The invention provides seed and plants of the watermelon line designated TML-EJ09112. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of watermelon line TML-EJ09112, and to methods for producing a watermelon plant produced by crossing a plant of watermelon line TML-EJ09112 with itself or with another watermelon plant, such as a plant of another line. The invention further relates to seeds and plants produced by such crossing. The invention further relates to parts of a plant of watermelon line TML-EJ09112, including the fruits and gametes of such plants.
US09066471B1	Apparatus and method for a baler cart A cart for collecting and unloading agricultural bales, the cart including a cart body; a hitch, wherein the hitch includes a first end that is configured to operatively connect to a baler and a second end that is configured to operatively connect to the cart body, wherein the hitch provides a pitch degree of freedom to the cart relative to the baler, and wherein the hitch provides a roll degree of freedom to the cart relative to the baler; an automated conveyor device operatively connected to the cart body and configured to move the agricultural bales to a back end of the cart body; and at least one swivel wheel operatively connected to the cart body. In some embodiments, the automated conveyor device includes an apron-chain conveyor powered by a hydraulic motor controlled by hydraulic valves in a cab of a tractor being used to pull the baler and cart.
US09066463B2	Crop feeler system and method In some embodiments, a crop feeler system automatically executes a navigational task based on a proximity of a vehicle to an obstacle. The crop feeler system includes a hub attached to the vehicle. Inside the hub are two oscillating circuits each having an oscillating frequency. A member is coupled to the hub. Two inductive elements are positioned within the member so that, when the obstacle comes into contact with the member, at least one of the inductive elements moves closer to at least one of the oscillating circuits and alters the oscillating frequency of that oscillating circuit. A navigation sensor measures the oscillating frequency of the oscillating circuit, identifies a navigational task using the oscillating frequency of the oscillating circuit, and executes the navigational task.
US09072207B2	Suspension board with circuit, producing method thereof, and positioning method of suspension board with circuit A suspension board with circuit includes a metal supporting board, a conductive layer laminated on the metal supporting board, and a via layer interposed between the metal supporting board and the conductive layer. The conductive layer includes a conductive pattern, and a reference portion serving as a positioning reference for placing the suspension board with circuit on a load beam.
US09072205B1	Surface mounting method utilizing active resin composition A surface mounting method includes applying an active resin composition to at least part of a surface of a printed wiring substrate; mounting a surface mount device on the substrate; performing reflow soldering; applying an under-filling resin into a space of interest; before and/or after applying the under-filling resin, performing a vacuum treatment and/or heating at a temperature lower than the curing reaction-initiating temperature of any of the applied active resin composition and the under-filling resin; and subsequently, thermally curing the resin composition and the under-filling resin. The active resin composition contains an epoxy resin in an amount of 100 parts by weight, a blocked carboxylic acid compound in an amount of 1-50 parts by weight and/or a carboxylic acid compound in an amount of 1-10 parts by weight, and a curing agent which can initiate curing reaction at 150° C. or higher, in an amount of 1-30 parts by weight.
US09072192B2	Composite flexible circuit planar cable A composite flexible circuit planar cable includes a flat cable, a first section, and a second section. The flat cable includes a plurality of straight line like parallel and non-jumping conductor lines. At least one jumping line is formed on the first section to interchangeably connect a selected conductive line of the first section to an another selected conductive line. The second section may also form at least one jumping line to interchangeably connect a selected conductive line of the second section to an another selected conductive line. Through such a jumping line, electrical connection can be formed between signal terminals and corresponding and interchanged signal terminals. The plurality of conductor lines of the flat cable includes at least a pair of differential signal conductor lines, a grounding line, and a power line.
US09072186B2	Harness assembly An assembly for physically securing, and providing data and power to, a portable electronic consumer product that has opposed sides that each include one or more protrusions or depressions, where the portable electronic consumer product also has an electrical power input connector and a data input connector. The assembly has first and second separate housing portions that are constructed and arranged to be separably coupled together to thereby define a housing. The first and second housing portions each define one or more protrusions or depressions that complement the depressions or protrusions on a side of the portable electronic consumer product such that the housing forms a tight locational clearance fit with the consumer product when the first and second housing portions are coupled together around the opposed sides of the consumer product. There is a cord assembly that is constructed and arranged to carry electrical power and data, the cord assembly located in part inside the housing. There is a housing power connector that terminates the power carried by the cord assembly, and a housing data connector that terminates the data carried by the cord assembly; these connectors are both carried by the housing.
US09072184B2	Carbon fiber spacecraft panel with integral metallic foil power return An aerospace structure that includes a composite member and a conductive element attached to the composite member wherein the conductive element is configured to conduct electricity across at least a portion of the composite member is provided. The aerospace structure may also include a power distribution system and the conductive element is a part of the power distribution system for the aerospace structure.
US09072179B2	Display device A display device includes a body, a support, and a first elastic unit. The support is rotatably disposed on a back side of the body and has a first slip stopper. The first elastic unit is pivotally connected to the body and the support. The display device is supported on the a working surface by a bottom of the body and the first slip stopper. The first elastic unit generates an elastic force to pull the support toward the body when the first slip stopper moves away from the working surface.
US09072174B2	Electronic device An electronic device includes a first body and a second body. The first body includes a first main body and a first magnetic element fixed in the first main body. The second body includes a second main body, a supporting unit, a second magnetic element, and a third magnetic element. The second main body is adapted to hold the first body. The supporting unit is pivoted to the second main body. The second magnetic element is fixed in the second main body. The third magnetic element is slidably configured in the second main body to restrict a rotation of the supporting unit relative to the second main body. When the first body leans against the second main body, the third magnetic element is subject to a magnetic attraction force from the first magnetic element and escapes from the supporting unit, so that the supporting unit supports the first body.
US09072171B2	Circuit board mount for LED light An LED-based light for replacing a conventional fluorescent light in an existing fixture is disclosed. The LED-based light includes an elongated housing, a heat sink extending substantially the length of the housing and having at least one integral retaining portion and a circuit board positioned on the heat sink and having a plurality of LEDs mounted thereon, wherein the at least one integral retaining portion is configured to secure the circuit board to the heat sink.
US09072168B2	Electromagnetic interference blocking device and circuit assembly including the same An electromagnetic interference blocking device is provided for blocking electromagnetic interference between transmission lines formed on a surface of a circuit board. The electromagnetic interference blocking device includes a body configured to be inserted into a slot formed in the surface of the circuit board between the transmission lines, the body including a bottom portion having a comb shape insertable within the slot.
US09072166B2	Field serviceable electronic display An in-field replaceable glass assembly for an electronic display placed within a housing is disclosed. The housing preferably contains a hanger at the top of the housing, where the glass assembly contains a frame surrounding a pane of glass and having a top and bottom. A tab is preferably placed at the top of the frame and adapted to hold the glass assembly in place when slipped over the hanger on the housing. The glass assembly also contains a means for attaching the bottom of the frame to the housing. In some embodiments this means is a threaded post which extends from the frame and passing through a portion of the housing. A nut may be tightened against the post. In other embodiments a threaded fastener may pass through the housing and thread into a female threaded hole within the frame.
US09072164B2	Process for fabricating a three dimensional molded feed structure A process for fabricating a three dimensional molded feed structure is provided. In one embodiment, the invention relates to a process for fabricating a three dimensional radio frequency (RF) antenna structure, the process including providing a flexible circuit substrate, forming a first preselected pattern of channels in the flexible circuit substrate, depositing a conductive layer on the formed flexible substrate, and removing portions of the conductive layer to form a plurality of conductive traces.
US09072163B2	Housing assembly for portable electronic device A housing assembly for a portable electronic device includes a first body, a second body, a first engaging member, a first resilient member and a first housing. The first body has a first space. The second body is installed to the first body and has a first release hole. The first engaging member is movably located in the first space. The first engaging member has at least one first engaging portion. The first resilient member provides a force to the first engaging member to orient the first engaging member toward the first release hole. The first housing is connected to the second body and has at least one first contact portion. When assembling, the first contact portion contacts the first engaging portion. The force of the first resilient member applied to the first engaging member to firmly connect the first housing to the second body.
US09072162B2	Conductive plastic overmold on shielded plastic window An integrated assembly is provided for installation on a housing for electronic components. The integrated assembly includes a shielded window and a bezel overmolded onto the shielded window in an injection molding process. Since both the shielded window and the bezel have EMI resistant properties, the assembly represents an efficient method for providing high quality EMI shielding while eliminating the use of costly parts and assembly procedures.
US09072160B2	Electronic device and dock The present disclosure provides an electronic device and a dock. The electronic device includes a first body, an insertion connector for connecting the first body, a second body connected to the insertion connector and physically connected/disconnected to/from the first body via the insertion connector by inserting the first body into the insertion connector or pulling the first body out of the insertion connector, a lock means having a locked state and an unlocked state, wherein the first body is securely connected to the insertion connector and cannot be physically pulled out of and disconnected from the insertion connector when the lock means is in the locked state and the first body is insecurely connected to the insertion connecter and can be physically pulled out of and disconnected from the insertion connector when the lock means is in the unlocked state, and a rotation means physically connected to the lock means.
US09072157B2	Device for providing a flow of active gas A device 10, typically hand-held, provides a flow of partially ionized gaseous plasma for treatment of a treatment region. The device comprises an applicator head 52 housing a miniature plasma cell 16 in which gas flowing through the cell from a gas source 22 can be energized to form a non-thermal gaseous plasma, and a plurality of electrodes 26, 28 for receiving electrical energy from a source of electrical energy for energizing gas in a plasma forming region 18 in the cell to form said plasma. The applicator head 52 is detachable from the device and may be of a size and configuration to enable it to be inserted into the oral cavity of a human or animal.
US09072155B2	Transformer network A transformer network circuit utilizing multiple smaller transformer cores, instead of a single, relatively larger core, for transferring electrical power while maintaining a smaller overall core mass.
US09072135B2	Systems and methods for modular and configurable driver system for LED lighting devices A modular LED power supply is provided. The modular LED power supply includes a docking module having a plurality of grooves for receiving a plurality of power supply driver modules. The plurality of power supply driver modules are modular in nature and are attached to the plurality of grooves in the docking module based on the power requirements, Also, the modular LED power supply includes a supervisory module for analyzing and controlling the number of power supply driver modules required to be attached to the docking module.
US09072134B2	Configurable lighting devices under broadcast control A control unit for controlling an illumination parameter of one or more light sources of a plurality of light sources is described. The control unit being arranged to —select the one or more light sources of the plurality of light sources, receive an input signal representing a required value of the illumination parameter for the selected one or more light sources, convert the input signal to a broadcast signal for the plurality of light sources; —enable the broadcast signal to be provided to the plurality of light sources thereby enabling the selected one or more light sources to comply with the required value of the illumination parameter.
US09072128B2	Light-emitting diode driving circuits and driving methods thereof A driving circuit includes a first PWM driving module and a second PWM driving module. The first PWM driving module generates a first square-wave signal to drive a first illumination unit according to a first data signal of a data stream, wherein the first square-wave represents an illumination period of the first illumination unit in a display cycle. The second PWM driving module generates a second square-wave signal to drive the second illumination unit according to a second data signal of the data stream, wherein the second square-wave signal, which has a different phase with the first square-wave signal, represents an illumination period of the second illumination unit in the display cycle.
US09072123B2	Heated set, in particular for seats of benches Areal shapeable heating element (2) covered by electro-insulation foil (3), with metal heat-conductive layer (4) placed above whereof, is placed on the seating part of the bench (1). The set is covered from the top and side of the bench (1) by carpet decorative layer (5).
US09072122B2	Heating apparatus for heating a toner image and image forming apparatus including the same A non-contact power supply unit including a secondary coil supplies an alternating voltage to multiple heat generation layers provided in a heat generation film. In one of the heat generation layers, a loop is provided as a variable impedance circuit in which the impedance changes according to the frequency. A capacitance element in which the impedance changes according to the frequency is provided in the loop. The heat generation amounts of the heat generation layers are switched by changing the frequency of the alternating voltage generated in the secondary coil according to the size of the recording material that is the heating target.
US09072120B2	Methods circuits and systems for providing cellular base station functionality at one or more nodes of a data network Disclosed are methods, circuits and systems for providing cellular base station functionality at one or more nodes of a data network. Baseband traffic and at least a portion of radio unit signaling may be transmitted over a data network from a base station (controller) to a radio equipped network appliance. The network appliance may emulate a native radio unit of the base station controller and may provide cellular base station services to one or more cellular devices. Baseband traffic and at least a portion of the radio unit signaling received from the one or more cellular devices may be transmitted from the network appliance to the base station controller over the data network.
US09072119B2	Mobile communication device and integrated circuit thereof Mobile communication devices and integrated circuits thereof are provided. The mobile communication device, communicating with a packet switched network and a second network, includes a transceiver, a first PLL circuit and a controller. When exchanging an ongoing data transmission with the packet switched network, the transceiver transmits a first message to the packet switched network, which indicates the mobile communication device will be tuned away from the packet switched network, and performs a subsequent procedure for the second network. The first PLL circuit provides a first clock to the transceiver. When the ongoing data transmission with the packet switched network is not completed, the controller controls the first PLL circuit to switch the first clock from a first clock frequency to a second clock frequency after the transceiver transmits the first indication message.
US09072115B2	MAC architecture in wireless communication systems supporting H-ARQ A medium access control-high speed (MAC-hs) comprises a hybrid automatic repeat request (H-ARQ) device configured to receive data blocks over a wideband-code division multiple access (W-CDMA) high speed-downlink shared channel (HS-DSCH). The H-ARQ device generates an acknowledgement (ACK) or negative acknowledgement (NACK) for each said data block received. Each received data block having a transmission sequence number. The H-ARQ device receives a new transmission instead of a pending retransmission at any time. At least one reordering device has an input configured to receive an output of the H-ARQ device and the at least one reordering device configured to reorder the received data blocks based on each received data block's transmission sequence number (TSN). Received data blocks are immediately forwarded for processing for higher layers when the received data blocks are received in sequence.
US09072112B2	Medium access control for wireless networks A wireless network includes a source node, a destination node, and at least a first relay node. The network is arranged to determine a first measure of signal quality for a direct link between the source node and the destination node, and a second measure of signal quality for a link between the source node and the destination node via at least one relay node. At a relay node, the duration of a recruitment slot is determined, within which the relay node may transmit a recruitment message indicating availability of the relay node to relay. The recruitment slot duration is determined on the basis of the first measure of signal quality. In this way, the recruitment of a relay may depend on the signal quality of the direct link from the source node to the destination node.
US09072111B2	Transmission station, receiving station, wireless communication system, and wireless communication method A transmission station includes a communication section configured to perform transmission and reception of data with a receiving station by using a plurality of wireless carriers whose frequency bands differ from one another, and a processor configured to obtain reception qualities of a plurality of wireless carriers which are reported from the receiving station, and configured to assign a gap for each of the wireless carriers, in accordance with the obtained reception quality of the each of the wireless carriers, the gap being a period over which transmission of the data is stopped.
US09072110B2	Method for UE pattern indication and measurement for interference coordination A method of inter-cell interference coordination is provided for UE measurements and network access procedure. In a first embodiment, a UE in idle mode performs measurements on received radio signals applying a simplified radio resource restriction for interference coordination. The UE determines the restricted radio resource without receiving explicit measurement configuration. In a second embodiment, during various phases of a network access procedure, the UE indicates its interference status and/or additional interference information to its serving base station to enhance interference coordination. In a third embodiment, the UE in connected mode performs measurements on both interference-protected transmission resources and non-interference-protected transmission resources. The UE measurement results are used for scheduling, radio link monitoring, and/or mobility management to increase radio spectrum efficiency and to improve user experience.
US09072100B2	Sub-slotting to improve packet success rate in carrier sense multiple access networks In one embodiment, a communication device in a frequency hopping communication network determines an intention to forward a first packet in a particular timeslot of a frequency hopping sequence. As such, the device scans in receive mode for an initial portion of the particular timeslot on a particular frequency known to neighbors of the communication device for reaching the communication device. In response to determining that the communication device is receiving a second packet during the initial portion, the device remains in receive mode to receive a remainder of the second packet. Conversely, in response to not receiving the second packet during the initial portion, the device proceeds to transmit the first packet during a remainder of the particular timeslot.
US09072095B2	Apparatus and method for allocating resources in a single carrier-frequency division multiple access system An apparatus and method for allocating resources in an Single Carrier-Frequency Division Multiple Access (SC-FDMA) communication system are provided, in which a Node B determines on a cell basis whether to turn or off inter-subband hopping and whether to turn on or off mirroring for a resource unit for the UE on a frequency axis along which at least two subbands are defined, at set hopping times, selects a resource unit by selectively performing inter-subband hopping and mirroring on the resource unit for the UE according to the determination, and allocates the selected resource unit to the UE.
US09072084B2	Method and apparatus for control of enhanced dedicated channel transmissions A method and apparatus for controlling enhanced dedicated channel (E-DCH) transmissions are disclosed. A plurality of primary absolute grants are received, wherein the plurality of primary absolute grants are associated with a TTI. At least one relative grant is received for E-DCH transmission, wherein the at least one relative grant is associated with the TTI. At least one serving grant for E-DCH transmission is determined. A H-ARQ process is identified for use for the TTI. It is determined whether the identified H-ARQ process is available for scheduled data and whether scheduled data is allowed to be transmitted in the TTI based at least on the identified H-ARQ process. On a condition that the identified H-ARQ process is available for scheduled data and scheduled data is allowed to be transmitted in the TTI, scheduled data is allocated for transmission in the TTI.
US09072076B2	Method for fast acknowledgement and identification of a service access request message or a preamble thereof A method is provided in a base station for handling a request from a first user equipment for accessing a service in a radio communications network. The method comprises the steps of receiving a first time interval of an incoming signal comprises a first signal sent from the first user equipment and a second signal sent from the second user equipment, interpreting the first signal as being a possible service access request message preamble, and sending an acknowledgement, that the preamble is detected, to the first user equipment. The method comprises the further steps of delaying the first time interval of the incoming signal, identifying the second signal in the first time interval of the incoming signal during the delay, washing the identified second signal away from the first time interval of the incoming signal during the delay, and deciding whether the possible preamble is a real preamble or not, by analyzing the washed incoming signal.
US09072074B1	Method and apparatus for determining the location of a terminal adaptor A method and apparatus for updating location information of a customer via a terminal adaptor that is used to access network services are disclosed. For example, the method receives a request from a customer for accessing at least one network service. The method then detects a change in an Internet Protocol (IP) address associated with the customer in the request. In response, the method requests the customer to provide input relating to location information of the customer.
US09072073B2	Adjusting channel access parameters due to traffic load An apparatus (STA) receives from a first node (AP1) at least one channel access related parameter and a first congestion indication; and receives from a second node (AP2) a second congestion indication. The apparatus determines a combined congestion indication which is based at least on the first congestion indication and the second congestion indication; and determines a first channel access parameter for a channel between the apparatus and the first node based at least partly on the at least one channel access related parameter and the combined congestion indication. In specific embodiments, the channel access related parameters may be an initial EDCA parameter and a degradation factor.
US09072069B2	Method and apparatus for user equipment interaction with a network using interaction information A method for receiving information on Tracking Areas (TAs) by a User Equipment (UE) in a communication network is provided. The method includes transmitting to a Mobility Management Entity (MME), an ATTACH REQUEST message in a deregistered state; and receiving, from the MME, an ATTACH ACCEPT message including at least two different types of Tracking Area Identify (TAI) lists that identify TAs. The at least two different types of TAI lists are concatenated in the ATTACH ACCEPT message and each of the at least two different types of TAI lists is variable within a maximum size.
US09072068B2	Group call method, device and terminal The present invention discloses a group call method, device and terminal, belonging to the field of communications technologies. The method includes: calculating, according to the load of a RAN device, the number of subgroups in a group maintained by the RAN device; and send a paging message carrying relevant information of the number of the subgroups, so that a terminal receiving the paging message determines, according to relevant information of the number of the subgroups, whether to respond to the paging message. The device is a RAN device or a CN device. The terminal includes a receiving module and a processing module. In the present invention, the number of paging groups and an in-group terminal being paged are determined dynamically without requiring a core network to maintain subgroup information, thereby greatly saving subgroup maintaining resources as well as signaling and processing resources.
US09072064B2	Method for performing power headroom reporting procedure and PHR MAC control element This invention relates to a method for performing Power Headroom reporting procedure, adapted for a user equipment, wherein the user equipment is operated in a plurality of activated serving cells, the method includes the steps of: providing a prohibitPHR-Timer; obtaining a plurality of downlink path loss values respectively corresponding to the activated serving cells; triggering a power headroom report when the prohibitPHR-Timer expires or has expired and at least one of the downlink path loss values has changed more than a PathlossChange threshold since the last transmission of a PHR; and reporting the power headroom report.
US09072058B2	Method and apparatus for power optimization in wireless systems with large antenna arrays A method and apparatus for communication between a wireless base station and a population of one or more terminals are provided, involving, in each of a plurality of iterations, transmitting a block of forward-link data from an array of multiple base station antennas to the terminal population. In each iteration, a forward-link power level is updated for each said terminal using a distributed algorithm and purely local information. Meanwhile, a set of beamforming coefficients based on channel state information (CSI) obtained from reverse-link pilot signals is periodically updated, and each data block is precoded with the most recently updated beamforming coefficients. Each data block is transmitted at the most recently updated forward-link power levels.
US09072056B2	Mobile station apparatus, base station apparatus, radio communication method and integrated circuit Transmission power of a plurality of uplink carrier components used for radio communication by a mobile station device and a base station device is efficiently controlled. The mobile station device communicates by radio with the base station device using a plurality of component carriers. The mobile station device receives, from the base station device, downlink control information that includes information indicating radio resource assignment to a downlink shared channel disposed in any of downlink component carriers, and a TPC command to an uplink control channel in an uplink component carrier in which ACK/NACK to the downlink shared channel is transmitted.
US09072054B2	Downlink power control method and apparatus of OFDM system A downlink power control method and apparatus for improving downlink power efficiency gain in an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) system is provided. The downlink power control method includes transmitting a downlink data channel at a normal subframe according to first downlink power information for the normal subframe, and transmitting the downlink data channel at an Almost Blank Subframe (ABS) according to second downlink power information for the ABS, wherein the first downlink power information for the normal subframe and the second downlink power information for the ABS differ from each other. The downlink power control method and apparatus is capable of regulating inter-cell interference variation between contiguous symbols at a predetermined level in a subframe at a terminal of a neighbor cell and making it possible to schedule the UE receiving the low power data channel using the power ratio of the feedbacks from the UE.
US09072050B2	Power saving with adaptive inactivity time out Power saving for wireless communication devices by adjusting the amount of time, after a last transmission/reception of data, that the device remains in an awake mode listening for more data before the device enters a sleep mode. This time period may be referred to as inactivity time interval or inactivity timeout (ITO). The described features may be employed to improve power savings by taking metrics of channel congestion into account for determining the ITO. The appropriate ITO may be determined to be commensurate with ongoing transmission and/or reception activity. Because error may occur in estimating channel congestion and/or transmission/reception activity, latency bounds based on estimation errors may be managed by classifying the operational mode into multiple regions and employing techniques for mitigating error in congestion estimation based at least in part on the operational mode.
US09072049B2	Receiver state estimation in a duty cycled radio A method for receiver state estimation includes communicating, from a first communications device to a second communications device, a first plurality of wake-up frames; receiving, at the first communications device from the second communications device, an indication of a received wake-up frame of the communicated first plurality of wake-up frames; determining, by the first communications device, a time at which the second communications device is in a ready state based on the received indication; subsequently communicating, from the first communications device to the second communications device, a second plurality of wake-up frames. The first plurality is greater than the second plurality, the reduction in number from the first plurality to the second plurality being based on the determined time at which the second communications device is in a ready state.
US09072045B2	Smart searching of wireless devices using device location information Particular embodiments described herein provide for an apparatus, such as a wireless electronic device, that includes a memory element configured to store electronic code, a processor operable to execute instructions associated with the electronic code, and at least one module. The at least one module is configured to receive first location information identifying a first location associated with an electronic device. The at least one module is further configured to receive first connection location information indicative of a second location of the electronic device at a time of connection with a first wireless device. The at least one module is further configured to evaluate for a presence of the first wireless device when the first location is within a predetermined distance of the second location.
US09072035B2	Method and system for task mapping based on corresponding virtual modem identifiers in an operating system for virtual modems within a multi-SIM multi-standby communication device A multiple-subscriber identity module (multi-SIM) multi-standby communication device includes a single operating system (OS) and a single radio resource unit that is shared by multiple virtual modems (VMs) within a virtual modem framework (VMF). The OS maps VM tasks of the multiple VM to OS resource spaces according to corresponding VM IDs. which may be embedded in global variables utilized in the single OS to access OS resources. The single OS may run the mapped VM tasks utilizing OS resources in the OS resource spaces. The OS may run VM tasks utilizing OS resources in OS resource spaces identified by corresponding VM IDs.
US09072034B2	Methods and apparatus for selecting a base station transceiver system based on service communication type Techniques for use in selecting a base station transceiver system for communication with a mobile station are described. The mobile station is connected to a first base station transceiver system, and scans to identify a second base station transceiver system for communication. The mobile station further identifies that the second base station transceiver system provides a predetermined communication service, and that the first base station transceiver system fails to provide the predetermined communication service. In response to identifying, the mobile station causes the second base station transceiver system to be selected for communication over the first base station transceiver system even if the signal quality of the second base station transceiver system is worse than that of the first base station transceiver system. Identifying whether the first and second base station transceiver system provide the predetermined communication service is based on parameters transmitted from the first and second base station transceiver systems.
US09072031B2	Method and apparatus for supporting multiple frequency assignment in wireless communication system A method and an apparatus for supporting multiple frequency assignments in a wireless communication system are provided. An operating method of a Mobile Station (MS) for supporting multicarrier transmission in a wireless communication system includes negotiating a multicarrier operation with a Base Station (BS) during a network entry procedure, when supporting a multicarrier operation mode with the BS, sending a first control message comprising information of every multicarrier configuration supported by the MS, to the BS, receiving a second control message comprising index information of one or more carriers assigned for the multicarrier operation from the BS, and searching for configuration information of carriers corresponding to indexes of the one or more carriers assigned from the BS for the multicarrier operation.
US09072029B2	Mobile communication system, control device, base station device, system control method and device control method A mobile communication system includes a control device and a base station device. Data communication between the control device and the base station device is conducted using a fixed-length data size and a variable-length data size. The control device transmits information indicating whether a data size of the data communication has a fixed length or a variable length. The base station device receives the information from the control device.
US09072025B2	Method of measurement reporting and related communication device A method of measurement reporting for a mobile device in a wireless communication system is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of including a first indicator associated with a first cell in a measurement report and sending the measurement report to a network entity of the wireless communication system. The first indicator informs the network entity about accessibility information of the first cell corresponding to the mobile device.
US09072022B1	Dynamic report of reference signal received quality by a wireless communication device A wireless communication device comprises a wireless communication transceiver and a processing system. The wireless communication transceiver is configured to measure reference signal received power (RSRP) values and reference signal received quality (RSRQ) values of a plurality of candidate sectors. The processing system is configured to determine a greatest relative difference between the RSRP values of the candidate sectors. If the greatest relative difference between the RSRP values of the candidate sectors falls below a power threshold, the processing system is configured to direct the wireless communication transceiver to transfer the RSRP values of the candidate sectors and one of the RSRQ values associated with a strongest candidate sector that has a greatest RSRP value of the candidate sectors, and if the greatest relative difference between the RSRP values of the candidate sectors exceeds the power threshold, the RSRP values of the candidate sectors are transferred.
US09072021B2	Method and apparatus for hybrid automatic repeat request operation in a heterogeneous network architecture Methods, systems and apparatus are provided for camping, assisted serving cell addition or removal, and discontinuous reception (DRX) in networks having a macro cell and at least one assisted serving cell. In other aspects, enhancements to Layer 1 channels and uplink timing alignments are provided in networks having a macro cell and at least one assisted serving cell. In further aspects, assisted serving cell Layer 2 architecture and transport channels are provided in networks having a macro cell and at least one assisted serving cell. In further aspects, collaborated HARQ solutions are provided in networks having a macro cell and at least one assisted serving cell.
US09072020B2	Methods and apparatus to support coordinated interference mitigation in multi-tier networks For use in a wireless network, a femtocell base station in communication with at least one first mobile station is provided. The femtocell base station is configured adjust a resource of the femtocell base station to mitigate interference at a second mobile station. In certain embodiments, the femtocell base station is configured to coordinate a handover of the at least one first mobile station from the femtocell base station to a neighboring base station. In certain embodiments, the femtocell base station is configured to transmit a message regarding the resource adjustment to the at least one first mobile station.
US09072013B2	Method, apparatus, and system for processing message Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method, an apparatus, and a system for processing a message. The present invention relates to the field of wireless communications, and can increase the connection reestablishment success rate in a wireless communication system using an RN. The method for processing a message includes: receiving a handover request message A from an SeNB; parsing the handover request message A to obtain identity information of a reestablished cell controlled by an RN and user equipment context information prepared for the reestablished cell; and sending a first message to the RN according to the identity information of the reestablished cell, where the first message includes the user equipment context information prepared for the reestablished cell, where the user equipment context information provides a basis for the RN to prepare a connection. The present invention is mainly applicable to handover and reestablishment in a wireless communication system.
US09072011B2	Communication system, network handover processing method and apparatus A communication system, a network handover processing method and a network handover processing apparatus are disclosed. The method includes receiving, by a target evolution NodeB (T-eNB), identity information sent from a user equipment (UE), the identity information being allocated to the UE by a source evolution NodeB (S-eNB); and sending, by the T-eNB, parameters to the UE if identity information, matching the received identity information sent from the UE, is available in the T-eNB, wherein the parameters are allocated to the UE. The apparatus includes a receiving module and a sending module.
US09072009B1	Carrier selection based on probable mobility of packet flow Methods and systems are provided for carrier selection based on probable mobility of packet flow. A request is received from an access terminal. The request comprises a packet-flow-type indication, and indicates that the access terminal is requesting a packet flow. If the packet-flow-type indication is associated with a high degree of mobility, the first access terminal is instructed to conduct the packet flow on one of a first set of one or more carriers. If the packet-flow-type indication is associated with a low degree of mobility, the access terminal is instructed to conduct the packet flow on one of a second set of one or more carriers. No carriers are elements of both the first set and the second set.
US09072008B2	Method and apparatus for controlling the power of terminal in a mobile communication system comprising a femtocell and a macro base station The present invention relates to a method for allocating a radio resource of a base station for controlling the power of a terminal in a mobile communication system including a plurality of femtocells in the service coverage of a macro base station, said method comprising: a radio resource-grouping step of dividing the radio resources shared by the macro base station and the femtocells into groups in accordance with a preset criterion; a radio resource-allocating step of randomly allocating each of the grouped radio resources to base stations such that the terminal uses maximum transmitting power in different resource areas for the plurality of base stations; and a transmitting step of transmitting the allocated radio resource information to the terminal. The method of the present invention effectively controls interferences between the terminal in communication with the macro base station and the terminal in communication with the femtocell.
US09072006B2	Mobile communication method and system In the method for wireless communication between a terminal and a base station supporting a real time packet transfer service mode and reliable packet transfer service mode according to the present invention, one of the real time packet transfer service mode and reliable packet transfer service mode is selected and a communication channel between the terminal and the base station is established, and the packet data are bidirectionally exchanged between the terminal and the base station over the communication channel in real time.
US09072004B2	Apparatus and method of discarding logged measurement in wireless communication system A method of discarding logged measurements in a wireless communication system is provided. A user equipment in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connected mode receives a Minimization of Drive Tests (MDT) configuration from a base station and starts a validity timer upon receiving the MDT configuration. The user equipment in an RRC idle mode logs measurements based on the MDT configuration to collect logged measurements while the validity timer is running. When the validity timer is expired, the user equipment discards the MDT configuration and starts a conservation timer. When the conservation timer is expired, the logged measurements are discarded.
US09071997B2	Methods and systems for adaptive channel estimation/prediction filter design A method to adapt a set of multi-point channel estimation filters for use in wireless communications including measuring a plurality of reception values is provided. Each reception value included in the plurality of reception values is associated with one of the network nodes. The method includes sorting the plurality of reception values according to magnitude and determining a select reception value. The method includes selecting a particular network node from the set of network nodes based on the reception value. The reception value is within a threshold from the select reception value. The method includes adjusting the length of a multi-point channel estimation filter associated with the particular network node. The adjusting the length is based on a lookup table and on the reception value associated with the particular network node, according to some embodiments. User equipment in a wireless network adapted for the above method is also provided.
US09071995B2	Methods, systems, and computer readable media for long term evolution (LTE) uplink data processing Methods, systems, and computer readable media for performing long term evolution (LTE) uplink data processing are disclosed. One method occurs at an LTE multi-UE simulator. The method includes receiving at least one transport data block containing uplink data to be transmitted to a device under test and dynamically assigning, using processing information associated with the at least one transport data block, at least one physical resource from a plurality of dynamically assignable physical resources for processing the at least one transport block includes receiving at least one transport data block containing uplink data to be transmitted to a device under test.
US09071991B2	Method and apparatus of requiring uplink resources for transmitting ranging request message in communication system A method and an apparatus of requiring uplink resources for transmitting a ranging request message in a communication system are provided. The method includes allocating an uplink bandwidth from a base station, and fragmentizing a Ranging Request (RNG-REQ) message into plural fragmented RNG-REQ messages, when the allocated bandwidth does not accommodate an entire RNG-REQ message, requesting an additional uplink bandwidth by transmitting one fragmented RNG-REQ message, and allocating an requested additional uplink bandwidth from the base station and transmitting a next one fragmented RNG-REQ message.
US09071987B2	Survivable mobile network system A method of establishing communication links during a failure within a mobile communications network includes detecting disruptions in communications between a plurality of base stations and a plurality of mobile terminals. Survivability components are activated within the base station and the mobile terminal to operate in a survivability mode. The survivability mode enables communications and services to be provided by the surviving base stations to mobile terminals through activated survivability components. The alternate communication links may operate for as long as a disruption exists.
US09071986B2	Method and apparatus for dynamically controlling quality of service A method and apparatus for dynamically controlling quality of service (QoS) is provided herein. During operation, a QoS manager will determine if a device is currently being used by an individual. The QoS of the device will then be tailored based on whether or not the device is currently being used by the individual. Devices that may be running applications, yet unused by anyone may have their QoS reduced. This will allow the QoS to be increased for devices that are currently being used.
US09071985B2	Apparatus and method for user equipment assisted congestion control A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for wireless communication are provided in connection with improving QoE in RAN congestion. In one example, a communications device is equipped to indicate a quality control indicator (QCI) for each of a plurality of applications that communicate with a RAN over a bearer, receive information regarding modification of the bearer or additional bearers based on the QCIs, and modify the bearer or additional bearers according to the information to achieve a desired QoE for at least one of the plurality of applications. In another example, a RAN is equipped to receive a QCI for each of a plurality of applications related to a bearer from a UE, and modify the bearer or adding additional bearers for communicating with the UE based on the QCI for each of the plurality of applications to improve QoE at the UE.
US09071980B2	Method and apparatus for signal quality determination in a communication network One aspect of the present invention is method for signal quality measurement that provides significant improvements in accuracy, at least in certain scenarios where conventional approaches to such measurements are vulnerable to inaccuracies. Non-limiting example scenarios include instances where a communication network uses downlink carriers in neighboring cells with overlapping frequencies but with different bandwidths and/or center frequencies. In such cases, there may be uneven interference across the carrier bandwidth, e.g., arising from neighboring carriers operating at different center frequencies and/or at different bandwidths. Thus, making the signal quality measurement for a given carrier depend on a combination of measurements taken at different frequency regions of the carrier provides a clearer, more accurate picture of the interference or loading conditions bearing on that carrier.
US09071976B2	Communication network device, communication device, method for managing communication resource allocation and method for communication resource allocation According to an aspect of this disclosure, a communication network device is provided comprising a receiver configured to receive a request that communication resources, that have been free for allocation by a communication network should not be allocated by the communication network; a determiner configured to determine a set of communication devices for which the communication resources have been free for allocation and which should not allocate the communication resources; and a controller configured to cause that the communication resources are not allocated by the communication devices of the determined set.
US09071975B2	Radio-frequency power amplifier circuitry with linearity optimization capabilities An electronic device may be located in a geographical cell that is served by a base station. The electronic device may communicate with the base station on a frequency band. The frequency band may be subject to adjacent band emissions requirements to help prevent interference with wireless devices that are operating in adjacent frequency bands. The adjacent band emission requirements may vary based on the frequency band used to communicate with the base station, the geographical cell, and/or the presence of public safety radios. To satisfy the adjacent band emissions requirements while minimizing power consumption, the electronic device may receive cell information from the base station and adjust power amplifier linearity based on the received information.
US09071974B2	Mobile telephone firewall and compliance enforcement system and method Methods, systems, and software for mediating SMS messages, and especially type 0 SMS messages, in a wireless mobile communications device configured to send and receive data using a GSM protocol and including a subscriber identity module (“SIM”) including electronic hardware and computer software executed by the hardware such that the SIM is configured to send, receive, and process messages using a Short Message System (“SMS”) between the wireless mobile communications device and a communications network. One aspect includes a method for mediating SMS messages comprising: configuring electronic hardware on the wireless mobile communications device to implement a firewall on the wireless mobile communications device, the firewall configured to identify and optionally mediate infrastructure SMS messages.
US09071972B1	Asynchronous tiered access control to a wireless home network An asynchronous access controller comprising a subscriber profiler, a piracy detector and a password injector. The subscriber profiler configured to aggregate both information about subscribers together with information about each associated WLAN. The piracy detector is configured to detect whether wireless communications usage of at least one of the WLANs exceeds at least one parameter specified in a service level agreement (SLA) with the associated subscriber. The password injector controller is configured to inject a new network access password into one or more of the nodes of the WLAN responsive to an affirmative determination by the piracy detector; whereby subsequent network access is selectively revoked on the WLAN in a manner which returns communications usage thereon into conformance with the SLA for the associated subscriber.
US09071971B2	Adaptive and context based NFC access control filtering A mobile device includes a transceiver for performing wireless communication; one or more secure elements which execute applications in a secure environment; a near field communication system for performing wireless communication independent of the transceiver and at a lower amount of power than said transceiver; and a contactless front end included in the near field communications system for receiving a data message from a near field communication device. The contactless front end includes a filter list for evaluating the data message and for controlling whether each data message is transmitted further into the mobile device.
US09071970B2	Terminal device A terminal device including an operation unit configured to receive an operation instruction performed by an external object; an operation disabling controller which performs control such that when the terminal device is in a disabled state, the operation instruction performed on the operation unit is ignored or the disabled state is cancelled; an operation detector which outputs, when a touch operation by the external object is detected, content of the touch operation as the operation instruction; an operation speed determination unit which determines whether a movement speed of the touch operation is higher than a predetermined threshold; and an operation controller which instructs the operation disabling controller to cancel the disabled state and control execution of a predetermined function when it is determined that the touch operation is an operation instruction to cancel the disabled state and in accordance with the movement speed of the touch operation.
US09071968B2	Method, apparatus, and system for centralized 802.1X authentication in wireless local area network The present invention discloses a method, an apparatus, and a system for centralized 802.1X authentication in a wireless local area network, and the method includes: receiving, by the access point, an EAP authentication start message from the UE, where a destination address of the EAP authentication start message is a MAC address corresponding to an air interface of the access point, and its source address is a MAC address of the UE; modifying the destination address of the EAP authentication start message to be a multicast address of a port access entity or a MAC address of the authentication entity; and forwarding the EAP authentication start message whose destination address is modified.
US09071966B2	Methods and apparatus for wireless networking connection Systems and techniques for wireless client authentication are described. A wireless client seeking access to a network requiring authentication transmits a management frame following a signaling sequence that accomplishes scanning, network discovery, and authentication. An access point receiving the management frame forwards information contained in the management frame to a network and receives and forwards to a client an authentication response frame received from a network.
US09071962B2	Evolved packet system non access stratum deciphering using real-time LTE monitoring A monitoring system is coupled to interfaces in an LTE network and passively captures packets from the network interfaces. First data packets associated with an authentication and key agreement procedure are captured on a first interface. Second data packets associated with the authentication and key agreement procedure are captured on a second interface. Individual ones of the first data packets are correlated to individual ones of the second data packets based upon a same parameter. An authentication vector table is created comprising information from the correlated first data packets and second data packets, wherein entries in the table comprise authentication data for a plurality of security contexts. A cipher key is identified to decipher additional packets for the user. The cipher key can also be identified in case of Inter Radio Access Technology Handover by the user equipment.
US09071955B2	Communication device and communication method A terminal apparatus that communicates with a mobile apparatus includes a near-field communication unit that receives time-of-day information from the mobile apparatus through near-field communication, a use history information generation unit that extracts operation information of the terminal apparatus, and generates use history information on the basis of the time-of-day information received by the near-field communication unit, the use history information including time-of-day information associated with the detected operation information and indicating the time of day at which the corresponding operation was performed, and a main memory that stores the generated use history information.
US09071952B2	Unintentional call detection and response Methods and systems for detecting unintentional calls placed to a call center. In some implementations, a device with telephone capability recognizes that it is being used to place a call, and automatically collects information usable to estimate whether the call is intentional or unintentional. For example, the device may record the timing of presses of a button used to initiate the call, the force used to press the button, or other parameters. The device may analyze the information, or may forward at least some of the information to the call recipient for analysis. When a suspected unintentional call is detected, the device may signal the user of the device, or other actions may be taken.
US09071947B1	On-hold processing for telephonic systems In an end-of-hold notification method and apparatus, upon activation of end-of-hold notification from a first communication device, a detector is activated to detect an end-of-hold condition from a second communication device, a first signal is provided to the second communication device to indicate activation of end-of-hold notification, and a user of the first communication device is permitted to record a personalized message. After detection of the end-of-hold condition from the second communication device, a second signal is sent to the second communication device, the second signal including the personalized message recorded by the user of the first communication device.
US09071946B2	Provision of text messages to emergency call takers Concurrent text and voice communications can be maintained with an emergency call taker. An application executing on a mobile communications device in conjunction with a network gateway provide voice communication as well as an interactive Short Messaging System (SMS) session with a public safety answering point (PSAP). The gateway correlates and manages SMS messages with the PSAP and the mobile device. As such, a virtual session is generated over a traffic channel, that provides the advantages of a voice call as well as allowing text based communications.
US09071943B2	Method, server, and system for processing emergency call in PoC service The present disclosure provides a method, a server and a system for processing an emergency call in a PoC service. The method includes: receiving, by a PoC server, an emergency call request sent by an initiator; adding, by the PoC server, a mobile terminal as one party to an established emergency call group according to the emergency call request, where a first party of the emergency call group is a dispatcher; and forwarding, by the PoC server, a two-way session between the mobile terminal and the dispatcher. In the embodiments of the present disclosure, an emergency call may be provided in a PoC service.
US09071940B2	Systems, methods, and computer program products for estimating crowd sizes using information collected from mobile devices in a wireless communications network Systems, methods, and computer program products are for estimating crowd size at a location. An exemplary method includes determining, at a crowd size analyzer, a number of wireless service users at the location, and estimating, at the crowd size analyzer, a total number of people at the location based upon the number of wireless service users determined to be at the location.
US09071936B2	Methods and devices for facilitating location approximation in a CDMA 1x network Apparatus and methods are disclosed for determining a position of an access terminal within a wireless communication network. In some examples, the access terminal retrieves system information from its current serving cell and stores the retrieved system information in memory along with an associated timestamp. Over time, as the access terminal moves about the network, it can accumulate this system information for a plurality of base stations within its memory. By utilizing the system information for a plurality of base stations rather than only the current serving base station, as well as the associated timestamps, additional position information can be provided to the access terminal. Other aspects, embodiments, and features are also claimed and described.
US09071935B2	Self positioning of a wireless station A self-positioning mechanism is provided that determines and tracks the position of an access point in real time. A location unaware access point determines its location from the locations of location aware stations. The location is determined based on a predicted estimate which is updated based on measured values of the locations of the location aware stations over a time period. The movement of the location is then tracked based on the differences between range measurements of the location aware stations.
US09071934B2	Optimizing location system configuration exchanges through dynamic location working profiles A wireless location information system, device, and method are presented that include location system components (LSCs) that perform location-based operations; one or more location work profiles (LWPs) associated with each of the LSCs, in which the LWPs include configuration information of the LSCs; and a controller that controls the configuration information exchanges between the LSCs. As such, the controller component provides, in advance, one or more LWPs to each LSC, in which each of the LWPs is designated with a unique identifier and, upon a change in operational status, the controller provides the LSCs with only the identifier of the LWP affected by the change.
US09071933B2	Method and apparatus for performing a channel availability query for a plurality of locations The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for channel availability query on multiple locations in a wireless local area network system. A method for a station (STA) to perform a channel query procedure in a wireless communication system comprises: transmitting, at a first STA corresponding to a channel availability query requesting STA, a first message to a second STA supporting the channel availability query procedure, wherein the second STA corresponds to a channel availability query responding STA, wherein the first message comprises device location information of one or more locations for the channel availability query; and receiving, at the first STA from the second STA, a second message comprising channel availability information, wherein the channel availability information is commonly applicable to multiple locations within an area, when the device location information of the first message is for the multiple location within the area.
US09071928B2	Trusted mode location service for mobile device access to private network based applications In response to a location assistance request initiated by a mobile device on a private network and directed to a data access port of a location server in a public mobile communication network, a source network address is extracted from the received request. If the extracted source network address is determined to be associated with a trusted private network domain, location assistance data obtained by the location server is provided to the mobile device on the private network without requiring any proprietary messaging schemes or application-specific authentication credentials.
US09071926B2	Device detection using load modulation in near-field communications First and second NFC devices both seek to determine whether the other device is present and available for communication across an NFC channel. The first NFC device modulates a load in its transceiver. The second NFC device transmits a waveform. If the first NFC device detects the waveform while modulating its load, and if the second NFC device detects the load modulation while transmitting the waveform, then the two NFC devices initiate communication in accordance with a communication protocol.
US09071924B2	Systems and methods for digital forensic triage In one embodiment, a method for forensic triage may include coupling, communicatively, a computer and a mobile device. The computer can be booted with machine readable instructions stored on the one or more mobile memory modules of the mobile device. A search data set can be received with one or more mobile processors of the mobile device. One or more processors of the computer, the one or more mobile processors, or both, can execute, automatically, the machine readable instructions stored on the one or more mobile memory modules of the mobile device to search one or memory modules of the computer in a read only mode for triage data that corresponds to the search data set. The triage data can be transmitted via one or more communication modules of the mobile device.
US09071923B2	Automatic archiving of an application on a mobile device A mobile device includes an automatic archiver program which configures a processor to identify an unused application which satisfies one or more predetermined archiving criteria, and prompts a user to archive the identified application via a user interface. A user interface is provided such that the user may either confirm or decline archiving of the identified application. Upon receiving user input that confirms archiving of the identified application, the application is archived. Several techniques are disclosed to effectively render the application inaccessible by the operating system, so as to prevent the application from executing any background tasks associated with the archived application. The automatic archiver program has root level access to an operating system of a mobile device such that the program may perform access, create, modify and/or delete operations for archiving private data as part of archiving of the application.
US09071922B2	Distributed V-MIMO processing for coordinated multipoint reception The base stations in a coordinating set, i.e., CoMP set, implement distributed V-MIMO processing to decode uplink signals transmitted from multiple user terminals over the same time and frequency resources. Each base station uses the extrinsic information received from its coordinating base stations to facilitate demodulation and decoding. In the event that one of the base stations successfully decodes an uplink signal, it may provide the decoded data to the other coordinating base stations in the coordinating set. In this case, the coordinating base stations do not need to decode the uplink signal. Even if the uplink signal is not successfully decoded, the demodulated data received from the coordinating base station increases the likelihood of successfully decoding uplink signal in the next iteration of a HARQ process.
US09071908B2	Loudspeaker with a wave guide The present invention relates to a loudspeaker including a first driver, which is configured to produce a first frequency band and a corresponding first acoustic axis, a second driver, which is configured to produce a second frequency band, which is different from the first frequency band but may overlap in a crossover region, and which second frequency band has a second acoustic axis, and an enclosure enclosing said drivers and comprising a three dimensional wave guide positioned on a front surface of the enclosure and around the first driver. In accordance with the invention the three dimensional waveguide comprises an acoustically selectively transparent portion which is acoustically essentially reflecting to sound waves of the first frequency band propagating in a direction angled to the first acoustic axis, the waveguide portion is essentially transparent to sound waves of the second frequency band propagating in the direction of the second acoustic axis through the waveguide portion, and in that the second driver is positioned inside the enclosure behind the acoustically selectively transparent portion.
US09071900B2	Multi-channel recording An apparatus including a microphone array and a removing system. The microphone array includes a binaural microphone system having first and second transducers, and a voice microphone system having at least one third transducer. The removing system is configured to remove, from signals created from the binaural microphone system, components corresponding to sound of a user's voice sensed at the at least one third transducer.
US09071899B2	Narrow ceiling panel speaker systems Narrow ceiling speaker panels designed to be compatible with Armstrong® TECHZONE™ suspended ceiling systems that include an end-flanged grill box nested in a baffle that supports a loudspeaker and associated electronics and which is nested in a flanged grill that is sized for compatibility. Attachments are though the grill box end flanges and baffle panel and through grill edge flanges and baffle edge flanges. The loudspeaker and associated electronics are fastened to the top side of the baffle through pre-drilled or punched holes. The grill may have a decorative appearance by virtue of edge style, pattern of holes, color, or finish.
US09071898B2	Acoustic loudspeaker Acoustic loudspeaker comprising: a movable membrane; a source of constant magnetic field, a coil mechanically secured to said membrane and interacting with the magnetic field so as to displace the membrane, when it is traversed by an alternating current, characterized in that the membrane carries the coil at its periphery, and in that the magnetic field source is formed by a set of at least one magnetized element disposed at the periphery of said membrane, around the coil, the magnetic field generated by said at least one magnetized element being in a plane parallel to the membrane.
US09071896B2	Sound processor housings, sound processors and implantable cochlear stimulation systems including the same Sound processor housings, sound processors and systems including sound processors are disclosed.
US09071894B2	Hearing protection system A hearing protection system including a detection subsystem configured to determine bone conducted sound vibrations and one or more actuators placed proximate a predetermined location on the skull of a user configured to generate cancellation vibrations out of phase with the bone conducted sound vibrations to mitigate the effect of bone conducted sound vibrations on the middle and/or inner ear of a user.
US09071893B2	Multi-array ultrasonic probe apparatus and method for manufacturing multi-array probe apparatus A multi-array type ultrasonic probe apparatus includes n tiles which transmit and receive an ultrasonic beam; and a substrate having n guide portions on which the n tiles are mounted, respectively, to be aligned in a multi-array. The multi-array ultrasonic probe apparatus may align tiles in identical directions and at identical levels to control a direction and a time for transmitting and receiving an ultrasonic beam to be transmitted and received at the tiles, thereby providing a stable ultrasonic beam.
US09071892B2	Switching between acoustic parameters in a convertible vehicle A method of configuring an acoustics system of a convertible vehicle to receive speech from an occupant of the vehicle who is using hand-free technology. The position of the top of the convertible is first determined and based upon whether the top is up or down, an audio reception configuration is selected. The audio reception configuration includes a set of tuning parameters and a microphone arrangement. The acoustics system is then configured based upon the determination of whether the top is up or down.
US09071883B2	System and method for improved view layout management in scalable video and audio communication systems A system and method for transmitting a plurality of video signals scalably coded into layers including a base layer and one or more enhancement layers and associated audio signals, if any, over a communication network for presentation to one or more end users. A layout to display the plurality of video signals is determined based on a set of criteria and only the data of the video signal layers that are necessary for displaying the video signals in the determined layout, and any associated audio signals, is selectively transmitted over the communication network.
US09071878B2	System and method of recording television content A method of recording television content is disclosed and includes receiving one or more television program search criteria from a set-top box device at a recurrent searching system. The method also includes storing the one or more search criteria at the recurrent searching system. Further, the method includes performing a first search of electronic program guide (EPG) data accessible to the recurrent searching system based on the television program search criteria and performing at least one additional search of EPG data accessible to the recurrent searching system based on the television program search criteria after the first search.
US09071872B2	Interactive television systems with digital video recording and adjustable reminders An interactive television system is provided in which an interactive television application is used to support network-based or local personal video recorder capabilities. A user may use this application to view lists of program listings. The user may select a program listing of interest. The interactive television application may allow the user to set a reminder for the selected program at the scheduled broadcast time. This application may also allow the user to set a reminder for the selected program at a later time at which the program is not scheduled to be broadcast. The user may be provided with a reminder at this later time. In response, the user may direct the network-based or local personal video recorder to play back the program or may defer the reminder again. The interactive television application may collect information on program usage and popularity to determine how long to retain certain programming.
US09071870B2	System and method for viewing digital visual content on a device A system and method for viewing material displayed on an electronic device. When a user desires to view a document, only a portion of which is viewable on a display at a given moment, the portion is displayed on the display as a primary image. A secondary image is then generated, with the secondary image including the portion and additional material of the document not part of the primary image. The secondary image is superimposed over the primary image on the display when a user scrolls through the document such that both the secondary image and the primary image are visible to the user.
US09071869B2	Broadcasting receiving apparatus and method for providing broadcasting signal relation information A broadcasting receiving apparatus and a method for providing broadcasting signal relation information are provided. The broadcasting receiving apparatus, which accesses a server through a network, includes a broadcasting signal receiver which receives a broadcasting signal; a channel identifier which identifies a change of a channel of the broadcasting signal, generates a fingerprint corresponding to the broadcasting signal of the changed channel, and receives identification information of the changed channel from a matching server based on the generated fingerprint; and a relevant information provider which receives conditional information that indicates a condition for receiving relevant information of the broadcasting signal if the channel is changed, receives the relevant information based on the conditional information and displays the received relevant information.
US09071868B2	Systems and methods for improving server and client performance in fingerprint ACR systems A system and method are disclosed that improve the efficiency and performance of an Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) system. Several approaches are described that may be used alone or in combination to reduce total system computational costs related to the manner in which such an ACR means takes samples, called “fingerprints,” of digital content being played by a television display device and transmits said fingerprints to a remote server to be compared to a database of fingerprints from known programming. Methods are described for implementing such system performance enhancement including varying sampling rates and other resolution metrics during the process of creating such fingerprints and transmitting them to the database server. The system and method disclosed also describes how to reduce the probability that, when compared to samples from already-identified programming, such fingerprints are incorrectly identified as being of programming other than that which they are in fact derived from.
US09071866B2	Wireless video/audio signal transmitter/receiver This invention is new to the field in two ways: [1] it sends audio/video signals wirelessly between tablet computing devices and smartphones to projection devices instead of using attached cables, and [2] it does not require an app, a second computing device, a driver, a download, or a “jailbreak” of the computing device to function properly.
US09071859B2	Methods and apparatus for user-based targeted content delivery Methods and apparatus for selecting and delivering advertising or promotional content based on, e.g., the attributes of a desired demographic. In one embodiment, the invention enhances advertising or promotional penetration into a particular demographic of a network subscriber pool by correlating the advertising/promotion (and even the contextual program content) with specific users or groups of users within the pool. This approach decouples the advertising or promotion from any given program or lineup, and gives the network operator flexibility in deciding where, when, and how often to insert advertisements or promotions in order to achieve the desired result. Dynamic network architectures such as broadcast switched architectures can also be leveraged to further enhance flexibility and targeting precision. In effect, the network advertising or promotion model is made results-driven (versus program-centric). Subscriber privacy is also optionally maintained, thus ensuring that stored data is not traceable to a specific user.
US09071853B2	Broadcast content to HTTP client conversion In embodiments of broadcast content to HTTP client conversion, a client converter (118) receives video content (108) as an input (204) of broadcast content data streams from a content distribution system (102). The client converter can join a content data stream of the broadcast input, and convert the content data stream to unicast HTTP data, such as video content segments (124) that are buffered for communication to a client device (120) or to a media player (138) of a client device (134). An HTTP server (122) of the client converter can then communicate the unicast HTTP data to the client device or to the media player for playback of the video content.
US09071852B2	Method for providing media-content related information, device, server, and computer-readable storage medium for executing the method A method for providing media content-related information by using a device capable of accessing a server via a network is provided, the method comprising: generating identification information of media content being reproduced by the device; transmitting the identification information from the device to the server; receiving at least one of key information and media content-related information, from the server, in response to the identification information; and providing a user of the device with the media content-related information about the media content based on the at least one of the key information and the media content-related information received from the server.
US09071848B2	Sub-band video coding architecture for packet based transmission Sub-band video coding architecture for packet based transmission. Video processing includes converting of a frame or picture of a video signal into a number of respective sub-bands or sub-frames (e.g., such that each respective one is a respective subsampled version of an original frame or picture) and subsequent assembly thereof into a reconstructed frame or picture. The reconstructed frame or picture then undergoes video encoding to generate an output bitstream that may subsequently undergo appropriate processing (e.g., packetization, continuous time signal generation, etc.) to generate a signal for transmission via one or more communication the links. Characteristics associated with each respective sub-band or sub-frame may be similar (e.g., similar characteristics) or different (e.g., two or more sub-bands or sub-frames have different characteristics, such as different respective number of pixels, aspect ratios, etc.). Respective sub-frames may undergo video encoding and transmission.
US09071846B2	Moving picture encoding method and apparatus for performing a multi-frame motion prediction with reference to a plurality of picture frames A moving picture encoding method for performing a multi-frame motion prediction with reference to a plurality of picture frames that includes, in reference frames used for the multi-frame motion prediction, a frame that has been encoded in a higher picture quality than the other frames of the same picture type. The frame encoded in the higher picture quality is a P-picture frame or a B-picture frame, for example, and preferably is a frame to which more code amount is assigned than the other frames of the same picture type or a frame having a smaller quantizing parameter than the other frames of the same picture type.
US09071844B2	Motion estimation with motion vector penalty The MPEG motion estimation process is improved by the introduction of the motion vector penalty. The motion vector employed to encode a macroblock takes into consideration the number of bits needed to encode the macroblock with the selected motion vector. This consideration includes a sum of the residual error and the cost to encode the candidate motion vector. This provides an optimization of the bit allocation and vector type selection. This optimization results in a significantly improved picture quality.
US09071834B2	Array of individually angled mirrors reflecting disparate color sources toward one or more viewing positions to construct images and visual effects A general purpose image and visual effects display apparatus, with associated methods, which is comprised of an array of independently angled reflective or refractive elements wherein the varying angle pattern of each element across said array is designed to reflect or refract specifically designed as well as fortuitously located existing colors, in precisely determined patterns, to make apparent to specific viewing or receiving locations a wide range of complex emergent visual and other effects. In some embodiments very high resolution and high color fidelity image display is possible. In other embodiments moving images akin to video can be displayed, using no electronics or moving parts. In other embodiments true binocular 3D images can be displayed directly to viewers, without the need for special 3D viewing glasses. Many of the embodiments and methods are applicable to non-visible light and other reflectable wave-based phenomena.

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