| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US09610636B2 |
Pipe machining apparatuses and methods of operating the same
Pipe machining apparatuses and methods of operating are provided. In one aspect, a pipe machining apparatus includes an advancement mechanism coupled to a frame and adapted to move relative to the frame between a first position, in which the advancement mechanism is in a travel path of an advancement member and is adapted to be engaged by the advancement member to advance a tool, and a second position, in which the advancement mechanism is positioned out of the travel path of the advancement member and is not adapted to be engaged by the advancement member. In another aspect, a pipe machining apparatus includes multiple motors and pinion gears engaged with a gear rack of a tool carrier. In a further aspect, a pipe machining apparatus includes a race wiper. In yet another aspect, a pipe machining apparatus includes a race lubrication member. |
| US09610635B2 |
Methods for manufacturing thin walled enclosures and related system and apparatus
A manufacturing system is provided. The manufacturing system may include a manufacturing apparatus and a dispensing apparatus. The dispensing apparatus may be configured to dispense a support material to act as a temporary fixture to support a component during manufacturing operations conducted thereon. The dispensing apparatus may dispense the support material in a liquid phase, and the support material may thereafter transition to a solid phase to support the component. After completion of the manufacturing operations, the component may be returned to the dispensing apparatus, wherein the component may be dipped in a heat transfer fluid that may cause the support material to transition back to the liquid phase for reuse. Related apparatuses and methods are also provided. |
| US09610634B2 |
Emulsion and mold-releasing agent using the same
Disclosed is an emulsion formed using, as an emulsifier, 0.01 to 30 parts by weight of a perfluoroalkylethyl phosphonic acid salt represented by the general formula: CnF2n+1CH2CH2P(O)(OM1)(OM2) [III] (M1: a hydrogen atom, ammonium salt, or organic amine salt, M2: an ammonium salt or organic amine salt, n: 1 to 6), based on 100 parts by weight of a perfluoropolyether oil represented by the general formula: RfO(C3F6O)p(C2F4O)q(CF2O)rRf′ [I] (Rf and Rf′: C1-C5 perfluoroalkyl groups, p+q+r: 2 to 200) or the general formula: F(CF2CF2CF2O)nCF2CF3 [II] (n: 2 to 100), or a perfluorocarbon compound. In spite of using, as an emulsifier, a compound having a perfluoroalkyl group containing 6 or less carbon atoms, which is said to have low bioaccumulation potential, the emulsion exhibits excellent emulsification stability, and therefore can be effectively used as a surface-treating agent, such as a mold-releasing agent. |
| US09610626B2 |
Pipe bend die unit, and pipe bending apparatus having the unit
A bend die comprises a clamp member having a first groove part of half-circular cross section on its outer peripheral surface with a fitting recess formed on the first groove part and extending in a peripheral direction by a first predetermined length on a planar surface perpendicular to a rotary axis, and a counter pressure member having a second groove part of half-circular cross section formed on its outer peripheral surface, and a fitting protrusion extending in a peripheral direction by a second predetermined length from a tip end portion of the second groove part. The fitting protrusion is positioned in the fitting recess so that a pipe-receiving groove of half-circular cross section is formed. The first and second groove parts are hingedly connected to one another about the rotary axis so as to be rotated relative to each other. |
| US09610623B2 |
Method and device to control the section sizes of a rolled product
A method controls the section sizes of a rolled product in a segment of a rolling line between at least two rolling stands, wherein each is provided with its own drive members, in which at least a detector located between the two rolling stands detects a characteristic size of the rolled product. A control unit compares the characteristic size of the rolled product with a reference size and acts on said drive members in order to hold the rolled product in an optimal drawing condition. The method includes setting a predefined value of an electric quantity of at least one of the drive members, measuring the reference size, and verifying the characteristic size of the rolled product in transit. If a deviation is detected between the characteristic size and the reference size, returning the characteristic size of the rolled product to the reference size. |
| US09610620B2 |
Manufactured composite having synthetic vegetation and impermeable geomembrane, and capping system using same
A manufactured composite comprising synthetic turf and impermeable geomembrane is used in a single-layer capping system as the single layer to provide permanent, impermeable and functional aesthetic cover for land reclamation. During installation of composite pieces at a job site, an edge portion of a tufted section of a second composite piece is overlaid onto an edge untufted section of the first composite piece already laid and anchored over foundation soil to form a reinforced overlapping seam, through which the two composite pieces are physically and permanently joined together. As composite pieces are joined together, the continuity of synthetic grass and the continuity of impermeability are extended and realized over the entire site to form permanent, impermeable and functional aesthetic cover for land reclamation. |
| US09610614B2 |
Screening panel and method of fixing
A screen panel 15 for mounting to a vibratory screening apparatus that includes a plurality of beams 11 to which screen panels 15 can be mounted. The screen panel 15 comprises a square or rectangular frame 21 including a pair of spaced apart and parallel side frame members 25 and a pair of spaced apart and parallel end frame members 38 connected to the side frame members 25. The frame 21 defines an upper edge and the side and end frame members define a square or rectangular outwardly facing surface. The frame 21 is connectable to a pair of adjacent beams 11 by connectors 20 that connect with the outwardly facing surface of the side frame members 25. The screen panel 15 also comprises a square or rectangular screen 22 connected to the frame 21 which extends over the upper edge of the frame 21 and forms a square or rectangular skirt 33, 36. The skirt 33, 36 overlies the outwardly facing surface of the frame 21 and connects to each of the side and end frame members along the outwardly facing surface to connect the screen 22 to the frame 21. The connection between skirt 36 and the outwardly facing surface of the side frame members 25 is made closer to the upper edge of the frame than where the connection between the connectors 20 and the outwardly facing surface of the side members 25 of the frame 21 is made. |
| US09610613B2 |
Portable classifier screen shaker assembly
A pedal articulated screen shaker assembly supporting a classifying screen at its top in an alignment over a collection receptacle is provided with an annular nested dust shielding combination suspended below the screen. The dust shielding combination comprises a conforming set of frustoconical elastomeric membrane segments in a nested arrangement with the exterior one of the segments perforated throughout its full circumference by perforations that are bridged by flexible flaps formed in the overlying interior segment that are lifted from their bridging alignment by the lateral movement imparted to the shielding combination. |
| US09610609B2 |
Method for coating plastic substrates
Provided are methods for coating plastic substrates with an aqueous coating composition comprising at least one organic polymer as binder, the coating composition being applied to the surface of the plastic substrate and being subsequently cured, wherein the plastic substrate is pretreated before the coating composition is applied, the pretreatment comprising the two following separate steps in the order stated: (A) heat-treating a plastic substrate at an ambient temperature in the range from 60° C. to 160° C. for a period in the range from 1 minute to 20 minutes, (B) flaming the surface of the plastic substrate pretreated as per step (A), there being a period of up to 90 minutes between the ending of step (A) and the beginning of step (B). Additionally, provided are coated plastic substrates that have been coated by the methods of the invention. |
| US09610608B2 |
Self-assembly patterning of organic molecules on a surface
The embodiments disclosed herein include all-electron control over a chemical attachment and the subsequent self-assembly of an organic molecule into a well-ordered three-dimensional monolayer on a metal surface. The ordering or assembly of the organic molecule may be through electron excitation. Hot-electron and hot-hole excitation enables tethering of the organic molecule to a metal substrate, such as an alkyne group to a gold surface. All-electron reactions may allow a direct control over the size and shape of the self-assembly, defect structures and the reverse process of molecular disassembly from single molecular level to mesoscopic scale. |
| US09610606B2 |
Method for applying sealing material paste to peripheral surface of ceramic block
A method of manufacturing a honeycomb structured body, includes providing an application jig. A sealing material paste is put on a peripheral surface of a pillar-shaped ceramic block. The application jig is set in such a manner that a first principal surface of the application jig faces upward and a second principal surface of the application jig faces downward. The ceramic block is placed inside a second opening section of the application jig. The ceramic block is passed through an opening section of the application jig so that a face defining the second opening section spreads an entire peripheral surface of the ceramic block with the sealing material paste to manufacture a honeycomb structured body with a peripheral sealing material layer formed on the peripheral surface of the ceramic block. |
| US09610603B2 |
High pressure waterblasting nozzle manipulator apparatus
A high pressure nozzle manipulator includes a wheeled chassis, a pair of parallel manipulator elevator rails supported by an elevator rail rotator fastened to the chassis, a horizontal extensible arm rail disposed between and carried by the manipulator elevator rails, a rotary actuator fastened to a distal end of the horizontal extensible arm rail, and a linear actuator fastened between the first rotary actuator and a hinged nozzle support bracket. This bracket holds a high pressure cleaning nozzle. The linear actuator is configured to rotate the nozzle and the bracket through an arc. The elevator rail rotator is configured to rotate the elevator rails through an arc of about 180 degrees about a horizontal axis. The rotary wrist actuator is configured to rotate the hinged nozzle support bracket about a horizontal axis through the extensible arm rail. |
| US09610601B2 |
Paint spraying device
The invention relates to a paint spraying device with a spray head which dispenses a quantity of paint via a needle valve and a paint-dispensing line leading to the spray head, wherein the paint-dispensing line is connected upstream of a pressure reducer/pressure regulator which regulates the paint-dispensing pressure and holds the pressure in the paint-dispensing line to the spray head substantially constant. |
| US09610597B1 |
Methods of delivery of encapsulated perfluorocarbon taggants
A system and method for tagging, tracking, locating and identifying people and vehicles transporting people using Perfluorocarbon tracers. An on-going problem faced by military as well as law enforcement personnel is that of friendly fire incidents. To prevent possible friendly-fire incidents, troops would separate the two layers of the uniform patch, thereby releasing a controlled release of the Perfluorocarbon vapors. Other “friendly” troops, equipped with sensors tuned to the specific perfluorocarbon characteristics would thus be able to literally view a plume around the tagged person or object. The system may conversely be used to tag enemies. Formulations of mixed perfluorocarbons may be used to provide coding of emissions. |
| US09610595B2 |
Rotatable shroud for directional control of application area
A controlled droplet application (CDA) nozzle has a CDA nozzle cone having a first axis of rotation in a first position and, after adjustment, a second axis of rotation in a second position orthogonal to the first. A rotationally adjustable directional shroud surrounds at least a portion of the cone, the directional shroud blocking at least a portion of a lip of the cone regardless of whether the cone is positioned in the first or second axis of rotation. |
| US09610593B2 |
Device for positioning nanoparticles
The present invention is generally directed to a system for controlling placement of nanoparticles, and methods of using same. In one illustrative embodiment, the device includes a substrate and a plurality of funnels in the substrate, wherein each of the funnels comprises an inlet opening and an elongated, rectangular shaped outlet opening. In one illustrative embodiment, the method includes creating a dusty plasma comprising a plurality of carbon nanotubes, positioning a mask between the dusty plasma and a desired target for the carbon nanotubes, the mask having a plurality of openings extending therethrough, and extinguishing the dusty plasma to thereby allow at least some of the carbon nanotubes in the dusty plasma to pass through at least some of the plurality of openings in the mask and land on the target. |
| US09610592B2 |
Nozzle device for a spray arm of a dishwasher
A nozzle device for a spray arm of a dishwasher for spraying cleaning fluid out into a dishwashing space is provided with a fluid outflow surface for the outflow of the cleaning fluid from the nozzle device into the dishwashing space. The fluid outflow surface is configured with two subsurfaces which form an angle smaller than 180°. |
| US09610591B2 |
Showerhead having a detachable gas distribution plate
Embodiments of showerheads having a detachable gas distribution plate are provided herein. In some embodiments, a showerhead for use in a semiconductor processing chamber may include a base having a first side and a second side; a gas distribution plate disposed proximate the second side of the base; a clamp disposed about a peripheral edge of the gas distribution plate to removably couple the gas distribution plate to the base; and a thermal gasket disposed between the base and gas distribution plate. |
| US09610589B2 |
Electrostatic particle collector with improved features for installing and/or removing its collector plates
An electrostatic particle collector may generally include a housing having sidewalls extending lengthwise between a first end and a second end. The housing may define a plate slot that extends heightwise within the housing between a top end and a bottom end. The housing may further include a plate access window that provides access to the bottom end of the plate slot. The collector may also include a collector plate configured to be installed within the plate slot that extends heightwise between a top edge and a bottom edge. Additionally, when the collector plate is installed within the plate slot, the bottom edge of the collector plate may be accessible from an exterior of the housing via the plate access window so as to allow the bottom edge of the collector plate to be moved relative to the housing to facilitate removal of the collector plate from the housing. |
| US09610588B2 |
Electret nanofibrous web as air filtration media
The present invention is directed toward an improved air filtration medium comprising a single layer polymeric nanofibrous web comprising a single source randomly intermingled fiber network with electrostatic charge up to −20 kV, a filtration efficiency range from about 70% to about 99.99%, and an air resistance less than about 2.5 mm wg for 0.3 diameter micron particles. The air filtration medium is made from a centrifugal melt spinning process. |
| US09610587B2 |
Electrostatic collection device of particles in suspension in a gaseous environment
An electrostatic collection device of particles in suspension in a gas including a collecting chamber with a collecting wall, part of which forms a collecting electrode. The collecting electrode faces a discharge electrode in the form of a wire, so as to create a corona discharge between the discharge electrode and the collecting electrode, the collecting wall extends to the periphery of the discharge electrode. The discharge electrode is maintained at a first end by a first holder and at the second end by a second holder, both holders made of electrically insulating material(s). At least one traversal wall protrudes from the collecting wall, and has a shape adapted to deflect the path of a liquid present in the gas and flowing on the collecting wall to the transversal wall such that it does not come into contact with the second holder. |
| US09610582B2 |
Combined sorting and concentrating particles in a microfluidic device
Extracting and concentrating particles from a first fluid sample includes: providing the first fluid sample to a fluid exchange module of a microfluidic device, providing a second fluid sample to the fluid exchange module, in which the first fluid sample and the second fluid sample are provided under conditions such that particle-free portions of the first fluid sample are shifted, and an inertial lift force causes the particles in the first fluid sample to cross streamlines and transfer into the second fluid sample; passing the second fluid sample containing the transferred particles to a particle concentration module under conditions such that particle-free portions of the second fluid sample are shifted, and such that the particles within the second fluid sample are focused to a streamline within the particle concentration module. |
| US09610581B2 |
System and method for capturing and analyzing cells
A system and method for capturing and analyzing cells comprising: a fluid delivery module; a reservoir configured to receive a biological sample including a target cell population and at least one fluid from the fluid delivery module; a manifold configured to receive and distribute the biological sample and at least one fluid from the reservoir into a cell capture device; a waste chamber configured to couple to the manifold; and a pump configured to couple to the waste chamber. In embodiments of the system configured to promote further purification of captured cells, the system can further comprise a magnet that enables further separation of captured cells from undesired sample materials. The system can additionally further comprise a heater configured to heat at least one fluid and/or biological sample, and a cell capture device configured to couple to the manifold, in order to facilitate capture of the target cell population. |
| US09610578B2 |
Methods and apparatus for microfluidic perfusion
In illustrative implementations of this invention, microfluidic perfusion tubing is easily and precisely inserted into a microfluidic device. The tubing is inserted in a manner that aligns one or more holes in the perfusion tubing with one or more channels in the microfluidic device. For example, a hole in the tip of a perfusion tube may open into a channel in the microfluidic device. Or, multiple holes in a tube may open into different channels in a microfluidic device. The system may include a microfluidic device, two or more couplers, and a support frame. The microfluidic device may be inserted into a recessed region of the support frame, and the couplers may be attached to the support frame. The effect of doing so is to fix the position of the components relative to each other, and to precisely align holes in the tubes with channels in the microfluidic device. |
| US09610577B2 |
Closures which contain reservoirs and allow acoustic ejection
In an aspect of this invention, a closure for a well plate is provided which has a reservoir. The closure has openings through which acoustic ejection of fluid droplets can take place without removing the closure. The reservoirs in the closure may help to maintain acceptable levels of solvent in the wells of the well plate despite the evaporation which may occur during the course of ejection. |
| US09610563B2 |
Method for activation and regeneration of a filter material and the filter material thus obtained
The present invention relates to a filter material for water filters based on inorganic surfaces, whether they are natural or synthetic that it is regenerated after its first use and a method for activating and regenerating the filter material by the use of inert salt solutions and the energy provided by microwaves. |
| US09610562B2 |
Molecularly imprinted carbon
Preparation of a molecularly imprinted carbon is described. The molecularly imprinted carbon has a surface that is imprinted on the molecular level for a specific template molecule of interest, making it highly selective for analytes corresponding to at least a portion of the template molecule. Devices including the molecularly imprinted carbon and their use in methods of detecting analytes are also described. As an example, dibutyl butylphosphonate (DBBP), a surrogate for chemical warfare agents, was used as a template molecule. Electrospun molecularly imprinted SU-8 and pyrolyzed polymer (PP) solid-phase microextraction (SPME) devices were prepared; their ability to preferentially extract DBBP from an aqueous matrix, with and without interferences present, was evaluated via comparison with non-imprinted SU-8 and PP SPME fibers. The electrospun devices demonstrated a higher selectivity for DBBP, as evidenced by their extraction time profiles. The MI-SPME fibers tested extracted at least 60% more DBBP than their non-imprinted counterparts. |
| US09610560B2 |
Metal-organic framework compounds with ligand-functionalized metal nodes
Metal-organic framework compounds (MOFs) coordinated to carbon-containing ligands, such as carboxylate ligands and phosphonate ligands, are provided. Also provided are methods for making the ligand-coordinated MOFs and methods for using the ligand-coordinated MOFs in carbon dioxide sequestration. |
| US09610559B2 |
Method and generator for generation of hydrogen peroxide
A method and generator for generation of hydrogen peroxide which operate on the principle of conveying air-liquid or vapor flow through a corona discharge zone in air. Such devices can be used for disinfection of air and of various objects for industrial and home uses. |
| US09610553B2 |
Beverage mixing system and method
A beverage mixing system/method allowing faster mixing/blending of frozen beverages is disclosed. The system/method in various embodiments utilizes inductive coupling to introduce heat into the frozen beverage during the mixing/blending process via a rotating driveshaft and attached mechanical agitator to speed the mixing/blending process. Exemplary embodiments may be configured to magnetically induce heat into the driveshaft and/or mechanical agitator mixing blade to affect this mixing/blending performance improvement. This heating effect may be augmented via the use of high power LED arrays aimed into the frozen slurry to provide additional heat input. The system/method may be applied with particular advantage to the mixing of ice cream type beverages and other viscous beverage products. |
| US09610551B2 |
Flow compensator
An apparatus is disclosed including: a housing including a conduit having an inlet port and an outlet port; an insert at least partially disposed within the conduit and including a tapered portion extending from a narrower end proximal the inlet port to a wider end distal the inlet port; and a facility for adjusting the position of the insert within the conduit. In some embodiments, the apparatus is configured to receive a mixed flow of liquid and gas at the inlet port, direct the mixed flow through the conduit around a portion of the insert disposed within the chamber, and outlet the mixed flow at the outlet port. |
| US09610548B2 |
Composite porous polymeric membrane with high void volume
Composite membranes comprising a layer having first and second microporous surfaces and a bulk between the surfaces, the bulk comprising a first set of pores having outer rims, and a second set of pores connecting the rims, and a polymer matrix supporting the first set of pores; and, a second layer having first and second porous surfaces and a second bulk between the porous surfaces, wherein the second bulk comprises a fibrous matrix; or, first and second microporous surfaces and a second bulk between the microporous surfaces, the second bulk comprising: a third set of pores having outer rims and a fourth set of pores connecting the rims, and a polymer matrix supporting the third set of pores; a third set of pores prepared by phase inversion; or, a fibrous matrix; or, a third set of pores prepared by stretching, track etching or e-beam, are disclosed. |
| US09610546B2 |
Separation membranes formed from perforated graphene and methods for use thereof
Perforated graphene sheets can be used in forming separation membranes. Separation membranes of the present disclosure, which can be used in gas separation processes in some embodiments, can include one or more layers of perforated graphene and one or more layers of another membrane material. Methods for separating a gas mixture can include contacting a gas mixture with the separation membranes, and transiting one or more of the gases through the perforated graphene so as to affect separation. |
| US09610545B2 |
Hollow-fibre membrane having novel structure, and production method therefor
The present invention relates to a hollow-fibre membrane having a novel structure and to a production method therefor. The hollow-fibre separation membrane of the present invention has an outermost shell surface pore size of between 0.001 and 0.05 μm and a mean pore size of between 0.01 and 0.1 μm while having, in sequence from the outermost shell surface, a dense sponge structure, a finger-like sponge structure and a mixed sponge-bead structure; and, because of this specific triple structure, the invention has outstanding mechanical strength, porosity and water permeability alike while also having a high performance whereby it is possible to eliminate even viruses. |
| US09610542B2 |
Composite polyamide membrane with increased carboxylic acid functionality
A thin film composite membrane including a porous support and a thin film polyamide layer characterized by having a dissociated carboxylate content of at least 0.45 moles/kg at pH 9.5 and a method for making a composite polyamide applying a polar solution comprising a polyfunctional amine monomer and a non-polar solution comprising a polyfunctional amine-reactive monomer to a surface of the porous support and interfacially polymerizing the monomers to form a thin film polyamide layer, wherein the method is characterized by the non-polar solution comprising at least 0.025 wt % of an acid compound including at least one carboxylic acid moiety and at least one amine-reactive moiety selected from acyl halide and anhydride. |
| US09610537B2 |
Loop tower CO2 capture system, carbonator, calciner and operating method thereof
A loop tower CO2 capture system includes a feeding unit, a carbonator, an accumulator, a calciner, a combustion chamber and a gas blower. The feeding unit has a first gas pipe. The carbonator includes multiple first cyclone dust collecting units. The first gas pipe has one end connected to the uppermost first cyclone dust collecting unit. The accumulator is connected to the lowermost first cyclone dust collecting unit, and is located between the carbonator and the calciner. The calciner includes multiple second cyclone dust collecting units. The accumulator is connected to the uppermost second cyclone dust collecting unit. The first gas pipe has the other end connected to the lowermost second cyclone dust collecting unit. The combustion chamber is connected to the lowermost second cyclone dust collecting unit. The gas blower is connected to the first gas pipe of the feeding unit. |
| US09610533B2 |
Organo-amine acid gas adsorption-desorption polymers, processes for preparing same, and uses thereof
An adsorption-desorption material, in particular, crosslinked organo-amine polymeric materials having a weight average molecular weight of from about 500 to about 1×106, a total pore volume of from about 0.2 cubic centimeters per gram (cc/g) to about 2.0 cc/g, and an adsorption capacity of at least about 0.2 millimoles of CO2 adsorbed per gram of adsorption-desorption material, and linear organo-amine polymeric materials having a weight average molecular weight of from about 160 to about 1×106, a total pore volume of from about 0.2 cubic centimeters per gram (cc/g) to about 2.0 cc/g, and an adsorption capacity of at least about 0.2 millimoles of CO2 adsorbed per gram of adsorption-desorption material. This disclosure also relates in part to processes for preparing the crosslinked organo-amine materials and linear organo-amine materials. This disclosure further relates in part to the selective removal of CO2 and/or other acid gases from a gaseous stream containing one or more of these gases using the adsorption-desorption materials. |
| US09610532B2 |
Method and system for high reliability oxygen supply from multiple units
A multi-unit system combines multiple single bed reversing blower vacuum swing adsorption air separation units together. The units feed a common O2 supply such as a system buffer tank. Demand is monitored and a number of individual units are brought online sufficient to meet demand. If demand exceeds supply, a further unit is brought online. If demand drops below supply by an amount greater than output of a single unit, then a longest operating unit is taken offline. The multi-unit system thus meets demand through utilization of multiple separate units in a highly redundant and highly reliable and scalable fashion. |
| US09610529B2 |
Filter elements, air filter arrangements; and methods
Filter elements are described. In an example embodiment, the filter element has a support framework and media defining a closed end and an open end. A non-circular radial seal is depicted, in an example. Variations for particular applications are described. |
| US09610528B2 |
Filter frame assembly with seal
A filter frame assembly is disclosed comprising a perimeter member surrounding a fluid aperture adapted to accommodate a fluid flow from an upstream direction to a downstream direction, the perimeter member comprising a perimeter upstream surface, a perimeter downstream surface, and a perimeter outer surface connecting the perimeter upstream surface to the perimeter downstream surface. A gasket carrier is attached to the perimeter member and comprises a carrier outer portion facing generally away from the fluid aperture and a first outer portion sealing member projecting from the carrier outer portion. |
| US09610524B2 |
Separator for a gas stream
A separator for a wet gas stream has an upper section having an outer peripheral wall, a top, and a bottom perforated baffle. A cone-shaped baffle is positioned on the perforated bottom baffle and extending toward the inlet in the top of the upper section. A spiral baffle has a bottom edge adjacent to the cone-shaped baffle and a top edge adjacent to the top of the upper section. The spiral baffle defines a curved flow path between the inlet and the outlet of the upper portion. A vortex flow section is defined by the cone-shaped baffle and the outer peripheral wall. The vortex flow section is fed by the curved flow path defined by the cone-shaped baffle. A lower section is below the perforated baffle. The lower section has a gas outlet and a liquid outlet. |
| US09610518B2 |
Water vapor distillation apparatus, method and system
A fluid vapor distillation system. The system includes a control system for controlling a fluid vapor distillation apparatus including a blow down controller for controlling a blow down valve, a source flow controller for controlling a source flow valve, and a blow down level sensor in communication with a blow down controller and a source flow controller, the blow down level sensor sends signals related to the blow down level to the blow down controller and the source flow controller indicative of the blow down level, wherein the source flow controller actuates the source flow valve based at least on the blow down level sensor signals, and wherein the blow down controller actuates the blow down valve based at least on the blow down level sensor signals, whereby the blow down level and the source flow level are maintained using the blow down level sensor signals as input. |
| US09610517B2 |
Base module for a starting apparatus of boat competitions
The invention is a base module for a starting apparatus of sport-purpose flatwater boat competitions, comprising a longitudinal holder arranged crosswise to the direction of motion of the boats, a level adjustment unit, a dynamic stabilizer, and a remote controlled start permitting unit having a mechanical drive unit. According to the invention, the longitudinal holder (2) is made of one or more rigid, hollow pipe or profiled bar. |
| US09610516B2 |
System, device and method for controlling effects in a theatre
Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a system for controlling a physical effect in a theater, the system comprising: an audio/video (A/V) component, the A/V component being capable of processing A/V media that is associated with data indicating when the physical effect should be activated; a show control device communicably linked to the A/V component, the show control device being capable of translating the data into one or more signals that are capable of causing the physical effect to be activated; and a control assembly communicably linked to the show control device, the control assembly capable of receiving the one or more signals and activating the physical effect in response. |
| US09610511B1 |
Amusement park ride vehicle including a chassis driven to have heave and sway motions
A free-ranging ride vehicle for an amusement park ride. The vehicle includes a vehicle base supporting a passenger compartment. The vehicle includes a drive system with a support platform supporting the vehicle base. The drive system imparts a set of motions including translation, cornering, sway, and heave to the support platform and, in turn, to the vehicle base and passenger compartment. The drive system includes first, second, and third leg assemblies each with a rigid leg pivotally coupled at an inner end to the support platform and supporting a wheel at an outer end. Drive motors are mounted on the legs above the wheels to, independently and concurrently, rotate the wheels and change the directional offset angle of each wheel. |
| US09610507B2 |
Non-transitory computer readable medium storing game program for moving a player character on a game field
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing game program according to the present invention causes a computer to execute: an automatic move process of automatically moving a player character on a game field toward a first destination on the basis of destination information regarding a destination set in the game field, when an operation input to start an automatic move of the player character on the game field is received from a player; a destination change process of changing the first destination to a second destination on the basis of the destination information when an operation input to change the destination is received from the player while the player character is on the automatic move; and an automatic move changing process of automatically moving the player character, moving toward the first destination on the game field, toward the second destination. |
| US09610500B2 |
Managing virtual content based on information associated with toy objects
The system described in this disclosure may be configured to read information stored on toy objects that indicates whether the toy objects have been used and/or are being used with other toy objects, gaming systems, and/or other devices. The system described in this disclosure may be configured to facilitate an association of the information stored on the toy objects with virtual entities in a virtual space, update virtual content associated with the virtual entities, determine relationships between users, and/or other perform other functions based on the information stored on the toy objects. The information stored on the toy objects may be updated responsive to the toy objects being used by users with other toy objects, gaming systems, and/or other devices. The use of the toy objects by users may include two or more users playing together with toy objects and/or playing with gaming systems associated with the toy objects. |
| US09610495B2 |
Method and apparatus to elicit market research using game play
A system and method are described for a computer-based picture association game that can be used to elicit market research data, specifically sentiment and awareness data, from consumers. In a first game mode, each player is given an image and a list of phrases, and tasked with selecting the phrase that best describes the image. Then in a second mode, players are presented with a collection of images, including images assigned to players in the first game mode. They are also shown the phrases selected in the first game mode. Each player then has a limited amount of time to both associate these phrases with the corresponding images, and to assist other players in associating his own image. Points are allocated for correct associations. The phrases selected by players and the guesses players make can be analyzed to reveal opinions and knowledge that players have about products, brands, and people. |
| US09610493B1 |
Method and system for facilitating chance-based in-game virtual item distribution
A system and method for facilitating chance-based in-game virtual item distribution in a video game. A mini-game interface presents a mini-game to a user that has committed to a battle. Prior to instigation of the battle the user participates in a chance-based mini-game that determines awards to be distributed to the user from a set of potential awards. Benefits associated with a determined award are applied to a game entity included in a battle which is to follow the mini-game. |
| US09610492B1 |
Adjustable camber snow-gliding board
A snow-gliding board with adjustable camber includes a mobile actuator attached to a first portion of the board and an adjustment mechanism attached to a second portion of the board. The adjustment mechanism and mobile actuator are engaged, and travel of the mobile actuator with respect to the adjustment mechanism causes a change in camber of the snow-gliding board. |
| US09610488B2 |
Breathing aid attachment for swimmer, swimming device, goggles and mask, goggle seal
A breathing aid attachment for swimming includes at least one first part for fixing the device to the head of a swimmer and a second part including a first substantially planar surface defined between a first edge and a second edge, the edges extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the transverse plane of the human body. |
| US09610487B2 |
Swing sport instrument training device and method of using same
The swing training aid includes an arm band and an adjustable cord attached to the racket and the arm band through an adjustable hook. The arm band is adjustably and detachably secured around an arm of a player. A hook strap is attached on the outside of the arm band and defines an opening for receiving the hook. The elastic cord has one end having a loop whose diameter is sufficiently large to receive a handle of the sport swing instrument. The adjustable hook has a base and a hook portion extending from the base and terminating at a hook end. The hook portion is designed to be coupled to the hook strap and the base of the adjustable hook is designed to receive the end of the elastic cord and adjustably lock the cord once the cord length has been adjusted for the player. |
| US09610477B2 |
Golf ball incorporating at least one layer formed from a millable polyurethane rubber composition
Golf ball comprising at least one layer having a Shore D material hardness of from about 10 to about 55 and consisting of a millable polyurethane rubber composition comprising rubber consisting of: at least one polyether-based millable polyurethane rubber; at least one polyester-based millable polyurethane rubber; at least one polycaprolactone-based millable polyurethane rubber; or combinations thereof; wherein the millable polyurethane rubber composition is vulcanized. The rubber may be mixed/compounded with additional non-rubber ingredients such as at least one cross linking agent, peroxide initiator, filler, antioxidant, processing agent, light stabilizer, colorant, adhesion promotor, isocyanate and/or polyol, or combinations thereof. The at least one layer may be a cover layer, with a second layer, formed from at least one of a thermoset urethane or a thermoplastic material, being adjacent to an inner surface of the cover layer and meanwhile disposed about a polybutadiene-containing core. The rubber may be peroxide and/or sulfur cured. |
| US09610467B2 |
Fire pump system and system controller
A fire suppression and control system includes a unique fire pump controller which uses advanced technologies in a manner consistent with the need for high reliability in the fire protection industry. A preferred controller includes three PIC chips including a control PIC for controlling operation of the water pump, a power monitor PIC for receiving all voltage and current inputs to the controller, and a data recorder PIC for collection and storage of data relevant to the system. The controller may also include an electronically coupled HMI which queries the controller for information to display, wherein the HMI does not pass information between components of the controller and is capable of being damaged without stopping or preventing operation of the controller, and an isolation scheme for isolating the controller from incoming energy transients, such as lightning, the isolation scheme comprising a relay and opto-isolators to drive the relay and increase the isolation by a factor of at least two over the relay alone. |
| US09610466B2 |
Controlled discharge gas vent
A fire protection system includes a dry pipe system and a controlled discharge gas vent. The dry pipe system and controlled discharge gas vent operate using a breathing cycle to displace oxygen and/or water vapor from within the piping network of the dry pipe system. The controlled gas discharge vent allows displacement of pressurized air with nitrogen, for example, using manual or automated processes that can employ one or more sensors. Corrosion resulting from oxygen, water, and/or microbial growth is reduced or nearly eliminated. |
| US09610461B2 |
Combination of a MC1R receptor agonist and UVB for the treatment and/or prevention of pigmentation disorders
A system comprising a combination of at least one MCI R receptor agonist and a source of NB-UVB, wherein said system is adapted for simultaneous or sequential use of said MC1R receptor agonist and said NB-UVB in amounts effective for the treatment and/or prevention of dermatological conditions linked to a hypopigmentation. |
| US09610460B2 |
Light therapy treatment
An exemplary method includes selecting at least one light source configured to generate light at a particular wavelength and applying the light to tissue following an ischemic event. Applying the light to the tissue inhibits cytochrome c oxidase activity. Another exemplary method includes selecting at least one light source configured to generate light at a particular wavelength and applying the light to tissue following an ischemic event and prior to either reoxygenation of the tissue or clinical intervention to reduce cell damage. An exemplary light therapy device includes at least one light source configured to generate light having a wavelength of at least one of approximately 730-770 nm, 850-890 nm, 880-920 nm, and 930-970 nm. |
| US09610455B2 |
Medical system comprising implants
A medical system (100, 300) comprises internal parts (30, 32) for implantation in a patient and external parts (10, 12, 20). The external parts comprise an energy source (10) with a primary coil (12) and the internal parts comprise an electrically powered medical device (40, 41) and an energy receiver (30) with a secondary coil (32) for inductively receiving energy from the external energy source (10). The system (100, 300) is arranged to determine a balance between the energy received in the energy receiver (30) and the amount of energy used by the medical device (40, 41). The internal control unit (50) transmits feedback information to the external control unit (20), and the system (100, 300) is arranged to determine the feedback information based on a first (P1) and a second (P2) parameter. |
| US09610449B2 |
Method and apparatus for displaying a graphical impedance history for output channels of a lead
Impedance information of an implantable medical device is displayed. One or more impedance values are received over a period of time for a plurality of channels. The channels may each include an electrode contact on an implantable lead. A graph is displayed that illustrates a variation of the impedance values over at least a portion of the period of time for one or more of the channels. A visual landscape that is representative of the impedance values for the plurality of channels is also displayed. |
| US09610447B2 |
Systems and methods for selecting pacing vectors based on site of latest activation for use with implantable cardiac rhythm management devices
Techniques are provided for use with an implantable cardiac stimulation device equipped with a multi-pole left ventricular (LV) lead and a right ventricular (RV) lead for identifying suitable pacing vectors. In one example, RV-LV delay times are measured while using different electrodes of the LV lead as cathodes for sensing. The LV electrode having the longest RV-LV delay time is identified and LV capture thresholds and diaphragmatic stimulation thresholds are measured for pacing vectors that employ that LV electrode as a cathode. Assuming at least one vector employing the selected LV electrode is found to have acceptable thresholds, the vector is selected for use in delivering pacing therapy with the selected LV electrode. If none of the pacing vectors employing the selected LV electrode has acceptable thresholds, another LV electrode is selected and the procedure is repeated. Examples with a multi-pole RV lead are also described. |
| US09610442B2 |
Systems and methods for treatment of urinary dysfunction
Methods and systems for providing therapy related to urological disorders which relate to stimulation of the saphenous nerve (SAFN) either alone or in combination with the posterior tibial nerve (PTN), medial plantar nerve (MPN) or lateral planar nerve. In embodiments nerves are stimulated by percutaneous, transcutaneous, and/or implanted stimulators. In embodiments the SAFN is stimulated below the level of the knee or near the medial malleolus. Embodiments also disclose improving nerve stimulation, including SAFN stimulation, using systems and methods termed enhanced transcutaneous electrical stimulation (eTENS) since these enhance the excitation of neural tissue. In an embodiment, systems and methods are provided to increase the chance of providing the selective modulation of specific (targeted) neural substrate, while decreasing the risk of activation of adjacent (non-targeted) nervous tissue. |
| US09610439B2 |
Apparatus and method for determining the relative position and orientation of neurostimulation leads
A method for determining whether the relative position of electrodes used by a neurostimulation system has changed within a patient comprises determining the amplitude of a field potential at each of at least one of the electrodes, determining if a change in each of the determined electric field amplitudes has occurred, and analyzing the change in each of the determined electric field amplitudes to determine whether a change in the relative position of the electrodes has occurred. Another method comprises measuring a first monopolar impedance between a first electrode and a reference electrode, measuring a second monopolar impedance between second electrode and the reference electrode, measuring a bipolar impedance between the first and second electrodes, and estimating an amplitude of a field potential at the second electrode based on the first and second monopolar impedances and the bipolar impedance. |
| US09610438B2 |
Delivery catheter including side port and electrodes
A delivery catheter, including a catheter body, a side port, a first electrode, and a second electrode, is described. The catheter body may comprise a proximal end, a distal end, and a perimeter surface. The catheter body defines a delivery lumen extending longitudinally within the catheter body. The side port is defined in the perimeter surface of the catheter body proximate the distal end and in communication with the delivery lumen. The electrodes may be adjacent to and spaced from the side port. Techniques for using the delivery catheter to identify a desired lead implantation location, e.g., via the electrodes, and implant a medical lead or other implantable element at the desired location through the delivery lumen and side port are also described. |
| US09610437B2 |
Apparatuses and methods for securing deep brain stimulation leads
Various examples are provided for securing deep brain stimulation (DBS) leads. In one example, among others, a DBS cap for securing a DBS lead includes a base ring adapted to be mounted within a counterbore opening formed in the skull, a lead securing element that mounts to the base ring, and, a top cover that mounts to the base ring. In another example, a method for securing a DBS lead includes forming a counterbore opening in the skull, securing a DBS cap within the counterbore opening, passing a DBS lead through the DBS cap and the counterbore opening and positioning a tip of the lead in brain tissue, and securing the DBS lead to the DBS cap using an adhesive. The skull opening includes a lower bore, a concentric upper bore, and a step positioned at the interface of the upper and lower bores. |
| US09610436B2 |
Implant tools with attachment feature and multi-positional sheath and implant techniques utilizing such tools
Implant tools and techniques for implantation of a medical lead, catheter or other implantable component are provided. The implant tools and techniques are particularly useful in implanting medical electrical leads in extravascular locations, including subcutaneous locations. An example implant tool for implanting a medical lead includes a rod and a sheath configured to be placed on the rod. The rod includes a handle, a shaft having a proximal end adjacent to the handle and a distal end, and an attachment feature toward the distal end of the shaft, the attachment feature configured to couple to the medical lead. The sheath is configured to be placed in multiple positions along the rod including a first position in which the sheath does not interact with the attachment feature and second position in which the sheath does interact with the attachment feature. |
| US09610433B2 |
Epidermal down-growth barrier
A percutaneous implant for reducing the risk of post-implant infection by reducing the likelihood of epidermal down-growth between the dermis of the skin and the implant. In one example, the implant comprises a barrier member between the epidermis and the dermis about the implant. In another example, a barrier is provided by removing a portion of the epidermis from the dermis about the implant. |
| US09610431B2 |
Pressure vented fluid reservoir having a movable septum
Disclosed herein is a fluid infusion device of the type that delivers medication fluid to the body of a patient. The device includes or cooperates with a fluid reservoir, and the device has a sealing assembly to receive and form a fluid seal with the fluid reservoir. A retractable sealing element surrounding a hollow fluid delivery needle may be used to seal a port of the fluid reservoir. The port may include a pressure vent that is sealed by the retractable sealing element. In one variation, the reservoir includes a moving valve sleeve that holds a septum. The septum moves to allow the reservoir to vent, and to form a seal with the port when the needle pierces the septum. In another variation, the device includes a needleless sealing assembly. In yet other variations, the device uses a needled fluid reservoir. |
| US09610428B2 |
Devices, systems and methods useable for treating frontal sinusitis
Devices, systems and methods wherein a dilator, such as a balloon or other expandable member, is positionable within the frontal sinus ostium and adjacent frontal recess and useable to dilate the frontal sinus ostium and substantially all of the frontal sinus recess without requiring repositioning and repeated re-expansion of the dilator. One balloon catheter device of the invention comprises a catheter body that is less than about 50 cm in length (and in some embodiments less than 25 cm in length and a semi-compliant or non-compliant balloon on the catheter body. The balloon may have a working length of about 12 mm to about 30 mm and a width at its widest point when fully inflated of about 2 mm to about 7 mm. Such balloon may be constructed to withstand inflation pressures of about 12 atmospheres. In some embodiments, the dilator is advanced through or over a guide (e.g., guidewire or guide catheter) that has a preformed shape. |
| US09610424B2 |
Sacrificial catheter
A sacrificial catheter assembly and method of use for placing a functional catheter within the body of a patient, such as into the patient's vasculature, is disclosed. In one embodiment, the sacrificial catheter assembly comprises a sacrificial catheter including an elongate body that defines a longitudinally extending lumen. A stylet is removably received within the lumen of the sacrificial catheter such that the catheter and stylet can be advanced together to a target destination within the body of the patient. The sacrificial catheter is configured so as to then be proximally slid over the stylet to remove the sacrificial catheter from the body while the stylet remains in place at the target destination. A functional catheter can then be distally slid over the stylet to place the functional catheter at the target destination. The stylet can then be removed from the body of the patient. |
| US09610422B2 |
Catheter assembly
A catheter assembly for use in accessing a vasculature of a patient during renal replacement or other therapies is disclosed. In one embodiment, the catheter assembly includes a catheter body that defines first and second lumens. The catheter body defines a distal tip region that includes a venous lateral opening that is in fluid communication with the first lumen and an arterial lateral opening that is in fluid communication with the second lumen. |
| US09610420B2 |
Breathable gas apparatus with humidifier
A CPAP device for delivering pressurized, humidified breathable gas for a patient includes a flow generator configured to pressurize a flow of breathable gas. The flow generator includes an air outlet and a removable water container configured to humidify the pressurized breathable gas received from the flow generator. The water container includes an air inlet and an air outlet. The CPAP device further includes a first elastomeric face seal configured to sealingly abut against a substantially flat portion of the water container surrounding the water container air inlet, the first elastomeric face seal being located at an intermediate position between the flow generator air outlet and the water container air inlet when the water container is placed into position to pneumatically communicate with the flow generator. In addition, the CPAP device includes a second elastomeric face seal, a portion of which is configured to sealingly abut against a substantially flat external surface portion of the water container surrounding the water container air outlet. |
| US09610418B2 |
Patient interface device including a pneumatically adjusting forehead support
A patient interface device (8) includes a patient sealing assembly (12) adapted to communicate a flow of breathing gas within an airway of a patient, the patient sealing assembly including a cushion (14), a frame member (16) coupled to the cushion, and an adjustable forehead support assembly (26) coupled to the frame member. The adjustable forehead support assembly includes a forehead cushion (30) and an inflatable and deflatable bladder (48) coupled to the forehead cushion, wherein inflation and deflation of the bladder causes the distal end (24) of the frame member to move relative to the forehead cushion in a manner wherein a pressure applied to a bridge of a nose of the patient by the cushion is adjusted. |
| US09610414B2 |
Device to meter fluid
An apparatus for metering the delivery of a fluid. The apparatus has a variable acoustic source and a microphone, both acoustically coupled to a volume having a fluid region and an air region. The apparatus may also include a processor to determine a volume of the air region based on signals received from the microphone and the variable acoustic source. A fluid valve is coupled to the processor, and is configured to allow an amount of fluid to exit the fluid region associated with the volume of the air region. |
| US09610413B2 |
Powder medicament mouthpiece and application
A powder medicament mouthpiece comprising at least one section of through suction tube (1) and a filter (2). One end of the suction tube is a medicament inlet, and the other end (16a) is a suction outlet. The filter (2) is arranged within the suction tube (1). The powder medicament mouthpiece can be connected to multiple models of dry powder inhalers to separate powder medicament from dry powder, and allows for significantly improved efficacy. |
| US09610412B2 |
Internally pressurized medical devices
There are provided pressurized surgical instruments for use in pressurized surgical environments. The pressurized surgical instruments include pressurizing systems for maintaining a neutral or positive pressure flow within the surgical instrument during use. The pressurizing systems include a primary sensor for detecting the pressure of the surgical environment and a pressurizing mechanism for balancing the pressure of the surgical instrument with the surgical environment. The pressurizing mechanism includes a controller to receive and compare the signal sent from the primary sensor to the ambient or internal instrument pressure and a pressure delivery system to provide positive pressure to the interior of the surgical instrument in response to a signal received from the controller. The sources of pressure for the pressure delivery systems may be external or self contained within the surgical instrument. |
| US09610403B2 |
Needle guard
A needle guard assembly having a resilient arm extending from a base situated to slide along the shaft of a needle. In one implementation the needle guard has an elongate containment member that rides with the resilient arm and is co-operable with the resilient arm to effectuate a covering of the entire distal tip of the needle upon the needle being retracted into the needle guard. |
| US09610400B2 |
Device for moving a piston inside a cartridge
A device for moving a piston inside a cartridge having a cartridge body and the piston displaceable along a longitudinal axis of the cartridge body is presented. The device comprises a first portion having first coupler for coupling the cartridge body to the first portion such that in both directions of the longitudinal axis, a connection exists between the cartridge body and the first portion; and a second portion having second coupler for coupling the piston to the second portion such that in both directions of the longitudinal axis, a connection exists between the piston and the second portion. The first and second portions move relative to each other to effect at least a forward displacement of the piston coupled to the second portion inside the cartridge body coupled to the first portion along the longitudinal axis. The second coupler establishes and releases the connection with the piston. |
| US09610399B2 |
Intravenous pole system
An intravenous pole with individually adjustable ring support members, a freely rotating slip ring with a plurality of electrical plug receptacles, and a wireless recharging system. |
| US09610398B2 |
Implantable solid-liquid drug delivery apparatus, formulations, and methods of use
Embodiments provide apparatus and methods for delivering liquid form medication within the body wherein the medication is stored in solid form and then mixed with a liquid in an apparatus implanted within the body. One embodiment provides an implantable apparatus for in vivo delivery of medication comprising a housing including a reservoir, a store of solid form medication (SSM) and a pump. An SSM element is added to the reservoir along with fluid to form a medication solution comprising at least one drug. The medication solution is then delivered to a delivery site using a pumping means to pump solution from the reservoir through a delivery member such as catheter to a delivery site. Embodiments of the invention are particularly useful for delivering medication to a patient to treat a medical condition over an extended period of time without requiring the patient to take external medication. |
| US09610392B2 |
Medical fluid cassettes and related systems and methods
This disclosure relates to medical fluid cassettes and related systems and methods. In certain aspects, a medical fluid cassette includes a base having a first region and a second region, a first membrane overlying the first region of the base, and a second membrane overlying the second region of the base. The second membrane is configured to rebound away from the base when a force used to press the second membrane toward the base is released. |
| US09610391B2 |
Systems comprising an implantable component for treating pulmonary hypertension
A system for treating heart disease, such as pulmonary hypertension or right heart failure, including an implantable component and external components for monitoring the implantable component is provided. The implantable component may include a compliant member, e.g., balloon, coupled to a reservoir via a conduit. Preferably, the compliant member is adapted to be implanted in a pulmonary artery and the reservoir is adapted to be implanted subcutaneously. The external components may include a clinical controller component, monitoring software configured to run a clinician's computer, a patient monitoring device, and a mobile application configured to run on a patient's mobile device. |
| US09610389B2 |
Self-contained cryothetrapy and suction system
A method for treating wounds, comprised of the application of reduced pressure to a wound site and alteration of the temperature over said wound. A system for wound healing, comprising: a substantial impermeable drape sized to cover and enclose the wound creating a reservoir and adapted to maintain reduced pressure at the site of the wound; a sterilizable porous cooling pad incorporated into a wound sponge adapted to provide localized cooling to said wound, said cooling pad located between said wound and said cover or over the drape; a reduced pressure supply mechanism capable of providing subatmosphere pressure over said wound site. |
| US09610387B2 |
Plasticizers for a biodegradable scaffolding and methods of forming same
Methods of making polymeric devices, such as stents, with one or more modifications such as addition of plasticizers, to improve processing, and the devices made by these methods. |
| US09610384B2 |
Reducing the deterioraton of wetted hydrophilic coatings subjected to sterilization by radiation
A method of reducing the deterioration of a wetted hydrophilic coating caused by sterilization by radiation is provided. The method comprises the step of incorporating a thiosulfate anion and a buffer into the wetting hydrophilic coating comprising water. Some embodiments of the invention relate to a wetted hydrophilic coating, a wetting agent, a package comprising a wetted hydrophilic coating, and a method of sterilizing a wetted hydrophilic coating. |
| US09610381B2 |
Process for extracting natural hydroxyaptite granules from bovine bone
A process is for extracting natural hydroxyapatite from bone in order to make granules for a bone graft. The process involves soaking and boiling raw bone cubes in deionized water. Soaking and boiling removes lipids, blood components, and proteins and creates bone cubes. Next, washing the bone cubes in deionized water and drying the bone cubes. Then, segregating cancellous bone cubes with densified porous structure from those without densified porous structure. After that, soaking the cancellous bone cubes with densified porous structure in a solution of sodium hydroxide and a solution of hydrogen peroxide. Next, washing the cancellous bone cubes with densified porous structure in deionized water and drying the bone cubes. Then, sintering the cancellous bone cubes with densified porous structure. After that, fracturing the cancellous bone cubes with densified porous structure into the granules for the bone graft. |
| US09610380B2 |
Vertebral body augmentation systems comprising microbubbles
Adding gas-filled microbubbles to both the saline solution of either a kyphoplasty balloon or a vertebroplasty cement allows the clinician to assess via ultrasound both the location and expansion of the balloon and the location of the cement during vertebral body augmentation procedures without the use of fluoroscopy. |
| US09610377B2 |
Biomedical foams
The invention relates, generally, to porous absorbent materials which are suitable for packing antrums or other cavities of the human or animal body. More particularly, it relates to hydrophilic biodegradable foams, which may be used, e.g., in the form of a plug or tampon, for instance for controlling bleeding, wound closure, prevent tissue adhesion and/or support tissue regeneration. The invention provides an absorbent foam, suitable for packing antrums or other cavities of the human or animal body, comprising a biodegradable synthetic polymer, which polymer comprises —C(O)—O— groups in the backbone of the polymer, for instance polyurethane and/or polyester units combined with polyethers. |
| US09610374B2 |
Combination air freshener, odor absorber and moisture absorber
A multiple purpose container for an air freshener, odor absorber and moisture absorber in a single product includes a tub with a lid that has openings, a basket suspended in the tub that has a vertical partition for holding an air freshener on one side and a moisture absorber on the other side, the basket includes openings on one side of the vertical partition that holds the moisture absorber to allow liquid absorbed to drain from the basket to the space below the basket. |
| US09610370B2 |
Compositions and methods for tumor imaging and targeting by a class of organic heptamethine cyanine dyes that possess dual nuclear and near-infrared properties
The present invention provides for heptamethine cyanine dyes that possess both nuclear and near-infrared imaging capabilities. These dyes can be used for imaging, targeting and detecting tumors in patients. |
| US09610369B2 |
Compound suitable for detection of vesicular acetylcholine transporter
The present invention provides a compound represented by formula (I), wherein in formula (I), R1 represents CH3, F, (CH2)n—F, NH—(CH2)n—F, O—(CH2)n—F or S—(CH2)n—F, and n represents an integer of 1 to 3. |
| US09610368B2 |
Radiolabelled glutaminyl cyclase (QC) inhibitors and uses of same
Radiolabeled glutaminylcyclase (QC) inhibitors as imaging agents, in particular, but not exclusively, as medical imaging agents for the detection of neurological disorders; and pharmaceutical compositions, methods and kits for detecting neurological disorders, using the radiolabeled inhibitors. |
| US09610366B2 |
Method for diagnosing cancer
Methods for identifying the presence of cancerous cells or tissue by: applying a compound of formula (I), or salts thereof, to a living body, wherein R1 represents hydrogen or the same or different one to four substituents; R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, and R7 independently represent hydrogen, hydroxy, alkyl, or halogen; R8 and R9 independently represent hydrogen or alkyl; and X represents C1-C3 alkylene; and detecting fluorescence emitted by a compound of formula (II), wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, and R9 are as defined above; wherein fluorescence emitted by a compound of formula (II) is indicative of the presence of cancerous cells or tissue. |
| US09610365B2 |
Anthracenyl-tetralactam macrocycles and their use in detecting a target saccharide
A water-soluble compound of the formula (I): wherein R9 and R10 are suitably hydrophilic substituents, which may be used to selectively bind to a target saccharide such as glucose and which exhibits a detectable spectroscopic response to such binding, thus enabling its use in the detection and correction of blood glucose concentrations in vivo. |
| US09610364B1 |
Method for the treatment of malignancies
A method of treating cancerous tumors is presented herein. The method includes injecting an effective dose of a plasmid encoded for IL-12, B7-1 or IL-15 into a cancerous tumor and subsequently administering at least one high voltage, short duration pulse to the tumor. The electroporation pulses may be administered at at least 700V/cm for a duration of less than 1 millisecond. The intratumor treatments with electroporation may be administered in at least a two-treatment protocol with the time between treatments being about 7 days. The intratumor treatments with electroporation may be administered in a three-treatment protocol with a time of four days between the first and second treatments and a time of three days between the second and third treatments. It was found that the intratumor treatments using electroporation not only resulted in tumor regression but also induced an immune memory response which prevented the formation of new tumors. |
| US09610361B2 |
Cyclodextrin and antibody-drug conjugate formulations
Disclosed are formulations, including both liquid and lyophilized formulations, comprising a benzodiazepine anti-body-drug conjugate (ADC) and a cyclodextrin. Also disclosed are methods of purifying mixtures comprising benzodiazepine anti-body-drug conjugates and process drug-related impurities. |
| US09610360B2 |
Polymer drug conjugates with tether groups for controlled drug delivery
Described herein is a cyclodextrin containing polymer conjugate. |
| US09610351B2 |
Methods and compositions for treating pain
Methods and compositions for treating pain are disclosed. The compositions are based on dry powders comprising microparticles of diketopiperazines and an analgesic active agent. The analgesic in the compositions comprises one or more peptide analgesics or derivatives thereof, which are administered to a subject using a pulmonary inhalation drug delivery system comprising a dry powder inhaler and the analgesic composition. The present compositions produce fewer side effects associated with current opioid therapy. |
| US09610350B2 |
Broad spectrum preservation blends
A composition having effective broad spectrum preservation activity comprising benzyl alcohol, salicylic acid, sorbic acid and a compound selected from the group consisting of 1,3-propanediol, glycerin and combinations thereof. |
| US09610349B2 |
Local engineering of the lymph node environment to promote immune tolerance
A method of inducing specific immune tolerance to myelin in an individual is provided. The method includes introducing directly into a lymph node of the individual an effective amount of a composition that contains a myelin antigen, a biodegradable material and at least one tolerogenic agent. The method is suitable for reducing the severity of symptoms of multiple sclerosis in individuals who suffer from primary-progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS), and can halt or even reverse PPMS progression. |
| US09610347B2 |
Vaccination response for immunodeficiency or high cortisol
A method of improving a human's response to vaccination with a vaccine enhancing food. This food contains at least transfer factor and lactic acid generating bacteria, and in some embodiments includes glucans. The vaccine enhancing food may be consumed before, during, or after the vaccination. The results are an improvement in the vaccine titer, a slower decay of titer, longer periods of immunity, and fewer needed boosters. |
| US09610343B2 |
Stable, spray dryed, immunogenic, viral compositions
Viruses, and particularly genetically engineered, replication deficient viruses such as adenoviruses, poxviruses, MVA viruses, and baculoviruses which encode one or more antigens of interest, such as TB, malarial, and HIV antigens, are spray dried with a mannitol-cyclodextrin-trehalose-dextran (MCTD) to form a powder where the viability of the viruses are maintained at a suitable level for mass vaccinations after spray drying, and where the viability of the viruses are maintained at suitable level over a period of storage time, even in the presence of humidity. |
| US09610342B2 |
Combination neisserial compositions
Compositions comprising a first biological molecule from a Neisseria bacterium and a second biological molecule from a Neisseria bacterium. The term “biological molecule” includes proteins and nucleic acids. Preferred Neisseria species are N. meningitidis and N. gonorrhoeae. |
| US09610340B2 |
Vaccine comprising Streptococcus pneumoniae capsular polysaccharide conjugates
The present invention is in the field of pneumococcal capsular saccharide conjugate vaccines. Specifically, a multivalent Streptococcus pneumoniae immunogenic composition is provided with various conjugated capsular saccharides from different S. pneumoniae serotypes conjugated to 2 or more different carrier proteins, where the composition comprises serotype 19F capsular saccharide conjugated to diphtheria toxoid (DT) or CRM197, optionally wherein 19F is the only saccharide in the composition conjugated to diphtheria toxoid (DT) or CRM197. |
| US09610335B2 |
Immunogens, compositions and uses thereof, method for preparing same
The invention relates to fusion proteins comprising an amino acid sequence of a fragment H corresponding to a fragment of a calcium binding protein excreted-secreted by adult worms of Fasciola hepatica, followed by an amino acid sequence corresponding to a unrelated protein or fragment of protein, pharmaceutical compositions, vaccines and adjuvants containing the immunogen, to a process for their preparation, another process for the production of antibodies and their use.The present invention relates to the preparation of immunogens by the addition of a peptide sequence.Thus the present invention is useful for producing an immune response, with increases in specific antibody titers in serum against proteins or other antigens and can be applied in particular for the production of specific polyclonal antibodies, immunotherapy and immunoprophylaxis. The addition of the polypeptide to a target antigen, either through the production of recombinant proteins containing the polypeptide or by addition or fusion of this polypeptide with the target antigen, induces a significant increase in the immunogenicity of these molecules, amplifying the immune response elicited by injection of this molecule in a subject susceptible to produce antibodies. |
| US09610331B2 |
Methods for hematopoietic precursor mobilization
Methods of modulating mobilization of cells from the bone marrow are provided. In a specific embodiment there is provided a method of increasing mobilization of hematopoietic precursors from the bone marrow to the peripheral blood in a subject in need thereof, the method comprising: (a) administering to the subject an agent which downregulates an activity or expression of a coagulation factor or an effector thereof; and (b) harvesting the hematopoietic precursors from the peripheral blood. |
| US09610329B2 |
Stabilized glucagon solutions
A formulation composed of a sugar such as glucose and a surfactant such as myristoyl lysophosphocholine (LMPC) has been designed to stabilize both hydrophilic and hydrophobic portions of the glucagon molecule, under prolonged physiological conditions, in a formulation that is sufficiently similar to the pH and osmolarity of plasma so as not to induce or to minimize site irritation. The combination of a simple sugar and an surfactant stabilizes the glucagon molecule in an aqueous solution for seven days at 37° C. |
| US09610328B2 |
Enhancement of skeletal muscle stem cell engraftment by dual delivery of VEGF and IGF-1
An improved device and method for extended repair and regeneration of muscle tissue. An exemplary device comprises (a) a scaffold comprising an ECM component; (b) a combination of growth factors such as VEGF and IGF; and (c) a population of myogenic cells. Implantation of the device leads to muscle regeneration and repair over an extended period of time. |
| US09610327B2 |
Variant activin receptor polypeptides, alone or in combination with chemotherapy, and uses thereof
The present invention provides variant activin IIB soluble receptor polypeptides and proteins capable of binding and inhibiting the activities of activin A, myostatin, or GDF-11. The present invention also provides polynucleotides, vectors and host cells capable of producing the variant polypeptides and proteins. Compositions and methods for treating muscle-wasting and other diseases and disorders are also provided. |
| US09610325B2 |
Method for inhibiting euPTX3 to treat nasopharyngeal carcinoma by amino acid sequence
The invention relates to a method for inhibiting euPTX3 to treat nasopharyngeal carcinoma by an amino acid sequence, comprising administering an effective amount of the amino acid sequence to a subject in need. The amino acid sequence can be used to inhibit euPTX3 from promoting the migration and invasion of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells, promoting angiogenesis and inhibiting macrophage phagocytosis to further treat nasopharyngeal carcinoma. |
| US09610318B2 |
Peptides for promoting angiogenesis and use thereof
The present invention relates to a peptide promoting angiogenesis and novel use thereof. More particularly, the invention relates to peptides promoting angiogenesis, and the use of the peptide for promoting angiogenesis and preventing or treating angiogenesis-related disease. The peptide of the present invention have an excellent effect on promoting angiogenesis. Accordingly, it is useful for preventing or treating angiogenesis-related disease and for preparing regeneration of skin flap, wound and burn healing, implantation of artificial skin and preparation of blood vessels for transplantation. |
| US09610311B2 |
Medicinal composition of amaranth extract having enriched nitrate content and a method of preparing the same
An extract of Amaranth, having enriched nitrate content, L-arginine, Flavonoids, saponins, alkaloids, carbohydrates, proteins, potassium, and with negligible amount of oxalic acid or oxalate content. The extract of Amaranth can be prepared from fresh or dried leaves and stem of Amaranth. Dosage forms of extract include fast melt tablet, lozenge, candy, chewing gum, beverage, tablet, capsule, pill, and powder. The extract of Amaranth enhances nitric oxide concentration, enhances nitrate level concentration, and enhances nitrite level in blood as well as in saliva. Administering the extract can lower blood pressure, increase physical endurance, increase swimming endurance, increase running endurance, and improve sexual performance among human beings. |
| US09610306B2 |
Pharmaceutical composition comprising silkworm as an active ingredient for prevention and treatment of tissue injury by radiation
The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition for the prevention and treatment of tissue injury caused by irradiation which comprises silkworm hemolymph as an active ingredient. Particularly, when the silkworm hemolymph of the present invention was administered to an animal model with liver damage induced by irradiation, plasma AST and liver MDA were significantly decreased, indicating that the silkworm hemolymph of the invention can be effectively used as a composition for the prevention and treatment of disease caused by the exposure on radiation including tissue injury caused by irradiation, etc. |
| US09610301B2 |
Powdered protein compositions and methods of making same
A method for preparing a protein or peptide powder is provided that includes spray drying a solution including more than, e.g., about 50 mg/mL of a protein or peptide (e.g., an antibody or antigen binding portion thereof), and at least one excipient. Also provided are stable powdered compositions including a protein and an excipient having less than, e.g., about 6% residual moisture. |
| US09610295B2 |
Method for treating erectile dysfunction
Erectile dysfunction in a male human patient is ameliorated by oral administration to the patient of a glucocorticoid such as prednisone, prednisolone, cortisone, hydrocortisone, or methylprednisolone and a phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitor, such as sildenafil, vardenafil, or tadalafil. |
| US09610293B2 |
Co-micronization product comprising ulipristal acetate
The subject of the present invention is a co-micronization product comprising an active ingredient selected from the group consisting of ulipristal acetate, a ulipristal acetate metabolite and mixtures thereof, and a pharmaceutically acceptable solid surfactant. The invention also relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising said co-micronization product and to the therapeutic uses thereof. |
| US09610291B2 |
Treatment of respiratory depression
Tricyclic dibenzothiazepine compounds for use in the treatment of respiratory depression. |
| US09610289B2 |
Combinations of AKT inhibitor compounds and erlotinib, and methods of use
The invention provides A combination of, a) a compound of Formula Ia: or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof; and b) erlotinib or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof for the prophylactic or therapeutic treatment of a hyperproliferative disorder, such as cancer. |
| US09610275B2 |
Nitrile derivatives and their pharmaceutical use and compositions
Disclosed are nitrile derivatives and pharmaceutical compositions comprising nitrile derivatives. The pharmaceutical compositions comprise compounds of the formula I and the pharmaceutically acceptable salts of such compounds. Also disclosed are processes for the preparation of such compounds, intermediates used in the preparation of such compounds, and the uses of such compounds in treating hyperproliferative diseases, inflammatory diseases and viral and bacterial infections and inducing apoptosis in cancer cells. |
| US09610274B2 |
Methods for treating bipolar disorder
The invention is directed to a method of treating bipolar disorder in a subject, comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of a carbamate compound, or pharmaceutically acceptable salt or amide thereof. |
| US09610272B2 |
Methods of reducing the risk of a cardiovascular event in a subject on statin therapy
In various embodiments, the present invention provides methods of reducing the risk of a cardiovascular event in a subject on statin therapy and, in particular, a method of reducing the risk of a cardiovascular event in a subject on statin therapy having a fasting baseline triglyceride level of about 135 mg/dL to about 500 mg/dL, and administering to the subject a pharmaceutical composition comprising about 1 g to about 4 g of eicosapentaenoic acid ethyl ester or a derivative thereof. |
| US09610270B2 |
Therapy for transthyretin-associated amyloidosis
It is provided a catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) inhibitor for use in the prevention and/or treatment of transthyretin-associated amyloidosis. It is also provided a catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) inhibitor for use in the prevention and/or treatment of transthyretin-associated amyloidosis in combination therapy with another COMT inhibitor, a benzoxazole derivative, iododiflunisal, diflunisal, resveratrol, tauroursodeoxycholic acid, doxocycline, or epigallocatechin-3-gallate. |
| US09610267B2 |
Phosphate-binding magnesium salts and uses thereof
The present invention provides, among other things, compositions and methods suitable for the treatment of hyperphosphatemia based on phosphate-binding magnesium salts. In some embodiments, the present invention provides compositions and methods suitable for the treatment of hyperphosphatemia based on the combination of phosphate-binding magnesium and calcium salts. |
| US09610261B2 |
Methods of treating Prader-Willi Syndrome
Methods of treating Prader-Willi syndrome in a subject in need of treatment are provided. The methods include administering to the subject an effective amount of a compound of Formula I, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R, R′, X, Y and Z are defined as set forth in the specification. In embodiments, an effective amount of captodiamine or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof is administered to the subject. |
| US09610255B2 |
Lycopene and resveratrol dietary supplement
A dietary supplement is disclosed comprising lycopene and resveratrol in a range of ratio of lycopene:resveratrol from 1:10 to 10:1. Preferably, the ratio is 1:2 to 1:4. Lycopene is preferably of ≧95% purity and resveratrol is of ≧98% purity. Both lycopene and resveratrol may preferably comprise of nano-sized particles in crystal powder to optimize oral intake in the form of capsule or tablet. In small dosage, it should preferably include a minimum of 5 mg of lycopene and 10 mg of resveratrol. Various range of ratios of lycopene:resveratrol are provided for specific therapeutic purposes including 1:4 for symptomatic relief of arthritis, 1:2 for inhibiting melanoma or carcinoma malignancy, and 1:3 for inhibiting hyperlipoidemia. Generally, our dietary supplement composition may be used as an agent for anti-ageing, anti-oxidative, inhibiting cardiovascular diseases, relieving menopause symptoms and remission of post-operative cancer patients. |
| US09610254B2 |
Molecule mixture comprising an amphipathic molecule type A, which has a positive total charge in the hydrophilic range, and an amphipathic molecule type B and A polyphenol C, method for producing said molecule mixture and use thereof
A molecule mixture comprising an amphipathic molecule of type A, which has an overall positive charge in the hydrophilic region, an amphipathic molecule of type B and a polyphenol C, the method for producing the molecule mixture, and the use thereof. The molecules of types A and B are present at a molecular ratio of A:B of 1(±0.2):1(±0.2) mol/mol. A method for producing the mixture and the use is also disclosed. |
| US09610253B2 |
Transdermal administration of tamsulosin
In an aspect of the invention, a composition for making a patch for the transdermal delivery of tamsulosin is provided. The composition comprises (a) at least about 1 wt % tamsulosin or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of tamsulosin, (b) at least about 40 wt % polyisobutylene adhesive or hydrophobic synthetic rubber adhesive, (c) about 1-20 wt % of an aprotic solvent in which tamsulosin dissolves readily, (d) about 1-20 wt % of an unsaturated fatty acid or an alpha-hydroxy acid or a mixture of unsaturated fatty acids or alpha-hydroxy acids or of both unsaturated fatty acids and alpha-hydroxy acids, (e) a lipophilic permeation enhancer, and (f) a matrix modifier. |
| US09610251B2 |
Pharmaceutical compositions for substituted quinazolinones
The present disclosure relates to novel solid pharmaceutical formulations and process for their preparation. The present disclosure also provides, in part, methods of using the pharmaceutical formulations for regulating the expression of apolipoprotein A-I (ApoA-I), and their use for the treatment and prevention of cardiovascular disease and related disease states, including cholesterol- or lipid-related disorders, such as, for example, atherosclerosis. |
| US09610248B2 |
Compositions and methods for treating influenza
The present disclosure provides compositions and methods useful for treating influenza. As described herein, provided compositions and methods are based on the development of certain compositions that include an influenza virus hemagglutinin antigen in combination with lipid vesicles that include a non-ionic surfactant (NISVs) and optionally an adjuvant. In certain embodiments, provided compositions remain potent even when they are not stored in a standard cold-chain system (i.e., they are thermostable). |
| US09610243B2 |
Clonidine compounds in a biodegradable polymer
Effective treatments of pain for extended periods of time are provided. Through the administration of an effective amount of clonidine in a drug depot at or near a target site, one can relieve pain caused by diverse sources, including but not limited to spinal disc herniation (i.e. sciatica), spondilothesis, stenosis, discogenic back pain and joint pain. When appropriate drug depot formulations are provided within biodegradable polymers, this pain relief can be continued for at least fourteen days. |
| US09610239B2 |
Aqueous silicone polyether microemulsions
Silicone polyether microemulsions are disclosed containing i) at least 20% by weight of a water immiscible dispersed phase comprising certain polydialkylsiloxane-polyoxyalkylene copolymers having 0.1 to 10 wt % ethylene oxide (C2H4O) groups, optionally a water immiscible silicone or hydrocarbon fluid, and ii) at least 5% by weight of an emulsifier. The silicone polyether microemulsions are optically transparent and have an average particle size of less than 100 nanometers. They may be used in a variety of personal care product formulations. In particular, the silicone polyether microemulsions may be used to prepare “clear” personal care products. |
| US09610238B2 |
Nail compositions
The invention relates to nail composition sets comprising at least one primer comprising compound(s) other than acrylic latex and at least one color coat comprising at least one acrylic latex and water. |
| US09610232B2 |
Use of sphinganine to improve the visual appearance of skin and hair
The invention relates to the use of sphinganine for improving the visual appearance of skin and hair, for caring for, for protecting and/or for stimulating the growth of skin and hair. |
| US09610231B2 |
Cosmetic or dermatological preparation for application on wet skin
An aqueous cosmetic or dermatological preparation for application on wet or moist skin which is substantially emulsifier-free and comprises at least two different polyacrylic acid polymers, at least two different C14-22 fatty alcohols, and at least about 13% by weight of microcrystalline wax, preferably in combination with one or more hydrocarbon oils. |
| US09610224B2 |
Manufacture of tablet in a die utilizing powder blend containing water-containing material
The present invention features the present invention features a process for making a tablet by compacting a powder blend in a die platen to form a tablet shape, wherein the powder blend includes a pharmaceutically active agent and a water-containing material, and applying energy to the tablet shape for a sufficient period of time to heat the water-containing material within the tablet shape above its dehydration temperature to form the tablet. |
| US09610222B2 |
Closed drug transfer system
A vial adaptor having a bottom part adapted to be attached to the head section of a medical vial or any type of vessel or device that has a head section similar to that of the head of a standard medicine vial. The top part has numerous components. The apparatus also has a first locking mechanism; and a second locking mechanism. The first locking mechanism is adapted to lock a top part to the bottom part such that a tip of a spike cannot contact a stopper in the head section when the head section is being attached to the bottom part and to release the top part from the bottom part after the bottom part has been attached to the head section. The second locking mechanism is adapted to allow, after the bottom part has been attached to the head section, the spike to penetrate the stopper in the head section and to irremovably lock the top part to the bottom part. |
| US09610219B1 |
System for performing a unitizing dose process of blister packs
A unidose blister cutting machine comprises a cartridge for holding blister packs, a first positioning arm for pushing a blister pack in a first direction, a second positioning arm for pushing the blister pack in a second direction substantially orthogonal to the first direction, a flipping robotic arm having a suction means for retaining the blister pack during a flipping movement, a grabbing jaw for grabbing the blister pack from the flipping robotic head, a cutting device, and a collecting chute located below the cutting device for collecting the cut blister packs. |
| US09610217B2 |
Pressure-regulating vial adaptors
In certain embodiments, a vial adaptor comprises a housing configured to couple the adaptor with a vial, an access channel, a regulator channel, and a regulator assembly. The access channel is configured to facilitate withdrawal of fluid from the vial when the adaptor is coupled to the vial. The regulator channel is configured to facilitate a flow of a regulating fluid from the regulator assembly to compensate for changes in volume of a medical fluid in the vial. The regulator assembly can include a valve configured to transition between a closed configuration and an opened configuration. |
| US09610216B2 |
Resistive actuation unit for tub systems
A tub comprising a body for holding a volume of water. A tub system is coupled to the body to perform a function on the volume of water. At least a first circuit has a first circuit portion comprising at least one resistive switch mounted to a visible surface of the body and comprising at least a first resistive element adapted to be contacted by a bather, second circuit portion comprising a water detection sensor mounted to the body for containing liquid in the body above a given level, the first circuit being open between the first resistive element and the water detection sensor, an actuating closed circuit condition by which a bather in liquid above the given level closes the first circuit between the first circuit portion and the second circuit portion when touching the first resistive element. A controller is operationally coupled to first circuit portion and the second circuit portion of the first circuit, and to the tub system, the controller adapted to detect the actuating closed circuit condition to trigger an action of the tub system. |
| US09610214B2 |
Sexual stimulation method using light therapy
A sexual stimulation method which discloses using a plurality of light sources for photostimulation and microbe reduction of the vagina, clitoris, or both; a plurality of vibrators for mechanical stimulation of the vagina, clitoris, or both; a plurality of modes of operation for achieving improved sexual stimulation in a user; a handle for ease of operation; a controller and programmable memory for containing modes of operation and driving the light sources and vibrators of the invention; a vaginal finger; a clitoral finger; a handle for ease of use; a keypad for user entry of commands; a charging and programming port; and a power source which may be a rechargeable battery which may be rechargeable by direct, inductive or other means. |
| US09610208B2 |
Device and method for decreasing energy consumption of a person by use of a lower extremity exoskeleton
A lower extremity exoskeleton, configurable to be coupled to a person, includes: leg supports configurable to be coupled to the person's lower limbs and designed to rest on the ground during stance phases, with each leg support having a thigh link and a shank link; two knee joints, each configured to allow flexion and extension between respective shank and thigh links; an exoskeleton trunk configurable to be coupled to the person's upper body, rotatably connectable to the thigh links of the leg supports, allowing for the flexion and extension between the leg supports and the exoskeleton trunk; two hip actuators configured to create torques between the exoskeleton trunk and the leg supports; and at least one power unit capable of providing power to the hip actuators. In use, power is supplied to the hip actuators in an amount to reduce the energy consumed by a user during a walking cycle. |
| US09610205B2 |
Patient support system
A patient support system includes a floor cavity in the floor of a treatment room; a patient support device comprising a treatment table; a base; a first movement mechanism on which the treatment table is mounted; a second movement mechanism mounted on the base and attached to the first movement mechanism, wherein the first and second movement mechanisms are moveable independently of each other; the first movement mechanism is configured to raise and lower the treatment table and the second movement mechanism is configured to raise and lower the first movement mechanism such that in a lowered position the second movement mechanism is contained within the floor cavity. |
| US09610203B2 |
Disposable absorbent articles
An absorbent article comprising first and second belts. Portions of the first belt making up the leg openings may comprise non-linear portions. And, portions of the second belt making up the leg openings comprise non-linear portions. The article may comprise a center chassis that comprises barrier leg cuffs. |
| US09610200B2 |
Method of producing a composite multi-layered printed absorbent article
A method for producing a composite multi-layered absorbent article. At least two of the layers include a colored region. |
| US09610197B2 |
Automatic machine settings for customized refractive surgery
An ophthalmic apparatus includes a resting member configured to provide rest for a human patient, and an ophthalmic device configured to perform one or more procedures with respect to an eye of the patient resting on the resting member, where the one or more procedures include at least one of an eye-surgical, therapeutic and diagnostic procedure. The apparatus also includes a user interface device configured to receive log-in data from a user, and a controller configured to access stored user profile data based on the log-in data and configure one or more configurable components of the apparatus in accordance with the accessed user profile data. |
| US09610195B2 |
Intraocular shunt implantation methods and devices
The present invention generally relates to devices and methods of implanting an intraocular shunt into an eye. In certain aspects, methods of the invention involve creating an opening in the sclera, and positioning a shunt in the anterior chamber of the eye such that the shunt terminates via the opening in the intra-scleral space, thereby facilitating fluid flow through both the opening and the intra-scleral space. |
| US09610189B2 |
Device in connection with sleep apnea
A device in connection with sleep apnoea, includes a dental splint (1) designed to engage with the jaws of the user in the position of use of the device and the device moreover includes elements (10, 11) for delivering air to the nostrils of the user from an external air source and a holder element (3) for supporting the elements (10, 11) for the delivery of air, the holder element (3) being connected to the dental splint (1). The holder element (3) is connected to the dental splint (1) by way of elements (7, 9) for adjusting the distance between the dental splint (1) and the holder element (3). |
| US09610188B2 |
VRB cantilever-based unloader brace assembly
An Unloader assembly to control load distribution about a joint is disclosed. The assembly including an upper collar attachable above the joint and a lower collar attached below the joint, and a hinge positioned between the upper attachment and the lower attachment. The Unloader further includes a compression assembly includes an arm attached at one end to the hinge and a housing into which the arm is slidable. The housing further includes a bushing and a variable resistance beam positioned between the arm and the bushing. The variable resistance beam provides a variable degree of rigidity to provide different levels of resistance to compression. |
| US09610185B2 |
Systems, methods, and devices for automatic closure of medical devices
According to an embodiment, a brace may include a motorized tensioning device, a tensioning member operationally coupled with the motorized tensioning device to tighten the brace about the limb, and a control unit communicatively coupled with the motorized tensioning device to control adjustment of a tension of the tensioning member. A method for providing therapy with the brace fitted about a limb may include communicating a first instruction from the control unit to the motorized tensioning device to adjust the tension of the tensioning member according to a therapeutic regimen that is designed to aid in recovery of the limb via repetitive movement of the limb. |
| US09610184B2 |
Endoscopic tools for the removal of balloon-like intragastric devices
A mechanism for removing a fluid-filled object such as an intragastric balloon from a patient. The apparatus includes a delivery tube having a lumen and a retrieval tool able to slide within the lumen that can both puncture and grasp the intragastric balloon. The retrieval tool may have sharpened graspers with either a sharp tip and/or knife-like edges. Alternatively, the delivery tube itself may have sharpened cutting blades that deploy outward to puncture the intragastric balloon. One embodiment utilizes a suction cup tip on the delivery sheath and a sharpened puncture rod that extends past the distal tip of the lumen, for rapid deflation of a balloon. Various embodiments hasten the deflation process and simplify the manipulation required by the surgeon. |
| US09610183B2 |
Friction fiber sleeve retraction system
An implantable system for endoluminal delivery of expandable devices having one or more sleeves and one or more sleeve pull back lines. The sleeve pull back lines enable retraction of the one or more sleeves, with various benefits resulting therefrom. |
| US09610180B2 |
Vascular remodeling device
Vascular remodeling devices can include a proximal section, an intermediate section, and a distal section. During deployment, the proximal section can expand from a compressed delivery state to an expanded state and anchor the device in an afferent vessel of a bifurcation. The distal section expands from the compressed delivery state to an expanded state that may be substantially planar, approximately semi-spherical, umbrella shaped, or reverse umbrella shaped. The distal section is positioned in a bifurcation junction across the neck of an aneurysm or within an aneurysm. The intermediate section allows perfusion to efferent vessels. Before or after the device is in position, embolic material may be used to treat the aneurysm. The distal section can act as a scaffolding to prevent herniation of the embolic material. The device can be used for clot retrieval with integral distal embolic protection. |
| US09610177B2 |
Vacuum unit
The present invention is related to a vacuum unit that can suck in the air inside the carrier shell and which can be used as ankles of prosthetic legs. The present invention aims to develop a vacuum unit which enables the suction of air trapped between the stump and the socket of the prosthesis used by the users or patients who are using lower knee or upper knee prosthesis. Another aim of the invention is to provide vacuum without the need to use electrical energy by mechanically driving the piston which enables vacuum. Another aim of the invention besides these is to ensure that there is no need for a different/special motion by means of the triggering the piston motion within the vacuum medium via the force obtained from natural walking motions. |
| US09610176B1 |
Spinal fixation devices and methods of use
Placement apparatus and methods of use for impanation of spacers within an inter-vertebral disc space. In one embodiment, the load-bearing superstructure of the implant is subdivided and the bone forming material is positioned within an internal space of the placement instrument but external to the load bearing elements themselves. At least a portion of the bone graft material is freely contained within the disc space. A method of using the device is also described. In one embodiment, the placement device is used to place the implantable spacers at opposing ends of the disc space using a directly lateral surgical approach. |
| US09610174B2 |
Intervertebral implant
An intervertebral implant is a porous structure formed of a plurality of metal balls, and the intervertebral implant includes a bone support area and a bone growth area. The bone support area and the bone growth area each have a plurality of connecting holes, and a porosity of the bone support area is smaller than that of the bone growth area. |
| US09610172B2 |
Radially expandable spinal interbody device and implantation tool
A radially expandable spinal interbody device for implantation between adjacent vertebrae of a spine is deliverable to an implant area in a radially collapsed state having minimum radial dimensions and once positioned is then radially expandable through and up to maximum radial dimensions. The expanded radially expandable spinal interbody device is configured to closely mimic the anatomical configuration of a vertebral face. The radially expandable spinal interbody device is formed of arced, pivoting linkages that allow transfiguration from the radially collapsed minimum radial dimensions through and up to the radially expanded maximum radial dimensions once deployed at the implant site (i.e. between adjacent vertebrae). The pivoting linkages have ends with locking features that inhibit or prevent overextension of the linkages. In one form of the locking features, one end of the linkage includes lobes that form a pocket while the other end of the linkage includes a projection that is adapted to be received in the pocket of the lobes of an adjacent linkage. A kit is also provided including a tool for the implantation and deployment of the spinal interbody device into an intervertebral space. |
| US09610170B2 |
Dynamic intervertebral implant
The implant includes two side walls resting against the vertebral end-plates and an intermediate wall joining the supporting walls. The implant can be deformed for insertion between the vertebrae to be treated to restore the attenuated mobility of the vertebrae, and includes mounting elements mounting on the vertebrae. The side walls have a curved shape, whose convexity is oriented towards the outside of the implant; the intermediate wall has a curved shape, whose convexity is oriented towards the outside of the implant such that it does not form any pronounced angles with the supporting side walls. The supporting side walls and the intermediate wall, have a partially oval shape; and the mounting elements are configured such that the implant can be mounted on the vertebrae. |
| US09610168B2 |
Total ankle replacement prosthesis
A total ankle replacement prosthesis may comprise a tibial implant, a talar implant, and an intermediate implant. The intermediate implant may fixedly attach to the tibial implant and may articulate with respect to the talar implant. The intermediate implant may have unequal front and back angular extent, so as to discourage a particular direction of subluxation, and a kit may be provided containing various such intermediate implants. Various features may be provided in regard to dovetails, fins, recesses, the placement of fins and pegs, and the shape of the perimeter of the tibial implant. Recesses may allow a surgical blade to slice a latch off of an already-installed intermediate implant, in order to allow its removal from the tibial implant. |
| US09610167B2 |
Glenoid extension block
A glenoid implant has an anatomically formed body including of metal and/or plastic materials. It further has a contact surface adapted to extend the surface of a glenoid and to bear a humerus. In the implant body, there is at least one hole with a screw head seating area for holding the head of a screw, which may be screwed into a glenoid for fixedly attaching the glenoid implant. |
| US09610165B2 |
Humeral component of a shoulder joint prosthesis
A humeral component of a reverse shoulder prosthesis includes a stem part configured for location within the intramedullary cavity of the humerus, the stem part having a stem axis, an epiphyseal part connected to the elongate stem part and having a concave bearing surface defining an epiphyseal axis, and wherein the epiphyseal axis is offset posteriorly relative to the stem axis. |
| US09610164B2 |
Stiffening structure in a prosthetic member
A prosthetic member is formed to include a selected thickness to allow for bone retention. The prosthetic member can include a formed support member that can include a rigidifying structure. The rigidifying structure can be formed substantially simultaneously with a formation of at least one portion of the prosthetic member. |
| US09610163B2 |
Coaptation enhancement implant, system, and method
Implants, implant systems, and methods for treatment of mitral valve regurgitation and other valve diseases generally include a coaptation assist body which remains within the blood flow path as the leaflets of the valve move, the valve bodies often being relatively thin, elongate (along the blood flow path), and/or conformable structures which extend laterally from commissure to commissure, allowing the native leaflets to engage and seal against the large, opposed surfaces on either side of the valve body during the heart cycle phase when the ventricle contracts to empty that chamber of blood, and allows blood to pass around the valve body so that blood flows from the atrium to the ventricle during the filling phase of the heart cycle. Separate deployment of independent anchors near each of the commissures may facilitate positioning and support of an exemplary triangular valve body, with a third anchor being deployed in the ventricle. An outer surface of the valve body may accommodate tissue ingrowth or endothelialization, while a fluid-absorbing matrix can swell after introduction into the heart. The valve body shape may be selected after an anchor has been deployed, and catheter-based deployment systems may have a desirable low profile. |
| US09610162B2 |
Implantation of flexible implant
A method is provided, including introducing into a heart atrium, an annuloplasty structure having a sleeve with an elongated tubular side wall and at least one distal end wall having a surface substantially transverse to a lateral surface of the tubular side wall. A first tissue anchor is deployed through the surface of the end wall of the sleeve and into a first portion of annulus tissue. A second tissue anchor is deployed through a portion of the tubular side wall and into a second portion of annulus tissue, such that the first tissue anchor and the second tissue anchor are both deployed consecutively, to extend in a substantially same direction and into a common, substantially planar surface of a valve annulus, the common, substantially planar surface including the first and second portions of the annulus tissue. Other applications are also described. |
| US09610159B2 |
Structural members for prosthetic mitral valves
A self-expanding wire frame for a pre-configured compressible transcatheter prosthetic cardiovascular valve, a combined inner frame/outer frame support structure for a prosthetic valve, and methods for deploying such a valve for treatment of a patient in need thereof, are disclosed. |
| US09610155B2 |
Intraocular lens loading systems and methods of use
Intraocular lens loading devices, system, and methods of use. The device and systems can be used to load an intraocular lens into a cartridge, from which it can delivered into a patient's eye. The devices and systems can also be used to simply advance an intraocular lens through any type of loading or delivery device. |
| US09610144B2 |
Dental implant assembly including a low friction washer
The invention concerns a dental implant assembly including an implant component (10) which is engaged in use with a bone structure and which has an internally threaded socket (14). The assembly also includes a dental component (20), typically an abutment, crown or prosthetic tooth, which seats on the implant component and which has a passage (24) through its base (22). The dental component is clamped to the implant component by a prosthetic retaining screw (28) having a head (32) and a shank (30) which passes through the passage and is screwed into the socket of the implant component. The invention is characterized in that a separate washer (36) including a low friction polymeric material is located rotatably on the shank of the screw adjacent the screw head in order to reduce friction between the head of the screw and the base of the dental component when the screw is tightened up. |
| US09610143B2 |
Compressed decalcified trabecular bone grafts and tooth socket repair
A method of preparing a bone graft of compressed dehydrated decalcified trabecular bone may include compressing the bone while hydrated from a first form to a second form such that the bone in the second form is compressed relative to the first form. The bone may be dried while compressed. When dry, the bone substantially retains the second form and does not revert to the first form when the compression is removed. |
| US09610140B2 |
Orthodontic aligner fabrication by overlay method
The orthodontic alignment of misaligned teeth includes preparing a digital and/or physical overlay model which is the superimposed positioning of the patient's original misaligned dentition with the target or final position. The superimposition of one upon the other creates an open space through which teeth may move in a natural manner, allowing for a treatment plan that takes into account the physical interaction of one tooth with another or the differences in tooth movement rates due in part to differences in underlying bone density or the like. An aligner tray fabricated using the model will likewise represent the before and after tooth positions and will also have the open space to allow tooth movement. Force exerting structures are preferably placed into the aligner tray to impinge upon the patient's teeth in a prescribed manner when the aligner tray is inserted into the patient's oral cavity. |
| US09610139B2 |
Dental wedge
A dental wedge, for use in the inter-proximal space between adjacent teeth, includes a head portion, a body portion, wherein, the body portion includes a backbone, wherein the backbone, viewed from the side, has a curved profile, the body portion includes at least three pairs of wings extending from the backbone, wherein the wings are separated by a plurality of notches such that the wings extend independently, and the body portion has three sections, wherein a proximal wing section includes a pair of wings closest to the head portion, a distal wing section includes a pair of wings furthest from the head portion, and a central wing section has at least one pair of wings, and a neck portion, wherein the neck portion connects the head and body portions. |
| US09610137B1 |
Dental work site illumination system
A dental work site illumination system provides illumination directly onto a work site under professional dental care. The illumination emanates from a light source within the swivel coupling, the light source being energized by an electrical generator mounted within the coupling. The generator is driven by a turbine wheel that is caused to rotate by a flow of exhaust fluid, i.e. compressed fluid after having driven a dental tool. The light source transmits illumination to a fiber optic bundle that terminates adjacent to the dental work site. |
| US09610136B2 |
Device for the controlled supply of compressed air to at least one pneumatically operated dental instrument
The invention relates to a device for the controlled supply of compressed air to at least one pneumatically operated dental instrument (5, 5′, 5″, 5′″) from a supply and control unit (2), in which a dental instrument (5, 5′, 5″, 5′″) is connected by a supply hose (4, 4′, 4″, 4′″) for supplying compressed air with a valve mechanism (6) provided in the supply and control unit (2), the valve mechanism (6) having a plurality of pneumatic sliding valve units (9, 9′, 9″, 9′″). The pneumatic sliding valve units (9, 9′, 9″, 9′″) of the valve mechanism (6) are accommodated in at least one valve body (10) and the valve body (10) has a plurality of control connections (12, 12′, 12″, 12′″), whereby each pneumatic sliding valve unit (9, 9′, 9″, 9′″) corresponds to a control input (12, 12′, 12″, 12′″) and pressurization of a control input (12, 12′, 12″, 12′″) with switching compressed air opens the corresponding sliding valve unit (9″) and locks the additional, closed sliding valve units (9, 9′, 9′″). |
| US09610131B2 |
Rotating needle driver and apparatuses and methods related thereto
Featured is a medical instrument driver, a robotic apparatus embodying such a medical instrument driver and methods related thereto for inserting a medical instrument into tissue of a mammal (e.g., human). Such medical instruments include medical needles, biopsy needles, trocars, cutters and introducers. Such a medical instrument driver according to the present invention is configured and arranged so that medical instrument is rotated as it is being moved longitudinally for insertion into the tissue such that the medical instrument is spiraling as it pierces and traverses the tissue to the target area. |
| US09610130B2 |
Illuminated and modular soft tissue retractor
A surgical retractor for illuminating a surgical field includes an ergonomic handle, a retractor blade coupled with the handle, a quick release mechanism, and an illuminator blade. The retractor blade is adapted to engage and retract tissue, and the quick release mechanism is adapted to couple the handle with the retractor blade. The illuminator blade acts as a waveguide to transmit light by total internal reflection. Light is extracted from the illuminator to illuminate the surgical field. The retractor blade is releasable from the handle without requiring uncoupling of the illuminator blade from the handle and also without requiring optical uncoupling of the illuminator blade from a light source. The retractor may also be adapted to evacuate smoke from the surgical field. |
| US09610124B2 |
Medical laser with electronic shutter
A medical laser using solely an electronic shutter circuit for controlling the laser output, without any mechanical shutter mechanism, is provided for use in clinical applications. The medical laser has several advantages compared to medical lasers with mechanical shutters. These advantages can be defined in terms of the speed of the electronic shutter, increased reliability, increased safety, smaller and less expense. The medical laser according to the invention will shut the laser down in less than 100 microseconds making it far superior to what would be possible with a typical mechanical shutter which would take at least 10 ms to disable the laser. Safety and reliability is a result of an electronic shutter circuit with at least two current sensors, at least two photodetectors and a set of one, two or three fast electronic safety switches. |
| US09610119B2 |
System and method for assessing the formation of a lesion in tissue
A method and system for assessing lesion formation in tissue is provided. The system includes an electronic control unit (ECU) configured to acquire magnitudes for a component of a complex impedance between an electrode and tissue, and the power applied to the tissue during lesion formation. The ECU is configured to calculate a value responsive to the complex impedance component and the power. The value is indicative of a predicted lesion depth, a likelihood the lesion has reached a predetermined depth, or a predicted tissue temperature. The method includes acquiring magnitudes for a component of a complex impedance between an electrode and tissue and the power applied during lesion formation. The method includes calculating a value responsive to the complex impedance component and the power, the value being indicative of a predicted lesion depth, a likelihood the lesion has reached a predetermined depth, and/or a predicted tissue temperature. |
| US09610118B2 |
Method and apparatus for the cancellation of motion artifacts in medical interventional navigation
A method and apparatus for mapping a location of a point within the body is disclosed. A plurality of positional reference nodes are determined, each aligned on a first element. A second element is mapped with reference to the plurality of reference nodes to determine the relative location of a point on the second element. |
| US09610117B2 |
System for use in treatment of vertebral fractures
Methods and devices that displace bone or other hard tissue to create a cavity in the tissue. Where such methods and devices rely on a driving mechanism for providing moving of the device to form a profile that improves displacement of the tissue. These methods and devices also allow for creating a path or cavity in bone for insertion of bone cement or other filler to treat a fracture or other condition in the bone. The features relating to the methods and devices described herein can be applied in any region of bone or hard tissue where the tissue or bone is displaced to define a bore or cavity instead of being extracted from the body such as during a drilling or ablation procedure. |
| US09610113B2 |
Apparatus and method for regulating tissue welder jaws
A surgical apparatus and methods for severing and welding tissue, in particular blood vessels. The apparatus includes an elongated shaft having a pair of relatively movable jaws at a distal end thereof. A first heating element on one of the jaws is adapted to heat up to a first temperature and form a welded region within the tissue, while a second heating element on one of the jaws is adapted to heat up to a second temperature and sever the tissue within the welded region. The first and second heating elements may be provided on the same or opposite jaws. A control handle provided on the proximal end of the elongated shaft includes controls for opening and closing the jaws, and may include an actuator for sending current through the first and second heating elements. The first and second heating elements may be electrically connected in series, and the first heating element may be bifurcated such that it conducts about one half of the current as the second heating element. A force-limiting mechanism provided either within the control handle, in the elongated shaft, or at the jaws limits the pressure applied to the tissue by the jaws to ensure that the tissue is severed and the ends effectively welded within a short amount of time. |
| US09610111B2 |
Device for performing a surgical procedure and method
A device includes a first member extending along an axis. The first member includes a first portion connected to a second portion by a hinge. Inner surface of the first and second portions define a cavity having a pivoting member is movably disposed therein. The pivoting member includes an inner surface defining a passageway having a second member disposed therein. A cap has an inner surface that engages an outer surface of the pivoting member. The pivoting member is movable between a first orientation such that the second portion is spaced apart from the pivoting member and the pivoting member is rotatable to a selected trajectory relative to the longitudinal axis and a second orientation such that the second portion engages the pivoting member to fix the second member in the selected trajectory. Methods of use are disclosed. |
| US09610108B2 |
Low profile fastening assembly
A fastener assembly that can be used for the fixation or anchoring of orthopedic devices or instruments to bone tissue. In particular, a low profile variable angle or fixed angle fastener assembly is able to securely connect the orthopedic device to bone tissue. The fastener assembly may have a locking mechanism that will quickly and easily lock the fastener assembly with respect to the orthopedic device. |
| US09610100B2 |
Modular telescoping surgical instrument
A surgical instrument provides rotational and axial variations of a working end relative to a handle of the surgical instrument for configuration flexibility of the working end. An internal configuration of the handle of the surgical instrument accepts a retention portion of the working end in several positions. The working end can be varied in axial length relative to a front end of the handle and in axial position relative to the extension of the working end from the front end of the handle. A retention mechanism interacts with the handle and the working end to fix a position of the working end in the handle. The working end may be shaped to provide a bayonet version wherein the working end extends from the front end of the handle offset from the handle's longitudinal center, and a non-bayonet version wherein the working end extends from the handle's longitudinal center. |
| US09610099B2 |
Tissue fixation device to grasp, retain and release tissue
Tissue fixation members 18 interact with a housing 12 to hold tissue relative to the housing and allow the orientation and position of the grasped tissue to be manipulated with improved efficacy. The tissue fixation members can be easily and quickly moved between deployed and retracted positions to reversibly grasp and release tissue. |
| US09610088B2 |
Manipulator for grasping tissue
A manipulator adapted to grasp and draw tissue comprises first and second arms having proximal ends and distal ends separated by a distance. First and second grasping surfaces each connected to and extending from respective distal ends of the first and second arms are biased toward each other by a respective spring force. When the first and second arms are actuated to reduce the distance, the manipulator is configured such that tissue arranged between the first and second grasping surfaces resist actuation of the first and second arms. The first and second arms are further actuatable to overcome the spring force of the first and second grasping surfaces so that the first and second grasping surfaces pivot at respective pivot points such that the distance between the distal ends of the first and second arms is reduced. |
| US09610087B2 |
Calculus retrieving/removing device and method
A method of removing/retrieving calculus in a ureteral lumen involves moving a ureteral plug part along the ureter lumen to position the ureteral plug part between the calculus and the kidney. The method additionally includes occluding the ureteral lumen at a location at which the ureteral plug part is located, and introducing fluid into the ureter lumen at a point between the location of the occlusion and the calculus so that the fluid washes the calculus toward the bladder. Another aspect involves a method in which an drainage tube is positioned in the ureteral lumen so that a ureteral plug part and an irrigation port are positioned distally of the calculus while an operation part of the drainage tube is positioned proximally of the calculus. The method includes occluding the ureteral lumen, washing the ureteral lumen, and releasing the occlusion and uncoupling the operation part from the ureteral plug. |
| US09610085B2 |
Mastoid bone start drill bit
A drill bit for drilling into bone, including at least a first, second and third longitudinally extending substantially straight flute blades, wherein the drill bit has an extrapolated outer profile established by rotation of the first, second and third flute blades 360 degrees about a longitudinal axis thereof, the extrapolated outer profile includes a first surface having tangents more perpendicular than parallel to the longitudinal axis, and the extrapolated outer profile includes a second surface having tangents more parallel than perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. |
| US09610084B2 |
Method and apparatus for hip replacements
A hip replacement method in which includes making an anterior incision and a lateral incision proximate the hip joint. The method next includes preparing a femoral passage directed along an axis of the femoral neck of the femur. An acetabulum reamer coupled to a femoral elongate element installed in the femoral passage is used to ream the acetabulum. The femoral head is prepared using a tool coupled to a femoral elongate element installed in the femoral passage. An acetabular prosthesis is then installed using a femoral elongate element installed in the femoral passage. A femoral prosthesis is installed using a femoral elongate element installed in the femoral passage. All of the foregoing steps are performed without dislocating the hip joint. |
| US09610081B2 |
Devices for approximating tissue and related methods of use
Devices for approximating multiple tissue edges internal to a body are disclosed. |
| US09610080B2 |
Staple line reinforcement for anvil and cartridge
A surgical buttress for use in a surgical stapling apparatus is provided. The surgical buttress includes an elongate rectangular body portion defining a width; a nose portion integrally formed with and extending from a distal end of the body portion, the nose portion defining a width that is less than the width of the body portion; a neck portion integrally formed with and extending from a distal end of the body portion, the neck portion defining a width; a head portion integrally formed with and connected to a distal end of the neck portion, the head portion defining a width; and a tail portion integrally formed with and extending from a proximal end of the body portion, the tail portion defining a width that is less than the width of the body portion. The surgical buttress is formed from a material having filaments. |
| US09610074B2 |
Methods and devices for anchoring suture in bone
An elongate rigid suture anchor is provided which is driven and impacted directly into bone. It has two ends: a distal end, which forms a hole in the bone, and a proximal end that penetrates the sidewall of the bone hole as the anchor is displaced proximally in the hole. A proximal force is applied to the suture anchor to displace the anchor proximally and cause tilting of the anchor. As the anchor is displaced proximally, the proximal end of the anchor enters obliquely into the sidewall of the hole. |
| US09610073B2 |
Methods and devices for intracorporeal bonding of implants with thermal energy
The present invention provides a method for stabilizing a fractured bone. The method includes positioning an elongate rod in the medullary canal of the fractured bone and forming a passageway through the cortex of the bone. The passageway extends from the exterior surface of the bone to the medullary canal of the bone. The method also includes creating a bonding region on the elongate rod. The bonding region is generally aligned with the passageway of the cortex. Furthermore, the method includes positioning a fastener in the passageway of the cortex and on the bonding region of the elongate rod and thermally bonding the fastener to the bonding region of the elongate rod while the fastener is positioned in the passageway of the cortex. |
| US09610072B2 |
Iris retractor
An iris retractor made of two slender elements operatively coupled via a joining mechanism, wherein each slender element has an iris grabbing hook located at its distal end; and a handle located at the proximal end of the slender element, wherein the joining mechanism is configured to endow the iris retractor with at least two configuration: a retracted configuration and an expanded configuration, wherein the length of each slender element is between 4 mm to 14 mm. |
| US09610068B2 |
Articulation joint with bending member
The present disclosure provides an articulation joint that can include a plurality of articulation links, wherein each articulation link can include an elongate body having a proximal end, a distal end, an outer surface, and a first lumen extending from the proximal end to the distal end. Each articulation link can further include a plurality of arms extending radially outward from the elongate body, wherein each arm includes an inner end attached to the outer surface of the elongate body and a second lumen extending from a proximal side of the arm to a distal side of the arm. The articulation joint can also include a bending member positioned within the first lumen of the elongate body and a control member positioned within a plurality of second lumens, wherein each of the plurality of second lumens includes a common longitudinal axis. |
| US09610062B2 |
Perioperative ocular distention (POD) monitor
Systems and methods for measuring a patient's relative ocular distention as an indicator of eye, brain, and systemic hemodynamic and physiological conditions are provided. Ocular distention is measured and displayed continuously through the closed eyelid by strain imaging techniques, for example with ultrasound or optical computed tomography. |
| US09610057B2 |
System and method for determining X-ray exposure parameters
In accordance with one aspect of the present system, a dual energy X-ray imaging system includes a communication module configured to receive a pre-shot image from a detection circuitry and receive one or more pre-shot parameters from a source controller of the dual energy X-ray imaging system. The dual energy X-ray imaging system further includes an analysis module configured to determine one or more image characteristics of the pre-shot image. The dual energy X-ray imaging system further includes a determination module configured to calculate a first and a second set of main-shot parameters based on the one or more pre-shot parameters and the one or more image characteristics of the pre-shot image. The determination module is further configured to send the one or more main-shot parameters to the source controller of the dual energy X-ray imaging system. |
| US09610055B2 |
X-ray CT apparatus and image processing apparatus
The X-ray CT apparatus includes an X-ray tube, a high-voltage power supply, an X-ray detector and a processing circuitry. The processing circuitry reconstructs, as a first image, any of a monochromatic X-ray image and a polychromatic X-ray image on a basis of pre-reconstruction data acquired by scanning an object, the polychromatic X-ray image being taken in a first X-ray energy band. The processing circuitry reconstructs, as a second image, a polychromatic X-ray image taken in a second X-ray energy band wider than the first X-ray energy band on a basis of a pre-reconstruction data acquired by scanning the object. The processing circuitry identifies an area of a correction target in the first image as a correction area. The processing circuitry corrects the correction area in the second image on a basis of the first image. |
| US09610049B2 |
Automatic detection of patient body profile and intelligent positioning of patient
An imaging system for achieving automatic detection of a patient's body profile and intelligent positioning of the patient. The imaging system includes at least one transmitter disposed on one side of a bore of the imaging system, and a receiver disposed on the other side of the bore of the imaging system. The at least one transmitter is configured to transmit a beam incapable of effectively penetrating a scan object. The receiver is configured to receive the beam transmitted by the at least one transmitter and to send a received signal to a processing device. The processing device is electrically connected to the receiver, and configured to determine whether the beam transmitted by the at least transmitter is blocked by the scan object according to the received signal so as to determine a position of the scan object. |
| US09610046B2 |
Closed loop control with improved alarm functions
Methods, system and devices for monitoring control parameters in a closed loop control operation including continuously monitoring glucose level and automatic administration of a medication, detecting a condition associated with hypoglycemia, determining whether a probability of the detected condition associated with hypoglycemia exceeding a threshold level, and outputting a notification based upon the determination are provided. |
| US09610045B2 |
Detection of valid signals versus artifacts in a multichannel mapping system
A system and associated method is disclosed for determining whether signal is valid. The system comprises an electrode apparatus comprising a plurality of electrodes configured to be located proximate tissue of a patient. A display apparatus comprising a graphical user interface, wherein the graphical user interface is configured to present information to a user. A computing apparatus coupled to the electrode apparatus and display apparatus, wherein the computing apparatus is configured to determine whether a signal acquired from a channel associated with an electrode from the plurality of electrodes is valid and sufficiently strong by i) calculating a first derivative of the signal; ii) determining a minimum and maximum derivative from the first derivative; iii) determining whether signs of the minimum and maximum derivative are different; and in response to determining whether the signs of the minimum and maximum derivative are different, displaying on a display apparatus whether the signal is valid. |
| US09610044B2 |
Variable capacitor circuit and method
A variable capacitor circuit is disclosed. The variable capacitor circuit includes a plurality of MOS capacitors, each MOS capacitor being implemented by a MOS transistor with the gate terminal connected to a first voltage signal and with the drain terminal shorted with the source terminal and connected to a second voltage signal, said MOS capacitors being connected in parallel through the gate terminal connected to the first voltage signal, and being operated in a cut-off region in which the equivalent capacitance of each MOS capacitor remains substantially constant for variations of the first voltage signal. |
| US09610042B1 |
Detecting a medical condition using a mobile computing device
Systems and methods for detecting a medical condition using a mobile computing device are provided. In some aspects, a computer receives sound measurements generated at a microphone. The computer receives thorax movement measurements recorded by a motion measurement unit in parallel with recording the sound measurements at the microphone. The computer determines a relationship between the sound measurements and the thorax movement measurements. The computer determines a medical condition based on the relationship between the sound measurements and the thorax movement measurements. The computer provides an output representing the medical condition. |
| US09610040B2 |
Remanufactured medical sensor with flexible Faraday shield
Present embodiments include a remanufactured bandage-type medical sensor having an optical assembly with an emitter adapted to transmit one or more wavelengths of light and a photodetector adapted to receive the one or more wavelengths of light transmitted by the emitter. The sensor also includes a laminate assembly having an electrically conductive adhesive transfer tape (ECATT) layer disposed over the photodetector, and the ECATT layer is adapted to shield the photodetector from electromagnetic interference (EMI). A nonconductive layer supports the emitter, the photodetector, and the ECATT layer within the sensor. At least a portion of the optical assembly is from a used bandage-type medical sensor, and at least a portion of the laminate assembly is new. |
| US09610029B2 |
System and method to facilitate analysis of brain injuries and disorders
In an example embodiment, this disclosure provides a computer system that includes a processor configured to compute, based on test performance data of a user, at least one performance variable characterizing balance and postural stability, and at least one performance variable characterizing vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR). For each performance variable, processor can compute a respective score based on the respective performance variable and based on a set of performance metrics. The at least one computed score can be output via an output device. |
| US09610027B2 |
Correction of shift and drift in impedance-based medical device navigation using measured impedances at external patch electrodes
A system and method are provided for determining characteristics of a device electrode disposed on a medical device within a body. A plurality of measurement electrodes are coupled to an external surface of the body and establish transmission paths for current through the body. An electronic control unit (ECU) is configured to cause transmission of current between a pair of active electrodes selected from the measurement electrodes and thereby generate a voltage on the device electrode. The ECU receives impedance signals from a plurality of passive electrodes among the measurement electrodes other than the active electrodes. The ECU establishes a virtual reference electrode at a reference position within the body responsive to the impedance signals and computes a position of the device responsive to the voltage on the device electrode and the reference position of the reference electrode. The ECU may also compute impedances at the device and measurement electrodes. |
| US09610023B2 |
System and methods for computing activation maps
Systems and methods can be used to determine activation information for points along a surface or selected region of interest. In one example, a computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method that includes computing a local activation vector based on relative timing among electrical signals corresponding to neighboring points of a plurality of points on a surface envelope. An activation time can be computed for each of the plurality of points as a function of corresponding local activation vectors. |
| US09610020B1 |
Apparatus and method for automatically identifying a problem with sensing heart activity
Systems and associated methods are provided for automatically identifying a problem with sensing heart activity. In use, a plurality of heartbeats is sensed utilizing an implantable medical device. Further, data associated with the heartbeats is collected and stored. To this end, a problem with the sensing of the heartbeats (e.g., oversensing, undersensing, etc.) may be automatically identified and corrected, utilizing the data. |
| US09610018B2 |
Systems and methods for measurement of heart rate and other heart-related characteristics from photoplethysmographic (PPG) signals using collision computing
In a noninvasive system for measurement of heart rate and other heart-related characteristics a photoplethysmogram (PPG) obtained from a tissue is divided into several feature waveforms, each corresponding to a PPG window of a particular length. Conditioned features, containing frequency components specific to heart-related events, are derived from the features by modulating a carrier kernel with such features. The conditioned features are computationally collided with one or more Zyotons that are co-dependent with the conditioned features. For each conditioned feature, one or more collisions selectively amplify frequency components in features sourced from PPG, and respective energy change values are obtained from such amplified energy portions. The resulting energy change values are analyzed to determine a smallest time-window likely containing heart rate and other heart-related events in the PPG data stream. Over time, the detected events are grouped and analyzed to determine heart rate and other heart-related characteristics. |
| US09610010B2 |
Systems and methods for analysis of ocular inflammation
One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a system that can perform an automated analysis of ocular inflammation (e.g., based on a non-contact image of the eye), which can lead to determining score for the ocular inflammation. The system can include a memory to store computer-executable instructions; and a processor that executes the computer-executable instructions to at least: receive an image of a portion of an eye taken by a non-contact imaging modality; determine a diagnostic parameter for ocular inflammation from the image of the portion of the eye; score the ocular inflammation with a continuous value based on the diagnostic parameter; and output the score to a display device. |
| US09610006B2 |
Minimally invasive visualization systems
A tissue electrode assembly includes a membrane configured to form an expandable, conformable body that is deployable in a patient. The assembly further includes a flexible circuit positioned on a surface of the membrane and comprising at least one base substrate layer, at least one insulating layer and at least one planar conducting layer. An electrically-conductive electrode covers at least a portion of the flexible circuit and a portion of the surface of the membrane not covered by the flexible circuit, wherein the electrically-conductive electrode is foldable upon itself with the membrane to a delivery conformation having a diameter suitable for minimally-invasive delivery of the assembly to the patient. |
| US09610005B2 |
Methods, devices and systems for improved hygiene during endoscopic procedures
According to some embodiments of the invention, an endoscope sleeve comprises a sleeve defining a lumen for accepting an endoscope in a slidable manner, the sleeve having a proximal end configured to accept the endoscope and a distal end configured to be slidably disposed over the endoscope, wherein the sleeve comprises a compact configuration and an extended configuration. The endoscope sleeve further comprises a retainer configured to be detachably attached to the sleeve, wherein in the compact configuration the retainer is attached to the sleeve and in the extended configuration the retainer is detached from the sleeve allowing the sleeve to be extendable over the endoscope. |
| US09610003B2 |
Domestic dishwasher with a sorption drying device and corresponding method
A domestic dishwasher is provided, which has a main controller, a sorption drying device, and an additional controller to specifically control an electrical component of the sorption drying device. |
| US09609998B1 |
Glassware and silverware steamer
A device for steaming utensils such as silverware and glassware includes a frame having side and bottom walls. The frame has an open upper end. A heating chamber containing at least one heating device is connected with and depends from the frame bottom wall. A fluid reservoir is arranged within the frame and rests on the frame bottom wall. When fluid such as water is arranged in the reservoir and the heating device is operated, the water is heated to generate steam which exits the frame open upper end. One or more racks containing the utensils to be steamed are arranged on the device. The steam cleans the utensils for subsequent polishing. |
| US09609996B2 |
Method for pumping a fluid out of an aquiferous household device
In a method for pumping a fluid out of an aquiferous household device such as a dishwashing machine, a drain pump and a circulation pump are operated at least partially simultaneously to ensure that, in the event of an abrupt stop of the circulation pump, reverse flow that may cause filter cake formed by separating soiling and particles to loosen resulting in their re-soiling of the items to be cleaned. The speed of the circulation pump is lowered from a maximum speed to at least a minimum speed substantially without pressure surges before startup of the drain pump. |
| US09609994B2 |
Cleaning apparatus for cleaning mop material and method of cleaning mop material
A cleaning device (14) for cleaning mop material (33) which freely hangs from a holder (31,32), having an opening (15) in which the hanging mop material (33) is receivable, including a pair of bristle carrying parts (22, 24), each of the bristle carrying parts (22, 24) being rotatable about a respective axis (22a, 24a) by at least one motive device in opposite senses of direction such as to draw the hanging mop material (33) between the bristle carrying parts (22, 24), whereby bristles carried by the bristle carrying parts (22, 24) engage the mop material, and a method of cleaning mop material which freely hangs from a holder, using the cleaning device (14), the method including resisting the drawing-in of the mop material between the bristle carrying parts (22, 24), so that the bristles act on and brush the mop material. |
| US09609992B2 |
Jewellery cleaning wipe
It is surprisingly found that when diamond particles are embedded into an alcohol wipe, the cleansing wipe that is formed is extremely useful at cleaning diamond jewellery in the home. It is also surprising that, given the abrasive nature of diamond, the diamond particles result in a satisfactory clean without causing any damage to the surface of the diamond being cleaned. The final result is that the cleaned diamond has recovered most of its original fire, life and brilliance. |
| US09609990B2 |
Cleaning appliance
A cleaning appliance of the cylinder type comprises a separating apparatus for separating dirt from a dirt-bearing fluid flow, and a floor-engaging rolling assembly. The separating apparatus comprises a first cyclonic separation unit having a low efficiency cyclone and a second cyclonic separation unit having a plurality of second cyclones. The rolling assembly comprises a main body and a pair of floor-engaging wheels. The main body comprises a recess in which the separating apparatus is received such that when the cleaning appliance is viewed from either side at least one fifth of the width of the low efficiency cyclone is hidden from view by a portion of the rolling assembly at the point of maximum depth of the recess. |
| US09609988B2 |
Vacuum cleaning systems and methods with integral vacuum assisted hose storage system
A vacuum hose system has a tray assembly and a hose. The tray assembly is made of a first tray defining a plurality of first tray cavity surface portions, a middle tray defining a plurality of first middle cavity surface portions and a plurality of second middle cavity surface portions, and a second tray defining a plurality of second tray cavity surface portions. The first tray engages the middle tray to define a first portion of a storage chamber. The second tray engages the middle tray portion to define a second portion of the storage chamber. First and second reference planes extending through the first and second portions of the storage chamber are offset from each other. When the hose is in a stored position, at least part of the hose lies in each of the first and second portions of the storage chamber. |
| US09609987B2 |
Cosmetic and grooming vacuum
A cosmetic and grooming vacuum is an apparatus that cleans and removes unwanted particulate from a user's face such as debris, hair, or makeup. The apparatus includes a casing, a vacuuming mechanism, a filtering container, an exhaust port, and a plurality of accessory nozzles. The casing houses and serves as a base for the other components of the apparatus. The vacuuming mechanism is used to lift and remove the unwanted particulate off of the user's skin. The filtering container is used store the unwanted particulate within the casing so that the unwanted particulate can be disposed of at a later time. The exhaust port allows the outward fluid flow from the vacuuming mechanism to exit the casing. Each accessory nozzle is used to uniquely modify the suction force of the vacuuming mechanism such as with a brush nozzle or a pinpoint tip nozzle. |
| US09609983B2 |
Facial cleansing pad
A facial cleansing pad includes a body constructed from a pliant fabric and having opposed first and second surfaces. The first surface has a long pile knit finish, preferably an openwork finish, and the second surface has a warp knit finish. The long pile knit finish extends beyond the first surface, and the warp knit finish has no height with respect to the second surface. |
| US09609980B2 |
Demountable and portable electric rotating spit grill
The invention relates to a demountable electric rotating spit grill, which is designed to be installed and flexibly adjusted over any heating source, and at the same time, is suitable for installation on any type of surface in which the heating source can be generated. The purpose of the inventive electric rotating spit grill has been focused on satisfying the basic needs of the user when cooking any type of food on the grill or barbeque; therefore it is especially attractive for its transportability and portability, as it is completely demountable and easily of assembling at any place where it will be used. |
| US09609978B2 |
Jug for the preparation of beverages and beverage producing system
A jug includes a body and a cover. The cover is provided with a steam inlet and supports a detachable stirrer. The stirrer is configured to rotate under an effect of a steam jet exiting a steam nozzle near a bottom of the body for impinging on the stirrer to cause rotation of the stirrer. The detachable stirrer extends from the cover towards the bottom of the body of the jug. The steam nozzle is further detachably connected to the cover and extends towards the bottom of the body of the jug and is positioned adjacent to the detachable stirrer. The steam nozzle and the detachable stirrer are connectable to and detachable from the cover one independently of the other. |
| US09609977B2 |
Magnetic/floating force based brewing structure
A magnetic/floating force based brewing structure is used with an outer container. The magnetic/floating force based brewing structure includes an internal receptacle, which includes a receiving section, a floating structure, and an acted magnet, and an effector member, which includes an acting magnet. The acting magnet corresponds to the acted magnet of the internal receptacle for generating an effect of one of mutual attraction and mutual expulsion. With the effect of mutual attraction or expulsion between the acting magnet and the acted magnet, the internal receptacle that receives and holds therein a substance to be brewed can be kept in a position of being immersed in the liquid held in the outer container. Upon releasing the effect of mutual attraction or expulsion of the magnets, the internal receptacle is floated upward by buoyance to achieve an effect of automatically separating the substance to be brewed from the liquid. |
| US09609972B1 |
Mail notification system
A mail notification system that is operable to alert a user when mail has been deposited into the interior of a mailbox being monitored by the mail notification system. The mail notification system further includes a base station having a controller that operates an audio speaker and a light. The base station further includes operational controls such as a power button, a reset button and volume controls for the audio speaker. A monitoring unit is placed within the interior volume of a mailbox. The monitoring unit includes internal power supply and a controller. The controller provides operation of a sensor wherein the sensor is either a motion sensor or a photo sensor. The monitoring unit functions to transmit a signal to the base station subsequent the detection of motion or an increase in the light within the interior volume of the mailbox. |
| US09609970B2 |
Collapsible drying rod
A collapsible drying rod has an elongated support potion that is collapsible into at least three portions that can be disengaged, or pulled apart, and aligned with each other to provide a compact collapsed drying rod that is held together by an elastic tether. A collapsible drying rod may have a center support member and extensions that extend out from opposing ends of the center support member. An elastic tether may be configured within a conduit that extends along the length of the center support member and/or extensions. A collapsible drying rod may include a hanger portion that is attached to the center support member by a hanger retainer having a flexible extension that can be used to retain the collapsible drying rod to a support. |
| US09609958B1 |
All-terrain baby walker
A height adjustable all-terrain baby walker including a base with one pair of removable treaded first wheels and one pair of interchangeable treaded wheels and a pair of auxiliary alternate skis interchangeable with the interchangeable wheels via insertion rods which engage receptacles in the base. An upper platform is connected to the base by a pair of stacked interconnected mirror image u-shaped support units. A semicircular seat is disposed on the upper platform. A removable canopy is pivotably disposed on the upper platform and has an adjustable angle relative the upper platform. A plurality of handles disposed on the upper platform with one of the handles being a toy securing member. |
| US09609949B2 |
Chair capable of interlocking back support and footrest
Disclosed in this application is a chair capable of permitting a user to quickly and easily change his or her posture by tilting a back support in a state in which the user takes a seat. The chair includes a seat support; a back support which has a back frame, with a lower end being connected to a rear end of the seat support by a pivot shaft, so that the back support is tilted in a rearward direction; and a footrest which is engaged to the seat support, so that the back support is interlocked with the footrest. |
| US09609948B2 |
Rotating armrest apparatus
A rotating armrest apparatus includes a handle, a rotating device disposed at one end of the handle, an elevation adjustment device disposed at another end of the handle, and a rotatable armrest disposed on top of the elevation adjustment device. |
| US09609946B2 |
Table arrangement
A table arrangement including a support member rotatably mounted to a base structure, a table element translatably mounted to the support member, and a locking mechanism is described. The locking mechanism may include a first locking member connected to the support member to rotate with the support member between non-aligned and aligned configurations with respect to the second locking member, and a second locking member. The first or second locking member may be translatably mounted with respect to the other locking member between a first engagement position and a second engagement position, wherein, when the first locking member is in the aligned configuration, the first or second locking member can translate into the second engagement position. The table arrangement may be deployed and stowed. |
| US09609945B2 |
Article of furniture having a latch mechanism
An article of furniture can include a latch mechanism. The latch mechanism can include an actuation mechanism having a housing that is moveable relative to a guide member from a first position to a second position, at least one detent mechanism comprising a first detent mechanism having a first detent member that is moveable from a first position to a second position, and an articulation mechanism positioned between the actuation mechanism and the first detent mechanism. The articulation mechanism can connect the first detent mechanism to the housing such that motion of the housing from the first position of the housing to the second position of the housing causes the first detent member to move from the first position of the first detent member to the second position of the first detent member. |
| US09609943B1 |
Collapsible bistro table
A collapsible table includes a tabletop, a first pair of collapsible legs, and a second pair of collapsible legs. The first pair of legs includes a first support bar for connecting a first leg to a second leg adjacent their top end portions, and the first support bar is pivotally connected to the bottom surface of the tabletop. The second pair of legs includes a second support bar for connecting a third leg to a fourth leg and a third support bar spaced apart from the second support bar for connecting the third leg to the fourth leg. One or more brackets are disposed adjacent the bottom surface of the tabletop and are positioned and configured to removably secure the second support bar to the bottom surface of the tabletop in a use position and removably secure the third support bar to the bottom surface in a storage position. |
| US09609942B2 |
Method for making a toothbrush
A method for making a toothbrush including a handle, a head including at least one cleaning element extending therefrom, and a hinge arranged between the head and the handle, said hinge including a joint between the handle and the head of a harder thermoplastic component covered by a softer thermoplastic component is provided, the method including: forming a base body by injection molding of a first thermoplastic material forming one of the handle or the head, and injection molding of a second thermoplastic material for forming the other of the handle or the head to thereby fuse the second thermoplastic material against the first thermoplastic material; placing the base body into a further mold; and injection molding the softer thermoplastic component for covering the joint. |
| US09609941B2 |
Hair styling tool with movable dividers
A hair styling tool having a plurality of bristles and one or more movable members extending radially outward from the core and movable between opposing positions is provided. The movable members move between a retracted position where the divider is fitted between and even with or slightly above or slightly below the bristles to engage the hair and an extended position where the divider is moved out beyond the bristles to disengage the hair from the bristles. The hair styling tool having the movable member which engages and disengages the hair with the bristles minimizes tangling of the hair while brushing. The hair styling tool may be a rotating brush optionally equipped with a motor. |
| US09609932B2 |
Luggage tracking and surveillance system
A luggage tracking and surveillance system uses a zipper pull attached to a conventional suitcase closure zipper and a retaining fastener attached to conventional fastening straps securing contents inside the suitcase. An observer is not aware of the specially designed zipper pull and retaining fastener because they mimic the appearance of their conventional counterparts. The external zipper pull communicates wirelessly with the retaining fastener inside the suitcase when a zipper pull touch sensor senses that the suitcase has been opened. This awakens a retainer fastener power supply and activates a recording system in the fastener to create a record of the person who opened the suitcase. The retaining fastener can also sense the presence of a human and independently activate the recording system. Recorded still pictures, video, and audio, along with location information supplied by GPS circuitry in the zipper pull and/or retaining fastener, are transmitted a remote database. |
| US09609929B2 |
Luggage with shells having varied depths
A luggage case (100, 600, 700, 800, 900) may include opposing sidewalls forming minor faces (105, 106), opposing sidewalls forming major faces (101, 102), and opposing end walls (103, 104) together forming an article defining an enclosed space (109). A line of separation (150) may be formed in said minor faces (105, 160) and end walls (103, 104). A first portion of the line of separation (150) may extend along a first portion of opposing minor faces (105, 106) at a location proximate one of said opposing major faces (101, 102) and corresponding one of said opposing end walls (103, 104) positioned therebetween. A second portion of the line of separation (150) may extend along a second portion of said opposing minor faces (105, 106) in a direction away from said one of said opposing major faces (101, 102) and towards other of said opposing major faces (101, 102). |
| US09609928B2 |
Concealed carry purse
A purse, bag or case having one or more compartments for personal items. A gun storage compartment is defined by wall panels of the purse and has ambidextrous openings with closures for secure access by right or left handed users. A polymer foam panel within the compartment is deformed by a gun to provide a holster-like pocket within which the gun is contained and oriented for ready access and use. A wall panel of the purse is formed by or lined with a ballistic fabric material to resist penetration of the purse by bullets, knives or other objects and provide personal protection for the user. |
| US09609925B2 |
Folding pole, in particular for nordic walking
The invention relates to a folding pole (1), normally comprising four pipe sections (7-9), wherein the pipe sections (7-9) are connected to each other by means of plug-in connections while aligned along the pole axis (32) in the assembled state of the folding pole (1), and normally only three pipe sections (8, 8′, 9) are still connected to each other by means of a movable connecting element (16) in the folded state, and wherein a pole handle (2) is arranged on a top pipe section (7) and a pole tip (23) is arranged on a bottom pipe section (9). According to the invention, at least one of the plug-in connections is realized by means of an external clamping mechanism (10), wherein the clamping mechanism (10) is fastened to a first pipe section (7), and wherein a second pipe section (8), which has an outside diameter smaller than or nearly equal to the inside diameter of the first pipe section (7), and which is supported in the first pipe section (7) so as to be movable itself, can be fastened in the relative axial position by the external clamping mechanism (10). The further plug-in connections are designed as pure plug-in connections, wherein pipe sections (8, 8′, 9) are fastened only in an axial direction in the connected state. The pipe sections (7-9) are connected to each other by means of at least one tension cable (16), which is fastened to the bottom pipe section (9) and to the top pipe section (7) and which is arranged so as to pass through the interior (31) of the at least two middle pipe sections (8, 8′). The folding pole (1) is designed in such a way that the folding pole can be transferred from the folded state to the assembled state by connecting the further plug-in connections, and then, with the external clamping mechanism (10) released, pulling the second pipe section (8) out of the first pipe section (7) until the tension cable (16) is under tension, and fastening the external clamping mechanism (10). |
| US09609919B2 |
Traction cleat and receptacle
A traction cleat applicable for use in field sports is provided with dynamic traction elements having larger radial thickness, cross-sectional area and mass than dynamic elements in golf shoe cleats. The strength of a locking arrangement for the cleat in a shoe-mounted receptacle is enhanced by providing an annular array of spaced locking stubs on the receptacle to engage a similar array of spaced locking posts on the cleat. |
| US09609917B2 |
Article of footwear incorporating tensile strands with an elongated cross-sectional shape
An article of footwear may have an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The upper includes a base layer and a plurality of strands. The base layer forms at least a portion of an exterior surface of the upper. The strands are located adjacent to the base layer and form another portion of the exterior surface of the upper, the strands being unsecured to the base layer for a distance of at least five centimeters, and the strands having an elongate cross-sectional shape. |
| US09609915B2 |
Outsole of a footwear article, having fin traction elements
A sole structure can include an outsole with flexure zones that allow relative movement between regions of the outsole bottom surface that are separated or defined by the flexure zones. Such relative movement, together with selected traction elements or combinations of traction elements within the regions, act to provide the needed traction and stability for a number of motions that normally accompany a given activity such as golf. |
| US09609914B2 |
Fluid-filled chambers with tether elements
A chamber may have an outer barrier and a tensile member. The barrier is formed from a polymer material that defines an interior cavity. The tensile member is located within the interior cavity and includes (a) a first layer element secured to the barrier, (b) a second layer element secured to an opposite portion of the barrier, and (c) a plurality of I-shaped tether elements that extend through the first layer element and the second layer element. In some configurations, the tether elements may include (a) a first end member located between the barrier and the first layer element, (b) a second end member located between the barrier and the second layer element, and (c) a central member extending through the first layer element and the second layer element and secured to the first end member and the second end member. |
| US09609911B1 |
Systems and methods for adjusting variable geometry, height, weight distribution dynamics in footwear devices and equipment
An active footwear suspension system is disclosed. The footwear system provides dynamic suspension using at least one or more variable resistance beams. At least one or more VRB extends from a heel section and/or a front section to a force plate or platform section of the footwear, thus providing selectable suspension to the wearer. The selected rotation of the VRBs from a first position to a second position provides customized suspension between a minimum resistance to a maximum resistance per zone. |
| US09609910B2 |
Footwear impact distribution
An article of footwear includes a footwear portion including a core including a plurality of plates. A first one of the plurality of plates is hingedly attached, at one or more edges of the first plate, to one or more substantially adjacent other plates in the plurality of plates. Each hinge hingedly attaching an edge of the first plate to another plate joins less than the entire respective hingedly attached edge to a corresponding one of the one or more substantially adjacent other plates and is integrally connected to the first plate. |
| US09609907B2 |
Heated shoe
A shoe includes a sole, an actuator and a transducer. The actuator is mounted on one side of the sole. The transducer is mounted within the sole and includes a micro-motor, a link structure and a heater. The link structure is positioned between the micro-motor and the actuator and configured to move the micro-motor to generate electric energy. The heater is electrically coupled to the micro-motor and configured to convert the electric energy provided by the micro-motor to heat. When the actuator deforms or restores its deformation, the link structure moves thereby enabling the micro-motor to generate electric energy for the heater. |
| US09609905B1 |
Bicycle shoe/pedal system
A supplemental sole is adapted to be secured to a sole of a shoe for releasable coupling to a cylindrical pedal of a bicycle. An operational assembly formed in the supplemental sole includes a housing with a forwardly facing chamber. A sleeve is within the forwardly facing chamber. A primary lever pivotally coupled to the housing has a forward region movable between a lowered release orientation beneath the chamber and a raised locked orientation securing the sleeve within the forwardly facing chamber. A trigger is axially reciprocable within the housing. The trigger has a forward end located in the chamber when in the release orientation. The forward end is located rearwardly of the chamber when slid rearwardly by the pedal for raising the primary lever to the locked orientation. |
| US09609904B2 |
Shoes for ball sports
Described are shoes for ball sports including an upper having an outer surface. An actuator is configured to change at least one surface property of a portion of the outer surface of the upper, and a sensor is configured to be sensitive to movements of the shoe. A processing unit is connected to the actuator and the sensor and configured to process sensor data retrieved from the sensor and to cause the actuator to change the at least one surface property of the portion of the outer surface of the upper if a predetermined event is detected in the sensor data. |
| US09609901B2 |
Adaptive planar shift garment material
Articles and methods of using and making adaptive garment portions are provided. An adaptive garment portion is one that has shifting surfaces with apertures that shift from an aligned to an offset orientation depending on environmental conditions/stimuli. For example, a first surface material and a second surface material may be coupled by a responsive material portion. The responsive material portion may physically change in response to a change in environmental conditions internal or external to the garment (e.g., thermal energy, moisture) and/or stimuli (e.g., light energy, electrical energy, magnetic fields). The physical change in the responsive material portion facilitates the planar shift of the first surface material relative to the second surface material. |
| US09609898B2 |
Garment for layering, and outwear and inner layer wear to be used in garment for layering
The object of the invention to provide a garment for layering having better ventilation performance than conventional counterparts, and an outerwear and an inner-layer wear to be used in this garment for layering. The present invention provides a garment for layering including an outerwear, and one or more inner-layer wears worn inside the outerwear, the outerwear and at least one inner-layer wear having a vent that can be opened and closed. |
| US09609890B2 |
Method for producing GABA mochi barley containing GABA and product thereof
A technique for highly efficient production of γ-amino butyric acid (GABA) using mochi barley of the group of mules barley, as a raw material. The technique converts glutamic acid into GABA due to the glutamate decarboxylase contained in the mochi barley so GABA-mochi barley grains and GABA-mochi barley bran and GABA-containing bran supernatant can be produced highly-efficiently by mixing mochi barley grains, which have been polished in a barley milling device to an extent of 2% or more and less than 20%, with a glutamic acid solution, which has a concentration of 0.1 to 3% and a pH value of 2 to 9, and soaking the barley in the solution at room temperature for 1 hour or more to overnight or, after soaking in the solution similarly for 1 hour or more to overnight, draining the barley grains, and keeping it overnight at room temperature. |
| US09609888B2 |
Nutritional compositions containing synergistic combination and uses thereof
A composition and method for enhancing brain development in a pediatric subject, the method including administering to the pediatric subject a nutritional composition having up to about 7 g/100 kcal of a fat or lipid source, wherein the fat or lipid source includes at least about 0.5 mg/100 kcal of milk or non-milk polar lipids; up to about 5 g/100 kcal of a protein source; at least about 15 mg/100 kcal of lactoferrin from a non-human source; about 0.015 g/100 kcal to about 0.15 g/100 kcal of a prebiotic composition including polydextrose and/or galactooligosaccharide; and at least about 5 mg/100 kcal of a source of long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. |
| US09609884B2 |
Anti-fatigue agent
Anti-fatigue agents containing dioxabicyclo[3.3.0]octane derivatives such as sesamin which is an ingredient contained in sesame, as well as pharmaceutical compositions and physiologically functional foods that contain such anti-fatigue agents are disclosed. These compounds can safely be administered to humans and animals alike and hence allow for continued ingestion while proving effective in promoting an improvement of stamina, an increase of body strength, a relief of fatigue, and recovery from fatigue. |
| US09609873B2 |
Coated, antimicrobial, chemically strengthened glass and method of making
The disclosure is directed to a chemically strengthened glass having antimicrobial properties and to a method of making such glass. In particular, the disclosure is directed to a chemically strengthened glass with antimicrobial properties and with a low surface energy coating on the glass that does not interfere with the antimicrobial properties of the glass. The antimicrobial has an Ag ion concentration on the surface in the range of greater than zero to 0.047 μg/cm2. The glass has particular applications as antimicrobial shelving, table tops and other applications in hospitals, laboratories and other institutions handling biological substances, where color in the glass is not a consideration. |
| US09609864B2 |
Disinfectant formulation
An aqueous disinfectant formulation comprising at least one phenolic compound of natural origin; a surfactant sufficient to form a solution or dispersion of the essential oil in an aqueous carrier; a solvent, and sufficient water to make 100 weight percent is described herein. |
| US09609862B2 |
Choline chloride in liquid guar formulations
A concentrated adjuvant composition comprises an incompletely hydrated water-soluble polymer suspended in a liquid medium, a suspension agent and a hydration inhibitor component. |
| US09609861B2 |
Platelet additive solution having a β-galactosidase inhibitor
The present invention relates to a platelet additive solution (PAS) having an amount of one or more β-galactosidase inhibitors with or without an amount of one or more sialidase inhibitors, and optionally one or more glycan-modifying agents; and one or more of PAS components that include a salt, a citrate source, a carbon source, or any combination thereof. |
| US09609853B2 |
Artificial fishing lure
A multi-segmented, soft-bodied, artificial fishing lure or swim bait with a natural profile includes plastic control planes in each body segment to generate a lure that is stable in the water, and demonstrates realistic swimming motions in a range of retrieve speeds and even when allowed to sink. At least one clear, stiff plastic control plane is inserted in each body segment to generate a lifelike swimming motion when the lure is retrieved. Each control plane may be moved within a range of positions to provide realistic motions for specific fishing techniques. The control planes inserted into and sometimes through the lure body are invisible in the water and are adjustable to accommodate a range of water conditions, densities and temperatures. The placement of control planes create the ability to limit unnatural/undesirable movements and expand or accentuate natural and desirable movements in each segment of the body of the lure. |
| US09609848B2 |
Method and system for localizing and displaying positions of autonomously mobile objects
A method of and system for localizing, and displaying positions of, one or more autonomously mobile objects within plural physically delimited areas, having physical boundaries, in an animal housing. The method includes determining a position of at least one of the objects within the animal housing; displaying the position of the at least one object on a map of the animal housing on a visual display device; and validating the determined position before displaying the position. The validating includes: correcting the determined position into a corrected position within the physically delimited area, and providing the corrected position as the position to be displayed, or otherwise providing the determined position as the position to be displayed. The correction may be dependent on object type and/or status. |
| US09609843B2 |
Lettuce named spritzer
Novel lettuce cultivar, designated SPRITZER is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of lettuce cultivar SPRITZER, to the plants of lettuce line SPRITZER and to methods for producing a lettuce plant by crossing the cultivar SPRITZER with itself or another lettuce line, respectively. The invention further relates to methods for producing a lettuce plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic plants produced by that method and to methods for producing other lettuce lines derived from the cultivar SPRITZER. |
| US09609839B2 |
Spinach hybrid SV1820VC and parents thereof
The invention provides seed and plants of spinach hybrid SV1820VC and the parent lines thereof. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of spinach hybrid SV1820VC and the parent lines thereof, and to methods for producing a spinach plant produced by crossing such plants with themselves or with another spinach plant, such as a plant of another genotype. The invention further relates to seeds and plants produced by such crossing. The invention further relates to parts of such plants, including the leaf and gametes of such plants. |
| US09609838B1 |
Maize inbred PH2F42
A novel maize variety designated PH2F42 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof are provided. Methods for producing a maize plant comprise crossing maize variety PH2F42 with another maize plant are provided. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PH2F42 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby are provided. Hybrid maize seed, plants or plant parts are produced by crossing the variety PH2F42 or a locus conversion of PH2F42 with another maize variety. |
| US09609830B1 |
Wheat variety XW12M
A wheat variety designated XW12M, the plants and seeds of wheat variety XW12M, methods for producing a wheat plant produced by crossing the variety XW12M with another wheat plant, and hybrid wheat seeds and plants produced by crossing the variety XW12M with another wheat line or plant, and the creation of variants by mutagenesis or transformation of variety XW12M. This invention also relates to methods for producing other wheat varieties or breeding lines derived from wheat variety XW12M and to wheat varieties or breeding lines produced by those methods. |
| US09609822B2 |
Plants and seeds of hybrid corn variety CH148064
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH148064. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH148064, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH148064 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH148064. |
| US09609821B2 |
Plants and seeds of corn variety CV035789
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the corn variety designated CV035789. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CV035789, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CV035789 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to corn seeds and plants produced by crossing plants of variety CV035789 with plants of another variety, such as another inbred line. The invention further relates to the inbred and hybrid genetic complements of plants of variety CV035789. |
| US09609819B2 |
Plants and seeds of corn variety CV031573
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the corn variety designated CV031573. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CV031573, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CV031573 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to corn seeds and plants produced by crossing plants of variety CV031573 with plants of another variety, such as another inbred line. The invention further relates to the inbred and hybrid genetic complements of plants of variety CV031573. |
| US09609816B2 |
Melon hybrid SV5133MG and parents thereof
The invention provides seed and plants of melon hybrid SV5133MG and the parent lines thereof. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of melon hybrid SV5133MG and the parent lines thereof, and to methods for producing a melon plant produced by crossing such plants with themselves or with another melon plant, such as a plant of another genotype. The invention further relates to seeds and plants produced by such crossing. The invention further relates to parts of such plants, including the fruit and gametes of such plants. |
| US09609813B2 |
Method of growing plants
The invention provides a method of growing plants in a mineral wool growth substrate, the method comprising: providing at least one mineral wool growth substrate comprising man-made vitreous fibers bonded with a cured binder composition, and positioning one or more seeds or plants for growth in the growth substrate, and allowing growth of the one or more plants, wherein the binder composition prior to curing comprises: a) a sugar component, and b) a reaction product of a polycarboxylic acid component and an alkanolamine component, wherein the binder composition prior to curing contains at least 42% by weight of the sugar component based on the total weight (dry matter) of the binder components. |
| US09609809B2 |
Wrapping device
The invention relates to a wrapping device for enveloping or packing in particular agricultural crop bales, including a wrapping floor for receiving and rotating the pressed crop bale and a guide frame for at least one wrapping material carrier for wrapping the bale on the wrapping floor with wrapping material in the form of webs, wherein the guide frame is height adjustable, in order to set the center of the wrapping material approximately at the location of the center of the crop bale to be wrapped. In order to be able to adapt wrapping devices having a guide frame to bales of different bale diameters, the guide frame should be pivotable about a horizontal axle which is situated parallel to the axis of rotation of the crop bale. |
| US09609806B2 |
Automatic calibration system for header height controller with operator feedback
Method of calibrating a header height controller responsive to signal outputs from a plurality of height sensors mounted to a header, the signal outputs are variable in magnitude with respect to changes in height of the header relative to a surface. The methods automatically and accurately calibrate header control systems to eliminate the need for manual calibration and provides feedback to the operator to ensure the quality of the calibration and to assist the operator in identify potential problems with sensors or header setup which could affect the operation and performance. |
| US09609803B2 |
Agricultural product application in overlap areas
By varying the agricultural product application rates when a product delivery system travels through predetermined overlap areas, the drawbacks of over seeding such overlap areas may be substantially reduced. As a result, a product delivery system may travel without stopping meter sections and without dragging a seeding tool through a completely seeded region. |
| US09609799B2 |
Remote leveling of tillage implements using three way valves
An agricultural implement having agricultural implement for supporting a plurality of gangs of disk blades extending generally laterally relative to a forward travel direction. The implement has carrier frames pivotally connected to wheel assemblies for controlling the height of the carrier frames relative to the ground through hydraulic actuators acting on the wheel assemblies. A hydraulic control unit enables independent and individual control of each actuator through the use of three way valves that selectively connect or lock individual actuators. |
| US09609796B2 |
Grading tools for work machines and operation thereof
One embodiment includes a grading tool structured for attachment to a work machine. The grading tool includes a frame, ground contacting wheels coupled with the frame, a comb coupled with the frame and extending from a first end of the frame, and a coupling member coupled with the frame and structured to be accessible from a second end of the frame. When the ground contacting wheels are in contact with the ground a depth of penetration of the comb into the ground surface is adjustable by changing the pitch of the grading tool. |
| US09615495B2 |
Electronic component mounting system and electronic component mounting method
An electronic component is mounted on a substrate according to a mounting mode which is set in advance in the following mounting information—when component mounting work is performed. In the mounting information, any one of a first mounting mode in which an electronic component is transferred and mounted to a mounting position which is corrected based on a positional-shift amount between a position of a printed solder and a position of an electrode and a second mounting mode in which the electronic component is transferred and mounted to the mounting position by considering only the position of the electrode as a reference, is set as a mounting mode for performance for each electronic component mounting device. |
| US09615493B2 |
Light emitting device, and method for manufacturing circuit board
A method for manufacturing a circuit board constituted by a light emitting device and a mounting board includes the steps of: conveying the light emitting device onto the mounting board in a state in which a top face is chucked by a nozzle so that the nozzle and an exposed part of a first terminal part of the light emitting device are in contact; and placing the light emitting device onto the mounting board so that the first terminal part and a wiring component are in contact in a state in which the top face is chucked by the nozzle. |
| US09615492B2 |
Electromagnetic gaskets for a cable connection
A gasket assembly structure including a frame which includes a front half and a back half joined together with a plurality of interlocking tabs located around a perimeter of the frame, defining a window, and an electromagnetic gasket, constrained between the front half and the back half of the frame; where the electromagnetic gasket lines an interior perimeter of the window and partially extends from the frame into the window, and a passageway through the window of the frame with boarders defined by the constrained electromagnetic gasket. A housing structure including a receptacle recessed within an opening on a front side of the housing, the receptacle is rigidly attached to the housing, and a gasket assembly recessed within the opening and located between the front side of the housing and the receptacle, where the gasket assembly is directly secured to the housing. |
| US09615490B2 |
Coldplate with integrated DC link capacitor for cooling thereof
A coldplate for use with an inverter of an electric vehicle includes a coldplate member. The coldplate member includes a pocket configured to receive a DC link capacitor of the inverter therein. The pocket is sized to surround the DC link capacitor when the DC link capacitor is received within the pocket to thereby provide physical integration of the DC link capacitor in the coldplate member. |
| US09615488B1 |
Datacenter aisle containment structure
An air containment system for a datacenter. The air containment system includes horizontally slidable vertical rails that engage the rear rails to two adjacent server racks. The vertical rails can include a front face that is compressible to provide an airtight connection with the server racks. Filler plates attach to adjacent vertical rails and fill the space between a top of the server rack and the top of the rails. |
| US09615482B2 |
Shaped heat sinks to optimize flow
A heat sink with shape-optimized fins provides for improved heat transfer. Synthetic jets create vortices which enhance heat transfer and cooling of downstream fins, while the shape of the fins limits pressure drop in the flow over the cooling fins. |
| US09615480B2 |
Storage device assembly
The disclosed technology includes an open frame storage device assembly for computing equipment. The assembly is configured to vertically suspend carriers, which hold storage devices, from a rack and to interconnect the storage devices to a computer system. The disclosed assembly provides high storage capacity, low weight, efficient cooling, and centralized power. |
| US09615479B2 |
Slide rail interlocking apparatus and electronic device having the same
An electronic device includes a cabinet, a number of chasses received in the cabinet, a number of first slide rails mounted to the cabinet, a second slide rail mounted to each chasses fitting about the corresponding first slide rail, a rotating member connected to the cabinet, and a resilient member installed between the rotating member and the cabinet. The rotating member includes an abutting bar and a stopper bar opposite to the abutting bar. A front end of each second slide rail forms a first guiding surface. A block protrudes from the front end of each second slide rail. When one of the chasses is pulled out from the cabinet, the first guiding surface abuts against the abutting bar to rotate away from the chasses, the stopper bar is rotated to adjacent to the chasses to latch the blocks of the other chasses, and deforming the resilient member. |
| US09615474B2 |
Device for quick splicing of a display screen
A device for quick splicing of a display screen is provided. The device includes a left assembly and a right assembly. The left assembly includes a rotation fixing seat, a rotation angle seat, a rotation locking mechanism, and a step angle-adjusting and clamping mechanism. The rotation angle seat can lock with the right assembly, and is rotatably connected to the rotation fixing seat. The rotation locking mechanism is disposed between the rotation fixing seat and the rotation angle seat. When the rotation locking mechanism is unlocked, the rotation angle seat can rotate relative to the rotation fixing seat; and when the rotation locking mechanism is locked, the rotation angle seat is fixedly connected to the rotation fixing seat. The step angle-adjusting and clamping mechanism is disposed between the rotation angle seat and the rotation fixing seat. |
| US09615469B2 |
Electronic device and method for producing an electronic device
An electronic device including: an electronic unit accommodated in a circuit housing and a molded body which surrounds the circuit housing. The molding compound has a cut-out that exposes the circuit housing, in which cut-out an identification that characterizes the electronic circuit is arranged. |
| US09615464B2 |
Method of mounting semiconductor element, and semiconductor device
A method of mounting a semiconductor element, the method includes: attaching a first solder joint material onto a first pad formed on a substrate supplying a second solder joint material onto the first solder joint material, a second melting point of the second solder joint material being lower than a first melting point of the first solder joint material; arranging the semiconductor element so that a second pad formed on the semiconductor element faces the first pad and a joint gap is provided between the semiconductor element and the substrate; and performing reflow at a reflow temperature lower than the first melting point and higher than the second melting point to join the first solder joint material and the second solder joint material. |
| US09615460B2 |
Circuit board device and circuit board device for reducing acoustic noise
A circuit board device for reducing acoustic noise is provided. The circuit board device includes a substrate, a first capacitor packaging area, a second capacitor packaging area, a first pad, a second pad, a third pad and a fourth pad. The first and second capacitor packaging areas are respectively disposed on a first side and a second side of the substrate in a back-to-back manner. The first and second pads are disposed in the first capacitor packaging area for mounting a first capacitor. The third and fourth pads are disposed in the second capacitor packaging area for mounting a second capacitor, wherein the first and third pads are set back-to-back and electrically connected to each other, and the second and fourth pads are set back-to-back and electrically connected to each other. |
| US09615456B2 |
Microelectronic assembly for microelectronic packaging with bond elements to encapsulation surface
A structure may include bond elements having bases joined to conductive elements at a first portion of a first surface and end surfaces remote from the substrate. A dielectric encapsulation element may overlie and extend from the first portion and fill spaces between the bond elements to separate the bond elements from one another. The encapsulation element has a third surface facing away from the first surface. Unencapsulated portions of the bond elements are defined by at least portions of the end surfaces uncovered by the encapsulation element at the third surface. The encapsulation element at least partially defines a second portion of the first surface that is other than the first portion and has an area sized to accommodate an entire area of a microelectronic element. Some conductive elements are at the second portion and configured for connection with such microelectronic element. |
| US09615455B2 |
Copper particulate dispersion, conductive film forming method and circuit board
The copper particulate dispersion includes copper particulates, at least one kind of a dispersion vehicle containing the copper particulates, and at least one kind of dispersant which allows the copper particulates to disperse in the dispersion vehicle. The copper particulates have a center particle diameter of 1 nm or more and less than 100 nm. The dispersion vehicle is a polar dispersion vehicle. The dispersant is a compound having at least one acidic functional group, which has a molecular weight of 200 or more and 100,000 or less, or a salt thereof. Whereby, the dispersant has compatibility with dispersion vehicle and a surface of copper particulates is coated with dispersant molecules, and thus the copper particulates are dispersed in the dispersion vehicle. |
| US09615451B2 |
Porous alumina templates for electronic packages
Interposers and methods of making the same are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, an interposer includes a region having first and second oppositely facing surfaces and a plurality of pores, each pore extending in a first direction from the first surface towards the second surface, wherein alumina extends along a wall of each pore; a plurality of electrically conductive connection elements extending in the first direction, consisting essentially of aluminum and being electrically isolated from one another by at least the alumina; a first conductive path provided at the first surface for connection with a first component external to the interposer; and a second conductive path provided at the second surface for connection with a second component external to the interposer, wherein the first and second conductive paths are electrically connected through at least some of the connection elements. |
| US09615450B2 |
Conductive pattern and manufacturing method thereof
The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a conductive pattern, comprising the steps of: a) forming a conductive film on a substrate; b) forming an etching resist pattern on the conductive film; and c) forming a conductive pattern having a smaller line width than a width of the etching resist pattern by over-etching the conductive film by using the etching resist pattern, and a conductive pattern manufactured by using the same. According to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to effectively and economically provide a conductive pattern having a ultrafine line width. |
| US09615448B2 |
Method for fabricating thin sheets of glass
Fabrication of thin sheets of glass or other substrate material for use in devices such as touch sensor panels is disclosed. A pair of thick glass sheets, typically with thicknesses of 0.5 mm or greater each, may each be patterned with thin film on a surface, sealed together to form a sandwich with the patterned surfaces facing each other and spaced apart by removable spacers, either or both thinned on their outside surfaces to thicknesses of less than 0.5 mm each, and separated into two thin glass sheets. A single thick glass sheet, typically with a thickness of 0.5 mm or greater, may be patterned, covered with a protective layer over the pattern, thinned on its outside surface to a thickness of less than 0.5 mm, and the protective layer removed. This thinness of less than 0.5 mm may be accomplished using standard LCD equipment, despite the equipment having a sheet minimum thickness requirement of 0.5 mm. |
| US09615447B2 |
Multilayer electronic support structure with integral constructional elements
A multilayer electronic support structure including at least one pair of adjacent feature layers extending in an X-Y plane that are separated by a via layer; said via layer comprising a dielectric material that is sandwiched between the two adjacent feature layers and at least one constructional element through the dielectric material spanning between said pair of adjacent feature layers in a Z direction perpendicular to the X-Y plane; wherein said at least one constructional element is characterized by having a long dimension in the X-Y plane that is at least 3 times as long as a short dimension in the X-Y plane and wherein the at least one constructional element is fully encapsulated within the dielectric material and is electrically isolated from its surrounding. |
| US09615444B2 |
Manufacturing of a heat sink by wave soldering
An electronic device is attached to a first surface of a board which includes vias. A heat sink precursor for the electronic device is attached to the second surface of the electronic board. The heat sink precursor includes a cavity facing the vias. A wave of solder is applied to the second surface. The solder penetrates into the cavity of the heat sink precursor and flows by capillary action through the vias to join a thermal radiator and/or electronic contact of the electronic device to the vias. The solder further remains in the cavity to form a corresponding heat sink. |
| US09615440B2 |
Power supply apparatus outputting alternating-current voltage to plasma generator
A current-limiting reactor that regulates a short-circuit current, a controller that controls an action of an inverter, and a detection unit that detects a short circuit. The controller causes the inverter to stop when a short circuit has occurred. |
| US09615439B2 |
System and method for inhibiting radiative emission of a laser-sustained plasma source
A system for forming a laser-sustained plasma includes a gas containment element, an illumination source configured to generate pump illumination, and a collector element. The gas containment element is configured to contain a volume of a gas mixture. The collector element is configured to focus the pump illumination from the pumping source into the volume of the gas mixture contained within the gas containment element in order to generate a plasma within the volume of the gas mixture that emits broadband radiation. The gas mixture filters one or more selected wavelengths of radiation emitted by the plasma. |
| US09615436B2 |
Lighting system
A lighting system which can obtain a relaxing effect of the fluctuation of color and brightness regardless of the appearance thereof is provided. The lighting system has a light source emitting illumination light, a memory section storing a lighting signal indicating the illumination light, a reading section reading the lighting signal from the memory section, and a control section controlling the light source based on the lighting signal read by the memory section. The lighting signal is a signal representing at least one of fluctuation of color and brightness in the illumination light by using synthetic waves in which a plurality of waves having different frequencies are synthesized. |
| US09615430B2 |
Mobile messaging device for a vehicle triggered by a deceleration sensor
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a mobile messaging device that is battery powered with no hard wire connection to the vehicle's electrical system. Signage is backlit for visibility in both low and high ambient lighting conditions. To conserve battery power, the signage is lit after braking (deceleration) of the vehicle for a brief period of time. To further conserve battery power, the signage is backlit at different intensity levels which depend on ambient lighting conditions. Deceleration sensing is provided by a sensor fully incorporated within the mobile messaging device, which requires no external wiring to the vehicle's electrical system. The deceleration sensor is user adjustable to minimize false triggering. Messaging can be provided by user replaceable transparent placards or by backlit, user programmable liquid crystal display panels. In one configuration, the mobile messaging device is incorporated into a vehicle license tag frame. |
| US09615428B2 |
Arrangement for an outdoor light enabling motion detection
An arrangement for implementing an outdoor light enabling motion detection is disclosed. The arrangement comprises a motion detector associated with the outdoor light; and a user interface, separate from the outdoor light, accessible by a user; wherein the user interface enables the operation of the motion detector in a first mode and overrides the operation of the motion detector in a second mode. |
| US09615425B2 |
Metal-based particle assembly
There is provided a metal-based particle assembly comprising 30 or more metal-based particles separated from each other and disposed in two dimensions, the metal-based particles having an average particle diameter in a range of from 200 to 1600 nm, an average height in a range of from 55 to 500 nm, and an aspect ratio, as defined by a ratio of the average particle diameter to the average height, in a range of from 1 to 8, wherein the metal-based particles are disposed such that an average distance between adjacent metal-based particles may be in a range of from 1 to 150 nm. This metal-based particle assembly presents significantly intense plasmon resonance and also allows plasmon resonance to have an effect over a range extended to a significantly large distance. |
| US09615419B2 |
AC LED driving circuit
Disclosed herein is an AC LED driving circuit. The AC LED driving circuit includes a power supply unit. An LED driving unit includes an LED lighting unit having a first LED unit to an n-th LED unit, and a plurality of switching circuit units. A dimmer driving unit includes a VCCS, an input terminal and an output terminal of which are respectively connected to a connection line between the output terminal of the rectification circuit and the first LED unit and to an output terminal of the switching circuit units, a reference voltage supply unit, and a common resistor, a first end of which is connected to a negative terminal of the reference voltage supply unit, and a second end of which is connected in common to an output line of the VCCS and to an output terminal of the switching circuit units. |
| US09615411B2 |
Backlight unit including a power transmitting wire
The present invention relates to a backlight unit. The backlight unit includes a light source unit, a power supply unit, and a power transmitting wire. The light source includes at least one light source. The power supply circuit is configured to supply a power voltage to the light source unit. The power transmitting wire is configured to transmit the power voltage. The power transmitting wire includes at least two circuit patterns. |
| US09615410B2 |
Lighted sockets
An illuminated light socket is provided for powering a light bulb in a typical light string system. The illuminated socket contains its own lighting element, separate and distinct from the light bulb. The lighting element remains off when the light bulb is inserted into the socket and is illuminating properly. The lighting element illuminates when either the bulb is removed from the socket or the bulb is not illuminating correctly. The illuminated light element provides a visually perceptible warning, on the socket itself, that the associated light bulb is either absent or defective. Alternatively, a collar performing the same function is provided such that the collar may be mounted to existing light sockets. The illuminated sockets and housings may accommodate light bulbs of any technology, e.g. incandescent, LED (single or multiple color), or electroluminescent. The socket lighting element itself is preferably a low power LED or electroluminescent light. |
| US09615408B2 |
Cooking device
A cooking system includes a cooking appliance with a microwave heat source and a cooking container for receiving food. The cooking appliance includes a cooking chamber having a muffle and a support device arranged on the muffle that positions the cooking container in the cooking chamber. The cooking container has a base and four side walls arranged transversely to the base as two opposing longitudinal sides and two opposing broadsides. The cooking container, at transitions from the two opposing broadsides to the two opposing longitudinal sides, has four corners, each of which has a rounded region having an external radius of at least 30 mm to maintain a minimum spacing from the muffle to counteract electrical flashovers between the cooking container and the cooking chamber. |
| US09615404B2 |
Consumable electrode arc welding method
A consumable electrode arc welding method includes the detecting of a constriction formed in a molten droplet of the welding wire so as to reduce the welding current, the detecting of a smoothed value of the welding current, and the feedback controlling of the feed rate of the welding wire so as to make the smoothed value of the welding current correspond to a predetermined current setting value. The constriction detection is performed repetitively in a predetermined cycle. In each time of the repetition, the length of a constriction time, from the constriction detection till the arc generation, is measured. The number of constriction time lengths falling outside a predetermined range is counted. When the counted number is not less than a reference number, the transient response time of the feedback control is made longer. |
| US09615398B2 |
Method for establishing X2 connection between base stations, base station, and communication system
An embodiment of the present invention provides a method for establishing an X2 connection between base stations, including: obtaining, by a base station, a cell identifier of a neighboring base station through a self-organized network SON receiver; obtaining, by the base station, according to the cell identifier, address information of the neighboring base station; and establishing, by the base station, an X2 connection with the neighboring base station according to the address information of the neighboring base station, and thereby implementing fast optimization of a network. |
| US09615396B2 |
Method of controlling connection between nodes in digital interface
A method of controlling connection between nodes in a digital interface whereby a first node that is a master node determines a second node to be the master and controls a point-to-point connection or a broadcast connection to another node. The first node having the display device determines the second node to be the master in accordance with a user selection, and transmits a connection command of a predetermined format for transmitting a data stream to the second node. The second node determined as the master in accordance with the transmitted connection command of the predetermined format is allocated with a channel and a bandwidth from an isochronous resource manager (IRM), and performs a point-to-point connection between the second node and the first node to transit the data stream. Thus, the transmission/reception, reproduction, and control of the data stream of the program can be smoothly performed. |
| US09615395B2 |
Systems, methods, and devices for controlling transport of ratelessly coded messages
Systems, methods, and devices for controlling transport of ratelessly coded messages are disclosed herein. User equipment (UE) may be configured to receive a data object using a plurality of radios having distinct radio protocols. The data object may divided into a plurality of segments, and the segments may be encoded with a random linear network code before transmission. The random linear network code may permit the UE to reassemble each segment from any large enough set of encoded packets. The UE may use delivery control messages with very low overhead to control the flow of packets for each radio. The UE may control the number of packets received for each segment without specifying which particular packets should be sent. The transmitters may transmit the packets with very little overhead, and encoding information for the packets may be included in the packets in a compact form. |
| US09615384B2 |
Pilot assignment in cell free massive MIMO wireless systems
Systems and methods for assigning pilot sequences include randomly assigning pilot sequences to a population of access terminals. A first pilot sequence assigned to a worst performing access terminal of the population of access terminals is updated to a different pilot sequence that improves performance of the worst performing access terminal. A second pilot sequence assigned to a best performing access terminal of the population of access terminals is updated to another pilot sequence that reduces performance of the best performing access terminal. |
| US09615378B2 |
Support for asynchronous adaptation to uplink and downlink traffic demands for wireless communication
Technology is discussed to allow transmission points within a Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN) to adapt to Up Link (UL) and Down Link (DL) traffic demands independently. To mitigate potential interference arising from transmission points scheduled for conflicting UL and DL transmissions, measurements between transmission points can be made to indicate a level of coupling. Based on the various levels of coupling between transmission points, clusters can be formed. Where a high level of coupling is present, transmission points can be included in a common cluster. Where a low level of coupling is present, they can be isolated. Transmission points within the same cluster are scheduled with a common pattern of UL and DL transmissions to avoid interference. Transmission points in different clusters can have different patterns of UL and DL transmission to independently adapt to the relative demands for UL and DL transmissions experienced within these different clusters. |
| US09615377B2 |
Apparatus, systems and methods for prioritizing frequency selection for a mobile device
Described herein are systems and methods for prioritizing frequency selection of a user equipment (“UE”) having a transceiver configured to enable the UE to establish a connection with a network using at least two communication protocols. A method may comprise recording, at the UE, a camped frequency and a camped band with which the UE is communicating with the first network in the first protocol, disconnecting from the first network and connecting to the second network, and disconnecting from the second network and reconnecting to the first network, wherein the reconnecting to the first network includes determining whether one of the camped frequency or a different frequency within the camped band is available for reconnection to the first network, and reconnecting to the first network using the one of the camped frequency or the different frequency within the camped band. |
| US09615374B1 |
Directional channel measurement and interference avoidance
A method in a communication network including a communication channel includes generating a first message, where the first message includes a field indicative of a direction along which a quality of the communication channel is to be measured, causing the first message to be transmitted to a target device, and receiving a second message responsive to the first message, where the second message includes at least one channel quality metric. |
| US09615373B2 |
Selecting a frequency band from a set of candidate frequency bands associated with a wireless access point
A method includes determining, at a wireless access point, a signal quality indicator associated with a user device in communication with the wireless access point. The method also includes determining, based on the signal quality indicator, a particular frequency band of a set of candidate frequency bands to use in a channel change operation, where each candidate frequency band of the set of candidate frequency bands supports a threshold power level that enables communication between the wireless access point and the user device. The method further includes selecting a particular channel from the particular frequency band to use in the channel change operation. |
| US09615370B2 |
Data resource mapping for frequency-coded symbols
A device and method for communicating frequency-coded symbols that include data elements and reference symbols are disclosed. In one aspect, a carrier frequency band includes a plurality of subcarrier frequency bands. Data elements are transmitted and received on respective pairs of adjacent subcarrier frequency bands to provide diversity. Reference symbols are transmitted and received on predetermined subcarrier frequency bands. Muting is applied to selected subcarrier frequency bands based on the number and frequency configuration of the reference symbols. |
| US09615368B2 |
Multi-beam cellular communication system
A cellular communication system comprising a plurality of geographically spaced base stations (2) each of which comprises an antenna arrangement (4, 6, 8) per base station sector, each of which antenna arrangements has an antenna element for generating an array of narrow beams (10, 12, 14) covering the sector. Timeslots are simultaneously transmitted over each of the beams so as to generate successive sets of simultaneously transmitted timeslots per sector. The timeslots are each split into multiple orthogonal codes, for example Walsh codes. The communication system additionally comprising a scheduling device (31) for allocating for successive sets of timeslots common overhead channels, including a common pilot channel, which are allocated to the same sub-set of codes of each timeslot in the set. For successive sets of timeslots different data traffic is allocated to the same sub-set of codes of each timeslot in the set. This effectively generates a sector wide antenna beam carrying the common overhead channels and a plurality of narrow teams each of which carry different data traffic. Inter-beam interference is addressed by the application of Adaptive Modulation and Coding and by an inter-beam handoff scheme. The handoff scheme ensures that when an end user equipment is located in a cusp region between adjacent beams the antenna arrangement simultaneously transmits data traffic to that mobile station on at least both of the adjacent beams. |
| US09615363B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving downlink control information for repeater
A method for a relay to receive downlink control information from a base station through a Relay-Physical Downlink Control Channel (R-PDCCH), and the relay therefore are discussed. The method according to one embodiment includes determining one or more candidate positions for the R-PDCCH; monitoring whether or not the R-PDCCH is being transmitted at the one or more candidate positions; and receiving, through the monitoring that the R-PDCCH is being transmitted, the downlink control information included in the R-PDCCH. The one or more candidate positions are set as a Virtual Resource Block (VRB) set including N VRBs, and a combination of 2 adjacent candidate positions among candidate positions of a lower aggregation level composes one of candidate positions of a higher aggregation level. The VRBs of the VRB set are assigned numbers. Respective candidate positions for the R-PDCCHs of aggregation levels L are determined as VRBs. |
| US09615362B2 |
Method and apparatus used for communication
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus used for communication, including: when a base station receives downlink data through a first system bearer of a first user equipment, detecting, by the base station, according to a context of the first user equipment stored by the base station itself, whether a radio bearer which is of other user equipment except the first user equipment and assists the first user equipment or the first system bearer in transmitting data exists in the base station; if the radio bearer exists, selecting, by the base station, from the first user equipment and the other user equipment except the first user equipment, at least one user equipment that transmits the downlink data; and sending, by the base station, the downlink data through a specified radio bearer corresponding to the at least one user equipment. |
| US09615360B2 |
System and method for multiple point communications
A method for multiple point communications includes configuring a set of first communications system resources to form a plurality of first communications system resource groups, each first communications system resource group including a plurality of channels, and configuring a set of second communications system resources for each one of the plurality of first communications system resource groups, the set of second communications system resources used to convey a feedback transmission. The method also includes signaling information about the plurality of first communications system resource groups to a first user equipment, and signaling information about the sets of second communications system resources associated with the plurality of first communications system resource groups to the first user equipment. |
| US09615354B2 |
Device-to-device communications in cellular system
The present invention provides a method and a controller to control not only cellular radio connections in a cell of a cellular communication system but also direct device-to-device communication links established between terminal devices within the cell. Particularly, the controller selects portion of the terminal devices to function as relay terminals for the other terminals to enable relayed communication links between the terminal devices and the base station through the relay terminals. The relay terminals link device-to-device connections to the cellular radio connections between the relay terminals and the base station. |
| US09615352B2 |
Media transmission before floor grant in real time communication network
Lazy-lock control methods for use with a real-time communication network are presented, the real-time communication network incorporating a right-to-send procedure, the methods including: a) sending a first floor control request message to the real-time communication network by a first requesting user equipment (UE), the real-time communication network configured for connecting the first requesting UE with a receiving UE; b) sending a first media to the real-time communications network by the first requesting UE before receiving a floor control grant message from the real-time communications network; c) substantially simultaneously sending the floor control grant message to the first requesting UE and a floor taken message to the at least one receiving UE by the real-time communication network; and d) forwarding the first media to the at least one receiving UE by the real-time communications network. |
| US09615351B2 |
Method, network device, and base station for paging narrowband terminal
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method for paging a narrowband terminal. The method includes: determining that a paging message for paging a narrowband terminal needs to be sent; sending a paging message including narrowband terminal information to a base station, so that the base station obtains a radio capability of the narrowband terminal according to the narrowband terminal information and transmits the paging message according to the radio capability of the narrowband terminal. |
| US09615350B2 |
Notification management
Systems, device and techniques are disclosed for determining whether a mobile device is in vehicle mode. A notification may be received while the mobile device is in vehicle mode and the notification may be determined to be important or unimportant. If the notification is determined to be important, then the notification may be provided to the user via an output mode (e.g., display or speaker). If the notification is determined to be unimportant, then the notification may not be provided to the user via the display until the mobile device is no longer in vehicle mode. |
| US09615347B1 |
Location positioning engine system and method
A system for associating content with geographic boundaries, determining the location of a wireless handset relative to the boundaries, and delivering targeted content to the wireless handset is described. The application is configured to determine the location of the wireless handset based on the strength of signals received from the network components by the wireless handset. The application then filters content items by boundary and delivers at least one content item to the wireless handset when the wireless handset is located within the boundary. |
| US09615346B2 |
Method and apparatus for notifying information change in wireless communication system
A method for a terminal for notifying a change in a resource group(s) supported by a terminal due to a firmware update in a wireless communication system, according to an embodiment of the present invention, can comprise the steps of: receiving, from a server, a command for setting an indicator for managing a notification; receiving, from the server, a command for managing a firmware update; and transmitting, to the sever, information regarding the resource group(s) supported by and usable on the terminal if the indicator is set and the resource group(s) supported by the terminal has changed due to the update. |
| US09615340B2 |
Monitoring periods for device-to-device synchronization signals
Methods, systems, and devices are described for determining a monitoring schedule for device-to-device (D2D) synchronization signals. A synchronization cycle may be determined that includes a plurality of monitoring periods. The monitoring periods may be a time between at least two start times of sequential D2D synchronization signals to detect at least one of the D2D synchronization signals. Sub-monitoring periods may be determined based on the duration of the monitoring periods. The sub-monitoring periods may have a cumulative duration the same as the duration of the monitoring period and be scheduled to occur during different monitoring periods of the synchronization cycle. |
| US09615337B2 |
Controlling uplink transmit power in a plurality of basestations
A method for controlling uplink transmit power for a plurality of basestations in a mobile communications network is disclosed. The basestations may form a second layer within the network, and the network may comprise another plurality of basestations forming a first layer. The method comprises clustering the plurality of second layer basestations according to association with first layer basestations, exchanging second layer basestation loading information between second layer basestations belonging to the same cluster, and dynamically setting uplink transmit power limits for individual second layer basestations based on the exchanged loading information. The method may further comprise updating the clustering of the second layer basestations according to dynamic variation in association of second layer basestations with first layer basestations. The method may also comprise dynamically controlling uplink resource allocation such that concurrent use of the same frequency resource by more than one second layer basestation is reduced. |
| US09615322B2 |
Method and system for providing service based on space
A method and system for providing a service based on space are disclosed herein. The method includes registering multiple smart access points respectively included in multiple spaces—each of the access points are connected to at least one Internet of Things (IoT) device that is further included in the corresponding space, providing first service control information to a first smart access point, in accordance with a request of the first smart access point, the first smart access point being accessed by a terminal of a user, among multiple access points, and providing second service control information to a second smart access point in accordance with a request of the second smart access point, when the terminal of the user accesses the second smart access point, among the multiple access points, and when the second smart access point recognizes a movement of the user. |
| US09615318B2 |
Multiplexing core networks in RAN sharing
An apparatus, includes core interface means adapted to provide an eastbound interface to a first core network element and to a second core network element different from the first core network element; radio interface means adapted to provide a westbound interface to a first radio access network element and to a second radio access network element different from the first radio access network element; multiplex detecting means adapted to detect if a first request received at one of the eastbound and westbound interfaces is directed to the first and/or the second of the network elements of the respective other interface; adapting means adapted to adapt the first request according to the network element to which it is directed; multiplexing means adapted to multiplex the adapted first request to the first and/or the second of the network elements of the respective other interface according to detection by the multiplex detecting means. |
| US09615310B2 |
Mobile communication system
A mobile communication system includes a CSG cell which is accessible by a CSG member, a hybrid cell which is the CSG cell where a non-CSG member is also allowed access at the same time, and a mobile terminal which is subscribed as the CSG member and connected to the CSG cell or the hybrid cell as the CSG member. Even in a case in which a subscription time period has expired, the mobile communication system enables the mobile terminal to continue the connection. When the subscription time period for the CSG member expires, in case of the mobile terminal's connection to the CSG cell, the CSG cell initiates a handover, in case of the mobile terminal's connection to the hybrid cell, the hybrid cell changes treatment for the mobile terminal from treating the mobile terminal as the CSG member to treating the mobile terminal as the non-CSG member. |
| US09615305B2 |
Systems and methods for facilitating efficient vertical handoffs in a wireless communication system
Systems and methods are provided for performing efficient vertical handoffs in a wireless user device are provided. The user device can comprise a mobile phone, computer table, handheld computer, or other computer system capable of connecting to more than one mobile wireless network that use different wireless communication protocols. Various efficient scanning methods are disclosed that are efficient in terms of battery usage, thermal performance, processing power, throughput performance, or a combination thereof. |
| US09615303B2 |
Cell selection and reselection for closed subscriber group cells
Apparatuses and methods are provided for performing cell reselection, the method includes detecting a signal of cell for cell reselection on a frequency, where the signal includes an intra-frequency reselection indicator, determining from the signal whether the cell is a barred cell, on a condition that the cell is a barred cell, determining that the barred cell is not a candidate for cell reselection, determining whether the barred cell is a Closed Subscriber Group (CSG) cell, and allowing intra-frequency cell reselection to a different cell on the frequency regardless of the value of the intra-frequency reselection indicator on a condition that the barred cell is a CSG cell and that the different cell meets reselection criteria. |
| US09615299B1 |
Method and apparatus for mitigating interference between mobile devices in a wireless communication system
A method, apparatus, and system are provided for mitigating interference between two communication sessions based on a determined geographical proximity of two mobile devices (MDs) to each other. In one embodiment, a geographical proximity is determined of a first MD, engaged in a first communication session, to a second MD, engaged in a second communication session. Based on the determined geographical proximity, one of the two communication sessions is transferred to the other MD so that both communication sessions are resident at, and can be controlled by, a same MD. In other embodiments, wherein a first MD is engaged in two communication sessions, one of the two communication sessions may be transferred to a second MD that is sufficiently geographically distant from the first MD or the first MD may use a geographically distant remote wireless device as an uplink and downlink relay device for one of the communication sessions. |
| US09615296B2 |
System and method for scrambling code association
A process for associating a cell with a detected scrambling code in a cellular communications network includes receiving cell data associated with the detected scrambling code, determining a set of candidate cells within a predetermined area, evaluating characteristics of each candidate cell of the set of candidate cells, and associating a cell identifier of a first candidate cell of the set of candidate cells with the detected scrambling code based on the evaluated characteristics. |
| US09615285B2 |
System, electronic device, method of communicating, and and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium
An electronic device includes a first communication unit that communicatively connects to a network using the user information; a second communication unit that communicatively connects to a second electronic device; a determination unit that, upon obtaining data by the first communication unit, determines whether or not the data is to be obtained by the second electronic device, based on the data; a user information transmitter that, when the determination unit determines that the data is to be obtained by the second electronic device, sends the user information to the second electronic device via the second communication unit; and a migration unit that blocks the first communication unit from communicating with the network, and causes the second electronic device to obtain the data through the network using the user information. |
| US09615280B2 |
Calculating and reporting channel characteristics
An interference covariance calculation technique is selected at a first communication device, where the interference covariance calculation technique is to be utilized by a second communication device when computing a channel quality indicator (CQI) associated with a communication channel between the first communication device and the second communication device. The interference covariance calculation technique is selected from a set of multiple techniques for calculating interference covariance. The first communication device transmits an indication of the selected interference covariance calculation technique to the second communication device. The first communication device receives a CQI calculated by the second communication device in accordance with the selected interference covariance calculation technique. |
| US09615272B2 |
Method and system for obtaining radio access network (RAN) information of cellular telecommunications networks
A system for obtaining information relating to an idle mobile station in a cellular network is provided. The system includes a computing platform which is in communication with a radio network controller of the cellular network. The computing platform is configured for (i) generating and sending an input signal through the radio network controller to the radio access network; and (ii) identifying in data outputted by the radio network controller an output signal resulting from the input signal, the output signal including information relating to at least one idle mobile station. |
| US09615268B2 |
Method for access points scheduling for backhaul aggregation in a telecommunications network and a device
In the method, a plurality of access points forming a cluster in a telecommunication network monitor network data traffic information from at least one user computing device connected thereto; report an own identifier and a used public IP to a remote server recording them; establish connections between access points in said cluster by mapping the own identifier with said public IP; determine its internal status and state of the connection of said at least one monitored user computing device; generate, each certain time-frequency, a profile; calculate, in a determined time T1, a forecast of future requirements of the own access point and send to one access point of said plurality acting as a cluster coordinator said calculated forecast, wherein said coordinator defines a routing path through carrying out associations of access points to which perform the backhaul aggregation. |
| US09615264B2 |
Multifactorial optimization system and method
A method for providing unequal allocation of rights among agents while operating according to fair principles, comprising assigning a hierarchal rank to each agent; providing a synthetic economic value to a first set of agents at the a high level of the hierarchy; allocating portions of the synthetic economic value by the first set of agents to a second set of agents at respectively different hierarchal rank than the first set of agents; and conducting an auction amongst agents using the synthetic economic value as the currency. A method for allocation among agents, comprising assigning a wealth generation function for generating future wealth to each of a plurality of agents, communicating subjective market information between agents, and transferring wealth generated by the secure wealth generation function between agents in consideration of a market transaction. The method may further comprise the step of transferring at least a portion of the wealth generation function between agents. |
| US09615263B2 |
Method to improve the performance in cell range expansion using location based codebook subset restriction
Systems and methods are disclosed for providing location-based codebook subset restriction. In some embodiments, location-based codebook subset restriction is provided in such a manner as to mitigate co-channel interference from a macro base station to User Equipment devices (UEs) in a cell range expansion zone of a Low Power Node (LPN) within a coverage area of the macro base station. In this manner, performance of the UEs in the cell range expansion zone is improved. |
| US09615253B1 |
System, method, and computer-readable medium for mobile-terminated SMS message delivery for a mobile station attached with an IP-femtocell system
A system, method, and computer readable medium that facilitates delivery of mobile-terminated short message service messages to a mobile station attached with a femtocell system are provided. A convergence server deployed in a core network receives a short message for short message service delivery to a mobile station attached with a femtocell system. If there is no active traffic channel with the mobile station, or if the short message is to be delivered to the mobile station via a paging channel, the femtocell system triggers an authentication process. The convergence server constructs a short message service delivery request message, transmits the short message service delivery request message to the femtocell system, and receives one of an acknowledgement and a negative acknowledgment regarding delivery of the short message to the mobile station. The convergence server thereafter notifies the message center of the acknowledgment or negative acknowledgement received thereby. |
| US09615252B2 |
Re-login time duration allowing hotspot user to sign up for additional access time without disconnecting from secured wireless network
A hotspot provides an open wireless network and a secure wireless network. The open wireless network has no network-level encryption and allows open association therewith. The secure wireless network employs network-level encryption and requires authentication of a received access credential from a client device before allowing association therewith. A system for authorizing the client device for secured access at the hotspot includes an access controller configured to establish an encrypted connection between the client device and a login portal of the hotspot over the open wireless network, and to store a user-specific access credential transmitted via the encrypted connection as a valid access credential in a credential database. The credential database is accessed by wireless access points of the hotspot to authenticate the received access credential from the client device in response to a request from the client device to associate with the secure wireless network. |
| US09615248B2 |
Anonymous vehicle communication protocol in vehicle-to-vehicle networks
A system and method for managing device communication anonymously in wireless networks. A controller in a device manages communication for the device. The device has a static device tag. The controller establishes a first key for the device. The controller establishes the first key in response to a first triggering event of the device. The first key is based on a first status of the device. The controller generates a first identifier of the device. The controller generates the first identifier by using a hashing technique. The controller uses the hashing technique on a combination of the first key and the static device tag. The first identifier is for identifying the device on a first wireless network. The controller provides a second status of the device. The controller provides the second status to the first wireless network. The controller couples the second status with the first identifier. |
| US09615238B2 |
Synoptic emergency cellular device and system
A medical cellular device for use during travel is described. The device includes a call module, a geographic location determining module, and an application containing personal medical information, a database of emergency numbers and corresponding geographic locations, and a security module for selectively controlling display of the personal medical information on the device. The device allows an emergency number to be selected from the database of emergency numbers according to a geographic location of the device determined from the geographic location determining module. The call module is configured to transmit a signal from the device to the selected emergency number. The application is configured to lock access to the personal medical information. In embodiments, the personal medical information and/or instructions that medical help is needed can be transmitted to the selected emergency number as well. |
| US09615235B2 |
Wireless personal safety device
A personal protective device is combined with a cellular telephone. Activation of either device causes activation of the other device. Activation is achieved by a switch or voice command. Upon activation, a message asking for assistance at the present location is sent to a previously agreed upon emergency contact. The smartphone also starts both audio and video recording, which are also part of the data sent to the emergency contact person or service. Additionally, the personal protective devices are integrated into a unit that may combine such items as a protective spray, Taser, strobe light, dye pack, siren and other deterrent technologies to ward off would-be attackers. These devices are integrated into a hand held unit that can be unobtrusively worn or carried in a purse or pocket. An optical safety device is included to protect the user from a potential assailant approaching from rearward. |
| US09615227B2 |
Methods for providing additional information for mobile-originated short message
Methods for appending additional device, location, and/or presence information to a mobile-originated short message are taught herein. One such method for appending additional device information includes receiving a MO short message at a message center. The MO short message includes a content request. The message center sends a query to a subscriber directory for device information corresponding to the device of the requesting subscriber. The subscriber directory searches for the device information and generates a response to be sent to the message center, the response including the device information. The subscriber directory sends the response to the message center, which appends the device information to the MO short message. The message center then sends the short message to the destination, for example, a content provider. Methods for appending location and/or presence information are also taught. |
| US09615225B2 |
Automatically enabling the forwarding of instant messages
Techniques are described for forwarding an instant message addressed to an intended instant messaging recipient to the recipient's mobile telephone when the recipient's mobile telephone number is known to the instant message sender. In one example, an instant message is forwarded to the intended recipient's mobile telephone number when the instant message sender's contact information for the intended recipient includes an instant message address (e.g., a screen name or other type of instant message identifier) and a mobile telephone number, without dependence upon the intended recipient's presence on the instant message (IM) system or through actual login or registration with an IM forwarding service. In a more particular example, an address book of the instant message sender includes an entry for the intended recipient where the entry includes an instant message address and a mobile telephone number of the intended recipient. |
| US09615223B2 |
Electronic messaging technology
Techniques are described for capturing text (e.g., SMS) messages and multimedia (e.g. MMS) messages along with messages and data sent with other communication modalities. The captured information may be used for performing social networking-related, data processing and auditing operations in real-time. |
| US09615221B1 |
Device message management system
A method and system for managing email or other messaging and attachments to messages which are forwarded to devices having limited processing and memory capacity. The method includes the steps of: receiving a user configuration categorizing messages for the user by elements of the message; accessing the user message datastore upon receipt of at least one new message for the user to a user data store; comparing said at least one new message to a set of user specific rules; rendering a message summary including at least one link accessible by the processing device, the link enabling action with respect to the message when selected by the user; and outputting the message summary to a user device. |
| US09615220B2 |
Method and apparatus for collecting feed information in mobile terminal
A method and apparatus for collecting feed information in a mobile terminal are disclosed. The method and apparatus collects information explicitly clipped by a user as well as content items exchanged between users as feed information. The method for collecting feed information in a mobile terminal includes: detecting a share event corresponding to transmission or reception of content through a communication application implemented in the mobile terminal; generating feed information based on the content; and storing the generated feed information. |
| US09615216B2 |
Future location-based communication with mobile devices
For location-based communication with mobile devices, a condition is received at a device associated with a caller. The condition has to be satisfied by a callee at a future time and at a location, the location being a place where different callees with different mobile devices are present at different times. An instruction is received at the device for making a telecommunication call to the location where the callee is present with a mobile device and satisfies the condition at the future time. A set of potential callees is identified. Each mobile device associated with each callee in set of potential callees is present at the location at the future time, and each potential callee in the set of potential callees satisfies the condition. The telecommunication call is initiated to mobile devices associated with a subset of potential callees, the subset of potential callees including the callee. |
| US09615213B2 |
Method and system for controlling and modifying driving behaviors
Disclosed herein is a method and system for detecting, monitoring and/or controlling one or more of mobile services for a mobile communication device (also referred to herein as a Controllable Mobile Device or CMD), and in particular, when the device is being used and the vehicle, operated by the user of the device, is moving. In addition, one aspect of the invention generally relates to a method and system for modifying a user's driving behaviors, in particular to a system and method for modifying a user's unsafe driving behaviors, e.g., using one or more services of a controllable mobile device while driving, by providing a score to the user rating indicating that they are using a mobile device in a distracting way, or driving in a manner that indicates that they are distracted. |
| US09615210B2 |
Systems and methods for locating a tracking device
The principles described herein provide methods and systems for locating a tracking device. In particular, one disclosed method includes associating a user with a tracking device, receiving an indication that the tracking device is lost, setting a flag indicating that the tracking device is lost, receiving a location within a proximity of the tracking device from one of a plurality of mobile devices associated with a community of users, and providing the location to the user. |
| US09615203B2 |
System, method and apparatus for protecting privacy when a mobile device is located in a defined privacy zone
A system, method and apparatus for protecting privacy when a mobile device is located in a defined privacy zone are described herein. The available features that a user of a mobile device may use are controlled while the mobile device is located in a define privacy zone. Once a mobile device is detected in the define privacy zone, a database is accessed to determine if the mobile device has the features available that are to be disabled. If the features are available, a disable signal is sent via the communications network to the mobile device and the feature is disabled. Once the mobile device is detected to be outside of the defined privacy zone, the previously disabled mobile device feature is enabled. |
| US09615199B1 |
Methods for identifying location of individuals who are in proximity to a user of a network tracking system
An embodiment of the present invention is directed to comparing location information of devices associated with users and providing an indication or alert to at least one of the users about the proximity of another user. The users may be “buddies,” friends, family, or colleagues, for example. The indication or alert may include information about one of the other users in proximity, such as their geographic location or other information. |
| US09615198B2 |
Proprietary extensions in user plane location protocols
Systems and methods are provided allowing for a vendor-defined payload in a standardized user-plane location solution/protocol, where proprietary extension support is introduced into one or more standardized solutions. In accordance with a first embodiment, a location payload consists of structures for transferring requests, assistance data, measurements and positioning instructions. Therefore, a proprietary extension is included in each of these structures so that, for example, proprietary assistance data can be requested in an appropriate structure. In accordance with another embodiment, a proprietary extension is introduced at the highest abstraction level. For example and in an actual implementation, a vendor can define that in the beginning of the proprietary payload, the proprietary extension is defined, whether the proprietary payload contains a request, assistance, etc. |
| US09615191B1 |
Audio signal processing method for out-of-phase attenuation of shared enclosure volume loudspeaker systems and apparatus using the same
An audio signal processing apparatus configured to process a plurality of audio signals of a shared-volume stereo system is provided. The audio signal processing apparatus includes a plurality of signal processing channels. The signal processing channels are configured to filter the audio signals to obtain high-frequency components and low-frequency components. The signal processing channels perform a signal processing operation on the low-frequency components to generate a low-frequency modulation signal. The signal processing channels sum up the high-frequency components and the low-frequency modulation signal to reproduce a plurality of audio reproduction signals. The signal processing channels drive loudspeakers of the shared-volume stereo system according to the audio reproduction signals. Furthermore, an audio signal processing method is also provided. |
| US09615190B1 |
Altering head related transfer functions (HRTFs) during an electronic call
A method executed by one or more electronic devices in an electronic system alters head related transfer functions (HRTFs) during an electronic call between a first individual and a second individual. Binaural sound of a voice of the second individual localizes to a sound localization point (SLP) that is away from the first individual. |
| US09615188B2 |
Sound stage controller for a near-field speaker-based audio system
Signals in an automobile audio system having at least two near-field speakers located close to an intended position of a listener's head are adjusted such that in a first mode, audio signals are distributed to the near-field speakers according to a first filter that causes the listener to perceive a wide soundstage, and in a second mode, the audio signals are distributed to the near-field speakers according to a second filter that causes the listener to perceive a narrow soundstage. A user input of a variable value is received and, in response, distribution of the audio signals is transitioned from the first mode to the second mode, the extent of the transition being variable based on the value of the user input. |
| US09615186B2 |
Apparatus and method for recognizing horn using sound signal processor
An apparatus and a method for recognizing a horn using a sound signal processor are provided. The apparatus includes a data storage unit configured to acquire and store surrounding sound data and a sound signal processor configured to sample a sound signal within the sound data, perform signal conversion, and define and extract the frequency signals. In addition, a horn recognizer is configured to combine the extracted frequency signals, accumulate the frequency signals, and digitize a change rate of the accumulated frequency signals. Further, an output data determiner is configured to determine whether the digitized change rate of the frequency signals is equal to or greater than a threshold value to determine whether and when the horn is generated. |
| US09615180B2 |
Sound processor apparatus with dual-mode earhook interface assembly
An exemplary sound processor apparatus includes 1) an earhook interface assembly that includes a plurality of contacts and that is configured to interchangeably connect to a microphone assembly and an EAS receiver assembly by way of the plurality of contacts, and 2) a control module communicatively coupled to the plurality of contacts and that is configured to selectively operate in an input mode or in an output mode. While operating in the input mode, the control module uses the plurality of contacts as input ports to receive one or more audio signals detected by the microphone assembly while the microphone assembly is connected to the earhook interface assembly. While operating in the output mode, the control module uses the plurality of contacts as output ports to output one or more EAS signals to the EAS receiver assembly while the EAS receiver assembly is connected to the earhook interface assembly. |
| US09615177B2 |
Wireless immersive experience capture and viewing
Aspects capture, view, present and display photo-realistic, fully-immersive panoramic virtual environments, displaying to a user via a display screen, in a first layer at a first level of opacity, an image of current surroundings of the user from image data captured from the current surroundings of the user by an image capture device; and in a second layer at a second level of opacity, an image of another environment that differs from the current surroundings of the user as a function of time or of place, wherein the second layer is located coextensive with the first layer. The first level of opacity is selected to present image data of the panoramic image within the first layer as transparent relative to image data of the panoramic image within the second layer; or as opaque relative to image data of the panoramic image within the second layer. |
| US09615176B2 |
Audio channel mapping in a portable electronic device
A portable electronic device is provided having an audio subsystem with a plurality of audio devices, each of which is coupled to a logic subsystem via its own audio path. The portable electronic device may also include a display configured to present visual content, with the display being fixed in position relative to the plurality of audio devices. The portable electronic device further includes an orientation sensor electronically coupled to the logic subsystem, the logic subsystem being configured, using data received from the orientation sensor, (i) to determine whether the portable electronic device has been reoriented; and (ii) in response to such determination, vary operation of one or more of the audio paths. |
| US09615175B2 |
Method of frequency assignment of a wireless radio transmission system and a wireless radio audio transmission system
There is provided a method of frequency assignment of wireless radio audio transmission systems having a plurality of wireless transmitters and at least one wireless receiver. The wireless transmitters can represent first wireless transmitters which in the switched-on condition can approach another wireless transmitter below an established minimum spacing and second wireless transmitters which in the switched-on condition cannot approach below the minimum spacing. The wireless transmitters serve for example to transmit an audio signal wirelessly to the at least one wireless receiver. The transmission frequencies of the first wireless transmitters are assigned having regard to possible intermodulation effects. The transmission frequencies of the second wireless transmitters are assigned having regard to the relative spatial distances of the second wireless transmitters relative to each other. |
| US09615173B2 |
Information processing system and storage medium
Provided is an information processing system including a recognizing unit configured to recognize a first target and a second target on the basis of signals detected by a plurality of sensors arranged around a specific user, an identifying unit configured to identify the first target and the second target recognized by the recognizing unit, an estimating unit configured to estimate a position of the specific user in accordance with the a signal detected by any one of the plurality of sensors, and a signal processing unit configured to process each of signals acquired from sensors around the first target and the second target identified by the identifying unit in a manner that, when being output from a plurality of actuators arranged around the specific user, the signals are localized near the position of the specific user estimated by the estimating unit. |
| US09615169B2 |
Digital communication system for loudspeakers
A communication system for communicating with at least one loudspeaker is described where the loudspeaker is connected to audio equipment over standard two-wire speaker wire operable to carry an audio signal. The communication system includes a master node in electrical communication with a signal path carrying the audio signal between the audio equipment and the loudspeaker, the master node also including an interface with the audio equipment, a data encoder operable to encode data signals, a data transceiver operable to place the data signals onto the audio signal at frequencies above audio frequencies. The communication system also includes at least one slave node in electrical communication with the audio signal and each loudspeaker, the slave node including a data transceiver operable to receive data signals from the master node, a data decoder, and an interface able to communicate with the loudspeaker. |
| US09615168B2 |
Adaptive method and device of audio interface and electronic signature token
An adaptive method and device of an audio interface and an electronic signature token are provided. The audio interface comprises a first pin and a second pin, and the method comprises: not implementing an identification operation on the first pin and the second pin of the audio interface when an absolute value of a voltage difference between the first pin and the second pin is less than a first threshold; determining a type of each of the first pin and the second pin according to a sign of the voltage difference between the first pin and the second pin when the absolute value of the voltage difference is greater than or equal to a second threshold, in which the second threshold is greater than or equal to the first threshold; and connecting the identified ground pin to a common ground. |
| US09615167B2 |
Variable directivity electret condenser microphone
Provided is a variable directivity electret condenser microphone that can simplify a circuit configuration, and outputs an audio signal in an unbalanced manner. Included are electrically independent first and second electret condenser microphone units in which first and second fixed electrodes are arranged back to back and facing each other in a mutually non-conductive state, and first and second diaphragms are arranged facing the first and second fixed electrodes with fixed intervals from the first and second fixed electrodes, respectively, a first impedance converter having an input terminal connected to the first fixed electrode, a DC cut capacitor selectively connected between an output terminal of the first impedance converter and an input terminal of the second impedance converter, and a directivity variable switche that can alternatively select a mode from at least a first directivity mode to a third directivity mode. |
| US09615165B2 |
Loudspeaker device having foam insert to improve gas distribution in sound adsorber material
A loudspeaker device having housing and an acoustic transducer is disclosed. The housing has a transducer space for the acoustic transducer, and a back volume space. The back volume filled with a sound adsorber material and a foam material. The sound adsorber material in the back volume space is configured to virtually increase the size of the back volume space, and shift the resonant frequency of the back volume space. The foam material facilitates gas exchange and air flow within the back volume space, and between the sound adsorber and the transducer space. The foam material is configured in different arrangements to facilitate the gas exchange and air flow. |
| US09615164B2 |
High output loudspeaker
A loudspeaker system is provided that includes a speaker enclosure having a first opening and a second opening; a first speaker manifold mounted within the enclosure and including a first back wall, four first side walls, and an open first front side substantially in alignment with the first opening; a second speaker manifold mounted within the enclosure and including a second back wall, four second side walls, and an open second front side substantially in alignment with the second opening; a woofer mounted on a first wall of the first side walls; and an acoustic vent mounted in a second wall among the second side walls. |
| US09615159B2 |
Method and device for supplying power for active noise cancelation earphone by utilization of power source of electronic equipment
A method and device for supplying power for an ANC (Active Noise Cancelation) earphone by utilization of a power source of an electronic equipment. According to the power supplying method, power is supplied to a noise canceling circuit of the ANC earphone and its related circuits by the power source of the electronic equipment through a microphone contact, a left channel audio contact, or a right channel audio contact of an earphone jack of the electrical equipment. The power supplying device includes the ANC earphone and the electronic equipment. This invention enables the ANC earphone to directly obtain power from the power source of the electronic equipment, so that the ANC earphone is simple in structure, convenient to carry, suitable for mass production, low in production cost, and high in compatibility. |
| US09615153B2 |
System and method for applying an extended multipoint protocol to wireless access systems
A system and method for applying an extended multipoint control protocols to wireless access systems. A medium-to-medium adaptor can be provided in an adaptor node that can interface with an upstream optical line terminal in a PON domain and a downstream device in a non-PON wireless domain. The medium-to-medium adaptor enables an implementation of end-to-end services across multiple quality of service (QoS) domains by passing all traffic with controlled delay and without contention. |
| US09615151B2 |
Virtualized optical transport network systems and methods
The present disclosure provides an optical transceiver, method of mapping, and method of management utilizing a plurality of Optical Channel Transport Unit layer k (OTUk) links to form an aggregate signal, such as, for example, 10 OTU2s to provide a single 100 Gigabit Ethernet (100 GbE) signal. Specifically, the present invention enables use of existing circuitry and methods at lower speed signals, e.g. 10G, to support higher speed aggregate signals, e.g. 100G. The present invention may be utilized to support carrier-grade OTN applications with optical transceivers such as, for example, pluggable optical transceivers. In an exemplary embodiment, the present invention includes a method which receives a plurality of signals, frames each of the plurality of signals into an OTUk frame, and manages/monitors each of the plurality of signals in an OTUk frame in the aggregate. |
| US09615143B2 |
Device and method for providing content by accessing content stream in hybrid 3D TV, and device and method for reproducing content
A content providing apparatus and method, and a content reproduction apparatus and method for accessing a content stream in a hybrid three-dimensional television (3DTV) are disclosed. The content providing apparatus may include a content stream generation unit to generate a first content stream corresponding to a reference image and a second content stream corresponding to a supplementary image, a descriptor generation unit to generate a descriptor associated with the first content stream and the second content stream, and a data transmission unit to transmit the first content stream, the second content stream, and the descriptor to a content reproduction apparatus. |
| US09615138B2 |
Systems and methods for acquiring, categorizing and delivering media in interactive media guidance applications
Systems and methods are discussed for providing guidance for Internet-delivered media. In some embodiments, information on available media on the Internet is gathered. The information is associated with existing media guidance data. The associations enable a media guidance application to identify relevant online media and to display listings in a user-friendly way. A user interface for an online media guidance application is also provided. The user interface allows a user to narrow down the large amount of Internet-delivered media in a systematic way according to criteria that interests a user. |
| US09615134B2 |
System and method for applying parental control limits from content providers to media content
System and Method of filtering and modifying access to media content based on parental control limits are provided. The method for filtering media content includes receiving authentication information for a content provider, authenticating to the content provider, importing parental control limits from the content provider, storing the received parental control limits in a customer profile, and filtering the media content based on the parental control limits to produce a filtered list of the media content. The method for modifying access to media content includes authenticating to a customer profile with a unique customer identifier, retrieving parental control limits from the customer profile, and modifying access to the media content based on the retrieved parental control limits. Changes in the parental control limits at a content provider may be detected and updated in the customer profile. |
| US09615132B2 |
System and method for presenting prioritized advertising data during execution of video trick play command data
A non-transitory computer readable medium containing computer executable instructions that when executed by a computer perform a method, the computer program including but not limited to instructions to track a portion of the advertising data forwarded from a first end user device to a second end user; instructions to generate, based on the tracking, penetration data indicating an extent to which the first end user device forwards and propagates the portion of the advertising data to other end users; and instructions to present a portion of the advertising data in a picture in picture display window on the end user device based on the prioritizing of the advertising data during execution of the trick play command data. |
| US09615130B2 |
Method and device for processing multimedia frame and storage medium
The disclosure discloses a method and device for processing a multimedia frame and a storage medium. The method includes: judging whether there is a multimedia frame in a buffer queue with a sudden change to a time difference thereof; and playing asynchronously M multimedia frames to be processed in a current processing cycle if there is a multimedia frame in the buffer queue with a sudden change to the time difference thereof, and playing synchronously the M multimedia frames to be processed in the current processing cycle if there is no multimedia frame in the buffer queue with a sudden change to the time difference thereof and the time differences of the M multimedia frames to be processed are below a preset threshold. |
| US09615127B2 |
Systems and methods for recording content from a different source when previous content runs over
Systems and methods for recording content from a different source when previous content runs over are provided. A recording of a first media asset from a first content source is scheduled. The first media asset is scheduled for transmission from the first content source at a start time following a scheduled transmission end time of a second media asset from the first content source. Transmission of the second media asset from the first content source is determined to run past the scheduled end time. A determination is made, based on a visual component and/or an audible component of the second media asset, that transmission of the first media asset at the start time from the first content source has been changed to a second content source. The recording of the first media asset is modified to record the first media asset at the start time from the second content source. |
| US09615124B1 |
Methods and systems for enhancing media viewing experiences
Methods and systems are described for a media guidance application that enhances the viewing experiences of users consuming media having important content. If a user tries to change a display away from first media to second media, where the first media has important content that will be displayed eminently, the first media having the important content may be displayed in full-screen and the second media may be displayed in a picture-in-picture window overlaid on the first media that continues to be displayed in full-screen. For example, in this manner, a user will not inadvertently change television channels away from a movie or sports game right before an important scene in the movie or an important play in the sports game is displayed. |
| US09615121B2 |
Broadcast receiver and tuning apparatus
A broadcast receiver includes a processor that processes a broadcasting signal, a detector that detects a level of a signal of a first predetermined band of the broadcasting signal, and an adjuster that adjusts at least one of a characteristic and an operation of the processor based on the detected level. |
| US09615119B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing timeshift service in digital broadcasting system and system thereof
A system and method for providing content in a digital broadcasting system are provided. The system includes a server for, after a lapse of a buffering time of a segment of the content, storing the segment, and for transmitting an updated Multimedia Presentation Description (MPD) including Uniform Resource Location (URL) information indicating a location where the segment is stored, and a client device for receiving the updated MPD, and for acquiring the segment stored in the location indicated by the URL information included in the updated MPD. |
| US09615115B2 |
Server side adaptive bit rate reporting
A server receives metadata associated with an advertisement in a transport signal stream from an encoder, the metadata identifying a specified frame of the transport signal stream corresponding to a point in time of the advertisement. The server instructs an encoder, by a server, to insert a marker into the specified frame of the transport signal stream, the marker identifying the point in time of the advertisement. The server receives data from a smart appliance. The server detects the marker in the data. The server identifies the marker as the specified frame of the transport signal stream played by the smart appliance. The server maps the marker to the identified point in time of the advertisement. |
| US09615107B2 |
Image coding method, image coding apparatus, image decoding method, image decoding apparatus, and image coding and decoding apparatus
An image coding method for coding an image on a block-by-block basis to generate a bitstream includes: deriving, as a first merging candidate, a merging candidate which is a combination of a prediction direction, a motion vector, and a reference picture index for use in coding of the current block; deriving, as a second merging candidate, a merging candidate having a motion vector which is a predetermined vector; selecting a merging candidate to be used for the coding of the current block from the derived first merging candidate and the derived second merging candidate; and attaching an index for identifying the selected merging candidate to the bitstream. |
| US09615104B2 |
Spatial variant dependency pattern method for GPU based intra prediction in HEVC
Systems, apparatus and methods are described including operations for graphics processing including spatial variant dependency pattern processing for GPU based intra prediction. |
| US09615102B2 |
Method and apparatus for processing components of an image
A method for processing components of an image for coding a sample of the image, the image being composed of a first type of component and a second type of component, wherein samples of the second type of component are predictable from samples of the first type of component using a prediction model, computing one parameter value for use in representing, in the prediction model, the link between the first type of component and the second type of component; detecting, whether or not, one type of error exists in one such computed parameter value of the prediction model and in the case where a first type of error is detected; adapting the computed parameter value to correct for the error detected; and predicting a sample of the second type from a sample of the first type using the prediction model and the adapted parameter value. |
| US09615096B2 |
Device and method for video encoding
A video encoding device calculates number of frames into which the current image needs to be encoded. The video encoding device divides the current image into a plurality of macro blocks, identifies importance of the respective macro blocks according to content of the current image and ranks the macro blocks from high to low according to the assigned importance. The video encoding device labels each macro block with a label, and encodes the macro blocks according to its label to form frames. |
| US09615095B2 |
Coding device, imaging device, coding transmission system, and coding method
A coding device includes: an obtaining section configured to obtain moving image data including a plurality of pieces of image data reproducible at a predetermined rate; a determining section configured to determine whether coding of each piece of the image data of the moving image data obtained by the obtaining section is necessary, and output an indicating signal indicating image data set as a coding object or image data not set as a coding object; and a coding performing section configured to be supplied with the indicating signal, and code the plurality of pieces of image data obtained by the obtaining section while discretely reducing the image data according to determination of the determining section. |
| US09615093B2 |
Method and appartus of adaptive loop filtering
A method and apparatus receives input data for in-loop processing, where the input data corresponds to reconstructed or reconstructed-and-deblocked coding units of the picture. The input data is divided into multiple filter units and each filter unit includes one or more boundary-aligned reconstructed or reconstructed-and-deblocked coding units. A candidate filter is then selected from a candidate filter set for the in-loop processing. The candidate filter set comprises at least two candidate filters the said in-loop processing corresponding to adaptive loop filter (ALF), adaptive offset (AO), or adaptive clipping (AC). The in-loop processing is then applied to one of the filter units to generate a processed filter unit by using the candidate filter selected to all boundary-aligned reconstructed or reconstructed-and-deblocked coding units in said one of the filter units. |
| US09615092B2 |
Image decoding apparatus and image coding apparatus
In a case that a pixel shape in a luma domain is not similar to a pixel shape in a chroma domain in an input image, a prediction image that is generated in the reuse of a luma prediction mode is made more accurate.A moving image decoding apparatus 1 includes a gradient deriving unit 1453B that references a chroma gradient definition DEFANG1C, and derives a chroma prediction direction from a prediction mode based on a luma prediction direction. |
| US09615089B2 |
Method of encoding and decoding multiview video sequence based on adaptive compensation of local illumination mismatch in inter-frame prediction
A technology for processing digital signals is provided, and more particularly, a method of encoding or decoding a multiview video sequence based on adaptive compensation of local illumination mismatches between frames of the multiview video sequence is provided. The method may be performed using a correction parameter used to correct a change in illumination. The correction parameter may be computed based on at least one of a first estimate estDi,j, a second estimate estRi,j, a value Ri,j of a pixel of a reference block, and values TDk and TRk of restored pixels. |
| US09615083B2 |
Display device
The purpose of the present invention is to provide a display device in which the occurrence of the crosstalk can be suppressed. A display unit includes a display panel (12), a storage unit (54), a confirmation unit (56), and a correction unit (52). The display panel displays a synthetic image. The storage unit stores respective crosstalk levels set with respect to a plurality of areas (13a, 13b, 13c) that the display panel has. The confirmation unit that confirms in which one of the plurality of areas a pixel exists that displays an image that a viewer is supposed to see, among the plurality of images contained in the synthetic image. The correction unit reads the crosstalk level corresponding to the area, among the plurality of areas, in which the confirmation unit confirms the pixel displaying the image that a viewer is supposed to see exist, from the storage unit, and corrects the gray scale level data of the pixel displaying the image that a viewer is supposed to see, by using the crosstalk level. |
| US09615081B2 |
Method and multi-camera portable device for producing stereo images
A method and a multi-camera portable device for producing stereo images. The device has at least two image sensors, at least one of which is arranged on a first face of the portable device and a second one of which is arranged on a second face of the portable device opposite to the first face thereof. The method involves substantially simultaneously recording a first image containing a picture of an object and a second image containing a picture of a mirrored view of the object, obtaining the direction and the length of a mirroring vector from the distance ratio of a first distance in reality and a corresponding second distance in the second image, obtaining a capturing focal length of the second image sensor, and transforming the coordinate system of the first image sensor into the coordinate system of the virtual second image sensor to generate a stereo image pair. |
| US09615079B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method
The present technique relates to an image processing apparatus and an image processing method capable of generating a color image of a display viewpoint using a color image and a depth image of a predetermined viewpoint.The viewpoint generation information generation unit generates viewpoint generation information used to generate a color image of a display viewpoint in accordance with a generation method of the color image of the display viewpoint obtained by performing warping processing using multi-viewpoint corrected color images and multi-viewpoint depth images. The multi-viewpoint image encoding unit encodes the multi-viewpoint corrected color images and the multi-viewpoint depth images, and transmits them with the viewpoint generation information. The present technique can be applied to, for example, a multi-viewpoint image processing apparatus. |
| US09615076B2 |
Display device, controller for controlling operation of the display device, and method for operating the display device
A display device may include a frame rate determining unit configured to receive an input image signal and configured to select, based on the input image signal, one of a first frame rate and a second frame rate to be a selected frame rate. The input image signal may include luminance information. The second frame rate may be equal to a natural number times the first frame rate. The natural number may be greater than or equal to 2. The display device may further include a display panel configured to display a first image according to at least a control signal generated based on the selected frame rate. |
| US09615075B2 |
Method and device for stereo base extension of stereoscopic images and image sequences
The invention relates to a method and a device for improving the depth impression of stereoscopic images and image sequences. In autostereoscopic multi-viewer display devices, generally a plurality of intermediate perspectives are generated, which lead to a reduced stereo base upon perception by the viewers. The stereo base widening presented in this application leads to a significant improvement and thus to a more realistic depth impression. It can either be effected during recording in the camera or be integrated into a display device. The improvement in the depth impression is achieved by the generation of synthetic perspectives situated, in the viewing direction of the camera lenses, on the left and right of the extreme left and extreme right recorded camera perspective on the right and left lengthening of the connection line formed by the extreme left and extreme right camera perspectives. These synthetic perspectives are calculated only on the basis of a disparity map, which is supplied or which is calculated in a preprocessing step. In this case, the method presented solves the following problems: 1. Calculation of the new extension perspectives, 2. Correct repositioning of the camera perspectives supplied within the visual zones, 3. Definition of which disparities are intended to be continued in the case of collision in the extension and 4. Interpolation of the image regions which become visible as a result of the extension of the stereo base. In this case, instances of left and right masking are also identified and optically correctly maintained and supplemented in the extension perspectives. |
| US09615072B2 |
Adaptive PAL field comber
An electronic device disclosed herein includes an adaptive comb to generate a combed video image from an image signal using frame combing or field combing, and a controller. The controller includes a field motion detector to determine a field motion value for a region as a function of field motion between adjacent fields of the image signal, and controller logic to generate a control signal to cause the adaptive comb to selectively comb the region using the frame combing or the field combing based upon the field motion value. The control signal causes the adaptive comb to process the region using frame combing when the field motion value is less than a first motion threshold value, process the region using field combing when the field motion value is indicative of motion, greater than the first motion threshold value, and less than a second motion threshold value. |
| US09615069B2 |
Light source unit and projector
A light source unit includes: a plurality of elemental light sources each including one or more light emitting elements and one or more drive circuits; a control circuit; and a plurality of color band light characteristic measurement sections each configured to receive light to generate color band light characteristic measurement data. A plurality of the light emitting elements in the elemental light sources includes light emitting elements different in wavelength band of emission wavelength from one another. The color band light characteristic measurement sections are provided corresponding to a plurality of the wavelength bands. One or more of the color band light characteristic measurement sections include a first light intensity measurement section and a second light intensity measurement section. The control circuit generates light intensity indicating values and wavelength deviation indicating values, generates color phase indicating values, and performs first feedback control on the drive circuits. |
| US09615068B2 |
Optical vortex 3D displays
A method for generating three dimensional (3D) displays. The method includes displaying a hologram that combines three (or more) images encoded into three (or more) different OAM channels, and the method also includes reflecting light from the displayed hologram to create a multichannel light beam. Then, the method involves decoding the multichannel light beam to decode and display the three encoded images. The decoding step includes displaying the three encoded images in decoded form in three view zones, three focal planes, or on three spaced-apart planes. The decoding is performed by a single decoding screen using holograms used for generating the three encoded images or is performed by three decoding screens configured based on a differing one of the holograms used for generating the three encoded images. The displaying of the hologram step includes operating a spatial light modulator (SLM) to display the hologram on a screen of the SLM. |
| US09615067B1 |
Head mounted digital viewing system
The head mounted digital viewing system includes a sensor system, positionable substantially directly in front of the eyes of the user. The sensor system provides sensor video data. An image processing system is configured to receive the sensor video data. The image processing system modifies the sensor video data and provides display video data. A display system is positionable substantially in front of the eyes of the user. The display system is configured to receive the display video data and provide a display image to at least one eye of the user. The display system is positionable between the sensor system and at least one eye of the user. The line of sight of the sensor system and the display system are substantially aligned with the line of sight of at least one eye of the user. The sensor system and the display system are mechanically separate from each other and mechanically aligned with each other. |
| US09615066B1 |
Smart lighting and city sensor
An Internet of Thing (IoT) device for a city includes a light source; sensors including a camera and a microphone array; a processor coupled to the light source and the sensor; and a wireless transceiver coupled to the processor. |
| US09615065B2 |
Security system and method with help and login for customization
A user-centric management application system and method for a security system that conceptualizes the security devices and the tasks to perform on the security devices as separate objects with common properties and behavior. Operators of the system create abstract containers, called dockviews, which the operator adds objects to in order to perform specific tasks. Because the operator assigns user access to dockviews and objects, the system tailors system access for both application users and tenants of the security system based on policy objectives. Dockviews have the ability to open in separate application windows to support priority display and isolation of critical management tasks. The system provides integrated user administration, event management and reports capability, a consistent “look and feel,” and system-wide automated event notification via a watchlist window. |
| US09615062B2 |
Multi-resolution image display
An image display method includes: receiving, from a single camera, first and second image information for first and second captured images captured from different perspectives, the first image information having a first data density; selecting a portion of the first captured image for display with a higher level of detail than other portions of the first captured image, the selected portion corresponding to a first area of the first captured image; displaying the selected portion in a first displayed image, using a second data density relative to the selected portion of the first captured image; and displaying another portion of the first captured image, in a second displayed image, using a third data density; where the another portion of the first captured image is other than the selected portion of the first captured image; and where the third data density is lower than the second data density. |
| US09615059B2 |
Imaging apparatus, medium, and method for imaging
An imaging apparatus includes a storage unit to store information about one or more persons, the information about each of the persons including a direction in which the person exists, and permission for imaging the person by an imaging unit, and the information about each of the persons being associated with identification information to uniquely identify the person; a detection unit to detect a direction in which a person who speaks exists; a determination unit to determine whether the person in the detected direction is permitted for imaging, based on the information about the person stored in the storage unit; and a control unit to control an imaging direction of the imaging unit to turn towards the detected direction of the person, in a case where the determination unit has determined that the person in the detected direction is permitted for imaging. |
| US09615058B2 |
Apparatus and method for sharing content items among a plurality of mobile devices
Embodiments of the present invention allow a collection of users (referred to herein as a “forum”) to communicate and exchange content items as part of an interactive communication system (referred to herein as the “Reel service”). Each user has a mobile device (e.g., a mobile phone) running an application (referred to herein as the “Reel application”). The Reel application running in each mobile device is in communication with a server infrastructure. The Reel application implements client-side functions of the Reel service while the server infrastructure implements server-side functions of the Reel service. Users of a reel can create and share content items while simultaneously being able to monitor content being captured by other users through a single user interface, even on a mobile device where screen real estate is limited. |
| US09615056B2 |
System and method for video communication on mobile devices
A video teleconferencing system which allows a mobile device to conduct teleconferences over fixed and mobile packet networks with end points with other mobile devices or a personal computer. The mobile device includes a user interface that displays a video image associated with a first participant. A selectable user interface element corresponding to a second participant video image may be displayed on the user interface and in response to selection of the selectable user interface element, a video image associated with the second participant may be displayed. |
| US09615053B2 |
Systems and methods for controlling robotic stands during videoconference operation
Systems and methods are disclosed for selecting and orienting a computing device mounted on a robotic stand for videoconferences. For example, a method for operating a robotic stand supporting a computing device is disclosed, which includes displaying, by a display of a remote device, a control interface depicting a physical location that includes a plurality of robotic stands with respective computing devices. The method further includes providing, responsive to a user of the remote device interacting with the control interface, a selection instruction selecting a region of the physical location for viewing with one of the plurality of robotic stands with respective computing devices, and generating, by the control interface, a positioning instruction based on the selected region of the physical location, the positioning instruction configured to orient the robotic stand including the computing device determined to be available to face the region of the physical location. |
| US09615051B2 |
Performing video processing for frame sequential display for alternately displaying right and left images of stereoscopic video signals
A stereoscopic video processing system includes an output image generator configured to generate interpolation frames in interpolation phases using the frames of the input video signal and the motion vector and output the frames of the input video signal or the interpolation frames as the frames of an output video signal. The stereoscopic video processing system further includes an output controller configured to (i) determine whether frames of the input video signal include image regions with motion based on the motion vector, (ii) control the output image generator to output the interpolation frames upon determining the frames of the input video signal include the image regions with motion, and (iii) control the output image generator to output the frames of the input video signal upon determining the frames of the input video signal does not include image regions with motion. |
| US09615048B2 |
Controller device, information processing system, and communication method
An object is to appropriately transmit operation data from a controller device to an information processing device. The controller device is capable of wirelessly communicating with the information processing device. The controller device includes a generating unit, a communication unit, and a display unit. The generating unit generates operation data based on an operation performed on the controller device. The communication unit receives one image's worth of image data from the information processing device with a first frequency, the image data generated in the information processing device through a process performed based on the operation data, and transmits the operation data to the information processing device with a second frequency that is higher than the first frequency. The display unit displays an image based on the image data. |
| US09615047B1 |
Digital read-out integrated circuit with modulated light source rejection
According to one aspect, embodiments herein provide a digital pixel circuit comprising a detector configured to discharge a well capacitor when voltage across the well capacitor exceeds a threshold, a DROIC configured, in a first mode, to increment a reset counter when the well capacitor is discharged, and in a second mode, to ignore the discharging of the well capacitor, and a processing unit configured to monitor a count rate of the DROIC, transmit a signal at a first level when the count rate is less than a threshold, and transmit a signal at a second level when the count rate is greater than the threshold, wherein, the DROIC is further configured, in response to receiving the signal at the first level, to operate in the first mode, and in response to receiving the signal at the second level, to operate in the second mode. |
| US09615045B2 |
Image capturing apparatus and method for controlling the image capturing apparatus
An image capturing apparatus comprises an image sensor and a generation unit configured to generate a signal of each of the pixels from the signals respectively read out from the plurality of charge accumulation units. The image sensor includes a plurality of pixels, each of the pixels including: a photoelectric conversion unit; a plurality of charge accumulation units for accumulating a charge generated in the photoelectric conversion unit; a control unit configured to control accumulation of charge in each of the plurality of charge accumulation units; and a readout unit configured to read out a signal corresponding to the charge from each of the plurality of charge accumulation units. The photoelectric conversion unit is formed in a first chip, and the plurality of charge accumulation units, the control unit, and the readout unit are formed in a second chip. |
| US09615044B2 |
Imaging apparatus and method of driving the same
An imaging apparatus and a method of driving the same that can generate a digital data of a high resolution pixel signal are provided. The imaging apparatus includes: a pixel (10-1) for generating a signal by photoelectric conversion; a comparing circuit (30-1) for comparing a signal based on the pixel with a time-dependent reference signal; a counter circuit (40-1) performing a counting operating until an inversion of a magnitude relation between the signal based on the pixel and the time-dependent reference signal; and a selecting circuit (30-2) for setting a time-dependent change rate of the reference signal, according to a signal level of the signal based on the pixel. |
| US09615042B2 |
Image pickup apparatus having photoelectric conversion function
An image pickup apparatus that makes it possible to achieve both high picture quality and a wide dynamic range is provided. Each pixel unit included in the image pickup apparatus includes: four photodiodes; four transfer transistors; a charge storage portion (four floating diffusions) for storing electric charges generated at the photodiodes; an amplification transistor; a select transistor; and a reset transistor. The image pickup apparatus further includes multiple coupling transistors. Each coupling transistor couples together the charge storage portions of two pixel units of the pixel units. A scanning circuit switches on or off the coupling transistors according to read mode. |
| US09615041B2 |
Image sensor and method of manufacturing the same
Provided are an image sensor and a method of manufacturing the same. The method may include forming a photo-electric conversion region and a charge storage region in a semiconductor layer; forming a transistor on a front surface of the semiconductor layer; forming a recess by etching a portion of the semiconductor layer between the charge storage region and a rear surface of the semiconductor layer; and forming on a bottom surface of the recess a shield film that blocks light incident on the charge storage region. |
| US09615040B2 |
Determining a maximum inscribed size of a rectangle
Embodiments perform an iterative process for enlarging a rectangle having a fixed aspect ratio within a convex polygon to find the largest rectangular area within the convex polygon. The iterative process includes detecting an intersection of one or more corners of the rectangle with the convex polygon and adjusting a position of the rectangle based on the quantity of intersecting corners. The iterative growth process continues until a maximum inscribed size of the rectangle has been determined. Some embodiments process images from bracketed photography and crop areas outside the determined maximum inscribed size when combining the images into a single image. |
| US09615039B2 |
Systems and methods for reducing noise in video streams
Disclosed are apparatus and methods for denoising a video stream of a camera. A current frame of the video stream and a temporally adjacent frame of the video stream that has been previously spatially and temporally denoised are obtained. The current frame is first spatially denoised, while preserving edges in such current frame to generate a plurality of spatially denoised pixels for the current frame. A particular pixel of the current frame is then both spatially and temporally denoised based on a weighted averaging of the particular pixel's associated spatially denoised pixel from the current frame and a plurality of pixels from the temporally adjacent frame that have already been spatially and temporally denoised. |
| US09615033B2 |
Image sensor with transfer gate control signal lines
There is provided an image sensor including at least three pixel transfer control signal lines, on a per line basis, configured to control exposure start and end timings of a pixel in order for exposure timings of a plurality of the pixels constituting one line in a specific direction to have at least three patterns. |
| US09615027B2 |
Image processing apparatus that displays an indicator image for performing predetermined processing on image data, image processing method, and computer readable storage medium
Problem: To simplify an operation for causing an apparatus to perform desired control.Solution to Problem: In an image capturing apparatus 1, an image capturing unit 16 continuously captures an image of a subject and sequentially outputs image data. An image analysis unit 53 determines whether or not there is an instruction regarding storage of the image data outputted by the image capturing unit 16. A storage control unit 56 carries out control to store the image data outputted from the image capturing unit 16 in a storage unit 19 upon it being determined that there is an instruction regarding storage. An output control unit 51 carries out control to display, in an output unit 18, a live view image corresponding to the image data sequentially outputted by the image capturing unit 16 along with a first indicator image for processing the stored image data. An image analysis unit 53 determines whether or not a position of the image of the subject in the live view image displayed in the output unit 18 overlaps with a position of the first indicator image, and when it is determined that the images overlap, predetermined processing is carried out on the image data stored in the storage unit 19. |
| US09615026B2 |
Imaging apparatus and control method of imaging apparatus
A digital camera includes: a display unit of a variable angle monitor unit linked to a main body unit including an imaging unit, so as to be capable of opening and closing as to the main body unit; a variable angle state detecting unit to detect the position of the variable angle monitor unit as to the main body unit; and a system control unit to effect control such that, in a case of the variable angle state detecting unit detecting that the position of the variable angle monitor unit has changed from a closed position to an open position, a newest image is not displayed on the display unit if time elapsed from shooting immediately prior is a predetermined amount of time or more, and the newest image shot immediately prior is displayed on the display unit if the time elapsed is less than the predetermined amount of time. |
| US09615022B2 |
High-resolution imaging devices using low-resolution sensors and compressive sensing exploiting joint sparsity
A method and system for reconstructing an image of a scene comprises configuring a digital light modulator according to a spatially varying pattern. Light energy associated with the scene and incident on the spatially varying pattern is collected and optically focused on the photodetectors. Data indicative of the intensity of the focused light energy from each of said at least two photodetectors is collected. Data from the photodetectors is then combined to reconstruct an image of the scene. |
| US09615021B2 |
Image capture device with adaptive white balance correction using a switchable white reference
This disclosure relates to image capture devices with the ability to perform adaptive white balance correction using a switchable white reference (SWR). In some embodiments, the image capture device utilizes “true white” information to record images that better represent users' perceptions. In other embodiments, the same SWR and camera that dynamically sample ambient lighting conditions are used to determine “true white” in near real-time. In other embodiments, the image capture device comprises a display screen that utilizes the “true white” information in near real-time to dynamically adjust the display. In other embodiments, face detection techniques and/or ambient light sensors may be used to determine which device camera is most closely-aligned with the direction that the user of the device is currently looking in, and using it to capture a “true white” image in the direction that most closely corresponds to the ambient lighting conditions that currently dominate the user's perception. |
| US09615020B2 |
Auto focus method and apparatus using the same
An auto focus method includes (a) obtaining a selected exposure value and an un-normalized contrast value; (b) executing a normalized contrast value obtaining procedure at each of the stepping positions; and (c) executing a focal point searching procedure according to the normalized contrast values. Accordingly, the normalization procedure is applied to eliminate the effect of the exposure value on the contrast value, so that the focal point of the image can be obtained correctly. In addition, an image capturing apparatus using the focus method is provided. |
| US09615018B2 |
Electronic apparatus and method of controlling the same
A digital image processing apparatus and a method of controlling the same are provided. The method of controlling an image plane phase difference digital image processing apparatus, the method includes, in a continuous photographing mode for continuously capturing still images, performing a first focus detection by detecting phase difference of an image captured during a first image capture; performing a second focus detection by detecting phase difference of an image captured during a second image capture; determining moving speed of an object based on results of the first focus detection and the second focus detection; and correcting focus location by driving a focusing lens based on the determined moving speed of the object. |
| US09615015B2 |
Systems methods for camera control using historical or predicted event data
According to some embodiments, systems, methods, apparatus, and computer program code for controlling a video camera to capture video associated with an event are provided which use historical or predictive data. In some embodiments, historical event information and participant information is received. Video camera configuration and position data is received, as well as current event data. The current event data may be received substantially in real time from the event. Video camera control signals are generated based on at least one of the event information, the participant information, and the current event data. The control signals are transmitted to a video camera to control the operation of the video camera. |
| US09615013B2 |
Image sensor having multiple output ports
An apparatus is described that includes an image sensor having a first output port and a second output port. The first output port is to transmit a first image stream concurrently with a second image stream transmitted from the second output port. |
| US09615011B1 |
Electronic device with efficient thermal dissipation
An electronic device includes an elongated tubular housing. One or more electronic components are coupled to a chassis disposed in a cavity of the tubular housing. A pair of elongated channels are positioned on opposite sides of the chassis and between the chassis and a sidewall of the tubular housing. The channels are tapered or wedge-shaped along their lengths. During assembly, one of the channels may be slid longitudinally along the other, causing the channels to expand laterally, due to their wedge shape, to secure the chassis in the tubular housing. The chassis and the pair of channels provide a thermally conductive path to dissipate heat. During use, heat generated by the electronic components is transmitted radially outward from the electronic components, through the chassis and the pair of channels, and through the tubular housing to the exterior of the portable electronic device. |
| US09615008B2 |
Imaging lens and imaging apparatus equipped with the same
An imaging lens consists of a front group having a positive refractive power, a stop, and a rear group having a positive refractive power. The front group is composed of a front group negative lens group constituted by two or more negative lenses and a front group positive lens group constituted by a plurality of lenses with a positive lens being disposed on the most object side to have a positive refractive power, in order from the object side. The rear group includes at least one negative lens. When the Abbe number of the most object side positive lens in the front group positive lens group with respect to the d-line is taken as νp, the imaging lens satisfies a conditional expression (1): νp<30. |
| US09615007B2 |
Oven camera assembly
A camera assembly for an oven appliance including an attachment mechanism, an arm, and a camera is provided. The attachment mechanism is configured for attachment to a handle of an oven appliance door. The arm extends from the attachment mechanism to the camera, and attaches to at least one of the camera or a housing, if provided. The camera records or transmits images of the oven cavity to, e.g., a user device allowing a user to monitor a doneness of any food items positioned within the oven appliance. |
| US09615003B2 |
Gamma applied data generating circuit and display device including the same
Gamma applied data generating circuit includes motion vector extractor, gamma pattern generator, first gamma applier, second gamma applier, and output converter. Motion vector extractor extracts motion vector of object. Gamma pattern generator generates first gamma pattern corresponding to first motion vector value and second gamma pattern corresponding to second motion vector value from first time point. Value of motion vector is changed from first motion vector value to second motion vector value at first time point. First and second gamma appliers generate first and second data by applying first and second gamma pattern to input data, respectively. Output converter outputs sum of first data times first weight and second data times second weight as gamma applied data. From first time point to second time point, output converter converts first weight from 1 to 0 and converts second weight from 0 to 1. |
| US09615000B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method for efficiently reserving memory
An image processing apparatus has at least one standard function to be available upon start-up of the image processing apparatus itself and at least one optional function to be available by settings. The image processing apparatus includes an image input portion that inputs image data, an encoder that encodes the input image data, a main memory that stores the encoded image data, a non-volatile memory that stores a backup copy of the image data stored on the main memory, a settings portion that allows setting the optional function available, and a controller that reserves a memory area for an optional program to execute the available optional function in the main memory, and a memory area for input of the encoded image data in the main memory, the memory area being smaller than a memory area to be reserved if the optional function is unavailable. |
| US09614999B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method with edge enhancement
An image processing apparatus includes a gain calculation unit that calculates a plurality of first gains that respectively correspond to a plurality of predetermined edges based on a target pixel value and values of pixels adjacent to the target pixel, a blend ratio calculation unit that calculates a plurality of characteristic amounts that represent an accuracy of detecting the plurality of edges based on the target pixel value and the adjacent pixel values and calculates a plurality of weights that respectively correspond to the plurality of first gains based on the plurality of characteristic amounts, a gain adjustment unit that calculates a second gain based on the plurality of first gains and the plurality of weights and an output image generation unit that applies the second gain to the target pixel value to generate output image data. |
| US09614996B2 |
Image processing apparatus, method therefor, and image reading apparatus
Based on attachment position information of each of a plurality of sensor units, which reads an image in each area obtained by dividing the area of an original in a sub-scanning direction, image data output from the sensor unit undergoes attachment error correction of correcting the attachment error of the sensor unit. Image data output from the plurality of sensor units then undergo joint processing. Based on the placement information of the original, tilt correction of correcting the tilt of the original is performed for the image data having undergone the joint processing. |
| US09614995B1 |
System and method for generating vector based correlation marks and vector based gloss effect image patterns for rendering on a recording medium
Correlation marks and gloss effect image patterns are created with vector-based electronic pattern inks. In creating a correlation mark, which is only visible by viewing the image through a reference screen, two vector-based electronic pattern inks are utilized to create the correlation mark, wherein the vector pattern in one electronic pattern ink is parallel, but out of phase, to the vector pattern in the other electronic pattern ink and the vectors of both electronic pattern inks are painted as thin lines. In creating a gloss effect, which is only visible by viewing the image at a predetermined angle, two vector-based electronic pattern inks are utilized to create the gloss effect, wherein the vector pattern in one electronic pattern ink is orthogonal to the vector pattern in the other electronic pattern ink and the vectors of both electronic pattern inks are painted as thick lines. |
| US09614987B2 |
Mobile device and image forming apparatus for providing user interface screen, and method of providing user interface screen in the mobile device and image forming apparatus
A mobile device or an image forming apparatus for providing a user interface, wherein the mobile device or the image forming apparatus receives product specifications of the mobile device or the image forming apparatus via near field communication (NFC) to determine a layout of the user interface of the mobile device or the image forming apparatus, and displays the user interface having the layout determined with respect to a predetermined application before. |
| US09614985B2 |
Information processing apparatus, method of controlling the same for cooperative operation of programs executed on platforms, and storage medium
Provided are an information processing apparatus including a plurality of different software platforms and a method of controlling the same, in which service information provided by first software for operating on a first software platform of the plurality of software platforms is transformed into information that is able to be used by a second software platform of the plurality of software platforms and is registered, and second software for operating on the second software platform calls the registered information, the information is transformed into service information provided by the first software so that the first software is able to provide a service corresponding to the service information. |
| US09614983B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and computer program product
An information processing apparatus has one or more programs to execute a workflow and receives an execution request for the workflow. The information processing apparatus includes a workflow storage unit to store therein one or more workflow definitions each defining a workflow including an execution sequence of one or more processes each executed by any of the one or more programs; a selecting unit to receive a selection of a workflow to be executed based on the workflow definitions stored in the workflow storage unit; an editing unit to edit the selected workflow to be executed in response to a user operation to edit the selected workflow; and a workflow controller to execute, in response to reception of an execution request for the edited workflow to be executed, the edited workflow by any of the one or more programs corresponding to a process included in the edited workflow. |
| US09614973B1 |
Voice over internet protocol credentials
A computer-implemented method to provide voice-over-internet protocol (VoIP) credentials to a device may include receiving, at a system, first credentials from a device. The method may also include authenticating the device using the first credentials and after authenticating the device, obtaining, at the system, a device identifier for the device based on the first credentials. The method may further include establishing a connection between the system and a VoIP system configured to provide VoIP services and after establishing the connection, providing, from the system, the device identifier to the VoIP system. The method may also include receiving, at the system, VoIP credentials for the device. In some embodiments, the VoIP credentials may be configured to authenticate the device with the VoIP system such that the device is able to receive the VoIP services from the VoIP system. The method may further include providing the VoIP credentials to the device. |
| US09614970B1 |
Telephone conferencing apparatus
A telephone conferencing apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus utilizes Bluetooth or similar wireless data exchange technology to connect a mobile telephone to an audio conferencing system. The device transmits processed audio from local input sources over the Bluetooth-enabled mobile telephone utilizing the mobile phone network of the user's choice. Audio signals received into the device from mobile telephones are sent to the far end during a telephone conference call, and audio signals from the far-end on a mobile or wireless telephone call will route to the audio output on the local device. |
| US09614968B2 |
Managing access to a conference call
Managing access to a conference call includes obtaining, via a calendar application, a list of participants, the list of participants includes a number of participants to be included in a conference call, identifying, from the list of participants, a first portion of the participants that have personal passcodes, generating guest passcodes for a second portion of the participants associated with the list of participants that do not have the personal passcodes, and permitting, based on the personal passcodes or the guest passcodes, each of the participants to participate in the conference call. |
| US09614967B2 |
International dialing through a relay
Systems and methods for international dialing through a relay are provided. In an example embodiment, a communication is received at a server from a communication application installed on a device of a caller. The communication includes a destination number. A mapping of the destination number to a single call attribute is stored in a database of the server. A call to a pool number is received at the server from the caller. A determination is made of a call attribute from the call. Based on the call attribute from the call matching the single call attribute mapped to the destination number, the call is connected to the destination number. |
| US09614964B2 |
Consumer electronic registration, control and support concierge device and method
We disclose a concierge device that can be configured to register, control and support a consumer device. It can alternatively or redundantly connect to a home management bridge and/or cloud-based management servers. It can accept menus that allow a single concierge device to provide a wide range of functions for various consumer devices. The concierge device allows the user in a single action to initiate a support session, automatically identifying the consumer device. The concierge device can be configured for voice or video support calls. The concierge device in conjunction with a home management bridge or gateway can manage on boarding of components of an automated home, such as switches and lamps. Implementations of the concierge device that include a display can show supplemental information, such as advertising, optionally in coordination with media being played on a consumer device coupled in communication with the concierge device. |
| US09614963B2 |
Cloud-based global alarm annunciation system for industrial systems
A cloud-based global alarm annunciation broker assist in locating and contacting suitable technical support personnel in response to detected alarm events at a plant facility. The system comprises a cloud-based framework that dynamically matches on-site alarm events to domain experts capable of addressing the alarm events. The framework uses an agent-based architecture to gather industrial data from data sources within the industrial environment, including time-series alarm data. The data is received at a cloud platform, where broker services perform a global search for suitable technical support resources in response to alarm events identified by the collected data. The brokering system can automatically generate service tickets and send notifications to both end users and system managers/supervisors, and can notify application-level experts about events and anomalies that emerge from the on-premise processes being monitored by the cloud-based broker system. |
| US09614962B2 |
System and method for analyzing and classifying calls without transcription
A facility and method for analyzing and classifying calls without transcription. The facility analyzes individual frames of an audio to identify speech and measure the amount of time spent in speech for each channel (e.g., caller channel, agent channel). Additional telephony metrics such as R-factor or MOS score and other metadata may be factored in as audio analysis inputs. The facility then analyzes the frames together as a whole and formulates a clustered-frame representation of a conversation to further identify dialog patterns and characterize call classification. Based on the data in the clustered-frame representation, the facility is able to make estimations of call classification. The correlation of dialog patterns to call classification may be utilized to develop targeted solutions for call classification issues, target certain advertising channels over others, evaluate advertising placements at scale, score callers, and to identify spammers. |
| US09614958B2 |
Predictive computer network services provisioning for mobile users
A predictive network service provisioning method uses personal schedule information of a user [120] to predict the geographic/network location of the user, the operational context of a user, and/or the computation and communication needs of a user. These predicted user attributes may be used to reduce network latency by prepositioning user data [122] at a location [126] closer to the user, allocating services and/or resources for the user at the predicted location, and/or providing the user with access to the prepositioned personal data files [138] and services when requested by the user. |
| US09614957B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing a customer premise based communication system
A method and an apparatus for providing a customer premise based feature. For example, the method receives a call directed to a customer, wherein the call is associated with a customer premise based feature. The method then forwards the call to a customer premise based communication system located at a location of the customer, wherein the customer premise based feature is implemented locally by the customer premise based communication system. |
| US09614953B1 |
Key fob with novel electro-mechanical means for key / phone locator applications
The invention is a novel keychain attachment (or key fob) that will be useful for communicating with a smart phone via Bluetooth. These devices, which are currently available commercially, are used for locating the owner's keys by emitting an audible sound when the owner touches a button on his/her cell phone. Such a device can also be used for locating the owner's phone by conversely sending a signal that will make the phone emit an audible sound. Because those devices are typically small and must include a tactile button, it is not currently possible to manufacture such a device in the form of an ornamental figure, such as an animal, a cartoon character, etc. This invention introduces a novel electromechanical mechanism for activating the required wireless functions in the key fob, while allowing the device to be manufactured in the shape of an attractive ornamental figure. |
| US09614952B2 |
Wireless alerting system for personal area asset supervision
The present invention relates to a wireless alerting system for personal area asset supervision, the system includes an observing device, using a host apparatus such as Bluetooth, capable of monitoring at least one identifier device located within a selected proximity which encompasses an area in a selected radius of distance; wherein the observing device provides infrastructure for the system including power supply and a user interface; and wherein the identifier device is a generic tag or customized to some extent in the system for attachment to any item. |
| US09614949B2 |
WIFI connectivity in a modular portable cellular device
A system and method of networking in a portable device in a modular device environment detects connection of a second device to the portable device, and configures the second device to form a parallel network connection with the portable device. In an embodiment, the second device is configured to form a direct WiFi connection to the portable device when the devices are separated. |
| US09614948B2 |
Telephone and audio controlling method thereof
A telephone and an audio control method thereof are provided. The telephone includes a connector, a detecting circuit and an audio control unit. The connector connects an audio transceiver. The detecting circuit couples the connector, and generates a detecting voltage by detecting the audio transceiver through the connector. The audio controlling unit couples the detecting circuit and the connector. The audio control unit includes an analog-to-digital converter, an audio codec and a processing unit. The analog-to-digital converter is configured to covert the detecting voltage into a digital code. The audio codec provides at least two audio configurations. The processing unit identifies the audio transceiver according to the digital code, and controls the audio codec to switch to the audio configuration adapted to the identified audio transceiver to process audio data of the audio transceiver. |
| US09614942B2 |
Systems and methods for tangible configuration of a modular mobile electronic device
A system for tangible configuration of a modular mobile electronic device includes a set of emulator modules, each comprising a processor and configurable to represent any of a set of full modules available for use with the modular mobile electronic device a chassis that mechanically couples to at least one of the set of emulator modules, and a module configurator that associates each of the set of emulator modules with an emulation profile. |
| US09614941B2 |
Electronic device including openable cover
An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a housing of the electronic device, a glass cover installed in at least a portion of the housing, and an opening and closing unit installed to open or close the glass cover from the housing. |
| US09614940B2 |
Handheld electronic product
A handheld electronic product comprising a square housing, where four corners of the housing are provided with bezels, and the left side and the right side of the housing have no bezels, a glass cover is built into the housing in a retracted manner, the rear surface of the glass cover is connected to the housing, and the bezels provided at the four corners of the housing are higher than the rear surface of the glass cover. Embodiments of the present invention can reduce a width of the handheld electronic product and assembly procedures. |
| US09614938B2 |
Method and apparatus for indicating a frame type using a preamble
Disclosed are a method and a device for transmitting a data block. The method involves generating and transmitting a physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU) that includes a short training field, a long training field and a signal field. The signal field includes a frame type field that has a length of one bit and indicates whether the PPDU includes a control medium access control (MAC) frame. The device is capable of performing the method. |
| US09614936B2 |
Method and apparatus for processing MPEG media transport protocol packets
Disclosed herein are a method and apparatus for processing MMTP packets. When an MMTP packet is transmitted, the packet processing apparatus calculates a reference value from partial field values of a reference MMTP packet header, and inserts the calculated reference value into the compressed header. By the reference value, MMTP packets may be correctly distinguished and may be correctly referred to when there are two reference MMTP packets in which the lower 5 bits of packet sequence numbers are identical to each other, or even when the number of reference MMTP packets is a multiple of 256. |
| US09614934B2 |
Methods and systems for harvesting comments regarding users on a network-based facility
Systems and methods for harvesting comments regarding users on a network-based facility are described. The method involves presenting a single input interface via a communications network that includes input mechanisms. The input mechanisms include a first input mechanism facilitating user input of comment information that pertains to a first user and a second input mechanism facilitating user input of comment information that pertains to a second user. The method further involves receiving the comment information via the communications network. The comment information is provided through the single input interface and pertains to the first user and the second user. |
| US09614931B2 |
Identifying a resource set require for a requested application and launching the resource set in a container for execution in a host operating system
Methods and systems for providing one or more software applications. The methods and systems involve receiving an application request from a user device identifying, at least, a software application to be provided by a host computer server; providing a resource library for the host computer server that defines the resources required for providing each software application; identifying, from the resource library, a set of resources required for providing the requested software application, the set of resources includes at least one resource required for an application operating system to support the requested software application; and providing the requested software application with the set of resources. The application operating system can be different from a host operating system at the host computer server. The set of resources can be launched as a containerized resource instance, which is operationally isolated from other containerized resource instances provided by the host computer server. |
| US09614926B2 |
Parallel I/O write processing for use in clustered file systems having cache storage
In one embodiment, a method includes using an owner gateway node to write data for a fileset, determining whether to utilize other gateway nodes to handle a portion of write traffic for the fileset, selecting a set of eligible gateway nodes based on: a current internal workload, a network workload, and recent performance history data in regard to workload distribution across the other gateway nodes, assigning and defining a size for one or more write task items for each gateway node in the set based on a current dynamic profile of each gateway node, providing availability to in-memory and/or I/O resources at each gateway node in the set to handle assigned write task items, and distributing workload to the set of eligible gateway nodes according to the size for each of the assigned write task items for each individual gateway node in the set of eligible gateway nodes. |
| US09614925B2 |
Intelligent file pre-fetch based on access patterns
Files and/or file updates can be pre-fetched from a server to reduce file access periods as well as shift network usage from high traffic periods to low traffic periods. For example, a file that was previously expelled from a cache can be pre-fetched from the server prior to a future period in which a client is likely to re-access the file. As another example, a file update for a file that remains stored in the cache can be pre-fetched from the server prior to a future period in which a client is likely to re-access the file. The file update may then be used to update the stored file. The file and/or updated-file can then be provided directly from the cache to the client when the client re-accesses the file. |
| US09614922B2 |
Switching of electronic social presence between devices
A processor implemented method, system, and/or computer program product switches an electronic social presence between a first device and a second device. An electronic signal indicating a signing in to a social presence server by the first device is received. A determination is made as to whether the first device and the second device are physically located farther apart than a predetermined distance. In response to determining that the first device and the second device are physically located farther apart than the predetermined distance, the first device signs out from the social presence server, the second device signs in to the social presence server, and a history associated with the electronic social presence is transferred from the first device to the second device. |
| US09614921B2 |
Facilitating user interactions based on proximity
Techniques are described for providing location-based information and functionality to people and computing devices in various ways. In at least some situations, the techniques include enabling multiple people in a common geographic area to interact in various ways, such as via devices capable of communications (e.g., cellular telephones, computing devices with wired and/or wireless communications capabilities, etc.). In addition, the techniques include enabling the creation and maintenance of location-based virtual groups of users (also referred to as “clouds”), such as for users of mobile and/or fixed-location devices. Such clouds may enable various types of interactions between group members, and may be temporary and/or mobile. |
| US09614910B2 |
Maintenance of a fabric priority among operations in related fibre channel exchanges
Provided are a method, a system, and a computer program that use a Fibre Connection (FICON) protocol, in which a first device that is coupled to a second device receives an outbound exchange from the second device, wherein one or more Fibre Channel frames of the outbound exchange have a priority indicated by the second device. The first device responds to the second device with an inbound exchange, wherein one or more Fibre Channel frames of the inbound exchange have an identical priority to the priority indicated by the second device in the outbound exchange. In additional embodiments, priority is maintained across related exchange pairs. |
| US09614909B2 |
High speed asynchronous remote mirroring
A method for generating remote replicates of a logical volume at a remote site, the method comprises performing a plurality of replication cycles for generating a plurality (N) of points in time replicates of the logical volume at the remote site. Wherein for each positive integer n that ranges between 2 and N, a performing of a n'th replication cycle comprises: calculating in parallel and by multiple computerized resources of a storage system, multiple n'th point in time differences of multiple subsets of the logical volume; wherein n'th point in time differences of different subsets are calculated by different computerized resources; wherein a n'th point in time difference of a subset is a difference between an (n−1)'th point in time content of the subset and an n'th point in time content of the subset; and sending, in parallel, the multiple n'th point in time differences to the remote site. |
| US09614907B2 |
Expediting content retrieval using peer-to-peer networks
A download manger running on a computer system identifies an in-progress download of content by the computer system directly from a content system. The download manager causes the computer system to join a peer-to-peer network in which the content is being shared. The computer system starts to receive data blocks of the content from peer-to-peer network, as it continues the download from the content system. Based on the receipt of the content from the peer-to-peer network and from the content system, the download manager determines whether the computer system should rely primarily on the peer-to-peer network instead of the content system for receiving the content. If a determination is made to rely on the peer-to-peer network instead of the content system, the download manager terminates the download from the content system and continues receiving data blocks of the content from the peer-to-peer network. |
| US09614906B1 |
Application-specific connectivity loss detection for multicast virtual private networks
An egress network device of a point-to-point (P2P) tunnel can receive an LSP Ping message via the P2P tunnel from an ingress network device of the P2P LSP, wherein the LSP Ping message specifies a label that the egress network device associates with a service provided to the egress network device via the P2P tunnel. In response to receiving the LSP Ping message, the egress network device can store an association between the label and the P2P tunnel. The egress network device also uses a fault detection network protocol session over the P2P tunnel to monitor a state of the P2P tunnel. In response to detecting based on the fault detection network protocol session that the state of the P2P tunnel is down, the egress network device determines the service is unavailable from the ingress network device via the P2P tunnel, and selects a new source to provide the service. |
| US09614904B2 |
Cloud processing system and method for synthesizing objects based on vehicle aggregation location
A cloud computing system includes a network interface for interfacing with a wide area network. At least one wireless transceiver engages in bidirectional communication with a plurality of vehicle cloud processing devices within a corresponding plurality of vehicles in at least one vehicle aggregation location. A network control device receives requests for at least one cloud computing service via the wide area network and facilitates the at least one cloud computing service via the bidirectional communication with the plurality of vehicle cloud processing devices. |
| US09614900B1 |
Multi-process architecture for a split browser
A multi-process browser architecture is provided that splits the browser process and the renderer processes. The browser process may run on a user device and the renderer processes may run on a renderer server accessible by the user device. The browser process running on the user device can direct the renderer server to generate a new renderer process each time a user elects to open a new browser window or tab. The renderer process running on the renderer server can determine what content resources are needed to render a page and request the resources. Once the content resources are obtained, the appropriate renderer process can begin generating a layout of the page. The renderer process may transmit the layout to the browser process such that the page can be displayed on the user device. |
| US09614895B2 |
File transfer using XML
A tangible, machine readable storage medium stores instructions and implements a method when the instructions are executed by a processor. A source file is received by a gateway engine. The source file is a binary file. The source file is portioned into multiple parts by a breakdown engine. The multiple parts are transferred by a reliable transfer engine using a single port according to a messaging protocol to transfer messages reliably between nodes in the presence of any of software failures, component failures, system failures, or network failures. The multiple parts are reassembled into a copy of the source file by a reassembly engine. |
| US09614894B1 |
On-the-fly media-tagging, media-uploading and media navigating by tags
A media item on a device may be tagged as belonging to one or more groups. The tagged media item may then be loaded to a Media Server, thereby making the tagged and loaded media item immediately sharable amongst several devices. A container for each tag may be created in the Media Server, which container may comprise references to the media tagged by the user. A user may then be presented or provide such tags as navigation cues for navigation within his or her media library of the Media Server, thereby enabling the user to more easily recall where their media items are stored and to provide ready access thereto. Tagging and the process of applying or associating tags to media items may improve recall when users hunt for their media. |
| US09614893B2 |
Method, apparatus and system for auto-synchronization of compressed content files
An auto-synchronization method, apparatus, and system for synchronizing compressed content file automatically in such a way of tracing the modification history of source files of the compressed content file and synchronizing the modified source files selectively are provided. The portable device includes a radio communication unit configured to connect to the synchronization server to transmit and receive data related to the compressed content file, a storage unit configured to store at least one of the compressed content file, compressed content file information, and source file information related to source files constituting the compressed content file, and a control unit configured to detect a synchronization request signal generated by an event modifying the compressed content file, extract at least one modified first source file from the compressed content file based on the source file information, and synchronize the extracted first source file with a second source file matching among source files stored in a synchronization server. |
| US09614892B2 |
Method and system for measuring display performance of a remote application
This disclosure describes a performance-monitoring system that computes a display performance metric of a remote application. During operation, the system performs a sequence of input events, and receives information which updates a graphical user interface (GUI). The GUI displays a sequence of frames rendered by a remote application in response to the input events. The system then samples colors at a number of pivot points on the GUI, and matches the a respective frame to a previously performed input event based on the sampled colors. The system subsequently computes a display performance metric for the remote application based on the frames and the corresponding input events. |
| US09614890B2 |
Acquiring and correlating web real-time communications (WEBRTC) interactive flow characteristics, and related methods, systems, and computer-readable media
Embodiments include acquiring and correlating Web Real-Time Communications (WebRTC) interactive flow characteristics, and related methods, systems, and computer-readable media. In one embodiment, a method for acquiring and correlating characteristics of WebRTC interactive flows comprises receiving, by an acquisition agent of a WebRTC client executing on a computing device, a peer connection initiation dialog for establishing a WebRTC interactive flow. The method further comprises determining, by the acquisition agent, one or more characteristics of the WebRTC interactive flow based on the peer connection initiation dialog. The method additionally comprises receiving, by a correlation agent, the one or more characteristics of the WebRTC interactive flow from the acquisition agent, and storing the one or more characteristics of the WebRTC interactive flow. The method also comprises correlating, by the correlation agent, one or more stored characteristics, and generating, by the correlation agent, one or more interaction records based on the correlating. |
| US09614889B2 |
Autonomic content load balancing
Techniques are disclosed for providing autonomic content load balancing. A programmatic selection is made from among alternative content versions based upon current conditions. Preferably, the alternative selectable versions specify content to be used in a Web page, and a version is selected responsive to receiving a request for the Web page. The selectable version may comprise the Web page, or a component of a Web page may have selectable versions. Optionally, the Web page may include more than one component with dynamically-selectable content. In this case, the versions may be selectable independently of one another. |
| US09614888B2 |
Picture coding device, picture coding method, and picture coding program, and picture decoding device, picture decoding method, and picture decoding program
A picture coding device partitions differential information between a coding target picture and a prediction target picture into sub blocks and codes the partitioned sub blocks. The device codes significant sub block information that represents whether or not all the values of differential coefficients belonging to the sub block are zero and codes significant differential coefficient information that represents whether or not the value of the differential coefficient is zero. A context index processing unit derives a context used for coding the significant sub block information and a context used for coding the significant differential coefficient information of the differential coefficient that is a coding target based on an addition equation using the significant sub block information of a coded sub block that is horizontally neighboring to the coding target sub block and the significant sub block information of a coded sub block that is vertically neighboring. |
| US09614885B2 |
Operational management solution for media production and distribution
A method for managing tasks and user operations on media using a model of resources management dealing with the complexity of situation which occur in a production/distributions system is provided. The method is based on a workplace infrastructure, a task-oriented user interface and a work package management system. The method optimizes operations in media production/distribution environment through a workflow-based user interface that handles Work packages, Workplaces, Tasks, Assets and Contents. |
| US09614884B2 |
System and method of optimizing digital media processing in a carrier grade web portal environment
A computer implemented method includes storing generated digital media created by each portal server of a plurality of portal servers in a destination accessible by at least one of a plurality of HTTPD servers in response to a request for web content including the generated digital media. Additionally, the method includes determining that a subsequent request for digital media received by an HTTPD server of the plurality of HTTPD servers is for generated digital media created by any of the plurality of portal servers in the destination and accessible by the HTTPD server. Furthermore, the method includes serving the generated digital media from the HTTPD server to a browser. |
| US09614875B2 |
Scaling a trusted computing model in a globally distributed cloud environment
A distributed cloud environment system comprising: a repository; a plurality of cloud managed nodes with a client program interface; a plurality of service management components with a service management component interface; a central trusted computing platform service in communication with the repository, the plurality of cloud managed nodes and the plurality of service management components, comprising: a first interface for communication with the client program interface in each of the plurality of cloud managed nodes through a first single touch point; and a second interface for communication with the service management component interface for the plurality of service management components through a second single touch point. The central trusted computing platform service manages interaction of the plurality of service management components with the plurality of cloud managed nodes, and the interaction of the plurality of cloud managed nodes with the repository. |
| US09614871B2 |
Cloud-based surveillance with intelligent tamper protection
In one embodiment, a security system includes a central communication unit and a first surveillance device. The central communication unit is communicatively connected over a network to cloud storage, by way of a first transmission channel and a second transmission channel. The second transmission channel is redundant with the first transmission channel. The first surveillance device configured to record first surveillance data, and is communicatively connected to the central communication unit by way of a third transmission channel and a fourth transmission channel. The fourth transmission channel is redundant with the third transmission channel. The first surveillance device is configured to transmit the first surveillance data to the central communication unit, and the central communication unit is configured to transmit the first surveillance data to the cloud storage. |
| US09614870B2 |
Method of DDoS and hacking protection for internet-based servers using a private network of internet servers by executing computer-executable instructions stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium
A method of DDoS and hacking protection for internet-based servers using a private network of internet servers utilizes multiple data streams sent over a network of proxy servers to mitigate malicious attacks and ensure fast connections from a user to a destination server. The destination server is hidden from the user and the redundancy of the proxy network serves to maintain security and connection quality between the user and the destination server. |
| US09614869B2 |
System and server for detecting web page changes
Disclosed embodiments include a distributed system and server for detecting changes to web pages comprises (a) a Web Change Detection (WCD) server connected to the network, and (b) one or more WCD agents stored on the WCD server configured to be executed directly on a web browser to detect web page changes. The WCD comprises (a) an agent storage module configured to store the WCD agents, (b) a WCD repository to store a WCD information regarding the web pages in the server memory, and (c) a WCD changes detector configured for receiving information sent by the WCD agents and detecting changes on the web pages. The WCD system relies on the web users accessing sites to collaboratively detect the changes on the web pages, eliminating the need for crawler estimates of web-page changes. |
| US09614867B2 |
System and method for detection of malware on a user device using corrected antivirus records
Disclose are system, method and computer program product for detection of malware on a user's computing device. An exemplary method comprises: detecting, by an antivirus application executing of the user's computing device, that an antivirus record is activated on the computing device for detecting a maliciousness of a software object, the antivirus record having a selected status indicator indicating at least one of: a working record, a test record, or an inactive record; in response to detecting the antivirus record having working or test status, checking, by the antivirus application, for a correction of the antivirus record with an antivirus server, wherein said correction includes a change in the status of the antivirus record; in response to receiving from the antivirus server the correction of the antivirus record, using by the antivirus application said correction for processing of the software object. |
| US09614864B2 |
Exposure of an apparatus to a technical hazard
Embodiments of the invention are directed to systems, methods and computer program products for determining exposure of an apparatus to a technical hazard and prioritizing technical hazards. An exemplary system is configured to: determine an impact associated with a technical hazard on the apparatus, the impact being initiated by a second apparatus; determine a probability of occurrence of the technical hazard; and determine the exposure of the apparatus based on the impact and the probability. |
| US09614863B2 |
System and method for analyzing mobile cyber incident
A system and method for analyzing mobile cyber incidents that checks whether codes attacking the weaknesses of mobile users are inserted into collected URLs and whether applications are downloaded and automatically executed, without the agreement of users, so that if the mobile cyber incidents are analyzed through the manual analysis of a manager, the applications to be analyzed manually can be reduced. |
| US09614859B2 |
Location based authentication of users to a virtual machine in a computer system
An apparatus and method uses location based authentication of a user accessing a virtual machine (VM) by using the physical location of the virtual machine as a criteria for the authentication. When a user requires a logical partition to run in a known, specified physical location, the user specifies the physical location when the VM is created. The specified physical location is then incorporated into the user authentication process. Users are challenged and must know the physical location in order to be authenticated to the system. When a “disruptive event” in the cloud environment occurs that necessitates moving the VM to another location, the original physical location is stored so the virtualization manager later can automatically relocate the VM back to its original physical location. |
| US09614857B2 |
Supervised online identity
Technologies to facilitate supervision of an online identify include a gateway server to facilitate and monitor access to an online service by a user of a “child” client computer device. The gateway server may include an identity manager to receive a request for access to the online service from the client computing device, retrieve access information to the online service, and facilitate access to the online service for the client computing device using the access information. The access information is kept confidential from the user. The gateway server may also include an activity monitor module to control activity between the client computing device and the online service based on the set of policy rules of a policy database. The gateway server may transmit notifications of such activity to a “parental” client computing device for review and/or approval, which also may be used to update the policy database. |
| US09614856B2 |
Image forming apparatus supporting peer-to-peer connection and access point operation and method of controlling peer-to-peer connection and access point operation thereof
A method of controlling a peer-to-peer (P2P) connection of an image forming apparatus that supports the P2P connection includes: receiving in the image forming apparatus a P2P connection request from an external wireless device; checking a device type of the wireless device by the image forming apparatus; determining whether the device type corresponds to connection restricted device types; and when the device type is the connection restricted device type, blocking a P2P connection to the wireless device by the image forming apparatus, and when the device type is not the connection restricted device type, P2P connecting the image forming apparatus to the wireless device. |
| US09614850B2 |
Disabling prohibited content and identifying repeat offenders in service provider storage systems
Objects in a shared storage system can be marked as including prohibited content. Incidents that result in objects being so marked can be stored in an incident history associated with a user responsible for those objects. The incident history can be processed to identify repeat offenders and modify access privileges of those users. However, when objects are shared by one user with another user, prohibited content is blocked from being shared, while the remainder of the shared objects can be accessed by the other user. Functions that allow sharing of content are implemented so as prevent sharing of prohibited content with another user, while allowing other content to be shared. If a group of files or objects is shared, then the presence of prohibited content in one object in the group results in that prohibited content not being shared, but the remaining files or objects are still shared. |
| US09614846B2 |
Machine-to-machine network assisted bootstrapping
The service layer may leverage the access network infrastructure so that applications on a device may bootstrap with a machine-to-machine server without requiring provisioning beyond what is already required by the access network. |
| US09614845B2 |
Anonymous authentication and remote wireless token access
Provided is a method for operating an authentication server for authenticating a user who is communicating with an enterprise via a network. The method include receiving, via the network, a first authenticator including first information from a low energy wireless device received via a user device wirelessly, and storing the first authenticator. When the authentication service later receives, from the enterprise, a request to authenticate the user, the authentication server transmits an authentication request to the user device via the network requesting that the user read information from the low energy wireless device using the user device. The information received from the low energy wireless device in response to the authentication request is then used authenticate the user by comparing the information received from the low energy wireless device due to the authentication request with the stored first authenticator. |
| US09614844B2 |
Systems and methods to authenticate identity for selective access to information relating to property
Credential and/or location data included in data received by a networked system from a device that communicated the data to the networked system may be processed to determine if the credential data and/or location data validate an identity of a user (e.g., a guest, traveler, patron) and/or a location of the user based on a location of the device when the data is communicated. The data may be review data and the credential and/or location data may be included in review data. The device and/or the networked system may generate a location history database from location data from the device or other system that is periodically logged from multiple locations at different times during an event (e.g., a stay at a vacation rental). Data from the database may be used to determine if a location for a communication is with a threshold of an allowable distance from an allowable location. |
| US09614842B2 |
Device and method of setting or removing security on content
A device for removing security on content using biometric information includes a memory configured to store content on which security has been set based on first biometric information of a user; and a controller configured to obtain second biometric information of the user, which is of a different type than the first biometric information, and remove the security on the content based on the second biometric information, in response to a user input for executing the content. |
| US09614841B2 |
Voice over IP based biometric authentication
A request from a party is received by a receiver from a remote system. The request from the party is received when the party attempts to obtain a service using the remote system. A selective determination is made to request, over a network, authentication of the party by a remote biometric system. A request is sent to the remote system for the party to provide a biometric sample responsive to determining to request authentication of the party. The service is provided contingent upon authentication of the party by the remote biometric system. |
| US09614838B1 |
Taking a picture of a one-time use passcode and using the picture to authenticate
Techniques involve a user taking a picture of a current one-time use passcode (OTP) and using the picture to authenticate. Such techniques alleviate the burden and frustration of the user having to manually type in the current OTP. Additionally, the user will not trigger a lockout via accidental typing errors. Furthermore, the current OTP can be augmented to include more than a string of six or eight alphanumeric characters for stronger security (e.g., by using non-alphanumeric characters, by capturing multi-digit seven-segment LCD display patterns, by using a QR code, by using a randomly selected image, etc.). One technique involves taking a picture of an OTP provided by a user. The particular technique further involves extracting the OTP from the picture and performing an authentication operation based on the OTP extracted from the picture to determine whether the user is authentic. |
| US09614837B2 |
Systems and methods for verifying human interaction with a computer interface
Exemplary methods and systems for verifying human interaction with a computer interface are described herein. An exemplary method includes a human-interaction verification system detecting a request by an access device to access network-based content, providing, for display by the access device, a visually dynamic representation of one or more security images associated with a passcode in response to the access request, receiving, by way of the access device, challenge-response input associated with the visually dynamic representation of the one or more security images, and performing an access operation based at least in part on a comparison of the challenge-response input to the passcode. |
| US09614835B2 |
Automatic provisioning of a device to access an account
A system for bootstrap provisioning of a device is provided. A vouching device is provisioned to access a bootstrap account of a bootstrap account provider and a secondary account of a secondary account provider. The bootstrap account provider stores an indication of the secondary account, and the secondary account provider stores verification data to verify a certification of the vouching device. A target device is provisioned to access the bootstrap account of the bootstrap account provider. The target device receives from the bootstrap account provider an indication that the target device is provisioned with the secondary account provider. The target device directs generation of a certification by the vouching device of target authentication data of the target device. The target device then sends the certification to the secondary account provider to effect the provisioning of the target device to access the secondary account. |
| US09614834B2 |
Permission management method, apparatus, and terminal
A permission management method, apparatus, and terminal. The permission management method includes obtaining an installation package of a first application program, where the installation package carries a first certificate and permission request information of the first application program; next, determining, according to the permission request information, a first permission that the first application program requires during running, where the first permission is a system administrator permission of a system; and then, granting the first permission to the first application program according to the first certificate of the first application program. In this way, the first permission that the first application program requires during running is granted to the first application program. |
| US09614832B1 |
Access control system that detects static electricity
An access control system removes the human element from static protection by detecting a level of static energy when the user attempts to authenticate to the access control system, and when the user's detected level of static energy exceeds a defined threshold, access is denied until the user discharges the static energy. A static energy detection mechanism in a badge reader includes two conductive plates that form a first capacitor, and the space between an electrically conductive badge and one of the conductive plates on the badge reader forms a second capacitor. Using these two capacitors, the level of static energy on the user can be measured by the sum of the voltage across these two capacitors as the user presents the badge to the badge reader. The access control system assures the user is properly grounded before allowing access to an area, equipment, etc. |
| US09614831B2 |
Authentication and secure channel setup for communication handoff scenarios
Persistent communication layer credentials generated on a persistent communication layer at one network may be leveraged to perform authentication on another. For example, the persistent communication layer credentials may include application-layer credentials derived on an application layer. The application-layer credentials may be used to establish authentication credentials for authenticating a mobile device for access to services at a network server. The authentication credentials may be derived from the application-layer credentials of another network to enable a seamless handoff from one network to another. The authentication credentials may be derived from the application-layer credentials using reverse bootstrapping or other key derivation functions. The mobile device and/or network entity to which the mobile device is being authenticated may enable communication of authentication information between the communication layers to enable authentication of a device using multiple communication layers. |
| US09614828B1 |
Native authentication experience with failover
Disclosed are various embodiments for providing a native authentication experience with failover. If a particular authentication approach is supported by a network service, an application authenticates with the network service according to the authentication approach using an authentication factor received via a platform-specific interface. If the particular authentication approach is not supported, code-based linking may be employed to authenticate via another application that is authenticated with the network service. |
| US09614826B1 |
Sensitive data protection
A computer-implemented method for protecting sensitive data is described. In one embodiment, the method includes identifying data stored at a first storage system. The identified data is classified as sensitive data. The method includes copying at least a portion of the identified sensitive data from the first storage system, transferring the copied portion of the identified sensitive data from the first storage system to a file stored at a second storage system, and storing a virtual symbolic link at the first storage system. The virtual symbolic link includes information regarding the file stored at the second storage system. |
| US09614825B2 |
Collaborative computing community role mapping system and method
A role mapping method and system for a collaborative computing environment in provided. A set of permissions defining access to a generic business component for a named permission set is stored in a database. The set of permissions for the named permission set are mapped to an abstract role. Based on these mappings, access permissions to a business component instance within a community can be set. |
| US09614823B2 |
System, method, and computer program product for a pre-deactivation grace period
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for a pre-deactivation grace period on a processing device (e.g., mobile device). In operation, a deactivation request is detected for a deactivation event. Further, the commencement of the deactivation event is delayed for a predetermined time period, in response to the deactivation request. Additionally, the deactivation event is commenced, after the predetermined time period. To return to full functionality of the processing device while in the deactivation grace period all that may be required is entry of a authentication information (e.g., password) that is weaker than a stronger authentication information initially used to log into the processing device. |
| US09614819B2 |
Method and apparatus for securing clock synchronization in a network
Aspects of the disclosure provide a method that includes receiving a first packet through a network at a first device. The first packet includes a first message generated according to a precision time protocol and a first encapsulation that encapsulates one or more fields of the first message. Further, the method includes security-verifying the first packet based on the first message and the first encapsulation, and processing the first message according to the precision time protocol after the first packet is security-verified. |
| US09614818B2 |
Key generation and broadcasting
Embodiments provide techniques generating and managing encryption keys within a computing infrastructure. Embodiments provide a key publisher that generates and maintains key pairs in a list at a configurable interval. In addition, the key publisher publishes the list to other components within the computing infrastructure. Embodiments also provide a key consumer that downloads the list of encrypted key pairs and maintains an active window of keys to can be accepted from client devices that communicate sensitive data to the computing infrastructure. If the key consumer receives a key from a client device that is outside of the active window yet that corresponds to a future key pair in the list, the key consumer advances the active window towards the future key pair. |
| US09614816B2 |
Dynamic encryption for tunneled real-time communications
A system performs tunneling for real-time communications (“RTC”). The system establishes an unencrypted tunnel between a tunneling server and a user equipment (“UE”). Upon establishing the unencrypted tunnel, the UE creates a socket on the unencrypted tunnel. The system determines that the socket requires encrypted RTC, and establishes an encrypted tunnel between the tunneling server and the UE. Upon establishing the encrypted tunnel, the UE moves the socket from the unencrypted tunnel to the encrypted tunnel, and the system performs the encrypted RTC via the socket over the encrypted tunnel. |
| US09614814B2 |
System and method for cascading token generation and data de-identification
A computer-implemented method for de-identifying data by creating tokens through a cascading algorithm includes the steps of processing at least one record comprising a plurality of data elements to identify a subset of data elements comprising data identifying at least one individual; generating, with at least one processor, a first hash by hashing at least one first data element with at least one second data element of the subset of data elements; generating, with at least one processor, a second hash by hashing the first hash with at least one third data element of the subset of data elements; creating at least one token based at least partially on the second hash or a subsequent hash derived from the second hash, wherein the token identifies the at least one individual; and associating at least a portion of a remainder of the data elements with the at least one token. |
| US09614811B1 |
Collective objects management system with improved object data base management
A collective objects data base management system for objects such as documents contained in file folders in drawers of file cabinets. Each file folder has an electrical circuit with a visible indicator mounted on the file folder. Each folder circuit has an object receptacle microcontroller with a unique system address which enables generation of a response signal whenever an incoming address from a source is a match and activation of the visible indicator. An object container microcontroller periodically polls the object receptacle microcontrollers in the cabinet and stores an updated version of the cabinet object data base. The cabinet object data base contents are sent to a host computer, which maintains the system data base. |
| US09614809B2 |
Messaging system and method
A method of cross-platform messaging including receiving, by a messaging system, at least one initial message having a message format, an initial message layout and data indicative of at least one user associated with the at least one initial message, and before delivery to a destination communication device associated with the at least one user, converting, by the messaging system, an initial message into an adapted message, and facilitating, by the messaging system, delivery of the adapted message to the destination communication device. The adapted message is characterized by, at least, an adapted message layout, and the adapted message layout differs from the initial message layout in a characteristic associated with respective message layout such as number of media objects, a graphical image of a media object, a size of a placeholder related to a media object, and a location of a media object within a respective message layout. |
| US09614808B1 |
System and method for managing and displaying data messages
A system and method for managing and displaying data messages includes a computing device configured to receive stream data, assign data messages of the stream data to one or more display columns of a graphical user interface, and display the data messages in the assigned columns. The stream data may be embodied as short data messages such as text messages having predetermined maximum character length. The data messages may be assigned to the display columns based on meta-data associated with the data messages such as the author of the data message, the source of the data message, and/or the type of the data message. |