| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US09626977B2 |
Inserting watermarks into audio signals that have speech-like properties
A method for a machine or group of machines to watermark an audio signal includes receiving an audio signal and a watermark signal including multiple symbols, and inserting at least some of the multiple symbols in multiple spectral channels of the audio signal, each spectral channel corresponding to a different frequency range. Optimization of the design incorporates minimizing the human auditory system perceiving the watermark channels by taking into account perceptual time-frequency masking, pattern detection of watermarking messages, the statistics of worst case program content such as speech, and speech-like programs. |
| US09626975B2 |
Audio signal processor for processing encoded multi-channel audio signals and method therefor
An audio signal processor receives a plurality of encoded multi-channel audio signals. A multi-channel decoder (105) decodes a first encoded multi-channel signal to generate a first decoded multi-channel signal. A generator (109) generates an encoded further audio signal by selecting audio encoding data from at least a second encoded multi-channel audio signal such that a number of channels of the encoded further audio signal comprising audio encoding data from the second encoded multi-channel audio signal is less than a number of channels in the second encoded multi-channel signal. Thus, a channel reduction is performed in the encoded data domain. A further decoder (111) generates a further decoded signal by decoding the further encoded audio signal. A combiner (107) combines the first decoded multi-channel signal and the further decoded signal to generate a multi-channel output signal. An exciting user experience can be provided while maintaining low complexity and resource usage. |
| US09626974B2 |
Spatial audio processor and a method for providing spatial parameters based on an acoustic input signal
A spatial audio processor for providing spatial parameters based on an acoustic input signal has a signal characteristics determiner and a controllable parameter estimator. The signal characteristics determiner is configured to determine a signal characteristic of the acoustic input signal. The controllable parameter estimator for calculating the spatial parameters for the acoustic input signal in accordance with a variable spatial parameter calculation rule is configured to modify the variable spatial parameter calculation rule in accordance with the determined signal characteristic. |
| US09626972B2 |
Method and device for decoding signal
A method and device for decoding a signal. The method for decoding a signal includes: obtaining spectral coefficients of sub-bands from a received bitstream by means of decoding; classifying sub-bands in which the spectral coefficients are located into a sub-band with saturated bit allocation and a sub-band with unsaturated bit allocation; performing noise filling on a spectral coefficient that has not been obtained by means of decoding and is in the sub-band with unsaturated bit allocation, so as to restore the spectral coefficient that has not been obtained by means of decoding; and obtaining a frequency domain signal according to the spectral coefficients obtained by means of decoding and the restored spectral coefficient. Therefore, a sub-band with unsaturated bit allocation in a frequency domain signal may be obtained by classification, thereby improving signal decoding quality. |
| US09626970B2 |
Speaker identification using spatial information
Embodiments of the present invention relate to speaker identification using spatial information. A method of speaker identification for audio content being of a format based on multiple channels is disclosed. The method comprises extracting, from a first audio clip in the format, a plurality of spatial acoustic features across the multiple channels and location information, the first audio clip containing voices from a speaker, and constructing a first model for the speaker based on the spatial acoustic features and the location information, the first model indicating a characteristic of the voices from the speaker. The method further comprises identifying whether the audio content contains voices from the speaker based on the first model. Corresponding system and computer program product are also disclosed. |
| US09626968B2 |
System and method for context sensitive inference in a speech processing system
A method of operating a speech processing system is provided. The method includes translating a portion of a speech record into a plurality of possible words associated with a plurality of contexts, and determining a plurality of correctness values based on a plurality of probabilities that each of the plurality of possible words is correct for each of the plurality of contexts. The method also includes determining which of the plurality of possible words is a correct translation of the portion of the speech record based on the plurality of correctness values. |
| US09626966B2 |
Voice recognition query response systems and methods for generating query responses using information from a vehicle
Embodiments are disclosed for an in-vehicle computing system comprising a communication interface communicatively coupled to a query response server, a processor, and a storage device. The storage device configured to collect and store vehicle and user interaction data and configured to store instructions executable by the processor to receive a voice query from a user, translate the voice query into a text query, send the text query to a query response server, receive a result from the query response server, the result including one or more placeholders representing data to be retrieved from a storage device local to the head unit, replace the one or more placeholders with information from the storage device to form an updated result; and present the updated result to the user. |
| US09626959B2 |
System and method of supporting adaptive misrecognition in conversational speech
A system and method are provided for receiving speech and/or non-speech communications of natural language questions and/or commands and executing the questions and/or commands. The invention provides a conversational human-machine interface that includes a conversational speech analyzer, a general cognitive model, an environmental model, and a personalized cognitive model to determine context, domain knowledge, and invoke prior information to interpret a spoken utterance or a received non-spoken message. The system and method creates, stores, and uses extensive personal profile information for each user, thereby improving the reliability of determining the context of the speech or non-speech communication and presenting the expected results for a particular question or command. |
| US09626956B2 |
Method and device for preprocessing speech signal
A method and a device that preprocess a speech signal are disclosed, which include extracting at least one frame corresponding to a speech recognition range from frames included in a speech signal, generating a supplementary frame to supplement speech recognition with respect to the speech recognition range based on the at least one extracted frame, and outputting a preprocessed speech signal including the supplementary frame along with the frames of the speech signal. |
| US09626955B2 |
Intelligent text-to-speech conversion
Techniques for improved text-to-speech processing are disclosed. The improved text-to-speech processing can convert text from an electronic document into an audio output that includes speech associated with the text as well as audio contextual cues. One aspect provides audio contextual cues to the listener when outputting speech (spoken text) pertaining to a document. The audio contextual cues can be based on an analysis of a document prior to a text-to-speech conversion. Another aspect can produce an audio summary for a file. The audio summary for a document can thereafter be presented to a user so that the user can hear a summary of the document without having to process the document to produce its spoken text via text-to-speech conversion. |
| US09626953B2 |
Vehicle audio system and noise removal method thereof
A vehicle audio system includes: a tune knob configured to select a frequency of a desired radio broadcast; a microcomputer configured to detect a broadcast frequency input through the tune knob and to determine an optimal sampling frequency of a full digital amplifier based on the detected broadcast frequency; a tuner configured to receive only a broadcast signal corresponding to the frequency selected through the tune knob; and the full digital amplifier configured to generate a digital signal by sampling the broadcast signal received by the tuner at the optimal sampling frequency determined by the microcomputer and to amplify and output the generated digital signal. |
| US09626949B2 |
System of modeling characteristics of a musical instrument
A system for modifying an audio signal comprises a computer including a first digital signal processor (DSP). The first DSP includes a first module and a second module. The first module is coupled to the interface to provide a musical instrument with a set of testing input signals and obtain a set of testing output signals from the musical instrument via the interface. The second module is configured to perform functions including: analyzing the set of testing output signals to obtain a set of parameters, constructing an acoustic transducer to model characteristics of the musical instrument based on the set of parameters, and receiving the audio signal to modify the audio signal using the acoustic transducer, wherein the first DSP module obtains the set of parameters at least by identifying occurrences when an output level state determined at least based on the set of testing output signals significantly changes. |
| US09626946B2 |
Vocal processing with accompaniment music input
Systems, including methods and apparatus, for generating audio effects based on accompaniment audio produced by live or pre-recorded accompaniment instruments, in combination with melody audio produced by a singer. Audible broadcast of the accompaniment audio may be delayed by a predetermined time, such as the time required to determine chord information contained in the accompaniment signal. As a result, audio effects that require the chord information may be substantially synchronized with the audible broadcast of the accompaniment audio. The present teachings may be especially suitable for use in karaoke systems, to correct and add sound effects to a singer's voice that sings along with a pre-recorded accompaniment track. |
| US09626945B2 |
Modified drum head incorporating a snare system for better articulation of the voicing of the snare drum
The concept of the invention is to take the said top snare assembly of the said double snare system, and to configure the snare system inside of a drum head. By using the said invention, modifications to the said snare drum will not be required and will not compromise the integrity of the original design of the said drum manufacturers' marching snare drum. |
| US09626944B1 |
Musical instrument pedal with drumstick angle adjustment structure
A musical instrument pedal with a drumstick angle adjustment structure comprises a drumstick, a rotation shaft, a stand frame, a pedal base, a pedal, and a chain. The drumstick is fixed to the rotation shaft. The stand frame includes a vertical rod pivotally coupled to the rotation shaft. The pedal base includes a fixed member connected with the stand frame to secure the stand frame, a mobile member slidable with respect to the fixed member, and a screw fastening the fixed member to the mobile member. Two ends of the chain are respectively connected with the pedal and the rotation shaft. Thereby, the relative position of the mobile member and the fixed member can be varied to drag the chain to rotate the rotation shaft, change the drumstick angle, vary the force strength of beating the drum skin, and generate different drum sounds for different melodies. |
| US09626941B1 |
Organic texture enhancement system with dampers for acoustic guitars and other stringed instruments
A sound resonator device for internal connection to a guitar or other musical instrument that has strings tensioned over a bridge piece. One embodiment of resonator includes a plurality of wound coils made of a harmonically predetermined (consistent or varying) thickness or gauge of metal wire secured to the instrument interior. A series of dampering devices are added for muting the effect of such sound resonation when desired. The dampering devices are activated using either a slider button (for felt dampers) or a rotating knob (for fiber threads). |
| US09626934B2 |
Display format using display device for machine-readable dot patterns
The present invention has a technical objective of providing a distinctive display format for machine-readable dot patterns which does not harm the aesthetics of images displayed on a display device. The dot pattern is made machine readable by providing the periphery of dots with a contrast control region and/or an anti-aliasing region which are distinguishable from the surrounding image. Thus enabled is the embedding of the two-dimensional codes which cannot be recognized by audiences yet machine readable on video or images on the screen of a display device. An audience can easily acquire information defined by the dot patterns using a digital camera, a video camera, a portable telephone camera, a web camera, or the like to image the screen of the display device or to capture the screen as data. |
| US09626933B2 |
Shift register unit and driving method, gate drive circuit and display device
A shift register unit and a driving method, a gate drive circuit and a display device, the shift register unit comprises a first transistor (T1), an input module (10), a first control module (20), a second control module (30) and an output module (40). The shift register unit and driving method, gate drive circuit and display device are capable of solving the problem that the decrease of drive capacity of the shift register unit is caused by loss of the threshold voltage. |
| US09626932B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method and recording medium recording program for correcting image in predetermined area
According to an embodiment of the present invention, an image processing apparatus includes a processor, and a computer-readable medium in which a computer program product is stored. The computer program product causes the processor to perform operations to acquire an image, set an area in the image, change the area set in the image, acquire information on an image near at least one of the area before the change and the area after the change, correct an image in at least one of the area before the change and the area after the change based on the acquired information, and control a display unit to sequentially display the images in the area before the change and the area after the change based on the result of the correction. |
| US09626929B2 |
Liquid crystal panel driving apparatus
A liquid crystal panel driving apparatus that produces a normal display without damaging the liquid crystal panel even when each of a plurality of timing controllers receives an abnormal display data signal. In an exemplary apparatus, each of the timing controllers transmits an abnormality detection signal, which is generated by detecting an abnormality in the display data signal, to other timing controllers via an abnormality detection line, and each of the timing controllers outputs image data associated with the abnormality detection signal stored in an image data memory. |
| US09626928B2 |
Liquid crystal display device comprising gate driver on array circuit
A GOA (Gate On Array) circuit applied to a liquid crystal display device is disclosed. The liquid crystal display device has a plurality of scan lines. The GOA circuit has a plurality of cascaded shift register units. An (N)th level shift register unit controls charge to an (N)th level scanning line. The (N)th level shift register unit includes a forward-rearward scan circuit, a pull-up circuit, an bootstrap capacitor circuit, a gate signal point electricity leakage preventing circuit, and a pull-down sustain circuit. The bootstrap capacitor circuit, the gate signal point electricity leakage preventing circuit, and the pull-down sustain circuit are connected together with each other to form a gate signal point, so as to raise the stability of the gate signal point and to decrease the use of switches. |
| US09626918B2 |
Color display, liquid crystal display, and semi-transmissive liquid crystal display
In a color display device, when using white (W) sub-pixels in addition to subpixels of red (R) and green (G) plus blue (B) without increasing a wiring line number, the per-color pixel number in a unit area decreases so that the image resolution is deteriorated. The area and number of subpixels are adjusted in accordance with the visual sensitivity or luminosity required. Practically, the area of red (R) and blue (B) subpixels which are relatively low in luminosity is set to be about two times greater than the area of green (G) and white (W) subpixels that are relatively high in luminosity while letting the number of green (G) and white (W) subpixels be twice the number of red (R) and blue (B) subpixels. A larger subpixel is configured from a plurality of unit subpixels. A smaller subpixel is formed of a one unit subpixel. |
| US09626916B2 |
Display driver
In a display driver, a first backlight control unit using a histogram and a second backlight control unit using an optical sensor can be used in combination. The display driver includes a PWM generating unit setting a control signal value consisting of a product of a luminance rate of X % and a luminance rate of Y % as a luminance rate of a control signal for controlling a backlight with respect to maximum backlight luminance when a luminance rate of a control signal obtained by first backlight control with respect to the maximum backlight luminance is X % and a luminance rate of a control signal obtained by second backlight control with respect to the maximum backlight luminance is Y %. |
| US09626915B2 |
Display device with different sub-pixel arrangements and method of driving the same
A display device has a plurality of pixels, some of which have different sub-pixel arrangements. A first pixel includes only three sub-pixels to emit red, green, and white light, respectively. A second pixel neighbors the first pixel and includes only three sub-pixels to emit blue, green, and white light, respectively. |
| US09626913B2 |
Current source circuit, a signal line driver circuit and a driving method thereof and a light emitting device
A current source circuit includes current sources that are each configured to receive an external set signal and to control an output current value based on the external set signal. A changing over circuit that is electrically connected to the current sources and a set of output lines selects one of the current sources to be electrically connected to each of the output lines. |
| US09626897B2 |
Organic light emitting diode display device and method of manufacturing the same
An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display device includes a display panel that has a plurality of signal lines and a plurality of pixels to display an image, a cover window that is positioned at the outside of a display surface of the display panel, and an adhesive layer that is positioned between the display surface and the cover window. One of the display panel and the cover window forms a concave channel in at least one corner, and the adhesive layer fills the channel. |
| US09626896B2 |
Display device and mobile electronic apparatus including the same
A mobile device includes a display driver integrated circuit (DDI), a display panel, and an application processor. The DDI provides an internal synchronization signal based on an internal clock signal as a synchronization signal. The application processor calculates a time offset corresponding to a difference between a real time and the internal synchronization signal, and provides the time offset to the DDI. The DDI calculates a time to be displayed based on the time offset and a current time provided from the application processor, and displays the time to be displayed in the display panel in a self clock display mode. |
| US09626893B2 |
Organic light emitting display device and method of driving the same
An organic light emitting display device includes a driver to drive at least one pixel. The driver drives the pixel based on a frame which includes at least one data sub-frame and at least one hysteresis reset sub-frame. The driver applies an emission data voltage or a non-emission data voltage to the pixel during the data sub-frame, and applies a reset voltage to reset a driving transistor of the pixel during the hysteresis reset sub-frame. The reset voltage may initialize a voltage-current characteristic of the driving transistor during the hysteresis sub-frame. |
| US09626891B2 |
Stretchable display panel and display device having the same
A stretchable display panel and display device having the same are disclosed. In one aspect, the display panel includes a plurality of first signal lines and a plurality of pixels configured to receive a first signal through the first signal lines. The pixels are divided into a plurality of pixel groups each including a first pixel and second pixel that are adjacent to each other. Each of the first signal lines that are connected to the same pixel group are configured to be electrically connected to each other when the distance between the first and second pixels is less than or equal to a predetermined reference value. Each of the first signal lines that are connected to the same pixel group are further configured to be electrically insulated from each other when the distance between the first and second pixels is greater than the predetermined reference value. |
| US09626890B2 |
Shift register and method of driving shift register
A shift register includes a plurality of stages of shift register circuit. Each stage of shift register circuit includes a first switch, an input circuit, a pull-down circuit, and a pull-down voltage regulator circuit. The first switch is used to output a scan signal according to a voltage level of a node and a clock signal. The input circuit is used to pull up the voltage level of the node according to a signal from a previous M-th stage of shift register circuit. The pull-down circuit is used to pull down the voltage level of the node according to the clock signal and a signal from a following L-th shift register circuit and reduce current leakage at the node. The pull-down voltage regulator circuit is used to pull down the voltage levels of the node and the scan signal according to the voltage level of the node. |
| US09626887B2 |
Image display device and method and apparatus for implementing augmented reality using unidirectional beam
An image display device includes a display panel unit having a plurality of optical elements configured to generate and emit unidirectional lights in an array and a control unit configured to control the plurality of optical elements according to image information. The image display device is located very close to the eyes of a user and displays an additional information image added to a real image, thereby implementing augmented reality. |
| US09626886B2 |
Door handle display members
A door handle display member is disclosed. The door handle display member includes an inner portion and a housing. The inner portion is configured to releasably engage a door handle, such that the inner portion at least partially surrounds the door handle. The housing is configured to engage the inner portion, such that the housing at least partially surrounds the inner portion. The housing is configured to engage a graphic panel. |
| US09626883B2 |
Reporting open sign
A store information sign, including a circuit in electrical communication with a lighting and an internet connector configured to send a store data, and a power supply in electrical communication with the lighting and the internet connector. |
| US09626878B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program
An information processing apparatus includes a posture estimation unit, an abnormality determination unit, and a presentation unit. The posture estimation unit is configured to estimate a neck posture of a user. The abnormality determination unit is configured to determine whether a posture is abnormal based on the neck posture estimated by the posture estimation unit. The presentation unit is configured to present an abnormality of the posture to the user, when the abnormality determination unit determines that the posture is abnormal. |
| US09626876B2 |
Integrating a new subsystem with an existing computing architecture
Apparatus for integrating a new subsystem with an existing computing architecture, the apparatus includes a first physical interface for receiving data from the existing computing apparatus, a second physical interface for outputting data to the new subsystem; a processing means, and memory having stored thereon a first software module, a plurality of other software modules, and a first stored configuration, wherein the first software module, when executed by the processing means, is configured to read the first stored configuration and to cause the processing means to load a combination of ones of the plurality of other software modules, the combination of ones of the plurality of other software modules and a first subset of the combination of ones of the plurality of other software modules being defined by the first stored configuration, the first subset of the combination being operable, when executed by the processing means, to transform data received at the first physical interface into a form that is compatible with the new subsystem and to output the transformed data to the new subsystem, via the second physical interface. |
| US09626871B2 |
Inter-vehicle communication device
A leading vehicle group 1 transmits divided data 71 and 72 obtained by dividing vehicle information 7. Data transfer vehicle groups 2 and 3 transfer the divided data 71 and 72 to a data composite vehicle group 4 and to following vehicle groups 5 and 6. The data composite vehicle group 4 transfers composite data 73 obtained by XORing the divided data 71 and 72 to the following vehicle groups 5 and 6. The following vehicle group 5 XORs the divided data 71 received from the data transfer vehicle group 2 with the composite data 73 received from the data composite vehicle group 4 to restore the unreceived divided data 72. |
| US09626869B2 |
Drive assisting apparatus
Provided is a drive assisting apparatus which assists follow-up travelling to a forward vehicle including an inter-vehicle information acquisition unit 10 that acquires a distance between a host vehicle and a forward vehicle, a deceleration unit 12 that performs a deceleration control based on the inter-vehicle distance, and a steering information acquisition unit 14 that detects steering by a driver, and the deceleration unit 12 stops the deceleration control, when the steering is detected. Therefore, it is possible to appropriately understand the will of a driver and perform a deceleration control based on the will of the driver. |
| US09626868B2 |
Object detection device
An object detection device can acquire information of an object in the vicinity of a host-vehicle for appropriate traveling assistance. An object detection device 1 includes a vehicle state detection section 2, an environmental situation acquisition section 3, a road information acquisition section 4, a detection control section 6, and a detection section 7. A host-vehicle state prediction section 61 acquires a target state of a host-vehicle 81. The detection section 7 detects an object. A parameter setting section 63 switches the detection characteristic of the object in the detection section 7 in accordance with the target state. |
| US09626865B2 |
Traffic sign determination device
An image recognition section detects a first traffic regulation sign from a picked-up image of an area in front of a vehicle. An acquisition section uses a position of the vehicle to acquire a road link, including a second traffic regulation sign at the position of the vehicle, from a storage section. When no current first traffic regulation sign is detected on a current road link after turning-right or turning-left of the vehicle, a determination section determines a current final traffic regulation sign on the current road link, which is to be notified to a vehicle occupant, by use of a degree of adequacy of cooperation between previous first and second traffic regulation signs detected and acquired on a previous road link before the turning-right or turning-left of the vehicle, but also previous and current factors acquired on the previous and current road links. |
| US09626864B1 |
Communicating discovery information from remote control devices
A remote control device communicates remote control discovery information to a receiver. The remote control device is used to control a particular electronic consumer device. The remote control discovery information may, for example, include: a codeset identifier that identifies a codeset stored in the remote control device, device information, diagnostic information, and/or marketing information. The device information may include a device description, and/or device characteristics information that correspond to the electronic consumer device. In one example, the receiver is a set-top box that is connected to a central database through a network. The remote control discovery information may be used to identify the remote control device and the corresponding electronic consumer device. In addition, the remote control discovery information may also be used for diagnostic and marketing purposes. |
| US09626863B2 |
Intermediate computing device that uses near-field acoustic signals to configure an end user device
An intermediate device is operated to play back an acoustic configuration file for an end-user device. The acoustic configuration file can embed configuration parameters that are detectable by the end-user device. In particular, the end-user device can use the configuration parameters in conjunction with performing select operations, such as operations to configure the end-user device for communication with the network service. |
| US09626858B2 |
Smart-home hazard detector with adaptive heads up pre-alarm criteria
A particular smart hazard detector may itself function as a guide during a process of installation of the same at an installation location. Additionally, the installation location of the particular smart hazard detector may play a central role in how various settings of the smart hazard detector are defined and adjusted over time. |
| US09626852B2 |
Microwave motion sensing technology and its application thereof
A microwave motion sensor has a circuit assembly for intrusion detection in a predetermined space. The microwave motion sensor comprising a control unit, a microwave sensing unit and a microwave confining unit. The microwave sensing unit, for transmitting and receiving a microwave signal, is separated in structure but electrically coupled to the control unit. The microwave confining unit, for managing a detection zone of the microwave signal, has an accommodating space formed inside the microwave confining unit, and the microwave sensing unit being disposed inside the accommodating space. Wherein the circuit assembly is divided into the control unit and the microwave sensing unit, the scope of the detection zone of the microwave signal varies based on the shape of the microwave confining unit and the shape of the microwave confining unit varies based on the predetermined space. |
| US09626851B2 |
Tracking device for an object
A tracking device for an object comprising a body having at least one engagement member adapted to engage with the object, and a tracking arrangement chamber for housing a tracking arrangement arranged to track the object engaged with the body, wherein the tracking arrangement includes an antenna disposed adjacent to the body. |
| US09626850B2 |
Home automation communication system
A method for security and/or automation systems, comprising determining a presence of a first occupant in a first room at a predefined location, the first room communicatively coupled to a first electronic device capable of receiving input; receiving a request for communication with the first occupant by a remote computer system; sending a response to the request for communication with the first occupant; and establishing a communications link between the first electronic device and the remote computer system. |
| US09626845B2 |
Providing information to a user through somatosensory feedback
A hearing device may provide hearing-to-touch sensory substitution as a therapeutic approach to deafness. Through use of signal processing on received signals, the hearing device may provide better accuracy with the hearing-to-touch sensory substitution by extending beyond the simple filtering of an incoming audio stream as found in previous tactile hearing aids. The signal processing may include low bitrate audio compression algorithms, such as linear predictive coding, mathematical transforms, such as Fourier transforms, and/or wavelet algorithms. The processed signals may activate tactile interface devices that provide touch sensation to a user. For example, the tactile interface devices may be vibrating devices attached to a vest, which is worn by the user. The vest may also provide other types of information to the user. |
| US09626844B2 |
Service indicators with minimal light sources
A service indicator lighting system which minimizes the active lighting sources for designation of a failed or otherwise identified component is provided. The system includes an array of service indicators arranged in a grid of columns and rows. The system further includes a single light source provided at each row and each column of the grid of columns and rows. The light source for each column illuminates light of a first color and the light source in each row illuminates light of a second color different than the first color. The system further includes a plurality of light pipes intersecting at each service indicator of the array of service indicators such that light illuminated from a single light source in each row and each column is combined together at a respective intersection forming a third color. |
| US09626843B2 |
Varied message playback methods and apparatus
A system for playback of messages. Context appropriate messages for an environment may be played back. Messages may be user behavior interactive and subject to user behavior initiated message playback conditions. User generated environment events may be automatically analyzed and user behavior interactive messages may be automatically coordinated. An automated themed message playback apparatus may have a self-contained housing within which a stored themed message, an in situ user generated environment event sensor, and an automated themed message playback device are housed. User generated environment events may be automatically sensed in situ. |
| US09626837B2 |
System for game play in an electronic environment
The inventions herein relate to novel games of chance and apparatus and methods for their play. In certain embodiments, the existing lottery infrastructure is used in conjunction with electronic remote game play. A player receives a ticket identification number (TIN), optionally via lottery game play, and then plays an electronic game based upon the TIN. The remote system contains information associated with the TIN, for example, identification of which game will be played, and in a predetermined context, whether the player is to win or lose, and if they win, the form of the prize. |
| US09626836B2 |
Head-to-head and tournament play for enriched game play environment
Systems for enhanced head-to-head hybrid gaming are provided. A network distributed enhanced head-to-head hybrid game system has a real world server connected to a game world engine by a network, wherein the real world server is constructed to: receive from the game world server via the network, a trigger of a wager of an amount of real world credits; and provide a randomly generated payout of real world credits for the wager of the amount of real world credits wherein the result is determined using a random number generator; a controller connected to the game world server by the network, wherein the controller is constructed to: provide an entertainment game; generate a display of the entertainment game; and convey to the game world server, actions taken by the player during the player's skillful execution of the entertainment game while utilizing the resource of the entertainment game; and the game world server connected by the network to the real world server and connected to the controller, wherein the game world server is constructed to: receive the actions taken by the player; determine player performance measurements for the player based on the actions taken by the player; convey to the real world server via the network, the trigger of the wager of the amount of real world credit based on the actions taken by the player; determine eligibility of the player for head-to-head of the entertainment game of the controller; assign a handicap for the head-to-head play to the player based upon the player performance measurements for the player, wherein the handicap is a random element introduced into a game world of the player during the head-to-head play, and wherein the handicap is based upon a ratio of game world credit earned as an outcome of the player's skillful execution of the entertainment game and the amount of real world credits utilized by the player in the wager as triggered by the real world server upon the player's utilization of the resource during the player's skillful execution of the entertainment game while earning the game world credit; and introduce the random element of the handicap into the game world of the player during the head-to-head play. |
| US09626833B2 |
Gaming system, gaming device and method providing tiered progressive bonusing system
The gaming system and method disclosed herein provides a plurality of players with an opportunity to win a plurality of progressive awards maintained by the gaming system. The gaming system accumulates a quantity of progressive event points for each player playing at one of the gaming machines in the gaming system. In one embodiment, the gaming system uses an accumulated quantity of progressive event points for a designated player to determine which one or more of the progressive awards the designated player wins. In another embodiment, the gaming system uses an accumulated quantity of progressive event points to determine the designated player's probability of winning one or more of the progressive awards. Accordingly, the gaming system provides a point-based system in which either a progressive award to win or a probability of winning a progressive award is determined based on the quantities of progressive event points accumulated by the players. |
| US09626831B2 |
Gaming system and methods of providing an award to a player
A system for providing an award to a player is described herein. The system includes a plurality of gaming devices and a controller coupled to each of the gaming devices. Each gaming device is configured to receive a wager from a player and responsively display a game. The controller is configured to receive a signal indicative of a wager being received by at least one of the gaming devices, determine a range of award numbers as a function of at least one previous wager, randomly select an award number from the range of award numbers, and responsively provide an award to the player being associated with the at least one gaming device as a function of the randomly selected award number. |
| US09626826B2 |
Location-based real-time casino data
An apparatus, method, and system to acquire and display casino data on a portable electronic device may include a portable electronic device having a processor operative with a real-time location based data application to transmit the location of the portable electronic device and acquire, prioritize, store and display real-time casino data. The real-time casino data may be periodically updated based on the location of the portable electronic device and visually presented to a user on a display of the portable electronic device. |
| US09626819B1 |
Tester for detecting graphene security element in a security document, and the element detection method
A tester is described for detecting a graphene security element in a secure document, such as a banknote, an identification card, etc. as well as a method for detection of that element. In the tester the light emitter, the reflective/transreflective element and the photodetector are arranged in the measuring slot in such a way that detection of the level of absorption and/or refraction of light passing through a graphene security element is possible and the measurement result when compared with the model provides a basis for generation of a message about the detection result, i.e. the confirmation of authenticity of a security document or information that the document is counterfeited. The tester can preferably be used in combination with a mobile device, such as a smartphone, which together form the measuring system. |
| US09626813B2 |
Control device for automatic transmission and control method therfor
A control device for an automatic transmission, with a torque converter including a lock-up clutch, includes a learning unit configured to learn an engagement holding pressure, which is a hydraulic pressure immediately before the lock-up clutch is released, during coasting, and a determination unit configured to determine during learning in the learning unit whether or not an ON-failure in which the lock-up clutch is held in an engaged state in response to a release instruction has occurred. |
| US09626810B2 |
Method for providing telematics service
Disclosed are methods for providing a telematics service, and in particular, methods for providing a telematics service to a replaced terminal after a telematics terminal installed in a vehicle is replaced. A method for operating a telematics terminal installed in a vehicle includes determining whether the telematics terminal is a replaced terminal when the vehicle is turned on, transmitting an enrollment request signal to a telematics center when the telematics terminal is the replaced terminal, processing service enrollment according to an enrollment message transmitted in response to the enrollment request signal, transmitting terminal information of the telematics terminal to the telematics center upon completing the service enrollment, and receiving a telematics service determined based on the terminal information. |
| US09626807B2 |
System and method for augmented reality with complex augmented reality video image tags
Disclosed is a method for enabling use of a complex augmented reality system and a mobile device to display complex augmented reality on a display device. The method includes: enabling a user to capture one or more images from the display device via a camera on the mobile device; determining if there are one or more image tags within a video display on the display device that are viewable in the live camera image; using the one or more image tags to access information used by the augmented reality system; and overlaying virtual graphics in a position within 3D space on a display of the mobile device that augment the display of the display device with 3D effects to create complex augmented reality, when one or more image tags are detected within a video display on the display device that are viewable in a live camera image. |
| US09626802B2 |
Determining coordinate frames in a dynamic environment
Embodiments are disclosed for methods and systems of distinguishing movements of features in a physical environment. For example, on a head-mounted display device, one embodiment of a method includes obtaining a representation of real-world features in two or more coordinate frames and obtaining motion data from one or more sensors external to the head-mounted display device. The method further includes distinguishing features in one coordinate frame from features in another coordinate frame based upon the motion data. |
| US09626801B2 |
Visualization of physical characteristics in augmented reality
A system and method for visualization of physical characteristics are described. A sensor coupled to an object generates live data. Physical characteristics of the object are computed using the live data. A visualization of the physical characteristics of the object is generated and communicated to a viewing device configured to capture an image of the object. The viewing device augments the image of the object with the visualization of the physical characteristics of the object. |
| US09626800B2 |
Apparatus and method for augmented reality
A portable electronic device comprises a video camera for capturing a sequence of video images and an image processor operable to compress a first region of a current video image to a first extent and a second region of the current video image to a second, greater, extent to generate a processed current video image. The device includes a network communications interface operable to send processed video images to a server, and to receive control data from the server. The image processor is operable to augment the current video image with one or more computer graphic elements. Control data received from the server comprises image region information indicating a region of a video image estimated to comprise a predetermined marker and optionally augmentation instructions. Furthermore, the image processor is operable to define the first region of the current video image responsive to the image region information from the server. |
| US09626799B2 |
System and method for dynamically displaying multiple virtual and augmented reality scenes on a single display
One variation of a method for dynamically displaying multiple virtual and augmented reality scenes on a single display includes determining a set of global transform parameters from a combination of user-defined inputs, user-measured inputs, and device orientation and position derived from sensor inputs; calculating a projection from a configurable function of the global transform parameters, context provided by the user and context specific to a virtual and augmented reality scene; rendering a virtual and augmented reality scene with the calculated projection on a subframe of the display; and repeating the previous two steps to render additional virtual and augmented reality scenes. |
| US09626785B2 |
Using a bending pattern to arrange files on a flexible display
A method, a computer program product, and a computer system for using a bending pattern to arrange files on a flexible display of an electronic device. The computer-implemented method includes identifying a bending line on the flexible display in response to bending the flexible display by a user, calculating an affected area on the flexible display, calculating a bending pattern, calculating relative positions of points on the flexible display within the bending pattern, categorizing the points based on file weight attributes, and arranging the files such that light weighted files float over heavy weighted files on the flexible display. |
| US09626781B2 |
Selecting content items to present with a map
The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a system includes a map store, a map server, and a content server. The map server identifies a set of content items in which each content item is associated with a geographic location that is presented in a portion of a map, determines, for a given content item, an adjusted value of a given content item based at least in part on a base value for the content given item and a set of adjustment factors for one or more other content items in the set of content items, selects content items from the set of content items based on the adjusted values, and provides data that present the selected content items on the portion of the map presented at the device. |
| US09626778B2 |
Information propagation in prior-image-based reconstruction
A framework, comprising techniques, process(es), device(s), system(s), combinations thereof, or the like, to analyze propagation of information in prior-image-based reconstruction by decomposing the estimation into distinct components supported by a current data acquisition and by a prior image. Such decomposition can quantify contributions from prior data and current data as a spatial map and/or can trace specific features in an image to a source of at least some of such features. |
| US09626777B2 |
Method and apparatus to generate image data
In a method and apparatus for the generation of image data of a moving subject inside a body, raw data are initially acquired for a region encompassing the subject at different measurement points in time, and position overview data for the different measurement points in time are generated on the basis of at least a portion of the raw data. A scattering of the position overview data is then determined, which scattering is dependent on the measurement point in time. Spatial test regions within the position overview data are selected depending on the scattering. Trust parameter values are determined for the individual test regions, and a reconstruction of image data then takes place on the basis of the raw data under consideration of the trust parameter values of the different test regions. |
| US09626776B2 |
Apparatus, systems, and methods for processing a height map
The disclosed apparatus, systems, and methods can process height maps. For example, the disclosed computerized method of determining posture information of an object in a two-dimensional height map captured by a range sensor system can include receiving the height map of the object captured by the range sensor system, generating a plurality of one-dimensional slices of the height map and a location record indicating locations of the plurality of one-dimensional slices on the height map, identifying points of interest in the plurality of one-dimensional slices, determining locations of the identified points of interest in the height map based on the location record, and determining the posture information of the object based on the locations of the identified points of interest in the height map. |
| US09626775B1 |
White point calibration and gamut mapping for a display
In an example, a method of calibrating a white point of a display may include receiving a plurality of color values, and one or more measured color values corresponding to one or more colors displayed by a first target display. The method may include generating, based on the plurality of color values and the one or more measured color values, a second-order or higher response-surface regression model that maps color values corresponding to a second color space to color values corresponding to a first color space. The method may include generating predicted color values for a specified white point by inputting a plurality of specified color values corresponding to the specified white point into the second-order or higher response-surface regression model, where each predicted color value may correspond to the first color space and each of the specified color values may correspond to the second color space. |
| US09626774B2 |
Saturation varying color space
A first color component of a pixel or scene entity is modified using a color correction curve defined at least partly by a second color component of this pixel or entity. Each pixel or entity has its own separate color correction curve, independent of the color correction curves of other pixels or entities. The saturation value of a pixel or scene entity may be modified based on its luminance value. The luminance value determines a saturation gamma function curve, mapping the original saturation value of a pixel or entity to a new saturation value. The unilluminated color of a pixel or of an illuminated entity in a scene being rendered may also be taken into account. This output color may be stored in the appropriate pixel of an image or combined with colors from other portions of the scene being rendered. |
| US09626765B2 |
Position detection device detecting a position of target object and a position detection program
A position detection device obtains image coordinate groups representing a coordinate of a target object in each acquired image having first and second acquired image groups. The first acquired image group has acquired images obtained at an image acquiring timing in a reference period. The second acquired image group has acquired images obtained at an image acquiring timing in the reference period, which is delayed from the image acquiring timing of the first acquired image group by an asynchronous time. The device performs a Fourier transformation of each of a first locus and a second locus, and calculates a first frequency waveform based on the first locus and a second frequency waveform based on the second locus. The device calculates a position of the target object based on a relationship in which the frequency waveforms are delayed relative to each other by a phase corresponding to the asynchronous time. |
| US09626764B2 |
System and method for synchronizing fiducial markers
A system of active fiducial markers for pose calculation of head mounted displays is described in which information is exchanged among said markers for the purpose of synchronization. Fiducial patterns are made more easily identifiable by selective duty cycles of sub groups of synchronized emitters and means is described to propagate pose information among markers. |
| US09626762B2 |
Stochastic rasterization using enhanced stencil operations on a graphics processing unit (GPU)
Techniques are described for stochastic rasterization. A graphics processing unit (GPU) may discard samples of bounding polygons that together indicate movement of one or more primitives before a pixel shader process the samples. The GPU may leverage a stencil buffer and stencil test for discarding of such samples. |
| US09626758B2 |
Integration of medical software and advanced image processing
According to one embodiment, at least a portion of medical information of a patient is displayed within MRCS executed within a local device, the medical information including medical treatment history of the patient. At least a portion of the displayed medical information of the patient is transmitted to a medical imaging processing server over a network, where the transmitted medical information includes a patient identifier (ID) of the patient. Both the at least a portion of patient medical information and one or more medical images are displayed within the MRCS, where the medical images are associated with the patient and rendered by the medical image processing server. A set of icons representing a set of image processing tools is displayed within the MRCS, which when activated by a user, allow an image to be manipulated by the imaging processing server. |
| US09626755B2 |
Mask inspection apparatus and mask inspection method
In a mask inspection apparatus, an optical image acquisition unit acquires an optical image of a pattern in a mask by irradiating light. A reference image generation unit generates a corresponding reference image. A defect detection unit detects a defect of the pattern by comparing the two images. A misplacement data processing unit obtains a misplacement amount of the pattern from the images, and generates misplacement data. A misplacement map processing unit generates and outputs the map to the defect detection unit. The defect detection unit includes, a first comparison unit for comparing the images, a threshold value reconfiguring unit for specifying a portion of the map corresponding to the defect detected, reconfiguring a threshold value according to the shape of the defect and the misplacement direction of the optical image of the specified portion, and a second comparison unit for re-comparing both images using the reconfigured threshold value. |
| US09626754B2 |
System, apparatus and method for dispensed adhesive material inspection
Apparatus, system and method for detecting defects in an adhesion area that includes an adhesive mixed with a fluorescent material. One or more illumination devices may illuminate the fluorescent material in the adhesion area with a light of a predetermined wavelength. A camera may be configured to capture an image of the illuminated adhesion area. A processing device, communicatively coupled to the camera, may be configured to process the captured image by applying one or more boundary areas to the captured image and determining an image characteristic within each of the boundary areas, wherein the image characteristic is used by the processing device to determine the presence of a defect in the adhesive, such as an excess of adhesive or an insufficient application of adhesive. |
| US09626753B2 |
Programmable digital machine vision inspection system
A programmable digital machine vision inspection system is disclosed having a programmable automatic feeding system that supplies elements to be inspected, a programmable robot system, a programmable inspection system, a qualified product receiving container, and an unqualified product receiving container. The programmable robot system has a first vision system with an inspection area, and a robot that grips the supplied element and moves the gripped element to and from the inspection area. The programmable inspection system has a second vision system that identifies features of the elements in the inspection area, and determines whether the element is a qualified product based on the identified features. The qualified product receiving container receives identified qualified products from the robot, and the unqualified product receiving container that receives identified unqualified products from the robot. |
| US09626751B2 |
Method and system for analog/digital image simplification and stylization
A computer program product includes instructions for a processor to perform a method of improving image structure and coherence, and/or for simplification/stylization. The method includes inputting the image, by: scanning the image; image capture using a camera; and/or image creation using a computer. Multi-channel images are converted into a single-channel image, which is separated into a first image component—the high spatial frequencies, and a second component image—the low spatial frequencies. The first and second component images are each formed by filtering to remove frequencies outside of respective upper and lower threshold frequencies. A gain multiplier is applied to the filtered first and second component images to control detail amplification. The first and second component images are each blurred at the respective upper and lower threshold frequencies. An improved stylized composite image results by subtracting the gain multiplied first component image from the gain multiplied second component image. |
| US09626750B2 |
Image processing method for a composite image and image processing device, image processing program, and recording medium therefor
An image processing device that performs image processing on a composite image obtained by merging a first image and a second image having different exposure conditions. A data acquiring unit acquires the composite image and region data indicating a target region of the composite image. A image processing unit performs different image processes between the target region and a region other than the target region based on the region data. The images include a region on which a moving subject is rendered. In the region on which the moving subject is rendered, the composite image is generated by using a pixel value of one of the first image and the second image. The region data represents one or a plurality of regions generated based on the region of the composite image, on which the moving subject is rendered, as the target region. |
| US09626743B2 |
Image stabilization apparatus, method of controlling the same, image capturing apparatus, lens apparatus, and storage medium
An image stabilization apparatus comprises a signal separation unit configured to separate a shake signal into a low frequency band and a high frequency band, a panning determination unit configured to determine, based on an output from the shake detection unit, whether a panning operation is performed, and a control unit configured to control a first image stabilization unit based on the high frequency band and control a second image stabilization unit based on the low frequency band, wherein the apparatus has a first mode in which if the panning determination unit determines that a panning operation is performed, control is performed to make the second image stabilization unit approach a center of correction, and no control is performed to make the first image stabilization unit approach a center. |
| US09626742B2 |
Apparatus and method for providing transitions between screens
An apparatus, method, and computer program product are described that provide a visual transition from an origin screen to a destination screen by applying a graphical effect to the origin screen based on a user input that is received. The graphical effect includes a translation aspect and a rotational aspect. The rotational aspect may have an angle of rotation that is defined based on characteristics of the input received, such as an initial or instantaneous position of receipt of the input or a speed of movement of the input. Thus, the graphical effect simulates a physical reaction of the origin screen to the input (for example, giving the appearance that the origin screen is a physical object that is reacting to the user input as an applied force in the real world). |
| US09626740B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method
An image processing apparatus includes a super-resolution processing unit for executing super-resolution processing on one input image among an input image group having a plurality of color channels and input images each having a common partial region, a resolution conversion unit for executing resolution conversion processing on the input image having been subjected to the super-resolution processing, and a specification unit for specifying a combination of a magnification of the super-resolution processing and a magnification of the resolution conversion processing for each color channel. The specification unit specifies the combination so that a magnification of the super-resolution processing of at least one color channel differs from a magnification of the super-resolution processing of other color channels. |
| US09626730B2 |
Method of and apparatus for encoding and decoding data
Each block of texture data elements is encoded as a block of texture data. The encoding process includes determining for each block of texture data elements whether the set of texture data elements of the block all have sufficiently similar data values. If they do, the extent of a region within the texture including the block in which every texture data element has sufficiently similar data values is then determined, and an encoded texture data block to represent the block of texture data elements that indicates that the block specifies a region within the texture in which every texture data element is to be allocated the same data value when decoded, and that includes data indicating the constant data value for the block and data indicating the extent of the region within the texture that the block relates to, is generated. |
| US09626728B2 |
Social network system with social objects
A social network system provides a social network that receives from an application a business object and an associated system of record and generates a social object that corresponds to the business object and that comprises the system of record for the enterprise application. The social network assigns one or more members to the social object. The social network receives first changes to the system of record and, in response, modifies the social object to incorporate the first changes. The system provides second changes to the social object to the enterprise application, and the enterprise application, in response, modifies the system of record to incorporate the second changes. |
| US09626725B2 |
Using social graph for account recovery
A social networking system performs account recovery for a user with the help of the user's connections (e.g., friends). The social networking system selects connections of the user based on information indicating likelihood of real-world interactions between the user and the selected connections. Access codes are sent to the selected connections and the user instructed to obtain access codes from the selected connections via a communication that is outside the social networking system, for example, via phone. The user provides the access codes obtained from the selected connections to the social networking system. If the access codes provided by the user match the access codes sent to the selected connections, the user is granted access to the account. Real-world interactions between two users are determined based on sharing of devices between the users or information indicating presence of the users in the same place during same time interval. |
| US09626724B2 |
Digital image check services
Apparatus and methods are provided for viewing a check image and selecting a check service to be applied to a check. Check services may include a pay/return decision. The check images may be presented in a carousel view without pop-up windows. The user may import pre-selected check services such as stop payments. Check images may be marked with a status indicator. The status indicator may correspond to a check service applied to the check or a reconciliation error associated with the check. A user may receive notifications of pending expiration of an applied check service. The user may select and apply a check service at any time during a clearing process of the check. User may search for checks and check images based on the check service applied to the check. Search results may include check images and may be transmitted to a requested location such as via e-mail. |
| US09626723B2 |
Wireless device to enable data collection for insurance rating purposes
The devices, methods, systems and computer-readable mediums of the present disclosure provide automatic data collection for insurance rating purposes. In particular, a battery powered Bluetooth device may be attached to a personal item of an insured individual. The Bluetooth device may automatically trigger a mobile telephone to begin storing data related to use of the personal item when the mobile telephone is proximate the Bluetooth device. The mobile telephone may periodically transmit the stored data to a remote server. |
| US09626722B2 |
Systems and methods of an interface for use in electronic trading
Various systems and methods for presenting and interacting with electronic trading related information on a display screen of a computer system are provided. According to one or more embodiments, buttons are positioned and compressed along an axis, where each button corresponds to a function. A button can be selected through an action of a user input device. A button is removed from the region when a function corresponding to the button is no longer current and when the cursor is not positioned within the region. The remaining buttons, if any, in the region are compressed subsequent to removing the button from the region. A button is not removed from the region when the cursor is positioned within the region. |
| US09626719B2 |
Displaying a series of reports within a single user interface
A user interface may be provided for displaying a series of reports. The user interface may include a primary report area, a secondary report area and a navigation slider. The primary report area may be utilized to display a selected report image associated with a report in a report series. The secondary report area may be utilized to display one or more additional report images associated with other reports in the report series. The navigation slider may be utilized to navigate among the report images displayed in the secondary report area. The report images displayed in the primary and secondary report areas may be manipulated by one or more user commands received in the user interface. |
| US09626716B1 |
Method, medium, and system for associating graphical icons with destination addresses using drag and drop
Various embodiments of a network page are provided. In one embodiment, at least one server serves up a network page to a client to be rendered on the client in a networked environment. The network page is associated with a network site that facilitates a purchase of items. The network page includes a graphical representation of a selected one of the items, and a plurality of destination regions, each of the destination regions being associated with a corresponding one of a plurality of shipping addresses. The network page is configured to facilitate an association of the selected one of the items with a respective one of the destination regions. |
| US09626715B2 |
Method and apparatus for associating menu information
Methods and Apparatus related to generating representations of information. The information may include menu information for merchants such as restaurants. Referring to menus, methods may include receiving potential information for a first menu, and receiving indications of associations of the information with the first menu and/or any number of additional menus. Information and/or associations may later be updated by a desired set of users. |
| US09626708B2 |
Photographic mementos
A method of providing a photographic memento is provided. The method includes receiving, at a computer system from a mobile computing device of a user, an order for a photographic memento that includes photo data, formatting instructions, and account information. The method includes printing a formatted image on a first side of a rigid substrate and printing supplemental information on a second side of the rigid substrate. The formatted image is based on the photo data and the formatting instructions and the supplemental information is based on the order data. The method further includes cutting the photographic memento from the rigid substrate in a predefined shape and generating shipping information for the photographic memento based on account information and/or the order data. |
| US09626707B2 |
Apparatus and method for facilitating a purchase using information provided on a media playing device
Disclosed are apparatus and method for facilitating a purchase in conjunction with media content information. The apparatus includes a receiver configured to receive a transmission of media content, information regarding the content, and information for facilitating a purchase of at least one of a copy of the content, a good, and/or a service. The content may include broadcast media content and entertainment media content. The apparatus also includes a processor configured to process the information regarding the content and the information for facilitating a purchase of the copy of the content, the good, and/or the service. The apparatus also includes a display device for displaying information. |
| US09626705B2 |
Prioritization of third party access to an online commerce site
Providing prioritization of user online access to an online commerce site. Third party applications using API function calls to access an online commerce site are restricted to specific services by an access rule. An access rule defines which API server on the online commerce site a specific third party application may access when using a specific API function call. In this way, the operator of the online commerce site may prioritize server access per service level agreements based on a specific third party application and API function call. |
| US09626703B2 |
Voice commerce
In certain implementations, a system for facilitating voice commerce is provided. A user input comprising a natural language utterance related to a product or service to be purchased may be received. A first product or service that is to be purchased may be determined based on the utterance. First payment information that is to be used to purchase the first product or service may be obtained. First shipping information that is to be used to deliver the first product or service may be obtained. A purchase transaction for the first product or service may completed based on the first payment information and the first shipping information without further user input, after the receipt of utterance, that identifies a product or service type or a product or service, seller information, payment information, shipping information, or other information related to purchasing the first product or service. |
| US09626700B1 |
Aggregation of operational data for merchandizing of network accessible services
An electronic service image marketplace for service images is provided that permits users to browse descriptions of service images implementing desired functionalities of a virtual machine image. The described service images may be further offered for purchase through the electronic service image marketplace. An operational data service, in communication with the electronic service image marketplace, may collect operational data from a plurality of host computing devices executing the selected service image. The operational data service may further analyze the collected operational data to obtain an aggregate measure of operational data for the selected service image when executed by host computing devices. The analyzed operational data may be further provided to the electronic service image marketplace for display within the description of the selected service image. Notifications may be further provided to a user of a selected service image based upon a comparison of the analyzed operational data to operational data of the selected service image. |
| US09626697B2 |
Method and apparatus for accessing electronic data via a plurality of electronic tags
The disclosed methods and apparatus relate generally to the use of electronic devices to interact with electronic tags associated with objects, services, places, people, or animals (“objects”) in order to access programming material related to these objects. The invention discloses the input of keywords, phrases, preferences, or interests into a user's device to search a plurality of electronic tags within a given physical range to access programming material from the tags—or via data links provided in the tags—that matches the keywords, phrases, preferences, or interests. Furthermore, the invention locates, maps, and labels the objects associated with this programming material on the user's display. |
| US09626696B2 |
Techniques to verify location for location based services
Techniques to verify a participant's visit to a specific location are described. An embodiment may provide a system that generates a pattern that is unique to the location, and that may further be unique to a date or time, a transaction, or other criteria. Participants may capture the pattern, for example, using a mobile device, and transmit the pattern to a verification system. The verification system may decode, translate, decrypt or otherwise obtain information from the pattern. The information obtained from the pattern may be used to verify that the pattern came from the location. The participant may then receive credit for the visit. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US09626695B2 |
Automatically presenting different user experiences, such as customized voices in automated communication systems
An automated communication system with an associated method for presenting customized voices is disclosed. The system which performs a predetermined task accepts information regarding an intended user indicating the intended user's identity, preferences, etc. Next, the system customizes one or more voices for the intended user based on the accepted information. The system then presents to the intended user one or more audible communications converted from text associated with a predetermined task performed by the system using the one or more customized voices. |
| US09626687B2 |
Systems and methods of generating and using a bitmap index
Systems and methods of generating and using a bitmap index are disclosed. The bitmap index stores bit strings. In a particular implementation, each bit string in the bitmap index corresponds to an attribute of an audience. Each location in each bit string corresponds to the same audience member. The bitmap index supports parallelized and distributed execution of queries with respect to data indexed by the bitmap index. For example, the described bitmap index can be used to index advertising data, healthcare data, financial data, etc. |
| US09626684B2 |
Providing customized digital media marketing content directly to a customer
A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for customizing digital media marketing messages. In one embodiment, external data is received from a set of detectors located externally to a retail facility to form external data. The external data is processed to form dynamic data. The set of dynamic data is analyzed using a data model to identify personalized marketing message criteria for the customer. A customized marketing message for the customer is generated using the personalized marketing message criteria. The customized marketing message is delivered to a display device associated with the customer for display. |
| US09626679B2 |
Automated fraud detection for point-of-sale devices
Techniques and arrangements for detecting potentially fraudulent transactions made on a point-of-sale (POS) device. In some instances, the POS device may upload a batch of authorization requests corresponding to transactions made on the POS device while the POS device was in an offline mode. A payment service may receive this batch and, as opposed to processing the entire batch, may select a subset for processing. After selecting the subset, the payment service may attempt to authorize payment instruments associated with each transaction of the subset. The payment service may then compare an amount of declined payment instruments to a threshold. If the amount is greater than the threshold, then the payment service may flag the subset and/or the batch as fraudulent and may refrain from processing further transactions of the batch. |
| US09626678B2 |
Systems and methods to enhance security in transactions
A system includes a digital camera coupled with or integrated within a transaction terminal to capture an image during authorization of a transaction initiated at the transaction terminal. The system further includes a portal configured to receive the image and transmit the image to a communication reference associated with the account information of an account in which the transaction is made, based on a security preference associated with the account information. The image may be optionally analyzed to detect fraudulent use of the account. |
| US09626676B2 |
Secured online transactions
A method, apparatus, and computer program for improving security in connection with online transactions are provided. A security application configured to monitor received text messages of a short message service is executed in an apparatus. The security application is arranged to have prioritized access to process the received text messages before other applications executed in the apparatus, to identify from contents of a received text message whether or not the received text message includes a transaction authentication message and, upon detecting that the received text message includes the transaction authentication message, prevent the processing of the transaction authentication message by the other applications and carry out user interfacing related to the transaction authentication message within a secured environment provided by the security application. |
| US09626670B2 |
Method and apparatus for money transfer
A staged payment transaction method comprises receiving transaction information, identifying a staging record at a computer system or data processor, and providing a retrieval key or token to a user device. The staging record comprises the transaction information and the retrieval key or token identifies the staging record for finalizing the transaction. |
| US09626669B2 |
Card reader emulation for cardless transactions
Disclosed are method and apparatus that enable a cardless payment transaction to be executed from a merchant point-of-sale (POS) system. A user is enabled to check in at a merchant by using a mobile device of the user and then to pay by simply appearing at the merchant and mentioning his name. By emulating card read events and intercepting receipt printer outputs, the technique cleanly integrates into a conventional merchant POS system, without the need for customized software or hardware to accommodate individual POS vendor-proprietary application programming interfaces (APIs). |
| US09626664B2 |
System and method for transferring funds
A method includes registering a public identifier for a recipient, including authenticating the public identifier; receiving a funds transfer request to transfer funds from a sender to the recipient, the request including the public identifier and being received from a second computer system, the first and second computer systems being associated with a first and second entity, respectively, the recipient having an account at the first entity and the sender having an account at the second entity; identifying the recipient based on the public identifier, including identifying account number information for the recipient based on the public identifier; depositing the funds into the account of the recipient based on the identified account number information; and providing a warranty to the second entity that the public identifier is valid, wherein the first entity is responsible for refunding money to the sender if the identifier is not validly associated with the recipient. |
| US09626658B2 |
System and method for generating a task list
A method includes receiving at least a portion of a task. The method also includes parsing the task as the task is being received to identify a keyword in the task. In addition, the method includes, in response to identifying the keyword, applying the keyword to one or more parameters of the task while the task is being received to produce a modified task. The method could further include parsing a second task that is received subsequent to the received task, identifying a second keyword in the second task, and associating the second task with the received task in response to identifying the second keyword. Associating the second task with the received task could include determining a hierarchy between the second task and the received task based on the second keyword or determining that the second task is a subtask of the received task based on the second keyword. |
| US09626655B2 |
Method, apparatus and system for regulating electronic mail
A Postal Authority regulated e-Mail messaging application is provided over a public network to a plurality of mailers and addressees using authenticated transaction records. The application transmits at least one e-Mail message through at least one e-Mail account configured for a specific class of service. The application creates transaction records relevant to the specific class of service based upon details of completed transactions. Electronic postmarks are obtained to authenticate transaction records. Authenticated transaction records are sent to the mailer. A unique identifier of an electronic postmark is embedded in the e-Mail message. The e-Mail message incorporating the unique identifier is sent to at least one addressee. Authenticated e-Mail messages and transaction records are created and protected from undetectable modification. |
| US09626654B2 |
Learning a ranking model using interactions of a user with a jobs list
Learning to rank modeling in the context of an on-line social network is described. A learning to rank model can learn from pairwise preference (e.g., job posting A is more relevant than job posting B for a particular member profile) thus directly optimizing for the rank order of job postings for each member profile. With ranking position taken into consideration during training, top-ranked job postings may be treated by a recommendation system as being of more importance than lower-ranked job postings. In addition, a learning to rank approach may also result in an equal optimization across all member profiles and help minimize bias towards those member profiles that have been paired with a larger number of job postings. |
| US09626651B2 |
Automated social network introductions for e-meetings
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for automated social networking for e-meetings. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for automated social networking for e-meetings is provided. The method includes monitoring content provided to an e-meeting managed by an e-meeting server executing in memory of a host computer. The method further includes detecting a name in the monitored content and comparing the detected name to names in a contact list for a social networking system executing externally to the e-meeting. Finally, the method includes triggering generation of a social networking introduction for the name to different participants to the e-meeting in response to matching the detected name to a name in the contact list. |
| US09626649B2 |
System for providing an interactive career management tool
A system is described for providing an interactive career management tool. The system may include a memory, an interface, and a processor. The memory may store job levels and career option descriptions associated with business function and job identifiers. Each job level may be associated with experience and expectation descriptions. The processor may receive a business function and job identifier and may retrieve the associated career option descriptions and job levels along with the experience and expectation descriptions associated with each job level. The processor may transform the job levels, experience descriptions, and expectation descriptions into a table. The processor may transform the career option descriptions into an interactive display which includes several shapes. Each career option may be displayed when the user selects a shape associated with the career option description. The processor may provide the table and the interactive display to a device of the user. |
| US09626642B2 |
Calculating speed and travel times with travel delays
Computer program products, methods, systems, apparatus, and computing entities are provided for forecasting travel delays corresponding to streets, street segments, geographic areas, geofenced areas, and/or user-specified criteria. And from the forecasted travel delays, speed and travel times that take into account such travel delays can be determined. |
| US09626640B2 |
Closed loop performance management for service delivery systems
A computer implemented method delivers information technology services according to a set of service level agreements. A service request class having a largest control error is identified from a plurality of service request classes. The service request priority of the service request class having the largest control error is then increased to form an updated priority. Service requests for the plurality of service request classes are dispatched in a next control iteration based upon the updated priority. |
| US09626638B2 |
Method and device for assigning surplus slabs in the slab yard before hot rolling process
A method for assigning surplus slabs in slab yards to orders includes loading slab pre-yards of a plurality of production lines with surplus slabs, describing the assignment of the surplus slabs to the orders with a mathematical model, grouping order data and slab data based on steel grades, obtaining an assignment scheme for the surplus slabs and the orders in each group with a mixed scatter search algorithm, and assigning the surplus slabs to the orders using the assignment scheme. If a surplus slab is in a pre-yard of a production line associated with an order the surplus slab is assigned to, the slab is moved using a crane to the production line. Otherwise, the slab is moved to the pre-yard associated with the production line, and then moved using a crane to the production line. The slab is then heated and rolled by the production line. |
| US09626635B2 |
Distributed autonomous system and method for controlling distributed autonomous system
An object is to provide a system in which components can overall operate in concert with one another by using only functions about the components, without using the theory of probability. The system includes a plurality of function blocks correlated to one another. The plurality of function blocks each include: a storing unit including an evaluation function that is associated with its own function block; a profit maximization control unit for adjusting the operation level of its own function block by information about the evaluation function of another of the plurality of function blocks that has a relation with its own function block; an activation/shutdown problem solution control unit for adjusting a suppression of the operation level by profit maximization control based on an active state/shutdown state of its own function block; and a restraint condition fulfillment control unit for adjusting the operation level of its own function block based on a restraint condition that is to be fulfilled by its own function block and all of the plurality of function blocks together. |
| US09626631B2 |
Analysis device, analysis method, and program
An analysis device which analyzes a system that inputs input data including a plurality of input parameters and outputs output data, including an acquisition unit that acquires learning data including a plurality of sets of the input data and the output data, and a learning processing unit that learns, based on the acquired learning data, the amount of difference of output data corresponding to a difference between input parameters of two pieces of input data, an analysis method using the analysis device, and a program used in the analysis device are provided. |
| US09626627B1 |
Predicting API storytelling mapping
A first indication from a user is received. The indication includes a task to be performed using at least one application programming interface. A machine learning model is determine. At least one application programming interface is determined using the machine learning model and the request. The at least one application programming interface is provided to the user. |
| US09626626B2 |
Moveable storage
A mobile storage system is disclosed that in one aspect identifies a geographical location change of a user, such as movement from a first geographical location to a second geographical location. In response, the mobile storage system may move the user's information to a storage device associated with the second geographical location so that the user's information may be accessed by the user more efficiently. |
| US09626624B2 |
Programmable probability processing
An inference task is performed using a computation device having a plurality of processing elements operable in parallel and connected via a connectivity system. Performing the task includes accepting at the device a specification of at least part of the inference task. The specification characterizes a plurality of variables and a plurality of factors, each factor being associated with a subset of the variables. Each of the processing elements is configured with data defining one or more of the plurality of factors. At each of the processing elements, computation associated with one of the factors is performed concurrently with other of the processing elements performing computation associated with different ones of the factors. Messages are exchanged via a connectivity system. The messages provide inputs and/or outputs to the processing elements for the computations associated with the factors and provide a result of performing of the at least the part of the inference task. |
| US09626620B2 |
Frangible RFID tag and method of producing same
A frangible RFID tag includes a substrate having at least one weakened area, an RFID chip and an antenna. The RFID chip and the antenna are located on the substrate and the antenna is electrically connected to the RFID chip. The RFID tag also includes a plurality of adhesive areas applied to the underside of the substrate. The adhesive areas allow the RFID tag to be secured to an object. The adhesive areas may be spaced from one another to form at least one gap between the adhesive areas. The gap(s) may be located under the at least one weakened area. |
| US09626618B2 |
Wireless chip
The invention provides a wireless chip which can secure the safety of consumers while being small in size, favorable in communication property, and inexpensive, and the invention also provides an application thereof. Further, the invention provides a wireless chip which can be recycled after being used for managing the manufacture, circulation, and retail. A wireless chip includes a layer including a semiconductor element, and an antenna. The antenna includes a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer, and a dielectric layer sandwiched between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer, and has a spherical shape, an ovoid shape, an oval spherical shape like a go stone, an oval spherical shape like a rugby ball, or a disc shape, or has a cylindrical shape or a polygonal prism shape in which an outer edge portion thereof has a curved surface. |
| US09626617B2 |
RFID tag assemblies and process
A process is disclosed for attaching an RFID tag such as an AK module or QFP package to a flexible surface such as textile or fabric. The process comprises providing a heat fusible label including at least a first layer having a first adhesive layer, a substrate layer including a secondary antenna structure, a heat activated second adhesive layer and a pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) layer for holding the RFID tag. The process further includes positioning the RFID tag on the PSA layer, pressing the tag against the PSA layer such that the PSA layer holds the tag against the heat fusible label at least temporarily, positioning the heat fusible label with the RFID tag on the flexible surface and applying heat and pressure to the heat fusible label to melt the heat activated layer and to fuse the label to the flexible surface. |
| US09626616B2 |
Low-profile real-time location system tag
Embodiments of the present invention provide methods for an electrical-mechanical interface associated with a miniature RTLS tag, wherein a mechanical shock absorption comprises a protective antenna enclosure and a potting material to secure the electronics to printed circuit boards. A polyester cup seal prevents the potting material from interacting electrically with an RF antenna. A signal processor is electrically isolated from the antenna by a RF shield or metal can. The cup seal is vacuum-sealed about the RF shield. Flexibility in radiation patterns for the antenna is made possible by eliminating the electrical interactions of the dielectric materials associated with mechanical shock absorption and the antenna. The antenna is approximately circular, with a coaxial center feed through the antenna aperture, and is perturbed by purposeful metal and dielectric adjustments to generate nearly omni-directional radiation patterns in elevation and azimuth. |
| US09626615B2 |
Chip card and chip card sleeve
According to one embodiment, a chip card is provided, having a first contact area and a second contact area, a measuring circuit that is configured to measure an impedance between the first contact area and the second contact area and a control circuit that is configured to take the measured impedance as a basis for configuring a function of the chip card. |
| US09626612B2 |
Radio frequency identification sensor assembly
In accordance with one embodiment, an RFID sensor assembly comprises an RFID chip, an antenna, a sensor, a substrate, and a laminated layer. The RFID chip is in electrical communication with the antenna and the sensor. The RFID chip, antenna, and sensor are secured to the substrate. The laminated layer is arranged as to create a generally airtight pouch between the substrate and the laminate layer. The laminated layer is further arranged to facilitate a post manufacturing method for exposing the contents of the pouch to the environment surrounding the RFID sensor assembly. |
| US09626611B2 |
Provisioning mobile device with time-varying magnetic field
An electronic transaction card communicates with an add-on slot of an intelligent electronic device. The add-on slot may be a memory card slot. The intelligent electronic device may be a mobile phone or other device with or without network connectivity. The electronic transaction card may have magnetic field producing circuitry compatible with magnetic card readers, smartcard circuitry, other point-of-sale interfaces, or any combination thereof. |
| US09626607B2 |
Spectral print mapping
Spectral characteristics for printing fluids are obtained. Reflectance values for computing a gamut in spectral space are determined. A tessellation of the gamut is performed. The gamut provides a mapping of reflectance to Neugebauer Primary area coverages for a printing device. The printing device can print an image using the Neugebauer Primary area coverages. |
| US09626602B2 |
Method and system for utilizing transformation matrices to process rasterized image data
A method and system render rasterized data by receiving non-rasterized page description language data and a corresponding transformation matrix representing transformation operations to be performed. The non-rasterized page description language data is rasterizing to create rasterized data. The corresponding transformation matrix is decomposed into a plurality of individual transformation operation matrices and a discrete transformation operation value, from each corresponding individual transformation operation matrix, is generated for each transformation operation to be performed upon the rasterized data. The transformation operations are performed upon the rasterized data based upon the generated discrete transformation operation values. |
| US09626601B2 |
Identifying image transformations for improving optical character recognition quality
Systems and methods for identifying transformations to be applied to at least part of a document image for improving the OCR quality. An example method comprises: constructing, by a computer system, an ordered list of transformations to be applied to an image comprising a character string, each transformation corresponding to a hypothesis asserted with respect to one or more characteristics of the image; applying, to the image, a leading transformation on the list to produce a transformed image; evaluating a quality of the transformed image to produce a quality estimate; and updating the list in view of the quality estimate. |
| US09626600B2 |
Event analyzer and computer-readable storage medium
An event analyzer includes an event log collection module configured to collect an event log, an event log storage module configured to convert the event log into an event matrix and to store the event matrix, an event occurrence-order determination module configured to determine occurrence-order of device events based on the event matrix, a Bayesian network generation module configured to specify device events serving as parent node candidates, to calculate evaluation values corresponding to each specified parent node candidate at a virtual device event obtained by shifting the device event serving as a processing object each unit time, and to select an device event serving as a parent node together with a shift amount, and an analysis module configured to output an device event estimated as a cause of an device event to be analyzed, or an device event estimated to occur later based on the shift amount. |
| US09626599B2 |
Reconfigurable clear path detection system
A reconfigurable clear path detection system includes an image capture device and a primary clear path detection module for determining corresponding probability values of identified patches within a captured image representing a likelihood of whether a respective patch is a clear path of the road. A plurality of secondary clear path detection modules each are used to assist in identifying a respective clear path of the traveled road in the input image. One or more of the secondary clear path detection modules are selectively enabled for identifying the clear path. The selectively enabled secondary clear path detection modules are used to identify the clear path of the road of travel in the input image. A fusion module collectively analyzes the clear path detection results of the primary clear path detection module and the selectively enabled secondary clear path detection modules for identifying the clear path in the input image. |
| US09626594B2 |
Method and system to perform text-to-image queries with wildcards
A system and method for comparing a text image with or without a wildcard character and a character string are provided. The method includes embedding a character string into a vectorial space by extracting a set of features from the character string and generating a character string representation based on the extracted features, such as a spatial pyramid bag of characters (SPBOC) representation. A text image is embedded into a vectorial space by extracting a set of features from the text image and generating a text image representation based on the text image extracted features. A similarity between the text image representation and the character string representation is computed, which includes computing a function of the text image representation and character string representation. |
| US09626581B2 |
Real-time video tracking system
A method for detecting and tracking a target includes detecting the target using a plurality of feature cues, fusing the plurality of feature cues to form a set of target hypotheses, tracking the target based on the set of target hypotheses and a scene context analysis, and updating the tracking of the target based on a target motion model. |
| US09626580B2 |
Defining region for motion detection
A method, performed by a computer device, may include receiving a request to set up motion detection for a camera. The method may include generating a selection grid for a field of view associated with the camera, wherein the selection grid includes a plurality of grid elements; selecting one or more grid elements of the plurality of grid elements; and configuring motion detection for a video feed from the camera based on the selected one or more grid elements. |
| US09626579B2 |
Increasing canny filter implementation speed
A method includes receiving image data and performing a non-maximum suppression (NMS) operation on the image data. The method also includes initiating an edge tracking by hysteresis (ETH) operation on a portion of the image data prior to completion of the NMS operation. |
| US09626576B2 |
Determining maximally stable external regions using a parallel processor
Embodiments of the present invention includes a method of determining MSER on a processing system that includes a parallel processor such as a GPU, the method including method steps carried out in parallel. Embodiments of the present invention also include an apparatus that includes a parallel processor and that is operative to carry out the method, and also logic, e.g., executable instructions configured on a non-transitory computer-readable media operative to carry out the method, and a non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with such instructions. The method includes assigning to the pixels in an image metapixels of all connected pixels at a level, carrying out watershed in parallel on metapixels to determine catchment basins, and carrying out further steps, including steps executed in parallel to determine the MSER of the image. |
| US09626575B2 |
Visual liveness detection
In an approach for visual liveness detection, a video-audio signal related to a speaker speaking a text is obtained. The video-audio signal is split into a video signal which records images of the speaker and an audio signal which records a speech spoken by the speaker. Then a first sequence indicating visual mouth openness is obtained from the video signal, and a second sequence indicating acoustic mouth openness is obtained based on the text and the audio signal. Synchrony between the first and second sequences is measured, and the liveness of the speaker is determined based on the synchrony. |
| US09626569B2 |
Filtered image data recovery using lookback
Methods and systems for filtered image data recovery using lookback include storing first, second, and third data captures received from the image sensor in a first memory component and a second memory component. The methods and systems also include identifying a second detection in the second data capture and a third detection in the third data capture by filtering the first, second, and third data captures. The second detection and the third detection each exceed a pixel intensity threshold. The methods and systems also include correlating the second detection and the third detection to identify at least one track. The methods and systems also include detecting a first detection in the first data capture stored in the second memory component, the first detection being a pixel intensity value that is less than the threshold or an initiation event having a pixel intensity value that is less than the threshold. |
| US09626568B2 |
Use of spatially structured light for dynamic three dimensional reconstruction and reality augmentation
The disclosure relates to marker-less augmented reality methods which are operable in mobile applications and which involve an object-tracking method that uses projection and detection of a structured light pattern to track the location, orientation, and/or movement of an object in a scene. |
| US09626567B2 |
Automated video campaign building
A method to automatically classify video content retrieved over the Internet and, in particular, to determine whether a candidate video is an instance of a source video. The method begins by sampling static image frames from each of the candidate video and the source video. Based on the sampled static image frames, a set of static image frames in the candidate video that match a corresponding set of static image frames in the source video are then identified. Metadata associated with the sets of matching static image frames are then compared to determine how closely a temporal order of the set of static image frames in the candidate video matches the temporal order of the set of static image frames in the source video. Based on a measure of temporal order match, a classification is then applied to the candidate video to complete the method. |
| US09626559B2 |
Target marking for secure logo validation process
The instant application describes a method for acquiring via a vehicle wheel alignment system an image of a target including a validation logo, the validation logo being used for recognition by the vehicle wheel alignment system and determination of authenticity of the validation logo by the vehicle wheel alignment system; identifying the validation logo within the image of the target; comparing the identified validation logo with a reference validation logo; computing a similarity metric based on a result of a comparison between the identified validation logo and the reference validation logo; and based on the computed similarity metric, enabling or disabling the vehicle wheel alignment system. |
| US09626553B2 |
Object identification apparatus and object identification method
An object identification apparatus selects, for each partial area of an object in a registered image, a corresponding sample image from sample images based on feature quantities of the partial area, for objects in the registered image, sets a similarity of feature quantities for each partial area between objects of an identical individual and between objects of different individuals based on a similarity related to the selected sample images for each partial area, makes a discriminator learn based on the set similarity, acquires a similarity for each partial area between objects in an input image and the registered image, and determines whether the object in the input image is identical to the object in the registered image based on the acquired similarity and a result of discrimination by the discriminator. |
| US09626552B2 |
Calculating facial image similarity
In one embodiment, for a first image, a first vector of similarity to a set of reference images is calculated as a first face descriptor, and for a second image, a second vector of similarity to the set of reference images is calculated as a second face descriptor. A similarity measure between the first face descriptor and the second face descriptor is then calculated. |
| US09626551B2 |
Collation apparatus and method for the same, and image searching apparatus and method for the same
A collation apparatus that collates an input image with registered images includes: a feature extracting unit extracting feature quantities from a region of an object in the input image; a calculating unit calculating, per each of the feature quantities, similarity degrees between the feature quantities extracted from the input image and corresponding feature quantities of the registered image, for each of the registered images; an integrating unit integrating, using a parameter, the similarity degrees for the feature quantities; an estimation unit estimating as to whether or not the object in the input image is identical with an object in each of the registered images; and a parameter learning unit learning the parameters to be used by the integrating unit, based on an estimation result of the estimation unit and the similarity degree integrated by the integrating unit. |
| US09626550B2 |
Grouping face images using statistic distribution estimate
A computer-implemented method for sorting face images of different individuals into different groups includes obtaining face images comprising faces of unknown individuals by a computer processor; calculating similarity functions between pairs of face images by the computer processor; joining face images that have values of the similarity functions above a predetermined threshold into a hypothetical face group, wherein the face images in the hypothetical face group hypothetically belong to a same person; conducting non-negative matrix factorization on values of the similarity functions in the hypothetical face group to test truthfulness of the hypothetical face group; and identifying the hypothetical face group as a true face group if a percentage of the associated similarity functions being true is above a threshold based on the non-negative matrix factorization. |
| US09626549B1 |
Derived virtual quality parameters for fingerprint matching
In some implementations, a computer-implemented method may include: identifying one or more neighboring minutiae within a particular octant neighborhood for the octant feature vector for each minutia included in a list of minutiae associated with a search fingerprint; computing, for each minutia included in the list of minutiae, a direction difference between each minutia included in the list of minutiae, and each of the one or more neighboring minutiae identified for the octant feature vector for each minutia included in the list of minutiae; computing, for each minutia included in the list of minutiae, a minutia quality confidence; and computing a fingerprint quality confidence. |
| US09626548B2 |
Fingerprint preview quality and segmentation
A ridge flow based fingerprint image quality determination can be achieved independent of image resolution, can be processed in real-time and includes segmentation, such as fingertip segmentation, therefore providing image quality assessment for individual fingertips within a four finger flat, dual thumb, or whole hand image. A fingerprint quality module receives from one or more scan devices ridge-flow-containing imagery which can then be assessed for one or more of quality, handedness, historical information analysis and the assignment of bounding boxes. |
| US09626547B2 |
Fingerprint recognition device and touch apparatus
A fingerprint recognition device and a touch apparatus comprise a plurality of fingerprint recognition areas (100) with a rectangle shape arranged in a matrix. Each of the fingerprint recognition areas (100) comprises a plurality of mutually independent fingerprint recognition electrodes (110) arranged along a diagonal direction of the fingerprint recognition area (100). Arrangement directions of the fingerprint recognition electrodes (110) in the respective fingerprint recognition areas (100) are same. Because the fingerprint recognition electrodes (110) in the respective fingerprint recognition areas (100) are arranged in a same diagonal direction, the fingerprint recognition electrodes (110) belonging to a same or adjacent fingerprint recognition area(s) (100) can detect full fingerprint information when a finger slides on the fingerprint recognition device in any one of a plurality of directions, so that the fingerprint is recognized. The sliding type fingerprint recognition device is not restricted by the sliding direction of the finger, and thus an application scope of the sliding type fingerprint recognition device can be expanded. |
| US09626545B2 |
Semantic note taking system
A semantic note taking system and method for collecting information, enriching the information, and/or binding the information to services is provided. User-created notes are enriched with labels, context traits, and relevant data to minimize friction in the note-taking process. In other words, the present invention is directed to collecting unscripted data, adding more meaning and use out of the data, and binding the data to services. Mutable and late-binding to services is also provided to allow private thoughts to be published to a myriad of different applications and services in a manner compatible with how thoughts are processed in the brain. User interfaces and semantic skins are also provided to derive meaning out of notes without requiring a great deal of user input. Linking physical objects to notes are also provided, such as through QR codes. |
| US09626543B1 |
Apparatus and method for accurate barcode scanning using dynamic timing feedback
An apparatus and method are described for accurately reading barcodes. One embodiment of an apparatus includes: a sensor to detect transitions between bars on a barcode having bars with N different widths; a timer to associate a time value with each of the transitions; a delta calculation module to determine a current delta value for a current bar; a bar identification module to apply a first window value to each of N delta values stored in a memory, each of the N delta values associated with a different one of N different bar widths, the bar identification nodule to compare the current delta value with each of the N delta values having the first window value applied thereto, and identify the current bar as having one of the N widths if the current delta value falls within the first window value applied to one of the N widths. |
| US09626535B2 |
Interactive system for an apparatus rendering multimedia content, device and methods therefor
The invention relates to an interactive system (S) for a device including a control unit (UCd), means for releasing multimedia content (Md), with the control unit (UCd) cooperating with said means for providing the control thereof. To enhance the attractiveness of the device, the system (S) comprises a processing unit (UC), at least one tag (T1, T2, Ti, Tn) to be affixed to said means for releasing (Md). Said at least one tag is directly connected to the processing unit and further enables a wireless communication (CP) with a communicating object (Oc). The processing unit (UC) is so arranged as to communicate with the control unit (UCd) in order to trigger an action relative to the multimedia content released in response to a communication initiated by said at least one tag. |
| US09626534B2 |
SIM card connector and electronic device including the same
An electronic device and a Subscriber Identity Module Card (SIM card) connector mounted in the same are disclosed. The SIM card connector includes a lower surface support having an open area adapted to receive a SIM card and a contact area adapted to be electrically coupled to the SIM card, an elastic support disposed near at least one side surface of the open area, the elastic support having a predetermined width and an elasticity expressed towards an upper surface support of the SIM card connector and having a shape surrounding the contact area, a side surface support having a predetermined height disposed circumferentially at distal edges of the lower surface support except for the open area, and the upper surface support coupled to the side surface support and having a top surface formed parallel to the lower surface support adapted to partially enclose an upper portion of the SIM card. |
| US09626533B2 |
Discrete time current multiplier circuit
There is provided a programmable multiplier circuit for multiplying an input voltage signal by a binary coefficient, the multiplier circuit including a transconductor including a first amplifying transistor configured to convert the input voltage signal to a current signal, the first amplifying transistor having a gate configured to receive the input voltage signal, and a coefficient multiplier coupled to the transconductor and configured to multiply the current signal by the binary coefficient to generate an amplified current signal. |
| US09626530B2 |
Electronic device and method for protecting applications thereof
Disclosed is a method for protecting application programs of an electronic apparatus. The electronic apparatus is provided with a touch screen, and stores a screen sharing program, other application programs, a prohibited list, a first touch track and a second touch track. The electronic apparatus runs the screen sharing program to share the screen, and senses a touch track of a user on the touch screen, when the first touch track is sensed, adds an application program corresponding to it into the list; when the second touch track is sensed, deletes an application program corresponding to it from the list; and when a point touch is sensed, searches for whether an application program corresponding to it is in the list, if yes, the screen sharing program stops screen sharing and then runs the application program; otherwise, the application program is run, and the screen sharing program performs normal screen sharing. |
| US09626525B2 |
Shared secret vault for applications with single sign on
Some aspects of the disclosure generally relate to providing single sign on features in mobile applications in a secure environment using a shared vault. An application may prompt a user to provide user entropy such as a passcode (e.g. a password and/or PIN). The application may use the user entropy to decrypt a user-entropy-encrypted vault key. Once the vault key is decrypted, the application may decrypt a vault database of the shared vault. The shared vault may store shared secrets, such as server credentials, and an unlock key. The application may store the unlock key, generate an unlock-key-encrypted vault key, and cause the shared vault to store the unlock-key-encrypted vault key, thereby “unlocking” the vault. The application may then use the unlock key to decrypt the vault database without prompting the user to provide user entropy again. |
| US09626524B2 |
Managing network identities
Techniques for managing network identities include generating, with a local computing system, a tree structure representing a network comprising a plurality of entities, the tree structure comprising a plurality of nodes, each node of the plurality of nodes representing an entity of the plurality of entities, at least one entity of the plurality of entities is represented by more than one node of the plurality of nodes; assigning a unique identifier to each node; identifying each node of the plurality of nodes as being a protected node or an unprotected node; and transmitting, to a remote computing system, the tree structure, the unique identifiers for the protected nodes, and identity information of the entities for the unprotected nodes. |
| US09626522B1 |
Method and apparatus for the network steganographic assessment of a test subject
To date, there is no method to test the network steganographic effectiveness of network security hardware or software using a plurality of attack techniques. The invention specified herein represents such a method. The present invention enables an operator to test network security products in their ability to perform in areas including but not limited to detecting steganograms, preventing steganograms, normalizing packets transmitting covert data, steganographic operation without negatively impacting the performance/reliability of a network, and other activities related to network steganography. Assertions made by network security manufacturers with regard to their network firewall and security appliances must be supported by empirical evidence. The invention described herein provides quantitative and qualitative data to support or refute manufacturer assertions that their network security hardware or software can effectively perform as claimed as it relates to network steganography. |
| US09626520B2 |
Policy based techniques for managing access control
A policy-based framework is described. This policy-based framework may be used to specify the privileges for logical entities to perform operations associated with an access-control element (such as an electronic Subscriber Identity Module) located within a secure element in an electronic device. Note that different logical entities may have different privileges for different operations associated with the same or different access-control elements. Moreover, the policy-based framework may specify types of credentials that are used by the logical entities during authentication, so that different types of credentials may be used for different operations and/or by different logical entities. Furthermore, the policy-based framework may specify the security protocols and security levels that are used by the logical entities during authentication, so that different security protocols and security levels may be used for different operations and/or by different logical entities. |
| US09626516B1 |
Controlling use of electronic devices
An ElectroMagnetic Pulse (EMP) emitter can be positioned to introduce an EMP burst or series of EMP bursts into a passageway, such as a passageway providing access relative to a secure area. The EMP burst or series of EMP bursts can be introduced into the passageway at an intensity configured for rendering inoperable an electronic device, such as a device capable of data storage and transport through the passageway. Such an arrangement may be used for the prevention of theft, sabotage, or release of data maintained within the secure area. |
| US09626515B2 |
Electronic system with risk presentation mechanism and method of operation thereof
An electronic system includes: a control unit configured to: calculating a risk score based on a permission requested by an application, generating a summary presentation based on the risk score for presenting a risk visualization of a privacy risk posed by an application, generating a subcategory presentation based on the risk score for presenting the risk visualization of the privacy risk posed to a device feature by the application, and a user interface, coupled to the control unit, configure to present a risk presentation including the summary presentation, the subcategory presentation, or a combination thereof for displaying on a device. |
| US09626512B1 |
Validating using an offload device security component
Generally described, physical computing devices in a virtual network can be configured to host a number of virtual machine instances. The physical computing devices can be operably coupled with offload devices. In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, a security component can be incorporated into an offload device. The security component can be a physical device including a microprocessor and storage. The security component can include a set of instructions configured to validate an operational configuration of the offload device or the physical computing device to establish that they are configured in accordance with a secure or trusted configuration. In one example, a first security component on the offload device can validate the operational computing environment on the offload device and a second security component on the physical computing device can validate the operational computing environment on the physical computing device. |
| US09626511B2 |
Agentless enforcement of application management through virtualized block I/O redirection
Application authorization management is provided without installation of an agent at an operating system level. A component runs outside of the operating system, in an AMT environment. AMT is utilized to examine the operating system for applications. Identified applications are checked against a whitelist or a blacklist. Responsive to determining that an identified application is not authorized, AMT is used to redirect input/output requests targeting the application to an alternative image, which can, for example, warn the user that the application is not authorized. |
| US09626499B2 |
Directional touch unlocking for electronic devices
A system and machine-implemented method for matching input gestures on a touch interface to a security pattern to allow user access to an electronic device or account. The security pattern may correspond to a combination of linear and non-linear input gestures relating to directional changes of the input gestures. A determination of the security pattern may be based on the end motion and speed of each input gesture. |
| US09626495B2 |
Authenticating a device based on availability of other authentication methods
An approach for authenticating a device is provided. The approach includes a computer implemented method for receiving a first stage biometric variable verification data for accessing the device. The approach further includes a computer-implemented method for computing a second stage binary authentication data for accessing the device. The approach further includes analyzing the received first stage biometric variable verification data and the second stage binary authentication data. The approach further includes receiving the second binary authentication data for accessing the device. The approach further includes generating a confidence score level using the analyzed first stage biometric variable verification data and second stage binary authentication data, wherein, if the first stage biometric variable verification data is verified as having a sufficient confidence level score, then a required password entry, for the second stage binary authentication data requires less than all the normal number of characters for accessing the device. |
| US09626487B2 |
Security-activated production device
Methods and systems for a security-activated production device include but are not limited to obtaining access to an object data file configured to produce one or more objects on the production device; verifying an authorization code associated with the object data file; and controlling operation of the production device to enable or prevent production of the one or more objects pursuant to the authorization code in accordance with one or more predetermined conditions. |
| US09626486B2 |
Patient health care network guided encounter
In an environment where it is beneficial for chronic health care patients to receive individualized attention on a daily basis, a health care network (10) is provided. Each patient receives a user interface device (12) such as a set top box for accessing the network (10). Based on the patient's health care history, a nurse or other health care professional interfaces with a server (22) and constructs a care plan specific to that patient by filling out appropriate sections of a care plan template. An itinerary arrangement processor (32) organizes content gleaned from the patient's care plan and constructs a serially arranged itinerary for the patient to experience each day. The patient logs on to the network (10) and is immediately presented with the day's itinerary, without having to navigate any menus. Resultantly, the patient will have an easier experience, and will not miss any material. |
| US09626483B2 |
Medication administering apparatus
A method of administering medication. Medication is stored in a plurality of drawers wherein each of the plurality of drawers includes a drawer electrical connector, a medication conveyor, and a non-volatile read/write memory to store data about the drawer. A drawer of the plurality of drawers is inserted into a receptacle of a housing, wherein the receptacle is one of a plurality of receptacles, and the housing also includes a plurality of housing electrical connectors corresponding to the plurality of receptacles, wherein one of the housing electrical connectors is coupled to the electrical connector of the drawer when the drawer is inserted in the receptacle. Data is selectively transmitted from among non-volatile read/write memory of the plurality of drawers to a computer in communication with the plurality of housing electrical connectors, wherein when the drawer is inserted into the receptacle such that the drawer and housing electrical connectors are operatively engaged, the memory of the inserted drawer is triggered to transmit data stored therein to the computer. |
| US09626481B2 |
Dose counter and recording method
A dose counter for a metered dose inhaler includes a force sensor, an electronic controller, a memory for storing data indicative of a remaining number of doses and an electronic display device coupled to the controller for displaying the remaining number of doses. The dose counter is attached or integrated into a base of a canister containing medicament such that force applied to the base of the canister is registered by the force sensor, the controller being configured to measure force applied to the dose counter when depressing the canister and being responsive to measured force to decrement the remaining number of doses stored in the memory and shown on the display device. |
| US09626478B2 |
System and method for tracking biological age over time based upon heart rate variability
A system and method for tracking biological age over time based upon heart rate variability includes an activity monitoring device configured to measure and transmit one or more biological age parameters, including heart rate variability, to a biological age calculation and display module configured to calculate a biological age factor as a function of the biological age parameters, calculate biological age as a function of the biological age factor and the user's actual age, and display the biological age. |
| US09626477B2 |
System and method for displaying annotated capsule images
A method and system for displaying images captured by an in vivo imaging device are disclosed. Embodiments according to the present invention display image sequence data in a first display area. When a first annotated image is displayed in the first display area, a first thumbnail image in a second display area corresponding to the first annotated image is replaced to indicate an occurring correspondence between the first annotated image and the first thumbnail image corresponding to the first annotated image being displayed. In one embodiment, the method further comprises displaying the first thumbnail image in the second display area when one other image of the image sequence data is displayed in the first display area after the first annotated image is displayed. |
| US09626476B2 |
Apparatus, method and computer-readable storage medium for transforming digital images
An apparatus, method and computer-readable storage medium are provided for processing images, such as medical images, in accordance with an imaging calibration function during execution of an image viewing application, and also for processing other types of images with a different calibration function during execution of a different application. In regards to an apparatus, the apparatus is caused to identify, in conjunction with an image viewing application, an imaging calibration function. The apparatus is also caused to transform a digital image during execution of the image viewing application in accordance with the imaging calibration function and to output the digital image, following transformation, in accordance with the image viewing application. In conjunction with a different application, the apparatus is caused to identify a second calibration function, different than the imaging calibration function, and to cause output of a digital image following transformation in accordance with the second calibration function. |
| US09626469B2 |
Information processing apparatus, method of outputting circuit image, and storage medium storing circuit image output program
An information processing apparatus includes a processor and a memory configured to store therein correspondence information defining an association relationship between position of the connection point of circuits and information of wiring which has one end located at the position of the connection point. The processor is configured to identify a first circuit from a group of multiple images representing an overall circuit, acquire, based on the correspondence information, information of a first position of a connection point of a second circuit at which the identified first circuit is coupled and information of a first wiring which one end is located at the first position, extract, from the second image, a partial image that includes images of the first wiring and the connection point at the first position based on the acquired information of the first position and the first wiring, and output the extracted partial image. |
| US09626467B2 |
SOI MOS device modeling method
The present invention provides a SOI MOS device modeling method. The SOI MOS device is one having a source-drain injection not reaching the bottom. The method comprises: a) establishing an overall model comprising a primary MOS device model simulating an SOI MOS device having the source-drain injection reaching the bottom, a source body PN junction bottom capacitance model simulating a source body PN junction bottom capacitance, and a drain body PN junction bottom capacitance model simulating a drain body PN junction bottom capacitance; and b) extracting parameters respectively for the primary MOS device model, the source body PN junction bottom capacitance model, and the drain body PN junction bottom capacitance model in the overall model. In the prior art, the source body junction bottom capacitance and the drain body junction bottom capacitance in the SOI MOS device having a source-drain injection not reaching the bottom affect the performances of the device. The modeling method of the present invention takes the effect into consideration, improves model precision, and can be effectively used for the simulation design of a device. |
| US09626466B2 |
Variable discretization method for flow simulation on complex geological models
A variable discretization method for general multiphase flow simulation in a producing hydrocarbon reservoir. For subsurface regions for which a regular or Voronoi computational mesh is suitable, a finite difference/finite volume method (“FDM”) is used to discretize numerical solution of the differential equations governing fluid flow (101). For subsurface regions with more complex geometries, a finite element method (“FEM”) is used. The invention combines FDM and FEM in a single computational framework (102). Mathematical coupling at interfaces between different discretization regions is accomplished by decomposing individual phase velocity into an averaged component and a correction term. The averaged velocity component may be determined from pressure and averaged capillary pressure and other properties based on the discretization method employed, while the velocity correction term may be computed using a multipoint flux approximation type method, which may be reduced to two-point flux approximation for simple grid and permeability fields. |
| US09626461B2 |
Method for creating personalized functional objects, computer, computer readable medium and computer program related thereto
A method for creating personalized objects having a mechanically functional portion the method comprising at least one step of editing a three-dimensional model (10; 11) using computer program and a step of transforming the model into a physical object using a rapid prototyping machine, wherein during the editing step: a computer program processes a deformation of the original model into a deformed model, a three-dimensional geometrical constraints database, associated with said models, provides a set of constraints on the geometry of said mechanically functional portions, and a computer program computes at least one step of comparison between some geometrical constraints from said database and a model selected between the original model and the deformed model. |
| US09626459B2 |
Detecting hotspots using machine learning on diffraction patterns
A mechanism is provided in a data processing system for detecting lithographic hotspots. The mechanism receives a design layout. The mechanism generates spatial pattern clips from the design layout. The mechanism performs a transform on the spatial pattern clips to form frequency domain pattern clips. The mechanism performs feature extraction on the frequency domain pattern clips to form frequency domain features. The mechanism utilizes the extracted features on a set of training samples to train a machine learning classifier model. The mechanism classifies a set of previously unseen patterns, based on frequency domain features of the previously unseen patterns using the trained machine learning classifier model, into hotspots and non-hotspots. |
| US09626454B1 |
Local query suggestions
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for providing query suggestions. One of the methods includes receiving query log data that identifies a query and a location where the query was issued. A point of interest near the location where the query was issued is identified. A category of the point of interest near the location where the query was issued is identified. The query is associated with the category of the point of interest near the location where the query was issued. |
| US09626453B2 |
Analytic solution with a self-learning and context-sensitive semantic layer
According to a general aspect, a system includes a query engine configured to receive a query from a user via a user interface layer for obtaining data from one or more databases, determine if a keyword of the query can be mapped to at least one of a plurality of keyword mappings stored in a semantic layer, and if the keyword cannot be mapped, provide an interactive object, via the user interface layer, to learn a new keyword mapping for the keyword such that the semantics layer is updated with the new keyword mapping for future queries. The system includes a prediction engine configured to check for previous queries of the user or other users that map the query to predict a next query, and the query engine is configured to provide query results of the query and the next query as a suggestion via the user interface layer. |
| US09626447B2 |
Non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having recorded browser program thereon
A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a browser program running on a computer including a storage unit storing a table showing correspondences between text languages of web pages and character strings used in URLs to indicate the text languages, the program causing the computer to perform: receiving a designation of a URL; acquiring information indicating a text language designated by a user; determining whether the designated URL includes a top-level domain “com” or the top-level domain “com” with a slash “/” added thereto; acquiring, when determination is affirmative, source code of a web page indicated by the designated URL, and searching the source code for a URL including a character string corresponding to the designated text language; and, displaying, when the URL is found, a web page indicated by the found URL, and, displaying, when the URL is not found, the web page indicated by the designated URL. |
| US09626446B2 |
Methods and systems of advertising based on aggregated information of social networks within geographical locations via a network
One or more systems, devices, methods, and/or processes described can apply searches and/or filters to data of social networks with respect to one or more geographical locations, geospatial references, location-based contexts, and/or map-based references. One or more social networks can be queried with search and/or filter parameters and one or more geographic locations, and results received from the social network(s) can be based on the search and/or filter parameter(s) and the geographic location(s) and presented to a user on a map or other user interface. Location-based information (e.g., in advertisement, a promotion, a coupon, etc.) can be provided to corresponding computing devices that correspond to one or more results of the one or more queries of the social network media data sources associated with the search region. The location-based information can be provided to the computing device via one or more of a banner advertisement, a text message, a SMS (short message service) message, an email message, a video and an in-application message, among others. |
| US09626445B2 |
Search results modulator
When a user conducts a search for content using one or more of the many search engines known in the art, embodiments of the present invention may receive results returned to the user's browser by the search engine, and may then proceed to filter, organize, modify, or enhance those results and/or their presentation by performing various editing and/or presentation operations on the search results, based on information relating to the user's prior interactions with the search results and the user's interests and preferences. Search results may also be modulated based on information about the way other users have responded to or interacted with each of the search results in the past. |
| US09626440B2 |
Tenantization of search result ranking
This disclosure describes methods and systems for searching documents in a multi-tenant hosting environment. According to embodiments, to conserve hardware resources, a plurality of documents associated with a plurality of tenants may be mapped to the same search index in the multi-tenant hosting environment. In order to search documents associated only with a single tenant in the multi-tenant hosting environment, a tenant identifier is prepended to every key stored in the search index that is associated with the plurality of documents of the single tenant. Moreover, where one document links to another document within the multi-tenant hosting environment, the link is stored in a web graph when a source tenant identifier matches a target tenant identifier for the link. According to embodiments, when conducting a search, the link is resolved only if the link is stored in the web graph. |
| US09626435B2 |
Using hierarchical scoring for disambiguation in an information retrieval system
A method for retrieving information may include receiving, in a non-World Wide Web (WWW) corpus, a search query for a media author. Search results for the search query may be identified within the non-WWW corpus. A score for each of a plurality of media authors identified in the search results may be generated. The score for a corresponding one of the plurality of media authors may be based on a combined media popularity score for a plurality of media items authored by the corresponding one of the plurality of media authors. The search results may be ranked based on the generated score for each of the plurality of media authors. |
| US09626433B2 |
Supporting acquisition of information
An apparatus supports acquisition of information from a document including a plurality of words. An acquisition hardware unit acquires first information that shows a degree to which the document belongs to each of a plurality of clusters based on a concept included in the document. Second information shows a degree to which a single word among the plurality of words appears in each of the plurality of clusters based on a concept of the single word. A generation hardware unit, based on the first and second information, generates third information that shows a degree of overlap between the concept included in the document and the concept of the single word. A determination hardware unit determines whether or not the third information shows a degree of overlap that is lower than a predetermined criterion, and an output hardware unit outputs a result of this determination. |
| US09626431B2 |
Adjusting search result user interfaces based upon query language
Various embodiments for adjusting a search result user interface when a foreign language search query is detected. A search query associated with a search request is obtained. A language of the search query is identified. An search result user interface is generated using a foreign language template when the language varies from an expected language. The search result user interface includes results based on the foreign language search query. |
| US09626429B2 |
Text entry with word prediction, completion, or correction supplemented by search of shared corpus
Searching a shared corpus is used to supplement word prediction, completion, and/or correction of text entry. A user input device at a client device receives user entry of text input comprising a string of symbols. The client device wirelessly transmits instructions to a remote site to conduct a search of a corpus using the string as a contiguous search term. From the remote site, the client device receives results of the search, including multiple sets of one or more words, each set occurring in the corpus immediately after the search term. The client device uses the received sets in word prediction, completion, and/or correction. |
| US09626428B2 |
Apparatus and method for hash table access
A system and method for accessing a hash table are provided. A hash table includes buckets where each bucket includes multiple chains. When a single instruction multiple data (SIMD) processor receives a group of threads configured to execute a key look-up instruction that accesses an element in the hash table, the threads executing on the SIMD processor identify a bucket that stores a key in the key look-up instruction. Once identified, the threads in the group traverse the multiple chains in the bucket, such that the elements at a chain level in the multiple chains are traversed in parallel. The traversal continues until a key look-up succeeds or fails. |
| US09626420B2 |
Massively scalable object storage system
Several different embodiments of a massively scalable object storage system are described. The object storage system is particularly useful for storage in a cloud computing installation whereby shared servers provide resources, software, and data to computers and other devices on demand. In several embodiments, the object storage system includes a ring implementation used to associate object storage commands with particular physical servers such that certain guarantees of consistency, availability, and performance can be met. In other embodiments, the object storage system includes a synchronization protocol used to order operations across a distributed system. In a third set of embodiments, the object storage system includes a metadata management system. In a fourth set of embodiments, the object storage system uses a structured information synchronization system. Features from each set of embodiments can be used to improve the performance and scalability of a cloud computing object storage system. |
| US09626418B2 |
Integrating and searching electronic communications received from a plurality of different communication platforms
Embodiments described herein provide approaches for integrating and searching electronic communications received from a plurality of different communication platforms. Specifically, a consolidated communication/messaging platform integrates and consolidates bi-directional communications/messages from individuals, groups, or other entities from various channels (e.g., text messaging, instant messaging, social networking platforms, e-mail, and the like), and enables end users to search and locate content or substance of a specific communication via a user interface and locally stored repository. |
| US09626417B1 |
System, method, and computer program for automatically converting characters from an ISO character set to a UTF8 character set in a database
A system, method, and computer program product are provided where non-convertible lines in a database that that are comprised of characters that are not recognized by a codepage of the database are identified as result of a predefined assessment and are then exported from the database. The exported non-convertible lines are automatically converted to convertible lines by using a mapping table, and the non-convertible lines are deleted from the database. After deleting the non-convertible lines, a predefined conversion command is executed on the database, thereby converting all characters of the database from an ISO format to a UTF8 format, and then the convertible lines are imported into the database utilizing a predefined import utility that automatically converts all characters of the convertible lines, once inserted into the database, from the ISO format to the UTF8 format. |
| US09626412B2 |
Technique for recycling match weight calculations
Disclosed is a system for, and method of, recycling field value weights as computed for database linking purposes. Such field value weights may be used for a search operation. In some embodiments, such weights may be used for a search operation prior to their values stabilizing during an iterative linking operation. |
| US09626411B1 |
Self-described query execution in a massively parallel SQL execution engine
A query is executed in a massively parallel processing data storage system comprising a master node communicating with a cluster of multiple segments that access data in distributed storage by producing a self-described query plan at the master node that incorporates changeable metadata and information needed to execute the self-described query plan on the segments, and that incorporates references to obtain static metadata and information for functions and operators of the query plan from metadata stores on the segments. The distributed storage may be the Hadoop distributed file system, and the query plan may be a full function SQL query plan. |
| US09626409B2 |
Adapting a relational query to accommodate hierarchical data
A method, system and computer program product for processing hierarchical data is provided. A method for processing hierarchical data in a relational database includes receiving an input parameter in an initial query for querying an array in a hierarchical data object stored in a table of a relational database, and transforming the initial query into a transformed query configured to place all elements of the array into a different table and to apply a sub-query against the table for the input parameter. Once transformed, predicate evaluation logic of a relational engine of the relational database is applied to the transformed query that is then mapped to the initial query. Finally, responsive to receiving a subsequent instance of the initial query, the mapping is referred to in order to replace the initial query with the transformed query and to subsequently apply the predicate evaluation logic to the transformed query. |
| US09626407B2 |
Real-time saved-query updates for a large graph
A system for automatically updating saved query results for a graph responsive to a graph update is disclosed. The system may identify a target constraint responsive to an update to the data graph. The target constraint specifies a path in a data graph that includes an edge specified in the update. The system may determine a state for the target constraint by traversing the graph via the path and determine based on the state, that a collapsed definition for a first query that includes the constraint indicates a member node is responsive to the first query. The system may then update a saved query result for the first query using the member node identified during the traversal in accordance with the collapsed definition. |
| US09626401B1 |
Systems and methods for high-speed searching and filtering of large datasets
A data structure comprises a clump header table, an inline tree data structure, and one or more auxiliary data structures. Each clump header record includes an indicator of a location in the inline tree data structure of corresponding binary string segments. Clump header records or auxiliary header records include indicators of corresponding locations in the corresponding auxiliary data structure. Each auxiliary data structure can be altered without necessarily altering the inline tree or clump header table. A dedicated, specifically adapted conversion program generates the clump header file, the inline tree data structure, and the one or more auxiliary data structures. The data structure can be stored on any computer-readable medium, and can be read entirely into RAM to be searched (with or without filtering on one or more filter data fields). A dedicated, specifically adapted search and filter program is employed, which can list or enumerate the retrieved data records. |
| US09626400B2 |
Compaction of information in tiered data structure
A computer system detects a request to access a first data object stored in a tiered data structure, that includes internal nodes and leaf nodes, where data objects in the leaf nodes include unique key information and corresponding values, and the first data object is uniquely identified by a first key. In response to detecting the request to access the first data object, the computer system retrieves a leaf node that includes the first data object and identifies the first data object in the leaf node by combining unique key information of the first data object with a key prefix that is stored separately in the leaf node to generate a combined key and determining that the combined key matches the first key that uniquely identifies the first data object. After identifying the first data object, the computer system provides access to the first data object. |
| US09626398B2 |
Tree data structure
A method of implementing a tree data structure comprises creating a parent and child relationship between a first node and a second node, in which the first node and second node are at the same hierarchical level of the tree data structure, and maintaining only one incoming pointer for each of the nodes in the tree data structure at all times. A tree data structure in which each node in the tree data structure has a single incoming pointer, and in which the tree data structure comprises a pointer directed to a local overflow node from a node at the same hierarchical level as the local overflow node. |
| US09626397B2 |
Discounted future value operations on a massively parallel processing system and methods thereof
A method for performing an iterative operation using columnar data on a massively parallel processing system includes arranging data from a data source in a columnar table format, receiving tabular data containing data points representing a forecast of future values, receiving instructions to perform an iterative calculation on the data points, and for a predetermined selection of the columnar data points, assigning portions of the predetermined selection to a parallel processing system and applying structured query language operators to the columnar data and the tabular data to calculate results of the iterative calculation. The method also includes analyzing the iterative operation to identify at least one invariant function, and creating a columnar data having data points representing the invariant function. A system for implementing the method and a non-transitory computer readable medium are also disclosed. |
| US09626391B2 |
Grid based data mobility
A data migration system and method are disclosed for migrating data from a source server to a target server. The system includes an index containing a plurality of data migration operations in a normalized data model, each data migration operation being stored in association with an attribute, and a data mover communicably connected to the index. The data mover is adapted to move data from the source server to the target server in accordance with the data migration operations contained in the index. The data mover has an attribute corresponding to the associated attribute of at least one data migration operation contained in the index, the attribute indicating the type of data migration operations that can be performed by the data mover. |
| US09626386B2 |
Automated spiritual research, reflection, and community system and method
A computerized system and method are presented that provide access to three data collections that can form the foundations of a spiritual journey, namely a research archive for researching fundamental texts of a variety of spiritual and religious domains, a personal reflection data collection for reflecting upon a personal life journey, and a community conversation data collection that provides users with an opportunity to explore the research archive and their personal reflections in a social community setting. The research archive is oriented around ideas having snippets from the fundamental texts. The various elements in the data collections are associated with life issue tags and religious or spiritual domains. By analyzing a user's selected domain or the domain of displayed content, and by analyzing the life issue tag associated with displayed content, the system and method can suggest related content from elsewhere in the data collections. |
| US09626381B2 |
Photo album creation based on social media content
A method of creating a physical representation of digital information located on a social networking environment comprises retrieving a number of digital images from the social networking environment, retrieving data associated with the digital images, and creating a physical representation of the digital images and data associated with the digital images, in which the data associated with the digital images comprises information about the subject matter of the digital images. |
| US09626375B2 |
Systems, computer readable storage media, and computer implemented methods for project sharing
A system enables sharing and locking of metadata defining a NLE project. The system controls write access of metadata by transferring ownership of the metadata between various editor users through an intermediary of a server user. Transfers of ownership of metadata are initiated by editor users. Each editor user is enabled to (a) assume ownership of metadata owned by the server user; and (b) relinquish ownership of metadata he or she owns to the server user. Editor users are only permitted to modify metadata that they own, thereby forming a “check in” and “check out” system for controlling write access to metadata. In effect, metadata is “checked in” when an editor user cedes ownership of the metadata to the server user. Metadata owned by the server user is “checked out” when an editor user assumes ownership of the metadata by taking ownership of the metadata away from the server user. |
| US09626372B2 |
Concatenating multiple media files into a single file based on timecode and other metadata
A method and system concatenate multiple media files into a single, continuous media file. The method includes receiving a group of media files and metadata about the group over a network connection. The method also includes in response to receiving the group of media files, determining an order of the media files in the group based at least partially on the metadata. The method includes concatenating the group of media files into a concatenated file based on the determined order. The concatenated file may be transferred to a client device over a network connection. The concatenated file may be transcoded into a file format determined based on the user device before transferring the concatenated file to the user device. The order of the media files in the group may be determined based on a timecode for each of the media files, which is included within the metadata. |
| US09626366B2 |
System, methods, and program product to trace content genealogy
Embodiments of systems, program products, and methods to manage content and distribution of media are provided. An embodiment of a system, for example, can include a communication network for transmitting media files, a content management server having a processor and memory coupled to the processor, a database accessible to the processor of the content management server and including media files associated with metadata records, a plurality of content management developer computers to provide content management developers with online access over the communication network to the media files and associated metadata records to thereby edit the metadata records, a plurality of user computers accessible to the communication network to provide the users with access to the media files over the communication network to thereby view and edit at least portions of respective metadata records. The system also includes content management program product stored in the memory of the content management server to manage content and distribution of media. |
| US09626365B2 |
Content clustering system and method
A computerized system and method are presented that creates implicit content on a mobile device by monitoring and recording input from sensors on the device. Metadata from the implicit content and from user-created content is then analyzed the purpose of event identification. Using the metadata and event identification, the content is created into clusters, which can be confirmed by the user as actual events. Events can then be grouped according to metadata and event information into a presentation grouping. |
| US09626362B2 |
Techniques for managing persistent document collections
Various technologies and techniques are disclosed for creating and managing persistent document collections. A data store is used for storing one or more persistent document collections. A content management application is used for managing documents for users, for creating one or more persistent document collections of a sub-set of the documents upon user request, and for storing the one or more persistent document collections in the data store. Users can create one or more persistent document collections from a sub-set of the documents. Users can also modify the one or more persistent document collections. A requested portion of one or more persistent document collections can be output upon request from an external application so that the external application can download one or more of the documents that are represented by the persistent document collection for further modification by the user. |
| US09626355B2 |
Contextual prediction of user words and user actions
An operating sequence for a handheld computing device manages the device to automatically detect cues describing the device's environmental and user actions performed with the device, learn which cues and cue combinations are relevant to predict user actions, and then in response to occurrence of the relevant cues, predictively implementing the appropriate user action or configuring the device in anticipation of user action. |
| US09626352B2 |
Inter thread anaphora resolution
An approach is provided to resolve anaphors between posts, or threads, in a threaded discussion, for example an online forum. The approach analyzes a number of posts that are included in threads of an online forum. During the analysis, the approach identifies terms in parent posts, detects anaphors in child posts that reference the terms in the parent posts, and resolves the anaphor found in the child post with the term. The parent post with the identified term and the child post with the resolved anaphor are then stored in the memory for use by information handling systems, such as question answering (QA) systems. |
| US09626346B2 |
Method of implementing structured and non-structured data in an XML document
The inventions generally relate to methods of implementing structured and non-structured data in an XML document including, designing a source HTML document that contains form tags, designing a structured source XML document using user-defined tags, designing a web form document by mapping absolute path variables of the user-defined tags into the source HTML document, automatically creating an XSL document by XSLT-processing the web form document, inputting structured data and non-structured data to the web form document, automatically creating a new XML document by replacing the absolute path variable of the user-defined tag with the structured data and the non-structured data input to the web form document and automatically displaying the content of the new XML document by merging the new XML document and the XSL document. |
| US09626344B1 |
Conditional promotion through packet reordering
Techniques are described for promoting content items in a page to load in a different order than the order in which they were initially designated to load in the page source. A page may include critical content items designated to load earlier than non-critical content items. In instances where there is a delay due to latency in generating or retrieving the critical content items, one or more non-critical content items may be promoted to be sent earlier than initially designated. Promotion may include packet reordering, such that packets including non-critical content items are sent to a user device prior to the packets that include critical content items. By promoting non-critical content items to be sent during the period in which the loading of the page may otherwise be stalled, overall page load times may be reduced. |
| US09626343B2 |
Caching pagelets of structured documents
Method includes receiving a request for a web page, identifying one or more resource portions stored in a cache, each resource portion corresponding to a portion of a structured document for use to render the requested web page, determining whether the web page was requested within a predetermined time threshold since a previous request for the web page, if requested within the predetermined time threshold, instructing the requested web page to be rendered using the one or more resource portions stored in the cache and refreshing the one or more resource portions, if not requested within the predetermined time threshold, regenerating the one or more resource portions and instructing the requested web page to be rendered using the regenerated one or more resource portions and cache the regenerated one or more resource portions. |
| US09626340B2 |
Bookmarking shared file and folder links
A document management system that is adapted to allow users to share files or folders by: (1) creating a link to the files or folders; and (2) sharing the link with other users. In particular embodiments, the system is adapted to keep track of any links generated by, sent by, and/or received by a particular user. The system may display a listing of the links upon request by a user, so that the user may re-use or deactivate the links, or modify attributes of the links. Having a centralized listing of the links may be particularly advantageous in helping a user keep track of the files and folders that they have shared and received. |
| US09626337B2 |
Advanced text editor
A system includes a computing device that includes a memory configured to store instructions. The computing device also includes a processor to execute the instructions to perform operations that include receiving information that represents a font and a portion of textual content of an asset. Operations also include identifying one or more typographical features supported by a scalable font format that are capable of being applied to the portion of the textual content based upon the received information representing the font and the portion of textual content of the asset. Operations also include presenting, by the computing device, an exclusive set of selectable representations. Each of the selectable representations represents one of the one or more identified typographical features supported by the scalable font format for initiating application of the corresponding typographical feature to the textual content of the asset. |
| US09626331B2 |
Storage device control
A method includes receiving a write request on at least one storage device; detecting a predetermined block of data within the write request; setting a first short code within a translation table if the predetermined block of data is detected; and writing the write request into the at least one storage device if the predetermined block of data is not detected. |
| US09626330B2 |
Information processing apparatus, and information processing method
An information processing apparatus includes: an image memory that stores therein an image that is to be displayed on a terminal device; a drawing unit that draws a processing result from software into the image memory; a detecting unit that detects an update area containing an update between frames in the image; a splitting unit that splits, the image in the update area; a creating unit that creates, wait insertion data by inserting a wait between each of the pieces of the split data; a changing unit that changes the wait; an acquiring unit that acquires, the available bandwidth and a display update speed that indicates display intervals of the wait insertion data for each wait; and a selecting unit that selects, when a wait in which the available bandwidth is increased and the display update speed is improved, the wait. |
| US09626329B2 |
Apparatus for enhancing performance of a parallel processing environment, and associated methods
Parallel Processing Communication Accelerator (PPCA) systems and methods for enhancing performance of a Parallel Processing Environment (PPE). In an embodiment, a Message Passing Interface (MPI) devolver enabled PPCA is in communication with the PPE and a host node. The host node executes at least a parallel processing application and an MPI process. The MPI devolver communicates with the MPI process and the PPE to improve the performance of the PPE by offloading MPI process functionality to the PPCA. Offloading MPI processing to the PPCA frees the host node for other processing tasks, for example, executing the parallel processing application, thereby improving the performance of the PPE. |
| US09626328B1 |
Method and system for on-demand aggregated logging for distributed systems
On-demand aggregated logging for distributed systems is described. An identification of a logging condition is received via a first user interface. The logging condition is sent to multiple logging elements, wherein each of the multiple logging elements is executing on a corresponding one of multiple distributed systems components. A logging element determines whether a local runtime condition matches the logging condition. The logging element sends a local log associated with the local runtime condition to an aggregating logger, wherein the local log is supplemented with information that identifies the logging condition, in response to a determination that the local runtime condition matches the logging condition. The aggregating logger creates an aggregated log based on the local log and the supplemented information. The aggregated log is output via a second user interface to enable resolution of a problem associated with the multiple distributed systems components. |
| US09626327B2 |
Memory device for a hierarchical memory architecture
In various embodiments, a hierarchical memory device having multiple interfaces with different memory formats includes a Phase Change Memory (PCM). An input port and an output port connect the hierarchical memory device in a daisy-chain hierarchy and/or a hierarchical tree structure with other memories. Standard non-hierarchical memory devices can also attach to the output port of the hierarchical memory device. Other embodiments are discussed. |
| US09626323B2 |
Keyboard-video-mouse switch and operating method thereof
A keyboard-video-mouse (KVM) switch and an operating method thereof are disclosed. The KVM switch is coupled between at least one peripheral device and controlled computers. The method includes steps of: determining whether the hot-key mode of KVM switch is started; if yes, when the KVM switch receives a first signal from a specific controlled computer of the controlled computers, directly passing the first signal to a corresponding specific peripheral device of the at least one peripheral device; when the KVM switch receives a second signal in response from the specific peripheral device within a predetermined period of time, determining whether the second signal includes a specific data; if yes, replacing the specific data in the second signal with an irrelevant data to form a third signal and transmitting the third signal to the specific controlled computer. The irrelevant data corresponds to the specific controlled computer and has no effect on the specific controlled computer. |
| US09626321B2 |
High performance interconnect
A physical layer (PHY) is coupled to a serial, differential link that is to include a number of lanes. The PHY includes a transmitter and a receiver to be coupled to each lane of the number of lanes. The transmitter coupled to each lane is configured to embed a clock with data to be transmitted over the lane, and the PHY periodically issues a blocking link state (BLS) request to cause an agent to enter a BLS to hold off link layer flit transmission for a duration. The PHY utilizes the serial, differential link during the duration for a PHY associated task selected from a group including an in-band reset, an entry into low power state, and an entry into partial width state |
| US09626318B2 |
Systems and methods for storage protocol compliance testing
Methods and devices are provided for determining compliance with standards for at least one of Serial Attached SCSI and Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SAS/SATA). The device comprises PHY layer logic operable to couple the device with another device, and a control unit. The control unit is operable to direct operations of the PHY layer logic, and to determine that the other device is a SAS/SATA device. The control unit is further operable to perform SAS/SATA protocol compliance testing on the other device to determine a degree of compliance of the other device with SAS/SATA protocol standards, and to alter subsequent communications with the other device responsive to determining that the other device is not fully compliant with SAS/SATA protocol standards. |
| US09626315B2 |
Remotely powered, multisite sensing system with a shared, two-wire bus for power and communication
A multisite sensing system including two or more analyte sensors, an interface device, and a shared bus. The interface device may be configured to receive a power signal and generate power for powering the analyte sensors and to convey data signals generated by the analyte sensors. The shared bus connected to the interface device and each of the analyte sensors and configured to provide the power generated by the interface device to the analyte sensors and to provide the data signals generated by the analyte sensors to the interface device. The interface device may be an inductive element. The shared bus may be a two wire, multiplexed bus. The analyte sensors may be spatially separated for analyte sensing at least two different locations. The analyte sensors may generate data signals indicative of the presence and/or amount of the same analyte or of one or more different analytes. |
| US09626314B2 |
Method and apparatus for allocating interruptions
The present disclosure relates to a method and an apparatus for allocating interruptions in a multi-core system. A method for allocating interruptions in a multi-core system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises: an interrupt load extraction step of extracting interrupt loads of each interruption type; a step of extracting task loads of each core; a weighting factor determination step of determining weighting factors using a difference between task loads of the cores; a step of reflecting weighting factors to extract a converted value of the interrupt load; and an interruption allocation step of allocating interruption types to the cores such that the sums of the converted values of the interrupt loads allocated to each core and the allocated task loads are uniform. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, interruptions can be allocated such that both task processing and interruption processing can be performed in an efficient manner. |
| US09626309B1 |
Method and controller for requesting queue arbitration and coalescing memory access commands
Controller and method for requesting arbitration of a queue. The controller comprises a coalescing engine for determining a number of commands in a queue and requesting arbitration of the queue when a coalescing condition is satisfied. The method comprises determining the number of commands in a queue and requesting arbitration of the queue when a coalescing condition is satisfied. |
| US09626307B2 |
Mobile device and a method of controlling the mobile device
A mobile device including: a storage device; a system-on-chip (SOC) including a central processing unit (CPU) and a memory interface configured to access the storage device in response to a request of the CPU; and a working memory including an input/output (I/O) scheduler and a device driver, the I/O scheduler configured to detect real time processing requests and store the real time processing requests in a sync queue, and detect non-real time processing requests and store the non-real time processing requests in an async queue, the device driver configured to adjust the performance of the mobile device based on the number of requests in the sync queue. |
| US09626306B2 |
Global event chain in an island-based network flow processor
An island-based network flow processor (IB-NFP) integrated circuit includes islands organized in rows. A configurable mesh event bus extends through the islands and is configured to form one or more local event rings and a global event chain. The configurable mesh event bus is configured with configuration information received via a configurable mesh control bus. Each local event ring involves event ring circuits and event ring segments. In one example, an event packet being communicated along a local event ring reaches an event ring circuit. The event ring circuit examines the event packet and determines whether it meets a programmable criterion. If the event packet meets the criterion, then the event packet is inserted into the global event chain. The global event chain communicates the event packet to a global event manager that logs events and maintains statistics and other information. |
| US09626305B1 |
Complementary space reduction
A method, article of manufacture, and apparatus for efficiently backing up information are disclosed. In an embodiment, this may comprise using a first space reduction method to space reduce data in a client, transmitting the first space reduced data from a client to an intermediate shared storage at a time convenient for the client, using a second space reduction method to space reduce data from the intermediate shared storage, transferring the second space reduced data to a server, and storing the data in a server storage. |
| US09626303B2 |
Data processing apparatus and address space protection method
A data processing apparatus includes an instruction execution section, a protection control information storage section that stores protection control information that includes first protection information, and second protection information that is independent of the first protection information, an instruction protection information storage section that stores instruction protection information for specifying a partial address space of an instruction address space in which to store instructions that are executable by the instruction execution section, a data protection information storage section that stores data protection information for specifying partial address spaces of a data address space in which to store operands to be usable by the instruction execution section, and a protection violation determination section which, when the first protection information includes a first value, makes a determination as to whether to permit the instruction execution section to access the instruction address space according to the instruction protection information. |
| US09626293B2 |
Single-thread cache miss rate estimation
Cache miss rates for threads operating in a simultaneous multi-threading computer processing environment can be estimated. The single thread rates can be estimated by monitoring a shared directory for cache misses for a first thread. Memory access requests can be routed to metering cache directories associated with the particular thread. Single thread misses to the shared directory and single thread misses to the associated metering cache directory are monitored and a performance indication is determined by comparing the cache misses with the thread misses. The directory in the associated metering cache is rotated, and a second sharing performance indication is determined. |
| US09626286B2 |
Hardware and firmware paths for performing memory read processes
A storage module may include a controller that has hardware path that includes a plurality of hardware modules configured to perform a plurality of processes associated with execution of a host request. The storage module may also include a firmware module having a processor that executes firmware to perform at least some of the plurality of processes performed by the hardware modules. The firmware module performs the processes when the hardware modules are not able to successfully perform them. |
| US09626281B2 |
Call stack display with program flow indication
A computer implemented method for identifying program flow in a computer program, executing in a debugger on at least one processor, subsequent to suspending execution of the computer program at a user breakpoint can include suspending execution of the computer program at a first user breakpoint, setting, by the debugger, one or more tracking breakpoints in one or more routines that can continue execution from the first user breakpoint, then resuming execution of the computer program. The method may be continued by suspending execution of the computer program at a second user breakpoint after processing by the at least one processor at least one instruction of the computer program. The method may further include determining whether to provide an indicator to indicate that at least one of the one or more tracking breakpoints was hit during the executing, and providing the indicator in response to determining to provide the indicator. |
| US09626279B2 |
Debug method and device for providing indexed trace messages
A method and information processing system provide trace compression for trace messages. In response to a branch of a conditional branch instruction having not been taken or having been taken, a flag of a history buffer is set or cleared. A trace address message is generated in response to a conditional indirect branch instruction being taken, wherein the trace address message includes address information indicating the destination address of the taken branch, and an index value indicating a corresponding flag of the history buffer. In response to a return from interrupt or return from exception instruction, a predicted return address is compared to an actual return address. A trace address message is generated in response to the predicted and actual return addresses not matching. A trace address message is not generated in response to the predicted and actual return addresses matching. |
| US09626277B2 |
Anomaly analysis for software distribution
A population of devices provides telemetry data and receives software changes or updates. Event buckets for respective events are found. Event buckets have counts of event instances, where each event instance is an occurrence of a corresponding event reported as telemetry by a device. Records of the software changes are provided, each change record representing a software change on a corresponding device. The event buckets are analyzed to identify which indicate an anomaly. Based on the change records and the identified event buckets, correlations between the software changes and the identified event buckets are found. |
| US09626276B2 |
Generating a test version of a method to be called during runtime and fulfilling a collaboration contract
A method, a system, and a computer program product for generating test infrastructure for testing of software applications are disclosed. At least one first method associated with an application is determined. A testing version of a second method associated with the application is generated. The first method calls a runtime version of the second method during execution of the application in a runtime environment. The first method is tested using the testing version of the second method in a testing environment associated with the application. |
| US09626273B2 |
Analysis system including analysis engines executing predetermined analysis and analysis executing part controlling operation of analysis engines and causing analysis engines to execute analysis
An analysis system includes: analysis engines each executing predetermined analysis; an analysis executing part controlling operation of the analysis engines and causing the analysis engines to execute analysis; and a processing performance control part controlling processing performance of the analysis engines. The processing performance control part is configured by a processing module that is independent of the analysis engines and the analysis executing part and that can be installed into the analysis system, and configured to be invoked by the analysis executing part to detect state information representing a state of a specific one of the analysis engines and execute a previously set process based on the detected state information. |
| US09626272B2 |
Prediction of impact of workload migration
A method, system and product for predicting impact of workload migration. The method comprising: obtaining a utilization pattern of a workload that is being executed on a first platform; generating a synthetic workload that is configured to have the utilization pattern when executed on the first platform; executing the synthetic workload on a second platform; and identifying a change in performance between execution of the synthetic workload on the first platform and between execution of the synthetic workload on the second platform in order to provide a prediction of an impact of migrating the workload from the first platform to the second platform. |
| US09626267B2 |
Test generation using expected mode of the target hardware device
A method, apparatus and product for test generation. The method comprises generating a first set of instructions for a hardware component, that are to be executed when operating in a first mode of operation; in response to a parsed template statement being a marker statement, generating an intermediary set of one or more instructions to cause the hardware component to change the mode of operation to a second mode in accordance with the marker instruction, and modifying the expected mode of the hardware component to a second mode; and generating a second set of instructions for the hardware component, that are to be executed when operating in the second mode of operation. The generation of instructions comprises determining the expected mode and generating instructions in accordance with the expected mode of the hardware component. The generation is performed without having an expected full state of the hardware component. |
| US09626261B2 |
Failure recovery resolution in transplanting high performance data intensive algorithms from cluster to cloud
A method of providing failure recovery capabilities to a cloud environment for scientific HPC applications. An HPC application with MPI implementation extends the class of MPI programs to embed the HPC application with various degrees of fault tolerance. An MPI fault tolerance mechanism realizes a recover-and-continue solution. If an error occurs, only failed processes re-spawn, the remaining living processes remain in their original processors/nodes, and system recovery costs are thus minimized. |
| US09626257B1 |
Techniques for cache updates based on quality of service
Described are techniques for processing requests. A request is received at a server from a client to apply a first update to first data. A cached copy of the first data is stored in a cache of the server. A quality of service is associated with the request. The quality of service affects when the first update is applied to the cached copy of the first data. The first update is applied to the first data. In accordance with the quality of service, the first update is applied to the cached copy of the first data. |
| US09626252B1 |
Save set indexing outside of backup windows
Save set indexing outside of backup windows is described. A system creates a snapshot of a save set without creating an index of the save set. The system creates the index of the save set in response to creating the snapshot of the save set. |
| US09626248B2 |
Likelihood based rebuilding of missing encoded data slices
A method begins by a processing module of a dispersed storage network (DSN) detecting a likelihood of having a missing encoded data slice based on local physical to DSN address mapping information. When the likelihood of having the missing encoded data slice exists, the method continues with the processing module sending a query regarding the missing encoded data slice to another storage unit of the DSN and receiving a response to the query from the other storage unit. When the response includes identity of a related encoded data slice of a set of encoded data slices, the method continues with the processing module commencing execution of a rebuilding function to generate a new encoded data slice to replace the missing encoded data slice. |
| US09626247B2 |
Method for scheduling high speed cache of asymmetric disk array
A method for asymmetrically scheduling buffer cache of disk array. The method including: (1) detecting whether access from a upper layer is hit in a buffer cache, proceeding to (7) if yes, and proceeding to (2) if no; (2) detecting whether the buffer cache is full, proceeding to (3) if yes, and proceeding to (5) if no; (3) detecting whether the number of pages of a sacrificial disk is greater than a threshold, proceeding to (4) if yes, and proceeding to (6) if no; (4) selecting and replacing a cold page of the sacrificial disk; (5) buffering data requested by a user in a blank page in the buffer cache; (6) selecting and replacing all cold pages of the buffer cache; and (7) reading or writing the data, and changing positions or status thereof in pages of the buffer cache. |
| US09626246B1 |
System and method for I/O optimized data migration between high performance computing entities and a data storage supported by a de-clustered raid (DCR)architecture with vertical execution of I/O commands
A data storage system employs a de-clustered RAID (DCR) organization with a Vertical Rotation approach to prevent overflow of cache buffers. The Vertical Rotation Controller limits the size of the I/O operation relative to a respective Physical Disk Extent (PDE) to the cache buffer, and writes/reads a computed parity stripe matching the size of the cache, to form chunk bundles in the PDEs. When a bundle is filled in a first PDE residing at a first row, a PDE residing at a second row vertically displaced from the first row is engaged for forming another bundle. The process continues until all PDEs in a Vertical Rotation Group (VRG) are filled, or continues to a next VRG vertically displaced from a previous one to end I/O requesting. |
| US09626245B2 |
Policy based hierarchical data protection
A method, non-transitory computer readable medium, and storage management computing device that obtains an information lifecycle management (ILM) policy. A data protection scheme to be applied at a storage node computing device level is determined and a plurality of storage node computing devices are identified based on an application of the ILM policy to metadata received from one of the storage node computing devices and associated with an object ingested by the one of the storage node computing devices. The one of the storage node computing devices is instructed to generate one or more copies of the object or fragments of the object according to the data protection scheme and to distribute the object copies or one of the object fragments to one or more other of the storage node computing devices to be stored by at least the one or more other storage node computing devices on one or more disk storage devices. |
| US09626240B2 |
Adaptive application logger
Embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for logging of messages in a development environment. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention provide dynamically adaptive logging of runtime messages generated by an application. These embodiments provide a way to handle the volume of information stored in the logs by dynamically changing the severity associated with generated messages based on previous code path execution. Embodiments can use a set of metrics to replace the usual static log level associated with the code by the developer. For example, such metrics can include but are not limited to a cost-based (storage volume on disk), an exception-based (weight increase in catch block), and/or a crowd-based (community can vote down noise). As a result, embodiments can provide more detailed information when the error is recurring for a particular user but without generating so much information as to make the log difficult to use. |
| US09626236B2 |
Method, apparatus and computer program for administering messages which a consuming application fails to process
Disclosed is a method for administering messages. In response to a determination that one or more consuming applications have failed to process the same message on a queue a predetermined number of times, the message is made unavailable to consuming applications. Responsive to determining that a predetermined number of messages have been made unavailable to consuming applications, one or more consuming applications are prevented from consuming messages from the queue. |
| US09626228B1 |
Synchronizing stateless process across multiple instances
Synchronization stateless process execution is disclosed. In various embodiments, an indication is received that an instance of a process with respect to which stateless execution is being performed is to enter a block of the process with respect to which synchronization with one or more other instances of the process is to be provided. A current turn to perform the block with respect to which synchronization is to be provided is secured on behalf of the process instance. The block with respect to which synchronization is to be provided is allowed to be performed by the process instance. |
| US09626226B2 |
Cross-platform workload processing
According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a system and technique for workload processing includes a host having a processor unit and a memory. A scheduler is executable by the processor unit to: receive a request to process a workload; access historical processing data to determine execution statistics associated with previous processing requests; determine whether the data of the workload is available for processing; in response to determining that the data is available for processing, determine whether a process for the workload is available; in response to determining that the process is available, determine resource availability on a computing platform for processing the workload; determine whether excess capacity is available on the computing platform based on the resource availability and the execution statistics; and in response to determining that excess capacity exists on the computing platform, initiate processing of the workload on the computing platform. |
| US09626225B2 |
Resource substitution and reallocation in a virtual computing environment
A host system reallocates resources in a virtual computing environment by first receiving a request to reallocate a first quantity of a first resource type. Next, potential trade-off groups are evaluated and a trade-off group is selected based on the evaluation. The selected trade-off group includes a set of applications running in the virtual computing environment that can use one or more alternate resource types as a substitute for the first quantity of the first resource type. After the selection, the host system reallocates the first quantity of the first resource type from the trade-off group. This reallocation may be made from the trade-off group to either a first application running in the virtual computing environment or the host system itself. If the reallocation is to the host system, then the total quantity of the first resource type allocated to applications running in the virtual computing environment is thereby reduced. |
| US09626224B2 |
Optimizing available computing resources within a virtual environment
Methods and systems for the optimization of available computing resources within a virtual environment are disclosed. An exemplary method comprises determining the sizes of the computing resources available to the virtual machine and determining optimal data structures for the virtual machine based on the sizes of the computing resources. The optimal data structures may include an indexing data structure and a historic data. The method may further comprise allocating a Random Access Memory (RAM) and disk storage to the optimal data structures and configuring the optimal data structures within the RAM and the disk storage. The optimization of data structures involves balancing requirements of the indexing data structure and the historic data. |
| US09626222B2 |
Method and apparatus for network and storage-aware virtual machine placement
Various embodiments provide a method and apparatus of providing a network and storage-aware virtual machine (VM) placement that optimizes placement based on network layer metrics, performance characteristics of the storage arrays and application constraints. Advantageously, since storage is often necessary in servicing application requests, basing VM placement on performance characteristics of the storage arrays as well as network layer metrics can lead to a significant improvement in VM performance. |
| US09626220B2 |
Computer system using partially functional processor core
A multiple processor core computer system interface assigns instructions to partially functional processor cores based on processing resources available in each partially functional core. Each processor core is labeled as fully functional, partially functional, or non-functional, and an indicator is provided for each partially functional processor core that shows what processing resources are available for a respective core. The indicators can be stored in memory after final test. The interface can monitor cores for changes in available resources and update respective indicators, such as by superseding an existing indicator with or creating a new indicator in read-write memory. |
| US09626219B2 |
Information processing apparatus, method of controlling the same and non-transitory computer readable medium
An information processing apparatus capable of executing processing in a background, comprises a control unit configured to, when processing is executed in accordance with a request from an application, control execution of other processing in the background, wherein the control unit suppresses, in accordance with the request from the application, so that the other processing is not executed in the background, and releases the suppression when, in a case where a request for release of suppression is not instructed from the application, a predetermined interval elapses from when the suppression started. |
| US09626218B1 |
Repartitioning and reordering of multiple threads into subsets based on possible access conflict, for sequential access to groups of memory banks in a shared memory
Circuitry for dynamically ordering the execution of multiple threads in parallel is presented. The circuitry may include a control circuit that controls the execution of multiple subsets of threads using multiple processing units in parallel. Each of the plurality of processing units may be associated with an adjustable order thread issuer that may receive a subset of threads and an order in which to execute the subset of threads from the control circuit. The adjustable order thread issuer may manage the processing unit by providing each thread from the subset of threads for execution to the processing unit in the specified order. The adjustable order thread issuer may adjust the order in which threads are issued in an effort to optimize shared resource usage and thus improve the performance of a multithreaded application. |
| US09626217B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method, recording medium and information processing system
There is provided an information processing apparatus including a receiver configured to receive a request to perform processing related to a task, from a first information processing apparatus which functions as a client on a network; a scheduler configured to, when a rank of a priority of the scheduler of the information processing apparatus among information processing apparatuses on the network is a first predetermined rank or higher, assign the task to one or a plurality of second information processing apparatuses which function as nodes on the network; and a transmitter configured to transmit a request to execute processing related to the task assigned to the one or the plurality of second information processing apparatuses. |
| US09626215B2 |
Virtual machine provisioning engine
Embodiments described herein extend to methods, systems, and computer program products for setting up, configuring, and customizing one or more virtual machines. A scenario definition file may be accessed and parsed to provide information to a virtual machine provisioning server. A virtual machine is provisioned and instantiated according to the information contained in the scenario definition file. A virtual machine is instantiated upon a host machine. Upon instantiation, a virtual machine communicates with a custom action service to execute an action upon the virtual machine. |
| US09626214B2 |
Establishing redundant connections for virtual machine
A method for establishing redundant connections for a virtual machine, which comprises: obtaining a plurality of storage nodes storing a same virtual machine image of the virtual machine; determining at least two storage nodes from the plurality of storage nodes, so that connections between a compute node provisioning the virtual machine and each of the at least two storage nodes have minimum correlation; and establishing connections between the compute node and the at least two storage nodes respectively. The present invention further discloses the corresponding apparatus. |
| US09626210B2 |
Resource credit pools for replenishing instance resource credit balances of virtual compute instances
A provider network may implement resource credit pools to replenish resource credit balances for virtual compute instances. A resource credit pool may be maintained that makes resource credits available to virtual compute instances authorized to obtain resource credits from the resource credit pool. Resource credits from the resource credit pool may be applicable to increase utilization of physical computer resource for a virtual compute instance. In response to a resource credit request for an authorized virtual compute instance, a number of resource credits to add to an individual resource credit balance for the authorized virtual compute instance may be determined. A response may be sent indicating the number of resource credits to add to the individual resource credit balance and the resource credit pool may be updated to remove the number of resource credits from the resource credit pool. |
| US09626209B2 |
Maintaining virtual machines for cloud-based operators in a streaming application in a ready state
A streams manager monitors performance of a streaming application, and when the performance needs to be improved, the streams manager automatically requests virtual machines from a cloud manager. The cloud manager provisions one or more virtual machines in a cloud with the specified streams infrastructure and streams application components. The streams manager then modifies the flow graph so one or more portions of the streaming application are hosted by the virtual machines in the cloud. When performance of the streaming application indicates a virtual machine is no longer needed, the virtual machine is maintained and placed in a ready state so it can be quickly used as needed in the future without the overhead of deploying a new virtual machine. |
| US09626208B2 |
Managing stream components based on virtual machine performance adjustments
Embodiments of the disclosure include a method, a system, and a computer program product for modifying a stream operator based on the virtual resources. The method includes receiving a first resource allocation and a second resource allocation of a virtual resource for a virtual machine supporting a stream computing application. The method also includes determining whether the second resource allocation changed within a tolerance relative to the first resource allocation. The method also includes identifying a stream operator in the stream computing application using the virtual resource of the virtual machine. The method also includes modifying the stream operator to accommodate the second resource allocation in response to the second resource allocation changing relative to the first resource allocation. |
| US09626206B2 |
Virtual machine homogenization to enable migration across heterogeneous computers
Described is a technology by which a virtual machine may be safely migrated to a computer system with a different platform. Compatibility of the virtual machine may be checked by comparing the virtual machine's capabilities against those of the new platform. To ensure compatibility, when created the virtual machine may have its capabilities limited by the lowest common capabilities of the different platforms available for migration. Computer systems may be grouped into migration pools based upon similar capabilities, and/or a virtual machine may be mapped to certain computer systems based upon capabilities needed by that virtual machine, such as corresponding to needed performance, fault tolerance and/or flexibility. |
| US09626201B2 |
Processor emulation device and storage medium
A processor emulation device comprising includes an address converter converting a virtual address in a guest environment into a physical address in a host environment, wherein a correspondence between the virtual address and a physical address in the guest environment is different from a correspondence between a virtual address and the physical address in the host environment controlled by a host OS; and an exception handling processing part, in a case where a page attribute obtained in converting the virtual address in the guest environment into the physical address in the guest environment is an attribute specific to the guest environment and absent in the host environment, performing an exception handling process based on the attribute specific to the guest environment. |
| US09626198B2 |
User interface for a vehicle system
A vehicle computing device and a method of providing a user interface to a vehicle system to control at least one function of the vehicle system are provided. The vehicle computing device communicates with a mobile client device over a wireless data connection. At the vehicle computing device, control instructions are provided. The control instructions comprise instructions for displaying at least one graphical control element at the client device to control the at least one function of the vehicle system. The vehicle computing device can be configured to transmit the control instructions to the client device over the wireless data connection. |
| US09626192B2 |
Coalescing adjacent gather/scatter operations
According to one embodiment, a processor includes an instruction decoder to decode a first instruction to gather data elements from memory, the first instruction having a first operand specifying a first storage location and a second operand specifying a first memory address storing a plurality of data elements. The processor further includes an execution unit coupled to the instruction decoder, in response to the first instruction, to read contiguous a first and a second of the data elements from a memory location based on the first memory address indicated by the second operand, and to store the first data element in a first entry of the first storage location and a second data element in a second entry of a second storage location corresponding to the first entry of the first storage location. |
| US09626190B2 |
Method and apparatus for floating point register caching
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for floating-point register caching. One embodiment of the method includes mapping a first set of architected registers defined by a first instruction set to a memory outside of a plurality of physical registers. The plurality of physical registers are configured to map to the first set, a second set of architected registers defined by a second construction set, and a set of rename registers. This embodiment of the method also includes adding the physical registers corresponding to the first set of architected registers to the set of rename registers. |
| US09626188B2 |
Relative offset branching in a fixed-width reduced instruction set computing architecture
Embodiments relate to a method and computer program product for relative offset branching in a reduced instruction set computing (RISC) architecture. One aspect is a method that includes fetching a branch instruction from an instruction stream having a fixed instruction width. A relative offset value is acquired from the instruction stream. The relative offset value is formatted as an offset relative to a program counter value and sized as a multiple of the fixed instruction width. The relative offset value is added with the program counter value to form a branch target address value. The branch target address value is loaded into a program counter based on the branch instruction. Execution of the instruction stream is redirected to a next instruction based on the branch target address value in the program counter. |
| US09626185B2 |
IT instruction pre-decode
Various techniques for processing and pre-decoding branches within an IT instruction block. Instructions are fetched and cached in an instruction cache, and pre-decode bits are generated to indicate the presence of an IT instruction and the likely boundaries of the IT instruction block. If an unconditional branch is detected within the likely boundaries of an IT instruction block, the unconditional branch is treated as if it were a conditional branch. The unconditional branch is sent to the branch direction predictor and the predictor generates a branch direction prediction for the unconditional branch. |
| US09626183B1 |
Device interrogation framework
A system provides support for a device interrogation framework. The system may include an electronic device and an application server. The electronic device may perform a device interrogation to identify one or more device characteristics, and adaptively disable one or more application functions of a software application according to the device characteristics. For example, the electronic device may send the device characteristics to the application server, and the application server may apply a set of feature support criteria to determine particular application functions to enable or disable on the electronic device. The application server may send a compatibility determination to the electronic device specifying which application functions of the software application to disable. |
| US09626181B2 |
Systems and methods to securely inject binary images and code into firmware
Systems and methods are provided that may be implemented to execute firmware and to inject executable code images into the executing firmware that are extracted from a code injection module (CIM) so as to execute the injected code and/or binary images from the firmware implementation environment. |
| US09626180B2 |
Live operating system update mechanisms
Mechanisms are provided for performing a live update of an operating system. The mechanisms receive an update to an operating system and clone a root volume group associated with an operating system instance executing in a first logical partition of the data processing system to generate a cloned root volume group. The mechanisms apply the update to the cloned root volume group to generate an updated and cloned root volume group and boot a second logical partition of the data processing system using the updated and cloned root volume group. Moreover, the mechanisms migrate application instances and application data to the second logical partition. |
| US09626174B2 |
Cancelling device over the air software update
A method and system are provided for providing a controlled software update to a group of computing devices. A server distributes a software update over the air to a first group of computing devices, through a wireless communication network. The first group of computing devices is monitored for successful installation of the software update. Upon determining that the software update is subject to a problem or potential problem, a second group of computing devices is identified based on the monitoring of the first group of computing devices. A software update cancellation message is sent through the wireless communication network to the second group of computing devices, instructing the second group of computing devices to cancel the software update in a way that is silent to the user of each respective computing device. |
| US09626172B2 |
Deploying a cluster
A method and system for deploying a cluster, wherein the cluster contains a plurality of cluster members, the method comprising: obtaining a unique identifier for each cluster member; according to the unique identifier of each cluster member, obtaining cluster configuration information for the cluster member; configuring the cluster member using the obtained cluster configuration information of the cluster member; and deploying the cluster. The method and system can enhance the cluster deployment efficiency. |
| US09626168B2 |
Compiler optimizations for vector instructions
An optimizing compiler includes a vector optimization mechanism that optimizes vector instructions by eliminating one or more vector element reverse operations. The compiler can generate code that includes multiple vector element reverse operations that are inserted by the compiler to account for a mismatch between the endian bias of the instruction and the endian preference indicated by the programmer or programming environment. The compiler then analyzes the code and reduces the number of vector element reverse operations to improve the run-time performance of the code. |
| US09626166B1 |
Common secure cloud appliance image and deployment
Embodiments include method, systems and computer program products for a common secure cloud appliance image and deployment. In some embodiments, a request for a target node may be received. The appliance image may be obtained in response to receiving the request, wherein the appliance image is a common image that is deployed on different platform types in a cloud management system. The target node may be generated using the appliance image. |
| US09626164B1 |
Test-driven development module for repository-based development
A method of selecting reusable programming implementations from a code repository for inclusion in a programming project is disclosed. A test is received at a software development tool installed on a system. The test is communicated to an application executing on an additional system for processing. The processing includes determining a result representing an application of the test by the application to each programming implementation of a first search set of programming implementations of a plurality of programming implementations in a code repository. The result includes a first result set of programming implementations selected from the plurality of programming implementations based on each programming implementation of the first result set satisfying the test. The result is received from the additional system. An option is provided to select a programming implementation from the first result set. The selected programming implementation is automatically included in the programming project. |
| US09626162B2 |
System and method for building graphical instrument panels
A mechanism for constructing a software-based instrument panel or front panel in which the components correspond directly with sections of code in a textual language program is disclosed. The textual language program relates to how the panel updates and operates in a continuous fashion. Icons representing panel components are selected from a component library window displayed to a user. The act of dragging the icon representing the components into the Graphical Panel Layout Window automatically causes the corresponding code to be added to the textual language program and displayed to the user in a Program Dialog Window. The present invention displays both a Graphical Panel Layout Window showing the components in the instrument panel and a Program Dialog Window showing the lines of code for the textual language program controlling the operation of the components in the instrument panel. A library containing I/O dialog devices is also presented and displayed to a user. The selection by the user of an I/O device icon and the subsequent dragging of the icon into either the Graphical Panel Layout Window or the Program Dialog Window causes the associated lines of code to appear in the Program Dialog Window. |
| US09626156B2 |
Application architecture design method, application architecture design system, and recording medium
Provided is an application architecture design method in which an information processing device is used, the method including the steps of: inputting information about dependency relations and design aspects, which are design items regarding modules for running functions, virtual machines for running the modules, and physical machines for running the virtual machines; and executing processing of adapting architecture properly by switching the input information about the dependency relations and the design aspects in matrices in a DSM format, and thereby rearranging allocation of the modules, allocation of the virtual machines, and allocation of the physical machines in stages in the DSM format. As a result, an excellent design solution for architecture suitable for a virtualized environment, a cloud environment deriving, or a similar environment can be derived. |
| US09626153B2 |
Control device and control method
A control device includes a first processor, a relay device, a second processor, and a third processor. The first processor is configured to perform data communications with an electronic device. The relay device is configured to relay the data communications. The relay device includes a buffer for storing data to be transmitted or received in the data communications. The second processor is configured to check a state of the buffer to detect a buffer full state in which the buffer is full. The third processor is configured to check a state of the first processor to detect a halt state in which the first processor has halted. The third processor is configured to reset the relay device upon detecting the halt state and upon the second processor detecting the buffer full state. |
| US09626150B2 |
Audio input from user
A computing device detects a user viewing the computing device and outputs a cue if the user is detected to view the computing device. The computing device receives an audio input from the user if the user continues to view the computing device for a predetermined amount of time. |
| US09626140B2 |
Printing apparatus, method of managing print job of printing apparatus, and storage medium storing program
A processor of a printing apparatus performs: storing, in a memory, a print job received through a communicator; controlling a printer to print a hold job that is a print job stored in the memory, in response to receiving a print instruction for the hold job; setting a storage time, the storage time being one of a time period during which the hold job is stored and a time point until which the hold job is stored; when the hold job remains stored in the memory past the storage time, deleting the hold job from the memory; and in response to receiving a particular operation, performing at least one of: extending the storage time of the hold job by a particular period; and deferring deletion of the hold job until a completion condition is satisfied, the completion condition indicating that an operation to the input device is completed. |
| US09626131B2 |
Print data processing method, print data processing apparatus, and storage medium for processing print data according to print setting information in the print data
A print data processing method includes inputting print data and storing the print data in a storage region with a first filter including an interface in a stream format as an input/output interface, sequentially inputting and analyzing parts constituting the print data with a second filter arranged after the first filter and including an interface in a document format as an input/output interface, processing the print data stored in the storage region according to print setting information acquired from the print data as a result of the analyzing by performing the analyzing, and ending processing without inputting all or a part of subsequent parts after the print setting information is acquired by the second filter. |
| US09626128B2 |
Semiconductor memory device
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a first memory circuit and a first controller. The first memory circuit includes a register in which a read page size is stored, and a memory cell array. The first controller is configured to access the first memory circuit by the page size stored in the register, in one of an open page policy and closed page policy. |
| US09626124B2 |
Direct-attached/network-attached storage device
A multi-port data storage device that can be used simultaneously by both a direct-attached device and a network-attached device, comprising a hard disk drive (HDD), a DAS port, an NAS port, and a controller for controlling access to the HDD by the DAS port and the NAS port. |
| US09626123B2 |
Ensuring health and compliance of devices
A compliance method and associated system is provided. The method includes generating backup devices for devices of a list of devices associated with a data storage environment. A device from the list of devices is selected and available credentials for connecting and authenticating the device are determined. Configuration and operational state data for the device are retrieved. A backup device associated with the device is selected and associated policies are loaded. Each policy is evaluated with respect to the backup devices, associated dependencies, and the configuration and operational state data. Compliant and non-compliant policies with respect to the backup devices are determined. |
| US09626122B2 |
Shifting a defrag operation in a mirrored system
A method for defragmenting volumes in a mirrored system. The method includes suspending one or more updates from being mirrored from a first set of tracks on a first server to a second set of tracks on a second server. A defragmenting process is performed on the second server. The defragmentation process stores a before and after mapping of the second set of tracks, wherein the before and after mapping includes information identifying at least one track of the second set of tracks and a corresponding first location of the respective track before the defragmenting and a second location of the respective track after the defragmenting. The method further includes, upon the defragment process completion, relocating at least one track of the first set of tracks on the first server according to the stored before and after mapping of the corresponding second set of tracks on the second server. |
| US09626121B2 |
De-duplication as part of other routinely performed processes
A mechanism is provided for performing de-duplication process on a set of non-volatile memories as part of another process routinely performed on the set of non-volatile memories. A hash value of data stored at a first physical location in a non-volatile memory in the set of non-volatile memories is received from a non-volatile memory controller associated with the non-volatile memory. Responsive to the hash value matching one or more existing hash values for data stored at one or more other physical locations in the set of non-volatile memories, an optimal physical location is identified from the first physical location and the one or more other physical locations. Responsive to identifying the optimal physical location, a set of logical addresses associated with the hash values is updated to point to the optimal physical location. The non-optimal physical locations are further invalidated in order that the non-optimal physical locations are erased. |
| US09626120B1 |
Systems and methods for dynamically adjusting batch request sizes
The disclosed computer-implemented method for dynamically adjusting batch request sizes may include (1) identifying a storage system that accepts batched requests for data stored within the storage system, (2) measuring the latency for at least one request sent to the storage system to retrieve a portion of the data stored within the storage system, (3) adjusting, based on the latency of the request, a batch size for the batched requests sent to the storage system, and (4) sending a batched request of the adjusted batched size to the storage system. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed. |
| US09626118B2 |
Efficient error handling mechanisms in data storage systems
A data storage system configured to efficiently search and update system data is disclosed. In one embodiment, the data storage system can attempt to correct errors in retrieved data configured to index system data. Metadata stored along with user data in a memory location can be configured to indicate a logical address associated in a logical-to-physical location mapping with a physical address at which user data and metadata are stored. The data storage system can generate modified versions of logical address indicated by the metadata and determine whether such modified versions match the physical address in the logical-to-physical mapping. Modified versions of the logical address can be generated by flipping one or more bits in the logical address indicated by the metadata. Efficiency can do increased and improved performance can be attained. |
| US09626114B2 |
Monitoring of excessive write operations issued to a non-volatile memory
The invention provides a technique for managing write operations issued to a non-volatile memory included in a wireless device. A monitor software application executes on the wireless device and is configured to determine that a number of write operations issued to the non-volatile memory is greater than or equal to a write operation threshold associated with the non-volatile memory. In response, at least one application is isolated as the application responsible for issuing excessive write operations. The isolation can be carried out locally on the wireless device, or the isolation can be carried out remotely at a server by sending information about the write operations to the server. The monitor then limits additional write operations from being issued to the non-volatile memory so as to protect the non-volatile memory from becoming corrupted or inoperable. |
| US09626113B2 |
Management of destage tasks with large number of ranks
A processor, operable in a computing storage environment, for each rank in a storage management device in the computing storage environment, allocates a lower maximum count defined by a predetermined lower maximum count of Task Control Blocks (TCBs) of a rank for performing destage operations, and a higher maximum count of TCBs to be implemented for performing a storage operation, and performs the storage operation using up to the lower maximum count of TCBs, yet only allows those TCBs above the lower maximum count to be allocated for performing the storage operation satisfying at least one criterion. |
| US09626111B1 |
Sequential write of random workload in mirrored performance pool environments
A mirrored storage system comprising a system controller coupled to a first storage system comprising a primary controller and a first storage and to a second storage system comprising a secondary controller and a second storage. The second storage contains an image of data stored in the first storage. The system controller receives data to be written to storage and sends the data to the primary controller of the first storage system and to the secondary controller of the second storage system. The system controller instructs the primary controller to write the data to the first storage of the first storage system in an ordered manner; and instructs the secondary controller to write the data sequentially to a data area on the second storage of the second storage system. Writing the data sequentially to the second storage improves the write performance. |
| US09626109B2 |
System and method for managing the operating parameter of a nonvolatile memory
A memory system according to the present embodiment includes a nonvolatile memory part storing an operating parameter required to perform a data read operation or a data write operation. A volatile memory part holds the operating parameter read out from the nonvolatile memory part after turning power on. A controller writes back the operating parameter in the volatile memory part to a first position of the nonvolatile memory part storing the operating parameter, based on number of times of power input to the volatile memory part, number of times of reading the operating parameter, or a read time of the operating parameter. |
| US09626103B2 |
Systems and methods for identifying media portions of interest
Systems and methods for video editing and playback are provided. In one implementation, a selected portion of a timeline for navigating media content can be repositioned and resized by user input actions received along various axes relative to the timeline. In another implementation, a plurality of signals associated with media content can be intelligently weighted based on user group historical attributes to identify portions of interest in the media content. In a further implementation, an experience map for media content is provided in which a representative signature for the content includes visual signal intensity representations and social interest concentrations over the length of the content. In another implementation, a subset of filters is determined for recommendation to a user based on one or more attributes associated with at least one of media content, the user, a group of users, or a user device. |
| US09626100B2 |
Dynamic management of edge inputs by users on a touch device
Systems and methods of blocking, ignoring, suspending, or otherwise altering edge-related UI gestures on touch-sensitive computing devices or on non-touch sensitive computing devices having active edge I/O commands in certain situations are disclosed. In one embodiment, a second UI gesture coming from an outside edge may be altered after a first UI gesture from a user using an running application under certain conditions—e.g., if the second UI gesture is made within a certain time period after the first UI gesture, the second UI gesture is made within a certain proximity of the first UI gesture, etc. In another embodiment, a computing device is disclosed that comprises a controller, a display screen and an operating system that alters certain edge-related UI gestures that might be made by an operating system if, e.g., certain conditions are present. |
| US09626099B2 |
Multi-finger sliding detection using fingerprints to generate different events
Fingerprint portions of two or more different fingers are detected on a detection surface, such as an optical surface, a touch pad, a touchscreen, or the like, and then a further detection made that the person has moved their finger(s), for example, apart, together or relative to one another. The movement can be detected based on identifying the fingerprint portion sliding across the screen. The combination of fingerprint information associated with a corresponding motion is correlatable to one or more actions or triggering events that are used to control one or more electronic devices. Further aspects are directed toward utilizing one or more of the techniques herein for a security application. For example, two users, each placing one or more fingers on a touch screen or touch pad, with the fingerprints thereafter being recognized, perform a certain movement with this triggering the unlocking, or locking, of an object. |
| US09626098B2 |
Device, method, and graphical user interface for copying formatting attributes
An electronic device simultaneously displays on a touch-sensitive display a first user interface object and a second user interface object. The second user interface object has formatting attributes, one or more of which are distinct from corresponding formatting attributes in the first user interface object. The device detects a first contact on the first user interface object and a second contact on the second user interface object. While continuing to detect the first contact and the second contact, the device detects movement of the second contact across the touch-sensitive display, and moves the second user interface object in accordance with the movement of the second contact. The device changes one or more formatting attributes for the second user interface object to match corresponding formatting attributes for the first user interface object if the second user interface object contacts the first user interface object while moving. |
| US09626095B2 |
Portable apparatus comprising touch screens for browsing information displayed on screen of external apparatus and method for browsing information thereof
A portable apparatus comprising a touch screen for browsing information displayed on a screen of an external apparatus and a method for browsing information thereof are provided. The method includes displaying a link area included in the web page displayed on the screen of the external apparatus on the touch screen of the portable apparatus, in response to a first gesture of a user on the touch screen, magnifying the link area displayed on the touch screen, and in response to a second gesture of the user on the magnified link area transmitting information regarding displaying another web page related to the link area on the screen of the external apparatus from the portable apparatus to the external apparatus. Accordingly, users may browse information displayed on a screen of an external apparatus using a portable apparatus having a touch screen swiftly and conveniently. |
| US09626092B2 |
Geometric assembly
A drawing system has a computerized appliance having a processor coupled to a data repository, software (SW) executing on the processor, the software providing tools to enable a user to join objects in a display, creating an assembled object, Upon the user selecting to drag a first object in the display in a first direction, the SW monitors geometric features of the first object and of a second object in the display positioned in the first direction, determines compatible join features of the first and second objects, and upon the first and second objects being moved within a preprogrammed threshold distance (TD) greater than zero in the display, provides a join operation, bringing the compatible join features of the first and the second object together, creating an assembled new object. |
| US09626089B2 |
Determination and indication of included system features
Arrangements related to the selective indication of features included on a system are described. A plurality of graphical indicator elements can be provided. Each of the feature graphical indicators can represent a respective feature of a predefined set of features that are potentially included on the system. It can be determined whether one or more features of the predefined set of features are included on the system. In response to determining that one or more features of the predefined set of features are included on the system, the feature graphical indicators corresponding to the detected one or more features can be selectively displayed. |
| US09626086B1 |
Adjusting eraser size in drawing applications
The method includes identifying, by one or more computer processors, a first location and a second location of input on a touch-sensitive surface. The method further includes calculating, by one or more computer processors, a distance between the first location and the second location. The method further includes identifying, by one or more computer processors, a first elapsed time between creation of the identified first location of input and the identified second location of input. The method further includes calculating, by one or more computer processors, a first size of an eraser based upon the identified first elapsed time. The method further includes generating, by one or more computer processors, an eraser path based upon the identified first location and the identified second location of input on a touch-sensitive surface, and the calculated first size of an eraser. |
| US09626083B2 |
Mobile terminal and controlling method of a locked screen
A mobile terminal and controlling method thereof are provided. If a screen of a touchscreen is locked, at least communication-connectable external device is automatically found and the found external device is displayed on the locked screen. Accordingly, both of the unlocking of the locked screen and the communication connection to the found external device can be simultaneously performed in response to a user's touch gesture. |
| US09626082B1 |
Interface for applying a photogrammetry algorithm to user-supplied photographic images
Embodiments relate to selecting textures for a user-supplied photographic image in image-based three-dimensional modeling. In a first embodiment, a computer-implemented method includes a method for inputting a user-supplied photographic image that uses a photogrammetry algorithm to adjust a plurality of camera parameters for the user-supplied photographic image. In the method, a user-supplied photographic image inputted by a user is received. A set of geographic characteristics inputted by the user that correspond to a geographic location of a camera that took the user-supplied photographic image is received. A plurality of camera parameters that correspond to the geographic location of the camera that took the user-supplied photographic image is determined. The user-supplied photographic image to be texture mapped to the three-dimensional model is enabled. |
| US09626077B2 |
Method, system for updating dynamic map-type graphic interface and electronic device using the same
A dynamic map-type graphic interface includes a number of user interface (UI) components. Each UI component is associated with one corresponding application program of the electronic device. The dynamic map-type graphic interface is a single-layer graphic interface made up of the UI components spliced together and around the center of the dynamic map-type graphic interface. The arrangement of the UI components is dynamically alterable according to operating times of the application program operated under a predetermined state parameter value within a predetermined time period. |
| US09626076B2 |
Display apparatus for displaying images and method thereof
A display apparatus is disclosed. The display apparatus includes a storage configured to store a plurality of images, a controller configured to select a plurality of related images having a common element from the plurality of images, and a display configured to sequentially display the plurality of related images while executing an image transition between each of the sequentially displayed related images through intermediation of the common element of the plurality of related images, whereby the related images can be provided to a user in a continuous manner. |
| US09626075B1 |
Electronic book reader for presenting enhanced electronic material and electronic supporting data
An electronic book reader has an electronic book loaded in memory. The electronic book includes text, as well as markup tags around certain text portions. The markup tags indicate the availability of and link to supplemental content. A touch screen display allows a user to select a category of supplemental content or linked text. The display will show links for the category of content selected by the user, or will show categories of content for the linked text selected by the user. |
| US09626074B2 |
Touch screen unlocking method and device
A touch screen unlocking method comprises displaying a plurality of icons on an unlocking interface, among which at least two icons can be arranged to match with each other; after a user taps one of the matched icons, amplifying and displaying the other icon; when the user taps the amplified and displayed icon area, unlocking the touch screen. According to the present invention, the frequency of mistakes by the user can be reduced, and the user experience can be improved. |
| US09626070B2 |
Location based augmented reality system for exchange of items based on location sensing methods and devices related thereto
Location-based augmented reality systems configured exchange of items based on location sensing and associated triggering icons, and methods and devices related thereto. In one exemplary embodiment, a first, provider user identifies a specific physical location; associates a triggering icon representing a value item with the specific physical location; and, transmits the existence of the triggering icon and specific physical location to a second, mobile recipient user computing device. The second, mobile recipient user receives the triggering icon and specific physical location from the first, provider user computing device, then finds the specific physical location, activates the triggering icon and receives the value item. |
| US09626059B2 |
User interface system
The user interface system of the preferred embodiment includes: a layer defining a surface, a substrate supporting the layer and at least partially defining a cavity, a displacement device coupled to the cavity and adapted to expand the cavity thereby deforming a particular region of the surface, a touch sensor coupled to the substrate and adapted to sense a user touch proximate the particular region of the surface, and a display coupled to the substrate and adapted to output images to the user. The user interface system of the preferred embodiments has been specifically designed to be incorporated into an electronic device, such as the display of a mobile phone, but may be incorporated in any suitable device that interfaces with a user in both a visual and tactile manner. |
| US09626052B2 |
Touch panel
A touch panel including a touch area and a peripheral area adjacent to the touch area is provided. The touch panel includes a plurality of first electrodes, a plurality of second electrodes, a plurality of third electrodes, a plurality of pads and a plurality of wirings. The first electrodes, the second electrodes and the third electrodes are located in the touch area and electrically insulated to each other, wherein the third electrodes expose at least a part of the first electrodes and at least a part of the second electrodes. The pads are located in the peripheral area. The first electrodes, the second electrodes and the third electrodes are electrically connected to the pads through the wirings respectively. |
| US09626046B2 |
Devices and methods for reduction of display to touch crosstalk
Devices and methods for reducing display-to-touch crosstalk are provided. In or more examples, an electronic display panel may include a pixel. The pixel may include a pixel electrode, a common electrode, and a first transistor having a first source coupled to a data line, a first gate coupled to a gate line, and a first drain coupled to the pixel electrode. The pixel may also include a second transistor having a second source coupled to the common electrode, a second gate coupled to the gate line, and a second drain coupled to a common voltage source. The second transistor may be configured to cause a parasitic capacitance between the gate line and the second drain of the second transistor and to reduce an effect of a parasitic capacitance between the gate line and the first drain of the first transistor. |
| US09626038B2 |
Input device
An apparatus is provided that includes an electromagnetic sensing unit to sense an electromagnetic field. The apparatus also includes a shielding layer to shield at least a portion of the electromagnetic field, the shielding layer including a magnetic material. |
| US09626034B2 |
Organizational tools on a multi-touch display device
A process for enabling objects displayed on a multi-input display device to be grouped together is disclosed that includes defining a target element that enables objects displayed on a multi-input display device to be grouped together through interaction with the target element. Operations are invoked that establish a relationship between a particular displayed object and a position on the target element and that causes transformations applied to the target element also to be applied to the particular displayed object while maintaining the relationship between the particular displayed object and the position on the target element. |
| US09626032B2 |
Sensor arrangement for use with a touch sensor
Apparatus and methods are disclosed for simultaneously tracking multiple finger and palm contacts as hands approach, touch, and slide across a proximity-sensing, multi-touch surface. Identification and classification of intuitive hand configurations and motions enables unprecedented integration of typing, resting, pointing, scrolling, 3D manipulation, and handwriting into a versatile, ergonomic computer input device. |
| US09626020B2 |
Handedness detection from touch input
Techniques and architectures for detecting the handedness of a user from touch input and suppressing unintentional touch input are described. The techniques and architectures may analyze short-lived contacts that occur on a touch surface around a same time as input from an input tool to determine a hand that a user is using to hold the input tool. An inactive region may be established for the touch surface based on the hand determination and/or contextual information related to the user, the touch surface and so on. The inactive region may allow unintentional input to be identified and suppressed. |
| US09626015B2 |
Power consumption in motion-capture systems with audio and optical signals
The technology disclosed provides systems and methods for reducing the overall power consumption of an optical motion-capture system without compromising the quality of motion capture and tracking. In implementations, this is accomplished by operating the motion-detecting cameras and associated image-processing hardware in a low-power mode (e.g., at a low frame rate or in a standby or sleep mode) unless and until touch gestures of an object such as a tap, sequence of taps, or swiping motions are performed with a surface proximate to the cameras. A contact microphone or other appropriate sensor is used for detecting audio signals or other vibrations generated by contact of the object with the surface. |
| US09626011B2 |
Rechargeable capacitive stylus
A rechargeable capacitive stylus includes a pen-shaped casing structure, a sensor module, a pen head structure, and an electrical connector structure. The pen-shaped casing structure has a pen casing, a rotatable ring rotatably disposed around the pen casing, and a pen holder adjacent to the rotatable ring. The sensor module is disposed inside the pen-shaped casing structure. The pen head structure is movably disposed inside the pen-shaped casing structure to selectively contact the sensor module. The electrical connector structure is disposed inside the pen-shaped casing structure. The electrical connector structure includes a first electrical connector electrically connected to a power supply, and the first electrical connector has a first electrical connection portion. The pen casing has a first fixed opening for exposing the first electrical connection portion, and the rotatable ring has a movable opening that is moved relative to the pen casing or the pen holder. |
| US09626007B2 |
Image sensing method, and image sensing apparatus, light source determining system utilizing the image sensing method
An image detecting method, comprising: controlling a synchronizing controller to transmit a first activating signal to a light source controller; controlling the light source controller to control at least one light source to generate a predetermined radiating pattern, and controlling the light source controller to transmit back a first responding signal to the synchronizing controller when the light source controller receives the first activating signal; and controlling an image sensor to start an image detecting when the synchronizing controller receives the first responding signal. |
| US09626006B2 |
Information processing apparatus and image forming apparatus
An image processing apparatus including a first region, and a first display portion provided in the first region. The first display portion is configured so that a key for an operation is displayed on the first display portion. The image processing apparatus further includes a second region provided outside the first region. The second region is configured to receive an operation. The image processing apparatus includes a second display portion configured to display information based on the operation on the first display portion and the operation on the second region. |
| US09626001B2 |
Speech recognition candidate selection based on non-acoustic input
A method includes the following steps. A speech input is received. At least two speech recognition candidates are generated from the speech input. A scene related to the speech input is observed using one or more non-acoustic sensors. The observed scene is segmented into one or more regions. One or more properties for the one or more regions are computed. One of the speech recognition candidates is selected based on the one or more computed properties of the one or more regions. |
| US09626000B2 |
Image resizing for optical character recognition in portable reading machine
A reading machine that operates in various modes includes image correction processing is described. The reading device pre-processes an image for optical character recognition by receiving the image and determining whether text in the image is too large or small for optical character recognition processing by determining that text height falls outside of a range in which optical character recognition software will recognize text in a digitized image. If necessary the image is resized according to whether the text is too large or too small. |
| US09625998B2 |
Interaction method between wearable devices and wearable device thereof
An interaction method between wearable devices comprises: sending a detection signal from a first wearable device to detect a second wearable device according to a predetermined interaction rule used by the first wearable device and the second wearable device; sending a response signal to confirm the interaction from the second wearable device to the first wearable device according to the predetermined interaction rule after the second wearable device receives the detection signal; establishing an interaction communication between the first wearable device and the second wearable device after the first wearable device receives the response signal, interacting between the first wearable device and the second wearable device according to the predetermined interaction rule. The method of the present invention enhances the intelligence and social function of the wearable devices. |
| US09625993B2 |
Touch free operation of devices by use of depth sensors
An inventive system and method for touch free operation of a device is presented. The system can comprise a depth sensor for detecting a movement, motion software to receive the detected movement from the depth sensor, deduce a gesture based on the detected movement, and filter the gesture to accept an applicable gesture, and client software to receive the applicable gesture at a client computer for performing a task in accordance with client logic based on the applicable gesture. The client can be a mapping device and the task can be one of various mapping operations. The system can also comprise hardware for making the detected movement an applicable gesture. The system can also comprise voice recognition providing voice input for enabling the client to perform the task based on the voice input in conjunction with the applicable gesture. The applicable gesture can be a movement authorized using facial recognition. |
| US09625989B2 |
Head mounted display
A head mounted display is used in a state of being mounted on a user's head and includes a convex lens disposed at a position facing the user's cornea when the head mounted display is mounted. An infrared light source emits infrared light toward the convex lens. A camera captures an image including the user's cornea in a subject. A housing houses the convex lens, the infrared light source, and the camera. The convex lens is provided with a plurality of reflection regions that reflects infrared light in an inside of the convex lens. The infrared light source causes a pattern of infrared light to appear on the user's cornea by emitting infrared light to each of the plurality of reflection regions provided in the convex lens. |
| US09625988B1 |
Type-C connector subsystem
A Universal Serial Bus (USB) Type-C connector subsystem is described herein. An integrated circuit (IC) chip device includes a Universal Serial Bus (USB) Type-C subsystem. The USB Type-C subsystem is to operate an Ra termination circuit that consumes no more than a first predetermined amount of current after the Ra termination circuit is applied to a Vconn line of the Type-C subsystem, or to operate a standby reference circuit in a low power mode of the device to perform detection on a Configuration Channel (CC) line of the Type-C subsystem, where the device consumes no more than a second predetermined amount of current in the low power mode. |
| US09625982B2 |
Management of power consumption in large computing clusters
Management of power consumption in large computing clusters is disclosed herein. According to an aspect, a method includes using a power manager to receive, via a communication interface, information associated with the cluster of computing nodes. The method includes determining whether a switch is coupled to an inactive computing node of the cluster of computing nodes based on the received information. Further, the method includes communicating a command to the switch to remove power supplied to a switch port of the switch coupled to the inactive computing node in response to determining that the switch is coupled to an inactive computing node of the cluster of computing nodes. |
| US09625980B2 |
Low power configuration for USB (Universal Serial Bus) devices
The present disclosure provides for a method and semiconductor device for low power configuration. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a packet from a host device, where the packet is received at a USB (Universal Serial Bus) device. The method also includes detecting, by the USB device, that the packet includes an endpoint address of a low power endpoint. The method also includes entering a low power mode state, in response to the detecting, where the USB device includes a USB clock domain that includes an internal reference clock (IRC) and clock recovery logic, and a clock tree block located outside of the USB clock domain. The entering the low power mode state includes disabling the clock tree block, and clocking the USB clock domain using the IRC and clock recovery logic. |
| US09625977B2 |
Apparatus and method for screen power saving in electronic device
A screen display control method includes a screen change operation, which includes, in response to a screen change request, outputting data of a screen to be changed, to a display unit and predicting a next screen change cycle, and an operation of switching into a power saving mode when there is no screen change request. An electronic device includes an event generation unit configured to generate a screen change event, a display unit configured to receive screen change data and change a displayed screen, and a controller configured to in response to a detected screen change event, output data of a screen to be changed, to the display unit, predict a next screen change cycle, and switch into a power saving mode when there is no screen change request. |
| US09625976B1 |
Apparatus and methods for power saving in USB devices
An integrated circuit device of a first device synchronizes to a bus clock of a wired communication bus, wherein the wired communication bus connects the first device to a second device. A power save time period is determined, wherein the power save period is measured in terms of the bus clock. A request is sent, via the wired communication bus, from the first device to the second device. The request is for reduced power operation during the power save time period, and the request indicates, in terms of the bus clock, i) a start time of the power save time period and ii) an end time of the power save time period. The first device is caused to enter a reduced power mode within the power save time period. |
| US09625975B2 |
Information processing apparatus capable of connecting to network in power saving state, method of controlling the same, and storage medium
An information processing apparatus capable of changing packet patterns for determining, based on a condition of proxy ARP compatibility of a connected wireless LAN access point, communication requests to which the apparatus can respond in a power saving state, and thereby maintaining the power saving state for a longer time period. A RAM of an MFP operable in the normal state and the power saving state stores packet patterns which enable the MFP to respond to packets received in the power saving state while maintaining the power saving state. The MFP acquires proxy ARP support information from a wireless LAN access point that relays communication between the MFP and an external apparatus. The MFP determines whether or not the AP can respond to a received communication request on its behalf, and changes the packet patterns based on the determination result. |
| US09625974B2 |
Global throttling of computing nodes in a modular, rack-configured information handling system
A computer-implemented method enables global throttling of processing nodes in a rack-configured information handling system (RIHS). A rack-level management controller receives power-usage data and operating parameters associated with processing nodes within separately-controlled blocks of the RIHS. A power subsystem of the RIHS regulates an amount of power supplied to the processing nodes of the RIHS based on the power-usage data and operating parameters for the processing nodes and a total amount of available power for distribution within the RIHS. In response to detecting a condition that reduces the total amount of available power for distribution within the IHS, the management controller autonomously initiates global throttling of the processing nodes within the IHS to reduce power consumption by at least one of the processing nodes. The global throttling is completed via a signal transfer over a select Ethernet cable wire to connected block controllers that control the processing nodes. |
| US09625973B2 |
Electronic apparatus with display unit, and display control method for electronic apparatus with display unit
An electronic device capable of shortening display start time when a user approaches while reducing power consumption. A detection unit detects a distance between a display unit and an object. A control unit changes a mode of the display unit according to the detected distance among a display mode, and first and second power saving modes. The second power saving mode is larger than the first power saving mode in power consumption. The second power saving mode is shorter than the first power saving mode in shifting time to the display mode. The control unit sets the display unit to the display mode when the object is closer than a first distance, to the second power saving mode when the object is further than the first distance and closer than a second distance, and to the first power saving mode when the object is further than the second distance. |
| US09625972B2 |
Method of reducing power consumption of system software using query scheduling of application and apparatus for reducing power consumption using the method
A method is provided. The method includes in response to a new query or new input data being input, calculating a required minimum number of cycles per unit time which corresponds to the minimum number of cycles per unit time that is required to process the new query or the new input data, selecting a query to execute first, calculating the number of cycles to be processed during the time period set in advance by multiplying the calculated, required minimum number of cycles per unit time with a time period that is allocated to process the selected query or the input data and is set in advance, and putting a system into a dormant state for a remaining period of time in response to the calculated number of cycles being completely executed within the time period set in advance. |
| US09625970B2 |
Information processing apparatus, operation state control method, and computer program product
According to an embodiment, an information processing apparatus that includes a processor, has a first control unit, a power storage unit, and a second control unit. The first control unit is configured to control execution of a process by the processor. The power storage unit is configured to store therein power. The second control unit is configured to control reduction of power consumption of the information processing apparatus in a case where there is a process waiting to be executed and an amount of stored power of the power storage unit is equal to or less than a first threshold. |
| US09625969B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling power consumption of a portable terminal
A method for controlling a power consumption in a portable terminal and a portable terminal supporting the method are provided. The method includes receiving first data from at least one device, by a main processor; transmitting second data based on the received first data to a sub processor, by the main processor; receiving the second data from the main processor, and determining whether the main processor is in a sleep state, by the sub processor; and when it is determined that the main processor is in a sleep state, maintaining the sleep state of the main processor, receiving the first data from the at least one device, and controlling the at least one device based on the received first data and second data, by the sub processor. |
| US09625966B2 |
Enhanced power over ethernet (POE) system
Disclosed herein is an enhanced POE (Power Over Ethernet) power supply system, in which a single power source is configured to provide a reduced power voltage for both a network video recorder and an IP camera, thereby simplifying a traditional POE system that requires additional devices for power transformation. |
| US09625965B2 |
Discovery of connectivity between PDU outlet and device
The present inventive subject matter provides an apparatus and system for power distribution management. For example, power distribution management is provided, comprising: detecting an establishment of a connection between a PDU outlet of a PDU and a device to be powered by the PDU; and causing the identification specific to the connection to be shared between the PDU and the device over optical communication in response to establishment of the connection. Corresponding system and power cable are also disclosed. According to embodiments of the present inventive subject matter, the connection relationship between any devices and PDU outlets can be determined efficiently and effectively by checking and matching the connection identifications. |
| US09625962B2 |
Cooling system and electronic device
A cooling system includes: an evaporator; a condenser; a feed pipe including a feed pipe body configured to couple an opening portion within the evaporator and the condenser, at least a portion of the feed pipe body in a longitudinal direction having an inner cross-sectional area smaller than an inner cross-sectional area of the opening portion; a return pipe configured to couple the condenser and the evaporator; and a bypass pipe configured to couple the evaporator and the feed pipe body. |
| US09625961B2 |
Arrangement for a computer system and computer system
An arrangement for a computer system includes a heat-producing expansion card and a cooling device. The cooling device has at least one fan and a hollow body with a first opening and a second opening to cool the expansion card. The hollow body is arranged with the first opening on the expansion card. The at least one fan is arranged on the hollow body in a region of the second opening or is at least partly surrounded by the hollow body by the second opening. The at least one fan produces a flow of air through the hollow body to cool the expansion card. |
| US09625960B1 |
Convertible hard drive tray
One embodiment provides an apparatus, including: a processor; a hard drive operatively coupled to the processor; and a tray that houses the hard drive; said tray comprising a bottom, a first side, a second side, and a pivotable planar element; wherein the pivotable planar element rotates relative to the bottom to relocate from the bottom of the tray to a side of the tray. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US09625959B1 |
Top-load HDD server
The present disclosure provides a top-load HDD server including: a partition plate arranged in a containing space of a case to divide the containing space into a plurality of hard disk chambers and a system chamber; a mother board arranged at a bottom of the system chamber; a power supply frame including a power control board and a power carrier; the power carrier includes a movable frame and a fixed frame, the movable frame is arranged on the power control board and removable, and thereby improves cable management and maintenance. |
| US09625956B2 |
Touch panel and manufacturing method thereof
A touch panel having a cover plate, a sensor electrode layer, an insulating layer and a jumper layer is provided. The sensor electrode layer has first axis electrodes, second axis electrodes, bonding pads and first periphery traces. Each first axis electrode has first electrode blocks that are electrically connected to each other. Each second axis electrode has second electrode blocks that are electrically isolated from each other. The bonding pads are disposed on the periphery region of the cover plate. The first periphery traces are electrically connected to the bonding pads and the first axis electrodes or the second axis electrodes respectively. The insulating layer has first via holes and second via holes. The jumper layer has jumper traces and second periphery traces, wherein the second periphery traces are electrically connected to the first axis electrodes or the second axis electrodes through the first via holes. |
| US09625953B2 |
Covered multi-pivot hinge
The description relates to devices, such as computing devices that have hinged portions. One example can include a first portion and a second portion. This example can also include a multi-pivot hinge unit rotatably securing the first and second portions. This example can further include a covered sequentially rotating multi-pivot hinge assembly rotatably securing the first portion and the second portion in a manner that extends a footprint of the computing device as the first portion is rotated away from the second portion. |
| US09625951B2 |
Supporting base and computer system
A supporting base suitable for a computer device is provided. The computer device has a device fitting portion. The supporting base includes a main body and a connection interface. The connection interface includes a housing and a first moving element. The housing is connected to the main body and has an opening. The first moving element is movably disposed in the housing and has a base fitting portion. The base fitting portion protrudes out from the housing through the opening to be engaged with the device fitting portion of the computer device. A computer system having said supporting base and said computer device is also provided herein. |
| US09625950B1 |
Protective cover for convertible laptop and tablet
A protective cover is for use with a hybrid computer which includes a display that is rotationally mounted to a keyboard. Relative rotation between the display and keyboard configures the hybrid computer as a laptop or a tablet computer. The protective cover includes raised regions and recessed regions. When the hybrid computer is configured as a tablet, the raised regions are received into the recessed regions. This allows outer housing surfaces of the display and keyboard to be in close proximity. |
| US09625947B2 |
Portable electronic device
Disclosed are a portable electronic device having a display unit which can be bent or folded partially or wholly, and a control method thereof. The portable electronic device includes: a display unit having a front surface and a rear surface, and formed to be flexible; and a folding unit including a plurality of blocks and a connection unit, and configured to be foldable together with the display unit, the plurality of blocks overlapped with each other on the rear surface of the display unit, the connection unit configured to connect the plurality of blocks to each other, wherein the plurality of blocks are arranged such that at least part thereof is relatively-movable with respect to neighboring blocks in a direction to become far from or close to the neighboring blocks. |
| US09625944B2 |
Waterproof port for electronic devices
One embodiment of the present disclosure may take the form of an electronic device. The electronic device includes a housing defining a port and a cavity, a processing element contained within the cavity of the housing, an input/output device (such as, but not limited to, a sound wave transducer) in selective communication with the port, and a flow-blocking member movably connected to the housing. The flow-blocking member selectively prevents fluid-flow, such as the flow of air, through the port. The electronic device also includes a fluid repelling member connected to the housing and positioned in a flow path between the port and the input/output device. |
| US09625938B2 |
Integrated differential clock gater
A technique implements differential digital logic circuits with a differential clock distribution network using standard cell differential clock gater circuits to reduce area, delay, power consumption in integrated circuits. An apparatus includes a first terminal configured to receive a clock signal, a second terminal configured to receive a complementary clock signal, and a third terminal configured to receive a clock control signal. The apparatus includes a latch circuit configured to generate a latched version of the clock control signal based on a version of the clock control signal, a version of the clock signal, and a version of the complementary clock signal. The apparatus includes a combinatorial circuit configured to generate a gated clock signal and a gated complementary clock signal based on the version of the clock control signal, the version of the clock signal, and the version of the complementary clock signal. |
| US09625935B2 |
Powered wheelchair joystick handles
One embodiment is a handle supporting a users hand having a large surface for the palm, a trough for the thumb, a protrusion between the thumb and first finger and flared edges to keep the hand from sliding. A support surface is coupled to the stem of a wheelchair joystick gimbal and is biased in forward driving. A second embodiment is a wheelchair joystick movable between forward and reverse positions while maintaining the same orientation relative to the user. A supporting surface is pivotally mounted to a gimbal stem fixed to the wheelchair. The handle pivots to remain in a neutral position with movement of the joystick. A bi-directional spring biases the handle toward a neutral position. A third embodiment comprises a pivot coupled to a gimbal stem and a cup coupled to the user. The assembly is completed by placing the cup over the pivot allowing for movement therebetween. |
| US09625932B2 |
Switching mode converter having 100% duty cycle mode and method for controlling thereof
Disclosed herein are a switching mode converter and a method for controlling thereof. The switching mode converter includes a switching element, a bootstrap capacitor, and a control unit. The switching element is connected between one side of a first semiconductor device, another side of the first semiconductor device is connected to a ground, and an input power. The bootstrap capacitor is configured such that one side of the bootstrap capacitor is connected to the one side of the first semiconductor device. The control unit controls the output current or output voltage of a common charge pump provided to the switching element and the bootstrap capacitor in order to control the charging state of the bootstrap capacitor and the gate voltage of the switching element. |
| US09625931B2 |
Bypass type 220V grid voltage sag prevention device and control method therefor
Provided are a bypass type 220V grid voltage sag prevention device and a control method therefor. The bypass type 220V grid voltage sag prevention device comprises an AC-to-DC energy storage unit, a Single Chip Microcomputer (SCM) control and display unit, and an inverter output unit. The AC-to-DC energy storage unit comprises a rectifier circuit, an energy storage control circuit and a quick tank circuit; the SCM control and display unit comprises an SCM, a DC step-down module circuit and an energy storage voltage detecting circuit; and the inverter output unit comprises a high-frequency PWM generating circuit, a high-frequency transformer output circuit, a transformer output full-bridge rectifier circuit, a PWM generating circuit, a PWM driving and full-bridge inverter circuit, a 220V grid zero-cross point detecting circuit, a 220V grid voltage detecting circuit, a 220V grid and inversion AC converting circuit, and a signal interface circuit. |
| US09625927B2 |
Drive circuit
A drive circuit of the present invention, which drives a switching device in response to a control signal, includes: a current mirror circuit including an output transistor connected to a control electrode of the switching device and a reference transistor that is connected to the output transistor in a current mirror manner and supplies a mirror current to the output transistor; and a potential change circuit that is connected to the reference transistor and changes a control potential of the output transistor from a potential during mirror operation of the current mirror circuit. |
| US09625926B1 |
Multiple input regulator circuit
The embodiments described herein relate to an improved circuit technique for a multiple input regulator circuit having multiple power paths therein. The multiple input regulator circuit may be configured to minimize integrated circuit area by utilizing a single power transistor in the power path from each of the power sources to the output of the regulator circuit. The single power transistor is adapted to provide both power source selection and power source regulation functions, thus replacing the power selection transistor and the power regulation transistor of conventional designs. |
| US09625925B2 |
Linear regulator having a closed loop frequency response based on a decoupling capacitance
A method includes using a pass device of a linear regulator to provide an output signal to an output of the linear regulator in response to a signal that is received at a control terminal of the pass device. The method includes using the linear regulator to regulate the signal received at the control terminal based at least in part on the output signal; and controlling a closed loop frequency response of the linear regulator to cause a direct current (DC) gain of the linear regulator to extend to a frequency near or at frequency of a zero that is associated with a decoupling capacitor that is coupled to the output of the linear regulator. |
| US09625923B2 |
Process controller with integrated optical sensing
The present disclosure relates generally to a process controller and more specifically to a process controller with integrated optical sensing. |
| US09625921B2 |
Life of a semiconductor by reducing temperature changes therein via switching frequency
Provided is system including a temperature regulator including at least on regulation component in communication with a semiconductor within a converter, and a peak detector in communication with the semiconductor within the converter configured to identify a maximum temperature of each semiconductor. Also provided is a method for regulating temperature change of semiconductor components including measuring a semiconductor temperature, determining a reference temperature when the semiconductor is energized, summing the first semiconductor temperature and the reference temperature to generate a first temperature sum, comparing the first temperature sum to a coolant temperature to generate a first temperature difference. The method also circulates a fluid configured within the system such that the first temperature difference is adjusted. |
| US09625920B2 |
Mixing valve
A mixing valve (10) includes a valve body (12) having a hot fluid inlet (14), a cold fluid inlet (16), a mixed fluid outlet (18), and a cavity (20) in the valve body (12) between the inlets (14, 16) and the outlet (18). Mixing valve (10) includes a liner (30, 130, 230, 430, 530, 630, 730, 830) positioned in valve body (12) and a valve member (40, 140, 240, 340, 440, 540, 640, 740, 840) movable therein between a first position restricting the flow of hot fluid and a second position. Liner (30, 130, 230, 430, 530, 630, 730, 830) includes a downstream valve seat (74, 174, 274, 474, 574, 674, 774) that, when engaged by valve member (40, 140, 240, 340, 440, 540, 640, 740, 840), restricts flow of hot fluid past valve member (40, 140, 240, 340, 440, 540, 640, 740, 840). |
| US09625919B2 |
Bed height adjustment system for vehicle
A bed height adjustment system for adjusting height of a bed of a vehicle including an air spring supporting the bed; a valve unit connected to an air tank and configured to adjust height of the air spring by supplying and discharging air; and a vehicle-control ECU provided with a dump-signal line and a return-signal line each connected to the valve unit. The valve unit adjusts the height of the air spring into a dump mode by inputting a signal of the dump-signal line, returns the height of the air spring into a normal mode by inputting a signal of the return-signal line, and maintains the dump mode or the normal mode when the signal is not input. |
| US09625918B2 |
Fluid-pressure regulation systems and software
A fluid-pressure regulator for regulating the pressure of a fluid. The regulator includes a variable-resistance fluid element and a variable-volume fluid element located downstream of the variable-resistance element. Pressure in the fluid at the outlet of the regulator is controlled by substantially simultaneously changing the resistance of the variable-resistance element and the volume of the variable-volume element. In one example, a decrease in pressure is effected at the outlet by simultaneously increasing the resistance of the variable-resistance element and increasing the volume of the variable-volume element. Some embodiments of the regulator are particularly useful to effect long-term and high-speed pressure changes in high-resistance fluidic channel networks. |
| US09625915B2 |
Complete integrated fireground control system and method
A control system comprises a central controller adapted to receive user input and commands, and in communication with a plurality of remote sensors adapted to detect various vehicular parameters: water pressure, water level, water flow rate, engine speed, pump speed, etc., and firefighter parameters: air tank level, air flow rate, body temperature, respiration rate, O2 saturation level, ambient temperature, and presence of hazardous chemicals and radiation. The system further comprises a plurality of remote actuators adapted to receive commands from the central controller and automatically carry out an operation in response to the received command. A wireless communication subsystem is adapted to receive and transmit sensed parameters from the plurality of remote sensors to the central controller, and transmit user input and commands from the central controller to the plurality of remote actuators. A central display screen is adapted to present sensed parameters and warnings. |
| US09625914B2 |
Method for configuring a vortex flow control device
A method of configuring a vortex flow control device 2 comprising a vortex chamber 4, an inlet 6 and an outlet 8 arranged at one end of the vortex chamber 4, wherein the method comprises the steps of: setting a target maximum flow rate FT-MAX through the outlet 8 for a predetermined pressure PT-MAX at the inlet; setting a target vortex initiation flow rate FT-VI through the outlet 8 at which vortex flow within the vortex chamber 4 initiates; determining the actual maximum flow rate FA-MAX through the outlet 8 for the predetermined pressure PT-MAX at the inlet 6; determining the actual vortex initiation flow rate FA-VI through the outlet 8; determining an error parameter E based on at least one of the actual maximum flow rate FA-MAX and the actual vortex initiation flow rate FA-VI and at least one of the target maximum flow rate FT-MAX and the target vortex initiation flow rate FT-VI; comparing the error parameter E against a target condition CT; and, if the error parameter E fails to satisfy the target condition CT, modifying at least one characteristic of the vortex flow control device 2 so as to vary at least one of the actual maximum flow rate FA-MAX and the actual vortex initiation flow rate FA-VI so that the modified vortex flow control configuration produces a hydraulic response that more closely satisfies the target condition CT. |
| US09625913B2 |
System and method for robust nonlinear regulation control of unmanned aerial vehicles synthetic jet actuators
An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is provided with a plurality of synthetic jet actuators and a nonlinear robust controller. The controller compensates for uncertainty in a mathematic model that describes the function of the synthetic jet actuators. Compensation is provided by the use of constant feedforward best guess estimates that eliminate the need for more highly computationally burdensome approaches such as the use of time-varying adaptive parameter estimation algorithms. |
| US09625909B2 |
Velocity control for an unmanned aerial vehicle
Systems and methods for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle within an environment are provided. In one aspect, a system comprises one or more sensors carried on the unmanned aerial vehicle and configured to receive sensor data of the environment and one or more processors. The one or more processors may be individually or collectively configured to: determine, based on the sensor data, an environmental complexity factor representative of an obstacle density for the environment; determine, based on the environmental complexity factor, one or more operating rules for the unmanned aerial vehicle; receive a signal indicating a desired movement of the unmanned aerial vehicle; and cause the unmanned aerial vehicle to move in accordance with the signal while complying with the one or more operating rules. |
| US09625908B2 |
Methods and systems for mobile-agent navigation
Aspects of the present invention are related to methods and systems for autonomous navigation using visual landmark recognition. |
| US09625891B2 |
Concrete slump measurement and control system
An apparatus and method to measure and control the slump of concrete by monitoring sensor within the interior surface of a concrete mixer and a liquid flow meter. Data is analyzed by a computer processing unit to determine the slump of the concrete, liquid needed the quantity of concrete within the mixer, the amount of concrete poured, and the starting and ending time of the pour. |
| US09625889B2 |
Applications of non-intrusive load monitoring and solar energy disaggregation
Aspects in accordance with embodiments of the invention may include a method for remotely setting, controlling, or modifying settings on a programmable communicating thermostat (PCT) in order to customize settings to a specific house and user, including steps of: receiving at a remote processor information entered into the PCT by the user; receiving at the remote processor: non-electrical information associated with the specific house or user; and energy usage data of the specific house; performing by the remote processor energy disaggregation on the energy usage data; determining by the remote processor a custom schedule for the PCT based upon the information entered by the user, the non-electrical information associated with the specific house or user, and disaggregated energy usage data; revising by the remote processor, the custom schedule for the PCT based upon additional user input or seasonal changes; providing the custom schedule for the PCT to the PCT. |
| US09625886B1 |
Conditionally active min-max limit regulators
A conditionally active limit regulator may be used to regulate the performance of engines or other limit regulated systems. A computing system may determine whether a variable to be limited is within a predetermined range of a limit value as a first condition. The computing system may also determine whether a current rate of increase or decrease of the variable to be limited is great enough that the variable will reach the limit within a predetermined period of time with no other changes as a second condition. When both conditions are true, the computing system may activate a simulated or physical limit regulator. |
| US09625884B1 |
Apparatus for extending control and methods thereof
An adjustably adapted control apparatus for facilitating control of controlled apparatus 109 by users who have limited means of physical input for activating currently available control means. Transducing apparatus 102-106 transduces a physical contact input 101 of a user with input limitations, decision making apparatus 107 determines the intended commands of the user based on adjustable adaptation parameters, and directs control signals 109 from signal generator 108 through transmittance apparatus 108, causing the controlled apparatus to effect the intended commands of the user. |
| US09625877B2 |
Image forming apparatus having air blower for cooling
An image forming apparatus includes a transfer portion, a fixing portion, a container mounting portion, an air blower, and an air duct portion. The transfer portion has a transfer belt extending in a first direction. The fixing portion is provided on one side in the first direction with respect to the transfer portion. The container mounting portion is provided so as to be spaced via a first air passage having a predetermined interval in a second direction perpendicular to the transfer belt and perpendicular to the first direction. In the container mounting portion, one or a plurality of toner containers containing a developer are mounted. The air blower is provided on another side in the first direction with respect to the container mounting portion, and configured to send air to the first air passage. The air duct portion guides air sent from the air blower, to the first air passage. |
| US09625875B2 |
Developing cartridge and process cartridge for stably rotating developing roller
A developing cartridge includes: a housing having first and second sidewalls through which respective end portions of a developing roller shaft are rotatably inserted; a developing gear, which is arranged outside of the first sidewall, and which is fixed to the end portion of the developing roller shaft; a transmission gear, which is arranged outside of the first sidewall, and which transmits driving force to the developing gear; a first cover member, which is attached to the first sidewall, and which covers the transmission gear; and a second cover member, which is attached to the first sidewall, and which covers the developing gear from an outer side in the axis line direction. The second cover member is formed separately from the first cover member and is arranged side by side with the first cover member outside of the first sidewall. |
| US09625872B2 |
Cabinet structure, electronic equipment, and image forming apparatus
A cabinet structure includes multiple cover members configured to spatially partition an inside from an outside of a cabinet, and a clearance communicating between the inside and the outside of the cabinet is left between two cover members, the two cover members being adjacent to each other, of the cover members, and a passage defined by the clearance and leading from the inside to the outside of the cabinet through the clearance has a shape with multiple bends. |
| US09625867B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes: a conveyance section configured to convey a sheet along a sheet feeding path; an image forming section configured to transfer and fix a toner image on a sheet conveyed by the conveyance section to form an image; and a plurality of cutting sections configured to cut a sheet that is conveyed through the sheet feeding path in a sheet width direction. |
| US09625864B2 |
Belt frame for fixing device
A fixing device includes an endless belt, a heating plate, a pressure roller, a first belt guide and a second belt guide. The endless belt has a tubular shape and extends in a first direction. The heating plate is disposed inside the endless belt and extends in the first direction. The first belt guide guides an end of the endless belt in the first direction and includes an inner guide and a restriction portion to restrict movement of the endless belt in the first direction. The second belt guide faces the first belt guide in a second direction and extends from a vicinity of the heating plate to a vicinity of the inner guide along the inner peripheral surface of the endless belt. An end of the restriction portion in the second direction closer to the heating plate is located closer to the second belt guide than the inner guide. |
| US09625863B1 |
Image forming apparatus and control method comprising heating modes
In accordance with an embodiment, an image forming apparatus controls the heating of a fixing section in such a manner that the heating mode is switched to a second heating mode through a switching section in a case in which the temperature of a heating section is lower than a predetermined temperature, and the heating mode is switched to a first heating mode through a switching section in a case in which the temperature of the heating section is equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature. |
| US09625859B2 |
Intermediate transferring belt and image-forming apparatus
An intermediate transferring belt and an image-forming apparatus are shown. The intermediate transferring belt is to be mounted in an electrophotographic image-forming apparatus. The intermediate transferring belt includes the following, in sequence, a substrate; an elastic layer; and a surface layer. The surface layer includes an acrylic resin including a copolymer of a urethane acrylate and one or more acrylates selected from the group consisting of a monofunctional acrylate having an alicyclic structure and a monofunctional acrylate having a heterocyclic structure. |
| US09625855B2 |
Developer container, image forming unit and image forming apparatus
A developer container according to the invention includes a developer containing unit, a partition member, and a moving restricting member. The developer containing unit has a developer containing chamber for containing an unused developing agent and a waste developer containing chamber for containing a waste developing agent. The partition member partitions the developer containing chamber and the waste developer containing chamber. The moving restricting member permits the partition member moving from a side of the waste developer containing chamber to a side of the developer containing chamber and restricts the partition member moving from the side of the developer containing chamber to the side of the waste developer containing chamber. |
| US09625853B2 |
Developing roller provided with a shaft with an axial middle portion having a small outer diameter and axial end portions having large outer diameters and a developing device provided with the same
A developing roller configured to carry developer and extending in an axial direction includes: a hollow cylindrical rubber portion; and a shaft. The hollow cylindrical rubber portion has axial end faces. The shaft extends through the hollow cylindrical rubber portion and has a shaft portion positioned inward of the axial end faces of the hollow cylindrical rubber portion in the axial direction. The shaft portion has an axially middle portion and axial end portions positioned outward of the axially middle portion in the axial direction. The axially middle portion has an outer diameter smaller than that of each of the axial end portions. |
| US09625851B2 |
Developing device and image forming apparatus incorporating same
A developing device includes a developer bearer disposed facing a latent image bearer in a developing range to transport developer by rotation, a support to support the developer bearer and including a holder mount, a rod-shaped developer regulator disposed facing a surface of the developer bearer across a gap, and a holder secured to the holder mount of the support to hold the rod-shaped developer regulator. The rod-shaped developer regulator extends in an axial direction of the developer bearer. |
| US09625843B2 |
Electrostatic image developing toner
An electrostatic image developing toner includes toner particles that contain coloring particles containing a binder resin, a coloring agent and a releasing agent. The binder resin includes an amorphous resin and a crystalline polyester resin. The toner satisfies Relations (1) and (2). ΔH1 is the amount of heat absorption based on a melting peak of the crystalline polyester resin in a first heating step. ΔH2 is the amount of heat absorption based on a melting peak of the crystalline polyester resin in a second heating step. ΔH0 is the value of the amount of heat absorption based on a melting peak of the crystalline polyester resin in the second heating step, multiplied by the ratio of the crystalline polyester introduced in the electrostatic image developing toner. 0.43<ΔH1/ΔH0<0.95 Relation (1): 0.45<ΔH2/ΔH1<1.20 Relation (2): |
| US09625839B2 |
Multilayer electrophotographic photoconductor and image-forming apparatus
A photosensitive layer in a multilayer electrophotographic photoconductor includes a charge-generation layer including a charge-generating material having, as a major component, a titanyl phthalocyanine crystal which satisfies the conditions (A) and (B) below and a base resin, and a charge-transport layer including a charge-transporting material, the charge-generating material having, as a major component, the titanyl phthalocyanine crystal which has absorption at a wavelength of a charge-neutralizing light and which satisfies the conditions (A) and (B) or an X-form metal-free phthalocyanine crystal which has absorption at the wavelength of the charge-neutralizing light, and a binder resin. (A) In a Cu—Kα characteristic X-ray diffraction spectrum, one peak is present at a Bragg angle 2θ±0.2°=27.2°. (B) In a differential scanning calorimetry, one peak is present in a range of 270° C. to 400° C. except for peaks attributed to vaporization of adsorption water. |
| US09625838B2 |
Electrophotographic apparatus, process cartridge, and image forming method
An electrophotographic apparatus includes a cylindrical electrophotographic photosensitive member, a charging roller that is disposed in contact with the electrophotographic photosensitive member and applies a direct current voltage to charge the electrophotographic photosensitive member, and a driving force transmission that transmits a driving force which causes rotation so that contact portions of the electrophotographic photosensitive member and the charging roller move in the same direction and the peripheral speed of the charging roller is higher than the peripheral speed of the electrophotographic photosensitive member, wherein the undercoat layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member contains metal oxide and the undercoat layer has a volume resistivity of 1×107 Ω·cm or more and 1×1014 Ω·cm or less. |
| US09625837B2 |
Imprint apparatus and method of manufacturing article
The present invention provides an imprint apparatus which forms a pattern on an imprint material on a substrate by using a mold, including a first optical member interposed between an illumination optical system and a detection optical system, and a mold, and configured to guide a first light from the illumination optical system and a second light from the detection optical system to the mold, and a second optical member interposed between the first optical member and the detection optical system, and configured to transmit the second light which is reflected by a mark formed on the mold or a mark formed on the substrate and travels toward the detection optical system through the first optical member, and block the first light which travels toward the detection optical system through the first optical member. |
| US09625833B2 |
Substrate table, immersion lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method
A substrate table for an immersion lithographic apparatus is disclosed having a recess, configured to receive a substrate of a given size, and a fluid extraction system, configured to extract fluid from a gap between the edge of the substrate and the edge of the recess, the fluid extraction system configured such that the rate of flow of fluid extracted from a localized section of the gap is greater than the rate of flow of fluid extracted from another section of the gap. |
| US09625832B2 |
Planar motor system with increased efficiency
A planar motor system comprises a platen with a first planar motor component and a stage with a second planar motor component. The stage can move along a first cardinal axis or a second cardinal axis. The planar motor system further comprises a drive system. When the drive system is energized in a first drive configuration, it applies a first force and a second force. The first force and the second force are not parallel to any cardinal axis. A vector sum of the first force and the second force is parallel to the first cardinal axis. When the drive system is energized in a second drive configuration, it applies a third force and a fourth force. The third force and the fourth force are not parallel to any cardinal axis. A vector sum of the third force and the fourth force is parallel to the second cardinal axis. |
| US09625827B2 |
Imaging optical unit for EUV projection lithography
An imaging optical unit for EUV projection lithography serves to image an object field into an image field. Mirrors guide imaging light from the object field to the image field. An aperture stop is tilted by at least 1° in relation to a normal plane which is perpendicular to an optical axis. The aperture stop has a circular stop contour. In mutually perpendicular planes, a deviation of a numerical aperture NAx measured in one plane from a numerical aperture NAy measured in the other plane is less than 0.003, averaged over the field points of the image field. What emerges is an imaging optical unit, in which homogenization of an image-side numerical aperture is ensured so that an unchanging high structure resolution in the image plane is made possible, independently of an orientation of a plane of incidence of the imaging light in the image field. |
| US09625826B2 |
Illumination optical apparatus having deflecting member, lens, polarization member to set polarization in circumference direction, and optical integrator
An illumination optical apparatus illuminates a pattern on a mask with illumination light. The illumination optical apparatus includes an optical integrator arranged in an optical path of the illumination light, a deflecting member arranged in the optical path on an incidence side of the optical integrator, which deflects the illumination light, a lens element arranged in the optical path between the deflecting member and the optical integrator, which distributes the illumination light in a region, on a pupil plane of the illumination optical apparatus, away from an optical axis of the illumination optical apparatus, and a polarization member arranged in the optical path between the lens element and the optical integrator, which changes a polarization state of the illumination light so that a polarization direction of the illumination light in the region is substantially coincident with a circumferential direction about the optical axis. |
| US09625824B2 |
Extreme ultraviolet lithography collector contamination reduction
An extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation source module includes a target droplet generator, a first laser source, and a second laser source. The target droplet generator is configured to generate a plurality of target droplets. The first laser source is configured to generate a plurality of first laser pulses that heat the target droplets at respective excitation positions thereby generating a plurality of target plumes. At least one of the target droplets is heated at an excitation position different from that of other target droplets. The second laser source is configured to generate a plurality of second laser pulses that heat the target plumes thereby generating plasma emitting EUV radiation. |
| US09625823B1 |
Calculation method for local film stress measurements using local film thickness values
A system and method for local film stress calculation is disclosed. The method may include specifying a plurality of measurement points on a substrate, the substrate being configured to receive a film deposition; obtaining a local film thickness measurement for each measurement point; obtaining a local wafer shape parameter for each measurement point; and calculating a local film stress value for each measurement point based on the local film thickness measurement and the local wafer shape parameter for each corresponding measurement point. The method may further include specifying a plurality of estimation points on the substrate; obtaining a local wafer shape parameter for each estimation point; calculating an estimated local film thickness for each estimation point; and calculating a local film stress value for each estimation point based on the estimated local film thickness and the local wafer shape parameter for each corresponding estimation point. |
| US09625822B2 |
Mechanisms for performing a photolithography process with a surface modifying treatment on an exposed photoresist layer
Embodiments of performing a photolithography process are provided. The method for performing the photolithography process includes providing a substrate and forming a photoresist layer over the substrate. The method further includes forming exposed photoresist portions by performing an exposure process on the photoresist layer. The method further includes performing a surface modifying treatment on the photoresist layer after the exposure process and removing the exposed photoresist portions by performing a developing process. |
| US09625820B2 |
Method of patterning a thin film
A method of patterning a thin film includes steps as follows. The thin film is formed. The thin film includes a plurality of first molecules, and each of the first molecules has a conjugated structure. A mask is covered on the thin film. The mask includes at least one exposing area, and the exposing area is correspondent to an illuminated region of the thin film. A solvent annealing and illuminating step is conducted, wherein the thin film covered by the mask is illuminated with a light source under an atmosphere of a first solvent, and a wavelength range of the light source is correspondent to an energy enabling the first molecules to reach an excited state. Thus a thickness of the illuminated region of the thin film is increased or decreased so as to form a pattern on the thin film. |
| US09625814B2 |
Photosensitive resin composition, photosensitive film, rib pattern formation method, hollow structure and formation method for same, and electronic component
Provided are a photosensitive resin composition which is excellent in a moisture and heat resistance and provides a cured product thereof with a high elastic modulus at high temperature and which is excellent as well in a hollow structure holding property and a photosensitive film prepared by using the same, a forming method for a rib pattern, a hollow structure and a forming method for the same and an electronic component. In an electronic component having a hollow structure, a photosensitive resin composition is used as a rib material or a cover material for forming the hollow structure described above, and it is characterized by using a photosensitive resin composition containing (A) a photopolymerizable compound having at least one ethylenically unsaturated group and (B) a photopolymerization initiator and a photosensitive film obtained from the above photosensitive resin composition. Used as the component (A) are acrylate compounds or methacrylate compounds, to be specific, an acrylate compound or a methacrylate compound having an amide group and an acrylate compound or a methacrylate compound containing a urethane bond. |
| US09625812B2 |
Photosensitive resin composition, photosensitive dry film, pattern formation method, printed circuit board, and method for producing same
The photosensitive resin composition of the present invention contains a vinyl-based (co)polymer (I) obtained by polymerizing a monomer mixture (α) containing a vinyl-based monomer (a) having a phenolic hydroxyl group, a vinyl-based copolymer (II) having a weight-average molecular weight of 15,000 to 120,000, obtained by polymerizing a monomer mixture (β) containing a vinyl-based monomer (b) represented by CH2═CR1COO(R2O)kR3 (wherein R1=a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, R2=a hydrocarbon group having a carbon number of 1 to 4, R3=a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, and k=1 to 90) and a carboxyl group-containing vinyl-based monomer (c), a photosensitive substance (III), and a compound (IV) which is a specific aromatic polyhydroxy compound. |
| US09625808B2 |
Durable metal film deposition for mask repair
Methods and tools for repairing a semiconductor mask are provided. The method includes steps of positioning the semiconductor mask within a repair chamber including a repair tool, supplying a first gas and a second gas into the repair chamber. The first gas includes a repair material for repairing a defect on the mask, and the second gas includes a polar gas and assists deposition of the repair material on the semiconductor mask. The method further includes steps of activating the repair tool such that the repair tool interacts with the first and second gases to deposit the repair material at the site of the defect to repair the semiconductor mask and removing the repaired semiconductor mask from the repair chamber. A dimension of the deposited repair material is less than about 32 nanometers. |
| US09625806B2 |
Mask blank, phase-shift mask, and method for manufacturing the same
Provided is a mask blank in which uniformity of the composition and optical characteristics of a phase-shift film in the in-plane direction and direction of film thickness is high, uniformity of the composition and optical characteristics of the phase-shift film between a plurality of substrates is also high, and defectivity is low even if a silicon-based material is applied to the material that forms the phase-shift film.A mask blank is provided in which a phase-shift film is provided on a transparent substrate, the phase-shift film having a function to transmit ArF exposure light therethrough at a predetermined transmittance and generate a predetermined amount of phase shift in the ArF exposure light that is transmitted therethrough, wherein the phase-shift film comprises a structure in which a low transmission layer and a high transmission layer are laminated, the low transmission layer and the high transmission layer are formed from a material consisting of silicon and nitrogen or a material consisting of silicon, nitrogen and one or more elements selected from semi-metallic elements, non-metallic elements and noble gases, and the low transmission layer has a relatively low nitrogen content in comparison with the high transmission layer. |
| US09625804B2 |
Projector clustering method, and management device and management system using thereof
The present invention relates to a projector clustering method including the steps of: (a) arranging projection areas of a plurality of projectors to be overlapped with each other; (b) setting a reference projector among the plurality of projectors; and (c) calculating relative transformation information between the reference projector and the other projectors. |
| US09625803B2 |
Screen, optical element, and display device
A screen is provided with microcapsules and a base material. The microcapsules each contain encapsulated liquid inside a capsule membrane. The microcapsules are planarly arranged on the base material. The encapsulated liquid includes light diffusion particles for scattering light, and a dispersion medium for dispersing the light diffusion particles. In a cross sectional area of the microcapsule projected in the direction perpendicular to the surface of the base material on which the microcapsules are planarly arranged, the ratio of the area of the encapsulated region to the area of the microcapsule ranges from 0.9025 to 0.990. |
| US09625801B2 |
Projection-type display apparatus
A projection-type display apparatus includes a light source unit, a first optical system that rays from the light source unit enter, a second optical system that rays from the first optical system enter, an image display device that rays from the second optical system enter, and a projection lens that magnifies and projects an optical image formed by rays that have been optically modulated by the image display device onto a screen. The second optical system is configured to pass again the rays that have been output from the image display device, and to make the rays enter the projection lens. The first optical system includes at least one reflective optical element, and the second optical element consists essentially of two positive lenses. |
| US09625795B2 |
Wavelength conversion element, light source device, and projector
A wavelength conversion element includes a disk, a wavelength conversion layer disposed above a first surface of the disk, and a reflecting layer disposed between the disk and the wavelength conversion layer, and Formula 1 is fulfilled. −dρw(r0)/dr |
| US09625793B1 |
Mounting apparatus for position-retaining camera
A mounting apparatus, able to maintain the relative position of a camera during rotations between portrait and landscape presentations of an electronic device, includes a camera. The mounting apparatus is mounted to an electronic device, which has a display screen. When the electronic device is rotated from a first presentation state to a second presentation state, the camera remains in position above the display screen. |
| US09625791B2 |
Swivel camera mount
A swivel camera mount is configured to attach a camera to a mount base which, in turn, may be secured to sport equipment, musical instruments, vehicles, and the like. The swivel camera mount includes an inner rotating component that couples to a camera or camera housing and allows a user to rotate a camera within a horizontal plane. The inner rotating component is securely coupled within an outer sleeve component by a coupling mechanism that allows the swivel camera mount and a coupled camera or camera housing to couple to the mount base. Additionally, the outer sleeve component includes protrusions that allow the swivel mount component to pivot in one or more vertical planes. |
| US09625782B2 |
Electrolyte solution, printing method thereof and resulting solid electrolyte
The composition and method for depositing and processing a solid transparent electrolyte polymerized by ultraviolet (UV) radiation are described. The electrolyte composition includes, at least, an ionic compound, a polymerizable material, a photoinitiator and a polar solvent. The electrolyte is deposited by printing techniques, such as inkjet printing. |
| US09625778B2 |
Liquid crystal display
A liquid crystal display is provided. A liquid crystal display comprises a first transistor having a gate electrode connected to a scan line, one electrode connected to a data line, and the other electrode connected to a first liquid crystal capacitor, a second transistor having one electrode connected to the data line, and the other electrode connected to a second liquid crystal capacitor through a first node, a third transistor having one electrode connected to the data line, and the other electrode connected to a third liquid crystal capacitor through a second node, a first distribution transistor having one electrode connected to the first node, and the other electrode connected to a sustain line and a second distribution transistor having one electrode connected to the second node, and the other electrode connected to the sustain line. |
| US09625774B2 |
Array substrate, manufacturing method for the same, and liquid crystal display panel
An array substrate, a manufacturing method for the same, and an LCD panel are provided. The array substrate includes a substrate, a first metal layer, a first insulative layer, a semiconductor layer, a second metal layer, a transparent electrode layer, and a second insulative layer. The transparent electrode layer includes a pixel electrode and a reinforcing part. The reinforcing part is disposed on a trace by the transparent electrode layer in the invention, so that the trace located on the second metal layer is more stable and is almost unbreakable. |
| US09625767B2 |
Double-layer electrode for electro-optic liquid crystal lens
Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a system, machine, apparatus, device, manufacture, circuit, composition of matter, and/or user interface adapted for and/or resulting from, and/or a process, method, and/or machine-readable medium comprising machine-implementable instructions for, activities that can comprise and/or relate to, generating a gradient in an index of refraction of a material. |
| US09625764B2 |
Display device and electronic device
A display device having high reliability is provided. A frame of a display device is narrowed. A display device such as a liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate, a second substrate overlapping with the first substrate, a liquid crystal layer between the first substrate and the second substrate, a first sealant surrounding the liquid crystal layer between the first substrate and the second substrate, and a second sealant surrounding the first sealant, closing a gap between the first substrate and the second substrate, and extending to at least a side surface of the second substrate. |
| US09625759B2 |
Color filter substrate, liquid crystal display panel, and liquid crystal display device
A dye-sensitized solar cell is formed on a substrate, and a coloring material pattern is formed on the substrate in an area different from an area where the dye-sensitized solar cell is disposed. The dye-sensitized solar cell includes a positive electrode and a negative electrode disposed facing one another, and a sensitizing dye adsorption layer and an electrolyte layer both formed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode. The coloring material pattern transmits wavelength components of light that differ from wavelength components of light transmitted by the sensitizing dye adsorption layer. |
| US09625753B2 |
Liquid crystal display and method of manufacturing the same
A liquid crystal display device includes: a substrate; a thin film transistor disposed on the substrate; a pixel electrode connected with the thin film transistor; and a roof layer disposed to face the pixel electrode, wherein a plurality of microcavities having respective liquid crystal injection holes are formed between the pixel electrode and the roof layer, and the microcavities are filled with electrically orientatable liquid crystal molecules, wherein a light blocking layer disposed adjacent to the injection holes is formed and covering the thin film transistor, wherein the light blocking layer is covered by a passivation layer. |
| US09625751B2 |
Transparent display and method for manufacturing the same
A transparent display includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a liquid crystal molecule layer, a first liquid crystal cell layer, a second liquid crystal cell layer and a thermal reaction type high polymer film. The second substrate is disposed opposed to the first substrate. The liquid crystal molecule layer has a plurality of liquid crystal molecules and is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate. The first liquid crystal cell layer has a plurality of first liquid crystal cells and is disposed between the first substrate and the liquid crystal molecule layer. The second liquid crystal cell layer has a plurality of second liquid crystal cells and is disposed between the liquid crystal molecule layer and the second substrate. The thermal reaction type high polymer film is disposed between the second liquid crystal cell layer and the second substrate. |
| US09625747B2 |
Method for manufacturing liquid crystal display device
A method for manufacturing a liquid-crystal display device in which at least an absorptive polarizing film is arranged on a viewing side of a rectangular liquid-crystal display panel and at least the absorptive polarizing film and a reflective polarizing film are arranged on a non-viewing side thereof, the liquid-crystal display panel having a long side and a short side and of VA mode or IPS mode is provided. |
| US09625742B2 |
Optical article comprising a precursor coating of an anti-fog coating and a temporary layer made of metal fluorides or compounds including magnesium and oxygen
Disclosed is an optical article, preferably an ophthalmic lens, including a substrate having at least one main surface and a precursor coating of an anti-fog coating, the precursor coating in direct contact with either the main surface of the substrate, or with a first coating, when the main surface of the substrate is coated with a first coating, the precursor coating being formed by a deposition of at least one hydrophilic compound A on the substrate or on the first coating, including an inner portion in which the compound A is grafted on the substrate or on the first coating, and an outer portion that can be removed by washing and/or wiping, resulting from the deposition of the compound A, and being coated with a temporary layer, in direct contact with the compound, including at least one compound selected from the metal fluorides and the compounds including magnesium and oxygen. |
| US09625741B1 |
Removable clip-on lenses
A clip-on lens assembly for removable disposition and/or mounting to existing eyeglasses is presented. The clip-on lens assembly include at least one clip-on lens selectively positionable in a removably coupled relation to a pair of eyeglasses, and disposed in an at least partially overlying relation to the eyeglass lens. The clip-on lens includes at least two mounting clips disposed at an upper portion thereof, the mounting clips being structured to removably engage or contact the eyeglasses. Particularly, the mounting clips of certain embodiments include a base fixedly secured to the clip-on lens, and a flexible mounting portion extending outwardly therefrom. The flexible mounting portion may be flexed or moved outwardly to expose or enlarge an opening through which a portion of the eyeglasses are positioned. The flexible mounting portion will then engage or contact the eyeglasses for mounting the clip-on lenses thereto. |
| US09625740B2 |
Photochromic ophthalmic lens
A photochromic ophthalmic lens includes a photochromic substrate and a filter having at least one layer formed on the main front face of the lens. The filter has a total thickness ≦700 nm and the front face has: an average UVA reflection factor over a range of wavelengths from 330 to 380 nanometers that is ≦40%, for an incident angle between 0° and 15°, an average blue reflection factor over a range of wavelengths from 420 to 450 nanometers that is ≧5%, for an incident angle between 0° and 15°, a spectral reflectivity curve for an incident angle between 0° and 15°, the reflectivity curve having a reflectivity maximum at a wavelength <435 nanometers, and a width at mid-height ≧70 nanometers, and for an incident angle between 0° and 15°, Δspectral=1−[R0°-15° (480 nm)/R0°-15° (435 nm)], with Δspectral≧0.8. |
| US09625733B2 |
Zoom optical system comprising diffractive optical element and imaging device having the same
A zoom optical system has, in order from an object: a first lens group G1 having positive refractive power; a second lens group G2 having negative refractive power; a third lens group G3 having positive refractive power; and a fourth lens group G4 having negative refractive power, wherein the mutual distance between the lens groups G1 to G4 change upon zooming, and one of the third lens group G3 and the fourth lens group G4 includes at least one diffractive optical element PF. |
| US09625732B1 |
Reflective surface tensioning system for Pepper's ghost illusion
An apparatus, such as a Pepper's ghost system, for displaying images. The apparatus includes a projection assembly projecting an image stream and a tensioning assembly supporting a reflective element such as a polyester film. The tensioning assembly includes first and second edge retention assemblies retaining, respectively, a first edge of the reflective element and a second edge of the reflective element opposite the first edge. The tensioning assembly includes a tension adjuster applying tensile forces at spaced apart locations along the first edge of the reflective element. The first edge of the reflective element is serrated such as with a plurality of spaced apart slots that may be shaped as a partial oval. The first edge retention assembly includes a pair of retention plates with the first edge sandwiched there between. The first edge retention assembly includes fasteners passing through slots to couple the first and second plates together. |
| US09625729B2 |
Liquid crystal lens and display device including liquid crystal lens
A liquid crystal lens includes a lower substrate, an upper substrate disposed opposite to the lower substrate, a plurality of lower lens electrodes disposed on the lower substrate and corresponding to a unit liquid crystal lens, an upper lens electrode disposed on substantially an entire surface of the upper substrate, a spacer disposed between the lower substrate and the upper substrate, and a liquid crystal layer disposed between the lower substrate and the upper substrate, where the lower lens electrodes includes a flat-shaped central lens electrode disposed at a central portion thereof and has a width wider than a width of other lower lens electrodes corresponding to the unit liquid crystal lens, and the spacer is disposed only on the central lens electrode. |
| US09625728B2 |
Spatially splitting or combining radiation beams
A method of spatially splitting a primary radiation beam (1) with a first radiation component (2) including an optical wavelength and a second radiation component (3) having a wavelength shorter than the first radiation component wavelength, said second radiation component (3) having a second or higher harmonic wavelength relative to the optical wavelength, comprises directing the primary radiation beam (1) onto a deflection mirror (10) having a reflective mirror surface (12) and carrying a refractive plate element (20), reflecting the first radiation component (2) at the reflective mirror surface (12) and reflecting the second radiation component (3) at an exposed plate surface (22) of the refractive plate element (20), wherein the reflected radiation components (4, 5) travel along different beam paths. Furthermore, a method of spatially combining a first beam path of a first radiation component (2) and a second beam path of a second radiation component (3) is described, wherein the beam splitting method is reversed. Further more, an optical device for implementing the above methods and applications of the methods are described. |
| US09625727B2 |
Device for homogenizing a laser beam
Device for homogenizing a laser beam including a first substrate with a first lens array including a plurality of cylindrical lenses and a second substrate with a second cylindrical lens array, which is arranged in the beam path downstream of the first substrate and includes a plurality of cylindrical lenses. Exactly one of the cylindrical lenses of the second lens array is assigned to each of the cylindrical lenses of the first lens array. Center-to-center distances between the cylindrical lenses of the first lens array are greater than the center-to-center distances between the cylindrical lenses of the second lens array. A lens vertex of a central one of the cylindrical lenses of the first lens array is aligned with a lens vertex of a central one of the cylindrical lenses of the first lens array that is assigned thereto. Lens vertices of the other cylindrical lenses of the second lens array and the lens vertices of the cylindrical lenses of the first lens array that are assigned thereto have an outwardly increasing vertex offset proceeding from the center of the second lens array. |
| US09625724B2 |
Retractable display for head mounted device
A head mounted device includes a helmet with a guide, a lens frame, at least one display surface mounted to the lens frame. The guide extends from a cavity of the helmet. The lens frame is moveably connected to the guide and moves along an axis of the guide between a first position within the cavity of the helmet and a second position outside the cavity of the helmet. The display surface is transparent and configured to display augmented reality content. |
| US09625723B2 |
Eye-tracking system using a freeform prism
An example see-through head-mounted display system includes a freeform prism and a display device configured to emit display light through the freeform prism to an eye of a user. The see-through head-mounted display system may also include an imaging device having an entrance pupil positioned at a back focal plane of the freeform prism, the imaging device configured to receive gaze-detection light reflected from the eye and directed through the freeform prism. |
| US09625715B2 |
System, device and method employing machine-readable symbol reader and shield
Machine-readable symbol reader systems including one or more shields are provided. One example machine-readable symbol reader system includes a conveyor system to convey objects bearing one or more machine-readable symbols past a first region that is transmissive to light. The system includes a machine-readable symbol reader having a housing, a window formed in the housing, and at least one optical sensor received in the housing and having a field of view that extends outward of the window, at least the window of the machine-readable symbol reader positioned relatively below the conveyor system with the field of view aligned with the first region of the conveyor system. The system can further include a shield having a frame with a plurality of apertures that are transmissive to light, the shield positioned relatively below the first region and positioned relatively above the window of the machine-readable symbol reader. |
| US09625714B2 |
Device for cleaning a motor vehicle driving aid camera
A cleaning device for cleaning a lens of a motor vehicle camera is disclosed. The lens is designed to capture images along a longitudinal optical axis, and includes a cleaning head arranged in a fixed position with respect to the camera so that part of the head, that bears cleaning means, is arranged along the optical axis behind the lens. The cleaning device is applicable to the cleaning of reversing cameras positioned at the rear of the vehicle and oriented in such a way as to capture images of a road scene extending to the rear of the vehicle. |
| US09625706B2 |
Display element, photosensitive composition and electrowetting display
The present invention relates to a display element, a photosensitive composition and an electrowetting display. The display element includes: a first electrode layer stack; a second electrode layer stack; a housing space formed between the first and second electrode layer stacks; and a partition wall compartmentalizing the housing space, wherein the housing space contains at least a polar liquid and a non-polar liquid that are immiscible with each other and the partition wall contains Li, Na and K in an amount of 100 ppm or less. |
| US09625705B2 |
Dosing and sealing of fluid-based elctro-optical devices and displays
A method for manufacturing an electrofluidic device comprising the steps of providing a first plate with features for holding a first fluid, filling a first fluid into features on a first plate; providing a second plate and sealing a second plate onto the first plate forming stacked plates with at least one cavity between the plates, and leaving at least one fill port for a second fluid. Thereafter, the stacked plates are cooled to increase the viscosity of the first fluid so that the first fluid maintains a fixed position as a second fluid is filled into the cavity. Methods are disclosed. |
| US09625698B2 |
Devices and methods of capturing back scattered particles
Provided is an apparatus comprising a source which emits at least one of particles or radiation. The particles or radiation are emitted towards a target. Arranged between the source and the target is a microchannel plate. Also arranged between the source and the target is a collimator. |
| US09625696B2 |
Laser microscope which expands the dynamic range of an intensity signal and suppresses degradation of a light detecting portion
A laser scanning microscope includes a light irradiating portion that irradiates a sample; a PMT that detects fluorescence from the sample and outputs an intensity signal; a data processing portion that converts the intensity signal to brightness information at each pixel; a full-scale setting portion that can set a normal full scale that is smaller than the intensity signal when a light stimulus is given and an expanded full scale that is larger than the normal full scale, as a maximum range of the intensity signal that can be converted to brightness information; and a control portion that determines whether to switch between a normal observation mode and a stimulation observation mode; wherein the full-scale switching portion sets the normal full scale in the normal observation mode and sets the expanded full scale in the stimulation observation mode. |
| US09625694B2 |
Scanning optical system and scanning device
For achieving an expanded observation range without sacrificing resolution, a scanning optical system according to the present invention includes a scanner that deflects laser light from a light source while changing a deflection angle of the laser light; a polarization beam splitter that is capable of splitting-off the laser light from an optical path of the laser light deflected by the scanner; a polarization beam splitter that is disposed between the light source and the scanner and that causes the laser light split-off by the polarization beam splitter to travel toward the scanner; and a first relay optical system that has 1× relay magnifying power and that is disposed between the polarization beam splitter and the polarization beam splitter. The first relay optical system relays the laser light split-off by the polarization beam splitter so as to cause the laser light to be incident again on the scanner at the same position as an incident position of the laser light from the light source via the polarization beam splitter. |
| US09625693B2 |
Observation apparatus
An object is to enable LSM observation while correcting aberrations, as well as illumination with a desired pattern, using a single LCOS. An observation apparatus of the present invention includes an objective lens that focuses laser light emitted from a light source and radiates the laser light onto a specimen; an LCOS disposed at a position optically conjugate with the pupil position of the objective lens and capable of modulating, according to a wavefront modulation pattern, the wavefront of the laser light to be radiated onto the specimen by the objective lens; a scanner disposed at a position optically conjugate with the LCOS and capable of two-dimensionally scanning the laser light to be radiated onto the specimen by the objective lens; a focusing mechanism that adjusts the focal position, in the specimen, of the objective lens in the optical axis direction; and a control unit that controls the LCOS such that the LCOS corrects aberrations at the focal position adjusted by the focusing mechanism and forms a desired illumination pattern on the specimen. |
| US09625686B2 |
Zooming optical system, optical apparatus and method for manufacturing zooming optical system
A compact zooming optical system, an optical apparatus and a method for manufacturing the zooming optical system having a vibration reduction function, a high zooming ratio, a wide-angle view and superb optical performance are provided, the system including, in order from an object side: a first lens group G1 having positive refractive power; a second lens group G2 having negative refractive power; a third lens group G3 having positive refractive power; and a fourth lens group G4 having negative refractive power; upon zooming from a wide-angle end state to a telephoto end state, a distance between the first lens group G1 and the second lens group G2, a distance between the second lens group G2 and the third lens group G3 and a distance between the third lens group G3 and the fourth lens group G4 being respectively varied; the third lens group G3 having, in order from the object side, a first segment group G31 having positive refractive power and a second segment group G32; the second segment group G32 being moved to have a component in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis; and predetermined conditional expressions being satisfied. |
| US09625684B2 |
Lens laminate and method
An optical lens laminate has an adhesive member with at least one aperture, an optical member with an optical feature; and another optical member with an optical feature. The lens laminate may be made by positioning the at least one adhesive member between the optical members, with the apertures aligned with the lens features, and pressing the optical members together. |
| US09625679B2 |
Camera lens
The present invention discloses a camera lens composed of 4 ultrathin and high-luminous flux wide angle lenses with excellent optical properties. The lenses are lined up in turn from the object side as follows: a first lens with positive refractive power, a second lens with negative refractive power, a third lens with positive refractive power, and a fourth lens with negative refractive power. The camera lens meets specific conditions. |
| US09625676B2 |
Optical image capturing system
A five-piece optical lens for capturing image and a five-piece optical module for capturing image, along the optical axis in order from an object side to an image side, include a first lens with negative refractive power having an object-side surface which can be convex; a second lens with refractive power; a third lens with refractive power; a fourth lens with refractive power; and a fifth lens which can have negative refractive power, wherein an image-side surface thereof can be concave, and at least one surface of the fifth lens has an inflection point; both surfaces of each of the five lenses are aspheric. The optical lens can increase aperture value and improve the imaging quality for use in compact cameras. |
| US09625665B2 |
Method and system for hybrid integration of optical communication systems
Methods and systems for hybrid integration of optical communication systems may comprise in an optical communication system comprising a silicon photonics die and one or more electronics die bonded to said silicon photonics die utilizing metal interconnects: receiving one or more continuous wave (CW) non-modulated optical signals in said silicon photonics die from an optical source external to said silicon photonics die; modulating said one or more received CW non-modulated optical signals in said silicon photonics die using electrical signals received from said one or more electronics die via said metal interconnects; receiving modulated optical signals in said silicon photonics die from one or more optical fibers coupled to said silicon photonics die; generating electrical signals in said silicon photonics die based on said received modulated optical signals; and communicating said generated electrical signals to at least one of said one or more electronics die via said metal interconnects. |
| US09625661B2 |
Multiple purpose optical connecting element
The disclosure generally relates to sets of optical waveguides such as optical fiber ribbons, and fiber optic connectors useful for connecting multiple optical fibers such as in optical fiber ribbon cables. In particular, the disclosure provides an efficient, compact, and reliable optical fiber connector that incorporates a unitary substrate combining the features of optical fiber alignment and redirection of the optical beam to a connected optical fiber. |
| US09625660B2 |
Cable termination assembly and method for connectors
The present disclosure relates to a fiber optic connector assembly having a fiber optic connector including a main connector body and a rear insert secured within a rear cable termination end of the main connector body. The fiber optic connector assembly has a fiber optic cable that includes an optical fiber, a strength layer and an outer jacket. The optical fiber has a ferrule-less end portion accessible at a front mating end of the main connector body. A first shape recoverable sleeve secures the optical fiber to a substrate anchored to the rear insert. An axial gap exists between the forward end of the outer jacket and the rearward end of the rear insert. A second shape recoverable sleeve secures the outer jacket to the rear insert. An adhesive material at least partially fills the axial gap. |
| US09625658B1 |
Communication connector with alterable polarity
A communication connector with alterable polarity, comprising a main body, a pair of fiber optic plugs, and a casing for signal connection via a fiber optic socket, wherein the pair of fiber optic plugs are installed at the front end of the main body, and the casing provides a sliding cover around the main body. A clip is positioned on the casing. The front end of the clip is used for fixing on the fiber optic socket. Moreover, a pair of grabs is positioned on the surface of the casing corresponding to a neck of the main body. The two grabs are pressed at the same time and separated from the two necks, and the main body and the casing are separated, rotated 180 degrees with regard to each other, and re-assembled. So, the wire jumper polarity exchange is performed by substantially improving convenience and efficacy during operation. |
| US09625657B2 |
Optical fiber alignment device and method
A fiber optic alignment device includes a first and a second alignment block and a first and a second gel block. A fiber passage extends from a first end to a second end of the fiber optic alignment device. The fiber passage is adapted to receive a first optical fiber through the first end and a second optical fiber through the second end. An intermediate portion of the fiber passage is positioned between the first and the second ends. The intermediate portion is adapted to align the first and the second optical fibers between the first and the second alignment blocks. A first portion of the fiber passage is positioned between the first end and the intermediate portion of the fiber passage. The first portion extends between the first alignment block and the first gel block. A second portion of the fiber passage is positioned between the second end and the intermediate portion of the fiber passage. The second portion extends between the second alignment block and the second gel block. End portions of the first and the second optical fibers may be cleaned when slid between the alignment blocks and the gel blocks. The fiber passage may include an undulating portion. |
| US09625653B2 |
Universal fiber optic connector
A universal fiber optic connector includes a housing and a fiber attachment element configured to attach an optical fiber in the housing. The attachment element positions the optical fiber such that an end face of the fiber is held within the housing. The fiber end face is positioned such that a beam of light emerging from the fiber end face has a defined wavefront located at a specified interface. |
| US09625651B2 |
Integrated multistage taper coupler for waveguide to fiber coupling
A waveguide coupler has a compression region and an expansion region for coupling light between a silicon waveguide and an optical fiber. The compression region receives light from the silicon waveguide and compresses an optical mode of the light. Light is transmitted from the compression region to an expansion region. The expansion region expands the light to have a larger cross section. Light is then transmitted to the optical fiber. |
| US09625648B2 |
Method for fabricating a monolithic optoelectronic device
A monolithic optoelectronic device has a spot-size converter optically connected to a waveguide. The overclad extending over the core of the waveguide is thinner and differently doped than the overclad of the spot-size converter. This structure can be made by applying a process of etching and enhanced selective area regrowth to create regions of the overclad of different thickness or doping. The spot-size converter core is made of a different material than the waveguide core by using etching and enhanced selective area regrowth. |
| US09625642B2 |
Light unit
A light unit is provided. The light unit includes a PCB mounted with a plurality of LEDs, and a light guide member having a plurality of reception grooves piercing therethrough and receiving the LEDs, wherein the light guide member includes one surface and the other surface opposite to the one surface, and the one surface of the light guide member is further coated with the resin material. The reception grooves are formed in the light guide member and are filled with a fluid resin material, thus preventing the damage to the LED caused by the difference between the thermal expansion rates of the components such as the light guide member, the reflection film and the PCB. |
| US09625641B2 |
Light guides
This invention relates to light guide devices and methods of manufacture. The light guide device is suitable for use in a range of applications, particularly in connection with the backlighting of displays, for example, liquid crystal displays. |
| US09625637B2 |
Diffractive lighting devices with 3-dimensional appearance
Extended area lighting devices include a light guide and diffractive surface features on a major surface of the light guide. The diffractive surface features provide low distortion for viewing objects through the light guide. Light from discrete light source(s) is injected into the light guide, and the diffractive surface features interact with the injected light to couple guided-mode light out of the light guide. The out-coupled light produces one or more bands whose apparent shape changes with viewing position. The bands may be bright bands that correspond to the discrete light sources, or dark bands associated with an optional non-uniform reflective structure extending along a side surface of the light guide. Multiple bands may form a pattern that changes with viewing position, the pattern of bands having a 3-dimensional appearance for at least some viewing positions. The lighting devices can be used as luminaires for general lighting or decorative lighting. |
| US09625633B2 |
Light emitting panel assemblies
An optical assembly comprises light sources and a light emitting panel member having an input edge to which each of the light sources is optically coupled at a different location along the input edge. Different sets of individual optical deformities on or in at least one of the sides of the panel member each have at least one surface that is shaped or oriented to extract light propagating in the same direction through the panel member in different directions for viewing from different angles through one of the sides of the panel member. |
| US09625632B2 |
Camera, optical system and interchangeable lens with birefringent device
An optical system (110) includes a lens unit (112) with a plurality of lenses. An out-of-focus point spread function of the lens unit (112) includes an annular intensity distribution with at least one ring-shaped side peak at a radial distance to a center point. A birefringent device (115) in an optical path of the optical system (110) is adapted to selectively attenuate the ring-shaped side peak in the out-of-focus point spread function of the lens unit (112). |
| US09625628B2 |
Optical filter and spectrometer
An optical filter is disclosed including two laterally variable bandpass filters stacked at a fixed distance from each other, so that the upstream filter functions as a spatial filter for the downstream filter. This happens because an oblique beam transmitted by the upstream filter is displaced laterally when impinging on the downstream filter. The lateral displacement causes a suppression of the oblique beam when transmission passbands at impinging locations of the oblique beam onto the upstream and downstream filters do not overlap. |
| US09625624B2 |
Color improving film and method of manufacturing the same
Provided is a color improving film comprising a base layer, a high refractive light diffusion layer including an organic light diffuser on the base layer, a high refractive resin layer on the high refractive light diffusion layer, and a low refractive resin layer in which a lenticular lens pattern is formed on the high refractive resin layer, wherein the organic light diffuser comprises particles coated with a black pigment and non-coated particles, and wherein the lenticular lens pattern is formed on a surface of the low refractive resin layer facing the high refractive resin layer. According to the color improving film, a change in color sensitivity according to an angle of view is small, an external light reflectivity is low, and a light transmittivity and a light diffusibility are substantially improved. Also, the method of preparing the color improving film has excellent processiblity and economic efficiency. |
| US09625618B2 |
Optical member set and solid-state imaging element using the same
An optical member set which has a first optical member formed by curing a composition of curable resins, and a second optical member which is covered by the first optical member, in which the contact angle with water on a surface, which comes into contact with a first optical member, of the second optical member is 70 to 97° and the contact angle with the water on a surface of the opposite side to the side, which comes into contact with the second optical member, of the first optical member is 80 to 115°. |
| US09625615B2 |
Non-aqueous dispersant, color material dispersion liquid and method for producing the same, color resin composition and method for producing the same, color filter, liquid crystal display device, and organic light-emitting display device
Disclosed is a non-aqueous dispersant which is excellent in dispersibility and dispersion stability and able to form a resin layer with excellent hydrolysis resistance; a color material dispersion liquid containing the non-aqueous dispersant; and a color resin composition containing the non-aqueous dispersant. The non-aqueous dispersant is a polymer comprising at least one constitutional unit represented by the following general formula (I), wherein at least part of nitrogen sites of the constitutional units each form a salt with an acidic organophosphorous compound comprising one or more selected from the group consisting of organic phosphonic acid monoester compounds resulting from addition of a monofunctional epoxy compound or monofunctional oxetane compound to an organic phosphonic acid: |
| US09625614B2 |
Systems and methods for atmospheric modeling based on GPS measurement
Systems and methods described herein include improved data gathering, climate modeling and weather forecasting techniques. In particular, the systems include using Global Positioning System (GPS) measurements obtained from a network of GPS devices for simultaneously determining atmospheric parameters such as water vapor content, temperature and pressure, and correcting for errors in the GPS measurements, themselves. The systems and methods described herein include a central processor for receiving data from a plurality of GPS devices and updating a computerized climate or weather forecasting model. Advantageously, by using data from a plurality, and in some embodiments a very large number of GPS devices, the systems and methods described herein may solve for both propagation velocity of electromagnetic signals through the atmosphere (used for calculating atmospheric parameters useful in climate modeling) and GPS position error values (used for error correction at each GPS device). |
| US09625612B2 |
Landmark identification from point cloud generated from geographic imagery data
Systems and methods for identifying prominent landmarks in a geographic area are provided. More particularly, geographic imagery data, such as panoramic images captured by a camera from a perspective at or near ground level, can be analyzed to identify landmarks depicted in the geographic imagery data. For instance, structure-from-motion techniques can be used to generate a point cloud of tracked features that are located a threshold distance away from one or more camera perspectives associated with the geographic imagery data. Landmarks that are visible from multiple camera perspectives and that are visible from greater distances relative to one or more camera perspectives can be identified as prominent landmarks in a geographic area. A geographic information system can use the prominent landmarks for a variety of purposes, such as for use in providing travel directions, for rendering landmarks in an emphasized style, and/or for constructing/displaying a three-dimensional model of the landmark. |
| US09625610B1 |
System for creating a near real time surface log
A system to create a surface log by using a processor connected to data storage on a network that creates and executive dashboard of surface log information using computer instructions to (a) form an editable surface log template, (b) import user information, well sensor information, well event based observation data; well fluid testing data, (c) scale the imported data, forming scaled values, (d) computing a microview and a macroview log plot using the scaled values; (e) creating an executive dashboard, (f) inserting the log plots onto the executive dashboard and other real time well logging information allowing viewing of the log plots simultaneously with the other information on a real time basis, enabling safety interpretations for drilling, geological interpretations for drilling, operational interpretations for drilling, and combinations of these interpretations, in real time. |
| US09625605B2 |
Systems and methods for performing ranging measurements using third well referencing
Systems and methods for obtaining ranging measurements are described herein. An example method includes injecting a current 115 into a formation from a first borehole 106 to induce an electromagnetic field 120 within the formation. The current 115 may be received at a second borehole 107. The induced electromagnetic field 120 may be measured. The measurements may be taken, for example, from the first borehole 106, the second borehole 107, or another borehole 102 within the formation. The method may also include identifying the location of a third borehole 102 within the formation based, at least in part, on the measured electromagnetic field 120. |
| US09625600B2 |
Systems and methods for removal of swell noise in marine electromagnetic surveys
Methods and systems for determining and removing swell noise from electric field data collected from streamers towed at different are disclosed. In one aspect, a first set of streamers called upper streamers is towed at a shallow depth, and the second set of streamers called lower streamers is towed below the upper streamers. Receivers located along the streamers measure surrounding electric fields and produce electric field signals. A proportionality parameter is calculated as a function of the electric field signals generated by vertically aligned receivers. The proportionality parameter can be used to calculate an approximate swell noise that is used to remove swell noise from electric field data measured by the receivers. |
| US09625597B2 |
Acoustic modem-based guiding method for autonomous underwater vehicle for marine seismic surveys
An autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) records seismic signals during a marine seismic survey. The AUV includes a communication device configured to acoustically receive location information from plural transducers of a vessel, wherein each transducer of the vessel transmits its own geographical location; a navigation system configured to receive the location information from the communication device and to calculate current and target positions of the AUV; a propulsion system configured to drive the AUV from the current position to the target position; and a seismic sensor for recording seismic data after reaching a final target position. |
| US09625596B2 |
Vibrator source array beam-forming and method
There is a method for finding a best distribution of source elements that form a vibratory source array. The method includes inputting plural constraints for the source elements; generating plural distributions of the source elements that fulfill the plural constraints; calculating for each distribution a performance index characterizing the source array; and selecting the best distribution from the plural distributions based on a value of the performance index. |
| US09625595B2 |
Interpretation and feature detection in a seismic volume using bump mapping and lighting
Example embodiments of the present disclosure include one or more of a method, computing device, computer-readable medium, and system for creating a heightmap based on at least a portion of seismic data, rendering the heightmap, and illuminating at least a portion of the rendered heightmap. |
| US09625590B1 |
Apparatus and method for determination of one or more free neutron characteristics
A neutron detection system may include a neutron detector including a plurality of neutron detection devices, a plurality of discrete neutron moderating elements, wherein each of the neutron moderating elements is disposed between two or more neutron detection devices, the plurality of neutron detection devices and the plurality of discrete neutron moderating elements disposed along a common axis, a control system configured to generate a detector response library, wherein the detector response library includes one or more sets of data indicative of a response of the detector to a known neutron source, receive one or more measured neutron response signals from each of the neutron devices, the one or more measured response signals response to a detected neutron event, and determine one or more characteristics of neutrons emanating from a measured neutron source by comparing the one or more measured neutron response signals to the detector response library. |
| US09625589B2 |
Photon counting x-ray detector
The invention relates to a method and an X-ray detector (100) for detecting incident X-ray photons (X). The X-ray detector (100) comprises at least one sensor unit (105) in which X-ray photons (X) are converted into sensor signals (s) and at least one flux sensor (104) for generating a flux signal (f) related to the flux of photons (X). The sensor signals (s) are corrected based on the flux signal (f). In a preferred embodiment, the sensor signals (s) represent a spectrally resolved pulse counting. The flux sensor (104) may be integrated into an ASIC (103) that is coupled to the sensor unit (105). |
| US09625588B2 |
Use of flat panel microchannel photomultipliers in sampling calorimeters with timing
Large-area, flat-panel photo-detectors with sub-nanosecond time resolution based on microchannel plates are provided. The large-area, flat-panel photo-detectors enable the economic construction of sampling calorimeters with, for example, enhanced capability to measure local energy deposition, depth-of-interaction, time-of-flight, and/or directionality of showers. In certain embodiments, sub-nanosecond timing resolution supplies correlated position and time measurements over large areas. The use of thin flat-panel viewing radiators on both sides of a radiation-creating medium allows simultaneous measurement of Cherenkov and scintillation radiation in each layer of the calorimeter. The detectors may be used in a variety of applications including, for example, medical imaging, security, and particle and nuclear physics. |
| US09625586B2 |
Scintillator plate, radiation measuring apparatus, radiation imaging apparatus, and scintillator plate manufacturing method
[Problem] To provide a scintillator plate capable of improving the accuracy of radiation detection, and expanding the surface area for practical use while suppressing manufacturing costs, and also provide a radiation measuring apparatus, a radiation imaging apparatus, and a scintillator plate manufacturing method.[Solution] A scintillator plate (1) includes a scintillator (2) that generates scintillation light when excited by incident radiation. The scintillator plate (1) includes a scintillator layer (22) covered with scintillator powder (21) having an average particle diameter equal to or greater than the range of the radiation within the scintillator (2) when the radiation to be measured is either alpha rays, electron beams, or ion beams. |
| US09625585B1 |
Radiation imaging apparatus and method of controlling radiation imaging apparatus
A radiation imaging apparatus is provided. The apparatus comprises first pixels arranged in an image sensing region to obtain a radiation image, a second pixel configured to obtain a dose of incident radiation and a control unit configured to control the first pixels and the second pixel. The control unit causes the first pixels to accumulate charge corresponding to a radiation dose, while causing the second pixel to operate in a detection cycle determined based on irradiation information of radiation before irradiation with radiation, obtains a dose of incident radiation for each detection cycle, and corrects the obtained radiation dose in accordance with an amount of noise output from the second pixel operating in the detection cycle. |
| US09625581B2 |
Three-dimensional (3D) emitting apparatus
A three-dimensional (3D) emitting apparatus includes a table on which an object is to be disposed, a robot arm to perform a task on the object, an emitting member provided at an end portion of the robot arm, and a controller to control an operation of the robot arm or a position of the emitting member, wherein the table and the robot arm may move relatively in a vertical or horizontal direction, the emitting member may move along a trajectory of rotation of the robot arm, and the trajectory of rotation may be provided in a form of a concentric sphere having a center at which a target point is disposed. |
| US09625579B2 |
Interference system and computer system thereof for robot cleaner
An interference system for a robot cleaner which generates a detection signal and receives a feedback signal corresponding to the detection signal is disclosed. The interference system includes a fixing module, for stably fixing the interference system onto the robot cleaner; a monitor module, for obtaining a real-time imaging information of the robot cleaner; a transmission module, for transmitting the real-time imaging information to a computer system and correspondingly receiving a control signal from the computer system; and an interference module, coupled to the fixing module, for reflecting the detection signal to be the feedback signal according to the control signal, so as to process an interference operation to change a moving direction of the robot cleaner. |
| US09625578B2 |
Interference suppression in blind spot monitoring
A device for detecting a moving object in a blind spot includes: at least one first ultrasonic sensor of a side view assist system; and a control unit for determining the distance and/or speed and/or position of the moving object. The control unit processes at least one signal of a second ultrasonic sensor of a driving assistance system for monitoring the blind spot. |
| US09625573B2 |
Geolocation leveraging spot beam overlap
A method and system are disclosed for providing an estimate of a location of a user receiver device. The method and system involve emitting from at least one vehicle at least one spot beam on Earth, and receiving with the user receiver device a signal from at least one spot beam. In one or more embodiments, at least one vehicle may be a satellite and/or a pseudolite. The method and system further involve calculating with the user receiver device the estimate of the location of the user receiver device according to the user receiver device's location within at least one spot beam. In some embodiments, when the user receiver device receives signals from at least two spot beams, the user receiver device calculates the estimate of the location of the user receiver device to be located in the center of the intersection of at least two spot beams. |
| US09625572B2 |
Method and apparatus for signal path equalization in a scanning acoustic microscope
A scanning acoustic microscope includes a signal processor and one or more signal paths. In operation, each signal path couples an ultrasonic transducer to the signal processor that processes signals received from the signal paths to produce an ultrasonic scan image. Each signal path has a response characteristic that includes a response characteristic of the ultrasonic transducer. In order to compensate for variations between the signal paths or variations between different transducers in the same signal path, at least one of the signal paths includes a signal path equalizer. The equalizer may be responsive to a set of equalization coefficients. The coefficients are selected such that the response characteristic of the signal path including the equalizer more closely matches a reference characteristic response. The equalizer may operate on a transmitted or received signal or be used to generate an ultrasonic pulse. |
| US09625571B1 |
Disabling robot sensors
Example implementations may relate to methods and systems for disturbing or deceiving sensors of robotic devices. Accordingly, a computing system may detect that a robotic device has entered a particular physical region. Responsively, the computing system may then determine at least one type of sensor that is associated with the robotic device and is used to detect reflected illumination that is reflected from an object. Based on the determined at least one type of sensor, the computing system may then select (i) at least one particular type of disturbing illumination and (ii) a target location within the particular physical region. Upon the selection, the computing system may direct at least one light source to emit the selected at least one particular type of disturbing illumination towards the selected target location so as to disturb the reflected illumination detectable by the robotic device using the at least one type of sensor. |
| US09625570B2 |
Automated mobile invertible measurement device
An apparatus is utilized for measuring a circumference. The apparatus includes a body section, and at least one wheel rotatably attached to the body section. Additionally, at least one vacuum generating device is disposed on the body section, and is configured to generate an effective amount of vacuum between the body section and an adjacent arcuate surface which is sufficient to retain the body section against the arcuate surface. At least one of a reflector and a gap detector may also be affixed to the body section. |
| US09625566B2 |
Direct geolocation from TDOA, FDOA and AGL
A direct geolocation approach for estimating a location of a stationary emitter located on the Earth surface is provided. The approach uses data collected during a plurality of time periods including Time Difference of Arrival (TDOA) and Frequency Difference of Arrival (FDOA) measurements of a radar pulse sent from the emitter, and altitude measurements of an aircraft above the Earth surface. The approach includes estimating a location of the emitter for each of the time periods based on the TDOA, FDOA, and altitude measurements associated with a respective time period. The estimated location of the stationary emitter includes possible longitude and latitude of the emitter. The approach further includes averaging the estimated locations associated with the plurality of time periods to form an averaged estimated location of the emitter. A convenient example of the approach computes the location of the emitter based on the averaged estimated location. |
| US09625563B2 |
Adaptive energy-efficient location determination
Managing use of a location sensor on a computing device for energy efficiency. The location sensor is briefly initialized to measure the signal quality. The measured signal quality is compared to pre-defined signal criteria values. The signal criteria values correspond to acceptable energy consumption, for example. If the signal criteria values are satisfied, location information for the computing device is obtained. Otherwise, the location sensor is disabled without obtaining the location information. In some embodiments, a lower-energy location sensor is used to obtain location information to determine whether to enable a higher-energy location sensor based on expected energy consumption. |
| US09625558B2 |
Duplex system
A duplex system measuring and outputting at least one of a voltage and current is provided. A first measurement device measures at least one of the voltage and current. A second measurement device measures at least one of the voltage and current. A control device is disconnected from the first measurement device and performs a changeover to the second measurement device when the first measurement device abnormally operates. A filter filters a second measurement value of the second measurement device based on a first measurement value of the first measurement device to output a filtered value. |
| US09625557B2 |
Work function calibration of a non-contact voltage sensor
A method and a system for calibrating the work function or surface potential of a non-contact voltage sensor probe tip. The method includes preparing one or more reference sample surfaces and a reference non-contact voltage sensor probe tip to have stable surface potentials, measuring the voltage between the reference samples and the reference sensor probe tip, measuring the voltage between a point on a non-reference sample surface and the reference sensor probe tip, measuring the voltage between the same point on the non-reference sample surface and a non-reference non-contact voltage sensor probe tip, and determining a surface potential correction factor for the non-reference, non-contact voltage sensor. |
| US09625556B1 |
Method for calibration and tuning with impedance tuners
An impedance synthesis method for single and multi-probe high resolution slide screw impedance RF and microwave tuners employs a fast calibration algorithm, which creates appropriately distributed calibration points over the Smith chart and a second order interpolation algorithm between calibration points, optimized for best suitability to the natural behavior of the tuners. The fast tuning algorithm uses a general search in order to identify the closest calibrated points, followed by a gradient search using fine interpolation grid in order to reach the final target. The method is applicable, after proper data preparation, also to double and triple probe harmonic tuners. The method allows tuning accuracy as high as −60 dB, or deviation-from-target vector distance of 0.001 units on the Smith chart, whereas absence of the fine grid interpolation typically yields accuracies of the order of −20 dB, or a deviation-from-target vector distance of 0.1 reflection factor units. |
| US09625555B2 |
Apparatus, method, and magnetic resonance imaging system for shimming B1 magnetic field using RF transceiver coil and RF receiver coil
A method of shimming a magnetic field, includes applying radio frequency (RF) signals to an object, using a transceiver coil, and calibrating phase offsets of magnetic resonance signals acquired from the object through a receiver coil. The method further includes generating RF signals to be applied through the transceiver coil based on magnetic resonance signals acquired from the object through the transceiver coil and the calibrated magnetic resonance signals. |
| US09625554B2 |
Electronic interface for NMR receiver resonators
An electronic interface (10) between a pure NMR receiver resonator (RO) and a preamplifier is characterized in that one or more control diodes (Dmatch1, Dtune1) are provided by means of which the current designed to flow through the switching diodes can be fed into these switching diodes, and the control diodes are connected to the switching diodes directly or via one or more additional series impedances. In this fashion, the impedance of the resonator is transformed to the required preamplifier or line impedance during the receiving process with little loss. In particular, during the receiving process, matching can be adjusted during the transmitting process, the current in the inductance of the resonator generated by the B1 field of the transmitting resonator is minimized and all components are protected against damage. |
| US09625553B2 |
Method and apparatus for acquiring B1 magnetic field information
A system acquires RF magnetic field information (B1 magnetic field information) in response to generated radio frequency (RF) pulses applied to a target object via at least one of a plurality of RF coil elements in a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system. The system acquires first information comprising B1 magnetic field phase information of a B1 magnetic field formed by the respective RF coil elements and acquires second information comprising B1 magnetic field phase information of a B1 magnetic field formed by a combination of two or more of a plurality of RF coil elements. The system acquires third information comprising B1 magnetic field phase information by combining the first information and the second information and processes the first, second and third information in providing a B1 map indicating spatial distribution of a B1 magnetic field. |
| US09625545B2 |
Faraday cage for MR imaging with accessory equipment
A Faraday cage assembly for use with a Magnetic Resonance (MR) Imaging scanner is deployed inside the MR scanner room. The Faraday cage assembly is configured to accept accessory medical equipment which is desired to be attached to the patient during scanning. Accessory medical equipment can include patient monitoring systems, injector pumps, and intravenous (IV) poles with infusion pumps. Once the accessory medical equipment is placed inside the Faraday cage, radiofrequency (RF) interference emitted by the accessory medical equipment is contained within the cage and cannot significantly degrade MR image quality. The cage may permit non-MR compatible accessory equipment such as infusion pumps to be used without modification or reconfiguration during MR scanning. |
| US09625543B2 |
Noise suppression methods and apparatus
According to some aspects, a method of suppressing noise in an environment of a magnetic resonance imaging system is provided. The method comprising estimating a transfer function based on multiple calibration measurements obtained from the environment by at least one primary coil and at least one auxiliary sensor, respectively, estimating noise present in a magnetic resonance signal received by the at least one primary coil based at least in part on the transfer function, and suppressing noise in the magnetic resonance signal using the noise estimate. |
| US09625541B2 |
Safety tests for systems monitoring local SAR
In order to provide online monitoring of local specific absorption rate (SAR) within a body subject to a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan, directional couplers measure a phase and an amplitude of a transmission radio frequency (RF) pulse generated and transmitted by an MRI system. A measured local SAR value is calculated based on the measured phase and the measured amplitude of the transmission RF pulse using a voxel model of the body and an electromagnetic (EM) simulation. In order to verify proper operation of the local SAR monitoring, the measured local SAR value is compared to a predetermined local SAR value. |
| US09625533B2 |
Lead acid state of charge estimation for auto-stop applications
The present disclosure describes a method that includes predicting terminal voltage of a battery module in a vehicle using a battery control module. Predicting the terminal voltage includes determining a gassing current of the battery module using a gassing current model, in which the gassing current quantifies terminal current that is not used to charge the battery module, and calculating the predicted terminal voltage based at least in part on a measurement model and the determined gassing current. The method also includes measuring terminal voltage of the battery module using a sensor communicatively coupled to the battery control module, and determining a corrected state of the battery module using the battery control module by minimizing a difference between the predicted terminal voltage and the measured terminal voltage. In other words, the corrected state of the battery (e.g., corrected state of charge) may be more accurately determined using the measurement model and the gassing current model. As such, this may provide more efficient use of energy. |
| US09625531B2 |
Apparatus and method for calculating precharge resistance of battery pack
Disclosed are an apparatus and a method for calculating a precharge resistance of a battery pack. The apparatus for calculating a precharge resistance of a battery pack according to the present invention includes: a load resistor configured to be connected between a battery pack and a precharge resistor in series; a voltage measuring unit configured to measure a no-load voltage in a no-load state in which the load resistor is not installed in the battery pack or a load voltage applied to the load resistor when the load resistor has a predetermined current value in a load state in which the load resistor is installed in the battery pack; and a precharge resistance calculating unit configured to calculate the precharge resistor of the battery pack using the no-load voltage of the battery pack, the load voltage, and the predetermined current value. |
| US09625529B2 |
Battery pack management
A battery pack management system provides information such as remaining capacity and/or run time to empty for a battery. A time taken for a battery voltage to drop a threshold amount is measured and used to determine a remaining capacity of the battery. The time may be associated with a temperature and current of the battery. The remaining capacity of a battery is calculated by monitoring a discharge of the battery. For example, current drawn from the battery is monitored over a period of time and an initial amount by which the battery has been discharged is calculated. Compensation of this initial amount is carried out in order to take into account factors such as temperature, self-discharge rate and age of the battery. |
| US09625527B2 |
Detecting efficiency reduction and pending failure of electric motors and devices
A method can include collecting time traces for N calibration instances of a device and identifying a key feature for the device based on the time traces. The method can also include using an equation to determine a key feature variation based on a predicted value and a measured value for each new qualified instance of the device. The method can also include generating an alert based on the key feature variation. |
| US09625525B2 |
IC decompress and maskable compress TAM with SFIR and SFCR
Testing of an electrical device is achieved by providing a test access mechanism within the device that can receive scan frames from an external tester. The received scan frames contain stimulus data to be applied to circuitry within the device to be tested, a command for enabling a test control operation, and a frame marker bit to indicate the end of the scan frame pattern. The inputting of scan frames can occur continuously and simultaneous with a commanded test control operation. |
| US09625520B2 |
Latch-up test device and method for testing wafer under test
Latch-up test device and method are provided, and the method includes following steps. A set operation is performed for setting a basic test value according to a test range and setting a trigger pulse and a predetermined error value by the basic test value. A test on a test chip in a wafer under test is performed by the trigger pulse, and whether the test chip is in a latch-up state is determined. Whether to update a test range and a latch-up threshold value and whether to return to the step of performing the set operation are determined according to a determination result, the latch-up threshold value and the basic test value. When the test chip is in the latch-up state and a difference between the latch-up threshold value and the basic test value is not greater than the predetermined error value, the test on the test chip is stopped. |
| US09625511B2 |
Power distribution unit and alarm
A power distribution unit including a base, at least one socket, at least one detecting unit and a management unit is provided. The socket is disposed at the base and has at least one power end and a ground end. The detecting unit is disposed at the base. When a plug is disposed at the socket, the detecting unit outputs an alarm signal if the plug is electrically connected to the power end of the socket but the plug is not electrically connected to the ground end of the socket. The management unit is electrically connected to the detecting unit and performs a predetermined operation in response to the alarm signal. |
| US09625501B2 |
Calculating power loss for inductive power transmission
The invention proposes a method of calculating power loss in an inductive power transfer system comprising a power transmitter (112) for transmitting power inductively to a power receiver (110) via transmitter coil (114) and receiver coil (104), the method comprising a step of obtaining, by power transmitter, time information for time alignment to enable the power transmitter to align the time of calculating the power loss with the power receiver; and a step of calculating power loss during power transfer according to the obtained time information and received power parameter communicated from the power receiver. |
| US09625493B2 |
Process control monitoring for biochips
The present disclosure provides a biosensor device wafer testing and processing methods, system and apparatus. The biosensor device wafer includes device areas separated by scribe lines. A number of test areas that allow fluidic electrical testing are embedded in scribe lines or in device areas. An integrated electro-microfluidic probe card includes a fluidic mount that may be transparent, a microfluidic channels in the fluidic mount in a testing portion, at least one microfluidic probe and a number of electronic probe tips at the bottom of the fluidic mount, fluidic and electronic input and output ports on the sides of the fluidic mount, and at least one handle lug on the fluidic mount. The method includes aligning a wafer, mounting the integrated electro-microfluidic probe card, flowing one or more test fluids in series, and measuring and analyzing electrical properties to determine process qualities and an acceptance level of the wafer. |
| US09625491B2 |
Scanning mechanism and scanning probe microscope
A scanning mechanism includes a movable portion to which a scanning target object is attached, and an X-Y actuator to scan the movable portion in an X direction and a Y direction perpendicular to the X direction. The X-Y actuator is symmetrical with respect to a straight line parallel to the Y direction and asymmetrical with respect to a straight line parallel to the X direction. |
| US09625489B2 |
Micromechanical sensor and method for manufacturing a micromechanical sensor
A micromechanical sensor is provided which includes a substrate having a main plane of extension and a rocker structure which is connected to the substrate via a torsion means. The torsion means extends primarily along a torsion axis, and the torsion axis is situated essentially in parallel to the main plane of extension of the substrate. The rocker structure is pivotable about the torsion axis from a neutral position into a deflected position, and the rocker structure has a mass distribution which is asymmetrical with respect to the torsion axis. The mass distribution is designed in such a way that a torsional motion of the rocker structure about the torsion axis is effected as a function of an inertial force which is oriented along a Z direction which is essentially perpendicular to the main plane of extension of the substrate. |
| US09625488B2 |
Variable area capacitive lateral acceleration sensor and preparation method thereof
The present invention provides a variable area capacitive lateral acceleration sensor and a preparation method. The acceleration sensor at least includes: three-layer stack structure bonded by a first substrate, a second substrate and a third substrate which are electrically isolated with each other, wherein, the second substrate includes a movable seismic mass, a frame surrounded the movable seismic mass, a elastic beam connected to the movable seismic mass and the frame, a plurality of bar structure electrodes positioned on two surfaces of the movable seismic mass, an anti-overloading structure arranged on the movable seismic mass, etc.; the plurality of first bar structure electrodes on the first substrate and a plurality of second bar structure electrodes on one surface of the second substrate form capacitor structure, the plurality of third bar structure electrodes on the third substrate and a plurality of second bar structure electrodes on one surface of the second substrate form capacitor structure, and those two capacitor form differential sensitive capacitor structure. The present invention has the advantage of high sensitivity and good linearity, and different kinds of beam shapes may be designed as needed, to prepare capacitive acceleration sensors with different sensitivity, and the preparation has high flexibility. |
| US09625485B2 |
Sports electronic training system, and applications thereof
A sports electronic training system, and applications thereof, are disclosed. In an embodiment, the system comprises at least one monitor and an electronic processing device for receiving data from the at least one monitor and providing feedback to an individual based on the received data. The monitor can be a motion monitor that measures an individual's performance such as, for example, speed, pace and distance for a runner. |
| US09625481B2 |
Non-contact optical encoding scheme for intelligent automation puck
An automation system for an in vitro diagnostics environment includes a plurality of intelligent carriers that include onboard processing and navigation capabilities. The intelligent carriers can include one or more image sensors to observe the relative motion of the track as the carrier traverses it. The carriers can also observe position marks on the track surface to provide absolute position information, which can include additional data, such as routing instructions. Synchronization marks may be provided to correct errors in the observed trajectory. |
| US09625469B2 |
Identifying peptides at the single molecule level
The present invention relates to methods for identifying amino acids in peptides. In one embodiment, the present invention contemplates labeling the N-terminal amino acid with a first label and labeling an internal amino acid with a second label. In some embodiments, the labels are fluorescent labels. In other embodiments, the internal amino acid is lysine. In other embodiments, amino acids in peptides are identified based on the fluorescent signature for each peptide at the single molecule level. |
| US09625468B1 |
Method of isolating and analyzing oligosaccharides in glycoproteins
A method for isolating derivatives of general O-linked amino acids including derivatives of O-tyrosine linked kappa casein di-O-sulfo tetrasaccharide and of O-di-phospho serine linked bovine submaxillary mucin disaccharide is provided. These derivatives are isolated and analyzed by further enzymatically separating the N-linked oligosaccharides from the O-linked oligosaccharides and then cleave O-linked oligosaccharides by decreasing the pH levels such that de-amidations are allowed. This de-amidation results in individual O-linked glycan amino acid components removed from the original glycoprotein. The O-linked glycan amino acid components are thus isolated from the glycoprotein, and can be individually analyzed. |
| US09625463B2 |
System for separating a cell sample by centrifugation and column chromatography while maintaining sterility
The invention relates to a system, comprising: a) a sample processing unit, comprising an input port and an output port coupled to a rotating container having at least one sample chamber, the sample processing unit configured provide a first processing step to a sample or to rotate the container so as to apply a centrifugal force to a sample deposited in the chamber and separate at least a first component and a second component of the deposited sample; and b) a sample separation unit coupled to the output port of the sample processing unit, the cell separation unit comprising separation column holder (42), a pump (64) and a plurality of valves (1-11) configured to at least partially control fluid flow through a fluid circuitry and a separation column (40) positioned in the holder, the separation column configured to separate labeled and unlabeled components of sample flowed through the column. |
| US09625462B2 |
Elisa for VEGF
The vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) activity in a patient's bloodstream or other biological sample can serve as a diagnostic and prognostic index for cancer, diabetes, heart conditions, and other pathologies. Antibody-sandwich ELISA methods and kits for VEGF as an antigen are provided to detect types of VEGF levels in biological samples from animal models and human patients and can be used as a diagnostic/prognostic index. |
| US09625460B2 |
Methods and compositions for use of neutrophil elastase and proteinase 3 as diagnostic biomarkers
Methods and compositions for identifying autoimmune diabetes are provided. One aspect provides a method for the evaluation of risk and progression of autoimmune diabetes in mammalian subjects. The method includes measuring the enzymatic activities and/or protein concentrations of neutrophil elastase and proteinase 3 in a subject and comparing the measured levels of these proteases to respective reference levels. |
| US09625459B2 |
Method for diagnosing alzheimer's disease (AD)
Disclosed is a method for diagnosing Alzheimer's disease (AD) wherein Aβ-specific antibodies in a biological sample of a person that is suspected of having AD are detected comprising the following steps: —contacting the sample with Aβ-aggregates or with particles having Aβ-aggregate like surfaces and allowing the Aβ-specific antibodies to bind to the Aβ-aggregates, and —detecting the Aβ-specific antibodies bound to the Aβ-aggregates by a single particle detection technique, preferably by fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS); and wherein the amount of Aβ-specific antibodies detected is compared with the amount in a sample of known AD status. |
| US09625457B2 |
Assay device having uniform flow around corners
An assay device includes: a liquid sample zone; a reagent zone downstream and in fluid communication with the sample zone containing a reagent material; a detection zone in fluid communication with the reagent zone having capture elements bound thereto; and a wicking zone in fluid communication with the capture zone having a capacity to receive liquid sample flowing from the detection zone. The sample receiving zone, the reagent zone, the detection zone and the wicking zone define a fluid flow path and at least a part of the fluid flow path has a substrate and projections which extend substantially vertically from the substrate, wherein the projections have a height, cross-section and a distance between one another that defines a space between the projections capable of generating capillary flow parallel to the substrate surface. In addition, the fluid flow path having projections includes a corner section which changes the direction of the flow path. The projections in or around the corner section are modified to maintain the configuration of the flow front of the sample flowing through the flow path after the corner is substantially the same configuration as before the corner. |
| US09625456B2 |
Fluorescent silica-based nanoparticles
The present invention provides a fluorescent silica-based nanoparticle that allows for precise detection, characterization, monitoring and treatment of a disease such as cancer The nanoparticle has a fluorescent compound positioned within the nanoparticle, and has greater brightness and fluorescent quantum yield than the free fluorescent compound To facilitate efficient urinary excretion of the nanoparticle, it may be coated with an organic polymer, such as polyethylene glycol) (PEG) The small size of the nanoparticle, the silica base and the organic polymer coating minimizes the toxicity of the nanoparticle when administered in vivo The nanoparticle may further be conjugated to a ligand capable of binding to a cellular component associated with the specific cell type, such as a tumor marker A therapeutic agent may be attached to the nanoparticle Radionuclides/radiometals or paramagnetic ions may be conjugated to the nanoparticle to permit the nanoparticle to be detectable by various imaging techniques. |
| US09625455B2 |
Method and device for performing biological and/or chemical assays
A method for performing a chemical and/or a biological assay including the following successive steps of: a) providing an assay device with a microchannel having an inlet and an outlet and restricting means for restricting movement toward the outlet of microparticles introduced in the microchannel while letting a fluid to flow through the restricting means, b) introducing microparticles in the microchannel via the inlet, c) restricting the movement of said microparticles in the microchannel toward the outlet using the restricting means, d) flowing a fluid sample through the microchannel, and e) performing a biological and/or chemical read-out on each microparticle. The method also includes the steps of: f) moving the microparticles in the microchannel, and g) repeating successively the steps d) and e). |