| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US09646406B2 |
Position searching method and apparatus based on electronic map
The present invention relates to electronic maps, and provides a position searching method and apparatus based on an electronic map. The method includes: receiving a keyword of a searching object; searching the electronic map with the keyword to obtain a current geographical position; acquiring panoramic images of a plurality of scenes that are located within a geographical area around the current geographical position and of a predetermined size; calculating coordinates of the searching object in one of the panoramic images according to position-related information of each scene; generating an image from an image area of the one of the panoramic images and outputting the image, wherein the image area is centered on the coordinates and of a predetermined size. The present invention can accurately position an image associated with the searching object, and has the advantages of low cost and less amount of data. |
| US09646400B2 |
Virtual doorbell augmentations for communications between augmented reality and virtual reality environments
Concepts and technologies are disclosed herein for virtual doorbell augmentations for communications between augmented reality and virtual reality environments. According to one aspect, an augmented reality server computer can provide an augmented reality environment to a user device. The augmented reality environment can include a view of a physical, real-world environment and a virtual doorbell augmentation applied to a residence depicted in the view of the physical, real-world environment. The augmented reality server computer can receive a selection of the virtual doorbell augmentation. In response to receiving the selection of the virtual doorbell augmentation, the augmented reality server computer can request access to a virtual reality environment provided by a virtual reality server computer associated with the residence. |
| US09646399B2 |
Method and apparatus for image processing
A method and apparatus for image processing is provided, in which the method for image processing includes generating a base image based on multi-view color images and depth images corresponding to the multi-view color images, and generating a light field (LF) image, for example, an output image, based on the base image, that is, an image including occlusion regions of at least one LF image to be generated based on color images and depth images. |
| US09646397B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method
An image processing apparatus which composes a plurality of images captured while changing an exposure amount, includes a displacement detection unit which detects a displacement amount between the plurality of images, a correction unit which corrects a displacement between the images based on the displacement amount detected by the displacement detection unit, a moving object region detection unit which detects a moving object region from the plurality of images for which the displacement has been corrected, an image composition unit which composes the plurality of images for which the displacement has been corrected, and a moving object processing unit which replaces a region corresponding to the moving object region of the composite image composed by the image composition unit by an image obtained by performing weighted addition of the plurality of images. |
| US09646395B2 |
Method and apparatus for comparing portions of a waveform
A method, apparatus and computer program product are therefore provided in order to provide for display of waveforms. An example method may include displaying a first waveform, receiving an input selecting a portion of the first waveform, and generating, using a processor, an interface control displaying the selected portion of the first waveform. The interface control may include a semi-transparent display area and the selected portion of the first waveform may be displayed on the semi-transparent display area. The method may also include displaying the interface control concurrently with a second waveform such that at least a portion of the second waveform is visible through the semi-transparent display area of the interface control. |
| US09646393B2 |
Clinically driven image fusion
A medical imaging system includes a data store (16) of reconstruction procedures, a selector (24), a reconstructor (14), a fuser (28), and a display (22). The data store (16) of reconstruction procedures identifies a plurality of reconstruction procedures. The selector (24) selects at least two reconstruction procedures from the data store of reconstruction procedures based on a received input, each reconstruction procedure optimized for one or more image characteristics. The reconstructor (14) concurrently performs the selected at least two reconstruction procedures, each reconstruction procedure generates at least one image (26) from the at least one data store of imaging data (12). The fuser (28) fuses the at least two generated medical images to create a medical diagnostic image which includes characteristics from each generated image (26). The display (22) displays the medical diagnostic image. |
| US09646392B2 |
Method and device of constructing uniform color space directly from raw camera RGB
A method and an associated device construct a uniform color space from raw RGB data without going through any intermediate color space, such as CIEXYZ. A direction and a scale of each of first, second and third perceptual color axes may be determined based at least in part on the characteristics related to the imaging device, such that a first perceptual color axis correlates with lightness, a second perceptual color axis correlates with yellow-blue color variations, and a third perceptual color axis correlates with red-green color variations. The second perceptual color axis may be substantially aligned with typical daylight variation. |
| US09646391B2 |
Noninvasive localization of entities in compartmented areas
A system, method and computer program product for locating entities in a compartmented area, including a plurality of sensors devices distributed throughout a plurality of compartments of an area, respectively, and configured to locate entities within each of the compartments of the area; a counting device configured to count a number of the located entities within each of the compartments of the area based on information gathered by the sensors devices; and a display device configured to display the located entries within each of the compartments of the area based on information gathered by the counting device. |
| US09646386B2 |
Method and apparatus for generating temporally consistent superpixels
A method and an apparatus for generating superpixels for a sequence of frames. A feature space of the sequence of frames is separated into a color subspace and a spatial subspace. A clustering is then performed in the spatial subspace on a frame basis. In the color subspace a clustering is performed on stacked frames. An erroneous temporal consistency of a superpixel associated to a frame is detected by performing a similarity check between a corresponding superpixel in one or more past frames and one or more future frames using two or more metrics. The affected superpixels is future frames are corrected accordingly. |
| US09646372B2 |
Inspection apparatus
An apparatus for inspecting flat objects, in particular wafers, containing an object holder; a camera arrangement having a camera for recording an image of at least one part of the object; and a drive arrangement for producing a relative movement between the camera arrangement and the object from a first recording position to at least one further recording position; is characterized in that the camera arrangement has at least one further camera; the object areas imaged in different cameras are at least partially different, wherein all cameras together simultaneously record only part of the total inspection area of the object; and each object point of the entire inspection area can be imaged at least once in one of the cameras as a result of the relative movement between the camera arrangement and the object, as produced with the drive arrangement. |
| US09646371B2 |
Utilizing an image of a valve assembly to identify the valve assembly found on a process line
A system and method for conveying an identity of a valve assembly found on a process line. The method can configure the system for receiving a first image of a subject valve assembly at a first computing device. The method can also configure the system for using the first image, selecting an entry in an asset database, the entry associating valve identifying data that relates to the subject valve assembly with a second image of the subject valve assembly that is stored in the asset database, the valve identifying data configured to define an identity for the subject valve assembly. The method can further configure the system for retrieving data from the selected entry and for generating an output for display on a second computing device, wherein the output is configured to convey the valve identifying data that relates to the subject valve assembly in the first image. |
| US09646369B2 |
Concepts for sorting items using a display
Concepts for presenting display features to a user of a system which comprises a display, an acquisition device, and a controller system. In various embodiments, the acquisition device is configured to capture image data of one or more items moving along a conveying mechanism and read item identifiers associated with each item. The system then associates or identifies display features with each item identifier and presents the captured image data with the display features presented on or near the image data of the items. |
| US09646368B2 |
Automatic color correction
Methods, systems and computer program products for automatic color correction of image and video content are provided. A computer-implemented method may include generating an auto-level linear transform and a histogram equalization transform of a color distribution histogram for an original image among a set of sequential images. The auto-level linear transform and the histogram equalization transform are blended to create a modified image. Pixel color is adjusted in the modified image so that a color difference between a pixel and neighboring pixels in the modified image corresponds to a color difference between respective pixels in the original image. |
| US09646360B2 |
Processing digital photographs in response to external applications
A digital photograph is processed by receiving a communication related to the digital photograph from an application external to an image storage device that stores the digital photograph. Parameters related to the application are processed. The digital photograph is changed based on the parameters related to the application. Related methods, devices, and/or computer program products are described. |
| US09646359B2 |
Indefinite texture filter size for graphics processing
An example method of filtering in a graphics processing unit (GPU) may include storing, by a texture engine of the GPU, filter coefficients of a filter as a texture memory object (TMO) in a texture cache of the GPU in response to a first instruction. The method may include retrieving, by the texture engine, filter coefficients from the texture cache in response to a second instruction. The method may include storing, by the texture engine, pixel data in the texture cache of the GPU in response to the second instruction. The pixel data may include one or more pixel values. The method may include filtering, by the texture engine, the pixel data stored in the texture cache using the retrieved filter coefficients. |
| US09646358B2 |
Methods for scene based video watermarking and devices thereof
A method, device and non-transitory computer readable medium for scene based video watermarking. Methods are disclosed to detect the scenes inside the video. Disclosed devices and methods are capable of scene change detection for both, gradual and abrupt scenes. Methods are also disclosed to group logical scenes in a video. The disclosed methods are aided with methods to reduce the computational time taken for scene change detection. Watermarks are created and segmented using a plurality of unique identifiers to limit any unauthorized use of the video. |
| US09646355B2 |
Use of near field communication devices as proof of identity during electronic signature process
Electronic signatures are authenticated utilizing near field communication (NFC) devices as proof of identity. An identification service collects an identification of a NFC device associated with a signer of a contract. The identification may be utilized as an access control mechanism that enables the signer to receive, view, or sign the contract. An electronic signature associated with the signer is received. The identification of the NFC device and the electronic signature of the signer are recorded in the contract and/or audit information associated with the contract. |
| US09646351B2 |
Estimation of jurisdictional boundary crossings for fuel tax reporting
Systems and methods for the estimation of jurisdictional boundary crossings for fuel tax reporting relating to a commercial motor vehicle (CMV). One method includes defining a geo-fenced region for a jurisdiction. The location of the vehicle is determined using a positioning system and the geo-fenced region. When positioning system information is unavailable for a period of time, the location of the vehicle is estimated, including determining if a distance between two consecutive positioning system points is greater than a threshold value, and using predetermined route information to estimate where the vehicle has crossed the geo-fenced region boundary. |
| US09646347B1 |
System and method for determining and monitoring auto insurance incentives
A computer system or computer-implemented method may provide incentives to an insured customer for receiving sensor data indicating risk-reducing and risk-increasing behavior during the policy term. In-vehicle sensors or other devices may gather information about the vehicle and its use during the policy term and send the information to a back-end system for analysis. Based on this analysis, the back-end system may determine that the received information is indicative of risk-reducing or increasing behavior. Upon confirmation that the information indicates risk-reducing or increasing behavior, the back-end system may perform one or more actions defined by a set of rules to establish an incentive or disincentive for the customer corresponding to the behavior. For example, the system may modify the customer's insurance policy data, send an e-mail, letter, gift card, coupon, points, or other incentive or disincentive for the customer based on the analysis. |
| US09646337B2 |
Content player with transference reader
A first proximity-based device at a content player receives content modification data from a second proximity-based device within a product and/or a product package when the product or product package is placed within a proximity to the first proximity-based device. A processor at the content player performs modified playback of media content based on the content modification data. |
| US09646335B2 |
Augmented reality recommendations
Various embodiments enable a computing device to perform tasks such as processing an image to recognize text or an object in an image to identify a particular product or related products associated with the text or object. In response to recognizing the text or the object as being associated with a product available for purchase from an electronic marketplace, one or more advertisements or product listings associated with the product can be displayed to the user. Accordingly, additional information for the associated product can be displayed, enabling the user to learn more about and purchase the product from the electronic marketplace through the portable computing device. |
| US09646334B2 |
Vehicle evaluation device and vehicle evaluation method
Various forms of vehicle driving energy are provided for vehicles, such as gasoline vehicle, hybrid vehicle, ethanol vehicle, electric vehicle and fuel cell vehicle. In such circumstances, an index is desired by vehicle purchasers, which has a viewpoint on the benefit to be obtained by using an electricity storing section of a vehicle for other than running the vehicle, and with which the economic efficiencies of those vehicles can be more clearly compared/examined, in the correlation between the prices of the abovementioned vehicles using various vehicle drive energy modes, and the fuel consumption and the drive energy consumption costs thereof. To display evaluations of vehicles in various drive energy modes, by dividing a fuel efficiency numerical value by a vehicle price. In addition, to achieve a vehicle evaluation/comparison at the time of purchasing a new car, by setting a planned running distance. |
| US09646333B1 |
System and method for providing a virtual presence while securely managing and applying user profile data
Systems and methods for responding to the arrival of a person within a defined geographic area after receiving a virtual presence of the person at a target destination before actual arrival at the target destination are defined. A mobile electronic device stores user profile data and periodically outputs a unique device identification number and position data. A host server monitors the position data and when it is within the defined geographic area, the user profile data is received from the mobile electronic device and transmitted to subscribing terminals. The terminals display the user profile data so that customer service may be enhanced upon the user's arrival. When the user leaves the defined geographic area, the profile data is removed. |
| US09646329B2 |
Configurable electronic business card
Methods, systems, and apparatus include computer programs encoded on a computer-readable storage medium, including an electronic business card system including plural electronic business cards. Each card is a one-way dedicated presentation device for presenting information about a user to card-holder. The card is hand-held, associated with a single user, and includes a display element and a memory to store information associated with the user. Information is loaded onto the card for presentation on the display element. The card includes an electronic interface for receiving the information and commands for controlling presentation of at least a portion of the information on the display element. The card further includes a controller to control presentation of selected portions of the information based on configuration commands received via the electronic interface. A configuration element can receive configuration instructions for setting a level of detail for information presentation on a specific instantiation of the card. |
| US09646325B2 |
Zero-wait publishing, searching, and queuing systems and methods
Zero-wait publishing, searching, and queuing systems and methods are disclosed. The system includes a local retail service engagement application installed on a mobile device. The application requests a service from a service provider system. The application receives data associated with a service provider from the service provider system, transmits a request for a reservation, receives a confirmation of the reservation, transmits a queue request to a queuing system, and receives a confirmation of the queue request. The application determines a physical location of the mobile device, calculates a distance between the mobile device and the service provider, and transmits an estimated arrival time. When the mobile device arrives, the queuing system searches for the mobile device. The system further includes an identification, location and authentication system. The service provider system receives authentication and the relative location of the mobile device and retrieves the reservation. |
| US09646323B2 |
Mediation router
Advertisement vendors can be dynamically selected in response to a request from a wireless communication device. A mediation router can receive an ad request from a portal interfaced with a wireless device. Specifically, the mediation router analyzes the request and dynamically selects an ad vendor to service the request, based in part on the analysis. The selected ad vendor supplies the ad and the mediation router ensures that the portal receives the ad. The mediation router selects an ad vendor in a variety of ways including, but not limited to, business decision rules or artificial intelligence and/or a combination thereof. The mediation router further employs customer profiles that help vendors target advertisements to specific consumers and wireless devices. |
| US09646321B2 |
Exporter
A method, apparatus, and computer program product are disclosed for self-service design, scheduling, and delivery of user-defined reports regarding promotions. The method includes receiving, from a user device, a report type and report delivery information. Based on the report type, relevant data regarding the one or more promotions is collected, using which a report is generated. The method then outputs the generated report based on the report delivery information. Optionally, analytical insights, such as trends within the data, sample size, suitability of control data, and indications of statistical significance, are generated and included in the report. A corresponding apparatus and computer program product are also provided. |
| US09646320B2 |
Systems and methods for identifying codes that may be redeemed for value
Some embodiments of the invention enable users to manage codes which may be redeemed for value. For example, some embodiments provide systems and methods for automatically identifying a code communicated to a user which is redeemable for value, and adding the code to an inventory maintained for the user. When the user later shops at a site which allows a code to be redeemed for value, some embodiments of the invention may automatically detect when the user has navigated to a page on the site which allows redemption of the code, and may make the user aware that the code may be redeemed on the page. If the user opts to redeem the code, the field on the page into which the code is to be input may be automatically identified, and the code may be automatically input into that field. |
| US09646317B2 |
System and method for predicting user patterns for adaptive systems and user interfaces based on social synchrony and homophily
Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for managing user interfaces. A system for managing user interfaces is configured for categorizing users according to at least one of common user characteristics and common user behaviors with respect to at least a first domain to yield a group of users. The system is also configured for identifying at least one user behavior with respect to a second domain during a first time interval for at least one user in the group of users. The system is further configured for providing a customized interface for at least other users in the group of users with respect to the second domain during a second time interval after the first time interval. In the system, the content in the customized interface is based on the at least one user behavior. |
| US09646316B2 |
Techniques for deployment of universal promotion conditions for offer evaluations
Techniques for universal promotion conditions for offer evaluations are provided. Promotions are comprised of promotion conditions. The conditions are defined as a key value, description, and data type. Defined operators for the data types are enumerated and the key values can be mixed and matched in custom defined conditional statements to expand promotional engines with universal promotion conditions. |
| US09646307B2 |
Receiving fingerprints through touch screen of CE device
Fingerprints for transaction authentication are received through the touch screen of a bank customer's CE device for purposes of approving or denying transactions with the customer's electronic debit or credit card (“e-card”). |
| US09646304B2 |
System for providing cardless payment
The method and system of the invention provide a variety of techniques for using a selected alias and a selected personal identification entry (PIE) in conjunction with use of a transaction card, such as a credit card, debit card or stored value card, for example. A suitable number or other identification parameter is selected by the account-holder as an alias. The account-holder is then required to choose a PIE for security purposes. The alias is linked to the account-holder's credit card number via a database. When the account-holder enters into a transaction with a merchant, the physical card need not be present. The account-holder simply provides his or her alias and then the PIE. This can be done at any point of sale such as a store, catalog telephone order, or over the Internet. The alias and PIE are entered and authorization is returned from the credit card company. |
| US09646300B1 |
Systems and methods for mobile application, wearable application, transactional messaging, calling, digital multimedia capture, payment transactions, and one touch service
A method for facilitating mobile device payments, multimedia capture, calling, and messaging may include providing a payment, multimedia capture, calling, and messaging interface on a display of a mobile and wearable device and sensing a haptic input of the user via the haptic control and the one touch service. In response to the haptic input, a cloud-based application associated with the mobile and wearable device may be activated. The haptic input may be analyzed to determine a duration of the haptic input. Based on the duration of the haptic input, an operation may be selected from the list of predetermined operations to be performed by the cloud-based application. The predetermined operations include at least a payment operation, a multimedia capture operation, a calling operation, and a messaging operation. The method may include operably connecting the mobile and wearable device to a cloud storage. |
| US09646298B2 |
Method and system for determining locations of tags
Techniques for detecting the presence of a tag are described. According to one aspect of the present invention, a plurality of devices are deployed around an establishment, each of the devices is executing a client module to communicate with a server and receive a broadcast from a tag attached to an object (e.g., a human being or an item). As the object approaches to a device, the broadcast from the tag is received by a device that reports to the server. As a result, the server executing a server module can determine a movement trajectory of the object from those devices that have received the broadcast from the tag. One embodiment of the present invention can be used to track an asset or facilitate a location-based service to a user wearing the tag. |
| US09646297B2 |
Method and system of providing financial transaction card related mobile apps
An application providing method including: storing, at a memory of a cloud-based computing resource, at least two web-based applications; allowing a computing device of a user, after the user has gained access to a website of a financial institution of which the user has an account, to access the application offering page identifying the at least two web-based applications that are stored on the cloud-based computing resource; receiving, in the cloud-based computing resource, a selection of an application from the application offering page; transmitting, from the cloud-based computing resource to the computing device, data that allows the selected application to be displayed on the computing device, the selected application being stored on the cloud-based computing resource; and transmitting, from the cloud-based computing resource to the computing device, data that allows data pertaining to the user that was previously stored by the financial institution to be displayed on the computing device. |
| US09646294B2 |
Induction based transaction using a management server
A method and system for conducting an online payment transaction through a point of sale device. The method includes receiving input from a user selecting an item for purchase through the point of sale device; calculating a total purchase amount for the item in response to a request from the user to purchase the item; and sending payment authorization for the total purchase amount from the point of sale device to a payment entity, in which the payment authorization is sent to the payment entity via a mobile communication device of the user. The method further includes receiving a result of the payment authorization from the payment entity through the mobile communication device; and completing the payment transaction based on the result of the payment authorization. |
| US09646291B2 |
Electronic receipt manager apparatuses, methods and systems
The ELECTRONIC RECEIPT MANAGER APPARATUSES, METHODS AND SYSTEMS (“ERM”) transforms transaction initiation requests and receipt requests via ERM components into receipt formatting, organization, storage and linkage with transactions. The ERM may be configured to receive a receipt through an interface of a portable device and determine a set of fields for formatting data from the receipt. The ERM may format the data from the receipt to include the set of fields and store the formatted data in a memory element of the portable device. |
| US09646290B2 |
Method for fleet management
A method for fleet management can be created using a vehicle maintenance tracker for at least one vehicle and performing a vehicle inspection on the at least one vehicle using an inspection device to identify services needed on the vehicle. The vehicle inspection can then be transferred to a mechanic for verification of services needed on the vehicle. The vehicle inspection can provide a verification of services needed to the vehicle maintenance tracker and generate at least one of: vehicle repair information prioritized by importance of services, a schedule for vehicle service prioritized by importance of services needed, and a vehicle return to service date based on a schedule for vehicle service prioritized by importance of services needed. |
| US09646287B1 |
Dynamic sample paycheck
A method to generate a sample paycheck includes receiving, by a computer processor and from a user, a reduced portion of employee setup data prior to receiving a remainder portion of the employee setup data, where the reduced portion of employee setup data comprises at least partial employee payroll information, inputting the reduced portion of employee setup data into a payroll software application, dynamically generating, by the computer processor and prior to receiving the remainder portion, the sample paycheck based on the reduced portion, presenting the sample paycheck to the user, where the sample paycheck is dynamically generated and presented as the reduced portion of employee setup data is inputted, and receiving, in response to presenting the sample paycheck to the user, the remainder portion for use by the payroll software application during generation of a legal paycheck for the user. |
| US09646286B2 |
System and method for automated retail product accounting
A system and method including collecting image data of a purchase receipt; converting image data to machine readable data; generating a receipt model including at least one line item from the machine readable text data; selecting a product profile to associate with a line item through one of a tiered set of receipt heuristics, that includes: through a direct identifier heuristic, searching for a product identifier from a line item that corresponds to a product profile, and through an approximate match heuristic, calculating a score for the line item compared to at least one product profile of a master product list; and accounting for the selected product profile of the line item. |
| US09646281B2 |
Systems and methods for providing extended shipping options
Techniques for providing extended shipping options are described. In some embodiments, a user may specify extended shipping options that are not otherwise provided by or accessible via an existing shipment information specification user interface. In one embodiment, the user accesses a module configured to facilitate specification of extended shipping options and in response, provide an indicator of the specified extended shipping option, such as a tag or uniform resource identifier. The indicator of the extended shipping option is then incorporated into a user interface element, such as an address field, of the shipment information specification user interface. Once the user finalizes the order, the indicator of the extended shipping option is transmitted along with other shipment information items to a merchant and/or carrier system, where services specified by the extended shipping option are initiated. |
| US09646280B2 |
System and method for managing the delivery of orders for goods
A system and method for managing the delivery of goods. The system and method particularly provides for manifesting and controlling route-based delivery of orders or packages from a vendor to one or more locations accessible by customers. The locations may include automated, self-service vending machines and/or will-call lockers, under the control of a system (ideally centralized and automated) that can receive and actively manage manifest information. |
| US09646278B2 |
Decomposing a process model in an enterprise intelligence (‘EI’) framework
Decomposing a process model in an Enterprise Intelligence (‘EI’) framework, including: receiving, by a process model decomposer, a process model for an EI assembly; identifying, by the process model decomposer in dependence upon an EI framework metamodel, component parts of the process model; and generating, in dependence upon the identified component parts, a taxonomy breakdown comprising a definition of a process classification. |
| US09646277B2 |
System and method for improved quality management in a product logistic chain
A quality management system for products including a multiplicity of product unit specific indicators, each operative to provide a machine-readable indication of exceedence of at least one threshold by at least one product quality determining parameter, an indicator reader operative to read the product unit specific indicators and to provide output indications and a product type specific indication interpreter operative to receive the output indications and to provide human sensible, product unit specific, product quality status outputs. |
| US09646268B1 |
Systems and methods of supporting a product life cycle management (PLM) implementation
The systems and methods of the present application include a parts planning application (PPA) configured such that a bill of material (BOM) structure is automatically managed from a product data management (PDM) application, while supporting multiple product assemblies within a same project space and operating from a common code base. The PPA of the present application includes cross-functional attribute participation and is editable by all users simultaneously worldwide, thus eliminating the need for a dedicated project data administrator. The PPA of the present application enables daily or weekly management reviews, and attributes security managed by the functional group. The PPA of the present application fosters reduced data entry due to automated population of design structure and attributes from an existing PDM application and/or an enterprise resource planning (ERP) application. An audit trail function records and displays BOM and user-data entry changes, and utilizes a web-based application with spreadsheet-style or tabbed-style interface for ease of use. |
| US09646264B2 |
Relevance-weighted forecasting based on time-series decomposition
An input time-series is decomposed into a set of constituent frequencies. For each constituent frequency in a subset of the set of constituent frequencies, a corresponding forecasting model is selected in a subset from a set of forecasting models. From a set of component forecasts produced by the subset of forecasting models, a subset of component forecasts is selected. A component forecast in the subset of component forecasts is selected according to a component forecast selection condition. The subset of component forecasts is output to revise the forecast selection condition. A revised forecast selection condition increases a relevance of a future subset of component forecasts. |
| US09646260B1 |
Using existing relationships in a knowledge base to identify types of knowledge for addition to the knowledge base
Techniques are described for adding knowledge to a knowledge base in which alternative information retrieval techniques are used to obtain missing information from an available corpus of documents (e.g., the World Wide Web). Existing relationships in a knowledge base are used to identify entities for which the relationships are not expressed in the knowledge base. The alternative information retrieval techniques are then used to find this information. |
| US09646258B2 |
Techniques to provide real-time processing enhancements and modeling for data anomaly detection pertaining to medical events using decision trees
Embodiments are generated directed to method, medium, and system including processing circuitry to generate records including randomly selected events for each of one or more subjects having one or more of the same category parameters as a subject of a particular event. The processing circuitry may also present, on a display device, a computer-generated model based on the records, the model having a decision tree data structure having decision tree nodes corresponding with historical events from the records, each of the decision tree nodes having an indication of a likelihood of occurrence for the particular event based on whether a corresponding history event of the decision tree node occurred or did not occur within a specific time period. Embodiments of the real-time distributed nature of the systems and processing discussed herein can solve big data analytics processing problems and facilitate data anomaly detection. |
| US09646257B2 |
Probabilistic assertions and verifying them
Various techniques for evaluating probabilistic assertions are described herein. In one example, a method includes transforming a program, a probabilistic assertion, and an input into an intermediate representation, the intermediate representation including a Bayesian network of nodes representing distributions. The method further includes verifying a probabilistic assertion in the program using the intermediate representation. |
| US09646254B2 |
Predicting next web pages
Techniques and solutions for predicting web pages are described. Web page prediction can be performed using prediction models, including aggregate prediction models and user-based prediction models. Prediction models can be used to predict which web page (or which web pages) a user is likely to visit (e.g., to visit next after a current web page). Predicted web pages can be obtained in advance (e.g., pre-fetched and/or pre-rendered). Web page prediction can be performed by server computing environments and/or by client computing devices. |
| US09646253B2 |
System and method for inferring invisible traffic
This disclosure is directed to techniques for inferring traffic information or estimating total volume of traffic/data flowing through a target network/entity, wherein only a partial subset of inferred traffic information or volume of data is available to a predictor entity/network that infers such traffic information. In an embodiment, such partial subset of total traffic can either be made available to the entity/network for inferring and estimating total traffic or such partial data can actually flow through the entity/network. |
| US09646249B2 |
Method for inferring attributes of a data set and recognizers used thereon
A method for inferring, without supervision, information about a data set and/or recognizers that are operated thereon. The recognizers are modules that are capable of analyzing, interpreting and labeling raw data of the data set with a label, which is a cognitive or substance-based identifier of the data, for instance, identifying peaks, troughs, patterns and trends of particular significance. The method infers the information about the data set and/or the recognizers based on the observable outputs of each recognizer and a mathematical means of reconciling the agreement/disagreement of the outputs. The method operates without need for knowledge of the correct label to be applied to the data set by each of the recognizers, such as a test set or prior knowledge of the accuracy of the recognizer. |
| US09646246B2 |
System and method for using a statistical classifier to score contact entities
A system and method for associating a character string with one or more defined entities of a contact record. An input character string is received. The string is first evaluated to see if the structure of the string is recognized. If not, then the string is compared to entries in a look up table. If the string format is not recognized, and the string is not found in the look up table, then a posterior probability is calculated for a set of defined entities over a limited set of string processing features. The result of probabilistic scoring determines which of the defined entities to associate with the character string. |
| US09646242B2 |
Booster antenna, contactless chip arrangement, antenna structure and chip arrangement
In various embodiments, a booster antenna for a chip arrangement is provided. The booster antenna includes: a first circuit, which forms a first resonant circuit; a second circuit, which forms a second resonant circuit, wherein the first circuit is electrically conductively connected to the second circuit; and a third circuit, which forms a third resonant circuit, wherein the third circuit is electrically conductively connected to the second circuit. |
| US09646241B2 |
Electromagnetic radiation decoupler
An electromagnetic radiation decoupler for decoupling radiation in the wavelength range λmin to λmax. The decoupler has a first conductor layer in contact with a dielectric layer which comprises at least one area of absence and the thickness of the decoupler is less than λmin/4n, where n is the refractive index of the dielectric. The dielectric layer may be sandwiched between two conductor layers, one of which has the structure described above. The invention is also directed to methods of using and various articles comprising such a decoupler. |
| US09646240B1 |
Locking features for powered cards and devices
Cards may be provided with locked modes of operation. A card may, for example, monitor a particular sequence of one or more manual inputs while the card transitions from a low-power mode of operation to a locked mode of operation. The card may store the particular sequence of the one or more manual inputs as a locking code. The card may ignore subsequent manual inputs during the locked mode of operation until the locking code is reentered into the card. Once the locking code is reentered into the card, the card may again become reactive to manual inputs received by the card. |
| US09646238B2 |
Methods and systems for protecting personal account information
The invention provides systems and methods for protecting information related to personal accounts and other kinds of information displayed on personal and identification cards. In some embodiments, the invention further provides a credit card with a card portion displaying a first part of an account number and an electronically readable region. The credit card may also include a sleeve portion that holds the card portion and that may display a second part of an account number. The sleeve portion may have a window through which the first part of the account number is visible, so that the first and second parts of the account number provide a complete valid account number. |
| US09646227B2 |
Computerized machine learning of interesting video sections
This disclosure describes techniques for training models from video data and applying the learned models to identify desirable video data. Video data may be labeled to indicate a semantic category and/or a score indicative of desirability. The video data may be processed to extract low and high level features. A classifier and a scoring model may be trained based on the extracted features. The classifier may estimate a probability that the video data belongs to at least one of the categories in a set of semantic categories. The scoring model may determine a desirability score for the video data. New video data may be processed to extract low and high level features, and feature values may be determined based on the extracted features. The learned classifier and scoring model may be applied to the feature values to determine a desirability score associated with the new video data. |
| US09646225B2 |
Defocus estimation from single image based on Laplacian of Gaussian approximation
A defocus estimation algorithm is described herein. The defocus estimation algorithm utilizes a single image. A Laplacian of Gaussian approximation is determined by computing a difference of Gaussian. Defocus blur is able to be estimated by computing a blur difference between two images using the difference of Gaussian. |
| US09646223B2 |
Image measuring method, system, device, and program
An image measuring system includes: a reflecting body arranged near a plant to be measured; a photographing unit for photographing the reflecting body and outputting the photographed image; an image analyzing unit for detecting, in the photographed image, the area of the reflecting body and acquiring the color information of the area; an absolute spectral irradiance distribution calculating unit for calculating, on the basis of the color information, the absolute spectral irradiance distribution, which is the distribution of the absolute values of the spectral irradiance in the area; a photon flux density calculating unit for calculating, on the basis of the absolute spectral irradiance distribution, the photon flux density; and a Leaf Area Index calculating unit for calculating, on the basis of the photon flux density, the Leaf Area Index. |
| US09646220B2 |
Methods and media for averaging contours of wafer feature edges
A method of determining an average contour of a patterned feature on a wafer includes providing a reference contour corresponding to the patterned feature on the wafer, providing a plurality of images of the patterned feature, extracting from the plurality of images a plurality of extracted contours that represent the patterned feature, eliminating flyers from the plurality of extracted contours, and generating the average contour of the patterned feature based on the extracted contours remaining after elimination of the flyers. |
| US09646216B2 |
Multiple user biometric for authentication to secured resources
Various embodiments are generally directed to the provision and use of multiple person biometric authentication systems. An apparatus including a processor element and logic executable by the processor component is disclosed. The logic is configured to cause the apparatus to receive information including an indication of a plurality of biometric measurements and generate a combined biometric indicator based in part on the plurality of biometric measurements. The combined biometric indicator can be generated using fuzzy hashing techniques. |
| US09646215B2 |
Eye part detection apparatus
An eye part detection apparatus includes: a unit configured to input an image of a face captured for each specific time; a unit configured to extract an eye search region on the basis of feature points including a nose from the image; a unit configured to correlate the eye search region at a first time with the eye search region at a second time on the basis of comparison between positions of the feature points at the first time and positions of the feature points at the second time; and a unit configured to determine eye part regions from the eye search regions at the first and second times on the basis of the correlated eye search regions at the first and second times. |
| US09646199B2 |
Multi-sensor event analysis and tagging system
A system that analyzes data from multiple sensors, potentially of different types, that track motions of players, equipment, and projectiles such as balls. Data from different sensors is combined to generate integrated metrics for events and activities. Illustrative sensors may include inertial sensors, cameras, radars, and light gates. As an illustrative example, a video camera may track motion of a pitched baseball, and an inertial sensor may track motion of a bat; the system may use the combined data to analyze the effectiveness of the swing in hitting the pitch. The system may also use sensor data to automatically select or generate tags for an event; tags may represent for example activity types, players, performance levels, or scoring results. The system may analyze social media postings to confirm or augment event tags. Users may filter and analyze saved events based on the assigned tags. |
| US09646198B2 |
Sentiment analysis in a video conference
In an approach to determine a sentiment of an attendee of a video conference, the computer receives a video of an attendee of a video conference and, then, determines, based, at least in part, on the video of the attendee, a first sentiment of the attendee. Furthermore, in the approach the computer receives an indication of an attendee activity on a first application and determines, based, in part, on the attendee activity whether the first sentiment of the attendee is related to the video conference. |
| US09646194B2 |
Methods and systems for analysis of fibers and branching structures within an image of a sample
A computer-implemented method and system perform efficient and accurate fiber morphology analysis of fiber-containing biological samples. The images of objects comprising fiber and/or branching structure are obtained by camera and/or other imaging devices. Initial tracing seeds are obtained by variable modules. The adaptive threshold method is utilized for identifying tracing seeds candidates by local Principal Component Analysis (PCA) calculation and sorting out the seeds with low and high score. Each single fiber segment of interest is traced repeatedly utilizing PCA fitting calculation, and individual fiber segments are assembled by performing crossover matching calculation. |
| US09646191B2 |
Evaluating images
A method for evaluating an output pattern printed on a medium is described. A reference pattern is stored. The output pattern is printed on the medium based correspondingly on the stored reference pattern. A scan based instance of the output pattern is rendered, which has a set of features at least corresponding to the printed output pattern and zero or more features additional thereto. A difference image, having the zero or more features of the rendered scan instance, is computed based on a comparison of the rendered scan instance to the stored reference pattern. Upon the zero or more features including at least one feature, the computed difference image is evaluated in relation to a proximity of at least one feature to locations pixels of the reference pattern. |
| US09646183B2 |
Reading apparatus and reading method
A reading apparatus reading information from an RFID tag attached to a commodity configured to comprise: a casing consisting of an opening serving as an entrance and exit port of a commodity and a space for housing the commodity inside; an antenna configured to be arranged inside the space; an opening and closing lid configured to open and close the opening; an acquisition module configured to acquire an opening and closing state of the opening and closing lid; a reading module configured to execute, in a case in which the opening and closing state acquired by the acquisition module indicates a closing state of the opening and closing lid, a reading processing for reading information relating to commodities from RFID tags of each of the commodities housed in the casing through the antenna; and an output module configured to output the information read by the reading module. |
| US09646182B2 |
Interrogator and interrogation system employing the same
The present invention is directed to an interrogator, method of discerning metal and radio frequency identification (RFID) objects, and an interrogation system employing the same. In one embodiment, the interrogator includes a metal sensing subsystem configured to provide a first signal having a signature representing a presence of a metal object, and a RFID sensing subsystem configured to provide a second signal having a signature representing a presence of a RFID object. The interrogator also includes a control and processing subsystem configured to discern a presence of at least one of the metal and RFID objects from one of the first and second signals. |
| US09646176B2 |
Method for encrypting database
According to an embodiment of the present invention, a computer program stored in a computer-readable medium for encrypting a data value included in a data table stored in a memory and storing the encrypted data value in a persistent storage medium is disclosed. The computer program allows a computer to perform steps including: generating an encrypted data value based on the data value included in the data table stored in a memory; generating a hash value that matches the encrypted data value at least partially based on the data value and positional information of the data value; and determining to write the encrypted data value and the hash value on a persistent storage medium. |
| US09646175B2 |
Two-way parity error detection for advanced encryption standard engines
A method of improving the operation of a processor executing a cryptographic process, by automatically detecting faults during both encryption and decryption operations by the cryptographic process, comprises segmenting the data to be encrypted and encrypting the data segments using a complex non-linear algorithm that can lead to faults; computing an output parity bit from a selected step of the algorithm for a selected data segment, based on the input value of that segment; comparing the actual output parity bit of the selected segment with the computed output parity bit for that segment; and determining whether a fault exists, based on whether the actual output parity bit matches the computed output parity bit for the selected segment. |
| US09646174B2 |
Learning a new peripheral using a security provisioning manifest
A secure provisioning manifest used to authenticate and securely communicate with peripherals attached to a computer is provided with techniques to learn about a new peripheral not authorized to be attached to the computer and possibly gain authorization for the peripheral. A secure I/O module, that is separate from an operating system and transaction software executed by a processor of the computer, uses the secure provisioning manifest to authenticate and establish a secure encrypted session for communicating with each peripheral authorized to be attached to the computer. When an unauthorized peripheral is found, identifying information for the peripheral is transmitted to an enterprise provisioning server with a request to authorize the peripheral. |
| US09646172B1 |
Data storage system for securely storing data records
Systems and methods are disclosed for securely storing and accessing data records. In an embodiment, a random seed value and a time period counter received from a warrant server. The seed value may correspond to a starting time period and be updated by applying a one-way function to the seed value upon expiration of the starting time period and each subsequent time period. A data record may then be received including one or more data fields. A data field may be identified to use as an index value, and an encryption key may be generated based on the current random seed value and the index value. The data record and/or the index value may then be encrypted using the encryption key, and the encryption key may be securely deleted after encrypting the data record and/or the index value. The warrant server may then assist with recovery of the data. |
| US09646170B2 |
Secure endpoint file export in a business environment
Embodiments for preventing data loss in a business environment are provided. In some embodiments, a secure endpoint file export application assigns users to different classes having different permissions for accessing and writing data. In an embodiment, the system and method are configured to identify a plurality of users in a business environment; classify the plurality of users according to business needs; assign the users to one of at least two classes based on the classification; determine that the first user is permitted to access the data; transmit the secure file to a second user who is permitted to write the data in the secure file to removable media; write the data in the secure file to the removable media; and track a location of the removable media. |
| US09646168B2 |
Data access control method in cloud
A data access control method includes requesting, by the data owner unit, the generation of a data encryption key (DEK) from the manager unit, generating, by the manager unit, the DEK, generating, by the manager unit, the result of the Ciphertext Policy-Attribute Based Encryption (CP-ABE) of the DEK and a secret key used to decrypt the result of the CP-ABE encryption, and then responding, by the manager unit, to the data owner unit, obtaining, by the data owner unit, the DEK by performing the CP-ABE decryption of the result of the CP-ABE encryption using the secret key, encrypting, by the data owner unit, data with the obtained DEK, and uploading, by the data owner unit, the encrypted data and DEK information to the cloud. |
| US09646165B1 |
Managing electronic keys
Users of a social networking platform may provide electronic keys to other users of the social networking platform. Use of an electronic key may be subject to one or more conditions specified by the issuer of the electronic key. Data may be provided that enables the recipient to use the electronic key in accordance with the one or more conditions on use of the electronic key. |
| US09646162B2 |
Dynamic adaptive streaming over hypertext transfer protocol service protection
A method comprising encrypting a segment in response to receiving a segment request to generate an encrypted segment, and sending the encrypted segment, wherein encrypting the segment comprises encrypting a data content segment and a non-media segment in accordance with information provided in a dynamic adaptive streaming over hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) (DASH) media presentation description (MPD), and wherein encrypting the segment generates an encrypted data content segment and an encrypted non-media segment. A method comprising sending a segment request, receiving an encrypted segment, wherein the encrypted segment comprises an encrypted data content segment and an encrypted non-media segment, and decrypting the encrypted segment in accordance with information provided in a DASH MPD to generate a data content segment and a non-media segment, wherein the non-media segment comprises a non-playable media. |
| US09646159B2 |
Multi-file malware analysis
A device may identify a plurality of files for a multi-file malware analysis. The device may execute the plurality of files in a malware testing environment. The device may monitor the malware testing environment for behavior indicative of malware. The device may detect the behavior indicative of malware. The device may perform a first multi-file malware analysis or a second multi-file malware analysis based on detecting the behavior indicative of malware. The first multi-file malware analysis may include a partitioning technique that partitions the plurality of files into two or more segments of files to identify a file, included in the plurality of files, that includes malware. The second multi-file malware analysis may include a scoring technique that modifies a plurality of malware scores, corresponding to the plurality of files, to identify the file, included in the plurality of files, that includes malware. |
| US09646150B2 |
Electronic identity and credentialing system
Described is an electronic credentialing system that allows personal identity devices to interact; each interacting device has an installed identity engine that acquires, holds, issues and uses electronic credentials (e-credentials), these electronic credentials can be installed on personal identity devices, such as: smart phones, tablets, laptops, embedded systems, and/or personal computers. |
| US09646147B2 |
Method and apparatus of three-type or form authentication with ergonomic positioning
A system and methods for authenticating a user for access to a system input terminal that includes an infrared imager, a user input terminal, and a processing section including a plurality of processing instructions operable to perform image capture for wrist areas of a user in proximity to an input terminal or other structures requiring authentication and comparison to determine access or deny access. An aspect of an embodiment of the invention permits initial and frequent authentication that reduces or eliminates user action to perform such authentication. Also provided are user interfaces, and additional authentication sections operable with the infrared imager. Alternative embodiments of the invention include a mobile embodiment as well as an embodiment-including a sensor positioned with respect to a user in an operational position where the user is performing a task in relation to an input terminal or structure requiring authentication (e.g. a keyboard). |
| US09646145B2 |
Method and system for dynamically assignable user interface
With their ubiquitous nature and perceived personalized character portable electronic devices are increasingly forming part of individual's life as applications exist for practically anything today and new ones are released daily. It is therefore increasingly important for these electronic devices to dynamically adapt applications, information, user interface etc. According to embodiments of the invention user interfaces provide: Biometric Recognition—the user interface (UI) configuration discretely or in combination with other context factors varies according to the identity of the recognized user; Electronic Environment Context—the electronic environment to the electronic device provides contextual basis for the UI; Dynamic Context Adjustment?, and Micro-Contexts —the UI configuration UI adapts as macro- and micro-contexts change with macro-contexts divided into multiple micro-contexts; Intuitive User Interface—user motions are more intuitive and more closely resemble real world actions; and Smart Agent—application notifications are parsed for impact to other actions/activities in other applications. |
| US09646143B2 |
Semantic obfuscation of data in real time
Systems and methods for automatically maintaining the anonymity or privacy of a stream of data as it is transmitted over a network or provided for other use, by receiving a data stream in real-time from an original source and identifying a data subset of interest within the original data stream. The data subset of interest is segregated from the data stream for either obfuscating at least a portion of the data subset in accordance with certain criteria or encrypting it. The data subset is obfuscated or encrypted for purpose of transmission over the network or for testing and reunited at a target source with the remainder of the data stream. |
| US09646131B2 |
Intelligent image processing for enterprise applications
Techniques are described for processing an electronic image for presentation in a display of an enterprise application according to a format for presenting electronic image in the enterprise application. A format for an enterprise application may indicate display attributes such as an aspect ratio, a frame size, a resolution, or the like. The format for presenting an electronic image may correspond to a type of an enterprise application, a function of an enterprise application, a feature of an enterprise application, one or more subjects of the electronic image, other criteria associated with an enterprise application, or a combination thereof. These techniques may enable an electronic image to be adjusted for presentation in enterprise applications that have different formats. Users may benefit by not having to provide an electronic image adjusted to the different formats, thereby enabling a single electronic image to be used for a variety of enterprise applications. |
| US09646128B2 |
System and method for validating stacked dies by comparing connections
A system comprises a processor-implemented tool configured to generate a layout of an integrated circuit (IC) die. At least one non-transitory machine readable storage medium includes a first portion encoded with a first gate-level description of first and second circuit patterns to be formed on first and second integrated circuit (IC) dies, respectively, and a second portion encoded with a second gate level description of the first and second circuit patterns received from the processor implemented tool. The second gate level description includes power and ground ports, and the first gate level description does not include power and ground ports. A processor-implemented first verification module is provided for comparing the first and second gate level descriptions and outputting a verified second gate-level description of the first and second circuit patterns. |
| US09646127B2 |
3D resist profile aware etch-bias model
Systems and techniques for using a three-dimension (3D) resist profile aware etch-bias model are described. A 3D resist profile aware etch-bias model can be calibrated based on empirical data. Next, the 3D resist profile aware etch-bias model can be used in one or more applications, including, but not limited to, lithography verification, etch correction, optical proximity correction, and assist feature placement. |
| US09646124B2 |
Modeling transistor performance considering non-uniform local layout effects
In a system and method, a design layout defines a transistor, a local layout effect (LLE)-inducing feature and shapes, including a non-uniform shape, that illustrate separation between the channel region and LLE-inducing feature. Layout information for the non-uniform shape, including minimum and maximum distances between the channel region and LLE-inducing feature, is extracted. Based on this layout information, a first width of a first portion of the non-uniform shape, which is associated with the maximum distance, and a second width of a second portion of the non-uniform shape, which is associated with the minimum distance, are derived and used to calculate the non-uniform shape's contribution to the value of a model parameter adjuster. The value of the model parameter adjuster is then calculated based on a sum of contributions from all shapes and used to generate a compact model for modeling a performance attribute of the transistor within the IC. |
| US09646122B2 |
Variable accuracy parameter modeling in statistical timing
Systems and methods compute a mean timing value of an integrated circuit design for variables using a first timing calculation of relatively higher accuracy; and calculate a first timing value of the integrated circuit design for the variables, using a second timing calculation having a relatively lower accuracy. Such systems and methods calculate second timing values of the integrated circuit design for additional sets of variables using the second timing calculation; and calculate finite differences of each of the second timing values to the first timing value. Thus, these systems and methods calculate a statistical sensitivity of the first timing value to the additional sets of variables based on the finite differences. Further, such systems and methods calculate a statistical sensitivity of the mean timing value to the additional sets of values based on the statistical sensitivity of the first timing value to the additional sets of values. |
| US09646121B2 |
Semiconductor device simulator, simulation method, and non-transitory computer readable medium
A web simulator includes a sensor database, an account database that stores access authorization table, an authentication processing unit that specifies access authorization of an access by reference to the access authorization table, a sensor registration and update unit that registers/updates sensor information in the sensor database in accordance with an instruction of access, and a simulation execution unit that executes simulation of a connection circuit in which a sensor indicated by the registered/updated sensor information and a semiconductor device having an analog front-end circuit are connected. |
| US09646120B1 |
Method and system for trace compaction during emulation of a circuit design
The present patent document relates to a method to compact trace data generated by emulation processors during emulation of a circuit design, and a hardware functional verification system that compacts trace data. Compaction logic within emulation processor clusters accumulated data bits output from the emulation processors and compacts them into trace data bytes in registers based on enable bits identifying valid trace data according to a compaction scheme. Trace data bytes are further accumulated and compacted into larger trace data bytes in higher level processor clusters of the emulation chip according to a compaction hierarchy, with the compacted trace data bytes stored into a trace array of the emulation chip. |
| US09646119B2 |
Computer simulation of fluid flow and acoustic behavior
A computer-implemented method for simulating flow and acoustic interaction of a fluid with a porous medium includes simulating activity of a fluid in a first volume adjoining a second volume, the activity of the fluid in the first volume being simulated so as to model movement of elements within the first volume and using a first model having a first set of parameters, simulating activity of the fluid in the second volume occupied by the porous medium, the activity in the second volume being simulated so as to model movement of elements within the second volume and using a second model having a second set of parameters, and simulating movement of elements between the first volume and the second volume at an interface between the first volume and the second volume. |
| US09646118B1 |
Linking of simulators into a circuit design tool
Simulators are linked to a circuit design tool by establishing a plurality of simulator objects in response to a plurality of registration commands, respectively. Each registration command specifies a simulation interface application associated with one of the simulators, and the simulation interface application has procedures for initiating functions of the associated simulator. For each simulator, values of properties of the simulator are stored in the respective simulator object. The values of the properties include references to the procedures of the associated simulation interface application. An interface, which is responsive to input commands, accesses the values of the properties and executes the procedures referenced by the values of the properties to initiate the functions of the simulators. |
| US09646117B1 |
Activated workflow
Activated workflow engine, system and method are configured for simulation modeling and an integrated suite of relevant applications. The workflow engine pre-configures workflows of the simulation modeling application. When an end user performs a transaction in the simulation model, the necessary and sufficient information is gathered automatically from the context of the transaction. From the gathered information, the activated workflow engine matches appropriate variables and assigns input values to suit the workflows which are applicable to the transaction. This facilitates the ability to invoke multiple workflows associated with this transaction and subsequently validates the “activated state” of these workflows. When the underlying simulation model or the main transaction is executed, the workflows are activated, the input variables get populated, and the independent workflows get invoked automatically (without requiring manual further input). Results of invoked workflows are available and accessible by users anywhere, anytime. |
| US09646115B2 |
Determining a limit of failure in a wellbore wall
A method to determine a drilling fluid density limit involves obtaining a geomechanical model of a target borehole, generating a depth of damage model of the target borehole to describe a relationship between a drilling fluid pressure and a depth of damage representing a modeled amount of yielded rock surrounding the target borehole, where the modeled amount of the yielded rock is calculated using a stress model according to a pre-determined failure criterion, and calculating, using the depth of damage model and the geomechanical model, the drilling fluid density limit as a function of the subterranean formation depth, where the drilling fluid density limit maintains the depth of damage at a target level for the target borehole, where the drilling fluid density limit corresponds to a depth gradient of the drilling fluid pressure, where the target borehole is drilled based at least on the drilling fluid density limit. |
| US09646110B2 |
Managing information assets using feedback re-enforced search and navigation
Embodiments of the invention provide an approach for creating, evolving and using a weighted semantic graph to manage and potentially identify certain information assets within an enterprise. The semantic graph may be generated by monitoring users navigating through search results which provide a set of information assets responsive to a search query. By recording the navigation path taken by many users, relationships between information assets may be identified. Further, once generated, the semantic graph may be used to present users with in indication of related information assets as part of the search results. Further still, the semantic graph may also be used to identify information assert “hubs” as well as information assets that may provide low utility to individuals within the enterprise. |
| US09646107B2 |
Method and/or system for simplifying tree expressions such as for query reduction
Embodiments of methods, apparatuses, devices and/or systems for simplifying tree expressions, such as for pattern matching, are disclosed. |
| US09646105B2 |
Reduced complexity hashing
Hashing complexity is reduced by exploiting a hashing matrix structure that permits a corresponding hashing function to be implemented such that an output vector of bits is produced in response to an input vector of bits without combining every bit in the input vector with every bit in any row of the hashing matrix. |
| US09646103B2 |
Client-side template engine and method for constructing a nested DOM module for a website
A method in a client web browser for constructing a nested Document Object Model (DOM) module for a website. The module includes a module template, which includes tags to be replaced with data, and a module Driver, which includes functional code for creating a nested data structure. A client-side templating engine retrieves data from a data source that includes data for populating the tags and data for creating a plurality of data blocks for the nested data structure. The templating engine populates the tags in the module template with the data for the tags, and the module Driver sequentially creates the data blocks using the data for creating the data blocks. Upon completion of each data block, the module Driver appends the completed data block to the module template to create the nested data structure. The completed module includes the template with populated tags and the nested data structure. |
| US09646102B2 |
Intelligent categorization of bookmarks
System, method, and computer program product, comprising, responsive to accessing a first electronic page in a browser, collecting metadata from the first electronic page, determining: (i) a set of existing data structures to store bookmarks for electronic pages in the browser, each data structure in the set of existing data structures representing an associated category for electronic pages, and (ii) a preference for using the existing data structures to store bookmarks for electronic pages, and, responsive to receiving an indication to bookmark the first electronic page, identifying, based on the metadata, the existing data structures, and the preference for using the existing data structures, a first data structure in which to store the bookmark for the first electronic page, presenting the first data structure for approval, and responsive to receiving approval for the first data structure, storing a bookmark for the first electronic page in the first data structure. |
| US09646100B2 |
Methods and systems for providing content provider-specified URL keyword navigation
An apparatus and a non-transitory computer-readable medium may perform a method for providing content provider-specified URL keyword navigation. The method may comprise: receiving a first HTTP response from a first web server, wherein the first HTTP response includes a client-executable program; executing the client-executable program, wherein executing the client-executable program comprises: identifying a keyword included in a first URL; transmitting at least a portion of the first URL and the keyword to a second server for resolution; and receiving a second URL corresponding to a resolution of the keyword from the second server; sending a second HTTP request to a third web server for a second resource defined by the second URL; and receiving a second HTTP response from the third web server, wherein the second HTTP response includes the third resource. |
| US09646097B2 |
Augmenting search results with relevant third-party application content
Methods, computer systems, and computer-storage media are provided for augmenting Web-based search results with relevant content received from third-party applications. Each of a plurality of third-party applications is registered to obtain an indication of entity types associated with the each registered third-party application. An annotated search query is received that includes the original inputted search query and at least an entity type associated with the search query. The annotated search query is communicated to those third-party applications having an indicated entity type that matches the entity type associated with the inputted search query. Search results that are relevant to the annotated search query are received from the applications and presented on a results page. |
| US09646096B2 |
System and methods for analyzing and improving online engagement
Systems and methods provide online tools for helping a business improve its online presence. A contact importance score rates a contact's engagement with business via purchases and online contact, and may further gauge the contact's engagement with other contacts and potential contacts. An engagement score rates a business' engagement with online visitors with respect to industry best practices. A method of generating the engagement score may include providing recommendations to the business for improving the engagement score. A method for recommending online content can identify public and privately-created content that is likely to engage a business' users. A website builder can include a tool for aligning content on the website. The website builder can further include a tool for creating a video for promoting the business. |
| US09646095B1 |
Systems and methods for generating and maintaining internet user profile data
Systems and methods are provided for automatically generating and maintaining user profile cookie sets. The user profile cookie sets may be used by a web crawler when gathering data such as advertisement data associated with one or more websites. The cookie sets may be generated by choosing a user profile with a set of user traits, selecting a set of websites related to the user traits, and browsing the selected set of websites using a web crawler while allowing the website to place cookies in storage of the web crawler. The cookie sets may be maintained by selecting a website to browse, selecting a user profile associated with the selected website, loading a previously generated cookie set for the selected user profile into the storage of a web crawler, and loading the webpage while allowing the website to place, update, or replace cookies in the storage of the web crawler. |
| US09646094B2 |
System and method for performing a multiple pass search
A method including the steps of: receiving a search query; executing a first search pass of a conditional search flow pipeline according to a first configuration; generating and storing information based on the executed first search pass as search context information; determining which search pass of the conditional search flow pipeline should be executed as a second search pass based on a transition rule associated with the first search pass and the search context information; executing the second search pass of the conditional search flow pipeline according to a second configuration; generating additional information based on the executed second search pass; updating the search context information based on the additional information; and determining whether to provide updated search context information or proceed to another search pass of the conditional search flow pipeline based on a transition rule associated with the second search pass and the updated search context information. |
| US09646091B2 |
File joining on back end device
A device comprises a receiver configured to receive a join-lookup remote procedural call (RPC) for a file, wherein the join-lookup RPC requests a join operation of sub-files associated with the file, and a transmitter configured to transmit the file in response to the Join-Lookup RPC. A distributed file system (DFS) client comprises a transmitter configured to transmit a join-lookup RPC for a file, wherein the join-lookup RPC requests a join operation of sub-files associated with the file, and a receiver configured to receive the file in response to the Join-Lookup RPC. A method comprises receiving a join-lookup RPC for a file, wherein the join-lookup RPC requests a join operation of sub-files associated with the file, and transmitting the file in response to the Join-Lookup RPC. |
| US09646088B1 |
Data collection and transmission
Data collection and transmission is disclosed. A server is configured to receive, from a remote device, a message including raw information, and to parse at least a portion of the received raw information. The raw information is received by the system from an information reporting module interface of the remote device. The information reporting module of the remote device is configured to receive information from at least one separately installed information reporting module. A client device includes an information reporting module interface and a server interface. The client device is configured to receive configuration information from a remote server. |
| US09646077B2 |
Time-series analysis based on world event derived from unstructured content
The present subject matter relates to analysis of time-series data based on world events derived from unstructured content. According to one embodiment, a method comprises obtaining event information corresponding to at least one world event from unstructured content obtained from a plurality of data sources. The event information includes at least time of occurrence of the world event, time of termination of the world event, and at least one entity associated with the world event. Further, the method comprises retrieving time-series data pertaining to the entity associated with the world event from a time-series data repository. Based on the event information and the time-series data, the world event is aligned and correlated with at least one time-series event to identify at least one pattern indicative of cause-effect relationship amongst the world event and the time-series event. |
| US09646075B2 |
Segmentation and stratification of data entities in a database system
A stratified or segmented composite data structure can be formed by selecting a group of data entities, stratifying or segmenting them according to attributes, and assigning relative weights to the components based on their stratified or segmented positions. The attributes are selected from a universe of possible values. Further positive and negative biases can be applied at any arbitrary point or position, including to individual data entities, groups of arbitrarily selected data entities, or arbitrary positions. |
| US09646074B2 |
Method for discovering relationships in data by dynamic quantum clustering
Data clustering is provided according to a dynamical framework based on quantum mechanical time evolution of states corresponding to data points. To expedite computations, we can approximate the time-dependent Hamiltonian formalism by a truncated calculation within a set of Gaussian wave-functions (coherent states) centered around the original points. This allows for analytic evaluation of the time evolution of all such states, opening up the possibility of exploration of relationships among data-points through observation of varying dynamical-distances among points and convergence of points into clusters. This formalism may be further supplemented by preprocessing, such as dimensional reduction through singular value decomposition and/or feature filtering. |
| US09646071B2 |
Supporting set-level slice and dice in data warehouses
A method and system for coping with slice and dice operations in data warehouses is disclosed. An external approach may be utilized, creating queries using structured query language on a computer. An algorithm may be used to rewrite the queries. The resulting predicates may be joined to dimension tables corresponding to fact tables. An internal approach may be utilized, using aggregation functions with early aggregation for creating the queries. The results of the slice and dice operations may be outputted to a user on a computer monitor. |
| US09646068B2 |
System, method and computer program product for performing a synchronization of data
In accordance with embodiments, there are provided mechanisms and methods for performing a synchronization of data. These mechanisms and methods for performing a synchronization of data can enable a more efficient synchronization, time and resource savings, an enhanced user experience, etc. |
| US09646065B2 |
Identification of load utility
Embodiments of the invention are directed to systems, methods and computer program products for converting MLOAD and TPUMP operations. In some embodiments, a system is configured to: receive a first information, wherein the first information comprises at least one piece of data; count the number of pieces of data; compare the counted number of pieces of data to a predetermined threshold value; and identify a load utility based on the comparison between the counted number of pieces of data and the predetermined threshold value. |
| US09646064B2 |
Template based software container
A hierarchical template framework may include lower tier templates that identify groups of software components for discrete software services. The template framework also may include upper tier templates that include one or more lower tier templates and identify software components for a prearranged group of the software services configured to support and operate with an associated category of core software functions. A software developer may build a software application from the software components identified in a selected upper tier template, lower tier templates, and any other core software components identified for the core software functions. The templates prevent the software developer from having to manually locate and test all of the software components for different software services used in a software application. |
| US09646058B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer program products for generating data quality indicators for relationships in a database
The disclosed methods, systems, and computer-program products allow a business to generate data quality indicators for relationships in a database. In an embodiment, one or more relationships linked to a customer are retrieved from a database to form a set of relationships. A match confidence code is generated for each relationship based on a score generated by the comparison of customer data associated with the respective relationship and corresponding customer data obtained from an external industry database. A link confidence code is subsequently determined for the customer based on a score generated by the scores used to define the match confidence code for each relationship in the set of relationships and on internal data associated with each relationship in the set of relationships. |
| US09646055B2 |
Blending search results on online social networks
In one embodiment, a method includes receiving from a first user of an online social network a search query input including one or more n-grams; generating a number of query commands based on the search query input; and searching one or more verticals to identify one or more objects stored by the vertical that match the query commands. Each vertical stores one or more objects associated with the online social network. The method also includes generating a number of search-result modules. Each search-result module corresponds to a query command of the number of query commands. Each search-result module includes references to one or more of the identified objects matching the query command corresponding to the search-result module. The method also includes scoring the search-result modules; and sending each search-result module having a score greater than a threshold score to the first user for display. |
| US09646054B2 |
Matching of cases based on attributes including an attribute relating to flow of activities
A particular case is matched to further cases, where the matching is based on plural attributes contained in the particular case and in the further cases, wherein one of the plural attributes relates to a flow of activities taken to address the respective case. |
| US09646052B2 |
Extended correlation methods in a content transformation engine
A second stage data feed is constructed in a neutral format from source data in a non-syndication format. A content transformation agent is customized for a first source data repository, and the first stage data feed is constructed in the neutral format by dynamically selecting and transforming within the first source data repository selected data primitives of the source data into the first stage data feed in the neutral format. The first stage data feed includes the selected data primitives stored originally in the first source data repository. The first stage data feed is sent to an aggregation agent that generates a second stage data feed as a union of selected data primitives from the first stage data feed. The second stage data feed is generated by detecting relationships among the selected data primitives. The second stage data feed includes related selected data primitives from the first stage data feed. |
| US09646048B2 |
Declarative partitioning for data collection queries
Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to data collection. In aspects, when data is desired from one or more data sources, a size and/or other data regarding the data is obtained. Then, a data structure is generated that indicates multiple chunks of the data to obtain. Using the data structure and a query template, a query is generated to obtain a chunk of data. The obtained chunk of data is stored in a local store. If more chunks need to be obtained, first a wait for a period is performed before submitting another query for another chunk of data. |
| US09646041B2 |
Testing of inactive design-time artifacts
A system includes reception of an instruction to commit a design-time artifact of a database server application to a repository of a database server, storage of the design-time artifact in the repository of the database server in association with an inactive flag, reception of a request from a user to access the design-time artifact associated with the inactive flag, and, in response to the request, generation of a private runtime representation of the design-time artifact associated with the inactive flag, and deployment of the private runtime representation of the design-time artifact for exclusive use by the user. |
| US09646038B2 |
Distributed indexing system for data storage
A distributed indexing system spreads out the load on an index of stored data in a data storage system. Rather than maintain a single index, the distributed indexing system maintains an index in each media agent of a federated data storage system and a master index that points to the index in each media agent. In some embodiments, the distributed indexing system includes an index server (or group of servers) that handles indexing requests and forwards the requests to the appropriate distributed systems. Thus, the distributed indexing system, among other things, increases the availability and fault tolerance of a data storage index. |
| US09646035B1 |
Centralized metaobject ingest using a temporally-expanded bloom filter
A server computer system identifies a first bloom filter using a schedule that rotates bloom filters based on time. The system identifies a first set of metaobjects to evaluate for ingestion using the first bloom filter and determines whether to add one or more of the metaobjects to a data store using the first bloom filter. The system identifies a second bloom filter using the rotation in the schedule and identifies a second set of metaobjects to evaluate for ingestion using the second bloom filter. The second set of metaobjects includes one or more metaobjects that are the same as one or more metaobjects in the first set of metaobjects. The system determines whether to add one or more of the second set of metaobjects to the data store using the second bloom filter. |
| US09646034B2 |
Enumeration of rooted partial subtrees
Embodiments of methods, apparatuses, devices and/or systems for manipulating hierarchical sets of data are disclosed. In particular, methods, apparatus devices and or/or systems for enumerating rooted partial subtrees are disclosed. |
| US09646031B1 |
Intelligent data integration system
Data objects stored in a data store include data attribute(s) and associated value(s) for the attributes. Data analysis tools (DATs) stored in a data store are associated with reference data attribute(s). The data objects are identified by one or more DATs based on each reference data attribute(s) of a corresponding DAT matching one of the data attribute(s) of the corresponding data object(s) and independent of the value for the data attribute(s). The DATs generate an additional data object as a function of the identified data object, and the additional data object is stored in the data store. |
| US09646030B2 |
Computer-readable medium storing program and version control method
An information processing apparatus permits editing of information held by an existing node in a version control graph that contains a plurality of nodes, each of which is assigned an identifier corresponding to information held by the node. The information processing apparatus detects, upon merging a first branch and a second branch contained in the version control graph, a previous merged data set that is generated from a data set of a first version referred to by a node of the first branch and a data set of a second version referred to by a node of the second branch, on the basis of history information. The information processing apparatus generates a new merged data set by merging the first branch and the second branch, using the detected merged data set. |
| US09646029B1 |
Methods and apparatus for a distributed database within a network
In some embodiments, an apparatus includes an instance of a distributed database at a first compute device configured to be included within a set of compute devices that implement the distributed database. The apparatus also includes a processor configured to define a first event linked to a first set of events. The processor is configured to receive, from a second compute device from the set of compute devices, a signal representing a second event (1) defined by the second compute device and (2) linked to a second set of events. The processor is configured to identify an order associated with a third set of events based at least one a result of a protocol. The processor is configured to store in the instance of the distributed database the order associated with the third set of events. |
| US09646026B2 |
Determining points of interest using intelligent agents and semantic data
A method, a system, and a computer program product are provided for determining points of interest using intelligent agents and semantic data. The method is implemented in a computer infrastructure having computer executable code tangibly embodied on a computer readable storage medium having programming instructions operable for receiving a media data comprising a location data comprising where media was captured. The instructions are also operable for determining at least one point of interest based on the media data, tying the media data to the at least one point of interest, and providing the media data tied to the at least one point of interest to an end user. |
| US09646024B2 |
Map-reduce ready distributed file system
A map-reduce compatible distributed file system that consists of successive component layers that each provide the basis on which the next layer is built provides transactional read-write-update semantics with file chunk replication and huge file-create rates. A primitive storage layer (storage pools) knits together raw block stores and provides a storage mechanism for containers and transaction logs. Storage pools are manipulated by individual file servers. Containers provide the fundamental basis for data replication, relocation, and transactional updates. A container location database allows containers to be found among all file servers, as well as defining precedence among replicas of containers to organize transactional updates of container contents. Volumes facilitate control of data placement, creation of snapshots and mirrors, and retention of a variety of control and policy information. Key-value stores relate keys to data for such purposes as directories, container location maps, and offset maps in compressed files. |
| US09646023B1 |
Devices and methods configured for automated duplication of network shared folders
A network attached storage may comprise one or more storage devices; a network interface configured to couple to a local area network; a share folder and a processor. The processor may be configured to auto-initiate an identification of at least one other similarly-configured network attached storage coupled to the local area network; monitor contents of the share folder to determine a presence of or a change to at least one item therein, and upon determining at least one of the presence of and the change to the at least one item in the monitored share folder, copying the item(s) to the identified network attached storage(s) over the local area network. |
| US09646022B2 |
Distributed change notifications for a distributed filesystem
The disclosed embodiments disclose techniques for providing distributed change notifications for a distributed filesystem. Two or more cloud controllers collectively manage distributed filesystem data that is stored in the cloud storage systems; the cloud controllers ensure data consistency for the stored data, and each cloud controller caches portions of the distributed filesystem. During operation, a cloud controller receives a request from a client to access a file in the distributed filesystem. The cloud controller determines that the file needs strong read-after write consistency and sends a registration notification to the other cloud controllers of the distributed filesystem to request immediate notification of any changes to the file. |
| US09646021B2 |
Managing resource access in distributed computing environments
Concepts and technologies are disclosed herein for managing resource access in distributed computing environments. A computing device can host a local resource such as a file or application and an application for managing or controlling resource access. The user device can communicate with a remote device that hosts a remote resource, which may be similar to the local resource. If a resource access request is detected at the user device, the user device can identify resources including a local resource and/or a remote resource that can provide functionality associated with the request. The user device can determine if the local resource, the remote resource, and/or a combination thereof is to be accessed to provide the requested access. This determination can be made before or during the access and can be based upon settings, preferences, input, network traffic, and/or other considerations determined at the user device and/or other devices. |
| US09646019B2 |
Secure isolation of tenant resources in a multi-tenant storage system using a security gateway
Machines, systems and methods for handling a client request in a hierarchical multi-tenant data storage system, the method comprising processing a request in subtasks, wherein a subtask is executed with a minimal set of privileges associated with a specific subtenant; extracting a claimed n-level hierarchy of a tenant and sub-tenant identities from the request; extracting authentication signatures or credentials that correspond to a level in the hierarchy; for a first level in the hierarchy, sending the request to a dedicated subtenant authenticator with privilege to validate credentials for a subtenant at the first level; and receiving a confirmation from the dedicated subtenant authenticator, whether the request is authentic. |
| US09646012B1 |
Caching temporary data in solid state storage devices
Various systems and methods for inhibiting a modified block of data from being written to an underlying persistent storage device are disclosed. A cache is maintained by a file system and the cache is implemented to temporarily cache portions of application data for an application. The application data for the application is stored on the underlying persistent storage device. Metadata is accessed if it is detected that a block of data in the cache has been modified. The metadata indicates that the block of data is not needed for the integrity of the application. In response to the metadata, the modified block of data is inhibited from being written to the underlying persistent storage device. |
| US09646010B2 |
Method and system for expanding storage capacity of a drive using cloud storage systems
A storage drive and associated system and method for storing data locally at the storage drive and/or at cloud storage may buffer, in a local storage buffer, data to be stored at the cloud and upload the data to the cloud storage from the local storage buffer. Upon receipt of an acknowledgement, from the cloud storage, that the data was successfully uploaded, the storage drive may delete the data from the local storage buffer. The storage drive may provide a ghost file representation of the uploaded data through the storage drive, through which the data uploaded to the cloud storage may be accessed. The storage drive may access multiple cloud storage accounts, each corresponding to a file folder on the storage drive, allowing the user to easily access different cloud storage accounts. The storage drive may recover data that was deleted from either local persistent storage or the cloud storage. |
| US09646008B2 |
Modifying virtual item states in conjunction with digital broadcast
An apparatus and computer implemented method for modifying a state of a virtual item and a corresponding computer-readable medium are disclosed. A receiving device receives information relating to one or more virtual items from a server via a broadcast signal. The information is filtered according to one or more criteria to select a selected virtual item from among the one or more virtual items. The criteria include a physical world location of the receiving device. A state of the selected virtual item is modified from an initial state to a modified state and information relating the modified state back is sent back to the server. |
| US09646007B2 |
Distributed and tiered architecture for content search and content monitoring
An efficient large scale search system for video and multi-media content using a distributed database and search, and tiered search servers is described. Selected content is stored at the distributed local database and tier1 search server(s). Content matching frequent queries, and frequent unidentified queries are cached at various levels in the search system. Content is classified using feature descriptors and geographical aspects, at feature level and in time segments. Queries not identified at clients and tier1 search server(s) are queried against tier2 or lower search server(s). Search servers use classification and geographical partitioning to reduce search cost. Methods for content tracking and local content searching are executed on clients. The client performs local search, monitoring and/or tracking of the query content with the reference content and local search with a database of reference fingerprints. This shifts the content search workload from central servers to the distributed monitoring clients. |
| US09646006B2 |
System and method for capturing a multimedia content item by a mobile device and matching sequentially relevant content to the multimedia content item
A method and system for matching sequentially relevant content to at least one multimedia content item (MMCI) captured by a mobile device are provided. The method includes extracting at least one MMCI from the mobile device; generating a signature for the extracted at least one MMCI; matching the generated signature to a plurality of signatures of content items; and determining, based on the matching, at least one sequentially relevant content item. |
| US09646005B2 |
System and method for creating a database of multimedia content elements assigned to users
A method and system for creating a database of multimedia content elements assigned to users are provided. The method comprises receiving at least one parameter identifying a user; receiving at least one multimedia content element from a user device; generating at least one signature to the at least one multimedia content element; searching for the existence of the at least multimedia content element in a database using the least one generated signature to determine whether each of the at least one multimedia content element is an existing multimedia content element or a non-existing multimedia content element; and generating a unique identifier using the at least one parameters for each non-existing multimedia content element; assigning the generated unique identifier to its respective non-existing multimedia content element; and storing each of the non-existing multimedia content elements and their respective unique identifiers in the database. |
| US09646004B2 |
Hierarchical database report generation with automated query generation for placeholders
A computerized method, implemented in at least one processor, for automatically generating a report, the method including, receiving, by the at least one processor, a document that includes placeholders arranged in a layout, reading, by the at least one processor, the placeholders, mapping, by the at least one processor, the placeholders to respective executable queries, executing, by the at least one processor, a search of a database using the executable queries to retrieve information from the database, mapping, by the at least one processor, the information from the database to the layout, and generating an updated document that includes the information retrieved from the database arranged in a layout defined by the layout of the placeholders. |
| US09646002B2 |
Media content presentation in a selected language
There is provided a method that includes displaying, on a display, a viewing pane of available video contents including a first video content, receiving a selection of the first video content from the available video contents, transmitting a language selection and the selection of the first video content to a server, receiving a language content corresponding to the language selection and the selection of the first video content from the server, and displaying, on the display, the first video content in synchronization with playing the language content. |
| US09646001B2 |
Machine translation (MT) based spoken dialog systems customer/machine dialog
Operation of an automated dialog system is described using a source language to conduct a real time human machine dialog process with a human user using a target language. A user query in the target language is received and automatically machine translated into the source language. An automated reply of the dialog process is then delivered to the user in the target language. If the dialog process reaches an initial assistance state, a first human agent using the source language is provided to interact in real time with the user in the target language by machine translation to continue the dialog process. Then if the dialog process reaches a further assistance state, a second human agent using the target language is provided to interact in real time with the user in the target language to continue the dialog process. |
| US09645999B1 |
Adjustment of document relationship graphs
Provided is a process of modifying semantic similarity graphs representative of pair-wise similarity between documents in a corpus, the method comprising obtaining a semantic similarity graph that comprises more than 500 nodes and more than 1000 weighted edges, each node representing a document of a corpus, and each edge weight indicating an amount of similarity between a pair of documents corresponding to the respective nodes connected by the respective edge; obtaining an n-gram indicating that edge weights affected by the n-gram are to be increased or decreased; expanding the n-gram to produce a set of expansion n-grams; adjusting edge weights of edges between pairs of documents in which members of the expanded n-gram set co-occur. |
| US09645998B1 |
Learning new words
Systems and methods are disclosed for a server learning new words generated by user client devices in a crowdsourced manner while maintaining local differential privacy of client devices. A client device can determine that a word typed on the client device is a new word that is not contained in a dictionary or asset catalog on the client device. New words can be grouped in classifications such as entertainment, health, finance, etc. A differential privacy system on the client device can comprise a privacy budget for each classification of new words. If there is privacy budget available for the classification, then one or more new terms in a classification can be sent to new term learning server, and the privacy budget for the classification reduced. The privacy budget can be periodically replenished. |
| US09645997B2 |
Phrase-based communication system
A client device, such as a digital video recorder, provides a phrase-based communication system in which users are presented with a dynamic messaging interface of selectable phrases and other elements. At least some of the phrases may be selected using algorithms that identify phrases that are likely to be useful to the particular user and/or the context in which the user is creating a message. In this manner, a user is able to generate useful messages quickly, without being limited to stale and fixed canned messages. Popular phrases may be identified by, for example, a server that relays based on messages exchanged between users. These popular phrases may then be harvested for use in the dynamic messaging interface. Moreover, context-sensitive metadata elements may be added to the dynamic messaging interface based on, for example, content that the user is currently viewing or about which the user is currently accessing information. |
| US09645996B1 |
Method and device for automatically generating a tag from a conversation in a social networking website
Certain aspects of the present disclosure relates to a computer implemented method for executing application code to connect with a social networking website, the method including analyzing information from at least a user that is in conversation. At least a word is filtered from the analyzed information. A tag is generated from the filtered word. The tag is connected with at least a media file that is relevant to the tag and displayed in the social networking website. |
| US09645995B2 |
Language identification on social media
A method for language prediction of a social network post includes generating a social network graph which includes nodes connected by edges. Some of the nodes are user nodes representing users of a social network and some of the nodes are social network post nodes representing social network posts. At least some of the users are authors of social network posts represented by respective social network post nodes. Edges of the graph are associated with respective weights. At least one of the social network post nodes is unlabeled. Language labels are predicted for the at least one unlabeled social network post node which includes propagating language labels through the graph. A language of the social network post is predicted based on the predicted language labels for the social network post node representing that social network post and optionally also based on content-based features. |
| US09645988B1 |
System and method for identifying passages in electronic documents
The methods proposed here deconstructs training sentences into a stream of features that represent both the sentences and tokens used by the text, their sequence and other ancillary features extracted using natural language processing. Then, we use a conditional random field where we represent the concept we are looking for as state A and the background (everything not concept A) as a state B. The model created by this training phase is then used to locate the concept as a sequence of sentences within a document. This has distinct advantages in accuracy and speed over methods that individually classify each sentence and then use a secondary method to group the classified sentences into passages. Furthermore while previous methods were based on searching for the occurrence of tokens only, the use of a wider set of features enables this method to locate relevant passages even though a different terminology is in use. |
| US09645987B2 |
Topic extraction and video association
A topic is extracted from a digital text document (102). A video is selected from a video source for the extracted topic (104). The selected video is associated with the extracted topic (106). |
| US09645986B2 |
Method, medium, and system for creating an electronic book with an umbrella policy
An electronic textbook system allows instructors to create custom coursebooks by integrating various materials from disparate sources. Instructors can arrange the materials, format them, provide tables of contents and indices. Payment mechanisms as well as policies for the components are integrated automatically so that the final book satisfies policy requirements for each of its component parts. |
| US09645985B2 |
Systems and methods for customizing text in media content
Various embodiments are disclosed for facilitating automatic media editing. Media content is obtained and semantic analysis is performed on text in at least a portion of the media content to obtain at least one semantic textual segment each corresponding to a text section of the media content, wherein the text section comprises at least one word in the text in the at least a portion of the media content. At least one context token corresponding to the at least one semantic textual segment is generated. The text section is visually accentuated according to the context token. |
| US09645984B2 |
Efficient delivery of content by virtualization of static interaction with the document object model
A method of updating a document object model (DOM) is disclosed. A message is received from a web browser requesting for information to update the DOM. A dummy response message is sent to the web browser, wherein the dummy response message does not include the information to update the DOM, and wherein the dummy response message causes the web browser to create a dummy node in the DOM. A request message is received from a client as part of a client-server protocol, wherein the request message requests at least a portion of the information to be sent to the client. A first response message is sent including at least a portion of the information to the client, wherein the first response message is processed by the client to determine a first update to the DOM, and wherein the first update is applied to the DOM. |
| US09645982B2 |
System and method for loading a web page
A method for loading a web page is provided. Primary executable script are asynchronously loaded. Commands associated with the primary executable script are pushed onto a first queue and processed by asynchronously loading secondary executable script if the command is a dependency command and pushing the dependency command onto a second queue; registering secondary executable script referenced in the command if the command is a fulfillment command, and pushing the command onto the second queue if the command is neither a dependency nor a fulfillment command. Commands in the second queue are processed by, if the command is a dependency command, determining if the secondary executable script referenced in the dependency command is registered, and associating the secondary executable script with an object if the secondary executable script is registered. If the command is not a dependency command, then the command is executed and removed from the second queue. |
| US09645971B2 |
Automated, targeted diagnostic probe using a vehicle telematics unit
A system and method for providing diagnostic assistance to a driver of a vehicle when calling a call center following a diagnostic warning being displayed on the vehicle instrument panel. Upon establishing the call, indicator data representative of the warning is automatically sent to the call center where it is used to select one or more diagnostic tests targeted to particular vehicle systems associated with the warning. The test is carried out at the vehicle and the resulting diagnostic data sent back to the call center. The call is then switched to an advisor at the call center and the received diagnostic data is used to aid the advisor in providing the diagnostic assistance to the driver. |
| US09645969B2 |
Information system for automotive, on-vehicle device and server device
An information system for automotive includes a plurality of on-vehicle devices each installed in a vehicle and a server device connected with the on-vehicle devices via a communication network. The plurality of on-vehicle devices each include an acceleration/deceleration change detection unit that detects an acceleration/deceleration change of the vehicle equipped with the on-vehicle device and a transmission unit that transmits acceleration/deceleration information pertaining to the detected acceleration/deceleration change. The server device includes a reception unit that receives the acceleration/deceleration information, a statistical parameter calculating unit that calculates statistical parameters to be used to estimate an extent of energy consumption or energy regeneration based upon the received acceleration/deceleration information, and an estimating unit for estimating the extent of energy consumption or energy regeneration based upon the calculated statistical parameters. |
| US09645966B2 |
Synchronizing handles for user accounts across multiple electronic devices
The disclosed embodiments provide a system that manages access to a user account from an electronic device. The system includes an identity service that provides a device token for the electronic device and a set of handles associated with the user account to the electronic device. Next, the identity service receives, from the electronic device, a handle registration containing one or more selected handles from the set of handles. Finally, the identity service transmits an identity certificate comprising an association between the selected handles and the electronic device to the electronic device, wherein the identity certificate and the association are used to route data associated with the selected handles to and from the electronic device. |
| US09645963B2 |
Systems and methods for concurrently testing master and slave devices in a system on a chip
An integrated circuit includes a substrate, a master system on the substrate, a slave system on the substrate that is coupled to communicate with the master system, a first clock signal coupled to the master system, and a second clock signal coupled to the slave system. The master system is configured to isolate the slave system from the master system while a first test of the master system is conducted in parallel with a second test of the slave system. The master system uses the first clock signal during the first test and the slave system uses the second clock signal during the second test. |
| US09645961B2 |
Virtual media apparatus of a server and access method thereof
A server system comprises base boards connected in series. Each base board is connected to virtual media apparatus. Each virtual media apparatus includes system-on-chips, a switch unit, a control unit and a programmable module. The switch unit couples with the system-on-chips through a serial bus. The control unit couples with the switch unit to transform a serial signal to an intranet signal. The programmable module couples with the switch unit and the control unit to receive a control signal generated by the control unit and generate a selecting signal according to the control signal. The selecting signal is transferred to the switch unit to select one of the system-on-chips to be connected to the control unit. |
| US09645957B2 |
Data processing device and data transfer control device
A data processing device includes: a processing block which is connected to a common bus and which processes a plurality of data, which is inputted simultaneously, in parallel; a memory which is consisted of address space which has a plurality of banks; and a common bus arbitration unit which arbitrates a request for access to the memory outputted from the processing block, and controls exchange of data via the common bus between the processing block whose access request has been accepted and the memory. The processing block includes a data transfer control device which changes an order of access to the bank of the memory corresponding to the respective data, unifies the respective data into an exchange data, and exchanges the exchange data with the memory when the processing block performs exchanging of the data to be processed in parallel with the memory via the common bus. |
| US09645952B2 |
USB device communication system and working mode switching method to prevent USB device from adopting power interruption when reconfiguring firmware programs
Provided are a USB device, a communication system and a method thereof for work mode switching, where the method for work mode switching of the USB device includes: a USB device is inserted into a host, wherein the USB device is configured with single disk device information and at least one type of work mode information; the single disk device information is sent to the host by the USB device, wherein the single disk device information includes installation information as per which the host installs a function management module; and a work mode is selected by the USB device according to a configuration instruction issued by the function management module of the host and configured as a current valid work mode. According to the present disclosure, the USB device, the communication system and the method thereof for work mode switching are capable of accomplishing work mode switching without reconfiguration of firmware programs requiring interruption of power supply, thereby reducing switching time of work modes. |
| US09645948B2 |
Access key generation for computer-readable memory
In one example, a method includes receiving, by a controller device from a master device operably connected to the controller device, a memory access request configured to request access to computer-readable memory of the controller device. The method further includes sampling, by the controller device, time-varying data received from a controlled device operably connected to the controller device, and generating, by the controller device in response to receiving the memory access request, an access key using the sampled time-varying data received from the controlled device. The method further includes transmitting, by the controller device, the generated access key to the master device, and enabling, by the controller device, access to the computer-readable memory of the controller device in response to data write commands received from the master device that include an access code based on the access key. |
| US09645947B2 |
Bundling file permissions for sharing files
When files or other objects are to be shared, a storage system creates a bundle object that identifies the objects to be shared, and the permissions associated with objects in that bundle object. Each object is marked as being associated with a bundle object. When the object is accessed, the storage system determines if the object is associated with a bundle object. The bundle object in turn is accessed to determine the permissions to be associated with that object for the entity accessing the object. Files and other objects can be shared without copying or moving them. Any collection of files or other objects, however selected or identified, can be shared through this mechanism. Using this mechanism, a user can select several files, and then share those files in one operation without copying or moving those files or creating a new folder for those files. |
| US09645945B2 |
Fill partitioning of a shared cache
Fill partitioning of a shared cache is described. In an embodiment, all threads running in a processor are able to access any data stored in the shared cache; however, in the event of a cache miss, a thread may be restricted such that it can only store data in a portion of the shared cache. The restrictions to storing data may be implemented for all cache miss events or for only a subset of those events. For example, the restrictions may be implemented only when the shared cache is full and/or only for particular threads. The restrictions may also be applied dynamically, for example, based on conditions associated with the cache. Different portions may be defined for different threads (e.g. in a multi-threaded processor) and these different portions may, for example, be separate and non-overlapping. Fill partitioning may be applied to any on-chip cache, for example, a L1 cache. |
| US09645941B2 |
Collapsed address translation with multiple page sizes
A computer system that supports virtualization may maintain multiple address spaces. Each guest operating system employs guest virtual addresses (GVAs), which are translated to guest physical addresses (GPAs). A hypervisor, which manages one or more guest operating systems, translates GPAs to root physical addresses (RPAs). A merged translation lookaside buffer (MTLB) caches translations between the multiple addressing domains, enabling faster address translation and memory access. The MTLB can be logically addressable as multiple different caches, and can be reconfigured to allot different spaces to each logical cache. Further, a collapsed TLB provides an additional cache storing collapsed translations derived from the MTLB. |
| US09645939B2 |
Hardware apparatuses and methods for distributed durable and atomic transactions in non-volatile memory
Hardware apparatuses and methods for distributed durable and atomic transactions in non-volatile memory are described. In one embodiment, a hardware apparatus includes a hardware processor, a plurality of hardware memory controllers for each of a plurality of non-volatile data storage devices, and a plurality of staging buffers with a staging buffer for each of the plurality of hardware memory controllers, wherein each of the plurality of hardware memory controllers are to: write data of a data set that is to be written to the plurality of non-volatile data storage devices to their staging buffer, send confirmation to the hardware processor that the data is written to their staging buffer, and write the data from their staging buffer to their non-volatile data storage device on receipt of a commit command. |
| US09645934B2 |
System-on-chip and address translation method thereof using a translation lookaside buffer and a prefetch buffer
A page descriptor can be stored in advance in a memory management unit under various conditions so that an address translation overhead can be reduced. The memory management unit comprises an address translation unit that receives a memory access request as a virtual address and translates the virtual address to a physical address. A translation lookaside buffer (TLB) stores page descriptors of a plurality of physical addresses, the address translation unit determining whether a page descriptor corresponding to a received virtual address is present in the translation lookaside buffer. A prefetch buffer stores page descriptors of the plurality of physical addresses. The address translation unit, in the event the page descriptor corresponding to the received virtual address is not present in the translation lookaside buffer, further determines whether the page descriptor corresponding to the received virtual address is present in the prefetch buffer; updates the translation lookaside buffer with the page descriptor corresponding to the received virtual address; and performs a translation of the virtual address to a physical address using the page descriptor corresponding to the received virtual address. The prefetch buffer may include sub-prefetch buffers, and may be updated based on access direction information. |
| US09645929B2 |
Speculative permission acquisition for shared memory
In a processor, a method for speculative permission acquisition for access to a shared memory. The method includes receiving a store from a processor core to modify a shared cache line, and in response to receiving the store, marking the cache line as speculative. The cache line is then modified in accordance with the store. Upon receiving a modification permission, the modified cache line is subsequently committed. |
| US09645927B2 |
Reduction of evictions in cache memory management directories
A module of cache coherence management by directory, in which each datum stored in cache memory is associated with a state, at least one of which indicates data sharing among a plurality of processors, the module including a storage unit to store a directory containing a list of cache memory addresses, each address possibly associated with a state corresponding to the state of the datum available at this address, and a processing unit configured to update said list, said processing unit being configured so as not to list the address lines related to data associated with the first state. |
| US09645924B2 |
Garbage collection scaling
A computer processor determines an over-provisioning ratio and a host write pattern. The computer processor determines a write amplification target based on the host write pattern and the over-provisioning ratio. The computer processor determines a staleness threshold, wherein the staleness threshold corresponds to a ratio of valid pages of a block to total pages of the block. The computer processor erases a first block having a staleness which exceeds the staleness threshold. |
| US09645922B2 |
Garbage collection in SSD drives
A storage device, such as a NAND flash device, includes a controller that maintains a temperature for a plurality of data blocks, the temperature calculated according to a function that increases with a number of valid data objects in the block and recency with which the valid data objects have been accessed. Blocks with the lowest temperature are selected for garbage collection. Recency for a block is determined based on a number of valid data objects stored in the block that are referenced in a hot list of a LRU list. During garbage collection, data objects that are least recently used are invalidated to reduce write amplification. |
| US09645921B2 |
Start-up method for USB flash disk with synchronous flash memory and control system
A start-up method for USB disk with synchronous flash memory includes steps of: (a) writing test data into a data cache zone of a flash memory according to an initiate read write clock of a flash memory controller; (b) reading the test data to a memory zone of a USB controller; (c) comparing the test data in two memory zones, and recording a comparison result and a phase parameter of read write clock; (d) delaying the initiate read write clock for one-unit delay, and repeating steps (a)˜(d); (e) if the comparison result changes from success to failure, stopping repeat the step (d); (f) selecting the phase parameter of the read write clock that corresponds to one of the comparison results in an interval with multiple continuous successful comparison results to determine a clock phase for accessing the flash memory, and then starting up the USB flash disk. The method is quick and stable. |
| US09645918B2 |
Storage devices including non-volatile memory and memory controller and methods of allocating write memory blocks
Storage devices including a flash memory and a memory controller, and write memory block allocating methods of the storage devices are provided. A write memory block allocating method may include storing a pre-allocation table in a Random Access Memory (RAM) of a memory controller. The pre-allocation table may include allocation order information of a pre-allocated memory block included in a flash memory. The method may also include receiving a write request from a host, determining whether a write memory block for the write request can be allocated according to the pre-allocation table and allocating the pre-allocated memory block as the write memory block according to the pre-allocation table when the write memory block can be allocated according to the pre-allocation table. |
| US09645917B2 |
Specializing I/O access patterns for flash storage
Systems and methods for efficiently using solid-state devices are provided. Some embodiments provide for a data processing system that uses a non-volatile solid-state device as a circular log, with the goal of aligning data access patterns to the underlying, hidden device implementation, in order to maximize performance. In addition, metadata can be interspersed with data in order to align data access patterns to the underlying device implementation. Multiple input/output (I/O) buffers can also be used to pipeline insertions of metadata and data into a linear log. The observed queuing behavior of the multiple I/O buffers can be used to determine when the utilization of the storage device is approaching saturation (e.g., in order to predict excessively-long response times). Then, the I/O load on the storage device may be shed when utilization approaches saturation. As a result, the overall response time of the system is improved. |
| US09645911B2 |
System and method for debugging firmware/software by generating trace data
A method for debugging firmware/software by generating trace data includes the following steps: running a debug module in a power-on stage in a test system, to record a load address and a branch instruction execution record set of a tested module into an area for temporary storage; accessing, by an analyzer, in an operating system stage in the area for temporary storage, the load address and the branch instruction execution record set and accessing a program debug symbol table, where the program debug symbol table is generated when source program code is compiled; and finding, by the analyzer, an original source file, a function name, and line numbers of executed codes from the program debug symbol table according to the load address and the branch instruction execution record set to generate an analysis report that includes a program execution path and a program code coverage. |
| US09645906B2 |
Electronic apparatus detecting a plurality of devices using a plurality of processors and method of detecting a plurality of devices using a plurality of processors
An apparatus includes a memory, a first processor, and a second processor, wherein the first processor is configured to retain first order data that indicate a first order of the plurality of devices, generate second order data that indicate a second order which is a portion of a first order, and decrease power consumption of the first processor after generate the second order data, the memory is configured to retain the second order data, the second processor is configured to detect a plurality of devices, determine whether or not a detection order of the plurality of devices corresponds with the second order, and output a correspondence signal in a case where the detection order corresponds with the second order, and the first processor is configured to increase the power consumption of the first processor based on the correspondence signal. |
| US09645904B2 |
Dynamic cache row fail accumulation due to catastrophic failure
A technique is provided for accumulating failures. A failure of a first row is detected in a group of array macros, the first row having first row address values. A mask has mask bits corresponding to each of the first row address values. The mask bits are initially in active status. A failure of a second row, having second row address values, is detected. When none of the first row address values matches the second row address values, and when mask bits are all in the active status, the array macros are determined to be bad. When at least one of the first row address values matches the second row address values, mask bits that correspond to at least one of the first row address values that match are kept in active status, and mask bits that correspond to non-matching first address values are set to inactive status. |
| US09645901B2 |
Accelerating application write while maintaining high availability in shared storage clusters
An embodiment of the invention provides a method comprising: performing an application write; storing the application write in a local cache; performing a system call to request an underlying storage system to persist any application writes that are not yet persisted; and in response to the system call, copying the application write in the cache to a shared permanent storage. In another embodiment of the invention, an apparatus comprises: an application configured to perform an application write; a cache software configured to store the application write in a local cache; wherein the application is configured to perform a system call to request an underlying storage system to persist any application writes that are not yet persisted; and in response to the system call, the cache software is configured to copy the application write in the cache to a shared permanent storage. |
| US09645900B2 |
Warm standby appliance
A warm standby appliance is described herein. The warm standby appliance is coupled to a storage server which is coupled to one or more servers. When a server fails, the storage server transfers a backed up image to the warm standby appliance, so that the warm standby appliance is able to replicate the failed server. While the failed server is inaccessible, the warm standby appliance is able to mimic the functionality of the failed server. When a new server or repaired server is available, the warm standby appliance is no longer needed. To incorporate the new server into the system quickly and easily, the server image of the warm standby appliance is sent to the new server. After transferring the image, the warm standby appliance is cleaned and returns back to a dormant state, waiting to be utilized again. |
| US09645897B2 |
Using duplicated data to enhance data security in RAID environments
A method for processing a data object access request in a storage system having storage devices can include receiving an access request for accessing a first data object, the request being received by a controller that stores at least two consecutive data objects received by the storage system in different storage devices. The method may then include detecting that the first data object is corrupted, and determining, in response to the detecting, that a second data object has identical data as the first data object. Determining that the second data object has identical information as the first data object can include determining that a first metadata tag corresponding with the first data object and a second metadata tag corresponding with the second data object are identical. The second data object can then be provided in a response to the access request. |
| US09645895B2 |
Data storage device and flash memory control method
A data storage device with flash memory and a flash memory control method are disclosed, in which the flash memory includes multi-level cells (MLCs) and single-level cells (SLCs). A microcontroller is configured to establish a first physical-to-logical address mapping table (F2H table) in a random access memory (RAM) for a first run-time write block containing MLCs. The microcontroller is further configured to establish a second F2H table in the RAM for a second run-time write block containing SLCs. When data that was previously stored in the first run-time write block with un-uploaded mapping information in the first F2H table is updated into the second run-time write block, the microcontroller is configured to update a logical-to-physical address mapping table (H2F table) in accordance with the first F2H table. The H2F table is provided within the flash memory. |
| US09645893B1 |
Method and system for file recovery using enhanced backup database indexing
A method and system for implementing enhanced indexing in a backup system as well as manage file recovery. The method implemented at a backup server receives a filename from a client to be retrieved from a backup system and queries the filename on a directory records database. As a query return, a directory record is received including a savetime identifying a backup instance and an inode of a directory for the filename of the requested file. The process then queries the inode on a node records database and receives at least one node record where the node record has the inode of the directory record as a parent. |
| US09645890B2 |
Methods, systems, and physical computer storage media for backing up a database
A method is now provided that improve backing up data sets. Each database transaction is registered to a central repository prior to starting the database transaction, each database transaction comprising a plurality of writes to be executed for a database application on a database, and quiescing all database transactions registered to the central repository to thereby wait for all ongoing writes of the database transactions registered to the central repository to complete and to release control of the database to the database application. |
| US09645888B1 |
Caching of backup chunks
Contents of a plurality of backups that share a common characteristic are profiled. A portion of the plurality of backups is selected as a base backup reference data to be distributed. A first copy of the base backup reference data is stored at a storage of a backup server. A second copy of the base backup reference data is provided for storage at a storage of a client that shares the common characteristic. The client is located remotely from the backup server. |
| US09645886B2 |
Digital error correction
Error-correcting circuit includes: component generating a first output from first and second inputs; error detector generating an error flag indicative of whether or not an error is detected in the first output, based on the first output, and the first and second inputs; correction generator generating a correcting output after a first time period beginning with a timing event, based on the first output, and the first and second inputs; and output generator generating an output after a second time period beginning with the timing event. If the error flag indicates a detected error then the second time period may be longer than the first time period, otherwise it may be not longer, and the error-correcting circuit output may include a combination of the first output and the correcting output whereby the detected error is corrected, otherwise the error-correcting circuit output may correspond directly to the first output. |
| US09645880B2 |
Supportability framework for mobile software applications
A system and a method for providing software supportability involve a server receiving a first electronic record from a client application on a mobile computing device. The first electronic record describes activity that occurred at the mobile computing device during a request sent from the client application to the server. The server creates a second electronic record that describes activity that occurred at the server while processing the request. The first electronic record and the second electronic record are stored in association with each other and can be analyzed to determine issues with performance or security. A diagnostic application, based on the stored first electronic record and the second electronic record, identifies at least one faulty component at the server or the mobile computing device to correct the identified at least one faulty component. |
| US09645877B2 |
Monitoring apparatus, monitoring method, and recording medium
Monitoring apparatus is configured to execute: obtaining pieces of information about access in a first time slot by specifying the first time slot including access to a first apparatus in the system where a response time is long; selecting a feature common to the access in the first time slot from the pieces of information about the access in the first time slot that have been obtained; first extracting from pieces of information about access in a given period of time, pieces of information about access that has the common feature selected as a feature common to the access in the first time slot; and first generating a first graph which shows changes with time in response time, based on the pieces of information about the access having the feature common to the access in the first time slot that have been extracted. |
| US09645875B2 |
Intelligent inter-process communication latency surveillance and prognostics
The disclosed embodiments provide a system that analyzes telemetry data from a computer system. During operation, the system obtains the telemetry data, which includes first information containing telemetric signals gathered using sensors in the computer system and second information that indicates one or more transaction latencies of software running on the computer system. Upon detecting an upward trend in the one or more transaction latencies, the system analyzes the telemetry data for a correlation between the one or more transaction latencies and one or more environmental factors represented by a subset of the telemetric signals. Upon identifying the correlation between the one or more transaction latencies and an environmental factor, the system stores an indication that the environmental factor may be contributing to the upward trend in the one or more transaction latencies. |
| US09645874B2 |
Analyzing OpenManage integration for troubleshooting log to determine root cause
A system, method, and computer-readable medium for enhancing troubleshoot log analysis. More specifically, in certain embodiments, a management suite error log analysis system enables users, including engineers and technical support personnel to quickly and effectively determine a root cause of an error and to suggest possible solutions to the error. |
| US09645863B2 |
Image forming device, information processing method, and information processing program
In an image forming device which is capable of executing an application program, a plurality of interface providing units are arranged each providing the application program with an interface which enables the application program to use a function of the image forming device. A selecting unit selects at least one of the plurality of interface providing units as an object of use for the application program based on a result of comparison of information stored in a storage device and indicating an execution environment of each of the plurality of interface providing units with information stored in the storage device and indicating an execution environment of the image forming device. |
| US09645862B2 |
Computing consumption of application programming interfaces
Various embodiments of systems and methods for computing consumption of application programming interfaces (APIs) are described herein. Initially at an integration agent, a subscription request is received from an API management system for subscribing to an API product. Next at the integration agent, a consumption policy associated with the subscribed API product is determined, from a plurality of consumption policies received from the API management system, wherein the consumption policy includes a plurality of pre-defined policies mapped with a plurality of API consumption plans. Next at the integration agent, an API consumption plan associated with the determined consumption policy, from the plurality of API consumption plans stored in an API consumption plan store is identified. Finally at the integration agent, a consumption data for the subscribed plurality of API product is computed based on the identified API consumption plan. |
| US09645858B2 |
Single, logical, multi-tier application blueprint used for deployment and management of multiple physical applications in a cloud infrastructure
A deployment system enables a developer to define a logical, multi-tier application blueprint that can be used to create and manage (e.g., redeploy, upgrade, backup, patch) multiple applications in a cloud infrastructure. In the application blueprint, the developer models an overall application architecture, or topology, that includes individual and clustered nodes (e.g., VMs), logical templates, cloud providers, deployment environments, software services, application-specific code, properties, and dependencies between top-tier and second-tier components. The application can be deployed according to the application blueprint, which means any needed VMs are provisioned from the cloud infrastructure, and application components and software services are installed. |
| US09645857B2 |
Resource fault management for partitions
In accordance with at least some embodiments, a system includes a plurality of partitions, each partition having its own operating system (OS) and workload. The system also includes a plurality of resources assignable to the plurality of partitions. The system also includes management logic coupled to the plurality of partitions and the plurality of resources. The management logic is configured to set priority rules for each of the plurality of partitions based on user input. The management logic performs automated resource fault management for the resources assigned to the plurality of partitions based on the priority rules. |
| US09645855B2 |
Job scheduling optimization based on ratio of stall to active cycles
An apparatus and a job scheduling method are provided. For example, the apparatus is a multi-core processing apparatus. The apparatus and method minimize performance degradation of a core caused by sharing resources by dynamically managing a maximum number of jobs assigned to each core of the apparatus. The apparatus includes at least one core including an active cycle counting unit configured to store a number of active cycles and a stall cycle counting unit configured to store a number of stall cycles and a job scheduler configured to assign at least one job to each of the at least one core, based on the number of active cycles and the number of stall cycles. When the ratio of the number of stall cycles to a number of active cycles for a core is too great, the job scheduler assigns fewer jobs to that core to improve performance. |
| US09645854B2 |
Dynamic work partitioning on heterogeneous processing devices
A method, system and article of manufacture for balancing a workload on heterogeneous processing devices. The method comprising accessing a memory storage of a processor of one type by a dequeuing entity associated with a processor of a different type, identifying a task from a plurality of tasks within the memory that can be processed by the processor of the different type, synchronizing a plurality of dequeuing entities capable of accessing the memory storage, and dequeuing the task form the memory storage. |
| US09645852B2 |
Managing a workload in an environment
A system and computer-implemented method for managing a workload in an environment is disclosed. The method may include establishing a shadow workload on a shadow computer environment, wherein the shadow workload is a copy of an original workload. The method may include communicating a shadow input for the shadow workload, wherein the shadow input is a copy of an original input for the original workload. The method may also include collecting an original output from the original workload and a shadow output from the shadow workload. The method may also include determining, by comparing the original output from the original workload with the shadow output from the shadow workload, whether the shadow computer environment is configured to operate the original workload. |
| US09645850B2 |
Task time allocation method allowing deterministic error recovery in real time
A method for executing tasks of a real-time application on a multitasking computer, steps including: defining time-windows, each associated with the execution of processing operation of task of the application, allocating to each processing operation having time-window, time-quota and time-margin, time allocated to processing operation by time-quota and time-margin being shorter than duration of time-window of processing operation, during the execution of application, activating each processing operation at the start of time-window with which it is associated, on expiry of time-quota of one of processing operations, activating an error mode if the execution of processing operation has not been completed and, if error mode is active for one of processing operations, executing an error handling operation for processing operation, during remaining time allocated to processing operation by time-quota and time-margin. |
| US09645847B1 |
Efficient suspend and resume of instances
A virtual machine is suspended as a result of receiving a request for suspending a plurality of virtual machines, and, for each virtual machine of the plurality, obtaining a first snapshot of an exemplary virtual machine, obtaining a second snapshot of the virtual machine, determining a set of changes based on the second snapshot and the first snapshot, storing the set of changes in persistent storage in association with the virtual machine, and terminating the virtual machine. The system and method further including receiving a request for restoring the plurality of virtual machines to corresponding previous states, and, for each virtual machine of the plurality, obtaining the first snapshot of the exemplary virtual machine, obtaining the second snapshot of the virtual machine, and restoring the virtual machine to a previous state based on the second snapshot. |
| US09645846B1 |
Security patch update processor
A method, system, and program product are provided for updating software deployed on computers in an enterprise computer network wherein each computer has a software update agent installed to enable the computer to receive software patch updates. The method includes determining a required software component and updates; determining a version of the agent and updating the agent if required; selecting a server from which required updates are to be downloaded; scanning a plurality of software components on a selected computer and comparing the components with updates available on the server to determine required updates; downloading the required patches from the server; and installing the patches on the selected computer. The system includes components that perform the method steps when operated on a computer in the network. A computer readable medium implements the method for updating software deployed on computers in a network. |
| US09645839B2 |
Stateful applications operating in a stateless cloud computing environment
A cloud computing environment may use a virtualization layer within a stateless cloud computing process to capture, store, and retrieve state information generated by a stateful application executing within the process. The virtualization layer may monitor various state storage systems to identify changes to stateful items and store the stateful items in a state storage mechanism. The virtualization layer may intercept and redirect calls to the stateful items stored in the state storage mechanism. A cloud computing manager may start and stop the stateless cloud computing process, and may recover the state and resume executing the application. |
| US09645837B2 |
Methods for compilation, a compiler and a system
A method in a Just-In-Time, JIT, compiler for compiling code in a JIT-compiler for a heterogeneous multiprocessor system is provided. The method comprises compiling a snippet of input code, whereby one or more compiled code snippets are generated for the snippet of input code. The one or more compiled code snippets are tagged with one or more snippet specific characteristics. One or more compiled code snippets are selected from the compiled code snippets, based on said snippet specific characteristics. The one or more selected compiled code snippets are executed on one or more of the plurality of processors. While executing, run-time data is gathered, where the gathered data is tagged for which processor in the heterogeneous multiprocessor system it is related to. |
| US09645834B2 |
Methods for remote configuration of software applications
Methods for remotely configuring application software on a user device are described. The application software defines at least one operating parameter having a set of pre-defined values which change the way the application interacts with the operating system. The operating parameter can be configured remotely and pushed to the user device where it is enforced by the application. Methods for providing information of the operating parameter to a remote device and for updating the configuration of an application are also described. |
| US09645832B2 |
Dynamic configuration of a home multiprocessor system
A multiprocessor system used in home environment includes multiple processors that run different real-time applications. A dynamic configuration system runs on the multiple processors and includes a device manager, configuration manager, and data manager. The device manager automatically detects and adds new devices to the multiprocessor system, and the configuration manager automatically reconfigures the real-time applications. The data manager identifies the type of data generated by the new devices and identifies which devices in the multiprocessor system are able to process the data. |
| US09645830B2 |
On-chip circuitry for configuring peripherals of a system on a chip
A configuration arrangement includes a first interface configured to receive configuration information from a master configuration function and a second interface configured to provide at least one output to one or more entities to be configured. Configuration circuitry operates responsive to the configuration information to provide the at least one output, wherein that output controls the configuration of the one or more entities. |
| US09645823B2 |
Hardware controller to choose selected hardware entity and to execute instructions in relation to selected hardware entity
A hardware controller includes a first hardware interface, a second hardware interface, first hardware logic, and second hardware logic. The first hardware interface is to couple the hardware controller to hardware entities of a hardware device in which the hardware controller is to be included. The second hardware interface is to couple the hardware controller to a memory to receive instructions. The first hardware logic is to choose a selected hardware entity from the hardware entities. The second hardware logic is to execute the instructions in relation to the selected hardware entity. |
| US09645821B2 |
Instruction and logic for processing text strings
A processor includes a decoder logic to decode a compare instruction, and an execution unit to execute the compare instruction. The compare instruction is to cause the processor to compare integer data elements of a first 64-bit SIMD integer operand with integer data elements of a second 64-bit SIMD integer operand. The integer data elements of the first 64-bit SIMD integer operand to be compared with the integer data elements of the second 64-bit SIMD integer operand are to be in same data element positions. The compare instruction is also to cause the processor to store a plurality of indicators of whether the compared integer data elements of the first and second 64-bit SIMD integer operands are equal. The plurality of indicators are expanded data elements, each of a first multi-bit size. |
| US09645820B2 |
Apparatus and method to reserve and permute bits in a mask register
An apparatus and method are described for performing a bit reversal and permutation on mask values. For example, a processor is described to execute an instruction to perform the operations of: reading a plurality of mask bits stored in a source mask register, the mask bits associated with vector data elements of a vector register; and performing a bit reversal operation to copy each mask bit from a source mask register to a destination mask register, wherein the bit reversal operation causes bits from the source mask register to be reversed within the destination mask register resulting in a symmetric, mirror image of the original bit arrangement. |
| US09645815B2 |
Dynamically recommending changes to an association between an operating system image and an update group
Dynamically recommending changes to an association between an operating system image and an update group includes monitoring a configuration of a deployed copy of a first master operating system (OS) image; detecting a modification in the configuration of the deployed copy; determining that the configuration of the deployed copy with the modification more closely matches a configuration of a second master OS image than a configuration of the first master OS image; in response to determining that the configuration of the deployed copy with the modification more closely matches the configuration of the second master OS image, generating an association recommendation that recommends associating the deployed copy with a second update group of the second master OS image; and associating the deployed copy with the second update group of the second master OS image instead of the first update group of the first master OS image. |
| US09645813B2 |
Method of consolidating, synchronizing, and streaming production content for distributed editing of media compositions
A synchronized media project, synchronization SDK, and synchronization service enable multiple users to produce a media composition collaboratively. A media project includes composition assets that reference media assets. A synchronization SDK enables multiple applications to edit the media project independent of an internal organization of the project. A project synchronization service synchronizes copies of media projects located on clients with a server-based versioned master project. User-selectable project synchronization modes determine whether media project assets are stored on clients, on the server, or on both, and when media assets are transferred. Synchronized media projects include composition assets in proprietary formats and in interoperable formats. Interoperable composition assets are rendered from proprietary composition assets on a track-by-track basis. |
| US09645800B2 |
System and method for facilitating static analysis of software applications
In system for enabling static vulnerability analysis of a software/web application that includes an indirectly modeled language portion and a directly modeled language portion, an indirectly modeled language information extractor select nodes of certain types from a syntax tree corresponding to the indirectly modeled language source code. Generally, the types of nodes that are selected are relevant to taint propagation. For one or more of the selected nodes, one or more statements corresponding to one or more of a type of the node, an input to the node, and an object associated with the node are generated. A static analyzer configured for a directly modeled language may perform vulnerability analysis of the software/web application using the generated statements. |
| US09645799B2 |
Method and system for model driven development
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method for providing a technical solution for model driven development. Program code is analyzed to determine the execution sequence of states of the program code. The program code is generated by performing a first transformation to a model. The model includes an abstract description of a business implemented by the program code. At least part of the statement of the program code is grouped into functional blocks. A visual representation of the program code is created. The visual representation is based on the execution sequence and the functional blocks. A code snipped is determined to be preserved in the program code based on a user's annotation of the visual representation. The code snippety is to be preserved in new program code generated by performing a second transformation to the model. The second transformation is executed after the first transformation. |
| US09645793B2 |
Random permutation generator and method for generating a random permutation sequence
According to one embodiment, a permutation generator is described comprising a memory configured to store, for each number of a predetermined set of numbers, whether the number has already been included in a number sequence; a receiver configured to receive a random number; a determiner configured to select a number from those numbers of the set of numbers that have not yet been included in the number sequence as next element of the number sequence based on the random number and an output configured to output the selected number as the next element of the number sequence. |
| US09645790B2 |
Adder decoder
The present disclosure relates to an add and decode hardware logic circuit for adding two n bit inputs, A and B. A series of n logic stages are each configured to perform a first operation of propagating a result of a preceding stage on the condition that the sum of A[m] and B[m] is equal to 0, wherein 0<=m |
| US09645789B1 |
Secure messaging
Approaches are described for securely sending, receiving, or otherwise processing communications between electronic devices. A communication can be received at a computing device (such as a mobile phone). The communication can include information captured about a person initiating the communication such as an image of the user, voice data of the user, typing pattern information of the user, or any other information that can be used to identify the user generating the communication. The information can be compared against profile data (e.g., contact information such as a phone number or name of the sender) associated with or otherwise stored for an indicated sender of the communication to generate a confidence value, where the confidence value can be used to indicate that the person initiating the communication is the indicated sender. |
| US09645787B1 |
Tag-based electronic media playlist processing
In some embodiments, techniques for processing a playlist may include associating a first tag with the playlist, a first digital media element, and a second digital media element; creating a playlist expansion for the playlist, including determining a plurality of tags associated with the playlist including the first tag and a second tag, adding digital media elements associated with the second tag to the playlist expansion, determining digital media elements associated with the first tag, including the first digital media element and the second digital media element, determining that the first digital media element, but not the second digital media element, is already in the playlist expansion, and adding the second digital media element, but not the first digital media element, to the playlist expansion; selecting either the first digital media element or the second digital media element; and processing the selected digital media element. |
| US09645785B1 |
Heads-up displays for augmented reality network in a medical environment
A system for providing networked communications includes a plurality of head-mountable devices, each in communication with a control system via a communication network. Each of the plurality of head-mountable devices includes a display, and may also include an image-capture device and/or a microphone. The control system receives, via the communication network, surgical data of a patient obtained from at least one source of surgical data. Wearers of the head-mountable devices may select aspects of the surgical data and the control system causes those selected aspects to be displayed on the respective wearable device. The control system may also generate alerts and cause the alerts to be displayed on the wearable devices. An alert may include a notification that additional surgical data is available for access by the wearer of the head-mountable device. |
| US09645781B2 |
Information processing device, information processing method, and recording medium
An information processing device includes: an image output unit which outputs a screen displayed on a display unit to an image display device; a display control unit which displays a first screen including a user interface screen at least in a part of the screen; a detection unit which detects that the user interface screen is switched from a first state that does not include predetermined information to a second state that includes the information; and an output control unit which outputs a second screen that does not include the user interface screen, instead of the first screen displayed by the display control unit, to the image output unit, if it is detected that the user interface screen is switched from the first state to the second state. |
| US09645780B2 |
Data storage apparatus and data storage method
A data storage apparatus includes a memory for data storage. The data storage apparatus further includes a data storing section, an access detecting section, and a data deleting section. The data storing section attaches storage-purpose information to data when storing the data in the memory. The storage-purpose information is setting information indicating a purpose for which the image data is stored. The access detecting section attaches access information to the data stored in the memory upon the data being accessed when the data is used. The access information is setting information indicating a purpose for which the image data is used. The data deleting section deletes the data from the memory at a specific timing when the storage-purpose information and the access information attached to the data match. |
| US09645779B2 |
Job processing apparatus, information displaying apparatus, information processing system, job item displaying method, and program
A job processing apparatus for displaying job items. The apparatus includes a display unit that displays a collection of the job items as many as a specific number of the job items being obtained from each of at least one information storage device in response to a request, the request indicating both the specific number and a first condition specifying which of the job items are to be obtained; and a job item request unit that responds to a user operation by sending to the at least one information storage device a request indicating both the specific number and a second condition specifying which of the job items are to be obtained, thereby obtaining from the at least one information storage device the specific number of job items that are different from the specific number of original job items, wherein the second condition is different from the first condition. |
| US09645773B2 |
Peripheral device control system, printing device, peripheral device control method, and program for providing information regarding an amount of color material
An application in an image processing apparatus presents information about ink installed in a peripheral device, such as the shape, color, size, arrangement direction, and a remaining ink level of an ink tank, in a visually realistic manner using accurate graphics. The image processing apparatus acquires ink information about, in particular, a remaining ink level, arrangement direction, and the order of the arrangement of the ink tank, and displays the information about the peripheral device in a user interface of the application using the acquired ink information. |
| US09645771B2 |
Information processing apparatus, non-transitory computer readable medium, and mobile apparatus control system for instructing a mobile image forming apparatus to move to a source of a print request and perform printing
An information processing apparatus includes a receiving unit that receives a print request with respect to a mobile image forming apparatus, and an instructing unit that instructs the mobile image forming apparatus to move to a request source of the print request and perform printing if the instructing unit determines that the request source is in motion, on the basis of a temporal change of location information indicating a location of the request source. |
| US09645769B2 |
Performance acceleration during shutdown of a data storage device
A storage device may include a non-volatile memory; and a controller. The controller may be configured to: operate the data storage device in a standard mode by at least throttling performance, and, responsive to detecting a power loss condition, operate the data storage device in a shutdown mode by at least disabling the throttling. |
| US09645763B2 |
Framework for balancing robustness and latency during collection of statistics from soft reads
An apparatus includes a plurality of memory devices and a controller. The controller is coupled to the plurality of memory devices and configured to store data in the plurality of memory devices using units of super-blocks. Each super-block comprises a block from each of the plurality of memory devices and the controller balances time efficiency and robustness during collection of statistics from soft reads of each super-block. |
| US09645760B2 |
Storage system and control method thereof
According to one embodiment, a storage system includes a plurality of memory units including a nonvolatile memory and a control unit which controls the nonvolatile memory, a routing unit which controls transfer of a packet between the memory units. The routing unit uses a partial address described in the packet and not the full address. |
| US09645758B2 |
Apparatus, system, and method for indexing data of an append-only, log-based structure
Apparatuses, systems, and methods are disclosed for indexing data of an append-only, log-based structure. A storage controller writes a plurality of data packets to a storage medium by sequentially appending the data packets to a log-based structure of the storage medium. The data packets may be associated with different logical identifiers belonging to a logical address space that is independent of physical storage locations on the storage medium. An indexing module writes an index segment associated with the plurality of data packets to the log-based structure. The index segment may include index entries for determining the logical identifiers of the data packets. The indexing module records, on the storage medium, information indicating where the index segment is written on the storage medium. |
| US09645757B2 |
Computer memory data security
A memory module determines that the memory module is connected to a memory module connector. The memory module receives the connector ID from the connector and communicates, to the connector, a memory module ID associated with the memory module. A connector-module ID token is generated using the connector ID and the memory module ID. It is determined that the connector-module ID token was not received from the connector within a predetermined time window. Data on the memory module is erased in response to not receiving the connector-module ID. |
| US09645754B2 |
Data duplication that mitigates storage requirements
In a data protection field, a method for storing data in a data deduplication system, comprising: obtaining data chunks achieved from data deduplication; assigning the data chunks to at least one group; recording grouping information of the data chunks; with respect to each group, calculating parity data chunks based on data chunks in the group, where the parity data chunks are used for, in response to a data chunk in the group being damaged, causing the damaged data chunk to be recovered on the basis of other data chunks in the group and parity data chunks of the group; and storing the calculated parity data chunks. Also provided is an apparatus for storing data and a data deduplication system. The technical solution provided herein facilitates occupying as little physical storage space as possible while reducing the risk of the spread of data loss caused by the data deduplication technology. |
| US09645749B2 |
Method and system for recharacterizing the storage density of a memory device or a portion thereof
A storage system includes a memory controller and a storage device with one or more memory devices, each with a plurality of memory portions. The memory controller determines an initial storage capacity for each of the one or more memory devices, where the one or more memory devices are configured in a first storage density. The memory controller detects a trigger condition as to at least one memory portion of a respective device of the one or more memory devices and, in response to detecting the trigger condition, recharacterizes the at least one memory portion of the respective memory device so as to be configured in a second storage density, where the at least one recharacterized memory portion of the respective memory device has a reduced storage capacity. After the recharacterizing, the memory controller determines a revised storage capacity for the respective memory device. |
| US09645742B2 |
Storage module and host device for storage module defragmentation
A storage module and host device for storage module defragmentation are disclosed. In one embodiment, a host controller sends a storage module a first set of logical block addresses of a file stored in the storage module. The host controller receives a metric from the storage module indicative of a fragmentation level of the file in physical blocks of memory in the storage module. If the metric is greater than a threshold, the host controller reads the file and then writes it back to the storage module using a different set of logical block addresses. To avoid sending the file back and forth, in another embodiment, the host controller sends the fragmentation threshold and the different set of logical block addresses to the storage module. The storage module then moves the file itself if the metric indicative of the fragmentation level is greater than the threshold. Other embodiments are provided. |
| US09645740B2 |
Self-detecting storage bottleneck while handling sequential I/O operations
Delay commands are injected into sequential input/output (I/O) requests and the effects of the injected delay commands are measured for determining whether a storage system handling the sequential input/output (IO) requests is causing a bottleneck, while the processing of sequential I/O requests is delayed for a time period when injecting the delay command. |
| US09645738B2 |
Direct memory access of remote data
An apparatus and associated methodology providing a data storage system operably transferring data between a storage space and a remote device via a network. The data storage system includes a first storage controller having top-level control of a first data storage device and a second storage controller having top-level control of a second data storage device that is different than the first data storage device, the first and second data storage devices forming portions of the storage space. Data pathway logic resides in the first storage controller that performs a direct memory access (DMA) transfer to the second data storage device at a DMA data transfer rate in response to the first storage controller receiving, from the external device via the network, an access request for the second data storage device. |
| US09645737B2 |
Information processing apparatus, control device, and control method
An information processing apparatus includes a monitoring unit that monitors a reception of a power-on instruction from a second control device among the plurality of control devices, and a prevention unit that prevents an issue of the power-on instruction to the second control device when the monitoring unit detects the power-on instruction from the second control device. Therefore, the control device can prevent the occurrence of unintended power-on operations. |
| US09645736B2 |
Processing time series data from multiple sensors
Processing time sequence data for multiple sensors, wherein the multiple sensors are divided into multiple sensor groups and each data comprises a time stamp and a value associated with the timestamp. The method comprises: receiving time series data from each sensor; assigning the time series data received to a sensor group to which the sensor belongs; storing time series data in a first database of a first memory, such that multiple time series data assigned to the same sensor group in the multiple sensor groups are stored in at least one database record of the first database; obtaining the time series data of each sensor among the multiple sensors from the first database; storing time series data in a second database of a second memory, such that the multiple time series data from the same sensor are stored in at least one database record of the second database. |
| US09645732B2 |
Devices, methods, and graphical user interfaces for displaying and using menus
An electronic device: displays, on a display, a user interface that includes one or more user interface elements; and detects a press input by a contact on a touch-sensitive surface at a location that corresponds to a respective user interface element. In response to detecting the press input, the device: if the respective user interface meets first action criteria including a criterion that the respective user interface element is associated with a single option associated with the press input, initiates performance of an action corresponding to the single option; and, if the respective user interface element meets second action criteria including a criterion that the respective user interface element is associated with a first number of options associated with the press input, where the first number is greater than one, displays a first menu overlaid on the user interface with a first set of selectable options. |
| US09645731B2 |
Unlocking method and device using same
An unlocking method for use in a terminal having a touch screen, includes: detecting a touch signal corresponding to a touch movement on the screen in a moving direction; and triggering the terminal to enter into an unlocked state, if the moving direction is the same as a preset reference direction and a number of loops of the touch movement corresponding to the touch signal is the same as a preset reference number of loops, wherein the preset reference direction is one of a clockwise direction or an anticlockwise direction. |
| US09645729B2 |
Precise object selection in touch sensing systems
A method for operating a user interface on a system in which objects are displayed on a touch sensitive display screen. A touch coordinate is received from the touch sensitive display screen indicative of a touch location on the display screen. A search area surrounding the touch coordinate is searched for an object. The search area has an initial minimum size. If an object is found within the initial minimum search area it is identified. If no object is found, then the size of the search area is incrementally increased and searched until a final maximum size is reached. If no object is found, then the search is terminated. |
| US09645723B2 |
Row and column navigation
Concepts and technologies are described herein for row and column navigation. In accordance with the concepts and technologies disclosed herein, a user device executes an application program configured to present data in a user interface (“UI”). The user device can execute a navigation controller to detect touch events at the user device. The navigation controller can determine if touch events correspond to input for panning or scrolling the UIs and for implementing the requested panning or scrolling. The navigation controller can include functionality for providing a touch event handler to detect input for panning or scrolling the data and a UI scrolling manager that implements the requested panning or scrolling. The panning or scrolling can be tracked and the data, as modified in accordance with the tracked movement, can be presented to a user in a UI. |
| US09645720B2 |
Data sharing
In an embodiment, a method of data sharing is disclosed. The method may include routing a data set to a specific device in response to a data selection and a target selection. |
| US09645716B2 |
Display processing apparatus for controlling display, method of display processing, and nontransitory storage medium storing display processing program
A display processing apparatus comprises a controller configured to perform a first classification processing to classify a plurality of image files stored in a storage medium into a plurality of primary categories. The controller is further configured to perform a second classification processing to classify the plurality of image files into a plurality of secondary categories when it is judged that the number of the plurality of primary categories is greater than a maximum-displaying number. At least one of the plurality of secondary categories contains at least two of the plurality of primary categories. A plurality of primary-categorizing icons are displayed when the number of the plurality of secondary categories is equal to or less than the maximum-displaying number. |
| US09645710B2 |
Method and apparatus for facilitating message selection and organization
One or more messages may be selected and grouped and one or more group-level actions may be initiated for the group, such that the group-level action is performed on each message in the group. Each message in a group shares the at least one attribute value. A messaging user interface may comprise a listing of the set of messages and a message group display portion that displays one or more message groups and a group-level toolbar comprising a selectable indicator for each group-level action. A message, or messages, shown in a message list portion of the user interface may be selected from the message list based on similarity of the message(s) to previously selected messages, and the selected message(s) may be grouping based on shared attribute values. The messages belonging to a group may be modified in the same way via a single action taken on the group. |
| US09645709B2 |
Devices, methods, and graphical user interfaces for manipulating user interface objects with visual and/or haptic feedback
An electronic device with a touch-sensitive surface, a display, and one or more sensors to detect intensity of contacts: displays user interface objects in a first user interface; detects an input by a contact while a focus selector is over a first user interface object; if the input meets selection criteria, displays a second user interface; if a first portion of the input meets preview criteria, displays a preview area overlaid on at least some of the user interface objects, wherein the preview area includes a reduced scale representation of the second user interface; if a second portion of the input meets user-interface-replacement criteria, replaces display of the first user interface and the overlaid preview area with display of the second user interface; and, if the second portion of the input meets preview-area-disappearance criteria, ceases to display the preview area and displays the first user interface after the input ends. |
| US09645700B2 |
Ad-hoc web content player
A system for dynamically playing information using conventional feeds and ad-hoc feeds to produce “playable” content includes a device that executes a player engine, the player engine collecting, combining and sequencing items to play based on selection criteria and device context, of text, image, video content by parsing selective tags, patterns, text, identifiers and resource types of interest on resources such as web pages to produce playable content, storing the playable contents results from parsing in a queue of playable feed items, selecting items from the queue to produce an ad-hoc feed and playing the ad-hoc feed. |
| US09645698B2 |
User interface for displaying a gallery of formatting options applicable to a selected object
An improved user interface is provided for displaying a gallery of images showing different formatting options combinations that may be applied to a selected object. When a particular image is selected an associated formatting options combination is automatically applied to the selected object. |
| US09645697B2 |
Translating events in a user interface
Systems and methods for translating events in a high definition video playback system are disclosed. A disc viewer is configured to read at least one user interactive program on a high definition optical disc defining an original menu of a user interface. The user interface defines a plurality of event handlers for user interaction with the user interface. An express menu renderer is configured to generate a menu populated with a plurality of selectable elements that are responsive to interaction with a mouse and/or pointing device. The selectable elements correspond to user interactive features of the user interface and have a corresponding visual identifier. |
| US09645687B2 |
Touch panel
A touch panel includes a cover substrate on which an active area and an unactive area are defined, and a printing layer on the unactive area. The printing layer includes a first printing layer, and a second printing layer on the first printing layer. The second printing layer is spaced apart from the first printing layer. |
| US09645686B2 |
In-cell touch panel and display device
The present disclosure provides an in-cell touch panel and a display device. An entire common electrode layer on an array substrate is divided so as to form a plurality of touch driving sub-electrodes and a plurality of common sub-electrodes spaced apart from each other and arranged alternately. The touch driving sub-electrodes are electrically connected to each other via a touch driving signal line so as to form a touch driving electrode, and the common sub-electrodes are electrically connected to each other via a common electrode signal line to form a common electrode. Touch sensing electrodes are arranged on an opposite substrate and cross the touch driving electrodes. |
| US09645685B2 |
Flexible touch panel
A flexible touch panel is disclosed. The flexible touch panel includes a plurality of driving electrode patterns and detection electrode patterns. A distance between the driving electrode patterns and detection electrode patterns is configured such that a difference of mutual capacitance between the driving electrode pattern and detection electrode pattern in different areas of the flexible touch panel has been changed in an opposite direction when the flexible touch panel has been curved. The difference of the mutual capacitance is the difference of the mutual capacitance before a touch event and after the touch event. In this way, the difference of the mutual capacitance caused by curved flexible touch panel may be decreased. |
| US09645684B2 |
Self-capacitive touch panel and conductive layer structure thereof
A self-capacitive touch panel and a conductive layer structure thereof are provided. The conductive layer structure includes multiple rectangular first electrode patterns, multiple second electrode patterns and multiple peripheral wires correspondingly connected with the first electrode patterns and the second electrode patterns. The first electrode patterns are arranged in a matrix. Neighboring two rows of first electrode patterns have at least two second electrode patterns disposed therebetween, and the second electrode patterns located at a same row have widths gradually decreased or increased along row direction and thereby together form a rectangular shape as a whole. By the above described manner, the invention can accurately determine actual touch points. |
| US09645681B2 |
Optical touch display system
Optical touch display system includes a light source, a reflector, an image sensor, and a processing device. The light source emits light to at least one object directly and emits light to the at least one object via the reflector at the same time. Then the image sensor receives light reflected from the at least one object directly and light reflected via the reflector simultaneously to form a set of imaging objects which have similar color parameters on an image. Then the processing device produces a set of still image parameters of the image objects such as gravity centers and border boundaries. Based on the still image parameters, the processing device determines the coordinates of the least one object on the optical touch display. |
| US09645677B2 |
Capacitive sensing device
A driving signal is applied to a plurality of driving electrodes using the driving matrix illustrated in FIG. 5A obtained by removing a row in which a sum of codes is greatest and a column having a transposition relationship with the row in a Hadamard matrix. Distribution of capacitance in intersection portions between a sensing electrode and a plurality of driving electrodes can be obtained using an inverse matrix of the driving matrix illustrated in FIG. 5B. Further, when decoding is performed using an extended matrix obtained by replacing “0” with “−1” in FIG. 5B, it is possible to average noise and to improve an S/N ratio. |
| US09645676B2 |
Methods and systems to regenerate H-sync by a touch controller
Methods and systems to regenerate H-sync by a touch controller are described. In an embodiment, a method may include setting, using a processing device, a noise peak threshold for identifying a Horizontal Synchronization (H-Sync) signal generated by a display device. The method may also include determining, using the processing device, a frequency of the noise peaks that exceed the noise peak threshold. Additionally, the method may include selecting, using the processing device, an H-sync signal for regeneration by referencing a lookup table of H-sync signals with reference to the determined frequency of the noise peaks that exceed the noise peak threshold. |
| US09645674B2 |
Self-capacitive touch sensing devices, touch point positioning method, and display devices
A positioning method for positioning two touch points of self-capacitive touch sensing devices is disclosed. The method includes: applying a first driving signals to the N rows of row sensors in sequence to determine the row sensors having the touch points; applying a second driving signals to the M columns of column sensors to determine the column sensor having touch points; applying a third driving signals to the row sensors or the column sensors; detecting a delay time period of the third driving signals within the row sensors or the column sensor so as to determine coordinates of the real touch points in accordance with the delay time period. In addition, a self-capacitive touch sensing device adopting the above method and a display device incorporating the above touch sensing device are also disclosed. |
| US09645668B2 |
Mobile terminal and method for controlling the same
A mobile terminal and a method for controlling the same are disclosed. The mobile terminal includes a touch screen, and a controller for causing the mobile terminal to enter a sleep mode, receiving a touch input applied to a first point of the touch screen during the sleep mode, receiving a first drag input applied from a second point to a third point of the touch screen during the sleep mode and while the touch input is maintained, wherein a first angle is defined between a line that extends from the first point to the second point and a line that extends from the first point to the third point, and performing a defined operation when the first angle meets or exceeds a threshold angle. |
| US09645666B2 |
Display device with touch panel attached
A display device equipped with a touch panel includes a touch panel unit, a touch panel control unit, a pen incline information acquiring unit, a coordinate correction unit, and a display panel unit. The touch panel control unit detects a touch upon a touch panel surface, and acquires touch point coordinate information which is information for specifying a location which is touched on the touch panel surface. The pen incline information acquiring unit acquires pen or input member incline information, which is information relating to an angle which is formed by the touch pen and the touch panel surface when the touch pen and the touch panel face are in contact. The coordinate correction unit corrects, on the basis of the pen incline information, the touch point coordinate information when the line is drawn with the touch pen or input member upon the touch panel screen. |
| US09645665B2 |
In-cell touch panel and display device
The present invention discloses an in-cell touch panel and a display device to improve the opening rate of the in-cell touch panel. The in-cell touch panel provided by the embodiment of the present invention comprises a first substrate and a second substrate opposite to each other, a black matrix layer and a color resin layer located at the side of the first substrate close to the second substrate, and a pixel array located at the side of the second substrate close to the first substrate, and further comprises a plurality of first electrodes located on the first substrate or the second substrate and extending in a first direction and a plurality of second electrodes extending in a second direction crossing the first direction; the first electrodes and the second electrodes are disposed at the same layer and insulated from each other; the first electrodes comprise a plurality of electrode units independent of each other, the electrode units and the second electrodes are arranged with an interval therebetween, and two electrode units which belong to the same first electrode and are located at two sides of the second electrodes are electrically connected through a bridge line. |
| US09645662B2 |
Pixel circuit, display panel and display apparatus
Provided is a pixel circuit, a display panel and a display apparatus. The pixel circuit comprises a pixel compensation module, a light emitting module and a touch detection module; the pixel compensation module comprises first to fifth switch units, a pixel driving unit and an energy storage unit; and the touch detection module comprises a detection sub-module and an output sub-module. In the pixel circuit provided by the present disclosure, a pixel compensation module and a touch detection module are integrated, and the pixel compensation module and the touch detection module share a data voltage and scan signal lines. As such, it is possible to reduce the number of signal lines, such that the pitch of pixels is dramatically reduced and IC cost is decreased, achieving higher pixel density. At the same time, in the pixel circuit provided by the present disclosure, the operating current flowing through the electroluminescent unit is not influenced by the threshold voltage of the corresponding driving transistor, and it is possible to avoid nonuniformity in brightness of display caused by threshold voltage drift of driving transistors. |
| US09645658B2 |
Local key module and display device including the same
A local key module and a display device including the same are disclosed herein. The local key module includes the local key module includes a wheel key configured to be rotatable, the wheel key having a circular shape aligned on a first plane, a rotation detection unit configured to detect a rotating movement of the wheel key, and a circuit board configured to supply electric current to the rotation detection unit, the circuit board being aligned on a second plane, wherein the second plane is parallel is the first plane. |
| US09645657B2 |
Multi-purpose digital coloring tools
Multi-purpose digital coloring tools for interacting with a touchscreen are described. A pattern-making device provides for patterned input from a digital marking tool on a touchscreen device. The pattern-making device guides the digital marking tool with a plurality of gear teeth on an internal edge of a template frame secured to a touchscreen device using a base unit. Light images are created by a light stylus that interacts with a touchscreen device or an emulsion-surface device. An easel support structure holds a touchscreen device in an upright position during marking with the digital marking tool. Digitally animated coloring book pages are adapted to interact with a touchscreen device. Digital crayons, digital stamping devices, a digital paintbrush, a dual-tip digital stylus for creating 3-dimensional (3-D) images, and a pair of 3-D glasses are provided for interacting with a touchscreen device. |
| US09645656B2 |
Method for text input, apparatus, and computer program
A method for text input by ambiguous input sequences entered by a user is disclosed. The method comprises a primary process of receiving a user input on an input device having a plurality of selectable input items being associated with characters, an input sequence being generated in dependence of selection of an input item, wherein the generated input sequence corresponds to the sequence of input items that have been selected, and wherein the generated input sequence has a textual interpretation that is a textual interpretation that is ambiguous, and displaying on a display a textual interpretation. The method also comprises a secondary process, initiated upon receiving an input associated with a delete-character command, deleting an interpreted character, and returning to the primary process where interpretations associated with the deleted character for that position of input text are excluded, wherein the primary and secondary processes are performed until a user input associated with a confirm-text command is received. An apparatus comprising an input device having a plurality of selectable input items enabling text input by ambiguous input sequences entered by a user, the apparatus further comprising a processor and a display, wherein the processor is arranged to control the text input processes. A computer program is also disclosed. |
| US09645652B2 |
Ubiquitous natural user system for human-machine interaction
A system is provided that includes sensor(s) configured to provide sensed input including measurements of motion of a user during performance of a task, and in which the motion may include a gesture performed in one of a plurality of 3D zones in an environment of the user that are defined to accept respective, distinct gestures. A front-end system may receive and process the sensed input including the measurements to identify the gesture and from the gesture, identify operations of an electronic resource. The front-end system may identify the gesture based on the one of the plurality of 3D zones in which the gesture is performed. The front-end system may then form and communicate an input to cause the electronic resource to perform the operations and produce an output. And the front-end system may receive the output from the electronic resource, and communicate the output to a display device. |
| US09645649B2 |
Calendar application views in landscape dual mode
A communication device comprising a microprocessor readable computer readable medium is provided that includes microprocessor executable instructions to alter displayed information based on screen orientation. |
| US09645643B2 |
Mobile device with motion controlling haptics
A haptically enabled device includes a haptic output device used to control motion. The haptically enabled device determines a desired motion, and then generates a haptic effect on the haptic output device to cause the desired motion. |
| US09645642B2 |
Low distraction interfaces
A low distraction interface can be provided for an electronic device by monitoring information such as a gaze direction of a user. A device can be configured to only display information to a user when the user is looking substantially toward the device, and can be configured to present that information in a way that is of minimal distraction to others nearby. The user can control aspects of the display by looking away from the device, continuing to look at the device for a period of time, or otherwise providing input without physically interacting with the device. Such an approach can be beneficial for settings such as business meetings where a user might want to obtain information from the device but does not want to appear inconsiderate by picking up and checking information on the device. |
| US09645635B2 |
Selective power gating to extend the lifetime of sleep FETs
A power-gating array configured to power gate a logic block includes multiple zones of sleep field-effect transistors (FETs). A zone controller coupled to the power-gating array selectively enables a certain number of zones within the array depending on the voltage drawn by the logic block. When the logic block draws a lower voltage, the zone controller enables a lower number of zones. When the logic block draws a higher voltage, the zone controller enables a greater number of zones. One advantage of the disclosed technique is that sleep FET usage is reduced, thereby countering the effects of FET deterioration due to BTI and TDDB. Accordingly, the lifetime of sleep FETs configured to perform power gating for logic blocks may be extended. |
| US09645633B2 |
Single receiver superdoze mode
An input device, including: a plurality of sensor electrodes configured to receive a first plurality of capacitive signals and a second plurality of capacitive signals; and a processing system operatively connected to the plurality of sensor electrodes and configured to: operate in a superdoze mode by receiving the first plurality of capacitive signals from a single receive channel connected to the plurality of sensor electrodes; execute an analysis of the first plurality of capacitive signals; and operate, based on the analysis, in an active mode by: driving a plurality of transmitter electrodes with a first drive pattern of a sensing signal; and receiving the second plurality of capacitive signals associated with the first drive pattern from a plurality of receive channels connected to the plurality of sensor electrodes. The superdoze mode requires less power than the active mode. |
| US09645627B2 |
Computer stick docking system and power management method thereof
A computer stick docking system and a power management method thereof are provided. The computer stick docking system includes a docking station and a computer stick device. The docking station is configured to receive a display device and a computer stick device, including a docking battery and a docking HDMI interface circuit. The computer stick device includes a computer-stick controller and a computer-stick HDMI interface circuit. The computer-stick controller is configured to load an operating system. The computer-stick HDMI interface circuit, coupled to the computer-stick controller, is configured to request battery power information of the docking battery from the docking station after it is powered on and the computer-stick HDMI interface circuit is connected to the docking station. |
| US09645624B2 |
Electronic apparatus, functional unit, and power-down method thereof
An electronic apparatus comprises a switch, a processing unit, a functional unit and a power management unit. The function unit has a timer. The power management unit is coupled to the processing unit and the function unit. The processing unit and the function unit receive a switch signal generated by the switch. The processing unit generates a power-down signal after detecting a change in the logic level of the switch signal received for a first predetermined time. The timer starts counting upon detecting a change in the logic level of the switch signal, and executes a power-down procedure after the timer has counted to a second predetermined time. The second time is less than the first predetermined time. The function unit completes the power-down procedure before the power management unit receives the power-down signal and stops powering the processing unit and the function unit. |
| US09645623B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit and method of controlling power supply
A semiconductor integrated circuit includes a digital circuit configured to receive a first power supply to operate in synchronization with a clock signal, and an electric-charge supplying circuit configured to supply electric charge from a second power supply to the digital circuit in synchronization with the clock signal. |
| US09645621B2 |
Single-pin command technique for mode selection and internal data access
A single pin is used to control an operating mode of an integrated circuit and to supply serial data to a host controller. The internal operating mode can be changed by changing a static level on an input/output terminal and maintaining that static level longer than a first time threshold. A read transaction from the integrated circuit can be performed in response to a predetermined sequence on the input/output terminal that includes a pulse that lasts a first predetermined time, the first predetermined time being less than the first time threshold. |
| US09645619B2 |
Micro heat pipe cooling system
At least one hollow metal body with a plurality of micro heat pipes embedded in the hollow metal body is used as a heat sink to remove heat from memory chips in a memory device. |
| US09645618B2 |
Skin oscillation convective cooling
An electronic device has a housing, at least one actuator attached to the housing, and a deformable skin having air pores. The actuators are attached to both the housing and the deformable skin to impart a motion that causes a varying amount of separation. A thermal exchange cavity is defined by the housing and the deformable skin. A skin oscillation controller is contained with the housing and is electrically connected to the at least one actuators that vary a volume of the thermal exchange cavity by deforming the deformable skin, causing an exchange of ambient air through the air pores to convectively cool the housing. |
| US09645617B2 |
Compact memory device
A memory device comprising a temperature sensor mounted on a surface of a substrate, the temperature sensor in electrical communication with a heating element and configured to activate the heating element in response to detecting a temperature below a predetermined temperature threshold. The heating element is in thermal communication with a solid state memory configured to store computer readable data. A universal serial bus (USB) driver is also mounted to the substrate, in electrical communication with the memory, and configured to communicate with another USB device via a USB channel in order to transfer data to and from the memory. The memory device can be enclosed in a protective backshell canister connected to the MIL-DTL-38999 type connector to provide a fully ruggedized, fully sealed device to withstand and operate effectively in extreme environmental conditions. |
| US09645615B2 |
Waterproof notebook computer
A waterproof notebook computer includes a chassis, a flexible waterproof pad, a touchpad and a trigger switch. The chassis has a receiving space. The flexible waterproof pad is exposed from one surface of the chassis, and all edges of the flexible waterproof pad are connected to the chassis hermetically so that the receiving space of the chassis is isolated from the exterior of the chassis. The trigger switch is disposed inside the receiving space. The touchpad is disposed between the trigger switch and the flexible waterproof pad. When the touchpad is pressed towards the receiving space through the flexible waterproof pad, the flexible waterproof pad stretches to move the touchpad to trigger the trigger switch. |
| US09645611B2 |
Tablet docking station
A tablet docking station comprising a tablet dock configured for receiving a tablet, an upper post extending from the tablet dock, and an extension arm extending from the upper post. The spray tubing can be mounted to the extension arm. The spray tubing provides a water mist for cooling a user when the spray is activated. The tablet docking station optionally includes a fan assembly including a fan housing. The spray tubing has one or more spray outlets configured to provide a water mist for evaporative cooling of an area near a user. The tablet docking station may provide an electronic control for the fan assembly providing a fan control speed adjustable by a graphical user interface on the tablet. |
| US09645607B2 |
Seam minimization in a handheld dual display device
A handheld communication device includes first and second screen assemblies, each including a screen having an active display area and housing having a rear surface, and a side surface extending between a periphery of the screen and the rear surface of the housing and a hinge connected to the first and second screen assemblies, whereby, when the hinge is in the fully opened position, the hinge is configured to enable a distance between the first and second active display areas to be no more than about 10 mm. |
| US09645606B2 |
Damping hinge structure and foldable electronic device
The present disclosure provides a damping hinge structure and a foldable electronic device. The damping hinge structure includes a housing, a shaft that is mounted in the housing and includes a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, an actuating structure that is mounted on the shaft between the first end and the second end and enclosed in the housing and is configured to drive the shaft to rotate relative to the housing, and a damping structure configured to damping rotation of the shaft driven by the actuating structure. |
| US09645604B1 |
Circuits and techniques for mesochronous processing
Circuits and techniques for mesochronous processing are provided. A communication method for a mesochronously clocked system may include synchronizing processing of first and second processing units to first and second mesochronous clock signals, respectively. The first and second mesochronous clock signals may have a same frequency and different phases, respectively. The method may further include sending data from the first processing unit to the second processing unit, and enabling or disabling receipt of the data by the second processing unit based, at least in part, on states of the first and second mesochronous clock signals. |
| US09645603B1 |
System clock distribution in a distributed computing environment
A system clock signal is distributed to computing devices within a distributed computing system. The distributed computing devices, which may be dual-die chip carriers, include input and output ports on which system clock signals are propagated. The input and/or output ports of various distributed computing devices may be configured and reconfigured according to system preferences or requirements. |
| US09645601B2 |
Point of control remote-actuation apparatus and methods
Controlling a switch or valve at a distance is achieved by a support member having a movable portion, with the moveable portion including an elongate member, and a drive mechanism in communication with the moveable portion. A motor, hand crank, or other force transmission apparatus acts to move the drive mechanism and thus the movable portion and elongate member such that a valve or switch is actuated at a distance from a user. |
| US09645600B2 |
Two piece pedal arm
A two piece pedal arm assembly which forms a shell forming an internal cavity is provided. The two shell piece pedal arm permits the ability to carefully control wall thicknesses. This permits the ability to provide the proper strength where needed in complex designs resulting in weight savings. Additionally, other components such as the bracket and cage for a ball and booster arm, pedal adjusters, and the like can be mounted within the shell thereby providing robust attachment and a more pleasing appearance. |
| US09645597B1 |
Circuit and method for indirectly sensing current and voltage in a floating output power supply
A floating output power supply includes circuitry for indirectly sensing an output current and output voltage of the floating output power supply. The circuitry includes a circuit ground referenced current sensing resistor placed in between diodes forming one leg of a full wave rectifier. The voltage of this current sensing resistor is circuit ground referenced and representative of an output current of the floating output power supply. A resistive network is coupled between a negative output and a positive output of the floating output power supply. The resistive network includes a circuit ground referenced resistor whose voltage is representative of the output voltage of the floating output power supply. A controller of the floating output power supply determines output voltage, current, and/or power from these sensed voltages and currents and adjusts an operating parameter of an input power supply as a function of the determined output voltage, current, and/or power. |
| US09645594B2 |
Voltage regulator with dropout detector and bias current limiter and associated methods
A voltage regulator includes an input terminal to receive an input voltage, an output terminal to supply an output voltage, a power transistor, a differential amplifier, a driver, a dropout detector and a bias current limiter. The differential amplifier provides a drive signal based on a difference between a voltage reference and a feedback signal corresponding to the output voltage. The driver includes an impedance device, and a driver transistor that receives the drive signal so as to vary a bias current to a control terminal of the power transistor. The dropout detector and the bias current limiter is coupled to the input terminal, the impedance device, and the output terminal and includes first and second transistors coupled together, and a bias current generator coupled to the second transistor. |
| US09645589B2 |
HVAC control with comfort/economy management
A programmable thermostat may be configured to control one or more pieces of HVAC equipment in accordance with a programmable schedule. The HVAC equipment may be capable of modifying a temperature of an inside space with at least a primary stage and an auxiliary stage. The programmable thermostat may include a memory for storing operating parameters of the programmable thermostat, a user interface configured to accept modification of operating parameters, including one or more droop values, and a controller coupled to the memory and the user interface. The controller attempts to control the temperature of the inside space with the primary stage of the HVAC equipment, but if the temperature of the inside space deviates from a desired setpoint temperature value by more than or equal to a programmed droop value, the controller may activate the auxiliary stage. In some instances, the user interface of the programmable thermostat may be configured to allow a user to selectively override one or more of the applicable droop values. In some instances, the droop value that is used may depend on the current operation condition of the controller. |
| US09645588B2 |
Vibration suppressing apparatus and vibration suppressing method thereof
A vibration suppressing apparatus and a vibration suppressing method thereof are provided. The vibration amplitude, vibration frequency, and vibration phase of a vibration suppressing unit are adjusted in real-time according to the vibration amplitude, vibration frequency and vibration phase of a vibration source. |
| US09645586B2 |
Pressure regulating valve assembly
A pressure regulating valve assembly includes a housing. Also included is a valve sleeve mounted within a bore of the housing, the valve sleeve having a first portion and a second portion, the second portion having a diameter less than the first portion and received in a sense piston bore of the housing. Further included is a valve spool mounted within the valve sleeve. Yet further included is a sense piston disposed within the second portion of the valve sleeve. Also included is a damping orifice extending through an end portion of the second portion of the valve sleeve. |
| US09645584B2 |
Gas valve with electronic health monitoring
This disclosure relates generally to valves, and more particularly, to gas valve assemblies. In one illustrative but non-limiting example, a valve assembly may include a valve body, a valve situated in a fluid path of the valve body, a valve actuator for selectively moving the valve actuator, one or more sensors in communication with the fluid path, a controller secured relative to the valve body and in communication with the sensors, and memory operatively coupled to the controller. A user interface may be in communication with the memory and the controller and may be configured to receive a selection from a user for selecting one of two or more selectable options from the memory. The controller may compare sensed parameters to threshold values associated with the selected option. The user interface may have a lock on it to prevent tampering and to provide accountability. |
| US09645581B1 |
Method and apparatus for navigating unmanned aerial vehicle
A method for navigating an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) from an initial position of the UAV towards a base position comprises A) flying the UAV to a plurality of destination positions each having a first predetermined distance from the initial position of the UAV, wherein the plurality of destination positions correspond to a plurality of trial directions with respect to the initial position, respectively; B) detecting, for each of the plurality of destination positions, a distance from the base position to the destination position when the UAV is at the destination position, thereby to obtain a plurality of detected distances corresponding to the plurality of trial directions, respectively; C) determining a return direction of the UAV on the basis of the plurality of detected distances; and D) flying the UAV a second predetermined distance along the return direction. |
| US09645578B2 |
Direct methods for dense parking of autonomous vehicles
A method of controlling autonomous or driverless vehicles in a specific control zone is disclosed. The vehicles enter the zone and come under the control of a zone authority that coordinates the movements of the vehicles until they leave the zone. The behavior of the vehicles is modified to insure that it matches a set of rules established by the zone authority. The zone may be an area such as a bridge, tunnel or construction zone where efficient, possibly single lane, travel requires tight coordination. Other possible zones include parking areas, indoor passages and areas with security concerns. The zone authority simultaneously controls multiple autonomous vehicles and possible additional driver operated vehicles. The messages establishing control or providing continuing administration of rules may be delivered by any type of communications link or may be associated with a device issued to vehicles entering the zone which is collected on exit. |
| US09645576B2 |
Apparatus for controlling a land vehicle which is self-driving or partially self-driving
Apparatus for controlling a land vehicle which is self-driving or partially self-driving, comprising a coarse tuning assembly (1, 2, 3) and a fine tuning assembly (4), the coarse tuning assembly (1, 2, 3) comprising: (a) a sensor interface (1) which measures kinematic parameters including speed and braking, (b) fuzzy descriptions which model guidance, navigation and control of the vehicle, and which include: (i) driver behavior and driving dynamics, (ii) uncertainties due to weather, road conditions and traffic, and (iii) input faults including mechanical and electrical parts, and (c) an adaptive fuzzy logic controller (3), and the fine tuning assembly (4) comprising: (a) inputs from the coarse tuning assembly (1, 2, 3), (b) precognition horizons determining how many future samples of input sensor information are required for an optimum control sequence, (c) a linearized multi-input multi-output regression model extracted from the adaptive fuzzy logic controller (3), and (d) a non-linear dynamic linearized regression controller (4a). |
| US09645574B2 |
Model-based method for monitoring the condition of rotor blades
The invention relates to a method for monitoring the condition of rotor blades for wind turbines. It is therefore the object of the invention to increase the accuracy of the monitoring of the condition of rotor blades of wind turbines and to allow a localization of faults or defects and their exact description. In the method in accordance with the invention, eigenvibrations of a rotor blade occurring globally at the rotor blade and locally guided elastic waves are permanently detected with time and spatial resolution using a sensor network and actuator network attached to the rotor blade or using a network arrangement of ultrasound transducers. In addition, elastic waves which are guided periodically at predefinable time intervals and which are respectively emitted by an actuator or ultrasound transducer and detected by sensors or ultrasound transducers are in so doing inspected for variations of the emitted waves. |
| US09645570B2 |
Monitoring system
A monitoring system includes at least one light sensor, at least one fastener and at least one controller. The light sensor is configured to detect light emitted by an operation lamp. The fastener wraps around the operation lamp, and it includes a light-shielding body. The light-shielding body has an accommodation groove and an inner surface. The inner surface is adjacent to the operation lamp. The accommodation groove is concavely formed at the inner surface. The light sensor is accommodated in the accommodation groove. The controller is electrically connected with the light sensor for determining a status of the machine according to the light detected by the light sensor. |
| US09645569B1 |
Automated storage and retrieval direct movement method
The invention is a method for repositioning objects in an automated storage and retrieval system. The method allows objects to move one at a time in an optimally efficient non-revolving sequence, so that often-used storage items can be retrieved more quickly. The method includes arranging positionable objects, such as storage bins or appliances, within a frame with one or more walls. The objects are attached removably to the walls by connectors, such as hooks. One or more planar motion mechanisms, such as H-bots, are mounted on the walls next to the objects. The planar motion mechanisms lift the objects from the connectors to reposition the objects. When a target object is designated, a microcontroller teaches the planar motion mechanisms a sequence for moving the objects into vacant spaces such that the target object can travel to a target access position by the most direct path. |
| US09645565B2 |
Method and system for determination of at least one property of a joint
The invention relates to a method for determining at least one property of a joint, such as a joint (112, 114, 116-119, 180) of a manipulator (110), wherein said joint is configured to be driven by at least one actuator, the actuator being configured to drive said joint (112, 114, 116-119, 180) via a drivetrain. The method comprises: clamping (200) said joint such that motion of the joint becomes constrained, and actuating (210) said drivetrain while monitoring at least one quantity associated with a torque of said actuator and at least one quantity associated with the actuator position in order to determine (220) at least one output value of said actuator, said output value corresponding to at least one joint position and determining (230) the at least one property of the joint based on said at least one output value. The invention further relates to a system for determining the at least one property of a joint. |
| US09645563B2 |
Tuning model structures of dynamic systems
Tuning model structures of dynamic systems are described herein. One method for tuning model structures of a dynamic system includes predicting a variable for each of a number of models associated with a number of model structures of a dynamic system, calculating a rate of error of the predicted variable for each of the number of models compared to an observed variable, determining a best model structure among the number of model structures based on the calculated rate of error, and creating a revised model structure using the best model structure to tune the number of model structures of the dynamic system. |
| US09645560B2 |
Power controller, control system, and control method
A power controller is provided in a consumer having a load equipment and controls an operation of the load equipment. The power controller comprises: an acquisition unit that acquires a plurality of operation modes for determining an operation status of the load equipment, or acquires operation parameters configuring each of the plurality of operation modes and being for controlling the load equipment; a setting unit that sets any of the plurality of operation modes of the load equipment; a provisional operation control unit that provisionally operates the load equipment on the basis of the plurality of operation modes; and a measurement unit that measures, for each of the plurality of operation modes, a provisional power consumption consumed by the load equipment, during the provisional operation of the load equipment. |
| US09645557B2 |
Geothermal process optimizer
A system for geothermal process optimization can include a receiver configured to receive brine conditions sensed at a head of a production well of a geothermal power plant and a first circuit configured to determine an analyte value according to the sensed brine conditions. Also, the system can include a second circuit configured to determine a product dosage value for a product, according to the analyte value, product information, and historical power plant data. The product dosage value can be an amount of the product suggested to adequately prevent buildup, corrosion, or a combination thereof at a given part of the geothermal power plant, such as the production well. |
| US09645555B2 |
Safety system
A safety system includes a safety unit and at least one safety related participant which comprises a protective device and a first and a second interruptible signal transmission path which can be interrupted together on the occurrence of a non-secure state of the protective device. The safety system includes at least one test signal path which runs through the safety related participant to a safety input of the safety unit starting from an output of the safety unit and comprises at least one of the first and the second interruptible signal transmission paths. The safety related participant comprises an interruption switch arranged in the test signal path and an evaluation unit which is connected to the first signal transmission path and/or to a first switching signal output of the protective device and to the second signal transmission path and/or to a second switching signal output of the protective device. |
| US09645539B2 |
Decurler and image forming apparatus
A decurler includes an endless decurling belt that is disposed so as to face an image surface of a recording medium to which an image has been thermally fixed, a decurling roller that contacts the decurling belt so as to form a decurling region between the decurling roller and the decurling belt, and a support member that is made of a thermally conductive synthetic resin having a thermal conductivity of 1 (W/mK) or higher and that directly or indirectly contacts the decurling belt. |
| US09645533B2 |
Image forming apparatus with cooling unit for cooling non-sheet passing region
A fixing device thermally fixing an unfixed image by pressing a recording sheet against a heating rotating body using a resistance heating element as a heat source, comprising: a temperature monitoring unit monitoring temperature in a sheet passing region and in a non-sheet passing region of the heating rotating body; a power supply unit supplying power to the resistance heating element so that the temperature in the sheet passing region is maintained at a target temperature during thermal fixing; a cooling unit cooling the non-sheet passing region; and a control unit controlling cooling so that (i) electrical resistivity of the resistance heating element is lower in a region corresponding to the non-sheet passing region than in a region corresponding to the sheet passing region and (ii) an absolute value of a temperature difference between the sheet passing region and the non-sheet passing region does not exceed an allowable temperature difference. |
| US09645531B2 |
Image forming apparatus
Provided is an image forming apparatus, wherein when it is predicted that a surface potential of at least one of a plurality of photosensitive drums becomes less than the predetermined potential, whenever transfer of toner images corresponding to a predetermined number of sheets is completed by a plurality of transfer rollers, continuous print is interrupted for a predetermined time, a voltage with a polarity equal to a polarity of toner is applied to the plurality of transfer rollers by a power supply or the application of the voltage to the plurality of transfer rollers is stopped during the predetermined time. |
| US09645530B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer, a transfer device contacting the image bearer to form a transfer portion, a transfer bias power source, and a controller. A ratio of a time period of application of the opposite-directional bias to a total time period of one cycle of the AC component of the superimposed bias is greater than 50%. A ratio of a value of the DC component of the superimposed bias output within a region ranging from a leading end of the recording medium to a predetermined length to a value of the DC component of the superimposed bias output outside the region is greater than a ratio of a value of the AC component of the superimposed bias output within the region to a value of the AC component of the superimposed bias output outside the region. |
| US09645528B2 |
Image forming apparatus having toner collecting mode after stoppage
An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member; an electrostatic image forming unit; a developing device; an intermediary transfer member; a rotatable transfer member; a constant-voltage element; a power source; a cleaning device; an executing portion capable of executing a toner image collecting mode after jam clearance; and a controller for controlling the power source in an operation in a collecting mode so that a voltage of an identical polarity to a charge polarity of the toner is applied to the rotatable transfer member to transfer, onto the intermediary transfer member, the toner in an upstream-side end region of the toner image carried on the image bearing member with respect to the rotational direction of the image bearing member, and then a voltage of an opposite polarity to the charge polarity of the toner is applied to the rotatable transfer member. |
| US09645524B2 |
Print sheet creating apparatus and print sheet creating method
An image forming apparatus includes a unit arranging portion that is provided with a unit containing a powder tank; a determination unit that determines the unit provided in the unit arranging portion; and a control unit that supplies a recording medium from a first sheet feeding portion in a case where the determination unit determines that the unit provided in the unit arranging portion is a unit corresponding to a binder toner, and supplies the recording medium from a second sheet feeding portion different from the first sheet feeding portion in a case where the determination unit determines that the unit provided in the unit arranging portion is a unit corresponding to a toner of a predetermined color. |
| US09645519B2 |
Developer with toner and carrier, and image forming apparatus using the same
A developer according to an embodiment includes a toner having a color erasable by heating and a carrier. The carrier includes a core portion and a coating portion covering at least 50% of the core portion. The coating portion includes an additive agent which suppresses an increase in electrification due to friction between the toner and the carrier. The additive agent has a white color. |
| US09645518B2 |
Toner
A toner contains toner particles having a surface layer containing an organosilicon polymer.The organosilicon polymer has a particular partial structure. The surface layer has a particular average thickness Dav. The ratio of silicon ions to carbon ions emitted from the toner particles in response to irradiation of the toner particles with primary ions in mapping measurement by FIB-TOF-SIMS is specified. |
| US09645517B2 |
Charging member, method of producing the same, process cartridge, and electrophotographic apparatus
The present invention directs to provide a charging member having a protrusion to which smear is difficult to adhere even in a long-term used, and as a result being capable of exhibiting stable charging performance. The charging member has an electro-conductive substrate and an electro-conductive surface layer, wherein the surface layer includes a binder resin and a resin particle including a plurality of electro-conductive domains inside thereof, the surface layer has a protrusion derived from the resin particle, and the electro-conductive domains are localized in the vicinity of the surface of the resin particle. |
| US09645515B2 |
Electrophotographic photosensitive member and manufacturing method thereof, process cartridge and electrophotographic apparatus, and phthalocyanine crystal and manufacturing method thereof
An electrophotographic photosensitive member capable of outputting an image with suppressed positive ghosting, and a process cartridge and an electrophotographic apparatus each having the electrophotographic photosensitive member are provided. The electrophotographic photosensitive member has a photosensitive layer including a phthalocyanine crystal in which the compound represented by the formula (1) is contained, wherein the content of the compound represented by the formula (1) is 0.1% by mass or more and 1.7% by mass or less based on the phthalocyanine crystal. |
| US09645514B2 |
Imprint apparatus, imprint method, and device manufacturing method
An imprint apparatus, which is configured to transfer a pattern to an imprint material supplied on a substrate by using a mold having the pattern formed thereon, includes a light-receiving element, a detection system configured to illuminate a mark formed on the substrate and a mark formed on the mold, and guide light reflected from the mark formed on the substrate and the mark formed on the mold to the light-receiving element, and a relay optical system. The relay optical system is configured to form images of the light reflected from the mark formed on the substrate and the mark formed on the mold between the relay optical system and the detection system. The detection system is configured to guide the light image-formed by the relay optical system to the light-receiving element. |
| US09645512B2 |
Substrate distortion measurement
A substrate distortion measurement apparatus comprising one or more optical detectors arranged to measure the locations of pits or holes provided in a substrate, a memory arranged to store previously determined locations of the pits or holes in the substrate, and a comparator arranged to compare the measured locations of the pits or holes with the previously determined locations of the pits or holes, to determine distortion of the substrate. |
| US09645506B2 |
Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method
A liquid confinement system for use in immersion lithography is disclosed in which the meniscus of liquid between the liquid confinement system and the substrate is pinned substantially in place by a meniscus pinning feature. The meniscus pinning feature comprises a plurality of discrete outlets arranged in a polygonal shape. |
| US09645505B2 |
Immersion exposure apparatus and device manufacturing method with measuring device to measure specific resistance of liquid
An exposure apparatus is capable of accurately performing an exposure process and a measurement process based on a liquid immersion method. The exposure apparatus, which forms a liquid immersion area of a liquid on an image surface side of a projection optical system, and exposes a substrate via the projection optical system and the liquid of the immersion area, includes a measuring device which measures at least one of a property and composition of the liquid for forming the liquid immersion area. |
| US09645504B2 |
Large area nanopatterning method and apparatus
Embodiments of the invention relate to methods and apparatus useful in the nanopatterning of large area substrates, where a rotatable mask is used to image a radiation-sensitive material. Typically the rotatable mask comprises a cylinder. The nanopatterning technique makes use of Near-Field photolithography, where the mask used to pattern the substrate is in contact or close proximity with the substrate. The Near-Field photolithography may make use of an elastomeric phase-shifting mask, or may employ surface plasmon technology, where a rotating cylinder surface comprises metal nano holes or nanoparticles. |
| US09645495B2 |
Critical dimension control in photo-sensitized chemically-amplified resist
Resist compositions for photosensitive chemically amplified resist processing, as well as methods for processing substrates using a photosensitive chemically amplified resist are disclosed for improved CD uniformity. A resist composition or layer generates photosensitizer when the resist is exposed to a first wavelength of light. A second wavelength of light is later used to amplify an acid reaction. The radiation-sensitive layer also includes a photo-active agent that, when exposed to a third light wavelength, modifies a concentration of photosensitizer in the radiation-sensitive layer. The third light wavelength can be projected as a pattern of radiation using a digital pixel-based projection system, with the projected pattern based on a critical dimension signature. In a subsequent exposure step, the resist layer is exposed to light of the second wavelength that induces or amplifies the acid concentration within the photoresist film. |
| US09645494B2 |
Resist underlayer film forming composition containing low molecular weight dissolution accelerator
There is provided a resist underlayer film forming composition that is used in a lithography process for the production of semiconductor devices and that can be developed with an alkaline developer for photoresists, and a method of forming a photoresist pattern by using the resist underlayer film forming composition. The resist underlayer film forming composition used in a lithography process for a production of a semiconductor device comprising: an alkali-soluble resin (a); a polynuclear phenol (b); a compound (c) having at least two vinylether groups; and a photoacid generator (d). The alkali-soluble resin (a) may be a polymer containing a unit structure having a carboxyl group, and the polynuclear phenol (b) may be a compound having 2 to 30 phenolic hydroxyl groups in the molecule. |
| US09645491B2 |
Sulfonium salt, chemically amplified resist composition, and patterning process
A sulfonium salt having both anion and cation moieties in the molecule functions as a photoacid generator and is compatible with other components. A resist composition comprising the sulfonium salt has the advantages of reduced acid diffusion and forms a pattern with a good balance of sensitivity, MEF and DOF, less outgassing, and minimal defects. |
| US09645489B2 |
Imprint lithography
An imprint lithography template is disclosed. The imprint lithography template includes a plurality of pattern features extending from a plane of a body of the imprint lithography template, and away from that body, the pattern features to be used to apply a pattern into an imprintable medium. The imprint lithography template further includes a plurality of assist features in the form of recesses extending from the plane of that body of the imprint lithography template, and into that body. A method for forming the assist features in the imprint lithography template, using self-assembled block copolymers as an etch resist, is also disclosed. |
| US09645486B2 |
Multiple threshold convergent OPC model
Methods of calibrating an OPC model using converged results of CD measurements from at least two locations along a substrate profile of a 1D, 2D, or critical area structure are provided. Embodiments include calibrating an OPC model for a structure to be formed in a substrate; simulating a CD of the structure at at least two locations along a substrate profile of the structure using the OPC model; comparing the simulated CD of the structure at each location against a corresponding measured CD; recalibrating the OPC model based on the comparing of each simulated CD against the corresponding measured CD; repeating the steps of simulating, comparing, and recalibrating until comparing at a first of the at least two locations converges to a first criteria and comparing at each other of the at least two locations converges to a corresponding criteria; and forming the structure using the recalibrated OPC model. |
| US09645485B2 |
Halftone phase shift photomask blank and making method
A halftone phase shift photomask blank comprising a transparent substrate and a halftone phase shift film consisting of silicon, nitrogen and optional oxygen, and providing a phase shift of 150°-200° relative to light of wavelength up to 200 nm. The phase shift film includes at least one layer meeting the formula: 2×O/Si+3×N/Si≧3.5 wherein Si is a silicon content (at %), N is a nitrogen content (at %), and O is an oxygen content (at %). The phase shift film exhibits satisfactory in-plane uniformity of transmittance. |
| US09645475B2 |
Rotatable camera support
A rotatable support apparatus for a camera is provided. The rotatable support apparatus comprises a support arm having a first end section and a second end section displaced from the first end section; an actuator positioned at the first end section of the support arm and capable of providing an actuating force or signal between the first end section and the second end section; and a support assembly positioned at the second end of the support arm and comprising a mount capable of supporting a camera and a rotational member adapted to translate the actuating force or signal from the actuator into rotational motion of the mount. |
| US09645472B2 |
Magnetic fluid shutter operation
Techniques related to a method, apparatus, and systems for magnetic fluid shutter operation are described herein. For example, an apparatus may include an aperture of an image sensor. The apparatus may also include a ferrofluid to expose the aperture based on a propagation direction of a magnetic flux applied to the ferrofluid. |
| US09645471B2 |
Driving circuit and driving method for voice coil motor, and lens module and electronic device using the same
Vibration is suppressed in a feedback type VCM actuator. A converting unit converts a position command value into an internal command value varied based on a waveform having a period which is half of a period of a trigonometric function, the position command value being indicative of a position of a mover and changeable step by step. A driving unit receives a position detection value indicating a current position of the mover from a sensor and drives a voice coil motor such that the position detection value matches the internal command value. |
| US09645470B2 |
High harmonic optical generator
A high harmonic optical generator comprising a laser arrangement for emitting a beam of polarized radiation at a fundamental frequency and an optical waveguide having a hollow core for a gaseous harmonic generation medium for the generation of high harmonics of the fundamental frequency, the optical waveguide having an optical propagation axis along the hollow core, the laser arrangement is configured to couple the beam of polarized radiation along the propagation axis of the hollow core optical waveguide to provide a beam of optical driving radiation for the high harmonic generation, the optical driving radiation having a plane of polarization that rotates about the propagation axis. |
| US09645469B2 |
Electro-optic (E/O) device with an E/O amplitude modulator and associated methods
An electro-optic (E/O) device includes an asymmetric optical coupler having an input and first and second outputs, a first optical waveguide arm coupled to the first output of the first asymmetric optical coupler, and a second optical waveguide arm coupled to the second output of the first asymmetric optical coupler. At least one E/O amplitude modulator is coupled to at least one of the first and second optical waveguide arms. An optical combiner is coupled to the first and second optical waveguide arms downstream from the at least one E/O amplitude modulator. |
| US09645468B2 |
Electrophoretic display device
An electrophoretic display device includes a substrate, a plurality of first conductive lines, a plurality of second conductive lines, a plurality of active elements, a plurality of pixel electrode, an electrophoretic layer and a color resist layer. The first and second conductive lines are disposed over a surface of the substrate. The projections of the first and second conductive lines onto the surface constitute a plurality of geometric shapes. Each of the geometric shapes is a hexagon or a contour constructed of a plurality of hexagons adjoined together. Each of the active elements is electrically connected to one of the first conductive lines and one of the second conductive lines. Each of the pixel electrodes is electrically connected to one of the active elements. The electrophoretic layer is disposed over the pixel electrodes, and the color resist layer is disposed over the electrophoretic layer. |
| US09645465B2 |
Controlling transitions in optically switchable devices
This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus for controlling transitions in an optically switchable device. In one aspect, a controller for a tintable window may include a processor, an input for receiving output signals from sensors, and instructions for causing the processor to determine a level of tint of the tintable window, and an output for controlling the level of tint in the tintable window. The instructions may include a relationship between the received output signals and the level of tint, with the relationship employing output signals from an exterior photosensor, an interior photosensor, an occupancy sensor, an exterior temperature sensor, and a transmissivity sensor. In some instances, the controller may receive output signals over a network and/or be interfaced with a network, and in some instances, the controller may be a standalone controller that is not interfaced with a network. |
| US09645464B2 |
Liquid crystal displays with minimized transmission loss and enhanced off-axis color fidelity
A display may have upper and lower display layers. A layer of liquid crystal material may be interposed between the upper and lower display layers. The display layers may have substrates. The display layers may include a color filter layer having an array of color filter elements on a glass substrate and a thin-film transistor layer having a layer of thin-film transistor circuitry on a glass substrate. Dielectric layers within the display layers such as dielectric layers within the thin-film transistor layer may have differing indices of refraction. Reflections and color shifts due to index of refraction discontinuities may be minimized by interposing graded index dielectric layers between adjacent layers with different indices. The graded index layers may be formed from structures with a continuously varying index of refraction or structures with a step-wise varying index of refraction. |
| US09645463B2 |
Display device
To provide a display device in which parasitic capacitance between wirings can be reduced while preventing increase in wiring resistance. To provide a display device with improved display quality. To provide a display device with low power consumption. A pixel of the liquid crystal display device includes a signal line, a scan line intersecting with the signal line, a first electrode projected from the signal line, a second electrode facing the first electrode, and a pixel electrode connected to the second electrode. Part of the scan line has a loop shape, and part of the first electrode is located in a region overlapped with an opening of the scan line. In other words, part of the first electrode is not overlapped with the scan line. |
| US09645461B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
To improve viewing angle characteristics by varying voltage which is applied between liquid crystal elements. A liquid crystal display device in which one pixel is provided with three or more liquid crystal elements and the level of voltage which is applied is varied between the liquid crystal elements is varied. In order to vary the level of the voltage which is applied between the liquid crystal elements, an element which divides the applied voltage is provided. In order to vary the level of the applied voltage, a capacitor, a resistor, a transistor, or the like is used. Viewing angle characteristics can be improved by varying the level of the voltage which is applied between the liquid crystal elements. |
| US09645455B2 |
Liquid crystal display panel, driving method and fabrication method thereof, and display device
A liquid crystal display panel, a driving method and a fabrication method thereof, and a display device are disclosed. The liquid crystal display panel includes first and second substrates and a PDLC layer therebetween. The PDLC layer is formed by a positive liquid crystal and a polymer matrix, and the positive liquid crystal is initialized to be perpendicular to the substrates. The liquid crystal display panel further includes: a first transparent electrode unit, disposed on the first substrate and connected with a switch element; a second transparent electrode unit, disposed on the second substrate and connected with a first voltage; a third transparent electrode unit, disposed on the first and second substrates. The third transparent electrode unit includes a plurality of third transparent electrodes, each of which has a preset height and connected with a second voltage with a polarity opposite to that of the first voltage. |
| US09645452B2 |
Curved liquid crystal display
A curved liquid crystal display includes a first panel having a pixel electrode including crossed stem parts, a plurality of fine branch parts extending from the crossed stem parts, and fine slits positioned between fine branch parts adjacent to each other, a second panel having a common electrode, and a liquid crystal layer between the first panel and the second panel. Misalignment between the first panel and the second lower panel is determined and a pitch, which is a sum of a width of the fine branch part and a width of the fine slit, gradually increases from a region having a small misalignment toward a region having a large misalignment. |
| US09645448B2 |
Display panel, manufacturing method thereof and display device
A display panel, a manufacturing method thereof and a display device are provided. The display panel comprises: a first substrate and a second substrate which are opposite to each other to form a cell through a sealant. A first sealant-blocking structure configured to prevent the sealant from extending toward an edge of the display panel is formed on the first substrate and/or the second substrate. The display panel effectively prevents the sealant from extending toward the edge of the display panel by forming the first sealant-blocking structure on an outside of the sealant, and hence achieves an ultra-narrow frame or unframed design. |
| US09645444B2 |
Inverse wavelength dispersion retardation film and display device including the same
A retardation film including: a first optical anisotropic layer including a polymer material; and a second optical anisotropic layer including a liquid crystal material, in which the first optical anisotropic layer has refractive indices which satisfy the following inequation: nz1≧nx1>ny1, the second optical anisotropic layer has refractive indices which satisfy the following inequation: nx2>ny2≧nz2, a fast axis of the first optical anisotropic layer and a slow axis of the second optical anisotropic layer form a predetermined angle such that refractive indices of the retardation film satisfy the following inequation: 0<(nx0−nz0)/(nx0−ny0)<1, and in-plane retardation values (Re0) of the retardation film respectively at a wavelength of about 450 nanometers, 550 nanometers and 650 nanometers satisfy the following inequation: Re0 (450 nm) |
| US09645442B2 |
Backlight module and liquid crystal display
The present invention belongs to a field of liquid crystal display technical, and relates to a backlight module and a liquid crystal display. The backlight module includes a backplane and a light source arranged on the backplane, and further includes a position-limiting unit. The position-limiting unit is arranged on the backplane, and is capable of limiting a liquid crystal panel at a set position. The backlight module according to the present invention is a direct-type backlight module. The advantageous effects of the present invention are as follows: as compared with a direct-type backlight module in the prior art in which a plastic frame is used to fix positions of respective components, the backlight module according to the present invention reduces the cost of the backlight module effectively and enables assembling of the backlight module to be easy due to employing a configuration without a plastic frame. |
| US09645441B2 |
Backlight and display device
The present invention provides a backlight and a display device. The backlight includes a frame and an optical film set including a plurality of optical films that are successively stacked. Each optical film in the optical film set includes a film body and an ear part. In any two adjacent optical films, the boundary of at least one side of the ear part of the lower optical film extends beyond the boundary of the same side of the ear part of the upper optical film. A fixing member covers the ear parts of the plurality of optical films, such that the optical film set is fixed on the frame, and the fixing member can fix the relative positions among the plurality of optical films in the optical film set. In the backlight, the optical film set is reliably fixed without affecting the normal display on the display device. |
| US09645438B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
Provided is a liquid crystal display device including a liquid crystal cell having a liquid crystal layer between two glass substrates, a front-side polarizing plate provided on a front side of the liquid crystal cell, a rear polarizer provided on a rear side of the liquid crystal cell, and a backlight provided on a rear side of the rear polarizer, in which the front-side polarizing plate has a first protective film, a polarizer, and a second protective film in this order from a surface side opposite to the liquid crystal cell, the first protective film in the front-side polarizing plate is a film including a polyester resin or a polycarbonate resin as a main component, an Re of the first protective film is 3000 nm or higher, an equilibrium moisture content of the second protective film at 25° C. and a relative humidity of 60% is in a range of 1% to 3%, and in the second protective film, a contractile force in a direction orthogonal to an absorption axis of the polarizer is 1.3 times or higher a contractile force in a direction parallel to the absorption axis of the polarizer which is capable of suppressing luminance unevenness at the four corners of the panel when a backlight is turned on after the liquid crystal display device has been stored in a hot and humid environment. |
| US09645436B2 |
Color filter structures for electronic devices with color displays
A display may have a color filter layer and a thin-film transistor layer. A liquid crystal layer may be located between the color filter layer and the thin-film transistor layer. The color filter layer may have an array of color filter elements on a transparent substrate. The array of color filter elements may include more than three colors. Colored photoimageable polymer layers may be combined to form some of the color filter elements. The color filter may have cyan, magenta, and yellow color filter elements each formed from a respective single layer of cyan, magenta, and yellow polymer and may have blue elements formed by overlapping cyan and magenta polymer, green elements formed by overlapping cyan and yellow polymer, and red elements formed by overlapping magenta and yellow polymer. Filters with white elements may also be provided. |
| US09645431B2 |
Touch display and method for driving a plurality of touch driving electrodes of touch display
A touch display provided by the present invention includes a control unit and a display. The control unit outputs driving signals to a plurality of touch driving electrodes and receives sensing signals from a plurality of touch sensing electrodes so as to detect touch or proximity of at least one external object based on the capacitive coupling between the driving and sensing electrodes. The display includes a liquid crystal layer, a pixel electrode and a common electrode, wherein the liquid crystal layer is driven by the pixel electrode and the common electrode. The common electrode includes the touch driving electrodes, and the common electrode except the touch driving electrodes are electrically coupled to a DC potential to form a shielded region. |
| US09645428B2 |
Display panel with protective adhesive portion and manufacturing method thereof
A display panel is provided. The display panel includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a sealing frame set, and a third adhesion portion. The first substrate has an inner surface which includes a superposed area and an exposed area on a side of the superposed area. The second substrate is disposed and superposed on the superposed area; the substrates have a space therebetween. The sealing frame set is located between the substrates and disposed along and insides an edge of the superposed area to enclose the space. The sealing frame set includes first and second sealing frames, wherein the first sealing frame connects the substrates and surrounds the superposed area, the second sealing frame surrounds an outer side of the first sealing frame. A third adhesion portion is located between the first and the second substrates, and between the second sealing frame and the exposed area. |
| US09645425B2 |
Driving circuit board fixing structure and liquid crystal display device
A driving circuit board fixing structure is disclosed. The structure includes a main body portion having a plate shape and multiple protrusion portions disposed on a surface of the main body portion. The multiple protrusion portions are disposed at intervals at the main body portion, and protrusion heights of the protrusion portions are gradually increased one by one from a first terminal of the main body portion to a second terminal of the main body portion. A liquid crystal display device is also provided. The driving circuit board fixing structure can fix COF substrates having different lengths with driving circuit boards having different sizes such that different backlight modules can be compatible with different liquid crystal panels in order to reduce the development cost of the backlight module. |
| US09645420B2 |
Display panel
A display panel that includes a flexible substrate is provided. The flexible substrate includes a first corner, and a plurality of display elements disposed on the first substrate. The flexible substrate also includes a first primary edge and a second primary edge which extend in different directions to meet at the first corner, and the first corner includes a first edge having a polygonal shape with n (n is a natural number of 2 or more) vertexes. |
| US09645411B2 |
Telescopic hinge for spectacles frame
The telescopic hinge comprises a front face element intended to be joined with a side stud extending along the front face of the frame and having a first fastener, and a branch element, intended to be joined with the corresponding branch of the frame and having a second fastener capable of cooperating with the first fastener in order to hold the front face element against the branch element. The telescopic hinge also includes an intermediate fastener capable of cooperating respectively with the first fastener and the second fastener. |
| US09645407B2 |
Polarization-dependent lens structure and method of manufacturing the same
Provided is a polarization-dependent lens structure. The lens structure includes an optically-isotropic polymer layer having a reverse lens shape on a first surface and a lens portion where the surface of the optically-isotropic polymer layer is filled with liquid crystalline polymers, nano-scale 1D lattice structures (nano-scale grooves) are formed on an upper surface thereof, and the liquid crystalline polymers are aligned by the nano-scale 1D lattice structures along a direction of long axes of the 1D lattice structures, wherein it is determined according to a polarization direction of incident light whether or not the polarization-dependent lens structure operates as a lens. |
| US09645406B2 |
Polarizing control film and stereoscopic display device using the same
A polarizing control film for two-dimensional (2D) display mode/three-dimensional (3D) display mode conversion in a stereoscopic display device, can include a film substrate, a plurality of first and second electrodes alternately arranged on the film substrate, and a liquid crystal layer disposed on the film substrate having the first and second electrodes, the liquid crystal layer being filled with nano liquid crystals exhibiting optical isotropy when no voltages are applied to the first and second electrodes and optical anisotropy when voltages are applied to the first and second electrodes. |
| US09645396B2 |
Peripheral vision head-mounted display for imparting information to a user without distraction and associated methods
A head-mounted peripheral vision display and associated methods display information to a user without distraction. A plurality of light display elements are positioned within an area of peripheral vision of at least one eye of the user such that the information is imparted to the user without a need for repositioning or refocusing of the eye. The information may be determined from data received from one or more sensors and an illumination pattern is determined based upon the performance information. The light display elements are controlled to display the illumination pattern to the user. |
| US09645395B2 |
Dynamic field of view throttling as a means of improving user experience in head mounted virtual environments
A head-mounted display (HMD) allows a user to view a virtual environment. The HMD displays a field of view to the user. However, the user may experience simulator sickness or motion sickness from viewing the field of view. The HMD is connected to a sensor which can monitor the user. By monitoring the user's physiological state, the user's simulator sickness can be detected or predicted. To reduce the negative effects, the field of view can be throttled. The field of view can also be throttled in order to provide a better user experience even if the user does not experience sickness. |
| US09645393B2 |
Imaging device
A imaging device includes: a lens unit which is rotatable about an optical axis thereof; an adjusting gear unit which includes an adjusting gear that rotates the lens unit; a case which accommodates the lens unit and the adjusting gear unit and has a penetration hole through which a portion of the adjusting gear protrudes outward from an accommodation space; and a cover which covers a portion of the case including the penetration hole from outside of the case. |
| US09645391B2 |
Substrate tuning system and method using optical projection
Techniques herein include systems and methods that provide a spatially-controlled or pixel-based projection of light onto a substrate to tune various substrate properties. A given pixel-based image projected on to a substrate surface can be based on a substrate signature. The substrate signature can spatially represent non-uniformities across the surface of the substrate. Such non-uniformities can include energy, heat, critical dimensions, photolithographic exposure dosages, etc. Such pixel-based light projection can be used to tune various properties of substrates, including tuning of critical dimensions, heating uniformity, evaporative cooling, and generation of photo-sensitive agents. Combining such pixel-based light projection with photolithographic patterning processes and/or heating processes improves processing uniformity and decreases defectivity. |
| US09645390B2 |
Spatial light modulator and exposure apparatus
The spatial light modulator is provided with: a substrate; a fixed electrode disposed on a surface of the substrate; a connecting section, which has one end of the connecting section connected to the surface of the substrate; a movable section, which is connected to another end of the connecting section; a supporting post section, which extends in the thickness direction of the substrate with one end of the supporting post section connected to the movable section; a reflecting member, which is connected to another end of the supporting post section; a movable electrode, which is disposed on a surface of the reflecting member, the surface of the reflecting member facing the fixed electrode; and a conductive layer, which is disposed on the supporting post section with a film thickness larger than that of the movable electrode, and which electrically connects between the movable section and the movable electrode. |
| US09645387B2 |
Cutoff mechanism for an optical module and an optical module comprising such a mechanism
The invention relates to a cutoff mechanism (5) for an optical module comprising a housing (100) and a driving motor (30) provided with an armature resistance and being arranged to cause the movement of a light beam cutoff shield (10), said housing (100) being made of a plastic material, characterized in that said armature resistance is comprised between 25 and 120 Ohms.The invention also relates to an optical module comprising such cutoff mechanism (5). |
| US09645385B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for fabricating electrowetting displays
An apparatus for fabricating electronic displays comprises a glass substrate that includes pixel arrays formed on the glass substrate. Individual pixels of the pixel arrays include pixel walls to retain a first fluid, such as oil. The pixel arrays may include an edge seal to retain a second fluid, such as an electrolyte solution, that overlays the pixel walls and the first fluid. The glass substrate also includes a hydrophobic strip formed on the glass substrate. A wettability between the first fluid and the hydrophobic strip is different from a wettability between the second fluid and the hydrophobic strip. |
| US09645380B2 |
High aperture immersion objective
The invention relates to a high aperture immersion objective particularly for uses in confocal microscopes where oil is the immersion fluid, which objective is composed of three lenses and/or subsystems comprising lens groups. An apochromatic correction in a range from 365 to 900 nm is achieved at high resolving numeric apertures of 1.3 to 1.4 and an object field from 0.4 to 0.625 mm by the specification of the optical components. Additionally, the immersion objective has sufficiently good transparency up to a wavelength of 340 nm. |
| US09645379B2 |
Magnification in ophthalmic procedures and associated devices, systems, and methods
An ophthalmic visualization system can include an imaging device configured to acquire images of a surgical field; a computing device configured to determine an area of interest based on the images; and a display device in communication with the computing device and a surgical microscope, wherein the display device is configured to provide a graphical overlay onto at least a portion of a field of view of the surgical microscope, and wherein the graphical overlay includes a magnified image of the area of interest. A method of visualizing an ophthalmic procedure can include receiving images of a surgical field acquired by an imaging device; identifying an area of interest; generating a graphical overlay including a magnified image of the area of the interest; and outputting the graphical overlay to a display device such that the graphical overlay is positioned over a field of view of a surgical microscope. |
| US09645374B2 |
Light-scanning systems
Various light-scanning systems that can be used to perform rapid point-by-point illumination of a focal plane within a specimen are disclosed. The light-scanning systems can be incorporated in confocal microscopy instruments to create an excitation beam pivot axis that lies within an aperture at the back plate of an objective lens. The light-scanning systems receive a beam of excitation light from a light source and direct the excitation beam to pass through the pivot point in the aperture of the back plate of the objective lens while continuously scanning the focused excitation beam across a focal plane. |
| US09645371B2 |
Projection optical system and projector apparatus
A projection optical system comprises an image forming unit that forms an image; a refractive optical system including a plurality of lenses that enlarges and projects the image on a screen; and a reflecting surface, wherein an intermediate image is formed between the refractive optical system and the reflecting surface, and the projection optical system satisfies conditions of “0.6 |
| US09645365B2 |
Optical lens
An optical lens includes a first lens group and a second lens group. The first lens group is disposed between a magnified side and a minified side and has a negative refractive power. The second lens group is disposed between the first lens group and the minified side and has a positive refractive power. The optical lens is capable of forming an image at the magnified side. F/H>0.52, where F is an effective focal length, and H is an image height. A viewing angle is greater than 116.7 degrees. |
| US09645361B2 |
Lens module
A lens module includes a first lens, an object-side surface thereof being concave, a second lens, an object-side surface thereof being convex, and an image-side surface thereof being convex, a third lens, an object-side surface thereof being concave, a fourth lens having refractive power, a fifth lens having refractive power, and a sixth lens having one or more inflection points on an image-side surface thereof, wherein the first to sixth lenses are sequentially disposed in numerical order from the first lens to the sixth lens starting at an object side of the lens module. |
| US09645356B2 |
Optical imaging system
An optical imaging system includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens element with positive refractive power, a second lens element, a third lens element, a fourth lens element, and a fifth lens element. Each of the fourth lens element and the fifth lens element includes at least one aspheric surface. The fourth lens element and the fifth lens element are made of plastic. The fifth lens element includes a concave image-side surface and at least one inflection point. An axial distance is formed between each of the first lens element, the second lens element, the third lens element, the fourth lens element, and the fifth lens element, and the optical imaging system further comprises a stop. |
| US09645354B2 |
Optical image capturing system
A two-piece optical lens for capturing image and a two-piece optical module for capturing image are provided. In order from an object side to an image side, the optical lens along the optical axis includes a first lens with positive refractive power; and a second lens with refractive power; and at least one of the image-side surface and object-side surface of each of the two lens elements are aspheric. The optical lens can increase aperture value and improve the imagining quality for use in compact cameras. |
| US09645353B2 |
Optical system and image pickup apparatus
An optical system of the present invention includes, in order from an object side: a first lens group G1; a second lens group G2 having positive refractive power; and a third lens group G3 having positive refractive power, wherein the first lens group G1 and the third lens group G3 are fixed in an optical axis direction while the second lens group G2 is moved in an optical axis direction to focus on from an object at infinity to an object at a finite distance, and specified conditions is satisfied. |
| US09645346B2 |
Self-aligning doublet lens assembly
Doublet lenses and doublet lens assemblies, and methods of assembling doublet lenses and assemblies, including a first lens having a convex surface and a concave surface, the concave surface comprising a peripheral portion and a central portion, and a second lens having a convex surface and a concave surface, the concave surface comprising a peripheral portion and a central portion. The peripheral portion of the first lens abuts the peripheral portion of the second lens with an airspace between the central portion of the first lens and the central portion of the second lens. The peripheral portions of the first and second lenses are shaped to fit together in a mating relationship which prevents sliding of the first and second lenses relative to each other in a radial direction after the lenses are brought together. |
| US09645340B2 |
Optical fiber cable
An optical fiber cable has a sectional area of Ac [mm2] and housing a number N of optical fibers. A transmission loss αdB [dB/km], a mode field diameter W [μm], an effective area Aeff [μm2], an effective length Leff [km], and a wavelength dispersion D [ps/nm/km] of each of the optical fibers at a wavelength of 1550 nm satisfy a predetermined equation and the transmission loss of the optical fiber at the wavelength of 1550 nm is 0.19 dB/km or less, and the effective area of the optical fiber is in a range from 125 to 155 μm2. |
| US09645337B2 |
Connector modules to optically connect to electronic devices
A modular connector infrastructure includes device connector modules having optical connectors to optically connect to respective subsets of electronic devices in a system. The device connector modules are removably connected to the electronic devices. |
| US09645335B2 |
Non-intrusive monitoring optical connection apparatus
A non-intrusive monitoring optical connection apparatus includes first and second fiber optic communication lines (2, 8) arranged for light to pass therebetween. The first and second fiber optic communication lines (2, 8) have first and second ferrules (4, 6) at ends thereof, respectively. An optical element (13, 25) is disposed between the fiber optic communication lines (2, 8). Most of the light passes between the fiber optic communication lines (2, 8) and a small part of the light is harvested by the optical element (13, 25) and detected by a photo detector (15, 28). |
| US09645330B2 |
Optical module
This optical module comprises a substrate, light-emitting elements, a ferrule, an optical receptacle, through-holes and an adhesive. The optical receptacle includes two support units, and an optical receptacle body that has a first optical surface and a second optical surface. The through-holes include two first through-holes surrounded by the leading ends of the support units and the ferrule, and two second through-holes which are surrounded by the optical receptacle body, the support units and the ferrule. Thus, even using the adhesive to fix the optical receptacle and the ferrule to the substrate, it is possible to optically connect multiple optical transmission bodies with multiple light-emitting elements or multiple light-receiving elements in a suitable manner. |
| US09645327B2 |
Side-facet coupler having external mounting surface molded to facilitate alignment of optical connections
A molded waveguide side-facet coupler to facilitate an optical connection between optical side-facets and a fiber optic connector is disclosed. Instead of molding the side-facet coupler with the external mounting surface disposed on an external surface of the mold, the mold for the side-facet coupler is provided such that the mounting surface of the side-facet coupler is provided as a molded internal recess surface. The moldable material for the side-facet coupler is disposed around a recess core that is part of the mold, thereby forming a unitary component having at least one internal recess surface for providing an external mounting surface for the side-facet coupler. As the molded material cures around the core structure, the external surfaces of the unitary component pull away from internal surfaces of the mold, and shrink around the core structure. Thus, the internal recess surface of the unitary component is formed within narrower, repeatable tolerances. |
| US09645321B2 |
Optical signal processing device
A wavelength selection switch can decrease the amount of increase in size and cost of a node device by integrating and sharing the constituent components of a plurality of wavelength selection switches or optical components mounted in a node. The wavelength selection switch has: at least one input port that inputs light; at least one output port that receives light from the input port; at least one light-collecting element that alters the beam shape of the light entering from the input port; at least one scattering element that scatters the light entering from the input port into each wavelength; at least one wavefront control element that causes light of each wavelength scattered by the scattering element to be reflected to the output port for each wavelength. |
| US09645319B2 |
Optical connector
An optical connector connectable to another optical connector includes an optical waveguide that includes a core, an attachment part to which the optical waveguide is attached, a lens part in which a positioning hole is formed, and a positioning pin that is provided on the attachment part and inserted through the positioning hole. The lens part and the attachment part are joined with the positioning pin being inserted into the positioning hole. |
| US09645314B2 |
Optical device
An optical device includes a first fiber; a liquid crystal member configured to have liquid crystal pixels that reflect light output from the first fiber; a second fiber configured to have a core to which a first order light ray in the light reflected by the liquid crystal member is optically connected; a light receiving circuit configured to receive higher order light rays in the light reflected by the liquid crystal member; and a control circuit configured to control based on a light receiving result of the light receiving circuit, efficiency of optical connection of the first order light ray to the core of the second fiber, by varying an angle of the light reflected by the liquid crystal member. |
| US09645309B2 |
Large core holey fibers
Holey fibers provide optical propagation. In various embodiments, a large core holey fiber comprises a cladding region formed by large holes arranged in few layers. The number of layers or rows of holes about the large core can be used to coarse tune the leakage losses of the fundamental and higher modes of a signal, thereby allowing the non-fundamental modes to be substantially eliminated by leakage over a given length of fiber. Fine tuning of leakage losses can be performed by adjusting the hole dimension and/or spacing to yield a desired operation with a desired leakage loss of the fundamental mode. Resulting holey fibers have a large hole dimension and spacing, and thus a large core, when compared to traditional fibers and conventional fibers that propagate a single mode. Other loss mechanisms, such as bend loss and modal spacing can be utilized for selected modes of operation of holey fibers. |
| US09645305B2 |
Backlight unit
A backlight unit includes a light source, a light guiding plate disposed on a side of the light source to guide light, a quantum dot bar disposed between the light source and the light guiding plate and spaced apart from the light source and the light guiding plate, the quantum dot bar for performing wavelength conversion of light, and a quantum dot bar receiving unit disposed on lower surfaces of the quantum dot bar and the light guiding plate, wherein the quantum dot bar is seated on the quantum dot bar receiving unit, and the light guiding plate is mounted on the quantum dot bar receiving unit, and wherein the quantum dot bar receiving unit and the light guiding plate are coupled to each other. |
| US09645303B2 |
Luminaires utilizing edge coupling
A luminaire includes at least first and second waveguides. The first waveguide has a first coupling surface extending between a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, and the second waveguide has a second coupling surface extending between a third surface and a fourth surface opposite the third surface. The first and second coupling surfaces define a coupling cavity. The luminaire further includes at least one light source within the coupling cavity. |
| US09645297B2 |
Backlight module and liquid crystal display comprising light conversion unit
A backlight module and a liquid crystal display are disclosed. The backlight module includes a light guiding plate having at least one light incident surface, a light source unit being arranged close to the light incident surface, and a light conversion unit being fixed between the light source unit and the light incident surface. The light conversion unit converts light beams emitted from the light source unit to white light beams. The light conversion unit is a complex fluorescent material bar of quantum dots having a plurality of fluorescent quantum dots, and the light beams emitted from the activated fluorescent quantum dots are composited with the light beams emitted from the light conversion unit to generate white light beams. The fixing process of the complex fluorescent material bar is simplified. In addition, by utilizing the quantum effects, the NTSC value of the backlight module is greatly enhanced. |
| US09645293B2 |
Method of manufacturing thin film polarizer, and thin film polarizer and polarizing plate manufactured using the same
A method of manufacturing a thin film polarizer includes forming a film laminate by allowing a non-oriented polyvinyl alcohol-based film to be bonded to and sandwiched between two or more non-oriented polymer films using attractive force or an adhesive layer, orienting the film laminate so that the polyvinyl alcohol-based film has a thickness of 10 μm or less, and separating the polymer films and the polyvinyl alcohol-based film of the oriented film laminate from each other. |
| US09645290B2 |
Color filter array and solid-state image sensor
According to an embodiment, a color filter array includes a plurality of color filters of multiple colors. The color filters are arranged so that each of the color filter of each color corresponds to any one of a plurality of microlenses included in a microlens array. Each microlens is configured to irradiate a plurality of pixels with light. |
| US09645287B2 |
Flexible optical aperture mechanisms
A system for providing flexible optical aperture shapes in an optical inspection system (e.g., an optical wafer inspection system) is described. The system includes one or more mechanisms for providing multiple optical aperture shapes along an optical beam path in the optical wafer inspection system. The multiple optical apertures shapes are stacked or overlapped to combine the shapes and form a single combined optical aperture shape along the optical beam path. |
| US09645286B2 |
Method for fabricating a display dial for a portable object such as a timepiece and display dial obtained thereby
Method for fabricating a transparent display dial for a portable object, wherein the method includes the steps of: creating a mold with a first relief pattern for imprinting a decoration on at least a first portion of the surface of the transparent display dial, and with a second relief pattern for imprinting an antireflective filter on a second portion of the surface of the transparent display dial; depositing on the dial a mixed layer of a monomer and a cross-linking agent sensitive to ultraviolet radiation; applying the mold on the mixed monomer and cross-linking agent layer; solidifying the mixed monomer and cross-linking agent layer by photopolymerization under ultraviolet irradiation through the mold, and after insolation, removing the mold. The invention also concerns a transparent display dial obtained according to the method of the invention. |
| US09645284B2 |
Apparatus for measuring precipitation
Disclosed is a precipitation gauge including a precipitation receiving member having a water collecting part provided in a shape of a funnel at a lower portion of a cylindrical body and a drain tube, a photodetector installed on an inner sidewall of the cylindrical body to detect snow collected in the precipitation receiving member, heating parts installed on a bottom surface of the water collecting part and a wall of the drain tube to receive a snow signal detected by the photodetector for operation of the heating parts, a rotatable fluid supply unit coupled on a connection tube coupled with the drain tube of the precipitation receiving member perpendicularly to the drain tube, and a flow rate measuring unit provided in a discharge tube coupled with the connection tube provided at a lower portion of the rotatable fluid supply unit to measure a flow rate. |
| US09645282B2 |
Adaptive weather interrogation system
An adaptive weather interrogation system capable of determining whether currently available weather for a particular trajectory or portion thereof, a particular volume of space or geospatial point meets subscriber operations and requirements. More specifically, the system provides the capability to determine the “best” weather information by evaluating the weather data and associated weather quality, accuracy or confidence attribute values against subscriber operations and requirements. If the weather data, quality, accuracy, and confidence do not meet the subscriber's requirements, the system is capable of interrogating weather data sources for additional or updated weather data to meet the subscriber's needs. |
| US09645281B2 |
Geostatistical procedure for simulation of the 3D geometry of a natural fracture network conditioned by well bore observations
The disclosed embodiments include a method, apparatus, and computer program product for providing a geostatistical procedure for simulation of the 3D geometry of a natural fracture network conditioned by well bore observations. |
| US09645279B2 |
Systems and methods for aligning objects
Methods herein relate to aligning objects and can include aligning a transmitter and a receiver to establish a reference line, advancing one or more objects in a direction of advance toward the reference line, interrupting the reference line with the one or more objects and withdrawing the one or more objects opposite the direction of advance until the reference line is uninterrupted. Alternative or complementary aspects relating to alignment can include detecting an interruption of the reference line based on an object entering the path between the transmitter and the receiver, transmitting an interruption signal based on the detected interruption of the reference line detecting a reestablishment of the reference, and transmitting a continuity signal based on the detected reestablishment of the reference line. Systems for effecting such techniques are also disclosed. |
| US09645274B2 |
Airborne electromagnetic system with rigid loop structure comprised of lightweight modular non-rotational frames
The present invention provides a light weight, modular and rigid structure for supporting the transmitter loop of an airborne electromagnetic system. The airborne electromagnetic surveying system comprises a tow assembly connected to an aircraft, the tow assembly including a transmitter section comprising a transmitter coil for generating a primary electromagnetic field that induces a secondary electromagnetic field. The transmitter coil is supported by a generally rigid transmitter frame. The transmitter frame comprises a plurality of frame sections assembled in a way such that the generally rigid transmitter frame substantially retains a rigid shape during operation. The system may also include a receiver section located above the generally rigid transmitter frame in between the aircraft and the generally rigid transmitter frame for detecting the secondary electromagnetic field. |
| US09645271B2 |
Multiple receiver line deployment and recovery
Embodiments described herein relate to an apparatus and method of transferring seismic equipment to and from a marine vessel and subsurface location. In one embodiment, a marine vessel is provided. The marine vessel includes a deck having a plurality of seismic sensor devices stored thereon, two remotely operated vehicles, each comprising a seismic sensor storage compartment, and a seismic sensor transfer device comprising a container for transfer of one or more of the seismic sensor devices from the vessel to the sensor storage compartment of at least one of the two remotely operated vehicles. |
| US09645269B2 |
Ultrasonic imaging in wells or tubulars
An ultrasonic imaging method is provided. A wideband acoustic pulse is fired at a wall. A wideband response signal is received. The wideband response signal is processed to select an impedance measurement frequency. A wavelet having a characteristic frequency approximately equal to the impedance measurement frequency is fired. A wavelet response signal is received. A reflection coefficient is determined from the wavelet response signal. An impedance measurement is calculated from the reflection coefficient. Related tools and systems are also disclosed. |
| US09645265B2 |
Method and system for selecting parameters of a seismic source array
A method for selecting parameters of a seismic source array comprising a plurality of source elements each having a notional source spectrum is described, the method comprising calculating a ghost response function of the array; calculating directivity effects of the array; and adjusting the parameters of the array such that the directivity effects of the array are compensated by the ghost response to minimize angular variation of a far field response in a predetermined frequency range. A method for determining a phase center of a seismic source array is also related, the method comprising calculating a far field spectrum of the array at predetermined spherical angles, and minimizing the phase difference between the farfield spectra within a predetermined frequency range by adjusting a vertical reference position from which the spherical angles are defined. |
| US09645264B2 |
Pressure-compensated sources
Embodiments related to sound sources for marine geophysical surveys. An embodiment provides a sound source, comprising: an outer shell containing a first gas at a first gas pressure; and a compliance chamber in indirect fluid communication with the first gas, the compliance chamber containing a second gas at a second gas pressure, wherein the second gas pressure is lower than the first gas pressure. An embodiment provides a sound source for marine geophysical surveys, comprising: an outer shell; a mass coupled to the outer shell; and an actuator coupled to the outer shell. Additional apparatus and methods are disclosed herein. |
| US09645260B2 |
Photon counting system and method
Among other things, one or more techniques and/or systems for counting detection events via a photon counting detector array is provided. A first instance where an amplitude of an electrical signal exceeds an event threshold is detected. The first instance is generated responsive to a first detection event at a detector cell. An event counter is disabled from counting other detection events at the detector cell for a first blocking interval. At a conclusion of the first blocking interval, the amplitude of the electrical signal is determined. Responsive to determining that the amplitude of the electrical signal is below the event threshold, an adjustment is made to an event count based upon the first detection event. Responsive to determining that the amplitude of the electrical signal exceeds the event threshold, the event counter is disabled from counting other detection events at the detector cell for a second blocking interval. |
| US09645259B2 |
Radiation image pickup apparatus, radiation image pickup system, method for controlling radiation image pickup apparatus, and program
A radiation image pickup apparatus includes a pixel array including a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix and configured to convert a radiant ray into electric signals, signal processors configured to output digital signals obtained in accordance with the electric signals output from the pixel array in parallel, and a controller configured to operate the signal processors after the signal processors enter a second power consumption state in which power consumption is higher than that of a first power consumption state from the first power consumption state after irradiation of a radiant ray to the pixel array is terminated, and to cause the signal processors to output digital signals after the signal processors are operated. |
| US09645258B1 |
Segmented scintillation antineutrino detector
The various technologies presented herein relate to incorporating a wavelength-shifting material in a scintillator to facilitate absorption of a first electromagnetic particle (e.g., a first photon) having a first wavelength and subsequent generation and emission of a second electromagnetic particle (e.g., a second photon) having a second wavelength. The second electromagnetic particle can be emitted isotropically, with a high probability that the direction of emission of the second electromagnetic particle is disparate to the direction of travel of the first electromagnetic particle (and according angle of incidence). Isotropic emission of the second electromagnetic particle enables the second electromagnetic particle to be retained in the scintillator owing to internal reflection. Accordingly, longer length scintillators can be constructed, and accordingly, the scintillator array has a greater area (and volume) over which to detect electromagnetic particles (e.g., antineutrinos) being emitted from a nuclear reaction. |
| US09645257B2 |
Radiation sensor to detect different targeted radiation and radiation detection system including the radiation sensor
A radiation sensor can include a first layer and a second layer. The first layer can include a first scintillation material to produce first light in response to receiving a first targeted radiation, and the second layer can include a second scintillation material to produce second light in response to receiving a second targeted radiation. The first scintillation material can be different from the second scintillation material, and the first targeted radiation can be different from the second targeted radiation. The first layer can be configured to receive and transmit the second light. In an embodiment, the radiation sensor can be part of a radiation detection system that includes a photosensor that can produce an electronic pulse in response to the first and second lights. A method of detecting radiation can include using the radiation detection system to distinguish different radiations by differences in pulse shape. |
| US09645255B2 |
Method for efficient daily constancy check or calibration of proton therapy system
Systems and methods are provided for efficiently performing daily maintenance or quality assurance on proton therapy systems. Specifically, a system is provided which includes a solid-state phantom, a plurality of ionization chambers disposed within the solid-state phantom, and a measuring device coupled to the plurality of ionization chambers and operable to perform radiation measurements of proton beams received within the plurality of ionization chambers. Measurements of proton beams received in the ionization chambers may be used to derive the dose at the ionization chambers and be subsequently compared to pre-generated target data (e.g., data corresponding to proper treatment according to a radiation therapy treatment plan). If the data obtained through the maintenance procedure does not conform to the target data, the proton beam generator may be further calibrated. |
| US09645254B2 |
Dose distribution measuring device
The present invention measures the dose distribution of radiation emitted from a measurement region. A dose distribution measuring device comprises a radiation detecting unit and a radiation varying unit disposed between the radiation detecting unit and a measurement region. A dose at the location of the radiation detecting unit is measured by the radiation detecting unit in a state in which the direction from which the radiation, which is to be measured by being varied by the radiation varying unit, is emitted from the measurement region onto the radiation detecting unit, is predetermined. The angular distribution of the radiation dose emitted on the radiation detecting unit from the measurement region is measured by identifying the direction and angle from which the radiation arrives from the measurement region to the radiation detecting unit and calculating the dose of the arriving radiation before varying with the radiation varying unit. |
| US09645251B1 |
Estimation of roll and roll rate of a spinning body based on a signal received from a remote transmitter
A receiver determines a roll rate of a spinning projectile that receives a signal from a satellite or terrestrial transmitter at a directional antenna fixed to the projectile. The receiver tracks a code phase and a rate of change thereof of the received signal relative to a local model signal corresponding to the transmitter. A roll correlator of the receiver correlates the received signal with the model signal based on (i) the tracked code phase and rate, and (ii) a roll-correlator integration time assumed to produce a predetermined number N of correlation samples per revolution of the antenna, to produce sequential correlation samples for each of successive revolutions of the antenna. The receiver determines a time difference between successive periods of observed signal reception based on the correlation samples, and determines a roll rate based on the time difference. |
| US09645249B2 |
Systems and methods for pseudo-random coding
Systems and methods for improving performance in terrestrial and satellite positioning systems are disclosed. Signal processing systems and methods are described for selecting, from among a set of codes, certain codes having desired autocorrelation and/or cross-correlation properties. Systems and methods for generating, encoding, transmitting, and receiving signals using the selected codes are also described. |
| US09645248B2 |
Vehicle-based global navigation satellite system receiver system with radio frequency hardware component
A vehicle-based radio frequency (RF) hardware component comprises first and second antennas, a digitizer, a serializer, and a serial output. The first antenna receives, over-the-air, a first analog Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signal in a first frequency band. The second antenna receives, over-the-air, at least a second analog GNSS signal in a second frequency band, wherein the first frequency band and the second frequency band are separate and distinct. The digitizer digitizes the first analog GNSS signal into a first digitalized GNSS signal and digitizes the second analog GNSS signal into a second digitized GNSS signal. The serializer serializes the digitized GNSS signals into a serialized output signal. The serial output communicatively couples the digitized GNSS signals, as the serialized output signal, directly from a location in a vehicle of the radio frequency hardware component to a separate communication device that is also coupled with the vehicle. |
| US09645247B2 |
Fast estimation of UTC time in a mobile device using GNSS
A method is described for estimating the coordinated universal time (UTC). The method involves receiving, by a satellite navigation receiver, signals broadcast by a global navigation satellite service (GNSS) satellite. The signals encode a first time of week (TOW) value. The method also involves estimating a first week number (WN) value and a first relationship between the UCT and a reference time of an onboard clock of the GNSS satellite (OFFSET) from time parameter values stored at a local memory. The method determines a first estimate of the UTC from the first TOW value, the first WN value, and the first OFFSET. |
| US09645246B1 |
Ultra low power global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver operation
Apparatuses, methods, and other embodiments associated with low power GNSS receiver operation are described. According to one embodiment, an apparatus includes a pre-processor configured to generate digitized signals from satellite signals according to a set of pre-processing functions. The satellite signals are navigation satellite signals. The pre-processor is configured to store the digitized signals in a memory. The apparatus includes a processor configured to produce a navigation result from the digitized signals stored in the memory. The apparatus includes a control logic configured to independently power the digital pre-processor and the processing logic by powering either the digital or the processor at a time. |
| US09645242B2 |
Device, system and method of collaborative location error correction
Some demonstrative embodiments include devices, systems and/or methods of collaboratively correct location errors. For example, a device may include a collaborative location error corrector to collaboratively correct location errors for at least one group of two or more wireless communication devices, the location error corrector is to receive from at least a first wireless communication device of the group an error report indicating an error in an estimated location of the first wireless communication device, to determine correction information based at least on the error report from the first wireless communication device, and to provide the correction information to at least a second wireless communication device of the group. |
| US09645237B2 |
Registered multi-layer underground and surface images in land surveys
A method of land surveying that electronically registers together multi-layer underground and surface images of a surface volume with buried utilities and other infrastructures. Such method further comprises assembling and presenting the combination to a device in the field that visually guides crews in their safe digging of the ground nearby. The orienting, scaling, and registering of a first image layer is to a standardized orientation and scaling on a map of a photograph of a land surface from a zenith point in space above. Then the orienting, scaling, and registering of a second image layer is made to the standardized orientation and scaling on the map. This layer is a result of a ground penetrating radar investigation of buried objects point-by-point in an immediate search area of a corresponding ground surface. Underground buried objects and utilities are thereby located to make safe digging nearby. |
| US09645234B2 |
RFID device, methods and applications
Systems and methods for ranging in indoor environment that are accurate and that are substantially undisturbed by multipath interference. The method includes illuminating a sensor tag with electromagnetic radiation generated from a transceiver; the transceiver are being located a distance away from the sensor tag; the sensor tag comprising at least one nonlinear transmission line (NLTL) for broadband harmonic generation, receiving backscattered electromagnetic radiation from the at least one NLTL at three or more locations; coordinates of the three or more locations being known, obtaining from the phase and magnitude outputs at a second harmonic and at least one sub harmonic of second harmonic, a distance from the sensor tag to each of the three or more locations and trilaterating a location of the sensor tag. |
| US09645233B2 |
Cavity length determination apparatus
Embodiments include an apparatus comprising a frequency selective electromagnetic receiver and a signal analyzing module. The frequency selective electromagnetic receiver is configured to receive a reradiating electromagnetic signal resulting from a cavity induced modulation phenomenon occurring within cavit(ies). The signal analyzing module is configured to: determine a power spectral density of the reradiating electromagnetic signal. Frequencies are observed at which the amplitude modulation of the power spectral density peaks. A cavity length is determined employing the frequencies of the power spectral density peaks. |
| US09645229B2 |
Digital ranging systems and methods
A radar or sonar system amplifies the signal received by an antenna of the radar system or a transducer of the sonar system is amplified and then subject to linear demodulation by a linear receiver. There may be an anti-aliasing filter and an analog-to-digital converter between the amplifier and the linear receiver. The system may also have a digital signal processor with a network stack running in the processor. That processor may also have a network interface media access controller, where the system operates at different ranges, the modulator may produce pulses of two pulse patterns differing in pulse duration and inter-pulse spacing, those pulse patterns are introduced and used to form two radar images with the two images being derived from data acquired in a duration not more than twenty times larger than the larger inter-pulse spacing, or for a radar system, larger than one half of the antenna resolution time. One or more look-up tables may be used to control the amplifier. The radar system may generate digital output which comprises greater than eight levels of radar video. |
| US09645224B2 |
Processing of geo-spatial athletics sensor data
Correlated and processed data is received that is derived from a plurality of geo-spatial sensors that respectively generate data characterizing a plurality of sources within a zone of interest. The data includes a series of time-stamped frames for each of the sensors. Subsequently, events of interest are identified, in real-time, based on relative positions of the sources within the zone of interest prior to the data being written to a data storage application. Data can then be provided (e.g., loaded, stored, displayed, transmitted, etc.), in real-time, that characterize the events of interest. Related apparatus, systems, techniques and articles are also described. |
| US09645218B2 |
Method and device for testing sensors to be applied on a patient's skin for the detection of fluid or moisture
A method and device for testing sensors to be applied on a patient's skin for detection of liquid or moisture are described, in particular for monitoring vascular access in an extracorporeal blood treatment, in which a patient's blood is carried away from the patient via an arterial line and is fed to the patient via a venous line. A method for producing sensors to be applied on a patient's skin for detection of liquid or moisture is also described. The method and device according to the present invention are based on the testing of one or more moisture sensors which are taken from current production. The method includes providing a large number of twists of the moisture sensor applied onto a torsion body, the mechanical stresses thus recreating the stresses that can occur in practice when the moisture sensor is applied or stuck onto the patient's skin or forearm. |
| US09645214B2 |
Systems and methods for determining electrical properties using magnetic resonance imaging
Systems and methods for determining electrical properties using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) are provided. One method includes applying an ultra-short echo time (TE) pulse sequence in a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) system and acquiring a complex B1+B1− quantity from an object following the application of the ultra-short TE pulse sequence, where B1+ is a complex amplitude of a transmit radio-frequency (RF) magnetic field and B1− is a complex amplitude of a receive RF magnetic field. The method also includes estimating, with a processor, one or more electrical properties of the object using the complex amplitudes of the transmit RF magnetic field and the receive RF magnetic field. |
| US09645210B2 |
Methods and apparatus for thermal management of an MRI component by reducing eddy currents
A thermal management component adapted to cool, when present, at least one component of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system is described. The thermal management component is adapted to reduce or eliminate eddy current production during operation of the MRI system. The thermal management component comprises at least one conduit configured to circulate coolant, and at least one thermally-conductive substrate coupled to the at least one conduit and configured to transfer heat from the at least one component to the coolant when circulated through the at least one conduit, wherein the at least one thermally-conductive substrate is configured to reduce or eliminate eddy current production. |
| US09645208B2 |
Material for use in a magnetic resonance system, method for producing the material and magnetic resonance system
A material for use in a magnetic resonance system includes a carrier material and a doping material. The carrier material and the doping material are admixed in a specific proportion. A volume of the material smaller than 1 mm2 contains a substantially homogeneous intermixing of the carrier material and the doping material. |
| US09645207B2 |
Adjustable MRI head coil apparatus and MRI system
An adjustable MRI head coil apparatus and MRI system include a fixture and a plurality of plates attached to the fixture. Each of the plurality of plates includes a plurality of RF receive elements arranged in a fixed orientation. The adjustable MRI head coil apparatus and MRI system also include an actuator mechanism configured to adjust the relative position of each of the plurality of plates in order to fit a variety of different patient head sizes. |
| US09645205B2 |
Combined electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) magnetometer system
One embodiment of the invention includes a magnetometer system. The system includes a sensor cell comprising alkali metal particles and a probe laser configured to provide a probe beam through the sensor cell. The system also includes a detection system configured to implement nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) detection of a vector magnitude of an external magnetic field in a first of three orthogonal axes based on characteristics of the probe beam passing through the sensor cell and to implement electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) detection of a vector magnitude of the external magnetic field in a second and a third of the three orthogonal axes based on the characteristics of the probe beam passing through the sensor cell. The system further includes a controller configured to calculate a scalar magnitude of the external magnetic field based on the magnitude of the external magnetic field in each of the three orthogonal axes. |
| US09645203B2 |
Magnetic field measuring device
A magnetic field measuring device includes a first semiconductor body having a surface formed in a first x-y plane, the first semiconductor body having two magnetic field sensors, spaced a distance apart on the surface, and the magnetic field sensors each measuring one z component of a magnetic field. A first magnet has a planar main extension surface formed in a second x-y plane, the direction of magnetization changing from a north pole to a south pole along the main extension surface on a symmetry surface of the magnet. One of the two magnetic field sensors being disposed in the vicinity of the north pole and the other of the two magnetic field sensors being situated in the vicinity of the south pole, so that signals having opposite polarities with respect to each other are formed in a z component of the magnetic field. |
| US09645201B2 |
Voltage measuring apparatus and battery management system including the same
The voltage measuring apparatus is connected to a plurality of battery cells connected to each other in series to measure respective voltages of the battery cells. The voltage measuring apparatus includes a sample/hold amplifier configured to sample and hold positive electrode and negative electrode voltages of the battery cells to generate first and second output voltages, a differential voltage converter configured to generate a battery cell voltage according to a voltage difference between a positive input terminal and a negative input terminal, and a switching unit configured to control the first and second output voltages and connection between the positive input terminal and the negative input terminal so that a polarity of the voltage difference is constant. The sample/hold amplifier electrically insulates the switching unit from the battery cells. |
| US09645197B2 |
Method of operating testing system
A method of operating a testing system is provided, wherein the testing system has a test machine and a probe module, which has a first probe set and a second probe set. One of the first probe set and the second probe set can be connected to the test machine. The method includes the following steps: connect the test machine and the first probe set; calibrate the testing system; abut the first probe set against a DUT to do electrical tests; disconnect the first probe set and the DUT; disconnect the test machine and the first probe set; connect the test machine and the second probe set; calibrate the testing system again; abut the second probe set against the DUT to do electrical tests. |
| US09645195B2 |
System for testing integrated circuit
An integrated circuit (IC) is connected to an automated test equipment (ATE) with pogo pins. The IC includes an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO), and a compensation circuit. The ATE provides reference voltage signals to the ADC by way of the pogo pins. A potential drop across a pogo pin introduces an error in a reference voltage signal that is reflected in a digital signal generated by the ADC. The VCO generates reference frequency signals corresponding to the reference voltage signals. The compensation circuit receives the reference frequency signals and the digital signal and generates a compensation factor signal. The compensation circuit multiplies the compensation factor signal and the digital signal to generate a compensated digital signal to compensate for the error introduced by the potential drop across the pogo pins. |
| US09645190B2 |
Partial discharge sensor
A partial discharge sensor includes: a first ground (1) that constitutes a closed space (3) to surround a high-voltage wire (2); and a cylindrical branch pipe (4) disposed at the first ground (1) to protrude to an outer space to house with a lid (8) a first metal container (6) having at least one hole through which gas can pass, and having a slit (12) formed on the side to the space (3); at one end of a coaxial wire (7) disposed in the container (6), an outer conductor (9) of the coaxial wire (7) is connected to the first metal container (6) at a portion near the center of the slit (12), and an inner conductor (10) of the coaxial wire (7) is connected to the first metal container (6) at an opposite portion to a position where the outer conductor (9) is connected across the slit (12). |
| US09645183B2 |
Methods, systems, and products for power management in cable assemblies
Cable assemblies react to electrical power. A visual indicator in a cable assembly changes color in response to the electrical power. The visual indicator, for example, may respond to heat or electromagnetic field in the cable assembly. In smart cables, a controller may activate the visual indicator in response to the electrical power applied to the cable. |
| US09645179B2 |
Self-test for analgesic product
Electrotransport drug delivery devices, system and methods of using configured to determine if a current is present between the anode and cathode when drug is not intended to be delivered by the device. These devices/systems may include an off-current module to determine that any current (e.g., which may be inferred by measuring potential difference between the anode and cathode of the device) flowing between the anode and cathode is below a threshold value when the device is not supposed to be delivering drug, thereby preventing unintended delivery of drug and/or alerting a user that unintended delivery of drug may occur. |
| US09645175B2 |
Electrical current transducer with grounding device
An electrical current transducer including a housing (5), a magnetic field detector device (3) comprising a magnetic field detector (11), and a magnetic circuit (2) comprising a magnetic core (4) with a gap (6) and a grounding device (8) mounted on the magnetic core. The magnetic field detector is positioned in the gap (6). The grounding device comprises at least two parts (8a, 8b), a first part (8a) mounted against a first lateral side (14a) of the magnetic core and a second part (8b) mounted against a second lateral side (14b) of the magnetic core opposite the first lateral side. At least one of the first and second parts comprises clamp fixing extensions (30a, 30b) cooperating with the other of the first and second parts configured for clamping together the first and second parts around a portion of the magnetic core. The least one of the first and second parts comprising electrically conductive material, said part comprising at least one contact terminal (34a, 34b) being adapted to provide an electrical grounding connection for grounding the magnetic core. |
| US09645172B2 |
Cable assembly
A connector includes a connector body including a hole, a contact disposed in the hole and arranged such that, when the connector is connected to a substrate, the contact is connected to a corresponding electrical pad on the substrate, a conductive elastomeric interface arranged such that, when the connector is connected to the substrate, the conductive elastomeric interface is between the connector body and the substrate, and a cable connected to the contact. The contact includes a ground ferrule and a locking ferrule arranged to mate with the hole, and the hole of the connector body and the locking ferrule are at least partially threaded. When the connector is connected to the substrate and when the locking ferrule is threaded with the hole, the ground ferrule contacts at least one of the conductive elastomeric interface and the upper surface of the substrate. |
| US09645169B2 |
Measurement apparatus and method with adaptive scan rate
A measurement method in which a sensing unit acquires surface data of a measurement target while scanning the surface of the measurement target and at least one of the sensing unit and the measurement target is moved in order for the sensing unit to scan the surface along a plurality of fast scan lines on the surface of the measurement target, includes: a first step in which the sensing unit scans a surface along any one fast scan line of the plurality of fast scan lines to acquire the surface data along the any one fast scan line; and a second step in which the sensing unit acquires a surface data along a fast scan line most adjacent to the any one fast scan line while at least one of the sensing unit and the measurement target is moved along the most adjacent fast scan line, after the first step. |
| US09645167B2 |
Calibration apparatus, methods and applications
An inertial sensor calibration method and inertial sensor calibration apparatus. One or more diffraction patterns are generated by one or more fixed and/or moveable gratings (inertial sensors) illuminated by an atomically stabilized source attached to a base and detected by an imager. The grating and/or inertial sensor has a designed parameter value and an actual respective parameter value, such as motion or distance that can be determined upon ultra-precise measurement. Such ultra-precise measurement can be used to calibrate the grating or inertial sensor. |
| US09645161B2 |
Sample inspection automation system
There is provided a sample inspection automation system which uses a single holder as its carrier, which can supply empty holders to a distant processing unit on an extended circling path without delay, and which permits continuous operation in case of a failure through detachment of a failed part for example. The system combining a plurality of processing units has an empty holder circling path with a mechanism to circle empty holders across all processing units within the system in unicursal fashion; stoppers for retaining empty holders on the circling path; and a mechanism for controlling the stoppers on the circling path given an empty holder request from a processing unit. The empty holder circling path is made of a plurality of loops each equipped with the stopper. The sample inspection automation system thus configured supplies empty holders efficiently and simplifies system operation through fallback operation. |
| US09645160B2 |
Automatic analysis device
The automatic analysis device measures time sequential data on a scattered light amount as reaction process data, and quantitatively determines the concentration of an analyte from a change in light amount. The automatic analysis device has a function of selecting reaction process data to be used for quantitative determination from the reaction process data obtained by measurement using a plurality of light receivers at different angles. As a result of using this function, data is selected from the reaction process data obtained by measurement using the plurality of light receivers at different angles in accordance with the concentration of the analyte and whether the priority is given to high sensitivity in the case where sensitivity is prioritized or a dynamic range, and the result of the quantitative determination is displayed. |
| US09645159B2 |
Test menu expansion system and method
An automation system for use with an in vitro diagnostics environment includes a track and a plurality of carriers configured to move along the track and hold one or more of a plurality of samples and one or more of a plurality of reagents having reagent types. The system also includes one or more testing stations, one or more local reagent storage areas located at or proximate to the one or more testing stations and one or more central reagent storage areas. The system further includes a control system configured to direct the one or more reagents from the one or more local reagent storage areas to the one or more testing stations based on received reagent information and direct the one or more reagents from the one or more central reagent storage areas to the one or more testing stations based on the received reagent information. |
| US09645158B2 |
Methods for detecting vitamin C by mass spectrometry
Provided are methods for determining the amount of vitamin C in a sample using mass spectrometry. The methods generally involve ionizing vitamin C in a sample and detecting and quantifying the amount of the ion to determine the amount of vitamin C in the sample. |
| US09645145B2 |
Sensor chip, detection system, and method of detecting target substance in analyte
A sensor chip includes first and second electrodes that are exposed from the sensor chip and are made from materials different from each other. The sensor chip further includes a detection circuit that detects a target substance included in an analyte, the detection circuit being driven by a potential difference between the first and second electrodes, the potential difference being generated by an oxidation at the first electrode and a reduction at the second electrode while the analyte contacts the first and second electrodes, the analyte including an electrolyte. |
| US09645144B2 |
Atomic force microscope integrated with a multiple degrees-of-freedom magnetic actuator
The present invention relates to a biomolecular measurement system (1), which enables to measure the intermolecular forces arising from the interaction between two biomolecules or the intramolecular forces within a single biomolecule by using an atomic force microscope (AFM). In the present invention, the cantilever (2) is moved only when the actuator (4) moves the magnetic nanowire (3) and thus moves the molecule attached to the end of the magnetic nanowire (3). Since the cantilever (2) is not moved, fluctuation and disturbance is not created in the liquid containing the biomolecules. Thus, the measurements are made more accurately and with higher resolution. Additionally, by means of the actuator (4), the biomolecules are enabled to be moved upon exertion of magnetic force at any coordinate on x, y and z axes on the nanowire (3), or exertion of torque on two axes. |
| US09645141B2 |
Method for diagnosing biomarkers and biomarker diagnosis kit
A method for diagnosing a biomarker using magnetic particles and quantum dots for quantitative analysis and a biomarker diagnosis kit are provided. The method for diagnosing a biomarker includes: ii) providing magnetic particles having surfaces to which a primary antibody capable of collecting a biomarker using a linker is fixed; ii) providing quantum dots having surfaces to which a secondary antibody capable of detecting the biomarker is fixed; iii) sandwich-targeting the biomarker by the magnetic particles and the quantum dots; iv) selectively separating quantum dots sandwich-targeting the biomarker among the quantum dots; and v) quantifying the concentration of the biomarker by measuring absorbance or intensity of fluorescence of separated quantum dots. |
| US09645137B2 |
Compounds and method of identifying, synthesizing, optimizing and profiling protein modulators
This invention relates to methods of identifying, synthesizing, optimizing and profiling compounds that are inhibitors or activators of proteins, both naturally occurring endogenous proteins as well as certain variant forms of endogenous proteins, and novel methods of identifying such variants. The method accelerates the identification and development of compounds as potential therapeutically effective drugs by simplifying the pharmaceutical discovery and creation process through improvements in hit identification, lead optimization, biological profiling, and rapid elimination of toxic compounds. Implementation results in overall cost reductions in the drug discovery process resulting from the corresponding increases in efficiency. |
| US09645136B2 |
Methods of treating a meiotic kinesin-associated disease
The invention provides methods of treating a meiotic kinase-associated disease, preferably the meiotic kinase HSET, by administering an inhibitor of the meiotic kinase. Preferably, the disease is associated with the presence of supernumerary centrosomes, such as cancer. Methods of inhibiting the growth of a tumor cell by contacting the cell with an inhibitor of a meiotic kinase, preferably HSET, are also provided. Screening methods for identifying inhibitors of the meiotic kinase HSET are also provided. Methods of selecting subjects for treatment with an inhibitor of a meiotic kinase, such as HSET, are also provided. |
| US09645134B1 |
Isotopically-labeled solvents and the use of same in testing e-cigarettes
Isotopically-labeled species of propylene glycol and glycerol are provided as solvents for use in electronic nicotine delivery systems (e.g., as disposed in a cartridge in an e-cigarette). The isotopically-labeled species are distinguishable from the non-isotopically-labeled species (e.g., by mass spectrometry). Thus, methods are provided for the measurement of the quantity of solvent or of a solvent heating by-product (e.g., formaldehyde, acetaldehyde), or of a metabolite of the drug, delivered to a user by analysis of blood samples taken subsequent to dosing by use of the electronic nicotine delivery system. An example of an isotopically-labeled species of propylene glycol for use in such measurement methods is [13C]3H8O2. A clinical study of e-cigarettes loaded with this isotopically-labeled species resulted in the following blood plasma concentration profiles in “vaping” subjects. |
| US09645126B2 |
Sampling method for use in odor measurement
There are provided methods for detecting at least one odor in a gas sample. For example, such a method can comprise passing a gas sample into a thermal conditioning chamber or unit so as to control the temperature of the gas sample; dividing the gas sample into a plurality of portions and contacting each of the portions together with a different gas sensor. There is also provided an apparatus for detecting an odor that comprises a thermal conditioning unit adapted to control the temperature of a gas sample; a divider adapted to divide the gas sample into a plurality of gas portions; and a plurality of gas sensors disposed adjacently to the divider, each of the sensors being adapted to receive a portion of the gas sample in order to analyze it. |
| US09645121B2 |
Nonlinear dynamic focusing control method
A nonlinear dynamic focusing control method includes: (1) using a minimum length in a scan line having the minimum length and a maximum length as an initial location and assigning a focal point on the scan line; (2) calculating half depth of focus of the focal point, and the initial location plus the half depth of focus of the focal point being the location of this focal point on the scan line; (3) determining an initial calculation location of the next focal point by adding the half depth of focus of the focal point from the location of this focal point on the scan line in the direction of the maximum length; and (4) determining if the initial calculation location of the next focal point is greater than the maximum length. |
| US09645119B2 |
System for measuring propagation velocity of sound wave and method of measuring propagation velocity of sound wave
The present invention provides an apparatus for measuring the propagation velocity of a sound wave that may easily and accurately measure the propagation velocity of a sound wave in the horizontal and vertical directions of the sample by using the fixing unit preventing the measurement unit from vibrating and the distance measurement unit capable of accurately measuring the distance between the sound wave transmission and reception units, and a method of measuring the propagation velocity of a sound wave by using the apparatus. |
| US09645116B2 |
Object characteristics measurement apparatus
An object characteristics measurement apparatus of the invention includes a surface acoustic wave device. The surface acoustic wave device includes: an interdigitated electrode that is formed on a first surface on a piezoelectric substrate, excites an elastic wave, and receives reflection based on the elastic wave; a reflector that has a third surface and a fourth surface between the interdigitated electrode and a second surface orthogonal to the first surface in a propagation direction of the elastic wave; a reaction field that is formed between the interdigitated electrode and the reflector, in which the measured object is to be loaded; and a propagator that is formed between the reflector and the second surface. |
| US09645112B2 |
Auto-cleaning and auto-zeroing system used with a photo-ionization detector
An auto-cleaning and auto-zeroing system (1) comprises a first conduit for flow of ambient gas (16) and a 2nd conduit (22) for flow of ambient air (18). A cleaning chamber (12) removes impurities from ambient air (18). The 1st conduit (20) and 2nd conduit (22) are connected to a valve, operated by the continuous motor, which continuously draws ambient gas (16) or cleaned and filtered ambient air (18) through the system. Cleaned and filtered ambient air (18) enters the ionization chamber (10) to carry out a cleaning (flushing) and a cleaning (ionization) cycle. In this manner, contaminants and pollutants left in the ionization chamber (10) from the measurement of ambient gas (16) are flushed out and removed. |
| US09645110B2 |
Gas sensor
A gas sensor includes a sensor element having electrode take-out portions; a tubular separator having a flange portion, surrounding the electrode take-out portions, and spaced from a metallic shell; a tubular outer sleeve covering the separator, connected to the metallic shell, and having an inward convex portion that contacts the rearward-facing surface of the separator and restricts rearward movement of the separator; a seal member disposed on the rear of the separator and accommodated in a rear portion of the outer sleeve such that it is spaced from the separator; and an annular retainer fixed to the outer sleeve and in contact with a contact surface which forms at least a portion of the forward-facing surface of the flange portion. The separator has a rotation restriction surface for restricting its rotation in the circumferential direction, and the retainer has an engagement surface which contacts the rotation restriction surface. |
| US09645109B2 |
Scanning drop sensor
Electrochemical or electrochemical and photochemical experiments are performed on a collection of samples by suspending a drop of electrolyte solution between an electrochemical experiment probe and one of the samples that serves as a test sample. During the electrochemical experiment, the electrolyte solution is added to the drop and an output solution is removed from the drop. The probe and collection of samples can be moved relative to one another so the probe can be scanned across the samples. |
| US09645108B2 |
Scanning drop sensor
Electrochemical experiments are performed on a collection of samples by suspending a drop of electrolyte solution between an electrochemical experiment probe and one of the samples that serves as a test sample. During the electrochemical experiment, the electrolyte solution is added to the drop and an output solution is removed from the drop. The probe and collection of samples can be moved relative to one another so the probe can be scanned across the samples. |
| US09645107B2 |
Conditioning apparatus and method for ion-selective electrode
Ion-selective electrodes (ISE's) optimized for analyte determinations and provides methods and apparatus for conditioning ion selective electrodes. The conditioning methods and apparatus are particularly useful for ISE's selective for, difficult to condition, less stable and temperature sensitive products, an are based on a concentration gradient and/or a short exposure to an increased temperature. |
| US09645103B2 |
Analyte sensor and analyte sensing method
A biosensor includes a detection element having an analyte detecting portion which is monotonically increased in mass in response to detection of an analyte; a reference element having a reference measuring portion which exhibits no reactivity to the analyte; a mixer which mixes a detection signal responsive to mass variations in the analyte detecting portion from the detection element and a reference signal from the reference element; a measurement which calculates two candidate phase-change values of a positive value and a negative value, from a signal mixed by the mixer in accordance with a heterodyne system, and determines a phase-change value from the two candidate phase change value by judging whether the phase is positive or negative based on temporal changes in signal strength; and a detection amount calculation portion which calculates a detection amount of the analyte based on the phase change value determined by the measurement portion. |
| US09645101B2 |
Bacteria identification by phage induced impedance fluctuation analysis
Methods for detection and identification of bacteria within a sample include the step of inserting a pair of electrodes into the sample. A first impedance across the electrodes is established with a first AC voltage source having a first frequency. A phage is introduced into the sample, and impedance fluctuations that are caused by ion release by the bacteria due to the phage introduction are measured. The use of impedance fluctuations instead of voltage fluctuations to detect and identify bacteria minimizes 1/f noise effects and increases system sensitivity. To further increase system sensitivity by eliminating thermal noise, a second impedance across the electrodes can be established using a second AC voltage source at a second frequency. Second impedance fluctuations are cross-correlated to the first impedance fluctuations, and the cross-correlation results are analyzed to determine whether or not bacteria are present in the sample based on phage electrical activity. |
| US09645098B2 |
Detection system for detecting a soldered joint
The invention relates to a detection system (1) for detecting a soldered joint (16, 17) of an electronic component (10), particularly an integrated circuit. The component comprises a cuboid enclosure. The detection system comprises a detection device (2) with an emitter (5) for electromagnetic radiation and a detector (6) for the electromagnetic radiation. The detection device is designed to generate electromagnetic radiation (18, 19) with the emitter and to transmit said radiation to the component. The detector is arranged and designed to detect electromagnetic radiation (18′, 19′) reflected by the component and to generate an image data set representing the reflected radiation. The detection device is designed to generate from the image data set at least one edge data set representing one edge of the component and to determine in the region of the edge data set, particularly of an image region of the image data set representing the edge, at least one part of the image data set representing a soldered joint and to generate and output a quality signal representing a quality of the soldered joint on the basis of an intensity value, particularly a brightness or grey value of the part of the image data set. |
| US09645096B2 |
Method and system for optical measurements
The present disclosure includes a method for optical measurements. The method includes providing a substrate with a structure for optical measurement on the substrate; and illuminating a light spot on the structure for optical measurement to obtain a measured light scattering spectrum. The method also includes performing a first matching process to obtain a plurality of matching standard optical scattering spectra and a plurality of first matching degrees, each standard optical scattering spectrum corresponding to one first matching degree; obtaining a plurality of combined optical scattering spectra based on the plurality of matching standard optical scattering spectra; and performing a second matching process to obtain a plurality second matching degree, each corresponding to one combined optical scattering spectrum. |
| US09645090B2 |
Method of manufacturing an optical sensor element for analyte assay in a biological fluid
Beginning with a sheet of optically transparent material, one may fabricate a great many shaped optical wafers, each in the form of a thin and essentially flat piece of optical material having a narrow cross-sectional width relative to length, and a sharply narrowed tip at one end. The fabrication process involves passing a sheet of optically transparent material through one or more operational steps wherein cutting, shearing, embossing, microperforating, or a combination thereof is performed. The fabrication process may further include a cladding operation, a tip texturing operation, and an analyte-reactive reagent deposition operation. The completed optical wafers are separated and each may be mounted into a user-operated device along with systems for educing a fluid sample to be expressed from a living organism, for bringing the tip of the optical wafer into contact with the fluid sample, and for illuminating and assaying the fluid sample. |
| US09645086B2 |
Componential analysis method, componential analysis apparatus and non-transitory computer-readable recording medium
In accordance with an embodiment, a componential analysis method includes dividing a sample structure into at least a first layer to be analyzed and a second layer located closer to a surface layer of the sample than the first layer, applying, to the sample, laser lights of first and second wavelengths respectively corresponding to the depths of the first and second layers, detecting Raman scattered lights respectively obtained from the sample by the application of the laser lights and then outputting first and second Raman signals, spectrally processing the first and second Raman signals to acquire first and second Raman spectrums, acquiring a differential spectrum by subtracting the second Raman spectrum from the first Raman spectrum, and analyzing the differential spectrum. |
| US09645085B2 |
Optical emission collection and detection device and method
This invention generally relates to optical devices that can collect and detect signal emissions effectively while allowing the excitation light path and the sample flow path to coexist non-obstructively in a compact format. More specifically, this invention relates to a compact device having a multilayer coating on the structure surface and a wave guiding structure. In the device, using the surface plasmon coupling effect, the majority of the optical emission from the emitter on top of the multilayer coating is distributed toward the wave guiding structure. The wave guiding structure then further directs on signal to the detector with a high efficiency. |
| US09645084B2 |
Adaptive optics system
A disclosed method involves: receiving, by a processing device, a first plurality of photon count values indicating a number of photons detected by an optical system during a plurality of first time periods as a result of laser beam excitation of an observation volume of a sample during fluorescence fluctuation microscopy analysis; calculating, by the processing device based on the first plurality of photon count values, a first count rate per molecule indicating the average number of photons detected per molecule of the observation volume; and generating, by the processing device based on the first count rate per molecule, a control signal for configuring a phase modulation device of the optical system. |
| US09645081B2 |
Particle detection
A particle detection system including; at least one light source adapted to illuminate a volume being monitored at at least two wavelengths; a receiver having a field of view and being adapted to receive light from at least one light source after said light has traversed the volume being monitored and being adapted to generate signals indicative of the intensity of light received at regions within the field of view of the receiver; a processor associated with the receiver adapted to process the signals generated by the receiver to correlate light received at at least two wavelengths in corresponding regions within the field of view of the receiver and generate an output indicative of the relative level of light received at the two wavelengths. |
| US09645078B1 |
Quantitative micro-volume nucleic acid detection device
The present invention discloses a quantitative micro-volume nucleic acids detection device, which includes a light source, a first shielding screen, a second shielding screen, a lower glass plate, an upper glass plate and at least one sensor, wherein a pin-hole on the second shielding screen generates an image of a nucleic acid sample solution fixed between the bottom and upper glasses, the image is then captured by the sensor, concentration of the nucleic acid sample solution is determined accordingly. With the implementation of the present invention, the detection is reproducible and repetitive, the detection optical path is invariant, avoid of interfering from the pollution during detection so that the cost and time are greatly reduced. Furthermore, in order to overcome the measurement accuracy problem caused from attenuation of light intensity by the prolonged usage of fiber-optic components equipped in the prior art means, it avoid the use of fiber-optic components in the optical path via the present invention. |
| US09645074B2 |
Image processing apparatus
An image processing apparatus includes an illumination unit in which illumination axes of first and second illumination light substantially coincide with an imaging axis and which illuminates an object with the first and second illumination light alternately, the first and second illumination light being respectively polarized in a first direction and a second direction that crosses the first direction; a splitter that divides returning light into at least two returning light components; and first and second polarization imaging devices that receive the returning light components. The first polarization imaging device obtains first and second polarization images polarized in the first direction while the object is being illuminated with the first and second illumination light, respectively. The second polarization imaging device obtains third and fourth polarization images polarized in the second direction while the object is being illuminated with the first and second illumination light, respectively. |
| US09645070B2 |
Nanoparticle analyzer
Methods for detecting and analyzing individual nanoparticles of the same, similar, or different sizes co-existing in a fluid sample using multi-spectral analysis are disclosed. A plurality of light sources may be configured to produce a plurality of light beams at different spectral wavebands. An optical assembly may be configured to combine the plurality of light beams into one or more incident light sheets. Each incident light sheet may illuminate one or more nanoparticles in a liquid sample. One or more image detectors may be configured to detect, using a plurality of wavelengths, light scattered or emitted by one or more nanoparticles. The plurality of wavelengths may correspond to the different spectral wavebands of the plurality of light beams. Related apparatus, systems, techniques, and articles are also described. |
| US09645069B2 |
Adsorption characteristic measuring apparatus
An adsorption characteristic measuring apparatus according to the invention supplies a predetermined adsorption gas to a film formed body as a sample accommodated in a sample tube to measure adsorption characteristics. In the inside of the sample tube, a void between an inner wall surface of the sample tube and the sample is filled with a particle-like filler having higher thermal conductivity than the adsorption gas under a measurement pressure. In addition, a glass rod as a dead volume reducing rod, a spacer ring for forming a thermal insulation space between the particle-like filler and the glass rod, and a reflective plate for reflecting radiant heat are disposed. |
| US09645059B2 |
Sample introduction system and particle size distribution measuring apparatus
In order to introduce a sample X into a particle size distribution measuring apparatus 200 while neither using a large amount of liquid nor leaving the sample X, a sample introduction system that introduces the sample X into the particle size distribution measuring apparatus 200 that measures the particle size distribution of the sample X is adapted to include: a sample load part 20 that has a load space S into which the sample X is loaded, and a lead-out port 20a adapted to lead out the sample X loaded into the load space S; and a liquid supply mechanism 50 adapted to, into the load space S, supply liquid that is mixed with the sample X and provided in order to measure the particle size distribution. In addition, the sample introduction system is also adapted such that the liquid supplied by the liquid supply mechanism 50 is conducted to the lead-out port 20a while circulating along an inner circumferential surface 24 forming the load space S of the sample load part 20. |
| US09645058B2 |
Sample encapsulation system and method
A sample encapsulation system includes a base, a chamber having an inlet and a chamber housing in which the chamber is housed. The chamber is fixedly mounted at least in part within the housing and the housing is movably mounted to the base. The system includes a cap, a first ram operably mounted to the cap for engaging the chamber inlet and a second ram positioned in the chamber opposite the inlet. The second ram is movable toward and away from the first ram. The chamber and housing are movable toward the cap for engaging the first ram with the chamber inlet during an encapsulation cycle and away from the cap, disengaging the first ram from the chamber inlet following an encapsulation cycle. The system includes heating and cooling assemblies and a temperature sensor located remotely from the chamber interior to automatically isolate cooling water to the system. |
| US09645057B2 |
Method for improving analysis of microorganisms in complex matrices
A process for determining one of the presence, absence, or total of microorganisms (e.g. bacteria) in a sample. According to the process, a biological sample containing complex matrices is obtained. The sample is first combined with a resin to adsorb complex matrices from the sample. The resin is removed from the biological sample. The sample so prepared is then analyzed by flow cytometry. |
| US09645054B2 |
Method for determining reduction factor of bearing capacity of axial load cylindrical shell structure
A method for determining a reduction factor of a bearing capacity of an axial load cylindrical shell structure is described. In the method, a depression defect is introduced in a manner of applying a radial disturbance load. Then, an influence rule of a depression defect amplitude of a single point to an axial load bearing capacity is analyzed by using numerical values; then, defect sensitivity analysis is performed on depression defects of multiple points; then, experiment design sampling is performed by using load amplitude values and load position distribution as design variables; and finally, the most disadvantageous disturbance load of the multiple points that limits the defect amplitude is searched for, and a reduction factor of the bearing capacity of the axial load cylindrical shell structure is determined. |
| US09645053B2 |
Flaw detection machine with parallel lifting function, adapted for detecting flaw without demounting wheels
A flaw detection machine with parallel lifting function, adapted for detecting flaw without demounting wheels, includes a trolley, slidable along steel rail, a base frame, a jacking apparatus and a tread flaw detecting device provided on the trolley, a first jacking mechanism for driving the jacking apparatus to move up and down, a second jacking mechanism for driving the tread flaw detecting device to move up and down, the tread flaw detecting device has a vertical frame, a tread probe manipulator provided at an upper end of the vertical frame, a tread probe frame provided on the tread probe manipulator, and the jacking apparatus is mounted on the vertical frame and able to slide up and down along an inner side wall of the vertical frame. |
| US09645052B2 |
Tire uniformity through identification of process harmonics using re-indexed partial uniformity waveforms
Systems and methods for improving tire uniformity include identifying at least one candidate process harmonic and corresponding period. A set of uniformity waveforms is then collected for each test tire in a set of one or more test tires. To provide better data for analysis, the collection of waveforms may include multiple waveforms including measurements obtained before and/or after cure, in clockwise and/or counterclockwise rotational directions, and while the tire is loaded and/or unloaded. The uniformity waveforms may be re-indexed to the physical order of the at least one candidate process harmonic, and selected data points within the waveforms may optionally be deleted around a joint effect or other non-sinusoidal effect. The re-indexed, optionally partial, waveforms may then be analyzed to determine magnitude and azimuth estimates for the candidate process harmonics. Aspects of tire manufacture may then be modified in a variety of different ways to account for the estimated process harmonics. |
| US09645049B2 |
Soot generating device
A soot generating device suitable for calibration purposes and a method of using the device for calibrating a soot measuring apparatus are presented. The soot generating device includes a wick located relative to a burning zone, a gas diffusion shield surrounding the burning zone that allows a continuous stream of air into the combustion zone, and a fuel supply for delivering fuel to the wick. |
| US09645045B2 |
SHG imaging technique for assessing hybrid EO polymer/silicon photonic integrated circuits
Probe beams are scanned with respect to waveguide substrates to generate optical harmonics. Detection of the optical harmonic radiation is used to image waveguide cores, claddings, or other structures such as electrodes. The detected optical radiation can also be used to provide estimates of linear electrooptic coefficients, or ratios of linear electrooptic coefficients. In some cases, the poling of polymer waveguide structures is monitored during fabrication based on a second harmonic of the probe beam. In some examples, third harmonic generation is used for imaging of conductive layers. |
| US09645042B2 |
Resonance testing machine
Resonance test machine for vibration strength testing of a test body which is clamped between a cross member and a vibration head. The vibration head, test body and cross member are part of a second sub-oscillatory system which is vibratable in an axis x, in which the test body and a resonator containing the vibration head, a vibration spring and a vibration body are arranged successively in series along the x axis. A first sub-oscillatory system, which is also vibratable in axis x, is present in series to the second sub-oscillatory system and the resonator, wherein the first sub-oscillatory system contains the vibration body, spring elements, a seismic mass and electromagnetic vibration exciters. |
| US09645040B2 |
Method of inline inspecting and/or testing devices and apparatus to perform such method
Inspecting and/or testing of inline conveyed devices is performed in that a monitoring unit is applied to a device. The monitoring unit is removed in a removing area. Within the timespan the monitoring unit is applied to the device, the monitoring unit is operated in a standalone operating mode. During a timespan information about the device to which the monitoring unit is applied is collected in the monitoring unit. This timespan of collecting includes at least a part of the timespan during which the monitoring unit is operated in standalone mode. |
| US09645036B2 |
Method of inspecting pressure switch
A method of inspecting pressure switch for inspecting if stability and the pressure switch's setpoint are within the standard range includes steps of: providing a standard pressure generator and a pressure detector, and connecting the standard pressure generator to the pressure switch and the pressure detector. Then, provide an inspector, and create data which includes a setpoint pressure value and a pressure switch operation condition. Next, electrically connect the inspector to the pressure switch and the pressure detector. Next, standard pressure generator applies pressure on the pressure detector and the pressure switch. Record the set pressure value and the reset pressure value of the pressure switch and calculate error values between the set pressure value, the reset pressure value and the default pressure value, and judge if stability and the pressure switch's setpoint are within the standard range according the error values. |
| US09645030B2 |
Pressure measurement sensor head
Device for measurement of fluid pressure by means of an arrangement of strain gauges provided on a sensor head arranged on an item arranged to be exposed to a pressurized fluid against an external sensor head surface, where the sensor head comprises a fastening portion attached to the item, and a center portion connected to the fastening portion by means of at least one flexible connecting element, the arrangement of strain gauges is attached to the center portion of the sensor head on an internal assembly surface arranged in close proximity to a contact face on an end stopper which in an active condition encircles the arrangement of strain gauges, and the assembly surface is inexposable for the pressurized fluid. |
| US09645026B2 |
Tightening device
A tightening device is able to check that a fastening member has been fastened to a desired set torque or greater after being tightened, without loosening the fastening member. The tightening device is provided with a mode switching switch for switching between a first tightening process of adjusting the output of a motor after measured torque that is measured by a torque detector has reached a preset first control start torque, such that the measured torque reaches a preset first set torque in a phased manner through repeated increases and decreases in torque, and blocking power supply to the motor when the measured torque reaches the first set torque, and a second tightening process of driving the motor at an initial output that is less than in the first tightening process, adjusting the output of the motor after the measured torque that is measured by the torque detector has reached a preset second control start torque, such that the measured torque reaches a preset second set torque in a phased manner through repeated increases and decreases in torque, and blocking power supply to the motor when the measured torque reaches the second set torque. |
| US09645024B2 |
Method of calibrating multi component force detector provided in rolling resistance testing machine
To calibrate a crosstalk correction coefficient of a multi-component force detector provided in a rolling resistance testing machine. A method of calibrating a multi-component force detector provided in a rolling resistance testing machine includes a spindle shaft attached with a tire, a running drum with a simulated road surface for pressing the tire thereon, and a rotation torque meter provided in a rotation shaft of the running drum, wherein when performing a process of calculating a force acting on the tire from a measurement value of the multi-component force detector using a crosstalk correction coefficient for calibrating an influence of crosstalk occurring in the multi-component force detector, the crosstalk correction coefficient is calibrated by using a rolling test data including a rotation torque measured by the rotation torque meter and a force measured by the multi-component force detector. |
| US09645022B2 |
Magneto-elastic force sensor and method for compensating distance dependency in a measurement signal of such a sensor
A magneto-elastic force sensor includes a sensor head (1) that has an emitting coil (9) which generates a magnetic field and at least one magnetic field sensor (11) for measuring a magnetic flux caused by the magnetic field of the emitting coil (9) in a measured object (13). The sensor head (1) also includes a recorder (14) for recording an electrical value that reflects the inductivity of the emitting coil (9) or that is clearly connected to the latter. The magneto-elastic force sensor allows for compensation of a distance dependency in the measurement signal by ascertaining the distance between the emitting coil (9) or the sensor head (1) and the measured object (13) based on the recorded electrical value and by compensating the distance dependency in the measurement signal based on the ascertained distance. |
| US09645018B2 |
Method and apparatus for auto-correcting the distributed temperature sensing system
System and method for correcting the potential errors occurring in a fiber optic temperature measurement system are disclosed. In one respect, a dual light sources configuration is provided. The primary light source may illuminate a sensing fiber, and an Anti-Stokes band may be detected. The secondary light source may illuminate a sensing fiber, and a Rayleigh band may be detected, where the Rayleigh band is substantially wide enough to cover the Anti-Stokes band of the primary light source. A ratio between these Anti-Stokes and the Rayleigh bands may be used to measure the temperature and undesired errors due to the perturbations falling on the sensing fiber is continuously corrected. |
| US09645015B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a control voltage generator to generate a control voltage according to a temperature section signal; and a temperature voltage output block to output a temperature voltage varying with a temperature according to the control voltage and the temperature section signal. |
| US09645011B2 |
Optical device having polarizer and non-active retarders for spectroscopic polarimetry
In the channeled spectroscopic polarimetry, a measurement error of a parameter showing a spectropolarization characteristic of a sample is effectively removed, the error being generated by various variations in retardation of a retarder depending upon the state of the sample. With attention being focused that the retardation of the retarder may be kept constant by stabilization of an incident direction of light that transmits through the retarder, the retarder was arranged on the light source side with respect to the sample so as to effectively remove an influence relative to a measurement error, such as variations in direction of a light ray due to the sample. |
| US09645009B2 |
Ultraviolet monitoring systems, methods, and devices
In embodiments, a control system for a UV air treatment system, especially one used for cleaning a fume stream such as in a kitchen exhaust system, detects a need for cleaning maintenance on the UV light source based on changes in light intensity. The system further detects the light intensity each time the UV light source is cleaned to determine if the drop in intensity after cleaning indicates that the UV light source should be replaced. The cleaning and replacement requirements are indicated automatically by a user interface. |
| US09645004B2 |
Optical impedance modulation for fuel quantity measurement comprising a fiber encased by a tube having a longitudinal slot with a lens
Systems and methods that use an optical impedance sensor that eliminates electricity for measuring fuel quantity in fuel tanks. The optical impedance sensor comprises two optical fibers spaced apart inside a meniscus tube, one to transmit light along its length and the other to receive light along its length. The meniscus tube minimizes the sloshing of fuel level. The fuel level in the tank modulates the optical impedance between the two optical fibers, resulting in changes in the total light received by an optical detector. Depending on fuel tank height, the optical impedance sensor may comprise different embodiments in which the detection apparatus shapes the light to be unidirectional (emitted and collected only on one side of the fiber) or omnidirectional (all directions). |
| US09645003B2 |
Efficient dispersion correction for FMCW-radar in a pipe
A method for determining a distance to a surface of a medium or to another radar target in a pipe by means of a radar measurement apparatus. Transmitting within the pipe a radar transmission signal frequency modulated according to the FMCW principle, receiving a radar received signal reflected on the surface of the medium or on the other radar target in the pipe back to the radar measurement apparatus, mixing the radar received signal with the radar transmission signal or a signal derived therefrom and producing an intermediate signal. Determining a frequency spectrum of the intermediate signal or a signal derived therefrom by means of fast Fourier transformation and detecting the position of the frequency peak in the frequency spectrum. Determining a dispersion correction for removing, respectively lessening, dispersion effects, applying the dispersion correction to the intermediate frequency signal or to a signal derived therefrom and producing a dispersion corrected signal, and determining the position of the frequency peak in the frequency spectrum of the dispersion corrected signal anew by introducing a number of frequency support points in the region of the previously detected frequency peak, determining the respective frequency amplitudes selectively at the newly introduced frequency support points, and ascertaining the position of the frequency peak in the frequency spectrum of the dispersion corrected signal using the frequency amplitudes at the newly introduced frequency support points. |
| US09645002B2 |
System and method for identifying levels or interfaces of media in a vessel
Systems and methods for identifying the level of media in a vessel with a sensing cable including an optical fiber sensor array aligned with a heating element disposed in the vessel. An excitation source is configured to propagate at least one heat pulse through the heating element along at least a portion of the sensing cable to affect an exchange of thermal energy between the heating element and the one or more media exposed to the sensing cable. An optical signal interrogator is adapted to receive a signal from each of a plurality of sensor locations and measure a temperature profile corresponding to the heat pulse at the sensor locations. A control unit is configured to identify a level of each of media by determining properties of the media exposed to the sensing cable at each of the sensor locations based on the temperature profile corresponding thereto. |
| US09645001B2 |
Performance monitoring of individual hydrocyclones using sonar-based slurry flow measurement
Apparatus features a signal processor module that responds to signals containing information about sensed sound propagating through a slurry flowing in part, including overflow pipes, of cyclones operating in parallel on a cyclone battery, and determine corresponding signaling containing information about the performance of individual cyclones based upon the signals received. The signal processor forms part of a non-invasive acoustic-based passive monitoring system having cyclones and sensors attached thereto. The signal processor module provides the corresponding signaling as output or control signaling, e.g., for controlling the cyclone battery. |
| US09644997B2 |
Automatic calibration method for a motor vehicle a camshaft sensor
An automatic calibration method for a motor vehicle camshaft sensor, the vehicle having at least one camshaft, a toothed encoded target (or magnetic encoder) associated with this camshaft, and a magnetic field sensor placed near the target to detect magnetic field variations caused by the passage of the teeth of the target near the sensor, the sensor delivering signals corrected by a predetermined detection threshold K, the method including: continuously measuring the value of the magnetic field during at least one revolution of the target, determining the maximum amplitude Amax of the field measured during this revolution, determining the minimum amplitude Amin of the field measured during this revolution, finding the ratio of the amplitudes A min A max and determining an auto-adaptive correction coefficient K′ to be applied to the signal received from the magnetic sensor, with allowance for the geometrical imperfections of the target, according to the following formula: K ′ = A min A max × K . |
| US09644996B2 |
Controller for air-conditioning apparatus
Obtained is a controller for an air-conditioning apparatus with which indication by light can be effectively performed. The controller includes a light source 21 capable of emitting light in a plurality of colors and a light guiding member 22 that diffuses the light emitted from the light source 21 so as to increase an indication area, thereby performing light indication in an indication region 22a. By increasing the light indication area, light indication can be effectively performed, and accordingly, visual recognition by the user can be easily performed. |
| US09644989B2 |
Navigation system with notification and method of operation thereof
A method of operation of a navigation system includes: receiving a notification associated with a remote location; detecting a user location for locating a device; detecting the user location at the remote location based on the notification; receiving an operation at the remote location when the user location is different from the remote location; and generating an alert based on the operation for displaying on the device. |
| US09644988B2 |
Navigation system with data gathering mechanism and method of operation thereof
A method of operation of a navigation system includes: determining a travel context based on a travel condition; determining a source type with a control unit based on the travel context for providing a candidacy factor; and determining a candidate landmark based on the candidacy factor from the source type suited for the travel context. |
| US09644987B2 |
Electronic apparatus, control method of electronic apparatus and computer readable recording medium
Disclosed herein is a method for controlling an electronic apparatus, wherein the control method may include determining a bidirectional link among a plurality of links forming a map data, the bidirectional link defines a two-way road as one link; generating a virtual link by moving the determined bidirectional link based on the width of a road; and displaying a guide screen using the generated virtual link. |
| US09644984B2 |
Operating device for a motor vehicle
An operating device is for operating a computing device, e.g., an operating device is for operating a computing device for controlling functions in a motor vehicle, the operating device including a display for optically displaying information, a touch screen situated above the display, for the input of commands by touching the touch screen and/or by pressing on the touch screen, and an actuator for setting the touch screen in motion, and the operating device having an internal control system for controlling the actuator for setting in motion the touch screen in response to a touching of the touch screen and/or in response to a pressing on the touch screen, in an area of the touch screen that is provided for haptic feedback. |
| US09644981B1 |
Collective vehicle traffic routing
A system and method provides a route and turn-by-turn directions based on estimates of current and future traffic along the route. A client device may request turn-by-turn directions between an initial and a final location. A server may identify a plurality of routes between the locations. Each route of the plurality of routes may be divided into route segments. For each route segment of a particular route, the server may estimate a travel time. The travel time may be based on estimated vehicle volume data generated from information received from other users vehicle Based on the estimated travel time for each route segment of a particular route, the server may estimate a total travel time for the particular route. The server may repeat this estimate for each of the plurality of routes between the locations and select the route with the lowest estimated travel time. Based on the selected route, the server may generate turn-by-turn directions and transmit the directions to the client device for display. |
| US09644980B2 |
Transforming map data for efficient vehicle range projection
A system adapted to determine a projected range of a vehicle is described. The system includes: a storage element adapted to store a set of parameters associated with a vehicle; a map evaluation element adapted to retrieve information regarding a geographic area associated with a position of the vehicle; and a processing element adapted to determine the projected range of the vehicle based at least partly on the set of parameters and the retrieved information. An automated method of projecting a range of a vehicle includes: generating a set of range projection links; generating a monochrome bitmap based at least partly on the set of range projection links; rendering the set of range projection links within the monochrome bitmap; and tracing the rendered links to generate a polygon outline of the range of the vehicle. An automated method of caching map data for vehicle range projection is described. |
| US09644979B2 |
Travel support device, travel support method, and drive support system
A travel support device includes a mode planner. The mode planner selects one of a first mode, in which the state of charge of a battery is not maintained, and a second mode, in which the state of charge of the battery is maintained, based on a road load in each section on a travel route, thereby planning a travel mode. The mode planner selects from the travel route a first priority section, which is a section to be planned by giving priority to the first mode as a travel mode based on information on the travel route. The mode planner replans the travel mode when the vehicle is currently traveling at the first mode and also the remaining charge of the battery is less than the remaining charge of the battery necessary for traveling in the thus selected first priority section. |
| US09644978B2 |
Target destination selection for a mining vehicle
A system and method for target destination selection for a mining vehicle are present. A position sensor is mounted to a haul truck. The position sensor is configured to identify a position of the haul truck. A distributed objects database stores information describing hazards, boundaries and target destinations within a mining environment. A navigation aid is connected to the position sensor. The navigation aid is configured to access the distributed objects database to identify a plurality of potential target destinations for the haul truck using the position of the haul truck, identify at least one attribute of the haul truck, and filter the plurality of potential target destinations using the at least one attribute to generate a filtered list of target destinations. A user interface is configured to display the filtered list of target destinations for selection by an operator of the haul truck. |
| US09644976B2 |
Building missing movement path of an object
The present disclosure discloses a method and an apparatus for building a missing part of a movement path of an object. One or more frequent points is determined, wherein each of the one or more frequent points is a point on a historical movement path having a number of occurrences greater than a first threshold. A credibility of one or more path segments in determined. A first path segment of the one or more path segments is selected, wherein the credibility of the first path segment is greater than a second threshold. A missing part of a movement path of an object is built using the first path segment. |
| US09644973B2 |
Indoor location signalling via light fittings
Disclosed here are methods and systems that relate to determining a location of a mobile device in an indoor environment. The indoor environment is installed with one or more light sources at disparate locations. Each light source has a unique light attribute different from that of other light sources. The mobile device is equipped with a photosensor to detect light emissions by the light sources. The methods and systems described herein may determine the location of the mobile device based on the light detection by the photosensor. |
| US09644967B2 |
Recommendation information provision system
A recommended-information providing system outputs recommended information about a destination in order to provide the recommended information for the information terminal. Collecting circuitry collects a plurality of action histories based on a plurality of action patterns of one or more moving bodies. Generating circuitry generates the recommended information for each attribute of the destination, which is a facility with a plurality of entrances, based on the plurality of collected action histories. Outputting circuitry outputs the recommended information generated according to the attribute of the requested destination in order to provide the recommended information for the information terminal. |
| US09644960B2 |
Laser beam horizontal trueness testing device and corresponding method
The invention relates to a laser beam horizontal trueness testing device for a laser beam projection device for construction and/or interior design work. The laser beam projection device is equipped with a beam self-leveling functionality. The laser beam horizontal trueness testing device has a telescope with an attenuating filter, a magnifying objective, and a flat image sensor for capturing an image of a laser beam incident on the objective. Components of the laser beam horizontal trueness testing device further include a natural inclination compensator and an analyzing unit which is designed to automatically ascertain an image position of the laser beam captured in the image by processing the image. According to the invention, the flat image sensor is arranged on an image plane of the objective, and the analyzing unit is additionally designed to quantify the laser beam horizontal trueness. |
| US09644956B2 |
Method and apparatus for measuring thin film thickness using x-ray
Provided is an apparatus and method for measuring a thickness of thin film using x-ray where a thickness of a thin film of nanometer_(nm) level can be accurately measured without destructing an target sample, through determination of thickness of thin film of the target sample, by determining a calibration curve by comparing a difference of intensities of signals scattered by a special component included in a base layer of the reference sample. |
| US09644954B2 |
Device for measuring the surface state of a surface
Devices for measuring the surface state of a surface, at least one portion of which has a surface curvature. The devices may include a probe for being in contact with the curved surface portion. The probe may be stressed on the surface with a substantially constant stress. A way to measure the displacement of the probe may be provided and arranged to measure the displacement of the probe along an axis substantially perpendicular to the surface. The probe may also be relatively displaced in relation to the surface only along a path following the surface curvature. |
| US09644953B2 |
Method and apparatus for aligning components of integrated optical sensors
A method and apparatus for aligning optical components within an optical sensor. A mask with an elongate slot formed therethrough is placed optically between an optical emitter and an optical detector of the sensor. The mask is rotated 180 degrees while the detector output is measured. As the mask is rotated, the output varies. The longitudinal position of the slot that corresponds with the maximum detector output is indicative of the transverse direction that the optical emitter must be moved relative to the optical detector for optimal alignment. A controller may operate a first actuator for translating the optical emitter with respect to the optical detector and a second actuator for rotating the mask, thereby automating the alignment process. |
| US09644949B2 |
Method for acquiring and measuring geometrical data of a demonstration lens adapted to a spectacle frame
A device is used which comprises a transparent support positioned between illumination means and a camera. A frame axis is formed on a demonstration lens, for which the convex face is laid on the support. The contour (34) and the frame axis (10I) are captured, and the barycenter (B) of said contour is determined in order to place a machining adapter therein. Application to the grinding of ophthalmic lenses. |
| US09644946B1 |
System and method for photographic inspection and documentation of post-tensioned concrete tendon terminations
An image-capture inspection and documentation system is provided to capture images of post-tensioned concrete anchorage structures to verify and document proper tendon terminations in post-tensioned concrete structures. A method is disclosed for using such an image-capture inspection system to inspect, verify, and document the tendon tail-end terminations within recessed grout pockets for multiple anchorage locations while generating a digital image of each location with visual indications for both tendon tail-end termination and anchorage location identification for each such location. |
| US09644937B2 |
Piping length measuring system and piping length calculating apparatus
A frequency characteristics measurer is disposed in the vicinity of an end of refrigerant piping, the end of which is connected to an outdoor unit, that connects the outdoor unit and an indoor unit of an air conditioner, and measures frequency characteristics of the refrigerant piping. A filter is attached at a position between the outdoor unit and a position where a terminal of the frequency characteristics measurer is connected, so as to wrap the refrigerant piping. A piping length calculator is connected to the frequency characteristics measurer via an interface cable, and acquires, via the interface cable, frequency characteristics measured by means of the frequency characteristics measurer. The piping length calculator extracts a lowest anti-resonant frequency from the acquired frequency characteristics, and calculates the length of the refrigerant piping on the basis of the extracted lowest anti-resonant frequency. |
| US09644936B2 |
Measurement method with improved precision in measurement point capture
Method for measuring a part using an articulated measurement arm having a measurement head provided with a pointing member and at least one joint fitted with at least one rotary encoder, comprising focusing on a first measurement point on the part, the measurement arm adopting a first measurement position, moving the measurement arm to a second measurement position to focus on a second measurement point of the part in order to capture a geometric feature of the part on the basis of the measurement points, and determining a degree of precision of the capture of the geometric feature undertaken as a function of the first and second positions of the measurement arm. |
| US09644935B2 |
Sensor system having independent hall effect sensor
A sensor system for detecting at least one of a speed and a position of a rotatable member. The sensor system includes a high-resolution sensor circuit including a plurality of Hall effect sensors and at least one independent Hall effect sensor, wherein the independent Hall effect sensor includes at least one of a power supply line, a ground line, and an output line, none of which are connected to the high-resolution sensor circuit. |
| US09644932B2 |
Fuze for stun grenade
A stun grenade includes a fuze assembly secured to a housing adjacent gas outlet ports. The fuze assembly includes a fuze body having contact surfaces located in the flow path of the gas from the outlet ports so that gas flowing from the outlet ports impinges on the contact surfaces. The contact surfaces of the fuze body extend at an angle of no more than about 50 degrees to the first direction. |
| US09644930B1 |
Method of making polymer ammunition having a primer diffuser
The present invention provides a polymeric ammunition having a polymeric cartridge, projectile and a primer insert having a primer diffuser cup with a primer inserted therein. |
| US09644928B2 |
Bullet and practice cartridge for use on a shooting range
Disclosed is a bullet and practice cartridge for use on a shooting range having a cylindrical rear part and an ogive region at the nose end. The ogive region has a rear end and a bullet tip. In order that the bullet behaves like a conventional full metal jacket round nose bullet in a soft target, and moreover has a low energy output in the soft target, that the bullet does not deform or splinter in soft materials, and that the bullet does not puncture protective materials of bullet catchers, the bullet is constructed in one piece, the ogive region is closed all round a cavity and the wall thickness of the ogive region decreases constantly from the rear end to the tip. |
| US09644922B2 |
Quick-detach accessory base mount for an accessory rail
In some aspects a quick-detach (QD) accessory base mount includes a body. The body includes an accessory engagement interface configured to engage an accessory and a rail engagement interface defining a channel adapted to receive an accessory rail. A rail clamp is carried by the body and is moveable to selectively clamp the body to the accessory rail. A mounting arm extends outwardly from the body and is carried to rotate relative to the body between a first position and a second position. A cam is configured to support the rail clamp to grip the accessory rail and to clamp the body to the accessory rail when the mounting arm is in the first position and to release the rail clamp from gripping the accessory rail when the mounting arm is in the second position. |
| US09644918B2 |
Bow limb retaining system
A bow limb retaining assembly comprises a limb and a retainer having a cavity for receiving the limb. The retainer comprises opposed lateral surfaces, a first abutting surface arranged to contact a compression surface of the limb and a second abutting surface arranged to contact a tension surface of the limb. A first length portion of the retainer includes the first abutting surface and excludes the second abutting surface, and a second length portion of the retainer includes the second abutting surface and excludes the first abutting surface. |
| US09644916B2 |
Modular weapon station system
A modular weapon station includes a rotatable frame adapted to be mounted on a platform and is configured to have a removable cradle with a weapon mounted thereon. The rotatable frame may also include a removable ammunition feed chute, an optical sighting unit, and azimuth and elevation drives. The modular weapon station may also include a rotatable drum and ammunition loading assembly coupled with the rotatable frame assembly. The rotatable drum and ammunition loading assembly may be located in an under armor position such that an operator may replenish ammunition from an under armor position and not be subjected to hostile fire while replenishing ammunition. Belted ammunition rounds may travel along an ammunition feed path stemming from the loading assembly within the rotatable drum to a selected weapon. |
| US09644914B2 |
Trigger mechanism for a pistol
A pistol having a sliding hammer (5), a trigger mechanism including a trigger rod (2), an automatic safety (10) which can engage said sliding hammer (5) and a two armed lever (8) rotatably mounted on an axis (15) for operating the automatic safety (10) by means of a first arm (9), said trigger rod (2) having a rear end which is bent to a form a horizontal part, said horizontal part comprising: a first alignment edge (3) which engages a hammer ledge (4) on said sliding hammer (5) and a second alignment edge (6) which engages a hollow (7) in a second arm (11) of the two armed lever (8). |
| US09644912B2 |
Secure smartphone-operated gun lock with means for overriding release of the lock
A gun locking and unlocking device, which may be configured to be disposed adjacent the trigger of a gun to alternatively prevent or enable firing, includes a data receiver, a data memory and a logic device for determining whether data received by the receiver is the same, or substantially the same, as data stored in the data memory. One or more separate electronic gun keys are provided to transmit gun lock/unlock data to the data receiver of the gun lock device. The logic device responds to a gun control signal transmitted by one of the gun key devices with priority over a gun control signal transmitted by another gun key device. The logic device automatically locks the gun when it is located in a proscribed area, such as within a school zone or outside a prescribed protected area. The logic device also locks the gun when the gun user is intoxicated or acting in an irrational manner. Once locked, the user must set a timer which allows the gun to be unlocked only after a specified “wait” time. In case of emergency, when the gun must be available for immediate use, the user can override the safety features and unlock the gun by speaking a “secret word” or phrase. |