| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US09339492B1 |
Methods of treating psoriasis using allantoin
Embodiments herein provide formulations and methods for treatment of inflammatory skin diseases using allantoin in an amount from about 0.5% to about 15.0% by weight. Inflammatory skin diseases treated by embodiments herein include, without limitation, cutaneous porphyria, sclerodema, epidermolysis bulosa, psoriasis, decubitus ulcers, pressure ulcers, diabetic ulcers, venous stasis ulcers, sickle cell ulcers, ulcers caused by burns, eczema, urticaria, atopic dermatitis, dermatitis herpetiform, contact dermatitis, arthritis, gout, lupus erythematosus, acne, alopecia, carcinomas, psoriasis, rosacea, miliaria, skin infections, post-operative care of incisions, post-operative skin care following any variety of plastic surgery operations, skin care following radiation treatment, care of dry, cracked or aged skin and skin lines as well as other conditions affecting the skin and having an inflammatory component, symptoms thereof, or a combination thereof. Symptoms treated may include pain, inflammation, redness, itching, scarring, skin thickening, milia, or a combination thereof. |
| US09339491B2 |
Use of a pyrazole derivative in the treatment of acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Use of 3-[5-amino-4-(3-cyanobenzoyl)-pyrazol-1-yl]-N-cyclopropyl-4-methylbenzamide or a pharmaceutically acceptable derivative thereof in the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment of acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Treatment may involve a single dose of the active ingredient by oral administration. |
| US09339490B2 |
Methods and compositions for increasing sex steroids and growth hormones
Embodiments of the invention generally relate to methods and supplements for increasing sex steroids and human growth hormone in a human being. |
| US09339489B2 |
Rapid disperse dosage form containing levetiracetam
A high dose rapidly dispersing three-dimensionally printed dosage form comprising a high dose of levetiracetam in a porous matrix that disperses in water within a period of less than about 10 seconds is disclosed. Also disclosed are methods of preparing the dosage form and of treating a condition, disease or disorder that is therapeutically responsive to levetiracetam. |
| US09339488B2 |
Anti-cervical cancer compound and method of use thereof
Cervical cancer is one of the most common malignancies and is associated with a dismal prognosis. The most common therapeutic option for cervical cancer consists of surgery in early stages, and chemotherapy or radiotherapy in more advanced stages of the disease. Although treatment options have increased for some patients, overall progress has been modest. This invention relates to a method for treating cancer comprising administering an anti-cancer compound. More particularly, the present invention relates to an anti-cervical-cancer compound for treating human cervical cancer and tumor. |
| US09339483B2 |
Amino-acid-containing medicinal granular preparation highly easy to take
The present invention aims to provide an amino acid-containing granule preparation improved in the ease of taking medication than conventional products, which disintegrates rapidly. The amino acid-containing granule preparation of the present invention containing granules having a maximum particle size of substantially not more than 1000 μm and a bulk density of not less than 0.57 g/mL markedly improves ease of taking medication without impairing disintegration property, as compared to conventional amino acid-containing granule preparations. |
| US09339481B2 |
Phosphate-binding magnesium salts and uses thereof
The present invention provides, among other things, compositions and methods suitable for the treatment of hyperphosphatemia based on phosphate-binding magnesium salts. In some embodiments, the present invention provides compositions and methods suitable for the treatment of hyperphosphatemia based on the combination of phosphate-binding magnesium and calcium salts. |
| US09339478B2 |
Pharmaceutical formulation
A pharmaceutical composition in the form of a tablet including a first portion and a second portion, wherein said first portion includes guaifenesin having an immediate release profile and a second drug having a sustained release profile, and wherein the second portion includes guaifenesin having a sustained release profile. The second drug can be in the form of a drug-resin complex. The second drug can be either an anti-tussive or a decongestant. The drug-resin complex includes a drug complexed to an ion exchange resin. The ion exchange resin can be a polystyrene sulfonate resin, polacrilex resin, polacrilin potassium, cholestyramine resin, or a colestyramine resin. The drug-resin complex can be provided with a coating, the coating thickness being selected to obtain the desired release profile. The drug-resin complex can be provided with a coating level of from 5% to 50%. The coating level can be from 10% to 35%. |
| US09339477B2 |
Antimicrobial composition
The present invention relates to an antimicrobial composition and a method for disinfection involving the antimicrobial composition. It particularly relates to an antimicrobial composition for personal cleaning, oral care or hard surface cleaning applications. It was found that compositions comprising thymol, selected propen-2-yl-methyl-cyclohexanols, and a carrier provide synergistic antimicrobial action. In a preferred aspect the composition also comprises 1 to 80%-wt of one or more surfactants. |
| US09339475B2 |
Spatial arrangement of particles in a drinking device for oral delivery of pharmaceuticals
The present invention relates to spatially arranging a plurality of particles in a device for the oral delivery of a pharmaceutical. In particular, the plurality of particles is utilized for the oral delivery of a pharmaceutical to a subject via the drinking device. |
| US09339474B2 |
Soft capsule based on starch and a method and device for the production thereof
A method for producing starch soft capsules comprises the following steps: preparing a mixture comprising starch, plasticizer and water, wherein more than 50 weight percent of the starch is present in the form of particles of granular starch; shaping the mixture to form a film in a shaping process; solidifying the mixture by increasing the temperature of the mixture during and/or after the shaping process by more than 5° C.; and shaping the film to form a soft capsule. Soft capsules produced by this method have starch particles bonded to one another. A device for performing this method comprises a shaping device to enable shaping of the starch material to form a film, and a heating device to perform a heat treatment to destructure the starch during and/or after the shaping. It comprises a rotary die device. |
| US09339470B2 |
Anti-retroviral combination
A pharmaceutical composition comprising a solid unit dosage form comprising: (i) ritonavir or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt and ester thereof; (ii) darunavir or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt and ester thereof. |
| US09339467B2 |
Method for making homogeneous spray-dried solid amorphous drug dispersions utilizing modified spray-drying apparatus
Conventional spray-drying methods are improved by incorporation of a pressure nozzle and a diffuser plate to improve the flow of drying gas and a drying chamber extension to increase drying time, such improvements leading to the formation of homogeneous solid dispersions of drugs in concentration-enhancing polymers. |
| US09339458B2 |
Use of vaginal insulin sensitizing agents
A method for the treatment and/or prevention of hyperandrogenism and/or polycystic ovary syndrome and/or related disorders comprising the vaginal administration of at least one insulin-sensitizing agent. |
| US09339456B2 |
Inhalation-type pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of arthritis and preparation method thereof
The present invention provides an inhalation-type pharmaceutical composition for arthritis and preparation method thereof, comprising a first gas and an atomized medicine. The first gas comprises hydrogen. The gas volume concentration of hydrogen in the inhalation-type pharmaceutical composition is between 2 to 96%. The atomized medicine is selected from a group comprising indomethacin, flurbiprofen, celecoxib, and any combination thereof. The inhalation-type pharmaceutical composition of the present invention can remove harmful radicals in the body of the patient through the use of hydrogen while also increases the absorption effect of the medicine for the patient by using an atomized medicine. At the same time, because the use of the small amount of the vaporized pharmaceutical liquid can indirectly reduce the side effects on the user. |
| US09339451B2 |
Hair colouring methods and kits thereof
Method for coloring hair wherein a non-diluted hair coloring composition is applied to the hair, e.g. the hair roots and a diluted hair coloring composition is applied to the hair, e.g. the hair lengths and tips, wherein a dilutant composition comprising water and/or a non-aqueous liquid is added to the non-diluted hair coloring composition to obtain the diluted hair coloring composition. |
| US09339450B2 |
Injectable composition combining a filling agent and a fibroblast growth medium
The invention relates to a composition that can be subcutaneously or intradermally injected, comprising: a filling agent; and a fibroblast growth medium. |
| US09339449B2 |
Shampoo preparations
The invention relates to aqueous compositions comprising an anionic surfactant and a hyperbranched polyesteramide having at least one quaternized amine endgroup. The compositions, in particular in the form of shampoo preparations are suited for increasing the volume of hair treated therewith. Furthermore, such compositions provide styling attributes and increase the wet-combability of hair. |
| US09339443B2 |
Dental restorative material based on an antimicrobially active compound
The invention relates to a dental restorative material which comprises (a) at least one antimicrobially active compound of Formula (I) [AG]m-R1—Z—SP—Y—R2—[WG]p (I), or a filler that is surface-modified with at least one compound of Formula (I), (b) at least one radically polymerizable monomer and (c) at least one initiator for the radical polymerization. The invention also relates to a use of such dental restorative material for the preparation of an adhesive, primer, cement, coating material or filling material. The invention also relates to a dental material which comprises at least one compound of Formula (I), as well as a use of a compound of Formula (I) for modifying the surface of a substrate selected from ceramic materials, noble and non-noble metals, hard tooth structure, tooth enamel, dentine, collagen, soft tissue, mucous membrane and leather. |
| US09339440B2 |
Thermo-kinetic mixing for pharmaceutical applications
Compositions and methods for making a pharmaceutical dosage form include making a pharmaceutical composition that includes one or more active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) with one or more pharmaceutically acceptable excipients by thermokinetic compounding into a composite. Compositions and methods of preprocessing a composite comprising one or more APIs with one or more excipients include thermokinetic compounding, comprising thermokinetic processing the APIs with the excipients into a composite, wherein the composite can be further processed by conventional methods known in the art, such as hot melt extrusion, melt granulation, compression molding, tablet compression, capsule filling, film-coating, or injection molding. |
| US09339439B2 |
Pharmaceutical container system
A pharmaceutical container comprising a pair of containers interconnected with a coupling is described. The containers are intended to contain two components of a pharmaceutical such that when mixed a finished, ready to use, pharmaceutical mixture results. The coupling includes cutting devices that can cut through a frangible membrane when the containers, joined by the coupling are twisted with respect to one another. |
| US09339437B2 |
Medicinal storage, safety, organizational and delivery device
A lockable storage container and delivery device is provided that exposes the access port of liquid medicinal vials (such as for insulin) while maintaining identification, security, organization and inventory data access, for easy and documented administration of such medicine. The container has individual compartments for various types of medication, or variants of a similar medication (such as various types of insulin) in one convenient and secure container that provides optimal, efficient, cost-saving and safe delivery of medicine to patients. |
| US09339435B2 |
Photo light therapy and massaging apparatus
A light therapy and massaging apparatus includes a base and a chair. A first movement imparting mechanism is provided for displacing the chair assembly relative to the base for displacing a user on the chair assembly in a repeated motion. Infrared light sources are provided in the chair assembly for delivering high energy to the user's body. Paddles extend within openings in the chair assembly for massaging the user's buttocks, the paddles being driven by a second movement imparting mechanism. Protrusions are provided transversally on the chair assembly and opposite the user's legs so as to act on the user's legs when the chair assembly is displaced by the first movement imparting mechanism. |
| US09339434B1 |
Magnetically coupled slider sex toy
A magnetically coupled slider sex toy apparatus. The apparatus includes a shaft having an interior and an elongated screw having first and second ends. The elongated screw is located within the interior of the shaft. The sex toy apparatus also includes a motor for rotating the elongated screw and an inner magnet coupled to the screw. The inner magnet moves longitudinally between the first and second ends of the screw. An outer magnetic ring is positioned over the shaft and is magnetically attracted to the inner magnet. Limits are located on either end of the shaft to send a signal to the elector motor of the position of the magnets. The electric motor is configured to reverse a direction of rotation of the elongated screw upon receipt of a signal from one of the limits which cause the inner magnet and outer magnet ring to move in an opposite direction. |
| US09339431B2 |
Vehicle with at least three stable bearing points on the ground
A vehicle with at least three stable bearing points on the ground, of which at least one at the front and at least one at the rear of the vehicle, comprises an arm fixed to the front of the vehicle, at a free first end of which arm are mounted a steering unit, and a seat situated at the rear of the vehicle. The arm is movable relative to the seat between a first remote and lockable position, relating to a self-support mode, wherein a first distance is provided between the steering unit and the seat in order to receive a person in seated or semi-seated position on the seat, and a second closer and lockable position, relating to a walking assistance mode, wherein a second distance smaller than the first is provided between the steering unit and the seat. The steering unit forming a support means in this second position. |
| US09339430B2 |
Patient positioning support apparatus with virtual pivot-shift pelvic pads, upper body stabilization and fail-safe table attachment mechanism
A patient support apparatus for supporting a patient in a prone position during a surgical procedure includes a patient support structure incorporating an open fixed frame suspended above a floor and a pair of spaced opposed radially sliding joints cooperating with the frame, each joint including a virtual pivot point and an arc of motion spaced from the pivot point, the joints being movable along the arc providing a pivot-shift mechanism for a pair of pelvic pads attached to the joints. A base supports and suspends the patient support structure above the floor, for supporting a patient during a surgical procedure, the base including a pair of spaced opposed vertical translation subassemblies reversibly attachable to the support structure, a cross-bar, and a rotation subassembly having two degrees of rotational freedom; wherein a location of each vertical translation subassembly is substantially constant during operation of the patient support structure. |
| US09339426B2 |
Portable and disposable apparatus for urinary elimination
Portable and disposable apparatus for urinal elimination includes a container with a hydrophilic layer, absorbent fragrance materials, and liquid absorbency materials. The hydrophilic layer, the absorbent fragrance materials, and the liquid absorbency materials absorb all of the urine within the container without any after spillage. Users can use a lid, which is permanently connected with the container from one end, as a privacy shield during urinal elimination process. Once the users are finished with the urinal elimination process, the users can reseal the lid back onto the container so that the container can be disposed at users' convenience. |
| US09339425B2 |
Absorbent article having a fastening system adapted to enhance gasketing
An absorbent article has a pair of leg cuffs adapted to fit about the legs of a wearer and a pair of containment flaps adapted to provide a barrier to the lateral flow of body exudates. Each containment flaps includes a seam bonding the respective containment flap to the article and at least one elastic member spaced from the seam. A fastening system includes a primary fastening system and a secondary fastening system. The secondary fastening system comprises a pair of secondary first fastening components and a pair of secondary second fastening components. Each of the secondary first fastening components is laterally located relative to one of the containment flaps such that an outboard-most longitudinal edge of the secondary first fastening component is spaced laterally inward from the seam and an inboard-most longitudinal edge of the secondary first fastening component is spaced laterally outward from the elastic member. |
| US09339422B2 |
Absorbent article with raised body conforming structure
An absorbent article includes a body side liner, a back sheet, an absorbent body positioned between the body side liner and the back sheet, and a body conforming structure positioned in direct facing relation with the body side liner. The body conforming structure length is at least 50% the absorbent body length and is aligned with a longitudinal centerline of the absorbent article. The median anterior portion width of the body conforming structure is greater than the median central portion width of the body conforming structure which is greater than the median posterior portion width of the body conforming structure. The anterior portion includes a well, the central portion includes a channel, and the posterior portion includes a taper. The well transitions into the channel via a first convex transition and a concave transition. The channel transitions into the taper via a second convex transition. |
| US09339419B2 |
Tampon applicator
In a tampon applicator, an elongated barrel has an interior chamber for housing a tampon therein, a grip region generally adjacent an outer end of the barrel, a tip region generally adjacent an inner end of the barrel, and a central region extending longitudinally between the grip region and the tip region. A plunger extends into the barrel at the outer end thereof and is moveable relative to the barrel to expel the tampon from the barrel at its inner end. The outer surface of the barrel at the grip region has a different coefficient of friction than at the central region of the barrel. In other embodiments the coefficient of friction of the barrel outer surface at the central region is different from the coefficient of friction at the tip region. |
| US09339417B2 |
Roll tape
A long cut line 21 extending along a virtual cutting line D is arranged in a central region A of an adhesive tape 1. The length of the long cut line 21 is made longer than a length of a second adjacent cut line 22 arranged in an adjacent region B and an outer cut line 23 arranged in an outer region C. The adjacent region B and the outer region C of the adhesive tape 1 have a tensile strength that can withstand the tensile stress generated when the adhesive tape 1 is fed out. |
| US09339413B2 |
Drainage device
A drainage device for discharging a liquid retained in a palpebral fissure to the outside of the palpebral fissure includes a hook portion that is bent into a hook to be hooked on a lid margin or a medical drape and comes into contact with the liquid in the palpebral fissure or overflowing from the palpebral fissure to form a start point of a flow path for the liquid, and a body portion that extends from the hook portion and discharges the liquid guided by the hook portion. The distal end of the hook portion is formed into a spatula shape. The body portion includes an abdominal portion and a tail portion and discharges the liquid after arrival thereof at a surface of the tail portion by making the liquid run along a gap between a lid margin side surface of the abdominal portion and the lid margin or the medical drape. |
| US09339412B2 |
Maintenance of core mammalian body temperature
The present application relates to methods for maintaining core body temperature in a subject. Heat is applied to peripheral thermoregulatory control tissue of the subject to increase or maintain perfusion of blood in glabrous tissue of the subject, and a warming stimulus is applied to the glabrous tissue. The application of heat to the peripheral thermoregulatory control tissue occurs discretely and simultaneously with application of the warming stimulus to the glabrous tissue, without application of a heating device or a warming device to tissue other than the tissue subjected to the applied heat or to the applied warming stimulus, thereby maintaining the core body temperature of the subject. |
| US09339410B2 |
Oral motion preservation device
A device for the treatment of bruxism may include an articulation plate worn on one of the upper or lower jaw and coupled to a bite plate worn on the other of the upper or lower jaw. Posts extending from one of the bite plate or articulation plate into housings in the other of the bite plate or articulation plate may couple the bite plate and articulation plate. The posts may include a solid, flexible material to allow for relative movement of the coupled bite plate and articulation plate. First articulating components on one of the bite plate or articulation plate may engage second articulating components on the other of the bite plate or articulation plate to allow for 360 degree articulating motion between the bite plate and articulation plate. A damper may adjust a distance between teeth received in the bite plate and teeth received in the articulation plate. |
| US09339408B2 |
Clasp for securing flexible bands
A clasp is configured to permanently interlock around a flexible strip of material and includes first and second interlocking members. Each interlocking member includes two hooks and two recesses. Each of the hooks of the first side are arranged to engage and interlock with one of the recesses of the second side and each of the hooks of the second side are arranged to interlock with one of the recesses of the first side, so as to prevent movement between the interlocking members when interlocked. |
| US09339407B2 |
Apparatus and methods for conforming a support to a body
Apparatus and methods for conforming a support to a body are described in which a portable support assembly may be worn by a bed-stricken individual around particular regions of the body where pressure ulcers tend to form. The portable support assembly may generally include adjustable supports which conform the assembly to the patient's body and which also help to distribute one or more fluid pad assemblies relative to the body. |
| US09339404B2 |
Devices and methods for controlling expandable prostheses during deployment
A catheter for delivering a prosthesis to a treatment site in a body lumen comprises an elongate flexible member and a sheath slidably disposed thereover. A plurality of self-expanding tubular prostheses are carried in axially spaced apart locations along the elongate member, within the sheath. The prostheses may be selectively interlocked with one another and are constrained by the sheath in a radially contracted configuration. The prostheses are separately releasable from the sheath when the sheath is retracted relative to the elongate member. The catheter also has a pusher member slidably disposed along the elongate member within the sheath. The pusher is adapted to move past the prostheses in a first direction without displacing the prostheses, while in a second direction the pusher engages a selected prosthesis so as to move the prosthesis with the pusher to interlock the selected prosthesis with a second prosthesis. |
| US09339399B2 |
Device for endovascular aortic repair and method of using the same
A device and method for endovascular repair of a patient's aorta is disclosed. The device includes a frame component that has a balloon-expandable frame and a self-expanding frame secured to the balloon-expandable frame. The device also includes a valve element positioned at the proximal end of the frame component. The device may include another prosthetic component that may be secured to the frame component. The prosthetic component may include at least one conduit configured to receive a covered stent. |
| US09339397B2 |
Artificial ankle-foot system with spring, variable-damping, and series-elastic actuator components
An artificial foot and ankle joint consists of a curved leaf spring foot member having a heel extremity and a toe extremity, and a flexible elastic ankle member that connects the foot member for rotation at the ankle joint. An actuator motor applies torque to the ankle joint to orient the foot when it is not in contact with the support surface and to store energy in a catapult spring that is released along with the energy stored in the leaf spring to propel the wearer forward. A ribbon clutch prevents the foot member from rotating in one direction beyond a predetermined limit position. A controllable damper is employed to lock the ankle joint or to absorb mechanical energy as needed. The controller and sensing mechanisms control both the actuator motor and the controllable damper at different times during the walking cycle for level walking, stair ascent, and stair descent. |
| US09339396B2 |
Robotic exoskeleton multi-modal control system
System and method for operating a robotic exoskeleton involves using a control system (107) to monitor an output one or more electrical activity sensors (202) disposed on a human operator. The control system determines if an output of the electrical activity sensors corresponds to a predetermined neural or neuromuscular condition of the user. Based on the determining step, the control system automatically chooses an operating mode from among a plurality of different operating modes. The operating mode selected determines the response the control system will have to control inputs from the human operator. |
| US09339393B2 |
Orthopedic implant insertion instrument
A surgical instrument is disclosed that facilitates the implantation of one of a number of differently sized or differently configured hip stem prostheses into a proximal end of a femur while also providing a surgeon with a substantial amount of rotational control over the prosthesis during the implantation. A suitable hip stem prosthesis is selected from a family of hip stem prostheses of varying sizes and dimensions. The surgical instrument attaches to the selected hip stem prosthesis via first and second spaced engagement portions such that the instrument is operable to exert rotational control over the selected hip stem prosthesis. The first engagement portion is an impaction portion configured to engage a corresponding impaction feature on a proximal body portion of the hip stem prosthesis. The second engagement portion is an adjustable clamping portion configured to clampingly receive the neck of the hip stem prosthesis, regardless of the prosthesis size. |
| US09339391B2 |
Systems and methods for providing a femoral component with a modified posterior condyle
Systems and methods for providing deeper knee flexion capabilities. In some instances, such systems and methods include a knee prosthesis that includes a femoral component for replacing at least a portion of a distal end of a femur. In some cases, the femoral component has a posterior condyle that is configured to articulate against a tibial articular surface. In such cases, an articular surface at a proximal portion of the posterior condyle is sized and shaped to extend at least half of an antero-posterior distance between a most posterior portion of the posterior condyle and a plane that is a continuation of a distal one fourth to one third of a posterior cortex of a femoral shaft of the femur. Other implementations are also discussed. |
| US09339389B2 |
Acetabular cup prosthesis and method of forming the prosthesis
An acetabular cup prosthesis comprising an acetabular cup having a rim and comprising a metal band applied around the outer circumference of the acetabular cup prosthesis and adjacent to said rim. |
| US09339384B2 |
Delivery systems for prosthetic heart valve
Described herein are systems and methods from delivering prosthetic devices, such as prosthetic heart valves, through the body and into the heart for implantation therein. The prosthetic devices delivered with the delivery systems disclosed herein are, for example, radially expandable from a radially compressed state mounted on the delivery system to a radially expanded state for implantation using an inflatable balloon of the delivery system. Exemplary delivery routes through the body and into the heart include transfemoral routes, transapical routes, and transaortic routes, among others. |
| US09339379B2 |
Vascular implant and delivery system
A vascular implant for replacing a native heart valve comprises a self expanding stent supporting a valve body having leaflets. The stent preferably comprises an anchoring structure configured to prevent the implant from passing through the valve annulus. For delivery, the implant is compacted within a delivery device and secured at one end. During delivery the implant is partially released from the delivery device, and positioning of the implant can be verified prior to full release. The implant can be at least partially resheathed and repositioned if desired. |
| US09339378B2 |
Vascular implant and delivery system
A vascular implant for replacing a native heart valve comprises a self expanding stent supporting a valve body having leaflets. The stent preferably comprises an anchoring structure configured to prevent the implant from passing through the valve annulus. For delivery, the implant is compacted within a delivery device and secured at one end. During delivery the implant is partially released from the delivery device, and positioning of the implant can be verified prior to full release. The implant can be at least partially resheathed and repositioned if desired. |
| US09339376B2 |
Ear insert for relief of TMJ discomfort and method for use thereof
A prosthesis for insertion in an ear to reduce pain resulting from TMJ disorders. The ear insert has a predefined shape conforming to the shape of the ear canal when the jaw is in an open position. The ear insert supports the TMJ and associated secondary musculature to reduce strain in the TMJ area, including the muscles, ligaments, nerves, and the temporo-mandibular joint itself. The insert is hollow in the inside to permit hearing and is made of a rigid material which retains the shape of the ear canal. A scalloped indenture extends across a surface of the ear insert positioned behind the tragus. |
| US09339374B2 |
Intraocular lens insertion apparatus and lens case
A lens case for storing an intraocular lens contains a housing for storing an intraocular lens and a support member configured to support the intraocular lens. The support member includes a plurality of jaws, the jaws having a closed configuration for holding the intraocular lens and an open configuration for releasing the intraocular lens. The lens case further comprises a passage formed when the jaws are in the open configuration, the passage including an opening in the lens case for transfer of the intraocular lens into an intraocular lens inserter. The lens case may further comprise an intraocular lens that is disposed between the jaws, the intraocular lens comprising an optic and a haptic coupled to the optic. The lens case may be configured to maintain the haptic in either a first position in which a distal portion of the haptic is disposed farther from the optic or a second position in which the distal portion of the haptic is disposed closer to optic. Preferably, the lens case is configured to provide the second position during transfer of the intraocular lens into an inserter and/or inserter cartridge. |
| US09339372B2 |
Breast implant with regionalized analyte sensors responsive to external power source
Breast implants including sensor modules and related methods are described herein. Breast implants include those with: a shell configured to be substantially filled with a viscous material; a plurality of projections extending from an external surface of the shell, the projections forming a plurality of compartments adjacent to the external surface of the shell; at least one fluid-permeable cover attached to the projections, the cover completely enveloping the shell and the plurality of projections; and a plurality of sensor modules attached to the shell and positioned at a distance from each other, each of the sensor modules oriented to detect one or more analytes in a fluid within one of the plurality of compartments, wherein each of the plurality of sensor modules includes a unique identifier and is configured to utilize energy transmitted from an external source. |
| US09339368B2 |
Thin film medical device and delivery system
The present invention relates to a delivery system for an intraluminal thin film medical device particularly well suited for occlusion of an aneurysm, vessel side branch or dissection of a body lumen or duct, such as an artery or vein. The delivery system has an outer sheath attached along the distal end of a relatively long and flexible tubular shaft. The outer sheath is capable of constraining the thin film medical device in a longitudinally stretched position, and subsequently being retracted relative to the flexible tubular shaft to release the thin film medical device from the constrained longitudinally stretched position. The delivery system may additionally have a mechanical expansion catheter substantially coaxial too, and slideably engaged within, the outer sheath and an inner lumen substantially coaxial to the outer sheath and incorporated into the flexible tubular shaft. |
| US09339363B2 |
Management of urinary incontinence in females
An apparatus for treating urinary incontinence, comprising: (a) a support section adapted for providing urethral support; (b) an anchoring section adapted for resisting movement of the apparatus; (c) a normally open expansion mechanism adapted to urge the support radially outwards; and (d) a conversion mechanism adapted to sharply and selectively reduce an outward urging of said support. |
| US09339360B2 |
Artificial insemination straw
The invention relates to a straw for cryopreservation that improves the chance of conception of semen after cryopreservation. The straw is produced by introducing a partitioning layer into a straw for artificial insemination to separate layers, thereby forming a semen storage layer containing an aqueous solution containing semen and an anti-freeze agent on one side and a dilution layer containing no anti-freeze agent on the other side, wherein a dilution solution containing an aqueous solution containing tris(hydroxymethyl aminomethane), citric acid, glucose and sodium chloride is used in the dilution layer. |
| US09339356B2 |
Electric interdental cleaning apparatus and systems useful for cleaning teeth and interdental spaces
A powered dental and interdental cleaning tool includes a body, an interdental cleaning member, and a drive member. The drive member extends from the body at an angle to a longitudinal axis of the body. The drive member is connected to the interdental cleaning member. A neck extends from the body and defines a drive member shaft for containing and supporting the drive member. |
| US09339355B2 |
Diversion of mechanical oscillations
A device for deflecting mechanical oscillations, at an oscillation receiver location may be set into oscillation along a first axis, and transmits such an oscillation into an oscillation along a second axis at an oscillation output location, wherein the first and the second axis form an angle to one another. The device includes an elongate, bent oscillation element, on whose one end a coupling-in point and at whose other end a coupling-out point is arranged, wherein the device is designed such that the oscillation element oscillates transversally at the coupling-in point and at the coupling-out point, when the oscillation receiver location is subjected to an oscillation. |
| US09339353B2 |
Active self-ligating bracket
An orthodontic bracket including a body including a bonding base for attachment to the tooth, a lingual vertical slot, a pair of laterally spaced gingival tie wings and a pair of laterally spaced occlusal tie wings, the gingival and occlusal tie wings projecting from a labial surface of the body; an archwire slot extending mesio-distally across the body and between the gingival and occlusal tie wings at opposed medial and distal sides of the body to accommodate an archwire; a locking shutter including at pair of resilient arm members and a lingual guide bar between the resilient arm members, the locking shutter moveable between an open position in which placement and removal of the archwire is facilitated and a closed position in which placement and removal of the archwire is inhibited; first and second tracks formed on each of first and second outer lateral surfaces of the body, extending from the gingival tie wings across the archwire slot and into the occlusal tie wings; the first and second tracks sized and otherwise dimensioned to receive the pair of resilient arm members therein. The first and second tracks extend in a substantially occlusal-gingival direction, angled gingivally by an angle θ with respect to a plane parallel with the vertical plane of a tooth on the outer lateral surfaces such that the first and second tracks. |
| US09339352B2 |
Orthodontic article having partially hardened composition and related method
An orthodontic article is provided for bonding to a tooth structure comprising an orthodontic appliance, a layer of partially hardened hardenable composition adjacent the appliance, and a bonding adhesive adjacent the partially hardened hardenable composition. A method of making an orthodontic article for orthodontic bonding is provided, comprising partially hardening a hardenable composition adjacent the base of an orthodontic appliance. |
| US09339351B2 |
Adjustable dental spacer
A dental spacer that is adjustable and attaches to a tooth. The dental spacer may include a ring with an inner surface and an outer surface. A screw may be secured to the ring to compress and expand the ring size. A spacer may be attached to the outer surface of the ring and may abut against an adjacent tooth. Therefore, the space between two teeth adjacent to a removed tooth may be preserved. |
| US09339350B2 |
Mixing device for a dental powder jet apparatus, and dental hand-held instrument for a powder jet apparatus including a respective mixing device
A mixing device for a dental powder jet device, comprising a receptacle for receiving a powder, an inlet for a transport fluid, and an outlet for a powder/transport fluid mixture, the outlet comprising at least one outlet nozzle, the inlet comprising at least one first and at least one second inlet nozzles wherein the outflow direction of the first inlet nozzle intersects the inflow direction of the outlet nozzle, and wherein the outflow direction of the second inlet nozzle is arranged in an offset manner with respect to the outflow direction of the first inlet nozzle. |
| US09339346B2 |
System and method for interacting with an object
System and methods for positioning a tool in a robotic system include determining primary position information for the tool at a first frequency and determining secondary position information for the tool at a second frequency. The tool is moved in a first position control mode and a second position control mode based on the primary position information and the secondary position information. At least one of the first and second frequencies in each of the first and second position control modes is adjusted. A difference between the first and second frequencies in the first position control mode is different than a difference between the first and second frequencies in the second position control mode. |
| US09339343B2 |
User interface methods for alternate tool modes for robotic surgical tools
In one implementation, a method is disclosed in which a lock sensing mode is entered for a robotic surgical instrument. In the lock sensing mode, the degrees of freedom of movement in the robotic surgical instrument are switchably reduced. Further in the lock sensing mode, one or more end effectors of the robotic surgical instrument are switchably clamped together in the robotic surgical instrument. An increased level of torque may also be applied to the end effectors to increase a gripping force applied by the one or more end effectors in response to the reduced degrees of freedom of movement in the robotic surgical instrument. |
| US09339342B2 |
Instrument interface
A mechanical interface for a robotic medical instrument permits engagement of the instrument and a drive system without causing movement of an actuated portion of the instrument. An instrument interface can include a symmetrical, tapered or cylindrical projection on one of a medical instrument or a drive system and a complementary bore in the other of the drive system or the medical instrument. Symmetry of the projection and the bore allows the projection to be compression fit to the bore regardless of the rotation angle of the drive system relative to the medical instrument. |
| US09339341B2 |
Direct pull surgical gripper
A surgical end effector includes a clevis and two jaws pivotally coupled to the clevis. A wire is coupled to each jaw and extended through a guide way in the other jaw and through an end of the clevis. The jaws may be opened and closed by pushing and pulling on the two cables. Pulling on each wire creates a closing force in both jaws. A rocking pin may be pivotally supported by the clevis and pivotally coupled to the jaws to constrain the jaws to have opposite motions. The clevis may be coupled to an elongate shaft and the wires extended through the shaft to provide an endoscopic instrument. A wire guide may support the wires in the shaft such that they are able to transmit a compressive force without buckling. The wires may carry electricity to the jaws for electrocautery. |
| US09339340B2 |
Medical instrument guiding device with an integrated guide ball
A medical instrument guiding device includes a body base component, and a guide body upper component assembled to the body base component. The guide body upper component has a substantially semi-spherical shape to house a medical instrument guide ball resting on a friction surface located within the body base component. The surface of the guide body upper component includes a cut out working area, and a surface of the medical instrument guide ball is exposed by the cut out working area. A medical instrument port is arranged on a truncated surface of the medical instrument guide ball, and a medical instrument may be passed through the medical instrument port. The medical instrument guide ball permits the medical instrument to be moved in three dimensions. The medical instrument port permits the medical instrument to be advanced into a patient. |
| US09339337B2 |
Tapered liquid light guide
A catheter tip is provided according to various embodiments of the disclosure. The catheter tip may comprise a distal end, a proximal end, and tubular walls. The distal end includes a distal aperture with a distal inside diameter, and the proximal end includes a proximal aperture with a proximal inside diameter. The proximal inside diameter may be greater than the distal inside diameter. The proximal end comprises attachment means configured to couple the proximal end with a distal end of a laser catheter. The tubular walls may include at least an inside taper from the proximal end to the distal end such that the inner tubular walls generally taper from the proximal inside diameter to the distal inside diameter. Moreover, the tubular walls may be configured to direct at least a liquid medium, for example, a biocompatible solution, toward the distal aperture. |
| US09339335B2 |
Introducing bubbles to improve cornea reshaping without the creation of a flap
Ultra-short pulsed laser radiation is applied to a patient's eye to create a row of bubbles oriented perpendicular to the axis of vision. The row of bubbles leads to a region of the eye to be ablated. In a second step, a femtosecond laser beam guided through the row of bubbles converts it to a channel perpendicular to the axis of vision. In a third step, a femtosecond laser beam is guided through the channel to ablate a portion of the eye. Using a femtosecond laser with intensity in the range of 1011-1015 W/cm2 for the second and third steps facilitates multi-photon ablation that is practically devoid of eye tissue heating. Creating bubbles in the first step increases the speed of channel creation and channel diameter uniformity, thereby increasing the precision of the subsequent multi-photon ablation. |
| US09339332B2 |
Neuromodulation catheters with nerve monitoring features for transmitting digital neural signals and associated systems and methods
Neuromodulation catheters with nerve monitoring features for transmitting digital neural signals and associated systems and methods are disclosed herein. A neuromodulation catheter configured in accordance with some embodiments of the present technology can include, for example, a handle and an elongated shaft attached to the handle. The shaft can have a proximal portion and a distal portion configured to be moved within a lumen of a blood vessel of a human patient. The neuromodulation catheter can further include an array of contacts at the distal portion of the shaft and a digitizer at the handle or the shaft. The contacts can be configured to detect analog neural signals from within the blood vessel. The digitizer can be configured to receive the analog neural signals from the contacts, digitize the analog neural signals into digital neural signals, and transmit the digital neural signals to a read/write module external to the patient. |
| US09339324B2 |
Radio frequency surgical apparatus
An RF surgical apparatus and method for operating such an apparatus. The RF surgical apparatus comprises at least two RF generators and at least one neutral electrode output for one neutral electrode. At least two outputs for connecting RF surgical instruments for applying treatment currents to the surgical instruments are provided. Furthermore, a switching device is provided. To enable a simultaneous operation of several RF surgical apparatuses, and not generate any neuromuscular stimulation, a separate generator is provided for each RF surgical instrument and a single neutral electrode is provided for all of the instruments and generators. The switching device is adapted to be arranged in a controlling connection with the RF generators such that the RF generators will never generate, and output to the instruments, any treatment currents at the same time (that is, they output only sequentially). |
| US09339322B2 |
Cryotreatment devices and methods of forming conduction blocks
Cryotreatment devices and methods of ablating tissue within the body are disclosed. A cryotreatment device in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes an elongated member having one or more needle-like ablation tips configured to induce necrosis at a target site within the heart. A cooling fluid such as a cryogen may be injected through a lumen extending into the distal portion of the device. The ablation tips can be configured to pierce and ablate surrounding tissue, blocking electrical stimuli that can cause fibrillations or other arrhythmias of the heart. The device may also include means for controlling the transmural depth at which the ablation tips are inserted into the cardiac tissue. Methods of forming a contiguous line of conduction block in accordance with the present invention are also disclosed. |
| US09339320B2 |
Modular pedicle screw system with tap and screw driver device
A modular dynamic pedicle screw system including anchoring device having a threaded shank for anchoring within a vertebra, an intermediate element and a head portion configured to receive and secure a rigid or non-rigid stabilization rod. The threaded shank, the intermediate element and the head portion of the anchoring device are cannulated to permit percutaneous implantation of the device. The intermediate portion is designed to be removable from the threaded shank portion subsequent to implantation of the anchoring device to enable substitution of another intermediate element having different dynamic characteristics. The dynamic stabilization system includes an adjustable torque limiting device that is interchangeable between a tap device and a screw driver. The torque device provides information relative to the patient's bone quality inter-operatively in order to determine the appropriate modulus of elasticity for the dynamic pedicle screw. |
| US09339319B2 |
Surgical reduction clamp
A surgical reduction clamp has a first clamping arm and a second clamping arm movable relative to the first clamping arm. The first clamping arm comprises a base portion, a tip portion, a joint movably coupling the tip portion to the base portion, and a locking member adapted to lock the joint so as to fasten a position of the tip portion relative to the base portion. The joint is a revolute joint having a spherical portion which can be locked into position by a clamping force. |
| US09339314B2 |
Orthopedic plating assembly for bone fixation and subsidence
Orthopedic plating assemblies and methods for bone fixation that include an orthopedic plate and orthopedic anchors that can accommodate subsidence in the vertebral bodies as well as prevent the anchors from “backing out” of their installed position. The orthopedic anchors may be capable of rotating and translating with respect to the plate, and the plate may be able to translate after being fastened to the vertebral bodies. |
| US09339312B2 |
Intramedullary nails for long bone fracture setting
An intramedullary nail has a proximal part for engagement with a proximal bone fragment and a distal part for engagement with a distal bone fragment. A motion assembly interconnects the parts and allows limited axial relative motion of the proximal and distal parts. This limited axial motion provides micromotion and in some embodiments also dynamization. The nail may comprise a stem for fastening to one bone fragment and an insert within the stem for fastening to the other bone fragment, the insert being adapted to guide insertion of a bone screw through the stem and to prevent relative rotation of the distal and proximal bone fragments. The motion assembly may include spring bias and/or damping means between the parts, possibly including one or more Belleville washers. |
| US09339309B1 |
Systems and methods for inserting cross-connectors
The present invention describes a system suitable for guiding a cross-connector to a target area, such as spinal implants including spinal implant rods, within the body (in vivo) and method of using the same. The system includes a targeting member being constructed of, or having a steering material, which can be coupled to the cross-connector. The system further includes one or more devices which are used to maneuver the targeting member into position prior to attachment of the cross-connector. The cross-connector is traversed into position through the passageway created by the targeting member and secured to one or more spinal implant members. |
| US09339308B2 |
Methods and devices for manipulating a vertebra
Methods and devices are provided for manipulating a vertebra. In one embodiment, a surgical device can include a frame configured to couple two or more surgical instruments attached to one or more vertebrae. Coupling the two or more surgical instruments together, the frame and/or at least one of the surgical instruments can be manipulated to move at least one of the surgical instruments, thereby effecting movement at least one of the vertebra or vertebrae to which the surgical instruments coupled to the frame are attached. In this way, the surgical device can be used to facilitate rotation of a vertebra relative to another vertebra to correct the angular relationship of the vertebrae. |
| US09339306B2 |
Adjustable axial spinal rod connector
An axial spinal rod connector includes a central connector and first and second portions. The first and second portions are each integrally formed with the central connector to define a longitudinal axis. Each of the first and second portions includes an outer end portion and a set screw. The outer end portion defines a passage about the longitudinal axis and defines a blind hole orthogonal to the longitudinal axis. The blind hole extends into the passage. The passage is sized and configured to slidably receive a spinal rod. The set screw is sized and configured to engage the blind hole. The set screw at lease partially interfering with the passage when engaged with the blind hole to fix a spinal rod relative to the spinal rod connector. |
| US09339302B2 |
Polyaxial bone anchoring device
A polyaxial bone anchoring device is provided, comprising a bone anchoring element having a shank, a head, a receiving part for pivotably receiving the head, and a channel for receiving a rod; a pressure member configured to be arranged in the receiving part and to exert pressure onto and lock the head; a locking assembly insertable into the channel, the locking assembly comprising a first locking member having a bore; a second locking member to be provided in the bore, wherein, when the second locking member is rotated, in a first configuration, the first locking member and the second locking member are rotationally fixed relative to each other and the first locking element is advanced to contact the pressure member and in a second configuration, the second locking member is rotatable within the first locking member and the second locking member is advanced to contact the rod. |
| US09339299B2 |
Spinal correction tensioning system
A vertebral column correction system for correcting a spinal deformity without fusing the joint segments is disclosed. The vertebral column correction system may have first and second vertebral anchors secured to first and second vertebrae. The vertebral column correction system may further comprise one or more intermediate vertebral anchors secured to vertebrae between the first and second vertebrae. A connection member may be disposed within a head portion of the vertebral anchors. At least a portion of the connection member may be a flexible member, such as a flexible cord, configured for tensioning between at least two vertebral anchors for providing a desired amount of tension to apply a correctional force to the spinal column. A spring member, or other tensioning member, may maintain the tension of the connection member. |
| US09339293B2 |
Apparatus and method for pericardial access
Implementations described and claimed herein provide controlled access into the intra-pericardial space. In one implementation, a medical device comprises an outer sheath, an inner sheath, and a nose shaft. The outer sheath comprises a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen extending between the proximal end and the distal end. The inner sheath extends through the lumen of the outer sheath and comprises a distal portion adapted to pierce the pericardial sac. The nose shaft is adapted to displace relative to a distal edge of the distal portion of the inner sheath. Displacing the distal portion of the inner sheath relative to the outer sheath until the nose shaft displaces relative to the distal edge provides controlled penetration into the intra-pericardial space. |
| US09339290B2 |
Ultrasonic surgical instruments
An ultrasonic surgical instrument is provided. The ultrasonic surgical instrument includes a housing having an elongated shaft extending therefrom. The shaft has a jaw member disposed at a distal end thereof. The jaw member is movable between an open configuration and a clamping configuration and includes a tissue contacting surface thereon. A cutting blade extends from a distal end of the shaft and operably couples to the housing and adjacent the jaw member to treat tissue. A selectively removable laminate liner is positionable over the tissue contacting surface of the jaw member and configured to prevent contact between the tissue contacting surface and the cutting blade when the cutting blade is treating tissue. |
| US09339283B2 |
Ureteral calculus suction instrument having a shaft
A ureteral calculus suction instrument having a shaft through which a suction channel that can be connected to a suction device passes, wherein a collecting container having a distal opening and a proximal opening is arranged distally from the shaft, of which openings the proximal opening is connected to the distal end of the suction channel. |
| US09339282B2 |
Auger guidewire
A guidewire is provided with first and second helical members at the distal end of the guidewire. The helical members enmesh with each other in a retracted state. The second helical member is extended from the first helical member by rotating a tubular member and core member relative to each other. This causes the first and second helical members to be driven apart from each other along a helical path defined by the engagement between helical members. |
| US09339281B2 |
Surgical guiding tools and systems and methods of manufacturing surgical guiding tools
The present application relates to surgical guiding tools that may be used for guiding a surgical instrument during bone surgery. A surgical guiding tool may include a body including one or more clamps configured to attach the surgical guiding tool to one or more portions of the bone, wherein a first clamp of the one or more clamps includes a snap-fit portion including a flexible structure for increasing a clamping force of the first clamp and allowing ease of removal of the surgical guiding tool from the bone. The surgical guiding tool may further include at least one aperture for guiding a surgical instrument. The present application further provides methods for manufacturing surgical guiding tools and uses of the tools for placement onto a bone. |
| US09339278B2 |
Patient-specific acetabular guides and associated instruments
A patient-specific acetabular guide can be used for preparing an acetabulum of a patient to receive an acetabular implant. The acetabular guide includes a patient-specific engagement surface designed to be complementary and mateable with a corresponding surface of the patient's pelvic anatomy. The acetabular guide is designed during a pre-operative plan for the patient by a three-dimensional reconstruction of the anatomy of the patient using two-dimensional medical images. The patient-specific engagement surface has a first portion mateable with a portion of the acetabulum of the patient. The acetabular guide includes a guiding element that extends from the acetabular guide opposite to the first portion of engagement surface. The guiding element defines a bore designed to be oriented along an alignment axis for an acetabular implant when the acetabular guide is engaged to the acetabulum. |
| US09339274B2 |
Paravalvular leak occlusion device for self-expanding heart valves
An occluder for sealing gaps between a medical device and adjacent body tissue includes an expandable body configured to fill the gaps between the medical device and the body tissue. The occluder includes a fastener at one end of the body and adapted to couple to a first end of the medical device, and an expandable disk at the other end of the body and adapted to couple to the medical device at a position spaced from the first end. |
| US09339273B2 |
Surgical system for connecting bodily tissue and process for cutting protruding tissue
The invention relates to improving a surgical system for bonding bodily tissue, comprising a surgical instrument having a bonding device for bonding bodily tissue, said bonding device comprising two tool elements displaceable relative to each other, wherein the instrument comprises a cutting device having a cutting element for cutting through tissue, and the cutting element is displaceably disposed relative to at least one of the tool elements, such that the cutting device is implemented in the form of an HF cutting device, wherein the cutting element comprises a cutting edge defining a cutting plane at an angle relative to a longitudinal axis defined by the instrument in the region of the bonding device. |
| US09339265B2 |
Medical devices, systems, and methods for using tissue anchors
Medical devices, systems and related methods for delivering a tissue anchor. The medical devices generally comprise a needle and a sheath that assist in retaining the tissue anchor at the distal end of the need during manipulation of the medical device. The medical systems include one or more tissue anchors in conjunction with one of the medical devices. |
| US09339262B2 |
Retractor with integrated light source
A surgical retractor that comprises an integrated light source for creating a working space for the access of dissecting instruments employed during an open surgical procedure is described. The retractor is of the type that comprises two elongated arms mechanically connected by a pivot that allows the retractor to move between a closed and an open configuration. The described retractors further comprise adjustable paddle assemblies located at the distal end of the elongated arms and a unique locking mechanism that allows for the relative separation of the paddle assemblies to be set at any position between the closed and open configuration of the retractor. The design of the retractor provides them with increased functionality while allowing them to be cost effectively produced so that they can simply be disposed of after use. |
| US09339261B2 |
Vascular hole closure delivery device
A surgical delivery instrument for delivering a vascular hole closure device having first and second flexible members and a first and second engagement members extending from the respective flexible member. The delivery instrument includes a housing having first and second longitudinally extending openings and first and second projecting surfaces, the first projecting surface extending into the first opening for engagement by the first engagement member and the second projecting surface extending into the second opening for engagement by the second engagement member. The first engagement member is held by the first projecting surface until a predetermined force is applied to the first engagement member during placement of the closure device at a target site. |
| US09339260B2 |
Apparatus and method for sealing a vessel puncture opening
A device for sealing a puncture opening may include a base frame having a delivery configuration, wherein the base frame is retracted to have a relatively smaller overall profile, and a deployed configuration, wherein the base frame is extended to have a relatively larger overall profile. The base frame is sized to engage an interior surface of the blood vessel wall in the deployed configuration. A sealing section is coupled to the base frame, the sealing section having an initial configuration, wherein the sealing section permits fluid flow, and a barrier configuration, wherein the sealing section prevents fluid flow. The sealing section in the barrier configuration is sized to block fluid flow through the puncture opening when the base frame is in the deployed configuration. |
| US09339257B2 |
Measuring apparatus and method thereof
A measuring apparatus is provided. The measuring apparatus includes a measurement reference part setting unit configured to set-measurement reference parts to each of a plurality of sequential ultrasound images of a subject, a tracking unit configured to perform tracking of a plurality of regions in the ultrasound images, a first motion information calculating unit configured to calculate first motion information of the regions, based on the tracking performed by the tracking unit, and a second motion information calculating unit configured to calculate second motion information of the measurement reference parts, based on the first motion information, wherein the plurality of regions move with the measurement reference parts and include parts capable of capturing moving factors that are not able to be captured by tracking the measurement reference parts between a first ultrasound image and a second ultrasound image using the tracking unit. |
| US09339256B2 |
Determining material stiffness using multiple aperture ultrasound
Changes in tissue stiffness have long been associated with disease. Systems and methods for determining the stiffness of tissues using ultrasonography may include a device for inducing a propagating shear wave in tissue and tracking the speed of propagation, which is directly related to tissue stiffness and density. The speed of a propagating shear wave may be detected by imaging a tissue at a high frame rate and detecting the propagating wave as a perturbance in successive image frames relative to a baseline image of the tissue in an undisturbed state. In some embodiments, sufficiently high frame rates may be achieved by using a ping-based ultrasound imaging technique in which unfocused omni-directional pings are transmitted (in an imaging plane or in a hemisphere) into a region of interest. Receiving echoes of the omnidirectional pings with multiple receive apertures allows for substantially improved lateral resolution. |
| US09339255B2 |
Ultrasonic probe
In an ultrasonic probe including an element part 1 for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves, a relay cable 2 connected to the element part 1 and an oscillation mechanism part for oscillating the element part, a cross section of the relay cable 2, which is taken perpendicularly to a rotation axis 3 of the oscillation that is provided to the element part 1 by the oscillation mechanism part, has at least two arc-shaped parts smoothly connected each other, more specifically, S-shape arc-shaped parts or reversed S-shaped parts. In addition, the relay cable 2 is drawn from the surface of the element part 1 facing the rotation axis 3. In this manner, the stress applied to the relay cable 2 during the oscillation of the element part 1 can be dispersed, thereby improving durability of the relay cable 2. |
| US09339250B2 |
X-ray CT apparatus
It is to provide an X-ray CT apparatus, which can realize accuracy and efficiency in a puncturing work. An X-ray CT apparatus 1 creates volume data based on a result obtained by X-ray scanning of a subject E for medical practice with a puncture needle. The X-ray CT apparatus 1 comprises an image processor 42, and a display controller 44. The image processor 42 creates an image of the subject E obtained by scanning, which is performed in a state that the puncture needle is being inserted to the subject E, based on the volume data. The image processor 42 also creates a new planned image, based on displacement between a position of a specific region on an image based on second volume data and a position of a corresponding specific region in a first planned image, which is created based on a first volume data in advance and includes an image I of an insert passage for the puncture needle with respect to the subject E. The display controller 44 allows a display 46 to display a new planned image. |
| US09339243B2 |
Image guided radiotherapy with dual source and dual detector arrays tetrahedron beam computed tomography
A radiation treatment and imaging system for emitting a radiation treatment beam and X-ray imaging beams towards an object. The system includes an x-ray source and a collimator, first and second detectors, and a linear accelerator that delivers radiation beams to an object. The linear accelerator includes a radiation source positioned between the first and second detectors and emitting a therapy radiation beam in-line with the x-ray beams received by the first and second detectors. The system also includes a data processing device in communication with the first and second detectors. The data processing device receives imaging signals from the first and second detectors and reconstructs a three-dimensional tetrahedron beam computed tomography (TBCT) image from the received imaging signals. The system also includes a display in communication with the data processing device and for displaying the TBCT image. |
| US09339242B2 |
Systems, methods, components, and software for monitoring and notification of vital sign changes
A system and method for monitoring and notification of injury wherein an individual wears a monitoring device, the monitoring device tracks biometric data such as blood oxygen levels, heart rate, and acceleration of the individual and sends the data to a base station, the base station analyzes the data to see if bodily changes such as decreased blood oxygen levels or significant changes in heart rate or acceleration has occurred, and the base station determines whether to sound an alarm to indicate death or severe bodily injury. |
| US09339240B2 |
System and method of resolving outliers in NIRS cerebral oximetry
A system and method for non-invasively estimating the tissue blood oxygen saturation level of a human subject, including so-called “outliers”, whose physiological make-up causes previously-known techniques to generate invalid tissue blood oxygen saturation estimations. The system includes a computing device and a sensor. The sensor includes a light source configured to emit light of at least four different wavelengths, one at a time. The sensor also includes two light detectors, each positioned a different distances from the light source. Optical density measurements are taken by the light detectors and provided to the computing device. A first tissue blood oxygen saturation value is computed using the optical density measurements associated with three of the four wavelengths, and a second tissue blood oxygen saturation value is computed using the optical density measurements associated with four of the wavelengths. The first and second tissue blood oxygen saturation values are compared, and the human subject is identified as an “outlier” based upon that comparison. |
| US09339239B2 |
Methods and devices for optimization of magnetic resonance imaging protocols
MRI techniques are widely and successfully applied in medicine and biophysics because MRI provides good contrast between different soft tissues without ionizing radiation. MRI protocols are optimized in four aspects: imaging parameters, k-space strategies, RF system calibration and contrast inhomogeneity correction. The signal intensities of normal and disease tissues are simulated, for example, using Bloch equations for an imaging sequence with tissue MR parameters. The relationships between imaging parameters and tissue contrasts are calculated using the numerically simulated signal intensities. The optimal imaging parameters and/or k-space strategies are determined to maximize image contrast and minimize artifacts with acceptable spatial-temporal resolution based on characterization of the imaging hardware. The RF system is optionally calibrated to improve the accuracy of the imaging parameters and reduce inter-scanner variability. Additionally, contrast-to-noise inhomogeneity caused by transmit field and receive sensitivity is optionally corrected by optimal flip angle and measured receiver sensitivity. |
| US09339232B2 |
Medical implantable lead with fixation detection
A lead has a helix at a distal end of a rotatable shaft. Prior to implantation of the lead, the helix has a first configuration comprising an electrically active surface coated with an electrically insulative layer of a biologically dissolvable material to render the helix electrically inactive. Upon fixation of the helix into an organ, the helix has the first configuration and a pin is in electrical contact with the organ to detect proper fixation of the helix into the organ. Subsequent to fixation of the helix into the organ, the helix has a second configuration comprising an electrically active surface exposed upon dissolving of the electrically insulative layer of the biologically dissolvable material to render the helix electrically active. |
| US09339231B2 |
Heart failure management to avoid rehospitalization
Systems and methods are described for subject rehospitalization management. In an example, multiple physiologic signals can be obtained from a subject using multiple sensors. In response to a hospitalization event, pre-hospitalization characteristics of the multiple physiologic signals can be identified. Post-hospitalization characteristics of the multiple physiologic signals can be identified, including characteristics that differ from their corresponding pre-hospitalization characteristics. Later subsequent physiologic signals can be further monitored after the hospitalization event, such as using the same multiple sensors, and subsequent physiologic signal characteristics can be identified. In an example, a heart failure diagnostic indication can be determined using information about the pre-hospitalization characteristics, the post-hospitalization characteristics, and the subsequent characteristics. Information about relative changes in signal characteristics from multiple sensors can be used to identify particular subject physiologic signals to monitor during subsequent periods. |
| US09339228B2 |
Adjustable thoracic garments useable by patients having different thoracic dimensions for locating EM transducer(s) in proximity to predefined thoracic anatomic features
A thoracic garment for bringing an EM transducer to contact with a thoracic surface area of a wearer. The thoracic garment comprises a front thoracic garment piece and a back thoracic garment piece the front and/or back thoracic garment pieces having EM transducer(s), the front thoracic garment piece having an arrangement of passages formed therein or thereon, a handhold mechanically connected to the front thoracic garment piece, a positioning marker, and a plurality of straps each threaded in the arrangement of passages. The thoracic garment is configured to be adapted by the wearer which uses a first hand to hold the handhold for mounting the front thoracic garment piece against or close to the chest such that the positioning marker is positioned at the predefined position while using a second hand for pulling the straps. |
| US09339226B2 |
Systems and methods for joint replacement
Systems and methods for joint replacement are provided. The systems and methods include a surgical orientation device, a reference sensor device, and at least one orthopedic fixture. The surgical orientation device, reference sensor device, and orthopedic fixtures can be used to locate the orientation of an axis in the body, to adjust an orientation of a cutting plane or planes along a bony surface, or otherwise to assist in an orthopedic procedure(s). |
| US09339225B2 |
Systems and methods for assessing sweat gland output
Various method embodiments for performing a sweat test include triggering sweating in a test area of a test subject, drying the test area, and applying a test device on the test area. The test device is used to monitor sweat production of individual SGs within the test area to provide test results for each functional SG in the test area. The test results for each functional SG in the test area are recorded. |
| US09339223B2 |
Device and method for determining analyte levels
Devices and methods for determining analyte levels are described. The devices and methods allow for the implantation of analyte-monitoring devices, such as glucose monitoring devices, that result in the delivery of a dependable flow of blood to deliver sample to the implanted device. The devices comprise a unique microarchitectural arrangement in the sensor region that allows accurate data to be obtained over long periods of time. |
| US09339221B1 |
Diagnosing intestinal ischemia based on oxygen saturation measurements
Devices and systems have a sensor probe configured to measure tissue oxygen saturation in the intestine or mesentery. The devices and systems can determine the oxygenation state of the entire thickness of the intestine or mesentery. Thus, embodiments of the invention can be applied in diagnosing intestinal ischemia in a patient, as well as in monitoring tissue oxygen saturation of the intestine or mesentery during or after a surgical procedure. |
| US09339216B2 |
Systems and methods for the screening and monitoring of inner ear function
Methods and systems for monitoring or testing the hearing of a user using a portable unit include presenting a plurality of test frequencies for selection by a user and storing data about those frequencies, and the user's response to stimuli presented at those frequencies, and comparing the stored data to previously acquired hearing data. Using mathematical prediction algorithms, changes in baseline hearing values can be used to identify potential hearing issues, especially hearing issues associated with ototoxicity. |
| US09339212B2 |
Bone cutting system for alignment relative to a mechanical axis
A bone cutting system is disclosed that supports one or more bone cuts that are aligned relative to a mechanical axis. The system comprises a first bone cutting jig, a second bone cutting jig, a sensored insert, a bone jig adapter shim, and a device having at least two reference surfaces. The sensored insert includes a three-axis accelerometer to measure position, rotation, and tilt and includes a plurality of sensors to measure a parameter of the muscular-skeletal system. The reference surface device can be an operating table having a first reference surface and a second reference surface that is perpendicular to the first reference surface for referencing the three-axis accelerometer. The bone jig adapter shim can include a tab that fits into a slot of the first or second bone cutting jigs. A remote system receives accelerometer data to calculate offset relative to a mechanical axis. |
| US09339210B2 |
Device for obtaining a vital sign of a subject
A device for obtaining a vital sign of a subject despite motion of the subject, in particular for discriminating a vital sign such as a respiratory information signal from noise in a projection based vital signs registration, comprises an interface that receives a set of image frames of a subject. An analysis unit determines the amount of direction changes and/or the time distances between direction changes within a region of interest in a subset of image frames comprising a number of image frames of said set. An evaluation unit determines if said region of interest within said subset of image frames comprises a vital sign information and/or noise by use of the determined amount of direction changes and/or the time distances for said subset of image frames. A processor determines the desired vital sign of the subject from said region of interest within said subset of image frames. |
| US09339209B2 |
Body-worn monitor for measuring respiratory rate
The invention provides a system for measuring respiratory rate (RR) from a patient. The system includes an impedance pneumography (IP) sensor, connected to at least two electrodes, and a processing system that receives and processes signals from the electrodes to measure an IP signal. A motion sensor (e.g. an accelerometer) measures at least one motion signal (e.g. an ACC waveform) describing movement of a portion of the patient's body to which it is attached. The processing system receives the IP and motion signals, and processes them to determine, respectfully, frequency-domain IP and motion spectra. Both spectra are then collectively processed to remove motion components from the IP spectrum and determine RR. For example, during the processing, an algorithm determines motion frequency components from the frequency-domain motion spectrum, and then using a digital filter removes these, or parameters calculated therefrom, from the IP spectrum. |
| US09339208B2 |
Tracheal tube with pressure monitoring lumen and method for using the same
According to various embodiments, methods and systems for determining pressure in the lungs may employ tracheal pressure measurements. The tracheal pressure measurements may be obtained through a pressure monitoring lumen associated with a tracheal tube. Such systems may include a purging or flushing mechanism to keep the pressure monitoring lumen free of any obstructions. The flushing mechanism may utilize fluids delivered through the pressure monitoring lumen at a predetermined point in the breathing cycle and/or at a predetermined pressure relative to the respiratory gases. The resulting pressure measurements may be used to determine a more accurate estimate of lung pressure, which in turn may be used to control a ventilator and provide breathing assistance to a patient. |
| US09339207B2 |
Endovascular devices and methods of use
A method for evaluating flow characteristics in a vessel of a patient includes the steps of positioning a catheter having a balloon at a measuring location within the vessel; transmitting an ultrasound signal into the vessel while the balloon catheter is within the measuring location; evaluating a reflection of the ultrasound signal to determine a flow parameter within the vessel while the catheter is in the measuring position; expanding the balloon within the vessel at the measuring location; and stopping the expanding step when the result of the evaluating step is that the flow through the vessel is substantially stopped. In some embodiments, the method may further comprise the step of detecting an endovascular electrogram signal. The method may be designed for evaluating flow characteristics in a vessel of a patient while enabling the prevention of a balloon from over-expanding and/or over-distending a vessel of a patient. |
| US09339203B2 |
Internet-based system for evaluating ECG waveforms to estimate the degree of coronary blockage
The present invention provides an improved, Internet-based system that seamlessly collects cardiovascular data from a patient before, during, and after a procedure for EP or an ID. During an EP procedure, the system collects information describing the patient's response to PES and the ablation process, ECG waveforms and their various features, HR and other vital signs, HR variability, cardiac arrhythmias, patient demographics, and patient outcomes. Once these data are collected, the system stores them on an Internet-accessible computer system that can deploy a collection of user-selected and custom-developed algorithms. Before and after the procedure, the system also integrates with body-worn and/or programmers that interrogate implanted devices to collect similar data while the patient is either ambulatory, or in a clinic associated with the hospital. A data-collection/storage module, featuring database interface, stores physiological and procedural information measured from the patient. |
| US09339199B2 |
Physiological signal detection device
A physiological signal detection device has a battery disposed in the physiological signal detection device, a first input terminal, a second input terminal, and a charging detection terminal A physiological signal detection circuit generates a physiological signal according to a detection result of the first input terminal and the second input terminal A charging control circuit is electrically coupled to the first input terminal, the second input terminal and the charging detection terminal, wherein, when the first input terminal and the second input terminal are coupled to a power supply supplied by a charging device, the charging detection terminal receives a charging indication signal of the charging device and according to the charging indication signal the charging device is enabled so as to charge the battery with the power supply. |
| US09339195B2 |
Apparatus, system, and method for seizure symptom detection
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for detecting seizure symptoms in an individual 102. A sensor module 202 receives physiological data for an individual 102 from one or more sensors 110, 112, such as a heart activity sensor. A feature detection module 204 detects a predefined feature 500, 520, 530, 540 in the physiological data. The predefined feature 500, 520, 530, 540 is associated with a seizure or another medical condition. An alert module 206 broadcasts an alert in response to the feature detection module 204 detecting the predefined feature 500, 520, 530, 540. |
| US09339194B2 |
System, method and article for normalization and enhancement of tissue images
In medical imaging, a fiducial marker facilitates tissue image correlation that allows for image analysis, normalization and correction of the optical exposure and spectral and spatial distribution in order to compensate for the surface reflections, sub surface tissue interactions and spatial orientation of the excitation and imaging axes to the subject tissue. Using a cross comparison, clinicians can model tissue image data in different forms in order to reference and compare data from various spectral components and or from different images. This may enhance human interpretation between images including the variations between images even when the spectral, spatial and optical conditions or the image resolution or sensitivity are compromised. Such may be used to assess cosmetic, moisturizing, therapeutic materials and treatments. |
| US09339192B2 |
Systems and methods for minimally-invasive optical-acoustic imaging
An imaging guidewire can include one or more optical fibers communicating light along the guidewire. At or near its distal end, one or more blazed or other fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) directs light to a photoacoustic transducer material that provides ultrasonic imaging energy. Returned ultrasound is sensed by an FBG sensor. A responsive signal is optically communicated to the proximal end of the guidewire, and processed to develop a 2D or 3D image. In one example, the guidewire outer diameter is small enough such that an intravascular catheter can be passed over the guidewire. Techniques for improving ultrasound reception include using a high compliance material, resonating the ultrasound sensing transducer, using an attenuation-reducing coating and/or thickness, and/or using optical wavelength discrimination. Techniques for improving the ultrasound generating transducer include using a blazed FBG, designing the photoacoustic material thickness to enhance optical absorption. Techniques for distinguishing plaque or vulnerable plaque may be used to enhance the displayed image. |
| US09339188B2 |
Methods from monitoring health, wellness and fitness with feedback
A method is provided for obtaining monitored information about an individual to create life activity data. Individual information is detected or measured. The individual information is selected from of at least one of, an individual's activities, behaviors and habit information, and an individual's health. A monitoring device is used to detect or measure the individual information. The monitoring device includes ID circuitry with an ID storage that contains a unique individual ID, a communication system which reads and transmits the unique individual ID from the ID storage, a power source and a pathway system. The individual information is received from the monitoring device at a telemetry system that includes a database. The individual information is analyzed using life activity data with one or more analysis tools at the telemetry system. Life activity data is created for the individual. |
| US09339187B2 |
External pressure measurement system and method for an intraocular implant
An IOP monitoring device for implantation in an eye of a patient may include a first tube having a first opening, the first tube being configured to extend into an anterior chamber of the eye and extend to a first sensor outside the anterior chamber. The first sensor may be in fluid communication with the first opening of the first tube. The device also may include a second tube having an opening spaced from a second sensor. The opening of the second tube may be configured to be exposed to a pressure representative of atmospheric pressure, with the second sensor being in fluid communication with the second opening. In one aspect, a patch is attachable to a globe of the eye and configured to lie over the opening of the second tube and secure the opening in place in the eye. |
| US09339185B2 |
Imaging apparatus that acquires a first image and, via an aberration correction unit, a second image of an area corresponding to a part of the first image
In order to reduce a measurement range of an aberration of an eye to be inspected, provided is an imaging apparatus, including: a first image acquiring unit for acquiring a first image of the eye based on first return light from the eye irradiated with first measuring light via a first focus unit for focusing the first measuring light on the eye; a second image acquiring, by using an aberration correction unit, unit for acquiring a second image of an area corresponding to a part of the first image of the eye based on second return light from the object to be inspected irradiated with second measuring light via a second focus unit for focusing the second measuring light on the eye; and a focus adjustment unit for adjusting a focus condition of the second focus unit based on a focus condition of the first focus unit. |
| US09339184B2 |
Contact lens for vitreoretinal surgery
A contact lens assembly has a central lens and a circumscribing flange, the lens having an eye contact surface shaped generally to a radius of curvature of a cornea of an eye. The flange comprises a sterile sponge-like liquid absorbent flexible material having a central aperture for fitting snugly about an outer circumference of the lens and extending radially outward therefrom. The flange may include an inner attachment ring for attachment to the outer circumference of the central contact lens. |
| US09339182B2 |
Eye imaging system
An eye imaging system, including: a light source module; a radial splitting module; a common optical module; an image receiver; a power supply module for the light source module; a driver module for the image receiver; a processing-displaying module; and a motion driving module. The image receiver is an area array sensor. The motion driving module is connected to the light source module and drives the light source module to move in a radial direction of an upstream illuminating optical path formed by the light source module and the radial splitting module. The image receiver continually opens for exposure in a radial direction of a downstream observation optical path formed by the radial splitting module and the image receiver. The continual opening of the image receiver for signal acquisition is synchronous with the movement of the light source module. |
| US09339180B2 |
Geometric optical power measurement device
An ophthalmic optical power measurement device can include a light source configured to direct an input beam of light into the eye of a patient. The ophthalmic optical power measurement device can also include an aperture configured to receive an output beam that consists of light from the input beam that scatters from a location on the retina of the eye and exits through the pupil of the eye. The ophthalmic optical power measurement device can also include a detector configured to receive the output beam after it has passed through the aperture. A processor can be configured to determine the size of a spot created by the output beam on the detector, and to determine the optical power of the eye based upon the size of the spot. |
| US09339179B2 |
Corneal confocal microscope
A corneal confocal microscope characterized by a particular illumination system. |
| US09339177B2 |
Full-eye illumination ocular surface imaging of an ocular tear film for determining tear film thickness and/or providing ocular topography
Ocular surface interferometry (OSI) devices, systems, and methods are disclosed for measuring a tear film layer thickness (TFLT) of the ocular tear film, including the lipid layer thickness (LLT) and/or the aqueous layer thickness (ALT). The TFLT can be used to diagnose dry eye syndrome (DES). Certain embodiments also include ocular topography devices, systems and methods for deducing corneal shape by capturing an image of a target reflecting from the surface of the cornea. The image of the target contains topography information that is reviewable by a clinician to diagnose the health of the patient's eye by detecting corneal aberrations and/or abnormalities in corneal shape. Certain embodiments also include a combination of the OSI and ocular topography devices, systems and methods to provide imaging that can be used to yield a combined diagnosis of the patient's tear film and corneal shape. |
| US09339175B2 |
System and method to improve mouth disease diagnosis
Embodiments of the present invention address the deficiencies of the art in respect to oral cavity medical assessment and provide a method, system and apparatus for mouth disease diagnosis and treatment. In an embodiment of the invention, an apparatus for scanning an oral cavity can include a mouth guard spreader that has a partially transparent receiving member that defines a receiving cavity, a first spreader portion and a second spreader portion coupled to the partially transparent receiving member. The apparatus further can include an image capture device for capturing images of the oral cavity disposed within the partially transparent receiving member of the mouth guard spreader. The apparatus yet further can include a storage device coupled to the image capture device for storing each captured image of the oral cavity. |
| US09339173B2 |
In-vivo visualization system
Several embodiments of the present invention are generally directed to medical visualization systems that comprise combinations of disposable and reusable components, such as catheters, functional handles, hubs, optical devices, etc. Other embodiments of the present invention are generally directed to features and aspects of an in-vivo visualization system that comprises an endoscope having a working channel through which a catheter having viewing capabilities is routed. the catheter may obtain viewing capabilities by being constructed as a vision catheter or by having a fiberscope or other viewing device selectively routed through one of its channels. The catheter is preferably of the steerable type so that the distal end of the catheter may be steered from its proximal end as it is advanced with the body. A suitable use for the in-vivo visualization system includes but is not limited to diagnosis and/or treatment of the duodenum, and particularly the biliary tree. |
| US09339169B2 |
Robotic capsule endoscope for minimally invasive surgical procedures, micro-patterned treads for friction enhancement of a robotic capsule endoscope in a biological environment, and process for fabrication of micro-treads
Micro-patterned treads for endoscopes are disclosed. In an embodiment, the treads include a micro-patterned surface and a roller engaging surface. Micro-patterned tread bearing robotic capsule endoscopes are disclosed. In one embodiment, the endoscope includes a housing, a motor, a geared drive, rollers, and at least one micro-patterned tread. Methods of fabricating closed loop treads are disclosed. In an embodiment, a method includes forming a solid layer of PDMS on one side of double-sided tape and wrapping a micro-patterned PDMS strip together with the other side of the double-sided tape. In another embodiment, a method includes forming a timing belt PDMS strip on one side of double-sided tape and a micro-patterned PDMS strip together with the other side of the double-sided tape. |
| US09339156B2 |
Cover installation
A cover installation 120 includes a cover 40 which is connected to the base 60 by a connecting module 80. The connecting module 80 enables the cover 40 to be opened and closed. A driving device 30 drives the connecting module 80 so that the cover is automatically opened and closed. A locking module can allow the cover 40 to be operated manually by disabling the driving device 30. Two connecting components 82 and 84 are connected to the cover 40 and configured to allow the top surface of the cover 40 to face the user when the cover 40 is opened automatically, while allowing the bottom surface of the cover 40 to face the user when the cover 40 is opened manually. |
| US09339153B1 |
Wall mounting bath accessory assembly
A wall mounting bath accessory assembly contains: a fixing mount and a base. The fixing mount includes an inner fence, an outer fence, two peripheral fences, and two through orifices. The inner fence faces to an external face of a wall, each peripheral fence has a flexible wing, and between two free segments of two flexible wings of the two peripheral fences is defined a movable portion. The fixing mount also includes a first locking portion, and the movable portion has a second locking portion opposite to the first locking portion. The base includes a first hooking portion and a second hooking portion, wherein the second hooking portion is hooked with the second locking portion of the movable portion. |
| US09339151B2 |
Shelving system with obscurable shelving
Various shelving systems, such as shower caddies, are disclosed. In some embodiments, a shower caddy includes an elongate support member and a plurality of shelves, each of which can be supported by a clamping mechanism. The support member can have a telescoping configuration so that upper and lower ends of the support member can be pressed against upper and lower stationary objects. The shelving system can include a shroud configured to conceal, block, or surround a portion of a shelf in a closed position and allow access to the portion of the shelf in the open position. |
| US09339148B2 |
Supply assembly for a food homogenizer
A supply assembly for a food homogenizer includes a cartridge defining a hollow interior for a food product. The supply assembly includes a force application device that applies a force to the food product. As such, the food product is movable with respect to the cartridge towards a blade assembly of the food homogenizer. A plunger movably supported within the hollow interior of the cartridge can be provided. As such, the plunger and the food product are movable with respect to the cartridge towards the blade assembly of the food homogenizer. |
| US09339147B2 |
Configurable device to break dried pasta
A configurable device includes a body, driveshaft, plate and driver. The body includes a receptacle, recess, and axial bore. The receptacle is disposed about the bore, and the recess is disposed below and in communication with the receptacle. The receptacle is to receive a pasta strand and communicate a portion of the strand into the recess. The driveshaft includes a first portion and second portion. The first portion extends through the bore, and the second portion extends into the recess. The plate is secured to the second portion and includes a surface having a radial projection extending toward the recess. The planar surface is to abut the portion of the strand in the recess. The driver has an axial opening to removeably engage the first portion. The driver is enabled to rotate the driveshaft that in turn rotates the plate causing the projection to break the portion of the strand. |
| US09339144B2 |
Apparatus for boosting fire and collecting ash
An apparatus for boosting fire and collecting ash includes a cup, a grate and a gate. The cup includes an upper chamber, a lower chamber, and apertures in communication with the lower chamber. The grate includes at least one aperture. The grate is placed in the cup between the upper and lower chambers. The gate includes at least one aperture corresponding to the aperture of the grate. The gate is pivotally placed in the cup between a first position and a second position. The aperture of the gate is in communication with the aperture of the grate to communicate the upper chamber with the lower chamber as the gate is in the first position. The gate shuts the aperture of the grate to shut the upper chamber from the lower chamber as the gate is in the second position. |
| US09339143B2 |
Method for determining at least one suitable parameter for a process of making a beverage
A method for determining a suitable parameter for a process of making a beverage by conducting fluid through at least one member containing at least one beverage ingredient in a beverage maker that receives and processes various types of beverage ingredient containing members, the method includes realizing a flow of fluid through a beverage ingredient containing member of a particular type; and measuring a characteristic of the flow which is influenced by a flow resistance of the beverage ingredient containing member. The method further includes comparing the measured flow characteristic to a set of predetermined flow characteristics associated with the various types of beverage ingredient containing members; and determining at least one parameter for a further process of making a beverage by selecting a parameter related to the predetermined flow characteristic to which the measured flow characteristic is closest. |
| US09339142B2 |
Beverage preparation machines
Method of preparing beverages using a beverage preparation machines and in particular a beverage preparation machine of the type which uses pre-packaged containers of beverage ingredients. The method includes controlling the volume of air resident in at least a part of a delivery system of the machine to produce predetermined characteristics in a prepared beverage. |
| US09339140B2 |
Zester with scraper assembly
A zester having an elongated body with a handle portion at one end and a cutting portion form by a plurality of raised cutting elements at the other end portion. A lower member is moveably mounted on said body beneath said plurality of cutting elements to form a collection chamber. A flexible squeegee is affixed to said lower member to scrape zest material from beneath the cutting elements as the lower member is extended outward from the housing after use of the zester. |
| US09339139B2 |
Apparatus and method for attaching an ornamental tree top fixture
An apparatus can include an elongated shaft having a distal end and a proximal end. An ornamental fixture can be attached to and extend outwardly from the distal end of the elongated shaft. A connector at the proximal end of the elongated shaft is configured to secure the elongated shaft to a tree, such as to support the ornamental fixture in a desired position relative to the tree. |
| US09339134B1 |
Insulated covers for beverage container
An insulated beverage holder comprises a cylindrical body to receive a beverage container and a lid hingedly connected to the body. The body comprises a bottom, cylindrical side wall, and open top. The lid comprises two sections. A first section of the lid is hingedly connected to the body. The second section of the lid is hingedly connected to the first section. The lid is movable between a closed position, partially open position, and fully open position. |
| US09339130B1 |
Display fixture with swatch holder
A swatch holder includes a display hook, a swivel plate and a stop pin. The display hook includes an upper stem and a lower stem. The swivel plate includes a bored extension that protrudes from a back of the swivel plate and is mounted on a free end of the upper stem. The stop pin includes an insertion end inserted through a slot in the bored extension and through an aperture in the distal end of the upper stem and an exterior end that extends into the slot. The swivel plate is rotatable about the upper stem so that when the swivel plate is in a first position the exterior end of the stop pin is located adjacent a first end of the slot and when the swivel plate is in a second position the exterior end of the stop pin is located adjacent a second end of the slot. |
| US09339128B2 |
Convertible display fixture
A display fixture includes a base, a platform, a lattice structure, a raised shelf and a plurality of bins. The base includes an open top, a bottom floor and walls that define an interior space that is divided into sections using a plurality of partitions. The platform is located on top of the base. The raised shelf is located over the lattice structure and on top of a portion of the platform. The plurality of bins are located on the platform and on the raised shelf and are configured to display merchandise. The lattice structure and the raised shelf provide structural support for bearing a weight of merchandise located on the raised shelf. The base and the partitions dividing the base provide structural support for bearing a weight of merchandise located on the raised shelf and the platform. |
| US09339125B1 |
Display fixture with tether and cross bar
A display fixture includes a shelf and a cross bar positioned below the shelf by a distance and having an interior channel and a slot. A fence is mounted to a top of the shelf and located proximal to a front of the shelf. A winder assembly includes a winder mechanism located inside the interior channel of the cross bar and a retractable tether coupled to the winder mechanism and having a distal end. The retractable tether extends through the slot in the cross bar and around a back of the shelf, is attached to product resting on the shelf and the distal end of the retractable tether is locked to the fence. |
| US09339124B2 |
Convertible temperature-controlled display case
A temperature-controlled display case is convertible between a full-service mode and a self-service mode and defines a temperature-controlled space therein. A base has a back side and a front side and supports temperature-controlled food products within the temperature-controlled space. A back frame is coupled adjacent to the back side of the base and provides one or more openings for back-side access to the food products during the full-service mode. A top frame is supported by the back frame and a linkage has one end pivotally coupled to the top frame. A front panel has a top portion pivotally coupled to the linkage and is movable between a deployed position for the full-service mode with the front panel adjacent to the front of the base, and a stowed position for the self-service mode with the front panel disposed atop the top frame to provide front-side access to the food products. |
| US09339123B1 |
Merchandise display
A merchandise display having a pegboard with a support track extending therefrom, multiple packages mounted on the support track, a pusher housing in face contacting relation with the packages, a coil spring to urge the pusher housing outwardly from the pegboard, the pusher housing having spaced surfaces, and multiple slots formed in the surfaces to vary the display angle of the packages. |
| US09339121B2 |
Inventory system and method for the prevention of scratch-off lottery ticket theft
A system for monitoring inventory for scratch-off lottery tickets to simplify tracking inventory and aid in theft prevention. A computing device communicates with lockable metal ticket dispensers to maintain real-time inventory of product and display product inventory on the product dispensers. Dispensers log ticket inventory information and the identity of users associated with ticket dispensing. |
| US09339119B2 |
Baby support
A baby support for supporting a baby positioned on a front torso of a supporting person. The baby support includes an elongated soft body that extends across a back torso of the supporting person and the baby. The baby support also includes fastening ends that overlap and secure to support the baby on the front torso of the supporting adult. The baby support may be configured to stretch to generate an elastic force to pull the back torso of the baby towards the back torso of the supporting person. |
| US09339118B2 |
Infant support with storage compartment
An infant support includes a base and a backrest. The base is configured to rest upon a support surface and support an infant on the infant support. The base further includes a seat region and two arm portions. The backrest is pivotally coupled to the base between a storage configuration and an upright configuration. The backrest includes a front portion and a rear portion coupled together. The rear portion is configured to pivot between a closed position, in which the rear portion forms an interior cavity with the front portion, and an open position, where the rear portion is pivoted away from the front portion. The interior cavity is configured to receive and store napkins, wipes, or towels. The rear portion further includes an aperture and an operable door disposed proximate to the aperture. When the door is opened, the aperture provides access to the interior cavity for removing napkins, wipes, or towels from the infant support. |
| US09339114B2 |
Electric outdoor lounge chair
A lounger includes at least a weatherproof base frame, a weatherproof lounger frame with at least two movably mounted lounger frame elements, and at least one weatherproof drive unit for supplying at least one drive device with electric energy. The drive unit preferably includes a combination of an accumulator, a solar cell, and a grid connection, and contributes in connection with a weatherproof design of the frames to portable and grid-power-independent lounger with an automatic adjusting functionality. |
| US09339113B1 |
Video wall mount
The present creation is a video wall mount, including a first fixing rack, a second fixing rack, and a folding mechanism. The first fixing rack includes a locking piece and a magnet piece. The second fixing rack includes a rotating arm. The rotating arm having a hook and the locking piece are disposed to enable the hook to be hooked to the locking piece when the first fixing rack is located near the second fixing rack and enable the first fixing rack to be fixed at a position near the second fixing rack. When a television needs to be repaired or dismounted, a pushing force towards the second fixing rack is applied on the first fixing rack to enable the hook to rotate upward under the effect of a magnetic force from the magnet piece to leave a state of being hooked to the locking piece. |
| US09339111B1 |
Cabinet guard and associated use thereof
A cabinet guard includes a body generally shaped to having an L-like or C-like cross-section. Such a cross-section is configured by a plurality of sides including a long side, an intermediate side and a short side. Each side may extend along an entire longitudinal length of the body or may be adjusted to terminate prior to reaching an end of the body. The body may be snapped over edges of the cabinet/shelf framework, thereby protecting same from dents and dings while moving items (e.g., glasses, pots, pans, dishes, etc.) in and out of the cabinets/shelves. |
| US09339110B2 |
Table accessory
Disclosed are table accessories comprising: a) a first vertical beam at a first end and a second vertical beam at a second end; b) at least one first angled beam rotatably connected to the first vertical beam; c) at least one second angled beam rotatably connected to the second vertical beam; d) a long horizontal beam rotatably connected to the first angled beam; e) a short horizontal beam rotatably connected to the second angled beam; and f) a internal horizontal beam extender portion capable of adjoining the long horizontal beam and the short horizontal beam and extending the length thereof. |
| US09339107B1 |
Portable bedside table
A portable bedside table including a base, a pair of vertical side supports disposed atop a top surface of the base, and a pair of U-shaped apertures including a right aperture and a left aperture. The right aperture and the left aperture is disposed within a back edge of a right side support and a left side support of the pair of side supports, respectively. An L-shaped first shelf is continuously disposed between an interior surface of each of the right side support and the left side support. A horizontally disposed rectangular second shelf has a rear surface attached to a front side of the base. The pair of apertures is configured to removably encircle a mattress and, alternately, the second shelf is configured to removably attach to an underside of the mattress, such that the pair of side supports is adjacent to the mattress. |
| US09339106B2 |
Control apparatus and method for sharing information in a collaborative workspace
A method of selecting information from a video source to be displayed on a single common display screen in a collaborative workspace, the method for use with a plurality of video source devices, each video source device including a device display screen and a wireless transmitter and presenting content on the device display screen, the method comprising the steps of dividing the common display screen into a plurality of presentation spaces, providing a separate control interface on each of the plurality of device display screens, each control interface including a selectable control for each of the plurality of presentation spaces and for each of the control interfaces, when a selectable control is selected, replicating the content from the device display screen on the presentation space associated with the selected control. |
| US09339105B2 |
Multi-head artist and make-up brush
A make-up brush system includes a mandrel having a first end and a second end. The first end includes a gripping surface for engagement with a hand of a make-up artist and the second end being shaped and dimensioned for selective engagement with a plurality of make-up brushes. A plurality of make-up brushes is provided. Each of the plurality of make-up brushes includes a first end and a second end, the first end including a functional component of the make-up brush and the second end including a coupling member shaped and dimensioned for selective engagement with the second end of the mandrel. The system also includes a case both supporting and sanitizing the various components of the present invention. The case includes a tray supporting the plurality of make-up brushes in accessible positions within the case. |
| US09339101B2 |
Fixation module
A fixation module is disclosed, which is disposed in a groove at a corner of an electronic device casing. The fixation module includes a buckle and a fixation element with both ends serving as a first elastic fixation portion and a second elastic fixation portion respectively. A junction is disposed between the first elastic fixation portion and the second elastic fixation portion and connected to the buckle. The first elastic fixation portion and the second elastic fixation portion are clamped at a position corresponding to the junction, so as to keep a relative distance between the first elastic fixation portion and the second elastic fixation portion smaller than an interval between two opposite ends of the groove. By utilizing an elastic restoring force between the first elastic fixation portion and the second elastic fixation portion, the fixation element can be engaged onto a sidewall of the groove. |
| US09339100B2 |
Lanyard attachment assembly
A lanyard attachment assembly has a sleeve with an inside surface and an outside surface. The inside surface defines a passageway through the sleeve. A strap passes through the passageway and forms a closed loop to link the closed loop to the sleeve. The assembly optionally includes a connector with a connector opening therethrough. When the assembly includes a connector, the strap passes through the connector opening where the closed loop links the connector to the sleeve. |
| US09339098B2 |
Mascara applicator
A mascara applicator includes an application stick that is attached to a cap sealing and covering an opening part of a mascara accommodation container and that can be accommodated in the mascara accommodation container, and an application body that is rotatably attached to a tip end of the application stick and that extends in a substantially axial direction of the application stick, in which one side surface on a side opposite to a rotating direction of the application body is orthogonal to a plane including a rotation path, and a ridge part that is formed by the one side surface and a side surface adjacent to the one side surface is used, while the application body is rotated and an axis of the application body is bent with respect to an axis of the application stick, so as to apply mascara. |
| US09339094B2 |
Credit card holder and wallet
A credit card holder having at least one internal slot for holding a credit card, the internal slot having opposed front and rear plates set at a distance approximately the thickness of a credit card, and also having fixed opposed side guides having credit card side guide surfaces set at a distance from each other of approximately the width of a credit card. A credit card push slide is positioned along an internal width of the slot for engaging the top of a credit card, the slide having opposed credit card slide guide surfaces in alignment with the guide surfaces of the fixed side guides. The slot and the push slide have stop surfaces which cooperate to prevent the slide from completely pushing the card out of the slot. |
| US09339089B2 |
String length adjusting device
Disclosed is a string length adjusting device, which includes a fixed housing including a drum rotation shaft formed in a central region thereof; a rotation housing rotatably coupled with respect to the fixed housing; a winding drum inserted into the fixed housing and the rotation housing and including a winding part around/from which a string is wound or unwound; and a coupling unit guide shaft coupling the fixed housing to the rotation housing, the coupling unit guide shaft guiding up/down operations of the rotation housing for operations of winding or unwinding the string. |
| US09339086B2 |
Adjustable loop load tie-down strap
Prior load tie-down strap devices containing a Velcro brand hook and loop connector can loosen or peel apart under load. The invention provides an adjustable loop load tie-down strap having a hook and loop (Velcro brand hook and loop connector material) connection within a permanent eye at one end of the strap wherein a standing part of the same strap passes through the eye to form a tie-down loop in the strap that can be adjusted to a larger or smaller size by disconnecting and reconnecting the hook and loop connection within the eye to make the loop the desired size to fit around the article that is to be secured. |
| US09339079B2 |
Shoe and sole
The present invention relates to shoe, in particular a sports shoe. The shoe includes a sole plate having in a forefoot area a plurality of leaf spring elements, wherein the sole plate and the plurality of leaf spring elements are manufactured as a single piece. Each of the plurality of leaf spring elements has one free end not connected with the sole plate. |
| US09339078B2 |
Form-fitting articles and method for customizing articles to be form-fitted
Customized, form-fitting athletic articles with a heat moldable material that a wearer may heat to soften after purchase to conform the heat moldable material so the contours of the wearer's body may provide many advantages for consumers, such as increased comfort, performance, or safety. The heat moldable material may be incorporated into the upper of an athletic shoe. The heat moldable material may be sufficiently flexible so as not to impede the necessary movements of a wearer or the athletic shoe while performing activities, such as running, walking, jumping, etc. The heat moldable material may be reusable in that it may be reheated and remolded multiple times so that the article may be re-customized or re-fitted as needed. The article may also include a temperature sensitive indicator that indicates when the heat moldable material has been softened. |
| US09339075B2 |
Cap hearing protection system
A cap hearing protection system that includes a cap; a band secured within an interior of the cap; first and second rotating arms positioned on either side of the cap and pivotally connected to the band; and a respective hearing protection means mounted to each of the rotating arms. |
| US09339071B2 |
Shirt-stay suspenders
Suspender devices for maintaining in place a shirt or other upper garment for a wearer. The suspender devices having an elongated strap member with an upper end having fastener members thereon for attachment to a shirt or other upper garment, and with a lower end having a foot loop for being positioned around the wearer's foot or footwear. |
| US09339067B2 |
Multi-purpose training apparatus and method
Protective devices that are substantially simultaneously used as adjustable weighted resistance training devices are disclosed. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention are directed to improved, adjustably weighted protective shin guards that can extend to integrate instep protection. |
| US09339066B2 |
Personal cooling and heating system
Embodiments of the invention provide a cooling garment including a garment material configured to be worn on a user's upper body. The garment material includes an outer surface with gel-filled chambers, an inner surface, and a hole therethrough. The garment material is configured to compress against the user's body when worn so that protrusions extending from the inner surface contact the user's body and define air channels between the protrusions, the inner surface, and the user's body. The cooling garment also includes a fixing ring coupled to the garment material around the hole, and a suction device configured to be coupled to the fixing ring, wherein the suction device is configured to circulate air through the air channels. |
| US09339065B2 |
Physical treatment garment
Physical treatment garment for aiding in treatment and healing of injured or strained muscles. Garment is made of flexible material that can be pulled up around the waist, such as compression shorts or full length tights or leggings, and the garment has one or more pockets in the thigh and/or hamstring area to hold cold packs or heat packs and have a fastener apparatus at the top. The garment has fastening apparatuses on or about the hip area and on or about just above the knee. Using a flexible or compression wrap with the compatible fastening apparatuses, the compression wrap is wrapped around the leg and/or groin area and secured using the fastening apparatuses. Pockets for ice or heat treatment are similarly located in the front or rear of the tights or leggings with fastening connections to hold ice or heat packs for treatment of the applicable injury. |
| US09339064B2 |
Sweatshirt pipe
A sweatshirt having a smoking apparatus as part of the sweatshirt, allowing users to smoke out of the sweatshirt comprises a garment body having a neck opening and sleeves and an elongated cord for tightening the sweatshirt hood around the users head and neck. A hollow tube is positioned inside of the elongated cord. The elongated tube has a first end and a second end with the first end having a mouthpiece, and the second end having a smoking bowl piece for retaining smoking material. |
| US09339062B2 |
Electronic cigarette
An electronic cigarette includes a battery assembly, an atomizer assembly and a cigarette bottle assembly. An external thread electrode is located in one end of battery assembly. An internal thread electrode is located in one end of atomizer assembly. The battery assembly and the atomizer assembly are connected by the screwthread electrode. The cigarette bottle assembly is inserted into the other end of the atomizer assembly and both form a cigarette type or cigar type body. |
| US09339061B2 |
Method and apparatus for smoking and drinking
A smoking and drinking apparatus includes a body member defining an air chamber. A drink reservoir is situated in the air chamber defining a liquid impermeable drink chamber. The drink reservoir is inwardly displaced from the body member to form an air chamber therebetween. A bezel is mounted to the upper edge of the body member that defines a bore in communication with the inner reservoir. The bezel includes an inhalation port through which air is selectively inhaled from the air chamber and an exhalation port through which air is selectively exhaled by a user into the air chamber. The inhalation port is configured to receive a cigarette into the air chamber. A lighting element is positioned in the air chamber for lighting the cigarette when energized. A filter and fan assembly are positioned in the air chamber to filter and exhaust air from the air chamber. |
| US09339060B2 |
Smoking device incorporating a breakable capsule, breakable capsule and process for manufacturing said capsule
A smoking device includes a recipient or able to receive burning products, preferably tobacco, and a filter element connected to the recipient, wherein the filter includes at least one breakable capsule, the capsule having a initial crush strength from 0.5 to 2.5 kp, and keeping a crush strength from 0.5 to 2.5 kp and a deformation of less than two third of its diameter prior to rupture after having been submitted to a smoking test. The invention is also relating to the capsule suitable for being incorporated in a smoking device, and to the process of manufacture of the capsule. |
| US09339058B2 |
Method for producing microcrystalline cellulose from tobacco and related tobacco product
Methods for producing dissolving grade pulp and microcrystalline cellulose from tobacco are provided. The methods include chemical pulping a tobacco input to form a tobacco pulp. Chemical pulping the tobacco input includes combining the tobacco input with a strong base defining a weight from about 5% to about 50% of the tobacco input, and heating the tobacco input and the strong base with an H-factor from about 500 to about 3,300. Further, the methods include bleaching the tobacco pulp to produce a dissolving grade pulp. Bleaching the tobacco pulp may include chlorination of the tobacco pulp with a chlorine dioxide solution, and caustic extraction of the tobacco pulp with a second strong base. A related tobacco-derived microcrystalline cellulose product is also provided, which can be used as a binder, a filler, and/or a texturizer in a tobacco product, such as a smokeless tobacco product. |
| US09339055B2 |
T cell apoptosis inducer and method therefore
An inducer of T cell apoptosis and a health food for inducing T cell apoptosis comprising as an active ingredient of a lactic acid bacterium belonging to the genus Lactobacillus or the genus Bifidobacterium are disclosed. Particularly preferred lactic acid bacteria belonging to the genus Lactobacillus or the genus Bifidobacterium are Lactobacillus acidophilus L-92 (FERM BP-4981), Lactobacillus amylovorus CP1750 (FERM BP-10532), Bifidobacterium catenulatum CP2829 (FERM BP-10533) and Bifidobacterium longum CP760 (FERM BP-10531). The inducer of T cell apoptosis of the invention is useful in the prevention and cure of a disease such as an organ-specific autoimmune disease or type I allergy. |
| US09339051B2 |
Alcohol containing frozen dessert product
The present invention is directed to an alcohol containing bulk frozen dessert product that is formed by adding an alcohol containing composition to a frozen dessert product premix after the premix has been pasteurized. The alcohol containing composition is comprised of an alcohol, a water based mixer, and a stabilizer and/or emulsifier. The alcohol containing bulk frozen dessert product may have an alcohol content from about 2% to about 18% and will be able to be stored and consumed at temperatures for traditional bulk frozen dessert products. |
| US09339050B2 |
Process for producing shaped frozen confections
A process for producing a frozen confectionery product is provided, the process comprising: preparing a mix containing a gelling agent and having a total solids content of from 20 to 45 wt %; filling the mix into a mold and allowing the gelling agent to form a gel in the mold; freezing the gelled mix to form a product having a first form; removing the shaped product from the mold; and deforming the product while it is in the frozen state so that it takes up a second form. |
| US09339048B2 |
Method of making an edible chocolate confectionery
A chocolate confectionery and a method for manufacturing same chocolate confectionery where the chocolate confectionery has multiple pearls of flavor distributed evenly throughout a base chocolate wafer such that the flavor and consistency of the chocolate confectionery is consistent throughout. In one form of the chocolate confectionery, small pearls of flavor are suspended within the chocolate creating a pleasing flavor balance and mouth feel with overall lower sugar content and higher cocoa content. |
| US09339045B2 |
Control of atmosphere within a closed environment
A method and apparatus are disclosed for controlling a concentration of carbon dioxide in a gaseous atmosphere within a closed environment of a refrigerated transport container to maintain the concentration of carbon dioxide therein at a desired level. A carbon dioxide scrubber apparatus operates alternately in an adsorption mode and a regeneration mode. When a perishable produce is stowed in the closed environment, for example in a cargo box of a refrigerated transport container, the concentration of carbon dioxide may be maintain at a desired level to retard ripening of the perishable produce. |
| US09339044B2 |
Apparatus for carrying out an operation on slaughtered poultry
An apparatus for carrying out an operation on slaughtered poultry, comprising suspension devices for suspending the poultry by the legs, a first drum which at its periphery is provided with a first curve formed by a first groove which is being traced by a first projection that connects to a first processing organ so as to arrange that movement of the first processing organ along the periphery of the first drum causes said first processing organ to be placed in an operational position with respect to the poultry being suspended by the legs. Further there are second processing device that cooperate with a second drum provided with a second curve formed by a second groove which is being traced by a second projection connected with the second processing device so as to arrange that by its movement along the periphery of the second drum said second processing device is positioned in its operational position with reference to the poultry. The apparatus further has the feature that the first drum and the second drum have an adjustable distance with respect to each other. |
| US09339043B1 |
Spreading tool
A spreading tool comprises a first arm having a pivot end and an engagement end and a second arm having a pivot end and an engagement end. A connector combines the pivot end of the first arm with the pivot end of the second arm for rotational movement between a closed position and an open position. A handle is combined to the second arm and positioned apart from the connector so that the connector is positioned between the handle and the engagement end of the first arm and the engagement end of the second arm for the entire path of travel between the open and closed positions. |
| US09339040B2 |
Bread maker
A bread maker has a base disposed with a power member, a container, an upper rotating shaft and a lower rotating shaft. The power member is in driving connection with the lower rotating shaft. The lower rotating shaft is in driving connection with the upper rotating shaft. The upper rotating shaft is in driving connection with a mixing and kneading blade situated inside the container. A transmitting plate is disposed in the base with an optical signal transmitting lamp and an optical signal receiver. A through hole perpendicular to an axis disposed on the lower shaft and running through the lower rotating shaft is disposed on the lower rotating shaft. The receiver is in signal connection with the power member. The transmitting lamp and the receiver are respectively located at two sides of the lower rotating shaft. The receiver is in signal connection with the power member. |
| US09339036B2 |
Antimicrobial locking solutions comprising taurinamide derivatives and biologically acceptable salts and acids, with the addition of small concentrations of heparin
The present invention relates to inhibiting or preventing infection and protecting against patency complications after a blood catheter has been inserted in a patient comprising administering to the device a pharmaceutically effective amount of a composition comprising (A) at least one taurinamide derivative, and (B) heparin at a low concentration. |
| US09339033B2 |
1-aryl-5-alkyl pyrazole derivative compounds, processes of making and methods of using thereof
Provided are 1-aryl-5-alkyl pyrazole compounds, of formula (I): wherein: R1 is hydrogen, cyano, halogen, R8, formyl, —C(O)R8, —C(O)OR8, —C(O)NR9R10, or —C(S)NH2; R2 is R8 or —S(O)mR11; R3 is methyl, ethyl or C1-C4 haloalkyl; R4, R5 and R7 are independently hydrogen, halogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, cyano or nitro; R6 is halogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, alkoxy, haloalkyloxy, cyano, nitro, —C(O)R12, —S(O)nR12 or SF5; Z is a nitrogen atom or C—R13; R8 is alkyl, haloalkyl, cycloalkyl or halocycloalkyl; R9 is hydrogen, alkyl, haloalkyl or alkoxy; R10 is hydrogen, alkyl, haloalkyl or alkoxy; R11 is alkyl, haloalkyl, alkenyl, haloalkenyl, alkynyl, haloalkynyl or cycloalkyl; R12 is alkyl or haloalkyl; R13 is hydrogen, halogen, cyano, nitro, alkyl, haloalkyl, alkoxy or haloalkoxy; m is 0, 1 or 2; and n is 0, 1 or 2; or a salt thereof, the method of making compounds of formula (I) and the use of these compounds against ectoparasites, endoparasites and pests. |
| US09339026B2 |
Pneumatically agitated and aerated single-use bioreactor
A single-use round flexible mixing bag for use in bioprocessing in which a fluid is received and agitated using an internal fluid-agitating element comprising a radial flow impeller driven by an internal pneumatic vane motor is disclosed. The bag may include an integral sparger and sensor receiver. Related methods are also disclosed. |
| US09339024B2 |
Rotatable bird deterrent device
Rotatable bird deterrent devices are provided. Contemplated devices comprise at least one rotatable arm having a sail. In some embodiments, the sail has a length that is substantially perpendicular to the length of the arm. At least one stop can be provided, for example, via an end-piece, and the stop can act to block rotation of the sail. |
| US09339020B1 |
Fish hanger
An improved fish hanger is provided where the hanger is constructed of, or at least made of, lightweight metal. The fishing hanger has a molded body with a curved bottom end that allows the body to pivot on a flat surface. This curved end of the fish hanger is able to hook a fish in a position that makes the skinning process possible on both sides. The device can be collapsible for ease of transport and storage. |
| US09339017B1 |
Living wave barrier
A living wave barrier is disclosed. The barrier is made up of a plurality of habitat modules that have cooperating depending footer elements and recesses in the bottom and top sides, respectively. The footer elements are spaced to allow limited free flow of water around the modules. Environmental elements, such as stones and the like, are disposed on the modules to provide a suitable habitat for local aquatic life and further removable elements may be provided to contain oyster spat. The barrier may be attached to an existing pier by way of a throughbore in each of the modules or may stand alone secured on the seabed by a pad. The barrier provides wave attenuation and may also be used to create a recreational area such as a snorkeling park or artificial reef. |
| US09339015B2 |
Removable dog accessory
The present invention leverages various dog platforms, including collars, harnesses, and leashes to provide owners a way to add style or originality to their dog's look. The invention provides removable dog accessories that attach to any platform and do not require removing the platform from the pet or permanently altering the structure of platform; provide an avenue to enhance a dog's overall day-to-day appearance or for special occasions and/or holidays. |
| US09339012B2 |
Method and apparatus for animal grooming
The present invention is a method and apparatus for safely and securely holding and supporting an animal while it is being groomed. The disclosed apparatus can have multiple support members that wrap around an animal, passing under the animal's belly, around the hips and shoulders, and up over the back where it can be secured to a frame or post to keep the animal stable and supported, without restraining the animal by the neck, while undergoing a grooming procedure. The cutouts and support members that make up the leg holes in the apparatus can be lined with a soft material, such as fleece, to provide comfort and prevent chafing to the animal's skin during the procedure. |
| US09339011B1 |
Hollow chew piece carrier with non-contact zone
A hollow chew piece carrier adapted for receiving various sizes of hollow chew pieces, dog bones and the like. The carrier includes a shaft having opposite ends attached to a pair of end pieces. The shaft has a length greater than the length of the chew piece for providing a chewing space. The chewing space allows the dog to engage an end of the chew piece. The diameter of the shaft is less than an interior diameter of the hollow chew piece to allow the chew piece to slide back and forth. This difference in diameters forms a treat space. The diameter of the first and second end pieces is greater than an exterior diameter or width of the chew piece. This difference in the diameter of the end pieces and the exterior diameter of the chew piece provides for a non-contact zone to prevent the exterior of the chew piece from engaging and scratching a surface. |
| US09339005B2 |
Odor-absorbing materials and processes for their preparation and use
A slightly puffed, low density, moisture-adsorbing and odor-absorbing additive that can readily remove undesirable odors from a confined space is produced from re-purposed spent carbon materials obtained from other processes. The product is particularly suitable as an addition to animal litters and the like with possible uses in human applications. An aspect of the method includes a step of extruding a spent carbon mixture, optionally containing diatomaceous earth to obtain the additive. Also disclosed are de-germinated corn flour, of grits, that aid process flow and can serve as a substrate for the spent carbon materials. |
| US09339004B2 |
Cartridge, and a teatcup
A teatcup and a cartridge to be attached to a teat of an animal to be milked. The cartridge includes a sleeve having an upper end and a lower end, and a teatcup liner mounted in the sleeve and having an inner space for receiving the teat. A pulsation chamber is provided between an inner side of the sleeve and an outer side of the teatcup liner. The teatcup liner includes an upper end portion located at the upper end of the sleeve, a barrel portion and a lower end portion extending beyond the lower end of the sleeve. The lower end portion forms an end nozzle beyond the lower end of the sleeve. The end nozzle has a tapering external shape configured to be received in a milk conduit for transporting the milk from the cartridge to the milk conduit. |
| US09339001B2 |
Soybean variety XB005G14
A novel soybean variety, designated XB005G14 is provided. Also provided are the seeds of soybean variety XB005G14, cells from soybean variety XB005G14, plants of soybean XB005G14, and plant parts of soybean variety XB005G14. Methods provided include producing a soybean plant by crossing soybean variety XB005G14 with another soybean plant, methods for introgressing a transgenic trait, a mutant trait, and/or a native trait into soybean variety XB005G14, methods for producing other soybean varieties or plant parts derived from soybean variety XB005G14, and methods of characterizing soybean variety XB005G14. Soybean seed, cells, plants, germplasm, breeding lines, varieties, and plant parts produced by these methods and/or derived from soybean variety XB005G14 are further provided. |
| US09338999B1 |
Variety corn line KCI7538
The present invention provides an inbred corn line designated KCI7538, methods for producing a corn plant by crossing plants of the inbred line KCI7538 with plants of another corn plant. The invention further encompasses all parts of inbred corn line KCI7538, including culturable cells. Additionally provided herein are methods for introducing transgenes into inbred corn line KCI7538, and plants produced according to these methods. |
| US09338997B1 |
Variety corn line FA7656
The present invention provides an inbred corn line designated FA7656, methods for producing a corn plant by crossing plants of the inbred line FA7656 with plants of another corn plant. The invention further encompasses all parts of inbred corn line FA7656, including culturable cells. Additionally provided herein are methods for introducing transgenes into inbred corn line FA7656, and plants produced according to these methods. |
| US09338996B1 |
Variety corn line ID3636
The present invention provides an inbred corn line designated ID3636, methods for producing a corn plant by crossing plants of the inbred line ID3636 with plants of another corn plant. The invention further encompasses all parts of inbred corn line ID3636, including culturable cells. Additionally provided herein are methods for introducing transgenes into inbred corn line ID3636, and plants produced according to these methods. |
| US09338994B1 |
Variety corn line GID2112
The present invention provides an inbred corn line designated GID2112, methods for producing a corn plant by crossing plants of the inbred line GID2112 with plants of another corn plant. The invention further encompasses all parts of inbred corn line GID2112, including culturable cells. Additionally provided herein are methods for introducing transgenes into inbred corn line GID2112, and plants produced according to these methods. |
| US09338990B2 |
Variety corn line HID3780
The present invention provides an inbred corn line designated HID3780, methods for producing a corn plant by crossing plants of the inbred line HID3780 with plants of another corn plant. The invention further encompasses all parts of inbred corn line HID3780, including culturable cells. Additionally provided herein are methods for introducing transgenes into inbred corn line HID3780, and plants produced according to these methods. |
| US09338987B2 |
Soybean variety 01052118
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated 01052118. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety 01052118. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety 01052118 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety 01052118 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods. |
| US09338986B2 |
Soybean variety 01052058
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated 01052058. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety 01052058. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety 01052058 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety 01052058 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods. |
| US09338985B2 |
Soybean variety 01052002
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated 01052002. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety 01052002. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety 01052002 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety 01052002 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods. |
| US09338984B2 |
Soybean variety 01046870
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated 01046870. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety 01046870. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety 01046870 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety 01046870 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods. |
| US09338978B2 |
Soybean variety 01046540
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated 01046540. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety 01046540. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety 01046540 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety 01046540 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods. |
| US09338976B2 |
Soybean variety 01046447
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated 01046447. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety 01046447. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety 01046447 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety 01046447 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods. |
| US09338975B2 |
Soybean variety 01046439
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated 01046439. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety 01046439. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety 01046439 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety 01046439 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods. |
| US09338971B2 |
Soybean variety D202801
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated D202801. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety D202801. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety D202801 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety D202801 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods. |
| US09338970B2 |
Soybean variety D402201
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated D402201. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety D402201. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety D402201 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety D402201 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods. |
| US09338968B2 |
Soybean variety 01046072
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated 01046072. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety 01046072. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety 01046072 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety 01046072 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods. |
| US09338967B2 |
Soybean variety 01046051
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated 01046051. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety 01046051. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety 01046051 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety 01046051 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods. |
| US09338966B2 |
Soybean variety 01045982
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated 01045982. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety 01045982. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety 01045982 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety 01045982 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods. |
| US09338964B2 |
Soybean variety 01045693
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated 01045693. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety 01045693. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety 01045693 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety 01045693 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods. |
| US09338961B2 |
Soybean cultivar SJ1214029
The present invention is in the field of soybean variety SJ1214029 breeding and development. The present invention particularly relates to the soybean variety SJ1214029 and its progeny, and methods of making SJ1214029. |
| US09338960B2 |
Soybean cultivar WN1117512
The present invention is in the field of soybean variety WN1117512 breeding and development. The present invention particularly relates to the soybean variety WN1117512 and its progeny, and methods of making WN1117512. |
| US09338953B1 |
Maize inbred PH1CH7
A novel maize variety designated PH1CH7 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing maize variety PH1CH7 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PH1CH7 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. Hybrid maize seed, plant or plant part produced by crossing the variety PH1CH7 or a locus conversion of PH1CH7 with another maize variety. |
| US09338946B2 |
Agricultural baler provided with means for preventing incorrect bale length
An agricultural baler for producing rectangular bales, provided with a baling chamber and reciprocating plunger and a bale length control system for producing bales of substantially equal length, and with a bale-eject system for evacuating the last bales from the chamber at the end of a harvesting run. The baler according to the invention is provided with one or more sensors configured to detect the activation of said bale-eject system, and configured to automatically reset said bale-length control system, when said sensors detect said activation. |
| US09338945B2 |
Asymmetrical feed beater for a single rotor separator
A feed beater (114) for a single-rotor, axial-flow combine (100) that comprises a cylinder (200) having a first end portion and a second end portion; first blades (202) fixed to the first end portion of the cylinder (200) and disposed at a first angle (alpha) with respect to a rotational axis (300) of the cylinder (200); second blades (204) fixed to the second end portion of the cylinder (200) and disposed at a second angle (beta) with respect to the rotational axis (300) of the cylinder (200); the first blades (202) spiral in a first direction over a first longitudinal extent of the cylinder (200); and the second blades (204) spiral in a second direction over a second longitudinal extent of the cylinder (200), wherein the second direction is opposite to the first direction, and further wherein the first longitudinal extent is greater than the second longitudinal extent. |
| US09338944B2 |
Vertical stacking bale accumulator
A towable vertical stacking bale accumulator features angle-adjustable roller beds on an obliquely oriented trailer frame whereby a rearwardly declining slope of the rollers gravitationally conveys individual bales from the baler to a stacking station at the rear of the trailer frame, where an automatically controlled gate provides a stop for retaining the bales until either a full stack is compiled or an error is detected. Spring loaded bale lifters feature concave undersides to encourage retraction of same as they are lowered down the sides of a newly arrived bale, and carry hanging bale guides that prevent the incoming bales from overshooting sides of the roller bed. Lift frames on which the bale lifters are carried are raised and lowered by hydraulically driven lift arms, and are further stabilized by engagement of lift frame followers with guide members of upright support structures provided on opposing sides of the roller bed. |
| US09345183B2 |
EMI-shielding solutions for electronics enclosures using opposing three-dimensional shapes and channels formed in sheet metal
The present invention provides a configuration of a computer-chassis containment or other electromagnetic device method for manufacture in which a “one-hit” solution may be implemented to provide adequate electromagnetic interference shielding (EMC shielding) and is configured such that shielding gaskets, “spoons” or other excessive structures may be reduced or eliminated completely. Two sheets of conductive material are formed into two and three-dimensional “patterns” and channels with contact points that are stamped, molded, cut, or extruded into one or more sides of a “box” providing sufficient EMI shielding. |
| US09345176B2 |
Power supply device having heat conductive member
Provided is a power supply device that can suitably release heat with a small number of parts. In an AC-DC converter that is a power supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention, a heat conductive member thermally connected to a base plate is thermally connected to an upper surface of a stacked coil board including a main circuit board and circuit boards. This configuration causes heat generated in the stacked coil board to be transferred to the base plate also from the upper surface of the stacked coil board via the heat conducting member, whereby the heat release effect can be increased. In addition, since the heat conducting member is the only member used for releasing heat, the heat release effect can be increased while the number of parts is kept from increasing. |
| US09345173B2 |
Modular data center
A modular computing system for a data center includes one or more data center modules including rack-mounted computer systems. An electrical module is coupled to the data center modules and provides electrical power to computer systems in the data center modules. One or more air handling modules are coupled to the data center modules. The data center module may include two pre-fabricated portions, each portion including a row of racks of computer systems. The two computing module portions of the data center module may combine to form a computing space when coupled to one another. |
| US09345171B2 |
Heat sink retainer unit and thermal module device
A heat sink retainer unit includes a buckle body, a retainer member, an elastic member and a handle. The elastic member is disposed in the buckle body and fitted on the retainer member. The retainer member is passed through the buckle body from a lower side thereof. A top end of the retainer member is positioned above the buckle body. The handle is positioned above the buckle body and pivotally connected with the top end of the retainer member. By means of operating the handle, the retainer member can be moved up and down, whereby the elastic member can apply elastic force to the buckle body. |
| US09345170B2 |
Heat exchange device, electronic system, and cooling method of electronic system
A heat exchange device that is coupled to an electronic device that includes an electronic component that generates heat, the heat exchange device includes: a first-channel through which a first-coolant that cools the electronic component flows; a heat-exchange-unit that performs heat exchange between the first-coolant and a second-coolant; a second-channel through which the second-coolant-flows; a first-coolant-detection-unit that detects leakage of the first-coolant from the first-channel; a collection-unit that collects the first-coolant that is leaked from the first-channel; a storage-unit that is provided in the first-channel and supplies the stored first-coolant to the first channel; a recovery-unit that is provided between the collection-unit and the storage-unit; and a control-unit that causes the recovery-unit to recover the first-coolant that is collected by the collection unit, into the storage-unit when the first-coolant-detection-unit detects leakage of the first-coolant. |
| US09345168B2 |
Power conversion apparatus
An object of the present invention is to improve the cooling performance of a capacitor module used in a power conversion apparatus. The power conversion apparatus according to the present invention includes a power semiconductor module, a capacitor module, a flow path forming body that forms a flow path through which a cooling refrigerant flows . The flow path forming body includes a first flow path forming body that forms a first flow path part for cooling the power semiconductor module, and a second flow path forming body that forms a second flow path part for cooling the capacitor module. The first flow path forming body is provided on a side portion of the second follow path forming body and is integrally formed with the second flow path forming body. The second flow path forming body forms a housing space for housing the capacitor module above the second flow path part . The first flow path part is formed at a position facing the side wall that forms the housing space. The power semiconductor module is inserted into the first flow path part. |
| US09345163B2 |
Modules to contain interface cards
A module is insertable into a cage based on movement along a first axis. The module is to contain an interface card. A mechanism is to move the module along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, to couple the interface card with the cage. |
| US09345161B2 |
Front panel of board, board, and electronic apparatus
The present invention provides a front panel of a board, a board, and an electronic apparatus. The front panel of the board includes a main body of the front panel, configured to fixedly connect to a circuit board on the board, and a fixing apparatus, where the fixing apparatus is fixedly disposed on the main body of the front panel, and is configured to fix the board in a shelf after the board is installed into the shelf. The fixing apparatus is fixedly disposed on the front panel of the board. After the board is installed into the shelf, the board may be securely fixed in the shelf through the fixing apparatus that is on the front panel of the board, so that a connector of the board keeps good contact with a connector of the shelf, thereby improving reliability of a connection between the board and the shelf. |
| US09345160B2 |
Electronic device
Provided is an electronic device that is provided with a filter circuit that suppresses the effects of electromagnetic noise propagated through space from a circuit board and reduces parasitic inductance, and can output a voltage with adequately reduced noise. To solve the above problem, in an electronic device provided with a cabinet (101), a circuit board (132) provided in the cabinet, an output terminal (122) that passes through a through hole provided in the cabinet and outputs the output of the circuit board to the outside, the present invention constructs a loop composed of a filter means (142) having a filter capacitor (142a), an output terminal, a cabinet, and wires (142b, 142c) for connecting these parts. The wire (142c) connected to the cabinet is connected to a position close to the output terminal, and reduces the size of the loop. In addition, a shield (102) is provided between the filter means and the circuit board. |
| US09345159B2 |
Water-proof structure provided with internal barometer for terminal device and method for controlling a water-proof structure
A water-proof structure has an internal barometer for a terminal device. The water-proof structure is an internal cavity of the terminal device. The water-proof structure is provided with an opening on a casing of the terminal device. Abarometer is arranged inside the water-proof structure. A water drop detection device is arranged between a water-proof mesh net and the barometer. The water drop detection device is electrically connected to a control valve, and when a water volume detected by the water drop detection device reaches a water volume threshold value, the control valve is closed. |
| US09345151B2 |
Housing and construction kit for a control apparatus
The present invention among other things relates to a housing and a construction kit for a control apparatus, e.g. in the form of a controller for a window lifter of a motor vehicle. A controller module with a printed circuit board here is to be accommodated in a housing at least in part, and there are provided two different types of controller modules, e.g. for a right vehicle side on the one hand and for a left vehicle side on the other hand. According to a first aspect of the invention the housing is suitable for both types of controller modules, so that the housing can selectively be combined with the one or the other type of controller module, in order to mount a control apparatus. |
| US09345148B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of forming flipchip interconnection structure with bump on partial pad
A semiconductor device has a semiconductor die having a plurality of bumps formed over a surface of the semiconductor die. The bumps can include a fusible portion and non-fusible portion. Conductive traces are formed over the substrate with interconnect sites having an exposed sidewall and sized according to a design rule defined by SRO+2*SRR−2X, where SRO is an opening over the interconnect site, SRR is a registration for the manufacturing process, and X is a function of a thickness of the exposed sidewall of the contact pad. The bumps are misaligned with the interconnect sites by a maximum distance of X which ranges from 5 to 20 microns. The bumps are bonded to the interconnect sites so that the bumps cover a top surface and side surface of the interconnect sites. An encapsulant is deposited around the bumps between the semiconductor die and substrate. |
| US09345147B2 |
Vertically separated pass through conveyor system and method in surface mount technology process equipment
Disclosed herein is an apparatus for depositing viscous material on an electronic substrate. The apparatus comprises a frame, an assembly material applicator coupled to the frame and configured to apply assembly material to the electronic substrate, a substrate support assembly, coupled to the frame, configured to support and secure the electronic substrate in a material application position, and a transport system, coupled to the frame, to shuttle electronic substrates to and from the substrate support assembly, the transport system including an upper track and a lower track disposed below the upper track. |
| US09345146B2 |
Circuit board for secondary battery and secondary battery with the circuit board
A secondary battery and to a circuit board for the secondary battery. The circuit board having a structure for enhancing the safety of a secondary battery, and a secondary battery with the same. The circuit board for a secondary battery includes an insulation layer, a terminal pad layer formed on the insulation layer, and a plating layer formed on the terminal pad layer. The thickness of the plating layer is greater than 20 micrometers. The plating layer is made of nickel. The secondary battery further includes a circuit protection device, and a bare cell electrically connected to the circuit protection device, wherein circuit protection device including a first lead plate electrically connected to the plating layer of the circuit board, the plating layer of the circuit board being made of the same material as that of the first lead plate of the circuit protection device. |
| US09345144B2 |
Making multi-layer micro-wire structure
A method of making a multi-layer micro-wire structure includes providing a substrate with a plurality of micro-channels. First and second material compositions are provided. The first material composition is coated over the substrate and micro-channels and then removed from the substrate surface but not the micro-channels. The second material composition is coated over the substrate, in the micro-channels, and over the first materials, and then removed from the substrate surface but not the micro-channels. The first and second material compositions are cured in the micro-channels in a common step to form a cured first material layer and a cured second material layer in the micro-channels. The cured first material layer and the cured second material layer form an electrically conductive multi-layer micro-wire in each micro-channel. |
| US09345143B2 |
Method of fabricating a wiring board
A wiring board includes an electrode pad having a first surface and a second surface located on an opposite side from the first surface, a conductor pattern connected to the first surface of the electrode pad, and an insulator layer embedded with the electrode pad and the conductor pattern. The insulator layer covers an outer peripheral portion of the second surface of the electrode pad. |
| US09345141B2 |
Multilayer ceramic capacitor and printed circuit board including the same
The present invention relates to a multilayer ceramic capacitor and a printed circuit board including the same that can minimize thickness deviations of an external electrode and a multilayer ceramic. A multilayer ceramic capacitor according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a multilayer ceramic and external electrodes formed on both sides of the multilayer ceramic, wherein |Tmax−Tmin| may be less than 10 μm, and |CTmax−CTmin| may be less than 20 μm. (Here, Tmax is a maximum thickness of the external electrodes in a via processing area, Tmin is a minimum thickness of the external electrodes in the via processing area, CTmax is a maximum thickness of the multilayer ceramic capacitor in the via processing area, and CTmin is a minimum thickness of the multilayer ceramic capacitor in the via processing area.) |
| US09345140B2 |
Printed circuit board
A printed circuit board includes a first semiconductor package on a first surface layer of a printed wiring board and a second semiconductor package on a second surface layer where a bus signal is transmitted from the first to the second semiconductor package. A first bus wiring path from a signal terminal on an inner circumference side of the first semiconductor package via a via hole and the second surface layer to a signal terminal on an outer circumference side of the second semiconductor package and a second bus wiring path from a signal terminal on an outer circumference side of the first semiconductor package via the second surface layer and a via hole to a signal terminal on an inner circumference side of the second semiconductor package are provided, thus securing a return current path for a signal current and realizing a high density wiring while suppressing radiation noise. |
| US09345135B2 |
Electronic devices including two or more substrates electrically connected together and methods of forming such electronic devices
Electronic devices may include a first substrate including circuitry components within the substrate, a microscale bond pad on a surface of the substrate, and a via electrically connecting the microscale bond pad to one of the circuitry components. A distance between centers of at least some adjacent circuitry components of the circuitry components may be a nanoscale distance. A second substrate may be electrically connected to the microscale bond pad. Methods of forming electronic devices may involve positioning a first substrate adjacent to a second substrate and electrically connecting the second substrate to a microscale bond pad on a surface of the first substrate. The first substrate may include circuitry components within the first substrate and a via electrically connecting the microscale bond pad to one of the circuitry components. A distance between centers of at least some adjacent circuitry components of the circuitry components may be a nanoscale distance. |
| US09345133B2 |
Printed circuit board and method of mounting components on the printed circuit board
A printed circuit board on which a component having a plurality of terminals is to be mounted by using a reflow soldering process, includes wiring patterns that are arranged in correspondence with the plurality of terminals and have a size which is smaller in wiring patterns for terminals near the central portion of the component than in wiring patterns for terminals near each end portion of the component. |
| US09345132B2 |
Substrate structure and the process manufacturing the same
The present invention discloses a package substrate layout design to achieve multiple substrate functions for engineering development and verification. The substrate layout contains a connection structure to connect to a plurality of power/ground domains on the package substrate. With different combination of the cutting lines on the package substrate, the invention can achieve multiple substrate functions without impacting the customer's PCB or system board design and provide cost effective and fast cycle time for engineering development phase. |
| US09345131B2 |
Flexible electronic device
A flexible electronic device including a component portion and at least one folded portion connected to the component portion is provided. The flexible electronic device has a plurality of flexed lines located on the single folded portion and a plurality of stress relief holes, wherein the stress relief holes are separated from each other, and at least a part of the stress relief holes is located on at least one of the flexed lines. |
| US09345121B2 |
Waveguide-based apparatus for exciting and sustaining a plasma
An apparatus includes an electromagnetic which supports propagation of an electromagnetic wave in a first direction between a first end thereof and a second end thereof, and an electromagnetic-field shaping structure within the electromagnetic waveguide. The electromagnetic-field shaping structure defines a channel extending from a first aperture in a first wall of the apparatus to a second aperture in a second, opposite, wall. The channel has an axis extending in a second direction which is nonparallel with the first direction. The distance between the first aperture and the second aperture in the second direction is less than the width of the interior region of the waveguide at the first and second ends thereof. In some embodiments, a plasma torch is disposed within the channel. The length of the torch closely matches its interaction region. |
| US09345116B2 |
Sensor network-enabled light socket adaptor
A light power socket adaptor may be positioned between an energy-saving light bulb and a light socket that may provide electrical power to the light bulb. Adaptors may include a motorized rotational mechanism that allows sensors to rotate in any direction. Light power socket adaptors may be network-enabled. Each node on a sensor network may operate independently. Each node may also function as a router so that it may forward data packets to other nodes if the data received is targeted for its own consumption. Adaptors may further include a motion sensor, an image sensor, a sound sensor, and a photo (day/night) sensor. |
| US09345115B2 |
Distributed light fixture beacon transmission
Apparatuses, methods, apparatuses and systems for a light fixture are disclosed. One apparatus of the light fixture includes a sensor unit and a light intensity controller. The sensor unit includes a sensor operative to generate a sense signal base on at least one of sensed motion or light, wireless communication circuitry operative to maintain a link with a network, and a controller. The controller is operative to manage communication with the network, manage transmission of beacons through the wireless communication circuitry, wherein the beacons include information associated with the fixture, and generate dimming control base on at least one of the sensed signal and communication from the network. The light intensity controller is configured to receive the dimming control and operative to adjust an emitted light intensity of a luminaire of the light fixture. |
| US09345114B2 |
Lighting system and signal converting device therefor
A lighting system includes a digital addressable lighting interface (DALI) master controller, a lighting driver, and a signal converter. The DALI master controller is connected to a management server. The lighting driver operates a lighting device including a light emitting diode (LED). The signal converter is connected to the DALI master controller by a DALI bus operating according to a DALI communication protocol, and is communicatively connected to the lighting driver via a wireless communication connection operating according to a wireless communication protocol. The signal converter inter-converts a signal transmitted and received from the DALI master controller according to the DALI communication protocol and a signal transmitted to and received from the lighting driver according to the wireless communication protocol so as to enable communication between the lighting driver and the DALI master controller. |
| US09345112B2 |
Microcontroller-based multifunctional electronic switch and lighting apparatus having the same
A microcontroller-based multifunctional electronic switch uses a detection circuit design to convert external motion signals into message carrying sensing signals readable to the microcontroller. Based on the time length of sensing signals and the format of the sensing signals received in a preset instant period of time the microcontroller through the operation of its software program codes written in the OTPROM is able to recognize the working modes chosen by the external signal generating user and thereby selecting the appropriate loops of subroutine for execution. The system and method of the present invention may simultaneously be applicable to detection circuit design using infrared ray sensor, electrostatic induction sensor, conduction based touch sensor or push button sensor for performing multifunction such as controlling the on/off switch, the illumination power and the color temperature within the capacity of a single lighting device or an electrical appliance. |
| US09345111B2 |
Managing streetlights
This disclosure describes systems and techniques for managing streetlights. The subject matter included in this document is embodied in a method that includes receiving, at a computing device, information representative of a location and status of a streetlight included in a network of streetlights. The method also includes presenting a representation of the streetlight in a graphical user-interface in accordance with the received location and status information, and receiving information representing a selection of the streetlight for inclusion in a group of streetlights from the network. The method further includes initiating delivery of one or more control signals to the group of streetlights. |
| US09345105B2 |
Lighting device with RF antenna
The present invention relates to a lighting device (1). The lighting device comprises a light source (7) arranged at a base (2) of the lighting device, the light source having a main forward emission direction (12). The lighting device further comprises a radio frequency, RF, antenna (10) configured to receive signals for controlling the lighting device and a reflector (9) arranged to reflect light from the light source laterally and backwardly. The RF antenna is arranged at the reflector. The present invention is advantageous in that the RF reception of the lighting device is improved. |
| US09345103B1 |
Non-linear lighting system brightness control for a user device
This disclosure relates to systems and methods adjusting lighting system brightness in a non-linear manner. The brightness control may be based on a non-linear function that increases brightness in smaller increments at lower brightness levels than at higher brightness levels. In another embodiment, the lighting system brightness may be ramped down over a period of time to account when the user device is exposed to low light conditions. The ramp down may be based, at least in part, on changes in visual acuity in low light conditions over time. |
| US09345102B2 |
Power supply device and electronic device
The power supply device includes an AC-DC conversion unit configured to provide a source DC voltage signal; a first DC-DC conversion unit configured to generate a first DC voltage signal and a second DC voltage signal according to the source DC voltage signal, output the first DC voltage signal to the load through a first output interface and output the second DC voltage signal to the load through a second output interface; a reference voltage signal generation unit configured to generate a reference voltage signal by taking the first DC voltage signal and the second DC voltage signal as input signals, output the reference voltage signal to the load; wherein a voltage value of the reference voltage signal is smaller than a voltage value of the first DC voltage signal and is greater than a voltage value of the second DC voltage signal. |
| US09345101B2 |
Protection circuit for use in controlling integrated circuit of light emitting diode
A protection circuit for use in a controlling integrated circuit of a light emitting diode is provided. The protection circuit includes a voltage division circuit and a voltage reduction circuit. The voltage division circuit is coupled to a terminal of a light emitting diode assembly and configured to generate a division voltage according to a terminal voltage of the terminal. The voltage reduction circuit is coupled to the voltage division circuit and configured to reduce the division voltage of the voltage division circuit. |
| US09345098B2 |
Systems and methods for providing a self-adjusting light source
System, methods, and apparatus, including devices and software, for providing self-adjusting light sources. In one aspect, a lighting unit includes one or more LEDs and an ambient light sensor. The light sensor measures ambient light in synchronization with intermittent off periods of light generated by the LEDs. For example, the LEDs in the lighting unit can be driven by a pulse width modulated signal that turns on and off the LEDs in an alternating manner, and the ambient light can be measured when the LEDs are turned off. In some implementations, a compact lighting unit, such as a light bulb, is provided that can be easily attached to standard light fixtures and can efficiently control its own brightness based on ambient light conditions. |
| US09345094B2 |
Dimmable AC driven LED illuminating apparatus
A dimmable alternating current (AC) driven light emitting diode (LED) illuminating apparatus including a TRIAC dimmer configured to perform a dimming control using a phase control. |
| US09345092B2 |
Dimmable lighting devices and methods for dimming same
In a single lighting device including a large number of light-emitting elements (LEEs), the LEEs are divided into separately powered groups, and different combinations of the groups are fully energized to achieve the desired overall brightness. In some embodiments, the number of LEEs in each group has a binary relationship to the other groups. The resolution of the dimming is the brightness of the smallest group. In one example of five binary weighted groups of LEEs, 32 brightness levels can be achieved while the LEEs in the energized groups are fully ON. Thus, since there is no high frequency switching, there is substantially no power dissipation by the dimming control system, and there is limited noise or EMI created. The dimming control can be easily implemented with a logic circuit controlling a transistor switch for each group. |
| US09345088B2 |
LED control circuits and methods
An LED controller is disclosed herein. An embodiment of the controller includes a first input connectable to a power source and an output connectable to at least one light-emitting diode (LED). A power factor correction circuit is coupled between the first input and the output, wherein the power factor correction circuit operates in a first state when the power factor is corrected and wherein the power factor correction circuit operates in a second state when the power factor is not corrected. The power factor correction circuit is in the first state when no dimming of the LED is sensed, and the power factor correction circuit is in the second state when dimming of the LED is sensed. |
| US09345085B2 |
Illumination apparatus including semiconductor light emitting diodes
An illumination apparatus of a high efficiency light emitting element and a driving circuit of a light emitting element controlling a series and parallel connection relationship between light emitting groups according to a voltage level of a driving voltage and controlling a sequential driving of the light emitting groups at the same time. |
| US09345081B2 |
LED driver system, controller and associated method
A LED driver system includes a LED converter converting an input voltage to an output voltage to drive a LED load via a main switch; a sensing circuit generating a feedback signal on the output terminal according to a load current through the LED load; an over-shoot detecting circuit generating an over-shoot signal according to the load current and a second reference signal; a logic circuit generating a switching signal according to a control signal and the over-shoot signal to control the main switch. The control signal is generated according to the feedback signal and a first reference signal, and the second reference signal is larger than the first reference signal. |
| US09345080B2 |
LED light source
A LED light source comprises a first rectifier (DB1) having input terminals coupled to an AC voltage source and output terminals connected by a first series arrangement comprising N LED loads and further comprises circuitry (I1, I2, I3, CC) for making the LED loads one by one carry a current when the momentary value of the AC voltage increases and one by one stop carrying a current when the momentary value of the AC voltage decreases. The LED light source also comprises a second rectifier (DB2) having input terminals coupled to the AC voltage source via a reactive element and output terminals connected by a second series arrangement comprising M LED loads and further comprises circuitry (I4) for making the LED loads one by one carry a current when the momentary value of the AC voltage present at the input terminals of the second rectifier increases and one by one stop carrying a current when the momentary value of the AC voltage decreases. |
| US09345074B2 |
Organic EL display apparatus
In an organic EL display apparatus, a chromaticity change of image display due to deterioration in an OLED is corrected. The organic EL display apparatus includes an EC element layer formed of one kind or a plurality of kinds of electrochromic elements which are disposed on an OLED portion and develop colors. Each of the electrochromic elements has a peak in a transmission spectrum during development of a color in any one of the emission wavelength bands of the pixels corresponding to the plurality of colors. The electrochromic element receives a DC voltage from a driver so as to be driven. Chromaticity of image display is adjusted by controlling a color development intensity of the electrochromic element by using the DC voltage which is applied by the driver. |
| US09345073B1 |
Light emitting diode bulb
A light emitting diode bulb includes a driving circuit board, a lighting unit, and a housing. The driving circuit board has one or more extending parts formed on one side, and a group of electrically connecting pins are disposed on the other side. An electrode is attached to one surface of each of the extending parts. The lighting unit is electrically connected to the electrodes. The housing packages the driving circuit board and the lighting unit, the electrically connected pins extend beyond the housing. The light emitting bulb has advantages of easy manufacture and low cost since the driving circuit board is electrically connected to the lighting unit directly and the housing then packages the driving circuit board and the lighting unit. |
| US09345069B2 |
Heat generation and exchange devices incorporating a mixture of conductive and dielectric particles
A device for generating heat from an applied current, the device comprises a mixture of conductive particles and dielectric particles. The device includes at least one pair of electrodes disposed within the mixture to direct an applied current through the mixture to resistively heat the mixture. The device may further heat a liquid that flows through the mixture. |
| US09345063B2 |
System and method for multi-network coverage
A system and method are provided for a multi-network wireless communications access terminal (AT) to access multi-network coverage. The method registers a multi-network AT in a first communications network. In response to registering with the first network, the AT receives information via the first network that is required for accessing a second communications network (e.g., an IEEE 802.20 or 1×EV-DO network). The AT obtains services accessed via the second network, in response to the access information received via the first network. For example, the second network access information may be system information, channel information, or access point parameters. The AT retains the option of obtaining services accessed via the first network if the second network cannot be accessing the second network. |
| US09345061B1 |
Remote access to mobile communication devices
Disclosed are various embodiments that facilitate remote access to mobile communication devices. A video signal and an audio signal that may be generated in a phone device are captured. The video signal may correspond to a screen of the phone device. The signals are encoded into a media stream, which is sent to a computing device. Input data is obtained from the computing device, and the input data is provided to one or more applications executed in the phone device. |
| US09345060B1 |
Invoking circuit switched fallback in response to VoIP call setup failure
A network node through which VoIP call setup signaling passes between a user equipment device (UE) and a VoIP call server detects VoIP call setup failure and responsively invokes setup of an alternate call between the UE and the called destination. For instance, a packet-gateway in an LTE network may detect VoIP call setup failure and may responsively invoke setup of a circuit-switched fallback call between the UE and the called destination. |
| US09345053B2 |
Synoptic emergency cellular device and system
A wearable emergency cellular device for use in a medical emergency alert situation includes an application containing synoptic medical information and other user data, a call module for mobile communication with a call center and a display for selectively controlling information displayed on the cellular device. Only the call center is able to input the synoptic medical and selected other information to the device. The cellular device is usable for emergency situations other than medical, such as for personal security at home or for mobile use. Various access methods are described using panel displays for medical or other emergency personnel to access the stored cellular device information. Initiation of user communication with the call center can be activated manually or by the user's voice. Also described are an electronic emergency call system and methods for handling an emergency alert using the emergency cellular device. |
| US09345052B2 |
Method and system for allowing incoming emergency communications on a disabled device
A system and method to allow a disabled device to receive an incoming communication after the termination of an emergency communication session with a service provider. A disabled device is a device having a portion of its service plan that allows the device to send or receive communications either temporarily or permanently disabled. In some embodiments, the system allows the disabled device to receive all incoming communications during a defined period of time after the emergency communication session. In some embodiments, the system allows the disabled device to receive all incoming communications from numbers or URIs contained in a repository of allowed numbers. In some embodiments, the system allows the disabled device to receive all incoming communications if the service provider initiating the communication enters an authenticated routing key or passcode. |
| US09345051B2 |
Terminal, communication circuit and communication method
A terminal including: an antenna configured to transmit a first random access signal, when the terminal loses a synchronization with a base station, to the base station, and to transmit a second random access signal, when a response signal to the first random access signal is not received by the terminal, to the base station after a period, and a processor configured to obtain a detection result by detecting, when the terminal loses the synchronization with the base station, whether a communication is in progress or not, and to set the period based on the detection result. |
| US09345049B1 |
Allocating root sequences to access nodes
In systems and methods of allocating root sequences to access nodes, a first coverage radius and a first neighbor list of a first access node are determined, wherein the first neighbor list comprises second access nodes which are each a neighbor access node of the first access node. A second coverage radius and a second neighbor list of each of the second access nodes is then determined. An access node comprising a largest coverage radius from among the first access node and the second access nodes is selected. A number of root sequences required for the selected access node is calculated based on the coverage radius of the selected access node, and root sequences are assigned to the selected access node according to the number of root sequences required. |
| US09345047B2 |
Techniques for assessing clear channel in an unlicensed radio frequency spectrum band
Techniques are described for wireless communications utilizing multiple clear channel assessment (CCA) procedures for access to a radio frequency spectrum band. A first CCA procedure is performed to determine availability of the radio frequency spectrum band and to contend for use of the radio frequency spectrum band among a number of coordinated operators transmitting on the radio frequency spectrum band. A successful first CCA procedure results in winning the contention for the radio frequency spectrum band for a transmission period that is coordinated among the number of coordinated operators. Upon the successful first CCA procedure, a second CCA procedure is performed during a discontinuous transmission (DTX) period in the transmission period to determine continued availability of the radio frequency spectrum band. The timing of the DTX periods is determined based on timing of radio transmissions having priority use of the radio frequency spectrum band. |
| US09345042B2 |
Downlink data collision avoidance method, access point and station
The present document provides a method for avoiding downlink data collision, an Access Point (AP) and a Station (STA). The method for avoiding downlink data collision includes: an AP receiving a radio frame for inquiring whether the AP has a Bufferable Unit (BU) of an STA transmitted by the STA; and after determining that there is a BU of the STA and the BU is larger than a predetermined threshold, the AP exchanging radio frames with the STA to reserve a channel, and transmitting the BU to the STA after succeeding in reserving the channel. The method can guarantee the fairness among various STAs and the reasonable utilization of channel resources, thus avoiding the collision; furthermore, the channel reservation frame transmitted by the AP can reserve a longer period of time, i.e. a plurality of BUs can be transmitted to the STA at a time, thus saving the link overhead. |
| US09345035B2 |
Centralized channel selection method and apparatus for wireless networks in a dense deployment environment
A method and apparatus are described including scanning a channel, generating a report for the scanned channel, transmitting the channel report to an associated access point and receiving a channel assignment responsive to said channel report. Also described are a method and apparatus including scanning a channel, generating a first channel report, receiving a second channel report from an associated client, transmitting the first channel report and the second channel report to a server, receiving a channel assignment message from the server responsive to the first and second channel reports and transmitting the channel assignment message to the associated client. Further described are a method and apparatus including receiving a channel report from an associated access point, building an interference graph responsive to the channel report, determining channel assignments based on the interference graph and transmitting a channel assignment message to the associated access point. |
| US09345034B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting downlink reference signal in wireless communication system supporting multiple antennas
A method and apparatus for transmitting a downlink reference signal in a wireless communication system supporting multiple antennas is disclosed. A method for transmitting Channel State Information-Reference Signals (CSI-RSs) for eight or less antenna ports includes selecting one of a plurality of CSI-RS Resource Element (RE) groups defined on a data region of a downlink subframe and mapping CSI-RSs for the eight or less antenna ports to the selected CSI-RS RE group, and transmitting the downlink subframe in which the CSI-RSs for the eight or less antenna ports are mapped. The plurality of CSI-RS RE groups is defined such that a transmission diversity RE pair for data transmitted on the downlink subframe is not broken. |
| US09345032B2 |
Method and apparatus for determining network clusters for wireless backhaul networks
Practical methods and apparatuses are provided for determining network clusters in wireless backhaul networks comprising a plurality of hubs (102) and Remote Backhaul Modules (RBM) (104) based on link quality value (LQV) metrics. From an input LQV table of LQV values for each hub-RBM link (110), the link quality values are first ranked. Clusters are then identified from all the possible links based on the order of the highest link quality value to the lowest link quality value, any constraints on the number of RBMs per cluster, and clustering each RBM only once. Links with strong link quality values are chosen to optimize the LQV metric. LQV based clustering achieves a higher average LQV, e.g., average spectrum efficiency or weighted sum spectrum efficiency, for the entire backhaul network compared to the geographic location based clustering. The method is straightforward to implement and has low computational complexity. |
| US09345031B1 |
Selecting a frequency for a wireless communication device from non-overlapping frequency bands
A radio access network (RAN) may receive indications from a wireless communication device (WCD). The RAN may support wireless communication via a plurality of non-overlapping frequency bands, and the plurality of non-overlapping frequency bands may include a low-frequency band and a high-frequency band. The low-frequency band and the high-frequency band may be separated by at least 5 megahertz. The indications may indicate signal strengths at which the WCD received signals from one or more frequencies in the low-frequency band and one or more frequencies the high-frequency band. The RAN may also receive a communication request from the WCD. Based at least in part on receiving the communication request, the RAN may select a frequency from the one or more frequencies in the low-frequency band and the one or more frequencies in the high-frequency band, and may instruct the WCD to communicate using the selected frequency. |
| US09345027B2 |
Methods and nodes in a wireless communication system
Embodiments herein include a network node and a mobile station in a wireless communication system. Embodiments also include a method in the mobile station and a method in the network node. With particular regard to the method in the network node, the method schedules wireless transmissions between the network node and the mobile station. The method comprises obtaining a multi-slot class of the mobile station and determining a downlink Temporary Block Flow configuration. Further, the method comprises assigning uplink timeslots to the mobile station and associating each assigned uplink timeslot with a priority value, based on the downlink Temporary Block Flow configuration and the multi-slot class of the mobile station. |
| US09345025B2 |
Method for using a base station to selectively utilize channels to support a plurality of communications
A method for using a code division multiple access (CDMA) subscriber unit to transmit a communication to a base station at a first data rate using at least one communication channel, determine an adjusted data rate desired for support of the communication, and transmit the communication to the base station over a second channel at a second data rate, wherein the first data rate is different than the second data rate. |
| US09345024B2 |
Exchanging configuration data
Embodiments of apparatus, computer-implemented methods, systems, devices, and computer-readable media are described herein for a user equipment (“UE”) to generate, for transmission to a remote entity executing on a remote computing device in communication with the UE over an air interface of an Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (“EUTRAN”), a container that includes UE or base station (e.g., Evolved Node B, or “eNB”) configuration data (e.g., an inactivity time interval), or over-the-top (“OTT”) application configuration data. In embodiments, the UE may transmit the container through a logical tunnel passing through the air interface between a local processing entity executing on the computing device and the remote entity. A base station such as an eNB may be similarly configured to generate and/or transmit, to a UE, a container with UE, base station, or OTT application configuration data, through a logical tunnel passing through the air interface. |
| US09345023B2 |
Method and apparatus for determination of almost blank subframe pattern by network listening
A method of determining almost-blank subframe (ABS) information in a heterogeneous network (HetNet) including a macro cell and one or more small cells underlaid with respect to the macro cell, the method including obtaining, at a first base station (BS) of a first one of the one or more small cells, almost-blank subframe (ABS) information of the macro cell based on at least one of transmissions of the macro cell and transmissions of a UE attached to the first small cell. |
| US09345022B2 |
Method and device for allocating backhaul link resource
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and a device for allocating a backhaul link resource. The method includes: selecting, by a first base station, at least one subframe in an uplink (UL) frequency band in a frequency division duplex (FDD) wireless communication system; and allocating the selected at least one subframe as a backhaul link resource between the first base station and a second base station. With the method, the device and the system for allocating a backhaul link resource according to the embodiments of the present invention, a subframe is selected in an unexhausted frequency band in existing bandwidth resources and allocated to a wireless backhaul link. Therefore, the existing bandwidth resources are released, resources are allocated to wireless backhaul links, and costs of the communication system are saved. |
| US09345017B2 |
Method and apparatus for transreceiving downlink signal by considering antenna port relationship in wireless communication system
The present invention relates to a wireless communication system, and more specifically, disclosed are a method and an apparatus for transmitting or receiving a downlink signal by considering an antenna port relationship. A method for user equipment receiving a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) signal in the wireless communication system, according to one embodiment of the present invention, comprises the steps of: determining a start symbol index of the PDSCH from a downlink subframe; and receiving the PDSCH signal based on the start symbol index, wherein the PDSCH can be scheduled by means of downlink control information (DCI) which is received through a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) or an enhanced PDCCH (EPDCCH). When the DCI is comprised according to DCI format 1A, which is transmitted through the EPDDCH, and the downlink subframe is a non-multicast broadcast single frequency network (MBSFN) subframe, the start symbol index can be determined depending on an EPDCCH start symbol value which is established by an upper layer. |
| US09345016B2 |
Channel information transmitting method and device
A channel information transmitting method and device are disclosed. The method may comprise: a step in which a base station transmits first channel state information (CSI)-request triggering information to first user equipment (UE); a step in which the base station receives the channel state information of a first D2D link channel from the first UE in response to the first channel from the first UE in response to the first CSI-request triggering information; and a step in which the base station allocates the resource of the first D2D link channel to second UE on the basis of the channel state information. Accordingly, the present invention enables data to be transmitted directly between the user equipment without passing through the base station, thereby increasing the speed of data transmission between the user equipment and distributing the load thereof. |
| US09345010B2 |
Integrated circuit for spreading response signal
A radio communication apparatus receives control information on one or more control channel elements (CCEs) with consecutive CCE number(s). The radio communication apparatus first-spreads a response signal with a sequence defined by a cyclic shift value that is determined among a plurality of cyclic shift values from an index of physical uplink control channel (PUCCH), which is associated with a first CCE number of the one or more CCEs, and second-spreads the first-spread response signal with an orthogonal sequence that is determined among a plurality of orthogonal sequences from the index. One of cyclic shift values used for an orthogonal sequence is determined from an index of the PUCCH, which is associated with an odd CCE number, and another one of the cyclic shift values used for the same orthogonal sequence is determined from an index of the PUCCH, which is associated with an even CCE number. |
| US09345003B2 |
Network node, a wireless terminal and methods for cancelling interference
A method in a network node for assisting a first wireless terminal in cancelling an interfering signal from a received signal in a wireless communication network. The first wireless terminal is located in a first coverage area of a first base station. The interfering signal originates from a second base station and is intended for a second wireless terminal located in a second coverage area of the second base station in the wireless communication network. The network node provides (601) the first wireless terminal with a configuration information related to a common control channel associated with the second base station. The network node further assists (602) the first wireless terminal in cancelling the interfering signal by providing information to the first wireless terminal about one or more of: a scheduling of the interfering signal and an identity of the second wireless terminal. The information is provided through an order related to said common control channel. |
| US09344998B2 |
Multi-band channel aggregation
Multiple channels are aggregated. In an example embodiment, first data is transmitted on a first channel to a wireless device, and second data is simultaneously transmitted on a second channel to the wireless device. The first data and the second data are transmitted in a coordinated manner by aggregating the first channel and the second channel. Various example channel characteristics and combinations thereof are described. Different data allocation options for aggregated channels are described. Other alternative implementations are also presented herein. |
| US09344997B2 |
Selection of communication mode
A method, apparatus, and computer program for selecting a communication mode for a terminal device is described herein. A communication mode is selected for a terminal device on the basis of a difference between an estimated radio channel between the terminal device and a base station and an estimated radio channel between the terminal device and another terminal device. The communication mode is selected from a group comprising a plurality of different configurations to multiplex communication over the first radio link with communication over the second radio link. |
| US09344996B2 |
Radio communication device, base station, method for radio communication, program and radio communication system
Provided is a radio communication device including a radio communication section that communicates by radio with a base station that changes a cycle for sending a paging channel to a second cycle in a case where no response is made from the radio communication device responsive to the paging channel sent in accordance with a first cycle, a detecting section that detects a state change of the radio communication device, and a receipt control section that switches a receiving cycle for receiving the paging channel from the first cycle to the second cycle according to a detection result obtained by the detecting section. |
| US09344995B2 |
Method for transceiving paging message in wireless communication system and apparatus for same
Disclosed are a method for transceiving a paging message in a wireless communication system that supports a multiple radio access network and an apparatus for the method. In detail, the method comprises: a step of receiving, from a terminal, a paging redirection request message for requesting redirection of a paging message transmission path of a cellular network through a wireless local area network (WLAN) access point (AP) in the event the terminal accessed to a base station of the cellular network has switched the access thereof to the WLAN AP; a step of transmitting a paging redirection response message indicating whether the redirection of the paging message is authenticated or not to the terminal through the WLAN AP; and a step of transmitting a paging message to the terminal through the WLAN AP. |
| US09344988B2 |
Method and system for managing mass registration scenario in two-way radio system
A method and apparatus are described for managing a mass registration scenario in a two-way radio system. A site controller in a trunked radio system detects a mass registration condition in which registration requests by subscriber units are likely to collide on an inbound control channel. During the mass registration condition, the site controller initiates a restriction period by instructing subscriber units that are members of particular talkgroups to temporarily cease registration requests. Those talkgroup members are permitted to resume their registration requests when a predetermined delay time has passed since the members were instructed to cease registration, or when a particular silence time has passed without registration activity over the control channel. |
| US09344984B2 |
Apparatus and method for data message communication
A method and user device are for communicating data from the user device by transmitting a synchronizing preamble having no timing advance, the synchronizing preamble comprising a base sequence that has been cyclically shifted by N shift index durations. The user device receives from a network station a response that indicates that a preamble was received from the user device having the base sequence cyclically shifted by N−1 shift index durations. The user device determines, based at least partially on the response, that corrective action is appropriate. The user device performs one of transmitting a modified form of synchronizing preamble, transmitting the data as a data message having a timing advance, and barring further attempts to transmit the data to the network station for a defined duration. |
| US09344983B2 |
Systems and methods for synchronizing wirless audio base stations
Systems and methods for adaptive OTA (over-the-air) synchronization of RF (radio frequency) base stations are described herein. Using these systems and methods, base stations in wireless audio systems can automatically identify externally sourced base station clocks and merge overlapping clock system domains, thereby eliminating the need for complex base station management and network configuration. |
| US09344980B2 |
Systems and methods for efficient channel synchronization
System and method embodiments are provided for efficient channel synchronization. The embodiments enable a reduction in a stations power consumption and reduce network overhead for transmitting synchronization frames by refraining from sending the synchronization frame when it is not needed. In an embodiment, a method in an access point (AP) for synchronizing a station (STA) associated with the AP includes sending, by the AP, a first management frame that indicates a time slot that is allocated for the STA and sending a synchronization frame at a boundary of the time slot allocated for the STA if the AP determines that a channel is idle at the boundary of the time slot allocated for the STA and if the time slot that is allocated for the STA is longer than a first threshold value. |
| US09344977B2 |
Method and apparatus for reporting power headroom information in mobile communication system supporting carrier aggregation
A method and apparatus for reporting Power Headroom (PH) of a User Equipment (UE) per carrier efficiently in a mobile communication system supporting carrier aggregation are provided. The method includes calculating PHs for multiple activated carriers based on whether data channel transmission takes place on each carrier, configuring indicators indicating whether the data channel transmission takes place on the corresponding carriers, and transmitting the PHs and indicators as aggregated in an extended PH Report (PHR) on one of the carriers. |
| US09344976B2 |
Wireless communication system, wireless transmission apparatus and wireless transmission method
A wireless transmission apparatus that transmits transmission data in each of a plurality of system frequency bands using a transmission power controlled so that a total transmission power of each of the plurality of system frequency bands is less than a maximum transmit power, where the maximum transmit power incase of transmitting the transmission data simultaneously using two or more system frequency bands in the plurality of system frequency bands is less than a maximum transmit power in case of transmitting the transmission data using single system frequency band in the plurality of system frequency band. |
| US09344975B2 |
Power adjustment method and device
Embodiments of the present invention provide a power adjustment method and device. The method includes determining an increment of a signal-to-interference ratio target value of a serving cell of a UE according to a difference between pilot signal power of a macro base station and pilot signal power of a micro base station. The serving cell of the UE is at least one of a macro cell in which the macro base station is located and a micro cell in which the micro base station is located. The method also includes, after increasing the signal-to-interference ratio target value by the increment, sending an increased signal-to-interference ratio target value to a base station in the serving cell of the UE. |
| US09344973B2 |
Interference management utilizing power and attenuation profiles
Interference that occurs during wireless communication may be managed through the use of fractional reuse and other techniques. In some aspects fractional reuse may relate to HARQ interlaces, portions of a timeslot, frequency spectrum, and spreading codes. Interference may be managed through the use of a transmit power profile and/or an attenuation profile. Interference also may be managed through the use of power management-related techniques. |
| US09344972B2 |
Uplink power controlling method and uplink signal receiving method thereof
The present invention relates to an uplink power control method and apparatus and an uplink signal receiving method and apparatus using the same. According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of receiving an uplink signal, the method of including selecting receiving points in a CoMP (Coordinated Multi-Point) system, transmitting CoMP setting information to UE, and receiving uplink transmission from the UE, wherein uplink transmission power used for the uplink transmission is controlled based on an effective path loss calculated by using at least one of path losses between the UE performing the uplink transmission and points in the CoMP system. According to the present invention, when uplink transmission power control is performed in the uplink CoMP system, path losses for a plurality of receiving points are reflected so that power control may be exactly done. |
| US09344970B2 |
Power setting
One example method of operation of a basestation in a mobile communications network is disclosed. The basestation may operate on a carrier channel and may be a member of a group of such basestations within the network. The method comprises establishing the presence of an adjacent basestation outside the group, which basestation operates on a carrier channel at least partially overlapping the carrier channel of the basestation and determining a degree of association between the basestation and the adjacent basestation with reference to other group members. The method further comprises setting at least one of a maximum downlink power for transmissions from the basestation and a maximum uplink power for transmissions from user equipment devices attached to the basestation, based on the degree of association between the basestation and the adjacent basestation. Also disclosed is a basestation operating in accordance with such a method. |
| US09344969B2 |
Enhanced power conservation for mobile phones
A mobile phone initially probes while in an open-loop mode with an estimated power level based on the received power level from a base station. If a response is not received, power is incremented, and a subsequent probe is sent. The process is repeated until a response is received or when maximum power is reached. If a response is still not received, the mobile phone tests for changing its location state. When BTS probes are unsuccessful and maximum power is reached, available sensors are sampled and tested for a change of state, e.g., by way of an inclinometer, an accelerometer, a magnetometer, a GPS, standard 802.11, or employing a Bluetooth, and the like. If no state change is detected, a delay block is entered, reducing the probing rate and the power consumption rate. If a state change is detected, the delay block is bypassed and probing resumes immediately. |
| US09344967B2 |
Deep sleep in 1x M2M devices
A wireless apparatus including a machine-to-machine (M2M) device. The M2M device has an applications processing element, RF transceive elements, and a deep sleep controller. The applications processing element executes one or more functions corresponding to an M2M processing environment, and directs the transmission and reception of radio frequency (RF) messages. The RF transceive elements are operationally coupled to the applications processing elements and transmit and receive the RF messages over the one or more wireless communications links. The deep sleep controller is coupled to the applications processing element and the RF transceive elements, and directs the applications processing element to request a sleep time from a corresponding base station, and causes the M2M device to enter a deep sleep mode upon acceptance of the sleep time by the corresponding base station, where the deep sleep mode is entered by removing power from the RF transceive elements. |
| US09344962B2 |
Method for controlling the activity of a base station entity in a mobile communication network
A method for controlling the activity of a base station in a mobile communication network via a mobile device, the base station being operable in a first and a second operational mode, the base station including a transmitter chain and a receiver chain, includes: receiving, by the mobile device, a first reactivation information, the first reactivation information being related to activating the first operational mode of the base station from the second operational mode of the base station; and transmitting, by the mobile device, a second reactivation information to the base station during a predetermined sensitive time interval of the base station so as to cause the base station to apply the first operational mode. |
| US09344961B2 |
Method and system for client-side message handling in a low-power wide area network
A network device (e.g., a cable modem) may support a normal mode of operation and a sleep mode of operation. While in the normal mode, a PHY of the network device may process a received signal to recover MPEG-TS packets, and convey the MPEG-TS packets to other components of the network device for further processing. While in the sleep mode, the PHY may process received MPEG-TS packets having a particular packet identifier and drop received MPEG-TS packets not having the particular packet identifier. The PHY may control transitions between the normal mode and the sleep mode in response to received signals having particular physical layer characteristics. The PHY may demodulate a received signal to recover an MPEG-TS packet; descramble portions of the MPEG-TS packet; inspect portions of the MPEG-TS packet; and control a mode of operation of the network device based on the contents of the MPEG transport stream. |
| US09344954B2 |
Method for detecting a signal for direct communication between UE's in a wireless communication system and apparatus for same
The present invention relates to a method for transmitting an identification signal from a first UE to a second UE for direct communication between UE's in a wireless communication system. In particular, the method includes the steps of: transmitting a first identification signal formed by using a part of the information on the first UE to the second UE; and transmitting a second identification signal including the rest of the information on the first UE to the second UE, wherein the transmission duration time of the second identification signal is longer than that of the first identification signal. |
| US09344953B2 |
Apparatus and method for initialization and mapping of reference signals in a communication system
An apparatus and method for initialization and mapping of reference signals in a communication system. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a processor and memory including computer program code. The memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to generate a reference signal employable with a plurality of physical resource blocks corresponding to a bandwidth of a communication system, and allocate resource elements of an assigned physical resource block from the plurality of physical resource blocks to a user equipment. The memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to generate a dedicated reference signal for the user equipment by allocating elements of the reference signal in accordance with allocated resource elements of the assigned physical resource block. |
| US09344952B2 |
Personal wireless coverage maps
Example methods disclosed herein to provide a map to a wireless device include, in response to a request received from the wireless device, processing wireless session records to determine respective status of a plurality of wireless services in a first geographic region associated with the wireless device. Disclosed example methods also include, based on the processing of the wireless session records, generating map data identifying a location of the wireless device, a status of a first one of the wireless services in a second geographic region included in the first geographic region, and a status of a second one of the wireless services in a third geographic region included in the first geographic region. Disclosed example methods further include transmitting the map data to the wireless device. |
| US09344950B2 |
Data routing in hybrid wireless communication networks
Data is routed in a mesh network of devices that can communicate wirelessly through a plurality of technologies. One or more of such devices receive broadcast message(s) from a destination device intended to receive the data, and generate a first radio link quality metric (RLQM) value based on the broadcast message(s). A source device originates and delivers a quantum of data with an embedded first RLQM value. A set of intermediate devices relays the quantum of data if a forwarding criterion is fulfilled; the forwarding criterion is based in part on the first RLQM value and a second RLQM value generated by an intermediate device in the set of intermediate devices based on the broadcast message(s). The intermediate device exploits an optical interface to transmit the quantum of data. The destination device broadcasts an acknowledgement signal in response to receiving intended data. |
| US09344948B2 |
Handover with mobile relays
A method to provide mobility support of UEs (12) that are served by mobile relay base stations (14), by providing handover of a UE (12) for data traffic only between two mobile relay base stations. This is achieved by information exchanging between the source and target mobile relay stations of the concerned UE in handover, and/or the corresponding donor base stations (13, 11) if applicable. The handover is triggered by any of the following: based on UE's measurement report, the signal quality of a neighbour cell is better than the current serving cell; based on the measurement of the serving mobile relay base station, the signal quality of the link to the UE is worse than a certain threshold; or based on the measurement of the serving mobile relay base station, the signal quality of a neighbour cell (potential donor base station) is much better than the current donor base station. |
| US09344947B2 |
Method and apparatus for QoS context transfer during inter radio access technology handover in a wireless communication system
Systems and methodologies are described herein that facilitate efficient transfer of quality of service (QoS) context during inter-radio access technology (RAT) handovers. In particular, techniques are described herein for establishing rules for whether a user equipment unit (UE) or an associated network should establish QoS for a mixed-mode application, identifying flow to bearer mappings when translating QoS across an inter-RAT handover, mapping QoS parameters of respective RATs, mitigating QoS depreciation upon multiple handovers, performing one or more actions if QoS is not acceptable in a new RAT, maintaining QoS during tunnel mode, and handling scenarios in which a UE moves between a RAT using network-initiated QoS and a RAT using UE-initiated QoS. |
| US09344944B2 |
Method for performing mobility in a wireless communication system and apparatus for the same
A method for performing mobility by a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system is provided. The method includes: receiving a report configuration from a serving cell, the report configuration including detection basis information; detecting whether a cell is present based on the detection basis information; transmitting, by the UE, a detection report reporting the detected cell is present to the serving cell; receiving a measurement configuration used for measuring the detected cell from the serving cell; measuring the cell based on the measurement configuration; and performing mobility with the cell. |
| US09344939B2 |
Apparatus, system and method of controlling radio access technology (RAT) communication managers
Some demonstrative embodiments include devices, systems and/or methods of controlling Radio Access Technology (RAT) communication managers. For example, a RAT controller may communicate with a plurality of RAT communication managers to receive measurement information from one or more of the RAT communication managers, and, based on the measurement information, to send traffic steering information to at least one RAT communication manager. |
| US09344935B2 |
System for wireless connectivity continuity and quality
Configurations are described for maintaining a continuity and quality of wireless signal connection between a mobile device and systems accessible through the internet. In particular, configurations are disclosed to address the challenge of a mobile device that moves through a physical environment wherein the best wireless connectivity performance is achieved by switching between available connection sources and constantly evaluating a primary connection with other available connections that may be switched in to become a new primary connection. The mobile device may be self-propelled or carried by some other mobilizing means. |
| US09344934B2 |
Method and apparatus for reducing latency during wireless connectivity changes
A wireless access point (102) detects an indicia of a change in wireless connectivity of a mobile station (101) with respect to itself and another wireless access point (103). The wireless access point then automatically effects at least one of establishing a communication between itself and the second wireless access point regarding the change in wireless connectivity and/or establishing a temporary data tunnel as between itself and the second wireless access point. These network elements can also act to automatically establish a data flow path for the mobile station as between the second wireless access point and a network element (such as a mobility management agent (105)) that is external to the common subnet. In a preferred approach this comprises, at least in part, automatically sending a registration request to the network element other than in response to a specific request from the mobile station to send such a registration request. |
| US09344932B2 |
Method for moving in wireless communication system and apparatus supporting same
Provided is a method for moving carried out by a terminal in a wireless communication system. The method comprises estimating mobility status of the terminal, detecting a neighboring cell, calculating an expected dwell time in the neighboring cell which is detected, determining whether to set an adaptive mobility condition on the basis of the expected dwell time, and moving on the basis of the adaptive mobility condition when the adaptive mobility condition is determined to be set. |
| US09344928B2 |
Neighbouring cell optimization method and mobile communication system
The disclosure provides a neighboring cell optimization method and a mobile communication system, which belong to the communication field. The method comprises: establishing an IUR connection between a first Radio Network Controller (RNC) and a second RNC; after the IUR connection is established successfully, the first RNC sending neighboring cell information to the second RNC; and the second RNC performing automatic neighboring cell optimization according to the neighboring cell information. With the disclosure, the neighboring cell information between two RNCs is updated in time, therefore the RNC is enabled to optimize the neighboring cell in time, and a timely cell handover performed by User Equipment (UE) is ensured, which provides a basis for ensuring call continuity of the UE. |
| US09344927B2 |
Cell selection in a cellular communication system
A method in a user equipment for handling cell selection is provided. While in dedicated mode the user equipment receives from a radio network node a measurement information message which indicates at least two frequencies associated with a respective cell in a respective radio access technology. While it is in dedicated mode, the user equipment performs measurements on the frequencies to obtain a respective measurement value for each one of them, and receives a selection indicator message comprising a respective priority for each one of the frequencies. The user equipment obtains a respective threshold value for each of the frequencies and successively evaluates the frequencies in descending priority order until a frequency is determined for which the measurement value exceeds its respective threshold value. When entering idle mode, the user equipment selects cell based on the evaluation. |
| US09344924B2 |
Method of handling handover security configuration and related communication device
A method of handling handover security configuration for a mobile device of a wireless communication system includes performing an inter-radio access technology, hereinafter called RAT, handover procedure from a serving network including a service domain to a target network including a plurality of service domains when receiving a handover command, wherein the mobile device includes security configuration corresponding to the service domain of the serving network and security configuration corresponding to the plurality of service domains of the target network, and updating the security configuration corresponding to at least one of the plurality of service domains according to the handover command no later than the time a connection with the target network is successfully established during the inter-RAT handover procedure. |
| US09344921B2 |
Apparatus and method for supporting communication network in portable terminal
An apparatus and a method for supporting a communication network in a portable terminal are provided. The method includes receiving a registration confirmation message from a first base station, determining whether the first base station satisfies a switching condition to a packet switching mode, switching a mode of the portable terminal from a circuit switching mode to the packet switching mode when the first base station satisfies the switching, and registering the portable terminal in a first communication network through the first base station in the packet switching mode. |
| US09344917B2 |
Method and device for implementing LTE baseband resource pool
A method for implementing a baseband resource pool in an LTE base station is provided. The LTE base station includes a main control module, a master board a slave board. The master board and the slave board each include a baseband processing module. The main control module configures information of a cell needing load sharing on the master board to the slave board, and configures user information in the cell to each of the master board and the slave board, or configures the user information to each of the master board and the slave board according to load balance. The master board and the slave board each perform load sharing processing on an SRS signal of a user. The slave board including the baseband processing module is added, thereby improving the baseband processing capability of the LTE base station. |
| US09344913B2 |
Wireless network encoding management method and system
A wireless network encoding management method and device. The method includes: determining whether a network infrastructure allows inter-network wireless network encoding; if the inter-network wireless network encoding is allowed, selecting, from neighboring networks of the network infrastructure, a node capable of forming an inter-network wireless network encoding group; and forming the inter-network wireless network encoding group and performing a scheduling design. Therefore, network encoding management in heterogeneous networks can be implemented, and the system capacity of the network and an effective data rate can be increased. |
| US09344905B2 |
Method and terminal for detecting PHICH in wireless access system
The present invention relates to a method and terminal for detecting a physical hybrid-ARQ indicator channel (PHICH) in a wireless access system that supports enhanced inter-cell interference coordination. In particular, the method includes: determining whether the PHICH exists in only a 0th orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbol if a subframe transmitted by a neighboring base station is an almost blanked subframe (ABS); determining whether a common reference signal (CRS) of the neighboring base station collides with a CRS of a serving base station if the PHICH exists outside of the 0th OFDM symbol; determining whether CRS power of the neighboring base station does not collide with the CRS of the serving base station; and determining whether an acknowledgement/negative-acknowledgement (ACK/Negative-ACK) is detected by replacing a symbol of the PHICH, overlapped with the CRS power of the neighboring base station is greater than the preset threshold. |
| US09344902B2 |
Method and system for evaluating deployment of femtocells as part of a cellular network
Aspects of a method and system for evaluating deployment of femtocells as part of a cellular network are provided. In this regard, a communication device may be operable to communicate information to a femtocell management entity that may be utilized to determine whether a specified location is suitable for installation of a femtocell. The communication device may be operable to receive from the femtocell management entity, data that indicates whether the specified location is suitable for the installation of the femtocell. The femtocell management entity may utilize the communicated information and/or additional information associated with one or installed femtocells, and/or one or more other communication devices that are within a vicinity of the specified location to determine whether the specified location is suitable for installation of the femtocell. |
| US09344901B2 |
Apparatus and methods of processing a protocol data unit
Methods and apparatus for processing data received at a user equipment comprises determining a protocol data unit (PDU)-specific Layer 1 decoding metric of a Layer 1 decoded PDU. The methods and apparatus further comprises determining whether to perform a Layer 2 decoding of the Layer 1 decoded PDU based on the PDU-specific Layer 1 decoding metric. |
| US09344900B2 |
Apparatus and a method for a mobile relay station transceiver and a base station for a mobile communication system
Embodiments relate to an apparatus (2) for a mobile relay station transceiver (4; 10, 12) in a mobile communication system comprising a donor interface (6) for communicating with a donor base station transceiver, the donor interface (6) being operable to submit a request for a tracking area update to the donor base station and a relay interface (8) for communicating with another apparatus for a relay station transceiver, the relay interface (8) being operable to receive tracking area information from the other apparatus for a relay station transceiver. |
| US09344899B2 |
Radio communication system, radio base station, radio communication terminal, radio communication method, and a non-transitory computer readable medium embodying instructions for controlling a device to implement a control method
When one base station forms a plurality of cells that use different frequency bands, a handover caused by movement between cells can be successfully performed with a high probability. A radio base station adapted to communicate with a radio communication terminal, comprising: a communication unit which performs a first communication with the radio communication terminal by using a first frequency, wherein the communication unit performs a second communication with the communication terminal by using a second frequency that is different from the first frequency; and a controller which performs a control, of at least one of a first power of the first communication and a second power of the second communication, based on a first power-related quality of the first communication and a second power-related quality of the second communication. |
| US09344894B2 |
Methods and systems for handling malicious attacks in a wireless communication system
Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to methods and apparatuses for handling malicious attacks. In one aspect, the methods and apparatuses are configured to identify packets received from a malicious source based at least in part on packets received by a wireless device that change a state of the wireless device from a dormant state to a connected state, selectively disconnect the wireless device from a packet data network (PDN) by releasing a first Internet Protocol (IP) address used to connect the wireless device to the PDN when a number of packets identified as received from the malicious source reaches a threshold number within a monitoring period, and reconnect the wireless device to the PDN using a second IP address that is different from the first IP address. In another aspect, a connection to an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) PDN is maintained after the PDN is disconnected. |
| US09344890B2 |
Trusted wireless local area network (WLAN) access scenarios
A method to support two scenarios in trusted wireless local area network (WLAN) access is provided herein. The method may be performed, for example, by a user equipment (UE). The method generally includes requesting a nonseamless wireless offload (NSWO) connection to a network during an extensible authentication protocol (EAP) procedure and receiving, after successful authentication, at least one of an internet protocol (IP) address or a reason code from a network entity indicating NSWO is not allowed. |
| US09344887B2 |
Direct communication among devices
Method, operation of a method, and a result of execution of computer program instructions embodied on a non-transitory computer readable memory in a mobility management entity which identify, evaluate and control potential opportunities for device to device communication among two or more proximately located user equipment. The method or execution of computer instructions include, determining a context of a source user equipment and a context of a target user equipment, determining if the source and target user equipment are device to device communication compatible and determining if the source and target user equipment are authenticated for employing device to device communications. An alternative embodiment includes functionality in a base station. |
| US09344885B2 |
Communication devices and cellular wide area radio base station
A communication device may include: a circuit being identified by a unique identifier; a determiner configured to determine as to whether the communication device is unwantedly out of the authorized user's control; a communication connection establisher configured to establish a Subscriber Identity Module less communication connection; and a transmitter configured to transmit a verification state request message including information indicating the unique identifier to another communication device. |
| US09344881B2 |
Identifiers in a communication system
An identifier containing at least one encrypted part is received at a first network entity. A second network entity may then be determined based on the identifier. A request for assistance in decryption of the identifier from the second network entity may be sent from the first entity to the second network entity. The second network entity may then assist the first networks entity in an appropriate manner. |
| US09344878B2 |
Method and system for operating communication service
An operation method capable of adaptively operating at least one of a Speech To Text (STT) service and a Text To Speech (TTS) service according to setting or user operation and a system thereof are provided. The method includes requesting a specific type of a communication service connection to a reception side terminal by a transmission side terminal, and performing an operation of at least one of a speech to text service providing speech recognition based text and a text to speech service converting the text into speech data between the reception side terminal and the transmission side terminal, and includes one of recognizing speech data provided from the transmission side terminal and converting the speech data into a text based on a first speech process supporting device connected to the transmission side terminal. |
| US09344874B2 |
Mobility management system, mobility management method, access GW apparatus, mobility management control apparatus, and computer-readable medium
An access gateway (GW) receives, from a mobility management node, a transmission-path control signal for changing a route of only part of a data packet flow that pertains to a mobile terminal and is originally relayed through the access GW and a first mobility anchor. In response to receiving the transmission-path control signal, the access GW establishes a logical transmission path with a second mobility anchor for transferring the part of the data packet flow, and transfers the part of the packet flow to the second mobility anchor and also transfers a remaining part of the packet flow to the first mobility anchor by distinguishing a data packet received from the mobile terminal. |
| US09344869B2 |
Method and apparatus for enhanced navigation in a dispatch communication system
A method and apparatus provide enhanced navigational alerts for a vehicular two-way radio operating in a dispatch communication system. The integration and prioritization of navigational alerts with dispatch voice communication ensures that navigational alerts do not compromise mission critical voice communications. Navigational alerts in the form of navigational voice instructions and navigational tones are selectively prioritized based on predetermined parameters associated with the dispatch call. |
| US09344867B2 |
Methods, systems, and products for processing communications
Methods, systems, and products provide called party identification to a calling party. A communication is processed from a calling communications address to one of a plurality of communications addresses associated with a simultaneous ring. When an answer is detected at one of the plurality of communications addresses, an answering communications address is sent to the calling communications address. |
| US09344863B2 |
Transmission frame and radio unit with transmission frame
For transmitting messages in a radiotelecommunications network from a first subscriber station, a transmission frame at least two data fields with data in a first data format transmitted in a first data field of the short message, and data in a second data format, different from the first data format, are transmitted in a second data field of the short message, a first identification code, which identifies a makeup of the short message, is transmitted il} the first data field and includes information about at least one of a number of data fields, one or more data formats of data in the data fields, and a size of the data fields, and in each of two data fields, one data-field-specific identification code, which identifies a makeup and content of the corresponding data field, per data field is transmitted. |
| US09344860B2 |
Mobile device control with external device
A mobile arrangement (102), such as a mobile communication device, including a user interface (UI) configured to receive user input, a wireless data transfer interface configured to receive a command, such as a PTT (Push-to-Talk) command, sent by an RSM (Remote Speaker Microphone) device (104a, 104b) or other accessory, such as an in-car device or a headset, wirelessly connected to the mobile arrangement, and an interfacing logic (114) configured to map the received command to a predetermined command locally providable via the user interface to a communication application (112) running on the mobile arrangement and capable of receiving user input via the user interface so as to enable utilization of the communication application through the RSM or other accessory. Corresponding method and computer program product are presented. |
| US09344855B2 |
Indoor wireless positioning system and indoor wireless positioning method
Provided are an indoor wireless positioning system and method capable of more accurately performing indoor wireless positioning by predicting signal attenuation due to a floor or wall within a multi-floor building. The indoor wireless positioning method includes calculating floor loss information of a floor on which the user terminal is located within the building, a higher floor, and a lower floor, calculating the floor on which the user terminal is located by comparing the calculated floor loss information to pre-stored previous floor loss information, calculating information about wall loss in the floor on which the user terminal is located, and acquiring position information on a horizontal plane of the user terminal according to received signal strength of the user terminal and the information about the wall loss. When the position of the user terminal is detected, detection accuracy is improved and more efficient wireless positioning is possible. |
| US09344851B2 |
Speed estimation method in a mobile terminal according to a result of determining a given satisfying condition
A mobile terminal includes: a memory; and a processor coupled to the memory and configured to: receive two or more of component carriers of different bandwidths, the component carriers being used for wireless communication performed by the mobile terminal, estimate one or more speeds of the mobile terminal based on respective one or more carriers among the two or more of the component carriers, determine whether the estimated one or more speeds satisfy a given condition, and estimate a speed of the mobile terminal according to a result of the determining. |
| US09344850B2 |
Method and system for collecting, synchronizing, and reporting telecommunication call events
The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for recording and generating additional information related to telecommunication events using a mobile communication device, such as a telephone call or a text messaging event using cellular phone or a personal digital assistant. Specifically, the preferred embodiments of the present invention record information such as GPS coordinates that indicate a position of the mobile communication device during the communication event, as well as a location of a sender or receiver of data to or from the mobile communication device, so as to facilitate a log entry of the position of the mobile communication device as well as other useful information that are associated with the communication events. |
| US09344846B2 |
Systems and methods for effective identification of geo-location in mobile HetNet environments
This disclosure relates generally to location services, and more particularly to systems and methods for effective identification of geo-location in mobile HetNet environments. In one embodiment, a device geo-location method is disclosed, comprising: receiving one or more wireless signal strengths associated with connectivity of a user device to one or more wireless access points; calculating, via a processor, one or more distances of the user device from the one or more wireless access points using the one or more wireless signal strengths; triangulating a user device location coordinate using: a pre-determined wireless access point location coordinate associated with at least one of the one or more wireless access points; and the calculated one or more distances of the user device from the one or more wireless access points; and storing the user device location coordinate. |
| US09344844B2 |
Mobile internet protocol (IP) location
A mobile IP location server that retrieves the location of a mobile device based on the public IP address that a mobile device is using. A mobile IP location server comprises a mobile location protocol interface, an identifier resolver, and a location manager. The mobile location protocol interface interacts with location applications and receives and responds to location requests. The identifier resolver converts a device's public IP address to a real mobile identifier (e.g. MSISDN) and performs address conversion by either interacting with an HTTP proxy server or querying a network address translation (NAT) table. The location manager retrieves the location of a mobile device given the device's real mobile identifier (e.g. MSISDN). A web application requests mobile IP location services by transmitting an IP request to the mobile IP location server. An IP location request contains a mobile device's public IP address, port number, and any application specific information. |
| US09344838B2 |
Data transmission method and apparatus, and terminal with touch screen
A data transmission method and apparatus are disclosed, and a terminal with a touch screen. The method includes: when a touch on a file displayed on a touch screen is detected, determining whether an attribute of the touch meets a preset condition, where the attribute of the touch includes at least one of the following: a duration of touching the file, a track of dragging the file, and a final object location to which the file is dragged; and when the attribute of the touch meets the preset condition, transmitting the file to an object terminal through an established short-distance wireless communication data channel. Data transmission efficiency can be improved with the embodiments of the present invention. |
| US09344837B2 |
Methods and devices for path-loss estimation
A method on a first device for estimating path-loss between the first device and a second device is described. A user context indicator associated with the first device is determined. At least one path-loss parameter of a plurality of path-loss parameters for the first device is updated based on the user context indicator. At least one wireless signal is received from the second device. The path-loss between the first device and the second device is estimated based on the plurality of path-loss parameters and the at least one wireless signal. |
| US09344836B2 |
Method and apparatus for triggering MTC group in wireless communication system
A method for enabling a Machine Type Communication (MTC)-InterWorking Function (IWF) to trigger a MTC group in a wireless communication system according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a step of transmitting a triggering request to a network node. The network node for receiving the triggering request determines success of the triggering request according to group-triggering-related information comprising information on whether the triggering request is transmitted in MTC group units. |
| US09344835B2 |
Machine-to-machine (M2M) communications using short message services (SMS)
A technology is described for machine-to-machine communications using short message services (SMS). The method may include receiving a SMS message over a network into an M2M gateway module from an M2M Server via a short message service center (SMSC) device. A SMS payload of the SMS message originating from the M2M server can be embedded into a signaling message using the M2M gateway module and Base Station. The SMS signaling message can be sent from the M2M gateway module to the M2M device to communicate with the M2M device. |
| US09344830B2 |
Handling of M2M services in a communication system
In an embodiment, there is provided a method for handling Machine to Machine M2M services in a communication system, said method comprising a step of, for charging for IP Connectivity Access Network IP-CAN bearer services in said communication system: providing global charging information for a plurality of terminals using a same M2M service. |
| US09344821B2 |
Dynamically providing to a person feedback pertaining to utterances spoken or sung by the person
Arrangements described herein relate to receiving, in real time, utterances spoken or sung by a first person when the utterances are spoken or sung and comparing, in real time, the detected utterances spoken or sung by the first person to at least a stored sample of utterances spoken or sung by the first person. Based, at least in part, on the comparing the detected utterances spoken or sung by the first person to at least the stored sample of utterances spoken or sung by the first person, a key indicator that indicates at least one characteristic of the detected utterances spoken or sung by the first person can be generated. Feedback indicating the at least one characteristic of the detected utterances spoken or sung by the first person can be communicated to the first person or a second person. |
| US09344820B2 |
Method, apparatus, and system for mass audio notification field
A mass audio notification system is provided, comprising a network, a plurality of speakers connected to the network, and at least one server connected to the network. The server can send audio data to at least one of the plurality of speakers via a transport link, and the server can send control commands to at least one of the plurality of speakers. The transport link can include a first protocol based on internet protocol. |
| US09344818B2 |
Easily installable microphone for implantable hearing aid
A microphone for an implantable hearing aid includes a body part having a cylindrical housing installed to pass through a tympanum and a microphone controller installed within the cylindrical housing to convert an acoustic signal into an electrical signal, an acoustic collection part that provides a passage for transmitting external sounds into the body part, the acoustic collection part being disposed on one end of the body part in a direction of an external auditory meatus, and a wire connection part connecting the microphone controller to the hearing aid, the wire connection part being disposed on the other end of the body part in a direction of a middle ear cavity. The microphone is easily installed on the tympanum in a noninvasive manner, and attenuation in sensibility of the microphone is prevented. Thus, the microphone may be significantly utilized for the implantable hearing aid. |
| US09344813B2 |
Methods for operating a hearing device as well as hearing devices
Method for operating a hearing device (1) that is worn by a hearing device user (2), the method comprising the steps of receiving a transmission signal (4) comprising an audio signal (4) of a sound sources (S), determining a distance (d) between the sound source (S) and the hearing device (1), and generating an output signal supplied to an output transducer (8) of the hearing device (1) by at least taking into account the audio signal (4) of the transmission signal (3) and the distance (d). Further embodiments are directed to determining an angle (α) defined by a sagittal plane (5) of the hearing device user (2) and a line drawn between the hearing device (1) and the sound source (S). The angle (α) is additionally used to generate the output signal supplied to the output transducer (8) of the hearing device (1). |
| US09344811B2 |
System and method for detection of speech related acoustic signals by using a laser microphone
A system for detection of speech related acoustic signals by using laser based detection that includes a mask configured for being worn over a face part of a speaker covering the speaker's mouth, where the mask includes at least one reflective coating covering at least one area of the mask that reflects collimated electromagnetic signals; and a laser microphone configured for detecting vibrations of the reflective coating area for detection of acoustic signals associated with speech of the speaker by using collimated electromagnetic signals. The mask the reflective coating area thereof allow enhancing detection of vibrations resulting from speech carried out by the speaker wearing said mask. |
| US09344801B2 |
Headset
A headset is provided. The headset includes: a hook hung on a user's neck; a pair of sound output units connected to both end parts of the hook; and a clipping module provided to at least one sound output unit and coupled to a cap worn by the user to allow the at least one sound output unit to be detachable. |
| US09344797B2 |
Microphone module with and method for feedback suppression
A microphone module and method for suppressing feedback in a microphone. The module has a casing with a hollow bore therethrough and a microphone mounted in one end of the bore. The other end of the bore is completely covered by a film mounted onto the top of the casing. The film has at least one slit therethrough in the film portion that covers the other end of the bore. The method includes introducing a sound wave to a film having at least one slit therethrough that separates the film into at least two parts; generating a sound wave from each film part; and conveying the generated sound waves in a sound tube to a microphone as a rejoined sound wave. |
| US09344794B1 |
Multi mode headphone with folding headband
A music playing and listening apparatus comprising a headband having opposing ends, and having at least one hinge; at least two connectors, each of the connectors having at least two arms, a first arm being shorter than a second arm, the first and second arm forms an axis; and at least two speakers, each of the speakers having opposing sides and comprising an audio output element on a first side and a compartment on a second side, the first and second arms of each of the connectors being pivotally attached to a portion of each of the speakers to thereby allow rotation of the speakers about the axis, each of the audio output elements of each of the speakers generally face one another during a first music listening mode, each of the speakers being rotatable about the first and second arms of each of the connectors to thereby allow each of the audio output elements of each of the speakers to turn away from one another during a second music playing mode; the rotation of the speakers allowing for changes in modes; the hinge of the headband allows the headband to open a wider distance between the speakers in the second music playing mode. |
| US09344791B2 |
Music earphone
The present disclosure discloses a music earphone, which comprises an auricle-shaped shell, a cover, and a cavity formed by the auricle-shaped shell and the cover. A receiver(s) is disposed in the cavity, a sound aperture is disposed at an upper end of the shell, an edge of the sound aperture extends towards the interior of the cavity to form a cylindrical hearing tube, a lower end of the hearing tube is fixedly connected with the receiver(s), and a lower end of each of the receiver(s) is connected with a conductor. The music earphone allows the shell to match the auricle of a user in a breathable manner, filter out the external noise while still enabling the user to hear the external communication sound, improve the music quality, and guard the traffic safety of the user. |
| US09344788B2 |
Motor vehicle audio system
A motor vehicle audio system, and a method of operating such a system. There is at least one rear far-field speaker that is located behind a front seat of the motor vehicle, and at least one near-field speaker located in front of the far-field speaker and close to an intended position of a listener's head. There is an audio signal processor configured to detect when the rear far-field speaker is shut off while the near-field speaker remains on, and in response automatically increase the output energy of the near-field speaker. |
| US09344785B1 |
Speaker assembly
A speaker assembly includes a rigid, structurally stable and self-supporting speaker housing, a first mid-range driver mounted within the speaker housing, a second mid-range driver mounted within the speaker housing, and a high frequency driver mounted within the speaker housing. A high frequency housing spacer is secured around the high frequency driver and positioned within the speaker housing to divide the speaker housing into separate and distinct compartments for the first and second mid-range drivers. |
| US09344784B2 |
Earphone with dual loudspeakers
An earphone with dual loudspeakers includes a casing, a retaining member, a tweeter, and a woofer. The casing has a first sound outlet passage and an accommodation space therein. The retaining member is installed in the accommodation space. Two ends of the retaining member are formed with a first accommodation cavity and a second accommodation cavity, respectively. The tweeter and the woofer are respectively installed in the first and second accommodation cavities and then installed in the casing. The tweeter has a sound outlet side facing the first sound outlet passage. A second sound outlet passage is formed between the outer wall of the tweeter and the inner wall of the first accommodation cavity. The second sound outlet passage communicates with the first sound outlet passage. The woofer has a sound outlet side facing the second sound outlet passage. |
| US09344782B2 |
Supplementary earpiece for moving display
A method and system for providing a moving-screen sound system for a portable communication device such as a cell phone employs a fixed, pivoted, or hinged display screen driven directly or indirectly by an audio actuator. While the frequency response of the screen may have defects that would negatively impact overall sound quality from the device, in embodiments a supplemental audio transducer is placed adjacent the screen or elsewhere on the device so as to supplement or correct the frequency response of the screen. In an embodiment, the supplemental audio transducer is driven to correct a notch or other defect in the screen response. In another embodiment, the supplemental audio transducer is driven to extend the bass response of the screen. |
| US09344780B2 |
Communication control devices and method
There is provided a communication control device including a communication control processing portion that performs at least one type of communication control processing when a control signal that requests a response signal is received from a partner device, a transmission processing portion that transmits the response signal to the partner device after the processing that the communication control processing portion performs when the control signal is received from the partner device, a processing time measurement portion that measures time that is consumed by the processing by the communication control processing portion, and a processing content setting portion that, based on the measured processing time that has been measured by the processing time measurement portion and on a response processing time for the response to the control signal, sets content of processing that the communication control processing portion will be made to perform within the response processing time. |
| US09344779B2 |
Method and apparatus for space-division multiplexing systems
A space division multiplexed (SDM) transmission system that includes at least two segments of transmission media in which a spatial assignment of the two segments is different is provided. For example, the SDM transmission may include a first segment of transmission media having a first spatial assignment and a second segment of transmission media having a second spatial assignment, wherein the first spatial assignment differs from the second spatial assignment. An example method obtains an optical signal on a first segment of transmission media having a first spatial assignment and forwards the optical signal on a second segment of transmission media with a different spatial assignment. The transmission media may be a multi-core fiber (MCF), a multi-mode fiber (MMF), a few-mode fiber (FMF), or a ribbon cable comprising nominally uncoupled single-mode fiber (SMF). |
| US09344777B2 |
Wireless communication authentication for medical monitoring device
Methods, systems, and devices for short-range low-power wireless communication of analyte information are provided. In some implementations, short-range low-power wireless communication of analyte information may include receiving an electromagnetic wireless communication signal and harvesting energy from the electromagnetic wireless communication signal. In some implementations, short-range low-power wireless communication of analyte information may include enabling capabilities associated with an external sensor in response to detecting the external sensor. In some implementations, short-range low-power wireless communication of analyte information may include detecting an analyte sample; determining an analyte concentration associated with the detected analyte sample; and transmitting an indication of the analyte concentration to an external device. |
| US09344774B2 |
System and method for recognition of items in media data and delivery of information related thereto
The system and method disclosed herein relate to the establishment of both the location and identity of individual items in pictures or videos. Once the one or more items in the picture/video are identified and matched to images in a reference database, the locations of the items are established and additional information relating to the items is accessed. Collectively, the position data and additional data is merged in the electronic pictures or videos and then provided to a user as a merged data stream. Additional functionality related to those identified items can occur when those identified locations are “pointed to”, “clicked” or otherwise selected (e.g., purchase an item, request information, select another video stream, play a game, share the item, rate, “Like”, and the like). |
| US09344772B2 |
System and method for controlling home network devices using multicast enabled remote controls
A system, method, and article of manufacture for controlling home network devices using a multicast enabled remote control. The system includes a plurality of home network devices capable of receiving and/or transmitting multicast input and/or output signals and a home gateway to receive audio/video signals generated outside of the home and to transform the audio/video signals into multicast output signals. The system also includes a multicast enabled remote control to detect, aggregate, store and display all audio/video multicast output signals on the multicast enabled remote control, to enable a user to redirect an audio/video multicast output signal to one or more of the plurality of home network devices capable of receiving multicast input signals, and to control the plurality of home network devices capable of receiving and/or transmitting multicast input and/or output signals. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. |
| US09344769B1 |
Hybrid all digital fiber to CATV cable system and method
Producing advanced HFC CATV cable systems while easing the burden of backward compatibility. The system improves CATV data carrying capacity by moving RF QAM modulators from the cable head end to various individually or group addressed optical fiber nodes supplying neighborhood CATV cables, and sending data from the cable head IP backbone to the nodes over optical fiber as IP data packets. For high backward compatibility, the system digitizes legacy RF waveforms, or demodulates legacy QAM waveforms to QAM symbols, also transmits these over the optical fiber as IP data packets, and then reconstitutes back to original waveforms as needed. The system is thus able to easily handle legacy NTSC, FM, QPSK waveforms and do partial (QAM symbol level) compression of legacy QAM waveforms to and from multiple nodes without requiring additional optical fiber wavelengths. The system may use non-standard upstream/downstream CATV frequency splits, filter bank receivers, and FPGA/DSP/ASIC methods. |
| US09344767B2 |
Method and device for presenting video navigating interface, displaying device and computer programming product
A method and a device for presenting a video navigating interface, a displaying device and a computer programming product are provided, the method includes: providing a video navigating interface; obtaining a plurality of video information of a plurality of online videos corresponding to a searching condition, wherein each of the video information includes a plurality of quantitative information; generating a plurality of video blocks according to the video information; retrieving at least two quantitative information from the quantitative information of each video information; adjusting the order of the video blocks and the width of each video block according to the retrieved quantitative information, to generate a video block sequence; and presenting the video block sequence in the video navigating interface. |
| US09344765B2 |
Dynamic adjustment of electronic program guide displays based on viewer preferences for minimizing navigation in VOD program selection
A method of using an individual electronic program guide (EPG) for management of links to on-demand TV programs on a TV services platform of a digital TV service provider includes establishing a viewer-individualized EPG through a Log-In step by which the individual viewer can be uniquely identified, enabling the individual viewer to select a title of an on-demand TV program listed on the individual EPG and save it as a link to the on-demand TV program for later reference. Each title for an on-demand TV program listed on the individual EPG is associated with metadata structured as a string of category and subcategory terms separated by delimiters corresponding to the position of the title in a hierarchically categorized ordering of the individual EPG. The bookmark address corresponds to a URL address for the video content on the Internet in a common addressing scheme with the on-demand TV program on the individual EPG. |
| US09344758B2 |
Video stream processing apparatus, method for displaying mirror video, and display device
A video stream processing apparatus, a method for display mirror video and a display device are provided. The video stream processing apparatus includes a connection establishing module, a mirror video receiving module, and a mirror video display module. The connection establishing module is configured to establish a first wireless connection with a first source device, and establish a second wireless connection with a second source device. The mirror video receiving module is configured to receive a first mirror video from the first source device through the first wireless connection, and receive a second mirror video from the second source device through the second wireless connection. The mirror video display module is configured to control a screen to separately display the first mirror video or the second mirror video, or simultaneously display the first mirror video and the second mirror video. |
| US09344757B2 |
Set-top box, system and method for providing awareness in a hospitality environment
A system and method for providing awareness in a hospitality environment are presented. In one embodiment, a vertical and horizontal array of set-top boxes is provided and each set-top box includes an identification corresponding to the room in which the set-top box is placed. Each set-top box includes a wireless transceiver that periodically transmits an identification beacon that is received by a proximate wireless-enabled interactive device. The proximate wireless-enabled interactive device, in turn, broadcasts data packets including an indication of the strength of set-top box identification signals received. The broadcasts are received by a server via an array of wireless routers. The location of the proximate wireless-enabled interactive device is determined based on the signal strength information in the data packets. |
| US09344755B2 |
Fast-resume audio playback
Embodiments are provided for fast-resume of audio playback. An example method includes transmitting a plurality of frames, each frame comprising audio information and playback timing information, the playback timing information identifying a time to play the audio information of the respective frame, wherein the playback timing information comprises a time relative to a clock; receiving a pause command, wherein the pause command indicates that the at least one playback device is to cease playback of the audio information; subsequent to receiving the pause command, receiving a resume command; based on the resume command, identifying a range of frames previously transmitted, wherein the range of frames have playback timing information subsequent to a time of receiving the pause command; and, based on the resume command, instructing at least one playback device to (i) update the playback timing information in the range of frames, and (ii) play the audio information. |
| US09344754B2 |
Interactive product placement system and method therefor
A method for presenting advertisements for commercial products in video productions, whereby the commercial product is placed in the video production as an element of the video production. A viewer is enabled to interact with the video production to select the product. Information is then displayed about the selected product; and the viewer is enabled to purchase the selected product. |
| US09344753B2 |
Mobile input and sensor device for a computer-controlled video entertainment system
Mobile input and sensor device for a computer-controlled video entertainment system, in particular a mobile input and sensor device providing user-related input data to said system. This provides an easy-to-handle mobile input and sensor device having direct access to an IP-based network, for transmitting sensor signals or data derived thereof as user-related input data via the IP-based network to a remote computing device or server, preferably to a cloud of servers, which then process these input data for controlling the running entertainment program. The mobile input and sensor device can be made simple, since it is designed to detect user activities and to generate sensor signals which are transmitted as input data to the remote computer(s) or server(s). The mobile input and sensor device directly communicates with any IP-based computing device (gaming server or the like) installed remotely and having powerful hardware and software to process the received input data. |
| US09344748B2 |
Adaptive streaming transcoder synchronization
Techniques for synchronizing streams in an adaptive streaming environment include cross-chassis and intra-chassis synchronization of video and/or audio. In an adaptive streaming system that streams content in segments or chunks at varying levels of quality corresponding to different coding rates, implementations enable seamless switching between transcoded audio output streams. The streams synchronized may be those that have been ingested by the transcoder in a compressed format and transcoded into a different compressed format, as part of the transcoding process. The transcoded audio output streams may be synchronized such that audio frame boundaries contain identical pulse-code modulation (PCM) samples, packetized elementary stream (PES) location, and presentation time stamp (PTS) value. |
| US09344747B2 |
Mobile payTV DRM architecture
A secure element operating in conjunction with a secure partition of a system-on-a-chip (SoC) having set top box (STB) functionality allows for digital rights management (DRM) key handling in a mobile platform. The secure element can include a secure processing system (SPS) to be implemented as a hard macro, thereby isolating the SPS from a peripheral processing system (PPS). The secure element and the secure partition of the SoC may be operatively connected by a secure cryptographic channel. |
| US09344746B2 |
Process and device for the protection and display of video streams
A process distributing video streams to a plurality of addressees, comprising a marking step comprising adding at least one visual element to a video stream, which marking step is applied to an original video stream common to all the addressees and which is personalized for each addressee by addition of a visual element specific to the addressee that allows rapid visual identification of the addressee, wherein the added visual element replaces part of the original video stream that is stored in complementary information on a multimedia server. |
| US09344744B2 |
Apparatus for intra predicting a block, apparatus for reconstructing a block of a picture, apparatus for reconstructing a block of a picture by intra prediction
An apparatus for intra predicting a block to be predicted of a picture from neighboring image samples sequentially extending along two rays starting at a common intersection point and pointing into different directions, the neighboring image samples including edge neighboring samples bordering the block to be predicted, includes a smoothing filter and a determiner. The smoothing filter is configured to one-dimensionally filter the neighboring image samples, which are sequentially arranged into a sequence by anti-parallelly traveling along a first one of the two rays and parallelly traveling along a second one of the two rays to obtain a filtered image sample sequence. The determiner is configured to determine a prediction value for a predetermined image sample of the block to be predicted by using the filtered image sample sequence. |
| US09344743B2 |
Flexible region based sample adaptive offset (SAO) and adaptive loop filter (ALF)
A method for in-loop filtering in a video encoder is provided that includes determining filter parameters for each filtering region of a plurality of filtering regions of a reconstructed picture, applying in-loop filtering to each filtering region according to the filter parameters determined for the filtering region, and signaling the filter parameters for each filtering region in an encoded video bit stream, wherein the filter parameters for each filtering region are signaled after encoded data of a final largest coding unit (LCU) in the filtering region, wherein the in-loop filtering is selected from a group consisting of adaptive loop filtering and sample adaptive offset filtering. |
| US09344742B2 |
Transform-domain intra prediction
A method for encoding a frame having a plurality of blocks in a video stream using transform-domain intra prediction is disclosed. The method includes generating, using a two-dimensional transform, a set of transform coefficients for a current block; generating, using a one-dimensional transform, a set of transform coefficients for previously coded pixel values in the frame; determining, using the set of transform coefficients for the previously coded pixel values, a set of transform coefficients for a prediction block; determining a residual based on the difference between the set of transform coefficients for the current block and the set of coefficients for the prediction block; and encoding the residual. |
| US09344740B2 |
Method of predicting motion vectors in video codec in which multiple references are allowed, and motion vector encoding/decoding apparatus using the same
Initial value is selected when motion estimation is performed using predicted motion vector in video codec in which multiple references are allowed, and coding amount of motion vectors is reduced using predicted motion vector. Motion vector encoding apparatus includes predicted motion vector generator that generates adjacent motion vectors of current block with respect to each of reference pictures and generates each predicted motion vector of the current block from the generated adjacent motion vectors, motion estimator that determines final motion vector of the current block and final reference picture corresponding to the final motion vector with regard to search regions of the reference pictures, differential unit that obtains difference between the final motion vector of the current block and final predicted motion vector corresponding to the determined final reference picture among the predicted motion vectors, and unit for encoding information about the final reference picture and the difference. |
| US09344737B2 |
Reference picture list construction for multi-view and three-dimensional video coding
A video encoder generates, based on a reference picture set of a current view component, a reference picture list for the current view component. The reference picture set includes an inter-view reference picture set. The video encoder encodes the current view component based at least in part on one or more reference pictures in the reference picture list. In addition, the video encoder generates a bitstream that includes syntax elements indicating the reference picture set of the current view component. A video decoder parses, from the bitstream, syntax elements indicating the reference picture set of the current view component. The video decoder generates, based on the reference picture set, the reference picture list for the current view component. In addition, the video decoder decodes at least a portion of the current view component based on one or more reference pictures in the reference picture list. |
| US09344736B2 |
Systems and methods for compressive sense imaging
Systems and methods for compressive sense imaging are provided. In one aspect, a system and method is provided for determining at least one kernel matrix based on the relative motion of an object during a time period corresponding to the acquisition of one or more compressive measurements of the object. An uncompressed image of the object is generated using the compressive measurements using a reconstruction basis matrix that is different from the compressive basis matrix used to acquire the compressive measurements of the object. To compensate for the relative motion of the object, the reconstruction basis matrix is determined based on the at least one kernel matrix and the compressive basis matrix. |
| US09344729B1 |
Selective prediction signal filtering
Disclosed herein are methods and apparatuses for selective prediction signal filtering. One aspect of the disclosed implementations is a method for encoding a frame of a video stream including determining a first performance measurement for a first set of prediction samples identified for a group of pixels using a first prediction mode, generating a filtered set of prediction samples by applying a filter to a second set of prediction samples, wherein at least one of the filtered set of prediction samples or the second set of prediction samples are identified using a second prediction mode, determining a second performance measurement for the filtered set of prediction samples, generating, using a processor, a residual based on the filtered set of prediction samples and the group of pixels if the second performance measurement exceeds the first performance measurement, and encoding the frame using the residual. |
| US09344727B2 |
Method of using a reduced number of macroblock coding modes in a first view based on total coding mode complexity values of macroblocks in second view
A method for determining a macroblock (MB) coding mode for a current MB in a dependent view. A window around a co-located MB in a base view is determined, wherein the co-located MB is a MB in the base view having a same location as the current MB in the dependent view. A coding mode complexity value (CMCV) is determined for each MB in the window, wherein the CMCV is based on a coding mode used to encode the MB. Rate distortion optimization (RDO) is performed for the current MB using a reduced number of coding modes if a total CMCV for all MBs in the window is less than a threshold, or using all supported coding modes if the total CMCV for all MBs in the window is greater than the threshold. A coding mode for the current MB is determined based on the RDO results. |
| US09344725B2 |
Error concealment for MPEG decoding with personal video recording functionality
Error concealment for motion picture expert group (MPEG) decoding with personal video recording functionality. Error concealment of MPEG data may take place within various components within playback, recording, reading and writing data systems. The error concealment may be provided within existing systems whose components may not be capable of accommodating errors within MPEG data. In certain embodiments, the available data that contain no errors is maximized to conceal those portions of the data that do include errors. |
| US09344722B2 |
Scanning of prediction residuals in high efficiency video coding
A video codec comprising a processor configured to generate a prediction block for a current block, compute a difference between the current block and the prediction block to generate a residual block, scan a plurality of prediction residuals located in the residual block following a scanning order, and if the plurality of residual values comprise at least one non-zero prediction residual, entropy encode the at least one non-zero prediction residual. A method comprising generating a prediction block for a current block, computing a difference between the current block and the prediction block to generate a residual block, scanning a plurality of prediction residuals located in the residual block, and if the plurality of residual values comprise at least one non-zero prediction residual, entropy encoding the at least one non-zero prediction residual. |
| US09344716B2 |
Adaptive filtering method and apparatus
A filtering method and apparatus for adaptively performing deblocking filtering are provided. The method includes: obtaining a parameter indicating how close pixel values of pixels adjacent to a block boundary are with respect to a predetermined line; determining a filtering strength at the block boundary based on the parameter; and performing filtering based on the filtering strength. |
| US09344715B2 |
Angular table for improving intra prediction
A method of intra prediction comprising computing a prediction block for a luma block, wherein computing the prediction block includes using a plurality of directional intra prediction modes and an angular table (angTable) comprising a plurality of entries, and wherein a value of each entry is determined via a mathematical derivation. An apparatus comprising a memory configured to store an angTable comprising a plurality of entries, wherein a value of each entry is determined via a mathematical derivation, and a processor configured to compute a prediction block for a luma block using a plurality of directional intra prediction modes and the angTable. |
| US09344709B2 |
Display control circuit, liquid crystal display device including the same, and display control method
An object of the present invention is to suppress a reduction in image quality caused by crosstalk in a liquid crystal display device capable of performing 3D display. A predetermined number of pixels (e.g., pixels of two rows×two columns) having the same gray scale value are divided into pixels (first pixel group) whose post-correction gray scale values are the same between a left-eye image and a right-eye image, and pixels (second pixel group) whose post-correction gray scale values are different between the left-eye image and the right-eye image. For example, an average value between a pre-correction gray scale value of the left-eye image and a pre-correction gray scale value of the right-eye image is a post-correction gray scale value of the first pixel group. The post-correction gray scale values of the second pixel group are determined such that, for both of the left-eye image and the right-eye image, an average gray scale value of each group including the predetermined number of pixels is not changed between before and after the correction. |
| US09344708B2 |
Non-glasses type stereoscopic image display device
A non-glasses type stereoscopic image display device comprises: a display panel that comprises a plurality of sub-pixels and displays multi-view images in predetermined units; and an optical plate array that is formed side by side with the sub-pixels and divides the multi-view images into a plurality of multi-view areas, each of the sub-pixels comprising a first color sub-pixel, a second color sub-pixel, and a third color sub-pixel, which alternate in the same row along a horizontal direction in which gate lines extend and are formed side by side along a vertical direction in which data lines extend in different columns, wherein vertically neighboring sub-pixels displaying different colors partially overlap each other in the vertical direction. |
| US09344706B2 |
Camera device
An example device includes first and second oppositely facing cameras and a user interface configured to concurrently display (i) a real time image captured by one of the first and second cameras and (ii) first, second and third buttons. The first button is operable for taking a picture using one of the cameras, the second button is operable for displaying a stored picture, and the third button is operable for switching between the first and second cameras. |
| US09344704B2 |
Method of recording and replaying video data, and display device using the same
Provided are a method of recording video data, a method of replaying a video data, and a display device using the same. The method of recording video data receives and stores data provided from the outside, determines whether the received video data is 3D video data, sets a video format for replaying the 3D video data when the received video data is the 3D video data, and stores a video type of the 3D video data and the set video format. |
| US09344703B2 |
Recording medium, playback device, system LSI, playback method, glasses, and display device for 3D images
A recording medium in which a left-view video stream and a right-view video stream are recorded in an interleaved transport stream file. The interleaved transport stream file is identified by a combination of (i) an equivalent identification number being equivalent with the file reference information and (ii) a file extension indicating that video streams are stored in the interleaved manner, the equivalent identification number. Among Extents that constitute the interleaved transport stream file, Extents constituting the left-view or right-view video stream are identified as a normal-format transport stream file by a combination of (i) the equivalent identification number being equivalent with the file reference information and (ii) a file extension indicating that video streams are stored in a normal manner. |
| US09344696B2 |
Methods and apparatus for optical display using multiple spatial light modulators for increased resolution
A system for displaying a high resolution video image utilizing multiple spatial light modulators includes at least one illumination source configured to provide illumination to multiple spatial light modulators; a video data image processor coupled to receive video image data at a first visual resolution of X by Y pixels; and multiple spatial light modulators each having an image resolution lower than the first visual resolution, each configured to project an image sub-frame onto a focal plane using an image projection system; wherein the image projection system is configured to project a first sub-frame image of a first color portion while simultaneously projecting at least a second sub-frame image of a second color portion onto the focal plane, and the first and second sub-frame images are offset from one another, so that when viewed together a viewed image has at least the first visual resolution. Methods are disclosed. |
| US09344694B2 |
Spatial light modulator sub-pixel architecture and method
A semiconductor device comprises an array of individually controllable image pixels arranged in a plurality of reset groups. Each of the image pixels in the array of individually controllable image pixels has a one-to-one correspondence with at least one memory cell in an array of memory cells. The semiconductor device further comprises a plurality of sub-pixel sets, wherein each sub-pixel in the plurality of sub-pixel sets is a micromirror, and wherein each of the image pixels comprises a sub-pixel set. |
| US09344693B2 |
Drive control apparatus and drive control method, and video output apparatus
There is provided a drive control apparatus that includes a horizontal control section, and a vertical control section. The horizontal control section controls a scanning mirror for horizontal scanning with laser light, the scanning mirror being driven at a fixed frequency in a horizontal direction. The vertical control section controls the scanning mirror for vertical scanning based on the frequency at which the horizontal control section drives the scanning mirror in the horizontal direction, the vertical control section outputting a vertical drive signal to control the scanning mirror for vertical scanning, the vertical drive signal including an interval in which the laser light is directed vertically from top to bottom and an interval in which the laser light is directed vertically from bottom to top, the intervals alternately producing an output of a predetermined amount. |
| US09344691B2 |
Imaging device, object detecting apparatus, optical filter, and manufacturing method of optical filter
An imaging device includes an optical filter. The optical filter has a configuration in which a polarization filter layer and a spectral filter layer are laminated in light transmission direction. Of the polarization filter layer and the spectral filter layer, the layer on the lower side in lamination direction has an uneven top face in the lamination direction. The optical filter is formed by filling the uneven top face with a predetermined filling material so as to even out the top face and then forming other layer. |
| US09344690B2 |
Image demosaicing
Image demosaicing is described, for example, to enable raw image sensor data, where image elements have intensity values in only one of three color channels, to be converted into a color image where image elements have intensity values in three color channels. In various embodiments a trained machine learning component is used to carry out demosaicing optionally in combination with denoising. In some examples the trained machine learning system comprises a cascade of trained regression tree fields. In some examples the machine learning component has been trained using pairs of mosaiced and demosaiced images where the demosaiced images have been obtained by downscaling natural color digital images. For example, the mosaiced images are obtained from the demosaiced images by subsampling according to one of a variety of color filter array patterns. |
| US09344688B2 |
Recall device
A small wearable recall device is provided to capture images triggered by a combination of a detection of a capture condition (e.g., changes in motion, temperature or light level) followed by a relatively stable period, as detected by an accelerometer. By triggering on the combination of a detected capture condition followed by a detected stability condition, a clearer image of the environment of an interesting event is expected to be captured. The small size of the recall device makes it possible to integrate it into common portable consumer products, such as MP3 players, purses, clothing, hats, backpacks, necklaces, collars, and other human-wearable products. |
| US09344685B2 |
Communication apparatus and method of controlling communication apparatus
A communication apparatus is connected to an external apparatus in a connection mode selected from a plurality of connection modes including a first connection mode in which an external apparatus is connected in accordance with a predetermined operation on the communication apparatus and a second connection mode in which an external apparatus is connected in accordance with an operation whose operation amount is smaller than the predetermined operation. The communication apparatus has a plurality of operation modes to select at least one of contents saved in a recording medium. When connecting the external apparatus in the second connection mode, an operation mode in which the contents are selected based on the operation on the external apparatus is selected out of the plurality of operation modes. |
| US09344684B2 |
Systems and methods configured to enable content sharing between client terminals of a digital video management system
Described herein are systems and methods for managing video data. Embodiments are described by reference to a Digital Video Management (DVM) system, for example methods for facilitating collaborative incident management. In overview, a DVM system provides a user interface, which is renderable at a plurality of client terminal. This allows an operator of each client to independently view DVM content items. In some cases the user interface is provided by components delivered to the clients via a web-server arrangement. The user interface is configured thereby to allow an operator of a first client terminal to provide a request to share a specified DVM content item with the operator of a second client terminal. In response to this request, the content item is delivered to the operator of the second client terminal. |
| US09344681B2 |
Systems and methods of incorporating live streaming sources into a video conference
The technology disclosed solves the technical problem of incorporating live streaming sources into a video conference. In particular, the technology disclosed relates to pre-registering live streaming sources as pseudo-participants to optionally include in a video conference and causing the live streaming source represented by the pseudo-participant to be streamed to participants in the video conference without relay from one participant to another participant. The technology disclosed also relates to solving the technical problem of controlling a video conferencing interface during a video conference by allowing attendees of a video conference to configure a video interface template that includes areas to display participants and pseudo-participants live streaming sources. |
| US09344678B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method and computer-readable storage medium
An information processing apparatus is connected to a network. The information processing apparatus includes a first acquisition unit configured to obtain a piece of bandwidth information that indicates a bandwidth of the network to which the information processing apparatus is connected; and an operation state control unit configured to control an operation state of the information processing apparatus on the basis of a piece of first information associated with the piece of bandwidth information obtained by the first acquisition unit. The piece of first information is one of a plurality of pieces of first information each indicating a quality of an image that is able to be transmitted via the network by the information processing apparatus. The pieces of first information are stored in association with a plurality of pieces of bandwidth information in a first storage unit. |
| US09344677B1 |
Content sharing system and method
A method and computing system for defining a group of participants for a videoconference. A request is received from a first participant of the videoconference to initiate an image capture utility, wherein the first participant is included within the group of participants. At least a portion of the group of participants is notified of the intent of the first user to initiate the image capture utility. |
| US09344676B2 |
Apparatus and method for providing video telephony service in mobile communication terminal
An apparatus and a method for providing a video telephony service in a mobile communication terminal are provided. The apparatus for providing the video telephony service in the mobile communication terminal includes a controlling unit for receiving preferred video format information from a peer mobile communication terminal during a signaling procedure with the peer mobile communication terminal for the video telephony service and for determining a video format to use in the video telephony service using the received preferred video format, and a video codec for encoding and decoding video data that is transmitted to and received from the peer mobile communication terminal, using the determined video format. |
| US09344675B1 |
Dynamic notification techniques for video chat invitations
A computer-implemented technique can include receiving a video chat request to initiate a video chat with at least one invitee user. The technique can include for a specific invitee user, determining a degree of notification for a specific video chat invitation for the specific invitee user, the degree of notification comprising a notification medium and a notification level each having a degree of intrusiveness, wherein determining the degree of notification is based on: (a) a number of invitee users specified by the video chat request, and (b) video chat attributes of the specific invitee user. The technique can also include outputting the specific video chat invitation to an invitee computing device associated with the specific invitee user via the determined notification medium, wherein receipt of the specific video chat invitation causes the invitee computing device to notify the specific invitee user according to the determined notification level. |
| US09344674B2 |
Method and system for routing video calls to a target queue based upon dynamically selected or statically defined parameters
A computer-implemented method routes a video relay service call to a call queue corresponding to a preferred language after receiving an input from a user to initiate a video relay service call. The preferred language may be stored in connection with the phone number being called, and the system automatically routes the video relay service call to a call queue for one or more sign language interpreters fluent in the language associated with the telephone number. If there is no default language associated with the phone number being called, the caller can be asked for a language, or a default language can be used. |
| US09344670B2 |
System and method for enhancing recorded radio or television programs with information on the world wide web
The present invention is directed to a system, method and computer program for enabling a user (an auditor or a viewer) to access complementary information related to one or a plurality of sequences or topics of interest in a recorded program previously broadcast on the radio or television and played back on a device, such as an audio or video tape or disk recorder/player. The preferred embodiment of the invention relates to a system and method for enabling a person listening to or watching a recorded program, to select one or a plurality of topics drawing his or her attention and for immediately receiving further information related to these topics from the World Wide Web. The system is based on the synchronization of local times of transmitters and recorders. The flow of information transmitted, received and recorded is always synchronized, independently of the relative positions of recorders and transmitters. |
| US09344668B2 |
System and method for time-shifted program viewing
A system and method for time-shifted viewing of broadcast television programs is disclosed. Simultaneous recording and playback are provided by using buffer storage as the source and destination of compressed or uncompressed digital video/audio programs. Full VCR-like control is provided for all playback within the buffer storage. Playback and control of recorded programs may be initiated by the user at any time after initiation of the broadcast program with simultaneous continuous recording of the ongoing live broadcast. Larger archival storage and removable is also provided for storing and building a library of programs. Viewer playback control data may be stored as part of the program or used as edit points prior to archival. Numerous options are provided for features such as continuous automatic recording in a circular buffer fashion, program archival, editing, Internet interfaces, multiple-channel recording and more. |
| US09344664B2 |
Control method of plasma TV, a bluetooth touch control pen and a plasma TV
Disclosed are a control method of plasma TV, a Bluetooth touch control pen and a plasma TV, the method comprising: configuring all or part of the pixel points of a plasma TV screen to transmit a light signal carrying pixel position information; a touch control pen receiving the light signal by contacting the screen, calculating the pixel coordinate values of the position of a contact point on the screen according to the pixel position information in the light signal, and transmitting the calculated pixel coordinate values to the plasma TV via Bluetooth transmission; the plasma TV conducting a corresponding operation according to the received pixel coordinate values. The present invention realizes a novel touch control solution for large screen plasma TVs, and the solution has good user experience and low cost. |
| US09344662B2 |
Solid state imaging device and electronic apparatus
Provided is a solid state imaging device including: a pixel portion where pixel sharing units are disposed in an array shape and where another one pixel transistor group excluding transfer transistors is shared by a plurality of photoelectric conversion portions; transfer wiring lines which are connected to the transfer gate electrodes of the transfer transistors of the pixel sharing unit and which are disposed to extend in a horizontal direction and to be in parallel in a vertical direction as seen from the top plane; and parallel wiring lines which are disposed to be adjacent to the necessary transfer wiring lines in the pixel sharing unit and which are disposed to be in parallel to the transfer wiring lines as seen from the top plane, wherein voltages which are used to suppress potential change of the transfer gate electrodes are supplied to the parallel wiring lines. |
| US09344657B2 |
Depth pixel and image pick-up apparatus including the same
A depth pixel of an image sensor includes a depth sensing element configured to generate first charges that are photo-electrically converted from a light reflected from an object, a first floating diffusion node configured to receive the first charges from the depth sensing element, a second floating diffusion node configured to output second charges corresponding to a component of a reflection light where a component of an ambient light is cancelled, and an ambient light cancellation circuit configured to detect the ambient light to control a barrier level of a charge transfer path between the first floating diffusion node and the second floating diffusion node in response to the ambient light. |
| US09344656B2 |
Solid-state image sensor and camera system
A pixel includes an embedded photo diode (PD), an amplification transistor forming a source follower circuit having a gate for input and a source for output, and a transfer transistor that transfers a charge to the gate of the amplification transistor, the charge being photoelectrically converted by the PD. The amplification transistor is formed in a semiconductor substrate electrically isolated from a substrate on which the embedded PD and the transfer transistor are formed and the substrate of the amplification transistor is in a floating state. The reading unit includes a ΔΣ modulator that inputs/outputs the image signal per pixel unit and the output of the ΔΣ modulator is given, as feedback, to a capacitative unit functioning as a capacity to integrate the pixel. |
| US09344652B2 |
Photoelectric conversion apparatus and image pickup system including an ad conversion unit to convert a signal into a digital signal
Column signal processing units are provided in correspondence with respective columns of a pixel array. The column signal processing unit includes a sample-and-hold unit configured to hold an analog signal output from a pixel, a buffer unit configured to buffer the signal held in the sample-and-hold unit, and an AD conversion unit. The AD conversion unit converts the signal held by the sample-and-hold unit and buffered by the buffer unit into a digital signal. |
| US09344649B2 |
Floating point image sensors with different integration times
An image sensor may include an array of image sensor pixels arranged in rows and columns. Each image pixel arranged along a given column may be coupled to analog-to-digital converter (ADC) circuitry that is capable of converting analog pixel signals into a floating point number. The ADC circuitry may be configured to obtain an illumination value during an auto exposure period. The illumination value, which serves as an exponent value, can be stored as tile data in respective shutter tile column memory circuits. A rolling shutter scheme may be implemented to read signals out from the array. Each tile may be allowed to integrate for a different period of time depending on the exponent value stored in the shutter tile column memory circuits. During readout, the signal generated from the ADC circuitry may represent a mantissa value that is combined with the exponent value to yield a floating point number. |
| US09344647B2 |
Imaging systems with dynamic shutter operation
An imaging system may include an image sensor having an array of image pixels. Each image pixel may include an electronic shutter for controlling when a photosensor in the image pixel accumulates charge. The electronic shutter may be operable in an open state during which charge is allowed to accumulate on the photosensor and a closed state during which charge is drained from the photosensor. The electronic shutter may be cycled through multiple open and closed states during an image frame capture. At the end of each open state, the charge that has been acquired on the photosensor may be transferred from the photosensor to a pixel memory element. By breaking up the total exposure time for a pixel during an image frame into shorter, non-continuous periods of exposure time, dynamic scenery image artifacts may be minimized while maintaining the desired total exposure time. |
| US09344643B2 |
Image processing apparatus, method and program
The application relates to an image processing apparatus, a method and a program to obtain a higher quality looped moving image. A transition source frame row and a transition destination frame row are extracted from an input element moving image, and several partial frames rows with different lengths are extracted from the transition destination frame row. A pair of frames that mutually correspond to one another are determined by performing DP matching of a transition source frame row and a partial frame row, and a frame row of a transition period is created, in which a transition from an image of the transition source frame row to an image of the transition destination frame row is performed, by blending an image of each frame pair. A looped moving image is created on the basis of the element moving image and the frame row of the transition period. |
| US09344642B2 |
Method and apparatus for capturing a first image using a first configuration of a camera and capturing a second image using a second configuration of a camera
According to one aspect of the inventive concept there is provided a method of capturing images using a camera. The method comprises analyzing a view depicted by the digital camera and determining, based on the analysis, a subset of configurations of the digital camera. The method further comprises capturing, in response to a detection of an image capturing command at the camera, a set of at least two images using at least two different configurations of said subset of configurations. |
| US09344637B2 |
Image processing apparatus, imaging apparatus, image processing method, and program
An apparatus and a method that can efficiently generate a wide dynamic range image to which each piece of pixel information of a high sensitivity pixel and a low sensitivity pixel is applied are realized. High sensitivity pixel information obtained by adding pixel values of a plurality of high sensitivity pixels and low sensitivity pixel information obtained by adding pixel values of a plurality of low sensitivity pixels are output as output pixel signals from pixels of different sensitivities from a pixel unit, these pixel information are combined in a pixel information combining unit, an output pixel value is determined, and an output image of a wide dynamic range is output. In the pixel information combining unit, a weight for the high sensitivity pixel information or the low sensitivity pixel information is changed according to brightness of a subject, weight addition of the high sensitivity pixel information and the low sensitivity pixel information is performed, a pixel value of an output image is determined, and the pixel value is output. |
| US09344636B2 |
Scene motion correction in fused image systems
Techniques to capture and fuse short- and long-exposure images of a scene from a stabilized image capture device are disclosed. More particularly, the disclosed techniques use not only individual pixel differences between co-captured short- and long-exposure images, but also the spatial structure of occluded regions in the long-exposure images (e.g., areas of the long-exposure image(s) exhibiting blur due to scene object motion). A novel device used to represent this feature of the long-exposure image is a “spatial difference map.” Spatial difference maps may be used to identify pixels in the short- and long-exposure images for fusion and, in one embodiment, may be used to identify pixels from the short-exposure image(s) to filter post-fusion so as to reduce visual discontinuities in the output image. |
| US09344635B2 |
Conditional-reset, temporally oversampled image sensor
Pixel circuits in an image sensor are sampled repetitively during an image frame period. At each sampling, a signal indicative of the photocharge integrated by a pixel circuit since last reset is compared to a threshold. If the integrated photocharge signal has not reached the threshold, the pixel circuit is permitted to continue integrating photocharge. If the integrated photocharge signal has reached the threshold, the pixel circuit is reset to remove integrated photocharge and photocharge integration for that pixel circuit is restarted. A corresponding pixel circuit value is recorded for the reset pixel circuit. |
| US09344628B2 |
Image capture device with driving mode switching
This image capture device includes: an imager which receives an optical image of a subject and outputs image data; a focal plane shuttering apparatus which restricts incidence of the optical image onto the imager and which is able to select either a normally opened driving method or a normally closed driving method; and a driving method switching section which switches a method for driving the focal plane shuttering apparatus into one of the normally opened and normally closed driving methods. The driving method switching section switches the method for driving the focal plane shuttering apparatus into the normally opened driving method after an image capturing operation has been performed. |
| US09344624B2 |
Parallax image generation method, image generation apparatus, program, and storage medium
An image generation method is provided for generating an output image from an input image acquired by an image sensor that has an array of multiple pixels, each of which has arranged therein multiple sub-pixels that each receive a light beam that passes through a different pupil sub-area of an imaging optical system. The method includes a step of generating multiple parallax images that respectively correspond to the different pupil sub-areas; a step of generating multiple pixel shifted images by performing different shifting for each of the parallax images according to a virtual image forming plane of the imaging optical system; and a step of generating an output image that has a higher resolution than the resolution of the parallax images from the pixel shifted images through composition processing. |
| US09344622B2 |
Control of input/output through touch
A mobile terminal which includes a touch-screen display method thereof are provided. The mobile terminal includes a touch-screen display; a camera configured to capture image data; a sensing unit located in a corresponding area of the camera; and a controller configured to: receive a first touch gesture in the corresponding area of the camera, turn on the camera in response to the received first touch gesture and display a preview image on the touch-screen display, receive a second touch gestures in the corresponding area of the camera, said first touch gesture being different than the second touch gesture, and capture the image data in response to the second touch gesture, wherein the camera and the sensing unit are mounted on an area of the mobile terminal that excludes the touch-screen display. |
| US09344613B2 |
Flash synchronization using image sensor interface timing signal
Certain aspects of this disclosure relate to an image signal processing system that includes a flash controller that is configured to activate a flash device prior to the start of a target image frame by using a sensor timing signal. In one embodiment, the flash controller receives a delayed sensor timing signal and determines a flash activation start time by using the delayed sensor timing signal to identify a time corresponding to the end of the previous frame, increasing that time by a vertical blanking time, and then subtracting a first offset to compensate for delay between the sensor timing signal and the delayed sensor timing signal. Then, the flash controller subtracts a second offset to determine the flash activation time, thus ensuring that the flash is activated prior to receiving the first pixel of the target frame. |
| US09344611B2 |
Automotive camera mounting apparatus
To provide an automotive camera mounting apparatus that has a simplified, lightweight configuration with a minimum increase in weight, is vibration-free during running, and can be steadily mounted on a vehicle body, an automotive camera mounting apparatus 10 for mounting on an inside of a windshield 3 of a vehicle 1 an automotive camera 6 that images a forward view of the vehicle 1 through the windshield 3 includes a taper plate 11 as a support plate disposed along the windshield 3. The taper plate 11 has a first fixing portion 12 on a first end thereof fixed to a front rail 2 disposed on a periphery of the windshield 3 and a second fixing portion 13 on a second end thereof fixed to the windshield 3 via a mirror base 4. The automotive camera 6 is supported by a stay 7 that has a fixing portion 8 fixedly disposed on a third fixing portion 14 formed at an intermediate portion of the taper plate 11. |
| US09344610B2 |
Communication device with interior antenna
The present disclosure provides a communication device which ensures downsizing of a whole device and a communication performance of an antenna even in a case where an exterior member is mainly made of metal. The communication device of the present disclosure includes a first exterior member made of metal, a second exterior member provided at a position surrounded by the first exterior member, and an antenna provided on an inside surface of the second exterior member. The second exterior member has a resin frame having an opening, and a resin door provided in the opening. The resin door has a rotary shaft, and the first exterior member has a come-off stopper which prevents the rotary shaft from coming off. The antenna is disposed outside the come-off stopper. |
| US09344608B2 |
Systems, methods, and computer program products for high depth of field imaging
Methods, systems, and computer program products allow for the capturing of a high depth of field (DOF) image. A comprehensive depth map of the scene may be automatically determined. The scene may then be segmented, where each segment of the same corresponds to a respective depth of the depth map. A sequence of images may then be recorded, where each image in the sequence is focused at a respective depth of the depth map. The images of this sequence may then be interleaved to create a single composite image that includes the respective in-focus segments from these images. |
| US09344602B2 |
Apparatus, printing apparatus, control method of printing, and storage medium
There are provided: an attribute determination unit configured to determine an attribute of an object included in image data to be subjected to printing processing; a color conversion unit configured to convert the color space of the image data into a color space compatible with a printing apparatus in accordance with the determination results obtained by the attribute determination unit; an edge determination unit configured to determine an edge of an object included in the image data whose color space has been converted by the color conversion unit; and a black monochromatization unit configured to convert the color of a pixel, which is a pixel of an achromatic object of the objects of the image data whose color space has been converted into the color space compatible with the printing apparatus and which is a pixel determined to be an edge by the edge determination unit, into black alone. |
| US09344601B2 |
Method and system for antiforgery marking of printed documents
Method for antiforgery marking and authentication of printed products, includes the following steps: printing sample prints with a given printer of an image that is to be associated to a product (P); digitally acquiring the prints, to obtain digital images; processing the images acquired for extracting therefrom one or more intrinsic characteristics identifying the printer used; and incorporating in the printed product (P) an identification marking containing information associated to the printed product and to the characteristics identifying the printer and a print of the image. |
| US09344595B2 |
Image scanning apparatus
An image scanning apparatus is configured to obtain a greatest gray gradation value when the light source illuminates the gray reference member at a first light quantity value, set a second light quantity value such that a gray signal having the gray gradation value is output by the signal conversion unit based on the analog signal output by the photoelectric conversion element belonging to a block identified by the block information when the light source illuminates the gray reference member at the second light quantity value, calculate a shading correction value, scan the image on the original sheet with controlling the light source to illuminate the original sheet in accordance with the second light quantity value, and apply the shading correction to the digital signal output by the signal conversion unit in accordance with the shading correction value. |
| US09344581B2 |
VoIP client and call implementation method for VoIP client, and user terminal
Disclosed are a VoIP client and a call implementation method thereof, and a user terminal. The VoIP client comprises: an access module, configured to make, through a preset high-speed wireless network, the VoIP client access the Internet; a sending module, configured to send a call request to a call controller; a receiving module, configured to receive at least one called number and a rate for calling the called number that are returned by the call controller, the called number comprising: one or more numbers registered by or bound to the called party of the call request; a selection module, configured to select one from the called number as a called number of the current call according to at least one called number and the rate for calling the called number, and an execution module, configured to perform call proceeding by using the selected called number. |
| US09344580B2 |
Charging for short message delivery
A short message service (SMS) node detects that at least one request to deliver a plurality of short messages (SM) originates from a single user. Information (MSISDN, ISMI) related to recipients of the plurality of short messages is combined in a signaling message, and the signaling message is transmitted to a charging function (OFCS, OCS). |
| US09344567B1 |
Intelligent interactive voice response system for processing customer communications
A method and apparatus of processing multiple user call records via an IVR call processing application is disclosed. One example method may include receiving a call from a user device, obtaining first user information from a user account stored in a user databank. The first information may be associated with a first call record established during a first previously received call from the user device. The method may also include establishing a first confidence level based on the first user information and obtaining second user information from the user account stored in the user databank. The second user information may be associated with a second call record established during a second previously received call from the user device. The method may also include establishing a second confidence level based on the second user information and transmitting an offer to the user device based on the first confidence level and second confidence level. |
| US09344565B1 |
Systems and methods of interactive voice response speed control
A user may accelerate or decelerate the speed of playback of a recorded message provided by an interactive voice response (IVR) system at any time during the course of listening to the recorded message. The user may provide speed control instructions using predetermined keys or buttons on a communications device to modify the speed of the recorded message playback. Alternatively or additionally, the user may speak words to adjust the speed that a recorded message is being played to them. A speed control instruction may cause some or all of the recorded message to be repeated. |
| US09344562B2 |
Apparatus and method for managing interactive television and voice communication services
A system, process and computer-readable media that incorporate teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, an interactive application delivering captions of an audio signal, such as a voicemail message or audio received concurrently during a telephone conversation. The application can be a television application, for example, receiving at a media processor associated with equipment of a first party, a textual interpretation of an audio signal of a second party, for example, during an active telephone call between the first party and the second party. A graphical image of the textual interpretation of the audio signal is rendered at the media processor and presented to a display device, such as a television display. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US09344561B2 |
Devices, systems, and methods for presence determination
Devices, systems, and methods are disclosed which aggregate presence detections, and use the diversity of presence detections to resolve presence ambiguities and increase the correctness of information. Presence confidence levels and reliability values increase the effectiveness of services based on presence. A variety of methods enable presence detection and reporting. Each of these methods has advantages and disadvantages. The limitations of each of the individual methods are overcome with exemplary embodiments of the subject disclosure. |
| US09344559B2 |
Method and device for the legally secure archiving of telephone contents
The present invention relates to a method and a device for the legally secure archiving of telephone contents. In particular, it should be possible to provide a legally compliant possibility of longtime archiving for telephone conversations and faxes. This is achieved by the system according to the invention for the legally secure archiving of telephone contents, comprising a. a control module (A) for telephone connections; b. a communication module (I) for ISDN links and/or a communication module (V) for VoIP connections and/or a communication module (X) for IAX connections; c. an administration module (S) to which an internal data storage unit (T1) and/or one or several external data storage units (T2, T3) are connected; d. a configuration module (K) for the configuration of the control module (A) and the administration module (S), wherein—the control module (A) is connected to the communication module (I), the communication module (V) and/or the communication module (X) as well as to the administration module (S), —the communication module (I) is connected to one or several telephone terminals and/or a telephone installation, —the communication module (V) is connected to a VoIP server, —the communication module (X) is connected to an IAX server, —the configuration module (K) and the administration module (S) have a network connecting possibility for clients. The is further achieved by a method for the legally secure archiving of telephone contents according to the main claim. |
| US09344558B2 |
Communications system for anonymous calls
This invention relates to an audio caller communication system, an audio callee communication system, a shares connection server and method of initiating a call signal between or connecting an audio caller communications system with an audio callee communications system through a communications channel via a shared connection server, the method comprising initiating a call signal or connecting the at least one audio callee communication system with at least one audio caller communication system through the communications channel via the shared connection server as a function of at least one callee position of the audio callee communication system and; and at least one caller position and/or at least one caller orientation of the audio caller communication system. The caller system, the callee system and the shared connection system are configured to perform such method. |
| US09344556B2 |
System and method for automated voice quality testing
A system for automated audio quality testing, comprising a plurality of endpoint emulators, call engines, and optionally audio generator devices and head and torso simulator devices, and a method for using such a system for testing of audio quality over a variety of system architectures for optimization of contact center operations and improvement of customer experience. |
| US09344555B2 |
Maintaining history information for a user across multiple types of end points
A system for providing enhanced history information across multiple clients comprises a call application server having a history system, a telephony system and a history cache. The call application server advantageously maintains a history records for each user of the system. The enhanced history system is particularly advantageous because regardless of the endpoint (e.g., phone, thin client, personal call manager or standalone IP phone) with which the user is interacting, the history information specifically for that user is delivered by the call application server to that endpoint. Furthermore, the call application server allows the user to access history information using end points which heretofore were unable to provide history functionality. Finally, the call application server makes the history records universal across all endpoints with which the user interacts, in contrast to prior art, which had limited call history information specific to a particular endpoint. |
| US09344554B2 |
Method for activating user functions by types of input signals and portable terminal adapted to the method
A method for activating user functions by types of input signals and a portable terminal adapted to the method are disclosed. The input means of the portable terminal generate various types of input signals. The portable terminal activates and controls particular user functions according to corresponding input signals. In a multi-tasking situation where a plurality of user functions are simultaneously used, the portable terminal can activate and control the user functions according to the particular types of input signals. |
| US09344546B2 |
Fitness activity related messaging
In one embodiment, a method for generating a message to a friend of a user is provided, comprising: processing activity data of a first user measured by an activity monitoring device to update a value of an activity metric for the first user; identifying a change in an inequality relationship between the value of the activity metric for the first user and a value of the activity metric for a second user; in response to identifying the change in the inequality relationship, prompting the first user to generate a message to the second user. |
| US09344537B2 |
Glove with user-interactable electronic components
A glove configured to be operational as or part of one or more of a phone and a camera. The glove is connectable to a mobile communication device; has a little finger receptacle with a microphone, an index finger receptacle with a camera and a thumb receptacle with a speaker; and is wearable on both a left hand and a right hand separately. |
| US09344536B2 |
Accessory attachment mechanisms for an electronic device
Attachment mechanisms that may be employed to attach accessory devices to electronic devices are provided. The attachment mechanism may include a displaceable post that is moveable between deployed and stored configurations. In the deployed configuration an accessory may be attached to the displaceable post, whereas in the stored configuration the displaceable post may be at least partially inaccessible. Movement of the displaceable post may be controlled by cam surfaces, a spring, and a follower. The spring may be conical and configured to fold flat to reduce the height of the attachment mechanism. |
| US09344534B2 |
Method and apparatus for performing data processing and data transmission by 3G AE and 3G RE
A data transmission method and apparatus are disclosed. A 3G AE and a 3G RE are deployed between a sender device and a receiver device, M channels are established between the 3G AE and the 3G RE, and M is larger than or equal to 2. The method includes that, the 3G AE encapsulates data sent by the sender device into N PDUs, and transmits the N PDUs to the 3G RE through the M channels between the 3G AE and the 3G RE; and the 3G RE restores the received PDUs to the data sent by the sender device, and sends the data to the receiver device; where N is larger than or equal to 2, and equal to or different from M. |
| US09344532B2 |
Method and apparatus for operating a radio communication device to efficiently propagate emergency signals
A method and apparatus are provided by which a radio communication device relays emergency signals across different channels using dual-watch. A dual-watch primary receiver of the radio communication device is allocated to a user selected home channel, while a dual-watch secondary receiver continually scans a pre-stored list of secondary channels for the purpose of detecting a possible emergency signal. The radio communication device upon detecting an emergency signal in either the home channel or any of the scanned secondary channels, relays the emergency signal to all the channels present in the radio communication device's channel list, except for the originating channel. |
| US09344530B2 |
Method and apparatus for encoding feedback signal
A method and apparatus for encoding feedback signal is provided. The method includes: encoding feedback signals of three carriers to output a bit sequence; and transmitting the bit sequence on a High Speed-Dedicated Physical Control Channel (HS-DPCCH). The encoding the feedback signals of the three carriers may specifically include: mapping the feedback signals of the three carriers into a codeword, in which the codeword can be selected from a codebook, and codewords in the codebook satisfy a particular code distance relationship. The method for jointly encoding feedback signals of three carriers in a Ternary Cell (TC) mode is provided. Feedback signals are transmitted over a single code channel. Therefore, power overhead is reduced, and system performance is improved. |
| US09344528B2 |
Data compressor using hints
An invention is disclosed for compressing data. In embodiments of the invention, input data is processed to determine one or more hints, or meta-data about how to compress the data. These hints may be produced based on the contents of the data itself, or by the process which generated the data. A hint may comprise an indication that a portion of the data matches another portion of the data, an indication that the portion of the data should not be compressed by an associated compressor, or an indication that the portion of the data should be compressed normally by the associated compressor. The source data and these hints may then be sent to a compressor, which traverses both the source data and the hints, and encodes the source data accordingly to produce an encoded data output stream. |
| US09344525B2 |
Method and apparatus for data migration
A system and method of managing the storage of data in a data system when data is to be migrated between a first data system and a second data system is disclosed. A plurality of storage processors is disposed in the communications paths between clients and the first and the second data systems. A chunk of data to be migrated from the first data system to the second data system is represented by a bit map identifying the data that has been transferred, and the bit maps of each of a group of storage processors of the plurality of storage processors performing the migration is maintained coherent across the storage processors. The migration process permits read and write access to the data during the migration process. |
| US09344521B2 |
Pluggable infrastructure for cloud provider selection
A server computer system receives a request to launch a deployment and determines a set of matches from a pool of cloud providers that meets minimum requirements for the deployment. The server computer identifies a selection criteria comprising priority ranking criteria and probability ranking criteria for the deployment. The server computer then determines one of the cloud providers for the deployment from the set of matches based on the priority ranking criteria and the probability ranking criteria. |
| US09344516B2 |
Interlocking applications and files
A file system monitoring layer is positioned between a virtual file system (VFS) encryption layer and a lower level file system layer. The file system monitoring layer stores a list of applications that are allowed to access encrypted files stored in the lower level file system. The monitoring layer receives from the VFS encryption layer a request by an application to access an encrypted file. If the application is not listed on the list, the VFS encryption layer is instructed to provide the application a denial of service. If the application is listed, the VFS encryption layer is instructed to decrypt the encrypted file for the application. |
| US09344513B2 |
In-server redirection of HTTP requests
A method and system for HTTP request service identify a true URL content regardless of whether the target URL is redirected, and send the true URL content to a client. The requesting and sending of the redirected URL content is done internally in the HTTP server system and do not require the client to have the ability to receive and execute a URL redirection command. The server system receives a URL request from the client and generates within the server a response to the URL request. If the response does not contain any redirection information, the true URL content includes the target URL content; and if the response contains redirection information indicating a redirected URL, the true URL content includes a redirected URL content associated with the redirected URL. The client receives the true URL content in either case by submitting a request for the target URL once. |
| US09344512B2 |
Loading a re-directed web resource on a web browser of a client device in a communications system
In an embodiment, a client device transmits a request for an initial web resource to a proxy server. The proxy server requests the initial web resource on behalf of the client device in response to the client device's request. The proxy server then executes a web resource redirection procedure (which involves one or more redirects) that is independent of interaction with the client device and results in the proxy server obtaining web resource content. The proxy server delivers the web resource content to a proxy client application on the client device along with instructions for simulating, on the client device, the web resource redirection procedure between the proxy client application and a mobile web browser on the client device. The proxy client application on the client device then simulates the web resource redirection procedure that occurred at the proxy server as instructed. |
| US09344509B1 |
Identifying candidate subscribers for a channel
A server computer system identifies activity data for an entity. The activity data for the entity relates to one or more online media items. The server computer system compares the activity data to subscriber data for a channel. The subscriber data includes sets of features for subscribers of the channel. The server computer system determines that the entity is a candidate subscriber for the channel when the activity data corresponds to at least one of the plurality of sets of features. |
| US09344504B2 |
Establishing neighbor connection
According to an example, virtual systems are established in a same Intermediate System to Intermediate System (IS-IS) process as a local IS-IS system. Each local IS-IS system and virtual system can enable a maximum of M IS-IS interfaces. A system is selected for each IS-IS interface from the local IS-IS system and the virtual systems. A virtual neighbor connection is established between the local IS-IS system and each of the virtual systems, and a route cost of the neighbor connection is 0. For an IS-IS interface connected to a remote device, a packet is sent for establishing a neighbor connection with the remote device, the packet carrying a system ID of the IS-IS interface. |
| US09344502B2 |
Asymmetric data mirroring
Methods, systems, and products mirror data between local memory and remote storage. A write command is sent from a server to a remote storage device, and a timer is established. A current time of the timer is compared to a maximum time period. If the maximum time period expires without receipt of an acknowledgment to the write command, then a write error is assumed to exist to the remote storage device. |
| US09344501B1 |
Communication with multiple storage processors using network infrastructure
A system that provides efficient expansion capability of a storage unit under test including multiple storage processors and reduces a number of required Ethernet ports on a client device and a reduced number of physical connections on the client device. A first processor and a peer processor of a storage processor system may be coupled to counterpart processors on one or more other storage processor systems using direct port-to-port connections and/or using a network infrastructure. A command from the client device may be passed among first processors and peer processors of the multiple storage processor systems until the correct destination processor for the command is reached, and data packets may be passed from a source processor of a storage processor system through processors of other storage processor systems until the client device is reached. |
| US09344498B2 |
Policy-based management of storage functions in data replication environments
A method for managing storage functions in a data replication environment is disclosed. In one embodiment, such a method includes continually monitoring for changes to a storage configuration at a secondary site. Upon detecting changes to the storage configuration at the secondary site, the method transmits remote metadata describing the changes to the primary site and stores the remote metadata at the primary site. The method then initiates a storage management function at the primary site which is mirrored to the secondary site. In order to perform the storage management function, the method reads the remote metadata at the primary site to determine the storage configuration at the secondary site. The method then performs the storage management function at the primary site in a way that takes into account the storage configuration at the secondary site. A corresponding apparatus, system, and computer-readable medium are also disclosed and claimed herein. |
| US09344493B1 |
Server health monitoring for traffic load balancer
A device may receive, from a load balancing device, configuration information that identifies a set of nodes for which a status is to be determined. The device may generate a data structure. The data structure may store information that identifies a status of the set of nodes. The device may transmit a status request to one or more nodes. The device may determine the status of the one or more nodes based on transmitting the status request. The device may update the data structure based on determining a change in status of the one or more nodes. The device may provide, to the load balancing device, information that identifies the change in status of the one or more nodes based on updating the data structure. |
| US09344492B1 |
I/O scheduling and load balancing across the multiple nodes of a clustered environment using a single global queue
Write operations are scheduled for multiple nodes in a shared storage cluster that supports volume replication. Requests are received from nodes for allocation of space for write operations in a replication log. In response to a received request, the current capacity of the requesting node to manage a backlog can be determined. The amount of space in the replication log allocated to the node is then calibrated to the node's capacity, thereby preventing self-throttling. A separate priority can be assigned to each volume, and space in the replication log assigned to each volume based on its priority. Nodes can target synchronous and other latency sensitive operations to higher priority volumes. A single global queue can be maintained to schedule write operations for all nodes, thereby providing a fair scheduling. A separate local queue can be maintained for each node, thereby providing specific levels of preference to specific nodes. |
| US09344491B2 |
Systems, methods, and computer readable media for providing applications style functionality to a user
Systems, methods, and computer readable media of providing applications style functionality to a user of a mobile radio terminal are disclosed. In certain embodiments, the systems, methods, and computer readable media include the steps of receiving a data stream transmission having a plurality of states, wherein each state is associated with output instructions and storage instructions, and wherein the plurality of states is configured such that moving through the states creates the appearance of executing an application on the mobile radio terminal; decoding the data stream transmission and caching each of the plurality of states with the associated output instructions according to the associated storage instructions; rendering a first state; responsive to an event on the mobile radio terminal, moving from the first state to a second state by applying the output instructions associated with the second state; and communicating a change of state to a server. |
| US09344486B2 |
Remote geobrowser control for collaborative decision making
A system for collaborative decision-making and more efficient disaster management, in which multiple geobrowsers can communicate over local networks and/or the Internet to create a real collaborative experience when dealing with geospatial information, distributed using Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) compliant KML/KMZ formats, WMS (Web Mapping Service), or and geospatial data files. All manipulation functions (dataset loading, layer stacking, layer visibility changes, Point of View (POV) changes, map extent changes, looping and animation settings, geospatial file creation and annotation drawing, and other functions) are replicated across all connected geobrowsers to create a true collaborative geospatial Common Operating Picture (COP). The leadership role can be handed over to other users if desired to build upon all the datasets and annotations sent by previous leads. Additionally the designated lead user can record the current state of the map and reproduce this on demand or automatically on other geobrowsers. |
| US09344485B2 |
Short range wireless peer-to-peer file sharing
In one embodiment, for example, a method of short range wireless peer-to-peer file sharing is provided. The method includes establishing a short range wireless communications link between a local computing device and a peer computing device and transmitting to the peer computing device over the short range wireless communications link a consolidated catalog of accessible files stored locally in the local computing device, remotely in a remote computing device, or both. The method further includes receiving from over the short range wireless communications link a request by the peer computing device to retrieve a selected one of the files. The method includes responding to a determination that the selected one of the files is stored remotely in the remote computing device by facilitating the retrieval by the peer computing device of the selected one of the files from the remote computing device for delivery to the peer computing device. |
| US09344480B2 |
Method of providing wireless data communication service using IP and apparatus thereof
Disclosed is an apparatus for providing a wireless data communication service using Internet protocol. The apparatus includes a connection manager (CM) which periodically receives network information from a base station, and updates and stores the received network information; and an application unit which receives preset network information according to each application among the network information from the connection manager, and performs a function according to each application. |
| US09344479B2 |
Real-time, customized embedding of specific content into local webserver pages
In a particular embodiment, a method includes receiving, at a server from a computing device coupled to a first network, a request to access a first web page via a second network. The method includes redirecting the computing device to a second web page in response to a determination that the computing device is not permitted access to the second network. The method further includes providing, to the computing device, baseline content and additional content associated with the second web page. The additional content is retrieved from a content management server. |
| US09344478B2 |
Method and apparatus for managing content distribution over multiple terminal devices in collaborative media system
A method and an apparatus for managing content distribution over multiple terminal devices in collaborative media system are provided. In the collaborative media system, a first media data is transmitted over a first channel path to a first media terminal and a second media data relevant to the first media data is transmitted over a second channel to a second media terminal. The method comprises: detecting a quality of the first media data on the first channel path and that of the second media data on the second channel path; upon detection the quality of the first media data being lower than a first predetermined value and that of the second media data being greater than a second predetermined value, transmitting the second media data over the second channel path, instead of the first media data over the first channel path, to the first media terminal (S204). |
| US09344469B2 |
Techniques for event based queuing, ordering and time slot computation of multi-modal meeting presentations
A scheduling request to schedule an online meeting is received. The online meeting involves a plurality of participants during which multiple participants may become presenters to present content during the online meeting. A presentation queue is generated that includes an ordering of presenters for the online meeting and associated time slots for each of the presenters during the online meeting. Content to display the presentation queue is sent to each of the participants of the online meeting. |
| US09344464B2 |
Provisioning of player for content
An aspect provides a method, including: responsive to receiving a content request of a user device, determining if the user device has access to one or more applications associated with the content requested; responsive to determining that the user device does not have one or more applications associated with the content requested, determining an associated application; and responsive to determining an associated application, provisioning access to the associated application for the user device. Other aspects are described and claimed. |
| US09344463B2 |
Method and apparatus for service control
A method and apparatus for service control in which a service centralization and continuity application server (SCC AS): receives a first SIP message for establishing an IMS centralized service session; receives early session media information; and sends a second SIP message carrying the early session media information to a media gateway control device. The early session media information is carried in the second SIP message in a form of regular session media information, thus the media gateway control device uses an existing circuit switched bearer to transmit early session media to a first user equipment. The existing circuit switched bearer is established under control of the media gateway control device for a session between the first user equipment and a third user equipment. The SCC AS receives an off-hook signal from the second user equipment, and sends the regular session media information to the media gateway control device. |
| US09344459B2 |
Telecommunication system and method of communicating protocol information
The present invention applies to telecommunication networks, such as wireless mobile networks. In particular, the present invention deals with providing more efficient use of the resources of such mobile networks. The present invention provides in a wireless mobile telecommunications network, having a wireless mobile access interface, a message filter function adapted to remove, store and/or adapt header information from messages transferred to/from a wireless mobile device. The present invention is based on using the SIP signalling channel within the workings of a mobile network system more efficiently. |
| US09344458B2 |
Providing unified communications services
Methods and apparatuses, including computer program products, are described for providing unified communication services for communication sessions between client devices. A plurality of globally-distributed computing device clusters are coupled to each other over a communication network. Each cluster is configured to receive, from a client device, a transaction request associated with a communication session, including a presence event. Each cluster comprises a SIP server configured to process the transaction request, an event queue configured to extract the presence event from the transaction request for storage in the event queue, and a session state handler configured to retrieve the presence event from the event queue and notify an XMPP server of the presence event. The SIP server, XMPP server, and session state handler each stores and retrieves data associated with the communication session in a database shard at the cluster. The shards of each cluster collectively comprise a single logical database. |
| US09344455B2 |
Apparatus and method for sharing a hardware security module interface in a collaborative network
A first communication device having a secure access to a security module establishes a collaborative network by forming a collaborative security association with a second communication device associated with a user of the first communication device. The first communication device (a) sends an advertisement of services associated with the security module to the second communication device and receives an advertisement response from the second communication device or (b) receives a solicitation request for services associated with the security module from the second communication device. Responsive to receiving one of the advertisement response and the solicitation request, the first communication device determines whether the second communication device is authorized to access the security module. The first communication device processes and forwards security service messages between the second communication device and the security module, in response to determining that the second communication device is authorized to access the security module. |
| US09344454B1 |
Domain policy specification and enforcement
Determining that a domain is a candidate for processing by a domain policy enforcement system is disclosed herein. A DNS request is received. A domain included in the request is sent to a domain policy enforcement system. Also disclosed herein are a specification of domain policies and enforcement of domain policies, usable by the domain policy enforcement system. |
| US09344452B2 |
User control over WiFi network access
A server system transfers display data for presentation to a user who selects multiple geographically-distributed WiFi access systems and a password. The server system receives user data that indicates the user-selected WiFi network access systems and the user-selected password. The server system stores an association between the user-selected WiFi network access systems and the user-selected password. The server system receives an access request for one of the user-selected WiFi network access systems using the user-selected password. The server system transfers a positive response to the access request based on the stored association between the user-selected WiFi network access systems and the user-selected password. |
| US09344448B2 |
Method and system for detecting and mitigating attacks performed using cryptographic protocols
A method and system for detecting and mitigating attacks performed using a cryptographic protocol are provided. The method comprises establishing an encrypted connection with the client using the cryptographic protocol, upon receiving an indication about a potential attack; receiving an inbound traffic from a client, wherein the inbound traffic is originally directed to a protected entity; analyzing application layer attributes of only the inbound traffic received on the encrypted connection to detect at least one encrypted attack; and causing to establish a new encrypted connection between the client and the protected entity, if the at least one encrypted attack at the application layer has not been detected. |
| US09344446B2 |
Systems and methods for malware detection and scanning
Systems and methods are provided for malware scanning and detection in a computing system. In one exemplary embodiment, the method includes launching, in a computing device of the computing system, a virtual machine, and launching, in the virtual machine of the computing device, an internet browser. The method also includes requesting, by the internet browser, data from a web page, and performing, using one or more analysis tools, analysis on the web page. In the method, performing analysis on the web page includes performing monitoring and recording of system application programming interface (API) calls, and creating software objects associated with the web page. The method also includes performing antivirus scanning of the software objects, de-obfuscating JavaScript associated with the software objects, and correlating data associated with the performed analysis to determine if the web page is a malicious web page. |
| US09344444B2 |
Generating a multiple-prerequisite attack graph
In one aspect, a method to generate an attack graph includes determining if a potential node provides a first precondition equivalent to one of preconditions provided by a group of preexisting nodes on the attack graph. The group of preexisting nodes includes a first state node, a first vulnerability instance node, a first prerequisite node, and a second state node. The method also includes, if the first precondition is equivalent to one of the preconditions provided by the group of preexisting nodes, coupling a current node to a preexisting node providing the precondition equivalent to the first precondition using a first edge and if the first precondition is not equivalent to one of the preconditions provided by the group of preexisting nodes, generating the potential node as a new node on the attack graph and coupling the new node to the current node using a second edge. |
| US09344441B2 |
Detection of malicious network connections
In one embodiment a method, system and apparatus is described for detecting a malicious network connection, the method system and apparatus including determining, for each connection over a network, if each connection is a persistent connection, if, as a result of the determining, a first connection is determined to be a persistent connection, collecting connection statistics for the first connection, creating a feature vector for the first connection based on the collected statistics, performing outlier detection for all of the feature vector for all connections over a network which have been determined to be persistent connections, and reporting detected outliers. Related methods, systems and apparatus are also described. |
| US09344440B2 |
Forced alert thresholds for profiled detection
A node in a communication network determines a data rate capacity of one or more nodes of the communication network and creates a single managed object grouping for each node of the one or more nodes having a same data rate capacity. The node establishes one or more static thresholds for the single managed object grouping based on the data rate capacity. The static thresholds are independent of a baseline condition of detected data rates at each node of the single managed object grouping. The node further detects a current rate of received data at each node of the single managed grouping and triggers at least one alert for each node of the single managed grouping when the current rate of the received data at a particular node exceeds the one or more static thresholds. |
| US09344439B2 |
Executing unprotected mode services in a protected mode environment
Disclosed herein is a method for executing unprotected mode services in a protected mode computing environment includes initiating a protected mode service that is configured to execute in a protected mode. Further, the method includes verifying an integrity of one or more unprotected mode services configured to execute in an unprotected mode. The one or more unprotected mode services is registered with the protected mode service. The method also includes initiating an unprotected mode service of the one or more unprotected mode services in response to the integrity of the unprotected mode service being verified. |
| US09344435B2 |
Using a local authorization extension to provide access authorization for a module to access a computing system
Provided are a method, system, and computer program product for a local authorization extension to provide access authorization for a module to access a computing system. A memory stores information on a first validity range comprising position coordinates for a module seeking to access the computing system and a second validity range comprising position coordinates for a location authorization extension for a computing system. A determination is made of a first position signal from a first receiver of the module and of a second position signal from a second receiver of the location authorization module. Determinations are made as to whether the first position signal is within the first validity range and whether the second position signal is within the second validity range. The module is granted access to the computing system in response to determining that the first position signal is within the first validity range and the second position signal is within the second validity range. |
| US09344434B2 |
GET VPN group member registration
An example of the present disclosure includes a Group Member (GM) registering on a Key Server (KS) in a Group Encrypted Transport Virtual Private Network (GET VPN). The KS is to manage at least one group, and GMs belonging to the same group have the same group ID. The KS receives a group ID and a Security Association, SA, policy list supported by a GM sent by the GM. The KS, according to the group ID, determines a KS SA policy list corresponding to the group, and matches the SA policy list supported by the GM with the KS SA policy list according to a priority. A group SA policy with the highest priority is sent the GM. |
| US09344431B2 |
System and method for assessing an application based on data from multiple devices
Disclosed herein is a system and method for efficiently gathering information about applications for mobile communications devices (e.g., smartphones, netbooks, and tablets) and using that information to produce assessments of the applications. To gather information, a server may send a request for application data to a mobile communications device. In response, the server may receive some but not all of the first-requested application data. The server may then a second request for application data to a second mobile communications device that also has access to the application. The server may receive application data from the second mobile communications device, and store the received first- and second-requested application data. The server then uses the stored application data to assess the application. |
| US09344429B2 |
Network apparatus based on content name and method for protecting content
A content protection method includes generating content protection information regarding a content to be protected by a content producer, and generating a content name indicating a location of the content in content name based networks based on the content protection information. The content protection information may include at least one of marking information indicating whether the content is protected and policy information indicating a disclosure range of the content. |
| US09344428B2 |
Method and system for digitally certifying the association between an entity and a place
A method of processing data in order to digitally certify the association of at least one entity with a place, the method comprising the receipt of at least one piece of positioning data coming from at least one locating device located in the proximity of said place, the generation of a digital certificate associating the entity with said place according to the positioning data received, and the checking of the association of the entity with said place, by means of said digital certificate, in order to obtain a service dependent on the association of the entity with said place. |
| US09344422B2 |
Method to modify android application life cycle to control its execution in a containerized workspace environment
Methods, devices, and systems are described to modify the life cycle of a Google Android® application, in its application manifest file and byte code, such that the execution of the application can be controlled via policies and security governed by a workspace application installed on an Android-based device. Dummy wrapper classes are inserted into the byte code for network and I/O system calls that call security code before calling the original classes. |
| US09344421B1 |
User access authentication based on network access point
Systems and methods of authenticating user access based on an access point to a secure data network include a secure data network having a plurality of a network access points serving as entry points for a user to access the secure data network using a user device. The user is associated with a user identity, each network access point with a network access point identity. The user uses a user device to send an access request, requesting access to the secure data network, to the network access point, which then sends an authentication request to an identity server. The identity server processes the authentication request, by validating the combination of the user identity and the network access point identity, and responds with an authentication response, granting or denying access, as communicated to the user device via an access response. |
| US09344415B2 |
Authentication method of accessing data network and electronic device therefor
Disclosed is an electronic device and an authentication method performing therein. The authentication method includes transmitting a first address to a service providing node, receiving a first response to the transmission of the first address from the service providing node, transmitting a second address to the service providing node, receiving a second response to the transmission of the second address from the service providing node, and determining whether it is necessary to perform authentication for accessing a data network as a result of comparing the first response with the second response. |
| US09344414B2 |
User similarity provision method
A user similarity provision method for providing mobile communication devices with information about common interests among first and second users of the mobile communication devices is described. The current position of each mobile communication device are periodically acquired in association with the current time and accumulated as a visited location history. The visited location history consists of location visited records each of which consists of a visited location and a visit time. Similar visited location records are extracted from the visited location histories of the first and second users to indicate common interests shared by them. The similar visited location records are then displayed on the mobile communication devices. |
| US09344412B2 |
Security key management in IMS-based multimedia broadcast and multicast services (MBMS)
A system, method, and nodes for managing shared security keys between a User Equipment, UE, an authentication node such as an SCF/NAF, and a service node such as a BM-SC or AS. The SCF/NAF allocates to each BM-SC, a different SCF/NAF identifier such as a fully qualified domain name, FQDN, from the FQDN space the SCF/NAF administers. The SCF/NAF then locally associates these allocated FQDNs with the connected BM-SCs and with different services. The network sends the correct FQDN to the UE in a service description for a desired service, and the UE is able to derive a security key using the FQDN. When the UE requests the desired service, the SCF/NAF is able to associate the service identifier with the correct FQDN and an associated BM-SC. The SCF/NAF uses the FQDN to obtain the security key from a bootstrapping server and sends it to the associated BM-SC. As a result, the UE and the associated BM-SC share a specific security key. |
| US09344410B1 |
Telecommunication method for securely exchanging data
The invention provides for a telecommunication method of securely exchanging unencrypted data between a telecommunications device and a first server computer system via a digital cellular wireless telecommunications network, wherein the telecommunications device is a battery powered mobile end user telecommunications device, wherein the method comprises the steps of: encrypting the unencrypted data using a first encryption algorithm into first encrypted data, sending the first encrypted data to a second server computer system via a first network connection of the digital cellular wireless telecommunications network, storing the first encrypted data by the second server computer system, sending an order request to the first server computer system via a second network connection of the digital cellular wireless telecommunications network by the telecommunications device, sending a data publishing request to the second server computer system, generating a cryptographic key pair, sending the first encrypted data, the public key, and the private key to the telecommunications device, decrypting the first encrypted data into the unencrypted data, encrypting the unencrypted data into second encrypted data using the public key, sending the second encrypted data to the second, generating a web service for providing the second encrypted data via an URL, sending the URL to the telecommunications device, sending the URL and the private key, requesting the second encrypted data from the second server computer system, sending the second encrypted data to the first server computer system by the second server computer system using the wired network connection, decrypting the second encrypted data by the first server computer system into the unencrypted data, and combining the order request with the unencrypted data. |
| US09344408B2 |
Cloud-basd digital verification system and method
A method for formal verification of a digital circuit using a cloud-based verification engine. The method comprises extracting a proof problem from a design of a digital circuit with a local processor, reducing said proof problem to proof relevant data, encrypting said reduced proof problem, transmitting said encrypted reduced proof problem to a remote server, decrypting said encrypted reduced proof problem at said remote server, storing said reduced proof problem in a memory at said remote server, running a proof on said reduced proof problem at said remote server to generate a proof result; encrypting said proof result at said remote server; transmitting said encrypted proof result to said local processor; decrypting said encrypted proof result at said local processor; and reconstructing a verification result of said digital circuit design at said local processor using said decrypted proof result. |
| US09344405B1 |
Optimized transport layer security
A method for establishing a secure communication session over communication paths between one or more client devices and one or more server computers according to a communication protocol includes initiating the session including passing communication through a proxy on a device on the communication paths, passing session initiation information between the client devices and the server computers via the proxy, passing encrypted content between the client devices and the server computers over secure communication sessions, each established for exclusive access from one client device and one server computer based on the exchanged session initiation information between said client device and said server computer whereby the proxy does not have access to the content, and modifying, using the proxy, at least some information passing between a client device and a server computer such that the communication to and from the server computer adheres to the communication protocol. |
| US09344403B2 |
Industrial network security
A private overlay network is introduced into an existing core network infrastructure to control information flow between private secure environments. Such a scheme can be used to connect a factory automation network linking operations devices to a corporate network linking various business units, with enhanced network security. Such a connection can be facilitated by introducing into the existing infrastructure a set of industrial security appliances (ISAs) that work together to create an encrypted tunnel between the two networks. The set of ISAs can be scalable to overlay differently sized core networks, to create the private overlay network. Connections to the private overlay network can be managed by the ISAs in a distributed fashion, implementing a peer-to-peer dynamic mesh policy. The industrial security system disclosed may be particularly advantageous in environments such as public utility systems, medical facilities, and energy delivery systems. |
| US09344400B2 |
System and methods of installing and operating devices without explicit network addresses
A method of discovering addressing information of one or more upstream devices to respond to specific messages by a second device on behalf of the one or more upstream devices in a network includes acquiring the addressing information in an upstream direction from one or more downstream devices to the one or more upstream devices. The method further includes acquiring the addressing information in a downstream direction from the one or more upstream devices to the one or more downstream devices. The method further includes responding to specific messages using the acquired addressing information about the one or more upstream devices. |
| US09344393B2 |
Secure end-to-end transport through intermediary nodes
A communication network encrypts a first portion of a transaction associated with point-to-point communications using a point-to-point encryption key. A second portion of the transaction associated with end-to-end communications is encrypted using an end-to-end encryption key. |
| US09344392B2 |
Location sensitive messaging
Methods including computer program products for receiving a request from a first device, the request incorporating a message. One or more users from a first set of one or more users are selected where each of the selected one or more users is associated with a second device that is in a proximity to a current location of the first device. The message and the current location of the first device are sent to each of the second devices associated with the selected one or more users. |
| US09344390B1 |
Systems and methods for electronic document review
Systems and methods enable convenient and accurate searching, filtering, reviewing, and classification of electronic documents without the loss of metadata. A communication data source file is parsed into conversation-specific files that include message content and metadata. The message content and metadata are displayed on a computing device operated by a reviewer. To streamline the review process, the reviewer can filter display of the message content according to various metadata categories as well as search conversation-specific files using the metadata categories. |
| US09344384B2 |
Inter-packet interval prediction operating algorithm
An appliance receives packets that are part of a flow pair, each packet sharing an application protocol. The appliance determines an estimated application protocol of the packets without performing deep packet inspection on any packets. The estimated application protocol may be determined by using an application protocol estimation table. The appliance then predicts the inter-packet interval between a packet previously received by the appliance and a next packet not yet received by the appliance. The inter-packet interval may be determined by using an inter-packet interval prediction table. The appliance then preloads packet flow data in a cache before the next packet is predicted to arrive at the appliance. Upon receiving the next packet, the packet flow data is preloaded in the cache. This reduces packet processing time by removing waiting periods previously required to cache packet flow data from an external memory after receiving the next packet. |
| US09344382B2 |
Multicast support for internet protocol version four residual deployment via encapsulation or translation
Included is an Internet Protocol (IP) version four (IPv4) Residual Deployment via IP version six (IPv6) (4rd) customer edge (CE) comprising a transceiver configured to communicate with an IPv6 network, and a processor coupled to the transceiver and configured to receive multicast packets from a multicast source via the IPv6 network, and transmit the multicast packets to a host. The disclosure also includes a 4rd border relay (BR) comprising a transceiver configured to communicate with an IPv6 network, and a processor coupled to the transceiver and configured to receive multicast packets from a multicast source, and transmit the multicast packets to a host via the IPv6 network and a 4rd customer edge (CE). |
| US09344380B2 |
Performance interference model for managing consolidated workloads in QoS-aware clouds
The workload profiler and performance interference (WPPI) system uses a test suite of recognized workloads, a resource estimation profiler and influence matrix to characterize un-profiled workloads, and affiliation rules to identify optimal and sub-optimal workload assignments to achieve consumer Quality of Service (QoS) guarantees and/or provider revenue goals. The WPPI system uses a performance interference model to forecast the performance impact to workloads of various consolidation schemes (e.g., consolidation strategies) usable to achieve cloud provider and/or cloud consumer goals, and uses the test suite of recognized workloads, the resource estimation profiler and influence matrix, affiliation rules, and performance interference model to perform off-line modeling to determine the initial assignment selections and consolidation strategy to use to deploy the workloads. The WPPI system uses an online consolidation algorithm, the offline models, and online monitoring to determine virtual machine to physical host assignments responsive to real-time conditions to meet cloud provider and/or cloud consumer goals. |
| US09344378B2 |
Shared community storage network
A hardware and/or software facility for durably and securely storing data within a shared community storage network. A user may have a storage device that they intend to share with others in the network. All or a portion of the storage device is registered with the community storage network as a storage node. Once registered with the network, third party data may be stored on the storage node and remotely accessed by third parties. In addition, data stored on the storage device by the user may be stored in the shared community storage network by encrypting the data, adding redundancy, and distributing it to other storage nodes within the storage network. Data that is stored in the storage network is accessible to the user even if their storage device is inaccessible or fails. |
| US09344375B2 |
Method for transmitting data packets between two communication modules and communication module for transmitting data packets, as well as communication module for receiving data packets
A method for transmitting data packets between two communication modules via a transmission medium interconnecting the two modules. To transmit a high-priority data packet in real time via the transmission medium, without causing erroneous transmissions of other packets, it is provided that, for an ongoing transmission of a first data packet, a transmitting communication module embeds a second data packet, which is to be sent urgently, directly into the ongoing first packet, buffers a remainder (not transmitted yet) of the first packet and transmits the remainder of the first packet after transmitting the second packet, and a receiving communication module buffers a beginning of a received first packet, receives the second packet and forwards it for further processing, and receives the remainder of the first packet after receiving the second packet, connects it with the buffered beginning of the first packet, and forwards the complete first packet for further processing. |
| US09344374B2 |
Network congestion control
Exemplary methods, apparatuses, and systems include a router receiving a first network packet being transmitted across a network path from a first endpoint to a second endpoint, determining that the first network packet does not include a requested rate, modifying the first network packet to include a requested rate in response to determining that the received network packet does not include a requested rate, and transmitting the modified first network packet along the network path to the second endpoint. |
| US09344373B2 |
Packet I/O support for a logical switch router architecture
A tool for packet transmission and delivery in a distributed system. The tool determines one or more packets is classified as a L3 packet. The tool determines translation of the one or more packets classified as L3 packets to one or more corresponding net devices. The tool sends the one or more packets classified as a non L3 packet to a user space packet dispatcher service. |
| US09344370B2 |
Communication apparatus, wireless communication network system, and communication method
A communication apparatus includes: a judgment section configured to judge a request for delay guarantee for data transmission; a route selection section configured to: select a first route including a mean delay time meeting a first condition, from routes available between the communication apparatus and a second communication apparatus which are in a network of wireless communication, when the request is a first request; and select a second route including a probability of successful data transmission for a given number of transmissions meeting a second condition, from the routes, when the request is a second request; and a transmission section configured to transmit the data to one of the first route and the second route. |
| US09344368B2 |
Determining path congestion measures
Downstream path congestion is measured in respect of a node via which a plurality of data units are traversing an end-to-end path from a sender to a receiver. Each data unit has a first indication settable in dependence on information from the receiver to each of at least two states whereby to indicate different levels of congestion experienced on the end-to-end path by data units previously received by the receiver, and a second indication settable to an initial state and to at least one updated state indicative of congestion experienced by data units on their path from the sender to said node. A plurality of data units are received at the node, and the downstream path congestion measure is determined in dependence on an inflation factor itself dependent on the proportion of a set of the data units whose second indication on receipt at the node is in the initial state. |