| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US09218604B2 |
Method for expert Advisors to provide one on one phone call or chat advice services through unique empowered independent agents to consumers using mobile devices
The present invention provides techniques for managing, supporting and empowering Independent Agents to offer a method for enabling expert Advisors to deliver, and charge for, advice to consumers, by connecting two parties in real time in an online chat using mobile devices. The present invention also provides the method and techniques for expert Advisors, in turn, to provide their service through a multiplicity of Independent Agent channels without the potential for communication device conflict; thereby ensuring successful connections for consumers. |
| US09218602B2 |
Providing page navigation in multirole-enabled network application
The present invention discloses an apparatus, method and computer program for providing page navigation in a multirole-enabled network application. The apparatus comprises: a virtual role creator adapted to create a virtual role for each user in the multirole-enabled network application based upon an atomic role set configured for the user; an access pattern generator adapted to generate a virtual-role-based access pattern by recording page access requests of the user and by performing pattern mining for the recorded page access requests according to the virtual role of the user; and a page navigation provider adapted to provide page navigation by utilizing the access pattern corresponding to the virtual role of the user when the user accesses the multirole-enabled network application. With the technical solution of the invention, pattern mining can be performed for access data of one or more users according to virtual role, so the user can be provided with optimized personalized page navigation. |
| US09218599B1 |
Method and system for automatic chargeback reimbursement for product returns
A method for processing an automatic chargeback request includes: storing, in an account database, a plurality of account profiles, wherein each account profile includes data related to a payment account including at least an account identifier; receiving, by a receiving device, an indication of a product return, wherein the indication includes at least a specific account identifier, a product amount, and a merchant identifier; identifying, in the account database, a specific account profile where the included account identifier corresponds to the specific account identifier; generating, by a processing device, a chargeback request for a chargeback to be initiated against a merchant associated with the merchant identifier for the product amount for benefit to the payment account related to the specific account profile; and transmitting, by a transmitting device, the generated chargeback request. |
| US09218595B2 |
Systems and methods for initiating payment from a client device
The disclosed embodiments include a mobile client device for automatically performing a mobile financial service function, including a memory storing software instructions, the software instructions including a mobile financial service application configured to perform financial service processes. The system may also include and one or more processors configured to execute the software instructions to detect a physical action performed on the mobile client device, and determine a first financial service function to perform based on the detected physical action, wherein the first financial service function is a function provided by the mobile financial service application. The one or more processors may also determine whether verification of a user is required, verify the user if verification of the user is required, and automatically initiate the first financial service function. |
| US09218589B2 |
Issuance, conveyance and management of endorsements
Systems and methods for the issuance, management and conveyance of endorsements to authorities, the system comprising an endorsement issuance module configured to issue an endorsement associated with an endorsee, wherein the endorsement prescribes to specified endorsement issuance rules, an endorsement conveyance module configured to validate the endorsement according to the specified endorsement conveyance rules, and an endorsement management module configured to maintain the specified rules according to an authority. |
| US09218586B2 |
Asset management service for distributed computing environments
Concepts and technologies are disclosed herein for an asset management service. The asset management service can receive asset record creation requests and can store asset records at an asset data repository. The asset records can identify assets and associated information such as, for example, asset identifiers, personnel, organizations, users, geographic locations, time and date information, status information, or the like. A user device can execute an asset management application to generate asset tags including the asset identifiers and to scan existing asset tags. When asset tags are scanned, the user device also can capture device and/or user information that can be used to set a status or provide available status choices. Status updates can be provided to the asset management service for updating of the asset records. |
| US09218577B2 |
Electric power generation amount estimation device, electric power generation amount estimation system, electric power generation amount estimation method and computer program
There is provided an electric power generation amount estimation device, including a solar power generation device identification portion that identifies a solar power generation device that generates electric power by receiving irradiation of sunlight, a sunlight amount calculation portion that estimates and calculates an amount of sunlight, and an electric power generation amount calculation portion that calculates an amount of electric power to be generated by the solar power generation device, based on information about the solar power generation device identified by the solar power generation device identification portion and about the amount of sunlight calculated by the sunlight amount calculation portion. |
| US09218576B2 |
Method silhouette image representation
This invention relates to a method and a system of silhouette image representation of a subject located at a remote location. Input data relating to the remote location are received, one or more graphical indicator indicating graphically at least one local condition at the remote location is obtained based on the received input data, and the one or more graphical indicators are incorporated in the silhouette image. |
| US09218571B2 |
Frequency separation between qubit and chip mode to reduce purcell loss
A system, method, and chip to control Purcell loss are described. The chip includes qubits formed on a first surface of a substrate. The method includes determining frequencies of the qubits, and controlling a separation between the frequencies of the qubits and chip mode frequencies of the chip. |
| US09218570B2 |
Determining an anomalous state of a system at a future point in time
A prediction technique to predict an anomalous state of a processing environment at a future point in time. One or more values of one or more metrics of the processing system are obtained. For the one or more metrics, one or more predicted values are determined for one or more points in time in the future. Based the predicted values, one or more change values for one or more points in time are determined, and based on the one or more change values, a determination is made as to whether an anomalous state exists within the processing system. |
| US09218567B2 |
Quantum processor based systems and methods that minimize an objective function
Quantum processor based techniques minimize an objective function for example by operating the quantum processor as a sample generator providing low-energy samples from a probability distribution with high probability. The probability distribution is shaped to assign relative probabilities to samples based on their corresponding objective function values until the samples converge on a minimum for the objective function. Problems having a number of variables and/or a connectivity between variables that does not match that of the quantum processor may be solved. Interaction with the quantum processor may be via a digital computer. The digital computer stores a hierarchical stack of software modules to facilitate interacting with the quantum processor via various levels of programming environment, from a machine language level up to an end-use applications level. |
| US09218561B2 |
Touch sensor with RFID
The examples describe the integration of a RFID tag with a touch sensor. |
| US09218557B2 |
Portable e-wallet and universal card
Universal cards are used in place of all the other traditional cards which a person may want to carry. The universal card can include a short range communications transceiver to communicate with a mobile device. The mobile device can include a user interface and an e-wallet application so that the user can interface with the e-wallet application for programming the universal card via the short range communication link. Once programmed, the universal card emulates a function of a traditional card. |
| US09218556B2 |
Plugs having depolarizers
The present disclosure provides plugs of cables or tubes including at least one depolarizer, configured to emit depolarized light in response to polarized light impinging thereon and arranged such light emitted from the at least one depolarizer and passed through a polarizing element optically orthogonal to the impinging polarized light can be detected by a connection system. |
| US09218554B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and storage medium
A method for image processing executed by an image processing apparatus includes sequentially receiving PDL data and transferring a figure included in the PDL data to processing in a subsequent stage, assigning edge extraction processing as a unit of processing for extracting edge information for each transferred figure, merging the edge information extracted from each figure, spooling the merged data in a tile format as intermediate data, and reading out the intermediate data in the tile format from spooling process and performing processing on each tile to generate a pixel from the intermediate data. |
| US09218550B2 |
Method and system for creating a customized print
A method for producing a customized print includes determining a color of at least one feature of an object, where the object is imaged with a reference color chart. A color palette is selected based on the at least one determined feature color and a print is generated based on the selected color palette. A system for producing a customized print is also described. |
| US09218547B2 |
Method and apparatus for recognizing characters
A method and an apparatus for recognizing characters using an image are provided. A camera is activated according to a character recognition request and a preview mode is set for displaying an image photographed through the camera in real time. An auto focus of the camera is controlled and an image having a predetermined level of clarity is obtained for character recognition from the images obtained in the preview mode. The image for character recognition is character-recognition-processed so as to extract recognition result data. A final recognition character row is drawn that excludes non-character data from the recognition result data. A first word is combined including at least one character of the final recognition character row and a predetermined maximum number of characters. A dictionary database that stores dictionary information on various languages using the first word is searched, so as to provide the user with the corresponding word. |
| US09218534B1 |
Method and system for classifying painted road markings in an automotive driver-vehicle-assistance device
An automated, computerized method is provided for processing an image. The method includes the steps of arranging a digital camera on a vehicle body, operating the digital camera to provide an image file depicting an image of a scene related to vehicle operation on a road, in a computer memory, receiving from the memory the image file depicting pixels of an image of the scene related to vehicle operation on a road, and using an analysis of the pixels to generate an illumination invariant image of the scene. A further process step includes using the illumination invariant image to analyze the road scene for painted road markings. |
| US09218531B2 |
Image identification apparatus, image identification method, and non-transitory computer readable medium
An image identification apparatus includes following components. A first generative model creation unit extracts feature information from identification-target images which belong to an identification-target category, and creates a first generative model on the basis of the feature information. A classification unit applies the first generative model to each not-identification-target image which belongs to a not-identification-target category so as to determine a probability of the not-identification-target image belonging to the identification-target category, and classifies the not-identification-target image to a corresponding one of not-identification-target groups in accordance with the probability. A second generative model creation unit that extracts feature information from not-identification-target images which belong to a corresponding one of the not-identification-target groups, and creates a second generative model of each not-identification-target group on the basis of the corresponding feature information. |
| US09218529B2 |
3-D imaging sensor based location estimation
A system and method for estimating a location of an object or vehicle is provided. Images of a region encompassing the object are obtained, providing a three dimensional (3-D) view frame of the region. 3-D view frames are collected along a direction of travel of the object. A 3-D map is generated along the direction of travel of the object, the map based on the 3-D view frames and further based on an estimate of motion of the object at times associated with the 3-D view frames. A first set of features is extracted from the 3-D map. A geo-referenced feature database is searched for a second set of features that match the first set of features. A geo-location associated with the second set of features is retrieved from the feature database. The location of the object is estimated based on the retrieved geo-location. |
| US09218523B2 |
System and method for determining authorship of a document
Systems, methods, and computer-readable mediums for determining authorship of a handwritten document for which the authorship is not known. A method includes scanning a document to produce a high-quality scanned image of the document, and identifying stylus information corresponding to the document. The method includes identifying authorship information corresponding to the document, and determining an authorship of the document based on the stylus information and the authorship information. In some cases, content analysis of the document is also performed and used to determine authorship. |
| US09218520B2 |
Method and system for storing, retrieving, and managing data for tags
This invention relates generally to a method and system for storing, retrieving, and managing data for tags that are associated in some manner to any type of object. More particularly, the present invention writes data to these tags, reads data from these tags, and manages data that is written to and/or read from these tags. In addition, the invention accesses and/or stores data associated with tags from or into repositories, constructs and maintains data structures from these repositories and responds to queries using the data structures. |
| US09218516B2 |
Data reader platter with integral features delineating a data-reading sweep region
Disclosed is a data reading system that includes a housing and a platter window for concealing a data reader configured to read an optical code borne by an item transported through a read zone. The read zone is defined at least in part by the platter window. The data reading system also has a platter supportable on the housing that encompasses the platter window. The platter includes a first integral feature and a second integral feature bordering opposing peripheral sides of the platter window. The first and second integral features cooperatively delineate a preferred data-reading sweep path through the read zone. |
| US09218513B2 |
Circuit and method with improved mixer linearity
A switching circuit is linearized by using a capacitor to apply a drive voltage to an FET, wherein the drive voltage is independent of the signal switched by the switching circuit. |
| US09218503B2 |
Collection and analysis of customer data from application programming interface usage
A device may receive a request for analytics information associated with a user device. The device may retrieve application programming interface (API) information associated with the request for analytics information. The API information may include information associated with providing an authorization token and with providing user device information. The device may determine demographic information based on the request for analytics information. The demographic information may be associated with a user of the user device. The device may determine the analytics information based on an analysis of the API information and the demographic information. The device may provide the analytics information. |
| US09218502B1 |
System and architecture for electronic permissions and security policies for resources in a data system
An electronic permissions and security system are disclosed which may be used to determine permissions and policies for resources in a complex multi-dimensional data system. Analysis of resource data hierarchies and/or accessor data hierarchies using the permissions computing systems and methods discussed herein may provide efficient and flexible permissions analysis, determination, and management. The electronic permissions system may include for example, a permissions analysis module or component configured to access, traverse and/or analyze a resource hierarchy and/or an accessor hierarchy to determine permissions with respect to a resource. Permissions may be defined according to various policies which may include specific actions allowed or disallowed for the policy. Specific actions within a policy may also be organized hierarchically such that one particular grant of one permission may imply granting of another permission. |
| US09218501B2 |
Secure access management against volatile identity stores
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to managing access to protected computer resources. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for modifying a user's ability to access a protected computer resource while the user is currently using the resource. If the privileges granted to a user for accessing the protected resource are altered, these alterations take effect in substantially real time. In an exemplary embodiment, a user data repository will initiate the process of altering the user's access privileges upon changes of data in the repository. In this way, it does not matter how or by whom the data in the repository is changed, but the change itself is sufficient to initiate a re-computation of a user's access privileges to the protected resource. |
| US09218499B2 |
Data duplication using a shared storage area with improved access control
An enhanced security protection in data duplication using a shared storage area is provided. Specifically, an information processing apparatus, in which one or more applications operate, includes a copy-operation monitoring portion that acquires copy data that the copy source application issues an instruction to copy to a general-purpose shared memory, sets a lifetime interpreted from an operation pattern via an input device for the copy data, and then stores the copy data in a storage area; a display portion that displays, on a display, a paste candidate selected from one or more items of copy data stored in the storage area; a paste-operation monitoring portion that transfers the paste candidate read from the storage area to the paste destination application in response to a confirmation operation via the input device; and an erasing portion that erases, from the storage area, copy data that has become unpermitted to remain because the lifetime has expired. |
| US09218498B2 |
Method of verifying the validity of an electronic parking ticket
The method serves to verify the validity of an electronic parking ticket stored in an electronic entity. The method includes a step of securely obtaining from the electronic ticket specific data that is specific to said electronic entity or to the vehicle in which it is installed, and a step of making available at least a portion of said specific data on an inspection device. The method enables a dishonest attack of the “man-the-middle” type to be detected. |
| US09218496B2 |
Dynamically updating privacy settings in a social network
A social network allows its members to regulate what data is accessible to other members using one or more privacy settings. A particular member of the social network can modify the one or privacy settings to grant or deny different users access to different data. When a member modifies a privacy setting, the social network determines which information pathways communicating data between members are affected. The affected information pathways are then modified responsive to the privacy setting to communicate data identified by the modified privacy setting and enforce the new privacy restrictions. |
| US09218495B1 |
Systems and methods for sharing logs of a child's computer activities with a guardian of the child
A computer-implemented method for sharing logs of a child's computer activities with a guardian of the child is disclosed. The method may include determining that a child may be involved in a computer activity on a computing device that is not controlled by a guardian of the child, monitoring the computer activity, creating a log of the computer activity, determining that the guardian of the child is authorized to view the log of the computer activity, and providing the log of the computer activity to the guardian of the child. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed. |
| US09218494B2 |
Secure client drive mapping and file storage system for mobile device management type security
Methods and systems for providing a secure client drive mapping and/or file storage for mobile device management type security may include executing a managed application for presentation on a mobile device, receiving a request to save a data file locally on the mobile device, and determining whether the data file contains sensitive data are described herein. Subsequently, when the data file contains sensitive data and responsive to the request, the methods and system may also include encrypting the data file, storing the encrypted data file on the mobile device, and linking the encrypted data file to an unencrypted version of the data file, the unencrypted version of the data file not containing the sensitive data. |
| US09218485B2 |
Program execution device
A program execution device capable of protecting a program against unauthorized analysis and alteration is provided. The program execution device includes an execution unit, a first protection unit, and a second protection unit. The execution unit executes a first program and a second program, and is connected with an external device that is capable of controlling the execution. The first protection unit disconnects the execution unit from the external device while the execution unit is executing the first program. The second protection unit protects the first program while the execution unit is executing the second program. |
| US09218477B2 |
Electronic physical unclonable functions
An electronic asymmetric unclonable function applied to an electronic system being evaluated includes an electronic system and an AUF array electronically associated with the electronic system. The AUF array includes a plurality of non-identical cells. Each of the non-identical cells includes a test element representing a characteristic of the electronic system being evaluated and a measurement device evaluating the test element. A comparison unit processes an output of the measurement device to provide a multi-bit output value representing a magnitude of differences. |
| US09218473B2 |
Creation and authentication of biometric information
In accordance with the embodiments of the present invention, the biometric information created for biometric authentication is available for a predetermined time after it was acquired. In addition, the authentication processing is performed on the biometric information useful for a predetermined time after the biometric information was acquired when authenticating it. Therefore, the authentication processing can be normally performed on only the biometric information that is acquired immediately when it is necessary for the user to do the financial transaction or individual authentication. |
| US09218469B2 |
System and method for installing authentication credentials on a network device
A method for installing authentication credentials on a network device. An intermediary computing device (e.g., client computer) downloads an application for installing the authentication credentials from a secure website. The application on the intermediary computing device requests authentication credentials from a Network Access Control (NAC) credential service. The application passes the authentication credentials received from the NAC credential service through the intermediary computing device to an endpoint (e.g., video conferencing device). The application installs the authentication credentials on the endpoint. |
| US09218464B2 |
Interception of controlled functions
Briefly, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a plug-in type application may intercept called functions in order to implement one or more security or digital rights management type settings, and/or one or more policies for a given document where such functions may be restricted, prohibited, and/or otherwise controlled. Patch code may be integrated with such controlled functions to modify the behavior of the function when executed in order to comply with the security or digital rights management setting, and/or one or more policies. |
| US09218462B2 |
Authentication using lights-out management credentials
A method includes upon receiving a request from a user to perform an operation on a device that is running under an operating system, authenticating the user on the basis of credential data that is retrieved from a data storage unit that is associated with a lights-out management (LOM) capability of the device. If authentication of the user is successful, the user is enabled to perform the operation. |
| US09218460B2 |
Defining and mining a joint pharmacophoric space through geometric features
A technique for mining pharmacophore patterns including computer-implemented methods for generating a database of pharmacophores and computer-implemented methods for classifying a query molecule with the database of pharmacophores. Generation of the pharmacophore database includes methods of defining a Joint Pharmacophore Space (JPS) using the three-dimensional geometry of pharmacophoric features of all active molecules against multiple targets. |
| US09218459B2 |
Integrated drug management system and method of providing prescription drugs by using the same
Disclosed are an integrated drug management system and a method of providing prescription drugs by using the same. The integrated drug management system includes a drug information managing module to manage a basic information and a pattern information of an individual drug by performing an image processing scheme for the individual drug, an integrated management control module to control a drug management work and a prescription drug management work, a prescription drug making module to provide the drug by preparing a drug according to a prescription information, a prescription drug inspecting module to inspect a defect state of the drug, a prescription drug reinspecting module connected to the integrated management control module to reinspect the defect state of the drug which has been determined as a defective drug, and a drug pack providing module to provide a drug pack to each ward or each patient. |
| US09218454B2 |
Medical monitoring system
Medical patient monitoring devices that have the capability of detecting the physical proximity of a clinician are disclosed. The medical patient monitoring devices may be configured to perform a selected action when the presence of a clinician is detected. Systems and methods for facilitating communication between medical devices that use different medical communication protocol formats are also disclosed. For example, a medical communication protocol translator can be configured to receive an input message formatted according to a first protocol format from a first medical device and to output an output message formatted according to a second protocol format supported by a second medical device using a set of translation rules. Medical monitoring reporting systems are also disclosed. The medical monitoring reporting systems may be used to analyze a stored collection of physiological parameter data to simulate the effect of changing various medical monitoring options. |
| US09218450B2 |
Accurate and fast mapping of reads to genome
Accurate and fast mapping of sequencing reads obtained from a targeted sequencing procedure can be provided. Once a target region is selected, alternate regions of the genome that are sufficiently similar to the target region can be identified. If a sequencing read is more similar to the target region than to an alternate region, then the read can be determined as aligning to the target region. The reads aligning to the target region can then be analyzed to determine whether a mutation exists in the target region. Accordingly, a sequencing read can be compared to the target region and the corresponding alternate regions, and not to the entire genome, thereby providing computational efficiency. |
| US09218448B2 |
Resistive capacitance determination method for multiple-patterning-multiple spacer integrated circuit layout
A method comprises generating a plurality of multiple patterning decompositions associated with a layout of an integrated circuit. Each of the plurality of multiple patterning decompositions comprises a first pattern associated with a first mask, a second pattern associated with a second mask, the first mask and the second mask being two masks of a multiple patterning mask set, a width value associated with at least one of the first pattern or the second pattern, and a spacing value between the first pattern and the second pattern. A file is generated comprising a plurality of dielectric constant values associated with the plurality of multiple patterning decompositions that are based on the width values and the spacing values. |
| US09218447B2 |
Automatic test pattern generation (ATPG) considering crosstalk effects
Crosstalk effects can be taken into account in automatic test pattern generation (ATPG) by providing crosstalk fault models, determining paths and/or nodes to be sensitized to activate each crosstalk fault, and optimizing to enable as many crosstalk faults as possible with a given pattern, subject to constraints. Constraints can include threshold numbers of endpoints/observation points and/or attempts to sensitize. Intermediate nodes in a crosstalk fault model path to an observation point can also be determined and/or sensitized. |
| US09218441B1 |
Partitioning electronic circuits for simulation on multicore processors
A circuit is simulated by using distributed computing to obtain a real solution. The circuit may be an entire integrated circuit, portion of an integrated circuit, or a circuit block. A circuit simulation technique of the invention generates a system graph, finds a tree, and partitions the tree into two or more subtrees. The technique identifies global links and local links in the graph. Each subtree may be solved individually using distributed, parallel computing (e.g., using multiple processor cores or multiple processors). Using the results for the subtrees, the technique obtains a real solution, branch voltages and currents, for the circuit. |
| US09218436B2 |
Data synchronization system
While a server (110) that executes a first web application program that accomplishes a web application that provides a service over the Internet so as to provide the service is not connected to a client (100) that receives the service, the client (100) executes a second web application program that accomplishes a web application, records a procedure in which the client (100) has executed the second application program, and transmits the recorded procedure to the server (110) just after the client (100) and the server (110) are connected and then the server (110) executes the first web application based on the procedure transmitted from the client (100). |
| US09218434B2 |
Method for storing media captured using a portable electronic device
A method for updating data in a media storage location includes: storing an identity on a portable electronic device, the identity allowing access to the media storage location; storing a file in a device memory of the portable electronic device, the file being captured by a media capturing component of the portable electronic device; and performing a synchronization operation using a media manager, the media manager being in communication with the device memory and the media storage location; the synchronization operation synchronizing data between the device memory and the media storage location. |
| US09218430B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer program products for recommending applications based on user interaction patterns
A method for recommending an application includes obtaining an input model representing user interaction patterns during execution of a first application. The input model is compared to a reference model representing user interaction patterns during execution of a second application. A similarity is determined between the input model and the reference model. A recommendation of the second application is generated in response to the similarity. |
| US09218429B2 |
Content metadata directory services
A method of associating a content object with metadata uses a combination of a content identifier and a bounding identifier to enable handling of disparate sets of content identifiers for content objects with potentially conflicting content identifiers. The method receives a content identifier for a content object from among a set of content identifiers. It provides a unique bounding identifier for the set of content identifiers. This unique bounding identifier is used in combination with the content identifier to form a globally unique identifier for the content object. This globally unique identifier is associated with a metadata source, which enables routing of a user to the metadata source. |
| US09218425B2 |
Systems, methods and computer program products for searching within movies (SWiM)
Systems, methods and computer-readable media process a series of media files into a searchable format. The method includes generating a media database by processing each of a plurality of programs. The steps of the method include extracting a subtitle track from each of the programs, retrieving at least one frame associated with the subtitle track, adding metadata to the extracted subtitle track and at least one frame, processing the subtitle track, program statistics and at least one frame in a media database. Another aspect includes receiving a user query associated with dialog in a program, searching the media database and presenting a listing of results, receiving a user selection or program from their listing and transmitting at least one frame, a portion of associated subtitle track and prompts for ordering the program. |
| US09218421B2 |
Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to rank web site influence
Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to rank a web site are disclosed herein. An example method to rank the influence of a web site includes accessing a query based on a topic term, determining topic specific posts by applying the query to a first plurality of posts to a web site, comparing the topic specific posts to a list of web sites to determine a topic volume per site, determining a plurality of inbound links to the first plurality of posts, determining a number of inbound links to the posts that are relevant to the topic term by comparing the topic volume per site and the inbound links, and generating a rank of the web site based on the number of inbound links to the posts that are relevant to the topic term and times between the inbound links. |
| US09218420B1 |
Detecting new businesses with unrecognized query terms
Provided is a process for identifying a new business listing, the process including: identifying, from a log of local search queries, a term that does not correspond to a name of a business listing; determining a number of recent search queries containing the term and a number of historical search queries containing the term; determining that a rate based on the number of recent search queries exceeds a threshold rate based on the number of historical search queries; and identifying the term as a name of a new business listing. |
| US09218405B2 |
Batch processing and data synchronization in cloud-based systems
Disclosed are methods and apparatus for efficiently storing application data received from clients in a database stored on a server, such as a cloud-based database. The methods include receiving a batch of a plurality of web operations that specify actions to be performed on data objects that represent application data stored in a cloud database, translating the web operations to a batch of data storage operation sets, creating a temporary database having a subset of contents of the cloud database, applying the data storage operation sets to the temporary database, recording database operations generated by the temporary database based on the plurality of data storage operation sets, and applying the plurality of database operations to the cloud database in a transaction. Translating the web operations can include mapping the actions to be performed on the data objects to transactions to be performed on the cloud database. |
| US09218403B2 |
Optimizing data processing using dynamic schemas
A computer system accesses rows of feed data and converts the received feed data into portions of binary blob data. The computer system also sends the binary blob data to a database server which is configured to access metadata associated with a feed including a dynamic server statement to determine how to convert the binary blob data to a server table with a blob column configured to store the rows of feed data. The database server accesses feed data belonging to a particular feed and executes a dynamic server statement to create a relational dataset in an in-memory table of the server. A second dynamic statement applies data processing conditions indicated in the metadata. When feed data rows match conditions, the computer system places feed data row information into an alert table that includes references to the blob table with blob data, thereby triggering an alert. |
| US09218402B2 |
Method for converting MOF files for compatibility with incompatible CIM implementations
A method for converting CIM MOF files from a first CIM implementation to a second CIM implementation includes receiving at least a first MOF file in a first format, and replacing at least a first parameter within the received file with a second parameter. The first format and first parameter are compatible with the first CIM implementation and the second parameter is associated with the second CIM implementation. The method further includes creating a transformed file based on the replacing, determining at least a first rule set associated with the second CIM implementation, and comparing the transformed file to the determined first rule set. Additionally, the method includes converting the transformed file to a second format based on the comparison, wherein the second format is compatible with the second CIM implementation. |
| US09218401B2 |
Systems and methods for remote access to DB2 databases
Systems and methods are provided that allow client programs using APIs for accessing local DB2 databases to access DB2 systems on remote logical partitions and remote zSeries mainframes rather than from a local DB2 system. For example, a method may include intercepting a DB2 request using a documented API for accessing local DB2 databases from a client program executing on a source mainframe system. The method may also include selecting a destination mainframe system and sending a buffer including information from the request from the source mainframe system to the destination mainframe system and establishing, at the destination mainframe system, a DB2 connection with the DB2 system from the request. The method may further include receiving a response from the DB2 system, sending a buffer having information from the response from the destination mainframe system to the source mainframe system, and providing the information to the client program. |
| US09218395B2 |
Managing attributes in stream processing
A method and system for managing attributes in a streaming application is disclosed. The system may have a stream manager communicatively coupled with processing elements for tracking a stream of tuples. The system may also have a first stream operator communicatively coupled with the stream manager and capable of receiving the stream of tuples, wherein the first stream operator selects the selected attribute of the first tuple and assigns a first identifier to the selected attribute. The system may also have a second stream operator communicatively coupled with the stream manager and capable of receiving the stream of tuples, and capable of replacing the selected attribute in the second tuple with a second identifier provided by the first stream operator. The system may also have an identifier table communicatively coupled with the stream manager and the first and second stream operator, wherein the identifier table includes identifiers for selected tuples. |
| US09218391B2 |
Scalable computation of data
Techniques for producing a cross tabulation are described. The techniques involve issuing a plurality of queries to a database. The queries are for each of at least one sublevel of data for each of at least one dimension of data associated with records in the database. The queries provide sublists of sorted identifiers for each one of the queries. The technique determines occurrences of intersections of levels of one dimension with levels of another dimension of the data associated with records in the database by traversing the sublists to detect intersections of the dimensions. |
| US09218389B2 |
Fast distributed database frequency summarization
A mechanism is provided for computing the frequency packets in network devices. Respective packets are associated with entities in a vector, where each of the entities is mapped to corresponding ones of the respective packets, and the entities correspond to computers. Upon a network device receiving the respective packets, a count is individually increased for the respective packets in the vector respectively mapped to the entities, and computing a matrix vector product of a matrix A and the vector. The matrix A is a product of at least a first matrix and a second matrix. The first matrix includes rows and columns where each of the rows has a single random location with a one value and remaining locations with zero values. The matrix vector product is transmitted to a centralized computer for aggregating with other matrix vector products. |
| US09218387B2 |
Cloud based master data management system and method therefor
A source record from an enterprise is received at a registry at a master data management system at a host enterprise. The enterprise is located remotely from the host enterprise. The source record has a source identifier. A data record is generated based on the source record and the data record has a first registry identifier. The data record is stored at a data store. The registry maintains a link identifying a relationship between the registry identifier and the source identifier. A reference engine determines a value of an attribute of a field of the source record identifies a second source record, and determines whether the registry includes a second registry identifier associated with a second data record generated based on the second source record. The reference engine sets an indicator identifying the data record if the registry does not include the second registry identifier, and clears the indicator if the registry does include the second registry identifier. |
| US09218383B2 |
Differentiated secondary index maintenance in log structured NoSQL data stores
There is provided a method for operating multi-node data stores. A data table is stored in a first computing node and an index table is stored in a second computing node. The index table provides keys used for accessing data in the first computing node and other multi-node data stores. Operations that update or read the data table accessed from the first computing node and the index table accessed from the second computing node are performed. The operations optimize between latency in updating or reading the data table and the index table and data consistency maintained between data entries in the data table and data entries pointed by indices in the index table. |
| US09218382B1 |
Exponential histogram based database management for combining data values in memory buckets
A method by a database management system provides a sequence of memory buckets that each contain a plurality of data value storage locations. For each of the memory buckets, the method responds to the plurality of data value storage locations of one of the memory buckets becoming filled from storage of data values, by generating a combined data value from combination of the data values and storing the combined data value in an unfilled one of the data value storage locations of a next one of the memory buckets in the sequence. Related computer systems and computer program products are disclosed. |
| US09218377B2 |
Failure recovery and error correction techniques for data loading in information warehouses
A method of data loading for large information warehouses includes performing checkpointing concurrently with data loading into an information warehouse, the checkpointing ensuring consistency among multiple tables; and recovering from a failure in the data loading using the checkpointing. A method is also disclosed for performing versioning concurrently with data loading into an information warehouse. The versioning method enables processing undo and redo operations of the data loading between a later version and a previous version. Data load failure recovery is performed without starting a data load from the beginning but rather from a latest checkpoint for data loading at an information warehouse level using a checkpoint process characterized by a state transition diagram having a multiplicity of states; and tracking state transitions among the states using a system state table. |
| US09218370B2 |
Processing data loads
A method and system for processing a data load. A request is received for a data load to load data into a database in accordance with a data template that includes data to be loaded into the database. The template includes columns and rows. The request specifies a request type characterized by at least one column that collectively includes unique data for each row. The columns include N sets of columns (N≧1) in addition to the at least one column. The data load is split into multiple loads of data. The multiple loads include one load and N additional loads. The one load is associated with the at least one column. The N additional loads are respectively associated with the N sets of columns and are configured to generate or modify one or more rows in each table of N respective additional tables in the database. |
| US09218360B2 |
User-selected tags for annotating geographic domains containing points-of-interest
A location-based service is provided that allows a user of a mobile device to tag and track the places he or she visits and share these places with social networking members. To implement this service a system receives location information from the user's location-aware mobile device over a wireless network. The location information identifies various locations or other points-of-interest that the user has visited. Based on this information the system determines a geographical domain that encompasses at least some of the locations the user has visited. Once a geographic domain has been determined it is presented to the user via the mobile device. The user is prompted to tag the geographical domain with an annotation that describes the geographic domain. The system stores the geographical domain and the annotation associated therewith so that it can be searched and accessed or retrieved by the user or members of the user's social network. |
| US09218358B2 |
Identifying files stored on client devices as web-based search results
Methods for leveraging a user's social network connections to search files stored on client devices are provided. Upon receipt of a search query, it is determined that the searching user is a social network connection of at least one user of a social networking application having files on their client device designated for sharing. Those designated files are searched to determine if any of them match the received search query. Client device files associated with users of the social networking application that have been designated for public sharing also are searched. Any files shared publicly or with social network connections of the sharing user that are stored on a client device and determined to match the received query may be presented to the searching user independent of the algorithmic search results or may be integrated into the algorithmic search results, as desired. |
| US09218357B2 |
Synchronizing channels lists
A system and methods are provided for synchronizing multiple lists of content channels that a user of a multi-channel content service subscribes to or follows, such as lists maintained at different places and/or on different devices. If a list on one of the user's devices has been modified, the device (e.g., a multi-channel content applet) informs a synchronization server by uploading the list. The server synchronizes it with a master list and downloads a copy to the device. A channels list includes an entry for each channel the user follows (and possibly channels he has deleted), which includes an index or ordinal position of the channel among all the member's channels, an identifier of the channel (e.g., a URN), identifiers of sub-lists the channel has been assigned to, and a timestamp identifying the last time the entry changed (e.g., when the channel was added, removed, assigned to a sub-list). |
| US09218356B2 |
Systems and methods for accelerating networking functionality
Methods and systems for synchronizing network configuration state tables between an operating system kernel and an attached ASIC switch device are disclosed. An instruction to update a target network configuration state table in either an operating system kernel or an attached ASIC switch device is received. Data from the target network configuration state table and data from a corresponding network configuration state table are retrieved. Values of data in the two tables are compared and an instruction is sent to update the target network configuration state table with one or more values from the corresponding network configuration state table. |
| US09218355B2 |
Systems and methods for transformation of logical data objects for storage
Systems and methods for transforming a logical data object for storage in a storage device operable with at least one storage protocol, creating, reading, writing, optimization and restoring thereof. Transforming the logical data object comprises creating in the storage device a transformed logical data object comprising and one or more allocated storage sections with a predefined size; processing one or more sequentially obtained chunks corresponding to the transforming logical data object, wherein at least one of said processed data chunks comprises transformed data resulting from said processing; sequentially storing the processed data chunks into said storage sections in accordance with an order the chunks received. The method further includes reading a data range from the transformed logical object in response to a read request specifying desired point in time to be read. |
| US09218353B2 |
Method and system for name space propagation and file caching to remote nodes in a storage system
Systems and methods efficiently distribute information, such as path name, attributes and object information, corresponding to changes in a content repository to remote nodes in a network using storage-layer/object-based protocols. A difference monitoring client monitors name space and object space changes by identifying inodes which have been modified on storage volumes between two or more snapshots. The monitoring client builds a list which may include name information, object space information and attributes such as file size and permissions for each of the changed inodes that is utilized to update the edge nodes. Systems and methods also provide for geo-scale content distribution from a central repository to edge nodes using a storage-layer/object protocol. A caching mechanism is utilized to cache requested content at an edge node. Cached content may be maintained at the edge node during use and/or for an additional predetermined period. Difference monitoring client may track such cached content. |
| US09218351B2 |
Information processing apparatus, storage medium, and control method
An information processing apparatus includes a first saving unit configured to save a file received by a first receiving method for receiving one file via one request, a first deletion unit configured to, if it is determined that a file has been newly received, delete the file which the first saving unit has saved, a second saving unit configured to save a file received by a second receiving method which is capable of receiving a plurality of files via one request, and a second deletion unit configured to, if it is determined that a file has been newly received, delete the file which the second saving unit has saved with higher priority than deletion of the file, which the first saving unit has saved, by the first deletion unit. |
| US09218347B2 |
System and method for archiving to a single database table information located across multiple tables
A method for archiving to a single database table information located across multiple database tables. The method begins by monitoring at least one data value residing in the multiple database tables. After monitoring, the method continues by identifying at least one archival data value where each archival data value corresponds to a unique data value not exceeding a threshold. An end user provides the threshold used to identify the archival data values prior to execution of the method. After identifying the archival data values, the method continues by storing archive files in the single database table, each archive file comprising at least one archive data value. Finally, after storing the archive files in the single database table, the method concludes by removing from the multiple database tables each archival data value. |
| US09218346B2 |
File system and method for delivering contents in file system
The present invention relates to a file system, an apparatus in the file system thereof, and a method of providing and managing content in the file system thereof. According to the present invention, it may be possible to minimize data loss caused by server failure and to provide the convenience of data (content) management by (1) grouping overall data nodes (servers) to manage with a network server group including several data nodes (servers), (2) defining content management information, (3) storing and duplicating contents in each network server group using the defined content management information to maintain and manage the contents, (4) and maintaining and managing the contents in a file unit without using file chunks. |
| US09218335B2 |
Automated language detection for domain names
Methods and systems for automated language detection for domain names are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method for detecting a language of an Internationalized Domain Name (IDN) comprises receiving, by an I/O interface, a string of characters for the IDN; receiving training data, including a plurality of multi-gram analysis for a set of languages; analyzing, by a processor, the string of characters based on the training data, wherein the analyzing includes extracting a set of multi-grams from the string of characters and comparing the extracted set of multi-grams with the training data; detecting the language of the IDN based on results of the analyzing. In some embodiments, the method further comprises comparing the detected language of the IDN with a user selected language and using the IDN to generate a domain name, if the comparing indicates that the detected language of the IDN is consistent with the user selected language. |
| US09218332B2 |
Method and system for auto-populating electronic forms
An autofill system is described for auto-populating electronic forms with data stored by an on-line social networking system. When a member of an on-line social network system accesses, via a web browser, an autofill-enabled web page, the autofill system determines an identification of the member, scrapes the member's profile to obtain member's information, assembles the member's profile information as member data, and communicates the member data to the web browser together with a script for presenting an autofill button on the web page. |
| US09218331B2 |
Automated generation of structured electronic representations of user-fillable forms
Methods, software and devices for automatically constructing a structured electronic representation of a user-fillable form are disclosed. Each structured electronic representation is constructed from a parsable version of that form. A plurality of data structures for constructing structured electronic representations of user-fillable forms is stored. Each of the data structures is representative of a form region of one of a plurality of pre-defined types. A parsable version of the user-fillable form is received. This parsable version is parsed to identify fields of the user-fillable form, including at least one text field and at least one input field. These fields are grouped to form a plurality of form regions. Each of these form regions is matched to one of the stored data structures that best represents the form region in a structured electronic representation. An indicator of each matched data structure is stored. |
| US09218330B2 |
Method of inputting information into an electronic form
Described is a method to communicate to a third party information for part of an electronic form that cannot be competed and then to incorporate returned information into the electronic form. In various embodiments, while filling in an electronic form, a requestor requests assistance in the form of information from a third party such as a supervisor. The requestor specifies a range of the part requiring assistance, and copies the partial form into a field of a message. An agent acquires information concerning the partial form based on the copy operation. The message including the information on the partial form is sent to the third party. The third party inputs information into an input field concerning the input request and returns the partial form in a message. The agent incorporates the information included in the returned message into the original electronic form. |
| US09218328B2 |
Display of supplementary information on a graphical user interface
Disclosed are method and apparatus for displaying supplementary information on a graphical user interface. A request for supplementary information is received. The supplementary information is retrieved and displayed in a reserved display field in a graphical user interface. The reserved display field may be configured by a user to adapt to specific applications, but remains stationary throughout the user session. The reserved display field does not obstruct any other display fields in the graphical user interface. A request for supplementary information may be generated by using a mouse to first position a cursor over an active display element. A request for supplementary information associated with the active display element may be generated by clicking the mouse, or by holding the cursor stationary for a time interval greater than a threshold dwell time. |
| US09218325B2 |
Quick font match
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a font match technology, and in particular relate to a technology for performing font match with attribute values of a font. A method for font matching may include generating a two-dimensional link matrix based on available fonts and attribute values of the available fonts, receiving a font match query, and determining a font matching the received font match query from the available fonts by using the two-dimensional link matrix. Font matching may be implemented automatically, quickly, and accurately, without the need of manually randomly trying each font of a plurality of available fonts. Meanwhile, this method is independent from text processing software and may be called by any arbitrary text processing software (application). Moreover, this method allows the user to flexibly configure selection of the font attributes so as to perform font match more efficiently. |
| US09218324B2 |
Method of encapsulating diverse user interface components while consistently enforcing external constraints
A computer-implemented method, apparatus, and computer readable storage medium encapsulate user interface components that collect data for a case management solution, while consistently enforcing metadata and constraints. Multiple types of interactive documents are supported, and a configuration indicates the type whose user interface components are to be encapsulated. A wrapper widget is created based on the interactive document type and implements an interface that enables it to interact externally with the case management environment and internally with the interactive document. The wrapper widget injects case property data values, metadata and/or constraints from the case management environment into the interactive document, which then enables editing of the case property data values and the effecting of the metadata and/or enforcing of the constraints. The wrapper widget is responsive to requests from the case management environment to validate and persist the interactive document to a case of the case management solution. |
| US09218323B2 |
Optimizing hyper parameters of probabilistic model for mixed text-and-graphics layout template
Example pages in which text and graphics have been laid out using a mixed text-and-graphics layout template are received from a user. Hyper parameters of a probabilistic model for the mixed text-and-graphics layout template are optimized, based on the example pages. |
| US09218322B2 |
Producing web page content
A method for producing web page content includes identifying blocks within a web page. The blocks are selectively assembled into sections. The sections are selectively assembled into article candidates. An article candidate that includes article content is distinguished from article candidates that do not include article content. Content is produced only from the article candidate distinguished as including article content. |
| US09218320B2 |
Methods and apparatus to provide electronic book summaries and related information
Example methods and apparatus to display summary information for an electronic book are disclosed. A disclosed example method involves, during an electronic book reader session, receiving a request for a summary associated with an electronic book. The example method also involves obtaining a marker indicative of a location in the electronic book and obtaining the summary for a portion of the electronic book demarcated by the marker. The summary is displayed via the electronic book reader. |
| US09218318B2 |
Analog computation
Some general aspects of the invention relate to a circuit and to a method for analog computation, for example, using switched capacitor integrated circuits. In some examples, a circuit includes a first group of capacitors and a second group of capacitors that may store charges during circuit operation. The first and/or the second group of capacitors may include multiple disjoint subsets of capacitors. An input circuit is provided for receiving a set of input signals and for inducing a charge on each of some or all capacitors in the first group of capacitors according to a corresponding input signal. Switches, for example, transistors controlled by a sequence of clock signals, are used to couple different sets of capacitors. Different configurations of the switches are used to form different sets of the capacitors among which charge can redistribute. |
| US09218307B2 |
Reader-writer synchronization with high-performance readers and low-latency writers
Data writers desiring to update data without unduly impacting concurrent readers perform a synchronization operation with respect to plural processors or execution threads. The synchronization operation is parallelized using a hierarchical tree having a root node, one or more levels of internal nodes and as many leaf nodes as there are processors or threads. The tree is traversed from the root node to a lowest level of the internal nodes and the following node processing is performed for each node: (1) check the node's children, (2) if the children are leaf nodes, perform the synchronization operation relative to each leaf node's associated processor or thread, and (3) if the children are internal nodes, fan out and repeat the node processing with each internal node representing a new root node. The foregoing node processing is continued until all processors or threads associated with the leaf nodes have performed the synchronization operation. |
| US09218306B2 |
Memory sharing circuit employing a buffered address and data bus and preventing bus collision
Disclosed is a memory sharing circuit for sharing a memory, the circuit including a plurality of unit processors connected to the memory, wherein the unit processor includes a buffer configured to be connected through the memory, a buffering address and a data bus, and a processor configured to be connected to the buffer for access to the memory through the buffer, and wherein the plurality of unit processors is configured to allow the processors to share the memory by preventing address/data bus collision for access to the memory by the processors. |
| US09218300B2 |
Apparatus, systems and methods for securely storing media content events on a flash memory device
Systems and methods are operable to securely store media content events on a flash memory device. An exemplary embodiment receives user-provided authorization information, compares the received user-provided authorization information with authorization information associated with the flash memory device, and permits access to a flash memory of the flash memory device when the received user-provided authorization information corresponds to the authorization information. |
| US09218294B1 |
Multi-level logical block address (LBA) mapping table for solid state
An access instruction which includes a logical block address (LBA) is received. A first-level table is accessed to obtain a first-level table entry associated with the LBA. From the first-level table entry, a location associated with a second-level table on solid state storage media is determined. The second-level table is accessed at the determined location to obtain a second-level table entry associated with the LBA. From the second-level table entry, a physical block address corresponding to the logical block address is determined. |
| US09218290B2 |
Data caching in a network communications processor architecture
Described embodiments provide for storing data in a local cache of one of a plurality of processing modules of a network processor. A control processing module determines presence of data stored in its local cache while concurrently sending a request to read the data from a shared memory and from one or more local caches corresponding to other of the plurality of processing modules. Each of the plurality of processing modules responds whether the data is located in one or more corresponding local caches. The control processing module determines, based on the responses, presence of the data in the local caches corresponding to the other processing modules. If the data is present in one of the local caches corresponding to one of the other processing modules, the control processing module reads the data from the local cache containing the data and cancels the read request to the shared memory. |
| US09218278B2 |
Auto-commit memory
Apparatuses, systems, methods, and computer program products are disclosed. A method includes processing metadata for data saved from a volatile memory buffer to a non-volatile storage medium. The data may be saved in response to a trigger event for a volatile memory buffer. A method includes locating saved data on a non-volatile storage medium. A method includes providing access to saved data after a trigger event based on processed metadata. |
| US09218277B2 |
Wear leveling
A method for operating a computer memory. The memory is organized to store data in units of such memory. For each unit of a set of units a wear level of the unit is determined. A maximum wear level among the wear levels is determined. A suggestion of a subset of one or more units for being selected for data erasure is received and at least one unit in the subset is identified for subsequent data erasure, a wear level (c(i)) of which units (i) is less than the maximum wear level (c_max). |
| US09218275B2 |
Memory management control system, memory management control method, and storage medium storing memory management control program
Disclosed is a memory management control system or the like, which can decrease degradation of processing performance.The memory management control system 1 includes an instruction unit 2. In the case that reference data referred to by a job, and first data existing in an area collected by a storage apparatus are identical, the instruction unit 2 issues a first instruction to write the first data in the storage apparatus, and in the case of not being identical, the instruction unit 2 does not issue the first instruction. |
| US09218271B2 |
Test planning based on dynamic coverage analysis
A method for refining a test plan is provided. The method comprises defining a coverage model including: one or more variables, wherein respective values for the variables are assigned, and one or more definitions for value combinations for said variables with assigned values, wherein zero or more of said value combinations are defined according to one or more restrictions for the purpose of generating a test plan to test a system for which the coverage model is constructed; determining zero or more uncovered value combinations in the test plan; and providing means to update the test plan. |
| US09218270B2 |
Functional software testing framework for determinate level testing
A method and system of testing coded features is provided that provides deterministic test results. The method includes building an instance of the hosted application using a minimum set of information required for the instance of the hosted application. A coded feature to be tested is deployed to the created instance of the hosted application and tests are run against the deployed coded feature. |
| US09218268B2 |
Testing transaction applications
A method, computer program product, and system for testing transaction applications is described. A method may comprise importing, via one or more computing devices, one or more web service components configured to exchange, at least in part, testing data between a testing application and a transaction application. The testing application may be configured, at least in part, to test the transaction application. The method may further comprise testing, via the one or more computing devices, the transaction application using, at least in part, the one or more web service components to exchange testing data between the testing application and the transaction application. |
| US09218265B2 |
Monitoring and controlling the operation of devices in a distributed network of broadcast devices
The invention relates to a system and method for monitoring and controlling the operation of devices in a distributed network of broadcast devices, such as Set Top Boxes (STBs). Such devices typically require periodic updates as new versions of operating software is developed. However, it is not possible to guarantee that all devices that have received an updated software version are able to operate correctly. The system initiates a test for a STB and monitors in real time the state of the STB as the software download occurs. The state of the STB is reported to a system controller and the results are output to a test engineer. Other devices in the broadcast network can be controlled by the controller and various troubleshooting or operational tests performed. |
| US09218263B2 |
Trace controller for processor, periphery, address, control, and data lines
An address and command port interface selectively enables JTAG TAP domain operations and Trace domain operations within an IC. The port carries TMS and TDI input and TDO output on a single pin and receives a clock signal on a separate pin. The addressable two pin interface loads and updates instructions and data to the TAP domain within the IC. The instruction or data update operations in multiple ICs occur simultaneously. A process transmits data from an addressed target device to a controller using data frames, each data frame comprising a header bit and data bits. The logic level of the header bit is used to start, continue, and stop the data transmission to the controller. A data and clock signal interface between a controller and multiple target devices provides for each target device to be individually addressed and commanded to perform a JTAG or Trace operation. |
| US09218261B2 |
Test case execution
Systems, methods, computer readable media and apparatuses for executing one or more test cases associated with verifying a functionality of a computer system, software application, or the like are presented. The test cases may be received by a system and may be prioritized and integrated into an existing queue of test cases based on the determined priority. In some examples, a configuration for a computing device to execute the test cases may be identified and transmitted to one or more computing devices available to or scheduled to execute the test cases. Accordingly, the test cases may be dynamically allocated to available computing devices for execution. In some arrangements, one or more reports may be generated and/or transmitted reporting the results of the execution of the test cases. The reports may be accessible via the system and/or may be transmitted to a user via, for example, an email message. |
| US09218260B2 |
Host device and method for testing booting of servers
In a method for testing booting of servers, the servers are controlled to boot and perform a booting test, and are controlled to quit the booting test and a current state of the booting test is stored in a test log, if the booting of one of the servers is unsuccessful. System logs of all of the servers are saved if the booting times of all of the servers do not exceed the first predefined time. An alarm device is controlled to alarm if the booting time of one of the servers exceeds the first predefined time but does not exceed the second predefined time. And the servers are controlled to quit the booting test if the booting time of one of the servers exceeds the first predefined time and further exceeds the second predefined time. |
| US09218259B2 |
Computing device and method for testing SOL function of a motherboard of the computing device
A method for testing a serial over local area network (SOL) function of a motherboard of a computing device. The method determines that the SOL function is normal if forward data can be transmitted from the serial port of the motherboard to a network interface controller (NIC) of the motherboard through a predefined path, and backward data can be transmitted from the NIC to the serial port through a predefined reverse path. The method determines that the SOL function is abnormal if the forward data cannot be transmitted from the serial port to the NIC through the predefined path, or the backward data cannot be transmitted from the NIC to the serial port through the predefined reverse path. |
| US09218258B2 |
Debug architecture
Roughly described, an integrated circuit chip comprises a plurality of peripheral circuits, each peripheral circuit connected to a respective debug unit, the respective debug unit configured to generate debug information of that peripheral circuit; and a plurality of separate stores for receiving debug information, storing debug information, and outputting debug information; wherein in response to a single trigger signal, the debug units are configured to stream their generated debug information to the plurality of separate stores; and wherein each of the plurality of separate stores is configured to receive debug information at a higher stream rate than it outputs debug information. |
| US09218253B2 |
Embedded restoration memory
Example embodiments relate to embedded restoration memory. In one example implementation according to aspects of the present disclosure, a computing device may include a processor for executing instructions, a memory for storing instructions, a storage device having a user operating system, and a restoration memory embedded in the computing device and having a restoration module and a restoration image. The restoration operating system may exist independently of the user operating system and may be inaccessible to the user operating system. Additionally, the restoration module may cause the computing device to install the restoration image from the restoration memory onto the storage device upon the occurrence of a trigger event. |
| US09218252B1 |
Techniques for performing data validation
Described are techniques for processing a request from a client. Validation processing is performed to determine whether any restrictions are violated. With respect to two associated objects for a logical device and its snapshot, a business logical provider may perform runtime checks regarding the two associated objects of the same or different frameworks to ensure a valid state exists with respect to the requested operation on the two associated objects. For example, the request may be to restore a logical device to its previous snapshot and the restrictions may indicate to not perform the restore if the logical device is in an active mirroring relationship, a source of an active migration, or if the snapshot has expired. The request may be to destroy the logical device which is included in a consistency group and a restriction indicates that a logical device included in a consistency group may not be destroyed. |
| US09218251B1 |
Method to perform disaster recovery using block data movement
A method and system for disaster recovery includes a process for executing a disaster recovery client software on a target system. The disaster recovery client software queries a disaster recovery server with an identifier for the target system, receives a backup volume information for the target system from the disaster recovery server, mounts the backup volume to the target system, and transfers data from the backup volume to a physical volume of the target system using a destructive recovery process with block level data transfer. |
| US09218249B2 |
Electronic apparatus, method of restoring guid partition table (GPT) and computer-readable recording medium
An electronic apparatus comprising a storage unit to store a first (primary) GPT, a second (secondary) GPT, and an OS, a controller boots the electronic apparatus using the first GPT and the OS, an effectiveness determination unit determines effectiveness of the first GPT if a predetermined event occurs, and a restoration unit restores the first GPT using the second GPT if the first GPT is not effective. |
| US09218247B2 |
Multimaster serial single-ended system fault recovery
A system to recover a multimaster serial single-ended bus and a faulted connected device includes a director device connected to the faulted connected device via the multimaster serial single-ended bus. The director device includes a central processing unit, a field programmable gate array, and a management module in communication with the faulted connected device, the management module configured to recover the faulted connected device and the multimaster serial single-ended bus. The management module may transmit a clock pulse to the faulted connected device if the faulted connected device is holding a data line (SDA) low, transmit a stop command to the faulted connected device if the faulted connected device is holding SDA low and/or read and compare a register value in the faulted device against an expected value to determine if the faulted device and the multimaster serial single-ended bus have been recovered. |
| US09218246B2 |
Coordinating fault recovery in a distributed system
In various embodiments, methods and systems for coordinating, between a host and a tenant, fault recovery of tenant infrastructure in a distributed system is provided. A fault occurrence is determined for a tenant infrastructure in the distributed system. The fault occurrence may be a software failure or hardware failure of the tenant infrastructure supporting a service application of the tenant. A fault recovery plan is communicated to the tenant to notify the tenant of the fault occurrence and actions taken to restore the tenant infrastructure. It is determined whether a fault recovery plan response is received from the tenant; the fault recovery plan response is an acknowledgement from the tenant of the fault recovery plan. Upon receiving the fault recovery plan response or at the expiration of a predefined time limit, the fault recovery plan is executed to restore the tenant infrastructure. |
| US09218240B2 |
Error detection and isolation
An approach to determine whether errors associated with transmitted data are associated with a transmitting device, a receiving device, and/or a connecting device that connects the transmitting device to the receiving device. The approach includes a method that includes receiving transmitted data with a buffer. The approach further includes analyzing the transmitted data which includes an error correcting process to detect errors and determine that the transmitted data has an error that requires additional analysis. The approach further includes determining that the error is associated with a receiving device, the transmitting device, or a connecting device that connects the receiving device and the transmitting device. |
| US09218239B2 |
Apparatuses and methods for error correction
This disclosure relates to error correction circuitry. In one aspect, an error correction circuit can serially receive a digit stream and parse the digit stream into substrings of a predetermined length of digits. Each of the substrings can include data digits and parity digits in certain embodiments. As the substring is received, parity can be tracked in defined regions of the substring. When the entire substring has been received, an error in one of the data digits of the substring can be corrected based on an indication of parity in at least one defined region in some embodiments. Then corrected data, which can include the corrected data digit and the other data digits of the substring, can be stored. According to certain embodiments, the error correction circuit can be implemented by asynchronous circuitry. |
| US09218238B2 |
Contents data recording apparatus and contents data recording method
According to one embodiment, a contents data recording apparatus includes a storage module and a data delete module. The storage module stores encoded first-system and second-system contents data. The data delete module deletes either the first-system contents data or second-system contents data from the storage module based on a predetermined condition after the first-system and second-system contents data has been stored in the storage module. |
| US09218233B2 |
Systems and methods for control reliability operations
In one embodiment, a system includes a data collection system configured to collect a data from a control system. The system further includes a configuration management system configured to manage a hardware configuration and a software configuration for the control system based on the data. The system additionally includes a rule engine configured to use the data as input and to output a health assessment by using a rule database, and a report generator configured to provide a health assessment for the control system. |
| US09218231B2 |
Diagnosing a problem of a software product running in a cloud environment
The present invention provides a method for diagnosing a problem of a software product running in a cloud environment and a corresponding apparatus, the method comprising: receiving a problem in the operation of the monitored software product from a diagnosis agent deployed on a node in the cloud environment; capturing the cloud environment including the software product, and deploying the captured cloud environment in a diagnosis cloud, and the step comprising: deploying the image of each node of the cloud environment in the diagnosis cloud; and applying corresponding configuration data for a cluster system deployed in the cloud environment to configure each node in the diagnosis cloud. The method and apparatus of the present invention can diagnose problems of a software product running in a cloud environment, and rebuild the cloud environment to facilitate the diagnosis of the problems. |
| US09218227B2 |
Method and system for user-designed application deployment
Embodiments of a method and system for utilizing user-designed applications are disclosed. A user-designed application that utilizes at least one high-level API available within a system may be received. The user-designed application may be deployed server-side within the system. A user request may be processed server-side for the user-designed application in the system. |
| US09218226B2 |
System and methods for remote access to IMS databases
Systems and methods are provided that allow client programs using IMS database access interfaces to access IMS database data available from IMS systems on remote logical partitions and remote zSeries mainframes rather than from a local IMS system. For example, a method may include intercepting an IMS request having a documented IMS request format from a client program executing on a source mainframe system. The method may also include selecting a destination mainframe system and sending a buffer including information from the request from the source mainframe system to the destination mainframe system and establishing, at the destination mainframe system, an IMS DRA connection with the IMS system from the request. The method may further include receiving a response from the IMS system, sending a buffer having information from the response from the destination mainframe system to the source mainframe system, and providing the information to the client program. |
| US09218219B2 |
Managing virtual functions of an input/output adapter
A computer implemented method may include identifying allocations for each virtual function of a plurality of virtual functions that are provided via an input/output adapter. The computer implemented method may further include determining a range associated with each group of a plurality of groups based on the identified allocations. The computer implemented method may also include associating each virtual function with a group of the plurality of groups based on the range associated with the group. Where at least one group of the plurality of groups is empty, and where one or more groups of the plurality of groups has two or more virtual functions associated with the one or more groups, the computer implemented method may include distributing the two or more virtual functions to the at least one empty group. The computer implemented method may further include transferring the plurality of virtual functions from each group to a corresponding category at the input/output adapter. |
| US09218209B2 |
Apparatus and method for parallel processing of a query
A computer readable storage medium comprises executable instructions to receive a query. A graph is built to represent jobs associated with the query. The jobs are assigned to parallel threads according to the graph. |
| US09218206B2 |
Memory management model and interface for new applications
A memory management system is described herein that receives information from applications describing how memory is being used and that allows an application host to exert more control over application requests for using memory. The system provides an application memory management application-programming interface (API) that allows the application to specify more information about memory allocations that is helpful for managing memory later. The system also provides an ability to statically and/or dynamically analyze legacy applications to give applications that are not modified to work with the system some ability to participate in more effective memory management. The system provides application host changes to leverage the information provided by applications and to manage memory more effectively using the information and hooks into the application's use of memory. Thus, the system provides a new model for managing memory that improves application host behavior and allows applications to use computing resources more efficiently. |
| US09218205B2 |
Resource management in ephemeral environments
A system executes a method that includes monitoring the systems that provide the provisioning of computing infrastructure resources to provide services for services executing on the resources, to monitor provisioning changes on the infrastructure resources. It further uses the information gathered by the monitoring of the provisioning resource(s) to provide a tag, which denotes the current assignment of each resource with a service name and an instance of the service associated with the resource identifier and a time stamp, and storing this a relational database, as a part of the record of the state, or performance data for that resource during that time interval. |
| US09218202B2 |
Prioritizing jobs within a cloud computing environment
Embodiments of the present invention provide an approach to prioritize jobs (e.g., within a cloud computing environment) so as to maximize positive financial impacts (or to minimize negative financial impacts) for cloud service providers, while not exceeding processing capacity or failing to meet terms of applicable Service Level Agreements (SLAs). Specifically, under the present invention a respective income (i.e., a cost to the customer), a processing need, and set of SLA terms (e.g., predetermined priorities, time constraints, etc.) will be determined for each of a plurality of jobs to be performed. The jobs will then be prioritized in a way that: maximizes cumulative/collective income; stays within the total processing capacity of the cloud computing environment; and meets the SLA terms. |
| US09218201B2 |
Multicore system and activating method
A multicore system includes multiple processor cores; a scheduler in each of the processor cores and allocating a process to the processor cores when having a master authority that is an authority to assign processes; and a master controller performing control to repeat until a process to be executed no longer exists, a cycle in which the schedulers transfer the master authority to another processor core after receiving the master authority and before assigning a process to the processor cores, discards the master authority after assigning the process to the processor cores, and enters a state of waiting to receive the master authority. |
| US09218200B2 |
Selective class hiding in open API component architecture system
Methods, systems and computer readable media for granting class level trust in an open application programming interface (API) system is disclosed. The method includes defining a common information model (CIM) architecture, and the CIM architecture is configured with a CIM object manager (CIMOM) for managing client requests made through APIs. The APIs are handled by the CIMOM and the CIMOM accesses schemas that include one or more classes. The method includes applying trust level settings to particular ones of the one or more classes of the schemas, and the trust level settings define client permissions to the particular classes. The method further includes hiding the particular classes to clients that lack a trust level sufficient to access the particular classes. Clients that lack the trust level are serviced with classes that do not have the applied trust level settings. |
| US09218198B2 |
Method and system for specifying the layout of computer system resources
A method for specifying the layout of computing system resources includes receiving a request for a virtual machine, the request comprising a processor requirement and a memory requirement, gathering resource groupings, each resource grouping comprising a latency penalty between a processor and at least a memory. The method further includes calculating a proportionality for each resource grouping, wherein the proportionality comprises a minimum of: an amount of the processor requirement the resource grouping can satisfy and an amount of the memory requirement the resource grouping can satisfy, sorting the resource groupings based on at least the proportionality for each resource grouping to create an ordered list and binding, based on the ordered list, at least one resource group to the virtual machine, wherein the at least one resource group satisfies the processor requirement and the memory requirement. |
| US09218197B2 |
Virtual machine image migration
Methods and systems for image migration. There are received, at an image reader, files of at least one image of at least one virtual machine from a first environment. Points of variability are identified within the files, with respect to preparation for functioning in a second environment. Each point of variability is associated with corresponding metadata, and each point of variability is stored with its corresponding metadata. The at least one image is reconfigured to function in the second environment, such reconfiguring comprising adjusting the points of variability via using the metadata. The reconfigured image is deployed to the second environment. |
| US09218195B2 |
Vendor-independent resource configuration interface for self-virtualizing input/output device
A vendor-independent resource configuration interface automatically maps virtual functions to physical functions in a self-virtualizing IO resource using the concept of a logical port that maps to a particular physical port and protocol in the self-virtualizing IO resource. A user wishing to provide a logical partition access to a self-virtualizing IO resource typically creates or configures a logical port for the logical partition by mapping the logical port to a particular physical port and protocol defined for the self-virtualizing IO resource, and an appropriate virtual function mapped to an appropriate physical function on an appropriate self-virtualizing IO resource is automatically selected, typically without requiring the user to have a detailed understanding of the numbers of supported virtual functions, physical functions and protocols supported by specific resources. |
| US09218194B2 |
Distributed virtual machine image management for cloud computing
Embodiments of the present invention and provide a method for distributed virtual machine (VM) image management in a cloud computing management includes receiving in a hypervisor executing in memory of a host computer, a request for VM image data from a VM and determining whether or not the requested VM image data is present in a local cache of either the hypervisor of the host computer or in a cache of a hypervisor of a peer host. The method additionally includes retrieving the requested VM image data from a seed image in a remote data store in the cloud computing environment only when it is determined that the VM image data neither is present in the local cache of the hypervisor of the host computer nor is present in the cache of the hypervisor of the peer host. |
| US09218186B2 |
Software compiler generated threaded environment
A computer-implemented method for creating a threaded package of computer executable instructions from software compiler generated code includes allocating, through a computer processor, the computer executable instructions into a plurality of stacks, differentiating between different types of computer executable instructions for each computer executable instruction allocated to each stack of the plurality of stacks, creating switch points for each stack of the plurality of stacks based upon the differentiating, and inserting the switch points within each stack of the plurality of stacks. |
| US09218185B2 |
Multithreading capability information retrieval
Embodiments relate to multithreading capability information retrieval. An aspect is a computer system includes a configuration with one or more cores configurable between a single thread (ST) mode and a multithreading (MT) mode. The ST mode addresses a primary thread and the MT mode addresses the primary thread and one or more secondary threads on shared resources of each core. The computer system also includes a multithreading facility configured to control utilization of the configuration to perform a method that includes executing, by the core, a retrieve multithreading capability information instruction. The execution includes obtaining thread identification information that identifies multithreading capability of the configuration, and storing the obtained thread identification information. |
| US09218184B2 |
Processor to execute shift right merge instructions
Method, apparatus, and program means for performing bitstream buffer manipulation with a SIMD merge instruction. The method of one embodiment comprises determining whether any unprocessed data bits for a partial variable length symbol exist in a first data block is made. A shift merge operation is performed to merge the unprocessed data bits from the first data block with a second data block. A merged data block is formed. A merged variable length symbol comprised of the unprocessed data bits and a plurality of data bits from the second data block is extracted from the merged data block. |
| US09218182B2 |
Systems, apparatuses, and methods for performing a shuffle and operation (shuffle-op)
Embodiments of systems, apparatuses, and methods for performing in a computer processor a data element shuffle and an operation on the shuffled data elements in response to a single data element shuffle and an operation instruction that includes a destination vector register operand, a first and second source vector register operands, an immediate value, and an opcode are described. |
| US09218179B2 |
Software automated data and data model upgrade system
A set of software upgrade tools that perform automated software data model and data upgrades to a first software data model already having customizations to produce a target software data model which includes updates included in a second software data model without loss of the customizations made to the first software data model. |
| US09218176B1 |
Software deployment in a distributed virtual machine environment
A computer implemented method for deploying, in a distributed virtual environment, a multi-component software product is disclosed. The method may include requesting and receiving product installation parameters, which may include virtual machine IDs corresponding to subsets of the product installation parameters. The method may also include copying software product installation files and parameters onto a first virtual machine, halting the first virtual machine, cloning the first virtual machine to a second virtual machine and setting virtual machine IDs on the virtual machines. The method may also include starting the virtual machines and identifying, based on virtual machine IDs, subsets of the product installation parameters. The method may also include deploying, based on subsets of the product installation parameters, the software product by installing first and second components of the software product on the first and second virtual machines, respectively. |
| US09218166B2 |
Development system with improved methodology for creation and reuse of software assets
A development system with improved methodology for creation and reuse of software assets is shown and described. In one embodiment, for example, in a development system, a method is described for facilitating creation of a reusable application, the method comprises steps of: during development of the application, capturing knowledge and intent of the application's original developer alongside source code created for the application; producing an archival module storing the source code for the application together with metadata capturing the knowledge and intent of the original developer, the metadata including at least one script guiding subsequent developers in use and modification of the source code for the application; and consuming the archival module by a follow-on developer, including executing the at least one script for facilitating creation of a reusable version of the application. |
| US09218165B2 |
System and method for an object instance acquirer
A method, computer program product, and computer system for receiving, at a computing device, an input including an indication of a type of an object for which an instance is required. Code that is declared in a software development application is scanned for the instance. An output is generated including one or more suggestions how to acquire the instance based upon, at least in part, the code that is declared in the software development application. |
| US09218163B2 |
Generating complex event processing rules
Techniques for generating complex event processing rules in a controlled natural language are provided. The techniques include obtaining one or more vocabularies that encompass a set of one or more noun and verb concepts, dynamically building an inheritance hierarchy of one or more named vocabulary concepts from the one or more vocabularies, parsing a controlled natural language input textual statement by using one or more names and the inheritance hierarchy to identify one or more temporal concepts and one or more complex event processing concepts, and converting the controlled natural language input textual statement to a complex event processing language statement by generating a representation of a lexical structure of the controlled natural language input textual statement that contains a reference to each identified temporal and complex event processing concept. |
| US09218158B2 |
N-valued shift registers with inverter reduced feedback logic functions
Shift register based circuits include non-binary polynomial calculation circuits, coder circuits, scramblers, descramblers and sequence generators that apply non-binary two-input/single output switching functions wherein at least one input contains a non-binary inverter or multiplier. A combination of a two-input/single output non-binary switching device with at least one non-binary inverter at an input is advantageously reduced to a single device that implements a single non-binary switching function. The reduced single device may be an electronic memory that stores the truth table of the single non-binary switching function. |
| US09218154B2 |
Displaying categories of notifications on a dual screen device
Embodiments are described for displaying indications of notifications received by a multi-screen device. The notifications may relate to a number of different categories including, without limitation, phone calls, SMS messages, email, notifications from applications, battery level, and signal strength. The multi-screen device includes a unified desktop that displays indications of the notifications regardless of the state of the multi-screen device, which in embodiments includes an undocked state and a docked state, in which a peripheral screen is used to display the indications. The indications may be displayed differently depending on the state of the multi-screen device. |
| US09218152B2 |
Image forming apparatus and control method thereof
An image forming apparatus comprises: a detection unit which detects the abnormal condition of the image forming apparatus; a storage unit which stores, as history information, information about a type of the abnormal condition and an occurrence situation of the abnormal condition in a case where the detection unit detects the abnormal condition; a determination unit which determines whether an occurrence frequency of the abnormal condition which has newly occurred is higher than a predetermined frequency; and a notification unit which, in a case where an abnormal condition has newly occurred and the determination unit determines that the occurrence frequency of the abnormal condition which has newly occurred is higher than the predetermined frequency, stops the image forming apparatus and notifies the user of trouble information for making a repair request by the user. |
| US09218151B2 |
Information processing device, image processing device, image processing system, and non-transitory computer readable medium to control execution of image processing based on resource information
An information processing device includes a resource information acquisition unit and a controller unit. The resource information acquisition unit acquires first resource information and second resource information. The first resource information indicates resources used to execute predetermined image processing. The second resource information indicates resources held by an image processing device selected as a device that executes the image processing. The controller unit performs control to generate a screen on which an operation to execute the image processing is accepted in accordance with a resource corresponding to the second resource information among the resources included in the first resource information. |
| US09218148B2 |
Information processing apparatus, storage medium, and control method
An information processing apparatus transmits print data to an image forming apparatus by using near field communication or to an image forming apparatus on a network, and at this time, gives preference as a print destination to the image forming apparatus using the near field communication over the image forming apparatus capable of communicating with the information processing apparatus using the network. |
| US09218145B2 |
Print job management
A system for managing a print job is disclosed. Print job data is intercepted prior to being printed by a printer and a print job package is generated including the print job data as intercepted and metadata on the print job data, the print job data as intercepted being extractable from the print job package. |
| US09218138B1 |
Restoring snapshots to consistency groups of mount points
A method is used for managing consistency groups in storage systems. A consistency group comprising multiple logical objects is created and multiple replicas of the consistency group are created. The consistency group is restored to one of the multiple replicas. |
| US09218133B2 |
Data deduplication in a removable storage device
An apparatus and associated methodology contemplate a data storage system having a removable storage device operably transferring data between the data storage system and another device via execution of a plurality of input/output (I/O) commands. A commonality factoring (CF) module executing computer instructions stored in memory assigns a CF tag to a data pattern in the transferred data. A deduplication module executing computer instructions stored in memory determines if the data pattern corresponding to the CF tag is previously stored in the removable storage device. |
| US09218128B1 |
Method and system for training users to utilize multimodal user interfaces
Training for a multimodal user interface may be organized into a plurality of modules. In embodiment, modules may include data corresponding to a “Push to Talk” tool, a set of data corresponding to navigation through a graphic user interface via voice input, and a set of data corresponding to entering data into a graphic user interface via voice input. Such training may be implemented in a variety of manners, including those which utilize data stored on a computer readable medium. Also, the structure and content of training may be streamlined and directed towards teaching a user to operate a multimodal user interface in an adequate manner. The structure and content of training may be configured to work in conjunction with the operation of a multimodal user interface being used in a real-time setting. |
| US09218125B2 |
Portable electronic device and method of controlling same
A method includes displaying information associated with a first application on a touch-sensitive display, detecting a touch on a touch-sensitive display and determining touch attributes, determining when the touch is a first gesture type based on the touch attributes, and when the touch is determined to be the first gesture type, forwarding information related to the touch to a second application, otherwise forwarding the information related to the touch to the first application. |
| US09218123B2 |
Device, method, and graphical user interface for resizing content viewing and text entry interfaces
An electronic device includes instructions for: displaying a text entry interface area at a first size for the text entry interface area; concurrently displaying a viewing area adjacent to the text entry interface area, at a first size for the viewing area; detecting a continuous finger contact that starts in the viewing area, moves in a first direction towards the text entry interface area, contacts a predefined boundary associated with the text entry interface area, and continues to move in the first direction after contacting the predefined boundary; and, in response to detecting the continuous finger contact continuing to move in the first direction after contacting the predefined boundary: increasing the viewing area to a second size of the viewing area; and scrolling the text entry interface area to reduce the displayed text entry interface area to a second size of the text entry interface area. |
| US09218122B2 |
Systems and methods for transferring settings across devices based on user gestures
Systems and methods for transferring settings between user devices using gestures are provided. A selection of media guidance application setting is made. A user input indicative of a direction in which the user wishes to transmit the selected media guidance application setting is received. A determination is made that a device is present in the direction indicated by the user and the device is identified. In response to identifying the device indicated by the user, the selected media guidance application setting is transferred to the identified device. The transferred setting is applied to the device to which the setting was transferred. |
| US09218121B2 |
Apparatus and method recognizing touch gesture
Disclosed are a touch gesture recognition apparatus and method that can be, or applied to, both a single-touch system and a multi-touch system. The touch gesture recognition method recognizes touch gestures using the diagonal-line length of a bounding box created based on touch location information and variations in the diagonal-line length. After a gesture is recognized, the recognized gesture is mapped to an input event of a user input device and feedback according to the input event is provided. |
| US09218111B2 |
Image processing device for displaying content, content creation device, and image processing method
When the user enters a request for moving a viewpoint, whether or not a displayed area is encompassed in a link area that is set for an active image is kept monitored. When the displayed area is encompassed, a corresponding link is determined to be valid, and an image of a link destination mapped to the link area is displayed. Whether or not the displayed area moves outside of a link area set for an image of a link origin is further monitored. If even a part of the displayed area moves outside of the link area, a corresponding link is determined to be invalid, and the display is switched back to the image of the link origin. If none of the above-stated conditions applies, the initial image continues to be displayed while moving the displayed area according to the movement of the viewpoint within the active image. |
| US09218110B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method, information processing program and recording medium for storing the program
Disclosed herein is an information processing apparatus capable of exchanging information with another apparatus. The apparatus includes: a unit for carrying out a communication with the other apparatus; a unit for acquiring information on a state of a communication with the other apparatus carried out by the communication unit; and a unit for determining image information for a user owning the other apparatus based on the information acquired by the communication-state information acquisition unit and determining an array including the image information. The apparatus further includes: a unit for generating a display image including the image information based on the array; and a unit for displaying the display image. |
| US09218104B2 |
Image processing device, image processing method, and computer program product
According to an embodiment, a display device includes a display, a deciding unit, a three-dimensional input unit, and a controller. The display configured to display partially a two-dimensional image in a two-dimensional area and a stereoscopic image in a three-dimensional area. The deciding unit is configured to based on a position of the three-dimensional area in the display, decide on a range of a space in front of the display, within which operation of the stereoscopic image with an input device is allowed. The three-dimensional input unit configured to obtain three-dimensional coordinate information inputted by the input device with respect to the display. The display controller is configured to, when the three-dimensional coordinate information is within the decided range, operate the stereoscopic image in accordance with the three-dimensional coordinate information. |
| US09218103B2 |
3D interface implementation method and system based on the android system
The present disclosure provides a method based on an android system for displaying a three-dimension interface, including: a three-dimension engine library transmitting a user operation command to an android system service layer; the android system service layer transmitting the user operation command to a java terminal; the java terminal generating a responding instruction according to the user operation command and sending the responding instruction to the android system service layer; the android system service layer sending the responding instruction to the three-dimension engine library; and the three-dimension engine library controlling a three-dimension model document to load a three-dimension model corresponding to the responding instruction and redrawing the three-dimension interface accordingly. In the present disclosure, with the android system service layer, a decline of processing ability when the system resources are overloaded in an instant can be avoided. |
| US09218101B2 |
Displaying estimated social interest in time-based media
Social media content items are mapped to relevant time-based media events. These mappings may be used as the basis for multiple applications, such as ranking of search results for time-based media, automatic recommendations for time-based media, prediction of audience interest for media purchasing/planning, and estimating social interest in the time-based media. Social interest in time-based media (e.g., video and audio streams and recordings) segments is estimated through a process of data ingestion and integration. The estimation process determines social interest in specific events represented as segments in time-based media, such as particular plays in a sporting event, scenes in a television show, or advertisements in an advertising block. The resulting estimates of social interest also can be graphically displayed. |
| US09218096B2 |
Sensing methods for touch sensing devices
A sensing method for a touch sensing device is provided. In one embodiment, for one set of interlaced receiving electrode and transmitting electrodes of the touch sensing device, an integrator coupled to the receiving electrode is reset only one time. In another embodiment, for each group of sensing electrodes, an integrator coupled to the sensing electrodes is reset only one time. Accordingly, the rate at which the touch sensing array is sensed may be increased. Noise reduced by the process of resetting the integrator due to charge injection effects may be decreased. |
| US09218095B2 |
Non-linear feedback capacitance sensing
A processing system for an input device includes a comparator, a digital-to-analog converter (DAC), and a feedback path coupling the DAC to the comparator. The comparator generates a first comparison signal associated with a resulting signal and a first output signal of the DAC; and generates a second comparison signal associated with the resulting signal and a second output signal of the DAC. The processing system also includes a control module and a determination module. The control module is coupled to the DAC and to the comparator's output and modifies a rising reference value and a falling reference value based on the first comparison signal and the second comparison signal, respectively. The determination module determines positional information for an input object in a sensing region of the input device based on the rising reference value and the falling reference value. |
| US09218089B2 |
Noise cancellation electrode driving for touch panel
A touch input device includes a touch panel, a controller, and a cancellation electrode. The touch panel includes a sensor pattern and an operation surface arranged above the sensor pattern. The sensor pattern includes first electrodes and second electrodes insulated from one another and arranged in a grid. The controller applies a drive pulse signal to the sensor pattern and detects a touch location where the operation surface of the touch panel is touched based on changes in capacitance of the sensor pattern. A cancellation pulse signal is applied to the cancellation electrode during application of the drive pulse signal. The cancellation pulse signal has a phase inverted from that of the drive pulse signal. |
| US09218082B2 |
Liquid crystal display device with a built-in touch screen and method for manufacturing the same
A liquid crystal display device with a built-in touch screen with improved contact efficiency between the data electrode and the pixel electrode on the lower substrate, and a method for manufacturing such a device with reduced cost and excellent efficiency by making use of a half-tone mask are disclosed. |
| US09218077B2 |
Touch control method and electronic system utilizing the same
A touch control method is implemented in an electronic system. A calculation of the product of a pressure value and the area over which pressure is applied are included in touch input data packets representing a touch operation, the values of net force associated with the touch input packets are thus obtained. A signal of a short press, if recognized, with a value of net force greater than a net force threshold can be recognized as a signal of a long press, thus simulating an operation of long press and triggering the selection of an object, where the selection of the object would otherwise require a long press operation. The touch control method operates to significantly speed up selection of an object. |
| US09218073B1 |
Determining forces of contacts between styluses and objects
An apparatus comprising a stylus with a dynamically switch tip shield is provided. The apparatus includes an elongated stylus housing having an end, a conductive tip disposed at least partially inside the stylus housing and extending from the end, a force sensor coupled to the conductive tip and configured to detect contact between the conductive tip and an object, a tip shield coupled with the stylus housing and extending from the end, and a switch coupled to the tip shield and the conductive tip. The force sensor may be an inductive sensor, a capacitive sensor, a piezo sensor, a force sensing resistor sensor, or an optical sensor. |
| US09218070B2 |
Pointing member, position detection apparatus and position detection method capable of detecting position of and pressure applied to pointing member
Methods and apparatus are provided to further facilitate detection not only of a position on a position detector pointed to by a pointing member, but also of information other than the position information such as pen pressure applied to the pointing member, in a position detection apparatus of the electrostatic coupling type. In one embodiment, a pointing member includes a first electrode substantially in the form of a rod, a substantially cylindrical second electrode disposed in such a manner as to surround the first electrode, and a transmission signal production section for producing a signal of a first frequency f1 and another signal of a second frequency f2 different from the first frequency f1 and controlling a phase difference between the signals in response to pressure applied to the pointing member. On a position detector side, the signal of the first frequency f1 is used for position detection of the pointing member, and the phase difference is used for detection of information other than the position information such as pen pressure on the pointing member. Alternatively, a pulse signal having a pulse width corresponding to pressure applied to the pointing member is produced, and on the position detector side, the position, pen pressure and so forth are detected from the pulse signal and the pulse width. |
| US09218063B2 |
Sessionless pointing user interface
A method, including receiving, by a computer, a sequence of three-dimensional maps containing at least a hand of a user of the computer, and identifying, in the maps, a device coupled to the computer. The maps are analyzed to detect a gesture performed by the user toward the device, and the device is actuated responsively to the gesture. |
| US09218062B2 |
Three-dimensional menu system using manual operation tools
Disclosed is an augmented reality-based three-dimensional menu system using manual operation tools. According to the present invention, the three-dimensional menu system comprises: a display device; at least one pair of manual operation tools which are manually operated by the user, and are in a hexahedral shape; an image acquisition device which acquires images for the manual operation tools; and a menu augmentation unit which tracks the manual operation tools from the acquired images, and augments menu items in the vicinity of the manual operation tools of the acquired images, thereby outputting the augmented menu items to the display device. |
| US09218058B2 |
Wearable digital input device for multipoint free space data collection and analysis
A new computer wearable input device, referred to as Imagine, may be used to control electronic devices in a natural, intuitive, convenient and comfortable manner, having a form factor which does not impede normal daily or business activities. For example, an Imagine may serve as an alternative to input devices such as a mouse, keyboard, or game controller. An Imagine device is able to recognize complex gestures, such as a person signing American Sign Language. An Imagine device may include a plurality of motion sensors affixed to a user's fingers and a plurality of motion sensors affixed to a user's wrists, a processing component and a communication component designed to communicate with a second electronic device. |
| US09218052B2 |
Framework for voice controlling applications
A system for voice control of applications includes an electronic device that receives speech signals and converts the speech signals into words. A voice navigation module analyzes an application and determines application type and enabled features. A command registration module registers commands based on the determined application type and enabled features. The commands control the application when matched with associated speech. A speech command interpretation module receives the words and detects a speech mode for matching commands with interpreted speech, and executes matched commands for navigating through and controlling the application. |
| US09218048B2 |
Individually activating or deactivating functional units in a processor system based on decoded instruction to achieve power saving
In an embodiment, a functional unit control system includes an instruction decoder of a processor comprising a pipeline, the instruction decoder being configured to decode an instruction to be performed by the processor. The system further includes a power controller unit coupled to the instruction decoder, and a functional unit which may operate during execution stages of the processor's pipeline coupled to the power controller unit and the instruction decode stage. The power controller unit is configured to determine whether the functional unit should be used to perform at least part of the instruction based on data of the instruction decoder. The power controller unit is further configured to perform at least one of activating and deactivating the functional unit in accordance with the determination of whether the functional unit should be used. |
| US09218047B2 |
Efficient power management of a system with virtual machines
Efficient power management of a system with virtual machines is disclosed. In particular, such efficient power management may enable coordination of system-wide power changes with virtual machines. Additionally, such efficient power management may enable coherent power changes in a system with a virtual machine monitor. Furthermore, such efficient power management may enable dynamic control and communication of power state changes. |
| US09218041B2 |
Adaptive thermal control of electronic devices
An apparatus includes logic to control heat generation in a device. The device to operate at least in one of a first state and a second state, wherein the device to consume more power in the first state than in the second state. The device to connect to a network at least for a portion of time while in the second state. The logic to select a plurality of thermal control solutions to decrease the generation of heat in the device in the second state, the selected thermal control solution to be performed while the device is in the second state to reduce the generated heat to below a predetermined level. |
| US09218038B2 |
Determining and optimizing energy consumption of computer systems
Management of energy consumption within a computing environment. Energy consumption of different hardware components are measured in the computing environment. Measurement includes voltage and current versus time used by the hardware components. The different measured values of energy consumption are collected, followed by tracking the hardware component used in time during an execution of an individual execution context within the computing environment. The energy consumption of the individual execution context is calculated by associating the corresponding collected measured energy consumption to the hardware component used. |
| US09218036B2 |
Power supply controlling apparatus, power supply controlling system, and non-transitory computer readable recording medium
A power supply controlling apparatus including: plural communication ports that connect to an information processing apparatus via plural communication devices, respectively; a switching portion that switches a setting of at least one of the communication ports so as to connect the at least one of the communication ports to any one of a data input and output device and one of the communication devices; and a transmission portion that, when the switching portion switches the setting of the at least one of the communication ports so as to connect the at least one of the communication ports to the one of the communication devices, and the communication devices are connected to the communication ports, respectively, transmits an e-mail in which an address of each of the communication ports has been described, to the information processing apparatus via the corresponding communication device connected to each of the communication ports. |
| US09218032B2 |
Apparatus and method for charging a mobile device
An apparatus, a method, and a computer program product are provided. The apparatus may be a mobile device. The mobile device receives a first mechanical force applied to at least one region on the mobile device, performs a function unrelated to energy conversion in response to the first mechanical force, receives a second mechanical force applied to the at least one region on the mobile device, converts the second mechanical force into electrical energy using at least one piezoelectric element, and powers at least one component of the mobile device using the electrical energy. |
| US09218030B2 |
Programming interface and method
A programming interface and method of operating a programming interface use a system clock input, an asynchronous reset input, and an interface control input. The method selectively controls multiplexed coupling of a source register to a destination register and the destination register to a buffer register. The multiplexed coupling of the destination register to the buffer register reduces the possibility of the buffer register being corrupted when an asynchronous reset signal is applied to the programming interface. Problems associated with meta-stable asynchronous crossing paths in asynchronous reset programming systems are therefore alleviated. |
| US09218027B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method and program
An apparatus and method provide logic for processing information. In one implementation, an information processing device includes a housing and a display unit configured to display at least a portion of a first content to a user. A projection unit is configured to project at least a portion of a second content onto a projection surface. A detection unit configured to detect a displacement between the projection surface and a portion of the housing, the housing being configured to support the display unit, the projection unit, and the detection unit. The detection unit is further configured to determine whether the displacement falls within a threshold distance. The projection unit is further configured to project the second portion of the content onto the projection surface, when the displacement falls within the threshold distance. |
| US09218026B2 |
Electronic device with engagement mechanism
An electronic device includes a housing, a display panel, and engagement mechanisms. The housing includes a plurality of fixing blocks placed on corners. Each fixing block defines a blind hole and two grooves set on opposite sides of the blind hole. The display panel includes a plurality of corners. Corners outwardly extend to form first extending portions. Each extending portion defines a positioning hole. The engagement mechanisms each comprises a connection portion, a positioning post fixed to a first surface of the connection portion facing the display panel and housing, and two springs fixed to the first surface of the connection portion and set on opposite sides of the positioning post. The positioning posts pass through the positioning holes and are received into the blind holes, each spring is pressed by an external force to engage with one of the grooves to fix the display panel to the housing. |
| US09218021B2 |
Smartpad split screen with keyboard
A multi-display device is adapted to be dockable or otherwise associatable with an additional device. In accordance with one exemplary embodiment, the multi-display device is dockable with a smartpad. The exemplary smartpad can include a screen, a touch sensitive display, a configurable area, a gesture capture region(s) and a camera. The smartpad can also include a port adapted to receive the device. The exemplary smartpad is able to cooperate with the device such that information displayable on the device is also displayable on the smartpad. Furthermore, any one or more of the functions on the device are extendable to the smartpad, with the smartpad capable of acting as an input/output interface or extension of the smartpad. Therefore, for example, information from one or more of the displays on the multi-screen device is displayable on the smartpad. |
| US09218018B2 |
Method and apparatus for distributed generation of multiple configurable ratioed clock domains within a high speed domain
Implementations of the present disclosure involve an apparatus and/or method for providing one or more clock signals within a processing device. In particular, one or more counter devices may be integrated into a microprocessor design that operates on a system clock signal to provide ratioed synchronous clock signals for use by the microprocessor. Additionally, one or more synchronization pulse signals are also generated from the one or more counter devices to facilitate communication between domains of the microprocessor that may operate on separate clock frequencies. Such synchronization pulse signals may also provide for a virtual clock signal within a clock domain to create a low frequency logic cluster within a high frequency domain of the microprocessor. A synchronous, low frequency reset signal is also disclosed to synchronize the counting devices to the system clock without the need for an additional high frequency signal path in the microprocessor design. |
| US09218012B2 |
Power supply device, vehicle-mounted device, and vehicle
A power-supply device has a first power supply circuit adapted to generate from an input voltage a first output voltage and a second power supply circuit adapted to generate from the first output voltage a second output voltage. The second power supply circuit monitors the first output voltage to check if it is higher than a first threshold voltage, and also monitors the first power-supply circuit to check if it has started operation for generating the first output voltage, so that the second power supply circuit stays on stand-by, even when the first output voltage is higher than the first threshold voltage, until the first power supply circuit starts operation for generating the first output voltage. |
| US09218005B2 |
Apparatus and method for reducing actuator thrust requirements in a control valve
A trim assembly is provided with a cage with an internal surface and a cage port. A plug having an external surface is disposed in the cage and is operable between a closed position, a pressure balancing position and an open position. The trim assembly also includes a low friction flow restrictor disposed between the cage and the plug and a pressure energized seal disposed between the cage and the plug. A seal balancing volume defined by the internal surface of the cage, the external surface of the plug, the low friction flow restrictor and the pressure energized seal is provided. The seal balancing volume is in fluid communication with the cage port through the low friction flow restrictor and is maintained at a seal balancing volume pressure. The trim assembly further includes a pressure control assembly configured to vent the seal balancing volume. |
| US09218004B2 |
Flight path control system for aircraft
A method and apparatus for changing a flight path of an air platform. A change for the flight path of the air platform is identified. A weight system associated with the air platform is moved during flight of the air platform such that a center of mass of the air platform changes in a manner that causes the flight path of the air platform to change. |
| US09218002B2 |
Stall prevention/recovery system and method
A method for operating an aircraft to prevent/recover from a stall condition includes the steps of detecting an actual vertical velocity of the aircraft, calculating vertical velocity error of the aircraft, the vertical velocity error being based upon a comparison between the actual vertical velocity of the aircraft and a commanded vertical velocity of the aircraft, and determining if the aircraft is in one of a near stalled condition and a stalled condition based upon at least the detected vertical velocity error and the polarity of the vertical velocity error. The method further includes the steps of taking control of the aircraft from an operator of the aircraft, reducing a bank angle of the aircraft, pitching the aircraft downward, and increasing the airspeed of the aircraft if the aircraft's airspeed is outside an airspeed window if the aircraft is in one of the near stalled condition and the stalled condition. |
| US09218000B2 |
System and method for cloud computing
A system includes a computing cloud having at least one data storage unit and at least one processing unit. The computing cloud is configured to receive information associated with at least one process collected by an industrial tool, archive the process-related information, analyze the process-related information, and instruct a client device on a type of data to be cached by the client device. §The industrial tool could include a sensor configured to collect data associated with industrial equipment. Also, the client device may be associated with a local environment, the sensor may be configured to capture sensor readings at a specified interval, and the local environment may be configured to use a subset of the sensor readings. The client device can be configured to provide all of the sensor readings to the computing cloud. |
| US09217993B2 |
Timepiece with a wide variety of appearances
A timepiece that provides a wide variety of appearance. The timepiece includes: an ornamental body; a drive mechanism that moves the ornamental body; a restriction portion that restricts a movable range of the ornamental body; and an output portion capable of outputting a sound. The timepiece further includes a monitor operation portion; and a control portion that performs movement control for outputting a piece of theme music and moves the ornamental body from an initial position, depending on the operation of the monitor operation portion. |
| US09217992B2 |
Timepiece balance spring adjustment mechanism
A mechanism for adjusting the active length of a timepiece balance spring whose outer end is fixed to a balance spring stud secured to a bar. This mechanism includes two pins for clamping or touching the outer coil of the balance spring during the operation of this balance spring. These two pins are in a single piece with this bar. |
| US09217991B2 |
Image forming apparatus
A multifunction peripheral includes: an apparatus body including an intake opening through which external air is taken in; an axial flow fan configured to send air through the intake opening to an interior of the apparatus body; and a substrate including a temperature sensor placed on one surface thereof facing a first air flow path formed by activation of the blower and a humidity sensor placed on the other surface thereof facing a second air flow path along which a smaller amount of air flow flows than along the first air flow path. |
| US09217990B2 |
Image forming apparatus having process cartridge detachably mounted therein
In an image forming apparatus, a cartridge is detachably mounted in a frame, the cartridge being located at a mounted position in the frame when the image forming apparatus is packaged with the cartridge mounted in the frame, the mounted position being defined in the frame in a mounting direction, in which the cartridge moves relative to the frame so as to be mounted in the frame. An attachment member is detachably attached to the cartridge when the image forming apparatus is packaged with the cartridge mounted in the frame. A restricting mechanism restricts mounting of the cartridge to the mounted position if the attachment member is attached to the cartridge, the restricting mechanism restricting the mounting of the cartridge at a position upstream of the mounted position in the mounting direction. |
| US09217989B2 |
Process unit and image forming apparatus incorporating same
A process unit includes a rotatable image bearer to bear a toner image on a surface thereof; a developer bearer to supply developer to the image bearer and including a first range, a second range different in property from the first range and adjacent to the first range on an outer side in an axial direction via a first boundary, and a second boundary on an outer side of the first boundary in the axial direction; a cleaning member to remove residual developer from the image bearer; and an abutment part disposed to contact the surface of the image bearer to remove a foreign substance from the image bearer. The abutment part is disposed astride at least one of a first position on the image bearer corresponding to the first boundary, and a second position on the image bearer corresponding to the second boundary. |
| US09217988B2 |
Developing cartridge
A developing cartridge includes a case having a first sidewall and a second sidewall opposite to the first sidewall, and a developing roller disposed between the first sidewall and second sidewall. The developing roller can include a developing roller shaft and a developing roller member configured to carry a developing agent thereon, the developing roller member disposed around the developing roller shaft. Also, the developing cartridge can include an electrode disposed on the first sidewall adjacent to the developing roller shaft, the electrode electrically connected to the developing roller member, and a driven coupling disposed on the second sidewall. The electrode can include, an extending portion extending in a direction away from the first sidewall. An outermost periphery of the driven coupling defines a projection plane projecting in a direction towards the electrode, wherein at least a part of the extending portion is disposed within the projection plane. |
| US09217982B2 |
Image forming apparatus with synchronized gear transmission mechanism
An image forming apparatus includes gears for driving a first photosensitive drum and a second photosensitive drum. The gears includes a first drum gear, a second drum gear, and a first drive gear configured to apply a rotational force to the first drum gear and the second drum gear by meshing with the first drum gear and the second drum gear. Specific positional relations among the first photosensitive drum, the second photosensitive drum, the first drum gear, the second drum gear, and the first drive gear are configured based on exposure positions and transfer position. Such an image forming apparatus may reduce an occurrence of an image formation failure even when the dimensional unevenness of the gears occurs. |
| US09217978B2 |
Image forming apparatus configured to control a conveyance speed of the sheet to accelerate and/or decelerate without stopping the sheet in a section between a paper feed unit and a transfer unit
An image forming apparatus capable of setting a plurality of image forming speeds includes a transfer unit configured to transfer an image formed on an image carrier onto a sheet, a paper feed unit configured to feed the sheet, and a control unit configured to control the conveyance speed of the sheet to accelerate and decelerate without stopping the sheet in a section between the paper feed unit and the transfer unit to synchronize the sheet with the image formed on the image carrier. The control unit changes paper feed timing from the paper feed unit according to the image forming speed if the image forming speed is predetermined. |
| US09217976B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a toner-image carrying member, a transfer unit that transfers the toner image on the toner-image carrying member onto a recording medium at a transfer portion, a transport roller disposed along a transport direction to transport the recording medium to the transfer portion while being in contact with the recording medium, and a release unit that releases the contact of the transport roller with the recording medium. The release unit does not release the contact of the transport roller when it is detected that the recording medium passing through the transport roller is a thick recording medium or a recording medium having a high bending strength, and releases the contact when the recording medium is different from the thick recording medium and the recording medium having a high bending strength. The release unit releases the contact before a leading edge of the recording medium reaches the transfer portion. |
| US09217974B2 |
Image forming apparatus
A controller controls a voltage to be applied to the transfer member when there is a recording material having a predetermined largest width at a secondary-transfer position, so that a constant-voltage element maintains a predetermined voltage, whereby it is possible to prevent transfer defect due to short of a primary-transfer electric field at a primary-transfer portion when a toner image is secondary-transferred onto the recording material. |
| US09217973B2 |
Image heating apparatus
An apparatus includes: a coil; a heater, including an electroconductive layer of magnetism-adjusted alloy whose Curie temperature is lower than apparatus's durable temperature; a magnetic core directing a magnetic flux generated by the coil to the heater; a controller controlling electric power supply to the coil so that a temperature of the heater is a temperature sufficient to heat an image on a sheet, the Curie temperature being higher than the image heating temperature; and a blocker of non-magnetic metal having a resistivity smaller than that of the magnetism-adjusted alloy. The blocker opposes the coil with the heater therebetween. The blocker is in a first region where the coil opposes the heater, and a length L2 of the first region and a length L3 of a second region where the heater and blocker oppose each other, both regions measured in a rotational direction of the heater, satisfy L2/2≦L3. |
| US09217969B2 |
Fuser member coating compositions
A xerographic fuser member that contains a composition of a polyimide and a perfluoropolyether phosphate. |
| US09217967B2 |
Fusing device and method using induction heating and image forming apparaus including the fusing device
An induction heating fusing device and method of an image forming apparatus including: a pressure roller; a heating element that forms a fusing nip together with the pressure roller and is rotatable; an inductor that is installed in a rotation axis direction on the outer circumference surface of the heating element, includes a main coil and a plurality of control coils located on the main coil, and inductively heats the heating element; and a controller that selectively drives at least one of the plurality of control coils depending on the width of a printing paper passing though the fusing nip, and controls the main coil and the plurality of control coils so that a current direction of the main coil and a current direction of the plurality of control coils become the same as or opposite to each other depending on the width of the printing paper. |
| US09217955B2 |
Shutter having an air duct therethrough for use in a toner cartridge
A shutter for use in a toner cartridge of an imaging device according to one example embodiment includes a toner path. The toner path includes an entrance opening positioned to receive toner and an exit opening positioned to exit toner from the toner path. An air duct through the shutter is separated from the toner path. The air duct has a first opening positioned next to the exit opening of the toner path. The air duct has a second opening. |
| US09217954B2 |
Systems and methods for implementing advanced toner dispensing and emptying of toner cartridge components in image forming devices
A system and method are provided for operating an image forming device in a first processor-controlled toner control operating mode to maintain a substantially constant dispense rate of toner material from a toner source or bottle. The disclosed systems and methods improve toner material dispensing from the toner source or bottle in the image forming device by transitioning to a second processor-controlled toner control operating mode as an amount of toner material in the toner source or bottle is determined to be in a depleted, or nearly-exhausted, state. The disclosed systems and methods compensate for a determined decrease in a toner dispense rate occurring as an amount of toner material remaining in the toner source or bottle is nearly depleted. One or more toner control parameters, including a pixel count gain, are modified in the second processor-controlled toner control operating mode. |
| US09217948B2 |
Optical scanning apparatus and image forming apparatus equipped with scanning apparatus
An optical scanning apparatus includes, a deflection unit configured to deflect first and second light fluxes in a main scanning direction by a same deflection surface, an incident optical system configured to cause the first and second light fluxes to enter the deflection surface, and an imaging optical system configured to converge the first and second light fluxes deflected by the deflection unit to first and second surfaces to be scanned, respectively. The imaging optical system includes first imaging optical element having an output surface including first and second curves that the first and second light fluxes respectively enter, and among light rays included in the first and second light fluxes, the light rays that are reflected by the first and second curves, intersect each other in a sub-scanning cross section perpendicular to the main scanning direction. |
| US09217946B1 |
Exposure apparatus, image forming apparatus and method of manufacturing exposure apparatus
An exposure apparatus includes: a substrate that has a light emitting element mounted on a front surface of the substrate; a casing to which the substrate and an optical element are fixed so as to allow the substrate to face the optical element that focuses light emitted from the light emitting element; a sealing material that seals a fitting portion between the substrate and the casing from a rear surface side of the substrate; and a conductive component that is mounted on a ground terminal formed on the rear surface of the substrate and has a height from the rear surface higher than a height of the sealing material at an end portion on a central portion side of the substrate. |
| US09217945B2 |
Belt conveying apparatus and image forming apparatus
Provided is a small sized belt conveying apparatus provided with a separating unit configured to move a transfer member and an image forming apparatus provided with the belt transfer apparatus. The image forming apparatus includes a drive unit configured to transmit a drive force from a drive source provided in an apparatus body, and a drive transmitting unit configured to transmit the drive force branched and transmitted from the drive unit. The separating unit is configured to move the transfer member by a drive force transmitted by the drive transmitting unit via the drive unit. |
| US09217943B2 |
Magnetic toner
The magnetic toner contains magnetic toner particles containing a binder resin and a magnetic body, and inorganic fine particles present on the surface of the magnetic toner particles. The coverage ratio of the magnetic toner particle surface by the inorganic fine particles resides in a prescribed range for this magnetic toner; the binder resin is a styrene resin; the weight-average molecular weight and radius of gyration of the magnetic toner reside in a prescribed relationship; and the viscosity of the magnetic toner at 110° C. resides in a prescribed range. |
| US09217938B2 |
Electrophotographic photosensitive member, process cartridge, electrophotographic apparatus and phthalocyanine crystal
An electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a support and a charge generating layer and a charge transporting layer formed on the support. The charge generating layer contains an amine compound represented by the following formula (1); where R1 to R5 represent a hydrogen atom, halogen atom, hydroxy group, carboxyl group, alkoxycarbonyl group, aryloxycarbonyl group, alkyl group, alkoxy group, aryloxy group, amino group having a substituent group, or cyclic amino group; and at least one of R1 to R5 is an amino group substituted with an aryl group, amino group substituted with an alkyl group, or cyclic amino group. |
| US09217936B2 |
Optical device having a deformable optical element
The disclosure relates to an optical device, in particular for microlithography. The optical device includes an optical module and a support structure that supports the optical module. The optical module includes an optical element and a holding device that holds the optical element. The holding device includes a deformation device having a plurality of active deformation units which contact the optical element and which are designed so as to impose a pre-defined deformation on the optical element. The optical module is fixed to the support structure in a replaceable manner. |
| US09217929B2 |
Composition for removing photoresist and/or etching residue from a substrate and use thereof
Compositions containing certain organic solvents comprising at least 50% by weight of a glycol ether and a quaternary ammonium compound are capable of removing residues such as photoresist and/or etching residue from an article. |
| US09217928B1 |
Clean flexographic printing plates and method of making the same
A method is provided for processing a flexographic printing blank to produce a relief image printing element capable of printing cleanly. The method provides a flexographic printing blank comprising: (i) a support layer; (ii) at least one photocurable layer disposed on the support layer, and (iii) a laser ablatable mask layer disposed on the at least one photocurable layer. The laser ablatable mask layer is laser ablated to create an in situ negative in the laser ablatable mask layer. Thereafter, a barrier layer is disposed on the laser ablatable mask layer. The photocurable layer is exposed to actinic radiation through the barrier layer and the laser ablatable mask layer; and the imaged and exposed flexographic printing blank is developed to reveal the relief image therein. The resulting flexographic relief image printing element is capable of printing cleanly and of resisting paper fibers, dust, and ink during a print run. |
| US09217922B2 |
Liquid processing apparatus, liquid processing method and storage medium for liquid processing
A liquid processing apparatus includes a substrate holding unit arranged within a processing cup and configured to horizontally hold a substrate, a rotating mechanism configured to rotate the substrate holding unit about a vertical axis, a processing liquid supply unit configured to supply a processing liquid onto a surface of the substrate, and an exhaust mechanism configured to discharge an atmospheric gas around the substrate. The exhaust mechanism includes an exhaust flow path connected to an exhaust port formed at the processing cup, a circulation flow path branched from the exhaust flow path and configured to communicate with the processing cup, a gas liquid separator, a first regulator valve installed at one end of the exhaust flow path, and a second regulator valve installed at the other end of the exhaust flow path. |
| US09217920B2 |
Photocurable compositions
A photocurable composition comprising a photoresist component, and a perfluoropolyether silane is disclosed. The composition enables easier release of phototool from a photoresist. |
| US09217912B2 |
Projection television device and screen
A front projection display device is provided including an image-generating source configured to generate an image, a wide angle lens system adapted to receive the image, and a screen. The wide angle lens system may be configured to increase distortion of the image in a first stage and decrease distortion of the image in a second stage. The screen may be configured to receive the image from the wide angle lens system on a first side and reflect the image back to a viewer on the first side. In another embodiment, a screen is provided for a front projection system, the screen may be configured to receive light from a steep angle and may include any number of surface topographies configured to reflect light back to the viewer along a desired viewing plane. |
| US09217909B2 |
Display panel and display apparatus having the display panel
The present application discloses a display panel, comprising: a first substrate, a second substrate, and a blue phase liquid crystal layer interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate. The first substrate and the second substrate are adapted to generate an electric field in a first direction perpendicular to the display panel. An optical path diverting device is provided between the first substrate and the second substrate, the optical path diverting device is configured so that a light entering the blue phase liquid crystal layer in the first direction from the first substrate is diverted to propagate in the blue phase liquid crystal layer in a second direction parallel to the display panel, and then the light propagating in the second direction is diverted to pass through the blue phase liquid crystal layer and exit from the second substrate in the first direction. According to the present invention, by providing an optical path diverting device in the liquid crystal cell, the display panel can perform normal display even under a vertical electric field, and thus solves the problem that the driving voltage is too large by using a lateral electric field. |
| US09217908B2 |
Optical modulator
An optical modulator includes main input and output ports; first and second Mach-Zehnder modulators; a first branching waveguide optically coupling the main input port to the first and second Mach-Zehnder modulators; a first driver circuit connected to the first Mach-Zehnder modulator, the first driver circuit generating a first drive signal having a first amplitude at a first bias point; and a second driver circuit connected to the second Mach-Zehnder modulator, the second driver circuit generating a second drive signal having a second amplitude at a second bias point. The first and second drive signals satisfy at least one of a first condition and a second condition. The first condition is that the first amplitude differs from the second amplitude. The second condition is that the first bias point differs from the second bias point. |
| US09217906B2 |
In-plane electro-optical display
In one embodiment, a display element includes a first electrode; a dielectric layer having recessed regions therein over the first electrode; a second electrode disposed on the dielectric layer; and a fluid with colorant particles within the display element, wherein a voltage signal applied to the first electrode and the second electrode controls movement of the colorant particles such that a first voltage signal provides a first optical state by compacting the colorant particles into the recessed regions and a second voltage signal provides a second optical state by spreading the colorant particles in the fluid. |
| US09217903B2 |
Display device
To provide a display device which can realize multi-gray scale display by reducing voltage fluctuation of a pixel, a display device includes a plurality of source signal lines, a plurality of gate signal lines which is provided so as to intersect with the source signal lines, and a pixel electrode to which a signal voltage of the source signal line is applied through a transistor including an oxide semiconductor, which is provided near an intersection portion of the source signal line and the gate signal line; in which in the pixel electrode which is provided between a pair of the adjacent source signal lines, edge portions thereof overlap with edge portions of the source signal lines and an overlapped area with one of the source signal lines is substantially equal to an overlapped area with the other source signal line. |
| US09217902B1 |
Array substrate and liquid crystal display panel
The present invention provides an array substrate and a liquid crystal display panel. In the array substrate, with regard to storage capacitors corresponding to one scan line, a capacitance value of the storage capacitor(s) corresponding to the middle of the scan line is smaller than the capacitance value of each of the storage capacitors corresponding to two ends of the scan line, and thereby when data lines input voltage signals, a voltage difference between a pixel electrode(s) of the storage capacitor(s) corresponding to the middle of the scan line and the pixel electrodes of the storage capacitors corresponding to the two ends of the scan line is smaller than a threshold value. By the above described manner, the present invention can improve the uniformity of image brightness. |
| US09217897B2 |
Liquid crystal display device and method for manufacturing liquid crystal display device
The present invention provides a liquid crystal display device which enables to reduce the occurrence of image sticking without deteriorating the electric properties, and a method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display device which enables to reduce the occurrence of image sticking. The liquid crystal display device of the present invention includes a pair of substrates, a liquid crystal layer disposed between the pair of substrates, an alignment film formed on at least one of the pair of substrates, and a polymer layer formed on the alignment film and controlling the alignment of liquid crystal molecules which are adjacent to the polymer layer, wherein the polymer layer is formed by polymerization of one or more kinds of monomers added in the liquid crystal layer, and at least one of the one or more kinds of monomers is a monomer polymerizable upon exposure to visible light. |
| US09217891B2 |
Polymer dispersed liquid crystal panel and liquid crystal display device comprising reaction active sites uniformly distributed on a substrate and manufacturing method thereof
Embodiments of the invention disclose a liquid crystal panel and a manufacturing method thereof, and a liquid crystal display device. The liquid crystal panel comprises two substrates disposed to be cell-aligned, reaction active sites for polymerization reaction are evenly formed on surfaces of the two substrates in opposition to each other, and a polymer dispersed liquid crystal layer is disposed between the two substrates. At least a part of polymer contained in the polymer dispersed liquid crystal layer is bonded to the reaction active sites. |
| US09217888B2 |
Display device
A liquid crystal display device includes: a liquid crystal panel having a display area and non-display area; a flexible substrate in the non-display area and connected to a control circuit substrate; a plurality of drivers in the non-display area; a plurality of connection wiring lines in the non-display area for connecting the flexible substrate to the plurality of drivers; a first driver; a second driver that is arranged further away from the flexible substrate than the first driver; a non-overlapping connection wiring line that connects the second driver to the flexible substrate and that does not overlap the first driver; and an overlapping connection wiring line that connects the second driver to the flexible substrate and that has a least a portion thereof overlapping the first driver. |
| US09217887B2 |
Stereoscopic image recognition apparatus
Provided is a stereoscopic image forming apparatus which is excellent from the viewpoint of brightness, flicker, and crosstalk when viewed from the front side while tilting a face, and suppresses crosstalk at the time of oblique observation.The stereoscopic image recognition apparatus including: a liquid crystal display device including a liquid crystal cell and a pair of polarizing plates on the both sides of the liquid crystal cell; and a time division image display interception device including a polarizer, a liquid crystal encapsulation body, and a λ/4 plate B. |
| US09217885B2 |
Microlens array substrate, electro-optic device, and electronic apparatus
A microlens array substrate includes a substrate having transparency and having a plurality of concave portions provided on a first surface to correspond to a plurality of pixels, and a lens layer having a different refractive index from a refractive index of the substrate, which is provided on the first surface of the substrate to fill in the plurality of concave portions, in which each of the plurality of concave portions has a flat portion arranged at the center portion, a curved surface portion arranged to surround the flat portion, an edge portion arranged to surround the curved surface portion and connected to the first surface of the substrate, and an angle between the edge portion and the first surface in a cross section passing through the center portion is smaller than an angle between a virtual curved surface obtained by extending the curved surface portion toward the first surface and the first surface. |
| US09217880B2 |
Energizable ophthalmic lens device with a programmaable media insert
The present invention discloses an Ophthalmic Lens device with a programmable Media Insert. In some embodiments, a Media Insert may be programmable to allow for further customization of the energized Ophthalmic Lens. The programming may occur after the electrical components have been encapsulated in the programmable Media Insert. In some embodiments, the Media Insert may be programmed prior to or during the manufacturing process. Alternatively, the Media Insert may be programmable after manufacturing process, such as, for example, through use of a wireless programming apparatus or device. In some such embodiments, the programming device may comprise an overlay, wherein the overlay may program the Media Insert when placed in proximity to the Media Insert. |
| US09217878B2 |
Light switching module
Disclosed is a light switching module comprising a polarizing element with a patterned retarder having a variable first optical axis; a retardation element having a variable second optical axis and a scattering microstructure; and a shifting means for adjusting the relative position of the polarizing element and the retardation element to switch the light switching module to transparent state or scattering state. |
| US09217877B2 |
Stereoscopic image display apparatus having film-type patterned retarder
A stereoscopic image display apparatus having patterned retarder is described. The stereoscopic image display apparatus having patterned retarder includes an array substrate, a polarized plate and a film-type patterned retarder (FPR). The array substrate includes a gate driver, a source driver, a plurality of pixel units and a plurality of transistor control modules. Each pixel unit corresponds to first scan line, second scan line and third scan line respectively. Each of the pixel units includes at least two data lines wherein the first scan line, the second scan line and the third scan line are insulatedly interlaced with the at least two data lines. A polarized plate receives a light beam passing through the array substrate to generate a linear polarized light beam. A film-type patterned retarder disposed on the polarized plate receives the light beam passing through the array substrate for generating the three-dimensional image on the polarized glasses. |
| US09217876B2 |
3-D projection full color multimedia display
Methods and systems are described herein which produce polarization-independent full color images suitable for rear-projection television sets and other multimedia displays. The system uses illumination with R, G, B light from two different light sources for each color. A viewer wears glasses with narrowband optical filters, preferably holographic filters. The R, G, B light from the light sources is slightly offset at each of the 3 emission wavelengths, with one set of R, G, B light being filtered by the holographic filter in front of the left eye of the, and the other set of R, G, B light being filtered by the holographic filter in front of the viewer's right eye. |
| US09217869B2 |
Viewing window assembly for single-sided installation
An assembly and method for installing a viewing window into a single hole in a panel of an enclosure from a single side. A viewing window assembly comprises actuators and attachment members configurable to allow the attachment members to pass through a hole in a panel from a front side. Upon actuation of the actuators, the attachment members may engage one or both of the back surface of the panel and the inner edge of the hole therein in order to secure the window assembly to the panel. |
| US09217867B2 |
Head-mounted display device and control method for the head-mounted display device
A head-mounted display device includes: an image display unit including an image-light generating unit that generates image light representing an image and emits the image light and a light guide unit that guides the emitted image light to the eye of a user, the image display unit being for causing the user to visually recognize a virtual image; and a control unit that includes an operation surface, is connected to the image display unit, and controls image display by the image display unit. When it is assumed that the user shifts the user's attention from the virtual image, the control unit adjusts the luminance of the image-light generating unit or adjusts the image light generated by the image-light generating unit to reduce the visibility of the virtual image. |
| US09217866B2 |
Computer control with heads-up display
A method, computer-readable medium and apparatus are described for providing a user interface control for use with a manipulable object, such as a weapon. As the object is moved, images from a video camera are projected into a heads-up display. A user of the object may activate a user interface control by pressing a button on the object, causing an image of a user interface control to be projected into the heads-up display. Movement of the object may cause a cursor to be moved across the heads-up display, allowing the user to select user interface features without removing hands from the object. Pressing a button may cause a mouse click command to be generated, allowing the user to type or perform other functions. |
| US09217864B2 |
Automatic camera lens cleaning system
Disclosed is an automatic camera lens cleaning system. In one embodiment, the present invention includes a blower assembly having a housing with a camera secured thereto. The camera lens of the camera is encircled in an annular member having a plurality of apertures thereon, wherein the apertures are in air communication the interior volume of the housing and a tube connected thereto. The tube is in air communication with an air compressor pump, which is driven by engine or an electronic solenoid and actuated by a central processing unit (CPU) or the like. The air compressor pump can force air through the apertures so as to clean the camera lens. The CPU is adapted to actuate the air compressor pump when the vehicle transmission is set in reverse, when there is debris on the camera lens, and/or when the camera is initiated through a user interface. |
| US09217861B2 |
Micro-mirror arrays
Micro-mirror arrays configured for use in a variable focal length lens are described herein. An example variable focal length lens comprises a micro-mirror array having a plurality of micro-mirror elements arranged in at least a first section and a second section. Each micro-mirror element has a tilt axis and comprises, on each of two opposing sides of the tilt axis, (i) at least one actuation electrode, (ii) at least one measurement electrode, and (iii) at least one stopper. Additionally, each micro-mirror element in the first section has a first tilt angle range, and each micro-mirror element in the second section has a second tilt angle range, with the first tilt angle range being less than the second tilt angle range. |
| US09217860B2 |
Spatial light modulation elements, method for manufacturing same, and spatial light modulators and exposure apparatus comprising same
Provided is a spatial light modulation element comprising a substrate; a flat portion that is movable relative to the substrate; a flat board attached to the flat portion; and a dielectric film that is formed on a surface of the flat board opposite the surface on which the flat portion is attached, and reflects incident light. In the spatial light modulation element the dielectric film may include two or more types of dielectric layers that are repeatedly layered in an alternating manner, such that adjacent layers have different refractive indexes from each other. Furthermore, the dielectric film may be formed by alternately layering an Al2O3 film and a SiO2 film. |
| US09217858B2 |
Display substrate having sub pixel electrodes connected with thin film transistors, method of manufacturing the same, and display apparatus having the same
A display substrate including a base substrate, a plurality of pixel electrodes and a plurality of sub pixel electrodes. The pixel electrodes are formed on the base substrate, are spaced apart from each other, and are electrically connected with a plurality of transistors, respectively. The sub pixel electrodes are disposed between the pixel electrodes, and are electrically connected with a thin-film transistor (TFT). Thus, quality of an image displayed by the display apparatus may be enhanced. |
| US09217857B2 |
Multi-state shutter assemblies having segmented drive electrode sets
This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus incorporating display elements having light modulators that can operate in more than two states. In some implementations, the light modulator assembly includes an electrostatic actuator that includes a load electrode coupled to a shutter and a drive electrode set positioned proximate to the load electrode. The drive electrode set includes a plurality of discrete portions that are configured to drive the light modulator assembly to a plurality of different light modulator states. In some such implementations, the portions of the drive electrode set are positioned opposite to corresponding regions of the load electrode. In some implementations, the portions are arranged such that the portions are configured to electrostatically engage with adjacent regions of the load electrode. |
| US09217855B1 |
Multi-magnification high sensitivity optical system for probing electronic devices
An optical probe system for probing an electronic device includes a sample plate configured to hold a target device comprising an integrated circuit, a temperature control chamber configured to hold a fluid to control the temperature of the target device, a first optical objective system that can collect reflected or emitted light from the integrated circuit in the target device, a rotational stage including ports that can hold the optical objective systems, a vertical translation stage that can move the first optical objective system in a vertical direction substantially perpendicular to the sample plate, and an x-y translation stage that can move the first optical objective system in horizontal directions. A portion of the first optical objective system is moved through the temperature control chamber to allow the first optical objective system to focus at the target device. |
| US09217854B2 |
Lens with controlled light refraction
A lens for distribution of light from a light emitter having an emitter axis and defining an emitter plane. The lens including an emitter-adjacent base end forming an opening to an inner cavity surrounding the emitter. An inner-cavity surface includes an axis-adjacent first inner region configured for refracting emitter light rays away from the axis, a second inner region spaced from the first inner region and configured for refracting emitter light rays toward the axis, and a middle inner region joining and substantially cross-sectionally asymptotical to the first and second inner regions. The middle inner region is positioned with respect to the emitter to refract light away from the axis by progressively lesser amounts at positions progressively closer to the second inner region. The lens further has an outer surface including output regions each configured for refracting the light from a corresponding one of the inner regions such that at the outer surface light from each inner region is refracted substantially without overlapping light from the other inner regions. |
| US09217847B2 |
Imaging lens
An optical imaging lens includes a plurality of lens elements having a refracting power, an object-side surface facing toward the object-side, and an imaging-side surface facing toward the imaging-side. The plurality of lens elements include a first lens element closest to the object-side, a second lens element second closest to the object-side, and a third lens element third closest to the object-side. The plurality of lens elements also include a fourth lens element closest to the imaging-side. |
| US09217846B2 |
Imaging lens, and electronic apparatus including the same
An imaging lens includes first to fourth lens elements arranged from an object side to an image side in the given order. Through designs of surfaces of the lens elements and relevant lens parameters, a short system length of the imaging lens maybe achieved while maintaining good optical performance. |
| US09217845B2 |
Imaging lens having four lens elements, and electronic apparatus having the same
An imaging lens includes first, second, third, and fourth lens elements arranged from an object side to an image side in the given order. The first lens element has a positive refractive power, and a convex object-side surface. The second lens element has a negative refractive power, and an image-side surface with a convex portion. The third lens element has an object-side surface with a concave portion. The fourth lens element has an object-side surface with a convex portion, and an image-side surface with a convex portion and a concave portion. |
| US09217843B2 |
Mobile device and optical imaging lens thereof
Present embodiments provide for a mobile device and an optical imaging lens thereof. The optical imaging lens comprises five lens elements positioned sequentially from an object side to an image side. Through controlling the convex or concave shape of the surfaces and/or the refracting power of the lens elements, the optical imaging lens shows better optical characteristics and the total length of the optical imaging lens is shortened. |
| US09217841B2 |
Compact camera module with zoom and auto-focus actuators sharing the same rotating annular magnet with alternating thick and thin poles
A compact camera modules has first, second, and third lens groups that move along an optical axis. A stepping motor is centered on the optical axis rather than offset from the optical axis. The motor has two coils that are fixed in place and a shared rotating magnet. The magnet is attached to a rotating guide that has slots to move the first and second lens groups as it rotates. The two coils are alternately energized to rotate the magnet, the rotating guide, and to move the first and second lens groups for zoom. The magnet has alternating thicker and thinner segments of opposite polarity. The thicker segments exert a greater force on an autofocus coil that is energized to move the third lens for the autofocus function. The same shared rotating magnet is used for both zoom and autofocus functions. A more compact design is possible using a shared magnet. |
| US09217839B2 |
Interposer structure having optical fiber connection and related fiber optic connector for the same
Disclosed are interposer structures having an optical fiber connection and a related fiber optic ferrule that can form a portion of an optical assembly. The interposer structure is useful for transmitting optical signals to/from an integrated circuit that may be attached to the interposer. Specifically, the interposer structure and the related ferrule of the optical connector provide a passively aligned structure having a matched thermal response to maintain a suitable optical connection between the devices over a range of temperatures. |
| US09217835B2 |
Photoelectric conversion module and transmission apparatus using the same
There is provided a photoelectric conversion module that can be mounted two-dimensionally over a device board in a high-density, low-height manner and cooled efficiently with an easy-to-install collective-type radiator. In the photoelectric conversion module mounted over the device board, an optical connector is attached to that surface of an optical subassembly facing the device board. An electric connector has at least two sides thereof opened so that the optical transmission medium is threaded therethrough and extended through at least two facing sides of the optical subassembly. The optical transmission medium is thus extended between the optical subassembly and the device board in a vertically stacked manner. |
| US09217833B2 |
Positioning means for a fibre optic connector assembly, a fibre optic connector assembly and fibre termination unit
The present invention relates to a positioning means for a fiber optic connector assembly, a fiber optic connector assembly and a fiber termination unit comprising the positioning means through which manufacturing tolerances can be absorbed to provide an improved optical interconnection with a high signal transmission rate. The positioning means (1) comprises a receiving means (5) for receiving one of a jack assembly or plug assembly (2) and a stationary support (6) supporting said receiving means (5), wherein the receiving means (5) is displaceable to a certain extent relative to the stationary support (6) at least along one direction other than a connection direction for optically interconnecting the optical fibers allowing an alignment of the receivable jack or plug assembly (2) along the direction transversal to the connection direction. A spring loaded element (8) resiliently urges said receiving means (5) away from the support (6) in one embodiment. |
| US09217832B2 |
Connector modules having optical connectors moveable between a retracted position and an extended position
A plurality of connector modules are mounted to a support frame. The connector modules have respective optical connectors to optically connect with respective electronic devices, where the optical connectors are moveable between a retracted position and an extended position. The optical connector of a first of the connector modules is retractable and extendable independently of a second of the connector modules. |
| US09217830B2 |
Electro-optic modulator structures, related methods and applications
An electro-optic modulator structure, a method for fabricating the electro-optic modulator structure, a method for operating an electro-optic modulator device that derives from the electro-optic modulator structure and a related communications apparatus that includes the electro-optic modulator structure all are directed towards effecting a comparatively low voltage operation of the electro-optic modulator device predicated upon consideration of optimal charge carrier injection efficiency characteristics of a PIN diode charge carrier injection based micro-ring electro-optic modulator structure as a function of applied bias voltage. To realize the foregoing result, at least in part, the PIN diode charge carrier injection based electro-optic modulator structure includes at least one of a p-doped region and an n-doped region that has a relatively high volume dopant concentration at a surface thereof. |
| US09217829B2 |
Compact and low loss Y-junction for submicron silicon waveguide
A compact, low-loss and wavelength insensitive Y-junction for submicron silicon waveguides. The design was performed using FDTD and particle swarm optimization (PSO). The device was fabricated in a 248 nm CMOS line. Measured average insertion loss is 0.28±0.02 dB across an 8-inch wafer. The device footprint is less than 1.2 μm×2 μm, orders of magnitude smaller than MMI and directional couplers. |
| US09217826B2 |
Multi-wavelength light source using light diffusing fibers
At least one flexible light diffusing waveguide is arranged to define a plurality of light diffusing waveguide segments arranged substantially parallel to one another, and is coupled to at least one light source to provide a flexible light panel suitable for general lighting purposes or for use as a backlight in a display, such as a video display. Multiple waveguides can be coupled to different color light sources to provide a multi-colored flexible backlight that is usable in combination with a flexible matrix-addressable panel to provide a flexible video display. |
| US09217825B2 |
Spun non-circular and non-elliptical core optical fibers and apparatuses utilizing the same
Optical fibers are provided for modal discrimination which include a central core and a cladding disposed about the central core. The central core has a non-circular and non-elliptical cross-section, and it is rotated about a central axis of the optical fiber along the length of the optical fiber at a selected pitch resulting in the capability of a fundamental mode beam output for large core sizes. An optical system includes a seed optical source configured to provide a seed beam and an optical amplifier configured to receive and amplify the seed beam. The optical amplifier also includes an active optical fiber having a large mode area non-circular and non-elliptical core rotated about a central axis of said active optical fiber to provide modal discrimination and fundamental mode output. |
| US09217824B2 |
Supercontinuum pulse source with enhanced spectrum
A source of optical supercontinuum radiation comprises a length of microstructured optical fiber and a pump laser, the pump laser adapted to generate lasing radiation having a pump wavelength in the wavelength range of 900 nm to 1200 nm for generating an optical supercontinuum, the length of microstructured optical fibre comprising a core region having a diameter in the range of 1 μm to 5 μm and a cladding region which surrounds the core region; the cladding region comprising at least two capillary air holes having substantially the same diameter and which extend substantially along the length of the fibre; the fiber comprising a zero dispersion wavelength within ±200 nm of said pump wavelength; wherein the length of microstructured fiber can support a plurality of modes at said pump wavelength; and wherein said lasing radiation at said pump wavelength is launched into said core region of said length of microstructured optical fiber to excite the fundamental mode of the fiber. In one practice, the source of optical supercontinuum radiation does not include a pump laser arranged for generating the optical supercontinuum and pumping said length of microstructured optical fiber at a wavelength different from a wavelength within the wavelength range. |
| US09217823B2 |
Light-emitting-diode light bar and related planar light source
A LED light bar, a related planar light source and a method of manufacturing such light bar is provided. The light source includes a light guide plate having a first surface and a second surface; at least one light bar, on which a plurality of LEDs is disposed, wherein the light bar is disposed on a lateral side of the light guide plate, and the LEDs are disposed inside the light guide plate to output light; a reflector, which is disposed outside the second surface and reflects light; and a diffuser, which is disposed outside the first surface and scatters reflected light of the reflector. Because LEDs are pre-disposed in a mold when the light guide plate is manufactured, the LEDs and the light guide plate are integrally formed, the loss of light can be avoided, and the efficiency of the planar light source can be enhanced. |
| US09217821B2 |
Light guide plate, surface light source device, and display device
A light guide plate includes a body portion, and a plurality of unit shaped elements defining a light exit surface and arranged on one-side surface of the body portion side by side in an arrangement direction intersecting a light guide direction. Each unit shaped element extends in a direction intersecting the arrangement direction. A light exit surface angle θa, which is the angle of the contour of each unit shaped element with respect to the one-side surface, is more than 10° and not more than 30° in a zone of the contour of each unit shaped element, the width of the zone along the arrangement direction being not less than 35% and not more than 70% of the full width of the unit shaped element. |
| US09217819B2 |
Backlight unit with conductive film and method for manufacturing
A backlight unit uses conductive, chemically toughened glass as substrate and includes a diffusion layer, a light guide layer, an optical microstructure layer, a transparent layer, a reflective layer and a light source module. The integrally formed backlight unit is fabricated using photochemical lithography, printing-coating, and ultrasonic hot melt adhesion processes. |
| US09217816B2 |
Retroreflective articles and appliques
Retroreflective articles and appliqués include a first binder layer with a first major surface and a second major surface, a retroreflective layer including a plurality of retroreflective elements at least partially embedded in the first major surface of the first binder layer, a second binder layer adhered to the second major surface of the first binder layer, and a substrate layer attached to the second binder layer. The first binder layer is a non-thermoplastic crosslinked (meth)acrylate-based copolymer. The second binder layer is a moisture-cured urethane-based polymer. The first binder layer and the second binder layer include functional groups capable of co-reacting to form a chemical bond. The retroreflective appliqués can be attached to clothing articles. |
| US09217813B2 |
Silicone hydrogel contact lenses
Silicone hydrogel contact lenses are formed from the reaction product of a polymerizable composition comprising at least one acrylate-containing siloxane monomer, at least one hydrophilic vinyl-containing monomer, and at least one vinyl-containing cross-linking agent. The contact lenses have ophthalmically-acceptable ionoflux values and surface wettability, and can be manufactured without the use of volatile organic solvents. |
| US09217808B2 |
Wellbore signal monitor with tangential seismic sensors for tube-wave noise reduction
A sensor array is positionable in a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation. The sensor array includes a plurality of seismic sensors disposable about a perimeter of the wellbore and coupleable to a signal measurer with a configuration to provide three component seismic signal measurement within the wellbore. At least two of the seismic sensors are located at different azimuthal angles relative to one another and oriented tangentially to a longitudinal axis of the wellbore so as to receive tangential components of wellbore seismic signals to the exclusion of longitudinal and radial components of the wellbore seismic signals. |
| US09217807B2 |
Systems and methods for identifying sanding in production wells using time-lapse sonic data
Systems and methods for identifying sanding in production wells using time-lapse sonic data. Formation anisotropy can be characterized in terms of shear moduli in a vertical wellbore, e.g., vertical shear moduli C44 and C55 in the wellbore axial planes and horizontal shear modulus C66 in the wellbore cross-sectional plane. Changes in formation anisotropy between different times can provide qualitative indicators of the occurrence of sanding in the production well. Before production begins, the horizontal shear modulus C66 is typically less than the vertical shear modulus C44 or C55 or both. At a subsequent time after sanding occurs, the horizontal shear modulus C66 is typically greater than the vertical shear modulus C44 or C55 or both. By comparing the shear moduli of the vertical wellbore at different times, it is possible to identify the occurrence of sanding in the production well using time-lapse sonic data. |
| US09217803B2 |
Device and method for estimating time-shifts
Computing device and method for calculating time-shifts associated with travel-times of seismic waves emitted by a source and recorded by plural seismic detectors after reflection from a subsurface structure. The method includes receiving seismic data (d) that includes plural traces related to a subsurface, wherein the seismic data (d) is in a time-space domain; transforming with a processor the seismic data (d) from the time-space domain to a radon domain; picking linear events from the seismic data in the radon domain; calculating the time-shifts associated with the picked linear events; correcting the seismic data (d) based on the time-shifts to obtain new seismic data (d′); and computing an image of the subsurface based on the new seismic data (d′). The time-shifts are calculated per trace and per event. |
| US09217802B2 |
Seismic image enhancement
A method can include accessing seismic data; providing a wave function that defines, at least in part, a correlation window length; generating local autocorrelation functions for the seismic data using the correlation window length; performing cross-correlations between the wave function and each of the local autocorrelation functions to provide local cross-correlation coefficient values; determining second derivatives of the local cross-correlation coefficient values to provide local second derivative values; and rendering the local second derivative values to a display. Various other apparatuses, systems, methods, etc., are also disclosed. |
| US09217796B2 |
Simultaneous composite land seismic sweep
The invention is an electric sweep type seismic vibrator source of the type used in seismic prospecting for hydrocarbons. The source uses an engine and generator combination to create electric power for all systems on the source such as driving a frame of linear electric motors that direct a rod or piston to contact the ground in a recurring fashion along with driving the source from location to location through a survey area. Preferably a foot is arranged on the bottom end of the rod or piston for contact with the ground and by engaging the grid of motors to push down against the ground to create impulses that deliver acoustic seismic energy into the earth for geophones to sense and record. However, the pulses of seismic energy are delivered in a distinctive fashion where different linear motors are deliberately and concurrently providing different signals that create a distinctive composite signature or signal that can be identified in the data record for source separation purpose. |
| US09217795B2 |
Integrated digital discriminator for a silicon photomultiplier
Apparatuses and methods are provided that minimize the effects of dark-current pulses. For example, in one embodiment of the invention, a method is provided where a first pixel is struck (i.e., a primary pixel). Pixels struck within a fixed time frame after the primary pixel is struck are referred to as secondary pixels. After a short fixed time frame has expired, the number of primary and secondary pixels is added. If the count exceeds a threshold, the primary pixel was activated by the first (or early) photon from a true gamma event. If the threshold is not met then it is likely the primary pixel generated a dark pulse that should be ignored. |
| US09217794B2 |
Scintillator array, and X-ray detector and X-ray examination device using scintillator array
In one embodiment, a scintillator array includes a plurality of scintillator blocks, and a reflective layer part interposed between the adjacent scintillator blocks. The plurality of scintillator blocks are integrated by the reflective layer part. The reflective layer part includes reflective particles dispersed in a transparent resin. The reflective particles include at least one selected from titanium oxide particles and tantalum oxide particles, and have a mean particle diameter of 2 μm or less. The number of the reflective particles existing per unit area of 5 μm×5 μm of the reflective layer part is in a range of 100 or more and 250 or less. |
| US09217786B2 |
Method for diagnosing a variable reluctance magnetic detection head, and detection circuit
A variable-reluctance magnetic detection head delivers an electrical signal (Uin) and a rising wavefront of the electrical signal is compared with a first threshold (Th) in order to switch from a first state (B0) to a second state (B1), and a falling wavefront is compared with a second threshold (Tb) lower than the first threshold (Th) in order to switch from the second state (B1) to the first state (B0). In a diagnostics step, the first threshold (Th) or the second threshold (Tb) is modified, bringing these thresholds closer together, and a magnetic detection head is diagnosed as being defective if the duty cycle of the second state (B1) is modified during the diagnostics step by a value higher than a diagnostics threshold predetermined in relation to a reference level. |
| US09217782B2 |
Method for measuring current in an electric network
A method for measuring current in an electric network comprising at least one first electric line. The method includes fitting the first line with a circuit breaker having a protection coil and having a wall traversed by a magnetic field emitted by the protection coil; arranging on the wall of the circuit breaker a synchronous three-axis digital magnetometer on a semiconductor chip; by way of the digital magnetometer, measuring at least one component of a magnetic field emitted by the coil; and determining the value of a current traversing the electric line from the measured component. |
| US09217781B2 |
Time synchronization between battery controller modules for parameter measurements
A multi-cell battery pack in an electric vehicle is monitored by multiple sensing modules. A primary controller is coupled to a first plurality of cells to measure a predetermined parameter of each cell. The primary controller determines a sampling moment recurring at a fixed frequency for sampling the predetermined parameter of each of the first plurality of cells. The primary controller generates a sync pulse at each sample moment. A secondary controller is coupled to a second plurality of cells to measure the predetermined parameter of each cell. The secondary controller receives the sync pulse to start a pulse generator operating at a frequency which is a predetermined multiple of the primary controller fixed frequency. The secondary controller counts pulses generated by the pulse generator and schedules a synchronized secondary sampling moment according to a predetermined pulse count. |
| US09217779B2 |
Method and system for obtaining degradation of battery using degradation model and parameters related to the degradation
The present disclosure provides a method for obtaining degradation of a battery comprising the steps of collecting data of the battery and data related to the degradation of the battery; processing the collected data to obtain parameters related to the degradation of the battery; creating and updating a degradation model for the battery with the obtained parameters; and computing the degradation of the battery by using the degradation model and the parameters. |
| US09217775B2 |
Systems and methods for characterizing fault clearing devices
Systems and methods for characterizing a device that operated to clear a fault in a power line, such as a power distribution system feeder, are disclosed. Characterizing the device may include receiving measured data corresponding to a current measured along the feeder proximate a substation bus, determining from the measured data that a fault has occurred in at least one phase and has been cleared, subtracting reference data from the measured data to estimate residual fault data, and estimating from the residual fault data a characteristic of the device that operated to clear the fault. The systems may include an Intelligent Electronic Device (IED) and a processor linked to the IED. |
| US09217770B2 |
Probe resistance measurement method and semiconductor device with pads for probe resistance measurement
A probe resistance measuring method includes measuring first resistances at three or more nodes by making contact at least a part of a plurality of probes of a probe unit with three or more pads for resistance measurement based on a first correspondence relation. The measured resistances are stored as a first measurement result and contact resistances of the plurality of probes of the probe unit are calculated based on the first measurement result. |
| US09217768B2 |
Electronic testing method of in-cell touch screen
A method of electrically testing an in-cell touch screen is disclosed. The in-cell touch screen includes a display electrode, a driving line, and a detecting line. The detecting line intersects the driving line. The method includes floating the display electrode and performing at least one of: A) applying a first predetermined voltage to one column of adjacent columns of the driving line or one row of adjacent rows of the driving line, and grounding the other column of the adjacent columns or the other row of the adjacent rows, and B) applying a second predetermined voltage to one column of adjacent columns of the detecting line or one row of adjacent rows of the detecting line, and grounding the other column of the adjacent columns or the other row of the adjacent rows. The method also includes determining whether the driving line or the detecting line is shorted or opened. |
| US09217765B2 |
Method and system for isolating voltage sensor and contactor faults in an electrical system
A method for isolating voltage sensor errors from contactor errors in an electrical system includes measuring a voltage between ground and a voltage bus rail when a contactor is open, and comparing the measured voltage to a first threshold voltage corresponding to a calibrated voltage reading that is expected when the contactor is closed. A first diagnostic code is recorded with a stuck-in-range status for the sensor when the measured voltage is greater than 0 and less than the first threshold voltage. A second diagnostic code is recorded with a stuck-closed status for the contactor when the measured voltage is equal to the first threshold voltage. The measured voltage may be compared to a second threshold voltage that exceeds the first threshold voltage, with a third diagnostic code recorded with a shorted value for the sensor when the measured voltage exceeds the first threshold voltage or is less than 0. |
| US09217763B2 |
Mixed mode fluxgate current transducer
Electrical current transducer comprising a measuring circuit (6) and an inductor (4) for measuring a primary current IP flowing in a primary conductor (2), the inductor comprising a saturable magnetic core (10) made of a highly permeable magnetic material and a secondary coil (12) for carrying an alternating excitation i configured to alternatingly saturate the magnetic core, the coil being connected to the measuring circuit. The measuring circuit is configured to measure a mean value of the excitation current in the secondary coil and determine therefrom a value of the primary current for small current amplitudes, the measuring circuit being further configured for evaluating the frequency of the excitation current i and determining therefrom the value of the primary current for large currents. |
| US09217762B2 |
Detection of geomagnetically-induced currents with power line-mounted devices
A device for use in a power transmission system to sense GICs. The device may be a part of a reactance-injecting device on a power line, it may be a standalone device, or it may be a part of another type of device. The device may include a sensor to sense magnetic fields (e.g., a Hall effect sensor). The sensor may be positioned in the air gap of a magnetic core formed concentrically around the power line. The signal from the sensor may be converted to a digital signal and separately processed to determine the magnitude of the AC current and the magnitude of the DC (or quasi-DC) current. If the output signal of another A/C current sensor is available, that output signal may be used to adjust/calibrate the determined magnitude of the DC current. The sensor may communicate with other devices in a network to provide GIC information. |
| US09217759B2 |
Current shunt
Methods and circuits for reduction of errors in a current shunt are disclosed, for example sensing lines for Kelvin sensing in which the sensing lines are of identical material to the high-resistance portions of the shunt, and welded thereto. This allows application of a current shunt with lower output voltage and thus lower power losses than the contemporary art implementations, while maintaining high accuracy with regard to temperature changes. |
| US09217755B2 |
Method and apparatus for building three-dimensional MEMS elements
The disclosure generally relates to method and apparatus for forming three-dimensional MEMS. More specifically, the disclosure relates to a method of controlling out-of-plane buckling in microstructural devices so as to create micro-structures with out-of-plane dimensions which are 1×, 5×, 10×, 100× or 500× the film's thickness or above the surface of the wafer. An exemplary device formed according to the disclosed principles, includes a three dimensional accelerometer having microbridges extending both above and below the wafer surface. |
| US09217752B2 |
Method and system for measuring motions
The invention is related to a method and system for measuring motions of a moving, essentially rigid, floating (elongated) body such as a boat, yacht or vessel using two motion detectors that are installed near the ends of, or far enough away from each other in the (elongated) floating body. In accordance with the invention the two motion detectors are essentially simultaneously measuring the movements of the floating body. |
| US09217750B2 |
Sample processing apparatus and cleaning method
The present invention is to present a sample processing apparatus, comprising: a sample processing mechanism which comprises a flow channel to be used for processing a sample, and performs a sample processing operation for processing the sample using the flow channel and a cleaning operation for cleaning the flow channel; and a controller for controlling the cleaning operation by the sample processing mechanism, based on an elapsed time since a previous cleaning operation by the sample processing mechanism. |
| US09217748B2 |
Assays and methods of treatment relating to vitamin D insufficiency
Described herein are assays directed to determining the level of bioavailable or free vitamin D in a blood sample in a subject. The values determined for bioavailable or free vitamin D indicate whether the subject suffers from insufficient levels of vitamin D. Also described herein are methods of treatment for vitamin D insufficiency. |
| US09217747B2 |
Protein and lipid biomarkers providing consistent improvement to the prediction of type 2 diabetes
The invention relates to biomarkers associated with Diabetes, including protein and lipid metabolite biomarkers, methods of using the biomarkers to determine the risk that an individual will develop Diabetes, and methods of screening a population to identify persons at risk for developing Diabetes and other pre-diabetic conditions. |
| US09217745B2 |
Arrayed detector system for measurement of influenza immune response
A sensor chip for detecting an immune response against an influenza virus, the sensor chip including a substrate having a surface and a plurality of hemagglutinin polypeptides bound to discrete locations on the surface of the substrate, each hemagglutinin polypeptide having a hemagglutinin epitope. Detection devices containing the sensor chip and methods of detecting influenza immune responses are also described herein. |
| US09217743B2 |
Screening method utilizing thalidomide-targeting factor
With an aim to provide means for developing a compound devoid of teratogenicity but retaining beneficial actions, a screening method for a non-teratogenic substance comprising bringing a test substance into contact with cereblon or a fragment of cereblon, evaluating the bindability of the test substance with cereblon or the fragment of cereblon, and selecting a test substance that does not bind to cereblon or the fragment of cereblon or a test substance exhibiting lower bindability with cereblon or the fragment of cereblon than does thalidomide is provided. |
| US09217740B2 |
Isolation and characterization of a single mitochondrion
A method for identifying mitochondrial heteroplasmy within eukaryotic cells is provided. This method includes means for isolating and capturing a single mitochondrion from at least one eukaryotic cell, wherein the means for isolating and capturing a single mitochondrion further includes optical tweezers or a similar optical technology; means for analyzing the isolated and captured mitochondrion, wherein the means for analyzing the isolated and captured mitochondrion further includes a DNA amplification system and a sequencing system for amplifying and sequencing DNA extracted from the mitochondrion; means for identifying at least one mitochondrial heteroplasmy of interest; and means for using the DNA amplification and DNA sequencing systems to determine the presence or absence of the mitochondrial heteroplasmy within the eukaryotic cell from which the mitochondrion was obtained. |
| US09217738B2 |
Method for characterization of the redox condition of cementitious materials
Disclosed are methods for determining the redox condition of cementitious materials. The methods are leaching methods that utilize an in situ redox indicator that is present in the cementitious materials as formed. The in situ redox indicator leaches from cementitious material and, when the leaching process is carried out under anaerobic conditions can be utilized to determine the redox condition of the material. The in situ redox indicator can exhibit distinct characteristics in the leachate depending upon the redox condition of the indicator. |
| US09217737B2 |
Multimedia evaluation of butanol-containing fuels
The present invention is related to hydrocarbon compositions comprising butanol that have substantially the same or improved performance properties than comparable hydrocarbon compositions comprising ethanol and to methods for identifying such compositions. |
| US09217735B2 |
Selecting an improved catalyst composition and hydrocarbon conversion process using same
The present invention provides a method for selecting an improved catalyst composition comprising a crystalline molecular sieve material having a structure and properties whereby the catalyst composition has at least one active catalytic site with a Mono Alkylation Selectivity Factor (MASF) greater than or equal to 0 kcal/mol±0.5 kcal/mol, and optionally further at least one active catalytic site with an Olefin Oligomerization Suppression Factor (OOSF) greater than or equal to 5 kcal/mol±0.5 kcal/mol. Further, there is provided an improved process for conversion of hydrocarbon feedstock in the presence of said selected catalyst composition. |
| US09217734B2 |
Thin layer chromatography plates and related methods
In an embodiment, a method for manufacturing a thin layer chromatography (“TLC”) plate is disclosed. The method includes forming a layer of elongated nanostructures (e.g., carbon nanotubes), and at least partially coating the elongated nanostructures with a coating. The coating includes a stationary phase and/or precursor of a stationary phase for use in chromatography. Embodiments for TLC plates and related methods are also disclosed. |
| US09217732B2 |
Nanoflow detector cell
A nanoflow detector cell comprises a nanoflow detection cell template defining a sample channel transverse template and a reference channel transverse template, generally parallel to the sample channel, and spaced apart from the sample channel. Clear capillary tubing extends through the sample channel, defining a sample chamber, a portion of the capillary tubing extends out of each end of the sample channel, and is shaped to the template. |
| US09217727B2 |
Systems and methods for single-molecule detection using nanopores
A system and method for detecting a single-molecule using an integrated circuit which includes at least one membrane having a nanopore located between first and second reservoirs and a low-noise preamplifier having an electrode formed on the surface thereof is provided. The method includes passing a target molecule through the nanopore, and measuring a current through the nanopore to detect the presence of a biomolecular entity, if any. |
| US09217724B2 |
Potentiometric sensor and method for the start-up of a potentiometric sensor
A potentiometric sensor includes a housing, in which a reference half cell space and a separated, measuring half cell space are formed. The reference half cell space contains a reference electrolyte and at least one part of a first potential sensing electrode for sensing a reference potential, and the measuring half cell space is liquid-tightly sealed by a measuring membrane, and contains an inner electrolyte and at least one part of a second potential sensing electrode for sensing a measuring half cell potential. A passageway extends through a wall of the housing, and opens into the reference half cell space, and is sealed relative to a medium surrounding the housing. The potentiometric sensor has a way for producing through the passageway an electrolytic contact between the reference electrolyte and the medium surrounding the housing. |
| US09217723B2 |
Co-facial analytical test strip with stacked unidirectional contact pads
An analytical test strip (“ATT”) for use with a test meter includes a first insulating layer, with a first insulating layer upper surface, and a first electrically conductive layer (“ECL”) disposed thereon. The first ECL includes a first electrode portion (“EP”) and an electrical contact pad in electrical communication with the first EP. The ATT also includes a patterned spacer layer disposed above the first ECL that includes (i) a distal portion defining a bodily fluid sample-receiving chamber therein that overlies the first EP and (ii) an insulating proximal portion with an upper surface having a second ECL disposed thereon. The second ECL includes an interlayer contact portion and an electrical contact pad. A third ECL of the ATT includes a second EP and a proximal portion that overlies the interlayer contact portion. The second EP is disposed overlying and exposed to the sample-receiving chamber in an opposing relationship to the first EP. |
| US09217720B2 |
Method and apparatus for external pipeline weld inspection
An apparatus is provided for external inspection of a pipeline circumferential weld. This comprises a radiation source (5) and radiation detector (3). Both units are controllably movable around a drive band or track (7) which is fitted around the circumferential weld. To align the source with the detector the source and detector are moved with respect to each other clockwise and anticlockwise around an initial position while sampling the radiation detected at a number of positions. A position of maximum strength of the radiation signal detected can then be determined such that the center point of the radiation source may be located. The source and detector are then substantially aligned with each other and means are provided to move the source and detector circumferentially around the weld while remaining substantially in alignment. |
| US09217716B2 |
Method for testing charge generation layer and process for manufacturing electrophotographic photoreceptors on large scale
A method is provided for testing a charge generation layer disposed directly on an undercoat layer disposed directly on an aluminum-based cylindrical support member formed by extrusion and drawing having a periphery not subjected to cutting work. The method includes testing the charge generation layer for a defect or a suspected defect by irradiating the charge generation layer with light, and receiving reflected light from the charge generation layer with a light receiving device. The light emitted to the charge generation layer has a wavelength within the range of the absorption wavelengths of the charge generation layer, and whose transmittance to the undercoat layer is 0.3% or less. |
| US09217713B1 |
System and method for detecting pin-holes in fiberglass and composite parts
A system and method is disclosed for detecting defects in the surface of a workpiece such as a fiberglass or composite part. A light source is positioned to direct light at the workpiece at an oblique angle with respect to the surface of the workpiece. At least one camera is positioned to detect light reflected from the workpiece and to generate a light signal corresponding to the reflected light. A polarizing lens is positioned between each of the at least one cameras and the workpiece. A processor is coupled to each of the at least one cameras to receive the corresponding light signals. The processor is programmed to process the light signals to detect any defects in the surface of the workpiece based on relative magnitudes of the received light signal. A video display and a printer are preferably coupled to the processor to show any detected defects. |
| US09217712B2 |
Method for assisting judgment of abnormality of reaction process data and automatic analyzer
In the event of a suspected abnormality in the device, sample or reagent, a laboratory technician had to examine the abnormal reaction process data item by item, and infer the cause of the abnormality, which took effort and time in some cases. Abnormality judgment is assisted using: indicator computation means that computes an indicator indicating a feature parameter of a given waveform by applying a pre-defined evaluation formula to time series data of photometric values; relative indicator computation means that computes a value indicating a relationship of the indicator of target data to the indicator computed in the past; and indicator display means that simultaneously displays a value computed by the indicator computation means and the value computed by the relative indicator computation means. According to the present method, which is a method for assisting judgment of abnormality wherein a feature parameter of a given absorbance change is computed, it can be made easier to find certain abnormalities, and it becomes possible to attain more efficient device maintenance and improved device reliability without the addition of any new parts. |
| US09217708B2 |
Equipment and method for diagnosing sliding condition of rotating electrical machine
Disclosed are equipment and method for diagnosing the sliding condition of a rotating electrical machine that make it possible to achieve early detection of abnormal sliding with a simple configuration containing flexibly arranged elements and reduce the downtime and maintenance cost of the rotating electrical machine. The equipment for diagnosing the sliding condition of a rotating electrical machine includes a light source that emits light onto the sliding surface of a collecting brush relative to the surface of a rotating body of the rotating electrical machine, a light-receiving section that receives the light reflected from the sliding surface, and a determination section that processes a signal from the light-receiving section. The determination section detects an increase in a specific wavelength component of the reflected light to determine whether the sliding condition of the rotating body surface of the rotating electrical machine is abnormal. |
| US09217699B2 |
Method and a device for the reproduction of an impact event
A method and a device for the execution of the method for the reproduction of an impact event of a projectile, with any ratio of energy and impulse, wherein a feed rate of an impress element is controlled by taking account of an alteration in velocity that is proportional to the quotient of a resistance force and a freely selected projective mass. |
| US09217698B2 |
Device for simulating explosive blast and imaging biological specimen
A device and method for simulating a blast shock wave of the type produced by explosive devices such as bombs. A pneumatic charge releases a blast shock wave along a conduit which terminates in a first outlet that communicates with the atmosphere and a second outlet that is sealed to a specimen chamber. The first outlet has a quick release valve that prevents venting of the pneumatic charge to the atmosphere until the pressure at the valve reaches a predetermined level that opens the valve. The pneumatic charge therefore initially flows through the second outlet to direct the blast into the specimen chamber, until subsequent opening of the quick release valve redirects the gas flow out of the first outlet and rapidly reduces pressure in the chamber. The blast wave closely simulates the Friedlander curve, and its effects are viewed during instead of only after the blast is completed. |
| US09217695B2 |
Method for determining a complete blood count on a white blood cell differential count
Systems and methods analyzing body fluids such as blood and bone marrow are disclosed. The systems and methods may utilize an improved technique for applying a monolayer of cells to a slide to generate a substantially uniform distribution of cells on the slide. Additionally aspects of the invention also relate to systems and methods for utilizing multi color microscopy for improving the quality of images captured by a light receiving device. |
| US09217692B2 |
Sample cleaning element for gas analyzer
In one example, a sample gas analyzer includes a sample cell configured to receive a gas sample, a sample tube including a passageway that is in communication with the sample cell, and an intake portion. A cleaning element is disposed between, and arranged for fluid communication with, the sample tube and the sample cell, and includes a body having a chamber configured to aid in imparting a rotational motion to a fluid stream entering the chamber. The cleaning element also includes an inlet port that is in communication with the chamber and that is configured and arranged for communication with the atmosphere. Finally, the cleaning element includes an outlet port in communication with the chamber and the sample cell. |
| US09217690B2 |
Coolant loss detection and remediation in a liquid cooled battery pack
An automotive battery module with one or more battery cells and a coolant loss detection and remediation system cooperative with coolant that is configured to provide thermal management of the battery module. Coolant levels in or around the battery module may be detected, while cooperation with a controller permits corrective action in the event that a leakage of coolant is detected. The controller senses a coolant level sensor which is located in a coolant reservoir to determine when the coolant level drops below a predetermined level. When the coolant level is determined to be low, the controller reports the low level condition and takes remedial action. The controller also has a set of enablement conditions that must be satisfied before the controller senses the coolant level sensor. |
| US09217684B2 |
Oxygen system having sensors with a passive RFD interface
A passively powered gas sensor for remotely reading and transmitting a gas pressure of a system, comprising a hollow cylindrical body, a stem axially aligned and extending outwardly from a first surface of the hollow cylindrical body, a pressure sensing element in the stem, and an antenna coupled to the pressure sensing element, where the antenna is located within the hollow cylindrical body and the stem. The pressure sensing device is polled remotely by a polling device, and powered by the polling device. |
| US09217682B2 |
Torque sensor arrangement and shaft comprising a torque sensor arrangement
A torque sensor arrangement including a contactless torque sensor, in which the torque sensor is arranged on an electrically operating linear carriage is provided. A distance sensor is also arranged on the linear carriage such that it allows the distance to the object of which the torque is to be determined to be measured. |
| US09217681B2 |
Optical fiber sensor and methods of manufacture
A superstructure fiber Bragg gratings (FBG) by laser-assisted direct writing of on-fiber metallic films. A laser direct write method is used to fabricate periodic films of silver nanoparticles on the non-planar surface of as-fabricated FBGs. Silver films with a thickness of about 9 μm are fabricated around a Bragg grating optical fiber. The performance of the superstructure FBG is studied by applying temperature and tensile stress on the fiber. An opto-mechanical model is also developed to predict the optical response of the synthesized superstructure FBG under thermal and structural loadings. The reflectivity of sidebands in the reflection spectrum can be tuned up to 20% and 37% under thermal and structural loadings, respectively. In addition, the developed superstructure FBG is used for simultaneous measurement of multiple criteria such as force and temperature to eliminate the inherent limitation of regular FBGs in multi-parameter sensing. |
| US09217674B2 |
Bolometric detector of an electromagnetic radiation in the terahertz range and array detection device comprising such detectors
A terahertz detection device comprises at least one terahertz antenna, a detection microbridge suspended above a substrate comprising a resistive load coupled to the antenna and a resistive bolometric element coupled to the resistive load, a bias circuit for biasing the bolometric element. The device further comprises a skimming microbridge suspended above the substrate, comprising a resistive bolometric element, and substantially identical to the detection microbridge, a reflective metal layer opposite to the skimming microbridge to obtain a destructive interference at the level of the skimming microbridge for a terahertz wavelength, a bias circuit to electrically bias the bolometric element of the skimming microbridge and a read circuit for measuring a difference between the electric signals of the microbridges. |
| US09217668B2 |
Miniaturized optical spectrometer and fabricating method thereof
A miniature spectrometer comprises an input unit, an image capture unit, a miniature diffraction optical grating, an optical grating accommodation slot, a cushion, and an affixing plate. The miniature spectrometer may further comprise a waveguide device, and the optical grating accommodation slot is positioned in a space defined by an opening of the waveguide device. The input unit receives an optical signal which proceeds in the waveguide device. The miniature diffraction optical grating separates the optical signal into numerous spectral components to be projected onto the image capture unit. The cushion is stacked on the miniature diffraction optical grating, with both disposed in the optical grating accommodation slot. The affixing plate is disposed on the waveguide device to apply a compressing force on the cushion to affix the miniature diffraction optical grating in the optical grating accommodation slot. |
| US09217667B2 |
Spectrometer and image forming apparatus having the same
There is provided is a spectrometer having a concave reflection type diffraction element, wherein, among surfaces other than a diffraction surface of the diffraction element, non-diffraction surfaces which are located outside the diffraction surface at the same side as the diffraction surface are a glossy surface, the spectrometer includes a light detection unit which is located at an imaging position of a first-order diffracted light diffracted by the diffraction element to receive the first-order diffracted light, and the light detection unit is disposed inside optical paths of light beams regularly reflected on the non-diffraction surfaces outside the diffraction surface. Accordingly, it is possible to effectively suppress a stray light reflected on the surfaces other the diffraction surface from being incident into the light detection unit and to detect the light spectrally diffracted by the diffraction surface at high accuracy. |
| US09217666B2 |
Photoelectric sensor with adjustable sensitivity
Provided is a photoelectric sensor that enables intuitive sensitivity adjustment while ensuring a wide dynamic range, and ease grasp of an adjustment state. The photoelectric sensor includes: an adjusting device having a variable resistor embedded in at least one of a driving circuit and a light receiving circuit, and configured to change a resistance value of the variable resistor according to a rotational position of a rotatable adjusting element; an evaluator configured to generate a determination signal based on a comparison result between a light receiving signal superimposed on a reference level and a threshold value; a ratio calculator configured to calculate a ratio of an amount of a light receiving signal in the light receiving signal superimposed on the reference level and a difference between the threshold value and the reference level as a margin ratio to be displayed. |
| US09217665B2 |
Viewing-angle imaging using lenslet array
An example apparatus may include a light source for illuminating a sample, an objective lens positioned on a light path extending from the sample, a lenslet array having a plurality of lenslets and positioned along the light path to receive light from the objective lens. The lenslet array may be positioned along the light path at substantially a Fourier plane of the sample. The example apparatus may also include a detector positioned along the light path approximately one lenslet focal length from the lenslet array. The plurality of lenslets of the lenslet array may correspond to portions of the detector. Each lenslet of the lenslet array may transmit to a corresponding portion of the detector an image of the same portion of the sample from a different viewing angle. |
| US09217664B2 |
Vibrating meter including an improved meter case
A vibrating meter is provided. The vibrating meter includes one or more conduits formed from a first material. The vibrating meter further includes a driver coupled to a conduit of the one or more conduits and configured to vibrate at least a portion of the conduit at one or more drive frequencies and one or more pick-offs coupled to a conduit of the one or more conduits and configured to detect a motion of the vibrating portion of the conduit. The vibrating meter further includes a case enclosing at least a portion of the one or more conduits, the driver and the one or more pick-offs. The case is formed from a second material comprising a higher vibrational damping characteristic than the first material. |
| US09217663B2 |
Multi-chambered acoustic sensor for determination gas composition
A sound velocity sensor is defined by a hermetic multi-chambered enclosure for containing flowing gases and mixtures of gases. The contained flowing gases are acoustically excited and the acoustic energy is measured over a fixed distance between a first sending end of the enclosure and a receiving end. The speed of sound of the gases are determined by comparing the energy transmitted through the flowing gases at various frequencies so as to precisely determine the resonant frequency of the gases flowing through the enclosure. In accordance with the present design, the chambers of the enclosure include internal transition shapes therebetween for optimizing the transmission of acoustic energy through the flowing gases and also enhancing one or more additional resonant modes at higher useful frequencies. The transition shapes used in connection with the sensor can be at least one of parabolic, hyperbolic, linear and exponential in nature. |
| US09217661B2 |
Multi-head weighting apparatus
A multi-head weigher has a plurality of heads operable to hold and discharge product; first and second discharge chutes arranged to receive product discharged from respective first and second subsets of the plurality of heads and each operable to selectively deliver said product to a first location or a second location; and a combinational weight determining system operable to determine a combination of one or more heads which meets a target criterion, and to discharge product from the determined combination through their respective discharge chute(s) to the first location. When a predetermined condition has occurred, the combinational weight determining system can discharge product from that head(s) to the second location via the discharge chute arranged to receive product from that head(s), when said discharge chute is not being used to deliver product to the first location. |
| US09217656B2 |
Internet telematics service providing system and internet telematics service providing method for providing mileage-related driving information
Provided is an Internet telematics service providing system and method that may provide driving information for mileage enhancement. In interaction with a telematics system of a vehicle and a communication terminal of a user, the Internet telematics service providing system may include a data receiver to receive driving data associated with a mileage of the vehicle from the telematics system, a data storage unit to store the driving data in a webpage associated with the user, a data providing unit to provide the stored driving data to the telematics system and/or the communication terminal using a Web service, a guide generator to generate driving guide information of the vehicle based on the driving data, and a guide providing unit to provide the driving guide information to the user using the telematics system and/or the communication terminal. |
| US09217652B2 |
Sensor arrangement and method for operating a sensor arrangement
A sensor arrangement comprises at least one magnetic-field sensor (SM1). A signal-processing unit (PROC) is set up to determine a minimum signal (MIN) and a maximum signal (MAX) of the magnetic-field sensor (SM1) over the full scale range (FSR) of the sensor arrangement. An adjustment circuit (DSPL) is set up to generate a correction signal (COR) as a function of the minimum and maximum signals (MIN, MAX). A first combination means (ADD1) couples the first magnetic-field sensor (SM1) on the input side to the adjustment circuit (DSPL) and connects the magnetic-field sensor (SM1) on the output side to a signal output (OUT). |
| US09217650B2 |
Information processing system, information processing device and center server
An information processing system includes a center server, a first moving object that performs communication with the center server, and a second moving object that performs communication with the center server. The first moving object includes a submission information acquisition unit that acquires submission information related to a travel guiding, and a submission information transmission unit that transmits the submission information to the center server. The center server includes a guiding information accumulation unit that accumulates guiding information which is based on the submission information. The second moving object includes a travel guiding execution unit that executes the travel guiding for the second moving object with respect to the traveling route to the preset destination. The travel guiding execution unit executes the travel guiding using the guiding information of the guiding information accumulation unit. |
| US09217647B2 |
Guidebook transit routing
Systems and methods for recommending time independent or “guidebook” transit routes between an origin and a destination are provided. A score is generated for each transit route. The score can be used to evaluate and prioritize the transit routes so that one or more transit routes can be recommended to a user. The score can be computed based on characteristics of a trip duration function generated for the transit route. The trip duration function specifies a trip cost (e.g. a trip duration) for the transit route as a function of time (such as departure time or arrival time) over the time interval. The trip duration function can be a piecewise linear function with one or more linear trip segments. Each linear trip segment models the trip cost, including waiting time, of a transit trip associated with the transit route over at least a portion of the time interval. |
| US09217646B2 |
Semi-autonomous route compliance navigation system and method
A method and system for detecting that an object, person or vehicle has deviated in space or time from its prescribed route, and guiding it back to the prescribed route, according to strictness criteria predefined by a controlling authority or authorities. The invention allows controlling authorities to pre-specify a level of strictness suiting the object, person or vehicle and purpose of travel, by which the object, person or vehicle is guided back to the prescribed route autonomously, enabling return to route according to established policies, without the necessity of further communication with controlling authorities. The method and system thus operate semi-autonomously, with strictness parameters predefined by the central authorities, and the object, person or vehicle operating with some degree of latitude within those strictness parameters. |
| US09217644B2 |
Natural navigational guidance
Natural navigational guidance, provides enhanced guidance instructions that take advantage of unique geographic features along a navigated route to specify maneuver points. Guidance points are clearly visible, unambiguous, and locally unique features in the geography of the maneuver area that can be used to aid the user in discovering the place where the maneuver point is. Within a guidance point selection area, a specific guidance point type has a more strict area within which it can be used. A natural guidance point selection area for an upcoming maneuver to be navigated is determined, and a unique geographic feature within the determined natural guidance point selection area is selected as a natural guidance point for navigation of the upcoming maneuver. A turn-type natural guidance point for an upcoming maneuver to be navigated is generated when the user device is within the natural guidance point selection area. |
| US09217643B1 |
Angles only navigation system
An angles only navigation system. The system includes an IMU coupled with a passive optical sensor. The optical sensor provides periodic updates to the IMU in order to correct for accelerometer and gyro drifts. The IMU computes the air vehicle's instantaneous position, velocity, and attitude using gyro and accelerometer measurements. The optical sensor images stars and satellites. The navigation filter combines optical sensor measurements with IMU inputs, and determines those corrections needed to compensate for the IMU drifts. By applying periodic corrections to the IMU using satellite angular measurements, the navigation filter maintains an accurate position estimate during an entire flight. |
| US09217638B2 |
Engine with laser ignition and measurement
Systems and methods for increasing an efficiency of engine starting of a hybrid vehicle are disclosed. In one example approach, a method comprises operating a laser ignition device in an engine cylinder and identifying engine position in response thereto; and igniting an air and fuel mixture in the cylinder with the laser ignition device. |
| US09217635B2 |
Three dimensional measurement system
A system for making distance measurements of remote points using a phenomenon related to the time of flight of an illuminating beam. A modulated beam of light is directed at the target area. The modulated beam has temporally varying information impressed upon it, such that the time of flight of the beam to the target and back can be related to the temporal signature of the received beam. An acousto-optic modulator is used to perform frequency conversion of the modulated light reflected from points in the field, before that light impinges on the pixels of a detector array. The AO modulation frequency is close to the illuminating light modulation frequency, so that the converted mixed frequency falls within the limited parallel reading rate range of the detector array, and contains the temporal signature information of the modulated light received from the target within signals of manageable frequencies. |
| US09217634B1 |
Swim lap counting and timing system and methods for event detection from noisy source data
Systems and methods for lap timing and counting in athletic events are disclosed. The systems and methods do not require the athlete to wear a counter/timer, a transmitter, a reflector or another kind of marker. A portable computing device with a sensor, such as a tablet computer with a camera, is positioned in an appropriate location. Data from the sensor is transformed into a time series of data, and one or more learned statistics are calculated in real time as benchmark ambient conditions. The learned statistics are essentially continuously updated and data that indicates irrelevant volatility is excluded. A detection threshold is determined and essentially continuously updated based on the learned statistics, and lap completion is determined based on the threshold. Times, lap counts, and other data are displayed on the portable device in real time. |
| US09217633B2 |
Inspection arrangement
The invention relates to an arrangement for analyzing an at least partially reflective surface of a wafer or other objects, containing a holder for holding the object; an inspection arrangement arranged at a distance in the region in front of the surface to be analyzed; and a measurement arrangement for determining the distance and/or inclination of the surface for the inspection arrangement; characterized be a radiation source, the radiation of which is directed towards the surface to be analyzed at an angle; and a spatially resolving detector for receiving the radiation from the radiation source that is reflected from the surface to be analyzed, wherein the radiation source and the detector are arranged outside the region necessary for the inspection between the inspection arrangement and the surface to be analyzed. |
| US09217622B2 |
5XXX aluminum alloys and wrought aluminum alloy products made therefrom
Improved 5xxx aluminum alloys and products made therefrom are disclosed. The new 5xxx aluminum alloy products may achieve an improved combination of properties due to, for example, the presence of copper. In one embodiment, the new 5xxx aluminum alloy products are able to achieve an improved combination of properties by solution heat treatment. |
| US09217620B2 |
Stock attachment riser
A weapon accessory includes an attachment portion that is attachable to a stock of a weapon. The weapon accessory includes a rest portion that allows a user to position the stock above the user's shoulder. The weapon accessory also includes a recoil portion that is configured to transfer a recoil to the user when the user uses the weapon. |
| US09217619B2 |
Composite gun barrel with outer sleeve made from shape memory alloy to dampen firing vibrations
According to one aspect, a composite gun barrel comprises an inner rifled liner tube having an outer surface, and an outer sleeve comprising a shape memory alloy and having an inner surface disposed against the outer surface of the inner rifled liner tube. The inner rifled liner tube is configured for guiding projectiles and the outer sleeve is configured for dampening the firing vibrations encountered by the inner rifled liner tube. A method for forming a composite gun barrel comprises providing an inner rifled liner tube having an outer surface. A sleeve made from a shape memory alloy and having an inner surface is provided. The outer sleeve is disposed about the inner rifled liner tube so that the inner surface of the outer sleeve substantially engages the outer surface of the inner rifled liner tube. |
| US09217617B1 |
Ammunition magazine insertion guide for a bullpup pattern rifle
An exemplary embodiment includes a molded ammunition magazine insertion guide for a bullpup pattern rifle. |
| US09217614B2 |
Firearm having an articulated bolt train with transversally displacing firing mechanism, delay blowback breech opening, and recoil damper
An improved firearm having an Pivotally Articulated Bolt Train assembly consisting of a series of linked carriages, containing firing mechanisms, placed inside a compact ergonomic jaw articulated receiver, holding all the sub assemblies in the convenient location, synchronizing the movements of all the components, and controlling its alternating motion by displacing along divergent and converging paths and tracks, where the Bolt Train, moving through tracks, displaces to align, entirely horizontally, with the barrel axis, rapidly shifting into a curved and transverse path. Such motion forces the cocking, the partial displacement into a Handle Tunnel, and modifies the bearing of the recoil force, conveying a unique dynamic behavior. When displacing rearwards it generates a dual transient angular momentum vector helping to compensate the “barrel Torque” phenomenon caused by the bullet rifling when fired. The interaction of several components delays the breech opening, decelerating the rearwards motion to assist the recoil damping. |
| US09217610B2 |
Heat exchanger for exhaust gas recirculation
A heat exchanger associated with an exhaust gas recirculation system cools the exhaust gasses before directing them to an internal combustion engine. The heat exchanger can include a tube core having a plurality of exhaust gas tubes that can extend along a longitudinal axis. The tube core can also include a plurality of coolant channels disposed between and spacing apart the plurality of exhaust gas tubes. A coolant inlet line is disposed about at least a portion of the tube core to direct coolant inwardly toward the coolant channels. At least a portion of the coolant can converge approximately at the longitudinal axis line. |
| US09217608B2 |
Heat exchanger
A diagonal gasket support (22) in a heat exchanger cassette adapted for a heat exchanger having a contact-free flow channel (28), where the cassette (11, 29) comprises two plates (12) of the same type, where each plate is provided with a corrugated pattern having a plurality of ridges (19) and valleys (20), characterized in that the diagonal gasket support (22) comprises a plurality of indentations (23) and protrusions (24) positioned adjacent each other along a diagonal gasket groove (21). The advantage of such a diagonal gasket support is that a contact-free support at the diagonal gasket is obtained. |
| US09217604B2 |
Means for drying of a particulate material with a gas
A device to bring a gas into contact with a particulate solid bulk material, comprising a first and a second tubular, radially gas-permeable element (1, 2) having different diameters and which each define a central axis, wherein one of the elements is essentially coaxially placed in the second element, wherein the elements (1, 2) internally define a ring-shaped shaft (30) for a material (40) that is to be contacted by the gas, wherein the elements have essentially vertically oriented axes, a ventilation device (50) for compelling the gas radially through the shaft and the material, a first device (41) for addition of the material to an upper end of the shaft (30) and a second device (31-36) for output of dried material from the lower end of the shaft. Driving means (12) are provided for internal displacement of the elements (1, 2). At least one of the walls is provided with at least one screw line ramp which maintains a high porosity and a controlled feeding of the material. |
| US09217602B2 |
Refrigerator
A refrigerator may include a main body, a storage chamber provided within the main body, a drawer assembly provided in the lower portion of the storage chamber, a cover shelf covering at least a part of the upper surface of the drawer assembly, a lower shelf disposed between the cover shelf and the sidewall of the storage chamber and provided with one side supported by the sidewall of the storage chamber so as to be pulled out and the other side supported by the upper surface of the drawer assembly so as to be pulled out, and an upper shelf disposed above the lower shelf and provided with one side supported by the sidewall of the storage chamber so as to be pulled out and the other side supported by a shelf frame mounted on the rear wall of the storage chamber so as to be pulled out. |
| US09217600B2 |
No-frost refrigeration device
A no-frost refrigeration device includes at least one storage chamber for items to be cooled; and an evaporator chamber which is formed by a two-part first housing having first and second housing parts. The first housing part has, at least locally, a flexible surface, and the second housing part has formed thereon a rib which is pressed in a sealing manner into the flexible surface. A ventilator is located in the evaporator chamber for driving air circulation running through the storage chamber and the evaporator chamber. |
| US09217599B2 |
Water introduction into fresh-food icemaker
Provided is a refrigeration appliance that includes a cabinet defining a compartment for storing food items in a temperature-controlled environment. A refrigeration system is operable to provide a cooling effect to an interior of the compartment, and an ice maker is disposed within the compartment for freezing water delivered from a water source into ice pieces. A nozzle is provided in fluid communication with the ice maker for introducing the water from the water source to the ice maker. The nozzle includes an interior passage through which water is to travel when being delivered to the ice maker, and an outlet through which water being delivered to the ice maker exits the nozzle. An inside diameter of the outlet is greater than an inside diameter at another location of the interior passage. |
| US09217593B2 |
Cooling system and maintenance timing determination method
A cooling system includes a refrigerator and a thermal load application unit applying a thermal load to the refrigerator. A detector detects, when the thermal load is applied to the refrigerator by the thermal load application unit, a change in a physical quantity generated in the refrigerator or a refrigerator-mounting portion where the refrigerator is mounted. A determiner determines a maintenance timing of the refrigerator based on the change in the physical quantity detected by the detector. |
| US09217591B2 |
Method for controlling a flow of refrigerant to an evaporator
A refrigeration system includes an expansion valve and a compressor, the expansion valve, the evaporator and the compressor being arranged in a refrigerant flow path having refrigerant flowing therein. A method for controlling a flow of refrigerant to an evaporator includes steps of increasing an opening degree of the expansion valve, thereby increasing a flow of refrigerant to the evaporator sufficiently to substantially eliminate a dry zone of the evaporator, decreasing the opening degree of the expansion valve, and repeating the steps of increasing and decreasing. This causes the superheat value of refrigerant leaving the evaporator to ‘toggle’ between a zero level and a low, but positive, level. Thereby the refrigeration capacity is utilized more efficiently. Additionally, sufficiently low amount of liquid refrigerant is allowed to pass through the evaporator to prevent damage to the compressor. |
| US09217587B2 |
Air conditioner
There is disclosed an air conditioner including a compressor to compress refrigerant, an indoor heat exchanger to cool or heat a room, using the refrigerant, an outdoor heat exchanger to heat-exchange the refrigerant with outdoor air, the outdoor heat exchanger comprising a front heat exchange member and a rear heat exchange member, and a defrosting module to adjust an opening degree of a passage of the refrigerant drawn into the front heat exchange member and the rear heat exchange member, wherein the defrosting module includes a first expansion valve to adjust an opening of a passage of the refrigerant introduced into the front heat exchange member and a defrosting unit to adjust an opening degree of a passage of the refrigerant between the front heat exchange member and the rear heat exchange member. |
| US09217586B1 |
Single-well power generation utilizing ground energy source
A ground energy collection system is disclosed. The system includes a well configured to absorb ground energy and provide the absorbed ground energy to a first heat transferring fluid. A pump is used to circulate the first heat transferring fluid to an evaporator. The evaporator is configured to: receive the first heat transferring fluid; facilitate heat exchange between the first heat transferring fluid and a second heat transferring fluid; and return the first heat transferring fluid to the well. A compressor then compresses the second heat transferring fluid. An electricity generator generates electricity based on the second heat transferring fluid received from the compressor. A condenser then retrieves heat and liquefies the second heat transferring fluid. An expansion valve is utilized to regulate pressure of the second heat transferring fluid received from the condenser and return the second heat transferring fluid to the evaporator. |
| US09217583B2 |
Method for draining thermal oil in a thermosolar plant, and corresponding auxiliary installation for carrying out said method
An installation for draining thermal oil in a thermosolar plant, and includes an oil tank (7), a pump assembly (6), a depressor or suction assembly (8), lines for communication with valves (11, 21), and a valve assembly for opening/closing the passage between the separate elements, with the lines for communication with the valves (11, 21) including pairs of pipes of the closed loop or branches (3, 4) that do not have valves on the free end thereof, with the installation operated by sweeping the separate circuits that form the installation by driving or suction according to the corresponding operation phase. |
| US09217580B2 |
Hose attachment device for clearing drain lines
A hose attachment device for use in combination with a source of pressurized gas or liquid for clearing HVACR drain lines. The device includes a cap having an interior cavity extending from an open bottom end that is sized for engaged receipt of an open-ended drain line extension. One embodiment of the device includes a hose extending through the top of the cap and having a fitting at the proximal end of the hose (extending from the top of the cap) that is sized for attachment to the pressurized source. A valve fitting at the distal end of the hose is sized for engaged receipt of a male valve stem, such as a Schrader valve. Another embodiment of the invention includes a valve fitting extending through top of the cap. A further embodiment of the invention includes an upper component and a lower component forming the cap, wherein the upper component is securable to a nozzle of a garden hose and the bottom component is securable to an open-ended drain line extension. |
| US09217577B2 |
Drain line access device with interior overflow safety switch
An access device for installation to a condensation drainage system, such as a drain line of an HVAC unit, includes a main body with at least one connecting port for sealed, fluid receiving connection to the drainage system and an open top communicating with an interior cavity. A top cover releasably secures to the main body to completely cover the open top. An overflow safety switch is removably held in operable position within the interior cavity and below the top cover. The switch senses the level of condensate liquid accumulating with the interior cavity and sends an electronic signal to disable the condensation producing equipment if the liquid reaches a predetermined level. |
| US09217569B2 |
Burner and method for operating a burner
A burner and a method for operating a burner are provided. The burner includes a channel having a mixing zone and having a feed for an oxidation means, particularly an air feed, and at least one fuel feed for injecting fuel, wherein a separating means which divides the channel over a wide range of the channel into at least two separated channels, namely a first channel and a second channel, is provided in the channel. The method for operating a burner having a channel includes a mixing zone into which an oxidation mass flow and fuel are injected, wherein two substantially separate flow paths are formed by means of a separating means in the channel and the at least two separated first and second channels, formed by the separating means. |
| US09217566B2 |
Method and apparatus for commissioning power plants
An apparatus and method for commissioning steam turbine generator power plants to advance the cleanliness of the complete steam cycle by the conditioned discharge of steam to the plant surface condenser. |
| US09217565B2 |
Dynamic matrix control of steam temperature with prevention of saturated steam entry into superheater
A technique of controlling a steam generating boiler system using dynamic matrix control includes preventing saturated steam from entering a superheater section. A dynamic matrix control block uses a rate of change of a disturbance variable, a current output steam temperature, and an output steam setpoint as inputs to generate a control signal. A prevention block modifies the control signal based on a saturated steam temperature and an intermediate steam temperature. In some embodiments, the control signal is modified based on a threshold and/or an adjustable function g(x). The modified control signal is used to control a field device that, at least in part, affects the intermediate steam and output steam of the boiler system. In some embodiments, the prevention block is included in the dynamic matrix control block. |
| US09217564B2 |
Saturated water generating device
A saturated water generating device includes a thermal receptor including a cavity inside, a liquid entrance connected into the cavity of the thermal receptor, a heat source, and a pillar disposed in the cavity of the thermal receptor. The heat source is used to heat the cavity of the thermal receptor. The pillar includes a plurality of tiny channels. The liquid is heated to generate saturated water in the tiny channels. Through the saturated water generating device, the high-temperature and high-pressure saturated water is generated by heating the high-pressure water, and then make the generated high-temperature and high-pressure saturated water explore instantly when it is heated, and then quickly intensive evaporation and formation of high-temperature and high-pressure steam flow as the power source. |
| US09217556B2 |
Method of manufacturing light emitting device, and light emitting device
A method of manufacturing a light emitting device includes: disposing a group of electrically conductive members on a support substrate, the group of the electrically conductive members forming a plurality of mounting portions arranged in two or more columns and two or more rows with the mounting portions respectively corresponding to a plurality of light emitting elements; placing the light emitting elements on the group of the electrically conductive members with a bonding member being disposed between the light emitting elements and the electrically conductive members, each of the light emitting elements being shifted from a corresponding one of the mounting portions; and melting the bonding member to mount the light emitting elements respectively on the mounting portions by self-alignment effect generated by the melting of the bonding member. |
| US09217548B2 |
Portable camping lamp
A battery powered portable illumination device especially suitable for camping use is disclosed having three modes of use. The first mode is with left and right light units positioned back to back shining in opposite directions defining a closed position. The second mode uses a hinge to allow the light units to be rotated about the hinge until the left and right light units are pointed in the same direction defining an open position. A hook is provided for suspending the lamp on a support when it is in this open position. The third mode is an auxiliary illumination assembly or flashlight that is stored in and removable from the interior of the lamp and can be used independently of the left and right light units. The light units typically are LEDs. |
| US09217547B2 |
Battery powered light with alignment mechanism
A portable lamp is provided that is powered by a plurality of batteries. The lamp includes a housing having a battery compartment with a removable closure. The closure includes a plurality of electrically conductive contacts configured to contact batteries in the battery compartment. The battery compartment and the closure comprise mating alignment elements adapted to align the contacts on the closure with batteries in the battery compartment. The alignment element on the closure is configured to move relative to the closure when the closure is twisted relative to the battery compartment to connect the closure to the housing. The lamp also incorporates a valve that may be integrally formed with a sleeve on the housing. |
| US09217546B2 |
LED bulb laterally installed and projecting light beams onto ground
An LED bulb laterally installed and projecting light beams onto the ground includes a bulb holder assembly, a lamp carrier assembly, a luminosity module, a lampshade, a collar, and a clasper. The bulb holder assembly includes a bulb holder base and a bulb holder. The lamp carrier assembly includes a tubular column and a shell body formed on an end of the tubular column. The luminosity module is installed in the shell body and includes at least an LED. The collar is securely connected to the bulb holder base and mounted around the tubular column for development of an accommodating space between the collar and the tubular column. The clasper is closely engaged in the accommodating space and securely connected to the tubular column. The lamp carrier assembly is omni-directionally adjusted relative to the bulb holder base to make the LEDs' projecting plane face the ground surface. |
| US09217545B2 |
Light source device and endoscope apparatus comprising the same
A light source device includes a first semiconductor light source, a second semiconductor light source, and a wavelength converter. The first semiconductor light source emits light in a first wavelength range. The second semiconductor light source emits light in a second wavelength range different from the first wavelength range. The wavelength converter absorbs the light in the first wavelength range to emit light in a third wavelength range different from either of the first wavelength range and the second wavelength range, and transmits the light in the second wavelength range substantially entirely. |
| US09217543B2 |
Solid-state lamps with omnidirectional emission patterns
An inventive LED-based lamp, lamp cover component, and methods for manufacturing thereof are disclosed which provides a light diffusive lamp cover having a diffusivity (transmittance) that is different for different areas (zones or regions) of the cover. The diffusivity and location of those areas are configured so that the emission pattern of the whole lamp meets desired emissions characteristics and optical efficiency levels. The diffusive cover may have any number of specifically delineated diffusivity areas. Alternatively, the cover may provide a gradient of increasing/decreasing diffusivity portions over the cover. |
| US09217542B2 |
Heat sinks and lamp incorporating same
A lamp comprising a solid state light emitter, the lamp being an A lamp and providing a wall plug efficiency of at least 90 lumens per watt. Also, a lamp comprising a solid state light emitter and a power supply, the emitter being mounted on a heat dissipation element, the dissipation element being spaced from the power supply. Also, a lamp, comprising a solid state light emitter and a heat dissipation element that has a heat dissipation chamber, whereby an ambient medium can enter the chamber, pass through the chamber, and exit. Also, a lamp, comprising a light emissive housing at least one solid state lighting emitter and a first heat dissipation element. Also, a lamp comprising a heat sink comprising a heat dissipation chamber. Also, a lamp comprising first and second heat dissipation elements. Also, a lamp comprising means for creating flow of ambient fluid. |
| US09217540B2 |
Device and method for removing dissolved oxygen in alcohol, alcohol supply apparatus and rinsing liquid supply apparatus
Dissolved oxygen in alcohol is efficiently removed with a simple configuration. Device for removing dissolved oxygen in alcohol has a hydrogen-occluding metal catalyst in which hydrogen is occluded, the catalyst being charged in a device. Dissolved oxygen is removed from alcohol that contains the dissolved oxygen by bringing the alcohol into contact with the hydrogen-occluding metal catalyst. A method of removing dissolved oxygen in alcohol has removing dissolved oxygen from alcohol that contains the dissolved oxygen by bringing the alcohol into contact with a hydrogen-occluding metal catalyst which occludes hydrogen. |
| US09217537B2 |
Mobile camera point of view mount
For a mobile camera POV mount, a rotational stabilizer is in physical communication with the surface. The rotational stabilizer may have a length in the range of 15 to 40 centimeters. A rotator is disposed on the rotational stabilizer. The rotator holds a stalk such that the stalk may be rotated about at least one degree of freedom. The stalk includes a proximal end with a camera connector disposed on the proximal end. |
| US09217536B1 |
Fixing device for sliding mechanism
A positioning device for a sliding mechanism that includes exterior, intermediate and interior plates, each plate defining inner and outer side surfaces, the positioning device is characterized by: the intermediate plate having a stop block formed on the inner side surface; and the interior plate including an elongated release rod that is mounted movably on the outer side surface and that has a limit notch receiving the block, and a resilient element engaging the propeller portion for restricting a longitudinal movement of the rod, the interior plate having a position limiting unit constituted by two limiting stubs mounted movably on the outer side surface and having pointed free ends and a biasing element for biasing the limiting stubs in such a manner that the pointed free ends extend into the notch to contact opposite ends of the block, thereby preventing relative movement between the interior and intermediate plates. |
| US09217534B2 |
Bracket
A bracket is provided that includes a plurality of apertures for mounting the bracket to a variety surfaces and connecting equipment selected by a user. The bracket may include an adjustable supporting arm and a connection box for providing a secure area for input and output devices to the equipment. The bracket may have a configuration that facilitates its mounting on a telephone or utility pole. |
| US09217532B2 |
Wing spar retention system and method
A retention system includes a base supporting a wing spar and a post extending through the base from a first side of the base to a second side of the base. The post inserts through an aperture in the spar. A stop is selectively securable to the post over the second side of the base. A locking member engages the post on the first side of the base. The locking member is configured to selectively move the post from an unlocked position to a locked position in which the post is withdrawn toward the first side relative to the unlocked position. A biasing member encircles the post and is positioned between the stop and the second side. When the locking member is in a closed position the biasing member expands to engage the aperture and resist movement of the wing spar. A plurality of cradles may support the wing. |
| US09217529B2 |
Push-to-connect joint assembly, device and method
A push fitting joint packaging arrangement allows the re-use and repair of push-to-connect fittings and valves without damage to the fitting or valve elements or the pipe, and without coining, gluing or threaded engagement of parts. In one embodiment of the present invention, the arrangement comprises a split fastening ring and a split O-ring support member. |
| US09217526B2 |
Testing and venting pipe annulus
A method and apparatus are disclosed for testing the integrity of a portion of flexible pipe body. The method includes the steps of, via at least one port in an end fitting assembly in which an end of a portion of flexible pipe body is terminated, monitoring at least one parameter associated with an annulus region disposed between layers of the flexible pipe body, the annulus region being connected to the port by a connecting passageway. |
| US09217522B1 |
Method of coupling narrow diameter tubing to a CPI port
A coupling device for interconnecting external tubing to a port of a device. The coupling device includes a port stud, linking tube, collar, tube cap and stud nut. The port stud includes a tube opening from a top section to a bottom section of the port stud. The linking tube is sized to fit inside the tube opening of the port stud and attach to the external tubing. The collar is attached to an outside of the linking tube. The tube cap is threaded onto the top section of the port stud. The stud nut threads onto the bottom section of the port stud. |
| US09217520B2 |
Method to make a curved tubular element in order to convey abrasive materials such as concrete or suchlike, and curved tubular element thus obtained
Method to make a curved tubular element in order to convey abrasive materials such as concrete or suchlike, which comprises a first step of making at least a curved component made of a material highly resistant to wear, having an arched transverse development comprised between 90° and 360°, a second step of inserting the curved component into a shaping mold with a molding surface with a shape mating with the outer surface of at least a part of the curved tubular element to be made, so that, together with the molding surface, the curved component defines a casting chamber, and a third step in which material with a low resistance to wear is cast in the casting chamber in order to make, externally to the curved component, at least a part of a tubular body of the curved tubular element. |
| US09217517B2 |
Method for the assisted installation of an underwater riser
A method for installing an underwater riser between a seabed (52) and a surface (12), and a tubular pipe suspended from a float (24): The float (24) is weighted to be able to submerge it to drive one pipe end (28) toward the seabed (52) for connecting the tubular pipe at the seabed. Unwinding the flexible pipe (20) to extend it catenary fashion between the float (24) and a surface installation (10) so as to weight the float (24) with the unwound flexible pipe (20) and cause the submersion of the float (24), whereby the other pipe end (28) is driven toward the seabed (52). |
| US09217515B2 |
Reduced noise valve mechanism
A valve assembly is provided to control the flow of a fluid therethrough. The valve assembly includes a valve body and a pressure-regulating assembly. The valve body defines an inlet, an outlet, and a flow path extending therebetween. The pressure-regulating assembly includes a longitudinally extending piston tube, a venturi element, and a vent. The piston tube is shiftably mounted in the valve body and at least in part defines an outer chamber. The flow path extends through the piston tube. The venturi element is disposed in the flow path. The vent fluidly interconnects the flow path and the outer chamber such that a pressure drop associated with fluid flow through the venturi element draws fluid from the outer chamber through the vent and into the flow path. |
| US09217513B2 |
Faucet with locking safety handle
A faucet handle includes a safety lock. The safety lock includes a latch that is manually movable between an engaged position and a disengaged position. The latch is adapted to engage an associated catch when the latch is in its engaged position. The safety lock also includes a primary lock element that moves between a locked position and an unlocked position. The primary lock element prevents movement of the latch from its engaged position to its disengaged position when the primary lock element is in its locked position. The primary lock element allows movement of the latch from its engaged position to its disengaged position when the primary lock element is in its unlocked position. A faucet including the handle requires three steps to dispense liquid: (i) movement of the primary lock to its unlocked position; (ii) movement of the latch to its disengaged position; and (iii) movement of the handle to its liquid dispensing position. |
| US09217511B2 |
Impulse duty cycle valves
A valve includes a valve housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet with a longitudinal axis defined through the valve housing. The valve also includes a toggle mechanism configured and adapted to cycle flow from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet through a plurality of different flow rates in response to repeated impulses. The toggle mechanism is also configured to hold flow rate steady between impulses. |
| US09217509B2 |
Reciprocating piston lean methane generator
A reciprocating piston generator assembly that uses a low-concentration methane as a form of fuel comprises: a lean methane engine; a generator assembly; a fine water mist transmission system; a refrigerating dehydrator; an electric butterfly valve; a pressure regulator; a fuel-air mixer; a TEM controller; a heat load sensor; a combustion chamber for the lean methane engine; an air filter; and a speed governing butterfly valve, wherein the fine water mist transmission system is attached sequentially with the refrigerating dehydrator, electric butterfly valve and low-concentration methane engine; and the pressure regulator, fuel-air mixer, air filter, speed governing butterfly valve, heat load sensors and combustion chambers are installed in the methane engine; that the TEM controller is connected to the fuel-air mixer and heat load sensor; and the generator is connected to the low-concentration methane engine. This invention has been applied broadly in low-concentration methane coal mines and other similar fields due to its favored properties; such as high heat-recovery efficiency, lessened water consumption, energy savings, emission reduction and environmental protection. |
| US09217504B2 |
Shift control method for an automated transmission
A shift control method for an automated transmission of a motor vehicle. The transmission has an input shaft that is connectable, via a separator clutch, to an engine driveshaft. An output shaft is connected with the axle transmission of a drive axle or with a transfer box, and starting gears are engagable by gear clutches. When tooth-on-tooth positions occurs at the associated gear clutch, during engagement of a starting gear while the vehicle is stationary, such tooth-on-tooth positioning is resolved with maximum comfort. The method provides that when a tooth-on-tooth position exists at the gear clutch of the starting gear, engagement of the gear clutch is first interrupted, then drive torque is applied to the input shaft or a transmission shaft in driving connection therewith to rotate the input-side clutch half of the gear clutch, and the drive torque is then eliminated before the engagement of the gear clutch continues. |
| US09217500B2 |
Drive train
There is provided a drive train for transmitting a variable power with a variable input speed at a drive shaft and a substantially constant output speed at an output shaft for a power generation installation, driven by a continuous-flow machine. The drive train includes a power-split transmission having a first planetary gear as a superposition gear and a second planetary gear, and a hydrodynamic component which takes up power from an output side and returns said power in a controlled manner to the power-split transmission. The first and second planetary gears are coupled to each other via a common planet carrier. The drive shaft is coupled to a ring gear of the first planetary gear, and wherein in the common planet carrier, planets of the first planetary gear and planets of the second planetary gear are accommodated in an alternating fashion in a circumferential direction. |
| US09217499B2 |
Device for actuating a frictional converter lock-up clutch of a hydrodynamic torque converter
A device for actuating a frictional converter lock-up clutch of a hydrodynamic torque converter. A piston of the lock-up clutch can be acted upon by pressure of a inner chamber of a converter that acts in the engaging direction of the lock-up clutch and by pressure of a piston chamber delimited by the piston that acts in the disengaging direction. At least in the disengaging operating condition of the lock-up clutch, the piston space is connected to the inner chamber of the converter. The inner chamber can be supplied with hydraulic fluid via a first line. Hydraulic fluid can be discharged from the inner chamber via a second line. The piston chamber of the lock-up clutch can be connected to a pressurized zone and to an essentially unpressurized zone. By varying the pressure in the piston chamber, the device can modulate the transmission capacity of the lock-up clutch. |
| US09217497B2 |
Push chain, linear motion driving device and patient table
A push-chain includes a plurality of push-chain links, each push-chain link of the plurality of push-chain links including two strip-shaped mounting pieces disposed opposite one another and one connecting piece that connects at most half of an end face of the two mounting pieces at one side. Each of the two mounting pieces is provided with two mounting holes in the length direction. A distance between the two mounting holes is equal to half the length of the mounting piece. The mounting holes on the two mounting pieces are arranged opposite one another, and two corners on another side of each of the two mounting pieces are rounded corners allowing the push-chain to bend. Two adjacent push-chain links of the plurality of push-chain links are hinge-connected in a horizontally staggered arrangement by way of a chain pivot and the mounting holes. |
| US09217491B2 |
Reverse shift device in transmission
A reverse arm is pivoted by a driving pin of a reverse fork inserted into a driven hole thereof, and the reverse arm thereby moves an idle gear in an axial direction, whereby the idle gear is engaged with and disengaged from a driving gear and a driven gear of a reverse gear train. The outside diameter of the driving pin is smaller than the width between opposed flat inner side surfaces of the driven hole of the reverse arm; thus, a gap is formed between the driving pin and the inner side surfaces. A jump-over mechanism JO is provided between the reverse arm and a transmission casing for elastically urging the reverse arm outward away from a predetermined intermediate position within the pivoting range of the reverse arm and brings the driving pin in contact with one of the inner side surfaces of the driven hole. |
| US09217490B2 |
Devices and methods for remanufacturing printer cartridges
Devices and methods for remanufacturing a printer cartridge component are provided. The printer cartridge component is a drum gear assembly configured for attachment to an organic photoconductor (OPC) drum configured for use in a printer cartridge. The drum gear assembly has a drum drive gear and a drive axle attached to the drum drive gear. The drive axle has a first end with teeth portions. The device has a first portion having a drive axle engagement end configured to engage the drive axle. The device further has a second portion coupled to the first portion. The second portion has a teeth engagement portion to engage one or more of the teeth portions of the drive axle. The first portion and the second portion are configured for assembling and disassembling the drum gear assembly. |
| US09217489B2 |
Nutating balancer for internal combustion engine
A nutating balance device for mitigating vibrations of an internal combustion engine having a crankshaft includes a coupler coupled to the engine crankshaft. The device also includes a weight coupled to the coupler. The coupler is configured to move the weight in sync with the crankshaft. The nutating balance device can generate variable torque pulsations or moments corresponding to torque harmonic frequencies of the internal combustion engine. |
| US09217486B2 |
Magnetorheological fluid shock absorber
A magnetorheological fluid shock absorber includes a piston slidably arranged in a cylinder in which magnetorheological fluid is sealed. The piston includes a piston core which is attached to an end part of a piston rod and on the outer periphery of which a coil is provided, a flux ring which surrounds the outer periphery of the piston core and forms a flow passage for the magnetorheological fluid between the piston core and the flux ring, a first plate which is arranged on the outer periphery of the piston rod and specifies the position of one end of the flux ring in an axial direction with respect to the piston core, a second plate which is arranged on the inner periphery of the other end of the flux ring, and a first snap ring which is fitted to the inner periphery of the flux ring and fixes the second plate. |
| US09217479B2 |
Electric brake system
An electric brake system includes a plurality of planetary rollers kept in rolling contact with the radially outer surface of a rotary shaft, a carrier which is restrained from axial movement, an axially movable outer ring member, and a friction pad provided at the axially front end of the outer ring member. The rotation of the rotary shaft is converted to axial movement of the outer ring member, thereby pressing the friction pad with the outer ring member. The brake system further includes a reaction force receiving member provided axially rearwardly of the outer ring member for receiving an axial rearward reaction force applied to the outer ring member when the friction pad is pressed by the outer ring member. A displacement sensor measures the displacement of the reaction force receiving member, thereby detecting the pressing force of the friction pad. |
| US09217475B2 |
Uncoupling device, particularly for universal joint transmissions
An uncoupling device, particularly for universal joint transmissions, is provided. The device includes a cylindrical casing, which is integral with a fork of a universal joint, having a plurality of radial slots provided on the inner circumferential surface of the casing. A pawl supporting cage is integral with a rotation shaft and includes a plurality of radial seats. The pawl is accommodated rotatably within the casing. A plurality of pawls is adapted to be accommodated in the radial seats of the cage. The pawls are adapted to pass from a coupling configuration to an uncoupling configuration. The device further includes an annular element which can move axially between a retracted position and an advanced position. The annular element includes a plurality of tongues. |
| US09217469B2 |
Split ring component
A method of splitting a ring, such as a cage, for a bearing, such as a roller or ball bearing, includes splitting a ring in such a way that there are provided projections and recesses in the facing surfaces thereby produced. In this manner, the two halves of the split ring may be reassembled in opposite orientation so that the projections on the facing surfaces of the two halves of the ring engage one another to space the two halves of the ring apart and to restore the ring to a circular ring shape despite some of the material of the ring having been removed in the splitting process. |
| US09217465B2 |
Slewing apparatus
A slewing apparatus, comprising a slewing bearing means for the operation of a reel. A first slewing bearing (10) is configured to carry torsion and axial loads in the reel, while the second slewing bearing (20) is configured not to carry substantial torsion and axial loads in the reel. Thereby the second slewing bearing (20) functions as a back-up bearing for the reel, while the first slewing bearing (10) operates the reel and thus serves as the primary slewing bearing for the reel. |
| US09217463B2 |
Shaft of a gas-turbine engine, in particular a radial shaft or a shaft arranged at an angle to the machine axis
A radial shaft of a gas-turbine engine which is made up of +/−45° layers, zero layers and +/−30° layers of carbon fiber composite and connected to load-input end pieces via sinusoidal connecting areas. |
| US09217462B2 |
Transmission device
An improved transmission is provided including a splitter shaft having a concentric cavity defined in a distal end thereof and an outer wall surrounding the cavity. The outer wall has an increased thickness in order to reduce failure and fracturing in the outer wall area. A bearing hub adapted for supporting a larger bearing is also provided. The improved transmission may include a system for utilizing existing lubrication lines in order to lubricate a center section of the transmission. The components of the present invention may be provided as part of a kit for retrofitting an existing transmission in order to reduce failures and increase lifespan. |
| US09217451B2 |
Non-complex cable to panel connector with inseparable parts
A scaffolding connector. A first part includes a first plate, a first rod portion extending downwardly therefrom then upwardly to define a cradle, and a second rod portion extending upwardly therefrom then downwardly into close proximity therewith. A second part includes a second plate inseparable from the second rod portion. The first and second plates are positionable to together overlie an opening in a panel with an underlying cable received in the cradle. The terminal end portion is receivable in an aperture in the second plate so that a nut can be applied thereto for connecting the cable to the panel to define an attached state between the first and second parts and wherein a detached state between the first and second parts is defined when the terminal end portion is not received in the aperture. The first and second parts are inseparable in each of the attached and detached states. |
| US09217450B2 |
Key and keyway connectors
A method of mechanically connecting two or more components together comprises the steps of: i. mounting an elongate keyway connector (10) comprising regularly spaced keyways (13) to a first component wherein the keyways (13) provide a longitudinal keyway passage (16); ii. mounting at least one elongate key connector (11) comprising regularly spaced keys (14) to a second component; and iii. extending the keys (14) longitudinally within the keyway passage (16) and engaging the keyways (13) with the keys (14) to connect the first and second components together. |
| US09217445B2 |
Fan
A bladeless fan includes a wind supply device and a first wind guide device disposed on the wind supply device and having a loop-shaped space. Airflow is created by the wind supply device, and enters the loop-shaped space. When the airflow exits the loop-shaped space through an air outlet, surrounding air is forced to flow through a flow guide channel in the first wind guide device to combine with the air flowing from the air outlet, so as to increase the amount and speed of the airflow. |
| US09217443B2 |
Energy saving fan
An energy saving fan comprising a pellet (1), a hub (2) connected with the pellet (1) and a plurality of curve shaped blades (3) extended radially outward from the hub (2). The roots (31) of the adjacent blades (3) are connected by a curved shaped connecting part (32) extending from the trailing edge (33) of a previous blade to the leading edge (34) of a subsequent blade. A first reinforcing rib (41) is formed on a windward surface (35) of each blade (3) from a trailing edge corner (331) to the hub (2), a second reinforcing rib (42) is formed on a leeward surface (36) of each blade (3) from a leading edge corner (341) to the hub (2), and a third reinforcing rib (43) is formed on the leeward surface (36) of each blade (3) from the hub (2) to the trailing edge (33). These reinforcing ribs improve the strength of the blade roots and prolong the service life of the blades. |
| US09217442B2 |
Pump or rotary cutter for operation in a fluid
The invention relates to a fluid pump or rotary cutter having at least one first element which can be brought from a transport state into an operating state by changing at least one mechanical property. Such a pump can, for example, be a blood pump for the medical, microinvasive area. The object of achieving a transition between the transport state and the operating state which is as comfortable as possible and in so doing leaving a freedom in the design of the corresponding apparatus, in particular of a pump, which is as large as possible, is achieved using the means of the invention in that the first element at least partly comprises a material or can be filled with a material or material mixture which passes through a chemical reaction, in particular cross-linking, or a crystallization for transition into the operating state. |
| US09217440B2 |
Ceiling fan
A ceiling fan includes a connecting portion fixed to a ceiling, an electric motor having a rotation shaft disposed on a lower portion of the connecting portion, a temperature detector provided on a lower portion of the electric motor for detecting a peripheral temperature, and a controller for estimating a room temperature based on the temperature detected by the temperature detector and driving the electric motor according to the estimated room temperature. |
| US09217439B2 |
Vacuum pump
Disclosed is a low-cost composite-type vacuum pump having a strength capable of withstanding high loads and using a cylindrical rotor formed from a fiber-reinforced plastic material. Having a turbo-molecular pump section (14) and a thread groove pump section (15), the composite vacuum pump is formed by press-fitting a joint portion (20a) of a rotor (17) of the turbo-molecular pump section (14) into the upper end section of a cylindrical rotor (21) formed from the fiber-reinforced plastic material of the thread groove pump section (15). The joint portion (20a) of the rotor (17) is formed on the lower end side of the rotor (17) integrally with said rotor (17) and in the shape of a cylinder with an L shaped cross section, and is provided with: a contact portion (28) having an outer diameter enable press-fitting into the inner peripheral face of the cylindrical rotor (21); and a small-diameter section (29) positioned above said contact portion (28) and, having an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the aforementioned cylindrical rotor (21), capable of being placed inside the cylindrical rotor (21) away from the inner peripheral face of the cylinder rotor (21). |
| US09217437B2 |
Pressurized water reactor with upper vessel section providing both pressure and flow control
A pressurized water reactor (PWR) includes a vertical cylindrical pressure vessel having a lower portion containing a nuclear reactor core and a vessel head defining an internal pressurizer. A reactor coolant pump (RCP) mounted on the vessel head includes an impeller inside the pressure vessel, a pump motor outside the pressure vessel, and a vertical drive shaft connecting the motor and impeller. The drive shaft does not pass through the internal pressurizer. A central riser may be disposed concentrically inside the pressure vessel, and the RCP impels primary coolant downward into a downcomer annulus between the central ser and the pressure vessel. A steam generator may be disposed in the downcomer annulus and spaced apart from with the impeller by an outlet plenum, A manway may access the outlet plenum so tube plugging can be performed on the steam generator via access through the manway without removing the RCP. |
| US09217436B2 |
Impeller fan assembly
An impeller fan assembly that includes a housing, a stator, a rotor having a hub and an annular array of non-stationary blades extending from the hub, at least two spaced apart bearings mounted to the stator, and a pump in fluid communication with the bearings to provide fluid to the bearings. |
| US09217435B2 |
Axial flow pump with integrated motor
An appliance containing a motorized appliance pump is provided. The appliance pump includes an integrated motor. The pump is an axial flow pump operable to move fluid along a fluid passageway. |
| US09217432B2 |
Pendulum-slide pump having variable groove radii greater in transition than therebetween
A pendulum-slide pump may include a rotatingly mounted inner rotor connected via at least one pendulum with an outer rotor. The inner rotor may define a plurality of radial grooves configured to receive the pendulum. The grooves may have two groove walls that continues via a rounded region into a shared groove base. The rounded region may have variable groove radii and continue with at least a reduced curvature jump into the groove base or the groove walls. The groove radii may be greated in the translation to the groove walls and to the groove base than therbetween. |
| US09217431B2 |
Vane pump
A vane cell pump having an over vane pump associated with a first consumer and an under vane pump including an under vane pressure area and an under vane suction area which is connected to the over vane pump. The under vane pressure area is separated from the under vane suction area and is associated with a second consumer. |
| US09217430B2 |
Semi-plugged star gerotor and method of assembling the same
A gerotor assembly includes a star, a ring, and an annular plug member, as well as an o-ring. The star member defines a center opening of a first diameter which is connectable to a low-pressure fluid reservoir. The ring member circumscribes the star member. The ring member defines, in conjunction with a stationary end cap of a fluid control device, a fluid channel connectable to a high-pressure fluid supply. The plug member is circumscribed by the star member, and defines a center bore of a second diameter less than the first diameter. The o-ring is positioned between the star and the plug members. The plug member forms a fluid seal against the end cap. A fluid control device includes the above gerotor assembly and a valve housing section. A method of assembling the gerotor assembly and fluid control device are also disclosed. |
| US09217428B2 |
Tubing pump for delivering fluid in a tube
A tubing pump capable of improving flow rate accuracy which is required, particularly, in infusion pumps for medical use is developed. In a tubing pump that delivers a liquid in a tube which is separately loaded, a pump mechanism includes a valve mechanism unit that occludes and releases occlusion to the loaded tube and a tube pressing mechanism unit that repeatedly presses the tube, and the tube squeezing mechanism unit includes a pump block which has its movement guided by at least two guide shafts. |
| US09217422B2 |
Kinetic energy transfer system and methods
Systems, methods and apparatus for subjecting high-pressure fluids to a fluid flow assembly that generates or extracts work/energy using a work producing machine. Kinetic energy from the work producing machine is converted to electricity using a generator or similar apparatus. |
| US09217416B2 |
Wind turbine having a control method and controller for performing predictive control of a wind turbine generator
The application describes a wind turbine having a control method and controller for performing predictive control of a wind turbine generator. Based on the measured instantaneous wind speed, it is known to provide control signals to a wind turbine in order to control the pitch of the wind turbine rotor blades and the speed of the generator. However, it is difficult using instantaneous wind speed measurements to achieve smooth control, due to finite response speeds of the associated electro-mechanical systems, as well as the constantly changing control system inputs. The predictive control system described in the application assumes a model of generator speed based on the values of the incident wind speed v(t) and the values of a control signal u(t) output to the wind turbine in a feed forward loop. Here, the control signal can be for one or more of controlling either the power setting of the generator, or the pitch angle of the rotor blades. The predictive controller uses a rolling time series of values for v(t) and u(t) and based on a predicted response of the generator speed w(t) optimizes the time series control signal u(t). The predicted response of the generator speed w(t) is based on model, that can be refined in real time as the wind turbine operates. |
| US09217402B2 |
Capless refueling system cleaning using engine vacuum
Methods and systems for cleaning a capless refueling system in a vehicle are disclosed. In one example approach, a method comprises, in response to a leak detected following a refueling event, cleaning the capless refueling system using engine vacuum. |
| US09217401B2 |
Fuel supply device for internal combustion engine
A fuel supply device for an internal combustion engine including a throttle valve and an airbox is provided with a main injector disposed at a downstream side of the throttle valve, an auxiliary injector disposed at an upstream side of the throttle valve and in the airbox, and a delivery pipe disposed inside the airbox and adopted to supply and distribute a fuel to the auxiliary injector. The delivery pipe has both ends which are supported on two side walls of the airbox. |
| US09217389B1 |
Rocket turbopump valves and associated systems and methods
Rocket turbopump valves and associated system and methods. A valve in accordance with at least one embodiment includes a housing having a valve aperture, and first and second valve elements positioned in the housing and movable relative to the valve aperture between a closed position and an open position. Each valve element can be pivotably connected to the housing toward a first end and supported by the other valve element toward a second end. A drive mechanism is coupled to the first and second valve elements to pivot the valve elements toward and away from their open and closed positions. |
| US09217388B2 |
Controlled power integrated combustion heat recovery engine
Generally a power unit including an internal combustion engine and a Stirling engine engaged through a common power transmission system operable to offset an applied load. Specifically, a Stirling engine which uses heat discharged by an internal combustion engine as a heat source to drive the Stirling engine with the engine speed controlled by a combination of regulating fuel consumption of and application of an exhaust brake to the internal combustion engine transferring a compressive load of the internal combustion engine to the Stirling engine through the common power transmission system operable to offset an applied load. |
| US09217387B2 |
Method for regulating an internal combustion engine, computer program and control unit
A method for regulating an internal combustion engine that is operable, at least in a part-load range, in an operating mode with auto-ignition and a combustion process of which is influenced by a manipulated variable, the method includes the steps of determining a desired value of a combustion position feature of the combustion process; determining the manipulated variable by predictive closed-loop control based on a modeling of the combustion position feature as a function of the manipulated variable in the combustion process; and determining, as the manipulated variable, a value at which the difference between the desired value of the combustion position feature and a model-based predicted combustion position feature is minimized. |
| US09217381B2 |
Hybrid vehicle and control method of hybrid vehicle
A hybrid vehicle includes an engine, a motor generator configured to control the revolution speed of the engine, and an ECU configured to control ignition timing of the engine. The ECU modifies, in the case where the revolution speed of the engine is not controlled by the motor generator, the ignition timing for startup of the engine to a further timing retarding side, as compared to the case where the revolution speed of the engine is controlled by the motor generator. |
| US09217368B2 |
Gas turbine, exhaust diffuser, and method of modifying gas turbine plant
A method of modifying a gas turbine plant which is provided with a one-shaft gas turbine having a compressor for compressing air, a combustor for generating a combustion gas from the air compressed by the compressor and a fuel, and a one-shaft turbine driven by the combustion gas generated by the combustor and supported by a rotational axis common to the compressor, and an electric generator for generating electric power by driving force of the one-shaft turbine, wherein: the one-shaft turbine is replaced with a two-shaft gas turbine including a compressor for compressing air, a combustor for generating a combustion gas from the air compressed by the compressor and a fuel, and a high-pressure turbine driven by the combustion gas generated by the combustor and supported by a first rotational axis common to the compressor, and a low-pressure turbine driven by the combustion gas used to drive the high-pressure turbine and supported by a second rotational axis, which is different from the axis for the high-pressure turbine. |
| US09217361B2 |
Turbocharging system
An internal combustion engine includes a cylinder block defining a cylinder and a cylinder head mounted to the block. The cylinder head supplies air and fuel to the cylinder for combustion therein. The engine also includes an exhaust manifold operatively connected to the cylinder head and having a first outlet and a second outlet configured to exhaust post-combustion gasses from the cylinder. The engine also includes a turbocharging system configured to pressurize an airflow for delivery thereof to the cylinder. The turbocharging system includes a low-flow turbocharger driven by the post-combustion gasses from the first outlet to pressurize the airflow and a high-flow turbocharger driven by the post-combustion gasses from the second outlet to pressurize the airflow. The turbocharging system additionally includes a flow control device for selectively directing the post-combustion gasses to the low-flow and high-flow turbochargers. A vehicle employing such an engine is also disclosed. |
| US09217358B2 |
Thermostat device with formed seal
A thermostat device useful in a cooling system circulating liquid coolant has a valve, a cylindrical valve seat having an inner peripheral surface, and a circular sealing lip elastically pressure welded to the inner peripheral surface when the valve is closed, the sealing lip forming a waveform having concavity and convexity curving in the valve drive direction due to a thermo-sensitive movable body, allowing displacement of the contact position of the sealing lip with the inner peripheral surface when the valve is closed in the valve drive direction according to the position in the circumferential direction of the circular sealing lip, which device stabilizes system operation during initial valve opening, and which device stabilizes the liquid coolant temperature. |
| US09217356B2 |
Mounting having at least one electrode and exhaust line device having at least one mounting
A mounting includes at least one electrode producing electric fields in an exhaust gas line, a disk of electrically insulating material having inflow and outflow sides and openings for exhaust gas, and at least one electrical conductor fastened to and/or in the disk. The electrical conductor is covered by the electrically insulating material at least on the inflow side and in electrical contact with the electrodes extending toward the outflow side. Since the electrical conductor is completely surrounded by insulating material during operation, an area that must be covered by a soot layer for a leakage current to develop is increased. The leakage length increases and one or more electrodes are in the exhaust gas at the same time. The soot particles deposited on the mounting and the exhaust gas line, need to be removed less often. An exhaust line device having at least one mounting is also provided. |
| US09217355B2 |
Sensor mounting arrangement
An arrangement for mounting at least one electrical component to a portion of an aftertreatment module, the arrangement including; at least one standoff member coupled between the electrical component and the portion of the aftertreatment module, and an enclosure substantially surrounding at least three sides of the electrical component. |
| US09217348B2 |
Exhaust gas purification device
An exhaust gas purification device for purifying exhaust gas flowing through an exhaust gas channel of an engine includes fins installed in the exhaust gas channel to guide the exhaust gas to generate a swirling flow; and an injection device configured to inject a reducing agent to the swirling flow of the exhaust gas. The fins are expanded and opened toward a downstream side of an injection direction of the reducing agent so as to surround an injection region of the reducing agent. |
| US09217346B2 |
Method for operating an exhaust gas system, method for operating a motor vehicle and motor vehicle having the system
A method for operating an exhaust gas system of an internal combustion engine having at least one adsorber for the adsorption of hydrocarbons, a catalytic converter disposed downstream of the adsorber for converting hydrocarbons and at least one heating device disposed between the adsorber and the catalytic converter, includes adapting operation of the heating device in dependence on a state of aging of the catalytic converter. A method for operating a motor vehicle and a motor vehicle having the system are also provided. |
| US09217343B2 |
Dual flow check valve for positive crankcase ventilation system
A dual flow check valve includes a valve body having an inner valve cavity, a first valve opening, and a second valve opening. The dual flow check valve further includes a seal disposed within the valve body. The seal is operatively coupled within the valve body such that the seal is configured to move relative to the valve body between an open position, in which the seal allows the gas to flow between the first and second valve openings through the inner valve cavity, and a closed position, in which the seal inhibits the gas and the liquid from flowing through the inner valve cavity from the first valve opening to the second valve opening. |
| US09217337B2 |
Adjustable engine mount
A forward engine mount assembly for a gas turbine engine includes a mount beam having a main body with a fore end and an aft end and a forward shackle assembly supported by the fore end of the mount beam. The forward shackle assembly comprises a first link configured to be connected to a first engine case structure and a second link configured to be connected to a second engine case structure. The first and second links are pivotally attached to each other. |
| US09217333B2 |
Composite-material vane
A composite material turbomachine vane comprising a blade is provided, wherein the vane comprises a first resin reinforced with long fibers and a second resin reinforced with short fibers, the first and second resins being chemically compatible or identical, the long fibers serving to stiffen the vane and the short fibers dispersed in the second resin serving to fill in the parts of the vane that are not reinforced by the long fibers and giving the vane its substantially final shape. |
| US09217331B1 |
Impeller balancing using additive process
A number of variations may include a method of balancing a rotor assembly and a balanced rotor assembly which may involve additive material applied to the rotor assembly. One or more of the following options may be employed: adding a mass to an impeller hub between two adjacent vanes; adding a mass to an impeller back wall; adding a mass to back wall scallops, and adding a mass to an impeller nose. Material removal may be used in combination with material addition. |
| US09217329B1 |
Compressed air propulsion system
A compressed air propulsion system supplies air utilized by a pair of opposing cylinders and their associated pistons and push/pull rods to cause a pair of sprockets to rotate clockwise in a controlled manner. The two pistons are acted upon by the cycling of various valves which introduces and/or vents compressed air as directed by a computer using a downloaded program through wireless interfaces. One of the two sprockets in turn, through additional sprockets/chain/axle devices, is utilized to supply drive torque to a vehicle transmission. The other axle which is connected to the remaining sprocket and through an additional chain/sprocket/axle device operates a direct current generator which produces electricity for charging a battery. |
| US09217328B2 |
Automated sidewall coring
Methods and apparatus for positioning a downhole tool in a wellbore extending into a subterranean formation, commencing coring operations by rotating a coring bit of the downhole tool and extending the rotating coring bit into a sidewall of the wellbore, sensing a parameter associated with the coring operations, and adjusting the coring operations based on the sensed parameter. |
| US09217325B2 |
Detection of tool in pipe
Methods and systems for determining whether a tool has been deployed below a drill pipe are provided. A downhole tool can measure various characteristics, which then can be analyzed to determine the likelihood of a tool having been deployed below the drill pipe. For example, density and porosity measurements can be affected by the presence of casing or drill pipe, and thus such measurements can provide an indication of whether the tool has been deployed below the drill pipe. |
| US09217324B2 |
Method and apparatus for investigating a borehole with a caliper
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a caliper and method for mapping the dimensions and topography of a formation such as the sidewall of a borehole. Examples of formations in which embodiments of the invention can be used include, but are not limited to, an oil, gas, pile borehole or barrette that has been drilled or excavated into the earth. |
| US09217320B2 |
Magnetically clamping a downhole component to a direction of a borehole casing
Systems and methods for magnetically autonomously clamping a downhole component in a select direction of a borehole casing. The systems can include a sensor package that obtains a downhole measurement in a position in a cased borehole. The systems can include an integral magnetic clamp that removably clamps the downhole component (e.g., a downhole seismic shuttle) to the cased borehole. The systems can include a directional detector that outputs a select direction of the cased borehole relative to the downhole component. The systems can include a downhole controller that activates a portion of the integral magnetic clamp of the downhole component closest to the select direction output by the directional detector. |
| US09217319B2 |
High-molecular-weight polyglycolides for hydrocarbon recovery
A tool having a high-molecular weight Polyglycolides such as polyglycolic acid (PGA) may be used in downhole hydrocarbon recovery applications. Advantageously, PGA tools do not need to be drilled out but will naturally break down into environmentally-compatible natural compounds. |
| US09217314B2 |
Method and apparatus for evacuating hydrocarbons from a distressed well
A method of evacuating hydrocarbons from a plurality of nested tubulars of a well pipe that extends from an underwater well tree includes an initial step of attaching a fluid transmission line to the underwater well tree, the fluid transmission line having one end portion forming the attachment to the tree and the other end portion attached to a pump that forces fluid under pressure to the tree and attached nested tubulars. Openings are formed through one or more tubulars of the nested tubulars at a selected location. A specially configured fitting is attached to the tubulars. The fitting seals the openings. The fitting has an expandable seal that is expandable responsive to rotation of a rotating member that rotates upon a saddle, pulling a tapered mandrel against the seal. The saddle surrounds the mandrel and bears against an outer tubular of the nested tubulars. The fitting mandrel has a bore. Hydrocarbons escape from the tubulars via the mandrel bore. |
| US09217312B2 |
Wireline retrievable injection valve assembly with a variable orifice
A wireline retrievable injection valve for an oil or gas well has an internal valve that is initially moved to open a flapper safety valve and also opens to allow fluid flow through the valve. The internal valve includes a sleeve that opens the flapper safety valve and shields the flapper safety valve from fluid. In this manner the flapper valve is protected from being caused to “flutter” or “chatter” due to pressure variations in the fluid flow, thereby damaging the seat. |
| US09217311B2 |
Flapper valve and method of valving a tubular
A flapper valve includes a housing, a seat movably disposed at the housing at least between a first position and a second position, a flapper movably disposed at the seat at least between a seated position and an unseated position and at least two biasing members. A first biasing member is configured to bias the flapper toward the unseated position and the second biasing member is configured to bias the flapper toward the seated position. |
| US09217302B2 |
Triple activity drilling ship
A triple activity drilling ship may be provided with two separate drilling centers, each including drilling apparatus. In addition, a trolley that is capable of supporting tubulars may be positioned between a first position within one of said drilling centers and a second position outside that drilling center. As a result, the trolley may be used to hold assembled tubulars while other activities are ongoing in one or more of the drilling centers. |
| US09217301B1 |
Attachable collar for down hole apparatus
An attachable collar arrangement for a down hole apparatus that includes a collar member releasably insertable into a cutaway section disposed circumferentially around a tool joint or other down hole apparatus. The collar member is stabilized in position within the cutaway section by means of a stabilizing insert member which is releasably inserted between at least two sections of the collar member, and removably secured into a member insert receptacle disposed upon the tool joint or other down hole apparatus. Wear and erosion are directed to the collar member during drilling operations and the tool joint or down hole apparatus is thereby protected. The collar member is expediently replaceable when needed and drilling operations are extended over the life of particular drilling equipment to which the device is installed. |
| US09217296B2 |
Polycrystalline ultra-hard constructions with multiple support members
Polycrystalline ultra-hard constructions comprise a polycrystalline ultra-hard material body and two or more support members attached to the body by braze material. The support members include a backside support member and a side support member. The side support member is a one- or two-piece construction, and is positioned circumferentially around and extends axially along the body or both the body and the backside support member such that a working surface of the body remains exposed. The support members can be configured to provide a mechanical attachment or interlocking attachment with the body or another support member. The braze materials used in the construction can be different and selected to enhance the attachment and/or reduce the creation of thermal stress within the construction during assembly. The support members can be selected having different thermal expansion characteristics that also operate to reduce the thermal stress during construction assembly. |
| US09217290B2 |
High definition drilling rate of penetration for marine drilling
Two sensors may be installed on a marine drill to improve measurements used for monitoring and operating the marine drill. The sensors may be installed in a differential configuration with one sensor located on a top block of the marine drill and a second sensor located on a drilling floor of the marine drill. Various calculations may be performed using measurements obtained from the two sensors such as, for example, rate of penetration of the marine drill, drilling level bubble for the marine drill, out of-straightness values for the marine drill, and vibration motion for the marine drill. |
| US09217289B2 |
Casing drilling bottom hole assembly having wireless power and data connection
Various embodiments of methods and systems for wireless power and/or data communications transmissions to a sensor subassembly above a mud motor in a bottom hole assembly are disclosed. Power and/or data are supplied by rotary modulator and power generation system positioned above the mud motor. Wires may connect to an annular coil. Power and/or communications are transmitted through the annular coil to an inductively coupled second, mandrel coil that is attached to the rotor. By leveraging resonantly tuned circuits and impedance matching techniques for the coils, power and/or data can be transmitted efficiently from one coil to the other despite relative movement and misalignment of the two coils. |
| US09217288B1 |
Power ice screw system and methods of use
A power ice screw system including an ice screw and screw adapter configured to engage the ice screw, thus enabling use of a power drill to install the ice screw in an ice feature, is described. The ice screw includes a drive head configured to engage the screw adapter. The screw adapter includes clearing ports that enable the adapter to expel ice that enters the adapter from within the ice screw hollow core. The ice screw core extends through the drive head to permit ice to flow through the ice screw and into the adapter. A cutting member resides within the screw adapter, typically disposed between two clearing ports. The cutting member can be flanked by two flanges configured to direct ice that has been disrupted by the cutting member outwardly through the clearing ports. The power drill is typically a lightweight battery powered electric drill. |
| US09217287B2 |
Systems and methods for drilling boreholes with noncircular or variable cross-sections
In a pulsed-electric drilling system, a nonrotating bit is given a noncircular shape to drill a correspondingly-shaped borehole, e.g., triangular, rectangular, polygonal, oval, or a more complex shape. Some embodiments employ a reconfigurable bit that deploys extensions as needed to dynamically vary the cross-section of the borehole at selected locations. In this fashion, a driller is able to create borehole with a preferred cross-sectional shape to, e.g., drill the smallest possible hole while simultaneously providing additional clearance for equipment or instrumentation, additional surface area for well inflow, channels for improved borehole cleaning, teeth for improved cementing, reduced contact area to reduce drag on the drillstring, or any other benefits achievable by customizing the borehole cross-section. |
| US09217284B2 |
Anti-drop transmission device for a service door with a flexible curtain
An anti-fall transmission device for a handling door (1) having a flexible curtain (5) to be stacked or rolled about a drive shaft (4) during the movements thereof between an open and a closed position, includes a separate electric motor or gear motor (7) attached along a rotational axis which is offset and parallel to that of the drive shaft (4), as a protective anti-fall device (8) for connecting the motor or the gear motor (7) to the drive shaft (4) and for preventing the flexible apron (5) from accidentally falling. |
| US09217281B2 |
Light adjusting roller blind device and method for mounting the same
A light adjusting roller blind device has a support assembly, and a driving assembly, an adjusting mechanism and a blind assembly mounted on the support assembly. A blind of the blind assembly can be adjusted by simply detaching a second holding part from a first holding part and then releasing a first rope. The blind can be stably lowered along with the releasing of the first rope. Therefore, it is easy and convenient for the user to adjust the blind of the light adjusting roller blind device. |
| US09217280B2 |
Screening arrangement comprising means for mounting side rails and method of mounting such a screening arrangement
A screening arrangement (1) has a top element (4) including a cover and two side rails (8, 9). The top element (4) is provided with a top rail (440) forming the front side of the top element and being connected to the cover of the top element (4). Side rails (8, 9) are adapted to be joined to the mitred ends of the top rail (440) by means a set of angular brackets cooperating with reception means in the back side of the top rail (440) and in the back side of the respective side rail (8, 9). |
| US09217279B2 |
System and method for controlling animal's egress from a secure enclosure
A system for controlling escape of pets during emergency, such as a fire, smoke, gas or odor emission, includes a passageway from the inside of the enclosure to the outside thereof. The passageway is normally closed by a door and an apparatus is provided for enabling opening of such door during emergency. A pre-recorded message urges the pet or pets to the open passageway only when the alarm device annunciating such emergency is intermittently disabled. A control apparatus is also provided for enabling passage of the pet or pets through the passageway and annunciates location of the pet or pets with respect to interior or exterior of the enclosure. A method is disclosed for remote operation of the controlled pet door to enhance safety of the pet owner attempting to enter residential dwelling. |
| US09217278B2 |
Truss anchor and truss assembly used for reinforcing gate
A truss anchor and a truss assembly used with a gate for reinforcing the gate are provided. The truss anchor has a flange defining a first opening, a base opposite to the flange for defining a second opening and a continuous wall extending between the flange and the base. The continuous wall and the base collectively define an open space which is accessible through the first opening. The truss assembly has two of the truss anchors and a rod extending between the truss anchors. The rod has two opposite ends, each end being insertable into the open space of the truss anchor through the second opening. A locking member is used for locking each end and a respective truss anchor. Upon locking the end of the rod and the truss anchor, the flange of the truss anchor abuts against an external surface of the gate and the rod is preloaded with tension. |
| US09217275B2 |
Nestable molded articles, and related assemblies and methods
A man-made, molded article is provided. The article includes a profile including a planar wall, and an adjacent integral molded depression having a contoured wall extending downwardly from the planar wall. The contoured wall includes a bead portion, a cove portion, and a ledge between the bead and cove portions. The articles are stackable, one above another for transport, in a nestable relationship in which multiple contact zones are present between the contoured walls of an adjacently stacked pair of the molded articles. The contact zones include an arcuately extending contact interface zone between the bead exterior and interior surfaces. The depression has a substantially uniform thickness varying by no more than about +1 percent to about −11 percent in relation to a thickness of the planar wall. Related methods and assemblies are also provided. |
| US09217270B2 |
Decklid hinge spring installation mechanism
A mechanism for installing a spring in a vehicle decklid includes a bracket supported on the decklid to rotate about an axis, including a leg extending radially from the axis, a spring secured to the bracket, a stop, and an attachment engaged with the bracket for rotating the bracket about the axis and extending the spring to an installed position where a force applied by the spring to the leg forces the bracket into contact with the stop, said contact preventing rotation of the bracket in a direction that extends the spring. |
| US09217267B2 |
Adjustable pivot deck lid
An adjustable hinge set and a method for making it improves mounting of a deck lid to a motor vehicle body by permitting mass production adjustments without distortion or multiplication of the parts installed. A hinge set bracket with spaced flanges receiving a pivot strap and pivot therebetween is formed with a substantially vertical slot in each flange. At least one insert having a collar and a stem, reinforces the spacing between the support flanges, as the pivot pin compressionally engages the flanges. Preferably, two inserts having a collar and a stem have a combined length that reinforces the predetermined spacing within a predetermined tolerance when compression is adjusted. |
| US09217262B1 |
Key and lock identification system
The present invention relates to a key and lock identification system. The key and lock identification system includes a first identification member connected to a second identification member. The first identification member and the second identification member have associated identifiers such as a color, a letter, a word, or a symbol that is identical or related. |
| US09217261B1 |
System for earthquake retrofit
A system for earthquake retrofit of existing building structures uses a knee brace connected on one end to an existing stud and to an existing floor joist on the other end. An additional stud is provided for reinforcement to prevent the existing stud from failing. The capacity of all other components of the system exceed the capacity of the connections between the knee brace and the existing stud and existing floor joist, which connections act as a fuse in the event of an earthquake and fail first, thus preventing failure of other components and improving collapse capacity of the building structure. |
| US09217259B1 |
Inflatable pool for use with a playset slide
The inflatable pool for use with a playset slide is used in conjunction with a water sprayer in order to transform a playset slide into a water slide. The inflatable pool is adapted for use with the bottom portion of the playset slide, and includes a rigid member adjacent to a distal end, and which is integrated into the design of the bottom. Inflatable walls work with the bottom to form the shape of the pool, which collects water sliding down from the slide, and provides a soft landing for an end user. The water sprayer is adapted to connect with a garden hose in order to administer water to the top portion of the slide, and also includes a bracket thereon in order to secure itself to the top portion of the water slide or onto structure located adjacent thereto. |
| US09217258B2 |
Method and chamber for exposure to non-allergic rhinitis trigger environments
The present invention is a method and chamber for exposure of human subjects to non-allergic rhinitis (“NAR”) trigger environments. The method occurs in a NAR chamber and involves tests that expose subjects to environmental triggers known to induce NAR symptoms. The chamber may be an enclosure capable of housing multiple subjects, constructed to facilitate the NAR tests and/or challenges and operable to create one or more NAR environments within the chamber. A different NAR environment may be required for each test. The chamber may facilitate the creation and containment of a specific NAR environment relating to a NAR test and/or challenge within the chamber for a particular period of time and achieve air-flow therein whereby subjects positioned within the chamber may be exposed to a NAR trigger environment in a virtually consistent manner. NAR tests and challenges may be assessed and the results thereof may be stored, compiled and/or reported. |
| US09217257B2 |
Modular room and structure
The present invention is directed to a modular room with rectangular floor space, a roof and side walls of a skeletal framework construction with section, which is designed in such a way that it can be easily assembled, disassembled and connected to other modular rooms. The floor space is formed of a foundation consisting of grid-shaped floor plates, which form partial floor sections of the foundation. Furthermore, the modular room exhibits a support or spine portion that is attached to the roof at its top end and is attached to the foundation at its bottom end. |
| US09217256B2 |
Concrete lifting anchors
An edge lift anchor for a concrete product, the anchor having a head portion for coupling to lifting equipment and an anchoring portion, and a separate member mounted on the anchor and having integral legs extending to each side of the anchoring portion to increase the lifting capacity of the anchor. Alternatively or in addition, the separate member may provide a mounting for a tension bar to increase the lifting capacity. The invention also provides a support chair for retaining the edge lift anchor, together with an associated shear bar and tension bar if present. |
| US09217247B2 |
Ceiling system
A ceiling system includes a support structure configured to be installed in a ceiling area of a variety of room types. A ceiling supported by the support structure may cover the majority of the ceiling area and may include light sources to light the room. The ceiling may be defined entirely by panels extending continuously from one end of the ceiling to an opposite end of the ceiling, arranged side-by-side with troughs in between. The panels may themselves be the light sources. Alternatively or additionally light sourced may be disposed within the troughs. |
| US09217244B2 |
Portable steel-reinforced HDPE pump station
The portable steel-reinforced HDPE pump station includes a vertically upright, cylindrical wet well fabricated from high-density polyethylene reinforced by helically wound steel ribs. HDPE profile wall material and endoskeleton are used for wet well reinforcement. Exterior foam insulation or thin HDPE shell wrap are disposed on outer portion of the wet well. The base of the pump station includes cross ribs atop a planar anti-flotation collar. Interior spaces between the cross ribs are filled with concrete to anchor the wet well in situ. Alternatively, a steel plate is used as a base. The steel plate base may be encapsulated by an HDPE sheet. HDPE sheets form a sloping hopper bottom at lower inside portion of the wet well. The annular space between the hopper bottom and base plate is filled solid with a closed-cell polyurethane insulation. Alternatively the wet wall is constructed of structurally reinforced thermoplastic without steel reinforcement ribs. |
| US09217238B2 |
Automatic articulation machine states
A controller monitors groundspeed in an articulated machine and selectively disables an automatic articulation control function when the groundspeed is at or near zero. If there is an indication that an operator may not be aware that the automatic articulation control function is active by comparing when a on switch was activated compared to a machine power cycle or an operator not being present, the automatic articulation control function may be inactivated until the on switch is toggled. If the articulated machine is in neutral and the groundspeed is at or near zero, the automatic articulation control function may disabled. If the groundspeed is at or near zero but the transmission is not in neutral, the machine may simply be stalled to due working conditions and the automatic articulation control function may be maintained. |
| US09217237B2 |
Side frame for construction machine
The present invention aims to reduce the costs of construction machine by providing a side frame that can be shared by a plurality of construction machines of different models. A left side frame has: a cab support portion for supporting a cab; a cooler support portion provided behind the cab support portion to support a cooler; and a tank support portion provided between the cab support portion and the cooler support portion to support a tank. The tank support portion is configured to allow one of a first tank and a second tank that is different from the first tank in size in the right-and-left direction to be selectively attached to the tank support portion. |
| US09217234B2 |
Reel with stepped configuration
A reel system includes a reel having a rotational axis, the reel including a plurality of ledges spaced radially from the rotational axis, the ledges defining a stepped configuration along an interior surface of the reel. The reel system also includes a first clamp having a first width and a second clamp having a second width greater than the first width, wherein the first clamp and the second clamp engage the plurality of ledges as the reel is rotated. |
| US09217228B2 |
Self-propelled construction machine for working roadways or surfaces and method for cooling the milling tools of a milling drum of a self-propelled construction machine
A self-propelled construction machine for working roadways or surfaces includes a machine frame supported by ground engaging units, and a milling drum which can rotate about an axis of rotation extending transverse to the advance direction of the construction machine. The construction machine includes a cooling device for spraying the milling tools of the milling drum with a coolant from a coolant reservoir. The cooling device is designed such that at least one coolant jet extending parallel to the axis of rotation of the milling drum is produced. A single coolant jet which extends transverse to the working direction of the milling drum is sufficient for cooling the milling tools. When the milling drum is rotating, the milling tools of the milling drum pass through the coolant jet successively. Owing to the relatively close arrangement of the milling tools in the circumferential direction of the milling drum, the time intervals in which a milling tool is not passing through a coolant jet are relatively short, and as a result the coolant consumption can be reduced. |
| US09217227B2 |
Safety surface
A safety surface for use in a designated area of a playground or other activity area includes a primary shock absorbing layer formed with a plurality of bags, and a border arranged for placement along selected edges of the designated area. The bags are sized and shaped to abut adjacent bags, with a portion of the bags arranged to abut the border. Each of the bags is filled with a plurality of pieces of a shock absorbent material, and includes one or more internal dividers arranged to divide the interior of the bag into a plurality of interior compartments. A top layer is arranged to overlie the bags and arranged for securement to the border. The top layer may be formed by discrete tiles that are joined together along seams by an elongate channel connector. The border may be formed of border sections joined at articulating joints. |
| US09217220B2 |
Dryer and foreign material removing apparatus thereof
The embodiment relates to a dryer and a foreign material removing apparatus thereof. With the dryer and the foreign material removing apparatus thereof, the convenience of user can be maximized by separating and cleaning only a case when the foreign materials are stored in the case above a predetermined amount without the user needing to clean the filter each time the dryer is used. |
| US09217219B2 |
Method for treating laundry and suitable laundry treatment device for carrying out said method
In a method for applying a treatment composition to a laundry item in a laundry treatment device having a rotatably mounted drum and a water supply, water is added to the laundry item in a first rotation step of the drum to set a pre-determined residual moisture content. A treatment composition is sprayed onto the laundry item with the aid of the water supply in a second rotation step of the drum, when the drum is rotated at a rotary speed which is equal to or greater than a centrifugal adhesion rotary speed. |
| US09217218B2 |
Laundry treating apparatus having a detergent supply module
A laundry treating apparatus is provided that may include a cabinet provided with an introduction port for introduction of laundry, a tub arranged in the cabinet to store washing water and provided with a tub introduction port that communicates with the introduction port, a drum rotatably provided in the tub and adapted to accommodate the laundry introduced through the tub introduction port, a detergent supply module positioned at a lower portion of the introduction port to store a liquid detergent and to provide the stored liquid detergent to the tub, and a water supply device to supply washing water to the tub and to rinse the detergent supply module using the washing water supplied to the tub. |
| US09217217B2 |
Door-locking device for a household appliance, door arrangement comprising a door-locking device and method for locking a door of a household appliance
A door locking device for a household appliance is provided. The door locking device includes a base member that has a receptacle; a closing element on a door side that is moved into the receptacle when a door of the household appliance is closed; a control unit; an electrical switch that is switched over in a closed position of the closing element and via which an information signal signaling the closed position of the closing element is transmitted to the control unit; and an interlocking device to mechanically interlock the door. The mechanical interlocking of the door is facilitated in an interlock position of the closing element and the closing element is moved from the interlock position into the closed position when the door is closed. |
| US09217214B2 |
Systems and methods of drawstring restringing and recovery
A drawstring recovery and restringing device that includes a leading edge, a flexible cylindrical mid-portion and a grab scoop member. The device may be used in various methods of restringing drawstrings through articles having a drawstring channel, including securing a drawstring end within the device's grab scoop member, inserting the leading edge of the device into a drawstring channel of an article, pushing the device through the drawstring channel until the leading edge protrudes from the other end of the drawstring channel and pulling the leading edge of the device until the entire device exits the drawstring channel. The device may also be used to recover a drawstring that is fully enclosed in a drawstring channel, by feeding the grab scoop member of the device into the drawstring channel, placing the drawstring within the grab scoop member, and pulling the leading edge of the device through the drawstring channel. |
| US09217213B2 |
Lower thread supply device for sewing machine
The present invention relates to a lower thread supply device for a sewing machine, comprising: a housing (100) which is fixed to a main body of a sewing machine, has a cylindrical shape in which a front side and a back side are opened along a central axis, and has a (a housing cut out portion) (110) formed by cutting the outer circumferential surface of one side; a rotation plate (200) which is connected to a power shaft of a sewing machine, has a disk shape, has a power transmission protrusion (210) formed on the front surface of the disk, and is provided at the back inner lateral side of the housing (100) to rotate; a hook body (300) which is rotatably provided inside the housing (100), has a cylindrical shape with an opened front side, a protrusion receiving part (320) formed at the back outer portion to receive the torque of the rotation plate (200) by being engaged with the power transmission protrusion (210), a bobbin mounting post (330) formed at the back inner portion, and a hook (310) that passes through the loop formed by an upper thread descending along a needle of a sewing machine, thereby pulling the upper thread, provided at the outer circumferential surface of one side; a spool-shaped bobbin (400) which is inserted into the bobbin mounting post (330) of the hook body (300) to be rotatably provided, and to which a lower thread is wound; and a cap (500) which passes through the center of the bobbin (400) to be detachably coupled to the bobbin mounting post (330), thereby preventing the separation of the bobbin from the hook body (300). |
| US09217207B2 |
Method of growing diamond thin film
The present invention is directed to a method of growing thin film diamond. Since there are micro-grooves formed between internal grains of the heterogeneous substrate during lateral epitaxy growth, diamond seeds are allowed to be embedded in the micro-grooves; surface damage caused by scratching method or seeding method also can be prevented. As a result, a continuous diamond thin film with uniform thickness and high quality can be obtained. |
| US09217205B2 |
Electrolytic deposition of metal-based composite coatings comprising nano-particles
A method is provided for imparting corrosion resistance onto a surface of a substrate. The method comprises contacting the surface of the substrate with an electrolytic plating solution comprising (a) a source of deposition metal ions of a deposition metal selected from the group consisting of zinc, palladium, silver, nickel, copper, gold, platinum, rhodium, ruthenium, chrome, and alloys thereof, (b) a pre-mixed dispersion of non-metallic nano-particles, wherein the non-metallic particles have a pre-mix coating of surfactant molecules thereon; and applying an external source of electrons to the electrolytic plating solution to thereby electrolytically deposit a metal-based composite coating comprising the deposition metal and non-metallic nano-particles onto the surface. |
| US09217202B2 |
Membrane reactor
A membrane reactor used for electrochemically converting a carbon dioxide gas into an expected product includes a cavity, a solid electrolyte membrane separator, a cathode, an anode, and a power source. The solid electrolyte membrane separator is disposed in the cavity and divides the cavity into two chambers defined as a cathode chamber and an anode chamber. The cathode is disposed in the cathode chamber, and the anode is disposed in the anode chamber. The cathode is a trickle bed structure including a porous conductive layer and cathode particles disposed on the porous conductive layer. The power source is disposed outside the cavity to provide an electrolytic voltage. |
| US09217201B2 |
Methods for forming layers on semiconductor substrates
Methods of forming a layer on a substrate may include providing a substrate to a process chamber, the process chamber having a gas port, an exhaust, and a plasma port disposed between the gas port and the exhaust; providing a process gas from the gas port in a first direction such that the process gas flows across the substrate; providing a plasma such that a flow of the plasma interacts with a flow of the process gas at an angle that is non-perpendicular; and rotating the substrate while providing the process gas and the plasma, wherein a thickness profile of the layer is controlled by adjusting at least one of a flow velocity of the process gas, a flow velocity of the plasma, the angle the flow of the plasma interacts with the flow of the process gas, or a direction of rotation of the substrate. |
| US09217198B2 |
Insertion of lithium into electrochromic devices after completion
The present disclosure describes methods of inserting lithium into an electrochromic device after completion. In the disclosed methods, an ideal amount of lithium can be added post-fabrication to maximize or tailor the free lithium ion density of a layer or the coloration range of a device. Embodiments are directed towards a method to insert lithium into the main device layers of an electrochromic device as a post-processing step after the device has been manufactured. In an embodiment, the methods described are designed to maximize the coloration range while compensating for blind charge loss. |
| US09217192B2 |
Semiconductor device and bonding material for semiconductor device
In a semiconductor device 100 according to the present invention in which a semiconductor member 120 is stacked on a substrate 110, the semiconductor member 120 and the substrate 110 are bonded together by means of a semiconductor device bonding material 130 of which main component is zinc. Further, a coating layer to prevent diffusion of the semiconductor device bonding material 130 is provided on at least one of the surface of the substrate 110 and the surface of the semiconductor member 120. In addition, the coating layer 140 is configured such that a barrier layer 141 composed of nitride, carbide, or carbonitride and a protective layer 142 composed of a noble metal are stacked. Further, the nitride, the carbide, or the carbonitride composing the barrier layer 141 is selected so as to have free energy smaller than that of a material composing an insulating layer 111 provided in the substrate 110. |
| US09217190B2 |
Sterling silver alloy and articles made from same
An improved sterling silver alloy. Like all sterlings, the improved alloy is at least 92.5 percent silver by weight. It has less copper than traditional sterlings: 3.0 percent versus the traditional 7.5 percent. Additionally, the improved alloy includes about 2.75 percent palladium, about 1.0 percent tin, and about 0.75 percent zinc, all by weight. A grain refiner, such as ruthenium, may also be provided. The components of the preferred alloy are melted, degassed, remelted, and then formed into casting grains, wire, and etc. The resulting alloy is significantly harder, as cast, than traditional sterlings: 95-120 Vickers versus 65 Vickers for traditional sterlings. The improved alloy also exhibits improved corrosion resistance. Other than a slightly higher (<200° F.) liquidus temperature, the improved alloy may be worked in substantially the same manner as traditional sterlings. Pieces cast from the improved alloy may be age hardened to about 160 Vickers, if desired. |
| US09217187B2 |
Magnetic field annealing for improved creep resistance
The method provides heat-resistant chromia- or alumina-forming Fe-, Fe(Ni), Ni(Fe), or Ni-based alloys having improved creep resistance. A precursor is provided containing preselected constituents of a chromia- or alumina-forming Fe-, Fe(Ni), Ni(Fe), or Ni-based alloy, at least one of the constituents for forming a nanoscale precipitate MaXb where M is Cr, Nb, Ti, V, Zr, or Hf, individually and in combination, and X is C, N, O, B, individually and in combination, a=1 to 23 and b=1 to 6. The precursor is annealed at a temperature of 1000-1500° C. for 1-48 h in the presence of a magnetic field of at least 5 Tesla to enhance supersaturation of the MaXb constituents in the annealed precursor. This forms nanoscale MaXb precipitates for improved creep resistance when the alloy is used at service temperatures of 500-1000° C. Alloys having improved creep resistance are also disclosed. |
| US09217184B2 |
Process for the production of alcohols
The invention provides a process for alcohol production from a cellulosic material wherein a said cellulosic material is subjected to acid hydrolysis to yield an aqueous hydrolysate, said hydrolysate is introduced into a separator at a hydrolysate inlet, an extraction solvent is introduced into said separator at at least two extraction solvent inlets, a residue containing oligosaccharides is removed from said separator at a residue discharge outlet, and acid-containing extraction solvent is removed from said separator at an extraction solvent discharge outlet, wherein removal of said extraction solvent from said separator through said discharge outlet occurs downstream of at least one said extraction solvent inlet and upstream of at least one other said extraction solvent inlet. |
| US09217180B2 |
Oligonucleotide primer with omega structure for detecting short-chain RNAs and use thereof
Disclosed are an oligonucleotide primer with an omega structure for detecting short-chain RNAs and the use thereof. The primer from the 5′ end to the 3′ end sequentially is: a PCR primer target region of 20-30 bases, a variable coding region of 0-50 bases, an omega stem-loop, a probe spacer of at least one base and a probe region of 4-11 bases. The length of the stem of the omega stem-loop is 4-12 paired bases, and the length of the loop of the omega stem-loop is 3-20 unpaired bases. |
| US09217177B2 |
Methods for bead-based sequencing
The present invention provides methods for determining a nucleic acid sequence by performing successive cycles of duplex extension along a single stranded template. The cycles comprise steps of extension, ligation, and, preferably, cleavage. In certain embodiments the methods make use of extension probes containing phosphorothiolate linkages and employ agents appropriate to cleave such linkages. The invention provides methods of determining information about a sequence using at least two distinguishably labeled probe families. In certain embodiments the methods acquire less than 2 bits of information from each of a plurality of nucleotides in the template in each cycle. In certain embodiments the sequencing reactions are performed on templates attached to beads. The invention further provides sets of labeled extension probes containing phosphorothiolate linkages. In addition, the invention includes performing multiple sequencing reactions on a single template by removing initializing oligonucleotides and extended strands and performing subsequent reactions using different initializing oligonucleotides. |
| US09217175B2 |
Multiplexed digital assay with specific and generic reporters
Digital assay system, including methods, apparatus, and compositions, for performing target assays in partitions each containing a generic reporter and a specific reporter for target amplification. |
| US09217174B2 |
Magnetic lysis method and device
A method for lysing cells is disclosed. The method includes stirring cells with a magnetic stir element in the presence of a plurality of cell lysis beads at a speed sufficient to lyse the cells. Also disclosed is a device for lysing cells. The device includes a container having a magnetic stir element and a plurality of cell lysis beads disposed therein. The container is dimensioned to allow rotation of the magnetic stir element inside the container. |
| US09217167B2 |
Ligase-assisted nucleic acid circularization and amplification
Provided herein are methods for generation and amplification of a single-stranded DNA circle in a single reaction vessel from a linear DNA without any intervening purification steps. The single-stranded DNA circle is generated via a template-independent single-stranded DNA ligation. Whole-genome amplification of circulating nucleic acids extracted from blood is provided. Kits for performing the disclosed methods are also provided. |
| US09217165B2 |
Mutant strain of lactic acid producing yeast and process for producing lactic acid
A lactic acid-producing yeast mutant which is a mutant of a yeast prepared by introduction of a lactate dehydrogenase gene that results in lactic acid-producing ability, the mutant having, in a medium at pH 3, a lactic acid-producing ability equivalent to or higher than the lactic acid-producing ability of a parent strain of the mutant at a lactic acid fermentation optimum pH. |
| US09217159B2 |
Subfamily E simian adenoviruses A1302, A1320, A1331 and A1337 and uses thereof
Recombinant vectors comprise simian adenovirus A1302 (SAdV-A1302, SAdV-A1320, SAdV-A1331, and/or SAdV-A1337 sequences and a heterologous gene under the control of regulatory sequences. A cell line which expresses simian adenovirus SAdV-A1302, SAdV-A1320, SAdV-A1331, and/or SAdV-A1337 gene(s) is also disclosed. Methods of using the vectors and cell lines are provided. |
| US09217156B2 |
Non human animal model for ulcerative colitis and its main complications
The present invention relates to a non human model animal for ulcerative colitis and its main complications such as primary sclerosing cholangitis and colorectal cancer. More particularly, the present invention relates to a transgenic non human animal model for ulcerative colitis and its main complications such as primary sclerosing cholangitis, and colorectal cancer comprising a targeted disruption in the IL10 and NOX1 genes so that IL10 and NOX1 are not expressed in said animal. |
| US09217155B2 |
Isolation of novel AAV'S and uses thereof
The invention in some aspects relates to isolated nucleic acids, compositions, and kits useful for identifying adeno-associated viruses in cells. In some aspects, the invention provides kits and methods for producing somatic transgenic animal models using recombinant AAV (rAAV) to an animal having at least one transgene that expresses a small interfering nucleic acid or at least one binding site for a miRNA. |
| US09217150B2 |
NRPS-PKS gene cluster and its manipulation and utility
The present invention provides a nucleic acid molecule comprising: (a) a nucleotide sequence as shown in SEQ ID No. 1; or (b) a nucleotide sequence which is the complement of SEQ ID No. 1; or (c) a nucleotide sequence which is degenerate with SEQ ID No. 1; or (d) a nucleotide sequence having at least 85% sequence identity (preferably at least 87%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98% or 99% sequence identity) with SEQ ID No. 1; or (e) a part of any one of (a) to (d), wherein said nucleic acid molecule encodes or is a complementary to a nucleic acid molecule encoding one or more polypeptides, or comprises or is complementary to a nucleic acid molecule comprising one or more genetic elements, having functional activity in the synthesis of a polyketide-based or macrolactam molecule. Particularly the invention contemplates the modification of the nucleic acid of the invention, encoding the biosynthetic machinery for the synthesis of the polyketide macrolactam BE-14106, including expressing in a microorganism the modified nucleic acid molecule. In certain aspects the modification includes introducing, mutating, deleting, replacing or inactivating a sequence encoding one or more activities or proteins encoded by said nucleic acid molecule. Other aspects of the invention include a microorganism containing the modified and unmodified nucleic acid and recovering the polyketide-based or macrolactam molecule from said microorganism. |
| US09217148B2 |
Exon skipping compositions for treating muscular dystrophy
Antisense molecules capable of binding to a selected target site in the human dystrophin gene to induce exon 44 skipping are described. |
| US09217146B2 |
Phase changing formulations of nucleic acid payloads
The present invention is based, at least in part, upon discovery of a process for identifying phase changing peptides. Such phase changing peptides are capable of enhancing in vitro and in vivo delivery of oligonucleotides (e.g., dsRNAs) in lipidic, vesicular, micellar and/or naked oligonucleotide formulations. |
| US09217144B2 |
Assembly of high fidelity polynucleotides
Methods and apparatus relate to the synthesis of high fidelity polynucleotides and to the reduction of sequence errors generated during synthesis of nucleic acids on a solid support. Specifically, design of support-bound template oligonucleotides is disclosed. Assembly methods include cycles of annealing, stringent wash and extension of polynucleotides comprising a sequence region complementary to immobilized template oligonucleotides. The error free synthetic nucleic acids generated therefrom can be used for a variety of applications, including synthesis of biofuels and value-added pharmaceutical products. |
| US09217141B2 |
Stabilized transglutaminase and process for production thereof
Disclosed is a transglutaminase having excellent stability. Also disclosed is a process for producing the transglutaminase. Specifically disclosed is a stabilized transglutaminase, which has such a structure in which a pro-sequence peptide of transglutaminase is bound to a mature transglutaminase. Also specifically disclosed is a process for producing stabilized transglutaminase, which includes the steps of: culturing a microorganism capable of producing transglutaminase under the conditions where transglutaminase can be produced; and separating and collecting matured transglutaminase having a pro-sequence peptide bound thereto from a culture medium. |
| US09217139B2 |
Extracellularly secreted nuclease
The purpose of the present invention is to provide a nuclease that secretes natural nonpathogenic microorganisms extracellularly, has higher specific activity than conventional nucleases, and is useful in nucleolytic degradation on an industrial scale. This purpose is achieved with an extracellularly secreted nuclease derived from Streptomyces bacteria, the nuclease having specific activity equal to or greater than the specific activity of Benzonase® when supplied to double-stranded DNA for 30 minutes at 37° C. in 20 mM Tris/HCl (pH 8.5) containing 1 mM MgCl2 and 1 mM CaCl2 after purification, using double-stranded DNA, single-stranded DNA, and RNA as substrates. |
| US09217137B2 |
Compositions and methods for specific regulation of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase
A peptide composition is provi'deo! which specifically inhibits the ability of δ protein kinase C (δPKC) to phosphor/late pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDK) under ischemic conditions. The peptide composition is useful for treating or reducing tissue damage resulting from ischemia and/or reperfusion. |
| US09217136B2 |
Chimeric Newcastle disease viruses and uses thereof
Described herein are chimeric Newcastle disease viruses engineered to express a heterologous interferon antagonist and compositions comprising such viruses. The chimeric Newcastle disease viruses and compositions are useful in the treatment of cancer. |
| US09217132B2 |
Microfluidic transducer
Provided herein are apparatuses and methods for fragmenting nucleic acids or disrupting cells. For example, some embodiments provide a disposable microfluidic device designed to position a sample to be in direct contact with a high frequency vibrating element that emits an ultrasonic frequency into the sample such that the vibrational energy transduced into the sample results in fragmenting nucleic acids or disrupting cells. |
| US09217131B2 |
Magnetic separation of rare cells
A magnetic separation system configured to separate with high qualitative and quantitative yield magnetized cells from cell mixtures, comprising at least one electromagnet structured to generate a magnetic field flux about a plurality of separation and sufficient to attract a majority of the magnetized cells in the mixture, and a pump to drive the cell mixture at a controlled flow rate through a tube disposed within the thereby separating a majority of the magnetized cells from the mixture. The system is particularly useful to retrieve rare cells from a fluid mixture of cells having low abundance of the rare cells relative to the rest of the cells while sustaining viability of the cells. |
| US09217126B2 |
Photolabile fragrance storage substances
Photolabile fragrance storage substances capable of photo-induced release of odorant aldehydes and odorant ketones are described in addition to a process for long-lasting fragrancing of surfaces and a process for producing said fragrance storage substances. |
| US09217124B2 |
Washing or cleaning agent comprising a hydrogel former
The invention relates to a washing or cleaning agent, wherein use thereof generates hydrogel layers surfaces, comprising a hydrogel former having a molecular weight less than 3500 g/Mol, wherein the hydrogel former is water-soluble at concentrations below the minimum gel formation concentration, wherein the minimum gel formation concentration is the concentration at which a yield point of at least 0.05 Pa is formed in a binary solution of water and hydrogel former at T=25° C., and wherein said minimum gel formation concentration lies below 2 wt % of hydrogel former, relative to the system consisting of water and hydrogel former. The washing or cleaning agents according to the invention enable the hydrophiliation of surfaces, and the specific and retarded releasing of active substances embedded in the hydrogel layers, such as aromatic substances or antimicrobial active substances, for example. |
| US09217122B2 |
Cyclododecadienone derivatives as perfuming ingredients
The present invention relates to compounds of Formula (I), wherein one R group is a hydrogen atom and the other is a hydrogen atom or a C1-3 alkyl group; and each carbon-carbon double bond of said compound, independently from each other, can be in a configuration Z or E or a mixture thereof; which are useful perfuming ingredients. |
| US09217121B2 |
Use of 4,8 dimethyl-3,7 nonadien-2-ol as fragrance
4,8-Dimethyl-3,7-nonadien-2-ol in which the weight ratio of (E)-4,8-dimethyl-3,7-nonadien-2-ol to the sum of (E)- and (Z)-4,8-dimethyl-3,7-nonadien-2-ol is at least 80% or in which the weight ratio of (Z)-4,8-dimethyl-3,7-nonadien-2-ol to the sum of (E)- and (Z)-4,8-dimethyl-3,7-nonadien-2-ol is at least 80%, is used as fragrance. The fragrances have a unique rose-like, floral character. Citrus-like, minty, green accompanying notes reminiscent of rhubarb arise. |
| US09217118B2 |
Polyalkylene glycol-grafted polycarboxylate suspension and dispersing agent for cutting fluids and slurries
Cutting fluids for brittle materials, e.g., silicon ingot, comprise, in weight percent: A. 70-99% polyalkylene glycol (PAG), e.g., polyethylene glycol; B. 0.01-10% PAG-grafted polycarboxylate; and C. 0-30% water. These cutting fluids are used with abrasive materials, e.g., silicon carbide (SiC), to form cutting slurries. The slurry is sprayed on the cutting tool, e.g., a wire saw, to cut a brittle work piece, e.g., a silicon ingot. |
| US09217116B2 |
Biogas purification system and methods of use thereof
The present disclosure relates to a biogas purification system and method for removal of sulfur and halogenated compounds and acidic reaction products from biogas. A contaminant removal module is supplied containing a catalytic oxidation catalyst comprising vanadium oxide (V2O5) on a metal oxide support where the catalyst oxidizes 85% or more of the sulfur and halogenated compounds. This may be followed by a contaminant removal module containing alkali impregnated carbon which removes 85% or more of the acidic reaction products. If siloxane impurities are present in the biogas, one may utilize a contaminant removal module containing alumina oxide. |
| US09217115B2 |
Use of tetrahydroberizoxazines as stabilisers
The use of tetrahydrobenzoxazines I where R1 is a hydrocarbyl radical and R2, R3, R4 and R5 are each independently hydrogen atoms, hydroxyl groups or hydrocarbyl radicals, and where R2 to R5 may also form a second and a third tetrahydrooxazine ring, with the proviso that at least one of the substituents has from 4 to 3000 carbon atoms and the remaining substituents, when they are hydrocarbyl radicals, each have from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, as stabilizers for stabilizing inanimate organic material, especially turbine fuels, against the action of light, oxygen and heat. |
| US09217114B2 |
Synthesis of liquid fuels and chemicals from oxygenated hydrocarbons
Processes and reactor systems are provided for the conversion of oxygenated hydrocarbons to hydrocarbons, ketones and alcohols useful as liquid fuels, such as gasoline, jet fuel or diesel fuel, and industrial chemicals. The process involves the conversion of mono-oxygenated hydrocarbons to aromatics and gasonline range hydrocarbons where the oxygenated hydrocarbons are derived from biomass. |
| US09217112B2 |
Systems and methods for converting gases to liquids
A system and method of converting natural gases to liquids is provided. The system includes a catalytic partial oxidation (CPO) system with natural gas, air and steam input, a Fischer-Tropsch (F-T) system taking syngas from the CPO system, and supplying product gases to a power engine (PE), after separation of the product liquids. An F-T steam output line is in fluid communication with the CPO-steam input line. The energy output from the PE is supplied to the compressors and condensers, to provide self-sustainability in energy, for the gas-to-liquid separation system. |
| US09217109B2 |
Polymer-stabilised liquid-crystal media and displays
The present invention relates to liquid-crystalline media and display devices comprising polymerizable compounds, to the use of the polymerizable compounds for optical, electro-optical and electronic purposes, in particular in liquid-crystal (LC) media and LC displays having a polymer-stabilized blue phase, and in LC media for LC displays of the PS or PSA (“polymer sustained” or “polymer sustained alignment”) type. The polymerizable compounds comprise a ring system which is functionalized by three or more polymerizable groups, each connected via an optional spacer group. |
| US09217108B2 |
System and method for producing a gypsum slurry for irrigation
In one embodiment, a method includes providing agricultural grade gypsum to a mixing device using a conveyor, providing a fluid to the mixing device using a pump, mixing the agricultural grade gypsum with the fluid to produce a gypsum slurry using the mixing device, and pumping the gypsum slurry to a storage tank. In another embodiment a system includes a conveyor providing an agricultural grade gypsum, a pump providing a fluid, a mixing device configured to mix the agricultural grade gypsum provided by the conveyor with the fluid provided by the pump to produce a gypsum slurry, and a slurry pump configured to pump the gypsum slurry from the mixing device to a storage tank. |
| US09217104B2 |
Luminescent compounds, method of preparation of luminescent compounds and applications thereof
This invention relates to compounds of general formula (R′)xZny(L)z(A)n(XR)m, where L is a bi- or multifunctional organic neutral ligand or its deprotonated form, containing at least two heteroatoms selected from N, O, S, wherein at least one of the functional groups of the ligand is selected from —OH, —SH, —NH2, —NHR, —COOH, —CONH2, —CONRH or their deprotonated equivalents; A is an inorganic anion, X is oxygen or sulfur, R′ is C1-C10 alkyl, straight or branched, benzyl, phenyl cyclohexyl or halogen, R is hydrogen, alkyl or aryl, x is a number from 0 to 6, y is a number from 1 to 12, z is a number from 1 to 12, n is a number from 0 to 6, m is a number from 0 to 6, wherein x≠0, n≠0 and m≠0 at the same time and if n and m=0, then x≠z. The invention also relates to the method of preparation of these compounds and applications thereof. |
| US09217103B2 |
Well servicing fluid
A well servicing fluid is formulated with ingredients comprising a viscosifying polymer that is a crosslinked copolymer of an ethylenically unsaturated dicarboxylic anhydride and an alkyl vinyl ether, or the di-acid thereof; a pH adjuster capable of maintaining a pH of 5.5 or greater; and a solvent. Methods include treating a well formation with the wellbore servicing fluid and methods also include making the wellbore servicing fluid. |
| US09217101B2 |
Low-melting elemental metal or fusible alloy encapsulated polymerization initiator for delayed initiation
An encapsulated composition for polymerization includes an initiator composition for initiating a polymerization reaction, and a capsule prepared from an elemental metal or fusible alloy having a melting temperature from about 20° C. to about 200° C. A fluid for polymerization includes the encapsulated composition and a monomer. When the capsule melts or breaks open, the initiator is released. |
| US09217097B2 |
Multilayer heat-shrinkable film and containers made therefrom
A multilayer heat-shrinkable film comprises: a) an outer heat sealable layer; b) a layer comprising a blend of (i) ethylene homopolymer and/or ethylene/alpha-olefin copolymer, and (ii) ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer; c) an internal gas-barrier layer; and d) a layer comprising a blend of (iii) at least one member selected from the group consisting of acrylate-based resin and acrylic acid-based resin, with (iv) at least one member selected from the group consisting of ethylene homopolymer, ethylene/alpha-olefin copolymer and adhesive material. |
| US09217096B2 |
Film forming composition for hard disk
There is provided a planarizing film-forming composition for a hard disk. A planarizing film-forming composition for a hard disk comprising a hydrophobic coating material having a photopolymerizable group and an aromatic group, containing a polymer or a combination of a polymer and a compound selected from the group consisting of a polymer (A1) including an aromatic group, having a molecular weight of 300 to 5000, and being a liquid at normal temperature under atmospheric pressure, a polymer (A2) including at least two photopolymerizable groups, having a molecular weight of 300 to 5000, and being a liquid at normal temperature under atmospheric pressure, a polymer (A3) including an aromatic group and at least two photopolymerizable groups, having a molecular weight of 300 to 5000, and being a liquid at normal temperature under atmospheric pressure, a compound (a1) including an aromatic group, having a molecular weight of 100 to 1000, and being a liquid at normal temperature under atmospheric pressure, a compound (a2) including at least two photopolymerizable groups, having a molecular weight of 100 to 1000, and being a liquid at normal temperature under atmospheric pressure, and a compound (a3) including an aromatic group and at least two photopolymerizable groups, having a molecular weight of 100 to 1000, and being a liquid at normal temperature under atmospheric pressure. |
| US09217094B2 |
Superhydrophobic compositions
The present invention relates to a stable dispersion comprising at least, but not limited to, three key elements that, when combined accordingly, can achieve the desired superhydrophobic results; the at least three elements being a hydrophobic component, nano-structured particles and water. |
| US09217090B2 |
Method and system for ink jet printing images to complex contoured surfaces of ceramic and glass items such as dishware
A glass or ceramic dishware item with an image disposed thereon is provided. The image is transferred, at ambient temperature, to the surface of the dishware from an ink composite by using a silicone transfer substrate. The ink composite is dispensed by an inkjet head. Methods and systems for producing ink composites and dishware using ink composites are also provided. |
| US09217086B2 |
Method of fabricating transparent anti-reflective article
A method of fabricating an anti-reflective optically transparent structure includes the steps of providing an optically transparent substrate having a first refractive index and a first surface; and forming an anti-reflective layer within the first surface of the transparent substrate. The anti-reflective layer is made by forming a nano-scale pattern within the first surface defining a subwavelength nano-structured second surface of the anti-reflective layer including a plurality of protuberances having a predetermined maximum distance between adjacent protuberances and a predetermined height for a given wavelength such that the anti-reflective layer includes a second refractive index lower than the first refractive index to minimize light diffraction and random scattering therethrough. The predetermined height is approximately equal to a quarter of the given wavelength divided by the second refractive index. One of nanosphere lithography, deep ultra-violet photolithography, electron beam lithography, and nano-imprinting may be used to form the anti-reflective layer. |
| US09217085B2 |
Method of coating an inorganic substrate with a stable organic layer
A method for coating a metallic or inorganic substrate is described, such as metal or glass supports, with an organic layer comprising conjugated diene phosphinate or phosphonate compounds. |
| US09217083B2 |
Copolymers containing polysiloxane groups and having an epoxy/amine skeletal structure, and use thereof
The invention relates to a copolymer which contains at least one polysiloxane group and the skeletal structure of which is an addition compound of at least one amine and at least one epoxide. The invention further relates to the use of said products as additives in coating agents, plastics, or homogeneous dispersions, e.g. as a dispersing agent for organic and inorganic pigments and fillers in oil-based compositions, or as a surface modifying agent. |
| US09217082B2 |
Polymeric formulations with chemically adjustable rheology for the manufacture of prepregs and articles made of composite material
A polymeric formulation comprising at least one first epoxy resin having a density between 100 and 10,000 Pa·s, a blocked isocyanate, a polymer comprising hydroxy functional groups, a thermoplastic resin and a cross-linking agent, the polymer comprising hydroxyl functional groups with a hydroxyl content in the range 0.65 to 0.95 meq/g, the isocyanate-equivalents-to-polymer-OH-equivalents rate being in the range 0.60 to 1.1. The first epoxy resin is substantially semisolid at room temperature, the formulation comprising at least one second epoxy resin substantially liquid at room temperature, the first and second epoxy resins being present in a weight ratio from 60:40 to 80:20. These formulations are advantageously used for manufacturing prepregs and articles of composite material according to a dry winding process. By virtue of improved stability, a higher glass transition temperature, and a rheological profile result which can be chemically tailored to the needs of the impregnation/dry winding process. |
| US09217081B2 |
Polyurea macromer and latexes thereof
The present invention is a composition comprising a) a stable aqueous dispersion of polymer particles having one or more structural units of i) a polyurea macromer; and ii) an acrylate, a methacrylate, a vinyl ester, or a styrene monomer, or a combination thereof; and/or b) an aqueous mixture of a i) polyurea macromer polymer particles; and b) acrylate, methacrylate, vinyl ester, or styrenic polymer particles, or a combination thereof, wherein the polyurea macromer is characterized by the following formula I: where A1, A2, R1, R2, and R3 are as defined herein. Compositions prepared using the compound of the present invention can be used to form coatings with excellent balance of low temperature film formation, hardness, and flexibility. |
| US09217075B2 |
Rubber composition for tire, and pneumatic tire
Provided are a rubber composition for a tire which makes it possible to improve the handling stability and fuel economy in a well-balanced manner by a simple method without requiring any chemical reaction process for surface treatment of microfibrillated plant fibers; and a pneumatic tire formed from the rubber composition. The rubber composition for a tire contains: a rubber component; microfibrillated plant fibers; a phenol resin; and a curing agent. It is preferable that the rubber component should include at least one selected from the group consisting of natural rubber, modified natural rubber, synthetic rubber, and modified synthetic rubber, and it is preferable that the microfibrillated plant fibers should be cellulose microfibrils. |
| US09217066B2 |
Structural polymer insert and method of making the same
A structural polymer insert. The insert includes a substrate having a surface and an adhesive with the substrate being an admixture of a polypropylene component and a glass fiber component. The surface has a plurality of oxygen atoms, optionally introduced by air plasma, in an amount of 1 to 60 atomic percent of all the atoms present on the surface. The foam adhesive is attached to the surface through one or more reactive moieties resulted from oxidative action of the oxygen atoms. |