| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US09721278B2 |
Method, system and computer program product for dynamically pricing perishable goods
Techniques for dynamically pricing perishable goods. The objective is to sell all items before any remaining items become worthless. The method comprises: monitoring a time parameter T corresponding to period T0 to Tn; if T |
| US09721277B2 |
System and methods for providing financial account information over a network
A system and method for providing financial account messages to customers while accessing web sites is disclosed. Methods, systems and articles of manufacture consistent with the present invention enable a financial account issuer to provide an application to customer's computer system over a network. The application may be configured to provide various messages associated with the customer's financial account provided by the financial account issuer while the customer browses web sites. The financial account messages may be configured to provide interactive and dynamically changing account status information based on attempted purchases of goods and/or services by the customer at merchants' web sites. The application may also be configured to provide rating information associated with web sites accessed by the customer. |
| US09721276B2 |
Real-time social group based bidding system
There are provided a system, a method and a computer program product for creating the social group whose participants are involved in an online conversation. The system aggregates data associated with the online conversation and a group profile, of the social group. The system determines, based on the online conversation data and the group profile, a context of the online conversation and a goal of the social group. The system receives, based on the determined context and the goal, a first bidding from each provider, the first bidding associated with the determined context and the goal, the each provider providing one or more of: goods, services or discounts associated with the context and the goal. |
| US09721275B1 |
Broadcast feeds for order transactions
The use of a broadcast feed to enable customers to pay for order may enable merchants to increase their online visibility and sales. An order for one or more items that is initiated by a customer may be received. The order may be transmitted to a broadcast feed provider to be presented as a message post in a broadcast feed page. Subsequently, an electronic payment for the order that is initiated by the customer through a link embedded in the message post may be received. |
| US09721273B2 |
System and method for aggregating and providing audio and visual presentations via a computer network
A method for providing content via a computer network and computing device, which may include: storing data associated with and indicative of a plurality of presentations; receiving a request to host an audio presentation; receiving and storing data associated with the requested audio presentation; initiating and recording one or more telephone calls; and, presenting at least a portion of the stored data for selection by the computing device; wherein, selection causes the stored data indicative of the selected audio/visual or audio presentation to be provided to the computing device for playback thereby via the computer network. The method may include storing data associated with and indicative of a first plurality of presentations; storing data associated with a plurality of second presentation feeds: automatically and periodically accessing each of the feeds; and aggregating each of the presentations for delivery via the computer network. |
| US09721269B2 |
System and method for toy adoption and marketing
Interacting with a virtual presentation includes: entering a first registration code associated with a first product for registering the first product on a website via a user account; accessing a restricted portion of the website that was not accessible prior to registering the first product; displaying a virtual character that is controllable on the website; registering a second product by entering a second registration code provided to the product, wherein the second product is different than the first product, the second character also accessed via the user account; receiving content for displaying a second virtual character that is controllable on the website; and gaining access to additional content, beyond a chat function, for the first product in response to registration of the second product with the user account, wherein the additional content comprises additional resources of the website beyond the resources provided after registration of the first product. |
| US09721264B2 |
Method and system for property damage analysis
A system and method for combining CAD, inspection, and building guideline data for analyzing repair decisions and selecting waste containers is described. One embodiment includes receiving digital building facet data for a first building facet of a set of one or more building facets; receiving digital inspection data for the first building facet; determining an amount of building material required to repair damage to an area of the first building facet, including determining a first amount of waste building material; determining a repair indicator for the first building facet, the determining a repair indicator based at least in part upon the digital facet data for the first building facet and the inspection data for the first building facet; determining an appropriate waste container based upon the first amount of waste material; and displaying an electronic image of the set of one or more building facets. |
| US09721263B2 |
Continuously evolving symmetrical object profiles for online advertisement targeting
A system is described that implements symmetrical object profiles across one or more objects, wherein an object profile is influenced by other object profiles with which it interacts. In particular, the system includes a configuration for a first object profile that is associated with a first object, wherein the first object profile comprises a set of attributes having a first set of valuations. The system includes a configuration for a second object profile that is associated with a second object, wherein the second object profile comprises said set of attributes having a second set of valuations. The system includes a profile updater for managing the first object profile and the second object profile, wherein in a transaction involving the first and second objects, corresponding object profiles are updated based on valuations in the first and second set of valuations. |
| US09721259B2 |
Rules-based selection of counterfeit detection techniques
A counterfeit detection system may include a memory storing a module comprising machine readable instructions to determine a X-identification (XID) associated with a product. The XID may include an unencrypted component and/or an encrypted component associated with a parameter associated with the product. The machine readable instructions may further include selecting one or more validation rules, from a plurality of validation rules, to select one or more validation techniques from a plurality of validation techniques used to determine an authenticity of the product. The machine readable instructions may further include using the one or more selected validation techniques to determine the authenticity of the product based on the XID associated with the product. The counterfeit detection system may include a processor to implement the module. |
| US09721254B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing streaming media programs and targeted advertisements using multiple advertisement version segments
A method, apparatus, article of manufacture, and a memory structure for providing advertisements with a media program transmitted to a user device are described. Different versions of a media program and advertisements are generated and segmented, and transmitted to a media player individually, allowing different advertisements to be selected for presentation to users according to user demographics and other factors. |
| US09721252B2 |
User authentication method and device for credentials back-up service to mobile devices
Back-up credentials data is stored for a user. A communication channel is established with a mobile device. A cryptogram is received from the mobile device, such that the cryptogram is relayed by the mobile device from an authentication device that interacted with the mobile device. The authentication device is associated with the user. The cryptogram is verified. In response to the verification of the cryptogram, the stored back-up credentials data is made accessible to the mobile device. |
| US09721244B2 |
Authentication system
A two way authentication method, including receiving by an authentication server first encrypted data from a merchant computing device, receiving by the authentication server second encrypted data from a customer computing device, determining by the authentication server if the first encrypted data matches the second encrypted data, if the first encrypted data matches the second encrypted data, authenticating the customer computing device, if the first encrypted data does not matches the second encrypted data, not authenticating the customer computing device. |
| US09721242B2 |
Payment terminal operation method and system therefor
A method of payment terminal operation, including: receiving a payment collection request for a payment from an application, generating a payment initiation request for the payment, sending the payment initiation request to a secure processing system, switching the secure processing system from operation in an unsecured mode to operation in a secured mode in response to receipt of the payment initiation request, facilitating payment information entry, and receiving a payment response notification, generated based on the payment information, at the main processor. |
| US09721239B1 |
Content access management in a social network using permission-value avatars
A system and method for managing content between a plurality of user devices an online communication environment through the use of a permission-value avatar comprising, at least, a unit database. A social network provides the plurality of users a communication environment to connect with other user devices. Content access and engagement permissions between unconnected user devices are released upon a transfer of units associated to a permission-value avatar consisting of a thematic representation, mutual content-access permissions, and a unit amount. Through the content access management system and permission-value avatar method, user incentives are aligned through the reward of content-access permissions in exchange for social network activity and unit exchange. |
| US09721237B2 |
Animated two-dimensional barcode checks
Systems and methods are disclosed to provide an animated 2D barcode check that is used to securely and efficiently transmit financial information between mobile devices. The financial information includes a check written by a payer and transmitted to a merchant. The check includes account information of the payer and of the merchant with a payment service provider, a payment amount, and a cryptographic signature that has been certified by the payment service provider. The payer's mobile device encodes the check into a sequence of 2D barcodes and displays the sequence of 2D barcodes in a loop that is scanned by a camera on the merchant's mobile device. The merchant uses the cryptographic signature to verify the validity of the signature on the check without having Internet connectivity to the payment service provider. The merchant may later present the check to the payment service provider to receive payment. |
| US09721225B1 |
Systems and methods facilitating shipping services rate resale
Systems and methods which provide a shipping service resale platform enabling single shipper account access to multiple shipping service rate schedules are disclosed. Shipping service rate optimization is facilitated for a shipper using a single shipper account of embodiments of the invention, whereby the shipper is enabled to utilize rates available from various rate schedules, such as may include reseller negotiated rates, shipping service provider published rates, etc., according to embodiments. The shipper is enabled to establish, manage, and maintain a single shipper account for use in purchase and payment of shipping services which implicate different shipping service provider payment mechanisms, different shipping service resellers, and/or different shipping service providers. |
| US09721221B2 |
Skill estimation method in machine-human hybrid crowdsourcing
In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method for estimating an ability of a worker in a process for integrating work results of multiple workers for the same task includes acquiring, for each of one or more tasks, a work result of a preceding-stage worker and a work result of a succeeding-stage worker that works based on the work result of the preceding-stage worker. The method also includes estimating multiple parameters of a probability model in which an ability of the succeeding-stage worker conditioned by a quality of the work result of the preceding-stage worker is introduced as a conditioned ability parameter, based on the multiple work results obtained for each of the one or more tasks. |
| US09721220B2 |
Environmental performance estimation
A method of assessing environmental performance includes: receiving, by a processing device, input data related to aspects of an energy industry operation; estimating a first environmental impact of the operation based on the input data; selecting an alternative implementation of the operation; estimating a second environmental impact of the alternative implementation; comparing the first environmental impact and the second environmental impact; and generating an output based on the comparison, the output indicating a change in environmental impact associated with replacing the operation with the alternative implementation. |
| US09721218B2 |
Determining the user-specific relevance of applications
The subject matter disclosed herein provides methods for determining the user-specific relevance of various applications and displaying a graphical representation of these relevance values. The method may receive information from one or more applications installed on a device. This information may include importance parameters, importance parameter values, urgency parameters, and urgency parameter values associated with each application. A composite importance value and a composite urgency value may be determined for each application. A relevance value may be determined for each application based on the composite importance value and composite urgency value. A graphical representation of the relevance of each application may be displayed on the device. Related apparatus, systems, techniques, and articles are also described. |
| US09721217B2 |
Methods and systems for business development and licensing and competitive intelligence
Systems and method for making intelligent business development and licensing decisions are disclosed. The present invention generally relates to an analytical tool that combines multiple data and content sets based on user selected factors and presents the data in the form of manipulatable visualizations to facilitate decision making to address a specific business problem. More specifically, this invention relates to providing a single portal for access to a decision support system that enables the visualization of data from multiple content and data sets to facilitate decision making related to opportunities analysis, asset acquisition, and intellectual property licensing. |
| US09721216B2 |
Solution that automatically recommends design assets when making architectural design decisions for information services
The present invention discloses a system that provides automated guidance for making architectural decisions when designing information services in a service-oriented architecture (SOA). Such a system can include a requirements manager, a reusable asset repository, and an asset advisory tool. The requirements manager can be configured to capture non-functional requirements for information services. The reusable asset repository can be configured to store design assets. The design assets can be stored according to a unique data model that associates each design asset with a non-functional requirement. The asset advisory tool can be configured to determine a list of recommended design assets for a user-selected non-functional requirement and document the architectural decision made from the list of recommended design assets. |
| US09721213B2 |
Information matching apparatus, method of matching information, and computer readable storage medium having stored information matching program
The information matching apparatus includes: a training data setting unit that sets supervised data in a machine learning device of supervised learning that learns judgment criteria used for a judgment of identicalness, similarity, and relevance between a plurality of records by matching the records configured by sets of values corresponding to items; a check point setting unit that sets a check point configured by one set of two records used for evaluating the set supervised data; and a learning result evaluation unit, for the set check point, acquires a change between a judgment result using judgment criteria derived as a result of learning based on set first supervised data and a judgment result using judgment criteria derived as a result of learning based on set second supervised data set and evaluates the supervised data based on the acquired change. |
| US09721211B2 |
System and method for sensor data processing to determine position of a vehicle
A method and apparatus for processing data, the data including a set of one or more system inputs; and a set of one or more system outputs; wherein each system output corresponds to a respective system input. Each system input can include a plurality of data points, such that at least one of these data points is from a different data source to at least one other of those data points. The method includes performing a kernel function on a given system input from the data and a further system input to provide kernelized data; and inferring a value indicative of a significance of data from a particular data source; wherein the inferring includes applying a regression technique to the kernelized data. |
| US09721209B2 |
Method and system for efficient decomposition of single-qubit quantum gates into Fibonacci anyon braid circuits
Methods for compiling single-qubit quantum gates into braid representations for non-Abelian quasiparticles described by the Fibonacci anyon model are based on a probabilistically polynomial algorithm that, given a single-qubit unitary gate and a desired target precision, outputs a braid pattern that approximates the unitary to desired precision and has a length that is asymptotically optimal (for a circuit with such property). Single-qubit unitaries that can be implemented exactly by a Fibonacci anyon braid pattern are classified, and associated braid patterns are obtained using an iterative procedure. Target unitary gates that are not exactly representable as braid patterns are first approximated to a desired precision by a unitary that is exactly representable, then a braid pattern associated with the latter is obtained. |
| US09721207B2 |
Generating written content from knowledge management systems
The disclosure is directed to written content generation. A method for generating written content in an application in accordance with an embodiment includes: receiving a query from a user; importing data from at least one data source in response to the query; ranking the imported data based on a plurality of ranking factors to determine a relevance of the imported data; automatically generating written content using at least a portion of the imported data based on the determined relevance of the imported data; and automatically customizing the written content based on a file format of the application. |
| US09721205B2 |
Clarification of submitted questions in a question and answer system
Mechanisms for clarifying an input question are provided. A question is received for generation of an answer. A set of candidate answers is generated based on an analysis of a corpus of information. Each candidate answer has an evidence passage supporting the candidate answer. Based on the set of candidate answers, a determination is made as to whether clarification of the question is required. In response to a determination that clarification of the question is required, a request is sent for user input to clarify the question. User input is received from the computing device in response to the request and at least one candidate answer in the set of candidate answers is selected as an answer for the question based on the user input. |
| US09721204B2 |
Evaluation of a system including separable sub-systems over a multidimensional range
An artificial neural network may be configured to test the impact of certain input parameters. To improve testing efficiency and to avoid test runs that may not alter system performance, the effect of input parameters on neurons or groups of neurons may be determined to classify the neurons into groups based on the impact of certain parameters on those groups. Groups may be ordered serially and/or in parallel based on the interconnected nature of the groups and whether the output of neurons in one group may affect the operation of another. Parameters not affecting group performance may be pruned as inputs to that particular group prior to running system tests, thereby conserving processing resources during testing. |
| US09721202B2 |
Non-negative matrix factorization regularized by recurrent neural networks for audio processing
Sound processing techniques using recurrent neural networks are described. In one or more implementations, temporal dependencies are captured in sound data that are modeled through use of a recurrent neural network (RNN). The captured temporal dependencies are employed as part of feature extraction performed using nonnegative matrix factorization (NMF). One or more sound processing techniques are performed on the sound data based at least in part on the feature extraction. |
| US09721196B2 |
Short term job canceling in ESU model printer
Systems and methods for performing print job cancellation in an ESU model printer are provided. An embodiment can involve receiving, at an ESU of a printing device, a print job, wherein the print job includes a first portion. The first portion can be transmitted from the ESU to a main unit. The main unit can receive a print job cancel command corresponding to the received print job, wherein the cancel command is received after the first portion is transmitted to the main unit, but before the full print job has been transmitted. The main unit can then transmit a notification of the received cancel command to the ESU. The ESU can receive the notification of the received cancel command, and responsive to receiving the notification, terminate the transmission of the print job from the ESU to the main unit. |
| US09721189B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and recording medium
In the image processing apparatus, the theme determiner determines a theme of the image group based on the image analysis information, and the preference analyzer analyzes a preference of the user based on the theme of the image group. The composite image generator uses a certain number of images corresponding to the preference of the user selected, respectively, from among the plurality of images to generate composite images of a plurality of patterns. The display controller performs control such that one composite image is displayed on the image monitor and, the one composite image displayed on the image monitor is replaced with one composite image designated by the instruction from among the composite images of the plurality of patterns to display the one composite image designated on the image monitor. |
| US09721184B2 |
Apparatus and method for picking up article randomly piled using robot
An article pickup apparatus configured so as to measure surface positions of articles randomly piled on the three-dimensional space using a three-dimensional measurement instrument to acquire position information of three-dimensional points, determine a connected set made by connecting three-dimensional points present in the vicinity of each other among the three-dimensional points, and identify a position and posture of an article based on the position information of three-dimensional points belonging to the connected set. The posture of the article is identified by calculating a main component direction of the connected set by applying main component analysis to the three-dimensional points belonging to the connected set and identifying the posture of the article based on the main component direction. |
| US09721182B2 |
Method and system for matching an image using normalized feature vectors
A method, system and computer program product for encoding an image is provided. The image that needs to be represented is represented in the form of a Gaussian pyramid which is a scale-space representation of the image and includes several pyramid images. The feature points in the pyramid images are identified and a specified number of feature points are selected. The orientations of the selected feature points are obtained by using a set of orientation calculating algorithms. A patch is extracted around the feature point in the pyramid images based on the orientations of the feature point and the sampling factor of the pyramid image. The boundary patches in the pyramid images are extracted by padding the pyramid images with extra pixels. The feature vectors of the extracted patches are defined. These feature vectors are normalized so that the components in the feature vectors are less than a threshold. |
| US09721180B2 |
Estimating respiratory phase from a video of a subject
A video is received of a region of a subject where a signal corresponding to respiratory function can be registered by a video device. Pixels in the region in each of the image frames are processed to identify a respiratory pattern with peak/valley pairs. A peak/valley pair of interest is selected. An array of optical flow vectors is determined between a window of groups of pixel locations in a reference image frame corresponding to a peak of the pair/valley pair and a window in each of a number of image frames corresponding to the respiratory signal between the peak and ending at a valley point. Optical flow vectors have a direction and a magnitude. A ratio is determined between upwardly pointing optical flow vectors and downwardly pointing optical flow vectors. Based on the ratio, a determination is made whether the respiration phase for that peak/valley pair is inspiration or expiration. |
| US09721179B2 |
Line segment and arc detection apparatus
An apparatus and method to detect a line segment or arc using Hough transform. A Hough transform unit performs contour extraction on brightness image data to generate contour image data, with pixels having a pixel value of 0 to 255, performs the Hough transform on points in the contour image data, and counts additional values represented by pixel values of points in the contour image data in a Hough table. The Hough transform unit performs contour extraction on first to third component data to generate first to third contour data with pixels having a pixel value of 0 to 255, performs the Hough transform on points in the first to third contour data, and counts additional values represented by pixel values of points in the first to third contour data in the Hough table. The detection unit comprehensively evaluates the counts to detect a line segment or arc. |
| US09721177B2 |
Image acquisition using a level-indication icon
During an information-extraction technique, visual suitability indicators may be displayed to a user of the electronic device to assist the user in acquiring an image of a document that is suitable for subsequent extraction of textual information. For example, an imaging application executed by the electronic device may display, in a window associated with the imaging application, a visual suitability indicator of a tilt orientation of the electronic device relative to a plane of the document. When the tilt orientation falls within a predefined range, the electronic device may modify the visual suitability indicators to provide visual feedback to the user. Then, the electronic device may acquire the image of the document using an imaging device, which is integrated into the electronic device. Next, the electronic device may extract the textual information from the image of the document using optical character recognition. |
| US09721169B2 |
Image processing device for detecting vehicle in consideration of sun position
An image processing device includes: an image acquisition unit that obtains a photographic image of an area outside of a vehicle captured and output by a camera; a sun decision unit that calculates a sun position which indicates, at least, a solar elevation and makes a decision as to whether or not the solar elevation is equal to or lower than a predetermined elevation; an opacity detection unit that detects clouding of a lens surface of the camera; a vehicle detection unit that detects another vehicle, different from the vehicle, based upon image information of a first image area in the photographic image; and a control unit that suspends detection of the other vehicle by the vehicle detection unit if the opacity detection unit detects opacity in, at least, the first image area and the sun decision unit decides that the solar elevation is equal to or lower than the predetermined elevation. |
| US09721165B1 |
Video microsummarization
A system and method for generating a short video summary from video data. For example, the system may receive input video data including video clips and may select snippets from each video clip to include in the short video summary. To select a snippet, the system may calculate a priority metric for individual frames in a video clip, may generate a priority metric graph for the video clip and may select a portion of the video clip associated with a peak of the priority metric graph. Thus, the snippets may include a short duration of time (e.g., 1-4 seconds) corresponding to the peak of the priority metric graph. The system may reorder the snippets based on characteristics of content represented in the snippet. |
| US09721163B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and recording medium
In an image processing apparatus, a degree-of-relevance calculation unit calculates a degree of relevance between each of a plurality of images on the basis of a person's face, determination results of scenes and objects, GPS information, and a degree of similarity. An important image extraction unit extracts images captured over a certain period of time including a reference date for determining a degree of importance of the image, and images captured over a certain period of time including a relevant date relevant to the reference date, as important image, from the plurality of images. A relevant image extraction unit extracts a certain number of images as relevant images from important images in which the degree of relevance for a selected image selected from the plurality of images by an instruction which is input through an instruction input unit is equal to or greater than a threshold. |
| US09721162B2 |
Fusion-based object-recognition
An object-recognition method and system employing Bayesian fusion algorithm to reiteratively improve probability of correspondence between captured object images and database object images by fusing probability data associated with each of plurality of object image captures. |
| US09721161B2 |
Dynamic adjustment of imaging parameters
Representative implementations of devices and techniques provide adjustable parameters for imaging devices and systems. Dynamic adjustments to one or more parameters of an imaging component may be performed based on changes to the relative velocity of the imaging component or to the proximity of an object to the imaging component. |
| US09721154B2 |
Object detection apparatus, object detection method, and object detection system
An object detection apparatus is capable of estimating the size of a moving object easily based on images. An object detection apparatus (5) of an object detection system (1) includes an object detection/determination unit (7) configured to analyze a period of motion of the object based on the images to estimate a size of the object based on the period of motion of the object. |
| US09721152B1 |
Athletic training method and system
A method and system for athletic training includes a plurality of devices including receiver circuitry and processors to receive signals from at least one body-worn beacon. The signals are distance limited such that proper reception indicates arrival in proximity to a device from the plurality of devices. The arrival is sensed by a device and relayed to other devices to actuate indicators on such devices to guide a user wearing the beacon in the direction of such actuated indicator. The times of arrival and departure from the vicinity of each such device from the plurality of devices is reported to an application that is used to measure an athlete's performance when traversing a course defined by such devices in the form of cones. |
| US09721151B2 |
Method and apparatus for detecting interfacing region in depth image
An apparatus for detecting an interfacing region in a depth image detects the interfacing region based on a depth of a first region and a depth of a second region which is an external region of the first region in a depth image. |
| US09721150B2 |
Image enhancement and feature extraction for ocular-vascular and facial recognition
Biometric enrollment and verification techniques for ocular-vascular, periocular, and facial regions are described. Periocular image regions can be defined based on the dimensions of an ocular region identified in an image of a facial region. Feature descriptors can be generated for interest points in the ocular and periocular regions using a combination of patterned histogram feature descriptors. Quality metrics for the regions can be determined based on region value scores calculated based on texture surrounding the interest points. A biometric matching process for calculating a match score based on the ocular and periocular regions can progressively include additional periocular regions to obtain a greater match confidence. |
| US09721143B2 |
Modification of visual depictions
Modifying a visual depiction is provided. A processor identifies a first depiction of a first member of an online social network. The processor determines a first date value representing a date corresponding to the first depiction. The processor determines a relationship between the first member and a second member of the online social network. The processor identifies a second date value based, at least in part, on the relationship between the first member and the second member. The processor determines a region of the first depiction by performing facial recognition based, at least in part, on the first depiction. The processor generates a second depiction by applying one or more operations to the region of the first depiction based, at least in part, on the second date value, wherein the second depiction allows identification of the first member based, at least in part, on the second date value. |
| US09721140B2 |
Sensing method of fingerprint sensor and related sensing circuit
A sensing method of a fingerprint sensor includes the following steps: (a) applying a first voltage, a second voltage and a third voltage to a first node connected to an electrode plate to be measured, a second node disconnected from the first node, and a conductor adjacent to the electrode plate to be measured, respectively; (b) providing a first finger drive voltage for a finger; (c) stopping applying the first, second and third voltages to the first node, the second node and the conductor, respectively; (d) after step (c), applying a fourth voltage to the conductor, and connecting the first node to the second node; (e) after steps (b) and (c), providing a second finger drive voltage for the finger; and (f) after steps (d) and (e), obtaining a measurement result of the electrode plate to be measured according to a signal on the second node. |
| US09721137B2 |
Method and apparatus for fingerprint image reconstruction
An apparatus and method for obtaining a biometric image is disclosed, which may comprise: providing a biometric image sensor which may comprise one of a one dimensional swiped sensor array, a two dimensional swiped sensor array and a two dimensional placement sensor array, each of which may comprise a capacitive gap sensor measuring a change in a transmitted signal received as a received signal, based upon changes in the transmitted signal passing through a biometric, the biometric image sensor may be one of mounted on a host device or cooperating with the host device; providing a biometric placement positioning prompt on a display on the host device, which prompt may indicate whether a current positioning of the biometric is proper for initiating biometric imaging by the biometric image sensor, e.g., indicating a current positioning of the biometric and the desired positioning of the biometric. |
| US09721136B2 |
Image correction apparatus and image correction method
An image correction apparatus includes a correction amount calculating unit which calculates, in response to a position of a hand on an image, a correction amount for placing the hand to face an imaging unit included in an image acquiring unit for generating the image; and a correcting unit which corrects an estimated coordinate representing a position of a point in a real space corresponding to each pixel included in a region in which the hand is captured in the image in accordance with the correction amount, and projects each of the points after the correction on a corrected image to generate the corrected image. |
| US09721132B2 |
Reconfigurable sled for a mobile device
A reconfigurable sled for a mobile device with camera is provided. The reconfigurable sled may be moved into different configurations in order to facilitate either normal or specialized use. For example, in a first configuration, the mobile device's camera is unobstructed and imaging may proceed normally. In a second configuration, on the other hand, the camera's imaging direction may be repositioned by a reflective element in the camera's optical path. The reflective element provides feedback to the mobile device via visible markings that may be imaged by the camera and detected by the mobile device. If the mobile device determines that the mirror is in the optical path, then the mobile device may respond to accommodate the mirror and enable a function, like reading an indicium. |
| US09721120B2 |
Preventing unauthorized calls to a protected function
An obfuscated program can be configured to resist attacks in which an attacker directly calls a non-entry function by verifying that an execution path to the function is an authorized execution path. To detect an unauthorized execution order, a secret value is embedded in each function along an authorized execution path. At runtime, the secrets are combined to generate a runtime representation of the execution path, and the runtime representation is verified against an expected value. To perform the verification, a verification polynomial is evaluated using the runtime representation as input. A verification value result of zero means the execution path is an authorized execution path. |
| US09721119B2 |
System and method for secure use of messaging systems
A system and method for secure use of messaging systems. A mediator may receive an original message, process the original message to produce a processed message, and may forward the processed message to a server or a messaging system. A mediator may receive a processed message from a server or a messaging system, process the received processed message to produce an unprocessed message that may be substantially identical to the original message and may forward the unprocessed message to a destination. |
| US09721118B2 |
Securing access to distributed data in an unsecure data network
A method, a system, a registry, a repository and a computer program product are disclosed for securely accessing sensitive medical data records stored in a repository. Before accessing security-critical data in the repository, a registration inquiry with a separate registry must be carried out in order to obtain a security token having limited temporary validity, for example in the form of a barcode. A data source and/or a data sink can then use the security token to access the security-critical data in that an index module indexes the data record inquired about on the repository. |
| US09721116B2 |
Test sandbox in production systems during productive use
Methods and systems are directed to controlling access to data in a production environment. Production data may be stored in a production database and test data may be stored in a test database. A production application may have access only to the data in the production database while a test application may have access to both the production database and the test database. The test application may have read-only access to the production database and read-write access to the test database. Data in the test database may be handled differently than data in the production database. A type of data may be associated with a range of valid values. The values assigned to the elements may differ depending on whether the elements are stored in the production database or the test database. |
| US09721115B2 |
Automatic resource ownership assignment system and method
A method for automatic folder ownership assignment, including ascertaining which first folders, among a first multiplicity of folders, have at least one of modify and write permissions to non-IT administration entities, adding the first folders to a list of candidates for ownership assignment, defining a second multiplicity of folders which is a subset of the first multiplicity of folders and not including the first folders and descendents and ancestors thereof, ascertaining which second folders among the second multiplicity of folders, have permissions to non-IT administration entities, adding the second folders to the candidates, defining a third multiplicity of folders, which is a subset of the second multiplicity of folders and not including the second folders and descendents and ancestors thereof, ascertaining which third folders among the third multiplicity of folders are topmost folders, adding the third folders to the candidates, and recommending possible assignment of ownership of the candidates. |
| US09721111B2 |
Methods of dynamically securing electronic devices and other communications through environmental and system measurements leveraging tailored trustworthy spaces
This invention is for a system capable of securing one or more fixed or mobile computing device and connected system. Each device is configured to change its operating posture by allowing, limiting, or disallowing access to applications, application features, devices features, data, and other information based on the current Tailored Trustworthy Space (TTS) definitions and rules which provided for various situationally dependent scenarios. Multiple TTS may be defined for a given deployment, each of which specifies one or more sensors and algorithms for combining sensor data from the device, other connected devices, and/or other data sources from which the current TTS is identified. The device further achieves security by loading digital credentials through a unidirectional multidimensional physical representation process which allows for the device to obtain said credentials without the risk of compromising the credential issuing system through the data transfer process. This secure system methodology may be used to create a Mobile Secure Compartmentalized Information Facility (M-SCIF), among other applications. |
| US09721110B2 |
Methods, systems, and devices for securing content
Methods, systems, and devices secure content in memory. The content includes a lock that prohibits reading the content from memory. Prior to expiration of the lock the content cannot be read from memory. However, a preview option allows at least a portion of the content to be accessed. The preview option provides a preview of the content. At expiration, the content is readable. |
| US09721109B2 |
Privacy screen-based security
A system for privacy screen-based security comprises an input interface and a processor. The input interface is configured to receive authentication information. The processor is configured to, in the event authentication is determined to be successful, provide a privacy access screen, wherein the privacy access screen provides access to a set of applications or data, and determine whether to automatically transition to a new privacy screen, wherein the transition to the new privacy screen is automatic under a specific set of circumstances. |
| US09721105B2 |
Method and apparatus for generating privacy ratings for applications
An approach is provided for generating privacy ratings for applications. A privacy ratings platform determines use information associated with one or more applications executing on one or more devices. By way of example, the use information is determined based, at least in part, on usage data associated with one or more input sources, one or more components, one or more categories of personal information, or a combination thereof associated with the one or more devices. The privacy ratings platform then processes and/or facilitates a processing of the use information to determine one or more privacy ratings for the one or more applications. |
| US09721104B2 |
CPU-based measured boot
A measured boot process for an electronic device includes taking a measurement of the early system start up instructions of the electronic device upon a reboot or start-up of the device. A representation of the measurement is stored in a trusted platform module of the electronic device prior to initialization of the trusted platform module. Access is granted to the representation of the measurement stored in the trusted platform module prior to initialization of the trusted platform module thereby enabling the representation of the measurement to serve as the core root of trust for measurement. |
| US09721102B2 |
Boot mechanisms for bring your own management
The present invention is notably directed to a user portable device (10), preferably a secure tamper-proof device, comprising: a connection interface (12) enabling connection (S2) with a computer (101); a persistent memory (14); and a bootloader (16) stored on said persistent memory (14), preferably on a secure memory (141) of the device, wherein the bootloader (16): is detectable (S3) by a firmware (122) of the computer (101) upon connection (S2) of the device (10) with said computer (101) via said connection interface; and comprises instructions for said firmware (122) to load (S4) the bootloader (16) into a memory (121) of the computer (101) for subsequent execution (S5); and to interact with the firmware, upon execution at the computer (101), to: determine, in a physical storage medium (120) of said computer (101) storing a first host operating system (111-1) and a second host operating system (111-2) respectively on a first portion (120-1) and a second portion (120-2) thereof, said second portion (120-2), from partition information (111-1p) of said physical storage medium, which partition information acknowledges the first host operating system but does not acknowledge the second host operating system; locate a part (BI) of the second host operating system (111-2) in the second portion (120-2); and execute said part (BI), whereby only the second one of the host operating systems can boot (S6-S8) from the user portable device (10). The present invention is further directed to related systems and methods. |
| US09721096B2 |
Dynamically optimizing performance of a security appliance
A device may identify a set of features associated with the unknown object. The device may determine, based on inputting the set of features into a threat prediction model associated with a set of security functions, a set of predicted threat scores. The device may determine, based on the set of predicted threat scores, a set of predicted utility values. The device may determine a set of costs corresponding to the set of security functions. The device may determine a set of predicted efficiencies, associated with the set of security functions, based on the set of predicted utility values and the set of costs. The device may identify, based on the set of predicted efficiencies, a particular security function, and may cause the particular security function to be executed on the unknown object. The device may determine whether another security function is to be executed on the unknown object. |
| US09721095B2 |
Preventing re-patching by malware on a computer
Preventing re-patching by malware on a computer by detecting a request to modify a write-protection attribute of a memory location within a memory of a computer to allow the memory location to be written to, where the detecting is performed subsequent to the detection of activity identified as malware-related activity involving the memory location, and preventing modification of the write-protection attribute of the memory location. |
| US09721092B2 |
Monitoring an application in a process virtual machine
An application that runs in a process virtual machine is monitored by injecting listening code into a target class of the application. The listening code collects and forwards data to a monitoring agent. The target class is configured for monitoring according to alternative embodiments. In response to the process virtual machine providing notification of an event, such a loading the target class, the listening code may be injected into the target class. In another embodiment, the process virtual machine is configured to load a first mirror class containing a mirror entry point to the application. A mirror target class is loaded in response to a request to load the target class. The mirror target class contains a mirror entry point to the target class and the listening code. In another embodiment, listening code may be added to the target class before running the application. |
| US09721091B2 |
Guest-driven host execution
A system and method by which a host computer system can run executables on behalf of a virtual machine (VM) are disclosed. In accordance with one embodiment, an executable of a guest application of a virtual machine is received by a hypervisor and is run via the host operating system on behalf of the virtual machine. |
| US09721087B1 |
User authentication
Disclosed herein are techniques for use in user authentication. In one embodiment, the technique comprises collecting information in connection with a plurality of authentication methods. The technique also comprises determining a score for each authentication method based on the collected information. The technique further comprises selecting an authentication method from the plurality of authentication methods based on the determined score. |
| US09721085B1 |
Method and battery pack device with antenna and diode
A device and system are described that include an authentication device having a battery, at least one battery contact, an antenna, at least one antenna contact, a ferrite material barrier, a diode electrically coupled to a battery contact and an antenna contact, and an authenticator coupled to the diode, a battery contact, and an antenna contact. A system includes the device with an authentication device, a transceiver electrically coupled to a near field communication contact, a switch electrically coupled to the transceiver and an antenna contact, and a communication system electrically coupled to the switch. |
| US09721079B2 |
Image authenticity verification using speech
Verifying the identity of a person claiming to be represented by a picture by way of providing a string of text (randomly generated or generated by another person seeking verification of same) to be recited by the claimant. The string of text is recited in a video which is received by an intermediary server at a network node, or by a person seeking such verification. Automated processes may be utilized to compare the audio and video received to the picture and string of text sent. Further, comparisons to previously received audio, video, and strings of text, as well as the same available from third parties, may be used to determine fraud attempts. Viewers of the person's profile may also vote on the authenticity of a profile, thereby raising or lowering a certification confidence level, with their votes weighted more heavily towards those who have high confidence levels. |
| US09721067B2 |
Accelerated progression relapse test
An Accelerated Progression Relapse Test (APRT) and method is provided for use in the prognosis of a patient having an ER+ breast cancer. The APRT provides a determination of when a patient in a particular diseased state is likely to benefit from further disease treatment, or does not have a high probability of benefit with additional treatment. Four genetic probes are disclosed that target the MKI67, CDC6 and SPAG5 gene and gene products. The ER+ breast cancer patient population is stratified into two groups, with the low gene expression group identifying the patient/patient group that is less likely to benefit from additional treatment measures, and a high gene expression group identifying the patient group that is more likely to benefit from additional treatment measures. |
| US09721066B1 |
Smart fitness tracker
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for monitoring a user's health data. A wearable fitness tracking device may include a heart-rate sensor, a steps taken sensor, a display, and perform operations including: receiving, from the heart-rate sensor, data representing the user's heart rate during a time period, receiving, from the steps taken sensor, data representing the number of steps taken by the user during the time period, determining a risk score for the user using the data representing the user's heart rate during the time period and the data representing the number of steps taken by the user during the time period, comparing the risk score to a threshold risk score, determining a risk profile using a result of comparing the risk score to the threshold risk score, and presenting data for the risk profile on the display. |
| US09721062B2 |
BamBam: parallel comparative analysis of high-throughput sequencing data
The present invention relates to methods for evaluating and/or predicting the outcome of a clinical condition, such as cancer, metastasis, AIDS, autism, Alzheimer's, and/or Parkinson's disorder. The methods can also be used to monitor and track changes in a patient's DNA and/or RNA during and following a clinical treatment regime. The methods may also be used to evaluate protein and/or metabolite levels that correlate with such clinical conditions. The methods are also of use to ascertain the probability outcome for a patient's particular prognosis. |
| US09721058B2 |
System and method for reactive initialization based formal verification of electronic logic design
A system and method use reactive initialization to facilitate formal verification of an electronic logic design. The system verifies that a part of the logic design correctly transitions through a sequence of states by automatically assigning an initial state value. The system interacts with a correction-unit to provide meaningful feedback of verification failures, making it possible for the correction-unit to correct the failures or add new constraints that allow the verification to complete. Assigning an initial state simplifies the verification of the validity of the remaining states in the sequence, thus making it more likely to reach a conclusive result and consuming less computing resources. |
| US09721057B2 |
System and method for netlist clock domain crossing verification
A system and method for netlist clock domain crossing verification leverages RTL clock domain crossing (CDC) verification data and results. The netlist clock domain crossing verification system (NCDC) migrates RTL-level constraints and waivers to the netlist design so that the user does not have to re-enter them. The NCDC checks the netlist and generates a report that compares RTL-level CDC checking results to the netlist-level CDC checking results to make it easy to see new issues. The NCDC receives and stores netlist corrections from user input or automatically corrects certain CDC violations, in the netlist. |
| US09721055B2 |
Measurement model optimization based on parameter variations across a wafer
An optimized measurement model is determined based a model of parameter variations across a semiconductor wafer. A global, cross-wafer model characterizes a structural parameter as a function of location on the wafer. A measurement model is optimized by constraining the measurement model with the cross-wafer model of process variations. In some examples, the cross-wafer model is itself a parameterized model. However, the cross-wafer model characterizes the values of a structural parameter at any location on the wafer with far fewer parameters than a measurement model that treats the structural parameter as unknown at every location. In some examples, the cross-wafer model gives rise to constraints among unknown structural parameter values based on location on the wafer. In one example, the cross-wafer model relates the values of structural parameters associated with groups of measurement sites based on their location on the wafer. |
| US09721050B2 |
Structure for reducing pre-charge voltage for static random-access memory arrays
A memory cell arrangement of SRAM cell groups may be provided in which in each of the groups multiple SRAM cells are connected to an input of a local read amplifier by at least one common local bit-line. Outputs of the amplifiers are connected to a shared global bit-line. The global bit-line is connected to a pre-charge circuit, and the pre-charge circuit is adapted for pre-charging the global bit-line with a programmable pre-charge voltage before reading data. The pre-charge circuit comprises a limiter circuit which comprises a pre-charge regulator circuit connected to the global bit-line to pre-charge the global bit-line with the programmable pre-charge voltage, and an evaluation and translation circuit connected to the pre-charge regulator circuit and the global bit-line to compensate leakage current of the global bit-line without changing its voltage level. |
| US09721049B2 |
Structure for reducing pre-charge voltage for static random-access memory arrays
A memory cell arrangement of SRAM cell groups may be provided in which in each of the groups multiple SRAM cells are connected to an input of a local read amplifier by at least one common local bit-line. Outputs of the amplifiers are connected to a shared global bit-line. The global bit-line is connected to a pre-charge circuit, and the pre-charge circuit is adapted for pre-charging the global bit-line with a programmable pre-charge voltage before reading data. The pre-charge circuit comprises a limiter circuit which comprises a pre-charge regulator circuit connected to the global bit-line to pre-charge the global bit-line with the programmable pre-charge voltage, and an evaluation and translation circuit connected to the pre-charge regulator circuit and the global bit-line to compensate leakage current of the global bit-line without changing its voltage level. |
| US09721048B1 |
Multiprocessing subsystem with FIFO/buffer modes for flexible input/output processing in an emulation system
In a system and method for emulating a circuit design, an emulation system receives input instructions from a host device executing the emulation. Channels of multiple buffers and associated processors provide implement read and write instructions received at the interface. Multiple access modes are provided to read and write to system memory and to store sequences of commands in the provided buffers and to execute those stored sequences using an associated processor. By writing a sequence of commands and/or data blocks to the channel buffers, the associated processors can execute programs of varying complexity that may have been written or modified in real time or preconfigured. |
| US09721045B2 |
Operation in an immersive virtual environment
It is provided a computer-implemented method of three-dimensional design in an immersive virtual environment. The method comprises the steps of determining a position of an instantiation of a physical designer in the virtual environment; instantiating an object via an interaction of the instantiation of the physical designer with a stocking zone attached to its position, the interaction being controlled by a body configuration of the physical designer; and performing a design operation with the object. Such a method improves the design of an object. |
| US09721043B2 |
Computer-implemented land planning system and method with GIS integration
A computer-implemented land planning system is designed to generate at least one conceptual fit solution to a user-defined land development problem. The system employs a computer readable medium and a computer program encoded on the medium. The computer program is operable, when executed on a computer, for electronically creating at least one candidate solution to the land development problem. The candidate solution incorporates a plurality of engineering measurements applicable in development of an undeveloped land site. Existing GIS data is collected for the selected undeveloped land site. A fitness function quantitatively evaluates the candidate solution based on its cost. A heuristic problem-solving strategy manipulates the engineering measurements of the candidate solution to achieve a more quantitatively fit solution to the land development problem. Documentation illustrating the fit solution to the land development problem is delivered to the user. |
| US09721042B2 |
System and method for use of function-based mechatronic objects
A system, method, and computer readable medium. A method includes receiving a selection of a function-based mechatronic object, the function-based mechatronic object including a plurality of linked requirements and functional information. The method includes instantiating the function-based mechatronic object as a product-specific mechatronic object and evaluating a plurality of linked requirements and functional information for the product-specific mechatronic object. The method includes assigning product-specific specifications to the functional information of the product-specific mechatronic object and storing the product-specific mechatronics object, including the linked requirements and functions. |
| US09721041B2 |
Configurable data analysis using a configuration model
The disclosure generally describes computer-implemented methods, software, and systems, including a method for presenting information. A command is identified from an application, the command associated with a configuration model. The identified command is matched to a step defined within the configuration model, each step in the configuration model associated with a request to a particular backend system, wherein each request is associated with at least one representation, the representation defining a visualization associated with the results returned in response to the request. The requested step is added to an analysis path, the analysis path storing a series of ordered steps performed during execution of the application. The request associated with the added step is executed including sending the request to the particular backend system for execution, and the analysis path is updated. A representation object is generated in response to executing the request. |
| US09721038B1 |
Collaborative data visualization
Information processing techniques for providing collaborative data visualization in a computing system. For example, a method comprises the following steps. A data visualization asset is obtained. The data visualization asset comprises a data component, an execution context component, and a visual asset component, wherein at least one visual asset of the visual asset component is generated from a data set of the data component by execution of at least one process of the execution context component. Collaborative modification of the data visualization asset by at least a portion of a plurality of users is enabled in accordance with a given policy. Information corresponding to the modification of the data visualization asset is tracked. |
| US09721036B2 |
Cooperative web browsing using multiple devices
A proxy-based thin-client web browsing framework enables cooperative web browsing of multiple devices. The multiple devices may include devices that are not intended for web browsing and have limited or no web browsers and/or user input capabilities. The proxy-based thin client web browsing framework employs a virtual browser at a proxy server to perform all browser-engine logics, and retrieve, render and encode web pages on behalf of the multiple devices. The multiple devices therefore only need to have limited decoding and display capabilities to perform web browsing. The proxy-based thin client web browsing framework further includes a touch controller as a remote controller for a device that has no or limited user texting or manipulating capabilities. |
| US09721032B2 |
Contextual URL suggestions
A system and machine-implemented method for providing a suggestion for a uniform resource locator (URL) on an electronic device. One or more URLs are identified within content of at least one document accessed by the electronic device. Each of the identified one or more URLs are added to a list of suggested URLs. A request for a URL suggestion is received in association with an application running on the electronic device. In response to the received request, the URL suggestion is provided based on the list of suggested URLs. |
| US09721031B1 |
Anchoring bookmarks to individual words for precise positioning within electronic documents
Devices, systems and methods are disclosed for anchoring bookmarks to individual words for precise positioning within electronic documents. The bookmarks may be anchored based on user input selecting particular words, based on gaze tracking identifying most recently read words, or based on estimated reading speed. The bookmarks may be a link used to navigate within the document, may be used as an anchor for a new layout after content reflow or may be automatically saved when the e-reader turns off the display to provide the user with a most recently read passage. If a bookmark isn't anchored to specific words by the user, the device may anchor the bookmark to the beginning of a sentence or a paragraph including the recently read words determined using gaze tracking or estimated reading speed. |
| US09721028B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing cloud service
A method performed by a cloud service providing apparatus includes receiving a request for execution of an application from a user device, executing the application in response to the request, encoding application execution data generated by the execution of the application into image data and transmitting the encoded image data to the user device, wherein the encoded image data is configured to be displayed on a screen of the user device. |
| US09721020B2 |
Search query obfuscation via broadened subqueries and recombining
System, method, and computer program product to perform an operation to obfuscate search queries via broadened subqueries and recombining, by referencing an ontology to identify a set of generalized terms corresponding to at least one term of a received query, generating a plurality of subqueries based on the received query and the set of generalized terms, executing each of the plurality of subqueries to retrieve a result set for each respective subquery, and filtering the result sets using the received query to produce a result set responsive to the received query. |
| US09721010B2 |
Content reaction annotations
Among other things, one or more techniques and/or systems are provided for annotating content based upon user reaction data and/or for maintaining a searchable content repository. That is, a user may request and/or opt-in for user reaction data to be detected while a user is experiencing content (e.g., watching a movie, walking through a park, interacting with a website, participating on a phone conversation, etc.). Metadata associated with the content may be used to determine when and/or what sensors to use to detect the user reaction data (e.g., metadata specifying an emotional part of a movie). The content may be annotated with a reaction annotation corresponding to the user reaction data, which may be used to organize, search, and/or interact with the content. A search interface may allow users to search for content based upon annotation data and/or aggregated annotation data of one or more users who experienced the content. |
| US09721003B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing contextual based searches
An approach is presented for providing contextual based searches. A contextual query platform processes at least one query to parse one or more terms associated with at least one contextual parameter. The platform further determines one or more values and/or one or more probabilities associated with the one or more values for the at least one contextual parameter based on one or more probabilistic models associated with the at least one contextual parameter. The platform further compares the one or more values and/or the one or more probabilities against at least one threshold criteria. The platform further determines whether to process the at least one query using the one or more values, to generate a recommendation for using the one or more values, to determine one or more alternate values, or a combination thereof based, at least in part, on the comparison. |
| US09721001B2 |
Automatic question detection in natural language
Systems and methods may provide for separating a sentence into a plurality of clauses and applying a set of question detection rules to each of the plurality of clauses. Additionally, the sentence may be automatically designated as a question if the question detection rules indicate that at least one of the plurality of clauses is a question. In one example, at least one of the question detection rules defines an order of a plurality of parts of speech. |
| US09720994B2 |
Replicated database structural change management
The various embodiments herein include at least one of systems, methods, and software that operate to replicate structural changes made to a master database to a replicate database. In some such embodiments, changes made to a master database are identified and a representation thereof is provided to a process that implements such changes in the replicate database. The structural changes are then replicated in the replicate database. |
| US09720992B2 |
DML replication with logical log shipping
Technologies are described for performing replication within a database environment. For example, replication of database data can be performed using data manipulation language (DML) statements and logical logs. A database node can execute a DML statement, create a logical log comprising the DML statement, and insert the logical log into a logical log queue. The logical log can be sent to one or more other database nodes for execution of the DML statement stored within the logical log. Logical logs can be grouped for sending to other nodes. Logical logs can be executed on a first node and one or more other nodes within the same transaction boundary. Execution of DML statements can be decoupled from sending, receiving, grouping, and/or processing of logical logs. |
| US09720991B2 |
Seamless data migration across databases
Techniques are disclosed for enabling the migration of data with minimized impact on consumers of the data. A data migration agent updates pointers to active data locations and coordinates a migration from a first data resource to a second data resource so that seamless migration may be carried out. A data access layer of a distributed computing environment can take advantage of the pointers and metadata written by the data migration agent to serve requests to resources of the distributed computing environment so that read availability is available regardless of migration status. |
| US09720990B2 |
Method, system, and computer program product for simulating an online session
A method and system for conducting an offline session simulating an online session between a client and server in a network environment. The client imports data and functional logic from the server prior to going offline. The imported functional logic is embedded into a format or document that is capable of being interpreted and performed by the local interface at the client that is used to interact with server during an online session. Whether offline or online, the user utilizes the same local interface at the client to transmit instructions to the functional logic in order to manipulate the data. In an offline session, such instructions cause the imported and embedded functional logic to execute, thereby manipulating the data that is imported at the client. Known synchronization methods may also be used in order to maintain consistency and coherency between the imported data at the client and the database at the server. |
| US09720985B2 |
Visually indicating a calendar event among different time zones
A calendared event may be visually indicated. A proposed time for the calendared event can be identified and each of a plurality of event participants can be associated with the calendared event. For each of the participants, a local time of the participant that corresponds to the proposed time for the calendared event can be identified and displayed. |
| US09720983B1 |
Extracting mobile application keywords
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for content presentation. In one aspect, a method includes obtaining information associated with a mobile application of interest; determining a plurality of similar applications to the application of interest; determining keywords from the similar applications; and extracting new keywords for the application of interest using a model trained using statistical information for keywords of the plurality of similar applications that overlap with keywords of the application of interest. |
| US09720979B2 |
Method and system of identifying relevant content snippets that include additional information
In one exemplary aspect, a method includes the step of obtaining a content of a content block. The content is represented as a content vector. A query is received. The query is represented as a query vector. A hierarchical sliding similarity and dissimilarity is determined for matching the content vector and the query vector, this step can include the steps of: determining a similarity measure and a dissimilarity measure for each content vector element with respect to the query vector; identifying a strong match over a sliding window of sub-terms of each content vector element; computing a sub-similarity score and a sub-dissimilarity score for each level of the convent vector element; determining a final similarity score as a combination of the strong match of some sub-vectors at different levels; and determining a final dissimilarity score as a combination of the strong match of some sub-vectors at different levels. |
| US09720978B1 |
Fingerprint-based literary works recommendation system
A system that recommends literary works to a user based on identified trends of how text in the literary works liked and/or disliked by the user are written and/or structured is provided. For example, the system may analyze the text of a literary work to identify one or more metrics. Based on the identified metrics, the system can generate an analytical summary called a fingerprint for the literary work. The ratings assigned to literary works by the user may be used in conjunction with the generated fingerprints to generate positive and/or negative models for the user. The positive model captures aspects of literary works that the user likes and the negative model captures aspects of literary works that the user dislikes. The system can then compare some or all of the generated fingerprints in a literary works fingerprint database with the positive and/or negative models to select literary works to recommend to the user. |
| US09720976B2 |
Extracting method, computer product, extracting system, information generating method, and information contents
An extracting method includes storing to a storage device: files that include character units; first index information indicating which file includes at least one character unit in a character unit group having a usage frequency less than a predetermined frequency and among character units having common information in a predetermined portion, the usage frequency indicating the extent of files having a given character unit; second index information indicating which file includes a first character unit having a usage frequency at least equal to the predetermined frequency and among the character units having common information in a predetermined portion; and referring to the first and second index information to extract a file having character units in the first and second index information, when a request is received for extraction of a file having the first character unit and a second character unit that is included in the character unit group. |
| US09720972B2 |
Cross-model filtering
Presenting data from different data providers in a correlated fashion. The method includes performing a first query on a first data set controlled by a first entity to capture a first set of data results. The method further includes performing a second query on a second data set controlled by a second entity to capture a second set of data results. The method includes receiving a selection of one or more results from the first data set. The method further includes using the one or more selected results, consulting a relationship ontology that correlates data stored in different data stores controlled by different entities, to identify one or more relationships between data in the selected results set and the second data set. |
| US09720971B2 |
Discovering transformations applied to a source table to generate a target table
Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for discovering transformations applied to a source table to generate a target table. Selection is made of a source table comprising a plurality of rows and a target table resulting from a transformation applied to the rows of the source table. A first pre-processing method is applied with respect to columns in the source and target tables to produce first category pre-processing output. The first category pre-processing output is used to determine first category transformation rules with respect to at least one source table column and at least one target table column. For each unpredicted target column in the target table not predicted by the determined first category transformation rules, a second pre-processing method is applied to columns in the source table and unpredicted target columns to produce second category pre-processing output. The second category pre-processing output is used to determine second category transformation rules with respect to at least one source table column and at least one target table column. |
| US09720968B2 |
Runtime optimization for multi-index access
Optimization of a multi-index database access at runtime. A processor receives a query. A processor determines a plan and a record identifier (RID) results threshold for the plan, wherein the plan includes an access to the index. A processor determines a static risk threshold, a static risk for the access, and whether the static risk exceeds the static risk threshold. Responsive to the static risk exceeding the static risk threshold, a processor determines a risk bound for the access, and links the access to the risk bound. A processor accesses the index with the key. Responsive to the access being linked to a risk bound, a processor determines a dynamic risk for the access. A processor receives one or more RID results during the execution of the plan. A processor aborts the execution of the plan if a quantity of the RID results is less than the RID results threshold. |
| US09720966B2 |
Cardinality estimation for optimization of recursive or iterative database queries by databases
An execution plan for executing one or more iterations of recursive database queries can be generated in accordance with one aspect of the invention. For example, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, one or more cardinalities (results or size of results, including intermediate results) associated with one or more iterations can be estimated. This estimation can, for example, by performed by using a sampling or sampling-based algorithm.In addition, a plan generated for execution of one or more iteration of a recursive query can be modified or replaced by comparing the actual cardinality with its estimation. As a result, the first one or more iterations may be executed using a first plan but the subsequent one or more iterations may use a modified or different execution plan. |
| US09720962B2 |
Answering superlative questions with a question and answer system
Mechanisms are provided for generating an answer to a superlative question. The mechanisms analyze the superlative question to extract a superlative term in the superlative question and a focus. A metric by which to evaluate the superlative term is identified based on one of a clue term in the superlative question or one or more portions of content of a corpus of information including the superlative term and focus. A search of the corpus is executed to identify one or more candidate answers to the superlative question based on evidence passages in the corpus, the superlative term, the focus, and the metric. A final answer to the superlative question is output based on the one or more candidate answers. |
| US09720961B1 |
Algebraic data types for database query languages
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for implementing algebraic data types in database query languages. One of the methods includes receiving an expression in a database query language, the expression having a programming language construct representing an algebraic data type, wherein the expression specifies two or more alternative subtypes. Respective domain relations are generated using definitions of each of the alternative subtypes within the expression. Unique domain identifiers are assigned among domain tuples belonging to each alternative subtype. A union relation is generated for the algebraic data type. Unique union identifiers are assigned for union tuples belonging to the union relation. Respective injector relations are generated for each of the alternative subtypes. |
| US09720960B2 |
Reporting tools for object-relational databases
A view schema is generated from a view definition, wherein the view schema includes one or more relational views that are created by translating one or more object queries in the view definition into one or more relational queries. A report design schema is generated from the view definition by: creating one or more report tables that correspond to the one or more relational views of the view schema and extending the one or more report tables with one or more primary key constraints and one or more foreign key constraints. A reporting model is generated by reverse engineering the report design schema, wherein the reporting model includes the one or more primary key constraints and the one or more foreign key constraints. A report is generated using the reporting model, wherein the report includes the one or more primary key constraints and the one or more foreign key constraints. |
| US09720957B2 |
Aggregator node, method for aggregating data, and computer program product
According to an aspect of the invention, an aggregator node is conceived for use in a network, wherein said aggregator node is arranged to aggregate encrypted data, and wherein said aggregator node comprises a secure element which is arranged to perform the aggregation of the encrypted data in a secure manner. |
| US09720953B2 |
Systems and methods for type coercion
Systems and methods for converting a data item provided by an external data provider system into a data type specified by a data processing system for a data field of the data item. A data processing system stores a coercion rule for each data field of a first data set provided by the data provider system. Each stored coercion rule identifies at least one data type for the corresponding data field. Responsive to a second data set provided by the data provider system, the data processing system coerces each data item of the second data set into at least one data type specified by the stored coercion rule for the data field of the data item to generate at least one converted data item of the second data set. The data processing system generates information from at least one converted data item, and provides the information to a consuming system. |
| US09720951B2 |
Reducing database downtime
Embodiments enable reduction of database downtime in a live production environment of an on-demand database service during repair and/or maintenance tasks. A source database and a target database are provided. Data is copied from the source database to the target database to create a mirrored set of data. Access is limited to one or more designated tables in the target database. General traffic is redirected from the source database to the target database, wherein the redirection occurs for a duration of a maintenance period. Data modifications that occur in the target database during the maintenance period are captured and then replicated into the source database. Finally, general traffic is redirected from the target database to the source database. |
| US09720949B2 |
Client-side partition-aware batching of records for insert operations
Client-side partition-aware batch insert operations are presented. For example, a server generates partition metadata, which is provided to a client. The client uses the partition metadata to determine the database nodes to which to send batch insert requests. For example, the client divides batch insert data, such as records for a partitioned table, among multiple database nodes having partitions of the table. The client issues batch insert requests to the respective database nodes for execution. When executed by the database nodes, batch insert operations can be performed in parallel. |
| US09720948B2 |
Fast searching using multidimensional indexing
A method and apparatus for performing relatively fast record searching is provided. The design includes providing one alphanumeric key to any record of a plurality of records not including an alphanumeric key, providing one text description comprising at least one word to any record of the plurality of records not including a text description having at least one word, and establishing a multidimensional index, where for each record there is provided in the multidimensional index a pointer pointing from one alphanumeric key to one associated record, a text description pointer pointing from each text description to the one associated record, a first reverse word index pointer pointing from each word to one alphanumeric key, and a second reverse word index pointer pointing from each word to one text description. Records are searched using the multidimensional index. |
| US09720947B2 |
Backup operations in a tree-based distributed file system
Techniques for cloning, writing to, and reading from file system metadata. Cloning involves identifying a first set of pointers included in a first root node in a file system metadata tree structure that stores file system metadata in leaf nodes of the tree structure, creating a first copy of the first root node that includes the first set of pointers, creating a second copy of the first root node that includes the first set of pointers, associating the first copy with a first view, and associating the second copy with a second view. Reading generally involves traversing the tree structure towards a target leaf node that contains data to be read. Writing generally involves traversing the tree structure in the same manner, but also creating copies of any nodes to be modified if those nodes are deemed to have a different treeID than a particular root node. |
| US09720945B2 |
Ingestion plan based on table uniqueness
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method for processing tabular data. In various embodiments, an electronic document is received through a network, along with associated metadata. A plurality of table markers, or tabular data markers, are identified, in response to analyzing the received electronic document for said markers. References and citations associated with the plurality of tabular data markers are identified. A graphical representation of the relationship between identified tabular data markers and the identified references is generated. A uniqueness score is calculated, based on the generated graph and an ingestion plan is generated for the received electronic documents based on the calculated uniqueness score value. |
| US09720944B2 |
Method for facet searching and search suggestions
Methods for faceted searching within clustered in-memory databases are disclosed. Faceted searching may be used to generate search suggestions. The faceted search engine may be able to use non-literal key algorithms for a partial prefix fuzzy matching and may include a feature disambiguation module. The disclosed search engine may be capable of processing large amounts of unstructured data in real time to generate search suggestions. |
| US09720943B2 |
Columnar table data protection
Shuffling data stored in columnar tables improves data storage security, particularly when used in conjunction with other security operations, such as tokenization and cryptography. A data table is accessed, and pointer values of at least one column of the accessed table are shuffled, generating a protected table. An index table mapping index values to the shuffled pointer values is generated, allowing a user with access to both the protected table and the index table to generate the original table. Without both tables, users are only able to see either the shuffled data or the index values. Example shuffling methods include, but are not limited to, random shuffling, grouped shuffling, sorting by column value, and sorting by index value. |
| US09720941B2 |
Fully automated SQL tuning
Techniques are provided for a fully-automated process for tuning database query language statements that selects database query language statements for tuning, tunes the database query language statements and generates tuning recommendations, tests the tuning recommendations, and determines whether to implement the tuning recommendations based on the test results. The fully-automated tuning process may also automatically implement certain tuning recommendations and monitor the performance of the database query language statements for which tuning recommendations have been implemented. |
| US09720936B2 |
Biometric matching engine
The present disclosure concerns a method of identifying a biometric record of an individual in a database (108), the database comprising at least first and second sets of records, each set comprising at least one record, the method comprising: receiving by a processing device (102) at least first and second input biometric samples of said individual; performing on the records of said first set a first matching process comprising a first filtering operation followed by a second filtering operation, and performing on the records of said second set a second matching process comprising said second filtering operation followed by said first filtering operation, wherein said first filtering operation comprises comparing said first input biometric sample to a first reference biometric sample of each record, and said second filtering operation comprises comparing said second input biometric sample to a second reference biometric sample of each record; and identifying a biometric record of said individual based on results of the first and second matching processes. |
| US09720934B1 |
Object recognition of feature-sparse or texture-limited subject matter
An object recognition system can be adapted to recognize subject matter having very few features or limited or no texture. A feature-sparse or texture-limited object can be recognized by complementing local features and/or texture features with color, region-based, shape-based, three-dimensional (3D), global, and/or composite features. Machine learning algorithms can be used to classify such objects, and image matching and verification can be adapted to the classification. Further, multiple modes of input can be integrated at various stages of the object recognition processing pipeline. These multi-modal inputs can include user feedback, additional images representing different perspectives of the object or specific regions of the object including a logo or text corresponding to the object, user behavior data, location, among others. |
| US09720933B2 |
Indicating location status
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for indicating location status. A computing device can receive a query from a user device, a current time, and a location for the user device. The computing device identifies results responsive to the query, including one or more business results that are each associated with a business location and operating hours. The computing device can select a subset of the business results as open results based on the operating hours of the business results, the current time, and travel times from the device location to the respective business locations. Data can be provided for a search engine results page that designates the subset of the business results as open results. |
| US09720931B2 |
Querying spatial data in column stores using grid-order scans
A query of spatial data is received by a database comprising a columnar data store storing data in a column-oriented structure. Thereafter, a minimal bounding rectangle associated with the query is identified using a grid order scanning technique. The spatial data set corresponding to the received query is then mapped to physical storage in the database using the identified minimal bounding rectangle so that the spatial data set can be retrieved. Related apparatus, systems, techniques and articles are also described. |
| US09720926B2 |
Read operations in a tree-based distributed file system
Techniques for cloning, writing to, and reading from file system metadata. Cloning involves identifying a first set of pointers included in a first root node in a file system metadata tree structure that stores file system metadata in leaf nodes of the tree structure, creating a first copy of the first root node that includes the first set of pointers, creating a second copy of the first root node that includes the first set of pointers, associating the first copy with a first view, and associating the second copy with a second view. Reading generally involves traversing the tree structure towards a target leaf node that contains data to be read. Writing generally involves traversing the tree structure in the same manner, but also creating copies of any nodes to be modified if those nodes are deemed to have a different treeID than a particular root node. |
| US09720920B2 |
Employing user-context in connection with backup or restore of data
The claimed subject matter relates to architectures for facilitating network-accessible or local backup or restore features in a manner that leverages event-oriented contextual information associated with one or more users of the data to be backed up or restored. In particular, a first restore-based architecture can interface with an associated second backup-based architecture that hosts or maintains a backup data store in order to retrieve a version of the data file that is desired by a user. Additionally, the first architecture can obtain a log of contextual event descriptions that can be aggregated by the second architecture or obtained independently from, e.g., a social networking service or a calendar application associated with the user. Thus, in addition to displaying time and date information associated with the desired version, the first architecture can provide the user with a social context of event from the social services feeds to aid the user in distinguishing between multiple versions of the data file. |
| US09720914B2 |
Navigational aid for electronic books and documents
Systems, methods, and computer storage media are provided for generating rich navigational study aids for electronic books. For a particular section of interest in a document, one or more related sections for providing additional context to the particular section are determined. The related sections are ranked based on a score indicating significance to the particular section. Based on a user's information processing preference, a set of ranked navigational links to each related section is presented to the user for additional context related to the particular section. |
| US09720913B1 |
Automatic generation of snippets based on context and user interest
A system obtains a document that is responsive to a user query. The system determines an interest of the user based on stored data associated with the user, and determines that a portion of the document relates to the interest of the user. The system generates a first snippet for the document based on the portion of the document that relates to the interest of the user, and provides the first snippet for the document as part of a result list. |
| US09720908B2 |
Generating a context for translating strings based on associated application source code and markup
An approach to generating a context for translating strings for a graphical user interface. The approach includes a computer receiving a string to be translated and associated source code, the string identified by a unique key within the associated source code and the associated source code is markup language. The computer identifies a first logical section of the associated source code corresponding to a unique key of the string and one or more graphical user interface components within the identified logical section of the associated source code. The computer then creates a mockup image presenting the one or more graphical user interface components and the string. The computer then labels, in the created mockup image, each of the one or more graphical user interface components and the first string of the plurality of strings, and identifies one or more additional graphical user interface components. |
| US09720902B2 |
Intention detection in domain-specific information
A new information in a language and relating to a subject matter domain is parsed into a constituent set of complete grammatical constructs. In a subset of the complete grammatical constructs, a set of linguistic styles of the language is identified according to a subset of a set of word-style associations related to the language and independent of the subject matter domain. A first weight is assigned to a first linguistic style and a second weight to a second linguistic style from the set of linguistic styles. A first intention information is mapped to the first style using a first style-intention rule, and a second intention information to the second style using a second style-intention rule. A complete grammatical construct in the subset is tagged with the first intention information responsive to a weight associated with the first intention information exceeding an intention selection threshold. |
| US09720900B2 |
Automated validation of the appearance of graphical user interfaces
According to embodiments of the present invention, a first metadata defining how a user interface associated with an application under test should appear is generated using one or more computer processors. An image of the user interface associated with the application under test that is invoked during a test run is captured using one or more one or more computer processors. The captured image is converted, using one or more computer processors, into one or more of a second metadata and text. The first metadata is compared, using one or more computer processors, to the second metadata and the text. In response to the comparison resulting in a difference between the first metadata and the second metadata, the image is stored, using one or more computer processors, and an assessment request is generated using one or more computer processors. |
| US09720899B1 |
Automatic generation of narratives from data using communication goals and narrative analytics
The exemplary embodiments described herein are related to techniques for automatically generating narratives about data based on communication goal data structures that are associated with configurable content blocks. The use of such communication goal data structures facilitates modes of operation whereby narratives can be generated in real-time and/or interactive manners. |
| US09720897B2 |
Systems and methods for mutations and operational transforms in a collaborative spreadsheet environment
Mutations representing spreadsheet edit operations are received at a server from client computers of collaborators and also at a collaborator's client computer from other collaborators and the server. Different mutations may conflict, i.e., provide contradictory instructions on how a spreadsheet is to be edited. Techniques for representing sort operations, cut-and-paste operations, and operations to change cell properties as mutations, and operational transform techniques that can be used to resolve conflicts between such mutations, are disclosed herein. Further disclosed herein are techniques for identifying and processing computationally intensive types of mutations in a calculation thread which operates asynchronously with respect to a UI thread at a collaborator's client computer. The processing may include performing an operational transform on results of the calculation thread based on results obtained in the UI thread. |
| US09720892B2 |
Managing file changes made during a review process
A method for managing file changes is provided. A file editor is able to view if the file he is submitting for review, is already under review with any reviewer. A reviewer would be informed that another editor has edited the same file and has submitted his changes for review. Editors would be informed of all reviewer comments if there are multiple reviewers on one file. |
| US09720890B2 |
System and method for rendering an assessment item
Systems and methods are provided for rendering an assessment item. A document encoded in a markup language is received. The document includes data that relates to at least one of an appearance and content of an assessment item, and the document includes a reference to a content file. The content file is retrieved, where the content file includes computer-executable instructions for generating an interactive graphical representation for display on a display device. The interactive graphical representation includes one or more features with which a user interacts to respond to the assessment item. The computer-executable instructions are executed based on the data of the document to generate the interactive graphical representation. Data generated based on user manipulation of the one or more features is received. The data generated from the user manipulation is processed to generate a modified graphical representation responsive to the assessment item. |
| US09720888B1 |
Distributed browsing architecture for the delivery of graphics commands to user devices for assembling a plurality of layers of a content page
An intermediary system operates as an intermediary between content servers and user devices, and provides services for improving page load times as seen by end users. One such service involves converting all or a portion of a retrieved content page (e.g., web page) into a stream of graphics commands, such as OpenGL commands, that can be executed by the user device's graphics processing unit (GPU). The intermediary system sends these commands to a browser component running on the user device for execution by the GPU. |
| US09720887B2 |
Mobile-to-TV deeplinking
System and methods for performing a particular action on a second device directed from a first device. In some implementations, the methods include receiving, from a first device, a hyperlink corresponding to associated content, and a user input on the first device enabling the hyperlink; in response to receiving the user input on the first device enabling the hyperlink, parsing the received hyperlink to extract information embedded in the text of the hyperlink; determining, based at least on the extracted information embedded in the text of the hyperlink, and the associated content corresponding to the hyperlink, a particular action to be performed on a second device, wherein the particular action is configured to be viewable to a user providing the user input on the first device; and providing, to the second device, an instruction to perform the particular action on the second device. |
| US09720877B2 |
Electronic device, method for controlling display of variable, and recording medium recording variable display controlling program
An electronic device includes: a memory; and a processor. The processor causes a display section to display variables and variable values stored in the memory in a list form, causes the display section to display a first variable specified by a user operation as a first part of an expression, causes the display section to display the variables and the variable values after the first variable is displayed, causes the display section to display a second variable specified by a user operation as a second part of the expression, together with the first part, and calculates the expression based on the first part and the second part by referring to a variable value of the first variable and a variable value of the second variable to obtain a calculation result. |
| US09720876B2 |
Serial communication circuit, integrated circuit device, physical quantity measuring device, electronic apparatus, moving object, and serial communication method
A serial communication circuit includes a receiving unit configured to serially receive input data including a command and a synchronization identification code that is different from the command and a determining unit configured to receive the synchronization identification code from the receiving unit and when the synchronization identification code coincides with a slave selection value, to instruct a start of response processing based on the command. |
| US09720875B2 |
Receiver with signal arrival detection capability
A receiver includes a phase click detector, a controller, and a comparator. The phase click detector detects phase clicks in an input signal, where a phase click corresponds to a change in phase of at least a first threshold. The controller is coupled to the phase click detector for calculating a number of phase clicks within one or more time periods. The comparator compares the number of phase clicks within the one or more time periods, and provides an arrival signal if the number of phase clicks is less than a second threshold. |
| US09720874B2 |
Auto-detection and mode switching for digital interface
A method of operating a microphone system includes the steps of monitoring an I/O terminal to detect whether a signal on that terminal achieves a pre-defined logic level during a monitoring period. The I/O terminal and a second I/O terminal are configured to one of a hardware mode or a communications-bus mode depending on whether the pre-defined logic level is detected. A microphone system includes two I/O terminals and an automatic detection and mode switching circuit, as well as a communications bus interface circuit and a hardware control circuit. The mode automatic detection and mode switching circuit couples the two I/O terminals to either the communications bus interface circuit or the hardware control circuit in response to the logic level detected on one of the I/O terminals during a monitoring period. |
| US09720871B2 |
Determining cable connections in a multi-cable link
A method for determining cable connections identifies a plurality of cables connected to a link included in a first device. The method identifies a first cable connected to the link included in the first device. The method determines that a second cable connected to is connected to a link included in a second device The method further determines that only one of an inbound and an outbound channel of a signaling lane included in the first cable is operable. The method utilizes a second cable to perform one of disabling signal transmission or detecting loss of signal on the operable channel. The method enables and disables signal transmission on the operable channel to determine that the first cable is connected to the link included in the remote device. |
| US09720870B2 |
Semiconductor device and memory system
A semiconductor device capable of communicating with a host apparatus includes a symbol generation unit, a coding unit, and a transmission unit. The symbol generation unit includes a random number generation circuit and generates a symbol according to a random number generated by the random number generation circuit. The coding unit performs 8b/10b coding for the symbol. The transmission unit transmits the symbol coded by the 8b/10b coding unit to the host apparatus. |
| US09720867B2 |
Processing system with interspersed processors with multi-layer interconnection
Embodiments of a multi-processor array are disclosed that may include a plurality of processors and configurable communication elements coupled together in a interspersed arrangement. Each configurable communication element may include a local memory and a plurality of routing engines. The local memory may be coupled to a subset of the plurality of processors. Each routing engine may be configured to receive one or more messages from a plurality of sources, assign each received message to a given destination of a plurality of destinations dependent upon configuration information, and forward each message to assigned destination. The plurality of destinations may include the local memory, and routing engines included in a subset of the plurality of configurable communication elements. |
| US09720865B1 |
Bus sharing scheme
A programmable device, having an analog component coupled with an analog bus and a digital component coupled with a digital bus together with a set of 10 pads, each of which capable of being coupled to a bus line of one segment of the analog bus as well as to at least one digital bus line, and where the analog bus is capable of being used to connect a pair of the pads to each other. |
| US09720862B1 |
Migrating interrupts from a source I/O adapter of a computing system to a destination I/O adapter of the computing system
Migrating interrupts from a source I/O adapter of a computing system to a destination I/O adapter of the computing system, includes: collecting, by a hypervisor of the computing system, interrupt mapping information, where the hypervisor supports operation of a logical partition executing and the logical partition is configured to receive interrupts from the source I/O adapter; configuring, by the hypervisor, the destination I/O adapter with the interrupt mapping information collected by the hypervisor; placing, by the hypervisor, the destination I/O adapter and the source I/O in an error state; deconfiguring the source I/O adapter from the logical partition; and enabling the logical partition and destination I/O adapter to recover from the error state. |
| US09720861B2 |
Memory access by dual processor systems
Methods and apparatus for control access to memory in dual-processor. In particular, there are disclosed methods and apparatus for use where a single memory is shared for instructions for the processors and a data store to reduce conflicts between access requirements. |
| US09720860B2 |
System and method for efficient processing of queued read commands in a memory system
A solid state drive (SSD) storage system includes a memory controller, host interface, memory channels and solid state memories as storage elements. The completion status of sub-commands of individual read commands is monitored and used to determine an optimal selection for returning data for individual read commands. The completion of a read command may be dependent on the completion of multiple individual memory accesses at various times. The queueing of multiple read commands which may proceed in parallel or out of order causes interleaving of multiple memory accesses from different commands to individual memories. A system and method is disclosed which enables the selection, firstly of completed read commands, independent of the order they were queued and, secondly, of partially completed read commands which are most likely to complete with the least interruption or delay, for data transfer, which in turn improves the efficiency of the data transfer interface. |
| US09720857B2 |
Distributed I/O control system, distributed I/O control method, and master station and slave station for distributed I/O control system
In a distributed I/O control system updating data through a network between a shared memory of a slave station performing input/output of data with plural input or output devices and a shared memory of the master station corresponding to the slave station's shared memory, the master station sets group information with respect to the input or output devices, and outputs, according to a cycle table, an input request frame specifying the shared memory in the slave station and the group information, and the slave station performs input/output of data with plural input or output devices, and determines whether an input request content specified by an input request frame from the master station is all information in the shared memory in the slave station, or information corresponding to the group information, to thereby transmit output data according to the input request content. |
| US09720855B2 |
Virtual device based systems with access to parts other than data storage elements through the virtual device
An embodiment includes a system, comprising: a device configured to present a logical device and enable a virtual device in response to a control signal; and a processor coupled to the device and configured to: present the logical device through a first device interface; transmit the control signal to the device to enable the virtual device; and after the virtual device is enabled, present the virtual device through a second device interface. |
| US09720854B2 |
Hub-to-hub peripheral discovery
Aspects of the disclosure enable location of a wireless peripheral by a computing device even when the wireless peripheral is beyond a communication range of, or otherwise inaccessible by, the computing device. A user gives a command to a first computing device to determine the location of the wireless peripheral. The first computing device requests other networked computing devices to locate the wireless peripheral. At least one of the other networked computing devices establishes communication with the wireless peripheral, obtains location information for the wireless peripheral, and communicates the location information to the first computing device. The first computing device communicates the location of the wireless peripheral to the user. |
| US09720853B2 |
Universal serial bus (USB) key functioning as multiple USB keys so as to efficiently configure different types of hardware
A method, data storage device and computer program product for efficiently configuring different types of hardware components. A Universal Serial Bus (USB) key is preloaded with multiple profiles, where each profile contains a configuration file(s) associated with a particular type of hardware component. Upon plugging the USB key into a hardware component, the USB key recognizes the type of hardware component based on the properties of the hardware component available on the USB interface. The USB key identifies a profile containing the configuration file(s) associated with the recognized type of hardware component. The USB key then presents the configuration file(s) contained in the identified profile to the connected hardware component. Such a process may be repeated for configuring another type of hardware component. In this manner, the user is able to efficiently configure different types of hardware by having the USB key function as multiple USB keys. |
| US09720851B2 |
Method and apparatus for managing access to a memory
A method and apparatus for managing access to a memory of a computing system. A controller transforms a plurality of operations that represent a computing job into an operational memory layout that reduces a size of a selected portion of the memory that needs to be accessed to perform the computing job. The controller stores the operational memory layout in a plurality of memory cells within the selected portion of the memory. The controller controls a sequence by which a processor in the computing system accesses the memory to perform the computing job using the operational memory layout. The operational memory layout reduces an amount of energy consumed by the processor to perform the computing job. |
| US09720847B2 |
Least recently used (LRU) cache replacement implementation using a FIFO storing indications of whether a way of the cache was most recently accessed
A method and apparatus for calculating a victim way that is always the least recently used way. More specifically, in an m-set, n-way set associative cache, each way in a cache set comprises a valid bit that indicates that the way contains valid data. The valid bit is set when a way is written and cleared upon being invalidated, e.g., via a snoop address, The cache system comprises a cache LRU circuit which comprises an LRU logic unit associated with each cache set. The LRU logic unit comprises a FIFO of n-depth (in certain embodiments, the depth corresponds to the number of ways in the cache) and m-width. The FIFO performs push, pop and collapse functions. Each entry in the FIFO contains the encoded way number that was last accessed. |
| US09720846B2 |
Memory swap for direct memory access by a device assigned to a guest operating system
A hypervisor detects a page fault associated with the request for a device assigned to a guest operating system to perform direct memory access (DMA) of a requested page of memory, invalidates a mapping in a central processing unit (CPU) page table of a guest physical address to a host physical address for a candidate page for being swapped out of host memory, checks a DMA access state of the candidate page to determine whether or not the candidate page can be swapped out from the host memory, and removes the candidate page from the host memory in response to determining that the DMA access state indicates that the candidate page can be swapped out. |
| US09720845B2 |
Identifying stale entries in address translation cache
A mapping may be changed in a table stored in memory. The table may map a first set of addresses, for a set of data, to a second set of addresses. The changing of the mapping may including mapping the first set of addresses to a third set of addresses. In response to the changing of the mapping, one or more flush operations may be executed to invalidate one or more entries within one or more address translation caches. The one or more entries may include the second set of addresses. In response to the executing of the one or more flush operations, a first test case may be run. The first test case may be to test whether any of the first set of addresses are mapping to the second set of addresses. |
| US09720840B2 |
Way lookahead
Methods and systems that identify and power up ways for future instructions are provided. A processor includes an n-way set associative cache and an instruction fetch unit. The n-way set associative cache is configured to store instructions. The instruction fetch unit is in communication with the n-way set associative cache and is configured to power up a first way, where a first indication is associated with an instruction and indicates the way where a future instruction is located and where the future instruction is two or more instructions ahead of the current instruction. |
| US09720834B2 |
Power saving for reverse directory
Embodiments include systems and methods for improving power consumption characteristics of reverse directories in microprocessors. Some embodiments operate in context of multiprocessor semiconductors having cache hierarchies in which multiple higher-level caches share lower-level caches. Lower-level cache is coupled with reverse directories associated with respective ones of the higher-level caches. Each reverse directory can be segregated into two reverse sub-directories, one reverse sub-directory for relatively high-frequency accesses (e.g., updating “valid” and/or “private” information), and the other reverse sub-directories for relatively low-frequency accesses updating “index” and “way” information). During a write mode operation, when the reverse directories are updated, the write operation is performed only on the sub-directories having the entries invoked by the update, such that write operations can frequently consume only a fraction (e.g., halt) of the power of a conventional reverse directory write operation. |
| US09720833B2 |
Nested cache coherency protocol in a tiered multi-node computer system
A computer system comprising multiple nodes, each node comprising a plurality of processors and a local cache hierarchy, suppresses local cache coherency of a node operations or global cache coherency operations between nodes based on the coherency request being a global or local request, and the state of the cache line at the node. |
| US09720831B2 |
Systems and methods for maintaining the coherency of a store coalescing cache and a load cache
A method for maintaining the coherency of a store coalescing cache and a load cache is disclosed. As a part of the method, responsive to a write-back of an entry from a level one store coalescing cache to a level two cache, the entry is written into the level two cache and into the level one load cache. The writing of the entry into the level two cache and into the level one load cache is executed at the speed of access of the level two cache. |
| US09720829B2 |
Online learning based algorithms to increase retention and reuse of GPU-generated dynamic surfaces in outer-level caches
Some implementations disclosed herein provide techniques for caching memory data and for managing cache retention. Different cache retention policies may be applied to different cached data streams such as those of a graphics processing unit. Actual performance of the cache with respect to the data streams may be observed, and the cache retention policies may be varied based on the observed actual performance. |
| US09720828B2 |
Electronic device
An electronic device includes a first magnetic layer pinned in its magnetization direction, a third magnetic layer pinned in its magnetization direction, a second magnetic layer interposed between the first magnetic layer and the third magnetic layer, and changeable in its magnetization direction, a barrier layer interposed between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer, and a dielectric layer interposed between the second magnetic layer and the third magnetic layer, wherein the first magnetic layer has a width 1.5 to 5 times wider than a width of the second magnetic layer. |
| US09720827B2 |
Providing multiple memory modes for a processor including internal memory
In one embodiment, a processor comprises: at least one core formed on a die to execute instructions; a first memory controller to interface with an in-package memory; a second memory controller to interface with a platform memory to couple to the processor; and the in-package memory located within a package of the processor, where the in-package memory is to be identified as a more distant memory with respect to the at least one core than the platform memory. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US09720825B2 |
System and method for performance optimal partial rank/bank interleaving for non-symmetrically populated DIMMs across DDR channels
An information handling system includes a processor having a plurality of memory channels. The information handling system also includes a plurality of dual inline memory modules non-symmetrically populated on the memory channels. The dual inline memory modules are divided by bank to create a plurality of interleave groups, and each of the interleave groups spans across all of the memory channels of the processor. |
| US09720823B2 |
Free memory trending for detecting out-of-memory events in virtual machines
The disclosed embodiments provide a system that detects anomalous events in a virtual machine. During operation, the system obtains time-series virtual machine (VM) data including garbage-collection (GC) data collected during execution of a virtual machine in a computer system. Next, the system computes, by a service processor, a time window for analyzing the time-series VM data based at least in part on a working time scale of high-activity patterns in the time-series GC data. The system then uses a trend-estimation technique to analyze the time-series VM data within the time window to determine an out-of-memory (OOM) risk in the virtual machine. Finally, the system stores an indication of the OOM risk for the virtual machine based at least in part on determining the OOM risk in the virtual machine. |
| US09720821B2 |
Adaptive compression data storing method for non-volatile memories and system using the same
An adaptive compression data storing method for non-volatile memories and a system using the method are disclosed. The system includes a host interface unit, a data compressor, a padding unit, a buffer, a combining unit, and a mapping table unit. By combining some compressed data in one page, the present invention can settle the problem that space for storing a compressed data that can not be utilized. Further, lifetime of non-volatile memories can be extended. |
| US09720820B2 |
Data storage device and flash memory control method
A FLASH memory control technique with wear leveling between the different blocks of the FLASH memory. By a controller managing the blocks of a FLASH memory within a data storage device, some of the blocks are pushed into a spare queue waiting to be allocated as data blocks or system blocks. When the number of blocks within the spare queue is lower than a clean threshold and any block within the spare queue has an erase count greater than an overused lower threshold, the controller performs a garbage correction operation with wear leveling between the different blocks. |
| US09720817B2 |
Hierarchical system-capability testing
In order to perform system-capability testing, an application in an application layer may provide predefined system capabilities and/or requirements of or associated with the application to a communication plugin in a data-link layer, such as availability of communication via a network and/or a latency of the network less than a predefined value. In response, the communication plugin may determine feedback information that specifies whether the predefined system capabilities are available and whether the predefined requirements are satisfied. Then, the communication plugin may provide the feedback information to the application. When the feedback information indicates that a system capability is unavailable, remedial action may be performed. For example, the remedial action may include updating a version of the application, updating a version of the communication plugin, and/or updating a path to a location in a network. |
| US09720814B2 |
Template identification for control of testing
Template identification techniques for control of testing are described. In one or more implementations, a method is described to control testing of one or more services by one or more computing devices using inferred template identification. Templates are inferred, by the one or more computing devices, that are likely used for documents for respective services of a service provider that are available via corresponding universal resource locators (URLs) to form an inferred dataset. Overlaps are identified by the one or computing devices in the inferred dataset to cluster services together that have likely used corresponding templates. Testing is controlled by the one or more computing devices of the one or more services based at least in part on the clusters. |
| US09720812B2 |
Risk-based test coverage and prioritization
A processor receives a rule containing a first set of code statements. The processor compares the first set of code statements of the rule to a second set of code statements of a plurality of code statements of source code. The processor responds to a match of the first set of code statements of the rule and the second set of code statements of the plurality of code statements of the source code, by applying a weight modifier to the rule, which adds a weighted value to the rule, and the processor, in response to a second matching of the first set of code statements of the rule to the second set of code statements of the plurality of code statements of the source code, applies the weight modifier to the rule, which includes a weighted value, and the weight modifier adjusts the weighted value of the rule. |
| US09720810B2 |
Device cloud monitoring and stability
An example system may include a first device connected over respective communications interfaces to a plurality of second devices. The first device may establish respective remote terminals between the first device and one or more second devices. Establishing the respective remote terminals may indicate that the devices are in an online state. The first device may periodically update respective heartbeat files on the second devices. A respective second device may detect that a pre-determined time period has elapsed since the heartbeat file was updated. The respective second device may determine that a respective remote terminal between the first device and the respective second device has been terminated. Determining that the remote terminal has been terminated may indicate that the device is in an offline state. The respective second device may reset itself so as to transition the respective second device from the offline state to the online state. |
| US09720806B1 |
Generating stable file location identifiers for reference to locations in a file
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for generating stable location identifiers. One of the methods includes generating, for each relevant location in an existing file, a signature for the relevant location using at most a predetermined quantity of characters surrounding the relevant location; obtaining, for a first file that includes location information for the existing file, data that identify one or more locatable strings in the existing file and, for each locatable string, a corresponding location within the existing file; determining, for each particular location associated with a locatable string from the one or more locatable strings in the existing file, a respective corresponding signature; and generating the first file that includes, for each locatable string from the one or more locatable strings, the respective corresponding signature that uniquely identifies the relevant location on which the locatable string occurs in the existing file. |
| US09720798B2 |
Simulating black box test results using information from white box testing
Systems, methods are program products for simulating black box test results using information obtained from white box testing, including analyzing computer software (e.g., an application) to identify a potential vulnerability within the computer software application and a plurality of milestones associated with the potential vulnerability, where each of the milestones indicates a location within the computer software application, tracing a path from a first one of the milestones to an entry point into the computer software application, identifying an input to the entry point that would result in a control flow from the entry point and through each of the milestones, describing the potential vulnerability in a description indicating the entry point and the input, and presenting the description via a computer-controlled output medium. |
| US09720797B2 |
Flash memory controller, data processing system with flash memory controller and method of operating a flash memory controller
The present application relates to a flash memory controller and a method of operating thereof. A system bus interface is provided to interface with a system bus and a debug bus interface is provided to interface with a debug bus. A flash access control block is provided to perform storage I/O operations on a flash memory array. A debug control block is provided to monitor debug related information. The flash memory controller is configured to selectively operate in one or storage operating mode or debug operating mode. In the debug operating mode: the storage control block is configured to serve only read data access requests; and the debug control block is configured to store trace messages in an allocated part of the storage resources of the flash memory controller in response to trace events. The trace messages are generated on the basis of the monitored debug related information. |
| US09720795B2 |
Performance regression manager for large scale systems
System and computer program product to perform an operation comprising generating, based on a first output generated by a first execution instance of a command, a first output file specifying a value of at least one performance metric, wherein the first output file is formatted according to a predefined format, comparing the value of the at least one performance metric in the first output file to a value of the performance metric in a second output file, the second output file having been generated based on a second output generated by a second execution instance of the command, and outputting for display an indication of a result of the comparison of the value of the at least one performance metric of the first output file to the value of the at least one performance metric of the second output file. |
| US09720788B2 |
Recording device and control method of a recording device
A recording device 11 has a control unit 20 that executes multiple restore processes. The control unit restores a backbone system based on a restore file stored in a USB memory UM if the recording device 11 is started with the USB memory UM already connected. The control unit initializes the backbone system based on an initialization file in the USB memory UM when the USB memory UM is newly connected while the recording device 11 is already running. The control unit creates a restore file to restore the backbone system, and saves the created restore file to the USB memory UM if an initialization file is not already stored in the USB memory UM. |
| US09720787B2 |
Table level database restore in a data storage system
The data storage system according to certain aspects can implement table level database restore. Table level database restore may refer to restoring a database table and its related data without restoring the entire database. The data storage system may use table metadata index to implement table level restore. A table metadata index may be created for each table, e.g., during a backup of the database. The table metadata index for a table can include any type of information for restoring the table and its related data. Some examples of the type of information included in the table metadata index include the following: container for the table, table backup location, system data, table index, table relationships, etc. Table metadata index can make the restoring of tables fast and efficient by packaging information that can be used to restore a table and its related data in an easily accessible manner. |
| US09720785B1 |
Variable checkpointing in a streaming application that includes tuple windows
A variable checkpoint mechanism in a streams manager checkpoints a streaming application based on periodic time periods for checkpoints. The variable checkpoint mechanism can take a checkpoint early before a periodic time period ends or late after the periodic time period ends based on predicted size of one or more tuple windows in the streaming application. The time for taking the checkpoint can be selected based on multiple checkpoint timing criteria, which include storage requirement for the checkpoint and predicted backpressure in the flow graph. In this manner the checkpoint timing of the variable checkpoint mechanism can be adjusted real-time to minimize the negative impact of checkpointing on the performance of the streaming application. |
| US09720783B1 |
Event driven backups in virtualized environments
Systems and methods are provided for performing a backup operation in a computing environment. In an environment that includes virtual machines, a backup policy is established. The policy includes events that includes a control change rate. The events are used to drive the backup operation by causing virtual machines whose change rates satisfy the control change rate. Other virtual machines that do not satisfy the events may be omitted from the backup operation. |
| US09720779B2 |
Backup system and backup method thereof
A backup system and a backup method thereof are provided. The backup system includes an operational storage, a backup storage, a service client, a metadata server and a backup client. The service client accesses the operational storage according to an operational storage layout metadata and makes a data change to the operational storage to transmit a metadata update request. The metadata server receives the metadata update request from the service client, updates a local operational storage layout metadata in response to the data change according to the metadata update request, acknowledges the metadata update request and instructs the backup client to back up the data change of the operational storage to the backup storage according to the metadata update request. |
| US09720777B2 |
Versioned file system using structured data representations
A versioned file system comprises a set of structured data representations. At a first time, an interface creates and exports to a cloud data store a first structured data representation corresponding to a first version of the local file system. The first structured data representation is an XML tree having a root element, one or more directory elements associated with the root element, and one or more file elements associated with a given directory element. Upon a change within the file system, the interface creates and exports a second structured data representation corresponding to a second version of the file system. The second structured data representation differs from the first structured data representation up to and including the root element of the second structured data representation. The interface continues to generate and export the structured data representations to the data store. |
| US09720775B2 |
Implementing concurrent adapter firmware update for an SRIOV adapter in a virtualized system
A method, system and computer program product are provided for implementing concurrent adapter firmware update of a Single Root Input/Output Virtualization (SRIOV) adapter in a virtualized system. An adapter driver is used to update adapter firmware concurrent with normal I/O operations. When configuration is stored in a scratchpad buffer, the adapter driver detects virtual functions (VFs) configured and operating. An enhanced error handling (EEH) process is initiated, freezing the VFs, and an updated adapter firmware image is loaded to the adapter. The adapter driver completes the EEH recovery, the adapter is restarted using the new updated adapter firmware. The VFs device drivers unfreeze the VFs, and complete the EEH recovery. |
| US09720774B2 |
Adaptive recovery for SCM-enabled databases
A system includes determination of a plurality of secondary data structures of a database to be rebuilt, determination, for each of the plurality of secondary data structures, of a current ranking based on a pre-crash workload, a crash-time workload, the post-crash workload, and a rebuild time of the secondary data structure, determination to rebuild one of the plurality of secondary data structures based on the determined rankings, and rebuilding of the one of the plurality of secondary data structures in a dynamic random access memory based on primary data of a database stored in non-volatile random access memory. |
| US09720770B2 |
Method for calculating raids parity code on interleaving and out of order data streams, and a system using the same
A storage system for constructing RAID on the basis of flash memory comprises: one or more RAID processors and a plurality of flash memories. The RAID processor comprises a plurality of read-and-write processing units, a data block pointer unit, a data block counter and a parity check code buffer. One read and write processing unit can control one or more flash memory units. A method for constructing RAID in a storage system on the basis of flash memory can realize the function of RAID in a very small logic area and approximately negligible time and realize the unification of the function and performance of a storage system such as an enterprise-level SSD. |
| US09720766B2 |
Self-healing, fault-tolerant FPGA computation and architecture
The present invention relates to a computation cell and a self-healing, fault-tolerant FPGA architecture and, more particularly, to a computation cell and an FPGA including the same, which can detect a transient internal error or permanent internal error by inputting an original function and a spare function and comparing a prestored error detection code with a generated error detection code signal. The computation cell and the self-healing, fault-tolerant FPGA architecture of the present invention can reconfigure stem cells and look-up tables included in the computation cell and can output a normal output signal even if a transient error or a permanent error is generated in an computation cell such that the corresponding computation cell and an computation tile can be normally operated. |
| US09720765B2 |
Systems and methods for application crash management
Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media can determine an application feature causing an application to crash. A set of users is ranked based on application data. The application data comprises crash cause data indicative of the number of times the application feature caused the application to crash for a user. A high crash user group is determined based on the ranking the set of users. The application feature is disabled for the high crash user group. A subset of the high crash user group is periodically replaced with a set of new users not currently in the high crash user group. |
| US09720761B2 |
System fault detection and processing method, device, and computer readable storage medium
Disclosed are a method, a device, and a computer readable storage medium for detecting and processing a system fault. The method includes: an interrupt service routine sending a first stage kicking dog signal, and receiving a second stage kicking dog signal for a system detection task (S101); and when task dead loop or task abnormity is detected, performing system abnormity processing according to a preset processing policy, wherein when the interrupt service routine fails to receive the second stage kicking dog signal within a set period of time, the interrupt service routine stops sending the first stage kicking dog signal, and the system reboots (S102). |
| US09720757B2 |
Securing crash dump files
In a computer storage system, crash dump files are secured without power fencing in a cluster of a plurality of nodes connected to a storage system. Upon an occurrence of a panic of a crashing node and prior to receiving a panic message of the crashing node by a surviving node loading, in the cluster, a capturing node to become active, prior to a totem token being declared lost by the surviving node, for capturing the crash dump files of the crashing node. |
| US09720749B2 |
Method and apparatus for executing application installed in remote device
Provided herein are methods and apparatuses for expanding a remote procedure call (RPC) shared service between devices to an application level, in which a controlled device transmits to a controller device a list of shared applications which are remotely executable from among applications installed in the controlled device, and parameter information which is related to the shared applications, and the controller device remotely executes at least one of the shared applications by using the parameter information. |
| US09720746B2 |
Analytics for application programming interfaces
API analytics systems and methods are provided. Frequently occurring API usage patterns may be determined from API call data collected from across an API ecosystem. Alternatively or in addition, a classification structure, such as a decision tree, may be generated from the API usage patterns. A type of activity that resulted in a set of API calls being invoked may be determined from the classification structure. A similarity or difference between the set of API calls and the frequently occurring API usage patterns may also be determined and/or identified. |
| US09720741B2 |
Maintaining two-site configuration for workload availability between sites at unlimited distances for products and services
A system for maintaining a two-site configuration for continuous availability over long distances may include a first computing site configured to execute a first instance associated with a priority workload, the first instance being designated as an active instance; a second computing site configured to execute a second instance of the priority workload, the second instance being designated as a standby instance; a software replication module configured to replicate a unit of work data associated with the priority workload from a first data object associated with the active instance to a second data object associated with the standby instance, and a hardware replication module configured to replicate an image from a first storage volume to a copy on a second storage volume, wherein the first storage volume is associated with the first computing site, and the second storage volume is associated with a third computing site. |
| US09720739B2 |
Method and system for dedicating processors for desired tasks
Improving the performance of multitasking processors are provided. For example, a subset of M processors within a system with N processors is dedicated for a desired task. The M (where M>0) of the N processors are dedicate to a task, thus, leaving N−M (N minus M) processors for running normal operating system (OS). The processors dedicated to the task may have their interrupt mechanism disabled to avoid interrupt handler switching overhead. Therefore, these processors run in an independent context and can communicate with the normal OS and cooperation with the normal OS to achieve higher performance. |
| US09720732B1 |
Parameter selection for optimization of task execution based on execution history for prior tasks
Methods and systems for optimization of task execution are disclosed. A definition of a task is received. A plurality of parameter values for execution of the task are selected based on an execution history for a plurality of prior tasks performed for a plurality of clients. The plurality of parameter values are selected to optimize one or more execution constraints for the execution of the task. The execution of the task is initiated using one or more computing resources configured with the selected parameter values. |
| US09720727B1 |
Managing virtual machine migration
Systems and method for the management of migrations of virtual machine instances are provided. A migration manager monitors the resource usage of a virtual machine instance over time in order to create a migration profile. When migration of a virtual machine instance is desired, the migration manager schedules the migration to occur such that the migration conforms to the migration profile. |
| US09720723B2 |
Protected guests in a hypervisor controlled system
A computer-implemented method includes receiving a definition of a source guest memory area for utilization by a virtual machine on a source system, wherein the source system includes a source trusted firmware and a source hypervisor. The method restricts write access to the source guest memory area of the virtual machine. The method receives repeatedly a source guest memory page location, content for each of a plurality of source guest memory pages, and an integrity value for each of a plurality of source guest memory page locations. The method receives a global integrity value for integrity values associated with the plurality of source guest memory page locations, wherein a latest integrity values for each of the plurality of source guest memory page locations is utilized. Subsequent to verifying the global integrity value, the method initializes the virtual machine on the source hypervisor. |
| US09720722B2 |
Hypervisor driven gradual balloon inflation
A hypervisor determines a target CPU usage of a virtual machine in responding to a request to allocate guest memory. Then the hypervisor receives a first balloon request for a first quantity of guest memory to be ballooned. The hypervisor transmits a second balloon request for guest memory to be allocated to a balloon of the virtual machine, where the second quantity of guest memory is a first fraction of the first quantity of guest memory. The hypervisor then determines a first quantity of time that the virtual machine took to execute the second balloon request and waits a second quantity of time. The hypervisor then transmits a third balloon request for a third quantity of guest memory to be allocated to the balloon of the virtual machine, where the third quantity of guest memory is a second fraction of the first quantity of guest memory. |
| US09720720B2 |
Dynamic management of assignment and number of virtual functions on SR-IOV capable hypervisors
A virtualization manager receives a request to change a current number of virtual functions associated with at least one physical interface that provides virtual function capability to a new number of virtual functions. Responsive to determining that that new number of virtual functions is not greater than a maximum number of virtual functions for the at least one physical interface, configuring, by the virtualization manager, the at least one physical interface with the new number. |
| US09720718B2 |
Method and apparatus for the remote management of virtual network appliances
An approach for remotely managing virtual network appliances (VNAs) includes establishing a management virtual circuit (VC) to a hypervisor running on a server at a customer premise, remotely deploying one or more VNAs to the hypervisor, and remotely managing the hypervisor and the one or more VNAs via the management VC. |
| US09720716B2 |
Layered virtual machine integrity monitoring
Various embodiments are generally directed to the provision and use of various hardware and software components of a computing device to monitor the state of layered virtual machine (VM) monitoring software components. An apparatus includes a first processor element; and logic to receive an indication that a first timer has reached an end of a first period of time, monitor execution of a VMM (virtual machine monitor) watcher by a second processor element, determine whether the second processor element completes execution of the VMM watcher to verify integrity of a VMM before a second timer reaches an end of a second period of time, and transmit an indication of the determination to a computing device. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US09720715B2 |
Extending legacy scripting languages with graphical references
A graphical data type inference transparently transforms a legacy text-oriented command line interface (CLI) into a graphic-oriented or graphic-aware CLI (G-CLI). A user fuses graphical references with the legacy scripting language by identifying objects using syntax familiar to the user. The objects are presented to the user via a user interface and may be queried/selected by the user. The user issues commands on the selected objects by referencing the graphical selection in a command line within a shell. The graphical selection in short hand is translated into a form operable by a server or computer. The syntax of the legacy command language is extended with operators that operate entirely within the G-CLI. Consequently, the command line used in the shell has an existing operation set, as well as new graphic-based operations. |
| US09720714B2 |
Accelerator functionality management in a coherent computing system
A coherent computer system includes a memory shared by a processor and a coherent accelerator device (CAD). The memory includes a work queue directly accessible by the accelerator functional unit (AFU) within the CAD and by the processor utilizing the same effective addresses. The coherent computer system provides accelerator functionality when the accelerator is unavailable by implementing a virtual AFU to carryout accelerator function while the AFU is unavailable. The virtual AFU is a functional logical equivalent of the AFU and is coherent with the processor. When the AFU becomes available, the virtual AFU is disabled and the accelerator is enabled to allow the accelerator to carryout accelerator functionality. |
| US09720711B2 |
Dynamically loaded plugin architecture
A method and architecture for using dynamically loaded plugins is described herein. The dynamically loaded plugin architecture comprises a parent context and a plugin repository. The parent context may define one or more reusable software components. The plugin repository may store one or more plugins. When a plugin is loaded, a child context may be created dynamically. The child context is associated with the plugin and inherits the one or more reusable software components from the parent context. |
| US09720707B1 |
Generating a set of user interfaces
A device may communicate with a first server to obtain first information regarding a plurality of groups of entities. The device may process the first information to generate a data model relating to attributes of the plurality of groups of entities. The device may communicate with a second server to obtain second information regarding a particular group of entities. The device may process the second information using the data model to identify a set of recommendations relating to the particular group of entities. The device may select a particular recommendation, of the set of recommendations, based on a corresponding score of the set of scores. The device may generate a user interface including the particular recommendation based on selecting the particular recommendation. The device may communicate with a plurality of client devices to cause the particular recommendation to be provided for display. |
| US09720706B2 |
Generating task flows for an application
The present disclosure provides a method for generating task flows for an application. Actions of a user of an application are monitored and key actions carried out by the user in the application are logged. Based on a determined flow of key actions a task flow is formed. A representation of the task flow is stored for access by other users. The stored representation of a task flow is associated with a goal to be achieved in the application. Representations of task flows may be stored locally to the application for access by other users of the application or remotely stored with an indication of the application to which a task flow relates to provide access to the task flows by users of other applications. A list of stored representations of task flows may be provided to enable selection of a task flow. |
| US09720697B2 |
Mechanism for instruction set based thread execution on a plurality of instruction sequencers
In an embodiment, a method is provided. The method includes managing user-level threads on a first instruction sequencer in response to executing user-level instructions on a second instruction sequencer that is under control of an application level program. A first user-level thread is run on the second instruction sequencer and contains one or more user level instructions. A first user level instruction has at least 1) a field that makes reference to one or more instruction sequencers or 2) implicitly references with a pointer to code that specifically addresses one or more instruction sequencers when the code is executed. |
| US09720691B2 |
Speculative scalarization in vector processing
In an example, a method for speculative scalarization may include receiving, by a first processor, vector code. The method may include determining, during compilation of the vector code, whether at least one instruction of the plurality of instructions is a speculatively uniform instruction. The method may include generating, during complication of the vector code, uniformity detection code for the at least one speculatively uniform instruction. The uniformity detection code, when executed, may be configured to determine whether the at least one speculatively uniform instruction is uniform during runtime. The method may include generating, during complication of the vector code, scalar code by scalarizing the at least one speculatively uniform instruction. The scalar code may be configured to be compiled for execution by the first processor, a scalar processor, a scalar processing unit of the vector processor, or a vector pipeline of the vector processor. |
| US09720687B2 |
Validating and maintaining respective validation status of software applications and manufacturing systems and processes
Validating and maintaining respective validated status of software applications and manufacturing systems and processes is presented herein. A validation system can comprise a mapping component configured to extract, from a set of requirement specification documents, individual requirement specifications; and extract, from a set of test function documents, test steps. Further, the validation system can comprise a tracing component configured to generate a trace matrix associating the individual requirement specifications with respective test steps of the test functions or respective documents of the set of requirement specification documents. In an aspect, the validation system can enforce, via respective object linking and embedding control extensions, respective roles of authors, reviewers, and approvers of the set of requirement specification documents. In another aspect, the validation system can electronically receive and insert test results in the set of test function documents. Further, the validation system can perform automated validation of software in execution. |
| US09720686B2 |
Melding of mediation flow service component architecture (SCA) components
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for melding mediation and adaptation modules of a service component architecture (SCA) system. A method for melding mediation and adaptation modules of an SCA system can include selecting each of a mediation module and an adaptation module in an integrated development tool executing in memory by a processor of a computer and loading respectively different descriptor files for each of the mediation module and the adaptation module. The method further can include combining descriptors from the different descriptor files into a single descriptor file for a melded module. Finally, the method can include modifying names and wiring descriptors in the single descriptor file for the melded module to account for a combination of the mediation component and the adaptation component in the melded component. |
| US09720680B2 |
Methods and apparatus for wirelessly updating vehicle systems
Some embodiments are directed to a processor based control system for enabling users to configure implementation of software updates to a vehicle system. The system can include a processor based controller that is configured to perform a first searching step that includes searching for software updates to the system, and a second downloading step that includes downloading software updates to the system that are discovered in the first searching step. The processor based controller can be configured so that each of the first searching step and the second downloading step can be implemented in either an automatic mode or a manual mode. The system can also include a user interface that is configured to enable each of the first searching step and the second downloading step to be manually set in either the automatic mode or the manual mode. |
| US09720672B2 |
Searching and accessing application functionality
A method includes receiving, at a computing device, search results transmitted from a search system in communication with the computing device. The search results include a header for an application executable on the computing device and application access mechanisms associated with the header. Each application access mechanism has a reference to the application and indicates one or more performable operations for the application. The method further includes displaying, on a display in communication with the computing device, a graphical user interface including the header and user selectable access links grouped with the header. Each access link is associated with an application access mechanism for the application. |
| US09720671B2 |
Installation of customized applications
The described implementations relate to installation of customized applications. One technique obtains a software application generated by a producer. The technique identifies customizations made by a customizer to the software application that are desired by a customer. The technique further installs the software application and the customizations on the customer's computer in a single operation. |
| US09720670B2 |
Deploying software in a computer network
A central server in a network stores, or has access to, data relating to software stored on computers in subnets of the network. The central server is able to designate a computer in each subnet as a wake-up master for that subnet. The wake up master maintains an awoken state and is able to issue a wakeup signal to any computer designated by the central server in the subnet. A computer in a subnet requesting software from another computer in the subnet, but unable to find it because the other computer may not be awake, issues a request to the central server. The central server identifies a computer in the subnet likely to have the software and causes the wake-up master of the subnet to wake up the identified computer so the requesting computer can communicate with, and download, the requested software from the identified computer. |
| US09720663B2 |
Methods, systems and apparatus to optimize sparse matrix applications
Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed to optimize sparse matrix execution. An example disclosed apparatus includes a context former to identify a matrix function call from a matrix function library, the matrix function call associated with a sparse matrix, a pattern matcher to identify an operational pattern associated with the matrix function call, and a code generator to associate a function data structure with the matrix function call exhibiting the operational pattern, the function data structure stored external to the matrix function library, and facilitate a runtime link between the function data structure and the matrix function call. |
| US09720660B2 |
Binary interface instrumentation
A system and methods for generating metadata based on source code are disclosed. In accordance with one embodiment, a computer system receives a command to compile source code, and in response to the command, generates an executable and a metadata file based on the source code, where the metadata file comprises information pertaining to at least one of a scalar type of the source code, a variable of the source code, or a function of the source code. |
| US09720659B2 |
Sparse object instantiation
A code reuse user interface executed by a processor allows a code developer to specify unused data variables of a coded object definition to be reused, from pre-existing code within a new application, as a partial object without instantiation of the unused data variables. An indication from the code developer that at least one data variable of the reused coded object definition is specified as unused in the new application is detected within the code reuse user interface. The specified at least one unused data variable of the reused coded object definition is externalized from the code reuse user interface to a runtime environment, where as part of execution of the new application in the runtime environment, the runtime environment instantiates the reused coded object definition as the partial object without instantiation of the specified at least one unused data variable. |
| US09720656B2 |
Method and apparatus for enabling agile development of services in cloud computing and traditional environments
Prepending a name object or setting a type of a software object to a name and prepending a value object to the software object provides inheritance of a name value pattern by the software object to establish particular types or classes of attributes of the software object without modification of the software object itself that is thus strongly typed and accessible by type. |
| US09720653B2 |
System and method of providing in-app service
In order for an in-app service providing system comprised of an in-app service server and a content server to provide a customized service to a user, when the in-app service server receives user information from a user terminal of the user, it checks whether or not the received user information has been previously stored. When the user information has been stored, user log information corresponding to the user information is received from the content server, and the in-app service server selects content to be provided to the user based on the user information and the user log information. When the content server generates a template including content, the in-app service server provides the template to the user terminal, thus providing a user-customized service. |
| US09720652B2 |
Generating a software complex using superordinate design input
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for generating software complexes. In one aspect, a method includes defining a software complex that is to include a group of software members that share information inherent to the software complex and act on that information. The defining includes receiving selections of design aspects as superordinate design inputs for the software complex and storing the superordinate design inputs in a source data store. The superordinate design inputs are compiled in the source data store using a software complex architectural language compiler. An in-memory model of the software complex is generated as an output of the compilation. Software member emitters are selected. For each selected software member emitter, a software member of the defined type of the selected software member emitter is generated. |
| US09720644B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and computer program
A system that acquires captured voice data corresponding to a spoken command; sequentially analyzes the captured voice data; causes a display to display a visual indication corresponding to the sequentially analyzed captured voice data; and performs a predetermined operation corresponding to the spoken command when it is determined that the sequential analysis of the captured voice data is complete. |
| US09720641B2 |
Playback management device and program used therefor
A music distribution server according to an embodiment provides a service in which users can easily enjoy digital contents. The server may include an information storage unit storing various tables and data bases, a playback transmission unit transmitting, in response to playback requests, music data to a terminal device in a streaming method, and a purchase transmission unit transmitting, in response to a purchase request, the music data to the terminal device in a downloading method, a ticket possession status update unit updating a possession status of virtual tickets used for playback of the music data possessed by users, a ticket providing unit providing the virtual tickets to users, a comment management unit managing users' comments on music pieces, a recommendation management unit managing recommendation of music pieces by one user to other users, and a ticket offer management unit offering the virtual tickets from one user to other users. |
| US09720638B2 |
Display system and control method of the same
Provided are a display system including a plurality of display apparatuses and a control method of the same. The display system including a plurality of display apparatuses comprises a first display apparatus configured to display an image to constitute a multi-screen, and receive power from a single power source; and a second display apparatus configured to display an image to constitute the multi-screen, and receive power from the single power source, wherein the second display apparatus starts operation after the first display apparatus enters a normal driving state. |
| US09720627B2 |
Data management for a data storage device
Managing data stored in at least one data storage device (DSD) of a computer system where the at least one DSD includes at least one disk for storing data. A Linear Tape File System (LTFS) write or read command is generated including an LTFS block address. The LTFS block address is translated to a device address for the at least one DSD and data on a disk of the at least one DSD is written or read at the device address. |
| US09720624B2 |
Method of controlling a memory system
According to example embodiments, a method of controller a memory system using a controller includes receiving a first read count command, determining if a read count of a non-volatile memory in the memory system exceeds a threshold value, and performing a first reading operation on the non-volatile memory according to the first read command. If the read count of the non-volatile memory exceeds the threshold value, then addresses are selected to which a plurality of additive reading operation corresponding to the first read command will be performed, in a random neighbor selection operation. The plurality of additive reading operations for checking data of neighboring pages of the page for performing the reading operation are distributed and processed. |
| US09720622B2 |
Information carrier comprising access information
An apparatus for reading out information from an information carrier includes a reading unit for reading out user information and access information from the information carrier. The user information are stored in a first region of the information carrier and the access information are stored in a second region of the information carrier. The apparatus further includes an access controller for providing access to the user information in dependence on the access information. The access information are stored in a first portion of the second region, and the dummy information are stored in a second portion of the second region according to a similar format as used for storing the access information. |
| US09720619B1 |
System and methods for efficient snapshots in a distributed system of hybrid storage and compute nodes
A distributed snapshot in a distributed storage system is described, where the storage controller functions of the distributed storage system are separated from that of distributed storage system storage media. In an exemplary embodiment, a storage controller server receives a request to create the snapshot in the distributed storage system, where the distributed storage system includes a plurality of virtual nodes and a plurality of physical nodes, and the source object includes a plurality of stripes. The storage controller server further determines a set of virtual nodes from the plurality of virtual nodes, where each of the set of virtual nodes owns one of the plurality of stripes of the source object. For each of the set of virtual nodes, the storage controller server sends a clone request to that virtual node, where the request is to create a snapshot for the stripe hosted by that virtual node. |
| US09720615B2 |
Writing data to sequential storage medium
A computer-implemented method for writing data to a sequential storage medium, includes: writing plural data blocks sequentially to the sequential storage medium; and writing a data pattern to an area on the sequential storage medium, the area being an area to which none of the plural data blocks is written, the data pattern including plural bit patterns appearing in none of the plural data blocks, and thus representing that none of the plural data blocks is written to the area and representing specific information regarding the sequential storage medium. |
| US09720613B2 |
Method and system for preventing reuse of cylinder ID indexes in a computer system with missing storage drives
A system and method for allocating storage devices within a multi-node data storage system. The system maintains a data structure including a generation number indicating an incarnation of the data structure, a highest cylinder ID index value observed to be in use within the data storage system, and a safe index value indicating a lowest cylinder ID index value for use when allocating a new cylinder index. Following receipt of an allocation request, the system assigns a cylinder ID index to the allocation request, the cylinder ID index being greater than the safe index value. The assigned cylinder ID index is compared to the highest cylinder ID index value observed to be in use within said data storage system, and when the cylinder ID index is greater than the highest cylinder ID index value, increments the generation number and highest cylinder ID index value maintained within the data structure. |
| US09720611B2 |
Array voltage regulating technique to enable data operations on large memory arrays with resistive memory elements
Embodiments of the invention relate generally to semiconductors and memory technology, and more particularly, to systems, integrated circuits, and methods to preserve states of memory elements in association with data operations using variable access signal magnitudes for other memory elements, such as implemented in third dimensional memory technology. In some embodiments, a memory device can include a cross-point array with resistive memory elements. An access signal generator can modify a magnitude of a signal to generate a modified magnitude for the signal to access a resistive memory element associated with a word line and a subset of bit lines. A tracking signal generator is configured to track the modified magnitude of the signal and to apply a tracking signal to other resistive memory elements associated with other subsets of bit lines, the tracking signal having a magnitude at a differential amount from the modified magnitude of the signal. |
| US09720610B2 |
Low power consumption memory device
A memory device includes a plurality of memory modules and a plurality of control lines. Each memory module includes a plurality of memory units. Each memory unit includes: a plurality of memory cell groups, each of which includes at least one memory cell; a plurality of first bit lines, each of which is coupled to the at least one memory cell of a respective memory cell group; a second bit line; and a plurality of controllable circuits, each of which has an input terminal coupled to a respective first bit line, an output terminal coupled to the second bit line, and a control terminal. Each control line is coupled to the control terminal of a corresponding controllable circuit of each of at least one memory unit of each memory module. The memory device consumes relatively small power. |
| US09720609B1 |
Data protecting method, memory control circuit unit and memory storage device
A data protecting method for a rewritable non-volatile memory module is provided. The method includes assigning a plurality of physical pages into a plurality of encoding groups to group a first physical page to a first encoding group and group a second physical page to a second encoding group, where each of the physical pages stores user data and a parity code corresponding to the user data, the first physical page is composed of memory cells of a first word line, and the second physical page is composed of memory cells of a second word line adjacent to the first word line. The method also includes respectively encoding the user data in the physical pages of the encoding groups for generating a plurality of group parity codes respectively corresponding to the encoding groups. |
| US09720608B2 |
Storage system
A storage control apparatus performs, for each virtual area to which a physical area is allocated, any one of coarse-grained management for managing a correspondence relationship between a virtual area and a physical area in a first size unit, and fine-grained management for managing a correspondence relationship between a virtual area and a physical area in a second size unit smaller than the first size unit. The storage control apparatus manages mapping information that expresses a correspondence relationship between a virtual area and a physical area. The storage control apparatus performs at least one of change of any of fine-grained virtual areas to a coarse-grained virtual area and change of any of coarse-grained virtual areas to a fine-grained virtual area, based on the number of duplication areas of each virtual area and a size of the mapping information. |
| US09720604B2 |
Block storage protocol to RAM bypass
Methods and systems are provided where a memory controller for non-volatile memory transfers data to and from random access memory over a second double data rate bus, and a host system access the random access memory over a first double data rate bus. The memory controller may transfer the data in response to a command received by the memory controller from a host system via a block storage protocol bus. Alternatively or in addition, the memory controller may transfer the data as part of caching data internal to the non-volatile memory. |
| US09720602B1 |
Data transfers in columnar data systems
A computer-implemented method includes receiving a request to transmit column group data to a target node, the column group data comprising C columns within a column-oriented data table and determining a transmission row count R for transmitting the column group data to the target node. The method may also include transmitting a transmission packet comprising R sequentially-ordered data elements for each of the C columns to the target node. The R data elements for each column may be sequentially retrieved from memory. A corresponding method includes receiving, at a target node, a request to receive the column group data, determining the transmission row count R for receiving the column group data, and receiving a transmission packet comprising R sequentially-ordered data elements for each of the C columns and storing the sequentially-ordered data elements within memory. A corresponding computer system and corresponding computer program products are also disclosed herein. |
| US09720597B2 |
Systems and methods for swapping pinned memory buffers
Systems and methods for swapping out and in pinned memory regions between main memory and a separate storage location in a system, including establishing an offload buffer in an interposing library; swapping out pinned memory regions by transferring offload buffer data from a coprocessor memory to a host processor memory, unregistering and unmapping a memory region employed by the offload buffer from the interposing library, wherein the interposing library is pre-loaded on the coprocessor, and collects and stores information employed during the swapping out. The pinned memory regions are swapped in by mapping and re-registering the files to the memory region employed by the offload buffer, and transferring data of the offload buffer data from the host memory back to the re-registered memory region. |
| US09720595B2 |
Nonvolatile memory device and operation method of storage device including the nonvolatile memory device
A method of operating a storage device having a nonvolatile memory including at least one memory block having a plurality of sub-blocks includes reading backup data of backup memory cells having a highest program state among a plurality of memory cells connected to at least one word line of a sub-block which is not erase-requested adjacent to an erase-requested sub-block among the sub-blocks. The method includes storing the backup data, erasing the erase-requested sub-block, and reprogramming the backup memory cells having the highest program state on the basis of the backup data. |
| US09720594B2 |
Touch event model
A device with a touch-sensitive surface detects a touch on the touch-sensitive surface, determines that the touch is cancelled, and in accordance with a determination that the touch is cancelled, sends a touch cancel event to at least one of the one or more applications. Also disclosed is a device configured to determine that a respective touch has been cancelled by the device. If the respective touch has been cancelled, the device ignores the respective touch. If the respective touch has not been cancelled, the device processes the respective touch. In addition, a device configured to detect one or more touches and process at least a subset of the touches with at least one application is described. While processing at least a subset of the touches, the device receives a touch cancel event, and, in response to receiving the touch cancel event, ignores the touches. |
| US09720591B2 |
Multitouch chording language
A multitouch interface application provides a user with access to a multitouch chording language for controlling auxiliary components within a vehicle, where a particular command for a given auxiliary component is specified by a combination of a left-hand gesture and a right-hand gesture. The multitouch interface application receives left-hand gestures from a left-hand touch sensing surface, where a given left-hand gesture corresponds to a selection of mode associated within a given auxiliary component. The multitouch interface application also receives right-hand gestures from a right-hand touch sensing surface, where a given right-hand gesture, in conjunction with a left-hand gesture, corresponds to a command for the given auxiliary component. Upon receiving both a left-hand gesture and a right-hand gesture, the multitouch interface application issues the command to the auxiliary component associated with the selected mode. |
| US09720588B2 |
Mobile terminal and application-controlling method thereof
A mobile terminal and an application-controlling method thereof are provided. The application-controlling method for the mobile terminal according to the present disclosure comprises: detecting an action on a touch screen of the mobile terminal when an application is running; if the action is a static action, then acquiring a touch area between the static action and the touch screen; and comparing the touch area with a threshold area, and if the touch area is no less than the threshold area, then stopping running of the application. In this way, the mobile terminal and an application-controlling method thereof according to the present disclosure can make it more convenient for the user to operate the applications of the mobile terminal and are easy to operate and to be popularized. |
| US09720585B2 |
User friendly interface
A thermostat user interface for a network-connected thermostat is described. The thermostat includes a frustum-shaped shell body having a circular cross-section and a sidewall extending between first and second ends, the second end being user-facing when the thermostat is wall-mounted; a circular rotatable ring being user rotatable for adjusting a setting of the thermostat; and a circular cover including a clear circular center portion surrounded by a painted outer portion. The clear circular center portion permits a corresponding circular portion of a non-circular dot-matrix color display element to be visible through the circular cover and the painted outer portion masks a remaining portion of the non-circular dot-matrix color display element so as to create a circular graphical user interface. |
| US09720584B2 |
User interface for multiple display regions
User interfaces for multiple display regions are described. One embodiment provides an array of non-overlapping windows that are created from a set of overlapping windows, and a user can select one of the non-overlapping windows to obtain an enlarged view of that selected window while keeping the other windows in their non-overlapping state. In one embodiment, the array of non-overlapping windows can include minimized windows or windows in other virtual desktops (e.g. windows in other “Spaces”) or both. In one embodiment, only windows of a selected application are shown in non-overlapping mode while opened windows of other applications are not shown. |
| US09720582B2 |
Responsive image rendition authoring
A method may include receiving a first input containing a markup language file, an image, and a style sheet file having breakpoints and image display rules for generating image renditions of the image. The method may further comprise displaying a first image rendition based upon the breakpoints and the image, the first image rendition having the first image and crop borders corresponding to the breakpoints. The method may further comprise receiving an input indicating modification of the image rendition, and displaying a second image rendition based upon the modification to the first image rendition. The method may further comprise amending the markup language file with at least one image display rule based upon the second image rendition, the at least one image display rule conforming to the first set of image display rules. |
| US09720577B1 |
Webcast and virtual environment content recommendation engine and method for recommendation using user history and affinity with other individuals to predict interesting current future webcasts and online virtual environments and content
A webcast and virtual environment content recommendation engine and method provide webcast and/or virtual environment content recommendation using user history and affinity with other individuals to predict interesting current future webcasts and online virtual environments and content. |
| US09720576B2 |
Controlling and displaying zones in a multi-zone system
A multimedia controller for controlling and displaying zones in a multi-zone system is provided. In one example the controller is configured to provide a user interface for a plurality of zones, wherein each zone of the plurality of zones includes at least one player in a local area network. The controller is also configured to accept via the user interface, an input to display a list of the zones in the local area network, and to identify, for each zone of the plurality of zones, a state associated with each zone of the plurality of zones. The controller is also configured to display the list of the zones, wherein the list of the zones identifies each zone of the plurality of zones, and wherein the list of zones is ordered at least according to the state associated with each respective zone of the plurality of zones. |
| US09720568B2 |
Methods and systems for displaying format properties of crop areas
A method for cropping portions of a document comprises displaying an interactive document workspace with a cropping tool on a sub-area thereof, and rendering one or more formatting indicators spatially associated with the sub-area, the indicators indicating formatting properties of the sub-area. |
| US09720565B2 |
Instant messaging activity notification
User activity is communicated in a messaging system. Communication is performed by monitoring an input region displayed to a first user of the messaging system in a client executed at a user terminal of the first user; responsive to receiving a user activated input at the input region, analyzing the input and using the analysis to match the input to a type of user activity from a predetermined set of user activities; and transmitting a message comprising data representing the type of user activity from the user terminal of the first user to a user terminal of at least one other user of the messaging system over a communications network. |
| US09720562B2 |
Method of providing virtual reality based three-dimensional interface for web object searches and real-time metadata representations and web search system using the three-dimensional interface
A method of providing a virtual reality-based three-dimensional interface for a web object search and a real time metadata representations and a web search system using the three-dimensional interface thereof are provided. In this method, a plurality of nodes each in which a node identification label string to which an information page is linked is together written and a plurality of links connecting the plurality of nodes, respectively, are displayed in a three-dimensional form that is either static or spinning. Thereafter, by performing an action of reduction, enlargement, movement, rotation, expanding, hiding, removal, and addition in a three-dimensional object that is formed with the node and the link that are displayed in the three-dimensional form according to a user input, the three-dimensional object is displayed or an information page that is linked to a node that is selected by the user is displayed. |
| US09720560B2 |
Hierarchical layered menu pane access to application functionality and content
A graphical user interface for a computer program, the interface comprising an array of main panes each providing access to a particular aspect of the program, the panes being in register with one another at a vertex corresponding to the area in which all the panes meet, each of the panes being adapted to expand as a pointing device highlights a pane, the expansion of said pane relative to the other panes wherein the panes remain in register with one another at the vertex as a pane expands. |
| US09720556B2 |
Storage medium storing image processing program and image processing apparatus
An image is placed, based on a predetermined designation input, on a predetermined placement position in relation to a display area, and displayed. The image is enlarged and reduced in accordance with an enlargement ratio of the image, and an area within which the placement position can be set is changed in relation to the display area in accordance with the enlargement ratio. Then, based on an obtained designation input, a position within the area, which position corresponds to the designation input, is calculated as a placement position, and the image having been enlarged and reduced is placed on the placement position. The image is then displayed on a display device. |
| US09720553B2 |
Input device including fold over sensor substrate
A sensor substrate for use with an input device of an electronic system includes a plurality of sensor electrodes disposed on the sensor substrate; a first segment for use with a touch pad area of the input device; and a second segment for use with a button area of the input device; wherein the touch pad area and the button area do not overlap, and further wherein the first and second segments comprise a single, contiguous sheet of material. |
| US09720542B2 |
Active stylus differential synchronization
A touch-sensing system is disclosed. The system includes a display device having a touch sensor with a matrix of row electrodes and column electrodes. Drive logic drives the row electrodes in a plurality of stylus sync sub-frames. In each, some row electrodes, referred to for that stylus sync sub-frame as sync-driven row electrodes, are driven by the drive logic with synchronization waveforms to synchronize the display device with an active stylus. For each stylus sync sub-frame, the sync-driven row electrodes are differentially driven by the drive logic, in the sense that a synchronization waveform used to drive one of the sync-driven row electrodes is different than a synchronization waveform used to drive another of the sync-driven row electrodes. |
| US09720540B2 |
Touch signal detection circuit and method, and touch device
The present invention provides a touch signal detection circuit. The touch signal detection circuit includes: a processing unit, at least one linear transmitting electrode, and at least two linear receiving electrodes; the transmitting electrode is perpendicular to the receiving electrode, the receiving electrode is perpendicular to a source driver line of a display screen, and each receiving electrode and each transmitting electrode form one node mutual capacitance; the processing unit acquires capacitance change values of at least two node mutual capacitances, and acquires a location of a touch signal according to the capacitance change values of the at least two node mutual capacitances. |
| US09720534B2 |
Capacitive touch sensor partially integrated with LCD display
A capacitive touch sensor (touch sensitive panel or screen) partially integrate with an LCD is disclosed. The touch sensor includes an LCD panel and a single layer of transparent conductive traces above the LCD panel. One group of signal traces of the LCD panel, either the gate signal traces or the source signal traces, is used to emit signals that function as the excitation signals of the touch sensor, and the single layer of transparent conductive traces is used to detect the signals to sense touches. The single layer of transparent conductive traces may be form on a flexible medium and affixed to the upper surface of the LCD panel. The LCD panel may be similar to a conventional LCD panel except that the driver circuit is modified so that the gate or source signals are used, in a time-division manner, as excitation signals of the touch sensor. |
| US09720532B2 |
Touch panel and display device including the same
A touch panel and display device including the same are disclosed. In one aspect, the touch panel includes a substrate including a light transmission region and a peripheral region surrounding the light transmission region, a color print layer formed in the peripheral region, and an adhesive layer formed over the substrate and the color print layer. A touch sensor layer is formed over the adhesive layer and configured to sense a touch input. At least one groove is formed in the color print layer and extends from the light transmission region to the peripheral region. |
| US09720530B2 |
Portable device providing a reflection image and method of controlling the same
According to one embodiment of the present specification, if a notification is generated, a method of controlling a portable device includes the steps of sensing a state of the portable device using a sensor unit, if the portable device is in a first state, displaying content of the notification in a first display area or a second display area of a display unit and if the portable device is in a second state, displaying the content of the notification in the second display area of the display unit in a manner of reversing a left and right of the content of the notification. |
| US09720529B2 |
Electronic device and method of controlling the same
A mobile terminal including a touch screen, and a controller configured to designate a plurality of areas on the touch screen, each area including text information, receive a multi touch action on the touch screen, select a specific area from the plurality of designated areas regardless of areas touched in the multi touch action, determine at least one touch in the multi touch action is moving, and adjust a magnification rate of the text information included in the selected specific area in correspondence with the at least one touch moving. |
| US09720526B2 |
Active stylus with switching functions
An active stylus without function keys is disclosed to include a pen body defining therein an accommodation chamber, a control device mounted inside the accommodation chamber and including a circuit board capable of outputting a signal to a touch control device of a touch screen being touched by the active stylus and two first conductors electrically connected to the circuit board, and a rotating barrel rotatably mounted on the pen body around the control device, the rotating barrel including a second conductor movable with the rotating barrel relative to the pen body into contact with either or both of the two first conductors or away from the first conductors to provide one of a series of signals for driving circuit board to output a corresponding control signal to the touch control device of the touch screen. |
| US09720521B2 |
In-air ultrasound pen gestures
Implementations of the technology described herein provide a method for detecting gesture commands using an ultrasonic pen system. The system has a pen and a user device. Detection of gesture commands is based on two-dimensional gestures relative to the screen of a user device, three-dimensional gestures relative to the screen of the user device, roll/rotation around a longitudinal axis of the pen body, and micro-twisting around the longitudinal axis of the pen body. The user device receives the gestures and translates them into commands such as UNDO and BACK. |
| US09720519B2 |
Flying user interface
This invention describes a special type of drone called “Flying User Interface” device comprised of a robotic projector-camera system, an onboard digital computer connected with Internet, sensors, and a hardware interface to stick to any surface such as wall, ceilings, etc. Computer further consists of other subsystems, devices, and sensors such as accelerometer, compass, gyroscope, flashlight, etc. Drone flies from one places to another, detects a surface, and sticks to it. After successful sticking mechanism, device stops all its rotators and projects or augments images, information, and user interfaces on the near by surfaces. User interface may contain applications, information about object being augmented and information from Internet. User can interact with user-interface using command and gestures such as hand, body, feet, voice, etc. |
| US09720515B2 |
Method and apparatus for a gesture controlled interface for wearable devices
A gesture-controlled interface apparatus includes one or a plurality of bio-potential sensors and a processor. The one or a plurality of bio-potential sensors are wearable on a body of a user, for detecting one or a plurality of bio-electrical signals from the body of the user, wherein the one or a plurality of bio-potential sensors include at least one surface nerve conduction (SNC) sensor for detecting at least one surface nerve conduction signal. The processor is configured to compare the detected at least one surface nerve conduction signal with data of a plurality of reference signals corresponding to a plurality of known gestures, each of the reference signals distinctly associated with one of the known gestures, to identify a known gesture from the plurality of known gestures that corresponds to said at least one surface nerve conduction signal, and to communicate the identified known gesture to a computerized device. |
| US09720514B2 |
Method and system for tilt-based actuation
An electronic device, system associated therewith, and method of operating an electronic device are disclosed. In one example embodiment, the method includes storing 310 a first base tilt position of the electronic device based upon at least one position signal received by a processing device at least indirectly from a position or movement sensing component. The method additionally includes defining 312 a plurality of tilt zones in relation to the base tilt position, including a base tilt zone containing the base tilt position, determining 324 whether a tilt position of the device has changed to a second tilt zone of the plurality of tilt zones, and causing 328 a display component of the device to perform displaying of information in a scrolling manner determined at least in part based upon the second tilt zone. |
| US09720512B2 |
Device and method for the gesture-controlled setting of setting variables on an X-ray source
A device for the gesture-controlled setting of at least one setting variable on an X-ray source includes at least one recognition unit for anatomically recognizing a body part suitable for gesture control, at least one gesture detection unit for detecting at least one gesture of a body part recognized by the recognition unit, and at least one light source for displaying the at least one setting variable as feedback for a person making the gesture. The at least one setting variable was preset and/or set by using the at least one detected gesture. A method for the gesture-controlled setting of at least one setting variable on an X-ray source is also provided. |
| US09720511B2 |
Hand and object tracking in three-dimensional space
A hybrid system which detects and tracks objects in three-dimensional space using a light source disposed in spaced relation to a projection surface, defining a volume of space illuminated by said light source. A light sensor responsive to illumination falling on the projection surface measures illumination levels over a predefined image plane associated with the light sensor, producing a projected image signal. A structured light source projects a structured light within the volume of space and a structured light sensor records reflected structured light from objects occupying the volume of space producing a structured light signal. A correlation processor receptive of the projected image signal and said structured light signal and adapted to compute a hybrid signal indicative of the position of an object within said space and from which other information about the object may be extracted. |
| US09720510B2 |
User-directed personal information assistant
One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for identifying a characteristic of an object. The technique includes determining that the object is a target of a directional gesture and detecting a trigger event that occurs while the object is the target of the directional gesture. The technique further includes, in response to the trigger event, acquiring sensor data associated with the object via one or more sensors and analyzing the sensor data to identify at least one characteristic of the object. |
| US09720509B2 |
Gesture detection system, gesture detection apparatus, and mobile communication terminal
A gesture detection system having a gesture detection apparatus to detect a gesture of a user, and a mobile communication terminal that can communicate with the gesture detection apparatus, includes a storage unit to store first gesture data defining the gesture of the user, and audio or visual data associated with the first gesture data; an obtainment unit to obtain second gesture data representing the gesture of the user; a transmission unit to transmit the second gesture data to the mobile communication terminal; a determination unit to determine whether the gesture defined by the first gesture data is the same as the gesture represented by the second gesture data; a selection unit to select the audio or visual data associated with the first gesture data depending on the determination result; and an output unit to output the audio or visual data. |
| US09720508B2 |
System for controlling a plurality of cameras in a device
A method of operating a device having at least two camera lenses includes inputting a first image via a first camera lens, and detecting a control gesture from image processing of the first image. The method further includes controlling an operation associated with processing an image input from a second camera lens in response to the detected gesture from the first image. |
| US09720504B2 |
Methods for system engagement via 3D object detection
Methods and apparatuses are presented for controlling an application on a device. In some embodiments, a method may include detecting that a user is maintaining an object or gesture at a position hovering near the device for a threshold length of time. The method may also include anchoring an initial position of the object or gesture to the device based on the detection of the maintained position, and controlling the application using the anchored initial position. In some embodiments, controlling the application using the anchored initial position may include manipulating the application based on detecting within a stable zone associated with the anchored initial position a change in height of the gesture or object relative to the device, and not manipulating the application whenever the object or gesture is detected to move along a plane above and parallel to the device and within the stable zone. |
| US09720497B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling rendering quality
A rendering method, an apparatus for rendering an image and a rendering device are provided. The rendering method involves obtaining information about a sightline of a user, determining rendering quality based on the obtained information, and rendering a graphic image according to the determined rendering quality. |
| US09720495B1 |
Aggregating online activities
The disclosure includes a system and method for providing third party modifications to a user history. The system includes a processor and a memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the system to: transmit a first input specifying a type of user interactions to be shared; receive a set of second inputs associated with user interactions with a first service; determine which of the set of second inputs with the first service is of the specified type; and transmit a set of user activity data describing the user interactions with the first service that are of the specified type. |
| US09720494B2 |
Managing access to data on a client device during low-power state
Disclosed is a novel system and method for maintaining computing functionality when a client device must be used in a low-power state. More particularly, when a client device is placed in a low-power state, sleep mode, or even shut-down, this method transfers aspects of the machine state onto a virtual machine in the cloud. This virtual machine may then function as a partial or full emulator of the user's client machine and thus can be: 1) accessed; and 2) communicated with by the machine's owner or others who use the machine. As long as the client device is shutdown, the cloud continues to temporarily function as the user's machine. Numerous embodiments are disclosed including a “hybrid decomposition feature” in which the data on the client machine is prioritized and then transfer to a server, typically a virtual emulator, component by component or piecemeal manner or manner. |
| US09720490B2 |
Separating power domains of central processing units
A circuit includes a central processing unit (CPU), which includes a first memory block having a first power domain; and a core block signally connected to the first memory block and having a second power domain disconnected from the first power domain. |
| US09720489B2 |
System comprising a main electrical unit and a peripheral electrical unit
The invention relates to a system comprising a main electrical unit (2) and a peripheral electrical unit (3, 4,5), wherein the main electrical unit and the peripheral electrical unit are switchable between a low-power mode and a high-power mode. The main electrical unit is adapted to hand over a control of the system to the peripheral electrical unit, if the peripheral electrical unit is in the high-power mode, and to switch from the high-power mode to the low-power mode, after the control has been handed over. The peripheral electrical unit is adapted to receive the control from the main electrical unit and to control the system, if the peripheral electrical unit is in the high-power mode. This allows the system to be still in operation mode, although the main electrical unit has been switched to the low-power mode, thereby reducing the power consumption of the system. |
| US09720486B2 |
Method and device for noise reduction in multi-frequency clocking environment
A device and method of operating a synchronous frequency processing environment served by a common power source and common clock source. The method includes operating the processing environment to have a first power consumption. The method further includes determining a first synchronous frequency processing domain within the processing environment where it is desired to implement a first clock frequency alteration in a clock signal for the first synchronous frequency processing domain. The first clock frequency alteration generates an associated first alteration in a power consumption from the first synchronous frequency processing domain. The method further includes determining a second clock frequency alteration to a clock signal for a second synchronous frequency processing domain of the processing environment. The second clock frequency alteration is determined so as to reduce a change in the first power consumption caused by the first alteration in power consumption. |
| US09720480B2 |
Portable computing device and method for asset management in a logistics system
Systems, methods, and computer program products are provided for tracking one or more items. In one exemplary embodiment, there is provided a device for tracking one or more items. The device may include a plurality of sensors for detecting light, temperature, humidity, pressure, and acceleration. The device may also include a memory for storing information received from the plurality of sensors. |
| US09720479B2 |
Server information handling system indicator light management
Server information handling system LED indication lights and other illumination devices are selectively illuminated based upon override configuration settings pushed down from a data center administrative tool. A chassis management controller that manages a blade or rack with plural server information handling systems overrides indication light illumination at blade or rack components, such as power supply and I/O modules. Power saved by reducing indication light illumination is allocated to support operation of one or more server information handling systems. |
| US09720477B2 |
Weak power supply operation and control
Power monitoring circuitry is provided, comprising a capacitor configured to receive a current, so as to charge the capacitor and a switching device, connected to the capacitor. The switching device is configured to periodically discharge the capacitor in response to receipt of a clock signal from a circuit being monitored. The power monitoring circuitry also comprises a comparator, configured to perform a comparison of a voltage developed by the capacitor with a threshold voltage, and to output an indication of a change in power supplied to the circuit in response to the comparison. Other embodiments are also described. |
| US09720474B2 |
Electronic control unit
An electronic control unit mounted in an object includes: a rewritable memory of control and reprogramming software; a not-always-on power supply system micro-computer operating in control and reprogramming modes and connected/disconnected with a power source; and an always-on power supply system micro-computer operating in the control and reprogramming modes and constantly connected with the power source. Each micro-computer includes: a first mode determination device determining whether to operate in an on-board mode when the power source starts to supply the electric power; and a second mode determination device determining whether to operate in the reprogramming mode. The always-on power supply system micro-computer includes a first transition device that detects a change in a power supply state of the not-always-on power supply system micro-computer. The first transition device switches a processing to a determination executed by the first mode determination device when the power supply state has changed. |
| US09720472B2 |
Power supply device and micro server having the same
A power supply device includes a power supply configured to supply DC power, and a PMIC configured to convert DC power provided from the power supply and to provide the converted DC power to an SoC, wherein the PMIC is provided with a plurality of rails configured to output different voltages. |
| US09720471B2 |
Voltage regulator with feed-forward and feedback control
Described is a voltage regulator with feed-forward and feedback control. Described is an apparatus which comprises: a circuit for providing power or ground supply for a target circuit in response to a control signal; and a feed-forward filter to receive data and to generate the control signal according to the received data. |
| US09720470B2 |
Method and system for controlling the operation of an electronic device
The present invention relates to a method for controlling the operation of an electronic device for processing data, said device comprising at least one computational unit for receiving input data and processing said input data for generating output data, and further comprising a control unit for receiving at least a part of said input data and delivering at least one control signal to said at least one computational unit for controlling the operation of said at least one computational unit, characterized in said control unit using said input data to determine a computational effort and further using said control signal to control parameters of said at least one computational unit depending on said computational effort, wherein said parameters comprise a combination of: clock rate and/or supply voltage; and process complexity. |
| US09720456B1 |
Contact-based device interaction
Computing devices can interact and share data and/or resources in response to detecting a contact event. The devices can include force and/or pressure sensing components that enable the devices to determine when force or pressure is being applied. By comparing information (e.g., time and location) for contact events detected by each device, it can be determined that the devices were brought into contact with each other. In response, the devices can enable data to be transferred between the devices, and can allow resources to be shared for a variety of purposes. In at least some embodiments, users can obtain a larger display screen or enhanced audio capabilities by bringing the devices into contact such that display and/or audio elements of the devices can be used together to present different aspects of the same content. |
| US09720450B2 |
Foldable electronic device
An electronic device may include a foldable housing, and at least one electronic component arranged within the housing. The at least one electronic component may be exposed to an area external to the housing through a folding part of the housing in a folded state of the housing. The electronic device may be transitionable between a folded state and an unfolded state. Activation of the at least one electronic component may be effected by the folding or unfolding of the electronic device. |
| US09720447B2 |
Foldable display device
A foldable display device is provided, which includes a first body and a second body formed in the same plate shape and symmetrically arranged, a hinge device coupled to the first body and the second body to make the first body and the second body rotate in the range between an unfolded state in which the first body and the second body are put on the same plane and a folded state in which the first body and the second body overlap each other, and an angle maintenance device provided with first and second stopper units capable of fixing a rotating angle of the hinge device to a certain angle. Accordingly, the inclination angle of the display device can be freely adjusted to form an acute angle or an obtuse angle in addition to two folding and unfolding operations of the hinge device and the adjusted angle can be temporarily maintained to further improve convenience in use. |
| US09720437B2 |
Method and apparatus for quantum mechanical entanglement protection
Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods to robustly inter-convert between polarization-entangled photon pairs and time-entangled photon pairs, such that produced polarization-entangled photons pairs can be converted into time-entangled photon pairs, stored as time-entangled photon pairs to preserve the entanglement for longer periods of time, and then converted back to polarization-entangled photon pairs when ready for manipulation, processing, and measurement by a quantum application. |
| US09720433B2 |
Cellular power supply network, intelligent gateway and power supply control method thereof
The embodiments of the present invention provide a cellular power supply network, an intelligent gateway and a power supply control method thereof. The cellular power supply network further comprises: at least one cellular power supply layer formed by a plurality of transformers connected as a cellular structure. In the embodiments of the present invention, the electricity energy can be transferred from one transformer to another transformer demanding power as needed, so that the power is more reasonably distributed and the energy utilization rate is improved. In the technical solutions of the present invention, when a certain transformer cannot work normally due to a fault, the electricity energy outside the transformer can be introduced into the user of the transformer using the cellular power supply network, so as to keep continuous power usage. Meanwhile, the transformer can be separated from the power supply network for repairing and maintenance. |
| US09720432B2 |
Power transmission apparatus with over-loading protection and power-saving mechanism
A power transmission apparatus with over-loading protection and power-saving mechanism is provided. The power transmission apparatus includes a switch module and a control module. The switch module includes a first switch circuit, a second switch circuit and a protection circuit. The first switch circuit is coupled between a power input module and a power supply port. The second switch circuit is coupled to the power input module. The protection circuit is coupled between the second switch circuit and the power supply port and detects a load power of the power supply port when the second switch circuit is turned-on. When the load power is greater than a predetermined over-loading threshold, the protection circuit enables the first switch circuit. After the control module determines that the first switch circuit is enabled, the control module controls the first switch circuit keeps enabling and disables the second switch circuit and the protection circuit. |
| US09720426B2 |
Single-handle dual-control thermostatic valve and single-handle dual-control thermostatic faucet
For the single-handle dual-control thermostatic valve and the faucet, a hot water incoming channel, a hot water outgoing channel, a cold water incoming channel and a cold water outgoing channel are provided in the valve core body respectively. A static ceramic chip is provided above the valve core body in the valve jacket, a dynamic ceramic chip is provided on the static ceramic chip. On the static ceramic chip, a hot water inlet passage, a hot water outlet passage a cold water inlet passage and a cold water outlet passage are provided separately, the hot water inlet passage, the hot water outlet passage, the cold water inlet passage and the cold water outlet passage are connected correspondingly with the hot water incoming channel, the hot water outgoing channel, the cold water incoming channel and the cold water outgoing channel of the valve core body respectively. On the dynamic ceramic chip, a hot water controlling channel and a cold water controlling channel are provided. The hot water controlling channel can open or shut off both the hot water inlet passage and the hot water outlet passage on the static ceramic chip, and the cold water controlling channel can open or shut off both the cold water inlet passage and the cold water outlet passage on the static ceramic chip. The dynamic ceramic chip in the present invention does not change the flow of hot water and cold water into the regulator during its rotation, the hot incoming water and the cold incoming water can be opened or shut off by the sliding dynamic ceramic chip so as to regulate the water flow. |
| US09720424B2 |
Submersible pump control
A system can include an interface to receive sensed data and economic data; a production control framework that includes a module for modeling motor efficiency of an electric submersible pump, a module for modeling gas composition of a fluid being pumped by an electric submersible pump, a module for modeling solid dynamics in a fluid being pumped by an electric submersible pump, a module to update one or more of the modules for modeling in response to receipt of data via the interface; and an interface to output control commands to a controller for an electric submersible pump based at least in part on data received by the interface and analyzed by the production control framework. Various other apparatuses, systems, methods, etc., are also disclosed. |
| US09720421B2 |
Subsea production system with multiple location master control station system
A subsea production system for producing fluids from a subsea well in a subsea field. The production system includes a production facility and a production umbilical connecting the subsea well with the production facility. The production system also includes a control system for controlling production from the subsea well. The control system includes a first redundant master control station system (redundant MCS) at a first location, the redundant MCS capable of controlling production from the subsea well. The control system also includes a second redundant MCS at a second location, the second redundant MCS capable of controlling production from the subsea well. The redundant MCSs are synchronized to keep the same electronic data at both locations and to prevent conflicts in control signals from the redundant MCSs. |
| US09720417B2 |
Navigation for a robotic working tool
A robotic work tool system includes a charging station and a robotic work tool. The robotic work tool includes a position determining device for determining a current position. The robotic work tool may be configured to determine that reliable navigation through the position determining device is no longer possible, such as when satellite signal reception is not possible, at a time point and position and in response thereto generate an obstacle map which gives information on the position of at least one obstacle, determine when an area will be shadowed with regards to satellite reception based on the obstacle map, and schedule operation of the robotic work tool accordingly. |
| US09720411B2 |
Autonomous driving sensing system and method
A computer in a vehicle is configured to operate the vehicle in at least one of an autonomous and a semi-autonomous mode. The computer is further configured to detect at least one condition of a roadway being traveled by the vehicle, the condition comprising at least one of a restricted lane, a restricted zone, a construction zone, and accident area, an incline, a hazardous road surface. The computer is further configured to determine at least one autonomous action based on the condition, the at least one autonomous action including at least one of altering a speed of the vehicle, controlling vehicle steering, controlling vehicle lighting, transitioning the vehicle to manual control, and controlling a distance of the vehicle from an object. |
| US09720409B2 |
Surveying system
A surveying system having a total station integrated into an unmanned ground vehicle communicates with a plurality of mobile communication stations that are located on known site coordinates. By locating the mobile communication stations on known coordinates, the location of the ground vehicle is precisely triangulated and controlled. Construction drawings are loaded into the system, thereby allowing the vehicle to locate itself at specific points designated in the drawings for the marking of on-site construction grid lines. |
| US09720401B2 |
Method and system for consumer home projects ordering and fabrication
A method and structure for an integrated system for fabricating components for a customer's selected wood-based project, including at least one computer for providing an interface with a consumer to input inquiries and design choices directed to a project having at least one component to be machined in a tandem machine system in which a wood-based project component can be fabricated, regardless whether the component is based on dimensional stock or on sheet material stock. The customer interacts with either a database showing previously-designed projects for implementation using the tandem machine or a CAD (Computer Aided Design) module to develop a new project or a modification of a project in the database. |
| US09720400B2 |
Synchronous control device
When change amount information calculated by a change amount information calculating unit satisfies a start condition and a signal condition is true for an operation instruction the start condition and the signal condition of which are defined, an operation instruction execution control unit determines a start of the corresponding operation instruction and determines operation completion based on a completion condition determined in advance of the operation instruction. An operation instruction executing unit executes the operation instruction the start of which is determined by the operation instruction execution control unit and stops the operation instruction when the operation completion is determined by the operation instruction execution control unit. |
| US09720399B2 |
Generating optimized tool paths and machine commands for beam cutting tools
A facility for automated modelling of the cutting process for a particular material to be cut by a beam cutting tool, such as a waterjet cutting system, from empirical data to predict aspects of the waterjet's effect on the workpiece across a range of material thicknesses, across a range of cutting geometries, and across a range of cutting quality levels, all of which may be broader than, and independent of the actual requirements for a target workpiece, is described. |
| US09720397B2 |
Machine tool having warming-up function
When warm-up operation is started, a machine tool acquires an atmospheric temperature around the machine tool and selects a warm-up operation program on the basis of the acquired atmospheric temperature. A warm-up operation command suitable for the atmospheric temperature is given to the control unit according to the selected warm-up operation program. A movable unit of the machine tool can be thereby controlled, and optimum warm-up operation for the atmospheric temperature can be eventually performed. |
| US09720396B2 |
Methods and apparatus to configure process control systems based on generic process system libraries
Methods and apparatus to configure process control systems based on generic process system libraries are disclosed. An example method includes instantiating an instance of a generic process system library. The instance is associated with items of equipment and corresponding process signals of a process control system. The generic process system library comprises at least one of generic process graphic data or generic control strategy data corresponding to the items of equipment and the corresponding process signals of the process control system. The example method further includes configuring the instance of the generic process system library by incorporating process-specific data associated with the operation of the process control system with the at least one of the generic process graphic data or the generic control strategy data. |
| US09720394B2 |
Method for operating an automation system, computer program for implementing the method and computer system having the computer program
A method for operating an automation system having automation units, a computer program for implementing the method and a computer system having such a computer program, wherein technology-oriented plant description data is stored in the automation system, the plant description data is organized in an object tree with nodes and edges, and wherein the plant description data comprises references to program data in individual automation programs and nodes of the object tree (36) containing references to program data are stored in or at least also in that automation unit which provides the respective program data. |
| US09720381B2 |
Unpredictable time clock
Systems and methods for displaying an adjusted time to a user are provided. A time display device that normally displays the correct time is used to display a modified time. This modified time is unknown to the user so that the user cannot know what the time offset is and is forced to assume that the current time is displayed. The modified time may be an advanced time or a time that is set backwards, depending on when the user wants to arrive at an event. |
| US09720375B2 |
Spatial light modulating panel using transmittive liquid crystal display panel and 3D display device using the same
A spatial light modulating panel using a transitive liquid crystal display panel and a three-dimensional display device using the same. A a spatial light modulator including a plurality of pixels arrayed in a matrix manner; and a liquid crystal layer configured to modulate phase of an incident light passing through the each pixel, respectively. The spatial light modulator and the 3D display using the same provides a thin flat type display system having an easy and simple structure and a low manufacturing cost. |
| US09720373B2 |
Image forming apparatus, cartridge and image forming apparatus system
A cartridge for an image forming apparatus including a movable member is provided with a first engaging portion and a second engaging portion movable between a first position and a second position. The cartridge includes a first engaged portion engageable with the first engaging portion, and a second engaged portion engageable with the second engaging portion. By the first engaged portion being engaged with the first engaging portion in the process of mounting, the movable member is moved from the first position to the second position to permit the second engaged to pass the second engaging portion in a mounting direction. |
| US09720364B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer having an image bearing face to bear an image thereon; a transferer disposed opposing the image bearer, to transfer the image from the image bearing face onto a recording medium at a transfer section between the transferer and the image bearer; a first guide disposed upstream from the transfer section in a direction of delivery of the recording medium, to guide the recording medium to the transfer section; and a second guide upstream from the first guide and spaced away from the first guide, to guide the recording medium to the transfer section. Each of the first guide and the second guide extends in a lateral direction perpendicular to the direction of delivery. A leading end of the second guide in the direction of delivery is inclined from one end to the other end of the second guide in the lateral direction. |
| US09720358B2 |
Image forming apparatus
The image forming apparatus includes a sheet discharge sensor that detects a recording material, a fixing device that nips the recording material to fix an unfixed toner image onto the recording material, a fixing motor that drives the fixing device, and an engine control unit that controls the fixing motor. The fixing device includes a fixing roller, a pressure unit that forms a first nip portion with the fixing roller to press the fixing roller, and a heating unit that forms a second nip portion with the fixing roller to heat the fixing roller. The first nip portion nips the recording material to fix the toner image onto the recording material. When determining that the recording material is wound around the fixing device using the sheet discharge sensor, the engine control unit continues to drive the fixing motor. |
| US09720337B2 |
Electrophotographic photosensitive member, process cartridge and electrophotographic apparatus, and chlorogallium phthalocyanine crystal and method for producing the same
An electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a support and a photosensitive layer in this order. The photosensitive layer contains a chlorogallium phthalocyanine crystal. The chlorogallium phthalocyanine crystal has one or more peaks in each of a wavelength range of 646 nm or more and 668 nm or less and a wavelength range of 782 nm or more and 809 nm or less in an absorption spectrum. When a peak with a maximum absorbance among the peaks in the wavelength range of 646 nm or more and 668 nm or less is assumed to be a first peak and a peak with a maximum absorbance among the peaks in the wavelength range of 782 nm or more and 809 nm or less is assumed to be a second peak, an absorbance of the first peak is larger than an absorbance of the second peak. |
| US09720335B2 |
Driving system and driving method, and exposure apparatus and exposure method
A synthetic controlled variable is obtained by obtaining a synthetic quantity using measurement results of a first and a second measuring instruments and corresponding gains (or transfer function) and synthesizing the synthetic quantity and one of the measurement results of the first and the second measuring instruments, respectively, via a high pass filter and a low pass filter. A feedback control system is structured that obtains a control input using a synthetic controlled variable and a desired value, and gives a plant the control input. This makes adding of a high pass filter for removing offset of installation position of the first and the second measuring instruments no longer necessary, and allows a driving system which controls robust driving in a high bandwidth of a plate stage regardless of bandwidth in which resonance appears to be designed. |
| US09720330B2 |
Methods for making micro- and nano-scale conductive grids for transparent electrodes and polarizers by roll to roll optical lithography
Methods of micro- and nano-patterning substrates to form transparent conductive electrode structures or polarizers by continuous near-field optical nanolithography methods using a roll-type photomask or phase-shift mask are provided. In such methods, a near-field optical nanolithography technique uses a phase-shift or photo-mask roller that comprises a rigid patterned externally exposed surface that transfers a pattern to an underlying substrate. The roller device may have an internally disposed radiation source that generates radiation that passes through the rigid patterned surface to the substrate during the patterning process. Sub-wavelength resolution is achieved using near-field exposure of photoresist material through the cylindrical rigid phase-mask, allowing dynamic and high throughput continuous patterning. |
| US09720329B2 |
Projection objective of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus
The invention concerns a projection objective of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus designed for EUV, for imaging an object plane illuminated in operation of the projection exposure apparatus into an image plane. The projection objective has at least one mirror segment arrangement comprising a plurality of separate mirror segments. Associated with the mirror segments of the same mirror segment arrangement are partial beam paths which are different from each other and which respectively provide for imaging of the object plane (OP) into the image plane (IP). The partial beam paths are superposed in the image plane (IP). At least two partial beams which are superposed in the same point in the image plane (IP) were reflected by different mirror segments of the same mirror segment arrangement. |
| US09720325B2 |
Photoresist coating scheme
A method includes rotating a wafer at a first speed for a first time duration. The wafer is rotated at a second speed that is lower than the first speed for a second time duration after the first time duration. The wafer is rotated at a third speed that is higher than the second speed for a third time duration after the second time duration. A photoresist is dispensed on the wafer during the first time duration and at least a portion of a time interval that includes the second time duration and the third time duration. |
| US09720324B2 |
Resist composition and pattern forming process
A resist composition is provided comprising a polymer comprising recurring units (a) having an oxazolidinedione, thioxooxazolidinone, thiazolidinedione or thioxothiazolidinone structure and recurring unit (b1) having an acid labile group-substituted carboxyl group and/or recurring units (b2) having an acid labile group-substituted phenolic hydroxyl group. The resist composition suppresses acid diffusion, exhibits a high resolution, and forms a pattern of satisfactory profile with low edge roughness. |
| US09720320B2 |
Optical sheet, method for manufacturing the same, light emitting diodes module and display using the same
An optical sheet is disclosed in the present invention and comprises a substrate, a reflective layer and a plurality of pixels. The reflective layer is disposed on the substrate. The pixels are composed of several quantum dot fluorescent powders respectively and arrayed on the reflective layer. In addition, a method for manufacturing the above optical sheet, a light emitting diodes module and a display using the above optical sheet are also disclosed in the present invention. |
| US09720317B2 |
Substrate with a multilayer reflective film, reflective mask blank for EUV lithography, reflective mask for EUV lithography and method of manufacturing the same, and method of manufacturing a semiconductor device
A substrate with a multilayer reflective film that yields a reflective mask achieving high reflectance and exhibiting excellent cleaning resistance. The present invention is directed to a substrate with a multilayer reflective film, which has: a substrate; a multilayer reflective film, formed on a substrate, having a layer comprising Si as a high refractive-index material and a layer comprising a low refractive-index material, wherein the layers are periodically laminate; and a Ru protective film, formed on the multilayer reflective film, for protecting the multilayer reflective film, wherein the surface layer of the multilayer reflective film on the other side of the substrate is the layer comprising Si, and wherein the Ru protective film comprises a Ru compound comprising Ru and Ti, wherein the Ru compound contains Ru in an amount greater than that in the stoichiometric composition of RuTi. |
| US09720312B2 |
Projection screen and manufacturing method of projection screen
A projection screen includes a flexible substrate, a reflective layer and a transparent coating layer. The flexible substrate has a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other. The reflective layer is disposed on the first surface of the flexible substrate. The transparent coating layer is coated on the reflective layer, and the transparent coating layer has a pattern on a surface opposite to the reflective layer. Moreover, a manufacturing method of the projection screen is also provided. |
| US09720308B2 |
Electronic device
An electronic device is provided in the present application, which includes a first component; a display arranged on a first surface of the first component; a second component, which includes a supporting body and a projector, the second component being arranged at a first lateral portion of the first component and the projector being arranged on the supporting body; and a connecting member arranged at the first lateral portion of the first component. The supporting body is movable with respect to the first component via the connecting member, the projector is rotatable with the rotation of the supporting body, and the projector moves to a second relative position with respect to the first component when the supporting body moves to a first relative position with respect to the first component. |
| US09720301B2 |
Laser light source apparatus and temperature control method of wavelength conversion element in laser light source apparatus
The purpose of the present invention is to make it possible to output stable light by optimizing the wavelength conversion efficiency in a wavelength conversion element without employing an optical detection device such as a photo diode in a laser light source device. A fundamental light wave emitted from a semiconductor laser (2) is wavelength converted by a wavelength conversion element (5) and is emitted therefrom. A lighting circuit (20) supplies electric power for the aforementioned semiconductor laser (2) to turn on the semiconductor laser (2). A control unit (21) controls the operation of the device while controlling the amount of power supplied to a heater means (7) such that the wavelength conversion element (5) reaches a temperature at which optimum wavelength conversion efficiency is acquired. The temperature detected by a temperature detection means (Th1) is input to the control unit (21), and the control unit (21) defines the temperature of the wavelength conversion element (5) at which the maximum amount of power is supplied to the heater means (7) as a set temperature at which the optimum wavelength conversion efficiency is acquired, and performs feedback control of the temperature of the wavelength conversion element (5) so that the temperature of the wavelength conversion element (5) reaches the aforementioned set temperature by controlling the amount of heat supplied from the heater means (7). |
| US09720299B1 |
Electrochromic multi-layer devices with cross-linked ion conducting polymer
Multi-layer electrochromic structures, and processes for assembling such structures, incorporating a cross-linked ion conducting polymer layer that maintains high adhesive and cohesive strength in combination with high ionic conductivity for an extended period of time, the ion conducting polymer layer characterized by electrochemical stability at voltages between about 1.3 V and about 4.4 V relative to lithium, lithium ion conductivity of at least about 10−5 s/cm, and lap shear strength of at least 100 kPa, as measured at 1.27 mm/min in accordance with ASTM International standard D1002 or D3163. |
| US09720298B2 |
Electrochromic devices
Conventional electrochromic devices frequently suffer from poor reliability and poor performance. Improvements are made using entirely solid and inorganic materials. Electrochromic devices are fabricated by forming an ion conducting electronically insulating interfacial region that serves as an IC layer. In some methods, the interfacial region is formed after formation of an electrochromic and a counter electrode layer, which are in direct contact with one another. The interfacial region contains an ion conducting electronically insulating material along with components of the electrochromic and/or the counter electrode layer. Materials and microstructure of the electrochromic devices provide improvements in performance and reliability over conventional devices. In addition to the improved electrochromic devices and methods for fabrication, integrated deposition systems for forming such improved devices are also disclosed. |
| US09720292B2 |
Liquid crystal display panel and method for making same
A liquid crystal display panel includes a thin film transistor substrate and an opposing substrate. The thin film transistor substrate includes a first base substrate, a common electrode formed on the first base substrate, a supporting structure formed on the first base substrate, and an electrical conduction structure formed on the supporting structure and electrically coupled to the common electrode. The opposing substrate includes a second base substrate and a blocking structure arranged on the second base substrate and made of electrical conducting material. The blocking structure is configured to be supported on and electrically coupled to the electrical conduction structure. A liquid crystal layer is formed between the thin film transistor substrate and the opposing substrate. |
| US09720288B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display device includes a TFT substrate and a counter substrate and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched therebetween. A scanning line, a video signal line, a thin film transistor connected to the scanning line and the video signal line, a pixel electrode connected to the thin film transistor, and a counter electrode are formed on the TFT substrate, and a columnar spacer formed on the counter substrate. The pixel and counter electrodes are transparent, and the liquid crystal layer is controlled by an electric field generated between the pixel and counter electrodes. The counter electrode contacts with a metal line having a first part which is extended in parallel with the scanning line and a second part which is extended in parallel with the video signal line, a width of the first part of the metal line being narrower than a width of the scanning line. |
| US09720287B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
The present invention aims to provide a liquid crystal display device capable of suppressing display defects in the image display portion, improving the display quality in the image display portion and the transmissive portion, improving the visibility in the transmissive portion, and improving the long-term reliability. The present invention provides a liquid crystal display device provided with a liquid crystal display panel, the liquid crystal display panel including: a transmissive portion (6B) that allows a region behind the liquid crystal display panel to be visible; an image display portion (6A) that includes pixels and is configured to display images; a first liquid crystal layer (5A) provided correspondingly to the image display portion (6A); a second liquid crystal layer (5B) provided correspondingly to the transmissive portion (6B); and a seal (52) surrounding the second liquid crystal layer (5B), the first liquid crystal layer (5A) and the second liquid crystal layer (5B) being separated by the seal (52). |
| US09720282B2 |
Liquid crystal aligning agent and liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate, a first alignment layer on the first substrate, a second substrate facing the first substrate, a second alignment layer on the second substrate, and a liquid crystal layer between the first substrate and the second substrate and including liquid crystal molecules. The first alignment layer and the second alignment layer include a polymer including at least of polyamic acid, polyimide, and a combination including at least one of the foregoing polymers, and a compound including an epoxy cross-linker represented by Chemical Formula 1. |
| US09720281B2 |
Optical laminate for front surface of in-cell touch panel liquid crystal element and in-cell touch panel liquid crystal display device using same
An optical laminate for a front surface of an in-cell touch panel liquid crystal element has reduced thickness while avoiding cloudiness of the liquid crystal screen. The optical laminate for a front surface of an in-cell touch panel liquid crystal element comprises a phase difference plate, a polarizing film, and a transparent substrate in this order, and further comprises a conductive layer. The transparent substrate has optical anisotropy that scatters linear polarized light emitted from the polarizing film, the phase difference plate, the polarizing film, and the transparent substrate are laminated without other layers or only through the conductive layer, and a thickness of the optical laminate is in a range of 32 μm to 300 μm. |
| US09720280B2 |
Compensation film and optical film, and display device
A compensation film includes: a first retardation layer including a polymer; a second retardation layer including a liquid crystal having positive birefringence; and a compensation layer including a liquid crystal having a vertical alignment property, where an angle between slow axes of the first and second retardation layers is in a range of about 85 to about 95 degrees, an entire in-plane retardation (Re0) of the first retardation layer, the second retardation layer and the compensation layer for wavelengths of 450 nm, 550 nm and 650 nm satisfy the following inequation: Re0(450 nm) |
| US09720279B2 |
Backlight unit and related display device
A backlight unit may include a wall and a plurality of light sources. The wall may have a side in a cross-sectional view of the backlight unit. The side may have a curved shape in the cross-sectional view of the backlight unit. The plurality light sources may include a first light source and a second light source. The second light source may be positioned farther away from a center portion of the wall than the first light source in the cross-sectional view of the backlight unit. A minimum distance between the second light source and the side may be greater than a minimum distance between the first light source and the side in the cross-sectional view of the backlight unit. |
| US09720278B2 |
Low cost optical film stack
A rearview assembly for a vehicle includes a housing for attachment to the vehicle, a glass element disposed in the housing and a display disposed behind the mirror element in the housing. The display contains a light source for emitting light, a first brightness enhancement film having a first plurality of prismatic elements extending in a first direction and positioned to receive light emitted from the light source, a diffuser configured to transmit about 97% of light from the first brightness enhancing film, a second brightness enhancement film having a plurality of prismatic elements extending in a second direction and positioned to receive light exiting the diffuser, and a display element disposed to receive light from the second brightness enhancement film with the display element having a second plurality of prismatic elements extending in a second direction. The first direction is substantially vertical and the second direction is substantially horizontal. |
| US09720277B2 |
Liquid crystal display device having optical sensor
A liquid crystal display device which includes a pair of substrates, a pixel including a liquid crystal element between the pair of substrates, a lighting portion provided on the outer side of the pair of substrates, a first polarizing member between the pair of substrates and the lighting portion, a reflective member provided outside the lightning portion, a second polarizing member on a side opposite to the first polarizing member with the pair of substrates provided therebetween, and a first optical sensor and a second optical sensor. The first optical sensor has a function of detecting illuminance of external light, and the second optical sensor has a function of detecting a color tone of polarized light emitted from the pixel portion. The lightning portion can emits light having a predetermined wavelength depending on the color tone of the pixel portion which is detected by the second optical sensor. |
| US09720273B2 |
Display device having functional panel
Provided is a display device that includes, for example, a display panel to which a first polarizing plate and a second polarizing plate are attached to a lower surface and an upper surface thereof; a pad attached to an edge region of the upper surface of the display panel; an adhesive layer on upper surfaces of the display panel and the pad; and a functional panel attached to the upper surfaces of the display panel and the pad by an adhesive, wherein the upper surface of the pad is a sloped surface rising from a boundary with the second polarizing plate to an outer side. |
| US09720271B2 |
Display apparatus
A display apparatus includes a display panel which receives light to display an image, a backlight unit, which includes a light source providing the light to the display panel, and a support member supporting the display panel, at least one protrusion part disposed on a side surface of the display panel and protruding from the side surface of the display panel, and a coupling member disposed on the at least one protrusion part and coupled to the support member, where the display panel is fixed to the support member by the coupling member. |
| US09720267B2 |
Display device
Provided are a display panel, a backward diode equipped on a bottom surface of the display panel, a packaging film for packaging the backward diode, and a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer formed between the display panel and the packaging film. The packaging film includes a first region corresponding to a top surface of the backward diode, and a second region extending from the first region and corresponding to a side surface of the backward diode. Due to the display device, a bezel region can be minimized. |
| US09720262B2 |
Method of processing an order request for an ophthalmic lens
A method of processing an order request for an ophthalmic lens to be manufactured by a manufacturing device includes the following steps: receiving an order request including at least information related to an ophthalmic wearer's prescription by a first processing device; processing the order request by the first processing device on the basis of predetermined processing rules so as to obtain manufacturing parameters to be applied to the manufacturing device so as to manufacture the ophthalmic lens according to the information included in the order request; sending and storing the manufacturing parameters identified as requiring a further modification to a storing device and sending the other manufacturing parameters to the manufacturing device; modifying the stored manufacturing parameters by a second processing device and sending the modified manufacturing parameters to the manufacturing device. |
| US09720260B2 |
Modular heads-up display system
A modular electronic communication system is disclosed with interchangeable components attachable on eyewear. A plurality of pre-existing eyewear models can each be retrofitted by attachment of one or more of such interchangeable components to that eyewear. Such components can be configured for custom attachment with a particular eyewear or such components can be configured for universal attachment with one or more different eyewear models. The communication system can be configured to produce an adjustable heads-up display for the wearer of the eyewear. The electronic communication system can comprise a plurality of interchangeable, electronically interconnected components, such as a first optical module, a first base module, a base link, a second base module, and/or a second optical module. In some embodiments, one or more or all of the components of the electronic communication system are integrally and permanently attached to an eyewear and are not interchangeable or modular. |
| US09720258B2 |
Electronic ornamentation for eyewear
Systems and methods of displaying an image on an E-Paper display insert in eyeglasses or other brittle structures are disclosed. E-Paper displays provide a changeable medium where an image such as a logo may be displayed and maintained with little to no energy. The E-Paper display may be changeable by emitting a charge from a source such as a battery or an electrically connected docking system. |
| US09720257B2 |
Clip type display module and glass type terminal having the same
An optical device detachably attached to a frame fixed to a user's head is provided. The optical device includes a body extending in one direction, a display extending in a direction intersecting the one direction, connected to the body, and disposed to be adjacent to the user's eye when fixed to the frame, so as to provide visual information, and a clip module protruding from the body and caught in one region of the frame. |
| US09720255B2 |
Apparatus for removably attaching outer lenses to goggles
An apparatus and method for removably attaching a lens to a pair of goggles. The lens has at its periphery a plurality of lens clips, and the goggles has on its frame a matching plurality of frame clips which are designed to attach to the lens clips. Attachment and unattachment may be achieved through actuation of a lens release mechanism. The apparatus allows for the rapid and easy replacement of lenses without necessitating a replacement of the remaining portion of the goggles, a feature which may allow a user to cost-effectively replace damaged or worn lenses, or to utilize a single pair of goggles in a multitude of activities or situations in which advantages may be conferred through or necessity may require the use of a type or style of lens having particular attributes. |
| US09720253B2 |
Method and apparatus for limiting growth of eye length
Certain embodiments of the present invention are directed to therapeutic intervention in patients with eye-length-related disorders to prevent, ameliorate, or reverse the effects of the eye-length-related disorders. Embodiments of the present invention include methods for early recognition of patients with eye-length-related disorders, therapeutic methods for inhibiting further degradation of vision in patients with eye-length-eye-length-related disorders, reversing, when possible, eye-length-related disorders, and preventing eye-length-related disorders. Additional embodiments of the present invention are directed to particular devices used in therapeutic intervention in patients with eye-length-related disorders. |
| US09720251B2 |
Lens moving device, camera module and optical apparatus
A lens moving device is provided. The lens moving device includes: a bobbin; a first driving unit coupled to the bobbin; a second driving unit configured to move the first driving unit through an electromagnetic interaction with the first driving unit; a sensing magnet disposed on one side of the bobbin; a location detection sensor configured to sense a location of the sensing magnet; and a correction magnet disposed on an opposite side of the bobbin.According to the present disclosure, static tilt and dynamic tilt of the bobbin, to which a lens module is to be coupled, may be enhanced by a sensing magnet and a correction magnet which establish magnetic force equilibrium with each other. |
| US09720248B2 |
Liquid crystal lens, fabrication method thereof and display device
A liquid crystal lens, a fabrication method thereof and a display device are provided, the liquid crystal lens comprises: a first substrate (1); a second substrate (2), opposed to the first substrate (1); a liquid crystal layer (3), interposed between the first substrate (1) and the second substrate (2); a first transparent electrode layer (5), located on a side of the first substrate (1) close to the liquid crystal layer (3); a planarization layer (6), located on a side of the first transparent electrode layer (5) close to the liquid crystal layer (3); a first alignment layer (4), located on a side of the planarization layer (6) close to the liquid crystal layer (3); a second transparent electrode layer (7), disposed on a side of the second substrate (2) close to the liquid crystal layer; a second alignment layer (8), disposed on a side of the second transparent electrode layer (7) close to the liquid crystal layer (3). The first alignment layer (4) is moved to a position where an lateral electric field is weaker, by forming the planarization layer (6) between the first transparent electrode layer (5) and the first alignment layer (4), which thus reduces a liquid crystal phase deviation and improves a refractive effect of the liquid crystal lens. |
| US09720247B2 |
Three-dimensional display system
The present disclosure discloses a three-dimensional display system, comprising a display device and a barrier located at the light emergent side of the display device. Addition of the distance adjusting structure, which adjusts the viewing distance of the three-dimensional display system by adjusting the distance between the display device and the barrier, between the display device and the barrier allows the three-dimensional display system free from limitation of a fixed viewing distance, thus resulting in a stronger spatially adapting capability and a broader application scope thereof. |
| US09720239B2 |
Virtual image display device
A half mirror layer has an angle dependency in which when an angle of incidence becomes larger than the angle of incidence range of image light, reflectance increases, such that it is possible to prevent unintended light, which is emitted to a light transmitting member from a light guiding member and is reflected inside a light transmitting member, from being returned to a light emission portion of the light guiding member after passing through the half mirror layer as a reflective film at a relatively large angle of incidence. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the image light passed through the light transmitting member from becoming ghost light while mitigating the demand for increasing processing accuracy of the light transmitting member, and bonding accuracy between the light guiding member and the light transmitting member, to provide a high quality virtual image displayed by a virtual image display device. |
| US09720238B2 |
Method and apparatus for a dynamic “region of interest” in a display system
A method and apparatus of displaying a magnified image comprising obtaining an image of a scene using a camera with greater resolution than the display, and capturing the image in the native resolution of the display by either grouping pixels together, or by capturing a smaller region of interest whose pixel resolution matches that of the display. The invention also relates to a method whereby the location of the captured region of interest may be determined by external inputs such as the location of a person's gaze in the displayed unmagnified image, or coordinates from a computer mouse. The invention further relates to a method whereby a modified image can be superimposed on an unmodified image, in order to maintain the peripheral information or context from which the modified region of interest has been captured. |
| US09720232B2 |
Compact eye-tracked head-mounted display
Eye-tracked head-mounted displays are provide which, in one aspect, may utilize the same optics for eyetracking and image viewing, with a selected portion of the optics used for an eyetracking optical path and a selected portion of the display optics used for an image viewing optical path. |
| US09720227B2 |
See-through computer display systems
Aspects of the present invention relate to a compact optics module for a head mounted display including a DLP image source comprising a polarized light source providing illumination light, a flat reflective polarizer to reflect the illumination light toward the DLP image source and transmit image light, wherein the illumination light is provided at an angle to the DLP, a quarter wave retarder to change the polarization state of the illumination light as it is reflected by the DLP image source thereby providing image light, at least one light trap to absorb a portion of off-state image light, a lens element to provide a viewable field of view of on-state image light in an image displayed by the DLP image source, and a combiner to reflect the on-state image light toward a user's eye and provide a see-through view of a surrounding environment. |
| US09720225B2 |
Processing system with galvano scanner capable of high speed laser scanning
A processing system including a laser beam source which generates a laser beam, a galvano scanner which includes a mirror for reflecting the laser beam and a servo motor for rotating the mirror and which emits the laser beam to a workpiece, and an operation control device which controls the operation of the servo motor in accordance with a sinusoidal drive command. |
| US09720213B2 |
Infrared lens unit, image capture module, and image capture device
An infrared lens unit includes, in order from the object side, an aperture, a lens group, and a band-pass filter which passes a light beam of a prescribed wavelength band of the infrared region. The lens group further includes, in order from the object side, a first meniscus lens which has a positive power and is convex on the object side, a second meniscus lens which has a positive power and is convex on the image side, and a convex lens which has a positive power and is convex on the object side. The lens group further includes a near-telecentric state on the image side, wherein the angle of entry of the light beam into the band-pass filter is either 0° or close to 0°. Thus, it is possible to accurately pass a light beam of a prescribed wavelength band of the infrared region by the lens unit. |
| US09720211B2 |
Imaging lens
A low-cost imaging lens which corrects aberrations properly with a small F-value, ensures high performance with a larger number of constituent lenses and has a more low-profile design than before. The constituent lenses are arranged in the following order from an object side to an image side: a positive (refractive power) first lens having a convex object-side surface near an optical axis; a positive second lens having convex object-side and image-side surfaces near the optical axis; a negative third lens having a concave image-side surface near the optical axis; a fourth lens having at least one aspheric surface; a meniscus fifth lens having a concave object-side surface near the optical axis; a sixth lens as a double-sided aspheric lens; and a negative seventh lens as a double-sided aspheric lens having a concave image-side surface near the optical axis. These constituent lenses are not joined to each other. |
| US09720205B2 |
Lens barrel
The lens barrel includes a moving frame, a drive frame, and a rectilinear guide frame. The drive frame includes a cam mechanism and guides the moving frame in the optical axis direction with the cam mechanism. The rectilinear guide frame supports the moving frame so that the moving frame moves in the optical axis direction but doesn't rotate. The drive frame includes a rotary guide portion. The rotary guide portion supports the rectilinear guide frame so that the rectilinear guide frame rotates with relative to the cam mechanism and doesn't move relatively in the optical axis direction. The rotary guide portion is disposed on the outer peripheral side of the cam mechanism and on the outer peripheral side of the moving frame. A holding space is formed between the cam mechanism and the rotary guide portion. Part of the moving frame is inserted into the holding space. |
| US09720204B2 |
Motor for actuating lens
A lens actuating motor is provided, the lens actuating motor including a first mover arranged at a lateral surface of a lens part to move the lens part, a second mover configured to accommodate the first mover for vertical movement, a stator positioned at a bottom surface of the second mover to horizontally move the second mover and centrally formed with a through hole corresponding to the lens part, and a base including an accommodation lug configured to support the stator and the second mover, centrally formed with a hollow hole corresponding to the through hole of the stator, and inserted into the through hole of the stator by being protruded from an upper surface formed with the hollow hole. |
| US09720202B2 |
Methods of making and accessing cables having access features
Cables jacket are formed by extruding discontinuities in a main cable jacket portion. The discontinuities allow the jacket to be torn to provide access to the cable core. The discontinuities can be longitudinally extending strips of material in the cable jacket, and can be introduced into the extrudate material flow used to form the main portion through ports in the extrusion head. The discontinuities allow a section of the cable jacket to be pulled away from a remainder of the jacket using a relatively low peel force. |
| US09720199B2 |
Optical fiber cassette with bend limiting and connector shield
An optical fiber cassette is designed as an interface between a multi-fiber network cable and a number of patch fibers or jumpers. A base or main body includes a splice tray containing a splice holder and a radius limiter on which slack of pigtail fibers are coiled. A fan-out of the pigtail fibers terminate at an array of fiber connectors. A swing-up lid or cover plate provides access to the splice tray. The cover plate includes an inner radius limiter on or in which a plurality of slack coils are disposed, and an outer radius limiter that surrounds the inner radius limiter. The radius limiter arrangement protects the network cable from bending or kinking when the cassette is pulled or slid out and when it is pushed or slid back in. A U-guard connector cover removably fits onto the front of the cassette over plug-in connectors and jumper fibers. |
| US09720198B2 |
Strain relief for armored cable
A strain relief device for armored fiber optic cable is described. The strain relief device can made up of a boot collet and a collet nut. The boot collet can have a collet, flexible boot, boot collet threads, and a camming surface. The collet nut can have collet nut threads and a collet nut slope. The strain relief device operates by having the camming surface engage the collet nut slope, causing the collet to compress onto the armor sheath when the boot collet threads engage the collet nut threads as the collet nut is tightened onto the boot collet. |
| US09720195B2 |
Apparatuses and related components and methods for attachment and release of fiber optic housings to and from an equipment rack
Apparatuses, related components, and methods for the quick and easy attachment and release of fiber optic housings to and from equipment racks are disclosed. A fiber optic apparatus comprises a fiber optic housing having a top, a bottom, a right side, and a left side defining at least one interior chamber configured to support fiber optic equipment, and at least one mounting bracket. The at least one mounting bracket is configured to removably attach tool-lessly, and by other than external fastening means, to at least one of the right side or the left side of the fiber optic housing and is also configured to attach the fiber optic housing to an equipment rack. The mounting bracket may be attached to the fiber optic housing by using a snap attachment integral to at least one of the right side or the left side. |
| US09720194B2 |
Coupling system for a fiber optic cable
A fiber optic cable includes a jacket forming a cavity therein, the jacket having an indentation on the exterior thereof that forms a ridge extending into the cavity along the length of the jacket; and a stack of fiber optic ribbons located in the cavity, each ribbon having a plurality of optical fibers arranged side-by-side with one another and coupled to one another in a common matrix, wherein corners of the ribbon stack pass by the ridge at intermittent locations along the length of the jacket, and wherein interaction between the ridge and the ribbon stack facilitates coupling of the ribbon stack to the jacket. |
| US09720184B2 |
Blind mating strain relieved optical fiber connector
Aspects of the present invention include an optical fiber connector for connecting optical fibers. The optical fiber connector includes a ferrule coupled to one or more optical fiber ribbons. The optical fiber connector includes a connector housing coupled with a radius controlled ribbon bending housing. The connector housing surrounds the ferrule on at least four sides, and the one or more optical fiber ribbons coupled to the ferrule are within the connector housing. The optical fiber connector includes a strain relief clamp coupled with the radius controlled ribbon bending housing. |
| US09720183B2 |
Fiber optic adapter with enhanced alignment
A fiber-optic adapter with enhanced alignment is described. The adapter has two opposing housing halves and two opposing floating connector latches. Each housing half has a channel. The channels are configured to align when the two housing halves are secured together. The channels of the housing halves also have pockets which are configured to utilize a clearance fit, allowing the connector latches to float when the housing halves are secured together. |
| US09720181B2 |
Hybrid connector for both electrical and optical transmission
The present invention is to provide a hybrid connector essentially formed with an RJ45 configuration while further equipped with an MPO device wherein the receptacle connector includes an insulative housing defining an RJ45 receiving cavity and a holder assembly located behind the housing. The holder assembly includes a holder and a printed circuit board is assembled upon the holder with a plurality of transformers thereon. A plurality of contacts are retained by and connected to the printed circuit boar with corresponding resilient contacting sections extending forwardly into the receiving cavity. An MPO device is retained in the holder with corresponding optical fibers forwardly directed toward the receiving cavity. |
| US09720180B2 |
Multicast optical switch based on free-space transmission
A multicast optical switch based on free-space transmission comprises a 1×M input collimator array, a light splitting device, an optical distance compensation device, a spot transformation device, a 1×N output collimator array and a reflector array which are arranged in sequence. The 1×N output collimator array corresponds to reflector array. The light splitting device is provided with a light splitting surface and a reflection surface, and by means of light splitting surface and reflection surface, light splitting and beam splitting of n times are carried out on input signals of 1×M input collimator array, and then N beams of sub-signal light are generated. The optical distance compensation device compensates optical distance differences among M×N sub-signal light beams produced by light splitting device. The M×N sub-signal light beams are focused to be 1×N light spots through light spot conversion device, and then 1×N light spots are reflected to reflector array. |
| US09720175B2 |
Fusion splicing apparatus and fusion splicing method
A fusion splicing apparatus fusion-splices end faces 1a and 3a of a pair of optical fibers 1 and 3 to each other. The apparatus includes a mirror shaft 21 provided with a mirror 23 that is arranged between the end faces 1a and 3a of the pair of optical fibers 1 and 3 that are faced toward and spaced away from each other and is movable between a first position to reflect an image of the end face 1a and a second position to reflect an image of the end face 3a, a first camera 25 that takes the image of the end face 1a reflected in the first position, and a second camera 27 that takes the image of the end face 3a reflected in the second position. |
| US09720168B2 |
Wavelength selective optical switch having specified characteristics of WDM signal light beam
A wavelength selective optical switch includes a light input/output unit having a plurality of input/output ports, a polarization plane-independent wavelength dispersion element that splits incident light input from the optical input/output unit into spatially different angles for each wavelength, and synthesizes emergent light from different directions and outputs the light to the optical input/output unit, a condenser element that condenses the light split by the wavelength splitting element, a polarization splitter that splits incident light incident via the condenser element according to a polarization component to result in first and second light beams, aligns a polarization direction by rotating a polarization direction of one of the beams, and synthesizes the incident light by rotating one polarization direction of the emergent light of the same wavelength among the first and second reflected light beams, and a space phase modulation element. |
| US09720167B2 |
Biodegradable optical fibers and methods of use thereof
A device and methods of use thereof are disclosed herein for a biodegradable optical fiber and a method of producing a device including a biodegradable optical fiber. A device is disclosed that includes: a biodegradable optical fiber including; a biodegradable optically functional inner fiber including an optically-transmitting cladding in contact with and surrounding an optically-transmitting core, wherein the inner fiber is biodegradable on a first time scale; and an outer layer in contact with and surrounding the optically-transmitting cladding, wherein the outer layer is biodegradable on a controllably-defined delayed time scale, and the controllably-defined delayed time scale is of greater duration than the first time scale. |
| US09720166B2 |
Backlight module and liquid crystal display device
A backlight module comprises a back plate; a side-type light source; a light guide plate disposed on the back plate; and a quantum bar assembled between the light guide and the light source via a fixing bracket. The fixing bracket is a hollow cylinder, and comprises an accommodating space defined in the fixing bracket for installing the quantum bar and the first window faced toward the light guide plate and the second window faced toward the side-type light source and the length of the second window is equal to one of the light strip. A support beam is disposed on the light strip and between the two light sources, and the length of the support beam is less than or same as a width of the second window, and a height of the support beam is not less than a height of the light source, and the light strip is assembled in the second window. |
| US09720165B2 |
Illumination device and display device including the same
An illumination device having a first light source package including a first electrode lead and a second electrode lead, the first and second electrode leads projecting from a side of the first light source package; a second light source package including a first electrode lead and a second electrode lead, the first and second electrode leads projecting from a side of the second light source package; and a light guide member adjacent to the first and second light source packages, The light guide member includes a light guide panel, and a circuit pattern disposed on a surface of the light guide panel, the circuit pattern including first electrode pads connected to the first electrode leads and second electrode pads connected to the second electrode leads. |
| US09720163B2 |
Optical display system
An optical display system includes a polarizer, an integrated back light unit optically connected to a first face of the polarizer and a display comprising an array of pixels optically connected to a second face of the polarizer. The first face of the polarizer and the second face of the polarizer are not parallel and the polarizer is configured to direct light from the integrated back light unit to the display. |
| US09720162B2 |
Optical sheets formed with two-part protrusions on its edges
This backlight device 2 is provided with: a light source; a plurality of stacked optical sheets 22, 23, and 24 through which the light from the light source passes; and a frame member 28 to which the plurality of optical sheets 22, 23, and 24 are affixed. The respective plurality of optical sheets 22 to 24 is provided with protrusions 221, 231, and 241 that protrude in a direction parallel to the sheet surface at a portion of the edge thereof. The protrusions 221, 231, and 241 respectively have: first regions 221a, 231a, and 241a that are provided to the root side and that do not overlap the protrusions of the other optical sheets; and second regions 221b, 231b, and 241b that are provided to the tip side and of which at least a portion overlaps the protrusions of the other optical sheets. |
| US09720161B2 |
LCD backlight device having light guide plate with optical scattering dots
The following invention relates to an improved LCD Backlight, particularly to an improved arrangement of the optical scattering dots within the light guiding plate.The light guiding plate comprises a lower surface which is formed with a plurality of optical scattering dots, which scatter and reflect the light beams to convert the light beams into a uniform surface light source, characterised wherein the surface area of each optical dot decreases as a function of its distance from at least one of the three edges comprising the LED lights. |
| US09720155B2 |
Multilayered articles with low optical retardation
A coextruded multilayered thermoplastic article including: a first layer with a first surface texture, wherein the first layer comprises a first transparent thermoplastic polymer having a first stress optical coefficient (Cm1) measured at 20° C. above the glass transition temperature of the first polymer; a second layer located comprising a second transparent thermoplastic polymer having a second stress optical coefficient (Cm2) measured at 20° C. above the glass transition temperature of the second matrix; wherein a relation between the first stress optical coefficient and the second stress optical coefficient is Cm2>4(Cm1) (Formula A) wherein the thickness of the first layer measured from the highest peaks of the first surface texture to the second side of the first layer is greater than 1.5 times Rz of the first surface texture but less than or equal to 75% of the total thickness of the article. |
| US09720154B2 |
Patterned phase difference film and method for manufacturing same
A pattern phase difference film is manufactured by a process including a laminate body formation step of applying a pattern alignment layer composition on a substrate to form a laminate body, a heat-drying layer formation step of heat-drying the composition to form a heat-dried layer, a pattern alignment layer formation step of irradiating a polarization pattern onto the heat-dried layer to form a pattern alignment layer, and a phase difference layer formation step of forming a phase difference layer including a rod-shaped compound on the pattern alignment layer. During the steps between the heat-drying layer formation step and the phase difference layer formation step, the heat-dried layer and the pattern alignment layer are exposed to the air for four hours or less. |
| US09720149B2 |
Display device with color conversion layer for full-color display
A display device with a color conversion layer providing predetermined colors for full-color display. The color conversion layer includes a plurality of color conversion units. Each color conversion unit includes a quantum dot film. The color conversion unit is configured to receive light beams and converts the light beams to primary colors to emit. Each color conversion unit defines a plurality of areas, and each primary color corresponds to one of the areas of the color conversion unit. |
| US09720147B2 |
Reflective diffraction grating and fabrication method
A reflective diffraction grating and a fabrication method are provided. The reflective diffraction grating includes a substrate, a UV-absorbing layer, a grating layer having a binary surface-relief pattern formed therein, and a conforming reflective layer. Advantageously, the UV-absorbing layer absorbs light at a UV recording wavelength to minimize reflection thereof by the substrate during holographic patterning at the UV recording wavelength. |
| US09720143B2 |
Optical lens with scratch-resistant anti-reflective layer
The present invention relates to an optical lens having a lens element produced of plastic, more particularly of plastic which is transparent in a visible spectral range, and having a coating comprising a plurality of layers, the plurality of layers comprising at least one high-refractive-index layer. Furthermore, a hardcoat layer is formed adjacent to the lens element, and a superhydrophobic layer concludes the coating in opposition to the lens element. The at least one high-refractive-index layer has a thickness of less than 40 nm, and the coating overall has a thickness of more than about 380 nm. |
| US09720142B2 |
Optical component and timepiece
An optical component includes: a base material; and an antireflection film, which includes a titanium oxide layer composed mainly of titanium oxide and containing at least one element selected from the group consisting of Nb, Si, Zr, Ta, Al, and Hf as an accessory component, and a silicon oxide layer composed mainly of silicon oxide. The element as the accessory component is preferably an element which constitutes a composite oxide with titanium. The content of the accessory component in the titanium oxide layer is preferably 0.01 mass % or more and 1.0 mass % or less. |
| US09720140B2 |
Optical film, circularly polarizing plate and organic electroluminescent display device
Provided is an optical film containing a cellulose derivative, the optical film having an in-plane retardation Ro550 within the range of 120 to 160 nm measured at a wavelength of 550 nm under an atmosphere of a temperature of 23° C. and a relative humidity of 55%, and a ratio Ro450/Ro550 within the range of 0.65 to 0.99, Ro450/Ro550 being a ratio of an in-plane retardation Ro450 measured at a wavelength of 450 nm to the in-plane retardation Ro550 measured at a wavelength of 550 nm, wherein, a substituent of a glucose skeleton in the cellulose derivative satisfies the requirements (a) and (b) which are described in the specification, and the optical film contains a compound A satisfying the following condition defined by Expression (a1) which is described in the specification. |
| US09720134B2 |
Optical laminate comprising hard coat layer comprised of cured product of composition comprising (meth)acrylic prepolymer having hydroxyl group
There is provided an optical laminate excellent in adhesiveness between a (meth)acrylic resin film (base material film) having low moisture permeability and a UV absorbing ability and a hard coat layer, and has suppressed interference unevenness. An optical laminate according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a base material layer formed of a (meth)acrylic resin film; a hard coat layer formed by applying a composition for forming a hard coat layer to the (meth)acrylic resin film; and a penetration layer formed through penetration of the composition for forming a hard coat layer into the (meth)acrylic resin film, the penetration layer being placed between the base material layer and the hard coat layer, wherein the penetration layer has a thickness of 1.2 μm or more. |
| US09720133B2 |
Large area optical quality synthetic polycrystalline diamond window
A polycrystalline chemical vapour deposited (CVD) diamond wafer comprising: a largest linear dimension equal to or greater than 70 mm; a thickness equal to or greater than 1.3 mm; and one or both of the following characteristics measured at room temperature (nominally 298 K) over at least a central area of the polycrystalline CVD diamond wafer, said central area being circular, centred on a central point of the polycrystalline CVD diamond wafer, and having a diameter of at least 70% of the largest linear dimension of the polycrystalline CVD diamond wafer: an absorption coefficient ≦0.2 cm−1 at 10.6 μm; and a dielectric loss coefficient at 145 GHz, of tan δ≦2×10−4. |
| US09720131B2 |
System and method of building complex earth models
A method is described that includes accessing, for a geological medium: a horizon model including a plurality of horizons in the geological medium; a fault model including a plurality of faults in the geological medium; and a rock property model including one or more physical rock properties at a plurality of spatial locations on a first grid corresponding to the geological medium. The method further includes determining intersections between the horizons and the faults by correlating the horizon model with the fault model and calculating a faulted structural model for the geological medium in accordance with the intersections between the horizons and the faults. The method further includes generating an earth model for seismic forward modeling by assigning one or more physical rock properties to the faulted structural model in accordance with the rock property model. |
| US09720128B2 |
Rotating frame pulsed nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy
An NMR method and apparatus for analyzing a sample of interest applies a static magnetic field together with RF pulses of oscillating magnetic field across a sample volume that encompasses the sample of interest. The RF pulses are defined by a pulse sequence that includes a plurality of measurement segments configured to characterize a plurality of relaxation parameters related to relaxation of nuclear magnetization of the sample of interest. Signals induced by the RF pulses are detected in order to derive the relaxation parameters. The measurement segments of the pulse sequence include at least one first-type measurement segment configured to characterize relaxation of spin-lattice interaction between nuclei of the sample of interest in a rotating frame (T1ρ) at a predefined frequency. The T1ρ parameter can be measured in conjunction with the measurement of other relaxation and/or diffusion parameters as part of multidimensional NMR experiments. |
| US09720120B2 |
Seismic data acquisition with varying relative distance between multiple seismic vessels
The present invention generally relates to marine seismic prospecting, and in particular to seismic prospecting using multiple vessels. During acquisition of seismic data, a distance between a first seismic vessel and a second seismic vessel may be adjusted according to a predefined function such that data is collected at a variety of offsets. |
| US09720116B2 |
Land based unit for seismic data acquisition
In one aspect, a seismic data acquisition unit is disclosed including a closed housing containing: a seismic sensor; a processor operatively coupled to the seismic sensor; a memory operatively coupled to the processor to record seismic data from the sensor; and a power source configured to power the sensor, processor and memory. The sensor, processor, memory and power source are configured to be assemble as an operable unit in the absence of the closed housing. |
| US09720114B2 |
Imaging test piece for medium and large security X-ray scanners
The invention provides a test device for assessing the detection capability of an X-ray system with a medium and/or large tunnel size. The device comprises a support and at least one test module mounted on the support. The device may optionally also comprise a stand which holds the support at a predetermined angle to the horizontal. The test module, or at least one of the test modules, is capable of being used in a test for an aspect of the detection capability. |
| US09720109B2 |
Systems and methods for minimizing silicon photomultiplier signal propagation delay dispersion and improve timing
A silicon photomultiplier array including a plurality of microcells arranged in subgroupings, each microcell of a respective subgrouping providing a pulse output in response to an incident radiation. Each microcell output interconnected by respective traces of equal length to either a summing node or an integrated buffer amplifier. Each respective summing node configured to sum the pulse outputs of a first subgroup of the microcell subgroupings, and each respective integrated buffer amplifier configured to sum the pulse outputs of each microcell of a second subgrouping, the respective integrated buffer amplifier located on the silicon photomultiplier array within the second subgroup of microcells. The plurality of microcells arranged in one of columns and rows, and a first group of the arranged plurality of microcells being a mirror image of a second group of the arranged plurality of microcells about a midpoint between one of the columns and rows. |
| US09720106B2 |
Radiation detector and scintillator panel, and methods for manufacturing same
According to an embodiment, a radiation detector comprises a photoelectric conversion substrate and a scintillator layer. The photoelectric conversion substrate converts light into an electrical signal. The scintillator layer contacts the photoelectric conversion substrate and converts radiation incident from the outside into light. The scintillator layer is a fluorescer of CsI containing Tl as an activator. The CsI is a halide. The concentration of the activator inside the fluorescer is 1.6 mass %±0.4 mass %. The concentration of the activator inside the fluorescer in an in-plane direction of the scintillator layer has the relationship of central portion>peripheral portion. The central portion is a central region of a formation region of the scintillator layer. The peripheral portion is an outer circumferential region of the formation region of the scintillator layer. |
| US09720103B2 |
Use of vertically aligned carbon nanotube arrays for improved x-ray imaging detector performance
A planar radiographic imaging device has electromagnetic radiation sensitive elements disposed in a two-dimensional array. A housing encloses the two-dimensional array of radiation sensitive elements and includes a layer of aligned carbon nanotubes on a surface thereof. |
| US09720096B2 |
Method for improving the tracking of a data transmission signal of a satellite navigation system
A method for improving tracking of a data transmission signal emitted to a receiver of a satellite navigation system in addition to navigation signals emitted by satellites to a satellite positioning receiver, comprises: transmission to the receiver, during a improvement period, by an improvement signal emitted in coherence with the data transmission signal, of data Ni or other data Nai to predict the data, the data transmitted to the receiver by the data transmission signal during a transmission period starting after the improvement period, reception, by the receiver, of the data Ni or other data Nai which are transmitted by the improvement signal, generating symbols to modulate the data transmission signal during the transmission period by the data Ni received or other data Nai received, tracking the data transmission signal while removing the effect of modulation of the data transmission signal by the symbols generated. |
| US09720088B2 |
Measurement device, system and method
A measurement device (120) includes a light director and a spatial light modulator (130). The light director is disposed to direct light to the spatial light modulator (130) and the spatial light modulator (130) is disposed to receive light from the light director and to modulate it to form an intensity pattern. An optical element is disposed to receive light which formed the intensity pattern and is arranged to magnify the intensity pattern into a measurement space. A detector (142) is disposed to detect light reflected from the measurement space. |
| US09720087B2 |
Method and device for determining an orientation of an object
The invention relates to a method for determining a spatial orientation of an auxiliary measurement object for a laser tracker, said measurement object having reference features which provide points of light. The tracker has a base, a support which can be pivoted in a motorized manner, a pivoting unit which can be rotated about a tilting axis in a motorized manner and which comprises an image capturing unit for capturing an image of the points of light, and a beam source for emitting a laser beam. According to the method, an image is captured in the direction of the auxiliary measurement object with respective capturable points of light, and the spatial orientation of the auxiliary measurement object is derived from image positions in the image for the points of light captured in the image using an image analysis. |
| US09720086B1 |
Thermal- and modulated-light-based passive tracking system
A passive-tracking system is described herein. In one example, the passive-tracking system includes a thermal sensor configured to generate a series of thermal frames based on an object in a monitoring area. In this example, the system also includes a processor and a time-of-flight (ToF) sensor configured to generate a series of modulated-light frames based on the object. The processor may be configured to receive the thermal and modulated-light frames and based at least in part on the data of the frames, generate a novelty representation of the object. Based on this data, the processor may also be configured to determine whether the object is human and if so, generate a three-dimensional (3D) position of the human object. The processor may also be configured to passively track the human object over time by, based on the novelty representation, selectively updating the 3D position of the human object. |
| US09720079B2 |
System and method of monitoring transponder transmissions
Transponder transmissions may be monitored through a direct, shielded connection of an RF coupler to a transponder antenna cable. The RF coupler may be added on an antenna cable of an older-style transponder to pick up altitude and reply codes, decode the information and transmit it digitally for use by a separate external monitor. As such, the pilot may be afforded the ability to monitor the older-style transponder's altitude and reply code transmissions to air traffic control so as to determine if a failure of the transponder has occurred. By having the direct connection between RF coupler and the transponder antenna cable, no transmissions of other transponders would be received. |
| US09720074B2 |
Circuitry for and method of generating a frequency modulated radar transmitter signal, a radar transceiver circuit and a radar system
A circuitry for and a method of generating a frequency modulated radar transmitter signal are provided. The circuitry comprises a modulation signal generator for generating a modulation signal having a waveform describing a required frequency modulation of the frequency modulated radar transmitter signal and comprises a PLL circuitry for generating the frequency modulated radar transmitter signal in dependence of the modulation signal. In the PLL circuitry a controllable frequency divider controls the output frequency of the PLL circuitry in dependence of the modulation signal. The PLL circuitry further comprises a phase detector, a controllable oscillator and possibly a low pass filter. The PLL circuitry further comprises a calibration circuitry being configured to control a parameter of at least one of the phase detector and the controllable oscillator to maintain a loop gain of PLL circuitry. |
| US09720072B2 |
Methods and systems for vehicle radar coordination and interference reduction
A method is provided that includes a vehicle receiving data from an external computing device indicative of at least one other vehicle in an environment of the vehicle. The vehicle may include a sensor configured to detect the environment of the vehicle. The at least one other vehicle may include at least one sensor. The method also includes determining a likelihood of interference between the at least one sensor of the at least one other vehicle the sensor of the vehicle. The method also includes initiating an adjustment of the sensor to reduce the likelihood of interference between the sensor of the vehicle and the at least one sensor of the at least one other vehicle responsive to the determination. |
| US09720070B2 |
Communication device and method for controlling the same
Methods and apparatuses are provided for controlling a communication device. A first subframe is received from a serving cell and a plurality of subframes is received from a plurality of neighbor cells. A respective time difference of arrival (TDOA) is measured for each of the plurality of subframes based on a time of arrival (TOA) of the first subframe. At least one of the measured TDOAs is transmitted to a location server. The respective TDOAs are measured based on at least one of a cell-specific reference signal (CRS) and a synchronization signal in the plurality of subframes. |
| US09720069B2 |
Apparatus and method for measuring location of user equipment located indoors in wireless network
A method of measuring a location of a user equipment (UE) located indoors in a wireless network includes receiving signals from a plurality of access points (APs), performing training for machine learning using the received signals or information acquired from the received signals, setting a weight vector to be applied to a relevance vector machine (RVM) method using data subjected to the training for machine learning, and applying RVM regression to the set weight vector and measured strengths of the received signals and determining whether the signals received from the plurality of APs are line of sight (LOS) signals or non line of sight (NLOS) signals. |
| US09720068B2 |
Acoustic processing device and acoustic processing method
An acoustic processing device includes: a sound pickup unit configured to record an acoustic signal; a motion detection unit configured to detect the motion of the device; a self-localization unit configured to estimate the position of the device based on the acoustic signal and the motion; and a use determination unit configured to determine whether or not to use the acoustic signal in a sound source localization unit detecting the position of a target sound source to be detected based on the intensity of a reference signal incoming from a reference sound source determined in advance. |
| US09720067B2 |
Use of nuclear spin impurities to suppress electronic spin fluctuations and decoherence in composite solid-state spin systems
A solid state electronic spin system contains electronic spins disposed within a solid state lattice and coupled to an electronic spin bath and a nuclear spin bath, where the electronic spin bath composed of electronic spin impurities and the nuclear spin bath composed of nuclear spin impurities. The concentration of nuclear spin impurities in the nuclear spin bath is controlled to a value chosen so as to allow the nuclear spin impurities to effect a suppression of spin fluctuations and spin decoherence caused by the electronic spin bath. Sensing devices such as magnetic field detectors can exploit such a spin bath suppression effect, by applying optical radiation to the electronic spins for initialization and readout, and applying RF pulses to dynamically decouple the electronic spins from the electronic spin bath and the nuclear spin bath. |
| US09720066B2 |
Magnetic resonance imaging apparatus and control method thereof
A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes a magnetic assembly including a main magnet and a gradient coil unit and forming a static magnetic field and a gradient magnetic field in the bore thereof, and a gradient controller applying a test gradient waveform to the magnetic assembly, and compensating for a distortion of the magnetic field gradients, caused by eddy currents, by reflecting the actual shape of the applied test gradient waveform. |
| US09720065B2 |
Method for providing high resolution, high contrast fused MRI images
This present invention relates to an MRI scanning assembly and a method for fusing MRI images of a target thereby generating and providing high resolution, high contrast fused MRI images. The MRI images of the target are generated by different MRI devices operating at different magnetic field intensities. A method is also described for fusing MRI images generated by an MRI device operating with different operational parameters and operational protocols. |
| US09720063B2 |
Diffusion spectrum imaging systems and methods
Systems and methods for generating a magnetic resonance (MR) image of a tissue are provided. A method includes acquiring MR raw data. The MR raw data corresponds to MR signals obtained at undersampled q-space locations for a plurality of q-space locations that is less than an entirety of the q-space locations and the MR signals at the q-space locations represent the three dimensional displacement distribution of the spins in the imaging voxel. The method also includes performing a joint image reconstruction technique on the MR raw data to exploit structural correlations in the MR signals to obtain a series of accelerated MR images and performing, for each image pixel in each accelerated MR image of the series of accelerated MR images, a compressed sensing reconstruction technique to exploit q-space signal sparsity to identify a plurality of diffusion maps. |
| US09720062B2 |
Image processing system
A process for generating enhanced resolution images of fibrous tissue within a portion of a body being sampled, including accessing source data representing a distribution of the tissue orientations for a plurality of discrete sample imaging elements defined within the portion based on a first imaging resolution; generating, based on the source data, streamline data representing a plurality of fiber tracks, each representing an estimated path of fibers in the tissue within the portion; generating an output matrix for a plurality of discrete output imaging elements within the portion based on a second imaging resolution that provides higher imaging resolution than the first imaging resolution; generating, for each output imaging element, image data including intensity data based on a number of fiber tracks at a location corresponding to the output imaging element; and generating display data for a device to display an enhanced image generated based on the image data. |
| US09720059B2 |
Multi-channel coil array for parallel magnetic resonance imaging
This disclosure provides a coil array for parallel magnetic resonance imaging data acquisition, comprising: a plurality of coil elements, wherein each of the coil elements is formed by a loop of wire, wherein the plurality of coil elements are arranged such that the coil elements are covering the imaged sample and uniformly distributed over a plane comprising the encoding directions not in parallel with the frequency encoding directions, which are the directions of the static magnetic field variation generated by a plurality of gradient coils of a magnetic resonance imaging system during magnetic resonance data sampling. |
| US09720058B2 |
Magnetic field measurement apparatus
A magnetic field measurement apparatus includes an irradiation portion, a gas cell, a measurement unit (polarization separation unit, light receiving portion, signal processing circuit), and a magnetic shield. The magnetic shield is formed in a elongated hollow shape having openings at both sides thereof. The gas cell, in which gaseous atoms are sealed, is disposed in a hollow area of the magnetic shield. The irradiation portion irradiates irradiation light including linearly polarized light adjusted so that the vibration direction of an electric field coincides with the axis direction of the magnetic shield onto the gaseous atoms sealed in the gas cell along a direction perpendicular to the axis of the magnetic shield. The measurement unit measures a rotational angle of a polarization plane of the irradiation light that has been irradiated by the irradiation portion and passed through the gaseous atoms. |
| US09720056B2 |
Magnetic sensor, magnetic head, and biomagnetic sensor
A magnetic sensor includes a channel layer, a magnetization free layer placed on a first section of the channel layer, and a magnetization-fixed layer placed on a second section of the channel layer. The areal resistance of the interface between the channel layer and the magnetization free layer is lower than the areal resistance of the interface between the channel layer and the magnetization-fixed layer. |
| US09720042B2 |
Built-in test for satellite digital payload verification
According to an embodiment, a testing system for a satellite payload includes a built-in testing component configured at a satellite, the built-in testing component comprising a built-in testing component input and a built-in testing component output, and a payload component configured at the satellite, the payload component comprising a payload component input communicatively connected to the built-in testing component output and a payload component output communicatively connected to the built-in testing component input, wherein the built-in testing component is configured to transmit a digital test signal from the built-in testing component output to the payload component input and receive a digital output signal at the built-in testing component input from the payload component output. |
| US09720040B2 |
Timing-aware test generation and fault simulation
Disclosed herein are exemplary methods, apparatus, and systems for performing timing-aware automatic test pattern generation (ATPG) that can be used, for example, to improve the quality of a test set generated for detecting delay defects or holding time defects. In certain embodiments, timing information derived from various sources (e.g. from Standard Delay Format (SDF) files) is integrated into an ATPG tool. The timing information can be used to guide the test generator to detect the faults through certain paths (e.g., paths having a selected length, or range of lengths, such as the longest or shortest paths). To avoid propagating the faults through similar paths repeatedly, a weighted random method can be used to improve the path coverage during test generation. Experimental results show that significant test quality improvement can be achieved when applying embodiments of timing-aware ATPG to industrial designs. |
| US09720038B2 |
Method and circuit of pulse-vanishing test
Various aspects of the disclose techniques relate to techniques of testing interconnects in stacked designs. A single-pulse signal, generated by a first circuit state element on a first die, is applied to a first end of an interconnect and captured at a second end of the interconnect using a clock port of a second circuit state element on a second die. A faulty interconnect may cause the single-pulse signal too distorted to reach the threshold voltage of the second circuit element. |
| US09720037B2 |
Debug circuit, semiconductor device, and debug method
A circuit includes don't-care a code-value calculation circuit to calculate third code-values by coding a signal sequence in accordance with a coding scheme; a first sequence-detection circuit to detect a first sequence based on comparison of a first code-value with a difference between the current third code-value and a fourth code-value that is the third code-value preceding the current third code-value by a length of the first sequence; an expected-value calculation circuit to calculate an expected value of the third code-value at the end of the third sequence based on a second code-value and a fifth code-value that is one of the third code-values; and a determination circuit to detect the end of the second sequence based on a length of a fourth sequence, notify an expected-value calculation circuit of the detection of the second sequence, and output a detection signal indicating detection of a detection-target sequence. |
| US09720034B2 |
Semiconductor test device and method of operating the same
A method of operating a semiconductor test device includes transferring a first device under test (DUT) from a load tray to a first load shuttle. The first DUT is transferred from the first load shuttle to a first test board and a second DUT is transferred from the load tray to a second load shuttle. |
| US09720031B2 |
Method for increasing the reliability of transducers
A method for increasing the reliability of transducers, having a first and a second IC, the two ICs have exactly the same or substantially the same monolithically integrated circuit components, each with a sensor and a signal contact designed for bidirectional data transmission and a reference contact and a supply voltage contact. A signal generated as a function of the physical quantity sensed by the relevant sensor is applied to the signal contact. The signal of the first IC is compared with the signal of the second IC by a monitoring device, and then the result of the comparison is communicated to an enable device, and the signal of the first IC is sent by an enable device to the control unit if both signals lie in a predefined useful band. |
| US09720028B1 |
Adaptive live circuit characterization
There are disclosed apparatus and methods for testing a live circuit powered from an alternating current (AC) voltage. A live circuit tester includes a spread spectrum time domain reflectometer (SSTDR) configured to perform SSTDR measurements of the live circuit and a memory storing one or more ignore distance values. A processor coupled to the SSTDR and the memory detects a potential fault in the live circuit based on results of one or more SSTDR measurements, the potential fault associated with a distance from the apparatus. The processor compares the distance associated with the potential fault with each of the one or more ignore distance values, and stores, in the memory, data defining the potential fault if the associated distance does not match any of the one or more ignore distance values. |
| US09720023B2 |
Vector network power meter
System and method for implementing a Vector Network Power Meter (VNPM) as a new class of electronic test instrument that uses a novel topology based upon a reflectometer to combine the functionality of a Power Meter with that of a Vector Network Analyzer (VNA). The VNPM overcomes application limitations of the two existing classes of test instruments, including parallel and simultaneous measurement capability, in-circuit operation, and improved accuracy and repeatability by eliminating the calibration of interconnecting cabling. Also provided are alternate implementations of a correlator for the reflectometer which reduce the size and complexity of the correlator while extending its frequency range without limit. |
| US09720019B2 |
Low-voltage distribution system and method for operating the same
A method for determining a topology information item on a low-voltage electrical distribution system. A group of at least two current measuring devices that are arranged at different points in the low-voltage distribution system is selected, and in each case the current is measured by the current measuring devices so as to form a current measurement value. The current measurement values are added so as to form a current sum taking into consideration the current flow direction. A topology information item is formed which specifies that the current measuring devices electrically isolate a load-free and source-free section of the low-voltage distribution system when the current sum, in terms of absolute value, falls below a predetermined threshold value. |
| US09720018B2 |
Apparatus and methods thereof for power consumption measurement at circuit breaker points
Apparatus and methods are provided for the measurement of power consumption at points of interest, such as circuit breakers, machines, and the like. Accordingly, means are provided for measurement of power consumption for each electrical sub-network that is controlled by a circuit breaker. Each apparatus is enabled to communicate its respective data, in an environment of a plurality of such apparatuses, to a management unit which is enabled to provide finer granularity power consumption profiles. Challenges of measuring relatively low supply currents, wireless operation in an environment of a large number of apparatuses, and self-powering are addressed. |
| US09720016B2 |
Measuring arrangement for measuring an effective value of an AC voltage in a handheld power tool
A hand-held power tool is disclosed with a measuring system for determining an effective value of an alternating voltage which is fed via an external conductor with respect to a neutral conductor. A regulated direct voltage source has a power supply potential which is referenced to the neutral conductor. There is a first resistance value from the power supply potential to a tap and a second resistance value from the tap to a ground. A voltmeter has a measurement range and its measurement input is connected to the tap. A measurement line connects the tap to the external conductor. The first resistance value is lower than the second resistance value such that the mean voltage value on the tap is equal to the mean of the measurement range for one period of the alternating voltage. |
| US09720009B2 |
Sample processing apparatus, sample rack set, and sample processing method
A sample processing apparatus comprises a transporting section configured to transport a sample rack that is capable of holding a sample container at a plurality of holding positions, a detecting section that is configured to detect presence or absence of a rack distinction member at a holding position of the sample rack, an aspirating section that is configured to aspirate a sample in the sample container, and a control section that is configured to control an aspirating operation of the aspirating section. The control section changes an aspirating operation with respect to the sample container held in the sample rack based on the presence/absence of the rack distinction member at the holding position of the sample rack. |
| US09720008B2 |
Automatic analyzers and reagent wheels thereof
This disclosure provides automatic analyzers and reagent wheels thereof. The reagent wheel can have one or more rings of reagent bottle seats that may be used for placing a reagent container and distributed along a circumferential direction. An included angle may be formed between a symmetrical centerline of the reagent container placed on the reagent bottle seat and a radius of a circle where the reagent wheel is located, where the included angle is not equal to zero. Compared with the situation in which the symmetrical centerline of the reagent container overlaps with the radius of the circle where the reagent wheel is located, an improved balance can be achieved between the capacity and the diametric size of the reagent wheel, thus making an improvement in meeting application requirements of the analyzers. |
| US09720006B2 |
Automatic analyzing apparatus
In an automatic analyzing apparatus that analyzes a mixture of a tested sample and a reagent, by selecting the reagent, acquiring cross-check information unique to the kind of the selected reagent, inputting input information for acquiring permission for input of data including an analysis parameter of the selected reagent, and cross-checking the cross-check information and the input information, it is determined whether to permit the input of the data. In a case that it is determined to permit the input of the data, the input of the data is accepted and, based on the analysis parameter reflecting the inputted data, the mixture of the tested sample and the reagent is measured and analysis data is generated. |
| US09720005B2 |
Immunoassay for compounds of the NBOMe family
An immunoassay method for detecting and determining ‘NBOMe’ family designer drugs is described. Also described are components for use in implementing the method, namely, antibodies, detection agents, solid state devices and kits as well as immunogens used to raise the antibodies. |
| US09720004B2 |
Immunoassays employing non-particulate chemiluminescent reagent
Methods and reagents are disclosed for conducting assays. Embodiments of the present methods and reagents are concerned with chemiluminescent reagents for determining the presence and/or amount of an analyte in a sample suspected of containing the analyte. The reagent is non-particulate and comprises a binding partner for the analyte and a chemiluminescent composition comprising an olefinic compound and a metal chelate. In embodiments of an assay, a combination is provided that comprises a sample suspected of containing the analyte, a chemiluminescent reagent as described above and a sensitizer reagent capable of generating singlet oxygen. The combination is subjected to conditions for binding of the analyte to the binding partner for the analyte. The sensitizer is activated and the amount of luminescence generated by the chemiluminescent composition is detected wherein the amount of luminescence is related to the amount of the analyte in the sample. |
| US09719996B2 |
Anti-mesothelin antibodies and immunoconjugates
The invention provides anti-mesothelin antibodies and immunoconjugates and methods of using the same. |
| US09719989B2 |
Method for detecting food poisoning bacteria using magnetic nanoparticles and solution having high viscosity
The present invention relates to a method for detecting food poisoning bacteria, and more particularly, to a method for rapidly and quantitatively isolating food poisoning bacteria contents which contaminate food and the like. The method according to the present invention is characterized by including the steps of: introducing magnetic nanoparticles which can bind to bacteria into a sample for measuring the bacteria so as to bind the magnetic nanoparticles to the bacteria; isolating the magnetic nanoparticles; passing the nanoparticles which are isolated by using magnetism through a solution having high viscosity so as to separate the magnetic nanoparticles to which bacteria are bound from magnetic nanoparticles to which no bacteria are bound; and quantifying the magnetic nanoparticles to which bacteria are bound. |
| US09719980B2 |
Devices and methods for determining the length of biopolymers and distances between probes bound thereto
Devices and methods for detecting the length of analytes and/or sequencing analytes are provided in which two or more electrical signals are obtained as an analyte traverses a fluidic channel. Detection of the relative position of probes hybridized to a biopolymer and/or the length of the analyte (e.g., a biopolymer) does not rely on the absolute time between detection events of a given electrical signal to determine a distance associated with the biopolymer. Instead, multiple signals are obtained (e.g., as functions of time) corresponding to a plurality of detector volumes at known locations along a fluidic channel through which the biopolymer passes, and the distances are determined from the multiple signals. |
| US09719977B2 |
Methods and systems for treating meibomian gland dysfunction using radio-frequency energy
A method of treating meibomian gland dysfunction is disclosed. The method includes directing RF energy to an internal portion of a meibomian gland, selectively targeting an obstruction within a duct of the meibomian gland with the applied RF energy to melt, loosen, or soften the obstruction, and expressing the obstruction from the duct of the meibomian gland. An apparatus for treating meibomian gland dysfunction is also disclosed. The apparatus comprises at least one RF electrode configured to direct RF energy to an internal portion of a meibomian gland located in an eyelid of an eye, the at least one RF electrode further configured to selectively target an obstruction within a duct of the meibomian gland with the applied RF energy to melt, loosen, or soften the obstruction. The apparatus also comprises at least one expressor configured to express the obstruction from the duct of the meibomian gland. |
| US09719972B2 |
System and method for air-pollutant source-localization using parked motor vehicles
A method for localizing the source of air pollution that includes receiving pollution data from a network in communication with at least one air pollution sensor that is connected to at least one motor vehicle in a stationary position. Each stationary motor vehicle of the network is positioned at a different air pollution measurement location. The method may further include determining from the pollution data an origin of an air pollutant using an air pollution model provided by a pollutant source localization device including at least one hardware processor. |
| US09719971B2 |
Microfluidic flame ionization detector
The present disclosure relates to a microfluidic flame ionization detector for use in small scale separations, such as, for example, microfluidic gas chromatography and microfluidic carbon dioxide based fluid chromatography. In some arrangements, the microfluidic counter-current flame ionization detector employs a non-parallel arrangement for the introduction of combustion gases into the combustion chamber. In other arrangements, the detector housing is configured to incorporate at least one of the detector electrodes within the housing using electrically isolating fittings. |
| US09719969B2 |
Analysis of molecular contamination in vacuum environments
A pre-concentration device is provided for a gas analysis system (10) for collecting molecular contamination in a vacuum environment (11). The pre-concentration device (13) comprises a hollow element (15) having an entrance opening (20) for receiving molecules from the vacuum environment (11) in a collection phase, a gas outlet for transferring collected molecules to a vacuum compatible detector or second preconcentration device in a transfer phase. The device has an inner wall for adsorbing molecules in the collection phase and desorbing molecules in the transfer phase. The device has a filler element (14) that is movable from a first position outside the hollow element in the collection phase to a second position inside the hollow element in the transfer phase which second position leaves open a transfer channel to the gas outlet along the inner wall. Advantageously, the device enables transferring of the organic or inorganic contaminants collected in the device under vacuum conditions, and requires a minimal amount of ultra pure gas for the transport of the contaminants to a detector or further a concentration device, which lowers the lower limit of detection. |
| US09719964B2 |
System, method, and apparatus for bubble detection in a fluid line using a split-ring resonator
A system, method, and apparatus for detecting at least one condition of interest relating to a tube, e.g. the presence of an air bubble. In some embodiments, the sensor includes antennas, a split-ring resonator, a frequency generator capable of generating frequencies in the microwave range, and a detection component. The detection component may estimate at least one parameter of received microwave energy in order to determine if a condition of interest exists. |
| US09719963B2 |
High performance ion mobility spectrometer apparatus and methods
An ion mobility spectrometry method wherein ions are separated along a drift axis while providing a drift gas flow in a direction that is substantially neither in the direction of the drift axis nor opposite to the drift axis. Ion mobility spectrometer operation methods use a cross-directional gas flow in a drift tube and/or a segmented drift tube for pre-separation. |
| US09719958B2 |
Gas sensor controller, gas sensor system, and deterioration determination method for gas sensor element
A gas sensor controller (100) controls a gas sensor element (10) which has a first pump cell (111), a second pump cell (113), and an oxygen concentration detection cell (112). The controller includes first chamber control means (51) to (53) which pumps oxygen out of or into a first measurement chamber MR1 such that a concentration voltage Vs becomes equal to a target voltage Vr; target voltage changing means S72, S75 which changes the target voltage Vr from a first target voltage Vr1 to a second target voltage Vr2; current detection means (55) which detects the magnitude of a concentration current Ip2 flowing between first electrode (145) and second electrode (147); and deterioration determination means S7 which determines the deterioration state of the gas sensor element from a change which occurs in the concentration current Ip2 due to the change in the target voltage Vr. |
| US09719955B2 |
Hematocrit measurement system and measurement method using the same
A hematocrit (HCT) measurement system and measurement method using the same are disclosed. The hematocrit (HCT) measurement system comprises a test strip and a measurement apparatus comprising: a connector transmitting an initial signal generated from a blood sample to the measurement apparatus, a capacitive reactance adjustor disposed between the test strip and the measurement apparatus, a calculation unit for calculating concentration and HCT value of the blood sample, an A/D convertor transforming the corresponding initial signal to a digital signal, and a signal processor processing the digital reacted signal and showing measured results on a display, wherein the HCT value is calculated by voltage partition to prevent the signal waveform voltage being saturated or cutoff, thereby resulting in measured signal distortion. |
| US09719945B2 |
Metrology method and apparatus, lithographic system and device manufacturing method
A lithographic process is used to form a plurality of target structures (T) on a substrate (W). Each target structure comprises overlaid gratings each having a specific overlay bias. Asymmetry (A) of each grating, measured by scatterometry, includes contributions due to (i) the overlay bias, (ii) an overlay error (OV) in the lithographic process and (iii) bottom grating asymmetry within the overlaid gratings. Asymmetry measurements are obtained for three or more target structures having three or more different values of overlay bias (e.g., −d, 0, +d). Knowing the three different overlay bias values and a theoretical curve relationship between overlay error and asymmetry, overlay error (OV) can be calculated while correcting the effect of bottom grating asymmetry. Bias schemes with three and four different biases are disclosed as examples. Gratings with different directions and biases can be interleaved in a composite target structure. |
| US09719944B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling tyres in a tyre production line
A method, and related apparatus, for controlling tyres in a production line, includes: predisposing a tyre to be controlled; elastically deforming a lateral wall portion of the tyre by imparting a compression force on an outer contact surface of the lateral wall portion, the compression force having axial direction and sense directed toward the middle line plane; illuminating an inner and/or outer surface of the lateral wall portion and detecting an image of the illuminated surface; generating a control signal representative of the detected image; and analyzing the control signal in order to detect the possible presence of flaws on the lateral wall portion. |
| US09719940B2 |
Compressive sensing with illumination patterning
Methods and systems are provided, which pattern an illumination of a metrology target with respect to spectral ranges and/or polarizations, illuminate a metrology target by the patterned illumination, and measure radiation scattered from the target by directing, at a pupil plane, selected pupil plane pixels from a to respective single detector(s) by applying a collection pattern to the pupil plane pixels. Single detector measurements (compressive sensing) has increased light sensitivity which is utilized to pattern the illumination and further enhance the information content of detected scattered radiation with respect to predefined metrology parameters. |
| US09719939B2 |
Apparatus and method for inspecting printed images
An apparatus can be used for inspecting printed images for a printing or finishing machine with continuously moved printed products. An illumination unit with a light source illuminates a recording region and an image capture apparatus with at least one camera, for example a line scanning camera, is set up to capture an image inside the recording region, which extends over the width of the printed product, wherein the image capture apparatus is set up to generate a multi-line partial image. |
| US09719937B2 |
Diagnosis of cancer
A method is provided including obtaining an infrared (IR) spectrum of a blood plasma sample by analyzing the blood plasma sample by infrared spectroscopy, and based on the infrared spectrum, generating an output indicative of the presence of a solid tumor or a pre-malignant condition. Other applications are also described. |
| US09719936B2 |
Optical sensor of bio-molecules using thin-film interferometer
The present invention is directed to an assembly for use in detecting an analyte in a sample based on thin-film spectral interference. The assembly comprises a waveguide, a monolithic substrate optically coupled to the waveguide, and a thin-film layer directly bonded to the sensing side of the monolithic substrate. The refractive index of the monolithic substrate is higher than the refractive index of the transparent material of the thin-film layer. A spectral interference between the light reflected into the waveguide from a first reflecting surface and a second reflecting surface varies as analyte molecules in a sample bind to the analyte binding molecules coated on the thin-film layer. |
| US09719930B2 |
Device and methods of detection of airborne agents
Provided are methods, devices and systems that utilize free-surface fluidics and SERS for analyte detection with high sensitivity and specificity. The molecules can be airborne agents, including but not limited to explosives, narcotics, hazardous chemicals, or other chemical species. The free-surface fluidic architecture is created using an open microchannel, and exhibits a large surface to volume ratio. The free-surface fluidic interface can filter interferent molecules, while concentrating airborne analyte molecules. The microchannel flow enables controlled aggregation of SERS-active probe particles in the flow, thereby enhancing the detector's sensitivity. |
| US09719929B2 |
Microarray analysis method and microarray reading device
A microarray analysis method, in which a microarray obtained by arranging probes on a substrate surface having an irregular shape is irradiated with excitation light and fluorescence amounts of the probes excited by the excitation light are obtained as numerical data, includes a step (a) of measuring the fluorescence amounts of the probes to acquire fluorescence image data, a step (b) of receiving reflected light and/or scattered light from the substrate surface to acquire the irregular shape of the substrate surface of the microarray as alignment image data based on the light receiving intensities of the light, and a step (c) of determining positions of the probes on the fluorescence image data based on the alignment image data. |
| US09719920B2 |
Scatterometry system and method for generating non-overlapping and non-truncated diffraction images
Scatterometry measurement systems, illumination configurations and respective methods are provided, which comprise illumination beams that have vertical projections on a target plane comprising both a parallel component and a perpendicular component, with respect to a target measurement direction. The illumination beams propagate at an angle to the plane defined by the measurement direction and a normal to the targets surface and generate diffraction images which are off-center at the imaging pupil plane. The eccentric diffraction images are spatially arranged to avoid overlaps and to correspond to measurement requirements such as spot sizes, number of required diffraction orders and so forth. The illumination beams may be implemented using illumination pupil masks, which provide a simple way to increase scatterometry measurements throughput. |
| US09719919B2 |
Method for measuring refractive index, and refractometer
An exemplary method for measuring a refractive index of a substance being measured through an optical window, includes arranging the optical window in contact with the substance being measured, directing light to the interface of the optical window and substance being measured, where part of the light is absorbed by the substance being measured and part of it is reflected from the substance being measured to form an image, in which the location of the boundary of light and dark areas expresses a critical angle of the total reflection dependent on the refractive index of the substance being measured, and examining the formed image. Light is directed on a first structure and to desired angles on an interface between the optical window and substance being measured. Light reflected from the interface of the optical window and substance being measured is directed on a second structure. |
| US09719916B2 |
PeakForce photothermal-based detection of IR nanoabsorption
An apparatus and method of performing photothermal chemical nanoidentification of a sample includes positioning a tip of a probe at a region of interest of the sample, with the tip-sample separation being less than about 10 nm. Then, IR electromagnetic energy having a selected frequency, ω, is directed towards the tip. Using PFT mode AFM operation, absorption of the energy at the region of interest is identified. calorimetry may also be performed with the photothermal PFT system. |
| US09719911B2 |
Automated real-time particle characterization and three-dimensional velocimetry with holographic video microscopy
An in-line holographic microscope can be used to analyze on a frame-by-frame basis a video stream to track individual colloidal particles' three-dimensional motions. The system and method can provide real time nanometer resolution, and simultaneously measure particle sizes and refractive indexes. Through a combination of applying a combination of Lorenz-Mie analysis with selected hardware and software methods, this analysis can be carried out in near real time. An efficient particle identification methodology automates initial position estimation with sufficient accuracy to enable unattended holographic tracking and characterization. |
| US09719910B2 |
Particle detecting device
A particle detecting device includes: a chamber; an injection nozzle provided within the chamber; a discharge nozzle that is disposed within the chamber, opposing the injection nozzle; a detecting mechanism that illuminates a sample fluid that is sprayed from the injection nozzle and detects a particle included in the sample fluid; a pressurizing fluid pipe, connected to the chamber, for supplying a pressurizing fluid for pressurizing an interior of the chamber; and a rectifying member that rectifies the pressurizing fluid so that a flow speed distribution of a fluid between the injection nozzle and the discharge nozzle, rectified in an axial direction, is symmetrical in respect to the axial direction. |
| US09719905B2 |
Methods of measuring electrode density and electrode porosity
Provided is a method for non-destructively measuring an electrode density and an electrode porosity of an electrode active material coated on an electrode base material using X-ray diffraction. According to the methods of the present invention, a value of Ipeak in parallel direction/Ipeak in perpendicular direction of the electrode active material is obtained by X-ray diffraction and an electrode density and an electrode porosity are calculated according to previously obtained correlations between the electrode density and Ipeak in parallel direction/Ipeak in perpendicular direction and between the electrode porosity and Ipeak in parallel direction/Ipeak in perpendicular direction. |
| US09719903B2 |
Heavy dynamic penetrometer and method for determining the fall height of a hammer belonging to such a penetrometer
The penetrometer includes a chassis, a mast mounted thereon and positioned substantially vertically during a test, a rod string, including a tip penetrating the ground that is positioned at one end of the rod string, an anvil that bears against the rod string at an end opposite the tip, a hammer striking the anvil, elements for raising the hammer along the mast up to a fall height, at which the hammer is released, and elements for measuring the sinking of the tip into the ground. The penetrometer further includes an electronic control unit for controlling the fall height, and configured to select the fall height adopted for the test based on the sinking of the tip measured by the measuring elements during one or more earlier tests, and mechanical elements controlled by the control unit for triggering the fall of the hammer at the height selected by the control unit. |
| US09719902B2 |
Systems and methods for helmet liner evaluation
A helmet testing apparatus including a movable member, a sensor coupled to the movable member and configured to acquire compliance data regarding a liner disposed within a shell of a helmet through engagement of the sensor with the liner, and a processing circuit configured to determine a rating for the helmet based on the compliance data and predetermined compliance parameters for the helmet. |
| US09719899B2 |
Test method for agricultural baler
A system and method for verifying the operational condition of a rectangular baler having a baling chamber equipped with a reciprocating plunger, the plunger moving between a fully retracted position and extended position, the baler further equipped with a load sensor suitable for determining the reaction force on the plunger as said plunger is compressing crops. Verifying the operational condition includes measuring the reaction force on the plunger or a parameter related to said reaction force, when the plunger is in a position in which it is not exerting a compressive force on the crop material in the baling chamber, comparing the measured reaction force or the parameter to a predefined reference value, and deriving from that comparison an assessment of the baler's condition |
| US09719891B2 |
Simultaneous multi-point testing systems and methods
An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a simultaneous multipoint testing system for analyzing the composition of a fluid in a duct. The system can comprise a plurality of probes each having a plurality of sample legs at different locations within the duct. Each probe can also comprise a mixing chamber for mixing fluid samples collected by each of the sample legs. The system can further comprise a global mixing chamber configured to receive the mixtures of fluid samples from each probe mixing chamber and mix those fluid samples to create a global fluid sample. The system can further comprise an analyzer configured to receive at least a portion of the global fluid sample and measure levels predetermined compounds present in the at least a portion of the global fluid sample. |
| US09719885B2 |
Test arrangement for the crash simulation of motor vehicles
The present invention relates to a test arrangement for the crash simulation of motor vehicles, said test arrangement having a first carriage, which is movable substantially horizontally along a longitudinal axis, and a second carriage, which is movable along the longitudinal axis together with the first carriage, wherein the second carriage is attached to the first carriage in such an articulated manner that the second carriage is movable with respect to the first carriage. In order to be able to simulate actual accident conditions better, in the test arrangement according to the invention, in addition to at least one first actuating element and at least one second actuating element, there is also provided at least one third actuating element, which is configured to accelerate the second carriage in a horizontal direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. |
| US09719884B2 |
Intake gas sensor for internal combustion engine
A gas sensor includes a gas sensing element positioned at least partially within a body and being exposed at a first end to measure a gas in contact with the first end. A sleeve is fixed to the body and extends from the body in a direction opposite the first end of the gas sensing element. The sleeve includes it remote end portion having an engagement feature. A connector housing is overmolded onto the end portion of the sleeve to lock onto the sleeve via the engagement feature. The connector housing includes a plug connector portion partially enclosing a plurality of electrical terminals electrically connected to the gas sensing element. |
| US09719881B2 |
Scalable framework for managing civil structure monitoring devices
A device receives information, associated with civil structures, that includes temperature information associated with the civil structures, pressure information associated with the civil structures, stress information associated with the civil structures, vibration information associated with the civil structures, or displacement information associated with the civil structures. The device performs an analysis of the information associated with the civil structures via one or more analytics techniques, and generates analysis information based on the analysis of the information associated with the civil structures. The analysis information identifies a potential issue with at least one of the civil structures, and the device provides the analysis information for display. |
| US09719880B2 |
Method for leak testing a housing
A method for testing the tightness of a housing involves providing a pressure sensor in a housing, sealing the housing, and detecting a pressure level in the housing. |
| US09719873B2 |
Pressure sensor and method for manufacturing the same
A method for manufacturing a pressure sensor includes: preparing a stem which has a cylindrical shape with a bottom as a diaphragm; mounting a sensor chip on the diaphragm; preparing a conductive member, in which an internal connection region is integrated with an external connection region electrically connected to an external circuit by an outer frame; forming a first resin mold to couple the internal connection region to the external connection region; separating the outer frame from the internal connection region and the external connection region; arranging the internal connection region in the stem; and electrically connecting the sensor chip and the internal connection region through the first connection member. |
| US09719866B2 |
Sensor failure detection device, and method
A sensor failure detection device includes a storage, a predictor, a calculator and a detector. The storage stores temperature information of individual sensors. The temperature information includes measured values of temperatures. The measured values of temperatures are measured by a plurality of sensors. The predictor predicts a temperature distribution by performing a thermal fluid simulation, on the basis of the temperature information received from a remaining sensor. The remaining sensor is a sensor of the plurality of sensors other than the test target sensor. The calculator calculates a difference value between a temperature at a position of the test target sensor in the temperature distribution and a temperature measured by the test target sensor. The detector detects that the difference value is higher than a predetermined value. |
| US09719863B1 |
Thermomagnetic temperature sensing
A thermomagnetic sensor, measurement system and a method of measuring temperature employ a thermomagnetic probe to measure temperature of a device using a thermomagnetic effect. The thermomagnetic sensor includes a plurality of coils configured to provide a mutual inductance measurement between a selected pair of coils of the plurality and the thermomagnetic probe between the selected pair. The thermomagnetic probe includes a ferromagnetic material having a temperature-dependent magnetic permeability determined from the mutual inductance measurement. A predetermined relationship between the temperature-dependent magnetic permeability and temperature in a range between a maximum magnetic permeability value and a Curie temperature provides a measurement of a temperature local to the thermomagnetic probe. |
| US09719861B2 |
Temperature sensor circuit
A temperature sensor circuit implemented in electronic circuitry that senses the temperature at a site, digitizes the sensed temperature, and then outputs a signal representing such a sensed temperature. The temperature sensor circuit converts a voltage signal that is proportional to the temperature to a first digital value. The temperature sensor circuit converts a voltage signal that is inversely proportional to the temperature to a second digital value. The sensed temperature is determined as a function of a difference between the first and second digital values. |
| US09719860B2 |
Power device temperature monitor
A power device temperature monitor is provided. The power device temperature monitor includes a power device having a control terminal and an output terminal, where the output terminal is configured to output a current as directed by a voltage of the control terminal. The power device temperature monitor includes an inductor coupled to the output terminal of the power device and an amplifier coupled to the inductor. The power device temperature monitor includes a computing device that receives an output of the amplifier, the computing device is configured to derive a temperature of the power device based upon the output of the amplifier. |
| US09719855B2 |
Evaluation of focusing performance in an assay analysis system
Methods, storage mediums and systems (MS&S) are provided which successively image an imaging region of an assay analysis system (AAS) as particles are loaded into the imaging region, generate a frequency spectrum of each image via a discrete Fourier transform, integrate a same coordinate portion of each frequency spectrum and terminate the loading of particles upon computing an integral which meets preset criterion. In addition, MS&S are provided which send a signal indicative of whether enough particles are in an imaging region for further processes by an AAS based on the magnitude of integral calculated from an image's frequency spectrum. MM&S are also provided such that the steps of generating a frequency spectrum of each image and integrating a portion of each frequency spectrum are replaced by generating a convolved spatial image with a filter kernel and integrating a same coordinate portion of each convolved spatial image. |
| US09719854B2 |
Tunable filters for spectral sensing
A spectroscopic analysis device for analysis of a sample comprising: a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) comprising: an input (DEF) for receiving light from the sample; and a demultiplexer (DEMUX) arranged to distribute the received light into at least a first optical chain (C1) and a second optical chain (C2); wherein each optical chain (C1, C2) of the photonic integrated circuit (PIC) further comprises a tunable bandpass filter (TBF1, TBF2) and a variable attenuator (ATT1, ATT2) and a photodetector (PD1, PD2) arranged respectively to filter and to attenuate and to detect the light distributed into its corresponding optical chain (C1, C2). |
| US09719852B2 |
System and method for compensating light source drift at different wavelengths with a single reference channel in a light measuring device
In accordance with a broad aspect of the present invention the system and method described are directed to correcting with a single reference channel thermally dependent spectrum shifts of a light source used with a spectrophotometer. In one embodiment of the system and method described, a light measuring device uses the measured light intensity values to generate a correction coefficient for use in correcting measured light from an object under analysis. |
| US09719851B2 |
IR sensor embedded in direct LED backlight and LCD panels and assemblies for receiving IR command codes from a remote
An infra-red assembly for a television, that has a plurality of layers operating for creating an image from pixels formed of illuminated color filters. The plurality of layers including a backlight, a polarization layer adjacent the backlight, a TFT layer over the polarization layer, an LCD layer overlying the TFT layer, and a color filter layer overlying the LCD layer. Wherein at least one of the layers includes an opening, and another of said layers includes an infrared filter that passes infrared and blocks light that is not infra red, and where another of said layers underlying said infrared layer includes an infrared receiver that receives the infrared through said opening and said infrared filter, and where said opening and said filter and said receiver are located in registration with one another, such that infrared passes through the opening and passes through the filter and passes to the receiver. |
| US09719844B2 |
Analytical balance with a weighing chamber having structure operating as a locking mechanism due to unique method of assembling and disassembiling components of the chamber
A weighing chamber in a shape of a transparent cuboid with sliding panels (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) assembled on structural guides (8) that are fastened using at least a single adjustable lock (13) blocking at least one panel in a way that their releasing enables sliding and disassembling the other panels. The fastening lock forms a profiled element, preferably an angle bar shaped component assembled in a detachable manner to the horizontal structural beam (8). The chamber comprises two vertical columns (6, 7) assembled at the back corners of the chamber's interior which support the chamber structure (8) comprising a horizontal beam for assembling the fastening lock and guides for holding and sliding the top and side panels using grips (9, 10, 11). |
| US09719840B2 |
Body weight management device for managing a measurement subject's body weight using a target
A body weight management device includes: a change obtainment unit for obtaining an intra-day body weight change value on a daily basis based body weight measurement values of a measurement subject measured on a daily basis; an achievement rate obtainment unit for comparing the intra-day body weight change value obtained by the change obtainment unit with an intra-day target weight loss value and obtaining, based on a result of the comparison, a target achievement rate indicating a percentage of total days in a predetermined period in which the intra-day body weight change value has reached the intra-day target weight loss value; and a target obtainment unit for obtaining, based on the target achievement rate obtained by the achievement rate obtainment unit, a new intra-day target weight loss value to serve as a target for future body weight measurement. |
| US09719836B2 |
Air flow measuring device
A high-temperature resistance is disposed in an internal passage and has its energization controlled based on an intake-air flow rate in the passage to increase/decrease a heat generation amount. A first low-temperature resistance constitutes a bridge circuit which has its energization state changed according to the heat generation amount of the high-temperature resistance. The first low-temperature resistance varies its resistance value according to intake-air temperature. A second low-temperature resistance is an element, which is not incorporated into the bridge circuit and varies its resistance value according to intake-air temperature to increase/decrease an energization amount. The second low-temperature resistance is provided on a substrate. Another bridge circuit produces an intake air amount detection signal using an electrical signal generated by operation of the high-temperature resistance and the first low-temperature resistance. A digital circuit uses an electrical signal produced by the second low-temperature resistance as an intake temperature detection signal. |
| US09719835B2 |
Double-side thick film network on ceramic card
A ceramic card having a thick film network, with conductive vias formed as part of the card. Each of the vias is in electrical communication with both sides of the thick film network, allowing the pads and the pad senders to be formed on both sides of the card. This configuration maintains the contact when one of the connectors is subjected to bending force or is otherwise displaced, maintaining contact with at least one of the pads, and allowing the system to still function. The double sided thick film network allows for each connector to touch both sides of one of the pads, and still maintain electrical communication with the level sender, thus eliminating the failure mode of intermittent contact with the thick film network resulting from movement of the connector. |
| US09719834B2 |
Fill-level measuring device
The invention is a fill-level measuring device having the following features: a housing, a membrane, a first drive unit have a first bolt, the bolt being coupled to the membrane, a second drive unit having a second bolt, the second bolt being operatively connected to the membrane and being connected to the housing at an end of the second bolt facing the membrane by means of an intermediate bottom, and the first drive unit and the second drive unit are mechanically connected to each other in series. |
| US09719833B2 |
Referential ultrasonic transceiver for acoustic measurement of a fluid level
A filling level transmitter for measuring a filing level of a liquid includes: a filling level sensor having: an ultrasonic transceiver configured to emit ultrasound, and sensor electronics; a sound-conducting tube having two reflectors spaced apart from one another, the first reflector being configured to deflect ultrasound emitted by the transceiver in the direction of the second reflector, and the second reflector being configured to deflect the emitted ultrasound in the direction of the surface of the liquid. A third reflector is arranged in the second reflector such that emitted ultrasound impacting the third reflector is reflected in the direction of the first reflector. |
| US09719829B2 |
Fluid measurement system
This invention is to improve procedures of maintenance of a fluid measurement system having a fluid measurement device and a control device. The fluid measurement system has a fluid measurement device and a control device to control the fluid measurement device, and the fluid measurement device comprises a fluid sensor and a related data store part configured to store fluid calculation related data for calculation of one or more fluid parameters with measurement data obtained by the fluid sensor, and the control device obtains the fluid calculation related data from the related data store part and calculates the one or more fluid parameters with the measurement data of the fluid sensor and the fluid calculation related data. |
| US09719828B2 |
System for estimating individual water consumption
The present invention relates to a system for estimating the individual water consumption of a plurality of devices supplied by the secondary fluid distribution network of a user. The system comprises a sleeve able to be fitted around the supply pipe of the secondary network and comprises an electromechanical sensor placed against the outside wall of the supply pipe, and a processor for analyzing the signals delivered by the electromechanical sensor with a view to extracting information characterizing the individual consumption of the devices supplied by the secondary network. |
| US09719827B2 |
System for calculating and displaying remaining runtime for a portable generator
A system is provided for calculating and displaying an estimated remaining runtime for a portable generator. The system may include fuel sender with capacitive sensors communicating with a control system to display the fuel level and/or remaining runtime that can be recalculated when step changes in system performance are detected. |
| US09719825B2 |
Multiphase flow measurement
A flow measuring device includes a first sensor device that responds to one stimulus caused by a fluid medium flowing through a measurement section by registering a first measure representing a first type of physical characteristic of the fluid medium, and a second sensor device that responds to another stimulus caused by the fluid medium by registering a second measure representing a second type of physical characteristic of the fluid medium, the second measure being independent from the first measure, and the first and second measures both being dependent on the flow of the first fluid and on the flow of the second fluid in the fluid medium in the measurement section, the first measure and the second measure being sufficient to solve both a first function that defines the flow of the first fluid and a second function that defines the flow of the second fluid. |
| US09719823B2 |
Gas meter
A gas meter is provided. The gas meter has a gas inlet, a gas outlet and a measuring section. A measuring device for thermal flow measurement can be arranged in the measuring section. A filtering device for removing particulate impurities is arranged downstream of the gas inlet. Gas diverted from the main gas flow is supplied to the filtering device for purifying the gas. After the purification, the purified gas is fed to the measuring device arranged downstream of the filtering device. |
| US09719819B2 |
Vortex flow sensor for a vortex flow transducer having a flange shaped support device for supporting a membrane in a housing
A vortex flow transducer for measuring the flow velocity of a fluid flowing in a measuring tube as well as to a vortex flow sensor for the vortex flow transducer. In such case, the vortex flow sensor includes a housing having a central axis and a connecting section, on which a shoulder is embodied, which has a bearing area. In a plane of the shoulder a membrane is arranged, whose edge is positioned over the bearing area and is axially spaced therefrom. The vortex flow sensor includes, furthermore, a flange shaped support system having a radial edge section and a cylindrical axial section, wherein the radial edge section lies with its surface against the shoulder of the platform and the cylindrical axial section extends parallel to the central axis, so that the membrane is supported against the support system upon application of a predetermined pressure on the membrane. |
| US09719814B2 |
Needle type gauge
A needle type gauge includes: a needle that includes a main rotating portion that rotates around a rotation shaft, and an indicator which points out an index part; and an actuator. The main rotating portion includes a light emitting portion that emits strip-shaped light. The light emitting portion is located at the actuator side relative to the indicator, and emits the strip-shaped light to a nearby area to the indicator and located, relative the indicator, at one side in a rotation direction of the indicator. The needle includes a shield which extends in a direction of the actuator from the indicator, extends along the indicator, and blocks, among the strip-shaped light, light directed from the one side in the rotation direction of the indicator to the other side therein. |
| US09719811B2 |
Photoelectric encoder including light-receiving element and light-blocking layer that forms light-blocking portion and light-transmitting portion on light-receiving element
A photoelectric encoder according to the present invention comprises a light-receiving unit including: a first and second light-receiving element column; and a light-blocking layer configured from a light-blocking portion and a light-transmitting portion, the first and second light-receiving element columns being disposed staggered in a second direction such that an arrangement pattern of light-receiving elements in the first and second light-receiving element columns has a pitch which is the same in a first direction and a phase which differs in the first direction, and the light-transmitting portion on the light-receiving surface of the light-receiving element in the first light-receiving element column and the light-transmitting portion on the light-receiving surface of the light-receiving element in the second light-receiving element column being formed so as not to overlap each other when staggered in the second direction. |
| US09719810B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes an optical detecting device; a movable unit including a rotatable member having a first light-blocking surface and a second light-blocking surface; and a control unit. The movable unit rotates with rotation of the rotatable member so that the second light-blocking surface is movable to a first position where the optical detecting device is light-blocked and a second position where the optical detecting device is not light-blocked, and includes a locking member for locking the second light-blocking surface in the second position. When the first and second light-blocking surfaces pass through a detecting portion of the optical detecting device, the control unit discriminates a state of the movable unit on the basis of a detection result of the optical detecting device. |
| US09719808B2 |
Signal processing apparatus for processing time variant signal with first and second input signals comprising a weighting correlator and a first gain-adjustable amplifier
A signal processing apparatus receiving a first input signal and the first input signal being directly used as a first output signal. The signal processing apparatus comprising: a first gain-adjustable amplifier receiving the first input signal and generating a gain-adjusted first input signal according to a gain; a first adder for subtracting the gain-adjusted first input signal from the second input signal, thereby generating a second output signal; and a weighting correlator receiving the first output signal and the second output signal, and generating the first integrated signal to control the gain. |
| US09719797B2 |
Voice and touch user interface
Various examples are directed to an electronic device capable of touch input through a touch-sensitive surface and/or voice input through a microphone. In some examples, the electronic device may be used in an automobile. For example, some or all of the electronic device may be mounted in a dashboard for use while driving. The electronic device may provide informational content, entertainment content, navigation, and communication features in such a manner that user interaction may be minimized, thus providing a safe driving experience. This can be accomplished by performing tasks and presenting content automatically, without the need for user input, and by allowing user input through voice controls, touch screen controls, and/or physical controls mounted on the dashboard or steering wheel, among other possibilities. |
| US09719796B2 |
Intersection guidance method, navigation server, navigation terminal, and navigation system including the same
The present disclosure relates to an intersection guidance method, a navigation server, a navigation terminal, and a navigation system including the same using point-of-interest (POI) information specialized for a user in order to provide enhanced intersection turn guidance. In one form, the method includes: tracing a route to a destination designated by a user and performing route guidance along the route; when an intersection on the route is detected, determining a representative point-of-interest (POI) from among one or more POIs corresponding to the intersection on the basis of profile information of the user; and performing turn guidance at the intersection using the representative POI. |
| US09719793B2 |
Synthetic vision system including means for modifying the displayed view
The general field of the invention is that of synthetic vision systems for a vehicle, said vehicle having a particular navigation direction. The system in accordance with the invention includes at least: a cartographic database representative of the terrain travelled over by the vehicle, means for geolocation of said vehicle, electronic means for computing a representation of the principal parameters of said vehicle; graphic generator means for generating a three-dimensional synthetic representation of said terrain; and a display device displaying said three-dimensional synthetic representation in a particular field of view (FOV) and in a particular display direction, means for modifying the display direction to a direction different from the particular navigation direction of the vehicle, said modification means being manual or automatic, the display direction then being a function of a piloting or navigation parameter. |
| US09719792B2 |
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. |
| US09719790B2 |
Mapping uncertain geometries to graticules
A geohash based cover for a geometry whose uncertainty is described as a circle with center point and a radius is disclosed. In one example, a geohash cover is computed that does not require any expensive geodesic calculations, providing roughly an order of magnitude improvement in speed up of cover calculation. In another example, distance computations are exact compared to a conventional process. In another example, the geohashes returned by the technique can vary between 4 to 9—with a median 6 (a certain conventional process would always return 9 hashes (all the 8 neighbors and the self geohash)). In another example, results are accurate, while still avoiding expensive geodesic computations. |
| US09719788B2 |
Determining spatial orientation information of a body from multiple electromagnetic signals
A method for determining a spatial orientation of a body, including receiving, by receiving equipment located with the body, at least three electromagnetic signal sets, each of the received signal sets having been transmitted by a different one of at least three separate transmitters at different locations, detecting, for each one of the received signal sets, information that partially defines a direction from the body to the transmitter from which the signal set was received, the detected information including one of two angles that fully define an arrival direction from which the body received the signal set in relation to a body frame, the detected information not including a second of the two angles, and determining the spatial orientation of the body, including yaw, pitch, and roll angles relative to a navigation frame, using the detected information for each one of the received signal sets. |
| US09719787B2 |
Method and system for multiple pass smoothing
The navigation solution of a device may be enhanced by perforating multiple pass smoothing. Forward and backward processing of the input data may be performed to derive interim navigation solutions. One or more quantities of the interim navigation solutions may be combined to smooth the quantities. At least one additional pass of forward and backward processing may then be performed using quantities of the navigation solution that were combined to enhance the interim navigation solutions. Next, at least one uncombined quantity of the navigation solution from the enhanced interim navigation solution is combined to provide an enhanced smoothed navigation solution. Additional passes may be performed to combine other quantities of the navigation solution as desired. |
| US09719786B2 |
Systems for navigating using corrected yaw bias values
An automobile has a system for navigating using a vehicle speed sensor reading rotation data from a wheel and a gyroscopic sensor. For each of a plurality of error parameter values, a distance traveled for each of a plurality of directions of travel. The system also includes selecting the error parameter value that maximizes the distance traveled in one or more of the directions of travel, applying the selected error parameter value to data from the gyroscopic sensor, and navigating using dead reckoning based on data from the vehicle speed sensor and data from the gyroscopic sensor with the applied error parameter value. |
| US09719785B2 |
Methods and systems for route-based display of meteorological forecast information
Methods and systems are provided for presenting forecast information pertaining to a planned route of travel, such as a flight plan. One exemplary method involves obtaining a plurality of forecast data sets associated with a plurality of different forecast time periods and subdividing a route into a plurality of forecast regions encompassing respective portions of the route based on the times associated with the navigational reference points defining the route. Each forecast region of the plurality of forecast regions is associated with a respective forecast time period. For each forecast region, a graphical representation of a subset of the forecast data set associated with that forecast region's associated forecast time period that corresponds to the geographic area of that forecast region is displayed on a display device concurrently to displaying a graphical representation of the route. |
| US09719781B2 |
Measuring method and measuring instrument
The invention provides a measuring method for performing monitoring measurement on two or more objects. The method includes a step of scanning a predetermined range so as to include two or more objects to be measured, a step of acquiring digital images at a predetermined time interval so that there are two or more images which include the same object to be measured while scanning, a step of detecting an image of the object to be measured in the digital image and of setting up a minimal rectangle surrounding the image of the object to be measured, and a step of overlapping the minimal rectangles obtained in two or more digital images and of carrying out integrated processing to obtain positions of the objects to be measured in the image. The composite directional angle of each object to be measured is obtained based on the results of the integrated processing. |
| US09719772B2 |
Fiber optic system for sensing the position of a hydraulic accumulator piston
A fiber optic sensing system for determining the position of an object requires a light source, an optical fiber, a fiber optic splitter, a fiber tip lens, an optical detector and signal processing circuitry. Light emitted by the light source is conveyed via optical fiber and the splitter to the lens and onto an object, such that at least a portion of the light is reflected by the object and conveyed via fiber and the splitter to the detector. Signal processing circuitry coupled to the detector determines the position of the object with respect to the lens based on a characteristic of the reflected light. The system is suitably employed with a hydraulic accumulator having a piston, the position of which varies with the volume of fluid in the accumulator, with the system arranged to determine the position of the piston, from which the volume can be calculated. |
| US09719763B2 |
Reusable polyurethane projectile
Improvements in a reusable polyurethane projectile are presented. The reusable polyurethane projectile performs like a bullet or projectile because the projectile is essentially the same size and shape of a bullet and can be fed through a normal bullet clip into the breach of a gun, fired and ejected. The reusable polyurethane projectile conforms to the rifling of the barrel of the firearm to spin the projectile and provide equivalent accuracy to a metallic bullet. Upon impact the projectile will flatten and then rebound to the original shape. Standard re-loading mechanisms can be used to install the projectile back into a prepared cartridge. The reusable projectile is fabricated from a casting process that increases the resistance of the polyurethane from melting when the hot gun gunpowder pushes the reusable projectile out of the barrel of the gun. |
| US09719762B2 |
Cartridges and bullets
An improved bullet disclosed includes a blend radius disposed between a first tangent thereof intersecting a shank of the bullet and a second tangent thereof intersecting one of a cone ogive and a boattail ogive of the bullet. The bullet also includes at least one dimple formed into a base of the bullet adjacent the boattail ogive, a curved segment joining the dimpled base and the boattail cone and a truncated cone ogive with a meplat end and a shank end, the truncated cone ogive adapted to produce less drag and friction in air than a secant or a tangent ogive. The improved bullet extends an effective flight range and a Coanda effect there around reducing air turbulence and drag on the bullet in flight. A cartridge adapted to receive the improved bullet is necked down and shortened for a COAL (cartridge overall length) nominally the same as conventional cartridges. |
| US09719754B2 |
Folding stock adaptor for military-style assault rifles and a method for its use
The present folding stock adapter can be used with many types of military-type assault rifles that typically comprise a receiver extension, buffer and action spring. The present folding stock adapter can be used to add a folding capability to a standard stock allowing it to fold against a rifle's receiver when the weapon is not in use, thus reducing the overall length of the weapon. This reduction in length can facilitate its maneuverability, storage and transport in cramped quarters. The present device can also allow for the quick unfolding of the stock in order to allow the weapon to function and be fire normally. |
| US09719744B2 |
Fire control with multiple user-selectable trigger profiles
A fire control group is capable of operating in multiple, user-selectable modes. The fire control group includes two disconnectors, a selector switch, and a trigger with a tang. The selector switch has a series of cams which interact with the tang of the trigger and surfaces of the two disconnectors to provide different hammer break points (i.e., distances from neutral), reset distances, overtravel distances, and pull weights, depending on a rotational position of the selector switch. In one embodiment, the fire control group is capable of a safe mode, a 2-stage trigger pull, and a 1-stage trigger pull. |
| US09719743B2 |
Semi-automatic rifle ambidextrous push type speed safety
A sliding safety device for use in AR-15 style and type of semi-automatic rifles is disclosed. The sliding safety device having cylindrical end portions is configured to prevent the discharge of semi-automatic rifle when the device is in a “safe” position. Additionally the invention includes the method of retrofitting the sliding safety device into the lower receiver of a semi-automatic style or type rifle after removal of the standard rotating safety selector device that has been in use since the inception of semi-automatic rifles of the AR-15 style or type. |
| US09719741B1 |
Magazine loading device
A magazine loading device comprises an ammunition delivery interface, a shuttle or escapement, an orientation gate, a staging gate, a plunger, and a magazine receiver. The ammunition may be supplied to the ammunition delivery interface in a number of ways, including utilization of a hopper. The ammunition may be guided into an opening in the shuttle or escapement, which may then transfer the ammunition to an orientation gate. The geometry of the orientation gate is such that the ammunition will always drop through the orientation gate with the projectile down, which in this case is the desired orientation for loading into the magazine. A plunger may then push the ammunition into the magazine. |
| US09719738B2 |
Apparatus and method for applying magnetic fields to fluid flows
Devices and methods are provided for in-line water treatment using strong magnetic fields to influence corrosion, separate toxins, suppress bacteria and bio-fouling, as well as inhibit or greatly reduce mineral scaling due to fluid flow in or around equipment components. For example, a device is provided for applying a magnetic field to a portion of tubing through which a fluid flow, such as water, is conveyed. The device includes a number of links joined together via detachable pivoting connections, such that links may be removed and/or links may be added, thereby allowing a diameter of the device to be adjusted so as to accommodate larger or smaller piping, as necessary, for retrofitting applications. The use of magnetic treatment of fluids such as water may allow extended cycles of operation with higher concentration of mineral salts without the use of chemical scaling suppressants. |
| US09719734B2 |
Heat exchanger mounting structure
A heat exchanger mounting structure is provided with a bracket, a load supporting section, a fitting member, and a contact section. The bracket is provided to one of a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger. The load supporting section is provided to the other heat exchanger to which the bracket is not provided, and supports a load transmitted from the one of the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger. The fitting member is provided to the one of the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger, to which the bracket is provided, and is fitted over the load supporting section. The contact section is in contact with at least a part of the upper portion of the bracket. |
| US09719730B1 |
Engine conversion system
An energy conversion system which utilizes magneto-hydrodynamics for energy based on the Stirling cycle without any moving parts. The energy conversion system generally includes a containment chamber which includes no moving parts. A compressible gas traverses through four distinct sections of the containment chamber to allow for energy conversion based on the Stirling cycle. The first section performs constant volume heating of the medium, the second section performs isothermal expansion of the medium, the third section performs constant volume cooling of the medium, and the fourth section performs isothermal compression of the medium. Electrical conductors installed within the containment chamber and magnetic field placed adjacent to the electric conductors within the containment chamber will extract electrical energy from the moving compressed ionized gas (CIG) using the principle of magneto-hydrodynamics. |
| US09719726B2 |
Bi-directional fill for use in cooling towers
Cooling towers and cooling tower fill configured for the cooling of process water with air by indirect heat exchange, in which the fill is configured with a first set of channels and a second set of channels, said first and second set of channels interleaved with one-another so that heat exchange occurs across material separating said channels from one-another. |
| US09719723B2 |
Substrate support structure, vacuum drying apparatus and method for vacuum drying a substrate
Disclosed is a substrate support structure, a vacuum drying apparatus and a method for vacuum drying a substrate. The substrate support structure comprises: a support pin having a top end for supporting a substrate; and an auxiliary support assembly including: a drive device; a support rod driven by the drive device; and a support disc disposed at a top end of the support rod and made of flexible material adapted to support the substrate, wherein the drive device is configured to drive the support rod to move in a direction parallel to an axial direction of the support pin so as to make the support disc positioned below or above the top end of the support pin as the support rod moves, so that the substrate is selectively supported by the support disc or the support pin. The substrate support structure, the vacuum drying apparatus and the method for vacuum drying a substrate can prevent the substrate from being easily scratched and avoid poor quality and uneven brightness of the substrate. |
| US09719720B2 |
Refrigerator and control method for the same
A refrigerator includes a main body, a door configured to open or close a storage compartment, and a beverage receiving chamber that defines a space for reception of a beverage container. The refrigerator includes a light emitting device and a camera arranged with the beverage receiving chamber in its field of view and configured to capture an image of an interior of the beverage receiving chamber. The refrigerator includes a beverage residual quantity sensing device located in the beverage receiving chamber and configured to measure a weight of a beverage. The refrigerator includes a display configured to display a kind and residual quantity of the beverage, and a controller configured to control operation of the camera, receive a weight sensing signal from the sensing device, determine the residual quantity of the beverage based on the weight sensing signal, and provide a user with information on the kind and residual quantity. |
| US09719718B2 |
Casing for a device that can be used in domestic, catering, or retail sectors
A casing for a device that can be used in the domestic, catering, or retail sectors, in one embodiment a refrigerating device, that has two lateral walls, a top wall, and a rear wall. The casing comprises two lateral casing elements for covering the lateral walls of the device, a top casing element for covering the top wall of the device, and a rear casing element for covering the rear wall of the device. The lateral casing elements and the top casing element each have an angled front edge section for engaging around a front edge of the lateral walls and a front edge of the top wall, respectively. Each lateral casing element includes a retaining profile on a face opposite the angled front edge section, the rear casing element being held in said retaining profiles. |
| US09719717B2 |
Method and apparatus for routing utilities in a refrigerator
Disclosed in this application is a u-shaped grommet for use in a refrigerator. The grommet is fixed so as to allow wires to be routed towards an opening in the liner of the refrigerator, pass through the opening in the liner, and exit the grommet in the opposite direction as the wires entered. The grommet is preferably molded to the wires so that the combined product is inseparable from the wiring which it protects. The grommet is also described as a single piece grommet, although multiple piece grommets are anticipated.Further disclosed in this application is an improved pass-through hinge for routing utilities, including water and electricity, from the door to the body of the refrigerator. The improved hinge features a hollow hinge pin through which utilities may be routed, thereby overcoming the deficiencies of the current state of the art. |
| US09719714B2 |
Refrigerator and dehumidification control method thereof
A refrigerator and a dehumidification control method thereof to effectively perform both temperature compensation and dehumidification so as to prevent formation of dewdrops in a refrigerating compartment of the refrigerator. The control method includes detecting a temperature of outside air around the refrigerator to judge whether or not the detected temperature corresponds to a low-temperature mode requiring dehumidification, heating a refrigerating compartment by operating a refrigerating compartment heater and a refrigerating compartment fan for dehumidification if the low-temperature mode is judged, cooling the refrigerating compartment by operating a compressor while continuously operating the refrigerating compartment fan, and simultaneously cooling and heating the refrigerating compartment to enable simultaneous implementation of temperature compensation by heating of the refrigerating compartment and dehumidification by cooling of the refrigerating compartment. |
| US09719712B2 |
Device and method for the continuous thermochemical production of cold
A system and a thermochemical method for the production of cold, that uses a reactive device having a reactor or a chamber for storing a reactive product that can absorb a gas. The reactive product and the gas are such that, when they are exposed to one another, they undergo a reaction resulting in absorption of the gas by the reactive product and, conversely, they undergo a reaction involving the desorption of the gas absorbed by the reactive product as a result of heat applied to the reactive product when it absorbed the gas. The system has two substantially identical reactive devices wherein when the reactor of one reactive device is operating in the absorption cycle, the reactor of the other is operating in the desorption cycle. The system has a mechanism for determining the progress rate of the thermochemical reaction. |
| US09719711B2 |
Vertical ice maker producing clear ice pieces
An ice making assembly and method utilizes a housing having an upper fluid chamber, a plurality of distinct, substantially vertical fluid channels, and at least one drain aperture in fluid communication with a fluid reservoir. Ice forming members extend from an ice forming evaporator into respective fluid channels. During an ice making event, fluid continuously supplied to the upper fluid chamber flows into each of the fluid channels and out through at least one drain aperture into a fluid reservoir below. The ice forming members are cooled such that fluid flowing across the fluid channels freezes on the ice forming members over time, forming clear ice pieces. The ice pieces are subsequently released from the ice forming members and transferred for storage and/or dispensing. |
| US09719710B2 |
Ice maker of refrigerator and method of manufacturing the same
An ice maker of a refrigerator includes a cooling unit for generating cold air; a case mounted in a food storage space, and defining a cooling space for receiving the cold air; an ice making assembly for making ice; a rib unit provided at one side of the ice making assembly; and a bucket arranged at one side of the ice making assembly for receiving the ice. The ice making assembly includes an ice tray arranged in the cooling space, the ice tray having an ice making recess formed in an upper surface thereof for making ice; and a cold air guiding unit arranged at a lower side of the ice tray for guiding the cold air to the lower side of the ice tray, and a rib unit including cooling ribs protruding downward from a bottom surface of the ice tray while extending in a state of being rotated. |
| US09719706B2 |
Accumulator arrangement with an integrated subcooler
An accumulator arrangement for use in a cooling system suitable for operation with two-phase refrigerant includes a condenser having a refrigerant inlet and a refrigerant outlet. The accumulator arrangement further includes an accumulator for receiving the two-phase refrigerant therein, the accumulator having a refrigerant inlet connected to the refrigerant outlet of the condenser and a refrigerant outlet. Finally, the accumulator arrangement includes a subcooler having a refrigerant inlet and a refrigerant outlet, the refrigerant inlet of the subcooler being connected to the refrigerant outlet of the accumulators, and the subcooler being arranged at least partially within the interior of the accumulator. |
| US09719705B2 |
Disposable bioreactor condenser bag and filter heater
Disclosed herein is a system and method for condensing moisture in a moist gas stream entering a bioreactor or leaving a bioreactor, the system comprising: a condenser container capable of holding a fluid, the condenser container comprising: an outer wall surface and an inner wall surface, the inner wall surface defining an interior chamber for holding the fluid; and a first fitment attached to the outer wall surface of the condenser container, the first fitment forming a first port configured to allow the moist gas stream to flow through the first port and into the interior chamber; a second fitment attached to the outer wall surface of the condenser container, the second fitment forming a second port configured to allow a dried gas to flow from the interior chamber and out of the second port; and a cooling device in contact with at least one portion of the outer wall surface of the condenser container and arranged to cool the at least one portion of the outer wall surface of the condenser container, thereby to condense moisture in the moist gas stream and forming a dry gas stream for entering or leaving the bioreactor. |
| US09719704B2 |
Systems and methods for recovering energy from wastewater
Integrated systems and methods for onsite wastewater treatment in which a portion of onsite energy demands may be driven by energy harvested from the wastewater. Thermal energy of wastewater may be transferred from an onsite wastewater treatment system to an onsite heat pump to recover thermal energy, at least a portion of which may then be delivered to an onsite energy demand. |
| US09719703B2 |
Vehicle air comfort system and method
Vehicle air comfort systems and methods. The systems and methods may comprise: (1) a plurality of flow tunnels for passage of a heat-transfer fluid; (2) a thermoelectric cooler in thermal communication with the flow tunnels for thermally conditioning the heat-transfer fluid in the flow tunnels; (3) an air inlet for receiving unconditioned air; (4) a thermal exchange assembly for facilitating thermal exchange between the thermally conditioned heat-transfer fluid and the unconditioned air to result in conditioning of the air; and (5) an air outlet for outputting the conditioned air into the vehicle. |
| US09719700B2 |
Method for matching refrigeration load to compressor capacity
A method for controlling operation of a refrigeration system (1), including one or more refrigeration entities (4), is disclosed. Each entity controller (7) obtains a measure for an error value between the measured value of a compressor control parameter and a setpoint value (8) for the compressor control parameter, and each entity controller (7) adjusts a refrigeration load of the corresponding refrigeration entity (4) to correspond to a cooling capacity of the compressor(s) (2), and in accordance with the obtained measure for an error value. |