| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US09117504B2 |
Volume select for affecting a state of a non-selected memory volume
Apparatuses and methods of operating memory are described. One such method can include receiving a select command at a plurality of memory volumes of a memory device, the select command indicating a targeted memory volume of the plurality of memory volumes. In response to the select command, the method can include selecting the targeted memory volume of the memory volumes and putting at least a portion of a non-selected memory volume of the memory volumes in a particular state based, at least in part, on a previous state of the non-selected memory volume and/or a portion of an address associated with the select command. |
| US09117497B2 |
Electrical lines with coupling effects
A circuit includes a first line, a second line, a first sub-circuit, and a second sub-circuit. The first line has a first signal. The second line has a second signal. The first sub-circuit is configured to generate a first output signal. The second sub-circuit is configured to generate a second output signal. The first output signal and the second output signal have coupling effects if the first signal and the second signal have coupling effects based on the first line and the second line. The first output signal and the second output signal do not have coupling effects if the first signal and the second signal do not have coupling effects. |
| US09117496B2 |
Memory device comprising programmable command-and-address and/or data interfaces
A memory device comprising a programmable command-and-address (CA) interface and/or a programmable data interface is described. In an operational mode, two or more CA interfaces may be active. In another operational mode, at least one, but not all, CA interfaces may be active. In an operational mode, all of the data interfaces may be active. In another operational mode, at least one, but not all, data interfaces may be active. The memory device can include circuitry to select: an operational mode; a sub-mode within an operational mode; one or more CA interfaces as the active CA interface(s); a main CA interface from multiple active CA interfaces; and/or one or more data interfaces as the active data interfaces. The circuitry may perform these selection(s) based on one or more bits in one or more registers and/or one or more signals received on one or more pins. |
| US09117495B2 |
Global bit line pre-charge circuit that compensates for process, operating voltage, and temperature variations
A memory array includes wordlines, local bitlines, two-terminal memory elements, global bitlines, and local-to-global bitline pass gates and gain stages. The memory elements are formed between the wordlines and local bitlines. Each local bitline is selectively coupled to an associated global bitline, by way of an associated local-to-global bitline pass gate. During a read operation when a memory element of a local bitline is selected to be read, a local-to-global gain stage is configured to amplify a signal on or passing through the local bitline to an amplified signal on or along an associated global bitline. The amplified signal, which in one embodiment is dependent on the resistive state of the selected memory element, is used to rapidly determine the memory state stored by the selected memory element. The global bit line and/or the selected local bit line can be biased to compensate for the Process Voltage Temperature (PVT) variation. |
| US09117494B2 |
Sense amplifier circuit and semiconductor memory device
To improve reading accuracy of a sense amplifier circuit and a semiconductor memory device. A sense amplifier circuit includes an N type FET which is a sensing transistor connected between a power supply and a ground via a data line that extends to a memory cell, a resistance element that is connected between a gate of the sensing transistor and the power supply, and a capacitance element that is connected between the gate of the sensing transistor and the ground. |
| US09117492B2 |
Method and apparatus for adjusting drain bias of a memory cell with addressed and neighbor bits
The storage layer such as a nitride layer of a nonvolatile memory cell has two storage parts storing separately addressable data, typically respectively proximate to the source terminal and the drain terminal. The applied drain voltage while sensing the data of one of the storage parts depends on the data stored at the other storage part. If the data stored at the other storage part is represented by a threshold voltage exceeding a minimum threshold voltage, then the applied drain voltage is raised. This technology is useful in read operations and program verify operations to widen the threshold voltage window. |
| US09117487B2 |
Method and system for disc authentication and security
A method and apparatus for disc authentication are disclosed. The authentication method includes measuring at least one physical property of a data disc, which includes at least one of an angle and an eccentricity parameter associated with two data layers of a data disc, and authenticating the disc by determining whether a match exists between the measured property and encoded information on data layer the data disc relating to the physical property. |
| US09117485B2 |
Signal processing apparatus capable of suppressing non-linear noise component during reading optical recording medium
According to an embodiment, a signal processing apparatus includes a first signal processor, a second signal processor and a third signal processor. The first signal processor suppresses an offset component remaining in a reproduction signal read from an optical recording medium to obtain a first signal. The second signal processor suppresses a nonlinear distortion component remaining in the first signal to obtain a second signal. The third signal processor suppresses a correlation noise component remaining in the second signal to obtain a third signal. |
| US09117480B1 |
Device for estimating playback time and handling a cumulative playback time permission
Methods for estimating playback time and handling a cumulative playback time permission are provided. In one embodiment, a file is streamed from a first device to a second device for playback. The amount of data of the file that was streamed to the second device is determined, and a playback time of the file is estimated using a time rate associated with the file and the determined amount of data of the file that was streamed to the second device. If the file is associated with a permission specifying an allowed cumulative playback time of the file, the estimated playback time can be accrued against the allowed cumulative playback time. Other embodiments are disclosed, and each of the embodiments described herein can be used alone or in combination with one another. |
| US09117479B1 |
Data storage device calibrating laser write power for heat assisted magnetic recording
A data storage device is disclosed comprising a head actuated over a disk, wherein the head comprises a laser configured to heat the disk during write operations. A first test pattern written at a first laser power is read to generate a first track width metric and a first peak amplitude. A second test pattern written at second laser power is read to generate a second track width metric and a second peak amplitude. The first track width metric, the first peak amplitude, the second track width metric, and the second peak amplitude are processed to estimate a coefficient C of an error function. An operating write power for the laser is calibrated based on the estimated coefficient C of the error function. |
| US09117477B2 |
Perpendicular magnetic recording media having novel seed layer
A magnetic medium for perpendicular magnetic data recording, having improved magnetic properties through use of a novel seed layer. The magnetic medium includes a substrate having a seed layer, a magnetic under-layer and a magnetic recording layer formed there-over. The seed layer includes an element selected from a first group of Cr, Co, Fe and Ni, and at least one element that is selected from the other elements of the first group or from a second group consisting of W, Mo and Ru. A buffer layer may be included between the substrate and the seed layer. |
| US09117474B1 |
Implementing write head device for contact detection and spacing sensing
A method, apparatus, and system are provided for implementing a write head device for writer-to-disk contact detection and spacing sensing of recording heads in hard disk drives (HDDs). A write head device, such as a spin-torque oscillator (STO), is provided between a main pole tip and a surrounding magnetic shield of the writer in the recording head. A pair of connections is provided to the magnetic shield and the main pole of the writer, and resistance of the write head device is measured to detect writer to disk spacing and contact. |
| US09117465B2 |
Non-local spin valve element with three terminals, hard disk head, and magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus
A spin valve element according to an embodiment includes: a nonmagnetic base layer; a first terminal including a first magnetic layer connecting to a portion near one of opposing end faces of the nonmagnetic base layer; a second terminal including a second magnetic layer disposed and connecting to the nonmagnetic base layer so as to be at a distance from the first terminal; a third terminal including a third magnetic layer disposed and connecting to the nonmagnetic base layer so as to be at distances from the first and second terminals, the second terminal and the third terminal connecting to a current source that passes a sense current, and the first terminal and one of the second terminal and the third terminal connecting to a voltage detection unit that detects a voltage. |
| US09117464B1 |
Methods for manufacturing hybrid coils for magnetic write heads used in storage systems
Methods for manufacturing hybrid coils for magnetic write heads used in disk drives are described. One such embodiment includes a magnetic read/write head including a read transducer, and a write transducer including a pair of write poles, a hybrid coil including a first coil having a pancake coil configuration with at least one turn positioned between the pair of write poles, and a second coil having a helical coil configuration including a plurality of turns positioned between the pair of write poles, the second coil coupled to the first coil, where the at least one turn of the first coil is interleaved with the turns of the second coil. |
| US09117461B2 |
Coding device, decoding device, coding method, and decoding method for audio signals
A coding device includes: a pitch contour detection unit which detects a pitch contour of an input audio signal; a dynamic time warping unit which determines the number of pitch nodes based on the pitch contour and generates a first time warping parameter including information indicating the determined number of pitch nodes, a pitch change position, and a pitch change ratio; a first encoder which codes the first time warping parameter; a time warping unit which corrects pitch, using the information obtained from the first time warping parameter, to approximate the pitches of the number of pitch nodes to a predetermined reference value; a second encoder which codes the input audio signal at the corrected pitch; and a multiplexer which multiplexes the coded time warping parameter and the coded audio signal to generate a bitstream. |
| US09117457B2 |
Compact plug-in noise cancellation device
A noise cancellation device (NCD) comprises a microphone, an analog-to-digital converter, a digital-to-analog converter, a rechargeable battery, and a processor. The NCD acquires an audio input, from an external device such as a stethoscope or a cell phone, and passes the analog data into an ADC (analog-to-digital converter) for signal conversion. The digitized signals are then passed to the processor for further processing. The processor contains all the processing functions such as preprocessing (divide the input data into frames and apply shaping function to each frame), short term Fourier transform (STFT), adaptive filtering, inverse STFT, and signal synthesis. |
| US09117454B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling lock/unlock state of terminal through voice recognition
A method for controlling a terminal through a voice input is provided. The method includes receiving a voice input when the terminal is in a state in which the terminal is locked and performing an operation corresponding to the voice input if the voice input corresponds to a preset command. |
| US09117452B1 |
Exceptions to action invocation from parsing rules
A language processing system identifies, from log data, command inputs that parsed to a parsing rule associated with an action. If the command input has a signal indicative of user satisfaction, where the signal is derived from data that is not generated from performance of the action (e.g., user interactions with data provided in response to the performance of another, different action; resources identified in response to the performance of another, different action having a high quality score; etc.), then exception data is generated for the parsing rule. The exception data specifies the particular instance of the sentence parsed by the parsing rule, and precludes invocation of the action associated with the rule. |
| US09117451B2 |
Methods and systems for sharing of adapted voice profiles
Methods and systems for sharing of adapted voice profiles are provided. The method may comprise receiving, at a computing system, one or more speech samples, and the one or more speech samples may include a plurality of spoken utterances. The method may further comprise determining, at the computing system, a voice profile associated with a speaker of the plurality of spoken utterances, and including an adapted voice of the speaker. Still further, the method may comprise receiving, at the computing system, an authorization profile associated with the determined voice profile, and the authorization profile may include one or more user identifiers associated with one or more respective users. Yet still further, the method may comprise the computing system providing the voice profile to at least one computing device associated with the one or more respective users, based at least in part on the authorization profile. |
| US09117447B2 |
Using event alert text as input to an automated assistant
Methods, systems, and computer readable storage medium related to operating an intelligent digital assistant are disclosed. An event alert is detected, where the event alert includes context data. A representation of an intent is derived based at least in part on the context data. At least one domain, at least one task, and at least one parameter for the task are identified based at least in part on the representation of the intent. The identified task is performed using the at least one parameter. An output is provided to the user, where the output is related to the performance of the first task. |
| US09117446B2 |
Method and system for achieving emotional text to speech utilizing emotion tags assigned to text data
A method and system for achieving emotional text to speech. The method includes: receiving text data; generating emotion tag for the text data by a rhythm piece; and achieving TTS to the text data corresponding to the emotion tag, where the emotion tags are expressed as a set of emotion vectors; where each emotion vector includes a plurality of emotion scores given based on a plurality of emotion categories. A system for the same includes: a text data receiving module; an emotion tag generating module; and a TTS module for achieving TTS, wherein the emotion tag is expressed as a set of emotion vectors; and wherein emotion vector includes a plurality of emotion scores given based on a plurality of emotion categories. |
| US09117442B2 |
Methods and apparatus for audio watermarking
Methods and apparatus for audio watermarking a substantially silent media content presentation are disclosed. An example method to audio watermark a media content presentation disclosed herein comprises obtaining a watermarked noise signal comprising a watermark and a noise signal having energy substantially concentrated in an audible frequency band, the watermarked noise signal attenuated to be substantially inaudible without combining with a separate audio signal, associating the watermarked noise signal with a substantially silent content component of the media content presentation, the media content presentation comprising one or more media content components, and outputting the watermarked noise signal during presentation of the substantially silent content component. |
| US09117440B2 |
Method, apparatus, and medium for detecting frequency extension coding in the coding history of an audio signal
The present document relates to audio forensics, notably the blind detection of traces of parametric audio encoding/decoding. In particular, the present document relates to the detection of parametric frequency extension audio coding, such as spectral band replication (SBR) or spectral extension (SPX), from uncompressed waveforms such as PCM (pulse code modulation) encoded waveforms. A method for detecting frequency extension coding history in a time domain audio signal is described. The method may comprise transforming the time domain audio signal into a frequency domain, thereby generating a plurality of subband signals in a corresponding plurality of subbands comprising low and high frequency subbands; determining a degree of relationship between subband signals in the low frequency subbands and subband signals in the high frequency subbands; wherein the degree of relationship is determined based on the plurality of subband signals; and determining frequency extension coding history if the degree of relationship is greater than a relationship threshold. |
| US09117428B2 |
Stringed instrument with active string termination motion control
A system for controlling for at least one string of a musical instrument by selectively exciting or damping vibration of the string is provided. The system includes at least one transducer configured to sense a lateral vibration of the string and/or to apply an actuating force to the string. A controller is configured to determine an actuating signal for driving the actuator to apply a longitudinal actuating force to the string at a termination point of the string. The longitudinal actuating force are operable to modulate a tension of the string that increases and/or damps the lateral vibration and/or selected harmonics thereof. |
| US09117420B2 |
Information display device and display driving method
An information displaying device is provided with a display portion that displays an image based on display information and a predetermined driving voltage, a CPU that sets a boost target value of the driving voltage of the display portion, a voltage divider resistance circuit that divides a power supply voltage to generate output candidates of the driving voltage having plural output values, a selector that selects the output values, successively, based on tap selection signals from a lower rank of the output candidates of the driving voltages in the voltage divider resistance circuit to a higher rank thereof and boosts the driving voltage and a slow starter that compares an output value of the driving voltage boosted by the selector with the boost target value set by the CPU, determines whether or not the output value of the driving voltage reaches the boost target value, and drives the display portion at the driving voltage reaching the boost target value based on a determination result thereof. This enables the display portion to start independent of any booster circuit of hardware configuration and enables a circuit scale as a whole to be made smaller. |
| US09117418B2 |
Gate driver on array (GOA) circuit and display panel with same
The present invention provides a gate driver on array (GOA) circuit and a display panel with the GOA circuit. The driver circuit includes multiple stages of gate driver units and multiple stages of supplementary gate driver units connected in cascade, in which the nth stage gate driver unit includes a driving unit (42) and a pull-down unit (44) and the mth stage supplementary gate driver unit includes a supplementary driving unit (52) and a supplementary pull-down unit (54). The GOA circuit according to the present invention adopts a dual-pull-down architecture so that thin-film transistors contained in pull-down units and supplementary pull-down units of the circuit can be set in an operation environment featuring dual polarity electrical biasing to effectively suppress threshold voltage drifting of the thin-film transistors of the pull-down units and the supplementary pull-down units and extend the lifespan of circuit thereby making the circuit better meet the needs of large- and medium-sized display panels. Further, the circuit has a simple structure and reduced power consumption and is also fit to low temperature and high temperature operations. |
| US09117415B2 |
Display device and method for operating the same
A display device comprises a display panel composed of a pixel portion in which a plurality of TFTs are arranged in matrix, a source driver, and a gate driver, an image signal processing circuit for processing an image signal input from an external, and a control circuit for controlling the display panel and the image signal processing circuit. The image signal processing circuit corrects the image signal on the basis of a correction table. By feeding the display panel with the corrected image signal, the display device can provide a good quality image. |
| US09117411B2 |
Electro-optic device, method of driving electro-optic device, controller, and electronic apparatus
An electro-optic device includes a plurality of scanning lines that are arranged in a line direction, a plurality of data lines that are arranged in a column direction, a plurality of pixels that are provided at intersection positions of the scanning lines and the data lines, a driving circuit that supplies an image signal based on image data to a display unit formed by arranging the plurality of pixels, and an image data input circuit that inputs the image data to the driving circuit. The image data input circuit includes a storage unit that stores line data of a plurality of continuous lines including line data of an input target among line data formed from pixel data corresponding to one line of the image data, and from the storage unit and corrects the pixel data of the input target on the basis of information of the peripheral pixel data. |
| US09117410B2 |
Image display device and method
An image display method includes the steps of: acquiring a third image formed by applying dynamic range extension processing to a first image and a second image photographed with low sensitivity or low exposure with respect to the first image, or a fourth image without dynamic range extension processing; displaying the acquired image in a transmissive type display panel; and making backlight luminance of a segment corresponding to a high luminance portion in the third image higher than backlight luminance of a segment corresponding to a low luminance portion when the acquired image is determined to be the third image. |
| US09117408B2 |
Storage medium having stored thereon display control program and display control apparatus
In accordance with an operation content indicated by a user's operation data, an amount of scrolling is calculated, and a display range of a table to be displayed on a display apparatus is moved in the table in accordance with the amount of the scrolling. With respect to respective drawing areas, whether or not drawing start points, from which drawing character strings are to be drawn, stay within the display range is determined. When the drawing start point of a drawing area, among the drawing areas, falls outside the display range, the drawing start point of the drawing area is changed to a position which is in the drawing area and also which stays within the display range. The character strings are arranged in the respective drawing areas from the drawing start points set to the respective drawing areas, and the table in the display range is displayed on the display apparatus together with the arranged character strings. |
| US09117403B2 |
Display panel, display, and electronic unit having openings arranged in a close packing manner
A display panel includes a unit for each sub-pixel, the unit including a plurality of openings, the unit having an array structure in which the openings are arranged in a close packing manner. In the array structure of the unit, when a single virtual opening is placed within a peripheral region of the unit, and a center of the virtual opening and centers of a plurality of openings located adjacent to the virtual opening are connected to one another by straight lines, only one basic figure for the arrangement in the close packing manner is created but two basic figures therefor are not created. |
| US09117401B2 |
Organic light emitting diode display
Disclosed is an organic light emitting diode display, including a first substrate including an organic light emitting diode and a driving circuit part for driving the light emitting diode, a second substrate facing the first substrate and covering the light emitting diode and the driving circuit part, a connection unit connected to the driving circuit part and extending from the first substrate along a rear side thereof, an electronic device disposed between the connection unit and the first substrate and transmitting a signal to the driving circuit part via the connection unit, and an electromagnetic wave-shielding sheet disposed on one side of the first substrate to directly face the electronic device and including a first conductive material layer, a buffer layer formed on one side of the first conductive material layer, and a first adhesive layer formed on the other side of the first conductive material layer. |
| US09117398B2 |
Data rendering method, data rendering device, and display including the data rendering device
A method for rendering input data into target data includes: applying a pattern detecting window to the input data about an input pixel to detect a green light emitting pattern within the window; determining whether the detected green light emitting pattern belongs to a threshold pattern in which at least two green subpixels that are contiguously arranged emit light; and rendering the target data for a red or blue target subpixel having a first color by: applying a first filter to the input data of the first color red or blue input subpixels that are near the input pixel when the detected green light emitting pattern does not belong to the threshold pattern; and applying a second filter that is different from the first filter to the input data of the first color red or blue input subpixels when the detected green light emitting pattern belongs to the threshold pattern. |
| US09117397B2 |
Timing controller, driving method thereof, and flat panel display device using the same
Provided are a timing controller for converting RGB data to WRGB data, a driving method thereof, and an LCD device using the same. The timing controller according to an embodiment includes a reception unit to receive input RGB data from an external device; a converter to convert the input RGB data into input WRGB data composed of W, R, G and B data; an aligner to convert one of the W, R, G, and B data into 0 to generate conversion WRGB data, the conversion WRGB data having bits less than the total number of bits composing the W, R, G, and B data; a controller to transfer the conversion WRGB data to an external memory; and a re-aligner to convert the conversion WRGB data received from the external memory into digital WRGB data corresponding to the input WRGB data, and to output the digital WRGB data. |
| US09117396B2 |
Three-dimensional image playback method and three-dimensional image playback apparatus
When the video images to be played back are three-dimensional (3D) images each including a first parallax image and a second parallax image obtained when an object in a 3D space is viewed from different viewpoints, a video attribute determining unit determines whether or not the frame rate of the images is within a predetermined frame rate range at which a flicker is likely to occur. When the frame rate of the 3D images is within the predetermined frame rate range, a frame rate converter raises the frame rate of the 3D images until the frame rate exceeds the predetermined frame rate range. |
| US09117386B2 |
Method for driving display panel and display apparatus applying the same
A method for driving a display panel and a display apparatus applying the same are provided. The method includes driving all lines of the display panel in a first scanning section of a section to display one frame, and driving one of an even line and an odd line of the display panel in a second scanning section of the section to display the one frame. Accordingly, a crosstalk phenomenon in the display apparatus is removed and image quality of a 3D stereoscopic image is improved. |
| US09117385B2 |
Resolution management for multi-view display technologies
Embodiments of the invention relate to multiview displays. Methods and apparatus are provided for receiving input parameters, evaluating the input parameters to determine resolution settings within the display constraints, and outputting the resolution settings to the multiview display to control display of image data. The resolution settings include color, temporal, spatial and view resolutions. The input parameters include viewer tracking information and content information associated with the image data. Some embodiments provide for determination of view resolution and/or power settings for the display based on viewer tracking information. |
| US09117378B2 |
Portable advertising platform
An advertising system and method of use includes a rail car and an advertising billboard mounted thereon. Preferably, the billboard is adjustable so that advertising thereon can be positioned to face desired viewers, such as people traveling on roadways adjacent a railroad track. The billboard may rotate and/or be raised and lowered by a lift, which may include a telescoping post. An onboard electric power source is typically provided to power lights and other electric components. Outriggers may be used to help stabilize the rail car when parked especially for windy conditions. A security fence may be mounted on the rail car to protect various components thereon. The billboard may include one section which can be raised relative to another section for display purposes and lowered to provide a lower height during transport. The rail car may carry an additional billboard. |
| US09117377B2 |
Dynamically-changeable abdominal simulator system
A dynamically-changeable abdominal simulator system comprises a patient manikin having an abdominal cavity covered by a sheet of synthetic skin, a grid array of inflatable cells emplaced within the abdominal cavity covering respectively distinct areas of pressurization of the abdominal cavity and supplied with pressurized medium under separate and independent inflation control in order to simulate a wide range of abdominal ailments and/or conditional expressions thereof. In a preferred embodiment, the inflation cells of the grid array are each made of semi-rigid material for maintaining a fixed cell shape and contain an inflation balloon for pressurizing cell turgidity. |
| US09117376B2 |
System and methods for sensing finger position in digital musical instruments
Embodiments of the invention provide a digital musical instrument. The instrument comprises a fretboard and one or more strings extended over the fretboard. The instrument further includes an electric circuit for generating digital signals based on positions associated with contacts of the strings on the fretboard and a transceiver for transmitting the digital signals to a processing device that generates musical notation based on the digital signals. |
| US09117371B2 |
Mobile autonomous surveillance
Various embodiments relate to creating and utilizing a vehicle surveillance network to monitor objects and/or events. Messages may be broadcasted from at least one communication system of a surveillance network which is communicating with one or more vehicles of the surveillance network and received in a vehicle. Instructions may be transmitted to at least one vehicle camera to capture one or more images of objects or events outside of the vehicle in response to receiving the at least one broadcasted message. At least one vehicle camera in each of the vehicles of the surveillance network may capture the images of the object and/or events. Further instructions may include transmitting the captured images from the one or more vehicles to one or more event responders. |
| US09117366B1 |
Communication methods employed by participants in a trajectory management operations
A plurality of present novel and non-trivial communication methods employed between the participants of a trajectory management operation is disclosed. A trajectory coordinator (“TC”) generator may be configured to send data representative of a polling request to one or more of the participants, receive data responsive to the sending of the polling request, generate data representative of one or more proposed trajectories of the TC, and send data representative of each TC-proposed trajectory to an air navigation service provider (“ANSP”) and/or a dispatch center (“DC”). When presented to a controller of the ANSP or a dispatcher of the DC, one or more of the trajectories may be sent to the aircraft system. In response, each ANSP-selected trajectory and each DC-selected trajectory may be presented to the pilot whom selects and approves one of the selected trajectories. In response, the pilot-selected trajectory may be sent to the ANSP and DC. |
| US09117364B2 |
Method and apparatus for making status reporting devices for container handlers
A mechanism and method for making status reporting devices for container handlers, including: providing a micro-controller module, and installing a program system into memory accessed by a computer directing the micro-controller module. The micro-controller module communicatively couples with means for wirelessly communicating and for sensing a state of the container handler. Means for wirelessly communicating may include means for wirelessly determining container handler location. The micro-controller module may be communicatively coupled to a separate means for determining location. An apparatus making the devices may include a second program system directing the invention's method through a second computer, which may control an assembly device in creating the micro-controller, coupled with the means for sensing and for wirelessly communicating. |
| US09117363B2 |
Intraoral communications and processing device
Methods, apparatuses, systems, and computer-readable media for communicating via an electronic device for use in a mouth environment of an animal and resistant to damage from bodily fluids and pressure. The device can be pierced through a tongue, a lip, or a cheek, anchored to a tooth or a teeth of the mandible, or implanted in (or attached to an implant in) the maxilla or mandible. The device includes: a power device, which can power the apparatus, a memory storage device, which can store and recall data; a communications subsystem, which communicates with one or more remote devices; an output device, which creates stimulus directly or indirectly observable in the mouth environment; an input device, which can create signals according to activity in the mouth environment and can send them to the memory storage device and/or processor; and a processor coupled to the memory storage device, the communication subsystem, the output device and the input device. |
| US09117359B2 |
Photoelectric smoke detector and process for testing the photoelectric smoke detector
A photoelectric smoke detector 1 for detecting smoke particles 4 is disclosed, the smoke detector 1 comprising: a light emitting element 5, a light receiving element 6 for receiving light 8 emitted by the light emitting element 5 and scattered by the smoke particles 4 and for outputting a detection signal 12 obtained by photoelectrical converting the received light 10, 11, an amplifier circuit 13 for amplifying the detection signal 12 and providing an amplified output signal 14, wherein the amplified output signal 14 may be divided into an offset-signal 20 and an amplified detection signal 21, whereby the photoelectric smoke detector 1 is adapted to operate in a pulsed mode, so that the detection signal 12 comprises high-frequency components, whereby the amplified detection signal 21 is determined by high-frequency components of the detection signal 12 and that the offset-signal 20 is determined by low-frequency components of the detection signal 12 and/or by low-frequency components of at least an intermediate signal based on the detection signal 12, and whereby the amplifier circuit 13 is adapted to transfer the high-frequency components with a higher gain and to transfer the low-frequency components with a lower gain in order to improve the signal ratio between the amplified detection signal 21 and the offset-signal 20. |
| US09117358B2 |
Method for classification of eye closures
The present invention generally relates to a method for improving the reliability of a portion of physiological data from an image sensor monitoring an operator positioned in an operator compartment of a vehicle. An embodiment of the method includes receiving, from the image sensor, physiological data including information relating to at least one of eye, face, head, arms and body motion of the operator, identifying an indication of at least an eyelid closure, eye movement or head movement of the operator based on the physiological data; comparing at least one of the physiological data and a lighting condition within the operator compartment with a set of rules for a current operator status; and classifying the type of eyelid closure, eye movement and/or head movement by correlating the identified eyelid closure, eye movement and/or head movement and a result of the comparison. |
| US09117357B1 |
Pendant tracking system
A tracking system for enabling a first user to monitor the proximity of a second user features a parent pendant mounted on a parent pendant necklace. The parent pendant features a parent pendant power supply, a parent pendant microprocessor, a parent pendant global positioning satellite component, a parent pendant receiver, a parent pendant continuity wire located in the parent pendant necklace, and a parent pendant alarm. The system features a child pendant mounted on a child pendant necklace. The child pendant features a child pendant power supply, a child pendant microprocessor, a child pendant global positioning satellite component, a child pendant transmitter, and a child pendant continuity wire located in the child pendant necklace. A distance component is monitored between the parent pendant and the child pendant. |
| US09117356B2 |
Baby monitor with breakaway cord and wireless alarm
The invention provides a baby monitor device featuring a specially designed power cord that easily separates from the monitor when handled or otherwise accessed. When the cord is separated from the monitor, an internal battery powered alarm immediately sounds and notifies a child's caregivers, allowing them to take immediate action to retrieve the cord and assist the child. |
| US09117354B2 |
System and method for protecting against tampering with a security device
A lock for securing an electronic device includes a tamper module and a destruction module. The tamper module determines whether a component of the lock has been compromised. The tamper module may determine whether a cable securing the electronic device has been cut. If the tamper module determines that a lock component has been compromised, a destruction module may destroy an enabling component that enables the electronic device to operate. The destruction module may destroy a transmitter in the lock that communicates an authentication code if the electronic device will not function without the authentication code. |
| US09117351B2 |
System for security and charging of handheld electronic devices of different charging voltages
A system for securing and charging handheld electronic devices of different charging voltages is disclosed. The system can include a security device with two charging ports to provide the ability to charge the battery of the handheld electronic device at two different charging voltages. The system can include an alarm activated when the alarm switch is activated or when the charging cable connected to the charging ports or the handheld electronic device is disconnected. |
| US09117341B2 |
Wagering apparatus, methods and systems
A system, method and apparatus provides a unique betting product where players make selections in one or more different events. Players who are in contention to win may be offered an opportunity to sell their tickets, in whole or in part, in response to a full or partial buy-out offer made at any time prior to completion of a wagering event. |
| US09117340B2 |
Player tracking through touch surface signal conduits
A method of player tracking includes generating, by a transmitting device, a signal modulated to contain an identification of the transmitting device, charging at least a portion of a first touch surface on the transmitting device with the signal such that the signal is present and transmittable, transmitting, the signal from the first touch surface through the signal conduit to a second touch surface on a receiving device, receiving, by a gaming system, an authentication request comprising the identification, authenticating, by the gaming system, the transmitting device based on the identification, and linking, by the gaming system, the transmitting device with the receiving device. |
| US09117338B2 |
System to determine casino offers
A system to determine a product to be offered to a casino player based on player data and on an approximate maximum price for which the product may be sold through a retail channel. Advantageously, a potential increase in a casino's profit due to a product offer can be determined using the player data, and an approximate maximum profit attainable through sale of the product through a retail channel can be determined based on the determined price. As a result, a product to offer can be determined in a manner which maximizes casino profit. |
| US09117337B2 |
Performing an automatic fold-out command and assigning player entries in an online card game
A method, computer system, and computer program product to implement an automatic fold-out command in an online card game. The system can automatically assign the player-entry of the player to a new table. |
| US09117335B2 |
Gaming machine having a molded curved display
Gaming machines having video depictions of one or more mechanical reels on a curved display are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the gaming machine includes a liquid crystal display having an opening in which the curved transparent material extends through the opening of the opening of the liquid crystal display. |
| US09117333B2 |
Game machine, method of controlling computer, and storage medium
A game machine uses a lottery region containing the cells, provides a game opportunity that changes symbols on the cells by causing the symbols of a symbol group to appear on the portion of the cells, determines by lottery, at least a portion of the symbols which should constitute the symbol group, causes at least the portion of the symbols constituting the symbol group to appear in the lottery region based on a lottery result so as to change at least the portion of the symbols arranged on the cells by moving the symbol group including the symbol determined by the lottery result on a movement path containing two directions and stopping the symbol group so that at least the portion of the symbols of the symbol group is arranged on the cells, and determines a prize winning based on the symbols arranged on the cells by the symbol group. |
| US09117328B2 |
Automated banking machine that operates responsive to data
In an example embodiment, an automated banking machine is provided which may comprise a trusted platform (TP) including a trusted platform module (TPM) in a computer of the machine. Through use of the TP, the machine may perform cryptographic functions for use in enabling the machine to perform transaction functions for users. The machine may be operative to use the TP to securely store secret keys, or other critical information in sealed storage on a data store of the machine. The TP may also be used to measure, attest, and verify transaction function devices, hardware devices, firmware, software, and/or other components of the machine prior to enabling the machine to function in an enabled mode. The TP may also be used to establish secure communication between components of the machine. The TP may also be used to perform key transfers between the machine and a host banking system. |
| US09117326B2 |
Apparatus for packaging drinking water
The disclosure concerns a water fountain for in-home delivery of drinkable water, the fountain including a combination of at least: a source, preferably a renewable source, of drinkable water, with a stock of packages, with a filling member for filling at least one package with drinkable water, and a sealing member for sealing individual filled packages before delivery to the consumer. |
| US09117325B1 |
Charcoal dispensing apparatus
A charcoal dispensing apparatus dispenses charcoal into a bag. The apparatus includes a base and a post attached to and extending upwardly from the base. A drawer frame is coupled to a top end edge of the post. A hopper is attached to the drawer frame and is configured to store and dispense a plurality of charcoal briquettes. A slot is positioned in the drawer frame. A second drawer is slidably insertable into the slot and is configured to receive charcoal from the hopper when the second drawer is positioned within the slot. The second drawer is configured to dispense charcoal outwardly therefrom when the second drawer is extended outwardly of the drawer frame. |
| US09117314B2 |
Information output apparatus, method, and recording medium for displaying information on a video display
The most-frequently-used font size on a Web page acquired from a server unit is determined. The font size is changed so that the font of the most-frequently-used font size (Sdominant) may take a preset optimum font size (Sopt). At the same time, the fonts of the remaining font sizes are changed as much (Sdiff=Sopt−Sdominant) as in the font size changing process. |
| US09117310B2 |
Virtual camera system
A virtual camera system comprises a plurality of physical cameras and a hardware setup miming software to create virtual viewpoints for the virtual camera system. The position of the physical cameras is constrained, where the main constraint is the overlap between the physical cameras. The present invention provides a method for creating a virtual viewpoint of a plurality of images captured by the plurality of cameras, the images comprising current frames and previous frames. The method comprises creating background frames by combining a set of previous frames; creating a plurality of foreground masks by performing segmentation on the plurality of current frames, the segmentation comprising separating foreground objects from background objects using the created background frames; extracting the foreground objects by AND-ing the plurality of current frames with the created plurality of foreground masks; rendering the foreground objects by using a three dimensional depth-box constrained viewpoint interpolation algorithm on the plurality of current frames, the three dimensional depth box being constructed for each foreground object by exploiting information from the created foreground masks and positioning information of the foreground objects; rendering a view-dependent background image by performing homographic transformations on the created background frames; and creating the virtual viewpoint by superimposing the rendered foreground objects on the rendered background frame. |
| US09117309B1 |
Method and system for rendering polygons with a bounding box in a graphics processor unit
A method for rendering polygons with a bounding box and a graphics processor unit. The method includes generating a bounding rectangle, wherein each edge of the bounding rectangle is defined to a sub-pixel precision. At least one polygon within the bounding rectangle is cropped to the sub-pixel precision. The polygon is blended with a background color outside the bounding rectangle to anti-alias the polygon with the background color, wherein the blending is performed with the sub-pixel precision of the bounding rectangle. |
| US09117307B2 |
Method for creating finite element model of rubber composite
A method for creating a 2D or 3D finite element model of a rubber composite of a rubber matrix and fillers are disclosed. The method comprises a first step in which a region of the rubber matrix and a plurality of regions of the fillers are defined in a predetermined 2D or 3D space; a second step in which the regions of the rubber matrix and fillers are divided into primary elements to form a primary finite element model, wherein the primary elements are triangular elements and optional quadrilateral elements when the space is two-dimensional or tetrahedral elements and optional hexahedron elements when the space is three-dimensional; and a third step in which each of the primary elements is subdivided into quadrilateral elements when the space is two-dimensional or hexahedron elements when the space is three-dimensional. |
| US09117298B2 |
Image processing device, image processing system and bank management method
An image processing device includes: first to third address registers that store three addresses, respectively, the three addresses indicating three bank regions, respectively; an input image bank managing unit that, when the image processing device receives an image from an imaging device, switches, between the first address register and the second address register, and sets a flag and supplies the address stored in the first address register as an address for writing the received image; an imaging processing unit that performs image processing on the received image; and an image processing bank managing unit that, when the flag is in a set state and the processed image is switched to another image to be processed, switches, between the second address register and the third address register, resets the flag and supplies to the image processing unit the address stored in the third address register. |
| US09117295B2 |
Refinement of depth maps by fusion of multiple estimates
A method, system, and computer-readable storage medium are disclosed for generating fused depth maps. A plurality of initial depth maps are generated for a first image of a stereo pair, using at least two separate and distinct techniques for depth estimation. A plurality of initial depth maps are generated for a second image of the stereo pair, using at least two separate and distinct techniques for depth estimation. A fused depth map is generated for the first image based on the plurality of initial depth maps for the first image and the plurality of initial depth maps for the second image. A fused depth map is generated for the second image based on the plurality of initial depth maps for the second image and the plurality of initial depth maps for the first image. |
| US09117294B2 |
Analysis of the digital image of the internal surface of a tyre and processing of false measurement points
A method for processing an image of a surface of a tire under inspection is described. A three-dimensional digital image of the surface is captured and, for each point of the captured image, a grey-level value corresponding to an elevation is assigned to the point. Utilizing a first morphological operator that uses a rectangular key element, a closure-type first transformation of the image of the surface is carried out. Utilizing a second morphological operator that uses a rectangular key element, an opening-type second transformation of the surface is carried out. For each point of the image, a grey-level value equal to a minimum value between a grey-level value at that point obtained in a preceding step and a grey-level value at that point is assigned, so as to eliminate false measurement points. |
| US09117291B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and non-transitory storage medium
A foreground statistic with respect to a distribution of image values in a foreground region and a background statistic with respect to a distribution of image values in a background region are calculated. Image values of a plurality of input images that are captured at different times are corrected based on the foreground statistics and the background statistics which are obtained by processing the input images. |
| US09117290B2 |
Apparatus and method for filling hole area of image
Provided is an image processing apparatus and method for filling a hole area in an image. The image processing apparatus may include a candidate pixel setting unit to set a plurality of candidate pixels corresponding to at least one hole pixel in a hole area using neighboring pixels around the hole area, and a pixel value determining unit to determine a pixel value of the hole pixel using the plurality of candidate pixels. |
| US09117289B2 |
Medical imaging system, medical image processing apparatus, and computer-readable medium
A medical imaging system includes: an image generating unit which captures an image of a subject and generates a medical image which is a still image; a region extracting unit which extracts a subject region from the medical image and extracts a local region which includes no edge from the subject region; a motion judging unit which extracts high spatial frequency components from the local region extracted by the region extracting unit and judges whether there is any motion in the subject during image capture based on the extracted high spatial frequency components; and a controlling unit which causes an outputting unit to output a judgment result made by the motion judging unit. |
| US09117288B2 |
Applying different transport mechanisms for user interface and image portions of a remotely rendered image
A system and method for remote rendering of computer graphics wherein user transactions are reliable and the transmission of rendered graphics is relatively fast. The invention is implemented in a client server context, where a computer graphics application and rendering resources are located at a server. A user controls the graphics application through a client machine connected to the server through a computer network. The user's commands are sent from the client to the server, while rendered computer graphics are transmitted from the server to a display at the client. Different transport protocols are used, depending on the requirements of a particular transmission. Data related to user interactions is transmitted using a relatively reliable transport protocol, such as TCP. Rendered subject graphics data is transmitted from the server to the client using a less reliable but faster transport protocol, such UDP. |
| US09117286B2 |
Recording a command stream with a rich encoding format for capture and playback of graphics content
Analyzing an application executing on a target device. An application may be executed on a target device. Low cost measurement may be gathered regarding the application executing on the target device. In response to a trigger, high cost measurement data may be gathered regarding the application executing on the target device. The high cost measurement data may include graphics commands provided by the application. The graphics commands and related information may be stored and provided to a host. The host may modify the graphics commands to perform experiments to determine performance issues of the application executing on the target device. The host may determine whether the performance is limited by the CPU or the GPU and may determine specific operations that are causing performance issues. The host may provide suggestions for overcoming the performance issues. |
| US09117280B2 |
Determining images of article for extraction
A content application determines images of an article for extraction. The content application identifies an initial image associated with a content of the article. A caption and a credit line associated with the initial image is detected and the initial image is extracted along with the caption and the credit line. A second image of the article associated with a video is also detected and extracted along with the video. In addition, the content application extracts a slideshow detected within the article. |
| US09117274B2 |
System and method for interactive markerless paper documents in 3D space with mobile cameras and projectors
Systems and methods directed to fine-grained interaction with ordinary markerless paper documents and projectors at flexible poses in 3D space. Systems and methods allow for the projection of images onto non-flat variable surfaces by utilizing depth detection techniques in order to project an image or video properly onto a variable surface. |
| US09117268B2 |
Out of phase digital watermarking in two chrominance directions
The present invention relate generally to digital watermarking. One claim recites a method including: obtaining first data representing a first chrominance channel of a color image or video, where the first data comprises a watermark signal embedded therein; obtaining second data representing a second chrominance channel of the color image or video, the second data comprising the watermark signal embedded therein but with a signal polarity that is inversely related to the polarity of the watermark signal in the first data; combining the second data with the first data in a manner that reduces image or video interference relative to the watermark signal, said act of combining yielding third data; using at least a processor or electronic processing circuitry, processing the third data to obtain the watermark signal; and once obtained, providing information associated with the watermark signal. Of course, additional combinations and claims are provided as well. |
| US09117263B2 |
Noise removal from images containing text
The noise in an image having text is removed by convolving a shaped kernel centered on a pixel for each pixel in the image. The shaped kernel has a shape configured to identify pixels that are not part of the text. For example, the shaped kernel may be shaped with zeros in a center of the kernel to identify pixels that are not part of the text. A value for the pixel is set to erase the pixel when the resulting convolution value for the pixel is less than a threshold. The process may be repeated multiple times for differently shaped kernels, including kernels of different sizes and different configurations, such as having values greater than one in at least one of a row, column, and diagonal. |
| US09117261B2 |
Film grain SEI message insertion for bit-accurate simulation in a video system
There are provided methods and apparatus for film grain SEI message insertion for bit-accurate simulation in a video system. A method for simulating film grain in an ordered sequence includes the steps of providing film grain supplemental information corresponding to a plurality of intra coded pictures, and providing additional film grain supplemental information corresponding to inter coded pictures between consecutive intra coded pictures, in decode order. The inter coded pictures are selected based upon display order. |
| US09117259B2 |
Method and system for liver lesion detection
A method and system for automatically detecting liver lesions in medical image data, such as 3D CT images, is disclosed. A liver region is segmented in a 3D image. Liver lesion center candidates are detected in the segmented liver region. Lesion candidates are segmented corresponding to the liver lesion center candidates, and lesions are detected from the segmented lesion candidates using learning based verification. |
| US09117258B2 |
Feature-based registration method
Methods for registering a three-dimensional model of a body volume to a real-time indication of a sensor position that involve analyzing scanned and sensed voxels and using parameters or thresholds to identify said voxels as being either tissue or intraluminal fluid. Those voxels identified as fluid are then used to construct a real-time sensed three-dimensional model of the lumen which is then compared to a similarly constructed, but previously scanned model to establish and update registration. |
| US09117256B2 |
System and method for assessing image interpretability in anatomic pathology
A portion of imagery data is obtained from a digital slide and a protocol of image analysis/diagnostic tasks is performed on the portion of imagery data by a pathologist or an image analysis module. The result of each task (e.g., success or no success) is recorded and a score is determined for the portion of the imagery data. Multiple portions of imagery data from the digital slide are analyzed and scored and the various scores from the multiple portions of imagery data are calculated to determine an overall score for the digital slide. Regions of the digital slide can be scored separately. Multiple rounds of scoring (by different pathologists and/or different image analysis algorithms) may be employed to increase the accuracy of the score for a digital slide or region thereof. |
| US09117254B2 |
System, method, and computer program product for performing ray tracing
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for performing ray tracing. In use, ray tracing is performed utilizing a divide and conquer method, where the divide and conquer method is associated with a cache. |
| US09117248B2 |
System and method for providing utility consumption as shown on periodic utility bills and associated carbon emissions
Utility usage data of a customer in numeric form provided by the utility meter data collection system in usage intervals of not less frequent than daily intervals is received, along with billing-related data of the customer. The received utility usage data of the customer is converted from numeric form to a graphical form that shows the total daily usage information for a calendar period that matches that for the printed utility bill of the customer. The graphical form is printed on the printed utility bill or on a paper suitable for use as an insert accompanying the printed utility bill to be mailed to the customer. In another embodiment, electricity usage data of the customer is received, along with electricity generation data regarding quantity and percentages of a utility's total electricity generation attributable to at least two the following electricity generation sources: Natural Gas-Baseload, Natural Gas-Peaking, Coal, Hydro, Nuclear, and Renewable. Information is derived regarding proportion of the customer's actual electricity usage attributable to the sources of electricity generation from the electricity generation data and the electricity usage data. Preferably, the carbon emissions attributable to the customer's actual electricity usage is calculated and presented to the customer. |
| US09117243B2 |
Automated system and method for providing lease payment information to consumers via the internet
A system and method of providing payment information for a lease of a specific vehicle in a vehicle dealer's inventory to a consumer via an Internet website of a dealer service is disclosed. A lease service obtains data via the Internet from the dealer service. The data is stored in a database associated with an Internet website and includes vehicle data, lease data, and consumer data. The lease service determines a residual value of the vehicle and obtains lease funding information from one or more third parties. The lease service then determines lease payment information and generates a disclosure webpage of the lease payment information. The disclosure webpage is formatted to comply with the Regulation “M” disclosure notice for vehicle lease payments. The consumer is allowed to view the disclosure webpage from the Internet website before committing to the lease. |
| US09117239B2 |
Method and system for generating a data grid interface to monitor and recommend relevant products
Techniques for a product search grid are disclosed herein. The method for presenting a grid includes receiving data in association with a plurality of products from one or more merchant websites; presenting a data grid including cells based on the data, wherein each cell of the cells represents a product of the products or a replacement of a product of the products; displaying information regarding the products or the replacements of the products in the cells; and updating the contents of cells of the data grid automatically in real time in response to new data received from the merchant websites. |
| US09117237B2 |
System, method, and medium for digital gift card selection
Various of the disclosed embodiments generally contemplate computer-implemented systems and methods for selecting an electronic or virtual gift card from among a plurality of possible gift cards or gift card issuers. Various of the embodiments may match and rank the gift cards according to a gift card recipient's characteristics, and possibly to the electronic or virtual gift card itself. Certain embodiments also contemplate the selection of physical gift cards selection, matching, and ranking aspects of the invention. Various methods for operating a gift card business using certain of the embodiments are also disclosed. |
| US09117234B2 |
Method and system for improved interactive television processing
A system and method for an electronic transactional environment including a database, a server and a processor and a number of set-top boxes in communication with the server. The database stores user registration data and product information data relating to a plurality of products and the server broadcasts the product information data to the set top boxes. The server is further provided to transmit to the set top boxes updated product information data that replaces at least part of the previously transmitted product information data. Furthermore, the processor compares data relating to a transaction request from a user of one of the set top boxes with user registration data in order to identify the specific user. Based on the identified user, the processor generates customized transaction data for the specific user and the server transmits the customized transaction data and additional updated product information data to the set top box corresponding to the identified user. |
| US09117232B2 |
Browser-based retrieval and display of content associated with a link that matches a link signature
A page update handler, which may be loaded by a web browser as part of a web page, adds functionality for dynamically updating the web page with content supplied by a content server. The content may be related to a particular item detected on the web page by the page update handler, such as a link that matches a link signature. The content server may operate in a different Internet domain from the server that servers the original web page, and may supply content for display on web pages of many different independent web sites. In one embodiment, an operator of a web site that is separate from the content server can enable the display of content from the content server on the site's web pages by adding an update handler tag to one or more corresponding HTML documents. |
| US09117230B2 |
Apparatus and method for providing transaction history information, account history information, and/or charge-back information
A computer-implemented method, including receiving information regarding a transaction involving an individual and involving an account, wherein the information regarding the transaction is received by a receiver prior to a processing, a completion, a consummation, or a cancellation, of the transaction, processing the information regarding the transaction with a processing device, generating a report or a message in response to the processing of the information regarding the transaction, wherein the report or the message contains information regarding a charge-back regarding a previous transaction involving the individual, and transmitting the report or the message to a communication device associated with a merchant, vendor, or provider, of a good, product, or service. |
| US09117228B1 |
Content distribution system and method
Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture consistent with the present invention provide an electronic marketplace that matches units of content from secondary content providers with suitable vacancies from primary content providers. Vacancies may constitute, or be included in, any digital transmission containers, such as a television or radio programming, web pages, and the like. Specifically, the electronic marketplace automatically matches content offered by secondary content providers with vacancies offered by primary content providers thus filling the vacancies in these containers through a real-time content trading, placement, and distribution system. To do so, attributes associated with the vacancies and with units of secondary content are used to trade and match suitable vacancies with suitable content. This invention enables both secondary content owners and vacancy owners (primary content providers) to obtain the full commercial benefit of their secondary content and containers. |
| US09117225B2 |
Apparatuses, methods and systems for transforming user infrastructure requests inputs to infrastructure design product and infrastructure allocation outputs
Systems and methods are disclosed for transforming user infrastructure requests and user purchase requests inputs into infrastructure design product and infrastructure allocation outputs. For example, a user infrastructure request is received and is correlated with pre-defined templates. A structured data file is parsed and sent to an infrastructure provider. |
| US09117224B2 |
Self learning method and system to provide an alternate or ancillary product choice in response to a product selection
A system including: a memory element for storing an artificial intelligence program (AIP); an interface element for receiving, from a wireless communications device (WCD), a first portion of an order; and a processor for generating, using the AIP, an offer in response to items or services in the first portion of the order. The interface element is for transmitting the offer to the WCD and receiving, from the WCD, a second portion of the order. The processor is for modifying, using the AIP, the offer in response to items or services in the first and second portions of the order by adding or modifying items, services, or incentives. The interface element is for transmitting the modified offer to the wireless communications network for transmission to the WCD. |
| US09117217B2 |
Audience targeting with universal profile synchronization
Universal synchronization of profiles of audience members targeted for the delivery of content. A unique global identifier may be assigned to and used to manage a profiled audience member. This identifier may also be associated to an authoritative identifier and cookie information used in connection with the collection of profile data. An authoritative identifier may be received in connection with activity, and might not be accompanied by a global identifier. The authoritative identifier may then be used to identify the global identifier, which in turn may be used to identify the cookie related information of record for the profiled audience member. Comparing the cookie related information to previously retained cookie information may be used to determine that the cookie information for a particular, profiled audience member has changed, so that it can be restored. |
| US09117216B1 |
Time control of internet usage
An Internet use profile is created by a parent or guardian of an Internet user via a client-side software application at the user's computer. The use profile is submitted via the Internet to an intelligent network component. The use profile sets the duration for Internet use in general and sets the duration for access to particular Internet sites such as chat rooms, shopping sites, etc. The use profile is stored locally on the user's computer and remotely at the intelligent network component. When the user attempts to log on to the Internet via her Internet service provider, the client-side application verifies that the user computer has not already exceeded allowed Internet connection time in a previous Internet connection. If not, the connection to the Internet is allowed. After the connection is established, an Internet usage monitoring and controlling application at the intelligent network component monitors the time of connection between the user computer and the Internet. Once the allowed time of connection expires, the monitoring and controlling application instructs the client-side application to disconnect the user computer from the Internet service provider. Prior to disconnection from the Internet service provider, the client-side computer requests a password from the user. If the password equals a password included in the Internet use profile, then the user is allowed to continue the Internet connection. Also, the user is allowed to modify the use profile with the entry of a correct password to include adding additional access time. |
| US09117203B2 |
Method and apparatus for augmented social networking messaging
An approach is provided for augmented social networking messaging. A message is generated for posting to a social networking service. Address information is determined for a group of one or more devices associated with one or more users. At least one of the one or more users is a non-subscriber to the social networking service. The addressing information is used to send the message to the group. A reply to the message is received from one of the devices of the group. Posting of the reply to the social networking service is initiated. |
| US09117200B2 |
Methods and computing systems for geosciences and petro-technical collaboration
Computing systems and methods for geosciences collaboration are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method for geosciences collaboration includes obtaining a first set of geosciences information from a first computer system of the plurality of computer systems; distributing the first set of geosciences information from the first computer system to at least a second computer system; receiving a user input from the second computer system of the plurality of computer systems, the user input entered manually by a user; providing the user input to the first computer system; in response to providing the user input to the first computer system, receiving a revised set of geosciences information from the first computer system; and repeating the receiving a user input, the providing the user input, and the receiving the revised set of geosciences information until the revised set of geosciences information is determined to satisfy accuracy criteria. |
| US09117199B2 |
Conversation graphical user interface (GUI)
A conversation GUI may include a canvas, a feed section, and a process section. The canvas may present icons associated with documents uploaded by members of a conversation associated with the GUI, the members including a local user of the local computing system and remote users of remote computing systems, the canvas being located in a fixed section of the conversation GUI. The feed section may present messages sent by the local user and by the remote members. The process may be separate from the canvas and the feed section and include at least a first task and a second task associated with a specified process. A computing system may, upon completion of the first task, send a message to the local user indicating that the first task is complete and the second task is to be performed. |
| US09117195B2 |
Synchronized consumption modes for e-books
An e-book system receives and stores different versions of an e-book supporting different consumption modes. Additionally, the e-book system stores signposts for the e-book. The signposts include corresponding locations in different versions of the e-book. When a user switches from a first version to a second version, the e-book system determines based on the signposts a location in the second version of the e-book that corresponds to the current location in the first version. The e-book system then presents the content in the second version from the determined location. |
| US09117194B2 |
Method and apparatus for operating a frequently asked questions (FAQ)-based system
Typical frequently-asked question (FAQ) systems perform keyword searches on queries to a database of answers to deliver an answer to a user. The present invention searches a user generated query in a classifier trained to search a database of questions in a set of FAQs. The questions in the database correspond to answers. Upon finding a relevant question, the system returns the corresponding answer to the user. Searching the query against the questions generates more accurate results for the user. |
| US09117193B2 |
Method and system for dynamic detection of affinity between virtual entities
A method and system are disclosed for detecting affinity between entities in a virtual universe (VU) using real time access to descriptions prepared from information about objective entities available in VU databases as well as descriptive information made available by the objective entities. Objective entities may be aggregations of virtual entities. Activators for affinity determinations are provided. The information on an objective entity is compared with descriptive information on a VU subject to determine affinity, and corresponding action of the VU subject. In this manner also the comparative affinities of different objective entities may determine actions of the VU subject. |
| US09117192B2 |
Method for reading machine-readable labels
A structure for holding sample-containing receptacles includes a cover with holes formed therein through which the receptacles can be accessed with a substance transfer mechanism, such as a robotic pipettor. When the transfer mechanism is inserted into and then withdrawn from a receptacle, a string of viscous material may be suspended from the mechanism. A viscous string removal element adjacent each opening engages the string of viscous material and dislodges the string from the mechanism when the mechanism moves in a prescribed path with respect to the removal element. A sample rack configured to hold receptacles and to be inserted into the structure below the cover includes a sample rack having receptacle-receiving pockets, each with a resilient element and a positioning feature for holding receptacles of varying sizes in a predetermined position within the receptacle receiving pocket, and a cover including features for preventing a receptacle from being pulled out of its receptacle-receiving pocket when the transfer mechanism is withdrawn from the receptacle. |
| US09117189B2 |
System and method for object lock management using cached lock objects
A system and method for enhancing performance of a business process execution engine, utilizing a database, a cache, and a lock management system operating in cache. The lock management system, upon receiving a request for a stored business process instance, determines by accessing the cache whether stored business process instance is locked and if the lock is expired. The stored business process object is served to the business process execution engine if it is not locked or the lock is expired. The lock functionality is implemented by writing, rewriting, and/or erasing a companion lock object stored in the cache such that no database access is required to determine whether a stored business process instance is locked. |
| US09117188B2 |
Method and system for multimedia contact routing
A system and method may include processing a task assignment request comprising a task type corresponding to a task and querying a database based on the task assignment request and on the task type to identify an agent profile and agent status information for the identified agent profile, the agent profile comprising identification information to identify an agent workstation. The system and method may further include determining whether to generate assignment information for assigning the task to the agent workstation based on the agent status information. |
| US09117185B2 |
Forestry management system
A method and apparatus of managing a forest. A forestry management system comprises a forestry manager. The forestry manager is configured to receive information about a forest from a group of autonomous vehicles, analyze the information to generate a result about a state of the forest from the information, and coordinate operation of the group of autonomous vehicles using the result. |
| US09117184B2 |
Industrial automation interfaces integrated with enterprise manufacturing intelligence (EMI) systems
A visualization system integrated with an enterprise manufacturing intelligence (EMI) system utilizing preconfigured EMI data models, workflow reports and process event notifications to optimize a manufacturing process. The visualization system and the EMI system exchange data and information providing both systems with a broader process view than either system has independently. The visualization system can specifically target information and action requests to different classes of manufacturing personnel such as operators and engineers. Additionally, the visualization system maintains an audit log of all production identities, raw material usage, and requested corrective actions. |
| US09117181B1 |
Methods and systems for providing current email addresses and contact information for members within a social network
Methods and systems for providing current email addresses or contact information to members within a social network are described. In one described method, an email program application requests an email address for a member within a social network. Using profile information associated with the member, the email address is provided to the email program application which sent the request. The email address is then entered into the send-to parameter field of an email message. In another described method, contact information associated with a first member of a social can be provided to a second member of the social network. The contact information is provided if the relationship between the first and second members is an authorized relationship. The contact information associated with the first member can be used to update the contact information for the first member in an electronic address book associated with the second member. |
| US09117180B1 |
Matching method based on a machine learning algorithm and a system thereof
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a matching method that implements a machine learning algorithm to serve one or more matches to an individual and to ensure that an outcome of each match is more likely than not to be successful. A recommendation engine uses the machine learning algorithm to perform predictive analysis to thereby select one or more members of an online community to match or pair with the individual, based on at least structured data, unstructured data or both of the individual and/or each selected member. The recommendation engine is configured to continuously learn from past user behavior, including the individual's, to further improve future matches provided to the individual. |
| US09117179B2 |
Predicting user activity in social media applications
Embodiments of the invention relate to predicting user activity in a social media application. In one embodiment, user activity information is collected for a user from a social media application and activity features of the user are determined, based on the collected activity information for the user. Then a model is created to predict a future activity of the user in the social media application. The model uses the determined activity features of the user and results obtained from running the created model, to determine future activity of the user in the social media application. |
| US09117178B1 |
System for assisting creation of messages by automatically recommending data to be included therein
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a system for assisting creation of messages, by automatically recommending data to be included therein. The system includes an application configured to accept a set of user inputs of a first classification to determine and provide a group of suggested data relevant to the set of user inputs of the first classification. The group of data is chosen from an evolving collection of data of a second classification. The user is able to select any or all from the group of suggested data to adopt as the user's own and/or to provide additional or different data, which are of the second classification. The user inputs and the user's selection(s) are values collected for use in subsequent determinations. |
| US09117175B2 |
Neurite systems
Neurite systems, methods, and media are disclosed. An input section may be configured to receive an input voltage and amplify the input voltage by a weight into a weighted voltage rate-of change. A firing center comprising an existing instantaneous voltage and a trigger firing voltage may be configured to, in a period of time, receive the weighted voltage rate-of-change, determine a new instantaneous voltage based on the existing instantaneous voltage, the weighted voltage rate-of-change, and the period of time, transmit a pulse trigger to an output section when the new instantaneous voltage rises to or above the trigger firing voltage, and reset the new instantaneous voltage to zero or some other predefined value. The output section may be configured to receive the pulse trigger and to transmit an output voltage pulse having a finite duration to one or more branches. |
| US09117174B2 |
System for efficiently generating K-maximally predictive association rules with a given consequent
This disclosure provides a computer-program product, system, method and apparatus for accessing a representation of a category or item and accessing a set of multiple transactions. The transactions are processed to identify items found amongst the transactions, and the items are ordered based on an information-gain heuristic. A depth-first search for a group of best association rules is then conducted using a best-first heuristic and constraints that make the search efficient. The best rules found during the search can then be displayed to a user, along with accompanying statistics. The user can then select rules that appear to be most relevant, and further analytics can be applied to the selected rules to obtain further information about the information provided by these rules. |
| US09117168B2 |
Apparatus and method for calculating internal state for artificial emotion
An apparatus and method for calculating an internal state for artificial emotions are disclosed, of which the method comprises multiplying an input value obtained from a sensor with a first personality set in accordance with at least one low rank element contained in at least one high rank element of a NEO PI-R (Revised NEO Personality Inventory); calculating a personality factor value in a Five-Factor Model of the personality by adding the results of the multiplication; and calculating the internal state by multiplying the personality factor value with a second personality. |
| US09117167B2 |
System and method for scalable semantic stream processing
A system for collaborative analysis from different processes on different data sources. The system uses a unique approach to lightweight temporary data structures in order to allow communication of interim results among processes, and construction of semantically appropriate reports. The data structures are generated in near real time and their lightweight nature supports massive scaling, including many diverse streaming inputs. |
| US09117166B2 |
Measurement probe with heat cycle event counter
A measurement device is disclosed, embodiments of which are adapted to withstand, detect, and record detection of heat cycle events, including autoclave cycles. Embodiments of the measurement device comprise a sensor for measuring a characteristic of a medium and a heat cycle detection unit. Embodiments of the heat cycle detection unit comprise a temperature or atmospheric pressure responsive element, a detection module, data interface, and data memory. In one disclosed embodiment, the temperature or pressure responsive element is configured to respond to a characteristic of a heat cycle event while the heat cycle detection unit is off. In another disclosed embodiment, the detection module is configured to automatically power off the heat cycle detection unit in response to detecting an autoclave cycle. Methods of using the devices are also disclosed. |
| US09117163B2 |
Printing apparatus and method configured for re-halftone image data
An image data processing apparatus processes previously halftoned data that has been halftoned so that a proportion of dot formation corresponding to gradation values of an image reaches a first dot generation rate, as image data representative of the image. The image data processing apparatus includes a re-halftone processing unit configured to carry out a re-halftone process by using an error diffusion technique based on first gradation values corresponding to ON-dots in the previously halftoned data, and an ON-dot gradation value setting unit configured to set second gradation values corresponding to the ON-dots in the re-halftone process using the error diffusion technique, such that the dot generation rate in the re-halftone process reaches a second dot generation rate different from the first dot generation rate. |
| US09117161B2 |
Profile creation method, non-transitory computer readable recording medium stored with profile creation program, and profile creating apparatus
Provided is a profile creation method for creating a color conversion profile for an image forming apparatus which forms an image by performing, on an input color value having total use amount of color material exceeding set amount, a process for reducing the total use amount, by interpolating lattice points in a look-up table. The profile creation method includes: determining whether a point of an input color value with the total use amount of color material being equal to the set amount exists between two adjacent lattice points in the look-up table; and, when it is determined so, calculating an output color value of an interpolation point set between the two lattice points, by a polynomial interpolation method for performing interpolation calculation by using, besides output color values of the two lattice points, an output color value of a lattice point other than the two lattice points. |
| US09117160B2 |
Color conversion table creation method, non-transitory computer readable recording medium stored with color conversion table creation program, and color conversion table creating apparatus
Provided is a color conversion table creation method for creating a color conversion table for an image forming apparatus which forms an image by performing, on an input color value with total use amount of color material exceeding set amount, a process for reducing the total use amount of color material, the table presenting correspondence between the input color value input to the image forming apparatus and an output color value in a device-independent color space. The method includes: acquiring an input color value of a patch image for creating the table; when the total use amount of color material defined by the acquired input color value is around the set amount, adjusting the input color value to have a smaller difference between the total use amount and the set amount; and creating the color conversion table using the patch image with the adjusted input color value. |
| US09117159B2 |
Printing a double-sided image and generating printer control data for printing double-sided image
According to one example of the present invention there is provided apparatus for generating control data to control an ink jet printer to print a double-sided image on a single side of a substantially transparent substrate. The apparatus comprises a processor for receiving image data of a first and a second image, a printhead control data generator to generate, from the first image, first image printhead control data, and to generate, from the second image, second image printhead control data, and a covering layer printhead control data generator to generate covering layer printhead control data. |
| US09117158B2 |
Image forming apparatus, image forming method, and non-transitory computer readable medium
An image forming apparatus includes a print request combining unit and a reduced-size image display unit. The print request combining unit combines multiple print requests to generate one print request. The reduced-size image display unit reduces sizes of images of to-be-displayed pages among pages to be formed in accordance with the one print request generated by the print request combining unit, and displays reduced-size images of the to-be-displayed pages. The reduced-size image display unit extracts at least one to-be-displayed page from each set of to-be-printed pages specified in a corresponding one of the multiple print requests having been combined by the print request combining unit, and displays reduced-size images of the extracted to-be-displayed pages. |
| US09117156B2 |
RFID device having low-loss barium-based ceramic oxide
An RFID chip is embedded in a device having a body that includes a low-dielectric loss material including at least one of barium stannate, barium cerate, barium tungstate and barium molybdate. |
| US09117152B2 |
13.56 MHz enhancement circuit for smartmx smartcard controller
An RFID card includes a smartcard controller that receives power from a host device. The RFID card also includes a small inductive device capable of inductive coupling with an RFID reader. The small inductive device is small enough to fit in the form factor of a memory card or SIM card. Enhancement circuits enhance the usable read and write distance of the RFID card. |
| US09117149B2 |
Optical registration carrier
A carrier with the optical registration function is disclosed. The carrier allows the registration of inspected results of the sampling images of the sample to the corresponding address codes of the address coding site of the carrier. |
| US09117146B2 |
Systems and methods for matching visual object components
Systems and methods for modeling the occurrence of common image components (e.g., sub-regions) in order to improve visual object recognition are disclosed. In one example, a query image may be matched to a training image of an object. A matched region within the training image to which the query image matches may be determined and a determination may be made whether the matched region is located within an annotated image component of the training image. When the matched region matches only to the image component, an annotation associated with the component may be identified. In another example, sub-regions within a plurality of training image corpora may be annotated as common image components including associated information (e.g., metadata). Matching sub-regions appearing in many training images of objects may be down-weighted in the matching process to reduce possible false matches to query images including common image components. |
| US09117143B2 |
System and process for automatically finding objects of a specific color
A computer implemented method, system and computer program product for identifying the Main Colors and the matching colors of a visual object, and then viewing on a mobile device select items comprising the matching colors, such as from a merchant's catalogue. A visual object is analyzed for color content, and the results are stored on a system database located on the device or on a remote server. The color analysis of the objects comprise advanced image processing techniques, such as Main Color extraction using color space transformation comprising HSV, RGB and CYMK to map between pixels in the image. The user can subsequently view a display on their mobile identifying the visual object's Main Colors and at least one Harmonic Color; and then select and view all items (i.e. products in a database) comprising one Harmonic Color, and/or all items of a specific type and Harmonic Color. |
| US09117139B2 |
Video processing apparatus and video processing method
An imaging apparatus includes a histogram shape determination unit that acquires a histogram of luminance values from video captured by an image capturing unit and determines whether or not the captured video is a night scene from the shape of the histogram. The imaging apparatus also includes a point light source determination unit that acquires the maximum value of contrast for each horizontal line in the video as a line evaluation value and determines whether the captured video is a night scene based on whether or not the line evaluation value has a characteristic of an object as a point light source. If the histogram shape determination unit and the point light source determination unit determine that the captured video is a night scene, the imaging apparatus determines that the scene captured by the image capturing unit is a night scene. |
| US09117136B2 |
Image processing method and image processing apparatus
An image processing method and an image processing apparatus for removing noise from an image are disclosed. A provided image processing method includes: dividing an input image into a luminance signal and a chrominance signal; removing noise from the luminance signal; restoring luminance signal present in the noise removed from the luminance signal; removing noise from the chrominance signal; and combining the luminance signal and the chrominance signal from which the noises are removed. Accordingly, an image of which an edge component is well preserved and a degree of color noise is low is generated not only in a general environment but also in a low light level and high sensitivity environment having a large amount of noise. |
| US09117134B1 |
Image merging with blending
A base m×n tile, X, of a base image of a scene, and an alternate m×n tile, Y, of an alternate image of the scene may be obtained. An m×n blend map, B, for X and Y may also be obtained. B(i,j) may take on a first value to refer to X(i,j), or a second value to refer to Y(i,j). An m×n conflict map, C, for X and Y may further be obtained. C(i,j) may take on a third value where X(i,j) and Y(i,j) are within a threshold value of one another, or a fourth value where X(i,j) and Y(i,j) are not within the threshold value of one another. Based on B and C, the pixel values of X and Y may be merged to form an m×n tile Z. |
| US09117129B1 |
Predictive triggering in an electronic device
A method and apparatus with predictive triggering includes a housing including electronics operable to perform a process that can be activated by a user depressing a trigger with a finger. A trigger is operable to activate the electronics to perform the process. A proximity sensor is operable to detect a user's finger in proximity to the trigger. A processor coupled to the electronics, trigger, and proximity sensor, wherein when the proximity sensor detects a user's finger in proximity to the trigger, before the user's finger actually depresses the trigger, the processor initiates activation of the electronics to perform a portion of the process, and when the user's finger depresses the trigger, the processor directs the electronics to complete the process. |
| US09117128B2 |
External access to memory on an RFID tag
In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for an RFID tag comprising a radio frequency (RF) network node and a communication facility, the RF network node comprising a data processing and controller block for digital information processing, a memory store, and a power management block for managing power requirements of the RFID tag, wherein an external computing device accesses the memory store through a communications bus. |
| US09117126B2 |
Tamper resistant 3D magnetic stripe reader integrated circuit
Systems and methods for implementing and utilizing a tamper resistant 3D magnetic stripe reader integrated circuit in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. In one embodiment, a three-dimensional magnetic stripe reader integrated circuit (IC) includes at least one magnetic read sensor configured to generate a signal representative of information on a magnetic stripe, a decoding circuit configured to receive the signal from the at least one magnetic read sensor and generate a data signal, an encryption circuit configured to receive the data signal from the decoding circuit and generate an encrypted signal, a substrate layer, where the at least one magnetic read sensor, decoding circuit, and encryption circuit are mounted to the substrate layer, and IC packaging at least partially enclosing the at least one magnetic read sensor. |
| US09117124B2 |
Driving attention amount determination device, method, and computer program
A driving attention amount determination apparatus includes: an electroencephalogram measurement section for measuring an electroencephalogram signal of a driver; a central stimulation presentation section for presenting a visual stimulation in a central visual field of the driver; a peripheral stimulation presentation section for presenting a visual stimulation in a peripheral visual field of the driver; a threshold setting section for setting a determination threshold for attention amount determination from a distribution of amplitude of an event-related potential in the electroencephalogram signal based on a point of presenting the stimulation in the central visual field as a starting point; and an attention amount determination section for determining an attention amount through a comparison between the determination threshold and an amplitude of an event-related potential in the electroencephalogram signal based on a point of presenting the stimulation in the peripheral visual field as a starting point. |
| US09117123B2 |
Vehicular rear view camera display system with lifecheck function
A vehicular display system having a camera for producing a video signal and a display device for displaying the video signal. The display device includes an integrity check to detect a defective video signal and alert the driver if a defective video signal has been detected. |
| US09117116B1 |
Method and apparatus for managing deadline content in a document
A computer implemented method and apparatus for managing deadline content in a document. The method comprises extracting deadline content from a document; comparing the extracted deadline content to content in one or more existing deadline profiles; and providing for storage on a cloud server, at least one of the extracted deadline content when the extracted deadline content matches the content in an existing deadline profile, or the extracted deadline content and a new deadline profile for the document when the extracted deadline content does not match an existing deadline profile. |
| US09117115B2 |
Exterior environment recognition device and exterior environment recognition method
There are provided an environment recognition device and an environment recognition method. An exterior environment recognition device obtains an image in a detection area, generates a block group by grouping, based on a first relative relationship between blocks, multiple blocks in an area extending from a plane corresponding to a road surface to a predetermined height in the obtained image, divides the block group into two in a horizontal direction of the image, and determines, based on a second relative relationship between two divided block groups, whether the block group is a first person candidate which is a candidate of a person. |
| US09117113B2 |
Silhouette-based pose estimation
Estimating a pose of an articulated 3D object model (4) by a computer is done by •obtaining a sequence of source images (10) and therefrom corresponding source image segments (13) with objects (14) separated from the image background; •matching such a sequence (51) with sequences (52) of reference silhouettes (13′), determining one or more selected sequences of reference silhouettes (13′) forming a best match; •for each of these selected sequences of reference silhouettes (13′), retrieving a reference pose that is associated with one of the reference silhouettes (13′); and •computing an estimate of the pose of the articulated object model (4) from the retrieved reference pose or poses. The result of these steps is an initial pose estimate, which then can be used in further steps, for example, for maintaining local consistency between pose estimates from consecutive frames, and global consistency over a longer sequence of frames. |
| US09117112B2 |
Background detection as an optimization for gesture recognition
Methods and systems are provided allowing for background identification and gesture recognition in video images. A computer-implemented image processing method includes: receiving, using at least one processing circuit, a plurality of image frames of a video; constructing, using at feast one processing circuit, a plurality of statistical models of the plurality of image frames at a plurality of pixel granularity levels; constructing, using at least one processing circuit, a plurality of probabilistic models of an input image frame at a plurality of channel granularity levels based on the plurality of statistical models; merging at least some of the plurality of probabilistic models based on a weighted average to form a single probability image; determining background pixels, based on a probability threshold value, from the single probability image; and determining whether the plurality of image frames, when examined in a particular sequence, conveys a gesture by the object. |
| US09117107B2 |
Device for biometrically controlling a face surface
A device for biometrically controlling a face surface includes a camera, a unit for displaying a face position, a computer and an illumination unit. The illumination unit includes a transparency and an objective lens for projecting the transparency image on the face, which is located in such a way that the optical axes of the objective of the illumination unit and of the camera are disposed on the same plane at an angle with respect to each other. The unit for displaying the face position is embodied and disposed in such a way that it makes it possible to display the symmetrical face position with respect to the plane formed by the optical axes of the objective lenses of the illumination unit and the camera. |
| US09117106B2 |
Use of three-dimensional top-down views for business analytics
A method of analyzing a depth image in a digital system is provided that includes detecting a foreground object in a depth image, wherein the depth image is a top-down perspective of a scene, and performing data extraction and classification on the foreground object using depth information in the depth image. |
| US09117098B2 |
On-board traffic density estimator
Traffic density is estimated around a host vehicle moving on a roadway. An object detection system remotely senses and identifies the positions of nearby vehicles. A controller a) predicts a path of a host lane being driven by the host vehicle, b) bins the nearby vehicles into a plurality of lanes including the host lane and one or more adjacent lanes flanking the predicted path, c) determines a host lane distance in response to a position of a farthest vehicle that is binned to the host lane, d) determines an adjacent lane distance in response to a difference between a closest position in an adjacent lane that is within the field of view and a position of a farthest vehicle binned to the adjacent lane, and e) indicates a traffic density in response to a ratio between a count of the binned vehicles and a sum of the distances. |
| US09117092B2 |
Approaches for a location aware client
Techniques for securing a client. Two or more varieties of location information for a client may be received. The present location of the client is determined using the two or more varieties of location information. A determination is made as to whether any of the varieties of location information were received during an immediately preceding bounded interval of time having a predefined length. A weight associated with each variety of location information that was received during the immediately preceding bounded interval of time is determined. The present location of the client is calculated using a weighted arithmetic mean for the varieties of location information that were received during the immediately preceding bounded interval of time. |
| US09117090B2 |
System and method for a secure data collection system
The system may provide for the collection of data in a heterogeneous network, long term secure storage of the data, and secure transfer of the data to an environment that may be secure and controlled for the purpose of controlled and secure selected viewing of all or parts of the data. The data stored may include core data of interest as well as any data that is associated with the core data. The core data and associated data may be stored. To do so, the system may identify and collect associated data at the point of release of all or part of the data. Further, the system may provide secure and controlled transfer of the data to a permanent and secure media. Lastly, the system may provide secure transfer of all or parts of the data from the media to a controlled and secure environment suitably constructed to provide for secure viewing of all or parts of the data under the control of the owner of the data. |
| US09117088B2 |
Methods and systems for controlling levels of geolocation access
A communication device may be configured to control access to geolocation services for applications on the communication device utilizing a first privacy access level setting that enables access to the geolocation services when selected, a second privacy access level setting that disables access to the geolocation services when selected, and other privacy access level settings that are different from, and fall between, the first privacy access level setting and the second privacy access level setting, and enable one time access to the geolocation services for the communication device when selected. The applications can include applications on the communication device that are managed and/or handled by a particular application service provider. The privacy access level settings comprise an anonymous one-time access and a non-anonymous one-time access. |
| US09117085B2 |
Electronic device
An electronic device comprises an outer case, a wireless card reader and a signal processing device. The outer case comprises a door and a metal wall. The metal wall is disposed on a lateral side of the outer case and has an opening. The door is disposed on the metal wall and capable of covering the opening. The wireless card reader is inside the door and capable of transmitting wireless signals. The signal processing device has a case, a data storage device and a safety mechanism. The signal processing device is inside the outer case and is electrically connected to the wireless card reader. The signal processing device is capable of processing the data of wireless signals from the wireless card reader. When the case is dissembled, the safety mechanism destroys at least part of the data stored in the data storage device. |
| US09117082B2 |
Authentications integrated into a boot code image
A method, computer program product and system for storing or updating authentications, e.g., passwords, in a boot code image, i.e., binary executable boot code, stored within a Read Only Memory (ROM), e.g., flash ROM, of a terminal from a remote central site. An authentication may be stored in the boot code image in a terminal from a central site by creating a file comprising a boot code image storing the authentication at the central site and then storing the created file in ROM in the terminal. The file may be downloaded from a server at the central site to the terminal. An authentication in the boot code image in a terminal may be updated remotely from a central site by updating the file associated with the boot code image, i.e., updating the authentication, at the central site and then downloading the updated file to the terminal. |
| US09117081B2 |
Strongly isolated malware scanning using secure virtual containers
Described systems and methods allow protecting a host system, such as a computer or smartphone, from malware. In some embodiments, an anti-malware application installs a hypervisor, which displaces an operating system executing on the host system to a guest virtual machine (VM). The hypervisor further creates a set of virtual containers (VC), by setting up a memory domain for each VC, isolated from the memory domain of the guest VM. The hypervisor then maps a memory image of a malware scanner to each VC. When a target object is selected for scanning, the anti-malware application launches the malware scanner. Upon intercepting the launch, the hypervisor switches the memory context of the malware scanner to the memory domain of a selected VC, for the duration of the scan. Thus, malware scanning is performed within an isolated environment. |
| US09117079B1 |
Multiple application versions in a single virtual machine
A single virtual machine is implemented upon a computer and an operating system executes within this virtual machine. A sample file suspected of being malware is received and any number of versions of the software application corresponding to the sample file are installed. Each version of the software application is executed within the operating system, each version opening the sample file. Behavior of each version and of the sample file is collected while each version is executing. A score indicating malicious behavior for each version with respect to the sample file is determined and reported. The versions may execute serially in the happening system, each version terminating before the next version begins executing. Or, all versions may execute concurrently within the operating system. Files and registries are hidden to facilitate installation. System information is changed to facilitate execution. |
| US09117077B2 |
Systems and methods for using a reputation indicator to facilitate malware scanning
Described systems and methods allow protecting a computer system from malware, such as viruses, Trojans, and spyware. A reputation manager executes in conjunction with an anti-malware engine. The reputation manager determines a reputation of a target process executing on the computer system according to a reputation of a set of executable modules, such as shared libraries, loaded by the target process. The anti-malware engine may be configured to employ a process-specific protocol to scan the target process for malware, the protocol selected according to process reputation. Processes trusted to be non-malicious may thus be scanned using a more relaxed protocol than unknown or untrusted processes. The reputation of executable modules may be static; an indicator of module reputation may be stored and/or retrieved by a remote reputation server. Process reputation may be dynamically changeable, i.e. re-computed repeatedly by the reputation manager in response to process life-cycle and/or security events. |
| US09117076B2 |
System and method for detecting potential threats by monitoring user and system behavior associated with computer and network activity
A system and method is provided to monitor user and system behavior associated with computer and network activity to determine deviations from normal behavior that represent a potential cyber threat or cyber malicious activity. The system and method uses a multi-factor behavioral and activity analysis approach to determine when a trusted insider might be exhibiting threatening behavior or when a user's computer or network credentials have been compromised and are in use by a third-party. As a result, changes in insider behavior that could be indicative of malicious intent can be detected, or an external entity masquerading as a legitimate user can be detected. |
| US09117074B2 |
Detecting a compromised online user account
One or more techniques and/or systems are disclosed for detecting and/or mitigating a potentially compromised online user account. One or more baselines can be established for a user's online account to determine a normal usage pattern for the account by the user (e.g., frequency of incoming/outgoing emails, text messages, etc.). The online user account can be periodically or continually monitored for use of the same resources used to determine the baseline(s). If a deviation from the baseline is detected, the deviation may be compared against a threshold to determine whether the deviation indicates that the account may be compromised. When an indication of a potentially compromised account is detected, the user can be notified of the indication, so that one or more actions can be taken to mitigate the potentially compromised account. |
| US09117071B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for secure compilation
A method and an apparatus that provide secure executable codes generated during run time via a trusted compiler server are described. An application can send a service request to the compiler server to request executable codes. The compiler server can determine whether the service request is permitted to be served based on a security policy imposed and the security settings associated with the service request. Availability of certain compilers can be allowed if the application is authorized according to the service request. |
| US09117068B1 |
Password protection using pattern
A user creates a pattern in a two-dimensional grid by entering a password and enters a user name. This user name, password and pattern are stored locally on a computing device or are transmitted to a remote computer server for later authentication. Upon authentication, a choice of input grids is displayed. The user chooses a grid, enters the password into the grid in the form of the pattern, and also enters the user name. The computer retrieves the previously stored pattern and password with the user name. A match with the stored password indicates authentication. Each cell of the input grid may contain more than one symbol of the password. The input grid may also be filled with random characters to improve security. A grid may be a rectangular matrix, a circular region, an asymmetrical region, or other. |
| US09117064B2 |
Method and system for transmitting authentication context information
A system of the present invention uses an identity provider to provide the authentication services for multiple service providers. An identity provider communicates with one or more service providers. A user that wishes to gain access to a service provider is authenticated through the use of the identity provider. A user desiring to access a service provider is first authenticated by the identity provider. The identity provider determines if the user meets the desired class level and provides various information related to the authentication. When the user attempts to access a second service provider that is associated with the same identity provider, the second service provider accesses the identity provider and determines that the user was recently authenticated. The identity provider then transmits the relevant information regarding the authentication process to the second service provider, which can then allow or deny the user access to the second service provider. |
| US09117057B2 |
Identifying unutilized or underutilized software license
System, method and program product for identifying at least one of a multiplicity of software licenses which are not needed by an entity. Each licenses a same type of software to the entity and includes at least one condition of installation or usage of licensed software. The multiplicity of software licenses are evaluated in a first sequence based on a first order of their respective types of conditions, by determining which installations or usages of the software can be considered licensed by an initial one of the software licenses in a first sequence. Afterwards, a determination is made which installations or usages of the software which could not be considered licensed by the initial software license in the sequence can be considered licensed by a next one of the software licenses in the first sequence. Afterwards, a determination is made if all installations or usages of the licensed software by the entity were considered licensed by prior software licenses in the first sequence and if there is at least one subsequent software license in the first sequence. The multiplicity of software licenses are also evaluated in a second sequence based on a second order of their respective types of conditions, by determining which installations or usages of the software can be considered licensed by an initial one of the software licenses in the second sequence. Afterwards, a determination is made which installations or usages of the software which could not be considered licensed by the initial software license in the first sequence can be considered licensed by a next one of the software licenses in the second sequence. Afterwards, a determination is made if all installations or usages of the licensed software by the entity were considered licensed by prior software licenses in the second sequence and if there is at least one subsequent software license in the second sequence. |
| US09117056B2 |
System and method for using digital strings to provide secure distribution of digital content
A method and system for secure distribution of digital content, using a disintegration tool under control of a distributor of the digital content to divide the digital content into protected and unprotected segments, delivering the unprotected segments to the customer along with installation software and identification information. The segments to be protected are modified using the identification information on the distribution medium and hardware information unique to a particular customer device. Upon communication of this information from the customer device, the modified segments are sent to the customer device for integration with the unprotected segments to generate a modified digital content operable only on the particular customer device. |
| US09117054B2 |
Method and aparatus for presence based resource management
Methods and apparatus provide resource authorization based on a computer's presence information. Presence information may include information relating to a computer's operating environment. In some implementations, a presence detector on a computer determines presence information and provides the information to a resource manager. The computer may then generate a resource access request. A resource manager may then determine whether the resource request is authorized based, at least in part, on the presence information. The resource manager then responds to the resource access request, either granting or denying the request for resources. |
| US09117053B2 |
Enhanced optical proximity correction (OPC) method and system
An enhanced optical proximity correction method is provided. The method includes providing a mask substrate and a substrate and obtaining a customer target pattern. The method also includes obtaining a production layout by performing an optical proximity correction process onto the customer target pattern using the pattern and a pattern formed on the substrate. Further, the method includes obtaining the light intensity information instead of dimension of the production layout. Further, the method includes storing the light intensity information of the production layout, the production layout and surrounding coherence radius in an optical proximity correction model database if the light intensity information of the production layout does not coincide with light intensity information of original modeling patterns already stored in the optical proximity correction model database. Further, the method also includes generating actual patterns using the stored optical proximity correction model corresponding to the stored light intensity information. |
| US09117049B2 |
Capacitor arrangement assisting method and capacitor arrangement assisting device
A capacitor arrangement assisting method wherein data entered by a user, such as the width w of a power supply wiring, the thickness h of a dielectric between the power supply wiring and a ground plane, the ESLcap of a capacitor, and a target frequency fT and a target impedance ZT of an IC, are received, the maximum allowable wiring length lmax of the power supply wiring is calculated on the basis of the received width w of the power supply wiring, the thickness h of the dielectric, the ESLcap of the capacitor, and the target impedance ZT of the IC at the target frequency fT, and the calculated maximum allowable wiring length lmax is displayed. |
| US09117048B2 |
Semiconductor integrating circuit layout pattern generating apparatus and method
A layout pattern generating apparatus and a layout pattern generating method for an element used for layout design of a semiconductor integrated circuit (LSI) provide a reduction in time for generating a layout pattern with high versatility. The layout pattern generating apparatus for generating a layout pattern of each of elements included in a semiconductor integrated circuit, includes, for example, a storage, a basic figure generator, an additional figure generator, a display unit and an operation input unit. The apparatus and method also utilize at least terminal figure relative position information, figure adjustment value information, and additional figure relative position information, the additional figure being a figure other than the basic figure. The basic figure generator generates the effective area figure and the terminal figure of the layout pattern generation target element, and the additional figure generator generates the additional figure of the layout pattern generation target element. |
| US09117044B2 |
Hierarchical verification of clock domain crossings
The invention provides for the hierarchical verification of clock domain crossings. In various implementations of the invention, a device design is partitioned into blocks. Subsequently, a block level clock domain crossing verification process is performed on selected ones of the blocks. Verification interface files are generated by the block level clock domain crossing process. After which, a top level clock domain crossing verification process is performed over the entire design. In various implementations, the top level clock domain crossing verification process utilizes the verification interface files to verify clock domain crossing signals between blocks. Additionally, in some implementations, blocks not verified during block level verification are verified during top level verification. With some implementations of the invention, the device design is partitioned based input from a user of the implementation. Furthermore, in various implementations, the specific clock domain crossing verification checks employed during block level verification and top level verification are specified by a user of the implementation. |
| US09117042B2 |
Systems and methods of using multiple surrogate-based parameter selection of anisotropic kernels in engineering design optimization
Methods of conducting design optimization of a product using multiple metamodels are described. First and the second metamodels are configured with common kernel function. Kernel width parameter is the output or result of the first metamodel while the second metamodel requires a set of substantially similar kernel width parameters defined a priori. Further, the second metamodel is configured with an anisotropic kernel. First and second metamodels are trained in two stages. In the first stage, kernel width parameters are obtained by fitting known responses (obtained in numerical simulations) into the first metamodel with one or more prediction trends. Additional kernel width parameter set is derived by algebraically combining the obtained kernel width parameters. The second metamodel is then trained by cross-validating with known responses using N trial sets of metamodel parameter values including the kernel width parameter values determined in the first stage along with various combinations of other parameters. |
| US09117039B1 |
Generating a three-dimensional (3D) report, associated with a model, from a technical computing environment (TCE)
A computing device may obtain a model that, when executed, simulates behavior of a dynamic system. The model may include a set of model elements that correspond to one or more physical elements associated with the dynamic system. The computing device may receive, based on obtaining the model, a request to generate a spatial representation associated with a physical element; generate a tag that includes a string of characters; associate the tag with a model element that corresponds to the physical element; cause, based on the tag and information associated with the physical element, the physical structure to be generated in a manner that includes the tag; receive the tag; and cause the model element to be displayed based on receiving the tag. |
| US09117037B2 |
Interface apparatus, cascading system thereof and cascading method thereof
An interface apparatus, a cascading system thereof, and a cascading method thereof are provided. The cascading system includes a host, a first-type interface apparatus, and a second-type interface apparatus which are serially connected. The host provides data transmission of a first and a second channel by a first controller through a first interface port. In the first-type interface apparatus, data of the first channel is transmitted to a second controller through a second interface port and then to a third interface port, and data of the second channel is directly transmitted to the third interface port through the second interface port. In the second-type interface apparatus, the data of the second channel are transmitted to a third controller through a forth interface port and then to the fifth interface port, and the data of the first channel is directly transmitted to the fifth interface port through the forth interface port. |
| US09117035B2 |
Memory system topologies including a buffer device and an integrated circuit memory device
Systems, among other embodiments, include topologies (data and/or control/address information) between an integrated circuit buffer device (that may be coupled to a master, such as a memory controller) and a plurality of integrated circuit memory devices. For example, data may be provided between the plurality of integrated circuit memory devices and the integrated circuit buffer device using separate segmented (or point-to-point link) signal paths in response to control/address information provided from the integrated circuit buffer device to the plurality of integrated circuit buffer devices using a single fly-by (or bus) signal path. An integrated circuit buffer device enables configurable effective memory organization of the plurality of integrated circuit memory devices. The memory organization represented by the integrated circuit buffer device to a memory controller may be different than the actual memory organization behind or coupled to the integrated circuit buffer device. The buffer device segments and merges the data transferred between the memory controller that expects a particular memory organization and actual memory organization. |
| US09117024B2 |
System for tracking biological samples
Systems, methods, and apparatus are described for the handling of biological specimens for analysis. The systems, methods and apparatus are designed to reduce errors in misidentification, incorrect processing, and recordkeeping and reporting. The systems, methods, and apparatus can also provide real time tracking of samples at any stage, from collection to processing to analyzing to storage. |
| US09117018B2 |
Method of debugging software and corresponding computer program product
A method of debugging software for an Integrated Development Environment connected to a target hardware system and to a simulator configured to simulate the target hardware system. The method comprises receiving, by a debugging tool of the Integrated Development Environment, simulator debugging data from the simulator, receiving, by the debugging tool, hardware debugging data from the target hardware system, comparing, by the debugging tool, the hardware debugging data with the simulator debugging data; and indicating, by the debugging tool, the result of comparing the hardware debugging data with the simulator debugging data. |
| US09117016B2 |
Universal label and verification systems and methods for filling customer orders of medical items
Label and verification systems and methods to assist with manual labeling and verification of various types of products including medical items that may be filled as part of a customer order, including boxes, cards, bottles, and many other known types of containers. The label and verification system prompts a user to scan a product label on a product, determines whether the product label corresponds to one of the medical items in the customer order, and then prints a patient label for the product. After prompting the user to affix the patient label to the product and rescan the product, the system verifies that the correct patient label and product label are on the product from the customer order. The system and method may be operable to label more than 90% of containers commonly used to hold medications and medical items with increased speed and accuracy. |
| US09117012B2 |
Medical apparatus
A medical apparatus comprises a machine (2) for treatment of fluids provided with means (3) for treating a patient's blood which exhibits a control unit (4) for sending command signals and receiving information relating to the treatment under way on the patient. The machine further comprises an internet web server (11) containing a predetermined number of web pages which are remotely accessible and consultable via a common web browser (18). At least a web page reproduces the graphic user interface on the display (6) of the medical machine (2) substantially in real-time. A plurality of further information and data relating to the medical machine is further published in the web pages. |
| US09117006B2 |
Recommending keywords
Recommending keywords is disclosed, including: receiving a set of product information including a product title; extracting and parsing the product title into a set of parsed elements; finding a plurality of candidate keywords corresponding to at least a subset of the set of parsed elements based at least in part on stored mappings between parsed data and keywords; determining a plurality of composite correlation scores for corresponding ones of the plurality of candidate keywords; sorting at least a subset of the plurality of candidate keywords into a ranked list based on at least a subset of the plurality of composite correlation scores; and selecting a set of one or more keywords to recommend from the plurality of candidate keywords based at least in part on the ranked list. |
| US09117001B2 |
Method and system for cross-terminal cloud browsing
A method is provided for cross-terminal cloud browsing on the Internet. The method includes a second terminal obtaining a 2D bar code generated by a first terminal corresponding to a web content currently being presented on a webpage on the first terminal. The 2D bar code includes at least presentation information of the web content. The method also includes the second terminal parsing the 2D bar code to obtain the presentation information of the web content contained in the 2D bar code. Further, the method includes the second terminal establishing a link using the presentation information of the web content to realize cross-terminal presentation of the web content on the second terminal. |
| US09116996B1 |
Reverse question answering
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for associating each of a plurality of different terms to documents that contain the term to create first associations; associating each of the associated documents to one or more queries to create second associations, wherein search results for each of the queries include a reference to the associated document; determining a particular query and a particular term are associated with a same document based on the first and second associations; in response to the determination, creating a mapping between the particular query and the particular term when both are associated with the same document; and selecting a respective answer from a plurality of mapped terms for each the mapped queries, wherein the respective answer is selected based on a count the respective answer occurs in documents contained in search results for the mapped queries. |
| US09116995B2 |
Cluster-based identification of news stories
Methods, systems, and techniques for cluster-based content recommendation are described. Some embodiments provide a content recommendation system (“CRS”) configured to recommend news stories about events or occurrences. In some embodiments, a news story about an event includes multiple related content items that each include an account of the event and that each reference one or more entities or categories that are represented by the CRS. In one embodiment, the CRS identifies news stories by generating clusters of related content items. Then, in response to a received query that indicates a keyterm, entity, or category, the CRS determines and provides indications of one or more news stories that are relevant to the received query. In some embodiments, at least some of these techniques are employed to implement a news story recommendation facility in an online news service. |
| US09116993B2 |
System and method for query re-issue in search engines
A system embodiment receives a query from the user. The query is processed by a search infrastructure which may return a set of results. Results may then be estimated for quality by a quality estimator. The quality estimator may determine an initial quality estimation of the search result(s). A query re-issuer generates re-issued query information based on the initial quality estimation of the search result(s) for the initial query. A query modifier then receives the re-issued query information and generates a modified re-issued query in accordance with the query re-issue information. A method embodiment modifies and re-issues a query to the search infrastructure. The method includes determining an initial quality estimation of the search result, generating re-issued query information based on at least an initial quality estimation of the search result for the initial query, receiving the re-issued query information and generating a modified re-issued query. |
| US09116991B2 |
Searching encrypted electronic books
An e-book server creates index information for encrypted e-book content. The index information is used by a reader module to efficiently search the encrypted content. To create the index information, the e-book server identifies logical partitions of an e-book that include phrases, and creates encrypted segments including a portion of the e-book content that is not necessarily aligned with the logical partitions of the e-book. The e-book server then stores index information including a mapping between the encrypted segments and the phrases located in the logical partitions. |
| US09116988B2 |
Temporal metadata track
Methods, data processing systems and machine readable non-transitory storage media are described that can provide, in one embodiment, a non-time based description of types of metadata in a time based metadata track that can be associated with, in time, a time based media track. The description can include a set of keys, or other identifiers, that specify the types of metadata in the metadata track, and the description can also include values describing the structure of each key and values describing how to interpret each key. |
| US09116985B2 |
Computer-implemented systems and methods for taxonomy development
Systems and methods are provided for generating a set of classifiers. A location is determined for each instance of a topic term in a collection of documents. One or more topic term phrases are identified, and one or more sentiment terms within each topic term phrase. Candidate classifiers are identified by parsing words in the one or more topic term phrases, and a colocation matrix is generated. A seed row of the colocation associated with a particular attribute is identified, and distance metrics are determined by comparing each row of the colocation matrix to the seed row. A set of classifiers are generated for the particular attribute, where classifiers in the set of classifiers are selected using the distance metrics. |
| US09116983B2 |
Social analytics
A computer-implemented method, comprises extracting a measure from a content article representing a probability that the article relates to a topic, allocating the article to a group of articles relating to at least one topic on the basis of the measure, using a set of social media objects relating to the article to extract a measure representing a sentiment for the article, and aggregating respective measures for the sentiment of articles in the group to provide an aggregate measure. |
| US09116980B1 |
System, method, and computer program for determining a set of categories based on textual input
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for determining a set of categories based on textual input. In use, textual input is identified. Further, a first set of categories is determined based on the textual input. Further still, one or more actions are performed, utilizing the first set of categories. |
| US09116977B2 |
Searching information
The present disclosure provides a method and an apparatus of searching information. In one example embodiment, the present techniques obtain a category click rate of a query and a category click rate of published information, calculate a similarity degree between the query and the published information based on the category click rate of the query and the category click rate of the published information, and return the published information as a successful matching result if the calculated similarity degree is higher than a first threshold. The present techniques may ensure the accuracy rate and improve the return rate to provide more return results to a user. |
| US09116973B2 |
Method and apparatus for monitoring an in-memory computer system
An in-memory computing system for conducting on-line transaction processing and on-line analytical processing includes system tables in main memory to store runtime information. A statistics server can access the runtime information to collect monitoring data and generate historical data and other system performance metrics. |
| US09116972B2 |
Information synchronisation
A technique for synchronizing instances of sets of information stored on different devices may involve comparison of update digests of the different instances and comparisons of version data of information within the different instances of the sets to determine what information may need to be updated and in which of the instances. |
| US09116967B2 |
Methods and apparatus to interface an application to a database
Methods and apparatus to interface an application to a database are disclosed. An example method includes determining a query used by an application that is to communicate with a database via a database driver. The query is tested on the database via the database driver. Such testing includes storing a query template when a received result of the query matches an expected result of the query. A database access framework is generated to interface between the application and the database driver based on the stored query template. |
| US09116964B2 |
System, method and computer program product for decoding vehicle identification numbers
A vehicle identification number (VIN) decoder (VDC) implementing a unique VIN decoding method may, for a given VIN, shorten the VIN and form a stem and a leaf therefrom. Utilizing the stem, the VDC may operate to find matching leaf values, if any, from a set of look up tables. Depending upon a match outcome, one or more trim identification code (TIC) values can be assigned to the VIN and a candidate list can be constructed utilizing the assigned TIC value(s). The candidate list, which can be optimized, may contain one or more candidate trims for the VIN. For each candidate trim, a confidence score and a match probability can be generated. The VDC may provide decoded information containing trim data associated with at least one of the one or more candidate trims for the VIN to a client device over a network connection. |
| US09116959B2 |
Sharing a single instance of a user defined type
Methods, systems and apparatus for implementing behavior of a user defined type (UDT) in a database by providing a data table with multiple rows and generating a UDT table having only a single row. An instance of a UDT is created and stored in the single row of the UDT table. A query having a Cartesian product is implemented to join the UDT table and data table for invoking behavior of the UDT and generating a resultant data table without increasing cardinality thereof. The single instance of the UDT may be shared amongst several users of the database as a result of all required persisted objects of the UDT residing within only a single row of the UDT table. |
| US09116958B2 |
Methods and apparatus to sample data connections
Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture are disclosed to sample signed weighted updates. Example methods disclosed herein include identifying a first key associated with a data update obtained by sampling a stream of data received from a plurality of nodes in a network, the first key being representative of a first node in the plurality of nodes, adjusting a first value associated with the first key based on a weight associated with the data update, the weight being positive when the data update corresponds to opening of a new data connection with the first node, the weight being negative when the data update corresponds to closing of an existing data connection with the first node, and estimating a status of the first node based on the first value. |
| US09116956B2 |
Method and apparatus for efficient aggregate computation over data streams
A method includes determining, using a processor, a set of aggregate queries to be executed on a data stream, the set of aggregate queries comprising queries that perform respective sets of aggregation operations on respective sets of attribute values over respective time intervals. The method also includes generating, using the processor, at least one intermediate aggregate query for a subset of the set of aggregate queries, the at least one intermediate aggregate query combining a subset of aggregation operations for the subset of aggregate queries and a subset of attribute values. The method further includes executing, using the processor, the at least one intermediate aggregate query to generate pre-aggregated data from the data stream for the subset of aggregate queries and executing, using the processor, the subset of aggregate queries subsequent to executing the at least one intermediate aggregate query on the pre-aggregated data. |
| US09116953B2 |
Calculation engine with dynamic partitioning of intermediate results
A query is received by a database server from a remote application server. The query is associated with a calculation model that defines a data flow model that includes a plurality of calculation nodes that each define one or more operations to execute on the database server. Thereafter, the database server dynamically determine, using at least one attribute of at least one dataset responsive to the query, that intermediate results provided by at least one of the operations specified by at least one of the nodes of the calculation model require partitioning. The database server then modifies the calculation model to partition operations on the at least one dataset based on the dynamic determination. The database server subsequently instantiates the modified calculation model so that it can be executed to generate at least one result set. |
| US09116948B2 |
Method and system for semantic search against a document collection
Disclosed in one example is a method for searching. In some examples, the method includes receiving an unstructured search query, parsing the unstructured search query into a plurality of structured search attributes using a search term attribute dictionary, performing a search of a structured database based upon the plurality of structured search attributes to identify a plurality of search results, populating a plurality of form fields of a search form with the plurality of structured search attributes, and displaying the search form in association with the search results. |
| US09116946B2 |
System and method for interacting with a plurality of data sources
System and method for interacting with a plurality of data sources are provided. A request may be parsed and an identification parameter identifying a data set may be determined. A field included in the request may be designated as a distribution key. At least one data source may be selected based on a value associated with the distribution key. At least a portion of the request may be sent to a selected data source. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US09116937B2 |
Unattended backup system
The invention provides a process for performing automatic backups of a user's data contained in the local drives of at least one computer of a local area network by means of a Residential Gateway, which is in turn connected to a provider's Backup Server. A backup method is thus provided, which enables creating a backup in an automatic way without the need of providing UPnP support. |
| US09116935B2 |
Method and system to promote database cost savings
According to some embodiments, a method and apparatus are provided to receive an indication of data corrections to a database and receive an indication that the data corrections to the database were verified. A first amount of points to award to a first user associated with the data corrections and a second amount of points to award to a second user associated with the verification of the data corrections is determined. The first amount of points is awarded to the first user and the second amount of points is awarded to the second user. |
| US09116933B2 |
Interface optimizing model based upon database information
Embodiments relate to interfaces allowing a user to optimize a model which references and manipulates volumes of information present in an underlying database. An interface engine of an application layer, may communicate with the database engine of an underlying database layer, to provide a user with indicia of modeling performance. Thus for every modeling step, an interface engine could display performance indicia such as a number of database rows that are being referenced, and/or an amount of time consumed in retrieving the data from the database. This performance indicia, together with a structure of the model itself, can be processed by the interface engine through a repository of optimization recommendations. Recommendations from the repository may be published to the user, who is free to accept or reject them. Particular embodiments may leverage processing capacity of an in-memory database engine, to analyze database information gathered during modeling. |
| US09116928B1 |
Identifying features for media file comparison
Embodiments of the disclosed subject matter construct linear combinations of a set of defined “basic” features for each pair of sample and known media files. The linear combination of those features that give the optimal correlation coefficients (i.e., most-correlated) is then found. The highest correlation coefficients then indicate the “best” features to use in detecting a match of the sample file. |
| US09116927B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for publication of unconsciously captured documents
Methods and apparatuses for searching unconsciously captured documents and publishing the results are disclosed. Documents processed by one or more networked devices are saved to a storage device coupled to the network. The documents can be searched to retrieve desired documents. In one embodiment, the desired documents are published in response to a single user action, for example, a mouse click or a spoken command. The documents can be published, for example, on the World Wide Web via a Web server or other devices. The documents can also be published to other networks, distributed via electronic mail, or published in any other manner. |
| US09116921B2 |
Grouping of image search results
This specification relates to presenting image search results. In general, one aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods that include the actions of receiving an image query, the image query being a query for image search results; receiving ranked image search results responsive to the image query, the image search results each including an identification of a corresponding image resource; generating a similarity matrix for images identified by the image search results; generating a hierarchical grouping of the images using the similarity matrix; identifying a canonical image for each group in the hierarchical grouping using a ranking measure; and presenting a visual representation of the image search results based on the hierarchical grouping and the identified canonical images. |
| US09116914B1 |
Data migration between multiple tiers in a storage system using policy based ILM for QOS
Technologies are described for implementing a default migration mechanism in a storage system containing multiple tiers of storage with each tier having different cost and performance parameters. Data that is accessed more frequently can be migrated toward higher performance storage tiers while data that is accessed less frequently can be migrated towards lower performance storage tiers. Default migration behavior can be overridden by user-specified values for tier age residency policy, demotion policy, tier occupancy of volumes, and tier assignment. Data migration can be paused by the user and resumed by the user. |
| US09116903B2 |
Method and system for inserting data records into files
Methods and system for adding a data record to a file comprise maintaining a data structure to track locations of data records within the file, wherein each entry in the data structure is a Bloom filter that corresponds to a different portion of the file that includes a plurality of data records. When an instruction to write data to the file is received, a data record is generated to append to the file, wherein the data record comprises a randomized unique id and the data from the received instruction. A Bloom filter bit pattern is extracted from the randomized unique id and bits in a current Bloom filter entry of the data structure are set, wherein the set bits correspond to the same bit positions as the Bloom filter bit pattern. The data record is thus able to be added to the file. |
| US09116898B2 |
Information conversion device, computer-readable recording medium, and information conversion method
An information conversion device includes a memory and a processor coupled to the memory. The processor executes a process including generating a conversion rule for converting a feature quantity vector into a binary string that is longer than a predetermined bit length. The process includes converting each of the feature quantity vectors into a binary string by using the conversion rule generated at the generating. The process includes calculating importance levels of the respective bits in the binary strings based on the distance-based relations among the feature quantity vectors. The process includes correcting the conversion rule into one that converts each of the feature quantity vectors into a binary string having the predetermined bit length based on the calculated importance levels. The process includes changing the feature quantity vectors into a binary string having the predetermined bit length by using the conversion rule corrected at the correcting. |
| US09116896B2 |
Nonlinear proxy-based editing system and method with improved media file ingestion and management
A proxy-based, non-linear editing system is provided having simplified source file ingestion. The system includes a source file repository that stores media source files copied from a plurality of memory cards from video cameras; a proxy file generator that generates and stores a compressed low-resolution proxy of media source files copied into the source file repository; both an editing station and an ingestion station including a web browser having a display screen, and at least one interactive digital processor that coordinates the interaction between the source file repository, proxy file generator, and editing and ingestion stations. In operation, the digital processor automatically generates a proxy file and a thumbnail of each media source file copied into one of the card folders, and makes the proxy file and thumbnail immediately ready for editing on the web browser of the editing station. |
| US09116894B2 |
Method and system for tagging objects comprising tag recommendation based on query-based ranking and annotation relationships between objects and tags
A method and system is disclosed for tagging a latent object with selected tag recommendations, including a set of content objects wherein each object is characterized by an associated set of content features. An annotation relationship is determined between the features and a pre-determined tag for the each object, the relationship being defined by a graph construction representative of an affinity relationship between each pre-selected tag and content object to a selected query. A plurality of the annotation relationships are ranked based upon a relevance of the preselected tags to the content features in response to a new query for assigning a new tag to the each object, so that a suggested tag is made from the ranking whereby the suggested tag is determined as a most likely tag for annotating the content object. |
| US09116892B2 |
Method for improving the responsiveness of a client device
A method for improving the responsiveness of a client application by providing that application with a local database which is a replicated subset of a database held on a remote server. |
| US09116889B2 |
Publishing activity tasks in a collaborative environment
A method, system and apparatus for publishing activity tasks in a collaborative environment can include the step of publishing selected activity tasks for status viewing by other collaborators in the collaborative environment. In one aspect of the invention, the publishing step can include the step of publishing selected activity tasks for viewing by a subset of the collaborators in the collaborative environment. In another aspect of the invention, the publishing step can include the step of publishing selected activity tasks for viewing by the collaborators in the collaborative environment only for a specified duration. In yet another aspect of the invention, the publishing step can include both publishing selected activity tasks for viewing by the collaborators in the collaborative environment, and periodically updating a status for each of the selected activity tasks. |
| US09116887B2 |
Medicinal substance recognition system and method
Provided is an apparatus for identifying a medicinal substance. A tray receives and concurrently supports a plurality of pills formed at least in part from the medicinal substance. A computer-readable memory stores a drug database including one or more identifying features for identifying different pills formed at least in part from different medicinal substances. A recognition device is arranged to interrogate the pills on the tray and detect at least one of the identifying features from the pills. A controller receives the identifying feature(s) detected by the recognition device and determines the identity of the medicinal substance from among the different medicinal substances in the drug database based on the identifying feature(s). |
| US09116883B2 |
Communication terminal including cluster information calculation section and DMA-transfer section
A communication terminal includes a storage section that stores a file to be transmitted to an opponent terminal, a communication section that transmits the file to the opponent terminal, a cluster information calculation section that determines cluster information about clusters, and a DMA transfer section that DMA-transfers the file from the storage section to the communication section on the basis of the cluster information about the clusters to be transferred determined by the cluster information calculation section. The cluster information calculation section determines cluster information about clusters to be transferred next during the course of the DMA transfer. |
| US09116881B2 |
Routing switch apparatus, network switch system, and routing switching method
The present disclosure relates to a routing switch apparatus, a network switch system, and a routing switch method. The routing switch apparatus includes one or more direct memory access modules and at least two protocol conversion interfaces. The direct memory access module is configured to generate a continuous access request of a cross network node, and control data transmission in the at least two protocol conversion interfaces; each protocol conversion interface is configured to convert a communication protocol of data transmitted inside and outside the routing switch apparatus and connect the routing switch module and an external network node. The routing switch apparatus may be introduced to replace a network switch, so that cross-node memory access and IO space access can be performed directly rather than through a proxy, thereby reducing delay of the cross-node memory access and IO space access and improving overall performance of a system. |
| US09116878B2 |
Process for translating machine shorthand into text
A method for translating stenographic strokes includes the steps of receiving a series of stenographic strokes, creating a table of translations of one or more strokes within the series of strokes, sequentially assigning a score to each of the one or more strokes, determining at least one alternate translation to at least one of the translations in the table of translations, ranking the translations and alternate translations based on an accumulation of the score of the strokes within, and selecting one of the ranked translations or one of the ranked alternate translations based on a best score. |
| US09116869B2 |
Posting interrupts to virtual processors
Embodiments of systems, apparatuses, and methods for posting interrupts to virtual processors are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes look-up logic and posting logic. The look-up logic is to look-up an entry associated with an interrupt request to a virtual processor in a data structure. The posting logic is to post the interrupt request in a data structure specified by information in the first data structure. |
| US09116865B2 |
Enhancing automated terms listings in HTML document publishing based on user searches
A terms listing production system generates a terms listing associated with an electronic document. Primary terms and primary definitions may be extracted from a glossary associated with the electronic document. Secondary terms may be identified based on user searches in relation to the electronic document. Secondary definitions associated with primary terms or secondary terms may be retrieved from external content and stored in connection with the associated terms. A markup language document configured for presentation to users is generated based on the stored terms and definitions. |
| US09116862B1 |
System and method for data replication using a single master failover protocol
A system that implements a data storage service may store data on behalf of storage service clients. The system may maintain data in multiple replicas of various partitions that are stored on respective computing nodes in the system. The system may employ a single master failover protocol, usable when a replica attempts to become the master replica for a replica group of which it is a member. Attempting to become the master replica may include acquiring a lock associated with the replica group, and gathering state information from the other replicas in the group. The state information may indicate whether another replica supports the attempt (in which case it is included in a failover quorum) or stores more recent data or metadata than the replica attempting to become the master (in which case synchronization may be required). If the failover quorum includes enough replicas, the replica may become the master. |
| US09116861B2 |
Cascading failover of blade servers in a data center
Cascading failover of blade servers in a data center implemented by transferring by a system management server a data processing workload from a failing blade server to an initial replacement blade server, with the data processing workload characterized by data processing resource requirements and the initial replacement blade server having data processing resources that do not match the data processing resource requirements; and transferring by the system management server the data processing workload from the initial replacement blade server to a subsequent replacement blade server, where the subsequent replacement blade server has data processing resources that better match the data processing resource requirements than do the data processing resources of the initial replacement blade server. |
| US09116858B1 |
Direct memory access with conversion or reverse conversion of data
The transfer data amount between a server and storage is effectively reduced, and the broadband of an effective band between the server and the storage is realized. An interface device is located in a server module, and, when receiving a read request issued by a server processor, transmits a read command based on the read request to a storage processor. In a case where a reverse-conversion instruction to cause the interface device to perform reverse conversion of post-conversion object data acquired by converting object data of the read request is received from the storage processor, DMA to transfer post-conversion object data stored in the transfer source address on a storage memory to the transfer destination address on the server memory while reverse-converting the post-conversion object data is performed. |
| US09116855B2 |
Data processing system and data processing method
A client (300) acquires a user function symbol name, acquires a pointer to a wrapper function, which is defined as a template function and internally executes the user function by designating the types of argument and return value of the user function as a template argument, and acquires a wrapper function symbol name of the wrapper function using the pointer to the wrapper function. A server (310) acquires, from the client, the user function symbol name, data corresponding to the arguments of the user function, the wrapper function symbol name, and a shared library user program in which the user program and the wrapper function are compiled as a shared library. The server executes the wrapper function within the shared library user program, which is specified by the pointer to the wrapper function, using the user function symbol name and the data corresponding to the arguments of the user function as arguments. |
| US09116852B2 |
Processing a copy command directed to a first storage architecture for data that is stored in a second storage architecture
Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for processing a copy command indicating a source set comprising a subset of source logical addresses to copy to an indicated target set comprising a subset of target logical addresses. Complete is expected to be returned to the copy command in response to completing the copying of the source set to the target set. A point-in-time (PiT) copy establish command is generated in response to receiving the copy command, indicating the source and target sets in the copy command, The generated PiT copy command is executed to generate copy information indicating the source and target sets of source logical addresses and whether they have been copied to the target set. Complete is returned to the copy command after generating the copy information and before copying all the source logical addresses to the target logical addresses. |
| US09116848B1 |
Method of detecting data loss using multiple references to a file in a deduplication backup system
A system and method for improving data loss prevention (DLP) using multiple references to a file in a deduplication backup system is described. In one embodiment, a deduplication backup system generates multiple references to a file. A detection system, operating in the deduplication system or in a data loss prevention (DLP) system coupled to the deduplication system, detects the multiple references, generated by the deduplication system, determines whether the file of at least one of the multiple references is stored outside a domain as specified by a DLP policy, and detects a violation of the DLP policy when the file is stored at a location outside of the specified domain. |
| US09116846B2 |
Virtual machine backup from storage snapshot
Disclosed herein are system, method, and computer program product embodiments for virtual machine (VM) backup from a storage snapshot. An embodiment operates by receiving selective backup parameters including a VM to backup and then creating a VM snapshot associated with the VM. Next, an offset table associated with a virtual disk of the VM stored on a storage is retrieved. The embodiment further includes generating a storage snapshot and deleting the VM snapshot and then promoting the storage snapshot to a new logical unit number. The promoted storage snapshot is then mounted to the backups server. The virtual disk data is backed up to a backup storage using the offset table from the storage snapshot. The storage snapshot is dismounted from the backup server and deleted from the storage. |
| US09116841B2 |
Methods and systems for securely transferring embedded code and/or data designed for a device to a customer
The invention relates to methods and systems for securely transferring embedded code or data to a customer, in particular to methods and systems for securely transferring embedded code, data files or program files designed for a device to a customer in order to prevent the embedded code, data files or program files from being used on unauthorized devices. |
| US09116835B1 |
Method and apparatus for estimating cerebral cortical source activations from electroencephalograms
Methods and apparatuses for estimating activation of cerebral cortical sources from scalp site measurements of electroencephalograms (EEG) from a human subject are provided. In an exemplary embodiment, a method comprises: specifying cortical neural sources within the brain of the subject; simulating activation potentials for the specified cortical neural sources; projecting the simulated cortical neural source voltage activations to scalp site measurements locations for the subject; simulating scalp voltage potentials for one or more extra-cranial sources outside the brain; constructing simulated scalp site voltage potentials from the projected simulated modeled cortical neural source voltage activations and the simulated extra-cranial scalp voltage potentials; comparing the simulated scalp site voltage potentials and the electroencephalograms scalp site measurements for the subject; and adjusting parameters for simulating the cortical neural source voltage activations until the simulated scalp site voltage potentials generally correspond to the electroencephalograms scalp site measurements based on the comparison. |
| US09116827B2 |
System and method for optimizing luby transform (LT) codes to facilitate data transmission over communication network
A system(s), method(s) and computer program product to optimize Luby Transform codes to facilitate a transmission of data over a communication network are disclosed. Demands from various sinks are received and a demand vector is calculated. Various sources are employed with LT codes to encode the data. A Generalized LT code (GLT) is generated for an objective function determined for a given demand vector irrespective of the LT codes employed at the sources. Morphing rules are designed by optimizing a degree distribution of the data and mapping LT codes to the generalized LT codes. The GLT is optimized by using a linear transformation to obtain optimal morphing rules. The LT codes are retargeted by re-encoding an LT encoded data to further obtain an LT re-encoded data. The LT re-encoded data is then transmitted by a relay device to plurality of sinks. |
| US09116813B2 |
Data returned responsive to executing a Start Subchannel instruction
An abstraction for storage class memory is provided that hides the details of the implementation of storage class memory from a program, and provides a standard channel programming interface for performing certain actions, such as controlling movement of data between main storage and storage class memory or managing storage class memory. |
| US09116806B2 |
Methods for diagnosing entities associated with software components
In one embodiment, a method includes recording event history information for one or more events associated with an entity; evaluating the event history information for each of the one or more events associated with the entity against a symptom rule, wherein the symptom rule defines a validity state of a diagnosis; issuing a subscription to one or more subscribers, wherein the subscription enables the one or more subscribers to receive diagnosis information; and indicating the validity state of the diagnosis to the subscriber, wherein the recording and the evaluating are performed independently such that the issuing and the event history information and the are substantially decoupled. Other methods are also described, according to various embodiments. |
| US09116804B2 |
Transient detection for predictive health management of data processing systems
Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with transient detection for predictive health management are described. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a health signal from a data outlet. The health signal corresponds to a derivative variable derived from a combination of data processing system metrics not exposed beyond the data outlet. A transient is detected in the health signal. In response to detecting the transient, the method includes performing a corrective action. The example method may also include detecting the transient in a health signal from a data processing system by collecting historical values of the health signal; selecting a first statistical model that best fits the historical values; receiving a present value of the health signal; and applying the first statistical model to the present value of the health signal to determine whether the present value of the health signal is a transient. |
| US09116802B2 |
Diagnostic notification via package update manager
Embodiments relate to systems and methods for diagnostic notification via a package update manager. A physical or virtual client machine can host a set of installed software packages, including operating system, application, and/or other software. A package manager tracks the set of installed packages and updates available for the installed set. A notification tool, in conjunction with the package manager, can monitor the user's selection of package update options, and compare those updates to a diagnostic database and/or current state of the client machine. Based on those determinations, the notification tool can generate notifications to the user advising them of potential conflicts, faults, or other conditions that may arise due to, or may surround, the prospective package update. The notification can permit the user to continue or terminate selected updates, and the notification tool can re-analyze any potential faults after an update is completed. |
| US09116795B2 |
Non-volatile memory devices using a mapping manager
Storage devices herein include a non-volatile memory and a controller configured to perform a read operation on a physical page of the non-volatile memory in response to a read request on a logical page of the non-volatile memory from a host. The controller may include a mapping manager configured to manage a plurality of logical blocks by a logical unit. The mapping manager may include a unit map table including a correlation between the logical unit and a physical unit corresponding to the logical unit. Additionally, the mapping manager may be configured to change a mapping method according to whether the unit map table includes a physical unit corresponding to a logical unit including a logical page requested by the host. Related user devices and electronic devices are also provided. |
| US09116794B2 |
Storage device data protection system
An exemplary embodiment provides a non-transitory storage medium encoded with a computer readable program executable by the computer, for writing data in a semiconductor storage device capable of storing a plurality of bits in one memory cell. The program causes the computer to perform an allocation step of allocating a first area for storing first data in a storage area of a semiconductor storage device and a writing step of writing the first data only in an area of use, with a prescribed size from a boundary of the first area being defined as a protection area and a remaining area being defined as the area of use in response to a request for writing the first data. |
| US09116792B2 |
Data storage device and method for flash block management
The invention provides a data storage device. In one embodiment, the data storage device comprises a flash memory and a controller. The flash memory comprises a spare block pool and a data block pool, wherein the spare block pool comprises a plurality of spare blocks, and the data block pool comprises a plurality of data blocks. The controller determines a minimum erase count from the erase counts of the spare blocks and the data blocks, adds a first difference to the minimum erase count to obtain a jail threshold, compares the erase counts of the spare blocks with the jail threshold to obtain a plurality of jail blocks with the erase counts greater than the jail threshold, and confines the jail blocks to a jail pool. |
| US09116791B2 |
Method for flash-memory management
A SIM card including: (a) a first NVM for storing user data; and (b) a second NVM, separate from the first NVM, for storing management data related to the user data. Preferably, the first NVM is block-erasable and the second NVM is word-erasable erasable. Preferably, the first NVM is a flash memory and the second NVM is an EEPROM. Preferably, the management data includes a mapping table for mapping virtual addresses, of the first NVM, to physical device addresses. Preferably, the user data and the management data are organized in a file system. Most preferably, the management data includes at least one file allocation table. Most preferably, the management data includes at least one files directory, wherein at least one files directory includes at least one item selected from the group consisting of: a file name, a file size, a file attribute, and a physical address of a file sector. |
| US09116785B2 |
Embedded tester
A tester on a device under test to test component circuitry of the device under test, the tester comprising: logic configured with firmware to implement test circuitry comprising: protocol generators that are configurable to generate protocols; pattern generators that are configurable to provide test patterns that are drivable according to one or more of the protocols; and a system controller to select, in response to a program input, a test pattern and a protocol with which to test the component circuitry. |
| US09116784B2 |
System and method for preventing vehicle from rolling over in curved lane
The present invention proposes a system and method for preventing a vehicle from rolling over in curved lane. The road images captured by the image capture devices are used to calculate road information. The road information together with the vehicular dynamic information, such as the speed and acceleration of the vehicle are used to predict the rollover angle and lateral acceleration of the vehicle moving on the curved lane. The height of the gravity center and critical rollover speed of the vehicle moving on the curved lane are worked out and used to define a vehicular rollover index. If the vehicular rollover index exceeds a preset value, the system warns the driver or directly controls the speed of the vehicle to prevent the vehicle from rolling over in the curved lane. |
| US09116780B2 |
Method for modeling source code having code segments that lack source location
A system and method for modeling code segments that do not have a location is disclosed. Source code may be indexed and modeled in a data graph with nodes representing code elements and edges representing relationships between nodes. However, some code elements may be hidden or implicit and therefore may lack location information. In these cases, code figments are created and represented as nodes in the graph. Figment nodes may be specially designated so that the figment nodes may be easily distinguished from real source code nodes. The graph is then updated to include location information for the code figments in the nodes that interact with the hidden or implicit code. The data graph may then be provided to a user or as a service to be used by coding tools. |
| US09116775B2 |
Relationship-based dynamic firmware management system
A system management information handling system (IHS) includes a processing system. A memory system is coupled to the processing system and includes instructions that, when executed by the processing system, cause the processing system to perform a method. The method includes discovering a plurality of components in a networked system and a current firmware image included on each of the plurality of components. The method further includes determining a plurality of relationships between the plurality of components. The method further includes retrieving a firmware compatibility table that includes compatible firmware details for at least one component combination. The method further includes providing an updated firmware image for each of at least a subset of the plurality of components based on the relationships between the subset of the plurality of components and compatible firmware details for the plurality of components. |
| US09116774B2 |
Firmware updates for multiple product configurations
Techniques described herein relate to updating firmware of multiple non-volatile memory devices having diverse configurations using a common update file. The non-volatile memory device may include a flash memory device having a non-volatile memory array. Particular implementations described herein relate to circuits, devices, systems, and methods that update, with a common update file, firmware residing on multiple non-volatile memory devices having diverse configurations. |
| US09116770B2 |
Recipe-based application conversion
An installation package associated with an application is obtained. Installation of the application in a first type of system is analyzed based at least in part on the installation package. A first set of changes made to the first type of system resulting from installation of the application in the first type of system is identified. Based on the first set of changes, a second set of changes made to a second type of system resulting from installation of the application in the second type of system is identified, and a recipe identifying the second set of changes is generated. A new installation package associated with the application can also be generated. This new installation package is configured for installation of the application on the second type of system, and is based at least in part on both the recipe and the installation package. |
| US09116768B1 |
Systems and methods for deploying applications included in application containers
The disclosed computer-implemented method for deploying applications included in application containers may include (1) identifying an application container that includes an application and facilitates transferring the application to a deployment environment, (2) performing a reconnaissance analysis on the deployment environment by identifying one or more properties of the deployment environment, (3) determining, based at least in part on the reconnaissance analysis, that the deployment environment meets a predetermined threshold of requirements for securely executing the application, and then (4) transferring the application included in the application container to the deployment environment in response to determining that the deployment environment meets the predetermined threshold. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed. |
| US09116766B2 |
Extensible applications using a mobile application framework
In an example embodiment, a mobile application framework is provided. This includes a core component configured to expose one or more application program interfaces (APIs) that initialize the mobile application framework when executed. This also includes a user interface component configured to encapsulate a metadata-driven view for the mobile application. This also includes a data component configured to provide bindings to one or more business objects defining data for the mobile application. This also includes a configuration component configured to read and parse metadata in the one or more configuration files and transform the metadata to constructs native to the mobile application. |
| US09116764B2 |
Balanced pseudo-random binary sequence generator
Disclosed is a method for producing, in an electronic circuit, a varying digital output in response to edges of a received clock signal. The method includes generating, within circuitry of the electronic circuit, an unbalanced, pseudo-random binary output of the circuitry. The method also includes generating, within the electronic circuit and from the received clock, a sub-rate clock version of the received clock. The method also includes carrying out, within the electronic circuit, an exclusive OR operation between the sub-rate clock and the pseudo-random binary output of the circuitry to produce a balanced, pseudo-random binary output. |
| US09116746B2 |
Workflows and presets for workflows
A system generate a workflow identifier, create a workflow that includes a first work unit, assign the workflow identifier to the workflow, update the workflow by adding a second work unit to the workflow, receive a work order to process the workflow, decompose the workflow into constituent work units in response to the work order, instantiate tasks that correspond to the constituent work units, and execute a work unit process for each of the tasks. |
| US09116740B2 |
Method for generating a machine heartbeat
A method and system for generating a heartbeat of a process including at least one machine configured to perform a process cycle consisting of a plurality of timed events performed in a process sequence under an identified condition includes determining the duration of each of the timed events during the process cycle performed under the identified condition, ordering the durations of the plurality of timed events in the process sequence, and generating a heartbeat defined by the ordered durations of a process cycle. The identified condition may be one of a design intent, baseline, learnt, known, current or prior condition. The variance of the heartbeat between a first and at least a second identified condition may be analyzed to monitor and/or control the process or machine. The system may display the process heartbeat information and may generate a message in response to the heartbeat and/or variance thereof. |
| US09116737B2 |
Conversion of virtual disk snapshots between redo and copy-on-write technologies
A framework for converting between copy-on-write (COW) and redo-based technologies is disclosed. To take a virtual disk snapshot, disk descriptor files, which include metadata information about data stored in virtual volumes (vvols), are “swizzled” such that the descriptor file for a latest redo log, to which IOs are currently performed, points to the base vvol of a COW-based vvol hierarchy. A disk descriptor file previously associated with the base vvol may also be updated to point to the vvol newly created by the snapshot operation. To revert to an earlier disk state, a snapshot may be taken before copying contents of a snapshot vvol of the COW-based vvol hierarchy to a base vvol of the hierarchy, thereby ensuring that the reversion can be rolled back if it is unsuccessful. Reference counting is performed to ensure that vvols in the vvol hierarchy are not orphaned in delete and revert use cases. Differences between vvols in the COW-based vvol hierarchy are used to clone the hierarchy and to migrate the hierarchy to a redo-based disk hierarchy. |
| US09116736B2 |
Virtualized movement of enhanced network services associated with a virtual machine
In one embodiment, a method comprises detecting an initiation of a movement process of a virtual machine executed by a first physical host to a destination physical host; initiating a transfer of a stateful process executed by a first network entity and providing enhanced network services for the virtual machine executed in the first physical host, including causing execution parameters for the enhanced network services to be sent to a second network entity; and completing the movement process of the virtual machine to the destination physical host in response to detecting the stateful process is executing in the second network entity and is ready to provide the enhanced network services for execution of the virtual machine in the destination physical host. |
| US09116733B2 |
Automated provisioning of secure virtual execution environment using virtual machine templates based on requested activity
Approaches for executing untrusted software on a client without compromising the client using micro-virtualization to execute untrusted software in isolated contexts. A template for instantiating a virtual machine on a client is identified in response to receiving a request to execute an application. After the template is identified, without human intervention, a virtual machine is instantiated, using the template, in which the application is to be executed. The template may be selected from a plurality of templates based on the nature of the request, as each template describe characteristics of a virtual machine suitable for a different type of activity. When the client determines that the application has ceased to execute, the client ceases execution of the virtual machine without human intervention. |
| US09116730B1 |
Gadget container verification
A system, method, and computer program product verifies web page containers of software gadgets. A request for a software gadget is received by a gadget server from a web browser at a client. The request includes a container web page parameter that identifies a web page. The gadget server determines whether the identified web page is an acceptable web page for containing the requested software gadget. If it is determined to be acceptable, the requested software gadget is prepared by inserting container verification code into the gadget. When the prepared software gadget is provided to the client, the container verification code executes and ensures that the requested software gadget is contained within the identified web page. The container verification code may include code for setting a container web page of the prepared software gadget to be the identified web page and for preventing unnecessary page reloads. |
| US09116728B2 |
Providing a persona-based application experience
Technologies are described herein for providing; a persona-based application experience. A query for a location of a persona package is received from a virtualization client. When the query is received, a current persona of a user requesting execution of a virtualized application is determined. The location of the persona package corresponding to the current persona of the user is determined. The location of the persona package is sent to the virtualization client in response to the query. The virtualization client is configured to execute the virtualized application adapted to the persona package. |
| US09116726B2 |
Virtual disk snapshot consolidation using block merge
A virtualized computer system employs a virtual disk. Multiple snapshots of the virtual disk can be created. After a snapshot is created, writes to the virtual disk are captured in delta disks. Two snapshots are consolidated by updating block references in snapshot meta data. Block reference update takes advantage of the fact that blocks for the two snapshot are managed within the same storage container and, therefore, can be moved in the snapshot logical space without incurring data copy operations. Consolidation of delta disks also gracefully handles failures during the consolidation operation and can be restarted anew after the system has recovered from failure. |
| US09116723B2 |
Communication device or media device for providing phone calling service, internet access service, or digital content service
A portable device for phone calling, Internet access, or for playing media is herein disclosed and enabled. The portable device may support autorun. The portable device is connectable to a computing device over a wired interface for running, at the computing device, at least part of the software stored in the portable device. The wired interface includes, for example, a USB, a SD card, or an Ethernet among others. A wireless interface, such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth®, may additionally be included. Exemplary services that may be deployed with the portable device include a phone calling service. Other exemplary services may include adding a wireless interface to a computing device, or providing a wireless Internet access service. Additional exemplary services may include outputting or playing of digital content from a smart phone to an output device, such as a printer, projector or television. |
| US09116722B2 |
System and method for context aware dynamic ribbon
Predicting user actions and preemptively modifying a device in such a way as to make performing those actions easier. More specifically, a dynamic ribbon (DR) which comprises a ribbon whose contents and attributes can be changed dynamically based on anticipated user actions. The anticipated user action is facilitated by modifying the DR according to a preference to make some information available and/or make some action easier to perform. |
| US09116717B2 |
Run-time interception of software methods
The present disclosure involves systems and computer-implemented methods for installing software hooks. One process includes identifying a target method and a hook code, where the hook code is to execute instead of at least a portion of the target method, and wherein the target method and the hook code are executed within a managed code environment. A compiled version of the target method and a compiled version of the hook code are located in memory, where the compiled versions of the target method and the hook code are compiled in native code. Then, the compiled version of the target method is modified to direct execution of at least a portion of the compiled version of the target method to the compiled version of the hook code. The non-compiled version of the target method may be originally stored as bytecode. The managed code environment may comprise a managed .NET environment. |
| US09116713B1 |
System and method for expression evaluation in a distributed networking environment
Disclosed are systems and methods for evaluating expressions in a distributed networking environment. A data object associated with an expression may be retrieved. The data object may include intermediate code that is a compiled representation of the expression. A value of an identifier included in the intermediate code may be identified. The identifier may provide information about a version of a target system for which the intermediate code was compiled. A system component may determine whether the version of the target system for which the intermediate code was compiled is a current version of the target system by analyzing the value of the identifier. The intermediate code may be regenerated if the version of the target system for which the intermediate code was compiled is not current. The intermediate code might not be regenerated if the version of the target system for which the intermediate code was compiled is current. |
| US09116703B2 |
Semi-static power and performance optimization of data centers
A device may receive information that identifies a first task to be processed, may determine a performance metric value indicative of a behavior of a processor while processing a second task, and may assign, based on the performance metric value, the first task to a bin for processing the first task, the bin including a set of processors that operate based on a power characteristic. |
| US09116702B2 |
Computer memory power management
A method of operating a computer memory system with ECC features that will enable operational modes with less electrical power consumption. A chip mark normally used to mark a failing DRAM device may instead be used to mark a non-failing DRAM device before a computer memory system shuts off electrical power to the marked non-failing DRAM device to reduce power consumption, putting the rank of memory that contains the DRAM device in a low power consumption mode. Upon a request from the computer memory system, the chip mark may be removed from the marked non-failing DRAM device in order to return the non-failing DRAM device to normal operation. |
| US09116700B2 |
Computer memory power management
A method of operating a computer memory system with ECC features that will enable operational modes with less electrical power consumption. A chip mark normally used to mark a failing DRAM device may instead be used to mark a non-failing DRAM device before a computer memory system shuts off electrical power to the marked non-failing DRAM device to reduce power consumption, putting the rank of memory that contains the DRAM device in a low power consumption mode. Upon a request from the computer memory system, the chip mark may be removed from the marked non-failing DRAM device in order to return the non-failing DRAM device to normal operation. |
| US09116699B2 |
Memory refresh rate throttling for saving idle power
A computer system maintains a threshold value, wherein the threshold value indicates a period of time. The computer system determines that a processor is in any one of a plurality of low power consumption states. Responsive to a determination that the processor is in any one of the plurality of low power consumption states, the computer system increments a counter. The counter indicates the period of time the processor has been in any one of the plurality of low power consumption state. The computing system determines that the counter value is equal to or greater than the threshold value. Responsive to a determination that the counter value is equal to or greater than the threshold value, the computer system sends a first indication to a memory module indicating to the memory module to reduce the memory module refresh rate. |
| US09116695B2 |
Storage medium storing input/output setting program, storage medium storing output setting program, and data processing apparatus
A non-transitory computer readable medium stores instructions that, when executed, cause a data processing apparatus, which includes a first input/output section and which is driven by a battery, to: judge whether the first input/output section is set as the input/output section; judge whether the remaining battery level of the battery is not less than a first reference remaining level; judge whether the data processing apparatus includes a second input/output section requiring a power consumption lower than that of the first input/output section; and switch or output a notification to switch the input/output section from the first input/output section to the second input/output section, in a case that the first input/output section is set as the input/output section; that the remaining battery level is less than the first reference remaining level; and that the data processing apparatus includes the second input/output section. |
| US09116690B2 |
Method, system, and apparatus for dynamic thermal management
A method, apparatus, article of manufacture, and system, the method including, in some embodiments, processing a computational load by a first core of a multi-core processor, and dynamically distributing at least a portion of the computational load to a second core of the multi-core processor to reduce a power density of the multi-core processor for the processing of the computational load. |
| US09116683B2 |
Control device, control method, and system
A control device, mounted removably on a substrate, includes a power outage detection unit that detects disconnection of electrical connection of a signal line that is wired to a power supply device on the substrate and detects a power outage state of the power supply device, and an output unit that outputs a power outage signal to a control target device on the substrate that executes predetermined power outage process, in a case that disconnection of the electrical connection of the signal line is detected by the power outage detection unit, after a lapse of a fixed time from detection of disconnection of the electrical connection of the signal line. |
| US09116681B2 |
Workflow schedule authoring tool
A workflow schedule authoring tool enables a user to author a workflow by arranging building blocks in a particular order. Building blocks may correspond to events, conditions or actions. Each building block is associated with source code that defines an action to be taken when the building block is processed. The order of the building blocks determines the workflow schedule process. The building blocks allow a user to establish logic conditions for how the tasks in the workflow schedule are executed. A building block may require a user to input parameters before the building block may be executed. The workflow schedule is associated with an event such that the workflow schedule triggers when the event occurs. The building blocks simplify workflow schedule authoring because the user does not need to write any code. |
| US09116679B2 |
Storage device powered by a communications interface
A storage device including a communications interface configured to receive data and power, a plurality of disk drives configured to be powered only by the power received by the communications interface, a controller configured to configure the plurality of disk drives as a redundant array of independent disks, a power regulator configured to transmit the received power from the communications interface to the plurality of disk drives, and a peak current reduction circuit configured to reduce peak current usage by the plurality of disk drives. |
| US09116677B2 |
System and method for managing a thermal policy of a receiving device that couples to a portable computing device
A method and system for managing a thermal policy of a receiving device that couples to a portable computing device (PCD) includes automatically detecting a presence of the PCD. After detecting the presence of the PCD, a command to deactivate a thermal sensor and to deactivate a power supply within the PCD may be issued. The thermal policy manager module of the receiving device may issue a command to adjust an operating condition of a processor within the PCD if a temperature value reaches a predetermined value. The thermal policy manager module may also adjust operation of an active cooling device if the temperature value sensed by a sensor within the PCD reaches a predetermined value. The receiving device may include at least one of a docking station, a tablet personal computer, a laptop personal computer, a desktop personal computer, a portable media player, a portable television, and a printer. |
| US09116676B2 |
Power distribution to computer system
Power distribution to computer systems. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are systems including a power supply configured to convert an alternating current (AC) power signal to a direct current (DC) power signal (and the power supply comprising a first power port and a second power port, the second power port different than the first power port), a first computer system coupled to the first power port (the power supply configured to provide DC operational power to the first computer system through the first power port, and the first computer system the only computer system receiving operational power through the first power port), and a second computer system different than the first computer system (the power supply configured to provide DC operational power to the second computer system through the second power port, and the second computer system the only computer system receiving power from the second power port). |
| US09116675B2 |
System and method to identify a median value
A system and method for determining a median value in a set of values in a digital processing circuit is provided. The method comprises the following steps—(a) for each value in the set, comparing the value to each other value in the set, (b) for each comparison, assigning an index based upon the comparison and (c) repeating steps (a) and (b) for each value in the set. The method further comprises (d) performing an arithmetic operation based upon the indices for each value, (e) comparing the result of step (d) with a threshold and (f) selecting the median value based upon the comparison performed in step (e). |
| US09116670B2 |
Surface contact for a support component
A surface contact for a support component is described. The support component, for example, can serve as a “kickstand” that can be positioned to support the apparatus in a variety of orientations relative to an adjacent surface. A surface contact disposed on the support component can serve as an interface (e.g., a “foot”) for the support component on the adjacent surface. For instance, the surface contact can be formed from a slip-resistant material such that slippage of the support component on an adjacent surface is reduced or eliminated. In at least some embodiments, the surface contact is embedded with a material that responds to a magnetic field, e.g., a ferromagnetic material. The surface contact is attracted to magnets on an adjacent edge of the attached apparatus, thus stabilizing the support component in a closed position. |
| US09116668B2 |
Panel protecting device of flat panel electronic device and flat panel electronic device
The present invention provides a panel protecting device of a flat panel electronic device and a flat panel electronic device. The panel protecting device comprises: a sensor for detecting one or more of a falling speed, a falling time and a falling distance of the flat panel electronic device in a vertical direction when the flat panel electronic device is only under gravity; and a protecting means for being mounted around a panel of the flat panel electronic device. The protecting means has a rest position and a protruding position. The protecting means is accommodated in a recess of the flat panel electronic device when the protecting means is in the rest position and protrudes from the panel when the protecting means is in the protruding position. The protecting means moves to the protruding position from the rest position automatically when the one or more of the falling speed, the falling time and the falling distance is greater than or equal to a predetermined value. The panel protecting device of the flat panel electronic device provided by the present invention is able to protrude the protecting means automatically when the movement of the panel protecting device is determined to be the accidental falling, so as to prevent the panel from contacting with the ground and further avoid the damage of the panel. |
| US09116659B2 |
Server
A server comprises a frame, a middle plate fixed inside the frame, a vertical plate vertically erected on the middle plate and electrically connected to the middle plate, a mainframe detachably disposed inside the frame, a hard disk module and a power supply detachably disposed inside the frame. The vertical plate comprises a first electrical connector. The mainframe comprises a second electrical connector. The second electrical connector is electrically connected to the first electrical connector. The hard disk module can be detachably disposed inside the frame and electrically connected to the middle plate so that the hard disk module can transmit data to the mainframe via the middle plate and the vertical plate. The power supply is disposed below the mainframe and electrically connected to the middle plate so that the power supply can transmit electric current to the mainframe via the middle plate and the vertical plate. |
| US09116657B1 |
Invariant referencing in digital works
A method of presenting a digital work includes displaying a portion of the digital work on a display screen under a set of display conditions, and providing one or more invariant location reference identifiers corresponding to the portion of the digital work on the display screen. The invariant location reference identifiers are separate from the digital work, and each invariant location reference identifier is provided along with the corresponding portion of the digital work, regardless of the display conditions under which the portion of the digital work is displayed. |
| US09116655B2 |
L bracket for handheld device activators
A housing for a handheld computing device can include an outer shell having a base and a sidewall connected to a periphery of the base, the sidewall having a port configured to receive a button and the outer shell having an inner surface and an outer surface and a backing plate connected to the inner surface of the outer shell, the backing plate having a front edge and a rear edge, the front edge being positioned a predetermined height above the base, the rear edge being positioned adjacent to the base, the backing plate being positioned adjacent to the sidewall having the port and spaced apart from the sidewall by a predetermined distance to provide rigidity to the button and to define a datum for positioning a component within the housing. |
| US09116653B2 |
Terminal apparatus and scanner interacting to perform scan functions using different communication schemes
A terminal apparatus may receive first information relating to a first function executing apparatus from the first function executing apparatus. The first function executing apparatus may be configured to execute a scan function. The terminal apparatus may select, by using the first information, a particular communication scheme from among M1 items of communication schemes in a case where the first information is received. Each of the M1 items of communication schemes may be different from each other and may be a communication scheme available for the first function executing apparatus to send scan data. The terminal apparatus may send a first selection result indicating the particular communication scheme to the first function executing apparatus in a case where the particular communication scheme is selected from among the M1 items of communication schemes. |
| US09116652B2 |
Image forming method and apparatus using near field communication
An image forming apparatus having at least one of print, scan, copy, fax, and web browsing functions, the image forming apparatus including a near field communication (NFC) module to detect a mobile terminal through NFC, a touch panel to display an interactive screen on which at least one object appears and to receive an input of a gesture with respect to the object from a user, and a control unit to interpret a gesture from the user based on a relative position relationship between the NFC module and the touch panel and to transmit the object to the mobile terminal according to a result of the interpretation of the gesture. |
| US09116651B2 |
Image processing apparatus, control method, and recording medium storing computer program for image processing
An information transmission apparatus receives information indicating a display language type of a web page to be displayed on a web browser included in an information processing apparatus, and determines whether a display language type of a screen displayed on a display unit included in the information transmission apparatus matches the display language type indicated by the received information. If the display languages do not match, the information transmission apparatus changes the display language of the screen displayed on the display unit to the display language indicated by the received information, generates a web page including image data indicating a screen of a changed display language type, and transmits the generated web page to the information processing apparatus. |
| US09116649B2 |
Image forming apparatus with unit determining whether operation information is transmitted to log storage server
A CPU of an image forming apparatus acquires a transmission instruction for a log, destination information on a WebDAV server, authentication information, and the like from a management server in accordance with a schedule set by the management server, determines whether or not special log information is to be transmitted to the WebDAV server in accordance with a link speed with respect to the WebDAV server, and notifies the management server of an error when it is determined that the special log information is not to be transmitted. Further, when it is determined that the special log information is to be transmitted, the CPU transmits the special log information to the WebDAV server by using the destination information and the authentication information. |
| US09116645B1 |
Methods and systems for granting partial or full access to an application based on level of confidence that print corresponds to user profile
Systems and methods are provided herein for determining whether full or partial access to an application should be granted based on whether a full print or a partial print is detected. The control circuitry may then identify a user profile corresponding to a print. Control circuitry may determine a level of confidence that the print corresponds to the user profile. Control circuitry may determine whether to provide the user full access to the application by comparing the level of confidence to a threshold, where, if the level of confidence exceeds the threshold, the user is granted full access to the application. In the case that the level of confidence does not exceed the threshold, the control circuitry may compare the level of confidence to a different threshold, where, if the different threshold is exceeded, the user may be granted partial access to the application. |
| US09116639B2 |
Maintaining synchronization during vertical blanking
Embodiments of an apparatus for implementing a display port interface are disclosed. The apparatus may include a source processor and a sink processor coupled through an interface. The interface may include a primary link, an auxiliary link, and a hot plug detect link. The source processor may be operable to send a wake-up command to the sink processor via the auxiliary link. The source processor may send initialization parameters to the sink processor via the primary link. The initialization parameters may include a clock data recovery lock parameter and an idle parameter. Following the initialization parameters, the source processor may send a synchronization signal to the sink processor via the primary link. The source processor may then send a sleep command via the primary link to the sink processor. |
| US09116637B2 |
Control device, storage device, and computer-readable recording medium having stored therein control program
A control device controlling a plurality of disk devices to which a physical storage area is assigned in response to a logical storage area accessed from an upper device includes a processor, and the processor assigns an assignment start location of the logical storage area of the plurality disk devices to respectively different physical locations. |
| US09116635B2 |
Configure storage class memory command
An abstraction for storage class memory is provided that hides the details of the implementation of storage class memory from a program, and provides a standard channel programming interface for performing certain actions, such as controlling movement of data between main storage and storage class memory or managing storage class memory. |
| US09116629B2 |
Massively scalable object storage for storing object replicas
An example method for storing data includes providing a plurality of physical storage pools, each storage pool including a plurality of storage nodes coupled to a network. The method also includes mapping a partition of a plurality of partitions to a set of physical storage pools, where each physical storage pool of the set of physical storage pools is located in a different availability zone, and the storage nodes within an availability zone are subject to a correlated loss of access to stored data. The method further includes receiving a data management request over the network, the data management request being associated with a data object. The method also includes identifying a first partition of the plurality of partitions corresponding to the received data management request and manipulating the data object in the physical storage pools mapped to the first partition in accordance with the data management request. |
| US09116625B2 |
Write command overlap detection
The present disclosure includes methods and apparatuses that include write command overlap detection. A number of embodiments include receiving an incoming write command and comparing a logical address of the incoming write command to logical addresses of a number of write commands in a queue using a tree data structure, wherein a starting logical address and/or an ending logical address of the incoming write command and a starting logical address and/or an ending logical address of each of the number of write commands are associated with nodes in the tree data structure. |
| US09116624B2 |
Scalable storage devices
Techniques using scalable storage devices represent a plurality of host-accessible storage devices as a single logical interface, conceptually aggregating storage implemented by the devices. A primary agent of the devices accepts storage requests from the host using a host-interface protocol, processing the requests internally and/or forwarding the requests as sub-requests to secondary agents of the storage devices using a peer-to-peer protocol. The secondary agents accept and process the sub-requests, and report sub-status information for each of the sub-requests to the primary agent and/or the host. The primary agent optionally accumulates the sub-statuses into an overall status for providing to the host. Peer-to-peer communication between the agents is optionally used to communicate redundancy information during host accesses and/or failure recoveries. Various failure recovery techniques reallocate storage, reassign agents, recover data via redundancy information, or any combination thereof. |
| US09116618B2 |
Terminal having touch screen and method for displaying key on terminal
A terminal having a touch screen and a method for displaying a key corresponding to an area in which an input event by a user is detected on the terminal are provided. The method includes in a character input mode, determining whether a touch event is detected in a key display area including at least one key area, when the touch event is detected, confirming a key area of the key display area in which the touch event is detected, and displaying a key recognition item on the key area. |
| US09116617B2 |
User interface enhancement system
A user interface enhancement system that includes a sheet that defines a surface and at least partially defines a fluid vessel arranged underneath the surface, a volume of fluid contained within the fluid vessel that cooperates with the sheet to transmit an image through the sheet without substantial obstruction, a displacement device that influences the volume of fluid within the fluid vessel to expand and retract at least a portion of the fluid vessel, thereby deforming a particular region of the surface, and an attachment component that couples the sheet to the device is disclosed. |
| US09116611B2 |
Devices, methods, and graphical user interfaces for providing multitouch inputs and hardware-based features using a single touch input
An electronic device with a display and a touch-sensitive surface displays, on the display, a first visual indicator. The electronic device receives a first single touch input on the touch-sensitive surface at a location that corresponds to the first visual indicator; and, in response to detecting the first single touch input on the touch-sensitive surface at a location that corresponds to the first visual indicator, replaces display of the first visual indicator with display of a first menu. The first menu includes a virtual touches selection icon. In response to detecting selection of the virtual touches selection icon, the electronic device displays a menu of virtual multitouch contacts. |
| US09116607B2 |
Interface including selectable items corresponding to single or multiple data items
An interface may include a first portion of a linear scale having first upper and lower bounds and a first plurality of indicators identifying first demarcations of the linear scale between the first upper and lower bounds. A first selectable item corresponding to a single data item and a second selectable corresponding to multiple data items may be arranged along the linear scale. When the second selectable item is selected, the interface may be modified to include a second portion of the linear scale having second upper and lower bounds and the multiple data items corresponding to the second selectable item. |
| US09116606B2 |
Electronic device and data control method thereof
An electronic device and data control method are provided. The electronic device includes a connector which is connected to an external storage medium storing media data therein; an identification unit which identifies a storage identifier (ID) of the external storage medium connected to the connector; and a controller which performs a media function corresponding to the media data stored in the external storage medium whose storage ID is identified by the identification unit. |
| US09116605B2 |
System and method for generating event distribution information
A computer system and method for generating event distribution information using an audio file and controlling events corresponding to the user inputs based on the event distribution information. The computer-implemented method includes: extracting a predefined number of event-triggering times from event distribution information, wherein the event distribution information is associated with an audio file currently played on the computer and the event-triggering times are arranged in a sequential order; determining a current play time for the audio file; and controlling event locations corresponding to user inputs on the display of the computer based on a comparison of the current play time and the extracted event-triggering times. |
| US09116603B2 |
Managing interactions with data having membership in multiple groupings
Interactions with data stored in a data storage system are managed through a view of an interface provided on a display. Information specifying multiple data elements and multiple groupings of related data elements is received. At least one of the data elements is a member of multiple of the groupings. A view is rendered that includes tokens representing respective data elements. At least some tokens include a selectable indicator including portions that indicate membership of the data element represented by that token in each of multiple groupings of related data elements. A first selection of a portion of one of the selectable indicators is received, corresponding to a first selected grouping of related data elements. In response to the first selection, tokens representing one or more other members of the first selected grouping of related data elements are rendered in the view. |
| US09116602B2 |
Providing customization of context based menus
Context based menus are customizable to extend features to meet user demand. An application providing the context based menu reads a custom configuration from an XML file or receives input through a user interface to construct a context based menu. The custom configuration hosts attribute information for placement of controls, visualization or controls, and/or behavior of controls in the menu. Custom configuration is editable and provides features to add and remove controls from a default context based menu. |
| US09116595B2 |
Device, method, and storage medium storing program
According to an aspect, a device includes a touch screen display and a controller. The touch screen display displays a home screen. When a flick gesture in a first direction is performed on a first home screen displayed on the touch screen display, the controller changes the first home screen to a second home screen according to a first rule. When a flick gesture in a second direction is performed on the first home screen displayed on the touch screen display, the controller changes the first home screen to a third home screen according to a second rule. |
| US09116593B2 |
Single-axis window manager
A system and a method are disclosed for implementing a single-axis window manager on a mobile computing device to view and access multiple applications in a limited display area utilizing limited input capabilities. The mobile computing device initializes a virtual display space having a first dimension with a fixed size. For example, the virtual display space is initialized to have a horizontal dimension equal to the horizontal dimension of the display screen. At least one window is generated having a fixed size in the first dimension but also sizeable in a second direction. For example, the at least one window has a fixed horizontal dimension but is vertically sizeable. The at least one window is then inserted into the virtual display space and displayed on a display device. |
| US09116588B2 |
Signal processing circuit of touch screen
A signal processing circuit of a touch screen is provided. The signal processing circuit can include driving and sensing lines arranged to interact with one another in a touch screen panel, power sources supplying power to each of the driving lines, and sensing channels detecting touch by sensing a mutual capacitance on a node where the sensing line interacts with the driving line. The circuit can also include driving line switches selectively connecting the power sources to the driving lines, channel switches selectively connecting the sensing channels to the sensing lines, and a bypass line allowing the driving line to be connected to the sensing line by operation of the channel switches. |
| US09116587B2 |
Touch panel and a manufacturing method thereof
The present disclosure provides a method for manufacturing a touch panel, wherein the method comprises: forming a touch sensing layer on a visible region and a non-visible region of a cover substrate, wherein the non-visible region is located at periphery of the visible region forming a first opaque insulating layer on the touch sensing layer in the non-visible region; forming a wiring layer on the first opaque insulating layer: and forming a conductive layer to electrically connect the wiring layer and the touch sensing layer. Moreover, the present disclosure also provides a touch panel. Accordingly, the touch sensing accuracy is maintained, and the production rate is improved. |
| US09116585B2 |
Capacitive stylus
A capacitive stylus includes: a hollow stylus stick; a soft touch member made of conductive plastic or rubber in the form of a hollow housing, the soft touch member having a domed touch end; a connection collar assembled with an end section of the stylus stick, the connection collar and the soft touch member together defining an internal space; a support member disposed in the internal space, the support member being made of a rubber material with hardness greater than that of the soft touch member; and a rest seat assembled with the support member, the support member being spaced from the soft touch member by a gap and formed with a multi-support structure facing the soft touch member. In operation, the soft touch member can keep a proper softness without being over-deformed or collapsed. |
| US09116583B1 |
Dampening thumb movement on a touch-sensitive input device
In one aspect of the present disclosure, a system for dampening movement of a thumb on the surface of a touch-sensitive input device is provided. A dampening region may be defined on the surface of the input device, within which movement of a finger detected on the surface of the input device is prohibit from causing movement of a pointer on a screen unless the speed of the detected finger exceeds a speed threshold. In one aspect, the dampening region may be divided into multiple regions where each region may have a different speed threshold. In another aspect, the speed threshold may vary, for example, as a function of location on the surface of the input device or other function. |
| US09116581B2 |
Edge accuracy in a capacitive sense array
A capacitive sense array configured to improve edge accuracy in detecting a presence of a conductive object is described. In one embodiment, a capacitive sense array includes at least a first set of sense elements having non-homogenous pitches disposes in a first longitudinal axis of the capacitive sense array. The pitch includes width of the sense elements and spacing between the sense elements. |
| US09116577B2 |
Sensing method of optical touch
A sensing method of optical touch, adapted for providing and sensing a sensing beam through at least one optical sensing module, is provided. The sensing method of optical touch includes the following steps. A plurality of sensing pixel zones of the optical sensing module is selected, and a main incident angle is chosen in an incident angle range according to light intensity sensed by each of the selected sensing pixel zones, wherein the sensing beam entering the optical sensing module at the main incident angle has a maximum light intensity. Main incident angles corresponding to the unselected sensing pixel zones are computed according to the main incident angles corresponding to the selected sensing pixel zones. |
| US09116568B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
According to one embodiment, a liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a liquid crystal layer, and a common electrode. A first driving circuit and a second driving circuit output a scanning signal to a scanning line and alternately output a first auxiliary capacitive voltage and a second auxiliary capacitive voltage to a auxiliary capacitive line. A first switching circuit is connected to the first driving circuit and alternately switches between a first state and a second state. A second switching circuit is connected to the second driving circuit and alternately switches between the first state and the second state. |
| US09116565B2 |
Mobile terminal and method of controlling the mobile terminal
A mobile terminal including a wireless communication unit configured to communicate with a content provision server over a network; a touch screen display unit configured to display a first image object associated with first content downloading from the content provision server and a second image object associated with second content that can be downloaded next from the content provision server; and a controller configured to receive a first input indicating the second image object is moved to be adjacent to the first image object, and download the second content corresponding to the second image object as soon as the first content corresponding to the first image object is downloaded. |
| US09116561B2 |
Time reference systems for CPU-based and optionally FPGA-based subsystems
A time reference system includes a master clock, generating a clock reference, interface logic and a CPU-based subsystem. The interface logic receives the clock reference and generates the clock, pulses, and timestamp signals. The CPU-based subsystem includes an internal counter, a CPU and a clock synthesizer, the CPU and receiving the pulses and timestamp signals. The clock synthesizer receives the clock signal and generates a CPU clock signal. Some examples include an FPGA-based subsystem having an FPGA-based card coupled to the interface logic for receipt of the clock, pulses and timestamp signals. In a method the timestamp value TO is generated by the CPU upon receipt of the timestamp signal. Upon receipt by the CPU of the next pulse signal, a timestamp counter baseline value TSCO is generated so the CPU internal counter is calibrated to the clock signal. |
| US09116559B2 |
Optics for pencil optical input computer peripheral controller
The invention relates to mechanical construction of the optics for a pencil optical input peripheral device for fast and comfortable computer control. The input light reflecting element and at least one convex or aspherical lens is fitted above the input opening aslant to the axis of the longitudinal pencil body in the angled tube. There is a scan sensor fitted behind the output opening of the angled tube. There is also the light source beside the input opening of the angled tube in the recessed opening of the longitudinal pencil body. Axes of the light source and the input opening of the angled tube are at an acute angle. The output light reflecting element can be fitted before the scan sensor aslant to the axis of the longitudinal pencil body in the angled tube and the light permeable cover can be fitted before the input opening of the angled tube and/or behind the light source. The input light reflecting element and/or the output light reflecting element consist of plane mirrors or light reflecting prisms. |
| US09116558B2 |
Executing gestures with active stylus
In one embodiment, a stylus with one or more electrodes and one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying logic for transmitting signals wirelessly to a device through a touch sensor of the device has one or more sensors for detecting movement of the stylus. |
| US09116554B2 |
Portable input device
A portable input device includes a casing, a light sensing module and a printed circuit board. The casing includes a reflecting member. The light sensing module is movably mounted on the reflecting member and exposed from the casing. The light sensing module includes a lighting member and a sensor both facing the reflecting member. The lighting member is adapted for emitting light to the reflecting member. The sensor is adapted for receiving the light reflected by the reflecting member and configured for transmitting a sensing signal. The printed circuit board is mounted on the casing and electrically connected to the light sensing module. The printed circuit board is configured for processing the sensing signal to compute a value of movement of the light sensing module moving with respect to the reflecting member. |
| US09116550B2 |
Device kickstand
A device kickstand is described. In at least some implementations, a kickstand is rotatably attached to a mobile computing device. The kickstand can be rotated to various positions to provide support for different orientations of the computing device. In at least some implementations, hinges are employed to attach a kickstand to a mobile computing device. One example hinge utilizes preset hinge stops that enable the kickstand to be placed at different preset positions. Another example hinge exerts pressure on an edge of the kickstand, providing stability and vibration dampening to the kickstand. |
| US09116549B2 |
Electronic device having input control application
An electronic device having an input control application is disclosed. The input control application is used for enabling the electronic device to execute the following actions: obtaining a member group comprising members lined up orderly and a member as a selection member; pressing a key to generate a first signal for excluding members after the selection member, then determining if only one member left in the member group, if “No”, determining the member of the member group in the middle as the new selection member, if “Yes”, executing the input operation; pressing another key to generate a second signal for excluding the members before the current selection member, then determining if only one last member in the current member group, if No”, determining the member of the member group in the middle as the new selection member, if “Yes”, executing the input operation. |
| US09116545B1 |
Input detection
Example methods and systems determine viewing states, blinks, and blink intervals of an eye of a wearer of a head-mountable device. The head-mountable display can emit IR radiation from an associated IR radiation source toward a target location. An IR sensor associated with the head-mountable display can receive reflected IR radiation, such as the IR radiation emitted by the IR radiation source and reflected from the target location. The IR sensor can generate amplitude data for the reflected IR radiation. The head-mountable display can be used to determine a viewing state of the target location. The viewing state can be based on the amplitude data. The viewing state can determined from among a no-wearer-present viewing state, a wearer-present viewing state, a closed-eye viewing state, an open-eye viewing state, a non-display-viewing viewing state, and a display-viewing viewing state. |
| US09116539B1 |
Electrolarynx thumbwheel arrangement
An electrolarynx includes a case and a thumbwheel component within its hollow interior that includes a wheel with a peripheral edge. A wheel-receiving slot extends from the exterior surface of the case to the hollow interior, and the wheel is disposed partially within that slot so that the peripheral edge of the wheel is accessible with a finger of a user from the exterior of the case for purposes of engaging and turning the wheel. The case includes a radially outward protruding wheel-protecting structure next to the wheel-receiving slot that shields (i.e., protects) the wheel from an impact directed parallel to the rotational axis of the wheel, without the radially outward protruding wheel-protecting structure preventing the user from engaging and turning the wheel with a finger of the user. |
| US09116530B2 |
Transport refrigeration security system
A security monitor system for a transport unit is provided. The security monitor system may include at least one security sensor configured to detect a fault condition, and a controller having a plurality of inputs, a plurality of outputs, and a low power control circuit. The low power control circuit may provide electrical communication between a battery of the transport unit, the security sensor, and at least one of the inputs of the controller. The control circuit may be configured to maintain the controller in low power mode when there are no detected fault conditions, and to enable power to the controller when there is a detected fault condition. |
| US09116516B2 |
System and method for actuator control
Information from a real sensor and a virtual sensor are fused to form a hybrid sensor. Control signals (and/or the absolute value of the control signals) applied to an actuator are accumulated and converted to a position the actuator should be in based on the accumulated control signals to form the virtual sensor. The actuator position from the virtual sensor is fused with an actuator position from a real sensor to form the hybrid sensor. Small periodic corrections can be made to the accumulating control signals to maintain or achieve, if possible, correlation between the virtual sensor and the real sensor over time. The corrections slowly decrement errors in the actuator position indicated by the virtual sensor. Accumulating numerical errors in the accumulating control signals are reduced and the significance of long past events is de-emphasized by a forgetting factor (kff) used at defined periods of time (tff). |
| US09116515B2 |
In-room probability estimating apparatus, method therefor and program
A collecting unit collects detection information of human bodies present in plural rooms. The calculating unit calculates movement probabilities at which at least one of individual persons moves from one of two rooms to the other and from the other room to the one room, based on a time difference between human body detections for two rooms and a parameter depending on a movement distance between the two rooms. An updating unit calculates, for each of the rooms, first and second movement probabilities of each of the individual persons, each being a movement probability from the room to each of the other rooms and being a movement probability from each of the other rooms to the room, and updates the in-room probability of each of the individual persons for each of the rooms based on the first and second movement probabilities. |
| US09116512B2 |
Timepiece with internal antenna
A timepiece includes a case; a dial made from nonconductive material; a movement that is housed in the case and has multiple motors that drive respective staffs disposed at different locations; a patch antenna that is disposed inside the case and at the back side of the dial; and a battery that supplies power to the motors and is disposed at a position in the case that does not overlap the patch antenna in plan view. The position at which the battery is disposed overlaps at least one of the motors in plan view. |
| US09116511B2 |
Self temperature-compensated high precision event timer using standard time reference frequency and its method
The present invention makes it possible to measure a precision event time in such a way to make a reference data in accordance with a standard time reference frequency signal and to make a measurement data by using an apparatus with the same structure as a reference data with respect to a signal to be measured and to compare the measurement data with a reference data, whereby temperature effects can be minimized by making the time changes due to temperature changes occurring between two apparatuses happen equally, by providing the same structure and parts to a reference signal circuit apparatus for an event time measurement and a signal circuit apparatus to be measured, and the zero point adjustment is performed during the real time operation, so the system is not needed to stop. |
| US09116510B1 |
Micro atomic and inertial measurement unit on a chip system
A chip scale atomic clock (CSAC) accelerometer incorporates a case in which a cesium vapor resonance cell is carried. An optical laser is mounted in the case and emits a laser beam through the resonance cell. The laser is modulated by a microwave signal generator. A photon detector mounted in the case receives photons emitted by cesium atoms in the resonance cell and provides a frequency output representative of interference of energy levels of the emitted photons including momentum changes due to acceleration. |
| US09116506B2 |
Timepiece
A timepiece includes a timepiece movement provided with an information display mechanism driven from a power take-off. The display mechanism includes N display members for the information regularly distributed over a perimeter of the movement. The N display members are each pivoted on a drive arbour perpendicularly and can take different first and second radial positions in relation to the center of the movement. The display members are driven in succession over time by a common first annular jumping drive so that each display member changes in succession from the first position to the second position and is held in the second position until the end of a cycle in which all of the display members are in their second position. A second annular drive is arranged to reposition all of the display members in their first position at the start of the following cycle. |
| US09116505B2 |
Projection device and method for holographic reconstruction of scenes
A holographic reconstruction of scenes includes a light modulator, an imaging system with at least two imaging means and an illumination device with sufficient coherent light for illumination of hologram coded in the light modulator. The at least two imaging means are arranged such that a first imaging means is provided for the magnified imaging of the light modulator on a second imaging means. The second imaging means is provided for imaging of a plane of a spatial frequency spectrum of the light modulator in a viewing plane at least one viewing window. The viewing window corresponds to a diffraction order of the spatial frequency spectrum. |
| US09116504B2 |
Scanner device and device for measuring three-dimensional shape of object
A laser beam is reflected by a light beam scanning device and irradiated onto a hologram recording medium. On the hologram recording medium, an image of a linear scatter body is recorded as a hologram by using reference light that converges on a scanning origin. The light beam scanning device bends the laser beam at the scanning origin and irradiates the laser beam onto the hologram recording medium. At this time, by changing a bending mode of the laser beam with time, an irradiation position of the bent laser beam on the hologram recording medium is changed with time. Diffracted light from the hologram recording medium produces a reproduction image of the linear scatter body on a light receiving surface of the stage. When an object is placed on the light receiving surface, a line pattern is projected by hologram reproduction light, so that the projected image is captured and a three-dimensional shape of the object is measured. |
| US09116501B2 |
Connection electrode, attachment unit, and image forming apparatus comprising the same
An image forming apparatus, comprising: a frame body to which an attachment unit is detachably attachable, the attachment unit being configured to have an input electrode and to be used for image formation on a recording medium; a power source substrate configured to have an output electrode for outputting a voltage and to be attached to the frame body from an opposite side with respect to a side on which the attachment unit is attached; and a connection electrode configured to electrically connect the output electrode to the input electrode of the attachment unit, wherein the frame body comprises an insertion part into which the connection electrode is inserted from an opposite side with respect to a side on which the power source substrate is attached. |
| US09116499B1 |
Enhanced toner throughput agitator configuration for a customer replaceable unit
A customer replaceable unit for a printer includes a toner reclaim system that has a spring-like wire attached to and surrounding the bottom half of a toner agitator. As the agitator is rotated by a cleaner auger through a crankshaft connection, the spring compresses and relaxes with every revolution. This creates small vibrations which help move toner in a downward direction with the assistance of gravity into a developer sump. |
| US09116496B2 |
Image forming apparatus including fixing portion
An image forming apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes print engine portion, paper sheet detectors, and control portion. Control portion stop paper sheet conveyance, when detecting occurrence of jam. Control portion determines fixing nip position which is position of the fixing nip portion on fixing stop paper sheet, on basis of outputs of paper sheet detectors. When fixing nip position is located at leading end side half of fixing stop paper sheet in paper sheet conveying direction, control portion rotates fixing motor in reverse direction to convey fixing stop paper sheet to upstream side in paper sheet conveying direction. When fixing nip position is located at rear end side half of fixing stop paper sheet in paper sheet conveying direction, control portion rotates fixing motor in a forward direction to convey fixing stop paper sheet toward a downstream side in paper sheet conveying direction. |
| US09116493B2 |
Tandem type image forming apparatus
To facilitate replacing photosensitive drums and/or developing devices in an image forming apparatus, a photosensitive member unit including a plurality of photosensitive members is loaded in a main casing. A developing device unit including a plurality of developing devices is also loaded in the main casing. Both an intermediate transfer belt and the photosensitive member unit are configured to be movable toward and away from the developing device unit. Further, when the photosensitive member unit is separated from the developing device unit, the intermediate transfer belt and the plurality of photosensitive members are also separated from each other. |
| US09116492B2 |
Management system, management device, image forming device, management system control method, and storage medium
An image forming device provided in a management system manages remaining amount information of consumable contained in a loaded consumable container, detects identification information of a new consumable container to be loaded upon replacing the consumable container, and transmits a replacement notification including identification information, counter information indicating the operation status of the image forming device upon replacement, and remaining amount information of consumable contained in the previously loaded consumable container which has been removed by the replacement to a management device. The management device receives a replacement notification, associates identification information of a consumable container, counter information relating to the replacement of the consumable container, and the remaining amount information with each other based on the replacement notification, and stores the same as management information. |
| US09116489B2 |
Image forming apparatus for storing sampling values and method therefor
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit configured to form a density detection pattern and a reference pattern on an image carrier by a developer; a light-receiving unit configured to receive reflection light of light emitted toward the image carrier, and output a signal corresponding to an amount of received light; a sampling unit configured to sample the signal output from the light-receiving unit, and store sampling values in the storage unit; a detection unit configured to detect the reference pattern; and a determination unit configured to determine a sampling value corresponding to reflection light from the density detection pattern of the color among the sampling values stored in the storage unit, based on a detection time of the reference pattern. |
| US09116488B2 |
Image processing apparatus, developer cartridge, and image forming method
An image processing apparatus has a sheet feeding unit that feeds sheets for printing, an image forming section that forms a developer image, including a developer supply section for supplying a developer a identification element that stores image forming information containing information about whether the accommodated developer is an erasable developer and arranged in the developer supply section, a identification element detecting unit that reads the image forming information from the identification element, and a control section that forms the image on the basis of the image forming information read from the identification element. |
| US09116487B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a plurality of developing devices, a transfer device, a moving device, a color drift detector, a test pattern forming device, and a color drift correction device. The test pattern forming device forms a test pattern on the image bearing member. The color drift correction device corrects the color drift in a separating state in which the image bearing member and the transfer device are separated from each other. The test pattern forming device forms the test pattern again in an area on the image bearing member contacting the transfer device but not pressed by the transfer device after the color drift correction device corrects the color drift in the separating state, and the color drift correction device corrects the color drift in the contact state in which the image bearing member and the transfer device are in contact with each other. |
| US09116481B2 |
Fixing device including a reflector and image forming apparatus
A fixing device includes a fixing rotator rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation and a nip formation assembly contacting an inner circumferential surface of the fixing rotator. An opposed rotator presses against the nip formation assembly via the fixing rotator to form a fixing nip between the fixing rotator and the opposed rotator, through which a recording medium is conveyed. A support, disposed opposite the inner circumferential surface of the fixing rotator, supports the nip formation assembly. A heater, disposed opposite the inner circumferential surface of the fixing rotator, heats the fixing rotator. A reflector, disposed opposite an outer circumferential surface of the fixing rotator, reflects heat radiated from the fixing rotator onto the fixing rotator. The reflector spans a circumferential span of the fixing rotator where the fixing rotator is spaced apart from the support with a decreased interval therebetween. |
| US09116479B2 |
Fixing control device, fixing control method, and image forming apparatus
A fixing control device includes an image detection unit that determines presence of an image in each of areas obtained by division of an image formation region in which the image is formed, a heater selection unit that selects from heaters of a fixing device heaters at positions corresponding to areas in which the presence of the image is determined, a heating amount computation unit that computes a heating amount of a heating area heated by each of the selected heaters in a fixing region corresponding to the image formation region, a change amount computation unit that computes an amount of change of the heating amount between adjoining ones of the heating areas, and a heating amount correction unit that corrects one of the heating amounts of the adjoining heating areas so that the amount of change after the correction is less than a predetermined threshold. |
| US09116478B2 |
Method and apparatus for avoiding fuser jams in an image production device
A method and apparatus for avoiding fuser jams in an image production device may include determining an entrance velocity of media entering a fuser nip during a print job, the fuser nip being the area of a fuser formed by a fuser roll meeting a pressure roll, determining an exit velocity of media exiting the fuser nip, determining a difference between the entrance velocity and the exit velocity, determining if the difference between the entrance velocity and the exit velocity exceeds a predetermined threshold, wherein if the difference between the entrance velocity and the exit velocity exceeds a predetermined threshold, retracting the pressure roll away from the fuser roll for a predetermined time period, determining if the predetermined time period has expired, wherein if the predetermined time period has expired, reposition the pressure roll to meet the fuser roll to reform the fuser nip, and resuming printing the print job. |
| US09116472B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a first image forming portion that forms a toner image on a latent image carrier with a toner containing a flat pigment; and a second image forming portion that forms a toner image on a latent image carrier with a toner not containing the flat pigment. The toner images formed by these image forming portions are transferred to a toner image carrier or a recording medium. The average charge amount per particle of the toner containing the flat pigment is smaller than that of the toner not containing the flat pigment. A transfer width is larger than the particle diameter of the toner containing the flat pigment. A transfer current flowing between the latent image carrier of the second image forming portion and the toner image carrier or the recording medium is higher than or equal to a value required to form an electric field. |
| US09116465B2 |
Toner buffer unit of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus
Provided is an electrophotographic image forming apparatus including: a toner buffer unit arranged between a toner cartridge and a developing unit to receive toner from the toner cartridge and supply the toner to the developing unit; and a toner level detection unit. The toner buffer unit includes a first buffer unit connected to the toner cartridge. A first conveyance member including a rotation shaft and a conveyance wing provided in the rotation shaft and transporting the toner in a radial direction is provided in the first buffer unit. The toner buffer unit includes an elevation plate provided in the first buffer unit and elevated according to a toner level, and a sensor unit detecting a location of the elevation of the elevation plate. The elevation plate is located to be spaced apart from the conveyance wing in an axial direction of the rotation shaft. |
| US09116464B2 |
Developing device and image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a latent image carrier carrying a latent image, a developing device visualizing the latent image utilizing a two-component developer, a supply device supplying toner according to a change in toner density in the two-component developer inside the developing device, and a control device having an input side connected to a density sensor detecting a value of the toner density and an image information acquisition device acquiring information on an image formed on the latent image carrier, and an output side connected to a driving device driving the supply device. When the detected value is higher than a target value of the toner density stored by the control device, the control device performs control to stop the driving device or drive the driving device to supply toner in an amount less than a combined toner supply amount of first and second toner supply amounts. |
| US09116450B2 |
Toner, printed material, method of preparing printed material and image forming apparatus having varnish application means
A toner including a petroleum wax, wherein the petroleum wax comprises a paraffin wax having a polarity. |
| US09116442B2 |
Feedforward/feedback litho process control of stress and overlay
A method and apparatus for process control in a lithographic process are described. Metrology may be performed on a substrate either before or after performing a patterning process on the substrate. One or more correctables to the lithographic patterning process may be generated based on the metrology. The patterning process performed on the substrate (or a subsequent substrate) may be adjusted with the correctables. |
| US09116441B2 |
Illumination system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus
An illumination system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus can include at least one transmission filter which has a different transmittance at least at two positions and which is arranged between a pupil plane and a field plane. The transmittance distribution can be determined such that it has field dependent correcting effects on the ellipticity. In some embodiments the telecentricity and/or the irradiance uniformity is not affected by this correction. |
| US09116437B2 |
Pattern forming method, chemical amplification resist composition and resist film
A pattern forming method, including: (i) forming a film from a chemical amplification resist composition; (ii) exposing the film, so as to form an exposed film; and (iii) developing the exposed film by using a developer containing an organic solvent, wherein the chemical amplification resist composition contains: (A) a resin capable of decreasing a solubility of the resin (A) in the developer containing an organic solvent by an action of an acid; (B) a compound capable of generating an acid upon irradiation with an actinic ray or radiation; and (C) a basic, compound or ammonium salt compound whose basicity decreases upon irradiation with an actinic ray or radiation, and a resist composition used for the pattern forming method and a resist film formed from the resist composition are provided. |
| US09116436B2 |
Maskless exposure apparatus including spatial filter having phase shifter pattern and exposure method
The present invention relates to a maskless exposure apparatus and a maskless exposure method which increase resolution of an exposure pattern and enhance efficiency of an optical system by using a phase shifter. More specifically, according to one aspect of the present invention, the maskless exposure apparatus includes: a lighting unit for outputting predetermined light; a spatial light modulator (SLM) for receiving the light from the lighting unit and outputting a light having a predetermined pattern; a beam expander for expanding the light outputted from the spatial light modulator; a micro lens array (MLA) for dividing the light expanded from the beam expander into a plurality of lights and collecting the lights; and a projection lens for adjusting the resolution of the lights collected through the micro lens array and project the adjusted lights into a target, a spatial filter having a phase shifter pattern being positioned between the micro lens array and the projection lens. |
| US09116433B2 |
Double-mask photolithography method minimizing the impact of substrate defects
In the field of photolithography and, notably, photolithography in the extreme ultraviolet, a photolithography method is provided in which a first mask blank is produced that can have defects, an individual mapping of the positions of the defects of this mask blank is established using an inspection machine, and, for each defect, an exclusion zone is defined around the defect. Then, two complementary masks are produced, one with the first mask blank and with the desired design pattern, except in the exclusion zones, the latter being black, the other with a second mask blank and with the desired design pattern parts in the exclusion zones, all the rest of the second mask being black. The exposure of the surface to be processed by photolithography is done in two successive steps using the two complementary masks. |
| US09116432B2 |
Multiple exposure with image reversal in a single photoresist layer
Multiple patterned exposures of a single layer of image reversal resist prior to and following image reversal processing, upon development, respond to the respective exposures as either a positive or a negative resist, allowing a desired shape of a resist structure to be built up from any of a number of combinations of primitive masks. Exploiting the image reversal resist in this manner allows several types of diffraction distortion to be entirely avoided and for many sophisticated lithographic processes to he reduced in complexity by one-half or more while any desired resist structure shape can be formed form a limited number of primitive mask patterns. A regimen, which may be automated as an executable algorithm for a computer may be followed to evaluate different combinations of masks which are valid to produce a desired resist structure shape and select the optimum mask pattern combination to do so. |
| US09116431B2 |
Development processing apparatus
According to one embodiment, a development processing apparatus including a film reduction amount calculation unit configured to calculate a film reduction amount of a to-be-exposed portion of the photosensitive film, a dimension prediction unit configured to calculate predicted pattern dimension when the developing process is performed in a standard development condition, a dimension correction amount calculation unit configured to calculate a pattern dimension correction amount, a corrected development condition derivation unit configured to derive a corrected development condition based on the calculated pattern dimension correction amount, and a developing mechanism configured to develop the photosensitive film in the derived corrected development condition. |
| US09116430B2 |
Plasmonic lithography using phase mask
In the proposed plasmonic nanolithography technique a transparent mask is brought into physical contact with a metal on a substrate that is coated with a photoresist. The mask is not made of metal or other material that supports surface plasmons. The metal layer is exposed to radiation of a characteristic vacuum wavelength through the mask and the photoresist or through the substrate. The mask features and the vacuum wavelength of the radiation are chosen so that the radiation excites surface plasmons at the interface between the metal and the photoresist. The excitation of surface plasmons allows for the exposure and generation of features which are well-below the free space diffraction limit and small compared to the size of the features in the mask. |
| US09116422B2 |
Display apparatus for displaying multiple images of viewing angles
A display apparatus for displaying multiple images of viewing angles is disclosed. The display apparatus comprises a display screen and a projector. The projector has at least one light source module, an optical component module, a first light modulator, a second light modulator and a projection lens. The light source module generates a light beam, which is divided into a first portion light and a second portion light after passing through the optical component module. The first portion light and the second portion light are respectively received by the first light modulator and the second light modulator, and transformed into the image of the first viewing angle image and the second viewing angle respectively. Then, the image of the first viewing angle and the second viewing angle are projected to the display screen by the projection lens simultaneously. |
| US09116421B1 |
Projector with laser illumination elements offset along an offset axis
An optical system has projector optics aligned on a projection axis that is orthogonal to an offset axis. A first laser is positioned in a first plane orthogonal to the projection axis. First folding optics are positioned in the first plane to fold a first beam from the first laser to a first portion of the projector optics. A second laser is in a second plane parallel to, and offset along the offset axis from, the first plane. Second folding optics is positioned in the second plane to fold a second beam from the second laser to a second portion of the projector optics to synthesize the first and second beam. |
| US09116420B2 |
Centrifugal fan for projector having inlet port and associated inclined portion widening in direction of impeller
A centrifugal fan introducing air via an inlet port in a direction of a rotation axis and discharging the air via an outlet port in the a direction of a centrifugal force produced by rotation includes: an impeller having a plurality of vanes around the rotation axis; and a housing including the inlet port and supporting the impeller such that the impeller is allowed to freely rotate in the housing. An inclined portion is formed at least at a part of edge portion of the inlet port, the inclined portion widening to the side that the impeller is disposed. |
| US09116415B2 |
Pop up prism lens assembly
A pop up prism camera (10) having a pop up prism lens assembly (11). A first lens assembly (14), a second lens assembly (18), and a prism assembly (21) are moved in relationship to a camera housing (12) controlled by a cam tube (20). The prism assembly (21) projects outside the camera housing (12) when the pop up prism camera (10) is in an operational configuration. A prism (100) of the prism assembly (21) redirects an optical path (48). A non-angled portion (44) of a first cam groove (30) causes the prism assembly (21) to remain fixed relative to the camera housing (12) while continued rotation of the cam tube (20) allows the first lens assembly (14) and the second lens assembly (18) to continue to move to accomplish a lens zoom function. |
| US09116411B2 |
Display device and manufacturing method thereof
A display device includes an active element array substrate, a display layer and a transparent shock absorption layer. The display layer is disposed on the active element array substrate. The transparent shock absorption layer is disposed on the display layer. The transparent shock absorption layer is formed by curing liquid adhesive material. A manufacturing method of display device is also provided. |
| US09116410B2 |
Multi-pane electrochromic windows
Window units, for example insulating glass units (IGU's), that have at least two panes, each pane having an electrochromic device thereon, are described. Two optical state devices on each pane of a dual-pane window unit provide window units having four optical states. Window units described allow the end user a greater choice of how much light is transmitted through the electrochromic window. Also, by using two or more window panes, each with its own electrochromic device, registered in a window unit, visual defects in any of the individual devices are negated by virtue of the extremely small likelihood that any of the visual defects will align perfectly and thus be observable to the user. |
| US09116409B1 |
Electrochromic devices with Si, Sn, SiO2 and SnO2 doped anodes
The present invention generally relates to electrochemical devices, such as electrochromic (EC) devices and thin film batteries (TFB), and in particular to anodes of electrochemical devices with improved intercalation and/or transport properties. Some embodiments of the invention include anodes, such as nickel oxide, doped with Si, Sn, SiO2 and/or SnO2, which may be in the form of nanoparticles or even substituted atoms/molecules. These nanoparticles/substituted atoms, which have higher lithium intercalation capability, distort the lattice of the anode, improving movement and intercalation of Li ions. In some other embodiments, the anode may be formed of silicon oxide and/or tin oxide, which materials have good transport and intercalation of Li ions. |
| US09116408B2 |
Liquid crystal element and method for manufacturing the same
A liquid crystal element with a high contrast ratio and a method for manufacturing thereof is provided. A liquid crystal element includes a structure body containing a liquid crystal through which diffracted light of the same or substantially the same wavelength is emitted in a blue phase, i.e., a structure body containing a liquid crystal which shows platelet texture which is not varied. |
| US09116405B2 |
Apparatus and method of preventing signal delay in display device
A display device according to the present invention includes a first substrate, a driving portion formed on the first substrate, a plurality of signal lines formed on the first substrate to transmit signals to the driving portion, a second substrate facing the first substrate, and a conductive member formed on the second substrate, wherein the driving portion overlaps with the conductive member, and the signal lines are disposed at a position outside a region of overlap of the conductive member. Accordingly, the capacitances between the signal lines may be substantially the same. |
| US09116404B2 |
Liquid crystal display
According to one embodiment, a liquid crystal display includes an array substrate provided with pixel electrodes including a first pixel electrode and a second pixel electrode aligning in a first direction, a first gate line placed on one side of the pixel electrodes in a second direction, a second gate line placed on the other side of the pixel electrodes, a source line extending along the second direction, a first pixel switch for switching connection of the source line with the first pixel electrode by a gate signal provided through the first gate line, and a second pixel switch for switching connection of the source line with the second pixel electrode by another gate signal provided through the second gate line, an counter-substrate provided with an common electrode, and a liquid crystal layer held between the substrates. |
| US09116403B2 |
Substrate, display panel and display device
A display panel includes a first substrate and a second substrate. The second substrate disposes opposite to the first substrate and has multiple data lines and multiple scan lines disposed as a matrix. The first substrate at least divides into a first region and a second region. The first region of the first substrate disposes correspondingly to the scan lines and/or data lines on the second substrate, and the second region of the first substrate is disposed correspondingly to a remaining region which is located outside the scan lines and/or data lines on the second substrate. The first region of the first substrate and the scan lines and/or data lines forms a non-capacitance or a low capacitance structure. Therefore, the present invention can reduce the capacitance generated by the scan lines and/or the data lines so as to reduce the signal delay. |
| US09116397B2 |
Liquid crystal display device and method for manufacturing the same
A liquid crystal display device which is resistant to physical impact and can retain high-quality display characteristics is provided. Further, a liquid crystal display device with high reliability and high performance is provided. In a liquid crystal display device in which a liquid crystal composition is interposed between a pair of substrates, a spacer for keeping a gap between the substrates is provided over a structure body provided under a pixel electrode layer or a common electrode layer. The structure body is provided to make the pixel electrode layer and the common electrode layer project into the liquid crystal composition, and the structure body is provided to extend to a region where the spacer is provided. Since the structure body is formed using one continuous film, regions of the surface thereof have substantially the same height and the spacer can be stably provided with good adhesion. |
| US09116395B1 |
Liquid crystal display panel alignment and separation
A method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display panel avoids or reduces non-uniformity in an alignment layer in a liquid crystal display panel so as to achieve a liquid crystal display panel meeting process requirements for a narrow bezel or super narrow bezel design. The method includes the steps of: forming a first alignment layer on a first mother plate entirely covering the first mother plate; forming a second alignment layer on a second mother plate entirely covering the second mother plate; and celling and then cutting the first mother plate formed with the first alignment layer and the second mother plate formed with the second alignment layer, so as to form at least two liquid crystal display panels separated from each other. |
| US09116391B2 |
Liquid crystal display
An embodiment of the present invention relates to a liquid crystal display. An upper surface alignment layer in the liquid crystal display is arranged to comprise, in the direction from a color filter substrate to a liquid crystal layer, a first upper surface alignment layer, a color washout compensation film layer and a second upper surface alignment layer; an alignment direction of the color washout compensation film layer is opposite to the pre-alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer. In the technical solution, the color washout compensation film layer is used to rectify the color washout problem occurring when the screen of a liquid crystal display screen of a fringe field switching mode is viewed from both the left side and right sides. |
| US09116390B2 |
Touch sensing liquid crystal display compatible with linearly polarized sunglasses
A touch sensing liquid crystal display is made with a stack of layers that has controlled or low birefringence. The final layers of the output of the touch sensing liquid crystal display circularly polarize the output light. The combination of low birefringence and circularly polarized output light provides a touch sensing LCD that can be viewed from many angles with low visible artifacts, even through linear polarizing objects, such as sunglasses. |
| US09116389B2 |
Display device
A display device includes at least one light-emitting device and a color filter pattern. The light-emitting device is used to emit a white light having a white point chromaticity coordinates (Wx, Wy), where 0.228 |
| US09116387B2 |
Lighting device, display device and television device
A backlight unit includes a chassis, a plurality of LED light sources, and a reflection member. The chassis includes a bottom plate and side plates, and has an opening on a front surface side. The LED light sources are arranged in a matrix on a front surface of the bottom plate of the chassis. The reflection member includes a plurality of through holes through which the respective LED light sources are passed and side wall portions having inclined surfaces on the sides thereof. The side wall portions provided in the end portion of the bottom plate of the chassis has a height greater than a height of the side wall portions provided in the middle portion of the bottom plate, and surround each of the LED light sources. The inclined surfaces lead light from the light sources toward the opening side of the chassis. |
| US09116384B2 |
Display device
A display device includes a light source unit generating light a display unit displaying an image using the light generated from the light source unit and a display part displaying a symbol, the display part disposed on the display unit, wherein the symbol is determined based on a type of the light source unit, a driving method of the light source unit or a luminance generated from the light source unit. |
| US09116383B2 |
Manufacturing method of light barrier glass sheet
A manufacturing method of a light barrier glass sheet, comprising: farming a metal layer (2) on a glass substrate (1); coating a first photoresist layer (3) on the metal layer (2), performing first exposure on the first photoresist layer (3) through a half tone mask, then performing first development on the first photoresist layer (3); removing partial region of the metal layer (2) through a first etching process; removing a partial thickness and a partial region of the first photoresist layer (3) through an ashing process; forming an insulating layer (4) on the exposed glass substrate (1), the exposed metal layer (2), the first photoresist layer (3) after the ashing process, and sidewalls of the photoresist layer (3) after the ashing process; removing the first photoresist layer (3), the insulating layer (4) on the first photoresist layer (3), and the insulating layer (4) on the sidewalls of the first photoresist layer (3) by a photoresist lifting-off process so as to form a via hole (7); forming a transparent pixel electrode pattern (5) in the via hole (7), on sidewalls of the via hole (7) and on the insulating layer (4). With the method, one mask process can be omitted, thus the manufacturing process can be simplified, the production efficiency can be improved and the production cost can be reduced. |
| US09116380B2 |
Display panel device having touch input function
A display panel device has a window, a touch panel laminate and a display panel. The touch panel laminate has: a transparent first substrate layer; a first transparent conductive layer laminated to the first substrate layer through a first undercoat layer; a transparent second substrate layer; and a second transparent conductive layer laminated to the second substrate layer through a second undercoat layer. The second conductive layer faces the first conductive layer through at least the first substrate layer and the first undercoat layer. The first conductive layer is closer to the window than the first substrate layer. A polarizing film layer is bonded to the window, and a λ/4 retardation film layer is disposed between the polarizing film layer and the touch panel laminate. The display panel is disposed on a side opposite to the window with respect to the touch panel laminate. |
| US09116379B2 |
Electronic display with semitransparent back layer
An electronic display includes electrically conductive layers. An active layer is disposed between adjacent electrically conductive layers. The active layer includes cholesteric liquid crystal material. At least one transparent front substrate is disposed adjacent one of the electrically conductive layers near a front of the display. A semitransparent back layer absorbs light that passes through the active layer, reflects grey light or light of a color and is light transmitting. Electronic circuitry applies a voltage to the conductive layers that enables at least one of erasing or writing of the active layer. |
| US09116374B2 |
Electro-optical device
An electro-optical device includes: an electro-optical panel; and a casing supporting and protecting the electro-optical panel, wherein the casing has a first frame body made by die casting supporting the electro-optical panel through a fixing layer, a second frame body protecting a lower surface of the electro-optical panel, a third frame body protecting end edges of the electro-optical panel, and a fixing portion fixing the second frame body and the third frame body to each other by a clamping force working in a first direction, and the fixing portion or the second frame body has an interference portion preventing falling-off of the first frame body in a state where a force is not applied to the first frame body in the first direction. |
| US09116367B2 |
Driver for electro-absorption modulator
A transmitter optical module implemented with an electro-absorption (EA) modulator is disclosed. The module includes an EA driver comprising a signal detector, an offset controller, and a driver circuit. The signal detector detects the existence of the modulation signal input thereto. The offset controller provides to the driver circuit the first offset to shift the cross point of the output of the driver circuit higher when the modulation signal exists; while, the second offset when the modulation signal disappear. The second offset lowers the output of the driver circuit to prevent the excess optical output of the transmitter optical module. |
| US09116362B2 |
Eyeglass frame
An eyeglass frame includes an outer frame (20), an inner frame (50) provided with a pair of eyeglass lenses (60), and temples (31) connected to the outer frame (20). The inner frame (50) is attached to the outer frame (20) through connection members (55). |
| US09116355B2 |
Monocular/binocular bridge for viewing device and helmet mount employing same
An improved monocular/binocular bridge and helmet mounting device employing same for an optical device are provided. The mounting device herein includes a mount with a bridge attachment for providing multiple options for a monocular or binocular optical device and multiple options for moving the attached optical device to any of multiple stowed positions out of the user's line of sight when the optical device is not in use. The bridge attachment and multiple stow positions also allow the unit to be adapted for a variety of viewing devices. |
| US09116354B2 |
SPIM microscope with a STED light sheet
A STED-SPIM-microscope (Selective Plane Imaging Microscopy) having a y-direction illumination light source and a z-direction detection light camera. An x-scanner generates a sequential light sheet by scanning the illumination light beam in the x-direction. By optionally turning on a STED deactivation light beam the light sheet can optionally be made thinner and therefore the optical resolution can be increased. |
| US09116351B2 |
Optical scanning device and image forming apparatus
Provided is an optical scanning device including: a plurality of light sources; an optical deflector that includes reflection surfaces that deflect different light beams toward opposite sides of the optical deflector; and a light-shielding member provided in an area between incident light beams emitted from the plurality of light sources. The light-shielding member is positioned such that a portion of the light-shielding member is in a light-shield area surrounded by a circumscribed circle of the optical deflector, a line tangent to the circumscribed circle and orthogonal to a Y direction, and the incident light beam, the Y direction being a direction parallel to a main scanning direction and passing through a rotation center of the optical deflector, the main scanning direction being a direction, in which surfaces of image carriers are scanned. |
| US09116350B2 |
MEMS scanning mirror field of view provision methods and apparatus
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide techniques and configurations for an optoelectronic assembly including a MEMS scanning mirror. In one embodiment, the MEMS scanning mirror may include a micro-scale mirror configured to be rotatable about a chord axis of the mirror to deflect an incident light beam into an exit window of the optoelectronic assembly, and a support structure configured to host the mirror to provide a light delivery field between a mirror surface and the exit window such that a path of the deflected light beam via the provided light delivery field to the exit window is un-obstructed. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed. |
| US09116343B2 |
Display substrate, display apparatus having the same and method of manufacturing the same
A display substrate includes a base substrate, a high reflective layer, a metal light reflective layer and a low reflective layer. The high reflective layer is on the base substrate, and includes a high refractive layer and a low refractive layer which alternate with each other. The high refractive layer has a first refractive index, and the low refractive layer has a second refractive index smaller than the first refractive index. The metal light reflective layer is between the high reflective layer and the low reflective layer, and reflects a light. The low reflective layer comprises a light absorbing layer which absorbs a light, and at least one insulating layer. Accordingly, a light utilizing efficiency and a display quality may be increased. |
| US09116336B2 |
Zoom lens and image pickup apparatus having the same
A zoom lens includes, in order from the object side, a positive first lens unit which does not move for zooming or focusing, a negative second lens unit which moves during zooming, a positive third lens unit which moves during zooming, a negative fourth lens unit which moves during zooming and focusing, and a positive fifth lens unit which does not move for zooming or focusing. An aperture stop which does not move for zooming or focusing is arranged adjacent to the fourth lens unit. The focal lengths of the second, third, and fourth lens units, a zoom ratio of the zoom lens at infinity focus, the lateral magnification of the third lens unit at the wide angle end and the telephoto end at infinity focus, the lateral magnifications of the fourth and fifth lens units at the telephoto end at infinity focus are appropriately set. |
| US09116333B2 |
Zoom lens and imaging apparatus
A zoom lens includes a first lens group having positive refractive power, a second lens group having negative refractive power, a third lens group having positive refractive power, and a fourth lens group having positive refractive power, which are in this order from an object side, and a stop located between a most image-side surface of the second lens group and a most image-side surface of the third lens group. Distances between the lens groups change when magnification is changed from a wide angle end to a telephoto end. The third lens group consists of a positive lens, a cemented lens of a positive lens and a negative lens, a negative meniscus lens with its concave surface facing the object side, and a biconvex lens, which are in this order from the object side. Further, a predetermined conditional formula is satisfied. |
| US09116330B2 |
Image pickup lens and image pickup apparatus including the same
An image pickup lens includes, in order from an object side; a negative front lens unit; a stop; and a positive rear lens unit, wherein the front lens unit includes a negative front first lens, a negative front second lens, and a positive front third lens, in order from the object side, wherein the rear lens unit includes a positive rear first lens having at least one aspherical surface and a cemented lens made up of a positive rear second lens and a negative rear third lens, in order from the object side, and wherein an Abbe constant of a positive lens disposed on the most object side, an Abbe constant of a negative lens disposed on the most image side, a focal length of the front lens unit, and a focal length of the rear lens unit are appropriately set. |
| US09116326B2 |
Optical distributor for room lighting
An optical distributor (10) is formed as a reflector with one or more sloping surfaces. The sloping surfaces have varying angles of inclination from a bottom edge (20) to a top edge of the reflector. The sloping surfaces may form a substantially pyramidal or conical frustum-shaped surface. The sloping surfaces may additionally or alternatively form a band of adjacent or contiguous faceted surfaces. The reflector is configured to receive light rays through an opening (32) in a first plane (30) and reflect light rays radially outward and upward at varying angles of reflection (8B) to a bottom surface of the first plane (30) in a manner that illuminates both the bottom surface of the first plane (30) and an area (40) below the first plane (30). The reflected light may illuminate the first plane (30) and the area (40) below in a substantially uniform manner. |
| US09116317B2 |
Planar lightwave circuit
In an integrated optical receiver or transmitter, both the displacement of an optical axis caused by thermal changes and the property degradation of an optical functional circuit are inhibited. A planar lightwave circuit having a substrate and a waveguide-type optical functional circuit formed thereon composed of a material different from that of the substrate, and includes a waveguide region formed only of an optical wavelength that is in contact with a side forming an emission-end face of the optical waveguide for propagating the light emitted from the optical functional circuit or an incident-end face of an optical waveguide for propagating the light incident on the optical functional circuit. The planar lightwave circuit is fixed to a fixing mount only at the bottom of the substrate where the waveguide region is formed. |
| US09116316B2 |
Optical connector, male connector housing for optical connector, and female connector housing for optical connector
Guiding convexed and concaved parts provided on inner side surfaces of a female connector housing have inclining surfaces inclining with respect to a direction perpendicular to the inner side surfaces; whereas guided convexed and concaved parts provided on outer side surfaces of a male connector housing have inclining surfaces facing the inclining surfaces of the guiding convexed and concaved parts. |
| US09116315B2 |
Shielded barrel
Embodiments of a barrel for use with fiber optic connections and method of manufacturing are disclose herein. In one embodiment, a barrel comprises a first portion. The first portion having a wedge protruding from a distal end of the first portion at an angle and a component cavity for receiving an opto-electric component therein. The barrel further comprises a second portion having a fiber cavity for receiving one or more fiber cables therein, wherein the second portion is moldably coupled onto the distal end of the first portion around the wedge. The second portion may further comprise a panel interface for mounting the barrel within a panel. |
| US09116312B2 |
Lens element and optical communication apparatus with same
A lens element includes a main body and a light splitting member. The main body includes an end surface allowing optical fibers to optically connect to the main body, and a bottom surface facing toward optical signal emitting/receiving elements. The main body defines a groove. The groove includes a reflecting surface for reflecting optical signals between the optical signal emitting/receiving elements and the optical fibers. The light splitting member is positioned in a path of light emitted by the optical signal emitting/receiving elements, the light splitting member splits the light into two split light beams, and directs one of the split light beams to the optical fibers and directs the other of the split light beams to an optical detector. |
| US09116311B2 |
Circuit board and optical-electrical module with same
A circuit board includes a mounting surface and a number of connecting pads on the mounting surface. Each of the connecting pads defines a mounting area for mounting an element thereon. At least two of the connecting pads are substantially circular-shaped. |
| US09116308B2 |
Optical fiber connector having clamping element
An optical fiber connector includes a housing and a clamping element. The housing defines a receiving space including an inner bottom surface. The inner bottom surface defines first grooves and first receiving grooves aligned with the first grooves, and includes two clamping holes. The clamping element is received in the receiving space and includes a cantilever beam and two hooks extending from the cantilever beam. The cantilever beam includes a bottom surface defining a second receiving grooves. The two hooks are received into the two clamping holes to fix the clamping element to the housing. The first receiving grooves and the second receiving grooves cooperatively define receiving holes to receive optical fibers. |
| US09116306B2 |
Optical fiber connector
An optical fiber connector includes a fixing module and an optical fiber ferrule positioned at an end of the fixing module. The optical fiber connector is used for gripping a cable including an optical fiber. The optical fiber ferrule axially defines a through hole. The optical fiber is gripped in the fixing module and is partly protruded out of the optical ferrule. When the optical fiber connector is assembled to an adapter to join with another optical fiber connector, the optical fiber is bent to elastically resist an optical fiber of the another optical fiber connector. |
| US09116305B2 |
Arrayed waveguide grating, optical module provided with said arrayed waveguide grating, and optical communications system
An arrayed waveguide grating provided with a first slab waveguide formed on a substrate; a second slab waveguide formed on the substrate; a first input/output waveguide connected to the first slab waveguide; a second input/output waveguide connected to the second slab waveguide; two or more channel waveguide groups connecting the first and second slab waveguides, each of the channel waveguide groups formed of an aggregate of a plurality of channel waveguides having path lengths sequentially becoming longer by a predetermined path length difference; and an optical filter arranged in at least one of the first and second slab waveguides. |
| US09116304B2 |
Fiber optic cantilever acoustic vector sensor
A planar or cylindrical, cantilever-type apparatus including a rigid support. The apparatus further includes a first optical fiber connected to the rigid support, the first optical fiber including a first neutral axis and at least one first wave-guiding core running parallel to the first neutral axis and located at a distance from the first neutral axis, each of the at least one first wave-guiding core including at least one first reflector. The apparatus further includes a first membrane surrounding the first optical fiber; and a first liquid inside the first membrane and surrounding the first optical fiber, the first liquid including a Reynolds number less than one. |
| US09116303B2 |
Hologram with cells to control phase in two polarization directions and exposure apparatus
The present invention provides a hologram which forms a light intensity distribution on a predetermined plane by using incident light. The hologram includes a plurality of cells configured to control both a phase of a first polarized light component in a first polarization direction of the incident light and a phase of a second polarized light component in a second polarization direction perpendicular to the first polarization direction, to form a phase difference distribution between phase distributions for the first and second polarized light components. The plurality of cells are designed so that a number of phase difference levels of the phase difference distribution is less than a number of phase levels of the phase distribution of the first polarized light component. |
| US09116297B2 |
Color filter substrate, manufacturing method thereof and liquid crystal panel
The present invention provides a color filter substrate, manufacturing method thereof and liquid crystal panel. The manufacturing method includes coating sequentially second photo-resist, third photo-resist and fourth photo-resist and performing respective exposure development to form RGB color-resist layer and form at least a protruding column on the BM layer; wherein the protruding column being formed by at least one of the three exposure developments; and forming common electrode layer covering RGB color-resist layer and the protruding column exceeding above top surface of the common electrode layer. As such, the present invention reduces the number of required lithography processes, simplifies the manufacturing process of color filter substrate and liquid crystal panel so as to reduce manufacturing cost. |
| US09116292B2 |
Optical waveguide module, method for producing optical waveguide module, and electronic apparatus
An object of the present invention is to provide an optical waveguide module which has a small optical coupling loss between the light element and the optical waveguide and can perform high-quality optical communication, a method for producing the optical waveguide module with high efficiency, and an electronic apparatus which includes the optical waveguide module and can perform high-quality optical communication, and the present invention provides an optical waveguide module including: an optical waveguide including a core portion, a clad portion that is provided to cover a side surface of the core portion, and an optical path-converting unit that is provided partway along the core portion or on an extended line of the core portion and that converts an optical path of the core portion to the outside of the clad portion; an optical element that is provided over the clad portion; a circuit board that is provided between the optical waveguide and the optical element and has a through-hole formed along an optical path connecting between the optical path-converting unit and the optical element; and a sealing portion that is transparent and is formed in a gap between the optical element and the circuit board; wherein a part of the sealing portion is inserted into the through-hole, and an inserted portion of the sealing portion functions as a lens for converging signal light passing though the optical path. |
| US09116290B1 |
Faceted, germanium slotted waveguide
A waveguide having a substrate, a first germanium sidewall and a second germanium sidewall. The waveguide is formed by growing the first germanium sidewall and second germanium sidewall on the substrate. |
| US09116284B2 |
Material for manufacturing contact lens, method for manufacturing contact lens and contact lens manufactured thereform
A material is provided for contact lens including a first siloxane macromer represented by the following formula (I): wherein R1, R2 and R3 are independently C1-C12 hydroxyl group, C1-C12 alkyl groups or C1-C12 siloxane group; R4 is C1-C6 alkylene group or C1-C6 alkylene substituted with ether group; R5 is —H, —CH3, —CH(CH3)2, —CH(CH3)CH2(CH3), —CH2CH(CH3)2, —CH2C6H5, —CH2OH, —CH(OH)CH3, —CH2CONH2 or —CH2CH2CONH2: R6 is —NHCONH—, —NHCO—, —R8NHCONH— or —R8NHCO—, wherein R8 is —O—, —O(CH2)n— or —(CH2)n— and n is an integer of 1-10; R7 is hydrogen or methyl; and m is an integer of 10-100. |
| US09116282B2 |
Solid-state light source
A solid-state light source includes a semiconductor light source for emitting light and an optical system having a fiber optic element. The fiber optic element has an input for receiving emitted light from the semiconductor light source. The fiber optic element also has an output for emitting light received from the solid-state light source. The semiconductor light source and the fiber optic element in aggregate form an illumination path. |
| US09116281B2 |
Complex optical film and light source assembly including the same
Provided are a complex optical film and a light source assembly including the same. The complex optical film includes a first substrate, a light shielding layer formed on a bottom surface of the first substrate, an optical pattern layer formed on a top surface of the first substrate and including concavo-convex portions, a second substrate disposed on the first substrate, and a first adhesive layer disposed under the second substrate, wherein the light shielding layer includes a binder and organic particles and inorganic particles dispersed in the binder, the convex portions of the optical pattern layer at least partially penetrate into the first adhesive layer to be combined with the first adhesive layer, and a low-refraction area having a lower refractive index than the optical pattern layer and the first adhesive layer is defined between the first adhesive layer and the optical pattern layer. |
| US09116280B2 |
Holding frame for an optical element
The holding frame is equipped for holding at least one optical element, the holding frame consisting of an opaque material. |
| US09116272B2 |
Lighting device, liquid crystal display device, and electronic apparatus
In a light guide plate used in a lighting device, light-emitting elements are arranged at first intervals. However, the light emitting elements are partly arranged at second interval which is larger than the first intervals. Therefore, a rectangular shaped second diffusing areas formed by grooves are provided in an outer edge area arranged between a first diffusing area having a plurality of grooves (diffusing pattern) formed thereon and an end portion of the light guide plate so as to have a width smaller than the second intervals so as to face areas in which the light emitting elements are arranged at the second intervals. |
| US09116271B2 |
Image pickup apparatus
An image pickup apparatus including an image pickup lens, a lens array and an image sensor is capable of reducing brightness unevenness of an image taken by the apparatus by making use of the lens array. In the image pickup apparatus for obtaining an image while separating light rays from each other to propagate in a plurality of viewpoint directions by making use of the image pickup lens, the lens array and the image sensor, the lens array is configured to include a plurality of first lens sections and a plurality of second lens sections. Principal light rays passing through the image pickup lens and the first lens sections can be guided to propagate to the light receiving surfaces of pixels on the image sensor 13 in directions approximately perpendicular to the light receiving surfaces. A local optical loss in the image sensor can be reduced. |
| US09116270B2 |
Optical element, light source device, and projection display device
Disclosed is an optical element that includes: carrier generation layer (16) in which carriers are generated by light from light guide body (12) into which light from a light-emitting element enters; plasmon excitation layer (17) that has a plasma frequency higher than the frequency of light generated when carrier generation layer (16) is excited by light from the light-emitting element; and wave vector conversion layer (18) that converts surface plasmon generated by plasmon excitation layer (17) light having a predetermined exit angle to output the light. Plasmon excitation layer (17) is sandwiched between two layers having dielectric properties. The effective dielectric constant of the incident side portion of plasmon excitation layer (17) including an entire structure stacked above light guide body (12) side is higher than that of the exit side portion of plasmon excitation layer (17) including the entire structure stacked above wave vector conversion layer (18) side and the medium in contact with wave vector conversion layer (18). |
| US09116263B2 |
System and method for detecting a failure in a field replaceable unit
An apparatus is provided in one example embodiment and includes a light guide configured to couple to an electronic unit. The electronic unit is a replaceable unit of an electronic component, the light guide extending along a body structure of the electronic unit and signaling an operational state of the electronic unit. In more specific embodiments, the light guide communicates optical energy from a light source coupled to the electronic unit and configured to indicate the operational state of the electronic unit. In still other embodiments, the light source is a light emitting diode (LED) that indicates the operational state of the electronic unit. The light guide can include a light input that enhances an optical coupling between the light source the light guide. In still other embodiments, the light guide includes a curved portion that changes a direction of optical energy propagating within the light guide. |
| US09116255B2 |
Two-way wave equation targeted data selection for improved imaging of prospects among complex geologic structures
The invention relates to seismic imaging where complex geologies are likely to create data that is confusing or ambiguous for a conventional matrix of source points and receiver locations. With some understanding of the geological substructure, the source points and receiver locations that optimize the imaging may be found by using two-way wave equation propagation coupled with a quality geologic model. With this, the source points and receiver locations that optimize the imaging may be selected and used to better resolve the substructure and avoid the inclusion of data that obscures understanding of the substructure. |
| US09116253B2 |
System and method for using biocide coating to prevent marine growth on geophysical equipment
Systems and methods comprise marine geophysical equipment with polyurethane-based material at least partially covering a surface. The surface also at least partially coated with a suspension medium and with a biocide. A method comprises disposing such marine geophysical equipment in a body of water. A method comprises applying a suspension medium and a biocide to a surface at least partially covered with a polyurethane-based material. |
| US09116247B2 |
Stereo detection circuit for detecting neutrons
A neutron detector circuit for a neutron detector is disclosed that includes a scintillator having a plurality of wavelength shifting optical fibers. A first detection circuit is connected with a first PMT output that is configured to generate a first detection circuit output in response to a first neutron event. A second detection circuit is connected with a second PMT output that is configured to generate a second detection circuit output in response to a second neutron event. A coincidence detection circuit is included that has inputs connected with the first and second detection circuit outputs that is configured to generate a neutron event count output pulse in response to coincident signals being received by the coincidence detection circuit from the first and second detection circuit outputs. |
| US09116246B2 |
Thermal neutron detectors based on gadolinium-containing nanoscintillators
A thermal neutron detector and method employ Gd-containing nanoscintillators. Thermal neutron radiation is detected by observing scintillation events from the nanoscintillators. |
| US09116245B2 |
Dose rate measurement system
In order to provide a high accuracy radiation dose rate measurement system by good energy characteristics without deteriorating the original energy characteristics of a low dose rate range due to widening range, the dose rate measurement system is composed of: a radiation detector which sends a discrete current pulse having electric charge proportional to incident radiation energy and a DC voltage in which a DC current proportional to the radiation energy is converted; a high voltage power source which supplies a high voltage that operates the radiation detector; and a measurement unit in which the current pulse and the DC voltage are applied from the radiation detector to be converted to a low range dose rate and a high range dose rate respectively, and the low range dose rate and the high range dose rate are switched to be sent depending on the dose rates. |
| US09116244B1 |
System for and method of weather phenomenon detection using multiple beams
The method includes providing a first radar pulse at a first beam position during a radar scan and receiving a first return, the first radar pulse being a velocity sampling beam. The method also includes providing a second radar pulse at a second and different beam position during the radar scan and receiving a second return, the second radar pulse overlaps and is not identical to the first radar pulse. The method further includes providing a third radar pulse using a lower gain wider beam width beam pattern at the first beam position during the radar scan and receiving a third radar return, the third radar pulse being a side lobe detection beam. The method can also include processing the first return, the second return and the third return and using data associated with the first return, the second return and the third return to determine a presence of weather phenomenon and to identify and remove returns from non-weather targets. |
| US09116239B1 |
Low range altimeter antenna
The present disclosure is directed to low range altimeter (LRA) antenna implementations that are resistant to signal degradation under critical weather conditions. An altimeter may include a first antenna communicatively coupled to a transmitter configured to transmit a ranging signal to a surface. The altimeter may further include a second antenna communicatively coupled to a receiver configured to receive at least a portion of the ranging signal reflected from the surface. Each of the first (transmitting) antenna and the second (receiving) antenna may include a driven element and at least one parasitic director element. In some embodiments, at least a portion of an aircraft surface may function as a parasitic reflector element in accordance with a Yagi-Uda array antenna topology. |
| US09116237B2 |
Phase-based ranging for backscatter RFID tags
A RF tag reader may use spatial averaging to compensate for the limitations of performing multi-frequency continuous-wave ranging (MFCW) in a bandwidth-limited environment. Although MFCW provides an estimate of the separation distance between a RF tag and the tag reader with errors that vary widely, the error values form a pattern based on the separation distance. That is, as the separation distance increases or decreases, the error values oscillate between maximum and minimum values centered on the correct separation distance. Accordingly, in one embodiment, the receiver uses spatial averaging to average out this oscillating error (e.g., the maximum errors are counter-balanced by the minimum errors). The more accurate, spatially-averaged MFCW estimate may then be used to resolve the cycle ambiguity in continuous-wave ranging to identify the separation distance between the RF tag and the tag reader. |
| US09116233B2 |
Power mode control for sensors
A method, system, and computer program product to provide accurate positioning of a vehicle while conserving power is provided. The system includes a receiver configured to receive a positioning signal that determines a position of the vehicle and an auxiliary sensor configured to provide data to supplement the positioning signal so as to provide the position of the vehicle more accurately than with using solely the positioning signal. The system also includes an auxiliary controller coupled to the auxiliary sensor. The auxiliary controller is configured to generate a first signal to power-up the auxiliary sensor if the vehicle is proximate to entering an area that reduces accuracy of the positioning signal, and calibrate the auxiliary sensor prior to the vehicle entering the area; and generate a second signal to power-down the auxiliary sensor if the vehicle is proximate to exiting the area. |
| US09116231B2 |
Indicating quality of GNSS position fixes
Methods and apparatus are provided for reporting quality of GNSS position fixes. A desired quality mode selection is obtained. Position fixes with respective precision estimates and satellite tracking information are obtained. For each of a plurality of position fixes a current positioning quality is determined, based on the precision estimates and satellite tracking information and quality mode selection. Current positioning quality is reported. The quality selection can be a preference of availability over accuracy, or accuracy over availability, or a balance of availability and accuracy. |
| US09116228B2 |
Low latency centralized RTK system
A low-latency centralized RTK system utilizes an RTK server to perform matched updates using base station GNSS measurements from one or more base stations and GNSS measurements from one or more rovers, and the one or more rovers produce RTK solutions based on the results of the matched updates. The RTK server includes one or more processors that perform the matched updates and a transmitter that transmits at least the ambiguities to the rovers. The respective rovers, which have processing power that is sufficient to quickly calculate RTK baselines, utilize the received ambiguities, the base station GNSS measurements received from either the RTK server or the base stations, known base station positions and instantaneous GNSS measurements at the rovers to readily determine and update their RTK baselines and their precise positions. |
| US09116226B2 |
Ultrasound image performance determination
Embodiments contemplate methods and systems for determining an image performance measurement in an ultrasound system. Embodiments contemplate that data may be received from a remote unit of an ultrasound imaging system. One or more determinations of the measure of performance of an image may be made, where the image may be derivable from at least part of the data. The measure of image performance may be displayed on a main unit of the ultrasound imaging system. |
| US09116225B2 |
Measuring apparatus
Provided is a measuring apparatus, including: a moving mechanism for moving a probe in an elevation direction; a first delay and sum circuit for performing delay and sum of reception signals at individual positions along the elevation direction to output a first add signal; a signal extraction circuit for letting an output of the first delay and sum circuit to pass through delay circuits to output in parallel first add signals obtained at different positions; a second delay and sum circuit for performing delay and sum of the first add signals output from the signal extraction circuit to output a second add signal; and an image processing circuit for generating image data by using the second add signal. Accordingly, image resolution in the elevation direction may be improved with a simple structure without deteriorating an image obtaining speed in the measuring apparatus for obtaining an ultrasonic image. |
| US09116224B2 |
Electronic device
Provided is an electronic device including a modulation unit (22) that modulates a sound signal to a modulation wave for a parametric speaker; an oscillator (12) to which the modulation wave is input; an equalizer (26) that corrects a frequency characteristic of a sound wave that is demodulated by the modulation wave; and a control unit (20) that selects a carrier frequency of the modulation wave and changes setting of the equalizer (26) on the basis of the selected carrier frequency. Thus, it is possible to provide the electronic device capable of correcting the frequency characteristic of the sound wave that is demodulated, for each carrier frequency of the modulation wave. |
| US09116222B1 |
Modular architecture for scalable phased array radars
In one aspect, a radar array assembly includes two or more vertical stiffeners each having bores with threads and a first radar module. The first radar module includes radar transmit and receive (T/R) modules and a chassis having channels configured to receive a coolant. The chassis includes shelves having ribs. The ribs have channels configured to receive the coolant and the ribs form slots to receive circuit cards disposed in parallel. The circuit cards include the T/R modules. The chassis also includes set screws attached to opposing sides of the chassis. The set screws have bores to accept fasteners to engage the threads on a corresponding one of the two or more vertical stiffeners. The first radar module is configured to operate as a stand-alone radar array. |
| US09116221B2 |
Variable precision location sharing
A secure location sharing system is disclosed that allows publishers to share their locations with subscribers. Each publishing device generates, encrypts and publishes its location information with a specified precision to a distribution service for distribution to one or more subscribing devices. The distribution service provides secure distribution of the location information to the distribution list but cannot access the publisher's precise location information, which remains encrypted until decrypted at the subscribing devices. Publishers can share their location information with varying levels of precision for different subscribers. Publishers can select at least two dimensions of location information precision: spatial and temporal. For less precise location sharing, the publishing device can randomize or otherwise obscure the precise location of the publishing device. The publisher can move a subscriber or a group of subscribers to a lower or higher level of location precision by generating new key pairs at the publishing device. |
| US09116219B1 |
System and methods for improved real time functional magnetic resonance imaging
A system and methods for high-speed functional magnetic resonance imaging using multi-slab echo-volumar imaging (EVI), specifically a combination of multi-slab excitation and single-shot 3D encoding with parallel imaging to reduce geometrical image distortion and blurring, and to increase blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) sensitivity compared to conventional echo-planar imaging (EPI). |
| US09116218B2 |
System and method for tissue specific MR imaging of metabolites using spectral-spatially formed stimulated echo
A system for magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy includes a plurality of gradient coils positioned about a bore of a magnet and an RF coil assembly coupled to a pulse generator to emit RF pulse sequences and arranged to receive resulting MR signals from a subject of interest. A system control is also included in the MR spectroscopy system and is coupled to the plurality of gradient coils and the RF coil assembly. The system control is programmed to cause the RF coil assembly to emit a first RF pulse and a second RF pulse, wherein at least one of the first and second RF pulses is spectrally selective and at least one of the first and second RF pulses is spatially selective. The system control is also programmed to cause the RF coil assembly to emit a third RF pulse after a pre-defined time delay to generate a stimulated echo and detect MR signals resulting from the stimulated echo. |
| US09116215B2 |
Composite RF shield and method of making same
An imaging apparatus comprises an RF coil former comprising an inner surface and an outer surface and a composite RF shield positioned adjacently to the outer surface of the RF coil former so as to be formed about the RF coil former. The MRI system also comprises an RF coil positioned on the inner surface of the RF coil former. The RF coil former comprises a generally cylindrical member having an indented portion indented in a radial direction inwardly from the outer surface, and the composite RF shield comprises a first shield material positioned about the outer surface of the RF coil former, a second shield material position about the indented portion of the RF coil former, and a conformal shield material positioned about the RF coil former that electrically couples the first shield material to the second shield material. |
| US09116214B2 |
RF coil array having two or more switches built within each RF coil array element, compatible with both magnetic resonance and a temperature mapping
A system including a plurality of coil elements is provided. Each coil element is arranged with a first switch and a second switch. In a first mode, the first switch and the second switch are turned off to split each coil element into a first upper coil portion and a second lower coil portion, to transmit first radio frequency signals. In a second mode, the first switch and second switch are turned on to transform each coil element into a loop coil to simultaneously transmit or receive multiple second radio frequency signals. |
| US09116212B2 |
Pediatric coil assembly
In order to increase the signal to noise ratio, and thus increase the quality of images produced during pediatric MRI, a pediatric RF coil assembly includes a head coil and a flexible body coil in a single dedicated device shaped and sized for a child. The flexible body coil may be operable to at least partially surround and abut the body of the child located on the pediatric RF coil assembly, while the head coil may at least partially surround and abut the head of the child located on the pediatric RF coil assembly. In order to optimize workflow, the child may be positioned on the pediatric RF coil assembly in a first room and moved to a second room including an MRI system after the child is brought to sleep or sedated in the first room. The pediatric RF coil assembly and the child may be moved to the second room using a handle rotatably attached to the pediatric RF coil assembly, and may be positioned on a patient table of the MRI system when the imaging process is to begin. |
| US09116210B2 |
Integrated circuit testing module including signal shaping interface
Systems and methods of testing integrated circuits are disclosed. The systems include a test module configured to operate between automated testing equipment and an integrated circuit to be tested. The testing interface is configured to test the integrated circuit at a higher slew rate than the slew rate at which signals are received from the automated testing equipment. |
| US09116209B2 |
Gating WSP update and TAP updatedr with TAP IR enable
In a first embodiment a TAP 318 of IEEE standard 1149.1 is allowed to commandeer control from a WSP 202 of IEEE standard P1500 such that the P1500 architecture, normally controlled by the WSP, is rendered controllable by the TAP. In a second embodiment (1) the TAP and WSP based architectures are merged together such that the sharing of the previously described architectural elements are possible, and (2) the TAP and WSP test interfaces are merged into a single optimized test interface that is operable to perform all operations of each separate test interface. |
| US09116204B2 |
On-die all-digital delay measurement circuit
An all-digital delay measurement circuit (DMC) constructed on an integrated circuit (IC) die characterizes clocking circuits such as full phase rotation interpolators, also constructed on the IC die. The on-die all-digital DMC produces a digital output value proportional to the relative delay between two clocks, normalized to the clock period of the two clocks. |
| US09116200B2 |
Methodologies and test configurations for testing thermal interface materials
Methodologies and test configurations are provided for testing thermal interface materials and, in particular, methodologies and test configurations are provided for testing thermal interface materials used for testing integrated circuits. A test methodology includes applying a thermal interface material on a device under test. The test methodology further includes monitoring the device under test with a plurality of temperature sensors. The test methodology further includes determining whether any of the plurality of temperature sensors increases above a steady state. |
| US09116198B2 |
Planar three-axis magnetometer
A multi-axis GMR or TGMR based magnetic field sensor system is disclosed. Preferably a three axis sensor system is provided for sensing magnetic flux along three mutually orthogonal axes, which can be used for magnetic compass or other magnetic field sensing applications. The sensing units are operative to sense X and Y axis magnetic flux signals in the device (XY) plane, while Z axis sensitivity is achieved by use of a continuous ring shaped or octagonal magnetic concentrator that is adapted to convert the Z axis magnetic flux signal into magnetic flux signals in the XY plane. |
| US09116195B2 |
Magnetic sensor and sensitivity measuring method thereof
The present invention relates to a magnetic sensor with a sensitivity measuring function and a method thereof. Magnetic sensitivity surfaces detect flux density, and a switching unit extracts magnetic field intensity information of each axis, and inputs it to a sensitivity calculating unit. The sensitivity calculating unit calculates the sensitivity from the magnetic field intensity information about the individual axes from the magnetic sensitivity surfaces. The sensitivity calculating unit includes an axial component analyzing unit for analyzing the flux density from the magnetic sensitivity surfaces into magnetic components of the individual axes; a sensitivity decision unit for deciding the sensitivity by comparing the individual axial components of the magnetic field intensity from the axial component analyzing unit with a reference value; and a sensitivity correction unit for carrying out sensitivity correction in accordance with the sensitivity information from the sensitivity decision unit. |
| US09116194B2 |
Connector inspection system
There is provided a connector inspection system. A connector housing to be inspected includes reference flat surfaces formed by straight extending in an insertion direction of a connecting terminal in a top side outer peripheral region of a terminal receiving part so as not to overlap with a mounting range of a packing attachment surface, and an inspection jig includes guide flat surfaces for slidably making surface contact with the reference flat surfaces in the case of inserting a detecting pin into a hole for inspection of the connector housing, and a position and a direction of insertion of the inspection jig into the connector housing are regulated by sliding contact between the reference flat surfaces and the guide flat surfaces. |
| US09116190B2 |
Turn-twist apparatus revealing curvature and torsion of the magnetic field
An apparatus for observing turns and twists in magnetic phenomena including a nonferrous box, a stationary platform set in the middle of the box with a post to support a magnet, a right-hand and a left-hand screws united with coupling and having moving platforms at equal distance from the middle fixed platform with posts to support the specimen, the specimen poized by the magnetic field, and to hover the specimen move the platforms back and forth in continuous and intermittent motions, dc stepper motor to provide the motion, and controlled by power supply, push button switches, and limit switches. |
| US09116189B2 |
Measuring system for determining scatter parameters
A measuring system for determining scatter parameters of an electrical measurement object on a substrate, having a measuring machine having at least one measuring channel and at least one measuring probe electrically connected to at least one measuring channel and designed for non-contacting or contacting connection to an electrical signal line of the electrical measurement in the electronic circuit. A first positioning device is provided for at least one measuring probe, wherein at least one sensor detects a position of at least one measuring probe and outputs a position signal. |
| US09116188B2 |
Capacitance evaluation circuit and electronic device using the same
A capacitance evaluation circuit includes a capacitive voltage divider, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and a processing module. The capacitive voltage divider includes a switch circuit, a known capacitor and a capacitor under test. The switch circuit is controlled by first and second clock signals. A voltage variation at a first terminal of the known capacitor is coupled to a first terminal of the capacitor under test based on a conduction state of the switch circuit. The ADC converts a voltage on the first terminal of the capacitor under test into a digital signal. The processing module detects a capacitance and a capacitance variation of the capacitor under test according to the digital signal from the ADC and a parameter of the ADC. |
| US09116183B2 |
Dynamic characterisation of amplifier AM-PM distortion
There is disclosed a method of determining an AM-PM distortion measurement for an amplifier, the method comprising: generating a test waveform to be provided to the input of the amplifier; periodically puncturing the test waveform with a fixed-level reference signal to generate a modified test waveform which alternates between test periods in which a portion of the test waveform is present and reference periods in which the fixed-level reference signal is present; measuring the amplifier AM-PM distortion in a test period; measuring the phase difference between the input and the output of the amplifier in reference periods either side of the test period; estimating a phase error in the test period in dependence on phase differences measured in the reference periods; and estimating the true amplifier AM-PM distortion by removing the estimated phase error from the measured amplifier AM-PM distortion. |
| US09116181B2 |
Method, apparatus, and system for virtual cluster integration
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a virtual machine integration technology, and in particular, to a method, an apparatus, and a system for virtual cluster integration. The method includes: performing a calculation through a search algorithm to obtain the minimum number of physical machines which are capable of accommodating all virtual machines in a virtual cluster, and obtaining all virtual integration solutions satisfying the minimum number of physical machines; then calculating CPU voltage consumption of each virtual integration solution, and selecting a solution with lowest CPU voltage consumption from these virtual integration solutions; and formulating a virtual integration migration policy according to the virtual integration solution with the lowest CPU voltage consumption. Therefore, through the embodiments of the present invention, a virtual integration solution with lower CPU voltage energy consumption can be obtained, thereby greatly improving an energy saving and emission reduction effect of a virtual cluster integration solution. |
| US09116180B2 |
Current sensing system and method
There is provided a current sense circuit (134). An exemplary current sense circuit (134) comprises a voltage-to-current converter circuit (218) that is adapted to receive a voltage that is proportional to a load current drawn from a battery (110) by a load (202) and to produce a current proportional to the load current, and a current-to-voltage converter circuit (228) that is adapted to receive the current proportional to the load current and to produce a voltage proportional to the load current based on a regulated voltage source (230). |
| US09116178B1 |
Circuit tester with variable volume audible voltage indication
A circuit tester for testing operation of an electrical receptacle includes a speaker that generates an audible signal when a voltage is present at the electrical receptacle. A cap on the end of the circuit tester includes openings on the side through which the audible signal may pass. The cap may be rotated on/off the housing such that the openings on the side of the cap move along the side of the circuit tester and become partly or fully obstructed by the side of the circuit tester, thereby varying the volume of the audible signal. |
| US09116177B2 |
Systems and methods for an open circuit current limiter
A resistance measuring circuit includes a current generating component, a current control component, and a voltage measurement component. The magnitude of a target resistance can be measured by connecting the target resistance between first and second measurement terminals of the resistance measuring circuit, applying a current generated by the current generating component to the target resistance, and determining the voltage across the target resistance. When no target resistance is connected between the first and second measurement terminals, the current control component controls the current generating component to reduce current consumption of the resistance measuring circuit. |
| US09116176B2 |
Optical current transformer for gas-insulated apparatus
At least one conductor is disposed in sealed vessel, which is filled with insulating gas, an hand hole is provided to a part of sealed vessel and is closed by a sealed cover, and optical fibers are disposed that form a closed loop surrounding conductor in sealed vessel. Optical fibers are hermetically led out of sealed vessel from sealed cover and are provided with at least a light source unit and an optical signal processor unit at the lead-out end. An airtight hollow tube disposed looping around leaving a predefined distance of separation is provided to conductor in sealed vessel, the end of tube is hermetically connected to sealed cover by sealing/bonding means, and optical fibers can be inserted in sealing/bonding means. |
| US09116172B2 |
Connector for actuator of camera
A connector includes a support and an arm. The support is to support a to-be-test workpiece. The arm is rotatably connected to the support and includes a number of probes. Pinheads of the probes faces the support. When the arm is rotated to a predetermined position relative to the support, the pinheads of the probes contacts with a flexible printed circuit (FPC) of the to-be-tested workpiece. |
| US09116154B2 |
Ion generation using wetted porous material
The invention generally relates to systems and methods for mass spectrometry analysis of samples. In certain embodiments, the invention provides a mass spectrometry probe including at least one porous material connected to a high voltage source, in which the porous material is discrete from a flow of solvent. |
| US09116153B2 |
Arginine vasopressin pro-hormone as predictive biomarker for diabetes
Subject of the present invention are assays and in vitro methods for the prediction of the risk of a subject for contracting metabolic syndrome and/or diabetes mellitus and for diagnosing metabolic syndrome, comprising determining the level of arginine vasopressin pro-hormone or fragments thereof in a sample of a subject. |
| US09116152B2 |
Monoclonal antibodies which specifically recognize human liver-carboxylesterase 1, hybridoma cell lines which produce monoclonal antibodies, and uses thereof
The present invention relates to monoclonal antibodies which specifically recognize human liver-carboxylesterase 1, hybridoma cell lines which produce monoclonal antibodies, and uses thereof. The invention can be used for the objective analysis of the expression amount of human liver-carboxylesterase 1 in tissues and blood, and the like, by being specifically bound to the human liver-carboxylesterase 1. Therefore, liver cancer can be conveniently and quickly diagnosed from urine or blood. |
| US09116151B1 |
Detection plate for ATP-bioluminescence immunoassay and method of manufacturing
Disclosed is a method and associated device for the rapid identification of viable bacterial contaminants in food products. The method detects viable microbes by using a combined ATP-bioluminescence immunoassay. Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium were selected as target organisms in various matrices including ground beef homogenate, apple juice, milk, and phosphate-buffered saline. Specific antibodies were immobilized on the surface of well plates in which the sample matrices were incubated. The plates were washed, and the wells were incubated with BacTiter-Glo reagent in Mueller-Hinton II broth. Bioluminescent output was measured with a luminometer and signal-to-noise ratios were calculated. The LOD was not affected by the presence of non-target cells. A strong linear correlation was observed between the number of cells and luminescent output over 4 orders of magnitude. This method provides a means of simultaneously detecting and identifying viable pathogens in complex matrices. |
| US09116150B2 |
Method of and device for packing a chromatography column
A method and device for packing a chromatography column formed of one or more vibration devices attached to top and/or bottom flanges of the column. Media is added in one or more steps to the column, allowed to settle under the effects of gravity and then subjected to one or more treatments of vibration from the vibration devices until a suitably packed column is obtained. Liquid used to suspend the media while being placed into the column may be at least partially removed before or during the vibration step(s). The remaining liquid is then removed or replaced after the packing has been obtained. |
| US09116148B2 |
Fluid delivery system and method
A method and apparatus for delivering one or more fluids. Fluids may be delivered sequentially from a common vessel to a chemical, biological or biochemical process. |
| US09116143B2 |
System for measuring or monitoring the quality of a liquid medium with low energy consumption
A system for measuring or monitoring the quality of a liquid medium, has first and second sample-takeoff points in the liquid medium and a hydraulic circuit in which the samples taken off from said first and second sample-takeoff points circulate. The hydraulic circuit is mounted between the two sample-takeoff points and comprises two centrifugal impeller pumps, a measuring chamber situated between the two pumps, and a purge device mounted at a high point on the hydraulic circuit between one of the pumps and the measuring chamber. The whole of the hydraulic circuit is preferably totally immersed in the liquid medium. |
| US09116142B2 |
Methods and systems for nondisruptive loading of reagents in a body fluid workstation
A method of nondisruptive loading of reagents in a body fluid workstation including a plurality of analyzers, including: receiving application information to a first analyzer which needs loading of a reagent; loading the reagent into the first analyzer; controlling the first analyzer to pause dispensing of the reagent at a determined time; and controlling one or more other analyzers in the body fluid workstation to continue testing, wherein controlling the one or more other analyzers includes adjusting a test sequence of one or more sample racks in the one or more other analyzers subsequent to the first analyzer, and dispatching the one or more sample racks according to the adjusted test sequence. |
| US09116141B2 |
Microtrap assembly for greenhouse gas and air pollution monitoring
A microtrap assembly includes a carbon nanotube sorbent. The microtrap assembly may be employed as a preconcentrator operable to deliver a sample to an analytical device to measure the concentrations of greenhouse gases. A system includes a microtrap having a carbon nanotube sorbent for measuring the concentrations of greenhouse gases in a sample. |
| US09116138B2 |
Exhaust gas analysis system and program for this system
The exhaust gas analysis system urges a user to conduct a purge in an exhaust gas flow line by not only informing the user of the timing that the purge is necessary from the exhaust gas analysis system but also making it easy for the user to recognize the information. The exhaust gas analysis system comprises an exhaust gas flow line (L) where an exhaust gas flows, a measurement device 2, 3 that is arranged in the exhaust gas flow line (L) and that includes a pollutant component meter to measure a pollutant component to be a cause of pollutant of the exhaust gas flow line, and a display control device 5 that compares a measurement signal value obtained by the pollutant component meter or its arithmetic value with a predetermined pollutant tolerance and that displays a warning window on a display 21 in case that the measurement signal value or the arithmetic value exceeds the predetermined pollutant component tolerance. |
| US09116131B2 |
Method and monitoring device for the detection and monitoring of the contamination of an optical component in a device for laser material processing
A method and device for the detection and monitoring of the contamination of an optical component in a device for laser material processing, which emits a process laser beam through or onto the optical component. A measurement beam emitted by a light source is projected under an angle of incidence onto an optical surface of the optical component. The beam reflected from the outer surface of the protective window under the angle of reflection corresponding to the angle of incidence is conducted through an aperture stop onto a first light-sensitive detector so as to record the intensity of the reflected beam. The intensity of the scattered radiation, scattered diffusely from the optical surface of the component under a scattering angle, is recorded by a second light-sensitive detector. The degree of the contamination of the component is determined from the recorded intensities of the reflected beam and the scattered radiation. |
| US09116130B2 |
Reflection type optical sensor and image generation apparatus
A reflection type optical sensor that detect a surface condition of a moving body and that is used for an image generation apparatus which forms images on a recording media includes a light-emitting device which has a plurality of light emitter systems including at least two light-emitting members and a light-emitting optical system having a plurality of light-emitting lenses corresponding to a plurality of the light emitter systems and guiding light emitted from the light emitter systems to the moving body and a light-receiving device which has a light receiver system including at least two light-receiving members and a light-receiving optical system having light-receiving lenses corresponding to the at least two light-receiving members and guiding light reflected by the moving body to the light receiver system. The image generation apparatus has further a surface condition judging device in addition to the reflection type optical sensor. |
| US09116129B2 |
Chemical analyzer
A chemical analyzer includes a slide transport mechanism having a slide track adapted to hold a plurality of reagent test slides, a sample metering device, an incubator formed as a part of the slide transport mechanism to precisely maintain the temperature of the reagent test slides, a slide ejector mechanism to remove the slides from the slide transport mechanism, a sample preparation station, which includes a centrifuge, and associated electronics and software. The slide transport mechanism holds a plurality of trapezoidally-shaped reagent test slides about its circumference, which slides are loaded onto the transport mechanism by the slide inserter mechanism. The slide transport mechanism positions the reagent test slides under the sample metering device, which device deposits a predetermined volume of sample onto each slide. The slide transport mechanism also carries the slides above a reflectometer. After testing has been completed, the slide ejector mechanism automatically removes the reagent test slides from the slide transport mechanism. |
| US09116120B2 |
Three dimensional imaging
A method and apparatus are disclosed for providing image data for constructing an image of a region of a three dimensional target object. The method includes the steps of providing incident radiation, via at least one detector detecting an intensity of radiation scattered by the target object, repositioning incident radiation relative to the target object, subsequently detecting the intensity of radiation scattered by the target object, determining a probe function indicating an estimate of at least one characteristic of the incident radiation at one or more depths of the object and providing image data from which an image of one or more regions of the object may be constructed via an iterative process using the probe function. |
| US09116117B2 |
Chemical sensor with sidewall sensor surface
In one embodiment, a chemical sensor is described. The chemical sensor includes a chemically-sensitive field effect transistor including a floating gate conductor. A material defines an opening overlying the floating gate conductor. The material comprises a conductive element having an inner surface defining a lower portion of a sidewall of the opening. A dielectric is on the conductive element and has an inner surface defining an upper portion of the sidewall. |
| US09116111B2 |
Acoustic signal receiving apparatus and imaging apparatus
There is used an acoustic signal receiving apparatus including a wavelength-tunable light source for irradiating measurement light, a controller for controlling a wavelength of the measurement light, a Fabry-Perot probe having a first mirror on a side where the measurement light enters, a second mirror on a side where an elastic wave from an object enters, and a spacer film positioned between the first and second mirrors and deforms in response to the elastic wave, an array photosensor for detecting a reflected light amount of the measurement light by the Fabry-Perot probe, and a signal processor for acquiring an intensity of the incident elastic wave based on a change in the reflected light amount. The controller sweeps the wavelength of the measurement light, and the signal processor determines the wavelength based on the reflected light amount at each wavelength subjected to the sweep. |
| US09116109B2 |
Method and apparatus for detecting buried defects
One embodiment relates to a method of detecting a buried defect in a target microscopic metal feature. An imaging apparatus is configured to impinge charged particles with a landing energy such that the charged particles, on average, reach a depth within the target microscopic metal feature. In addition, the imaging apparatus is configured to filter out secondary electrons and detect backscattered electrons. The imaging apparatus is then operated to collect the backscattered electrons emitted from the target microscopic metal feature due to impingement of the charged particles. A backscattered electron (BSE) image of the target microscopic metal feature is compared with the BSE image of a reference microscopic metal feature to detect and classify the buried defect. Other embodiments, aspects and features are also disclosed. |
| US09116107B2 |
X-ray detection apparatus for X-ray flourescence analysis
The X-ray detection apparatus is equipped with an X-ray irradiation unit, an X-ray detector, a movable collimator and a shield for blocking X-rays. The shield blocks X-rays, which are to enter the X-ray detector directly from the X-ray irradiation unit. The shield also blocks fluorescent X-rays and scattered X-rays generated by irradiation of the collimator with X-rays. In such a manner, it is possible to prevent X-rays other than fluorescent X-rays from the sample S from being detected by the X-ray detector. The shield is joined with the collimator, so that the collimator and the shield move as a unit. It is possible to locate the shield even in a downsized X-ray detection apparatus. |
| US09116102B2 |
Imaging apparatus
An apparatus for measuring oil droplets and other bodies in a liquid, the apparatus comprising a body having an imaging device mounted therein, said body having a measurement window adjacent a measuring region through which an image of a fluid within the measurement region may be viewed by the imaging device, wherein a light source is provided for illuminating said measurement region, said light source being directed towards the imaging device by a light directing means, the apparatus including an ultrasonic transducer mechanically coupled to the measurement window for removing fouling from the measurement window and for creating cavitation within said measurement region, wherein said light directing means is located in or adjacent said measurement region to be exposed to said cavitation created by the ultrasonic transducer to remove fouling from said light directing means. |
| US09116100B2 |
Method for the identification of materials in a container
Method for the identification of a homogeneous material (e.g. a liquid) in a container (e.g. a bottle) by measuring its X-ray or gamma spectrum and deriving its specific attenuation function. The method comprises building a database of the attenuation functions of empty containers, of containers filled with various fluid materials and of the contained fluid materials itself (by subtracting or devoluting the empty-container-attenuation-function from the filled-container-attenuation-function), recording the spectrum of an unknown material in a container and comparing this spectrum to the spectra in the database. |
| US09116095B2 |
Method of inspecting wheel hub unit
In a method of inspecting a wheel hub unit configured by attaching a rolling bearing, which has an inner ring and an outer ring, to a hub wheel, an acoustic inspection dement is arranged so as to be in contact with an outer peripheral face of the outer ring, and the wheel hub unit (components except the outer ring) is rotated to measure an acoustic value of the outer ring and hence conduct inspection. When the wheel hub unit (components except the outer ring) is rotated, a preloading load that is equal to or higher than a load at which an axial internal clearance of the rolling bearing is a negative clearance is applied to the rolling bearing, and the axial internal clearance of the rolling bearing A is changed from a positive clearance before application of the load to a negative clearance after application of the load. |
| US09116093B2 |
Blood analyzer, blood analysis method, and computer program product
A blood analyzer, a blood analysis method, and a computer program product that can distinguishably detect abnormal lymphocytes, blasts, and atypical lymphocytes are provided. A blood analyzer prepares a first measurement sample from a first reagent containing a hemolyzing agent, a second reagent containing a fluorescence staining dye, and the blood specimen, and prepares a second measurement sample from a third reagent containing a hemolyzing agent, a fourth reagent containing a fluorescence staining dye, and the blood specimen. The blood analyzer measures each of the measurement samples, and distinguishably detects abnormal lymphocytes, blasts, and atypical lymphocytes in a blood specimen based on the measurement data. |
| US09116090B2 |
Method and device for preparing tissue and mould for pretreating tissue material
The invention relates to a method for preparing tissue material. The method comprises placing a quantity of tissue material in a closable but liquid-permeable assembly of a mold and enclosing element, enclosing the tissue material, guiding the tissue material placed in the receiving space at least through a hydrophilic liquid such as an alcohol solution, wherein water is extracted from the tissue material; and embedding the tissue material placed in the receiving space by at least partially filling the receiving space with a matrix material; wherein the assembly of mold and enclosing element has an orientation relative to a reference direction, and the orientation in one treatment step differs from the orientation in another treatment step. The invention also relates to a device and mold for performing the method. |
| US09116086B2 |
Deposition method and apparatus
A method for depositing a protective layer of material on a localized area on a substrate, such as a pattern of photo resist, includes forming a controlled environment around the substrate and positioning a hollow needle adjacent to the localized area on the substrate. A liquid comprising the material is directed through the hollow needle onto the localized area, so as to deposit a layer of the material on the localized area. The layer of material may act as a Z-contrast forming layer in TEM. |
| US09116085B2 |
Mist testing device
The present invention is a mist testing device having a freezing chamber 30 (a mist-freeze unit) that freezes a mist particle injected from a injection valve 12, a tray 40 (a frozen-mist-hold unit) that holds a frozen mist particle 42 frozen by the freezing chamber 30, and an analyze unit 86 that analyzes the frozen mist particle 42 held by the tray 40. |
| US09116084B2 |
Method and sampling system for taking sample from the atmosphere in the reactor containment of a nuclear plant
A sampling system for taking a sample from the atmosphere in a reactor containment of a nuclear plant, includes a sampling line which is connected to a vacuum system and to an analysis system. The sampling line opens into the reactor containment and has a restriction device connected upstream thereof on the gas side for connection to the atmosphere in the reactor containment. A method for taking such a sample is also provided. |
| US09116083B2 |
Test tap
A sampling system for use in a sampling station that includes a sampling device that is releasable connectable to a branch line so that it may be removed when not needed at that site via a releasable coupling. The device has a main tube connected to the releasable coupling via a valve that is manually operated through an operating tube that is connected to the main tube so that it also functions to clear the main tube. |
| US09116079B2 |
Dynamic test fixture
A text fixture apparatus for testing structures with a compression testing machine. The test fixture apparatus includes a support plate assembly and a load plate assembly. The support plate assembly includes two parallel support plates and has sloped surfaces to support a first and second structures and angles of equal magnitude and opposite slope. The load plate assembly is configured to oppose the support plate assembly, includes at least one load plate, and allows the load plate assembly to apply a load to the structures in response force on the support plate assembly, load plate assembly, or a combination thereof in a direction other than perpendicular to the sloped surfaces. A vertical force applied by the assemblies results in substantially equal and opposite horizontal components of force on the first structure and the second structure. Methods of testing and of making the apparatus are provided. |
| US09116077B2 |
Method and system for estimating food commodity intake
Disclosed are a method and a system for estimating food commodity intakes. The method includes (a) obtaining a food intake of a food searched as a subject to be estimated for food commodity intake based on food intake database, (b) obtaining a material mix ratio of the food searched based on the material mix ratio database and estimating a material mix ratio intake using the food intake, (c) detecting whether or not the material contained in the material mix ratio intake estimation results is a food commodity, (d) accumulating a weight data of the material that is detected to be a food commodity among the materials obtained from the material mix ratio intake estimation results, (e) repeatedly performing operations (b) to (d) on materials that are not food commodities, until all of the materials contained in the material mix ratio intake estimation results become food commodities, and (f) summing the accumulated weight data of each food commodity to estimate a food commodity intake of the food, when all of the materials contained in the material mix ratio intake estimation results are food commodities. According to the present invention, more accurate food intake data can be conveniently estimated by converting all ingredients of mixed foods into food commodities. |
| US09116073B2 |
Lens module testing method
A lens module testing method includes the following steps: providing a lens module having a lens and a barrel; determining whether a modulation transfer function value of the lens is in a predetermined range; if not, separating the lens and the barrel, and forming a first coating layer and a second coating layer on the lens to obtain a coated lens having a number of dots; capturing a first image of the coated lens; placing the coated lens in the barrel to obtain the lens module, and capturing a second image of the coated lens; randomly choosing one dot from the dots, and determining an actual moving distance of the chosen dot using a 3D-Digital Image Correlation according to the first image and the second image; adjusting a size of the lens according to the actual moving distance; and displaying the adjusted size of the lens to a user. |
| US09116072B2 |
Method and control unit for checking vehicle tires
In a method for checking vehicle tires, wheel sensor signals of at least one wheel of the vehicle are recorded over a time period, and a comparative value is determined to indicate a travel distance of the wheel. A reference travel distance covered by the vehicle in the time period is determined independently of the wheel sensor signals, and an individual ratio value of the wheel is formed from the wheel travel distance and the reference travel distance. The behavior of the ratio value over time is determined, and a determination is made concerning changes to the tire of the wheel. |
| US09116070B2 |
Hydraulic test device for head loss of strainer and test method thereof
Provided is a hydraulic test device for head loss of a strainer and a test method thereof, wherein the hydraulic test device comprises a circulation pipe; an inflow container; a container; a debris interceptor; sensors; a circulation pump; a flow meter; a circulation heating heater; and a data acquisition part which stores data sensed by each sensor, flow rate data. |
| US09116068B2 |
Low speed wind tunnel design for agricultural spray particle analysis
A wind tunnel device defines a cyclical tunnel to receive continuous airflow. Airflow is delivered through the tunnel to a testing region that includes a first portion carrying an arm including a spray tip configured to spray particulates in the testing region at an angle, and a second portion including an enlarged cutout region configured to receive the angled sprayed particulates. As airflow carries the angled spray particulates into the second portion, the enlarged cutout region enables the spray particulates to pass through and exit the second portion of the testing region. Analysis in the second region may be conducted through transparent walls free of openings to minimize exposure of the spray particulates to the exterior of the device. A scrubber is adapted to extract spray mist from the airflow as the airflow exits the testing region and is re-circulated through the cyclical tunnel. |
| US09116067B1 |
Method for detecting leaks around seals
A method whereby a seal, such as a door or window seal including a joint or seam, is tested for leaks. An aerosol can has an environmentally safe propellant and a liquid therein that exits the can as a tracer mist, which tracer mist may contain a disappearing dye. The can is positioned on one side of the seal being tested and is sprayed at this side with the opposite side observed, either visually, or with the aid of a marker strip, in order to determine if any of the tracer mist passes from the one side of the seal to the other side. |
| US09116064B2 |
Structure of built-in self-test for pressure tester and method thereof
A built-in self-test structure for a pressure tester and a method thereof are provided. The built-in self-test structure includes a substrate, a plurality of membrane layers, a fixing portion, an electrical heating unit and a sensing circuit unit. The membrane layers are formed on the substrate. The fixing portion is configured on the membrane layers and includes a notch. The notch and the membrane layers define a cavity. The electrical heating unit is configured on one membrane layer, and the sensing circuit unit is configured on another membrane layer. The electrical heating unit heats up to increase the pressure in the cavity according to an input voltage, so that the membrane layers have a small deformation. The sensing circuit unit outputs a test signal according to the small deformation. |
| US09116061B2 |
Device and method for testing pulling force
An exemplary embodiment of a testing device for testing a pulling force includes a shell having a test platform, a load sensor mechanism, a control system, a drive and transmission mechanism and a material clamping mechanism. Two portions of a test object are clasped by the load sensor mechanism and the clamp. When the load sensor mechanism is driven to move further away from the clamp via the drive and transmission mechanism, a pulling force perpendicular to the test platform is generated between the two portions of the test object. The load sensor mechanism detects the pulling force and feeds back the detection to the control system. |
| US09116056B2 |
Building block transducer assembly
A transducer assembly configured to accommodate a plurality of individually tunable sensing elements of various geometries and configurations by using a cap and an accompanying capillary tube. The configuration of the various embodiments described herein eliminate the header to flat plate welds of the prior art, and therefore better accommodates a plurality of sensing elements and corresponding header assemblies within one transducer assembly. |
| US09116051B2 |
Actively cooled gas turbine sensor probe housing
An actively cooled turbine sensor assembly is designed to withstand post-combustion gas-path conditions of gas turbine engines. The housing forms part of a cooling system and includes an elongated tubular structure that may be inserted into the hot flow path. The distal end portion of the sensor assembly is contoured to minimize heat transfer. The housing also includes leading and trailing plenums for flowing cooling air through the housing and out through the distal end portion. Additional side cavities may also be provided for active cooling of the sensor and reducing possible heat conduction paths to the sensor. |
| US09116049B2 |
Thermal sensor system and method based on current ratio
A thermal sensor system which includes a thermal sensor and a voltage control network which applies a reference voltage level and a delta voltage level to the same or different thermal sensors. The thermal sensor develops a reference current signal in response to the reference voltage level and a delta current signal in response to the delta voltage level. A current gain network adjusts gain of the delta current signal. A current compare sensor, which is responsive to the reference current signal and the delta current signal, provides a comparison metric. A controller controls the current gain network to adjust gain of the delta current signal while monitoring the comparison metric to determine a gain differential value indicative of a current ratio between the current signals. The controller determines a temperature value based on the gain differential value. A LUT may be used to retrieve the temperature. |
| US09116047B2 |
Systems and methods for controlling the optical path length between a laser and an optical cavity
Systems and methods for controlling the optical path length between a feedback enabled laser and a cavity, and hence the optical feedback phase. A phasor element, positioned along an optical path between the laser and the cavity coupling mirror, includes a gas medium within a volume defined by the phasor element. The phasor element is configured to adjust or control an optical path length of the laser light between the laser and the cavity coupling mirror by adjusting or controlling a density of the gas medium within the phasor volume. |
| US09116045B2 |
UV dosimetry system taking into account effective SPF
A UV exposure dosimetry system includes at least one UV sensor that accurately measures the UV irradiance intensity. The UV dosimetry system integrates the measured UV irradiance intensity over time to calculate the real-time UV dosage and the vitamin D production by taking into account factors comprising UV sensor location, body surface area, clothing coverage, and the effective sun protection factor of the applied sunscreen. Based on the measurement, the system can predict the time remaining to skin burn and the time remaining to reach daily goal of vitamin D production. The UV dosimetry system supports multi-user control through an advanced and user friendly input and output interface. |
| US09116043B2 |
Ambient light sensors with photodiode leakage current compensation
An electronic device may have a display with a brightness that is adjusted based on data gathered from one or more ambient light sensors (ALSs). In one suitable arrangement, an ALS may include a photodiode, a temperature sensor, a scaler, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), and a subtractor. The subtractor may have a first input coupled to the photodiode via the ADC, a second input coupled to the temperature sensor via the scaler, and an output on which a leakage-compensated sensor output is provided. In another suitable arrangement, the ALS may include first and second photodiodes, a light blocking layer formed over the second photodiode, a scaler, and a subtractor. The subtractor may have a first input coupled to the first photodiode, a second input coupled to the second photodiode via the scaler, and an output on which a leakage-compensated sensor output is provided. |
| US09116039B2 |
Sensor including dielectric metamaterial microarray
The present disclosure is directed to electromagnetic radiation sensors including micro-lenses and to methods of constructing and utilizing such electromagnetic radiation sensors. In one embodiment there is provided an electromagnetic radiation sensor comprising a dielectric substrate including a front surface and a rear surface, an electromagnetic radiation detector element disposed on the rear surface of the substrate, and a lens comprising a three dimensional polaritonic metamaterial structure including a pattern of features formed in the front surface of the substrate, the lens configured to focus electromagnetic radiation incident on the front surface of the substrate onto the electromagnetic radiation detector element. |
| US09116037B2 |
Passive infrared detector
An infrared detector (301) is provided which comprises a pyroelectric detector (303) having first and second sensing elements (345), an aperture stop (311), and a Fresnel lens array (305). The detector may be used as a passive infrared sensor unit for detecting intrusion into large openings. |
| US09116029B2 |
Optical liquid level sensor having a plurality of optical fibers
An optical level sensor mounted to a ceiling of a tank includes a sensor tube. The sensor tube is provided with support and guidance elements extending with at least three radially distributed positions inside the tank. The support and guidance elements collect, support, and guide optical fibers to different heights of the tank. Each optical fiber has a number of input sides and a number of turns forming sensor heads between two input sides, for a different level. The corresponding support and guidance element bends the fiber in the turns forming sensor heads of a small radius r around at least one corresponding guideway. |
| US09116026B1 |
Measuring device
A measuring device that has an upper guide movably engaged with a lower guide. The upper guide is extendable relative to the lower guide in a first direction along a first axis, and retractable relative to the lower guide in a second direction along the first axis. The upper guide and lower guide form a straightedge that is adjustable. The measuring device includes one or more rulers and levels. A locking mechanism operatively engages with the upper guide and lower guide. The locking mechanism is configured to lock and maintain a position of the upper guide relative to the lower guide and unlock to allow extension and retraction of the upper guide relative to the lower guide. The units of rulers on the upper guide can increase along the second direction, and the units of the rulers on the lower guide can increase along the first direction. |
| US09116025B2 |
Cam-locking dissimilar material sleeve
A cam-locking dissimilar material sleeve installed on an outer surface of an expansion shaft of an inspection robot inserted into a heat transfer tube of a steam generator for generating nuclear power to inspect the heat transfer tube, the cam-locking dissimilar material sleeve includes: a tension part formed of steel and including a plurality of upwardly opened slits and a plurality of downwardly opened slits alternately formed in zigzags and legs formed between the upwardly opened slits and the downwardly opened slits; a plurality of upper contact parts formed of a synthetic resin through injection-molding to surround an upper end of the tension part and surround parts located between the upwardly opened slits; and a plurality of lower contact parts formed of a synthetic resin through injection-molding to surround a lower end of the tension part and surround parts located between the downwardly opened slits. |
| US09116024B2 |
Device for measuring parietal parameters
The present invention relates to a measuring device comprising a flexible polymer plate (1) and at least one cavity (R0) formed within the polymer plate, comprising a window opening onto an upper face of the polymer plate and configured to receive at least one physical value sensor (SR) arranged in a casing (SP0). The measuring device also comprises electrical conductors (11, 13) embedded in the polymer plate and comprising a termination extending into the cavity (R0), to electrically couple the sensor to an electrical input/output point (4) of the polymer plate. Application mainly to measurements of parietal parameters. |
| US09116021B2 |
Sensor device
A sensor device includes a detector portion, plural metal terminals that transmit a detection signal from the detector portion, and a housing portion, which integrally supports the detector portion and metal terminals, formed from resin, leading end portions of the plural metal terminals configuring connector terminals, and the plural metal terminals being disposed with at least one portion thereof aligned when seen from the axial direction of the connector terminals, wherein protruding portions protruding in a direction differing from the axial direction of the connector terminals are provided on the metal terminals. |
| US09116019B2 |
Technique for compensating for abnormal output of resolver for environmentally friendly vehicle
Disclosed is a technique for compensating for an abnormal output of a resolver. More specifically, a central processing unit (CPU) sets a current motor position angle before compensation θn,ORG as a current motor position angle θn and obtains a motor position change Δθn[rad] between a current sampling [n] and a previous sampling [n−1] and a motor position change Δθn-1[rad] between the previous sampling [n−1] and a more previous sampling [n−2]. Subsequently, a variable A is calculated based on the above angles. The CPU determines whether to perform the compensation by comparing the calculated variable A and a calibration variable K and calculates a current motor position angle for compensation θn[rad]. Finally, the CPU compensates for the absence of motor rotor position information with the calculated current motor position angle for compensation θn[rad]. |
| US09116018B2 |
Linear or rotary position sensor with a permanent magnet for detecting a ferromagnetic target
The disclosure relates to a contactless magnetic sensor for measuring the angular or linear movement of a ferromagnetic target. The purpose of the disclosure is to make a position sensor having reduced dimensions and capable of detecting a piece of position information as soon as the sensor is powered without degrading the performance thereof. To this end, the disclosure relates to a mobile sensor that includes at least one permanent magnet, at least one ferromagnetic member at least one magnetically sensitive member, the permanent magnet having an upper surface opposite the ferromagnetic target, wherein the permanent magnet has a substantially cylindrical or parallelepiped shape and includes a cavity, the ferromagnetic member being arranged inside the cavity and the magnetically sensitive member being arranged inside the cavity above the ferromagnetic member and below the upper surface of the magnet. |
| US09116014B2 |
Apparatus and method for energy display
The present disclosure enables comparison of an energy consuming propensity of each energy consumer with that of other energy consumers. To this end, energy usage information of each energy consumer and comparison conditions (size of house, the number of families, energy consuming regions) are collected, and energy consuming propensities of other energy consumers are compared with energy consuming propensity of each energy consumer similar in terms of living environment, and the comparison is shown. A variety of statistical information for comparison is provided through an IHD (In-Home Display) installed at each house, whereby the energy consumers can easily and conveniently evaluate his own energy consuming propensity. An objective evaluation of his or her position related to energy consumption of other energy consumers promotes more active energy conservation and more rational energy consumption by being stimulated by the energy consumption of other energy consumers. |
| US09116013B2 |
System and method for controlling a connection of a meter to a power line
The disclosure relates to a meter for monitoring usage of power provided by a power transmission system to a site. The meter comprises: a communication module to generate communications carried over the system; a request manager module to process messages received from a head end of the system; a meter module connected to a power feed of the system; a connection manager module to evaluate readings and data and to generate connection signals for the meter in view of the readings; and a relay having a first position where the power is connected to the site and a second position where the power is disconnected, the relay being controlled by the connection signals. The connection manager module generates a first signal for the relay to disconnect the power when an over-voltage condition or an over-current condition on the system has been detected. |
| US09116012B2 |
On-vehicle apparatus
A storage part of an on-vehicle apparatus stores simplified map data of which content is simplified as compared to original map data used for route guidance. An image generator of the on-vehicle apparatus retrieves the simplified map data stored on the storage part and generates a map image based on the simplified map data. Then a transmitter of the on-vehicle apparatus transmits the map image generated by the image generator to a portable device, in response to a demand from the portable device. |
| US09116006B2 |
Apparatus and method for determining indoor collection points and collecting heterogeneous infrastructure measurement information
Disclosed herein is an apparatus and method for determining indoor collection points and collecting heterogeneous infrastructure measurement information. The apparatus includes a sensor module unit for sensing a motion and a location. An indoor map DB includes attribute information of an indoor space and an indoor map. A collection route generation unit generates a collection route on the indoor map depending on collection conditions. A collection point determination unit determines a collection point from which the heterogeneous infrastructure measurement information is to be collected on the collection route while moving, based on information of the sensor module unit and the indoor map DB. A heterogeneous infrastructure measurement information collection unit collects heterogeneous infrastructure measurement information from the collection point. An information combination unit generates results of collection by combining the collection point with the heterogeneous infrastructure measurement information at the collection point. |
| US09116005B2 |
Electronic systems for locating objects
A database for a set of orientation-matched road (OMR) sections is searched according to a calculated orientation of an object and orientations of road sections stored in the database. The OMR sections are searched for a position-matched road (PMR) set according to a calculated position of the object and positions of the OMR sections. The PMR set includes one or more PMR sections. The object is located using the PMR set. |
| US09116004B2 |
Map scrolling method and apparatus for navigation system for selectively displaying icons
A map scrolling method and apparatus for a navigation system prevents from displaying certain icons while displaying other icons based on conditions and settings of the navigation system during a transition period of a map scrolling operation. The map scrolling method includes the steps of: detecting activation of a map scrolling operation; checking whether there is any limit condition attached to icons as to remove them from a map image; scrolling the map image while removing the icons to which the limit condition is attached from the map image during a transition period of the map scrolling operation; and displaying all of the icons when the map scrolling operation is completed. |
| US09116003B2 |
Routing graphs for buildings
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to systems, methods, etc. for creating a routing graph based at least partly on building information. For certain example implementations, a method includes obtaining building information descriptive of at least a portion of a building structure. A grid of points may be superimposed onto the building information. At least one routing graph may be created based at least in part on the superimposed grid of points and the building information. Other example implementations are also described. |
| US09115999B2 |
Method and system for measuring vehicle speed based on movement of video camera
A digital video camera is placed on a vehicle. The video camera is attached to the vehicle and is directed to a surface at a certain angle to the surface. The camera angle can change while vehicle is in motion. The camera angle is constantly measured by angular sensor (i.e., inclinometer). Images of the surface are projected onto a video matrix and transformed into a sequence of digital frames that are formed at a pre-set time interval. A speed of the video camera relative to the surface is calculated as a ratio of an off-set between the adjacent frames and the time interval between the frames. Then a known relative speed of the vehicle can be corrected by multiplication of the height of the camera (above the surface) by a coefficient that equals a ratio of the known vehicle speed and the measured camera speed. |
| US09115998B2 |
Tracking system and method
A tracking system is provided for tracking objects. A first and a second trackable member each have an inertial sensor unit producing at least orientation-based data. A processing unit receives the orientation-based data from the trackable members. The processing unit has an orientation calculator calculating an orientation of the second trackable member with respect to the first trackable member from the orientation-based data of the trackable members, whereby the processing unit calculates an orientation of the objects. A method for tracking objects is also provided. |
| US09115996B2 |
Threat analysis toolkit
A method and system for managing an aircraft's flight path by identifying and categorizing potential threats in the aircraft's original flight path and determining an alternate flight path. The alternate flight path is selected from potential flight paths and has a threat value lower than any of the potential flight paths. The potential flight path candidates are generated from combinations of the original flight path coordinates, and coordinates that vary from the original coordinates by a set range. |
| US09115995B1 |
Enhanced graphical flight planning for a flight management system
The present invention provides systems, apparatus and means to perform various FMS flight plan edits and definition of navigation reference fixes using interactive graphical representations displayed on an MFD rather than a text-based CDU. In two of the embodiments of the present invention, means are provided where minimal pilot actions, i.e., shortcuts, (which may also include entry/adjustment of a numerical value) are performed on an electronic display that accomplish particular flight plan edits as compared to several pilot actions when using a CDU to perform the same edits. In another embodiment of the present invention, a means is provided where the data entry method is graphical in nature rather than alphanumeric text for inserting an airway into a flight plan. The alphanumeric identifiers are represented as graphical objects which are selectable. In yet another embodiment, the present invention teaches a means for a flight plan modification consisting of the entry or bidirectional adjustment of a parallel offset value directly on an electronic map. In another embodiment, the present invention includes the display of a dialog box showing interactive lists of the available instrument procedures for the selected airport which is displayed on an electronic map. The display lists remain in view after selections are made with the active selection and new selection highlighted differently in the list. In another embodiment of the present invention, a means is provided to allow entry/adjustment of navigation reference fix input data directly on the electronic map. Graphical navigation reference fix symbology is dynamically positioned on the electronic map while the input data value is being adjusted. |
| US09115992B2 |
Laser gyro comprising a device for protecting from corrosion
A laser gyro includes an optical block manufactured from a glass-ceramic first material having apertures, electrodes placed in the apertures of the optical block, and seals ensuring the hermeticity of the optical block in the location of the apertures. The seals use indium of a first redox potential. The laser gyro furthermore includes, making contact with the seal, at least one sacrificial electrode comprising a second material of a second redox potential, the second redox potential being lower than the first redox potential. |
| US09115990B2 |
Geospatial and image data collection system including image sensor for capturing 3D geospatial data and 2D image data and related methods
A geospatial and image data collection system includes a laser source configured to direct laser radiation toward a geospatial area, and an image sensor. The image sensor is configured to be operable in a first sensing mode to sense reflected laser radiation from the geospatial area representative of three dimensional (3D) geospatial data, and a second sensing mode to sense ambient radiation from the geospatial area representative of two dimensional (2D) image data. In addition, a controller is configured to operate the image sensor in the first and second sensing modes to generate the 3D geospatial data and 2D image data registered therewith. |
| US09115989B2 |
System for motion and activity correlation with dose for occupational and environmental dosimetry
Described are a method and apparatus for determining based on motion data when an individual wearing a dosimeter is active. Also described are a method and apparatus for determining based on motion data whether an individual was wearing a dosimeter when the dosimeter was exposed to radiation. Also described are a method and apparatus for determining based on motion data whether a dosimeter was in a particular location when the dosimeter was exposed to radiation. Also described are a method and apparatus for determining based on motion data where on the body of an individual the individual was wearing a dosimeter when the dosimeter was exposed to radiation. Also described are a method and apparatus for determining based on motion data the probability that an individual is wearing a dosimeter that is assigned to the individual. |
| US09115987B2 |
Optical metrology with multiple angles of incidence and/or azimuth angles
An optical metrology device simultaneously detects light with multiple angles of incidence (AOI) and/or multiple azimuth angles to determine at least one parameter of a sample. The metrology device focuses light on the sample using an optical system with a large numerical aperture, e.g., 0.2 to 0.9. Multiple channels having multiple AOIs and/or multiple azimuth angles are selected simultaneously by passing light reflected from the sample through a plurality of pupils in a pupil plate. Beamlets produced by the plurality of pupils are detected, e.g., with one or more spectrophotometers, to produce data for the multiple AOIs and/or multiple azimuth angles. The data for multiple AOI and/or multiple azimuth angles may then be processed to determine at least one parameter of the sample, such as profile parameters or overlay error. |
| US09115986B2 |
Device for optically scanning and measuring an environment
A device for optically scanning and measuring an environment is provided. The device includes a movable scanner having at least one first projector for producing at least one uncoded first pattern on an object in the environment. The scanner includes at least one camera for recording images of the object provided with the pattern and a controller coupled to the first projector and the camera. The device further includes at least one second projector which projects a stationary uncoded second pattern on the object while the scanner is moved. Wherein the controller has a processor configured to determine a set of three-dimensional coordinates of points on a surface of the object from a set of images acquired by the camera based at least in part on the first pattern. The controller is further configured to register the set of images relative based in part on the stationary second pattern. |
| US09115983B2 |
Position measurement apparatus and position measuring method
In a position measurement apparatus and a positioning measuring method, an image capturing element having an imaging region of a dimension smaller than that of a workpiece is moved relatively over a surface of the workpiece while an image on the surface of the workpiece is captured. In addition, a pattern on the surface of the workpiece is extracted from an image (I(t)) inside the imaging region, and a displacement amount of the pattern occurring in the image (I(t+1)) inside the imaging region is detected. A position on the surface of the workpiece is measured based on the detected displacement amount and the dimension. |
| US09115971B2 |
Measuring apparatus
A measuring apparatus includes an optical frequency comb source configured to emit an optical frequency comb in which a plurality of frequency components are arranged at equal frequency intervals, a beam splitter configured to split a beam emitted from the optical frequency comb source into a test beam to be irradiated onto a test surface and a reference beam to be irradiated onto a reference surface, an optical path difference changing element configured to change an optical path difference between the reference beam and the test beam, an image sensor configured to capture an interference pattern formed by interference between the test beam and the reference beam, and an analyzer configured to calculate a position of the test surface based upon a signal of the interference pattern captured while the optical path length difference is being changed by the optical path difference changing element. |
| US09115966B2 |
Airsoft marking round
A spherical pellet marking round for gas propelled guns, such as airsoft electric guns and gas blow back guns, allows a user or military/law enforcement trainees to actually view a mark when they hit their opponent. The marking round is heavier than conventional gas propelled gun rounds, allowing for more reliable breaking on target. The marking round has a hard, brittle shell and is sized for the gun or rifle type. The marking round can include colored marking material, ultraviolet, infrared, forward looking infrared (FLIR) and luminous “glow-in-the-dark” shells for tracer versions. An oversized wedge can be used in production that allows for heavier weighted fill material to be used. |
| US09115959B2 |
Quick release garment
Exemplary embodiments of a quick release garment can be provided. The exemplary garment can include a plurality of co-operable garment panels, which when interconnected, can form a garment in a condition wrapped about an upper torso of a person, a plurality releasable mechanical latches, each latch having a first and a second portion and at least one latch element biased towards an engaged condition, releasably engageable to interconnect the garment panels, and a release arrangement operable in a single operation to release the latches. Further, the latches can be structured so that the single operation allows the garment to fall from the upper torso, and the garment can thereafter be rapidly restorable to the condition wrapped about the upper torso by re-engaging each of the latches by pushing the first and second portions together against the bias to re-engage the latch element(s). |
| US09115955B2 |
Artwork display frame and related methods
Frames for displaying 3D and/or user-selected pieces of artwork and related methods. Some frames comprise frame and rail engagement portions. The frame portions display the artwork and further comprise bodies defining curvilinear cross-sections and display areas on exterior surfaces of the bodies. The rail-engagement portions can couple to the frame portions and further comprise ridges. The ridges extend away from interior surfaces of the frame bodies and can be adapted to engage rails. Flats adjacent to the rails can facilitate securing the frames to the rails. Moreover, display areas of the current embodiment define the artwork. The bodies and rail engagement portions can withstand various shocks at the rails. Moreover, the bodies can be hand guards for weapons. Furthermore, the rail engagement portions can define apertures which receive weapons tools. Moreover, the frame portions can define stops which engage slots associated with the rails. If desired, engravings define the artwork. |
| US09115944B2 |
System and methods for firearm safety enhancement
The present invention relates to system and methods for providing enhanced firearm safety by utilizing an electronic firearm locking device present in the firearm, in communication with a mobile application of a wireless mobile communication device and a remote firearm management server that provides five levels of safety for selective and dynamic enabling and disabling of the firearm based on real time situations along with several value added features. |
| US09115942B2 |
System and method for breaking and cocking a single shot firearm
A system and method for breaking and cocking a single shot firearm by moving a piece of the firearm's trigger guard. |
| US09115941B2 |
Straight pull bolt action system
A straight pull bolt action system for use with a firearm includes a bolt, an action bar, a locking pin and a locking lug. The locking lug front end is pivotally moveable between an up position and a down position, the bolt and action bar are longitudinally moveable between forward and rearward positions. The bolt has a lower locking surface that locks with the locking lug front end when the bolt is in the forward position and the locking lug front end is in the up position. The locking pin has one portion slidably disposed in an opening in the bolt and another portion slidably disposed in an L-shaped opening in the action bar. |
| US09115939B2 |
Micro-channel heat exchanger
The present invention discloses a micro-channel heat exchanger comprising manifolds, a plurality of micro-channel flat tubes connected to the manifolds, and a plurality of rows of fins spaced apart by the micro-channel flat tubes. The micro-channel heat exchanger is provided with at least one bend designed to avoid the deformation of the fins on two inner sides adjacent to the bend due to crushing and meanwhile maintaining the ventilation and heat exchange functionalities of the bend. For example, the bend may include at least one row of fins where the width of the fins are less than the width of the fins on two sides adjacent to the bend. Alternatively, the gap between the fins in the bend can be greater than the gap between the fins on two sides adjacent to the bend. Still alternatively, the bend can be formed with a space for separating cores of the heat exchanger. |
| US09115938B2 |
Two-phase distributor
A heat exchanger is described comprising a distributor having an outer housing and including a plurality of substantially parallel plates disposed within the housing and configured to partition an input two-phase flow into a series of primarily single-phase layers. A heat exchanger is described comprising a distributor having an outer housing including a plurality of substantially parallel channels disposed therein, each channel configured to uniformly and independently convey a portion of a homogenous input two-phase flow from an input of the distributor to an output of the distributor. |
| US09115936B2 |
Cooling apparatus and method using a vacuum pump
A cooling apparatus includes a shell adapted to hermetically store liquid water, a heat exchanging structure adapted to receive a substance to cool down, and a vacuum pump. The heat exchanging structure has one or more heat transfer walls, each of the heat transfer walls having a first surface in contact with the liquid water stored in the shell, and a second surface in contact with the substance to cool down. The vacuum pump is operable to create a partial vacuum on a surface of the liquid water, whereby causing a decrease in a temperature of the liquid water in the shell. In other embodiments, methods of cooling a substance are also described. |