| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US09233745B2 |
Seal apparatus for a ship propeller shaft and method of making the apparatus
A seal apparatus, for sealing around a rotating shaft such as a propeller shaft of a watercraft between the exterior water and an interior lubricant space, includes a multiple seal arrangement with plural seal rings forming seal chambers therebetween, and plural fluid medium lines supplying and/or returning a respective fluid medium to a respective seal chamber. A section of a first medium line is formed as an axial passage through a housing of the apparatus, and a section of a second medium line is formed by a pipe arranged within the axial passage in the housing. A method of making such an apparatus especially by retrofitting an existing seal arrangement involves inserting a pipe into an axial passage in the housing in order to establish two medium lines through the housing where there was previously only one medium line. |
| US09233743B2 |
Steering device of outboard motor
An engine is housed in an engine case and a propulsion unit driven by the engine is provided outside the engine case. By a swivel bracket installed in a predetermined part of the engine case, the propulsion unit is pivotally supported around a steering shaft, and centers of a drive shaft driving the propulsion unit and of the steering shaft are matched. |
| US09233734B2 |
Windshield sliding door/window assembly
A sliding window assembly includes a window frame and a window cooperable with the window frame and displaceable on the window frame between an open position and a closed position. Operating components of the assembly include a counterbalance connected between the window frame and the window and an optional motor that drives a cable connected to the window. The counterbalance is biased to assist the motor in displacing the window relative to the window frame toward the open position. |
| US09233733B2 |
Mast stabilizing device
Some implementations feature a mast stabilizing device that includes a mast comprising a first portion and a second portion, a sensor coupled to the first portion of the mast, and a pivot structure coupled to the mast. The pivot structure is configured to allow the mast to pivot in the mast stabilizing device. The mast is coupled to the pivot structure so as to pivot along a pivot portion of the mast. The mast stabilizing device also includes a mass coupled to the second portion of the mast. The mass is configured to counteract a force applied to the first portion of the mast. The mast stabilizing device further includes a platform coupled to the pivot structure, the platform configured to operate on a body of water. In some implementations, the pivot structure is a gimbal device. |
| US09233729B2 |
Steering damper control apparatus, and a saddle riding type vehicle having the same
A steering damper control apparatus includes an MR damper having an adjustable steering damping force, a suspension pressure sensor that detects a pressure of a front suspension, a command value output unit that determines a damping force command value according to a pressure change rate of the front suspension based on a detection result of the suspension pressure sensor, and a damper driver that causes the MR damper to generate a damping force corresponding to the damping force command value. At a point of time when steering becomes easily shakable, the damping force corresponding to the damping force command value is generated to prevent shaking of the steering beforehand. |
| US09233721B2 |
Coupling assembly
A coupling assembly includes a hook, a base defining a base cavity, a link interconnecting the hook and the base, and a fastener movably coupled to the base. The fastener is movable relative to the base along an axis between a locked position and an unlocked position. In the locked position, the fastener extends through the base cavity. In the unlocked position, the fastener is outside the base cavity. The coupling assembly further includes a casing fixed to the base such that the base remains stationary relative to the casing. The fastener is partially disposed within the casing. The coupling assembly also includes a biasing member operatively coupled between the casing and the fastener such that the biasing member biases the fastener toward the locked position. |
| US09233714B2 |
Vehicle body front portion structure
A suspension member is coupled to a front side attachment portion and a rear side attachment portion of a front side member. A stabilizer bracket is secured to the section of the front side member between a front end portion of the front side member and the front side attachment portion. A reinforcement member that projects outward in the vehicle width direction relative to the front end portion is bonded to a vehicle width direction outside side wall portion of the front end portion. The reinforcement member makes the vehicle front and rear direction yield strength of the front side member higher at the front end portion than at the section between the front side attachment portion and the rear side attachment portion. |
| US09233712B2 |
Parking guidance method for vehicle using around view monitor
There is provided a parking guidance method for a vehicle, of displaying a guidance line for guidance of perpendicular, parallel parking in an AVM synthetic image to provide parking guidance. The method includes entering a parking support mode, displaying parking type information in the parking support mode to select a parking type, displaying a parking reference region or a parking reference line with regard to a parking target space in which the vehicle is to be parked depending on the parking type, displaying a parking alignment reference line when the vehicle travels at a relatively low speed and a steering angle thereof is changed by a threshold value or more, and guiding the vehicle to be aligned such that the parking alignment reference line coincides with a parking section line based on the parking reference region or the parking reference line. |
| US09233708B2 |
Variable effort steering assembly
A vehicle such as a riding lawn care vehicle may include a frame and a steering assembly. Wheels of the vehicle may be attachable to the frame. The steering assembly may include a steering apparatus operably coupled to at least one of the wheels of the vehicle to provide steering inputs to the at least one of the wheels based on a position of the steering apparatus. The steering assembly may further include a steering column, a pinion assembly and a rack assembly. The steering column may extend from the steering apparatus to rotate responsive to movement of the steering apparatus. The pinion assembly may be disposed along the steering column and include at least two pinions of different sizes. The rack assembly may be operably coupled to the frame and the at least one wheel of the vehicle to translate steering inputs from the steering apparatus to the at least one wheel via the pinion assembly. The rack assembly may include at least two rack portions of different sizes. |
| US09233705B2 |
Steering column support apparatus
A steering column support apparatus for an electric power-steering apparatus with a tilt mechanism is achieved that is capable of sufficiently maintaining support rigidity of a tilt pivot shaft 15a to support a pivot bracket 28, and keeping the resistance when performing a tilt operation low with the durability of the side plate sections 32c of a pair of bushings 30c sufficiently maintained. The portions of the outer circumferential surface of the tilt pivot shaft 15a and the inner circumferential surface of the through hole 29 that hold the cylindrical sections 31 of the bushings 30c are cylindrical surfaces. Moreover, main contact surface sections 36, which come in contact with the inner side surfaces of support plate sections 23 in the neutral state in which there is no assist reaction force, and sub contact surface sections 37, which do not come in contact with the support plate sections 23 in the neutral state, and come in contact with the inside surfaces of the support plate sections 23 only when there is elastic deformation due to the occurrence of an assist reaction force, are formed on outside surfaces of the side plate sections 32c of the bushings 30c. |
| US09233704B2 |
Jogging stroller frame with a front wheel automatic flattening folding mechanism
A jogging stroller frame with a front wheel automatic flattening folding mechanism is provided with a jogging stroller frame which can be folded into a substantially flattened configuration for compact storage by an associating of a linking rod. When the foldable jogging stroller frame is folded into the substantially flattened configuration, the seat support rack shall pull the front wheel set to rotate backward about a horizontal axis to the pair of rear struts through the linking rod, thereby converting the foldable jogging stroller frame into a successively smaller size for more compact storage. |
| US09233698B2 |
Railway safety critical systems with task redundancy and asymmetric communications capability
A railway safety critical application system substitutes commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware and/or software for railway-domain specific product components, yet is validated to conform to railway safety critical system failure-free standards. The safety critical system uses a pair of tasks executed on a controller of a COTS personal computer or within a virtual environment with asymmetric communications capability. Both tasks receive and verify safety critical systems input message data and security code integrity and separately generate output data responsive to the input message. The first task has sole capability to send complete safety critical system output messages, but only the second task has the capability of generating the output security code. A failure of any of systems hardware, software or processing capability results failure to transmit a safety critical system output message or an output message that cannot be verified by other safety critical systems. |
| US09233697B2 |
Method and system for controlling a vehicle system factoring mass attributable to weather
A method includes receiving weather data of weather at least one of encountered or to be encountered by one or more vehicles in a vehicle system traveling on a trip along a route. The method also includes, based at least in part on the weather data, determining a first estimated weight of the vehicle system. The first estimated weight accounts for mass attributable to the weather. The method further includes controlling movements of the vehicle system during the trip based at least in part on the first estimated weight of the vehicle system. |
| US09233694B2 |
Railcar including heat-resistant floor
A railcar includes a heat-resistant floor, and the heat-resistant floor includes a floor panel, a heat absorbing layer provided under the floor panel and configured to absorb heat, and a supporting plate configured to support the heat absorbing layer from below. The supporting plate includes contacting portions each configured to contact the heat absorbing layer and separated portions each continuously formed from the contacting portion in a railcar width direction, separated downward from the heat absorbing layer, and extending in a railcar longitudinal direction. |
| US09233691B2 |
Power distribution method for electric vehicle driven by two power sources
A power distribution method for electric vehicle driven by two power sources includes executing a first power distribution law by a vehicle control unit, wherein the first power distribution law sets a distribution ratio according to a vehicle speed of the electric vehicle, a torque demand, and a current gear of a transmission. The powers outputted by first and second motors are adjusted according to the distribution ratio such that the first and second motors can operate at the most efficient operation points to increase the operational efficiency of the electric vehicle driven by two power sources. |
| US09233687B2 |
Method and device for initiating an operation of a motor vehicle under emergency conditions
A method for initiating an operation under emergency conditions of a motor vehicle, the method including detecting a malfunction of a component of the motor vehicle; checking whether an operation under emergency conditions is possible; reporting the malfunction to the driver; initiating the operation under emergency conditions under predefined conditions, the operation under emergency conditions being initiated following an active confirmation by the driver. |
| US09233685B2 |
Control device of hybrid vehicle
It is provided a control device of a hybrid vehicle having a damper device disposed in a power transmission path between an engine and an electric motor, the damper device having different torsion characteristics between torsion in positive direction in which drive power is transmitted from the engine toward the electric motor and torsion in negative direction in which drive power is transmitted from the electric motor toward the engine, the control device being configured to increase rotation of the engine with the electric motor to start the engine, the torsion characteristic in the negative direction of the damper device including a plurality of torsion characteristics having torsional rigidity varying depending on an angle of the torsion, and at start of the engine, the plurality of torsion characteristics being selectively used depending on an engine rotation speed to increase the engine rotation speed. |
| US09233684B2 |
Method and system for learning and controlling torque transmission kiss point of engine clutch for hybrid electric vehicle
Disclosed a system and method of learning and controlling a torque transmission kiss point of an engine clutch. In particular, a determination is made as to whether power transference to a transmission transmitting an output from the engine and the motor has been interrupted, and whether the engine is being driven. The motor is then controlled so that a speed of the motor is maintained at a set speed different from a speed of revolutions of the engine when the power transference to the transmission has been interrupted and the engine is being driven. A state change of the motor is then detected while increasing hydraulic pressure applied to the engine clutch at a set ratio and a torque transmission kiss point of the engine clutch is calculated based on the state change of the motor. |
| US09233681B2 |
Control device for vehicle
A hybrid vehicle outputs creep torque by output torque of a second MG. A creep control unit controls creep torque when an accelerator pedal is not operated. The creep control unit controls a creep cut amount defined by a decrement of creep torque when the brake pedal is operated relative to creep torque when the brake pedal is not operated such that the creep cut amount when reverse running is selected is smaller than the creep cut amount when forward running is selected. |
| US09233675B2 |
Method and device for carrying out a stationary holding function on a motor vehicle
A method for controlling a valve for maintaining brake pressure in a specified region of a brake circuit in a motor vehicle, in which the valve is controlled using a first control method, the specified region of the brake circuit is monitored with respect to the occurrence of a loss of brake pressure, and in response to a detected loss of brake pressure, the valve is controlled using a second control method. |
| US09233673B2 |
BBW brake device
A brake fluid pressure electrically generated by a slave cylinder (23) in accordance with an operation amount by a brake pedal (12) is supplied via a VSA system (24) to wheel cylinders (16, 17; 20, 21) provided respectively for wheels. This enables smooth braking by the wheel cylinders (16, 17; 20, 21) by using a brake fluid pressure pressurized by the slave cylinder (23) and including little pulsation. When the VSA system (24) is to individually control the brake fluid pressures supplied respectively to the wheel cylinders (16, 17; 20, 21) to control vehicle behavior, the slave cylinder (23) generates a brake fluid pressure corresponding to a total of the brake fluid pressures required for the wheel cylinders (16, 17; 20, 21). This configuration allows the slave cylinder (23) to generate a brake fluid pressure in just proportion. |
| US09233670B2 |
Bar-handle vehicle brake control apparatus
One embodiment provides a bar-handle vehicle brake control apparatus. The control apparatus includes an acceleration acquiring part and a control unit. The acceleration acquiring part acquires a tangential acceleration at a point where a straight line which connects a gravity center of a bar-handle vehicle and a front wheel axle intersects a circle which is centered at the front wheel axle. The control unit controls a front wheel brake based on the tangential acceleration. |
| US09233668B2 |
Vehicle braking control device
Taking a stroke within a period from when an operation of a brake operating member is started to when a predetermined stroke operation is performed as an ineffective stroke in which the master cylinder pressure is not generated, a control means controls an amount of differential pressure formed by a differential control valve such that a hydraulic braking force that corresponds to a stroke of the brake operating member is generated during the ineffective stroke, and even after the stroke of the brake operating member exceeds the ineffective stroke, increases the wheel cylinder pressure by performing raising of the amount of differential pressure formed by the differential pressure control valve by a predetermined raising amount with respect to the amount of differential pressure during the ineffective stroke. |
| US09233664B2 |
Wiper blade for a windscreen wiper
The invention relates to a wiper blade for a windscreen wiper, comprising a wiper strip on which at least one support rail (312, 314) is disposed, wherein said support rail has a spring element (412, 415) provided with a plastic sheath (313, 315), and further comprising a base connection device (160), which includes plastic and is welded to plastic sheath (313, 315), wherein a flat weld seam (419, 421) is formed between the base connection device (160) and the at least one support rail (312, 314). |
| US09233654B2 |
Wire harness routing structural part
A wire harness routing structural part reduces the number of components for routing a wire harness within a door. The wire harness routing structural part includes a wire harness incorporating a main path wire and a different path wire, a portion of the wire harness being fixated to a body, and a protector placed on an interior of the door. The protector includes an accommodation part and a different path guide portion, the accommodation part having an extraction opening for extracting the wire harness to the interior of the door and accommodating the wire harness with a space enabling the wire harness to be redirected. The different path guide part guides the different path wire of the wire harness extracted through the extraction opening on a path different from that of the main path wire of the wire harness and following an outer surface of the accommodation part. |
| US09233652B2 |
Closure plug
A closure plug for closing an opening has an annular sealing section which is provided to rest against an edge of the opening, and an expansion section which is formed in one piece with the sealing section and can be adjusted from a mounting position, in which the sealing section has a mounting diameter at least at one axial end, to an expansion position, in which the sealing section has a larger diameter. |
| US09233643B2 |
Image generation device and operation support system
An image generation device generates an output image based on input images obtained by image-taking parts. A coordinates correspondence part causes coordinates on a columnar space model arranged to surround a body to be operated to correspond to coordinates on input image planes on which the input images are positioned, respectively. An output image generation part causes values of the coordinates on the input image planes to correspond to values of the coordinates on an output image plane on which the output image is positioned through coordinates on the columnar space model, which is a combination of a plurality of space model parts each having a reference axis. The space model corresponds to a pair of adjacent image-taking parts among the image-taking parts, and an optical axis of each of the pair of image-taking parts intersects with the reference axis of a corresponding one of the space model parts. |
| US09233640B2 |
Lever switch device
The objective is to reduce the size of a lever switch device. Disclosed is a lever switch device provided with a restriction wall (49) which is formed between first and second arms (19, 23) and which restricts the movement of the first and second arms (19, 23) against the rotation of first and second levers (13, 15) relative to a movable body (31); and engagement walls (45a, 45b, 47a, 47b) which are formed on first and second fitting portions (45, 47) and which are engaged with the first and second arms (19, 23) by the rotational transfer of the first and second arms (19, 23) caused by the shaft rotation of the first and second levers (13, 15), to cause first and second movable boards (41, 43) to perform a contact operation. |
| US09233639B2 |
Light-emitting device and vehicle headlight
A light-emitting device includes a plurality of laser elements, a light-emitting section for emitting light in response to a laser beam, and an emission control section for controlling whether each of the plurality of laser elements emits light or not. At least a part of the plurality of laser elements is positioned in such a manner that irradiation regions of the light-emitting section are positioned at least partially differently. |
| US09233631B2 |
Adjustable head restraint assembly
A head restraint assembly is provided with a first guide member mounted proximate to a vehicle seat back. A second guide member is mounted to the first guide member for translation along the first guide member. A locking mechanism is mounted to the second guide member in cooperation with the first guide member for locking the second guide member relative to the first guide member. The first and second guide members are the only guide members to minimize binding. The locking mechanism includes a torsion spring connected to the first guide member and oriented about the second guide member for locking the second guide member relative to the first guide member. A lever is mounted to the torsion spring for unlocking the torsion spring. |
| US09233628B2 |
Child seat with harness strap pad
A seat assembly is disclosed. The seat assembly includes a shell portion, a pair of harness straps, a seat cover, and a harness pad. The shell portion has an outer surface. The pair of harness straps have an upper portion. The seat cover has an inner surface. The harness pad includes a first portion and a pair of elongated pads. The first portion may be positioned between the outer surface of the shell and the inner surface of the seat cover. The pair of elongated pads may be connected to the head portion. The elongated pads may each be configured to slidably receive the upper portion of a respective one of the harness straps. |
| US09233619B2 |
Vehicle with a plurality of charging means
A hybrid vehicle includes: a battery; a charging unit and an onboard cable for feeding electric power to the battery from a power supply located externally to the vehicle; an inner lid operated for a charging operation by means of the charging unit; and a harness mechanically coupled to the inner lid for making an electrical connection between the battery and the onboard cable. The harness is configured so that the electrical connection made by the harness between the battery and the onboard cable is severed in response to displacement of the inner lid that is caused when the lid is operated. Accordingly, the vehicle having a simple configuration and including a plurality of charging means for charging the power storage device can be provided. |
| US09233618B2 |
Station for rapidly charging an electric vehicle battery
A vehicle charging station is provided. The vehicle charging station includes a charging source providing an electrical charge, a coolant source providing coolant and a connector having both an electrical supply section delivering the electrical charge and a coolant supply section delivering the coolant. The connector is capable of connecting to a vehicle. A connector for a vehicle charging station and an electric vehicle are also provided. |
| US09233615B2 |
Vehicle-side connector having a housing with wire draw-out openings in different directions
A vehicle-side connector (C) to which a charging connector is to be connected includes a housing (20) capable of accommodating vehicle-side terminal fittings (11) fixed to ends of wires (10) drawn out from a battery in a vehicle. A connector fitting portion (25) is provided in a front part of the housing (20), and the charging connector can fit therein so that terminal connecting portions (13) of the vehicle-side terminal fittings (11) are electrically connectable to the charging connector. A terminal accommodating portion (30) is provided in a rear part of the housing (20) and is capable of accommodating parts of the vehicle-side terminal fittings (11) behind the terminal connecting portions (13), The terminal accommodating portion (30) is formed with a first draw-out opening (32) through which the wires (10) can be drawn backward and a second draw-out opening (33) through which the wires (10) can be drawn out laterally. |
| US09233608B2 |
Vehicle drive device
When both a left rear wheel and a right rear wheel are driven by first and second electric motors, and acceleration slippage occurs at either the left wheel or the right wheel, the acceleration slippage is reduced by decreasing the command motor torque (power drive torque) of the first or second electric motor connected to the wheel at which acceleration slippage was generated. The command motor torque of the first or second electric motor connected to the other wheel (wheel on the other side) on the right or left side that is opposite the wheel at which slippage occurred is increased, thereby making it possible to supplement the decrease in the driving torque of the wheel at which slippage occurred. |
| US09233605B2 |
Variable duct apparatus for vehicle
A variable duct apparatus for a vehicle including first and second louvers to rotate around first and second axes to open and closed positions, the variable duct apparatus including: a link to connect first and second louvers; first and second stoppers disposed at the first and second louvers to control the first and second louvers at an open position; a motor to rotate the first louver; and a control device to perform an opening or closing operation for rotating the first louver to the open or closed position by supplying current to the electric motor until a lock current is detected. The control device includes an abnormality determining unit to determine that an operating state is abnormal when an operating angle of the first louver from a start of the opening or closing operation until detection of the lock current is out of a predetermined reference operating angle range. |
| US09233599B2 |
Door module with an aggregate carrier with guide sections formed thereon
A door module for a vehicle door comprises an aggregate carrier for holding functional components of the vehicle door and at least one guide section arranged on the aggregate carrier for guiding an adjustment part along an adjustment direction on the aggregate carrier. The at least one guide section is formed at least sectionally flexible and movable perpendicularly to the adjustment direction relative to a rigid section of the aggregate carrier. In this way a door module with an aggregate carrier is provided which can be produced in an easy and cost efficient manner and can be used substantially without structural modifications in different conditions. |
| US09233598B1 |
Sun visor
A sun visor including a sun visor body having a front side, back side, top side, bottom side, right side and left side. A first cavity and a second cavity disposed within the sun visor body separated by a dividing wall. A sun vision visor and a night vision visor contained within the respective first cavity and second cavity. Each of the sun vision visor and the night vision visor are contained within each of the respective first cavity and second cavity when in a retracted position. Each of the sun vision visor and the night vision visor are extendable to an extended position for use when needed. A friction hinge is disposed on each of the sun vision visor and the night vision visor allowing multi-directionally pivotablility of each visor toward each of the front side and the back side for desired positioning when in an extended position. |
| US09233595B2 |
Method of controlling heating of hybrid electric vehicle
A method of controlling heating of a hybrid electric vehicle includes a heating quantity comparing step of comparing an available heating quantity of an auxiliary heater with a necessary heating quantity of the auxiliary heater. A heating efficiency comparing step compares heating efficiency when the auxiliary heater is driven with heating efficiency of a main heater based on driving of an engine when the available heating quantity of the auxiliary heater is greater than the necessary heating quantity of the auxiliary heater. A heating conducting step drives one of the heaters that has a higher heating efficiency. |
| US09233594B2 |
Cooling device and vehicle equipped with the same, and control method for cooling device
A cooling device utilizes a vapor compression refrigeration cycle including a compressor, a condenser, a receiver, an expansion valve, an evaporator, and an accumulator to cool a heat source with a coolant. The receiver separates the coolant having been subjected to heat exchange by the condenser into gas and liquid. The accumulator separates the coolant having been subjected to heat exchange by the evaporator into gas and liquid. The cooling device opens a switch valve capable of bringing the receiver and the accumulator into communication with each other to move the coolant liquid in the accumulator to the receiver. The cooling device restores the pressure difference between the receiver and the accumulator after the movement of the coolant liquid to the pressure difference before the movement of the coolant liquid by a pressure regulating unit. |
| US09233587B2 |
Transverse control arm, and method for producing a transverse control arm
A transverse control arm for installation in a motor vehicle is being configured as a single-piece malleable structure of uniform material and includes two bearing mounts for receiving elastic bearings and an arcuate center portion which extends between the bearing mounts and has a hollow cross section. The center portion includes in cross section a web and side panels respectively extending from the web in spaced-apart confronting relationship, in particular in parallel relationship. |
| US09233581B2 |
Tire condition advisory system with optimum, advisory and warning states
A display and a controller are used to implement a tire pressure optimization system for a vehicle. The controller is programmed to receive inflation pressure information indicative of a vehicle tire's inflation pressure, and identify an operating state of the vehicle as being in an optimum state when the inflation pressure information indicates optimum performance, in a warning state when the inflation pressure information indicates the inflation pressure is beyond a warning pressure threshold, or in an advisory state when the inflation pressure information indicates an undesirable performance characteristic outside of the warning state and the optimum state. The controller is programmed to operate the display to output an optimum state indication when the operating state is in the optimum state, a warning indication when the operating state is in the warning state, and an advisory indication when the operating state is in the advisory state. |
| US09233579B2 |
Tire
A pneumatic tire (1010) has a circumferential groove (1020) that extends in the tire circumferential direction (Tc), and a land part (1040) that is adjacent to the circumferential groove (1020) and extends in the tire circumferential direction (Tc). Formed in the circumferential groove (1020) is an inner groove (1110) on the bottom (1020b) of the circumferential groove (1020) and recessed more in the tire radial inward direction than the bottom (1020b). The inner groove (1110) includes an inclined part (1120) that extends so as to be inclined in the tire circumferential direction (Tc). The land part (1040) has a hook-like groove portion (1210) formed along the direction (A11) in which the inclined part (1120) extends. The extension direction ends (1210a, 1210b) of the hook-like groove portion (1210) end within the land part. |
| US09233574B2 |
Thermochromic writing instrument
A thermochromic writing instrument contains a thermochromic ink, wherein a writing body is accommodated in a barrel movably in a longitudinal direction, an operation portion is provided on the outer surface of the barrel, a pen tip of the writing body is constituted so as to be projectable/retractable from/into a front-end hole of the barrel by operating the operation portion, the thermochromic ink is contained in the inside of the writing body, the pen tip capable of ejecting the thermochromic ink is provided at the front end of the writing tool, and a friction portion capable of thermally changing the color of the handwriting of the thermochromic ink by the frictional heat generated when the handwriting is rubbed with the friction portion is provided on the outer surface of the barrel. |
| US09233572B2 |
Anti-counterfeiting opto-thermal watermark for electronics
Some embodiments of the inventive subject matter include a computer program product for validating a test thermoreflective mark. The computer program product can include computer usable program code configured to control a temperature regulation unit configured to govern a temperature of a thermoreflective mark. The computer usable program code can be further configured to control an electromagnetic waver emitter to present at a first temperature, a first electromagnetic wave. The computer usable program code can be further configured to record a first reflective profile. The computer usable program code can be further configured to control the electromagnetic wave emitter to present at a second temperature, a second electromagnetic wave. The computer usable program code can be further configured to record a second reflective profile. The computer usable code can be further configured to validate the thermoreflective mark based on the first reflective profile and the second reflective profile. |
| US09233570B2 |
Multi-layer, expandable sleeve for a printing press cylinder, particularly for flexographic printing
A multi-layer, expandable sleeve (100) for a printing press cylinder and a method of manufacturing this expandable sleeve are provided. The sleeve has an inner layer (110) with a hard surface inner jacket (112), which defines a longitudinal axis (A) and the cavity for mounting on the cylinder, and an outer layer (130) with a cylindrical outer jacket (132) for carrying an outer shell, a printing plate or a separate outer sleeve, in particular. An intermediate layer (120), manufactured in the form of a lightweight honeycomb having honeycomb cells oriented radially (B) to the longitudinal axis (A), is provided between the inner jacket (112) and the outer jacket (132). The intermediate layer (120) includes at least one honeycomb layer (122-1, 122-2, 122-3, 122-4, 122-5) of fiber composite honeycomb consisting of fiber material embedded in a resin matrix that has been applied coaxially around the longitudinal axis (A). |
| US09233566B2 |
Printer
A printer includes a lid part, a body part, a first rotating shaft, a second rotating shaft, a first engaging part having the first rotating shaft removably engaged therewith so as to allow the lid part to be opened and closed relative to the body part, and a second engaging part receiving the second rotating shaft in such a manner as to allow the second rotating shaft to rotate. In response to application of a first predetermined force, the first rotating shaft is removed from the first engaging part while absorbing a second predetermined force from the first predetermined force, and the lid part is allowed to rotate on the second rotating shaft to be opened and closed relative to the body part. |
| US09233562B2 |
Printer with rotary cutter including tape guide on rotary blade
A rotary cutter apparatus comprises a rotary body and a holding body. The rotary body is supported by a housing so as to rotate along a rotating direction. The holding body is supported by the housing. The rotary body has a rotary blade including a first edge portion. The holding body has a fixed blade including a second edge portion. The first edge portion is configured to be in contact with the second edge portion and to be rubbed with the second edge portion. The first edge portion and the second edge portion are configured to perform cutting of an object to be cut. The object is located in an introduction path. The rotary cutter apparatus further comprises a guide member configured to be in contact with the object and to guide it when the object is fed to an inside of a rotation trajectory of the rotary body. |
| US09233561B2 |
Recording apparatus
A lens sheet is provided with a lens layer which is formed by arranging lenses, which extend in a y direction as a first direction, in a plurality of lines in an x direction as a second direction which is a direction which is orthogonal to the first direction, and an ink absorbing layer which configures a surface on the opposite side with regard to a surface which is configured by the lens layer, where the thickness of an edge which is an end surface on one side of the lens layer in the x direction is thinner than the thickness of an edge which is an end surface on the other side. The printer performs recording from the edge which is a reference side toward the edge on the opposite side. |
| US09233559B2 |
System for applying vacuum force on web
Apparatus for causing a vacuum force to be applied across a width of a print medium as it moves through a printing system and for determining whether the edge seals are positioned correctly is disclosed. A vacuum chamber is connected to a vacuum source which provides vacuum to the vacuum chamber. Spaced sealing rollers and the edge seals define an opening in the vacuum chamber, wherein the print medium passes over the opening and is guided by the sealing rollers. A sensor measures a vacuum level in the vacuum chamber. A controller stores a plurality of response curves for different known print media, produces first and second signals indicative of an activation level of the vacuum source and the vacuum level in the vacuum chamber, and compares the first and second signal to appropriate response curves to produce an error signal indicating whether the edge seals are correctly positioned. |
| US09233558B2 |
Electrostatic adsorptive belt and method of manufacturing thereof, assembly, and conveyance system
There is provided with a method of manufacturing an electrostatic adsorptive belt. A portion for forming an electrode pattern on a first resin layer is irradiated with an ultraviolet laser beam. A region including the portion for forming the electrode pattern on the first resin layer is oxidated. The electrode pattern if formed on the first region layer by plating. A second resin layer is formed on a surface of the first resin layer on which the electrode pattern is formed. |
| US09233552B2 |
Erasing and sorting apparatus
An erasing apparatus includes a sheet feeding unit from which a sheet is fed into the erasing apparatus, an erasing unit configured to perform an erasing processing on both surfaces of the sheet, a scanning unit configured to scan and generate image data of a bottom surface and a top surface of the sheet, a first storing unit, a second storing unit, and a controller. The controller is configured to determine, based on the image data, whether the bottom surface of the sheet is reusable and whether the top surface of the sheet is reusable. Further, the controller is configured to cause, if both the bottom and top surfaces have been subject to the erasing processing and are determined to be reusable, the sheet to be conveyed to one of the first and second storing units based on a both-sides-erased criteria. |
| US09233548B2 |
Printing fluid cartridge and printing apparatus
A printing fluid cartridge includes a front face oriented toward a first direction, a printing fluid supply portion positioned at the front face, a rear face positioned opposite the front face and oriented toward a second direction opposite the first direction, an electrical interface positioned between the front face and the rear face and facing, and an engagement surface facing in the second direction. |
| US09233545B2 |
Liquid ejection device
An ink ejection device includes a head section having a plurality of nozzles and ejecting a plurality of types of inks through the nozzles, and an ink supply section supplying the plurality of types of inks to the head section. The head section has a plurality of supply ports which are arranged in a scanning direction and to which the plurality of types of inks are supplied. The ink supply section includes a plurality of ink chambers which respectively contain the plurality of types of inks and are disposed to overlap one another in the up-down direction, a plurality of connection passages connecting the plurality of supply ports to the plurality of ink chambers containing the inks to be supplied to the supply ports, and a plurality of air discharge passages respectively connected to the plurality of ink chambers. |
| US09233543B2 |
Waste liquid container, attachment, waste liquid collection unit, and liquid ejecting apparatus
A waste liquid container is detachably mounted on a mounting unit which includes a discharge portion discharging a waste liquid and a projection to which a substrate connection portion is joined. The waste liquid container includes: a containing portion that is able to contain the waste liquid; a connection concave portion that is opened in a mounting direction; a circuit substrate that includes connection terminals electrically connected to the substrate connection portion and is joined to the connection concave portion; and a waste liquid introduction portion that is connected to the discharge portion. In the connection concave portion, one pair of guide portions guiding the projection is formed so that the connection terminals are interposed therebetween in a width direction intersecting the mounting direction. Of the pair of guide portions, one guide portion is disposed between the connection terminals and the waste liquid introduction portion in the width direction. |
| US09233541B1 |
Printhead maintenance station for scalable printhead arrays
A printing system includes a maintenance device that is configured to correspond to different configurations of a scalable printhead array. The printing system includes a first printhead array having a plurality of printheads and a pair of frames disposed in parallel and on opposite ends of the first printhead array. A first maintenance platform is mounted between the pair of frames and configured move from a first position at a first side of the first printhead array to a second position opposite faces of the printheads in the first printhead array. The first maintenance platform is configured to perform a maintenance operation on the plurality of printheads of the first printhead array when the platform is at the second position, and a first actuator is configured to move the first maintenance platform between the first position at the first side of the printhead array and the second position. |
| US09233540B2 |
Printing system, printing apparatuses, and methods of forming nozzles of printing apparatuses
A printing apparatus includes: a flow channel plate including, a pressure chamber, a nozzle including an outlet through which ink contained in the pressure chamber is ejected, and a trench disposed around the nozzle, and the outlet extending into the trench; a piezoelectric actuator configured to provide a change in pressure to eject the ink contained in the pressure chamber; and an electrostatic actuator configured to provide an electrostatic driving force to the ink contained in the nozzle. |
| US09233539B2 |
Fluorinated organosiloxane network composition
The present disclosure provides an ink jet print head face plate. The ink jet print head face plate includes a face plate; and a siloxyfluorocarbon networked polymer disposed on the face plate. The siloxyfluorocarbon networked polymer is a polymerization product of a mixture including from about 2 to about 12 alkoxysilane precursor materials, wherein at least one of the alkoxysilane precursor materials is a hydrophobic alkoxysilane precursor material; and at least one of the alkoxysilane precursor materials is an aromatic alkoxysilane precursor material. The siloxyfluorocarbon networked polymer is insoluble in solvents selected from the group consisting of ketones, chlorinated solvents and ethers. |
| US09233537B2 |
Method of manufacturing liquid ejection head, method of manufacturing recording apparatus including the same, liquid ejection head, and recording apparatus
A method of manufacturing a liquid ejection head having a plurality of passage modules that have individual passages, actuator modules that include a plurality of actuators and a drive unit and the liquid ejection head produced by the method. The method comprising ranking the actuator modules according to a magnitude of a capacitance of the actuators, classifying the passage modules into a terminal region group and a central region group, fixing the actuator modules to the passage modules so that the actuator modules that having a capacitance not less than a predetermined capacitance correspond to the passage modules in the terminal group and so that the actuator modules having a capacitance less than the predetermined capacitance in the actuator module ranking correspond to the passage modules in the central region group. |
| US09233536B2 |
Liquid ejection head, liquid ejection apparatus, and method of manufacturing liquid ejection head
A liquid ejection head including: a recording element substrate provided with an element; an electric wiring substrate having a bent portion, a connecting portion provided on one side of the bent portion and connected with the recording element substrate, and an input portion provided on the other side of the bent portion; and a housing having a first surface, a second surface, a depression provided on the second surface, and a member separated from a bottom surface of the depression and extending into an opening of the depression, wherein part of the other side of the electric wiring substrate is disposed between the bottom surface of the depression and the member. |
| US09233534B2 |
Droplet-discharging head, image-forming device, and method for positioning head modules of droplet-discharging head
Provided are a droplet-discharging head, a droplet-discharging device, and a method for positioning head modules of the droplet-discharging head in which the job of adjusting head module installation positions can be easily performed. In an ink jet head (200) configured by linking multiple head modules (210) together, each head modules (210) is mounted on a base frame (212) supported by a head module support unit provided on the base frame (212). The mounting positions of the head modules (210) in an X-direction mounted on the base frame (212) are individually adjusted by X-directional mounting position adjustment unit. The amounts of displacement of the head modules (210) here are detected by displacement detection unit. |
| US09233530B2 |
Drive control method and drive control apparatus for printing press
According to a drive control method and apparatus, an offset printing section and an intaglio printing section are connected together by a gear train. Separately from an offset printing section prime motor for driving an entire sheet-fed printing press, an intaglio printing section auxiliary motor is provided in the intaglio printing section where load is heaviest and load variations are great. By so doing, the entire sheet-fed printing press is driven by the offset printing section prime motor and the intaglio printing section auxiliary motor. Moreover, the electric current value (driving torque value) of the intaglio printing section auxiliary motor is controlled in accordance with an electric current value (torque value) for driving the offset printing section prime motor, the torque distribution rate of the intaglio printing section auxiliary motor, and the rated electric current value of the intaglio printing section auxiliary motor. |
| US09233525B2 |
Method and apparatus for fabricating separator assembly
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for fabricating a separator assembly. The method comprises: providing a central core element comprising at least one concentrate exhaust conduit and at least one permeate exhaust conduit; disposing a first portion of a membrane stack assembly comprising a permeate carrier layer, a membrane layer, and a feed carrier layer within the central core element such that the concentrate exhaust conduit and permeate exhaust conduit are separated by the first portion of the membrane stack assembly; radially winding a second portion of the membrane stack assembly around the central core element; and sealing the wound assembly comprising two opposing end surfaces made of the membrane stack assembly by applying an adhesive on both end surfaces of the wound assembly; and applying a negative pressure inside the central core element so that the adhesive penetrates into the membrane stack assembly. |
| US09233524B2 |
Integrated process for making inflatable article
An integrated process for making an inflatable laminated article comprises extruding a first film and a second film, followed by cooling the first film and the second film so that the films will not fuse to one another upon contact with each other. The films are then brought into contact with one another, and selected portions of one or both films are heated so that the films are heat sealed to one another in a selected area having a desired pattern. The unsealed area between the film provides inflatable chambers between the first film and the second film. An alternative process utilizes a film tubing in lay-flat configuration to produce a laminated inflatable article. |
| US09233522B2 |
Polyester resin for coating metal plate, resin-coated metal plate being coated with the same, and metal can and lid
A polyester resin for metal plate coating which contains a dimer acid in an amount of 2 to 10 mol %, as a dicarboxylic acid component and has a weight average molecular weight (Mw) ranging from 70,000 to 160,000. Thus, there can be provided a polyester resin for metal plate coating that has not only excellent film forming capability and corrosion resistance but also excellent impact resistance. Further, there can be provided a resin-coated metal plate excelling in properties, such as corrosion resistance, impact resistance (dent resistance), workability and flavor, and provided, fabricated from the resin-coated metal plate, a metal can and can lid. |
| US09233519B2 |
Water-absorbent sheet structure
A water-absorbent sheet structure comprises a structure in which an absorbent layer containing a water-absorbent resin (A) and a water-absorbent resin (B) is sandwiched with fibrous webs from an upper side and a lower side of the absorbent layer, characterized in that the water-absorbent resin (A) and the water-absorbent resin (B) are contained in a total amount of from 100 to 1,000 g/m2, and that the water-absorbent resin (A) and the water-absorbent resin (B) have the following properties: (1) the water-absorbent resin (A) having a water-retention capacity of saline solution (Ra) from 15 to 55 g/g; (2) the water-absorbent resin (B) having a water-retention capacity of saline solution (Rb) from 10 to 50 g/g; and (3) Ra and Rb mentioned above satisfies the relationship of the following formula: Ra−Rb≧(g/g). The water-absorbent sheet structure of the present invention exhibits some effects that a water-absorbent sheet structure has excellent shape retaining ability even when the structure is thin, so that the water-absorbent sheet structure does not undergo deformation of the form before liquid absorption or after the absorption, and is capable of sufficiently exhibiting absorbent properties. |
| US09233518B2 |
Hybrid porous structure, method of preparing hybrid porous structure, separation membrane including hybrid porous structure, and water treatment device including membrane
A hybrid porous structure may include a base template and an ionic polymer coating layer within the base template. The structural framework of the base template itself is non-porous. The base template fills the gaps among a plurality of imaginary spherical bodies stacked in three-dimensions as an imaginary stack. The ionic polymer coating layer is laminated on an inner surface of the base template inside the imaginary spherical bodies. The imaginary spherical bodies may have a pore in the center which is not occupied by the ionic polymer coating layer. The hybrid porous structure may include a plurality of necks, which are openings formed in a contact part where adjacent imaginary spherical bodies contact each other. The necks may be interconnected to the pores located in the center part of the imaginary spherical bodies. |
| US09233513B2 |
Apparatus for manufacturing stacked integrated component media inserts for ophthalmic devices
This invention discloses methods and apparatus for providing a media insert with an energy source to an ophthalmic lens. The energy source is capable of powering a component included within the ophthalmic lens. In some embodiments, an ophthalmic lens is cast molded from a silicone hydrogel and the component includes an electro-optical lens portion. |
| US09233512B2 |
Manufacturing method of blazed diffraction grating and mold for making a blazed difraction grating
A method for manufacturing a diffraction grating having a plurality of grating grooves that extends in parallel in a direction includes a first cutting processing step of moving, in the direction, a work and a cutting tool having a first blade and a second blade relatively to each other, and of forming a first surface of the grating groove in the work through cutting processing using the first blade of the cutting tool, and a second cutting step of moving, in the direction, the work and the cutting tool relatively to each other after the first cutting processing step, so that the first blade does not contact the first surface formed by the first cutting processing step, and of forming a second surface of the grating groove in the work through cutting processing using the second blade of the cutting tool. |
| US09233505B2 |
Powder compositions and methods of manufacturing articles therefrom
Powder compositions and articles and methods of forming articles from powder compositions are provided. The powder compositions include at least one polymer powder and an amount of reinforcing particles having an aspect ratio of preferably at least about 5:1. In a preferred embodiment, the powder composition is capable of being formed, via a laser sintering process, into a three-dimensional article that exhibits one or more desirable mechanical properties in an elevated temperature environment. |
| US09233501B2 |
Apparatus for linear friction welding
The linear friction welding (LFW) apparatus of this invention, in various embodiments includes a vibrating assembly or assemblies, which simultaneously vibrates both work pieces along the weld axis during the weld process. In one embodiment, separate vibrating assemblies are used to vibrate each work piece along the weld axis relative to each other. Each vibrating assembly has its own oscillator mechanism with motors and cams that can be moved into and out of phase with that of the other vibrating mechanism to generate the relative movement between the work pieces. In another embodiment, the apparatus includes a vibrating assembly that uses a single oscillator and two sets of rocker arms supporting carriages operatively connected by a linkage mechanism to simultaneously vibrate both work pieces along the weld axis. |
| US09233495B2 |
Sheet for forming hard coating
The present invention relates to a sheet for forming a hard coating and a method of formation. The present invention can provide a transfer material or a surface protection sheet having a high index of refraction and superior physical properties, such as hardness, friction resistance, abrasion resistance, chemical resistance, transparency, luster, and the like, for forming a hard coating on the surface of various molded products, including resin molded products or wood products, and a method for forming a hard coating from such transfer material or surface protection sheets. |
| US09233492B2 |
Composite materials reinforced with carbon nanotube yarns
Composite materials are provided that include one or more CNT yarns embedded in a matrix material. The composite materials may be transparent. Methods for making the composite materials are also provided. The composite materials may be made by arranging at least one CNT yarn into a desired pattern and embedding the at least one CNT yarn into a matrix material. |
| US09233488B2 |
Die assembly and method of extruding cellular ceramic substrates with a skin
An extrusion apparatus including a die and a mask are provided such that no slots feed directly into the longitudinal skin forming gap between the mask and the die. In a method of forming a die adapted to improve skin uniformity of extruded cellular ceramic substrates a slotted block of die material is provided including central slots adapted to form a cellular matrix of the substrate and peripheral slots located outwardly of the central slots designed to be covered by a skin former mask and adapted to extrude peripheral batch material. An arcuate skin former is cut corresponding to a target shrinkage so as to intersect the slotted block such that skin flow from tangent slots at 90 degree positions of the die is limited to the peripheral batch material. |
| US09233487B2 |
Method for manufacturing photoaligning integrated large area metallic stamp, and method for manufacturing polymer optical device using same
The disclosure relates to a method for manufacturing a photoaligning integrated large area metallic stamp, which includes the following steps: making a unit device PLC mold pattern, and molding a unit PLC device pattern through a multistep imprinting method using the PLC mold pattern; heat treating the unit PLC device pattern to minimize scattering loss due to surface roughness; making a groove pattern for supporting an optical fiber; making an integrated PDMS mold for a unit device by aligning the unit PLC device pattern and the groove pattern; and repeatedly replicating the integrated PDMS mold for a unit device to make a large area PDMS pattern, and making a large area stamp through electroforming using the large area PDMS pattern. |
| US09233486B2 |
Die and method for impregnating fiber rovings
A die and method for impregnating at least one fiber roving with a polymer resin are disclosed. In one embodiment, the die includes an impregnation section including an impregnation zone configured to impregnate the roving with the resin, the impregnation zone including a plurality of contact surfaces. The die further includes a perturbation positioned on at least one of the plurality of contact surfaces, the perturbation configured to interact with the roving. In one embodiment, the method includes coating a fiber roving with a polymer resin. The method further includes traversing the coated roving through an impregnation zone to impregnate the roving with the resin. The impregnation zone includes a plurality of contact surfaces. The method further includes interacting the coated roving with a perturbation positioned on at least one of the plurality of contact surfaces. |
| US09233485B1 |
Low energy slag and cement production
A slag powder and cement production system capable of utilizing slag immediately after generation as a byproduct of a primary manufacturing process to recover thermal energy of slag concurrently with preparation of slag for cement in a powdered form to maximize energy recovery from primary manufacturing process and to minimize energy consumption to transform slag into a slag powder. Preferably the heat removed from the liquid slag as it solidifies is recovered for useful work, such as sustaining the primary manufacturing process or co-located cement production process and/or electric power production preferably through a supercritical CO2 thermodynamic cycle operating through a heat exchanger less transfer of thermal energy from the slag. |
| US09233481B2 |
Method of patterning electrically-conductive film on flexible substrates
A method of patterning an electrically-conductive film is performed by providing a flexible substrate that carries the electrically-conductive film thereon to form a combined layer. The combined layer is then bent about a radius of curvature, so as to impart a stress on the brittle conductive film along the axis of curvature of the curved surface. The application of the stress to the conductive film results in the formation of crack lines that are substantially perpendicular to the direction to which the substrate and conductive film are bent. The crack lines serve to define and electrically isolate conductive sections therebetween that can be utilized as electrodes and address lines in electronic devices. |
| US09233478B2 |
Method and apparatus to cut out a vehicle glazing panel
A winder unit (1) is disclosed for use with a cutting wire in cutting out a vehicle glazing panel. The unit is capable of being mounded to the glazing panel and includes first and second winder spools (4, 5) for winding cutting wire. At least one wire wrap around guide element (typically a pulley) is positioned away from the mounting means. The unit (1) may be used in various techniques either alone or with an auxiliary guide arrangement (2). |
| US09233474B2 |
Clamping apparatus
A clamping apparatus includes a support, a fixing shaft fixedly mounted on the support, a driving mechanism supported by the support, and at least two clamping assemblies positioned on the fixing shaft and the moving shaft. The driving mechanism includes a driving member fixed on the support, and a moving shaft assembled to the driving member. Each clamping assembly includes a first clamping member, a second clamping member, a first connecting member, and a second connecting member. The first clamping member and the second clamping member are pivotally coupled with the fixing shaft, the first connecting member is hinged with the first clamping member and the moving shaft, the second connecting member is hinged with the second clamping member and the moving shaft. The first clamping member and the second clamping member of each clamping assembly are capable of moving toward each other for clamping a workpiece. |
| US09233472B2 |
Mobile robot providing environmental mapping for household environmental control
A mobile robot includes a processor connected to a memory and a wireless network circuit, for executing routines stored in the memory and commands generated by the routines and received via the wireless network circuit. The processor drives the mobile robot to a multiplicity of accessible two dimensional locations within a household, and commands an end effector, including at least one motorized actuator, to perform mechanical work in the household. A plurality of routines include a first routine which monitors a wireless local network and detects a presence of a network entity on the wireless local network, a second routine which receives a signal from a sensor detecting an action state of one of the network entities, the action state changeable between waiting and active, and a third routine which commands the end effector to change state of performing mechanical work based on the presence and on the action state. |
| US09233471B2 |
Debris monitoring
A debris monitoring system includes a receptacle, a first and a second emitter, and a first receiver. The receptacle defines an opening to receive debris into the receptacle. The first and second emitter are each arranged to emit a signal across at least a portion of the opening. The first receiver is proximate to the first emitter to receive reflections of the signal emitted by the first emitter, and the first receiver is disposed toward the opening to receive an unreflected portion of the signal emitted by the second emitter across at least a portion of the opening. |
| US09233470B1 |
Determining a virtual representation of an environment by projecting texture patterns
Example methods and systems for determining 3D scene geometry by projecting patterns of light onto a scene are provided. In an example method, a first projector may project a first random texture pattern having a first wavelength and a second projector may project a second random texture pattern having a second wavelength. A computing device may receive sensor data that is indicative of an environment as perceived from a first viewpoint of a first optical sensor and a second viewpoint of a second optical sensor. Based on the received sensor data, the computing device may determine corresponding features between sensor data associated with the first viewpoint and sensor data associated with the second viewpoint. And based on the determined corresponding features, the computing device may determine an output including a virtual representation of the environment that includes depth measurements indicative of distances to at least one object. |
| US09233465B2 |
Tool box
A tool box includes a base, a button, a cover and two hinges. The button is located in a recessed area of the base and connected to a fixing member that is connected to the recessed area. The button has a resilient arm extending from each of two ends thereof, and each resilient arm has a protrusion which is engaged with the positioning hole of the fixing member. Two resilient piece extending toward each other from the top edge thereof and a flange extends from one side of the button. The cover is pivotably connected to the base by the two hinges. The cover has a locking member so as to be engaged with the flange of the button. The two resilient piece push the cover upward when the cover is unlocked from the base. The hinges are not loosened after frequent use. |
| US09233463B2 |
Modular weighted base bicycle stand
A modular weighted base bicycle stand having cross over and adjustable application. Said bicycle stand is comprised of light weight weather enduring durable material. The device of this invention having a removably attachable weighted planar base and several removably attachable extendable arms. |
| US09233460B2 |
Control element for a hand power tool
An electric hand power tool includes a cylindrical device section, a control element displaceable about the cylindrical device section, and an electric scanning device disposed at the device section and configured to determine a rotary position of the control element. The scanning device is configured to optically scan the rotary position. |
| US09233441B2 |
Machining system
A machining system includes two machining devices. Each machining device includes a bracket and a machining unit, a transferring unit, a control unit mounted on the bracket. The transferring unit includes a driving member and a transferring member connected to the driving member. The control unit is electrically connected to the machining unit and the driving member. The two machining devices are arranged in a straight line. The transferring members are connected in order. The control unit of one machining device controls the machining unit to machine the workpiece, and when the machining unit has finished machining the workpiece, the control unit controls the driving member to drive the transferring member, thus the transferring member of one machining device conveys the workpiece to the transferring member of an adjacent machining device. |
| US09233439B2 |
Manufacturing method of liquid-cooled jacket
Provided is a method of producing a liquid-cooled jacket wherein deformation of a seal body can be minimized. A method of producing a liquid-cooled jacket constituted by fixing a seal body which seals the opening of a recess, by friction stir welding, to a jacket body having a partially opening recess through which heat transport fluid for transporting heat generated by a heat generating body to the outside flows, wherein the seal body is mounted on a supporting surface which is formed at the peripheral edge of the opening of the recess in the jacket body and consists of the bottom surface of a step lower than the surface of the jacket body, the side surface of the step of the jacket body and the outer circumferential surface of the seal body are butted each other, a plasticized region is formed by making one round of a rotary tool which is equipped with a stir pin having a length greater than the thickness of the seal body round along the butting portion of the side surface of the step of the jacket body and the outer circumferential surface of the seal body, and then the seal body is welded to the jacket body. |
| US09233438B2 |
Heat sink and method for manufacturing
The present application relates to a method of manufacturing a heat sink from a plurality of extruded lamellas, each lamella including a base portion having a top surface, a bottom surface, and two side surfaces, each lamella further including a fin portion extending from the top surface of the base portion, wherein the base portion is wider than the fin portion. The method includes aligning the base portions of the plurality of lamellas with the fin portion of each lamella extending in the same direction and the side surfaces of adjacent base portions facing each other; pressing the base portions of adjacent lamellas into contact with each other by applying a force to the side surface of at least one of the base portions; and welding the bottom surfaces of adjacent base portions together. A heat sink and a lamella for use in manufacturing a heat sink are also disclosed. |
| US09233430B2 |
Mounted optical component, method for the production thereof and use of same
The invention relates to a mounted optical component and also a method for the production of mounted optical components. Furthermore, the invention relates to the use of mounted optical components. |
| US09233428B2 |
Computer controlled multiple axis grinding machine for grinding saw blades
A saw grinding apparatus comprises a saw blade mount for mounting a saw blade thereto; a tool rack comprising multiple tool bays each for storing a grinding tool; and at least one computer numerically controlled (CNC) multiple axes grind wheel manipulator which uses each grinding tool to perform a saw grinding operation. The manipulator includes a spindle connectable to a grinding tool and is movable to a grinding position wherein a grinding operation can be performed on a saw blade mounted to the saw blade mount. The manipulator is also movable to a tool change position wherein the spindle can engage a grinding tool stored in a tool bay and can deposit a grinding tool in an empty tool bay. |
| US09233427B2 |
Portable battery-powered reciprocating saw
A power tool includes a housing having a handle configured for a user, the handle defining a first axis, a motor supported by the housing, the motor defining a second axis along a length of the motor, a tool element movably supported by the housing and drivingly coupled to the motor, the tool element defining a third axis along a length of the tool element. Each of the first, second, and third axes are oblique with respect to each of the other axes. |
| US09233422B2 |
Superhard cutter element
A superhard cutter element for machining a workpiece comprising wood, metal, ceramic material or composite material, the superhard cutter comprising a superhard structure (140) having a rake side (110) and a flank side (120), the rake side (110) and the flank side (120) enclosing a wedge angle ω; and a protective layer (170) bonded to the superhard structure (140) at a rake interface (180) on the rake side (110), the protective layer (170) being softer than the material of the superhard structure (140). |
| US09233421B2 |
Method for manufacturing metallic nanowires using ionic liquids
Disclosed is a method of manufacturing nano-sized metal wire having a length-to-diameter ratio of at least 50 by using an ionic liquid in a polyol reduction using a metal salt as a precursor. |
| US09233420B2 |
Fine metal particles and fine metal oxide particles in dry powder form, and use thereof
The present invention provides a process for simply and easily producing fine metal particles or fine metal oxide particles in the form of a dry powder which can be used as extremely fine particles in a good dispersion state without causing coagulation for a long time even if not stored in a dispersion solvent. Fine metal particles or fine metal oxide particles in the form of a dry powder are prepared using a dispersion in which fine metal particles or fine oxide metal particles having a surface oxidation film are dispersed in an organic solvent in a stable state, while once covering the particle surface with covering agent molecules containing, at a terminal, a functional group having an oxygen atom, a nitrogen atom, or a sulfur atom as a group capable of forming a coordinative bond with metal, and by removing the dispersion solvent, washing and removing excess covering agent molecules with a polar solvent without damaging the covering agent molecule layer covering the fine particle surface, finally evaporating the polar solvent used for washing and drying. |
| US09233417B2 |
Casting unit for a diecasting machine
A diecasting machine casting unit includes a casting chamber body having a casting chamber with a casting material inlet and outlet. A casting piston is movable forward in a longitudinal direction in the casting chamber to discharge casting material from the casting chamber under pressure via the outlet, and is movable back, whereby casting material is feedable into the casting chamber via the inlet. The casting piston extends through a through-passage of the casting chamber body from outside into the casting chamber. An area of free space of the casting chamber is formed between an outer lateral surface of the casting piston and an inner wall surface of the casting chamber body transversely relative to the casting piston longitudinal direction by an outer cross section of the casting piston being appropriately smaller than an inner cross section of the casting chamber body. |
| US09233416B2 |
Side frame and bolster for a railway truck and method for manufacturing same
A method of manufacturing a side frame of a rail car, where the side frame includes a pair of pedestals for mounting wheel sets, includes providing a side frame pattern for forming a drag portion and a cope portion of a mold. Cores that define an interior region of a cast side frame are also provided. The side frame pattern and the cores are configured to constrain a spacing between the pair of pedestals to within about ±0.038 inches. |
| US09233415B2 |
Method of making a composite component and apparatus
A method of making a composite component and the composite component is disclosed. The composite component can comprise multiple portions with different materials. By configuring the composite component with different materials, the weight of the composite component can be reduced while maintaining the strength and support of the composite component for a cockpit assembly. Furthermore, the method provides for an increase in the efficiency of the die casting process used to create the composite component. |
| US09233413B2 |
Rolling forming method of wheel disc
The invention provides a rolling forming method of wheel disc, which comprises the following steps: (1) Baiting a circular blank; (2) placing the circular blank in a cavity of a rolling explorator and adopting at least two rolling wheels symmetrically arranged along the circumferential direction of the rolling explorator to perform planar synchronous staggered rolling on the circular blank in the cavity of the rolling explorator; (3) performing trimming and sizing; and (4) stretch forming. The rolling forming method of wheel disc of this invention can precisely form various geometric sections with gradual deformation. The formed product has a uniform mass in the axial direction and the circumferential direction, and has a high dynamic balance precision. The invention can make the blank deform precisely, enhance the production efficiency, and reduce the cost, therefore the invention has good application and popularization prospect. |
| US09233408B2 |
Hot forging press machine
A hot forging press machine includes a fixed lower die, a vertically movable upper die, a punching blade for punching, and a deburring blade. The deburring blade includes a deburring upper blade and a deburring lower blade to perform deburring. The deburring upper blade is fixed to a lower portion of the upper die, and the lower blade is fixed to an upper portion of the lower die. A lower sweeping plate urged upward by a spring is slidably fitted to an outer circumference of the lower blade to perform deburring, and an upper sweeping plate of the upper die presses an entirety of an upper surface of a flange portion of a pressed product to perform the discharging. |
| US09233407B2 |
Multipunch with axial retainer for securing multiple dies or strippers
A multiple punch and die assembly body member has dies or strippers that are held within multiple pockets in a multipunch body member by means of a centrally positioned retaining member formed from a rigid or flexible material located in a central recess at the middle of a ring of the surrounding dies or strippers. The retaining member is preferably held in place by a push plate that can be secured to the multipunch body member by a tightening element, e.g., a screw fastener for pressing the peripheral surface of the retainer member into engagement with the dies or strippers to hold them in their respective pockets in the multipunch body member. |
| US09233403B2 |
Nozzle of dust blower
A nozzle of dust blower is mainly a hollow tube with one open end connected to the dust blower and the other end a closed end. The wall near the closed end has several outlets on the same side toward a radial direction of the tube, so that the high-pressure air blown by the dust blower into the tube blows out of the outlets in the radial direction. Corresponding to each of the outlets, the tube has an auxiliary nozzle base. Each nozzle base has a passage connected to the corresponding outlet. The passage of each of the nozzle bases extends along the radial direction of the tube. The end of each of the nozzle bases near the tube has at least one inlet, so as to suck more air into the nozzle base as the air is blown out. |
| US09233400B2 |
Systems and methods for aggregating serialized goods
In some embodiments, aggregated serialized goods may be loaded into the serialization/aggregation system via a conveyor, and the aggregated serialized goods may be scanned and authenticated. The aggregated serialized goods that are determined to be authentic may be diverted to at least one aggregation line, where the aggregated serialized goods may be bundled. The serialization/aggregation system may be adjustable, and may be easily converted to accept items of various shapes and sizes. |
| US09233398B2 |
Feeder channel for mud shaker
A feeder channel for use in a filter separator machine is used for separation of undesired particles from a well fluid used in petroleum industry which has a purpose of guiding fluid and particle flow to the area of the filter that provides the best utilization of available filtration area and includes: a feeder channel is arranged so that the upstream well fluid is guided via a guiding- and turning plate, which is installed in series in opposite repeated direction in which the outlet of each guiding- and the turning plate facing the center of the vertical line. The fluid will for this reason be independent on how the feeder channel is installed in the direction and angle, and will provide a homogeneous flow profile as it guided through the mouth guide plate and internal guide fin against the distribution plate. The fluid is then distributed to the filter's inner part and utilizes the entire filter surface area and the filter separator machines movement and function. |
| US09233397B1 |
Seed filtering system
A seed filtering system for funneling and filtering material. The seed filtering system generally includes an opening for receiving material entering into the funneling device. A primary side wall, wherein all of the material entering the funneling device is funneled onto the primary side wall. A filter disposed on the primary side wall for filtering the material that is funneled onto the primary side wall. A discharge hole for discharging the material that is filtered through the funneling device. |
| US09233393B2 |
Process for creating lithographically-defined plasmonic structures with enhanced Q factors
A method for plasmonic structure manufacture and for protecting a plasmonic nanostructure during annealing is provided. The method includes: lithographically forming a plasmonic nanostructure on a substrate; encapsulating the plasmonic nanostructure in high temperature resistant material; annealing the plasmonic nanostructure; and removing the high temperature resistant material to reveal the annealed plasmonic nanostructure. |
| US09233392B2 |
Artificial hair filament having antibacterial and antifungal properties, method and device for preparing the same
An artificial hair filament having a core/sheath structure is provided. The artificial hair filament has excellent antibacterial and antifungal effects since antibacterial and antifungal nanoparticles are included in the sheath structure of the artificial hair filament. Here, the antibacterial and antifungal effects can last for a long period of time. A contact-type drug-treating roller and an ultrasonic spraying machine can be used to provide the artificial hair filament with the antibacterial and antifungal effects. In the artificial hair filament, the sheath structure is formed so that the sheath structure occupies 5 to 20% of an entire filament diameter, thereby exhibiting desirable antibacterial and antifungal effects. Therefore, degradation of the antibacterial properties and antifungal properties with time can be prevented. |
| US09233391B2 |
Removable guide for an applicator for applying resin to creases in a garment
A removable guide for use in an applicator configured to be irremovably attached to an underside of a cartridge. The guide has a fin shaped bottom located rearward for guiding the applicator along creases in a garment. The guide preferably has an opening or notch at its forward most central portion to engage the tip to ensure alignment with the tip when dispensing resin from the cartridge. The top side wall portions of the guide dips down or has a lower side width than the sidewall portions nearer the tip for easier disengagement of the guide from the cartridge. |
| US09233386B2 |
Apparatus and method for preventing crosswind interference in induction nozzles
A modified version of an induction nozzle having a central “see-through” passive zone protects the induction ports from crosswind disruption. Modified features include: (i) a full-length wind band extending below the induction port inlets; (ii) multiple full-length mounting brackets, which impede circumferential crosswind flow around the nozzle; (iii) a transverse induction port separation plate, orthogonal to the centerlines of the induction ports; and (iv) elimination of one induction port opening. |
| US09233384B2 |
Discharging device
A dispenser for discharging liquids with a liquid reservoir for accommodating the liquid prior to being discharged, and a liquid outlet passage which leads to a liquid outlet opening through which the liquid reservoir communicates with a surrounding atmosphere. In a use position, the liquid outlet opening is arranged below the liquid reservoir such that the liquid flows on account of the weight thereof in the direction of the liquid outlet opening, and the liquid outlet passage in the use position does not simultaneously permit air to enter the liquid reservoir and liquid to exit into the surrounding atmosphere. In order to reduce the internal volume of the dispenser and therefore to effect a discharge of liquid, a slide is pushed manually in an actuating direction from a stroke starting position into a stroke end position. |
| US09233379B2 |
Pat-switching sprinkler
The present invention is provided with a pat-switching sprinkler, which is provided with a fixation unit (100), an operation bat (200) and switching mechanism (300). The fixation unit (100) is provided with a water entry (110) and multiple water exits (120) which can get through with the water entry (110). The operation bat is provided with an operation part (210), a connection part (220) and a pin-jointed part (230), which pivots the fixation unit. The connection part (220) and the operation part (210) respectively lie at the inner side and external side of the fixation unit. The switching mechanism (300) is arranged in the fixation unit (100) and is in transmission with the connection part (220). It has advantages as below: swing the operation bat by patting it, which can put the switching mechanism in motion to switch the water exits. Thus, it saves the switching force and can be switched reliably and conveniently. |
| US09233377B2 |
Method, system, and apparatus for aligning the angle of a polar coordinate system device to the axis of an end-effector
A method, system, and apparatus for aligning the index angle of a polar coordinate system device, such as the rotor of a centrifuge, with the vertical axis of a Cartesian coordinate system device, such as a robotic end-effector. The apparatus includes a first registration device, that is removably attached to the gripping means of the end-effector and a second registration device, that is removably insertable into a pivoting platform, such as a bucket to a centrifuge rotor. As the first registration device is lowered into the second registration device, the fixed orientation of the notches of the second registration device and the rigid nature of the first registration device cause a linear ball slide to displace and the bucket to rotate until the primary axis of the linear ball slide is in compliance with the cross pin axis of the first registration device. |
| US09233375B2 |
Wood chipper, control system therefor, and method thereof
A wood chipper includes a frame, an infeed system, a rotatable cutting system, and at least one feed wheel disposed between the infeed system and the cutting system to feed wood material to the cutting system. The wood chipper also includes a winch which includes a winch line having a first end, and a collar disposed adjacent the first end of the winch line. The wood chipper further includes a detector adapted to detect a first and a second position of the winch line, wherein the detector is adapted to allow operation of the at least one feed wheel and prohibit operation of the winch when the first position of the winch line is detected, and to allow operation of the winch and allow operation of the at least one feed wheel in a predefined manner when the second position is detected. |
| US09233370B2 |
Magnetic immunosensor and method of use
The present invention provides apparatus and methods for the rapid determination of analytes in liquid samples by immunoassays incorporating magnetic capture of beads on a sensor capable of being used in the point-of-care diagnostic field. |
| US09233366B2 |
Catalysis by metal nanoparticles dispersed within a hierarchically porous carbon material
Disclosed are hierarchically porous carbon materials with a plurality of discreet nanoparticles dispersed on their carbon phase. The materials possess a continuous network of pores that spans the porous material, permitting the flow of fluids into and through the material. The porous materials can be used as heterogeneous catalysts. |
| US09233365B2 |
Catalyst complex with carbene ligand
Catalytic complexes including a metal atom having anionic ligands, at least one nucleophilic carbene ligand, and an alkylidene, vinylidene, or allenylidene ligand. The complexes are highly stable to air, moisture and thermal degradation. The complexes are designed to efficiently carry out a variety of olefin metathesis reactions. |
| US09233364B2 |
Multimetallic assembly, methods of making multimetallic assembly, methods of oxidizing water, methods of O-atom transfer catalysts, and methods of carbon dioxide reduction
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide for multimetallic assemblies, methods of making a multimetallic assembly, methods of oxidizing water, methods of O-atom transfer catalysis, and the like. |
| US09233358B1 |
Stable support for Fischer-Tropsch catalyst
A process has been developed for preparing a Fischer-Tropsch catalyst precursor and a Fischer-Tropsch catalyst made from the precursor. The process includes contacting a gamma alumina catalyst support material with a first solution containing a vanadium compound, to obtain a modified catalyst support material. The modified catalyst support material is calcined at a temperature of at least 500° C. The calcined modified catalyst support has a pore volume of at least 0.35 cc/g. The modified catalyst support is less soluble in acid solutions than an equivalent unmodified catalyst support. The modified catalyst support loses no more than 15% of its pore volume when exposed to water vapor. The modified catalyst support is contacted with a second solution which includes a precursor compound of an active cobalt catalyst component to obtain a catalyst precursor. The catalyst precursor is reduced to activate the catalyst precursor to obtain the Fischer-Tropsch catalyst. The catalyst has enhanced hydrothermal stability as measured by losing no more than 22% of its pore volume when exposed to water vapor. |
| US09233356B2 |
Exhaust gas purification catalyst and production method thereof
An exhaust gas purification catalyst including a catalyst support and bimetallic particles supported thereon, wherein said bimetallic particles include an at least partial solid solution of rhodium and iridium and have a diffraction peak at 40.66°<2θ<41.07° in X-ray diffraction with a CuKα ray. A method for producing an exhaust gas purification catalyst, includes heating a mixed solution containing a rhodium salt, an iridium salt and a reducing agent at a temperature sufficient to reduce rhodium and iridium, thereby producing bimetallic particles including an at least partial solid solution of rhodium and iridium; and supporting the produced bimetallic particles on a catalyst support. |
| US09233348B2 |
Equipment assembly for and method of processing particles
An equipment assembly for preparing, harvesting and collecting particles is disclosed. The assembly comprises a tandem filter system with one or more high pressure filters, one or more low pressure filters and one or more collection vessel. Particles can be prepared, harvested and collected continuously, semi-continuously or in a batch-type operation. A tandem filter system and its method of use are also disclosed. Particles made with the assembly and according the instant methods are also disclosed. The assembly provides improved particle harvesting and collection over other systems and permits continuous particle formation, in particular by dispersion of a solute-containing process fluid within a supercritical anti-solvent. |
| US09233345B2 |
Anion transport membrane
An anion transport membrane is provided enabling efficient anion exchange across the membrane, which could be used in applications like fuel cells, water electrolyzers, or water filtration systems. The structural membrane morphology is based on a hydrophobic polysulfone membrane backbone and co-grafted thereon hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol) grafts and anion conducting quaternary ammonium species. This structure defines a bi-continuous morphology with locally phase-separated hydrophobic-hydrophilic domains, and a co-localization of the anion conducting quaternary ammonium species with respect to the hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol) grafts enabling efficient and continuous ion transport channels for facilitating anion transport. |
| US09233344B1 |
High selectivity polyimide membrane for natural gas upgrading and hydrogen purification
A polyimide polymer having hydroxyl and acetoxy function groups is provided together with a membrane made from the polymer. Also provided is a process for separating at least one gas from a mixture of gases using a polyimide membrane comprising a polyimide polymer with hydroxyl and acetoxy functional the process comprising: (a) providing the polyimide membrane comprising the polyimide polymer with hydroxyl and acetoxy functional groups which is permeable to the at least one gas; (b) contacting the mixture on one side of the polyimide membrane to cause said at least one gas to permeate the membrane; and (c) removing from the opposite side of the membrane a permeate gas composition comprising a portion of said at least one gas which permeated the polyimide membrane. |
| US09233342B2 |
Organic-inorganic porous membrane and a method for preparing the same
The invention provides an organic-inorganic porous membrane which includes metal organic silica nano-particles impregnated in a polymer. The polymer includes a property of generating porous membrane using a phase inversion technique. The invention also provides a method for preparing the organic-inorganic porous membrane. |
| US09233337B2 |
CO2 recovery device
A regeneration tower 7 of a CO2 recovery unit includes an upper regeneration portion 51 that has a tray portion 45, a lower regeneration portion 52 provided below the upper regeneration portion 51 and having a liquid dispersion portion 46, and a supply line L5 that supplies absorbing liquid stored in the tray portion 45 to the liquid dispersion portion 46. The supply line L5 is provided with a heat exchanger 53, and the absorbing liquid is circulated using the density difference between the absorbing liquid flowing before the heat exchanger 53 and the absorbing liquid flowing after the heat exchanger 53 as a driving force. This reduces the cost of equipment while reducing the power in the delivery of the absorbing liquid in the regeneration portion. |
| US09233335B2 |
Fresh air line
A fresh air line for a fresh air system may include a tubular body enclosing a fresh air path in a circumferential direction. At least one annular adsorber element arranged coaxially in the tubular body. The fresh air line may also include at least one resonance chamber arranged radially between the tubular body and the adsorber element. |
| US09233334B2 |
Byproducts treating device and a facility for manufacturing semiconductor devices having the byproducts treating device
A byproducts treating device includes a transfer unit, a cleaning unit, and a controller. The transfer unit forcibly transfers byproducts from a byproduct source. The cleaning unit is combined with the transfer unit and separates the byproducts into at least one of a power or a byproduct gas. The controller is connected to the cleaning unit and selects at least one selection line for discharging byproduct gas. The byproducts flow from the transfer unit to the cleaning unit without flow lines, and the controller selects the at least one selection line based on a flux of the byproduct gas. |
| US09233330B2 |
Separating element for separating liquids from a gas flow
A separating element for separating liquid from a gas flow is arranged in a separating container of a liquid separator. The separating container has a housing with a container opening and a cover closing off the container opening. The sealing element has a collar arranged between housing and cover and supported on an upper area of the housing facing the cover. A sealing element is provided that has sealing surfaces arranged between the upper area of the housing and the cover such that the separating container is sealed relative to ambient pressure. The sealing element has a holding element monolithically formed with the sealing element and captively securing the sealing element on the collar. The sealing surfaces and the holding element are designed such that a function of sealing the separating container and a function of holding the sealing element on the collar are separate from each other. |
| US09233323B1 |
T-housing for septic tank
The bottom annular end of a vertical collar that extends into the vertical tubular portion of a T-housing and is fastened therein by resilient fingers extending radially outward from the collar, is contacted by a resilient finger of a filter inserted through the collar into the tubular portion, a radially inward extending shoulder in the collar is contacted by the bottom of an annular horizontal plate on the filter, and a liquid level alarm system housing is attached to the outer surface of the vertical tubular portion by a plurality of vertically spaced apart catches or studs received in slots on the alarm system housing, a tapered pipe having a first end fastened to a horizontal exit joint on the T-housing and a second tapered end force fit into an exit pipe of a septic tank. |
| US09233318B2 |
Purification method of azacyclohexapeptide or its salt
A purification method of the compound represented by formula 1 is provided, which includes the following steps: (1) loading crude compound 1 on macroporous adsorbent resin, (2) washing the macroporous adsorbent resin with an aqueous solution, an organic solvent or a mixture solution of organic solvent and water, (3) eluting with an aqueous solution, an organic solvent or a mixture solution of organic solvent and water. The purified compound represented by formula 1 is obtained. |
| US09233316B2 |
Hydrogen recycle and hydrogen chloride recovery in an alkylation process
We provide an alkylation process, comprising: separating and recycling a hydrogen gas and a hydrogen chloride from an offgas of a hydrogenation reactor; wherein the hydrogen gas is recycled to the hydrogenation reactor; and wherein the hydrogen chloride is recycled to an alkylation reactor. We also provide an alkylation process unit for performing this process. |
| US09233314B2 |
Racing vehicle game
A method and apparatus for controlling the position of a vehicle on a track so as to provide a slotless racing vehicle game is described. The method involves generating within a primary feedback loop a first input signal for a steering servo of the vehicle so as to minimize an error signal produced by comparing a measured lateral position of the vehicle on the track with its desired position. The method further comprises generating within a secondary feedback loop a second input signal for the steering servo so as minimize a measured angle of orientation of the vehicle on the track. It is found to be advantageous for the stability of the vehicle on the track if responsivity (Klf2) of the secondary feedback loop is set to be equal to the reciprocal of the responsivity (Kss) of the steering servo. |
| US09233311B2 |
Method, system and computer readable recording medium for providing ranking of game group
A ranking method and system for providing a ranking of a game group is disclosed. The method includes creating a game group including a user and at least one member among the user's registered friends who have joined a game service, based on a game group creation request received from a user terminal. The method further comprises calculating a ranking of the user with respect to other members of the created game group based on a ranking inquiry request received from the user terminal, and providing the user terminal with the calculated ranking of the user. The user terminal drives a game service platform associated with a plurality of games and provides the game group creation request information and the ranking inquiry request information through the game service platform. |
| US09233307B2 |
Fully automatic simulation system of an input device
A fully automatic simulation system for an input device permits storage in advance of executable applications and associated simulation setting flies into a database, and then combination of the detection, automatic data searching and matching, transmission and conversion, enabling rapid and convenient operation by the users, whenever they operate various applications or whether they adopt a keyboard, mouse or joystick as the simulation controller. |
| US09233303B2 |
Mobile device game interface
There is provided a computer implemented method of controlling a user interface and displaying a game board arrangement, the method comprising the following implemented by at least one processor in communication with said interface and at least one memory: displaying a subset of a set of game objects, each game object having one or more characteristics, information on said subset of game objects and said game objects being stored in said at least one memory, determining a position and trajectory of movement in dependence on user input via said user interface, executing an algorithm for determining if a particular game object is to be selected or if a different subset of game objects is to be displayed in dependence on the position and trajectory of movement and the stored information on said subset of game objects, updating said subset of game objects and information such that the particular game object is selected or a different subset of game objects is displayed; and displaying said updated subset of objects. |
| US09233293B2 |
Method of and system for conducting multiple contests of skill with a single performance
A method of and system for conducting multiple competitions of skill for a single performance are described herein. User generated competition groups and system generated competition groups allow users to participate in multiple competitions at once based on answering the same questions or making the same selections related to a single event. The users are informed of each competition either via email, text message or when logging into the network via a website. The users select which competitions groups to join. After joining the desired groups, the users then make their selections related to the event which are transmitted to the network where results are tabulated and transmitted back to the users. The results are separated based on each competition group, so that users can continually know where they stand in each separate competition. With multiple competition groups, users are able to have varying success from the same performance in multiple competitions. |
| US09233292B2 |
System and method for improving a basketball player's shooting including a tracking and control system for tracking, controlling and reporting statistics
A system and method for improving a player's efficiency in shooting by providing a player with various shooting challenge routines at which a player makes either a total number of shots or a total number shots in a row. Statistics regarding the player's performance are gathered or collected, stored and/or tracked, printed and/or evaluated and the player can use the information to improve his or her efficiency at one or more of the plurality of different locations where the player shoots the basketball. One embodiment includes the ability of players from the same or different teams to compare statistics and enables the launchers at different locations to launch substantially exactly the same pass to different players to facilitate such competition. |
| US09233287B2 |
Force-sensing net
In exemplary implementations of this invention, a basketball net or flat net measures the translational kinetic energy of a ball that passes through an aperture in the net or impacts the net. The net includes one or more electrically conductive cords, which have a resistance that varies depending on the degree to which the cord is stretched. From sensor measurements, a processor determines: (a) instantaneous rate of change of resistance, and (b) duration of a time period that begins when resistance exceeds a baseline (with hysteresis). In the case of a basketball net, a processor may calculate the translational kinetic energy of the ball as equal to a sum of two terms. The first term is inversely proportional to the square of the duration; the second is proportional to the square of the integral of the instantaneous rate of change of resistance over the time period. |
| US09233285B2 |
Golf club holder
A golf club holder includes an elongate body having a first end and a second end. A ground engaging member is positioned at the first end, whereby the elongate body is supported in a ground surface in a substantially vertical orientation. A socket is provided for detachably securing a first end of at least one golf club spaced from the first end of the elongate body. A clamp is provided for detachably securing a second end of the at least one golf club spaced from the second end of the elongate body. |
| US09233283B2 |
Golf club heads and methods to manufacture golf club heads
Embodiments of golf club heads and methods to manufacture golf club heads are generally described herein. In one example, a golf club head may include a body portion with a toe portion, a heel portion, a rear portion, a front portion with a strike face, a sole portion, and a top portion with a plurality of weight ports. The body portion may define a periphery of the golf club head. The golf club head may also include a plurality of weight portions with each weight portion disposed in one weight port of the plurality of weight ports. Other examples and embodiments may be described and claimed. |
| US09233279B2 |
Multi-piece solid golf ball
In a multi-piece solid golf ball having a core, an envelope layer, an intermediate layer and a cover, the core is formed primarily of a thermoplastic resin and has a diameter of from 20 to 30 mm, the envelope layer is formed of a rubber composition containing primarily a rubber material and has a thickness of from 3 to 10 mm, the intermediate layer is formed of a resin composition containing primarily an ionomer, and the cover is formed of a resin composition containing primarily a urethane. Both the relationship among the specific gravities of the core, the envelope layer and the intermediate layer, and the relationship among the surface hardnesses of the core, the envelope layer, the intermediate layer and the cover are optimized. |
| US09233277B1 |
Exercise bench methods and apparatus
An exercise assembly includes a bench sized and configured to support the back of a supine person. In a first mode of operation, the bench is structurally supported in a fixed, upwardly facing orientation relative to an underlying floor surface. The structural support is selectively removed by the person to switch to a second mode of operation, in which the bench is tiltable laterally relative to the underlying floor surface. Left and right pivot poles are mounted on one end of the bench and selectively pivoted back and forth by the feet of the person lying supine on the bench. |
| US09233276B1 |
Exercise system and method
A method for providing live and archived cycling classes to remote users comprising providing information about available live and archived cycling classes that can be accessed via a digital communication network by a first user using a first stationary bike at a first remote location for display at the first remote location via an interface that includes a display screen, whereby the first user can select either a live cycling class or select among a plurality of archived cycling classes to be displayed on the display screen, receiving from the first user a selection of one of the available live or archived cycling classes for display on the display screen at the first remote location, and providing digital video and audio content comprising the selected cycling class to a computer at the first remote location for display to the first user. |
| US09233275B2 |
Muscle conditioning /muscle assessment apparatus, systems, methods and/or computer software
A muscle conditioning or muscle assessment apparatus comprises a load bearing component incorporating a proximal portion for engagement with at least part of a user's body, and a distal portion for securing said component to a fores applying apparatus or an operator; and a transducer located between said proximal and distal portions; said transducer being configured to derive signals representative of the tensile and/or compression forces applied to said load bearing component; wherein said apparatus further comprises means for determining one or more characteristics of position and/or displacement of said load bearing component; said apparatus being configured to output signals representative of said force and the direction of said force. |
| US09233274B2 |
Combination spirometer and PEP breathing exerciser
A combination spirometer and PEP breathing exercise device is described. The device includes a spirometer with a volumetric air chamber having an atmospheric opening, an exhaust port, and an indicator of inhalation rate or volume; a breathing tube having a proximal end in communication with the exhaust port, a distal end with a mouthpiece, and a conduit between the proximal and distal ends; a one-way check valve adjacent the exhaust port allowing air to flow from the spirometer through the breathing tube to the mouthpiece, but preventing air from being exhausted through the spirometer; and a PEP valve in communication with the breathing conduit, whereby expiration of air from the mouthpiece into the breathing tube above a preset pressure causes the valve to oscillate. |
| US09233272B2 |
Treadmill with manually adjustable magnetic resistance system and manually adjustable angle of inclination
A treadmill, having: (a) a frame with front and rear rollers and a continuous tread wrapped therearound; (b) a flywheel connected to one of the front or rear rollers; and (c) a magnetic resistance unit positioned near the flywheel to provide resistance to rotation of the flywheel. The magnetic resistance unit is moved up and down by an operator to move a series of magnets to different positions near the flywheel such that the position of the magnets determines the amount of resistance provided to rotation of the flywheel. |
| US09233270B2 |
Range of motion exercise therapy band
A range of motion therapy apparatus and kit according to the present invention includes an elongate body member having a flexible construction and generally tubular configuration defining an open space, the body member having an open proximal end and a closed distal end opposite the proximal end. The apparatus and kit includes a tubular receptacle having a closed bottom and a continuous side wall extending upwardly from the closed bottom that, together, define an interior area and an open top. The tubular receptacle includes a diameter smaller than a diameter of the body member such that the tubular receptacle is selectively received in the open space of the body member. A weighted straight bar, a generally C-shaped bar, and a tubular cushion may also be included. All components may be stored in the tubular receptacle. |
| US09233264B2 |
Fire suppression system for aircraft storage containers
A fire suppression system for aircraft storage containers includes a fire suppression unit removably located within each cargo container and a human to machine interface (HMI) located in the aircraft cockpit. Each fire suppression unit includes an identifier so that each unit is identified and correlated with its container. The HMI monitors each fire suppression unit including monitoring internal temperature, presence of chemical fumes, presence of smoke, presence of flammable gases, and presence of fire. Each fire suppression unit is programmed with specific thresholds of temperature, chemical fumes, smoke, and/or flammable gases, whereby when a threshold is reached activation of fire suppression means within the fire suppression unit is accomplished. |
| US09233260B2 |
Magnetic confinement for microbeam radiation damage area
Various embodiments relate to a method of performing microbeam radiation therapy on a subject, including: producing a high-energy radiation beam in a first direction; producing planar microbeams using the high-energy radiation beam in the first direction, wherein the microbeams have a width, wherein the planar microbeams produce scattered electrons; and applying a magnetic field in a direction lying in a plane substantially parallel to the planar microbeams, wherein the strength of the magnetic field corresponds to the width of the microbeam. |
| US09233258B2 |
Magnetic stimulation devices and methods of therapy
Devices and systems are disclosed for the non-invasive treatment of medical conditions through delivery of energy to target tissue, comprising a source of electrical power, a magnetically permeable toroidal core, and a coil that is wound around the core. The coil and core are embedded in a continuous electrically conducting medium, which is adapted to have a shape that conforms to the contour of an arbitrarily oriented target body surface of a patient. The conducting medium is applied to that surface by any of several disclosed methods, and the source of power supplies a pulse of electric charge to the coil, such that the coil induces an electric current and/or an electric field within the patient, thereby stimulating tissue and/or one or more nerve fibers within the patient. The invention shapes an elongated electric field of effect that can be oriented parallel to a long nerve. In one embodiment, the device comprises two toroidal cores that lie adjacent to one another. |
| US09233255B2 |
System and method for providing event summary information using an encoded ECG waveform
Systems and methods for transferring medical information from a first medical monitoring device to a second device are provided. Medical information from the first medical monitoring device is encoded as an ECG waveform and the ECG waveform having the encoded medical information is provided to the second device as an input ECG waveform. |
| US09233254B2 |
Selectable boost converter and charge pump for compliance voltage generation in an implantable stimulator device
Improved compliance voltage generation circuitry for a medical device is disclosed. The improved circuitry in one embodiment comprises a boost converter and a charge pump, either of which is capable of generating an appropriate compliance voltage from the voltage of the battery in the device. A telemetry enable signal indicating whether the implant's transmitter, receiver, or both, have been enabled is received. A “boost” signal from compliance voltage monitor-and-adjust logic circuitry is processed with the telemetry enable signal and its inverse to selectively enable either the charge pump or the boost converter: if the telemetry enable signal is not active, the boost converter is used to generate the compliance voltage; if the telemetry enable signal is active, the charge pump is used. Because the charge pump circuitry does not produce a magnetic field, the charge pump will not interfere with magnetically-coupled telemetry between the implant and an external controller. By contrast, the boost converter is allowed to operate during periods of no telemetry, when magnetic interference is not a concern, while obtaining the advantage of higher power efficiency. |
| US09233250B2 |
Systems and methods to synchronize commands sent to a multi-electrode lead (MEL) with a portion of a cardiac pacing cycle
Embodiments of the present invention concern the timing of sending one or more commands to control circuitry of a multi-electrode lead (MEL). In one embodiment, the one or more commands are sent to control circuitry within the MEL during a predetermined portion of a cardiac pacing cycle to avoid potential problems of prior systems that were not synchronized with the cardiac pacing cycle. In one embodiment, the one or more commands are sent when cardiac tissue is refractory from a cardiac pacing pulse, to prevent the command(s) from potentially undesirably stimulating cardiac tissue. The command sending can occur such that the one or more commands are sent between instances when sensing circuitry of the implantable cardiac stimulation device is being used to obtain one or more signals indicative of cardiac electrical activity, to prevent interference between the one or more commands with the signals indicative of cardiac electrical activity that are sensed. |
| US09233238B2 |
Drug releasing pelvic treatment system and method
Various embodiments of a pelvic treatment system and method are provided. The present invention can include one or more drug eluting darts or barbs that are lodged into the wall and will elute the drug over a desired time period (weeks, months for example) to treat OAB, BPH, tissue weaknesses, or other disorders or diseases. |
| US09233235B2 |
Balloon catheter
A balloon catheter of novel configuration, which is capable of both efficiently heating a heating element by using a laser light and of ensuring durability by avoiding the laser light directly heating members other than the heating element. Provided is a balloon catheter with a balloon disposed in a distal end section of a shaft and wherein: a tightly wound coil shaped heating element is housed and arranged in the balloon; an optical fiber that irradiates a laser light inside the heating element is disposed; and a supply path that supplies a fluid to inside the balloon through an inside of the heating element and a discharge path that discharges the fluid from inside the balloon through a discharge port positioned on an outside of the heating element are disposed. |
| US09233234B2 |
Balloon catheter with improved column strength and torque transmission
A balloon catheter capable of delivering torque and pushing through obstructions includes a relatively weak balloon segment of a catheter and rotatable asymmetric tip. A reinforcement sleeve increases column strength and torque transmission to push the balloon and rotate the tip to facilitate passage through said obstructions. The tip is preferably asymmetric around its axis, usually being beveled, and the reinforcement slide includes a slide lock mechanism which increases shaft flexibility after balloon deployment. |
| US09233233B2 |
Dialysis catheter assembly
A catheter assembly includes an elongated main body defining two or more longitudinal lumens including distally positioned openings. One or more side-ports are defined in the main body communicating with at least one of the two or more longitudinal lumens. The catheter assembly also includes an inflatable balloon disposed around a portion of the main body. The inflatable balloon includes a distal end disposed substantially adjacent to a proximal side of one or more side-ports. The inflatable balloon in the inflated state is adapted to extend at partially over the one or more side-ports. |
| US09233232B2 |
Liquid catheter, particularly a urinary catheter, method and delivery device
A liquid catheter, in particular a urinary catheter, includes a catheter shaft part (21) with a longitudinal liquid channel extending between a proximal and distal side thereof, and an anchoring body (22). The catheter body is intended to be received fully internally in a body cavity, such as in particular the urine bladder (50), and to drain the bladder from inside via the urethra (51). The catheter body has a length to span a distance between the bladder and a closure point (35) of the sphincter urethra. An operating member (24,25) is connected durably to the catheter body to enable a user to carry the catheter body transluminally out of the bladder past the closure point. An insertion device for the catheter includes an insertion sleeve which can be carried transluminally as far as the urine bladder and from which the catheter body can be carried into the bladder. |
| US09233230B2 |
Catheter introducer assembly
The present invention relates to a valve assembly for sealing a through passage of a catheter introducing device, comprising a sealing unit having a movable closing member connected to a biasing means, and a seat member arranged with a sealing surface around the aperture of the through passage, wherein the biasing means is arranged to urge the closing member to sealably abut against the sealing surface, corresponding to a closed position, so as to prevent flow of fluid through the valve. The invention also relates to a catheter introducer assembly comprising a valve assembly. |
| US09233228B1 |
Medical appliance securing device
A medical appliance securing device. In one embodiment, the device includes a pair of anchoring patches, each of the anchoring patches having an inner edge. A retaining tab extends from and interconnects the inner edges of the anchoring patches. The retaining tab has a first end fixed to the patches and a second end that is free to move relative to patches so that the retaining tab may be wrapped around at least a portion of a medical appliance. Complementary fasteners are adhered to the fixed and free ends of the retaining tab. Both the anchoring patches and the retaining tab are made up of a multi-layer material that includes a breathable non-woven fabric, a pressure-sensitive adhesive adhered to one surface of the fabric, and a moisture-barrier layer adhered to the opposite surface of the fabric. |
| US09233222B2 |
System for managing ventilator operation
A method for managing patient ventilator operation includes receiving data representing one or more hemodynamic parameters. In response to the received data representing the one or more hemodynamic parameters, one or more commands are provided for adaptively altering ventilator operation. |
| US09233216B2 |
Pen needle assembly for preventing under-torquing and over-torquing of pen needle
A pen needle hub and cover for a pen needle assembly that provides tactile and/or audible indicia of proper attachment between the hub of the pen needle and the pen is provided. Such indicia substantially prevent under- and over-torquing of the pen needle. The tactile indicia may include a user sensing a wave of a torque of peak value followed by a torque of lesser value. |
| US09233214B2 |
Injection device
An injection device includes a syringe with a hollow needle and a stopper for sealing the syringe and displacing a medicament stored in the syringe. An arrangement for transferring a translation of a drive means to a plunger for pushing against the stopper includes a release latch pivoted at one end and connected to either the drive means or the plunger. The other end of the release latch engages the other one of the drive means or the plunger. The non-pivoted end of the release latch disengages by rotation upon contact between a ramp and another component when the stopper has displaced most of a predefined medicament dose. The release latch is long enough to provide a clearance between the plunger and the drive means when engaged to allow the plunger, stopper and needle to be retracted inside the syringe or a housing after disengaging the release latch. |
| US09233211B2 |
Relating to a pen-type injector
The present invention relates to injectors, such as pen-type injectors, that provide for administration of medicinal products from a multidose-cartridge and permit a user to set the delivery dose. The injector may include a housing, a piston rod adapted to operate through the housing, a dose dial sleeve located between the housing and the piston rod, and a drive sleeve located between the dose dial sleeve and the piston rod. The dose dial sleeve may have a helical thread of first lead and the drive sleeve may have a helical groove of second lead. The first lead of the helical thread and the second lead of the helical groove may be the same. |
| US09233206B2 |
Continuous feed hypodermic syringe with self contained cartridge dispenser
A hypodermic syringe and a plurality of single use cartridges able to be successively loaded into said syringe for providing rapid dispensing of a medicant to numerous users without contamination. The cartridges are continuously fed through the syringe to inoculate patients quickly and efficiently. An operator inserts a needle into a patient by pushing a trigger. Prior to insertion, a disinfectant is dispersed from the cartridge to maintain sterility. An operator then pushes in a plunger forcing the medication through the needle into the patient. The needle is pulled back with the plunger out of the patient's skin and back into the cartridge. A new cartridge on a clip is then advanced into the syringe to inoculate the next patient. The syringe and cartridge dispenser further maintains a sterile environment during successive vaccinations reducing the transmission of any disease from patient to patient. |
| US09233205B2 |
Injection device having injection volume adjustment
An injection device (2) comprises a housing (4) in which a receiving chamber (6) is provided for an injection mechanism (8) having an injection fluid container (10) that can be pressed out by means of an injection plunger (12). The injection device (2) further comprises an actuating device (18) that can be driven for automatically pressing out the injection fluid container (10), wherein said actuating device can be displaced between an insertion/removal position outside of the receiving chamber (6) and an injection position within the receiving chamber (6), wherein the actuating device (18) is spaced by a release distance (d) from the receiving chamber (6) in the insertion/removal position. A contact mechanism (22) is provided, by means of which the actuating device (18) can be brought into a stop position in which an actuating stop (26) of the actuating device (18) contacts the injection plunger (12) and in which an injection volume adjustment (28) is automatically actuated. |
| US09233203B2 |
Medical needles for damping motion
A needle structure for communicating media to or from a patient includes a hollow shaft having two ends and a longitudinal dimension between the two ends. A passage is provided along at least a portion of its longitudinal dimension for conveying a flowable media. The shaft has at least one bend along its longitudinal dimension to dampen motion of one end of the needle relative to the other end of the needle. |
| US09233198B2 |
Fluid trap and method of separating fluids
A fluid trap apparatus includes an inlet configured to receive a flow of composite fluid into the apparatus. The composite fluid contains at least a first fluid and a second fluid. An outer wall defines an interior chamber. A flow diffuser is interposed within the interior chamber. The flow diffuser directs the flow of the composite fluid to circulate through the interior chamber. The first fluid and the second fluid separate as the composite fluid circulates through the interior chamber. A method of separating a first fluid from a second fluid includes introducing a flow of composite fluid into a separate chamber. A pressure gradient is created within the separation chamber. A flow diffuser is interposed in a flow path between an inlet and an outlet. The flow diffuser directs the flow of the composite fluid within the separation chamber. The first fluid and the second fluid are separated. |
| US09233197B2 |
Heat exchanger and method for heat exchanging
A method for exchanging heat between a primary fluid (W) and a secondary fluid (X) and a heat exchanger for heat exchange as well as an arrangement and a kit comprising a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger comprises a first and a second fluid circuit extending through the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger further comprises a stack of fluid plates and a membrane arranged between each of the fluid plates where one interspace is formed between each fluid plate and membrane. The first and the second fluid circuit are each constituted by a passage extending through the fluid plates and membranes and along the fluid plates and membranes in at least two interspaces. A primary fluid (W) is passed through the first fluid circuit and a secondary fluid (X) is passed through the second fluid circuit such that the primary fluid (W) is passed along one side of a membrane and simultaneously the secondary fluid (X) is passed along the other side of the membrane. Heat is thus exchanged between the primary fluid (W) and the secondary fluid (X) over the membrane. |
| US09233196B2 |
Method for pre-filling a hemodialysis apparatus
A method for pre-filling a hemodialysis apparatus includes providing a hemodialysis apparatus comprising a pre-filling liquid source which supplies a pre-filling liquid, a dialyzer, a dialysate side, a blood side. The dialysate side comprises a dialysate chamber, a dialysate pump to pump the pre-filling liquid to the dialysate chamber, and a waste pump to pump the pre-filling liquid away from the dialysate chamber. The blood side comprises an arterial line, a blood pump, a blood chamber of the dialyzer, and a venous line. A pressure sensor is arranged on the dialysate side or on the blood side. The arterial line and the venous line are pre-filled with the pre-filling liquid via the dialysate pump. A blood-side fluid pressure is continuously determined via the pressure sensor during the pre-filling. The pre-filling is stopped when the blood-side fluid pressure determined by the pressure sensor exceeds or falls below a defined limit pressure. |
| US09233195B2 |
Composite irrigation/aspiration needle with ball tip
An irrigation/aspiration needle has a rigid needle body over which an elastomeric sleeve is fitted. The elastomeric sleeve terminates in a smooth, relatively soft, rounded tip through which a passageway extends, communicating with a passageway in the sleeve which, in turn, communicates with passageways in the needle body and needle mount, forming a liquid flow path through the needle. The softness of the elastomeric sleeve and, particularly, the sleeve tip protects delicate eye tissue when the needle is used for aspiration from or irrigation of the eye during surgery. |
| US09233194B2 |
Bursitis treatment device and method
A bursitis treatment device (100; 200) for treatment of inflammation of a bursa (150; 502) in a patients joint includes: a rinsing aid; a reservoir (101; 201) for holding the rinsing aid in fluid, freezing fluid or gaseous state; a supply line (103; 204, 208) for transporting the rinsing aid; a heat exchanger (104; 203) for controlling the temperature of the rinsing aid—such that the temperature of the rinsing aid enables to destroy cells causing the inflammation; an access device (209) for injecting the rinsing aid into the bursa (150; 205); and a drain (105; 210) for removing the rinsing aid from the bursa (150; 205) for elimination. |
| US09233193B2 |
Surgical fluid management systems and methods
A fluid management system for use with a fluid reservoir includes an inflow pump and an outflow pump. The inflow pump is connectable to a probe for delivering a distention fluid to a body cavity. The outflow pump removes the distention fluid through the same probe, thus establishing a re-circulating volume of distention fluid within the body cavity. The removed fluid is filtered and returned to a fluid reservoir for eventual recycling to the body cavity. A controller adjusts the flow rates of the inflow pump and the outflow pump to maintain a pre-selected fluid pressure or volume within the body cavity. |
| US09233190B2 |
Culture substrate comprising carbon nanotube structure
A culture medium includes a carbon nanotube structure and a hydrophilic layer. The culture medium is capable of culturing at least one neuron. The hydrophilic layer has a polar surface and is located on a surface of the carbon nanotube structure. The polar surface is located on a surface of the hydrophilic layer away from the carbon nanotube structure, and has a polarity attracted to a polarity of the at least one neuron. |
| US09233184B2 |
Adhesive preparation
An adhesive preparation comprising a stretchable support and an adhesive layer laminated on at least one side of the support, wherein the stretchable support comprises a interlock woven fabric subjected to crimping processing, the adhesive layer contains 10% by mass or more of methyl salicylate with respect to the total mass of the layer, the whole adhesive preparation has moisture permeability of 1 to 350 g/m2·24 hr measured at a temperature of 40° C. and a relative humidity of 90%, and the methyl salicylate has a plasma AUC0-24 ranging from 3.0 to 60.0 ng·hr/mL in terms of a mean±standard deviation, and salicylic acid as a metabolite of the methyl salicylate has a plasma AUC0-24 ranging from 5000 to 13000 ng·hr/mL in terms of a mean±standard deviation, when the adhesive preparation is applied to a human skin for 8 hours such that an application amount of the adhesive layer applied is 50 to 300 g/m2 and a contact area is 280 cm2. |
| US09233181B2 |
Endoscope cleaning/disinfecting apparatus
Endoscope connection portions, a fluid feeding duct, a liquid supply duct, a pump, a first atmospheric exposure duct including one end connected to the fluid feeding duct and the other end exposed to atmosphere, a relief valve disposed at an intermediate position of the first atmospheric exposure duct, a first stop section disposed at an intermediate position of the first atmospheric exposure duct, and a control section that performs control to supply a liquid to ducts of endoscopes and controls at least opening/closing operation of the first stop section are included. |
| US09233175B2 |
Methods of imaging inflammatory diseases by ligands conjugated to fluorescent compounds
The present disclosure relates to compounds that are useful as near-infrared fluorescence probes, wherein the compounds include i) a pteroyl ligand that binds to a target receptor protein, ii) a dye molecule, and iii) a linker molecule that comprises an amino acid or derivative thereof. The disclosure further describes methods of imaging of inflammatory diseases using the compounds. |
| US09233171B2 |
Method of treatment of tumors that are resistant to EGFR antibody therapies by EGFR antibody cytotoxic agent conjugate
The present invention relates to the identification that EGFR antibody immunoconjugates are effective in inhibiting the growth of tumor cells that have developed EGFR and/or ALK resistance mechanisms. Methods of administering the EGFR antibody immunoconjugates to patients having resistant tumor cells is also disclosed. |
| US09233164B2 |
Water soluble fullerene formulations and methods of use thereof
The present invention provides water soluble fullerene formulations and methods of use thereof. |
| US09233159B2 |
Methods and compositions for treating pain
Methods and compositions for treating pain are disclosed. The compositions are based on dry powders comprising microparticles of diketopiperazines and an analgesic active agent. The analgesic in the compositions comprises one or more peptide analgesics or derivatives thereof, which are administered to a subject using a pulmonary inhalation drug delivery system comprising a dry powder inhaler and the analgesic composition. The present compositions produce fewer side effects associated with current opioid therapy. |
| US09233153B2 |
Affenadenovirus (gorilla) or adenoviral vectors and methods of use
The invention provides an adenovirus or adenoviral vector characterized by comprising one or more particular nucleic acid sequences or one or more particular amino acid sequences, or portions thereof, pertaining to, for example, an adenoviral pIX protein, DNA polymerase protein, penton protein, hexon protein, and/or fiber protein. |
| US09233145B2 |
Factor IX polypeptides and methods of use thereof
The present invention provides methods of administering Factor IX; methods of administering chimeric and hybrid polypeptides comprising Factor IX; polynucleotides encoding such chimeric and hybrid polypeptides; cells comprising such polynucleotides; and methods of producing such chimeric and hybrid polypeptides using such cells. |
| US09233144B2 |
Tyrosine kinase receptor TYRO3 as a therapeutic target in the treatment of cancer
The present invention concerns new methods for treating cancer by using TYRO3 inhibitors and methods for identifying new molecules of interest for treating cancer. |
| US09233143B2 |
Medicinal agent for preventing exacerbation of malignant tumor, comprising combination of natriuretic peptide receptor GC-A and GC-B agonists
Provided are a medicinal agent which is highly safe for use as the treatment of a malignant tumor and is capable of efficiently treating a malignant tumor, that is, a medicinal agent for treating a malignant tumor or for suppressing or preventing the exacerbation thereof, comprising at least one kind of natriuretic peptide receptor GC-A agonist and at least one kind of natriuretic peptide receptor GC-B agonist to be administered in combination; a therapeutic method comprising administering the agent; etc. |
| US09233141B2 |
Modified polynucleotides for the production of proteins associated with blood and lymphatic disorders
The invention relates to compositions and methods for the preparation, manufacture and therapeutic use of polynucleotides, primary transcripts and mmRNA molecules. |
| US09233135B1 |
Compositions and methods to inhibit kidney stone growth
An oral dosage form or plurality of oral dosage forms comprising as active ingredients citric acid, magnesium citrate, phytin, pyridoxine, and musa is disclosed. The oral dosage form(s) is useful for inhibiting calcium oxalate crystal growth and for treating or inhibiting growth of kidney stones. Methods of inhibiting calcium oxalate crystal growth and of treating or preventing kidney stones are also disclosed. |
| US09233133B2 |
Detoxifier herbal formulation
The present invention provides a non-parenteral and non-ocular herbal synergistic detoxifier composition effective for blood purification, blood detoxification and in the treatment and management of disorders related to accumulation of toxins in the body having synergistic effect of its components in specific ratio, better bio availability wherein the amount of dose administered is remarkably low. The formulation of synergistic herbal composition has better patient compliance in the terms of palatability, ease of administration and is formulated in the form of syrup, lozenges/candies/jujubs/mouth freshener, sub-lingual tablets or chewable tablets. The present invention also provides a method of preparation of this formulation. |
| US09233130B2 |
Probiotic bacteria based composition and use thereof in the prevention and/or treatment of respiratory pathologies and/or infections and in the improvement of the intestinal functionality
The object of the present invention is a probiotic bacteria based composition and use thereof in the prevention and/or treatment of respiratory pathologies and/or infections and in the contemporaneous improvement of the intestinal functionality, which can be compromised by therapeutic treatments adopted for re-solving said pathological conditions. Besides that, aim of this invention is a probiotic bacteria-based composition comprising moreover a suitable quantity of at least a substance or nourishment having prebiotic properties and eventually, of suitable pharmacologically active substances. |
| US09233127B2 |
Compositions and methods for CXCR4 signaling and umbilical cord blood stem cell engraftment
The present invention provides for enhancing engraftment by co-infusing at least two partially HLA matched umbilical cord blood (“UCB”) units. The invention further provides for positive C3a mediated priming on responsiveness to doses of SDF-1 and C3a induced incorporation of CXCR4 in membranes in HSC and progenitors. The invention further provides for enhancing the homing of UCB HSC and progenitors via the SDF-1/CXCR4 pathway and that C3a and LL-37 are useful for this method. It is also disclosed herein that fragments of C3a (e.g., des-Arg) are effective in the methods of the invention, including enhancing homing of HSPCs to BM. The invention further encompasses the disclosure herein of NFAT1 regulation post-transcriptionally by both mir-184 and IFN-γ. The present invention further provides for measuring and using differences between UCB and adult CD4+/45RA+ T-cells as a means of defining strategies to enhance optimal allogeneic stem cell transplantation outcomes. The present invention further provides methods for maintaining IL-2 production in the absence of NFAT1 normal protein levels. |
| US09233126B2 |
Platelet-rich plasma compositions
The present invention relates to a method of treating functional disability and/or pain associated with joints, tendons or connective tissue diseases, disorders or injuries comprising oral administration of a composition comprising heterologous platelet-rich plasma. The invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions and nutritional compositions comprising heterologous platelet-rich plasma and uses thereof. |
| US09233119B2 |
Use of HGMA-targeted phosphorothioate DNA aptamers to suppress carcinogenic activity and increase sensitivity to chemotherapy agents in human cancer cells
Elevated high mobility group A (HMGA) protein expression in human cancer cells, and especially human pancreatic cancer cells, is correlated with resistance to the chemotherapy agent gemcitabine. The present invention uses HMGA-targeted AT-rich phosphorothioate DNA (AT-sDNA) aptamers to suppress HMGA carcinogenic activity. Cell growth of human pancreatic cancer cells (AsPC-1 and Miapaca-2) transfected with AT-sDNA were monitored after treatment with gemcitabine. Significant increases in cell death in AT-sDNA transfected cells compared to non AT-rich sDNA treated cells were observed in both cell lines. The data indicates the potential use of HMGA targeted DNA aptamers to enhance chemotherapy efficacy in human cancer treatment, and in particular human pancreatic cancer treatment. |
| US09233117B2 |
Treatment of inflammatory lesions of rosacea with ivermectin
Methods for safe and effective treatment of inflammatory lesions of rosacea in a subject are described. The methods involve once daily topically applying to an affected skin area a topical composition containing ivermectin and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. It has been demonstrated that once daily topical treatment with ivermectin is significantly superior than twice-daily topical treatment with metronidazole in reducing inflammatory lesion counts. |
| US09233113B2 |
Method for treatment of diseases
The invention provides a method of inhibiting vascular hyperpermeability in an animal in need thereof. The method comprises administering a vascular-hyperpermeability-inhibiting amount of a danazol compound to the animal. The invention also provides a method of modulating the cytoskeleton of an endothelial cell in an animal. The method comprises administering an effective amount of a danazol compound to the animal. |
| US09233112B2 |
Pharmaceutical compositions of cefixime
A pharmaceutical suspension dosage form comprising greater than 80 mg/ml and not more than 150 mg/ml of Cefixime and pharmaceutically acceptable excipients. |
| US09233110B2 |
Protein nanocarriers for topical delivery
The invention encompasses nanoparticle assemblies and methods for preparing nanoparticle and compositions comprising such nanoparticles for use in topical or skin applications. The invention further encompasses methods of complexing various molecular and cellular entities to the nanoparticles using the resulting nanoparticles of the invention as delivery devices. The nanoparticles can be used for a variety of applications, such as treating cancer, targeting tumors, reducing the toxicity of a drug in vivo, increasing the efficacy of a complexed agent in vivo, protecting a complexed agent against degradation, increasing skin penetration and retention of drugs, and enhancing the water solubility/dispersibility of a drug or other agent. |
| US09233109B2 |
Compositions, methods of use, and methods of treatment
Briefly described, embodiments of this disclosure, among others, include compositions, pharmaceutical compositions, methods of treating nicotine dependence, methods of treating a subject who smokes and has a risk for depression or other neuropsychiatric disorder, method of treating a subject who smokes and has a risk for depression or other neuropsychiatric disorders, and the like. |
| US09233107B2 |
Compositions and methods for the treatment of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML)
The invention relates to compositions, methods, and kits for treating subjects infected by or at risk of infection with a DNA virus (e.g., a JC Virus or a BK virus). Aspects of the invention are useful to prevent or treat DNA virus associated conditions (e.g., PML) in subjects that are immunocompromised. Compositions are provided that inhibit intracellular replication of DNA viruses. |
| US09233103B2 |
Methods for treating heartburn, gastric bleeding or hemorrhage in patients receiving clopidogrel therapy
The present invention relates to methods of treating heartburn in a patient receiving clopidogrel therapy. In another aspect, the present invention relates to methods of preventing gastric bleeding or hemorrhage in patients receiving clopidogrel therapy. |
| US09233102B2 |
Methods and materials for treating cancer
This document provides methods and materials for treating cancers including renal cancer (e.g., renal cell carcinoma) as well as ovarian, breast, prostate, colon, pancreatic, bladder, liver, lung, and thyroid cancers and melanoma. For example, methods and material for using one or more inhibitors of an SCD1 polypeptide to treat renal cell carcinoma (e.g., clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC)) or to increase the efficacy of a renal cell carcinoma treatment are provided. In addition, this document provides methods and materials for using elevated SCD1 expression levels in diseased tissues as an indication that an SCD1 inhibitor can be used as an appropriate therapeutic to ameliorate the disease. |
| US09233101B2 |
Vector delivery-based microbicides
A new class of anti-microbial agents and methods for preventing or reducing the risk of sexually transmitted infections and/or diseases is provided. Preferably, these anti-microbial agents are also contraceptive and, thus, also prevent or reduce the risk of unplanned pregnancies. The anti-microbial agents comprise a delivery vector having anti-microbial activity (and preferably contraceptive activity) coupled with a nitric oxide donor moiety. |
| US09233099B2 |
Methods of treating cognitive dysfunction by modulating brain energy metabolism
Methods for treating cognitive dysfunction by modulating brain energy metabolizm using cyclocreatine or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof are discussed. |
| US09233095B2 |
Small molecule RNase inhibitors and methods of use
Small molecule inhibitors of bacterial ribonuclease (e.g., RnpA) and methods for their synthesis and use are described herein. The methods of using the compounds include treating and preventing microbial infections and inhibiting bacterial ribonuclease. Also described herein are methods of identifying compounds for treating or preventing a microbial infection. |
| US09233087B2 |
Inhibitors and methods of inhibiting bacterial and viral pathogens
Compounds, pharmaceutical compositions and methods for treating viral and bacterial infections, by administering certain thiourea compounds, specifically acylthiourea, carboximidoylthiourea and S-alkyl isothiourea derivatives and analogs, in therapeutically effective amounts are disclosed. |
| US09233086B2 |
Inhibition of WDR5 interaction with its binding partners
Peptidomimetics that inhibit the interaction between MLL1 and WDR5 are disclosed. Methods of inhibiting MLL1 activity and methods of treating cancers also are disclosed. |
| US09233083B2 |
Methods of treating lysosomal storage disorders
Therapeutic compositions and methods for treatment of late-onset Gaucher disease are described herein. The compositions comprise compounds having activity as pharmacological chaperones for mutant forms of the beta-glucocerebrosidase. Methods of treatment involve providing therapeutically effective amounts of such compositions to subjects in need thereof. |
| US09233076B2 |
Controlled release dosage forms
Dosage forms having a core having a surface having means for controlling release(s) on an active agent(s); methods of manufacturing, tools used in manufacturing; and uses of the dosage forms are described. |
| US09233074B2 |
Delayed release film coatings containing calcium silicate and substrates coated therewith
The present invention includes pH dependent, dry film coating compositions containing calcium silicate for use on orally-ingestible substrates such as tablets and the like. The film coating compositions can be applied as an aqueous suspension either directly to a substrate or after the substrate has been coated with a subcoat. In preferred aspects, the polymer is either an enteric or reverse-enteric polymer. Methods of preparing the dry film coatings, methods of preparing corresponding aqueous suspensions, methods of applying the coatings to substrates and the coated substrates themselves are also disclosed. |
| US09233071B2 |
Methods for treating retinopathy with extended therapeutic effect
Methods for treating and preventing ocular conditions by administering an compound to the vitreous chamber of a patient at risk of, or suffering from, the ocular condition. |
| US09233061B2 |
Cosmetic composition comprising high concentration caffeine and niacinamide
A cosmetic composition according to the present invention may prevent the precipitation of caffeine at a low temperature, and thus may comprise a high concentration of caffeine that is effective in promoting lipolysis. Caffeine is known to promote lipolysis when applied to a human body. The cosmetic composition of the present invention may comprise a high concentration of caffeine, and thus can be valuably use in cosmetics or the like that requires effects of caffeine such as slimming effects, effect of relief from facial swelling or the like. |
| US09233057B2 |
Particular quinone direct dyes, dye composition comprising at least one such dye, implementation process therefor and use thereof
The present invention relates to quinone direct dyes of formula (I) below, organic or mineral acid or base salts thereof, tautomeric forms, optical isomers or geometrical isomers thereof and/or solvates thereof: and also to the use thereof for dyeing keratin fibers, in particular human keratin fibers such as the hair. The invention also relates to a composition for dyeing keratin fibers, comprising such direct dyes in a suitable dyeing medium. Similarly, a subject of the present invention is a process for dyeing keratin fibers, using the said dye composition. |
| US09233051B2 |
Blister holder provided with means designed to detect the number of extracted products from the blister and with GSM/GPRS communication means to remotely dialogue with a control center
A pocket-sized blister-pack case, designed to receive a blister pack of a known type with a plurality of cells each containing a product, for example a pharmaceutical product in the form of a pill or tablet, has a plurality of capacitive and/or optical sensors for counting and displaying the number of pills that are taken out of the respective cell, as likewise the date and time of when they were taken, and is able to communicate via a packet mobile-radio interface the data to an authorized remote control centre that can check the degree of compliance of the patient to the therapy prescribed and can dialogue with the patient himself via packet and/or circuit mobile-radio interface. |
| US09233050B2 |
Device and installation for joining at least two medicine capsules by adhesive bonding
The device (1) according to the invention aims to join at least two medicine capsules (A, B) by adhesive bonding in a reliable and economical manner, in particular in the context of industrial production. To do this, this device comprises at least one matrix (10), which at least partially delimits a recess (15), for depositing capsules (Eight, B), and also a chamber (16), this recess and this chamber being separated from each other by a deformable wall (14) of the matrix, which matrix is designed to move elastically, by pneumatic action of its chamber (16), from a first configuration, in which its recess (15) receives the capsules with a glue (Z) interposed between them, to a second configuration, in which its deformable wall (14) at least partially envelops the capsules by flexible deformation, in such a way as to at least partially enclosed these capsules between the deformable wall and a bottom of the recess in order to align them and press them against one another. |
| US09233049B2 |
Pharmaceutical identification
Disclosed are methods for marking a pharmaceutical product, container or pharmaceutical packaging system with a scent to establish the identity and/or source of the pharmaceutical. |
| US09233045B2 |
Memorial urn
A memorial urn includes a central core having at least one vessel stored therein, the vessel functioning to house and identify cremated remains. A protective outer shell having a one or more commemoratory items is positioned about the core. One or more lighted elements illuminates the outer body, and a candleholder is positioned onto the outer body. A base unit is removably secured to the bottom of the outer shell. |
| US09233039B2 |
Automated systems, devices, and methods for transporting and supporting patients
Systems, devices, and methods are described for moving a patient to and from various locations, care units, etc., within a care facility. For example a transport and support vehicle includes a body structure including a plurality of rotatable members operable to frictionally interface the vehicle to a travel path and to move the vehicle along the travel path, and a surface structured and dimensioned to support an individual subject. A transport and support vehicle can include, for example, an imager operably coupled to one or more of a power source, a steering assembly, one or more of the plurality of rotatable members, etc., and having one or more modules operable to control the power source, steering assembly, one or more of the plurality of rotatable members, etc., so as to maintain an authorized operator in the image zone. |
| US09233035B2 |
Support chair for body cast patients
A support chair for a patient in a body cast, such as a child or toddler wearing a spica cast, is disclosed. The support chair may hold the patient in a generally upright position and the seat may include a cut-out portion positionable over a commode. The chair may include stationary or adjustable leg support stirrups which support a portion of the body cast. The seat, back and/or legs of the support chair may be adjustable in order to change the height or inclination angle of the chair. Optional attachments include removable armrests, bed pan, splash guard and activity tray. |
| US09233033B2 |
Powered cot
According to one embodiment, a roll-in cot may include a support frame, a pair of front legs, a pair of back legs, and a cot actuation system. The pair of front legs may be slidingly coupled to the support frame. Each front leg includes at least one front wheel. The pair of back legs may be slidingly coupled to the support frame. Each back leg includes at least one back wheel. The cot actuation system includes a front actuator that moves the front legs and a back actuator that moves the back legs. The front actuator and the back actuator raises or lowers the support frame in tandem. The front actuator raises or lowers the front end of the support frame independently of the back actuator. The back actuator raises or lowers the back end of the support frame independently of the front actuator. |
| US09233030B1 |
Moisture alert pad (M.A.P.), moisture alert pad pillowcase (M.A.P.P.), and moisture alert pad vest (M.A.P.V.)
A moisture alert device that has a number of moisture detecting sensor divots around the outside of the device where the sensor divots are connected to insulated circuits within the device that transmits a moisture detections signal to a base, the base sending the signal to a control device, which in turn sends the moisture detection signal to a user by visual, auditory or tactile means. In some cases, the moisture detection signal transmitted to a wireless receiving device. The device can be a wearable garment such as a vest, or in other situations, the device can be a bed component such as a pillow case. |
| US09233023B2 |
Method and apparatus for creating ocular surgical and relaxing incisions
A system and method of treating target tissue in a patient's eye, which includes generating a light beam, deflecting the light beam using a scanner to form first and second treatment patterns, delivering the first treatment pattern to the target tissue to form an incision that provides access to an eye chamber of the patient's eye, and delivering the second treatment pattern to the target tissue to form a relaxation incision along or near limbus tissue or along corneal tissue anterior to the limbus tissue of the patient's eye to reduce astigmatism thereof. |
| US09233020B2 |
Controller for vacuum suction type urine collector
The conventional vacuum suction type urine collector may not be able to perform normal and automatic vacuum suction when contamination occurs between the electrodes acting as a sensor, and some users feel uneasy about the use of the urine collector as the case may be.In the controller for a vacuum suction type urine collector of this invention, the resistance between paired electrodes installed on the side of a urine receiver on a vacuum sucked-urine path extending from the urine receiver via a urine transport tube to a urine tank is measured by a controller to automatically detect urine, for actuating a vacuum suction device, wherein a detection resistor is connected in series to the abovementioned electrodes; and a manual operation switch is connected in parallel to the series circuit consisting of the electrodes and the detection resistor, to constitute a state detection circuit. |
| US09233019B2 |
Ostomy appliance with multiple release liners
An ostomy appliance for attachment to the stoma body comprising a soft adhesive wafer (1) having a tensile strength at 20% strain of less than 0.75N/4 mm and a collecting pouch attachable to an adhesive wafer, the wafer comprises a backing layer and a skin-facing adhesive layer, wherein the adhesive skin-facing surface of the wafer is provided with at least two release liners (3, 4) each covering at least a part of the adhesive surface and together covering the entire adhesive surface. |
| US09233018B2 |
Orthopedic device
A hinge assembly for an orthopedic device having a pivoting assembly and a spring biased lock for locking the pivoting assembly in place. The hinge assembly also includes flexion and extension stop assemblies arranged for selectively locking onto notches formed along an arcuate channel located on an inner plate of the hinge assembly. |
| US09233017B2 |
Lower back assistance apparatus
A lower back assistance apparatus including: a back frame 14 mounted to the back of a user and capable of movement following a user tilting forward; shoulder straps 22 that are attached to a back mounting section and extend towards the user trunk forward side for supporting the trunk of a user from the forward side; thigh plates 18 for mounting to the front of lower limbs of the user; coupling frames 20 with one end coupled to the thigh plates 18 and the other end coupled to the back frame 14 by joint sections 16 so as to allow relative movement with respect to the back frame 14, and capable of maintaining a non-bent profile during the relative movement; and actuators 40 that in an actuated state prevent the back frame 14 from tilting in the user forward direction. |
| US09233016B2 |
Elevating stomach stimulation device
The medical systems, apparatuses and uses thereof for treating obesity and/or obesity-related diseases are provided which relate to devices designed to stimulate an internal surface of the stomach such as the cardia. Features of the obesity treatment devices include insertion of said devices transorally and without invasive surgery, without associated patient risks of invasive surgery, and without substantial patient discomfort. The devices include flotation portions and cardia-stimulating portions, so that as the level of stomach contents rise, the devices will contact and stimulate the nerves in the cardia region of the stomach to induce satiety. The devices may have non-inflatable balls, be made of skinned foam, have ballast members such as a weighted ball or quantity of saline for orientation, and various combinations thereof. |
| US09233015B2 |
Endovascular delivery system with an improved radiopaque marker scheme
An endovascular delivery system for an endovascular prosthesis includes a radiopaque marker system for accurate delivery of the prosthesis. The radiopaque marker system is disposed within a prosthesis or stent holder within the delivery system. The radiopaque marker system includes a plurality of radiopaque markers that provide different views rotation of the prosthesis or stent holder. |
| US09233009B2 |
Expandable intervertebral implant
An implant for therapeutically separating bones of a joint has two endplates each having an opening through the endplate, and at least one ramped surface on a side opposite a bone engaging side. A frame is slideably connected to the endplates to enable the endplates to move relative to each other at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the implant, in sliding connection with the frame. An actuator screw is rotatably connected to the frame. A carriage forms an open area aligned with the openings in the endplates. The openings in the endplates pass through the carriage to form an unimpeded passage from bone to bone of the joint. The carriage has ramps which mate with the ramped surfaces of the endplates, wherein when the carriage is moved by rotation of the actuator screw, the endplates move closer or farther apart. |
| US09233008B2 |
Interbody fusion implant and related methods
An implant for performing interbody fusion within a human spine, inserters for such an implant, and associated methodology. The implant is preferably formed in situ from at least two separate but lockable members (a base member and a closure member). The base member may be implanted into an interbody space first, after which the end plates may be finally prepared and the base member packed with fusion promoting substances before engaging and locking the closure member. The closure member provides structural support for the adjacent vertebral bodies (along with the base member) and may be selected after implantation of the base member having a specific length, width, height, taper, etc. . . . to ensure an optimal sizing of the implant for desired restoration of disc height, coronal taper, sagittal taper, etc. . . . . |
| US09233006B2 |
Systems and methods for facet joint treatment
A facet implant system for implanting between a superior facet and an inferior facet. The facet implant system includes a first facet implant component and a second facet implant component. The first facet implant component has a first articulating surface and a first engagement surface located opposite the first articulating surface. The first facet implant component has a leading edge and a trailing edge. The first facet implant component has teeth that extend from the first engagement surface. The teeth are arranged in a plurality of rows and wherein teeth in adjacent rows are offset from each other. The second facet implant component has a second articulating surface and a second engagement surface located opposite the second articulating surface. The second facet implant component has teeth that extend from the second engagement surface. |
| US09233005B2 |
Subchondral treatment of joint pain of the spine
Methods for altering the natural history of degenerative disc disease and osteoarthritis of the spine are proposed. The methods focus on the prevention, or delayed onset or progression of, subchondral defects such as bone marrow edema or bone marrow lesion, and subchondral treatment to prevent the progression of osteoarthritis or degenerative disc disease in the spine and thereby treat pain. |
| US09233003B2 |
Reverse shoulder prosthesis
Various embodiments of the present invention relate to an apparatus and method for reverse shoulder arthroplasty (e.g., reverse total shoulder arthroplasty). In one specific example, a glenoid component used to resurface the scapula may be provided. Of note, unlike traditional total shoulder arthroplasty the glenoid component in a reverse shoulder is convex rather than concave; it acts as a physical stop to prevent the superior migration of the humeral head—a typical occurrence in patients suffering from rotator cuff tear arthropathy (CTA). |
| US09232999B2 |
Mitral spacer
A heart valve implant may include a shaft and an anchor configured to be coupled to an end of the shaft. A spacer may be coupled to a portion of the shaft and comprise a plurality of individual segments including a first and at least a second individual segment. The first segment may be coupled to the shaft. The second segment may be coupled to at least a portion of an exterior surface of the first segment and may have at least one cross-section dimension which is greater than an internal cross-sectional dimension of a delivery lumen. Additional segments may be coupled to an inner, adjacent segment. The segments may include a collapsible body portion to facilitate percutaneously delivery through a lumen. The segments may define an outer surface of the spacer configured to interact with at least a portion of at least one cusp of a heart valve to at least partially restrict a flow of blood through the heart valve in a closed position. |
| US09232998B2 |
Trans-apical implant systems, implants and methods
A trans-apical implant includes a spacer defining spacer cavity configured to be expanded from a retracted position, a shaft extending from the spacer, the shaft defining an inflation lumen fluidly coupled to the spacer cavity and configured to be fluidly coupled to an expansion medium source, and a spacer valve assembly disposed within at least one of the spacer or shaft, the spacer valve assembly configured to allow selectively allow an expansion medium to flow into the spacer cavity to be selectively expand the spacer from a retracted position to an expanded position. |
| US09232994B2 |
Stented prosthetic heart valve and methods for making
A stented prosthetic heart valve including a stent, a plurality of leaflets, and a coupling apparatus. The stent includes a plurality of struts combining to define a generally tubular body, with the struts forming strut segments. The leaflets are mounted to the stent, and include a leaflet provided as part of a first leaflet layer that further forms a tab region. The coupling apparatus is configured for connecting the first leaflet layer to the stent, and includes a backing layer, a guide plate, and a pin. The guide plate and the pin are formed apart from the stent. In this regard, a portion of the backing layer and the tab region are secured between the guide plate and the pin. Further, another portion of the backing layer is attached to at least one of the strut segments to mount the leaflet of the first leaflet layer to the stent. |
| US09232993B2 |
Adjustable intraocular lens
Methods and devices for altering the power of a lens, such as an intraocular lens, are disclosed. In one method, the lens comprises a single polymer matrix containing crosslinkable pendant groups, wherein the polymer matrix increases in volume when crosslinked. The lens does not contain free monomer. Upon exposure to ultraviolet radiation, crosslinking causes the exposed portion of the lens to increase in volume, causing an increase in the refractive index. In another method, the lens comprises a polymer matrix containing photobleachable chromophores. Upon exposure to ultraviolet radiation, photobleaching causes a decrease in refractive index in the exposed portion without any change in lens thickness. These methods avoid the need to wait for diffusion to occur to change the lens shape and avoid the need for a second exposure to radiation to lock in the changes to the lens. |
| US09232991B2 |
Apparatus and method for retrieving an implanted device from a body vessel
An apparatus for retrieving an implanted device from a body vessel includes a distal hub with an elongated, bendable distal tip and with a first marker visible through body tissue with at least one imaging method; a proximal hub with a central longitudinal channel therethrough, arranged proximal from the distal hub, and bearing a second marker. A stylet wire extends from the distal hub through the central longitudinal channel of the proximal hub to a proximal stylet wire end. A flexible, radially expandable interlocking arrangement extends from the distal hub to the proximal hub. An elongated positioning device extending proximally from the proximal hub to a proximal device end. The positioning device and the stylet wire may be configured to perform a longitudinal relative movement between proximal hub and the distal hub, and the interlocking arrangement expands radially when the proximal and distal hubs approach each other. |
| US09232990B2 |
Skin gripping means, injector including the skin gripping means and method of performing a subcutaneous injection
A skin gripping means for use with an injector (200) is disclosed. In one embodiment the skin gripping means is a needle guard (100). An exterior surface (7) of the skin gripping means (100) is provided with a plurality of fingers (6) adapted to engage a subject's skin (9) when in use. A method of performing a subcutaneous injection is also disclosed with includes the steps of bringing a skin gripping means (100) of an injector (200) into contact with the skin (9) of a subject, moving the skin gripping means (100) substantially parallel to the skin (9) to thereby form a fold (10) in the skin, moving a needle (11) of the injector (200) into the fold (10) to a suitable position for a subcutaneous injection and injecting a substance through the needle (11). |
| US09232988B2 |
Orthodontic device
An orthodontic bracket having a slot formed by arm parts facing each other in the vertical direction, and an inner part, inserted into the slot, having a socket for holding a wire is disclosed. The shape of the socket is designed for applying desired forces to a tooth through the wire when the bracket is attached to the tooth. Forces can be changed simply by changing the inner part; replacing the bracket attached to the tooth. When the inner part is inserted into the slot, the inner part closes the slot and it is held in the position by the arm parts; enabling the wire to be securely held in its position. |
| US09232986B2 |
Ultrasonic method and devices for dental treatment
Devices and methods for ultrasonic dental treatment are described, wherein the devices and methods can comprise a flexible array of cooperative ultrasound transducers. The array can contain individual ultrasonic transducers that can perform both functions of emitting and sensing. The transducers can have the ability to interchange their functions from emitting to sensing. The transducers can cooperate in providing an ultrasound treatment and each transducer can be independently controlled by an external source controller. An ultrasound system is provided comprising: an ultrasound transducer sensor array operable to emit or sense ultrasound, wherein the timing and intensity of emission may be controlled by an electronic controller based on a feedback signal from the sensors. In addition the ultrasound system can also have the ability to sense coupling to a treatment tissue. This ability to sense proper coupling can improve the efficacy of the treatment. |
| US09232985B2 |
Navigating a surgical instrument
An instrument tracking device for cooperating with an instrument during a surgical procedure where the instrument has an elongated body extending along a first longitudinal axis and including a working member at a distal tip includes a body having a distal end and a proximal end. An opening can be formed through the body along a second longitudinal axis. The opening can define a passthrough in the body from the distal end to the proximal end. A first tracking coil can be disposed in the body and can define a first tracking coil axis that is substantially coaxial with the second longitudinal axis of the body. A connection mechanism cooperates between the elongated housing and the body that secures the body to the elongated housing of the instrument upon passing at least a portion of the elongated housing through the passthrough of the body in an assembled position. |
| US09232982B2 |
System for orientation assistance and display of an instrument in an object under examination particularly for use in human body
A system for orientation assistance and display of an instrument that is inserted or present in the natural or artificially produced hollow cavity (human, animal, object), and that is equipped with one or more sensor units. Multiple measurements of the 3D position of the instrument equipped with one or more sensor units are performed by positioning a measuring system, so that a precise orientation and positioning of the instrument in the body can be computed. The 3D position data are used to compute a virtual image of the instrument synchronously. The virtual images are then either projected directly in exact position onto the body surface of a person or combined in a body surface image (real video camera image of the patient) onto a monitor or superimposed (virtual or augmented reality). The system is especially appropriate for displaying for a user a medical instrument, such as a catheter or a rigid or flexible endoscope, in the body of a person in real time, extracorporeally and in correct position. |
| US09232981B2 |
Surgical holder
A surgical holder is provided, including a base unit, a first positioning unit, a second positioning unit, a connecting unit, a first orientating unit, and a second orientating unit. The first elastic element, the second elastic element, the plurality of third elastic elements and the plurality of the fourth elastic elements balance the surgical holder statically. Further, the connecting unit, the first and second orientating units are designed to have RCM points which restrict lateral displacement of the surgical holder on the surgical incision to increase safety in laparoscopic operations. |
| US09232980B2 |
Operation input device and method of initializing operation input device
An operation input device that has multi jointed arms includes: a holding unit that holds proximal ends of the multi-jointed arms in a state in which a relative positional relationship between the proximal ends is fixed; a detection unit that detects a joint movement amount that represents a movement of a joint by a rotation angle or a translational displacement from an unknown initial joint value; engagement units that are provided in distal ends of the multi jointed arms; a data acquisition unit that acquires a plurality of sets of joint movement amounts detected by the detection unit in a time series when engaging and moving the distal ends; and an initial value calculation unit that calculates the unknown initial joint value under a condition that a relative positional relationship between the distal ends is fixed via the engagement units. |
| US09232975B2 |
Steerable laser probe
A steerable laser probe may include an actuation structure, a nosecone fixed to the actuation structure by one or more links and one or more link pins, a housing tube having a first housing tube portion with a first stiffness and a second housing tube portion with a second stiffness, and an optic fiber disposed in the housing tube and the actuation structure. A compression of the actuation structure may be configured to gradually curve the housing tube and the optic fiber. A decompression of the actuation structure may be configured to gradually straighten the housing tube and the optic fiber. |
| US09232973B2 |
Electrosurgical instrument
A bipolar snare including an elongated tubular electrically insulating sheath, a pair of elongated flexible electrically conductive wires disposed within the sheath, and an electrically insulating connector disposed at the distal ends of the wires mechanically connecting the distal ends of the wires to form a loop projecting from the distal end of the sheath. The wires are provided with electrical insulation covering all but a selected portion of each of the wires. The device also includes a guide member located within the sheath and forming compartments for each of the electrically conductive wires, the guide member being rotatable within the sheath. The guide member is also set back from the distal end of the sheath to an extent such that the whole of the loop including at least part of the connector is capable of being received within the sheath. |
| US09232972B2 |
Grasping treatment device
A grasping treatment device includes a probe including a first electrode portion in its distal portion, and a jaw configured to open or close relative to the first electrode portion and including a second electrode portion. The grasping treatment device includes a grasping force converting unit converting a grasping force so that a second grasping force between the distal portion of the probe and the jaw in a second treatment mode in which high-frequency current alone is transmitted to the first electrode portion and the second electrode portion is greater than a first grasping force between the distal portion of the probe and the jaw in a first treatment mode in which at least an ultrasonic vibration is transmitted to the distal portion of the probe. |
| US09232969B2 |
Directional control for a multi-axial screw assembly
A multi-axial screw assembly comprises a receiver, a base member, and a crown. The receiver comprises a channel for receiving a rod and an aperture extending from a bottom portion of the receiver. The base member comprises an aperture extending through the base member and an opening on a bottom portion of the base member. The base member is configured to couple to the receiver such that the aperture of the receiver is generally aligned with the aperture of the base member. The base member is rotatable relative to the receiver. The crown is received in the receiver and configured to mate to the base member. The crown has a mating feature configured to couple to the base member such that the crown rotates the base member when the crown is rotated. |
| US09232966B2 |
Articulating spinal rod system
An adjustable articulating spinal rod system including a first elongated element secured to a first bone, a second elongated element secured to the spine, and an articulating joint connecting the first and second elongated elements. The articulating joint including a first movable joint, a second movable joint, and at least one locking mechanism. The first movable joint is coupled to the first elongated element and the second movable joint which is also coupled the second elongate element. The first and second movable joints are configured to allow polyaxial movement and rotation of the first elongated element with respect to the second elongated element. The at least one locking mechanism immobilizes the first and second movable joints in the locked position to secure the first elongate element in a position relative to the second elongate element and allow movement and rotation in an unlocked position. |
| US09232964B2 |
Spinal implant set for the dynamic stabilization of the spine
A connection element (1) for stabilizing vertebral bodies that has a variable stiffness along its longitudinal axis in that particularly the cross-section of the connecting element varies along its longitudinal axis and extends over a plurality of bone screws (6). In spite of the varying cross-section (h1, h2), in a preferred embodiment, the same bone screws (6) may be used in all locations by inserting clamping elements (9, 10) of different lengths. |
| US09232958B2 |
Reusable blade hub assembly
A surgical instrument including a reusable and sterilizable hub assembly and a releasably connectable disposable blade assembly allows multiple reuse of the hub assembly in conjunction with single use disposable blade assemblies. |
| US09232956B2 |
Device for removing kidney stones
A system for removing a kidney stone from a ureter may include: an elongate, flexible, outer shaft having a distal end configured to be advanced into the ureter and a proximal end; an elongate, flexible, inner shaft extending through at least part of the outer shaft; an expandable stone retention member extending through at least part of the inner shaft and moveable along the longitudinal axis relative to the inner shaft; an elongate, flexible camera positioned coaxially within the retention member shaft, such that a distal end of the camera is located at or near a distal end of the inner shaft; and a handle coupled with the proximal end of the outer shaft, a proximal end of the inner shaft, and a proximal end of the retention member shaft. |
| US09232952B2 |
Surgical bur with non-paired flutes
A surgical dissection tool for cutting bone and other tissue includes a cutting head having an outer surface having non-paired or an odd number of flutes formed therein. Each flute includes a rake surface intersecting with the outer surface to form a cutting edge, and a relief surface opposite the rake surface. The relief surface and the rake surface form a first angle. Each flute also includes a leading angled surface extending from the relief surface to a distal end portion of the cutting head, the leading angled surface and the rake surface forming a second angle substantially the same as the first angle. |
| US09232951B2 |
Knee arthroplasty apparatus and method
A method for aligning a bone cutting guide on a tibia may involve coupling a cutting guide alignment device and an attached cutting guide with a tibia, adjusting the alignment device in a varus/valgus orientation, adjusting the alignment device in an anterior/posterior orientation, attaching the cutting guide to the tibia, and removing the alignment device from the cutting guide, leaving the cutting guide attached to the tibia. The adjustments to the alignment device may be made according to vertically and horizontally oriented laser lights emitted from the alignment device. As the alignment device is adjusted, the bone cutting guide attached to the alignment device changes position relative to the tibia. |
| US09232946B2 |
Bone plate positioning scaffold
A device to maintain temporary engagement with a bone plate and a bone, the device comprising a first biased appendage positioned opposite a second biased appendage, the first and second biased appendages including an arcuate vertical profile that partially defines an interior region; a platform concurrently coupled to the first and second biased appendages, the platform also partially defining the interior region, the platform including a through hole open to the interior region; a first tab extending from at least one of the first biased appendage, the second biased appendage, and the platform, the first tab extending into the interior region and adapted to engage a bone plate; a first arcuate flange mounted to a distal portion of the platform; and a second arcuate flange mounted to a proximal portion of the platform. |
| US09232944B2 |
Surgical instrument and bushing
A surgical instrument comprising a handle assembly, and actuation member, an elongated body portion, and a locking mechanism is disclosed. The locking mechanism is disposed in mechanical cooperation with the actuation member, and is configured to substantially prevent at least a partial movement of the actuation member when the elongated body portion is not engaged with a loading unit. The locking mechanism comprises a link, a bushing, and a connecting member. The link is configured for mechanical engagement with a portion of a loading unit. At least a portion of the busing is disposed proximally of at least a portion of the link. At least a portion of the connecting member is disposed proximally of at least a portion of the bushing. Engagement between a loading unit and the elongated body portion causes proximal movement of the link, the bushing, and the connecting member. |
| US09232937B2 |
Rearchitecting the spine
A surgical tool well suited for less invasive surgery. Uses include spinal surgery and microdecompressive techniques. The method and device are useful for rearchitecting the spine. A cutting tip or head on a shaft is shielded during non-use to protect tissue and neural elements. To further protect neural elements and tissue, an inflatable retractor is introduced into the body with the surgical tool. |
| US09232930B2 |
Ultrasonic evaluation of venous structures
Provided are methods and systems for detecting a maturing arterio-venous fistula comprising a vein. An exemplary method comprises determining a wall thickness of the fistula and a lumen diameter of the fistula vein using a high frequency ultrasound imaging system. A blood pressure of the subject is determined. A circumferential vessel wall stress is determined from the measured blood pressure, the wall thickness of the fistula and a determined radius of the measured diameter of the fistula. The determined circumferential vessel stress is compared to a predetermined threshold stress to determine if the fistula is mature. |
| US09232929B2 |
Method and device for fetal heart rate monitoring with maternal contribution detection
A method and device for monitoring a fetal heart rate includes a reference fetal heart rate detected across an ultrasound depth zone of sensitivity. The ultrasound depth zone of sensitivity is scanned in overlapping increments of a first depth. An average fetal heart rate detected for each overlapping increment is tested for a coincidence with the reference fetal heart rate. Overlapping increments with the coincidence and a maximized signal quality rate are identified. An ultrasound depth increment of a second depth is selected representing the selected adjacent increments. Fetal heart rate is determined from an ultrasound signal returned from a scan depth of the second depth. |
| US09232928B2 |
Method and system for predictive physiological gating
A method and system for physiological gating is disclosed. A method and system for detecting and predictably estimating regular cycles of physiological activity or movements is disclosed. Another disclosed aspect of the invention is directed to predictive actuation of gating system components. Yet another disclosed aspect of the invention is directed to physiological gating of radiation treatment based upon the phase of the physiological activity. Gating can be performed, either prospectively or retrospectively, to any type of procedure, including radiation therapy or imaging, or other types of medical devices and procedures such as PET, MRI, SPECT, and CT scans. |
| US09232927B2 |
Method of reconstruction from multi-energy CT scan and device thereof
A method for collecting multi-energy CT data is provided. A method of reconstruction from multi-energy CT scan is further provided, in which data collection is performed on the first-class object at voltage values of m sampling points of the first-class voltage varied periodically, to obtain n sets of multi-energy first-class scan data {yi}; and a data collection is performed on a double-cylinder correction phantom at the voltage values of m sampling points to obtain combination coefficients, and thus obtaining corresponding combination coefficients Cifirstand Cisecondcorresponding to the case that the first-class scan data is collected in the ith projection angle at the first-class voltage; and the image vectors Xfirst and Xsecond are obtained by calculating a minimum value of the difference between the first-class scan data {yi} and the combination projection data CifirstPi*Xfirst+CisecondPi*Xsecond. |
| US09232926B2 |
Radiographic imaging device
There is provided a radiographic imaging device including: a radiographic imaging device main body; and a protective cover that is removably applied to a surface of the radiographic imaging device main body, a thickness including the radiographic imaging device main body in the state in which the protective cover is applied being at most 16 mm. |
| US09232925B2 |
X-ray diagnostic apparatus and storage medium storing X-ray diagnostic program
An X-ray diagnostic apparatus includes a peak frequency detector detecting a peak frequency of a first harmonic in a moiré pattern of a grid in an image; a harmonic remover removing the first harmonic and a second harmonic in the moiré pattern from the image in accordance with the peak frequency of the first harmonic to obtain a first and second harmonic removed image; a harmonic extracting-filter generating unit calculating a peak frequency of a third harmonic in the moiré pattern in accordance with the peak frequency of the first harmonic to generate a harmonic extracting filter to extract the third harmonic; a harmonic extracting unit extracting the third harmonic from the first and second harmonic removed image based on the harmonic extracting filter; and a harmonic subtracting unit subtracting the extracted third harmonic from the first and second harmonic removed image to obtain a third harmonic removed image. |
| US09232924B2 |
X-ray pose recovery
A method, system, and program product are provided for x-ray pose recovery during an endoscopic procedure. An x-ray image is taken with a C-arm at a first pose, capturing a region of an endoscope with fiducials thereon. The C-arm is moved from the first pose to a second pose at another viewing angle while maintaining the position of the endoscope. Another x-ray image is taken with the C-arm at the second C-arm pose, capturing the region of the endoscope with the fiducials thereon. The location of the fiducials on each x-ray image is determined using segmentation. An iterative optimization is performed using the locations of the fiducials in the two x-ray images to form two-dimensional projections of the three dimensional curve of the region of the endoscope with fiducials thereon to determine the three-dimensional translation and rotation of the C-arm from the first x-ray pose to the second x-ray pose. |
| US09232922B2 |
User interface for artifact removal in an EEG
A method and system for a user interface for artifact removal in an EEG is disclosed herein. The invention allows an operator to select a plurality of artifacts to be automatically removed from an EEG recording using a user interface. The operator pushes a button on the user interface to apply a plurality of filters to remove the plurality of artifacts from the EEG and generate a clean EEG for viewing. |
| US09232918B2 |
Image display apparatus, display control method, and display control program
An image display apparatus includes a display section (display unit) that displays an image, an information acquisition section that acquires predominance levels of sympathetic nerves and parasympathetic nerves and an activity magnitude of the autonomic nerves based on the biological information, an image generation section that generates the biological state image in which a figure having a size according to the acquired activity magnitude of the autonomic nerves is set along a first axis, along one side of which the predominance level of the sympathetic nerves is set with respect to a reference point and along the other side of which the predominance level of the parasympathetic nerves is set with respect to the reference point, in a position according to the acquired predominance levels of the sympathetic nerves and the parasympathetic nerves. |
| US09232917B2 |
Urinary catheter system for diagnosing a physiological abnormality such as stress urinary incontinence
A system evaluates a patient for a physiological abnormality. A urinary catheter is insertable within a patient's bladder and has a first pressure sensor for measuring bladder pressure and a second pressure sensor for measuring mid-urethral pressure at the mid-urethral sphincter. A processing device is connected to the first and second pressure sensors and configured to receive the measured bladder pressure and measured mid-urethral pressure during at least one breath cycle and process the data representative of the bladder and mid-urethral pressures obtained during the at least one breath cycle to diagnose a physiological abnormality within the patient. |
| US09232914B2 |
Indwelling transfusion catheter, transfusion cannula kit and method for testing a transfusion system
The present disclosure relates to an indwelling catheter having a cannula device (2, 4) and a reservoir, which is connected in a use position to the cannula device (2, 4), such that blood can flow from the cannula device (2, 4) into the reservoir (6), wherein the housing (3) has housing identifiers (8) and the reservoir (6) has reservoir identifiers (9), and the housing identifiers (8) and the reservoir identifiers (9) give mutually assigned codes. In addition, the disclosure relates to a transfusion cannula kit and the method for testing a transfusion system. |
| US09232912B2 |
System for evaluating infant movement using gesture recognition
A system and method for measuring the movement of one or more limbs of an infant using a video system for the purpose of determining whether the infant suffers from or is at risk of suffering from a medical condition such as cerebral palsy. |
| US09232911B2 |
Gait analysis system and methods
Systems and methods for analyzing the gait of an individual are disclosed. The disclosed systems and methods can be configured to acquire data from a first array and a second array of sensors that are configured to be placed in a left and/or right shoe, respectively. The acquired data can be collected or separated into at least two separate gait phases for each array, compared to a baseline condition for each gait phase and categorized into one of at least two uniformity categories for each gait phase. Examples of collected and/or calculated data include pressure values, shear stress values and torque values. The analysis can be focused on both feet of a person, or focused on one foot. A graphical output showing at least one entire gait cycle based on the uniformity categories can then be generated. |
| US09232906B2 |
Electromagnetic apparatus and method for nerve localization during spinal surgery
An electromagnetic pedicle awl utilizes a tightly focused time-varying magnetic flux to create a localized electromotive force (EMF) near the tip. The localized EMF creates localized eddy currents in nearby nerves which excite ionic nerve channels, the excitation being detected by an electromyographic recording device. The awl only excites nerves directly in front of and directly to the side of the tip. The awl is comprised of a tapered awl or drill tip in combination with a solid core surrounded by a solenoid. A pulsed electric current source drives the solenoid to create a time-varying magnetic field in the vicinity of the tapered tip. The awl or drill tip may be stationary with respect to the solenoid or it may rotate. The awl in combination with an EMG detector connected to a patient is sensitive to the pedicle hole position with respect to adjacent nerves and reduces false placement failure. |
| US09232905B2 |
Uncomfortable loudness level estimating system, uncomfortable loudness level estimating device, uncomfortable loudness level estimating method, and computer program for same
An uncomfortable sound pressure estimation system includes: a biological signal measurement section for measuring an electroencephalogram signal of a user; a sound stimulation output section for presenting a sound stimulation group to the user, the sound stimulation group including a first sound, a second sound, and a third sound which are pure tones of the same frequency and which consecutively decrease in sound pressure within a predetermined range; an extraction section for, from the electroencephalogram signal in a predetermined zone defined based on a point of presenting at least one of the second sound and the third sound as a starting point, extracting an N1-P2-amplitude related or wavelet-coefficient related characteristic amount of event-related potential of the electroencephalogram signal; and a determination section for determining an uncomfortable sound pressure at the frequency of the sound stimulation group based on the characteristic amount extracted by the extraction section. |
| US09232902B2 |
Detection circuit for generating biological information
An amplifier circuit includes first and second amplification units. A first detection electrode and a high impedance circuit are connected to the input terminal of the first amplification unit. A second detection electrode and a high impedance circuit are connected to the input terminal of the second amplification unit. The output terminals of the first and second amplification units output first and second output signals, and are connected to the input terminals of a differential amplifier circuit through coupling capacitors, respectively. The differential amplifier circuit operates a difference between the first and second output signals in a state where a direct-current component is omitted. |
| US09232899B2 |
Blood pressure information measurement device and control method of blood pressure information measurement device
A measurement device pressurizes two cuffs in a state in which the cuffs are attached to the distal side and the proximal side of the measurement device, respectively, calculates an AI value or the like based on a pulse wave detected from a change in cuff pressure on the distal side while pressurizing the two cuffs, and determines that avascularization on the distal side has been completed if the AI value or the like has converged. Once it is determined that avascularization has been completed, the cuff pressure on the distal side is fixed, and a pulse wave is detected from a change in cuff pressure on the proximal side in a state in which the distal side is avascularized. |
| US09232897B2 |
Integrating device-based sensors and bedside biomarker assays to detect worsening heart failure
Devices and methods for improving the sensitivity and specificity of heart failure (HF) detection are described. The devices and methods can detect a HF status such as using physiological sensor data and external biomarker assays. An apparatus can comprise ambulatory physiological sensors that can provide a first HF status indicator and a second HF status indicator to a user. An external biomarker sensor can provide an amount of a biomarker present, such as an assay for B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), which provides information about HF status. A processor circuit can switch from a first HF detection mode to a second detection mode such as in response to the information from the biomarker sensor. The first detection mode can detect HF status using the first HF status indicator, and the second detection mode can detect HF status using the second HF status indicator. The second detection mode can have a higher specificity than the first detection mode. |
| US09232896B2 |
Focusing electromagnetic radiation within a turbid medium using ultrasonic modulation
The present disclosure provides various systems and methods for focusing electromagnetic radiation (EMR) within a diffusion medium, such as a turbid medium. A diffusion medium is irradiated with EMR. The EMR may be modulated by an acoustical wave focused on a focus volume within the diffusion medium. The EMR may be modulated by a beat frequency or other function of multiple focused acoustical waves. The EMR may be modulated at a harmonic of a fundamental frequency of one or more acoustical waves. A filter may filter the emerging EMR to remove all but specifically modulated EMR scattered from the focus volume. The modulated EMR may be focused and/or used for various purposes, including imaging. In some embodiments, the modulated EMR may be reflected and/or amplified by a phase conjugating mirror. Furthermore, in some embodiments, acoustical phase conjugation may be used to focus an acoustical wave on a focus volume. |
| US09232894B2 |
Remote patient management system
A remote patient management system comprising a display and a processor. Execution of instructions cause the processor to: determine at least one first boundary value between a safe zone and a warning zone for each of at least one patient vital sign; determine at least one second boundary value between the warning zone and an alert zone for each of the at least one patient vital sign; repeatedly receive the at least one patient vital sign; determine a status value indicating the safe zone, warning zone, or alert zone; calculate a transition risk value; and display a patient status indicator which indicates the status level and the transition risk. |
| US09232893B2 |
Method of operation of a multi-layer-multi-turn structure for high efficiency wireless communication
A structure for wireless communication having a plurality of conductor layers, an insulator layer separating each of the conductor layers, and at least one connector connecting two of the conductor layers wherein an electrical resistance is reduced when an electrical signal is induced in the resonator at a predetermined frequency. |
| US09232886B2 |
Retractor
Apparatus for use in an operating theatre equipped with a surgical table, comprises a lifting frame (12) attachable to the surgical table and adapted for lifting a body part of a subject undergoing a surgical procedure upon the surgical table, and comprising an upright support post (18) incorporating a jack (54), and a lifting arm (17) pivotally mounted upon the post, whereby the arm can be turned about the upright support post on thrust bearing (57) to either overhang the surgical table, or be pivoted away to permit access to the surgical table. The arm is adapted to support a retractor that comprises a blade portion incorporating a plurality of independent lighting devices positioned in light ports (71, 72, 73) and configured to provide discrete illumination selectively to zones within the surgical field according to (a) a predetermined sequence program, or (b) a sequence determined by a user of the retractor. |
| US09232883B2 |
Endoscope apparatus
To provide an endoscope apparatus in which the observation image can be varied continuously as the observation magnification is varied by a zoom magnification varying manipulation so that an observation image suitable for an endoscope diagnosis is obtained at each observation magnification, and to thereby prevent the operator from feeling uncomfortable and increase the accuracy of a diagnosis. An endoscope apparatus is equipped with illuminating unit having plural light sources which generate light beams having different spectra, for illuminating an observation subject; imaging unit for imaging the observation subject; observation magnification varying unit for varying observation magnification of the imaging of the imaging unit; and light quantity ratio varying unit for continuously varying an emission light quantity ratio between the plural light sources according to the observation magnification that is set by the observation magnification varying unit. |
| US09232879B2 |
Retaining plate for a vacuum cleaner filter bag
The invention relates to a retaining plate for a vacuum-cleaner filter bag comprising a through-passage opening and a closure flap for closing the through-passage opening, wherein the closure flap comprises a first region comprising a first material of a first hardness and a second region comprising a second material of a second hardness, wherein the second hardness is at a lower level than the first hardness, wherein the second region is arranged, at least in part, on the periphery of the closure flap, and wherein the second material, at least in part, has a thickness of less than 1 mm. |
| US09232876B2 |
Package structure
In order to achieve both ease of removal and an increase in the rate of impregnation by a predetermined chemical, in this packaging structure of a package of wet wipes, a convex region is formed at a position containing a region that faces the opening of a main package body and that is on the upper surface of a stacked body of wet wipes. The convex region is formed protruding towards the main package body. A space is formed between the region (corresponding to the ends) aside from the convex region formed on the wet wipes and the upper surface to which the opening of the main package body is provided. |
| US09232872B2 |
Single serving reusable brewing material holder
A single serving beverage filter cartridge is formed by placing a single serving portion of brewing material into a reusable coffee holder having a lid and a base. The reusable coffee holder includes a recessed region at the bottom of a base of the holder and is insertable into a cartridge housing of a single serving coffee maker having an offset needle reaching up vertically from the base of the housing, the recessed region may be a large annular recessed region or a smaller off-center recessed region thereby avoiding the offset bottom needle. The coffee holder defines a frustoconical exterior and includes mesh filtering material for retaining brewing material inside the coffee holder. The mesh material may be a metal mesh or plastic mesh. The reusable coffee holder is configured for use in single serving coffee makers having the offset bottom needle and designed for single use cartridges. |
| US09232871B2 |
Single serving reusable brewing material holder with offset passage for offset bottom needle
A single serving beverage filter cartridge is formed by placing a single serving portion of brewing material into a reusable coffee holder having a lid and a base. The reusable coffee holder includes an offset passage in the bottom of the base and is insertable into a cartridge housing of a single serving coffee maker having an offset bottom needle reaching up vertically from the base of the housing, the offset passage providing clearance for the offset bottom needle. The coffee holder defines a frustoconical exterior and includes mesh filtering material for retaining brewing material inside the reusable coffee holder. The mesh material may be a metal mesh or plastic mesh. The reusable coffee holder is configured for use in single serving coffee makers having the offset bottom needle and designed for single use cartridges. |
| US09232866B1 |
Crib and mattress runner system
A crib liner or runner made of a soft blanket that is secured in place over a crib mattress's fitted sheet via an easily applied fastener. Design intent is to provide parents of infant and toddler children a practical way in which to “change” their child's bedding in the event it is soiled with formula, drool or other bodily wastes, without requiring them to change the fitted sheet in order to do so. Modified versions of the crib & mattress runner could also be made available for use with children and adult bedding. |
| US09232865B2 |
Multi-configurable end display
An end display includes a base, an end panel coupled to a rear of the base, at least one channel mounted to the base and having an open top, a first wall panel and a spanner. The first wall panel is received by the at least one channel when the first wall panel is in a display position and is removed from the at least one channel when the first wall panel is in a storage position. The spanner is mounted to the end panel and includes at least one flange. The at least one flange has a first through hole for receiving a fastener that secures the first wall panel in the display position and a second through hole for receiving a fastener for securing at least the first wall panel in the storage position. |
| US09232861B2 |
Portable stand
A portable stand for securely supporting an object or infant above a vehicle seat is presented. The stand is adjustable for use on an angled or flat surface. The stand securely engages the gap in a vehicle seat, thereby providing a stable support surface for an object. The stand is easily collapsible for storage. |
| US09232860B2 |
Foldable leg rest
A foldable leg rest has a seat, a first folding frame and a first stage drive mechanism. The first folding frame is pivotally connected to the seat. The first stage drive mechanism includes two angle adjusters, two first stage DC motors and a drive rod. Each of the angle adjusters is disposed between one of opposite sides of the seat and one of opposite sides of the first folding frame. The first stage DC motors are respectively disposed on the sides of the seat. The drive rod is connected between the angle adjusters. In use, the first stage DC motors are actuated to drive the drive rod and the angle adjusters such that the first folding frame is pivoted relative to the seat. |
| US09232859B2 |
Shelving connector
A compression lock on a connector for a shelving post has upper and lower, mating collar parts having distal ends encircling more than 180 degrees of the post but separated by a gap through which the post can pass. Each distal end has an axially extending projection with a rounded end and a recess adjoining the projection. The projections of one collar part mate with the recesses of the other collar part to interlock the collar parts around a compression sleeve and form a frusto-conical inner surface that wedges the a mating sleeve against the post to affix a shelf attached to the connector. |
| US09232857B2 |
Modular storage frame
A modular storage frame includes: at least two storage floors each having four coupling heads, four coupling tubes, at least four opposing elements and a storage board, wherein the coupling head has two coupling portions, two neck portions and a joining portion; at least four joining tubes having four inner tubes and four outer tubes; and four supporting elements coupling respectively with the bottommost ones of the inner tubes, wherein the outer tube has two positioning elements protruding to an outside thereof. The positioning elements may provide the storage floors to be relatively firmly positioned. The opposing elements protruding from the coupling tubes may have the storage board to be easily placed and the plight that the opposing elements are not easily assembled with the coupling heads may be avoided. |
| US09232854B2 |
Oral hygiene tool
A oral hygiene tool has a tongue scraper and a toothbrush with an elongate toothbrush body. The tongue scraper is telescopically engaged with the elongate toothbrush body of the toothbrush, so that the tongue scraper can move between a collapsed configuration and an extended configuration relative to the toothbrush. A locking system may be included for locking the tongue scraper with the toothbrush so that relative movement is prohibited, and a resilient wall may cover and seal each of the locking apertures. |
| US09232853B2 |
Oral care device
A toothbrush device having a body defining a cavity and an input port disposed on the body in fluid communication with the cavity. The input port permits brushing by-products to pass through the input port and into the cavity while restricting passage of the brushing by-products outward from the cavity. In one form, the toothbrush device includes an elongated handle with a reservoir having at least a portion disposed within the handle. The reservoir is sized to hold a predetermined amount of oral care product, and a mouthpiece is in fluid communication with the reservoir to discharge the oral care product from the reservoir. |
| US09232852B2 |
Toothbrush and process for producing the same
The invention relates to a toothbrush that is produced by AFT and has a head part and at least one carrier element connected thereto. A front surface of the head part is formed by the top surfaces of the at least one carrier element and has a non-planar three-dimensional configuration, or is capable of assuming such a configuration during intended use. The invention also relates to a process for producing such a toothbrush. |
| US09232848B2 |
Carrier for sports and other equipment
A carrier for carrying sporting equipment and other items comprises a base member that is assembled to a pair of shoulder straps, to be carried in the manner of a backpack. Depending on the type of equipment to be carried, one of a plurality of interchangeable equipment-specific members is selected and secured to the base member in a simple and efficient manner, without the use of tools. The chosen type of equipment to be carried is then secured to the corresponding equipment-specific member.The base member may comprise a female dovetail joint, opening toward the top, and each of the equipment-specific members a corresponding male dovetail, so that the desired equipment-specific member can be assembled to the base member by simply sliding the male dovetail into the female dovetail, and gravity will retain the desired equipment-specific member in the desired position.In a further improvement, the male dovetail may be part of an intermediate member, which allows relative rotation of the equipment-specific member though a limited range. |
| US09232846B2 |
Folding base LED diamond mirror
A mirror apparatus (10) includes a platform (12), a mirror support (14) depending from the platform (12), a mirror member (16) mounted to the mirror support (14) and an illuminating member (34) mounted about at least a peripheral segment of the mirror member (16) for providing illumination. The mirror member (16) may include a first mirror side (24) having a substantially planar mirror surface and a second mirror side (26) having a magnifying mirror surface. The mirror support (14) may be mounted for movement relative to the platform (12) between a first operative position and a second transport position. The mirror support (14) may be mounted for pivotal movement relative to the platform (12) between the first operative position and the second transport position. The mirror support (14) may be adapted to be releasably secured in the first operative position. |
| US09232844B2 |
Cosmetics container
A cosmetics container includes a shelf portion with a cosmetic material retention area which is configured to receive a cosmetic material. The container can include a base portion which can include a shelf portion-receiving section. The container can have a top portion which includes a base portion-receiving section, whereby the top portion can releasably engage with the base portion or the shelf portion or both. The top portion can form a transverse line along a portion of an exterior of the container when the container is in an assembled configuration. The transverse line can form a plane which bisecting the container. The base portion can have a truncated region with a substantially flat area. The substantially flat area can form an angle with the bisecting plane when the container is in the assembled configuration. |
| US09232843B2 |
Nail polish curing device
A nail polish curing device comprises: a lower part having a top surface and a reflective lower recess-defining surface that extends downwardly from the top surface and that defines a lower recess; an upper part disposed above the lower part and having a top wall, a bottom surface, and a reflective upper recess-defining surface that extends upwardly from the bottom surface and that defines an upper recess, the top wall being formed with a plurality of through-holes; a circuit board mounted on the top wall of the upper part; and a plurality of light emitting elements mounted on and electrically connected to the circuit board and extending respectively through the through-holes into the upper recess so as to emit light into the upper and lower recesses. |
| US09232842B2 |
Pair of hair tweezers
Hair tweezers have a bend section from which a pair of opposing plate-shaped gripping sections extend in the longitudinal direction, and opposing gripping surfaces are respectively formed on the ends of the gripping sections which are located on the side facing the bend section. The hair tweezers do not cause a problem in that, when the hair tweezers are in use, the ends on the side on which the gripping surfaces are formed are displaced relative to each other in the vertical direction, which intersects the longitudinal direction, to make it difficult for the user to grip a targeted unwanted hair. The thickness of a bend portion is equal to or greater than the thickness of the portions of a pair of gripping sections which are not included in the bend section. The pair of gripping sections are respectively provided with thin sections, which have a small thickness, located between the bend section and the ends having the gripping surfaces formed thereon. |
| US09232840B2 |
Method and apparatus for curling hair
A hair curler comprising a cylindrical body having a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis and a removable rod extending through the body along the transverse axis thereof. The inventive curler enables a novel method of curling hair including the steps of curling the hair around the curler comprising a cylindrical body having a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis and a removable rod extending through the body along the transverse axis thereof and securing the curled hair to the head of a user by inserting a rod through the body of the curler along the longitudinal axis thereof. In the illustrative embodiment, the cylindrical body is perforated and has multiple protrusions. The cylindrical body has a variable diameter with tapered ends. The diameter of the body is smaller in the middle section thereof. The rod is beaded and has bends therein. |
| US09232837B2 |
Luggage with crushable, resilient portions and methods for manufacturing it
Luggage with crushable, resilient portions and methods for making it are disclosed. In one embodiment, the cover of a piece of luggage is formed of a thermoplastic urethane (TPU) and has sufficient deformability so that it may be crushed and inverted into itself for storage and then resiliently returned to essentially the same shape. The luggage is preferably made by a process of vacuum forming a heated TPU sheet over a mold. |
| US09232829B2 |
Ski training device
A combination of a ski boot and a training aid (110) attached thereto that is suitable for training a user to focus pressure on the sweet spot of a ski; wherein the training aid (110) comprises a balancing member (122) positioned underneath the ski boot at a location that would be vertically aligned with the sweet spot of a ski if the training aid were fitted to the ski boot; the training aid (110) allowing the user wearing a pair of ski boots, without skis and with a training aid attached to each boot, to pivot about the balancing members (122) until a desired balancing position is reached, whereby pressure is focussed at a spot corresponding to said sweet spot. |
| US09232825B2 |
Wearable protection device
A wearable protection device with a plurality of plate members adjacent in a side-by-side configuration so as to define a protection front surface or side adapted to face an impact is described. Pairs of the plate members at least partially overlap each other along a longitudinal direction by means of superposition of a portion of a first plate member on a front surface of a corresponding portion of a second plate member adjacent in the side-by-side configuration, so as to define a zone of surface discontinuity between adjacent plate members on the front surface of the second plate member. The device comprises a plurality of pads each associated with one of the plate members on an opposite side to the protection front surface. A surface discontinuity or boundary zone between adjacent pads is offset along the longitudinal direction with respect to the zone of surface discontinuity between adjacent plate members. |
| US09232823B2 |
Band for garment
An upper torso garment and a lower torso garment each comprising a respective torso encircling band. The band includes an inner layer and an outer layer with each layer having a first series of courses. The first series of courses defined by a first, covered elastomeric, yarn and a second, low friction, yarn. The first and second yarns are knit such that the second yarn is float platted with the first yarn. |
| US09232822B1 |
Women's garment
A garment is disclosed, which includes a bodice having a front portion with a neckline, a back portion, and a bottom, a padded lining disposed in the bodice and adjacent to the neckline, a plurality of adjustable straps attached to the front and back portions, a band lining the bottom of the bodice, and a non-visible boning disposed in the front portion configured to support and shape the abdomen of a user. |
| US09232821B2 |
Amphiphile-modified sorbents in smoking articles and filters
Smoking articles which involve the use of amphiphile-modified sorbents are disclosed. The amphiphile-modified sorbent has at least one amphiphilic compound bound to an inorganic molecular sieve substrate. The amphiphile-modified sorbent selectively removes certain constituents from cigarette smoke, while maintaining other constituents, such as those that contribute to flavor. Methods for making cigarette filters and smoking articles using amphiphile-modified sorbents, as well as methods for smoking a cigarette containing an amphiphile-modified sorbent, are also provided. |
| US09232817B2 |
Method for the surface-pasteurization and-sterilization of pieces of food
A process for surface pasteurization/sterilization of particulate food products. Water uptake and qualitative changes of food products are minimized and pasteurization or sterilization conditions are optimized when food products are used preheated, wherein product temperature is selected a few degrees below the evaporation temperature of the pasteurization/sterilization system, in that the preheating temperature of food products is selected lower than the saturated steam temperature, preferably a few degrees below the saturated steam temperature at a predetermined pressure, in that treatment is performed in a moist, air-free atmosphere, wherein pasteurization occurs at temperatures between 55 and 99° C. at a low pasteurization pressure, or sterilization occurs at temperatures between 100° C. and 140° C. at a higher sterilization pressure, in that heat treatment occurs for 1 to 30 mins, and in that the water of condensation is removed from the surface of food products by a subsequent vacuum drying at a further reduced pressure. |
| US09232813B2 |
Probiotic supplement, process for making, and packaging
A pet food composition comprising a supplement is provided. The supplement can comprise a Probiotic component, a cocoa butter component, and a sweetener component. A process for making the supplement can comprise providing a sweetener component, a cocoa butter component, and a Probiotic component, mixing the cocoa butter component and Probiotic component to form a mixture in a temperature and humidity controlled chamber; mixing the mixture with the sweetener component in the temperature and humidity controlled chamber to form a final mixture; optionally mixing in a colorant with the final mixture; and cooling the final mixture. A package for the supplement can comprise a secondary container housing a primary container, which houses a supplement. An array of packages is also provided. |
| US09232810B2 |
Chewable soft capsule shell and chewable soft capsule
The present invention relates to a chewable soft capsule shell and a chewable soft capsule, and to a filled jelly sweet and a process for preparing a chewable soft capsule shell or filled jelly sweet, wherein the chewable soft capsule shell comprises gelatin 10%-50%, water retention agent 10%-40%, thickening agent 2%-20%, water 6%-20%, and said soft capsule shell has a thickness of 0.3-1.2 mm. |
| US09232809B2 |
Rapidly dissolving comestible solid
A rapidly dissolving comestible solid is disclosed that includes a fondant formed from a super saturated solution having a bulk sweetener, a hydrocolloid, a texturizing agent, and water. Other ingredients may also be added, and in embodiments in which the solid is provided as a breath freshener, flavoring agents, cooling agents and/or other ingredients useful in conventional breath freshening products may be used. A method for making the comestible solid is also disclosed. |
| US09232808B2 |
Processed cheese without emulsifying salts
The present invention is directed to process cheese type products prepared with calcium-reduced ingredients but without emulsifying salts and methods of producing such process cheese type products without emulsifying salts. The process cheeses of the present invention are advantageously resistant to separation during heating and retain desirable organoleptic properties, such as texture, without using emulsifying salts. The process cheeses of the present invention are also lower in sodium than conventional produces cheese products. |
| US09232805B2 |
In-situ forming hydrogel wound dressings containing antimicrobial agents
A composition comprising a macromer that can be in situ polymerized into a hydrogel wound dressing directly on a wound and one or more antimicrobial agents intended to achieve bacteriostasis and/or be bacteriocidal. The antimicrobial agent is released upon application and trapped in the hydrogel upon its formation and also released over a period of time into the wound. |
| US09232801B2 |
1,2,4-triazine-3,5-dione-6-carboxamides and use thereof as herbicide
1,2,4-Triazine-3,5-dione-6-carboxamides of the general formula (I) are described as herbicides. In this formula (I), R1 and R2 are radicals such as hydrogen, organic radicals such as alkyl, and other radicals such as halogen. Q is a tetrazolyl, triazolyl or oxadiazolyl radical. Z and Y are each oxygen or sulfur. |
| US09232800B2 |
3,5-disubstituted-4,5-dihydro-1,2,4-oxadiazoles and compositions and methods for controlling nematode pests
Provided herein are new 3,5-disubstituted-4,5-dihydro-1,2,4-oxadiazoles that exhibit nematicidal activity and are useful, for example, in compositions and methods for the control of unwanted nematodes. |
| US09232798B2 |
Pesticidal composition and its use
A composition comprising a carboxamide compound represented by following formula (I), wherein R1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, and R2 represents a methyl group, a difluoromethyl group or a trifluoromethyl group, and one or more phenylpyrazole compounds selected from group (A) consisting of fipronil and ethiprole is provided by the present invention, and this composition has an excellent pesticidal effect. |
| US09232790B2 |
Antimicrobial cleansing compositions
Antimicrobial cleansing compositions are disclosed. The cleansing compositions include thin liquid/foaming compositions and gels. The antimicrobial cleansing compositions are effective antimicrobials and safe for everyday use. |
| US09232786B2 |
Dispersants for agricultural applications
An agrochemical formulation and its method of manufacture comprising an agrochemical active and a dispersant polymer comprising a copolymer of benzylmethacrylate, acrylic acid and 2-acrylamido-2-methyl propane sulfonic acid. |
| US09232783B2 |
Adjustable platform assembly for attaching to tree
An adjustable platform assembly attaches to a tree to provide a hunting dog perch or a seat for a hunter. The assembly includes a tree hugging subassembly having first and second padded tree engaging members connected together by a hinge, and strap fasteners connected to outer side edges of the tree engaging members for securing the assembly to a tree. A first frame member is attached to the tree hugging subassembly and is pivotally adjustable about a first axis that extends generally perpendicular to the tree and perpendicular to a first plane. A second frame member is attached to the first frame member and is adjustable about a second axis that extends generally parallel with the first plane. A platform attached to the second frame member can be adjusted to a desired horizontal orientation by adjusting the first and second frame members about the first and second axes. |
| US09232779B2 |
Horse leg and hoof support stand
A support stand for supporting the leg and hoof of a horse includes a base member adapted for seating on a horizontal support surface, and a hoof receptacle including bottom, rear end, and side walls that cooperate to define an open topped hoof-receiving chamber that is open at its forward end. A vertical adjustment device serves to adjust the vertical position of the hoof receptacle relative to the base. The hoof receptacle is connected with the vertical adjustment device for pivotal displacement about a horizontal pivot axis parallel with the receptacle rear wall, and an angle adjustment device serves to adjust the angular orientation of the hoof receptacle relative to the vertical adjustment rod. Accordingly, the horse leg is held in a flexed, pre-set position by adjustment of the leg and hoof support. |
| US09232778B1 |
Gimbal cover and method of use
A gimbal cover is fabricated having a hollowed body with an opening at a gimbal receiving end enabling slideable insertion of a gimbal butt end into the cover. A butt end is integrated into the cover at an opposite end, providing support and protection for a bottom surface of the gimbal, while also reducing the risk of the gimbal damaging another object. At least one pair of cover slot is formed through the cover butt end, extending into the cover body towards opening. The slots terminate at a slot end. The slots are sized and shape to follow a slot and end of the gimbal butt end. A cover extension segment is created between two adjacent cover slots. A cover extension base protection segment is formed in the cover butt end, wherein the base protection segment extends inward from a base end of the gimbal cover extension segment. |
| US09232777B2 |
Fishing lure
A fishing lure is provided which is adapted to simulate the behavior of a minnow at rest. Specifically, the new and improved fishing lure described herein is equipped with a pedestal on its bottom, whereby the pedestal is adapted to make contact with a bottom surface at a single contact point. The single contact point is aligned with the lure's center of balance, such that when the lure rests on the bottom surface it has a tendency to remain balanced on the single contact point. This allows the lure to be wobbled by the water turbulence, thereby imitating the behavior of a minnow at rest. |
| US09232773B2 |
Destacking and restacking of containers using a robot in poultry hatchery operations
A method of destacking or restacking standardized containers used in poultry hatchery operations using robotic means involves the step of moving a container from a conveyor onto a box transport dolly or vice versa. The box transport dolly is dimensionally secured within a dolly docking station adjacent a robot. A quantity of eggs may be transferred into the destacked container. |
| US09232767B2 |
Animal litter, process for preparing animal litter and method of removal of animal waste
An animal litter, process for preparing the animal litter and a method for removal of animal waste using the animal litter are provided. The animal litter generally includes corn cob, a lubricant, and a cohesiveness agent. The animal litter is in the form of discrete plural particles which tend to agglomerate when wetted. |
| US09232766B1 |
Cat toilet seat and training system
A toilet seat and training system specifically designed for cats. The instant seat includes a circular sitting member having a center orifice therethrough, a wide platform formed on opposite sides thereof so a cat can be well balanced thereon, and a series of concentric annular tray members attached to an inner rim of the sitting member and formed having progressively smaller sizes, and which can be successively removed to vary the size of the center orifice, and is designed to releasably attach to an existing toilet and fit underneath a human toilet seat, so people can still have use of their toilet seat without interference from the cat's seat. This seat can be used in conjunction with specialized dissolving litter, a pet urine odor eliminator, and a urine detector light. |
| US09232763B2 |
Method of and device for managing a group of dairy animals, as well as a computer program product therefor
A device and computer program product arranged to manage a group of dairy animals including individually recognizing each animal by an animal identification system, milking the animals to give actual milk yields for each animal, and feeding the animals with a predetermined individual ration, collecting data regarding the group of dairy animals, which data includes for each animal at least the actual milk yield and an amount of the individual ration consumed by the animal, wherein subsequent individual milk yields are estimated using a model on the basis of said data, and wherein, for one or more animals, at least one of the individual ration and the milking of individual dairy animals is adjusted in a regulatory step of the model using a precondition. |
| US09232762B2 |
Soybean variety 01046953
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated 01046953. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety 01046953. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety 01046953 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety 01046953 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods. |
| US09232757B2 |
Soybean variety 01046242
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated 01046242. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety 01046242. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety 01046242 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety 01046242 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods. |
| US09232748B2 |
Plants and seeds of hybrid corn variety CH827983
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH827983. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH827983, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH827983 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH827983. |
| US09232746B2 |
Plants and seeds of hybrid corn variety CH435846
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH435846. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH435846, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH435846 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH435846. |
| US09232745B2 |
Plants and seeds of hybrid corn variety CH699918
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH699918. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH699918, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH699918 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH699918. |
| US09232744B2 |
Plants and seeds of hybrid corn variety CH090746
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH090746. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH090746, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH090746 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH090746. |
| US09232733B2 |
Plants and seeds of hybrid corn variety CH653970
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH653970. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH653970, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH653970 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH653970. |
| US09232730B2 |
Plants and seeds of hybrid corn variety CH000656
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH000656. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH000656, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH000656 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH000656. |
| US09232729B2 |
Plants and seeds of hybrid corn variety CH134367
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH134367. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH134367, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH134367 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH134367. |
| US09232726B2 |
Plants and seeds of hybrid corn variety CH286938
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH286938. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH286938, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH286938 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH286938. |
| US09232725B2 |
Plants and seeds of hybrid corn variety CH585789
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH585789. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH585789, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH585789 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH585789. |
| US09232724B2 |
Plants and seeds of corn variety CV780360
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the corn variety designated CV780360. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CV780360, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CV780360 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to corn seeds and plants produced by crossing plants of variety CV780360 with plants of another variety, such as another inbred line. The invention further relates to the inbred and hybrid genetic complements of plants of variety CV780360. |
| US09232707B2 |
Soybean variety A1036212
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated A1036212. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety A1036212. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety A1036212 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety A1036212 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods. |
| US09232703B2 |
Plant genomic DNA flanking SPT event and methods for identifying SPT event
Compositions and methods related to transgenic plants comprising seed production technology are provided. Specifically, maize plants having a E6611.32.1.38 event which confers seed production technology are provided. The plant harboring the E6611.32.1.38 event at the recited chromosomal location comprises the genomic/transgene junctions described. The plant genomic DNA flanking the integrated E6611.32.1.38 event can be used to design assays that will be specific for the E6611.32.1.38 event. The characterization of the genomic insertion site of the E6611.32.1.38 event provides for an enhanced breeding efficiency and enables the use of molecular markers to track the transgene insert in the breeding populations and progeny thereof. Various methods and compositions for the identification, detection, and use of the maize E6611.32.1.38 event are provided. |
| US09232702B1 |
High-production, minimal-discharge aquaponic systems and methods
High-production, minimal-discharge aquaponic systems and methods. The aquaponic systems separate waste water generated from fish tanks into two flow streams. In the first flow stream, suspended-waste water generated from the waste water is converted to nutrient-rich water and used for hydroponic plant growth. Nutrient-depleted water resulting from the hydroponic plant growth is fed back into fish tanks to continue the cycle. In the second flow stream, settleable solids generated from the waste water is converted to nutrient-rich sludge and used for solid or semi-solid substrate-based plant growth. Excess nutrient-rich water derived from the second flow stream is fed back into the first flow stream, thereby conserving water and nutrients within the system. |
| US09232701B1 |
Four roller tree harvester head
An improved four roller tree harvester head preferably includes a tower frame, a saw box, a delimb box, a four roller assembly, a slewing ring and a boom bracket. The saw box is mounted to a bottom of the tower frame and the delimb box is mounted to a top of the tower frame. Hydraulic hoses and electrical lines are routed through the boom bracket, slewing ring and tower frame to a hydraulic valve block. Hydraulic hoses may be attached to a rotary union. An actuation cylinder of the four roller assembly includes a linear positioning sensor, which provides an output to an electronic controller, which calculates a diameter of a tree. The four roller assembly includes at least one rotation encoder, which provides an output to the electronic controller about the length of a tree. An independent measurement wheel measures a length of the tree through the electronic controller. |
| US09232700B2 |
Plant illumination device and method for dark growth chambers
An improved method to produce artificial light for plant cultivation, an illumination device with a semiconductor light emission solution and device suited for plant cultivation in a greenhouse and/or dark growth chamber environment are described. The best mode is considered to be a lighting device with LEDs that produces an emission spectrum similar to the photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) spectrum in a dark growth chamber. The methods and arrangements allow more precise spectral tuning of the emission spectrum for lights used in plant (310, 311) cultivation. Therefore unexpected improvements in the photomorphogenetic control of plant growth, and further improvements in plant production, especially in dark growth chambers, such as basements, are realized. |
| US09232699B1 |
Towable lawn tarp
The transportation tarp assembly includes a panel that is positionable on a support surface. An object is positionable upon the panel. A belt is provided. The belt is worn by a user. A clip is operationally coupled to the belt. A rope is coupled between the clip and the panel. The user tows the objects on the panel. Once the user arrives at the intended destination, a selected rope is disconnected, and the user walks forward in order for the tarp to flip over thereby dumping the objects at the intended destination. |
| US09232696B2 |
Bale forming apparatus and method with pivotal guiding element
A bale forming apparatus and a bale forming method form cylindrical bales. An intake device conveys material into a bale forming chamber surrounded by a bale forming mechanism. A bale in this bale forming chamber is formed by means of the bale forming mechanism. A pivotal guiding member is mounted at a free end of a guiding member arm. The guiding member arm is pivoted in a guiding direction and in a parking direction. This causes the guiding member to be pivoted into a guiding position and into a parking position. An actuator pivots a guiding member arm pivoting element in a pivoting direction that is the guiding direction or the parking direction. This pivoting step causes the guiding member arm to be pivoted in the pivoting direction. |
| US09232689B2 |
Seed planter with equalizer assembly
A bracket for use with an agriculture planter including a trailing arm frame defining a pivot point thereon may include an arm bracket assembly with first, second, third, and fourth arms. Each arm may extend from a middle portion of the bracket. First and second fertilizer furrow opening discs may be rotatably mounted on mounting ends of two of the arms. First and second furrow closing wheels may be rotatably mounted on a mounting end of the other two arms. The middle portion of the bracket may be pivotally coupled to the trailing arm frame at the pivot point. The arms joined to the fertilizer furrow opening discs may be arranged at opposing ends of the middle portion to enable the furrow opening discs to open two fertilizer furrows on opposing sides of a seed furrow. |
| US09237686B2 |
Method and system for producing component mounting board
A wiring board on which an electronic component is to be mounted includes a resist having an opening exposing a joint face which is part of the surface of a wiring layer and to which a terminal of the electronic component is to be joined. In the placing step, the electronic component is placed on the wiring board such that the terminal covers the opening entirely and contacts the solder paste applied onto the joint face. Next, the solder paste applied onto the joint face is heated to melt solder and soften thermosetting resin. This allows the solder to gather in a first space within the opening closed with the wiring layer and the electronic component, while allowing the thermosetting resin to gather in a second space formed between a top side of the resist and a lateral side of the electronic component. |
| US09237682B2 |
Power module substrate with heat sink, and method for producing power module substrate with heat sink
This power module substrate with a heat sink includes a power module substrate having a circuit layer disposed on one surface of an insulating layer, and a heat sink bonded to the other surface of this power module substrate, wherein the bonding surface of the heat sink and the bonding surface of the power module substrate are each composed of aluminum or an aluminum alloy, a bonding layer (50) having a Mg-containing compound (52) (excluding MgO) which contains Mg dispersed in an Al—Si eutectic composition is formed at the bonding interface between the heat sink and the power module substrate, and the thickness t of this bonding layer (50) is within a range from 5 μm to 80 μm. |
| US09237681B2 |
Modular data center
Described are methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, relating to an air module and control thereof. An air module can include a controller, an air intake module configured to receive first air from a first air source and to receive second air from a second air source, an evaporative cooling module in fluid communication with the air intake module, and a mechanical cooling module in fluid communication with the evaporative cooling module. The controller can be configured to cause the intake module to mix the first air and the second air to form intake air, and selectively cool the intake air to form supply air by at least one of causing the evaporative cooling module to selectively cool the intake air, and causing the mechanical cooling module to selectively cool the intake. |
| US09237680B2 |
Server room managing air conditioning system and air conditioning control method
In an embodiment, an air conditioning system for managing a server room, which has first and second spaces separated from each other, in which a server is installed between the first and second spaces, and supply air flowed into the first space is heated by heat generation of the server, and flows out as return air via the second space, includes: a cold air generation device; an air supply fan; a first differential pressure gauge; and a control device. The cold air generation device generates supply air satisfying a predetermined condition. The air supply fan flows the generated supply air into the first space. The first differential pressure gauge measures a differential pressure of a static pressure of the second space with respect to a static pressure of the first space. |
| US09237679B2 |
Electrical device
An electrical device includes a printed-circuit board which is fitted with heat-generating components, the printed-circuit board being disposed in a housing of the device, the housing having a housing part, particularly a cup-shaped housing part, and a cooling plate connected to the printed-circuit board being pressed by a wedge against the inner wall of the housing part, in particular, being pressed such that heat from at least one heat-generating component, especially a power module having power semiconductor switches, is able to be dissipated at a contact surface to the housing part. |
| US09237677B2 |
Cooling device, printed circuit board unit, and electronic device
A cooling device includes: a heat sink and a heat pipe that are connected with each other; a metal plate that is connected with the heat pipe; an elastic member that is provided in the metal plate; and a securing member that is attachable with a printed circuit board on which a heating part is mounted, is able to be secured to the elastic member to be elastically deformed such that the metal plate is pushed to the heating part, and is able to position the metal plate in a state where the securing member is not secured to the elastic member. |
| US09237674B2 |
Filter unit for a switchgear cabinet
The invention relates to a filter unit for a switchgear cabinet, comprising a filter housing having an air passage that can be covered by an air passage grating at least to some extent.To allow such a filter unit to be maintenanced easily, it provided according to the invention that the air passage grating is hinged indirectly or directly to the filter housing and can be adjusted between a closed position and an opened maintenance position. The filter housing has a retainer which positively blocks a catch of the air passage grating in the maintenance position. |
| US09237673B2 |
Holding mechanism for a display device
A holding mechanism of a display device includes a first arm, a second arm and a damper. The first arm and the second arm hold the display device in such a manner that the display device is capable of being displaced between a first disposition in which a lower edge portion of the display device is away from a placing face with a display screen facing to a front and a second disposition in which the lower edge portion is in contact with the placing face with the display screen facing more upward than in the first disposition. The damper applies, to the first arm, a force that buffers a force by which the display device is liable to displacement from the first disposition to the second disposition due to self-weight. |
| US09237672B2 |
System and method of providing computer resources
A data center system can include a mobile support structure; one or more enclosures for removable electronic equipment where the enclosures are housed by the support structure; a cooling system in fluid communication with the enclosures for cooling of the electronic equipment where the cooling system is housed by the support structure; and a power system operably connected to the electronic equipment and the cooling system for supplying power thereto where the power system comprises a generator housed by the support system. The mobile data center can be moved to remote locations, and the electronic equipment can be placed in communication with a network when at the remote location. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US09237666B2 |
Folding electronic device with retracting locking mechanism
A folding electronic device includes a first main body having a first housing, an engagement unit, a second main body engaged with the first main body, and a locking mechanism. The locking mechanism includes a hook member, a hook driving member, a first reset driving member, and a latch member. The hook member is fixed to the first main body. The latch member is fixed to the second main body. The hook driving member drives the hook member to protrude from the first housing to latch with the latch member when the electronic device is folded. The reset driving member retracts the hook member into the first housing when the electronic device is unfolded. |
| US09237665B1 |
Electrical box
A electrical box including a top wall, a side wall connected to the top wall, a cavity formed by the top wall and the side wall, at least one mounting flange on the side wall having a mounting hole therein, at least one mounting fastener in communication with the at least one mounting flange, and wherein the mounting fastener is slidably engaged with the at least one mounting flange. |
| US09237662B2 |
Device housing package and electronic apparatus employing the same
A device housing package includes a base body (1) including, at its upper surface, a placement portion (1a) of a semiconductor device (9); a frame body (2) disposed on the base body (1) surrounding the placement portion (1a), including a notch (2b) formed by cutting a side wall thereof; an input-output terminal (3) attached to the notch (2b), including a wiring conductor layer (3a) electrically connected to the semiconductor device (9); and a sealing ring (5) disposed on an upper portion of the frame body (2). Moreover, side walls of the frame body (2) have, when seen in a plan view, an outer corner (2c) of adjacent side walls having a curved surface, the outer corner (2c) lying within a region overlapping the sealing ring (5) as seen in a plan view. |
| US09237660B2 |
3-D glass enclosures for electronic devices
A 3-D glass enclosure comprises a generally planar glass base member, an encircling glass side wall member connected to the base member, and a generally planar glass cover member connected to the side wall member to form a unitary glass enclosure, the base, sidewall and cover members being made by reforming softened glass sheet preforms and subjecting the reformed members to ion-exchange strengthening, thus providing strong transparent enclosures for electronic devices such as tablet computers, cellphones, media players and televisions. |
| US09237657B2 |
Wiring substrate, semiconductor device, and method for manufacturing thereof
The present invention provides a thin wiring pattern such as wiring formed by discharging a droplet. In the present invention, a porous (including microporous) substance is formed as a base film in forming pattern by using a droplet discharge method (also referred to as an ink-jetting method). One feature of a wiring substrate according to the present invention provides a porous film and a conductive layer thereon. One feature of a semiconductor device of the present invention provides a thin film transistor in which a gate electrode is formed by the conductive layer having the above-described structure. |
| US09237652B2 |
Flexible LED screen
A flexible LED screen includes a flexible printed circuit board having a front surface and a rear surface, a plurality of SMT-LEDs mounted on the front surface of the flexible printed circuit board, and a plurality of integrated circuits mounted on the rear surface of the flexible printed circuit board. |
| US09237648B2 |
Carrier-less silicon interposer
An interposer has conductive elements at a first side and terminals at a second side opposite therefrom, for connecting with a microelectronic element and a second component, respectively. The component includes a first element having a thermal expansion coefficient less than 10 ppm/° C., and an insulating second element, with a plurality of openings extending from the second side through the second element towards the first element. A conductive structure extending through the openings in the second element and through the first element electrically connects the terminals with the conductive elements. |
| US09237647B2 |
Package-on-package structure with through molding via
Disclosed herein is a device comprising a first package having a first side with a plurality of connectors disposed thereon and a second package mounted on the first package by the connectors. A molding compound is disposed on the first side of the first package and between the first package and the second package. A plurality of stress relief structures (SRSs) are disposed in the molding compound, the plurality of SRSs each comprising a cavity free of metal in the molding compound and spaced apart from each of the plurality of connectors. |
| US09237645B2 |
Flexible printed circuit integrated with conductive layer
A conductive-layer-integrated flexible printed circuit board includes: (A) an electromagnetic-shielding conductive layer; (B) an insulator film; and (C) a wiring-pattern-equipped film the electromagnetic-shielding conductive layer (A), the insulator film (B), and the wiring-pattern-equipped film (C) being laminated in this order, the insulator film (B) containing at least (a) a binder polymer and (b) spherical organic beads. |
| US09237644B2 |
Manufacturing of a heat sink by wave soldering
An electronic device is attached to a first surface of a board which includes vias. A heat sink precursor for the electronic device is attached to the second surface of the electronic board. The heat sink precursor includes a cavity facing the vias. A wave of solder paste is applied to the second surface. The solder paste penetrates into the cavity of the heat sink precursor and flows by capillary action through the vias to weld a thermal radiator and/or electronic contact of the electronic device to the vias. The solder paste further remains in the cavity to form a corresponding heat sink. |
| US09237643B2 |
Circuit board structure
A circuit board structure including a dielectric layer, a fine circuit pattern and a patterned conductive layer is provided, wherein the fine circuit pattern is embedded in a surface of the dielectric layer, and the patterned conductive layer is disposed on another surface of the dielectric layer and protrudes therefrom. |
| US09237636B1 |
Self-clamped resonant filament heating circuit
An electronic ballast is provided with a filament heating circuit having a Q factor clamped at a certain range of preheat frequency. An inverter circuit includes a pair of switches coupled between positive and negative terminals of a power supply, which oscillate at an operating frequency and generate an output voltage. A main resonant tank is coupled between an inverter output and the negative power supply terminal. A filament heating resonant tank includes a primary winding of a filament heating transformer coupled on a first end in series with the resonant capacitor, first and second capacitors coupled in series between the second end of the primary winding and the negative power supply terminal. A clamping circuit coupled to the second capacitor during a preheat mode of operation clamps an amplitude of the voltage across the primary winding to an amplitude of the input voltage from the power supply. |
| US09237633B2 |
Laser interlock system for medical and other applications
A laser interlock system and allows laser radiation to be generated when an inspector and a subject correctly wear safety glasses and during use of a photo-acoustic imaging apparatus, thereby protecting the eyes of the inspector and the subject and preventing unnecessary power consumption. The laser interlock system includes a sensing unit to sense whether or not contact between a user and safety glasses occurs, a light source unit to generate a laser, and a control unit that determines, based on an output value from the sensing unit, whether or not the user is wearing the safety glasses normally, and generates an interlock signal to turn on or off the light source unit for selective laser generation according to the determination. |
| US09237632B2 |
Illumination lighting apparatus and method of controlling illumination
Provided are an illumination lighting apparatus that provides various and intuitional light in response to a motion of a user, and an illumination controlling method. The illumination lighting apparatus may include a lamp unit including at least one light emitting part that is selectively turned on and off, a motion sensing unit including at least one motion sensor, transmitting a sensed signal when the at least one motion sensor senses a motion of a user, and enabling the lamp unit to provide a light corresponding to the sensed signal, and a control unit to receive the sensed signal from the motion sensing unit to adjust a light emitting type of the lamp unit in a plurality of modes, and the motion sensing unit may transmit, based on a mode of the control unit, different sensed signals to the control unit to change the light emitting type of the lamp unit. |
| US09237629B2 |
Organic EL display panel for reducing resistance of electrode lines
An organic EL display comprising a substrate having an EL region, an anode on the EL region of the substrate, a supplementary electrode coupled to a portion of the anode, an organic EL layer on the EL region, and a cathode on the organic EL layer. The supplementary electrode is located at the EL region. |
| US09237627B2 |
Light-emitting element driving device
Short circuit failures and open circuit failures of light-emitting elements used for the backlight in an LCD panel can be reliably and easily detected. The voltage at the node between each series-connected light-emitting element array and a drive circuit is detected as a monitored voltage. A maximum detector detects the highest and a minimum detector detects the lowest of these monitored voltages. Short circuit or open circuit failure of a light-emitting element is detected by comparing the voltage difference between the maximum detector output and the minimum detector output with a specific reference voltage. |
| US09237626B2 |
Dimming drive circuit of alternating current directly-driven LED module
Disclosed is an alternating current dimming drive circuit for an LED, comprising a rectification unit and N stages of LED direct current drive circuits. In the ith stage of LED direct current drive circuit, a first end of the ith voltage sampling unit and an input end of the ith LED light source module directly or indirectly receive the output voltage of the rectification unit; a voltage division end of the ith voltage sampling unit is connected to a second input end of the ith switch unit; and a first input end of the ith switch unit is connected to an output end of the ith LED light source module, and an output end of the ith switch unit, a second end of the ith voltage sampling unit and a second output end of the rectification unit are grounded. When the ith switch unit is switched on, the first to the ith LED light source modules emit light. When the ith switch unit is switched off, if i is less than N, the first to the (i+1)th LED light source modules emit light, and if i is equal to N, the first to the Nth LED light source modules stop emitting light. The present invention realizes an alternating current directly-driven LED light source module and will not flicker in the case of alternating current voltage fluctuation. |
| US09237620B1 |
Illumination device and temperature compensation method
An illumination device comprising a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) and a method for controlling the illumination device, so as to maintain a desired luminous flux and/or a desired color point of the device over variations in temperature and process, is provided herein. According to one embodiment, the method may include measuring a forward voltage developed across a first LED of the illumination device upon applying a first drive current to the first LED, determining a drive current needed to achieve a desired luminous flux from the first LED using the measured forward voltage, a table of stored calibration values correlating forward voltage and drive current to luminous flux at a plurality of different temperatures, and one or more interpolation techniques, and driving the first LED with the determined drive current to produce illumination having the desired luminous flux. The steps of measuring, determining and driving may be performed for each of the plurality of LEDs. |
| US09237619B2 |
Dimmable LED lighting circuits, controllers therefor and a method of controlling a dimmable LED lighting circuit
Controllers (360, 360′), lighting circuits and methods are disclosed, for a dimmable LED lighting circuit having a series arrangement of two types of LED, the controller comprising a control circuit (330), a bypass circuit (340) and optionally a further bypass circuit and being operable for controlling a current, the current (Idriver) being separable into first and second parts (IW, IB), and into further first and second parts, wherein the controller is configured to direct the (further) first part through the LED or LEDs of the second (first) type and direct the (further) second part through the (further) bypass circuit (respectively), and wherein the control circuit is configured to adjust the ratio between the first, or further first, part and the second, or further second respectively, part in dependence on a dimming level of the LED lighting circuit. |
| US09237618B2 |
LED lighting apparatus
Disclosed is an LED lighting apparatus capable of improving a power factor and temperature characteristics. The LED lighting apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a light source having a plurality of LED channels and performs a current regulating operation to allow a light source to emit light. The light source uses a current path provided by current regulating to emit light. |
| US09237617B1 |
LED driver with inherent current limiting and soft startup capability
An inductor-less LED driver circuit is provided with soft startup and inherent current limiting capabilities. A diode rectifier is coupled across an AC mains input, with the outputs for the rectifier coupled directly across an LED array. A bi-directional switching circuit and current limiting capacitor are coupled in series between a first mains input and a first rectifier input. A controller turns the bi-directional switching circuit on and off to enable or disable conduction of power from the AC power source, wherein the bi-directional switching circuit is turned on in association with a detected zero voltage state for AC input power, and the bi-directional switching circuit is turned off in association with a detected zero current state for AC input power. The controller further adjusts switch states for the bi-directional switching circuit in response to a dimming control signal corresponding to a desired lighting output level. |
| US09237616B2 |
Switching mode power supply apparatus
A switching mode power supply apparatus includes a main transformer converting DC voltage of a predetermined amplitude supplied from a voltage source into DC voltage of a different amplitude; an auxiliary transformer operated by receiving current flowing in a primary winding of the main transformer; a first semiconductor switching element turning on/off an LED array that is driven by receiving voltage from a secondary winding of the auxiliary transformer; and an auxiliary circuit disposed in an LED control circuit unit including the LED array and the first semiconductor switching element, wherein the auxiliary circuit distributes current flowing in the first semiconductor switching element so as to reduce heat generated in the first semiconductor switching element. |
| US09237615B2 |
Holding current circuit of LED driving apparatus and operating method thereof
An electromagnetic touch-control screen structure, comprising: a display panel; a touch-control plate over the display panel; an electromagnetic induction plate over the touch-control plate; and a cover lens attached on the electromagnetic induction plate. The electromagnetic touch-control screen of the disclosure, by deploying reasonable structure and manufacturing technique, stacks an electromagnetic induction plate with a touch-control plate, a cover lens and a display panel. Compared with existing manufacturing techniques, it can reduce one time of lamination operation, and dramatically decrease the thickness and weight of the electromagnetic structure, so that it can meet the need of lightness and thinness, for touch-control display equipments, like cellphone. |
| US09237613B1 |
Constant current control for an LED driver circuit using a microcontroller-based oscillator controlled by a differential error feedback signal from a proportional and integration control loop
A constant current driver circuit is operable to provide power to a light source. The driver circuit utilizes a microcontroller based oscillator to drive a current source tank circuit. The microcontroller based oscillator is controlled by a differential error feedback signal. The differential error feedback signal is produced by a proportional integral control loop. The proportional integral control loop is used to eliminate steady state error of the driver circuit. Dynamic frequency or duty cycle control of the current source tank circuit by the microcontroller is based on the integrated error signal between a reference current signal and a sensed output current of the current source tank circuit. |
| US09237609B2 |
LED backlight driving circuit, backlight module, and LCD device
A light emitting diode (LED) backlight driving circuit includes a rectifier module, a voltage reduction module coupled to the rectifier module, and an LED lightbar coupled to the voltage reduction module. A city voltage is inputted to the rectifier module, and a pulse-width modulation (PWM) controls the voltage reduction module. |
| US09237608B2 |
Pressure stepped microwave assisted digestion
An instrument and method for high pressure microwave assisted chemistry are disclosed. The method includes the steps of applying microwave radiation to a sample in a sealed vessel while measuring the temperature of the sample and measuring the pressure generated inside the vessel and until the measured pressure reaches a designated set point, opening the vessel to release gases until the pressure inside the vessel reaches a lower designated set point, closing the vessel, and repeating the steps of opening the vessel at designated pressure set points and closing the vessel at designated pressure set points to the sample until the sample reaction reaches a designated high temperature. The designated set points can controllably differ from one another as the reaction proceeds. Microwave energy can be applied continuously or intermittently during the opening and closing steps. The apparatus includes a microwave cavity, a microwave transparent pressure resistant reaction vessel in the cavity, a cap on the reaction vessel, a pressure sensor for measuring pressure in the vessel, a temperature sensor, and means for opening and closing the cap at predetermined pressure set points measured by the pressure sensor to release pressure from the vessel. |
| US09237606B2 |
Carbon nanotube sheet heater
The present invention relates to a sheet heater produced by gravure printing, in which a silver paste is printed in a zigzag pattern between biaxially oriented transparent PET or OPS films and a CNT ink having excellent heat generating properties is coated in a sheet shape on the film, thereby preventing disconnection or fire and enabling temperature elevation in a short period of time while consuming less power. |
| US09237605B2 |
Heat lamp
An electrical heat lamp for pig breeding includes a housing and an electrical heating source. The heating source is a U-shaped, infrared electromagnetic radiation heating element, and includes an electric member portion for connecting to an external electric energy source. The heat lamp includes a reflector arranged in the housing, the reflector being adapted to reflect the electromagnetic radiation emitted from the heating source, is adapted to fit the shape of the heating source, and has a U-shaped groove which in turn has a parabolic cross section. The heat lamp includes a sealing member sealing the space or electrical connection between the heating source and the electric member portion against water; optionally, one or two more sealing members are provided. |
| US09237602B2 |
Adaptive channel state feedback based on channel estimation characteristics and reporting requirements
Providing adaptive channel state feedback (CSF) reports in discontinuous reception (DRX) scenarios in a power-efficient manner. The described algorithm may be able to make adaptive decisions to carry over the CSF from previous DRX cycles based on a comparison between an offset at which CSF values are stable and an offset at which a CSF report is to be sent to a base station. If the CSF values are not stable by the time the CSF report is to be sent, a CSF report from a prior DRX cycle may be used. Alternatively, if the CSF value are stable by the time the CSF report is to be sent, a determination may be made to either generate a new CSF report or use a prior CSF report. The latter determination may be made based on various criteria, including channel conditions and DRX cycle length. |
| US09237600B2 |
Method and system for dynamically setting up and tearing down connections in mesh networks
Wireless mobile communication (WMC) devices located in near proximity of each other may be enabled to form a mesh (ad hoc wireless) network. WMC devices may form and/or tear down intra-mesh connection with other WMC devices in the same mesh network. WMC devices may utilize information related to other WMC devices in the mesh network in determining formation and tearing down of intra-mesh connections. This information may comprise relative speeds, locations, and directions of movement of the WMC devices forming/tearing intra-mesh connections. Other information including data bandwidth and/or power consumption may be utilized in such determination. This information may also comprise available services advertised by WMC devices in the mesh network. |
| US09237595B2 |
Diameter based communication session discovery and recovery
A Diameter based network that includes nodes and accommodates Diameter communication sessions between nodes establishes a first Diameter communication session between a first node and a second node, and at some point determines that the first Diameter communication session is lost. The first node generates a query using a second Diameter communication session that is a different session than the first Diameter communication session. The first node transmits the query to the second node, where the query includes a session type and key identifiers for the first Diameter communication session. The second node re-establishes the first Diameter communication session with the first node and transmits, in response to the query, an indication that the first Diameter communication session exists. |
| US09237592B1 |
Methods for establishing a direct connection between apparatuses and systems using the same
The invention introduces a method for establishing a direct connection, executed by a processing unit of a first electronic apparatus, which contains at least the following steps. A first location of the first electronic apparatus and an angle of the first electronic apparatus are obtained. Second locations are collected via a communications interface of the first electronic apparatus, where each second location is of a second electronic apparatus. It is determined which of the second electronic apparatuses the first electronic apparatus is aimed at, according to the first location, the second locations, and the angle of the first electronic apparatus. A direct connection is established with the determined second electronic apparatus via the first communications interface. |
| US09237580B2 |
Method and device for transmitting control information in wireless communication system
The present invention relates to a wireless communication system. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and a device for reporting CSI in a wireless communication system, the method comprising: a step for configuring a plurality of serving cells; and a step for reporting the CSI of only one serving cell in a corresponding subframe, wherein the step for reporting the CSI of only one serving cell comprises: excluding reporting the CSI of a lower priority when CSI reports of the plurality of serving cells in the corresponding subframe collide; and excluding reporting the CSI of serving cells other than the serving cell having the smallest index when the CSI reports of different serving cells having the same priority in the corresponding subframe collide. |
| US09237576B2 |
Power control method, apparatus and system
The present invention discloses a power control method and apparatus. The power control method of the present invention includes: when a service runs in a first-standard communication system, determining a transmit power P1 of the first-standard communication system; determining that the transmit power P1 is higher than or equal to a threshold value P2 of power interference of the first-standard communication system to a second-standard communication system; use a power lower than P1 to send data on an interference frequency of the first-standard communication system. According to the power control method in the present invention, a signal transmit power of the interfering frequency of the first-standard communication system can be reduced when it is determined that the first-standard communication system will cause interference to the second-standard communication system, thereby reducing the interference of the first-standard communication system to the second-standard communication system. |
| US09237574B2 |
Spectrum control system, database, spectrum control method, and non-transitory computer-readable medium storing spectrum control program
A spectrum control system according to the present invention is a spectrum control system that evaluates whether or not to allow a second wireless communication system to perform secondary use on a frequency band that is allowed to be preferentially used by a first wireless communication system, and includes a request distinguish unit (102) that evaluates a possibility of the secondary use influencing the first wireless communication system and an evaluation unit (101) that evaluates whether or not to allow the secondary use of the frequency band, which has been evaluated that there is a possibility that the frequency band may influence the first wireless communication system using an evaluation criterion more specific than that of the request distinguish unit (102). |
| US09237572B2 |
Mitigation of interference between communication terminals in TD-LTE
A method for communication includes communicating between one or more first base stations (28A) and first wireless communication terminals (32A) using a first alternating pattern (56) of downlink time intervals and uplink time intervals. A time offset is selected between the first alternating pattern and a second alternating pattern (60), which is used by one or more second base stations (28B) for communicating with second wireless communication terminals (32B), so as to minimize impact of interference between the first and second wireless communication terminals. The first base stations are synchronized relative to the second base stations according to the selected time offset. |
| US09237570B2 |
Control and data channel radio resource configuration
A base station transmits on a first control channel first scheduling information for a control message. The base station transmits the control message configuring second radio resources of a second control channel. The second radio resources comprise resource blocks in a subset of subframes. The control message indicates the subset of subframes and a starting symbol of the second control channel and a data channel. The base station transmits second scheduling information on the second control channel. |
| US09237566B2 |
Method of transmitting and receiving ACK/NACK signal and apparatus thereof
Disclosed is a method for transmitting an ACK/NACK signal for an HARQ (Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest) in a CA (Carrier Aggregation) system, the method including obtaining at least one transmission resource among first and second transmission resources; configuring a first table showing a relationship in which a combination of at least one of the first and second transmission resources and modulation symbols is mapped to an ACK/NACK signal, and transmitting modulation symbols corresponding to a transmission target ACK/NACK signal in the first table by using transmission resource corresponding to the transmission target ACK/NACK signal in the first table. |
| US09237556B2 |
Method of operating access point and wireless communication system using access point
Provided is a method of operating an access point and a wireless communication system using an access point. The method includes classifying the terminals according to the QoS type of a service required by each of the terminals, allocating any one antenna among the plurality of antennae to one terminal of a group of terminals having the highest order of priority according to the QoS type, among the classified groups of terminals, and selecting another antenna and terminal, which maximizes a signal to interference and noise ratio (SINR) calculated from channel information between the terminal and the antenna, among the terminals and antennae, except the allocated antenna and terminal, to allocate the antenna. |
| US09237553B2 |
Coexistence of priority broadcast and unicast in peer-to-peer networks
A method, a computer program product, and an apparatus are provided. In one configuration, the apparatus transmits a first broadcast signal including information indicating an intention to use a unicast resource for a broadcast. In addition, the apparatus transmits a second broadcast signal in the unicast resource. In another configuration, the apparatus, which is a first wireless device, receives a first broadcast signal from a second wireless device including information indicating an intention to use a unicast resource for a broadcast. In addition, the apparatus receives a first scheduling signal from the second wireless device in a scheduling resource. The first scheduling signal is for indicating a second intention to use the unicast resource for transmitting a second broadcast signal. Furthermore, the apparatus refrains from transmitting a second scheduling signal in the scheduling resource in response to the first scheduling signal. |
| US09237549B1 |
Dynamic management of page-response interval in a wireless communication system
A method and apparatus for managing page-response intervals. When a network entity receives a paging trigger signal, the entity determines a page-response interval to use for paging the mobile station, based on one or more factors such as (i) whether the communication is to be provided to the mobile station over the same air interface and/or same air interface protocol that will carry the paging to the mobile station and/or (ii) what network, interface, or other entity the trigger signal comes from and/or what network communication module receives the trigger signal. The network entity then uses the determined page-response interval when paging the mobile station, waiting that determined period of time after each page attempt before attempting to page again or before concluding that the paging effort failed. |
| US09237548B2 |
Predicting user availability from aggregated signal strength data
A system and method is provided for determining the availability of a mobile communications device on a network based on a prediction that the device will cross a pre-defined service boundary between two different coverage areas serviced by two different service providers. Specifically, when the device is predicted to cross the service boundary, or has crossed the boundary, a notification of a change in service is issued to at least one of the user of the device, a presence service, or another network operator. The notification may include a change in the presence status of the mobile communications device. |
| US09237546B1 |
Method and apparatus for determining a location of a network device in a wireless network
In a wireless network, a first access point includes a transmitter to transmit a first frame to a first device and a receiver to receive a second frame from the first device. The first and second frames are also received by second and third devices, which are separated from the first access point by predetermined distances. A timing module generates timing information including times of departure and arrival of the first and second frames at the first access point. At the first access point, a feedback module receives feedback information from the second and third devices including times of arrival of the first and second frames at the second and third devices, and a location determining module determines a location of the first device based on the timing and feedback information and predetermined locations of the first access point and the second and third devices in the wireless network. |
| US09237544B2 |
Methods and arrangements to communicate environmental information for localization
Embodiments may comprise logic to adaptively prepare and transmit environmental information based upon an estimated current location and, in some embodiments, context of a device and to adaptively cache the environmental information to reduce or optimize environmental information communicated from an information server to the device. Some embodiments comprise an information server to receive a request for environmental information comprising an estimated current location for the device. In many embodiments, the information server may determine a prior set of environmental information conveyed to the device and determine, in response to receiving the estimated current location, the current set of environmental information based upon the estimated current location. In many embodiments, the current set of environmental information may encompass environmental information near the estimated current location of the device but not to encompass environmental information that was included in a prior set of environmental information transmitted to the device. |
| US09237543B2 |
Wireless location using signal fingerprinting and other location estimators
A wireless location system is disclosed. Locations of mobile stations (MS) may be determined using one or more MS locating technologies based on, e.g.: computed offsets from terrestrial base stations; satellite transmissions; indoor antennas; low range base stations; and in particular, signal pattern recognition for associating wireless signal characteristics with distinct geographic locations. The system can: adapt and/or calibrate its performance with environmental and geographical changes; capture location signal data for enhancement of a self-maintaining database of predictive location signal data; evaluate MS locations using heuristics and constraints related to terrain, MS velocity and path extrapolation; and adjust MS locations adaptively and/or statistically for providing more reliable and accurate locations. The system can be configured for environments ranging from dense urban, urban, suburban, rural, mountain to low traffic or isolated roadways. The system is useful for 911 emergencies, tracking, routing (e.g., to desired products/services), people and animal location including applications for confinement to and exclusion from certain areas. |
| US09237542B2 |
Apparatus and method for supporting location update registration process in machine to machine communication system
An apparatus and method for supporting a location update registration process used for an idle mode operation of a Mobile Station (MS) in a Machine-to-Machine (M2M) communication are provided. The method includes determining whether a system global location update registration timer is applied to the MS, when it is determined that the global location update registration timer is not applied, determining a timer for updating a location when the MS operates in an idle mode, and transmitting a message including the timer to the MS. |
| US09237539B2 |
Method and apparatus for correcting reference time for distributed time synchronization
In a wireless communication system formed of a plurality of nodes, an arbitrary node receives messages broadcasted from neighbor nodes and calculates amounts of changes in receiving times that are differences between receiving times when the messages are currently received and receiving times when the messages are previously received with respect to the neighbor nodes. The node corrects reference time thereof based on the amounts of changes calculated with respect to the neighbor nodes. |
| US09237537B2 |
Random access process in a multicarrier base station and wireless device
A Base station transmits a control command for transmission of a random access preamble on a first cell if the base station determines radio resources of the first cell are required for transmission of a portion of data and that the first cell requires a different uplink timing from all currently activated cells of the wireless device. The base station transmits at least one control packet for providing transport format information and resource allocation information for transmission of a plurality of packets of the data to be transmitted on a first data channel of the first cell. |
| US09237533B2 |
Detecting uplink repeater capacity
Systems, methods, and articles are provided for detecting uplink repeater capacity within a wireless network. Algorithms are used to determine when an out of power error condition is present to help minimize service quality issues. |
| US09237532B2 |
E-UTRAN and handover
The present invention relates to a method, a base station and an interface for handover in a wireless communication network. Handover is initiated when the signal quality falls below a predetermined value. Random access serves as an uplink procedure to enable the UE to make handover from a first base station (eNodeB) to a suitable second base station (eNodeB). In the present invention, random access parameters are exchanged between second and first base station before said first base station signals said random access parameters to said user equipment. |
| US09237528B2 |
Method for transmitting power headroom report, and apparatus for same
Disclosed are a method for transmitting a power headroom report (PHR) and a terminal apparatus for same. The method for transmitting a PHR from a terminal in a network, which includes a base station and at least one cooperative node performing cooperative communication with the base station, includes a step of determining a sounding reference symbol (SRS) transmission power for transmitting SRSs in a specific serving cell, wherein the determined SRS transmission power is a value determined for the transmission of the SRSs to a plurality of nodes including a first node corresponding to the base station and the at least one cooperative node. |
| US09237527B2 |
Power control
Deciding a power control command for transmitting to a communication device, wherein the deciding takes into account a signal distortion characteristic of the communication device, and wherein the power control command is for use by communication device in determining a transmission power for the communication device. |
| US09237522B2 |
Active bandwidth indicator for power-saving UEs
The present invention relates to a terminal and a base station, and to a receiving and transmitting method to be performed at the terminal and the base station, respectively. In particular, the present invention relates to power consumption reduction by providing two operation bandwidths for a terminal, one being a cell-bandwidth, a bandwidth in which the cell may operate and the other one is a bandwidth, lower than the cell-bandwidth and called power-saving bandwidth. The terminal may perform the initial cell search including reception of the system information in the cell bandwidth and perform other reception/transmission/monitoring operation(s) in the power-saving bandwidth. Accordingly, a low-cost terminal implementation is enabled, which is particularly advantageous for the machine communication terminals. |
| US09237521B2 |
Method for transmitting and receiving physical layer convergence procedure protocol data unit in wireless local area network system supporting power save mode operation and apparatus for the same
A method of transmitting a data frame in a wireless local area network (WLAN) is provided. The method includes transmitting, by an access point (AP), a scheduling information element including information on a time period for data frame transmission to a first station (STA) and a second STA, wherein the scheduling information element includes an offset field indicating a start time point of the time period and transmitting, by the AP, the data frame to the first STA and the second STA by using a multi user-multiple input multiple output (MU-MIMO) transmission scheme after the start time point indicated by the offset field. |
| US09237515B2 |
Successive detection and cancellation for cell pilot detection
Techniques for performing cell detection with successive detection and cancellation (SDC) are described. For SDC, pilots from stronger cells may be canceled from a received signal at a user equipment (UE) so that weaker cells may be detected as a result of reduced interference from the stronger cells. In one design, a UE processes a received signal to detect for a cell and determines whether the detected cell is sufficiently strong. If the cell is sufficiently strong, then the UE cancels the interference due to the detected cell from the received signal and further processes an interference-canceled signal to detect for another cell. The UE may detect for cells in a set of cells in a sequential order, from the strongest cell to the weakest cell. The UE may terminate detection when a cell not sufficiently strong is detected or when all cells in the set are detected. |
| US09237514B2 |
System and method for filtering access points presented to a user and locking onto an access point
The present invention filters access points presented to a user and locks onto an access point. The present invention includes an access point filtering unit and an access point locking unit. The access point filtering unit determines the access points that are accessible by a client device and then filters them to present only the access points that are acceptable to under a security policy in force. The access point locking unit has a plurality of operating modes and can lock onto a user selected access point, a security policy prescribed access point, or the access point with the best signal profile. The present invention also includes several methods such as: a method for filtering access points for presentation to the user, a method for locking onto an access point selected by the user, a method for locking onto an access point with the best signal profile, and a method for locking onto an access point prescribed by a security policy for a given location. |
| US09237509B2 |
System and method for determining that a maximum number of IP sessions have been established
Systems and methods for determining that a maximum number of IP sessions have been established are provided. There are instances when the mobile device transmits a request to the wireless network. According to an aspect, in the event that the maximum number of IP sessions is already established for the mobile device, the wireless network transmits a response indicating that the request cannot be fulfilled. The mobile device determines based on the response that the maximum number of IP sessions is already established, which allows the mobile device to determine the maximum number of IP sessions that can be supported so that IP sessions can be managed accordingly. |
| US09237507B2 |
Radio communication system and communication control method
A radio communication system comprises: a radio base station, a terminal device, and a plurality of relay devices that relay radio communication between the radio base station and the terminal device. The plurality of relay devices create communication quality information in radio communication between the relay devices and the radio base station. The terminal device preferentially connects to the relay device having the best communication quality based on each of the communication quality information. |
| US09237506B2 |
Method for improving performance and reducing power consumption of a wireless network arrangement
A method of transmitting electronic signals for use with a wireless network arrangement comprising assimilating and storing data relating to successful communication routes within the network arrangement and the transmission and receiving of electronic signals between the minimum number of devices in wireless network arrangement to improve efficiency of data communication and to reduce the power consumption of the network. |
| US09237503B2 |
Method and apparatus for handoff between a wireless local area network (WLAN) and a universal mobile telecommunication system (UMTS)
Apparatus and method for providing an automatic handoff process of a dual-mode user equipment (UE) from either a wireless local area network (WLAN) to a universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) or from a UMTS to a WLAN. Handoffs may be initiated by the UE, based upon user preference, signal quality, comparison of location coordinates of the UE and the system to be switched to or signal quality. The available channels of one system may be sent to the UE by the other system or the UE may monitor channels of the system to be switched to and lock on to one. The handoff may also be initiated by the UMTS, the selection being power-based. |
| US09237495B2 |
Methods and apparatus for performing handover between a long term evolution (LTE) network and another type of radio access network
A method for performing handover by wireless User Equipment (UE) is provided. The UE includes a Long Term Evolution-Mobile Extreme Convergence (LTE-MXC) application processor, a LTE processor and a Digital Signal Processor (DSP). The UE buffers a set of IP packets when a Radio Access Technology (RAT) indicator is less than a pre-defined threshold and sends the set of IP packets to the LTE processor and the DSP. The LTE processor transmits the set of IP packets to the LTE network and sends acknowledgement signals to the LTE-MXC application processor and the DSP. When the handover is complete, the LTE processor sends the transmission status of the set of IP packets to the DSP. The UE also includes multimode Radio Resource Control (RRC) and Non-Access Stratum (NAS) modules. |
| US09237491B2 |
Method and device for a relay node
A relay node for a radio access network, arranged to be a relay node between one or more User Equipments in a cell of the radio access network and a base station serving the cell. The relay node is arranged to identify itself as a relay node in the cell in the radio access network, and is also arranged to receive a non-support indication indicating that the base station serving the cell is unable to support a relay node. The relay node is arranged to, upon receiving said non-support indication, attempt to establish itself as a relay node in another cell. |
| US09237488B2 |
Apparatus and method for processing handover in a wireless communication system
An apparatus and method for processing handover in a wireless communication system are provided. The method includes selecting a cell for handover when a HandOver (HO) drop occurs, identifying if information for communicating with a serving BS is stored, transmitting a message ranging request signal to the serving BS, identifying provision or non-provision of a service from the serving BS comprised in a response signal to the message ranging request signal, and transmitting/receiving a signal with the serving BS. |
| US09237487B2 |
Communication control method and home base station
A home base station (HeNB) that supports LIPA (Local Internet Protocol Access) defined in the 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) standards: transmits (step S103) information indicating that a user terminal has an LIPA connection in a handover request, to a target base station, by including the information in the handover request, when a handover procedure from the home base station to the target base station is started for the user terminal having the LIPA connection; and continues (steps S106, S107) the handover procedure without releasing the LIPA connection when the target base station permits the handover request. |
| US09237485B2 |
Deferred measurement control reading of system information block (SIB) messages
A method of wireless communication defers measurement control reading of a SIB. The method includes determining whether a user equipment (UE) has been redirected to a first radio access technology (RAT) from a second RAT. The method also includes selectively reading a system information block (SIB) based on whether the UE was redirected to the first RAT from a second RAT. |
| US09237484B2 |
Method, system and device for configuring radio access bearers in mobile networks with multi-RAB capability
Method and network entities for providing good performance for voice in multiRAB connection for services of a CS+PS call setup (31) without high throughput necessity but providing good throughput for the services needing it. A differentiation of the multiRAB configuration (bearer type, mobility parameters and channel switching timers), based on service detection, is performed either in the RAN either in the CN indicating eventually this detection to the RAN. If the detected service needs high bit rate/throughput (35), the RNC reconfigures the multiRAB configuration (37) so that a bearer type providing high throughput is allocated to said service and the RNC reassigns mobility and channel switching parameters to maximise this throughput and the radio resources. If the service does not require high throughput (34), the RNC configures a bearer type and parameters for mobility and channel switching as specified by the standards to provide good performance (36), low dropped call rate. |
| US09237483B2 |
Methods for managing resource utilization in a long term evolution communication system
Methods for managing resource utilization in a Long Term Evolution (LTE) communication system are described. In one method, an application server: receives signaling indicating resource utilization in the LTE system; determines, based on this signaling, a set of control parameters for a user equipment (UE) receiving service from the LTE system; and sends the set of control parameters to the UE, wherein the set of control parameters indicates behavior for the UE toward at least one of maintaining LTE system resources or modifying standard handover procedures. The signaling indicating resource utilization in the LTE system is sent from UE, the LTE system, or both. |
| US09237482B2 |
Method of transmitting real time traffic with reduced header in wireless network
In a mobile telecommunications network including a mobile User Equipment (UE) and a Packet Data Network (PDN) Gateway (PGW), a method is provided for controlling data packet header overhead for real time data packet traffic between the UE and the PGW. The method includes: modifying one or more data packets having an Internet Protocol (IP) header and a User Datagram Protocol (UDP) header to remove at least a portion of at least one of said IP and UDP headers prior to transporting said modified data packet between the UE and PGW; and reconstructing the removed header portions upon receipt of the modified data packet at one of the UE or PGW. |
| US09237481B2 |
Methods and arrangements for traffic indication map segmentation in wireless networks
Logic may implement a hierarchical data structure for traffic indication mapping (TIM) and segment the TIM into TIM segment bitmaps to facilitate transmissions for wireless communications devices. The traffic indication provides information as to whether a device associated with an access point (AP) has data buffered by the AP. Logic of the AP may inform devices about the range of devices represented by each of the TIM segments by including a block start and block range or a TIM segment index that can be associated with a range of blocks. Logic may provide at least one page bitmap to devices for the TIM segment bitmaps to provide an indication to the devices as to whether a particular block includes an indication that any client devices have data buffered by the access point. |
| US09237480B2 |
Accelerated content delivery
The invention relates to a content delivery entity (100) configured to deliver a first data traffic from a first Internet content provider (310) to a mobile user equipment (200) via an access network of a mobile communications network. The entity (100) comprises an interface (113) configured to detect the first data traffic that shall be treated with priority. An acceleration unit (120) is configured to accelerate the delivery of the first data traffic from the first Internet content provider to the content delivery entity, and a controller (110) is configured to forward the first data traffic from the first Internet content provider (310) to the mobile user equipment (200) in the access network in such a way that the first data traffic from the first Internet content provider (310) is routed to the mobile user equipment (200) in the access network with a priority different from that of a second data traffic that is delivered from a second Internet content provider (330, 390) through the access network. |
| US09237479B2 |
Method and device for data traffic distribution
The present invention provides a method and a device for data traffic distribution. The method includes: measuring, by a mobile wireless interconnection wifi device, signal strength of a wifi network; and switching, by the mobile wifi device, data traffic between a cellular wireless communication network and the wifi network according to the signal strength of the wifi network, where, when the data traffic is transmitted over the wifi network, the mobile wifi device, by means of time division multiplexing, serves as an access point AP and a station STA respectively to route the data traffic between STAs having an Internet access demand and APs capable of providing an Internet access service. The embodiments of the present invention can implement data distribution in the scenario of multiple WAN ports. |
| US09237475B2 |
Channel quality information and beam index reporting
A method and apparatus report or identify channel quality information. The method for reporting includes selecting one or more beams for channel quality reporting. The method also includes mapping, by the UE, indices of the one or more selected beams to one or more channel quality values. Additionally, the method includes sending channel quality information for the one or more selected beams according to the mapping. The method for identifying includes receiving an indication of indices of one or more beams selected for reporting. The method also includes receiving channel quality information for the one or more selected beams. The method further includes identifying a mapping of the indices of the one or more selected beams to one or more channel quality values. Additionally, the method includes identifying a channel quality value for each of the one or more selected beams according to the mapping. |
| US09237474B2 |
Network device trace correlation
The techniques described herein present opportunities for service providers and/or network providers to optimize the Quality of User Experience (QoE) for data services by determining, using a broader network-based approach, the root cause of problems causing a service degradation. To determine the root cause of the problems, the techniques may collect different trace files from multiple different nodes in the telecommunications network. Each trace file includes a log of trace identifiers for numerous different data packets that have been generated, received, transmitted, relayed, and/or routed via the node in the telecommunications network, and each trace file log entry may be associated with a timestamp. Once collected, the techniques may correlate the different trace files from the multiple different nodes to identify, using a broader network-based analysis, service optimization opportunities. |
| US09237473B2 |
Inter-frequency positioning measurements
A networks node generates an inter-frequency neighbor list of neighbor cells intended to be measured including neighbor cells satisfying an alignment condition and a sufficient measurement time. The alignment condition is satisfied when subframes of a first signal having a first frequency transmitted via a reference cell associated with the user equipment are synchronized with, have a known offset relative to or have a random offset smaller than one half of a sub frame relative to corresponding subframes of a second signal having a second frequency transmitted via a neighboring cells. The sufficient measurement time is determined by an overlap of measurement gaps and positioning subframes in the second signal. The user equipment performs the inter-frequency Reference Signal Time Difference (RSTD) measurements during measurement gaps. |
| US09237470B2 |
Apparatus and method for receiving and transporting real time AMR meter data
An apparatus receiving and transporting real time resource usage data, including a plurality of narrowband receivers and a controller. The a plurality of narrowband receivers is deployed geographically within a grid, where each of the plurality of narrowband receivers is configured to receive transmissions from a least one of a plurality of automated meter reading (AMR) meters, and where each of the plurality of AMR meters transmits identical data on each of a plurality of frequency bands that are hopped according to a hopping sequence. The controller is coupled to the plurality of narrowband receivers, and is configured to control the plurality of narrowband receivers such that the each of the plurality of AMR meters is identified, and is configured to control the plurality of receivers such that corresponding data from the each of the AMR meters is received on at least one of the plurality of frequency bands. |
| US09237467B2 |
Adaptive pacing of media content delivery over a wireless network
A method includes monitoring, at a base station of a wireless network, channel quality information corresponding to a wireless channel used by the base station to stream media content to a communication device. The media content is streamed to the communication device at a particular effective transfer rate via data bursts. The method includes selecting, at the base station, a size of a data burst to send to the communication device and a download rate for the data burst. The size and the data rate are based on the channel quality information. The method also includes sending the data burst to the communication device at a first time from the base station. |
| US09237465B1 |
Systems, apparatus and methods for consumer testing of an NFC-enabled mobile device
Near-Field Communication (NFC) test systems, apparatus and processes enable consumers to thoroughly and easily test the NFC circuitry and short range communications software of their mobile devices. In an embodiment, a processor of a consumer's mobile device receives input to initialize an NFC test application and displays a prompt on a display screen for the consumer to position his or her mobile device to communicate with an NFC-enabled device. When the processor receives input indicating a correct communication position, a shared identity is exchanged with the NFC-enabled device and transmitted to a central server computer. Next, the processor receives a plurality of NFC test instructions, communicates in a transaction mode of operation and then in a terminal mode of operation with the NFC-enabled device, and transmits NFC test data to the central server computer. In some embodiments, the processor receives NFC test results from the central server computer and displays an indication of the NFC test results on a display screen. |
| US09237459B1 |
System and method for measuring characteristics of neighbor cells using a synthesized composite antenna pattern
A method includes receiving in a receiver transmissions from a serving cell that serves the receiver and from one or more neighbor cells. The transmissions are received via multiple receive antennas to produce multiple respective output signals. The multiple output signals are weighed with respective weights, and the weighted output signals are combined to produce a combined output signal. The weights are selected so as to form a composite antenna pattern having a first antenna gain in one or more first directions that point toward the neighbor cells, and a second antenna gain, lower than the first antenna gain, in a second direction that points toward the serving cell. Characteristics of the one or more neighbor cells are measured by processing the combined output signal in which the transmissions received from the serving cell are attenuated. |
| US09237458B2 |
Systems and methods for network MIMO
A multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) communication system comprising a master base station and a slave base station. The master base station has a plurality of transmit antennas and transmits a first set of data to a mobile station in a first transmission. The slave base station has a plurality of transmit antennas and transmits a second set of data to the mobile station in the first transmission. The master base station retransmits the second set of data to the mobile station during a first retransmission and the slave base station retransmits the first set of data to the mobile station during the first retransmission. |
| US09237455B2 |
Method for allocating wireless resources in a wireless access system, and apparatus therefor
The present invention relates to a method for allocating wireless resources in a wireless access system that supports an operation in an unlicensed band, as well as to an apparatus for the method. More particularly, a method for allocating wireless resources in a wireless access system that supports a television white space (TV WS) band comprises the steps of: allocating, to a terminal and from among TV WS bands, available frequency bands which are not used by a licensed device; if a receiving band of another device exists in a neighboring band of the available frequency bands, setting up a guard band in a portion of the band adjacent to the neighboring band from among the available frequency bands; allocating wireless resources to a terminal in a frequency band from among the available frequency bands, excluding the guard band; and receiving uplink data from the terminal through the wireless resources, wherein the guard band is determined using the allocation location of the wireless resources, the amount of wireless resources, and the transmission power of the terminal. |
| US09237454B2 |
Coexistent working mode establishment method, user equipment, base station and system
A method for solving the co-existence problem, a base station, user equipment, and system for performing the method. The method includes: pre-configuring the information for co-existence working mode by a base station of a first communication system for a user equipment, receiving, by the base station of the first communication system from the user equipment in the first communication system, a mode establishing request for indicating the co-existence problem experienced by the user equipment and providing the assistance information for co-existence working mode in which the user equipment performs a first communication with the base station and performs a second communication with an apparatus in a second communication system which is different from the first communication system. |
| US09237453B2 |
Spectrum channel sharing system
A spectrum channel sharing system may coordinate a shared usage of one or more spectrum channels between a first communication system and a second communication system. The first communication system may transmit a request to the second communication system to clear communication traffic associated with the second communication system from a spectrum channel. The first communication system may then initiate a communication session on the spectrum channel after the communication traffic associated with the second communication system has been at least partially cleared from the spectrum channel. |
| US09237449B2 |
Autocorrelation-based spectrum sensing for FM signals
A method and system for detection of available a white space channel in an area of licensed transmitters includes a detector which utilizes the autocorrelation analysis of a channel in an frequency modulated (FM) band. Calculation of the autocorrelation excludes an initial set of correlation delay values such that large values of autocorrelation are removed. The remaining autocorrelation based on higher correlation delay values exposes the sinusoidal nature of an FM transmitter operating in the selected channel. White space becomes available to a user if no transmitter is detected using the autocorrelation detection method. |
| US09237447B2 |
Device and method for managing access rights to a wireless network
A device and a method for managing access rights to a wireless network uses wireless connection devices advantageously based on a smart card, which enable the wireless connection to the network once connected to a terminal. These devices include devices for time and/or geographical management of access to the network and authentication device. These devices can be easily preprogrammed by the entity managing the service and then distributed to the users. |
| US09237445B1 |
Heterogeneous network control system
A heterogeneous network control system uses an application platform to connect a signal processor through a first signal telecommunication, and connect the signal processor to a signal converter through a second signal telecommunication, and connect the signal converter to a terminal through a third signal telecommunication. When signals are transmitted from the application platform to the terminal via a signal transmission path, the first signal is converted into a second signal by the signal processor, and the second signal is converted into a third signal by the signal converter. When signals are transmitted from the terminal to the application platform via the signal transmission path, the signal is converted in an opposite way. The first signal is a 3G, 4G, WiFi, powerline or Bluetooth signal, and the second signal is a WiFi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, powerline, EnOcean or Zwave signal. The system provides a communication mode for a heterogeneous network. |
| US09237444B2 |
Trust discovery in a communications network
A method and apparatus to establish trust between two nodes in a communications network. A first node receives from a network node authentication data unique to the first node, which can be used to derive a compact representation of verification data for the first node. The first node also receives a certified compact representation of verification data of all nodes in the network. The first node derives trust information from the authentication data for the node, and sends to a second node a message that includes the trust information and part of the authentication data. The second node has its own copy of the certified compact representation of verification data of all nodes in the network, and verifies the authenticity of the message from the first node using the compact representation of verification data of all nodes in the network and the received trust information and authentication data. |
| US09237442B2 |
Method and system for positioning mobile station in handover procedure
A method for obtaining a secure key is provided. The method includes sending an Access Safety Management Entity Key (KASME) to a gateway after finishing authentication and security process by a Mobility Management Entity (MME) in a core network; and computing, by the gateway, a Next Hop (NH) according to the KASME. The method provides a method for ensuring a working of a secure key chain when a handover process is terminated at a Hybrid Evolved NodeB Gateway (HeNB GW). Thus, key information cannot be lost when the handover process is terminated at the HeNB GW, and an impact of the handover process on a core network is reduced, and the efficiency of a User Equipment (UE) handover is improved. |
| US09237436B2 |
Centralized communication management via a virtual operator for connecting subscriber calls to host networks
A communication system (SC) comprises i) a centralized platform (PC) that can be used by at least one virtual operator and that comprises at least equipment and services management means (EG1), subscriber/subscription data management means (EG2) and a call server (SA), responsible for jointly managing the control plane layer, and it) at least one distributed media gateway (PMi) connected to the centralized platform (PC) via a backbone network (RF)I and responsible for the interconnection between the centralized platform (PC) and a routing center (Ai), of a communication network (RMf) of an associated network operator, responsible for routing calls concerning communication terminals (UE) connected to its communication network (RMi) and managed by the centralized platform (PC) and for controlling a user plane layer of the environment of the system (SC). |
| US09237434B2 |
Network-assisted peer discovery with network coding
Techniques for performing network-assisted peer discovery with network coding are disclosed. For peer discovery with network coding, a device may generate a network-coded message based on a message assigned to the device and one or more messages received by the device from other devices. The device may transmit a proximity detection signal including the network-coded message. For network-assisted peer discovery with network coding, the device may register with a network for peer discovery and may be provided with at least one parameter to use for peer discovery with network coding. The devices may perform peer discovery with network coding in accordance with the peer discovery parameter(s) received from the network. The device may generate a network-coded message based on the at least one peer discovery parameter and may transmit the network-coded message to enable other devices to detect the device. |
| US09237433B1 |
Feature management of a communication device
A system and method for the real-time management of a device, and more particularly to the establishment and enforcement of policies or rules associated with the feature or functions that may be performed with the device, such as making and receiving calls, exchanging data, playing games and music, sending and receiving email, accessing web sites, and paying for goods and services. If a child or employee is using the device, there may be a need to regulate how that device can be used and to determine who will pay for what goods or services. In addition to providing all of the features associated with a device, service providers need to be able to establish and enforce rules (policies) regulating how and when that device can be used and who will pay for a good or service requested by the user of the device. |
| US09237432B2 |
System and method for emergency service using telematics
A method for emergency service using telematics includes: attempting to transmit an emergency service request message to a telematics center through mobile communication when a telematics terminal receives an emergency signal; confirming, by the telematics terminal, whether the telematics terminal processes the emergency service in attempting to transmit the emergency service request message; informing a vehicle terminal of the fact that the emergency service is not processed if it is confirmed that the telematics terminal does not process the emergency service; and receiving, by the vehicle terminal, the emergency service request message from the telematics terminal to process the emergency service through TV white space (TVWS) communication, thereby extending an emergency service coverage using the telematics. A system for emergency service using telematics involves communication between the telematics terminal, the telematics center, and the vehicle terminal, in order to process the emergency service request message through TVWS communication. |
| US09237430B2 |
Flash caller ID for roaming
The present invention relates to methods and apparati for presenting and displaying caller-identifying information to outbound roamers using means outside of the visited network's facility, or communications channels outside of the call path. |
| US09237423B1 |
Estimating the elevation of a wireless terminal based on temperature and atmospheric pressure
A method for estimating the elevation of an wireless terminal inside of a tall structure is described that compensates for differences in temperature and atmospheric pressure between the inside and outside of the structure. |
| US09237422B1 |
Wireless device detection system
A device for detecting wireless signals and locating the place of origin in a building is provided that includes a transmitter system using a cellular protocol; a plurality of antennae that receive wireless Radio Frequency (RF) signals, each antenna having a port; a receiving system connected to the antennae ports with a plurality of cables, converting the RF signal to voltage waveform; a processing system in communication with the receiving system, detecting the strength of the received signals and Time Difference of Arrival of the RF signals with respect to antennae and determining the location where the wireless signals are being emitted by using classification algorithms; and a human machine interface. |
| US09237421B2 |
Method and apparatus for reducing transmission of location information
Provided is a method and apparatus for reducing transmission of location information when tracking the geographic location of one or more mobile devices. A mobile device generates location information using GPS technology and provides the location information to a communication device on an ongoing basis. In a first embodiment, if the location information of the mobile device is not needed, then the communication device transmits a message indicating that the location information of the mobile device is not needed. Upon receiving the message, the mobile device stops providing location information to the communication device on the ongoing basis. This can reduce the amount of information that gets transferred over the air between users sharing their location information. |
| US09237420B2 |
Mobile device and geographic information system background and summary of the related art
The present invention provides a system and mobile device for providing geographic information to a user. The system includes a mobile device that is wirelessly connected to a geographic database. The mobile device includes a plurality of sensors for determining a first location and a first direction. A controller is adapted to provide information requested based on local queries and distal queries. In addition, the controller can respond to thematic queries of each variety, wherein the database search is limited to objects, entities or features that fit within a selected theme. Finally, the controller is adapted to select and order query results based upon two-and three-dimensional query windows. |
| US09237415B2 |
Method and system for estimating range of mobile device to wireless installation
A method of and system for estimating the range of a mobile device to a wireless installation is disclosed. A method of estimating the position of a mobile device includes receiving signals transmitted by fixed-position wireless communication stations in range of a mobile device. One of the wireless communication stations from which signals are received by the mobile device is designated as a serving station and location information is retrieved for said serving station and at least one other neighboring station from which signals are received. For each of the at least one other neighboring stations, a corresponding distance between the serving station and said neighboring station is determined based on the location information. A position of the mobile device is estimated based on the location information for the serving station and said neighboring stations and further based on the distances between the serving station and said neighboring stations. |
| US09237409B2 |
Communication device, control method, program, and front end
The present technology relates to a communication device, a control method, and a program which enable reliable selection of a desired target.A CLF transmits a polling command received from a NFC reader for selecting a candidate of a final target to targets, selects the candidate of the final target, by setting a P2P application as a target having the highest priority in the selection of the candidate of the final target, selects the final target based on a command other than the polling command received from the NFC reader, and controls to lower the priority of the P2P application, in a case where the P2P application is selected as the candidate of the final target and the P2P application is not selected as the final target. The present technology can be applied to a communication device supporting an NFC standard, for example. |
| US09237406B2 |
Speaker impedance measurement
An integrated circuit for processing audio and voice signals in a telephone is disclosed. The integrated circuit comprises an audio output port having a first and a second output terminal for connection to a first and a second input terminal, respectively, of a speaker. The integrated circuit further comprises an audio input port having a first and a second input terminal for connection to a first and a second output terminal of an audio input source. The integrated circuit also comprises at least one audio output path and one audio input path. Moreover, the integrated circuit comprises a test impedance, such as a resistor, (RT) for measuring an electrical impedance of the speaker. |
| US09237404B2 |
Dipole antenna for a hearing aid
A hearing aid includes: a hearing aid housing; a microphone coupled to the hearing aid housing for reception of sound and conversion of the received sound into a corresponding first audio signal; a signal processor in the hearing aid housing for processing the first audio signal into a second audio signal compensating a hearing loss of a user of the hearing aid; a wireless communication unit connected to the signal processor for wireless data communication; and an attachment member connectable to the hearing aid housing; wherein the wireless communication unit is coupled with an antenna having a first pole element and a second pole element for emission and reception of an electromagnetic field; and wherein at least a part of the first pole element extends in the attachment member, and the second pole element extends in the hearing aid housing. |
| US09237403B2 |
Method of adjusting a binaural hearing system, binaural hearing system, hearing device and remote control
The present invention is related to the adjusting of a binaural hearing system and devices being operable according to said method. The hearing system comprises two hearing devices (10, 20), each comprising a signal processing unit (12, 22) for processing an audio input signal according to at least one hearing program (P) to provide an output signal being forwarded to an output transducer (13, 23) of the respective hearing device (10, 20). The method comprises the steps of: determining device information (ACCorr(P)ipsi, ACCorr(P)contra) being related to the hearing devices (10, 20) and to at least one hearing device specific adjustment having been applied earlier to the at least one hearing program (P); calculating synchronization data (learnt_pref(P)) according to a function that depends on the device information (ACCorr(P)ipsi, ACCorr(P)contra); and; synchronizing the hearing devices (10, 20) by taking into account the synchronization data (learnt_pref(P)). |
| US09237400B2 |
Concealment of intermittent mono reception of FM stereo radio receivers
The present invention relates to audio signal processing. In particular, it relates to a method and system for reliably concealing intermittent mono reception of FM stereo radio receivers. The system comprises a parametric stereo parameter estimation stage configured to determine a first parametric stereo parameter based on a first frame of the received two-channel audio signal. The system further comprises a concealment detection stage configured to determine an energy of a side signal within the first signal frame; determine a number of following successive signal frames during which the energy of the side signal drops from a value above the high threshold to a value below a low threshold; determine that the two-channel audio signal following the first signal frame is a forced mono signal if the number of successive signal frames is below a frame threshold; and determine the parametric stereo parameter based on the first parametric stereo parameter. |
| US09237397B2 |
Tunable earphone
A tunable earphone is provided. By moving a tuning rod inserted into a hollow shell with a varied depth to drive a tuning plate thus changing the distance between a speaker and the tuning plate, the air in the hollow shell can resonate for different volumes and different path lengths, thereby adjusting a frequency response characteristic of the whole earphone. |
| US09237394B2 |
Canal type earphone with pressure equilibrium means
Disclosed herein is a canal type earphone with a pressure equilibrium means, capable of eliminating a pressure difference between a user's external auditory meatus and an outside during wearing of the canal type earphone. A pressure equilibrium means includes a side air passage through which air within a tube or air within a speaker unit in the canal type earphone is discharged to a side surface of a gasket or a side surface of the speaker unit, and a rear air passage through which air in the side surface of the speaker unit is discharged to the rear of the speaker unit. |
| US09237393B2 |
Headset with accelerometers to determine direction and movements of user head and method
An audio headset system for a mobile phone or other audio player includes a pair of earpieces, each including a speaker in a housing and configured to provide audio output, the housing configured for positioning with respect to a user's ear to direct audio output to the ear; and a pair of accelerometers configured to provide acceleration information representative of acceleration of the respective earpieces, wherein together the acceleration information provided from both accelerometers is representative of angular motion in a horizontal plane of the head of a user. The angular motion may be used as inputs to carry out functions of the mobile phone, e.g., to provide sound adjustments for three dimensional stereophonic sound, to provide navigation information to a user, to play games, and so on. A method of determining rotation and/or direction of a user's head wearing a headset including an ear piece with an accelerometer at each ear, includes processing acceleration information from both accelerometers to determine angular motion of the user's head in a generally horizontal plane. |
| US09237392B2 |
Earhole-wearable sound collection device, signal processing device, and sound collection method
The present technique relates to an earhole-wearable sound collection device, a signal processing device, and a sound collection method for realizing sound collection at a high S/N ratio, with noise influence being reduced not by a noise reduction process.In the earhole-wearable sound collection device, a microphone that collects emitted speech voice is provided in a space that is substantially sealed off from outside and connects to an ear canal of the wearer (the speaker). With the microphone being located in the space sealed off from outside, emitted speech voice that propagates through the ear canal of the wearer is collected. In a sound collection signal obtained through the ear canal, the emitted speech voice component is dominant over the noise component particularly at low frequencies. Therefore, the S/N ratio of an emitted speech voice collection signal can be improved by extracting the low-frequency component of the sound collection signal with the use of a LPF, for example. Alternatively, an equalizing process for reducing muffled sound that is generated when sound is collected through the ear canal is performed on the sound collection signal. As a result, higher sound quality can be achieved. |
| US09237383B2 |
Peer to peer streaming of DVR buffered program data
Various embodiments are directed to streaming DVR devices that can communicate over an Internet Protocol (IP) network with other streaming enabled DVR devices. Implementing a peer-to-peer type connection, one streaming enabled DVR device may be able to stream buffered video data to another streaming enable DVR device. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US09237381B2 |
Methods and apparatus for local channel insertion in an all-digital content distribution network
Methods and apparatus for inserting local content of interest in an all digital content delivery network. In one embodiment, the content delivery network comprises a cable television or satellite network, and an RF channel thereof is separated or isolated from an incoming multiplex of all-digital content transmission. The separated RF channel is demodulated to provide a multiplexed transport stream, and packets corresponding to one or more programs from the transport stream are replaced with packets obtained from local compression and encoding of analog programming such as e.g., personal, educational and government (PEG) programming. The inserted programming may also contain closed captioning and emergency data alerts. The resulting encoded transport stream is then re-inserted into the multiplex, modulated, and put back onto the RF channel. In an alternate embodiment, space is reserved within the downstream multiplex so as to avoid having to remove an existing program stream. |
| US09237380B2 |
System and method for displaying multimedia events scheduling information
Systems and methods for displaying program guide information are disclosed. In some implementations, a method includes, at a computing device having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors, responsive to a user-supplied search query, formatting for display program guide data on a first grid. The first grid includes (i) a first axis representing units of time and (ii) a second axis. The program guide data comprises information representing a first set of time-bounded events. The method also includes formatting a second grid for concurrent display with the first grid. The second grid includes information identifying a second set of time-bounded events. The first set of time-bounded events is a subset of the second set of time-bounded events. |
| US09237379B2 |
Methods and apparatus to count people in images
Methods, articles of manufacture, and apparatus to count people in an image are disclosed. An example method includes estimating, based on a location of a face of a person in a first image frame, a portion of the image that corresponds to a body region of the person; and using image data corresponding to the portion to determine whether the person is present in a second image frame in which the face of the person is undetected. |
| US09237374B2 |
Content broadcast device, content broadcast method, content reception device, content reception method, program, and content broadcast system
A content broadcast device for broadcasting a content, using a broadcast wave, the content broadcast device including a first supply section configured to supply service information to a content reception device through a predetermined network in response to a request from the content reception device, the service information including at least a broadcast schedule of metadata and location information that indicates where the metadata is located in the broadcast wave, and a broadcast section configured to broadcast, using the broadcast wave, the metadata, which includes at least a broadcast schedule of the content and location information that indicates where the content is located in the broadcast wave, in accordance with the broadcast schedule of the metadata, included in the service information, and broadcast, using the broadcast wave, the content in accordance with the broadcast schedule of the content, included in the metadata. |
| US09237373B2 |
Modular broadcast receiver system and method
The construction of a receiving apparatus for receiving a broadcast from a plurality of broadcasting providers is simplified. In a receiving apparatus for receiving a broadcast from a plurality of broadcasting providers, of the function blocks which constitute the receiving apparatus, a block used in common irrespective of the broadcasting provider is formed as a common block, and a block different from one broadcasting provider to another is formed as an independent block. These blocks are connected to each other through an IEEE1394 interface, and the common block is shared among the plurality of blocks which are not used in common, so that a receiving process is performed. |
| US09237370B2 |
Unified electronic program guide
A device may receive a request for an electronic program guide from a user device and determine a location of the user device. The device may determine, based on the determining that the user device is located in a first location, a group of different types of networks available to the user device and may provide, based on the determined group of different types of networks available to the user device, the electronic program guide for display. The electronic program guide may include a network identifier for each of one or more available channels associated with each of the determined group of different types of networks, and a content identifier associated with a respective one of the one or more available channels associated with each of the determined group of different types of networks. |
| US09237362B2 |
Method and apparatus for multi-experience translation of media content with sensor sharing
A method and apparatus incorporates teachings of the present disclosure and may include, for example, a method including detecting at least one of a plurality of sensor data sources for remotely capturing sensory data from a physical environment of the source device, receiving from the at least one of the plurality of sensor data sources sensory information representing the sensory data from the physical environment of the source device, identifying a plurality of characteristics of the physical environment of the source device from the received sensory information, sending to a second device media content and the sensory information representing the plurality of characteristics of the physical environment of the source device. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US09237360B2 |
Electronic device and control method thereof
An electronic device and control method thereof are provided. The control method includes: initially connecting the electronic device to a data source device; determining whether the connected data source device is registered with the electronic device; registering the data source device in response to determining that the connected data source device is not registered with the electronic device; storing setting information related to at least one of video and audio corresponding to the registered data source device; again connecting the electronic device to the data source device; receiving at least one of second video and second audio from the data source device; and outputting at least one of the second video and the second audio based on the stored setting information. |
| US09237358B2 |
Context reduction for context adaptive binary arithmetic coding
A reduction in the number of binarizations and/or contexts used in context adaptive binary arithmetic coding (CABAC) for video coding is proposed. In particular, this disclosure proposes techniques that may lower the number contexts used in CABAC by up to 56. |
| US09237354B2 |
Video coding apparatus, video coding method and video coding program, and video decoding apparatus, video decoding method and video decoding program
A motion vector detector detects a motion vector from a first reference image for a coding target block. A multiple reference image composition unit creates a composite reference block that a first reference block extracted from the first reference image using the motion vector has been composited with a predetermined region of at least one of other reference images. Setting the composite reference block as a prediction block, an entropy encoder encodes a prediction difference block that the prediction block has been subtracted from the coding target block. |
| US09237352B2 |
Methods and systems for encoding pictures associated with video data
Several methods and systems for encoding pictures associated with video data are disclosed. In an embodiment, a method includes determining by a processing module, whether a picture is to be encoded based on at least one of a skip assessment associated with the picture and an encoding status of a pre-selected number of pictures preceding the picture in an encoding sequence. The method further includes encoding by the processing module, a plurality of rows of video data associated with the picture upon determining that the picture is to be encoded, wherein the plurality of rows are encoded based on a pre-selected maximum encoded picture size. |
| US09237351B2 |
Encoding/decoding apparatus and method for parallel correction of in-loop pixels based on measured complexity, using video parameter
An encoding/decoding apparatus and method for parallel correction of in-loop pixels based on complexity using a video parameter may include a complexity measuring unit to measure a complexity of an in-loop pixel correction process, using video codec parameter information, in a video codec, and a core allocating unit to evenly distribute jobs associated with the in-loop pixel correction process, using the measured complexity. |
| US09237350B2 |
Image processing system with random access capable integral image compression and method of operation thereof
A system and method of operation of an image processing system includes: an imaging device for receiving a source image; a mode module for receiving a random access block of an integral image formed by summing a portion of the source image, and for calculating a chosen mode and a quantization number from the random access block; a quantization module for forming a quantized block by shifting the random access block based on the chosen mode; a predictor module for calculating a predictor block based on the quantized block; and a fixed length coding module for calculating a residual block by subtracting the predictor block from the quantized block, for calculating a fixed length coding residual based on the chosen mode and the residual block, and for forming an image bitstream having the quantization number and the fixed length coding residual. |
| US09237343B2 |
Perceptually coding images and videos
Blocks in pixel images are template matched to select candidate blocks and weights according to a structural similarity and a perceptual distortion of the blocks. The perceptual distortion is a function of a just-noticeable-distortion (JND). A filter outputs a prediction residual between the block and the candidate blocks. The prediction residual is transformed and quantized to produce a quantized prediction residual using the JND. The matching and quantizing is optimized jointly using the perceptual distortion. Then, the quantized prediction residual and the weights are entropy encoded into a bit-stream for later decoding. |
| US09237342B2 |
Video image encoding device, video image encoding method, video image decoding device, and video image decoding method
A method includes determining a group to which each of a plurality of blocks belongs, the plurality of blocks being obtained by dividing each picture included in video image data; adding, to an output stream, group information expressing the group to which each of the plurality of blocks belongs; calculating an output time for each of the groups; determining output delay for each of the groups; adding, to the output stream, an output delay time from a decode time of each of the groups; controlling an encode amount so that data used for outputting all of the blocks included in one of the groups arrives at a decoding buffer of a decoding device and decoding is completed by an output time expressed by the output delay time; and performing encoding based on the encode amount that has been controlled. |
| US09237340B2 |
Camera pose estimation
A method of camera pose estimation is provided that includes capturing a model image of a scene at a canonical camera pose, generating an image library from warped images of the model image and the model image, wherein each warped image is a transformation of the model image at a different pre-determined camera pose, capturing an image of the scene as a user moves the camera, reporting the current camera pose as a camera pose of the image when the image is acceptable, conditionally adding the first image to the image library when the first image is acceptable, and re-initializing the current camera pose to a camera pose selected from the image library when the first image is not acceptable. |
| US09237338B1 |
Apparatus for image display with multi-focal length progressive lens or multiple discrete lenses each having different fixed focal lengths or a variable focal length
One or more display elements of an apparatus provide light representative of distant objects and near objects and at least one optical element of the apparatus is responsive to the light representative of the near objects, for providing video images of the near objects at one or more near focal lengths, and is responsive to the light representative of distant objects, for providing video images of the distant objects at one or more far focal length and positioned for viewing at an elevation above the video images of the near objects. |
| US09237334B2 |
Method and device for controlling subtitle applied to display apparatus
A method for controlling subtitles applied to a display apparatus is provided. The method is capable of dynamically adjusting a subtitle of an original image. The original image includes a right-eye frame and a left-eye frame. The right-eye frame includes right-eye subtitle information, and the left-eye frame includes left-eye subtitle information. The method includes the steps of: determining an adjusted subtitle display mode; determining a shift distance of the right-eye subtitle information and the left-eye subtitle information; and adjusting the shift distance according to the adjusted subtitle display mode or a given 3D depth, such that an adjusted subtitle presented by the right-eye frame and the left-eye frame shows an adjusted subtitle 3D depth. The adjusted subtitle display mode includes a static display mode and a dynamic 3D display mode. |
| US09237329B1 |
Systems and methods for capturing data of an object
Systems and methods for capturing data of an object are provided. In an example system, a suspension component for suspending an object so that the object is stationary in space is provided. A plurality of image capture devices are configured to capture a plurality of images of the object simultaneously while the object is suspended. The plurality of image capture devices are each positioned at a different location so as to capture a plurality of different views of the object. The system is also configured to generate a three-dimensional (3D) view of the object based on the plurality of images and the plurality of different views. |
| US09237322B2 |
Systems and methods for performing selective video rendering
Various embodiments are disclosed for facilitating selective rendering during video editing. In accordance with one embodiment, a method of editing video comprises obtaining a video editing project, the video editing project including at least one video clip and timing information corresponding to the at least one video clip. The method further comprises obtaining a reference file generated according to the video editing project and obtaining, from a user, a modification for at least one segment in the video editing project. Based on the modification, each of the at least one segment is identified as a modified segment or an unmodified segment. Based on the identification of at least one modified segment, at least one corresponding segment is extracted from the reference file. The method further comprises applying the modification to the extracted at least one corresponding segment from the reference file, rendering only the extracted at least one corresponding segment, and combining the at least one rendered segment with a remaining portion of the reference file to generate an output file. |
| US09237320B2 |
Method and device for generating a calibrated projection
The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for generating a calibrated projection, wherein the method for example includes providing a projection surface (1) for the projection of at least one image (2), wherein the projection surface (1) includes a calibrating structure (5) following its spatial extension, which has a first side (51) and a second side (52), which extends parallel to the first side (51), and a constant height as measured in direction of the first or the second side (51, 52), generating an image (5′) of the calibrating structure (5) in an image plane by means of a camera (4), reconstructing the spatial extension of the projection surface (1) in the region of the calibrating structure (5), and generating a projection calibrated with respect to the calibrating structure by using the spatial extension of the projection surface reconstructed according to the providing projection surface step. |
| US09237315B2 |
Intrusion detection with directional sensing
A method and system of intrusion detection, which includes displaying sensing device output data as an image of a field of view of a sensing device. Through interaction with a GUI: a user input defines an image detection area in relation to the image of the field of view, the image detection area being correlated to a detection area to be monitored for intrusion detection. A user input defining a detection vector in the image detection area is received, specifying a predetermined minimum displacement and displacement direction in the field of view. A graphical representation of the vector may be displayed on the image detection area. A target object is detected and tracked through the detection area and it is determined whether the progressive displacement of the target object has a component exceeding the minimum displacement in the direction of the vector. |
| US09237314B2 |
Surveillance system capable of saving power
A surveillance system includes a video capturing device and a power controller. The video capturing device includes an auto focusing module, an auto exposure module, and an auto white balance module. The video capturing device captures a number of images in a first time interval and also captures a number of images in a second time interval next to the first time interval. The power controller includes an object detecting module and a switching module. The object detecting module detects whether there is a moving object in the images captured in the first time interval. The switching module switches off the auto focusing module, the auto exposure module, and the auto white balance module in the second time interval when the objecting detecting module detects that there is no moving object. |
| US09237313B2 |
Transverse vertical profile display for aeronautical routes
A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for presenting terrain along a route on an aircraft display. A display is presented of a top view, a side view, and a transverse vertical profile view of terrain data along the route on the aircraft display. A plurality of graphical indicators of distance along the route is overlaid such that a graphical indicator in the plurality of graphical indicators in the top view corresponds to a same distance to a second graphical indicator in the side view and a third graphical indicator in the transverse vertical profile view. |
| US09237309B2 |
Conditional access system and smartcard for use in conditional access system
Embodiments of the invention include a conditional access system comprising a terminal and a smartcard, wherein the terminal comprises a user interface for interaction with an end-user, comprising an output for displaying first user interaction data and an input for generating second user interaction data in response to the first user interaction data; and a descrambler configured for descrambling scrambled content, and wherein the smartcard is configured for generating the first user interaction data and allowing, in dependence of the second user interaction data received from the user interface, the descrambler to descramble the scrambled content. |
| US09237307B1 |
System and method for dynamically selecting networked cameras in a video conference
Systems and methods are provided for dynamically selecting one or more networked cameras for providing real-time camera feeds to a video conference. The systems and methods may include identifying one or more networked cameras associated with an area of a conference participant. A server may analyze real-time camera feeds from the identified cameras, and select a video feed having a view of the participant. The server may provide the selected feed to the video conference via a conference bridge, and continue monitoring camera feeds of cameras associated with the participant's area for another camera feed having a better view of the participant. Networked cameras may include fixed and mobile cameras owned and operated by individuals that are not associated with the participant, but who have registered their cameras with the server for use in video conferences. |
| US09237304B2 |
Multi-channel sharing apparatus and multi-channel sharing method
A multi-channel sharing apparatus and a multi-channel sharing method are disclosed. The multi-channel sharing apparatus comprises a companion chip and an application processor. The companion chip comprises a first compression circuit, a second compression circuit and a transmission circuit. The application processor comprises a receiving circuit and a network module. The first compression circuit generates a first bit stream and a second bit stream according to the first channel data. The second compression circuit generates a third bit stream and a fourth bit stream according to the second channel data. The transmission circuit transmits the first, second, third and fourth bit streams. The receiving circuit receives the first, second, third and fourth bit streams. The network module outputs the first network package according to the second bit stream, and outputs the second network package according to the fourth bit stream. |
| US09237300B2 |
Personal video recorder functionality for placeshifting systems
PVR functionality is enabled on a media player of a placeshifting system, which allows a user to record media programs from locations that are physically remote from a source of the media programs. The media player may receive program schedule information and present the program schedule information to the user. Based on user input, the media player identifies a media program and associated schedule information. When the media program is scheduled to play, the placeshifting device directs a media recording device to receive the media program and to store the program. The placeshifting device may digitize, transcode, and/or transrate the media program, if necessary, and transmit the media program to the remote device for playback. |
| US09237299B2 |
Display apparatus
Discussed is a display apparatus which facilitates to minimize a thickness by innovatively removing a case and some portions of a set cover, which have been regarded as indispensible structures for the display apparatus, and simultaneously facilitates to realize a good sense of beauty in the display apparatus by a novel design, wherein the display apparatus comprises a set cover which has a space prepared by a sidewall; a display panel which includes lower and upper substrates bonded to each other; and a guide frame which supports the display panel, and seals a gap between a sidewall of the set cover and a lateral side of the display panel, wherein the guide frame is provided in the set cover. |
| US09237298B2 |
Digital broadcast receiving device and station selection method
A digital broadcast receiving device (100) includes: a same broadcast station determination unit (109) that determines that a broadcast station broadcasting programs with the same broadcast times as the broadcast times of programs broadcast by a selected broadcast station in a predetermined interval in program schedules included in broadcast station information stored in a broadcast station information storage unit (108) is the same broadcast station as the selected broadcast station, generates same broadcast station information associating the selected broadcast station with the broadcast station determined to be the same broadcast station, and stores the same broadcast station information in the broadcast station information storage unit (108); and a station selection control unit (107) that, when reception deterioration is detected, controls the broadcast receiving unit (112) so as to switch the broadcast station selection over to a same broadcast station as determined by the same broadcast station determination unit (109) or to a broadcast station indicated by the same broadcast station information stored in the broadcast station information storage unit (108). |
| US09237288B2 |
Signal modulating interface for a solid state electronic device
A signal modulating interface for a solid state electronic device includes an input arranged to receive a control signal from a driver arranged to control the solid state electronic device, and a signalling module connected to the input wherein the signalling module is arranged to generate a modulated control signal by eliminating unwanted triggering signal portions capable of false triggering the solid state electronic device from the control signal for transmission to the solid state electronic device. |
| US09237286B2 |
Image sensor and method for power efficient readout of sub-picture
An image sensor (1) comprising: an array (2) of pixels logically organized in rows and columns, the outputs of the pixels being connected to column lines (COLx) connectable to an array of buffers (3) via a routing block (10), the buffers being connected to an array of A/D convertors (4), the routing block (10) having a group of switches (6, 7) for reading sub-picture data, whereby the values of at least two rows of the sub-picture are distributed over the analog-to-digital-convertors before digitizing them in parallel. The entire sub-picture (21) may be digitized in one step. The routing block (10) may comprise an analog bus (9). The image sensor (1) further comprises a control circuit (8) for controlling the routing block (10) for routing pixel values on the column lines (COL) to a subset of the buffer array, the control circuit being adapted for supporting sub-pictures (21) with programmable positions and/or sizes. |
| US09237285B2 |
Solid-state image pickup device and camera system
A solid-state image pickup device including a pixel section arranged with multiple pixel circuits in matrix having functions for converting an optical signal to an electrical signal and for accumulating the electrical signal depending on an exposure time, and a pixel driving section capable of driving through a control line to reset, accumulate, transfer, and output signal electric charge of the pixel section. The pixel section may have a pixel shared structure arranged with one selection control line, one reset control line, and multiple transfer control lines, including a readout-pixel section and an unread-pixel section in its entirety. The pixel driving section includes a pixel control section where an unread-pixel is normally fixed in a reset state. When reading a readout-pixel in a shared relationship, if its address is selected or a selection signal becomes active, the unread-pixel reset-state is cancelled to turn into an unread state. |
| US09237284B2 |
Systems and methods for processing infrared images
Various techniques are provided to process infrared images. In one implementation, a method of processing infrared image data includes receiving infrared image data associated with a scene. The infrared image data comprises a plurality of pixels arranged in a plurality of rows and columns. The method also includes selecting one of the columns. The method also includes, for each pixel of the selected column, comparing the pixel to a corresponding plurality of neighborhood pixels. The method also includes, for each comparison, adjusting a first counter if the pixel of the selected column has a value greater than the compared neighborhood pixel. The method also includes, for each comparison, adjusting a second counter if the pixel of the selected column has a value less than the compared neighborhood pixel. The method also includes selectively updating a column correction term associated with the selected column based on the first and second counters. |
| US09237283B2 |
Solid-state image pickup device
In a manufacturing method of a solid-state image pickup device according to an embodiment, a transfer gate electrode is formed in a predetermined position on an upper surface of a first conductive semiconductor area, through a gate insulating film. A second conductive charge storage area is formed in an area adjacent to the transfer gate electrode in the first conductive semiconductor area. A sidewall is formed on a side surface of the transfer gate electrode. An insulating film is formed to extend from a circumference surface of the sidewall on a side of the charge storage area to a position partially covering the upper part of the charge storage area. A first conductive charge storage layer is formed in the charge storage area by implanting first conductive impurities from above, into the charge storage area which is partially covered with the insulating film. |
| US09237282B2 |
Solid-state imaging device and camera module including AD converting units for respective pixels
According to one embodiment, a solid-state imaging device includes a pixel array and AD converting unit. In the AD converting unit, a plurality of AD converts are arranged in a horizontal direction. The pixel is configured by a small pixel group. The small pixel group is formed of a plurality of small pixels. The plurality of small pixels read out the signal charges. The small pixel group includes two or more small pixels having different optical sensitivities. The solid-state imaging device includes N AD converting units. N is the number of small pixel groups which are arranged in a vertical direction at every small pixel. N is an integer of 2 or higher. |
| US09237281B2 |
Image sensor comprising plural pixels including a microlens and plural photoelectric conversion portions and image pickup apparatus comprising same
The image sensor 107 includes plural pixels each including a microlens and plural photoelectric conversion portions separated from one another with a separating zone thereamong and photoelectrically converting light fluxes passing through the microlens. The microlens includes a separating zone side lens portion overlapping the separating zone in an optical axis direction of the microlens. When the photoelectric conversion portions photoelectrically convert the light fluxes passing through mutually different areas of an exit pupil of an image capturing optical system, the separating zone side lens portion provides no power or a negative power for a light flux entering the separating zone side lens portion in the light fluxes entering the microlens. |
| US09237273B2 |
Imaging apparatus and methods for generating a guide display showing a photographing technique for approximating a composition of a subject image to that of a sample image
An imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit, a sample acquisition unit, a photographing state determination unit, a guide display generation unit and a display unit. The imaging unit acquires a subject image which is an image of a subject. The sample acquisition unit acquires a sample image. The photographing state determination unit calculates position and posture information indicative of an inclination relative to a horizontal plane and a height of the imaging unit. The guide display generation unit creates a guide display showing a method for photographing for approximating a composition of the subject image to a composition of the sample image based on the position and posture information. The display unit displays the guide display. |
| US09237272B2 |
Imaging apparatus and method for displaying captured image with different colors associated with distances
An imaging apparatus which is effective to make it easier to manually adjust a focus is provided. An imaging apparatus has: a display unit; an image capturing unit configured to capture a subject image which is formed on an imaging plane and to output image data; a distance information obtaining unit configured to obtain distance information of a single subject or each of a plurality of subjects in the image data; and a display controller configured to display an image on the display unit. The display controller is configured to associate a plurality of different colors respectively with a plurality of areas partitioned according to distances from the imaging apparatus, determine based on the distance information to which one of the plurality of areas each subject corresponds, and display on the display unit each captured subject with the color associated with the area corresponding to the each captured subject. |
| US09237268B2 |
Information processing system, information processing apparatus and method
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus by which image data can be downloaded simply. A video camera 11 receives thumbnail images corresponding to one or more images included in an album from a video camera image station 41 and displays the thumbnail images on an LCD unit. If one or more images to be downloaded are selected, then the video camera 11 acquires image information of the selected image or images from a video camera image station 41, analyzes the image information and discriminates it one by one image whether or not the selected image data are downloadable. Every time one image is discriminated to be downloadable, the video camera 11 accesses a corresponding URL designated for each image, downloads the image from the URL and records the image onto a recording medium. The video camera 11 successively downloads the selected images in this manner. |
| US09237267B2 |
Imaging systems, moving bodies, and imaging control methods for remote monitoring of a moving target
To provide a new framework that can flexibly take images of a moving target in remote monitoring without the need to arrange a plurality of network cameras, an autonomously movable moving body is used to take an image of a photographic target in accordance with a request from a user terminal, and the photographic image is provided to the user terminal. The moving body includes: a position estimating unit that acquires, from a wireless tag reader, a radio field intensity of wireless communication with a wireless tag held by the photographic target to estimate a position of the photographic target based on the acquired radio field intensity; a movement control unit that controls the movement of the moving body so that the moving body moves to the estimated position as a destination; and an imaging unit that takes an image of the photographic target when the moving body is located near the destination, associates the photographic image with a wireless tag ID designated by the request, and transmits the photographic image to an apparatus outside the moving body. |
| US09237265B2 |
Interchangeable lens
According to an aspect of the present invention, the camera body can switch the present version, which is an original version, to specifications of an older version. Thus, even if the present versions of the camera body and the interchangeable lens doe not have compatibility, if an old version has compatibility, a minimum operation can be ensured by the specifications of the old version without updating the firmware, although the functions may have possibility of being restricted. |
| US09237259B2 |
Summating temporally-matched frames in 3D-based video denoising
In one system embodiment, an overlapped block processing module configured to provide three-dimensional (3D) denoising of plural frames corresponding to a raw video sequence; and a frame alignment module configured to represent the raw video sequence with motion compensated frames corresponding to the raw video sequence, the motion compensated frames consisting of the plural frames and fewer in quantity than the quantity of frames of the raw video sequence, the plural frames based on prior temporally matched frames corresponding to the raw video sequence. |