| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US09519766B1 |
System and method of providing and validating enhanced CAPTCHAs
The invention relates to a system and method of automatically distinguishing between computers and human based on responses to enhanced Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart (“e-captcha”) challenges that do not merely challenge the user to recognize skewed or stylized text. A given e-captcha challenge may be specific to a particular knowledge domain. Accordingly, e-captchas may be used not only to distinguish between computers and humans, but also determine whether a respondent has demonstrated knowledge in the particular knowledge domain. For instance, participants in crowd-sourced tasks, in which unmanaged crowds are asked to perform tasks, may be screened using an e-captcha challenge. This not only validates that a participant is a human (and not a bot, for example, attempting to game the crowd-source task), but also screens the participant based on whether they can successfully respond to the e-captcha challenge. |
| US09519765B2 |
Method and apparatus for differentiated access control
A method for differentiated access control on a computing device, and the computing device, the method including starting a timer on the computing device; resetting the timer if activity occurs on the computing device prior to the expiration of the timer; and preventing a subset of applications from being launched or enabled on expiry of the timer. |
| US09519758B2 |
System and process for monitoring malicious access of protected content
A method detects unauthorized access of data, and includes receiving data from a content provider by a content reproducing device; storing the received data in a memory storage device of the content reproducing device; obtaining an address range of a buffer of the content reproducing device; intercepting system application programming interface calls related to memory access of the address range of the buffer; comparing the intercepted system application programming interface calls to an expected sequence of memory access calls; and determining that a particular memory access call is unauthorized when the particular memory access call accesses the address range of the buffer while not belonging to the expected sequence of memory access calls. |
| US09519755B2 |
Method and system for evaluating a physiological state depicting a person's resources
Disclosed is a method for evaluating a physiological state depicting a person's resources, in which method the alternatives of physiological states depicting resources are determined, one or more contexts are selected, one or more variables are selected for each context, in which case in the evaluation the person's physiological information is measured and recorded, the measurement-background data of the measurement are determined and recorded, a value is defined for a variable of the context, corresponding temporal periods are defined for each context, and the person's physiological state is determined. Further, in the method a preselected correlation function is defined, a value is computed for the correlation function, a reference value is computed for each physiological state, and the physiological state of the person is determined. A corresponding system employing the method for evaluating a person's physiological state is also disclosed. |
| US09519752B2 |
Bioinformatics systems, apparatuses, and methods executed on an integrated circuit processing platform
A system, method and apparatus for executing a sequence analysis pipeline on genetic sequence data includes an integrated circuit formed of a set of hardwired digital logic circuits that are interconnected by physical electrical interconnects. One of the physical electrical interconnects forms an input to the integrated circuit connected with an electronic data source for receiving reads of genomic data. The hardwired digital logic circuits are arranged as a set of processing engines, each processing engine being formed of a subset of the hardwired digital logic circuits to perform one or more steps in the sequence analysis pipeline on the reads of genomic data. Each subset of the hardwired digital logic circuits is formed in a wired configuration to perform the one or more steps in the sequence analysis pipeline. |
| US09519751B2 |
Systems and methods for detecting the presence of a biological status using clustering
A method for determining the presence of a biological entity. The method may include entering into a digital computer, at least a plurality of first input values associated with a first genetic element, a plurality of second input values associated with a second genetic element, and a plurality of third input values associated with a third genetic element associated with a plurality of samples. The method also includes determining a threshold value associated with the third genetic element, separating the samples using the threshold value into a first set of samples and a second set of samples, clustering the first set of samples in a feature space defined by the first genetic element and the second genetic element, defining a first boundary space using the first set of samples, and defining a second boundary space using the second set of samples. |
| US09519748B2 |
Assistance device for steering device and method of assisting steering device design
A design assistance device for a steering device and a method of assisting a steering device design which assists a design of a steering device including an intermediate shaft by using existing components of a tube yoke and a shaft yoke. A design assistance device 1 for a steering device displays a select button on a display device when a fitting length of the combination of a candidate component of the tube yoke and a candidate component of the shaft yoke satisfies a condition of a fitting length. When the select button is selected, a control device 4 may receive information in which a drawing selected by a designer is determined. |
| US09519746B1 |
Addressing early mode slack fails by book decomposition
A computer implemented method for correcting early mode slack fails in an electronic circuit can include generating a logical description of an electronic circuit having a path from first circuit to a second circuit. The method then include compiling the logical description into a technology specific representation of the circuit. The method may further include determining that the path has an early mode slack fail. The method may be continued by identifying, in response to determining that a second path has a first early mode slack fail, a complex logic gate located in the second path and having an output coupled to the input of the second circuit that can be decomposed into two or more logic gates. The method may then conclude by decomposing, by processor, the complex logic gate into a two or more logic gates to address the early mode slack fail. |
| US09519742B2 |
Support device, semiconductor device, and non-transitory computer readable medium
According to an embodiment, a semiconductor device switches circuit forms and circuit configurations of a plurality of analog functional circuits by rearranging a command execution order according to the command execution order set in advance irrespectively of a command execution order specified by a user and executing the commands. |
| US09519739B1 |
Parallel execution of function calls in a graphical model
A method, tangible computer-readable medium and apparatus for concurrently executing subsystems in a graphical model is provided. An embodiment can transform a conventional graphical model supporting single threaded execution into a model supporting multi-threaded execution through the replacement of a single block. The transformed model may support concurrent execution of a plurality of subsystems using a plurality of threads when the graphical model executes. An embodiment provides a user interface that allows a user to intuitively configure a model for current execution of the subsystems. |
| US09519738B2 |
Selectively tuning frequency modes of a structure
Selectively tuning frequency modes of a structure, including: identifying, by a finite element analysis module, a plurality of frequency modes of the structure; and selectively altering, by the finite element analysis module, a target frequency mode a greater amount than the other frequency modes of the structure, including modifying a local attribute of a portion of the structure associated with the target frequency mode without modifying the attribute over the entire structure. |
| US09519737B2 |
Filter modules for aperture-coded, multiplexed imaging systems
A method for designing the spatial partition of a filter module used in an aperture-multiplexed imaging system. The filter module is spatially partitioned into filter cells, and the spatial partition is designed by considering data captured at the sensor in light of an application-specific performance metric. |
| US09519734B2 |
Systems and methods for improved property inspection management
Systems and methods presented herein can allow an inspector or other user to sketch a floor plan on a customized graph template. The graph template can be customized by a system based on the property the user is visiting. The user can take a picture of the customized graph template with a mobile computing device. An application executing on the mobile computing device or a server can transform the sketch in the picture into a floor plan. |
| US09519733B2 |
System and method for designing and fabricating string instruments
A computer provides a graphical user interface that allows designers to design string instruments. The dimensions and shape of the string instrument design can be altered using controls. The wind instrument design can be stored in a database and transmitted to a 3 dimensional printer which can fabricate the string instrument. |
| US09519731B2 |
Determining a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning model for a building
Devices, methods, and systems for determining a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) model for a building are described herein. One method includes receiving a description of the building, receiving an HVAC meta-model, wherein the HVAC meta-model is independent of the building, and determining an HVAC model for the building based on the description of the building and the HVAC meta-model. |
| US09519729B2 |
Scalable display of internet content on mobile devices
Mobile devices enabled to support resolution-independent scalable display of Internet (Web) content to allow Web pages to be scaled (zoomed) and panned for better viewing on smaller screen sizes. The mobile devices employ software-based processing of original Web content, including HTML-based content, XML, cascade style sheets, etc. to generate scalable content. The scalable content and/or data derived therefrom are then employed to enable the Web content to be rapidly rendered, zoomed, and panned. Display lists may also be employed to provide further enhancements in rendering speed. Context zooms, including tap-based zooms on columns, images, and paragraphs are also enabled. |
| US09519727B2 |
Improving the efficiency of real-time website optimization processes using saliency analysis
In order to improve the efficiency of website optimization processes a novel pre-processing method at least includes: a) receiving website source code or web browser code from a website to be optimized; b) converting the website source code or web browser code into an electronic image; c) mapping web page elements corresponding to areas in the image; d) performing saliency analysis on the image; e) mapping the results of the saliency analysis to the web page elements; and f) selecting at least one web page for inclusion in a website optimization process based on the saliency analysis. A corresponding novel system is also disclosed. |
| US09519719B2 |
Resource management in a presentation environment
Aspects of the present disclosure are directed toward managing resources in a presentation environment. Aspects are directed toward collecting, using a set of monitoring devices, context information with respect to a presentation. Aspects are also directed toward determining, based on the context information for the presentation, a subject matter group and a set of access rules for the set of network devices. Aspects are also directed toward identifying, based on the subject matter group, a first set of resources. Aspects are also directed toward establishing, based on the set of access rules and the first set of resources, a first subset of the first set of resources for the set of network devices of the presentation environment. |
| US09519718B2 |
Webpage information detection method and system
The present application provides web information detecting method and system. The method according to the present application comprises: pre-extracting keywords from a web page; storing a corresponding relationship between the extracted keywords and a URL of the web page in a database; obtaining a source file of a web page to be detected; searching the database for keywords that have the same URL as that of the web page to be detected; comparing the searched keywords to the source file information of the web page to be detected; and determining the existence of information of the web page to be detected according to a matching degree. The present application increases the accuracy of web information detection. |
| US09519714B2 |
Presenting list previews among search results
Systems, methods, and computer storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that facilitates the presentation of list previews among search results are provided. Upon referencing a user query that indicates a user intent to view a list, a search result within a search results page is presented that includes a list preview. Such a list preview includes at least a portion of a list within a webpage that corresponds with the search results. |
| US09519712B2 |
Systems and methods to evaluate search qualities
Systems and methods are provided to evaluate a search engine using search results retrieved from a plurality of different search engines. For example, a controller can randomly distribute a set of pre-formulated queries to a plurality of computers to query the search engines at random times to obtain search results and combine the search results to evaluate the completeness of a query result provided by a particular search engine. The controller may simulate the random queries from users using a set of computers and may reduce the burden on the search engines by spreading out the query activities over a period of time, such as a month. |
| US09519710B1 |
Dynamic classification of attribute relevance and classification
Systems and methods for classifying and ranking one or more keywords associated with a media work may be provided. In an embodiment, a system can recommend a set of media works in response to receiving information about a keyword associated with a media work. The system can recommend the set of media works based on aggregated classification information for a plurality of keywords associated with a plurality of media works, and aggregated rating information for the aggregated classification information. In an example, the aggregated rating information can represent the relevancy of a classification associated with at least one media work of the plurality of media works. |
| US09519701B2 |
Generating information models in an in-memory database system
Various embodiments of systems and methods for generating information models in an in-memory database system by importing data foundation from existing Semantic layer files are described herein. The method includes specifying a type of information view to be generated to model content data. Further the method includes invoking the content data from existing semantic layer files using an import option of a content data editor interface. Subsequent to selecting one or more semantic layer files, automatically extracting table objects corresponding to the selected semantic layer files along with data foundation objects from a file source. |
| US09519698B1 |
Visualization of graphical representations of log files
A computer-implemented method includes receiving one or more log files. Each of the one or more log files includes one or more logs. The computer-implemented method further includes extracting one or more event records from said one or more logs. The computer-implemented method further includes, for each event record of the one or more event records, determining one or more attributes and one or more dimensions based on the event record, respectively. The computer-implemented method further includes grouping the one or more event records into one or more attribute groups. The computer-implemented method further includes ordering the one or more event records of each of the one or more attribute groups by the one or more dimensions. The computer-implemented method further includes generating one or more graphical representations of the one or more attribute groups. A corresponding computer system and computer program product are also disclosed. |
| US09519697B2 |
Observation information processing apparatus, non-transitory computer-readable recording medium, and observation information processing method
An observation information processing apparatus calculates, for each mesh, a support and a confidence. The observation information processing apparatus generates an adjacent mesh set by merging adjacent ones of the meshes. The observation information processing apparatus calculates, based on a support and a confidence of each mesh included in the adjacent mesh set, a confidence for each adjacent mesh, and sets the smallest one of the confidences calculated as a new confidence threshold value. The observation information processing apparatus detects and excludes meshes to be excluded from meshes included in the adjacent mesh set, based on the confidences and supports of the meshes included in the adjacent mesh set and the confidence threshold value. |
| US09519693B2 |
Method and apparatus for displaying data element axes
An aspect of the invention hereby presented provides a means to display a first set of, for instance, documents in conjunction with a second set of documents when the second set of documents would not necessarily fit in the query used to select the documents of the first set of documents and/or would not necessarily fit the collation of the first set of documents. The second set of documents so located in relationship with the first set of documents having a beneficial effect for the understanding of the first set of documents. A system and a GUI thereof is also hereby presented. |
| US09519684B2 |
User recommendation method and a user recommendation system using the same
A user recommendation method for supporting a social networking application includes receiving a user recommendation triggering command from a user at a mobile terminal; generating a recommended candidate user list based on the user recommendation triggering command; reading user social networking quality data, and calculating a matching success rate for each user in the recommended candidate user list based on the user social networking quality data; and selecting at least one user with a highest matching success rate from the recommended candidate user list for recommendation. By implementing the user recommendation method, recommendation performance and recommendation efficiency in the social networking application are improved. In addition, a user recommendation system implemented with the user recommendation method is also provided. |
| US09519682B1 |
User trustworthiness
Embodiments are directed towards generating a unified user account trustworthiness system through user account trustworthiness scores. A trusted group of user accounts may be identified for a given action by grouping a plurality of user accounts into tiers based on a trustworthiness score of each user account for the given action. The tiers and/or trustworthiness scores may be employed to classify an item, such as a message as spam or non-spam, based on input from the user accounts. The trustworthiness scores may also be employed to determine if a user account is a robot account or a human account. The trusted group for a given action may dynamically evolve over time by regrouping the user accounts based on modified trustworthiness scores. A trustworthiness score of an individual user account may be modified based on input received from the individual user account and input from other user accounts. |
| US09519676B1 |
Updating of in-memory synopsis metadata for inserts in database table
In updating a synopsis table of a database system, a database management unit performs a transaction to insert row(s) in a section of the base table and determines whether a synopsis entry for the section is stored in the memory. If stored in the memory, the in-memory synopsis entry is retrieved and metadata values in the in-memory synopsis entry are updated with data from the row(s) to be inserted. If not stored in the memory, the in-memory synopsis entry is generated and the metadata values in the in-memory synopsis entry are updated with data from the row(s). The insert transaction is then committed. Synopsis entry on-disk updates are thus avoided, significantly reducing the cost of updating the synopsis entries from the insert transaction. This yields enhanced performance especially for inserts of a small number of rows, while the benefits of synopsis entries are still available. |
| US09519665B2 |
Search index
Method of searching comprising applying a function to individual elements within a digital work to form a set of index elements. Storing the index elements as an index for the digital work. Receiving a search term. Applying the function to one or more individual elements within the search term to convert the search term into one or more converted search term elements. Identifying a digital work having an index containing one or more index elements that match one or more of the converted search term elements. Returning search results of the identified digital work. Searchable index for a digital work formed by applying a function to individual elements within the digital work to form a set of index elements. |
| US09519662B2 |
Boolean term conversion for null-tolerant disjunctive predicates
System, method, and computer program product to modify a received query, the received query including a first predicate specifying a comparison operator and a second predicate specifying an IS NULL operator, by replacing the comparison operator of the first predicate with an extended comparison operator, and removing the IS NULL operator from the received query, the extended comparison operator configured to support searching of NULL values in a database management system (DBMS), wherein the extended comparison operator is configured to return rows having column data matching a value predefined to represent NULL values. |
| US09519661B2 |
Method and system for updating a background picture of a web search results page for different search queries
A method and system for updating a background picture of a web search results page for different search queries. The method includes receiving a search query from a user and determining one or more text search results for the search query. The method also includes determining one or more images for the search query by at least one of extracting the one or more images from webpages associated with the one or more text search results, and extracting the one or more images from an image web search. Further, the method includes assembling the one or more images to create the background picture. Moreover, the method includes rendering the one or more text search results, for the search query, in the web search results page along with the background picture. The system includes one or more electronic devices, a communication interface, a memory, and a processor. |
| US09519657B2 |
Clustered filesystem with membership version support
A computer system with read/write access to storage devices creates a snapshot of a data volume at a point in time while continuing to accept access requests to the mirrored data volume by copying before making changes to the base data volume. Multiple snapshots may be made of the same data volume at different points in time. Only data that is not stored in a previous snapshot volume or in the base data volume are stored in the most recent snapshot volume. |
| US09519653B2 |
Techniques for efficiently enforcing resource quotas in a multi-tenant cloud storage system
A method and system for enforcing resource quotas in cloud storage systems are provided. The method comprises receiving a request to write an object to a target folder of a tenant, wherein the tenant is initially configured with a tenant quota limit and each of a plurality of folders of the tenant initially is configured with a folder quota limit, wherein the tenant quota limit is then dynamically allocated to the plurality of folders of the tenant; determining whether the folder quota limit of the target folder of the tenant is sufficient for storage of the object; upon determining that the folder quota limit of the target folder is sufficient, increasing a folder quota usage of the target folder by a delta value; and storing the object in the target folder. |
| US09519650B2 |
Systems and methods for genetic data compression
Genetic data may be compressed efficiently by selecting for each bi-allelic marker, from among multiple compression algorithms with different associated storage requirements that depend on the minor allele frequency of the respective marker, the algorithm that has the lowest storage requirements. Efficient approaches compress, store, and load pedigree file data. A hybrid method is used that selects between multiple alternative compression algorithms whose performance depends on the frequency of certain observable genetic variations. The hybrid method may achieve higher compression ratios than PLINK or PBAT. Further, it results in a compressed data format that, generally, does not require any overhead memory space and CPU time for decompression, and, consequently, has shorter loading times for compressed files than the binary format in PLINK or PBAT. Moreover, the compressed data fonnat supports parallel loading of genetic information, which decreases the loading time by a factor of the number of parallel jobs. |
| US09519648B2 |
Software detection
A method, system and computer program product for software discovery in a computer system comprising a server and a client. Data defining at least one file category is received at the client from the server. File information pertaining to files belonging to the respective file category is established at the client for each of the at least one file category. The file information for each of the at least one file category is communicated from the client to the server. For each of the at least one file category, a checksum is calculated from the file information. |
| US09519644B2 |
Methods and devices for generating media items
A server system with one or more processors and memory receives, from a client device, information including one or more criteria for a media item to be generated. In some embodiments, the one or more criteria include one or more audio tracks for the media item to be generated. In some embodiments, the one or more criteria include one or more keywords for the media item to be generated. The server system identifies one or more media files in a database of media files for the media item to be generated based at least in part on the one or more criteria. The server system sends, to the client device, first information identifying the one or more media files. In some embodiments, the server system also sends, to the client device, synchronization information for synchronizing one or more audio tracks with the one or more identified media files. |
| US09519637B2 |
Text processing apparatus and text display system
A text processing apparatus includes an environmental information acquisition unit configured to acquire environmental information, a text acquisition unit configured to acquire text, a word extraction unit configured to extract a word from the text, and a joint indication unit configured to convert the word extracted from the text into a converted word using a dictionary that is accessed according to the environmental information acquired by the environmental information acquisition unit and indicate the converted word along with the word extracted from the text. |
| US09519635B2 |
System and method for integrated development environments for dynamically generating narrative content
The present invention is a method and apparatus for narrative content generation using narrative frameworks by receiving a first phrase variation and a second phrase variation and displaying an error indication when the first phrase variation fails to satisfy a criterion relative to the second phrase variation. If there is an error indication, alternate phrase variations are received and compared against the first phrase variation until an alternate phrase variation is selected that has no error indication. Additionally, multiple sets of operators for updating one or more narrative phrases selected for inclusion in the narrative content framework may be utilized to update selected phrases after inclusion in the narrative framework but prior to finalizing the narrative content to be output. |
| US09519634B2 |
Systems and methods for determining lexical associations among words in a corpus
Systems and methods are provided for identifying one or more target words of a corpus that have a lexical relationship to a plurality of provided cue words. The cue words and statistical lexical information derived from a corpus of documents are analyzed to determine candidate words that have a lexical association with the cue words. The statistical information includes numerical values indicative of probabilities of word pairs appearing together as adjacent words in a well-formed text or appearing together within a paragraph of a well-formed text. For each candidate word, a statistical association score between the candidate word and each of the cue words is determined. An aggregate score for each of the candidate words is determined based on the statistical association scores. One or more of the candidate words are selected to be the one or more target words based on the aggregate scores. |
| US09519633B2 |
Word latent topic estimation device and word latent topic estimation method
Provided are a word latent topic estimation device and a word latent topic estimation method which are capable of hierarchically performing processing and which are capable of rapidly estimating latent topics of a word while taking into consideration a mixed state of topics. The present invention is provided with: a document data addition unit (11) which inputs a document which includes one or more words; a level setting unit (12) which sets a number of topics at each level in accordance with a hierarchical structure of topics for hierarchically estimating latent topics of a word; a higher-level constraint creation unit (15) which, on the basis of results of topic estimation at a given level with regard to a word within the document, creates a higher-level constraint indicating an identifier of a topic for which there is a possibility of being assigned to the word and a probability of being assigned to the topic; and a higher-level-constraint-attached topic estimation unit (13) which, when estimating the probability of each word being assigned to each topic, refers to the higher-order constraint, uses the probability of being assigned to a parent topic at the higher level as a weight, and performs estimation processing to a lower-level topic. |
| US09519620B1 |
Identifying substitute ingredients using a natural language processing system
A first food ingredient may be received. The first food ingredient may comprise a first plurality of chemical constituents. A plurality of candidate food ingredient substitutes may be received. Each candidate food ingredient substitute may comprise a second plurality of chemical constituents. For each of the plurality of candidate food ingredient substitutes, a quantity of the second plurality of chemical constituents that match the first plurality of chemical constituents may be determined. One or more food ingredient substitutes may be identified based on at least the quantity of the second plurality of chemical constituents that match the first plurality of chemical constituents. |
| US09519618B2 |
System and method for determining distance between signals
A pairwise distance computation transforms first and second signals using an absolute distance preserving mapping, such that a k-norm distance between the first mapped signal and the second mapped signal represents an absolute distance between the first signal and the second signal. The absolute distance preserving mapping maps an element of a first or a second signal to a vector having a size equal to a cardinality of the finite alphabet of the signals. The absolute distance preserving mapping determines a position N of the element in an ordered sequence of symbols of the finite alphabet and determines values for each of N elements of the vector as a fractional power 1/k of positive increments in the finite alphabet. The values for subsequent elements of the vector are determined as zero. |
| US09519613B2 |
Method for integrating applications in an electronic address book
A method for integrating interactions in an address book application that includes managing a plurality of contacts of an electronic address book, identifying a contact with a relationship to an interaction service, collecting dynamic information corresponding to the identified contact, and facilitating an interaction using the dynamic information. |
| US09519612B2 |
Serial bus buffer with noise reduction
Disclosed is a digital communication control system having a serial bus buffer that includes a primary interface adapted to support serial communication over a primary bus, a buffered interface adapted to support serial communication over a buffered bus, and a controller coupled between the primary bus and the buffered bus. The primary bus is coupled to a first device and at least one second device and the buffered bus is coupled to at least one third device. The controller is adapted to receive a first data signal and a clock signal at the primary interface and replicate the first data signal and the clock signal at the buffered interface. |
| US09519610B2 |
Smartphone dock reminder for vehicles
A system and method for reminding a user to dock a mobile device in a docking apparatus within a vehicle are provided. A docking apparatus includes: one or more sensors for determining whether an object is present in the docking apparatus; and at least one of speakers, a vibration mechanism, and one or more display indicators for reminding a user to place the mobile device in the docking apparatus when the one or more sensors determine that an object is not present in the docking apparatus. A system includes the docking apparatus and a mobile device. The method includes receiving an indication that the vehicle ignition is turned on; determining whether the mobile device is in a docking apparatus; and reminding the user to dock the mobile device in the docking apparatus. |
| US09519608B2 |
PCI express to PCI express based low latency interconnect scheme for clustering systems
PCI Express is a Bus or I/O interconnect standard for use inside the computer or embedded system enabling faster data transfers to and from peripheral devices. The standard is still evolving but has achieved a degree of stability such that other applications can be implemented using PCIE as basis. A PCIE based interconnect scheme to enable switching and inter-connection between multiple PCIE enabled systems each having its own PCIE root complex, such that the scalability of PCIE architecture can be applied to enable data transport between connected systems to form a cluster of systems, is proposed. These connected systems can be any computing, control, storage or embedded system. The scalability of the interconnect will allow the cluster to grow the bandwidth between the systems as they become necessary without changing to a different connection architecture. |
| US09519605B2 |
Interconnection network topology for large scale high performance computing (HPC) systems
A multiprocessor computer system includes a plurality of processor nodes and at least a three-tier hierarchical network interconnecting the processor nodes. The hierarchical network includes a plurality of routers interconnected such that each router is connected to a subset of the plurality of processor nodes; the plurality of routers are arranged in a hierarchy of n≧3 tiers (T1, . . . , Tn); the plurality of routers are partitioned into disjoint groups at the first tier T1, the groups at tier Ti being partitioned into disjoint groups (of complete Ti groups) at the next tier Ti+1 and a top tier Tn including a single group containing all of the plurality of routers; and for all tiers 1≦i≦n, each tier-Ti−1 subgroup within a tier Ti group is connected by at least one link to all other tier-Ti−1 subgroups within the same tier Ti group. |
| US09519604B2 |
Systems and methods for frequency control on a bus through superposition
Systems and methods for frequency control on a bus through superposition are disclosed. In one embodiment, instead of adding pins or increasing the operating frequency of the bus, three signals are placed on lines within the bus using superposition. In this fashion, three bits may be sent over two conductors, effectively obviating the need for an additional pin and effectively increasing the frequency of bit transmission without having to increase the clock speed. |
| US09519603B2 |
Method and apparatus to enable multiple masters to operate in a single master bus architecture
To accommodate multiple masters over bus architectures supporting a single master device, a mechanism is provided for an inactive master device to trigger an IRQ signal over a shared, single line IRQ bus. A current master then polls the other inactive master devices over a shared data bus to ascertain which inactive master device is asserting the IRQ signal. Upon identifying the asserting inactive master device, the current master device grants control of the data bus to the new master device, thereby making the inactive master the new active master device. |
| US09519602B2 |
Audio jack system
This application discusses a system that can include a master device and a slave device coupled to the master device via an audio jack connector. In an example, the master device and the slave device can be configured to exchange information via a single conductive path of the audio jack connector using a digital communication protocol. The single conductive path can be configured to conduct audio signals of an audio transducer and the slave device can include a depletion-mode transistor to complete a circuit including the audio transducer and the single conductive path in a first state, and to isolate the audio transducer from the single conductive path in a second state. |
| US09519598B1 |
High latency interface between hardware components
A system includes a hard disk controller and a read/write channel. The hard disk controller is configured to transmit a first gate signal, a write clock signal, mode selection data, and first data to be stored on a storage medium, and receive a read clock signal and second data stored on the storage medium. The read/write channel is configured to receive the first gate signal, the write clock signal, the mode selection data, and the first data, transmit the read clock signal, transfer the second data from the storage medium to the hard disk controller based on the mode selection data and the read clock signal, and transfer the first data from the hard disk controller to the storage medium based on the mode selection data and the write clock signal. |
| US09519592B2 |
Stale pointer detection with overlapping versioned memory
In general, in one aspect, the invention relates to a method for managing virtual memory (VM). The method includes receiving, from an application, a first access request comprising a first VM address identifying a VM location, obtaining a current VM location version value for the VM location, obtaining a first submitted VM location version value from the first VM address, and in response to a determination that the current VM location version value and the first submitted VM location version value match: servicing the first access request using the first VM address. |
| US09519591B2 |
Latch-free, log-structured storage for multiple access methods
A data manager may include a data opaque interface configured to provide, to an arbitrarily selected page-oriented access method, interface access to page data storage that includes latch-free access to the page data storage. In another aspect, a swap operation may be initiated, of a portion of a first page in cache layer storage to a location in secondary storage, based on initiating a prepending of a partial swap delta record to a page state associated with the first page, the partial swap delta record including a main memory address indicating a storage location of a flush delta record that indicates a location in secondary storage of a missing part of the first page. In another aspect, a page manager may initiate a flush operation of a first page in cache layer storage to a location in secondary storage, based on atomic operations with flush delta records. |
| US09519590B1 |
Managing global caches in data storage systems
A method is used in managing global caches in data storage systems. A cache entry of a global cache of a data storage system is accessed upon receiving a request to perform an I/O operation on a storage object. The cache entry is associated with the storage object. Accessing the cache entry includes holding a reference to the cache entry. A determination is made as to whether the I/O operation is associated with a sequential access. Based on the determination, releasing the reference to the cache entry is delayed. |
| US09519589B2 |
Methods to perform disk writes in a distributed shared disk system needing consistency across failures
Techniques are provided for managing caches in a system with multiple caches that may contain different copies of the same data item. Specifically, techniques are provided for coordinating the write-to-disk operations performed on such data items to ensure that older versions of the data item are not written over newer versions, and to reduce the amount of processing required to recover after a failure. Various approaches are provided in which a master is used to coordinate with the multiple caches to cause a data item to be written to persistent storage. Techniques are also provided for transferring data items and locks associated with the data items from one node to another. |
| US09519588B2 |
Bounded cache searches
Cache lines of a data cache may be assigned to a specific page type or color. In addition, the computing system may monitor when a cache line assigned to the specific page color is allocated in the cache. As each cache line assigned to a particular page color is allocated, the computing system may compare a respective index associated with each of the cache lines to determine maximum and minimum indices for that page color. These indices define a block of the cache that stores the data assigned to the page color. Thus, when the data of a page color is evicted from the cache, instead of searching the entire cache to locate the cache lines, the computing system uses the maximum and minimum indices as upper and lower bounds to reduce the portion of the cache that is searched. |
| US09519583B1 |
Dedicated memory structure holding data for detecting available worker thread(s) and informing available worker thread(s) of task(s) to execute
The present disclosure relates generally to a dedicated memory structure (that is, hardware device) holding data for detecting available worker thread(s) and informing available worker thread(s) of task(s) to execute. |
| US09519579B2 |
Reference counting for memory areas
Technique for analyzing memory areas based on local copies of a global counter by: (i) determining a plurality of currently-executing fast threads and a plurality of currently executed slow threads; (ii) intermittently incrementing a global counter variable to have a current global counter value; (iii) intermittently setting the local counter of the data set for each fast thread of the plurality of fast threads to be equal to the current global counter value; (iv) determining that no slow threads of the plurality of slow threads reference the first memory region; (v) assigning a free-after value to the first memory region; (vi) determining whether the free-after value of the first memory region is less than or equal to all of the local counters of the fast thread data sets of the plurality of fast threads; and (vii) de-allocating the first memory region. |
| US09519578B1 |
Multi-array operation support and related devices, systems and software
This disclosure provides for improvements in managing multi-drive, multi-die or multi-plane NAND flash memory. In one embodiment, the host directly assigns physical addresses and performs logical-to-physical address translation in a manner that reduces or eliminates the need for a memory controller to handle these functions, and initiates functions such as wear leveling in a manner that avoids competition with host data accesses. A memory controller optionally educates the host on array composition, capabilities and addressing restrictions. Host software can therefore interleave write and read requests across dies in a manner unencumbered by memory controller address translation. For multi-plane designs, the host writes related data in a manner consistent with multi-plane device addressing limitations. The host is therefore able to “plan ahead” in a manner supporting host issuance of true multi-plane read commands. |
| US09519574B2 |
Dynamic content access window loading and unloading
A computing device includes a primary content storage machine configured to selectively store one or more content portions of a digital content item, such as game portions of a video game. The computing device is configured to determine a size of a dynamically changing content access window including one or more content portions usable to provide an above-threshold user experience, such as uninterrupted game play, based on a current access position of the digital content item or video game and historical user-specific play patterns or game play consumption rates of different users. The computing device is configured to dynamically load the primary content storage machine with the content portions or game portions corresponding to the content access window and dynamically unload the content or game portions outside of the content access window from the primary content storage machine. |
| US09519573B2 |
Creating a software performance testing environment on a virtual machine system
A method for creating a software performance testing environment based on a virtual machine, wherein the method comprises: in response to obtaining a hard disk read/write request triggered by a virtual CPU of the virtual machine, notifying a virtual CPU scheduler to record a CPU time quota t1 already consumed by the virtual CPU in a current CPU schedule period; in response to detecting completion of hard disk read/write processing corresponding to the hard disk read/write request, predicting a hard disk read/write latency t corresponding to the hard disk read/write request in a target environment; notifying the virtual CPU scheduler to determine a CPU time quota already consumed by the virtual CPU in the current CPU schedule period based on the recorded CPU time quota t1 and the hard disk read/write latency t; and adjusting a system clock of the virtual machine based on the determined CPU time quota already consumed by the virtual CPU in the current CPU schedule period. The method may obtain, in the created software performance testing environment, a software performance testing result consistent with the result obtained under a highly configured server in the target environment. |
| US09519572B2 |
Creating a software performance testing environment on a virtual machine system
The present invention relates to a virtual machine, and specifically discloses a method and apparatus for creating a software performance testing environment based on a virtual machine, wherein the method comprises: in response to obtaining a hard disk read/write request triggered by a virtual CPU of the virtual machine, notifying a virtual CPU scheduler to record a CPU time quota t1 already consumed by the virtual CPU in a current CPU schedule period; in response to detecting completion of hard disk read/write processing corresponding to the hard disk read/write request, predicting a hard disk read/write latency t corresponding to the hard disk read/write request in a target environment; notifying the virtual CPU scheduler to determine a CPU time quota already consumed by the virtual CPU in the current CPU schedule period based on the recorded CPU time quota t1 and the hard disk read/write latency t; and adjusting a system clock of the virtual machine based on the determined CPU time quota already consumed by the virtual CPU in the current CPU schedule period. The method according to the embodiments of the present invention may obtain, in the created software performance testing environment, a software performance testing result consistent with the result obtained under a highly configured server in the target environment. |
| US09519571B2 |
Method for analyzing transaction traces to enable process testing
Techniques are provided for analyzing testing coverage of one or more software modules to provide process coverage statistics. The techniques include obtaining one or more coverage measures from a test specification document, performing a trace on each of the one or more coverage measures during a test, analyzing each trace to generate a run-time service choreography model for a process, wherein the model includes each of one or more service choreography patterns occurring in the process, and using the model to provide statistical data on test coverage according to a process definition. |
| US09519570B2 |
Progressive snapshots in automated software testing
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method, computer program product, and system for recording and displaying graphical user interface snapshots during automated testing. A computer captures a first snapshot of a complete graphical user interface, wherein the graphical user interface has at least one graphical user interface control. The computer determines a location of the at least one graphical user interface control. The computer determines that a first test step has altered the at least one graphical user interface control. The computer captures a second snapshot of the altered graphical user interface control. The computer stores the second snapshot and the location of the graphical user interface control in association with the test step. |
| US09519569B2 |
Method for constructing data structures and method for describing running states of computer and state transitions thereof
A method for constructing data structures and a method for describing running states of a computer and state transitions thereof are provided. The method for constructing the data structure, which describes the execution processes of computer codes, includes: when the computer is running, constructs the data structure using the code segment wherein lies a calling instruction as a node and using the calling relationship between the code segment initiating the calling instruction and the called code segment, which are both constructed by the calling instruction, as a calling path. The data structure includes every node and the calling path between every calling and called nodes. When a certain calling instruction is executed, it is possible to describe the running state of the computer when the calling instruction is executed with the data structure consisting of all nodes and calling paths before the calling instruction by constructing the above data structure. |
| US09519564B1 |
Trace saving intervals
In one embodiment, a method comprises defining a temporal interval. The method further comprises saving a set of selected traces to a memory. The set of selected traces may be generated during the defined temporal interval. A starting point of the temporal interval may be defined upon a generated trace and an ending point of the temporal interval may be a length of time after the starting point. The set of selected traces may include at least one of a first trace, a highest priority trace, and a last trace. The set of selected traces may include a set of first traces, a set of high priority traces, and a set of last traces. The set of selected traces may include a set of traces over a priority threshold. |
| US09519563B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing network applications monitoring
A method for providing network performance monitoring using a performance database manager (PDM) is disclosed. A PDM has a PDM state manager, a communications server (COM server), a communications client (COM client), and an application database (AppDB). The PDM is configured to communicate with a network controller and a switch running a service monitoring (SERMON) client. A list of one or more switches, one or more hosted services, and one or more applications is determined. A request for service monitoring (SERMON) data is received from one or more applications running on a network controller. The request is sent to a SERMON client. A response is received from the SERMON client. |
| US09519560B2 |
Method for automatic mapping of AC phase conductors and identification of AC buses in a multi-bus power system
A system is disclosed for detecting if a remote device is associated with a power supply. The system may have a controller having machine readable, non-transitory executable code running thereon for varying a characteristic of a signal being applied to the power supply. The controller further may be configured to compare a measurement obtained from a measurement subsystem relating to a measured signal present at the remote device. The controller may also be configured to make a comparison between the signal being applied to the power supply and the measured signal obtained at the remote device, and to determine whether the remote device is electrically associated with the power supply. |
| US09519558B2 |
Method for identifying device, and device
A method for identifying a device comprising generating, by a control device, an identification identifier of a multimedia device according to device description information of the multimedia device, sending the identification identifier to the multimedia device, so that the multimedia device displays the identification identifier, acquiring, by the control device, the identification identifier displayed by the multimedia device and an appearance image of the multimedia device, and acquiring the device description information according to the identification identifier displayed by the multimedia device, and associating, by the control device, the device description information with the appearance image of the multimedia device, so that a user equipment identifies the multimedia device according to the appearance image. |
| US09519557B2 |
Compliance testing through sandbox environments
A compliance user or auditor is enabled to inject failures into a sandbox environment, which may be similar to a production service. The sandbox environment may be monitored by the same automation that watches compliance controls in the production service. As the user injects compliance failures into the sandbox, they may detect the appropriate alerts fire in the monitoring system, thereby gaining trust that the monitoring works as it should. A rich report resulting from the test activities may allow the user or auditor to see how a failure of a compliance control leads to the expected monitoring alert. |
| US09519556B2 |
Member replacement in an array of information storage devices
An information handling system includes a method for detecting a predictive failure indication for a predictive failure indicated physical disk of a disk group, determining an amount of used storage capacity of a lowest capacity physical disk of the disk group, and comparing a replacement physical disk storage capacity of a replacement physical disk to the used storage capacity. When the replacement physical disk capacity is greater than or equal to the used storage capacity even if the replacement physical disk capacity is less than a lowest storage capacity of the lowest capacity physical disk of the disk group, replacing the predictive failure indicated physical disk with the replacement physical disk. |
| US09519553B2 |
Failure resistant distributed computing system
A failure resistant distributed computing system includes primary and secondary datacenters each comprising a plurality of computerized servers. A control center selects orchestrations from a predefined list and transmits the orchestrations to the datacenters. Transmitted orchestrations include less than all machine-readable actions necessary to execute the orchestrations. The datacenters execute each received orchestration by referencing a full set of actions corresponding to the received orchestration as previously stored or programmed into the computerized server and executing the referenced full set of actions. At least one of the orchestrations comprises a failover operation from the primary datacenter to the secondary datacenter. Failover shifts performance of task from a set of processing nodes of the primary datacenter to a set of processing nodes of the secondary datacenter, such tasks including managing storage accessible by one or more remote clients and running programs on behalf of remote clients. |
| US09519551B2 |
Recovery processing for database in persistent system
The recovery of one or more transactions in a computing system in which one or more persistent systems are coupled via a bus to one or more processors. As an example, the persistent system may serve as at least part of the main memory of the computing system. The transaction might implement multi-versioning in which a record is not updated in place. Rather, each record is represented as a sequence of one or more record versions, each version having a valid interval during which the record version is considered to properly represent the record. |
| US09519549B2 |
Data storage backup with lessened cache pollution
Control of the discard of data from cache during backup of the data. In a computer-implemented system comprising primary data storage; cache; backup data storage; and at least one processor, the processor is configured to identify data stored in the primary data storage for backup to the backup data storage, where the identified data is placed in the cache in the form of portions of the data, and where the portions of data are to be backed up from the cache to the backup storage. Upon backup of each portion of the identified data from the cache to the backup storage, the processor marks the backed up portion of the identified data for discard from the cache. Thus, the backed up data is discarded from the cache right away, lessening cache pollution. |
| US09519548B2 |
Increasing granularity of dirty bit information
One or more unused bits of a virtual address range are allocated for aliasing so that multiple virtually addressed sub-pages can be mapped to a common memory page. When one bit is allocated for aliasing, dirty bit information can be provided at a granularity that is one-half of a memory page. When M bits are allocated for aliasing, dirty bit information can be provided at a granularity that is 1/(2M)-th of a memory page. |
| US09519546B2 |
Striping cache blocks with logical block address scrambling
A method for information handling systems includes receiving a storage operation to be applied to a cache block in a location in a distributed storage system. The location is defined by a logical block address (LBA). The method further includes swapping a first portion of the LBA with a second portion of the LBA, resulting in a modified LBA, and performing the storage operation with the modified LBA. The first portion and the second portion are both x bits wide. |
| US09519542B2 |
Storage control device and storage control method
A storage control apparatus includes a controller to, when more storage devices, among a plurality of storage devices across which a plurality of information areas storing information representing redundant data and one or more spare areas are distributed, than the number of the spare areas fail, perform a rebuild process of information stored in a plurality of information areas of a failed first storage device included in the plurality of combinations of the plurality of information areas and the one or more spare areas, the rebuild process including restoring information corresponding to one information area of the failed first storage device included in one combination among the plurality of combinations, and determining a write destination storage device to which the restored information is to be written in accordance with the number of times information is read from a non-failed second storage device. |
| US09519541B2 |
Data storage device and data checking and correction for volatile memory
Data checking and correction for a volatile memory of a data storage device, the data storage device further including a non-volatile memory and a controller. The controller operates the non-volatile memory in accordance with requests issued from a host. The controller uses the volatile memory for temporary storage of temporary data required for operations of the non-volatile memory. The controller generates error checking and correction content for the temporary data and writes the temporary data and the error checking and correction content into the volatile memory in at least one burst length for temporary storage of the temporary data. In this manner, it is not necessary to manufacture any additional pin on the volatile memory for data checking and correction. |
| US09519539B2 |
Monitoring data error status in a memory
A method for outputting data error status of a memory device includes generating data status indication codes indicating error status of data chunks transmitted by a memory controller, and combining the data status indication codes with corresponding data chunks to generate an output signal, and outputting the output signal to a data bus pin. |
| US09519537B2 |
Apparatus, system and method for application log data processing
The present disclosure relates to a log data processing apparatus and a method for controlling the same. A log data processing apparatus according to an embodiment includes a communication unit configured to receive information on log data corresponding to an application from a device for generating the log data, a control unit configured to generate a log message on a basis of the log data information, and a storage unit configured to store the log message and generation history information of the log message generated, wherein the log data information includes a log message parameter, message code information, and identifier information of the application. |
| US09519535B1 |
Two stage log normalization
An approach for two stage log normalization is provided. The approach retrieves a message format and a plurality of parameters from one or more log files. The approach determines a classification for one or more first sequence files, wherein the one or more first sequence files includes the message format from the one or more log files. The approach determines a classification of error for the one or more first sequence files. The approach determines whether there is a high confidence in the classification of error for the one or more first sequence files. The approach determines whether there is an improvement in confidence in the classification of error from one or more second sequence files, wherein the one or more second sequence files includes the message format and the plurality of parameters from the one or more log files. |
| US09519531B2 |
Memory devices and memory systems having the same
In one example embodiment, a memory device includes a cell array configured to receive data at an associated address in response to a write command. The memory device further includes a storage unit configured to receive the associated address and the data in response to the write command and output the data to the associated address of the cell array in response to a rewrite command. The memory device further includes a violation determining unit configured to determine violation data, count a number of the violation data and determine data written to the storage unit as the violation data if a storage duration of the written data is less than a write recovery time (tWR). |
| US09519528B2 |
Checking undoability of an API-controlled computing system
The present invention generally relates to an application program interface (API)-controlled computing system (100). A computer-implemented method is proposed for determining undoability of an action to be conducted in the API-controlled computing system (100) represented by a formal domain model. A set of pre-states of the API-controlled computing system (100) for the action are obtained. A set of post-states of the API-controlled computing system (100) corresponding to each pre-state in the set of pre-states for the action are obtained. The method automatically determines if each post-state in each set of post-states of the API-controlled computing system can be undone to its pre-state in the set of pre-states by using a reachability task for the post-state and its pre-state. The action to be conducted in the API-controlled computing system (100) is undoable if each post-state in each set of post-states of the API-controlled computing system (100) can be undone to its pre-state in the set of pre-states. |
| US09519525B2 |
File-level commenting
Various embodiments provide a commenting system for multiple users to provide and share comments to shared content items. For example, users can share a web link to a collection of content items, such as documents, spreadsheets, photos, and any other media, with other users stored in an online content management system. To enable such functionality, the online content management system can expose an application programming interface to enable third-party service providers to develop and attach a comment interface to content items. Accordingly, such a commenting system can provide a comment interface for concurrent display alongside a respective content item in which users can provide comments to shared content items or to use as notes for their personal content items. |
| US09519524B2 |
Providing lock-based access to nodes in a concurrent linked list
A method of providing lock-based access to nodes in a concurrent linked list includes providing a plurality of striped lock objects. Each striped lock object is configured to lock at least one of the nodes in the concurrent linked list. An index is computed based on a value stored in a first node to be accessed in the concurrent linked list. A first one of the striped lock objects is identified based on the computed index. The first striped lock object is acquired, thereby locking and providing protected access to the first node. |
| US09519522B1 |
Use of power data in the selection of resources for performance of processes
Various systems and methods for selecting resources (such as of a distributed storage system) for performing file operations (such as backup operations) based on power-usage characteristics of these resources. For example, one method involves receiving an input, where the input identifies a process to be performed. The method also involves accessing power data, where the power data indicates power usage for the process as performed using one or more resources of a plurality of resources. The method also involves selecting, using one or more processors, a selected resource from the resources based, at least in part, on the power data. |
| US09519521B2 |
Server device, computer-readable storage medium and movement control method
A specification unit specifies a cycle in which data to be processed by queries is distributed, the queries being arranged at a node and movable between the nodes and performing a processing when the data matches with a set condition. An instruction unit instructs a node as a movement source to move the queries during a period when the data to be processed by the queries to be moved is not distributed on the basis of the specified cycle. |
| US09519517B2 |
Data center control
Systems and methods for data center control are provided that identify parameters of one or more data centers, where each data center includes a plurality of devices. The systems and methods receive a command to execute an application, and identify a selected data center from the one or more data centers as a location to run the application based at least in part on an evaluation of the parameters. |
| US09519515B2 |
Remediating gaps between usage allocation of hardware resource and capacity allocation of hardware resource
A usage allocation of a hardware resource to each of a number of workloads over time is determined using a demand model. The usage allocation of the resource includes a current and past actual usage allocation of the resource, a future projected usage allocation of the resource, and current and past actual usage of the resource. A capacity allocation of the resource is determined using a capacity model. The capacity allocation of the resource includes a current and past capacity and a future projected capacity of the resource. Whether a gap exists between the usage allocation and the capacity allocation is determined using a mapping model. Where the gap exists between the usage allocation of the resource and the capacity allocation of the resource, a user is presented with options determined using the mapping model and selectable by the user to implement a remediation strategy to close the gap. |
| US09519513B2 |
Methods and apparatus to automatically configure monitoring of a virtual machine
Methods and apparatus to automatically configure monitoring of a virtual machine are disclosed. An example method includes identifying a virtual machine in an application definition, automatically installing an agent on the virtual machine when the virtual machine is identified as having a designated configuration, automatically identifying, via the agent, a resource associated with the virtual machine and, based on the resource, applying a monitoring policy to the virtual machine to be executed by the agent. |
| US09519510B2 |
Atomic writes for multiple-extent operations
A node of a storage service is selected as a coordinator of a distributed transaction involving multiple page-level modifications. The coordinator identifies other nodes as members of a node chain collectively storing physical data pages at which proposed modifications are to be performed, including a decider node responsible for a decision to commit the transaction. The coordinator generates a transaction preparation message comprising a representation of an order of respective commit decisions associated with the proposed modifications, and transmits the message to a selected node of the chain for a sequential propagation along the chain. Each chain node performs a local commit analysis for its changes and stores a record of its intent to commit. If a decision to commit is reached at the decider, the proposed modifications are completed. |
| US09519509B2 |
System and method for supporting transaction affinity based request handling in a middleware environment
A system and method can support transaction processing in a middleware environment. A processor, such as a remote method invocation stub in the middleware environment, can be associated with a transaction, wherein the transaction is from a first cluster. Then, the processor can handle a transactional request that is associated with the transaction, wherein the transactional request is to be sent to the first cluster. Furthermore, the processor can route the transactional request to a said cluster member in the first cluster, which is an existing participant of the transaction. |
| US09519502B2 |
Virtual machine backup
A computer system comprises a processor unit arranged to run a hypervisor running one or more virtual machines, a cache connected to the processor unit and comprising a plurality of cache rows, each cache row comprising a memory address, a cache line and an image modification flag and a memory connected to the cache and arranged to store an image of at least one virtual machine. The processor unit is arranged to define a log in the memory and the cache further comprises a cache controller arranged to set the image modification flag for a cache line modified by a virtual machine being backed up, periodically check the image modification flags and write only the memory address of the flagged cache rows in the defined log. The processor unit is further arranged to monitor the free space available in the defined log and to trigger an interrupt if the free space available falls below a specific amount. |
| US09519500B2 |
Offering network performance guarantees in multi-tenant datacenters
Methods of offering network performance guarantees in multi-tenant datacenters are described. In an embodiment, a request for resources received at a datacenter from a tenant comprises a number of virtual machines and a performance requirement, such as a bandwidth requirement, specified by the tenant. A network manager within the datacenter maps the request onto the datacenter topology and allocates virtual machines within the datacenter based on the available slots for virtual machines within the topology and such that the performance requirement is satisfied. Following allocation, stored residual capacity values for elements within the topology are updated according to the new allocation and this updated stored data is used in mapping subsequent requests onto the datacenter. The allocated virtual machines form part of a virtual network within the datacenter which is allocated in response to the request and two virtual network abstractions are described: virtual clusters and virtual oversubscribed clusters. |
| US09519499B2 |
Method for dispatching central processing unit of hotspot domain virtual machine and virtual machine system
A method for dispatching CPUs of a hotspot domain VM and system includes determining a comprehensive utilization rate of the vCPUs of the hotspot domain VM according to counted use information of the vCPUs, determining that at least one online vCPU is to be added or to be reduced for the hotspot domain VM according to the comprehensive utilization rate of the vCPUs and the maximum number of the vCPUs. After an online vCPU is added, the method further includes adjusting the vCPUs of a common domain VM in the running queue of a physical CPU bound to the online vCPU, so that the online vCPU is dispatched on the physical CPU. After an online vCPU is reduced, the vCPU of the hotspot domain VM in the running queue of a physical CPU bound to the offline vCPU is adjusted, so that the vCPU of the common domain VM is dispatched on the physical CPU. |
| US09519497B1 |
Managing visual updates
A system is configured to: conduct asynchronous updates, of a display, based on a fixed rate when operating in an asynchronous state; determine whether to switch to a synchronous state from the asynchronous state based on the asynchronous updates; conduct synchronous updates, of the display, after switching to the synchronous state; receive a lock request, and conduct updating of the display based on the lock request. The synchronous updates may be performed independent of the fixed rate. |
| US09519490B2 |
Adaptive data synchronization
In one embodiment, an application module 114 may adjust a synchronization scheme 306 based on the operational state of a computing device 110. An operating system 112 may determine an operational state for a computing device 110. The operating system 112 may assign a synchronization allotment 304 to the application module 114 based on the operational state. A synchronization engine 116 of the application module 114 may implement a synchronization scheme 306 based on the synchronization allotment 304. |
| US09519489B2 |
Boot from modified image
A new image being hosted by the device is modified. The modification is based on a main image operating the device. The device is booted from the modified image. |
| US09519480B2 |
Branch target preloading using a multiplexer and hash circuit to reduce incorrect branch predictions
A system provides complex branch execution hardware and a hardware-based Multiplexer (MUX) to multiplex a fetch address of a future branch and a preloaded branch fetch address to create an index hash value that is used to index a branch target prediction table for execution by a processor core, in order to reduce branch mis-prediction by preloading. |
| US09519479B2 |
Techniques for increasing vector processing utilization and efficiency through vector lane predication prediction
Techniques for increasing vector processing utilization and efficiency through use of unmasked lanes of predicated vector instructions for executing non-conflicting instructions are provided. In one aspect, a method of vector lane predication for a processor is provided which includes the steps of: fetching predicated vector instructions from a memory; decoding the predicated vector instructions; determining if a mask value of the predicated vector instructions is available and, if the mask value of the predicated vector instructions is not available, predicting the mask value of the predicated vector instructions; and dispatching the predicated vector instructions to only masked vector lanes. |
| US09519475B2 |
Information processing apparatus that performs update of software, control method therefor, and storage medium
An information processing apparatus which is capable of, when in software updating, a need to perform an additional update arises in addition to regular updates, efficiently performing the updates. First time information indicative of a first time at which update firmware is obtained from an external server is applied is set, and second time information indicative of a second time at which the update firmware obtained from the external server is applied to the information processing apparatus is set. When update firmware is obtained based on the first time information, the update firmware is applied to the information processing apparatus at the second time indicated by the second time information. When a need to perform an additional update of firmware arises, additional update firmware relating to the additional update is applied to the information processing apparatus earlier than the second time indicated by the second time information. |
| US09519474B2 |
Modular system including management and deployment of software updates and revisions
A technology/operating system-agnostic and protocol-agnostic modular-based service delivery system that includes a management of enterprise-wide deployment of services and updates to services delivered by the modules of the system. Management includes determination and automatic implementation of an optimal schedule for service deployment, service version updates and service version roll-backs based on (i) predetermined lifecycle levels assigned to networked devices in the enterprise executing the service delivery application, and/or (ii) segments within the enterprise. |
| US09519470B2 |
Information processing system, information processing apparatus, device, software installation method, and storage medium for executing software installation
An image forming apparatus stores a saving instruction for a script and data containing its identification information in a Universal Serial Bus (USB) storage, in the case where the image forming apparatus detects that the script and the data required for software installation corresponding to itself does not exist in the USB storage when the USB storage is connected. A computer acquires a script and data corresponding to identification information of an image forming apparatus contained in a saving instruction, and saves them to the USB storage, in the case where the computer detects that the saving instruction exists in the USB storage when the USB storage is connected. The image forming apparatus then executes software installation using the script and the data contained in the USB storage, when this USB storage containing the saved script and data corresponding to the image forming apparatus is connected. |
| US09519469B2 |
Cloud infrastructure-based management system and method for maintenance and deployment of application system
The present invention discloses a cloud infrastructure-based management system and method for maintenance deployment of an application system. A cloud infrastructure-based method for maintenance and deployment of an application system, comprising: obtaining a scheduling deployment policy of an application; obtaining performance of an application instance or task processing state data of the application instance; and performing application scheduling deployment according to the scheduling deployment policy of the application and the performance of the application instance or the task processing state data of the application instance, generating a deployment instruction for the application instance, and completing deployment configuration of the application instance, wherein the deployment instruction comprises an application attribute and a range of attribute values. In this way, the present invention support automatic deployment of an application system, avoiding software re-architecture needed for the application system's migration deployment from a traditional system to a cloud platform. |
| US09519464B2 |
Code recommendation
The disclosure generally relates to code recommendation. In one embodiment, code snippets may be extracted using an invocation-centered code slicing process and then grouped according to the method usages. For each method usage, a representative code snippet may be selected and stored in the knowledge base in association with metadata. In operation, the programming context may be obtained and used to query the knowledge base to retrieve one or more code snippets for recommendation. In one embodiment, the recommended code snippets may be ranked to improve the utility and user friendliness, and the metadata may be used to provide variation points and possibly other auxiliary information to improve the operation efficiency and user experience. |
| US09519462B2 |
System integrator and method for mapping dynamic COBOL constructs to object instances for the automatic integration to object-oriented computing systems
A system integrator for modeling an object instance of a COBOL data set, the object instance including representations of OCCURS DEPENDING ON clauses or REDEFINE clauses. The system comprises a client interface module, an import module, an object model module and modeler module. The client interface module generates an interface and receives a copybook selection and a set of REDEFINE criteria. The import module receives the copybook selection and imports a copybook from a database. The object model module receives the copybook and the set of REDEFINE criteria, and creates a customized object model for the copybook. The modeler module receives the customized object model and a set of COBOL data, and forms an object instance equivalent to the set of COBOL data, the object instance including representations of a OCCURS DEPENDING ON clause or REDEFINE clause. |
| US09519461B2 |
Dynamically evolving cognitive architecture system based on third-party developers
A dynamically evolving cognitive architecture system based on third-party developers is described. A system forms an intent based on a user input, and creates a plan based on the intent. The plan includes a first action object that transforms a first concept object associated with the intent into a second concept object and also includes a second action object that transforms the second concept object into a third concept object associated with a goal of the intent. The first action object and the second action object are selected from multiple action objects. The system executes the plan, and outputs a value associated with the third concept object. |
| US09519459B2 |
High efficiency computer floating point multiplier unit
A high-power-efficiency multiplier combines a standard floating-point multiplier with a power-of-two multiplier that performs multiplications by shifting operations without the need for floating-point multiplication circuitry. By selectively steering some operands to this power-of-two multiplier, substantial power savings may be realized. In one embodiment, multiplicands may be modified to work with the power-of-two multiplier introducing low errors that may be accommodated in pixel calculations. |
| US09519458B1 |
Optimized fused-multiply-add method and system
A fused-multiply-add system is disclosed. The fused-multiply-add system includes a multiplier to multiply first and second operands and to provide at least one product. The fused-multiply-add system also includes an alignment shifter for aligning a third operand with the at least one product to provide an aligned third operand. The fused-multiply-add system also includes an adder and a subtractor coupled to the multiplier and the alignment shifter for performing two asymmetrical additions in parallel paths. The fused-multiply-add system also includes at least one leading zero counter for counting a number of leading zero bits provided by at least one of the adder and the subtractor to provide at least one normalization shift amount. Finally, the fused-multiply-add system includes a multiplexer coupled to the adder and the subtractor for providing an appropriate output based upon a sign bit. |
| US09519453B2 |
Methods, devices and computer programs for transmitting or for receiving and playing media streams
A method is carried out by a receiving and playing device (10), for receiving and playing a media stream. The method includes a first playing procedure (s12), a playing mode switching procedure (s14), and a second playing procedure (s16). The first playing procedure (s12) includes receiving a media stream through a communication medium or network (30) and playing the received media stream. The playing mode switching procedure (s14) includes determining (s142) whether a media content about to be received or being received is locally stored and, if so, switching to the second playing procedure (s16). The second playing procedure (s16) includes playing the media content based on at least the locally stored media content. The invention also relates to methods carried out by a transmitting device (20), to receiving and playing devices (10), to transmitting devices (20), and to computer programs. |
| US09519451B2 |
Communication system and information processing device
An information processing device includes a display control unit configured to display data in an area formed in a display unit connected to the information processing device, a display data acquiring unit configured to acquire the display data displayed in an operation reception area or an entire area, which is a target of receiving an operation by a user, an area forming unit configured to form a render reception area so as to be superposed on the operation reception area, a render receiving unit configured to receive rendering with respect to the render reception area, a render data acquiring unit configured to acquire render data rendered in the render reception area, a render data combining unit configured to combine the display data with the render data, and a data sending unit configured to send, to a terminal, the display data with which the render data has been combined. |
| US09519442B2 |
Method for concurrent system management and error detection and correction requests in integrated circuits through location aware avoidance logic
A method of incorporating active error correction inside a memory device is used, whereby memory scrub cycles can be completely hidden from an end user. The method simplifies the design of the memory interface and simplifies the data integrity management unit for the end user. An arbitration unit is implemented to allow concurrent processing of primary (user) and secondary (scrub) requests. The arbitration unit is location aware in context to the primary interface and is responsible for eliminating overlapping memory requests. |
| US09519440B2 |
Providing command queuing in embedded memories
Providing command queuing in embedded memories is provided. In particular, aspects disclosed herein relate to a process through which a status of the queue is communicated to a host from a device. Aspects of the present disclosure use the command structure of the embedded Multi-Media Card (eMMC) standard, such that the host may determine a state of the queue in the device proximate a known end of an in-progress data transfer. In this manner, the host can select a task to commence after completion of a current data transfer while the current data transfer is still ongoing. |
| US09519437B2 |
Selecting first data sets in a first storage group to swap with second data sets in a second storage group
Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for selecting first data sets in a first storage group to swap with second data sets in a second storage group. First data sets are stored in a first storage group and second data sets are stored in a second storage group. A determination is made for a value for each of at least one of the first data sets based on at least one priority of at least one job processing I/O activity at the first data set. At least one of the first data sets for which the value was determined is selected to migrate to the second storage group based on the value. |
| US09519436B1 |
Memory erasing method, memory controller, and memory storage apparatus
A memory erasing method and a memory controller and a memory storage apparatus using the same are provided. The method comprising establishing a link list according to a plurality of physical blocks of a spare area, and storing the link list into the rewritable non-volatile memory module, wherein the physical blocks of the spare area are recorded in the link list according to an arrangement order; and during every power on of the memory storage apparatus, selecting a plurality of third physical blocks among the physical blocks in the spare area according to the link list and a predetermined number, and respectively executing an erase command on the third physical blocks, wherein the third physical blocks are arranged at a beginning of the link list, and the number of the third physical blocks is the predetermined number. |
| US09519434B2 |
Raid devices, systems, and methods
The invention is directed to a storage device utilizing laptop storage drives and rackmount server adapted to use the same. The storage device includes a body and drive software. The drive and internal portions of the body are adapted to form contact fits. The software of the storage device provides an electronic interface that permits operations of advantageous RAID configurations. |
| US09519428B2 |
Dynamically improving performance of a host memory controller and a memory device
Methods, apparatuses, systems, and computer-readable media for dynamically improving performance of a host memory controller and a hosted memory device are presented. According to one or more aspects, a memory controller may establish a data connection with a memory device. The memory controller may perform a first write operation of a plurality of write operations to the memory device using a first block size. Subsequently, the memory controller may perform a second write operation of the plurality of write operations to the memory device using a second block size different from the first block size. The memory controller then may determine an optimal value for a block size parameter based at least in part on the plurality of write operations. Thereafter, the memory controller may use the optimal value for the block size parameter in performing one or more regular tasks involving the memory device. |
| US09519427B2 |
Triggering, at a host system, a process to reduce declared capacity of a storage device
Systems, methods and/or devices are used to enable triggering, at a host system, a process to reduce declared capacity of a storage device. In one aspect, the method includes, at a host to which a storage device of the storage system is operatively coupled: (1) obtaining one or more metrics of the storage device, the storage device including non-volatile memory, (2) detecting a trigger condition in accordance with the one or more metrics of the storage device, and (3) enabling an amelioration process associated with the detected trigger condition, the amelioration process to reduce declared capacity of the non-volatile memory of the storage device. In some embodiments, the storage device includes one or more flash memory devices. |
| US09519422B2 |
Graphical user interface
A graphical user interface is provided for navigating and/or manipulating content simply via touch of a touch-sensitive surface. The content may include discrete content items (e.g., songs, video clips, documents, web pages) and/or actions (e.g., place a call, read a message, play a game), and may or may not be hierarchical in nature. The interface may be presented on a touch-screen display, such that a user may navigate to a content item or action via a single touch on the display (e.g., with a finger or other tool), followed by gliding through any number of levels or clusters of nodes (representing content items, content compilations/categories and/or actions). The desired content item or action may be initiated automatically (e.g., opened, performed) simply by touching it, by lifting the gliding finger or by performing some other input (e.g., tapping a node, speaking a command, touching with a second finger). |
| US09519419B2 |
Skinnable touch device grip patterns
Skinnable touch device grip pattern techniques are described herein. A touch-aware skin may be configured to substantially cover the outer surfaces of a computing device. The touch-aware skin may include a plurality of skin sensors configured to detect interaction with the skin at defined locations. The computing device may include one or more modules operable to obtain input from the plurality of skin sensors and decode the input to determine grips patterns that indicate how the computing device is being held by a user. Various functionality provided by the computing device may be selectively enabled and/or adapted based on a determined grip pattern such that the provided functionality may change to match the grip pattern. |
| US09519414B2 |
Smart whiteboard interactions
Technologies are generally described for providing whiteboard records accessibility to users interacting with a whiteboard. A whiteboard may enable two or more users to interact with the whiteboard concurrently. The whiteboard may identify the users interacting with the whiteboard and may identify permission settings associated with the users. Based on the identification of the users and detected permission settings, the whiteboard may activate a whiteboard records accessibility mode to provide access to whiteboard records. In a public mode, any user may interact with the whiteboard, and the whiteboard may provide access to a public records data store. In a private mode, the whiteboard may provide access to a separate private records data store associated with an authenticated user interacting with the whiteboard. When two users interact with the whiteboard concurrently, the whiteboard may separate the whiteboard records such that each user can access records corresponding to the detected permission settings. |
| US09519404B2 |
Image segmentation for data verification
Aspects of the present disclosure relate to image segmentation for data verification. A method of the disclosure comprises: receiving, using a processing device, an image of at least a part of a document; identifying a first image region in the image that corresponds to data to be verified by a user; extracting data from the image of at least the part of the document partitioning the image into a plurality of image segments based on positioning information related to the first image region, wherein the plurality of image segments comprises a first image segment and a second image segment, and wherein the second image segment comprises the first image region; and presenting data extracted from the first image region in association with the first image segment and the second image segment. |
| US09519403B2 |
Method and apparatus for performing URL linkage function using the keypad
A method and an apparatus for performing a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) linkage function using a keypad that changes a screen to a mapped URL when a predetermined key is selected are provided. The method includes displaying the keypad that executes the URL linkage function, sensing a predetermined type of touch generated on a predetermined key existing in the keypad, displaying, in a pop-up menu, a URL item registered in advance on the key, in response to the predetermined type of touch, and changing a screen to a selected URL when a predetermined URL is selected in the pop-up menu. |
| US09519398B2 |
Search in a nature inspired user interface
Techniques are described for interacting with a nature inspired virtual environment to present information to the user. The information can be presented to the user by using a collection of icons in the virtual environment. The virtual environment and the collection of icons can resemble a scene from nature. As a result, the additional information is presented to the user without disrupting the visual appearance of the nature inspired virtual environment. |
| US09519396B2 |
Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for placing an asset on a three-dimensional model
Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are provided for placing an asset on a three-dimensional model. Each asset can be associated with a pivot point and with an asset normal. A contact point on the surface of a model where an asset is to be positioned may be identified, and a surface normal that may be perpendicular to the surface at the contact point may also be identified. Then, the asset can be placed on the model such that the position of the pivot point of the asset may coincide with the position of the identified contact point on the surface of the model, and such that the orientation of the asset normal may match the orientation of the identified surface normal. |
| US09519392B2 |
Touch screen panel fabrication method and touch screen panel
A method for fabricating a touch screen panel includes forming a metal layer on a substrate, and patterning the metal layer to form a metal pattern including a pad metal layer, a wiring metal layer, a connection metal layer, and a sensing metal layer including metal lines having a mesh shape. The method also includes forming a first transparent conductive layer on the substrate, forming an insulation layer on the first transparent conductive layer, patterning the insulation layer to form a wiring insulation layer, a connection insulation layer, and a sensing insulation layer, patterning the first transparent conductive layer to form a peripheral wiring, a connector, and a sensing electrode; forming a second transparent conductive layer on the substrate including the peripheral wiring, the connector, and the sensing electrode; and patterning the second transparent conductive layer to form a pad area and a bridge. |
| US09519391B2 |
Capacitive sensor array with pattern variation
Embodiments described herein provide capacitive sensor arrays. The capacitive sensor arrays include a plurality of column sensor elements arranged in a plurality of columns and a plurality of row sensor elements arranged in a plurality of rows. The plurality of rows and the plurality of columns are arranged such that each of the row sensor elements is at least partially within a gap between adjacent ones of the column sensor elements. A capacitance between a first portion of one of the columns and an adjacent first portion of one of the rows is greater than a capacitance between a second portion of one of the columns and an adjacent second portion of one of the rows. |
| US09519387B2 |
Display device including conductive layer and touch sensors configured to receive the same signal
A display device includes a display panel, a signal controller, sensing signal lines, and a touch sensor controller. The display panel includes pixels configured to display images, and touch sensor electrodes configured to sense a touch event. The touch sensor electrodes overlap a conductive layer. The signal controller is configured to generate signals to control the display of the images via the display panel. The sensing signal lines are respectively connected to the touch sensor electrodes. The touch sensor controller is configured to transmit a sensing input signal via the sensing signal lines, receive a sensing output signal via the sensing signal lines, and generate touch information based on reception of the sensing output signal. The touch sensor controller is configured to apply the same signal to the touch sensor electrodes and the conductive layer. |
| US09519385B2 |
Semiconductor device and electronic device
The touch panel controller is connected with a touch panel having a plurality of drive electrodes, a plurality of detection electrodes, and a plurality of capacitance components formed at intersections of the drive and detection electrodes. A two-edge detection mode is adopted for the touch panel controller, in which signals arising on each detection electrode in synchronization with rising and falling edges of a drive pulse output to the drive electrodes, and alternately changing in polarity are accumulated in the integration circuit in terms of absolute value components. The integration circuit switches the connection of the integration capacitance between an input and an output before the drive pulse edge changing. The touch panel controller contributes to the shortening of the time for touch detection by the touch panel and the increase of the accuracy of touch detection. |
| US09519384B2 |
Control system and method for capacitive touch screen
A control system for a capacitive touch screen is provided. The control system comprises a touch detecting circuit, touch hard instruction, a storage module and a controller. The touch detecting circuit detects a capacitance variance to generate touch data. The touch hard instruction executes a touch computing function on the touch data. The storage module is connected to the touch detecting circuit and the at least one touch hard instruction, and records the touch data generated by the touch detecting circuit and the touch data computed by the touch hard instruction. The controller is connected to the touch detecting circuit, the at least one touch hard instruction, and the storage module, and assigns at least one touch task of a touch algorithm to the at least one touch hard instruction, so as to execute a corresponding touch computing function of the touch algorithm. |
| US09519382B2 |
Touch panel device and portable information terminal including touch panel device
A touch panel device including an electrostatic capacitance type touch sensor in which a plurality of transparent electrode units are arranged in X and Y directions; a conductive layer that is connected to predetermined transparent electrode units among the plurality of transparent electrode units forming the electrostatic capacitance type touch sensor unit and that extends outward from an arrangement area of the plurality of transparent electrode units; a position detection unit that detects a position at which an external object contacts a surface near the electronic capacitance type touch sensor or the conductive layer; and a processor that executes a predetermined application program based on the position detected by the IC unit. |
| US09519379B2 |
Display device, control method of display device, and non-transitory computer-readable medium
A projector provides plural display areas on a screen and respectively displays input images input from plural image sources in the respective display areas by a projection unit, and includes a location detection unit that detects a pointed location of a pointing tool on the screen, and an image processing unit that executes processing over the plural display areas according to the detected pointed location. |
| US09519378B2 |
Pressure detector and touch panel provided with pressure detector
[Object] To provide a pressure detector capable of accurately detecting a pressing force.[Solution] A pressure detector according to the present invention includes a first piezoelectric sheet 3a, a second piezoelectric sheet 3b located so as to be close to or in contact with the first piezoelectric sheet 3a, and a detection electrode 4 that sandwiches the first piezoelectric sheet 3a and the second piezoelectric sheet 3b. The first piezoelectric sheet 3a and the second piezoelectric sheet 3b are composed of materials having identical characteristics and have a thickness of 5 μm to 50 μm. Potential differences respectively generated between surfaces on a support substrate 1 side and surfaces opposite to the support substrate 1 of the first piezoelectric sheet 3a and the second piezoelectric sheet 3b when the first piezoelectric sheet 3a and the second piezoelectric sheet 3b are pulled in an in-plane direction have a relationship expressed by expression 1: V1/V2<0. In expression 1, V1 and V2 represent potential differences respectively generated between the surfaces on the support substrate 1 side and the surfaces opposite to the support substrate 1 of the first piezoelectric sheet 3a and the second piezoelectric sheet 3b. |
| US09519376B2 |
Method and electronic device for processing finger motion
A method in an electronic device includes displaying an image on a screen, detecting a swiping of a finger through a sensor, and selecting at least a portion of the image based on the swiping of the finger. An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a memory configured to store one or more pieces of fingerprint information, a screen configured to display an image, and at least one processor configured to detect a swiping of a finger through a sensor, and select at least a portion of the image based on the swiping of the finger. Other various embodiments are also disclosed. |
| US09519375B2 |
Portable device
An improved portable device has at least one touch-sensitive input surface for operator input and at least one sensor for detecting the input on the input surface. There is at least one sensor for monitoring the input surface which is designed to receive large-area and/or nearly simultaneous inputs, and at least one preset special function on the device which is able to be triggered by large-area input and/or nearly simultaneous inputs. |
| US09519370B2 |
Display device and method for driving the same
A display device and a method for driving the same are disclosed. In one aspect, the display device includes a plurality of pixels defined on a substrate and a sensor formed in at least one of the plurality of pixels and adjacently arranged at the same vertical level as that of a thin film transistor formed on the substrate to sense bending of the substrate and pressure that is applied to the substrate. |
| US09519366B2 |
Touch sensor
A touch sensor includes a transparent substrate, and an electrode pattern formed on the transparent substrate. The electrode pattern is formed by stacking at least two or more electrode layers, thereby enhancing the anti-corrosion and visibility of electrode patterns and ensuring the adhesive reliability of the transparent substrate and the electrode patterns. |
| US09519364B2 |
Touch screen sensing device and method for sensing touch screen
A touch screen sensing device includes a touch screen including touch sensors formed at crossings of Tx lines and Rx lines, a Tx driving circuit supplying a driving pulse to each of the Tx lines N times, and an Rx driving circuit which samples a signal voltage of the touch sensors received through the Rx lines and converts the sampled signal voltage into digital data. The Rx driving circuit includes a differential amplifier differentially amplifying signals received through the Rx lines, a low pass filter removing a radio frequency noise from an output of the differential amplifier, an amplifier amplifying an output of the low pass filter, and an integrator accumulating signal voltages which are successively output from the amplifier. |
| US09519363B2 |
Stylus and stylus circuitry for capacitive touch screens
A stylus for a capacitive touch screen includes an inverting charge integrator circuit is connected to a conductive tip for providing an output signal proportional to a charge induced at the conductive tip. An inverting amplifier generates an amplified signal proportional to the signal output from the inverting charge integrator. A conductive contact provides electrical or capacitive coupling between the amplified signal and an exterior of the stylus which may provide electrical or capacitive coupling with a person holding the stylus. In other embodiments, the order of the inverting charge integrator and the inverting amplifier may be reversed. A power supply circuit powers the inverting charge integrator and the inverting amplifier. Shielding may be implemented to isolate the stylus circuitry and prevent oscillation. The provided circuitry may enable a ball point or other fine point stylus tip configurations. |
| US09519359B2 |
Touch input apparatus including annular open or closed loop ground plate, with or without slits, positioned around a magnetic core, for decreasing eddy loss
The present invention provides an input apparatus which can include a conductivity tip, a coil electrically connected to the tip, and a ground plate electrically connected to the coil and forming an open loop in a circumference direction of the coil. |
| US09519356B2 |
Link gestures
Techniques involving gestures and other functionality are described. In one or more implementations, the techniques describe gestures that are usable to provide inputs to a computing device. A variety of different gestures are contemplated, including bimodal gestures (e.g., using more than one type of input) and single modal gestures. Additionally, the gesture techniques may be configured to leverage these different input types to increase the amount of gestures that are made available to initiate operations of a computing device. |
| US09519354B2 |
Input assisting device for touch panel
An input assisting device 50 for a touch panel includes a body portion 51 to be attached to a predetermined portion of a finger, a linear portion 52 that has a width of 5 mm or less and is attached to the body portion 51 so that the linear portion 52 is projected 10 mm or more from the fingertip when the body portion 51 is attached to the predetermined portion, and a contact portion 54 that is provided on a tip portion of the linear portion 52 so that the contact portion 54 is directed from a nail to the inner surface of the finger when the body portion 51 is attached to the predetermined portion. The contact portion 54 is electrically connected with the finger when the body portion 51 is attached to the predetermined portion. |
| US09519353B2 |
Combined speech and touch input for observation symbol mappings
The invention relates to systems and or methodologies for enabling combined speech and touch inputs for observation symbol mappings. More particularly, the current innovation leverages the commonality of touch screen display text entry and speech recognition based text entry to increase the speed and accuracy of text entry via mobile devices. Touch screen devices often contain small and closely grouped keypads that can make it difficult for a user to press the intended character, by combining touch screen based text entry with speech recognition based text entry the aforementioned limitation can be overcome efficiently and conveniently. |
| US09519351B2 |
Providing a gesture-based interface
Systems and methods for providing a gesture-based interface are provided. In some aspects, depth data indicative of a person interacting with one or more display devices is received. The one or more display devices display a plurality of columns. Each of the plurality of columns includes a plurality of icons. A column corresponding to a position of the person with respect to the one or more display devices is determined using the depth data. The column is from among the plurality of columns displayed at the one or more display devices. A signal for expanding a predetermined icon in the column corresponding to the position of the person with respect to the one or more display devices is provided. |
| US09519349B2 |
Touch screen interface device
A mechanical interface device having a number of three-dimensional tactile actuators is mounted to the touchscreen of an electronic device having a monitor, wherein a controller coupled to the touchscreen and to the monitor is operative to cause the monitor to display graphic images and/or text in response to engagement with or movement along the surface of the touchscreen by the three-dimensional tactile actuators. |
| US09519346B2 |
Low-frequency effects haptic conversion system
A system is provided that produces haptic effects. The system receives an audio signal that includes a low-frequency effects audio signal. The system further extracts the low-frequency effects audio signal from the audio signal. The system further converts the low-frequency effects audio signal into a haptic signal by shifting frequencies of the low-frequency effects audio signal to frequencies within a target frequency range of a haptic output device. The system further sends the haptic signal to the haptic output device, where the haptic signal causes the haptic output device to output one or more haptic effects. |
| US09519344B1 |
User input system for immersive interaction
A system and method for providing immersive interaction between users and interactive software programs comprise receiving radio frequency (RF) signals, transmitted by an RF-transmitting device, at three or more spatially separated antennas. Time of arrival information is acquired from the RF signals. A position of the RF-transmitting device is computed from the time of arrival information acquired from the RF signals. The position of the RF-transmitting device is registered within a virtual environment produced by an interactive software program (which can execute on a mobile device). The virtual environment, as affected by the registered position of the RF-transmitting device, is transmitted to a display apparatus for display. |
| US09519340B2 |
Wearable watch-type terminal and system equipped with the same
A mobile terminal including a main body configured to be worn on a user's wrist; a wireless communication unit configured to wirelessly communicate with a glasses-type terminal worn by the user, said glasses-type terminal including a camera configured to capture an image including operational data for operating an external apparatus; and a controller configured to receive including the operational data from the glasses-type terminal, store the operational data in a memory associated with the mobile terminal, and transmit a control signal to the external apparatus to control the external apparatus according to the stored operational data. |
| US09519334B2 |
Methods and articles of manufacture for hosting a safety critical application on an uncontrolled data processing device
Methods and articles of manufacture for hosting a safety critical application on an uncontrolled data processing device are provided. Various combinations of installation, functional, host integrity, coexistence, interoperability, power management, and environment checks are performed at various times to determine if the safety critical application operates properly on the device. The operation of the SCA on the UDPD may be controlled accordingly. |
| US09519332B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing system, and power control method
There is provided an information processing apparatus including a mode control unit configured to perform control at least so as to switch a first mode that causes the information processing apparatus to be operated at a first voltage level and a second mode that causes the information processing apparatus to be operated at a second voltage level higher than the first voltage level, and an operation control unit configured to disable certain input operation performed by a user if a state satisfies a certain condition after the mode control unit switches a mode to the second mode. |
| US09519330B2 |
Energy-efficient multicore processor architecture for parallel processing
A multicore computer architecture provides for clock dividers on each core, the clock dividers capable of providing rapid changes in the clock frequency of the core. The clock dividers are used to reduce the clock frequency of individual cores spinning while waiting for a synchronization instruction resolution such as a lock variable. Core power demands may be decreased before and after change in dock speed to reduce power bus disruption. |
| US09519328B2 |
Techniques for selectively reducing power levels of ports and core switch logic in infiniband switches
Methods for performing power management of InfiniBand (IB) switches and apparatus and software configured to implement the methods. Power management datagrams (MADs) are used to inform IB switches that host servers connected to the IB switch's ports are to transition to a reduced-power or offline state or have returned to a normal operating state. A subnet management agent (SMA) on the IB switch receives the power MADs from the host servers and tracks each server's operating state. In response to power down MADs, the SMA coordinates power reduction of the switch's ports and other switch circuitry. For switches with multi-port IB interfaces, a multi-port interface is caused to enter a reduced-power state when all of its ports are connected to host servers that are idle or offline. Additionally, when all of a switch's ports are connected to idle or offline servers the SMA may put the switch's core switch logic into a reduced-power state. Power MADs are also used to inform upstream IB switches when a switch is to transition to a reduced power state or has returned to a normal operating state. |
| US09519325B2 |
Application processors, mobile devices including the same and methods of managing power of application processors
An application processor includes a memory controller, a display block and a power management unit. The memory controller controls an external memory that stores an image signal to be displayed on a display unit. The display block includes an internal frame buffer and a display controller and the display controller controls the image signal to be displayed on the display unit. The power management unit adaptively controls a power mode of the application processor based on a characteristic of the image signal to be displayed and a power control overhead index. |
| US09519318B2 |
Carrier with multiple storage devices having different form factors
Storage systems, carriers, enclosures and support PCBs connecting to a first storage device of a first form factor such as a hard disc drive (HDD), a dongle within a storage carrier coupled to the first storage device, and a second storage device such as a solid-state drive (SSD) coupled to the dongle having a second form factor different than or smaller than the first form factor. |
| US09519316B2 |
Flash drive with attached cover
A flash drive includes a housing comprising a front wall, a rear wall and an inner space formed by the front wall and the rear wall; a storage module disposed in the inner space; a plug head mounted at one end of the storage module; a positioning element positioning the storage module in the inner space of the housing in such a manner that the plug head protrudes from one end of the housing; and a cover pivoted to the front wall and the rear wall through an eccentric-rotation structure to cover or uncover the plug head. |
| US09519314B2 |
Intrinsically safe case for a tablet computer
A case for a tablet computer has an upper shell and a lower shell. The upper shell has an open area through which the screen of the tablet computer is exposed. The upper shell is in sealed relation against a periphery of the tablet computer. The lower shell is in sealed relation to the upper shell. A subframe is interposed in sealed relation between the upper shell and the lower shell. The subframe has an outer periphery aligned with an outer periphery of the upper shell and the lower shell. A finned member is affixed to the shells so as to transfer heat from the tablet computer outwardly of the shells. A plurality of pins are formed in the shell and are suitable for allowing electrical connection with the tablet computer. |
| US09519311B2 |
Electronic device
An electronic device including a casing, a sound cabinet structure and a magnetic element is provided. The casing has an accommodating recess located inside the casing. The sound cabinet structure is located inside the casing and adjacent to the accommodating recess. The sound cabinet structure includes a resonance cavity and a sound output opening. The resonance cavity is communicated with the accommodating recess. The sound output opening penetrates through the casing and is communicated with the resonance cavity. The magnetic element is disposed inside the accommodating recess and adaptable to move in the accommodating recess, so that the casing is adaptable to be connected with an object or remove from the object. A hitting sound generated by the magnetic element while moving in and contacting the accommodating recess passes through and is effected by the sound cabinet structure. |
| US09519310B2 |
Display method and terminal for changing displayed content based on the device orientation
A display terminal has a rectangle display screen with a long side and a short side and has two states, a first state in which only the short side is parallel to a horizontal plane and a second state in which only the long side is parallel to the horizontal plane. A display method includes generating a first display command when the terminal is detected to be in the first state and generating a second display command when the terminal is detected to be in the second state. |
| US09519308B2 |
Printed circuit board, design method thereof and mainboard of terminal product
A printed circuit board and a design method thereof are disclosed. The design method includes: wiring signal lines on an area basis at inner layers adjacent to outer surface layers; arranging the outer surface layers with no wiring or few wirings and interconnecting the outer surface layers through vias, so that the outer surface layers function as a primary ground; and setting parameters of a line width and a layer height to control a target impedance value. The printed circuit board includes outer surface layers and two inner layers therebetween. The inner layers adjacent to the outer surface layers are used for arranging signal lines on an area basis; and the outer surface layers are arranged with no wiring or few wirings and are interconnected as a primary ground through vias. The invention also discloses a mainboard of a terminal product using the printed circuit board. |
| US09519307B2 |
Detecting full-system idle state in adaptive-tick kernels
A technique for detecting full-system idle state in an adaptive-tick kernel includes detecting non-timekeeping CPU idle state, initiating a hysteresis period, waiting for the hysteresis period to end, manipulating a data structure whose state indicates whether a scheduling clock tick may be disabled on all CPUs, and disabling the scheduling clock tick if the data structure is in an appropriate state. In a first embodiment, non-timekeeping CPUs manipulate a global counter when entering an idle state, but add hysteresis to avoid thrashing the counter. Timekeeping is turned off based on the count maintained on the global counter. In a second embodiment, a Read-Copy Update (RCU) dynticks-idle subsystem running on a timekeeping CPU manipulates a global state variable whose states indicate whether all non-timekeeping CPUs are in an idle state, and if so, for how long. Timekeeping is turned off based on the state of the global state variable. |
| US09519304B1 |
Ultra-low power bias current generation and utilization in current and voltage source and regulator devices
A bias current topology with embodiments in current source, current reference, (pseudo bandgap) voltage reference, and bandgap voltage reference that operate at ultra low currents and low power supply voltages which may use main stream standard digital Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS) processes. The bias current topology uses chiefly a self cascode (SC), whose active resistor MOSFET is paced in series with the gate input of the MOSFETs that help generate the proportional to absolute temperature (PTAT) voltage that is applied to the active resistor MOSFET to produce a bias current. |
| US09519301B2 |
Contingency-based load shedding
Disclosed herein are a variety of systems and methods for management of an electric power generation and distribution system. According to various embodiments, a system consistent with the present disclosure may be configured to analyze a data set comprising a plurality of generator performance characteristics of a generator at a plurality of operating conditions. The performance characteristics may be used to produce a generator capability model. The generator capability model may comprise a mathematical representation approximating the generator performance characteristics at the plurality of operating conditions. The system may further produce an estimated generator capacity at a modeled condition that is distinct from the generator performance characteristics of the data set and is based upon the generator capability model and may implement a control action based on the estimated generator capacity at the modeled condition. |
| US09519298B2 |
Multi-junction semiconductor circuit and method
Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to methods, apparatuses and systems involving a multi junction semiconductor circuit. According to an example embodiment, an apparatus includes a multi junction semiconductor circuit including a first current path and a second current path, each current path having respective first and second common voltage nodes to provide an output that is proportional to absolute temperature. The first current path includes a first p-n junction exhibiting a first current density. The second current path includes a second p-n junction exhibiting a second current density that is proportionally different than the first current density, and a resistor connected between the second p-n junction and the second common voltage node. Further, the apparatus includes a current-tap path connected to a node between the resistor and the second p-n junction, the current-tap path diverts a portion of current that flows through the resistor away from the second p-n junction. |
| US09519297B1 |
Dynamic differential energy control of hydronic heating or cooling systems
A system and method for controlling a building system includes a supply temperature sensor upstream of a thermal load, a return temperature sensor downstream of the thermal load, and a controller. The controller is configured to calculate an actual thermal energy difference from the supply and return temperature sensors. The controller is configured to control a flow rate of a pump such that the measured thermal energy difference is equal to a desired thermal energy difference for the system, and the measured thermal energy difference is constant for a time interval. A system and method for controlling a building system includes determining a desired thermal energy difference for a load, measuring a supply and return temperature of the load, and reducing the system flow rate such that a valve controlling the load flow rate is at an at partially open condition when the return temperature of the load is the desired return temperature. |
| US09519295B2 |
Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning management system and method
Systems and methods of controlling a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning system are provided that operate according to signals returned from return air temperature sensors as well as the supply air temperature sensors. Using predetermined temperature setpoints, return temperature information, and supply temperature information, the HVAC system is configured to maintain the temperature of a room first, by the use of its cooling valve, and second and only when the capacity of the cooling valve has peaked, by use of the fan. The presently disclosed improved HVAC system operates more efficiently by avoiding unit loading hopping and minimizing power consumption. |
| US09519294B2 |
Low pressure pilot operated relief valve
Embodiments of the invention provide a relief valve body arranged for connecting to a pressure vessel. The relief valve body includes an inlet configured to connect to a pressure vessel and an integrated nozzle downstream from the inlet and extending along an axis. The integrated nozzle includes a nozzle exterior surface, a nozzle bulb, and a valve seat and defines a nozzle expansion region. The relief valve body further includes a redirecting pallet, a valve interior surface having at least one ramped portion downstream from the integrated nozzle and redirecting pallet, and an outlet downstream from the at least one ramped portion. |
| US09519292B2 |
High pressure valve assembly
A valve assembly for high pressure applications includes a pre-charge chamber, at least one inlet for pressurized gas to enter the assembly, a system poppet and an outlet for releasing pressurized gas into a desired environment. Pressurized gas can flow through access channels into a single bellows, which expands to move a shaft connected to the system poppet to open the poppet. In another embodiment, the pre-charge chamber compresses a first bellows to expand a second bellows, and vice versa upon reciprocation. The two bellows are hydraulically connected and filled with incompressible fluid. Each bellows has an internal limiting valve to retain incompressible fluid therewithin, and to preclude the complete nesting of either of the bellows. The retained fluid within the bellows maintains an internal pressure to minimize differential pressure, thereby minimizing the risk of bellows failure. |
| US09519291B2 |
Coordination of solvent delivery with pre-injection operations in a liquid chromatograph
A liquid chromatography system includes an autosampler that prepares a sample for introduction to a solvent stream and a solvent delivery system that delivers a solvent stream to the autosampler. Delivery of the solvent stream occurs in parallel with the autosampler's pre-injection operations. The autosampler starts pre-injection operations to make the sample ready for injection into the mixture stream, and the solvent delivery system starts delivery of a solvent stream to the autosampler. The start of the solvent stream delivery is coordinated with the start of the pre-injection operations such that the solvent stream arrives at the autosampler approximately coincident with when the autosampler completes the pre-injection operations, making the sample ready for injection. |
| US09519290B2 |
Associating passenger docking locations with destinations
A method and apparatus for associating passenger docking locations with destinations are disclosed. Associating passenger docking locations with destinations may include an autonomous vehicle identifying transportation network information representing a vehicle transportation network, including a primary destination, wherein identifying the transportation network information includes identifying the transportation network information such that the transportation network information includes docking location information representing a plurality of docking locations, wherein each docking location corresponds with a respective location in the vehicle transportation network, and such that at least one docking location from the plurality of docking locations is associated with the primary destination. The autonomous vehicle may determine a target docking location from the plurality of docking locations for the primary destination based on the transportation network information, identify a route from an origin to the target docking location, and travel from the origin to the target docking location using the route. |
| US09519289B2 |
Systems and methods for performing simultaneous localization and mapping using machine vision systems
The present invention provides a mobile robot configured to navigate an operating environment, that includes a controller circuit that directs a drive of the mobile robot to navigate the mobile robot through an environment using camera-based navigation system and a camera including optics defining a camera field of view and a camera optical axis, where the camera is positioned within the recessed structure and is tilted so that the camera optical axis is aligned at an acute angle of above a horizontal plane in line with the top surface and is aimed in a forward drive direction of the robot body, and the camera is configured to capture images of the operating environment of the mobile robot. |
| US09519288B2 |
Operator assistance system
A system having a controller is provided. The controller receives a signal indicative of an actual position and an actual orientation of a machine on a worksite, from a position detection module. The controller determines a first view of the machine on the worksite. The first view shows the actual position of the machine and a target position of the machine. The target position is located on a bucket circle. The controller determines a second view of the machine on the worksite. The second view has a first and a second indicator. The first indicator is indicative of the actual position and the actual orientation of the machine. The second indicator is indicative of the target position and a target orientation of the machine and includes a target circle. The controller displays any one of the first view and the second view based, at least in part, on the actual position of the machine relative to the target position on a display unit. |
| US09519286B2 |
Delayed telop aid
The proposed system, Delayed Telop Aid (DTA), improves the teleoperator's ability to control the vehicle in a three step process. First, DTA predicts robot motion given the operators commands. Second, DTA creates synthetic images to produce a video feed that looks as if the robot communication link had no delay and no reduced bandwidth. Finally, DTA performs closed loop control on the robot platform to ensure that the robot follows the operator's commands. A closed loop control of the platform makes sure that the predicted pose after the delay (and therefore the image presented to the operator) is achieved by the platform. This abstracts away the latency-sensitive parts of the robot control, making the robot's behavior stable in the presence of poorly characterized latency between the operator and the vehicle. |
| US09519285B2 |
Systems and associated methods for tuning processing tools
The present disclosure provides various methods for tuning process parameters of a process tool, including systems for implementing such tuning. An exemplary method for tuning process parameters of a process tool such that the wafers processed by the process tool exhibit desired process monitor items includes defining behavior constraint criteria and sensitivity adjustment criteria; generating a set of possible tool tuning process parameter combinations using process monitor item data associated with wafers processed by the process tool, sensitivity data associated with a sensitivity of the process monitor items to each process parameter, the behavior constraint criteria, and the sensitivity adjustment criteria; generating a set of optimal tool tuning process parameter combinations from the set of possible tool tuning process parameter combinations; and configuring the process tool according to one of the optimal tool tuning process parameter combinations. |
| US09519284B2 |
Transporting inventory items using mobile drive units and conveyance equipment
A method for transporting inventory items includes moving a mobile drive unit to a first point within a workspace. The first point is a location of an inventory holder. The method further includes docking the mobile drive unit with the inventory holder and moving the mobile drive unit and the inventory holder to a second point within the workspace. The second point is associated with conveyance equipment. The method further includes moving the inventory holder to a third point within the workspace using the conveyance equipment. |
| US09519279B2 |
Waveform display device provided with search function according to set condition
A waveform display device displaying by a waveform a time series of physical quantity data in a machine tool having a servo motor controlled by a numerical control device, the waveform display device including: a time series data acquisition part acquiring the time series of physical quantity data; a search condition setting part setting a search condition of the physical quantity data; a data search part searching for physical quantity data satisfying the search condition set from the acquired physical quantity data; and a search result display part extracting a time series of physical quantity data in a predetermined range including the searched physical quantity data or other physical quantity data corresponding to the searched physical quantity data from the acquired physical quantity data, and displaying the extracted time series of physical quantity data by a waveform. |
| US09519270B2 |
Power reserve indicator for a timepiece
Timepiece power reserve indicator for the display of the power reserve indication of a plurality of energy accumulators each including one indicator cooperating with one accumulator input of a differential mechanism comprised in the power reserve indicator, and wherein one output of the differential mechanism cooperates with a mechanism for the display of the total power reserve of the plurality of energy accumulators, and at least two of the inputs are coaxial. |
| US09519266B2 |
Duct and image forming apparatus using the same
A duct includes a suction port being connected to a first separate duct from a first direction, an exhaust port being connected to a second separate duct from the first direction, and a passage formed to extend from the suction port to the exhaust port. At least one of the suction port and the exhaust port includes a first opening portion that is opened to incline to the first direction and second opening portions at both ends of the first opening portion, the second opening portions that are opened in a transverse direction to the first direction. |
| US09519262B1 |
Positioning features and electrical contacts for a replaceable unit of an electrophotographic image forming device
A photoconductor unit for an electrophotographic image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a housing having a first end wall positioned at a first end of the housing. A photoconductive drum is mounted on the housing and has a rotational axis that runs from the first end to a second end of the housing. An electrically conductive first biasing member extends axially inward with respect to the photoconductive drum from an inner axial side of the first end wall. The first biasing member is exposed on the inner axial side of the first end wall to contact and force a developer unit toward the second end of the housing when the developer unit is operably mated with the photoconductor unit and to contact and form an electrical path with a corresponding electrical contact on the developer unit when the developer unit is operably mated with the photoconductor unit. |
| US09519261B2 |
Positional control features of a replaceable unit for an electrophotographic image forming device
A replaceable unit for an electrophotographic image forming device according to one example embodiment includes an elongated body extending along a lengthwise dimension between a front and a rear of the body. The body has a reservoir for holding toner. The body includes an extension downward from the bottom of the body near the rear of the body. The extension has a downward chute formed therein in fluid communication with the reservoir. A rear face of the extension is unobstructed to receive a bias force in a forward direction toward the front of the body along the lengthwise dimension. An outlet port on the bottom of the extension is in fluid communication with the chute for transferring toner out of the reservoir. The replaceable unit may include a positioning bump on the bottom of the body at a rearmost position on the bottom of the body. |
| US09519258B1 |
Image forming unit, image forming apparatus, and cleaning device
An image forming unit includes an image carrying body, a plate-shaped cleaning member, and a powder of a fatty acid metal salt. The image carrying body is configured to be rotatable and carries an image formed on a surface thereof with a toner. The plate-shaped cleaning member includes a tip portion which is pressed against the surface and which scrapes a material adhering onto the surface in response to rotation of the image carrying body. The powder of the fatty acid metal salt is applied to at least one of the tip portion and the surface. |
| US09519253B2 |
Electric power supply device and image forming apparatus
An electric power supply device for supplying electric power to a load, the electric power supply device includes a first relay connected with a live line of an AC voltage source; a second relay connected with a neutral line of the AC voltage source; a controller for executing a starting sequence for rendering On the first relay and the second relay from Off state; and a storing portion for storing information relating to the starting sequence executed by the controller; wherein when the electric power supply device is actuated, the controller switches the starting sequence on the basis of the information stored in the storing portion. |
| US09519251B2 |
Fixing device and image forming apparatus comprising a multilayered twill fabric slide sheet
A fixing device includes an endless belt rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation and a nip formation pad disposed opposite an inner circumferential surface of the endless belt. A slide sheet is sandwiched between the nip formation pad and the endless belt and is a twill fabric containing a lubricant. The slide sheet includes a first sheet contacting the nip formation pad and including a first gutter defined by a first twill line in a first direction angled relative to the direction of rotation of the endless belt and a second sheet layered on the first sheet and contacting the endless belt. The second sheet includes a second gutter defined by a second twill line in a second direction angled relative to the direction of rotation of the endless belt. |
| US09519248B2 |
Fixing device including an induction heating unit with ducting for airflow, and image forming apparatus incorporating same
A fixing device includes a rotatable fixing member, a pressing member to contact the fixing member with pressure to form a nip between the pressing member and the fixing member, an induction heating unit serving as a heating source to heat the fixing member, and a conductive wire drawn out of the induction heating unit to be disposed outside the cover member through a hole provided substantially at a center of the cover member in a longitudinal direction of the induction heating unit. The induction heating unit includes an excitation coil, a coil holder to hold the excitation coil, and a cover member provided facing the coil holder with the coil holder interposed between the cover member and the fixing member. |
| US09519240B1 |
Developing device, assembly, and image forming apparatus
Provided is a developing device including a rotating member that faces a formation target member on which a toner image is formed, is rotated around a rotation shaft extruded from an end portion, and includes a holding portion having an outer circumference on which a toner is held, an accommodation member that accommodates the toner, includes a wall at which a notch is formed, and in which the rotating member is disposed in a state where the rotation shaft is extruded outwardly from an inner surface of the wall through the notch, and a fixation member that is fixed on both sides of an inner surface of the wall with interposing the notch. |
| US09519237B2 |
Electrostatic latent image developing toner, method for manufacturing electrostatic latent image developing toner, and method for fixing electrostatic latent image developing toner
An electrostatic latent image developing toner includes toner particles. Each toner particle includes a toner core containing a binder resin, a shell layer coating a surface of the toner core, and needle-like inorganic particulates. Each shell layer contains a thermosetting resin, and the inorganic particulates are present within the shell layer. The inorganic particulates have: an aspect ratio of 1.25 or more and 2.5 or less; and an average major diameter and an average minor diameter of 300 nm or less. |
| US09519236B2 |
Reversibly allochroic toner, method of producing the same, toner cartridge, and image forming apparatus
A reversibly allochroic toner contains a binder resin and a colorant. The colorant reversibly switches between first and second color states in response to temperature changes. The colorant exhibits a hysteresis in a temperature-color state curve thereof in which the following relationships are satisfied. Tr |
| US09519234B2 |
Carrier, two-component developer, supplemental developer, image forming method, process cartridge and image forming apparatus
There is provided a carrier including magnetic core particles; and a coating layer on a surface of each of the magnetic core particles, wherein the coating layer contains electroconductive particles; wherein the electroconductive particles are electroconductive particles in which white inorganic pigments are coated with phosphorus-doped tin or tungsten-doped tin; and wherein a dope ratio of phosphorus or tungsten to tin in the phosphorus-doped tin or tungsten-doped tin is 0.010 to 0.100. |
| US09519225B2 |
Systems and methods for high-throughput and small-footprint scanning exposure for lithography
The present disclosure provides a lithography system comprising a radiation source and an exposure tool including a plurality of exposure columns densely packed in a first direction. Each exposure column includes an exposure area configured to pass the radiation source. The system also includes a wafer carrier configured to secure and move one or more wafers along a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction, so that the one or more wafers are exposed by the exposure tool to form patterns along the second direction. The one or more wafers are covered with resist layer and aligned in the second direction on the wafer carrier. |
| US09519223B2 |
Surface position detection apparatus, exposure apparatus, and exposure method
A surface position detection apparatus capable of highly precisely detecting the surface position of a surface to be detected without substantially being affected by relative positional displacement due to a polarization component occurring in a light flux having passed through a reflective surface. In the apparatus, a projection system has a projection side prism member having first reflective surfaces, and a light receiving system has a light receiving prism member having second reflective surfaces arranged in correspondence with the projection side prism member. The surface position detection apparatus further has a member for compensating relative positional displacement due to a polarization component of a light flux having passed through the first and second reflective surfaces. |
| US09519221B2 |
Method for microwave processing of photosensitive polyimides
A method for curing photosensitive polyimide (PSPI) films includes the steps of: depositing a PSPI film on a selected substrate, and curing the film by microwave heating at a selected temperature from about 200 to 340° C. in a selected atmosphere containing an oxygen concentration from about 20 to 200,000 ppm. The process atmosphere may be static or flowing. The addition of oxygen improves the removal of acrylate residue and improves the Tg of the cured film, while the low processing temperature characteristic of the microwave process prevents the oxygen from damaging the polyimide backbone. The method may further include the steps of photopatterning and developing the PSPI film prior to curing. The process is particularly suitable for dielectric films on silicon for electronic applications. |
| US09519218B2 |
Resin, resist composition and method for producing resist pattern
1. A resist composition includes (A1) a resin which includes a structural unit represented by formula (a4), and a structural unit having a sulfonyl group, and the resin has no acid-labile group, (A2) a resin having an acid-labile group, and an acid generator. wherein R3 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, and R4 represents a C1 to C24 saturated hydrocarbon group having a fluorine atom, and a methylene group contained in the saturated hydrocarbon group may be replaced by an oxygen atom or a carbonyl group. |
| US09519214B2 |
Actinic-ray- or radiation-sensitive resin composition, actinic-ray- or radiation-sensitive film, pattern forming method, process for manufacturing electronic device and electronic device
An actinic-ray- or radiation-sensitive resin composition includes a compound (A) that is configured to produce an acid when exposed to actinic rays or radiation, and a resin (B). The compound (A) is expressed by general formula (1) or (2) below. The resin (B) contains a repeating unit (b) containing a group that is configured to decompose when acted on by an acid to thereby produce an alcoholic hydroxyl group. |
| US09519212B2 |
Mask inspection apparatus and method of controlling the same
A mask inspection apparatus includes a mask transfer unit configured to transfer a mask in one of a first direction and a direction opposite to the first direction, a displacement sensor unit configured to measure a distance to a sheet of the mask transferred by the mask transfer unit, a photographic unit configured to photograph the sheet of the mask transferred by the mask transfer unit, a control unit configured to send a height control signal for controlling a height of the photographic unit according to the measured distance, and a height control unit configured to control the height of the photographic unit according to the height control signal sent by the control unit. |
| US09519211B2 |
Photomask and methods for manufacturing and correcting photomask
The present invention provides a halftone mask comprising an assist pattern and a manufacturing method of the halftone mask, which uses an ArF excimer laser as an exposing source, is used for a projection exposure by an off axis illumination, does not resolve the assist pattern while keeping the focal depth magnification effect as the assist pattern, and may form a transferred image having high contrast of a main pattern. A photomask is a photomask comprising the main pattern which is transferred to a transfer-target surface by the projection exposure and the assist pattern which is formed nearby the main pattern and not transferred, characterized in that the main pattern and the assist pattern are each constituted from a semi-transparent film made of the same material, a retardation of 180° is generated between the light transmitting through the main pattern and the light transmitting through a transparent region of a transparent substrate, and a predetermined retardation within the scope of 70° to 115° is generated between the light transmitting through the assist pattern and the light transmitting through the transparent region of the transparent substrate. |
| US09519202B2 |
Auto-focusing device and image pickup device
An auto-focusing device including: an imaging unit which generates image data of a subject image; an optical system which includes a focus lens; a lens driver which drives the focus lens; a lens position detector which detects a position of the focus lens; a region detector which detects a predetermined region of the subject image; an evaluation value calculating unit which calculates an AF evaluation value; a movement determining unit which determines whether a subject is moving closer or away based on whether the predetermined region has been enlarged or reduced from the region before; and a lens controller which controls the lens driver, wherein the lens controller controls a moving direction and a moving speed of the focus lens in an autofocus operation based on a determination result of the movement determining unit, the AF evaluation value, and a position detection result for the focus lens. |
| US09519200B2 |
Optical control device
Provided is an optical control device including first and second optical waveguides, a first control signal electrode including a first input-side signal electrode, a second control signal electrode including a second input-side signal electrode, an inter-signal-electrode ground electrode, a first ground electrode, and a second ground electrode. The substrate has a first groove that is provided between the first input-side signal electrode and the inter-signal-electrode ground, a second groove that is provided between the first input-side signal electrode and the first ground electrode, a third groove that is provided between the second input-side signal electrode and the inter-signal-electrode ground electrode, and a fourth groove that is provided between the second input-side signal electrode and the second ground electrode. |
| US09519198B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display device, which includes: a liquid crystal layer; and a first substrate and a second substrate that are arranged so as to face each other with the liquid crystal layer being sandwiched therebetween. On the liquid crystal layer side of the first substrate, there are provided: a plurality of first thin film transistors that are arranged in a display region; a peripheral drive circuit which includes a plurality of second thin film transistors and is arranged in the periphery of the display region so as to supply drive signals to the plurality of first thin film transistors; an organic insulating film that is formed so as to cover the plurality of first thin film transistors and the plurality of second thin film transistors; and an inorganic insulating film that is formed on the organic insulating film. Each of the plurality of second thin film transistors has a semiconductor layer that contains a source portion, a channel portion and a drain portion; and the inorganic insulating film is arranged in a region that does not overlap at least the channel regions of the plurality of second thin film transistors when viewed from a direction normal to the first substrate. |
| US09519194B2 |
Liquid crystal display
A liquid crystal display, including: a first substrate; a gate line and a data line disposed on the first substrate; a pixel electrode disposed on the first substrate and including a stem portion and a plurality of branch electrodes that extends obliquely from the stem portion; a second substrate facing the first substrate; and a common electrode disposed on the second substrate, and the pixel electrode further includes a plurality of oblique portions disposed between the plurality of branch electrodes and the stem portion, and the plurality of oblique portions extends in a direction different from a direction in which the plurality of branch electrodes extends. |
| US09519192B2 |
Array substrate, flat display panel and manufacturing method for the same
The present invention provides an array substrate, a flat display panel and a manufacturing for the same. The array substrate includes a substrate, a common electrode disposed on the substrate, an insulation layer disposed on the common electrode, wherein, the insulation layer includes multiple first regions and multiple second regions, and the first regions and the second regions are disposed alternately, and multiple pixel electrodes respectively disposed on the first regions of the insulation layer. Wherein, a thickness of the first regions and a thickness of the second regions are different. Through above way, the electric field strength between pixel electrodes and the electric field strength above the pixel electrodes can be adjusted in order to increase the display quality of the flat display panel. |
| US09519188B2 |
Liquid crystal alignment film, method for preparing the same and use thereof
A liquid crystal alignment film, a method for preparing the same and use thereof. The method for preparing the alignment film comprises the steps of: coating stearic acid onto a substrate; adding a polyamide acid salt solution to deionized water to allow the polyamide acid salt solution to form a stable film of a monomolecular layer on the surface of the deionized water; contacting the substrate coated with a layer of stearic acid horizontally with the monomolecular layer of the polyamide acid salt on the surface of the deionized water to form a monomolecular polyamide acid salt layer; and imidizing the monomolecular polyamide acid salt layer to form a monomolecular polyimide film. |
| US09519178B2 |
Color filter substrate, electro-optic device, and electronic apparatus
A color filter substrate includes a color filter layer, a light-transmissive layer and a light-shielding layer. The light-transmissive layer is disposed between pixels and includes a side surface that forms a reflection surface. The light-shielding layer is laminated on the light-transmissive layer. |
| US09519175B2 |
Semiconductor device
A variable capacitor is formed from a pair of electrodes and a dielectric interposed between the electrodes over a substrate, and an external input is detected by changing capacitance of the variable capacitor by a physical or electrical force. Specifically, a variable capacitor and a sense amplifier are provided over the same substrate, and the sense amplifier reads the change of capacitance of the variable capacitor and transmits a signal in accordance with the input to a control circuit. |
| US09519170B2 |
Liquid crystal display and the narrow bazel structure thereof
A narrow bezel structure of a liquid crystal display is disclosed. The bezel structure includes a middle frame having a side wall and a horizontal wall connecting to the side wall. The side wall includes a front sidewall and a rear sidewall defines by the horizontal wall. A liquid crystal module of the LCD is fixed on the horizontal wall. The edge of the liquid crystal module corresponds to an internal side of the front sidewall. The rear sidewall is assembled with a back frame of the LCD, and a backlight module of the LCD is fixed on the back frame. In addition, the LCD incorporates the above narrow bezel structure is also disclosed. With the simple bezel structure, not only the front frame of the middle frame is prevented from bending outward, but also a plurality of industrial designs can be achieved. |
| US09519169B2 |
Liquid crystal display device, configurational structure of front frame and middle frame thereof
The present invention discloses a configuration structure for a front frame and a middle frame for use in a liquid crystal display device, and includes a front frame including a sidewall with a first tab and a first notch alternatively arranged. A middle frame is arranged with respect to the front frame, and includes a sidewall having a second notch corresponding to the first tab, and a second tab corresponding to the first notch, alternatively arranged; and wherein the first tab engages with the second notch, and the second tab engages with the first notch so as to securely interlock the front frame and the middle frame. The thickness made up by the sidewall of the front frame and the gap between the front frame and the middle frame is properly reduced, and this can effectively benefit the narrow-border of the liquid crystal display device. In addition, since the backboard is still there without being compromised, the overall mechanic strength of the liquid crystal display is greatly enhanced. On the other hand, since the sidewall of the front frame is directly in connection with the sidewall of the backboard on which the light source is mounted, the front frame can be properly served as a heatsink so as to improve the overall heat dissipation of the liquid crystal display device. The present invention further provides a liquid crystal display device incorporated with such a configurational structure. |
| US09519166B2 |
Circuit substrate, display panel and display device
This disclosure provides a circuit substrate, a display panel and a display device for solving the problem of a relatively large electrode pitch of the circuit substrate in the prior art while reducing the production cost. Wherein the circuit substrate comprises a substrate, a plurality of first electrodes arranged on the substrate, and insulating convex structures arranged between the substrate and the first electrodes, the convex structure comprising a top face and a bottom face, wherein the top face contacts with the first electrode, and the bottom face contacts with the substrate. |
| US09519165B2 |
Automated detection method
An automated detection method comprises steps of: moving at least one panel to a first detection station by a first automatic loading device for an automated lighting detection of the panel; assembling the panel with at least one polarizer and at least one circuit board to obtain a display module and moving the display module to a second detection station by a second automatic loading device for an automated optical detection and an automated lighting detection of the display module; and combining the display module and a backlight module to form a display device and moving the display device to a third detection station by a third automatic loading device for an automated lighting detection of the display device. |
| US09519163B2 |
Tunable silicon grating couplers
A photonic integrated circuit (PIC) is described. This PIC includes a grating coupler for surface-normal coupling that has an alternating pattern of grating teeth and grating trenches, where the grating trenches are filled with an electro-optical material. By applying an electric potential to the grating teeth, the index of refraction of the electro-optical material can be modified. |
| US09519162B2 |
Optical modulator having a plurality of modulator segments
An optical modulator apparatus may include a plurality of segment drivers, each segment driver having a unique offset voltage and driving but a portion or a segment of an electro-optical modulator. A modulating electrical signal may be applied to the segment drivers via a plurality of electrical delays. Parameters of the segment drivers may be selected so as to approximate a pre-defined transfer function, which may include a linear or a non-linear transfer function. |
| US09519157B2 |
Hinge joint for eyeglasses
The invention relates to a hinge joint (4) for eyeglasses, comprising a hinge tab (5) which engages between two limbs of a joint fork (6), and a hinge axis (7) arranged on a pivot arm (10) between the hinge tab (5) and the joint fork (6), wherein the pivot arm (10) can be pivoted about an inclination axis (9) perpendicular to the hinge axis (7) and can be retained in the respective pivot position by means of a latching toothing (12), the latching toothing interacting with a counter-toothing (13) of the pivot arm (10). In order to provide advantageous constructional conditions, it is proposed that the pivot arm (10) is provided in an elongated hole (11) which passes through the hinge tab (5) in the direction of the hinge axis (7), the longitudinal walls of the elongated hole forming the latching toothing (12) which is oriented radially relative to the inclination axis (9) and which interacts with the counter-toothing (13) of the pivot arm (10), and the hinge tab (5) engages between the limbs of the joint fork (5) with pivot play (14) relative to the inclination axis (9). |
| US09519146B2 |
Virtual image display apparatus
Image light is formed of light flux components having a diameter of, e.g., 3 mm or smaller. The image light is then caused to be incident on the iris of an eye to form an image in the form of a virtual image. The position where the principal rays of the light flux components that form the image light intersect one another is set to be a position shifted from the position of the iris of the eye toward the retina. The range of the light flux components that reach the retina can thus be changed in accordance with the motion of the eye. As a result, in accordance with a change in the line of sight that occurs when a wearer moves the line of sight in a specific direction, the image light can be so controlled that only image light components in the specific direction reach the retina of the eye. |
| US09519143B2 |
Headup display apparatus for vehicle
A headup display apparatus for vehicles is capable of suppressing deterioration of luminance of virtual images, while avoiding a cost increase. This headup display apparatus includes: a light emitting unit having at least a light emitting body that emits output light; a liquid crystal display which emits display light; a concave mirror which reflects the display light; and a housing which houses the light emitting unit, the liquid crystal display, and the concave mirror. The output light that has been emitted from the light emitting body, and the display light that has been reflected by the concave mirror are radiated to a windshield through a translucent cover, and a virtual image obtained by means of the radiation is visually recognized by a driver. The light emitting unit is disposed inside of the housing such that the light emitting unit faces the windshield with the translucent cover therebetween. |
| US09519140B2 |
Dust removing device, manufacturing method for same, and image pickup apparatus
In a dust removing device including a vibration plate, which includes on its surface an optical effective region B having a substantially right-angled quadrate shape and an outer region A, and a piezoelectric element, when a region positioned in one end portion of the piezoelectric element in a direction along a side O of the piezoelectric element and spanning along the side P over a length b inwards from a line, which is an extension of a side N, N′ of the optical effective region B and which intersects the piezoelectric element, is denoted by an near-end zone σ of the piezoelectric element, an absolute value of piezoelectric constant of the piezoelectric material in a region not including the near-end zone σ, is denoted by d, and an absolute value of the piezoelectric constant in the near-end zone σ is denoted by d0, relation of d>d0 is satisfied. |
| US09519136B2 |
Device and method for micro-electro-mechanical-system photonic switch
In one embodiment, a micro-electro-mechanical-system (MEMS) photonic switch includes a first plurality of collimators including a first collimator configured to receive a first traffic optical beam having a traffic wavelength and a first control optical beam having a control wavelength, where a first focal length of the first collimators at the traffic wavelength is different than a second focal length of the first collimators at the control wavelength. The MEMS photonic switch also includes a first mirror array optically coupled to the first plurality of collimators, where the first mirror array including a first plurality of first MEMS mirrors integrated on a first substrate and a first plurality of first photodiodes integrated on the first substrate, where the photodiodes are disposed in interstitial spaces between the MEMS mirrors. |
| US09519135B2 |
Aperture for illuminating micromirror arrays having mirror tilt axis not parallel with an array axis
A mirror array is positioned in relationship to a high intensity power light source to receive at least a portion of a high intensity light beam and to reflect at least a portion of the high intensity light beam. An aperture plate is positioned between the high intensity power light source and the mirror array. The aperture plate has an open area and an opaque area, the open area including a main portion and a tab portion. The main portion is located on a side of the tab portion distal from an incident light direction of the received high intensity beam of light. The open area is sized and positioned to allow rays of the high intensity beam of light to be passed through the tab portion and reflections of the passed rays of the high intensity beam of light to exit through the main portion. |
| US09519134B2 |
Optical device and image display apparatus
An optical device includes: an optical member which is formed of a plate-shaped part and on which light is incident; a frame so provided that the frame surrounds side surfaces of the optical member and made of an elastic material more elastic than the optical member; a shaft that supports the optical member and the frame in a swingable manner and is made of the elastic material; a support that supports the shaft; a first restricting member provided on a plate surface of the optical member; and a second restricting member that is provided in a position separate from the optical member and comes into contact with the first restricting member when the optical member and the frame swing. |
| US09519130B2 |
Force-insensitive Fabry-Perot etalon
A Fabry-Perot etalon is provided with first and second partially reflecting mirrors (12, 14) attached to a cuboidal spacer (16). The spacer (16) has a cylindrical bore (18) through its center and the mirrors (12, 14) are bonded, on axis, to opposite ends of this bore (18). Four support elements (22-28) are arranged symmetrically with respect to the axis in a tetrahedral configuration and constrain the cuboidal spacer (16) in all degrees of freedom. The cuboidal spacer (16) is flattened at its vertices, which results in modified distortion of the spacer (16) under the action of a compressive force acting through the supports. This structure of etalon provides insensitivity to inertial forces due to acceleration in all six degrees of freedom (three linear and three rotational) simultaneously with insensitivity to differential forces. |
| US09519129B2 |
Method and system for measuring porosity of particles
A method for analyzing porosity of a particle and a medium disposed in the porosity of the particle. A video-holographic microscope is provided to analyze interference patterns produced by providing a laser source to output a collimated beam, scattering the collimated beam off a particle and interacting with an unscattered beam to generate the interference pattern for analyzation to determine the refractive index of the particle and a medium disposed in the porosity of the particle to measure porosity and the medium. |
| US09519126B2 |
Zoom lens and imaging apparatus
A zoom lens consists of a positive first lens group, a negative second lens group moved from the object side to the image plane side during zooming from the wide angle end to the telephoto end, a positive third lens group moved during zooming, and a positive fourth lens group, in order from the object side. The second and third lens groups each pass through a point where the imaging magnification of each corresponding lens group is −1× at the same time during zooming from the wide angle end to the telephoto end. The fourth lens group includes, on the most object side, a vibration-proof lens group, composed of a negative lens, a positive meniscus lens with a convex surface on the object side, and a negative lens, in order from the object side, and either one of the negative lenses satisfies predetermined conditional expressions. |
| US09519125B2 |
Zoom lens and photographing apparatus having the same
A zoom lens and a photographing apparatus including the zoom lens are provided. The zoom lens includes a first lens group having a positive refractive power, a second lens group having a negative refractive power, a third lens group having a positive refractive power, and a fourth lens group having a positive refractive power, all of which are arranged sequentially from an object side to an image side. The second lens group may include a first negative lens, a second negative lens, and a first positive lens. The second lens group may also satisfy 5.6≦|fG2n2/fw|≦10.0, where fG2n2 is a focal length of the second negative lens therein and fw is an overall focal length of the zoom lens at a wide-angle position. |
| US09519124B2 |
Single focal length lens system and image pickup apparatus using the same
A single focal length lens system includes a front lens unit having a positive refractive power, and a rear lens unit. The front lens unit includes a first lens unit having a positive refractive power, a second lens unit having a negative refractive power, and a third lens unit having a positive refractive power, and both the first lens unit and the second lens unit include a positive lens and a negative lens. The rear lens unit includes a focusing lens unit and a first predetermined lens unit. The first predetermined lens unit has a refractive power having a sign different from a refractive power of the focusing lens unit, and does not move at the time of focusing. The front lens unit does not include a lens which moves, and the rear lens unit does not include a lens which moves except at the time of focusing. |
| US09519122B2 |
Optical imaging system for pickup
An optical imaging system for pickup, sequentially arranged from an object side to an image side, comprising: the first lens element with positive refractive power having a convex object-side surface, the second lens element with refractive power, the third lens element with refractive power, the fourth lens element with refractive power, the fifth lens element with refractive power; the sixth lens element made of plastic, the sixth lens with refractive power having a concave image-side surface with both being aspheric, and the image-side surface having at least one inflection point. |
| US09519121B2 |
Imaging lens and imaging apparatus
The imaging lens consists essentially of a front group that consist essentially of a negative first lens having a meniscus shape with a convex surface toward the object side, a negative second lens and a positive third lens; a stop; a positive rear group that includes a positive lens and a negative lens. When the focal length of the entire system is f, a half angle of view is ω, and the distance from the object-side surface of the first lens to the imaging plane along the optical axis is L, conditional formula (1) below is satisfied: 0.25<2*f*tan(ω/2)/L<1.00 (1). |
| US09519119B2 |
Slidable fiber optic connection module with cable slack management
A fiber optic telecommunications device includes a frame and a fiber optic module including a rack mount portion, a center portion, and a main housing portion. The rack mount portion is stationarily coupled to the frame, the center portion is slidably coupled to the rack mount portion along a sliding direction, and the main housing portion is slidably coupled to the center portion along the sliding direction. The main housing portion of the fiber optic module includes fiber optic connection locations for connecting cables to be routed through the frame. The center portion of the fiber optic module includes a radius limiter for guiding cables between the main housing portion and the frame, the center portion also including a latch for unlatching the center portion for slidable movement. Slidable movement of the center portion with respect to the rack mount portion moves the main housing portion with respect to the frame along the sliding direction. |
| US09519118B2 |
Removable fiber management sections for fiber optic housings, and related components and methods
Removable fiber management sections for fiber optic housings, and related components and methods are disclosed. In one embodiment, a fiber optic system is provided. The fiber optic system comprises a fiber optic housing defining at least one interior chamber configured to support fiber optic equipment. The fiber optic system also comprises a removable front section connected to the fiber optic housing and defining at least one front section interior chamber coupled to the at least one interior chamber of the fiber optic housing. The removable front section is configured to support at least one fiber management device to manage one or more fibers connected to fiber optic equipment disposed in the enclosure. In another embodiment, a method of managing optical fiber in a fiber optic system is provided. |
| US09519117B2 |
Optical fiber track system and method for using thereof
A track system comprises a track having a first end, a second end, and defining one or more first channels extending from the first to the second end of the track for accommodating one or more optical fibers therein. The track is attachable to a support and defines a first plane. The track system also comprises a ramp having a first end, a second end, and defining one or more second channels extending from the first end of the ramp to the second end of the ramp for accommodating the one or more optical fibers therein. The ramp is attachable to the support such that the first end of the ramp is adjacent to the second end of the track, the one or more first channels is aligned with the one or more second channels, and the second end of the ramp extends in a second plane. |
| US09519116B2 |
Optical coupling lens and optical fiber coupling connector
An optical coupling lens includes three main bodies, the main body further includes a bottom surface, a top surface opposite to the bottom surface, an alignment surface, a first side surface, a second side surface, a third side surface, and a fourth side surface. The alignment surface, the first side surface, the second side surface, the third side surface, and fourth side surface are interconnected between the top surface and the bottom surface, and are connected to each other end to end. The three main bodies connect to each other end to end, and the third side surface of one of the main bodies correctly aligns with the fourth side surface of another of the main bodies. |
| US09519115B2 |
Optical circuit
An optical circuit, wherein the effects of reflected light generated by an optical component are reduced. The optical circuit (100) is provided with an optical branching (110) for branching light, an optical coupler (114) for coupling a first portion of branched light to an optical waveguide (118) for transmission, and an optical reflecting unit (116) for reflecting a second portion of the branched light, the phase difference between the reflected light from the optical coupler (114) and the reflected light from the optical reflecting unit (116) being (2m−1)π (where m is an integer) on an input side of the optical branching (110). |
| US09519114B2 |
Optical fiber connector for multi-fiber cable
Optical connector arrangements terminate at least seventy-two optical fibers. The optical connector arrangements include multiple optical ferrules that each terminates multiple optical fibers. Some example optical connectors can terminate about 144 optical fibers. Each optical connector includes a fiber take-up arrangement and a flange extending outwardly from a connector housing arrangement. The fiber take-up arrangement manages excess length of the optical fibers. A threadable coupling nut can be disposed on the connector housing arrangement to engage the outwardly extending flange. Certain types of optical connector arrangements include furcation cables spacing the connector housing arrangement form the fiber take-up arrangement. |
| US09519113B2 |
Debris-removing cap for optical devices
Debris-removing cap includes a cap body having a receiving cavity and an interior surface disposed within the receiving cavity. The cap body is configured to be attached to an optical device such that a mating face of the optical device is disposed within the receiving cavity. The interior surface is configured to face the mating face of the optical device. The debris-removing cap also includes a lens wiper that is coupled to the interior surface within the receiving cavity and extends away from the interior surface toward the mating face of the optical device. The lens wiper moves relative to the mating face when activated by a user of the debris-removing cap. The lens wiper engages a lens of the mating face when activated by the user to remove debris from the lens. |
| US09519109B2 |
Substrate with lens and production method therefor, and optical waveguide with lens
Provided is a substrate with a lens, including: a substrate; a columnar member provided on one surface side of the substrate; and a lens member provided on the columnar member. While arbitrarily selecting the height of the lens, the lens is formed in a uniform and desired shape. Thus, the distance between the lens and another optical member can be reduced and the pitch of the lens can be reduced. |
| US09519108B1 |
Expanded beam fiber optic system
Expanded beam fiber optic connectors for establishing an aligned connection between an end of an optical fiber and a ball lens. A housing includes a bore and is made of a compressible material for secure press fit of components within the bore, including the ball lens. A ferrule at the end of the optical fiber supports the optical fiber. In one embodiment, a section of optical fiber is coaxially centered within and supported by a single piece fiber stub with stepped outside diameters defining a press fit end and a secondary connection end, with a butt joint between the other end of the section of optical fiber and the end of the optical fiber being connected. In another embodiment, the ferrule is inserted within a longitudinally extending sleeve having an outside diameter sized for being press fit within the bore and an inside diameter sized for receiving the ferrule. |
| US09519103B2 |
Athermal arrayed waveguide grating wavelength division multiplexer
Athermal arrayed waveguide grating wavelength division multiplexers applicable to a relatively wide temperature range. One athermal arrayed waveguide grating wavelength division multiplexer includes a base board including an arrayed waveguide grating chip, wherein the base board and the arrayed waveguide grating chip are divided into a first portion and a second portion through at least one division plane; and a sliding deflection component positioned on the base board including a first end and a second end which are respectively fixed on the first portion and the second portion, the sliding deflection component including: a telescopic rod having a length that changes with temperature variation, a first sidewall and a second sidewall positioned at two ends of the telescopic rod, respectively, and a first deflection limiting piece fixed on one side of the telescopic rod. |
| US09519100B2 |
Apparatus having light guide for illuminating a display unit and for illuminating a patterned region
A display apparatus is provided. A display unit has a display region. A protecting cover has a patterned region, wherein the patterned region does not overlap the display region. A light guide plate is disposed between the display unit and the protecting cover and has a first light scattering region and a second light scattering region. The first light scattering region at least partially overlaps the display region, and the second light scattering region at least partially overlaps the patterned region. A light emitting unit emits a light beam to the light guide plate. After the light beam enters the light guide plate, a part of the light beam is scattered to the display region by the first light scattering region and another part of the light beam is scattered to the patterned region by the second light scattering region. |
| US09519099B2 |
Backlight unit and display apparatus using the same
Disclosed are an illumination system and a display apparatus using the same. The illumination system includes a light guide plate; grooves disposed in the light guide plate, each of the grooves having at least one inclined surface; light source modules disposed within the grooves, wherein the light source modules comprise, substrates and light sources disposed on the substrates; and stoppers disposed between a first surface of each of the light sources and the at least one inclined surface of each of the grooves, the first surface of each of the light sources facing the at least one inclined surface. A cross-sectional area of the grooves is larger than that of the stoppers. |
| US09519098B2 |
Backlight unit and liquid crystal display including the same
A backlight unit for a liquid crystal display (LCD) device is capable of allowing a narrower bezel by reducing a size of a support main in the liquid crystal display (LCD) device. The backlight unit includes the support main in which an alignment hole is formed on at least one side. |
| US09519097B2 |
Lighting device and backlight module including the same
The lighting device contains a substrate and a plurality of lighting elements arranged in at least two parallel rows on a front side of the substrate. The lighting elements of the two rows neighbor on each other. The front side of the substrate is configured so that an included angle is formed between the lighting elements of the two rows. Their light therefore converges within a Quantum Dots (QD) tube before entering a light guide plate. A backlight module incorporating the lighting device as such not only provides high saturation and high chromaticity, but also achieves greater optical coupling efficiency, thinner light guide plate and QD tube, reduced material cost and dimension. |
| US09519096B2 |
Pressure sensitive adhesive light guides
Optical devices include a light source and an optical article, where the optical article is an acid-free, non-yellowing pressure sensitive adhesive light guide. The light source is optically coupled to the light guide such that light emitted by the light source enters the light guide and is transported within the light guide by total internal reflection. The light guide includes a plurality of features oriented to extract light being transported within the light guide. |
| US09519094B2 |
Backlight module and the liquid crystal display
A backlight module is disclosed. The backlight module includes an ambient light collector for collecting ambient lights, at least one optical fiber connecting to the ambient light collector, a light emitting plate arranged closely to an optical plate, at least one fixing sleeve being received in the through hole, and at least one optical fiber sleeve. The light emitting plate includes a plurality of through holes. The optical fiber sleeve is fixed within the fixing sleeve and engages with the light emitting ends of the optical fibers to fix the optical fibers on the light emitting plate. The backlight module utilizes the ambient lights as light source. In addition, by cutting the light emitting end of the optical fibers, the light emitting angle of the lights are greatly enlarged. As such, the brightness difference is decreased and the display performance is enhanced. |
| US09519092B1 |
Display method
An apparatus includes an illumination module, an end reflector, and a beam splitter. The illumination module launches display light along a forward propagating path within an eyepiece. The end reflector is disposed at an opposite end of the eyepiece from the illumination module and reflects back the display light traveling along a reverse propagating path. The beam splitter is disposed in the forward propagating path between the end reflector and the illumination module. The beam splitter directs a first portion of the display light traveling along the forward propagating path out a first side of the eyepiece. The beam splitter directs a second portion of the display light traveling along the reverse propagation path out a second side of the eyepiece. |
| US09519090B2 |
Uniaxially stretched multi-layer laminate film, polarizing plate comprising same, optical member for liquid crystal display device, and liquid crystal display device
A uniaxially stretched multi-layer laminate film that exhibits a high polarization performance of 99.5% or more in a simpler configuration than before, a polarizing plate that is composed of the same, an optical member for a liquid crystal display device, and a liquid crystal display device are provided. Namely, in the uniaxially stretched multi-layer laminate film in which a first layer and a second layer are alternately laminated, the uniaxially stretched multi-layer laminate film includes an intermediate layer that has a thickness of 2 μm or more and 30 μm or less; the first layer is composed of a polyester containing a naphthalene dicarboxylic acid ester; the second layer is composed of a copolymer polyester and is an optically isotropic layer that has an average refractive index of 1.50 or more and 1.60 or less; the first layer, the second layer, both first and second layers, or the intermediate layer contains a visible light absorbent, which has a weight loss of less than 10% when it is kept at 300° C. for 1 hour, in an amount of 200 ppm or more and 2500 ppm or less on the basis of the weight of the layer; the uniaxially stretched multi-layer laminate film has a polarization degree of 99.5 or more; and the average transmittance Ts for S-polarized light in a wavelength range of 400 nm to 800 nm is 60% or more. |
| US09519080B2 |
High-aspect-ratio imprinted structure
A high-aspect-ratio imprinted structure includes a first layer of cured layer material having a plurality of micro-channels imprinted in the first layer. Each micro-channel has micro-channel walls and a micro-channel bottom, the micro-channel bottom having distinct first and second portions. Deposited material is located on the micro-channel walls and not on the second portion of the micro-channel bottom. |
| US09519079B2 |
Coloring composition, colored pattern, color filter and method of producing the same, pattern forming method, solid-state imaging device, and image display device
A coloring composition is provided which is less likely to remain on a pattern of other colors as residues and can inhibit occurrence of coating defects. Also provided are a colored pattern, a color filter, a method of producing a color filter, a pattern forming method, a solid-state imaging device, and an image display device, each using the coloring composition. The coloring composition contains a resin (A) having a dye structure, in which in the peak area of the total molecular weight distribution of the resin (A) as measured by gel permeation chromotography, the proportion of the peak area of a component having a molecular weight of 20,000 or more is 10% or less. |
| US09519078B2 |
Device for checking the calibration of catching instruments measuring rainfall intensity
Device (1) for checking the calibration of catching instruments measuring rainfall intensity,which comprises a plurality of containers (2a, 2b, 2c) having a predetermined internal volume (V1, V2, V3), the volume of at least two of said containers being different from each other, said containers being intended to contain respective amounts of a liquid, wherein each container (2a, 2b, 2c) is provided with a single exhaust nozzle (3a, 3b, 3c) intended to put the internal volume (V1, V2, V3) of said container (2a, 2b, 2c) in fluid communication with an outer environment such to allow said liquid discharged from said nozzle (3a, 3b, 3c) to flow out by gravity in a substantially horizontal direction, each one of said containers (2a, 2b, 2c) further comprising air intake means (4a, 4b, 4c) intended to put the internal volume (V1, V2, V3) in fluid communication with the outer environment in order to define a compensation of the air pressure inside the container, such to make piezometric head constant at the height of said nozzle (3a, 3b, 3c) independently of the change of the liquid level in said container (2a, 2b, 2c) during its emptying, such to obtain a contemporaneous check of the dynamic and volumetric calibration of said catching instruments; a further subject of the invention is a method for carrying out such check. |
| US09519069B2 |
Precision self-aligning CT detector sensors
CT detector modules are disclosed that include a module frame and a plurality of tileable detector sensors positioned on the module frame. Each of the tileable detector sensors includes an array of detector elements and a mounting structure directly or indirectly coupled to the detector elements to provide for a mounting and alignment of the detector sensor to the module frame. The mounting structure includes an alignment plate positioned generally opposite the array of detector elements, with the alignment plate having alignment pins forming a datum structure to align the detector sensor on the module frame and one or more threaded bosses configured to receive a fastener therein that secures the detector sensor to the module frame. The module frame includes keyed features that receive the alignment pins when the detector sensors are mounted on the module frame, so as to align the detector sensors on the module frame. |
| US09519066B2 |
Photonic polymer multilayers for colorimetric radiation sensing
A radiation sensor includes a substrate and a polymer multilayer film including alternating layers of a high refractive index polymer and a low refractive index polymer. The high refractive index polymer and the low refractive index polymer each comprise repeat units derived from a photo-crosslinkable monomer. The radiation sensors are useful in preparing various articles, including wearable patches, packaging materials, labels, and window panes. Also described is a method of detecting radiation using the radiation sensors. |
| US09519064B2 |
Geopositioning method using assistance data
In order to enable a geopositioning receiver of a user to resolve phase ambiguities without necessarily using multi-frequency observations, assistance data is developed thanks to measurements made at a reference network (10, 12, 14) and sent to the receiver of the user. The assistance data used preferably consist of transmitter clock values associated with the carrier code sliding combination (Θeme) or with data sufficient for reconstructing said values. The transmitter clock values associated with the carrier code sliding combination (Θeme) can be reconstructed from iono-free transmitter clock values (heme) and clock biases (C′eme), for example. |
| US09519059B2 |
Limited-area reflection type optical sensor and electronic device
There is provided a limited-area reflection type optical sensor having an emitted light lens and a reflected light lens. An opposite-light-receiver-side portion opposite to a light receiver side constitutes a first curvature surface having a first curvature while a light-receiver-side portion on the light receiver side with respect to the opposite-light-receiver-side portion constitutes a second curvature surface having a second curvature smaller than the first curvature in the emitted light lens provided in an optical path of the emitted light. An opposite-light-emitter-side portion opposite to a light emitter side constitutes a fourth curvature surface having a fourth curvature while a light-emitter-side portion on the light emitter side with respect to the opposite-light-emitter-side portion constitutes a fifth curvature surface having a fifth curvature smaller than the fourth curvature in the reflected light lens provided in an optical path of the reflected light. |
| US09519054B2 |
Method and apparatus for reconstructing dielectric image using electromagnetic waves
A method for reconstructing a dielectric image using electromagnetic waves, comprising: acquiring a measurement value of the electromagnetic waves; generating a matching system matrixes between the meshes; generating a smoothed dyadic Green's function matrix; generating an electromagnetic wave calculation value; calculating a misfit error between the acquired electromagnetic wave measurement value and the generated electromagnetic wave calculation value, and checking whether a change of the calculated misfit error satisfies a predetermined optimization determination condition; updating dielectric parameters at the meshes; and outputting a reconstructed dielectric image in the image reconstruction region. |
| US09519050B2 |
Method of system compensation to reduce the effects of self interference in frequency modulated continuous wave altimeter systems
An altimeter system is provided. The altimeter system includes a receiver mixer including an antenna-input and a local-oscillator-input; a transceiver circulator communicatively coupled to an antenna via a transmission line having a selected length and communicatively coupled to the antenna-input of the receiver mixer; and a transmitter configured to output a transmitter signal to the antenna via the transceiver circulator. The transmitter signal is frequency modulated with a linear ramp. The transmitter is communicatively coupled to the receiver mixer to input a local oscillator signal at the local-oscillator-input of the receiver mixer. The receiver mixer is communicatively coupled to input a target-reflected signal from the antenna at the antenna-input of the receiver mixer. The selected length of the transmission line is set so that a composite-leakage signal at the antenna-input of the receiver mixer has a linear phase across a sweep bandwidth. |
| US09519045B2 |
Systems and applications of lighter-than-air (LTA) platforms
Innovative new methods in connection with lighter-than-air (LTA) free floating platforms, of facilitating legal transmitter operation, platform flight termination when appropriate, environmentally acceptable landing, and recovery of these devices are provided. The new systems and methods relate to rise rate control, geo-location from a LTA platform including landed payload and ground-based vehicle locations, and steerable recovery systems. |
| US09519044B2 |
Step triangulation
A computing device can determine an estimated location of a target computing device based on historical signal readings describing wireless communication signals received from the target computing device. A signal reading can include data such as a signal strength value indicating the received signal strength of the wireless communication signal, a timestamp value and a geographic coordinate value indicating the location of a receiving computing device when the wireless communication signal was received. The signal readings can describe wireless communication signals received from the target computing device by one or more receiving computing devices and received during various times. The computing device can calculate the estimated location of the target computing device by triangulating the location of the target computing device based on the geographic coordinate value and signal strength value of three signal readings selected from the set of signal readings. |
| US09519041B2 |
System and method for providing an accurate and cost-effective current sensor calibration
Systems and methods for calibrating on-die analog current sensors are disclosed. The methods can be routinely applied to perform a calibration such as during a system initialization or boot procedure or during other times when the system is in a sleep or power saving mode of operation. The systems determine a leakage current in the device under present environmental conditions. A baseline load current determined under the present temperature and input voltage is retrieved and used to determine a total leakage current. A reproducible and stable dynamic load is controllably applied to provide a known current to the on-die analog current sensor. A third mechanism permits repeatable adjustments to the known current that span the operational range of the on-die integrated current sensor. The responsiveness of the disclosed mechanisms ensures that temperature induced leakage does not increase significantly during a current sensor calibration. |
| US09519040B2 |
Methods and apparatus for phase correction in magnetic resonance imaging
Methods, apparatuses, systems, and software for extended phase correction in phase sensitive magnetic resonance imaging utilizing an optimized region-growing based phase correction algorithm. Phase correction is formulated as selecting a vector for each pixel of an image from two input candidate vectors so that the orientation of the output vector is spatially smooth. In certain embodiments, the optimized region growing algorithm uses automated quality guidance for determining the sequence of region growing and jointly considers the two input candidate vectors during region growing. Further, the algorithm tracks the quality and the mode at each step of the processing. Spatially isolated tissue regions are automatically segmented and processed with different threads of region growing and the correct vector is reliably identified as the output vector for each thread of region growing. Final phase correction was performed by pixel level optimization. |
| US09519037B2 |
Spatially coincident MRI receiver coils and method for manufacturing
A magnetic resonance imaging receiver coil provides for high SNR and high uniformity over a range of loading conditions with layers, or stacks, of independent conductive elements. The plurality of layers preload the receiver coil reducing the circuit variation as the subject coupling and loading varies. The preload is such that coil performance, or SNR, is maintained over a large range of impedance variation. This configuration is designed to exceed the performance of single trace coils over a range of impedance consistent with variations associated with different subjects, and may also incorporate coils of different resonance frequencies. |
| US09519036B2 |
Magnetic sensor including magnetic layer of closed loop shape
Provided is a magnetic sensor for detecting a magnetic field. The magnetic sensor includes a magnetic layer of a closed loop shape; a pair of current terminals which face each other contacting with the closed loop and through which current is input/output; and a pair of voltage terminals which face each other contacting with the closed loop and from which output voltage is detected. Both an anisotropic magnetoresistance effect (AME) and a planar Hall effect (PHE) contribute to the output voltage and a hysteresis of the output voltage is eliminated by exchange coupling of a ferromagnetic layer by a ferromagnetic-antiferromagnetic layer structure and a ferromagnetic-metal-antiferromagnetic layer structure. Accordingly, it is possible to minimize a hysteresis due to a demagnetization factor of the closed loop, stabilize the output voltage of the magnetic sensor and enhance sensitivity. |
| US09519034B2 |
Bipolar chopping for 1/F noise and offset reduction in magnetic field sensors
A chopping technique, and associated structure, is implemented to cancel the magnetic 1/f noise contribution in a Tunneling Magnetoresistance (TMR) field sensor. The TMR field sensor includes a first bridge circuit including multiple TMR elements to sense a magnetic field and a second circuit to apply a bipolar current pulse adjacent to each TMR element. The current lines are serially or sequentially connected to a current source to receive the bipolar current pulse. The field sensor provides a high output and a low output in response to the bipolar pulse. This asymmetric response allows a chopping technique for 1/f noise reduction in the field sensor. |
| US09519030B2 |
Voltage detection device
It is provided that pull-down resistors (R1 to Rn-1) which are respectively connected in parallel to blocks (CB1 to CBn−1) except for a block (CBn) that corresponds to a battery monitoring IC (2n) connected to a main microcomputer (3) via an insulation I/F (4) so as to be capable of communication, thereby equalizing current consumed in battery monitoring ICs (21 to 2n). |
| US09519024B2 |
Apparatus for testing package-on-package semiconductor device and method for testing the same
An apparatus for testing a package-on-package semiconductor device comprises a pick and place device for loading a first chip into or unloading the first chip from a test socket and a lifting and rotating arm for moving a chip placement module which receives a second chip to a position between the pick and place device and the test socket. The pick and place device and the chip placement module are lowered, and then a test process is performed. After the test process is completed, the pick and place device and the chip placement module are lifted, and the lifting and rotating arm moves the chip placement module to one side of the pick and place device. Accordingly, a method for testing the semiconductor device could be performed automatically so as to greatly enhance test efficiency and accuracy and to significantly reduce costs. |
| US09519022B2 |
Method for pre-heating probe card
A wafer inspection apparatus includes a first and second wafer transfer mechanisms, an alignment chamber, a second wafer transfer mechanism and a plurality of inspection chambers. The first wafer transfer mechanism is installed at a first transfer area to transfer wafers individually from a housing. The alignment chamber has an alignment mechanism configured to align the wafer at an inspection position for an electrical characteristics inspection. The second wafer transfer mechanism is configured to transfer the wafer through a wafer retaining support in a second transfer area formed along the first transfer area and an alignment area. The plurality of inspection chambers is arranged at an inspection area formed along the second transfer area and is configured to inspect electrical characteristics of the wafer transferred by the second wafer transfer mechanism through the wafer retaining support. |
| US09519019B2 |
Method for detecting or predicting an electrical fault
A method of predicting an electrical fault in an electrical network, wherein a signal indicative of a transmission is received, compared to a reference signal, a determination is made and if the comparison suggests a fault, indicating the determination of the fault. |
| US09519017B2 |
Circuit integrity detection system for detecting the integrity of a sensing wire in electrically heated textiles
A circuit integrity detection system for use in detecting the integrity of sensing wire in a heating pad wherein the integrity of the sensing wire is checking the inputs from a first and second A/D converter connected to opposite ends of the sensing wire. |
| US09519010B2 |
Integrated high-speed probe system
An integrated high-speed probe system is provided. The integrated high-speed probe system includes a circuit substrate for transmitting low-frequency testing signals from a tester through a first probe of the probe assembly to a DUT, and a high-speed substrate for transmitting high-frequency testing signals from the tester to the DUT. The high-speed substrate extends from the upper surface of the circuit substrate in the testing area to the lower surface of the circuit substrate in the probe area for being adjacent to the probe assembly and electrically connecting the second probe. In this way, the tester can transmit testing signals of different frequencies through the integrated high-speed probe system. |
| US09519005B2 |
Scanning mechanism and scanning probe microscope
A scanning mechanism includes a cantilever, an XY movable portion movable in X and Y directions parallel to an X-Y plane, an XY actuator to scan the XY movable portion in the X and Y directions, a Z actuator to scan the cantilever in a Z direction perpendicular to the X-Y plane, and a light condensing portion to cause light for detecting a displacement of the cantilever to enter the cantilever. The Z actuator and the light condensing portion are held by the XY movable portion and arranged side by side in projection to the X-Y plane. |
| US09519003B1 |
Measuring launch and motion parameters
The technologies described herein relate to measuring launch parameters of a flying object, such as a golf ball or a baseball. The laser based technology enables a system that is low cost which can measure launch parameters of a ball. The launch parameters are measured and rapid feedback is provided on each ball motion event and the data of every single ball launch data is stored in the backend server. The system may include a transmitter optical subassembly (TOSA), a receiver optical subassembly (ROSA), a primary processing unit, a camera subsystem, a data processing, a feedback display unit, and a backend server. |
| US09518992B2 |
Kits for the diagnosis of pre-eclampsia or eclampsia
Disclosed herein are kits for diagnosing pre-eclampsia and eclampsia or a propensity to develop pre-eclampsia or eclampsia that include agents for the detection of levels of free placental growth factor in a subject. |
| US09518988B2 |
Antibodies and methods of using same for treating ErbB/ErbB ligands associated diseases
A method of selecting a target for treatment of a hyperproliferative disease in a subject in need thereof is disclosed. The method comprising analyzing an amount and/or activity of at least one ErbB ligand in a biological sample from the subject, wherein an ErbB ligand which shows an up-regulated amount and/or activity compared to a non-hyperproliferative cell or tissue above a predetermined level is selected as a target for treatment of the hyperproliferative disease. Methods of treating hyperproliferative diseases, monoclonal antibodies and pharmaceutical compositions are also disclosed. |
| US09518987B2 |
Prostate kallikrein allergen
Methods for treatment of a Type I allergy in a mammal comprise administering to an individual in need of such treatment a polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 1 or the mature protein, amino acids 25-260, of the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 1, or a fragment of the polypeptide or the mature protein, which fragment shares epitopes for antibodies with the polypeptide or the mature protein, respectively, or a hypoallergenic form thereof that is modified to abrogate or attenuate its IgE binding response. Diagnostic kits comprise the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 1 or the mature protein, amino acids 25-260, of the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 1, immobilized on a solid support. |
| US09518979B2 |
Assay to evaluate drug metabolism
A novel assay using plated (cultured) human hepatocytes is disclosed. In this assay, cryopreserved human hepatocytes are thawed and cultured for 4 hours to allow attachment, followed by incubation with compounds for 24 hours. After the 24 hour incubation, aliquots can be collected for quantification of the remaining parent compounds. The remaining incubated media are transferred to freshly thawed and cultured cryopreserved hepatocyte and incubated for another 24 hour period. The process can be repeated daily resulting in accumulated incubation durations of multiple days. The innovation is the use of a new culture on each day, thereby overcoming the known decrease in metabolic activity of hepatocytes with time in culture. |
| US09518977B2 |
Microfluidic assay apparatus and methods of use
Methods and microfluidic apparatus are disclosed for drug prediction. A microfluidic apparatus has (a) a plate, (b) a plurality of wells defined in the plate, (c) a plurality of closed microchannels defined in the plate, and (d) a sample platform defining a plurality of open microchannels, where the plurality of closed microchannels are each in communication with one of the plurality of wells and one of the plurality of open microchannels of the sample platform. |
| US09518974B2 |
Sensor system for detecting organophosphorus residues by inducing coagulation of gold nanoparticles
A sensor system detects organophosphorus pesticide residue by inducing the aggregation of gold nanoparticles. A method comprises aggregating gold nanoparticles by a reaction between an organophosphorus pesticide and imidazole or a green fluorescent protein (GFP), and detecting the organophosphorus pesticide based on a absorption spectral change resulting from the aggregation. The system for detecting pesticide residue is useful as a biosensor for analyzing pesticide residue in situ, because the optical change of the reagent by the presence of an organophosphorus pesticide is distinct, the detection speed is fast, and the range of detection limits is broad. |
| US09518964B2 |
Method for identifying electrophiles and nucleophiles in a sample
A method and device for identifying a molecule in a sample, the molecule comprising an electrophilic or nucleophilic moiety. The method comprises contacting the sample with a plurality of chemosensors, each of the chemosensors comprising a π-conjugated system and a moiety having a nucleophilic property or an electrophilic property; and measuring an electromagnetic property of each of the chemosensors in the sample; whereby the pattern of changes in the electromagnetic properties of the plurality of chemosensors after chemically reacting with the electrophile or nucleophile of the molecule identifies the molecule in said sample. The device comprises a substrate carrying a plurality of chemosensor molecules having at least one predetermined electromagnetic property, the at least one electromagnetic property being changeable by subjecting the chemosensor molecules to a sample containing at least one electrophile or nucleophile, wherein the pattern of change of the electromagnetic property of the plurality of chemosensor molecules allows the device to identify the electrophile or nucleophile in the sample. |
| US09518960B2 |
System and method for rapid analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
The subject technology is directed to a CO2-based system and method for rapid determination of the levels and/or the presence or absence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). |
| US09518958B2 |
System, method, and apparatus for detecting air in a fluid line using active rectification
A circuit for detecting air, a related system, and a related method are provided. The circuit for detecting air includes a receiver connection and an air-detection circuit. The receiver connection is configured to provide a receiver signal. The air-detection circuit is in operative communication with the receiver connection to process the receiver signal to generate a processed signal corresponding to detected air. The air-detection circuit includes one or more active-rectifying elements configured to actively rectify the receiver signal to provide the processed signal. |
| US09518957B2 |
Magnetic signal measuring apparatus and magnetic signal measuring method
A magnetic signal measuring apparatus includes a first magnetic field applying unit that applies a first magnetic field to magnetic substances when a measured substance is binding to the magnetic substances, a second magnetic field applying unit that applies a second magnetic field to the magnetic substances to which the first magnetic field has been applied, and a SQUID that measures a magnetic signal derived from the magnetic substances. The first magnetic field has an intensity of such a degree that the magnetic substances do not flocculate with each other and such a degree that directions of magnetic moments in the magnetic substances can be aligned with each other. The second magnetic field has an intensity of such a degree that the magnetic substances do not flocculate with each other and such a degree that a magnetic signal can be obtained from the magnetic substances. |
| US09518954B2 |
Gas sensor control device
A gas sensor control device for controlling a gas sensor, the gas sensor including a gas sensor element that includes a cell including a pair of electrodes and a solid electrolyte, the gas sensor control device including a circuit board connectable to the gas sensor. The circuit board has mounted thereon a voltage control unit mounted on the circuit board and configured to control a voltage developed across a pair of electrodes of the cell to a constant voltage; a temperature detecting unit mounted on the circuit board and configured to detect a temperature of the circuit board; and a voltage correcting unit mounted on the circuit board and configured to apply a correction voltage to the voltage control unit compensating for a temperature-dependent variation in the constant voltage based on the temperature detected by the temperature detecting unit. |
| US09518953B2 |
Ion sensitive detector
An ISFET detector for determining concentration of a target ion in a fluid, the apparatus comprising: a semiconducting substrate comprising a source and a drain having source and drain electrodes respectively and a channel region between them in the substrate; an insulating material overlying the channel region; a gate electrode formed on the insulating material; a reference electrode electrifiable to establish an electric field in the channel region; an accumulator comprising a layer of material of thickness less than or equal to about 2 nm (nanometers) that accumulates a quantity of target ions responsive to concentration of the target ions in the fluid; a layer of a conducting material on which the accumulator is formed that is separate from the gate electrode; and a conducting element that electrically connects the layer of conducting material to the gate electrode. |
| US09518952B2 |
Gas sensor
A membrane electrode assembly for a gas sensor is described that includes a membrane disposed between a sensing electrode and a counter electrode. The membrane is a polymer membrane, such as an ionomer, having an ionic liquid retained therein. |
| US09518950B2 |
Chemical sensor based on highly organized single walled carbon nanotube networks
A carbon nanotube-based micron scale chemical sensor or sensor array is provided that enables the remote detection of hydrogen sulfide and other chemicals in a gas stream. The sensor is suitable for use in harsh environments of high temperature and pressure such as those encountered during petrochemical exploration and recovery. Multiplex sensor devices detect two or more chemical agents simultaneously, or they can detect conditions such as pressure, salinity, humidity, pH, or scale-forming ions. Incorporation of read out electronics and an RF signal generator into the sensor device enables it to communicate to a relay station or receiver for 3D mapping or other analysis. Methods are also provided for fabricating the chemical sensor device and using the device for detection. |
| US09518949B1 |
Environment sensor for acoustic instrument
A system and method for enabling measurement of desired environmental criteria of an instrument during storage, including in some situations storage within a closely conforming instrument case. A humireader includes a planar body forming a “T” with a support face. The support face enables a user to suspend and support the body between a pair of adjacent strings allowing the body to extend through a sound hole. An environment sensing system disposed within the body collects environment data of the instrument and presents it to the user using an output system (e.g., a display) that is part of the support face. |
| US09518948B2 |
Detection device, power reception device, power transmission device and non-contact power supply system
A detection device, including: one or a plurality of magnetic coupling elements configured to have one or a plurality of coils; and a detection unit that measures or calculates an effective resistance values of the magnetic coupling elements or an effective resistance value of a circuit including at least the magnetic coupling elements and determines a presence or absence of a foreign substance based on a change in the effective resistance value. |
| US09518947B2 |
System and method for detecting wheel bearing condition
The present disclosure is directed to a method for detecting a condition associated with a wheel bearing on a train car. The method may include detecting a size and a location of the wheel bearing. The method may also include detecting a temperature associated with the wheel bearing based at least in part on the size and the location of the wheel bearing. The method may further include determining a wheel bearing condition based on the detected temperature. |
| US09518942B2 |
Phase analyzer, phase analysis method, and surface analyzer
A phase analyzer includes a principal component analysis section that performs principal component analysis on elemental map data that represents an intensity or concentration distribution corresponding to each element to calculate a principal component score corresponding to each unit area of the elemental map data, a scatter diagram generation section that plots the calculated principal component score to generate a scatter diagram of the principal component score, a peak position detection section that detects a peak position from the scatter diagram, a clustering section that calculates a distance between each point and each peak position within the scatter diagram, and classifies each point within the scatter diagram into a plurality of groups based on the distance, and a phase map generation section that generates a phase map based on classification results of the clustering section. |
| US09518930B2 |
Scattered light measurement system
An optical collection and detection system for use in a surface inspection system for inspecting a surface of a workpiece. The surface inspection system has an incident beam projected through a back quartersphere and toward a desired location on the surface, which is a scanned spot having a known scanned spot size. The incident beam impinges on the surface to create scattered light that is collected by a collector module. The collector module includes collection optics for collecting and focusing the scattered light to form focused scattered light. A collector output slit is positioned at an output of the collector module, through which the collection optics focus the scattered light. The scattered light that is associated with the scanned spot forms an imaged spot at the collector output slit. The collector output slit has a width that is selected to be proportional to the scanned spot size, so as to allow passage of the focused scattered light associated with the scanned spot, and exclude the focused scattered light associated with the workpiece regions other than the desired spot. A collector output varying subsystem varies the collector output slit so as to at least one of minimize passage of Rayleigh light scatter through the collector output slit or optimize a signal to air-scatter-noise ratio. |
| US09518928B2 |
Optode for determining chemical parameters
The invention is related to an optode for determining chemical parameters of a sample wherein the optode consists of a polymer matrix consisting of sulfonated polyether ether ketone (SPEEK) in which a sensor dye is immobilized or more than one sensor dye is immobilized, wherein at least one of the immobilized sensor dyes is pH-sensitive.In addition, the present invention also concerns a method for determining the pH of a sample in which the invention-related optode is used. |
| US09518924B2 |
Fluoroscopy apparatus and fluoroscopy apparatus operating method
The invention provides a fluoroscopy apparatus including an image-capturing device that acquires a fluorescence image of a subject; a sensitivity adjusting portion that sets a sensitivity of the image-capturing device to fluorescence on the basis of a gradation value of the fluorescence image; a notifying portion that extracts a lesion part from the fluorescence image acquired by the image-capturing device with the sensitivity set by the sensitivity adjusting portion and presents it to an operator; and a display switching portion that displays the fluorescence image on a display unit when the sensitivity in the image-capturing device is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold and that presents information showing the existence of the lesion part on the notifying portion when the sensitivity is greater than the predetermined threshold. |
| US09518920B2 |
Sample processing improvements for microscopy
Among other things, a first surface is configured to receive a sample and is to be used in a microscopy device. There is a second surface to be moved into a predefined position relative to the first surface to form a sample space that is between the first surface and the second surface and contains at least part of the sample. There is a mechanism configured to move the second surface from an initial position into the predefined position to form the sample space. When the sample is in place on the first surface, the motion of the second surface includes a trajectory that is not solely a linear motion of the second surface towards the first surface. |
| US09518914B2 |
Portal and method for management of dialysis therapy
System and method for point-of-care monitoring of neutrophils in a peritoneal dialysis sample with the use of a microfluidic system. The immunoassay based chip is configured to bound neutrophils to a microfluidic channel surface while leaving auxiliary cells and particles unattached and suspended in the sample and flushable with a wash buffer. Data representing images of neutrophils, formed by an (optionally lensless) imaging system, are processed to determine a count of neutrophils based on statistical parameters including characteristics of the microfluidic channel. |
| US09518910B2 |
Smoke detection unit containing redundant detectors and method for fixing the smoke detection unit
A smoke detection unit has two identical smoke detectors juxtaposed horizontally, each made up of at least one smoke sensor positioned beneath and coupled to a measuring chamber fitted with walls. The detectors are encapsulated in a rigid cavity having an upper base and a lower cover positioned opposite the smoke sensors. A base is formed by the walls of each of the two measuring chambers. A method further fixes the smoke detection unit to a bearing structure. |
| US09518909B2 |
Particle detector and method for producing such a detector
The invention relates to a particle detector including a substrate made of a semiconductor material, in which at least one through-cavity is formed, defined by an input section and an output section, wherein the input section thereof is to be connected to an airflow source, the substrate supporting: an optical means including at least one laser source, and at least one waveguide connected to the at least one laser source and leading into the vicinity of the output section of the cavity; and a photodetector located near the output section of the cavity and offset relative to the optical axis of the optical means. |
| US09518907B2 |
Methods and apparatus to determine integrity of composite structures
Apparatus and methods to determine structural integrity of composites are described herein. One described example method for determining sufficiency of structural integration of a composite structure for an aircraft includes applying a fluid droplet to a surface of the composite structure, determining a three-dimensional contact angle between the surface and a portion of the droplet, comparing the three-dimensional contact angle to a threshold angle, and determining whether the structural integration of the composite structure is sufficient based on the comparison. |
| US09518901B2 |
Pretreatment method of biological sample, detection method of RNA, and pretreatment kit
The present invention is to provide a pretreatment method that allows RNA to be detected promptly and simply. RNA degradation activity due to lactoferrin present in the human rhinal mucosa is inhibited, for example, by adding iron ion and carbonate ion to a biological sample that contains the human rhinal mucosa. With the pretreated biological sample, an RNA virus gene can be amplified by a reverse transcriptase. Iron ion and carbonate ion can also inhibit reverse transcriptase inhibition due to lysozyme C contained in the human rhinal mucosa. Further, it is preferable to remove the envelope of the RNA virus by adding SDS to the biological sample that contains the human rhinal mucosa. |
| US09518898B2 |
Cryogenic storage container with sealing closure and methods of using the same
A container or vial for the cryopreservation and/or vitrification and storage of a biological sample, including cellular samples and embryos is described. The container comprises a sealable closure that isolates a biological sample held in the container lumen from the external environment and is suitable for storage of the sample in liquid nitrogen. Methods for introducing and sealing biological samples within the container for cryopreservation and/or vitrification and storage are also described. |
| US09518892B1 |
Apparatus for identifying optical array polarity and measuring optical signal and power or loss
An apparatus for determining optical fiber array polarity is disclosed. The apparatus may be used to determine optical signal loss or intensity. An adapter may be used to couple the apparatus to a variety of optical fiber connectors. The apparatus includes a position sensing detector and processing circuitry. The position sensing detector includes a sensor that receives optical signals and electrodes that output respective output signals in response to receipt of an optical signal. The processing circuitry receives the output signals and identifies locations at which the optical signals were incident on the sensor. The processing circuitry also determines the receiving position in the optical array of an optical fiber and a polarity of the optical array based on the receiving position and a corresponding transmitting position. The processing circuitry may determine an intensity or loss of the optical signal based on an aggregate of the output signals. |
| US09518885B2 |
Carbon nanotube temperature and pressure sensors
The present invention, in one embodiment, provides a method of measuring pressure or temperature using a sensor including a sensor element composed of a plurality of carbon nanotubes. In one example, the resistance of the plurality of carbon nanotubes is measured in response to the application of temperature or pressure. The changes in resistance are then recorded and correlated to temperature or pressure. In one embodiment, the present invention provides for independent measurement of pressure or temperature using the sensors disclosed herein. |
| US09518878B2 |
Apparatus and method for nanocomposite sensors
A sensing material for use in a sensor is disclosed. Such a sensing material includes a polymer base and a piezoresistive nanocomposite embedded into the polymer base in a continuous pattern. The nanocomposite comprises a polymer matrix and a plurality of conductive nanofillers suspended in the matrix. The conductive nanofillers may be one or a combination of nanotubes, nanowires, particles and flakes. The density of the plurality of nanofillers is such that the nanocomposite exhibits conductivity suitable for electronic and sensor applications. |
| US09518876B2 |
Method and measuring system for determining deformations of a geometric body with the aid of force measuring sensors or deformation measuring sensors
A method for ascertaining deformations of a geometric body or for measuring forces or torques acting thereon using force measuring sensors or deformation measuring sensors. A plurality of such sensors are arranged on the geometric body in at least two groups. A first group of sensors registers forces acting on the geometric body or deformations of the geometric body in a first spatial direction with reference to a coordinate system fixed relative to the geometric body. A second group of sensors registers forces acting on the geometric body or deformations thereof in a second spatial direction with reference to the coordinate system fixed relative to the geometric body, which is independent of the first spatial direction. Signal outputs of the sensors are compared to one another for the purpose of registering and evaluating signals and for determining or assessing force components or deformation components acting in different spatial directions. |
| US09518875B2 |
Thermally determining flow and/or heat load distribution in parallel paths
A method including obtaining calibration data for at least one sub-component in a heat transfer assembly, wherein the calibration data comprises at least one indication of coolant flow rate through the sub-component for a given surface temperature delta of the sub-component and a given heat load into said sub-component, determining a measured heat load into the sub-component, determining a measured surface temperature delta of the sub-component, and determining a coolant flow distribution in a first flow path comprising the sub-component from the calibration data according to the measured heat load and the measured surface temperature delta of the sub-component. |
| US09518874B2 |
Temperature sensor arrangement
A temperature sensor arrangement for gas turbines is provided. The temperature sensor arrangement has a measuring probe. The measuring probe has a bore in which a steel tube is guided so as to be axially movable. The steel tube includes a glass fibre having Bragg grating measurement points for measuring the temperature. Elongate measurement openings enable hot gas to flow through the measuring probe, flowing round the steel tube in the region of the Bragg grating. |
| US09518873B2 |
Electronic system and method for thermal management therein taking into account solar thermal loading
An electronic system performs thermal management during its operation by proactively taking into account expected solar thermal loading. According to one embodiment, the electronic system determines its location and a solar thermal load value expected to affect its location. The system also determines a temperature offset value based on the solar thermal load value and predicts a future temperature for the system based on the temperature offset value and a then-current temperature for the system (e.g., as may be detected by one or more temperature sensors). The electronic system compares the predicted temperature to at least one threshold and executes a thermal mitigation procedure in the event that the predicted temperature exceeds one or more of the thresholds. According to another embodiment in which the electronic system is transportable, the determined solar thermal load value may include a solar thermal load profile for the system's expected route of travel. |
| US09518872B2 |
Thermal sensor
A thermal sensor includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a plurality of beads disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, the beads defining bead cavities between each other. A method for manufacturing a thermal sensor includes disposing a plurality of beads on an inner electrode, dip coating the inner electrode with beads using a molten state changing material, and disposing an outer electrode over the inner electrode and beads after dip coating. |
| US09518871B2 |
Method of measuring temperature in cutting process
The invention relates to a method of measuring a cutting temperature for an apparatus for a cutting process, when the apparatus for a cutting process includes a shank and a tool jointed to the shank by means of silver solder, the shank being electrically conductive, the tool being electrically nonconductive. The method includes: connecting a first lead wire to the shank, connecting a second lead wire to the silver solder, and measuring thermal electromotive force that is generated between the first lead wire and the second lead wire. |
| US09518868B2 |
Infrared detector with metal-black coating having dielectric overlayer and related methods
An infrared (IR) detector may include a substrate, circuitry carried by the substrate, and a metal-black layer over the thermometric element. The circuitry may include a thermometric element with a measurable thermometric property. The IR detector may include a dielectric layer covering the metal-black layer, and the circuitry provides a value for IR radiation absorbed by the metal-black layer. |
| US09518864B2 |
Controllable optical sensing
An optical sensing device for using light to locate objects or features in a field of view comprises a light source; a controllable lens having two states and being controllable between them, for example a multifocal lens having two or more foci for focusing light from the light source; and a sensor able to sense light reflected from an object, to determine information of the object. The use of two or more foci adds dynamic range to optical sensing to allow for reliable detection over a wide range of distances. |
| US09518861B2 |
Luggage control and verification system and methods of use
A system for controlling and verifying the size and weight of a piece of carry-on luggage is disclosed. In at least one embodiment, an at least one database server is configured for selectively storing data related to at least one of the luggage, an at least one passenger in possession of the luggage, a transportation vehicle on which the passenger plans to travel, and a transportation hub from which the transportation vehicle is to depart. An at least one luggage device is in selective communication with the at least one database server and comprises a receptacle configured for removable receipt of the luggage—the receptacle formed having a bottom, a back wall, and an at least one side wall—and at least one verification device integral with the receptacle for determination of at least one of a height, depth, width, weight, and identification information associated with the luggage. |
| US09518860B2 |
System and method for fuzzy logic based measurement of a content of a bin
A method, non-transitory computer readable medium and a system that includes a fuzzy logic module arranged to apply a fuzzy logic algorithm for calculating, in response to received echoes that are received by a receiver, confidence levels of origins of received echoes; wherein the received echoes are reflected or scattered from the origins; and a volume calculator that is arranged to calculate a volume of the content in response to (a) estimated locations of the origins, and (b) the confidence levels of the origins. |
| US09518849B2 |
Acoustic sensor apparatus
An acoustic sensor apparatus mounted to a medium is disclosed. The acoustic sensor apparatus includes: a sensor unit processing an input acoustic signal; and a housing including a body unit having an accommodation groove in which the sensor unit is accommodated, a cap unit formed to close an opening of the accommodation groove, and a coupling unit formed to mechanically couple the body unit or the cap unit to a medium. |
| US09518847B2 |
Light guide sensor, and method of forming light guide sensor
A light guide sensor includes a light source, a light guide member comprising a core which guides light radiated from the light source, a cladding formed around the core, and at least one detecting portion is formed, and a light receiving unit which receives the light that has been guided by the member and has passed via the detecting portion. The detecting portion includes a first opening formed by removal in the outer circumference of the member so that at least part of the cladding is left by a thickness such as not to transmit the light from the core, and a second opening formed within the range of the first opening to transmit the light from the core. A method of forming such a light guide sensor is provided. |
| US09518843B2 |
Flange and resolver assembly
A resolver has a structure in which the resolver is attached to a flange by press-fitting and in which strong stress that affects an angle detecting accuracy of a stator of the resolver is not applied. The flange, in which a resolver is press-fitted, includes a cylindrical portion in which a stator of the resolver is press-fitted to the inside thereof, and a tabular portion which is larger than an outer diameter of a cylindrical portion viewed from an axial direction and which is integrated with the cylindrical portion, wherein a clearance portion having an expanded inner diameter which does not contact with an outer periphery of the stator of the resolver is provided on an overlapped portion of a cylindrical portion viewed from a vertical direction to the axis and the tabular portion. |
| US09518840B2 |
High resolution non-contacting multi-turn position sensor
Disclosed are systems and methods for effectively sensing rotational position of an object. In certain embodiments, a rotational position sensor can include a shaft configured to couple with the rotating object. The shaft can be configured to couple with a magnet carrier such that rotation of the shaft yields translational motion of the carrier. A magnet mounted to the carrier also moves longitudinally with respect to the axis of the shaft, and relative to a magnetic field sensor configured to detect the magnet's longitudinal position. The detected longitudinal position can be in a range corresponding to a rotational range of the shaft, where the rotational range can be greater than one turn. In certain embodiments, the rotational position sensor can include a programmable capability to facilitate ease and flexibility in calibration and use in a wide range of applications. |
| US09518839B2 |
Wavelet based monitoring of system parameters
Systems and methods are provided for monitoring parameters within a system. A plurality of sensors each monitor at least one parameter associated with the system. A controller is configured to receive a signal representing the monitored at least one parameter from each of the plurality of sensors and adjust a function of the system based on the received signal. Respective discrete wavelet transform components are associated with each of the plurality of sensors. Each of the discrete wavelet transform components is configured to provide a set of discrete wavelet transform coefficients, representing a content of the signal for its associated sensor, to a discrete wavelet transform monitoring component. |
| US09518836B2 |
Displaying elements
Apparatus comprises at least one processor, and at least one memory including computer program code, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to cause a plurality of elements to be displayed in respective positions on a map, to determine a section of the map based upon one or more conditions, to determine that two or more of the elements are positioned in or near to the section of the map and are spaced closer together than a threshold spacing, and, in response thereto, to cause a perceptible output to be provided to further distinguish each of the two or more elements from one another. |
| US09518833B2 |
System and method of automatic destination selection
When a user enters, initializes, or otherwise starts using a navigation function, such as a navigation function on a mobile phone or a stand-alone device, a destination is automatically selected for route generation and production of a navigation output (e.g., an Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) at the destination). The destination can be selected based on current proximity to a location having an associated pre-defined destination. Such pre-defined destination can be associated with the location by the user. A time of day criteria can also be imposed. In one example, locations proximate a work place can be associated with home as a pre-defined destination, and vice versa. A time of day criteria can be imposed, such that even if proximate work and it is in the morning, a route and ETA to home will not be generated. |
| US09518831B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing relevant point of interest on a multi-modal route
An approach is provided for determining relevant point of interest for a user on a multi-modal route. The multi-modal route includes a plurality of segments that employ a plurality of modes of transport, and wherein the multi-modal route further includes a plurality of transition waypoints for transitioning between the plurality of segments. Then, one or more search results for the at least one search are determined. Subsequently, the one or more search results are a prioritized by determining at least one change in one or more locations of the plurality of transition waypoints that would result if the one or more search results were to be incorporated into the at least one multi-modal route. |
| US09518830B1 |
Vehicular navigation system updating based on object presence
Vehicular navigation system updating system includes condition detectors that detect presence of an object or condition potentially interfering with movement of vehicles on a roadway, each condition detector being located on or alongside the roadway or in a vehicle. A signal, data or information about the detected presence of the object or condition is transmitted to a remote site at which a processor generates an update for a map based on the detected presence of the object or condition and directs communication of the map update to vehicles in a vicinity of a location at which the condition detector detected the presence of the object or condition. The vehicular navigation system of each vehicle uses the map with the map update to display or otherwise indicate the presence of the object or condition. Another map update is generated when the absence of the object or condition is determined. |
| US09518826B2 |
Interferometric measurement system with optical fibre and inertial guidance or navigation system including such an interferometric measurement system
A fiber optic interferometric measurement system includes a light source; first and second optical transmission elements; first and second Sagnac-ring interferometers, respectively, including first and second fiber optic coils, and, respectively, having lengths L1 and L2; and first and second individual integrated optical circuits, respectively, connected to the first and second optical transmission elements, and to the two ends of the first and second optic coils, respectively. The interferometric system includes a multiple integrated optical circuit integrating, on a single substrate, the first and second individual integrated optical circuits, and the difference Δl between the optical length of the first optical transmission elements and the optical length of the second optical transmission elements is higher than the maximum of ΔNb1×L1 and ΔNB2×L2, in which ΔNb1 and ΔNb2, respectively, are the group birefringence index difference of the first and second fiber optic coils, respectively. |
| US09518821B2 |
Vehicle control system
A vehicle control system may include a vehicle frame, a mount secured to the vehicle frame and configured for rigidly securing a smartphone therein such that motions experienced by the vehicle frame are correspondingly experienced by the smartphone, and system electronics arranged on the frame and in communication with the smartphone and vehicle controllers, the system electronics configured to receive signals from the smartphone and control directional devices of the vehicle based on the signals via the vehicle controllers. A system for preparing signals for transmission to the vehicle to control navigation may also be provided. |
| US09518820B2 |
Integrated jig for assembling inspection of door assembly and method for operating the same
An integrated jig for assembling inspection of a door assembly includes a loading module on which a door assembly is held. An alignment module aligns a position of the door assembly to be a reference position and fixes the door assembly to the loading module. A sensor module inspects an assembling state of the door assembly. |
| US09518810B1 |
Polymer ammunition cartridge having a two-piece primer insert
The present invention provides ammunition cartridge having a two piece primer insert with a flange, a polymeric middle body extending from the primer insert to a cylindrical middle body coupling region, and a polymeric projectile end having a projectile aperture mated to the polymeric middle body. |
| US09518806B2 |
Self centering nock
A self-centering nock is provided for use in a well-balanced nock-arrow or nock-bolt assembly. The self-centering nock includes compliant projecting protrusions or compliant arms that are substantially rotationally symmetric about a cross section normal to a main axis of the self-centering nock. The compliant projecting protrusions or compliant arms may be received in bolts that have bores of differing internal dimensions. |
| US09518802B2 |
Multi-launcher firearm
A multi-launcher firearm includes a firearm body comprising a plurality of ammunition launchers for storing different types of ammunitions having different ranges in the respective ammunition launchers, an input device connected to the firearm body for receiving a designation inputted by a user, and a controller mounted on the firearm body and respectively connected to each ammunition launcher for receiving the designation from the input device and then controlling the ammunition launcher correspondent to the designation to launch out the ammunition stored therein. The ammunition in each ammunition launcher comprises a plurality of rocket projectiles. All the rocket projectiles stored in the ammunition launcher share an identical diameter. |
| US09518800B2 |
Pneumatic valve and regulator
A regulator assembly for a paintball marker includes a body having an inlet orifice for connecting to the compressed fluid source, an outlet orifice for connecting to the marker, and a cavity formed therein having a first chamber proximate the outlet orifice, a second chamber proximate the inlet orifice and providing a fluid pathway between the inlet and outlet orifices, a poppet valve functionally positioned within the outlet orifice, and a pneumatic valve actuator positioned within the cavity of the body and supportively coupled to the poppet valve. The pneumatic valve actuator comprises a piston, a spring pack and an adjustment strut. The spring pack is modular to allow interchanging and includes a plurality of Belleville springs properly oriented and secured in place by a washer and O-ring to create a predefined pressure threshold. |
| US09518798B1 |
Archery bow brake
What is disclosed is a braking mechanism for holding a bow string at full draw or any partial draw position along the entire length of the draw stroke. The braking mechanism functions by imparting friction onto the string of a compound archery bow thereby preventing the string from moving or being wound out of or into a cam of the compound archery bow. |
| US09518794B2 |
Interchangeable choke tube for the shot load of smoothbore shotgun which causes to the shot load gradually initial tightening of progressive form, expansion and final retightening
Interchangeable choke tube for the shot load of smoothbore shotgun which causes to the shot load gradually initial tightening of progressive form, expansion and final retightening (7), featuring internally initial tightening of progressive form section (8) followed by expansion section (9) and which is followed by final retightening section (10), which achieves the improvement of the effectiveness of the shot as, first, the initial tightening of progressive form section (8) featured applies to the shot charge, as it passes through it, vertical lateral pressure which splits the aggregates of shot pellets and second, the expansion section (9) which follows causes ameliorative rearrangement of the shot pellets as they are deploying in a space with larger diameter and, in this way, and their smoother entrance into the final retightening section (10) with result the improvement of their distribution within their pattern, something that is not happening with the hitherto existing ones. |
| US09518790B2 |
Maximum expansion plug for heat exchanger tubes
A plug for sealing the end of a tube including a cylindrical housing member having longitudinal bore that communicates with a threaded portion. An insert post having a threaded body is received within the threaded portion of the bore and supports a frustroconical member that deflects at least a portion of the wall of the housing member that is highly ductile when a rear nut is threaded onto the body of the insert post. The frustroconical member has a correspondingly large angle of taper to deflect the wall of the housing member outwardly as much as possible without causing fracturing of the wall. |
| US09518789B2 |
Seal for heat exchanger of machine
A seal for a heat exchanger of a machine includes a pad and a sealing lip. The pad includes a perimeter, a core face, and a tank face. The core face is in opposing relationship to the tank face. The pad defines a pad plane and an opening which extends between the core face and the tank face. The scaling lip circumscribes the perimeter of the pad and includes a base end, which is connected to the perimeter of the pad, and a terminal end. The sealing lip extends outwardly along the pad plane from the pad perimeter and projects from the core face. The sealing lip including an outer lip wall which extends from the base end to the terminal end along a tip axis disposed at an oblique lip pitch angle relative to the pad plane. |
| US09518783B2 |
Vortex generating finned liquid-cooling heat exchanger module with transverse plate or pathways
A liquid cooling heat exchanger module filled with a cooling liquid includes a casing (10) and a cooling structure (11), and the interior of the casing (10) is hollow, and the cooling structure (11) is installed in the casing (10), and the cooling structure (11) is formed by a plurality of fins (14) erected vertically and arranged equidistantly apart from one another to form a plurality of flow channels (15), and the cooling structure (11) includes one or more of transversally cut grooves (111) between the fins (15), so as to achieve the effects of extending the time for the cooling liquid to stay in the heat exchanger module (1), maximizing the cooling effect of the cooling liquid, and improving the heat dissipating efficiency. |
| US09518782B2 |
Heat exchanger
The invention refers to a plate heat exchanger where the heat exchanger comprises a first flow channel between a first plate and a second plate, and where the flow channel comprises a lower distribution passage, a heat transfer passage and an upper distribution passage, where the heat transfer passage is vertically divided in a lower and an upper heat transfer passage and where the lower heat transfer passage is horizontally divided in a plurality of adjacent heat transfer zones, where the intermediate angle between the ridges and grooves in any of the heat transfer zones of the lower heat transfer passage is at least 30° larger than the intermediate angle of the ridges and grooves of the upper heat transfer passage. The advantage of the invention is that an improved heat exchanger is provided, having an increased thermal performance and an improved evaporation capacity. |
| US09518781B2 |
Panel cooled with a fluid for metallurgic furnaces, a cooling system for metallurgic furnaces comprising such a panel and metallurgic furnace incorporating them
A panel cooled with a fluid, for metallurgic furnaces, includes a first chamber having a face which, in assembly conditions, is configured to face an interior of a metallurgic furnace and an opposite face in thermal contact with a face of a second chamber whose opposed face is configured to face, in assembly conditions, an external part of the metallurgic furnace. The first and second chambers are mutually independent. The first and second chambers each include an inlet and outlet of a cooling fluid. The panel has a first working configuration in which the first chamber is passed by a first cooling fluid and the second chamber is passed by a second cooling fluid different from the first cooling fluid, and a second working configuration in which the first chamber is passed by the second cooling fluid and the second chamber is passed by the first cooling fluid. |
| US09518777B2 |
Refrigerator
A refrigerator includes a cabinet that defines a first storage compartment configured to store food, a main door rotatably mounted on the cabinet and configured to open or close at least a portion of the first storage compartment, an accommodation device accessible through an opening in the main door, a sub door mounted on the main door and configured to open or close the opening, and a door opening assembly that is configured to selectively restrict one side of a back surface of the sub door to a corresponding side of a front surface of the main door to thereby selectively restrict movement of the sub door relative to the main door. The accommodation device defines a second storage compartment within the main door that is separated from the first storage compartment, and the door opening assembly is configured to be manipulated from a side surface of the sub door. |
| US09518776B2 |
Refrigerating appliance
The invention relates to a refrigerating appliance (1) including a body (2) in which a refrigerating compartment (3) is defined and a door (4) connected to said body to open and close said compartment, and a height adjustable support assembly (10,10′,100) connected to said body and/or said door. The refrigerating appliance (1) further comprises a rail (23a,23b;23a′,23b′) including a rack portion (21) attached to said body (2) within said compartment (3) and/or to said door (4), the rail extending substantially along a vertical axis. The height adjustable support assembly (10;10′;100) comprises: a support member (11;11′;11″) to support items to be refrigerated/frozen; a height adjustment gear (15a,15b) rotatably connected to the support member (11;11′;11″), the gear meshing with the rack portion (21) so that the support member can be vertically moved along the rail (23a,23b;23a′,23b′); a unidirectional stopper unit (19; 70) to regulate rotation of the height adjustment gear (15a,15b) when meshed with the rack portion (21), allowing an upward movement of the support member (11;11′;11″) along the vertical axis and blocking downward movements along the vertical axis; and a lever (50) coupled to the unidirectional stopper unit, the lever being apt to disengage the unidirectional stopper unit so as to allow a downward movement of the support member (11;11′;11″) along the vertical axis when operated. |
| US09518774B2 |
Ice making appliance
An ice making appliance is provided. The ice making appliance includes a first ice maker and a second ice maker. The first and second ice makers generate different types of ice. The ice making appliance also includes supply ducts for receiving chilled air from an evaporator and directing the chilled air to the first and second ice makers. |
| US09518773B2 |
Clear ice maker
An ice making tray has a water basin with a thermally conductive floor and a flexible grid positioned therein to define a plurality of ice making compartments. A motor is coupled to the basin to rotate the basin and grid to an inverted position, and a link is coupled between the motor and drive such that the grid is rotatable out of the basin and is flexed to release ice cubes formed therein. |
| US09518770B2 |
Multi-sheet spherical ice making
A unitary clear ice sheet is formed from a plurality of individual clear ice sheets which are fused together to give the unitary ice sheet a predetermined thickness. The fused unitary ice sheet is a clear unitary ice sheet due to the formation of the plurality of individual clear ice sheets by running water over a cold plate apparatus or evaporator mechanism to form the ice sheets in a gradual layer-by-layer process. The fused unitary clear ice sheet is used to mold or shape clear ice structure therefrom, such as clear ice spheres in a mold apparatus. |
| US09518766B2 |
Method and system for thermoelectric cooling of products on display at retail
A thermoelectrically cooled system and method is disclosed, which includes a thermoelectrically cooled sleeve, which is configured to hold one or more cylindrical cans of a retail product. The thermoelectrically cooled sleeve includes an outer cylindrical body, an inner cylindrical body, a thermoelectric element located between the outer cylindrical body and the inner cylindrical body, and at least one pair of electrical leads attachable to the thermoelectrically cooled sleeve, and upon application of a source of electrical power to the pair of electrical leads heat moves through the thermoelectric element from the inner cylindrical body to the outer cylindrical body of the thermoelectrically cooled sleeve. |
| US09518765B2 |
System and method for controlling temperature and humidity in multiple spaces using liquid desiccant
A branch controller operates with a system for temperature and humidity control. The branch controller includes a fluid control system for controlling a flow of the liquid desiccant in an arrangement of channels forming a first path for exchanging the liquid desiccant between a liquid desiccant conditioning unit and at least a first space conditioning unit and a second path for directing the liquid desiccant received from the first space conditioning unit to a second space conditioning unit. The branch controller includes a processor for comparing operational conditions of the first space conditioning unit and the second space conditioning unit. The processor selects between the first path and the second path based on the comparison and commands the fluid control system to control the flow of the liquid desiccant according to the selected path. |
| US09518764B2 |
Longer-life solar power plant receiver
A solar receiver with a longitudinal axis, including an absorber, a beam extending over an entire length of the solar receiver and configured to suspend the receiver in the power plant, a protective envelope mounted around the beam and including a thermal insulator surrounding the beam, the protective envelope configured to protect the beam from heating due to solar flux, the beam and the protective envelope configured to slide one with respect to the other along the longitudinal axis. |
| US09518761B2 |
Heat pump water heater appliance
The present subject matter provides a heat pump water heater appliance with a mounting assembly for coupling a compressor to a plate within a casing of the heat pump water heater appliance. The mounting assembly includes a post that extends through a foot of the compressor and a fastener that extends through the bracket and the plate into the post in order to secure the bracket and the post together. A nut is threaded onto the post in order to secure the post and the foot of the compressor together. |
| US09518760B2 |
Method for treating limescale deposits within water heaters inside beverage dispensing machines
A method and an apparatus for detaching limescale deposits within a water heater of a beverage dispensing machine, by powering an ultrasonic generator discontinuously to scan frequencies within a range of 20 kHz to 100 kHz so as to induce ultrasonic vibrations. Advantageously the step of inducing ultrasonic vibrations is implemented discontinuously at high energy levels. |
| US09518756B2 |
External rib cage for an inflatable air duct
An external suspension system for supporting an inflatable air duct includes a series of external hangers that help hold the duct open while the duct is deflated. In some embodiments, the suspension system supports the duct at a series of points that are broadly distributed in a staggered pattern across the duct, yet the entire duct can be suspended from a single overhead cable, even if the duct is a stepped tube with multiple diameters. The system includes novel ways of locking the hangers to the duct and to the overhead cable. |
| US09518755B2 |
Outdoor unit for air-conditioning apparatus, and air-conditioning apparatus
An outdoor unit for an air-conditioning apparatus includes an outdoor heat exchanger; a compressor; a refrigerant pipe configured to couple the outdoor heat exchanger and the compressor with an indoor unit including an indoor heat exchanger; and a control unit that determines whether the heating capacity of the indoor unit performing a heating operation is decreased by the refrigerant stagnated in the indoor heat exchanger. |
| US09518750B2 |
Humidification device
Disclosed is a humidification device capable of satisfying both necessary and sufficient humidification abilities and energy conserving. A humidification filter unit is immersed into water and rotates to facilitate the absorption of water. When the time from stopping of the humidification operation to the restarting thereof is long and the amount of water absorption is insufficient, the humidification filter unit rotates continuously for a predetermined time when the humidification operation restarts, and then rotates intermittently. Meanwhile, when the time from stopping of the humidification operation to the restarting thereof is short and the amount water absorption is sufficient, the humidification filter unit rotates intermittently during the humidification operation. The rotating stop time of the humidification filter unit for each intermittent rotation is set depending on the air blowing quantity of a blower fan. |
| US09518748B2 |
Modular, self-contained, mobile clean room
Biosafety units, methods of making, and sealing the same are disclosed herein. The units comprise at least one controlled air, sealable, sterilizable cleanroom; and a mechanical system room adjacent to the cleanroom comprising: at least two air handling units in a support room adjacent the cleanroom that provide redundant air to the cleanroom with at least Class 100,000 air purity, the air handling units connected to a one or more supply ducts to the cleanroom, and an exhaust duct in communication with the cleanroom and the air handling unit exhaust, wherein a pressure gradient is formed between the cleanroom and the exterior of the structure; and at least two power supplies that provide redundant power to electrical outlets in the cleanroom, wherein the at least two power supplies are connectable to one or more external power sources and the structure is pre-validatable or validated for pharmaceutical manufacturing. |
| US09518745B2 |
Oven temperature control system
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to a system that improves heat distribution throughout an internal cooking cavity of an oven. The embodiments described may find particular use in ovens used on-board passenger transport vehicles, but they may also be incorporated into other ovens, such as residential and other commercial ovens. |
| US09518743B2 |
Method for operating a gas turbine burner with a swirl generator
Methods are directed to operating a burner of a gas turbine. The burner includes a swirl generator and, downstream of it, a mixing tube. The swirl generator is defined by at least two walls facing one another to define a conical swirl chamber and includes nozzles arranged to inject fuel and apertures arranged to feed an oxidizer into the swirl chamber. The burner includes a lance which extends along a longitudinal axis of the swirl generator and side nozzles for ejecting a fuel within the burner. The side nozzles have their axes inclined with respect to the axis of the lance and can be positioned along the axis of the burner. During operation, an oil fuel or gaseous fuel is injected into to the burner through the lance tip and the lance side nozzles at various percentages depending on an operating mode of the gas turbine. |
| US09518742B2 |
Premixer assembly for mixing air and fuel for combustion
A premixer assembly for mixing air and fuel for combustion includes a plurality of tubes disposed at a head end of a combustor assembly. Also included is a tube of the plurality of tubes, the tube including an inlet end and an outlet end. Further included is at least one non-circular portion of the tube extending along a length of the tube, the at least one non-circular portion having a non-circular cross-section, and the tube having a substantially constant cross-sectional area along its length |
| US09518739B2 |
Combustor heat shield with carbon avoidance feature
The build-up of carbon deposition on the front face of a combustor heat shield is discouraged by jetting air out from the front face of the heat shield with sufficient momentum to push approaching fuel droplets or rich fuel-air mixture way from the heat shield. |
| US09518732B2 |
Heating assembly
A heating assembly can be used with one of a first fuel type or a second fuel type different than the first. The heating assembly can a include housing have a first actuation member and a second actuation member. The first and second actuation members can be positioned within respective first and second fuel hook-ups. The first and second actuation members can be configured such that connecting a fuel source to the heater assembly moves one of the actuation members from a first position to a second position to control flow through the heating assembly. |
| US09518729B2 |
Lignin fired supercritical or near critical water generator, system and method
Methods are disclosed for providing recovered lignin of suitable quantity and quality to provide sufficient heating value to power the generation of supercritical or near critical water without the need for outside sources of energy. Supercritical or near critical water generator devices and systems are also disclosed. |
| US09518723B2 |
Lighting fixture extension
A lighting assembly is disclosed having a light fixture with a light-source operable to emit light; and a sidewall having a dimension exceeding a maximum opening dimension of a light bulb recess, the light bulb recess defined by a ceiling and having a standard light-bulb outlet disposed therein and the maximum opening dimension limiting the dimension of objects insertable within the light bulb recess. The lighting assembly further includes a telescoping assembly electrically coupling the light-source to the standard light-bulb outlet for supplying power to the light-source. |
| US09518722B1 |
Center beam edge-lit lighting structure
An edge-lit lighting structure includes a first end panel and a second end panel. The edge-lit lighting structure further includes a first side panel extending between the first end panel and the second end panel at a first longitudinal side of the edge-lit lighting fixture. The edge-lit lighting structure also includes a second side panel extending between the first end panel and the second end panel at a second longitudinal side of the edge-lit lighting fixture opposite the first longitudinal side. Further, the edge-lit lighting structure includes a center beam having a hollow portion. The center beam is positioned between the first side panel and the second side panel and is attached to the first end panel and the second end panel. |
| US09518715B2 |
Lighting devices that comprise one or more solid state light emitters
Light engine modules comprise a support member and a solid state light emitter, in which (1) the emitter is mounted on the support member, (2) a region of the support member has a surface with a curved cross-section, (3) the emitter and a compensation circuit are mounted on the support member, (4) an electrical contact element extends to at least two surfaces of the support member, and/or (5) a substantial entirety of the module is located on one side of a plane and the emitter emits light into another side of the plane. Also, a module comprising means for supporting a light emitter and a light emitter. Also, a lighting device comprising a housing member and a light emitter mounted on a removable support member. Also, a lighting device comprising a module mounted in a lighting device element. Also, a method comprising mounting a module to a lighting device element. |
| US09518709B2 |
Lighting article comprising embedded LED strip and method thereof
The present invention provides a lighting article such as holiday decorations and lamps e.g. a glowing Santa Claus, and a method of preparing such articles. The lighting article comprises an elongated structure resembling an image such as Santa. A solid matrix embedded with a LED strip is fitted into a groove in the elongated structure. The light emitted from the strip irradiates upon the elongated structure, and makes Santa Claus shining. |
| US09518705B2 |
Lens and an illumination device having the lens
A lens for an illumination device, in a cross section, includes a bottom surface, and a first side surface and a second side surface which respectively extend inclinedly upwards from two sides of the bottom surface and converge. The bottom surface includes a supporting surface and an incident surface, the incident surface defining an accommodation cavity for accommodating a light source of the illumination device. The first side surface includes a first emergent surface and a first reflective surface, the second side surface includes a second emergent surface. A first part of light from the incident surface emerges from the first emergent surface, and a second part of light from the incident surface at least emerges from the second emergent surface after reflected by the first reflective surface, such that the emergent light is distributed at an angle of 360°. |
| US09518704B2 |
LED lamp with an interior electrical connection
An LED lamp includes an enclosure and a base. LEDs are mounted on a first portion of a substrate and an electrical contact is mounted on a second portion of the substrate. The LEDs emit light from the enclosure when energized through an electrical path from the base. A heat sink conducts heat to the ambient environment. The first portion of the substrate is mounted on an outside surface of a tower that extends into the enclosure. The second portion of the substrate is located inside of the tower. An extension is electrically coupled to the base and includes a second electrical contact that is electrically coupled to the first electrical contact. |
| US09518703B2 |
Disposable compressed gas cartridge with integral sealing member
A disposable compressed gas cartridge has an envelope formed of a cylindrical wall portion, an end wall portion enclosing a first end of the cylindrical wall portion, a neck portion formed at a second end of the cylindrical wall portion, and a membrane spanning across the neck portion such that the envelope is arranged to contain gas under pressure therein. A resilient sealing member is integrally and externally supported on the second end of the envelope so as to abut the seat surface about a charging pin of a compressed gas consuming device. Sealing engagement between the cartridge and the device being charged with compressed gas by the cartridge is provided primarily by the sealing member on the cartridge which is replaced together with the cartridge to always ensure that the sealing between the cartridge and the device is accomplished with a new and effective sealing member. |
| US09518701B2 |
Gas storage and dispensing system with monolithic carbon adsorbent
A pyrolyzed monolith carbon physical adsorbent that is characterized by at least one of the following characteristics: (a) a fill density measured for arsine gas at 25° C. and pressure of 650 torr that is greater than 400 grams arsine per liter of adsorbent; (b) at least 30% of overall porosity of the adsorbent including slit-shaped pores having a size in a range of from about 0.3 to about 0.72 nanometer, and at least 20% of the overall porosity including micropores of diameter <2 nanometers; and (c) having a bulk density of from about 0.80 to about 2.0 grams per cubic centimeter, preferably from 0.9 to 2.0 grams per cubic centimeter. |
| US09518698B2 |
Two axis variable clamp assembly
A clamp assembly includes a single adjustment mechanism that allows for adjustment of an object supported on the clamp assembly along two axes. The adjustment mechanism connects to a bracket and a support rod on which the object is mounted to lock a desired position of the object in place when desired and to allow for adjustment of that position, when desired. |
| US09518696B1 |
Rack structure for a rack assembly
A rack structure for a rack assembly includes: a base shaft including a first end surface, an opposite second end surface, an inserting recess recessed from the first end surface to the second end surface, an connecting surface located between the first and second end surfaces, and at least three connecting portions which are mounted on the connecting surface and inclined from the first end surface to the second end surface; and at least three connecting arms each including: a jointing portion formed at one end thereof and to be connected to the connecting potion, a support portion formed at another end opposite the jointing portion, and a plurality of hanging holes defined between the jointing portion and the support portion, wherein an extension plane of the second end surface is located between the support portion and the first end surface. |
| US09518692B2 |
Pipe rehabilitation method
An existing pipe that is to be rehabilitated has concavely curved portions and straight portions as viewed in cross-section orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the existing pipe. For pipe rehabilitation at the curved portion of the existing pipe, a plurality of rectangular parallelepiped segments whose inner surface plate, side plates and end plates are all rectangular are used. A spacer is interposed between the end plates of the rectangular parallelepiped segments. The spacer has first and second contact surfaces that are inclined relative to each other and come into contact with the end plates of the rectangular parallelepiped segments when they are linked in the circumferential direction. |
| US09518691B2 |
Efficiently and easily opening and closing a canister valve
The present disclosure relates to a method including the steps of receiving a canister in a canister connection housing. The canister includes a canister fitment and a canister valve. The housing includes a receiver fitment and a door. The method includes the step of lowering the receiver fitment of the housing over the canister fitment. The lowering of the receiver fitment is caused by a closing of the housing door. The present disclosure further relates to an apparatus. An apparatus including a nest configured to receive a canister, a door configured to rotate about an angle so as to open and close, a receiver fitment configured to connect to a canister fitment, and an over-center movement mechanism connected to the door and the receiver fitment. The over-center movement mechanism is configured to move the receiver fitment along an axis as the door is rotated about the angle. |
| US09518689B2 |
Two piece male hose coupler and method for securing a garden hose to a coupler
Two piece male hose coupler assembly includes a nut and a separate expandable tube. The nut has a first end portion with male threads on the exterior surface, and a second end portion having a gripping collar on the exterior surface. The nut has an open through bore defining an interior surface. An expandable tube is positionable within the bore of the nut, wherein the tube is expanded outwardly to pinch one end of a hose between an exterior surface of the tube and the bore of the nut so that the hose is sealed between the tube and the nut. Further, the tube has a radial flange at one end that seats against a radial mating surface at or adjacent the first end of the nut. The assembly thus provides a relatively leak proof connection including sealing surfaces between the mating radial flanges, and also along the mating longitudinal surfaces of the nut and hose extending along the longitudinal axis of the hose. A method is provided for assembling the nut and tube at one end of the hose. |
| US09518688B2 |
Expansion joint in a vertical channel
An expansion joint in a vertical channel suitable for conducting hot particles. The expansion joint includes an upper channel portion including a lower end portion with a lower edge. A lower channel portion is sealingly connected by a flexible element connected on an outer side of the vertical channel. The lower channel portion includes an upper end portion with a horizontally extending upper plane. In a predetermined vertical level range, the upper end portion telescopically overlaps the lower end portion in a spaced relationship, to permit relative axial and lateral movements of the upper channel portion and the lower channel portion, whereby the upper plane is at a higher level than the lower edge. A sealing ring, including mutually connected sealing blocks positioned on an outer circumference of the lower end portion, is arranged on the upper plane. |
| US09518685B2 |
Extruded encapsulated fillers to provide crush protection
In various embodiments, a tubular comprises a tubular outer sheath defining an inner void; one or more core elements or assemblies disposed within the inner void; and a substantially solid filler in various embodiments disposed within and substantially filling the inner void, where the filler is adapted to give the tubular hoop strength in a crush situation and comprises a polymer with a density of at least 1.0. In some embodiments, these core assemblies comprise an extruded polymer layer typically extruded about core elements in a single pass, fitting about them without a sharp edge and defining an outer shape. The resulting tubular can comprise multiple regions which, though substantially filled, are filled with differing fillers densities. |
| US09518680B2 |
Compressor and valve assembly thereof for reducing pulsation and/or noise
A valve assembly may include a valve plate having an inlet hole through which working fluid passes from a vacuum muffler, a first discharge hole through which working fluid discharged from a cylinder passes, a second discharge hole through which the working fluid from the first discharge hole passes, and a pulsation and/or noise reducing passage through which the working fluid from the second discharge hole flows; a discharge valve at or in the valve plate configured to open and/or close the first discharge hole; a valve sheet having a first hole therein communicating with the first discharge hole and a second hole therein at an outlet of the pulsation and/or noise reducing passage; and a vacuum valve in the valve sheet configured to open and/or close the inlet hole. |
| US09518676B2 |
Device for indicating the position of a valve spindle
Provision is made of a device for indicating the position of a valve spindle of a valve. The device comprises a valve spindle which can be shifted between a first position and a second position, and a sensor module for detecting at least the end positions of the valve spindle. The device further comprises at least a first optical display element (58), preferably a first LED, for indicating the first position, and a second optical display element (60), preferably a second LED, for indicating the second position. A first end position indication (66) is assigned to the first display element (58) and a second end position indication (68) is assigned to the second display element (60). |
| US09518675B2 |
Rotary stem position indicator
A manual gate valve operator used in the oil and gas industry. The operator does not allow an increase or decrease in height when manually rotating the hand wheel. Instead, the operator has an internal indicator nut of the position of the valve. The indicator nut is observable electronically or visually. |
| US09518672B2 |
Electronically actuated gate valve
A system, in certain embodiments, includes a gate valve including a gate disposed within a valve body. The gate valve also includes a motorized ball screw actuator having an actuating rod assembly directly coupled to the gate. The motorized ball screw actuator is configured to linearly actuate the actuating rod assembly to drive the gate between an open position and a closed position. |
| US09518668B2 |
Check valve with backbone enhanced petals
A check valve includes a base, two sidewalls extending from the base and a pin coupled between the two sidewalls. The valve also includes a flapper pivotably coupled to the pin to occupy respective open and closed positions in accordance with a pressure differential of a fluid flow across the check valve, the flapper including a plate and a backbone that is thicker than the base and the extends along an entire length of the plate. |
| US09518667B2 |
Tubing clamp
A clamp for selectively compressing a portion of tubing, such as an extension leg of a PICC or other catheter, is disclosed. The clamp is able to be opened or closed with a thumb and finger of a single hand of a user and is slidably attached to the tubing so as to enable its placement as desired along the tube. In one embodiment, the tubing clamp comprises a body including first and second body portions hingedly connected to one another in a clamshell configuration, a latch for releasably latching the first and second body portions together, and at least two tube compression members. The tube compression members cooperate to compress and occlude a portion of tubing passing through the tubing clamp when the first and second body portions are latched to one another. |
| US09518663B2 |
Electromagnetic valve
A pilot valve element includes a metallic pilot valve body formed integrally with a plunger, a flexible sealing member, fitted on a tip of the pilot valve body, which touches and leaves a pilot valve seat, and a stopper for restricting the displacement of the pilot valve element relative to a driven member in a manner such that the sealing member is stopped in a direction of axis line after the sealing member has seated on a pilot valve seat. The stopper is configured such that the pressure-receiving diameter of the sealing member, which receives a pressure difference between an upstream side and a downstream side of the pilot valve, remains unchanged from when the sealing member comes in contact with the pilot valve seat until when the sealing member is stopped by the stopper with the result that the sealing member has completely seated on the pilot valve seat. |
| US09518660B2 |
Bimetallic static gasket and method of construction thereof
A static gasket and method of construction thereof is provided. The gasket includes a functional layer constructed of one type of metal having an opening bounded by an inner periphery an outer periphery. The gasket further includes a carrier layer constructed of a different metal than the functional layer. The carrier layer has an opening bounded by an inner periphery configured to receive the outer periphery of the functional layer in a line-to-line or loose fit. The functional layer is configured in substantially coplanar relation with the carrier layer with a first portion of the outer periphery of the functional layer being welded to a radially aligned first portion of the inner periphery of the carrier layer. A second portion of the outer periphery of the functional layer remains detached from a radially aligned second portion of the inner periphery of the carrier layer. |
| US09518656B2 |
Vehicle and a locking assembly for the vehicle
A vehicle and a locking assembly are disclosed. The locking assembly includes a pawl rotatable about a pivot axis between an engaged position and a disengaged position. The pawl is adapted to engage the ring gear when in the engaged position for preventing movement of the ring gear. The locking assembly further includes an actuator selectively actuated to move the pawl to the engaged position. Additionally, the locking assembly includes a biasing mechanism engaging the pawl to continuously bias the pawl toward the disengaged position. The pawl includes a first tooth and a second tooth spaced from each other to define a gap therebetween. The first tooth and the second tooth are adapted to trap a tooth of the ring gear in the gap when the pawl is in the engaged position for preventing rotation of the ring gear. |
| US09518654B2 |
Vehicle controller
A vehicle controller includes a lock-up clutch disposed to a power transmission path between an engine and a driving wheel, and a clutch configured to connect and disconnect the power transmission path, wherein at the time of switching driven traveling for causing a vehicle to travel by connecting the power transmission path and inertia traveling for causing the vehicle to travel by disconnecting the power transmission path, the lock-up clutch and the clutch are switched at switching start timings different from each other. |
| US09518648B2 |
Staked planet pin
A planetary pin used for staking in a planetary gear system is provided. The planetary pin comprises a cylindrical body, a first end having a first end surface, a second end having a second end surface, and a circular groove formed in at least one of the end surfaces concentric with the cylindrical body. |
| US09518646B2 |
Decoupler assembly having limited overrunning capability
In one aspect, a decoupler assembly is provided for use between a shaft and an endless drive member that is used to drive the shaft. The decoupler assembly includes a pulley, a hub and an isolator spring that is preferably a coiled torsion spring. The two ends of the spring are engageable, at least indirectly, with the pulley and the hub for the transfer of torque therebetween. At least one of the ends of the spring engages an engagement structure (on either the pulley or the hub) that includes a helical axial shoulder and a driver wall. The spring transfers torque in one direction through the driver wall (e.g. when the pulley overruns the hub), but the spring end is not fixedly connected to the driver wall. When the hub overruns the pulley, there is relative rotation between the spring and whichever of the hub and pulley it is not fixedly connected to. Accordingly, there is relative rotation between the spring end and the helical axial shoulder and the driver wall. This causes the spring end to separate from the driver wall and ride up the helical axial shoulder. This causes the spring to compress axially. The spring coils have a selected amount of spacing so that the spring can be compressed by a selected amount axially. This sets the amount of relative rotation (and the amount of overrun) that is available between the pulley and the hub in the situation when the hub overruns the pulley. In some embodiments, the decoupler assembly may be configured such that the selected amount of spacing of the spring coils sets the amount of relative rotation (and therefore overrun) that is available between the pulley and the hub when the pulley overruns the hub. |
| US09518644B1 |
Sliding camshaft with improved compressive residual stress
A sliding camshaft for shifting to a selected one of a plurality of selectable cam lobes includes an inner shaft and an outer shaft. The inner shaft has an external spline. The outer shaft has an inner surface, an outer surface, a coating, and an outer portion. The inner surface is subjectable to wear and is configured with an internal spline for transferring torque from and sliding axially on the external spline of the inner shaft. The outer surface is subjectable to wear and loading and is configured with the plurality of selectable cam lobes. The coating on the inner surface is for wear resistance. The outer portion is case hardened for wear resistance of the outer surface and to create a compressive residual stress in the outer portion for load carrying capability. |
| US09518641B2 |
Transmission system with device for regulating the gear change curve
A continuously variable transmission system for a motorcycle includes a first drive sheave (12) operated by a transmission half-shaft (14) and a second driven sheave, connected by a V-belt. The drive sheave (12) has a first half-sheave (16) and a second half-sheave (18) substantially conical, sliding axially aligned, joined in rotation. The first half sheave (16) is fitted internally with a speed regulator composed of centrifugal masses (20) which move to cause the axial shift in the direction of extension of the transmission half-shaft (14), of the first half-sheave (16) relative to the corresponding second half-sheave (18). A device (10) for regulating the gear change curve is provided with an electromechanical actuator to cause selective intervention of a determined group of centrifugal masses (20) to vary, for the same number of revs of the engine, the centrifugal force needed to achieve the axial shift of the first half-sheave (16). |
| US09518634B2 |
Manual transmission
A manual transmission including an input shaft Ai to which power is input from an internal combustion engine E/G through a clutch UT and an output shaft Ao from which power is output to drive wheels. This transmission has a plurality of EV travel gear stages (different from the neutral) in which no power transmission system is established between the input shaft Ai and the output shaft Ao, and a plurality of E/G travel gear stages in which a power transmission system is established between the input shaft Ai and the output shaft Ao. This transmission has a connection changeover mechanism which establishes and breaks connection between the output shaft of the electric motor and the output shaft. When an EV travel gear stage is selected, a “connected state” is always realized. When an E/G travel gear stage is selected, a “disconnected state” is realized in some cases. |
| US09518631B2 |
Vibration damping device
A vibration damping device in which a covering member can be fixed firmly to a rotary member by a rivet is provided. In the vibration damping device, a pendulum mass 14 is held in a rotary member 15, and a casing 17 is fixed to the rotary member 15 by a rivet 20. The rivet 20 comprises a head 20a, a first shaft 20b and a second shaft 20c. The first shaft 20a penetrates through a first casing member 18, the rotary member 15 and the second casing member 19, and a tail thereof is expanded to fasten those members. The second shaft 20c penetrates through a driven member, and a tail thereof is expanded to fasten the driven member to the rotary member 15. |
| US09518628B2 |
Tubular vibration-damping device
A tubular vibration-damping device including: an inner shaft member; an outer tube member; and a main rubber elastic body which couples the two members. The outer tube member is made of synthetic resin and integrally includes on its first axial end a locking part having a locking projection on its outer circumference surface and a stopper support part that supports a base end part of a stopper rubber projecting axially outward therefrom. The locking part is positioned at an outer circumference side of the stopper support part across a recess that opens axially outward of the outer tube member. Deformation of the locking part to an inner circumference side is restricted by the stopper rubber swelling to the outer circumference side along with its compressive deformation in an axial direction and abutting against an inner circumference surface of the locking part. |
| US09518626B2 |
Canted coil springs and assemblies and related methods
Canted coil spring rings each with a first plurality of coils having first coil major and minor axes; a second plurality of coils each having second coil major and minor axes; the coils of the first plurality of coils alternating with the coils of the second plurality of coils according to an alternating pattern. The spring rings having inner and outer perimeters and wherein the inner perimeter of the spring ring is defined by at least said first plurality of coils. The resulting configuration of the spring ring has improved spacing along the inner perimeter, among others, with respect to a similar canted coil spring ring having a constant coil cross section, such as a coil length with all similar coils. |
| US09518625B2 |
Method for actuating an electrically actuated friction brake
To be able to selectively influence the braking effect of a friction brake (1) in a certain operating point to be able to reliably and easily achieve regulation or control of a required setpoint braking effect of the friction brake (1), it is proposed to determine an actuation energy (EE) of the electric motor (21) for the braking operation, and to determine the ascertained actuation energy (EE) as the actual actuation energy (EE_actual) in the predefined setpoint position of the friction brake (1), and to determine a setpoint actuation energy (EE_setpoint) with respect to the setpoint position or with respect to a setpoint braking effect from known data concerning the friction brake (1), and to compensate for a deviation between the actual actuation energy (EE_actual) and the setpoint actuation energy (EE_setpoint) by actuating the friction brake (1). |
| US09518618B2 |
Manual shift transmission and clutch assembly therefore
A clutch assembly for a manual shift transmission includes a first shaft, which carries a first clutch disc, a second shaft that is coaxial to the first shaft. The second shaft carries an axially shiftable second clutch disc, a first ramp, of which at least one section describes a helical line that is coaxial to the shafts, and a first actuating body. The first actuating body is clamped between the first ramp and the second clutch disc and can be moved about a common axis of the shafts between an open position, in which the clutch discs are spaced from one another, and a closing position, in which the clutch discs contact one another in a frictionally joined manner. |
| US09518617B2 |
Integrated leaf spring and seal retention
A drive assembly for a drive assembly or transmission is provided. The drive assembly includes a front cover; a piston plate slidable axially toward and away from the front cover; a connection plate axially between the front cover and the piston plate elastically connecting the front cover and piston plate to each other; and at least one seal along at least one radial end of the piston plate, the connection plate and the piston plate retaining the at least one seal axially therebetween. A method of forming a drive assembly is also provided. |
| US09518616B2 |
Hand-held power tool with a clutch and method for producing a groove in the circumferential wall of a clutch drum of a hand-held power tool
A hand-held power tool is provided with a drive motor and a clutch connected to the drive motor. The drive motor drives a tool member through the clutch. The clutch has a clutch drum with a circumferential wall provided with an end face. A follower member engages a groove in the circumferential wall of the clutch drum and a driven element is connected to the follower member to be driven by the follower member. The groove extends from the end face of the circumferential wall into the circumferential wall and has a groove bottom and two groove sides positioned opposite each other. The circumferential wall has a protrusion located at the groove bottom. The protrusion has a protrusion thickness measured at the groove bottom that amounts to at least approximately 110% of a wall thickness of the circumferential wall measured at the two groove sides. |
| US09518615B2 |
Component part, device and method for determining an axial position of a component part and for determining a rotary speed of the component part
A component of a transmission device, which rotates around a central axis and is adjustable in an axial direction, includes with an encoder contour on the circumference of the component that interacts with a sensor device. The encoder contour features at least one area provided for calculating the axial position of the component, whereas a surface of the first area is designed with a varying radial extension along the axial direction relative to the central axis. The encoder contour has second areas for calculating the rotational speed of the component, whereas a slope of a radial surface of the second areas in the axial direction is differentiated from a slope of the surface of the first areas in the axial direction. In the circumferential direction of the component, the encoder contour is designed alternately with first areas and second areas. |
| US09518610B2 |
Load coupling and method for adjusting torsional natural frequency of power train
Load couplings, power trains, and methods for adjusting torsional natural frequencies of power trains are provided. In one embodiment, a load coupling includes a first flange, a second flange, and a shaft extending between the first flange and the second flange. The load coupling further includes an annular ring extending radially outward from one of the first flange, the second flange, or the shaft, the annular ring including a plurality of bore holes defined therein, each of the plurality of bore holes including a first opening. The load coupling further includes a first cap connected within one of the plurality of bore holes proximate the first opening, the first cap deformable such that an interference fit is created with the one of the plurality of bore holes. |
| US09518607B2 |
Drain proof bearing assembly
A drain proof bearing assembly includes a seat; a cylindrical bearing being receivable in a hollow space of the seat; the bearing being formed with an axial hole; an upper opening of the axial hole of the bearing being formed with an annual recess for receiving a drain proof ring; a plurality of radial notches being formed radially on an upper surface of the bearing; an outer surface of the bearing being formed with a plurality of oil guiding trenches; by the notches, the oil guiding trenches being communicated to the annular recess; and a press plate having an inner hollow penetrating hole and receivable in the hollow spate of the seat. Thereby, the fluid is prevented from draining out along the path from the spindle to the press plate. This design is effective from various kinds of bearings, such as fluid dynamic bearings, or oil bearings, etc. |
| US09518604B2 |
Fluid bearings
The present invention provides improvements to a fluid bearing for a journal, one being a polymer bearing pad with an outer surface, at least one recess for receiving lubricating fluid from a base of the fluid bearing and distributing the lubricating fluid to the outer surface and a mount for securely mounting the polymer bearing pad to the base. Other improvements include a fluid bearing with the polymer bearing pad, steps for making the polymer bearing pad and fluid bearing, a fluid bearing with a polymer bearing pad having a chamfer and a multidirectional fluid bearing. |
| US09518603B2 |
Bearing apparatus
In a bearing apparatus provided herein a hard steel shaft is an opposite shaft of an Al—Sn—Si based alloy plain bearing. Its wear resistance is enhanced. The bearing apparatus comprises a steel shaft having hardness of Hv 500 or more at least on a surface thereof, and a plain bearing. The plain bearing is formed of an aluminum alloy containing 2 to 10 mass % of Si, 8 to 18 mass % Sn, and the balance being Al and unavoidable impurities, wherein the volume of Sn phase is 50% or more of the volume of the Si particles(the average particle diameter of Si of the aluminum alloy is 4 to 10 μm). The aluminum alloy has a hardness of Hv 45 or more. |
| US09518601B2 |
Composite tube for torque and/or load transmissions and related methods
A composite tube made from a combination fiber and epoxy is disclosed. The tube may be made by filament winding although other materials and processes are suitable. In one example, the tube laminate is a mix of axial and helical fibers tailored to meet the stiffness and strength requirements of the particular application. Fibers having a different modulus may also be mixed to meet axial and torsional stiffness requirements. For example, high modulus fibers may be used in a helical pattern to handle high torque loads while lower modulus fibers may be used for the remaining portion of the tube laminate. The composite tube may be used for load and/or torque bearing applications and can include a support tube pressed fit into an end of the tube. |
| US09518600B2 |
Safety hook
A safety hook includes a hook body and a trigger unit. The hook body has an opening. The trigger unit includes a keeper member and a trigger member. The keeper member is connected to the hook body. The trigger member is connected to the keeper member. The keeper member is operable to pivot relative to the hook body. The trigger member engages the hook body, and is unable to pivot relative to the keeper member so as to block the opening of the hook body when the keeper member is at a released position. The trigger member is moved via the keeper member to be disengaged from the hook body, and is able to pivot to unblock the opening of the hook body when the keeper member is at a pressed position. |
| US09518599B2 |
Metal to metal fastener
A fastener includes a shank having a diameter including a helical thread and a cutting tip. The fastener includes a head having an integral washer and nut. The washer has a diameter (d) and a thickness (t), wherein a relation of the diameter to the thickness is established through a shape factor greater than 0.55, the shape factor for the thickness (t) greater than 0.06 inches being d*(1+2.5t)*t(t-0.06) and for the thickness (t) less than or equal to 0.06 inches being d*(1+2.5t)*t(0.06-t). The fastener may be used in a system wherein a thin steel element abuts the washer and the fastener joins the thin steel element to a thick steel element. |
| US09518596B2 |
Pivot-fit frame, system and method for photovoltaic modules
A system and apparatus are disclosed including PV modules having a frame allowing quick and easy assembling of the PV modules into a PV array in a sturdy and durable manner. In examples of the present technology, the PV modules may have a grooved frame where the groove is provided at an angle with respect to a planar surface of the modules. Various couplings may engage within the groove to assemble the PV modules into the PV array with a pivot-fit connection. Further examples of the present technology operate with PV modules having frames without grooves, or with PV modules where the frame is omitted altogether. |
| US09518583B2 |
Submerged centrifugal electric pump
The submerged centrifugal electric pump comprises an external casing (2) comprising a first and a second tubular portion (5, 7) suitable to be connected coaxial to one another, a pumping unit (3) inserted axially in the first portion (5) of the casing (2) to suction a liquid through a suctioning opening (101) and transfer the liquid in outlet through a discharge opening (11), and a motor unit (4) inserted in the second tubular portion (7) of the casing (2) and provided with a motor shaft (15) suitable to be connected in use to the pumping unit (3). The centrifugal electric pump comprises means (19) for fixing the axial position of the motor shaft (15) interposed between the motor unit (4) and the pumping unit (3). The fixing means (19) comprise an occlusion member (20) having an elastic material portion (23) suitable to engage the internal surface of the casing (2), a support body (22) suitable to be axially linked to the occlusion member (20) and a fastening member (21) suitable to be associated with the occlusion member (20) to perform the radial expansion of the elastic material portion (23). |
| US09518582B2 |
Motor spacer, motor spacer applied to variable-speed compressor and compressor
A motor spacer for a variable-speed compressor positions and supports a stator of a motor in a cylindrical section of a compressor shell. The spacer includes a ring member and a plurality of support blocks. The ring member is coaxially mounted around the stator by a clamping force. Each support block protrudes radially and outwardly from the ring member and has a hollow frame structure with a closed enclosure. Each support block has a support surface in contact with the shell. Each support surface is located on a side of an imaginary ring cylinder having a common axis with the ring member. The plurality of the support blocks are adapted to mount the motor spacer onto an inner side of the shell by a clamping force. |
| US09518578B2 |
System for controlling a resonant linear compressor piston, method for controlling a resonant linear compressor piston, and resonant linear compressor
A control method and a system for controlling the piston of a resonant linear compressor including at least one electronic control unit, the electronic control unit including at least one observing electronic circuit and at least one control circuit associated to each other. The observing electronic circuit is configured for: measuring at least one electric magnitude of the electric motor; estimating at least one set of electric parameters and at least one set of mechanical parameters of the resonant linear compressor; and estimating and providing at least one control parameter of the system for the control circuit based on the measured electric magnitude measured and on the estimated set of electric and mechanical parameters. The control circuit is configured for actuating the electric motor from the at least one control parameter. |
| US09518577B2 |
Apparatus for pumping a fluid
An electrochemically actuated pump and an electrochemical actuator for use with a pump. The pump includes one of various stroke volume multiplier configurations with the pressure of a pumping fluid assisting actuation of a driving fluid bellows. The electrochemical actuator has at least one electrode fluidically coupled to the driving fluid chamber of the first pump housing and at least one electrode fluidically coupled to the driving fluid chamber of the second pump housing. Accordingly, the electrochemical actuator selectively pressurizes hydrogen gas within a driving fluid chamber. The actuator may include a membrane electrode assembly including an ion exchange membrane with first and second catalyzed electrodes in contact with opposing sides of the membrane, and first and second hydrogen gas chambers in fluid communication with the first and second electrodes, respectively. A controller may reverse the polarity of a voltage source electrically coupled to the current collectors. |
| US09518576B1 |
Peristaltic pump
A peristaltic pump includes a rotating member operably coupled to a drive. The rotating member includes a plurality of rollers arranged in a circular configuration. A guide member defines a channel configured to direct a peristaltic tube around the rotating member so that the peristaltic tube interfaces with the plurality of rollers. The peristaltic tube is pressed against the plurality of rollers by a retaining shoe. The retaining shoe contains surface irregularities configured to restrict movement of the peristaltic tube. A keeper braces the restraining shoe against the peristaltic tube. The rotating rollers compressing the peristaltic tube against the retaining shoe as the rotating member rotates results in a peristaltic action that produces a nearly pulse free linear flow. |
| US09518573B2 |
Reciprocating compressor with gas bearing
A reciprocating compressor with a gas bearing is configured to support a portion between a cylinder and a piston by the gas bearing and induce a resonating motion of the piston by the use of compression coil springs. Therefore, a proper resonating motion of a vibrating body can be induced by the use of the gas bearing, without using plate springs, and accordingly manufacturing costs and the number of assembly processes can be reduced and the installation direction of the compressor can be freely designed. |
| US09518570B2 |
Motor winding heater systems and methods
A motor controller includes a motor winding heater function. The motor controller applies a predefined current to one or more of the motor windings without the use of additional dedicated motor winding heater devices. The motor controller serves to control the operation of the motor, while the motor windings serve both as a heater at times and to produce torque at times. |
| US09518569B2 |
Adjustment device for an axial piston machine and hydraulic machine having such an adjustment device
An adjustment device for a pivoting cradle of a hydraulic machine, in particular of an axial piston machine, is disclosed. Said adjustment device has an actuating piston to which pressure medium for pivoting the pivoting cradle about a pivoting axis is applied via an actuating pressure space. In order to control the feeding in of pressure medium and the relieving of the actuating pressure space, a control valve is provided. Said control valve has a control piston configured to be adjusted by an electric actuator, wherein the electric actuator is controlled by a control device. In this context, the control device controls the electric actuator as a function of a control difference formed from a setpoint pivoting angle and an actual pivoting angle of the pivoting cradle. The actual pivoting angle of the pivoting cradle is fed back electrically to the control device here. |
| US09518568B2 |
Swash plate type variable displacement compressor
An inclination angle of a swash plate of a swash plate type variable displacement compressor is rapidly changed to the maximum when electric current is supplied to an electromagnetic solenoid and therefore the compressor is operated at the maximum displacement. When a second valve body is opened, a first valve body is closed; when the second valve body is closed, a valve opening of the first valve body is controlled. Under the circumstance that electric current is supplied to the electromagnetic solenoid and an instruction for operating the compressor at the maximum displacement is issued, when the first valve body is closed, the second valve body is opened. In addition to supply of refrigerant gas from a discharge chamber to a control pressure chamber through a first supply passage, refrigerant gas is supplied from the discharge chamber to the control pressure chamber through a second supply passage. |
| US09518567B2 |
Adjusting device of a hydrostatic module
An adjusting device of an axial piston machine having a displacement volume that is adjusted by a pivoting yoke. The adjusting device has a cylinder, which is radially spaced from and tangential to the yoke pivot axis. A piston communicates with the yoke and is adjusted by hydraulic pressure change. A control arrangement has a position regulating valve with a control piston which can set the hydraulic pressure acting on the piston. A mechanical return can transfer the yoke pivoting position to the control piston. The valve is axially parallel to the cylinder and radially spaced from the yoke pivot axis. The return comprises an axially movable sensing piston and coaxial return spring which are axially adjacent to the valve. The sensing piston abuts a yoke surface that is eccentric with respect to the pivot axis and connected to the control piston by the return spring. |
| US09518564B2 |
Floating hybrid composite wind turbine platform and tower system
A wind turbine platform is configured for floating in a body of water and includes a hull defining a hull cavity therein. The hull is formed from reinforced concrete. A tower is configured to mount a wind turbine and is also connected to the hull. An anchor member is connected to the hull and to the seabed. |
| US09518563B2 |
Method and device for aligning tower sections
The present invention generally relates to a hollow structural part (2) configured to form part of a wind turbine (1), said structural part (2) having a first end (2′) and a second end, with an inwardly directed annular flange (70) at said first end (2′), said flange (70) having a plurality of holes (72), at least one alignment device (10) being mounted to said hollow structural part (2), a first connector (22) being connected with said structural part (2) to connect said alignment device (10) to said structural part (2), said alignment device (10) having a guide portion (35) with a protracted guiding surface part (38) extending in the general direction away from said opposite second end and towards a centre line (CL) of said hollow structural part (2), said guiding surface part (38) being for directional guiding of another structural part (5) of said wind turbine (1) during assembly thereof, an elongated bar (40) connected with said guide portion (35), said bar (40) having a portion extending from said bottom face (71) of said flange and into one of said holes (72) of said flange, with an end of said bar (40) located within said hole (72), wherein forces on said guide portion (35) are at least in part balanced by lateral forces acting on said portion of said bar (40). |
| US09518559B2 |
Output control device, method and program for wind farm
An output by a wind farm including multiple wind power generation devices is controlled by an output control device. To control the output, (1) a potential estimator estimates an outputtable maximum power amount by each wind power generation device, (2) a control amount determiner determines a control amount of the whole wind farm based on the maximum power amount estimated by the potential estimator, (3) a control timing adjuster adjusts a control timing of the control amount of the whole wind farm, (4) a control amount distributer distributes the control amount having undergone the control timing adjustment based on an available power generation amount of each wind power generation device. |
| US09518555B2 |
Radiation devices
A radiation device and related method are presented. The radiation device includes a body. The body includes a threaded portion configured to engage with a threaded opening in an engine and an open interior volume. The radiation device includes a ground electrode coupled to the body, a substrate disposed within the open interior volume in the body, and a radio frequency generator on the substrate. The radio frequency generator is configured to receive an input signal and, in response to the input signal, generate plasma energy between the body and the ground electrode. |
| US09518551B2 |
Laser ignition safety interlock system and method
A safety interlock system and method is provided for a laser ignition system. The laser device can be disabled upon receiving an indication that the laser device has been removed from the cylinder. The removal can be inferred based on an estimated distance between the cylinder piston and the laser ignition device. |
| US09518550B2 |
Engine starting device
Since a pinion gear unit which rotates according to the rotation of an output rotation shaft driven by the motor unit, a pushing mechanism which moves the pinion gear unit towards an engagement location of the pinion gear and an engine starting gear, and a bracket which includes a bracket main body unit which supports the motor unit and the pushing mechanism and a nose unit which extends from the bracket main body unit to a side opposite to the motor unit and rotatably bears a tip portion of the output rotation shaft on a side opposite to the motor unit, and which is attached to an engine side are included, a first stopper unit which restricts the movement of the rotation member to the direction of the engine starting gear is provided on the output rotation shaft, a second stopper unit which restricts the movement of the pinion gears to the direction of the engine starting gear by pushing and biasing of the elastic member is provided on the rotation member, and positioning the first stopper unit is positioned on a side opposite to the engine starting gear with respect to the second stopper unit, it is possible to shorten the shaft length of the rotation member and to shorten the entire length of the engine starting device. |
| US09518547B2 |
Fuel injector including extensions for split spray angles
A fuel injector for an internal combustion engine is disclosed. The fuel injector includes a tip in fluid connection with a combustion chamber of the engine and includes an orifice for injecting fuel as a fuel jet. The fuel injector includes a protruding member in fluid connection with the first orifice extending from the tip at a protruding angle. The orifice injects the fuel jet into the first protruding member. The fuel injector includes a plurality of extension members in fluid connection with the protruding member and includes at least, a first extension member and a second extension member. The first and second extension members may extend from the protruding member at extension angles. The fuel jet may be distributed into, at least, a first distributed jet and a second distributed jet when the first fuel jet flows from the protruding member to the first plurality of extension members. |
| US09518543B2 |
Fuel supply system and fuel supply method for internal combustion engine
A fuel supply system for an internal combustion engine includes a heat exchanger that has a heat exchanging wall between a liquefied fuel passage and an engine coolant passage. Heated and vaporized fuel flowing out from the liquefied fuel passage of the heat exchanger is supplied to the internal combustion engine. A flow rate of liquefied fuel supplied to the liquefied fuel passage of the heat exchanger is set. A flow rate of engine coolant supplied to the engine coolant passage of the heat exchanger is determined on the basis of a temperature of the engine coolant supplied to the engine coolant passage of the heat exchanger such that nucleate boiling or transition boiling of the liquefied fuel in the set flow rate occurs near a boundary between nucleate boiling and transition boiling in the liquefied fuel passage. |
| US09518538B2 |
Variable restriction fuel vapor canister
Systems and methods for operating an engine with a fuel vapor recovery system are disclosed. In one example approach, a method for an engine with a fuel vapor recovery system comprises increasing an amount of flow restriction between storage material in a fuel vapor canister while maintaining a vent valve open during a fuel vapor purging event. |
| US09518532B2 |
Internal combustion engine having structural frame
A structural frame is provided. The structural frame includes a bottom surface, first and second cylinder block sidewall engaging surfaces, the first and second cylinder block sidewall engaging surfaces positioned above the bottom surface at a height that is above a centerline of a crankshaft support included in a cylinder block when the structural frame is coupled to the cylinder block. |
| US09518529B2 |
Methods and systems for an intake oxygen sensor
Methods and systems are provided for correcting an EGR rate determined based on an intake manifold oxygen sensor based on an air-fuel ratio of EGR. The output of the sensor is corrected to compensate for extra fuel in rich EGR or extra air in lean EGR and used to reliably estimate the EGR rate. One or more engine operating parameters are adjusted based on an uncorrected output of the sensor. |
| US09518520B2 |
Control device of internal combustion engine
The invention relates to a control device applied to an engine including a controlled object and for controlling the operation state of the controlled object such that the controlled output from the controlled object corresponds to the target controlled output. In the invention, when the reference engine state parameter is maintained constant during the predetermined time period and it is predicted that the reference engine state parameter changes at the predetermined time period having elapsed, the primary or secondary predicted controlled output which satisfies the output control condition at the predetermined time period having elapsed assuming that the reference engine state parameter does not change during the predetermined time period is calculated as a look-ahead predicted controlled output and then, the target controlled output setting logic for performing the functions of the target controlled output setting architecture is corrected on the basis of the look-ahead predicted controlled output. |
| US09518516B2 |
State-based diesel fueling for improved transient response in dual-fuel engine
A method, used with dual-fuel engine, of controlling the amount of diesel fuel delivered to the engine. The method compensates for the poor transient response of gaseous fueling. A controller receives a signal from the operator of the engine representing a desired torque, and based on this signal, determines a desired intake manifold state. It generates commands to various actuators to control the intake air and the intake gaseous fuel such that the desired intake manifold state will occur. The controller also receives sensor data from which the current in-cylinder state can be measured or estimated. It determines a current amount of diesel fuel based on the desired torque, the engine speed and the current in-cylinder state, and generates a diesel fueling command. |
| US09518515B2 |
Sliding mode controller and internal combustion engine system control device
The invention relates to a sliding mode controller for controlling a controlled object system by using the adaptive sliding mode control. Also, the invention relates to an internal combustion engine system control device for controlling an internal combustion engine system by using the adaptive sliding mode control. The invention is characterized by comprising adaptive law input term learning means for learning an adaptive law input term so as to transfer an offset of a reaching law input term in the adaptive sliding mode control to the adaptive law input term. |
| US09518513B2 |
Gas turbine engine two degree of freedom variable bleed valve for ice extraction
A gas turbine engine variable bleed apparatus includes a variable bleed valve door disposed in a bleed inlet in a transition duct, rotatable about two or more separate pivot points, operable to open and close an aft bleed slot extending outwardly from transition duct, and operable to open and close a forward bleed slot extending inwardly into transition duct. Door is operable to transition between a first position with aft bleed slot open and forward bleed slot closed to a second position with aft bleed slot closed and forward bleed slot open without fully closing door. Door is rotatable about an axis translatable between the two or more separate pivot points. Transition duct having a transition duct conical angle at least about 10 degrees greater than a booster conical angle of a booster outer shroud upstream of transition duct. |
| US09518504B2 |
Air intake structure of engine and motorcycle having the same
The present invention provides an air intake structure of an engine capable of cooling intake air compressed by a supercharger by reducing pressure loss. An air intake structure of an engine (13) having a supercharger (20) supercharging air and an air intake chamber (22) receiving the air supercharged by the supercharger (20) and sending the supercharged air to the engine, wherein a throttle body (23) is connected to the air intake downstream side of the air intake chamber (22), wherein an air intake port (131a) of a cylinder head (131) of the engine (13) is connected to the air intake downstream side of the throttle body (23), wherein a liquid cooling type intercooler (30) is provided in the air intake chamber (22). |
| US09518501B2 |
Exhaust manifold for exhaust system of a combustion engine
An exhaust manifold for an exhaust system of a combustion engine includes an internal pipe system having a plurality of pipe sections and an outer shell which is disposed in spaced-apart surrounding relationship to the internal pipe system and joined to an outlet flange. The outlet flange includes a neck portion, an outer flange portion adjacent to the neck portion, and an inwardly directed shoulder portion which extends from the neck portion outwards, with the outer shell being joined at the shoulder portion to the outlet flange. |
| US09518499B2 |
DEF injector cooling system and method
A DEF injector cooling system may include a mechanical pump, an electric pump, and a controller. The mechanical pump may be rotatably coupled to an engine so as to be driven by the engine. The mechanical pump may be fluidly connected to the engine, a DEF injector, and a heat exchanger, and configured to pump coolant through these components. The electric pump may be fluidly connected to the DEF injector and configured to pump coolant through it. The controller may be configured to receive an ambient temperature signal indicative of an ambient temperature and power the electric pump after a shutdown of the engine for a period of time, the duration of the period of time based on the ambient temperature signal. |
| US09518497B2 |
System and method for determining the net output torque from a waste heat recovery system
The disclosure provides a waste heat recovery system with a system and method for calculation of the net output torque from the waste heat recovery system. The calculation uses inputs from existing pressure and speed sensors to create a virtual pump torque sensor and a virtual expander torque sensor, and uses these sensors to provide an accurate net torque output from the WHR system. |
| US09518491B2 |
Construction machine
An exhaust gas aftertreatment device provided to an upper portion of an engine includes a right and left pair of first and second aftertreatment units, into which exhaust gas from the engine dividedly flows, each including a first exhaust gas emission control system on an upstream side, a second exhaust gas emission control system on a downstream side and a communication pipe through which the first and second systems are in communication with each other, the first and second systems, while being arranged side by side in a right-and-left direction, being oriented so that a flow direction of the exhaust gas flowing therein is parallel with a front-and-rear direction. When the device is seen in the front-and-rear direction, an outer linear envelope tangent to the first system and the communication pipe of each of the units extends upward while tilting toward a right-and-left center of the engine. |
| US09518480B2 |
Exhaust heat recovery device
An exhaust heat recovery device 1, with a Rankine cycle for recovering and using exhaust heat of an engine 10 includes: a Rankine cycle 2 including a heater 22, an expander 23, a condenser 24, and a pump 25; a bypass flow passage 26 allowing the refrigerant to circulate while bypassing the expander 23; a bypass valve 27 opening and closing the bypass flow passage 26; and a control unit 4. When starting up the Rankine cycle 2, the control unit 4 executes start-up control of the Rankine cycle 2 in which the pump 25 is actuated with the bypass valve 27 open and then the bypass valve 27 is closed. Furthermore, the control unit 4 repeatedly executes the start-up control when the pressure difference between the high-pressure side and the low-pressure side of the Rankine cycle 2 after closing the bypass valve 27 does not reach the start-up completion determination value within a predetermined time. |
| US09518478B2 |
Microchannel exhaust for cooling and/or purging gas turbine segment gaps
A gas turbine stator component includes a composite, segmented ring made up of an annular array of arcuate segments, each having end faces formed with respective seal slots, with radial gaps formed between opposed end faces of adjacent arcuate segments. A seal is located between each pair of opposed seal slots to thereby seal the gaps, and a channel is provided in each of said arcuate segments adapted to be supplied with cooling air, the channel connecting to a passage extending between the channel and a respective one of the seal slots or radial gaps, on a lower-pressure side of the seal. |
| US09518477B2 |
Cooling device for electric motor
A device for cooling of electric motor, which has a stator with a jacket surface/stator back, wherein a housing is arranged to surround the stator, includes at least one cooling channel in which a liquid cooling medium streams for cooling of the electric motor, wherein the housing is arranged to run separated from the stator along a main part of the thermoset cased jacket surface of the stator for forming of said cooling channel between the housing and said jacket surface, wherein the stator winding of the stator is arranged to run along and axially project from and turn outside of said jacket surface, wherein the stator including the projecting stator winding is embedded with said thermoset, wherein said cooling channel also is formed between the housing and the thus projecting stator winding. |
| US09518476B2 |
Exhaust-gas turbocharger
An exhaust-gas turbocharger (1) having a turbine (2), with a turbine wheel (3) surrounded by an intake duct (4), and a VTG cartridge (5), with a washer (6) and a vane bearing ring (7), which delimit the intake duct (4), and with a plurality of vanes (8), arranged in the intake duct (4) and mounted in the vane bearing ring (7) by way of rotatable vane shafts (9), which are connected to vane levers (10), the lever heads (11) of which engage into associated grooves (12) in a unison ring (13), which surrounds the vane bearing ring (7); and having a radial bearing between the unison ring (13) and the vane bearing ring (7). The vane levers (10) for forming the radial bearing are in the form of cam levers, the lever heads (11) of which are supported in the grooves (12). |
| US09518475B2 |
Re-use of internal cooling by medium in turbine hot gas path components
In one example, an arcuate segment for a ring-shaped, rotary machine component such as a stator nozzle or bucket shroud, includes a segment body having an end face formed with a circumferentially-facing seal slot adapted to receive a seal extending between the segment body and a corresponding seal slot in an adjacent segment body to seal a radially-extending gap between the adjacent segment bodies. A cooling channel is provided in the segment body in proximity to the seal slot, and is adapted to be supplied with cooling air. A passage extends from the cooling channel into the seal slot, at a location where the cooling air can be supplied to the higher pressure area on the radially-outer side of the seal. |
| US09518473B2 |
Shaft seal insert
A shaft seal insert for the shaft seal of a turbomachine extending along a rotational axis includes:—a rotor part attachable on a shaft of a rotor,—a stator part insertable into a stator receiving area, and—a dry gas seal having a rotating seal element attached to the rotor part and a fixed seal element attached to the stator part to seal an intermediate space between the two seal elements, which lie opposite each other on a sealing surface extending radially and in the circumferential direction. A labyrinth seal is provided on a high-pressure side in a serial arrangement with the dry gas seal to seal the intermediate space, having a fixed and rotating labyrinth seal parts. The fixed labyrinth seal part is part of the stator part or is fixed thereto. The rotating labyrinth seal part is part of the rotor part or is fixed thereto. |
| US09518465B2 |
Method and device for transporting overburden away during tunnelling
A method and device for transporting overburden away during tunneling includes a seal that separates a first portion and a second portion of a transporting screw arrangement. As a result, in open tunneling or in earth-pressure-assisted tunneling, when the seal is closed, overburden can be transported out of a first opening, arranged ahead of the seal in the direction of removal and, in fluid-assisted tunneling, when the first opening is closed and the seal is open, the overburden can be transported into the second portion. |
| US09518464B2 |
Combination polycrystalline diamond bit and bit holder
A quick change type bit/bit holder includes several different structures for holding the item in a bit block without the necessity of a fastener. The bit portion of the bit/bit holder combination includes a ductile steel insert with a polycrystalline diamond coated tungsten carbide bit positioned therein. The ductility of the steel insert acts as a shock absorber to allow the bit to successfully remove concrete as well as asphalt in a road milling machine. |
| US09518458B2 |
Gas separator assembly for generating artificial sump inside well casing
A gas separator assembly generates an artificial sump in a production casing receiving a production tubing string with a downhole pump at the bottom end thereof. The assembly includes an inner casing in series with the production casing of the well and an outer casing supported externally of the inner casing. First and second ports at opposing top and bottom ends of the outer casing communicate from a primary passage in the inner casing to a secondary passage between the inner and outer casings. A barrier supported in the primary passage between the first and second ports diverts flow through the secondary passage and effectively defines the sump area in the primary passage between an inlet of the downhole pump adjacent the barrier and the first port thereabove. |
| US09518454B2 |
Methods and systems for controlling networked electronic switches for remote detonation of explosive devices
A method and system are disclosed for controlling a plurality of perforating gun assemblies arranged in a gun train and lowered into a wellbore. The perforating gun assemblies are connected to a top sub controller that is also lowered into the wellbore. The top sub controller includes a first communications module to communicate with an above-ground control panel via a wireline and a second communications module to communicate with a switch sub in each the plurality of perforating gun assemblies via a network bus. Each switch sub has a unique network address. During assembly, the control panel automatically detects the order of the perforating gun assemblies in the gun train based on polling each of the switch subs of the plurality of perforating gun assemblies using the respective unique network addresses. |
| US09518452B2 |
Surge immune liner setting tool
A setting tool for hanging a tubular string includes: a tubular mandrel having an actuation port formed through a wall thereof; a debris barrier for engaging an upper end of the tubular string; and a piston having an upper face in fluid communication with the actuation port. The setting tool further includes: an actuator sleeve extending along the mandrel and connected to the piston; a latch releasably connecting the debris barrier to the actuator sleeve and for releasably connecting the debris barrier to the tubular string; a packoff connected to the mandrel below the piston and operable to seal against an inner surface of the tubular string, thereby forming a buffer chamber between the debris barrier and the packoff; and a passage. The passage: is in fluid communication with a lower face of the piston, is formed in a wall of and along the mandrel, and bypasses the packoff. |
| US09518449B1 |
Waterflooding injectate design systems and methods
A method of recovering a liquid hydrocarbon using an injectate includes recovering the liquid hydrocarbon through primary extraction. Physico-chemical data representative of electrostatic interactions between the liquid hydrocarbon and the reservoir rock are measured. At least one additive of the injectate is selected based on the physico-chemical data. The method includes recovering the liquid hydrocarbon from the reservoir rock through secondary extraction using the injectate. |
| US09518447B2 |
Method of controlling a downhole operation
The present invention relates to a method for controlling a drilling or cutting operation performed by a wireline tool downhole, comprising the steps of commencing a drilling or cutting operation in a downhole object, such as a casing or valve; detecting vibration produced during the drilling or cutting operation in the downhole object using a vibration sensor adapted to transmit detected vibrations; processing a vibration signal from the vibration sensor to produce a real-time frequency spectrum; comparing the frequency spectrum to a reference frequency spectrum; and controlling the operation based upon the comparison of the frequency spectrum and the frequency spectrum specification. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a wireline tool for performing a drilling or cutting operation downhole and carrying out the method according to the invention. |
| US09518444B2 |
Valve assembly
A valve assembly (2) which is configured to be coupled to a tubing string comprises a housing (8) defining a housing flow path (9) for communicating with the tubing string, and a barrier member (14) located in the housing (8) and configurable between a normally-closed position in which the barrier member (14) restricts access through the housing flow path (9), and an open position in which access is permitted through the housing flow path (9). The valve assembly (2) also comprises a bypass arrangement reconfigurable between an open state in which the bypass arrangement defines a bypass flow path that communicates with the housing flow path (9) on opposite sides of the barrier member (14) to permit fluid to bypass the barrier member and thereby fill the tubing string, and a closed state in which fluid is prevented from bypassing the barrier member to thereby permit pressurization of the tubing string. |
| US09518436B2 |
Positive retraction latch locking dog for a rotating control device
A latch and method for use is provided for latching an item of oilfield equipment. The latch has a housing containing a latch member, and the latch member is movable between a radially engaged position in which it is engaged with the item of oilfield equipment, and a radially retracted position in which it is disengaged from the item of oilfield equipment. An actuator is configured to drive the latch member into the radially engaged position. Further, the actuator is configured to drive the latch member toward the radially retracted position. |
| US09518434B1 |
System for ascertaining and managing properties of a circulating wellbore fluid and method of using the same
A system and a method of ascertaining and managing the properties of a circulating wellbore fluid is utilized, among other things, to achieve greater well control, reduce drilling and work-over expense, prevent reservoir damage and prevent personnel injuries which may result from extremely hot wellbore fluids. The system utilizes a network of sensors which detect fluid properties at various locations in the system, inputs the detected properties into a digital processor, and utilizes the processor to generate solutions for adjusting system components to realize a desired temperature and pressure profile for the fluid system. |
| US09518431B2 |
Slip-type elevator adapter
Methods and apparatus for adapting an elevator for use with a tubular are provided. The apparatus includes one or more axial extensions configured to engage one or more slip bodies of the elevator. The one or more axial extensions include a radial contact surface configured to slide along the tubular and an axial engagement surface configured to bear on an upset of the tubular. The one or more axial extensions are flexible such that the radial contact surface is radially displaceable with respect to the tubular. |
| US09518427B2 |
Mining vehicle and method for its energy supply
The mining vehicle has a carriage, driving equipment for moving the carriage, at least one mining work device, an electric motor for supplying power to the mining work device, a connection for supplying electric power to the electric motor from an electrical network of the mine, and an energy source. The electric motor has at least a primary stator winding and a secondary stator winding galvanically isolated from each other. When the mining vehicle is connected to the electrical network of the mine via the primary stator winding, the electric motor is arranged, at least for a period of time, to supply power to the at least one mining work device and, at least for a period of the time, to supply power via the secondary stator winding for charging the energy source. A method for energy supply of a mining vehicle is also provided. |
| US09518421B2 |
Safety door barricade
A door barricade includes a base member and a securing mechanism. The base member has a size that permits it to be positioned under a door, with a first upwardly extending portion positioned on the base member and a second upwardly extending portion positioned on the base member. The first and second upwardly extending portions are spaced a distance from one another that is greater than or equal to a width of a door. The securing mechanism is coupled to the base member for mating with a floor. The base member and the securing member together serve to barricade a door such that the door will not move even upon the application of significant force when the securing mechanism is fixedly coupled to a floor. |
| US09518418B2 |
Assembly for opening/closing of wings through synchronized motion
An assembly for opening/closing doors including at least a first wing, a second wing and a mechanism adapted to move the wings from a closing position wherein they lie in a vertical plane, to an opening position wherein they are arranged facing each other and lying onto parallel and substantially horizontal planes, and vice versa. The passage from the closing position to the opening position and vice versa occurs through a synchronized and simultaneous rotary-translating motion of the wings. The mechanism includes first and second kinematic arrangements respectively adapted to move the first and second wings, the kinematic arrangements being separate and distinct, kinematically connected through a mechanism for synchronizing and changing the transmission ratio to impart a differential trajectory to the synchronized motion of the first wing with respect to the second wing during closing and opening. |
| US09518410B2 |
Flush mounted vehicle handle
An outside handle of a door of a vehicle that opens a latch, including a rotatable flap that sits flush against an outer panel of the vehicle in a closed position and that provides an opening to an interior of the handle in an open position, and a rotating lever behind the outer panel, movement of the lever opening the latch of the door. The handle is arranged such that the flap rotates to the open position when the door is unlocked and rotates to the closed position when the door is locked. |
| US09518409B2 |
Vehicle door latch device
A vehicle door latch device which comprises a body having a holding portion, an engagement member pivotally mounted in the holding portion, a cover member closing an opening of the holding portion, and a shaft comprising a shank which passes through a bearing hole of the body and a shank hole of the engagement member, a retaining head and a smaller-diameter shank. The shank passes through the shank hole of the engagement member and the smaller-diameter shank is pressingly fitted in the shank hole of the cover member without swaging the end of the smaller-diameter shank thereby assembling the vehicle door latch device more efficiently. |
| US09518407B2 |
Antitheft device for liquid container
An anti-theft device (1) comprising a ring (2), means (4) to lock (4) the ring in the closed position, and anti-theft detection means (3), wherein the ring comprises a body (20) that has a first end (21) near which the locking means are associated, a second opposite free end (22) designed to be introduced in the locking means, and at least one circular part (23) extending from the second end (22) and designed to cooperate with said locking means, characterized in that the body of the ring comprises a linear part (24) that is arranged to extend from the circular part (23) opposite the second end (22). The linear part provides complementary elasticity to the device which contributes to the ejection of the second end of the ring outside the locking means. |
| US09518395B2 |
Arrangement for forming a floor covering
An arrangement for forming a floor covering (1), wall covering or ceiling covering having a substructure (2) and at least one covering element (4) fastened to the substructure (2) by at least one latching connection (3), the latching connection (3) being configured as a nondestructively detachable and re-connectable latching connection (3) in order to take the covering element (4) off the substructure (3) and subsequently re-fasten the covering element (4) to the substructure (2). |
| US09518384B2 |
Flush toilet
A flush toilet includes: a bowl portion having a waste-receiving surface, a rim and a recess; a rim spout portion configured to spout flush water to form a swirl flow which swirlingly flows along the inner peripheral surface; a drainage conduit having an inlet connecting with the recess to discharge waste therethrough, wherein the waste-receiving surface of the bowl portion is composed of a left waste-receiving sub-surface and a right waste-receiving sub-surface defined, respectively, on both sided of a center line with respect to a lateral direction of the bowl portion, the left waste-receiving sub-surface and the right waste-receiving sub-surface are formed, respectively, in different shapes in a front region of the bowl portion so as to allow flush water spouted from the rim spout portion to form a major stream which flows from a front end of the bowl portion into the recess. |
| US09518380B2 |
Tool retention system
A retention system is provided for use with a ground engaging tool. The tool retention system may have a spool with an elongated channel, and a collar dividing the elongated channel into a first portion and a second portion. The tool retention system may also have a fastener disposed within the elongated channel and passing through the collar. The fastener may have a head located within the first portion and a threaded shank located within the second portion. The tool retention system may further have a resilient member disposed between the head of the fastener and the collar, and a slider threadingly engaged with the threaded shank and configured to slide within the second portion of the elongated channel as the fastener is rotated. |
| US09518379B2 |
Shroud retention system having replaceable lug insert
A retention system is provided for use in connecting a shroud to a work tool. The retention system may have a mounting boss with a base portion, a shelf portion that overhangs opposing sides of the base portion, and a tapered depression formed within the base portion. The retention system may also have a replaceable lug insert removably disposed within the tapered depression. |
| US09518376B1 |
Position reporting for road treatment elements
Systems and methods for reporting a position of an air-over-hydraulic road treatment element use pneumatically activated switches triggered by pilot air for moving the road treatment element. Switch activation electrical signals are used to determine whether the road treatment element is in an engaged configuration or a disengaged configuration. If the switch activation electrical signals indicate the engaged configuration, an engaged configuration electric signal can be maintained until the switch activation electrical signals indicate the disengaged configuration. Conversely, if the switch activation electrical signals indicate the disengaged configuration, a disengaged configuration electric signal can be maintained until the switch activation electrical signals indicate the engaged configuration. The engaged configuration electric signal can be maintained even after cessation of the switch activation electrical signals indicating the engaged configuration, and similarly the disengaged configuration electric signal can be maintained even after cessation of the switch activation electrical signals indicating the disengaged configuration. |
| US09518373B1 |
Construction machine with engine
Provided is a construction machine including exhaust ducts and favorably discharging air from an engine room through an air outlet. The construction machine includes an engine room with an upper wall portion and a cooling fan, the upper wall portion formed with first and second exhaust ducts. The first exhaust duct includes an upstream portion extending in a first horizontal direction and a downstream portion extending upward from a terminal end of the upstream portion to a first air outlet. The second exhaust duct includes a cross portion crossing the upstream portion in a second horizontal direction perpendicular to the first horizontal direction above the upstream portion. The cross portion allows air to flow from a second air inlet opened downward and sideward of the upstream portion to a second air outlet opposite to the second air inlet, through an upper side of the upstream portion. |
| US09518371B2 |
Method for improving excavating operation characteristic and grading operation characteristic of excavator
A method for improving excavating operation characteristic and grading operation characteristic of an excavator is disclosed. A hydraulically controlled selector valve is added in a boom confluence control circuit of a hydraulic excavator, and a solenoid valve group is added in the boom confluence control circuit and the bucket/stick confluence control circuit. A controller sends a control signal to switch the solenoid valve group between a disconnected mode and a connected mode. The controller may send out a signal to disconnect the solenoid valve group, to restore a valve spool to a middle position, to restore a boom lifting confluence circuit, and to disconnect a bucket/stick swinging confluence circuit to perform a standard excavation mode. The controller may send out a signal to connect the solenoid valve group to disconnect a boom lifting confluence circuit and to increase a bucket/stick swinging confluence circuit to achieve a grading operation mode. |
| US09518370B2 |
Shovel and method of controlling shovel
A shovel that performs excavation in accordance with a complex excavation operation including an arm or bucket closing operation and a boom raising operation includes an excavation operation detection part, a position detection part, a maximum allowable pressure calculation part, and a boom cylinder pressure control part. The excavation operation detection part detects that the complex excavation operation has been performed. The position detection part detects the position of the shovel. The maximum allowable pressure calculation part calculates the pressure of the contraction-side oil chamber of a boom cylinder corresponding to an excavation reaction force at a time when the shovel is lifted by the excavation reaction force as a maximum allowable pressure, based on the position of the shovel. The boom cylinder pressure control part controls the pressure of the contraction-side oil chamber not to exceed the maximum allowable pressure when the complex excavation operation is performed. |
| US09518368B2 |
Pile foundation and pile foundation installation method
A pile foundation, on top of which a structural object is placed, supported at the ground surface by a plurality of batter piles, has a pile foundation body comprising a lower plate disposed on the bottom side, an upper plate disposed on the top side, and a support post for supporting the lower plate and the upper plate, separated by a prescribed gap, to be substantially parallel. A plurality of piling holes, through which each of the batter piles pass through in a downward direction in a substantially radial form, are formed in the lower plate and the upper plate. |
| US09518359B2 |
Doctor blade holder systems
The invention provides a doctor blade holder system that includes a doctor blade support structure, an adjustment profiling plate, and a series of adjustment mechanisms. The doctor blade support structure includes an elongated slot for receiving a doctor blade and a separate elongated slot to house mounting hardware. The adjustable profiling plate causes pressure to be applied to the working blade in a continuous manner along the length of the working blade, wherein the profiling plate is mounted to a holder mounting plate with a series of pairs of mounting structures allowing unconstrained flexure, or rotation, of the profiling plate with respect to holder mounting plate around two axes. The series of adjustment mechanisms attach to the holder mounting plate and acting on the profiling plate, wherein the adjustment mechanisms are capable of displacing the profiling plate in a bi-directional manner. |
| US09518348B2 |
Sewing machine having changeable presser foot
A presser foot has a rod pin and is received by an engagement groove provided with a presser holder. By measuring the resistance value of the rod pin, the rod pin is identified. Terminals are provided with the engagement groove, which contact the rod pin for measuring the resistance. The terminals are connected to a circuit that connects to a circuit of a presser bar. A receiving groove is formed at the presser holder, an inserting part is formed at the lower end of the presser bar, and the presser holder is connected to the presser bar by setting the inserting part in the receiving groove and fixing it. The terminals and the circuit are provided with the inserting part connecting to the electrical resistance measuring apparatus where the resistance of the rod pin is measured, then determination apparatus identifies the rod pin and a display informs the result. |
| US09518346B2 |
Sewing machine provided with zigzag motion mechanism
A zigzag width range setting apparatus 9 sets a minimum value and a maximum value of a zigzag width of a needle 62. When the sewing machine is in operation, if the minimum value of the zigzag width preset by the zigzag width range setting apparatus 9 is higher than 0, a zigzag action is performed in a minimum zigzag width at no operation of a knee lifter 2 (an amount of operation of zero), and if the minimum value is 0, the zigzag width of the needle 62 is 0 at zero amount of operation of the knee lifter 2, that is the zigzag action is not performed, and stitching is performed by moving the needle 62 widthwise in accordance with the amount of operation of the knee lifter 2. If the maximum value is changed by the zigzag width range setting apparatus 9 during the sewing machine stitch action, zigzag stitch in accordance with the changed maximum zigzag width is performed. |
| US09518344B1 |
Mask, method of manufacturing a mask and method of manufacturing an OLED panel
Provided are a mask, a method for manufacturing a mask, and a method for manufacturing an OLED panel. The method of manufacturing a mask includes: providing a metal plate; defining a first blocking area, a second blocking area and a coating area located between the first blocking area and the second blocking area; reducing a thickness of the coating area; and intervally hollowing the coating area to thereby form skeletons which are intervally disposed and connected between the first blocking area and the second blocking area and hollowing areas which are surrounded by the first blocking area, the second blocking area and the skeletons. Such a process helps improve the production yield. |
| US09518333B2 |
Assembled integral plastic elements on an anodized mobile device enclosure
Methods and systems for manufacturing composite parts that include anodizable portions and non-anodizable portions such that an interface between the anodizable portions and non-anodizable portions are free of visible defects are described. The non-anodizable portions can be made of anodizable metals such as aluminum or aluminum alloy. The non-anodizable portions are made of material that do not generally form an anodic film, such as plastic, ceramic or glass materials. In particular, the methods described relate to manufacturing methods that are compatible with anodizing processes and avoid defects related to anodizing processes. In particular embodiments, the methods involve avoiding trapping of anodizing chemicals within a gap between an anodizable portion and a non-anodizable portion, which prevents the anodizing chemicals from disrupting the uptake of dye in a post-anodizing dyeing process. |
| US09518331B2 |
Hydrogen system and method of operation
A system is disclosed for providing hydrogen that includes a first PEM electrochemical cell or stack including a membrane electrode assembly that includes an inlet for a first gas that comprises hydrogen in fluid communication with the anode side of the first electrochemical cell or cell stack, and an outlet in fluid communication with the cathode side of the first electrochemical cell or stack. A second electrochemical cell or cell stack includes a water inlet in fluid communication with the anode side of the second electrochemical cell or cell stack, and an outlet in fluid communication with the cathode side of the second electrochemical cell or cell stack. A controller is configured to operate the first electrochemical cell or cell stack as a primary hydrogen source and to controllably operate the second electrochemical cell or cell stack as a secondary hydrogen source. |
| US09518327B2 |
Metal stripping additive, composition containing the same, and method for stripping metal by using the composition
The present invention provides a metal stripping additive, composition containing the same, and method for stripping metal by using the composition. The metal stripping additive comprises a phosphate, a carbonate, and a component selected from at least one of citric acid or a derivative thereof, oxalate or a derivative thereof, malate or a derivative thereof. The metal stripping additive is used with nitric acid as the metal stripping composition of the present invention. The present method has advantages of being capable of stripping various metals, low corrosion, low toxicity, and being applicable under ambient temperature. |
| US09518310B2 |
Superalloys and components formed thereof
A gamma prime nickel-base superalloy and components formed therefrom that exhibit improved high-temperature dwell capabilities, including creep and hold time fatigue crack growth behavior. A particular example of a component is a powder metallurgy turbine disk of a gas turbine engine. The gamma-prime nickel-base superalloy contains, by weight: 16.0 to 30.0% cobalt; 9.5 to 12.5% chromium; 4.0 to 6.0% tantalum; 2.0 to 4.0% aluminum; 2.0 to 3.4% titanium; 3.0 to 6.0% tungsten; 1.0 to 4.0% molybdenum; 1.5 to 3.5% niobium; up to 1.0% hafnium; 0.02 to 0.20% carbon; 0.01 to 0.05% boron; 0.02 to 0.10% zirconium; the balance essentially nickel and impurities. The superalloy has a W+Nb−Cr value of at least −6, is free of observable amounts of sigma and eta phases, and exhibits a time to 0.2% creep at 1300° F. and 100 ksi of at least 1000 hours. |
| US09518309B2 |
Method of manufacturing porous metal foam
A method of manufacturing a porous metal foam having pores of nano size includes: manufacturing a porous polymer foam containing pores of nano size; and coating metal on the porous polymer foam through electroless plating. The present invention provides porous metal foams which contains nano-sized pores and hence, their specific surface area is maximized owing to the regularly-patterned nanoporous structure formed inside. |
| US09518303B2 |
Methods and compositions for identifying enterovirus
Certain embodiments of the invention include, but are not limited to PCR primer pairs, sequencing primers, and/or associated thermocycling protocols targeting a region identified by the inventors within the 5′ untranslated region of enteroviruses for the purpose of identifying, subtyping, and/or classifying of virus in samples using nucleic acid sequencing. The sequencing procedures can use nucleic acid templates, such as cDNA or PCR amplicons, as a template for sequencing in medium to high throughput format that is cost effective and easily deployed to other clinical microbiology laboratories. |
| US09518302B2 |
Method for direct amplification from crude nucleic acid samples
The present teachings relate to improved methods, kits, and reaction mixtures for amplifying nucleic acids. In some embodiments a novel direct buffer formulation is provided which allows for the direct amplification of the nucleic acids in a crude sample with minimal sample purification. |
| US09518298B2 |
DACH1 as a biomarker for diabetes
The present invention provides a method for assessing the presence and risk of developing type 2 diabetes or cardiovascular disease in a subject by detecting sequence variation in DACH1 (Dachshund homolog 1) gene. A kit and device useful for such a method are also provided. In addition, the present invention provides a method for treating type 2 diabetes or cardiovascular disease in patients who have been tested and shown to have the pertinent genetic variations. |
| US09518295B2 |
High-throughput sequencing method for methylated DNA and use thereof
The present invention provides a high-throughput sequencing method for methylated DNA, and use thereof. Particularly, the present invention provides a high-throughput sequencing method for methylated DNA, which combines methylated DNA immunoprecipitation, removal of repetitive sequences, and bisulfite treatment. The site of sequencing library will be decreased, and the cost will be reduced by using the method disclosed in the present invention. |
| US09518288B2 |
Methods and compositions related to quantitative, array based methylation analysis
Disclosed are compositions and a method for detection of methylation based on quantitative arrays. |
| US09518285B2 |
Chemiluminescent compositions, methods, assays and kits for oxidative enzymes
Chemiluminescent compositions, methods, assays and kits for oxidative enzymes are described. Further disclosed are dioxetane compounds of the form: where R can independently be any branched alkyl or cycloalkyl group which provides stabilization for the dioxetane or where both R groups together form a cycloalkyl or polycycloalkyl moiety spiro bound to the dioxetane ring, wherein each R group or the spiro bound moiety can be unsubstituted or substituted with one or more electron-withdrawing groups or electron donating groups, or groups providing preferential oxidative isozyme substrate recognition, and wherein R1 is an aryl group, or an alkyl group of 1-20 carbon atoms, which can be optionally substituted with 1 or more halogen atoms, and wherein T is an aryl or heteroaryl ring capable of emitting light upon enzyme activated decomposition of the dioxetane I. Kits, methods and assays are also disclosed that comprise the dioxetane compounds. |
| US09518282B2 |
Method for utilizing monoterpene glycosyltransferase
The object of the present invention is to provide a novel method for producing a terpene 8-glycoside.The present invention provides a method for producing a terpene 8-glycoside by means of glycosyltransferase acting on the 8-position of terpenes. The present invention provides a transformant transformed with a gene for the glycosyltransferase acting on the 8-position of terpenes and a method for producing such a transformant. The present invention provides a plant modified to suppress the expression of a protein having glycosylation activity on the 8-position of a monoterpene compound. |
| US09518277B2 |
Genetically engineered microbial strains including Chlorella protothecoides lipid pathway genes
Genetically engineered microbial, e.g., Chlorella protothecoides, cells producing microbial oils are useful as a food additive and a source of renewable fuels and industrial chemicals. Lipid biosynthesis genes for Auxenochlorella protethecoides are disclosed that are useful for increasing lipid production and altering fatty acid and triacylglycerol profiles in recombinant microrganisms including cells of the genus Auxenochlorella or Prototheca. |
| US09518276B2 |
Genetically modified fungi and their use in lipid production
The invention refers to fungal cells, and especially to oleaginous fungal cells that have been genetically modified to produce enzymes of the pyruvate dehydrogenase bypass route to enhance their lipid production. Especially the cells are modified to over-express genes encoding pyruvate decarboxylase (PDC), acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ALD) and/or acetyl-CoA synthetase (ACS), optionally together with a gene encoding diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DAT), or to express genes encoding PDC together with ALD and/or ACS. Methods of producing lipids, biofuels and lubricants using the modified fungi are also disclosed as well as expression cassettes useful therein. A new enzyme having phospholipid: diacylglycerol acyltransferase (PDAT) activity and a polynucleotide encoding it are also disclosed, which are useful in the lipid production. A recombinant Cryptococcus cell and its construction is described. |
| US09518273B2 |
Modified microorganisms and methods of making butadiene using same
The present disclosure generally relates to microorganisms that comprise one or more polynucleotides coding for enzymes in one or more pathways that catalyze a conversion of a fermentable carbon source to butadiene. Also provided are methods of using the microorganisms in industrial processes including, for use in the production of butadiene and products derived therefrom. |
| US09518268B2 |
Drought tolerant transgenic plants and method of making same
Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to drought tolerant transgenic plants and methods of creating the drought tolerant transgenic plants. In one embodiment, plants are transformed such that a PYL polypeptide is overexpressed in the plant. In an embodiment, the plant is transformed with a cassette or vector that comprises a polynucleotide encoding for one or more of the PYL polypeptides, which may be under the control of an inducible or constitutive promoter. In embodiments, overexpression of PYL13 results in plants having increased drought tolerance, such as a decreased transpiration rate, a decreased stomatal conductance, an increased photosynthetic rate, accelerated stress responsive gene expression, and increased water use efficiency, and/or an increased survival rate compared to a control plant. In some embodiments, other PYL proteins having the single point mutations identified in PYL13 are expressed in the plant. |
| US09518264B2 |
Antisense oligonucleotides (ODN) against SMAD7 and uses thereof in medical field
The invention relates to antisense oligonucleotidic sequences (ODN) against Smad7 suitably modified, and their uses in medical field as therapeutic biological agents, in particular in the treatment of chronic inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. |
| US09518260B2 |
Pain treatment
The disclosure relates to an RNA interference (RNAi) agent and the use of that RNAi agent to treat chronic pain in individuals, as well as pharmaceutical compositions containing the RNAi agents of the invention. The DNA-directed RNA interference (ddRNAi) agent for inhibiting expression of one or more target sequences in a pain associated gene comprises, one or more effector sequence sequences and effector complement sequences of at least 17 nucleotides in length, wherein the effector sequence is substantially complementary to the predicted transcript of a target sequence within a pain associated gene. |
| US09518259B2 |
Compounds and methods for modulating interaction between proteins and target nucleic acids
Provided herein are antisense compounds and methods for recruiting one or more non-cleaving protein to a target nucleic acid in a cell. In certain instances such recruitment of a non-cleaving protein alters the function or activity of the target nucleic acid. In certain such instances, the target nucleic acid a pre-mRNA and the recruitment of the non-cleaving protein results in a change in splicing of the pre-mRNA. |
| US09518258B2 |
Targeted alteration of DNA with oligonucleotides
The current invention relates to a method for targeted alteration of acceptor DNA, for example duplex acceptor DNA. The method comprises use of at least two oligonucleotides, each oligonucleotide having at least one mismatch relative to the targeted (duplex) acceptor DNA. The mismatch of the first oligonucleotide is directed to a nucleotide at a position in the first strand of the duplex and the mismatch of the second oligonucleotide is directed to the nucleotide in the second strand that occupies the complementary position in the duplex acceptor DNA (e.g. forms a base-pair with the nucleotide in the first strand). These mismatches are located at specific positions within said oligonucleotides. Also provided is a kit that comprises instructions for performing the method according to the inventions, and in a preferred embodiment, comprises oligonucleotides suitable for use in the method. |
| US09518257B2 |
Reverse breeding
A method for efficiently producing homozygous organisms from a heterozygous non-human starting organism, comprising providing of a heterozygous starting organism; allowing the starting organism to produce haploid cells; creating homozygous organisms from the haploid cells thus obtained; and selecting the organisms having the desired set of chromosomes; wherein during production of the haploid cells no recombination occurs in order to obtain a limited number of genetically different haploid cells. Recombination can also be prevented or suppressed. |
| US09518255B2 |
Mutants of staphylokinase carrying amino and carboxy-terminal extensions for polyethylene glycol conjugation
The present invention relates to the development of new derivatives of a bacterial plasminogen activator, Staphylokinase (SAK), having one or more amino acid residues with single or multiple cysteines at the amino and/or carboxy terminal ends and their conjugation with PEG (Polyethylene Glycol), resulting in new Staphylokinase derivatives that display altered oligomeric states, enhanced thermal and protease stability and extended plasma half-life. Also included is the cloning and expression in a suitable bacterial host; purification of Staphylokinase derivatives to homogeneity and their chemical modification by integrating a PEG molecule to create new biologically active Staphylokinases having higher protein stability and improved in vivo plasma half life, that may enhance the clinical potential of Staphylokinase in thrombolytic therapy for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. |
| US09518253B2 |
Polypeptides having cellobiohydrolase activity and polynucleotides encoding same
The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having cellobiohydrolase activity and polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods of producing and using the polypeptides. |
| US09518249B2 |
Cell carrier, associated methods for making cell carrier and culturing cells using the same
A carrier for expansion of pluripotent stem cells is provided, wherein the carrier comprises a substrate comprising one or more outer surfaces, wherein the one or more outer surfaces are modified with gas plasma treatment, and one or more structured indentations on one or more of the outer surfaces. The carrier has a length at least about 0.2 mm, a width at least about 0.2 mm, and a height in a range from about 0.05 mm to 1.2 mm and each of the structured indentations has a major axis in a range from about 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm, a minor axis in a range from about 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm and a depth in a range from about 0.025 mm to about 0.5 mm. A method of making the carrier, and culturing stromal cells using the same carrier are also provided. |
| US09518243B2 |
Ionic-liquid-based lubricants and lubrication additives comprising ions
Anti-wear and friction-reducing lubricants and additives to lubricants for both ferrous and non-ferrous materials with/without DLC (diamond-like-coatings) or graphene-based coatings, which are halogen free boron based ionic liquids comprising a combination of an anion chosen from a mandelato borate anion, a salicylato borate anion, an oxalato borate anion, a malonato borate anion, a succinato borate anion, a glutarato borate anion and an adipato borate anion, with at least one cation selected from a tetraalkylphosphonium cation, a choline cation, an imidazolium cation and a pyrrolidinium cation, wherein said at least one cation has at least one alkyl group substituent with the general formula CnH2n+1, wherein 1≦n≦80. Advantages of the invention include that it provides halogen free ionic liquids for lubrication and that sensitivity for hydrolysis is reduced. |
| US09518242B1 |
Lubricant additive compositions containing thiophosphates and thiophosphate derivatives
The invention relates to thiophosphates and derivatives thereof useful as antiwear additive components, lubricant additive compositions and lubricant compositions each comprising such compounds, methods for making and using the same, including methods of lubricating machines and machine parts and methods of extending the useful life of elastomeric seal components of such machines. In one aspect, the invention relates to a lubricant additive composition comprising a compound of formula (I): or a tribologically acceptable salt thereof, and a sulfonate or a phenate detergent. |
| US09518238B2 |
Transesterification catalyst and method for producing biodiesel fuel using transesterification catalyst
To provide a catalyst for production of a biodiesel fuel, which is capable of producing a biodiesel fuel with high selectivity, at a high yield, and at a low cost even in the presence of a water content and a free fatty acid, and a biodiesel fuel production method using the catalyst. Use of a titanium-containing mesoporous silica containing Ti and Si as skeleton constituent elements and having a pore diameter of 5 nm or greater as a transesterification catalyst enables a biodiesel fuel to be produced with high selectivity at a high yield through transesterification between an oil and an alcohol. |
| US09518235B2 |
Entrained-flow gasifier and gasification method using the same for synthesizing syngas from biomass fuel
A microwave plasma based entrained flow gasifier of biomass, including a furnace body and a fuel pretreatment system. The furnace body includes a fuel inlet disposed at the lower part of the furnace body, a syngas outlet disposed at the top of the furnace body, and a slag outlet disposed at the bottom of the furnace body. The fuel inlet presents in the form of nozzles. The fuel pretreatment system is disposed outside of the furnace body, and includes a fuel crushing apparatus, a sieving apparatus disposed downstream to the fuel crushing apparatus, a first fuel container for receiving particle size-qualified fuel, a second fuel container for receiving particle size-unqualified fuel, and a feeding hopper disposed downstream to the first fuel container. The first fuel container and the second fuel container are disposed side-by-side downstream to the sieving apparatus. |
| US09518233B2 |
Catalyst for a hydrodgenation dewaxing process and method for manufacturing same
The present invention relates to a bifunctional catalyst for a hydrodewaxing process with improved isomerization selectivity, and to a method for manufacturing the same, and more particularly to a bifunctional catalyst and to a method for manufacturing same, which is characterized in that EU-2 zeolite with a controlled degree of phase transformation is used as a catalyst support having an acid site. The EU-2 zeolite, the degree of phase transformation of which is controlled, includes, by controlling synthesis parameters of EU-2, predetermined amounts of materials that are phase-transformed from EU-2 crystals such as cristobalite and quartz. The metal loaded bifunctional catalyst according to the present invention improves selectivity of the isomerization process, rather than a cracking reaction, during a hydroisomerization reaction of n-hexadecane. Therefore, the bifunctional catalyst can be widely used as a catalyst for a dewaxing process such as lubricant base oil and diesel oil. |
| US09518228B2 |
Apparatus for collecting intermediate oil from oil shale and collecting method using the same
An apparatus for collecting kerogen contained in oil shale in a form of intermediate oil using an alternate operating scheme, and collecting method using the same comprising: a) installing a heating coil and a heating jacket through which a heat carrier passes and a support for supporting the heating coil, in a body of an extraction device, b) heating and stiffing sludge containing kerogen decomposition intermediate in a middle storage tank again, c) collecting an extraction agent or low boiling point oil discharged and reusing the collected extraction agent or oil in the middle storage tank, d) separating the sludge discharged from the middle storage tank into an intermediate oil/extraction agent mixture oil and residual sludge through a sludge separation device, and e) separating the separated mixture oil into the extraction agent and the intermediate oil by a separation distillation column and preheating and reusing the separated extraction agent. |
| US09518226B2 |
Solids removal from bio-oil using biomass filter aid
A green process and system are disclosed for utilizing a biomass filter aid in the filtration of a bio-oil. The process comprises filtering a bio-oil containing residual solids from a conversion reaction in the presence of the biomass filter aid to produce a filtered bio-oil. The biomass filter aid facilitates efficient removal of residual solids from the bio-oil. The spent biomass filter aid containing the residual solids may be recycled as a conversion feedstock or used as a combustion heat source in the biomass conversion system. |
| US09518212B2 |
Low volatile phosphorous gelling agent
Liquid hydrocarbons are gelled by the introduction of a phosphate ester and a crosslinking agent for use in oil recovery. Generally a proppant, delayed gel breaker and other modifiers are added to the gelled hydrocarbon to improve the oil recovery process. The phosphate ester used in this method and composition for oil recovery has low volatility and good stability during hydrocarbon distillation resulting in improved distillation efficiency in a refinery. |
| US09518211B2 |
Method for recovering oil
The present invention relates to a process for recovering oil from a subterranean formation by injecting both solid particles and water into the formation. An oil-in-water emulsion that is stabilized by solid particles is formed in the pores of the formation. This emulsion is recovered from the subterranean formation. |
| US09518210B2 |
Compositions and systems for combatting lost circulation and methods
A method of servicing a wellbore in a subterranean formation comprising placing a first stream comprising a dilute solution of a metal acrylate into a lost circulation zone in the subterranean formation; placing a second stream comprising an activator into the lost circulation zone; and forming a lost circulation material upon contacting of the metal acrylate and the activator, wherein the lost circulation material forms in from about 0 to about 60 minutes. A method of servicing a wellbore in a subterranean formation comprising placing a composition comprising a dilute solution of a cross-linkable material and an encapsulated activator into a lost circulation zone in the subterranean formation; and allowing the composition to set. |
| US09518207B2 |
Methods to prevent formation damage from friction reducers
A method of servicing a wellbore comprising placing a wellbore servicing fluid comprising a modified friction reducer into the wellbore. A modified friction reducer comprising a degradable polymer having functional degradable moieties, a polymer having a molecular weight of from about 5M to about 30M, a polymer having a PDI of from about 1.0 to about 2.5, a weakly crosslinked polymer, or combinations thereof. |
| US09518196B2 |
Polyester silicates
Provided herein are coating compositions comprising the reaction product of a tetra alkyoxyorthosilicate or a partially condensed oligomer thereof and a polyester resin containing hydroxyl groups. The coating compositions advantageously have a high solid content and/or low volatile organic content (VOC) in combination with a low viscosity. The coating compositions are capable of drying quickly, curing in ambient conditions and may be formulated in one-pack. |
| US09518195B2 |
Biaxially stretched polyester film and method for producing same
A biaxially stretched polyester film, being a biaxially stretched film including a modified polybutylene terephthalate (modified PBT) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), wherein a mass ratio (modified PBT/PET) between the modified PBT and PET is 20/80 to 5/95, the modified PBT is a PBT containing 5 to 20% by mass of a polytetramethylene glycol unit having a molecular weight of 600 to 4,000, the amount of tetrahydrofuran (THF) generated by heat treating the biaxially stretched film in a helium gas atmosphere at 180° C. for 30 minutes is 50 μg/g or less, and the biaxially stretched film has tear linearity in a lengthwise direction thereof. |
| US09518193B2 |
Coating processes using waterborne curable film-forming compositions containing polymers derived from natural gas raw materials
A method is provided for forming a composite coating on a substrate comprising: (A) applying a first coating composition to a surface of the substrate; and (B) applying a second coating composition to the first coating prior to substantially heating or curing the first coating. The first and/or second coating composition is a waterborne curable film-forming composition comprising: (a) an aqueous dispersion of internally crosslinked polymeric microparticles having a core-shell morphology and having reactive functional groups; and (b) a crosslinking agent. The core of the polymeric microparticles is prepared from a monomer mixture comprising at least 20 percent by weight of a monomer having the structure: wherein X is N or O; R is a linear or branched alkyl group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms, or R is bonded to X to form a 5- to 7-member ring. |
| US09518191B2 |
Dispersions of cross-linked latex polymer particles and a curable amino resin
A water-dispersed coating composition comprising an amino resin, and a dispersion of latex polymer particles comprising from 0.1 to 2 weight percent of a multi-ethylenically unsaturated monomer and from 0.1 to 2 weight percent of (meth)acrylamide. |