| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US09280647B2 |
Methods, systems, and products for identity verification
Methods, systems, and products verify identity of a person. A signature, representing the presence of a device, is acquired. The signature is compared to a reference signature. When the signature favorably compares to the reference signature, then the identity of a user associated with the device is verified. |
| US09280644B2 |
Methods for restricting resources used by a program based on entitlements
In response to a request for launching a program, a list of one or more application frameworks to be accessed by the program during execution of the program is determined. Zero or more entitlements representing one or more resources entitled by the program during the execution are determined. A set of one or more rules based on the entitlements of the program is obtained from at least one of the application frameworks. The set of one or more rules specifies one or more constraints of resources associated with the at least one application framework. A security profile is dynamically compiled for the program based on the set of one or more rules associated with the at least one application framework. The compiled security profile is used to restrict the program from accessing at least one resource of the at least one application frameworks during the execution of the program. |
| US09280643B2 |
Establishing access to a secure network based on user-created credential indicia
In various aspects, code-based indicia contain secured network access credentials. In some aspects, a computer processor receives user input that specifies secured network access credentials, and the computer processor creates or modifies credentials for establishing a secured network connection. In these aspects, the computer processor generates code-based indicia that contain at least part of the secured network access credentials. In other aspects, a computer processor scans the code-based indicia and extracts the network access credentials. In these aspects, the computer processor employs the network access credentials to establish the secured network connection. In additional aspects, a network router apparatus renders the code-based indicia to an active display. In further aspects, a network router apparatus conditions grant of network access to a device on receipt from the device of an answer to a security question included in the secured network access credentials. |
| US09280642B2 |
Method of managing clinical testing apparatus, clinical testing system, and maintenance management apparatus
A management system connected with a clinical testing apparatus is disclosed. The system acquires, from the clinical testing apparatus, a parameter that varies according to deterioration of the unit at a plurality of points of time, stores the parameters and/or analysis results that are obtained by analyzing the parameters, and provides a screen data for showing the stored parameters and/or the stored analysis results in a time-series format. A method for managing a clinical testing apparatus and a clinical testing system for the method are also disclosed. |
| US09280638B2 |
Image processing apparatus and method, and non-transitory computer readable medium
An image processing apparatus includes a deleted differential image generator and a region specifying unit. The deleted differential image generator generates, from first image data generated by reading an image of an unfilled or filled-in sheet and second image data generated by reading an image of a sheet being in a format identical to the unfilled or filled-in sheet and having a superimposed sheet superimposed thereon, deleted differential image data representing an image that is not represented in the second image data but is represented in the first image data. The region specifying unit specifies a region where the superimposed sheet is represented in the second image data, based on a region where the deleted differential image data is. |
| US09280637B2 |
Multi-action button for mobile devices
Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for providing a multi-action button for mobile devices are provided. Alerts are received and multi-action buttons are determined corresponding to the alerts and clinicians associated with mobile devices. The multi-action buttons are displayed on the mobile devices. |
| US09280636B2 |
Electronic medical record distribution, systems and methods
Systems and methods for distributing Electronic Medical Records (EMR) from a private practice to authorized mobile devices are presented. EMR data can be exchanged from a private practice with a remote mobile device via an intermediary mobile access service. The service can include one or more servers that tunnel EMR data between the mobile devices and the practice, where a relay server located at the service communicates via an a priori instantiated persistent session with a relay client installed at the practice. The persistent session can be maintained by the relay client thus reducing the burden on the practice to configure or change local network infrastructure. |
| US09280633B2 |
Content addressable memory
A method of designing a content-addressable memory (CAM) includes associating CAM cells with a summary circuit. The summary circuit includes a first level of logic gates and a second level of logic gates. The first level of logic gates have inputs each configured to receive an output of a corresponding one of the plurality of CAM cell. The second level of logic gates have inputs each configured to receive an output of a corresponding one of the first level of logic gates. Logic gates in at least one of the first level of logic gates or the second level of logic gates are selected to have an odd number of input pins so that an input pin and an output pin share a layout sub-slot. |
| US09280627B1 |
GUI based verification at multiple abstraction levels
A system and method that implement an object-oriented model for requirements of a hardware design in order to verify the design. The object-oriented model abstractly captures the design topology, capability, control, and status of the design. An object-oriented model or definition of a hardware design is based on one or more specifications or standards implemented with the design. With the object-oriented model, a system and method for storing and displaying data captured during a test run is implemented. Graphical displays are defined to show run information for abstract objects of the design. Predefined graphical displays may be altered to accommodate the features of the object-oriented model and new graphical displays may be defined for objects in the model. |
| US09280626B2 |
Efficiently determining Boolean satisfiability with lazy constraints
A mechanism is provided for efficiently determining Boolean satisfiability (SAT) using lazy constraints. A determination is made as to whether a SAT problem is satisfied without constraints in a list of constraints. Responsive to the SAT problem being satisfied without constraints, a set of variable assignments that are determined in satisfying the SAT problem without constraints are fixed. For each constraint in the list of constraints, a determination is made as to whether the SAT problem with the constraint results in the set of variable assignments remaining constant. Responsive to the SAT problem with the constraint resulting in the set of variable assignments remaining constant, the constraint is added to a list of non-affecting constraints and a satisfied result is returned. |
| US09280625B2 |
Incremental slack margin propagation
Techniques and systems are described for improving the efficiency of timing calculations in numerical sequential cell sizing and for improving the efficiency of incremental slack margin propagation. Some embodiments cache timing-related information associated with a source driver that drives an input of a sequential cell that is being sized, and/or timing-related information for each output of the sequential cell that is being sized. The cached timing-related information for the source driver can be reused when sizing a different sequential cell. The cached timing-related information for the outputs of the sequential cell can be reused when evaluating alternatives for replacing the sequential cell. Some embodiments incrementally propagate slack margins in a lazy fashion (i.e., only when it is necessary to do so for correctness or accuracy reasons) while sizing gates in the circuit design in a reverse-levelized processing order. |
| US09280622B2 |
Circuit verifying apparatus, circuit verifying method, and circuit verifying program
A circuit verifying apparatus, which calculates code coverage of a measurement-target logic circuit written in a hardware description language, including: a coverage observing unit which measures whether a code corresponding to a measurement-target signal extracted from each of plural observation points, which are arranged inside the measurement-target logic circuit, is carried out or not; and a coverage collecting unit which collects measurement results acquired by the coverage observing unit, and measures quantitatively a ratio of tested codes to whole codes which describe the measurement-target logic circuit, and outputs the ratio. |
| US09280621B1 |
Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture for analyzing a multi-fabric electronic design and displaying analysis results for the multi-fabric electronic design spanning and displaying simulation results across multiple design fabrics
Disclosed are techniques to analyze multi-fabric designs. These techniques generate a cross-fabric analysis model by at least identifying first design data in a first design fabric of a multi-fabric electronic design using a first session of a first electronic design automation (EDA) tool, update the cross-fabric simulation model by at least identifying second design data in a second design fabric using a second session of a second EDA tool, and determine analysis results for the multi-fabric electronic design using at least the cross-fabric simulation model. Analysis results may be determined using parasitic, electrical, or performance information. Various EDA tools access their respective native design data in their respective domains or design fabrics and have no access to or visibility of non-native design data while these techniques automatically cross the boundaries between multiple design fabrics to accomplish the tasks of analyzing multi-fabric electronic designs or displaying analysis results therefor. |
| US09280618B1 |
Systems and methods for control strategy criteria selection
The systems and methods perform simulations in a systematic way as to minimize redundant data fetching and computations and reduce run-time. The systems and methods can cache information that can be used across multiple control strategies and speed up the process of simulation by several orders of magnitude. A business analyst can first generate a set of matching criteria that meets business intuition for the specific initiative and set of stores under analysis. A systematic approach in building similar sites models from control strategies that are combinations of this set of matching criteria can be applied to minimize data extraction and processing. The similarity function allows for the distance of each criterion to be combined linearly. Data for each matching criteria only needs to be extracted once but can be used in all control strategies that uses that criteria. |
| US09280611B2 |
Data classification
The present disclosure provides a method and an apparatus for storing data classification structure. Based on an initial classification structure tree, a reorganized classification structure tree that stores data classifications structure differently from that of the initial classification structure is generated. As the reorganized classification structure tree is flexible, when maintaining data and searching data by using the search engine, the present techniques may quickly find the desired data, thereby reducing the heavy burden of the search engine under the conventional techniques to conduct data search and high pressure of conducting data maintenance and data search. Further, the present techniques may not only reduce the burden of the search engine, but also relieve the pressure for maintaining data and searching data. |
| US09280610B2 |
Crowd sourcing information to fulfill user requests
A user request is received from a mobile client device, where the user request includes at least a speech input and seeks an informational answer or performance of a task. A failure to provide a satisfactory response to the user request is detected. In response to detection of the failure, information relevant to the user request is crowd-sourced by querying one or more crowd sourcing information sources. One or more answers are received from the crowd sourcing information sources, and the response to the user request is generated based on at least one of the one or more answers received from the one or more crowd sourcing information sources. |
| US09280609B2 |
Exact match lookup scheme
An exact match lookup system includes a hash function that generates a hash value in response to an input hash key. The hash value is used to retrieve a hash bucket index value from a hash bucket index table. The hash bucket index value is used to retrieve a plurality of hash keys from a plurality of hash bucket tables, in parallel. The retrieved hash keys are compared with the input hash key to identify a match. Hit logic generates an output index by concatenating the hash bucket index value with an address associated with the hash bucket table that provides the matching hash key. An exact match result is provided in response to the output index. A content addressable memory (CAM) may store hash keys that do not fit in the hash bucket tables. |
| US09280599B1 |
Interface for real-time audio recognition
An audio recognition service recognizes an audio sample across multiple content types. At least a partial set of results generated by the service are returned to a client while the audio sample is still being recorded and/or transmitted. The client additionally displays the results in real-time or near real-time to the user. The audio sample can be sent over a first HTTP connection and the results can be returned over a second HTTP connection. The audio recognition service further processes check-in selections received from the client for content items indicated by the results. Responsive to receiving the check-in selections, the service determines whether a user is eligible for a reward. If the user is eligible, the service provides the reward. |
| US09280598B2 |
Systems and methods for sound recognition
Systems and methods for recognizing sounds are provided herein. User input relating to one or more sounds is received from a computing device. Instructions, which are stored in memory, are executed by a processor to discriminate the one or more sounds, extract music features from the one or more sounds, analyze the music features using one or more databases, and obtain information regarding the music features based on the analysis. Further, information regarding the music features of the one or more sounds may be transmitted to display on the computing device. |
| US09280591B1 |
Efficient replication of system transactions for read-only nodes of a distributed database
A distributed database system may efficiently replicate system transactions one or more read-only nodes. An update to a distributed database may be received. One or more system transactions may be performed to apply the update. For each system transaction, one or more change notifications may be generated which indicate changes to be applied in order to perform the system transaction. A particular one of the change notifications may be identified as the last change to be applied in order to complete the system transaction. The change notifications may be sent to one or more read-only nodes. The read-only nodes may process read requests for the distributed database system. The identified change notification may indicate to the read-only nodes the last change to be applied prior to presenting a state of the database that includes the system transaction when servicing read requests. |
| US09280587B2 |
Mailbox search engine using query multi-modal expansion and community-based smoothing
A retrieval method on a database of documents including text and names of participants associated with the documents includes: receiving a text query facet of keywords and a persons query facet of participant names; computing an enriched text query as an aggregation of the text query facet, a monomodal expansion of the text query facet based on the keywords, a cross-modal expansion of the text query facet based on the participant names, and a topic expansion of the text query facet based on a topic model associating words and topics; computing an enriched persons query as an aggregation of the persons query facet, a monomodal expansion of the persons query facet based on the participant names, a cross-modal expansion of the persons query facet based on the keywords, and a community expansion of the persons query facet based on a community model associating persons and communities. |
| US09280585B2 |
Method and apparatus for optimizing the evaluation of semantic web queries
A semantic query over an RDF database is received with RDF database statistics and access methods for evaluating triple patterns in the query. The semantic query is expressed as a parse tree containing triple patterns and logical relationships among the triple patterns. The parse tree and access methods create a data flow graph containing a plurality of triple pattern and access method pair nodes connected by a plurality of edges, and an optimal flow tree through the data flow graph is determined such that costs are minimized and all triple patterns in the semantic query are contained in the optimal flow tree. A structure independent execution tree defining a sequence of evaluation through the optimal flow tree is created and is transformed into a database structure dependent query plan. This is used to create an SQL query that is used to evaluate the semantic query over the RDF database. |
| US09280582B2 |
Optimization of join queries for related data
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method, computer program product, and system for optimizing execution of a query that includes a JOIN against a system utilizing data relationship concepts. A computer determines whether one or more data structures in JOIN include a parent/child relationship. The one or more data structures can be one or more tables. Responsive to determining that the one or more data structures in JOIN include a parent/child relationship, the computer determines whether the query that includes the JOIN includes a filter applied on one or more data structures in the JOIN with an OR condition between filters. Responsive to determining that the query that includes the JOIN does not include the filter applied on one or more data structures in JOIN with an OR condition between filters, the computer modifies the query that includes the JOIN into a query utilizing relationship constructs. |
| US09280580B1 |
Customizing search
Techniques for customizing search may include the following operations: outputting, to a computing device of a user, a Web page that enables selection of signals that are usable to generate search results; during a search session, receiving, through the Web page, a query and a selection corresponding to one or more of the signals, where the selection differs from a default set of search signals used by the search system for searching; obtaining, for output to the computing device, search results that are based on the query and the selection; and following the search session, configuring the search system to use the default set of search signals for searching. |
| US09280575B2 |
Indexing hierarchical data
A system includes generation of an encoding for each of a hierarchy of nodes, each of the nodes associated with one or more attributes, and the encoding for each node including a first pointer and a second pointer, and generation of an order tree comprising a hierarchy of entries, where each pointer of the encoding points to a respective one of the entries, wherein the encoding and the order tree indicate a position of each node in the hierarchy of nodes. |
| US09280568B2 |
Zero downtime schema evolution
A method for updating a database schema may include maintaining a database, database schema and a first version of an application. The method may include generating application schema for the first version of the application, the application schema including a mapping of one or more classes of the application to a respective table in the database. The method may include executing the first version of the application and storing an application data object in the database in accordance with the application schema. While the first version of the application is executing, the method may include receiving a request to update the first version of the application to a different version, identifying application metadata for the different version of the application, comparing the application metadata for the different version of the application with the database schema for the database, and updating the database schema based on the comparison. |
| US09280567B2 |
Technique for structuring a navigation database
A technique of structuring a navigation database is provided, wherein the navigation database includes at least route link data for a predetermined geographic area. A method implementation of the technique includes organizing route link data associated with the predetermined geographic area into at least one routing cluster; providing the at least one routing cluster with a cluster identifier; and storing the at least one routing cluster together with the cluster identifier in the navigation database. |
| US09280553B2 |
Method to delay locking of server files on edit
A server is implemented with a modified file open action, which, when a user performs the modified open, initially opens a file without locking the file. When a user indicates (either explicitly or implicitly) that the user is attempting to or intending to open the file, the file can then be locked for editing. In this way, the default action when a user requests a file is to open the file without denying other users access to the file. Then, when the user indicates that editing should occur, the lock for the file is obtained. |
| US09280547B2 |
System and method for displaying and operating multi-layered item list in browser with supporting of concurrent users
Support of end-user to view and operate computing resources through logically organized and graphically represented multi-layered item list (“hierarchical list”) has been fully realized on native window based computer user work environment with modern operating system such as Windows Explore of Microsoft. The present invention has implemented such a hierarchical list to represent structured resources, such as for a central controlled distributed scalable virtual machine (CCDSVM), and to be displayable and operable via a browser on an end-user device for user to access and manage the actual structured resources. The implementation of the hierarchical list is accomplished by creating the hierarchical list in memory to mirror the actual structure resource, where the mirrored hierarchical list is sent to the end-user device, where the end-user device executes the browser to display the hierarchical list to allow the user to access the actual structured resources via the displayed hierarchical list. |
| US09280544B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer program products for automatically associating data with a resource as metadata based on a characteristic of the resource
Methods, systems, and computer program products for automatically associating data with a resource as metadata based on a characteristic of the resource are disclosed. According to one method, a metadata association rule is defined for a metadata associator. The metadata association rule specifies a data value to be associated with a resource as metadata based on a characteristic of the resource. A user interface is provided for associating at least one resource with a metadata associator. In response to a resource being associated with the metadata associator via a user interface, the data value is associated with the resource as metadata based on the metadata association rule. The specified data value may be defined prior to the resource being associated with the metadata and independently of both the resource and a file system with which the resource is associated. |
| US09280535B2 |
Natural language querying with cascaded conditional random fields
A natural language query tool comprising cascaded conditional random fields (CRFs) (e.g., a linear-chain CRF and a skip-chain CRF applied sequentially) processes natural language input to produce output that can be used in database searches. For example, cascaded CRFs extract entities from natural language input that correspond to column names or column values in a database, and identify relationships between the extracted entities. A search engine can execute queries based on output from the cascaded CRFs over an inverted index of a database, which can be based on one or more materialized views of the database. Results can be sorted (e.g., according to relevance scores) and presented in a user interface. |
| US09280532B2 |
System and method for accessing rich objects via spreadsheets
One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a method for providing access to a data object from within a spreadsheet included in a spreadsheet application. The method includes associating the data object with a first cell of the spreadsheet, wherein the data object is related to a parameter, and the first cell is identified by a cell reference, receiving an input that is related to a second cell of the spreadsheet and includes an expression that specifies the parameter and the first cell reference, and replacing the first cell reference specified by the expression with the data object, wherein a value for the second cell may be determined by applying the parameter to the data object specified in the expression. |
| US09280519B1 |
Methods and systems for early stop simulated likelihood ratio test
A method for modeling a set of observed data comprises selecting a reference model and an alternative model as possible descriptions of the set of observed data, and storing an index function for measuring fit of models to data. The method further includes performing, by one or more processors, a simulated threshold-fitting for a first of the two models, deriving an initial simulated index for the second model for fitting the second model to the simulated data, and deriving an initial boundary for simulated index difference including calculating a difference between the threshold-fit simulated index for the first model and the initial simulated index for the second model. The method further includes determining, based on a comparison, whether to update a counter used in calculating a simulated p-value, and selecting, based on the simulated p-value, one of the reference and alternative models for modeling the set of observed data. |
| US09280512B2 |
Computerized system and method for remote access to a computer program
A computerized system for remote access to a computer program, the system comprising a computerized segmenting tool to create a segmented representation of a computer program by creating virtual objects that correspond to objects of the program and clustering the virtual objects to segments of the segmented representation and a remote access application to receive information about the segmented representation from the segmenting tool and to display the segments of the segmented representation, wherein each segment is controllable separately. |
| US09280503B2 |
Round robin arbiter handling slow transaction sources and preventing block
In an embodiment, an arbiter may implement a deficit-weighted round-robin scheme having a delayed weight-reload mechanism. The delay may be greater than or equal to a ratio of the fabric clock to a slower clock associated with one or more sources that have no transactions but that have unconsumed weights (or another measure of difference in transaction rate). If a transaction is provided from the one or more sources during the delay, the reload of the weights may be prevented. In some embodiments, the arbiter may be augmented to improve usage of the bandwidth on an interface in which some transactions may be limited for a period of time. The arbiter may implement a first pointer that performs round robin arbitration. If the first pointer is indicating a source whose transaction is temporarily blocked, a second pointer may search forward from the current position of the main pointer to locate a non-blocked transaction. |
| US09280500B2 |
Method and apparatus for preventing stack overflow in embedded system
Provided is a method and apparatus for preventing a stack overflow in an embedded system. The method of preventing a stack overflow includes: reading a maximum stack usage of at least one function for executing a requested operation from maximum stack usages of functions provided from a kernel, which are stored in advance; and processing the requested operation on the basis of the read maximum stack usage of the at least one function and a size of a usable region in a stack for the requested operation. Accordingly, the stack overflow can be prevented without generating a run-time overhead. |
| US09280499B2 |
Memory arbitrator for electronics communications devices
Embodiments of the invention include electronic communications devices having a memory in near field communication device, a memory arbitrator and a host processor. The near field communication (NFC) devices are configured to receive data and drive power from the communication signal. The memory arbitrator is connected to the NFC device and the memory. The memory arbitrator is also configured to access the memory in response to an access request from the NFC device. Additionally, the memory is configurable to be accessed by both the host processor and the NFC device according to embodiments of the present invention. |
| US09280496B2 |
Formal verification of arbiters
A computer-implement method, computerized apparatus and computer program product for formal verification of an arbiter design. The method comprising: performing formal verification of an arbiter design, wherein the arbiter design is based on an original arbiter design comprising a fairness logic and an arbitration logic, wherein the arbiter design comprising the arbitration logic and a portion of the fairness logic; and wherein the formal verification is performed with respect to a multi-dimensional Complete Random Sequence (CRS) having two or more dimensions. |
| US09280494B2 |
System method for associating an application runnng on computing system by selectively altering an attribute of the input and output of connected peripheral device
A method on a computing system for associating an output of a coupled peripheral device to an input of the peripheral device is provided. A computing system configured to be coupled to a peripheral device comprising an input and an associated output is provided. The computing system comprises an input logical layer configured to receive descriptor configuration information from the peripheral device and build interface sets including attributes of the input of the peripheral device and the associated output. The input logical layer uses the interface sets to select and set attributes of the output of the peripheral device. |
| US09280492B2 |
System and method for a load instruction with code conversion having access permissions to indicate failure of load content from registers
Embodiments of an invention for a load instruction for code conversion are disclosed. In one embodiment, a processor includes an instruction unit and an execution unit. The instruction unit is to receive an instruction having a source operand to indicate a source location and a destination operand to indicate a destination location. The execution unit is to execute the instruction. Execution of the instruction includes checking the access permissions of the source location and loading content from the source location into the destination location if the access permissions of the source location indicate that the content is executable. |
| US09280491B2 |
System and method for regulating access to memory mapping information at a memory management unit
A first storage location at a memory management unit stores physical address information mapping logical physical addresses to actual physical addresses. A second storage location stores an allowed address range of actual physical addresses. A memory management unit determines whether a write access to the first storage location is allowable. The access is to store memory mapping information relating to a first actual physical address. The memory management unit prevents the write access if the first actual physical address is not in the allowed address range, and does not prevent the write access if the first actual physical address is in the allowed address range. The memory management unit prevents a write access to the second storage location by a process that is not running in a hypervisor mode. |
| US09280489B2 |
Wait-free parallel data cache
A system and method for managing a data cache in a central processing unit (CPU) of a database system. A method executed by a system includes the processing steps of adding an ID of a page p into a page holder queue of the data cache, executing a memory barrier store-load operation on the CPU, and looking-up page p in the data cache based on the ID of the page p in the page holder queue. The method further includes the steps of, if page p is found, accessing the page p from the data cache, and adding the ID of the page p into a least-recently-used queue. |
| US09280486B2 |
Managing memory pages based on free page hints
A host selects a memory page that has been allocated to a guest for eviction. The host may be a host machine that hosts a plurality of virtual machines. The host accesses a bitmap maintained by the guest to determine a state of a bit in the bitmap associated with the memory page. The host determines whether content of the memory page is to be preserved based on the state of the bit. In response to determining that the content of the memory page is not to be preserved, the host discards the content of the memory page. |
| US09280485B2 |
Efficient cache volume sit scans
A processor, operable in a computing storage environment, allocates portions of a Scatter Index Table (SIT) disproportionately between a larger portion dedicated for meta data tracks, and a smaller portion dedicated for user data tracks, and processes a storage operation through the disproportionately allocated portions of the SIT using an allocated number of Task Control Blocks (TCB). |
| US09280483B1 |
Rebranding a portable electronic device while maintaining user data
A portable electronic device may be rebranded, this rebranding may cause a plurality of data files in a user memory partition on the portable electronic device to be deleted when the device is returned to factory settings or otherwise wiped during the rebranding. Rebranding may be desirable in order for the user to receive better and/or more cost-effective services from a telecommunications service provider. Therefore, a user may want to rebrand their device without losing the data in the user memory partition. The user may specify or configure the device to copy or move the plurality of data to a carrier memory partition or a system memory partition on the device, or to a remote server, or to a removable memory such as an SD card. |
| US09280480B2 |
Extract target cache attribute facility and instruction therefor
A facility and cache machine instruction of a computer architecture for specifying a target cache cache-level and a target cache attribute of interest for obtaining a cache attribute of one or more target caches. The requested cache attribute of the target cache(s) is saved in a register. |
| US09280479B1 |
Multi-level store merging in a cache and memory hierarchy
A memory system having increased throughput is disclosed. Specifically, the memory system includes a first level write combining queue that reduces the number of data transfers between a level one cache and a level two cache. In addition, a second level write merging buffer can further reduce the number of data transfers within the memory system. The first level write combining queue receives data from the level one cache. The second level write merging buffer receives data from the first level write combining queue. The level two cache receives data from both the first level write combining queue and the second level write merging buffer. Specifically, the first level write combining queue combines multiple store transactions from the load store units to associated addresses. In addition, the second level write merging buffer merges data from the first level write combining queue. |
| US09280477B2 |
Data storage management in a memory device
The disclosure is related to systems and methods of managing data storage in a memory device. In a particular embodiment, a method is disclosed that includes receiving, in a data storage device, at least one data packet that has a size that is different from an allocated storage capacity of at least one physical destination location on a data storage medium in the data storage device for the at least one data packet. The method also includes storing the at least one received data packet in a non-volatile cache memory prior to transferring the at least one received data packet to the at least one physical destination location. |
| US09280476B2 |
Hardware stream prefetcher with dynamically adjustable stride
An apparatus may include a first memory, a control circuit, a first address comparator and a second address comparator. The first memory may store a table, which may include an expected address of a next memory access and an offset to increment a value of the expected address. The control circuit may read data at a predicted address in a second memory and store the read data in a cache. The first and second address comparators may determine if a value of a received address is between the value of the expected address and the value of the expected address minus a value of the offset. The control circuit may also modify the value of the offset responsive to determining the value of the received address is between the value of the expected address and the value of the expected address minus the value of the offset. |
| US09280475B2 |
Variable updating device and variable updating method
A procedure, which is performed by a processor of a variable updating device, includes: (a) judging whether or not the cache set is a cache set selected in advance; (b) in a case in which the corresponding cache set is judged to be the cache set selected in advance, judging which of (1) a hit and (2) a miss has occurred; and (c) carrying out a first processing that, in a case in which it is judged that the miss has occurred, updates a miss variable that expresses a number of times that misses have occurred and stores the address information in the storage portion, and a second processing that, in a case in which it is judged that the hit has occurred, updates a hit variable that expresses a number of times that hits have occurred. |
| US09280474B2 |
Adaptive data prefetching
A system and method for adaptive data prefetching in a processor enables adaptive modification of parameters associated with a prefetch operation. A stride pattern in successive addresses of a memory operation may be detected, including determining a stride length (L). Prefetching of memory operations may be based on a prefetch address determined from a base memory address, the stride length L, and a prefetch distance (D). A number of prefetch misses may be counted at a miss prefetch count (C). Based on the value of the miss prefetch count C, the prefetch distance D may be modified. As a result of adaptive modification of the prefetch distance D, an improved rate of cache hits may be realized. |
| US09280470B2 |
Cache replacement for shared memory caches
An information processing system and computer program storage product for managing objects stored in a shared memory cache. The system includes at least a plurality of cache readers accessing data from the shared memory cache. The system updates data in the shared memory cache using a cache writer. The system maintains a cache replacement process collocated with a cache writer. The cache replacement process makes a plurality of decisions on objects to store in the shared memory cache. Each of the plurality of cache readers maintains information on frequencies with which it accesses cached objects. Each of the plurality of cache readers communicates the maintained information to the cache replacement process. The cache replacement process uses the communicated information on frequencies to make at least one decision on replacing at least one object currently stored in the shared memory cache. |
| US09280468B2 |
Three channel cache-coherency socket protocol
A system and method are disclosed for communicating coherency information between initiator and target agents on semiconductor chips. Sufficient information communication to support full coherency is performed through a socket interface using only three channels. Transaction requests are issued on one channel with responses given on a second. Intervention requests are issued on the same channel as transaction responses. Intervention responses are given on a third channel. Such an approach drastically reduces the complexity of cache coherent socket interfaces compared to conventional approaches. The net effect is faster logic, smaller silicon area, improved architecture performance, and a reduced probability of bugs by the designers of coherent initiators and targets. |
| US09280467B1 |
Metadata flushing using additive increase and multiplicitive decrease to determine a number of IO processes used
A method and a system to dynamically determine how much of the total IO bandwidth may be used for flushing dirty metadata from the cache to the main memory without increasing the host memory access latency time, includes increasing the number of IO processes by adding a number of IO processes at short intervals and measuring host latency. If the host latency is acceptable, then increasing the number of IO processes again by the same number, and repeating until the host latency period reaches a limit. When the limit has been reached, reducing the number of IO processes by a multiplicative factor, and repeating the additive process from the reduced number of IO processes. The number of IO processes used for flushing dirty metadata may resemble a series of saw teeth, rising gradually and declining rapidly in response to the number of host IO processes needed. |
| US09280466B2 |
Information processing device including memory management device managing access from processor to memory and memory management method
A device according to an example of the invention comprises a section which accepts a write destination logical address and write target data from a processor, the write destination logical address indicating a write position to write the write target data into a composite memory which includes a first memory and a nonvolatile second memory, a section which determines a write destination physical address corresponding to the write destination logical address so that the number of times of access to the second memory is smaller than the number of times of access to the first memory, a section which stores, in a storage section, address conversion data associating the write destination logical address with the write destination physical address, and a section which writes the write target data into a position in the composite memory indicated by the write destination physical address. |
| US09280460B2 |
Data writing method, memory control circuit unit and memory storage apparatus
A data writing method for a rewritable non-volatile memory module having a plurality of physical erasing units, and a memory control circuit unit and the memory storage apparatus are provided. The method includes grouping the physical erasing units into at least a data area, a backup area and a spare area; and setting a value obtained by summing a minimum threshold and a predetermined number as a garbage collecting threshold. The data writing method also includes getting at least one physical erasing unit from the spare area, writing data into the gotten physical erasing unit, associating the gotten physical erasing unit with the backup area and re-adjusting the garbage collecting threshold according to the number of physical erasing units associated with the backup area and the minimum threshold. |
| US09280458B2 |
Reclaiming memory pages in a computing system hosting a set of virtual machines
A technique reclaims memory pages in a virtualization platform. The technique involves receiving, by a virtual machine of the virtualization platform, an inflate command which directs a balloon driver of the virtual machine to inflate. The technique further involves issuing, by the virtual machine and in response to the inflate command, a sweep request to a hypervisor. The sweep request directs the hypervisor to (i) perform a scan of memory pages allocated to the virtual machine for a predetermined pattern of characters, (ii) de-allocate memory pages having the predetermined pattern of characters from the virtual machine (e.g., zeroed pages), the de-allocated memory pages including super pages and regular pages, and (iii) update a list of memory page mappings to reflect the de-allocated memory pages. The technique further involves completing balloon driver inflation after the list of memory page mappings is updated. |
| US09280456B2 |
Mapping between program states and data patterns
The present disclosure includes methods and apparatuses for mapping between program states and data patterns. One method includes mapping a data pattern to a number of program state combinations L corresponding to a group of memory cells configured to store a fractional number of data units per cell. The mapping can be based, at least partially, on a recursive expression performed in a number of operations, the number of operations based on a number of memory cells N within the group of memory cells and the number of program state combinations L. |
| US09280455B2 |
Memory control device, non-volatile memory, and memory control method
Provided is a memory control device, including a write control unit that sequentially designates a memory block, a write processing unit that writes write data in the designated memory block, a verifying unit that reads read data from the memory block and verifies whether or not the read data matches the write data for each of a plurality of memory cells, a retry inhibiting unit that inhibits a retry process from being performed in a memory cell in which the read data matches the write data among the plurality of memory cells, and a retry control unit that designates at least some memory blocks among the plurality of memory blocks and simultaneously executes the retry process when the read data does not match the write data in any one of the plurality of memory cells in which all the write data is written. |
| US09280454B1 |
Method and system for re-ordering bits in a memory system
A method and system for re-ordering bits in a memory system is disclosed. The memory system includes a system on a chip (SoC) coupled to a plurality of memory chips. Each of the memory chips including a memory array, multipurpose registers (MPRs) coupled to the memory array; and a data bus coupled between the SoC and the memory array. The method and system comprise utilizing the MPRs within each of the plurality of memory chips to determine bit ordering within each byte lane of memory array of the associated memory chip. The method and system further includes providing the determined bit ordering to the SoC. |
| US09280453B1 |
Method and system for test automation framework for backup and recovery applications
A method and system for test automation framework for backup and recovery applications is described. Initial data states are prepared for corresponding system components for a test host. A backup and recovery application is executed to store backup copies corresponding to the system components to a storage device. The initial data states are modified to modified data states corresponding to the system components. The backup and recovery application is executed to recover the backup copies from the storage device. The test host is rebooted based on recovering the backup copies. A comparison is output, via an output device, of the system components in the test host to the initial data states. |
| US09280452B1 |
Systems and methods for generating test cases
This disclosure relates to systems and methods for generating test cases. In one embodiment, a method is provided that may include identifying, by a computer including one or more processors, a first test event associated with a first user interaction with a first test device. The first user interaction may include interaction with a first display displaying a plurality of applications on the first test device. The method may also include determining, by the computer, at least one first view in which the first test event occurs. Furthermore, the method may include determining, based at least in part on the first test event, a first state of the first test device. Additionally, the method may include storing information about the first test event, the at least one first view, and the first state of the first test device in a first test case. |
| US09280451B2 |
Testing device
A testing device for evaluating operations of software installed in a mobile terminal includes a scenario selecting unit configured to select a scenario that includes information for causing the mobile terminal to execute a function that should be operated by the mobile terminal, a scenario execution determining unit configured to determine whether the scenario selected by the scenario selecting unit is executable, a scenario execution unit configured to execute the scenario determined to be executable by the scenario execution determining unit, and a scenario execution result determining unit configured to determine whether an execution result of the scenario executed by the scenario execution unit is the same as a result expected beforehand. The scenario execution determining unit determines whether the scenario selected by the scenario selecting unit is executable based on the execution result of the scenario executed by the scenario execution unit in the past. |
| US09280448B2 |
Controlling operation of a run-time instrumentation facility from a lesser-privileged state
Aspects relate to enabling and disabling execution of a run-time instrumentation facility. An instruction for execution by the processor in a lesser privileged state is fetched by the processor. It is determined, by the processor, that the run-time instrumentation facility permits execution of the instruction in the lesser-privileged state and that controls associated with the run-time instrumentation facility are valid. The run-time instrumentation facility is disabled based on the instruction being a run-time instrumentation facility off (RIOFF) instruction. The disabling includes updating a bit in a program status word (PSW) of the processor to indicate that run-time instrumentation data should not be captured by the processor. The run-time instrumentation facility is enabled based on the instruction being a run-time instrumentation facility on (RION) instruction. The enabling includes updating the bit in the PSW to indicate that run-time instrumentation data should be captured by the processor. |
| US09280444B2 |
System and method for identifying contention of shared resources in a runtime system
A system and computer-implemented method for determining a runtime of a thread of an application. Synchronization events for a first thread of an application executing on the computer system are received, the synchronization events including at least a first synchronization event and a second synchronization event for the first thread. A first difference between a synchronization event timestamp of the first synchronization event and the synchronization event timestamp of the second synchronization event is calculated. A second difference between an accumulated timestamp of the first synchronization event and the accumulated timestamp of the second synchronization event is calculated. A runtime of the first thread of the application is calculated as a difference between the first difference and the second difference. |
| US09280443B2 |
Dashboard performance analyzer
Described herein is a technology for a dashboard used for visualizing data. In some implementations, a dashboard with one or more dashboard item is provided. Performance of the dashboard is evaluated to determine a load time of the dashboard. Possible suggestions for improving performance of the dashboard are provided if performance issues are determined from evaluating performance of the dashboard. |
| US09280437B2 |
Dynamically scalable real-time system monitoring
Methods, computer readable media, and apparatuses for dynamically scalable real-time system monitoring are presented. For example, according to one aspect, multiple performance metrics are received from multiple performance metric collection agents. At least some of the performance metrics are identified based on an association with a common entity. The identified performance metrics are utilized to evaluate whether performance conditions specified by rules associated with the common entity have been satisfied. Responsive to evaluating that a performance condition has been satisfied, an alert is generated and communicated to one or more subscriber devices associated with the common entity. |
| US09280430B2 |
Deferred replication of recovery information at site switchover
Methods, systems, and computer program products for providing deferred replication of recovery information at site switchover are disclosed. A computer-implemented method may include receiving a first copy of logged data for storage volumes of a disaster recovery (DR) partner at a remote site from the DR partner, receiving a request to perform a site switchover from the remote site to the local site, receiving a second copy of logged data for the storage volumes from a local high availability (HA) partner in response to the switchover, and recovering the storage volumes locally by applying one or more of the copies of logged data to corresponding mirrored storage volumes at the local site. |
| US09280429B2 |
Power fail latching based on monitoring multiple power supply voltages in a storage device
The various embodiments described herein include systems, methods and/or devices used to enable power fail latching based on monitoring multiple power supply voltages in a storage device. In one aspect, the method includes: (1) determining whether a first power supply voltage provided to the storage device is out of range for a first time period, (2) determining whether a second power supply voltage provided to the storage device is out of range for a second time period, and (3) in accordance with a determination that at least one of the first power supply voltage is out of range for the first time period and the second power supply voltage is out of range for the second time period, latching a power fail condition. |
| US09280428B2 |
Method for designing a hyper-visor cluster that does not require a shared storage device
A system for storing and processing information comprises a plurality of nodes, each node comprising: a local information storage medium; a data connection configured to connect to at least one linked client; and a processor configured to process information in the local information storage medium and send processed information to the at least one linked client, and a secondary shared storage medium connected to the plurality of nodes via a shared data connection and configured to store information copied from the local information storage medium of each of the plurality of nodes, wherein each of the nodes in the plurality of nodes is configured, in the event of failure of a failed one of the plurality of nodes, to connect to the at least one linked client corresponding to the failed one of the plurality of nodes. |
| US09280426B2 |
System and method for server redundancy
A system is provided. The system includes a plurality of nodes. One of the plurality of nodes is designated as a server node, and the others of the plurality of nodes are designated as Human Machine Interface (HMI) client nodes. The designated server node comprises a network interface configured to communicate with a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) either directly or through a network switch. Each of the designated HMI client nodes includes a network interface configured to communicate with the designated server node through one or more of a network switch, and another designated HMI client node. Also, the each of the designated HMI client nodes includes a failover module configured to detect a failure of the designated server node and designate a new server node from among the designated HMI client nodes based on detecting the failure of the designated server node. |
| US09280424B2 |
Methods for synchronizing storage system data
In accordance with one example, a method for comparing data units is disclosed comprising generating a first digest representing a first data unit stored in a first memory. A first encoded value is generated based, at least in part, on the first digest and a predetermined value. A second digest representing a second data unit stored in a second memory different from the first memory, is generated. A second encoded value is derived based, at least in part, on the second digest and the predetermined value. It is determined whether the first data unit and the second data unit are the same based, at least in part, on the first digest, the first predetermined value, the first encoded value, and the second digest, by first processor. If the second data unit is not the same as the first data unit, the first data unit is stored in the second memory. |
| US09280415B2 |
Semiconductor device, semiconductor system and control method of semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a mode register set suitable for generating a first internal control signal and a second internal control signal, a per-DRAM addressability (PDA) driving unit suitable for resetting the mode register set in response to the first internal control signal and an input value of data inputted through a data pad, and a cycle redundancy check (CRC) driving unit suitable for performing a CRC operation by checking whether or not data are correctly inputted through the data pad without an error in response to the first internal control signal and the second internal control signal. |
| US09280414B2 |
Combination of error correction and error detection for transmitting digital data
The invention relates to a method for transmitting digital data, in particular in automation technology, in which a digital code word (R) received via a channel is corrected and verified as to its validity by means of a channel decoder (7), and an invalid code word is rejected and optionally requested once again, while a valid code word (C″) is further processed. If a metric (8) is cumulatively used with an encoding process, the probability of remaining bit errors in the whole method can be significantly reduced, thus making it possible to use the method in automation technology. |
| US09280411B2 |
Method to identify unique host applications running within a storage controller
A method for operating a controller includes receiving a command associated with at least one operation, determining a CPU channel path based on the received command, determining a unique job identifier based on the received command, and determining a state based on the received command. In addition, the method includes updating at least one data matrix based on the determined state, unique job identifier and CPU channel path and operating the controller based on the updated data matrix. |
| US09280410B2 |
Method and system for non-intrusive monitoring of library components
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for monitoring components in a library by tracking the movement of library components. By tracking the movement of library components, the degradation of library components can be monitored and the reliability of library components determined, allowing unreliable components to be bypassed or replaced, enhancing the reliability of the library and preventing data loss. |
| US09280409B2 |
Method and system for single point of failure analysis and remediation
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method and system for single point of failure analysis (SPOF) and remediation. According to one embodiment, a SPOF analysis is performed based on component configuration information associated with a plurality of system components. Based on the SPOF analysis, at least one SPOF component is identified. In addition, remediation information for the identified SPOF is computed based on the component configuration information. The result of the SPOF analysis and the remediation information are then displayed to an operating user. |
| US09280408B2 |
System and method for subscribing for internet protocol multimedia subsystems (IMS) services registration status
A system and method that allows mobile device applications to receive changes in registration status from application services that are accessed via an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS). Applications on a mobile device subscribe to receive notifications of changes in registration status for requested services. When a change to the registration status of a service occurs, a notification message is transmitted to the application on the mobile device. Notifications of changes in status are thereby received by each application on a per-application-service basis. In some embodiments, when a request to register with an application service fails, the corresponding notification message includes a reason for the failure. In some embodiments, notification messages are originated by a registration manager that operates in the IMS and transmitted to an IMS client operating on a mobile device. In some embodiments, notification messages are originated by each application service and transmitted directly to subscribed applications. |
| US09280405B2 |
Error correction for powerline communication modem interface
A powerline communication (PLC) power supply and modem interface can be implemented using a power supply processing unit coupled with a PLC modem unit. The power supply processing unit generates a composite PLC signal comprising a PLC signal and a DC power signal modulated with a zero cross signal (all determined from an AC powerline signal). High-powered components of the PLC modem unit can cause signal distortion in the zero cross signal component of the composite PLC signal making it difficult to extract zero cross information. An error correction unit can be implemented at the PLC modem unit to minimize the signal distortion and generate a zero cross signal with little or no error. The PLC modem unit also extracts the PLC signal and the DC power signal from the composite PLC signal, and processes the PLC signal using the zero cross information extracted from the corrected zero cross signal. |
| US09280403B2 |
Node including a CPU which is connected to other nodes constituting a computer system
To facilitate changing a system configuration and allow having high redundancy in a computer system connecting a plurality of nodes. A node includes a CPU and constitutes a computer system. The node executes one or more processes and including predetermined functions. The node includes a shared memory that stores system information including process information related to each process executed by each node, in a state accessible from each process of its own node. In the node, the system information including the process information related to each process of its own node is multicast to the other nodes. A shared memory control process of the node receives the system information multicast from the other nodes and stores the system information in the shared memory. |
| US09280402B2 |
System and method for updating a dual layer browser
A method and system are provided for updating a dual layer browser which displays a hierarchy of nodes. The method or system provides a first layer or “browser provider” which receives various changed data notifications, determines which changed data notifications affect the current browser display, and sends the required notifications to a second layer or “browser.” The browser then makes the necessary adjustments to the current display. |
| US09280399B2 |
Detecting, monitoring, and configuring services in a netwowk
A services tool can detect, monitor, and manage software providing services in and for the network. The services tool can identify different types of software that provides services for the network (“services software”) and types of software that provide support (“support software”) to the services software. The services tool can determine configuration data for both the services software and the support software. The services tool can automatically identify when particular services software needs to be linked to particular support software. The services tool can configure the services software and/or support software to link the two according to the rules. |
| US09280398B2 |
Major branch instructions
Major branch instructions are provided that enable execution of a computer program to branch from one segment of code to another segment of code. These instructions also create a new stream of processing at the other segment of code enabling execution of the other segment of code to be performed in parallel with the segment of code from which the branch was taken. In one example, the other stream of processing starts a transaction for processing instructions of the other stream of processing. |
| US09280396B2 |
Lock state synchronization for non-disruptive persistent operation
Techniques for synchronization between data structures for original locks and mirror lock data structures are disclosed herein. The mirror lock data structures are being maintained during various scenarios including volume move and aggregate relocation, in order to preserve the non-disruptive persistent operation on storage initiated by clients. According to one embodiment, a storage node determines a plurality of data container locks to be synchronized to a partner node of the storage node and transfers metadata that indicates states of variables that represent the plurality of data container locks to the partner node in a batch. When a client initiates a data access operation that causes an attempt to modify a data container lock of the plurality of data container locks, the storage node sends a retry code to a client that prompts the client to retry the data access operation after a predetermined time period. |
| US09280395B2 |
Runtime dispatching among a heterogeneous group of processors
Systems, apparatus, articles, and methods are described including operations for runtime dispatching among a heterogeneous group of processors. |
| US09280393B2 |
Processor provisioning by a middleware processing system for a plurality of logical processor partitions
A middleware processor provisioning process provisions a plurality of processors in a multi-processor environment. The processing capability of the multiprocessor environment is subdivided and multiple instances of service applications start protected processes to service a plurality of user processing requests, where the number of protected processes may exceed the number of processors. A single processing queue is created for each processor. User processing requests are portioned and dispatched across the plurality of processing queues and are serviced by protected processes from corresponding service applications, thereby efficiently using available processing resources while servicing the user processing requests in a desired manner. |
| US09280389B1 |
Preemptive operating system without context switching
A device, such as a constrained device that includes a processing device and memory, schedules user-defined independently executable functions to execute from a single stack common to all user-defined independently executable functions according to availability and priority of the user-defined independently executable functions relative to other user-defined independently executable functions and preempts currently running user-defined independently executable function by placing the particular user-defined independently executable function on a single stack that has register values for the currently running user-defined independently executable function. |
| US09280387B2 |
Systems and methods for assigning code lines to clusters with storage and other constraints
In accordance with disclosed embodiments, there are provided methods, systems, and apparatuses for assigning code lines to clusters with storage and other constraints in an on-demand service environment including, for example, receiving as input, a plurality of code lines for test within a host organization; determining available resource capacity for each of a plurality of clusters within the host organization; determining required resource capacity for each of the plurality of code lines for test within the host organization; sorting the plurality of clusters according to the determined available resource capacity for each; sorting the plurality of code lines according to the determined required resource capacity for each; and allocating the plurality of code lines amongst the plurality of clusters based on the sorting of the plurality of clusters and based further on the sorting of the plurality of code lines. Other related embodiments are disclosed. |
| US09280384B2 |
Method, server and system for processing task data
Various embodiments provide methods, servers, and systems for processing task data. In an exemplary method, a task-data-processing request sent by a client can be received. The task-data-processing request can contain a type identifier of task data. The type identifier of the task data can include a daily-task-data identifier, a mainline-task-data identifier, a random-task-data identifier, or a combination thereof. The task data corresponding to the type identifier of the task data can be processed to generate processing results, according to the type identifier of the task data and a preset processing scheme corresponding to each type of the task data. The processing results can be returned to the client. |
| US09280383B2 |
Checkpointing for a hybrid computing node
According to an aspect, a method for checkpointing in a hybrid computing node includes executing a task in a processing accelerator of the hybrid computing node. A checkpoint is created in a local memory of the processing accelerator. The checkpoint includes state data to restart execution of the task in the processing accelerator upon a restart operation. Execution of the task is resumed in the processing accelerator after creating the checkpoint. The state data of the checkpoint are transferred from the processing accelerator to a main processor of the hybrid computing node while the processing accelerator is executing the task. |
| US09280381B1 |
Execution framework for a distributed file system
A computer program product, apparatus and method comprising representing a worldwide job tracker, and representing worldwide task trackers; the worldwide task trackers communicatively coupled to the worldwide job tracker; wherein the worldwide job tracker is enabled to execute a worldwide job by distributing the job across the world wide task trackers. |
| US09280378B2 |
Adjustment during migration to a different virtualization environment
An installer installing an operating system on a host computer system detects that the operating system is to be run under a hypervisor, and causes at least one configuration parameter of the operating system to be adjusted based on the hypervisor. A migration tool migrating a virtual machine from one hypervisor to another hypervisor, identifies the types of the two hypervisors, the operating system used by the virtual machine, and causes at least one configuration parameter of the operating system to be adjusted based on the target hypervisor. |
| US09280373B1 |
Data transfer guide
Techniques to create and use a data transfer guide are disclosed. In various embodiments, at least a portion of application code comprising an application is executed in a virtual machine execution environment. An interaction between the application code executing in the virtual machine execution environment with a data entity included in a set of production data is observed programmatically. A data that represents the data entity is included in a data transfer guide at least in part programmatically. |
| US09280371B2 |
Utilizing client resources during mobility operations
A mechanism is provided n a data processing system for logical partition migration. Responsive to a virtual machine monitor initiating a logical partition migration operation to move a logical partition from a source system to a destination system, the mechanism reallocates a portion of processing resources from the logical partition to the virtual machine monitor. The virtual machine monitor uses the portion of processing resources to effect the logical partition migration operation. Responsive to completion of the logical partition migration operation, the mechanism returns the portion of processing resources to the logical partition. |
| US09280368B2 |
Function expanding method and mobile device adapted thereto
An expanded function supporting method and a mobile device adapted thereto are provided. The method includes receiving input signals for activating a user function related to a system installed to a mobile device, establishing a basic function supporting path used to operate the system when the user function is activated, and an expanded function supporting path to operate an expanded function of the system when an input signal for operating the expanded function is received, and transferring, when receiving an input signal for operating the expanded function, a command for operating the expanded function via the expanded function supporting path. |
| US09280366B2 |
Adaptive application of accessory device settings
A system for adaptive application of device settings is disclosed. In the system, a first device may receive information identifying settings that are applied to one or more second devices. The settings may correspond to interactions, by a user, with the one or more second devices over a period of time. The one or more second devices be may non-mobile devices associated with one or more facilities. The first device may determine information identifying one or more conditions, associated with environmental conditions or conditions associated with the user's mood or physical state, under which the settings are applied to the one or more second devices; store information that correlates the settings of the one or more second devices with the one or more conditions; determine that at least one of the one or more conditions is met; and apply the settings to the one or more second devices. |
| US09280363B1 |
Automatic mapping for cross-platform display
Mapping logic information associating a particular type of input with a particular response may be stored in memory. Data including information regarding a display of the host device may be received. Such information may be used to identify multiple descriptions of the host device display. Each description is mapped to a response based on the stored mapping logic. For example, a status bar may be used by the host device to show status updates. The map allows for a different type of response to status updates on the client device, such as a translucent pop-up window. Instructions may be generated for the client device, such that the client device response to input information is based on the mapped description. |
| US09280359B2 |
System and method for selecting a least cost path for performing a network boot in a data center network environment
A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes logging in to a multipath target via first and second boot devices instantiated on a network device, the first and second boot devices respectively connected to the multipath target via first and second paths; determining which of the first and second paths comprises a least cost path; and booting the operating system via the least cost path. The determining may include comparing network statistics of the first path with network statistics of the second path, the network statistics comprising at least one of packet loss on the path, errors encountered via the path, and congestion on the path. |
| US09280357B2 |
Configuration based on chassis identifications
Techniques for configuration are provided. A chassis ID identifies a chassis type. A device, such as a circuit board, may receive the chassis ID from the chassis. The device may be configured based on the chassis type. |
| US09280356B2 |
Live initialization of a boot device
Embodiments of the present invention are provided that include executing, by a processor, a software stack received from a first boot image, and retrieving and executing, by the processor, a second software stack. A writeable boot device such as a storage device with a removable medium is detected, and the second software stack is saved by replacing, on the writeable boot device, the first boot image with a second boot image comprising the second software stack. |
| US09280355B2 |
System with manual actuator for asserting physical presence across multiple compute nodes
A system includes a multi-node chassis including a chassis management module, a plurality of compute nodes, and a physical presence manual actuator for transmitting a physical presence signal to each compute node in response to manual actuation. Each server has a firmware interface, a trusted platform module, and an AND gate. The firmware interface has a general purpose input output pin for providing an enabling signal in response to a user instruction to a firmware interface setup program that communicates with the firmware interface. The AND gate has a first input receiving the enabling signal, a second input receiving the physical presence signal, and an output coupled to the trusted platform module, wherein the AND gate for a selected compute node asserts physical presence to the trusted platform module of the selected compute node in response to receiving both the enabling signal and the physical presence signal. |
| US09280352B2 |
Lookahead scanning and cracking of microcode instructions in a dispatch queue
An apparatus and method for avoiding bubbles and maintaining a maximum instruction throughput rate when cracking microcode instructions. A lookahead pointer scans the newest entries of a dispatch queue for microcode instructions. A detected microcode instruction is conveyed to a microcode engine to be cracked into a sequence of micro-ops. Then, the sequence of micro-ops is placed in a queue, and when the original microcode instruction entry in the dispatch queue is selected for dispatch, the sequence of micro-ops is dispatched to the next stage of the processor pipeline. |
| US09280351B2 |
Second-level branch target buffer bulk transfer filtering
Embodiments relate to second-level branch target buffer bulk transfer filtering. An aspect includes a system for second-level branch target buffer bulk transfer filtering. The system includes a first-level branch target buffer and a second-level branch target buffer coupled to a processing circuit. The processing circuit is configured to perform a method. The method includes receiving branch target buffer miss indicators, receiving instruction cache miss indicators, and recording information about the branch target buffer miss indicators and the instruction cache miss indicators in search trackers. Based on detecting, by the processing circuit, a search tracker representing a correlated pair of the branch target buffer miss indicators and the instruction cache miss indicators, the search tracker is activated by the processing circuit to perform a bulk transfer from the second-level branch target buffer to the first-level branch target buffer. |
| US09280350B2 |
Methods and apparatus to perform adaptive pre-fetch operations in managed runtime environments
Methods and apparatus to perform adaptive pre-fetch operations in managed runtime environments are disclosed herein. An example disclosed method includes determining an object size associated with a pre-fetch operation; comparing the object size to a first one of a series of thresholds having increasing respective values; when the object size is less than the first one of the series of thresholds, pre-fetching a first amount of stored data assigned to the first one of the series of thresholds; and when the object size is greater than the first one of the plurality of thresholds, comparing the object size to a next one of the series of thresholds. |
| US09280348B2 |
Decode time instruction optimization for load reserve and store conditional sequences
A technique is provided for replacing an atomic sequence. A processing circuit receives the atomic sequence. The processing circuit detects the atomic sequence. The processing circuit generates an internal atomic operation to replace the atomic sequence. |
| US09280346B2 |
Run-time instrumentation reporting
Embodiments of the invention relate to run-time instrumentation reporting. An instruction stream is executed by a processor. Run-time instrumentation information of the executing instruction stream is captured by the processor. Run-time instrumentation records are created based on the captured run-time instrumentation information. A run-time instrumentation sample point of the executing instruction stream on the processor is detected. A reporting group is stored in a run-time instrumentation program buffer. The storing is based on the detecting and the storing includes: determining a current address of the run-time instrumentation program buffer, the determining based on instruction accessible run-time instrumentation controls; and storing the reporting group into the run-time instrumentation program buffer based on an origin address and the current address of the run-time instrumentation program buffer, the reporting group including the created run-time instrumentation records. |
| US09280344B2 |
Repeated execution of instruction with field indicating trigger event, additional instruction, or trigger signal destination
A processor includes a plurality of execution units. At least one of the execution units is configured to repeatedly execute a first instruction based on a first field of the first instruction indicating that the first instruction is to be iteratively executed. |
| US09280340B2 |
Dynamically building an unstructured information management architecture (UIMA) pipeline
A pipeline development environment includes a toolset that includes a visual design editor. The editor comprises a display interface having a palette of known Annotators that may be selected by a developer. The pipeline development environment also includes or has associated therewith a data repository. The data repository stores datasets. A particular dataset is associated with an Annotator and comprises dependency data generated from execution of a pipeline (or some portion thereof). The repository typically stores datasets from many pipeline runs, including runs of other pipelines, multiple runs of a given pipeline with different inputs, etc. Using the editor, a developer creates a visual representation of the pipeline. As Annotators are added into the pipeline, system tooling dynamically generates the descriptor files and other configuration parameters (for the new pipeline), preferably based on the dependency data associated with the individual Annotators and retrieved from the repository. |
| US09280338B1 |
Dynamic application updates
In an application runtime environment, an application may have multiple components that are loaded at or prior to execution of the application. An online storage service is used to store up-to-date versions of the components, along with a source manifest that indicates version numbers of the up-to-date versions. Upon application startup, the application retrieves the source manifest to determine whether updated versions are available. Upon identifying updated versions, the application downloads the updated versions and loads or reloads them into the runtime environment prior to initiating the main functionality of the application. |
| US09280335B2 |
Semantically rich composable software image bundles
A composable software bundle is created by retrieving a semantic representation of a set of software modules. A functional representation of a set of operations is retrieved. Each operation in the set of operations is to be performed on the set of software modules during at least one virtual image life-cycle phase in a set of virtual image life-cycle phases. A set of artifacts including a set of executable instructions associated with the set of operations is identified. The semantic representation, the functional representation, and the set of artifacts, are stored in a composable software bundle. |
| US09280334B2 |
System, method and program product to manage installation of programs
A method for controlling execution of a script program programmed to install a computer program is disclosed. An installation computer begins execution of the script program, and before a line or stanza of the script program is executed to initiate installation of the computer program, the installation computer determines that the line or stanza is programmed to initiate installation of the computer program. In response, the installation computer determines if the computer program is already installed. If the computer program is already installed, the installation computer skips the line or stanza of the script program so the script program will not attempt to install the computer program. However, if not, the installation computer continues to execute the script program including the line or stanza programmed to initiate installation of the computer program, such that the script program attempts to install the computer program. |
| US09280330B2 |
Apparatus and method for executing code
An apparatus and method for executing code are provided. The apparatus includes a memory manager that allocates a stack in memory to store processed data that needs to be retained; a loop generator that divides program code programmed to be processed in parallel into regions based on a barrier function, transforms a region that includes the processed data that needs to be retained in the stack into a first coalescing loop, and transforms a region that uses the processed data stored in the stack into a second coalescing loop such that the transformed program code may be serially processed; and a loop changer that reverses a processing order of the second coalescing loop in comparison to a processing order of the first coalescing loop. |
| US09280328B2 |
Method for optimizing binary code in language having access to binary coded decimal variable, and computer and computer program
A method for optimizing binary code in a language having access to binary coded decimal variable. The method includes: generating a first compiler expression of the binary code; analyzing a use-definition and/or a definition-use for the first compiler expression; generating a second compiler expression by identifying logical binary coded decimal (BCD) variables in the first compiler expression; assigning temporary variables to the logical BCD variables, wherein the second compiler expression includes packed decimal operations and the assigned temporary variables; and converting a packed decimal operation in the second compiler expression and an assigned temporary variable to a decimal floating point (DFP) if sign information and precision information are not lost during conversion from BCD to DFP, wherein identifying logical BCD variables includes: in the use-definition and/or definition-use of operands, regarding an operand of definition and an operand of use as the same logical BCD variables. |
| US09280327B2 |
Simplifying development of user interfaces of applications
An aspect of the present invention simplifies development of user interfaces of applications. In one embodiment, specifications of user interfaces provided by applications are maintained, each specification containing interface definitions of UI elements in the corresponding user interface. A first user interface of a first application and a second user interface of a second application are displayed on a display unit. In response to receiving from a developer, an indication that a first UI element from the first user interface and a second UI element from the second user interface elements are to be included in a new user interface of a new application, a new specification for the new user interface incorporating the interface definitions of the first and second UI elements is created. |
| US09280316B2 |
Fast normalization in a mixed precision floating-point unit
A hardware circuit for returning single precision denormal results to double precision. A hardware circuit component configured to count leading zeros of an unrounded single precision denormal result. A hardware circuit component configured to pre-compute a first exponent and a second exponent for the unrounded single precision denormal result. A hardware circuit component configured to perform a second normalization of the rounded single precision denormal result back to architected format. |
| US09280315B2 |
Vector processor having instruction set with vector convolution function for fir filtering
A vector processor is provided having an instruction set with a vector convolution function. The disclosed vector processor performs a convolution function between an input signal and a filter impulse response by obtaining a vector comprised of at least N1+N2-1 input samples; obtaining N2 time shifted versions of the vector (including a zero shifted version), wherein each time shifted version comprises N1 samples; and performing a weighted sum of the time shifted versions of the vector by a vector of N1 coefficients; and producing an output vector comprising one output value for each of the weighted sums. The vector processor performs the method, for example, in response to one or more vector convolution software instructions having a vector input. The vector can comprise a plurality of real or complex input samples and the filter impulse response can be expressed using a plurality of coefficients that are real or complex. |
| US09280312B2 |
Smartpad—power management
A multi-display device is adapted to be dockable or otherwise associatable with an additional device. In accordance with one exemplary embodiment, the multi-display device is dockable with a smartpad. The exemplary smartpad can include a screen, a touch sensitive display, a configurable area, a gesture capture region(s) and a camera. The smartpad can also include a port adapted to receive the device. The exemplary smartpad is able to cooperate with the device such that information displayable on the device is also displayable on the smartpad. Furthermore, any one or more of the functions on the device are extendable to the smartpad, with the smartpad capable of acting as an input/output interface or extension of the smartpad. Therefore, for example, information from one or more of the displays on the multi-screen device is displayable on the smartpad. |
| US09280311B2 |
Communication system, information processing system, image forming apparatus and portable information terminal device
An image forming apparatus includes a first wireless communication unit that receives data from a mobile phone, and a reader-writer that transmits an address of the first wireless communication unit to the mobile phone. The mobile phone includes a contact/non-contact IC card that receives the address, and a second wireless communication unit that transmits image data to the first wireless communication unit utilizing the address. When communication is made between the mobile phone and the image forming apparatus, the address of the first wireless communication unit is transmitted to the contact/non-contact IC card through the reader-writer, and the second wireless communication unit transmits data to the first wireless communication unit utilizing the address. |
| US09280310B2 |
Information processing device and computer-readable recording medium providing first and second display screens with different background images
An information processing device may cause a display unit to display a first screen, in response to accepting an instruction for displaying the first screen. The first screen may include M pieces of first images indicating M pieces of data stored in a first storage unit of the information processing device and include a first background image. The information processing device may cause the display unit to display a second screen, in response to receiving, from a server device, N pieces of identification information for identifying N pieces of data stored in a second storage unit of the server device. The second screen may include N pieces of second images indicating the N pieces of identification information and include a second background image which is different from the first background image. |
| US09280309B2 |
Print function limiting method and print control apparatus
A setting information editing unit of a printer driver changes the print setting of an input print job. Upon changing the print setting, a print function is limited by inhibiting selection of the print function provided by the printer driver in accordance with a print authorization processed by a print authorization processing unit. Since the resetting process after inputting the print job to a print control apparatus is also subjected to print function limitation, the print function can be limited upon print job input. Hence, consistent print function limitation can be done. |
| US09280307B2 |
Information processing system, apparatus, and method
An information processing system includes first and second information processing apparatuses. The first information processing apparatus transmits a request for status notification to the second information processing apparatus, which transmits a response of the status notification to the first information processing apparatus. The second information processing apparatus transmits a header of the response to the first information processing apparatus when receiving the request for the status notification from the first information processing apparatus, and transmits a part of a body of the response to the first information processing apparatus in response to the occurrence of a status change to be reported in the second information apparatus. The part of the body includes information on the status change. The second information processing apparatus transmits a last part of the body of the response to the first information processing apparatus when the status notification becomes unnecessary. |
| US09280306B2 |
Generating image data in accordance with identification information
An information processing system includes an information management apparatus that accepts image generation requests and an image generation section that generates image data, which is provided independently of the information management apparatus. The information management apparatus issues a job ID in response to a print request from a client, and transmits the job ID and a URL of the image generation apparatus to the client. Based on the URL, the client directly requests the image generation apparatus for image data corresponding to the job ID. |
| US09280304B2 |
Method and system for configuring network printers
A print control system includes one or more first printers each having a print unit that can print on print media, a second printer that communicates with the first printers via a first network and has a print unit that can print on print media, and a print control server that connects to the second printer through a second network. The control print server sends, to the second printer, configuration control data containing attribute information that can be used to identify one of the first printers. The second printer forwards the configuration control data to the identified first printer and the identified first printer executes a configuration process in response to the configuration control data. |
| US09280302B2 |
Image forming apparatus that generates log image, image forming system, and non-transitory recording medium
An image forming apparatus of the present disclosure includes an image output unit, a nonvolatile storage unit, an original-image generating device, and a log-image generating device. The image output unit outputs an image. The nonvolatile storage unit stores information even in the event of a power interruption. The original-image generating device generates an original image in the nonvolatile storage unit. The log-image generating device generates a log image based on the original image. Further, when the image forming apparatus is started, if the original image is stored in the nonvolatile storage unit, the log-image generating device generates the log image based on the original image stored in the nonvolatile storage unit. |
| US09280301B2 |
Method and device for recovering erroneous data
A method for recovering erroneous data is disclosed, the method includes: when data in a storage block that is included in a solid state disk (SSD) is read, performing a first error check on data on a certain page of the storage block to acquire erroneous data on the page; if a first number of pieces of the erroneous data on the page is smaller than or equal to a preset first threshold, performing an error checking and correction (ECC) recovery on the data on the page; and if the first number is greater than the preset first threshold, acquiring data from spare space according to a storage position of the erroneous data on the page and a fixed entry corresponding to the storage block, and replacing the erroneous data on the page with the acquired data, where the fixed entry includes a storage position of each data stored in the spare space. |
| US09280299B2 |
Memory management schemes for non-volatile memory devices
A method includes storing data in a non-volatile memory that includes multiple memory blocks. At least first and second regions are defined in the non-volatile memory. A definition is made of a first over-provisioning ratio between a first logical address space and a first physical memory space of the first region, and a second over-provisioning ratio, different from the first over-provisioning ratio, between a second logical address space and a second physical memory space of the second region. Portions of the data are compacted, individually within each of the first and second regions and independently of the other region, by copying the portions from one or more source memory blocks to one or more destination memory blocks using the first and second over-provisioning ratios, respectively. |
| US09280291B2 |
Method for data accessing and memory writing for logic analyzer
A method of fetching digital data and writing the digital data into a memory of a logic analyzer, which comprises the steps: designate at least a first region and a second region in a memory; set a first triggering condition and a second triggering condition; fetch digital data continuously and write it into the memory while analyzing; and then write first test data which have an identification to satisfy the first triggering condition into the first region, and write second test data which have an identification to satisfy the second triggering condition into the second region. And once the first test data or the second test data are found, stop writing the digital data into the corresponding regions. |
| US09280290B2 |
Method for steering DMA write requests to cache memory
A system may include a processor which may include a cache memory and a Direct Memory Access (DMA) controller, a peripheral device on an I/O expansion bus, and a bus interface coupled to the I/O expansion bus and the processor. The bus controller may determine if data packets sent from the peripheral device to the processor include a DMA write instruction to the cache memory with an optional desired cache location. Upon determining a DMA write instruction to the cache memory is included in the data packet, the bus controller may format the data in the data packet for storage in the cache and either receive the desired cache location or determine an appropriate location within the cache to store the formatted data. The bus controller may determine an alternate location within the cache if the desired location within the cache cannot accept more data from the peripheral device. |
| US09280288B2 |
Using logical block addresses with generation numbers as data fingerprints for network deduplication
The technique introduced here involves using a block address and a corresponding generation number as a “fingerprint” to uniquely identify a sequence of data within a given storage domain. Each block address has an associated generation number which indicates the number of times that data at that block address has been modified. This technique can be employed, for example, to determine whether a given storage server already has the data, and to avoid sending the data to that storage server over a network if it already has the data. It can also be employed to maintain cache coherency among multiple storage nodes. |
| US09280286B2 |
Managing GUI control auto-advancing
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for preventing unintentional GUI control advances. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for preventing unintentional graphical user interface (GUI) control advancing associated with an auto-advance feature can be provided. The method can include defining a threshold time period, selecting a GUI control in a GUI for which auto-advancement is enabled, receiving complete input for the selected GUI control, and suppressing a manual directive to advance to a next ordered GUI control in the GUI responsive to the manual directive being received within the threshold time period between the receipt of the complete input and the manual directive. |
| US09280285B2 |
Keeping focus during desktop reveal
Systems and methods are provides for adjusting focus during a desktop reveal. A window has focus before the desktop is revealed. After the window is returned and the desktop hidden, the focus is again placed on the window. Further, a configurable area associated with the screen that displays the window is maintained during the desktop reveal and the return of the window. |
| US09280284B2 |
Method, apparatus and computer readable medium for polygon gesture detection and interaction
A method, an apparatus, and a computer readable medium for polygon gesture detection and interaction, adapted to an electronic apparatus having an input unit, are provided. In the method, a gesture moving from a starting point to an end point is received by using the input unit and sampling points thereof are collected. A trajectory of the sampling points is analyzed to obtain a center of the gesture. A surrounding area of the center is divided into equal label areas. A distance and an angle relative to an origin of each sampling point in the label areas are calculated and used as a vertical axis and a horizontal axis to draw a waveform diagram. A shape formed by the trajectory is determined according to characteristics of the waveform diagram and a specific function corresponding to the shape is performed. |
| US09280279B2 |
User-defined gesture enablement protocols for touch input devices
A user interface method is disclosed. For a particular interface, such as a touch input device, the method involves defining an enablement protocol for a function and recording and retaining the enablement protocol of said function, such that a user enables the function by substantially reproducing the enablement protocol in the absence of spatial or temporal indication of at least a portion of the enablement protocol. |
| US09280278B2 |
Electronic apparatus and method to organize and manipulate information on a graphical user interface via multi-touch gestures
According to an aspect, a portable electronic apparatus includes a display unit for displaying an image; an input detection unit for detecting contact with an area in which the image is displayed by the display unit as input; and a control unit for causing the display unit to display a plurality of item objects and a group object surrounding the item objects. If the input detection unit detects first input of coming into contact with two different points in an area in which the group object is displayed and moving the contact with at least one of the two different points in a direction away from the other while maintaining the contact, the control unit causes the display unit to display the item objects in an aligned manner in a direction in which the distance between the two points increases. |
| US09280275B2 |
Device, method, and storage medium storing program
According to an aspect, a device includes a touch screen display and a controller. The controller displays a home screen in a layer on the touch screen display. The controller displays a different home screen in the same layer when a first gesture is performed on the home screen displayed on the touch screen display. The controller displays a home screen in a different layer when a second gesture is performed on the home screen displayed on the touch screen display. |
| US09280269B2 |
Electronic manifest of underground facility locate marks
Methods and apparatus for generating a searchable electronic record of a locate operation in which one or more physical locate marks are applied by a technician to identify a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within a dig area. A digital image of a geographic area comprising the dig area is electronically received, and at least a portion of the received digital image is displayed on a display device. One or more digital representations of the physical locate mark(s) applied by the locate technician are added to the displayed digital image so as to generate a marked-up digital image. Information relating to the marked-up digital image is electronically transmitted and/or electronically stored so as to generate the searchable electronic record of the locate operation. |
| US09280266B2 |
Apparatus and method for displaying information as background of user interface
Apparatus and method for displaying information as a background of a user interface. In order to display the information as the background of a user interface, information such as user interest information may be received from a user. Based on the received information, contents may be retrieved. Then, the background of the user interface may be formed with at least one image. Each image of the at least one image may represent a respective one of the retrieved contents. The user interface having the background formed with the at least one image may be displayed. |
| US09280265B2 |
Input control device, input control method, and input control program for controlling display target upon receiving input on display screen of display device
A game device includes: a display control unit that displays a plurality of display targets on a display screen of a display device; an input acquiring unit that acquires a position of input from a front touch panel or a rear touch panel, which can detect input on the display screen; and a movement control unit that defines as a target to be moved a display target displayed by the display control unit on the display screen at a position corresponding to the position of a first input entry acquired by the input acquiring unit, and operative to scroll a display target other than the target to be moved in accordance with a second input entry acquired by the input acquiring unit while keeping the display position of the target to be moved at the position of the first input entry. |
| US09280260B2 |
Provision of a graphical layout of semi-structured data based on properties of the semi-structured data and user input
In an embodiment, a method is provided for organizing semi-structured data having properties. In this method, the semi-structured data are accessed and rendered on a graphical user interface. A user input defining a first graphical layout of a first subset of the semi-structured data is received. A second subset of the semi-structured data is identified as having properties similar to the properties of the first subset of the semi-structured data. A second graphical layout of the second subset of the semi-structured data is then provided. The second graphical layout matches the first graphical layout. |
| US09280259B2 |
System and method for manipulating an object in a three-dimensional desktop environment
An electronic device, method and interface for the device, for performing an action with a processor through a three-dimensional desktop environment is disclosed. A three-dimensional desktop environment is generated by a display and projected into a real space. At least one ultrasonic transducer propagates an ultrasonic pulse into the real space and receives a reflection of the ultrasonic pulse from a user object in the real space. A user action of the user object within the three-dimensional desktop environment is determined using the reflection of the ultrasonic pulse. The processor performs the action based on the determined user action. |
| US09280256B1 |
Swirl interface display for a hierarchical organization
A system for displaying a hierarchical organization comprises a processor, memory, a data source, and a network interface. The processor is configured to receive an indication of a selected individual and provide a display. The display includes the selected individual within a group represented by a first circle. The display comprises one or more groups in the hierarchy, each represented by one of a set of circles above or below a level of the group that includes the individual. The memory is coupled to the processor and is configured to provide the processor with instructions. The data source comprises detailed information about the hierarchical organization and its members. The network interface is configured to communicate with remote devices requesting displays comprising selected individuals. |
| US09280255B2 |
Structured displaying of visual elements
Presentation descriptions are provided to an operating system of a computing device to present outputs associated with the applications in an organized and intuitive manner to the user. The presentation descriptions provide the operating system with information about the structure and meaning of the output element. The task of organizing at least part of the output elements associated with applications is delegated to the operating system. The operating system analyzes the presentation descriptions, and organizes the output elements associated with the applications at least partly based on the presentation descriptions. |
| US09280254B2 |
Method of synchronizing multiple views of multiple displayed documents
There is provided a method of synchronizing multiple views of multiple displayed documents. The method includes displaying a first document in a first viewing window. The method includes displaying a second document in a second viewing window. The method includes determining from the viewing windows an active window. The method includes determining for the active window a scale value and an offset value associated with the display of the associated one of the documents. The method includes redisplaying each document associated with the viewing window that is not the active window by using the determined scale and offset values. |
| US09280250B2 |
Method, storage medium, and electronic apparatus for calibrating touch screen
The present invention provides a calibration method of a touch screen which comprises a display module and a sensor module. The calibration method comprises the following steps: receiving coordinate values of multiple display points shown on the display module; receiving coordinate values of multiple sensing points received by the sensor module, wherein the multiple sensing points are corresponding to the multiple display points, respectively, for forming at least four multiple correspondences; calculating a first set of calibration formulas according to the multiple correspondences; adjusting the multiple sensing points according to the first set of calibration formulas; and calculating a second set of calibration formulas according to the adjusted sensing points. |
| US09280249B2 |
Position detecting method for touchscreen panel, touchscreen panel, and electronic apparatus
A position detecting method for a touchscreen panel includes the steps of (a) determining the presence or absence of contact with the touchscreen panel on a conductive film divided into multiple conductive regions; (b) measuring a time after the detection of the absence of the contact and determining whether the measured time is less than a predetermined time if step (a) determines the absence of the contact; and (c) determining the continuance of the contact if the measured time is less than the predetermined time. |
| US09280246B2 |
Line spacing in mesh designs for touch sensors
In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a touch sensor that includes a mesh of conductive material configured to extend across a display that includes multiple pixels that each include sub-pixels. The mesh includes multiple first and second lines of conductive material. The first lines are substantially parallel to each other, and the second lines are substantially parallel to each other. Each of the pixels has a first pixel pitch (PPx) along a first axis and a second pixel pitch (PPy) along a second axis that is substantially perpendicular to the first axis. The first pixel pitch is a distance between corresponding features of two adjacent pixels along the first axis, and the second pixel pitch is a distance between corresponding features of two adjacent pixels along the second axis. The first lines extend across the display at a first angle relative to the first axis. |
| US09280244B2 |
Touch unit array and a display panel having the same
A touch unit array including a plurality of first strip electrodes, a plurality of second strip electrodes, and a plurality of electrode pad units is provided. Each first strip electrode has at least one first opening. The second strip electrodes are orthogonally arranged to the plurality of first strip electrodes. Each electrode pad unit includes at least one electrode pad, and the electrode pads are respectively disposed in the plurality of first openings, wherein each electrode pad unit receives a first driving signal. |
| US09280241B2 |
Touch panel and method for manufacturing
The present disclosure relates to a touch panel, and more particularly, to a touch panel having no or a reduced number of frames. The touch panel includes a substrate, a plurality of first electrodes, and second electrodes, wherein the first electrodes and the second electrodes are disposed on two opposite sides of the substrate, respectively. The first electrodes extend along an initial direction from initial positions and divert from the initial direction to terminate in first termination positions. The second electrodes extend from second initial positions and terminate in second termination positions along a second direction. |
| US09280233B1 |
Routing for touch sensor electrodes
An input device for capacitive sensing. The input device includes a plurality of sensor electrodes for capacitive sensing disposed in a first layer and within a sensor electrode region comprising an areal extent of the plurality of sensor electrodes. The input device also includes a plurality of routings disposed in a second layer and within a border region of the sensor electrode region, the plurality of routings layered with a first set of two or more of the plurality of sensor electrodes in the border region and electrically coupled to a second set of two or more of the plurality of sensor electrodes, wherein the second set of two or more of the plurality of sensor electrodes includes zero, one, or two of the sensor electrodes included in the first set of two or more of the plurality of sensor electrodes. |
| US09280231B2 |
Disabling display lines during input sensing periods
Embodiments of the present invention generally provide a processing system for a display device having an integrated sensing device. The processing system includes a driver module coupled to a plurality of transmitter electrodes. Each transmitter electrode includes one or more common electrodes configured for display updating and input sensing. The driver module is configured for selecting a first display line set for display updating during a first display update period and driving the first display line set for display updating during the first display update period. The driver module is further configured for driving one or more transmitter electrodes of the plurality of transmitter electrodes for input sensing during a non-display update period and selecting a second display line set for display updating during a restart period. |
| US09280224B2 |
Dynamic tactile interface and methods
A dynamic tactile interface includes: a substrate including a first transparent material and defining an attachment surface, an open channel opposite the attachment surface, and a fluid conduit intersecting the open channel and passing through the attachment surface; a tactile layer including a second transparent material and defining a tactile surface, a peripheral region bonded to the attachment surface opposite the tactile surface, and a deformable region adjacent the fluid conduit and disconnected from the attachment surface; a closing panel bonded to the substrate opposite the attachment surface and enclosing the open channel to define a fluid channel; a working fluid; and a displacement device configured to displace the working fluid into the fluid channel and through the fluid conduit to transition the deformable region from a retracted setting to an expanded setting. |
| US09280222B2 |
Touch electrode structure and a method for manufacturing the same
The present disclosure discloses a touch panel, a touch electrode structure, and a manufacturing method thereof. The touch electrode structure comprises a plurality of first-axis sensing lines and at least one first laser etching line. The plurality of first-axis sensing lines are formed by laser etching a first conducting layer, wherein each first-axis sensing line at least has a first output pin. The first laser etching line is formed around the corresponding first output pin by laser etching the first conducting layer. Thus, the present disclosure can reduce overall production time by using a simplified manufacturing process in a laser etching process to form an improved touch electrode structure. |
| US09280216B2 |
Writing device having light emitting diode display panel
A writing device includes a writing pen and a light emitting diode display panel. The writing pen emits three different-colored optical signals. The light emitting diode display panel includes a control module and a plurality of pixels. Each pixel includes first, second and third light sources, first, second and third light sensing elements, and a touch element. The first to third light sensing elements are configured to receive the three optical signals and generate first, second and third selective signals, respectively. The touch element generates a control signal when touched by the writing pen. According to the three selective signals and the control signal, the control module selectively turns on the first light source, the second light source, and the third light source. |
| US09280209B2 |
Method for generating 3D coordinates and mobile terminal for generating 3D coordinates
A method of generating 3D coordinates includes: acquiring a target image including a finger region with a camera of a terminal; detecting the finger region in the target image using an image processing technique; detecting a fingertip region in the finger region; and calculating 3D coordinate values using the fingertip region. Also provided is a terminal suitable for performing such a method. |
| US09280206B2 |
System and method for perceiving images with multimodal feedback
A method, system and computer-readable medium for providing feedback effects for an image. The method includes identifying one or more features in an area of the image. The method also includes mapping the one or more identified features to at least one of multiple modalities of feedback effects. Additionally, the method includes generating parameters for feedback effect output and storing the generated parameters in association with the image such that, in response to coordinates of an input of a user corresponding to the area of the image, a user interface associated with the image is configured to provide at least one of the multiple modalities of feedback effects to the user. The multiple modalities of feedback effects include one or more visual feedback effects, one or more haptic feedback effects and one or more audio feedback effects. |
| US09280203B2 |
Gesture recognizer system architecture
Systems, methods and computer readable media are disclosed for a gesture recognizer system architecture. A recognizer engine is provided, which receives user motion data and provides that data to a plurality of filters. A filter corresponds to a gesture, that may then be tuned by an application receiving information from the gesture recognizer so that the specific parameters of the gesture—such as an arm acceleration for a throwing gesture—may be set on a per-application level, or multiple times within a single application. Each filter may output to an application using it a confidence level that the corresponding gesture occurred, as well as further details about the user motion data. |
| US09280202B2 |
Vehicle vision system
A vision system of a vehicle includes an interior monitoring system operable to determine a gaze direction of the driver of the vehicle. A plurality of cameras is disposed at a vehicle and the cameras have respective fields of view exterior of the vehicle. A heads up display system is operable to display virtual images for viewing by the driver of the vehicle, with the displayed virtual images being displayed in the driver's gaze direction, such as via heads up display glasses worn by the driver. Responsive to a determination of the driver gazing in a direction towards a non-transparent portion of the vehicle, the heads up display system displays an image derived from image data captured by at least one of the plurality of cameras to display a virtual image representative of the driver's view as it would be through the non-transparent portion of the vehicle. |
| US09280200B1 |
Automatic peak current throttle of tiered storage elements
Powering a data storage device (DSD) including at least a first storage tier and a second storage tier. A current used by the DSD is monitored and it is determined whether the current exceeds a current threshold. A throttle signal is asserted to reduce power used by the first storage tier when it is determined that the current exceeds the current threshold. |
| US09280199B2 |
Image processing apparatus, printing apparatus and controlling method in image processing apparatus
This invention is directed to reducing power consumption even when there is a great amount of power consumed by a root complex in a printing apparatus that employs a PCI Express architecture. To accomplish this, a printing apparatus that includes a controller capable of switching between a root complex and an endpoint and an accelerator controller serving as a root complex performs the following processing. More specifically, in the power saving mode, the power source of the accelerator controller is turned off and the controller is set as a root complex. Power consumption in the power saving mode can be greatly reduced, and a return sequence from the power saving mode can be executed. |
| US09280195B2 |
Method for automatically generating user program code for a programmable logic controller for controlling a machine
A method for automatically generating user program code for a programmable logic controller configured to control a machine, includes providing, at a first earlier time, a plurality of selectable program code parts for the programmable logic controller; and automatically generating the user program code at, a second later time, by combining at least two of the plurality of selectable program code parts that have been selected by a user. At least one of the plurality of selectable program code parts is configured to activate at least one energy-saving function of an energy consumer of the machine. The at least one energy-saving function has energy-saving function properties. |
| US09280194B2 |
Dynamic link width modulation
Described herein are embodiments of an apparatus configured for dynamic link width modulation, a system including an apparatus configured for dynamic link width modulation, a method for dynamic link width modulation, and computer-readable media having instructions that, if executed by one or more processors, cause an apparatus to perform a dynamic link width modulation method. An apparatus configured for dynamic link width modulation may include a first counter for determining a length of a queue of packets at a source of a link, a second counter for determining a rate of utilization of the link, and a power control unit configured to modify a width of the link based at least in part on the length of the queue and the rate of utilization. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed. |
| US09280190B2 |
Method and systems for energy efficiency and energy conservation including on-off keying for power control
Systems and a method for controlling power of a device with power management software are described. In one embodiment, a computer implemented method initiates power control having ON-OFF keying to control power consumption of a device for energy efficiency and energy conservation. An ON-OFF period of the ON-OFF keying for the device is computed. The method sets a target frequency, a target supply voltage, and a power gate control for the device based on the ON-OFF keying. |
| US09280184B2 |
Device and method of adjusting electromagnetic radiation transmitted by an optical element
A method of adjusting electromagnetic radiation transmitted by an optical element is described. The method includes sensing the electromagnetic radiation transmitted by the optical element to produce sensed electromagnetic radiation information, and adjusting the sensed electromagnetic radiation information to produce adjusted electromagnetic radiation information based on the a spectral transmission of the optical element. |
| US09280183B2 |
Advanced techniques for bonding metal to plastic
Techniques for combining a polymer layer and a metal layer to form a multi-layer structure are disclosed. In one embodiment, an intermediate layer having pores, openings or voids is secured to the metal layer, and then the polymer layer is molded to the intermediate layer, whereby the pores, openings or voids in the surface of the intermediate layer serve to facilitate securing of the polymer layer to the metal layer. The multi-layer structure is suitable for use in as a portion of a housing for an electronic device, such as a portable electronic device. |
| US09280182B2 |
Chip on film package and display device including the same
A chip on film package includes a flexible base film having a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other that includes at least one through hole therein, a plurality of wirings disposed on the first surface and the second surface of the base film, respectively, that include a first lead and a second lead connected to each other through the at least one through hole, and a display panel driving chip and a touch panel sensor chip, each mounted on any one of the first surface and the second surface of the base film, wherein at least one of the display panel driving panel and the touch panel sensor chip is electrically connected to the first and second leads. |
| US09280179B2 |
Multi-function information handling system tablet with multi-directional cooling
A tablet information handling system processes information with processing components disposed in a planar housing for presentation as images at a display disposed at the upper surface of the planar housing. Support members extend at the lower surface of the planar housing to support the planar housing in an upright configuration having the housing in a first orientation or an inclined configuration having the housing in a second orientation. A cooling fan controller manages cooling airflow direction through the planar housing based upon the orientation of the planar housing to blow hot air exiting the housing in a direction away from the likely location of an end user relative to the planar housing. |
| US09280176B2 |
Display device
A display device is disclosed. In one aspect, the display device comprises a display panel, a window, a plurality of partitions, and an adhesive. The display panel is configured to display an image. The window is placed over the display panel. The plurality of partitions interposed between the display panel and the window. The adhesive is formed between adjacent partitions. |
| US09280175B2 |
Display device housing and form-fitted configuration
A display device housing and corresponding receiving bracket may provide a snap-in or screwless configuration to place a monitor into a wall bracket or self-standing display housing. In one example the apparatus includes a display housing that includes an electronic display affixed to a mounting bracket which rests along the perimeter of the electronic display and which comprises at least two spring loaded securing tabs, and a receiving bracket configured to house the display housing and the mounting bracket in a secure position with at least two receiving slots form-fitted to receive the at least two spring loaded securing tabs and provide a secure spring loaded locking position that maintains the display device housing and the mounting bracket in a locked position. |
| US09280170B2 |
Field device
A field device has a primary power supply generating circuit that generates a primary power supply from an electric current that is supplied through a pair of electric wires from a higher-level system, and a calculation processing portion and various functional circuit portions, which operate based on a supply of an operating power supply electric current produced from the primary power supply. The field device also has an operating power supply electric current supplying unit that supplies the operating power supply electric current to a calculation processing portion with maximum priority. The calculation processing portion receives the operating power supply electric current supplied with maximum priority, clears a self-reset operation after starting up itself, and then directs sequentially, following a predetermined sequence, supply of the operating power supply electric current to each of the various functional circuit portions. |
| US09280166B2 |
Electronic management system for photovoltaic cells
An electronic management system for a photovoltaic generator is disclosed herein. The, the electronic management system comprises a plurality of static microconverters, each microconverter being electrically connected to one or more photovoltaic cells, the one or more photovoltaic cells forming a portion of a whole of the cells of the generator, a reconfiguration module adapted for transmitting energy flows from said microconverters towards a load, and a central electronic unit adapted for controlling a modification of the energy flows transmitted by said at least one reconfiguration module. |
| US09280164B2 |
Switching power-supply device and method for manufacturing switching power-supply device
A switching power-supply device includes a switching element; an output circuit; a feedback signal generation circuit; a control circuit that drives the switching element, based on the feedback signal, and controls the voltage of the power-supply output; a correction circuit that corrects a signal level of the feedback signal, wherein the control circuit comprises: an oscillation circuit that generates an on-trigger signal; a current detection circuit that generates a current detection signal; a difference detection circuit that generates a difference detection signal; a comparison circuit that generates an off-trigger signal, based on the current detection signal and the difference detection signal; and a first load detection circuit that controls an operation of the correction circuit, based on the current detection signal, and wherein the control circuit changes a setting voltage of the power-supply output, according to the signal level of the feedback signal. |
| US09280163B2 |
Average power tracking controller
This disclosure relates to radio frequency (RF) power converters and methods of operating the same. In one embodiment, an RF power converter includes an RF switching converter, a low-drop out (LDO) regulation circuit, and an RF filter. The RF filter is coupled to receive a pulsed output voltage from the RF switching converter and a supply voltage from the LDO regulation circuit. The RF filter is operable to alternate between a first RF filter topology and a second RF filter topology. In the first RF filter topology, the RF filter is configured to convert the pulsed output voltage from a switching circuit into the supply voltage. The RF filter in the second RF filter topology is configured to filter the supply voltage from the LDO regulation circuit to reduce a ripple variation in a supply voltage level of the supply voltage. As such, the RF filter provides greater versatility. |
| US09280160B2 |
Regulating valve, in particular for the electroproportional regulation of the pivot angle of a hydraulic machine
A regulating valve, in particular an electroproportional pivot-angle regulator for a variable-displacement pump, includes a piston bore formed in a valve housing and a regulating piston guided in the piston bore. The regulating piston is configured to be actuated in an adjusting direction via an actuator, in particular via a lifting magnet. The regulating piston is acted upon in the opposite direction by a spring force of a counterspring. The counterspring is supported via a spring plate on a supporting spring which is supported on the valve housing. The spring plate is tensioned between the supporting spring and an adjusting device by which the spring plate is configured to be displaced in relation to the valve housing in or opposite to the adjusting direction. |
| US09280158B2 |
System and method for guiding a robot cleaner along a path
Disclosed is a method of guiding a mobile robot, comprising: providing a transmitter (110), and having said transmitter transmit a guide signal (300) into a spatially bounded guide signal reception field (302); providing a mobile robot (200) including two mutually adjacently disposed guide signal sensors (210a, 210b), each configured to generate a reference signal that reflects its reception of the guide signal; and moving the robot along a boundary portion (306) of the guide signal reception field while, based on said reference signals, maintaining a tracking state in which a first of said guide signal sensors (210a) is positioned substantially on a first side of said boundary portion, and a second of said guide signal sensors (210b) is positioned substantially on an opposite, second side of said boundary portion (306). Also disclosed is a system implementing the method. |
| US09280153B1 |
Inventory holder load detection and/or stabilization
An inventory system includes an inventory holder and a mobile drive unit. The mobile drive unit includes sensors for detecting one or more load characteristics of the inventory holder and/or includes magnets and/or magnetic surfaces for securing the inventory holder to the mobile drive unit during lifting and/or moving. |
| US09280152B2 |
Power supplying method for injection molding machine having transformer
An injection molding machine has a first servo amplifier configured to operate with a first voltage, a second servo amplifier configured to operate with a second voltage, and a transformer which has a primary side terminal and a secondary side terminal and transforms voltages mutually in a predetermined voltage ratio. A main power supply is connected to a primary side terminal or a secondary side terminal of the transformer, depending on whether a voltage of the main power supply supplied to the injection molding machine is equal to the first voltage or the second voltage, respectively. The first or the second servo amplifier is connected to a terminal of the transformer on the side where the main power supply is not connected. |
| US09280151B2 |
Recipe management system and method
A recipe management system associates a selected process recipe with a recipe group and checks to see if other recipes of the recipe group have been updated since the selected recipe was last run. If another recipe of the recipe group has been run and adjustments have been made to the other recipe based on an analysis of a manufacturing or test run, the recipe management system identifies the selected recipe as requiring an update. The recipe management system sends error reports noting the discrepancy between a parameter setting changed in the test run and needing adjustment in the selected run. The recipe management system also effectuates the needed adjustments to the selected recipe before the selected recipe is allowed to be used in the manufacturing environment. |
| US09280146B2 |
Multi-model, multi-objective tuning of control systems
A device receives a control system model that includes a fixed portion that models elements of a control system to be controlled and a tunable portion that models elements of the control system used to control the elements modeled by the fixed portion. The device receives information that identifies a tunable parameter of the tunable portion of the control system model, a hard constraint associated with the control system model, and a soft constraint associated with the control system model. The hard constraint identifies a first constraint that is to be satisfied, and the soft constraint identifies a second constraint that is to be reduced. The device calculates a parameter value for the tunable parameter by applying an optimization algorithm to the control system model, based on the control system model, the tunable parameter, the hard constraint, and the soft constraint. The device provides the parameter value. |
| US09280144B2 |
Compensation for canonical second order systems for eliminating peaking at the natural frequency and increasing bandwidth
The present invention adds gain and phase into a canonical second order system in order to mitigate the adverse effects of unwanted resonance, where the gain is added to the forward path of a control loop of the system and is a ratio of the square of the system and mechanism frequencies, and the phase lead (H-factor) is added to the feedback path of the control loop of the system and is a complex ratio of these frequencies which includes a dc-component (Hdc) and a zero- or pole-component. By adding gain and phase lead, which is contrary to current approaches to addressing resonance, the present invention achieves the desired result of resonant free application in a canonical resonant-prone system of second order, and the methodology is applicable to higher order systems. |
| US09280143B2 |
Sensitivity adjustment device and radio wave communication device
A sensitivity adjustment device adjusts radio wave sensitivity of an antenna which wirelessly transmits/receives a signal to/from an external device. The sensitivity adjustment device includes: a sensitivity adjuster and an adjuster moving section. The sensitivity adjuster includes (a) a shielding part which shields a radio wave and (b) a penetration part which allows penetration of a radio wave. The adjuster moving section moves the sensitivity adjuster with respect to the antenna in such a way as (a) to change a position of the shielding part and a position of the penetration part with respect to the antenna, and (b) to adjust a covered area of the antenna covered with the sensitivity adjuster, so as to adjust the radio wave sensitivity of the antenna. |
| US09280136B2 |
Photosensitive cartridge having locking member, developing cartridge attachable to photosensitive cartridge having locking member, process cartridge having locking member, and image forming apparatus having locking member
A photosensitive cartridge attachable to/detachable from a main body of an image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member, an attachment unit configured to removably attach a developing cartridge including a developing member that develops a latent image formed on the photosensitive member to the photosensitive cartridge, and a locking member configured to prevent disengaging of the developing cartridge from the attachment unit when the developing cartridge is attached to the attachment unit, wherein the locking member comes into contact, when the photosensitive cartridge to which the developing cartridge has been attached is attached to the main body of the image forming apparatus, with a main body contact member provided to the main body and electrically connects the main body contact member and the developing cartridge. |
| US09280135B2 |
Process cartridge and image forming apparatus
A process cartridge for an image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum; a cleaning member having a blade contacted to end drum; a sheet contacted to end drum; an end seal provided at an end of a frame and contacted to the drum, end blade and end sheet; and a sealing mold, integrally molded at the end portion of end frame by injection molding, end sealing mold including a first seal provided between end cleaning member and end frame and extending in a direction crossing with the longitudinal direction, a second seal provided between the end seal and end frame and continuously molded with end first seal, and a third seal provided between end sheet and end frame and continuously molded with end second seal. |
| US09280130B2 |
Developer container, developing device, process unit, and image forming apparatus
The developer container includes a rotator that is rotated in the container body, a sequence of gears disposed outside the developer container that transmits a torque to the rotator, and a container guiding portion that fits with a main body side guiding portion and guides the developer container in a direction in which the developer container is attached to a mounting portion of an image forming device main body. A first gear included in the sequence of the gears is movable between an operating position where the first gear engages with a second gear and a retracted position where the first gear is retracted. On a surface on which the container guiding portion is disposed, a part of the container guiding portion is disposed within a projected area of the first gear being disposed at the operating position. |
| US09280129B2 |
Developer cartridge
A developer cartridge has a rotatable body, a casing, a conveying guide structure, and a cover. The cover includes a facing part and a first covering part. The conveying guide structure includes a first conveying guide extending in the second direction, and a second conveying guide connected from the first conveying guide at an end on the other side of the second direction and extends toward the other side of the second direction so as to curve in the first direction with respect to the first conveying guide. The first covering part includes a first contacting part configured to contact the first conveying guide, and a second contacting part configured to curve in the first direction with respect to the first contacting part so as to extend toward the other side in the second direction, and contact the second conveying guide. |
| US09280128B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus including a side cover rotatably installed to open and close an opening provided at a body thereof while rotating, a first transfer unit to which a visible image of photoconductors of developing units is transferred, and a second transfer unit movably installed at the side cover to transfer the visible image to a printing medium, wherein the second transfer unit is provided at both sides thereof with a plurality of guide protrusions to perform a position restriction, and the body is provided at both sidewalls of inside thereof with a plurality of guide members to support the plurality of guide protrusions such that the second transfer unit is supported against both sidewalls of the inside of the body through the guide protrusion and the guide member, thereby reducing a reaction force applied to the side cover. |
| US09280123B2 |
Power supply apparatus for use in image forming apparatus
A setting unit sets a high-voltage set value. A first generation unit generates a high voltage based on the set value set by the setting unit and a first reference voltage supplied from a supply unit. A second generation unit generates a second reference voltage by being supplied with the first reference voltage from the supply unit. A comparing unit compares the first reference voltage with the second reference voltage. A storage unit stores a comparison result that has been obtained in advance by the comparing unit comparing the first reference voltage with the second reference voltage. A correction unit corrects the high-voltage set value based on a comparison result that is obtained by the comparing unit when the image forming apparatus is in use and the comparison result that has been obtained in advance and is stored in the storage unit. |
| US09280119B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes an image reading unit, an image forming unit, a discharge unit, and a discharge tray. The image reading unit is configured to read a document placed on a document placement table by moving and scanning of a scanning body in a sub-scanning direction. The image forming unit is configured to form an image read by the image reading unit on a paper sheet. The discharge unit is configured to discharge the paper sheet on which an image is formed by the image forming unit to a direction perpendicular to the sub-scanning direction. The discharge tray is on which the paper sheet from the discharge unit is to be placed with a space portion at a lower side of the image reading unit. A bottom surface of a housing of the image reading unit facing the discharge tray is constituted of a first surface and a second surface. The first surface is a surface at a front side of the discharge unit in a discharging direction and high with respect to the discharge tray. The second surface is a surface at a back side of the discharge unit in the discharging direction lower than the first surface with respect to the discharge tray. A pulling member and/or a movable wiring are/is arranged at an upper side of the second surface inside the housing. The pulling member is configured to move the scanning body back and forth in the sub-scanning direction. One end portion of the movable wiring is secured to the scanning body. |
| US09280112B2 |
Printing apparatus, control method for controlling printing apparatus, and storage medium
A printing apparatus includes a storing unit, a printing unit, a receiving unit, and a controlling unit. The storing unit stores a size of a sheet. The printing unit prints an image on the sheet based on a specified print job sheet size. The receiving unit is configured to receive, from a user and before the printing, an instruction for notifying the user of an error where the specified print job sheet size does not match the stored sheet size. If the receiving unit receives the instructions and the specified print job sheet size does not match the stored sheet size, the user is notified of the error and the printing unit executes printing. If the receiving unit does not receive the instruction and the specified print job sheet size does not match the stored sheet size, the printing unit executes printing without notifying the user of the error. |
| US09280110B2 |
Image formation apparatus
An image formation apparatus has a body having a pair of frames, and an image formation unit configured to form an image on a sheet, and a re-feeding path which is used when the sheet, on one surface of which an image has been formed by the image formation unit, is fed again to the image formation unit. The re-feeding path includes a first path vertically extending from a downstream side, in a sheet feed direction, of the image formation unit, a second path extending horizontally, and a curved portion connecting the first path and the second path. The pair of frames are connected with a metal plate which is formed and arranged to extend along the curved portion. |
| US09280102B2 |
Image heating apparatus and image forming apparatus
An image heating apparatus includes: a rotatable heating member; a belt unit including an endless belt configured to heat the rotatable heating member, and a supporting portion configured to rotatably support an inner surface of the belt; a holding portion configured to rotatably hold the belt unit; a detecting portion configured to detect that the belt is out of a predetermined zone with respect to a widthwise direction of the belt; a tilting portion configured to tilt the belt unit relative to the holding portion in a direction of causing the belt to return into the predetermined zone on the basis of an output of the detecting portion; and a limiting portion configured to limit tilting of the belt unit to an angle exceeding a predetermined angle range wider than an angle range in which the belt unit is capable of being tilted by the tilting portion. |
| US09280094B1 |
Trim bar entry geometry for a dual component development electrophotographic image forming device
A developer unit for a dual component development electrophotographic image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a housing having a reservoir for storing a developer mix that includes toner and magnetic carrier beads. An auger is positioned to convey developer mix in the reservoir toward the outer surface of a magnetic roll on a front of the housing. A ledge on an inner surface of the housing extends axially with respect to the magnetic roll along a front of the reservoir. The ledge is positioned upstream from a trim bar and downstream from a pickup pole of the magnetic roll with respect to the operative rotational direction of the magnetic roll. The ledge has a concave curved inner surface that is open to the reservoir and extends from near the trim bar to near a front side of the auger. |
| US09280083B2 |
Image forming device comprising a direct image forming element
An image forming device includes at least one image forming element moving past an image forming station in which toner is deposited on a surface of the image forming element, which surface is facing the image forming station, said image forming element including a core layer forming a core of the image forming element and including a plurality of tracks comprising electrodes individually connected to corresponding drivers, and a semi-conducting top layer forming the surface of the image forming element, wherein the image forming element further includes an isolating layer in-between the core layer and the semi-conducting top layer, which isolating layer includes a plurality of pads each of which extends over at least one track in a non-overlapping manner, extends towards one underlying track as to form an interconnection with the one underlying track, and is filled with a conducting material in order to let each pad individually be activated by means of the driver of the underlying track in order to adhere toner on a location of the surface of the image forming element, which location corresponds to the underlying activated pad. |
| US09280081B2 |
Image forming apparatus that suppresses occurrence of color shift in images and method of controlling the same
An image forming apparatus that suppresses occurrence of color shift in images transferred from image bearing members onto an intermediate transfer member. A surface of each of a first photosensitive drum and second photosensitive drums is charged. An exposure device, provided for each photosensitive drum, forms an electrostatic latent image by exposing an associated one of the charged photosensitive drums. A developing device, provided for each photosensitive drum, develops the electrostatic latent image with toner. An intermediate transfer belt friction-drives the photosensitive drums for rotation and has the developed images transferred thereon. Timing for exposing the second photosensitive drums is controlled based on a first surface distance from an exposure light irradiated position to a primary transfer position of the first photosensitive drum, and a second surface distance from an exposure light irradiated position of each second photosensitive drum to a primary transfer position thereof. |
| US09280080B2 |
Charger and image forming apparatus
A charger is provided. The charger includes a discharge electrode, a cleaner, and a holder. The discharge electrode is composed of a wire, and the wire has a surface plated with palladium. The cleaner removes foreign substances adhered to the discharge electrode. The cleaner includes a first cleaner composed of a glass-containing resin and a second cleaner. The first cleaner scrapes off the foreign substances by press-contacting the wire while moving, and the second cleaner wipes off the foreign substances by press-contacting the wire while moving. The holder movably holds the cleaner in a direction parallel to the discharge electrode. |
| US09280077B2 |
Charge control agent composition for external addition and electrostatic image developing toner
There is provided an electrostatic image developing toner less likely to cause image degradation even when used for a long period, by controlling CCA particles present on surfaces of toner particles and thereby keeping an amount of tribocharge generated between the toner and a magnetic carrier or the like constant. A charge control agent composition for external addition for controlling charge amount of toner particles includes: at least two types of carrier particles different in average particle size of primary particles; and a charge control agent (CCA), and an electrostatic image developing toner is constituted of a mixture of toner particles and the aforesaid charge control agent composition for external addition. |
| US09280075B1 |
Method of making hybrid latex via phase inversion emulsification
A process includes dissolving a styrene/acrylate resin in an organic solvent to form a first solution, dissolving at least one polyester resin in the first solution to form a second solution, neutralizing the second solution with a base to provide a neutralized solution, and adding a sufficient amount of water to the neutralized solution to form an emulsion. A latex particle includes a polyester resin and a styrene/acrylate resin dispersed within the latex particle, the surface of the latex particle is substantially the polyester resin. A toner includes a plurality of toner particles prepared from a latex, the particles of the latex including a polyester resin and a styrene/acrylate resin dispersed within each latex particle, the surface of each latex particle is substantially the polyester resin. |
| US09280072B2 |
Process for producing electrophotographic photosensitive member
Provided is a process for producing an electrophotographic photosensitive member, the process including the steps of: preparing a dispersion liquid by dispersing particles each containing an electron transporting substance in an aqueous dispersion medium; forming the coat of the dispersion liquid on the support; and forming an undercoat layer by heating the coat at a temperature equal to or more than the melting point of the electron transporting substance. |
| US09280071B2 |
Method of producing electrophotographic photosensitive member, and emulsion for a charge transporting layer
The present invention provides a method of producing an electrophotographic photosensitive member in which the amount of an organic solvent to be used for a coating solution for a charge transporting layer is reduced, and the stability of the coating solution for a charge transporting layer after preservation for a long time is improved, enabling formation of a charge transporting layer having high uniformity. The method includes: preparing a solution containing a charge transporting substance, a resin having a carbonyl group, and at least one compound selected from the group consisting of a compound represented by the formula (A), a compound represented by the formula (B), a compound represented by the formula (C), a compound represented by the formula (D), and a compound represented by the formula (E); dispersing the solution in water to prepare an emulsion; forming a coat by using the emulsion; and heating the coat to form a charge transporting layer. |
| US09280070B2 |
Field guided exposure and post-exposure bake process
Methods disclosed herein apply an electric field and/or a magnetic field during photolithography processes. The field application may control the diffusion of the charged species generated by the photoacid generator along the line and spacing direction, preventing the line edge/width roughness that results from random diffusion. The field application may additionally or alternatively control the diffusion of the charged species in a direction perpendicular to a plane formed by the photoresist layer. Such controlled perpendicular diffusion may increase the photoresist sensitivity. In other embodiments, the field may control the diffusion of the charged species within the plane of the photoresist layer but in a direction perpendicular or non-parallel to the line and spacing direction. Apparatuses for carrying out the aforementioned methods are also disclosed herein. |
| US09280067B2 |
Exposure aparatus and method of manufacturing device to avoid collision between an elevating member of a substrate stage and a conveyance arm
An exposure apparatus comprises: a substrate stage movable from a first position to a second position; a conveyance arm movable from a third position to the second position; an elevating member transferring the substrate to the arm at the second position; and a controller. The controller judges whether the stage reaches a fourth position that shifts to a front side from the second position by a predetermined interval for avoiding a collision between the substrate and the arm and a collision between the elevating member and the substrate when the elevating operation ends. If the controller judges that the stage does not reach the fourth position, the controller controls the movements of the stage and the arm, and the elevation of the elevating member so that the arm starts to move toward the second position before the end of the elevating operation. |
| US09280065B2 |
Inspection apparatus to detect a target located within a pattern for lithography
A system detects targets located within patterns. It operates in the pupil plane by filtering the received signal from the surrounding pattern. A method includes illuminating a target and a surrounding pattern with radiation, detecting the radiation reflected by the target and the surrounding pattern and forming a first set of data based on the detected radiation, removing portions of the first set of data which correspond to the target to form reduced data, interpolating the remaining portions of the reduced data over the removed portions to form product data, and subtracting the product data from the first set of data to form target data. |
| US09280063B2 |
Substrate table assembly, an immersion lithographic apparatus and a device manufacturing method
A substrate table assembly, an immersion lithographic apparatus and a device manufacturing method are disclosed. The substrate table assembly includes a substrate table to support a substrate; and a gas handling system to provide a gas to a region between the substrate table and a substrate mounted on the substrate table, wherein the gas provided by the gas handling system has a thermal conductivity greater than or equal to 100 mW/(m·K) at 298 K. |
| US09280062B2 |
Exposure device
An exposure device can exposes a circuit pattern while information data is suitably changed. An exposure device comprises a first light source (20) for irradiating a first light including ultraviolet rays, a projection exposure unit (70) for exposing a circuit pattern drawn on a photomask on a substrate, with the first light, a substrate stage (60) for mounting the substrate, a housing (11) for arranging the substrate stage, a second light source (41) for irradiating a second light including ultraviolet rays, arranged at a position different from the first light source, a spatial light modulation unit (40) for exposing information data formed electrically using the second light on the substrate, and a spatial optical light modulation unit driving means (5) for moving the spatial light modulation unit arranged on the housing (11) in a direction parallel to a moving direction of the substrate stage. |
| US09280061B2 |
Illumination optical unit for EUV projection lithography
An illumination optical unit for EUV projection lithography serves for guiding illumination light towards an illumination field, in which a lithography mask can be arranged. The illumination optical unit has a first facet mirror having a plurality of individual mirrors. The latter predefine illumination channels for guiding illumination light partial beams towards the illumination field. A second facet mirror of the illumination optical unit is disposed downstream of the first facet mirror and has a plurality of facets. The latter respectively contribute to the imaging of a group of the individual mirrors of the first facet mirror into the object field via a group-mirror illumination channel. The latter comprises the individual-mirror illumination channels of the individual-mirror group. Images of the different individual-mirror groups are superimposed on one another in the object field via the assigned group-mirror illumination channels. |
| US09280053B2 |
Apparatus for and method of temperature compensation in high power focusing system for EUV LPP source
Apparatus for and method of temperature compensating a focusing system in having at least one transmissive optical element with a thermal lens. A reflective optical element is introduced having a thermal lens complementary to the thermal lens of the transmissive optical element so that the combined optical characteristics of the two optical elements are substantially temperature independent. Provision can also be made for a change in the absorption of the transmissive optical element over time. The focusing system is especially applicable to systems for generating EUV light for use in semiconductor photolithography. |
| US09280049B2 |
Pattern formation method and semiconductor device
A pattern formation method according to the present embodiment includes forming a resist film on a treatment target material. The resist film is processed into resist patterns. A cross-link film or a coating agent protecting the resist film is coated onto the resist film. A self-organizing material is applied onto the resist film having the cross-link film or the coating agent coated thereon. The self-organizing material is thermally treated to achieve phase separation. A part of the self-organizing material which has been phase-separated is removed. |
| US09280045B2 |
Mask blank and photomask
The present invention is to provide a mask blank enabling fabrication of a photomask having a structure where electrostatic breakdown is effectively prevented. To accomplish the object, the invention discloses a mask blank comprising a mask substrate, an electrostatic breakdown prevention film fully covering one side of the mask substrate, and a shading film formed on the electrostatic breakdown prevention film. The electrostatic breakdown prevention film is made of titanium, tantalum, titanium compound or tantalum compound. The transparent rate of the electrostatic breakdown prevention film is not less than 75%, for the wavelength of light in an exposure. The sheet resistance of the electrostatic discharge prevention film is not more than 100KΩ/□. |
| US09280040B2 |
Projection screen and projection system using the same
A projection screen includes a reflector and a plurality of compound lenses. The compound lenses are arranged at the same side of the reflector in an array manner. Each of the compound lenses has a first lens portion and a second lens portion. The first lens portion is disposed between the second lens portion and the reflector. A surface of the first lens portion opposite to the reflector has a first radius of curvature, and a surface of the second lens portion opposite to the reflector has a second radius of curvature. The first radius of curvature has a length greater than the second radius of curvature. |
| US09280036B2 |
Lighting device, image capturing system, and lighting control method
A lighting device includes a base unit arranged on a medium installation face on which a medium is disposed, an arm unit extending upwardly from the base unit, a top unit extending from the arm unit so as to face the medium installation face, a mounting face disposed on the top unit to mount an image capturing unit at a position capable of photographing the medium on the medium installation face, a lighting disposed in the top unit to irradiate the medium installation face, and a lighting control unit configured to adjust an amount of light of the lighting. The lighting control unit sets the amount of light of the lighting to a maximum at the time of photographing and, after the photographing, returns the amount of light to that before the photographing. |
| US09280034B2 |
Dynamic lighting
A movie set can include light sources each producing a light corresponding to a light channel, at least one high-frame rate camera, and a controller connected to the light sources and camera to synchronize the camera and light sources. The number of light channels can be proportional to the frame rate. For example, if the filming frame rate is 120 frames per second (fps) and the playback frame rate is 24 fps, then 5 light channels can be used. In this example, for every one playback frame, 5 frames were filmed by the high frame rate camera. The controller modulates the light channels such that each of the 5 frames has different lighting characteristics. In post-production, contributions from each of the light channels can be included or excluded from the final frame. An optical flow algorithm can be used to stitch together frames with different dynamic light characteristics. |
| US09280033B2 |
Adjustable optical axis control
A device for aligning the optical axis of a camera is disclosed. The optical alignment device comprises a bracket attaching the device to a frame, the frame incorporating a camera system therein, the camera system having an optical axis projecting substantially horizontally from the camera system, a housing comprising a first part fixed to a first side of the bracket; and a second part comprising a prism refracting the optical axis of the camera system based on a power of the prism and a rotation of the prism with respect to the optical axis and a hinge between the first part and the second part, the hinge rotating the second part with respect to the first part. |
| US09280026B2 |
Pixel structure and display panel
A pixel structure and a display panel are provided. The pixel structure uses an insulation protrusion with a drain electrode extending thereon or a single-layered conductive protrusion as an electrical connection interface between the drain electrode and a pixel electrode. The aperture ratio and resolution are increased for no contact hole is required to be formed in the passivation layer. |
| US09280020B2 |
Tunable electrode-optic liquid crystal lenses having resistive bridges and methods for forming the lenses
Electro-optic lenses, including liquid crystals, wherein the power of the lenses can be modified by application of an electric field. In one embodiment, the liquid crystal-based lenses include ring electrodes having a resistive bridge located between adjacent electrodes, and in a preferred embodiment, input connections for several electrode rings are spaced on the lens. In a further embodiment, liquid crystal-based lenses are provided that can increase optical power through the use of phase resets, wherein in one embodiment, a lens includes ring electrodes on surfaces of the substrates on opposite sides of the liquid crystal cell such that a fixed phase term can be added to each set of electrodes that allows for phase change across each group of electrodes to be the same and also be matched with respect to a previous group. |
| US09280017B2 |
Liquid crystal display device and method for manufacturing the same
Embodiments of the present invention provide a liquid crystal display device and a producing method thereof, and relate to the field of liquid crystal display. The liquid crystal display device of the present invention comprises a liquid crystal panel and a first optical compensation structure and a second optical compensation structure located at two sides of the liquid crystal panel, and the second optical compensation structure comprises: a polarizing film layer, a compensation film layer and a biaxial film layer, wherein, the polarizing film layer is located between the compensation film layer and the biaxial film layer; and the biaxial film layer is located between the polarizing film layer and the liquid crystal panel. Through providing the biaxial film layer in the second optical compensation structure, the present invention can effectively correct the color shift generated in the diagonal direction of the liquid crystal panel and improve the product quality. |
| US09280015B2 |
Liquid crystal display device and electronic apparatus provided therewith
A liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate provided with a reflective electrode, a second substrate provided with a transparent electrode oppositely disposed to the reflective electrode, a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first second substrates, a polarization plate oppositely disposed to the first substrate with an interposition of the second substrate, and an anisotropic scattering member disposed between the second substrate and the polarization plate. A main view angle direction is set as a predetermined direction intersecting a display surface. The anisotropic scattering member has a scattering center and scatters light traveling along a scattering axis direction which is a direction having a predetermined angle range centered around the scattering center. The scattering axis direction coincides with the main view angle direction. |
| US09280014B2 |
Liquid crystal display device with touch function
A liquid crystal display device includes multiple data lines and multiple scan lines insulatedly intersecting each other. Each of the pixel units includes a common electrode and a pixel electrode insulated from each other by an insulating layer, an in-plane electric field is formed by the common electrode and the pixel electrode The common electrodes are connected together to form a common electrode layer, which comprises multiple touch electrodes and touch signal wires. Each of the touch signal wires is electrically connected with a corresponding touch electrode, first slits are arranged in parallel to the data lines, each of the first slits is disposed between two adjacent touch electrodes or between a touch electrode and an adjacent touch signal wire, except at a junction between the touch signal wire and the touch electrode. A first slit overlaps with a pixel electrode within a pixel unit. |
| US09280011B2 |
Display device and television receiver
A liquid crystal display device is provided with: a light-emitting diode LED; a liquid crystal panel; a light guide plate having an end surface that is disposed in such a manner as to face the LED, and having edge portions that are disposed further to the outside than the ends of the liquid crystal panel; holding members comprising a frame and a chassis that hold the liquid crystal panel and the light guide plate in a form in which the liquid crystal panel and the light guide plate are sandwiched between a display surface and the opposite side thereof, and accommodating the LED therebetween; panel pressing sections provided to the frame; second screw attachment sections provided to the frame; second screw members that are attached to the second screw attachment sections, and secure the frame and chassis in an assembled state by sandwiching at least the chassis between the second screw attachment sections; and hole-like sections that are provided to the edge portions of the light guide plate, and through which either the second screw attachment sections or the second screw members are inserted. |
| US09280008B2 |
Backlight module and liquid crystal display device using same
The present invention provides a backlight module and a liquid crystal display device using the backlight module. The backlight module includes: a backplane (2), a light guide plate (4) arranged in the backplane (2), a backlight source (6) arranged in the backplane (2), and an optic film assembly (8) arranged on the light guide plate (4). The backplane (2) comprises a bottom plate (22) and a plurality of side plates (24) perpendicularly connected to the bottom plate (22). The bottom plate (22) has a surface facing the light guide plate (4) and defining a curved surface (222) and the curved surface (222) comprises a curved reflection surface (224) formed thereon. The backlight module and the liquid crystal display device using the backlight module according to the present invention have simple structure and include a backplane having a bottom plate that has a surface facing the light guide plate and including a curved reflection surface having excellent reflectivity formed thereon to replace a conventionally used reflector plate so as to reduce the thickness of the liquid crystal display device, reduce the cost of manufacturing, and facilitate achievement of thinning and also preventing the light guide plate from damage caused by friction between the reflector plate and the light guide plate and thus extending the life span of the light guide plate. |
| US09280003B2 |
Multimode fiber for spatial scanning
A method for imaging a scan region by controlling at least one of the relative phase and relative amplitude of multiple optical modes propagating through a multimode optical fiber to control the position of an output beam emitted from the output facet of the optical fiber is disclosed. |
| US09280002B2 |
Thin film and nanocrystals of europium(II) compound doped with metal ions
The present invention relates to Eu (II) compound nanocrystals doped with transition metal ions. Such a constitution generates quantum size effects of an Eu (II) compound nanoparticle, while the transition metal ions can affect a magnetooptical property of the Eu (II) compound nanoparticle. Thus, the magnetooptical property can be improved. |
| US09279996B2 |
3D projection optical system and dual-chip light splitting and light combining module thereof
A dual-chip light splitting and light combining module is provided, which comprises a light splitting prism, a first mirror, a first polarizing TIR prism, a first displaying chip, a second mirror, a second TIR prism, a second displaying chip and a light combining prism. The dual-chip light splitting and light combining module is adapted to split an incident non-polarized light into a first polarized light and a second polarized light and combine the first polarized light and the second polarized light together. Also, a 3D projection optical system comprising the dual-chip light splitting and light combining module is provided. |
| US09279995B2 |
3D display device and 3D display system
Embodiments of the present invention provide a 3D display device and a 3D display system, the 3D display device, comprising: a reflecting unit, reflecting light incident thereon; a polarization display unit, formed at a reflected light emitting side of the reflecting unit, and the polarization display unit for displaying images, converting incident natural light into polarized light and transmitting or blocking light reflected by the reflecting unit; and a polarization direction adjustment unit, formed at a reflected light emitting side of the polarization display unit, for converting the reflected light emitted from the polarization display unit into two sets of polarized light with different polarization directions. |
| US09279993B2 |
Optical film, polarizing plate, picture display apparatus, and 3D picture display system
An optical film includes a transparent film having a thickness of 10 to 150 μm and a first layer on a first surface of the transparent film. The first layer has an average in-plane refractive index that is highest of average refractive indices of the transparent film and a layer disposed on the first surface, and the average in-plane refractive index of the first layer is higher than average refractive indices of the transparent film and the layer other than the first layer disposed on the first surface by 0.02 or more, wherein the average in-plane refractive index of the first layer is higher than the average refractive index of the transparent film by 0.02 or more, provided that the layer disposed on the first surface is the first layer alone, and the first layer has an optical thickness D satisfying: 260×N−190−65 nm≦D≦260×N−190+65 nm (N is an integer of 6 to 12). |
| US09279992B2 |
Apparatus for projecting spatial image
An apparatus for projecting a spatial image in which the spatial image with a background is projected into a space through a projection unit is discussed. The apparatus according to an embodiment includes a receiving unit to receive a spatial image and a background image, a display unit to display the spatial image and the background image and to project light, a control unit to control the display unit to display the spatial image and the background image, and a spatial image projection unit to project the spatial image and the background image by transmitting or reflecting the light. Thus, a spatial image may be viewed from every direction, and the spatial image may be projected to different positions according to images and a background image may be displayed at the same time. In addition, a user may perform interaction such as reaching of hands into the projected image. |
| US09279989B2 |
Backlight unit, 3D display having the same, and method of forming 3D image
A backlight unit of a three-dimensional (3D) display has a plurality of cells and a 3D image is formed by adjusting directions of light emitted from the cells. The backlight unit includes an emission unit that adjusts an emission direction of light from a cell with respect to other cells. The backlight unit divides view areas to provide left-eye and right-eye images, thereby generating a 3D image. |
| US09279987B2 |
Optical element and lighting device
A reflector/imaging optical element (11; 43) which is configured in order to transmit light (P1) of at least one first wavelength, concentrate light (P1) shone through the reflector/imaging optical element (11; 43) onto a first focal point (F) and reflect light (R) of at least one second wavelength, shone from the first focal point (F) onto the reflector/imaging optical element (11; 43), onto a second focal point (F′) of the reflector/imaging optical element (11; 43). |
| US09279985B2 |
Virtual image display device
A limiting part limits displacement of an optical member partially fixed to a frame unit, and excessive stress applied on the optical member and deformation of the optical member may be prevented. That is, support strength of the optical member may be improved by supplementarily using the limiting part. Note that the optical member is partially fixed to the frame unit, and fastening parts and the number of parts are reduced and downsizing becomes easier and reduction in weight of the virtual image display device is easier. Further, the optical member is partially fixed to the frame unit, and thus, even when there is a difference in coefficient of thermal expansion between the optical member and the frame unit, the expansion or the like of the optical member with respect to the frame unit is allowed and distortion, deformation, breakage of the optical member may be prevented more reliably. |
| US09279984B2 |
Image displaying apparatus and optical apparatus
The image displaying apparatus includes an image production apparatus, a first light conduction section and a second light conduction section. The first light conduction section includes a first light conduction plate which propagates part of incident light thereto by total reflection in the inside thereof and emits the propagated light, and a reflection type volume hologram diffraction grating disposed on the first light conduction plate. The second light conduction section includes a second light conduction plate, a first deflection section and a second deflection section. |
| US09279983B1 |
Image cropping
Methods and systems are provided for cropping a digital image based on movement data. A wearable computing device may receive image data. The wearable computing device may comprise a head-mountable display (HMD), and the HMD may comprise a viewing frame. The image data may be displayed within the viewing frame. The wearable computing device may receive movement information indicative of at least one movement of the wearable computing device. The at least one movement of the wearable computing device may comprises at least one of a pan of the wearable computing device or a tilt of the wearable computing device. In response to receiving the movement information, the wearable computing device may perform a cropping action on the image data so as to generate a cropped image. The cropped image may represent a reduced portion of the image data. |
| US09279982B2 |
Weather-resistant article, weather-resistant film and optical member
Provided is a support exhibiting excellent weather resistance, which is usable in an outdoor location for a long duration and is a support capable of sufficiently shielding UV radiation; and further provided are a weather-resistant article, a weather-resistant film, and an optical member which exhibit sufficient weather resistance even though receiving influences by heat, light or moisture. Disclosed is a weather-resistant article of the present invention possessing a support and provided thereon, a polymer layer containing a light stabilizer and a UV radiation reflective layer containing plural materials each having a different refractive index, the UV radiation reflective layer provided on the polymer layer. |
| US09279974B2 |
Microscopy system and method
A microscopy system method for inspecting a retina of an eye including generating an inverted intermediate image of the retina using an opthalmoscopic lens; detecting a left image of the intermediate image from a left viewing direction and detecting a right image of the intermediate image from a right viewing direction; and displaying an inverted representation of the detected left image to a right eye of a user and displaying an inverted representation of the detected right image to a left eye of the user. |
| US09279971B2 |
Optical modulator device and spatio-temporally light modulated imaging system
An optical modulator device (100), in particular for a spatio-temporally light modulated imaging system (200), comprises a light modulating micro-mirror device (110) comprising an array of mirror elements (111) arranged in a modulator plane (112), wherein each of the mirror elements (111) can be switched individually between first (111a) and second (111b) states with first and second tilting angles, resp., relative to a modulator optical axis (113) perpendicular to the modulator plane (112), and a first optical relaying device (120) being arranged for relaying light between the mirror elements (111) in the first (111a) state and a first optical axis (121) deviating from the modulator optical axis (113), wherein the first optical relaying device (120) includes a first group of imaging elements (122, 123, 124) being formed such that a planar light field (114) perpendicular to the modulator optical axis (113) is relayed to a first planar light field (125) perpendicular to the first optical axis (121). Furthermore, the spatio-temporally light modulated imaging system (200), in particular for confocal imaging an object (1) to be investigated, which includes the optical modulator device (100), and a method of confocal optical imaging using the imaging system (200) are described. |
| US09279967B2 |
Zoom lens
An embodiment of this invention provides a zoom lens, which primarily comprises, in order from an object side to an image-forming side, a first lens group having negative refractive power; a second lens group having positive refractive power; and a third lens group having positive refractive power. The second lens group includes a plurality lenses in which the refractive index of the lens nearest to the object side is NDo, the refractive index of the lens nearest to the image-forming side is NDi, and NDo and NDi satisfy: NDi−NDo>0.1. |
| US09279966B2 |
Zoom lens and imaging apparatus
A zoom-lens consists of a positive-first-lens-group, fixed during magnification-change, a negative-second-lens-group, which moves from object-side toward image-side during magnification change from wide-angle-end to telephoto-end, a negative-third-lens-group, which corrects movement of an image-plane during magnification-change, and a positive-fourth-lens-group, which is fixed during magnification-change and includes a stop, in this order from object-side. The first-lens-group consists of a negative-1a-th-lens-group, fixed during focusing, a positive-1b-th-lens-group, which moves during focusing, and a positive-1c-th-lens-group, fixed during focusing, in this order from object-side. The second-lens-group consists of a negative-2a-th-lens-group and a positive-2b-th-lens-group, and a distance therebetween is changed during magnification-change. The third-lens-group moves in such a manner that a distance from the fourth-lens-group at telephoto-end is narrower than a distance from the fourth-lens-group at wide-angle-end. Predetermined conditional-formulas about a length from a most-object-side surface in the first-lens-group to the stop, a focal-length at wide-angle-end and a focal-length of the 1b-th-lens-group are satisfied. |
| US09279962B2 |
Imaging lens and imaging apparatus equipped with the imaging lens
An imaging lens is substantially constituted by five lenses, including: a first lens having a positive refractive power and a convex surface toward the object side; a second lens having a negative refractive power and a concave surface toward the image side; a third lens having a negative refractive power and a concave surface toward the object side; a fourth lens having a positive refractive power and is of a meniscus shape with a concave surface toward the object side; and a fifth lens having a negative refractive power and is of a meniscus shape having a convex surface toward the image side, provided in this order from the object side. The imaging lens satisfies a predetermined conditional formula. |
| US09279948B2 |
Optical communication device
An optical communication device includes a substrate, a first optical-electric element, a second optical-electric element, a planar optical waveguide and a fixing device. Both the first and the second optical-electric elements are positioned on the substrate. The first optical-electric element includes a light emitting surface. The second optical-electric element includes a light receiving surface. The planar optical waveguide includes a first reflecting surface and a second reflecting surface. The fixing device includes a fixing pole and a fixing ring. The fixing pole defines a through hole. The planar optical waveguide runs through the through hole and is coiled by the fixing ring. The fixing ring is fixed on the fixing pole. The planar optical waveguide is positioned above the first and the second optical-electric elements, with the first reflecting surface aligning with the light emitting surface, and the second reflecting surface aligning with the light receiving surface. |
| US09279946B2 |
Premolded cavity for optoelectronic device
An optoelectronic device is disclosed. The optoelectronic device may be employed as a single or multi-channel opto-coupler that electrically isolates one circuit from another circuit. The opto-coupler may include one or more premolded cavities with a light-coupling medium contained therein. Walls of the one or more premolded cavities advantageously help shape the light-coupling medium during manufacture, therefore, resulting in a light path with controlled shape and dimensions. |
| US09279943B1 |
Precision alignment of optical fiber ends along respective optical pathways in a multi-optical fiber connector module, and methods
An MF connector module is provided that positions the fiber end portions relative to respective V-grooves of the module in such a way that the fiber end portions can be bent, and thereby loaded, by a predetermined amount when the fiber end portions are being installed in the respective V-grooves. The bending of the fiber end portions ensures that the optical axes of at least the tips of the fiber end portions are parallel to the optical axes of the respective V-grooves. The loading of the fiber end portions caused by the bending ensures that significant lengths of the fiber end portions are tangent to and in contact with the inner walls of the respective V-grooves. This tangential contact between the fiber end portions and the inner walls of the V-grooves causes the fiber end faces to be precisely aligned with the respective optical axes of the MF connector module. |
| US09279941B1 |
Optical waveguide lens
An optical waveguide lens includes a base, a Y type waveguide, a polarized grating. The Y type waveguide has a first gate, a second gate and a third gate. The first gate is located on one edge of the base, the second gate and the third gate are located on an opposite edge of the base. The polarized grating is formed on the Y type waveguide and adjacent to the first gate of the Y type waveguide. |
| US09279938B2 |
Dual band color filter
A dual band color filter includes a periodic arrangement of metallic dots in a middle transparent medium, having an index of refraction, interposed between a first and a second transparent medium, each having an index of refraction greater than the middle transparent medium index of refraction. The filter accepts visible spectrum light. In response to the periodic arrangement of metallic dots, a surface plasmon mode is generated. In response to a diameter common to all the metallic dots, a local mode is generated, and in response to the combination of the middle, first, and second transparent medium indices of refraction, a waveguide mode is generated. As a result, two distinct wavelength bands of visible spectrum light are transmitted through the bottom surface of the dual band color filter, while attenuating one wavelength band of visible spectrum light. |
| US09279935B2 |
Low macrobending loss single-mode optical fibre
A single-mode transmission optical fiber includes a central core region radially outwardly from a centerline to a radius r1 and having a positive relative refractive index Δ1; a first inner cladding region extending radially outwardly from the central core to a radius r2 and having a negative relative refractive index Δ2; a second inner cladding region extending radially outwardly from the first inner cladding region to a radius r3 and having a non-negative relative refractive index Δ3; an intermediate cladding region extending radially outwardly from the second inner cladding region to a radius r4 having a negative relative refractive index Δ4 larger in absolute value than the relative refractive index Δ2; and an outer cladding region extending radially outwardly from the intermediate cladding region and having a non-negative relative refractive index Δ5; wherein the relative refractive index Δ2 of the first inner cladding region is −0.1·10−3 to −1.0·10−3 and the relative refractive index Δ4 of the intermediate cladding is −3.0·10−3 to −5.0·10−3. |
| US09279931B2 |
Illuminating device and liquid crystal display apparatus
An illuminating device includes light emitting elements extending in a lengthwise direction and a light guide plate having a first principal surface for emitting light from the light emitting elements and a second principal surface facing the first principal surface. The light guide plate has light guide regions corresponding to the light emitting elements. The light emitting elements overlap the light guide plate on a side of the second principal surface of the light guide plate in plan view. The side of the second principal surface of the light guide plate has first sectional surfaces, on which light originated from each of the light emitting elements is incident. The side of the second principal surface of the light guide plate has second sectional surfaces, each having a reflection surface for reflecting the light originated from each light emitting element toward the first sectional surface, corresponding to the light emitting elements. |
| US09279926B2 |
Infrared shielding film
The infrared shielding film has at least one unit formed by stacking a high-refractive-index layer and a low-refractive-index layer, the layers containing a high-refractive-index material and a low-refractive-index material, respectively. The high-refractive-index layer and the low-refractive-index layer each contains at least one polymer. The infrared shielding film has a mixed region containing the high-refractive-index material and the low-refractive-index material between the high-refractive-index layer and the low-refractive-index layer. The mixing ratio of the high-refractive-index material and the low-refractive-index material continuously changes in the mixed region. The infrared shielding film satisfies a following formula (1) in a visible light wavelength region and at light incident angles of 0°, 40° and 80°: 0.01 ≦σ/ΔAv≦0.12 (1), wherein σ represents a variation in reflectivity, and ΔAv represents an amount of variation in average reflectivity. |
| US09279924B2 |
Color filter substrate and method for producing same
Provided are: a color filter substrate that can improve the uniformity of thickness of color filters, and a method of manufacturing the color filter substrate. The method of manufacturing a color filter substrate includes: forming a plurality of photoresist films in layers on a transparent substrate; exposing said plurality of photoresist films via a photomask; forming a pattern having an opening by developing the plurality of photoresist films after exposure; and discharging ink into the opening. The photosensitivities of the plurality of photoresist films differ from each other. |
| US09279922B2 |
Light reflective film and method for manufacturing the same
An exemplary light reflective film painted on a smooth reflective surface of a metal base includes a composition. The composition consists of curing agents and light reflective powders. The curing agents include acrylic monomers, acrylic urethane oligomers, polyester acrylic modified polyester oligomers and photo initiators. A method for manufacturing the light reflective film is also provided. |
| US09279920B2 |
Reel belt of gaming machine and gaming machine
Provided is a reel unit for a gaming machine which suppresses decrease in visibility of a reel belt due to the formation of image of light source on a reel even if light emission intensity for illuminating the reel is high. It is provided a first light diffusion sheet with translucency having a light refraction surface including a surface formed thereon for refracting light passing therethrough in various directions, the first light diffusion sheet stacked on a base sheet; and a second light diffusion sheet having the light refraction surface, the second light diffusion sheet stacked on the first light diffusion sheet. |
| US09279916B2 |
Optical element, imaging apparatus including the element, and method of manufacturing the optical element
A lens is obtained by injection molding. The lens includes a plurality of projections arranged on a surface at a pitch smaller than or equal to a predetermined value to reduce reflection of light with a wavelength equal to or greater than the pitch, and a gate mark formed on an outer periphery of the optical element in the injection molding. A peripheral portion of the surface includes a first region whose circumferential position corresponds to the gate mark, and a second region being adjacent to the first region. Axes of first projections in the first region are inclined more outward than axes of second projections in the second region. |
| US09279915B1 |
Self patterning plasmonic array structures
A selective area atomic layer deposition process and apparatus that can deposit conductive materials onto one homopolymer region in a diblock copolymer. The diblock copolymer generates a large area self assembled substrate with nanoscale homopolymer regions arrayed into predictable patterns. Combining these two technologies allows formation of plasmonic surfaces without expensive lithographic processing. |
| US09279909B2 |
Method for polarizing a terahertz electromagnetic wave using a polarizer
This disclosure provides a new method for polarizing an electromagnetic wave having a frequency of not less than 0.1 THz and not more than 0.8 THz using a polarizer. The method comprises: a step (a) of preparing the polarizer; wherein the polarizer comprises a sapphire single crystalline layer and a CaxCoO2 crystalline layer, the CaxCoO2 crystalline layer is stacked on the sapphire single crystalline layer, a surface of the CaxCoO2 crystalline layer has a (010) surface orientation, and the CaxCoO2 crystalline layer has a thickness of not less than 2 micrometers and not more than 20 micrometers; and a step (b) of irradiating the polarizer with the electromagnetic wave having a frequency of not less than 0.1 THz and not more than 0.8 THz to output an output wave having only a component parallel to a c-axis direction of the sapphire single crystalline layer. |
| US09279907B2 |
Epoxide and thioepoxide functional, polymerizable compositions and methods of preparing optical articles therefrom
Provided is a thioepoxide functional polymerizable composition comprising a reaction product of thiourea and an epoxide functional, polymerizable composition. The epoxide functional, polymerizable composition comprises a reaction product prepared from a reaction mixture comprising: (a) a monomer comprising at least one ethylenically unsaturated ester functional monomer having an epoxide functional group; and (b) a compound having two or more thiol groups. The reactants (a) and (b) are reacted via a Michael addition reaction in the presence of a base to form an epoxide functional reaction product. Also provided are methods of preparing an optical article using the polymerizable compositions. |
| US09279906B2 |
Microstructure film
The present invention is directed to a microstructure film comprising an area of microstructures and two edge areas, wherein the height of the highest part in the edge areas exceeds the height of the highest point in the microstructures, preferably by about 1 μm to about 1 mm. The application also describes how such a film may be manufactured. |
| US09279905B2 |
Method for extracting a thumbnail image from a training image so as to constrain the multipoint geostatistical modeling of the subsoil
According to the invention, in order to initialize the use of a multipoint geostatistical technique (MPS), the method takes information, which was collected in wells drilled in the area of the subsoil to be modeled, into account. Particularly, the method takes inter-well connectivity data into account, which indicate one or more groups of cells of a reservoir grid that are located along a plurality of wells and between which hydrodynamic communications have been observed. For each of said groups, compatible thumbnail images are searched for in a training image used in the MPS technique. Said thumbnail images have, in the training image, facies that enable the flows between the cells of the group. The thumbnail images are applied onto the reservoir grid in order to initialize MPS simulation while ensuring that the inter-well connectivity constraints will be respected. |
| US09279901B2 |
Cargo inspection system
The present invention is a cargo inspection system, employing a radiation source, capable of scanning vehicles and/or cargo in a wide range of sizes, including conventional imaging areas as well as taller and bulkier enclosures at sufficiently optimal efficacy and overall throughput. In one embodiment, the present invention is a multiple pass inspection method for inspecting vehicles and their cargo, comprising a first pass scan, wherein said first pass scan includes moving a radiation source at a suitable scanning distance, rotating a radiation source at a suitable scanning angle, and moving said radiation source along an object under inspection. |
| US09279897B2 |
Locating oil or gas passively by observing a porous oil and gas saturated system giving off its characteristic resonance response to ambient background noise, including optional differentiation of oil, locatinggas and water
This patent deals with methods to extract and analyze seismic signals due to resonance phenomena in an enclosed oil, gas, or water reservoir, which are passively excited by seismic background noise, locating thereby the presence of the reservoir by doing qualitative and quantitative estimates via forward modeling. Measurements are first used in a qualitative analysis in eight steps. The influence of gas bubbles is important. A quantitative method in form of a numerical simulation using one of several specific physical concepts is used for further analysis. By using successive forward modeling, together with investigation and feedback and in conjunction with the Monte Carlo method, more details are gained. It is also possible to determine the fluid type. The uniqueness of the methods is first that it is purely passive; second it is directly sensitive to the oil or gas, because the resonance effect is only present for a fluid. |
| US09279894B2 |
Systems and methods for neutron detection using scintillator nano-materials
In one embodiment, a neutron detector includes a three dimensional matrix, having nanocomposite materials and a substantially transparent film material for suspending the nanocomposite materials, a detector coupled to the three dimensional matrix adapted for detecting a change in the nanocomposite materials, and an analyzer coupled to the detector adapted for analyzing the change detected by the detector. In another embodiment, a method for detecting neutrons includes receiving radiation from a source, converting neutrons in the radiation into alpha particles using converter material, converting the alpha particles into photons using quantum dot emitters, detecting the photons, and analyzing the photons to determine neutrons in the radiation. |
| US09279893B2 |
Radiation imaging control apparatus, radiation imaging system and radiation imaging apparatus, and method for controlling the same
A radiation imaging control apparatus, which is communicable with a radiation imaging apparatus including a radiation sensor and capable of acquiring an X-ray moving image, includes a first communication unit configured to communicate with the radiation imaging apparatus via Ethernet communication, a second communication unit configured to communicate with the radiation imaging apparatus via at least a pair of bidirectional serial optical communication lines, a first control unit configured to cause the first communication unit to transmit a first signal for setting at least one parameter to the radiation imaging apparatus, a second control unit configured to cause the second communication unit to output data of the X-ray moving image received from the radiation imaging apparatus to an image processing unit, and transmit a second signal for some settings to the radiation imaging apparatus. |
| US09279888B2 |
System for online/offline singles-pairing with keeping/rejecting multi-coincidences for positron emission tomography
A method of processing, by a processor of a computer, positron emission tomography (PET) information obtained from a PET detector, including the steps of obtaining a singles event list that includes a plurality of single event entries, each entry corresponding to a single event detected by the PET detector and including a timestamp, energy information, and crystal position information; and determining, based on the timestamp and the crystal position information of each entry and a predetermined coincidence time period, all event pairs within the plurality of single event entries, each event pair consisting of two single events whose respective timestamps differ by less than the predetermined coincidence time period, wherein the determining step determines that an event pair exists when at least two, but no more than k, single events are found within a given time window, wherein k is an integer value greater than or equal to two. |
| US09279886B2 |
Receiving positioning signals at different frequencies
A method and a receiver for receiving positioning signals are disclosed. The positioning signals are received from a plurality of first sources in a first frequency range and from a plurality of second sources in a second frequency range different from the first frequency range. The receiver is switched between the first and second frequency ranges to receive the positioning signals, and the receiver obtains time offset information about a time taken to switch the receiver between the first and second frequency ranges, by obtaining a solution to a set of simultaneous equations based on combined navigation data for the first and second sources. |
| US09279884B2 |
Method and device for estimating direction of arrival
A method for determining a DOA (Direction of Arrival) comprises the following steps: (a) providing at least two antennas arranged with a squint angle; (b) producing at least two base beams between two adjacent base beams; (c) every two virtual beams of the multiple virtual beams which cross together at a specific angle are define to a virtual beam set; (d) synthesizing the two virtual beams of each one of the virtual beam sets to be a monopulse; and (e) determining the DOA of the object according to comparison between magnitude of demodulated signals corresponding to the monopulses. A device for estimating a DOA is also disclosed. |
| US09279883B2 |
Method and device for radar applications
A device for radar applications includes a computing engine, a radar acquisition unit connected to the computing engine, a timer unit connected to the computing engine, a cascade input port, and a cascade output port. The cascade input port is configured to convey an input signal to the computing engine and the cascade output port is configured to convey an output signal from the computing engine. Further, an according system, a radar system, a vehicle with such radar system and a method are provided. |
| US09279882B2 |
Machine sensor calibration system
A sensor calibration system for a mobile machine is disclosed. The sensor calibration system may have a positioning device configured to determine a desired sensing location on the mobile machine, a calibration object, and a sensor configured to sense a characteristic of the calibration object from an actual sensing location on the mobile machine and to generate a corresponding signal. The sensor calibration system may also have a controller in communication with the sensor and the positioning device. The controller may be configured to compare the characteristic sensed from the actual sensing location to a known characteristic associated with the desired sensing location, and to determine a difference between the actual sensing location and the desired sensing location based on the comparison. The controller may further be configured to correct subsequent signals generated by the sensor based on the difference. |
| US09279880B2 |
Electrically small, range and angle-of-arrival RF sensor and estimation system
An RF emitter sensing device is provided comprising an antenna circuit and an estimator configured to output, for one or more incoming signals-of-interest (SoI), either or both of an estimated range to the emitter of each SoI, and estimates for one or more angles corresponding to the 3D angle-of-arrival (AoA) of each SoI, wherein: the antenna circuit has a plurality of ports that each output an output signal containing the one or more SoI, the antenna circuit including one or more multi-port antennas, each multi-port antenna having two or more ports, each multi-port antenna being configured to pick up a combination of one or more E-field signals and one or more H-field signals from each SoI, in a common volume of space. |
| US09279879B2 |
Positioning in the presence of passive distributed elements
Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate transmitting positioning reference signals (PRS) differently for passive distributed elements. PRSs for passive distributed elements can be transmitted over disparate resources than those utilized for PRSs at a related access point, using different symbol sequences, and/or the like. In this regard, wireless devices can differentiate between PRSs from access points and those from passive distributed elements, which can mitigate confusion for processes involving such RSs, such as position determining. Alternatively, passive distributed elements can refrain from transmitting PRSs, and a corresponding access point can indicate to wireless devices to only determine positioning based on PRSs. Thus, the wireless devices can utilize the PRSs transmitted from the access point (and not other reference signals transmitted from the passive distributed element) to determine a position. |
| US09279878B2 |
Locating a mobile device
Identifying a location of a mobile device is disclosed (e.g., presuming user consent to the same). One or more received signal strengths (RSSs), comprising a first RSS, may be received by a first access point (AP) from the mobile device. The RSSs may be used to identify a grid area, comprising a first grid space. A signal distance between the first grid space and the first AP may be identified using the first RSS, and combined with a first grid space distance, comprising a known distance between the first grid space and the first AP, to determine a first grid space likelihood score for the first grid space. A second grid space likelihood score may be determined for a second grid space (e.g., and a third, etc.), and the grid space comprising a desired grid space likelihood score (e.g., highest) may be selected as the mobile device location. |
| US09279876B2 |
System for orienting and positioning an electromagnetic receiver
A transmitting beacon (4) having at least two transmitting current loops (6.1, 6.2, 6.3) that are mutually orthogonal and capable of transmitting electromagnetic waves (5.1, 5.2, 5.3), as well as means (7) for supplying power to the transmitting current loops (6.1, 6.2, 6.3) in series is disclosed. |
| US09279864B2 |
Sensor device and sensor arrangement
A vertical Hall sensor structure according to an embodiment includes a Hall effect region arranged between a first interface and a second interface of the Hall effect region, a first contact, a second contact, a third contact, and a fourth contact, the first, second, third and fourth contacts being closer to the first interface than to the second interface and in contact with the Hall effect region, wherein an electrical resistance between the first and second contacts is substantially equal to an electrical resistance between the third and second contacts, a conductive layer closer to the second interface than to the first interface and in contact with the Hall effect region, the conductive layer comprising a higher conductivity than the Hall effect region, wherein a resistance between the fourth contact and the conductive layer is lower than a resistance between the second contact and the conductive layer. |
| US09279861B2 |
Apparatus for testing switching of power semiconductor module
Disclosed herein is an apparatus for testing switching of a power semiconductor module, including: a power semiconductor module including a plurality of power semiconductor devices corresponding to a plurality of phases to test a switching operation of a corresponding power semiconductor device; a power supply unit supplying power to the power semiconductor module; a relay switching unit including a plurality of relay switch devices that connects or disconnects between the power semiconductor module and the power supply unit according to a relay control signal; and a control unit controlling the relay switching unit to test on/off characteristics of at least one of the plurality of power semiconductor devices individually or simultaneously, By this configuration, the on/off operations of the plurality of power semiconductor devices are tested individually or simultaneously by the control of the plurality of relay switch devices, thereby improving the user convenience and reducing the test time. |
| US09279858B2 |
Cubicle type gas insulated switchgear monitoring and diagnosis system
The disclosure relates to a cubicle type gas insulated switchgear monitoring and diagnosis system that is able to remotely monitor and diagnose the state by measuring and analyzing in real time deterioration of a gas section and the operation state and the integrity assessment of a breaking unit in a cubicle gas insulated switchgear. The system includes the cubicle gas insulated switchgear, a Slave Data Acquisition System connected to the cubicle gas insulated switchgear, and a Master Data Acquisition System that determines deterioration of the cubicle type gas insulated switchgear and the operation state and the integrity assessment of the breaking unit by receiving and analyzing the sensing data from the S-DAS. |
| US09279853B2 |
Test probe card structure
A test probe card structure includes a probe card and a connection circuit common plate. The probe card includes a probe substrate, A test circuit board is disposed between the probe substrate and the connection circuit common plate, The test circuit board has a lest circuit connection section attached to and electrically connected with a common circuit adaptation section of the connection circuit common plate. A circuit extension section is formed around the connection circuit common plate, which is all-channel electrically connectable between a tester and the teat circuit connection section. The connection circuit common plate serves to provide an all-channel test circuit convergence connection ability for the test circuit board so as to greatly minify the size of the test circuit board and lower the manufacturing cost of the probe card. |
| US09279851B2 |
Structures and methods for testing integrated circuits and via chains therein
An exemplary structure for testing an integrated circuit includes a semiconductor substrate and first and second via chains disposed over the substrate. The via chains include a substantially same sequence of segments interconnected at N via regions by a respective first and second via arrangement. The first via arrangement includes MN first vias at each respective via region and the second via arrangement includes MN+KN second vias at each respective via region. The first via arrangement is different than the second via arrangement and KN≧1 for at least one via region. The structure includes a voltage sensing apparatus in electrical connection with each via chain and configured to drive a first constant current through the first via chain and to drive a second constant current through the second via chain to measure a differential voltage between the via chains. |
| US09279850B1 |
Physically unclonable functions with enhanced margin testing
Apparatus for identifying stable physically unclonable function (PUF) cells includes an array of PUF cells, a bias control circuit, and a selector circuit. The bias control circuit has a plurality of bias control lines that apply one or more bias control signals to each PUF cell in the array of PUF cells. The selector circuit selects a subset of the PUF cells in the array of PUF cells based on whether outputs of the PUF cells in the array of PUF cells change in response to application of the bias control signals. A corresponding method is also disclosed. |
| US09279843B2 |
Charge transfer circuit for capacitive sensing
A charge transfer circuit for capacitive sensing is disclosed. The charge transfer circuit for capacitive sensing includes a variable capacitor, an X-drive unit, and an active output voltage feedback (AVF) part. The variable capacitor is disposed between the output terminal of an X-drive line and the input terminal of a Y-drive line. The X-drive unit is connected between the input unit of the X-drive line and a voltage input terminal. The active output voltage feedback (AVF) part is connected between the output terminal of the Y-drive line and a voltage output terminal. The output terminal of the AVF part is connected to the output terminal of the Y-drive line. |
| US09279836B2 |
Device for measuring the direct component of alternating current
The invention relates to a device for measuring the direct component of alternating current, applicable in current measuring systems where a low direct component of alternating current and a high amplitude of the alternating component of alternating current occur. The device for measuring the direct component of alternating current comprises a current-carrying wire (1) around which there is located a magnetic core (2) provided with a gap (3) in which a magnetic field sensor (4) with insulated terminals (5) is located and it comprises a shorted compensating winding (6) or (9) which is made in the form of a single turn coil placed on the core (2). |
| US09279834B2 |
High-voltage sensor with axially overlapping electrodes and local field sensors
A voltage sensor includes an insulator with mutually insulated electrodes embedded therein. The electrodes are coaxial and cylindrical and overlap axially along part of their lengths. They are mutually staggered and control the surfaces of electric equipotential such that there is a substantially homogeneous electric field outside the insulator and a substantially homogeneous but higher field within a sensing cavity within the insulator. A field sensor is arranged within the sensing cavity to locally measure the field. This design allows for the production of compact voltage sensors for high voltage applications. |
| US09279833B2 |
Online alternating current detection device and method
Disclosed are an online alternating current detection device and method. The method includes the following steps: firstly fixedly connecting two sampling points to a segment of wire; amplifying the voltage difference of the sampling points to obtain a median value; subsequently rectifying and filtering and amplifying the median to obtain a direct current amplified value; then utilizing the amplified value, the median value, the multiplying power there between and the resistance value of the wire between the two sampling points to calculate an estimated value of an alternating current; comparing the estimated value to a reference value measured by a standard device between the two sampling points; then adjusting the multiplying power of the amplified value relative to the median until the estimated value coincides with the reference value, only then can the alternating current be measured online. The present solution employs a microvolt voltage measurement manner, there is no need to perform sampling processing in auxiliary components besides an online wire, so there is no need to consider the measuring range, power consumption, cost and specification problems of the auxiliary components, and the performance is stable with good consistency. At the same time, the security is good and the measuring range is wide. |
| US09279831B2 |
Probe card and fabricating method thereof
A probe card includes a circuit board and an integrated circuit (IC) test interface. The IC test interface includes a first probe assembly, disposed on a terminal of the circuit board, and a second probe assembly, disposed on another terminal of the circuit board, wherein the first probe assembly and the second probe assembly are separated to allow being independently assembled to, or disassembled from, the circuit board. Each of the first probe assembly and the second probe assembly includes a probe base, disposed on the circuit board; a plurality of needles, which are cantilever needles; and a covering layer, for covering the plurality of needles, and fixed on a surface of the probe base. |
| US09279830B2 |
Test probe structures and methods including positioning test probe structures in a test head
The formation of test probe structures is described. One test probe structure includes a tip portion and a handle portion spaced a distance away from the tip portion. The test probe structure also includes a body bend portion positioned between the tip portion and the handle portion, and an intermediate portion positioned between the body bend portion and the handle portion. The body bend portion may include a curved shape extending from the intermediate portion to the tip portion. The tip portion may be formed to be offset from a longitudinal axis defined by the intermediate portion. The test probe structure defines a length and includes a cross-sectional area that is different at a plurality of positions along the length. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US09279817B2 |
Carbofluorescein lactone ion indicators and their applications
Fluorescent dyes useful for preparing fluorescent metal ion indicators, the fluorescent indicators themselves, and the use of the fluorescent indicators for the detection, discrimination and quantification of metal cations are provided. |
| US09279808B2 |
Method of detecting and identifying circulating antigens in human biological samples
Disclosed herein is a method of detecting and identifying antigens that are shed into human bodily fluids during infection. The disclosed method allows circulating antigens associated with a particular infection to be detected within minutes or hours from testing as compared to days required with the current methods. Methods of identifying diagnostic indicators/targets for a given condition or disease are disclosed which include immunizing a verterinary subject with biological fluids obtained from a human infected with particular antigens to identify diagnostic targets for immunoassay. Also disclosed are methods of diagnosing and monitoring a B. pseudomallei-associated condition, such as melioidosis. Point-of-care immunoassays are also provided that can be used to diagnose or monitor the efficacy of a B. pseudomallei-associated condition treatment. These immunoassays can also be used for rapid diagnosis of infection produced by B. pseudomallei, such as meliodosis. |
| US09279805B2 |
Small molecule-dependent split aptamer ligation
Methods, assays, and products for the detection of small molecules are provided. In one aspect, for example, a method of detecting a small molecule in a sample can include reacting together a first half of a DNA split aptamer having a first reactive group coupled thereto, a second half of a DNA split aptamer having a second reactive group coupled thereto, where the DNA split aptamer is selective for the small molecule, and a sample containing the small molecule. The first half and the second half bind to the small molecule and the first reactive group and the second reactive group react to form an aptamer ligation product of the first half and the second half. The method can also include assaying for the aptamer ligation product in order to detect the small molecule presence in the sample. |
| US09279802B2 |
Cell sorter and cell sorting method
A cell sorter including a well that has a microspace filled with a liquid and having a typical length of 1 mm or less, and that has a bottom surface made of a light-permeable material allowing optical observation of an interior of the microspace; a matrix provided on the bottom surface in the well; a bone fragment placed on the matrix in the well; and osteoclasts placed between the matrix and the bone fragment. |
| US09279800B2 |
Apparatus, method, system for the determination of the aggregation rate of red blood cells
The present invention generally relates to an apparatus, method, system for the determination of the aggregation rate of red blood cells. More specifically, the invention concerns a method, system, and the relative apparatus used to determine the aggregation rate of red blood cells, and other parameters related to these, such as viscosity, deformability, elasticity, density, in the field of in vitro medical analyses, using optical systems after or during inducted forces for red blood cell disruption and redistribution generated by ultrasound waves. |
| US09279798B2 |
Deep-MALDI TOF mass spectrometry of complex biological samples, e.g., serum, and uses thereof
A method of analyzing a biological sample, for example serum or other blood-based samples, using a MALDI-TOF mass spectrometer instrument is described. The method includes the steps of applying the sample to a sample spot on a MALDI-TOF sample plate and directing more than 20,000 laser shots to the sample at the sample spot and collecting mass-spectral data from the instrument. In some embodiments at least 100,000 laser shots and even 500,000 shots are directed onto the sample. It has been discovered that this approach, referred to as “deep-MALDI”, leads to a reduction in the noise level in the mass spectra and that a significant amount of additional spectral information can be obtained from the sample. Moreover, peaks visible at lower number of shots become better defined and allow for more reliable comparisons between samples. |
| US09279789B2 |
Chromatography column distribution system
A chromatography column distribution system includes a set of first bed support ribs extending radially from an inner, first radial position near the centre of the plate to an outer radial position nearer to the periphery of the plate and at least one set of intermediate bed support ribs starting at an intermediate radial position and extending to an outer radial position nearer to the periphery of the plate. Channels are formed between adjacent bed support ribs. The desired local effective channel height varies in accordance with a predetermined formula from the first radial position to the outer radial position. The transverse cross-sectional areas of the ribs or the channels are adapted such that the actual local effective channel height is within 15% of the desired local effective channel height over portions of the distribution system situated between the first radial position and the outer radial position. The length of the portions correspond to at least 80% of the distance between the first and outer radial position and the outer radial position. |
| US09279787B2 |
Crankshaft flaw detection device
A crankshaft flaw detection device (1) used for detecting flaws in the crank pin, web, and fillet section of a crankshaft comprises: a pair of shaft flaw detection heads (2, 3) configured so as to be capable of sandwiching the crank pin (C2) therebetween, and having a first probe (2b) capable of detecting flaws on the shaft surface of the crank pin (C2) or a second probe (3b) capable of detecting flaws in a fillet section at the base of the shaft; and a perpendicular surface flaw detection head (4) configured so as to be capable of coming in contact with the crank pin (C2) and having a third probe (4b) capable of detecting flaws in the side surface of the web (C3). The crankshaft flaw detection device (1) is characterized by the perpendicular surface flaw detection head (4) and the pair of shaft flaw detection heads (2, 3) being movable within the perpendicular surface |
| US09279786B2 |
Method of and an apparatus conducting calibration for phased-array shear wave channels inspecting square bars
Disclosed is a system and method suitable for calibrating a phased array system configured to inspect square bars. A square bar is provided with an array of parallel linear notches across the full range of the testing surface of the square bar for this calibrating purpose. The square bar is passed through the probe in probe's passive direction during the calibration. The phased array system is adjusted and calibrated so that the echo amplitude for each inspection channel of the phased array probe received from each notch is substantially equal. Then a known flaw with a typically expected flaw's size and shape is created on the same testing surface so that the system's sensitivity is adjusted using the amplitude of the echo signal from the known flaw as a baseline. |
| US09279784B2 |
Durability enhanced and redundant embedded sensors
A substantially planar eddy-current sensor having durability enhancing pillars in an active region is provided. The pillars are distributed and sized so as to have limited effect on the sensor's performance. When the sensor is mounted on a component such that the sensor experiences forces on a top and bottom surface, the pillars bear the load reducing the load bore by the active elements (e.g., drive winding, sense elements). A sensor with redundant drive windings and/or redundant sense elements is disclosed. The redundant elements may be connected to separate electronics. Another aspect relates to providing a reference transformer for calibration of a sensor. The secondary windings of the reference transformer are connected in series with the sense elements of the sensor to be calibrated. Transimpedance measurements are made when the drive winding of the reference transformer is excited. The measurements are used to correct transimpedance measurements made when the drive winding of the sensor is excited. A system having an impedance analyzer and a plurality of multiplexing units is disclosed for monitoring a plurality of sensor. Each multiplexing units directs an excitation signal to the drive winding of a respective sensor and returns, serially, the sense element responses back to the impedance analyzer. The system coordinates the excitation of each sensor and return of the sensor response to share a serial network. The multiplexing units may have a reference transformer for calibration of their respective sensors. Optical communication may be used. |
| US09279783B2 |
Apparatus for detecting crack using heterogeneous magnetic sensors
Disclosed herein are an apparatus and a method for detecting a crack. The apparatus includes a power supply unit, a sensor module, and a signal reception module. The power supply unit supplies power. The sensor module receives the input power from the power supply unit, and outputs sensing power corresponding to the magnetic field of an object to be measured. The signal reception unit converts the sensing power output from the sensor module into a quantitative value, and computes the distribution of the magnetic field. The sensor module includes a first sensor array configured to detect magnetic field vectors in a direction vertical to a sensor surface, and a second sensor array placed on the first sensor array in an overlapping manner and configured to detect magnetic field vectors in a direction lateral with respect to the sensor surface. |
| US09279781B2 |
Measuring arrangement and method for registering an analyte concentration in a measured medium
A measuring arrangement for registering a measured variable representing concentration of an analyte in a measured medium, includes: a first electrode modified with a redox active substance, a second electrode, and a measuring circuit, which comprises a voltage source for applying at least one predetermined voltage between the first electrode and a reference, and an apparatus for registering electrical current flowing, in such case, between the first electrode and the second electrode or for registering a variable correlated with the electrical current flowing between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the second electrode is modified with the same redox active substance as the first electrode. |
| US09279779B2 |
Method for identifying a crystallographic candidate phase of a crystal
According to the invention a method is provided for identifying a crystallographic candidate phase of a crystal in an EBSD diffraction pattern, which includes the following steps: Sorting and indexing of the bands of the diffraction pattern in order of decreasing intensity. Providing of indices of the diffraction bands of candidate phases, which are to be expected as a result of the EBSD pattern acquisition, in a database, wherein all the indices provided can, in each case, be assigned to a candidate phase. Identification of the expected bands with the bands measured in the diffraction pattern for each candidate phase. Comparison of the intensities of bands of the measured diffraction pattern with intensities which were predicted for the diffraction bands of the candidate phases, which are to be expected as a result of the EBSD pattern acquisition, the indices of said candidate phases being stored in the database. In addition, a corresponding computer program and a computer-readable storage medium are provided, on which a computer program according to the invention is stored. |
| US09279774B2 |
Wafer inspection
Systems configured to inspect a wafer are provided. One system includes an illumination subsystem configured to simultaneously form multiple illumination areas on the wafer with substantially no illumination flux between each of the areas. The system also includes a scanning subsystem configured to scan the multiple illumination areas across the wafer. In addition, the system includes a collection subsystem configured to simultaneously and separately image light scattered from each of the areas onto two or more sensors. Characteristics of the two or more sensors are selected such that the scattered light is not imaged into gaps between the two or more sensors. The two or more sensors generate output responsive to the scattered light. The system further includes a computer subsystem configured to detect defects on the wafer using the output of the two or more sensors. |
| US09279770B2 |
Mid-infrared imaging of microarrays
Described herein are methods for mid-infrared imaging of nucleic acid microarrays by employing mid-infrared reflective labels combined with detection in the reflection mode. The methods described herein provide intrinsic image contrast, and permit detection of DNA microarray hybridization on infrared absorbing substrates such as glass slides. |
| US09279766B2 |
Information terminal device and object identification device
An information terminal device (100) comprises a light source (171) that directs light at a display face on which a display component (110) is disposed, an object detecting sensor (170) that receives light from the display face, and a controller (300) that determines whether or not a sheet (180) has been affixed to the display face on the basis of the output from the object detecting sensor (170). |
| US09279762B2 |
Apparatus and method for measuring semiconductor carrier lifetime
In a semiconductor carrier lifetime measuring apparatus A1 of the present invention, at least two types of light having mutually different wavelengths are irradiated onto a semiconductor X to be measured, a predetermined measurement wave is irradiated onto the semiconductor X to be measured, a reflected wave of the measurement wave that has been reflected by the semiconductor X to be measured or a transmitted wave of the measurement wave that has transmitted through the semiconductor X to be measured is detected, and the carrier lifetime in the semiconductor X to be measured is obtained based on the detection results so as to minimize the error. Accordingly, the semiconductor carrier lifetime measuring apparatus A1 configured as described above can more accurately measure the carrier lifetime. |
| US09279757B2 |
Blood measuring apparatus
A blood measuring apparatus includes: a first chamber which includes a first wall provided with an aperture and in which diluted blood is contained; a second chamber which includes the first wall, a second wall opposed to the first wall and a peripheral wall and in which diluting solution is contained, the first and second chambers communicating with each other through the aperture; first and second electrodes which are disposed in the first and second chambers, respectively; a measuring unit which performs a blood measurement by causing a current to flow between the first and second electrodes; a diluting solution supplying unit which supplies diluting solution along a part of the peripheral wall which is adjacent to a peripheral edge of the first wall; and a sucking unit which sucks the diluting solution from the second wall. |
| US09279754B1 |
Method and apparatus for testing a cable
Method and apparatus for testing a cable call for extending the cable along a route having at least one curved portion, applying tension in an axial direction to the sheath of the extended cable so as to elongate the sheath, perturbing the tensioned cable in an axial direction and determining whether the perturbations to the tensioned cable have caused any structural distortions in the cable. |
| US09279750B2 |
Method and composition for staining and sample processing
The present disclosure relates to a staining methodology employing a particle contrast agent composition capable of rapidly staining cells in a single step. The particle contrast agent composition can be comprised of a combination of one or more particle contrast agents, one or more permeabilizing agents, and one or more fixing agents. The particle contrast agent composition can include Crystal Violet, New Methylene Blue, Saponin, and Gluteraldehyde. |
| US09279747B2 |
Collection device and material
Swabs, and materials of the present disclosure, and methods of making same, include randomly arranged sea-island bicomponent fibers which have randomly splayed terminal ends. |
| US09279745B2 |
Microtome
A microtome has a blade holder on which a blade is mounted, an anti-roll device for supporting a section preparation that has been produced by means of the blade, and a suction device by means of which the section preparation can be picked up by suction and carried off. The suction device has a nozzle, with an adjustably mounted nozzle body, and a suction channel. Provision is made that the anti-roll device is mounted on the nozzle body and is adjustable, in particular pivotable, together therewith. |
| US09279743B2 |
Inspection method for inspecting electric drive apparatus
An inspection method of the present invention performs a step of giving the electric motor an instructing for rotating a foot shaft in a reverse direction and checking whether the foot shaft is rotating in the reverse direction, and a step of checking whether hydraulic pressure acting on the hydraulic pump has reached a predetermined pressure level. By checking a rotating direction of the electric motor, it is possible to check electrical connections. By checking the hydraulic pressure, it is possible to check whether there is any trouble in a hydraulic system. Namely, the present invention can perform an electrical connection check and a hydraulic pressure check in a collective fashion. |
| US09279742B1 |
System and method of measurement frequency shifting to isolate external environmental conditions for interferometric dispersion measurements
A system and method including a semiconductor laser source configured to output radiation over a range of wavelengths at a prescribed rate to a device under test. The prescribed rate is sufficiently above environmental frequency bands. A detector is configured to detect output radiation from the device under test to obtain a detected signal associated with at least one physical property associated with the incident radiation over the range of wavelengths at the prescribed rate. The detected signal includes environmental signal and target signal from the device under test. A processor isolates the environmental signal from the detected signal; and processes the target signal to obtain dispersion information of the device under test. A system output is configured to output the dispersion information of the device under test. |
| US09279738B1 |
Method and apparatus for detecting and monitoring oil spills and leaks
A leak alarm system for a petroleum pipeline includes one or more detectors installed in the ground adjacent to a pipeline, each detector having a tubular enclosure with a diode light source and photosensor located at the opposed end of the tube. The tubular enclosure is fabricated of a microporous material that has microfiltration properties: it is hydrophobic, so that soil water will not enter the enclosure, but also oleophilic to enable petroleum and related substances migrate through the material of the tubular enclosure and accumulate therein. The petroleum-like materials scatter the beam and diminish the sensor signal, causing a leak alarm signal to be generated. |
| US09279737B2 |
Test system and method for flexible containers
A portable flexible container integrity test device for conducting integrity testing of flexible containers is disclosed. The test device is particularly useful for testing aseptic flexible film bags in a manner that maintains the sterile nature of the container and removes crinkles by inflating the containers to remove crinkles and establish an inflation set point. The test device includes a programmable logic controller (PLC), a pressure transducer in electronic communication with the PLC, a power source configured to provide electrical power to the PLC, a blower in electronic communication with the PLC, a gas delivery pathway in selective fluid communication with the blower, and a human/machine interface in electronic communication with the PLC. The device is portable and configured to fluidly connect to a flexible container via the gas delivery pathway. |
| US09279723B2 |
Terahertz spectroscopy system and method
A terahertz spectrometer includes: a terahertz-wave emitter and a terahertz receiver elements. The terahertz wave generated by means of generating beat frequency corresponding to the difference between two rapidly tunable continuous wave lasers. Having a difference in time between the interrogating signal and the reference signal at the receiver end side, which corresponds to intermediate frequency (IF), not centered around the baseband, i.e. zero Hertz. The offset step size of the intermediate frequency from zero Hertz is linearly correlated to the position of the interrogated object position. |
| US09279722B2 |
Optical emission system including dichroic beam combiner
An optical emission spectrometer system includes a light source and a dichroic beam combiner. The light source emits first light in a first direction and second light in a second direction different from the first direction. The dichroic beam combiner receives the first light via a first light path and the second light via a second light path, reflects a portion the first light into an entrance aperture of a light detection and measurement apparatus, and transmits a portion of the second light into the entrance aperture, enabling analysis and measurement of both first and second light characteristics simultaneously. The portion of the first light reflected into the entrance aperture predominately has wavelengths in a first range of wavelengths and the portion of the second light transmitted into the entrance aperture predominately has wavelengths in a second range of wavelengths, different from the first range of wavelengths. |
| US09279719B2 |
Electric field quantitative measurement system and method
A method and system are provided for making a quantitative measurement of an electric field. A plurality of antennas separated from one another by known distances are arrayed in a region that extends in at least one dimension. A voltage difference between at least one selected pair of antennas is measured. Each voltage difference is divided by the known distance associated with the selected pair of antennas corresponding thereto to generate a resulting quantity. The plurality of resulting quantities defined over the region quantitatively describe an electric field therein. |
| US09279716B2 |
Acoustic coin sensor
The present subject matter relates to a capacity detector, a waveguide and a manifold for use with a coin sensor as well as methods for sensing a capacity of a coin receptacle. In one aspect, the waveguide for use with a coin sensor comprises an excitation end for receiving an acoustic signal, a horn end for disposition adjacent to a coin receptacle, and a conduit interconnecting the horn end and the excitation end. In embodiments, the horn end of the waveguide may define a horn selected from a tapered horn, an exponential horn, a tractrix horn, or a modified tractrix horn. |
| US09279708B2 |
Ultrasonic flowmeter
An ultrasonic flowmeter includes a plurality of ultrasonic wave elements attached to an outer wall of a pipeline through which a measurement target fluid flows, and configured to transmit and receive an ultrasonic signal, wherein at least one of the ultrasonic wave elements is an ultrasonic wave transmission element and is attached to the outer wall of the pipeline so that an ultrasonic wave transmission surface thereof is in parallel to a pipe axis direction of the pipeline, and another at least one of the ultrasonic wave elements is an ultrasonic wave reception element and is attached to the outer wall of the pipeline so that an ultrasonic wave reception surface thereof is in parallel to the pipe axis direction of the pipeline. |
| US09279706B2 |
Flow area reduction in Vortex flowmeters using bore reduction techniques
Certain embodiments herein relate to configurations for reducing the flow area for fluids traveling through a Vortex flowmeter. Such configurations may establish a minimum required Reynolds number consistent with optimized performance of the Vortex flowmeter. Various configurations for achieving optimized performance may include inserting one or more segments or a streamlined, torpedo-shaped body into a bore of a meter body of the Vortex flowmeter to block a certain cross-sectional area of the bore. By reducing the cross-sectional area of the bore, the Reynolds number of fluids may be increased to the optimized level. Another configuration may include reducing the diameter of the bore of the meter body. Any of these configurations may be implemented to achieve a desired Reynolds number, and hence, optimized performance. Certain embodiments herein also relate to determining or calculating precise or near precise sizes for segment insertions, torpedo body diameters, and diameters of the meter body. |
| US09279704B2 |
Optical encoder light shielding plate, producing method therof, and optical encoder provided therewith
An optical encoder light shielding plate has a plurality of bridge parts provided in parallel, each of the plurality of bridge parts having a metallic layer, and a slit formed between the plurality of bridge parts. The slit is configured to have light incident therefrom. In the metallic layer, a master-side surface on an exposed surface side of a conductive master body is arranged on a light incident direction side. The metallic layer is obtained such that a plurality of cavities are provided in parallel on the exposed surface of the conductive master body. A voltage is applied while the conductive master body is dipped in an electrolytic solution. The metallic layer is electrodeposited on the exposed surface of the conductive master body in the cavities. |
| US09279703B2 |
Encoder and apparatus with the same
The encoder includes a scale provided with a periodic pattern, a sensor relatively movable with respect to the scale and reading the periodic pattern to output analog signals each having a changing period corresponding to the periodic pattern and having mutually different phases, an A/D converter performing time-division analog-to-digital conversion on the analog signals output from the sensor to produce digital signals, and a phase detector detecting a phase from the digital signals. The encoder further includes a corrector calculating a correction value by using a relative movement speed of the scale and the sensor and the detected phase detected by the phase detector, and calculating a corrected phase from the correction value and the detected phase, and a position detector calculating a position in a direction in which the scale and the sensor are relativity moved by using the corrected phase. |
| US09279702B2 |
Circuit and measuring system
A measuring system having a first magnetic field sensor, a second magnetic field sensor, an encoder, and an evaluation circuit to which the first magnetic field sensor and the second magnetic field sensor are connected. The evaluation circuit generates a first signal and a second measurement signal. The encoder generates a second magnetic field change with a second periodicity. The evaluation circuit generates a second signal with the second periodicity from the first measurement signal of the first magnetic field sensor and the second measurement signal of the second magnetic field sensor according to an absolute value function. |
| US09279701B2 |
Method and system for reading utility meters
The present invention relates to a remote meter reading method and system of the type that may be poled by wireless communication. Other remote reading systems require a periodic change of batteries used to supply the power to the communication and other systems used in the remote meters. The present invention mitigates this need by using the water and gas flow into homes or other buildings to generate power used to recharge those batteries. |
| US09279698B2 |
Metering and measuring-point system for measuring and metering electrical power/electricity, and a method
A metering and measuring point system for measuring and metering electrical energy/electricity drawn off and/or fed into a drawing off and/or feeding device at a fixed geographical point by a consumption unit, comprises one or more stationary drawing off and/or feeding devices that are connected to the power supply and configured for drawing off and/or feeding in electrical energy/electricity by means of consumption/generation units and at least one identifiable non-stationary functional unit for measuring and metering electrical energy/electricity that is conductively, via an electric conductor or inductively, drawn off or fed into one or more stationary drawing off and/or feeding devices by consumption/generation units. |
| US09279692B2 |
Optimum route determination with tiling
An optimum route search may be conducted through the use of a tiling overlay on the network of road segments. Overlaying the tiling (grid) over the road segments allows for a reduction of the number of road segments considered for an optimum path as road segments can be evaluated on whether the road segment is part of an optimal path to the borders of a first tile and then successively larger frames of tiles around the initial tile. By reducing the number of road segments considered for the optimum route search to road segments that are part of optimal routes to various tile boundary edges, the computation of the optimum route for the route of interest may be quicker and less resource intensive than efforts to determine optimum routes through other methods. |
| US09279687B2 |
Data security system for a navigation system
A data security system for a navigation system comprising an enabling/disabling unit for enabling or disabling a data transfer from a data memory to a data storage unit of the navigation system, an identification unit for identifying an identification code, such as a vehicle or navigation system identification code, and a comparison unit for comparing these identification codes with identification codes stored in the enabling/disabling unit, where the enabling/disabling unit may enable or disable the data transfer responsive to the comparison. If a vehicle or navigation system identification code is not stored in the enabling/disabling unit, a read/write unit writes an identification code retrieved by an identification unit into the enabling/disabling unit. |
| US09279683B2 |
Real-time aircraft status detection system and method
A low power method for determining whether a cargo destined for air transport is in a flying state having the steps of: providing a housing for attachment to a cargo the housing having: an accelerometer for detecting a linear acceleration, a gyroscope for detecting an angular rate, a controller measuring a linear acceleration with the accelerometer, measuring an angular rate with the gyroscope, providing the measured linear acceleration and angular rate to the controller, and generating a flight status output signal indicating whether the housing is in a flying state as a function of the linear acceleration signal and angular rate signal. |
| US09279682B2 |
Inertial unit having vibrating gyros mounted on a carousel, and an angle-measurement method
An inertial unit comprising an inertial core (3) that is connected to a control unit (50) and that includes three gyros (9, 10, 11) that are mounted relative to one another so as to have sensing axes (X, Y, Z) that are substantially perpendicular to one another, the gyros being vibrating axisymmetric gyros with hemispherical resonators, the unit being characterized in that the core is mounted on a carousel (2) arranged to drive the inertial core in rotation about an axis of rotation (4) at at least one frequency that corresponds to a minimum for spectral error density of the gyros. An angle-measurement method making use of the unit. |
| US09279676B2 |
Parallax based distance measuring device
A distance measuring device includes a first camera and a second camera arranged side by side. The first camera includes a shell, a shaft, a camera module rotatably held in the shell via the shaft, a driver configured for driving the camera module to rotate, and a measuring device configured for measuring an angle that the camera module rotates. The camera module includes an optical axis substantially perpendicular to and intersecting with the shaft. |
| US09279673B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of calibrating warpage testing system to accurately measure semiconductor package warpage
A warpage test system uses a calibration block to calibrate the warpage test system over a temperature profile. The calibration block includes a first metal block bonded to a second metal block. The first metal block includes a first metal and a second different metal. The first metal block includes a CTE different than a CTE of the second metal block. The calibration block is disposed in the warpage test system. A warpage of the calibration block is measured over a temperature profile ranging from 28° C. to 260° C. A deviation between the measured warpage of the calibration block and a known thermal expansion of the calibration block over the temperature profile is recorded. The warpage measurement in a semiconductor package is compensated by the deviation between the measured warpage of the calibration block and the known thermal expansion or warpage of the calibration block over the temperature profile. |
| US09279672B1 |
Flange bolt alignment systems and methods
A flange bolt alignment system has an emitting unit including a beam emitting assembly adapted to emit an incident light beam and a beam reflecting assembly having a pivoting beam reflecting element continually oriented along a vertical axis by gravity; and a light reflecting surface on the beam reflecting element, the light reflecting surface positioned to receive the incident light beam and reflect a reflected light beam along a horizontal axis; and a receiving unit adapted for positioning in adjacent, spaced-apart relationship to the emitting unit. A flange bolt alignment method is also disclosed. |
| US09279671B2 |
Image pickup apparatus with inclination guide display
An image pickup apparatus is disclosed which provides an appropriate inclination guide display in accordance with an aspect ratio of a picked-up image and the like. The image pickup apparatus includes an inclination detector which detects an inclination of the image pickup apparatus, a display device capable of superimposedly showing an inclination guide display corresponding to a detection output from the inclination detector, on a picked-up image, and an aspect ratio setter which sets the aspect ratio of a picked-up image. The apparatus includes a display controller which controls whether or not to show the inclination guide display on the display device on the basis of the aspect ratio set by the aspect ratio setter. |
| US09279670B2 |
Method and device for calibrating and adjusting a vehicle surroundings sensor
A method for adjusting and/or calibrating a surroundings sensor in a vehicle using a measuring unit and a calibration panel. |
| US09279668B2 |
Device and method for the three-dimensional measurement of an object
A device for three-dimensional measurement of an object, with a stereomicroscope of the telescope type, which has a common objective and a first and a second tube lens, a first image sensor, which is assigned to the first tube lens, a second image sensor (8), which is assigned to the second tube lens, and a control unit, which determines the three-dimensional shape of the object from the images obtained with the two image sensors and carries out a predetermined three-dimensional measurement, wherein the stereomicroscope is designed such that the images are obtained with object-side telecentric conditions of the stereomicroscope. |
| US09279665B2 |
Method for measuring film thickness distribution
A method for measuring film thickness distribution, including calculating profile P1 indicating wavelength dependence of a reflectance of a first wafer being an object measured with respect to a light at wavelengths not less than a wavelength region of visible light; calculating profile P21 indicating wavelength dependence of a reflectance of a second wafer to light at wavelengths not less than wavelength region of visible light; obtaining a wavelength λ1 observed when profile P31 of a difference between calculated profiles P1 and P21 becomes zero; and selecting waveband including the obtained wavelength λ1 as a waveband of light for use in film thickness distribution measurement by reflection spectroscopy. The film thickness distribution of the first thin film is measured by reflection spectroscopy in a manner that a surface of the first wafer is irradiated with a light to selectively measure only reflected light at a selected waveband. |
| US09279663B2 |
Method and apparatus to fold optics in tools for measuring shape and/or thickness of a large and thin substrate
A semiconductor measuring tool has a folding mirror configuration that directs a light beam to pass the same space multiple times to reduce the size and footprint. Furthermore, the folding mirrors may reflect the light beam at less than forty-five degrees; thereby allowing for smaller folding mirrors as compared to the prior art. |
| US09279659B2 |
Systems and methods for complex conjugate artifact resolved optical coherence tomography
Systems and methods are disclosed for optical coherence tomography (OCT). For example, imaging can use optical phase modulators based on optical delay lines that, in conjunction with a swept-source laser, can be used to achieve heterodyne swept source optical coherence tomography (SSOCT). These techniques resolve the complex conjugate ambiguity in SSOCT, thereby doubling the usable imaging range. This increased imaging range has numerous important clinical applications in ophthalmology, cardiology and radiology, as well as applications in small animal and non-biological imaging. These methods are superior to prior disclosed methods requiring acousto-optic or electro-optic modulators with respect to complexity, efficiency, imaging speed and image quality. |
| US09279656B2 |
Interferometer and method for controlling the coalescence of a pair of photons
An interferometer for controlling the coalescence of a pair of photons, including: an optical source, which generates a first and a second pump pulse coherent with each other and shifted in time by a delay; and a first interferometric stage, which receives the first pump pulse and generates an antisymmetric state with two coalescent photons (1/√{square root over (2)}(|21,02−|01,22)). The interferometer also includes a second interferometric stage, which receives the second pump pulse and generates a symmetric state with two coalescent photons (1/√{square root over (2)}·(|21,02+|01,22)), the first and the second interferometric stages being connected in a manner such that the interferometer outputs a final state equal to a weighted sum of the antisymmetric state and of the symmetric state (1/√{square root over (2)}·(|21,02+|01,22)+eiτ·1/√{square root over (2)}·(|21,02−|01,22)), the weights of the sum being a function of the delay. |
| US09279655B2 |
Non-contact electrical machine air gap measurement tool
A measuring kit for contactless measuring of the air gap distance between a frame mounted pole and core of a rotor includes a capacitance sensor which generates a signal proportional to the measured air gap, a panel meter in communication with the capacitance sensor which interprets the signal and displays the minimum air gap distance, an A/D converter also in communication with the capacitance sensor which converts the signal to a digitized signal, and a control panel which takes the digitized signal from the A/D converter, processes the digitized signal, and then displays the minimum air gap measurement. The control panel shows a graphic of the core and its surrounding poles to track the progress of the testing, and when the testing between the core and one of the surrounding poles is complete, the graphic of the pole tested visually darkens to indicate that portion of the test is complete. |
| US09279641B1 |
Lightweight penetration resistant structure
Designs and methods are provided for a lightweight ballistic panel. In one exemplary embodiment the ballistic panel comprises a lightweight structural portion comprising a structural core that is substantially rigid in a thickness direction of the ballistic panel, and a first core skin on an exterior facing surface of the structural core. The lightweight ballistic panel may further comprise a ballistic portion adjacent the opposite surface of the lightweight structural portion, the ballistic portion comprising a ballistic composite made of multiple stacked arrays of evenly spaced unidirectional ballistic fiber bundles bonded together in the absence of resin within the fiber bundles. The ballistic portion may further comprise a first ballistic skin on an exterior facing surface of the ballistic portion. |
| US09279640B1 |
Weapon stock integrated network user equipment holder
Apparatuses are provided that include a rifle stock. For example, in one embodiment the stock includes an upper portion. The upper portion includes a proximal end and a distal end. A front portion and a rear portion are connected to the proximal end and the distal end of the upper portion, respectively. A bottom portion is connected to the front portion and rear portion. A first sidewall and a second sidewall are connected to the upper portion, the front portion, the rear portion, and the bottom portion. A channel is provided between the first and second sidewall. The upper portion, the front portion, the rear portion, and the bottom portion further define the channel. The first and second sidewalls include openings for accessing a computer device residing in the channel. |
| US09279639B2 |
Powered forward module
A firearm can have a handguard having an inner section and an outer section with the outer section having circuitry and control devices for controlling electronic devices. The electronic devices can be part of the outer section. The inner section attaches to the firearm similarly to a current art handguard. The outer section attaches to the inner section. Different functionality can be obtained through the attachment of different outer sections to the inner section. The outer section can obtain electrical power from a power supply attached to or integrated with the firearm. The outer section can alternatively receive electrical power from a power supply carried by a person in a back pack or vest. |
| US09279638B2 |
Rifle forend with integrated barrel nut
An embodiment presents a rifle including an upper receiver, a barrel assembly connected to the upper receiver and a forend with an integrated barrel nut. The integrated barrel nut is connected to the barrel assembly such that the forend is directly connected to and aligned with the upper receiver. Another embodiment provides a method for assembling a firearm. The method includes inserting a barrel assembly into an upper receiver. The method also includes threading a forend with an integrated barrel nut over the outer surface of the barrel assembly. The method also includes checking an alignment between the upper receiver and the forend. |
| US09279630B2 |
Locking front sight for a firearm and firearm with locking front sight
A front sight for a weapon, the front sight having: a mounting block; a tower pivotally mounted to the mounting block for movement between a first position and a second position; a first locking mechanism comprising a plurality of spring biased members for retaining the tower in the first position and the second position, the plurality of spring biased members being configured to allow movement of the tower between the first position and the second position in response to a force applied to the tower; and a second locking mechanism configured to lock the tower in the second position, wherein the second locking mechanism must be manually released before the tower can be moved from the second position to the first position. |
| US09279628B1 |
Bolt action conversion kits and methods
The present disclosure relates to kits and associated methods for converting a semi-automatic firearm into a bolt single action firearm, as well as the converted firearm itself. The kit includes a housing (e.g. upper receiver) that accommodates a bolt carrier and a charging handle and a carrier key, if desired. The housing has ends which mount to the existing lower receiver of the semi-automatic firearm to convert the semi-automatic firearm into a manual bolt-action firearm. |
| US09279626B2 |
Plate-fin heat exchanger with a porous blocker bar
The plate-fin heat exchanger includes a first fluid pathway running along a first axis, a second fluid pathway running along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, and a blocker bar having an inlet face and an outlet face. The blocker bar inlet face coincides with a heat exchanger face. The blocker bar is at an inlet of the second fluid pathway and receives a second fluid. The outlet face of the blocker bar is at the inlet of the second fluid pathway. The blocker bar includes a set of spaced apart pores that extend from the inlet face to the outlet face. |
| US09279622B2 |
Heat dissipation device
An exemplary heat dissipation device includes a heat pipe and a fin unit. The heat pipe includes an evaporation section and a condensing section formed at opposite ends thereof, respectively. The fin unit includes plural stacked parallel fins. Each of the fins defines a through hole therein for receiving the condensing section of the heat pipe. A flange extends from a periphery of the through hole. The flange defines two slits to divide the flange into two separate portions. The slits communicate with the through hole. A compressible structure is formed in each fin at opposite sides of the through hole. The compressible structure is aligned with the slits such that when the fin is compressed along a direction transverse to the alignment, the compressible structure is compressed and the separate portions of the flange move toward each other and closely contact the condensing section of the heat pipe. |
| US09279621B2 |
Internal heat exchanger for a motor vehicle air-conditioning system
A heat exchanger for a motor vehicle air-conditioning system includes: an outer tube, and an inner tube. The outer tube has a first path inlet and a first path outlet through which a first fluid is permitted to flow. The inner tube is disposed within the outer tube and has a second path inlet and a second path outlet through which a second fluid is permitted to flow. The inner tube branches off in a first region into at least two heat exchanger tubes. |
| US09279619B2 |
Cooling tower with indirect heat exchanger
A heat exchange apparatus is provided with an indirect evaporative heat exchange section. The indirect evaporative heat exchange section includes a series of serpentine tubes, and an evaporative liquid is passed downwardly onto the indirect heat exchange section. The evaporative liquid is collected in a sump and then pumped upwardly to be distributed again across the indirect heat exchange section. An improved heat exchange apparatus is provided with a top and a bottom indirect evaporative heat exchange section including a series of serpentine tubes A secondary system to distribute evaporative liquid below the first indirect heat exchange section and a direct heat exchange section may be provided between the two indirect heat exchangers. |
| US09279615B2 |
Optimization of nucleation and crystallization for lyophilization using gap freezing
This application discloses devices, articles, and methods useful for producing lyophilized cakes of solutes. The devices and articles provide for a method of freezing liquid solutions of the solute by the top and the bottom of the solution simultaneously. The as frozen solution then provides a lyophilized cake of the solutes with large and uniform pores. |
| US09279612B2 |
Cooler
A cooler for cooling a gaseous medium includes: a housing; a heat exchanger in the housing, the heat exchanger having an inlet portion at a flow inlet side of the heat exchanger, an outlet portion arranged at a flow outlet side of the heat exchanger, and tubes through which a coolant flows and about which gaseous medium to be cooled circulates; at least one inflow, through which the medium to be cooled can be introduced into the housing and fed to the inlet portion of the heat exchanger; at least one drain, through which cooled medium originating from the outlet portion of the heat exchanger can be discharged out of the housing; and at least one perforated plate-like flow homogenization element positioned in the housing at a position upstream of the inlet portion of the heat exchanger, seen in a flow direction of the medium to be cooled. |
| US09279611B2 |
Intelligent refrigerator based on internet of things and application system thereof
An intelligent refrigerator based on the Internet of Things and an application system thereof, relating to the technical field of the Internet of Things, and in particular, to the aspect of intelligent refrigerator system module improvement based on the Internet of Things. The intelligent refrigerator comprises a refrigerator main body and a refrigerator control module which is arranged in the refrigerator main body and used for controlling the operation of the refrigerator main body. The refrigerator main body also comprises a central processing system module, the refrigerator control module being in communication connection with the central processing system module through a UART interface. A touch display module for man-machine interaction, and a network communication module for connecting the Internet network are also connected to the central processing system module. The intelligent refrigerator can realize managing the storage information of foods in a refrigerator in a graphical manner. |
| US09279610B2 |
Storage systems for milk bags
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to storage systems for milk bags. A storage system for milk bags receives milk bags and management of the stored milk bags. The milk bags are stored in compartments for easy storage and retrieval. |
| US09279606B2 |
Accumulator heat exchanger
Disclosure relates to an accumulator heat exchanger. The accumulator heat exchanger is capable of guiding only a gas-phase refrigerant to a compressor by allowing a high pressure refrigerant passing through a condenser to pass through an accumulator and to be heat exchanged with a low pressure refrigerant, thereby promoting evaporation of a liquid-phase refrigerant. |
| US09279605B2 |
Condenser
The invention relates to an insert for a collector of a condenser, having a main body with a sealing lip for abutment against the inner wall of the collector axially between the two flow transfer openings of the collector, having a filter element for the fluid to flow through, having a fluid diverting element, and having a fluid duct such that the fluid diverting element diverts the radially inflowing fluid stream into an axially flowing fluid stream, and the fluid duct conducts the diverted fluid flow to the filter. |
| US09279601B2 |
Solar energy system
A solar energy system includes a solar energy receiver and a matrix of pipes containing a working fluid attached to the bottom side of the receiver. The matrix is a plurality of vertically-tilted pipes and at least three horizontal pipes arranged in a specific order and have a defined function. The working fluid absorbs heat and changes from a liquid to a gas. The system further includes a thermal storage tank, which includes a heat storage medium and a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger receives evaporated working fluid from one of the horizontal pipes, condenses the working fluid vapor by transferring heat to the heat storage medium. When water is the working fluid, a distilled water storage tank may be connected to the heat exchanger to receive distilled water. When recirculation of the working fluid is desired, condensed liquid from the heat exchanger is flowed to a horizontal pipe. |
| US09279600B2 |
Solar radiation concentrating system
A concentrator having a reflective surface (1) and a pair of flexible members (2) supporting the deformable reflective surface so as to define its shape. A mechanism (3) is movably mounted to a vertical support and has one end of each of the flexible members (2) attached thereto. A controller drives rotation-changing linkage and tension-varying linkage so as to move the mechanism (3) to impart a toric shaped curvature on the reflective surface (1). This toric shaped curvature minimizes astigmatic aberration due to obliquely incident radiation and changes as the solar point moves throughout the day. |
| US09279598B2 |
System and method for forming an energy exchange assembly
A method of forming an energy exchange assembly may include forming a plurality of creases and a plurality of slits in a membrane sheet according to a predefined pattern, positioning a first spacer on top of a first forming area of the membrane sheet, folding the membrane sheet over a top of the first spacer so that a second forming area is positioned over the top of the first spacer, sealing a first portion of the first forming area to a first outer lateral wall of the first spacer, and positioning a second spacer on top of the second forming area, thereby stacking the second spacer over the first spacer. |
| US09279597B1 |
Selection of environmental profile based on system configuration
Method and apparatus provide for cooling a system. For example, a network communication system may include a central processing unit (CPU) and a fan controller. A chassis includes a plurality of receiving portions, each portion configured to receive a field replaceable unit (FRU). The chassis may also include a fan and a temperature sensor. The system CPU is configured to load a plurality of environmental profiles into fan controller memory, each profile indicating a fan speed for the fan based on a temperature reading from the temperature sensor. The fan controller is to determine a first configuration of the network communication device as to which FRUs are installed in the chassis and to select an environmental profile from the fan controller memory to use based on the determined first configuration. |
| US09279594B2 |
System, method and apparatus for use of dynamically variable compressor delay in thermostat to reduce energy consumption
Systems and methods are disclosed for reducing the usage of a ventilation system. For example, one or more of the exemplary systems comprise a thermostatic controller that has at least two settings for the delay occurring between turning the ventilation system off and then turning the system back on. One setting being for a first interval and at least a second setting for a second interval that is longer than the first interval. A processor is in communication with the thermostatic controller and is configured to evaluate one or more parameters including at least the temperature outside the structure conditioned by the ventilation system. The processor is further configured to determine whether to adopt the first interval or the second interval based upon the values of the parameters. |
| US09279593B2 |
Air purifier and an operating method for the same
Disclosed is an air purifier able to maintain the normal state of drive of a disk-shaped humidification filter by controlling the state of rotation of the humidification filter. The air purifier can maintain the normal state of drive of the humidification filter by using a stepping motor and the control unit in order to vary the state of rotation of the humidification filter and thereby remove extraneous material when the humidification filter is rotating abnormally due to extraneous material. |
| US09279592B2 |
Evaporative cooler
An evaporative cooler 10 comprises a housing 12 defining an inlet 14 for air. An air cooling arrangement 16 located in the housing between the inlet and an inlet to a duct 18 extending to an air outlet 20. A bath 24 for water is located towards a bottom region of the housing. Ducting 22 extends from the bath to a liquid outlet 26 in a top region of the housing, for releasing liquid onto the air cooling arrangement. The bath is configured to capture the released liquid. A fan 30 cooperates with the duct 18 to draw air through the air inlet, the air cooling arrangement and into the duct towards the outlet. The same electrical motor 32 is used to drive both the fan and the rotor or impeller of a water pump 34 for moving the liquid from the bath to the liquid outlet. |
| US09279589B2 |
Door latch system and method
A door latch system for a heating system is provided. The door latch system may be installed with a fireplace, wood stove, pellet stove, or other suitable system. The door latch system comprises a handle, a handle head and a catch. The handle head may be configured to engage the catch. Moreover, the catch may be configured with a self adjusting tension system, such that when the handle head engages the catch, the catch is configured to exert a tension force on the handle head. This tension force also causes the handle head to compress the seal of a fireplace door where the door latch system is installed. |
| US09279588B2 |
Combustion chamber of an aeronautical turbine engine with combustion holes having different configurations
A combustion chamber for an aviation turbine engine, the combustion chamber being annular about a longitudinal axis and including an outer side wall, an inner side wall, and an annular chamber end wall connecting one end of the outer side wall to one end of the inner side wall. The outer side wall includes, distributed along its circumference, spark plugs, primary holes, and dilution holes situated downstream from the primary holes in the direction of the longitudinal axis. The primary holes situated in each of the adjacent zones adjacent to one of the spark plugs present a configuration that is different from the configuration of the primary holes situated outside the zones, such that the supply of air in the adjacent zones is different from the supply of air outside the zones. |
| US09279582B2 |
Method and apparatus for delivering a tool to the interior of a heat exchange tube
A delivery system for remotely driving an eddy current probe through the tubing of a heat exchanger. The system uses a flexible shaft and air pressure to move an inspection probe through the heat exchanger tubes. The flexible shaft initially drives the probe through a sealed conduit to deliver the probe to the tube end at which point a seal on the shaft near the probe head contacts the tube inner surface allowing a buildup of air pressure behind the seal, thus driving the probe through the tube. |
| US09279579B2 |
Vacuum cleaner inlet door lighting device
A vacuum cleaner inlet door lighting device for illuminating the area directly in front of a vacuum cleaner wall mounted inlet. The lighting device includes LED's operated upon the opening of a rotatable door have a directional pattern for optimum illumination. The LED's are mounted behind the rotatable door to cause illumination when the rotatable door is open. In an alternative embodiment the LED's are remotely mounted using fiber optic cabling for direction of the light when the rotatable door is opened. When the rotatable door opens the area in front of the wall mounted inlet is illuminated so that the dirt and debris can be seen while being pushed into the collection container. When the rotatable door is closed, the illumination is turned off. |
| US09279571B2 |
Light emitting device
A light emitting device includes a substrate member and at least one light emitting element. The substrate member has a groove portion defined between two wiring portions spaced apart from each other. The groove portion includes a first groove portion, a second groove portion, and a third groove portion. The first groove portion extends in a direction that forms a slanted angle with respect to a first direction, the second groove portion is spaced apart from the first groove and extends in a direction that forms a slanted angle with respect to the first direction, and the third groove portion is interconnected with the first groove portion and the second groove portion. The light emitting element is disposed over the third groove portion. |
| US09279570B2 |
Barrel adjustment and retaining assembly
A barrel adjustment and retaining assembly includes a barrel body having an end surface, a seat body having a protrusion, a limiting component and an adjustment barrel. The seat body is movable relative to the barrel body. The protrusion is moved toward the end surface when the seat body moves from a pre-assembly position to an assembly position. The limiting component is clamped between the protrusion and the end surface to deform such that an outer diameter of the limiting component is increased when the seat body moves from the pre-assembly position to the assembly position. The adjustment barrel is sleeved slidably on the barrel body. The clamped limiting component is confined within a hole portion of the adjustment barrel. |
| US09279569B2 |
Lighting device
A lighting device for mounting on a mounting surface may include: a planar solid state lighting module having a light emitting region and peripheral holes for fixing members to the mounting surface to extend therethrough, a peripheral gasket extending along the periphery of the lighting module; the gasket having, at the holes of the lighting module, ear-like extensions having a perforation therein, said ear-like extensions extending inwardly of the gasket to align the perforations therein with the holes in the lighting module, a housing which frames the lighting device with the gasket applied onto the lighting module. The housing has apertures aligned with the holes in the lighting module and the perforations in the ear-like extensions of the gasket, as well as a window to expose the light emitting region of the lighting module, with a light permeable screen which sealingly closes said window. |
| US09279566B2 |
Light deflector, light source device, image projecting device, and display device
Disclosed is a light deflector including a light-emitting element configured to emit a light beam with a substantially elliptical cross-sectional shape, and a lens configured to condense light emitted from the light-emitting element, wherein an optical axis of the light-emitting element and an optical axis of the lens are decentered and a longitudinal axis of the light beam with the substantially elliptical cross-sectional shape is arranged in a direction orthogonal to a direction of decentering on the lens. |
| US09279564B1 |
Indirect area lighting apparatus and methods
A lighting fixture apparatus includes a light source oriented toward a illumination area. A primary reflector is disposed between the light source and the illumination area. The primary reflector includes a primary concave surface substantially facing away from the illumination area. A secondary reflector is positioned opposite the primary concave surface and includes a secondary concave surface substantially facing toward the illumination area. The primary concave surface is substantially specularly reflective, and the secondary concave surface is substantially diffusely reflective. In some embodiments, only reflected light is visible from the illumination area, and no direct light from the light source is incident on the illumination area. |
| US09279562B2 |
Systems and methods for anti-collision lights
Systems and methods are disclosed herein for anti-collision lights. An anti-collision light (“ACL”) may include a light source, a primary reflector, and a secondary reflector. The primary reflector may have a concave side facing the light source and the secondary reflector. The secondary reflector may include a reflective cone and a reflective base. The ACL may be configured to efficiently distribute light from the light source according to Federal Aviation Administration ACL requirements. |
| US09279561B1 |
Systems, methods, and devices for providing an LED-based linear fluorescent replacement lamp
A light emitting diode (LED) lamp tube for replacing a linear fluorescent lamp that includes an inner tube wall, an outer tube wall, at least one LED array, and at least one waveguide, where the at least one LED array is coupled to an inner surface of the inner tube wall. The at least one waveguide is coupled to the end of the outer tube and is configured to reflect light emitted from the at least one LED array toward a space located between the inner tube wall and the outer tube wall. |
| US09279553B1 |
Periphery-lit troffer light fixture retrofit systems and methods
A retrofitting kit includes at least one of an adapter bracket and a retainer configured to engage at least one of an existing troffer light fixture and a T-bar of a ceiling system and a door assembly configured to be held in the ceiling system by the at least one of the adapter bracket and the retainer. The door assembly includes a lens, a housing configured to hold the lens, the housing including one or more sidewalls disposed around a periphery of the lens, where the one or more sidewalls extend upward, away from the lens to define a cavity, and a plurality of LEDs having primary light axes extending inward into the cavity. The plurality of LEDs are coupled to the one or more sidewalls and positioned to illuminate the lens from behind with a uniform distribution of light when engaged. |
| US09279552B2 |
Electronic candle
The present invention discloses an electronic candle, which includes a candle body, wherein a cavity is formed inside the candle body, a lamp hole is formed in the upper surface of the candle body, a light-emitting unit is installed inside the cavity and includes a base, a first through hole and a second through hole are formed in the upper surface of the base, fixed pipes are clamped in the first through hole and the second through hole, a first light-emitting body is inserted at the lower part of the fixed pipe in the first through hole, a second light-emitting body is inserted at the lower part of the fixed pipe in the second through hole. The electronic candle is reasonable in structure, safe in use and good in effect; and the candle body is also capable of generating a seven-colored effect, thus the electronic candle is very attractive. |
| US09279549B2 |
Light-emitting module with wavelength converters and light-absorbing substance
A light-emitting module includes a light-emitting element, a first wavelength converter and a second wavelength converter. The first wavelength converter is located in an optical pathway of emitted light, and converts a portion of the emitted light to light in a first visible wavelength band. The second wavelength converter is located in the optical pathway on an opposite side of the first wavelength converter relative to the light-emitting element, and converts at least a portion of light passing unconverted through the first wavelength converter to light in a second visible wavelength band, differing from the first visible wavelength band. The light-emitting module also includes a light-absorbing substance, absorbing light in at least a wavelength band from 570 nm to 590 nm, which is present in the optical pathway between the light-emitting element and the second wavelength converter, the second wavelength converter not containing the light-absorbing substance. |
| US09279548B1 |
Light collimating assembly with dual horns
A light collimating horn assembly having two horns, one contained within the other. The horns have reflective surfaces facing each other. A light source, such as a ring of light emitting diodes, is located between the reflective surfaces of the horns. The horns at least partially collimate light from the light source transmitted between the reflective surfaces and exiting from the horns. The horns can be configured to provide controlled collimation in order to substantially collimate light for a spot light or partially but not substantially collimate light for a flood light. |
| US09279546B2 |
Lighting apparatus
The present invention relates to a lighting apparatus using LEDs as light sources and a display using the lighting apparatus, particularly, the present invention provides a lighting apparatus including: a plurality of light sources located on a printed circuit board; and a reflecting unit provided on the printed circuit board; and a spaced area provided inside the reflective unit. |
| US09279545B2 |
High heat dissipation lamp
A high heat dissipation lamp includes a base, a lower cover, and a substrate. The base is a hollow structure, inside the base is defined a first hole. The lower cover is a hollow structure aligned with the base, and inside the lower cover is defined a second hole. The substrate is clamped between the base and the lower cover, and has a first surface located toward the first hole and a second surface located toward the second hole. On the first surface are provided a plurality of light emitting diodes. The first and second surfaces of the substrate come into direct contact with the base and the first and second holes of the lower cover, so as to improve thermal convection performance. Besides, the base and the lower cover of the lamp are annular-shaped, which makes the lamp easy to manufacture while having a strengthen structure. |
| US09279542B2 |
Compressed hydrogen fueling control valve
A fill control system includes a fuel storage vessel, a fuel inlet in fluid communication with the fuel storage vessel to provide fluid communication between a fuel source and the fuel storage vessel, and a fill control valve disposed between and in fluid communication with the fuel inlet and the fuel storage vessel, an actuation of the fill control valve causing a pressure level upstream thereof which emulates a full condition of the fuel storage vessel. |
| US09279540B2 |
Web insulation system, valve for a web insulation system, and a storage container using the web insulation system
A storage system, including an outer casing having an evacuated inner volume; a vessel for storage located within the outer casing and having a plurality of protrusions distributed on an outer surface thereof; and a plurality of filamentary strands spanning the inner volume, wherein at least some of the plurality of protrusions are essentially tangentially contacted by a plurality of the filamentary strands to secure the vessel in six degrees of freedom relative to the outer casing. |
| US09279539B2 |
Movement unit
Provided is a moving unit that enables a movable body to be smoothly moved along guide tracks for guiding the movable body across joints between a plurality of track rails arranged in series so as to serve as the guide tracks. The moving unit includes: the pair of guide tracks laid in parallel to each other; a plurality of moving blocks being two or more moving blocks assembled to each of the guide tracks and being freely movable along the guide tracks; and the movable body fixed to the moving blocks. The track rails arranged in series serve as the guide tracks, and each have a guide surface formed along a longitudinal direction of each of the track rails. The moving blocks each include contact elements configured to travel on the guide surface while passing across joint clearances each being formed between the track rails arranged in series. |
| US09279537B2 |
Supporting apparatus for supporting a display
A supporting apparatus for supporting a display includes: a pillar body; a limiting unit connected to the pillar body to define a limiting space; a sliding unit movable on the pillar body; a mounting unit connected fixedly to the sliding unit and including a mounting seat for mounting the display; and a torsion coil spring that has a straight portion secured fixedly to the sliding unit and a coiled portion received in the limiting space. The torsion coil spring is retractable and extendable to convert between a retracted state, where the sliding unit is adjacent to the limiting space, and an extended state. When the torsion coil spring is converted from the retracted state to the extended state, the sliding unit is moved away from the limiting space. |
| US09279530B2 |
Quick disconnect coupling
A valved insert for insertion into a coupling body is disclosed. In one embodiment, the valved insert includes a housing and an internal valve slidably disposed within an internal passage of the housing. The housing can be configured to have a sidewall defining an internal flow passage, a first open end and a retaining clip recess. The sidewall has a first thickness at the first open end and a second thickness adjacent to the clip recess. In one embodiment, the retaining clip recess has a height that is greater than one half the first thickness and less than or equal to one half the second thickness. The internal valve and the housing can also be provided with corresponding stop surfaces to limit the inward motion of the internal valve into the housing. In one embodiment, the stop surfaces are angled to form ramped surfaces. |
| US09279523B2 |
Drainpipe, method for preventing blockage of drainpipe and installation structure of drainpipe
A drainpipe comprising a concentrating flow path to concentrate flow of fluid on an inner wall of the pipe, which makes it possible to inhibit freezing of the fluid hydrodynamically without providing heat energy from outside, to thereby prevent blockage of the pipe. |
| US09279522B2 |
Sleeve lock assembly
A sleeve lock assembly for mounting to a sleeve may include a female ring member, a male ring member, and an annular locking member. The female ring member may include a threaded interior portion and an annular lip having an annular ramp surface. The male ring member may have an axial flange and a radial flange. The axial flange may have an annular end face and a threaded exterior portion for engaging the threaded interior portion of the female ring member. The locking member may include at least one annular gripping flange having a gripping edge. The locking member may be captured between the annular lip and the end face. Axial movement of the annular lip toward the end face may cause the gripping flange to slide against the ramp surface such that the gripping edge is urged into engagement with the outer sleeve surface. |
| US09279521B2 |
Wire management clip for structures such as solar racking systems
A wire management clip formed of an elastic material to clip onto a structural element. The clip is formed to include an area for supporting a wire or wire bundle. Preferably, the clip includes holes formed on opposing sides to allow a strap attachment, such as a zip-tie, to hold a conduit or wire outside the clip. |
| US09279520B2 |
Irrigation pipe assembly
An irrigation pipe and method of fabrication that utilizes a pipe that is made of a durable material, e.g., stainless steel or aluminum. During fabrication, the pipe is equipped with a plurality of components, i.e., a flange assembly, a truss mount, and an outlet, without drilling, welding, or the like. In this manner, a method of fabrication is provided that enables a plurality of components to be assembled to the pipe without compromising the integrity of the pipe material or treated surface so that galvanizing or painting is not required after the plurality of components have been fitted to the pipe. |
| US09279518B2 |
Anti-vibration clamp
An anti-vibration clamp for holding pipes includes a pipe holding component which further includes pipe holders for locking the pipes; a clamp body including a stud locking portion for locking to a stud, and a floating attachment portion for holding the pipe holding component; and an elastic connecting component made of soft resin placed between the pipe holding component and the clamp body so that the pipe holding component and the clamp body do not contact one another directly. The pipe holding component, the elastic connecting component and the clamp body are held so that it is difficult for them to each slip mutually. |
| US09279517B2 |
Valve assembly, in particular for use in pneumatic networks
A valve assembly for use in a pneumatic network, includes a body having a first inlet port and a first air discharge port. A main duct includes a convergent portion, a restricted-section portion having a variable area of passage, and a divergent portion. An actuator assembly includes an intake volume and a second inlet port in fluid communication with the intake volume by valve means provided for enabling intake of a second fluid flow through the second inlet port and towards the intake volume, wherein the second fluid flow is drained off through the first discharge port together with the first fluid flow. |
| US09279516B2 |
Fluid regulator with balancing system
A fluid regulator includes an actuator, a body assembly, and a balancing system disposed between the actuator assembly and the body assembly. The actuator assembly includes an upper casing, a lower casing secured to the upper casing, and a diaphragm assembly disposed between the upper and lower casings. The body assembly includes a stem assembly operatively connected to the diaphragm assembly to move with the diaphragm assembly. The balancing system includes a diaphragm operatively connected to the stem assembly to move with the stem assembly. The lower casing of the actuator assembly includes a wall defining a portion of a balancing cavity that receives the balancing system and an inner surface that ends at a shoulder and has an annular groove formed therein that receives a portion of the diaphragm as the fluid regulator moves from a fully open position to a lockup position. |
| US09279513B2 |
Gas valve
Provided is a valve including a housing fitted with a valve coupling port being in flow communication with a gas inlet valve component and an independent gas discharge valve component. The gas inlet valve component includes a normally closed valve inlet port and an outlet barrier configured for spontaneous opening to thereby facilitate only ingress of ambient gas into the housing upon pressure drop at the valve coupling port The gas discharge valve component including a valve discharge port and a displaceable float member to thereby facilitate spontaneous egress of substantially only gas from the housing and remain closed upon presence of liquid within the housing. |
| US09279512B2 |
Check valve
A valve member having a valve part and a piston part is accommodated in a piston accommodation cylinder part of a case reciprocatably, and a damper chamber that is substantially a sealed space is formed in an anti-valve seat side in the valve member so that fluid flows without flowing via the damper chamber. Accordingly, since the fluid does not pass through the damper chamber, a fluid force that occurs in the piston part due to a fluid flow does not change easily, thus it becomes difficult to increase hunting at the valve members. Moreover, in a vibrational component in the valve member reciprocating direction of the valve members, amplitude of the vibration can be decreased by a damping force generated in the damper chamber. |
| US09279503B2 |
Constant volume combustion chamber
A constant volume combustion chamber, combustor, and method for constant volume combustion involve combusting a fuel in a chamber sealed by a pintle having a conical portion fitted into a conical nozzle throat and pulling the pintle away from the nozzle throat to allow combustion products to exhaust through a nozzle outlet. The shapes and surfaces of the pintle and nozzle throat provide for sealing the chamber at high pressures while resisting surface wear. Operational parameters for the combustor may be computer controlled in response to measured pressures and temperatures in the combustor. |
| US09279500B2 |
Rotary face seal assembly
A seal assembly, adapted to seal a joint having a first member pivotable about a rotational axis relative to a second member thereof, includes first and second annular seal rings and first and second annular load rings. The first and second seal rings each has a loading surface, extending axially, and a sealing face, extending radially to an outer perimeter. Each sealing face has a sealing band disposed adjacent the outer perimeter. The first and second seal rings abut one another such that the sealing bands of the first and second seal rings are in contacting relationship with each other. The first and second load rings engage the loading surface of the first and second seal rings, respectively. Each sealing band is brush polished such that it has a surface roughness average of about 0.08 micrometers Ra or less. |
| US09279493B2 |
Sealed switch and method for reducing an internal pressure in sealed switch
A movable board with movable contact points is arranged inside a switch case formed by overlap of a substrate with fixed contact points and a lid body. A top end surface of the substrate has a concave streak portion and a ring groove for accommodating a seal ring, wherein a projecting streak portion provided on a lower surface of a flange portion in the lid body is fitted in the concave streak portion for welding. A seal bearing mounted to shaft holes provided on an opposing portion between the substrate and the lid body comprises a cylindrical body portion fitted in at least one of the shaft holes, and a lip-shaped seal portion extending to a side of a rotary surface of a shaft portion from an inner peripheral surface of the body portion to make flexible contact with the rotary surface. |
| US09279490B2 |
Method of making a bevel gear system
A method of making a bevel gear system. The method may include selecting a member of the first set of side gears and a member of the second set of side gears corresponding to a desired gear ratio. The selected first side gear may have a different number of teeth than a selected second side gear. |
| US09279484B2 |
Method of producing mechanism for converting rotational motion to linear motion and jig for executing the method
In this manufacturing method, when a plurality of planetary shaft main bodies are arranged at even intervals around a sun shaft main body, a state in which a sun threaded section is engaged with each of planetary threaded sections is referred to as a regular assembled state, and an assembly formed by a combination of the sun shaft main body and the planetary shaft main body in the regular assembled state is referred to as a first assembly. The first assembly is assembled in a state in which the relationship of the planetary shaft main body and the sun shaft main body is in correspondence with the relationship of the planetary shaft main body and the sun shaft main body in the regular assembled state. |
| US09279483B2 |
High-load linear actuator
A high-load linear actuator includes a driving mechanism, a worm shaft, a worm wheel assembly, a lead screw, a telescopic pipe and an outer pipe. The driving mechanism includes a base and a motor. The base has a supporting portion and an accommodating portion. The motor is fixed to the supporting portion. The worm shaft extends from the motor into the supporting portion. The worm wheel assembly includes a worm wheel and two bearings for supporting the worm wheel in the accommodating portion. The worm wheel is engaged with the worm shaft. The lead screw is disposed through the worm wheel and driven by the motor for rotation. The telescopic pipe slips on the lead screw to be threadedly connected therewith. The outer pipe slips on the telescopic pipe. The rotation of the lead screw drives the telescopic pipe to linearly extend or retract relative to the outer pipe. |
| US09279481B2 |
Chain guide
There is provided a chain guide capable of preventing a reduction in the durability of the chain guide. In the chain guide in which a base and a shoe are assembled together, a shoe protruding strip formed on a back surface of the shoe is engaged with a base groove that is formed in the base and continuously extends in a longitudinal direction so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction with respect to the base when the shoe expands or contracts, and be able to restrict the movement of the shoe in first and second width directions. |
| US09279479B1 |
Multistage automatic transmission for vehicle
A multistage automatic transmission may include an input shaft, a first composite planetary gear set including first and second planetary gear sets, each of the first and second planetary gear sets including three rotary members, a first brake, a first clutch, a second brake, a second clutch selectively connecting a pair of rotary members of the first composite planetary gear set that are selectively connected to each other, and a second composite planetary gear set arranged coaxially with the input shaft and including a plurality of rotary members, wherein the plurality of rotary members include a rotary member connected to the first composite planetary gear set, a rotary member connected to the input shaft, and a further rotary member connected to an output shaft, at least two rotary members of the plurality of rotary members in the second composite planetary gear set being connected to two friction members. |
| US09279478B2 |
Multi-speed transmission
A transmission is provided having an input member, an output member, at least four planetary gear sets, a plurality of coupling members and a plurality of torque transmitting devices. Each of the planetary gear sets includes first, second and third members. The torque transmitting devices include clutches and a brake actuatable in combinations of four to establish a plurality of forward gear ratios and at least one reverse gear ratio. |
| US09279476B2 |
Rope braking system
A compression chuck for variously conducting and braking a rope, wherein the compression chuck includes a first and second portions. The invention includes a first biasing mechanism which maintains the compression chuck first and second portions in a disengaged condition with the rope, wherein the rope is conducted freely in response to outside forces on the rope. Also included is an actuator, wherein the actuator is operable to overbear the first biasing mechanism to place the compression chuck in an engaged condition with the rope in response to a rope break, braking movement of the rope. The first and second compression chuck portions may be carried on opposing parallel plates that are biased apart until the actuator moves such plates together in response to a rope break. At least one of the plates may be fixed to a crane head, crane, or other structure proximate a moving rope, when installed. |
| US09279461B2 |
Integrated memory chip for a coupling device
A coupling device system for use in a motor vehicle is provided including a coupling device and a memory chip. The coupling device has an input member, an output member, and at least one modulating clutch assembly selectively coupling the input member to the output member. The modulating clutch assembly includes an electrical clutch operator and clutch plates. The clutch plates include at least one first clutch plate coupled to the input member and at least one second clutch plate coupled to the output member. The second clutch plate is disposed adjacent the first clutch plate. The memory chip is integrated with the coupling device and is configured to store data related to a measured characteristic of the coupling device. The memory chip is also configured to communicate with a vehicle controller. A method of providing a calibration curve of the coupling device to the vehicle controller is also disclosed. |
| US09279458B2 |
Angular positioning arrangement
A positioning arrangement for positioning a rotor relative to a shaft includes a collar provided with a formation cooperable with a corresponding formation provided upon the shaft to resist relative angular movement between the collar and the shaft, the collar being provided with an external, generally axially extending rib cooperable with a part of the rotor to deform the said part of the rotor to resist relative rotation between the collar and the rotor. |
| US09279457B2 |
Nested torque tubes for photovoltaic tracking systems
A sun tracking solar energy collection system can include torque tubes that can be configured to allow the cylindrical body of one torque tube to nest with projections extending from an adjacent torque tube. The torque tubes can be formed with a plurality of rotatable shafts connected to each other in an end to end fashion. The torque tubes may be connected with coupling flanges, shaped with a plurality of radially extending lobes. The coupling flanges can include a plurality of concave portions disposed between adjacent lobes. The rotatable shafts can be round and the concave portions can be curved with a radius of curvature that is about the same as a radius of curvature of outer surface of the rotatable shafts. The torque tubes can also have saddle mounts which can include a concave portion configured to nest with an adjacent torque tube. |
| US09279456B2 |
Housing mounted external bearing shield
A bearing assembly including an outer bearing ring and an inner bearing ring adapted to receive a shaft, with rolling elements between the rings, is provided. A seal extends radially between the inner bearing ring and the outer bearing ring. A housing is provided including an opening in which the outer bearing ring is supported. The housing includes at least one groove on a radially inner surface that extends from an axial end surface of the housing and at least one radially outwardly extending slot arranged within the at least one groove. A circumferential shield including a radially outer portion having at least one retention tab is engaged within the at least one slot of the housing. A body of the shield is arranged adjacent to the seal and a radially inner portion of the body extends radially inwardly to a radially outer surface of the inner bearing ring. |
| US09279453B2 |
Radial bearing
A radial bearing may include a bearing body, which includes a receiving space for a shaft to be arranged therein. The bearing body may have an inner wall facing the receiving space, in which transverse grooves running in an axial direction and separated from one another in a circumferential direction by separating portions are formed. The radial bearing may include a supply channel penetrating the bearing body provided in at least one separating portion. The at least one separating portion may have at least one oil pocket spaced from the associated supply channel. |
| US09279449B2 |
Device for centering and guiding the rotation of a turbomachine shaft
A device for centering and guiding rotation of a turbine engine shaft. The device includes a roller bearing and a ball bearing mounted around the shaft and carried respectively by first and second flexible annular supports, together with an oil film compression damper having a rigid annular support arranged around the roller bearing, the supports of the ball bearing and of the damper, and the roller bearing being stacked transversely, extending one around another. |
| US09279448B2 |
Bearing release, in particular for a steering column
A bearing device which comprises an internal ring and an external ring, which are each provided with a bearing path for rolling elements which are arranged between the rings in contact with the bearing paths. At least one of the two rings comprises a casing which is provided with an axial portion, two radial portions at the ends thereof. This device also comprises two bearing elements which are mounted in the casing and which each form a bearing path, and at least one pretensioning element which is produced from resilient material and which is arranged between one of the radial portions of the casing and one of the bearing elements. A pretensioning element is mounted in the casing of a first ring in frictional contact with the second ring in order to apply a resistant torque during the rotation of one ring relative to the other. |
| US09279446B2 |
Bearing with axial variation
A bearing with axial variations may include two or more different zones along its axial length either on the surface of a bore formed in the main body of the bearing with axial variations or on the outside diameter thereof. Each zone may include one or more radial holes in fluid communication with one or more grooves, respectively, wherein each groove may be positioned adjacent an interface between a rotating member and a non-rotating member. |
| US09279445B2 |
Droplet generator steering system
Steering system for a droplet generator in a EUV system. The steering system permits controlled positioning of a droplet release point of the droplet generator. A movable member holding the droplet generator is coupled to stationary elements of the EUV system through a coupling system having a first subsystem that constrains lateral translation of the movable member, and a second subsystem that controls a relative inclination of the movable member. The first and second subsystems preferably include one or a combination of flexures that permit highly precise and repeatable positioning. |
| US09279443B2 |
Device for reversing the movement and/or actuation direction of an actuating cable of a mechanism
A device (1) is provided for reversing the movement and/or actuation direction of an actuating cable (2) of a mechanism. A sliding piston (5) is arranged in a housing (3), which is fixed to the frame, so as to be displaceable in a sliding manner. The sliding piston can be displaced by the actuating cable (2). At least one actuating element (6) is arranged laterally on the sliding piston (5). A direction of movement of the actuating element is opposite to a direction of movement of the actuating cable (2) and the actuating element is mechanically coupled to the mechanism that is actuated. |
| US09279438B2 |
Aircraft interior bracket
A bracket that includes a main body portion having a first portion and a second portion that form a first angle therebetween. The first portion includes opposing front and rear surfaces and the second portion includes opposing upper and lower surfaces. The first portion includes a fastener opening defined therethrough, the second portion includes an insert feature extending from the lower surface, and the second portion includes at least one adhesive opening defined therethrough. |
| US09279431B2 |
Method and equipment for detecting rotating stall and compressor
A method for detecting rotating stall in a compressor is disclosed herein. The method comprises measuring radial vibration of the rotor relative to the stator and generating a vibration measurement signal, calculating a frequency spectrum of the vibration measurement signal, identifying a plurality of frequency bandwidths of the frequency spectrum, neglecting one first frequency bandwidth of the plurality of frequency bandwidths if the rotation frequency of the rotor falls within the first frequency bandwidth, neglecting at least one second frequency bandwidth of the plurality of frequency bandwidths if the rotation frequency of the rotor falls below the second frequency bandwidth, determining the maximum magnitude of the spectrum in each of the non-neglected frequency bandwidths, and comparing each determined maximum magnitude and a predetermined value. Rotating stall is considered occurring if at least one of the comparisons shows that the corresponding determined maximum magnitude is greater than the predetermined value. |
| US09279430B2 |
Pump with axial conduit
In one aspect, a pump for moving air includes an inlet, an outlet, an outer housing adapted to couple to an inflatable device, and an inner housing located within the outer housing, an electromechanically-controlled valve assembly, and electrical switches. An air conduit is defined between the inner housing and the outer housing. A motor is at least partly positioned within the inner housing, and a plurality of vanes is positioned within the air conduit. The pump can be connected to an inflatable device bladder via a socket. |
| US09279424B2 |
Vane cell machine having plates containing axial moving inserts bearing against the rotor
The invention concerns a vane cell machine with a stator and a rotor having radially displaceable vanes arranged in guides, said vanes bearing on an inside of the stator and bordering, together with the rotor, the stator and a side wall, work chambers at each axial end of the rotor. It is endeavored to provide a vane cell machine that has a good internal tightness, in which the wear is still kept small. For this purpose, in a radially internal area the side wall comprises an insert that is axially movable in the side wall and has a pressure application surface axially inside and axially outside. |
| US09279421B2 |
Systems and methods for electrochemical detection in a disc pump
A disc pump system includes a pump body having a substantially cylindrical shape defining a cavity for containing a fluid, the cavity being formed by a side wall closed at both ends by substantially circular end walls, at least one of the end walls being a driven end wall having a central portion and a peripheral portion extending radially outwardly from the central portion of the driven end wall. The system includes an electrochemical detection system including a working electrode, a reference electrode, and an auxiliary electrode. The electrochemical detection system functions to detect the presence of a target gas in the fluid that flows through the pump body. |
| US09279415B1 |
Solar array integration system and methods therefor
A solar array integration system (AIS) and methods for mounting solar energy capture devices are provided. Such systems are useful for applications such as mounting photovoltaic (PV) modules to a suitable surface such as a rooftop. In one embodiment, the AIS includes a first row of tilted solar modules, a center spoiler coupled to the first row of tilted solar modules, the center spoiler is configured to deflect frontal airflow over the first row of tilted solar modules, and a second row of tilted solar modules, the second row of tilted solar modules being coupled to each other by an aerodynamic spar. The aerodynamic spar includes a deflector configured to deflect frontal airflow over the second row of tilted solar modules. The deflector may include a wedge-shaped profile. AIS can also include a third row of tilted solar modules, with an end spoiler coupled to the third row of tilted solar modules, and wherein the end spoiler is configured to deflect side airflow over the third row of tilted solar modules. |
| US09279413B2 |
Wind turbine
A wind turbine is provided. The wind turbine includes a stationary main shaft arranged within a nacelle of the wind turbine, a rotor hub including a hollow shell defining an interior and a plurality of rotor blades extending radially outwards from the rotor hub, wherein the rotor hub is rotatably mounted to the stationary main shaft via at least one bearing, wherein the at least one bearing is arranged within the interior of the rotor hub and connected to a section of the main shaft protruding into the interior of the rotor hub. |
| US09279410B2 |
Wind turbine generator, method of wind turbine generation, and program of the wind turbine generator
When a low voltage event occurs in a utility grid, a load on a spindle system is repressed so that a damage is prevented. A rotor having a plurality of wind turbine blades, a generator to be driven by rotation of the rotor, and a pitch angle controller for controlling a pitch angle of the wind turbine blade according to a generator speed are provided, and when a voltage of a utility grid is a predetermined value or less, the pitch angle controller controls the pitch angle so that torsional vibration generated on a spindle system for transmitting the rotation of the rotor to a generator system is repressed. |
| US09279406B2 |
System and method for analyzing carbon build up in an engine
An induction cleaning analyzing system includes a pressure sensor, an ignition event detector, and a control module. The pressure sensor measures airflow pressures of intake air and/or exhaust from cylinders in a common airflow pathway of a vehicle. The ignition event detector determines ignition events of the cylinders. The control module obtains pressure waveforms representative of the airflow pressures and divides the pressure waveforms into waveform segments. The control module associates different subsets of the waveform segments with different ones of the cylinders using the ignition events. The control module also identifies cyclic variations in the airflow pressures flowing in the common airflow pathway and caused by at least one of the cylinders by examining the waveform segments associated with the at least one of the cylinders. |
| US09279404B2 |
Fuel supply device and fuel supply control method for internal combustion engine
A fuel supply device includes a low-pressure fuel pump, a high-pressure fuel pump, an accumulator for accumulating the pressurized fuel, fuel injection valves, a relief valve for restricting an upper limit value of a fuel pressure in the accumulator, a high-pressure fuel pressure sensor, and a control unit for setting a target fuel injection pressure, controlling the high-pressure fuel pump so that the fuel pressure in the accumulator reaches the target fuel injection pressure, and regarding the present target fuel injection pressure as a detection value of the high-pressure fuel pressure sensor and setting the high-pressure fuel pump in an operational state with a maximum discharge amount or a non-operational state when detecting an abnormality of the high-pressure fuel pressure sensor.This enables the fuel to be injected with an appropriate injection pulse width corresponding to an actual fuel pressure even if the high-pressure fuel pressure sensor experiences disconnection. |
| US09279403B2 |
Closure bolt for an injector
A closure bolt for an injector of a modular common-rail fuel injection system includes at least one high-pressure port for high-pressure fuel and a bolt-like portion which is configured to be inserted into an opening of the injector and which has a first, preferably conical, sealing surface for closing the opening in a high-pressure-tight manner. The bolt-like portion has a high-pressure bore which is hydraulically connected to the high-pressure port and which issues into the injector. The closure bolt further includes a throughflow limiter configured to limit the flow rate of fuel delivered into the injector. The bolt-like portion has an insert in which the throughflow limiter is formed and which bears the first sealing surface. |
| US09279400B2 |
Injection device for introducing a urea solution into the exhaust tract of an internal combustion engine
The invention relates to an injection device (1), designed in particular for injecting fluid into an exhaust tract of an internal combustion engine, having a valve needle (14), an injection chamber (12) having at least one injection opening (44), and a control chamber (20). The injection device (1) is designed such that a pressure differential between the injection chamber (12) and the control chamber (20) brings about a displacement of the valve needle (14) between an open position in which a fluid flow through the injection opening (44) from the injection chamber (12) is released, and a closed position, in which the injection opening (44) is closed off. The injection chamber (22) and the control chamber (20) are hydraulically connected to an inlet (40, 42; 9), such that a pressure rise in the inlet (40, 42; 9) results in a pressure rise in the injection chamber (12), and a pressure rise in the control chamber (20) delayed in time relative to the pressure rise in the injection chamber (12), and said pressure differential brings about a displacement of the valve needle (14) from the closed position into an open position. |
| US09279399B2 |
Air trap variable manifold runners
A system and method for controlling the flow of air to an intake port of an engine is described that includes a flexible intake manifold runner comprised of helically wound braids. In one example, the length and cross-sectional area are mechanically interlinked. In this way, the flexible intake manifold runner can be tuned over a wider operating band while maintaining a lower cost design. |
| US09279397B2 |
System and methods for canister purging with low manifold vacuum
A method for purging fuel vapors, comprising: purging fuel tank vapors directly from a fuel tank to an engine intake, bypassing a canister, via a venturi, while drawing canister vapors via the venturi into the purged fuel tank vapors en route to the engine intake. In this way, fuel tank vapors may be used to enable purging of a fuel vapor canister, even under conditions where there is insufficient manifold vacuum to enable a canister purge routine. By increasing the frequency of purge opportunities, bleed emissions from a saturated canister may be reduced. |
| US09279382B2 |
Vehicle and control method of vehicle
A vehicle includes an internal combustion engine, an air-fuel ratio sensor provided in an exhaust passage of the internal combustion engine, and a controller. The controller is configured to diagnose a responsiveness of the air-fuel ratio sensor on the basis of an output voltage of the air-fuel ratio sensor in a predefined period. The period is a period over which exhaust gas goes through the air-fuel ratio sensor during the internal combustion engine is rotating without fuel injection. |
| US09279380B2 |
System and method for estimating and controlling temperature of engine component
An engine system is provided. The engine system includes an ambient air pressure sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of a pressure of ambient air. The engine system also includes an operational parameter sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of one or more operational parameters associated with the engine. The engine system further includes a controller communicably coupled to the ambient air pressure sensor and the operational parameter sensor. The controller is configured to receive the signal indicative of the pressure of ambient air and the signal indicative of the one or more operational parameters associated with the engine. The controller estimates the temperature of at least one of a valve, a piston, a liner, a cylinder head, and a pre-chamber of the engine as a function of the received signals and parameters associated with fuel delivery in a single fuel cycle of the engine. |
| US09279376B2 |
System and method for controlling exhaust gas recirculation
A control system for an engine includes first and second modules. The first module estimates a total amount of exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) in the engine, wherein the total amount of EGR includes (i) EGR within cylinders of the engine and (ii) EGR flowing through an EGR system of the engine. The second module selectively controls an overlap of intake and exhaust valve timing in the engine based on (i) a position of an EGR valve in the EGR system and (ii) a comparison of the estimated total amount of EGR in the engine and an EGR threshold. |
| US09279369B2 |
Turbomachine with transition piece having dilution holes and fuel injection system coupled to transition piece
A turbomachine is provided and includes a combustor in which fuel and air are combusted, a turbine disposed for reception of products of combustion from the combustor, a transition piece fluidly interposed between the combustor and the turbine and including a body formed to define dilution holes configured to allow air to enter the combustor and for enabling steam injection toward a main flow of the products of the combustion proceeding from the combustor to the turbine and a fuel injection system supportively coupled to the transition piece and configured to inject fuel toward the main flow of the products of the combustion to thereby restore a flame temperature of the main flow of the products of the combustion reduced by steam injection enabled by the dilution holes. |
| US09279368B2 |
Apparatus and methods for eliminating cracking in a turbine exhaust shield
Undue flexing and cracking of an internal exhaust shield of a turbine is eliminated by isolating thermally-induced movement in the shield from that of strut apparatus passing therethrough to a surrounding outer exhaust casing. Methods and apparatus are disclosed. |
| US09279366B1 |
Steam powered engine
A rotary engine and method having a housing with a bore defining a cavity. A rotatable rotor in the cavity has a plurality of protuberant lobes with respective distal ends moving along the bore. Each of a plurality of vanes has a distal end biased to engage a perimeter of the rotor. The rotor rotates between neutral rotor positions where all of the lobes are simultaneously rotationally aligned with the vanes, and a plurality of different power stroke rotor positions between consecutive neutral rotor positions incrementally increasing in size a like plurality of volumetrically equivalent working fluid expansion chambers that are each in fluid communication with a respective working fluid inlet intersecting the bore and, in turn, incrementally decreasing in size a like plurality of volumetrically equivalent working fluid exhaust chambers each in continuous fluid communication with a respective working fluid outlet intersecting the bore. |
| US09279365B2 |
Power augmentation systems and methods for grid frequency control
The present application provides a combined cycle system. The combined cycle system may include a compressor water wash system in communication with a compressor and a water wash flow, a combustor water injection system in communication with a combustor and an injection flow, and a transient power augmentation system in communication with the compressor, the combustor, and a flow of supplemental water. |
| US09279363B2 |
Reciprocating piston mechanism
A reciprocating piston mechanism comprises a crankcase and a crankshaft (rotatable about a crankshaft axis) which has at least a crankpin having a crankpin. A connecting rod includes a big end rotatably mounted on the crankpin and a small end rotatably connected to a piston. The crank member is provided with a crank member gear that meshes with an intermediate gear, both gears of which are external gears along with first and second auxiliary gears. The intermediate gear meshes with the first auxiliary gear. The first auxiliary gear is fixed to the second auxiliary gear via a common auxiliary shaft that mounts to the crankshaft and rotates with respect thereto about an auxiliary shaft axis that extends parallel to the crankshaft axis. The second auxiliary gear meshes with a central gear. The central gear is an internal gear, which has a center line that coincides with the crankshaft axis. |
| US09279362B2 |
Method for determining the rate of recirculated exhaust gas at the inlet of a cylinder of an internal combustion engine, and engine implementing such a method
A method determining a rate of recirculated exhaust gas (EGR rate) at an inlet of a cylinder of an internal combustion engine at a moment t, the exhaust gas being conveyed in a recirculation duct connecting an exhaust line of the engine to an intake line, and the EGR rate being equal to the ratio between flow rate of the recirculated gas and total gas flow rate in the intake line at a location of the intake line in question and at the moment in question. The method: a) determines at which moment t_intro preceding the moment t the gas, having arrived at the inlet of the cylinder at moment t, was fed into the intake line; b) determines the EGR rate at an outlet of the recirculation line to the intake line at the moment t_intro; and c) determines the EGR rate at the inlet to the cylinder at moment t based on the EGR rate at the outlet of the recirculation line to the intake line at moment t_intro, as determined in b). |
| US09279361B2 |
Piston bowl with spray jet targets
A piston for a direct injection engine is provided, the piston having a bowl at an upper end, the bowl forming a portion of a combustion chamber. The bowl includes an inner surface that defines a volume configured to receive a fuel-air mixture, the inner surface of the bowl including at least one surface feature as a target for the fuel spray, the surface feature angled 20° to 80° from the piston face. The surface feature may protrude from the inner surface of the bowl or may be recessed into the inner surface. Such surface features may reduce soot and improve fuel-air mixing. |
| US09279358B2 |
Acoustic baffle for centrifugal blowers
An acoustic baffle for reducing noise of a centrifugal fan includes a base for mounting with a fan outlet and a projection extending from the length of the base at a back side of the base and curving away from a top surface of the base. The projection continuously tapers from the base to an apex that aligns with a center line of the base. The projection extends over the fan wheel and tapers from left and right sides of the outlet to a fan tangency point at a midpoint of the outlet and aligned with the apex, when the acoustic baffle is installed in the outlet. The acoustic baffle effects a gradual variation in radial and tangential airflow at the blower outlet, to reduce fan blade passage tone. |
| US09279353B2 |
Engine unit and work vehicle
Two sets of assemblies are arranged such that a diesel particulate filter device of an assembly as a first set, a selective catalytic reduction device of the assembly as the first set, a selective catalytic reduction device of an assembly as a second set, and a diesel particulate filter device of the assembly as the second set are located next to each other in this order. Respective first and second connection pipes are routed through a region directly underneath an arrangement region where the two selective catalytic reduction devices and the like are arranged, and connected to the respective diesel particulate filter devices. Thereby, an engine unit and a work vehicle which facilitate connection between an engine and an exhaust gas treatment structure and can reduce a load on the first and second connection pipes due to vibration can be achieved. |
| US09279341B2 |
Air system architecture for a mid-turbine frame module
A mid-turbine frame is disposed between high and low pressure turbine assemblies. A secondary air system is defined in the mid-turbine frame (MTF) to provide cooling to the turbine section of the engine. The secondary air system may be used to cool and pressurize seals to assist with oil retention in bearing cavities. The temperature gain of the secondary air may be reduced by flowing the secondary air through one or more external lines and then generally radially inwardly through air passages defined in the MTF. |
| US09279337B2 |
Heated booster splitter plenum
A splitter apparatus for a gas turbine engine includes: a splitter including: an annular outer wall which defines a convex-curved leading edge at a forward end thereof; an annular floorplate positioned radially inboard of the outer wall; and an annular first bulkhead spanning between the outer wall and the floorplate. The outer wall, the floorplate, and the bulkhead collectively define an annular splitter plenum positioned adjacent the leading edge of the outer wall. At least one exhaust passage formed in the outer wall extends past the floorplate and communicates with the exterior of the splitter. At least one jumper tube assembly passes through the first bulkhead, each configured to pass air flow from the exterior of the splitter into the plenum. |
| US09279331B2 |
Gas turbine engine airfoil with dirt purge feature and core for making same
An airfoil includes a body. The body includes leading and trailing edges adjoining pressure and suction sides to provide an exterior airfoil surface. First and second cooling passages extend in a radial direction from a root to a tip. The first cooling passage includes a tip flag passage that is radially inboard from the tip and extends in a chord-wise direction to a first end that penetrates the trailing edge. The second cooling passage includes a second end terminates adjacent the tip flag passage and a dirt purge passage interconnects the second end to the tip flag passage. A core for making the airfoil is also disclosed. |
| US09279329B2 |
Transonic blade
The present invention provides a transonic blade that concurrently achieves reduction in shock loss at a design point and improvement in stall margin in blades operating in a flow field of transonic speed or higher in an axial-flow rotating machine. A cross-sectional surface at each of spanwise positions of the blade is shifted parallel to a stagger line connecting a leading edge with a trailing edge of the blade. A stacking line is shifted toward an upstream side of working fluid. The stacking line connects together respective gravity center positions of blade cross-sectional surfaces at spanwise positions in a range from a hub cross-sectional surface joined to a rotating shaft or an outer circumferential side casing of a rotating machine to a tip cross-sectional surface lying at a position most remote from the hub cross-sectional surface in a spanwise direction. |
| US09279328B2 |
Airfoil devices, leading edge components, and methods of making
In a method of making a leading edge component for an airfoil device, a first elongate sheet is provided and has a shape substantially conforming to a surface on one of a suction side or a pressure side of an airfoil. A second elongate sheet is provided and has a shape substantially conforming to a surface on the other of the suction side or the pressure side of the airfoil. The elongate sheets can be welded together at least along respective elongate edges thereof, in such a way as to form a leading edge base structure comprising a weld extending the length of the elongate sheets. Material deposits can be provided onto an outer surface of the leading edge base structure in such a way as to substantially cover the weld, whereby the leading edge component is formed. |
| US09279321B2 |
Encapsulated microsensors for reservoir interrogation
In one general embodiment, a system includes at least one microsensor configured to detect one or more conditions of a fluidic medium of a reservoir; and a receptacle, wherein the receptacle encapsulates the at least one microsensor. In another general embodiment, a method include injecting the encapsulated at least one microsensor as recited above into a fluidic medium of a reservoir; and detecting one or more conditions of the fluidic medium of the reservoir. |
| US09279320B2 |
Downhole tool housing
A housing (15) for connection to a downhole assembly (17), the housing comprising first and second sections (31, 32), the first section (31) being adapted for connection to a portion of the downhole assembly, the second section (32) defining a compartment (23) to receive a downhole tool (11) or component thereof, the second section (32) being configured to provide a path (40) for fluid flow past the compartment (23) as the assembly descends within the borehole, and the first section (31) being configured for fluid communication between a passage in said portion of the downhole assembly and the fluid flow path (40). |
| US09279318B2 |
Systems and methods for automatic weight on bit sensor calibration and regulating buckling of a drillstring
Disclosed are systems and methods for automatic weight on bit sensor calibration and regulating buckling of a drillstring. One method includes taking a first survey recording at a first depth within a borehole, the first survey recording providing inclination and azimuth of a drillstring at the first depth, measuring a weight on a drill bit at the first depth with a sensor sub arranged on a bottom hole assembly, the bottom hole assembly forming part of the drillstring and the drill bit being disposed at an end of the drillstring, calculating a predicted borehole curvature at a second depth within the borehole, the predicted curvature including a predicted inclination and a predicted azimuth of the drillstring at the second depth, calculating a weight correction value based on the predicted hole curvature, and calibrating the sensor sub with the weight correction value. |
| US09279317B2 |
Passive acoustic resonator for fiber optic cable tubing
A passive acoustic system and a method of utilizing the passive acoustic system in a subsurface borehole are discussed. The method includes disposing the passive acoustic system in the borehole, the passive acoustic system including at least one passive acoustic resonator, and monitoring a frequency of an acoustic signal at the at least one passive acoustic resonator. The passive acoustic system includes a protective tubing, a fiber optic cable disposed within the protective tubing, a fluid layer between the fiber optic cable and the protective tubing, and at least one passive acoustic resonator, the at least one passive acoustic resonator representing an area within the protective tubing having a known geometry, wherein the fluid layer affects a frequency of an acoustic signal obtained from the at least one passive acoustic resonator. |
| US09279316B2 |
Thermally assisted gravity drainage (TAGD)
A method for producing bitumen or heavy oil from a reservoir, the method comprising: defining at least one lateral section of the reservoir for placement of patterns of heater wells above a producer well; placing the producer well at a substantially centered location at or adjacent to the bottom of the reservoir within each of the lateral sections; placing a triangular pattern of heater wells above the producer well; placing a regular or non-regular pentagonal pattern of heater wells, or a portion thereof, at or above the triangular pattern of heater wells; heating the reservoir with the triangular and pentagonal patterns of heater wells to conductively heat the reservoir and reduce the viscosity of the bitumen or heavy oil; and producing bitumen or heavy oil with the producer well. |
| US09279315B2 |
Injection well and method for drilling and completion
Disclosed is a method and apparatus for completing an injection well, wherein the horizontally-extending portion of the well is drilled in a wave pattern. Injection and hydrocarbon recovery sections or alternatively spaced along the horizontally-extending portion and are isolated from each other by packers in the wellbore. The injection and hydrocarbon recovery sections are positioned at the opposed peaks of the wave pattern. |
| US09279314B2 |
Heat front capture in thermal recovery simulations of hydrocarbon reservoirs
A numerical procedure is disclosed to improve the prediction of heat fronts when simulating hot fluid injection in viscous hydrocarbon reservoirs. The mathematical model is composed of the conventional governing equations that describe multiphase fluid flow and energy balance. The reservoir geometry can be partitioned into a regular Cartesian grid or an irregular corner-point geometry grid. The numerical procedure uses the finite different (FD) method to solve the flow equations and the discontinuous Galerkin (DG) method to solve the energy balance equation. The proposed FD-DG method is an alternative to the traditional solution procedure that uses the FD method to solve both the flow and the energy equations. The traditional method has the deficiency that it may require excessive number of grid cells to achieve acceptable resolution of the heat fronts. The proposed FD-DG method significantly reduces numerical dispersion near discontinuities in the solution of the energy equation and therefore provides a better capture of the heat fronts. To obtain a desired accuracy in the energy equation solution, the FD-DG method can be orders of magnitude faster than the traditional method. The superiority of the FD-DG method is that it converges on coarser grids while the traditional method requires much finer grids. |
| US09279310B2 |
Pressure testing valve and method of using the same
A wellbore servicing system and method are disclosed. The wellbore servicing system includes a casing string, a pressure testing valve, and a floating piston assembly. The pressure testing valve includes a housing and a sliding sleeve. The floating piston assembly is slidably disposed between the housing and the sliding sleeve. The sliding sleeve is slidably positioned within the housing and is transitional from a first position to a second position and from the second position to a third position. When the sliding sleeve is in the first or second positions, it blocks fluid communication via ports in the housing. |
| US09279309B2 |
Valve arrangement for a production pipe
A tubular member has at least one drainage section including an inlet inlet and at least one self-adjustable flow control device to control the flow of fluid into the drainage section from a well. The flow control devices are located in an annular space surrounding a pipe between the inlet and an outlet is provided for fluid flowing into the drainage section. The annular space forms a flow path through the flow control device passing by a valve body arranged to adjust the flow area in response to the pressure difference across the flow control device and/or changes in density of the fluid. The flow control device includes a valve seat cooperating with the valve body. The valve body includes an annular resilient valve member arranged to be deformed at least in a radial direction, in order to reduce or increase the flow area through the flow control device. |
| US09279308B2 |
Vertical completion system including tubing hanger with valve
A subsea completion system for a subsea well includes a tubing spool including an internal bore formed therethrough and a tubing hanger movable into a landed position within the internal bore of the tubing spool. The tubing hanger includes a production bore formed therethrough, an auxiliary passage formed therethrough outside of the production bore, and a valve in fluid communication with the auxiliary passage to control the flow of fluid through the auxiliary passage. |
| US09279307B2 |
Retrievable bridge plug
A bridge plug can be deployed downhole and retrieved using a retrieval tool disposed on jointed or coiled tubing or on another bridge plug. Internally, the bridge plug has a sleeve that is movable on a stem of the plug's tailpiece. When in a first position, the sleeve prevents fluid communication through ports in the stem so that circulated fluid from the retrieval tool can be used to clear debris from the plug during retrieval. When the retrieval tool engages the sleeve in the plug, pulling up on the tool moves the sleeve to an intermediate position in which fluid pressure is equalized across the plug. Further pulling up on the tool locks the sleeve in a further position on the stem so that circulated fluid from the retrieval tool will pass directly to the stem's ports. Movement of the sleeve by the retrieval tool also releases the engaged slips and packing element on the bridge plug's mandrel. |
| US09279306B2 |
Performing multi-stage well operations
Plugs are deployed along a wellbore to form fluid barriers for associated stages. The plugs include a first plug that includes a first material that reacts with a first agent and does not react with a second agent and a second plug that includes a second material that reacts with the second agent and does not react with the first agent. A first stimulation operation is performed in the stage that is associated with the first plug; and a first agent is communicated into the well to react with the first material to remove the first plug. A second stimulation operation is performed in the stage that is associated with the second plug. The second agent is communicated into the well to react with the second material to remove the second plug. |
| US09279299B2 |
System and method for managed pressure drilling
A method for controlling a downhole pressure during drilling comprises continually sensing in real-time at least one real-time fluid property of an input fluid to a well and of a return fluid from the well. A wellhead setpoint pressure is calculated in real-time that results in a predetermined downhole pressure at a predetermined location in the well, where the calculation based, at least in part, on the at least one continually sensed real-time fluid property. The flow of the return fluid is controllably regulated to maintain the calculated wellhead setpoint pressure. |
| US09279296B2 |
Injector head
An injector head for feeding a tool string support member downhole is described. The injector head includes a first gripping device and a second gripping device. The first and second gripping devices are adapted to grip a tool string support member passing through an injector head passageway. The injector head further includes an actuator movable between a first position and a second position wherein, movement of the actuator between the first and second positions moves at least a portion of both of the first and second gripping devices towards or away from a passageway longitudinal axis. |
| US09279292B2 |
Drill bits having flushing and systems for using same
A drill bit for forming a hole in a formation. The drill bit has a shank and a full face crown that cooperate to define an interior space that receives water or other drilling fluid. The full face crown defines a plurality of bores that extend from a cutting face of the full face crown to the interior space. The full face crown completely circumferentially encloses the interior space of the drill bit. A wedge shaped slot is defined therein the full face crown that extends longitudinally therein a portion of the cutting face and the circumferential outer surface of the full face crown. The slot further defines an apex that is positioned beyond the center of the cutting face of the drill bit such that the longitudinal axis of the drill bit extends through the bottom surface of the slot and into an interior void area of the slot. Further, a conduit is defined in the drill bit that is in communication with the interior space and with a portion of the defined slot. |
| US09279291B2 |
Diamond enhanced drilling insert with high impact resistance
An insert for a drill bit may include a substrate; a working layer of polycrystalline diamond material on the uppermost end of the insert, wherein the polycrystalline diamond material includes a plurality of interconnected diamond grains; and a binder material; and an inner transition layer between the working layer and the substrate, wherein the inner transition layer is adjacent to the substrate; wherein the inner transition layer has a hardness that is at least 500 HV greater than the hardness of the substrate. |
| US09279288B2 |
Stepless ladder assembly and methods of utilizing same
A stepless ladder is provided that may comprise a frame adapted to support the weight of a user, a track attached to a portion of the frame, an escalating member attached to the track, the escalating member for supporting the weight of the user, and an escalating means adapted to raise and lower the escalating member along the track. |
| US09279286B2 |
Methods and systems for mechanically operating a group of shades or blinds
A shade system includes a plurality of shade assemblies each including an elongated shade tube having an inner surface defining an inner cavity, an outer surface for winding receipt of a flexible shade, at least one coupling end, and an axis of rotation; a connector assembly having a first coupling unit secured to the inner surface at the coupling end of a first shade tube and a second coupling unit secured to the inner surface at the coupling end of a second shade tube substantially adjacent the first shade tube, the first coupling unit and the second coupling unit cooperating to transfer an applied torque from the first shade tube to the second shade tube; an end bracket for rotatably supporting a free end portion of a shade tube when attached to a supporting structure; and a mounting bracket for adjusting the connector assembly. |
| US09279280B1 |
Slide rail assembly
A slide rail assembly includes a first rail having a guiding portion, a second rail, a third rail having a hook portion, and an actuating member movably connecting to the second rail and having a contact portion. When the third rail is pulled with respect to the first rail with the contact portion engaging with the hook portion, the second rail synchronously moves along with the third rail to be moved to a predetermined position with respect to the first rail, and consequently, the actuating member rotates by an angle by guiding means of the guiding portion of the first rail to disengage the contact portion of the actuating member from the hook portion of the third rail. |
| US09279277B2 |
Latch assembly
A latch assembly includes a chassis, a latch bolt movably mounted on the chassis and having a closed position for retaining a striker and an open position for releasing the striker, and a pawl having an engaged position at which the pawl is engaged with the latch bolt to hold the latch bolt in the closed position and a disengaged position at which the pawl is disengaged from the latch bolt thereby allowing the latch bolt to move to the open position. The pawl is rotatably mounted via a pawl pivot pin about a pawl axis, and the pawl pivot pin includes a first arcuate portion having a first radius about the pawl axis. A cross-sectional area of the pawl pivot pin, taken perpendicular to the pawl axis, is greater than an area of a circle having the first radius. |
| US09279276B2 |
Charge cord locking/unlocking actuator
A locking mechanism secures a plug of a charging cord in a charging receptacle of a vehicle and includes an actuator, a linear-actuated cam connected thereto and driven along a linear travel path thereby (the cam defining a slot therein positioned at an angle relative to the path), and a locking arm pivotally mounted at a pivot point to a component disposed adjacent the arm. The arm includes a follower pin that engages the slot. The arm pivots about the point to move between locked and unlocked positions in response to movement of the cam along the path. A housing of the vehicle includes the receptacle, a charging interface connected with the plug to allow current to flow from a charging unit to a system of batteries of the vehicle during a charging operation, and the mechanism. |
| US09279274B2 |
Lock
A lock comprises a housing defining a mounting face, a locking mechanism accommodated in the housing and operable to change between a locking state and a release state and a set of operating elements with buttons accessible at the front of the housing and actuable, such as by axial displacement, to operate the locking mechanism. The locking mechanism can be changed from the locking state to the release state in response to actuation of, and only of, a selected group of the operating elements. These elements can additionally be manipulated, in particular rotated, to select the group. The buttons of the selected group can be identified by respectively associated digits forming a code. The lock further comprises a slidable blocking plate blocking the rotation of the operating elements and cancelling means operable to cancel the blocking by the plate. The cancelling means includes a key barrel accessible for operation externally of the housing at a place, in particular the front of the housing, separate from the mounting face. Operation of the key barrel thus has the consequence of freeing the buttons for rotation to change the code. |
| US09279273B2 |
Lock
The invention relates to a lock comprising a housing (14, 55), a key operated lock cylinder (13, 51), which is arranged rotatable in the lock housing and a lock catch (11, 60), which is connected to the lock cylinder and rotatable between a locking position and a releasing position. The lock is arranged to be selectively set in a key operated mode, wherein the lock catch is rotatable with the lock cylinder, or in a push button operated mode, wherein the lock catch is movable by axial displacement of the lock cylinder. |
| US09279272B2 |
External handle device for vehicle door
An external handle device for a vehicle door is provided in which an operating handle comprising a handle main body that has formed therein a housing recess having a substantially U-shaped cross section and a handle cover that is secured to the handle main body so as to cover the housing recess is disposed so as to be operable on an outer face side of the vehicle door, and an electronic component unit formed by covering at least an electronic component with a jacket member is housed within the housing recess, wherein an extending portion is provided integrally with the jacket member, which is formed from a resilient material, the extending portion being sandwiched between abutting parts of the handle main body and the handle cover. Such configuration prevents rubbing occurring between abutting parts of the handle main body and the handle cover while eliminating necessity for an adhesive. |
| US09279269B2 |
Canopy shelter brackets
A canopy shelter bracket for increased structural integrity. The canopy shelter bracket can include an inner portion, an intermediate portion, a first outer portion, and a second outer portion integrally connected to form a generally “F” shape or an “S” shape. The inner portion, first outer portion, and/or the second outer portion can include holes for receiving a fastener therethrough to fasten the brackets to cross members. A single fastener can be used to fasten multiple cross members to the bracket. The first and/or second outer portions can additionally serve to space apart a first cross member from a second cross member. |
| US09279268B2 |
Easy fold layout hunting blind framework structure
An easy fold layout hunting blind framework structure comprises two upper supporting frames, two side supporting frames, and four supporting feet. When folding, four supporting feet can be folded towards four foot stocks, and two side supporting frames can turn downwards to come close to each other, and two upper supporting frames can be folded towards the two side supporting frames and, thus, the operation is easy. On the other hand, when developing for use, the only thing to do is to develop two side supporting frames, and develop four supporting feet, when turning both upper supporting frames so as to make their straight portions closely press each other thereby completing the developing operation. The operation is simple without using hand tools or detaching any component parts. |
| US09279267B2 |
Self-elevating mast employing draw works
A system comprising a support structure having a plurality of vertically extending members arranged to define a mast channel, the support structure attached to a platform having a rig floor and the support structure positioned above an opening in the rig floor; a first mast section that is attached to the support structure; a second mast section that is attached to the support structure and the first mast section; and a third mast section; wherein the system has a first arrangement in which the third mast section is located below the rig floor in a vertical position and is vertically spaced from the second mast; and wherein the system has a second arrangement in which the third mast section is attached to the second mast section and at least a portion of the third mast extends within the opening of the rig floor. |
| US09279256B2 |
Tread module
A tread module (10) for a walkway or stairway includes a body of material which defines a load-carrying surface (14), the tread module including at least two sub-module sections (20,21,22) which are formed integrally with one another and inter-connected by at least one severable formation (23) whereby the tread module may be reduced in size by severance of the severable formation(s). |
| US09279255B2 |
Light weight shingle
The present disclosure relates, according to some embodiments, to articles, systems, and methods for roofing a structure including, for example, layered shingles comprising a plurality of layers. A layered shingle may comprise, in some embodiments, an upper layer and a backing layer comprising a low density aggregate, wherein the backing layer is fixed to the substrate-facing surface of the upper layer. |
| US09279253B1 |
Ceiling system
A ceiling system in one embodiment includes a grid support member defining a bottom surface and a ceiling panel supported by the grid support member. A first facing sheet includes a peripheral edge portion coupled to the grid support member. The first grid support member is at least partially concealed by overlapping the peripheral edge portion of the first facing sheet onto the bottom surface of the grid support member. The first facing sheet is supported from the grid support member independently of the ceiling panel. A second facing sheet has a peripheral edge portion coupled to the grid support member. The first and second facing sheets have mating edges disposed adjacent to each other which conceal a majority or substantially the entire bottom surface of the grid support member. In one embodiment, the ceiling panel has a honeycomb core. |
| US09279252B2 |
Canopy system and group suspension system therefore
A ceiling system for use in the interior building environment. In one aspect, the invention may be a ceiling system comprising: a plurality of first struts and a plurality of second struts, the second struts intersecting the first struts; a plurality of panels; for each of the plurality of panels, a plurality of hook members attached to the panel; and wherein for each of the plurality of panels, the plurality of hook members comprise a first hook member coupled to one of the first struts and a second hook member coupled to one of the second struts. |
| US09279251B2 |
Mounting hardware and mounting system for vertical panels
A mounting clip and a system for mounting a vertical panel from a support member suspended from a ceiling. The mounting clip has a panel mounting section, a support member receiving portion, and a movable mounting section. The support member receiving portion extends from the panel mounting section. The movable mounting section can be rotated relative to the support member receiving portion to secure the mounting clip to the support member. |
| US09279248B2 |
Cover panel seismic expansion joint
A seismic expansion joint cover assembly installed at an expansion gap between a first structural member on one side of a gap and a second member on the opposite side of the gap includes a cover panel bridging the gap having at least one hinged connector joining one edge of the cover panel to the first structural component to allow movement about an axis. The assembly includes at least one slide support which attaches to the second member, including an attachment flange, a track extending from the flange, and a lift component located on the track to lift the cover panel. A spring assembly attaches to the cover panel and engages the track and includes a spring plate with one or more springs attached thereto, a guide component attached to the spring plate and a saddle component having a grove to receive the guide component. |
| US09279244B1 |
Apparatus for supporting stay-in-place metal decking forms
A system and method for supporting and positioning stay in place metal decking between support girders which have a substantially horizontal top surface with opposite side edges defining a width of the substantially horizontal top surface, includes a plurality of straps for placement on the substantially horizontal top surface of the support girder and having substantially vertical end portions at the ends thereof substantially aligned with the opposite edges of the substantially horizontal top surface, and a pair of angle irons, one side of each angle iron forming the height of the angle iron adapted to be adjustably attached to and to be adjustably vertically positioned with respect to the vertical end portions of the strap, and the width of the angle iron being sufficient for holding the edge of a metal decking pan. Wind clips can be installed to hold the assembly in position in high wind conditions. |
| US09279241B2 |
Remote control apparatus
An object of the present invention is to provide a remote control apparatus for a toilet seat apparatus which generates electric power by a user's pressing operation, the remote control apparatus being capable of balancing operability and the ability to reliably stop water spray at a high level.When a cleansing button MB2, being a button other than a stop button MB1, is pressed, a slide member 10 receives force F2′ at a branch 13a. When the branch 13a slides in a direction indicated by an arrow A2, a main part 11 also slides in a direction indicated by an arrow A1. A power generation unit GU generates electric power using mechanical energy input by a pressing force of an output part 14 of the slide member 10. When the stop button MB1 is pressed, the slide member 10 receives force F2 at a stop input part 12 and slides in the direction indicated by an arrow A1. At this time, a loss in the mechanical energy caused until it is transferred to the power generation unit GU by the slide member 10 is smaller than that caused as a result of the pressing operation of the cleansing button MB2. |
| US09279240B2 |
Sink extender system
A sink extender has a sink comprising a removable drain pan that may be connected to a conduit. An attachment mechanism connects the sink to a support. At least one tool holder supports an elongated handle of a janitorial tool over the sink. A method of using a sink extender comprises mounting the sink extender comprising a sink that drains into a flexible hose and at least one tool holder to a support surface; running the hose to a traditional sink such that water may drain from the sink to the traditional sink by gravity; securing a wet tool to the at least one tool holder such that the tool drains into the sink. |
| US09279239B2 |
Manual and automatic integrated faucet
A manual and automatic integrated faucet, comprising a faucet main body, a water outlet component, a handle, a handle switch, a displacement sensing element, a touch sensing element, an action sensing element, a control element and an electromagnetic valve; the water outlet component is connected with the faucet main body at one end, and provided with a water outlet at the other end; the handle switch is arranged on the faucet main body, and the electromagnetic valve is arranged on a water outlet passage of the faucet; the water outlet is controlled to let water out by simultaneously turning on the handle switch and opening the electromagnetic valve; and manual and automatic integration can be achieved by applying the handle switch, a touch sensing switch, a displacement switch, an infrared sensing switch and a timer to one faucet. |
| US09279233B2 |
Shovel
A shovel includes a turning drive unit. The turning drive unit includes a turning electric motor, a turning speed reducer configured to transmit the rotational driving force of the turning electric motor to a turnable body, a brake unit configured to maintain the turnable body in a state where the turning of the turnable body is stopped, a case forming a space in which the turning speed reducer and the brake unit are lubricated with lubricant oil and accommodated, a collar fixed around an output shaft of the turning speed reducer so as to rotate with the output shaft and covering at least a part of a relief part formed at a time of forming splines on the output shaft, and a sealing member provided between the collar and the case and hermetically sealing the lubricant oil inside the space. |
| US09279232B2 |
Front head nut pocket configuration for hydraulic hammer
A hydraulic hammer may include a power cell adapted to reciprocally drive a piston along an axis. The piston may, in turn, drive a hammer tool having a first end juxtaposed against the piston for accommodating cyclic impacts by the piston. While the first end of the hammer tool may be contained within a housing, the other end may extend from the housing for impacting rock, for example. The power cell and housing are axially secured together by a plurality of tie rods and nuts secured to ends of the tie rods, and the housing may include exterior pockets for accommodating the nuts. Each nut may have a circular exterior surface, and each nut pocket may have a generally elliptical interior surface, such that the exterior surface of each nut may be configured to engage at least two spaced apart areas of a corresponding interior surface of each nut pocket. |
| US09279231B2 |
Removable liner assembly for a dipper
A mining shovel includes a dipper having an inner surface, and a removable liner assembly coupled to the dipper and adjacent to the inner surface of the dipper. The removable liner assembly includes a first rail coupled to the dipper, a first liner segment disposed on the first rail and covering at least a portion of the first rail, and a second liner segment removably coupled to the first rail and covering at least one of a portion of the first liner segment and a portion of the first rail. The first rail is substantially covered by at least one of the first and second liner segments. |
| US09279228B1 |
Pull-out resistant piles
A pile is disclosed for insertion by a pile driver. The pile incorporates transversely extending anchors for increased pull-out resistance. |
| US09279227B2 |
Foundation pier system
A foundation-piering system for lifting and supporting a foundation or structure. The system provides a bracket that includes a seat plate and a pier guide. The seat plate extends horizontally below the foundation to engage the bottom surface thereof. A pad is disposed between the seat plate and the foundation to resist lateral movement of the bracket when under load. The pier guide is provided at a non-vertical angle to enable driving a pier from an initial position laterally adjacent to the foundation to a position that is vertically below the foundation. To install the bracket a face is formed along a bottom edge of the foundation and at an angle corresponding to the angle of the pier guide. The pier guide is abutted against the face when installed to minimize rotational forces encountered by the bracket. The bracket requires no fasteners or other coupling with the foundation. |
| US09279224B2 |
Self-actuating shoreline flood guard
A series of self-actuating flood guard units each including a buoyant gate flanked by a pair of the boundary walls and pivotable about a horizontal axis transverse to the flanking boundary walls runs along a shoreline of an adjacent body of water The axis is located at a selected elevation above ground inundated by the body water and is selected to cause the gate to buoyantly rotate upwardly between the boundary walls on rise of water above the selected elevation. The extent of rotation is limited by a restraint acting on the gate. The series of units may be continuous or contiguous and act as a whole to prevent onshore flooding from a rise of the body of water at the shoreline. |
| US09279223B2 |
Sand retention system
A method of building up and maintaining beach sediment, building and changing beach profiles, and controlling beach erosion that uses a series of varying diameter plastic pipes joined to obtain various lengths, laid parallel and on top of each other and situated perpendicular or at various angles to the shoreline. The pipes act to slow bottom currents and promote sand accretion in and around the pipes thereby stabilizing shoreline profiles and controlling beach erosion. The pipes are held together by cables or in a “cradle” to help stabilize the pipes on the sea bottom. Certain pipes have pre-drilled holes of various diameters through their sidewalls to allow in-flow of sand-carrying water such that the pipes become filled with sand acting to stabilize the pipes. Pipe diameter sizes are selected as necessary to accomplish most efficient sediment accumulation around the pipe structures. |
| US09279217B2 |
Method for making of paper, tissue, board or the like
The invention relates to a method for making of paper, tissue, board or the like by using recycled fiber material as a raw material. The method comprises following steps: pulping recycled paper, board or the like in a pulper and obtaining a pulp flow comprising (i) an aqueous phase and (ii) at least recycled fibers and starch having low molecular weight, which are dispersed in the aqueous phase; adding a coagulant agent to the pulp flow or to an aqueous process flow comprising starch having low molecular weight; allowing the coagulant agent to interact with the starch having low molecular weight and optionally forming aggregates; and adding at least one flocculating agent, after the addition of the coagulant agent, to any flow, which comprises interacted coagulant agent, and forming a treated flow with starch comprising agglomerate(s); retaining at least part of the said aggregates and/or the said agglomerates to the fibers or to a web, which is formed. |
| US09279214B2 |
PBO fibers with improved mechanical properties when exposed to high temperatures and high relative humidity
A method of treating fibers to improve resistance to high temperatures and relative humidity includes providing poly(p-phenylene-2,6-benzobisoxazole) (PBO) fibers, exposing the PBO fibers to an atmosphere of supercritical CO2 saturated with an epoxy silane, i.e. 3-glycidoxypropyl methyldimethoxysilane. The PBO fibers are subjected to a first pressurizing and heating stage at a first temperature (50° C.) for a first period of time. The PBO fibers are then subjected to a second pressurizing and heating stage including increasing the temperature to a second temperature (110° C.) and holding at the second temperature for an additional period of time. The PBO fibers include 2-5 wt % of 3-glycidoxypropyl methyldimethoxysilane after diffusing the CO2 out of the PBO fibers. The fibers are particularly useful in making lightweight body armor system components. |
| US09279213B2 |
Laundry treating appliance with imaging control
A laundry treating appliance having a rotatable drum defining a laundry treating chamber, where the laundry in the laundry treating chamber may be imaged and a motion condition of the laundry determined based on the imaging of the laundry. The operation of the laundry treating appliance may be based on the determined motion condition. |
| US09279202B2 |
Needle-punched nonwoven fabric
The invention relates to a needle-punched nonwoven fabric wherein short fibers of polylactic acid containing an epoxy compound account for 20 to 40 mass % while short fibers of polyethylene terephthalate account for 80 to 60 mass %, the metsuke (weight per unit surface area) being 100 to 200 g/m2, and the tensile strength per metsuke at 20° C. being 0.30 to 0.60 (N/cm)/(g/m2) in the longitudinal direction and 0.48 to 0.90 (N/cm)/(g/m2) in the lateral direction. The present invention provides needle-punched nonwoven fabrics that are low in environment load, high enough in durability to serve as interior finishing material for automobiles, and high in stretchability during molding. |
| US09279197B2 |
Spandex with high uniformity
Disclosed herein are a highly uniform spandex and process for making such spandex. More particularly, the polyurethaneurea of which such spandex is prepared has both dialkylurea and cycloalkylurea ends, wherein a chain terminator composition includes a dialkylamine such as diethylamine and a cylcoalkylamine such as cyclohexylamine. |
| US09279195B2 |
Device for production of nanofibres through electrostatic spinning of liquid matrix
A device for production of nanofibers through electrostatic spinning of the liquid matrix in electrostatic field between at least one spinning electrode and a collecting electrode positioned opposite thereto, while the spinning electrode contains at least one spinning member containing the cord, which comprises a straight section which is parallel with a plane of depositing the nanofibers and/or with the collecting electrode and it forms an active spinning zone of the cord. The cord of the spinning member is stationary or is displaceable in a direction of its length or is movable in a direction of its length either discontinuously or continuously and to the cord there is assigned a device for application of the liquid matrix on the cord in a direction of length of the cord. |
| US09279193B2 |
Method of making a gallium nitride crystalline composition having a low dislocation density
A method for growing a crystalline composition, the first crystalline composition may include gallium and nitrogen. The crystalline composition may have an infrared absorption peak at about 3175 cm−1, with an absorbance per unit thickness of greater than about 0.01 cm−1. In one embodiment, the composition may have an amount of oxygen present in a concentration of less than about 3×1018 per cubic centimeter, and may be free of two-dimensional planar boundary defects in a determined volume of the first crystalline composition. |
| US09279192B2 |
Method for manufacturing SiC wafer fit for integration with power device manufacturing technology
A method for producing silicon carbide substrates fit for epitaxial growth in a standard epitaxial chamber normally used for silicon wafers processing. Strict limitations are placed on any substrate that is to be processed in a chamber normally used for silicon substrates, so as to avoid contamination of the silicon wafers. To take full advantage of standard silicon processing equipment, the SiC substrates are of diameter of at least 150 mm. For proper growth of the SiC boule, the growth crucible is made to have interior volume that is six to twelve times the final growth volume of the boule. Also, the interior volume of the crucible is made to have height to width ratio of 0.8 to 4.0. Strict limits are placed on contamination, particles, and defects in each substrate. |
| US09279188B2 |
Hybrid metal oxide cycle water splitting
Hybrid thermochemical water splitting cycles are provided in which thermally reduced metal oxides particles are used to displace some but not all of the electrical requirements in a water splitting electrolytic cell. In these hybrid cycles, the thermal reduction temperature is significantly reduced compared to two-step metal-oxide thermochemical cycles in which only thermal energy is required to produce hydrogen from water. Also, unlike the conventional higher temperature cycles where the reduction step must be carried out under reduced oxygen pressure, the reduction step in the proposed hybrid cycles can be carried out in air, allowing for thermal input by a solar power tower with a windowless, cavity receiver. |
| US09279186B2 |
Metal member manufacturing method and metal member
A metallic material containing both a second constituent and a third constituent having positive and negative heats of mixing relative to a first constituent, respectively, and including a compound, an alloy or a nonequilibrium alloy having a melting point that is higher than the solidifying point of a metal bath made of the first constituent is placed in the metal bath. The metal bath is controlled to a temperature lower than a minimum value of a liquidus temperature within a range of compositional variations in which the amount of the third constituent in the metallic material decreases down to a point where the metallic material becomes substantially the second constituent so that the third constituent is selectively dissolved into the metal bath. |
| US09279185B2 |
Feed-through apparatus for a chemical vapour deposition device
A feed-through apparatus for a chemical vapor deposition device including: a feed-through main body; a plurality of runner units; and a feed-through device rotatable with respect to the plurality of runner units within the feed-through main body. Each runner unit has a fluid inlet and an elongated runner for receiving the fluid from the fluid inlet wherein the elongated runner extends spirally on a surface of the runner unit. The feed-through device has a plurality of feed-through device orifices for receiving fluids from corresponding elongated runners during rotation of the feed-through device and has outlet-orifices for releasing the fluids into a reactor chamber. |
| US09279183B2 |
Film forming apparatus and method of operating the same
A method of operating a film forming apparatus includes forming a carbon film on each of surfaces of a plurality of objects held by a holding unit in a processing container and performing a cleaning process with a cleaning gas to remove an unnecessary carbon film adhered on a inside of the processing container, wherein the method further includes, before the forming of the carbon film, forming, on a surface of a member contacting a processing space in the processing container, a tolerant pre-coating film which has a tolerance to the cleaning gas and improves adhesion of the carbon film to the surface of the member. Accordingly, the adhesion of the carbon film is improved, and further, the tolerant pre-coating film remains even when the cleaning process of removing the unnecessary carbon film is performed. |
| US09279180B2 |
Machine for plasma treatment of containers comprising an integrated vacuum circuit
A machine for plasma treatment of containers, including a chamber for receiving a container to be treated, the chamber connected to a primary vacuum circuit. A pressure sensor is connected to the chamber. There is a first mechanism for communicating the pressure sensor with the chamber; a secondary vacuum circuit dependent on the first circuit and connected to the pressure sensor; and second mechanism for communicating the pressure sensor with the secondary vacuum circuit. |
| US09279178B2 |
Manufacturing design and processing methods and apparatus for sputtering targets
Sputtering targets having a reduced burn-in time are disclosed that comprise: a) a heat-modified surface material having a substantially uniform crystallographic orientation, wherein at least part of the surface material was melted during heat-treatment, and b) a core material having an average grain size. Sputtering targets are also disclosed that include a heat-modified surface material having network of shallow trenches, alternating rounded peaks and valleys in the surface of the target or a combination thereof, wherein at least part of the surface material was melted during heat-treatment, and a core material having an average grain size. Methods of producing sputtering targets having reduced burn-in times comprises: a) providing a sputtering target comprising a sputtering surface having a sputter material and a crystal lattice, and b) heat-modifying the sputtering surface in order to melt at least part of the surface material and modify the crystal lattice. Methods of producing a sputtering target having a reduced burn-in time are also disclosed comprising: providing a sputtering target having a sputtering surface, wherein the sputtering surface comprises a damage layer, and modifying the sputtering surface by deplating a layer of material, pulsed-plating a layer of material or a combination thereof. |
| US09279175B2 |
Method for hot dip coating a flat steel product
A method for hot dip coating a flat stainless steel product with more than 5 wt. % Cr with a protective metallic coating by: heating the flat steel product under an oxygen-free heating atmosphere to 100° C.-600° C. within 1-30 seconds; continuing heating to a holding temperature of 750° C.-950° C., by heating to 550° C.-800° C. under an inert or reducing atmosphere, holding within this temperature window for 1 to 15 seconds under an oxidizing atmosphere, and continuing heating under an inert or reducing atmosphere, until the holding temperature is reached; holding at the holding temperature for 10-120 seconds under a reducing atmosphere; and passing the flat steel product through a nozzle area under an inert or reducing atmosphere at 430°-780° C. and into a molten bath in which the flat steel product is coated with the metallic coating. |
| US09279174B2 |
Unit for applying the coatings on elongate products
The coating unit for elongate components comprises a tank with molten metal and a coating chamber with inlet and outlet channels with an intake channel submerged into the tank with molten metal. Moreover, the coating chamber and the tank with molten metal are equipped with facilities for internal creation inside them above the heel reduced pressure and positive pressure respectively. To facilitate the operation and maintenance, as well as to ensure continuous operation of this unit without any stops for refilling the tank, to provide safety conditions while metal refilling into the tank with molten metal of this unit for coating of elongate components, the tank with molten metal and coating chamber are located in adjacent positions and jointed together with the inclined intake channel creating connecting vessels. Herewith, the tank with molten metal is equipped with supplying channel to load molten or solid metal through it, besides the supplying channel expands at the upper part entering the upper part of the tank with molten metal. |
| US09279170B2 |
Method for the refining and structure modification of AL-MG-SI alloys
A method for the refining and structural modification of Al—Mg—Si alloys for permanent-mold casting or sandcasting, which Al—Mg—Si alloys have the general composition of 5.0-10.0 weight % Mg; 1.0-5.0 weight % Si; 0.001-1.0 weight % Mn, 0.01-0.2 weight % Ti, less than 0.001 weight % Ca, less than 0.001 weight % Na, and less than 0.001 weight % Sr, and as the remainder, Al, and wherein phosphorus is added to the alloy melt in a quantitative range of from 0.01 to 0.06 weight %, referred to the total mass of the alloy. |
| US09279166B2 |
Seat structural component tailored for strength
The present invention relates to a component {1, 2, 3, 4, 6) within the interior of a vehicle. Specifically, the present invention relates to a part of a seat-structure. The present invention further relates to a process to produce a component { 1, 2, 3, 4, 6) w{umlaut over (ι)}thin the interior of a vehicle. |
| US09279163B2 |
Cellobiohydrolase enzymes
Provided are isolated cellobiohydrolases comprising a modified Glycoside Hydrolase (GH) Family 7 catalytic domain, a GH Family 7 catalytic domain and a modified Family 1 carbohydrate binding module (CBM), or both a modified Family 7 catalytic domain and a modified Family 1 CBM. Such isolated cellobiohydrolases exhibit from 45% to about 99.9% amino acid sequence identity to amino acids 1-436 of SEQ ID NO: 1 or to amino acids 1-438 of SEQ ID NO: 2 and improved activity on process substrates. Also provided are genetic constructs and genetically modified microbes for expressing the isolated cellobiohydrolases, a process for producing the isolated cellobiohydrolases, cellulase enzyme mixtures comprising the isolated cellobiohydrolase and a process for hydrolyzing a cellulosic substrate with such cellulase enzyme mixtures. |
| US09279162B2 |
Bacteria and the uses thereof
The present invention relates to novel bacteria and the uses thereof. The invention particularly relates to Deinococcus bacteria and their use in the pharmaceutical or agro-chemical industries, e.g., for degrading biomass and/or producing metabolites or drugs of industrial interest. |
| US09279158B2 |
Compositions and methods useful for the treatment and diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease
Compositions and methods useful for the diagnosis and treatment of IBD including Crohn's disease are disclosed. |
| US09279152B2 |
Sample preparation for in situ nucleic acid analysis, methods and compositions therefor
Sample preparation processes for in situ RNA or DNA analysis, methods and compositions therefor are provided. Processes provided herein allow DNA or RNA analysis to be carried out in the same tube or on an aliquot of the prepared sample without centrifugation or extraction. The preparation process can be carried out at room temperature in as little as seven minutes and is amenable to high throughput processing using manual or robotic platforms. |