最新美国发明专利第2016-01-12期 - 专利汇|PatentHub专利检索|专利查询网|发明专利查询分析

Document	Document Title
US09236174B2	Magnetic field distribution control apparatus A magnetic field distribution control apparatus includes a rod portion, a coil disposed at one side of an upper surface of the rod portion, and a ferrite movably disposed within the coil and configured to produce a magnetic field.
US09236173B2	Coil parts and method of manufacturing the same The present invention discloses a coil part including: a lower magnetic body; primary and secondary lower patterns formed on the lower magnetic body in a spiral shape in parallel to each other; a lower insulating layer covering the primary and secondary lower patterns; primary and secondary upper patterns electrically connected to the primary and secondary lower patterns, respectively, and formed on the lower insulating layer in a spiral shape in parallel to each other to correspond to the primary and secondary lower patterns; and an upper magnetic body formed on the primary and secondary upper patterns, wherein the primary and secondary upper patterns have portions which cross the primary and secondary lower patterns on the plane, and a method of manufacturing the same.
US09236171B2	Coil component and method for producing same A coil component includes: an insulating resin layer provided between a first planar spiral conductor formed on a back surface of a first substrate and a second planer spiral conductor formed on a back surface of a second substrate; an upper core covering a third second planer spiral conductor formed on a front surface of the first substrate on which the insulating resin layer is formed; and a lower core covering a fourth planer spiral conductor formed on a front surface of the second substrate on which the insulating resin layer is formed. One of the upper and lower cores is formed of a metal-magnetic-powder-containing resin. The coil component includes connecting portions disposed respectively at center and outside portions of each of the first and second substrates so as to physically connect the upper and lower cores.
US09236167B2	Superconducting direct current transmission system A DC superconducting coaxial transmission system provides electrical transmission of 5,000 megawatts of energy while simultaneously delivering liquid hydrogen. The transmission system includes a coaxial transmission segment including an inner superconductor, an outer superconductor disposed in surrounding relation to the inner conductor, and a dielectric insulator disposed between the inner superconductor and the outer superconductor. Liquid hydrogen surrounds the superconductors. Three phase transformers and poly phase rectifier/inverters provide a DC voltage source to the superconductors from the electrical grid. In one embodiment, a switching circuit connected between the voltage source and the superconductor injects a cancellation current component into the direct current flow. The cancellation current component is polarized to flow in a direction opposite to the direct current flow to produce a current zero, thus enabling safe interruption of the high DC current while minimizing the magnitude of transient voltages during switching.
US09236162B2	Transparent conductive ink and transparent conductive pattern forming method Provided is a transparent conductive ink which contains metal nanowires and/or metal nanotubes as a conductive component and can form a coating film which has good conductivity and a high light transmittance property, and also provided is a transparent conductive pattern forming method wherein this transparent conductive ink is used for forming a transparent conductive pattern by simple production steps, to thereby suppress the production cost and environmental load. At least one of metal nanowires and metal nanotubes are dispersed in a dispersion medium containing a shape-holding material which contains an organic compound having a molecular weight in the range of 150 to 500 and which has a viscosity of 1.0×103 to 2.0×106 mPa·s at 25° C., to prepare a transparent conductive ink. A transparent conductive pattern is formed by printing a pattern having an arbitrary shape on a substrate using this transparent conductive ink, subjecting the pattern to a heating treatment to dry the pattern, and subjecting the pattern which has been dried to pulsed light irradiation.
US09236161B2	Conductive paste composition and semiconductor devices made therewith A conductive paste composition contains a source of an electrically conductive metal, a Ti—Te—Li oxide, and an organic vehicle. An article such as a high-efficiency photovoltaic cell is formed by a process of deposition of the paste composition on a semiconductor substrate (e.g., by screen printing) and firing the paste to remove the organic vehicle and sinter the metal and establish electrical contact between it and the device.
US09236159B2	Polyether rubber, rubber composition, cross-linked rubber, and conductive member Provided is a polyether rubber that contains a specific proportion of a specific unit containing an onium ion. According to the present invention, a conductive member and a cross-linked rubber that constitutes part of the conductive member can be provided, in which the conductive member has low electrical resistance value and little variation in electrical resistance, and suppressed increases in the electrical resistance value even if used continuously.
US09236158B2	Slurry, production method for solid electrolyte layer, production method for electrode active material layer, and production method for all-solid-state battery A main object of the present invention is to provide a practical slurry having a polar solvent as the dispersion medium for a sulfide solid electrolyte material. The present invention solves the above-mentioned problem by providing a slurry having: a sulfide solid electrolyte material, and a dispersion medium having at least one selected from the group consisting of tertiary amine; ether; thiol; ester having a functional group of a 3 or more carbon number bonded with a carbon atom of an ester bonding and a functional group of a 4 or more carbon number bonded with an oxygen atom of the ester bonding; and ester having a benzene ring bonded with a carbon atom of an ester bonding.
US09236157B2	Transparent electrically conducting oxides The invention provides a process for producing a transparent conducting film, which film comprises a doped zinc oxide wherein the dopant comprises Si, which process comprises: disposing a composition which is a liquid composition or a gel composition onto a substrate, wherein the composition comprises Zn and Si; and heating said substrate. The invention further provides transparent conducting films obtainable by the process of the invention, including transparent conducting films which comprise a doped zinc oxide wherein the dopant comprises Si, and wherein the film covers a surface area equal to or greater than 0.01 m2. The invention also provides a coated substrate, which substrate comprises a surface, which surface is coated with a transparent conducting film, wherein the film comprises a doped zinc oxide wherein the dopant comprises Si, and wherein the area of said surface which is coated with said film is equal to or greater than 0.01 m2. The invention further provides coatings comprising the films of the invention, processes for producing such films and coatings, and various uses of the films and coatings.
US09236156B2	Preparing method of reduced graphene oxide film using a chemical reduction method and a pressure-assisted thermal reduction method, reduced graphene oxide film prepared by the same, and graphene electrode including the reduced graphene oxide film A preparing method of a reduced graphene oxide film, a reduced graphene oxide film prepared by the preparing method, a graphene electrode including the reduced graphene oxide film, an organic thin film transistor including the graphene electrode, and an antistatic film including the reduced graphene oxide film are provided. The method for preparing a reduced graphene oxide film comprises: coating a graphene oxide-dispersed solution on a substrate to form a graphene oxide thin film; and reducing the graphene oxide thin film using a chemical reduction method and a pressure-assisted thermal reduction method to form a reduced graphene oxide film.
US09236155B2	Copper paste composition and its use in a method for forming copper conductors on substrates This invention relates to a copper thick film paste composition paste comprising copper powder, a Pb-free, Bi-free and Cd-free borosilicate glass frit, a component selected from the group consisting of ruthenium-based powder, copper oxide powder and mixtures thereof and an organic vehicle. The invention also provides methods of using the copper thick film paste composition to make a copper conductor on a substrate. Typical substrates are selected from the group consisting of aluminum nitride, aluminum oxide and silicon nitride.
US09236152B2	Method and device for detecting the drop of a cluster in a nuclear reactor The present invention relates to a method for detecting the drop of a cluster in a pressurized-water nuclear reactor, comprising the steps of: detecting a negative time derivative of the neutron flux, and comparing the absolute value of said time derivative to a first threshold value (S1); triggering a time delay (ΔT) if said absolute value is greater than said threshold value (S1); detecting a positive time derivative of said neutron flux, and comparing the absolute value of said time-derivative to a second threshold value (S2); and triggering the emergency shutdown of the reactor if the absolute value of said positive time derivative of said flux becomes greater than said second threshold value (S2) during said time delay (ΔT).
US09236147B1	Threshold carrying for solid state storage An instruction to read at least a portion of a superblock is received where the superblock is stored on at least a first solid state storage die. It is determined if adjusted threshold information, associated with the first solid state storage die and the superblock, is stored. If it is determined that adjusted threshold information is not stored, then an adjusted threshold is determined and a read is performed on the first solid state storage die using the determined adjusted threshold. If it is determined that adjusted threshold information is stored, then a read is performed on the first solid state storage die using the stored adjusted threshold information.
US09236142B2	System method and apparatus for screening a memory system A system and method of writing data to a memory block includes receiving user data in a memory controller, the user data to be written to the memory block. The user data is first written to a buffer in the memory controller. A screening pattern is written to at least one screening column in the memory block and a first memory integrity test is performed. The first memory integrity test includes reading screening column data from the at least one screening column and comparing the screening column data read from the at least one screening column to the screening pattern. The user data is written to at least one user data column in the memory block when the screening column data read from the at least one screening column matches the screening pattern in the first memory integrity test.
US09236140B2	Complementary read-only memory (ROM) cell and method for manufacturing the same A complementary read-only memory (ROM) cell includes a transistor; and a bit line and a complementary bit line adjacent to the transistor; wherein a drain terminal of the transistor is connected to one of the bit line and the complementary bit line based on data programmed in the ROM cell.
US09236139B1	Reduced current program verify in non-volatile memory Reducing peak current and/or power consumption during verify of a non-volatile memory is disclosed. During a program verify, only memory cells in a first physical segment of the selected word line are verified during an initial program loop; memory cells in a different physical segment of the word line are locked out and not verified. The locked out memory cells may be slower to program. During a later program loop, memory cells in all physical segments are program verified. Locked out strings do not conduct a significant current during verify, thus reducing current/power consumption.
US09236133B2	Adjusted read for partially programmed block The present disclosure is related to an adjusted read for a partially programmed block. A number of methods can include receiving a read request including a logical address, translating the logical address to a physical address and simultaneously determining whether a physical address associated with the read request is in a block that is partially programmed, and in response to the physical address being in the block that is partially programmed, adjusting a read signal level based on a proximity of the physical address to a last written page in the block.
US09236132B2	Mitigating reliability degradation of analog memory cells during long static and erased state retention A method in a non-volatile memory, which includes multiple memory cells that store data using a predefined set of programming levels including an erased level, includes receiving a storage operation indicating a group of the memory cells that are to be retained without programming for a long time period. The memory cells in the group are set to a retention programming level that is different from the erased level. Upon preparing to program the group of memory cells with data, the group of memory cells is erased to the erased level and the data is then programmed in the group of memory cells.
US09236131B1	Bias to detect and prevent short circuits in three-dimensional memory device In a three-dimensional stacked non-volatile memory device, a short circuit in a select gate layer is detected and prevented. A short circuit may occur when charges which are accumulated in select gate lines due to plasma etching, discharge through a remaining portion of the select gate layer in a short circuit path when the select gate lines are driven. To detect a short circuit, during a testing phase, an increasing bias is applied is applied to the remaining portion while a current is measured. An increase in the current above a threshold indicates that the bias has exceed a breakdown voltage of a short circuit path. A value of the bias at this time is recorded as an optimal bias. During subsequent operations involving select gate transistors or memory cells, such as programming, erasing or reading, the optimal bias is applied when the select gate lines are driven to prevent a current flow through the short circuit.
US09236130B2	Semiconductor memory device being capable of reducing program disturbance and program method thereof Provided are a semiconductor memory device and an operating method thereof. The semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array including a plurality of strings, wherein each of the plurality of strings includes a first memory cell group, and a second memory cell group and peripheral circuits configured to generate a first precharge voltage applied to the first memory cell group and a second precharge voltage applied to the second memory cell group when a channel precharge operation is performed during a program operation, and generate a program voltage to apply the program voltage to the memory cell array when a program voltage application is performed.
US09236127B2	Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device A non-volatile memory device, including: a substrate; a plurality of string stacks disposed over the substrate, each string stack including a long axis and a short axis in a plane parallel to the substrate, the long axis extending along a y-direction and the short axis extending along an x-direction, each string stack including a plurality of strings being stacked in a direction vertical to the substrate and having a first end and a second end at different locations in the y-direction, the plurality of string stacks including a first and a second set of string stacks, at least some of the string stacks of the first set of string stacks being offset along the x-direction from at least some of the string stacks of the second set of string stacks.
US09236124B2	Nonvolatile memory device According to one embodiment, a plurality of first wirings is disposed in first and second directions crossing each other and extends in a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions. Second wirings extend in the second direction and are provided at a predetermined interval in the third direction of the first wirings. The first wiring includes a metal plug layer and a barrier metal film. A standard electrode potential of a metal that forms the barrier metal film is higher than a standard electrode potential of a metal that forms the variable resistive layer.
US09236122B2	Shared-gate vertical-TFT for vertical bit line array A non-volatile storage device comprises: a substrate; a monolithic three dimensional array of memory cells; word lines connected to the memory cells; global bit lines; vertical bit lines connected to the memory cells; and a plurality of double gated vertically oriented select devices. The double gated vertically oriented select devices are connected to the vertical bit lines and the global bit lines so that when the double gated vertically oriented select devices are activated the vertical bit lines are in communication with the global bit lines. Each double gated vertically oriented select device has two gates that are offset from each other with respect to distance to the substrate. Both gates for the double gated vertically oriented select device need be in an “on” condition for the double gated vertically oriented select devices to be activated.
US09236117B2	Semiconductor memory device A semiconductor memory device includes a pipe channel layer formed on a semiconductor substrate, a first channel layer, a second channel layer and a third channel layer, connected with the pipe channel layer, first conductive layers stacked while surrounding the first channel layer, second conductive layers stacked while surrounding the second channel layer, and third conductive layers stacked while surrounding the third channel layer, wherein the first to third conductive layers are separately controlled.
US09236116B1	Memory cells with read access schemes Memory cells with read assist schemes and methods of use are provided. The memory includes a plurality of rows and columns, each of which include a memory cell having a pull-down device. The memory further includes at least one boost circuit connected to each of the memory cells and which provides a negative boost signal to the pull-down devices during read access.
US09236114B2	Sense amplifier scheme for low voltage SRAM and register files In at least one embodiment, a sense amplifier circuit includes a bit line, a sense amplifier output, a keeper circuit, and a noise threshold control circuit. The keeper circuit is coupled to the bit line and includes an NMOS transistor coupled between a power node and the bit line. The keeper circuit is sized to supply sufficient current to compensate a leakage current of the bit line and configured to maintain a voltage level of the bit line. The noise threshold control circuit is connected to the sense amplifier output and the bit line. The noise threshold control circuit comprises an inverter.
US09236113B2	Read assist for an SRAM using a word line suppression circuit A memory circuit includes at least one bit cell that receives a word line, complementary bit lines and an array supply voltage and a word line suppression circuit. The word line suppression circuit includes two PFETs with their drains connected to the word line and their sources connected to the array supply voltage and an NFET with its source connected to ground and its drain connected to the word line. The NFET is inactivated before the PFETs are activated. One of the PFETs is activated before the other PFET is activated so as to control the slew rate of the word line and improve the static noise margin of the at least one bit cell.
US09236111B2	Semiconductor device A semiconductor device may include a write control block configured to generate a plurality of write enable signals for controlling a write operation, and a write delay block configured to apply delay times to a plurality of write data which are transmitted through a write global input/output line. The semiconductor device may also include a plurality of banks configured to operate in response to the plurality of write enable signals and receive the plurality of write data, wherein the plurality of write data have different delay times according to physical positions of the plurality of banks.
US09236110B2	Row hammer refresh command A memory controller issues a targeted refresh command. A specific row of a memory device can be the target of repeated accesses. When the row is accessed repeatedly within a time threshold (also referred to as “hammered” or a “row hammer event”), physically adjacent row (a “victim” row) may experience data corruption. The memory controller receives an indication of a row hammer event, identifies the row associated with the row hammer event, and sends one or more commands to the memory device to cause the memory device to perform a targeted refresh that will refresh the victim row.
US09236107B1	FRAM cell with cross point access A system on chip (SoC) may have an array ferroelectric bit cells. The array may include a plurality of bit cells organized into a plurality of rows and columns. A set of word lines is configured such that one of the plurality of word lines is connected to each bit cell in a row of bit cells. A set of column oriented platelines is provided, wherein each column of bit cells has one of the plurality of platelines connected to each bit cell in the column of bit cells. A set of bitlines is provided, wherein each column of bit cells has one of the plurality of bitlines connected to each bit cell in the column of bit cells. Multiplexors may be used to allow one plateline drivers, bitline drivers, and sense amps to be shared between multiple platelines and bitlines.
US09236101B2	Semiconductor devices including data aligner The semiconductor device includes a first data aligner, an input strobe signal generator and a second data aligner. The first data aligner aligns input data in synchronization with an internal strobe signal to generate alignment data. The input strobe signal generator generates first and second delay signals from the internal strobe signal. The input strobe signal generator also latches an input clock signal generated from an external clock signal after a write latency period from a period when a write operation commences, in response to the first and second delay signals to generate an input strobe signal. The second data aligner re-aligns the alignment data in synchronization with the input strobe signal to generate internal data.
US09236100B1	Dynamic global memory bit line usage as storage node An apparatus, system, and method are contemplated in which the apparatus may include a memory with a plurality of pages, circuitry, and a plurality of pre-charge circuits. The circuitry may be configured to receive a first read command and address, corresponding to a given page. The plurality of pre-charge circuits may be configured to charge a plurality of data lines to a predetermined voltage. The circuitry may be configured to read data values from the memory, and transfer the data values to the plurality of data lines. The plurality of pre-charge circuits may be configured to maintain the data on the plurality of data lines. The circuitry may select a first subset of the maintained data, receive a second read command and a second address by the memory, and select a second subset of the maintained data responsive to a determination that the second address corresponds to the given page.
US09236099B2	Multiple retry reads in a read channel of a memory An apparatus having a circuit and a decoder is disclosed. The circuit is configured to (i) adjust an initial one of a plurality of reference voltages in a read channel of a memory by shifting the initial reference voltage an amount toward a center of a window and (ii) read a codeword from the memory a number of times. The window bounds a sweep of the reference voltages. Each retry of the reads uses a respective reference voltage from a pattern of the reference voltages. The pattern is symmetrically spaced about the initial reference voltage. The pattern fits in the window. The decoder is configured to generate read data by performing an iterative decoding procedure on the codeword based on the reads.
US09236097B2	Semiconductor memory device and data reading method A semiconductor memory device includes two memory cell arrays, a sense amplifier shared by the two memory cell arrays; and a control circuit configured to control data readout from the two memory cell arrays. Each memory cell array includes word lines, two or more bit lines, a dummy word line, memory cells provided at intersections of the bit lines and the word lines, and dummy cells provided at intersections of selected bit lines and the dummy word line. When the control circuit reads data from one memory cell array, the control circuit activates the dummy word line included in the other memory cell array and generates, with the dummy cell included in the other memory cell array, a reference level of the sense amplifier.
US09236094B2	CD-vinyl record player A CD-vinyl record player comprising a CD door, small turntable, bearing element, record player axle, mini-bearing, big turntable, record player main base, CD motor frame, turntable frame, CD main base, bearing, bearing cover, and CD motor. The CD door is connected to the small turntable through a mini-bearing, and the record player axle is installed in the center of the CD door. The bearing element is above the CD door and connected to the record player axle. The big turntable is above the record player main base. The bottom of the record player main base connects to the turntable frame. The CD motor frame is above CD main base. The bearing is at the center of record player main base, and has the bearing cover on top. The CD motor is at center of the bottom of the turntable frame. The invention combines a vinyl record player and CD player into one player.
US09236093B2	Video bookmark generating data A video map comprising bookmark generating data that enables a user to avoid to manually navigate a menu and a trailer provided with a video; seek/step data identifying, for each of a plurality of video frames within the video, a navigation point and a number of video frames that are required to step to a video frame, the seek/step data enabling a navigator to seek to a navigation point appropriate to a begin video frame of a video segment, to step to the begin video frame of the video segment, and to begin playing at the begin video frame of the video segment; and segment information defining a begin video frame and an end video frame of each of a plurality of video segments within the video, the segment information enabling a playing of a presentation of the video less in length than the length of the video.
US09236091B2	Apparatus and method for processing and reading a file having a media data container and a metadata container An apparatus for processing stored data packets in a media data container and stored associated meta information in a metadata container, the associated meta information having transport timing information and location information indicating a storage location of the stored data packets in the media data container, the apparatus having a processor for determining, based on the stored data packets and the stored associated meta information, decoding information for a media payload of the stored data packets, wherein the decoding information indicates at which time instant to replay which payload of the stored data packets.
US09236087B1	Off-track prediction using an adaptive threshold A method for off track prediction comprises predicting a position error signal (PES) of a write head, comparing the predicted PES to an adaptive threshold, and preventing a write operation of the write head if the predicted PES exceeds the adaptive threshold. The adaptive threshold is a function of an on-cylinder limit, a smoothed standard deviation of an actual PES, and a smoothed standard deviation of the predicted PES.
US09236085B1	Method and apparatus for performing a defect process on a data storage device A disk drive including a disk storing a defect log including one or more defect records, wherein each of the defect records spans multiple words and comprises chunks which are word aligned, each chunk comprising one or more record fields, and a controller configured to read the defect records on a word basis. A method for performing a defect process on the disk drive including selecting a defect record from the defect log, selecting record fields in the selected defect record, reading the selected defect record on a word basis, and searching the selected record fields which are located in a same chunk of the selected record at a same time to determine when the selected defect record matches a target defect record.
US09236083B2	Writer with working fluid bearing Storing data to a storage medium with a device that has moving parts supported by a bearing and which maintains separation between opposing bearing surfaces in the bearing with a pressurized working fluid.
US09236078B2	Recording medium for heat-assisted-magnetic-recording (HAMR) and method for manufacturing the same According to embodiments of the present invention, a method for manufacturing a recording medium for heat-assisted-magnetic-recording (HAMR) is provided. The method includes forming an underlayer on a substrate, the underlayer including a precursor material, epitaxially depositing an interlayer on the underlayer, forming a recording layer over the interlayer, and converting the precursor material to a converted material having a thermal conductivity that is higher than a thermal conductivity of the recording layer. According to further embodiments of the present invention, another method for manufacturing a recording medium for heat-assisted-magnetic-recording (HAMR) and a recording medium for heat-assisted-magnetic-recording (HAMR) are also provided.
US09236072B1	Servo control using a model of temperature-dependent friction A first friction coefficient that is modeled as affecting a rotational velocity of a voice coil motor is modified. A second friction coefficient that is modeled as affecting a rotational acceleration of the voice coil motor is also modified. The first and second friction coefficients change in response to a change in ambient temperature. A control effort used to control the voice coil motor is changed based on the modified first and second friction coefficients.
US09236070B1	Dual opposing cantilever pads of suspension flexure A suspension flexure is provided. The suspension flexure includes a steel layer, a polyimide layer above the steel layer, and a copper layer on the polyimide layer comprising a plurality of dual opposing cantilevered copper pads.
US09236063B2	Systems, methods, apparatus, and computer-readable media for dynamic bit allocation A method of bit allocation is described. The method includes, for each among a plurality of vectors, calculating a corresponding one of a plurality of gain factors. The method also includes, for each among the plurality of vectors, calculating a corresponding bit allocation that is based on the gain factor. The method further includes, for at least one among the plurality of vectors, determining that the corresponding bit allocation is not greater than a minimum allocation value. The method additionally includes, in response to the determining, for each of the at least one vector, changing the corresponding bit allocation.
US09236062B2	Device and method for manipulating an audio signal having a transient event A signal manipulator for manipulating an audio signal having a transient event may have a transient remover, a signal processor and a signal inserter for inserting a time portion in a processed audio signal at a signal location where the transient event was removed before processing by the transient remover, so that a manipulated audio signal has a transient event not influenced by the processing, whereby the vertical coherence of the transient event is maintained instead of any processing performed in the signal processor, which would destroy the vertical coherence of a transient.
US09236061B2	Harmonic transposition in an audio coding method and system The present invention relates to transposing signals in time and/or frequency and in particular to coding of audio signals. More particular, the present invention relates to high frequency reconstruction (HFR) methods including a frequency domain harmonic transposer. A method and system for generating a transposed output signal from an input signal using a transposition factor T is described. The system comprises an analysis window of length La, extracting a frame of the input signal, and an analysis transformation unit of order M transforming the samples into M complex coefficients. M is a function of the transposition factor T. The system further comprises a nonlinear processing unit altering the phase of the complex coefficients by using the transposition factor T, a synthesis transformation unit of order M transforming the altered coefficients into M altered samples, and a synthesis window of length Ls, generating a frame of the output signal.
US09236052B2	Utilizing voice biometrics Methods, systems, computer-readable media, and apparatuses for utilizing voice biometrics to prevent unauthorized access are presented. In some embodiments, a computing device may receive a voice sample. Subsequently, the computing device may determine a voice biometric confidence score based on the voice sample. The computing device then may evaluate the voice biometric confidence score in combination with one or more other factors to identify an attempt to access an account without authorization.
US09236049B2	Mash-up service generation apparatus and method based on voice command Provided are a mash-up service generation apparatus and method based on a voice command. The mash-up service generation apparatus includes a voice recognizer configured to convert a voice command into a character string, a mash-up natural language processor configured to extract a word corresponding to a mash-up module based on the character string, and convert the word into at least one of metadata of the mash-up module and metadata of a mash-up sequence in which a plurality of mash-up modules are combined, and a mash-up sequence processor configured to search for and select a target mash-up sequence corresponding to the metadata of the mash-up sequence, and newly generate the target mash-up sequence. Accordingly, a customized mash-up service can be provided to a user.
US09236043B2	Document mode processing for portable reading machine enabling document navigation Controlling a reading machine while reading a document to a user by receiving an image of a document, accessing a knowledge base that provides data that identifies sections in the document and processing user commands to select a section of the document. The reading machine applies text-to-speech to a text file that corresponds to the selected section of the document, to read the selected section of the document aloud to the user.
US09236040B2	Handheld sounding device and methods of use A sounding device of the present invention includes a grip, an actuator adjacent the grip, and a resonator adjacent the actuator. The grip is configured to be worn on one hand of a user. The actuator is configured to strike the resonator, and the resonator is configured to make a sound when struck by the actuator. A method of utilizing the sounding device includes securing the sounding device on a hand of a user by inserting a first finger of the user's hand near the thumb through the grip, and inserting a second finger of the user's hand adjacent the first finger on at least a portion of the grip. The method further includes placing the thumb on the actuator and activating the sounding device by causing the actuator to make contact with the resonator, wherein the resonator is configured to make a sound when contacted by the actuator.
US09236035B1	Operating multiple DC-to-DC converters efficiently by using predicted load information A technique analyzes an image to be displayed on a screen, before it is displayed, to determine a current draw of that image on the screen. Based on this analysis, adjustments can be made to the circuitry so that when the image is displayed, it is done so more efficiently. In a specific implementation, a DC-to-DC converter includes two boost converter circuits. Based on the analyzed image, the technique turns on a single boost converter when the current draw of that image is below an identified current threshold level, and turns on two boost converters when above the identified current threshold level.
US09236032B2	Apparatus and method for providing content experience service A method and apparatus for providing content experience service are disclosed. The apparatus includes a camera device tracking unit, a user behavior tracking unit, a real image acquisition unit, a motion information processing unit, a virtual space control unit, and a virtual multi-image generation unit. The camera device tracking unit collects camera motion information. The user behavior tracking unit collects user motion information. The real image acquisition unit photographs a space including the user, and separates a real image into a foreground and a background using a background key table. The motion information processing unit corrects the camera motion information and the user motion information. The virtual space control unit generates virtual space control information and virtual space information. The virtual multi-image generation unit generates a virtual multi-image, and provides the content experience service based on the generated virtual multi-image.
US09236031B2	Method for synchronizing a display horizontal synchronization signal with an external horizontal synchronization signal Adjust a vertical blanking interval of a display horizontal synchronization signal, according to a difference between an external horizontal synchronization signal and the display horizontal synchronization signal, for synchronizing the display horizontal synchronization signal to the external horizontal synchronization signal. This only requires one or two frames to synchronize the display horizontal synchronization signal to the external horizontal synchronization signal, and will not cause the user to perceive display pauses or flickers.
US09236028B2	Image display apparatus The image display apparatus according to the invention is characterized by comprising a light source for emitting out parallel light, a light deflector capable of deflecting the parallel light emitted out from the light source, and a control unit operable to produce a scan signal for deflecting the light deflector periodically and produce a light intensity control signal in sync with the scan signal based on entered image information thereby controlling the light source.
US09236025B2	Display device and method for driving the same A display device for displaying a standby screen in a standby mode (SM), and a method for driving the same are disclosed. The display device includes: a display panel including pixels, and gate lines (GLs), data lines (DLs), and a common line (CL) connected to the pixels, a gate switching unit connecting the GLs due to an external SM signal, a data driver (DD): converting input data signals into analog signals due to a display mode signal, and supplying the analog signals to the DLs, a data switching unit: grouping the DLs due to the SM signal, and connecting DLs of the same group, and a SM driving unit: driving the GLs due to the SM signal, and driving the DLs of at least one group and the CL to generate a potential difference therebetween. When the SM signal is supplied to the DD, operation of the DD is stopped.
US09236023B2	Liquid crystal display device, driving method, and display apparatus A liquid crystal display device (1) includes a plurality of pixels disposed in a matrix form. The liquid crystal display device (1) is driven such that, after a common data voltage is applied to liquid crystal layers of sub pixels disposed in each of the pixels, the transmittance of the liquid crystal layer of a sub pixel which is positioned closest to a boundary between a retarder plate (RR) and a retarder plate (RL) will be decreased. The maximum value of the transmittance of the liquid crystal layers of the sub pixels in a first display mode is smaller than that in a second display mode.
US09236022B2	Gate driving circuit, switching control circuit and shift register of display device According to one aspect of the present invention, the provided is a gate driving circuit, comprising: a first switch control circuit, being configured to be respectively coupled to each of the multiple stages of shift register units; a second switch control circuit, being configured to be respectively coupled to each of the multiple stages of shift register units. The first switch control circuit controls the multiple stages of shift register units to turn on in a forward sequence; the second switch control circuit controls the multiple stages of shift register units to turn on in a backward sequence.
US09236021B2	Driving method and circuit for liquid crystal display panel The present invention provides a driving method for a liquid crystal display panel, comprising a timing-driven process, wherein the timing-driven process includes the steps of: generating an initial pulse signal, which has a first rising edge rising from a low voltage to a high voltage and a first falling edge falling from the high voltage to the low voltage; and generating a timing pulse signal, which has a second rising edge rising from a low voltage to an intermediate voltage, a third rising edge rising from the intermediate voltage to a high voltage, a second falling edge falling from the high voltage to the intermediate voltage, and a third falling edge falling from the intermediate voltage to the low voltage. At the same time, the present invention further provides a driving circuit for a liquid crystal display panel.
US09236019B2	Display device and driving method thereof A display device includes multiple pixels, a gate driver and a data driver. Each pixel includes a transistor and a pixel capacitor electrically coupled to the transistor. The gate driver is configured to turn on the transistor of a first pixel for one time during a first turn-on period of multiple turn-on cycles of a frame cycle of a frame displayed by the display device. The data driver is configured to charge the pixel capacitor of the first pixel via the transistor of the first pixel to a first over-charge voltage and a data voltage during an over-charge period and a recovery period of the first turn-on period. The first over-charge voltage is different from the data voltage. A method for driving the display device is also provided.
US09236009B2	Organic light emitting display device including emission driver and driving method thereof An organic light emitting display device includes: a display panel; a timing controller configured to receive image data when a vertical sync signal is activated, to receive reference data corresponding to the image data when the vertical sync signal is deactivated, and to generate an emission control signal in accordance with emission duty information of the reference data; and an emission driver configured to supply first and second emission powers to the display panel, and to control a duration of a period during which a potential difference between the first and second emission powers is greater than or equal to a reference value in accordance with the emission control signal.
US09236008B2	Shift register circuit A shift register circuit for driving an OLED display panel is provided. The shift register circuit includes a plurality of circuit stages connected in series. Each circuit stage includes two shift registers and an enable-signal generator circuit. Each shift register includes two transistors, an input unit and a disable unit. The enable-signal generator circuit is configured to generate an enable signal according to the signals at the control terminals of the four transistors in the two shift registers.
US09236007B2	Organic light-emitting display device An organic light-emitting display device comprising first through third pixels emitting light of first through third colors, respectively and a fourth pixel comprising first through third subpixels which emit light of the first through third colors, respectively, is disclosed.
US09235995B2	Panel communication via illuminated bezel A system for communicating status information associated with a device has an interface panel. The interface panel has a bezel extending substantially around a perimeter thereof. The interface panel is configured to interface with the device. The interface panel has a light device disposed substantially around a perimeter of the bezel. The light device is configured to illuminate the bezel. The system has a light controller coupled to the light device. The light controller is configured to control light output of the light device to indicate a status of the device.
US09235994B1	Wristband assembly with cover seal The present invention provides a wristband assembly comprising a strap adapted to be formed into a loop; a translucent (e.g., transparent) cover member having a fixed portion secured (e.g., permanently adhered) to the strap and a free end unsecured to the strap, and a release member (e.g., a silicone-coated material) positioned over an inner surface of the cover member between the fixed portion and the free end. A portion of the release member is temporarily secured to the strap at a retention location spaced from the free end (e.g., by a distance of at least 1 mm, 5 mm, 10 mm, or 15 mm). In one embodiment, the assembly further includes a retention adhesive at the retention location. Preferably, the retention adhesive is permanently secured to the release member and temporarily adhered to the strap.
US09235992B2	Simulator for CPR and defibrillator training There is provided a simulator for CPR and defibrillator training, which may perform training and evaluation of CPR and a defibrillator so that when there is a patient in an emergency situation, effective first aid can be provided to the patient. Through the simulator for CPR and defibrillator training, CPR and the use of the defibrillator for emergency medical technicians such as a doctor, a nurse and an emergency medical technician can be systematically and repetitively trained, and a person in charge of training can identify whether or not the education is performed effectively by recording and evaluating a training situation. Also, through the simulator, the education of CPR and defibrillator training is possible so that not only the emergency medical technicians but also general people can perform emergency treatment effectively.
US09235991B2	Transportation network scheduling system and method A method includes forming a first schedule for a first vehicle to travel in a transportation network. The first schedule includes a first arrival time of the first vehicle at a scheduled location. The method also includes receiving a first trip plan for the first vehicle from an energy management system. The first trip plan is based on the first schedule and designates at least one of tractive efforts or braking efforts to be provided by the first vehicle to reduce at least one of an amount of energy consumed by the first vehicle or an amount of emissions generated by the first vehicle when the first vehicle travels through the transportation network to the scheduled location. The method further includes determining whether to modify the first schedule to avoid interfering with movement of one or more other vehicles by examining the trip plan for the first vehicle.
US09235987B2	System and method for closed-loop driver attention management A method and system may manage the driver's attention while driving. The driver may be driving using an autonomous driving system or limited-ability autonomous driving system. A method may detect, by a sensor, characteristics of a driver; determine, based on the detected characteristics of the driver, whether the driver exercises sufficient supervisory control of the vehicle; and provide a series of one or more prompts, wherein each prompt's intrusiveness is related to the determination of whether the driver exercises sufficient supervisory control of the vehicle.
US09235980B2	Method and apparatus for automatically disarming a security system A security system comprises a system control panel for arming and disarming the security system. A door sensing unit comprises a first radio frequency (RF) transceiver interconnected with the system control panel over a network. The first RF transceiver is mounted proximate to a door that defines at least a portion of a perimeter around an area to be monitored by the security system. The first RF transceiver has an RF detection field proximate to the door. A disarm device comprises a second RF transceiver that automatically transmits a disarm device packet. The first RF transceiver receives the disarm device packet when the second RF transceiver is within the RF detection field. The first RF transceiver sends a disarm message to the system control panel over the network to disarm the security system based on at least the disarm device packet.
US09235978B1	Automated suggested alerts based on natural language and user profile analysis An alert suggestion generator may automatically suggest alerts for a user based on user input. The user input may include natural language text and/or user actions that the suggestion generator can use to generate alerts that have a high likelihood of relevance, and therefore desirability, to the user. Each alert may have a trigger condition such as passage of time, measurement of a numeric metric, or other factors. Each alert may also have a notification setting defining how the user is to be notified. The alert suggestion generator may retrieve a user profile of the user to further determine what alerts would be most relevant to the user. The user may be queried to confirm the alerts, and the alerts may them be set. Partial alerts may be generated and then the user may be queried for the trigger condition and/or notification setting needed to complete the alerts.
US09235976B2	Smart-home multi-functional hazard detector providing location-specific feature configuration A particular smart hazard detector may itself function as a guide during a process of installation of the same at an installation location. Additionally, the installation location of the particular smart hazard detector may play a central role in how various settings of the smart hazard detector are defined and adjusted over time.
US09235974B2	System for providing real time locating and gas exposure monitoring A system, method, and apparatus for gas exposure monitoring of a work area are described. The system may include a processor; an interface to communicate with a first device and a second device; and a memory to store first and second gas exposure identifiers and first and second location identifiers received from the first and second devices, respectively. The system may identify a concentration of gas detected by the first device in a work zone. The system may be operable to transmit alert information to the second device when the second device is in the work zone and the concentration of gas detected by the first device in the work zone is above the set amount.
US09235973B2	Method and medical imaging device for communication between a control unit and a patient and/or an operator In a method and apparatus for communication between a control unit of a medical imaging device, the control unit being arranged within a control room, and an operator located in an examination room examination and/or a patient located in the examination room and positioned on a patient support device, wherein the control room is arranged outside of the examination room, object data of objects positioned on the patient support device and/or of the operator are acquired by an object data acquisition unit, the acquired object data are transferred from the object data acquisition unit to the control unit, information of the objects positioned on the patient support device and/or the operator is determined by the control unit using the acquired object data, and output information is generated using the determined information and the output information is presented within the examination room.
US09235972B2	Personal security and tracking system A signaling system is provided for rendering an alarm for an individual in distress combined with a locating and tracking system to thus alert and direct appropriate personnel to the needs of the individual in distress and to monitor the location of that individual. The system comprises a portable signaling unit, a remote alarm switch device, a central dispatch station, and makes use of a wireless communication system. The portable signaling unit and the remote alarm switch may be adapted to be worn at different locations on the person's body. The remote alarm switch way be concealed in the form of a wristband or in the form of any other object such as a broach, pendant, or keychain.
US09235971B1	Service window optimized system alert engine A service window optimized system alert engine is disclosed for automated generation and delivery of alerts relating to detected conditions of a monitored system. The service window optimized system alert engine comprises a state monitor, a system configuration and history module, an alert generator, and an alert router. The state monitor is configured to send status data of the monitored system to the alert generator. The system configuration and history module provides information to the alert generator specifying an alert generation policy established for the monitored system. The alert generator is configured to process the status data from the state monitor in accordance with the alert generation policy specified by the system configuration and history module to generate at least one alert. The alert router is configured to determine optimal delivery characteristics for the generated alert and to deliver the alert in accordance with the optimal delivery characteristics.
US09235970B2	Gas detector for use with an air sampling particle detection system An apparatus and methods for detecting the presence of gases is described. The gas detection apparatus includes, a housing adapted to be in fluid communication with a duct of a particle detection system, and at least one gas detector sensitive to a target species arranged in fluid communication with the housing to detect the presence of the target species in at least part of the air sample flowing in a duct. In one form the gas detection apparatus forms part of a system for detecting a condition in an environment that includes, a particle detector; a duct system in fluid communication with the environment and the particle detector and an aspirator to draw an air sample flow from the environment to the particle detector.
US09235966B2	Gaming system, gaming device and method for providing an outcome enhancing feature An embodiment of a gaming device includes a game having at least three choices, wherein each of the choices either trumps or is trumped by one of the other choices, and a processor programmed to determine if an outcome enhancing condition is satisfied, enable a player to elect to enhance an outcome if an outcome enhancing condition is satisfied, enable the player to select one of said choices, select one of said choices, determine an outcome based on a comparison of the player's choice with the processor's choice, provide a win outcome if the player elected to enhance an outcome and the comparison of the player's choice with the processor's choice results in a draw determination, provide a draw outcome if the player elected to enhance an outcome and the comparison of the player's choice with the processor's choice results in a lose determination.
US09235962B2	Distributed bonus feature Systems and operations for a distributed bonus game feature for wagering game systems are disclosed. In one example, a wagering game may award a bonus game to a player. A delay period is set for the bonus game. The delay period and other details regarding the bonus game are persistently stored on a paper ticket or in a database on a wagering game server. The bonus game may be initiated (after the delay period) on a different wagering game machine than the machine that awarded the bonus game. In a second example, funding for a bonus game for a player may be determined in accordance with a random number generator on a wagering game machine currently occupied by a player. If the player moves to a different machine, output from a random number generator on the new machine may be used to determine continued funding for the bonus game.
US09235960B2	Method and apparatus for providing a bonus to a player based on a credit balance An apparatus and method allow a value of a credit balance on a gaming device to be determined. If the value is not less than a predetermined threshold, a benefit is provided to the player of the gaming device. In various embodiments, the benefit may be, e.g., an increase in the player's credit balance.
US09235959B2	Method and apparatus for providing a bonus to a player based on a credit balance An apparatus and method allow a value of a credit balance on a gaming device to be determined. If the value is not less than a predetermined threshold, a benefit is provided to the player of the gaming device. In various embodiments, the benefit may be, e.g., an increase in the player's credit balance.
US09235953B2	Mobile applications and wagering game machines In some embodiments, a method includes presenting a wagering game at a wagering game machine. The method includes establishing a wireless communication between the wagering game machine and a mobile device. The method also includes, in response to a wagering game player satisfying a wagering game criteria when playing the wagering game, enabling access to content on the mobile device, wherein the content is based on a context resulting from the wagering game player playing the wagering game.
US09235946B2	Coin deposit and summation memory device A coin deposit and summation device having a coin denomination identification mechanism and a coin denomination summation mechanism. The device determines different mechanical movement paths according to different diameters of different coin denominations, with each mechanical movement path resulting in a mechanical trigger corresponding to the identified coin denomination; each resulting mechanical trigger drives a mechanical counter wheel to perform denomination summation once according to the identified coin denomination. The device can be designed to achieve denomination identification and summation of 0.5, 0.25 and 0.2 dollar coins.
US09235942B2	Non-contact power supply device for an electronic lock A non-contact power supply device of an electronic lock includes a power supply unit and an electronic lock, and the power supply unit is oppositely provided with a power supply member and a power-receiving member. The power supply member is connected with a power source, able to produce a radio-frequency signal, while the power-receiving member can induce and receive the radio-frequency signal to form electronic energy to be supplied to the electronic lock for operation. Thus, the power supply member and the power-receiving member can carry out wireless signal transmission to have electronic energy supplied to the electronic lock for locking and unlocking a door, able to avoid the trouble that the battery unit of a conventional electronic lock must periodically replaced with a new one.
US09235935B2	Electronic toll charge payment system and method The invention provides a method and system toll charge payment system using electronic messaging from at least one electronic communication device, for example a mobile telephone, said system comprising: a remote communication system adapted to communicate with the at least one electronic communication device; recording means for capturing vehicle identifier information for vehicles passing through a toll charge area and storing said identifier information on said remote communication system or another remote communication system; characterised by said at least one communication device is associated with a pre-existing telecommunication account belonging to a user; means for sending an electronic message, for example a SMS (text) message or WAP message or voice control message, from the electronic communication device by said user to the remote communication system wherein said electronic message comprises a vehicle registration identifier and/or toll identifier information; and said remote communication system comprises means for automatically matching said received electronic message with said captured vehicle identifier information and, if a match is made, a toll charge payment is debited from the user's pre-existing telecommunication account and credited to a toll operator account. The main advantage of the system is that the user does not have to pre-register account information in order to effect a toll charge payment and no retrofitting of vehicles with specific devices is required. The convenience of the solution ensures widespread acceptance by users of toll charge systems.
US09235931B2	Method and system for the three-dimensional reconstruction of structures A system and method for the 3D reconstruction of a structure, the method comprising: obtaining at least two calibrated 2D bi-planar images of the structure, associating with each pixel each of the images a textural vector characterizing the distribution of the gradient texture and orientation in a window centered around the pixel, applying a non-linear statistical dimensionality reduction procedure to the textural vectors to obtain reduced dimension textural vectors, creating segmented images of the images using the reduced dimension textural vectors, projecting the representative 3D model onto the segmented images, adjusting the projection of the representative 3D model with the contours and homogeneous zones of the segmented images using the optimization of a cost function to obtain the 3D reconstruction of the structure.
US09235929B2	Systems and methods for efficiently processing virtual 3-D data A computer-implemented method for processing virtual 3-D data efficiently is described. An object image data is generated from a scan of an object. Object polygon model data and object texture map data is generated from the object image data. The object polygon model data is saved in a first object file. The object texture map data is encoded. The encoded object texture map data is saved in a second object file. The data format of the second object file is different than the data format of the first object file.
US09235927B2	Shading CG representations of materials Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for shading computer graphics (CG) representations of materials. One of the methods includes obtaining data describing a physical material; receiving a shading request to shade a particular point in a CG representation of the physical material from a rendering engine, wherein the request identifies a mapping position of the particular point, a view direction at the mapping position, and a light direction at the mapping position; calculating a direct lighting color at the mapping position using a plurality of palletized images; calculating an indirect lighting color at the mapping position using the data describing the physical material; generating a final color at the mapping position by combining the direct lighting color and the indirect lighting color; and providing the final color to the rendering engine for use in rendering the CG representation of the physical material.
US09235925B2	Virtual surface rendering Virtual surface techniques are described. These techniques support the use of initialization and batching of updates, use of updates and lookaside lists, use of gutters, blending and BLT operations, use of surface optimization techniques such as push down as well as enumeration and clumping, mesh usage, and use of occlusion management techniques.
US09235919B2	System and method of identifying concealed objects using anthropomorphic display A system and method of identifying concealed objects using an anthropomorphic display is disclosed. In a particular embodiment, the method includes displaying a software 3-D avatar on a visual display when an individual is detected within a scanning area, where the 3-D avatar is an anthropomorphic representation of the individual. The method also includes scanning the individual with a plurality of concealed object detection sensors viewing the scanning area and identifying at least one area on the individual in response to detecting a concealed object on the individual, where the at least one area in which the concealed object is detected on the individual is visually indicated at a corresponding location on the software 3-D avatar with a computer generated highlight. In addition, the software 3-D avatar is dimmed, modified with text, graphics, colors, textures, opacity, transparency, or any combination thereof, when no individuals are detected in the scanning area.
US09235918B2	Audio media mood visualization An audio media visualization method and system. The method includes receiving by a computing processor, mood description data describing different human emotions/moods. The computer processor an audio file comprising audio data and generates a mood descriptor file comprising portions of the audio data associated with specified descriptions of the mood description data. The computer processor receives a mood tag library file comprising mood tags mapped to animated and/or still objects representing various emotions/moods and associates each animated and/or still object with an associated description. The computer processor synchronizes the animated and/or still objects with the portions of said audio data and presents the animated and/or still objects synchronized with the portions of said audio data.
US09235912B2	Image display device, image display method and recording medium recording image display control program An image display device includes a display unit, a graph display control unit, a display range displacement unit, a plotted point change unit and a graph update control unit. The graph display control unit displays an approximate graph for plotted points on an image display region to which a coordinate system is set. The display range displacement unit displaces a display range of the coordinate system with an image in the image display region fixed. Responding to the display range being displaced, the plotted point change unit changes coordinate values of the plotted points in accordance with displacements of the display range to maintain positions of the plotted points before and after the display range being displaced, and updates display of the plotted points, and the graph update control unit updates a content displayed by the graph display control unit.
US09235911B2	Rendering an image on a display screen Systems and methods for compositing image layers using a GPU shader module. Image layers may be mapped to a destination surface and tiled such that each tile has the same number and kind of mapped image layers. The mapped image layers of a tile may be provided to a shader module, such as a pixel shader, to composite the image layers into display data.
US09235910B2	Graphics rendering and editing apparatus and method A graphics rendering and editing apparatus includes a rendering unit configured to render a graphic object, a position specifying unit configured to specify a pre-change position and a post-change position of an arbitrary point on the graphic object, an attribute specifying unit configured to specify a deformation attribute of the graphic object, the deformation attribute being related to how the graphic object is deformed as a position of the arbitrary point changes, and a deformation unit configured to deform, when the position specifying unit has specified the pre-change position and the post-change position the graphic object in accordance with the pre-change position, the post-change position, and the attribute specified by the attribute specifying unit.
US09235908B2	Removal of artifacts from an EM field generator from a 3D scan A method, system, and program product are provided for removing artifacts from an EM field generator from a rotational 3D scan. The method comprises: preoperatively, characterizing the artifacts from the EM field generator over a range of rotational positions of an x-ray source and detector; intraoperatively, determining the position of the EM field generator relative to the x-ray source and detector; and removing the preoperatively characterized artifacts for the determined relative position of the EM field generator from current x-ray image.
US09235902B2	Image-based crack quantification Contact-less remote-sensing crack detection and/quantification methodologies are described, which are based on three-dimensional (3D) scene reconstruction, image processing, and pattern recognition. The systems and methodologies can utilize depth perception for detecting and/or quantifying cracks. These methodologies can provide the ability to analyze images captured from any distance and using any focal length or resolution. This adaptive feature may be especially useful for incorporation into mobile systems, such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) or mobile autonomous or semi-autonomous robotic systems such as wheel-based or track-based radio controlled robots, as utilizing such structural inspection methods onto those mobile platforms may allow inaccessible regions to be properly inspected for cracks.
US09235901B2	Method for locating an interproximal tooth region A method for locating one or more interproximal tooth regions in a digital tooth image. The method can be executed at least in part on data processing hardware. The method includes generating the digital tooth image from a fluorescence image of one or more teeth and a reflectance image of the one or more teeth, so as to combine image data from the fluorescence and reflectance images. The digital tooth image has intensity values for pixels corresponding to the one or more teeth and background. The method identifies one or more tooth regions by processing the digital tooth image and locates the one or more interproximal tooth regions according to the one or more identified tooth regions.
US09235900B2	Systems and methods for estimating depth and visibility from a reference viewpoint for pixels in a set of images captured from different viewpoints Systems in accordance with embodiments of the invention can perform parallax detection and correction in images captured using array cameras. Due to the different viewpoints of the cameras, parallax results in variations in the position of objects within the captured images of the scene. Methods in accordance with embodiments of the invention provide an accurate account of the pixel disparity due to parallax between the different cameras in the array, so that appropriate scene-dependent geometric shifts can be applied to the pixels of the captured images when performing super-resolution processing. In a number of embodiments, generating depth estimates considers the similarity of pixels in multiple spectral channels. In certain embodiments, generating depth estimates involves generating a confidence map indicating the reliability of depth estimates.
US09235899B1	Simulating an infrared emitter array in a video monitoring camera to construct a lookup table for depth determination A process generates lookup tables for estimating spatial depth in a scene. The process identifies subsets of illuminators of a camera system that has a 2-dimensional array of image sensors and illuminators in fixed locations relative to the array, and partitions the image sensors into a plurality of pixels. For each pixel, and for each of m distinct depths from the respective pixel, the process simulates a virtual surface at the respective depth. For each of the subsets of illuminators, the process determines an expected light intensity at the pixel based on the respective depth. The process forms an intensity vector using the expected light intensities for each of the distinct subsets and normalizes the intensity vector. For each pixel, the process constructs a lookup table comprising the normalized vectors corresponding to the pixel. The lookup table associates each normalized vector with the depth of the corresponding simulated surface.
US09235898B2	Systems and methods for generating depth maps using light focused on an image sensor by a lens element array A camera array, an imaging device and/or a method for capturing image that employ a plurality of imagers fabricated on a substrate is provided. Each imager includes a plurality of pixels. The plurality of imagers include a first imager having a first imaging characteristics and a second imager having a second imaging characteristics. The images generated by the plurality of imagers are processed to obtain an enhanced image compared to images captured by the imagers. Each imager may be associated with an optical element fabricated using a wafer level optics (WLO) technology.
US09235891B2	Boosted consensus classifier for large images using fields of view of various sizes A system and method for predicting disease outcome by analyzing a large, heterogeneous image by a boosted, multi-field-of-view (FOV) framework, based on image-based features from multi-parametric heterogeneous images, comprises (a) inputting the heterogeneous image; (b) generating a plurality of FOVs at a plurality of fixed FOV sizes, the method for generating the plurality of FOVs at a plurality of fixed FOV sizes comprising dividing simultaneously, via the computing device, the large, heterogeneous image into (i) a plurality of FOVs at a first fixed FOV size from among the plurality of fixed FOV sizes; and (ii) a plurality of FOVs at a second fixed FOV size from among the plurality of fixed FOV sizes; (c) producing simultaneously for the heterogeneous image a combined class decision for: (i) the plurality of FOVs at the first fixed FOV size, and (ii) the plurality of FOV s at the second fixed FOV size.
US09235889B1	Systems, apparatus and methods for collecting and storing raw scan data and software for performing data processing, image reconstruction and interpretation Systems, apparatus and methods for collecting, storing, processing, reconstructing, and interpreting raw scan data from a medical diagnostic imaging scan. Raw data after a scan such as a Computed Tomography (CT) scan is sent to a raw scan database system and image reconstruction system, where image volumes are reconstructed using software from the software bank and sent to a data management system. Raw scan data generated once by a scanner is continuously used at later times to reconstruct images of the patient without having to perform additional patient scans.
US09235888B2	Image data determination method, image processing workstation, target object determination device, imaging device, and computer program product A second form of image data is determined from a first form of image data of an examination object in a radiological imaging system. A set of a defined plurality of input pixels in the image data of the first form is determined. In addition, a set of target form parameters of a target form model with a defined plurality of target form parameters is prognostically determined by way of a data-driven regression method from the plurality of input pixels. The number of target form parameters is smaller than the number of input pixels. The second form of image data is determined from the set of target form parameters. There is also described a method in radiological imaging for determining the geometric position of a number of target objects in a second form of image data and an image processing workstation for determining a second form of image data from a first form of image data as well as an imaging device.
US09235887B2	Classification of biological tissue by multi-mode data registration, segmentation and characterization A method and apparatus for classifying possibly vulnerable plaques from sets of DCE-MRI images includes receiving a set of MRI slice images obtained at respectively different times, where each slice image includes voxels representative of at least one region of interest (ROI). The images are processed to determine the boundaries of the ROIs and the voxels within the identified boundaries in corresponding regions of the images from each time period are processed to extract kinetic texture features. The kinetic texture features are then used in a classification process which classifies the ROIs as vulnerable or stable.
US09235886B2	Method for testing organic pattern A method for testing an organic pattern including: forming an organic pattern on a test substrate through a mask; acquiring a test image by photographing a predetermined test area of the test substrate; and checking whether an edge of the organic pattern displayed to the test image goes over an edge of a virtual test figure.
US09235885B2	System, a method and a computer program product for patch-based defect detection A system capable of inspecting an article for defects, the system including: a patch comparator, configured to determine with respect to each of a plurality of reference patches in a reference image a similarity level, based on a predefined patch-similarity criterion and on a source patch defined in the reference image; an evaluation module, configured to rate each inspected pixel out of multiple inspected pixels of the inspection image with a representative score which is based on the similarity level of a reference patch associated with a reference pixel corresponding to the inspected pixel; a selection module, configured to select multiple selected inspected pixels based on the representative scores of the multiple inspected pixels; and a defect detection module, configured to determine a presence of a defect in the candidate pixel based on an inspected value of the candidate pixel and inspected values of the selected inspected pixels.
US09235884B2	Inspecting apparatus and inspecting method of absorbent sheet-like member related to absorbent article An inspecting apparatus is provided which inspects whether or not a liquid absorbent particulate is deposited with a predetermined deposition pattern on an absorbent sheet-like member, the absorbent sheet-like member having a continuous web and a plurality of absorbent bodies, the continuous web being transported along a transport direction, the absorbent bodies being formed on one surface of the continuous web in a spaced apart manner in the transport direction, each absorbent body including the liquid absorbent particulate as a main material. The inspecting apparatus includes: an imaging process section which is adapted to image, from one side of a surface of the absorbent sheet-like member, a region on the absorbent sheet-like member where the absorbent body is expected to exist, and that is adapted to produce data relating to a planar image of the region as planar image data of the absorbent body; an extracting process section which is adapted to extract a proper quantity region from the planar image by performing a binarization process on the produced planar image data based on a threshold value, the proper quantity region being an imaged region in which the liquid absorbent particulate is of a specified amount or more; and a pass/fail determination process section that is adapted to perform a pass/fail determination process based on a value indicating a size of the proper quantity region.
US09235880B2	Camera and method for optimizing the exposure of an image frame in a sequence of image frames capturing a scene based on level of motion in the scene A method and camera are used for optimizing the exposure of an image frame in a sequence of image frames capturing a scene based on level of motion in the scene. Based on image data from a plurality of image sensor frames, regions of the scene are determined including different level of motion. Image frame regions for the image frame are determined, wherein an image frame region corresponds to at least one region of the scene. The exposure of the image frame is optimized by emulating a region specific exposure time for each image frame region by producing each image frame region using image data from a number of image sensor frames. The number of image sensor frames used to produce a specific image frame region is based on the level of motion in the at least one corresponding region of the scene.
US09235879B2	Apparatus, system, and method for temporal domain hole filling based on background modeling for view synthesis Embodiments of apparatuses, systems, and methods for a temporal hole filling are described. Specifically, an embodiment of the present invention may include a depth-based hole filling process that includes a background modeling technique (SGM). Beneficially, in such an embodiment, holes in the synthesized view may be filled effectively and efficiently.
US09235874B2	Image processor for and method of upscaling and denoising using contextual video information High quality upscaling and denoising are required in mobile imaging devices that do not contain high quality lenses. Such is also required in order to scale up standard-definition video content for display in high-definition television screens.The disclosed method uses contextual information obtained during upscaling and/or denoising of frames. Relevant correspondences between patches within a frame and between frames, are detected, managed and exploited. The correspondence information is simultaneously used and updated while video frames are being processed. Two approaches may be used: 1. keeping, searching for and updating a database of useful patches, by adding frequently visible similar patches, aggregating high-frequency, low-noise information associated with the similar patches, and removing less-observed patches; 2. Using the high-resolution and noise-reduced information that was collected from earlier video frames, and is expressed by the output of latest processed frame, for upscaling and/or noise-reducing the next processed frame.
US09235872B2	Image processing device, image processing method, program, and integrated circuit An image processing device (10) includes: a representative pixel value storage unit (12) which selects one of plural sub-pixels as a representative sub-pixel, and store, into a representative pixel value storage area, a representative pixel value which is a pixel value of the representative sub-pixel; and a sub-pixel value storage unit (13) which stores, into a sub-pixel value storage area, pixel values of sub-pixels other than the representative sub-pixel, wherein the sub-pixel value storage area stores one or more sets corresponding to N number of pixels, the one or more sets each including a pixel position and a pixel value of each sub-pixel other than the representative sub-pixel of a pixel at the pixel position, N being a natural number smaller than a total number of the plural pixels in the unit of processing for an edge determination unit (11).
US09235871B2	Method and system of a command buffer between a CPU and GPU A method and system for a command processor for efficient processing of a program multi-processor core system with a CPU and GPU. The multi-core system includes a general purpose CPU executing commands in a CPU programming language and a graphic processing unit (GPU) executing commands in a GPU programming language. A command processor is coupled to the CPU and GPU. The command processor sequences jobs from a program for processing by the CPU or the GPU. The command processor creates commands from the jobs in a state free command format. The command processor generates a sequence of commands for execution by either the CPU or the GPU in the command format. A compiler running a meta language converts program data for the commands into a first format readable by the CPU programming language and a second format readable by the GPU programming language.
US09235867B2	Concurrent media delivery Various embodiments relating to managing media delivery are disclosed. In one embodiment, a first request is received from a first device associated with a first account to obtain a first media content item. The first request may include an identifier indicating that the first request is an automatic request or a manual request. Information for obtaining the first media content item is sent to the first device. A second request is received from a second device associated with the first account to obtain a second media content item. The second request may include an identifier indicating that the second request is a manual request. Information for obtaining the second media content item is sent to the second device, such that obtaining the first media content item on the first device temporally overlaps obtaining the second media content item on the second device.
US09235865B1	Identifying influencers using social information A method, system, and medium are provided for using social information to determine influencers amongst a group of subscribers subscribing to services offered by a wireless-service carrier. A group of subscribers is identified, and a level of social-connectedness for each subscriber is determined based on cliques shared by pairs of subscribers and common friends shared by pairs of subscribers. An overall influence score is generated for each subscriber based on the level of social-connectedness. A set of subscribers is identified as having high influence scores; the set of subscribers comprises influencers. Incentives are provided to the set of subscribers.
US09235864B1	Systems, methods, and mediums configured to create a conversational email message The present disclosure describes systems, methods, and mediums configured to create a conversational email message. A computing device is configured to transmit an outgoing message from a sender to a plurality of recipients and create a conversational message by combining the outgoing message with a chronological listing of reply messages received from any of the plurality of recipients or the sender in response to a conversational email indicator. A memory device is configured to store the outgoing message or any of the reply messages.
US09235860B1	Methods and systems for guiding consumers in category-based transactions A system and method for guiding consumers through category-based transactions leads consumers through the creation of registries or shopping lists by displaying a group of items in a series of categories, and selecting one or more of the items within the categories. A user's progress in creating the registry may be displayed in a persistent menu bar that remains displayed on an interface as the user advances from one category to another. The systems and methods may be utilized by one or more users to create an electronic baby registry or wedding registry, to prepare for any event, or to enhance any category-based shopping experience at an online marketplace.
US09235855B2	Delivery of security solutions based on-demand A computer can receive an alarm event data that results from detection of an event by an alarm system. The alarm event data comprises an identifier for the alarm system. In response to receiving the alarm event data, the computer can access a service subscription account associated with security services for the alarm system. Based on information maintained in the service subscription account, the computer can determine whether a processing service fee is associated with an action of forwarding the alarm event data to a central monitoring station or a mobile computing device associated with the service subscription account. If a processing service fee is associated with the forwarding action, the computer can record the alarm event data and the processing service fee in a record to support a creation of an invoice and forward the alarm event data to the central monitoring station or the mobile computing device.
US09235852B2	Distributing content Contextually relevant pieces of alternative content, including advertisements, are selected for display with requested content based on documents or other second content sources that are referenced by or in the requested content.
US09235851B2	Integrated and synchronized cross platform delivery system A system and method for delivering targeted advertisements to consumers by inserting the targeted advertisements into a content stream. The content stream may be monitored for advertisement placement opportunities, such that the targeted advertisements may be seamlessly inserted into the content stream to replace an advertisement in the content stream. The content stream's owner and/or provider may be identified such that revenues from the targeted advertisement may be shared with the owner's and/or providers. The system and method are further able to use a biometric recognition technique to verify that the targeted advertisement is actually delivered to the targeted consumer. Another aspect allows the targeted advertisements to be delivered across multiple platforms in accordance with an advertising campaign.
US09235846B2	Systems, methods, and apparatuses for populating a table having null values using a predictive query interface Disclosed herein are systems and methods for populating a table having null values using a predictive query interface including means for receiving a tabular dataset from a user as input, the tabular dataset having data values organized as columns and rows; identifying a plurality of null values within the tabular dataset, the null values being dispersed across multiple rows and multiple columns of the tabular dataset; generating indices from the tabular dataset of columns and rows, the indices representing probabilistic relationships between the rows and the columns of the tabular dataset; displaying the tabular dataset as output to the user, the displayed output including the data values depicted as known values and the null values depicted as unknown values; receiving input from the user to populate at least a portion of the unknown values within the displayed tabular dataset with predicted values; querying the indices for the predicted values; and displaying the predicted values as updated output to the user. Other related embodiments are further disclosed.
US09235843B2	Insertion of user information into headers to enable targeted responses An intermediary device configured to insert at least one of user interest categories or a client device location in the header portion of a message received from a client device is described herein. The insertion enables a server receiving the message from the intermediary device to target content to the client device based on the at least one of the user interest categories or the client device location.
US09235839B2	Method, apparatus, and system for processing payments using a proxy credential A novel system and methodology for conducting financial and other transactions using a wireless device. Credentials may be selectively issued by issuers such as credit card companies, banks, and merchants to consumers permitting the specific consumer to conduct a transaction according to the authorization given as reflected by the credential or set of credentials. The preferred mechanism for controlling and distributing credentials according to the present invention is through one or more publicly accessible networks such as the Internet wherein the system design and operating characteristics are in conformance with the standards and other specific requirements of the chosen network or set of networks. Credentials are ultimately supplied to a handheld device such as a mobile telephone via a wireless network. The user holding the credential may then use the handheld device to conduct the authorized transaction or set of transactions via, for example, a short range wireless link with a point-of-sale terminal.
US09235837B2	Log information management apparatus for image forming apparatus, which manages job history performed by user A log information management apparatus acquires a card ID from an IC card to set a remaining processing flag to the IC card. The log information management apparatus determines whether the remaining processing flag is set to the IC card before the remaining processing flag is set after the card ID is acquired. The log information management apparatus cause an image forming apparatus to perform a job, and causes a storage device to store a job history based on completion of the performance of the job. The log information management apparatus writes a job history relating to the card ID in the IC card in which the remaining processing flag is determined to be set. The log information management apparatus releases the remaining processing flag after writing the job history.
US09235834B2	Interoperable systems and methods for peer-to-peer service orchestration Systems and methods are described for performing policy-managed, peer-to-peer service orchestration in a manner that supports the formation of self-organizing service networks that enable rich media experiences. In one embodiment, services are distributed across peer-to-peer communicating nodes, and each node provides message routing and orchestration using a message pump and workflow collator. Distributed policy management of service interfaces helps to provide trust and security, supporting commercial exchange of value. Peer-to-peer messaging and workflow collation allow services to be dynamically created from a heterogeneous set of primitive services. The shared resources are services of many different types, using different service interface bindings beyond those typically supported in a web service deployments built on UDDI, SOAP, and WSDL. In a preferred embodiment, a media services framework is provided that enables nodes to find one another, interact, exchange value, and cooperate across tiers of networks from WANs to PANs.
US09235831B2	Mobile payment systems and methods A method includes providing a first payment account that is issued by a first financial institution and enables an accountholder thereof to make payments at merchants via a closed-loop payments network corresponding to the first financial institution and mobile person-to-person payments using the payment account. The method includes enabling a second payment account that is issued by a second financial institution to be electronically linked to the first payment account and used as a source of funds. The method includes providing a mobile operating system and enabling a plurality of merchant-specific payment accounts to be associated with a mobile communications device having the operating system. The method includes determining whether a merchant-specific payment account that is accepted only by a particular merchant is available to the accountholder via the mobile communications device and receiving a fee when the first payment account is used for a purchase.
US09235828B2	Email client display transition Methods and devices for selectively presenting a user interface for an email application are provided. More particularly, a change in the operating mode of a multiple screen device from a multiple screen operating mode to a single screen operating mode, or from a single screen operating mode to a multiple screen operating mode, can be determined. Moreover, a change in the operating mode can effect a change in a presentation of a user interface associated with an email application. More particularly, a presentation of a user interface can be retained, where the number of screens of the device in view of the user is changed, provided a user interface for the email application remains in view of the user after the change in operating mode.
US09235827B2	Notification hardening A computing device may include at least one primary notification module and at least one secondary notification module. A notification controller module may trigger a primary notification module and a secondary notification module to generate notification messages or the controller module may trigger the primary notification module to generate a notification message. A graphics device may generate a composite notification message based at least in part on the notification messages from the primary and the secondary notification modules, where representations of the notification messages are stacked one on-top of the other in the composite notification message.
US09235823B2	Underground asset management system A system for managing underground assets with RFID tags provides for expanded virtual storage by wirelessly linking the field RFID tag reader to a centralized database through a unique series code in the RFID tag. Real-time updating of information about underground assets coordination between multiple users may be accomplished through use of the central database as an information broker.
US09235818B2	Electric device, power management apparatus and method for controlling the same An electric device includes a storage unit to store operation information for each period, a controller to generate a power consumption pattern on the basis of the operation information for each period, and generate a consulting message on the basis of a power consumption pattern, and a display to display the consulting message. A power management device includes a communication unit to receive operation information for each period from several electric devices, a controller to generate a consulting message for each electric device, generate a power consumption pattern on the basis of operation information for each period, and generate a consulting message on the basis of the power consumption pattern, and a display to display a consulting message for each electric device. The electric device or the power management device informs a user of a power consumption pattern on the basis of operation- and environmental-information for each electric device.
US09235817B2	System and method of determining freight/load distribution for multiple vehicles Systems and methods of vehicle freight/load distribution are provided to assist in determining optimal freight distribution. Although it is standard practice to fill each vehicle to its maximum limit, due to the non-linear nature of engine fueling maps (that is, fueling maps vary non-linearly as a function of torque and speed), the optimal distribution may not be obtained by the standard practice. Finding a solution for the optimal freight distribution may also need to account for the cost of fueling and operator costs, particularly if the situation involves multiple vehicles not filled to capacity. The benefit is increased freight efficiency in transporting cargo from source to destination amongst a fleet of vehicles.
US09235814B2	Machine learning memory management and distributed rule evaluation Aspects of the present disclosure relate to management of evaluated rule data sets. Specifically, a unreduced evaluated rule data set may contain a number of items to be compared or analyzed according to a number of rules, and may also contain the results of such analysis. An illustrative reduced evaluated data set can include the results of evaluated rules. When utilized in conjunction with an item data set and a rule data set, the information contained within the unreduced evaluated rule data set may be maintained. The reduce memory requirements of the reduced evaluated rule data set may facilitate storage of the reduced evaluated rule data set in faster to access memory, or may facilitate distributed computation of the reduced evaluated rule data set.
US09235812B2	System and method for automatic document classification in ediscovery, compliance and legacy information clean-up A system, method and computer program product for automatic document classification, including an extraction module configured to extract structural, syntactical and/or semantic information from a document and normalize the extracted information; a machine learning module configured to generate a model representation for automatic document classification based on feature vectors built from the normalized and extracted semantic information for supervised and/or unsupervised clustering or machine learning; and a classification module configured to select a non-classified document from a document collection, and via the extraction module extract normalized structural, syntactical and/or semantic information from the selected document, and generate via the machine learning module a model representation of the selected document based on feature vectors, and match the model representation of the selected document against the machine learning model representation to generate a document category, and/or classification for display to a user.
US09235811B2	Creation of a maximally entangled quantum state Embodiments are directed to engineering a structure, comprising: measuring energy eigenstates of a Hamiltonian, predicting a time evolution of a combination of two energy eigenstates based on the measurement, and creating an entangled quantum state for two coefficients of the two energy eigenstates such that an associated wavefunction is encouraged to undergo the predicted time evolution.
US09235810B2	Event analysis apparatus, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer program analyzing events, and method for analyzing events over variable time width An event analysis apparatus configured to analyze events including alarms generated in a plurality of devices and operations targeting the devices is provided. The event analysis apparatus includes an event log collection unit configured to collect an event log including an occurrence date and time of the event, a device identifier (ID) of the device in which the event occurs, and an event type ID of the event, an event log storage unit configured to convert the event log into an event matrix representing presence and absence of occurrence of each device event obtained by coupling the device ID and the event type ID in time series and save the event matrix; and an event analysis unit configured to calculate a conditional probability between the device events to construct a Bayesian network by dividing the event matrix into blocks, each of which has a predetermined reference time width and determining the presence and absence of the occurrence of each of the device events in each of the blocks, and decide a device event as a cause of a device event of an analysis target or a device event to be generated later using the constructed Bayesian network.
US09235808B2	Evaluation of predictions in the absence of a known ground truth Disclosed is a novel system, and method to evaluate a prediction of a possibly unknown outcome out of a plurality of predictions of that outcome. The method begins with accessing a particular prediction of an outcome out of a plurality of predictions of that outcome in which the outcome may be unknown. Next, a subsample of the plurality of predictions of the outcome is accessed. The subsample can possibly include the particular prediction. A consensus prediction of the outcome based on the subsample of the plurality of predictions is determined. A proximity of the particular prediction to the consensus prediction is determined. Each prediction is ranked out of the plurality of predictions in an order of a closest in proximity to the consensus prediction to a farthest in proximity to the consensus prediction.
US09235806B2	Methods and devices for customizing knowledge representation systems Techniques for customizing knowledge representation systems including identifying, based on a plurality of concepts in a knowledge representation (KR), a group of one or more concepts relevant to user context information, and providing the identified group of one more concepts to a user. The KR may include a combination of modules. The modules may include a kernel and a customized module customized for the user. The kernel may accessible via a second KR.
US09235803B2	Linking web extension and content contextually A web extension and content are linked contextually. A user interaction with the content launches a process to match a regular expression rule from the web extension to a portion of the content. An entity matching the regular expression rule is recorded and transmitted back to the web extension. Matched entity is integrated into the rule. The integrated rule is displayed in a web extension pane. The integrated rule and the entity are highlighted within the web extension pane and the content pane, respectively. The highlighted entity and the highlighted rule illustrate a contextual link between the web extension and the content.
US09235800B2	Method for the computer-aided learning of a recurrent neural network for modeling a dynamic system A method for the computer-aided learning of a recurrent neural network for modeling a dynamic system which is characterized at respective times by an observable vector with one or more observables as entries is provided. The neural network includes both a causal network with a flow of information that is directed forwards in time and a retro-causal network with a flow of information which is directed backwards in time. The states of the dynamic system are characterized by first state vectors in the causal network and by second state vectors in the retro-causal network, wherein the state vectors each contain observables for the dynamic system and also hidden states of the dynamic system. Both networks are linked to one another by a combination of the observables from the relevant first and second state vectors and are learned on the basis of training date including known observables vectors.
US09235793B2	Information processing apparatus, storage medium, and information processing system An information processing apparatus which has a first and second mode in which power consumption is lower than that of the first mode is disclosed that includes an accepting unit configured to accept an operation; a display configured to transmit a notification when the apparatus switches from the second mode to the first mode; and a control unit configured to store function data representing function providing units registered; generate, in response to the notification received from the display, a first screen indicating the units and cause the display to display the first screen; store identification data identifying one of the units selected; transmit, in response to the notification received from the display, the notification to the units represented in the function data; and when a response is received from the unit identified in the identification data, cause the display to display a second screen generated by the identified unit.
US09235791B2	Image processing apparatus A light-blocking object processing section produces first and second light-blocking objects to be formed on the front and back surfaces of a print medium, respectively. A first image object is formed on the first light-blocking object and a second image object is formed on the second light-blocking object. If the first and second image objects should be formed in first and second areas, respectively, and the first and second areas defining an overlapping area in which the first image object overlaps the second image object, then the light-blocking object processing section performs one of a first process in which the thickness of the first and second light-blocking objects is smaller in the overlapping area than in a third area outside the overlapping area and a second process in which one of the first and second light-blocking objects is not formed.
US09235779B2	Method and apparatus for recognizing a character based on a photographed image An apparatus and a method for recognizing a character based on an input image is provided. The apparatus includes an input unit configured to receive the input image and a controller configured to select, from the input image, a region of image analysis to be used for image analysis, and to analyze the selected region of image analysis to determine a type of the input image, to apply, to the input image, an image effect for distinguishing a character region and a background region in the input image if the type of the input image indicates that the input image is obtained by photographing a display screen, to binarize output of the image effect according to the determined type of the input image, and to recognize a character from the binarized output of the image effect.
US09235775B2	Entrance detection from street-level imagery Architecture that detects entrances on building facades. In a first stage, scene geometry is exploited and the multi-dimensional problem is reduced down to a one-dimensional (1D) problem. Entrance hypotheses are generated by considering pairs of locations along lines exhibiting strong gradients in the transverse direction. In a second stage, a rich set of discriminative image features for entrances is explored according to constructed designs, specifically focusing on properties such as symmetry and color consistency, for example. Classifiers (e.g., random forest) are utilized to perform automatic feature selection and entrance classification. In another stage, a joint model is formulated in three dimensions (3D) for entrances on a given facade, which enables the exploitation of physical constraints between different entrances on the same facade in a systematic manner to prune false positives, and thereby select an optimum set of entrances on a given facade.
US09235772B2	Notebook and method for digitizing notes Notebook comprising a plurality of pages (1) of paper bound together with a cover (2), in which a plurality of substantially vertical and/or substantially horizontal lines are printed on the pages (1) and are formed by a plurality of dots (5) aligned with each other, which have a maximum dimension, in particular diameter, comprised between 0.21 and 0.35 mm, the distance between two adjacent dots (5) of a same line being comprised between 0.43 and 0.7 mm and the color of the dots (5) being darker than the color of the page (1), in which the sum of the four quadrichrome CMYK values of the color of the page (1) is comprised between 0 and 20, in particular comprised between 10 and 20, with the K value less than 10, and the sum of the four CMYK values of the color of the dots (5) is comprised between 15 and 50, in particular between 25 and 40, with the value K less of 40. The present invention also relates to a method for digitizing notes by means of said notebook.
US09235767B2	Detection region modification for driving assistance apparatus and driving assistance method A driving assistance device is provided with a turning state detection unit, an imaging unit, a solid object detection unit and a detection region modification unit. When the turning state detection unit detects that a host vehicle is in a turning state, the detection region modification unit alters a position of a detection region with respect to the host vehicle, or alters a shape or an area of the detection region based on the turning state of the host vehicle. For example, the detection region modification unit sets a shorter region length of the detection region as the turning radius of the host vehicle becomes smaller. Hereby, the region closest to the host vehicle is set, to a limited extent, as the detection regions.
US09235766B2	Optimizing the detection of objects in images A system and method detect objects in a digital image. At least positional data associated with a vehicle is received. Geographical information associated with the positional data is received. A probability of detecting a target object within a corresponding geographic area associated with the vehicle is determined based on the geographical data. The probability is compared to a given threshold. An object detection process is at least one of activated and maintained in an activated state in response to an object detection process in response to the probability being one of above and equal to the given threshold. The object detection process detects target objects within at least one image representing at least one frame of a video sequence of an external environment. The object detection process is at least one of deactivated and maintained in a deactivated state in response to the probability being below the given threshold.
US09235765B2	Video and motion event integration system Enables intelligent synchronization and transfer of generally concise event videos synchronized with motion data from motion capture sensor(s) coupled with a user or piece of equipment. Greatly saves storage and increases upload speed by uploading event videos and avoiding upload of non-pertinent portions of large videos. Provides intelligent selection of multiple videos from multiple cameras covering an event at a given time, for example selecting one with least shake. Enables near real-time alteration of camera parameters during an event determined by the motion capture sensor, and alteration of playback parameters and special effects for synchronized event videos. Creates highlight reels filtered by metrics and can sort by metric. Integrates with multiple sensors to save event data even if other sensors do not detect the event. Also enables analysis or comparison of movement associated with the same user, other user, historical user or group of users.
US09235763B2	Integrated aerial photogrammetry surveys Novel tools and techniques for generating survey data about a survey site. Aerial photography of at least part of the survey site can be analyzed using photogrammetric techniques. In some cases, an unmanned aerial system can be used to collect site imagery. The use of a UAS can reduce the fiscal and chronological cost of a survey, compared to the use of other types aerial imagery and/or conventional terrestrial surveying techniques used alone.
US09235760B2	Image synthesizing system, image processing apparatus, and image processing method An image processing apparatus comprises an image acquiring unit that acquires images from the image managing server; an image analyzing unit that analyzes the acquired images to determine evaluation values thereof; a grouping unit that groups the acquired images into groups based on collateral information of the acquired images; a group selecting unit that selects groups including images having operation information as the collateral information out of the plurality of groups; an image selecting unit that selects images out of the images included in the selected groups, based on the evaluation values and the operation information; and an image arranging unit that arranges the selected images in a predetermined layout to create the synthetic image.
US09235757B1	Fast text detection A system that identifies and recognizes text that offers reduced the computational complexity for processing complex images. Widths of scan line segments within candidate text regions are determined, with the shortest segments selected as being representative of stroke width. Statistical features of the stroke widths are used as part of the process to classify each region as containing or not containing a text character or glyph.
US09235755B2	Removal of underlines and table lines in document images while preserving intersecting character strokes A method for removing horizontal and vertical lines in a document image while preserving integrity of the character strokes that intersect the lines. For each detected horizontal line, a vertical run length profile is calculated. Areas of the run length profile having two adjacent peaks with a valley in between are detected, which correspond to intersections of the horizontal line with non-vertical lines. A first derivative curve may be used to detect such peaks and valleys. Areas of the run length profile with large run length value for consecutive pixel locations are also detected, which corresponds to intersections of the horizontal line with near vertical lines. The horizontal line is removed in areas outside of the intersection areas, while preserving pixels within the intersection areas. Vertical line removal may be done similarly. This template-free method can remove lines in tables, forms, and underline and extract handwriting or printed characters.
US09235751B2	Method and apparatus for image detection and correction According to one embodiment, a person image processing apparatus includes: an input processor configured to input a plurality of pieces of image data captured at different times by an image capture module; an extraction module configured to extract a person display area showing a same person from each of the pieces of image data captured at the different times; a feature detector configured to detect a feature point showing a feature of a part of a person from the person display area extracted from each of the pieces of image data and acquire reliability of the part shown in the feature point; and a correction module configured to, when correcting the person display area subjected to input processing by the input processor, perform weighting based on the reliability of the feature point included in the person display area.
US09235743B2	Image generating method, information processing method, and information processing device An image generating method performed by a computer, includes extracting data corresponding to a first coded image from first image data including the first coded image; generating a second coded image corresponding to the extracted data, wherein a size of a configuration element included in the second coded image is an integral multiple of a dot size of the first image data; and generating second image data indicating an image including an image indicated by the first image data and the generated second coded image.
US09235730B2	Secure controller for block oriented storage A storage controller includes a command pointer register. The command pointer register points to a chain of commands in memory, and also includes a security status field to indicate a security status of the first command in the command chain. Each command in the command chain may also include a security status field that indicates the security status of the following command in the chain.
US09235723B2	Systems and methods for context-sensitive data security for business application performance optimization Described herein are systems and methods for providing context-sensitive data security, for business application performance optimization. In accordance with an embodiment, the system can be used together with a Role Based Access Control model. Data security predicates can be made context-sensitive, by taking into account the context in which an end-user is navigating an application. By providing context-sensitive data security in this manner, the complexity of database queries can be reduced, and the underlying relational database management system can create better-optimized execution plans.
US09235722B2	Document security In one embodiment, a document is marked with an identifier and stored in a memory. Responsive to a request received from a user to perform an operation upon the document or a copy of the document at a requester computer, a database is accessed. The database is a database associating users authorized to access the documents or copies of the documents with operations the users are authorized to perform is accessed. Operation authorization is determined at least in part according to a document threat index. Upon determining the user is an authorized user and determining via the database the requested operation is an authorized operation, an access code is sent to the requester computer to enable the operation.
US09235719B2	Apparatus, system, and method for providing memory access control Described herein are apparatus, system, and method for providing memory access control to protect software (e.g., firmware backup) and other data. The method comprises providing, by a processor, a protected storage area in a memory for storing backup image of software; detecting corruption in the software; accessing the backup image of the software from the protected storage area; and updating the corrupted software using the backup image, wherein the protected storage area is a reserved storage area of the memory.
US09235716B1	Automating post-hoc access control checks and compliance audits Methods, systems, and computer-readable storage media for post-hoc analysis of access control decisions, where actions include receiving a request to analyze an access control request, for which an access control decision has been provided based on a policy, retrieving information associated with the access control request from a log, the information including a first security state version and a time, determining a time interval based on the time and an audit policy, retrieving information associated with at least a second security state version based on the time interval, and evaluating the access control request based on information of the first security state and information of the second security state to provide a post-hoc access control decision.
US09235712B1	Securing external memory data The present disclosure includes apparatus, systems, digital logic circuitry and techniques relating to data encoding. A method performed by a system on a chip (SOC) includes receiving data to be output to a memory unit external to the SOC. Also a key for scrambling the received data is received. A proper subset of the key is identified and used to scramble the received data. The scrambled data is output to the memory unit external to the SOC.
US09235711B1	Systems, methods and devices for providing visual privacy to messages At least one of the embodiments described herein relate generally to a method of providing visual privacy for a message sent to at least one device. The method may include the acts of: receiving the message at the at least one device, the message including content and a privacy indicator; converting the content to a content image; applying a blur function to the content image to generate a blurred content image; generating an obscured layer from the blurred content image; partitioning the content image into one or more segments to generate a content layer, the one or more segments each having one or more segment attributes; aligning the obscured layer with the content layer, wherein selecting an area on the obscured layer corresponding to the one or more segments removes the obscured layer for the one or more segments based on the one or more segment attributes.
US09235710B2	Out of band management of basic input/output system secure boot variables A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes storing secure boot variables in a baseboard management controller; and sending the secure boot variables to a basic input/output system (BIOS) during a power on self-test, where the BIOS utilizes the secure boot variables during runtime to authenticate drivers and an operating system loader execution. In particular embodiments, the secure boot variables may be included in a white list, a black list, or a key list and, further, stored in erasable programmable read only memory.
US09235704B2	System and method for a scanning API Application programs for mobile communication devices are stored in a data store. The applications may be collected from any number of different sources such as through an application programming interface (API), from web crawling, from users, or combinations of these. The applications are analyzed and the analysis results reported. The applications may be “continuously” analyzed so that any changes in assessments can be reported. If an application for which an analysis is sought is not in the data store, information about a different, but related application may be provided.
US09235702B2	Personal identification number security enhancement A method that includes receiving, from a first entity having an input permission, a first data structure into a HSM, wherein the first data structure maps a first many-to-one mapping between a first and a second PIN numeral system. The method also includes determining whether the content of the first data structure is valid, storing the first data structure in the HSM if the first data structure is valid and marking the stored first data structure as inactive. The method further includes activating the first data structure if a second data structure is input into the HSM by a second entity having an activation permission, wherein the first entity is different from the second entity, the first data structure is identical to the second data structure. The method additionally includes converting from the first to the second PIN numeral system responsive to the activated first data structure.
US09235701B2	Light-operated electronic equipment and mobile electronic device for controlling electronic equipment with light A light-operated electronic equipment and a mobile electronic device for controlling an electronic equipment with light are provided. The light-operated electronic equipment with a light sensing receiving unit and a control unit is controlled by the mobile electronic device with a light source, a light control code module and a light display process module. Besides, further provides a process method of performing system registration by a light control way. By the process method, an information process device receives the input of the light signal through a transmission equipment, such that the light sensing receiving unit of the transmission equipment converts the brightness change of the light signal into the electric control code for the control unit of the transmission equipment to receive the electric control code and transmit the electric control code to the information process device through a transmission interface.
US09235693B2	System and methods thereof for tracking and preventing execution of restricted applications A system and method for tracking and preventing an execution of an application on a user device are provided. The method comprises receiving a request to determine if an application is a restricted application for a user of the user device; receiving at least one context parameter respective of the application; receiving at least one variable related the user of the user device; determining whether the application is a restricted application based on the analysis of the at least one context parameter and the at least one variable parameter; and disabling an access of the user to contents of the application if the application is determined to be restricted.
US09235686B2	Systems and methods for using adverse event data to predict potential side effects The present disclosure describes systems and methods for predicting a likely side effect profile for even new, untested medications. A predicted side effect profile may be generated based on intersections of side effect profiles of other medications that affect the same or related molecular entities, such as the nearby target proteins, involve the same pathways, or are otherwise similarly related. To generate a predicted side effect profile for a new drug targeting a novel or previously un-targeted protein target, an analyzer may query an adverse event database for records pertaining to patients who have taken drugs or combinations of drugs that target or affect molecular entities in the vicinity of the novel target within a global molecular entity graph, and, in some embodiments, may retrieve a plurality of adverse event records and generate an intersection of side effects associated with related targets to predict likely side effects for the novel target.
US09235684B2	Modeling long-term host-pathogen interactions Using an in silico testing environment, host-pathogen interactions can be modeled and simulated by, in any effective order, identifying a plurality of biological events associated with a pathogen's invasion of a host; identifying for each biological event, at least one agent associated with the event; describing the state for each agent and/or identifying at least one action for each agent; identifying at least one interaction between agents; simulating a temporal course of the host-pathogen interaction using the plurality of biological events; and displaying the results of the simulation phase. The simulation phase may be accomplished using an agent-based simulation system that includes a feedback loop. The feedback loop is configured for continuously using output of at least one simulation as input for at least another simulation until an end is met.
US09235683B2	Apparatus, system, and method for managing adherence to a regimen A method of managing adherence to a regimen in a subscription based computer implemented healthcare information environment. The method includes receiving at a mobile device information from a receiver that a dose was ingested by a living subject. The mobile device comprises a processor, a memory and a display coupled to the processor. The method provides wirelessly communicating the information over a wireless network to a backend computer processing system and receiving from the computer at the backend processing system a personal information stream characterizing behavior of the living subject based on the received information over a predetermined period. An apparatus includes an adherence package including a foldable sheet, at least one of blister pack coupled to the foldable sheet, at least one ingestible device associated with a dose, and a perforation provided on the foldable sheet to enable removal of the at the least one blister pack.
US09235679B2	Method and system for patient-specific modeling of blood flow Embodiments include a system for determining cardiovascular information for a patient. The system may include at least one computer system configured to receive patient-specific data regarding a geometry of the patient's heart, and create a three-dimensional model representing at least a portion of the patient's heart based on the patient-specific data. The at least one computer system may be further configured to create a physics-based model relating to a blood flow characteristic of the patient's heart and determine a fractional flow reserve within the patient's heart based on the three-dimensional model and the physics-based model.
US09235676B2	Method and apparatus for optical proximity correction Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide an integrated circuit (IC) design method. The method includes (1) receiving a first layout comprising stripe patterns with a first separation and a first width; (2) receiving a second layout comprising stripe patterns with a second width narrower than the first separation, each stripe on the second layout is configured to situate between two adjacent stripes on the first layout when overlaying the first layout and the second layout; (3) performing a separation check by identifying a spacing between a stripe on the second layout and one of the two adjacent stripes on the first layout; and (4) adjusting the spacing between the stripe on the second layout and one of the two adjacent stripes on the first layout when the separation check determining the spacing is greater than a predetermined value.
US09235670B2	Method and an apparatus for automatic generation of verification environment for processor design and verification A method and a system embodying the method for automatic generation of a verification environment, comprising providing a first model of an application-specific instruction-set processor; providing a second model of the application-specific instruction-set processor; and generating automatically the verification environment from the first model and the second model is disclosed.
US09235668B1	Computer implemented method for calculating a charge density at a gate interface of a double gate transistor A computer implemented method for calculating a charge density q1 of a first gate of a double gate transistor comprising a thin body with a first and a second gate interface, the method including determining, using a physical processor, an initial estimate q1,init of the charge density of the first gate; performing, using the physical processor, at least two basic corrections of the initial estimate based on a Taylor development of a function fzero(q1) able to be nullified by a correct value of the charge density q1 of the first gate.
US09235667B2	SCR simulation model A model for simulating the electrical behavior of a thyristor includes a model of an NPN bipolar transistor whose emitter forms the cathode of the thyristor and the base forms a low-side control terminal of the thyristor, and a model of a PNP bipolar transistor whose emitter forms the anode of the thyristor and the base forms a high-side control terminal of the thyristor, the collector of the PNP transistor being connected to the low-side control terminal and the collector of the NPN transistor being connected to the high-side control terminal. The transistor models are present a small signal behavior over the entire range of anode currents of the thyristor, whereby the transistor models exhibit a gain drop when the anode current exits the small signal range.
US09235664B2	Systems and methods for executing unified process-device-circuit simulation A unified simulation system is provided. The unified simulation system includes an input database storing input data comprising an input parameter and environment information, a unified simulator executing a unified process-device-circuit simulation of characteristics of a semiconductor apparatus based on the input data and at least one predetermined model and outputting a simulation result as output data, and an output database storing the output data. The unified simulator includes a process simulator simulating at least one process based on the input data and outputting process characteristic data, a device simulator simulating at least one device based on the process characteristic data and outputting device characteristic data, and a circuit simulator simulating a circuit comprising the at least one device. Accordingly, multiple devices can be simultaneously optimized for the optimization of circuit characteristics and an accurate specification at process and device levels can be provided.
US09235656B2	Determining a geometrical CAD operation It is provided a computer-implemented method for designing a CAD modeled object. The method comprises displaying at least one three-dimensional parametric shape; user-interacting with the screen; defining on a support at least one stroke corresponding to the user-interacting; selecting a number of the three-dimensional parametric shapes; evaluating a relative position of the stroke with the selected shape; and determining a geometrical CAD operation based on the number and the relative position. Such a method makes the design of a CAD modeled object easier.
US09235654B1	Query rewrites for generating auto-complete suggestions A computer-implemented method for proving complete query suggestions, performed by a server system, includes receiving a partial search query from a client system. A database of complete search queries is searched to identify a first set of matching complete search queries. If the first set of matching complete search queries fails to satisfy predefined criteria (e.g., with respect to the quantity and/or quality of the matching complete search queries), a rewrite of the received partial search query is performed to produce a first set of rewritten partial search queries. The database of complete search queries is searched to identify a second set of complete search queries matching any of the first set of rewritten partial search queries. At least a subset of the second set of matching complete queries are sent to the client system.
US09235652B1	Optimizing a data integration process Embodiments of the present invention provide systems, methods and computer readable media for optimizing a data integration process. In embodiments, a system can be configured to represent the processing of a data record that includes attributes, and to use that representation to determine an optimal processing of that data record. In embodiments, the system represents the processing of a data record as an operator graph comprising nodes and edges, where each node is an operator node that represents an operator for implementing at least one logical operation on at least one of the attributes and each edge between a pair of nodes represents the movement of data between the nodes. In embodiments, each operator node includes one or more operator metrics (e.g. operator cost metrics and operator quality metrics). In embodiments, the system determines optimal processing of the data record by determining a best path within the operator graph.
US09235649B2	Domain based workflows Technology is disclosed for using workflows based on domains in a hierarchical data structure (e.g. LDAP directory) or other type of data structure. When a workflow is created, it is associated with domain. The domain is defined by a selected node and all nodes below that selected node in the hierarchical data structure. At run time, the system identifies which workflows perform a requested task and are associated with a domain that includes the target of the task. If multiple workflows are determined, the user is provided with the ability to choose one of the identified workflows for performing the tasks.
US09235648B2	Automated surfacing of tagged content in vertical applications Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to social bookmarking and provide a method, system and computer program product for automated surfacing of tagged content in a vertical application. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for automatically surfacing tagged content in a vertical application can be provided. The method can include parsing text from content in an end user application, comparing the parsed text to social bookmarks and associated metadata in a social bookmarking system and matching portions of the content to respective ones of the social bookmarks based upon the comparison, and visually emphasizing the matched portions of the content in the end user application.
US09235641B1	Method and apparatus for archive processing of electronic messages A method and system for detection, storage and/or display of archive tracking information regarding archiving process history for archived and/or non-archived messages (e.g., email messages). Such information may be useful in determining reasons why a message, or group of messages, was archived or not, and thereby assessing the functioning of an archiving system. The process history information may include a processing type for the electronic message indicating whether the message was archived or not, and if the message was not archived, may indicate whether the message is a duplicate of another archived message, the message was filtered, or the archiving of the message failed. Event data may be recorded indicating a detailed reason why a message was not archived, a current location of the message, one or more rules applied to the electronic message during an archival filtering operation, and/or one or more rules that caused the electronic message to be selected for archiving.
US09235640B2	Logging browser data For logging browser data, the method compiles a string representing metadata of an operating environment for a browser displaying webpage content from a Web server. The method further compiles a Document Object Model (DOM) string representing at least one DOM element of the webpage content. In addition, the method logs the metadata string and the DOM string within a data store accessible by the web server.
US09235638B2	Document retrieval using internal dictionary-hierarchies to adjust per-subject match results Techniques for managing big data include retrieval using per-subject dictionaries having multiple levels of sub-classification hierarchy within the subject. Entries may include subject-determining-power (SDP) scores that provide an indication of the descriptive power of the entry term with respect to the subject of the dictionary containing the term. The same term may have entries in multiple dictionaries with different SDP scores in each of the dictionaries. A retrieval request for one or more documents containing search terms descriptive of the one or more documents can be processed by identifying a set of candidate documents tagged with subjects, i.e., identifiers of per-subject dictionaries having entries corresponding to a search term, then using affinity values to adjust the aggregate score for the terms in the dictionaries. Documents are then selected for best match to the subject based on the adjusted scores. Alternatively, the adjustment may be performed after selecting the documents by re-ordering them according to adjusted scores.
US09235637B1	Systems and methods for generating predicted queries and corresponding search results A search system monitors the input of a search query by a user. Before the user finishes entering the search query, the search system identifies and sends a portion of the query as a partial query to the search engine. Based on the partial query, the search engine creates a set of predicted queries. This process may take into account prior queries submitted by a community of users, and may take into account a user profile. The predicted queries are to be sent back to the user for possible selection. The search system may also cache search results corresponding to one or more of the predicted queries in anticipation of the user selecting one of the predicted queries. The search engine may also return at least a portion of the search results corresponding to one or more of the predicted queries.
US09235631B2	Method, system, and computer program product for simulating an online session A method and system for conducting an offline session simulating an online session between a client and server in a network environment. The client imports data and functional logic from the server prior to going offline. The imported functional logic is embedded into a format or document that is capable of being interpreted and performed by the local interface at the client that is used interact with server during an online session. Whether offline or online, the user utilizes the same local interface at the client to transmit instructions to the functional logic in order to manipulate the data. In an offline session, such instructions cause the imported and embedded functional logic to execute, thereby manipulating the data that is imported at the client. Synchronization methods may also be used in order to maintain consistency and coherency between the imported data at the client and the database at the server.
US09235630B1	Dataset discovery in data analytics An initial work package is obtained. The initial work package defines at least one hypothesis associated with a given data problem, and is generated in accordance with one or more phases of an automated data analytics lifecycle. A plurality of datasets is identified. One or more datasets in the plurality of datasets that are relevant to the at least one hypothesis are discovered. The at least one hypothesis is tested using at least a portion of the one or more discovered datasets.
US09235626B2	Automatic generation of snippets based on context and user interest A system obtains a document that is responsive to a user query. The system determines an interest of the user based on stored data associated with the user, and determines that a portion of the document relates to the interest of the user. The system generates a first snippet for the document based on the portion of the document that relates to the interest of the user, and provides the first snippet for the document as part of a result list.
US09235625B2	Ranking media content sources A processing device identifies a plurality of media items that have been accessed by a user. The processing device determines a plurality of annotations in the plurality of media items that identify a plurality of media content sources. The processing device calculates scores for the plurality of media content sources, wherein a score for a media content source of the plurality of media content sources is calculated based at least in part on a quantity of the plurality of annotations that identify the media content source. The processing device ranks the plurality of media content sources based on the calculated scores. The processing device the provides one or more ranked media content sources for presentation to the user.
US09235624B2	Document similarity evaluation system, document similarity evaluation method, and computer program Disclosed is a document similarity evaluation system or the like which can evaluate a degree of concentration and dispersion of parts with high similarity in at least two kinds of documents. The system includes a segment search unit which finds common segments (CS) in first and second segment strings, counts the number of CS, and identifies an appearance range (AR) within CS; and a similarity index (SI) calculation unit which calculates a first sum that is a sum of the numbers of characters of each segment (NCS) in AR and a second sum that is a sum of NCS of CS and calculates SI between the first and second segment strings by the following equation, SI=F(NTC)/G(NCC)×NS (where, NTC is the first sum, NCC is the second sum, NS is the number of the CS, functions F and G monotonically increase at larger than 0).
US09235619B2	Formulaic conjoined project effort instance display method and search system process thereof A Dynamic Live System for collecting, inputting, storing, and reporting Element Effort Event Data, whose processes upon query enable the reporting of well formatted Formulaic Conjoined Project Effort Instance (CPEI) Reports per the System's Who did What in Phasetime Effort Instance Formulas in Primary, Secondary, Tertiary, Auto Displays, and Inferences, not stored as displayed in Systems base tables. The formulas 5th Element permits effort instances to be reported as past, present and future CPEI displays, regardless if said element effort event data was inputted by an element directly or generated automatically by the system's use of AI type techniques. Dynamically generated well formatted CPEI report displays incorporate functional interaction designed attributes that hyperlink formula primitives by their CPEI associations, whether or not said associations are acknowledged as credited efforts by a project owner. Functional interaction designed virtual data tables permit rated report displays per formulaic CPEI element virtual data field fulfillment.
US09235616B2	Systems and methods for partial workflow matching The present invention generally relates to systems and methods for identifying a workflow, from a set of workflows, that best match a given query partial workflow. In addition to identifying the best match, the systems and methods can identify the portion of the workflow that best matches the query partial workflow.
US09235615B2	System and method for generating and updating location check digits A method, apparatus, and program product for generating check data for a location within an area of a workspace include receiving an identifier for a selected location that has check data associated therewith. Candidate check data for use with the selected location is generated. The candidate check data is evaluated for a match against at least one of existing check data for the selected location or check data associated with a related location. Based on the evaluation, a determination is made of whether the candidate check data is acceptable for use for the selected location.
US09235614B2	Computer implemented methods and apparatus for feed-based case management Techniques for providing feed-based case management on an online social network. A user interface that includes a publisher and an information feed is provided. Information associated with a record is received and the record is updated in a database system. A feed item associated with the database system update is generated and provided in the information feed. The feed item includes one or more actionable selections providing a reference to the publisher. Selection of one of the one or more actionable selections causes the publisher to be operable to receive further information associated with the record. The record is capable of being updated based on the further information. In some implementations, the record is a case and the user interface serves as a single interface for all interactions required in solving the case.
US09235613B2	Flexible partitioning of data Disclosed are various embodiments of a flexible application-level partitioning scheme for data storage components. A data store is accessible by one or more computing devices and includes multiple partitions. One of the partitions is identified by mapping a key value of a data item to one of the partitions according to one of multiple versions of mapping metadata. Each of the versions of mapping metadata specifies a respective list of some or all of the partitions and an approach for mapping the key value to one of the partitions. The data item is inserted into the identified partition.
US09235612B1	Management of event data A data management resource receives event log data indicating content consumption by multiple subscribers in a network environment. The data management resource converts the event data into bit strings stored in a multi-dimensional information array. One dimension of the multi-dimensional information array represents the multiple subscribers. Another dimension of the multi-dimensional information array represents time. The bit strings stored in the multi-dimensional information array indicate at what time, if any, a respective subscriber tunes to consume particular. The data compression resource stores a compressed rendition of the multi-dimensional array information in a repository for subsequent application of queries.
US09235606B1	Simplified database/log backup and restore A set of objects associated with an incremental backup is determined where the set of objects includes one or more full backup objects associated with a full backup from which the incremental backup depends. A backup is performed using the set of objects, including by setting one or more timestamps associated with the one or more full backup objects to a time later than the full backup.
US09235603B2	Activity based search A method includes identifying at least one document associated with content from at least one digital content source. The at least one document includes information identifying at least one aspect of the content. The method also includes determining a document index for the at least one document based on keywords included in the at least one document. An activity field is inserted into the document index. The method includes accessing activity information. The activity information identifies at least one activity keyword associated with at least one activity. The method further includes identifying at least one present activity keyword in the document based on the activity information. An indicator of at least one present activity is determined based on the at least one present activity keyword. The method includes indexing the indicator of the at least one present activity in the activity field of the document index.
US09235599B1	Locating persons of interest based on license plate recognition information Possible locations of a person of interest are ranked based on LPR instances captured around physical locations and license plate numbers associated with the person of interest. An LPR instance includes an indication of a vehicle license plate number, a physical location, and a time when the LPR instance was captured by a LPR system. A possible location of the person of interest may be a location of an LPR instance that matches the license plate number or an address location associated with the person of interest. The ranking may be based on the number of LPR visits to each location, the number of license plate number matches at each location, or an attribute of a cluster of LPR instances. In some examples, an electronic message is rapidly communicated to an entity if a target license plate number is found at a highly ranked location.
US09235596B2	Versioned file system with sharing A method of data sharing among multiple entities is provided. Each entity exports to a data store a structured data representation comprising a versioned file system local to that entity. The method begins by forming a sharing group that includes two or more entities. Sharing of the structured data representations by members of the sharing group is enabled. The filers use a single distributed lock to protect each version of the file system. This lock is managed to allow each filer access to the shared file system volume to create its new version. To share a fully-versioned file system, asynchronous updates at each of the filers is permitted, and each node is then allowed to “push” its individual changes to the store to form the next version of the file system. A mechanism also may be used to reduce the period during which filers in the group operate under lock.
US09235588B1	Systems and methods for protecting deduplicated data A computer-implemented method for protecting deduplicated data may include (1) identifying a deduplicated data system, (2) identifying a tiered storage system for storing deduplicated objects of the deduplicated data system, (3) assigning a level of priority to at least one deduplicated object within the deduplicated data system based on at least one property of the deduplicated object, (4) selecting a storage tier within the tiered storage system for storing the deduplicated object based on the level of priority, and then (5) storing the deduplicated object within the selected storage tier. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US09235586B2	Reputation checking obtained files A Web browser of a computing device downloads or otherwise obtains a file. File information identifying the file is obtained and is sent to a remote reputation service. Client information identifying aspects of the computing device can also optionally be sent to the remote reputation service. In response to the file information (and optionally client information), a reputation indication for the file is received from the remote reputation service. A user interface for the Web browser to present at the computing device is determined, based at least in part on the reputation indication, and presented at the computing device.
US09235582B1	Tracking files excluded from backup Techniques to exclude files from backup are disclosed. In various embodiments, a database that includes an exclude set table configured to store data associated with one or more files identified to be excluded from backup is accessed. Data retrieved from the database is used to exclude one or more of said one or more files from a backup. In some embodiments, files are excluded from the backup at least in part by deleting the files from a shadow copy volume created in connection with said backup.
US09235581B2	Data configuration and migration in a cluster system A cluster system includes a plurality of computing nodes connected to a network. Each node is configured to access its own storage device, and to send and receive input/output (I/O) operations associated with its own storage device. Further, each node of the plurality of nodes may be configured to have a function of acting as a first node, which sends a first message to other nodes of the plurality of nodes. The first message may include configuration information indicative of a data placement of data on the plurality of nodes in the cluster system according to an event. Following receipt of the first message from the first node, each of the other nodes may be configured to determine, based at least in part on the configuration information, whether data stored on its own storage device is affected by the event.
US09235573B2	Universal difference measure Described herein are methods for finding substantially similar/different sources (files and documents), and estimating similarity or difference between given sources. Similarity and difference may be found across a variety of formats. Sources may be in one or more languages such that similarity and difference may be found across any number and types of languages. A variety of characteristics may be used to arrive at an overall measure of similarity or difference including determining or identifying syntactic roles, semantic roles and semantic classes in reference to sources.
US09235570B2	Optimizing internet campaigns In an example embodiment, signals are collected from one or more first channels in a communication network. The one or more first channels may include at least one of organic search, paid search, or social media. Based on the collected signals, a recommendation is made with respect to a campaign within a second channel.
US09235569B1	Techniques for on-the-spot translation of web-based applications without annotating user interface strings A computer-implemented technique can include executing a web-based application and receiving a request to translate at least a portion of the web-based application. In response to receiving the request, the technique can include identifying text portions in the web-based application, transmitting the text portions to a server, wherein receipt of the text portions causes the server to match the text portions to entries in a database associated with the server to obtain UI strings, and receiving the UI strings from the server. In in response to receiving the UI strings, the technique can include providing an indicator of a particular UI string when the particular UI string is displayed during execution of the web-based application. The technique can also include receiving a selection of the particular UI string, and outputting metadata associated with the particular UI string, the metadata representing context information for assisting a human translator.
US09235568B2	Method for testing a browser-based application A method for testing multiple language versions of a browser-based application. A host language Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) request issued by a host language browser is received. The host language HTTP request is configured to be sent to a host server address. The host language HTTP request comprises parameter strings in a host language. A target language HTTP request is generated by replacing each host parameter string of at least one host parameter string of the parameter strings in the received HTTP request with a respective target parameter string associated with a target language that differs from the host language. The generated target language HTTP request is configured to be sent to a target server address associated with and different from the host server address.
US09235567B2	Multi-domain machine translation model adaptation A method adapted to multiple corpora includes training a statistical machine translation model which outputs a score for a candidate translation, in a target language, of a text string in a source language. The training includes learning a weight for each of a set of lexical coverage features that are aggregated in the statistical machine translation model. The lexical coverage features include a lexical coverage feature for each of a plurality of parallel corpora. Each of the lexical coverage features represents a relative number of words of the text string for which the respective parallel corpus contributed a biphrase to the candidate translation. The method may also include learning a weight for each of a plurality of language model features, the language model features comprising one language model feature for each of the domains.
US09235561B2	Contextual report element mapping to web service input parameter Some aspects include selection of a cell of a report section, the cell associated with a data dimension and with a context of the report section, and association of the cell with an input parameter of a software service. Aspects may include identification of a contextual report specification associated with a software service and with one or more report elements, at least one of the one or more report elements being associated with an input parameter of the software service, determination of data corresponding to a plurality of the one or more report elements, generation of a script to invoke the software service and to pass contents of the at least one of the one or more report elements as the input parameter to the software service, and generation of a report output based on the data and the script.
US09235555B2	Computing polychoric and polyserial correlations between random variables using NORTA Polychoric correlations between two discrete random variables and polyserial correlations between a discrete random variable and a continuous random variable may be determined by using a normal-to-anything (NORTA) method and a stochastic root finding algorithm.
US09235547B1	Messaging system and method with dead man switching A messaging system and method with dead man switching providing for hierarchical delivery of messages based on selected message hierarchy levels with controlled delivery/response timing is disclosed. The system and method incorporates a messaging host that communicates with a messaging source client that creates and prioritizes a message and targets address(es) for the message. This message is then transmitted to the target address(es) using a hierarchical transmission thread having set limits on response times for each address within the thread. Reception of the message by each target(s) produces visual and/or auditory notification at the target(s). Messages are automatically forwarded to remaining target(s) within the thread upon expiration of a timer should the target(s) fail to respond to the message within a predetermined time. Failure of the target(s) to respond to the message(s) is reported bi-directionally along the thread and forwarded to remaining target(s) in the thread.
US09235536B2	Information registration apparatus, information registration method, information registration program, and recording medium While making it possible to register generation information used to generate a Web page for each topic by sending element information being components of the Web page by an email and add element information to the generation information by an email, it is made difficult for persons other than a person who registered the generation information to add the element information. When a receiver address included in a received email is a first address, an information registration apparatus registers generation information included in the email and transmits an email including a unique second address corresponding to the generation information to a sender of the received email, and when the receiver address is a second address and the receiver address is not the same as receiver addresses included in emails received before, the information registration apparatus adds element information to the generation information corresponding to the receiver address included in the currently received email.
US09235535B1	Method and apparatus for reducing overheads of primary storage by transferring modified data in an out-of-order manner Techniques for reducing overheads of primary storage transferring during a backup by transferring in an out-of-order manner are described herein. According to one embodiment, in response to a request at a primary storage for a backup of a plurality of data blocks, a transfer order of dirty data blocks is determined based on an access assessment of the dirty data blocks, wherein the dirty data blocks are data blocks of the plurality of data blocks that have been changed from a previous backup, and wherein the transfer order is different from a sequential logical order of the dirty data blocks provided by the primary storage. Then the dirty data blocks are transferred to a secondary storage in the determined order.
US09235526B2	Non-volatile hard disk drive cache system and method A non-volatile hard disk drive cache system is coupled between a processor and a hard disk drive. The cache system includes a control circuit, a non-volatile memory and a volatile memory. the control circuit causes a subset of the data stored in the hard disk drive to be written to the non-volatile memory. In response to a request to read data are stored in the non-volatile memory. If so, the requested read data are provided form the non-volatile memory. Otherwise, the requested read data are provided from the hard disk drive. the volatile memory is used as a write buffer and to store disk access statistics, such as the disk drive locations that are most frequently read, which are used by the control circuit to determine which data to store in the non-volatile memory.
US09235524B1	System and method for improving cache performance A method, computer program product, and computing system for copying a content directory associated with a cache system from a volatile memory system to a non-volatile memory system. A plurality of data requests concerning a plurality of data actions to be taken on an electro-mechanical storage device associated with the cache system are received on the cache system. The content directory on the volatile memory system is updated based, at least in part, upon the plurality of data requests. The plurality of data requests are stored on tracking queue included within the electro-mechanical storage device.
US09235519B2	Method for peer to peer cache forwarding A home node for selecting a source node using a cache coherency protocol, comprising a logic unit cluster coupled to a directory, wherein the logic unit cluster is configured to receive a request for data from a requesting cache node, determine a plurality of nodes that hold a copy of the requested data using the directory, select one of the nodes using one or more selection parameters as the source node, and transmit a message to the source node to determine whether the source node stores a copy of the requested data, wherein the source node forwards the requested data to the requesting cache node when the requested data is found within the source node, and wherein some of the nodes are marked as a Shared state corresponding to the cache coherency protocol.
US09235518B2	Shared network response cache An apparatus and system are disclosed for reducing network traffic using a shared network response cache. A request filter module intercepts a network request to prevent the network request from entering a data network. The network request is sent by a client and is intended for one or more recipients on the data network. A cache check module checks a shared response cache for an entry matching the network request. A local response module sends a local response to the client in response to an entry in the shared response cache matching the network request. The local response satisfies the network request based on information from the matching entry in the shared response cache.
US09235517B2	Implementing dynamic cache enabling and disabling based upon workload A method, system and memory controller for implementing dynamic enabling and disabling of cache based upon workload in a computer system. Predefined sets of information are monitored while the cache is enabled to identify a change in workload, and selectively disabling the cache responsive to a first identified predefined workload. Monitoring predefined information to identify a second predefined workload while the cache is disabled, and selectively enabling the cache responsive to said identified second predefined workload.
US09235515B2	Array controller and storage system A storage system which includes a cache memory needless of replacement of a power storage device, a cache memory with low power consumption, or a cache memory having no limitation on the number of writing operations is provided. An array controller for storing data externally input in any of a plurality of storage devices or a storage system including the array controller includes a processor which specifies at least one of the plurality of storage devices where the data is to be stored and a cache memory which stores the data and outputs the data to the at least one of the plurality of storage devices. The cache memory includes a storage circuit in which a transistor including an oxide semiconductor layer is used.
US09235513B2	Cache management based on physical memory device characteristics A processor unit removes, responsive to obtaining a new address, an entry from a memory of a type of memory based on a comparison of a performance of the type of memory to different performances, each of the different performances associated with a number of other types of memory.
US09235509B1	Write amplification reduction by delaying read access to data written during garbage collection The various implementations described herein include systems, methods and/or devices used to enable write amplification reduction by delaying read access to data written during garbage collection. In one aspect, read access to a write unit to which data was written during garbage collection is delayed until a predefined subsequent operation has been completed.
US09235508B2	Buffer management strategies for flash-based storage systems Techniques are generally described related to a flash-based buffer management strategy. One example method to manage a buffer for a computer system may include maintaining a page-action list for monitoring a plurality of operations being executed on the computer system and utilizing a plurality of buffer pages of the buffer. An example page-action list may contain a hot-access queue for recently accessed buffer pages and a cold-access queue for less accessed buffer pages. The example method may also include, upon a determination that the buffer is full, identifying a victim buffer page from the plurality of buffer pages for eviction and evicting the victim buffer page from the buffer. The victim buffer page may be selected from the cold-access queue and based on a page weight, which is calculated based on a page state of the specific buffer page and a page hotness prediction for the specific buffer page might be accessed by an incoming operation.
US09235507B2	Memory management device and method According to one embodiment, a device includes a determination unit, compression unit, selecting unit, write updating unit, writing unit. The determination unit determines whether to compress write data based on specific information. The specific information including at least one of the type, number of accesses, access frequency and importance level of the write data. The compression unit compresses the write data when determining to compress the write data. The selecting unit selects a write region for the write data in nonvolatile memory based on the specific information. The write updating unit updates the specific information. The writing unit writes compressed write data into the write region when determining to compress the write data. The writing unit writes uncompressed write data into the write region when not determining to compress the write data.
US09235506B2	Methods and systems for marking data in a flash-based cache as invalid A storage device includes a flash memory-based cache for a hard disk-based storage device and a controller that is configured to limit the rate of cache updates through a variety of mechanisms, including determinations that the data is not likely to be read back from the storage device within a time period that justifies its storage in the cache, compressing data prior to its storage in the cache, precluding storage of sequentially-accessed data in the cache, and/or throttling storage of data to the cache within predetermined write periods and/or according to user instruction.
US09235505B2	Managing memory and storage space for a data operation Processing a plurality of data units to generate result information, includes: performing a data operation for each data unit of a first subset of data units from the plurality of data units, and storing information associated with a result of the data operation in a first set of one or more data structures stored in working memory space of a memory device; after an overflow condition on the working memory space is satisfied, storing information in overflow storage space of a storage device; and repeating an overflow processing procedure multiple times during the processing of the plurality of data units, the overflow processing procedure including: updating a new set of one or more data structures stored in the working memory space using at least some information stored in the overflow storage space.
US09235504B2	Prioritizing read-command issuance in a data storage apparatus According to one embodiment, a storage control apparatus includes an interface and a controller. The interface transfers data or a command to or from a nonvolatile memory including a storage area for each of banks. The controller controls read operations for the banks in accordance with generation of access requests to the banks, respectively. The controller prioritizes performing read-command issuance processing included in each of the read operations.
US09235502B2	Systems and methods for configuring non-volatile memory Systems and methods are disclosed for configuring a non-volatile memory (“NVM”). In some embodiments, each block of the NVM can include a block table-of-contents (“TOC”), which can be encoded (e.g., run-length encoded) and dynamically-sized. Thus, as user data is being programmed to a block, the size of a block TOC can be concurrently recalculated and increased only if necessary. In some embodiments, the NVM interface can use a weave sequence stored in the context information and at least one weave sequence associated with each page of a block to determine whether to replay across the pages of the block after system boot-up.
US09235499B2	System and method for identifying a character-of-interest A method of generating an output vector to identify a character-of-interest using a sparse distributed memory (SDM) module. The method includes obtaining a feature vector having a vector address. The feature vector is based on a character-of-interest in an acquired image. The method also includes identifying activated locations from hard locations by determining relative distances between the vector address and the stored vector location addresses. Stored content counters of the activated locations include first and second stored sub-sets of counters. The method also includes combining the counters of the first stored sub-sets of the activated locations using a first summation thread to provide a first combined sub-set of values. The method also includes combining the counters of the second stored sub-sets of the activated locations using a second summation thread to provide a second combined sub-set of values. The first and second summation threads are run in parallel.
US09235496B2	Domain centric test data generation A test data extraction and persistence technique that relies on a data domain based storage infrastructure is disclosed. In operation, a test data server receives a test data query that specifies selection parameters for selecting test data and any transformation operations to be performed on the test data. The test data server identifies domains associated with the selection parameters and traverses the tables in the database based on the identified domains to extract test data that satisfies the selection parameters. The test data server optionally performs transformation operations, such as masking operations, specified by the test data query on the extracted data. The identified domains are stored such that test data that satisfies the test data query may be extracted from the database repetitively without reevaluating the test data query each time.
US09235494B2	Automated code analyzer Systems, methods, and computer program products for analyzing source code are disclosed. The system includes a file reader module on a computer, a parser module on a computer, a metrics accumulator module, and a reporting engine on a computer. The file reader module may read an input source code file. The parser module may parse source code in the source code file into source code components. The metrics accumulator module may analyze the source code components in accordance with one or more rules to generate application metadata. The reporting engine may use the generated application metadata to generate a report of the analysis.
US09235491B2	Systems and methods for installing, managing, and provisioning applications Systems and methods are disclosed for provisioning resources for an application according to an application manifest. The resources may include database, network, and processing resources. The application manifest may be organized as a manifest tree with provisioned resources having their own application manifests for provisioning sub-resources. The application manifest may also define provisioning and de-provisioning of the application in response to loading of the application. Root cause analysis may be performed in accordance with the manifest tree. Also disclosed are systems and methods for rolling out an upgrade across a node cluster. Systems and methods are disclosed for routing traffic to different workflow paths in order to implement an overloaded path and evaluate performance of the overloaded path.
US09235480B1	Techniques for providing incremental backups Techniques for providing incremental backup restoration are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a computer implemented method for providing incremental backup restoration comprising setting one or more allocated electronic storage indicators each indicating an allocated portion of electronic storage, comparing the one or more allocated electronic storage indicators with one or more prior backups in reverse chronological order starting from a most recent backup and proceeding until all of the one or more allocated electronic storage indicators have been identified in the one or more prior backups, and restoring the one or more prior backups corresponding to the one or more allocated electronic storage indicators.
US09235479B1	Distributed file system having separate data and metadata and providing a consistent snapshot thereof Described are techniques for creating a snapshot of a distributed file system or a file thereof. The distributed file system includes metadata file systems storing metadata about files in the distributed file system and includes data file systems storing file content data. Quiescing is performed for requests affecting the distributed file system, or a file thereof, for which a snapshot is being created. A snapshot of metadata is obtained. For the distributed file system, this includes a snapshot of each metadata file system. For a file, this includes a snapshot of the file's metadata. A snapshot of file data is obtained. For distributed file systems, this includes a snapshot of each data file system. For a file, this includes a snapshot of the file's data. Unquiescing is performed for requests affecting the distributed file system, or the file thereof, upon successful completion of obtaining snapshots of metadata and file data.
US09235475B1	Metadata optimization for network replication using representative of metadata batch In one embodiment, in response to a list of a plurality of fingerprints representing data chunks to be replicated from a source storage system to a target storage system over a network, one of the fingerprints is selected as a representative fingerprint that matches selection criteria. The source storage system generates a fingerprint representation for each of the fingerprints that is smaller than the corresponding fingerprint. The representative fingerprint and the fingerprint representations are transmitted to the target storage system over the network, without transmitting all full fingerprints of the data chunks, to allow the target storage system identifying which of the data chunks are missing. In response to information received from the target storage system indicating one or more data chunks that are missing at the target storage system, the missing data chunks are then transmitted to the target storage system.
US09235474B1	Systems and methods for maintaining a virtual failover volume of a target computing system Some of the methods provided herein may include periodically revising a mirror of the target computing system, according to a predetermined backup schedule, the mirror being stored on the virtual failover volume resident on an appliance that is operatively associated with the target computing system, by periodically comparing the mirror to a configuration of the target computing system to determine changed data blocks relative to the mirror, storing the changed data blocks as one or more differential files in the virtual failover volume, and incorporating the changed data blocks into the mirror. In some embodiments, the systems and methods may be utilized to resparsify the virtual failover volume.
US09235473B2	Systems and methods for reliably managing files in a computer system Systems and methods allow for reliably and efficiently managing files stored on a data storage medium associated with a computer system such as a set-top box. The computer system manages a collection of metadata describing each of the files stored on the data storage medium in a memory during operation of the computer system. A current snapshot of the collection of metadata is periodically or otherwise stored to the data storage medium. Following a reboot of the computer system, the collection of metadata can be recovered to the memory from the snapshot of the collection of metadata stored on the data storage medium.
US09235472B2	Drive array apparatus, controller, data storage apparatus and method for rebuilding drive array According to one embodiment, a drive array apparatus includes a plurality of data storage drives constituting a drive array and a controller. The controller divides all data storage areas of each of the data storage drives into a plurality of logical unit areas and associates and manages each of the logical unit areas and each of the data storage drives. The controller identifies a logical unit area of an error occurrence object based on a notification from a data storage drive where an error occurred, restores data of the identified logical unit area, and performs reconfiguration processing of the drive array.
US09235471B2	Background initialization for protection information enabled storage volumes Technology is disclosed for performing background initialization on protection information enabled storage volumes or drives. In some embodiments, a storage controller generates multiple I/O requests for stripe segments of each drive (e.g., disk) of multiple drives of a RAID-based system (e.g., RAID-based disk array). The I/O requests are then sorted for each of the drives according to a pre-determined arrangement and initiated in parallel to the disks while enforcing the pre-determined arrangement. Sorting and issuing the I/O requests in the manner described herein can, for example, reduce drive head movement resulting in faster storage subsystem initialization.
US09235470B2	Adaptive EPWR (enhanced post write read) scheduling A system and method for adaptive enhanced post write reads (EPWRs) is provided. An error rate of a block of solid state memory may be determined. Foldings may be performed more times between two consecutive enhanced post write reads on the block when the determined error rate of the block is a lower value than when the determined error rate is a higher value. The foldings may be performed by folding data into the block of the solid state memory.
US09235468B2	Systems and methods to improve the reliability and lifespan of flash memory A method for controlling flash memory includes selecting a new forward error correction (FEC) parameter set that provides more redundancy than a current FEC parameter set. The method also includes coding source information bits, using the new FEC parameter set, during write operations to a first corrupted page in the flash memory. The method further includes mapping the first corrupted page and at least one additional corrupted page in the flash memory to a single logical page with an expected page size.
US09235465B2	Recursively determined invertible set approach to correct multiple stuck-at faults in rewritable memory Systems and methods are disclosed that facilitate storage and retrieval of data to/from memory with permanent faults. Permanent “stuck at” faults, associated with individual bits, interfere with Write operations. A memory bit with the SA-0 fault does not store the value “1” while a memory bit with the SA-1 fault does not store the value “0”. Hence, when later retrieved by a Read operation, stored data located on one or more bits having a permanent fault may be different from the data that was originally written. Techniques are disclosed that facilitate correct retrieval of data in the presence of “stuck at” faults by keeping track of the positions of the bits that are stuck at a value different from the ones that are written and then, at Read time, inverting the values read from those positions.
US09235463B2	Device and method for fault management of smart device There is provided a method of fault management of a smart device including comparing a value of a fault detection indicator (hereinafter referred to as ‘FDI’) in a normal state, which detects faults generated in the smart device, with respect to at least one performance indicator, with an FDI value observed in real time and detecting the faults by calculating a relative variation level of the observed values, and creating a diagnosis object (hereinafter referred to as ‘DO’) including a cause and a countermeasure of the detected fault and analyzing the fault.
US09235457B2	Proactively communicating information between processes through a message repository A method and apparatus for proactively communicating information between processes through a message repository is provided. To communicate with other processes, a process may post a message to a message repository. Other processes may, at regular or irregular intervals, search the message repository for new messages that have been posted to the repository since the last search, and retrieve those new messages. Processes may post and retrieve messages relative to the message repository by invoking methods provided by an application programming interface (API). By posting a message to the message repository, a particular process can inform other interested processes proactively of actions that the particular process has taken, is taking, or will take. By retrieving messages from the message repository, a process can determine what actions other processes have taken, are taking, or will take, and adjust accordingly.
US09235454B2	Method and server for generating a display and operating view for an operating and monitoring device of an industrial automation arrangement A method and a server for generating a display and operating view for an operating and monitoring device of an industrial automation arrangement, wherein after an event has been logged, information relating to the event and details of the identity or role of a user of the operating and monitoring device are transmitted to an entity, after which planned information relating to at least one component of the industrial automation arrangement affected by the event is retrieved from an engineering database using the event and specifically for the identity or role of the user, current state information is also retrieved from the at least one affected component, and finally the planned information and the state information is used to generate the display and operating view such that, the display and operating images are advantageously set up and activated in an event-controlled manner.
US09235453B2	Information processing system, information processing apparatus, and information processing method A disclosed information processing system includes a first apparatus including a storage unit storing types of events which occur in the first apparatus so as to be reported to an information processing apparatus via a network, and a sending unit sending, when one of the events stored in the storage unit occurs, event information of the event to the information processing apparatus; and the information processing apparatus including a delivery destination storage unit storing identification information of a second apparatus existing at a delivery destination of the event in the first apparatus, and a delivery unit sending the event information of the event to the second apparatus of which identification information is stored in the delivery destination storage unit when the event information is received by the information processing apparatus.
US09235449B1	Systems and methods for reducing contention for a software queue in a network element A network element has at least one receiver, a software queue, and at least one transmitter. A data path thread moves data packets from a receive queue of the receiver to the software queue, and a transmit driver moves data packets from the software queue to a transmit queue of the transmitter. A flow indicator associated with the software queue is controlled to indicate when at least one data packet remains in the software queue. A queue management thread polls the flow indicator to determine when the software queue should be accessed for ensuring that data packets do not remain in the software queue for extended time periods between data bursts.
US09235448B2	Systems and methods for batchable hierarchical configuration A centralized configuration of a Global Server Load Balancing (GSLB) site hierarchy may be batched across a plurality of appliances in a multi-site deployment. A single GSLB site hierarchy configuration may be distributed and operated on each appliance at each site. This reduces the configuration maintained for the multi-site deployment. Furthermore, in this manner, each appliance across multiple sites has an understanding of the entire topology of the multi-site deployment. Responsive to this configuration and understanding, each appliance may perform and optimize operations according to the site topology. For example, the appliances may selectively determine which sites to establish connections with in order to share metrics. In another example, appliances may select which remote sites to monitor services according to the topology.
US09235447B2	Extensible attribute summarization In one embodiment a method includes at first a network device, identifying an attribute of the first network device, selecting a function that defines how the attribute is to be summarized together with a same attribute of a second network device, generating a message that comprises a set of information comprising an identification of the attribute and the function, and sending the message to, e.g., a next higher node in a network hierarchy of which the network device is a part. Multiple such messages may be received at an aggregation node that then summarizes the attributes according to respective functions, and sends or publishes a summarized version of the attributes to a still next higher node in the network hierarchy.
US09235446B2	Parallel computing execution plan optimization The use of statistics collected during the parallel distributed execution of the tasks of a job may be used to optimize the performance of the task or similar recurring tasks. An execution plan for a job is initially generated, in which the execution plan includes tasks. Statistics regarding operations performed in the tasks are collected while the tasks are executed via parallel distributed execution. Another execution plan is then generated for another recurring job, in which the additional execution plan has at least one task in common with the execution plan for the job. The additional execution plan is subsequently optimized based at least on the statistics to produce an optimized execution plan.
US09235445B2	Process mapping parallel computing A method of mapping processes to processors in a parallel computing environment where a parallel application is to be run on a cluster of nodes wherein at least one of the nodes has multiple processors sharing a common memory, the method comprising using compiler based communication analysis to map Message Passing Interface processes to processors on the nodes, whereby at least some more heavily communicating processes are mapped to processors within nodes. Other methods, apparatus, and computer readable media are also provided.
US09235442B2	System and method for cloud enterprise services Novel methods and systems are provided for integrating multi-vendor cloud computing operations and architectures by using service-oriented orchestration to create a vendor and platform agnostic cloud computing framework. This approach aggregates core cloud computing functions including service provisioning, automating work flows, and data and usage monitoring across integrated services, thereby improving a data center's ability to execute operations quickly, under standardized protocols and with consistent quality of service.
US09235441B2	Optimizing energy use in a data center by workload scheduling and management Techniques are described for scheduling received tasks in a data center in a manner that accounts for operating costs of the data center. Embodiments of the invention generally include comparing cost-saving methods of scheduling a task to the operating parameters of completing a task—e.g., a maximum amount of time allotted to complete a task. If the task can be scheduled to reduce operating costs (e.g., rescheduled to a time when power is cheaper) and still be performed within the operating parameters, then that cost-saving method is used to create a workload plan to implement the task. In another embodiment, several cost-saving methods are compared to determine the most profitable.
US09235435B2	Direct memory access filter for virtualized operating systems Described techniques increase runtime performance of workloads executing on a hypervisor by executing virtualization-aware code in an otherwise non virtualization-aware guest operating system. In one implementation, the virtualization-aware code allows workloads direct access to physical hardware devices, while allowing the system memory allocated to the workloads to be overcommitted. In one implementation, a DMA filter driver is inserted into an I/O driver stack to ensure that the target virtual memory of a DMA transfer is resident before the transfer begins. The DMA filter driver may utilize a cache to track which pages of memory are resident. The cache may also indicate which pages of memory are in use by one or more transfers, enabling the hypervisor to avoid appropriating pages of memory during a transfer.
US09235433B2	Speculative object representation A method for optimizing code includes receiving, by a compiler and from an interpreter, a code section representation including an object allocation, compiling, by the compiler, the code section representation into machine code with a compact allocated object of the object allocation, and triggering a deoptimization returning execution to the interpreter in response to an attempted access of the compact allocated object. The method further includes setting, by the interpreter and within the code section representation, a flag indicating that a new compact allocated object is required at a location of the attempted access, receiving, by the compiler, the code section representation including the flag, compiling, by the compiler and according to the flag, the code section representation into new machine code including the new compact allocated object, and executing the new machine code with the new compact allocated object.
US09235431B2	Method and program for initiating a second service in dependency of a first service A method for initiating a second service in dependency of a first service using individually configured event-driven state-machines includes executing the first service in a first communication space; transmitting a first event to an operator unit in dependency of the first service; triggering a first event-driven state-machine of the operator unit by the first event; generating a second event by the first event-driven state-machine; transmitting the second event to at least one of the first communication space and a second communication space; and initiating the second service in the at least one of the first communication space and the second communication space by the second event.
US09235424B1	Managing the performance of a data processing system through visualization of performance metrics data via a cognitive map A method includes performing operations as follows on a processor: defining a bearing map having an axis corresponding to a first metric, the first metric being based on system management performance for a first defined time interval, defining an object sketch map corresponding to a second metric, the second metric being based on system management performance for a second defined time interval, and combining the bearing map and the object sketch map so as to generate a cognitive map. The cognitive map includes a data object having a position on the axis based on a first value for the first metric and an appearance based on a second value for the second metric.
US09235421B2	Systems, methods, and non-transitory, computer-readable media for performing image processing using controllers that perform distinct functions An image recording apparatus includes a first controller, a second controller, and a recording device. The first controller receives image data. The first controller transmits the image data to the second controller in response to receiving the image data. The second controller generates driving data based on the image data in response to receiving the image data. The recording device transmits a driving data transmission request to the first controller. The first controller transmits a driving data transmission instruction to the second controller in response to receiving the driving data transmission request from the recording device. The second controller transmits the driving data to the recording device in response to receiving the driving data transmission instruction from the first controller. The recording device records the image on the recording medium based on the driving data in response to receiving the driving data from the second controller.
US09235420B2	Branch target buffer for emulation environments Branch instructions are managed in an emulation environment that is executing a program. A plurality of entries is populated in a branch target buffer that resides within an emulated environment in which the program is executing. Each of the entries comprises an instruction address and a target address of a branch instruction of the program. When an indirect branch instruction of the program is encountered a processor analyzes one of the entries in the branch target buffer to determine if the instruction address of the one entry is associated with a target address of the indirect branch instruction. If the instruction address of the one entry is associated with the target address of the indirect branch instruction a branch to the target address of the one entry is performed.
US09235418B2	Register files for a digital signal processor operating in an interleaved multi-threaded environment A processor device includes a memory and a sequencer that is responsive to the memory. The sequencer supports very long instruction word (VLIW) type instructions and at least one VLIW instruction packet uses a number of operands during execution, The processor device further includes a plurality of instruction execution units responsive to the sequencer and a plurality of register files. Each of the plurality of register files includes a plurality of registers and the plurality of register files are coupled to the plurality of instruction execution units. Further, each of the plurality of register flies includes a number of data read ports and the number of data read ports of each of the plurality of register files is less than the number of operands used by the at least one VLIW instruction packet.
US09235410B2	Tracking software package dependencies using a graph model Methods and systems for generating a graph model associated with a software release. The methods and systems are configured to receive a software release including a set of software packages. The software release is parsed to identify modeling information including package information, package dependency information, and function dependency information associated with each software package in the set of software packages. A graph model is generated and stored which represents the modeling information, wherein the graph model comprises a package node for each software package in the set of software packages and a function node for each function in the set of software packages.
US09235407B1	Scoped settings for a programming environment A device is configured to execute a first program block associated with program code, and set a first value of a scoped setting associated with the first program block, the first value of the scoped setting controlling a manner in which a first algorithm is performed during execution of the first program block. The device is configured to detect a change in scope of the program code, the change in scope including execution of a second program block that is different from the first program block, and determine a relationship between the first program block and the second program block. The device is configured to set a second value of the scoped setting based on the relationship, the second value of the scoped setting controlling a manner in which a second algorithm, identified in the second program block, is performed during execution of the second program block.
US09235404B2	Firmware update system A firmware update system is described that collectively handles firmware updates for hardware resources of a computing device. The firmware update system may be configured to handle firmware updates in a consistent manner across different computing platforms/architectures. A data structure is defined to associate each updateable resource with a corresponding identifier to enumerate the updateable resources to the firmware update system. The firmware update system may reference the data structure to produce representations of the each individual resource that provide an operating system level abstraction through which detection, analysis, acquisition, deployment, installation, and tracking of firmware updates is managed. Using the representations, the firmware update system operates to discover available firmware updates collectively for the enumerated resources, match the updates to appropriate resources, and initiate installation of the updates.
US09235400B2	Method for operating a control device for controlling a technical installation A method for operating first or second control devices for controlling a technical installation with control data stored on a data medium in a predetermined format, wherein the control data is stored on the data medium in a first format such that this data can be processed directly for read/write operations by the first control device, during operation of the second control device first control data is converted into a second format such that the converted first control data can be processed directly for read/write operations by the second control device, and where second control data is converted during each access at runtime from the first format into a format that can be processed by the second control device, or the first control data is converted during each access at runtime from the second format into a format that can be processed by the first control device.
US09235397B2	Method and apparatus for increasing task-execution speed Provided are a method and apparatus for increasing task-execution speed, and, more particularly, a method and apparatus for increasing task-execution speed by compiling code to bytecodes, and executing native code in units of blocks instead of bytecodes, in which a block is a group of a series of bytecodes. The apparatus includes a receiving unit which receives a bytecode, a control unit which identifies whether the received bytecode is the last bytecode of a block, and a transmitting unit which transmits an address of a first native code of one or more native codes that correspond to one or more bytecodes included in the block based on the identification result.
US09235394B2	Method and system for code generation and inlining A method and system for code generation and inlining. The method includes: scanning a code, where the code includes a method; determining whether the method includes a branch if the method is too large in size to be inlined, where the branch is based on runtime types of argument; profiling runtime types of actual arguments at a call site in the method if the method includes the branch; generating a polymorphic inline cache (PIC) code from a plurality of arguments, where the plurality of arguments are based on a result of the profiling step; generating a specialized method for a frequently appearing combination of the runtime types of argument and arguments that can be invoked from the PIC code; and inlining body of the specialized method into the call site if the specialized method has a body size within a permissible range.
US09235393B2	Statically speculative compilation and execution A system, for use with a compiler architecture framework, includes performing a statically speculative compilation process to extract and use speculative static information, encoding the speculative static information in an instruction set architecture of a processor, and executing a compiled computer program using the speculative static information, wherein executing supports static speculation driven mechanisms and controls.
US09235388B2	Multi-dimensional, multi-configuration compilation phase output visualization technique Systems and methods of providing a visual output of a compilation phase is provided. An example method includes receiving input source code for compilation by a compiler and displaying a multi-dimensional coordinate system including first and second axes. The method also includes providing a first user interface object associated with the first axis and providing a second user interface object associated with the second axis. The first user interface object enables a user to select one or more compilation phases, and the second user interface object enables the user to select one or more compiler versions. The method further includes receiving via the first user interface object a user selection of a compilation phase and obtaining an output of the input source code compiled in accordance with the selected compilation phase. The method further includes displaying the output between two axes of the multi-dimensional coordinate system.
US09235386B2	Generating reusable software assets from distributed artifacts In general, techniques are described that facilitate the reuse of software assets within an enterprise. A software asset, as used herein, refers to a set of one or more related artifacts that have been created or harvested for the purpose of applying that asset repeatedly in subsequent development environments. A system, for example, is described that includes a repository to store artifacts, and an asset source to generate a software asset based on the artifacts. The system further includes an asset management system to receive the software asset from the asset source and store the software asset within an asset library. The system may further include a model having one or more elements, and an asset retrieval module to selectively retrieve a subset of the software assets from the asset library based on input from a user identifying one or more of the elements.
US09235383B2	Method and apparatus for code virtualization and remote process call generation A system and method for code virtualization and remote process call code on a user device. The method includes selecting a remote process on a remote server, the remote process correlated to at least one remote service, and receiving from at least one virtual code provider (VCP) on the remote server, a code snippet with parameters from pre-defined fields to call the remote process. The method installs a software development kit (SDK) downloaded from the remote server, onto the user device. The method inserts the code snippet based on the SDK into a local code base on the user device, and inserts parameter values into the code snippet and deploying the code snippet such that the code snippet calls the remote process with the SDK from the user device.
US09235381B2	Method and device for the programming and configuration of a programmable logic controller A method and device for the programming and configuration of a programmable logic controller are disclosed. The method can include: locating a configuration tool in a programming tool, wherein the configuration tool includes a module in an IEC61131 language; integrating at least one further module into the configuration tool, and executing the programming and configuration of the programmable logic controller in a high-level language using a C-Code editor, and wherein the at least one further module is configured to provide a definition of interfaces between an IEC61131 code and a high-level language code, and provide a configuration of the high-level language code.
US09235380B2	Software modeling framework A system and method for providing a software modeling framework which supports different types of dependency injection and other software modeling or software development frameworks, and which allows software developers to develop models that strategically layer different components for different implementations. A service provider interface (SPI) enables different DI frameworks to be incorporated into the system; while an application provider interface (API) enable machines or implementations to be constructed. Extenders can be modeled so that, for example a particular bundle requires a handler for a particular configuration manifest entry; while a particular module provides handling of that manifest entry.
US09235378B2	Vehicle damage detection system and method of manufacturing the same An impact detection and remediation system includes a sensing device for detecting damage events related to a structure of interest. Such damage events may include impact from a ballistic object, a tamper event, a physical impact, or other events that may affect structural integrity or cause failure. Illustratively, the sensing device is in communication with a measurement system to determine impact criteria, and a processing system which is configured to use the impact criteria to determine a direction of the initiation point of a ballistic causing the damage event.
US09235376B2	Electronic device, and control method and storage medium storing control program There is provided an electronic device that can execute a function using characters inputted during a telephone call, and a control method and a control program thereof. An application control unit inputs a character as an input character using an input control unit in a state where a call with a predetermined communication counterpart is continuing using a communication unit. When a predetermined function is selected after the input character is inputted with the input control unit, the application control unit executes a predetermined function in a state where the input character is inputted.
US09235373B2	Real-time management of content depicted on a plurality of displays The subject disclosure provides devices, methods, and computer readable programs for establishing a secure wireless connection among a plurality of displays thus forming a screen for purposes of depicting a larger version of a content. The formation of the screen may be initiated by a master display detecting a presence of a plurality of slave displays in the master display's vicinity and requesting permission to connect to the detected slave displays. Furthermore, provided are methods and computer-executable programs that may facilitate easier collaboration and exchange of the content among users, a real-time adjustment of the content displayed on the screen, as well as an easier depiction of 3-dimensional content on a screen created by arranging the plurality of displays in a 3-dimensional configuration.
US09235369B2	Mobile information processing terminal and method therefor, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for charging payment of unprinted portion of a print job The invention provides a system in which, in a case where an event requiring a user operation occurs on a mobile terminal side, a printer can continue the print processing even if the terminal is moved outside the range of short distance communication by paying in advance a print fee to the printer. When the printer receives a print job from the terminal using short distance wireless communication, it charges the terminal every time one paper sheet is printed. If the terminal receives an incoming call, it transmits an advance payment request for an unprinted portion to the printer so that printing is continued even if the terminal is moved outside the range of short distance wireless communication. Upon receiving the request, the printer performs charging according to an amount indicated by the request, and continues printing of the unprinted portion.
US09235365B2	Method for transmitting an enable signal to a client device when a printing device is available to execute an order The invention relates to a method for operating a network system (2) having at least one client device (4.1, 4.2), at least one management device (16) and at least one printing device (14), comprising: provision of a first order from the client device (4.1, 4.2) for execution by the at least one printing device (14), storage of the order in a memory device (10.1, 10.2) of the client device (4.1, 4.2), transmission of an order request from the client device (4.1, 4.2) to the management device (16), wherein the order of execution of orders is managed by the management device (16), transmission of requests from the client device (4.1, 4.2) to the management device (16) at first prescribable intervals of time to determine whether the printing device (14) is available for executing the order from the client device (4.1, 4.2), and transmission of an enable signal from the management device (16) to the client device (4.1, 4.2) in response to the request from the client device (4.1, 4.2) when the printing device (14) is available for executing the order from the client device (4.1, 4.2).
US09235363B2	Network system, interface board, method of controlling printing on an network system, and program A client terminal includes a web page acquisition unit that acquires from a web application server a web page embedding a print control script that operates on a web browser and controls printing related to the web page, a display unit that displays the acquired web page as a displayed web page, a drawing process unit that accepts an input operation on the displayed web page and draws a result of the input operation in a specific drawing area, a print data generation unit that generates print data by converting image data written in the drawing area to a form enabling processing by a printer according to the print control script as a result of a print operation performed on the displayed web page, and a print command unit that commands the printer to print the print data according to the print control script.
US09235360B2	Printing system, server for distributing print job, method for resubmitting print job, and computer-readable storage medium for computer program A printing system includes a registration portion configured to, when a print job to print an image onto a sheet of paper is executed after specified conditions are modified, store attribute data containing a user identifier and a job identifier into a storage portion, the user identifier being for identifying a user who has given a command to execute the print job, the job identifier being for identifying the print job; a determining portion configured to, when the user identifier is entered, determine whether or not the print job corresponding to the job identifier of the attribute data containing the user identifier can be executed in accordance with the conditions; and a re-execution portion configured to, when the determining portion determines that the print job can be executed in accordance with the conditions, execute the print job once again.
US09235359B2	Print service provider risks applied to decision making A system that generates risk values for a print service provider. The print service provider may calculate probabilities of an event occurring, calculate the effect that the given event will have on the print service provider, and determine various risks associated with calculations. These risks may then be utilized to determine overall operational strategies for the print service provider when compared to threshold risk levels for the print service provider.
US09235356B2	System and method for in-place data migration Methods and systems for the in-place or post-facto migration of data to a cloud-based data storage service or other virtual storage environment, include a Cloud Storage Import Utility (CSIU) device having a file selection module and configured to generate a user interface. The user interface allows a storage administrator to select one or more files, file folders, or shares to be published to the cloud and optionally migrated from a current storage device to another storage service, and for providing an indication of the selection. The CSIU is configured to capture metadata for the selected files or file folders. The CSIU also provides one or more commands understandable by the cloud-based data storage service, to migrate the metadata to the cloud-based data storage service independently of the files or file folders, so that they are usable by the cloud-based storage service without being moved to the cloud-based storage service.
US09235355B2	Reverse mirroring in raid level 1 Disclosed is a reverse mirroring RAID Level I system and method that decreases read access times. By recording mirrored data in a mirrored disk in a reverse order, spindle access time for data to be read from either the primary disk or the mirrored disk is reduced. As such, overall performance of the reverse mirroring technique is increased.
US09235351B2	Selective interfacing apparatus and method An optical disc drive, and a method of driving the optical disc drive are provided. Where the optical disc drive has a connectivity or a compatibility with a host that is incompatible with the optical disc drive, a file system and device information accepted by the host are provided. The host may have a compatibility with limited external medium devices and a specific command set for data exchange. The optical disc drive and the method of driving the optical disc drive may transmit compatible information to the host and select the specific command set accepted by the host, so that the optical disc drive is compatible with the host.
US09235348B2	System, and methods for initializing a memory system Systems and methods for initializing a memory system are provided. One system includes a processor and a memory including a storage volume coupled to the processor. The storage volume includes a first bitmap for tracking an initialization process for the storage volume and a second bitmap for tracking a copying process for the storage volume. A method includes performing, via the processor, an initialization process for the storage volume and tracking, via the processor utilizing the first bitmap, the initialization process. The method further includes performing, via the processor, a copying process for the storage volume prior to completing the initialization process and tracking, via the processor utilizing the second bitmap, the copying process. Also provided are computer storage mediums including computer program code for performing the above method.
US09235347B2	System, method and computer program product for synchronizing data written to tape including writing an index into a data partition A system, method and computer program product for synchronizing data written to tape with improved data recovery. When writing data to tape, an index is kept in memory and updated to reflect change(s) to a file system mounted on tape. After a predetermined amount of data is written to a tape, a device may perform a sync operation, causing the index to be written into a data partition of the tape. If the sync operation is successful, the index in the index partition of the tape can be updated using a copy of the index in the data partition of the tape next time the tape is mounted. If the sync operation is not successful, the device may write the data to a different location on the same or another tape, update the index, and force another sync operation. This process can be repeated.
US09235346B2	Dynamic map pre-fetching for improved sequential reads of a solid-state media Described embodiments provide a solid-state drive (SSD) including a media controller and a solid-state media. A control processor of the media controller determines a logical address, a transfer size, and map data based on the logical address and transfer size, associated with a read request received from a host device. Based on the logical address and a sequential zone defined based on one or more previous read requests, the control processor determines whether the received read request is a sequential read. A map data pre-fetch size is adjusted based on the transfer size of the received read request and whether the received read request is a sequential read. A corresponding portion of the map data is transferred from the solid-state media to a map cache coupled to the control processor, the transferred portion having a size equal to the adjusted map data pre-fetch size.
US09235344B2	Identifying redundant data for disk image streaming Redundant data in a streaming disk image is identified using commands to indicate unused disk blocks, such as TRIM/UNMAP commands. A TRIM/UNMAP layer is added between an operating system and a disk driver to support the use of TRIM/UNMAP commands. Using the TRIM/UNMAP layer, blocks of a streamed disk image that are unallocated by the operating system are identified. The identified unallocated blocks are streamed to a server for analysis and storage.
US09235339B2	Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and recording medium An information processing apparatus, method, and recording medium which acquire movement trace information and automatically determine a division point for dividing the movement trace information based on an analysis result of the movement trace information. Optionally a movement trace track is generated from the movement trace. Various criteria used for how the division points are generated include using distance and time; altitudes; repeated track; mode of transportation; and lapse of data, for example.
US09235338B1	Pan and zoom gesture detection in a multiple touch display Systems and methods of zooming and panning an image on a multi-touch enabled computing device are provided. The difference in the mean absolute deviation of consecutive move events is used to determine the scaling factor to apply, and the translation of centroids of consecutive move events is used to determine the pan gesture to apply.
US09235331B1	Systems and methods for providing sales content In one aspect, a method for providing sales content that can include displaying a home page using a computing device such as a tablet computer is disclosed. The home page can include a meeting page element and content area elements. The meeting page element can link to at least one meeting presentation page. Content area elements can link to at least one content selection page which can include one or more selection controls. Selection controls can correspond to a respective content portion and can have a state indicating the selection status of the corresponding content portion. If one of the selection controls has the “selected” state, the processing circuitry can add the respective content portion, and a content portion element, which can be linked to the respective content portion, to the meeting presentation page. The electronic display of the computing device can be used to display a meeting presentation page.
US09235330B2	Computer implemented methods and apparatus for dynamic windowing in user interfaces Disclosed are implementations of methods, systems, and computer program products for displaying a personalizable links presentation. In some implementations, a server provides link data identifying a plurality of links comprising a first link linked with a first identifiable portion of content of a page and a second link linked with a second identifiable portion of the content of the page. The user interface has a first state in which a first view of the page of content is displayed, with the links presentation being displayed in a designated region of the user interface. The user interface is updatable from the first state to a second state in which a second view of the page of content different from the first view is displayed. Responsive to a selection of the first link, the server updates the user interface to the first state.
US09235329B2	System and method for cursor-based application management A system and method of managing applications and event notifications using a cursor-based GUI, wherein the cursor-based GUI is located adjacent to the cursor and provides a user with the ability manage and monitor a plurality of dynamically updated applications, commands and event notifications via a persistent and centralized interface. Since the cursor-based GUI is persistent in nature, the plurality of applications, commands and event notifications can be accessed regardless of the user's computer environment. The user can manage user authentication requirements and other configuration information for the cursor-based GUI.
US09235327B2	Applying contextual function to a graphical user interface using peripheral menu tabs A computing device displays a set of graphical user interface (GUI) elements each having a respective transparent portion positioned over all or part of an underlying GUI element, which displays underlying content. Each set of GUI elements includes a respective set of peripherally located menu tabs and each menu tab includes a respective set of icons including a first icon corresponding to the first menu tab of a first GUI element. Each selected icon affects content that is displayed in a corresponding transparent portion, including the underlying content displayed within the underlying GUI element that is within the corresponding transparent portion. The computing device receives input selecting the first icon and in response applies a first modification to the content displayed within a first transparent portion which corresponds to the first GUI element and includes the underlying content that is within the first transparent portion.
US09235325B2	Persona chooser Systems and methods described herein are directed to persona management within a user's single and unified online identity, including defining a plurality of personas for a single identity, the single identity comprising a plurality of personal attributes, associating each of the defined personas with at least one of the plurality of personal attributes, separating the plurality of personas associated with the single identity based on the at least one of the plurality of personal attributes, selecting one of the personas to use in an online interaction with an online application, and controlling access of the online application to the associated at least one of the personal attributes, based on whether the selected one of the plurality of personas corresponds to the online application.
US09235324B2	Touch interpretation for displayed elements A machine-implemented method for processing touch elements of an application of a device is provided. The method includes receiving application data associated with the application, the application data providing for the touch elements, each of the touch elements comprising an activation area configured to receive a user input and to trigger at least one function of the application upon receiving the user input. The method further includes determining, from the application data, that plural ones of the touch elements are for display in a group in the application; and classifying, in response to the determining, each of the touch elements of the group into two or more categories based on the application function of the touch element. The method further includes defining a size of the activation area for at least one of the touch elements based on the classification.
US09235321B2	Animation sequence associated with content item In one embodiment, a method includes displaying a first content item on a screen of a computing device, the first content item occupying the entire screen and comprising an icon representing a second content item; and in response to a first user input, displaying a first animation sequence depicting the icon opening up to reveal the second content item, the second content item eventually replacing the first content item and occupying the entire screen. In one embodiment, the method further includes in response to a second user input, displaying a second animation sequence depicting the second content item closing down and returning to the icon included in the first content item, the second content item eventually disappearing from the screen.
US09235320B2	Phantom image data bank (3D) The invention relates to the generation of phantom images on the basis of an image data bank (10), comprising a plurality of first image data elements, wherein each first image data element displays a facial section of a human face in a first view/perspective, and wherein the image data bank (10) comprises a corresponding second image data element for each first image data element such that the second image data element displays, at least in part, the same facial section of the same human face in a second view/perspective. The user thereby selects a first image data element (26a) of a first facial section of a human face and a first image data element (26b) of a second facial section of a human face. The selected first image data elements are graphically displayed in a first display region (22) of a graphic user interface. Furthermore, the second image data elements (28a, 28b) corresponding to the selected first image data elements are identified, and are graphically displayed in a second display region (24) of the graphic user interface.
US09235313B2	Efficient motion estimation for remote desktop sharing This disclosure relates to systems and methods for estimation of motion in a frame as compared to a reference frame based upon knowledge of windows in the frame and reference frame.
US09235310B2	Apparatus to detect dual gesture on a resistive screen A resistive touch screen controller provides two-finger gesture recognition. Current mirror circuitry, coupled to the XP/XN and YP/YN conductors, generates a screen current IL corresponding to X/y plate currents, and a corresponding mirror current IL/N. A variable resistor receives mirror current IL/N, and a resistance controller sets the resistance value R1 of the variable resistor, and monitors a variable resistor voltage VR1 based on IL/N*R1. A processor determines calibration voltages for the X and Y plates corresponding to the mirror current IL/N for X/Y voltage values of VR1 for a no touch condition, and X/Y offset voltages VOFS and HOFS of VR1 for a two touch condition. For a two touch condition, the processor determines touch resistance relative to no touch, and generates an adjusted X/Y plate resistance ΔX/ΔY based on VOFS/HOFS, and based on X/Y, determines a distance and angle between the two touches.
US09235306B2	Operating and display device for a domestic appliance, and domestic appliance The invention relates to an operating and display device (11) for a domestic appliance, comprising operating means for setting at least one parameter of an operating process of the domestic appliance, a light conductor part (24, 34) for conducting light, a plurality of function symbols (13, 14, 15), which each symbolize a respective selectable value of the parameter, and a lighting device (47) for backlighting the function symbols (13, 14, 15), by means of which lighting device the function symbol (13, 14, 15) associated with the presently selected value of the parameter can be optically distinguished from the other function symbols (13, 14, 15), wherein the operating means are designed as touch-sensitive operating means and have a touch-sensitive actuation surface (16), which is arranged such as to overlap with the function symbols (13, 14, 15) and thus the value of the parameter associated with one of the function symbols (13, 14, 15) can be selected by touching the actuation surface (16) in an overlap area (17) that overlaps with one of the function symbols (13, 14, 15).
US09235301B2	Touch-control method for liquid display device and touch-controllable liquid crystal display device A touch-control method for a liquid crystal display device, includes: switching from a display mode to a touch-control mode; determining whether there is a touch made by an object or whether there is an input made by an active pen; in the case where there is the input made by the active pen, starting an active pen detecting sub-mode in which an X-axis direction common electrode of the liquid crystal display device is defined as an X-axis direction receiving electrode, and a Y-axis direction common electrode or a signal electrode is defined as a Y-axis direction receiving electrode; and determining a position or an action of the active pen according to amplitudes of signals of the X-axis direction receiving electrode and the Y-axis direction receiving electrode. A touch-controllable liquid crystal display device is further provided.
US09235298B2	Transparent capacitor with multi-layer grid structure A transparent capacitor apparatus includes a first transparent substrate including a first patterned conductive layer having a first conductive material located over the first transparent substrate; a dielectric layer located over the first patterned conductive layer; a second patterned conductive layer including a second conductive material located over the dielectric layer, wherein the second pattern is different from the first pattern; and a second transparent substrate located over the second patterned conductive layer. Portions of the first conductive material of the first patterned conductive layer overlap portions of the second conductive material of the second patterned conductive layer. The overlapping portions of the first and second conductive materials form matching patterned electrical conductor(s) having spatially matching conducting and non-conductive areas, the non-conductive areas of the first and second patterned conductive layers having encapsulated coalesced conductive material structures.
US09235297B2	Capacitive sensing apparatus and method applied to touch screen using the capacitive sensing apparatus A capacitive touch screen sensing apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a protecting layer; a sensing layer under the protecting layer for sensing a touch to generate a position signal; and a DC common voltage signal layer electrically connected with a DC voltage for shielding against signal interferences.
US09235293B2	Optical touch device and touch sensing method An optical touch device includes an indication plane, two image sensing units and a processing unit. The two image sensing units are disposed at two corners of the indication plane diagonal to each other, respectively, and the two corners define a diagonal line connected therebetween. The processing unit is electrically connected to the two image sensing units. When two touch points are performed on the indication plane, the processing unit determines whether the two touch points are located at opposite sides of the diagonal line, respectively, according to images sensed by the two image sensing units. Once the two touch points are located at opposite sides of the diagonal line, respectively, the processing unit calculates and outputs coordinates of the two touch points immediately according to the images sensed by the two image sensing units.
US09235292B2	Interactive projector system and method An interactive image projecting device that projects an image onto a display surface and controls the projected image based upon movement of the image projecting device or the detection of another image. The image projecting device includes a projector that generates an image from a control unit. The device includes a position indicating emitter that generates a position indicator and an image sensor that is operable to detect the position indicator from either the device including the image sensor or a position indicator from another device. Based upon the sensed position indicator from another device, the control unit operates to modify the image projected from the device such that the image from a first device can interact with an image from a second device. The first and second devices each have a wireless transceiver such that the devices can communicate with each other during operation.
US09235287B2	Touch panel apparatus and touch panel detection method A touch panel apparatus includes a detector configured to detect contact or approach of an object to a panel within a detection range of the panel, a controller configured to execute the detection on the entire panel and control the detection range in accordance with a result of the detection, and an output unit configure to determine and output a position corresponding to the contact or the approach of the object within the detection range controlled by the controller.
US09235281B2	Touch-sensitive device with protection function and protection method A method for protecting a touch-sensitive device includes: switching the touch-sensitive device from a normal mode to a protection mode when a preset operation is exerted; determining whether a touch operation is exerted after the touch-sensitive device enters the protection mode, and further determine whether a duration of the touch-sensitive device in the protection mode exceeds a preset time interval; comparing a touch size of the touch operation with a preset size when the duration of the touch-sensitive device in the protection mode exceeds the preset time interval; and generating an alarm signal when the touch size is less than the preset size. A related touch-sensitive device is also provided.
US09235279B2	Wake up method and optical input device using the same An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides a wake up method and an optical input device using the same. The method includes the following steps. A first image is captured and set as a reference frame when the optical input device enters a sleep mode. A second image is captured and set as a compare frame while the optical input device operates in the sleep mode. The second frame is further being compared with the reference frame to generate a histogram difference. Subsequently, whether a peak histogram value of the histogram difference is less than a predetermined threshold is determined. When the determined that the peak histogram value is less than the predetermine threshold, configures the optical input device to operate in an active mode.
US09235272B1	User interface A method includes receiving a first input through a hands-based input device. A prompt is then output, and input responsive to the prompt may be received through either of a hands-based input device or a hands-free input device. Responsive to receiving a second input through a hands-free input device, a determination that the second input is responsive to the prompt may be made, an operation based on the second input may be performed, and cessation of the output of the prompt may occur.
US09235269B2	System and method for manipulating user interface in vehicle using finger valleys A method for manipulating a user interface within a vehicle using finger valleys includes receiving, by a controller, a captured image and detecting finger valleys from the captured image. In addition a hand gesture is recognized by the controller using the finger valleys and a vehicle equipment operation that corresponds to the recognized hand gesture is selected. Accordingly, the passenger is able to manipulate a vehicle steering wheel with one hand and look forward while operating many in-vehicle electronic devices with simple motions of the other hand, thereby improving passengers' convenience and driving safety.
US09235268B2	Method and apparatus for generating a virtual interactive workspace An approach is provided for creating a virtual workspace among devices based, at least in part, on location information. The virtual workspace corresponds to an application or a service common to the devices. Monitoring of the movement of one or more of the devices causes manipulation of the virtual workspace, the application, the service, or a combination thereof based, at least in part, on the movement. Example applications and services include media editing, media playback, image processing, social networking, and social control functionality.
US09235267B2	Multi touch with multi haptics Methods and systems for processing touch inputs are disclosed. The invention in one respect includes reading data from a multi-touch sensing device such as a multi-touch touch screen where the data pertains to touch input with respect to the multi-touch sensing device, and identifying at least one multi-touch gesture based on the data from the multi-touch sensing device and providing an appropriate multi-haptic response.
US09235264B2	Method and system for organizing electronic messages using eye-gaze technology Organizing messages received and transmitted over a network is described. In one aspect, a method includes tracking where a user is gazing as the user is composing an outgoing message on a first computer system; during a composition time period in which the user is composing the message, determining a number of times the user's gaze dwells on a displayed message after the user's gaze is directed away from the message, determining a relevance rating for the gaze areas, each gaze area associated with one of the messages based on the number of times the user's gaze dwells on the associated message; identifying, based on at least one of the relevance ratings, at least one displayed message that is related to the outgoing message; and associating with the outgoing message an identifier for at least one of the at least one displayed message that is related to the outgoing message.
US09235261B2	Tri-axis foot controller A novel control device for a personal computer which is manipulated by a user's feet. The control device is intuitively manipulated by application of the appropriate pressure to the control device via two pedals for the user's feet. At any one time, the control device may be manipulated such that the control device moves in three distinct directions: the device pivots forwards or backwards, rotates left or right, and dips to the left or to the right. For each movement in a distinct direction, the control device generates an input for a personal computer.
US09235259B2	Method for detecting audio ticks in a noisy environment A method for detecting, in an audio signal including a stream of audio samples (y(n), (y′(n)), ticks in a noisy environment, comprises the steps of applying the signal to a coarse tick detection processor arranged to decide whether it is likely that the signal includes a tick and, only then, enabling a fine tick detection processor to decide, by more thorough processing the audio signal, whether the audio signal represents an audio tick. The coarse processing step preferably includes buffering audio samples (y(n), (y′(n)), determining the maximum and minimum values of each sample, forming their local range, delaying the local range with one or more samples and comparing the difference between the actual local range and the delayed local range with a threshold value (Tc), and, if the difference exceeds the threshold value, outputting a trigger (nc) for enabling the fine detection processor The fine processing step preferably includes buffering audio samples (y(n), (y′(n)), computing, for each buffer content (Bp(n,m)), a Fast Fourier Transformed buffer content (Ec(ω,m)), determining the difference (Fc(ω,m)) between the resulting frequency components, comparing the difference (Fc(ω,m)) to the content of a previously trained fingerprint set (F(ω,m)) and calculating a correlation coefficient (p(Fc,F)) between them, comparing the correlation coefficient to a threshold value (TP) and, if the correlation coefficient exceeds the threshold value, outputting a signal indication the presence of a tick in the audio signal.
US09235257B2	Apparatus, systems and methods for modifying operating states based on monitored HDMI CEC communications Systems and methods provide control of operating states of an electronic device. A first exemplary electronic device detects a consumer electronic control (CEC) communication sent from a second electronic device to a third electronic device, the CEC communication communicated over high-definition multimedia (HDMI) connectors communicatively coupling the first electronic device, the second electronic device and the third electronic device; determines, based on information in the CEC communication, whether the CEC communication is one of a first kind of CEC communication or a second kind of CEC communication; in response to determining that the CEC communication is one of the first kind of CEC communication, transitions the first electronic device to a predefined operating state; and in response to determining that the CEC communication is one of the second kind of CEC communication, maintains the first electronic device in a current operating state.
US09235253B2	Control system for power control A power control system for saving power by powering on enough application servers to satisfy the current load workload as well as any required reserve capacity based on administrative settings is disclosed. As the load increases, more servers are powered on. As the load decreases some servers are powered off. The power control system provides a reasonable end user experience at the least cost based on power consumption of the servers.
US09235251B2	Dynamic low power mode implementation for computing devices The aspects enable a computing device or microprocessor to determine a low power mode that provides the most system power savings by placing selected resources in a low power mode while continuing to function reliably, depending upon the resources not in use, acceptable system latencies, dynamic operating conditions (e.g., temperature), expected idle time, and the unique electrical characteristics of the particular device. Aspects provide a mechanism for determining an optimal low power configuration made up of a set of low power modes for the various resources within the computing device by determining which low power modes are valid at the time the processor enters an idle state, ranking the valid low power modes by expected power savings given the current device conditions, determining which valid low power mode provides the greatest power savings while meeting the latency requirements, and selecting a particular low power mode for each resource to enter.
US09235239B2	Flexible display with display support A display system includes a continuous flexible display and two main display supports being hingeable with respect to each other between a closed storage position and a planar configuration for fixing the flexible display in an open position. At least one additional display support supports a segment of the flexible display located between the said respective portions of the flexible display in the open position. This additional display support is movable with respect to the display segment between a non-operational position and a support position when the two main display supports are moved between the storage position and the planar position, such that in the open position substantially the whole surface of the display is supported by the respective display supports.
US09235235B2	Slide device having a multi constraint function A slide device includes a first body, a second body and a constraint mechanism. The constraint mechanism includes a linkage set disposed on the second body, and a first hook and a second hook respectively disposed on the first body. The linkage set includes a first rod disposed on a first side of the second body, a second rod disposed on a second side of the second body, a first bar disposed between the first rod and the second rod, and a second bar disposed between the first rod and a third side of the second body. The first hook is for hooking a hole on the first rod, and the second hook is for hooking holes on the first rod or the second rod.
US09235232B2	All-weather enclosure for flat panel displays A lightweight, weatherproof, protective enclosure for flat panel displays comprising a containing element in the form of an open, shallow rectangular prism with a regular network of shallow reinforcing depressions formed in its outer surface and a substantially transparent planar viewing element hingedly connected to the containing element such that when the viewing element is closed over, and sealed to, the containing element the protective enclosure forms a lightweight, monocoque structure with enhanced structural rigidity.
US09235228B2	Direct current link circuit An electronic circuit for converting power from a floating source of DC power to a dual direct current (DC) output is disclosed. The electronic circuit may include a positive input terminal and a negative input terminal connectible to the floating source of DC power. The dual DC output may connectible to the input of an inverter. A positive output terminal connected to the positive input terminal of the inverter and a negative output terminal and a ground terminal which may be connected to the input of the inverter. A series connection of a first power switch and a second power switch connected across the positive input terminal and the negative input terminal. A negative return path may include a first diode and a second diode connected between the negative input terminal and the negative output terminal. A resonant circuit may connect between the series connection and the negative return path.
US09235222B2	Hybrid regulator with composite feedback A hybrid voltage regulator includes a shunt circuit, a shunt feedback circuit, a pass circuit, and a bias controller. The bias controller is configured to control the pass circuit. The hybrid voltage regulator may also include a current source. This hybrid voltage regulator reduces current consumption at low load conditions (improving power efficiency and battery life, particularly for CMOS based regulators), and also provides wideband power supply rejection and fast transient response.
US09235212B2	Conflict resolution based on object behavioral determination and collaborative relative positioning Using distributed positioning, collaborative behavioral determination, and probabilistic conflict resolution objects can independently identify and resolve potential conflicts before the occur. In one embodiment of the invention, interactive tags and other sensor resources associated with each of a plurality of objects provide among the objects relative positional data and state information. Using this information each object develops a spatial awareness of its environment, including the positional and action of nearby objects so as to, when necessary, modify its behavior to more effectively achieve an objective and resolve potential conflicts.
US09235209B2	Display system for graphic representation of alarm reports of a technical plant or technical process A display system includes a processing device for graphic representation of alarm reports from measured values of a technical plant or process. Measurement points of the measured values each respectively have a hierarchically structured identifier held in the processing device. The processing device decomposes the hierarchically structured identifiers into hierarchical levels of different significance, selects the identifiers of the hierarchical levels with the highest significance, and transmits them to a preconfigured mass alarm display unit. The identifiers of the hierarchical levels with the highest significance can be assigned to a correspondingly identified area within an overview image of the plant or process of the preconfigured mass alarm display unit. The alarm reports which are generated from the measured values can be represented graphically, taking into account the generated assignment of the identifier of the measurement points to the correspondingly identified area within the overview image of the plant or process.
US09235204B2	Method for establishing a secure connection from a service technician to a component of an automation environment that can be remotely diagnosed and/or maintained and is experiencing failure A method for establishing a secure connection from a service technician to a component of an automation environment that can be remotely diagnosed and/or maintained and is experiencing failure. A service certificate is required for establishing the secure connection, wherein a secure initial connection is first established to the automation environment by the service technician using a one-time password. With the initial connection, a service certificate required for establishing the secure connection to the component of the automation environment experiencing the failure is subsequently transmitted from the automation environment to the service technician. The secure connection from the service technician to the component experiencing the failure is then established by means of the service certificate. The invention further relates to an automation environment that is suitable for carrying out a method of said kind.
US09235203B1	Mobile device audio playback This disclosure is directed to providing audio playback to a mobile device user. According to one aspect of this disclosure, a mobile device may be to modify audio playback in response to detecting an inclination of the mobile device (and thereby a user) with respect to a reference plane. According to another aspect of this disclosure, a mobile device may be configured to automatically identify an audible sound that may be motivational to a user, and store an indication of the audible sound in response to the identification. According to another aspect of this disclosure, a mobile device may automatically play back a previously identified motivational song in response to detection of user movement.
US09235194B2	Elapsed time indicator An elapsed time indicator (2), comprises an activator arrangement (25) comprising a fluid reservoir (20) and a conduit (22) configured to provide a predetermined flow rate of fluid (21) along the conduit (22). The elapsed time indicator (2) further comprises a visual display arrangement (18) configured to change appearance on exposure to the fluid (21). The conduit (22) connects the fluid reservoir (20) to the visual display arrangement (18). The activator arrangement (25) is configured to release fluid (21) from the fluid reservoir (20) in response to an activation event to permit the fluid (21) to flow.
US09235187B2	Removal device and image forming apparatus A removal device includes a scraping member extending in a crossing direction that crosses a movement direction in which a cleaning object moves, the scraping member scraping waste off a surface of the cleaning object at a contact portion of the scraping member that is in contact with the surface; and a pair of sealing members disposed on both outer sides of the scraping member in the crossing direction and sealing the both outer sides by contacting the surface. Each of the sealing members includes a protruding portion that protrudes beyond the contact portion upstream in the movement direction of the cleaning object. The protruding portion has a slit that extends diagonally from an edge of the protruding portion outward in the crossing direction and upstream in the movement direction, the edge facing inward in the crossing direction.
US09235181B2	Fixing device including fixing belt, detected member co-rotated with fixing belt and rotation detecting part detecting rotation of detected member and image forming apparatus including the same A fixing device includes a fixing belt, a pressuring rotation body, a drive source, a heat source, detected members, rotation detecting parts, a storing part and a controlling part. The storing part stores standard condition for occurrence difficulty of a slip between the fixing belt and detected members co-rotated with rotation of the fixing belt. The controlling part stops heating of the fixing belt by the heat source on a condition that both rotation detecting parts do not detect the rotation of the detected members within a first time when the drive source rotates the fixing belt in a situation unsatisfying the standard condition. The controlling part stops the heating on a condition that at least one of the rotation detecting parts does not detect the rotation of the detected members within a second time when the drive source rotates the fixing belt in a situation satisfying the standard condition.
US09235176B2	One-way clutch, driving transmission unit, fixing device, and image forming apparatus In the present invention, a one-way clutch has an input gear, a planet gear provided in the input gear, an output gear, a stopper wall. When the input gear rotates in the backward direction, the stopper wall is separated from the planet gear. Wherein any one of the planet gear and the input gear has a boss being coaxial with the center of the other of the planet gear and the input gear, and the other of the planet gear and the input gear has a groove in an elongated hole shape which the boss fits in. When the input gear rotates in the forward direction, the boss slides to one end of the groove, and the planet gear is wedged between the stopper wall and the inner teeth. When the input gear rotates in the backward direction, the boss slides to the other end of the groove so that the planet gear separates from the locking member.
US09235171B2	Fixing device having heating portion with rigidity adjusting portions and image forming apparatus Provided is a fixing device including a heating unit that includes a circularly moving heating belt, and a pressurizing roller that presses an external face of the heating belt, the fixing device fixing a toner image on a sheet onto the sheet by nipping the sheet between the heating belt and the pressurizing roller and by heating and pressurizing the sheet transported with the toner image being held.
US09235168B2	Image heating apparatus An image heating apparatus includes an endless belt for heating a toner image on a sheet in a nip. An inner surface of the belt is coated with a lubricant. The apparatus also includes a lubricant; a driving roller cooperative with the belt to form the nip, an urging member provided inside the belt to urge the belt toward the roller, a first regulating portion for regulating the position of the belt and configured to be abutted by one end edge of the belt, a first heat sink provided on the first regulating portion to cool the first regulating portion, a second regulating portion for regulating the position of the belt and configured to be abutted by the other end edge of the belt, and a second heat sink provided on the second regulating portion to cool the second regulating portion.
US09235157B2	Developing device having developing roller, layer thickness regulation blade and seal member A developing device including a housing, a developing roller rotatably provided to the housing, a layer thickness regulation blade contacting the developing roller, and a seal member arranged between the housing and each end of the developing roller, wherein the layer thickness regulation blade includes a blade main body extending along an axial direction of the developing roller, and a blade rubber part protruding from a surface of the blade main body facing the developing roller and contacting the developing roller, wherein an end surface of the blade rubber part in the axial direction is in contact with an inner end surface of the seal member in the axial direction, and wherein a suppression part configured to suppress a strength of flow of the developer is provided at a corner part between the blade rubber part and the seal member.
US09235153B2	Electrostatic image developer An electrostatic image developer having little change in charge amount, no generation of fog and excellent environmental stability under all of low temperature and low humidity environment, normal temperature and normal humidity environment, and high temperature and high humidity environment is provided. Disclosed is an electrostatic image developer comprising a colored resin particle containing a binder resin and a colorant, and an external additive, wherein the external additive contains an alumina fine particle in plate-like shape subjected to a hydrophobicity-imparting treatment having a number average primary particle diameter of 20 to 120 nm and an aspect ratio of 3 to 15, and a content of the alumina fine particle is in the range from 0.05 to 1 part by mass with respect to 100 parts by mass of the colored resin particle.
US09235152B2	Toner and method for producing the same There is provided a toner, including toner mother particles which contain a binder resin, a colorant, and a wax, wherein a difference between a density of the wax in a solid state and a density of the wax in a liquid state is not less than 0.11 g/cm3; the density of the wax in the liquid state is not more than 0.835 g/cm3; and a heat quantity of the wax per unit mass which is obtained from an endothermic peak area at a low temperature side measured by a differential scanning calorimetry is not less than 190 mJ/mg.
US09235151B2	Magnetic toner A magnetic toner containing: magnetic toner particles containing a binder resin and a magnetic body; and inorganic fine particles, as described in the specification, present on the surface of the magnetic toner particles. A coverage ratio A of the magnetic toner particles' surface by the inorganic fine particles, as described in the specification, and a coverage ratio B of the magnetic toner particles' surface by the inorganic fine particles each of which is fixed to the magnetic toner particles' surface, as described in the specification, have prescribed values and a prescribed relationship in the magnetic toner. The alumina fine particles and/or titania fine particles are present on the surface of the magnetic toner particles as described in the specification.
US09235150B2	Magnetic one-component developing toner A magnetic one-component developing toner including a plurality of toner particles is provided. Each of the plurality of toner particles contains a binder resin including a polyester resin; and a magnetic powder. Water absorptions of the toner and the magnetic powder shown in an environment of 10° C. and 20% RH and in an environment of 28° C. and 80% RH respectively fall in predetermined ranges.
US09235147B2	Alcohol-soluble hole transport materials for organic photoconductor coatings An alcohol-soluble organic coating including a hole transport material formed on a surface of organic photoconductor is provided. The coating comprises a cationic alternate fluorene-based copolymer with phosphonium salt terminal groups embedded in an in-situ cross-linked polymer.
US09235145B2	Electrophotographic photoreceptor, process cartridge, and image forming apparatus An electrophotographic photoreceptor includes a conductive substrate, and a photosensitive layer provided on the conductive substrate, and an outermost surface layer of the electrophotographic photoreceptor is constituted with a polymerized product or crosslinked product of a composition including at least one selected from reactive compounds represented by the formulae (I) and (II) and a non-reactive charge transporting material, a content of the non-reactive charge transporting material in the composition is from 5% by weight to 40% by weight based on the weight of the outermost surface layer, and a content of the unreacted reactive compound in the outermost surface layer after forming the outermost surface layer is 3% by weight or less based on the weight of the outermost surface layer.
US09235141B2	Inspection apparatus and method for measuring a property of a substrate An inspection apparatus measures a property of a substrate including a periodic structure. An illumination system provides a beam of radiation with an illumination profile including a plurality of illuminated portions. A radiation projector projects the beam of radiation onto the substrate. A detector detects radiation scattered from the periodic structure and separately detects first order diffracted radiation and at least one higher order of diffracted radiation of each of the illuminated portions. A processor determines the property of the substrate from the detected radiation. The plurality of illuminated portions are arranged such that first order diffracted radiation arising from one or more of the illuminated portions are not overlapped by zeroth order or first order diffracted radiation arising from any other of the illuminated portions. Furthermore, the plurality of illuminated portions are arranged such that first order diffracted radiation arising from the one or more of the illuminated portions are overlapped by at least one of the higher orders of diffracted radiation arising from any other of the illuminated portions.
US09235139B2	Exposure method, substrate stage, exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method An exposure apparatus exposes a substrate by projecting a pattern image onto the substrate through a liquid. The exposure apparatus includes a projection optical system by which the pattern image is projected onto the substrate, and a movable member which is movable relative to the projection optical system. A liquid-repellent member, at least a part of a surface of which is liquid-repellent, is provided detachably on the movable member, the liquid-repellent member being different from the substrate.
US09235137B2	Illumination optical unit for microlithography An illumination optical unit includes a collector mirror which produces a polarization distribution that is applied to the first faceted optical element during the operation of the illumination optical unit. There are at least two first facet elements to which radiation having a differing polarization is applied. The first faceted optical element has at least one first state in which the normal vectors of the reflective surfaces of the first facet elements are selected so that a first predetermined polarization distribution results at the location of the object field during the operation of the illumination optical unit.
US09235132B2	Large-mesh cell-projection electron-beam lithography method A lithography method based on the projection of cells, notably direct-write electron-beam lithography. One of the main limitations of the methods of this type in the prior art is the writing time. To overcome this limitation, according to the method of the invention, the size of the cells is increased to the maximum aperture of the lithography device. Advantageously, this size increase is obtained by modifying the size of the apertures of the projection stencil level closest to the substrate to be etched. Advantageously, a strip is added to the outside of the block to be etched onto which is radiated a dose calculated to optimize the process energy latitude. Advantageously, this strip is spaced apart from the edge of the block to be etched. Advantageously, the projected cells are not adjoining.
US09235131B2	Optical imaging device with image defect determination An optical imaging device, including an imaging unit and a measuring device. The imaging unit includes a first optical element group having at least one first optical element, which contributes to the imaging. The measuring device determines an imaging error, which occurs during the imaging, using a capturing signal. The measuring device includes a measurement light source, a second optical element group and a capturing unit. The measurement light source emits at least one measurement light bundle, The second optical element group includes an optical reference element and a second optical element, which guide the measurement light bundle onto the capturing unit, to generate the capturing signal. Each second optical element has a defined spatial relationship with a respective one of the first optical elements, The second optical elements differ from the first optical elements. The measuring device determines the imaging error with the capturing signal.
US09235128B2	Forming patterns using crosslinkable reactive polymers Various patterning methods utilize certain crosslinkable reactive polymers comprise -A- and -B- recurring units, arranged randomly along a backbone. The -A- recurring units comprise pendant aromatic sulfonic acid oxime ester groups that are capable of providing pendant aromatic sulfonic acid groups upon irradiation with radiation having a λmax of at least 150 nm and up to and including 450 nm. The -A- recurring units are present in the reactive polymer in an amount of up to and including 98 mol % based on total reactive polymer recurring units. The -B- recurring units comprise pendant groups that provide crosslinking upon generation of the aromatic sulfonic acid groups in the -A- recurring units. The -B- recurring units are present in an amount of at least 2 mol %, based on total reactive polymer recurring units.
US09235125B2	Methods of providing patterned chemical epitaxy templates for self-assemblable block copolymers for use in device lithography A method of forming a patterned chemical epitaxy template, for orientation of a self-assemblable block copolymer including first and second polymer blocks, on a surface of a substrate, the method including applying a primer layer of a primer composition to the surface, the primer composition including a first polymer moiety having a chemical affinity with the first polymer blocks and a second polymer moiety having a chemical affinity with the second polymer blocks, selectively exposing the surface, the primer layer and any overlying layer to actinic radiation to provide exposed and unexposed regions, to render labile the first polymer moiety in the exposed region, and removing the labile first polymer moiety from the exposed region to deplete the primer layer surface in the exposed region of first polymer moiety to form the patterned chemical epitaxy template.
US09235123B2	Resist composition and resist pattern forming method A resist composition includes a high-molecular weight compound having a constituent unit (a0) represented by a general formula (a0-1), an acid generator component (B) which generates an acid upon exposure, and a photodegradable base (D1) which is decomposed upon exposure to lose acid diffusion controlling properties, and a mixing ratio of the component (D1) to the component (B) is 0.5 or more in terms of a molar ratio represented by (D1)/(B). In the formula (a0-1), R represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, or a halogenated alkyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms; Ya01 represents a single bond or a divalent linking group; X01 represents a sulfur atom or an oxygen atom; and Ra01 represents an optionally substituted cyclic group, an optionally substituted chain alkyl group, or an optionally substituted chain alkenyl group.
US09235121B2	Photosensitive resin composition, photosensitive film, permanent resist and method for producing permanent resist The present invention provides a photosensitive resin composition comprising an (a) component: an acid-modified epoxy resin, a (b) component: a photopolymerizable monomer having an ethylenically unsaturated group, a (c) component: a photopolymerization initiator, a (d) component: an epoxy resin, and an (e) component: an inorganic filler, wherein the (a) component comprises an acid-modified bisphenol novolak type epoxy resin and further the photosensitive resin composition satisfies a predetermined condition, and provides a photosensitive film, a permanent resist and a method for producing a permanent resist using the same.
US09235120B2	Negative actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition, resist film using the same, resist-coated mask blanks, resist pattern forming method, and photomask As a negative actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition capable of forming a pattern excellent in sensitivity, resolution and pattern profile and reduced in line edge roughness (LER), scum and development defect, a negative actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition comprising (A) a polymer compound containing (a) a repeating unit capable of generating an acid upon irradiation with an actinic ray or radiation and (b) a repeating unit having a phenolic hydroxyl group, and (B) a crosslinking agent, is provided.
US09235116B2	Actinic-ray- or radiation sensitive resin composition, actinic-ray- or radiation-sensitive film therefrom and method of forming pattern According to one embodiment, an actinic-ray- or radiation-sensitive resin composition includes a compound (P) containing at least one phenolic hydroxyl group and at least one group with a phenolic hydroxyl group whose hydrogen atom is replaced by any of groups of general formula (1) below.
US09235114B2	Reflective mask and method for manufacturing the same A reflective mask includes a substrate and a multilayer reflective film formed on the substrate. An absorption pattern is formed on the multilayer reflective film. A recess is formed in the multilayer reflective film in a peripheral region of the absorption pattern.
US09235113B2	Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method Embodiments of a drain in a lithographic projection apparatus are described that have, for example, a feature which reduces inflow of gas into the drain during a period when no liquid is present in the drain. In one example, a passive liquid removal mechanism is provided such that the pressure of gas in the drain is equal to the ambient gas pressure and in another embodiment a flap is provided to close off a chamber during times when no liquid needs removing.
US09235108B2	Projection system A projection system includes a light source, an imaging unit, a control unit, a storage unit, and a projecting unit. The light source applies light beam having a predetermined wavelength. The imaging unit captures a subject to which the light beam is applied. The control unit generates image data for projection based on the captured image. The storage unit stores plural pieces of figure information each representing image data of an object having a predetermined figure. The projecting unit projects a projection image onto the subject. The control unit selects figure information from the stored figure information, based on a degree of similarity with an image of a captured region responding to the light beam. The control unit generates the image data for projection such that an image including a figure indicated by the selected figure information is projected onto the region responding to the light beam.
US09235107B2	Camera module and method for assembling the same Disclosed are a camera module and a method for assembling the camera module, the camera module including a cover part having an opening formed therein and a lens guide formed in the opening to prevent removal of a lens to an outside, a lens mounted to the opening of the cover part, and a back cap coming into close contact with the lens and mounted to the opening.
US09235105B2	Tunable optical frequency converter based on a phase modulator The present invention provides a tunable optical frequency converter based on a phase modulator, which comprises a laser, a first optical isolator and a circulating frequency shift module. Said circulating frequency shift module is composed of an optical coupler, a phase modulator, an optical amplifier, a second optical isolator, a first optical circulator, an optical fiber Bragg grating, a second optical circulator, a tunable filter and a tunable attenuator. Light outputted by said laser is inputted to said circulating frequency shift module to conduct frequency converting repeatedly after passing through the first optical isolator, and then separated by a tunable filter and a second optical circulator, then the frequency converted light is outputted from the port of the circulating frequency shift module. The frequency converter provided in the present invention has a compact volume and fewer optical components, which means it is easy to be integrated, a big frequency converting range, a high frequency converting efficiency and a high output power.
US09235104B2	Tunable optical frequency converter based on an amplitude modulator The present invention provides a tunable optical frequency converter based on an amplitude modulator, which comprises a laser, a first optical isolator, a circulating frequency conversion module. Said circulating frequency conversion module is composed of an optical coupler, an amplitude modulator, an optical amplifier, a second optical isolator, a first optical circulator, an optical fiber Bragg grating, a second optical circulator, a tunable filter and a tunable attenuator. Light outputted by said laser is inputted to said circulating frequency conversion module to conduct frequency converting repeatedly after passing through the first optical isolator, and then separated by a tunable filter and a second optical circulator, then the frequency converted light is outputted from the port of the circulating frequency conversion module. The frequency converter provided in the present invention has a compact volume and fewer optical components, which means it is easy to be integrated, a big frequency converting range, a high frequency converting efficiency and a high output power.
US09235102B2	Apparatus to manipulate colloidal particles in a bistable medium A device for manipulating colloidal particles in a bistable medium, the device includes a microcontroller, which stores a color and/or design scheme for a bistable medium, and a mechanism for changing the bistable medium from a first state to a second state.
US09235101B2	Optical source An integrated optical device and method for generating photons by manipulating path entanglement is provided. An integrated optical splitter splits pump light between two interferometer arms wherein each arm comprises a substantially identical photon pair source configured to be able to convert at least one pump light photon into a signal and idler photon pair. An integrated optical combiner device in optical communication with a first and a second optical output path interferes light from the first and second arms and outputs the signal and idler photons by bunching the signal and idler photons together in one of the optical output paths, or anti-bunching the signal photon in one output path and the corresponding idler photon in the other optical output path.
US09235084B2	Liquid crystal display device and manufacturing method thereof A liquid crystal display device including a liquid crystal display device that includes a first alignment film and a second alignment film that are provided on opposing face sides of a pair of substrates and a liquid crystal layer provided between the first alignment film and the second alignment film and that includes liquid crystal molecules with negative dielectric constant anisotropy, wherein the first alignment film includes a compound in which a first polymer compound that includes a cross-linked functional group or a polymerized functional group as a side chain is cross-linked or polymerized, the second alignment film includes a compound in which a second polymer compound is cross-linked or polymerized, and a pretilt is conferred on the liquid crystal molecules by cross-linking or polymerizing the first polymer compound by the first alignment film and vertically aligning the liquid crystal molecules by the second alignment film.
US09235082B2	Light emitting diode package, method of fabricating the same, and display apparatus having the same A light emitting diode package, a method of fabricating the same, and a display apparatus having the same are provided. The light emitting diode package includes a light emitting diode, a quantum dot layer, a band pass filter, disposed in a housing. The light emitting diode emits light of a first color. The quantum dot layer includes a plurality of quantum dots disposed on the light emitting diode to absorb a portion of the light emitted by the diode, and then emit light of a second color. The band pass filter is disposed on the quantum dot layer and has a first pass band corresponding to the light emitted from the diode and a second pass band corresponding to the light emitted from the quantum dots.
US09235078B2	Curvature adjustment structure of curved liquid crystal display device The present invention provides a curvature adjustment structure of a curved liquid crystal display device, which includes: a backplane (1) and at least one bracing assembly (3) fixedly mounted to the backplane (1). Each bracing assembly (3) includes a first bracing member (31) in contact engagement with the backplane (1), a second bracing member (33) opposite to the first bracing member (31) and distant from the backplane (1), and a cooling chip array (35) arranged between the first and second bracing members (31, 33). The cooling chip array (35) includes a plurality of cooling chips (2). Each of the cooling chips (2) includes a heat absorption surface (22) and an opposite heat dissipation surface (24). The heat absorption surface (22) and the heat dissipation surface (24) of each of the cooling chips (2) are respectively in engagement with the first and second bracing members (31, 33), whereby through energizing the cooling chip array (35), the first and second bracing members (31, 33) are respectively caused to undergo thermal expansion and contraction to achieve curving and deformation of the bracing assembly (3) so as to forcibly change the curvature of the backplane (1).
US09235073B2	Display device and television reception apparatus A display device includes a display device main body including a display panel provided on a circumferential portion thereof with an electrode unit and a dummy electrode unit, a chassis housing the display device main body, a source driver FPC configured to be electrically connected to the electrode unit and supply an electric signal to the display panel, and a flexible fixing board connected to the dummy electrode unit and fixed to the chassis.
US09235068B2	Static electro-optical phase shifter having a dual pin junction A semiconductor electro-optical phase shifter may include a first optical action zone having a minimum doping level, a first lateral zone and a central zone flanking the first optical action zone along a first axis, doped respectively at first and second conductivity types so as to form a P-I-N junction between the first lateral zone and the central zone. The phase shifter may include a second optical action zone having a threshold doping level, and a second lateral zone flanking the second optical action zone with the central zone along the first axis doped at the first conductivity type so as to form a P-I-N junction between the second lateral zone and the central zone.
US09235066B2	Optical modulator An optical modulator that includes a substrate 1 composed of a material having an electro-optical effect, an optical waveguide 2 formed in the substrate, and a modulation electrode 3 for modulating lightwaves propagating through the optical waveguide, in which output light L2 that is output from the optical waveguide is guided with an optical fiber, wavelength dispersion characteristics of the optical fiber transmission line are compensated for by performing polarization reversal 10 of the substrate along the optical waveguide with a predetermined pattern so that the substrate along the optical waveguide has waveform distortion with characteristics that are inverse to the wavelength dispersion characteristics of the optical fiber transmission line, and the compensation for the wavelength dispersion characteristics is adjusted to a predetermined level by disposing an adjustment member made of a dielectric material or a metal material in the vicinity of the modulation electrode.
US09235064B2	Digital eyewear Improved eyewear is disclosed. The eyewear comprises a frame member and a lens. The eyewear also includes circuitry within the frame member for enhancing the use of the eyewear. A system and method in accordance with the present invention is directed to a variety of ways to enhance the use of eyeglasses. They are: (1) media focals, that is, utilizing the eyewear for its intended purpose and enhancing that use by using imaging techniques to improve the vision of the user; (2) telecommunications enhancements that allow the eyeglasses to be integrated with telecommunication devices such as cell phones or the like; and (3) entertainment enhancements that allow the eyewear to be integrated with devices such as MP3 players, radios, or the like.
US09235056B2	Three-dimensional image display device A three-dimensional image display device is provided which enables viewing an image displayed on a screen of an image display device as a three-dimensional image having a compact structure. The three-dimensional image display device which three-dimensionally displays an image displayed on the screen of an image display device using a mirror device includes a main body case for accommodating an image display device, and a minor device supported in a rear part of the main body case. A plurality of mirrors are rotatably supported on the mirror device in parallel at predetermined intervals in the depth direction, and when a three-dimensional image is displayed, the mirror device rotates about a shaft toward opening from the main body case so that the plurality of mirrors are supported at a predetermined angle toward a viewer relative to the screen of the image display device, and reflects the image displayed on the screen of an image display device toward the viewer.
US09235046B2	Low-voltage MEMS shutter assemblies This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for providing relatively thinner and less stiff compliant beams for a shutter assembly. A protective coating is deposited and patterned over the shutter assembly before it is released from a sacrificial mold over which the shutter assembly is formed. Because some primary surfaces of the compliant beams are in contact with the sacrificial mold, these primary surfaces are not coated with the protective coating. Therefore, when the shutter assembly is finally released, the resulting compliant beams are relatively thinner and less stiff providing a reduction in an actuation voltage used to operate the shutter assembly. In some instances, the protective coating is patterned into discontinuous segments before release.
US09235040B2	Biological sample image acquiring apparatus, biological sample image acquiring method, and biological sample image acquiring program A biological sample image acquiring apparatus includes: an objective lens magnifying a region of a biological sample; an imaging device imaging the region magnified by the objective lens; a movement controller moving the focus of the objective lens in the thickness direction of the target region of the biological sample and moving the image of the region, which magnified by the objective lens to be imaged onto an imaging device, in an in-plane direction; and a biological sample image acquiring unit acquiring a biological sample image of the region by exposing the imaging device to light while the movement controller is moving the image of the region.
US09235038B1	Tube lens with long front tube length within optical system for digital pathology A tube lens includes a singlet and a doublet with a long front tube length between a lens stop and the tube lens. The front tube length is 1.0 to 1.5 times an effective focal length of the tube lens. The front tube length provides sufficient space for an optical platform, a folding mirror, and a telescope. The telescope rotates between a 2× mode with front and back doublets and a 1× mode with a clear aperture. The field angle of the tube lens is 4.0 degrees. Specific glass types correct the lateral color in a system for digital pathology with a white LED and a color CCD sensor. The system for digital pathology further includes an objective lens with a numerical aperture at 0.50-0.55, and a Kohler illumination system with a numerical aperture of critical illumination at 0.75-0.85 times the numerical aperture of the objective lens.
US09235032B1	Photographing optical lens, image capturing device and electronic device A photographing optical lens includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens element, a second lens element, a third lens element, a fourth lens element, a fifth lens element and a sixth lens element. The first lens element has positive refractive power. The second lens element, the third lens element, and the fourth lens element have refractive power. The fifth lens element with negative refractive power has an aspheric object-side surface and an aspheric image-side surface being concave in a paraxial region thereof. The sixth lens element with negative refractive power has an aspheric object-side surface being concave in a paraxial region thereof and an aspheric image-side surface being concave in a paraxial region thereof, wherein the image-side surface thereof has at least one inflection point. The photographing optical lens further includes a stop located between an object and the second lens element.
US09235031B2	Wide-angle image taking lens system A wide-angle image taking lens system includes an aperture stop and an optical assembly including: in order from an object side to an image side: first, second, third, fourth and fifth lens elements, the system has a total of five lens elements with refractive power, wherein Abbe numbers of the first and fifth lens element are V1, V5, a distance along an optical axis between the first and second lens element is T12, a central thickness of the first lens element is CT1, focal lengths of the system, second and third lens elements are f, f2, f3, maximum effective diameters of an object-side surface of the first lens element and an image-side surface of the fifth lens element are CA11, CA52, satisfying: 1.5
US09235028B2	Imaging lens and imaging apparatus including the imaging lens An imaging lens substantially consists of, in order from an object side, five lenses of a first lens that has a positive refractive power and is convex toward the object side, a second lens that has a negative refractive power, a third lens, a fourth lens that has a positive refractive power, and a fifth lens that has a negative refractive power and has an object side surface and an image side surface which have aspheric shapes. Further, the imaging lens satisfies predetermined conditional expressions.
US09235026B2	Optical instrument An optical instrument comprises a ring member which is arranged to be rotatable with respect to a lens barrel, and also to slide in an optical axis direction, a movement mechanism for slide movement of the ring member to a first position or a second position in the optical axis direction, an encoder that generates signals in accordance with a rotation operation of the ring member, a slide position determination section for determining positional change accompanying slide movement to the first position or the second position by the movement mechanism, and a control section for performing determination of the signals from the encoder to switch the display operation, and prohibiting switching of the display operation when the slide position determination section has determined a positional change accompanying the slide operation.
US09235025B2	Imaging optical system and image pickup apparatus including the same An imaging optical system includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens unit having a positive refractive power, a second lens unit having a negative refractive power, an aperture stop, and a third lens unit having a positive refractive power. The second lens unit moves toward the image side during focusing from a far object to a near object. The third lens unit includes, in order from the object side to the image side, two lenses having concave surfaces that face each other with a largest air gap in the third lens unit provided therebetween, and a positive lens. A focal length of the entire imaging optical system and a focal length of the second lens unit are appropriately set.
US09235024B2	Lens barrel A lens barrel comprises an outer frame and an inner frame. The lens barrel has a first state, a second state, and a third state during operation in which the outer frame and the inner frame rotate relatively. In the first state, a first cam follower is guided by a first cam. In the second state, the first cam follower is guided by the first cam, and a second cam follower is guided by a second cam. In the third state, the second cam follower is guided by the second cam. In the third state, at least part of the first cam follower enters a space formed by a recess portion or a hole portion.
US09235021B2	Optical fiber / electrical composite cable assembly with sealed breakout kit A cable breakout kit has a cable portion, an inner wall portion and a furcation portion with at least one fiber port. The cable portion and the furcation portion are dimensioned to couple with one another, enclosing a furcation area. The inner wall portion is coupled to the furcation portion and a fiber bundle of the cable, enclosing a fiber area within the furcation area; the fiber area is coupled to the at least one fiber port. An assembly including a cable with a fiber and an electrical conductor utilizes a transition housing to pass the fiber and conductor to respective furcation tubes, isolated from one another.
US09235013B1	Low-profile optical transceiver connector receptacle An optical communications module includes a receptacle with a stop member. The receptacle has a keyway and a latchway. The keyway is configured to receive and guide a body of the connector plug in a direction along a keyway axis. The latchway is defined by a total flexure range of the flexible latch arm between a fully flexed state and a fully relaxed state. The latchway is configured to receive and guide the flexible latch arm through a range of movement having a directional component perpendicular to the keyway axis. The stop member extends from a wall of the receptacle into the latchway. The stop member is configured to restrain the flexible latch arm in a latched state between the fully flexed state and the fully relaxed state.
US09235010B2	Robust optical crimp connector An optical connector with a cable gland dimensioned for coupling with a body includes a crimp seat with a shoulder dimensioned larger than a bore of the cable gland. A duplex shell is dimensioned to retain a pair of optical connectors; the duplex shell provided with a crimp support. The crimp seat and the crimp support are dimensioned to receive a crimp ferrule and a connect crimp ferrule, respectively, thereover, for securing yarns of an armored cable within the optical connector.
US09235008B2	Optical connector and optical module having the same Disclosed herein is an optical module including: an optical element mounted on a substrate; and an optical connector mounted corresponding to the optical element so as to change a path of an optical signal of the optical element and transfer the optical signal having the changed path. The optical module may provide various communication performances using an optical connector in which first and second connector parts are optically coupled stably to each other. Particularly, the optical module does not have a silicon optical bench (SiOB) as a medium, thereby making it possible to reduce a thickness of a product.
US09235006B2	Optical channel monitor Described herein is an optical channel monitor (100), including a plurality of input ports in the form of optical fibers (102) disposed in a vertical “port displacement” dimension. Each fiber (102) inputs a respective optical beam (103) having a plurality of individual wavelength channels. A lens (104) collimates each beam and converges the beams in the port displacement dimension to a focal plane (105). The collimated and converged beams are incident onto a rotatable micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) mirror (106), which selectively directs each optical beam onto a wavelength dispersion element in the form of a grism (108) at a predetermined angle (denoted by φ) in a horizontal “dispersion” plane. The grism (108) spatially separates, in the dispersion plane, the wavelength channels contained within each optical beam (103) by diffraction. The angle at which each channel is diffracted is controlled by the angle φ.
US09235000B2	Optical semiconductor apparatus An optical semiconductor device includes a silicon oxide layer configured to be formed on a substrate; an optical waveguide part configured to be formed on the silicon oxide layer; a cladding layer configured to be formed covering the optical waveguide part; and a semiconductor laser configured to be disposed on the substrate. Laser light emitted from the semiconductor laser enters the optical waveguide part. The optical waveguide part increases transmittance of light when the wavelength becomes greater within an oscillation wavelength range of the semiconductor laser.
US09234999B2	System and method for making distributed measurements using fiber optic cable A method for determining the physical location of a fiber optic channel in a fiber optic cable comprises the steps of a) providing at least one location key having a known physical location, b) establishing the location of the location key with respect to the fiber optic channel, and c) using the location information established in step b) to determine the physical location of the channel. The location key may comprises an acoustic source, a section of fiber optic cable that is acoustically masked, or at least one magnetic field source and step b) comprises using a Lorentz force to establish the location of the magnetic field source with respect to the fiber optic channel.
US09234996B2	Display device and television device having holding member A liquid crystal display device includes an LED, a liquid crystal panel, a light guide plate, a chassis, a frame, a board attachment member, an LED board, and a holding member. The chassis is arranged on an opposite side of the light guide plate from the liquid crystal panel. The frame is arranged on a display surface side of the liquid crystal panel and in contact with the chassis. The frame and the chassis hold the liquid crystal panel, the LED, and the light guide plate therebetween. The board attachment member is mounted on the chassis and spaced apart from the frame. The LED board is in contact with the board attachment member and includes the LED mounted on a plate surface thereof. The holding member sandwiches the board attachment member and the LED board so as to hold the LED board to the board attachment member.
US09234992B2	Optically variable device with diffraction-based micro-optics, method of creating the same, and article employing the same A security device includes an optically variable device (OVD) having diffraction-based micro-optics including at least one moiré magnified visual representation of a micro-object. A diffractive structure provides micro-objects with unique optical effects when the OVD is viewed through the micro-object structure from a predetermined relative observation point. In addition to magnifying the micro-objects, the diffractive structure can impart optical effects such as change in observed color, enhanced contrast, animation of the observed visual representation, and change in size or shape of the observed visual representation. The micro-objects and the diffractive structure can be disposed on the same or different portions of a substrate. A method of making OVDs, and an article employing such OVDs are also disclosed.
US09234991B2	Highly compliant resonant diffraction gratings, and methods and use thereof Highly-compliant polymer-based resonant diffraction gratings, and methods of use thereof, are provided. In one illustrative embodiment, an amount of pressure applied to a grating surface may be determined by straining a grating, adapted to move into a plurality of pitches, to an applied pitch in the plurality of pitches in response to an application of strain onto a surface adjacent the grating. Electromagnetic radiation comprising a plurality of wavelengths may be applied to the grating, and a resonance wavelength, in the plurality of wavelengths, may be identified while the strain is applied to the grating. The amount of strain applied to the grating surface may then be determined based on the resonant wavelength.
US09234984B2	Photochromic composition A photochromic composition, which can function as an adhesive layer for bonding optical sheets made from a polycarbonate resin, may include a polyurethane-urea resin (A) obtained by reacting a polyol compound (A1), a polyisocyanate compound (A2) that has two or more isocyanato groups in the molecule, and an amino-containing compound (A3) that contains two or more isocyanato-reactive groups in the molecule, with at least one of the isocyanato-reactive groups being an amino group; and a photochromic compound (B).
US09234983B2	Rain sensor A rain sensor equipped to a transparent substrate includes a light emitter emitting irradiation lights toward the transparent substrate, light receivers receiving reflected lights of the irradiation lights being reflected on the transparent substrate, a defining section defining an incident angle of each reflected light with respect to each light receiver, and a detection section detecting rainfall amount based on signals output from the light receivers. The light emitter emits the irradiation lights toward an irradiation region defined on the transparent substrate. The irradiation region is divided into multiple detection regions. The detection regions correspond to respective light receivers. The defining section defines the incident angle of each reflected light reflected on the detection region such that each reflected light enters corresponding light receiver. The detection section detects the rainfall amount based on the signals output from the light receivers corresponding to the irradiation regions.
US09234982B2	Aircraft systems and methods for displaying weather information along a flight path A display system for an aircraft is provided. The system includes a processing unit configured to receive weather information associated with a flight path of a flight plan and to generate display commands based on the weather information. The flight plan includes a first waypoint associated with a first altitude. The system further includes a display device coupled with the processing unit and configured to receive the display commands and to display symbology representing the weather information. The weather information includes first weather information for the first altitude and second weather information at a second altitude, different from the first altitude.
US09234980B2	Mining systems and methods The present invention provides systems and methods capable of improving the efficiency and effectiveness of leaching operations. In one embodiment, the present invention may utilize a coiled tubing directional drilling system capable of treating interior portions of the heap/formation. In one embodiment, the present invention may utilize a system and method capable of capturing real time temperature and resistivity data pertaining to pregnant solution characteristics in the heap/formation. In one embodiment, the present invention may utilize one or more wire line deployed X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) spectrometers capable of quantitatively measuring concentrations of desired metals in the heap/formation during leaching operations. In one embodiment, the present invention utilizes multiple passes of elemental capture spectroscopy logs acquired at regular time intervals to monitor metal concentrations during leaching operations. In one embodiment, the present invention provides one or more subsurface barriers capable of optimizing leaching operations.
US09234979B2	Wide activation angle pinch sensor section In an aspect, a pinch sensor is provided, comprising: an elongate non-conductive casing enclosing first, second, and third elongate conductive electrodes; the first and second electrodes being separated by a portion of the casing, a capacitance between the first and second electrodes changing when an obstacle approaches the first electrode to provide a proximity indication of the obstacle to the pinch sensor; and, the second and third electrodes being separated by an air gap formed in the casing, a resistance between the second and third electrodes changing when the second and third electrodes come into contact upon compression of the casing by the obstacle to provide a contact indication of the obstacle with the pinch sensor.
US09234976B2	Device and method for removal of multiples from seismic data vintages A method, an apparatus and a computer readable medium for generating an image of a subsurface based on seismic data corresponding to at least two different times, for a same surveyed area are provided. A cost function, which is a sum over the seismic data vintages of a norm of differences between data and model predicted multiples, is minimized subject to minimizing residual multiples that are differences of corresponding multiples belonging to different vintages among the seismic data vintages.
US09234974B2	Apparatus for evaluating rock properties while drilling using drilling rig-mounted acoustic sensors Apparatus for identifying rock properties in real-time during drilling, are provided. An example of an embodiment of such an apparatus includes one or more acoustic sensors positioned to detect drill sounds emanating from the drill bit and the rock encountered during drilling operations, connected to select components of a drilling rig to maximally pick up the drill sounds of the drill bit engaging rock during drilling operations. The apparatus also includes an inductive telemetry, wireless telemetry, or wired transmitting system. The apparatus also includes a computer to analyze the acoustic signals received from the acoustic sensors through the respective transmitting system for lithology type and petrophysical properties.
US09234973B2	Deployable ground sensors A method includes enabling a power supply of a ground sensor device to provide power to one or more components of the ground sensor device based on one or more rotations of a rotor of the ground sensor device.
US09234971B2	Direct reservoir signature using the drag wave A monofrequency signal is used to record signature properties of subsurface reservoir formations. While recording conventional Vibroseis data after certain prescribed distances, the monofrequency signal is transmitted to evaluate the presence of reservoir rocks underneath that source location. When a compressional wave travels through a permeable and fluid-saturated reservoir formation, the Drag Wave travels through reservoir fluid interconnections at a slower velocity than the compressional wave in the rock matrix. Due to the Doppler Effect, a unique lower frequency is generated. This lower frequency becomes an indicator of the presence of reservoir formations. Its character depends on the tortuosity of pore interconnections, presence of pore fluids, and permeability. A transfer function is calculated to convert the swept frequency signal used for conventional seismic recording. This converted swept frequency signal is cross-correlated with the normally recorded signal. Only the presence of the reservoir formation is highlighted; non-reservoir formations are not displayed.
US09234967B2	System and method for linearization of multi-camera flat panel X-ray detectors System and method for linearization of photometric response of an imaging sensor of a multi-camera flat panel X-Ray detector. The linearization includes acquiring by the imaging sensor, during a linearization phase, at least two images related to detectable radiation radiated by a scintillator in response to X-Ray radiation generated by an X-Ray source at a field of view of the imaging sensor, wherein the intensity of the X-Ray radiation generated by the X-Ray source is different for each of the images, measuring by a light energy measurement unit, substantially simultaneously with the acquiring of each of the images, at least two corresponding levels of energy of the detectable radiation, wherein the light energy measurement unit is substantially linear at the range of operation, and calculating an inverse response function to the imaging sensor based on the images and on the corresponding levels of energy.
US09234966B2	Radiation imaging apparatus, method of controlling the same, and radiation imaging system A radiation imaging apparatus including pixels; driving lines; a driving circuit; bias lines; an acquisition unit configured to acquire an evaluation value based on a current flowing in the bias line; a determination unit configured to compare the evaluation value with a comparison target value to determine whether radiation is irradiated; a control unit configured to control the acquisition unit and the determination unit; and a storage unit configured to store the evaluation value used in the determination process, is provided. A comparison target value used in a given determination process is based on one or more evaluation values used in one or more determination processes which are performed before the given determination process and in which it is determined that radiation has not been irradiated.
US09234965B2	Indoor positioning using pressure sensors A pressure sensor can be implemented on a network device to minimize vertical positioning errors of the network device in an indoor environment. A reference altitude and a reference pressure associated with an access point in the indoor environment are received at the network device via a communication network. A pressure is determined at the network device in the indoor environment. An altitude of the network device associated with the pressure at the network device in the indoor environment is calculated based, at least in part, on the pressure at the network device, the reference pressure, and the reference altitude. A position of the network device in the indoor environment is determined based, at least in part, on the altitude of the navigation device and location information received from at least the access point.
US09234963B2	Optically augmented weapon locating system and methods of use A method of locating a weapon includes detecting a weapon firing event with an optical sensor, the detected weapon firing event indicative of a detected firing of the weapon and indicative of a detected time of the weapon firing event. The method also includes detecting a projectile fired from the weapon with a radar system. The method also includes calculating a state vector associated with the projectile detection. The method also includes identifying a location of the weapon by backtracking the state vector to the detected time of the weapon firing event time. The method also includes communicating the location of the weapon. A system that implements the method is also described.
US09234961B2	Radar device and method of processing reflection signal A radar device is provided, which includes a receiver for transmitting a pulse-shaped radio wave and receiving a corresponding reflection signal as a reception signal, a Doppler processor for generating Doppler processed signals that are signals obtained by separating the reception signal according to Doppler frequencies or signals obtained based on the signals separated, an improvement level calculator for calculating a signal improvement level by comparing an amplitude value of the reception signal with amplitude values of the Doppler processed signals, a signal synthesizer for synthesizing the reception signal and the Doppler processed signals based on the signal improvement levels, and a display processor for generating a radar image based on the synthesized signal.
US09234955B2	Reduced Q low frequency antenna A rod antenna and antenna circuit are described which make use of negative feedback to reduce the Q of the antenna, but which also makes use of a different coil tapping arrangement to significantly reduce electric field susceptibility on the detected signal from the main coil as well as different biasing arrangements to reduce noise. More particularly, in some embodiments of the invention the main detector coil of the antenna has a centre tap that is AC grounded with signal taps then being taken from the opposite ends of the main coil, and being respectively fed to the inputs of a differential amplifier. The output of the differential amplifier is then fed to the magnetic circuit of the rod antenna via a second inductor winding that is magnetically coupled to the resonance circuit of the main antenna coil.
US09234948B2	Single-package bridge-type magnetic field sensor A magnetoresistive sensor bridge utilizing magnetic tunnel junctions is disclosed. The magnetoresistive sensor bridge is composed of one or more magnetic tunnel junction sensor chips to provide a half-bridge or full bridge sensor in a standard semiconductor package. The sensor chips may be arranged such that the pinned layers of the different chips are mutually anti-parallel to each other in order to form a push-pull bridge structure. The sensor chips are then interconnected using wire bonding. The chips can be wire-bonded to various standard semiconductor leadframes and packaged in inexpensive standard semiconductor packages. The bridge design may be push-pull or referenced. In the referenced case, the on-chip reference resistors may be implemented without magnetic shielding.
US09234945B2	Differential transformer type magnetic sensor and image forming apparatus A differential transformer type magnetic sensor includes a first coil layer, a second coil layer, and an insulating layer formed between the first coil layer and the second coil layer. The first coil layer includes a detection coil and a first drive coil. The second coil layer includes a reference coil and a second drive coil. The first drive coil and the second drive coil are electrically connected together so that a direction of drive current flowing in the first drive coil is the same as a direction of drive current flowing in the second drive coil. The detection coil and the reference coil are electrically connected together so that a direction of induced current flowing in the detection coil is reverse to a direction of induced current flowing in the reference coil.
US09234940B2	Integrated fan-out wafer architecture and test method A fan-out wafer comprises a first IC die having at least a first boundary scan cell (BSC) and a second BSC. The first BSC is coupled to a first demultiplexer. The second BSC is coupled to a first pad. A second IC die has at least a third BSC coupled to a second demultiplexer, and a second pad connected to the first pad. A first master path connects the first demultiplexer to the second demultiplexer. A first slave path connects the first demultiplexer to the second demultiplexer. The first pad and second pad are located between the first master path and the first slave path.
US09234937B2	Measuring phase noise in radio frequency, microwave or millimeter signals based on photonic delay Techniques and devices for measuring phase noise in radio frequency (RF), microwave, or millimeter signals based on photonic delay.
US09234932B2	Method and apparatus for monitoring ion lens connections This technology is directed to a method and apparatus for monitoring or testing defects associated with an ion lens connected within a mass spectrometer. In some implementations, the testing mechanism monitors a connection of one or more ion lenses configured in the mass spectrometer to determine if voltage is effectively applied to the ion lens. The testing circuit of the present technology includes at least one Zener diode added to the voltage divider and monitoring a change in slope of the applied voltage versus the voltage at the read-back circuit. The change in slope may be easily measured.
US09234931B2	Fault detection system with leakage current detection A fault detection system for a machine having a plurality of electrical conducting elements insulated from a frame ground of the machine is disclosed. The fault detection system may include a high voltage DC power source, a positive high voltage bus connected to a positive terminal of the high voltage DC power source and providing high voltage electrical power to the plurality of electrical conducting elements, and a negative high voltage bus connected to a negative terminal of the high voltage DC power source and returning high voltage electrical power from the plurality of electrical conducting elements. At least one of the positive and negative high voltage buses may be selectively connected through a plurality of switches to plural zones of the electrical conducting elements, with each of the plural zones being electrically connected in parallel, and selectively connected to the high voltage DC power source by one of the plurality of switches. A low voltage DC power source may be configured to form part of a leakage current detector selectively connected through each of the plurality of switches to each of the plural zones for detecting leakage current between an electrical conducting element and the frame ground.
US09234929B2	Monitoring method and system and integrated monitoring device for antenna oscillator of base station Disclosed are a monitoring method and system and an integrated monitoring device for an antenna oscillator of a base station, which are used to monitor whether an anomaly occurs in the antenna oscillator of the base station. The monitoring method for an antenna oscillator of a base station in the present invention comprises: performing wave detection and analog-to-digital conversion on an obtained transmission signal of the antenna oscillator of the base station, to acquire a digital signal of a direct-current signal of the transmission signal; determining the amplitude of changes of the digital signal in a set time length, and when the amplitude of the changes is greater than a preset amplitude change threshold, determining that an anomaly occurs in the antenna oscillator; otherwise, determining that the antenna element is normal.
US09234920B2	Electrically identifiable electrode lead and method of electrically identifying an electrode lead An electrically identifiable medical electrode lead. The lead includes a flexible lead body having a distal end and a connector end. The lead also includes a plurality of electrodes disposed near the distal end of the flexible lead body. The lead further includes a connector disposed at the connector end of the flexible lead body, the connector including a plurality of contacts. The lead additionally includes a plurality of conductors supported by and passing through the flexible lead body, the plurality of conductors including electrical conductors that provide paths for electrical current from the connector to the plurality of electrodes. Finally, the lead includes a memory circuit supported by the flexible lead body and being in electrical communication with a contact of the plurality of contacts in the connector.
US09234919B2	Sensor assembly, sensor controller and current-measuring circuit A sensor assembly for measuring an intensity of a current includes a first sensor apparatus configured to record an intensity of the electrical current with contact, a second sensor apparatus configured to record an intensity of the electrical current, the second sensor apparatus having a common measurement range with the first sensor apparatus, and a first analog-digital converter configured to convert analog measured values into digitized measured values. The first sensor apparatus, the second sensor apparatus and the first analog-digital converter are arranged on a common circuit carrier.
US09234915B2	Signal sensing device and circuit boards Apparatus are provided for use in testing circuit boards. A signal sensing device includes one or more probes. Each probe includes a length of rigid coaxial conductor configured to define a sensing pin at one end. A circuit board defines a number of through vias lined in metal and configured to receive the sensing pin of a corresponding probe. The signal sensing device also includes a ground pin. Electrical pathways extending away from adjacent pairs of the through vias can be tested for electrical impedance and other signal propagating characteristics by way of the signal sensing device.
US09234912B2	Atomic far-off resonance trap (FORT) accelerometer system One embodiment includes an accelerometer system. The accelerometer system can include a Far-Off Resonance Trap (FORT) control system configured to generate an optical trapping beam. The system can also include a FORT accelerometer detection system including a FORT that is configured to trap a cluster of atoms based on the optical trapping beam. The FORT accelerometer detection system can also include an interrogation system configured to determine motion of the cluster of atoms along at least one axis resulting from an external acceleration in the at least one axis based on a relative phase shift of an optical probe beam through the cluster of atoms. The system can further include an acceleration processor configured to calculate the external acceleration in the at least one axis based on the relative phase shift of the optical probe beam.
US09234907B2	Angular rate sensor with improved aging properties An angular velocity sensor is described with improved ageing and hysteresis properties. The sensor may be of a ring type driven by a driver circuit, the sensor further comprising primary and secondary portions having corresponding signal pickoffs. The gain of the primary pickoff signal and the capacitance of the primary portions of the sensor are controlled relative to the gain of the secondary pickoff and the capacitance of the secondary portions of the sensor. Control electronics is provided that enables matching of the relative signals from the respective channels. In this way, temperature hysteresis and ageing effects of materials used in forming the sensor are overcome.
US09234903B2	Hepcidin inhibitors for regulating iron homeostasis The invention concerns the use of hepcidin for the diagnosis and therapy of disorders of iron homeostasis. Hepcidin can be used in the treatment of disorders resulting from iron overload while inhibitors of hepcidin can be used in the treatment of anemia.
US09234899B2	Human βV-tubulin antibody and methods of use Antibodies to human βV-tubulin, fragments thereof, and compositions comprising such are provided. Diagnostic, prognostic and identification methods employing such antibodies or fragments thereof are also provided.
US09234892B2	Multiple epitope detection in an FFPE tissue section A method for labelling a tissue section is provided. In certain embodiments, the method may comprise: (a) labeling a formalin-fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissue section using a first set of labeling reagents that comprises a first primary antibody and a first labeled secondary antibody; (b) treating the labeled tissue with a protease, thereby digesting the first primary antibody and/or the first labeled secondary antibody and separating the label from the FFPE tissue section; (c) washing the tissue section to remove the separated label and the protease; and (c) labeling the FFPE tissue section using a second set of labeling reagents that comprises a second primary antibody and a second labeled secondary antibody. A kit for performing the method is also provided.
US09234891B2	Use of metal complexes A method of immobilizing a target molecule on a substrate, which comprises exposing the target molecule to the substrate in the presence of a metal complex, wherein the target molecule is an unmodified target molecule, and wherein the metal complex is selected to provide a stable binding interaction between the target molecule and the substrate.
US09234885B2	Methods and assays for treating filoviridae infections Methods and assays for treating a subject with a filovirus infection using an agent that inhibits Niemann-Pick CI (NPCI), VPSII, VPSI6, VPSI8, VPS33A, VPS39, VPS41, BLOCISI, BLOCIS2, GNPTAB, PIKFYVE, ARHGAP23 or FIG4. Methods for screening for an agent that treats and/or prevents infection of a subject with a filovirus, where the methods comprise determining whether the agent inhibits one or more of Niemann-Pick CI (NPCI), VPSII, VPSI6, VPSI8, VPS33A, VPS39, VPS41. BLOCISI, BLOCIS2, GNPTAB, PIKFYVE, ARHGAP23 or FIG4, wherein an agent that inhibits one or more of NPCI, VPSII, VPSI6, VPSI8, VPS33A, VPS39, VPS41, BLOCISI, BLOCIS2, GNPTAB, PIKFYVE, ARHGAP23 or FIG4 is a candidate for treating and/or preventing an infection with a filovirus and wherein an agent that does not inhibit NPCI, VPSII, VPSI6, VPSI8, VPS33A. VPS39, VPS41, BLOCISI, BLOCIS2, GNPTAB, PIKFYVE, ARHGAP23 or FIG4 is not a candidate for treating and/or preventing an infection with a filovirus.
US09234884B2	Microfluidic device Described herein are particular embodiments relating to a microfluidic device that may be utilized for cell sensing, counting, and/or sorting. Particular aspects relate to a microfabricated device that is capable of differentiating single cell types from dense cell populations. One particular embodiment relates a device and methods of using the same for sensing, counting, and/or sorting leukocytes from whole, undiluted blood samples.
US09234876B2	Durable miniature gas composition detector having fast response time A miniature oxygen sensor makes use of paramagnetic properties of oxygen gas to provide a fast response time, low power consumption, improved accuracy and sensitivity, and superior durability. The miniature oxygen sensor disclosed maintains a sample of ambient air within a micro-channel formed in a semiconductor substrate. O2 molecules segregate in response to an applied magnetic field, thereby establishing a measureable Hall voltage. Oxygen present in the sample of ambient air can be deduced from a change in Hall voltage with variation in the applied magnetic field. The magnetic field can be applied either by an external magnet or by a thin film magnet integrated into a gas sensing cavity within the micro-channel. A differential sensor further includes a reference element containing an unmagnetized control sample. The miniature oxygen sensor is suitable for use as a real-time air quality monitor in consumer products such as smart phones.
US09234875B2	Simultaneous purification of cell components Methods and devices for purification of different cell components from the same sample are provided.
US09234874B2	Dimensional stabilization of slab gel cassettes to prevent distortion caused by swelling gels Slab gel cassettes for use in electrophoretic analyzes of biologically-derived mixtures are equipped with features that prevent the plastic walls of the cassettes from bowing outward when gels retained within the cassettes swell, as gels typically do during casting, storage, or both. In certain embodiments, these features are incorporated into, or mate with, the comb-shaped inserts that form the sample wells as the gels are being cast. In other embodiments, these features are complementary features incorporated into both the comb and the cassette.
US09234869B2	Data storing exhaust gas probe The invention relates to an exhaust gas probe (120) for measuring properties of the exhaust gas of internal combustion engines, wherein at least one data storage unit (135) is arranged in a circuit associated with the probe, in particular arranged in a probe plug (130) or a connecting element associated therewith. The following properties and/or adaption functions characterizing the probe (120) are stored or storable in said data storage unit: —fluctuations of heating resistances that are due to the production process and/or—parameters that characterize the aging of the probe (120), and/or—the shut-off state, in particular data that characterize the execution of an interval measurement for regenerating the exhaust gas probe or of a delayed shut-off and/or—data for adapting the probe (120) to different control devices (140) of internal combustion engines and/or—the number of operating hours of the probe and/or—the operating parameters of the probe in a previous specifiable time period.
US09234865B2	Analyte test instrument having improved versatility An analyte test instrument that has a test strip circuitry that can be configured using information provided by a calibration strip to perform assays with test strips having two electrodes and test strips having three electrodes. The analyte test instrument of this invention comprises: (a) a test port for receiving a test strip; (b) a microprocessor for executing instructions downloaded into the analyte test instrument; (c) a test strip circuit capable of having a plurality of configurations, the configurations being set by the microprocessor, whereby an assay can be performed using the test strip.
US09234862B2	Analyte determination method and analyte meter The presence of oxygen or red blood cells in a sample applied to an electrochemical test strip that makes use of a reduced mediator is corrected for by an additive correction factor that is determined as a function of the temperature of the sample and a measurement that reflects the oxygen carrying capacity of the sample. The measured oxygen carrying capacity can also be used to determine hematocrit and to distinguish between blood samples and control solutions applied to a test strip.
US09234855B2	Apparatus, X-ray irradiation method, and structure manufacturing method There is provided an apparatus configured to irradiate an object with an X-ray and detect a transmission X-ray transmitted through the object, including: a chamber member defining a first space; and a first supply port arranged in the first space to supply a temperature-controlled gas to a part of an X-ray source configured to irradiate the object with the X-ray.
US09234846B2	High-resolution microscope and method for determining the two- or three-dimensional positions of objects The invention relates to a high-resolution microscope and to a method for determining the two- or three-dimensional positions of objects. The microscope and method includes the following: (a) The vertical (Z) position of imaged particles or molecules being determined from the orientation and shape thereof by means of an anamorphic lens, preferably a cylindrical lens, in the imaging, (b) the detection beam path being split into at least two partial detection beam paths having different optical path lengths, which are detected at an offset on a detector, (c) activation or switchover being performed by means of a multi-photon excitation process, preferably two-photon excitation. The following are also included: (d) a point-scanning activation or switchover, (e) a line-scanning activation or switchover, (f) the sample is excited and the sample light is detected in the wide-field mode, (g) manually or automatically predetermined sample regions are activated or switched over, (h) the activation or switchover is performed by means of AOTF or SLM or DMD, (i) laser pulses for activating or switching are spectrally split by means of a spectrally splitting element, preferably a grating, (j) an SLM or DMD in the beam path after the grating performs a controlled selection of split laser pulse fractions, (k) the laser wide-field excitation is guided by SLM or DMD, (l) ROIs are selected by SLM or DMD, (m) a multi-photon switching or activation is performed by means of a microlens array, preferably a cylindrical lens array, n) switching and/or excitation is performed by means of a line scanner, and (o) a line detection is performed by means of a spatially resolved sensor, wherein at least two sensor rows, each comprising a plurality of sensors, are illuminated with sample light by means of a slit diaphragm position.
US09234844B2	Chloride ion fluorescence detection method and device, and use thereof A chloride ion fluorescence detection method and device, and a use thereof. The chloride ion fluorescence detection method utilizes chloride ions to influence luminescence characteristics of some photoluminescent substances to change the emission spectrum of the photoluminescent substances. The concentration of the chloride ions is detected through two processes comprising the fiber surface film forming and test liquid preparation of a fluorescent reagent sensitive to the chloride ions and measurement of information of fluorescence peak wavelengths or intensities. The method can be applied to the online assessment of the corrosion environment of steel bar concrete or the measurement of chloride ions in a laboratory.
US09234840B2	Determination of a material characteristic with the use of second-order photon correlation An optical system and method for characterizing an object is provided. The system includes at least one light source configured to direct photons toward an object and an interferometer configured to receive photons from the object. The system also includes at least one detector system adapted to detect an optical signal at an output of the interferometer and to remove, from the detected optical signal, a signal portion representing first order photon correlations, when present. The system also includes a processor configured to receive data relating to second-order correlated photons from said at least one detector system, each photon or photon pair subject to at least two indistinguishable paths to a photon or photon pair, but differing in at least one of time and length. The processor is configured to characterize the object based on a self interference of the second-order correlated photons from a common location within the object.
US09234836B2	Measurement of a fiber direction of a carbon fiber material and fabrication of an object in carbon fiber composite technique The fiber direction of a carbon fiber material of a test object is detected by means of the polarization direction of light reflected by the test object. If, for example, non-polarized light impinges upon carbon fibers, light reflected by the fibers is polarized in fiber direction.
US09234835B2	Apparatus and method for analysis of a fluid sample An apparatus for analyzing a fluid comprises a chamber to receive a fluid sample. A pump reduces a pressure in the chamber below a vapor pressure of a component of the fluid sample. At least one light system provides a light at a predetermined modulation frequency to the fluid sample. An acoustic sensor detects an acoustic signal caused by the interaction of the light and the fluid sample. A controller relates the acoustic signal to at least one chemical component of the fluid sample.
US09234831B2	Particle analysis instrument and computer program A particle analysis instrument is offered which can make a measurement in a shorter time than heretofore. The particle analysis instrument (100) is used to analyze a sample (S) containing plural particles by measuring the sample over plural fields of view. The instrument (100) includes a measuring section (10) for scanning primary rays (EB) over the sample (S) and detecting a signal emanating from the sample (S), a particle area totalizing portion (222) for finding the area of particles for each field of view from the results of the measurement made by the measuring section (10) and summing up such areas of particles for all of the fields of view to find a total area of particles, and a decision portion (226) for making a decision as to whether the measurement process should be ended, based on the ratio of the total area of particles to an area of the sample (S) measured to obtain the total area of particles.
US09234827B2	Method and apparatus for determining relative content of two rock specie in a wellbore rock sample Method and apparatus for determining the relative content of a first rock species and of a second rock species in a rock sample extracted from a wellbore. The method comprises adding a reactant to the rock sample, measuring a first information (PT1) relative to a first amount of compound produced at a first instant (T1) and a second information (PT2) relative to a second amount of compound produced at a second instant (T2). The method also comprises calculating the relative content of the first species in the rock sample from the first information (PT1) and calculating the relative content of the second species in the rock sample from the second information PT2). The method comprises determining a corrected amount (Cv) of compound generated by the reaction of the second species with the reactant at the first instant (T1), and calculating the relative content of the first species in the rock sample and the relative content of the second species in the rock sample based on the corrected amount (Cv).
US09234826B2	Assessment of shear fatigue property of rolling contact metal material and estimation of fatigue limit maximum contact pressure using same assessment A method of assessing the shear fatigue property of a metallic material that undergoes a rolling contact includes a testing step for determining the relation between the shear stress amplitude of a rolling contact metallic material and the number of loading by means of an ultrasonic torsional fatigue test, and a shear fatigue strength determining step for determining the shear fatigue strength τlim within the ultra long life regime from the relation between the shear stress amplitude and the number of loadings, which relation has been determined during the test step, in accordance with a predetermined standard. It is a completely reversed torsional fatigue test, in which torsional vibrations, respective torsions in the positive rotational direction and reversed rotational direction of which are symmetrical relative to each other, are applied to a test piece.
US09234823B2	Method and apparatus for handling tissue samples A tissue handling apparatus is provided comprising a support and a locator, for processing and embedding tissue samples. The support and cover form a chamber, within which a tissue sample is oriented prior to processing. After processing, the tissue sample within the chamber is embedded and the locator is removed, leaving the tissue sample correctly oriented in embedding material, mounted to a support, ready for microtoming.
US09234817B2	Flow rate measuring apparatus Dust with various particle diameters entering a bypass passage, particularly, relatively large dust with a particle diameter of 100 to 200 μm or so, is reliably caused to collide with a first step-shaped part, a second step-shaped part and a plate-like member to be sufficiently decelerated and reach a flow rate detecting device with low collision energy. This can prevent the flow rate detecting device from being damaged by collision of dust. Furthermore, the placement position of the plate-like member is optimized to suppress air turbulence at a flow rate detecting part, which achieves a good balance between flow rate detection accuracy and dust tolerance.
US09234814B1	Automated re-focusing of interferometric reference mirror A reference surface is used to develop an empirical plot between a parameter of interest, such as roughness or modulation, and the position of the reference mirror in an interferometer by repeating measurements of the reference surface at different positions of the reference mirror so as to identify the in-focus position of the reference mirror. Serial quality-control measurements of samples of interest are carried out with the reference mirror in such in-focus position until a predetermined quality-control event triggers an automated system re-calibration by re-measuring the reference surface and, if the result does not correspond to the in-focus position of the reference mirror according to the plot, by finding a new in-focus position for the reference mirror using the same plot or, alternatively, a new similarly produced plot. Sample measurements are then resumed with the mirror placed at that new position.
US09234809B2	Differential deflection measurement in structural members The invention relates to a deflection measuring device for measuring differential vertical deflection between first and second discrete points in response to the application of force to the device, the device comprising a transducer attachable to a structural member and comprising at least one strain responsive element, the transducer being operable to resolve any force applied thereto into a differential vertical deflection between a first point and a second point on the transducer when a load is applied thereto; the strain responsive element being operable to measure the differential vertical deflection in the transducer.
US09234808B2	Passive monitoring device of the inner pressure in a block of building material A monitoring device is for the inner pressure distribution of building material in a building structure. The device may include planar sensing capacitors to be buried in contact with the building material, with each sensing capacitor including a pair of plates and a dielectric material layer therebetween adapted to undergo elastic deformation under pressure without deforming plastically. The device may also include a protection box to be buried in the building material, a dielectric material enclosed in the protection box, and connection terminals protruding from the protection box. Pairs of metal vias are buried in the dielectric material enclosed within the protection box, with each pair connecting the plates of a respective planar sensing capacitor to respective connection terminals.
US09234805B2	Temperature compensation for particulate matter sensor regeneration The present disclosure relates to a controller apparatus for regenerating a particulate matter sensor. The controller apparatus includes a sensing module configured to detect a soot loading on a particulate matter sensor and generate a regeneration request indicating a desired regeneration temperature and a heating module configured to receive the regeneration request and send a heating command signal to a heating element based on the regeneration request. The controller apparatus also includes an electrical resistance module configured to detect an electrical resistance in the heating element, a calibration module configured to determine an actual temperature of the heating element based on a resistance-to-temperature model, and a temperature feedback module configured to modify the heating command signal according to the difference between the desired regeneration temperature and the actual temperature.
US09234803B2	Method and device for detecting winding temperature, method and device for thermal protection of a motor A method and device for detecting the temperature of a motor winding, a method and device for thermal protection of a motor are provided, the method for detecting the temperature of a motor winding includes: obtaining the temperature of the motor winding at a first time before a time step; calculating the temperature rise of the rotor equivalent body after the motor runs for the time step; then calculating the temperature of the motor winding after the motor runs for the time step by superposing the temperature rise of the rotor equivalent body after the motor runs for the time step on the temperature of the motor winding obtained at the first time. By the method for detecting the temperature of a motor winding, the real-time monitoring on the temperature of the winding is achieved, thus applying the ability of the motor and improving sensitivity.
US09234802B2	Energy output measuring device for infrared heating device An energy output measuring device including a main body having a light reflecting exterior and a window portion formed in the main body and produced from infrared-reflecting glass. At least one visible light sensor is disposed adjacent the window. The energy output measuring device is configured to pass through a heating device. An energy output of the heating device is determined from measurements taken by the heating device.
US09234797B1	Compact THz imaging detector with an integrated micro-spectrometer spectral tuning matrix A focal plane array (FPA) imaging sensor includes an array of multiple tuning cells disposed on a monolithic substrate, in which each tuning cell includes: (a) a tunable etalon disposed in the monolithic substrate, and (b) a THz detector assembly comprised of at least two antennae disposed in the monolithic substrate. The THz detector assembly is disposed below the tunable etalon. Each tunable etalon includes a Fabry-Pérot interferometer comprised of upper and lower mirrors, spaced by a gap between the mirrors, the gap forming an etalon of the interferometer. The FPA imaging sensor may also be formed as a hybrid, in which portions of the tuning cells are fabricated separately from the THz detector assembly and aligned to each other. The lower mirrors may also be fabricated monolithically with the substrate and the upper mirrors may be formed separately and then aligned to the lower mirrors.
US09234787B2	Actuator mount for a combination weigher A combination weigher (100) comprises actuator units (19) for actuating weighing hoppers (14), and a body (17) having a side wall (17C) attached with the actuator units (19), and a casing member used to accommodate feeders (12) is formed by the side wall (17C).
US09234785B2	Weighing device for weighing discrete and rapidly moving objects The invention pertains to a weighing device for determining the weight of discrete weighing products in a speed-independent manner, wherein a weighing chute comprising a sliding surface that is inclined with respect to the horizontal is fed detached weighing products, and the load introduction direction of a weighing cell supporting the weighing chute is aligned perpendicularly to the sliding surface.
US09234782B2	Volume dimensioning system and method employing time-of-flight camera Volume dimensioning employs techniques to reduce multipath reflection or return of illumination, and hence distortion. Volume dimensioning for any given target object includes a sequence of one or more illuminations and respective detections of returned illumination. A sequence typically includes illumination with at least one initial spatial illumination pattern and with one or more refined spatial illumination patterns. Refined spatial illumination patterns are generated based on previous illumination in order to reduce distortion. The number of refined spatial illumination patterns in a sequence may be fixed, or may vary based on results of prior illumination(s) in the sequence. Refined spatial illumination patterns may avoid illuminating background areas that contribute to distortion. Sometimes, illumination with the initial spatial illumination pattern may produce sufficiently acceptable results, and refined spatial illumination patterns in the sequence omitted.
US09234779B2	Integrated acoustic phase separator and multiphase fluid composition monitoring apparatus and method An apparatus and method for down hole gas separation from the multiphase fluid flowing in a wellbore or a pipe, for determining the quantities of the individual components of the liquid and the flow rate of the liquid, and for remixing the component parts of the fluid after which the gas volume may be measured, without affecting the flow stream, are described. Acoustic radiation force is employed to separate gas from the liquid, thereby permitting measurements to be separately made for these two components; the liquid (oil/water) composition is determined from ultrasonic resonances; and the gas volume is determined from capacitance measurements. Since the fluid flows around and through the component parts of the apparatus, there is little pressure difference, and no protection is required from high pressure differentials.
US09234777B2	Ultrasonic signal coupler An ultrasonic signal coupler includes a pipe having a first ultrasonic waveguide and a second ultrasonic waveguide penetrating the pipe so that ultrasonic transducers attached to ends of the ultrasonic waveguides communicate ultrasonic signals through the ultrasonic waveguides directly through a fluid traveling through the pipe.
US09234776B2	Multivariable process fluid transmitter for high pressure applications A multivariable process fluid transmitter module includes a base having a pair of recesses. A pair of pedestals is provided with each pedestal being disposed in a respective recess and being coupled to a respective isolation diaphragm. At least one line pressure assembly is mounted proximate one of the pedestals. The at least one line pressure assembly couples a respective isolation diaphragm to a line pressure sensor. A differential pressure sensor has a sensing diaphragm fluidically coupled to the isolation diaphragms by a fill fluid. At least one additional sensor is disposed to sense a temperature of a process fluid. Circuitry is coupled to the line pressure sensor, the differential pressure sensor, and the at least one additional sensor to measure an electrical characteristic of each of the line pressure sensor, the differential pressure sensor, and the at least one additional sensor. The circuitry is configured to provide an indication of fluid flow based on the measured electrical characteristic of each of the line pressure sensor, the differential pressure sensor and the at least one additional sensor.
US09234773B2	Self-compensating angular encoder A method for self-compensating a method includes the steps of rotating the patterned element relative to the read heads, the rotation about the axis to a plurality of first angles covering a range of at least 360 degrees; obtaining, at each of the plurality of first angles, first angular readings for the m measure read heads and for the reference read head; calculating a first array for each of the m measure read heads, each first array including, for each of the plurality of first angles, a difference in the first angular readings of the measure read head and the first angular reading of the reference read head; calculating, for each of the m measure read heads, at least one first spectral component based at least in part on the first array; calculating, for each of the m measure read heads, at least one second spectral component, the second spectral component based, at least in part, on the at least one first spectral component and on estimates of the second angles of the m measure read heads; and recording, for each of the m measure read heads, the at least one second spectral component.
US09234771B2	Rotary encoder to detect a change of quantity and measure rotation angle A guide detection type rotary encoder has first through fourth transmission windings, first through fourth reception windings, and first through fourth flux coupling bodies. The first and second transmission windings, the first and second reception windings, and first and second flux coupling bodies each form first and second angle detection tracks which generate an N1 time and N2 time cyclic change at one rotation of the first rotor. The third and fourth transmission windings, the third and fourth reception windings, and third and fourth flux coupling bodies each form third and fourth angle detection tracks which generate an N3 time and N4 time cyclic change at one rotation of the second rotor. N1 and N2 are different, and N3 time and N4 are different.
US09234770B2	Dynamic sensor range A device for sensing a phenomenon using a dynamic measurement range includes: a sensing element configured to measure the phenomenon using a first measurement range and to provide an analog indication of a value of the phenomenon; an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) coupled to the sensing element and configured to convert the analog indication to a digital indication; and a processor coupled to the ADC and the sensing element and configured to analyze the digital indication to determine a second measurement range for the sensing element and to cause the sensing element to change from the first measurement range to the second measurement range for measurement of the phenomenon, the first measurement range being different than the second measurement range.
US09234769B2	Systems and methods for detecting small pattern changes in sensed data In one embodiment, a system and a method involve receiving a raw signal collected by a sensor that pertains to a temporal trend, creating a reference signal of a known amplitude and frequency, adding the reference signal to the raw signal to form a modulated signal, decomposing the modulated signal to obtain a decomposed signal, and conducting time-frequency analysis on the decomposed signal to detect abnormal patterns.
US09234766B2	Fuel purchase planning along a route A computer program product including computer readable program code embodied on a computer readable storage medium. The computer program product includes computer readable program code for obtaining a fuel tank size, amount of fuel in the tank, and a fuel efficiency for an automobile; accepting user entry of a destination for traveling in the automobile; and automatically identifying a current location and determining a route to the destination. Additional computer readable program code acquires, for each of a plurality of refueling stations along the route, a location and a current fuel price being offered at the refueling station. Computer readable program code also provides output recommending one or more refueling stations at which to stop and a quantity of fuel to purchase at each of the one or more refueling stations in order to reach the destination without running out of fuel and minimizing the price of fuel purchased.
US09234763B1	Systems and methods for identifying and selecting personalized waypoints for presentation on a map Systems and methods for identifying and selecting personalized waypoints for presentation on a map are provided. In particular, a user's data can be analyzed to identify a plurality of candidate waypoints. The candidate waypoints can correspond to locations at which the user has a scheduled event, reservation, or appointment. When the user performs a search query in a mapping application or geographic information system, the plurality of candidate waypoints can be obtained and scored according to a scoring formula. One or more candidate waypoints can be selected based on the determined scores and presented on a personalized map in addition to the result of the search query. An exemplary scoring formula takes a candidate waypoint and a point of interest search result as inputs and analyzes a distance between the two locations and a likelihood that a user wants directions between the two locations.
US09234760B2	Portable mobile transceiver for GPS navigation and vehicle data input for dead reckoning mode A mobile transceiver device comprises a GPS receiver module to receive GPS signals and calculate current positions. The current positions are used in a navigation module. The mobile transceiver device comprises one or more local interface technologies, such as Bluetooth and USB. These local interface technologies can be used to communicate with an automobile data system. In situations where there is sporadic GPS coverage, the mobile transceiver device receives inputs from the automobile data system, such as speed or velocity information, and heading information, such as output from a compass, as available. These inputs are used in the navigation module of the mobile transceiver device to navigate by dead reckoning until an updated position fix based on received GPS signals can be calculated.
US09234759B2	Method of enrichment of road information data Road information data is enriched and a vehicle drive train is controlled on basis of this data. Based on vehicle position, data about possible routes which may be taken is collected from at least three sources (A, B, C). Data with the highest quality is chosen for controlling the drive train. When running, information about the traveled route is recorded and saved, thus providing a continuous update.
US09234753B2	Fluid or low friction permanent magnet compass Low friction or nearly frictionless compasses are provided. One compass embodiment includes a housing having a wall forming a chamber, the housing having a closed end and an open end. The compass includes a fluid disposed within the chamber. The compass includes a magnetized material floating in the fluid, wherein the magnetized material is operative to indicate Earth's magnetic north. The compass includes a protective face adjacent to the open end, wherein the protective face closes the open end of the chamber. Also provided is a compass that includes low friction material deposited on at least one side of the magnetized material and the adjacent closed end of the housing to create a nearly frictionless interface.
US09234752B2	Positioning apparatus, in particular for adjusting lenses or lens system in optical devices The invention relates to a positioning apparatus, comprising a rotatable spindle, a sliding member, wherein a spindle counter segment of the sliding member is displaced along the spindle when the spindle rotates, a first guide for the sliding member, which interacts with a first guide counter segment of the sliding member and, in the process, leaves the sliding member with a linear mobility along the first guide axis and a pivotability about the first guide axis, and a second guide for the sliding member, which interacts with a second guide counter segment of the sliding member and, in the process, restricts the pivotability of the sliding member about the first guide axis.
US09234751B2	Bubble level A bubble type level for determining the orientation of a structure, such as an elongate pipe, that includes several differently oriented bubble vials that are secured within the level body in a manner such that if the bubble vials become broken or otherwise damaged, they can be easily replaced and the level need not be discarded. The bubble type level of the invention also includes a body portion having top and bottom rails that are chamfered in a manner to automatically align the level with the longitudinal axis of the pipe when the level is connected to the side of the pipe. The level further includes a plurality of longitudinally spaced magnets that are connected to the bottom rail of the level and can be used to releasably interconnect the level with a length of ferrous pipe.
US09234747B2	Apparatus which estimates inside of object and method of estimating inside of object An apparatus which estimates an inside of an object, includes: a first obtaining unit which obtains light path models and a first light intensity distribution, based on an assumption that a first object includes no second object, distribution; a second obtaining unit which obtains a second light intensity distribution which is an intensity distribution of observed light; a voting value calculating unit which calculates a voting value for each of positions on a predetermined plane, based on a result of comparison in light intensity between the first and second light intensity distributions; a voting unit which votes the voting value to voting regions on a light path model along which light reaches each position; and an estimating unit which estimates whether the second object exists in each voting region, based on a result of the voting.
US09234745B2	Periodic patterns and techniques to control misalignment between two layers A method and system to measure misalignment error between two overlying or interlaced periodic structures are proposed. The overlying or interlaced periodic structures are illuminated by incident radiation, and the diffracted radiation of the incident radiation by the overlying or interlaced periodic structures are detected to provide an output signal. The misalignment between the overlying or interlaced periodic structures may then be determined from the output signal.
US09234740B1	Shearographic inspection system using a laser matrix A method and apparatus for inspection of an object. The apparatus comprises an array of light sources and a support structure. The array of light sources is configured to generate beams of coherent light with a substantially uniform distribution of the beams of coherent light in an area on a surface of an object in the area that results in a number of speckle patterns in light reflected from the surface of the object in the area in response to the beams of coherent light in the area. The support structure is associated with the array of light sources.
US09234735B2	System and method of manufacture for a linear position sensor A linear position sensing system includes a sensor, a conduit and an enclosure. The sensor has a connector and a converting element, where the connector includes a first end attached to the converting element and a second end that passes through the conduit and is configured for attachment to a moveable element of an external device. The enclosure houses the sensor. The conduit includes a first end fitting that is attached to the enclosure and a second end fitting that is affixed at a port or other aperture of the external device. The second end of the connector is configured to be inserted in the port other aperture and attached to the moveable element without disassembly of the external device.
US09234733B2	Speed tape The framing layout assembly includes a housing that is positionable proximate the member. A tape is operationally coupled to the housing. The tape may be extendable from the housing. The tape has indicia printed thereon. The indicia indicates distance. The tape has a tape hole extending therethrough. A guide is operationally coupled to the housing. The tape extends through the guide. A stop is operationally coupled to the housing. The stop is extendable through the hole in the tape. The tape is retained at a pre-determined distance. A jig is operationally coupled to the housing. The jig is positionable on the member. A user marks the member at the pre-determined distance.
US09234730B1	Hand grenade A hand grenade comprising a detonator, an explosive charge having a periphery, a hollow shell having an inner surface and an outer surface, an electronic circuit, and a power source. The hand grenade has at least two environments of control.
US09234720B2	Cable guard for compound bow A cable guard for a compound bow deflects cables of the compound bow away from the path of an arrow and away from a plane in which a string of the compound bow travels to prevent interference between the cables and the arrow and string. The compound bow includes a riser and spaced apart limbs extending from the riser. The cables and the string extends between the limbs. The cable guard comprises a frame for attachment to the compound bow. A first bearing is supported by the frame and extends along an axis. A second bearing and a third bearing each extend along a respective axis transverse to the axis of the first bearing. The second bearing and the third bearing each present a bearing surface with the bearing surface of the second bearing spaced from and facing the bearing surface of the third bearing for receiving the cable therebetween.
US09234717B2	Quick detach barrel mounting system A quick-detach barrel mounting system for removing and attaching a barrel to a receiver of a firearm. The quick-detach barrel mounting system can include a barrel nut having a body defining an axial bore. A proximal end of the barrel is received at least partially through the axial bore, and the barrel nut releasably engages a front end of the receiver. A hand guard can be mounted to the receiver and can define a cutout proximate the receiver. The hand guard at least partially encloses at least a portion of the barrel and the barrel nut, and the cutout is at least partially aligned with the barrel nut. At least a portion of the barrel nut is accessible via the cutout of the hand guard for at least partially disengaging and engaging the barrel nut with the receiver when the hand guard is mounted on the receiver.
US09234716B2	Gun barrel rifling The present invention relates to rifling of a gun barrel to provide grooves and bores in the gun barrel separated by a single edge area and a polygonal area.
US09234707B2	Heat exchanger systems and methods for controlling airflow cooling Heat exchanger systems and methods for controlling airflow cooling are provided. One system includes a bypass pre-cooler having a housing, an inlet configured to receive core engine airflow into the housing from one or more aircraft ducts, a heat exchanger within the housing and a bypass section within the housing having an airflow path separate from the heat exchanger. The bypass pre-cooler also includes a valve coupled to the inlet and configured to switch airflow between the heat exchanger and the bypass section and an outlet coupled to the heat exchanger and the bypass section.
US09234702B2	Prebake equipment and air discharge method thereof A prebake equipment for drying a substrate (105) and an air discharge method, the prebake equipment comprising: a bottom plate (105), a periphery frame (101) and an upper cover plate, the bottom plate (105) and the upper cover plate being spaced from each other, the periphery frame (101) being provided between the bottom plate (105) and the upper cover plate such that the bottom plate (105), the periphery frame (101) and the upper cover plate define a cavity, wherein discharge holes are provided at the periphery frame (101) and a filler (104) for filtering moisture and dust in the air stream is provided between the bottom plate (105) and the periphery frame (101).
US09234701B2	Crushing drying device A crushing drying device includes an object-to-be-treated supply port from which an object is supplied into a main body, a crushing portion for crushing the object by hammers rotated on a drive shaft, and a classifying portion having a space for circulating the object to be treated at a position away from the crushing portion, the crushing portion has a dry gas supply port from which the heated air is supplied in a predetermined direction along an inner surface of the device main body, and the classifying portion has discharge portions from which the crushed object is discharged together with the heated air, and deviation plates for changing a flow of the object transferred to the classifying portion, so that the crushing drying device is one machine.
US09234699B2	Garment band An elongate flexible band may be formed into a self-adjusting closed loop for insertion into an opening in a garment. The loop expands against the sides of the garment opening, holding the garment open to enhance airflow into the garment. A loop connector limits the closed loop to a maximum preferred diameter. The flexible band includes an accessory connector for attaching accessories such as a scent container, holder, or electric fan. The accessory connector may include retaining posts or may alternatively include flanged retaining blocks. A scent container or other accessory may optionally include flanges, flanged retaining blocks, or other attachment means. An optional timer controls discharge from a spray container into a garment. An embodiment of the invention may optionally be provided together with garment such as a glove for a hand.
US09234693B2	Cryogenic cooling apparatuses and systems An image sensing apparatus includes a focal plane array and a cold shield thermally isolated from the focal plane array. The cryogenic cooling apparatus further includes a first cryocooler assembly comprising a first cold finger thermally coupled to the focal plane array. The first cryocooler assembly is configured to maintain a focal plane array operating temperature. The cryogenic cooling apparatus includes a second cryocooler assembly comprising a second cold finger thermally coupled to the cold shield. The second cryocooler assembly is configured to maintain a cold shield operating temperature that is different from the focal plane array operating temperature.
US09234691B2	Method and apparatus for controlling temperature in a cryocooled cryostat using static and moving gas A cryostat for providing temperature regulation, one purpose being measuring physical properties of materials, the cryostat employing a superconducting magnet assembly for generating variable magnetic field in the sample space and a cryogenic cooler for cooling the sample space. The cryogenic cooler chamber configuration provides for efficient heat exchange between different stages of the cryogenic cooler without the need for physical heat links. This construction enables selective delivery of cooling power from the cryogenic cooler to the desired areas within the cryostat without using flexible physical thermal links. A counter flow exchanger and ambient temperature valves facilitate efficient use of the cryogenic cooler stages. The removal of large heat load generated by the superconducting magnet while operating in the sweeping mode is achieved, in part, by employing a solid plate thermal coupling element between the cryogenic cooler chamber and the magnet assembly.
US09234685B2	Methods and systems to increase evaporator capacity Embodiments to increase the capacity of the evaporator of a vapor-compression refrigeration system are described. The refrigeration system may be configured to have a first stage suction line heat exchanger and a second stage suction line heat exchanger. The refrigerant exiting the evaporator can be heated by the first heat exchanger. A thermal bulb of an expansion device, such as a thermostatic expansion valve (TXV) can be positioned downstream of the first heat exchanger. The thermal bulb is capable of regulating a variable volume of refrigerant through the expansion device in response to temperature changes. Thus, the superheat refrigerant vapor region in the evaporator can be reduced, thereby increasing the efficiency of the refrigeration system. The refrigerant exiting the evaporator is a liquid/vapor refrigerant mixture. The mixture can be vaporized to a refrigerant vapor in the first heat exchanger.
US09234682B2	Two-phase heat exchanger mounting A two-phase heat exchanger includes a hot side heat sink, a cold side heat sink, and one or more thermoelectric modules disposed between the hot side heat sink and the cold sink heat sink such that hot sides of the one or more thermoelectric modules are thermally coupled to the hot side heat sink and cold sides of the one or more thermoelectric modules are thermally coupled to the cold side heat sink. The two-phase heat exchanger is configured to be mounted at an angle from vertical.
US09234681B2	Method for designing and building reflectors for a solar concentrator array The present invention discloses further improvement of the shape and disposition of the optical reflecting elements that make up the primary concentrating reflector and the secondary redirecting reflector disclosed in U.S. application Ser. No. 12/580,251 (Solar Energy Concentrator) filed by the same Inventor. In one aspect, it discloses a method for designing and building reflectors for a solar concentrator array comprising primary and secondary reflectors wherein the multiple components cooperate to continually concentrate the incoming solar radiation on a remote stationary absorber as the sun runs its course across the sky.
US09234680B2	Solar light reflecting plate and light collecting/heat collecting device A solar light reflecting plate used for a light condensing and heat collecting device which includes a solar light reflecting plate that reflects and condenses solar light and a heat collecting tube that receives the solar light condensed by the solar light reflecting plate and is heated by the condensed solar light, wherein the solar light reflecting plate includes at least a rolled substrate, a surface roughness of a solar light reflecting surface that is an outermost surface and that reflects solar light is 0.02 μm to 1.0 μm in terms of arithmetic mean roughness Ra, and the solar light reflecting plate is disposed so that an angle between a rolling direction of the substrate and a longitudinal direction of the heat collecting tube is 80° to 100°.
US09234676B2	Hot water supply apparatus associated with heat pump A hot water supply apparatus associated with a heat pump is provided. The hot water supply apparatus may employ a cascade heat pump including a two-stage cycle to perform a hot water supply operation. Refrigerants flowing through a heat side heat exchanger and a usage side heat exchanger may be heat-exchanged with water. Thus, the hot water supply operation may be continuously performed, without a defrosting operation, and hot water supply performance and heating performance may be improved.
US09234674B2	Next generation bare wire water heater A heating unit for heating fluid is described having at least one electrical resistance heating element on an outer surface of a tube. At least one indexed groove is provided around a surface of the tube allowing for at least one retention clip to hold the electrical resistance heating element. A heating chamber is also provided to enclose a portion of the tube and to provide a flow channel therebetween. The heating chamber includes an optical sensor to detect overheating of the at least one electrical resistance heating element. Fluid is heated by flowing over the surface of the at least one electrical resistance heating element and through the tube.
US09234672B2	Lightweight cabin pressure thrust recovery outflow valve An aircraft cabin pressure control system outflow thrust recovery valve includes a frame, a valve element, and actuation hardware. The frame, valve element, and at least a portion of the actuation hardware are made of composite material. The actuation hardware is disposed external to the frame.
US09234664B1	Backward-compatible, programmable, and on-demand water heater and recirculation pump control unit and method of using A programmable and on-demand hot water heater unit that locally and remotely changes the set temperature for a conventional water heater and locally and remotely activates the hot water recirculation pump associated with a conventional hot water heating system.
US09234658B2	Active positioning system The object of the present disclosure is an active positioning system for positioning at least one mobile device (100) by utilizing radio frequency technology, the positioning system comprising at least one essentially stationary fixed base station (101) i.e. an active positioning system antenna (101), and an electronics unit (106) i.e. a transceiver of the antenna (101), which transceiver comprises at least one antenna for transmitting signals comprising at least position information to at least one mobile device (100), which position information of the signals comprises information on an effect area of the antenna (102, 104) by using certain transmit power. The active positioning system comprises as the mobile device a TAG (100), which is fixed to the user or application of the TAG directly or indirectly, an electronics unit (106) of the base station (101), at least one antenna (102, 104) directed to different sections of a controlled area. The active positioning system antenna (101) receives said transmitted at least one signal of the formed measurement signals and information signals, and the positioning system antenna (101) comprises control means to control transmit power of said at least one antenna based on at least one signal of the formed measurement signals and information signals received at least by the base station for performing information processing of the mobile device position i.e. the TAG position at least based on transmit power level.
US09234656B2	Heaters for electromagnetic wave transmitting surfaces in cold-temperature environments An electromagnetic wave transmitting device having a body and a heating assembly. The body can include a transmitting end and a receiving end. The heating assembly can be disposed on at least a portion of the transmitting end of the body. The heating assembly can include an electrically resistive element having an electrical connector. The heating assembly can also include a first electrically non-conductive film disposed over the electrically resistive element.
US09234653B2	Medical headlamp optical arrangement permitting variable beam width A medical headlamp having a front from which light is selectively emitted. The headlamp includes a beam origination portion that produces a light beam and an iris assembly, positioned in front of the beam origination portion, having a user accessible actuator and an iris, responsive to the actuator to block a user-selectable portion of the light beam. The iris is also responsive to the actuator to block none of the light beam, for maximum efficiency, when a user so selects.
US09234652B2	LED display module with quick mounting-dismounting structure A LED display module with a quick mounting-Dismounting structure comprising: a mask; a bottom shell; and an LED lamp board; the LED display module further comprises a quick mounting-dismounting unit, wherein the quick mounting-dismounting unit is adapted to be provided the LED display module to fixed to the frame of display screen or removed from the frame of display screen quickly.
US09234651B2	Lighting fixture mounting post A light fixture mounting post includes an upper threaded portion for attaching the post to a light shade and a lower portion for attaching light fixtures to the post. The upper threaded portion has left handed threads, and an O-ring and a shaped rubber washer residing between a post nut and the shade. A post flange limits the insertion depth of the upper threaded portion through the shade. The threaded segments include right handed pipe threads for tightly engaging the light fixtures. Embodiments include a continuous lower portion with straight or tapered threads and a segmented lower portion with reduced thickness spaces separating the taper or straight threaded segments allowing easy shortening of the lower portion.
US09234648B2	Illumination apparatus and method for the generation of an illumination field An illumination apparatus (10) for the generation of an illumination field (102) for an optoelectronic sensor (100) is provided which has at least one light source (12) and an illumination optics (14), in particular comprising a TIR lens (16) in order to guide the light of the light source (12) into the illumination field (102) in a directed manner, wherein the illumination optics (10) has a light entrance region (20), a light guidance region (22) having a jacket surface (24) and a light exit region (26) such that the light (28, 30) of the light source (12) is guided from the light entrance region (20) to the light exit region (26) in the illumination optics (14) by means of total reflection at the jacket surface (24). In this connection the illumination optics (10) has an adaptable optical beam forming element (18) at the light exit region (26) in order to set the light distribution of the irradiated light (28, 30). The beam forming element (18) has at least one elastic micro-lens field (32) having elastically deformable micro-lenses and a pressure element (26) in order to compress or to remove a load from the micro-lenses.
US09234647B2	Light engine A light engine that includes light emitting diodes mounted on a printed circuit board, which in turn is attached to a heat sink. An optic assembly is positioned over the printed circuit board to direct the emitted light as desired. The light engine can be positioned. within the ceiling within the opening of a mounting frame. In some embodiments, the light engine is retained on the mounting frame such that it can be moved clear of the mounting frame opening.
US09234643B2	LED lighting lamp An LED lighting lamp contains a cover, having a port for power leads, ports for cover fixing, an external collar, catches, feeding socket and feeders' connecting cube, fixed inside the cover to its bottom; a housing, having an external collar with rectangular recess, protrusions arranged on the vertical walls inside the housing, bars, catches, a seat in which the PIN ends are fastened to be connected with feeding socket, wherein the catches are connected with cover catches; an electronic board of the feeder, with ports for housing bars, electronic elements and electrical connectors placed on the upper surface as well as connector support placed on the lower surface; insulation molder, fastened in the housing collar's recess and having a central rectangular cavity with rectangular and round ports in its bottom; a radiator in the form of a rectangular molder, fastened in the cavity of insulation molder and having on its upper surface a central rectangular seat, inside which, at least two bars and one port are placed on its lower surface.
US09234641B2	Optical lens and light source device An optical lens including a first light exit surface, a total internal reflection (TIR) surface, a second light exit surface and a third light exit surface connected in an order, and correspondingly has a first intersection, a second intersection and a third intersection therebetween. A first line between the first intersection and a reference point on an optical axis of the optical lens intersects with the optical axis to form a first angle between 30 degrees to 60 degrees, and a first direction of the reference point pointing toward a point on the TIR surface intersects with a normal of the first light exit surface at the point to form a reflecting angle larger than a critical angle of TIR. A second line between the second intersection and the reference point intersects with the first line to form a second angle between 10 degrees to 30 degrees.
US09234640B2	Wall-wash fixture for directional light sources A downlight reflector assembly for a light-emitting diode (LED) light source includes a kicker reflector and an upper scoop. The kicker reflector has a reflector wall extending between a small top opening and a large bottom opening along a transverse axis. The reflector wall has an internal surface with an illuminated area and a non-illuminated area. The upper scoop is mounted in the small top opening of the kicker reflector and has a reflective multi-faceted surface with a concave curvature relative to the LED light source. The upper scoop extends from the top opening in part along the transverse axis and covering a portion of the top opening. The multi-faceted surface faces both of the illuminated area of the kicker reflector and the top opening for reflecting light rays received through the top opening towards the illuminated area.
US09234639B2	Compact searchlight utilizing the concept of merging into a single beam the beams of multiple sources of concentrated light An improved compact searchlight utilizing the merging of multiple single beams to a concentrated light. This provides or light beam that is nearly constant illumination intensity across the beam of light. This reduces or eliminates bight and dim areas that are created from previous light systems that use desecrate lighting elements. The lighting elements includes an a power supply a light source and a lens projection system, wherein the lens projection system including a collecting lens, a negative lens, and a collimating lens such that the illuminance of an area illuminated by a beam and searchlight is projected by the improved light is homogeneous throughout the whole of the illuminated area.
US09234632B2	LED lamp An LED lamp A includes a plurality of LED modules 2 each including an LED chip 21, and a support member 1 including a support surface 1a on which the LED modules 2 are mounted. The LED modules 2 include a plurality of kinds of LED modules, or a first through a third LED modules 2A, 2B and 2C different from each other in directivity characteristics that represent light intensity distribution with respect to light emission directions. This arrangement ensures that the entire surrounding area can be illuminated with sufficient brightness.
US09234628B2	PVDF pyrolyzate adsorbent and gas storage and dispensing system utilizing same A polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) pyrolyzate adsorbent is described, having utility for storing gases in an adsorbed state, and from which adsorbed gas may be desorbed to supply same for use. The PVDF pyrolyzate adsorbent can be of monolithic unitary form, or in a bead, powder, film, particulate or other finely divided form. The adsorbent is particularly suited for storage and supply of fluorine-containing gases, such as fluorine gas, nitrogen trifluoride, carbo-fluoride gases, and the like. The adsorbent may be utilized in a gas storage and dispensing system, in which the adsorbent is contained in a supply vessel, from which sorbate gas can be selectively dispensed.
US09234627B2	System, apparatus and method for the cold-weather storage of gaseous fuel A system for the cold-weather storage of gaseous fuels includes a gas source having an inlet pressure, a compressor having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet selectively communicating with the gas source and the outlet having a discharge pressure greater than the inlet pressure, a heat exchange apparatus having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet selectively communicating with the compressor so as to receive pressurized gas therefrom, a high-pressure storage tank having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet selectively communicating with the compressor so as to receive pressurized gas therefrom, and a valve assembly for selectively directing the pressurized gas to the heat exchange apparatus and the high-pressure storage tank in dependence upon a temperature within the storage tank.
US09234622B2	Multipurpose support device and method The invention is directed multipurpose support device for supporting an item such as a laptop computer or a book. The support device has a base that is adapted to be coupled to a structural support, such as a mobile cart, a desk, a sofa or a wall.
US09234617B2	Leakage free pipe fitting of quick connection for reverse osmosis membrane (RO) water treatment unit of household A leakage-free pipe fitting of quick connection for Reverse Osmosis Membrane (RO) water treatment unit of household has a pipe fitting, a sealing O-ring, an annular cooperative bushing collar, a cylindrical elastic sleeving collet, an accessory latching clip with a cantilevered lug, and an annular reinforcing bolster with an inner bore. The annular reinforcing bolster is inserted into the cylindrical retainer of the pipe fitting sandwiched between the sealing O-ring and the bottom surface of the cylindrical elastic sleeving collet.
US09234613B2	Well assembly coupling Assemblies that can be disposed in a subterranean bore and that can facilitate branch wellbore creation are described. An assembly can include threadedly coupled components having inner and outer sealing members in grooves. The sealing member can cooperate with the components to provide a pressure seal. The assembly can also include a venting member for equalizing pressure in a chamber defined by the coupled components. One of the components can be made from aluminum. At least part of that component can be coated with a coating material that is nonconductive.
US09234610B2	Aluminum foil based hose An ultra low permeability fluid member for conveying a fluid (e.g., a hose, tube, etc.) having a metal vapor barrier layer (22) formed around an inner tube (14). The metal vapor layer (22) is formed from one or more metal strips (40a, 40b) having edge portions (44) that are bonded so as to seal the vapor barrier layer (22) preventing permeation of vapor.
US09234609B1	Abrasion-resistant braided hose An abrasion-resistant braided hose (1) having an abrasion-resistant layer (4) located between an inner hose (2) and a braiding covering (3). The abrasion-resistant layer is preferably a strip of Teflon® helically or spirally wrapped around the inner hose to allow for flexibility. The abrasion-resistant layer reduces the amount of friction between the inner hose and the braided covering, thereby reducing the likelihood of the inner hose rupturing and failing.
US09234608B2	Heated rotary valve for chromotography A heated rotary valve for use in connection with a sample to be separated in a column for heating the sample to temperature within the valve. The heated rotary valve permits introduction of compounds, having a wide boiling range, into a gas chromatograph with improved precision of area and retention time. The valve includes a stator, an elongate body, a rotor seal, a drive shaft, and an internal element for generating heat. The rotor seal may be laterally captured by a ring to prevent movement or creep due to heat absorption during operation.
US09234602B2	Tank opening-closing device The tank opening-closing device is realized with a simple constitution of the opening-closing mechanism equipped with a pressure adjustment valve for regulating the internal pressure of the fuel tank. The opening-closing mechanism is equipped with a gasket provided on the opening peripheral edge part of the inlet of the tank opening forming member, the valve opening-closing mechanism for opening and closing the inlet and also regulating the internal pressure of the fuel tank, and a retraction mechanism that selectively moves the valve opening-closing mechanism to the closing position and the fueling position in conjunction with the fueling gun, The valve opening-closing mechanism has a closing position for opening and closing the inlet and a fueling position retracted from the inlet for which it is possible to supply fuel.
US09234601B1	Second dual preset pressure relief valve Described herein is a pressure relief valve that vents contents from a rail tank car or similar container at two preset pressures. The lower preset pressure is attained whenever specific valve attachment devices melt well below the spontaneous combustion temperature of the contents of a rail tank car or similar container. When these attachment devices melt, formerly attached corresponding constant force spring assemblies disconnect from a spring plate. Without these operative attached spring assemblies there is less force to oppose the pressure from the contents of rail tank car or similar container. With less opposing force, the contents of the rail tank car or similar container escape from under a dislodged sealing disk before the rail tank car or similar container (i) over pressurizes and causes the tank shell to fail or (ii) the contents self-combust, and both of which events cause an explosion.

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