| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US09265765B2 |
7-benzyl-10-(2-methylbenzyl)-2,6,7,8,9,10-hexahydroimidazo[1,2-A]pyrido[4,3-D]pyrimidin-5(3H)-one, salts thereof and methods of using the same in combination therapy
This disclosure relates, at least in part, to a method of treatment. In one embodiment, the method of treatment comprises administering to a subject in need of such treatment a first therapeutic agent including compound (1): or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof in combination with a second therapeutic agent, wherein the first therapeutic agent and the second therapeutic agent are administered either simultaneously or sequentially. |
| US09265764B2 |
Uses of chemicals to modulate GSK-3 signaling for treatment of bipolar disorder and other brain disorders
Aspects of this invention are related, at least in part, to the use of chemical compounds able to inhibit GSK-3 and/or to stabilize β-catenin and formulations thereof. Some aspects of this invention relate to compositions comprising such compounds. Some aspects of the invention provide methods of using such compounds and/or compositions in the treatment of subjects having a neurological disease and/or psychiatric disorder. Some aspects of this invention provide methods of using ruboxistaurin, enzastaurin, sunitinib, midostaurin, lestaurtinib, 7-hydroxystaurosporine, and/or Chir99021 in the treatment of subjects having a neurological disease and/or psychiatric disorder. In some embodiments, compounds are administered in combination with Lithium. |
| US09265762B2 |
Stable pharmaceutical compositions comprising a pyrimidine-sulfamide
The invention relates to stable pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compound of the below formula, or pharmaceutically acceptable salts, solvates, hydrates or morphological forms thereof. |
| US09265761B2 |
Compositions and methods for treating purpura
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to compositions and methods for the treatment of purpura. Preferred compositions comprise an α adrenergic receptor agonist selected from selective α1 adrenergic receptor agonist, selective α2 adrenergic receptor agonist, non-selective α1/α2 adrenergic receptor agonist, agents with α2 adrenergic receptor agonist activity and combinations thereof, in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier in order to treat and improve the cosmetic appearance of hemorrhagic (purpuric) lesions in the skin. |
| US09265760B2 |
Treating pain in patients with hepatic impairment
An extended release composition for an analgesic active pharmaceutical ingredient which may be an opioid, preferably hydrocodone as the only active ingredient. The extended release composition preferably comprises a extended release composition which may be in the form of beads contained in an oral dosage form such as gelatin capsules. The composition is designed to release hydrocodone in a way such that the increase in hydrocodone exposure in hepatically impaired patients is not clinically significant. The oral dosage units are supplied as part of a kit, which also includes a primary package and a package insert all sold as a commercially marketed product. The primary package and package insert are contained in an optional secondary package and the package insert does not contain a warning, a dosing instruction, or a dosing table specifically directed to patients suffering from mild, moderate or severe hepatic impairment, and preferably explicitly states that dosing adjustment is not required for mild or moderate hepatic impairment. |
| US09265758B2 |
Methods for treating disorders or diseases associated with hyperlipidemia and hypercholesterolemia while minimizing side-effects
The present invention provides methods and compositions for treating hyperlipidemia and/or hypercholesterolemia comprising administering to the subject an effective amount of an MTP inhibitor to inhibit hyperlipidemia and/or hypercholesterolemia in said subject, wherein said administration comprises an escalating series of doses of the MTP inhibitor. In some embodiments the method comprises administering at least three step-wise, increasing dosages of the MTP inhibitor to the subject. In some embodiments, the method further comprises the administration of one or more other lipid modifying compounds. |
| US09265757B2 |
Methods of administering antihistamines
Methods of using combinations of antihistamines by administering an attenuated dosage amount of a first generation antihistamine for a quick onset concomitantly with a maintenance dosage amount of a second or third generation antihistamine are disclosed. |
| US09265756B2 |
Crystalline forms of grapiprant
The present disclosure provides a crystalline form of grapiprant selected from the group consisting of Form X, Form X2, Form X3, Form F, Form K, Form L, Form M, and Form N. Also provided is a pharmaceutical composition, the composition comprising at least one crystalline form of grapiprant, and at least one pharmaceutically acceptable excipient, wherein the crystalline form of grapiprant is selected from the group consisting of Form X, Form X2, Form X3, Form F, Form K, Form L, Form M, and Form N. Other aspects of the disclosure provide a process for preparing a substantially pure crystalline Form A of grapiprant. The process comprises contacting grapiprant at ambient temperature with a solvent comprising dichloromethane and acetone to form a saturated or a near saturated solution. Crystals of the substantially pure crystalline Form A of grapiprant are formed. |
| US09265749B2 |
Methods for the treatment of systemic disorders treatable with mast cell stabilizers, including mast cell related disorders
Methods for the treatment of systemic disorders treatable with mast cell stabilizers, including mast cell related disorders, are provided. |
| US09265746B2 |
Method for cell-specific targeting
Method for selective targeting of one or more effector moiety such as diagnostic or a therapeutic agent to a cell or population of cells expressing a folate-receptor comprising simultaneous or sequential administration of an antifolate with a folate- or pteroate-conjugate comprising said one or more effector moiety. |
| US09265743B2 |
Agent for inducing the synthesis of heat-shock proteins in human and animal cells
An agent induces heat shock protein in human and animal cells. The agent includes at least one phenol compound that is a cinnamic acid derivative and at least one nonionic surfactant. The agent is useful in cosmetic preparations, food supplements and foodstuffs. |
| US09265742B2 |
Compositions and methods for treating inflammatory pain
The present specification discloses pharmaceutical compositions, methods of preparing such pharmaceutical compositions, and methods and uses of treating a chronic inflammation and/or an inflammatory disease in an individual using such pharmaceutical compositions. |
| US09265736B2 |
Treatment of cardiovascular disease and thrombosis
Provided herein are compositions for the treatment and/or prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD), and methods of application and use thereof. In particular, the present invention provides treatment and/or prevention of cardiovascular disease with 3,3-dimethyl-1-butanol (DMB) and related compounds, and pharmaceutical formulations thereof. In other embodiments, the present invention provides methods of administering a gut flora targeting antibiotic to a subject prior to a procedure that is associated with a risk of causing thrombosis, heart-attack, and/or platelet hyper-responsiveness. |
| US09265734B2 |
Compositions including 6-aminohexanoic acid derivatives as HDAC inhibitors
This invention relates to compounds of Formula (I) wherein Cy1, L1, Y, R1, L2, and Ar2 are defined herein, for the treatment of cancers, inflammatory disorders, and neurological conditions. |
| US09265732B2 |
Dosage forms for administering combinations of drugs
The present invention is directed to dosage forms that can be used in therapeutic methods involving the oral co-administration of a combination of at least two drugs, one of which impairs gastrointestinal absorption and one of which does not. The dosage forms are designed so that the drug impairing absorption is not released into the gastrointestinal tract of a patient until after the drugs that do not impair absorption have been released and substantially absorbed. The invention may be used in treatment of migraine using a combination of triptans and NSAIDs or in the treatment of pain using a combination of NSAIDs and opioid analgesics. |
| US09265731B2 |
Drying of drug-containing particles
A secondary drying process is disclosed for removing residual solvent from drug-containing particles that have been formed by solvent-based processes, the secondary drying process utilizing a combination of vacuum, agitation, and a stripping gas. |
| US09265727B1 |
Spray foam corticosteroid product
A foamable pharmaceutical composition and a method of treating corticosteroid-responsive dermatoses of the skin are disclosed. The foamable pharmaceutical composition comprises a corticosteroid compound as an active ingredient; a quick-break foaming agent including an aliphatic alcohol, water, a fatty alcohol and a surface active agent; a buffering agent; and a propellant. The foamable composition is disposed within a pressurizable container that comprises an aerosol valve assembly including a dip tube communicating with a valve orifice through which the foamable composition is dispensed and an actuator to start and stop dispensation. The valve assembly dispenses a conically-shaped spray at a rate of about 2 to about 0.3 g/sec and provides a foam having a density of about 0.12 to about 0.25 when sprayed at a distance of about 5 to about 10 cm from the valve orifice onto a glass surface that is at ambient room temperature. |
| US09265717B1 |
Compositions comprising catalase-peroxidase and methods for altering the color of hair
Disclosed are compositions and methods for controlling or slowing down the coloration of keratin fibers such as hair involving providing compositions comprising coconut water which contains catalase-peroxidase and at least one antioxidant, wherein the pH of the composition is from about 2 to about 6. |
| US09265715B2 |
Sunscreen compositions
Compositions comprising an organic sunscreen in combination with (i) nylon particles, (ii) silica particles, and (iii) barium sulfate particles provide an improvement in SPF as compared to an otherwise identical composition lacking any one of the three ingredients (i)-(iii). The compositions advantageously provide high diffuse transmittance, giving a natural look to the skin. |
| US09265714B2 |
Cleansing composition comprising a cationic and nonionic surfactant mixture
An aqueous cleansing composition comprising a cationic surfactant, a nonionic surfactant, and a thickener comprising an alkoxylated methyl glucose ether, wherein a weight ratio of cationic surfactant to nonionic surfactant is greater than 0.9:1. The combination of the cationic:nonionic surfactant ratio with the alkoxylated methyl glucose ether thickener provides the composition with cold weather stability. Cold weather stability is observed when the composition remains transparent after cold storage. |
| US09265713B2 |
Cosmetic compositions having long lasting shine
The present invention is directed to a cosmetic composition containing: a) a block copolymer; b) a primary tackifier; c) a high viscosity ester; d) an alkoxylated mixed polyester; e) a wax; f) a solvent; and g) optionally, a colorant. The invention is also directed to a method of making up keratinous substrates involving applying onto the keratinous substrates said composition. |
| US09265712B2 |
Adhesive dental bleaching compositions containing polyvinylpyrrolidone
A dental bleaching composition comprises a dental bleaching agent, polyvinylpyrrolidone, and at least 0.1% water. The bleaching composition may include a liquid component, flavoring agent, basic substance, and/or desensitizing agent as desired. Polyvinylpyrrolidone avoids acid etching and chelation of teeth that were problematic in bleaches using carbomer as a thickener. A delivery system for delivering the bleaching composition comprises the aforementioned dental bleaching composition in combination with a moisture-resistant barrier layer such as a dental tray or a flexible strip of material. |
| US09265707B2 |
Cosmetic composition comprising coumestrol or a bean extract containing coumestrol for skin care
The present invention relates to a cosmetic composition for skin care, comprising coumestrol or a bean extract containing coumestrol. |
| US09265701B2 |
Highly lustrous silver-colored pigments with high opacity and metallic appearance, process for the preparation thereof and use of same
A silver-colored pigment is provided having a nonmetallic platelet-shaped substrate and at least one ilmenite-containing coating, wherein the nonmetallic platelet-shaped substrate is a nonmetallic platelet-shaped synthetic substrate and the amount of iron compounds, calculated as elemental iron, in the pigment is less than 5.0 % by weight, based on the total weight of the pigment. Processes for preparing the pigment also are provided. |
| US09265700B2 |
Method for the preparation of coloured cosmetic powder products for use on the skin of the eyes, face and body
The present invention relates to a new method for the production of coloured cosmetic powders having a solid and creamy consistency for use on the skin of the eyes, face and body, to the powders of a solid and creamy consistency obtained with said production method and to their use as a cosmetic. |
| US09265699B2 |
Gravity feeding device
A gravity fed infant feeding device is disclosed. The gravity feeding device may have a cover with a through hole that allows liquid nutrients within the infant feeding device to be fed to an infant by way of gravity. If the infant feeding device clogs up, then either an integrated pump or a separate pump may be applied to the infant feeding device to increase pressure and push out the clog from the system. the through hole may be covered with a hydrophobic filter to allow air to pass there through and allow the feeding of the infant by way of gravity yet liquid nutrients within the infant feeding device cannot escape or be contaminated during use. |
| US09265695B1 |
Medication recording device
Described is a medication recording device for optically enhancing the view of markings on the device. The device includes a bottle cap for connection with a prescription container. Markings indicative of at least one of a time and date are connected with the bottle cap. A prescription recording magnifier (such as a lens) is connected with the bottle cap and positioned over the markings such that the markings can be viewed through the prescription recording magnifier to optically enlarge the markings. This allows a larger portion the population with visual impairment to take advantage of new advances in home medication monitoring. Additionally, the medication recording device can be thrilled to include two lenses, where both lenses that are thrilled or shaped such that the viewing focal point of both lenses converge to a single focal point. |
| US09265684B2 |
Desk and recovery system
The invention features a desk and recovery system that affords the user the ability to avoid stress and strain on the user's back, head and neck. The system features an upper body support featuring a torso or chest support which receives the stomach of the user for face-down support or face-down recovery. Adjustable arms are provided for an entertainment system, such as keyboard and monitor. The torso or chest, knee and buttocks supports can tilt, rotate and are height adjustable. |
| US09265680B2 |
Surgical table
A surgical table including a central bottom portion is provided. The surgical table includes at least one first wheel adjacent a first end of the table, at least one second wheel adjacent a second end of the table, and a first stabilizing bar connected to the first wheel and the second wheel. The stabilizing bar is movably connected to the central bottom portion. The stabilizing bar is configured for coordinated movement of the wheels. |
| US09265678B2 |
Modular patient care enclosure
A patient enclosure, comprised of at least two spaced-apart side walls, a top wall, and a front wall, the side walls, the top wall, and the front wall defining a predetermined area surrounding a location where a patient is positionable. At least one of the walls has a panel of electrochromic glass that is switchable between a clear state, an opaque state and a reflective (mirrored) state. UV radiators are provided within the area of the enclosure. An air circulation system is provided for circulating air through the area defined by the enclosure. A controller controls the UV radiators and the air circulation system. The controller is programmed to create one of a higher pressure or a lower pressure within the area as compared to the environment surrounding the enclosure. |
| US09265677B2 |
Hospital chair beds with stowable stand-assist supports
Embodiments of the invention are directed to hospital beds that are convertible to side egress chair beds and include a pair of spaced stand-assist supports pivotally attached to the base frame so that when the patient support surface is in the side-egress chair configuration, the stand-assist supports are configured to reside upwardly above and on opposing sides of the scat panel with a respective upper portion thereof providing a handle for a patient. |
| US09265676B2 |
Device for carrying articles on a personal mobility vehicle
This invention relates to a multi-purpose article carrier for a personal mobility vehicle, such as a motorized mobility scooter or other powered mobility vehicle, of the type used to transport a disabled person. The present invention provides a light weight, easily installed and removable means whereby the user can easily and temporarily expand the carrying capacity of the personal mobility vehicle. The present invention does not appreciably add to the wind resistance, does not damage the vehicle, and is easy to drive and maneuver, since no portion of the device touches the ground while the vehicle is moving, and is easy to store when not in use. |
| US09265670B2 |
Method and device for producing disposable worn article
A method includes: a severing step of successively producing a plurality of panels from a continuous web; an interval-increasing step of increasing an interval in width direction between a pair of panels, adjacent to each other in flow direction; a receiving step of receiving the panels by first and second rollers at first and second receiving positions, which are separated from each other in flow direction, wherein the first and second rollers for receiving the panels are placed so that axial lines of the first and second rollers are placed offset from each other in flow direction of the panels; and a placement step for placing the panels, from the rollers at first and second hand-over positions which are separated from each other in flow direction, onto opposite side portions of a body portion at the same position in the longitudinal direction of the body portion. |
| US09265669B2 |
Absorbent article having fully encircling bodyside and garment-side waistband
An absorbent article having a body-facing side and a garment-facing side generally comprises a chassis, a liquid permeable bodyside liner, an absorbent structure, a front bodyside waist elastic member, a rear bodyside waist elastic member, a front garment-side waist elastic member, and a rear garment-side waist elastic member. The chassis has a front waist region, a back waist region, and a crotch region extending between the front waist region and the back waist region. The front and rear bodyside waist elastic members are disposed on the body-facing side of the absorbent article, and the front and rear garment-side waist elastic members are disposed on the garment-facing side of the absorbent article. At least one of the garment-side waist elastic members and the bodyside waist elastic members are configured to fully extend around a waist opening of the absorbent article when the absorbent article is in the wear configuration. |
| US09265655B2 |
Punctum plug insertion device and device packaging
A punctum dilating and plug inserting system includes an inserter and a protective cover defining a dilator. The inserter includes a longitudinal body, and a handle. The handle has a rounded stationary member and a trigger rotatably connected to the handle by a living hinge. A mounting wire extends through the body and is connected to the trigger. When the trigger is activated, the wire is retracted and a plug mounted on a distal end of the wire is released. A packaging is provided for receiving, protecting, and handling at least a portion of the entire inserter until ready for use. An end of the packaging includes a dilator dip for dilating the punctum in advance of receiving the punctum plug. |
| US09265650B2 |
Method of inserting an implant into a cavity in a periosteum region
A method for inserting an implant into a cavity in a periosteum region of a patient's palate. The method includes cutting the periosteum region with a sharp surgical tool to create a cavity, inserting a distal end of a sleeve comprising a substantially flat pouch and an implant housed within the substantially flat pouch into the cavity, and pulling a handle extending proximally from the sleeve in a proximal direction while holding a stylet disposed with the handle in a fixed contact with the implant, thus deploying the implant inside the cavity. |
| US09265646B2 |
Orthotic device for treating knee flexion contracture
A double upright knee brace for treating knee flexion contracture includes upper and lower sections, each section having a pair of leg members and an anteriorly disposed integral thigh and shin cuff. A pair of hinges is intermediately positioned to the upper and lower sections. Notches formed in the upper and lower sections provide a catch for a pair of elastic bands, one each deployed on opposed sides of the knee brace, which provide a gait swing assist mechanism for the brace. A multitude of adjustable straps are deployed on both the anterior and posterior sides of the brace. A pair of air bladders, one deployed posteriorly below the knee and one deployed anteriorly above the knee, provide posterior-anterior mobilization when a patient wears the brace, stands up and ambulates. A pair of inner air bladders mounted on inner surfaces of the hinges stabilizes the knee joint. |
| US09265645B2 |
Orthotic device and method for securing the same
An orthotic device includes a frame having a first shell defining front and rear surfaces, and extending longitudinally into the anterior and posterior sides of the brace. A tightening mechanism is mounted onto the first shell, and has a ratchet strap located along the rear surface of the first shell and a ratchet device mounted on the front surface of the first shell. An elongate tensioning device having a first end portion is connected to the ratchet strap. |
| US09265644B2 |
Wearable device
A wearable device includes a unitary first frame assembly which is integrally formed from first and second polymeric materials. The first frame assembly has a first frame portion formed by the first polymeric material and extends around part of a second frame portion formed by the second polymeric material. The first frame member includes a flexible first shell and a first connecting portion which depends from the first shell. The second frame portion forms part of the first shell and continuously extends to the first connecting portion without interruption. The second polymeric material has greater rigidity than the first polymeric material. The device also includes a second frame assembly having a second connecting portion which links to the first connecting portion. |
| US09265640B2 |
Conforming anchor for duodenal barrier
An apparatus comprises a sleeve, a seal, and an anchor assembly. The sleeve is flexible and non-permeable and is configured to fit in a duodenum. The seal is positioned at the proximal end of the sleeve and is configured to seal the proximal end of the sleeve against the stomach mucosa, the pylorus, or the duodenum mucosa. The anchor assembly comprises a pair of atraumatic anchor ends and a resilient member positioned between the anchor ends. At least a portion of the resilient member extends along at least a portion of the length of the sleeve. The resilient member is configured to bias the anchor ends generally toward each other, to thereby substantially anchor the sleeve in the duodenum. The sleeve is configured to prevent chyme from contacting the mucosa of the duodenum; and to prevent enzymes excreted in the duodenum from mixing with chyme in the duodenum. |
| US09265639B2 |
Stent loading and delivery device having a loading basket lock mechanism
A stent loading and delivery system, the delivery system comprising an inner elongate tubular member having a proximal end and a distal end, an intermediate elongate tubular member having a proximal end and a distal end in sliding relationship to said inner elongate tubular member and an external elongate tubular member having a proximal end and a distal end in sliding relationship to said intermediate elongate tubular member, said intermediate elongate tubular member comprising a stop mechanism at its proximal end, wherein the stop mechanism prevents the external elongate tubular member from being slid past the stop mechanism when the external elongate tubular member is slid in a proximal direction. |
| US09265638B2 |
One-piece stent implanter
The invention discloses a one-piece stent implanter, including a front handle and a rear handle; the front end of the front handle is provided with an outer pipe whose top is flexibly connected with a cautery tip, the outer pipe is internally provided with a middle pipe and a stent; the rear handle includes a stainless steel pipe for supporting and an inner pipe positioned in the stainless steel pipe, the top of the inner pipe is fixedly connected to the cautery tip; one end of the middle pipe is mutually touched and connected with one end of the stent, while the other end of the middle pipe is mutually connected with the stainless steel pipe; one end of the stent is close to the cautery tip, with a certain gap kept; when the front handle is retreated along the stainless steel pipe, the outer pipe simultaneously retreats and separates from the cautery tip, positions of the middle pipe and the rear handle remain unchanged, and the stent is automatically released. The invention wherein the stent can be directly implanted into a nidus organ incised and an access from the outside to the nidus organ is established, so that other medical apparatuses and instruments can be continuingly used for removal (including other surgeries) of infectious agents or necrotic tissues, thus increasing comprehensiveness of surgeries and avoiding patients from suffering from repeated operations. |
| US09265637B2 |
Rapid exchange stent delivery system
Stent delivery systems and methods for making and using stent delivery systems are disclosed. An example stent delivery system may include a guide member having a proximal portion and a distal portion. A stent may be disposed about the distal portion of the guide member. The stent may have a wall having an opening formed therein. A pusher member may be disposed about the guide member and positioned proximal of the stent. A holding filament may be disposed at the opening and may extend to the proximal portion of the guide member. The holding filament may be configured to releasably secure the position of the stent relative to the pusher member. The holding filament may be releasable from the stent independently of movement of the guide member. |
| US09265636B2 |
Twisted stent
A stent is disclosed and can include a stent body having a longitudinal axis. The stent body can also have a network of struts that can define a plurality of cells defined between interconnected struts. Each of the plurality of cells includes a major axis that is angled with respect to the longitudinal axis to form a cell angle, β. |
| US09265632B2 |
Methods of supporting a vein
Methods of supporting a vein, featuring deforming a vein support while being mounted on the vein. Such deformation may be sufficient to impose thereupon a plastic deformation that alters a length of the vein support, from a pre-deformation relaxed length to a post-deformation relaxed length different than the pre-deformation relaxed length. Following the plastic deformation, the vein support may maintain a new shape relative to a longitudinal axis thereof. |
| US09265626B1 |
Height-adjustable threaded shock absorbing module and associated coupling member
Systems and apparatuses are provided comprising a prosthetic foot, a shock absorbing module and a coupling member for operably connecting the prosthetic foot to the shock absorbing module. The prosthetic foot can include an upper member connected to a lower member, wherein the upper member includes an upper attachment portion for attaching to the coupling member. The coupling member can include one or more holes for receiving an epoxy filling to secure the coupling member to the upper attachment portion of the prosthetic foot. The shock absorbing member can include a threaded portion that is mateable with an inner threaded section of the coupling member, thereby allowing height adjustability of the shock absorbing member. |
| US09265625B2 |
Jointed mechanical devices
A jointed mechanical device is provided. The device includes at least one element (204) having a fixed end and a deflectable end. The device also includes at least one actuating structure (206) having a first end coupled to at least the deflectable end of the element, where the actuating structure includes at least one elastic element (214) in series with at least one non-elastic element. The device further includes at least one force actuator (202) configured to apply an actuator force to a second end of the actuating structure. Additionally, the device includes a control system (315) for adjusting an operation of the force actuator based at least one actuation input, an amount of the actuator force, and an amount of displacement generated by the force actuator. |
| US09265618B2 |
Intervertebral disc prosthesis and instrumentation for insertion of the prosthesis between the vertebrae
The present invention relates to an intervertebral disc prosthesis and insertion instrumentation, the prosthesis comprising at least first and second osseous anchoring means, the first osseous anchoring means disposed proximal to the periphery of the plate on which it is situated and the second osseous anchoring means being offset along the antero-posterior axis, the second osseous anchoring means comprising a basal portion and a sharp-edged portion of width narrower than the basal portion. The instrumentation comprises a rod fitted with at least two feet forming a clip and sliding in a tube, sliding the rod in the tube, in the direction of the manipulation end, causing closing of the clip by contact between the exterior of the feet and a truncated portion of the tube and sliding the rod in the tube, in the direction of the prehension end, causing opening of the clip by contact between an axis and the interior of the feet of the rod. |
| US09265617B2 |
Prosthesis for cervical and lumbar spine
The present invention relates to an intervertebral disc prosthesis for the total replacement of an intervertebral disc of the cervical or lumbar spine. The prosthesis provided by the invention is intended for coupled physiological motion within the disc space. The design of the disclosed prosthesis is based on an inlay positioned within the articulation area of two adjacent sliding partners and provides the advantage of comprising a ball and socket shaped articulation area, which enables limitation of rotation around the sagittal, frontal and longitudinal axis. The inlay is protected against luxation due to its position within a recess of one of the adjacent sliding partners. An additional protuberance going through the inlay is protecting against luxation of the adjacent sliding. |
| US09265612B1 |
Hip implant with porous body
A hip implant having two distinct bodies, a neck body and a bone fixation body. The neck body is formed from a solid metal and has an interface for connecting to a femoral ball. The bone fixation body has an elongated shape and is formed as a porous structure that is inserted into an intramedullary canal of a patient. |
| US09265611B2 |
Partial joint resurfacing implant, instrumentation, and method
A partial resurfacing implant for use in repairing an articular cartilage defect site that includes a top articulating portion having a top surface that is configured with at least one radius of curvature to approximate the surface contour of the articular cartilage surrounding the defect site. The implant also includes a supporting plate that has a top surface and a bottom surface. The top surface is attached to the top articulating portion by a locking mechanism. The bottom surface of the supporting plate is constructed to facilitate the insertion of the implant into the defect site. Extending from the bottom surface of the supporting plate is at least one implant fixation portion. The at least one implant fixation portion is integrally connected to and is oriented about normal relative to the bottom surface. A method of repairing an articular cartilage defect with the partial joint resurfacing implant is also disclosed. |
| US09265608B2 |
Implant having multiple rotational assemblies
An annuloplasty ring is secured around an annulus of a heart valve of a subject by securing an anterior-configured portion of the annuloplasty ring, a posterior-configured portion of the annuloplasty ring, a first commissural portion of the annuloplasty ring, and a second commissural portion of the annuloplasty ring, to respective portion of the annulus. Subsequently, and while the heart is beating, the first commissural portion of the annuloplasty ring is moved inferiorly downwardly with respect to another portion of the annuloplasty ring by rotating a respective first adjusting mechanism of the annuloplasty ring structure, and the second commissural portion of the annuloplasty ring is moved inferiorly downwardly with respect to the other portion of the annuloplasty by rotating a respective second adjusting mechanism of the annuloplasty ring structure. Other embodiments are also described. |
| US09265606B2 |
Cardiac valve support structure
Cardiac valve supports and their methods of use. |
| US09265600B2 |
Graft fixation
A system for graft fixation including ACL graft reconstruction and fixation is presented. The system may comprise a loop fixation device for retaining a tissue graft. The loop fixation device may comprise a graft retention portion and a cortical fixation portion to allow the loop fixation device to rest on the cortical portion of a bone. A tissue graft may pass through a bone tunnel and engage the loop fixation device preventing withdraw of the tissue graft back through the bone tunnel. The system may also include graft fixation within a bone tunnel using a sleeve, or tube construct, with a fixation member, or screw, to engage a tissue graft within the sleeve. |
| US09265597B2 |
Local vascular delivery of probucol in combination with sirolimus
Medical devices, and in particular implantable medical devices, may be coated with any number of biocompatible materials. Therapeutic drugs, agents or compounds may be mixed with the biocompatible materials and affixed to at least a portion of the medical device. These therapeutic drugs, agents or compounds may also further reduce a biological organism's reaction to the introduction of the medical device to the organism. In addition, these therapeutic drugs, agents and/or compounds may be utilized to promote healing, including the formation of blood clots. Also, the devices may be modified to promote endothelialization. Various materials and coating methodologies may be utilized to maintain the drugs, agents or compounds on the medical device until delivered and positioned. In addition, various polymer combinations may be utilized to control the elution rates of the therapeutic drugs, agents and/or compounds from the implantable medical devices. |
| US09265596B2 |
Anchors with open heads
An implant (100) includes a protrusion (110) with an open or rounded loop (112) (or open head) connected to a collapsible anchor. The protrusion may include a straight length of wire (114) or a helical length wire, with one or more wire loops (112) at the end of the length forming the loop. Upon deployment within the gastrointestinal tract, the protrusion expands from a collapsed state, alongside the anchor, to a relaxed state, in which the protrusion extends outward from the anchor. As the protrusion expands to its relaxed state, it pushes the loop into the wall of the duodenum, causing the loop to penetrate the duodenal wall. A pocket of scar tissue forms about the head and possibly through an opening in the head, securing the anchor within the duodenum. The implant may also include a thin-walled sleeve that is coupled to the anchor and extended from the anchor into the intestine. |
| US09265595B2 |
Hernia repair device and method
A hernia repair device includes a surgical mesh configured to extend across a tissue defect and a plurality of filament loops coupled to the surgical mesh toward an outer periphery thereof. A tissue retracting member is slidably disposed about each of the filament loops. Each tissue retracting member is configured for slidable movement about the filament loop between a first position, wherein the tissue retracting member is spaced-apart from the surgical mesh, and a second position, wherein the tissue retracting member is positioned adjacent the surgical mesh to facilitate the retraction of tissue surrounding the tissue defect. |
| US09265594B2 |
Dispensing device for a dental substance and method of making such a device
This disclosure is directed, inter alia, a method of making a dispensing device for dispensing a substance comprising a step of providing a mold having a mold space for receiving a solidifyable material. The method further comprises steps of providing a valve member having a first portion formed between first and second areas of an outer surface of the valve member; placing the valve member into the mold space such that at the first area is isolated from the mold space and at least part of the second area is within the mold space; displacing the first portion at least partially relative to another portion of the valve member; and solidifying the material in the mold space and thereby fixing the displaced first portion in place. In one embodiment, the method helps minimizing manufacturing costs and maximizing shelf life of a device filled with substance. |
| US09265592B2 |
Clamping device
A clamping device (1) for a machine tool (2) for machining at least one dental workpiece (3), wherein the clamping device (1) has at least one workpiece carrier (4) for accommodating the dental workpiece (3) during machining, wherein at least one tool holder (5) for holding at least one, preferably a plurality of cutting tools (6) for machining the dental workpiece (3) is arranged, preferably fixedly, on the workpiece carrier (4), and the workpiece carrier (4) and the tool holder (5) are fastened or fastenable together as one component on a carrier of the clamping device (1) in an exchangeable manner by a fastening device (7) that is non-destructively releasable, preferably without a tool. |
| US09265591B1 |
Dental prosthesis alignment apparatus
A dental prosthetic alignment mechanism that simultaneously corrects all vertical, parallel and angular misalignments between several abutments and their matching substructure coping sleeves suitable for a multi-implant prosthesis. Upon tightening the abutment retaining screw cylindrical segments are forced outward and into locking alignment with the angled or misaligned coping sleeve without the need for additional laboratory procedures such as cutting and welding to correct the undercase. |
| US09265588B2 |
Patterned visualization of electrophysiological data
A system and method for graphically depicting a desired region for a treatment instrument with respect to a patient is disclosed. In performing the method, different types of electrophysiological data of the patient are obtained. The different types of electrophysiological data are combined to provide a graphical depiction that indicates the desired region for the treatment instrument. |
| US09265580B2 |
Specimen observation, collection, storage and preservation devices and methods of use
The devices and methods taught in this disclosure are directed to facilitate the observation, collection, transportation, storage, and preservation of specimens possibly containing DNA, said specimens potentially constituting evidence of sexual assault. The devices and methods described further allow for a means of minimizing the possibility of specimen contamination, dilution, or degradation during the collection and storage processes. The disclosed devices may contain electrical components that provide for the generation and recordation of information (specifically, times, dates, and locations) related to circumstances surrounding the collection of such specimens. This information may serve as evidence corroborating the circumstance of specimen collection, it may help to maintain a known and identifiable Chain of Custody (CoC), and it may additionally be used for unique device identification (UDI), inventory control, and current procedural terminology (CPT) coding purposes. |
| US09265579B2 |
Packaging for an object and set comprising such packaging
A package (1) for an object such as a preferably-sterile medical component, includes: a support element (2) provided with elements (21) for coupling the object (5); a stopper (3) that can be coupled to the support element (2) in such a manner as to define a first chamber (7) for containing the object (5), and such that a grip portion (20) of the support element (2) projects from the stopper (3); and a cover (4) that can be coupled to the stopper (3) in such a manner as to define a second chamber (8) inside which the grip portion (20) of the support element (2) extends, and such that a portion (30) of the stopper (3) coupled to the support element (2) projects from the cover (4). |
| US09265571B2 |
Surgical forceps
A forceps includes an end effector assembly having first and second jaw members. Each of the jaw members includes a proximal flange extending therefrom. Each of the proximal flanges defines a bifurcated configuration having first and second spaced-apart flange components. The first flange component of the first jaw member is configured to pivotably engage the second flange component of the second jaw member via a first protrusion-aperture coupling. The first flange component of the second jaw member is configured to pivotably engage the second flange component of the first jaw member via a second protrusion-aperture coupling different from the first protrusion-aperture coupling. One or both of the jaw members is pivotable relative to the other about the first and second protrusion-aperture couplings between a spaced-apart position and an approximated position for grasping tissue therebetween. |
| US09265570B2 |
Electrosurgical tissue sealer and cutter
A surgical instrument comprises an end effector including a pair of jaw members configured to move with respect to one another between an open configuration and a closed configuration for clamping tissue. At least one jaw member includes an elongate cam slot extending in a longitudinal direction over a substantial a length a tissue clamping surface of the at least one jaw member. A plurality of electrically isolated, and longitudinally spaced electrodes is supported by the tissue clamping surface and is configured to deliver electrosurgical energy to tissue. A reciprocating member engages the elongate cam slot and is extendable to a sealing position with respect to each of the electrodes to define a predetermined gap distance between a particular electrode and an opposing tissue clamping surface. |
| US09265569B2 |
Method of manufacturing an electrosurgical forceps
A method for manufacturing a jaw assembly configured for use with an electrosurgical forceps is provided. A seal plate with an inwardly facing tab member extending along a peripheral edge thereof is formed. A cavity defined along the inwardly facing tab member of the seal plate is formed. Subsequently, the seal plate is overmolded to a jaw housing. The cavity is configured to receive an insulative substrate therein to facilitate securing the seal plate to the jaw housing. |
| US09265568B2 |
Destruction of vessel walls for energy-based vessel sealing enhancement
An end effector assembly for use with an electrosurgical instrument is provided. The end effector assembly includes a pair of opposing jaw members configured to grasp tissue therebetween, at least one jaw member adapted to connect to a source of electrosurgical energy to seal tissue disposed between jaw members during a sealing process. At least one of the jaw members includes an activator configured to selectively impart mechanical perturbations to the at least one jaw member during the sealing process. |
| US09265567B2 |
Vessel sealing instrument with stepped jaw
A vessel sealer has a stepped jaw that allows the jaw to have an overall shape and a width that provides desired strength, shape, and functionality while permitting a smaller raised portion to apply the sealing pressure. The smaller area applying the sealing pressure allows an actuating mechanism to apply a clinically desired sealing pressure without exceeding the force or torque limitations of the actuating mechanism and can limit thermal spread during a sealing procedure. |
| US09265566B2 |
Surgical instrument
A surgical instrument includes a housing and an elongated shaft having a distal portion and a proximal portion coupled to the housing. The elongated shaft defines a longitudinal axis and a mandrel at the proximal portion. An inner shaft member extends at least partially through the elongated shaft. An actuating mechanism is operably coupled to the mandrel and is configured to selectively cause movement of the elongated shaft in a longitudinal direction with respect to the inner shaft member. The surgical also includes an end effector that is adapted for treating tissue and includes an upper jaw member pivotally coupled to a distal portion of the inner shaft member about a pivot axis and a lower jaw member supported by the distal portion of the elongated shaft. Longitudinal movement of the elongated shaft is configured to pivot the upper jaw member relative to the lower jaw member. |
| US09265563B2 |
Ablation instruments and related methods
An ablation instrument including a body and an ablating member is provided. The body includes a distal end and a surface with the ablating member coupled toward the distal end of the body. The ablating member includes a lesion wire extending through and along a portion of the surface of the body for creating lesions in a target tissue while the body serves to isolate surrounding tissue from the target tissue. A method of ablating a target area is also provided. |
| US09265560B2 |
System and method for detecting and suppressing arc formation during an electrosurgical procedure
A method for suppressing arc formation during an electrosurgical tissue treatment procedure includes the steps of supplying pulsed current from an energy source to tissue and measuring the pulsed current supplied from the energy source. The method also includes the steps of comparing an instantaneous measured pulse to a predetermined threshold and controlling the pulsed current supplied from the energy source based on the comparison between the instantaneous measured pulse and the predetermined threshold. |
| US09265559B2 |
Electrosurgical method
Methods are disclosed for delivering energy to a body of a human or animal during a treatment procedure using an electrosurgical generator, a pre-set overall procedure time being defined for the treatment procedure, a ramp time being defined for a parameter to reach a pre-set threshold during the treatment procedure, the method comprising: measuring the parameter over time; and if the parameter has not substantially reached the pre-set threshold by the ramp time, setting a procedure extension time responsive to the time difference between the ramp time and the time at which the pre-set threshold was reached, and extending the overall procedure time by the procedure extension time. |
| US09265554B2 |
Thermally adjustable surgical system and method
A power source delivers oscillating electrical energy to an electrical conductor, such as a wire or catheter, which is coated circumferentially with a ferromagnetic material in a selected region. With high frequency electrical energy, the ferromagnetic material has a quick response in heating and cooling adjustable by the controllable power delivery. The ferromagnetic material can be used for separating tissue, coagulation, tissue destruction or achieving other desired tissue effects in numerous surgical procedures. |
| US09265550B1 |
Device and method for removing gas from a mixture of biomaterials
A device and method for removing gas from a mixture of biomaterials includes a vacuum pump movably positioned within a cavity of a syringe at least partially defining a vacuum chamber. The vacuum pump has a pump body with proximal and distal portions, a stopper connected to the distal portion, and a flow channel. The stopper includes an inlet, and the pump body includes a port. The flow channel extends from the inlet to the port and is in fluid communication with the vacuum chamber. A first valve is positioned within the flow channel between the inlet and the port. The first valve is operable to open and close the flow channel for selectively connecting a vacuum to the vacuum chamber such that gas is withdrawn from mixture of biomaterials within the vacuum chamber. |
| US09265547B2 |
Orthopedic bonding agent application tool
The present disclosure relates to a tool for injecting a bonding agent into the prepared end of a bone for bonding a joint replacement device to the bone. The tool incorporates vented cells for containing the bonding agent. Force is applied to the back of the tool, while placing the front of the tool filled with bonding agent against the prepared bone area. The force causes the cells to cut into the end of the prepared bone. The force also causes the bonding agent to be forced deep into the cuts and pores of the bone. |
| US09265543B2 |
Bone plate system and method
In one aspect, a bone plate system is provided including a bone plate and a plurality of cable connector devices configured to be inserted into throughbores formed in bone portions and through openings of the bone plate member aligned therewith. The cable connector devices each include opposite end portions with one end portion configured to abut against the bone adjacent the throughbore and the other end portion configured to be operatively fixed to the bone plate member with the cable portion extending therebetween and in the bone throughbore for securing the bone plate member to the bone portion with the cable connector devices including a cable portion thereof extending in the bone throughbore. |
| US09265542B2 |
Variable angle bone fixation device
A bone fixation element includes a threaded head and a shaft extending along a longitudinal axis from a proximal end to a distal end, an outer surface of the head being one of carburized and nitrided and including a first groove extending into an outer surface of the head along a path interrupting the threading and extending along an angle counter to an angle of the threading. |
| US09265540B2 |
Minimally invasive spinal facet compression screw and system for bone joint fusion and fixation
A system comprising a screw element having a generally cylindrical body having a bore or lumen therethrough and a plurality of fenestrations or windows through which biological material may be provided. The system comprises a tool for inserting the biological material into the screw element so that the biological material may extrude through the plurality of fenestrations or windows and through an aperture in the tip of the screw element thereby enabling providing a fusion mass across two adjacent facet bones or a facet joint wherein the screw itself provides both a fixation component and a screw component. |
| US09265533B2 |
Rod persuader, system and method
A spinal rod persuader, system and method can include an outer tube, an inner tube, and a locking element. A first actuation mechanism can be movable in a linear fashion along a longitudinal axis direction to cause the locking element to move in a linear fashion over the inner tube and to lock the inner tube onto a pedicle screw. A second actuation mechanism can be rotated to cause the outer tube to move in a longitudinal axis direction with respect to the inner tube to push the spinal rod into a final position with respect to the pedicle screw while the pedicle screw is locked to the inner tube. A slot and/or tab structure can be provided in the outer tube such that actuation of the slot/tab will allow disassembly of the inner tube, outer tube and locking element with respect to each other. |
| US09265532B2 |
Interspinous implants and methods
The present invention provides spinous process implant and associated methods. In one aspect of the invention the implant limits the maximum spacing between the spinous processes. In another aspect of the invention, a spacer has at least one transverse opening to facilitate tissue in-growth. In another aspect of the invention, an implant includes a spacer and separate extensions engageable with the spacer. The spacer is provided in a variety of lengths and superior to inferior surface spacings. In another aspect of the invention, an implant includes a spacer and a cerclage element offset from the midline of the spacer in use so that the spacer defines a fulcrum and the cerclage element is operative to impart a moment to the vertebrae about the spacer. In another aspect of the invention, instrumentation for inserting the implant is provided. In other aspects of the invention, methods for treating spine disease are provided. |
| US09265531B2 |
Orthopedic devices with a locking mechanism
Disclosed embodiments relate to an orthopedic device including a plate and a single-step self-locking mechanism. The plate includes one or more tapered apertures and a slot defined in a top surface of the plate, the slot extending from each aperture. The locking mechanism is slidably seated in the slot and is operable to be positioned in a first position along the slot where a portion of the locking mechanism extends over the aperture or positioned in a second position along the slot where the portion of the locking mechanism is fully retracted from the aperture. |
| US09265521B2 |
Tissue removal systems with articulating cutting heads
Articulating, safe and efficient cutting heads for removing a target tissue from a subject during a surgical procedure are provided, the cutting heads composing a part of systems that address several problems, including clogging of state-of-the-art systems during removal of such tissue, for example. The target tissue can include any tissue that is accessible through a small surgical opening, for example, a joint tissue such as a meniscus or an intervertebral tissue, such as a nucleus pulposus. The devices can be referred to as orthopedic tissue removal devices having cutting heads associated with vacuum systems, making the systems useful in several procedures, including X-LIF (lateral approach to an intervertebral fusions) procedures, T-LIF (transforaminal approach to intervertebral fusions) procedures, P-LIF (posterior approach to intervertebral fusions), and a percutaneous, transforaminal approach (Kambin triangle access). |
| US09265519B2 |
Tunnel notcher and guidewire delivery device
A tunnel notcher and guidewire delivery device is provided for creating a notch and positioning a guidewire within a bone tunnel. In general, the device includes an elongate member having proximal and distal ends with an inner lumen extending therebetween that is adapted to receive a guidewire. The device also includes a cutting element disposed on a distal portion of the elongate member that is adapted to remove bone within an opening of a bone tunnel. In use, the device 10 can be at least partially positioned within a bone tunnel containing a bone plug, and it can be manipulated to form a notch within or adjacent to an opening of the bone tunnel using the cutting element 18. The device 10 is also effective to deliver a guidewire 16 to the bone tunnel at a location adjacent to the notch. |
| US09265518B2 |
Wireless foot controller
The invention includes systems and methods for controlling devices including surgical instruments using a wireless footswitch. The systems of the invention include a wireless footswitch, a footswitch adapter, and an electric console for powering and controlling surgical instruments. The systems of the invention further include a wireless footswitch for controlling battery powered surgical instruments. The methods of the invention include syncing a wireless footswitch with a controlled device or a wireless footswitch adapter using a lower power wireless mode, then signaling the controlled device or wireless footswitch adapter using a higher power wireless mode. The systems and methods of the invention include using a wireless device or wireless footswitch adapter to monitor transmissions from other wireless devices to prevent syncing with the wireless footswitch adapter using the same channel or network identification as other wireless devices or wireless footswitch adapters. |
| US09265516B2 |
Blade retention mechanism for surgical instrument
A surgical apparatus which includes a handpiece having a passage. The retention assembly includes a pair of radially movable buttons, aligned in axially extending passages in communication with the passage and can engage with and cause rotational movement of a collet member assembly rotatably supported in the passage. The collet assembly includes rolling lock members which can be moved by the collet member from a lock position, in which the lock members are forced by the wall of the passage to extend inwardly of the collet member and an unlocked position, in which the lock members are aligned with a recess in the wall of the passage and are not forced to extend inwardly of the collet member. The surgical apparatus may find particular use with irrigation fluid, suction, and powering of a surgical tool. The passage may include a cutting blade retention assembly integrated in the passage. |
| US09265515B2 |
Coaxial coil lock
A surgical instrument includes a housing and an elongated shaft extending distally therefrom. The elongated shaft includes a proximal portion, a distal portion and a flexible portion supported therebetween. The flexible portion permits pivotal movement of the distal portion of the elongated shaft and an end effector supported thereon. A locking mechanism is operatively associated with the flexible portion of the elongated shaft to selectively impede pivotal motion of the distal portion. The locking mechanism includes a locking coil disposed about an axis defined by the flexible portion of the elongated shaft. A distal end of the locking coil is coupled to the distal portion of the elongated shaft, and a proximal end of the locking coil is rotatable about the longitudinal axis to laterally approximate the locking coil to flexible portion, and thus frictionally engage the flexible portion of the elongated shaft to selectively impede articulating motion thereof. |
| US09265509B2 |
Femoral arthroplasty jig
A method and system for performing a total joint arthroplasty procedure on a patient's damaged bone region. A CT image or other suitable image is formed of the damaged bone surfaces, and location coordinate values (xn,yn,zn) are determined for a selected sequence of bone surface locations using the CT image data. A mathematical model z=f(x,y) of a surface that accurately matches the bone surface coordinates at the selected bone spice locations, or matches surface normal vector components at selected bone surface locations, is determined. The model provides a production file from which a cutting jig and an implant device (optional), each patient-specific and having controllable alignment, are fabricated for the damaged bone by automated processing. At this point, the patient is cut open (once), the cutting jig and a cutting instrument are used to remove a selected portion of the bone and to provide an exposed planar surface, the implant device is optionally secured to and aligned with the remainder of the bone, and the patient's incision is promptly repaired. |
| US09265507B2 |
Femoral slideway
A femoral slideway and femoral slideway/femur-size template combination is employed to create an installed knee prosthesis that creates a reduced amount of stress in the collateral ligaments relative to previous prosthesis. In one embodiment, the reduced stress is achieved by employing a femoral slideway/femur-size template combination which results in installation of a femoral slideway which has a smaller dorsal-ventral dimension than a corresponding dimension of the femur prior to resection. |
| US09265502B2 |
Delivery assembly for resilient tissue clamp
A delivery assembly includes a ring sleeve that fits snugly over a main endoscope on the distal end of the endoscope. An extension tube projects distally away from the ring sleeve and may be made integrally with the sleeve. The extension tube is off-axis from the ring sleeve and endoscope. A tube-like inner carrier is reciprocatingly disposed inside the extension tube. One or more resilient tissue compression rings are placed in a stretched configuration on the inner carrier. To push the rings off the carrier, the carrier is pulled proximally within the extension tube and the compression ring is thus pulled into contact with the distal end of the extension tube. Continued pulling of the carrier causes the compression ring to be pushed off the assembly onto target tissue, at which point the ring is relaxed to assume a small configuration and clamp the target tissue. |
| US09265501B2 |
Surgical stapler with corrugated thermoplastic leaf spring
A surgical stapler can comprise: a housing having side walls an end wall, a front wall, and a upper side that define a channel; a trigger; and a thermoplastic leaf spring having a proximal end and a distal end, the leaf spring comprising a non-corrugated portion and a corrugated portion. The leaf spring is attached to the trigger at the proximal end. The leaf spring extends from the trigger, through the channel toward the upper side. In an embodiment, a method for using a surgical stapler can comprise: creating relative motion between a housing and a trigger of a surgical stapler by placing a load on the surgical stapler; contacting a surface of the trigger with a cartridge comprising staple pins; releasing a staple pin from the cartridge and folding ends of the staple pin; releasing the load; and biasing the housing and trigger apart with the thermoplastic leaf spring. |
| US09265496B2 |
Knotless suture anchor and driver
A suture anchor comprises a tubular body having an axial bore therethrough and having one or more purchase enhancements on an exterior surface of the body adapted to enhance purchase of the body within a bone hole, such as threads. A lateral port passes through the body from the bore to the exterior surface. A length of suture for attaching soft tissue to bone passes down along the exterior surface over the one or more purchase enhancements, over a distal end of the body, up into the bore through and then back out of the bore and up along the exterior surface over the one or more purchase enhancements. |
| US09265495B2 |
Flipp tack pusher
A device and method for pushing an anchor through a bore in a bone is provided with an elongated shaft, an anchor carrying assembly disposed at a distal end of the shaft for carrying an anchor, and a plunger disposed in the elongated shaft. The plunger is movable relative to the elongated shaft. First, threads are attached to the anchor. Then, the anchor is positioned in the anchor fastener, and the elongated shaft is placed next to the bore in the bone. Next, the plunger is inserted into the elongated shaft, and a force is exerted to on the plunger to move it in direction of the distal end of the elongated shaft such that a distal end of the plunger comes into contact with the anchor and pushes the anchor through the bore in the bone. Then, the threads attached to the anchor are pulled to position the anchor. |
| US09265493B2 |
Surgical access system and related methods
A surgical access system including a tissue distraction assembly and a tissue refraction assembly, both of which may be equipped with one or more electrodes for use in detecting the existence of (and optionally the distance and/or direction to) neural structures before, during, and after the establishment of an operative corridor to a surgical target site. |
| US09265488B2 |
Suturing device and method for sealing an opening in a blood vessel or other biological structure
A suturing device includes a handle, an elongated body, at least one suture snag, at least one pair of needles, and at least one suture pair. The suture snag is moveable between a deployed position in which two distal arm portions thereof radially extend away from the elongated body and a retracted position in which the two distal arm portions are disposed within the elongated body. The suture pair is slidingly disposed through the needle pair. The suturing device deploys the suture snag within a vessel adjacent to an arteriotomy, extends the needle pair through a vessel wall around the arteriotomy and through the deployed suture snag, extends the suture pair beyond the distal ends of the needle pair, and then utilizes the suture snag to capture the extended suture pair by retracting the suture snag to pull first or distal ends of the sutures back into the suturing device. An inflatable balloon or an expandable suture capture component may be alternatives to the suture snag for capturing the suture ends. |
| US09265483B2 |
Medical imaging contrast devices, methods, and systems
Systems, methods, and devices for generating and using size-selected lanthanide-coated microbubbles for controlling an imaging signal via microbubble fragmentation and for magnetic resonance imaging guided focused ultrasound therapy. |
| US09265478B2 |
Wireless electronic stethoscope
A wireless electronic stethoscope device is disclosed. The wireless electronic stethoscope device includes a pen-shaped main body; a sensor module for data collection; a processor module to coordinate operation of electronic stethoscope modules; a wireless communication module to transmit and receive digital and analog data; a power module including a battery for storing energy; a control module to communicate information and receive operational commands. |
| US09265477B2 |
Adaptive lightweight acoustic signal classification for physiological monitoring
The present invention provides adaptive lightweight acoustic signal classification for physiological monitoring applications. In an exemplary implementation, the total energy of a segment of an acoustic signal recording body sounds is first determined. For each of a plurality of signal classes (e.g., good, noisy, weak), the probability that the segment belongs to the signal class is then calculated using the total energy and profile data for the signal class. The segment is then assigned to one of the plurality of signal classes by reference to the probabilities. Physiological data are then selectively generated and outputted using the segment, depending on the assigned signal class, and the segment is selectively applied as feedback to update profile data for the assigned signal class. |
| US09265476B2 |
Radiation imaging system and radiation imaging device
A radiation imaging system that can continuously use sections of a radiation imaging device that has not been damaged and a radiation imaging device are provided. The radiation imaging system comprises: a radiation device that applies radiation; and the radiation imaging device with an imaging panel that captures images of the applied radiation. The radiation imaging device comprises: a failure cause detection unit that detects environmental noise or falls that cause failures in the radiation imaging device; a malfunction diagnostic unit that, in a case where a detected environmental noise value reaches a threshold value or in a case where a fall has been detected, diagnoses a malfunction in the radiation imaging device; and a function limiting unit that applies limits to the radiation imaging device functions that are used continuously, in accordance with the diagnosis results of the malfunction diagnostic unit. |
| US09265474B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method
A histogram of pixel values in a difference image between a post-injection X-ray image and composite image is generated. A histogram of pixel values in a difference image between a pre-injection X-ray image and the composite image is generated. From the difference between the histograms, information on pixel values in a region where a radiopaque dye is imaged in the difference image between the post-injection X-ray image and composite image is collected. Pixel values in the difference image between the post-injection X-ray image and composite image are converted by using the collected information, and the converted difference image is output. |
| US09265473B2 |
Method for estimating flow rates and pressure gradients in arterial networks from patient specific computed tomography angiogram-based contrast distribution data
An embodiment in accordance with the present invention provides a method for non-invasively determining the functional severity of arterial stenosis in a selected portion of an arterial network. The method includes gathering patient-specific data related to concentration of a contrast agent within an arterial network using a coronary computed tomography angiography scan (CCTA). The data can be gathered under rest or stress conditions. Estimation of a loss coefficient (K) can be used to eliminate the need for data gathered under stress. The data is used to calculate a transluminal attenuation gradient (TAG). The data may be corrected for imaging artifacts at any stage of the analysis. TAFE is used to determine an estimate of flow velocity. Once velocity is determined, pressure gradient, coronary flow reserve, and/or fractional flow reserve can be determined through a variety of methods. These estimates can be used to estimate functional severity of stenosis. |
| US09265468B2 |
Fluoroscopy-based surgical device tracking method
A method for assisting a physician track a surgical device in a body organ of a subject during a procedure includes fluoroscopic based registration, and tracking. An initial registration step includes receiving a 3D image data of a subject in a first body position, receiving a real time fluoroscopy image data, and estimating a deformation model or field to match points in the real time fluoro image with a corresponding point in the 3D model. A tracking step includes computing the 3D location of the surgical device based on a reference mark present on the surgical device, and displaying the surgical device and the 3D model of the body organ in a fused arrangement. |
| US09265462B2 |
System and method for sensorized user interface
A system and method for is provided for operation of an orthopedic system. The system includes a load sensor for converting an applied pressure associated with a force load on an anatomical joint, and an ultrasonic device for creating a low-power short-range ultrasonic sensing field within proximity of the load sensing unit for assessing alignment. The system can adjust a strength and range of the ultrasonic sensing field according to position. It can report audible and visual information associated with the force load and alignment. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US09265461B2 |
Identification techniques and device for testing the efficacy of beauty care products and cosmetics
A method for testing the effect of a skin care product includes measuring a mechanical property of skin tissue using nonlinear stochastic system identification, applying the product to the skin, repeating the measurement of the mechanical property after the application of the product, and comparing the before and after measurements to quantify the effect of the product.Measuring the mechanical property of the skin can include placing a probe against a surface of the skin, perturbing the skin with the probe using a stochastic sequence, and measuring the response of the skin to the perturbation. Perturbing the skin can include indenting the skin with the probe, extending the skin with the probe, and sliding the probe across the skin surface. The mechanical property may be indicative of skin compliance, skin elasticity, skin stiffness, or skin damping. The mechanical property can be dependent on perturbation depth and may be measured at a plurality of anatomical locations. |
| US09265455B2 |
Methods and systems for optimizing sensor function by the application of voltage
A method is provided for initializing an analyte sensor, such as a glucose sensor. Where a sensor has been disconnected and reconnected, a disconnection time is determined and a sensor initialization protocol is selected based upon the disconnection time. The sensor initialization protocol may include applying a first series of voltage pulses to the sensor. A method for detecting hydration of a sensor is also provided. |
| US09265441B2 |
Assessment of traumatic brain injury
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) in a patient is assessed. A TBI diagnosis for the patient is determined based on features from MRI data, such as anatomical features, functional features, diffusion features, connectivity features from functional MRI, connectivity features from diffusion MRI, and/or network features from the connectivity features. The TBI diagnosis is determined using a trained classifier. The classifier synthesizes the features into a single number (e.g., a confidence in the prediction of the diagnosis) and indicates the features most responsible for the diagnosis. The disease trajectory for a given patient may be predicted using the trained classifier. |
| US09265440B2 |
Split bridge for PET-MR scanner
A PET-MRI apparatus includes a patient support assembly having a cradle to accommodate a subject, a carriage assembly to attach to the cradle and cause the cradle to selectively travel, and a rear bridge to receive the cradle and carriage. The patient support assembly also includes a front bridge to receive the cradle and carriage assembly and provide for translation therealong, with the front bridge including a first section and a second section that is spaced apart from the first section to form a gap in the front bridge between the first section and the second section in an area adjacent a PET detector array of the PET-MRI apparatus. The front and rear bridges include an anti-tip rail assembly to interact with the cradle and the carriage assembly so as to prevent tipping thereof when traversing over the gap between the first and second sections of the front bridge. |
| US09265436B2 |
Leadless intra-cardiac medical device with built-in telemetry system
A leadless intra-cardiac medical device is configured to be implanted entirely within a heart of a patient. The device includes an intra-cardiac extension and a housing. The intra-cardiac extension includes a loop body having at least one loop segment retaining at least one coil group that is configured to one or both of receive and transmit radio frequency (RF) energy, wherein the loop body is configured to extend into a first chamber of the heart. The housing is in electrical communication within the loop body, and includes a transceiver, control logic and an energy source. The housing is configured to be securely attached to an interior wall portion of a second chamber of the heart, wherein the transceiver is configured to communicate with an external device through the RF energy. |
| US09265430B2 |
Method, system and software product for the measurement of heart rate variability
The invention relates to a method, system, and software product for measuring heart rate variability. The method comprises instructing a user when to breathe in and breathe out, receiving a signal from a sensor responsive to the heart beat of the user, processing the received signal to determine heart beat intervals of the user and calculating a measure of heart rate variability of the user from the processed heart beat intervals. |
| US09265427B2 |
Systems and methods for determining patient temperature
A temperature probe includes a handle and a shaft extending from the handle. The shaft includes a distal end, a proximal end, and a tip at the distal end. The temperature probe also includes a capacitance sensor disposed on one of the handle and the shaft, the capacitance sensor configured to measure a change in capacitance when positioned proximate a conductor. The temperature probe further includes a temperature sensor disposed on the shaft, the temperature sensor configured to measure a body cavity temperature of a patient. |
| US09265424B2 |
Mammography apparatus
A mammography apparatus includes a detector that detects X-rays transmitted through a breast, and an optically transparent or semitransparent pressing panel for pressing the breast. The apparatus further includes a near infrared ray source that provided between the X-ray source and the pressing panel and arranged in a two-dimensional shape in alignment with the pressing panel, and that is movable between a first position in close contact with the pressing panel and a second position outside an X-ray image capture region. Near infrared image capture is carried out using the near infrared ray source by causing the near infrared ray source to be in the first position, and the near infrared ray source is caused to retract to the second position when carrying out X-ray image capture using the X-ray source. |
| US09265423B2 |
Metallic object MR imaging quality control system
A system assesses quality of an image of human anatomical components in the presence of a metallic object. The system comprises an image processor for selecting an imaging protocol to use in imaging a test unit in response to data indicating a metal type employed in the test unit. The test unit includes, at least one object of the metal type used for a medical implant, an object comprising water and an object representing human fat. The water object and fat object are less than 3 centimeters, for example, distant from the metal object. |
| US09265419B2 |
Systems and methods for measuring position and boundary of lens capsule and implanted intraocular lens in eye imaging
Embodiments of this invention generally relate to systems and methods for eye imaging, and more particularly to measuring the size and position of the lens capsule and of the implanted intraocular lens. In one embodiment, a method for measuring the size and position of the lens capsule and of the implanted intraocular lens comprises generating and emitting one or more light beams at an angle adjacent to the eye, generating one or more eye images, and detecting the position and/or boundary of a lens capsule from its shadow casted by reflected light on the iris. |
| US09265414B2 |
Methods and systems for measuring interpupillary distance
The proposed innovation provides methods and systems for measuring the interpupillary distance. The proposed innovation provides a fitting pad (102) having two detection points (104 and 106). The fitting pad is placed on the forehead of the user and an image is captured. The image is uploaded and pupil distance calculator software locates the fitting detection points and calculates the distance in pixels of the left and right X, Y coordinates. The software creates an image scale by dividing the pixel counts between the detection points. The software automatically locates the X, Y coordinates between the center of the left and right pupils and calculates the distance in pixels. The resulting pixel distance divided by the image scale provides the interpupillary distance in millimeter. In embodiments, segment height is calculated based upon an image imported by the user and the combined scaled images of the user and the frame. |
| US09265408B2 |
System and method for imaging during a medical procedure
In one embodiment, an apparatus may include an imager configured to generate a plurality of frames at a frame frequency greater than an electromagnetic energy emission pulse frequency of a medical device, wherein each frame of the plurality of frames may include a first plurality of rows. The apparatus may also include an electronic shutter module configured to offset a start time of each row of the first plurality of rows in each frame from the plurality of frames from a start time of an adjacent row in that same frame. The apparatus may further include an image processing module configured to generate a plurality of valid frames based on at least a portion of the plurality of frames, wherein the plurality of valid frames may include a frame frequency lower than the frame frequency of the plurality of frames. |
| US09265407B2 |
Endoscopic methods and devices for transnasal procedures
Medical devices, systems and methods that are useable to facilitate transnasal insertion and positioning of guidewires and various other devices and instruments at desired locations within the ear, nose, throat, paranasal sinuses or cranium. |
| US09265406B2 |
Endoscope apparatus
An endoscope apparatus includes: an image pickup portion that, with respect to return light including a plurality of wavelength band components that is generated accompanying irradiation of illuminating light onto an object, receives the return light with a plurality of different spectral sensitivities and generates an image pickup signal for each of the spectral sensitivities; a correction portion that, based on a spectral distribution of the return light and spectral sensitivity characteristics of the image pickup portion, sets a correction coefficient so that spectral distributions for each of the plurality of wavelength band components included in the image pickup signals become a similar shape to each other; and a calculation portion that, based on the correction coefficient, performs a calculation that separates image pickup signals into each wavelength band component among the plurality of wavelength band components included in the return light. |
| US09265404B2 |
Washware carrier for accommodating washware in a variable manner
A washware carrier for the accommodation of washware to be washed in dishwasher includes a base portion, and a multiplicity of retainers for the washware. The retainers are arranged, in a row, with a first plurality of retainers being fixed and a second plurality of retainers configured for swing action. The first and second pluralities of retainers are arranged in a random sequence. |
| US09265400B2 |
Commercial kitchenware washers and related methods
A method for monitoring tank water replacement of a kitchenware washing assembly generally includes automatically determining whether a counted number of wash cycles is equal to or exceeds a preset value. The method also includes automatically controlling one or more operations of the kitchenware washer assembly where the counted number of wash cycles is equal to or exceeds the preset value. |
| US09265399B2 |
Dishwasher with a dynamic filling sequence
A dishwasher method and apparatus providing an algorithm varying the speed of the recirculation pump that recirculates washing liquor present in the washing compartment so as to assure quiet pump operation is disclosed. The speed of the recirculation pump is varied by a control device that carries out the washing cycle. A true-running monitoring unit checks the operation of the recirculation pump. During a fill phase of the washing cycle, an inlet valve is opened, the recirculation pump is switched on and the algorithm provides stepped variation of the recirculation speed using a default value step, a test step in which a true running check is performed, and a modification step in which the default value is modified in response to the result of the test step, for use in the next iteration of the algorithm. |
| US09265395B2 |
Surface cleaning apparatus
A surface cleaning apparatus comprises an air flow passage extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet. A suction motor is positioned in the air flow path. At least one cyclone chamber positioned in the air flow path. An associated dirt collection chamber is optionally exterior the cyclone chamber. A pre-motor filter is positioned downstream of the cyclone chamber and upstream of the suction motor. The pre-motor filter has an upstream side and a downstream side. The pre-motor filter may overlie at least a portion of the suction motor and the cyclone chamber. |
| US09265394B2 |
Nozzle arrangement with brush and squeegee
Nozzle arrangement (10) of a vacuum cleaning device (100) for cleaning a surface (20), comprising: —a nozzle housing (28); —a brush (12) rotatable about a brush axis (14), said brush (12) being provided with flexible microfiber brush elements (16) having tip portions (18) for contacting the surface to be cleaned (20) and picking up dirt and liquid particles (22, 24) from the surface to be cleaned (20) during the rotation of the brush (12); —a drive means for rotating the brush (12); —a single squeegee element (32) for wiping dirt and liquid particles (22, 24) across or off the surface to be cleaned (20) by contacting said surface (20) with its free end (33), wherein said squeegee element (32) extends along a longitudinal direction (48), which is arranged substantially parallel to the brush axis (14), and is attached with its fixed end (33) to the bottom side (30) of the nozzle housing (28) on a side of the brush (12) where the brush elements (16) enter the nozzle housing (28) during the rotation of the brush (12). |
| US09265388B2 |
Combination toilet cleaning device
A combination toilet brush/plunger apparatus for providing both a plunger and a toilet cleaning brush in one unit. The combination toilet brush/plunger apparatus includes a brush assembly including a brush support member. The brush member is attached to the brush support member, and there is an elongate handle member being removably attached to the brush support member. A plunger assembly includes a housing/support member. The plunger member is attached to the housing/support member with the brush support member being removably fastened to the housing/support member. There is a plate with apertures disposed in the housing/support member. |
| US09265383B2 |
Liquid dispensing units
A soap dispenser can be configured to dispense an amount of liquid soap, for example, upon detecting the presence of an object. Certain embodiments of the dispenser include a housing, reservoir, pump, motor, sensor, electronic processor, and nozzle. In certain embodiments, the sensor can be configured to generate a signal based on a distance between an object and the sensor. In certain embodiments, the electronic processor can be configured to receive the signal from the sensor and to determine a dispensation volume of the liquid. The dispensation volume can vary as a function of the distance between the object and the sensor. The processor can be configured to control the motor to dispense approximately the dispensation volume of the liquid. |
| US09265382B2 |
Shower door assembly
A shower door assembly is disclosed comprising a stationary frame, a movable frame with a through hole, an upper frame, a lower frame, and an adjusting assembly. The adjusting assembly further comprises a fixing block disposed between the stationary frame and the movable frame and received in the stationary frame, the fixing block having a passage with a first rectangular cross-section, and rotating blocks received in the upper frame and the lower frame respectively and having a rotating handle and an adjusting shaft perpendicular to the rotating handle. The end of the adjusting shaft remote from the rotating handle has a second rectangular cross-section with dimensions identical to the first rectangular cross-section, and an engaging element is disposed on at least one surface of the adjusting shaft. |
| US09265378B2 |
Method and apparatus for beverage capsule storage
A beverage capsule storage apparatus and method of use is described. Embodiments of the beverage capsule storage apparatus are typically comprised substantially of a resilient foam panel having a rectangular shape. The foam panel includes a plurality of apertures each adapted to receive a beverage capsule. Beverage capsules include capsules and pods used in single cup brewers. Additionally, an adhesive layer can be included to removably couple the apparatus to a cupboard door or other surface. |
| US09265373B2 |
Garment hanger with reusable lower neck sizer
In a combination of a garment hanger and a reusable indicator for displaying garment-related information, the indicator can be attached to and removed from a lower neck region of the hanger where a hanger post intersects the hanger body. The hanger includes an indicator retaining member for providing indicator retaining interference with the indicator to retain the indicator at the lower neck region. The hanger further includes structure for providing pivots upon which the indicator can be flexed to remove the indicator from the hanger. The indicator can include a discontinuity for admitting a hanger hook and assisting deformation of the indicator. The indicator can be deformed along the discontinuity to remove the indicator from the hanger. |
| US09265370B2 |
Combination food and beverage serving plate
A combination food and beverage serving plate includes an annular surface defining a predominately flat surface; a centrally located cylinder member surrounded by the annular surface and interconnected with the annular surface, the cylinder member including a top cavity for receiving a beverage container; and an annular perimeter wall surrounding the annular perimeter surface and interconnected with the annular surface. The annular perimeter wall forms an outer first boundary for the annular surface while the cylinder member forms an inner second boundary for the annular surface. Moreover, the top cavity is tapered, such that a diameter of the top cavity is larger near a top surface of the cylinder member than near an interior bottom surface of the cylinder member. As such, the top cavity is structured to receive beverage containers of various sizes and shapes. |
| US09265368B2 |
Bedding apparatus
Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a bedding apparatus. In one embodiment, the bedding apparatus is configured to slip over a mattress such that the bedding apparatus substantially encloses the mattress except the front or head of the mattress. The bedding apparatus is configured such that, once installed over the mattress, there is sufficient space between the top of the mattress and the top panel of the bedding apparatus to enable a user to lay atop the mattress and under the top panel of the bedding apparatus. Additionally, once installed, the bottom panel of the bedding apparatus is positioned under the mattress such that the bedding apparatus is held in place by a combination of the weight of the mattress and the weight of the user (when the user is laying on the mattress). |
| US09265367B2 |
Surround for plants, trees, and post
An ornamental surround is positioned around the base of an upright structure, such as a plant, shrub, tree, post, or pole. When assembled, the ornamental surround has the outward appearance of a plant pot or planter. Further provided is a combination comprising the ornamental surround, a kit comprising the ornamental surround, and a method of installing the ornamental surround around the base of an upright structure. |
| US09265366B2 |
Composite boards and art frames including the same
Composite boards are disclosed herein. An example of the composite board includes a first outer layer, a second outer layer, and a middle layer positioned between the first and second outer layers. The first and second outer layers each include chemical pulped cellulose fibers and low moisture absorbing fibers. The middle layer includes the cellulose fibers and a moisture repelling agent. Also disclosed herein are art frames that include the composite boards. |
| US09265355B1 |
Inflatable furniture cover support
An inflatable furniture cover support including an inflatable shell disposed atop an outdoor furniture item in order to support a furniture cover in a position covering the outdoor furniture item without touching the outdoor furniture item to prevent mildew and water stains on the furniture cover. An air intake-exhaust tube has a proximal end in fluid communication with an air chamber disposed within the shell and further has a distal end with an air intake-exhaust valve disposed thereon which is in operational communication with an air supply source to inflate and deflate the shell. |
| US09265352B2 |
Heating and cooling sleeping system
A sleeping system is described in which comfort systems for a foam mattress assembly are mounted in a foundation assembly supporting the mattress assembly. The comfort systems include an air heating and cooling system, a firmness system and an elevation system. The foam mattress assembly includes a flexible encasement dish into which one or more foam layers are disposed. Blowers for the air system are mounted adjacent the foundation assembly top in direct fluid communication with apertures in the top, minimizing the air flow path from the blower exhaust to the mattress top to reduce air pressure loss and diminishment of the heated or cooled air. |
| US09265351B2 |
Bed lifting system
A bed lifting system is provided for lifting a bed above a surface. The system comprises a frame adapted for supporting the bed. The frame is arranged for interacting with a lifting mechanism capable of elevating the frame. A base that is adapted for inter-engaging with the frame whereby the base can support the frame over the surface independently of the lifting mechanism. |
| US09265350B2 |
Furniture with a structural frame which receives one or more replaceable sections
Furniture having a structural frame with at least one pair of opposing u-shaped rails adapted to receive a replaceable section that is slid into the rails and supported by the rails and one or more slats. The replaceable section can, optionally, be locked in place once it has been inserted. Because a replaceable section easily slides into its u-shaped rails, it is quick and easy to replace such sections, which can be made of less expensive and less sturdy construction than the solid structural frame. |
| US09265344B2 |
Adjusting device
An adjusting device includes a fixed member; first and second plates, both connected to the fixed member; a first adjusting member; and a first locking member. The fixed member has a first hole and a window. The second plate has first and second contact portions. The first adjusting member has an adjusting portion contacting against the second contact portion and has an eccentric portion extending through the window and movably connected to the first plate. The first locking member partially extends through the first contact portion and the first hole to connect with the first plate. The second plate can be displaced relative to the fixed member in response to displacement of the first adjusting member. |
| US09265340B2 |
Article of furniture and method of stacking the same
An article of furniture includes a structure having a surface that supports a weight. The surface may be tiltable from a first position in which the surface is flat or substantially horizontal and a second position in which the surface is substantially vertical. At least one leg rotating mechanism may attach at least one leg of the article of furniture to the surface so that the at least one leg is rotatable about a vertical axis when the surface is tilted. In some embodiments, the article may be a table and the surface may be a tabletop. In other embodiments, the article may be a chair and the surface may be a seating surface of a seat. |
| US09265338B1 |
Electric toothbrush
The electric toothbrush is constructed of a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is able to pivot with respect to the second portion via a hinge. The first portion houses componentry associated with the toothbrush. The second portion includes a floss dispenser on a distal end, and is used as a handle for the electric toothbrush. The first portion includes at least one rotating head that includes bristles adapted to brush teeth. The at least one rotating head is in mechanical connection with a bevel gear. The bevel gear is in mechanical connection with a motor via a drive shaft. The motor is in wired connection with a switch and at least one battery. |
| US09265332B2 |
Holder
A holder, in helix form, has an opening in communication with a helix interior. The helix may be capable conforming to the shape of an article to be carried at least partially within the interior. Applying a strain to the helix causes the helix to grip the article. The gripping by the helix may be reduced or eliminated by applying a compressive force to the helix. |
| US09265327B2 |
Containers for dispensing personal care product
A container is configured for selectively dispensing a personal care product. The container includes a body, a drive apparatus, and an elevator. The body at least partially defines a product chamber and a distal opening. The elevator is disposed within the product chamber. Rotation of the drive apparatus results in axial movement of the elevator within the product chamber. |
| US09265322B2 |
Hair pin opener apparatus and system
A method, apparatus and system for storing and distributing hairpins for application to the hair of a subject, includes a support having a support surface, a plurality of hairpins releasably coupled to the support and an opener mounted to the support. The opener includes a base segment defining a longitudinal axis and having opposed generally diverging side segments. The base segment at least partially extends beyond the support surface of the support to orient the diverging side segments in position whereby legs of each hairpin may be advanced along the diverging side segments to displace the legs to cause opening thereof. |
| US09265321B2 |
Hair care products containing conjugated unsaturated oils
Hair care products for providing long-lasting conditioning, moisturizing, split end repair, body, volume, shine and increased hair strength benefits are disclosed. The products can be in the form of shampoos, conditioners, serums or oils, and comprise a compatible hair care carrier together with an unsaturated oil having an iodine value of at least about 80, and wherein the oil is selected from glycerol triesters of fatty acids wherein the fatty acids have a composition selected from: (a) less than 18% oleic acid (C18:1) and greater than 30% linoleic acid (C18:2); (b) less than 10% oleic acid (C18:1) and greater than 65% linolenic acid (C18:3); (c) greater than 50% eleostearic acid; and (d) mixtures thereof. The method of conditioning hair using the defined products is also disclosed. |
| US09265316B2 |
Personal electronic device handbag
A personal electronic device handbag includes: (a) a main support with three connected fold-out panels including one base panel located between other panels; (b) a personal electronic device holding case located on the base panel; (c) at least two storage units having sides and a bottom, such that the main support has a first position, wherein the panels are folded and at least two of the storage unit bottoms rest atop the holding case and any personal electronic device therein to protect such personal electronic device, and has a second position, being an open position. |
| US09265312B2 |
Outdoor umbrella with remote touch-controlled LED lights
The present invention discloses an outdoor umbrella with remote touch-controlled LED lights comprising an umbrella assembly which includes an upper support pole, a lower support pole, a plurality of umbrella support bars and a plurality of support rails, wherein a plurality of LED lights is respectively provided on the upper portion of the upper support pole, the support rails and the support bars. In view of the above structure, the outdoor umbrella may have a simple structure, and can be easily operated. And the outdoor umbrella is very safe and reliable since providing any electric wire on the umbrella is avoided. In addition, the outdoor umbrella is energy-saving and environmental friendly. |
| US09265310B2 |
Methods, systems, and apparatuses for incorporating wireless headsets, terminals, and communication devices into fashion accessories and jewelry
A wearable communication device including a bracelet including an integrated first power source, and a telecommunications device including a transceiver configured to allow wireless communication, wherein the telecommunications device is configured to couple and decouple with the bracelet, and wherein the telecommunications device is configured receive power from the first power source when coupled with the bracelet. |
| US09265309B2 |
Bracelet with groove for hair band
A bracelet having a channel groove. The bracelet has an outer side and an inner side. A channel groove is at least partially surrounding a circumference of the outer side. A hair band may fit within the channel groove. |
| US09265308B2 |
Slide fastener
Provided is a slide fastener that has a flexible fastener tape, exhibits liquid-tightness, and can prevent a gap from being formed in a coupling portion, and a method of producing the slide fastener. An overlay material is formed on a front surface of a fastener tape so that the overlay material formed on a surface of a core member extends beyond a centerline in a front-rear thickness direction of a tape member. When a pair of fastener element rows engages with each other, a tip of an intermeshing head of a fastener element presses the overlay material formed on the opposite core members. |
| US09265302B2 |
Tethered fluid-filled chambers
An article of footwear may incorporate a chamber with an outer barrier and a tether element. The barrier may be formed from a polymer material that defines an interior cavity, and tether element may be located within the interior cavity and joined to opposite sides of the barrier. Upon pressurization of the chamber, the tether element may extend across the interior cavity and be placed in tension by the outward force of a pressurized fluid within the interior cavity. The tether element may have a variety of configurations. For example, the tether element may have a diagonal orientation, or different tether elements may have different lengths. A tether element may also have plates or tie pieces secured to opposite sides of the chamber, with one or more tethers extending between. Also, the tether element may include one of more sheets that extend across the interior cavity. |
| US09265292B2 |
Easy donning garment
A protective garment configured to facilitate easy donning of the garment is described. The sleeves and legs are shorted and held in a donning configuration by releaseably affixing at least a portion of upper and lower segments of the interior surface of each limb. This allows the garment to be handled and donned by the wearer, without the wearer touching an exterior surface of the garment. A method of preparing a protective garment for donning and a method of donning such a garment is also disclosed. |
| US09265291B2 |
Protective chaps
Protective chaps, such as chainsaw protective chaps, including a right legging, a left legging, and a waist attachment element such as a belt for attaching the chaps to the waist of a wearer. Each legging has preferably 2-5 strap units, such as straps, for securing the legging around the back of a leg of the wearer. One or more of the strap units is repositionable higher or lower on its legging to provide comfort and better fit for the wearer and so that a damaged strap unit or strap can be easily replaced. |
| US09265288B2 |
Functional brassiere
A functional garment comprises a first breast cup and a first cross strap, two opposite ends of which are attached to the inner and outer edges of the first breast cup, respectively. The functional garment can be used to simultaneously provide both orthopedic and breast augmentation benefits. A plurality of countervailing forces simultaneously provide force on the shoulders, to bring them back and/or the shoulder blades closer together, and the breasts, to bring them closer together and/or lift them. |
| US09265287B2 |
Tobacco container with plastic insert
A tobacco container having a plastic insert body and a method of attaching the insert body are disclosed. Some embodiments disclose an insert body that is configured to accommodate dimensional variations in the tobacco container. Some embodiments disclose an insert body that is configured to decrease weight in the tobacco container. |
| US09265280B2 |
System and method of processing produce
Systems and methods of de-stemming produce are provided. An apparatus can process an item of produce having a first portion and a second portion attached to the first portion. The apparatus can include at least one first conveyor unit that can convey the first portion of the item of produce in a first direction. The apparatus can include at least one second conveyor unit that can convey the second portion of the item of produce in a second direction that differs from the first linear direction by between zero and 90 degrees to generate a separation force between the first portion of the item of produce and the second portion of the item of produce that separates the first portion from the second portion. |
| US09265275B2 |
Spinach line SP6504
Spinach, parts thereof, and the making and use thereof, including with respect to the inbred spinach line called SP6504 are disclosed. |
| US09265269B2 |
Process for making a shelf-stable milk based beverage concentrate
A concentrate, system and low-temperature process for preparing a shelf-stable milk concentrate that does not require ultra-high temperature thermal processing for control of the microbiology of the product is disclosed herein. The method preferably incorporates aseptic technology and the enzymatic reduction of lactose to control water activity. The method preferably includes the enzymatic conversion of the lactose in the milk to its component sugars glucose and galactose, which preferably changes the colligative properties of the concentrate, decreases the amount of free water, and reduces the osmolarity. |
| US09265265B2 |
Biaxially drawn tubular film comprising three adjacent polyamide-based layers
The invention relates to a biaxially drawn multilayer tubular film consisting of at least five layers, in which the external and two other layers contain aliphatic (co)-polyamide in a quantity equal to or greater than 50% by weight and are differently assembled. The inventive tubular film is produced by coextrusion and, thereby is seamless. Said tubular film can be used in the form of food product packagings, in particular as synthetic sausage casing. |
| US09265258B2 |
Readied in situ glyphosate herbicide soluble powder composition and its preparation process
This invention relates to a readied in situ glyphosate herbicide soluble powder composition of high efficiency and low toxicity useful for killing and/or controlling weeds. This invention is also related to a process to prepare the said composition. It is another object of this invention to provide a new composition that consists of a soluble powder herbicide formulation characterized by a very narrow range of specific ingredients of composition, which optimizes the formulation efficiency and minimizes the cost and toxicity to man, to the environment and to the crop being treated. The required amount of glyphosate that needs to be applied on the field is reduced by 30% when compared to the commercially standard liquid solution. |
| US09265254B2 |
Granular pesticidal composition
A granular pesticidal composition which comprises a pyrazolinone compound given by the formula (1): wherein R1 represents a chlorine atom etc.; R2 represents a chlorine atom etc.; R3 represents a 1-methylethyl group etc.; and R4 represents a C1-C4 alkoxy group etc. and a salt of ligninsulfonic acid, and the amount of the salt of ligninsulfonic acid in the granular pesticidal composition is 10-60% by weight has good disintegrability in water when it is diluted with water. |
| US09265251B2 |
Agrichemical composition and method of promoting growth of plant
An agrichemical composition comprising a compound represented by the formula (1) and at least one fungicidally active compound selected from Group (A).Group (A): metalaxyl, metalaxyl-M, benalaxyl, benalaxyl-M, pyraclostrobin, trifloxystrobin, azoxystrobin, dimoxystrobin, fluoxastrobin, kresoxim methyl, picoxystrobin, metconazole, ipconazole, tebuconazole, difenoconazole, epoxiconazole, fluquinconazole, triticonazole, triadimenol, prothioconazole, propioconazole, prochloraz, penconazole, flusilazole, diniconazole, bromuconazole, cyproconazole, triflumizole, tetraconazole, myclobutanil, bitertanol, imazalil and the like. |
| US09265250B2 |
Liquid active ingredient concentrates that can be emulsified in water
The present invention relates to a concentrate, comprising: a) 100 to 400 g/l of a dinitroaniline; b) 5 to 100 g/l of an imidazolinone ammonium salt or substituted ammonium salt; c) 20 to 100 g/l of water; d) 15 to 150 g/l of an anionic surface-active substance which has at least one sulfonic acid group; e) 5 to 100 g/l of a polymeric, nonionic surface-active substance which has at least one polyethylene oxide group and at least one radical selected from poly-C3-C4-alkylene oxide groups; f) 50 to 250 g/l of a nonionic surface-active substance selected from ethoxylated fatty acid esters of polyhydroxyl compounds, alkyl polyglucosides, ethoxylated C4-C16-alkylphenols and ethoxylated C8-C22-alkanols; g) a hydrocarbon solvent ad 1 l; where the quantitative data of components a) to f) in g/l are based on the total volume of the active ingredient concentrate. |
| US09265247B2 |
Autodissemination of an insect-growth regulator for insect management
The described invention provides a gel formulation of a composition comprising at least one insecticide in an amount effective to control an insect larval population, an apparatus for autodissmenination of an insecticide for insect management containing (1) a cap component, (2) a cup component, and (3) a mesh component, a method and a system for autodissemination for effectively controlling an insect larval population. Also disclosed is an improvided biphasic autodissemination station for control of undesirable insect populations. |
| US09265245B2 |
Rapid head movement bird decoy
The present invention is a decoy with a head that rapidly rotates on a vertical axis, creating attention-attracting movement. The powered rotation is both clockwise and counterclockwise, with an arc of rotation in each direction less than 360 degrees, so that the head does not make full rotations about its axis. |
| US09265239B2 |
Deep diving fishing lure
A deep diving fishing lure having a forwardly-extending diving lip is provided with a fore-and-aft pivotable lure positioning arm pivotably mounted about a pivot axis within the diving lip near the lower portion of the forward face. The lure positioning arm, when fixed in an aft position relative to the pivot axis rests within a longitudinally extending groove located in the diving lip. The lure positioning arm, when in the fixed aft position maintains the lure in a diving position when pulled through a body of water but negates the lure's tendency to dive when released from the aft position. |
| US09265234B2 |
Absorbent article for pet
An absorbent article for pet includes: a liquid permeable top surface layer, a liquid impermeable back surface layer, and an absorbent core disposed between the top surface layer and the back surface layer; the absorbent article for pet being configured to be in a belt-like shape and to be fit wrapped around a waist of a pet, in which the absorbent core includes: a belt-like absorbent core main body that extends from the first end portion side to the second end portion side in the longitudinal direction LD of the absorbent article for pet; and a first extension portion that extends outwards in a width direction from a first side edge in a central portion in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent core main body. |
| US09265233B2 |
Degradable animal chew toy
A chew for a domestic animal comprises one or more sheets of a chewable bovine rawhide formed into a shape suitable for chewing by a domestic animal, wherein the one or more sheets has a mass loss of at least 45% as measured by the Degradability Standard Test Protocol. The bovine rawhide is made with a process that includes treatment with an enzyme. A process of making a pet chew from a split bovine hide comprises treating the split bovine hide with an enzyme solution. |
| US09265231B2 |
Portable nipple based poultry waterer
A portable poultry waterer is provided having a manifold with a connector placed on the back surface to attach the manifold to a water storage vessel. The connector extends outward in a substantially perpendicular fashion to the manifold. Holes are placed into the manifold to accept a plurality of longitudinally spaced poultry nipples. One or more holes are placed into the manifold to accept a clean out plug(s). |
| US09265230B2 |
Electric fence and assembly therewith
An electric fence for deterring animals from an area with one or more supplies of feed and at least one separate feed processing machine, wherein the fence comprises an electrically conductive member, an electric power supply connected to said member for energizing the member and arranged to provide an electric shock to an object coming into contact with said member. A controller is operatively connected to the fence, wherein the controller is arranged to measure a value of an electrical parameter of the fence, and to automatically adjust the operating state of the machine within the area when the measured parameter value fulfills a predetermined criterion. |
| US09265228B2 |
Rabbit organic trimmer
The present invention relates to organic lawnmowers, and in particular an organic lawnmower including a kennel for a rabbit. The lawnmower includes a wooden frame, a screen spanning the frame, an animal kennel resting on the frame above the screen, and a rabbit occupying the kennel. The lawnmower is pushed to a desired location in a grass lawn, and the rabbit grazes the grass at his or her leisure, through the screen. The lawnmower is periodically moved to a fresh patch of grass, and the grazing continues. This improved lawnmower is economical, enjoyable, and environmentally friendly. |
| US09265223B1 |
Maize inbred PH1VHB
A novel maize variety designated PH1VHB and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing maize variety PH1VHB with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PH1VHB through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. Hybrid maize seed, plant or plant part produced by crossing the variety PH1VHB or a locus conversion of PH1VHB with another maize variety. |
| US09265218B2 |
Plants and seeds of hybrid corn variety CH816051
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH816051. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH816051, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH816051 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 CH816051. |
| US09265217B2 |
Plants and seeds of hybrid corn variety CH555099
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH555099. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH555099, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH555099 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 CH555099. |
| US09265216B2 |
Plants and seeds of hybrid corn variety CH998883
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH998883. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH998883, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH998883 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 CH998883. |
| US09265214B2 |
Soybean cultivar S120104
A soybean cultivar designated S120104 is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of soybean cultivar S120104, to the plants of soybean cultivar S120104, to the plant parts of soybean cultivar S120104, and to methods for producing progeny of soybean cultivar S120104. The invention also relates to methods for producing a soybean plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic soybean plants and plant parts produced by those methods. The invention also relates to soybean cultivars or breeding cultivars, and plant parts derived from soybean cultivar S120104. The invention also relates to methods for producing other soybean cultivars, lines, or plant parts derived from soybean cultivar S120104, and to the soybean plants, varieties, and their parts derived from use of those methods. The invention further relates to hybrid soybean seeds, plants, and plant parts produced by crossing cultivar S120104 with another soybean cultivar. |
| US09265199B2 |
Side hill compensation for a harvesting head
A control system (210) is provided for an agricultural harvester (200), the agricultural harvester (200) having an agricultural harvesting vehicle (202) and a harvesting head (204) mounted thereon, the harvesting head (204) further comprising a left side endless belt conveyor (214) driven by a left conveyor motor (312), a right side endless belt conveyor (218) driven by a right conveyor motor (310) and a center endless belt conveyor (220) driven by a center conveyor motor (314), the control system (210) comprising an electronic controller (300) configured to receive an electronic signal indicative of a roll angle of the harvesting head (204), and to electronically change a relative speed of at least one of the right conveyor motor (310) and the left conveyor motor (312) based at least upon the electronic signal indicative of a roll angle of the harvesting head (204). |
| US09265194B2 |
Agricultural sprayer with dedicated storage area for agricultural chemical totes
An agricultural sprayer for metered application of a liquid includes a chassis, and a carrier tank fixedly mounted to the chassis. The carrier tank is configured for containing a carrier liquid therein. One or more active ingredient tanks are each configured for containing an active ingredient therein. A storage area associated with the chassis is configured for and dedicated to removable storage of each active ingredient tank. |
| US09265193B2 |
Spreader nozzle light
An agricultural spreader has a hopper containing a granular material, a boom arm with a plurality of spreader nozzle assemblies configured to disperse the material and a pneumatic supply to propel the granular material from the hopper, and out the spreader nozzle assemblies. The spreader nozzle assemblies include a conduit defining a pathway through which the material is delivered and a spreader nozzle in fluid communication with the pathway. A piezoelectric material is located within the pathway. A light source is located proximate the spreader nozzle and in electrical communication with the piezoelectric material. The light source arranged to direct emitted light into a spread pattern produced by the spreader nozzle. |
| US09265190B2 |
Seed inductor box for an agricultural implement having multiple air paths
A particulate material delivery system for an agricultural implement including, an inductor box configured to receive particulate material from a tank, the inductor box including, an inductor segment comprising a particulate material supply chamber configured to guide the particulate material toward a fluidization chamber, and an air supply chamber configured to receive airflow from an airflow supply, wherein the inductor box is configured to direct the airflow from the air supply chamber to the particulate material supply chamber through a first airflow path and through a second airflow path remote from the first air path. |
| US09265188B2 |
Sectioned meter box assembly
A metering system for distributing an agricultural product in a field includes a drive input and a drive shaft coupled to the drive input and configured to be driven in rotation by the drive input. The metering system also includes a first meter box assembly having a first housing, a first metering shaft extending through a first plurality of meter rollers within the first housing, and a second metering shaft extending through a second plurality of meter rollers within the first housing. The metering system includes a second meter box assembly having a second housing, a third metering shaft extending through a third plurality of meter rollers within the second housing, and a fourth metering shaft extending through a fourth plurality of meter rollers within the second housing. Each metering shaft is configured to be independently driven by the drive shaft. |
| US09271427B2 |
Flexible thermal transfer strips
A system for use between a heat generating electronic device having a die having a shape placed thereon and a heat sink, includes a thermally conductive slug having a plurality of edges; a plurality of discrete strips each of the strips having a proximal end attaching to one of the edges of the thermally conductive slug, a distal end wherein the distal end is rigid for attachment to the heat sink, a flexible portion between the distal end and the thermally conductive slug wherein the slug may move as the electronic device moves and wherein the strips are comprised of two of more discrete layers, or strands that create a braid. |
| US09271423B2 |
Power distribution unit and method of distributing high density power
A power distribution unit includes a first solid state power module comprising a first plurality of solid state power controllers, where the first solid state power module comprises a first set of power characteristics. Also included is a second solid state power module comprising a second plurality of solid state power controllers. The second solid state power module comprises a second set of power characteristics. Also, the first solid state power module and the second solid state power module are interchangeably coupled to a first location of a common chassis. |
| US09271421B2 |
Adapter for arc resistant motor control center
The arc-resistant MCC is provided with either the expansion chamber or the plenum. Arc flashes create pressure. Different arc-resistant MCC bases are used depending on whether the expansion chamber or the plenum is to be attached, as the expansion chamber and the plenum deal with the created pressure in different ways and are accordingly attached to the MCC base in different ways. |
| US09271417B2 |
Electronic component mounting method
When a connected position detecting unit detects that a connected position of a tape reaches a predetermined position in the tape passage, head-feeding of an electronic component provided in a head of the connected new tape is provided. In the head-feeding, a tape feeder feeds the tape such that the electronic component in the head of the new tape is located in a component pickup port. When the connected position detecting unit detects that the connected position of the tape reaches the predetermined position in the tape passage, a mounting head picks up the electronic component from the new tape fed by the head feeding control unit and is mounted on a new board positioned by a board conveying path. |
| US09271416B2 |
Canopy for portable electrical device
A system and method are provided for the shielding of outdoor electrical equipment from inclement weather, the system comprising: a plurality of support brackets affixed to the outdoor electrical equipment; a support frame disposed in the support brackets; a waterproof cover disposed over the frame; an apron depending from the cover, configured to cover electrical connections on a side of the outdoor electrical equipment. |
| US09271414B2 |
Housing with extended creep and air-stretch
The present invention relates to a housing (100) for receiving an electric component, comprising a hollow housing body (110) with an opening (OS) on one side, which is characterized by a bottom (B) underneath the opening (OS), a lid (D) above the opening (OS), and two side walls (AS1, AS2) adjacent to the opening (OS), and at least two electric contacts (120a to 120f) provided on the bottom (B) of the housing body (110) on opposite housing sides, wherein a first contact (120a) of the electric contacts (120a to 120f) is situated in the region of the opening (OS). |
| US09271413B2 |
Shelter for portable electrical inlets/outlets
A shelter for protecting a portable electrical inlet/outlet (PEIO) includes a base and a cover. In some examples, the base includes a platform to support a body of the PEIO, and the platform is configured to segregate the PEIO body from water that may accumulate. In some examples, the cover configured to mate with the base to substantially enclose the platform. Upon being inserted into the shelter, the PEIO may be protected from unwanted elements, such as rain, snow, unintended contact by humans or animals, or the like. |
| US09271412B2 |
Television and electronic apparatus
According to one embodiment, an electronic apparatus includes a housing including a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The first surface includes a protrusion. The second surface includes a first recess opposite the protrusion and a second recess adjacent to the first recess. The second recess has substantially the same shape as the first recess. |
| US09271403B2 |
Semiconductor assemblies with multi-level substrates and associated methods of manufacturing
Various embodiments of semiconductor assemblies with multi-level substrates and associated methods of manufacturing are described below. In one embodiment, a substrate for carrying a semiconductor die includes a first routing level, a second routing level, and a conductive via between the first and second routing levels. The conductive via has a first end proximate the first routing level and a second end proximate the second routing level. The first routing level includes a terminal and a first trace between the terminal and the first end of the conductive via. The second routing level includes a second trace between the second end of the conductive via and a ball site. The terminal of the first routing level and the ball site of the second routing level are both accessible for electrical connections from the same side of the substrate. |
| US09271402B2 |
Flexible display and method for manufacturing the same
A flexible display comprises a display panel that includes a flexible substrate and subpixels formed in a display area defined on a surface of the flexible substrate. A data driver is mounted to a data driver area defined on the surface of the flexible substrate. The flexible display can have a connector mounted to a connector area defined on the surface of the substrate. A bent portion of the flexible substrate is between the display area and the connector area and causes the connector area to be bent back towards an other surface of the flexible substrate. A system board can further be electrically connected to the connector mounted on the connector area through a cable. |
| US09271401B2 |
Metal film material and method for manufacturing the same
The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a metal film material, the method including: applying an ink composition by discharging the ink composition onto a substrate via an inkjet method, the ink composition containing at least one first monomer having at least one group selected from the group consisting of a cyano group, an alkyloxy group, an amino group, a pyridine residue, a pyrrolidone residue, an imidazole residue, an alkylsulfanyl group, or a cyclic ether residue, at least one second monomer that has polyfunctionality, and at least one polymerization initiator, a total monomer content in the ink composition being 85% by mass or greater; forming a cured film by carrying out at least one of light exposure or heating of the ink composition that has been applied; applying a plating catalyst or a precursor thereof to the cured film; and a plating processing step of performing plating with respect to the plating catalyst or precursor thereof that has been applied. |
| US09271399B2 |
Electronic module and method for the production thereof
The invention relates to an electronic module, a support plate (2) having a base area (20) and at least one connection element (21). Said connection element (21) is a part of the base area (20) and is arranged at an angle (a) to the base area (20), in addition to at least one electronic component (3), in particular a sensor, which is arranged in the connection element (21). |
| US09271397B2 |
Circuit device
A circuit device having superior voltage resistance is provided. A structure is achieved that omits the resin layer that is normally provided to the top surface of a circuit board. Specifically, a ceramic substrate (22) is disposed on the top surface of a circuit board (12) comprising a metal, and a transistor (34) such as an IGBT is mounted to the top surface of the ceramic substrate (22). As a result, the transistor (34) and the circuit board (12) are insulated from each other by the ceramic substrate (22). The ceramic substrate (22), which comprises an inorganic material, has an extremely high voltage resistance compared to the conventionally used insulating layer comprising resin, and so even if a high voltage on the order of 1000V is applied to the transistor (34), short circuiting between the transistor (34) and the circuit board (12) is prevented. |
| US09271394B2 |
Transparent electrode sheet, method for manufacturing transparent electrode sheet, and capacitive touch panel using such transparent electrode sheet
A transparent electrode sheet includes a transparent support having thereon patterned electrodes, and an absolute value of a difference between a reflection chromaticity of a surface of the electrode of far side from the transparent support and a reflection chromaticity of a surface of the electrode of near side to the transparent support is not more than 2. |
| US09271392B2 |
Rigid flexible circuit board with impedance control
A rigid-flexible circuit board includes at least one flexible circuit board and at least one rigid circuit board. The flexible circuit board includes a flexible-board substrate, a plurality of flexible circuit board differential mode signal lines, at least one flexible circuit board grounding line, a flexible circuit board insulation layer formed on the upper surface of the flexible-board substrate and covering the flexible circuit board differential mode signal lines and the flexible circuit board grounding line. The rigid circuit board is stacked on the stacking section of the flexible circuit board. A shielding layer is formed on the flexible circuit board insulation layer of the flexible circuit board and corresponds to the extension section of the flexible circuit board. The shielding layer further extends from the extension section to the stacking section. An impedance control structure is formed on the shielding layer to control the impedance of the flexible circuit board differential mode signal lines. |
| US09271390B2 |
Semiconductor device with active shielding of leads
A semiconductor device has a multi-wire lead and a die having a multi-site bond pad. A shielding wire and a guarded wire both extend from the multi-wire lead to the multi-site bond pad. The shielding wire (or wires) provide active shielding to the guarded wire by simultaneously transmitting the same signal as the guarded wire between the multi-wire lead the multi-site bond pad. |
| US09271388B2 |
Interposer and package on package structure
A heat-dissipating interposer includes an insulating base, a plurality of conductive pillars and a thermal conducting frame. The insulating base includes a first surface and an opposite second surface. The conductive pillars are arranged on the insulating base. The conductive pillars protrude from the second surface. The height of the conductive pillars relative to the second surface is greater than the thickness of the insulating base. The thermal conducting frame is placed on the second surface and receives a heat-generating component. The interposer can be used in a package on package structure. |
| US09271382B2 |
Laser apparatus and extreme ultraviolet light generation apparatus
A laser apparatus may include a master oscillator configured to output a pulse laser beam, an amplifier disposed in a light path of the pulse laser beam, a wavelength selection element disposed in the light path of the pulse laser beam and configured to transmit light of a selection wavelength at higher transmittance than transmittance of light of other wavelengths, and a controller configured to change the selection wavelength of the wavelength selection element. |
| US09271379B2 |
Redundant operation of a backlight unit of a display device under open circuit or short circuit LED string conditions
Disclosed embodiments relate to techniques for operating a backlight unit of a display device in a redundant mode and a non-redundant mode in the event of an open circuit condition or short string condition. For instance, in a redundant mode, multiple LED strings are driven to provide a first quantity of light, such that the combined output from all LED strings is capable of providing a total light output corresponding to a maximum brightness setting for the display device. In the case that one of the LED strings fails due to an open circuit condition or short string condition, the remaining LED strings may be driven to provide a second quantity of light that is greater than the first, such that the combined light output from the remaining LED strings provides the same total light output for achieving the maximum brightness setting. |
| US09271368B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing a passive color control scheme using blue and red emitters
A lighting device capable of generating warm or neutral white light using blue light-emitting diodes (“LEDs”), red LEDs, and/or luminescent material that responds to blue LED emission is disclosed. The lighting device includes multiple first solid-state light-emitting structures (“SLSs”), second SLSs, and balancing resistor element. The first SLS such as a string of blue LED dies connected in series is able to convert electrical energy to blue optical light, which is partially turned into longer wavelength emission by the luminescent material. The second SLS such as a red LED die is configured to convert electrical energy to red optical light, wherein the second SLSs are connected in series. While the first SLSs and second SLSs are coupled in parallel, the balancing resistor element provides load balance for current redistribution between the first and second SLSs in response to fluctuation of operating temperature. |
| US09271367B2 |
System and method for controlling operation of an LED-based light
In one aspect of an embodiment for controlling operation of a light source, a method of associating a light source with an area for which the light source is positioned to provide lighting comprises: identifying, based on a determined physical position of a light source, one of a plurality of areas as the area for which the light source is positioned to provide lighting; identifying at least one desired lighting condition for the identified area; and controlling, using a processor, operation of the light source based on the identified at least one desired lighting condition for the identified area. |
| US09271362B2 |
Planckian and non-planckian dimming of solid state light sources
Systems and methods of Planckian and non-Planckian dimming of solid state light sources are disclosed. For a given first range of correlated color temperature values on the 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram, the current through a plurality of solid state light sources is adjusted so that the light output thereby follows the correlated color temperature values relating to the black body curve over that given first range. For a given second range of correlated color temperature values, the current through a plurality of solid state light sources is adjusted so that the light output thereby deviates from black body curve and instead relates to a series of coordinates that tracks a line between the curve and a color point for one of the solid state light sources. |
| US09271356B2 |
Backlight module and driving circuit
A backlight module and a driving circuit are provided. The driving circuit includes a plurality of current sources and a current switching unit. The current sources provide a plurality of driving currents. The current switching unit is coupled between a plurality of light emitting element strings and the current sources for transmitting the driving currents to the light emitting element strings, and switching the driving currents received by the light emitting element strings by timing. Therefore, the brightness of the light emitting element strings can be equalized. |
| US09271352B2 |
Line ripple compensation for shimmerless LED driver
A power converter controller includes an oscillator, a drive circuit, and a frequency modulator. The drive circuit receives a clock signal from the oscillator and generates a drive signal in response thereto to control switching of a switch of the power converter. The frequency modulator controls the frequency of the clock signal in response to an inductor voltage across an inductor of the energy transfer element to reduce a peak-to-peak ripple value in an output current of the power converter. The frequency modulator controls the frequency of the clock signal during each line half cycle to be a fixed frequency when the inductor voltage is less than or equal to a threshold voltage. When the inductor voltage is greater than the threshold voltage the frequency modulator varies the frequency to be less than the fixed frequency to adjust a shape of an input current of the power converter. |
| US09271350B2 |
Lighting control circuit, lamp, and lighting control method using the lighting control circuit
A lighting control circuit includes a rectifier connected to an electric ballast to which a commercial AC power is supplied, and configured to convert an AC to a DC, a series light emitter a plurality of solid-state light-emitting elements is connected in series, a smoothing capacitor provided in parallel with the series light emitter in a current supply line between the rectifier and the series light emitter, and configured to eliminate an AC component included in the DC from an output side of the rectifier, and a switching control circuit configured to generate an output voltage equal to an output voltage from the electric ballast when a fluorescent lamp starts up upon the connection of the fluorescent lamp to the electric ballast as a startup voltage in the startup of the series light emitter. |
| US09271348B2 |
Driver device and driving method for driving a load, in particular an LED unit
The present invention relates to a driver device (40; 50; 60) and a corresponding driving method for driving a load (12), in particular an LED unit (12) including one or more LEDs, said driver device comprising a power input unit (14) for receiving an input voltage (V10) from an external power supply (18) and for providing a rectified supply voltage (V12), a controllable resistor (48) for providing a load current (I L) to power the load (12), a frequency filter (42) connected to the power input unit (14) for providing a voltage (V18) to the load (12), wherein the frequency filter (42) is partially coupled in parallel to the load (12) and connected to the controllable resistor (48) to provide a substantially constant electrical power to the load (12). |
| US09271347B2 |
TRIAC dimmable LED driver circuit
A TRIAC dimmable light-emitting diode (LED) driver circuit is disclosed, compromising: An alternating-current (AC) voltage connected to a rectifier bridge; An LED load, which is connected to an inductor or a transformer, a power MOS transistor, a low voltage MOS transistor and a current sensing resistor. The LED driver also compromises: a peak current comparator which is used to compare the voltage between a current sensing resistor and a reference voltage; a maximum on-time timer, which is used to detect the on time of the low voltage MOS transistor. When the voltage on the current sensing resistor is higher than the reference voltage or the on time of the low voltage MOS transistor reaches the preset time of the maximum on-time timer, the low voltage MOS transistor is turned off. |
| US09271344B2 |
Dynamic LED display screen with increased frequency of input clock signals
A PWM circuit is disclosed in the application, which includes: a PWM counter, a reference value setting register, a frequency multiplier and a comparator, where the frequency multiplier is adapted to increase the frequency of a clock signal input and to output the clock signal with the increased frequency to the PWM counter. An LED drive circuit is further disclosed in the application. The frequency of a PWM input clock signal is increased to N times of the original frequency of the PWM input clock signal by the frequency multiplier, so that the counting cycle of the PWM counter is shortened to 1/N of the original counting cycle of the PWM counter. Therefore, in the dynamic LED display screen, the refresh frequency can be increased to N times of the original refresh frequency while the original resolution is maintained. |
| US09271342B2 |
Power supply system of one or more lighting modules with light-emitting diodes, associated lighting system and associated power supply method
The power supply system for one or more lighting modules with light-emitting diodes comprises an electrical power source able to be connected to each lighting module via an electrical connection and a detection device to detect a connection direction of each lighting module. The detection device comprises an injection circuit to inject a setpoint current, a first comparison circuit to compute a voltage measured on the corresponding electrical connection following the injection of the setpoint with a first voltage threshold, and an inversion circuit to invert the polarity of the lighting module when the voltage measured on the corresponding electrical connection is greater than or equal to the first voltage threshold. |
| US09271341B2 |
Heat treatment apparatus that performs defect repair annealing
Provided is a heat treatment apparatus that even when annealing SiC at high temperature, can exhibit a low heat capacity and perform uniform heating. The heat treatment apparatus includes a pair of parallel plate electrodes, high-frequency power supply that applies a high-frequency voltage to the pair of parallel plate electrodes so as to discharge between the pair of parallel plate electrodes, a temperature measurement instrument that measures the temperature of a sample to be heated which is disposed in the pair of parallel plate electrodes, a gas introduction unit that introduces a gas to the pair of parallel plate electrodes, reflection mirrors that surround the pair of parallel plate electrodes, and a control unit that controls the output of the high-frequency power supply. Heating of a gas due to discharge between the pair of parallel plate electrodes is used to thermally treat the sample to be heated. |
| US09271339B2 |
Microwave oven
Disclosed is a microwave oven provided with: a heating chamber (2) for housing the object to be cooked therein; a magnetron (7) that oscillates by having a voltage applied thereto, and generates a microwave to be supplied to the heating chamber (2); a radio wave sensor (11) for detecting the microwave generated by the magnetron (7); a timer (15) for measuring an oscillation starting time that is a period of time from when the voltage is applied to the magnetron (7) to when the microwave is detected by the radio wave sensor (11) due to the oscillation; and a notification unit (6) for sending a notice about the timing at which the magnetron (7) should be exchanged. When the oscillation starting time becomes longer than a prescribed period of time, a notice about that fact is sent by the notification unit (6). |
| US09271338B2 |
Pressurized heating system with enhanced pressure locks
A microwave heating system configured to heat a plurality of articles and a process for using the same are provided. The microwave heating system includes a liquid-filled thermalization zone, a liquid-filled microwave heating zone, and a pressure lock system disposed therebetween. The pressure lock system includes a pair of locking gate valves and a pressure adjustment chamber configured to transition the articles being heated from the thermalization zone to the microwave heating zone, which may be operated at different pressures. |
| US09271337B2 |
Induction heating cooking apparatus and control method thereof
An induction heating cooking apparatus and a control method thereof are provided. A vessel can be effectively heated by using a plurality of heating coils regardless of a position of the vessel. By connecting a plurality of heating coils to a smaller amount of inverters through relays, only a heating coil on which a vessel is placed, among the plurality of heating coils, can be heated. Also, by connecting the heating coils in series, a current flowing in the heating coil can be lowered, and thus, a rated current of the inverter can be lowered. Also, by connecting relays and heating coils such that a larger amount of heating coils are operated, while minimizing the amount of inverters, manufacturing cost can be reduced, operation efficiency can be increased, and stability of the cooking apparatus can be enhanced. |
| US09271335B1 |
Snow blanket
The inventive device object of the present application is a Snow Blanket or Snow Pad which will melts away this unwanted snow off cars and from around cars as well as from stairs and walkways around homes and businesses. |
| US09271334B2 |
Infrared electrothermal raised floor piece and floor comprising the same
Provided is an infrared electrothermal raised floor piece, comprising a faceplate layer, a carbon fiber far-infrared heat layer, a force support structure layer, at least a pair of electrodes and a plurality of power line connection terminals; wherein the electrodes are connected to the carbon fiber far-infrared heat layer; and the power line connection terminals are connected to the electrode. Also provided is an infrared electrothermal raised floor, comprising a plurality of infrared electrothermal raised floor pieces each comprising a plurality of power line connection terminals, and a supporter; wherein the infrared electrothermal raised floor pieces are transversely or lengthwisely arranged and flexibly installed on the supporter. |
| US09271333B2 |
Demand side management control system and methods
A demand side management control system and method for altering power consumption on an electrical device during specified periods of time (e.g., peak energy demand periods). The system includes a memory to store two or more power consuming function profiles corresponding to the one or more power consuming functions associated with the electrical device. The system also includes at least one processor coupled with the memory. The processor is programmed to receive a peak energy demand signal and access the power consuming function profiles associated with the electrical device. The processor identifies, based on the received peak energy demand signal, the one of two or more power consuming function profiles to be implemented in the electrical device. Finally, the processor periodically disables or operates at a reduced power level at least one power consuming function according to the identified power consuming function profile. |
| US09271329B2 |
Systems and methods for enabling stations to connect to wireless hotspots using non-unicode service set identification information
Embodiments relate to systems and methods for enabling stations to connect to wireless hotspots using non-Unicode service set identification information. A WiFi™ wireless router or other access point can broadcast beacon information to smart phones or other stations within wireless range of that device. In existing access point implementations, the character set in which the access point broadcasts this information, including a service set identification indicating the connection services available from the access point, are assumed to be encoded in Unicode format, specifically, UTF-8 format. While English-language options are properly displayed, character sets and/or languages which are not encoded in Unicode (UTF-8) format are translated into unintelligible characters using this approach. According to embodiments, access point hardware can be configured to broadcast the type of character set encoding in the beacon information itself, for instance, in existing SSID information elements, vendor-specific information elements, and/or other locations in the beacon data. |
| US09271328B2 |
Communication system between electric bikes and communication method thereof
The present invention provides a communication system between electric bikes and communication method thereof. The communication system comprises a plurality of electric bikes. Each of the electric bikes comprises a monitor module and a portable electric device, wherein the portable device further comprises a storing unit and a WiFi module. The monitor module is configured to monitor the status of the electric bike to generate a plurality of monitor information. When a temporary network is formed between the electric bikes, the electric bikes transmit the monitor information each other through the temporary network and each of the electric bikes stores the received monitor information. |
| US09271320B2 |
Method for performing communication between devices in a wireless access system, and device for same
Disclosed are a method for performing communication between devices in a wireless access system supporting device-to-device communication, and a device for same. More particularly, the method comprises the steps of: transmitting, from a first device to a base station, instruction information on whether or not device-to-device communication is supported by the first device; receiving, by the first device, group information for grouping devices which support device-to-device communication, from the base station using mobility information and position information on the devices supporting device-to-device communication; selecting, by the first device using the group information, a second device that is to perform device-to-device communication between devices; and performing device-to-device communication with the second device selected by the first device. |
| US09271319B2 |
Method and arrangement for providing a wireless mesh network
A method and an arrangement for providing a wire-free mesh network are provided. An approval procedure is carried out in situations in which a subscriber who is registering on the mesh network transmits an MAC address which already exists in the mesh network, such that two different subscribers within the mesh network never have identical MAC addresses. |
| US09271311B1 |
Methods and systems for automated activation and configuration of broadband incident area networks (IANs)
Disclosed herein are methods and systems for automated activation and configuration of broadband LTE IANs. A mobile IAN base station, an activated mode and a dormant mode, determines at least one location in a local region of the mobile IAN base station while in the dormant mode. An activation-permission request is submitted to a geo-location-database (GDB) function, and the mobile IAN base station receives an activation-permission response. The response is based on an expected level of wide-area-network (WAN) coverage associated with the determined location. Responsive to receiving an activation-permission grant, the mobile IAN base station transitions to the activated mode. Responsive to not receiving an activation-permission grant, the mobile IAN base station remains in the dormant mode. |
| US09271309B2 |
Method and apparatus of requesting channel access in wireless local area network
A method and apparatus of requesting a channel access in a wireless local area network is provided. A transmitter transmits a plurality of Request To Send (RTS) frames over a plurality of requesting channels and receives at least one Clear To Send (CTS) frame over at least one responding channel as a response for the plurality of RTS frames. Each of the plurality of RTS frames indicates a bandwidth for the plurality of requesting channels, and the at least one CTS frame indicates a bandwidth for the at least one responding channel. |
| US09271300B2 |
Wireless communication apparatus and method
According to one embodiment, a wireless communication apparatus includes a determination unit, a first setting unit, a second setting unit and a wireless unit. The determination unit determines whether a signal degradation degree is higher than a threshold value. The first setting unit sets first parameters relating to a first data rate and a first communication robustness. The second setting unit sets second parameters relating to a second data rate and a second communication robustness if an instruction signal is received and if the signal degradation degree is higher than the threshold value. The wireless unit communicates with a communication partner using one of the first parameters and the second parameters. |
| US09271296B2 |
Methods and devices for allocating resource blocks in an LTE network
Resource blocks in a Long Term Evolution (LTE) network may be allocated by determining a maximum number of user equipments (UEs) in the LTE network that are permitted to transmit in a time period using a given resource block. This maximum number of UEs may be determined according to an upper limit on the overall transmission power in the LTE network for the given resource block. The given resource block may be allocated in the time period to up to the maximum number of UEs based on each UE's geographic location within the network. Related systems, methods, and devices are disclosed. |
| US09271294B2 |
Method and system for requesting a service utilizing a sequence of codes
A method for sending a signal to a signaled entity, the method determining at least a first code of a sequence of codes comprising the signal, wherein at least one code of the sequence of codes is derived from at least one bit string that is encoded by an encoder to produce a sequence of output bit groups, each output bit group being used to select a code from a set of predefined codes; receiving, at the signaling entity, an assignation of resources from the signaled entity for transmission of at least the first code of the sequence of codes; transmitting, utilizing at least the first code of the sequence of codes and the assignation, the signal, wherein at least the first code is shared among a plurality of signaling entities; and sending, utilizing subsequent codes of the sequence of codes, the signal. |
| US09271291B2 |
Common anchor based aggregation
Embodiments contemplate techniques for managing aggregation between using an anchor channel over a first frequency band as the anchor band between an Access Point and a wireless receiver/transmitter unit (WTRU). One or more embodiments may include the WRTU receiving one or more beacons via the anchor channel, where the one or more beacons may provide allocation information for allocating a supplementary channel on a second frequency band as a supplementary band that may be different from the first frequency band. Embodiments also contemplate establishing the supplementary channel over the supplementary band using the allocation information provided in the one or more beacons. Embodiments also contemplate exchanging data over the established supplementary channel on the supplementary band. |
| US09271290B2 |
Methods, apparatus and systems for performing multi-radio access technology carrier aggregation
A method of managing carrier aggregation for a multi-radio access technology (RAT) wireless transmitter/receiver unit (WTRU) is disclosed. The method may include: receiving, by the WRTU over a primary channel associated with a RAT of a first type, provisioning information for provisioning a supplementary channel associated with a RAT of a second type; establishing the supplementary channel associated with the RAT of the second type based on the received provisioning information; and wirelessly exchanging, by the WRTU, first data associated with a communication over the primary channel via the RAT of the first type, while wireless exchanging second data associated with the communication over the supplementary channel via the RAT of the second type. |
| US09271289B2 |
Switching sub-system for distributed antenna systems using time division duplexing
A switching control module can optimize time division duplexing operations of a distributed antenna system (“DAS”). The switching control module can include a measurement receiver and a processor. The measurement receiver can measure signal powers of downlink signals in a downlink path of the DAS. The processor can determine start times for downlink sub-frames transmitted via the downlink path based on downlink signal powers measured by the measurement receiver exceeding a threshold signal power. The processor can identify a clock setting that controls a timing of switching signals used for switching the DAS between an uplink mode and a downlink mode. The processor can statistically determine a switching time adjustment for the clock setting based on switching time differentials between the clock setting and the start times. The processor can update the clock setting based on the switching time adjustment. |
| US09271285B2 |
Mobile station apparatus, base station apparatus, radio communication system, radio communication method, and integrated circuit
In a radio communication system using OCC for DMRS, a base station apparatus correctly receives PUSCH. If a first mode is set in which a demodulation reference signal of a physical uplink shared channel is multiplied by an orthogonal code determined in advance or if a temporary C-RNTI was used for a transmission of downlink control information, the demodulation reference signal of the physical uplink shared channel is multiplied by the orthogonal code determined in advance, and if a second mode is set in which the demodulation reference signal of the physical uplink shared channel is multiplied by an orthogonal code determined on the basis of cyclic shift information in the downlink control information and moreover, if an RNTI other than the temporary C-RNTI was used for the transmission of the downlink control information, the demodulation reference signal of the physical uplink shared channel is multiplied by the orthogonal code determined on the basis of the cyclic shift information in the downlink control information. |
| US09271283B2 |
Method and user equipment for transmitting channel state information and method and base station for receiving channel state information
The present invention provides a method and a device for transmitting or receiving channel state information (CSI). According to the present invention, when a user equipment can be set with one or more CSI processes per serving cell, a CSI request field included in downlink control information for a specific serving cell indicates at least whether a non-periodic CSI report triggered by the CSI request field is triggered for a set of CSI process(es) set by a higher layer from among the CSI process(es) for the one serving cell. |
| US09271279B2 |
Channel state measurement and reporting
A method for reporting uplink control information (UCI) on a user equipment (UE) is described. A Type 2 channel state information (CSI) report is generated for a CSI reference resource. The Type 2 CSI report is sent to a base station. The Type 2 CSI report is computed from a channel measurement based on a non-zero power reference signal on a single subframe within a configured CSI-RS resource associated with a CSI process. |
| US09271278B2 |
RF chain usage in a dual network architecture
An apparatus and method for using a radio frequency (RF chain) in a dual-network architecture are disclosed herein. An evolved node B (eNodeB) receives RF chain sharing information from user equipment (UE) associated with the eNodeB. The RF chain sharing information comprises indication of a non-usable frequency band or indication of which frequency band is supported for each of a first network and a second network that an RF chain is switchable between. The RF chain is included in the UE and at least a frequency band is shared between the first and second networks. The eNodeB transmits radio resource control (RRC) connection reconfiguration signaling to the UE to release a secondary cell (SCell) or perform inter-frequency handover of a primary cell (PCell) in response to the RF chain sharing information. |
| US09271275B2 |
Apparatus and method for resource allocation information transmission in mobile communication system
An apparatus and method for resource allocation information transmission is provided. The method includes determining a search space for use in a second frequency band using resource allocation information of a first process detected in a first frequency band, detecting resource allocation information using the search space in the second frequency band, and when failing to decode received data according to the resource allocation information detected in the second frequency band, re-detecting resource allocation information of the first process in the second frequency band in a first time interval using the search space without detecting the resource allocation information of the first process in the first frequency band. |
| US09271266B2 |
Searching for control channels in a wireless network
A user equipment (UE) may receive an OFDM signal having control channel elements (CCEs). The CCEs may be arranged in levels where a first level aggregates less CCEs than a second level. A processor may search for a control channel from control channel candidates that is comprised of the CCEs. A limited number of CCEs may be searched on the first level. |
| US09271262B2 |
Method and apparatus for managing multicast and broadcast service resource
When zone allocation information of sub-bands is changed, a terminal receives a new MBS configuration message after a lifetime of an MBS configuration message at a time when the changed zone allocation information is received is expired. The terminal applies the changed zone allocation information at the beginning of the first MSI of the new MBS configuration message. |
| US09271261B1 |
Wireless geographic routing protocol
A method of operating a communication system comprises, in a wireless communication device, acquiring a packet address from a communication network, wherein the communication network assigns the packet address to the wireless communication device, and transmitting the packet address, a device identifier, and a location of the wireless communication device for delivery to a database in the communication network. The method further comprises, in a packet router, receiving a data packet with a destination address of the packet address assigned to the wireless communication device, querying the database with the packet address to determine the device identifier and the location of the wireless communication device, processing the location to select a plurality of output ports of the packet router, and broadcasting the data packet over the plurality of output ports. |
| US09271258B2 |
Distance and velocity measurements using carrier signals
Systems and methods for performing distance and velocity measurements, such as by using carrier signals, are disclosed. A measurement method may include transmitting a first signal from an originator device to a transponder device, the first signal having a first carrier frequency; and determining a carrier phase of the first signal at the transponder device. The method may include transmitting a second signal from the transponder device to the originator device, the second signal having a second carrier frequency; and determining a carrier phase of the second signal at the originator device. The method may include estimating a distance between the originator device and the transponder device using the carrier phase of the first carrier signal and the carrier phase of the second carrier signal. The method may include estimating the distance between the originator device and the transponder device using a frequency difference between the first carrier frequency and the second carrier frequency. |
| US09271257B2 |
Method and apparatus for informing a radio of a group-call started while the radio was away from a control channel
A radio affiliates, via a first channel, with at least one talk group the radio is interested in receiving calls from, sends a request to transmit location information on a separate revert channel, and receives a first grant time period to transmit location information on a particular revert channel. The radio moves at substantially the first grant time period, away from the first channel to the revert channel to transmit location information or request a second grant time period on the revert channel, receives an announcement on the revert channel during the first grant time period that a call of interest associated with the at least one talk group started while the radio was on the revert channel, determines an assigned traffic channel for the call of interest, and switches from the revert channel to the assigned traffic channel in order to receive the call of interest. |
| US09271255B1 |
Providing wireless network communication among a plurality of wireless devices
A communication link is established between a first wireless device and a communication network using a network communication protocol when it is determined at the first wireless device that a communication link with an access node is not detected. The first wireless device transmits an indication that the first wireless device can provide wireless communications to a second wireless device using a cellular radio access technology. In response to a communication channel request from the second wireless device, the first wireless device grants a communication channel to the second wireless device, and the second wireless device is assigned a network address. A request is received at the first wireless device to establish a communication session for the second wireless device over the communication network, and the communication session is established by the wireless device for the second wireless device over the communication network. |
| US09271247B1 |
Characterizing slave clock synchronization behavior by means of dropped sync packets
Methods, media, and systems are provided for characterizing the synchronization behavior of a slave clock. A sequence of sync packets, usable to synchronize with a grandmaster clock, is transmitted from the grandmaster clock to a slave clock. The sequence of sync packets is modified by dropping one or more sync packets from the sequence, providing a pattern of dropped sync packets. A synchronization output of the slave clock is monitored and, based on the synchronization output, a determination is made as to whether the slave clock is synchronized while the sequence of sync packets is modified. A characterization of the synchronization behavior of the slave clock is stored with respect to the pattern of dropped sync packets. The process may be repeated for various patterns of dropped sync packets. |
| US09271243B2 |
Wireless access point and method and device for controlling wireless access point
The device for controlling a wireless access point comprises: a grouping unit which groups wireless access points which use the same channel, by using channel use information received from the wireless access points; a map generator which computes each received signal strength value of the grouped wireless access points and each output strength value of the grouped wireless access points; an extractor which extracts a wireless access point having the highest received signal strength value among the grouped wireless access points, if interference occurs between said grouped wireless access points; and an optimal output strength value-calculator which computes a corrected output strength value by using the received signal strength value of the extracted wireless access point, a threshold value of predetermined received signal strength, and a currently used output strength value between said grouped wireless access points. |
| US09271242B2 |
Energy-harvesting devices in wireless networks
Embodiments of the present disclosure describe communication techniques and configurations for energy-harvesting devices in a wireless communication network. An apparatus may include circuitry to receive, by a network device of a wireless communication network, a message from user equipment, the message including an indication that the user equipment is an energy-harvesting device and circuitry to differentiate the energy-harvesting device from other non-energy-harvesting devices in the wireless communication network based on the indication. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed. |
| US09271241B2 |
Access point and methods for distinguishing HEW physical layer packets with backwards compatibility
Embodiments of a system and methods for distinguishing high-efficiency Wi-Fi (HEW) packets from legacy packets are generally described herein. In some embodiments, an access point may select a value for the length field of a legacy signal field (L-SIG) that is non-divisible by three for communicating with HEW stations and may select a value for the length field that is divisible by three for communicating with legacy stations. In some embodiments, the access point may select a phase rotation for application to the BPSK modulation of at least one of the first and second symbols of a subsequent signal field to distinguish a high-throughput (HT) PPDU, a very-high throughput (VHT) PPDU and an HEW PPDU. |
| US09271232B2 |
Mobile terminal and power saving method thereof
A mobile terminal and a method are provided for power saving. The mobile terminal monitors changes of data on a UART bus, acquires current operating states of a Bluetooth chip and a main control chip on the mobile terminal, and when detecting that there is no data on the UART bus, the main control chip controls a Bluetooth module to enter into a power saving mode. By adopting the technical scheme described, once it is detected that there is no data on the bus, the Bluetooth module will be enabled to enter into a state of power saving mode immediately, which ensures that the Bluetooth module is always in the state of power saving mode when there is no service ongoing, thereby increasing the standby time of the mobile terminal to the maximum extent, and improving the level of the user experience. |
| US09271230B2 |
Cloud-enabled low power Wi-Fi sensor
A cloud-enabled low power Wi-Fi device is provided that includes a transceiver, a programmable processor, and executable control software stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium. The transceiver can be in a low power sleep mode until the programmable processor and the executable control software detect a first condition. When the programmable processor and the executable control software detect the first condition, the transceiver can exit the low power sleep mode and the programmable processor and the executable software can construct and transmit a message, via the transceiver, to a remote device. When the programmable processor and the executable control software detect a second condition, the transceiver can reenter the low power sleep mode. |
| US09271229B2 |
Methods, systems, and media for partial downloading in wireless distributed networks
Methods, systems, and media for partial downloading in wireless distributed networks are provided. In some embodiments, methods for selecting numbers of symbols to be transmitted on a plurality of channels are provided, the methods comprising: for each of the plurality of channels, calculating using a hardware processor an increase in power that will be used by that channel if it transmits a symbol; selecting one of the plurality of channels with the smallest increase in power using the hardware processor; and allocating the symbol to the one of the plurality of channels using the hardware processor. |
| US09271224B2 |
Communication apparatus, and communication method therefor
In order to prevent a communication-parameter automatic setting process from being performed by unintended communication apparatuses, a communication terminal having detected a plurality of communication-parameter providing apparatuses sends a notification indicating that the plurality of providing apparatuses exist to another terminal. |
| US09271223B2 |
Adaptive filtering of cell measurements
A method for adaptive filtering of cell measurements is provided. The method can include a wireless communication device determining based on instantaneous measurement samples of a cell captured over a measurement period that a fading condition of the cell exceeds a threshold. The method can further include the wireless communication device modifying a network configured filter coefficient to derive a modified filter coefficient in response to the fading condition of the cell exceeding the threshold over the measurement period. The method can additionally include the wireless communication device filtering the instantaneous measurement samples based on the modified filter coefficient to calculate a filtered measurement of the cell. The method can also include the wireless communication device calculating an adjusted measurement value for the cell based on the filtered measurement. The method can further include the wireless communication device using the adjusted measurement value for event evaluation and reporting. |
| US09271222B2 |
Method and apparatus for implementing access to machine to machine (M2M) core network
The present invention discloses a method and an apparatus for implementing an access to a Machine to Machine (M2M) core network. In the method, a network element receives an access request message carrying equipment identity indication information, wherein the access request message is initiated by terminal equipment; the network element determines that the terminal equipment is M2M equipment according to the equipment identity indication information; and the network element selects a corresponding M2M core network for the terminal equipment to implement the access of the terminal equipment. According to the technical solution provided by the present invention, the existing network can meet the M2M service requirement while providing services for existing Human to Human (H2H) equipment, without any need of enhancement and mass expansion. |
| US09271217B2 |
Ubiquitous access to FEMTO-connected network
A system and method of enabling a mobile device to communicate with a local IP network host and an external IP network host using a femto cellular access point on a femto cellular access network. A local gateway is coupled to the femto cellular access network for receiving data packets transmitted on the femto cellular access network and for routing the data packets to one of a local IP network and an external IP network, based on a destination address associated with the data packets. The femto cellular access network includes an LTE network, an EVDO network connected to an EPC, or a WiMax 802.16e/m network connected to the EPC. |
| US09271214B1 |
Cell change order and cell reselection by a wireless device
A method and/or apparatus for wireless communication in a multi-SIM user equipment includes receiving a list of neighboring base stations from a serving base station of a first SIM. The serving base station of a second SIM is identified and a final target base station is determined for a cell reselection procedure and/or cell change order procedure from among the neighboring base stations and the serving base station of the second SIM. |
| US09271213B1 |
Controlling wireless device communication with access nodes
When a first loading of a first access node is determined to meet a loading criteria, a handover criteria is decreased for a second access node comprising a coverage area at least a portion of which is within a coverage area of the first access node. A handover is performed of at least one of a plurality of wireless devices from the first access node to the second access node when a signal level of the second access node received at the at least one of the plurality of wireless devices meets the decreased handover criteria. Changes are determined in the first loading and in a throughput provided to the at least one of the wireless devices, and the handover criteria for the second access node is adjusted based on the changes in the first loading and the throughput provided to the at least one wireless device. |
| US09271211B2 |
Resource selection for dual radio terminals
Systems, methods and apparatus described herein include features that enable dual radio access. In one embodiment, the access point directs an access terminal through sequential measurements, which are selected by the access point based on the radio access capability of the access terminal, service preferences of the user and measurement reports. In a complementary method, an access terminal obtains the sequential measurements chosen by the access point. In another embodiment, the access point directs an access terminal through a set of measurements, which are selected by the access point based on the radio access capability of the access terminal and service preferences of the user. In another embodiment, an access terminal selects which subset of measurements to obtain based on the radio access capability of the access terminal and optionally service preferences of the user. |
| US09271209B2 |
Method and system for maintaining multiple PDN network connection during inter-technology handover in the idle mode
Supporting an optimized idle mode handoff of user equipment from a 3GPP to a non-3GPP system. Namely, during an idle mode registration of the user equipment with the non-3GPP system, the user equipment may provide an indication to the access node on the non-3GPP system so that the access point in that non-3GPP system contacts the appropriate entity (HSS or AAA) on the home network for the user equipment to download the addresses of the multiple PDN gateway addresses that are currently in use by the user equipment. This indication to the non-3GPP access node, the contact message from the access node to the home network, and the response from the home network to the access node on the non-3GPP system provide the access node with sufficient information to maintain multiple PDN connectivity to the user equipment during an idle mode handover. |
| US09271208B2 |
Dynamic carrier switching
A rule server detects a condition pertaining to a switch of a user device to a preferred wireless carrier, and sends a message to the user device indicating a switch to the preferred wireless carrier. |
| US09271204B2 |
Mobility management based on radio link failure reporting
A communication node determines that radio link failure occurred during connected state mobility of an access terminal and reports the radio link failure to another communication node. For example, a target access point may determine that radio link failure occurred during handover of an access terminal and send a radio link failure report message to the access point that was previously serving the access terminal or to some other node (e.g., a network node). In the first case, the serving access point may adjust mobility parameters based on this radio link failure information and, optionally, other reported radio link failure information. In the second case, the other node may send a radio link failure report message to the serving access point, or the other node may adjust mobility parameters based on this radio link failure information (and, optionally, other reported radio link failure information) and send the adjusted mobility parameters to the serving access point. |
| US09271200B2 |
Method and system for managing security in mobile communication system
A method, an apparatus, and a system for solving and managing security problems, which may occur during a handover of a User Equipment (UE) between PLMNs in a mobile communication network, by using a Non-Access Stratum (NAS) protocol are provided. By the method, a UE can perform a security mode command and an authentication with a network. Further, the method can prevent interruption of communication due to authentication or security during a handover of a UE between Public Land Mobile Networks (PLMNs). |
| US09271199B2 |
Managing system frame numbers (SFNs) for circuit-switched fallback (CSFB)
A method of wireless communication includes recording an absolute system frame number (SFN) of a target radio access technology (RAT) and/or recording a relative system frame number (SFN) difference between a serving radio access technology (RAT) and the target RAT. A transmission time interval (TTI) boundary, is determined after redirection, based at least in part on the recorded absolute frame number (SFN) and/or the recorded relative system frame number (SFN) difference. |
| US09271188B2 |
Dynamic in-band service control mechanism in mobile network
A method, computer readable medium and apparatus for transmitting signaling information within payload traffic. For example, the method parses a certificate received from a service provider to obtain service imprint information associated with a mobile service, inserts a service control parameter derived from the service imprint information into a packet header, and forwards the packet header within payload traffic to a policy charging and enforcing function. |
| US09271187B2 |
Load distribution in a network of small-cell base stations
A network device may make a determination that a first backhaul connection, which serves a first base station, is congested and that a second backhaul connection, which serves a second base station, is not congested. This determination may be made based on a first periodic data cap imposed on the first backhaul connection, a traffic load on the first backhaul connection, a second periodic data cap imposed on the second backhaul connection, and a traffic load on the second backhaul connection. In response to the determination, the network device may configure a value of a cellular communication parameter utilized by one or both of the base stations. The configuration may comprise periodic adjustments of the value of the cellular communication parameter. The periodic adjustments may cause one or more mobile devices to be cyclically handed-over between the first base station and the second base station. |
| US09271185B2 |
Method and apparatus for interference mitigation utilizing antenna pattern adjustments
A system that incorporates the subject disclosure may perform, for example, a method for receiving interference information, identifying a plurality of interferers, approximating a location of the plurality of interferers, and adjusting an antenna pattern of an antenna. The method can include determining traffic loads and adjusting the antenna pattern according to the traffic loads. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US09271182B2 |
Frame formats and timing parameters in sub-1 GHz networks
A method includes selecting a frame format for use in transmission of a packet via a wireless network. The transmission is associated with a particular bandwidth. The selected frame format is a first frame format if the particular bandwidth is equal to a threshold bandwidth. The selected frame format is the first frame format or a second frame format if the particular bandwidth is greater than the threshold bandwidth. The second frame format includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion includes a short training field (STF), a long training field, and a signal A field, and the second portion includes a data portion including a second STF, one or more signal B fields, and a data field. The method further includes generating the packet in accordance with the selected frame format and one or more timing parameters and sending the packet. |
| US09271181B2 |
Architectural model for LTE (long term evolution) EPC (Evolved packet core) deployment
A new deployment model enables a seamless migration to LTE (long term evolution)/EPC (Evolved packet core). In addition, an intelligent edge gateway (IEG) supports future distributed architecture and a converged network for service providers. Specifically, the model supports existing data services (e.g. UMTS) and the delivery of LTE services does not affect the existing data services. Moreover, a distributed architecture is employed, such that, local traffic is optimally routed at the edge and backhaul is minimized. The system can also provide support for enhanced Femto cell 3GPP access to a home network. |
| US09271176B2 |
System and method for backhaul based sounding feedback
A system and method for backhaul based explicit sounding feedback of 802.11 AP to AP channel state information (CSI) so that inter AP interference can be reduced and multiple APs transmissions that can occur simultaneously on the same radio channel. A modification may be made to APs such that they can accurately measure the CSI between them that in turn enables their respective beamformer to create pattern nulls toward each other while simultaneously developing pattern enhancements toward their intended station. An AP may send a sounding packet to its associated STAs, poll explicit feedbacks from STAs and receive backhaul CSI feedbacks from neighboring APs. There is no additional Wi-Fi overhead in physical layer. Backhaul feedback link is established through direct peer-to-peer (P2P) link which bypassed the sounding controller to reduce CSI feedback delay. |
| US09271175B2 |
Wireless quality collecting device, wireless quality collecting method, and computer-readable recording medium
A wireless quality collecting device receives quality information on a wireless area from a terminal device that is located in the wireless area. For each region belonging to a predetermined range, the wireless quality collecting device counts the number of pieces of the received quality information. For a region in which the total number of pieces of the counted quality information is equal to or greater than a predetermined number, from among pieces of the quality information belonging to the region, the wireless quality collecting device selects the predetermined number of pieces of the quality information and stores the selected quality information in a storing unit. |
| US09271174B2 |
Communication device performing measurements using assigned time slots
A method for performing a measurement by a communication device including selecting at least one measurement type of a plurality of measurement types, wherein each measurement type is assigned to a time slot, wherein the at least one measurement type is selected for a time interval which is pre-defined as a transmission gap of a receiver of the communication device for carrying out measurements by the receiver corresponding to the time slot; and performing a measurement of the at least one measurement type during the time interval. |
| US09271171B1 |
Transmitter and receiver tracking techniques for user devices in a MIMO network
A technique includes (i) receiving a first pilot signal from a base station via a receiver of a client device, or (ii) transmitting a second pilot signal from the client device to the base station via a transmitter of the client device. First time differences and signal quality values for N samples of N respective packets in the first pilot signal are determined. Second time differences and signal quality values are received via the receiver. The second time differences and signal quality values are generated for M samples of M respective packets in the second pilot signal. An offset value is determined based on (i) the first time differences and signal quality values, or (ii) the second time differences and signal quality values. Activation or deactivation times of the receiver or the transmitter or transmission times of the transmitter are adjusted based on the offset value. |
| US09271168B2 |
Systems and/or methods for managing or improving interference between cells
Systems and methods for managing and/or improving interference in cells may be provided. For example, in embodiments, a partial-band Almost Blank Subframe (PB-ABS) subframe and/or a spatial Almost Blank Subframe (SABS) may be provided and/or used for coordinating communication with in networks with smaller and larger cells (e.g. pico or macro cells). For example, a PB-ABS may provide a dimension (e.g. frequency) that may be used to define a region and/or particular resources (e.g. resource blocks) reserved for pico cell operations or transmissions and a region or other resources (e.g. not those reserved for pico cell operations) available for macro cell operations or transmissions. Additionally, based on beam parameters (e.g. associated with cell partitioning), SABS may offer an additional dimension (e.g. spatial) that may be used to prevent transmission in a particular spatial direction. |
| US09271167B2 |
Determination of radio link failure with enhanced interference coordination and cancellation
Existing criteria for analyzing radio link failure conditions may not satisfactorily address the conditions between cells that support cooperative resource coordination. Generally, when the UE declares radio link failure, the UE discontinues communication with a serving base station and searches for a new base station. When the UE lies in a region with severe interference, where the interference is coordinated between base stations by the interfering cell yielding part of its resources, the UE measurements for determining radio link failure (RLF) may vary considerably, depending on whether the measured resources were yielded by the interfering cell. When the UE measures resources which were not yielded by the interfering cell, the UE can erroneously declare RLF (e.g., due to high interference), although the UE can still access the serving cell using resources yielded by the interfering cell. Accordingly, disclosed are aspects for determining RLF based by accounting for cooperative resource coordination employing yielded resources. |
| US09271166B2 |
Multi-standard radio network node configuration data handling for network operation
A method in a Multi-Standard Radio (MSR) network node, a MSR network node, a method in a network node, and a network node facilitate handling of MSR network node information in a wireless communications system/network. Mechanisms for network operation of a wireless communications system/network include one or more MSR Base Stations (BSs). The MSR network node is configured to handle multiple Radio Access Technologies (RATs), generate a message comprising an MSR identifier identifying the MSR network node and/or MSR network node configuration data, and send the generated message to another network node for use in network operation. The generated message may be generated and sent upon detecting an initiating event. |
| US09271164B2 |
Method of increasing data throughput of a wireless network system by dynamically adjusting MTU/fragmentation size according to current transmission status
In a wireless network system which adopts a multi-layer data transmission structure, a wireless channel is established between a user equipment and a base station. A wireless transmission channel is established between the user equipment and the base station. An MTU/fragmentation size adopted in the wireless transmission channel is set and dynamically adjusted according to the current transmission status of the wireless transmission channel. |
| US09271156B2 |
Location determination for white space utilization
A technique for a wireless device to obtain white space information from a component configured for cellular communication, such as a cellular phone. The wireless device and cellular phone may communicate using a short-range connection, such as a peer-to-peer connection, ensuring that the white space information, which is location based, generated by the cellular phone is also accurate for the location of the wireless device. With such white space information, the wireless device can comply with regulatory requirements for white space use by accessing a regulatory database identifying, by location, available white space channels. When the cellular phone is configured for accessing a wide area network, the cellular telephone may provide the white space information as a set of channels available for white space communication. Channels of the set may be prioritized based on one or more parameters, including frequency, permitted transmit power or detected noise. |
| US09271153B2 |
Adaptive network configuration
A network configurator can dynamically configure a device to couple network data between other devices in a wireless network. The devices can include two independent wireless transceivers that can each operate within different frequency bands, such as the 2.4 GHz and 5.0 GHz frequency bands. The configuration of the independent wireless transceivers can be based, at least in part, on device capabilities of the wireless transceivers, channel conditions, and a quality of service associated with the other wireless stations in the wireless network. |
| US09271152B2 |
Heterogeneous cellular network
Provided is a micro base station to be used in a heterogeneous cellular network. The micro base station has resources including frequency bands and time slots and being available for a user to use. The heterogeneous cellular network includes a plurality of base stations including a macro base station and the micro base station. The micro base station includes: an information acquiring part configured to acquire configuration information and load information of the micro base station, and to acquire configuration information and load information of a neighboring base station adjacent to the micro base station from the neighboring base station; and a resource selection part configured to select a part of the resources from the resources to provide the selected part of the resources to the user based on the configuration information and the load information of the micro base station and the neighboring base station. |
| US09271147B2 |
Customizable mobile message services
In one embodiment, a method includes: receiving, at a mobile device, a first service command and a second service command; sending the first service command from the mobile device to a server; sending the second service command from the mobile device to a server; receiving, at the mobile device, first service results corresponding to the first service command; receiving, at the mobile device, second service results corresponding to the second service command; combining the first service results with the second service results; and displaying the combined service results on the mobile device. |
| US09271146B2 |
Mobile privacy information proxy
An approach is provided for managing data being transmitted from a mobile device. The mobile device receives a request from a user to initiate a transmission of data. The mobile device determines whether the data includes sensitive information based on a format of the data, and if so, the mobile device determines a country in which the mobile device is currently located, determines a privacy policy of the country in which the mobile device is currently located, and determines whether the privacy policy applies to a type of the data corresponding to the format of the data; and if so, the mobile device notifies the user of the privacy policy of the country, identifies to the user the type of the data for which the privacy policy applies, and queries the user whether to transmit the data as requested by the user. |
| US09271145B2 |
System and method for controlling, monitoring and recording of wireless communications in penal institutions
A system for controlling, monitoring, and recording of wireless telecommunications services associated with penal institutions is provided comprising a portable electronic device and application executing on the device that present a listing of available call destinations based on receiving a first instruction from a first authorized party possessing the device. The application receives a second instruction comprising a choice of a first call destination from the listing. The application transmits a third instruction requesting connection with the destination and joins a second authorized party associated with the first call destination in a first voice session. The application joins the first authorized party to the first session. The application further joins the first party to a second voice session initiated by the second party based on determining that the second party initiated the second session from the first destination. The device originates and receives transmissions solely upon approval of the application. |
| US09271138B2 |
User plane location based service using message tunneling to support roaming
An improved User Plane location based service (LBS) architecture and message flow, enabling seamless User Plane location based services even when a mobile or wireless device has roamed among different carrier networks. The present invention overcomes constraints inherent in the current protocol for roaming support defined by the Secure User Plane Location Service specification. A location system is enabled to automatically fall back to a message tunneling mechanism to ensure the security of a communication path between the location service system and the target wireless device, ensuring that the communication path is uninterrupted as the wireless device travels. |
| US09271136B2 |
Probe messaging for direct link connections
There lies a challenge to develop a technique of effectively establishing a direct communication link between client devices in a communication network. In some implementations, an associated STA is a client device which is associated with a particular access point (AP). A non-associated STA is a client device which is not associated with the AP. A tunneled probe request may be transmitted by an associated STA through the AP to be broadcast to other associated STAs. In some implementations, an active scan may be combined with a tunneled probe request in order to establish a communication link between an associated STA and a non-associated STA. |
| US09271133B2 |
Methods and systems for image or audio recognition processing
Many of the detailed technologies are useful in enabling a smart phone to respond to a user's environment, e.g., so it can serve as an intuitive hearing and seeing device. A few of the detailed arrangements involve optimizing division of shared processing tasks between the phone and remote devices; using a phone GPU for exhaustive speculative execution and machine vision purposes (including facial recognition); novel device architectures involving abstraction layers that facilitate substitution of different local and remote services; interactions with private networks as they relate to audio/image processing; adapting the orders in which operations are executed, and the types of data that are exchanged with remote servers, in accordance with current context; reconfiguring networks based on sensed social affiliations among users and in accordance with predictive models of user behavior; etc. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed. |
| US09271128B2 |
Location, time, and context-based deferred notifications on a mobile device
A method and system for a first user to provide a future notification (referred to as a deferred notification) on second user's mobile device based on the second user's location are disclosed. |
| US09271126B2 |
Network-based archiving for threaded mobile text messages
A network device, method, and mobile device are directed towards enabling a mobile device user to archive a text message threaded conversation with another conversation participant. text messages sent from the mobile device may be replicated by a server component, whether the text message is a reply message or an incoming message. The replicated text message may then be sent to an identified personal computing device's network-based messaging archive. In one embodiment, the messaging archive may be an outbox archive for text messages. As described, a text message being sent to the mobile device from the other conversation participant may also be replicated and archived in a network-based inbox archive for text messages on the identified personal computing device. In one embodiment, the archived text messages may be displayed to the user on the personal computing devices as threaded conversations. |
| US09271122B2 |
Delivery server, and terminal device
A content delivery system which comprises a delivery server and multiple terminal devices, the delivery server delivering content, the multiple terminal devices receiving delivery of the content, in the content delivery system connection between the delivery server and the terminal devices and connection between the terminal devices being made by radio, in the content delivery system the terminal devices being connected in multiple stages, wherein the delivery server instructs a terminal device which has received delivery of the content and which is connected to an other terminal device at the next stage to deliver content possessed by a self terminal device to the other terminal device, and wherein the instructed terminal device delivers content possessed by the self terminal device to the other terminal device and notifies the delivery result to the delivery server. |
| US09271120B2 |
Indoor localization using commercial frequency-modulated signals
A commercial frequency-modulated (FM) radio signal indoor localization system and method for finding a location of a mobile embedded device (such as a smartphone) within a building. Indoor localization is performed by receiving commercial FM radio signals on the device, analyzing the signals using signal quality metrics, and generating signal quality vectors for each signal and signal quality metric used for the signal. The signal quality metric can be any physical signal quality indicator. The signal quality vectors are added to obtain a current location fingerprint. The current location fingerprint is compared to fingerprints stored in a fingerprint database. The location associated with the stored fingerprint that is the closest match to the current fingerprint location is designated as the current location in the building of the mobile embedded device. Locally generated radio signals can be used in conjunction with the commercial FM radio signals to improve localization accuracy. |
| US09271118B2 |
Observation platform for using structured communications
Observation platform for using structured communications. A signal from a first communication device is received at a second communication device associated with a computer system, wherein a first characteristic of the signal corresponds to an audible source and a second characteristic of the signal corresponds to information indicative of a geographic position of the first communication device. A first user associated with the first communication device is recognized at the computer system. Context information for the signal is derived at the computer system associated with the second communication device. A copy of at least one characteristic of the signal is stored in a storage medium, wherein the copy of at least one characteristic of the signal is available for developing performance metrics. The signal is relayed to a destination derived from the context information. |
| US09271111B2 |
Response endpoint selection
A computing system has multiple endpoint computing devices in local environments to receive verbal requests from various users and a central or remote system to process the requests. The remote system generates responses and uses a variety of techniques to determine where and when to return responses audibly to the users. For each request, the remote system understands who is making the request, determines when to provide the response to the user, ascertains where the user is when it is time to deliver the response, discovers which of the endpoint devices are available to deliver the response, and evaluates which of the available devices is best to deliver the response. The system then delivers the response to the best endpoint device for audible emission or other form of presentation to the user. |
| US09271110B1 |
Location awareness session management and cross application session management
A location aware session token generation and validation system is provided. The system comprises a server system comprising at least one processor. The server system also comprises at least one non-transitory memory. The system further comprises a token component stored on the at least one non-transitory memory that, when executed by the server system, receives a request to initiate an application level session from a mobile device, wherein the request includes an identification of the mobile device and a location of the mobile device, generates a token for the application level session wherein the token is time limited and location limited such that the application level session will expire at the end of a specified period of time or when the mobile device moves from the location. |
| US09271108B2 |
Secure tap to transfer objects
An embodiment provides a method, including: detecting two devices are proximate to one another utilizing a device component; comparing received device motion information to a predetermined motion; and after matching the received device motion information to a predetermined motion, transferring an object between the two devices. Other aspects are described and claimed. |
| US09271102B2 |
Multi-dimensional parametric audio system and method
Systems and methods that use ultrasonic emitters for producing multi-dimensional parametric audio are provided. The systems and methods can be configured to determine HRTF filters for the left and right ears of a listener using an optical imaging system to scan a profile of a listener. Audio content may be encoded into a left and right channel for producing a three dimensional sound effect for the listener of the audio content by: processing the sound channel into left and right input channel signals; applying the HRTF filters and acoustic crosstalk cancellations filters to the left and right channel signals to generate output left and right channel signals; and modulating the left and right output channel signal frequencies onto an ultrasonic carrier. |
| US09271101B2 |
System and method for transmitting/receiving object-based audio
Provided is a system and method for transmitting/receiving an object-based audio. The system includes: a pre-processing unit for receiving an audio signal from diverse sources of outside and creating an object-based audio signal through a pre-processing procedure; an object-based audio editing unit for editing the object-based audio signal from the pre-processing unit and organizing an audio scene; an object-based audio coding unit for coding/multiplexing information on the object-based audio signal and the audio scene from the object-based audio editing unit and creating object-based audio contents; and a transmitting unit for transmitting the object-based audio contents from the object-based audio coding unit. |
| US09271099B1 |
Method and apparatus to use audio port to provide power and data communications for peripheral devices
Techniques for providing power and communicating data via an audio interface to a peripheral device are described herein. In one embodiment, a peripheral device is communicatively coupled to a host device via an audio interface of the host device, where the audio interface includes a first stereo output channel, a second stereo output channel, an audio input channel, and a ground pin. The peripheral device receives from the host device a first audio signal via the first stereo output channel and a second audio signal via the second stereo output channel. In response, the peripheral device harvests energy from both the first audio signal and the second audio signal to generate direct current (DC) power to power one or more hardware components of the peripheral device including a processor of the peripheral device. |
| US09271097B2 |
Method and apparatus to evaluate audio equipment via filter banks
A testing method or apparatus utilizes filter banks to measure time varying or dynamic harmonic distortion or intermodulation distortion. With a stairstep signal and filter banks, Nth order harmonic and or intermodulation distortion is measured via the filter banks at different offsets provided by an arbitrary low frequency signal. An amplifier with crossover distortion will show increased harmonic and or intermodulation distortion near the zero crossing while providing less distortion in other portions of the transfer curve of the amplifier. |
| US09271092B2 |
Medical implant system
An implant including a bone fixture configured to anchor to bone of a recipient, and a structural component configured to be connected to the bone fixture and connect a functional component of the implant to the bone fixture, wherein at least one of the bone fixture or the structural component includes a deformable element configured to deform to form an anti-microbial seal between the bone fixture and the structural component, and the at least one deformable element and the respective at least one bone fixture or structural component form a monolithic structure. |
| US09271091B2 |
Own voice shaping in a hearing instrument
A method of processing a signal in a hearing instrument with at least one outer microphone oriented towards the environment, an ear canal microphone oriented towards the user's ear canal, and at least one receiver capable of producing an acoustic signal in the ear canal includes the steps of: Processing a first signal from the outer microphone and a second signal from the inner microphone to yield an ambient sound portion signal estimate and an own voice sound portion signal estimate; Processing the ambient sound portion signal estimate into a processed ambient sound portion signal; Processing the own voice sound portion signal estimate into a processed own voice sound portion signal; and Adding the processed ambient sound portion signal and the processed own voice portion signal for obtaining an input for the receiver. |
| US09271089B2 |
Voice control device and voice control method
A voice control device includes a hearing estimate section configured to estimate hearing of a user based on a sending/received sound ratio representing a ratio of the volume of a sending sound to the volume of a received sound; a compensation-quantity calculating section configured to calculate a compensation quantity for a received signal of the received sound responsive to the estimated hearing; and a compensation section configured to compensate the received signal based on the calculated compensation quantity. |
| US09271085B2 |
Damper of a voice coil plate for a plate speaker
The present invention relates to a plate speaker, and more particularly, to a guide damper intended for a plate speaker and made of a flexible synthetic resin material. The guide damper for a voice coil plate for a plate speaker includes: a coil plate bonding part made of a flexible synthetic resin material and having an integrated structure, wherein the coil plate bonding part has a groove in the lengthwise direction thereof such that the voice coil plate is seated on the central portion thereof; an outer frame having a closed loop shape and adhering to a base frame defining the outer shape of the plate speaker, wherein the outer frame defines the outer shape of the damper; and a damper bridge connecting each of the left and right sides of the coil plate bonding part to the outer frame, wherein the damper bridge provides damping between the coil plate bonding part and the outer frame. |
| US09271084B2 |
Suspension system for micro-speakers
A speaker driver including a frame and a magnet assembly positioned within the frame. A sound radiating surface may be suspended over the magnet assembly. The sound radiating surface may include a top face and a bottom face, and the bottom face may face the magnet assembly. A suspension member may suspend the sound radiating surface over the magnet assembly. The suspension member may include a top side connected to the bottom face of the sound radiating surface and a bottom side connected to the magnet assembly. A voice coil extends from the bottom face of the sound radiating surface. |
| US09271076B2 |
Enhanced stereophonic audio recordings in handheld devices
Methods and systems are provided for enhanced stereo audio recordings in electronic devices. Stereophonic recording performance in an electronic device, using a first microphone and a second microphone in the electronic device, may be assessed; and processing of signals generated by the first microphone and the second microphone may be configured based on the assessed stereophonic recording performance. The configuring may comprises adaptively modifying the processing to enhance stereophonic recording performance, to match or approximate an ideal performance. The assessing of the stereophonic recording in the electronic device may be based on a type of each of the first microphone and the second microphone, and/or based on a spacing therebetween. The processing may be adaptively modified to simulate directional reception of signals by the first microphone and the second microphone when the microphones are omnidirectional. |
| US09271068B2 |
Apparatus and method for a wireless extension collar device for altering operational mode of mobile and fixed end-user wireless devices by voice commands
A wireless extension device to end-user wireless device has a collar that is worn around the neck. The collar has two end-members that are positioned on the two collarbone areas next to the neck. The end-members have positioned directional speakers therein that radiate sound in the direction of two ears of the human wearing the collar around the neck. The end-members have positioned microphones that pick up voice commands of a human wearing the collar around the neck. The wireless collar extension device is used for hands free communication with end-user wireless device, without having to plug a prior art BLUETOOTH earpiece into one of the ears. The collar using voice commands can control operational mode of the end-user device pertaining to communications, music, computations, record, send and enter data and images. |
| US09271065B2 |
Audio headset having wire guided ear buds
An audio headset includes a support structure, one or more audio feed wires, one or more ear buds or other single ear speakers coupled thereto, and one or more ear guides adapted to be worn about the ear(s) of an individual user. The ear guide(s) include groove(s) running therethrough that contain the audio feed wire(s) for the speaker(s), such that each respective speaker dangles from its ear guide thereby. Groove(s) can also contain part of the support structure, and the ear guide(s) may extend beyond the ear regions to the point of meeting each other. Each speaker can be removed from and replaced to the ear of the user independently while the headset is being worn without requiring movement or adjustment of the support structure or ear guide. Each groove can include a plurality of openings that allow adjustment where the wire exits, and each wire and respective speaker are readily separable, removable, and replaceable from the headset without requiring disassembly of or disturbance to the remainder of the headset. |
| US09271060B2 |
Flat type speaker having vibration-lead plate attached on top of vibration plate
A flat-type speaker includes a voice coil plate, a pair of magnetic bodies having a magnet and a yoke formed side by side, separated at a predetermined interval; the voice coil plate being in a space between the magnetic bodies, and having printed thereon a voice coil with a spiral pattern; a vibration-lead plate having physically separated first and second vibration-lead plates, each having +, − terminals formed on the front ends thereof, the first and the second vibration-lead plates each equipped with a coil plate spline, which adheres to the upper end of the voice coil plate, and at least one wing spline having one end thereof connected to the coil plate spline and the other end connected to the terminals; and a vibration plate, which vibrates from the vibration received from the voice coil plate, while being contacted to the upper end portion of the vibration-lead plate. |
| US09271057B2 |
Methods and apparatus for time synchronization and measurement of power distribution systems
Methods and apparatus for time synchronization and measurement of power distribution systems. A method includes receiving a synchronized wireless communication signal, synchronizing to the synchronized wireless communication signal to produce synchronized time, performing one or more power distribution measurements based on the synchronized time to produce synchronized power distribution measurements, and transmitting the synchronized power distribution measurements to a power control center. An apparatus includes a receiver configured to receive a synchronized wireless communication signal and to synchronize to the synchronized wireless communication signal to produce synchronized time, a measurement module configured to perform one or more power distribution measurements based on the synchronized time to produce synchronized power distribution measurements, and a transmitter configured to transmit the synchronized power distribution measurements to a power control center. |
| US09271055B2 |
System and method for variable video degradation counter-measures
Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for variable video degradation counter-measures. A system configured according to this disclosure transmits a video communication over a network, detects the video quality degradation of the video communication, selects an appropriate counter-measure based at least in part on the particular type of degradation encountered, and implements the appropriate counter-measure. If multiple transmission paths are available in the system, either completely or partially disjoint, the paths can be evaluated based on ability to deliver video traffic. Throughout the transmission the system continues measuring and monitoring the video quality in real-time. The system can also accurately respond to the type and degree of the degradation by matching the type and degree of degradation to a table containing corresponding counter-measures. |
| US09271053B2 |
Data receiving method and device for applications providing an IPTV communications service
A method and apparatus for receiving an application for providing an Internet protocol television (IPTV) communication service. The method includes: acquiring IP address information for initiating an IPTV service provider discovery at an entry point for searching for a service provider; receiving information regarding an IPTV service provider from an IPTV service provider discovery entity apparatus by using the IP address information; and acquiring information regarding the application for providing the IPTV communication service based on the information regarding the IPTV service provider. |
| US09271052B2 |
Grid encoded media asset data
Metadata can identify temporal segments of content associated with a media asset and can identify asset data types. In response to a request for a particular asset, a central office may identify a data type and a temporal segment based on metadata associated with the request. |
| US09271050B2 |
Localization process system
There is disclosed apparatuses and methods for a localized process system. The apparatuses and methods include a server for authenticating a user login for a localized process system; presenting a user with a project, comprising an asset, wherein the project is a movie, and wherein the asset is created for an original geographical territory; presenting a user with a display to order a localized version of the asset, wherein the localized version of the asset is a version of the asset that is customized for a second geographical territory that is different than the original geographical territory; receiving user input to create subtitles for the localized version of the asset, wherein the user selects himself to enter the subtitles; presenting the user with a display of a timed-text script that displays a time of the asset, and the dialogue of the asset. |
| US09271049B2 |
Premium channel promotion system and method
The present invention is directed to a television schedule guide which includes a detector for determining whether a previously scrambled program is unscrambled. If a previously scrambled program is momentarily unscrambled due to promotional efforts by the program provider, the system will visually distinguish the program on the guide, and a viewer may tune to or record the program from the guide. The view may also subscribe to the program provider through the guide during the promotional period. |
| US09271046B2 |
Switching method of different display windows of a TV
The present invention provides a switching method of the different display windows of a TV. Before the switching, the TV displays the TV programs, received from the broadcast system and a server, in a main window and a sub-display window respectively, and the switching method includes the following steps that: the TV and the server determine the channel identifiers of the TV programs displayed by each other; the TV displays the TV programs, received from the broadcast system and the server, with the channel identifiers of each other using the first display window and the second display window respectively. By the present invention, the sources of the contents displayed respectively in the first display window and second display window do not change, thereby maintaining the respective display quality (including resolution and picture size) of the two display windows unchangeable before and after the switching. |
| US09271045B2 |
Method and apparatus of channel switching using pre-acquisited PSI table
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for switching channels to reduce channel zapping time, which use channel information generated prior to channel switching and generates audio and video data of a switched channel, thereby skipping a process of calculating channel information of a channel to be switched at the time of channel switching. |
| US09271040B2 |
Real-time DVR polling system
Techniques for real-time DVR usage and reporting enable using instant message protocol in a DVR environment to obtain real-time DVR usage data and to report data reflecting such usage in real-time. An example of DVR usage data comprises data reflecting that a viewer is viewing a video program which is R-rated. Another example of DVR usage data comprises a viewer entering a password, such as a kids zone password, to exit kids zone operational mode. |
| US09271035B2 |
Detecting key roles and their relationships from video
Tools and techniques for acquiring key roles and their relationships from a video independent of metadata, such as cast lists and scripts, are described herein. These techniques include discovering key roles and their relationships by treating a video (e.g., a movie, television program, music video, and personal video, etc.) as a community. For instance, a video is segmented into a hierarchical structure that includes levels for scenes, shots, and key frames. In some implementations, the techniques include performing face detection and grouping on the detected key frames. In some implementations, the techniques include exploiting the key roles and their correlations in this video to discover a community. The discovered community provides for a wide variety of applications, including the automatic generation of visual summaries or video posters including acquired key roles. |
| US09271033B2 |
System and method for saving and recalling state data for media and home appliances
A set of media playback and device settings data from each home appliance of a first set of home appliances is stored on a central server and/or sent to a remote control device upon initiation of a suspend command by a user. The stored media and devices states may be used at a later time to control the first set of home appliances, or a user may, after relocating to a second set of home appliances, initiate a resume state command whereupon media playback and device settings data from the central server and/or remote control device controls each home appliance in the second set of home appliances to bring about the same or substantially similar media and device states as in the first set of home appliances. |
| US09271031B2 |
Distributed recording of content
A method is disclosed for distributed recording of content in a client system having a home network connecting a content broker and a plurality of set-top boxes (STBs) with digital video recording capability. In a requesting STB, a command is received from a user to begin recording a content item. A query is sent from the requesting STB to the content broker to determine whether the content item is being recorded by any other STB of the plurality of STBs. A response is received from the content broker. If the response indicates that none of the plurality of STBs is then currently recording the content item, the content item is recorded in the requesting STB. If the response identifies a recording STB that is then currently recording the requested content, an internal content list is updated in the requesting STB to identify the recording STB. |
| US09271027B2 |
Image display apparatus and method for operating the same
According to an embodiment of the present invention, a method for operating an image display device that receives a signal from a pointing device includes receiving, from the pointing device, a pointing signal to display a pointer on a display of the image display device, and a selection signal, wherein the selection signal includes information regarding a command to perform an operation on the image display device, displaying, on the display, the pointer corresponding to the pointing signal, determining whether the pointer is displayed on a most frequently displayed region during an input standby time associated with the selection signal, and performing an operation associated the most frequently displayed region when the pointer is displayed on the most frequently displayed region during the input standby time. |
| US09271026B2 |
Dynamically configurable frequency band selection device between CATV distribution system and CATV user
A frequency band selection device that can be inserted into a signal transmission line of a CATV system on the premise of a user includes at least two signal path sets between a tap side and a premise side. Each signal path set includes two discrete signal paths, a high frequency signal path for a downstream bandwidth and a low frequency signal path for an upstream bandwidth. The high frequency signal path and the low frequency signal path are separated by a cut-off transition frequency that is different for each signal path set. The device further includes a switch controller having at least two discrete switch positions. The switch controller chooses one of the switch positions as a result of an information signal. Each of the switch positions corresponds to a respective one of the signal path sets. |
| US09271025B2 |
System and method for sharing virtual and augmented reality scenes between users and viewers
A preferred method for sharing user-generated virtual and augmented reality scenes can include receiving at a server a virtual and/or augmented reality (VAR) scene generated by a user mobile device. Preferably, the VAR scene includes visual data and orientation data, which includes a real orientation of the user mobile device relative to a projection matrix. The preferred method can also include compositing the visual data and the orientation data into a viewable VAR scene; locally storing the viewable VAR scene at the server; and in response to a request received at the server, distributing the processed VAR scene to a viewer mobile device. |
| US09271018B2 |
Method of determining an unusual behaviour of an electronic apparatus, and electronic apparatus able to implement such a method
A method of determining an unusual behavior of an electronic apparatus, the electronic apparatus carrying out an operation requiring the use of an item of information regarding an internal reference clock of the electronic apparatus, the method including comparing the internal reference clock information item with a span of temporal coherence of the electronic apparatus, the span of temporal coherence being determined on the basis of various temporal information items stored within the electronic apparatus; in the case of inconsistency between the internal reference clock information item and the coherence span, storing an information item relating to an unusual behavior of the electronic apparatus. |
| US09271017B2 |
Apparatus and method for transmitting and receiving broadcasting
A broadcasting transmitting apparatus configures one broadcasting channel as at least two video streams, generates a program map table (PMT) representing configuration information of a stream included within the broadcasting channel, sets a program type provided through the corresponding broadcasting channel within the PMT, multiplexes the at least two video streams and signaling information, and transmits the multiplexed two video streams and signaling information through a broadcasting network. |
| US09271016B2 |
Reformatting media streams to include auxiliary data
Reformatting a media stream to include auxiliary data, the method including: receiving the auxiliary data to be inserted into the media stream; determining the amount of data in the auxiliary data; identifying media data in the media stream to be reduced in size; reformatting the media stream to reduce the amount of data in the media data such that the amount of data removed from the media data is at least equal to the amount of data in the auxiliary data while providing minimal impact to the quality of the media data; and adding the auxiliary data to the media stream which maintains a consistent size. |
| US09271014B2 |
Image coding method, image decoding method, image coding apparatus, and image decoding apparatus
An image coding method for performing compression-coding on image data includes: binarizing a signal to be coded of the image data, to generate a binary signal; determining a low-order context which is a context associated with a type of the signal to be coded, and a high-order context that is common to the low-order context and a context associated with another type; calculating coding probability information to be used in arithmetic coding of the binary signal, using (i) high-order probability information corresponding to the determined high-order context and (ii) low-order probability information corresponding to the determined low-order context; performing the arithmetic coding on the binary signal using the coding probability information; and updating the high-order probability information and the low-order probability information based on the binary signal. |
| US09271005B2 |
Multi-pass video encoder and methods for use therewith
A multi-pass video encoder includes a video encoding module that encodes a video signal based on an initial configuration data set to generate an initial processed video signal and an initial output data set. An application coding control module generates the initial configuration data set and generates a first updated configuration data set based on both the initial processed video signal and the initial output data set. The video encoding module further encodes the video signal based on the first updated configuration data set to generate a first updated processed video signal and a first updated output data set. |
| US09271004B2 |
Method and system for parallel processing video data
Described herein is a method and system for parallel processing video data. The system having parallel encoder devices can create a balance between quality of service and delay. In order to maintain quality, compression parameters in a group of pictures can be produced by one encoder device and used by another encoder device for estimation during the encoding of another group of pictures. Compression parameters of different picture types may be stored separately and used for the encoding of a future pictures of the same type. The generation and passing of compression parameters introduces a delay based on the time it takes to encode one or more pictures. |
| US09270997B2 |
Method and apparatus of deriving intra prediction mode using most probable mode group
Provided is a method that constructs an MPM group including three intra prediction modes, determines the intra prediction mode of the MPM group specified by the prediction mode index as the intra prediction mode of the current prediction unit if the mode group indicator indicates the MPM group, and derives the intra prediction mode of the current prediction unit using the prediction mode index and the three prediction modes of the MPM group if the mode group indicator does not indicate the MPM group. Accordingly, additional bits resulted from increase of a number of intra prediction mode are effectively reduced. Also, an image compression ratio can be improved by generating a prediction block similar to an original block. |
| US09270995B2 |
Frame buffer compression for video processing devices
For compressing a video signal, a local multiscale transform is applied to a frame of the video signal to obtain coefficient blocks. The coefficients of each block are distributed into a plurality of coefficient groups, and for at least one of the groups, a common exponent is determined for encoding the coefficients of the group, and respective mantissas are determined for quantizing the coefficients of the group in combination with the common exponent. Coding data including each exponent determined for a coefficient group and the mantissas quantizing the coefficients of the group in combination with this exponent are stored in an external frame buffer. |
| US09270992B2 |
Image coding apparatus, image coding method and program, image decoding apparatus, and image decoding method and program
An image coding method according to one aspect includes dividing an input image into processing target block(s), determining a mode of an intra-picture prediction of the processing target block in units of the divided processing target block(s), holding the prediction mode into a holding unit, estimating the intra prediction mode of the processing target block, comparing the result of the prediction mode determination and the result of the prediction mode estimation to determine whether they match each other, coding the result of the comparison, and further, when the result of the comparison indicates a mismatch, coding the result of the prediction mode determination. An intra prediction mode of one or more predetermined processing units surrounding the processing target block from the holding unit is acquired and compared, and the coding is controlled based on the result of the mode comparison. |
| US09270991B2 |
Inter-layer reference picture generation for HLS-only scalable video coding
An apparatus for coding video information may include a memory unit configured to store video information associated with a picture and a processor in communication with the memory unit configured to resample video information of a reference picture to obtain a resampled picture having a plurality of slices and a different picture size than a picture to be encoded. Further, the processor may determine slice definitions for slices in the resampled picture. The slices of the resampled picture may correspond to slices of the reference picture. The processor may determine, based on the slice definitions, whether a slice of the resampled picture satisfies one or more slice definition rules. In response to determining that the slice of the resampled picture does not satisfy at least one slice definition rule, the processor can modify the slice definition for the slice so as to satisfy the slice definition rule. |
| US09270987B2 |
Image processing apparatus and method
The present technology relates to an image processing apparatus and method that are capable of enhancing encoding efficiency while suppressing a decrease in the efficiency of encoding processing. The image processing apparatus includes an encoding mode setter that sets, in units of coding units having a hierarchical structure, whether a non-compression mode is to be selected as an encoding mode for encoding image data, the non-compression mode being an encoding mode in which the image data is output as encoded data, and an encoder that encodes the image data in units of the coding units in accordance with a mode set by the encoding mode setter. The present disclosure can be applied to, for example, an image processing apparatus. |
| US09270986B2 |
Level decision in rate distortion optimized quantization
A computing device, such as a video encoder, determines an initial quantized level for a coefficient of a coefficient block and determines whether the coefficient is less than the product of the initial quantized level and a quantization step size value. In response to determining that the coefficient is less than the product of the initial quantized level and the quantization step size value, the computing device determines rate-distortion costs of quantizing the coefficient to be the initial quantized level for the coefficient, the initial quantized level minus one, and in some circumstances, 0. The computing device determines an actual quantized level for the coefficient based at least in part on the calculated rate-distortion costs and includes the actual quantized level in a quantized version of the coefficient block. |
| US09270981B2 |
Apparatus and method for adaptively rendering subpixel
A rendering apparatus and method in a light field display may determine positions of eyes of a user, may determine a subpixel emitting a ray that enters the eyes, based on the positions of the eyes, among a plurality of subpixels forming a three-dimensional (3D) pixel, and may display a stereoscopic image on the light field display based on a pixel value of the determined subpixel. |
| US09270978B2 |
Method and device for 3-D display based on random constructive interference
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for 3-D display based on random constructive interference. It produces a number of discrete secondary light sources by using an amplitude-phase-modulator-array, which helps to create 3-D images by means of constructive interference. Next it employs a random-secondary-light-source-generator-array to shift the position of each secondary light source to a random place, eliminating multiple images due to high order diffraction. It could be constructed with low resolution liquid crystal screens to realize large size real-time color 3-D display, which could widely be applied to 3-D computer or TV screens, 3-D human-machine interaction, machine vision, and so on. |
| US09270970B2 |
Device apparatus and method for 3D image interpolation based on a degree of similarity between a motion vector and a range motion vector
A 3D image interpolation device performs frame interpolation on 3D video. The 3D image interpolation device includes: a range image interpolation unit that generates at least one interpolation range image to be interpolated between a first range image indicating a depth of a first image included in the 3D video and a second range image indicating a depth of a second image included in the 3D video; an image interpolation unit that generates at least one interpolation image to be interpolated between the first image and the second image; and an interpolation parallax image generation unit generates, based on interpolation image, at least one pair of interpolation parallax images having parallax according to a depth indicated by the interpolation range image. |
| US09270968B2 |
Imaging apparatus and reproducing apparatus which changes frame rate based on zoom operation
An imaging unit outputs a video signal at a frame rate higher than a standard frame rate. During a zoom operation period or a period including the zoom operation period and periods before and after the zoom operation, a video signal from the imaging unit is recorded in a recording medium at a high recording frame rate. Other than this period, a video signal is recorded in the recording medium at the standard frame rate. The recording frame rate and zoom operation information is recorded as metadata in the recording medium. During reproduction, based on a set reproduction mode, thinning processing is carried out on a video signal recorded during a zoom operation, and the processed signal is output at the standard frame rate. In this way, it is possible to change a frame rate in view of a photographer's intention and assure compatibility with existing viewing and reproduction environments. |
| US09270965B2 |
Multi-stage production pipeline system
Multi-stage production pipeline system that may be utilized in conjunction with a motion picture project management system. The multi-stage production pipeline system includes a computer and a database. The database includes metadata associated with at least one shot or associated with regions within the plurality of images in the at least one shot, or both. The computer includes a grouping tool interface for presenting user interface elements and accepting input of the metadata associated with the at least one shot or regions within the plurality of images in the at least one shot, or both. The system enables a large studio workforce to work non-linearly on a film while maintaining a unified vision driven by key creative figures, allowing for more consistent, higher quality, faster, less expensive work product and more efficient project management techniques. The system also enables reuse of project files, masks and other production elements across projects. |
| US09270964B1 |
Extracting audio components of a portion of video to facilitate editing audio of the video
Systems and methods for extracting audio components of a portion of a video to facilitate editing the audio portion are presented. In one or more aspects, a system is provided that includes a receiving component configured to receive a video as an upload from a client device over a network and an identification component configured to identify two or more different audio components of an audio track of the video. The system further comprises an extraction component configured to extract and separate the two or more different audio components, and an editing component configured to generate an editing interface that receives input via the editing interface regarding editing the two or more different audio components separately. |
| US09270961B2 |
Color shading correction using color channel consistency
An imaging system includes a color correction circuit configured to perform color shading correction of an image independent of lens shading correction of the image. A method for anti-shading correction of an image includes correcting, by a color correction circuit, for color shading of the image independent of lens shading correction of the image. |
| US09270958B2 |
Liquid crystal display apparatus for generating an output video signal based on an input video signal and a lighting signal
A LCD display includes a light source section, a LCD panel including a plurality of pixels each having sub-pixels of R, G, B, and Z, and a display control section including an output signal generation section. The display control section performs a display drive on the sub-pixels with use of the respective output video signals, and performs a lighting drive on the light source section with use of the lighting signal. The output signal generation section generates output video signals corresponding to the respective four colors, based on the input video signals, and generates a lighting signal of the light source section, based on the input video signals, to perform a predetermined dimming processing, based on both the input video signals and the generated lighting signal, and finally generates the output video signals through performing a predetermined color conversion processing, based on a resultant video signal from the dimming processing. |
| US09270957B2 |
Video display device
A video display device includes a laser beam source module including a laser beam source emitting a laser beam and a laser beam source drive unit supplying power to the laser beam source, and an image generation unit generating a desired display image from the laser beam. The laser beam source module includes a substrate having the placed laser beam source and improved thermal conductivity, a temperature measurement member measuring a temperature of the substrate, a temperature adjustment member contacting the substrate and adjusting the temperature of the substrate, a circuit substrate electrically connecting the temperature measurement member and the laser beam source. Moreover, the circuit substrate is disposed on a rear surface opposite to a placement surface on which the laser beam source is placed, the temperature measurement member is mounted on the circuit substrate, and a portion of the temperature measurement member is connected to the substrate. |
| US09270951B2 |
Camera system, monitoring camera control terminal, and protocol changing method
A monitoring camera control terminal and a monitoring camera apparatus respectively correspond to a plurality of protocols defining messages instructing a variety of settings and operations between the monitoring camera control terminal and the monitoring camera apparatus, and the monitoring camera control terminal uses a first protocol to request the monitoring camera apparatus for information related to the monitoring camera apparatus, receives the requested information from the monitoring camera apparatus, and if the requested information does not match the setting or operation information recorded in a storage part of the monitoring camera control terminal, changes the first protocol to a second protocol. |
| US09270945B2 |
Systems and methods for communications between client devices of a broadcast system
Systems and methods may provide for communication between a plurality of client devices of a broadcast system. The communication may be, for example, a recommendation of a program that is communicated from one subscriber to another subscriber or subscribers via their client devices. The communication also may be a comment regarding a program, for example, recently viewed at the client device of the one subscriber. In general, the communication may be a message from one subscriber to another subscriber or subscribers. Further, the communication may be configured to perform a function on one or more other client devices. Such a function may include, but is not limited to, setting a timer to record a program, ordering or purchasing a program or service, cancelling an ordered/purchased program or service, setting or altering user preferences, controlling access to channels, etc. |
| US09270942B2 |
Communication management system, communication system, computer-readable recording medium, and maintenance system
A communication management system includes a storage unit configured to store therein destination information of a first communication terminal that establishes a first session with a relay device that relays communication data, destination information of a conversion system that performs mutual conversion between communication schemes of communication data transmitted from the first communication terminal and a second communication terminal and establishes a second session with the relay device, and destination information of the second communication terminal that establishes a third session with the conversion system; a receiving unit configured to receive start request information to start communication between the communication terminals from the first communication terminal; an extracting unit configured to extract destination information of each communication terminal and the conversion system stored in the storage unit, based on the received start request information; and a transmitting unit configured to transmit the extracted destination information to the relay device. |
| US09270940B1 |
Remote object sensing in video
A method comprises obtaining an input comprising audio and visual data for display on a first device, receiving data associated with one or more sensory properties of one or more objects in the input, and reconstructing the one or more sensory properties at the first device based on the data received. |
| US09270938B1 |
Display-based synchronous communication
A method and computing system for receiving, on a computing device, a plurality of individual audio/video streams from a plurality of client electronic devices used by a plurality of users. The plurality of individual audio/video streams are processed, on the computing device, to generate a synchronous communication session for the plurality of users. A broadcast request is received, on the computing device, from one of the plurality of users to provide the synchronous communication session to a media interface device. A session audio/video stream of the synchronous communication session is provided, via the computing device, to the media interface device, wherein the session audio/video stream includes at least a portion of the plurality of individual audio/video streams. |
| US09270934B2 |
3D video communication apparatus and method for video processing of 3D video communication apparatus
A video communication method includes: acquiring a plurality of 2D images corresponding to a talker using a 3D camera; adjusting a point of convergence of the plurality of 2D images using a feature point of the talker; detecting an object located between the talker and the 3D camera using the acquired plurality of 2D images; scaling an original sense of depth of the detected object to a new sense of depth; and generating a 3D talker image including the object with the new sense of depth and transmitting the 3D talker image to a 3D video communication apparatus of a listener. |
| US09270928B2 |
Video-previewing methods and systems for providing preview of a video and machine-readable storage mediums thereof
Video previewing methods for electronic devices with a touch-sensitive display unit for providing preview of a video to be played are provided. First, a resolution of the touch-sensitive display unit of the electronic device is detected. Thereafter, a preview screen is generated on the touch-sensitive display unit according to the resolution of the touch-sensitive display unit, wherein the preview screen includes M level frame bars and each of the M level frame bars displays N video frames, and N for each of the M level frame bars is determined based on the resolution of the touch-sensitive display unit, where M≧1 and N≧1. |
| US09270927B2 |
System and method for distributed media personalization
A method of generating edited video, the method comprises displaying, at a user device, information related to one or more video tags, the video tags representing options for generating an edited version of an unedited video; receiving, at the user device, a selection of one of the one or more video tags; and transmitting, from the user device, the unedited video, the selection of the one of the one or more video tags, and an indication of a video sharing website where the edited version of the unedited video is to be published to a remote server. |
| US09270923B2 |
Television receiver and electronic device
According to at least one embodiment, a television receiver includes: a display; a casing comprising an opening, the casing being configured house the display; a board configured to be housed in the casing; a connector configured to be mounted on the board and exposed from the opening; an elastic member between the connector and the casing, the elastic member being configured to touch the connector; a cover configured to be at least partially positioned at a side of the connector opposite to the elastic member and cover a part of the connector; and a restriction portion configured to be positioned at the side of the connector opposite to the elastic member and restrict movement of the connector. |
| US09270921B2 |
Method of controlling display characteristic and display apparatus using the same
A display characteristic control method provides an on-screen display (OSD) of display characteristics values automatically controlled according to ambient illuminance levels, to enable user recognition and confirmation of current values. A display apparatus adopting the method includes a display module for displaying a video signal; an illuminance sensor for detecting a level of ambient illuminance; a system controller for adjusting, based on the detected ambient illuminance, at least one display characteristic of the display module and for generating a set of control values corresponding to the adjusted at least one display characteristic; a display characteristic controller for controlling the display module using the adjusted at least one display characteristic; and an OSD generator for generating OSD data for display on a display screen together with the video signal, the displayed OSD data corresponding to the display characteristic control values of the adjusted at least one display characteristic. |
| US09270919B2 |
Simultaneous display of two or more different sequentially processed images
A medical imaging system having a processor with software executing thereon is provided for processing and display of multiple bandwidths of video in multiple display areas. The system receives a video signal with a plurality of portions and generates at least two signals there from. Each of the two signals has a bandwidth for display in a different display area. The two signals are updated so that each component displays a different portion of the input video signal, and the two signals may be combined for display on a single display device having two display areas. |
| US09270915B2 |
Solid-state imaging device and electronic apparatus
A solid-state imaging device includes a pixel region in which shared pixels which share pixel transistors in a plurality of photoelectric conversion portions are two-dimensionally arranged. The shared pixel transistors are divisionally arranged in a column direction of the shared pixels, the pixel transistors shared between neighboring shared pixels are arranged so as to be horizontally reversed or/and vertically crossed, and connection wirings connected to a floating diffusion portion, a source of a reset transistor and a gate of an amplification transistor in the shared pixels are arranged along the column direction. |
| US09270913B2 |
Photoelectric conversion apparatus and imaging system
The present disclosure relate to photoelectric conversion apparatus and imaging system. The photoelectric conversion apparatus has a plurality of pixels arranged in rows and columns, and each configured to generate a signal by photoelectric conversion, a plurality of holding capacitors arranged correspondingly to the respective columns of the plurality of pixels, and configured to hold signals based on the pixels, a first output line, a second output line, a first switch arranged between the holding capacitor and the first output line, a second switch arranged between the holding capacitor and the second output line, and a column selecting line configured to control the second switch, wherein a wiring structure of a portion at which the column selecting line intersects the first output line is different from a wiring structure of a portion at which the column selecting line intersects the second output line. |
| US09270911B2 |
Image capturing apparatus
An image capturing apparatus includes: an image sensor including image sensing pixels that generate a signal for image generation, and focus detection pixels dividing the pupil region of an imaging lens into pupil regions and generating a signal for phase difference detection by photoelectrically converting object images from the pupil regions obtained by the division; a switching unit that switches between an all-pixel readout mode in which signals from all of the multiple pixels are read out and a thinning readout mode in which the signals of the multiple pixels are thinned and read out; and a control unit that, in the case where the mode has been switched by the switching unit to the thinning readout mode, controls the accumulation of charges in imaging rows used for image generation and focus detection rows including the focus detection pixels independent from each other. |
| US09270909B2 |
Imaging apparatus, method for controlling imaging apparatus and computer-readable storage medium for determining a correction value for an offset correction
In an imaging apparatus, a two-dimensional surface on which imaging elements are arranged has a first region that includes one or more lines, and a second region other than the first region that includes a plurality of lines, each line including a light shielded region that is shielded from light and an effective region other than the light shielded region. The imaging apparatus determines a correction value for use in offset correction for each line in the first region according to the representative value derived with respect to the first region and a first determination method, and determines correction value for use in the offset correction for each line in the second region according to the representative value derived with respect to the second region and a second determination method that is independent from the first determination method. |
| US09270908B2 |
Image sensor configured to reduce blooming during idle period
Among other things, techniques and systems are provided for identifying when a pixel of an image sensor is in an idle period. A flag is utilized to differentiate when the pixel is in an idle period and when the pixel is in an integration period. When the flag indicates that the pixel is in an idle period, a blooming operation is performed on the pixel to reduce an amount of electrical charge that has accumulated at the pixel or to mitigate electrical charge from accumulating at the pixel. In this way, the blooming operation reduces a probability that the photosensitive sensor becomes saturated during an idle period of the pixel, and thus reduces the likelihood of electrical charge from a pixel that is not intended contribute to an image from spilling over and potentially contaminating a pixel that is intended to contribute to the image. |
| US09270907B2 |
Radiation imaging apparatus, control method for radiation imaging apparatus, and storage medium
A radiation imaging apparatus including an accumulation unit to accumulate electrical charge in accordance with radiation for each pixel circuit of a plurality of pixel circuits. An output unit outputs an analog signal for each pixel circuit by sampling and holding an electrical signal in accordance with a voltage of an accumulation unit for each pixel circuit. The output unit stops the output during a reset operation of the accumulation unit. A selection unit selects pixel circuits that output the analog signals. The selection unit stops the selection during a reset operation of the accumulation unit. A determination unit determines whether a total time of an exposure time and an output time required to output the analog signals corresponding to all the pixel circuits is longer than an imaging interval that is based on a synchronization signal representing a radiation generation timing input from an external apparatus. |
| US09270906B2 |
Exposure time selection using stacked-chip image sensors
Imaging systems may be provided with stacked-chip image sensors. A stacked-chip image sensor may include a vertical chip stack that includes an array of image pixels and processing circuitry. The image pixel array may be coupled to the processing circuitry through an array of vertical metal interconnects. The image pixel array may be partitioned into image pixel sub-arrays configured to capture image data using one or more integration times. The processing circuitry may determine motion information for the image data captured by each pixel sub-array and may determine integration times for each pixel sub-array. The pixel sub-arrays may capture additional image data using the determined integration times. The additional image data may be combined to generate final image frames having short integration pixel values and long integration pixel values. The processing circuitry may output the final image frames to off-chip image processing circuitry. |
| US09270902B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image capturing apparatus, image processing method, and storage medium for obtaining information on focus control of a subject
Conventionally, on a subject in which range, refocus can be performed at the time of image capturing or at the time of editing an image is not specified clearly, and therefore, it is difficult for a user to capture an image or to edit an image in a manner the user intends. An image processing apparatus has an acquisition unit configured to acquire an image including a plurality of subject areas and distance information corresponding to the plurality of subject areas and a generation unit configured to generate a shifted image in which positions of the plurality of subject areas are shifted in the image based on the distance information. |
| US09270898B2 |
Camera and image processing method for spectroscopic analysis of captured image
A spectroscopic analysis apparatus includes a light source section that radiates light toward an object being imaged, an imaging section that captures light reflected off the object being imaged to acquire an image, a pixel detector that detects an abnormal pixel in the image which is a pixel where a reflectance ratio is greater than or equal to 1 and detects normal pixels in the image each of which is a pixel where the reflectance ratio is smaller than 1, and a light amount corrector that calculates a light amount correction value based on the amounts of light at normal pixels in a pixel area including the abnormal pixel in the image and replaces the amount of light at the abnormal pixel with the light amount correction value. |
| US09270896B2 |
Imaging apparatus, client device, imaging system, control method of imaging apparatus, control method of client device, and control method of imaging system
An imaging apparatus includes a control unit to perform insertion/retraction of an infrared cut filter into and from an optical path of an imaging optical system; a reception unit to receive a third command to cause the control unit to automatically control insertion/retraction of the infrared cut filter; and a determining unit configured to determine whether or not the third command includes additional information based on the output of the reception unit; wherein, in the event that the determining unit has determined that the third command includes additional information, the control unit controls insertion/retraction of the infrared cut filter based on the additional information, and in the event that the determining unit has determined that the third command does not include additional information, the control unit controls insertion/retraction of the infrared cut filter based on control information which the control unit has beforehand. |
| US09270894B2 |
Imaging apparatus and method of driving the same
An imaging apparatus disclosed herein includes: a solid-state imaging device in which pixels are arranged in a matrix; a mechanical shutter; and a signal processing unit, wherein the signal processing unit: resets charge stored in all the pixels by closing the mechanical shutter and applying a voltage V2 to a photoelectric conversion unit; starts first exposure by opening the mechanical shutter and applying a voltage V1 to the photoelectric conversion unit; finishes the first exposure by applying the voltage V2 to the photoelectric conversion unit with the mechanical shutter open; reads pixel signals to obtain a first still image; resets all the pixels; starts second exposure by applying the voltage V1 to the photoelectric conversion unit with the mechanical shutter open; finishes the second exposure by applying the voltage V2 to the photoelectric conversion unit with the mechanical shutter open; reads pixel signals to obtain a second still image. |
| US09270889B2 |
Electronic device and camera switching method thereof
An electronic device and a camera switching method thereon are provided. The electronic device includes a first camera module, a second camera module, a touch screen and a processor. The touch screen is configured to detect a touch event, wherein the touch event is triggered as the touch screen is touched and dragged from a first position to a second position. The processor is configured to switch between the first camera module and the second camera module in response to the touch event. The camera switching method is applied to the electronic device to implement the operations. |
| US09270885B2 |
Method, system, and computer program product for gamifying the process of obtaining panoramic images
Systems, methods, and computer readable mediums are provided to generate a number of targets for a panoramic image, each of the targets defining a portion of the panoramic image, monitor a position of a user device with respect to a current target, responsive to determining that the user device is properly positioned with respect to the current target, capture a first image for the current target using a camera of the user device, monitor the position of the user device with respect to a next target, responsive to determining that the user device is properly positioned with respect to the next target, capture a second image for the next target using the camera of the user device; and generate the panoramic image using the first image and the second image. |
| US09270883B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image pickup apparatus, image pickup system, image processing method, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium
An image processing apparatus includes a calculator configured to calculate coordinate conversion information for associating a position of a first image with a position of a second image, a region setting portion configured to set a first region in the first image and set a second region associated with the first region in the second image based on the coordinate conversion information, and an evaluation value obtaining portion configured to compare the first region with the second region to obtain an evaluation value. |
| US09270879B2 |
Imaging sensor capable of phase difference focus detection
An imaging device capable of phase difference focus detection is described. The imaging device includes a plurality of pixels that are 2-dimensionally arranged and which receive image light. At least one pixel of the plurality of pixels comprises: a micro lens; a plurality of photoelectric conversion units, which are biased around an optical axis of the micro lens; and a control unit, which limits generation of electrons photoelectrically converted at at least one photoelectric conversion unit of the plurality of photoelectric conversion units. |
| US09270878B2 |
Imaging method using multifocal lens
An aspect of the present invention is an imaging method using a multifocal lens having a plurality of regions, the plurality of regions having different focal lengths, and the imaging method includes a focusing state control step of controlling a focusing state of the multifocal lens, and an imaging step of obtaining an image of a subject in the controlled focusing state. In the focusing state control step, the focusing state is controlled so that a main subject is focused via a region with a shortest required focusing time among the plurality of regions in response to a picture taking instruction. |
| US09270876B2 |
Methods and apparatus for using multiple optical chains in parallel with multiple different exposure times
Methods and apparatus for capturing or generating images using multiple optical chains operating in parallel are described. Pixel values captured by individual optical chains corresponding to the same scene area are combined to provide an image with at least some of the benefits which would have been provided by capturing an image of the scene using a larger lens than that of the individual lenses of the optical chain modules. By using multiple optical chains in parallel at least some benefits normally obtained from using a large lens can be obtained without the need for a large lens. Furthermore in at least some embodiments, a wide dynamic range can be supported through the use of multiple sensors with the overall supported dynamic range being potentially larger than that of the individual sensors. Some lens and/or optical chain configurations are designed for use in small handheld devices, e.g., cell phones. |
| US09270875B2 |
Dual image capture processing
Embodiments of imaging devices of the present disclosure automatically utilize simultaneous image captures in an image processing pipeline. In one embodiment, control processing circuitry initiates simultaneous capture of the first image by the first image sensor and the second image by the second image sensor; and image processing circuitry generates an enhanced monoscopic image comprising at least portions of the first image and the second image. |
| US09270867B2 |
Image compensation device, image processing apparatus and methods thereof
An image compensating apparatus includes an input unit to receive input of an photo image, a Gaussian filtering unit to perform Gaussian filtering on the photo image, a division-map generating unit to convert the photo image on which the Gaussian filtering is performed into a color space including a plurality of color components and then generating a chromaticity division-map based on a color coordinate value in the color space, a calculating unit to calculate average chromaticity of each respective region by using the chromaticity division-map, and a compensating unit to compensate chromaticity of each respective region of the photo image by using the average chromaticity of each respective region. Accordingly, a faded image input to the input unit may effectively be compensated. |
| US09270859B2 |
Utilizing data reduction in steganographic and cryptographic systems
The present invention relates to methods for protecting a data signal using the following techniques: applying a data reduction technique to reduce the data signal into a reduced data signal; subtracting the reduced data signal from the data signal to produce a remainder signal; embedding a first watermark into the reduced data signal to produce a watermarked, reduced data signal; and adding the watermarked, reduced data signal to the remainder signal to produce an output signal. A second watermark may be embedded into the remainder signal before the final addition step. Further, cryptographic techniques may be used to encrypt the reduced data signals and to encrypt the remainder signals before the final addition step. |
| US09270858B2 |
System, information processing apparatus and non-transitory computer readable medium
Computer readable instructions, when executed by a processor, may cause an information processing apparatus to determine whether one or more of status information including specific apparatus identification information are received during a first time period around the time of receiving a reading instruction. The computer readable instructions, when executed by the processor, may cause the information processing apparatus to determine whether one or more of specific image reading apparatuses identified by one or more of specific apparatus identification information can execute a reading operation represented by acquired setting information from a memory, using one or more of a plurality of function information associated with the one or more of specific apparatus identification information, and transmit a determination result to an operation apparatus based on determining whether the one or more of specific image reading apparatuses can execute the reading operation. |
| US09270856B2 |
Image reading apparatus and image forming apparatus including the same
Provided is an image reading apparatus, including: a placing member on which an original is to be placed; a reading section arranged so as to be opposed to the original across the placing member and reading an image of the original placed on the placing member; a casing which supports an outer peripheral edge portion of the placing member; and a support member supporting a portion other than the outer peripheral edge portion of the placing member, the support member including an abutment portion abutting against the casing, the support member being capable of supporting the placing member under a state in which the abutment portion abuts against the casing. |
| US09270852B2 |
Image processing apparatus
This image processing apparatus includes an additional-object registration unit and a read-image processing unit. A setting form contains: (a) an additional-object specification field used to present an additional object that is placed onto a document in order to specify an extract area to be extracted from an image read from the document; and (b) a processing specification field used to select processing to be performed on information obtained from the extract area. The additional-object registration unit identifies an image of the additional object presented in the additional-object specification field and the processing selected in the processing specification field, and registers the image and the process associated therewith. The read-image processing unit searches the read image of the document for the image of the additional object and performs the processing associated with the additional object image on the information obtained from the extract area specified by the additional object image. |
| US09270851B2 |
Image forming apparatus method and storage medium storing program for controlling display when the image forming appratus returns to an active state from a power-saving state
An image forming apparatus which includes a reading unit and allows an external memory device to be attached the apparatus, displays, on a display unit, a screen for performing a function using the reading unit and the external memory device when the image forming apparatus returns to the active state from the power-saving state depending on a cause for returning, if the cause for returning is that an original document is placed on the reading unit, and the external memory device is attached. The image forming apparatus also displays a default screen on the display unit when the image forming apparatus returns to the active state from the power-saving state, if the cause for returning is that an original document is placed on the reading unit, and the external memory device is not attached. |
| US09270849B2 |
Sheet post-processing apparatus and image forming apparatus
A sheet post-processing apparatus includes a first conveying unit configured to convey a sheet; a holding unit configured to hold the sheet conveyed by the first conveying unit; a first post-processing unit configured to perform a post-process on the sheet conveyed by the first conveying unit; a second post-processing unit configured to perform a post-process on the sheet conveyed by the first conveying unit, the second post-processing unit being arranged below the first post-processing unit; a moving unit configured to move the holding unit from the first post-processing unit to the second post-processing unit; a second conveying unit configured to convey the sheet subjected to the post-processed by the first post-processing unit or the second post-processing unit in a direction orthogonal to a direction in which the sheet is conveyed by the first conveying unit; and a stacking unit configured to stack the sheet conveyed by the second conveying unit. |
| US09270847B2 |
System and method for sharing photographic content
A method and system for sharing photographic content, the method comprising generating social media content for a photograph feed associated with a photograph that is shared on a social network, the photograph located at a first location and including scannable code, receiving activity information associated with the photograph from one or more client devices, the activity information including scanning of the scannable code and geographical data of the one or more client devices, and determining movements of the photograph from the first location based on the geographical data. The method further comprises updating the social media content with geographical locations and distances traveled from the first location based on the activity information and the determined movements. |
| US09270844B2 |
Image processing apparatus, control method, and storage medium that complement a domain to an address data item with no domain name
An image processing apparatus functions as a server. When a reference request is received from a client or a user's instruction for transmitting such address data to a client is received, and the address data to be transmitted has no domain name described therein, the apparatus complements the address data with a domain name, and then sends the complemented address data to the client. This makes it possible to export address data correctly to a designated destination, and to reduce failure of authentication. |
| US09270843B2 |
Information processing device, method, and program
An information processing device which can communicate over a network with a print control apparatus for activating a second interface unit when a print job is applied to a printer in a power-saving status which is to be activated by a specific packet, and when an first activation instruction including identification information specifying a print control apparatus to be activated is received through a first interface unit includes: first instruction control means for transmitting a first activation instruction to the print control apparatus when a print instruction is issued; and output control means for outputting a print job to the print control apparatus after establishing a communication facility of the second interface unit after transmitting the first activation instruction. |
| US09270836B2 |
Color measurement system to correct color data corresponding to a ratio of detected distance to a reference distance
A color measuring device includes a housing; a sensor unit configured to capture an image of a region, the sensor unit being held to the housing; an illumination light source configured to illuminate the region, the illumination light source being held to the housing; a detecting unit configured to detect a distance between predetermined two points from image data of the region obtained by the sensor unit; a correcting unit configured to correct the image data including a subject whose color is to be measured according to a ratio of the detected distance to a reference distance; and a calculating unit configured to calculate a colorimetric value of the subject based on the corrected image data. |
| US09270833B2 |
Method and system for preventing illicit use of a telephony platform
A system and method for preventing illicit use of a telephony platform that includes enrolling a plurality of accounts on a telecommunications platform, wherein an account includes account configuration; at a fraud detection system of the telecommunications platform, receiving account usage data, wherein the usage data includes at least communication configuration data and billing configuration data of account configuration and further includes communication history of the plurality of accounts; calculating fraud scores of a set of fraud rules from the usage data, wherein at least a sub-set of the fraud rules include conditions of usage data patterns between at least two accounts; detecting when the fraud scores of an account satisfy a fraud threshold; and initiating an action response when a fraud score satisfies the fraud threshold. |
| US09270829B2 |
Message routing
Methods, devices, signals, and systems are provided in a message routing architecture which provides improved capabilities for integrating “digital” communication through email messages with “analog” communication through voice and/or fax or pager messages. Email can be addressed using nothing more than a standard telephone or fax number. If the registered owner of the telephone or fax number has a corresponding email address, then the invention converts the telephone or fax number to the email address for delivery and uses standard email delivery systems to deliver the message. If no conventional delivery email address is known, or if the message sender or recipient specify multiple delivery modes, then the email message content is transformed into voice, pager and/or fax content and delivered to the recipient using the telephone or fax number which was specified as the email address. Familiar telecommunications services such as call forwarding and selective call blocking can also be used with messages that originate as email. The invention also supports use of telecommunications numbers as indexes into databases which contain public key certificates, to make it unnecessary for a proposed message recipient to provide its public key expressly in advance to each particular proposed message originator. |
| US09270825B2 |
Non-contact stress assessment devices
Embodiments of a system are disclosed for stress assessment of a call center agent while interacting with a customer. The system is for use with a communication network. The system includes a stress assessment device and an agent device that includes an imaging unit. The agent device is configured to capture video of a target region of exposed skin of the agent using the imaging unit, collect customer interaction data based on interaction with a customer device over the communication network, and communicate the captured video and the customer interaction data to the stress assessment device. The stress assessment device is configured to passively estimate agent stress-level based on the received video, and generate feedback to the agent based on correlation between the customer interaction data and the estimated stress-level over a predefined time interval. |
| US09270823B2 |
Method of notifying a party of an emergency
An emergency notification system includes a first server for receiving a communication from a telecommunications network and for transmitting a message to a subscriber of the notification system. The system also includes a second server in communication with the first server, the second server for supplying the first server with information associated with a subscriber. |
| US09270822B2 |
Protecting privacy of a customer and an agent using face recognition in a video contact center environment
A method, apparatus and computer program product for protecting privacy of a customer and an agent using face recognition in a video contact center environment is presented. A video call is initiated by a customer to a contact center. The customer video is muted while audio of the customer is provided to an agent of the contact center. A determination is made regarding whether a face is present in a video image of the customer. When a presence of a face is determined in the video image of the customer, then video of the customer is enabled. When a presence of a face is not present in the video image of the customer then the customer is notified so the customer can take appropriate action. |
| US09270821B2 |
Methods and apparatus to provide contact management with directory assistance
Methods and an apparatus for providing contact management with directory assistance. An example method includes obtaining, via a processor, a billing record generated to track usage of a directory assistance service by a caller, the billing record comprising a first data object conveyed to the caller in association with the usage of the directory assistance service; querying, via the processor, a first directory with the first data object of the billing record to obtain listing information associated with the first data object; and conveying a contact record including the obtained listing information to a device associated with the caller. |
| US09270820B2 |
Method and apparatus for content presentation in association with a telephone call
A method and apparatus are provided for presenting multimedia content to a caller and/or a called party in association with a telephone call. Content may be presented pre-ring (before the called party's telephone rings), in-call, and/or post-call. Content presented to a party may be related to another party participating in the call or may be related to a third party (e.g., an advertiser that paid for the ability to have its content presented). Presented content may be actuable, to allow a caller to change the destination of a call, take advantage of an offer presented to him or her, redeem a coupon, schedule or queue a subsequent call, etc. To find a desired destination party, a caller may initiate a manual or automatic search of his or her local contacts (on his telephone) and/or a central or global directory or contact list. |
| US09270817B2 |
Method for determining the on-hold status in a call
A system and method is provided for detecting a hold status in a transaction between a waiting party and a queuing party. The system is adapted to use a preexisting cue profile database containing cue profile for a queuing party. A preexisting cue profile may be used for detecting a hold status in a call between a waiting party and a queuing party. The cue profile of the queuing party may include audio cues, text cues, and cue metadata. The transaction may be a telephone based, mobile-phone based, or internet based. |
| US09270813B2 |
Pre-installation frequency domain premises wiring tests
A system and method for testing lines to determine service-affecting conditions on a line, such as telephone wiring. Conditions may be identified from low frequency variations in a frequency spectrum measured on the line. The line may be stimulated with a broad spectrum signal, such as may be generated by a DSL modem operating in the L0 state or may be the result of noise on the line. Analysis of the low frequency variations may yield information about the nature of service-affecting conditions allowing conditions, such as un-terminated or poorly-terminated extensions to be identified. The method may be performed by a test device attached to premises wiring in a telephone network and used to determine whether the premises wiring will support VDSL2 or other high speed data services without modification or may indicate changes at the premises to enable the wiring to support high speed data services. |
| US09270806B2 |
Graphical user interface which displays profile information associated with a selected contact
A system and machine-implemented method for presenting profile information on an electronic device of a user, the profile information being associated with a contact of the user, via displaying a contact icon on a graphical user interface of the electronic device, the contact icon corresponding to a contact of the user; receiving user input which specifies selection of the contact icon; and displaying profile information, obtained from a profile associated with the contact corresponding to the selected contact icon, on the graphical user interface. |
| US09270803B2 |
Data transmission method and mobile device adapted thereto
A method and a mobile device are adapted to transmit data through short-range communication based on movement of the mobile device. External mobile devices near the mobile device are searched. Location information for each external mobile device found near the mobile device is acquired. Data to be transmitted is set. The movement of the mobile device is recognized. At least one target mobile device is set to receive data, based on the movement of the mobile device and the acquired location information of the found external mobile devices. And the data is transmitted to the at least one target mobile device. |
| US09270798B2 |
Ring-tone detection in a VoIP call
Alerting a calling party in a Voice over IP (VoIP) setting that a called party might not be able to hear ring tones. In response to a call arriving on an IP connection, the audible level of ring-tones that are generated by a microphone associated with a VoIP computer application is sampled, and responsive to the audible level of ring-tones being below a minimum threshold, a message is transmitting to the calling party via any available connection that the called party might be unable to hear the ring-tones. |
| US09270796B2 |
Handheld electronic device with keypad assembly comprising receiving coil transforming electromagnetic waves into power
A handheld electronic device includes a housing, a display screen and a keypad assembly. The keypad assembly includes a FPC board, a number of press keys and a light guiding module. The press keys are held on the FPC board. The light guiding module includes a light guiding plate and a light source. The light guiding plate is mounted on the press keys. The light source is coupled to the FPC board and provides input light for the light guiding plate. The keypad structure further includes a receiving coil and a shielding layer. The receiving coil surrounds a periphery of the press keys. The receiving coil transfers electromagnetic waves into power, and charges the handheld electronic device. The shielding layer is laid on and adhered to the press keys. The light guiding plate is laid on and adhered to the shielding layers. |
| US09270793B2 |
Enhanced data protection for message volumes
In a message replication environment, instances of a message volume are hosted by message systems. Each message system exchanges condition information with the other message systems indicative of the health of the volume instance hosted by the message system. Each message system then determines independently from the other message systems whether or not the message volume is sufficiently protected. In the event that the message volume is insufficiently protected, a protection action can be initiated. |
| US09270792B2 |
Method and system for improving wireless link efficiency
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for improving transmission efficiency of a wireless link. During operation, the system receives a packet for transmission, where in the packet includes an original sequence number. The system then modifies the packet by including a virtual sequence number in a header of the packet and including the original sequence number in a payload of the modified packet. The system further aggregates a number of modified packets into an aggregate frame and transmits the aggregate frame to a destination device. The virtual sequence number facilitates stateless transmission of the encapsulated packets and allows the aggregate frame to have a maximum allowable number of packets while accommodating both re-transmitted packets and regular packets. |
| US09270790B2 |
Method and system for data demultiplexing
A method and system for demultiplexing packets of a message is provided. The demultiplexing system receives packets of a message, identifies a sequence of message handlers for processing the message, identifies state information associated with the message for each message handler, and invokes the message handlers passing the message and the associated state information. The system identifies the message handlers based on the initial data type of the message and a target data type. The identified message handlers effect the conversion of the data to the target data type through various intermediate data types. |
| US09270789B2 |
Method of and system for managing client resources and assets for activities on computing devices
A method of and system for enabling a distributed entertainment system over a computing device is described herein. When implementing a distributed entertainment system wherein the entertainment system is directly correlated to live events or televised programs, there are a number of issues that must be addressed such as differing timing and channels of television programs and separate state laws. Furthermore, there are a plethora of varying computing device models possibly requiring model-specific software. An “Activity Client” is provided to handle such concerns. Furthermore, since time is of the essence for activities based on live or televised events, it is necessary to ensure a computing device is able to receive the necessary updates for the program before the event begins. By providing only the needed components instead of entire data packages, the present invention is able to much more efficiently prepare users' computing devices in time. |
| US09270786B1 |
System and method for proxying TCP connections over a SCSI-based transport
A system and method for executed by a server for communicating between the server and a client over a Fiber Channel (FC) network. The method includes receiving, from the client, a first SCSI request including an identifier for a virtual connection and a descriptor for a server process at the server, creating a socket to the server process using the process descriptor, associating the socket with the virtual connection, receiving, from the client, a second SCSI request, including the virtual connection identifier and a call message, and writing the call message to the socket associated with the virtual connection. |
| US09270783B2 |
System and method for photorealistic imaging workload distribution
A graphics client receives a frame, the frame comprising scene model data. A server load balancing factor is set based on the scene model data. A prospective rendering factor is set based on the scene model data. The frame is partitioned into a plurality of server bands based on the server load balancing factor and the prospective rendering factor. The server bands are distributed to a plurality of compute servers. Processed server bands are received from the compute servers. A processed frame is assembled based on the received processed server bands. The processed frame is transmitted for display to a user as an image. |
| US09270778B1 |
Matching users based on behavior in a social network
Observation-based user profiling and profile matching are provided. The network behavior of users of a computer-implemented social network are observed and used for user profiling. By observing network behavior instead of necessarily relying on user self-reported data, accurate and objective user profiles can be formed; user profiling is accomplished based on the observed network behaviors with or without the knowledge of the user being profiled. The observed network behaviors can include the customization of a visual graphic, a media preference, a communication preference, or a selection of words from a wordlist. The user profiles can be with respect to a domain and two or more users can be matched based on their profiles with respect to the same domain. User ratings and profile updating based on the ratings are also provided. |
| US09270776B2 |
Dynamically adjusting delivery of content between terminal device and server
Communication equipment, arranged between a terminal device and a server, includes: a detector configured to detect transmitted data that is transmitted to the terminal device and non-transmitted data that is not transmitted to the terminal device, from service data transmitted from the server to the terminal device through the communication equipment; a first calculator configured to calculate a first cost of transmitting the non-transmitted data to the terminal device; a second calculator configured to calculate a second cost of transmitting, to the terminal device, a difference image between an image corresponding to the service data and an image corresponding to the transmitted data; and a transmission scheme decision unit configured to transmit the non-transmitted data to the terminal device when the second cost is greater than the first cost and transmit the difference image to the terminal device when the second cost is smaller than the first cost. |
| US09270774B2 |
Combining stateless and stateful server load balancing
The processing of data packets sent over a communication session between a host and a server by a service gateway includes processing a data packet using a current hybrid-stateful or hybrid-stateless processing method. The processing then checks whether a hybrid-stateless or hybrid-stateful condition is satisfied. When one of the sets of conditions is satisfied, the process includes changing from a hybrid-stateful to a hybrid-stateless processing method, or vice versa, for a subsequently received data packet. If the conditions are not satisfied, the process continues as originally structured. |
| US09270769B1 |
Mobile communications device
A mobile communications device includes a controller, a connector device configured to couple with a computer system, an interface device, and memory. The interface device is coupled to the controller and configured to communicate an electromagnetic signal. The memory stores instructions performed by the controller to cause the interface device to communicate an electromagnetic signal including information associated with a user of the mobile device or of another mobile device, and to cause the connector device to communicate the information associated with the user to or from the computer system. |
| US09270763B2 |
Method and apparatus for sharing electronic content
Disclosed is a method and system for sharing content between a plurality of electronic devices including identifying an event and detecting one or more electronic devices based on the identified event. Electronic content is obtained from one or more of the electronic devices related to the event and provided to one or more output devices based on a comparison. |
| US09270761B1 |
Device control profile for a fabric network
Methods and systems for controlling a remote device that includes receiving, at an assisting device, a remote passive rendezvous request from a commissioning device. The commissioning device manages access to a fabric on which the assisting device resides, and the assisting device is configured to assist a joining device in joining the network. Moreover, the assisting device passively waits to rendezvous with the joining device remotely through its network interface. The remote passive rendezvous request includes a rendezvous timeout field that indicates how long a remote passive rendezvous attempt may remain open before the assisting device is to close the attempt. Furthermore, the remote passive rendezvous request includes a filter address that indicates a device to which device is to serve as the joining device. |
| US09270760B2 |
Cross-platform child mode for applications
A system and machine-implemented method for processing data associated with an application running on an electronic device. A server receives an HTTP header from the electronic device. The HTTP header is associated with an application running on the electronic device and specifies a content mode for the application. The content mode identifies a type of server content for a user of the application, and corresponds to at least one of plural modes including a child mode in which the type of server content is for a child user. The server receives a request for content from the electronic device, the request being associated with the application, and accesses content for the application based on the received request. The accessed content is provided for the application running on the electronic device. At least one of the accessing or the providing is based on the identified type of server content. |
| US09270753B2 |
Apparatus and method for managing content for cloud computing
A cloud service system includes at least one user device, a plurality of clouds for providing different cloud services, and a gateway connected between the user device and the clouds. The gateway selects at least one of the clouds according to predefined Service Level Agreement (SLA) information, and stores content provided from the user device to the selected cloud. |
| US09270747B2 |
Method and apparatus of performing peer-to-peer communication establishment and connection change-over
A method and apparatus of monitoring active data communication sessions and potential new connections is disclosed. One example method of operation may include identifying a data communications requirement of a first network device currently communicating via the first communications connection with a second network device, an transmitting a data test message over at least one of the existing first communications connection and the second communications connection. The method may also include receiving a response to the data test message, and determining a change-over from the first communications connection to the second communications connection would provide a more optimal data connection based on the identified data communications requirements of the first network device. Active data sessions are constantly being considered for a change-over by potential new data connections which may provide increased optimal data performance. |
| US09270746B2 |
Scalable load balancing
Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method and related network node including one or more of the following: receiving, by a load balancer, a plurality of metric values from a plurality of servers; calculating an average metric value based on the plurality of metric values; calculating a first error value based on the average metric value and a first metric value of the plurality of metric values; generating a first integral value by incorporating the first error value into a first previous integral value; and generating a first preference value for a first server of the plurality of servers based on the first integral value. |
| US09270739B2 |
Flow-directed collaborative communication
Resolving a query received from a first node in a network includes accepting, by a second node in the network, ownership of the query from the first node, receiving, at the second node, an identification of a third node in the network, wherein the identification is received from a user of the second node and the user of the second node believes that a user of the third node has information necessary to resolve at least part of the query, and transferring, by the second node, ownership of the at least part of the query to the third node, wherein the accepting, the receiving, and the transferring dynamically generates a data structure that traces a propagation of the query, and the data structure is accessible to an origin of the query. |
| US09270738B2 |
Processor sharing between in-range devices
A system and method for processor sharing between in-range devices. Various aspects of the present invention may comprise establishing a wireless communication link between a first system and a second system, for example, utilizing respective communication modules. A processing capability of the second system that is available for use with the first system may be identified, for example, by respective processing capability identification modules. An indication of the identified processing capability may be output, for example, by respective output modules of at least one of the first and second systems. A request for utilizing the identified processing capability of the second system with the first system may be received, for example, by respective interface modules of at least one of the first and second systems. The requested processing capability of the second system may be utilized with the first system, for example, by respective processing modules of the systems. |
| US09270737B1 |
Automated filed delivery systems and methods
The invention provides systems and methods for automatically delivering a file from an originating computer system including a processor and memory to a destination computer system including a processor and memory. The method includes creating at least one master file delivery application and at least two file delivery agents running on the at least one originating computer system. A first file delivery agent of the at least two file delivery agents is controlled by a first master file delivery application of the at least one master file delivery application. A second file delivery agent of the at least two file delivery agents is run either by a second master file application. The method also includes dynamically balancing loads by the one master file delivery application, between the first file delivery agent controlled by the first master file delivery application and the second file delivery agent. The balancing is based on a number of files retrieved by the first file delivery agent and a number of files retrieved by the second file delivery agent; and transmitting at least one file according to at least one destination parameter associated with the at least one file. |
| US09270736B2 |
Semantic cache cloud services for connected devices
Technologies are described for semantic cache for connected devices (semantic cache) as a set of next generation cloud services to primarily support the Internet of things scenario: a massive network of devices and device application services inter-communicating, facilitated by cloud-based semantic cache services. The semantic cache may be an instrumented caching reverse proxy with auto-detection of semantic web traffic, public, shadow and private namespace management and control, and real time semantic object temporal versioning, geospatial versioning, semantic contextual versioning and groupings and semantic object transformations. |
| US09270733B2 |
Download progress management gaming system
A modified form of the UDP multicast protocol is disclosed to implement a one-way download progress notification system between a server and one or more clients. The UDP multicast download progress notification system enables UDP messages to be sent only to registered clients, not broadcasted to all clients. This architecture minimizes network traffic and enhances system security, since only registered clients receive the UDP message. The configuration of the UDP multicast download progress notification system does not require the configuration of network devices in order to support a UDP multicast. Furthermore, any number of the clients may be on a different network domain than the DCM engine. |
| US09270732B2 |
System and method for automatically uploading updates
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for providing a user of an electronic device with an Automatic Upgrade Functionality (AUF), the ability to automatically upgrade software installations with a configurable amount of user interaction and interruption. |
| US09270730B2 |
Providing an interface to multiple cloud computing systems
Discussion of content between users of social networks is described. A cloud computing system of a plurality of cloud computing systems is determined for processing a request in a first syntax from a client computer system. The request is translated from the first syntax to a second syntax of the cloud computing system and transmitted to the cloud computing system in the second syntax. The server computer system includes drivers to enable bi-directional translation of communications between the client computer system and the plurality of cloud computing systems, wherein the drivers provide bi-directional translation for at least one of the plurality of cloud computing systems. |
| US09270727B1 |
Facilitating access to data in network page generation code
Disclosed are various embodiments for facilitating access to data in network page generation code supplied by customers of a hosting provider. A request for a network page is obtained from a client. The network page is associated with a network site hosted by a hosting provider on behalf of a customer. Page generation code supplied by the customer is obtained, and this code includes a dynamic data variable. One or more service calls are executed based at least in part on the dynamic data variable to obtain one or more data objects. The page generation code is executed to generate the network page in response to the request, where the page generation code is executed with the data objects in place of the dynamic data variable. |
| US09270721B2 |
Switching between adaptation sets during media streaming
A device for retrieving media data includes one or more processors configured to retrieve media data from a first adaptation set including media data of a first type, present media data from the first adaptation set, in response to a request to switch to a second adaptation set including media data of the first type: retrieve media data from the second adaptation set including a switch point of the second adaptation set, and present media data from the second adaptation set after an actual playout time has met or exceeded a playout time for the switch point. |
| US09270719B2 |
Device connection proxy through cloud to optimize network messages
Technology is disclosed herein for optimizing network connections using proxy connections. According to at least one embodiment, a computing device receives requests for network connections with remote servers from multiple computer applications running on the computing device. The computing device further establishes a network connection with a proxy server. The proxy server initiates and maintains proxy network connections with the remote servers. The proxy server can delay at least one network message of the network messages received from the remote servers such that the proxy server sends the network messages to the computing device in a batch. The proxy server batches the network messages such that the computing device stays at a high power consumption state for a time period shorter than an overall time period for which the computing device would stay at the high power consumption if the network messages were sent individually without batching. |
| US09270716B2 |
Presenting question and answer data in a social networking system
A social networking system includes a question and answer system that displays to a viewing user questions and answers provides by other users of the social networking system. The question and answer system may display answers to a particular question in a way that visually indicates both the global answer set and a subset of the global answer set, such as the viewing user's friends. The social networking system may also display to a viewing user news stories about another user asking or answering a question, where the format of the displayed new stories is based on an affinity that the viewing user has for the user who provided the question or answer mentioned in the news story. The displayed questions and/or answers may be associated with an object in the social networking system, where the user interface provides additional information about those objects. |
| US09270714B2 |
Content preview generation using social network analysis
Disclosed is a system and method for generating a preview of a digital content item using social network analysis. Members of a social network who acquire the digital content item may identify interesting portions of the digital content. When a member of the social network requests a preview of the digital content item, typically in anticipation of an acquisition of the digital content item, the interesting portions of the digital content item identified by fellow social network members are considered in the generation of the preview. Selection of the interesting content for preview may include more identified content, as well as social network relationship and role magnitudes. The digital content item may include: text, such as books or articles; multimedia such as audio/video; and interactive, such as games or virtual worlds. |
| US09270713B2 |
Mechanism for compacting shared content in collaborative computing sessions
In an example embodiment disclosed herein, there is described methods and a system for sharing of content in collaborative computing sessions. The methods and the system are operable to initiate a collaborative computing session between a plurality of participant devices, wherein at least one participant device operates as a presenter device to share data with at least one other participant viewer device. The methods and system are further operable to designate data to be shared with at least one viewer device. The methods and system are also operable to transmit the designated shared data to the at least one viewer device, render the shared data for display on at least one viewer device, wherein the shared data is rendered in accordance with display capabilities of the at least one viewer device, and display the rendered shared data on the at least one viewer device. |
| US09270709B2 |
Integrated signaling between mobile data networks and enterprise networks
A method is provided in one example and includes receiving a request from a first network element associated with a first network for establishing a first communication session between the first network element to a first user device associated with a second network. The request includes a first user identifier used to identify a first user associated with the first user device within the first network. The method further includes translating the first user identifier to a second user identifier in which the second user identifier is used to identify the first user within the second network. The method still further includes sending a first query including the second user identifier to a second network element, and receiving a first response message including quality of service information indicated by a policy associated with the second user identifier. |
| US09270704B2 |
Modeling network devices for behavior analysis
Implementations of the present disclosure involve a system and/or method for modeling a firewall function and operation such that software based analysis and other formal analysis methods may be used with the model. In one embodiment, the system and/or method includes modeling the function of a firewall as a set of links, ingress/egress interfaces, interface switches and behaviors chained together into a spanning graph. The spanning graph may then be used in conjunction with data structures, such as a Firewall Policy Diagram, to illustrate pathways through a network for a communication packet. This system and/or method allows for the understanding of a firewall policy such that the policy can be replicated among various firewalls in the network at issue. |
| US09270703B1 |
Enhanced control-plane security for network-accessible services
Methods and apparatus for enhancing control-plane security of a network-accessible service are described. In accordance with a security policy, one or more control servers are selected to perform administrative operations associated with configuration of a service instance at a particular instance host of a network-accessible service. The control servers may differ in security properties from the instance host. In response to a configuration request directed at the instance host, administrative operations are implemented at the selected control servers. A low-level command is issued for execution to the instance host from a control server. A result of the low-level command is obtained at the control server and is used to determine a response to the configuration request. |
| US09270701B1 |
System and methods for usage management in multi-level security networks
A system and methods for transferring information between two or more incompatible security domains or levels of classification by embedding policy-centric content management components into an information-centric network. Specifically, overlay architectures enable cloud computing for multi-level security environments. |
| US09270700B2 |
Security protocols for mobile operator networks
Security protocols for mobile operator networks are described. In embodiments, mobile communication link is established between a mobile phone and a media content provider via a communication service provider with which the mobile phone is registered for mobile communications, and via at least one roaming node network with which the communication service provider has a roaming service agreement. The media content provider receives a security policy request from the mobile phone to establish a security policy for end-to-end security of the mobile communication link between the media content provider and the mobile phone for data communication security. The media content provider then communicates a security policy response to the mobile phone to establish the security policy for the end-to-end security of the mobile communication link that is adaptable to security restrictions of the roaming node network. |
| US09270697B2 |
Hardware-assisted integrity monitor
A hardware-assisted integrity monitor may include one or more target machines and/or monitor machines. A target machine may include one or more processors, which may include one or more system management modes (SMM). A SMM may include one or more register checking modules, which may be configured to determine one or more current CPU register states. A SMM may include one or more acquiring modules, which may be configured to determine one or more current memory states. A SMM may include one or more network modules, which may be configured to direct one or more communications, for example of one or more current CPU register states and/or current memory states, to a monitor machine. A monitor machine may include one or more network modules and/or analysis modules. An analysis module may be configured to determine memory state differences and/or determine CPU register states differences. |
| US09270695B2 |
Identifying vulnerabilities of computing assets based on breach data
Techniques for ranking a set of vulnerabilities of a computing asset and set of remediations for a computing asset, and determining a risk score for one or more computing assets are provided. In one technique, vulnerabilities of computing assets in a customer network are received at a vulnerability intelligence platform. Breach data indicating set of breaches that occurred outside customer network is also received. A subset of the set of vulnerabilities that are most vulnerable to a breach is identified based on the breach data. In another technique, multiple vulnerabilities of a computing asset are determined. A risk score is generated for the computing asset based on the vulnerabilities. In another technique, multiple remediations associated with a risk score and multiple vulnerabilities are identified. The remediations are ordered based on the remediations that would reduce the risk score the most if those remediations were applied to remove the corresponding vulnerabilities. |
| US09270694B2 |
Systems and methods for assessing security for a network of assets and providing recommendations
A security assessment tool can determine computer assets in a network and provide an overall security score for the network. The overall security score can represent an objective measure of the security of the network that considers potential security threats to the computer assets, counter measures deployed in the network to address the potential security threats, and the effectiveness of the counter measures. Based on the overall security assessment, the security assessment tool can provide recommendations for improving the security of the network. |
| US09270692B2 |
Method and apparatus for setting secure connection in wireless communications system
A method of setting a secure connection in a wireless communications system is disclosed. The method comprises setting a protocol information to a terminal; and checking a packet received in the terminal according to the protocol information; wherein the packet comprises a protocol type, a source port, and a destination port. |
| US09270688B2 |
Tool for the centralized supervision and/or hypervision of a set of systems having different security levels
A tool for the supervision and/or hypervision of a set of systems of different security levels, the systems transmitting messages, includes a display system, and further includes, for each supervised network, at least one gateway for converting the messages to image data, said gateways transmitting said image data via a one-way video link to the display system, at least one of the supervised networks being of a higher security level than the area in which the display system is placed. The invention applies notably to the centralized supervision of several information systems when said systems are subjected to different security constraints. |
| US09270681B2 |
Network access and profile control
A method and apparatus for managing network profiles and/or access to a network. Network profiles stored in a computer may be deleted and/or a connection to a wireless network may be disabled when a corresponding access period for the network has been exhausted. The access period may define an amount of time, a number of connections, a number of bits or packets of information, or other measure of connectivity to a network and/or maintenance of profile information related to the network that may be limited in some fashion. |
| US09270680B2 |
Providing a limited use syndicated media to authorized users
A system and method for providing a limited use syndicated media item to authorized users. In one embodiment, a universal resource identifier that identifies the syndicated media item may be limited to a predetermined number of times it may be accessed by a particular user. In one embodiment, the limited use URL may or may not be associated with an already authorized media item. In another example, the URL may be limited to being accessed a predetermined number of times during a predetermined period of time, such as no more than three times a day. In a further example, the URL may be limited to a predetermined number of instances the URL may be accessed or distributed by a user. In one embodiment, once the predetermined threshold has been met, further attempts to access will result in the extent of access being affected. |
| US09270674B2 |
Validating the identity of a mobile application for mobile application management
A method of managing access to enterprise resources is provided. An access manager may operate at a mobile device to validate a mobile application installed at that mobile device. If the access manager does not successfully validate the mobile application, the access manager may prevent the mobile application from accessing computing resource. If the access manager does successfully validate the mobile application, then the access manager may identify the mobile application as a trusted mobile application. The access manager may thus permit the trusted mobile application to access the computing resource. |
| US09270670B1 |
Systems and methods for providing a covert password manager
The present invention relates to an application that is configured to provide secure access to confidential information. To protect the confidential information, the application may include functions that utilize a decoy application to disguise the functionality of the application. A unique sequence of inputs received through an interface associated with the decoy application may permit a user to access the confidential information. An authorized user that has been provided access to the confidential information may access configuration interfaces that permit the user to define the inputs that will serve as login credentials and to customize the appearance and functionality of the decoy application. |
| US09270666B2 |
Verification of user communication addresses
Disclosed are various embodiments for performing stateless verification of communication addresses. Encrypted verification data is generated for a user account, including a communication address and a first verification code, and a timestamp. The encrypted verification data is sent to a client, and the verification code is transmitted to the communication address. The encrypted verification data and a second verification code are received from the client. The communication address is verified in response to observing that the first verification code from the encrypted verification data matches the second verification code. |
| US09270661B2 |
Communication network system, gateway, data communication method and program providing medium
This invention relates to provide a communication network system, a gateway, and a data communication method, in which the gateway has an advanced functionality. A person who issues an access request can retrieve a desired access destination easily by the following configuration: functions of routing information providing and authentication processing are added to a gateway that performs protocol conversion between two different communication networks; when an access request is issued from a public communication network such as Internet to a terminal in a local (private) communication network connected to the gateway, a request terminal is authenticated to enable prevention of unauthorized data writing and reading; and an access request user who succeeded in the authentication is provided with an active terminal list comprising accessible terminal information, or with a user condition table. |
| US09270660B2 |
System and method for using a separate device to facilitate authentication
A system that incorporates the subject disclosure may perform, for example, operations including receiving a request from a first device to access information content of a second device. The process further includes determining that the first device is authorized to access the information content according to authorization credentials, and determining a token associated with the request in response to determining that the first device is authorized to access the information content. The token is forwarded to the first device, and it is confirmed that the token was received at the first device. Access to the information content of the second device is authorized in response to confirming that the token was received at the first device. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US09270659B2 |
Open connection manager virtualization at system-on-chip
Resource and memory use by applications used by user equipment (UE) can be adaptively controlled. A UE comprises a connection-manager kernel (CMKC) that can be embedded at the SOC level to facilitate resource and memory control at SOC level. CMKC operates in conjunction with an operating system kernel. CMKC comprises functional blocks that provide network enabler functions and observability APIs for network enhancement, traffic flow monitoring and filtering, QOE executive routines, and traffic flow time shifting. CMKC performs or provides analytics, security and firewall tags, cache management at SOC level, and policy enforcement. CMKC and a trusted memory operate in a trusted zone environment to facilitate secure operation. CMKC adaptively collects information from control registers and analytics, and maps such information to the trusted memory, which can be accessible to trusted APIs to facilitate enabling trusted applications to have knowledge of contextual network information. |
| US09270656B2 |
Communication device, communication method, computer program, and communication system
There is provided a communication device including a communication unit configured to include different communication modes, and an information exchange unit configured to exchange, before the communication unit transmits information to a transmission destination device, an available communication mode and authentication information in advance with the transmission destination device using a communication mode included in the communication unit, the authentication information being used when communication is performed using the communication mode. |
| US09270654B2 |
Automated configuration for network appliances
Some embodiments include a method for initially configuring a network appliance. The method can detect, by the network appliance, a subscriber network. The method can transmit, to a remote configuration service via the subscriber network, a request for configuration information for the network appliance, and receive, via the subscriber network, the configuration information, wherein the configuration information includes first parameters for the subscriber network, and second parameters for an access network for connecting computing devices to the network appliance. The method can also perform an automated initial configuration of the network appliance using the configuration information, wherein the automated configuration does not require user input, and wherein the automated configuration includes using the first parameters and the second parameters to configure the network appliance for use with the access network and the subscriber network. |
| US09270653B2 |
Carrier network security interface for fielded devices
The disclosed subject matter provides carrier-side security services for fielded devices. In contrast to conventional authentication systems for fielded devices, wherein an end-to-end communications pathway is typically established for authentication of a fielded device by a back-end service provider, authentication and security services can be moved into the carrier network. A security service monitor component can be at the carrier network and can authenticate field components without establishing a communications pathway to the back-end service provider. Further, security service monitor component can provide security services for communications with an authenticated field component. In an aspect, this can allow for centralization of security elements from the periphery of back-end service providers into the carrier network. In a further aspect, security service monitor component can host a security services platform for back-end service providers. |
| US09270649B1 |
Secure software authenticator data transfer between processing devices
A method comprises establishing a network connection between the first processing device and the second processing device for transfer of data associated with a software authenticator from the first processing device to the second processing device, encrypting the software authenticator data with encryption that is separate from encryption used for the network connection, and transferring the encrypted software authenticator data from the first processing device to the second processing device. Another method comprises establishing the network connection between the first processing device and the second processing device for transfer of the software authenticator data, receiving encrypted data from the first processing device, wherein the encrypted data has encryption that is separate from encryption used for the network connection, decrypting the encrypted data to obtain data associated with a software authenticator and importing the software authenticator data into a software authenticator stored in a memory of the second processing device. |
| US09270648B2 |
System and method for initiating protected instant messaging conversations
A system and method are provided for initiating protected instant messaging conversations. The method includes enabling a shared secret to be sent to a contact to initiate a key exchange to protect messages exchanged in an instant messaging conversation, the shared secret being sent using a communication medium other than instant messaging. After the shared secret has been sent, the method includes displaying a pending protected instant messaging conversation user interface prior to receiving a confirmation associated with receipt of the shared secret by the contact, the pending protected instant messaging conversation user interface comprising an option to resend the shared secret. |
| US09270646B2 |
Systems and methods for generating a DNS query to improve resistance against a DNS attack
The present solution provides systems and methods for generating DNS queries that are more resistant to being compromised by attackers. To generate the transaction identifier, the DNS resolver uses a cryptographic hash function. The inputs to the hash function may include a predetermined random number, the destination IP address of the name server to be queried, and the domain name to be queried. Because of the inclusion of the name server's IP address in the formula, queries for the same domain name to different name servers may have different transaction identifiers, preventing an attacker from observing a query and predicting the identifiers for other queries. Additional entropy may be provided for generating transaction identifiers by including the port number of the name server and/or a portion of the domain name as inputs to the hash function. If it is determined that the responding server may preserve capitalization in its responses, the upper and lower case characters may be salted within the domain name to provide additional entropy in generating transaction identifiers. |
| US09270633B2 |
Controlling notification based on power expense and social factors
In one embodiment, a computer system determines a wireless transmit cost for each of one or more outgoing messages for a first user, and transmits to the first user's mobile device at least one of the one or more outgoing messages based on the mobile device's power state and respective wireless transmit costs of the one or more outgoing messages. |
| US09270628B2 |
System and method for providing notifications on a mobile computing device
A system and method for providing notifications on a mobile computing device are disclosed. The method comprises enabling multiple applications that operate on the mobile computing device to generate notifications in response to event occurrences. A plurality of notification representations are presented in a notification bar on the display. The plurality of notification representations are individually generated by a corresponding application in response to an event occurrence. The plurality of notification representations are represented in a first portion of the notification bar and with a number that represents how many notification representations from an application have been generated and not dismissed by a user. |
| US09270625B2 |
Online adaptive filtering of messages
In general, a two or more stage spam filtering system is used to filter spam in an e-mail system. One stage includes a global e-mail classifier that classifies e-mail as it enters the e-mail system. The parameters of the global e-mail classifier generally may be determined by the policies of e-mail system owner and generally are set to only classify as spam those e-mails that are likely to be considered spam by a significant number of users of the e-mail system. Another stage includes personal e-mail classifiers at the individual mailboxes of the e-mail system users. The parameters of the personal e-mail classifiers generally are set by the users through retraining, such that the personal e-mail classifiers are refined to track the subjective perceptions of their respective user as to what e-mails are spam e-mails. Retraining data for the personal e-mail classifiers may be aggregated and a subset of the aggregate may be chosen for use in retraining the global e-mail classifier. |
| US09270624B2 |
Cloud messaging services optimization through adaptive message compression
Intelligent adjustment of compression levels of messages being brokered or otherwise handled by message service providers in a cloud-computing environment to strike a balance between the reduction in network usage and storage requirement resources owing to message compression on one hand and the increase in CPU resource usage owing to message compression on the other hand for reducing usage-based charges from the cloud customer's point of view and reducing the equipment and operational cost from the cloud provider's point of view (resulting in the ability of the provider to take on and/or retain customers). Determination of an “optimal” compression level that strikes an appropriate balance among resource usage may include consideration of a current messaging load (e.g., bytes of data per unit time), a current compression level, and current usage levels of one or more of the various resources. |
| US09270623B2 |
Network and device solution on sponsored data application
Subscription status notification techniques are provided. A request is received by at least one server from a user equipment (UE) to attach to a wireless packet data communication network. The server determines whether the UE is associated with an enterprise identified by a service provider of the network as a sponsor of a data service through the network, based on an account of the UE stored on the server. Upon determining that the UE is associated with the enterprise, a notification message is sent from the server to the UE, through an information element field within an existing message in a bearer channel of the network. The UE is configured to control access to the network responsive to the subscription status in the notification message. The UE permits access to a sponsored data service associated with the enterprise sponsor regardless of the UE's ability to access non-enterprise associated data services. |
| US09270622B2 |
Systems and methods for conveying information to an instant messaging client
A method comprising: providing a first client of an instant messaging service, the first client enabling a data service; receiving a request for the data service from a second client of the instant messaging service; and rendering client-controlled information regarding the first client available for persistent conveyance to the second client, the client-controlled information regarding the first client including data related to the data service. This allows a user associated with the second client to become aware of the data in a non-intrusive manner. |
| US09270616B1 |
Low-latency quality of service
Systems, methods and computer readable media can be operable to apportion a transmission medium's available resources between multiple subscribers and to allocate a subscriber's apportioned resources between a plurality of sub-flows. The available resources of a transmission medium can be apportioned between subscribers receiving data through the transmission medium and the resources apportioned to a subscriber can be allocated to different data flows by giving priority to low-latency data packets over normal-latency data packets. |
| US09270611B2 |
Method, related device, and system for inter-terminal interactions
The present disclosure discloses an inter-terminal interaction method, and related device and system, the method comprising: receiving by a second terminal a media resource insertion command entered by a user on a social networking platform; inserting the user's social networking platform account information into the command by the second terminal; sending the command from the second terminal to a service device; searching by the service device terminal identification information associated with the account information; generating prompt information by the service device; sending from the service device to a first terminal the prompt information based on the terminal identification information associated with the account information; presenting by the first terminal media resources based on the prompt information; sending from the first terminal to the service device media resources selected by the user from the presented media resources; receiving by the service device from the first terminal the media resources; sending from the service device to the second terminal the media resources; inserting the media resources into the social networking platform by the second terminal. The present disclosure can reduce manual participation by users and increase the efficiency of inter-terminal interactions. |
| US09270610B2 |
Apparatus and method for controlling transaction flow in integrated circuits
Various embodiments of a method and apparatus for controlling transaction flow in a communications fabric is disclosed. In one embodiment, an IC includes a communications fabric connecting multiple agents to one another. Each agent may include an interface coupling itself to at least one other agent. Each interface may include multiple queues for storing information corresponding to pending transactions. Also included in each interface is an arbitration unit and control logic. The control logic may determine which transactions are presented to the arbitration unit for arbitration. In one embodiment, the control logic may inhibit certain transactions from being presented to the arbitration unit so that other higher priority transactions may advance. In another embodiment, the control logic may reduce the priority level of some transactions for arbitration purposes to prevent the blocking of other higher priority transactions. |
| US09270606B2 |
Tiered contention multiple access (TCMA): a method for priority-based shared channel access
Quality of Service (QoS) support is provided by means of a Tiered Contention Multiple Access (TCMA) distributed medium access protocol that schedules transmission of different types of traffic based on their service quality specifications. In one embodiment, a wireless station is supplied with data from a source having a lower QoS priority QoS(A), such as file transfer data. Another wireless station is supplied with data from a source having a higher QoS priority QoS(B), such as voice and video data. Each wireless station can determine the urgency class of its pending packets according to a scheduling algorithm. For example file transfer data is assigned lower urgency class and voice and video data is assigned higher urgency class. There are several urgency classes which indicate the desired ordering. Pending packets in a given urgency class are transmitted before transmitting packets of a lower urgency class. |
| US09270596B2 |
Selection of virtual network elements
A server may be configured to: receive a network selection query, associated with a user device. The network selection query may include information relating to a geographic location of the user device. The server may also select, based on information included in the network selection query, a virtual network element that services the geographic location of the user device and functions as a physical network element of an evolved packet core (EPC) network or an internet protocol (IP) multimedia subsystem (IMS) network. The server may also enable use of the selected virtual network element by the user device; receive a data packet destined for the selected virtual network element; provide the data packet to the selected virtual network element; and prevent the data packet from being sent to a non-selected virtual network element. |
| US09270595B2 |
Method and system for controlling a delay of packet processing using loop paths
A method and system for introducing controlled delay of packet processing at a network device using one or more delay loop paths (DLPs). For each packet received at the network device, a determination will be made as to whether or not packet processing should be delayed. If delay is chosen, a DLP will be selected according to a desired delay for the packet. The desired delay value is used to determine a time value and inserts the time value in the DLP ahead of the packet. Upon completion of a DLP delay, a packet will be returned for processing, an additional delay, or some other action. One or more DLPs may be enabled with packet queues, and may be used advantageously by devices, for which in-order processing of packets may be desired or required. |
| US09270594B2 |
Apparatus and method for applying network policy at virtual interfaces
Methods and apparatus are disclosed for applying network policy to communications originating at operating system virtual interfaces. In an example embodiment, a network device is networked with a switch. The network device may include a first operating system interface, a virtualization adapter, and an input output port. In an example embodiment, the virtualization adapter receives a first frame from the first operating system interface. The virtualization adapter may tag the first frame to indicate an association between the first frame and the first operating system interface. The first frame may then be transmitted with a second frame being associated with a second operating system interface, to the switch via the input output port. In an example embodiment, the switch is configured to receive the frame, examine a tag and then to enforce a network policy upon the first frame, based on the tag. |
| US09270588B2 |
Host route convergence based on sequence values
In an example embodiment, a method is provided that assigns a sequence value to a host. The host is identified by a host network layer address. After the assignment, the host network layer address and the sequence value are included in an advertisement for transmission. In another example embodiment, another method is provided. Here, a first sequence value associated with the host network layer address is received from a network device. In addition, a second sequence value associated with the same host network layer address is received from a different network device. The first sequence value is ranked relative to the second sequence value and data is transmitted to the network device based on the ranking. |
| US09270587B2 |
Method and apparatus for routing messages of a positioning protocol in a wireless network
Methods and apparatuses are provided that facilitate routing of messages of a positioning protocol, such as long term evolution (LTE) positioning protocol annex (LPPa). A positioning server can determine a network area identifier of one or more messages based at least in part on an identifier of a base station associated with the one or more messages. Based at least in part on the network area identifier, the positioning server can provide the one or more messages to an intermediate network node corresponding to the one or more base stations, such as a mobility management entity (MME). MME can similarly provide the one or more messages to an optional gateway between it and the one or more base stations based at least in part on receiving the network area identifier in the one or more messages. In addition, a base station can update positioning information with the positioning server. |
| US09270585B2 |
Distributed routing table architecture and design
A Distributed Routing Table (DRT) mesh can comprise two or more nodes, each of which maintains its own routing table that represents some or all of the overall routing knowledge of the DRT mesh. Each node can be comprised of modular components that can perform various defined functions such that the features and abilities of the node can be customized by an application based on which modular components are instantiated. A routing table management module can maintain individual routing tables at each node, and can ensure that only entries that are close to the node, in a network topology sense, are maintained in the routing table. In addition, a security module can verify received messages based on an agreed-upon root certificate. |
| US09270583B2 |
Controlling distribution and routing from messaging protocol
An apparatus can include a connection manager adapter that is configured to maintain presence for each of the plurality of non-IP endpoints in an IP messaging and presence protocol based on the endpoint presence data. The endpoint presence data includes a unique identifier and attribute data received for each of a plurality of non-internet protocol (IP) endpoints. The connection manager adapter can be configured to access the endpoint presence data and convert a message between the IP messaging and presence protocol and different protocol for communication with a given non-IP endpoint of the plurality of endpoints. |
| US09270582B2 |
Forward progress assurance and quality of service enhancement in a packet transferring system
A method comprising detecting at least one Quality of Service (QoS) requirement is met that indicates a very important packet (VIP) is outstanding from a source node in a multi-hop network comprising multiple nodes, sending an initiation message to an adjacent node in response to the detection that may activate a protocol in which a reserved channel is activated, and receiving the VIP via the reserved channel. Also, a method comprising receiving an initiation message from an adjacent node in a multi-hop network that comprises information identifying the VIP comprising a source node, a destination node, a packet type, wherein the initiation message activates a protocol in which a reserved channel is activated, searching for the VIP identified by the initiation message, and forwarding the VIP promptly if present via the reserved channel or forwarding an initiation message to adjacent nodes closer to the source node. |
| US09270580B1 |
Method and system for traffic isolation in a network
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates traffic isolation (TI) in a network. During operation, the system configures a set of switch ports as members of a TI zone. The switch ports are part of an end-to-end path across one or more switch domains between a source and a destination. The switch ports within the TI zone and outside the TI Zone belong to a common storage area network (SAN) zone which compartmentalizes data for security purposes. The system then determines whether a data flow entering a switch domain belongs to the TI zone. The system subsequently forwards the data flow to the next port within the TI zone if the data flow belongs to the TI zone. |
| US09270579B2 |
Synchronization of traffic multiplexing in link aggregation
Synchronization of traffic multiplexing in link aggregation is described. In an embodiment, a first link aggregator and a second link aggregator are associated with a plurality of links. The first link aggregator maintains an identifier for each link indicating at least a state of enabled or disabled. A synchronized clock is established between the first link aggregator and the second link aggregator. A particular link of the plurality of links is transitioned. Wherein, the transitioning is performed by the first link aggregator sending, to the second link aggregator, a first message identifying a particular time to transition the particular link. The first link aggregator receives, from the second link aggregator, a second message indicating that the particular time is acceptable. In response to a determination that the second message indicates that the particular time is acceptable and that the synchronized clock has reached the particular time, transitioning the link. |
| US09270577B2 |
Selection of one of first and second links between first and second network devices
Embodiments herein relate to selection of one of first and second links between first and second network devices. The first link is to transmit the traffic between the first and second network devices directly and the second link is to transmit the traffic between the first and second network devices through a network appliance. |
| US09270575B2 |
Service node using services applied by an application node
Packets are encapsulated and sent from a service node to an application node for applying one or more Layer-4 to Layer-7 services to the packets, with service-applied packets being returned to the service node. An identification of a virtual private network (VPN) may be carried within a request packet, encapsulating a particular packet, sent by a service node to an application node for applying a service to the particular packet; with the corresponding response packet sent to the service node including an identification of the VPN for use by the service node in forwarding the services-applied packet. Additionally, parameters may be included in a request packet to identify a particular service of a general service to be applied to a particular packet encapsulated in the request packet. |
| US09270574B2 |
Method and apparatus providing delayed path calculations based on service type
A method, apparatus and computer program product for providing delayed path calculations based on service type is presented. A first network device sends to at least one of a plurality of other network devices in a network, link state information directing receivers of the link state information, when computing routes transiting though the first network device, to refrain from using the first network device on at least one of the group consisting of per Network Layer Protocol Identifier (NLPID), per address family, and per service within an address family. |
| US09270566B2 |
Monitoring server load balancing
Embodiments described herein discuss an approach to implementing load-balancing across multiple monitoring servers. One such embodiment describes a network monitoring device. The network monitoring device includes an ingress port, for receiving mirrored network packets, and a number of egress ports. The egress ports are associated with a number of monitoring servers, and used to forward the mirrored network packets to the monitoring servers. A packet classifier, coupled to the ingress port, examines the mirrored network packets, and determines which of the monitoring servers should receive the packets. |
| US09270563B1 |
Apparatus and method for content playback utilizing crowd sourced statistics
A server includes a processor and a memory connected to the processor to store instructions executed by the processor to collect playback statistics from network connected content players, perform an evaluation of the playback statistics, and establish a playback configuration for specified content based upon the evaluation of the playback statistics. A request for the playback configuration for the specified content is received from a network connected content player. The playback configuration for the specified content is transferred to the network connected player. |
| US09270559B2 |
Service policy implementation for an end-user device having a control application or a proxy agent for routing an application traffic flow
A method performed by a network system communicatively coupled to a device over a wireless access network, the method comprising transmitting a traffic flow to, or receiving the traffic flow from, a software application on the device, the traffic flow comprising one or more related data transfers over the wireless access network, the traffic flow being routed between the software application and the network system through an assisting element comprising a control application or a proxy agent on the device, wherein the traffic flow has a characteristic associating the traffic flow with the first software application, the characteristic preserving the association between the traffic flow and the software application when the traffic flow is routed by the one or more assisting elements; identifying the characteristic; and implementing at least a portion of a control, accounting, or notification service policy based on the identified characteristic. |
| US09270558B2 |
Method, local gateway, and system for local voice survivability
Embodiments of the present invention relate to the communications field and disclose a method, a local gateway, and a system for local voice survivability, to implement local voice survivability without configuring a DNS proxy function on a local gateway or configuring a server on a user terminal. A specific solution is: detecting, according to a preset detection period, an activity state of a server recorded in a server monitoring list, where the server monitoring list records a voice server on an Internet protocol IP multimedia subsystem IMS network in advance; intercepting, when it is detected that all servers in the server monitoring list are in an unavailable state, a service data stream sent by a user terminal to the server; and providing a corresponding service response for the user terminal according to content of the intercepted service data stream. The present invention applies to a process of voice survivability. |
| US09270557B1 |
Method and system for adjustments for application underachievement in a virtually provisioned environment
Adjustments for application underachievement in a virtually provisioned environment are described. If an average of application operation times exceeds a first time constraint, a utilization measurement is recorded for each resource for each server in a virtually provisioned environment associated with an application operation when an application operation time exceeds a second time constraint. The resources include a central processing unit resource, a memory resource, a network resource, and/or an input-output resource. Each utilization measurement is converted to a corresponding utilization range of multiple utilization ranges. After the application operation time exceeds the time constraint on a specified number of occasions, an additional resource is provisioned to adjust the specific resource for the specific server based on an enhancement factor applied to the specific resource if the utilization record includes a specific range for the specific resource for the specific server more than a specified frequency. |
| US09270554B2 |
Communication apparatus and delay detecting method
A communication apparatus includes a time-stamp generating unit for generating a time stamp during transmission or reception of a PDU transmitted and received, a transmission-data storing unit, a reception-data storing unit, a frame processing unit configured to generate a PDU including a data refresh instruction to the other node, periodical transmission data in the transmission-data storing unit, and a frame transmission time acquired from the time-stamp generating unit and store, upon receiving a PDU from the other node, periodical transmission data included in the PDU in the reception-data storing unit, and a one-way-delay detecting unit for determining, upon receiving the PDU, according to whether a next PDU has been received within a first delay allowable time after the last PDU was received, or whether a transmission time of the PDU is within a second delay allowable time, presence or absence of occurrence of a delay of a PDU. |
| US09270552B2 |
Energy monitoring system using network management protocols
A system and method are disclosed for integrating an intelligent electronic device (IED) in a network management system. The IED may be configured to communicate using the network management protocol of the network management system. IED variables may be mapped to associated network management protocol variables to allow the network management system to access the IED variables using the network management protocol. |
| US09270551B2 |
Dynamic reclassification of client devices in a network
One or more devices may store attribute information identifying multiple attributes associated with a client device that is associated with a particular classification; reclassify the client device based on the attribute information; and provide, based on reclassifying the client device, classification information to a network device to cause the network device to associate a particular policy set, of multiple policy sets, with the client device. The classification information may identify an updated classification of the client device. The updated classification may be different from the particular classification. The particular policy set may be based on the updated classification of the client device. The particular policy set may include an instruction used to process a data flow provided to or provided from the client device. |
| US09270549B2 |
Systems and methods for network monitoring and testing using self-adaptive triggers based on KPI values
Embodiments are directed to systems and methods for network monitoring and testing using self-adaptive Key Performance Indicator to establish thresholds to trigger alarms in network monitoring. The present embodiments will be described in the context of calculating KPIs for call detail records (CDRs) and using the KPIs for network monitoring. |
| US09270548B2 |
System and method for data transfer of object properties
A system, method, and computer readable medium. A method includes monitoring calls from a client system to a server system for properties associated with an object, each call having a context. The method includes storing call data related to the calls as a property-retrieval history, including storing the context of each call. The method includes analyzing a policy associated with at least one context based on the property-retrieval history. The method includes updating the policy associated with the at least one context based on the analysis, and transferring data corresponding to the at least one context based on the policy. |
| US09270547B1 |
Determining device counts
A system may analyze beacon data over a particular period of time in order to estimate a total number of unique devices that visited web entities during that period. |
| US09270546B2 |
Systems and/or methods for on-demand repository bootstrapping at runtime in a scalable, distributed multi-tenant environment
Certain example embodiments relate to techniques for dynamically bootstrapping repositories or databases for newly created tenants at runtime in scalable, distributed multi-tenant environments. Repositories are maintained for respective application-tenant combinations. If there is an existing repository for the application and tenant combination involved in an incoming request, the request is responded to using that existing repository. However, if this is not the case, a new repository is created dynamically and at runtime. Bootstrapping is triggered dynamically the first time a client application tries to access the newly created tenant at runtime. This approach advantageously is flexible when it comes to enabling tenant- and application-specific repositories with optional search index mapping (e.g., for searching and/or other purposes). |
| US09270543B1 |
Application centered network node selection
Methods, systems and computer program products for application centered node selection are provided. A plurality of nodes of a network having node attributes for executing applications are identified. Each node of the plurality of nodes is linked to an application based on a node attribute identified for the respective node. Each node linked to a linked application has a corresponding node attribute for executing the linked application. A node request is received for a target application. The node request may be independent of a node configuration, such as an IP address or DNS name. A node linked to the target application is selected and provided. The target application is executed by the selected node. |
| US09270541B2 |
Dynamic generation of policy enforcement rules and actions from policy attachment semantics
At least one defined service policy to be enforced by a policy enforcement point (PEP) is obtained. The obtained at least one defined service policy is parsed to identify at least one set of enforceable policy provisions and the at least one set of enforceable policy provisions is identified. Each set of enforceable policy provisions includes a policy subject, a policy domain, and at least one assertion as the enforceable policy provisions within the at least one defined service policy. At least one runtime processing rule including at least one processing action usable by the PEP is created to enforce the policy subject, the policy domain, and the at least one assertion of each identified at least one set of enforceable policy provisions. |
| US09270540B2 |
Method and apparatus of providing an interface for managing network switches
An approach is provided for presenting, via a graphical user interface, a plurality of selectable areas corresponding to a plurality of categories of switches and a plurality of options. One of the options includes a search function for finding a desired one of the switches. A communication session is automatically established with one of the switches as specified by a user through one of the selectable areas or the search function. Information from the one switch is received over the communication session, wherein the information is used for analyzing the one switch. |
| US09270536B2 |
BGP slow peer detection
In one embodiment, a router selects a particular peer from an original update group used with an Exterior Gateway Protocol (EGP) such as Border Gateway Protocol (BGP). The original update group includes a plurality of peers of the router that share a same outbound policy and that receive common update messages, from the router, of routing table information. The router determines that the particular peer is a potential slow peer based on a first type of indicia, wherein a slow peer is a peer that cannot keep up with a rate at which the router generates update messages over a prolonged period of time. The router confirms that one or more second types of indicia are consistent with the particular peer being a slow peer. In response to the confirmation, the router determines that the particular peer is a slow peer. |
| US09270532B2 |
Resource command messages and methods
Resource command messages comprise commands and command urgency or importance information that is interpreted by a resource device and is coupled with information relating to the resource device to determine when to process the command within the resource command message. Resource devices comprising a plurality of resource nodes provide increased performance, responsiveness, and load balancing by multiple resource nodes processing the same resource command message in parallel. |
| US09270531B2 |
Communication apparatus, control method, and program
The convenience of users is improved for a case in which a network is structured by way of performance of a process of sharing communication parameters with other apparatuses.A process of providing, so that an upper limit number of communication partners is M which is a plural number, communication parameters to a communication partner is performed in accordance with a predetermined operation performed by a user. When the predetermined operation is performed by the user again after the process has been performed, the communication parameters are provided to a communication partner so that an upper limit number of communication partners is one. |
| US09270529B2 |
Distributed data transmission in data networks
Systems and methods are disclosed for distributed data transmission in an RF mesh network or other data network. An exemplary system includes at least two distribution devices. A first distribution device can receive a first data message that includes a first header and payload data. The first distribution device can determine that the second distribution device is not identified in the first header as receiving the payload data. The first distribution device can generate a second data message based on determining that the second distribution device is not identified in the first header. The second data message includes the payload data and the second header. The second header identifies the second distribution device as being selected to receive the payload data. The first distribution device transmits the second data message to the second distribution device. |
| US09270526B2 |
Multi-terminal positioning method, and related device and system
The present invention discloses a multi-terminal positioning method, and a related device and system. The method includes: establishing, by a primary terminal after receiving a collaboration request activation signal triggered by a user, connections to secondary terminals in a wireless connection manner; calculating and displaying, by the primary terminal according to received device configuration parameters of the secondary terminals and the number of secondary terminals, at least one arrangement shape of all terminals and at least one demarcated gesture that matches each arrangement shape, and recording one arrangement shape selected by the user and one demarcated gesture that matches the arrangement shape; receiving, by the primary terminal, sensor trigger information sent by at least one secondary terminal; and calculating, by the primary terminal according to the recorded arrangement shape and demarcated gesture, and the sensor trigger information, an arrangement sequence of all terminals and relative positions between the terminals. |
| US09270525B2 |
Distributed dynamic virtual machine configuration service
An approach is provided in which a local module receives a discovery message from a virtual network endpoint that is devoid of a corresponding virtual IP address. The local module sends one or more unicast network configuration messages to a dynamic configuration service and, in turn, the local module receives one or more unicast network configuration responses from the dynamic configuration service. One of the unicast network configuration responses includes one or more network configuration parameters. The local module configures the virtual network endpoint according to one or more of the network configuration parameters. |
| US09270518B2 |
Computer system and rule generation method
Disclosed is a computer system provided with a plurality of sensors provided in a plurality of devices to observe a predetermined amount, and a server for examining the physical amount transmitted from the sensors, wherein the plurality of devices are classified into a first device group and a plurality of second device groups, a plurality of second examination rules indicating the examination methods of the physical amount are set in the plurality of second device groups, the server calculates the similarity between the first device group and each of the second device groups, and, on the basis of the calculated similarity, a first examination rule to be set in the first device group is extracted from the plurality of second examination rules set in the plurality of second device groups. |
| US09270511B2 |
OFDM-CDMA equipment and method
An OFDM signal transmission apparatus is provided, which includes a mapping unit configured to map first signals into N subcarriers and second signals into M subcarrier(s) to form an OFDM signal, wherein N is larger than M. The first signals are each indicating a same bit of retransmission information and the second signals are each indicating a same bit of information other than retransmission information. The OFDM signal transmission apparatus further includes a transmitting unit configured to transmit the formed OFDM signal. |
| US09270510B2 |
Adaptive two-dimensional channel interpolation
A method and apparatus for improving channel estimation within an OFDM communication system. Channel estimation in OFDM is usually performed with the aid of pilot symbols. The pilot symbols are typically spaced in time and frequency. The set of frequencies and times at which pilot symbols are inserted is referred to as a pilot pattern. In some cases, the pilot pattern is a diagonal-shaped lattice, either regular or irregular. The method first interpolates in the direction of larger coherence (time or frequency). Using these measurements, the density of pilot symbols in the direction of faster change will be increased thereby improving channel estimation without increasing overhead. As such, the results of the first interpolating step can then be used to assist the interpolation in the dimension of smaller coherence (time or frequency). |
| US09270505B2 |
Communication system
Each of nodes in a communication system includes a pull-up circuit connected between a power source and a transmission line and a switching portion connecting and disconnecting the transmission line and a ground line. One of the nodes is a master node, and the others of the nodes are slave nodes. The driver circuits are driven so that the master node constantly outputs the transmission code of logic 1 and the slave node outputting the transmission code of logic 0 extends the width of the low level of the transmission code of logic 1 on the transmission line. The master node further includes a current limiting section limiting an electric current that flows to the transmission line via the pull-up circuit based on at least a signal level of the transmission line. |
| US09270504B2 |
System and method for linearizing power amplifiers
A power encoder includes a pulse width modulator for modulating a signal according to a set of thresholds to produce a pulse width modulated (PWM) signal and a switch mode power amplifier for amplifying the PWM signal by switching states of switching devices according to amplitudes of the PWM signal. At least one or combination of a distribution of values of the voltage thresholds in the set and a distribution of values of a current generated by different switching devices are non-uniform. The set of voltage thresholds includes at least two positive voltage thresholds. |
| US09270502B2 |
Digital RF receiver
Embodiments provide a digital RF receiver including a signal converting unit which converts an RF signal received from an external device into a digital signal, a plurality of functional modules which processes the digital signal in accordance with a predetermined algorithm when the digital signal is input, and a signal processing controller which selects at least one of the plurality of functional modules to control the digital signal to be processed in consideration of whether an IF signal component is included in the digital signal or a sampling rate related with sampling information of the digital signal. |
| US09270500B1 |
Apparatus and methods of dynamic transmit equalization
One embodiment relates to an integrated circuit configured to perform dynamic transmit equalization of a bi-directional lane. The integrated circuit including an interface between the physical coding and media access control circuitry, and an equalization control circuit which is external to the physical coding circuitry and which is configured to perform the dynamic transmit equalization using said interface. Another embodiment relates to a transceiver circuit which includes physical coding circuitry and media access control circuitry. The transceiver circuit further includes an interface between the physical coding circuitry and the media access control circuitry and an equalization controller which is external to the physical coding circuitry and which is configured to perform dynamic transmit equalization using said interface. The interface is configured to provide transmit coefficient data in a time-multiplexed signal format from the media access control circuitry to the physical coding circuitry. Other embodiments, aspects, and features are also disclosed. |
| US09270498B2 |
System and method for amplifying a signal
An amplification system, connected to a modem delivering a signal to be amplified, includes at least one amplification device, at least one first determination device for determination of a first difference and at least one second determination device for determination of a variable gain. Moreover, the system is characterized in that the second determination device is capable of the determination of said variable gain on the basis of said signal to be amplified, said amplified signal and said first difference. |
| US09270496B2 |
Physical uplink shared channel demodulation reference signal design for uplink coordinated transmission in type II relay
A method is provided for an access node to perform channel estimation. The method includes, when a UE and a relay node are present in a cell with the access node, the access node receiving from the UE and from the relay node DMRS that are cyclically shifted relative to one another. The method further includes the access node performing a first channel estimation based on the DMRS that was transmitted by the UE, performing a second channel estimation based on the DMRS that was transmitted by the at least one relay node, combining the first channel estimation with the second channel estimation to derive a combined channel estimation, using the first channel estimation to demodulate control information received from the UE, and using the combined channel estimation to demodulate data received from both the UE and the at least one relay node. |
| US09270491B2 |
Scalable networked device dynamic mapping
Technologies are generally described for providing a system of scalable networked devices that may be mapped employing a naming convention that enables an optimized route to the devices through device search algorithms for network-connected and non-network connected devices. The naming convention and corresponding algorithms may enable users to search for a desired functionality, access suitable scalable networked device(s), and utilize the desired functionality. Furthermore, a spider algorithm may be employed to continuously map and update a mesh of scalable networked devices. |
| US09270488B2 |
Reordering PCP flows as they are assigned to virtual channels
A Network Flow Processor (NFP) integrated circuit receives, via each of a plurality of physical MAC ports, PCP (Priority Code Point) flows. The NFP also maintains, for each of a plurality of virtual channels, a linked list of buffers. There is one port enqueue engine for each physical MAC port. For each PCP flow received via the physical MAC port associated with a port enqueue engine, the engine causes frame data of the flow to be loaded into one particular linked list of buffers. Each engine has a lookup table circuit that is configurable so that the relative priorities of the PCP flows are reordered as the PCP flows are assigned to virtual channels. A PCP flow with a higher PCP value can be assigned to a lower priority virtual channel, whereas a PCP flow with a lower PCP value can be assigned to a higher priority virtual channel. |
| US09270485B2 |
Method for ethernet ring protection
An Ethernet Ring Protection (ERP) method is disclosed. The method includes: when a link on an Ethernet ring network is faulty, determining whether the faulty link is a link where a normally blocked port is located; and sending a first control message which carries first indication information to a ring node on the Ethernet ring network if the faulty link is the link where the normally blocked port is located, wherein the first indication information indicates that a forwarding table is not desired to be cleared by the ring node. Through the method according to the present invention, the broadcast traffic generated by unnecessary clearing of the forwarding table and self-learning is reduced effectively. |
| US09270484B2 |
Data center network using circuit switching
A circuit-based digital communications network is provided for a large data center environment that utilizes circuit switching in lieu of packet switching in order to lower the cost of the network and to gain performance efficiencies. A method for transmitting data in such a network comprises sending a setup request for a path for transmitting the data to a destination node and then speculatively sending the data to the destination node before the setup request is completed. |
| US09270483B2 |
Communication management apparatus, communication apparatus, and communication method
A communication management apparatus includes a token-circulation-order-information storing unit that stores token circulation order, a token-frame processing unit that determines whether transmission right acquiring apparatus information of the token frame indicates the own apparatus and transmits a token frame in which first transmission right acquisition determination information indicating a sequence number of a communication apparatus that can acquire a transmission right in the token circulation order, second transmission right acquisition determination information indicating the number of frames that can be transmitted during one token frame circulation, and transmission right acquiring apparatus information indicating the next transmission destination of the token frame after the own apparatus acquired from the token circulation order are set, and a data-frame-communication processing unit that transmits and receives the data frame, thereby to reduce time required until a communication node that acquired the token frame transmits data. |
| US09270481B2 |
Communication system and method for isochronous data transmission in real time
A communication system which has a PROFINET IRT system with first communication devices for isochronous transmission. A special IRT bridge device is created, so that a traditional standard Ethernet communication device can also transmit real time-critical data over the PROFINET IRT system. The bridge device has a timer, which is synchronized in time with the timers of the first communication devices. In addition, a device for analysis of the transmission point in time of a real time-critical data telegram received by the communication device and a control unit are provided, such that the control unit controls the forwarding of the respective real time-critical data telegram to at least one second communication device as a function of the analyzed transmission point in time. |
| US09270479B2 |
Device selection for media rendering
Delivery of media content ordered at a user terminal (20, 22) from a content provider (40) and to a media rendering device (12, 13, 14) present in a local network (2) is enabled. Media information relating to the media content is converted into converted media information by replacing media content links to converted links directed towards a device selecting module (120). Once the user clicks on a link using the user terminal (20, 22), the device selecting module (120) is activated and provides, based on a received user identifier, a device identifier associated with a selected media rendering device (12, 13, 14). The media content link together with the device identifier is transmitted in a media fetching command destined to the selected media rendering device (12, 13, 14) to thereby enable delivery of the media content to this media rendering device (12, 13, 14) instead of the user terminal (20, 22). |