| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US09747241B2 |
Address caching in switches
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for storing an address in a memory of a switch. One of the systems includes a switch that receives packets from and delivers packets to devices connected to a bus without any components on the bus between the switch and each of the devices, a memory integrated into the switch to store a mapping of virtual addresses to physical addresses, and a storage medium integrated into the switch storing instructions executable by the switch to cause the switch to perform operations including receiving a response to an address translation request for a device connected to the switch by the bus, the response including a mapping of a virtual address to a physical address, and storing, in the memory, the mapping of the virtual address to the physical address in response to receiving the response. |
| US09747239B2 |
Transaction filter for on-chip communications network
A transaction filter for an on-chip communications network is disclosed. In one embodiment, an integrated circuit (IC) include a number of functional circuit blocks, some of which may be placed in a sleep mode (e.g., power-gated). The IC also includes a number of transaction filters that are each associated with a unique one of the functional circuit blocks. Responsive to its associated functional circuit block generating a transaction, a given transaction filter may determine whether the functional circuit block to which the transaction is destined is in a sleep mode. If it is determined that the transaction is destined for a functional circuit block that is currently in the sleep mode, the transaction filter may block the transaction from being conveyed. |
| US09747238B2 |
Computer processor employing split crossbar circuit for operand routing and slot-based organization of functional units
A computer processor including a plurality of functional units that performs operations that produce result operands at different characteristic latencies over multiple cycles. An interconnect network provides data paths for transfer of operand data between functional units. The interconnect network includes first and second crossbar parts. The first crossbar part is configured to route result operands produced with the lowest characteristic latency to any other functional unit. The second crossbar part is configured to route result operands with higher characteristic latency relative to the lowest characteristic latency to the first crossbar part where such result operands are in turn routed to any functional unit. In another aspect, the functional units can be organized as multiple slots where each slot can produce multiple result operands of different characteristic latencies in the same cycle, and wherein each slot employs separate result registers for each characteristic latency present on the slot. |
| US09747235B2 |
Information processing method and electronic device
An information processing method and an electronic device are provided, the information processing method includes: detecting a version parameter of a first USB device connected to an electronic device; detecting a display resolution of the electronic device; determining whether the version parameter and the display resolution meet a predetermined conflict condition; and adjusting the display resolution of the electronic device in a case that the version parameter and the display resolution meet the predetermined conflict condition. |
| US09747234B2 |
Solid state drive controlling circuit and related solid state drive device and solid state drive access system
A solid state drive (SSD) controlling circuit and related SSD device and SSD access system are disclosed. The SSD controlling circuit includes: an AHCI (advance host controller interface) controlling circuit for coupling with a PCIe (peripheral component interconnect express) interface; and a flash memory controlling circuit coupled with the AHCI controlling circuit and configured to operably control accessing operations of one or multiple flash memory arrays of a solid state drive. The AHCI controlling circuit transmits an indication message to a host device through the PCIe interface. The indication message is configured to declare that the AHCI controlling circuit is currently coupled with M solid state drives, wherein M is an integer greater than 1 and less than 32. |
| US09747232B2 |
Data processing device
A data processing device includes: multiple data processing stages including a processing element, a stage memory and an event controller; and a bidirectional slotted bus connecting between the data processing stages, including two write only busses arranged at different data writing directions independently from each other. The processing element and the stage memory in one data processing stage are connected to each other via a read only bus. The processing element and the slotted bus are connected to each other via a write only bus. A process completion event is input from the processing element to the event controller, and an external event is input from an external device to the event controller. The event controller generates a task start event with respect to the processing element, according to each of the process completion event and the external event. |
| US09747231B2 |
Bus access arbiter and method of bus arbitration
A bus access arbiter includes an access mode judgment unit and a round robin arbitration unit. The access mode judgment unit judges, when bus access is generated from a plurality of masters M0 and M1, whether an access mode of each of the masters that are connected is a sequential access mode or a single access mode. The round robin arbitration unit dynamically switches an access arbitration method for arbitrating the bus access according to the access mode. The access mode judgment unit includes an access interval count unit, a sequential access number count unit, and an access mode state register that stores a state of the judged access mode for each of the masters, and updates the state of the access mode based on an access interval and the number of sequential access. |
| US09747224B2 |
Method and apparatus for managing register port
Provided is a method of managing a register port, the method including performing scheduling on register ports that are used during a plurality of cycles to enable performing of a calculation; encoding data of the register ports according to results of the scheduling, the encoding of the data including, with respect to data of one of the register ports that does not have a schedule during one of the plurality of cycles, equally encoding the data of the one register port during the one cycle with data of an adjacent cycle of the one register port, the adjacent cycle being adjacent to the one cycle; and transmitting results of the encoding to a device that includes the register ports. |
| US09747223B2 |
Key encryption and decryption
Provided is a data storage drive for encrypting data, comprising a microprocessor and circuitry coupled to the microprocessor and adapted to receive a session encrypted data key and to decrypt the session encrypted data key using a session key, wherein a result is a data key that is capable of being used to encrypt clear text and to decrypt cipher text written to a storage medium. Also provided is a system, comprising a microprocessor and circuitry coupled to the microprocessor and adapted to receive a session encrypted data key and to decrypt the session encrypted data key using a private key, wherein a result is a secret key that is capable of being used to encrypt clear text and to decrypt cipher text written to a storage medium. |
| US09747211B2 |
Cache memory, cache memory control unit, and method of controlling the cache memory
A cache memory includes: a tag storage section in which one of a plurality of indexes, each index containing a plurality of tag addresses and one suspension-indicating section, is looked up by a first address portion of an accessed address; a data storage section; a tag control section configured to, when the suspension-indicating section contained in the looked-up index indicates suspension, allow access relevant to the accessed address to wait, and when the suspension-indicating section contained in the looked-up index indicates non-suspension, compare a second address portion different from the first address portion of the accessed address to each of the plurality of tag addresses contained in the looked-up index, and detects a tag address matched with the second address portion; and a data control section. |
| US09747207B2 |
Crash-proof cache data protection method and system
The inventions disclosed herein provide a crash-proof cache data protection method and system. The cache data backup steps include: when power interruption unexpectedly occur, a preselected central processing unit receiving an interrupt request signal; querying to obtain index nodes of block devices corresponding to logical volume management volumes; according to the index nodes, acquiring a page needing to be stored in a flash memory; acquiring a buffer head in the page, and storing information of the buffer head and buffer data corresponding to the buffer head into the flash memory, and generating backup data. The cache data recovery steps include: acquiring the backup data which includes an unique ID of the block device and a logic block ID; calculating the block address of the backup data needing to be recovered using the logic block ID, querying a logic volume path of the block addresses in a volume database according to a unique identifier, and writing the backup data into the block addresses in a mode of a virtual file system so as to recover cache data. |
| US09747206B2 |
Methods for reprogramming data and apparatuses using the same
A method for reprogramming data, performed by a processing unit, is disclosed to include at least the following steps. After a page of data has failed to be programmed into a first block of a storage unit, it is determined whether the failed page is an upper page or a first lower page. When the failed page is an upper page, a host page number associated with a second lower page of a wordline including at least the failed page is obtained, a second block is selected, and an access interface is directed to reprogram data from the second lower page to the upper page into the second block. |
| US09747203B2 |
Multi-section garbage collection system including multi-use source register
A computer system is configured to perform a garbage collection process within a computing environment. The computer system includes a memory having a load-monitored region managed by a runtime environment. A computer processor is configured to perform operations including executing an instruction to load a doubleword, where the instruction includes a destination register. The operations further include loading into the destination register a pointer address of a pointer when the pointer indicated by the instruction points to a first location located in the load-monitored region. The operations further include invoking a garbage collection event-based branch (EBB) in response to reading the pointer address from the destination register. In response to invoking the garbage collection EBB, an object indicated by the pointer address is moved via a handler from the first location in memory to a second location in memory that is located outside of the load-monitored region. |
| US09747202B1 |
Storage module and method for identifying hot and cold data
A storage module and method for identifying hot and cold data are provided. The storage module can be removable from a host or can be embedded in a host. In one embodiment, a request to store data in a logical block address (LBA) of a memory of the storage module is received. A physical block associated with the LBA is determined, and it is also determined whether the physical block stores hot or cold data. A last-known open block is then selected, wherein the last-known open block is either hot or cold depending on whether the physical block stores hot or cold data. If space is available in the last-known open block, the data is written to the last-known open block. |
| US09747200B1 |
Memory system with high speed non-volatile memory backup using pre-aged flash memory devices
A memory system having non-volatile memory backup with high-speed programming capability. The non-volatile memory, such as flash memory, is pre-aged before first use in a host system. Pre-aging includes execution of a plurality of dummy program and erase cycles as part of the memory system or before assembly as part of the memory system. The memory system can include an NVDIMM having flash memory backup. The pre-aged flash memory programs a page of data in a shorter period of time relative to new flash memory. Fewer flash memory chips are needed in the memory system relative to memory systems using new flash memory chips, thereby reducing cost of the memory system. The NVDIMM may be used to backup data from a volatile memory device such as a DRAM. Programming times may be tracked after each dummy program/erase cycle, and for each programmable page of a memory block. |
| US09747194B2 |
Systems and methods to maintain consistency between software specification and code
A method and a system to maintain consistency between software specification and code are described. A specification engine converts a specification describing features included in a piece of software into convened specification that describes the historical details of the features organized temporally. A code engine abstracts code corresponding to the specification into a design. An n-trace engine traces a portion of the converted specification that describes a particular feature of the one or more features to a portion of the design that includes the code that, when executed by one or more processors, implements the particular feature and generates a time-graph that sequentially orders events occurring in connection with the portion of the code. |
| US09747192B2 |
Automated operating system installation on multiple drives
Technologies are provided herein for automated operating system installation on multiple drives. A device switch connects a mass storage device to a test control system (“TCS”) or a system under test (“SUT”). When connected to the TCS, the mass storage device is mounted with a disk image containing an installer program for an operating system. When the mass storage device is connected to the SUT, the installer program is executed to install the operating system onto an activated drive connected to the SUT. Multiple operating systems can be installed in a similar fashion by mounting a corresponding disk image for an operating system onto the mass storage device and by installing from the mass storage device the operating system onto a corresponding drive connected to the SUT. Errors generated during the automated installation process can be analyzed and utilized to identify and correct errors in a computing system firmware. |
| US09747183B2 |
Method and system for intelligent distributed health monitoring in switching system equipment
A method for distributed health monitoring and fault repairing in a switching system. The switching system having one or more supervisory cards, one or more line cards, and one or more switch fabric cards. The method includes transmitting a health status poll request message to the one or more line cards and the one or more switch fabric cards. Thereafter, the method includes receiving health status poll response messages from each of the one or more line cards and the one or more switch fabric cards. Each health status poll response message includes health status summary of the corresponding card. Further, the method involves detecting one or more faults in the switching system based on the health poll response messages. Finally, the method includes triggering at least one action on the detection of the faults in the switching system. These actions are triggered based on a set of predefined rules. |
| US09747182B2 |
System and method for in-service diagnostics based on health signatures
In accordance with the present disclosure, a system and method are herein disclosed for providing in-service diagnostics based on health signatures of an information handling system. In one embodiment, the health of an information handling system is periodically probed by a software agent running as a service. The service polls a set of probes from interfaces on the host system and tracks parameters indicative of system and component health and performance. An analytics engine processes the data to identify anomalies and outliers, and to detect signatures that are precursors to potential service incidents. A rule set matches signatures to potential actions. Based on the detected signatures and rule sets, the service is operable to select, schedule, and execute one or more diagnostic tests. If an information handling system or component thereof fails a diagnostic test, the results are archived to persistent storage and communicated to an administrator. |
| US09747180B1 |
Controlling virtual endpoint failover during administrative SCSI target port disable/enable
Embodiments are described for systems and methods that facilitate control of virtual endpoint failover/failback during an administrative SCSI target port disable or enable operation. In this case, SCSI target virtual endpoints may failover to a secondary SCSI target port when the primary port fails. When the primary port is corrected and enabled by the administrator the failover method pulls virtual endpoints on secondary ports back to the primary port under administrator control; and if an administrator wishes to manually disable a SCSI target port the failover operation pushes (failover) all virtual endpoints currently using the port as a primary to a secondary port. |
| US09747179B2 |
Data management agent for selective storage re-caching
A data management agent for selective storage re-caching is described. A data management agent with an inter-agent communication link and protocol updates a volume on a primary storage area network connected to the data management agent. The primary storage area network mirrors the update to the volume over a first connection to a corresponding volume on a recovery storage area network. The data management agent further transmits a notification of the update to the volume over a second connection to a recovery data management agent connected to the recovery storage area network. Upon receiving the notification, the recovery data management agent scans only the corresponding volume and selectively refreshes its cached information for the corresponding volume. |
| US09747176B2 |
Data storage with virtual appliances
A data storage system has at least two universal nodes each having CPU resources, memory resources, network interface resources, and a storage virtualizer. A system controller communicates with all of the nodes. Each storage virtualizer in each universal node is allocated by the system controller a number of storage provider resources that it manages. The system controller maintains a map for dependency of virtual appliances to storage providers, and the storage virtualizer provides storage to its dependent virtual appliances either locally or through a network protocol (N_IOC, S_IOC) to another universal node. The storage virtualizer manages storage providers and is tolerant to fault conditions. The storage virtualizer can migrate from any one universal node to any other universal node. |
| US09747175B2 |
System for aggregation and transformation of real-time data
Embodiments of the invention are directed to systems, methods, and computer program products for aggregation and transformation of real-time data. The system is configured for retrieving data associated with the first user interaction in real-time via an established communication link with one or more interaction channels accessible to the first user; processing the data to identify a pattern associated with the first user interaction; identifying an error associated with at least a portion of the data; determining a time stamp and an interaction channel associated with the portion of data identified to be in error; replaying the data associated with the first user interaction; process the portion of data identified to be in error to rectify the error; and storing the transformed portion of data in the database. |
| US09747170B2 |
Non-volatile multi-level cell memory system and method of performing adaptive data back-up in the system
In one example embodiment of the inventive concepts, an adaptive data backup method performed in a memory system including a non-volatile multi-level cell memory device includes receiving a write command from a host and determining a backup data size which is a size of data to be backed up among data requested to be written in the write command. The adaptive data backup method further includes selecting a backup type among at least two different backup types, based on the backup data size and backing up the data according to the selected backup type. |
| US09747163B2 |
Pre-population of data for replication of data backups
A system and a method are disclosed for pre-seeding data to backup servers and determining servers for additional backups. Backup data is received from a client device through a first backup request and sent to a primary server for storage. Additional backup data from a second backup request is received. After the initial backup data is stored on the primary server and pre-seeded by the primary server on a secondary server, a status of backup servers associated with the client device is received. The backup servers include the primary server and can include the secondary server. Responsive to the status indicating availability of a server in the backup servers, a recipient server is identified from the backup servers and the additional backup data is sent to the identified recipient server. |
| US09747161B2 |
Signal processing device, magnetic information playback device, and signal processing method
The invention provides a signal processing device, including: an extraction section that extracts, from an input digital signal, a decoding target signal at an extraction timing that has been determined as a timing for extracting the decoding target signal; a decoding section that decodes the decoding target signal by estimating, by a maximum likelihood decoding, a candidate for a decoding result of the decoding target signal extracted by the extraction section and detecting a maximum likelihood decoding result; and an adjustment section that adjusts the extraction timing using a likelihood of the candidate for the decoding result estimated by the decoding section. |
| US09747159B2 |
MRAM smart bit write algorithm with error correction parity bits
Some embodiments relate to a system that includes write circuitry, read circuitry, and comparison circuitry. The write circuitry is configured to attempt to write an expected multi-bit word to a memory location in a memory device. The read circuitry is configured to read an actual multi-bit word from the memory location. The comparison circuitry is configured to compare the actual multi-bit word read from the memory location with the expected multi-bit word which was previously written to the memory location to distinguish between a number of erroneous bits in the actual multi-bit word and a number of correct bits in the actual multi-bit word. The write circuitry is further configured to re-write the number of erroneous bits to the memory location without attempting to re-write the number of correct bits to the memory location. |
| US09747152B2 |
Tracking incomplete transactions in correlation with application errors
Various methods and systems for tracking incomplete purchases in correlation with application performance, such as application errors or crashes, are provided. In this regard, aspects of the invention facilitate monitoring transaction and application error events and analyzing data associated therewith to identify data indicating an impact of incomplete purchases in relation to an error(s) such that application performance can be improved. In various implementations, application data associated with an application installed on a mobile device is received. The application data is used to determine that an error that occurred in association with the application installed on the mobile device correlates with an incomplete monetary transaction initiated via the application. Based on the error correlating with the incomplete monetary transaction, a transaction attribute associated with the error is determined. |
| US09747149B2 |
Firmware dump collection from primary system dump device adapter
A method of firmware dump collection from a primary dump adapter is provided. The method includes identifying a primary system dump device and a secondary system dump device. An operating system (OS) dump coordinator writes non-disruptive state data to the primary system dump device, and writes disruptive state data to the secondary system dump device. Non-disruptive state data is requested from a hardware device adapter that is connected to the non-primary system dump device. Disruptive state data is requested from the hardware device adapter that is connected to the primary system dump device. The non-disruptive state data is written to the primary system dump device. Disruptive state data is written to the secondary system dump device. |
| US09747143B1 |
Multi platform based event processing
A method for executing an event processing application in a multi-platform environment which includes a first computing platform and a second computing platform. The event processing application comprises a network of a plurality of processing rules, each of which, when executed by a computing platform, is configured to process incoming events and output outgoing events. The method comprises automatically identifying one or more processing rules comprised by the event processing application that are restricted to be executed in the first computing platform. The automatic identification comprises analyzing each rule in the plurality of processing rules to determine whether the rule is configured to perform a restricted activity. The method further comprises executing the plurality of processing rules in the multi-platform environment, some of which are executed in the first computing platform and some are executed in the second computing platform. |
| US09747141B2 |
Apparatus and methods for widget intercommunication in a wireless communication environment
The described aspects relate to methods and apparatus for widget intercommunication in a wireless communication environment. In particular the described aspects relate to dynamically exchanging content between application graphical user interface widgets executed on a widget runtime model. |
| US09747135B2 |
Multi-dimension scheduling among multiple consumers
Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for allocating multiple resources. In one embodiment, a configured resource plan is used to construct a hierarchical tree. The system then identifies a set of unowned resources from the configured resource plan and sends the set of unowned resource to a share pool. The share pool is either a global or local pool and can be accessed by one or more consumers. In response to changes in workload demands, a set of unused resources are lent to a global or local pool. |
| US09747133B2 |
Enhanced availability for message services
An enhanced availability environment for facilitating a message service provided by a plurality of service elements is disclosed herein. The enhanced availability environment comprises a monitoring element and an enhanced availability element. The monitoring element monitors a first service element of the plurality of service elements for a monitored characteristic, generates monitoring information corresponding to the monitored characteristic, and communicates the monitoring information to the enhanced availability element. The enhanced availability element determines an availability of the first service element for the message service based at least in part on the monitoring information and an availability characteristic of the first service element, and communicates the availability to initiate an availability action. |
| US09747131B1 |
System and method for variable aggregation in order for workers in a data processing to share information
A method and a system for variable aggregation among large-scale data processing workers is discussed. Workers join groups and add variables to the groups. One worker is elected as the group leader. Workers post values to group variables, which are aggregated by the leader. The leader also announces the aggregated values. This variable aggregation allows for asynchronous communication among data processing workers. |
| US09747130B2 |
Managing nodes in a high-performance computing system using a node registrar
A method of managing nodes in a high-performance computing (HPC) system, which includes a management subsystem and a job scheduler subsystem, includes providing a node registrar subsystem. Logical node management functions are performed with the node registrar subsystem. Other management functions are performed with the management subsystem using the node registrar subsystem. Job scheduling functions are performed with the job scheduler subsystem using the node registrar subsystem. |
| US09747126B2 |
Optimization of virtual machines
A resource reservoir is provided. The resource reservoir is a pool of resources that are allocated to and shared between a plurality of reserve virtual machines. A reserve virtual machine of the plurality of reserve virtual machines corresponds to a primary virtual machine from a plurality of primary virtual machines. Each reserve virtual machine of the plurality of reserve virtual machines fulfills a resource requirement from the resource reservoir. The sum of the resources requirements of the plurality of reserve virtual machines is greater than a sum of total resources within the resource reservoir. In response to determining a decrease in performance of the primary virtual machine, at least a portion of workload of the primary virtual machine is applied to the corresponding reserve virtual machine. The resources used by the reserve virtual are indicated as unavailable to the remaining reserve virtual machines from the resource reservoir. |
| US09747125B2 |
Associating virtual machines on a server computer with particular users on an exclusive basis
A first computer of a plurality of computers in a server computer system may be associated with a first user on an exclusive basis. An administrator of the server computer system may utilize an administrative user interface in order to specify the association. Associating the first computer with the first user on the exclusive basis may prevent users other than the first user from using the first computer. In response to receiving a request from the first user to connect to the server computer system, the system may operate to determine that the first computer is associated with the first user on the exclusive basis and may assign the first computer to the first user. Once the first computer has been assigned to the first user, the first user can begin using the first computer. In some embodiments the first computer may be a physical computer. In other embodiments the first computer may be a virtual machine. |
| US09747124B2 |
Distributed virtual machine image management for cloud computing
Embodiments of the present invention and provide a method for distributed virtual machine (VM) image management in a cloud computing management includes receiving in a hypervisor executing in memory of a host computer, a request for VM image data from a VM and determining whether or not the requested VM image data is present in a local cache of either the hypervisor of the host computer or in a cache of a hypervisor of a peer host. The method additionally includes retrieving the requested VM image data from a seed image in a remote data store in the cloud computing environment only when it is determined that the VM image data neither is present in the local cache of the hypervisor of the host computer nor is present in the cache of the hypervisor of the peer host. |
| US09747119B2 |
Methods and apparatus to monitor virtual computing environments
Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture to monitor virtual computing environments are described. An example method includes determining a computing resource status of a computing host that is operating a container engine, comparing the computing resource status to a threshold, and in response to determining that computing resource status does not exceed the threshold, executing a monitoring operation in a container hosted by the container engine. |
| US09747112B2 |
Managing invocation of tasks
A graph-based program specification includes components, at least one having at least one input port for receiving a collection of data elements, or at least one collection type output port for providing a collection of data elements. Executing a program specified by the graph-based program specification at a computing node, includes: receiving data elements of a first collection into a first storage in a first order via a link connected to a collection type output port of a first component and an input port of a second component, and invoking a plurality of instances of a task corresponding to the second component to process data elements of the first collection, including retrieving the data elements from the first storage in a second order, without blocking invocation of any of the instances until after any particular instance completes processing one or more data elements. |
| US09747111B2 |
Task execution on a managed node based on compliance with execution policy
Systems and methods for executing tasks on a managed node remotely coupled to a management node are provided. A management controller of the management node may be configured to determine at least one execution policy for a task, schedule the task for execution, receive system information data from the managed node, based at least on the received system information, determine if the received system information complies with the at least one execution policy, and if the received information complies with the at least one execution policy, forward the task from the management controller to the managed node for execution. |
| US09747108B2 |
User-level fork and join processors, methods, systems, and instructions
A processor of an aspect includes a plurality of processor elements, and a first processor element. The first processor element may perform a user-level fork instruction of a software thread. The first processor element may include a decoder to decode the user-level fork instruction. The user-level fork instruction is to indicate at least one instruction address. The first processor element may also include a user-level thread fork module. The user-level fork module, in response to the user-level fork instruction being decoded, may configure each of the plurality of processor elements to perform instructions in parallel. Other processors, methods, systems, and instructions are disclosed. |
| US09747107B2 |
System and method for compiling or runtime executing a fork-join data parallel program with function calls on a single-instruction-multiple-thread processor
A system and method for compiling or runtime executing a fork-join data parallel program with function calls. In one embodiment, the system includes: (1) a partitioner operable to partition groups into a master group and at least one worker group and (2) a thread designator associated with the partitioner and operable to designate only one thread from the master group for execution and all threads in the at least one worker group for execution. |
| US09747099B2 |
Parallel computer architecture for computation of particle interactions
A computation system for computing interactions in a multiple-body simulation includes an array of processing modules arranged into one or more serially interconnected processing groups of the processing modules. Each of the processing modules includes storage for data elements and includes circuitry for performing pairwise computations between data elements each associated with a spatial location. Each of the pairwise computations makes use of a data element from the storage of the processing module and a data element passing through the serially interconnected processing modules. Each of the processing modules includes circuitry for selecting the pairs of data elements according to separations between spatial locations associated with the data elements. |
| US09747097B2 |
Devices, systems and methods for segmented device behavior
Device segmentation systems and methods enable devices to be manufactured and placed into the stream of commerce without customization for a particular retailer. The customization occurs at a later point in time when the device is activated after sale. This allows devices to be transferred among retailers without the additional expense of re-customizing the device. |
| US09747095B1 |
System and method for automated content and software migration
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a system and method for migrating application and packages configured for a first version of a configuration manager to a second version of the configuration manager. The method prepares the packages and applications for migration from the first version of the configuration manager to the second version of the configuration manager using a Migration Preparation Engine. The package comprises at least one program. The application comprises at least one deployment type record. The method migrates the package and associated at least one program as well as the application and associated at least one deployment type record from the first version of the configuration manager to the second version of the configuration manager using the using the Migration Execution Engine. The method stores a migration record in a computer memory to record the migration of the package and application. |
| US09747093B2 |
Device driver aggregation in operating system deployment
A tool for managing device driver aggregation during operating system deployment. The tool receives a request for a device bundle, wherein the request originates from a first target client. The tool determines whether an available driver bundle matches the device bundle, wherein the available driver bundle is a driver bundle stored locally on a second target client. Responsive to a determination that the available driver bundle matches the device bundle, the tool provisions the available driver bundle to the first target client from the second target client. |
| US09747092B2 |
Substrate processing system and method of installing PLC software
A substrate processing system includes a main controller, a module controller connected to the main controller, the module controller controlling a device on the basis of a command from the main controller, and a programmable logic controller connected to the module controller, wherein the module controller automatically downloads, from the main controller, module controller software to be used for control of the module controller, PLC software to be used for control of the programmable logic controller, and an automatic transfer software for automatically transferring the PLC software to the programmable logic controller. |
| US09747090B2 |
Application deployment method and scheduler
An application deployment method and a scheduler are disclosed. The method includes: receiving, by a scheduler, an application deployment request sent for a first application by a cloud controller of a first cloud; after receiving the application deployment request, sending, by the scheduler, a first query message and a second query message to a cloud controller of a second cloud, and sending a second query message to a cloud controller of a third cloud; determining, by the scheduler, a target calculation unit from at least one calculation unit that is obtained by querying by using the first query message and the second query message and that has a first calculation capability; and deploying, by the scheduler, the first application to the target calculation unit. |
| US09747086B2 |
Transmission point pattern extraction from executable code in message passing environments
Extractable annotations are created and stored for different transmission points. In some instances, this occurs during compiling. One type of transmission point is a message being passed to another process. Once the transmission point is identified, a pattern defining output for the transmission point is then identified. A first extractable annotation defining the first patter is then created and stored for subsequent use. |
| US09747084B2 |
Offline shader compilation
Systems and techniques are provided that allow for installation of an application on a mobile device using a shader executable suitable for execution by the mobile device. When a request to install an application is received by an application distribution platform, a shader configured for the device is generated by the platform and provided with the application package for installation on the device. Thus, launch-time compilation and just-in-time re-compilation may be avoided. |
| US09747080B2 |
Software design sharing systems and methods
A system, method and software product shares a software design. A design sharer having machine readable instructions stored within memory of a development server and executable by a processor of the development server interacts with a first user to select a first portion of a first hierarchical software design. The design sharer saves the first portion within a public workspace. The design sharer interacts with a second user having access to the public workspace to select the first portion and inserts the first portion into a second hierarchical software design. |
| US09747079B2 |
Method and system of software specification modeling
According to some embodiments, a system includes a communication device operative to communicate with a user to obtain the one or more requirements associated with a specification model for a semantic module; a semantic module to receive the one or more requirements, store the one or more requirements and transform the one or more requirements into a semantic model; a specification module to receive the semantic model, store the semantic model, translate the semantic model and generate a specification model; a memory for storing program instructions; at least one specification model platform processor, coupled to the memory, and in communication with the specification module and the semantic module and operative to execute program instructions to: transform the one or more requirements into a semantic model by executing the semantic module; translate the semantic model into a graphical model by executing the specification module; and modify the graphical model by executing the specification module to generate the specification model; and generate a specification model that is human-readable and computer-readable for use in software design. Numerous other aspects are provided. |
| US09747078B2 |
True random number generation in systems on chip
A device for true random number generation is disclosed. The device comprises an antenna and an analog processing unit for analog processing of a signal received from the antenna. An analog to digital (AD) converter is used for converting an analog signal generated by the analog processing unit into a digital signal. An isolation means is applied for temporarily isolating the antenna from the analog processing unit and the AD converter to generate a noise signal. A sampling means is used for sampling output values generated by the AD converter when the antenna is isolated from the analog processing unit and the AD converter. A digital processing unit is used for processing the sampled output values generated by the AD converter. The digital processing unit is configured to generate a random number based on one or more of the output values generated by the AD converter. |
| US09747076B1 |
Parallel pseudo random bit sequence generation with adjustable width
Integrated circuits with pseudo random bit sequence (PRBS) generation circuitry are provided. The PRBS generation circuitry may be configured to support parallel output generation in multiple modes, where the parallel bit width in each mode can be different. The PRBS generation circuitry may include a linear feedback shift register that implements a desired polynomial, one or more XOR tree circuits that produces the parallel output bits, a multiplexer for selectively routing a subset of the parallel output bits back to the input of the shift register, and a gearbox for performing an adjustable bit width conversion. Configured in this way, the PRBS generation circuitry can provide parallel PRBS generation with an adjustable bit width. |
| US09747074B2 |
Division circuit and microprocessor
In an embodiment, a division circuit has an overflow determination circuit configured to determine whether or not a division result overflows by comparing absolute values of a dividend and a divisor, a replacement circuit configured to replace the dividend with a first value and replace the divisor with a second value when the overflow determination circuit determines that the division result overflows, and a stepwise division circuit configured to perform stepwise division on the dividend and the divisor or the first value and the second value. |
| US09747073B2 |
Floating point unit with support for variable length numbers
Embodiments of a processor are disclosed for performing arithmetic operations on a machine independent number format. The processor may include a floating point unit, and a number unit. The number format may include a sign/exponent block, a length block, and multiple mantissa digits. The number unit may be configured to perform an operation on two operands by converting the digit format of each mantissa digit of each operand, to perform the operation using the converted mantissa digits, and then to convert each mantissa digit of the result of the operation back into the original digit format. |
| US09747069B2 |
Using mute/non-mute transitions to output an alert indicating a functional state of a back-up audio-broadcast system
In one aspect, an example method for outputting an alert indicating a functional state of a back-up audio-broadcast system involves: a computing device receiving a first audio-stream that represents first audio-content; the computing device generating a first signature based, at least in part, upon an extent of mute/non-mute transitions included within the first audio-content; the computing device receiving a second audio-stream that represents second audio-content; the computing device generating a second signature based, at least in part, upon an extent of mute/non-mute transitions included within the second audio-content; the computing device making a determination that the generated first-signature and the generated second-signature lack a threshold extent of similarity; and responsive to the determination that the generated first-signature and the generated second-signature lack the threshold extent of similarity, the computing device outputting an alert. |
| US09747068B2 |
Audio processing based upon camera selection
A method including generating respective audio signals from microphones of an apparatus; determining which camera(s) of a plurality of cameras of the apparatus has been selected for use; and based upon the determined camera(s) selected for use, selecting an audio processing mode for at least one of the respective audio signals to be processed, where the audio processing mode at least partially automatically adjusts the at least one respective audio signals based upon the determined camera(s) selected for use. |
| US09747067B2 |
Electronic device and operating method thereof
A method for controlling an electronic device electronically and functionally connectable to a cover is provided. The method includes detecting a position of the cover according to one of opening and closing of the cover and controlling one of a first display of the electronic device and a second display of the cover according to the detected position of the cover. |
| US09747065B2 |
Image forming apparatus and recording medium for printing with executable print settings
An image forming apparatus of the present invention acquires information of printing setting that can be executed by a printing instruction apparatus, and then determines whether or not printing setting described in the printing setting information is executable in the printing instruction apparatus, on the basis of the acquisition result. Then, when determining that the printing setting is not executable, the image forming apparatus changes the contents of the printing setting in the printing setting information to printing setting suitable for the image forming apparatus. |
| US09747064B2 |
Method and system for determining the tray with the best paper registration for a print job
A method for controlling at least one printer engine is disclosed, the at least one printer engine having plural trays, and wherein each of the plural trays is aligned independently for imaging on a sheet of print medium. The method includes obtaining information according to first conditions in which each of the plural trays has been aligned; obtaining information according to a second condition in which the at least one printer engine executes a print job; judging differences between each of the first conditions and the second condition; selecting a tray for the print job based on the judged differences; and instructing the print engine to execute the print job using the selected tray. |
| US09747061B2 |
Recording medium that stores printing program for instructing image forming apparatus of print job based on variable print data
A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium stores a printing program for executing on a computer. The printing program causes the computer to function as an available capacity determining circuit and a print data transmitting circuit. The available capacity determining circuit determines an available capacity available for a print job in a storage device of the image forming apparatus. The print data transmitting circuit transmits print data to the image forming apparatus, the print data being adapted to the available capacity determined by the available capacity determining circuit. The print data transmitting circuit converts the variable print data into print data without the reuse data and transmits the converted print data to the image forming apparatus in a specific case where the available capacity is less than the variable printing capacity. |
| US09747056B1 |
Dynamic partitioning for tape medium
The present invention provides a method of partitioning a tape medium dynamically by using a new method of writing data. It enables users to change size of the partitions later and to use all capacity of a tape efficiently. When a tape is divided into partitions, data is written in such a manner that the wraps are written in the partitions of the data band alternately in the forward direction and in the backward direction on the data band from the different sides of the data band toward the inside of the data band (W1,W2,W3 . . . ) and the location (C) at which the wrap (Wm) of the one partition collides with the wrap (Wn) of the other partition is defined as the demarcation (PB) of these partitions (P0,P1). |
| US09747053B1 |
Apparatus and method for EEPROM select transistor breakdown voltage management
A memory device of the non-volatile electrically-erasable and programmable memory type is provided. The memory device includes a matrix memory plane of memory cells connected to bit lines. Programming circuitry is configured to select a memory cell and to apply a programming pulse to the corresponding bit line. The memory plane is disposed in a local well at a floating potential and the programming circuitry is configured to increase the potential of the local well simultaneously with the application of the programming pulse to the bit line of a selected memory cell. |
| US09747052B2 |
Virtualisation supporting guest operating systems using memory protection units to determine permission of a memory access operation for a physical address
A processor is provided with a first memory protection unit applying a first set of permissions and a second memory protection unit applying a second set of permissions. A memory access will only be permitted if both the first set of permissions and the second set of permissions are satisfied. The processor also includes a memory management unit which serves to translate from virtual addresses VA to physical addresses PA. A selectable one of the first memory protection unit and the memory management unit is active at any given time under control of a selection bit set by a hypervisor program executing at an exception level with higher privilege than the exception level at which the guest operating systems execute. |
| US09747050B2 |
Method, apparatus, and controller for managing storage array
A method and a controller for managing a storage array is presented. The storage array is divided into a first subset of storage devices and a second subset of storage devices according to degrees of wear of storage devices, such that a degree of wear of each of storage device in the first subset is greater than or equal to a degree of wear of any storage device in the second subset, and then, to-be-written data are written into the physical storage devices in the first subset. Therefore, service lives of storage devices in the second subset may be extended relatively by shortening service lives of storage devices in the first subset. |
| US09747043B2 |
Write reordering in a hybrid disk drive
A hybrid drive and associated methods increase the rate at which data are transferred to a nonvolatile storage medium in the hybrid drive. By using a large nonvolatile solid state memory device as cache memory for a magnetic disk drive, a very large number of write commands can be cached and subsequently reordered and executed in an efficient manner. In addition, strategic selection and reordering of only a portion of the write commands stored in the nonvolatile solid state memory device increases efficiency of the reordering process. |
| US09747040B1 |
Method and system for machine learning for write command selection based on technology feedback
Example embodiments of the present invention relate to methods, systems, and computer program products for reducing I/O latency in a storage system. The method include polling a storage system for values related to caching of I/Os in global memory for subsequent destaging to disk. The host then may determine respective write delay values for I/Os to be sent from a host communicatively coupled with the storage system according to the values related to caching of I/Os. The write delay values then may be applied to the I/Os at the host to delay sending of the I/Os by respective delay times from the host to the storage system. |
| US09747038B2 |
Systems and methods for a hybrid parallel-serial memory access
Systems and methods are disclosed for a hybrid parallel-serial memory access by a system on chip (SoC). The SoC is electrically coupled to the memory by both a parallel access channel and a separate serial access channel. A request for access to the memory is received. In response to receiving the request to access the memory, a type of memory access is identified. A determination is then made whether to access the memory with the serial access channel. In response to the determination to access the memory with the serial access channel, a first portion of the memory is accessed with the parallel access channel, and a second portion of the memory is accessed with the serial access channel. |
| US09747037B2 |
Extended-height DIMM
An extended-height DIMM for use in a memory system having slots designed to receive DIMMs that comply with a JEDEC standard that specifies a maximum height for the DIMM and a maximum number of devices allowed to reside on the DIMM. The DIMM comprises a PCB having an edge connector designed to mate with a memory system slot and a height which is greater than the maximum height specified in the applicable standard, a plurality of memory devices which exceeds the maximum number of devices specified in the applicable standard, and a memory buffer, or a register control device and data buffers, which operates as an interface between a host controller's data and command/address busses and the memory devices. This arrangement enables the extended-height DIMM to provide greater memory capacity than would a DIMM which complies with the maximum height and maximum number of devices limits. |
| US09747028B1 |
Artificial memory pressure for low memory machine
Techniques for addressing performance degradation when a computer system is in a memory constrained state while running one or more applications are described herein. While executing, a computer system may monitor system memory and record one or more tracked sample types and may use the collection of tracked sample types to aggregate memory size equivalents to the tracked sample types and calculate a simulated memory pressure. The simulated memory pressure may be applied to the system by allocating memory from a memory manager, thereby reducing memory pressure. |
| US09747027B2 |
Sensor managed apparatus, method and computer program product
An apparatus, method and computer program product provide a simplified method for unlocking an electronic device that uses soft keys, such as capacitive touch keys, or proximity detection areas and patterns. The keys may be implemented in the form of areas of a sensor, and a processing circuit observes a touch pattern (or proximity pattern, or characteristic pattern such as a capacitance pattern of a user's finger) and compares the same with the registered pattern to determine if there is a likeness. In doing so, the electronic device is operated at a low power state, and in that low power state observes whether a predetermined pattern is observed and when it is, unlocks the electronic device for interaction with a user at a fully operational state. By operating in the low power state while waiting to observe a predetermined pattern before unlocking the user interface, the device does not waste power on false positive detections, and allows for convenient wakeup and accessibility by a user. |
| US09747023B2 |
Information processing apparatus and method thereof
An image obtained by capturing a gesture input region is acquired, and an object that makes a gesture is detected from the image. An intersection position at which the detected object crosses a determination region used to determine the position of the object with respect to the gesture input region is detected from the image. The base position of the gesture made by the object is computed based on the intersection position. The position of a target of manipulation by the gesture is determined as a manipulation target position. A gesture coordinate system different from the coordinate system of the image is determined based on the base position and the manipulation target position. |
| US09747022B2 |
Electronic device
A display control unit executes a first control process if a swipe operation detected by an operation detection unit is a first swipe operation in which a finger is linearly moved, and executes a second control process differing from the first control process if the swipe operation detected by the operation detection unit is a second swipe operation in which the finger is moved along a route differing from the route of the finger in the first swipe operation. |
| US09747020B2 |
Information transmitting method, device and terminal
An information transmitting method is applied to a first electronic device, and the first electronic device stores at least one piece of contact information in a contact information set. The method includes: determining a first object and a second object, wherein the first object is determined after a display unit displays the first object, the second object is determined after the display unit displays at least a first part of the contact information set, the first object corresponds to first information, the second object corresponds to second information, and the second information is second contact information; determining transmission information in accordance with the first information corresponding to the first object; determining a transmission parameter in accordance with the second contact information corresponding to the second object; and transmitting the transmission information to a second electronic device by utilizing the determined transmission parameter. |
| US09747017B2 |
Segmented scroll bar
Apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to receive a first command to display a selected portion of an electronic document, wherein the selected portion is indicated by a visible indicator in a selected segment of a segmented scroll bar having a dynamically compressible trough. Further activities may include sending a second command to display a document page having a page number corresponding to the visible indicator, wherein the trough comprises segments corresponding to the pages of the document. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed. |
| US09747015B2 |
Efficient display of content on wearable displays
This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for displaying information in various display regions within wearable display devices in a manner that enhances user experience. The wearable display devices may include a flexible display region and may be capable of operating in a wrinkled state. In one aspect, a wearable display device includes a plurality of sensors configured to determine the state of the display. The sensors may, for example, be configured to detect pressure, light, and/or deformation. In some aspects, the device includes a processor configured to provide image data to the display. In some aspects, the processor is capable of changing at least one characteristic of the image data provided to the display based at least in part on input received from the sensors. For example, the processor may re-size an image and/or deactivate a portion of the display. |
| US09747014B2 |
Method and apparatus for a slider interface element
A method comprising determining to provide for adjustment of a first setting, causing display of a first curvilinear slider interface element that relates to a value of the first setting, receiving an indication of a drag input associated with the first curvilinear slider interface element, causing adjustment movement of the selection point relative to the curvilinear slider interface element in proportion to the drag input, and determining a value of the first setting is based, at least in part, on a position of the first selection point relative to curvilinear slider interface element is disclosed. |
| US09747013B2 |
Predictive caching and fetch priority
Predicting what content items a user finds important and sending those items to a cache on the user's device at times when doing so will not drain resources and will not result in expensive data rates. Applying a ranking function that examines recency and other content metadata associated with the user's content items stored in a synchronized content management system. Determining how much of a ranked list of content items to cache and deciding when is a good time to send content items to the local cache. |
| US09747012B1 |
Obtaining an image for a place of interest
A system and method is disclosed for requesting and obtaining an updated digital image for a place of interest. A system may be configured to provide, for display to a first user, a representation of a place of interest and a user interface for requesting an updated image of the place of interest. The first user may use the user interface to request a recent image of the place of interest. On receiving the request, a determination may be made whether a second user is in an area related to the place of interest. On determining a second user is in the area, the second user is informed of the request. The second user may then respond by capturing a new image for the place of interest and providing the new image to the system. On receiving the new image from the second user, the representation may be updated with the new image and made available for display to the first user. |
| US09747011B2 |
Continuation of playback of media content by different output devices
Implementations relate to continuation of playback of media content by different devices. In some implementations, a method includes causing a stream of media content data to be received from a stream source and output by a first device to a user, where a portion of the data is buffered on the first device before output. An indication is detected that the user has stopped using the first device for output of the content data. A place marker indicates a portion of the content that is output approximately at the time of the indication. The method causes the stream of content data to be received and output by a second device starting at the place marker portion. The buffered content data is sent from the first device to the second device for output by the second device before unbuffered portions of the content data received from the stream source. |
| US09747007B2 |
Resizing technique for display content
Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for resizing content to be rendered to a display are described. In accordance with embodiments, content items such as text items and images are enlarged based on an original size associated therewith and a scale factor. The enlargement is carried out in a manner such that smaller content items are enlarged as the scale factor increases at a faster rate than a rate at which relatively larger content items are enlarged as the scale factor increases. In a further embodiment, the enlargement is performed in such a manner that the size of smaller content items after enlargement will never equal or exceed the size of relatively larger content items after enlargement. |
| US09747005B1 |
Adaptive user interface
A system for determining display information comprises an interface and a processor. The interface is configured to receive widget information. A processor is configured to determine display information based at least in part on the widget information and display system information. Determining display information comprises determining a first subset of widget information to not display, determining a second subset of widget information to modify, and determining a third subset of widget information to display. |
| US09747003B2 |
Multiple-stage interface control of a mobile electronic device
An electronic device, such as a mobile communication device, and a method are provided for multiple-stage interface control of the device. The device is provided with a homescreen display, which includes a plurality of panels. The panels include at least one panel that is a fullscreen view of a first application executing on the device. This first application can be a messaging application, and the fullscreen view can be a unified inbox view for a plurality of different message types. The panels also include at least one launch panel having a number of graphical user interface elements, such as icons, representing access points to a corresponding application on the device. |
| US09747002B2 |
Display apparatus and image representation method using the same
A display apparatus includes a display unit which displays a content on a screen, a recognition unit which, when a user touch is input on the screen, recognizes an object corresponding to a touch trajectory, and a controller which controls the display unit to change a page of the content displayed on the screen according to the object. Accordingly, it is possible to change the page of the electronic content swiftly and manipulate the electronic apparatus easily, and user convenience is improved by providing an intuitive user experience of an interface. |
| US09747001B2 |
Method and system for transition between computer graphics
An apparatus, that can be in the form of a wearable device, comprising a display, a memory, and a processor coupled to the display and memory. The processor retrieves a first set of points describing a first vector for a first display element; retrieves a second set of points describing a second vector for a second display element; modifies the first set of points by modifying one or more points in the first set of points to form a modification of the first vector; modifies the second set of points by modifying one or more points in the second set of points to form a modification of the second vector; and sequentially renders in the display the first vector, the modification to the first vector, the second vector with the modification to the second vector, and the second vector without the modification to the second vector. |
| US09747000B2 |
Launching applications on an electronic device
In some examples, an electronic device may offload an application to a network storage. For instance, the application, associated application data, and/or saved application state information may be deleted from the electronic device. Subsequently, an application launcher may present a launcher user interface (UI) on a display associated with the electronic device. The launcher UI may include a first set of application representations corresponding to applications offloaded from the electronic device, and a second set of application representations corresponding to applications currently installed on the electronic device. In response to receiving a selection of one of the representations from the first set via the launcher UI, the selected application may be onloaded onto the electronic device. Further, in some cases, the electronic device may receive from the network storage at least one of the application data or the application state information for the onloaded application. |
| US09746996B2 |
Heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning controller with a touch screen display
A heating, ventilation, or air conditioning (HVAC) controller for controlling one or more components of a HVAC system or monitoring a state thereof is provided. The HVAC controller may include a touch screen display configured to receive a parameter setting command input by a user's touch, and a controller connected with the touch screen display to display a screen on the touch screen display. The controller may display a function selection screen to select a type of a limit function when the controller receives a command for selecting limit functions of one or more components of the HVAC system. Further, the controller may display a set-up screen to input a limit parameter on the touch screen display when a specific limit function is selected on the function selection screen, and the set-up screen may include a set-up button to input the limit parameter. |
| US09746994B2 |
Icon display of file history recorded in storage as additional data
An icon corresponds to a history of files related to a plurality of indexes. Each of the indexes and each of the files are additionally and synchronously recorded in storage as additional data. The icon displayed represents the status of data in the files in the storage. The displayed icon is manipulated to indicate whether no data exists in an associated file or to indicate that existing data in an associated file was updated. |
| US09746992B1 |
Systems and methods for providing dynamic page indicators
In an example implementation, a method includes outputting, for display at a display device, a first content item and a first group of content indicators being of a first quantity. The method also includes outputting, for display, a second group of content indicators being of a second quantity, such that the first and second groups are visually separated by at least one graphical element. The method includes, responsive to receiving an indication of a request to display a second content item, outputting, for display, an updated first group of content indicators of a third quantity that is one fewer than the first quantity and outputting, for display, an updated second group of content indicators of a fourth quantity that is one more than the second quantity. The method also includes outputting, for display at the display device, the second content item. |
| US09746991B2 |
Device, method, and graphical user interface for navigating and displaying content in context
An electronic device displays one or more thumbnails. The device detects a first multi-contact gesture that includes movement of a first contact and a second contact; and, in response to detecting the first multi-contact gesture, the device displays content associated with a respective thumbnail and enlarges the content associated with the respective thumbnail to a respective enlarged size in accordance with the first multi-contact gesture. The device detects termination of the first multi-contact gesture; and, in response to detecting termination of the first multi-contact gesture: when a resizing metric based on the first multi-contact gesture is below a predefined threshold, the device ceases to display the content at the respective enlarged size; and, when the resizing metric based on the first multi-contact gesture is above the predefined threshold, the device displays the content on the display in a predefined arrangement. |
| US09746990B2 |
Selectively augmenting communications transmitted by a communication device
Technologies for selectively augmenting communications transmitted by a communication device include a communication device configured to acquire new user environment information relating to the environment of the user if such new user environment information becomes available. The communication device is further configured to create one or more user environment indicators based on the new user environment information, to display the one or more created user environment indicators via a display of the communication device and include the created user environment indicator in a communication to be transmitted by the communication device if the created user environment indicator is selected for inclusion in the communication. |
| US09746982B2 |
Determination of the interaction surface of a mobile device with a host device
Disclosed is a method for determining a first common interaction surface (503) of a mobile device (501) with a second interaction surface (502) of a host device (500), the method including the following steps: detecting at least one electrical signal induced by at least one inducing magnetic field in at least one electric circuit of the host device (500) associated with the second surface (502); determining an interaction surface (503) of the mobile device (501) associated with the at least one inducing electromagnetic field; performing a level test (1106) in accordance with the at least one induced electrical signal; and determining the first common interaction surface (503) as being the interaction surface of the mobile device (501) associated with the at least one inducing electromagnetic field, according to a result of the level test (1106). |
| US09746979B2 |
Pixel circuit, driving method thereof and display device
The present invention provides a pixel circuit comprising a plurality of pixel structures, each pixel structure comprising a drive unit, a compensation unit and a light-emitting unit, wherein in the adjacent first pixel structure and second pixel structure, the first pixel structure further comprises a capacitive touch unit, and the second pixel structure further comprises a photosensitive touch unit; the compensation unit in the first pixel structure, the compensation unit in the second pixel structure, the capacitive touch unit and the photosensitive touch unit share a data line, and the capacitive touch unit and the photosensitive touch unit share a read line. |
| US09746978B2 |
Capacitive touch panel having single-layer touch sensor
A capacitive touch panel is disclosed. The capacitive touch panel includes a laminated structure. The laminated structure includes a liquid crystal displaying module, a single-layer touch sensor, and a polarizing module. The single-layer touch sensor is disposed on the liquid crystal displaying module. The polarizing module is disposed on the single-layer touch sensor. The single-layer touch sensor includes a plurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes. The first electrodes and the second electrodes are configured in an asymmetric electrode arranging way, so that one of the first electrodes will be arranged corresponding to at least two of the second electrodes. |
| US09746972B2 |
Display device with driving electrode and receiving electrode for touch sensing and driving method thereof
A display device includes a panel comprising a plurality of driving electrodes and a plurality of receiving electrodes; a panel driver sequentially supplying a scan pulse to a plurality of gate lines corresponding to a first driving electrode of the plurality of driving electrodes, and after a touch sensing period, sequentially supplying a scan pulse to a plurality of gate lines corresponding to a second driving electrode of the plurality of driving electrodes, wherein the panel driver repeatedly performs the sequentially supplying of the scan pulse; and a touch sensing unit sequentially supplying a driving voltage to at least two or more of the plurality of driving electrodes to determine whether there is a touch during the touch sensing period. |
| US09746970B2 |
Touch-sensitive interface and method using orthogonal signaling
A touch screen system includes a capacitive touch screen (1) including a plurality of row conductors (7-1, 2 . . . n) and a column conductor (5-1). A plurality of contemporaneous orthogonal excitation signals (S1(t), S2 (t) . . . Sn(t)) are simultaneously driven onto the row conductors, respectively. The capacitively coupled signals on the column conductor may be influenced by a touch (10) on the capacitive touch screen. Receiver circuitry (50) includes a sense amplifier (21-1) coupled to generate an amplifier output signal (r1(t)) in response to signals capacitively coupled onto the column conductor. WHT-based circuitry (35) determines amounts of signal contribution capacitively coupled by each of the excitation signals, respectively, to the amplifier output signal. |
| US09746964B2 |
Diamond patterned touch sensor system and method
A touch sensor detector system and method incorporating a diamond patterned optionally-interpolated sensor array is disclosed. The system and method utilize a touch sensor array (TSA) configured to detect proximity/contact/pressure (PCP) via a variable impedance array (VIA) electrically coupling interlinked/independent impedance columns (IIC) coupled to an array column driver (ACD), and interlinked/independent impedance rows (IIR) coupled to an array row sensor (ARS). The ACD is configured to select the IIC based on a column switching register (CSR) and electrically drive the IIC using a column driving source (CDS). The VIA conveys current from the driven IIC to the IIC sensed by the ARS. The ARS selects the IIR within the TSA and electrically senses the IIR state based on a row switching register (RSR). Interpolation of ARS sensed current/voltage allows accurate detection of TSA PCP and/or spatial location. |
| US09746963B2 |
Detection method using capacitive sensor, and electronic device
A basic scan executing a bare-hand scan for determining whether or not an electrode of a capacitive sensor is manipulated with a bare hand and a gloved-hand scan for determining whether or not the electrode is manipulated with a gloved hand is executed, thereby determining which of the bare hand and the gloved hand the electrode is manipulated with. This detection method reduces erroneous detection of the capacitive sensor. |
| US09746960B2 |
Handling of electromagnetic interference in an electronic apparatus
The present invention provides a control module and a method operable in a touch-sensitive apparatus for measuring noise, wherein the touch-sensitive apparatus comprises a touch-sensitive module having a plurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes that intersect in multiple regions of the touch sensitive module, said method comprising the steps of: disconnecting the first electrodes from a driving voltage source; and acquiring a plurality of voltage values of noise by measuring a plurality of voltage signals associated with the second electrodes over a plurality of measurement cycles at a predetermined operating frequency during the first electrodes without a driving voltage. |
| US09746957B2 |
Managing sensory information of a user device
External mobile device sensors may be provided that are configured to manage sensory information associated with motion of objects external to the mobile device. In some examples, the object motion may be detected independent of contact with the device. In some examples, a device may include a screen with a first sensor (e.g., a touch sensor). The device may also include at least a second sensor external to the screen. Instructions may be executed by a processor of the device to at least determine when an object is hovering over a first graphical user interface (GUI) element of the screen. Additionally, in some cases, a second GUI element may be provided on the screen such that the second GUI element is rendered on the screen adjacent to a location under the hovering object. |
| US09746953B2 |
Touch input device
A touch input device has a touch sensor, an operation moving amount detection unit, a pressing force detection unit, and a control unit. The touch sensor has an electrostatic sensor, and a piezoelectric sensor, and outputs an operation position detection signal and a pressing sensing signal. The operation moving amount detection unit detects an operation moving amount from the operation position detection signal. The pressing force detection unit detects a pressing force from the pressing sensing signal. The control unit previously sets threshold value Th of the pressing force, and starts the drag operation when the pressing force is threshold value Th or more. Threshold value Th whose initial value is a maximum value is decreased with time. |
| US09746951B2 |
Touch-sensitive vehicle display device
A touch-sensitive vehicle display device is disclosed. The touch-sensitive vehicle display device comprises a body having a display including a touch panel on a surface thereof, whereby a screen operation is performed on the surface of the display by a touch-screen operation; an operation plate provided along the surface of the display; and a controller controlling information to be indicated on the display. The operation plate includes an opening section to indicate a switch provided to face the touch panel, and a plurality of touch-sensitive switch-confirmation portions provided on an end portion of the opening section for switch indication, and the controller controls a switch-indication portion to be inside the opening section to indicate switching in the display, and controls a plurality of selection-switches to be in the switch-indication portion to correspond to the plurality of switch-confirmation portions. |
| US09746948B2 |
Mobile terminal and control method thereof
A mobile terminal may include a display unit to display a sharing history list while the mobile terminal is executing a management application for managing contents sharing between the mobile terminal and at least one of a plurality of external devices, the displayed sharing history list including a plurality of sharing history items. The mobile terminal may also include a controller to determine, in response to a user input with respect to the sharing history items, connection environment information, a target device, and shared contents each corresponding to the sharing history items on the sharing history list, the controller to connect the mobile terminal to the target device based on the connection environment information, and the controller to play the shared contents such that the shared contents is output by at least one of the target device or the display unit of the mobile terminal. |
| US09746946B2 |
Method for displaying information in a motor vehicle, and display device
In a method for displaying information with the aid of a display mounted in a motor vehicle, graphic data which actuate at least a subregion of the display are generated by a user interface device, such that in an operating state, information that is assigned to at least one operator step able to be executed by an input device are generated and in a display state, information which is not assigned to any operator steps is displayed, and it is detected when an object enters an operator control zone assigned to the input device, and when it leaves the operator control zone. The method is characterized in that the user interface device switches from the operating state to the display state when the object leaves the operator control zone and the object does not reenter the operator control zone within a defined time interval. Furthermore, a display device is adapted for executing this method. |
| US09746945B2 |
Integrating sensation functionalities into a mobile device using a haptic sleeve
Methods, apparatuses, systems, and computer-readable media for integrating sensation functionalities into a mobile device using a haptic sleeve are presented. According to one or more aspects of the disclosure, a computing device may receive, via a haptic sleeve, sensation input captured by one or more haptic components of the haptic sleeve. Subsequently, the computing device may store haptic data corresponding to the received sensation input. For example, in storing such haptic data, the computing device may store information describing one or more electrical signals received via the one or more haptic components of the haptic sleeve during a period of time corresponding to a particular event, and this stored information may reflect various characteristics of the sensation input received by the computing device in connection with the particular event, such as the magnitude(s), position(s), duration, and/or type(s) of sensation(s) captured during the period of time. |
| US09746942B2 |
Optical touch pen
An optical touch pen includes a pen case, an operation module, and a power module. The operation module is disposed within an upper cover of the pen case, and includes a pen tip, a supporting part, a circuit board and a multi-directional auxiliary element. The multi-directional auxiliary element is arranged between an inner wall of the upper cover and the engaging structure of the supporting part. The power module is disposed within a lower cover of the pen case. When an external force is applied to the pen tip, the pen tip and the supporting part are shifted in response to the external force, the engaging structure of the supporting part is shifted relative to the multi-directional auxiliary element, and the external force is transmitted downwardly to the circuit board. Consequently, a current switch on the circuit board is triggered and the power module is electrically conducted. |
| US09746940B2 |
Display device, projector, and display method
A display device include a display unit that displays a display image on a display surface based on image data, a location detection unit that detects a pointed location with respect to the display image on the display surface, a coordinate calculation unit that calculates first coordinates as coordinates of the pointed location in a displayable area within the display surface, a coordinate conversion unit that converts the first coordinates calculated by the coordinate calculation unit into second coordinates as coordinates in the image data, and an output unit that outputs the second coordinates obtained by the coordinate conversion unit. |
| US09746932B2 |
Gesture inferred vocabulary bindings
The subject disclosure relates to annotating data based on gestures. Gestures include user interaction with a client device or client software. Gestures are tracked and associated with data. In an aspect, client context associated with a gesture is also tracked. The gestures are then employed to determine a global term to associate with the data. In an aspect, a look-up table comprising a pre-defined relationship between gestures and a global term can be employed. In another aspect, an inference component employ context information in conjunction with the tracked gestures to determine a global term to assign to data. After a global term is determined for data based on a gesture, an annotation file for the data can be created associating the data with the global term. |
| US09746929B2 |
Gesture recognition using gesture elements
Aspects of the present disclosure provide a gesture recognition method and an apparatus for capturing gesture. The apparatus categorizes the raw data of a gesture into gesture elements, and utilizes the contextual dependency between the gesture elements to perform gesture recognition with a high degree of accuracy and small data size. A gesture may be formed by a sequence of one or more gesture elements. |
| US09746927B2 |
User interface system and method of operation thereof
A method to provide a user interface, the method may be controlled by one or more controllers and may include one or more acts of obtaining image information from a sequence of images of a user; analyzing the image information to recognize the user; recognizing first and second reference objects at least one of which corresponding with respective body parts of the user from the image information; determining whether a first reference object has been placed over or is within a threshold scaled distance of a second reference object; calculating an interaction time between the first reference object and the second reference object when it is determined that the first reference object has been placed over or is within the threshold scaled distance of the second reference object; comparing the interaction time with a threshold reference time; and performing an action in accordance with results of the comparison. |
| US09746922B2 |
Systems and method for controlling electronic devices using radio frequency identification (RFID) devices
A control system includes an RFID device and an RFID reader antenna configured to receive a signal from the RFID device. The signal is associated with a command. A transmitter transmits the command to an electronic device to operate the electronic device. |
| US09746921B2 |
Signal generation and detector systems and methods for determining positions of fingers of a user
A method for determining positions of fingers of a user is described. The method includes transmitting a power signal from a head mounted display (HMD) to provide power to a plurality of light emitters. The light emitters emit light in a sequence upon receiving the power signal. The method includes using the light emitted by the light emitters to determine a plurality of positions of the light emitters. The positions are used to play a game using the HMD. |
| US09746919B2 |
Information processing device and information processing method
There is provided an information processing device including an application information acquisition unit which acquires a position of a window on a display screen, and a control unit which terminates an application of a window whose position acquired by the application information acquisition unit satisfies a predetermined condition. |
| US09746918B2 |
Eye tracking
An eye tracking method includes: in a frame of a series of acquired frames, estimating an expected size and expected location of an image of an iris of an eye within that frame; and determining a location of the iris image within that frame by identifying a region within the expected location, the size of the region being consistent with the expected size, pixels of that region being darker than pixels of other such regions within that frame. |
| US09746917B2 |
Rotation of visual content on a display unit
A graphics presentation apparatus including a display unit, an eye-tracking module, and a data output module. The eye-tracking module registers image data representing at least one eye of a user of the apparatus. Furthermore, the eye-tracking module determines, based on the registered image data, an orientation of the at least one eye relative to the display unit. Finally, in response thereto, the eye-tracking module generates a control signal controlling the data output module to produce visual content with such orientation on the display unit that a misalignment between the orientation of said at least one part and the orientation of the at least one eye of the user is minimized. |
| US09746911B2 |
Same linking
A method and system for managing power consumption of a pool of computing devices that are logically grouped to provide a common set of functionality is disclosed. One aspect of certain embodiments includes determining logically equivalent domains across computer environment silos. |
| US09746908B2 |
Pruning of low power state information for a processor
A processor prunes state information based on information provided by software, thereby reducing the amount of state information to be stored prior to the processor entering a low-power state. The software, such as an operating system or application program executing at the processor, indicates one or more registers of the processor as storing data that is no longer useful. When preparing to enter the low-power state, the processor omits the indicated registers from the state information stored to memory. |
| US09746906B2 |
Data interface power consumption control
Apparatus and techniques relating to data interface power consumption control are disclosed. Components of a data transfer module may be selectively moved between their normal operating states and reduced power states at times when the data transfer module is not to be used for transferring data. Decisions as to particular components that are to be moved to their reduced power states may be based on respective timing characteristics of the components and/or respective power consumption characteristics of the components, for example. In some embodiments, an action may be performed to reduce a powering up time of the data transfer module when normal operation of the data transfer module is to resume. In the case of a multiple-connection interface having respective data transfer modules for each connection, the interface may be partially shut down by moving a subset of the data transfer modules into reduced power states. |
| US09746902B2 |
System-on-chip including multi-core processor and dynamic power management method thereof
Provided is a control method of a system-on-chip including a multi-core processor. The control method includes detecting a rate of runnable tasks to be performed in the multi-core processor and a driving voltage or a driving clock of the multi-core processor, determining whether variation of the rate of the runnable tasks sampled from a first time point to a current time and variation of the driving voltage or the driving clock sampled from a second time point to the current time satisfy a hotplug condition, and hotplugging in or out at least one core included in the multi-core processor when the rate of the runnable tasks and the driving voltage or the driving clock each satisfy the hotplug condition. |
| US09746901B2 |
User interface adaptation based on detected user location
A device (102) detects when a user is in close physical proximity to the device, such as within a few feet of the device. While the user is in close physical proximity to the device, the device also detects the location of the user relative to the device, and optionally a speed at which the user is moving. The user interface presented by the device is adapted to the location of the user relative to the device and optionally the speed at which the user is moving, but without needing physical manipulation of the device by the user. The adaptation can include, for example, orienting content presented on a display of the device based on the location of the user relative to the device so that the content appears “upright” or “right side up” for the user to view given their location. |
| US09746900B2 |
System and method for redundant object storage
Systems and methods for redundant object storage are disclosed. A method may include storing at least two copies of each of a plurality of objects among a plurality of nodes communicatively coupled to one another in order to provide redundancy of each of the plurality of objects in the event of a fault of one of the plurality of nodes. The method may also include monitoring access to each object to determine a frequency of access for each object. The method may additionally include redistributing one or more of the copies of the objects such that at least one particular node of the plurality of nodes includes copies of only objects accessed at a frequency below a predetermined frequency threshold based on the determined frequency of access for each object. The method may further include placing the at least one particular node in a reduced-power mode. |
| US09746899B2 |
At least one message to announce entry into relatively lower power state
An embodiment may include circuitry that may be capable of performing operations that may include generating, at least in part, at least one message to announce that at least one network node (1) is requesting, at least in part, that one or more transmissions to the at least one network node be postponed, at least in part, and/or (2) is entering, at least in part after issuance of the at least one message, a relatively lower power state relative to a relatively higher power state. Additionally or alternatively, the operations may include, in response, at least in part, to the at least one message, postponing, at least in part, at least one intermediate node at least one transmission (received by the at least one intermediate node) to the at least one network node. Many alternatives, variations, and/or modifications are possible without departing from this embodiment. |
| US09746898B2 |
Systems and methods for controlling processing device power consumption
Systems and methods that may be implemented to decrease power consumption levels of a first processing device (e.g., such as a CPU) based on monitored operating temperature of a second and different processing device (e.g., such as a discrete GPU) in a shared multiple-processor cooling resource environment of an information handling system architecture. The first processing device power consumption levels may be so controlled such that the operating temperature of the second processing device does not reach a temperature at which the second processing device is throttled. |
| US09746895B2 |
Use of volatile memory as non-volatile memory
A computing device may comprise a processor, a volatile memory and a non-volatile storage device. An operating system or firmware of the device may cause one or more pages of the volatile memory to be treated, by applications executing on the computing device, as non-volatile memory pages. A maximum number of pages that may be treated as non-volatile may be determined based on an amount of energy available in a battery and an amount of energy needed to transfer a page of memory to the non-volatile storage device. |
| US09746894B1 |
Dynamic threshold voltage compensation
Systems, devices, methods, computer-readable media, techniques, and methodologies are disclosed for increasing efficiency in power management for user devices. In some embodiments, a system voltage and battery voltage of a user device may be monitored and stored. The system voltage and battery voltage may be analyzed, and a system minimum voltage threshold for a user device may be modified based on the analysis of the measurements. |
| US09746889B2 |
Package-on-package (PoP) device comprising bi-directional thermal electric cooler
A package-on-package (PoP) device includes a first package, a second package, and a bi-directional thermal electric cooler (TEC). The first package includes a first substrate and a first die coupled to the first substrate. The second package is coupled to the first package. The second package includes a second substrate and a second die coupled to the second substrate. The TEC is located between the first die and the second substrate. The TEC is adapted to dynamically dissipate heat back and forth between the first package and the second package. The TEC is adapted to dissipate heat from the first die to the second die in a first time period. The TEC is further adapted to dissipate heat from the second die to the first die in a second time period. The TEC is adapted to dissipate heat from the first die to the second die through the second substrate. |
| US09746887B2 |
Electronic device bracket
An electronic device bracket including a first supporting member, a second supporting member, and at least one pivoting member is provided. The second supporting member is disposed beside the first supporting member. The at least one pivoting member is disposed at a side of the first and the second supporting members, and two ends of the at least one pivoting member are pivoted to the first and the second supporting members. Here the first supporting member is adapted to move between a first position and a second position relative to the second supporting member, so as to adjust a length of the electronic device bracket. |
| US09746886B2 |
Solid state storage system
The invention provides a storage system comprising a solid state storage carrier sized to correspond to a defined storage form factor and to include a support printed circuit board (PCB) having arranged thereon a plurality of solid state storage devices. The storage system can include a storage enclosure including a midplane and at least one slot on an end of the storage enclosure, sized to receive a solid state storage carrier for connection with the midplane in the storage enclosure. The storage system can also include at least one midplane connector located on the midplane, wherein the at least one midplane connector is configured to mate with at least one form factor connector on an end of the solid state storage carrier. |
| US09746882B2 |
Electronic device with curved display module
Disclosed herein is an electronic device with a curved display module. A housing has a first surface adjacent to the display module and the first surface is formed to have a curvature corresponding to the curvature of the display module. At least one electronic component is disposed in a second surface of the housing that is opposite to the first surface. |
| US09746879B2 |
Rigid circuit board with flexibly attached module
An electrical interconnection system comprises a bifurcated, multilayer flex circuit having electrode pads on the inner surfaces of the bifurcation. Electronic components are mounted on one or both sides of the flex circuit by conventional means. When the bifurcation is spread apart, the electrode pads are alignable with respective contacts on a printed circuit board. After bonding the pads to the contacts by soldering, conductive adhesive, or other means, a secure electrical connection is maintained while still allowing the flex circuit to bend somewhat from side to side, creating additional design options not available with rigidly mounted components and modules. |
| US09746878B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of testing semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes chips, wherein a first chip: an internal circuit; first selectors to output signals from one of first outputs; second selectors to output signals from one of second outputs; first output buffer units to relay/interrupt signals output from one of the first outputs; second output buffer units to relay/interrupt signals output from one of the second outputs; first terminals to output a signal from the respective first output buffer units and belong to a first group in which the first terminals are placed at positions distant by first distances; and second terminals to output a signal from the respective second output buffer units and belong to a second group in which the second terminals are placed at positions distant by second distances and each of the second terminals is placed at a position distant from an adjacent first terminal of the first terminals by third distances. |
| US09746877B2 |
Detecting and correcting an error in a digital circuit
A method for detecting and correcting an error in a circuit is provided. The circuit is configured to receive an input signal and clock the input signal with a rising and falling timing signal. The method includes detecting late arrival signal transition of the input signal, at an intermediate point of a path, the path being one through which the input signal transits. The method further includes predicting an error in the input signal in response to detecting the late arrival signal transition at the intermediate point of the path. In addition, the method includes correcting the error in the input signal by manipulating the timing signal and/or a supply voltage. |
| US09746872B2 |
Finger-operated accelerator mechanism
An accelerator for small motor-vehicles allows an operator to control vehicle power output by flexing his or her index finger. The accelerator is designed for mounting on a handlebar but does not require a rotatable grip for operation. A lever is provided that rotates with applied force from the index finger, the lever rotating about an axis that is parallel or nearly parallel with the part of the handlebar that the hand rests on. A brake lever is also described that may be operated by the same hand that operates the accelerator. |
| US09746871B2 |
Noise canceling current mirror circuit for improved PSR
A current mirror circuit provides a current to drive a load. A noise cancelling circuit is provided to keep the load current constant in spite of variations in the supply voltage. The noise cancelling circuit includes an auxiliary current path which branches from the load current path. The length-to-width ratios of transistors of the circuit are selected to provide the desired noise cancellation while maintaining device stability. |
| US09746867B2 |
Wetting current sequencing for low current interface
A process for automated contact wetting in a sensor circuit includes generating a first current through a contact by sequencing a first circuit on, the first current exceeding a wetting threshold of the contact, and reducing current through the contact to a second current by sequencing a second circuit on, the second current being below the wetting threshold. |
| US09746862B2 |
Voltage-to-current converter
A voltage-to-current converter includes an input stage having a first input and a second input. The first input is connectable to a reference voltage, wherein the voltage of the second input is substantially the same as the voltage at the first input. A feedback loop is coupled between the second input and a voltage feedback node. A current feedback node is connectable to a first node of a resistor; the second node of the resistor is connectable to a voltage input, wherein a bias voltage of the current feedback node is set by the voltage of the voltage feedback node. At least one current mirror mirrors the current input to the current feedback node, the output of the at least one current mirror is the output of the voltage-to-current converter. |
| US09746861B2 |
Stand-alone DC power system for networks not connected to the grid
A stand-alone DC power network is provided with a DC to DC power converter only, and does not have a converter that will convert AC to DC. In addition, each of the different terminals that provides the DC voltage at different levels will be ranked according to priority as to which ones are the most important to supply the full voltage to, and which ones are of secondary importance in the event there is insufficient power in the system to provide full voltage at the specified current for the different loads. A processor monitors the voltage and current at each of the terminals, and in the event a current is attempted to be drawn from the system which would cause a first priority terminal to be reduced in voltage, the processor will instead reduce the power provided to the second priority terminal and ensure that the first priority terminal does not have a significant reduction in the specified voltage or the amount of current supplied to that terminal at the specified voltage. |
| US09746856B2 |
Multi-hole orifice plate for flow control, and flow controller using the same
A multi-hole orifice plate for flow control includes an orifice plate for controlling the flow rate of a fluid, wherein the opening area of one orifice necessary for the passage of a predetermined flow rate of fluid is divided to provide a plurality of orifices having a total opening area equal to said opening area. |
| US09746855B2 |
Information processing system, method, and program
An apparatus is provided with a first sensor unit that obtains two-dimensional information or three-dimensional information about a target object with a first position and orientation, a second sensor unit that obtains the two-dimensional information about the target object, a three-dimensional position and orientation measurement unit that measures three-dimensional position and orientation of the target object based on the information obtained by the first sensor unit, a second sensor position and orientation determination unit that calculates second position and orientation based on a measurement result with the three-dimensional position and orientation measurement unit and model information about the target object, and a three-dimensional position and orientation measurement unit that measures the three-dimensional position and orientation of the target object based on the information obtained by the second sensor unit with the second position and orientation and the model information about the target object. |
| US09746854B2 |
System and method for controlling a vehicle
Drivable path plan systems and methods for autonomous vehicles disclosed herein may receive original path plan data, including a first path element tangentially connected to a second path element at a transition connection point. A drivable path plan may be calculated for the autonomous vehicle between the first path element and the second path element using a clothoid spline. An initial connection point may be identified, as well as an initial heading and an initial curvature along the first path element, and a final connection point, a final heading, and a final curvature along the second path element. The clothoid spline may be inserted between the initial connection point along the first path element and the final connection point along the second path element. |
| US09746852B1 |
Using laser sensors to augment stereo sensor readings for robotic devices
An example system includes one or more laser sensors on a robotic device, where the one or more laser sensors are configured to produce laser sensor data indicative of a first area within a first distance in front of the robotic device. The system further includes one or more stereo sensors on the robotic device, where the stereo sensors on the robotic device are configured to produce stereo sensor data indicative of a second area past a second distance in front of the robotic device. The system also includes a controller configured to receive the laser sensor data, receive the stereo sensor data, detect one or more objects in front of the robotic device based on at least one of the laser sensor data and the stereo sensor data, and provide instructions for the robotic device to navigate based on the one or more detected objects. |
| US09746849B2 |
Method and apparatus for autonomous tool parameter impact identification system for semiconductor manufacturing
A system and method autonomously determines the impact of respective tool parameters on tool performance in a semiconductor manufacturing system. A parameter impact identification system receives tool parameter and performance data for one or more process runs of the semiconductor fabrication system and generates a separate function for each tool parameter characterizing the behavior of a tool performance indicator in terms of a single one of the tool parameters. Each function is then scored according to how well the function predicts the behavior of the tool performance indicator, or based on a determined sensitivity of the tool performance indicator to changes in the single tool parameter. The tool parameters are then ranked based on these scores, and a reduced set of critical tool parameters is derived based on the ranking. The tool performance indicator can then be modeled based on this reduced set of tool parameters. |
| US09746848B2 |
System and method for adaptive positioning of a work piece
The Invention is a system and method for adaptively attaching a work piece, especially an imprecise work piece, to a non-adaptive fixture that can be repeatably attached to one or more CNC machines. The Invention allows a work piece to be set up once for multiple machining operations. The Invention avoids the potential for errors and the cost and complexity inherent in adaptive machining and adaptive fixturing. |
| US09746847B2 |
Operating arrangement
An operator control device includes an operator control element configured to provide haptic feedback to an operator. The operator control element is activatable by an input member of the operator and has: a first planar component; and a second planar component oriented in parallel with the first planar component, the first and second planar components being movable relative to one another. The first and second planar components are guidable between a position of rest and an activation position while maintaining their parallel orientation with respect to one another. In the activation position the distance between the first and second planar components is smaller than in the position of rest. The first and second planar components are spring loaded in the position of rest. |
| US09746837B2 |
Information control method and electronic device
The invention discloses an information control method and an electronic device. The information control method is applied to a first electronic device, and the first electronic device is connected with a second electronic device. The method includes: detecting feature information of the first electronic device according to a connection relation between the first electronic device and the second electronic device; and controlling the first electronic device according to the feature information. |
| US09746835B2 |
Radio-controlled timepiece, method of obtaining date/time information, and recording medium
A radio-controlled timepiece includes: a radio wave reception unit that receives satellite waves and extracts an incoming code sequence encoded in the received satellite waves; a counter unit that counts a date/time of the radio-controlled timepiece; and a processor that: generates an expected code sequence containing at least a portion of a preamble code and a code generated on the basis of the date/time counted by the counter unit that are expected to be part of the incoming code sequence that is extracted, detects a match between the expected code sequence that has been generated and the incoming code sequence by sequentially comparing the expected code sequence with the incoming code sequence, and acquires a present date/time, as indicated by the satellite waves, in accordance with a detection timing of the match, as measured by the data/time counted by the counter unit. |
| US09746829B2 |
Contactless cylinder escapement mechanism for timepieces
An escapement mechanism including an escape wheel subjected to a rotational torque and a resonator integral with a pivotally mounted regulating wheel set. The escape wheel includes plural actuators regularly spaced on a periphery thereof, each arranged to cooperate directly with at least a first track of the regulating wheel set. Each actuator includes a first magnetically, or respectively electrically charged, or ferromagnetic or respectively electrostatically conductive surface, to cooperate with the first track which is magnetically, or respectively electrically charged, or ferromagnetic or respectively electrostatically conductive, to repel or attract each first surface of the actuator, and each actuator includes a mechanical stop member to cooperate, in an end-of-travel stop arrangement, with at least a first complementary stop surface included in the regulating wheel set to constitute therewith an autonomous escapement mechanism. |
| US09746826B2 |
Process cartridge, electrophotographic image forming apparatus, and electrophotographic photosensitive drum unit
A process cartridge includes a casing including an opening and an arc-shaped protrusion on an external portion of the casing adjacent to the opening. The process cartridge also includes a photosensitive drum having an axis L1, with the photosensitive drum being rotatably supported in the casing to permit rotation about the axis L1, and a coupling member having an axis L2. The coupling member has (i) a first end portion connected to the photosensitive drum, (ii) a second end portion including at least one projection that is open to the axis L2, and (iii) a connecting portion connecting the first end portion and the second end portion. A maximum distance as measured from the axis L2, in a direction perpendicular to the axis L2, of at least part of the connecting portion is shorter than a distance between the at least one projection and the axis L2. |
| US09746822B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a main body; a first unit detachably attachable to the main body; a second unit which is arranged adjacent to the first unit and which is detachably attachable to the main body; and a cover which is located on the front side of the second unit relative to the detaching direction of the first and second units while supported by the second unit and which is openable and closable, wherein opening the cover permits detaching of the first unit from the main body and attaching of the first unit to the main body. |
| US09746818B2 |
Image forming process
A process of forming an image includes the steps of: developing an electrostatic latent image with a toner, the latent image being formed through charge of the surface of an electrostatic latent image carrier and exposure of the surface to light; and applying a lubricant onto the surface of the electrostatic latent image carrier. The toner includes a toner matrix particle and an external additive nanoparticle. The external additive nanoparticle comprises a silica-polymer composite nanoparticle. A percentage of atomic silicon present on the surface of the silica-polymer composite nanoparticle satisfies Condition A expressed by Expression: 15.0 atm %≦percentage of atomic silicon ({Si/(C+O+Si)}×100)≦30.0 atm %. The percentage of atomic silicon is determined from total amounts of atomic carbon, oxygen, and silicon present on the topmost surface of the silica-polymer composite nanoparticle and within 3 nm inwards from the topmost surface. |
| US09746816B2 |
Image forming apparatus and electrophotographic cartridge
The invention is to provide an image forming apparatus and an electrophotographic cartridge, which are free from problems of cleaning failure, filming, soiling, residual images (ghosts), fogging, density reduction, noise and the like and which can provide high-definition images even when a toner having a small particle size and having a high degree of circularity is used and even when a photoreceptor having a small outer diameter is used. An image forming apparatus comprising: an electrophotographic photoreceptor containing a conductive support and a photosensitive layer on the conductive support, a charging unit for charging the electrophotographic photoreceptor, an imagewise exposing unit for imagewise exposing the charged electrophotographic photoreceptor to form an electrostatic latent image thereon, a developing unit for developing the electrostatic latent image with a toner, and a transferring unit for transferring the toner from the electrophotographic photoreceptor to a receiving unit, wherein the outer diameter of the electrophotographic photoreceptor is 20 mm or less, the photosensitive layer contains a polyarylate resin, and the toner satisfies the specific requirements (1) and (2). |
| US09746815B2 |
Replaceable unit for an electrophotographic image forming device having a retractable electrical connector
A replaceable unit for an electrophotographic image forming device according to one example includes a housing having a toner reservoir. An electrical connector mounted on the housing is movable between a retracted position and an operative position. The electrical connector includes an electrical contact for contacting a corresponding electrical contact in the image forming device. The electrical contact is electrically connected to processing circuitry on the housing. In the retracted position, the electrical connector is tucked into a portion of the housing. In the operative position, the electrical connector is exposed to permit the electrical contact to contact the corresponding electrical contact in the image forming device. A linkage is operatively connected to the electrical connector and includes an engagement surface accessible on an exterior of the housing to receive an actuation force. Movement of the linkage moves the electrical connector between the retracted position and the operative position. |
| US09746811B2 |
Image forming apparatus, method for controlling the same, and recording medium
An image forming apparatus includes a detection unit that detects a user of the image forming apparatus, a power supply control unit that, when a person approaching the image forming apparatus is detected by the detection unit when the image forming apparatus is in a power saving state where power supply to a function unit included in the image forming apparatus is stopped, activates the function unit while maintaining the display unit in a non-display state, and a display control unit that, when the user of the image forming apparatus instructs the display unit to present display after power is supplied to the function unit by the power supply control unit, changes the display unit to a display state. |
| US09746809B2 |
Edge detection apparatus, image forming apparatus, and edge detecting method for dividing and sending out edge detection data
An edge detection apparatus for detecting an edge of a recording medium to be conveyed includes a light source, a plurality of photoelectric conversion element pixels, and a detection unit. The light source irradiates the recording medium with light. The plurality of photoelectric conversion element pixels are placed in a direction orthogonal to a conveyance direction of the recording medium and convert light reflected by the recording medium into an electrical signal. The detection unit detects the edge of the recording medium on the basis of a plurality of electrical signals that constitute an n-th (n≧1) electrical signal group obtained by dividing the plurality of electrical signals corresponding one-to-one to the plurality of photoelectric conversion element pixels, and a specified number of the electrical signals counted from a top of the plurality of electrical signals that constitute an n+1st electrical signal group. |
| US09746806B2 |
Configuration for an image forming apparatus having an upright recording medium storage unit
An image forming apparatus includes a recording sheet storage unit for storing recording sheets substantially in an upright position, an image forming unit which forms an image on a recording sheet conveyed from the recording sheet storage unit, and a recording sheet receiving unit for storing the recording sheet conveyed from the image forming unit substantially in an upright position. In this image forming apparatus, a paper conveyance passage for conveying the recording sheet extends upward from a lower portion of the recording sheet storage unit toward the recording sheet receiving unit. The image forming unit positioned on the paper conveyance passage comprises a fixing device and a developer unit at least including a developer carrier, and the fixing device is arranged above the developer unit. |
| US09746802B2 |
Image forming apparatus and image forming method for forming a transparent toner image and a color image
An image forming apparatus according to an embodiment includes a first image forming unit that forms a transparent toner image and a second image forming unit that forms a color toner image. The transparent toner image and the color toner image are transferred onto an intermediate transfer belt. A secondary transfer unit transfers the toner images from the intermediate transfer belt to a recording medium. A control unit controls the first image forming unit and the second image forming unit so that the transparent toner image is formed before the color toner image is formed when the recording medium is a specialty paper having an adhesive. |
| US09746797B2 |
Image forming apparatus comprising a body, a photoreceptor unit, and a developing unit
An image forming apparatus includes a body, a photoreceptor unit, and a developing unit. The developing unit includes a first attaching/detaching lever that moves a developing sleeve from a first position to a second position by lifting the first attaching/detaching lever. The photoreceptor unit includes a second attaching/detaching lever that moves the developing sleeve from the first position to the second position by lifting the second attaching/detaching lever. The photoreceptor unit and the developing unit move the developing sleeve to the second position by lifting the first or second attaching/detaching lever so that the photoreceptor unit and the developing unit are individually detached from the body. |
| US09746787B2 |
Holding apparatus, exposure apparatus and manufacturing method of device
A holding apparatus includes a holding portion that includes a first member which contacts a portion of an object, a second member which at least a portion thereof is fixed to a base, and a connection member which is configured to connect the first and second members, and a driving unit which drives the holding portion to change at least a posture of the first member, wherein a relative positional relationship between the first member and the second member is changed via the connection member. |
| US09746785B2 |
Sub-wavelength segmentation in measurement targets on substrates
Measurement targets for use on substrates, and overlay targets are presented. The targets include an array of first regions alternating with second regions, wherein the first regions include structures oriented in a first direction and the second regions include structures oriented in a direction different from the first direction. The effective refractive index of the two sets of regions are thereby different when experienced by a polarized beam, which will act as a TM-polarized beam when reflected from the first set of regions, but as a TE-polarized beam when reflected from the second set of regions. |
| US09746783B2 |
Method for preventing photoresist corner rounding effects
A method for ameliorating corner rounding effects in a photolithographic process is provided. A semiconductor workpiece having an active device region is provided, and a photoresist layer is formed over the semiconductor workpiece. A mask is provided for patterning for the photoresist layer, wherein the mask comprises pattern having a sharp corner associated with the active device region. The sharp corner is separated from the active device region by a first distance in a first direction and a second distance in a second direction, wherein the first distance meets a minimum criteria for the photolithographic process, and wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance. The photoresist layer is then exposed to a radiation source, and the radiation source patterns the photoresist layer through the mask, defining an exposure region on the semiconductor workpiece having a rounded corner associated with the sharp corner. Accordingly, the second distance generally prevents the rounded corner of the exposure region from overlapping the active device region. |
| US09746782B2 |
Lithographic apparatus and a device manufacturing method
An immersion lithographic apparatus is disclosed that includes a fluid handling system configured to confine immersion liquid to a localized space between a final element of a projection system and a substrate and/or table and a gas supplying device configured to supply gas with a solubility in immersion liquid of greater than 5×10−3 mol/kg at 20° C. and 1 atm total pressure to an area adjacent the space. |
| US09746781B2 |
Exposure apparatus and method for producing device
A liquid immersion exposure apparatus exposes a substrate with an exposure beam via a liquid immersion area formed on a portion of a surface of the substrate. The apparatus includes a projection system, a first nozzle member having an aperture through which the exposure beam is projected, the first nozzle member having a liquid supply inlet and a liquid recovery outlet, a second nozzle member having a gas supply inlet via which a gas is supplied to a space surrounding the liquid immersion area during the exposure, a driving system which moves the second nozzle member relative to the first nozzle member, and a stage system having a holder which holds the substrate and which is movable relative to and below the projection system, the first nozzle member and the second nozzle member. |
| US09746773B2 |
Titania-doped quartz glass and making method
Methods for selecting titania-doped quartz glass which experiences a reduction in OH group concentration of less than or equal to 100 ppm upon heat treatment at 900° C. for 100 hours as suitable material for the EUV lithography member. |
| US09746772B2 |
Resist underlayer film forming composition for lithography containing polyether structure-containing resin
A method for producing a semiconductor device, which includes forming an underlayer film on a semiconductor substrate with a resist underlayer film forming composition that contains a solvent, and a polymer containing a unit structure of Formula (2): O—Ar2—O—Ar3-T-Ar4 Formula (2) where Ar2, Ar3, and Ar4 are individually a C6-50 arylene group or an organic group containing a heterocyclic group; at least one of Ar3 and Ar4 is a phenylene group; and T is a carbonyl group. The resist underlayer film forming composition has a solid content of 0.1 to 70 mass % of a total mass of the composition. |
| US09746771B2 |
Laminate body
There is provided a laminate body which is capable of forming an excellent pattern on an organic semiconductor.A laminate body includes at least a water-soluble resin film and a resist film formed of a chemically amplified photosensitive resin composition on a surface of an organic semiconductor film in this order, in which the chemically amplified photosensitive resin composition contains a photoacid generator which is decomposed in an amount of 80% by mole or greater when exposed to light under the condition of 100 mJ/cm2 or greater at a wavelength of 365 nm, a mask pattern is formed by an exposed portion being hardly soluble in a developer containing an organic solvent, and the formed mask pattern is used as an etching mask. |
| US09746770B2 |
Thermally developable imaging materials and methods
A thermally developable material comprising a support and having thereon at least one non-photosensitive carrier layer comprising: a binder comprising vinyl butyral repeat units and alcohol repeat units, an adhesion promoting compound comprising ester repeat units, and a crosslinker comprising isocyanate repeat units; and at least one thermally developable imaging layer comprising organic silver salt grains, light-sensitive silver halide grains, a reducing agent, a binder comprising hydroxyl and butryal repeat units, and a crosslinker comprising at least one isocyanate group. |
| US09746768B2 |
Resist overlayer film forming composition for lithography and method for producing semiconductor device using the same
There is provided a resist overlayer film forming composition for use in a lithography process in semiconductor device production, which does not intermix with a resist, blocks undesirable exposure light particularly in EUV exposure, for example, UV and DUV and selectively transmits EUV alone, and which can be developed with a developer after exposure. A resist overlayer film forming composition comprising: a polymer including an organic group including a linear or branched saturated alkyl group having a carbon atom number of 1 to 10, in which some or all of hydrogen atoms thereof are substituted with fluorine atoms, and an optionally substituted C8-16 ether compound as a solvent. |
| US09746767B2 |
Photoresist composition and method of manufacturing black matrix using the same
A photoresist composition including 5 wt % to 10 wt % of a binder resin, 5 wt % to 10 wt % of a photopolymerization monomer, 1 wt % to 5 wt % of a photopolymerization initiator comprising an oxime ester-based compound and activated by light in a wavelength range of 400 nm to 410 nm, 5 wt % to 10 wt % of a black coloring agent, and a residual amount of a solvent. |
| US09746761B2 |
Integrated furniture system for inconspicuously housing audiovisual equipment
An integrated furniture system inconspicuously houses audiovisual equipment. The system includes a projector cabinet and a columnar supported screen assembly. The assembly comprises a screen for displaying a projected image with a frame around its perimeter and a pair of columnar screen supports located at opposite side edges of the screen. Each column comprises a hollow base with a slot formed in its interior surface and a foldable column with hollow top and bottom sections interconnected by a hinge. The bottom section has an attachment plate and a tongue portion extending from an exterior surface thereof. The tongue portion is insertable within the slot in the hollow base. A bracket attaches the screen to the neighboring columnar screen support. The bracket has a pair of side rails, one which is attached to a side surface of the column facing the screen and the other rail attached to the screen frame. |
| US09746757B2 |
Display panel and projection display device
The present disclosure provides a display panel, including: a reflector; a phase retarder configured to change a polarization direction of a light beam passing through the phase retarder; a light-absorbing black matrix configured to absorb the light beam; and a polarization scattering film. After passing through the polarization scattering film, a polarized light beam from a projector is transmitted along an original light path, then the polarized light beam is transmitted through the phase retarder, reflected by the reflector and directed again to the polarization scattering film so as to be scattered. After passing through the polarization scattering film, a light beam with a polarization direction different from the polarized light beam from the projector is scattered by the polarization scattering film and then absorbed by the light-absorbing black matrix. |
| US09746756B2 |
Light source system and related projection system employing a light division system and two spatial light modulatiors
A light source system (200), comprises: a light-emitting device (1) for emitting a first light and a second light in sequence; a beam splitting system (2) with which the first light emitted from the light-emitting device (1) is divided into one beam in a first range of wavelength and the other beam in a second range of wavelength, respectively emitted along a first optical path and a second optical path, and also with which at least a part of the second light emitted from the light-emitting device (1) is emitted along the first optical path; a first spatial light modulator (211) for modulating the beam emitted from the beam splitting system (2) along the first optical path; a second spatial light modulator (213) for modulating the beam emitted from the beam splitting system (2) along the second optical path. The light source system (200) has the advantages of high light-emitting efficiency and low cost. A projection system comprising the aforementioned light source system (200) is also provided. |
| US09746753B2 |
Projector with embedded electric suspension arm
A projector includes a main body, sub-body having an optical engine system, and a telescopic electric suspension arm, of which a first end is fixed in the main body, and a second end is connected to the sub-body. When the electric suspension arm retracts, the projector is in a closed position, where the sub-body and the electric suspension arm are both placed in the main body; and when the electric suspension arm extends, the projector is in an open position, and the sub-body moves out from the main body. |
| US09746745B1 |
Zoom lens and method for manufacturing the same
A zoom lens is provided, which includes an electrode pattern on a substrate, and a liquid-crystal material on the electrode pattern. The electrode pattern includes a plurality of concentric ring electrodes surrounding an innermost electrode. Each of the concentric ring electrodes has an opening. A first trace extends from a first electrode out of an outermost concentric ring electrode to the innermost electrode. The first trace has greater resistance than the concentric ring electrodes and the innermost electrode. A second trace connecting the innermost electrode and a second electrode out of the outermost concentric ring electrode through the openings. The liquid-crystal material includes a liquid-crystal compound with a chemical structure of wherein R is C4-10 alkyl group, n=1 or 2, and each of X is independently H or F. |
| US09746742B2 |
Electro-optic modulator with distributed gain
An electro-optic modulator includes a Mach-Zehnder interferometer having a bias input, an optical input, and an optical output. A first arm comprises an optical waveguide. A second arm comprises an optical waveguide. A plurality of electrode segments is distributed along or proximate to a length of the optical waveguides of the first and second arms. A plurality of amplifiers, where at least one of the plurality of amplifiers has an RF input that receives an electrical modulation signal, and where each of the plurality of amplifiers are electrically connected to one of the plurality of electrode segments so as to provide distributed gain. A number of the plurality of amplifiers is chosen to achieve a desired combination of noise figure and spur-free dynamic range. |
| US09746741B2 |
Optical modulator
An aspect of the present invention is an optical modulator including a substrate, a plurality of optical waveguides, and a plurality of modulation electrodes provided on the substrate in order to modulate light propagating through the optical waveguides. The modulation electrodes include signal electrodes, to which modulation signals are supplied, and ground electrodes. The signal electrodes include first and second signal electrodes. The ground electrodes include a first ground electrode provided between the first and second signal electrodes, a second ground electrode provided on the opposite side of the first signal electrode from the first ground electrode adjacent to the first signal electrode, and a third ground electrode provided on the opposite side of the second signal electrode from the first ground electrode adjacent to the second signal electrode. A concave groove is formed in each of the first to third ground electrodes. |
| US09746738B1 |
Liquid crystal display device and method of manufacturing the same
A liquid crystal display device including: a first substrate including a first base substrate, a first field-generating electrode disposed on the first base substrate, and a second field-generating electrode disposed on the first field-generating electrode; a second substrate facing the first base substrate and disposed spaced apart from the first substrate; a liquid crystal layer including liquid crystals, in which an electric field is formed by the first field-generating electrode and the second field-generating electrode, being disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate and contacting the second field-generating electrode; and a plurality of first projections disposed between the second field-generating electrode and the liquid crystal layer. |
| US09746737B2 |
Liquid crystal display device and method of manufacturing the same
Provided is a liquid crystal display device including a first substrate on which a first alignment layer is formed, a second substrate on which a second alignment layer is formed, and a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first and second alignment layers and including liquid crystals of a helical structure in which a helical axis is parallel to the first and second substrates. At least one of the first and second alignment layers has a graduation distribution profile of a pretilt angle which ranges from about 0 degrees to about 90 degrees. |
| US09746735B2 |
Fringe field switching mode liquid crystal display device
An FFS mode LCD device is disclosed which includes: a substrate; gate and data lines arranged to cross each other on the substrate and define white, red, green and blue sub-pixels with asymmetric areas; first through fourth thin film transistors connected to the white, red, green and blue sub-pixels; common electrodes disposed in the white, red, green and blue sub-pixels; and white, red, green and blue pixel electrodes disposed to overlap with the common electrodes within the white, red, green and blue sub-pixels. |
| US09746730B2 |
Array substrate having data line self-repairing function and liquid crystal device
An array substrate having a data line self-repairing function and a liquid crystal display device is disclosed. The array substrate comprises a plurality of pixel units, the pixel unit at least comprise a gate layer, a gate insulating layer, a data layer and a pixel electrode layer laminated therein. Every of the pixel unit have a translucent area and opening areas. The gate layer relative to the opening area is retained, and the gate insulating layer does not cover the gate layer, and the data layer relative to the opening area contacts with the gate layer so that a broken data line in the data layer has conductive connection through the gate layer. Through the above solution, the data line has automatic repair function for disconnection and the unqualified rate of the data line during the manufacture processes is reduced. |
| US09746725B2 |
Liquid crystal display and manufacturing method thereof
A liquid crystal display, includes: a substrate; a gate line including a gate pad and a data line including a data pad, the gate and data lines being disposed on the substrate; a thin film transistor connected to the gate line and the data line; an organic layer disposed on the thin film transistor; a pixel electrode disposed on the organic layer; a first contact assistant disposed on the gate pad; a second contact assistant disposed on the data pad; a first insulating layer disposed on the pixel electrode; and a common electrode disposed on the first insulating layer, the common electrode overlapping with the pixel electrode. The common electrode includes first cutouts, the first insulating layer includes second cutouts, the plane shapes of the first and second cutouts are substantially the same, and the pixel electrode includes a polycrystalline transparent conductive material. |
| US09746711B2 |
Pixel structure and liquid-crystal display
A pixel structure is provided. The pixel structure includes a substrate and an insulating layer on the substrate. The insulating layer includes a plane region. An electrode pattern is disposed on the insulating layer and located on the plane region. The electrode pattern includes a bottom layer and a plurality of protrusions connected to the bottom layer. The protrusions protrude from the top surface of the bottom layer towards a direction away from the substrate. The bottom layer covers the plane region. A plurality of slits are formed between the protrusions so as to expose portions of the bottom layer. A liquid-crystal display having the pixel structure is also provided. |
| US09746710B2 |
Quantum dot light source device, backlight module, and liquid crystal display device
The disclosure provides a quantum dot light source device, a backlight module, and a liquid crystal display device, where the quantum dot light source device includes an upper substrate, a lower substrate, and a quantum dot material layer packaged between the upper substrate and the lower substrate, and reflection points are arranged on the upper substrate so that the reflectivity of light rays by the reflection points at the center of the upper substrate is higher than the reflectivities of the light rays at the peripheral edges thereof. |
| US09746707B2 |
Method for manufacturing display substrate, display substrate and display device
The present disclosure provides a method for manufacturing a display substrate, the display substrate and a display device. The method includes a step of forming a black matrix. The step of forming the black matrix includes: forming a metal pattern for the black matrix, the metal pattern being made of an amphoteric metal or an amphoteric metal alloy; and treating the metal pattern with an alkaline solution, so as to form the black matrix wherein a surface of black matrix has a concave-convex microstructure. |
| US09746706B2 |
Display device and electronic apparatus
The present display device includes a liquid crystal panel having a liquid crystal layer between an array substrate and a facing substrate. The array substrate has an electrode layer having an upper electrode and a lower electrode facing each other in a Z direction, and an opening including a plurality of slits extending in an X direction is formed in the upper electrode and the lower electrode. The liquid crystal layer is provided on the electrode layer, liquid crystal molecules in vicinity regions on one side and the other side of the opening which face each other in a width direction of each slit are oriented as rotating in reverse to each other, and the facing substrate has a conductive layer. |
| US09746704B2 |
Support structure and liquid crystal display device including the same
Discussed is an LCD device including a specifically configured support structure with two or more supporting parts and containing a heat-resistant material in at least one supporting part thereof. The content of the heat-resistant material included in the supporting part adjacent to a light source of the LCD device can be higher than the content of heat-resistant material included in the other supporting parts. |
| US09746703B2 |
Panel assembly
A panel assembly includes a frame, a cell module, a retaining structure, and a flexible circuit board. The frame has a first surface and a second surface respectively located at opposite sides of the frame. The cell module and the retaining structure are respectively disposed on the first and second surfaces. The flexible circuit board is connected to the cell module and bended to extend over the second surface. The flexible circuit board has a through hole having a passing zone and an inwardly reduced zone communicated with each other. A part of the retaining structure extends from the second surface to a side of the flexible circuit board distal to the second surface via the inwardly reduced zone for preventing the flexible circuit board from moving away from the second surface. The passing zone is configured for the retaining structure to pass through. |
| US09746702B2 |
Display device
A display device includes a display panel, a top chassis partially surrounding a top surface of the display panel and having first and second inserting holes, a bottom chassis configured to accommodate the display panel and having third and fourth inserting holes, and at least one fixing member extending through the third inserting hole, the first inserting hole, the second inserting hole and the fourth inserting hole to thereby couple the bottom chassis and the top chassis to each other. |
| US09746700B2 |
Silicon photonic hybrid polarization demultiplexer
An optical demultiplexer that includes at least one a hybrid phase shifter configured to receive a light signal over a fiber element, the light signal including polarized optical signals. Each phase shifter includes a thermo-optic phase shifter configured to phase shift the light signal, an electro-optic phase shifter configured to phase shift the light signal, and a coupler configured to maintain polarization of the polarized signal components. The optical demultiplexer also includes control circuitry configured to regulate the thermo-optic and electro-optic phase shifters. |
| US09746699B2 |
Optical frequency shifter, single sideband modulator, and light insertion and branch apparatus
An optical frequency shifter includes a splitter that branch a first optical signal having a first frequency component, a first mutual phase modulator that generate a second optical signal having a second frequency component and a third optical signal having a third frequency component with mutual phase modulation of the first optical signal and a first optical beat signal, a phase converter that change a phase of an output of the first mutual phase modulator, a second mutual phase modulator that generate the second optical signal and the third optical signal with mutual phase modulation of the first phase converter of output signal and a second optical beat signal, and a combiner that interfere between an output of the second mutual phase modulator and another optical signal obtained by branching of the splitter. |
| US09746691B2 |
Optoelectronic apparatus and method for alignment
An optoelectronic apparatus (10) having a light transmitter (22) and/or a light receiver (16) and an optics (24, 14) arranged in front of the light transmitter (22) and/or the light receiver (16) is provided that has an adaptive lens (26) with variable tilt. In this respect an alignment unit (18) is provided which is configured to tilt the adaptive lens (26) in such a way that manufacturing tolerances and/or assembly tolerances are compensated. |
| US09746690B2 |
Actuator, camera module, and mobile terminal with camera
This actuator carries out shake correction by inclining a driven unit using the driving force of a voice coil motor having a coil portion and a magnet portion. The actuator is provided with: a movable portion that has a flat frame-like holding member to which the driven unit is adhered, wherein one of either the coil portion or the magnet portion is disposed in the holding member; a fixed portion that has a base member and a frame-like cover member that is fixed to the peripheral edge of the base member, wherein the other of either the coil portion or the magnet portion is disposed in the base member; and a support portion that is disposed in the base member and supports the movable portion so as to be inclinable relative to the fixed portion. The movable portion is sandwiched between the base member and the cover member. |
| US09746685B2 |
Display device
A display device is provided. The display device includes a display panel including a plurality of display units displaying a same image, and a microlens array including a plurality of microlens elements disposed on top of a light emitting surface of the display panel. The plurality of microlens elements are one-to-one corresponding to the plurality of display units, and a distance between a center of the microlens element and a center of the corresponding display unit gradually increases from a center of the display panel to an edge of the display panel. |
| US09746683B2 |
Automatic survey instrument
In an automatic survey instrument that divides reflected light from a target into collimation light, range-finding light, and tracking light, a configuration of an optical absorption filter for visible light absorption to be used for SN ratio improvement is simplified, and deterioration in automatic tracking performance due to a defect inside the optical absorption filter is suppressed. Between two prisms (41, 43) defining a second reflecting surface (45) of a dichroic prism (40) through which reflected light from a target enters, an optical absorption filter (46) that absorbs a wavelength band of visible light is inserted, and the second reflecting surface (45) is formed at a border between a rear surface of the optical absorption filter (46) with respect to a light propagation direction and a surface of the prism (43) on the rear side of the optical absorption filter in the light propagation direction. |
| US09746681B2 |
Laser beam combining device
A laser beam combining device includes: a plurality of shaping optical units which emit circular laser beams which are different from each other in a change amount of an outer diameter per unit travel distance, wherein the plurality of shaping optical units are placed in such a manner that the circular laser beams emitted from the shaping optical units have a concentric shape. |
| US09746678B2 |
Light wave separation lattices and methods of forming light wave separation lattices
Light wave separation lattices and methods of formation are provided herein. In some embodiments, a light wave separation lattice includes a first layer having the formula ROXNY, wherein the first layer has a first refractive index; and a second layer, different from the first layer, disposed atop the first layer, and having the formula R′OXNY, wherein the second layer has a second refractive index different from the first refractive index, and wherein R and R′ are each one of a metal or a dielectric material. In some embodiments, a method of forming a light wave separation lattice includes depositing a first layer having a predetermined desired refractive index atop a substrate by a physical vapor deposition process; and depositing a second layer, different from the first layer, atop the first layer, wherein the second layer has a predetermined second refractive index different from the first refractive index. |
| US09746675B2 |
Alignment based view matrix tuning
A head-mounted display device is disclosed, which includes an at least partially see-through display, a processor configured to detect a physical feature, generate an alignment hologram based on the physical feature, determine a view of the alignment hologram based on a default view matrix for a first eye of a user of the head-mounted display device, display the view of the alignment hologram to the first eye of the user on the at least partially see-through display, output an instruction to the user to enter an adjustment input to visually align the alignment hologram with the physical feature, determine a calibrated view matrix based on the default view matrix and the adjustment input, and adjust a view matrix setting of the head-mounted display device based on the calibrated view matrix. |
| US09746669B2 |
Image display device and vehicle incorporating the same
An image display device includes a lens array, and a scanner to two-dimensionally scan the lens array with a light beam for image display, in which each of lenses of the lens array includes a convex surface with different curvatures in two directions orthogonal to the optical axis of the lens and to each other. |
| US09746668B2 |
Head-up display device and vehicle having the same
A head-up display (HUD) device configured to project at least one of an image or a text on a windshield includes a display panel, a backlight module configured to emit light to the display panel, and an optical guide module configured to guide the at least one of the image or the text displayed on the display panel to the windshield. The backlight module includes a plurality of light sources configured to emit light to the display panel in different directions from one another such that the at least one of the image or text is independently projected on different regions of the windshield. |
| US09746667B2 |
Zoom lens and imaging apparatus
A zoom lens consists of, in order from the object side, a positive first lens group that is fixed during magnification change, at least three movable lens groups that are moved during magnification change, and a positive end lens group that is disposed at the most image side and is fixed during magnification change. The at least three movable lens groups include, in order from the object side, a positive lens group, a negative lens group, and a negative lens group. The first lens group includes at least two negative lenses, where the most object-side negative lens has a meniscus shape with the convex surface toward the object side, and a first-n lens, which is at least one negative lens of the rest of the negative lenses of the first lens group, satisfies given condition expressions (1) and (2). |
| US09746663B2 |
Electrowetting pixel with two electrowetting elements
An electrowetting pixel, comprising a first electrowetting element with a first subpixel and a second subpixel, and a second electrowetting element adjoining the first electrowetting element and with a third subpixel and a fourth subpixel. |
| US09746662B2 |
Endoscope observation system
An endoscope observation system includes a light source section generating different types of light in at least partly different wavelength bands for observation of a polarized light-based observation image and for observation of a non polarized light-based observation image, respectively; an irradiation side polarization separation element subjecting the illumination light from the light source section to polarization separation; a light reception side polarization separation element performing polarization separation, in a particular wavelength band of the light from the observation target, by transmitting polarized light with a predetermined polarization component while reflecting polarized light with a polarization component other than the predetermined polarization component, and in a wavelength bend other than the particular wavelength band, exhibiting same transmission and reflection characteristics for both polarized light and non polarized light; and an image pickup element receiving the transmitted or reflected light. |
| US09746660B2 |
Binocular telescope with controlled parallax
This invention teaches a binocular telescope wherein wedge prisms are positioned in the optical path of each telescope to control the amount of perceived parallax between the left and the right images. In one embodiment, a pair of thin wedge prisms are positioned in front of the objective lenses to optically manipulate the real convergence angle of an object viewed through the binocular telescope. In a second embodiment, wedge prisms are positioned after the eyepiece lenses to manipulate the apparent convergence angle of an object viewed through the binocular telescope. Depending on the position and the orientation of the wedge prisms, the invention produces benefits such as better depth perception, increased field of view, and the possibility to view close objects. |
| US09746659B2 |
Surgical microscope system
A surgical microscope system includes a camera that is rotatable around a first rotation axis and a second rotation axis, the rotation axes being orthogonal to each other, so that a photographing direction of the camera is changeable at a given position. The first rotation axis is inclined with respect to a vertical axis, and therefore, a lower end of a first member is able to be set at a height that does not interfere with the photographing direction when the camera is horizontally oriented. |
| US09746655B2 |
Locating connectors and methods for mounting solar hardware
A solar concentrator assembly can include mirror assemblies that are connected to pivotable frames with locating connections. The locating connections can be in the form of cam devices or tool-less connections formed by snap fitting devices as well as tool-less cam devices. |
| US09746645B1 |
Optical image capturing system
A six-piece optical lens for capturing image and a six-piece optical module for capturing image are provided. In order from an object side to an image side, the optical lens along the optical axis includes a first lens with refractive power, a second lens with refractive power, a third lens with refractive power, a fourth lens with refractive power, a fifth lens with refractive power and a sixth lens with refractive power. At least one of the image-side surface and object-side surface of each of the six lens elements is aspheric. The optical lens can increase aperture value and improve the imagining quality for use in compact cameras. |
| US09746644B2 |
Optical image capturing system
An optical image capturing system includes, along the optical axis in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens, a second lens, a third lens, a fourth lens, a fifth lens, a sixth lens, and a seventh lens. At least one lens among the first to the sixth lenses has positive refractive force. The seventh lens can have negative refractive force. The lenses in the optical image capturing system which have refractive power include the first to the seventh lenses. The optical image capturing system can increase aperture value and improve the imaging quality for use in compact cameras. |
| US09746643B2 |
Optical image capturing system
An optical image capturing system includes, along the optical axis in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens, a second lens, a third lens, a fourth lens, and a fifth lens. At least one lens among the first to the fifth lenses has positive refractive force, wherein the fifth lens can have negative refractive force, wherein both surfaces thereof are aspheric, and at least one surface thereof has an inflection point and wherein the first to the fifth lenses in the optical image capturing system have refractive power whereby the optical image capturing system can increase aperture value and improve the imaging quality for use in compact cameras. |
| US09746640B2 |
Mobile device and optical imaging lens thereof
Present embodiments provide for a mobile device and an optical imaging lens thereof. The optical imaging lens comprises an aperture stop and five lens elements positioned sequentially from an object side to an image side. Through controlling the convex or concave shape of the surfaces of the lens elements and designing parameters satisfying at least one inequality, the optical imaging lens shows better optical characteristics and the total length of the optical imaging lens is shortened. |
| US09746639B2 |
Mobile device and optical imaging lens thereof
An optical imaging lens includes six lens elements disposed sequentially from an object side to an image side. The first lens element has a positive refracting power and the image-side surface of the second lens element comprises a concave portion in a vicinity of the optical axis. The third lens element has a positive refracting power and the image-side surface of the fourth lens element comprises a convex portion in a vicinity of the optical axis. The image-side surface of the fifth lens element comprises a convex portion in a vicinity of the optical axis, the image-side surface of the sixth lens element comprises a concave portion in a vicinity of the optical axis, and the optical imaging lens as a whole has only the six lens elements having refractive power. |
| US09746638B2 |
Imaging lens and imaging apparatus
An imaging lens is constituted by, in order from the object side to the image side: a positive first lens group; a stop; a negative second lens group; and a positive third lens group. Only the second lens group moves in the direction of the optical axis to perform focusing operations. The first lens group is constituted by, in order from the object side to the image side, a first lens group front group and a first lens group rear group. The first lens group front group is constituted by, in order from the object side to the image side, one positive lens and one negative lens, the first lens group rear group includes at least two negative lenses and at least three positive lenses. The second lens group is constituted by one or two positive lenses and one negative lens. |
| US09746634B2 |
Lens module
A lens module is disclosed. A lens module includes a lens barrel including a first barrel wall extended horizontally and a second barrel wall extended from the first barrel wall; a lens group including at least one lens located in the lens barrel, the lens comprising a first surface close to the first barrel wall and a second surface opposite to the first surface; and a stop clamped between the lens barrel and the lens. The first surface of the lens is provided with a first slope, an inner surface of the first barrel wall of the lens barrel is provided with a second slope abutting against first slope, and the stop creates a light hole for the lens. |
| US09746628B2 |
Active optical cable assembly including optical fiber movement control
A plug connector for connecting optical fibers to an electrical receptacle connector includes a housing defining a cavity therein. At least one printed circuit board (PCB) is disposed in the housing cavity. The PCB includes one or more optoelectronic components disposed on its top surface and electrical contacts disposed proximate a mating edge of the PCB for mating with the receptacle connector. The electrical contacts are electrically connected to the one or more optoelectronic components. One or more optical fibers enter the housing cavity through a housing opening and are optically coupled to the optoelectronic components. A structure comprising a top surface is disposed within the housing cavity between the housing opening and the PCB. The plurality of the optical fibers extends over the top surface of the structure and over at least a portion of the top surface of the PCB. The plurality of the optical fibers is separated from the top surface of the PCB by a first minimum distance and from the top surface of the platform by a second minimum distance less than the first minimum distance. |
| US09746627B2 |
Semiconductor laser module
A semiconductor laser module includes a semiconductor laser element outputting a laser light; an optical fiber; an optical component disposed at an outer periphery of the optical fiber and fixing the optical fiber; a first-fixing agent fastening the optical component and the optical fiber; a light-absorbing element disposed at an outer periphery of the optical component and fixing the optical component; a first light-blocking portion disposed between an end into which the laser light is incident of the optical fiber and the optical component; and a housing accommodating therein the semiconductor laser element, an end into which the laser light is incident of the optical fiber and the first light-blocking portion. The optical component has an optical transmittance at a wavelength of the laser light, and the light-absorbing element has an optical absorptivity at a wavelength of the laser light. |
| US09746624B2 |
Optical connector for endoscope
An optical connector for an endoscope has a first holding member which holds a first waveguide therein, a second holding member which holds a second waveguide therein and replaceable replacement members which intervenes between the first holding member and the second holding member so that replacement waveguides intervenes between the waveguides and is optically coupled to the waveguides. The optical connector has attachment members and a positioning mechanism which positions the holding members and the replacement members relative to one another. |
| US09746621B2 |
Optical fiber connection system including optical fiber alignment device with optical fiber cleaner
The present disclosure relates to system and method for cleaning an end face of a bare optical fiber (100). The system and methods include inserting the end face of the bare optical fiber (100) through a layer of material (500) that includes electrospun fibers. |
| US09746618B2 |
L-angle type optical connector
In an L-angle type optical connector for bending an optical fiber in a right angle direction in wiring, an L-angle member which accommodates a bent portion, which is bent in a right angle direction, of the optical fiber has a cut-out spanning the entire length of the L-angle member along the inside of the bent portion, and a protrusion is formed on inner side surfaces, which sandwich the cut-out, of the L-angle member in a protruded manner. The member which accommodates the bent portion, which is bent in a right angle direction, of the optical fiber is constituted of one component. |
| US09746617B2 |
Optical switches with surface grating couplers and edge couplers
A photonic integrated circuit (PIC) comprises an optical switch, a plurality of input edge couplers comprising a first input edge coupler and coupled to the optical switch, a plurality of input surface grating couplers (SGCs) comprising a first input SGC and coupled to the optical switch, a plurality of output edge couplers comprising a first output edge coupler and coupled to the optical switch, and a plurality of output SGCs comprising a first output SGC and coupled to the optical switch. A method of fabricating a PIC comprises patterning and etching a silicon substrate to produce a first optical switch, a first surface grating coupler (SGC) coupled to the first optical switch, and a first edge coupler coupled to the first optical switch. |
| US09746614B2 |
Photonic chips based on multimode fiber-to-waveguide coupling
Optical coupling designs are disclosed to provide a photonic device, for example, that includes a substrate; an optical waveguide formed on the substrate and configured as a multimode waveguide to support light in different optical waveguide modes; and an optical fiber structured as a multimode fiber to support light in different optical fiber modes, the optical fiber located above the optical waveguide and optically coupled to the optical waveguide via evanescent coupling to allow light to be coupled between the optical fiber and the optical waveguide. |
| US09746612B2 |
Fiber-waveguide evanescent coupler
Methods, systems, and devices are disclosed for implementing a fiber-waveguide evanescent coupling. In one aspect, a device having integrated photonic components includes a substrate, a waveguide formed on the substrate to include a terminal waveguide portion that terminates at one side of the substrate, and a fiber including a fiber core and fiber cladding surrounding the fiber core, in which at least a portion of the fiber cladding is removed at or near a fiber terminal end to enable optical evanescent coupling via a side surface of the fiber core at the or near the fiber terminal end, the fiber core at the or near the fiber terminal end is placed over the one side of the substrate to be above and to overlap with the terminal waveguide portion of the waveguide to enable optical evanescent coupling via side surfaces of the fiber core and the waveguide. |
| US09746609B2 |
Integrated on-chip polarizer
A low loss high extinction ratio on-chip polarizer is disclosed. The polarizer is formed of a mode convertor followed by a mode squeezer and a dump waveguide, and may be configured to pass a desired waveguide mode and reject undesired modes. An embodiment is described that transmits a TE0 mode while blocking a TM0 mode by converting the TM0 mode into a higher-order TEn mode in a waveguide taper, squeezing out the TEn mode in a second waveguide taper to lessen its confinement, and then dumping the TEn mode in a waveguide bend that is configured to pass the TE0 mode. |
| US09746608B1 |
Integrated optical assembly apparatus and integrated fabrication method for coupling optical energy
A novel optical assembly apparatus for coupling optical energy and a related method for creating the novel optical assembly apparatus are disclosed. In one embodiment, the novel optical assembly apparatus includes a high-index contrast waveguide constructed on a semiconductor die or another base substrate with an aligned optical coupling section, a grating coupler etched onto a surface, a micro mirror with an acute angle relative to the surface, and a waveguide taper that narrows an optical beam width. A light ray entered into the optical coupling section is redirected by the micro mirror to form a perpendicular ray entry angle with the grating coupler. The grating coupler then efficiently couples the light ray with the waveguide taper, which in turn narrows the optical beam width. The light ray may originate from a semiconductor die or from an optical fiber, which is purposefully aligned with the high-index contrast waveguide. |
| US09746603B2 |
Light guide
A light guide includes a body transmittable to light and a plurality of light guiding elements. The body includes a first end face on an end thereof. The body further includes a light emitting portion, a deflecting portion, and two lateral sides. The light emitting portion and the deflecting portion are opposite to each other. Each of the two lateral sides is connected to the light emitting portion and the deflecting portion. The first end face is connected to the deflecting portion and each of the two lateral sides. Each light guiding element includes a curved face. The curved face is a conical surface or a part of the conical surface. The curved face is coupled to the deflecting portion. The light guiding elements can be arranged on the deflecting portion in one or more rows to control the light output directions and to reduce the illuminating angle. |
| US09746591B2 |
Multi-layer microprismatic retroreflective sheeting and method of manufacturing the same
A multi-layer microprismatic retroreflective film and a method of manufacturing the same. In one embodiment, the film includes: (1) a prism layer including an acrylic polymeric material and containing microprisms, (2) a strengthening layer including a polymeric material different from the acrylic polymeric material and (3) a buffer section including acrylic polymeric material located between the microprisms of the prism layer and the strengthening layer. |
| US09746589B2 |
Range finder and prism assembly thereof
A prism assembly includes a first prism, a second prism, a roof prism and an optical multilayer film. The first prism includes a first, a second and a third surface. The second prism includes a fourth, a fifth and a sixth surface. The fifth surface faces the third surface. The roof prism includes a seventh, an eighth and a ridge surface. The seventh surface faces the second surface. The optical multilayer film is disposed between the fifth surface and the third surface. A first light beam and a second light beam entering the first prism are totally reflected from the second surface to the optical multilayer film which reflects the first light beam but allows the second light beam to pass through. The second light beam enters the second prism, is totally reflected on the sixth surface, and exits from the fourth surface of the second prism. |
| US09746588B2 |
Method for manufacturing visibility improvement sheet, and visibility improvement sheet
Disclosed is a method for manufacturing a visibility improvement sheet that comprises light absorbing portions having a substantially rectangular cross-section and can realize a high contrast while maintaining a view angle. The visibility improvement sheet is manufactured by forming light transparent portions juxtaposed to each other at predetermined intervals to form grooves having a substantially rectangular cross section juxtaposed to each other between the light transparent portions, filling the grooves with an ink composition comprising a transparent ionizing radiation curable resin composition and colored fine particles, and curing the ink composition in such a state that fine air bubbles are randomly dispersed in the filled ink composition. |
| US09746579B2 |
CT systems and methods thereof
A CT system and method thereof are disclosed. The system includes: a conveyor mechanism; a first scanning stage configured to scan the object and generate a first digital signal; a second scanning stage spaced from the first scanning stage at a preset distance in a direction of the object's movement; a processing device configured to reconstruct a CT image of the object at a first image quality based on the first digital signal, and analyze the CT image; and a control device configured to adjust a scanning parameter of the second scanning stage based on an analysis result of the processing device to cause the second scanning stage to output a second digital signal. The processing device reconstructs a CT image of the object at a second image quality higher than the first image quality at least based on the second digital signal. The system takes full advantage of the distributed ray sources which replace the normal slip ring technology. |
| US09746578B2 |
Apparatus for examining moving products, in particular moving piece goods, by x-ray
Provided is an apparatus for x-ray examination of moving products, including a conveyor device with a conveying means on which a product to be irradiated rests in a movement plane. The product is transported in at least one of the following manners: along a predetermined movement trajectory at a predetermined speed; in accordance with a predetermined time-dependent course of speed or position; is rotated about a rotary axis that is substantially perpendicular to the movement plane, or any combination thereof. A radiation generating device, configured to generate an x-ray beam, is positioned on one side of the conveying means, and has a detector device, positioned on the opposite side of the conveying means. The radiation generating device is configured to generate an x-ray beam widening in fanlike fashion beginning at an x-radiation source of the radiation generating device. |
| US09746577B2 |
Uncertainty estimation of subsurface resistivity solutions
Method for estimating uncertainty in a physical property model generated by inverting measured geophysical data, for example, a resistivity model inferred from electromagnetic field data. The method involves as few as one data inversion coupled with a number of forward simulation. Alternative solutions (models) are generated by probing a perturbation space defined from a reduced model space, resulting from a principal component decomposition of the inverted model, and selecting some of the larger components. Statistical analysis techniques may be applied (to those alternative solutions remaining after thresholding) to generate quantitative uncertainty estimates applicable to the inverted model. |
| US09746576B2 |
Wettability estimation using magnetic resonance
A method of estimating a wettability characteristic of a formation includes: disposing a magnetic resonance (MR) measurement apparatus in a borehole; generating a low gradient static magnetic field and an oscillating magnetic field in a region of the formation; detecting a MR signal generated in the region; calculating relaxation parameters for at least one fluid in the region; and estimating the wettability characteristic of the region based on the relaxation parameters. |
| US09746572B2 |
Electronic marker devices and systems
Integrated buried utility locator systems, including a locator including a marker device excitation transmitter a buried utility locator along with one or more marker devices, are disclosed. In operation a marker device excitation signal is sent from the locator at least partially simultaneously to receiving and processing a buried utility signal. |
| US09746571B2 |
Proximity sensor antenna device and antenna structure thereof
A P-sensor device includes an antenna structure and a P-sensor module. The antenna structure includes a first conductor, a second conductor, a capacitance member, and an inductance member. The capacitance member and inductance member are electrically connected to the second conductor. When the second conductor is in a capacitance electrode mode, a capacitance value between the second conductor and an external object is variable, and the capacitance member is configured to block a detecting signal, which travels in the second conductor. When the second conductor is in a coupling antenna mode, the inductance member is configured to block a RF signal, which travels in the second conductor. The P-sensor module is electrically connected to the inductance member and is electrically connected to the second conductor via the inductance member. |
| US09746570B2 |
Virtual marine seismic spread acquisition
Presented are methods and a system for efficiently acquiring seismic data based on a virtual seismic spread. A streamer vessel and a source vessel are used in combination and in a specific spatial arrangement collect seismic data. The source arrays can be fired simultaneously, creating blended seismic data that is separated with a deblending algorithm or sequentially to collect seismic data directly. The virtual seismic spread can be configured to reduce survey time or decrease capital costs and health safety and environment exposure based on the size of the streamer array towed by the streamer vessel. |
| US09746569B2 |
Stationary marine vibratory source for seismic surveys
A seismic data acquisition system is configured to collect seismic data. The system includes a marine source array configured to be attached to a fixed structure floating at the water surface and including vibratory source elements; and a controller configured to control the vibratory source elements so that a beam formed by the source array is steerable. |
| US09746564B2 |
Dosimetry system, methods, and components
Dosimeters with wireless communications capability, upon actuation, communicate with a cell phone or other data capture and relay device (DCRD) with an application that allows communication with the dosimeters. The cell phone or other DCRD is a single device or part of an ad hoc network. The cell phone or other DCRD, once it receives raw data from a dosimeter, relays the data to a central station using mobile telephone or Wi-Fi or other communications networks. The data is processed at the central station, and available over the internet or cell phone. |
| US09746560B2 |
Combination scanner and tracker device having a focusing mechanism
A three-dimensional (3D) coordinate measurement device combines tracker and scanner functionality. The tracker function is configured to send light to a retroreflector and determine distance to the retroreflector based on the reflected light. The tracker is also configured to track the retroreflector as it moves, and to determine 3D coordinates of the retroreflector. The scanner is configured to send a beam of light to a point on an object surface and to determine 3D coordinate of the point. In addition, the scanner is configured to adjustably focus the beam of light. |
| US09746559B2 |
Using two-dimensional camera images to speed registration of three-dimensional scans
A method for measuring and registering 3D coordinates has a 3D scanner measure a first collection of 3D coordinates of points from a first registration position and a second collection of 3D coordinates of points from a second registration position. In between these positions, the 3D scanner collects 2D camera images. A processor determines first and second translation values and a first rotation value based on the 2D camera images. The processor adjusts the second collection of points relative to the first collection of points based at least in part on the first and second translation values and the first rotation value. The processor identifies a correspondence among registration targets in the first and second collection of 3D coordinates, and uses this correspondence to further adjust the relative position and orientation of the first and second collection of 3D coordinates. |
| US09746555B2 |
Planar antenna and radar apparatus
The planar antenna has a dielectric substrate; an antenna main body portion including first and second antenna elements on first and second sides, respectively, of the dielectric substrate and functioning as a balanced antenna; a signal line portion including first and second feed lines on the first and second sides, respectively, and a coplanar line on the first side and formed by a signal line and the first ground conductors, the signal line connected to the first feed line; a second ground conductor on the second side and connected to the second feed line; and via holes connecting the first ground conductors to the second ground conductor provided at ends of edges of the first ground conductors facing the end of the signal line where the signal line connects to the first feed line, to allow the first and second feed lines to function as balanced transmission lines. |
| US09746551B2 |
Multi-application-transceiver device and methods for target monitoring
A multi-application-transceiver device, control computer, computer implemented method and computer program product for operating the multi-application-transceiver device is disclosed. At least one signal transceiver receives a reflected signal in response to an original signal sent by the at least one signal transceiver. The reflected signal is reflected from at least one target object. A signal conversion unit converts the reflected signal into digital format. A digital signal processor component pre-processes the converted reflected signal using an alterable rule engine with a received rule set to discriminate a state inn change of the at least one target object against an earlier state of the at least one target object in the context of a particular monitoring application. A middleware component communicates with at least one remote computing device wherein communicate includes to send the pre-processed signal to the remote computing device, and to receive from the at least one remote computing device the rule set for the alterable rule engine. The received rule set defines an application specific setting for the at least one signal transceiver and for the digital signal processor component to enable the particular monitoring application. |
| US09746550B2 |
Detecting low-speed close-range vehicle cut-in
A vehicle system includes an input device interface and a processing device. The input device interface receives a radar signal. The processing device defines a region of interest between a host vehicle and a front vehicle, detects that a potential cut-in vehicle has entered the region of interest, and selects the potential cut-in vehicle as the new front vehicle. The vehicle system may be incorporated into an autonomous or partially autonomous vehicle. |
| US09746548B2 |
Wide field of view multibeam optical apparatus
A multi-beam LIDAR optical system, that in one example includes a plurality of single mode optical fibers configured to transmit and receive light beams, and a plurality of lenses configured to collimate and focus the light beams between the plurality of single mode optical fibers and an entrance pupil of the system, wherein the system is configured to transmit and receive the light beams over an angular field of view of at least 5°. |
| US09746547B2 |
Method and apparatus for generating depth image
A method of generating a depth image includes irradiating an object with a light which is generated from a light source, acquiring a plurality of phase difference signals which have different phase differences from one another, by sensing a reflection light reflected from the object, generating a first depth image based on the plurality of phase difference signals, generating a second depth image based on phase difference signals in which a motion artifact has not occurred, among the plurality of phase difference signals, generating a third depth image by combining the first depth image and the second depth image. |
| US09746546B2 |
Method and device for sensing surrounding environment based on frequency modulated continuous wave radar
Disclosed herein are a method and device for sensing a surrounding environment based on a frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar. The method for detecting a target based on an FMCW radar includes the steps of: the FMCW radar transmitting a sensing signal for detection of the target, and receiving a response signal in response to the sensing signal; the FMCW radar performing a signal processing on the response signal, and generating a frequency spectrum of a beat signal; the FMCW radar determining a detection frequency band for detection of the target within a valid frequency band of the frequency spectrum; the FMCW radar determining a threshold value to determine a target detection peak value for detection of the target among peak values of the frequency spectrum; and the FMCW radar detecting the target based on the detection frequency band and the threshold value. |
| US09746545B1 |
Monopulse arbitrary phase detection and removal
Systems and method for detecting and removing an arbitrary phase difference between a sum channel signal and a difference channel signal in a monopulse system. A sum channel signal is received from a sum channel signal source and a difference channel signal is received from a difference channel signal source. The difference channel signal is shifted according to various potential arbitrary phase differences φi and φi+π (where φi is from 0 to π radians, i=0, 1, . . . , n; φi+π going from π to 2π radians) between the sum and difference channel signals to thereby generate difference channel signals each having a different phase. The difference channels having a different phase are combined with the sum channel signal to generate a plurality of sum+difference signals and sum−difference signals. Based on the plurality of sum+difference signals and sum−difference signals, maximum in-phase and out-of-phase correlations are determined from the φi and φi+π pairs. The maximum in-phase and out-of-phase correlation pairs are used in an error estimate calculation. |
| US09746542B2 |
Lighting apparatus and positioning system
A lighting apparatus that is used in a positioning system and is locatable in plural number in a limited area is provided. The lighting apparatus for use in the positioning includes a power supplier that supplies power, a lighting unit that is lit by the power supplied by the power supplier, and a beacon transmitter. The beacon transmitter operates by the power supplied by the power supplier, and transmits a beacon that is a signal for positioning. The beacon includes a long-distance beacon transmitted with first transmission power and a short-distance beacon transmitted with a second transmission power less than the first transmission power. The beacon transmitter transmits at least the long-distance beacon intermittently. |
| US09746541B2 |
Beacon array
A method comprises receiving a first received signal strength indicator (RSSI) of a first beacon in an array of beacons and receiving a second RSSI of a second beacon in an array of beacons, calculating a RSSI of the array (r) as a function of the first RSSI and the second RSSI, retrieving a calibrated RSSI value of the array (r′) from a memory, determining whether r>r′, and outputting a signal to a user device responsive to determining that r>r′. |
| US09746537B2 |
Magnetic resonance imaging apparatus and magnetic resonance imaging method
In order to eliminate a global phase change caused by static magnetic field inhomogeneity included in a nuclear magnetic resonance signal, focusing on that phase components generated in a nuclear magnetic resonance signal caused by the static magnetic field inhomogeneity is in a predetermined frequency band (low-frequency band), phase components in the frequency band caused by the static magnetic field inhomogeneity is eliminated from an image generated from the nuclear magnetic resonance signal in main imaging. The predetermined frequency band of the phase components caused by the static magnetic field inhomogeneity is calculated from the nuclear magnetic resonance signal obtained in preliminary imaging. |
| US09746536B2 |
Interleaved black and bright blood imaging for interleaved dynamic contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging
A magnetic resonance system (10), and corresponding method, image a subject using a conversion-free interleaved black and bright blood imaging (cfIBBI) sequence. A MR scanner (12) is controlled to perform a plurality of repetitions of a black blood imaging sequence (52). The black blood imaging sequence (52) includes a tissue nulling sub-sequence followed by a black blood acquisition sub-sequence (56) performed a time interval (TI) after the tissue nulling sub-sequence. The MR scanner (12) is further controlled to, between successive repetitions of the black blood imaging sequence (52), perform a bright blood imaging sequence (54) including the tissue nulling sub-sequence followed by a bright blood acquisition sub-sequence (58) performed the time interval (TI) after the tissue nulling sub-sequence. The time intervals (TI) of the black blood imaging sequence (52) and the bright blood imaging sequence (54) are of the same duration. |
| US09746535B2 |
Magnetic resonance imaging apparatus
A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to an embodiment includes an acquiring unit, a detecting unit, a deriving unit, and an imaging controller. The acquiring unit acquires three-dimensional image data including a target organ. The detecting unit detects an upper end position and a lower end position of the target organ in the three-dimensional image data. The deriving unit derives an imaging range of subsequent imaging performed after acquisition of the three-dimensional image data based on the upper end position and the lower end position of the target organ. The imaging controller controls performance of the subsequent imaging in accordance with the imaging range. |
| US09746532B2 |
Magnetic resonance imaging apparatus
A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit configured to carry out magnetic resonance imaging of a patient using a transmitting QD coil that allows at least one of phase and amplitude of a radio-frequency transmit pulse on at least one input channel of the transmitting QD coil to be adjusted independently of each other, and an adjustment unit arranged to adjust at least one of the phase and the amplitude of the radio-frequency transmit pulse according to imaging conditions. |
| US09746527B2 |
Method and apparatus for battery charge level estimation
There is provided an apparatus for battery life estimation comprising an energy harvester; an energy storage apparatus, connected to the energy harvester, the energy storage apparatus representative of a unit of measure; a battery for receiving energy from the storage apparatus; and a processor for monitoring the energy provided by the storage apparatus, monitoring energy provided to the battery by other charging apparatus and monitoring the energy being delivered by the battery; wherein the processor calculates the remaining life of the battery based on the number of energy storage apparatus units that are provided to and delivered from the battery. |
| US09746523B2 |
Method for determining at least one state of a plurality of battery cells, computer program, battery and motor vehicle
The disclosure relates to a method for determining at least one state of a plurality of spatially combined battery cells connected to each other by circuitry. The state is determined by observing battery cells by means of at least one observer structure. A subset of a plurality of battery cells is observed and the state derived from the observation is determined for more battery cells than for the observed battery cells. The disclosure further relates to a battery comprising a battery management system, which is configured such that the method according to the disclosure can be carried out thereby. The disclosure also relates to a motor vehicle comprising a battery according to the disclosure. |
| US09746522B2 |
Switch failure diagnosis device and electric storage apparatus
A switch failure diagnosis device for using in a current path between an electric device and an electric storage device includes plural switches, a switch terminal voltage detector, and a controller. The switches are connected parallel to each other in the current path. The switch terminal voltage detector outputs a switch terminal voltage detection signal. The controller is configured to select the switches at different time in sequence and input an open instruction signal to each switch at the time when the switch is selected, and to determine, based on the switch terminal voltage detection signal output while the open instruction signal is given, that at least one of the switches has a failure if the detected voltage is in a failure determination range. |
| US09746521B2 |
6-pole based wye-delta motor starting system and method
One embodiment describes a motor starter including a first single pole switching device that opens to disconnect power from a first winding of a motor; a second single pole switching device that closes after the first switching device opens to connect power to the first winding; a third single pole switching device that opens to disconnect power from a second winding of the motor; a fourth single pole switching device that closes after the third single pole switching device opens to connect power to the second winding; a fifth single pole switching device that opens to disconnect power form a third winding of the motor; and a sixth single pole switching device closes after the fifth single pole switching device opens to connect power to the third winding. |
| US09746520B2 |
Systems and methods mitigating temperature dependence of circuitry in electronic devices
Methods and systems for compensating for temperature variation in the performance of electronic circuits and systems are disclosed. In some embodiments, the systems are configured to store compensation parameters determined in calibration, where the compensation parameters are used by the systems to modify performance. In some embodiments, the systems are part of an automatic test equipment (ATE) system. |
| US09746519B2 |
Circuit for securing scan chain data
Methods, devices and circuits are provided for protecting secure data from being read during a scan chain output. A plurality of scan flip-flops is coupled in a scan chain, and an input circuit is configured to shift input data to the scan flip-flops. A protection circuit is coupled to the scan flip-flops, and the protection circuit configured to detect scan-in of data from the input circuit to a designated one of the scan flip-flops. Scan-out of data from the designated scan flip-flop is enabled in response to detection of a scan-in of data from the input circuit to the designated scan flip-flop. Scan-out of data from the designated scan flip-flop is prevented in response to no detection of scan-in of data from the input circuit to the designated scan flip-flop. |
| US09746512B2 |
Arc fault location detection for aircraft wiring
A system for detecting the location of arc faults in an aircraft electrical wiring arrangement is provided. The system comprises a controller, operable to generate a test signal and a directional coupler for coupling the test signal into electrical wiring and for coupling reflected test signals from the electrical wiring to the controller. The electrical wiring comprises one or more wire under test and the controller is further operable to detect test signals reflected from arc faults in the wire under test and to analyze reflected test signals in order to determine one or more arc fault position therefrom. The wire under test may be live and testing can be performed without the need to use invasive in-line components. |
| US09746509B2 |
Circuit testing method and circuit testing system
The present disclosure provides a circuit testing method and a circuit testing system for testing the circuit of a transmissive capacitive touch panel, wherein, the method comprises: when testing a certain induction line in a first electrode matrix or a second electrode matrix, configuring all induction lines in the first electrode matrix and the second electrode matrix except for the induction line to be tested as ground wires, applying a first voltage to the induction line to be tested, and detecting current on the induction line to be tested, and determining that the induction line to be tested is in a short-circuit state when the current is generated on the induction line to be tested; repeating the above step, and testing other induction lines in turn. |
| US09746507B1 |
Detect and differentiate touches from different size conductive objects on a capacitive button
Apparatuses and methods of distinguishing between a finger and a stylus proximate to a touch surface are described. One apparatus includes a first circuit to obtain capacitance measurements of sense elements when a conductive object is proximate to a touch surface. The apparatus also includes a second circuit coupled to the first circuit. The second circuit is operable to detect whether the conductive object activates the first sense element, second sense element, or both, in view of the capacitance measurements. To distinguish between a stylus and a finger as the conductive object, the second circuit determines the conductive object as being the stylus when the second sense element is activated and the first sense element is not activated and determines the conductive object as being the finger when the first sense element and the second sense element are activated. |
| US09746505B2 |
Radio frequency energy detection
In an embodiment, an apparatus may include first input and a second input to receive a differential input signal and may include a diode including an anode coupled to the first input and including a cathode coupled to the second input. The apparatus may further include a feedback circuit having an input coupled to the cathode and an output coupled to the anode. The feedback circuit may be configured to apply a feedback signal to the diode to maintain a substantially constant direct current across the diode. The apparatus may also include a comparator coupled to the feedback circuit and configured to compare the feedback signal to a threshold to detect radio frequency energy in the input signal in response to changes in the feedback signal. |
| US09746504B2 |
Fault detection device, fault detection method, and program
A fault detection device comprises: a measurement data acquirer that acquires measurement data for current flowing on power supply lines that are connected to multiple electrical devices; a clusterer that classifies the measurement data for a past fixed period into multiple clusters based on at least one of frequency and phase with respect to an AC cycle; a pattern analyzer that analyzes each of the clusters for an appearance pattern of measurement data that satisfy a preset standard; and a fault determiner that determines the occurrence of a fault when measurement data is acquired that differs from the analyzed appearance pattern. |
| US09746503B2 |
Method for adjusting a current sensor
A method for adjusting a current sensor with a measuring element having a broken rational current-voltage characteristic curve, including:—changing the broken rational profile of the broken rational current-voltage characteristic curve of the measuring element on the basis of at least one predetermined condition. |
| US09746501B1 |
Apparatus for voltage detection in an integrated circuit
A voltage detector to detect the voltage level of a switched power supply associated with a power gated region of an integrated circuit. The voltage detection circuit, which can be described as a modified Schmitt trigger circuit, comprises PMOS and NMOS transistors, and an added stack of NMOS transistors to set the output to a value of 1 in response to detection of an input voltage at the input greater than an operational voltage of the switched power supply, for example approximately 80% VDD and above. A pull-down circuit actively pulls the circuit output low before the circuit input drops below the low input threshold. Optional additional NMOS transistors provide the capability to adjust the threshold. The voltage detector circuit can be calibrated and used to detect whether or not the switched power supply associated with a power gated design has reached its operational voltage level. |
| US09746499B2 |
Hybrid current sensor assembly
A hybrid current sensor assembly has a conductor, Hall core, Hall sensor, shunt terminal, and a microprocessor. The conductor has a first terminating end and a second terminating end. The Hall core generates a magnetic field from current flow in the conductor. The Hall sensor measures potential difference between first terminating end and the second terminating end of the conductor based on the magnetic field applied to the Hall core. The shunt terminal is positioned on a central portion of the conductor. The microprocessor is connected to the shunt terminal to measure the current flow in the conductor. |
| US09746494B2 |
Specimen support and scanning probe microscope
The present invention makes it possible to easily and efficiently observe a specimen contained in a fluid without using a filtration device separate from a scanning probe microscope by attaching a filter holding part holding a filter to a fluid cell of a specimen support. Therefore, a specimen support 10, for holding a specimen subject to observation by the scanning probe microscope, comprises a fluid cell 11, into which fluid including the specimen is introduced, and a filter unit including a filter 15, which allows the fluid passage and at least a part of the specimen is adhered to. The fluid cell 11 includes a fluid entrance, the filter unit includes a fluid exit opening, and the filter unit is attached to one side of the fluid cell 11. |
| US09746492B2 |
Plausibility check of a sensor signal
In a method for checking the plausibility of sensor signals, a first sensor element detects at least one first physical quantity and outputs it as a first sensor signal, and a second sensor element detects a second physical quantity correlated with the first physical quantity and outputs it as a second sensor signal. The first sensor element has a first reliability range having an upper limit and/or a lower limit, which range is related to the second physical quantity. The first physical quantity detected by the first sensor element is recognized as plausible if the second physical quantity detected by the second sensor element lies within the corresponding first reliability range of the first sensor element. |
| US09746491B2 |
Sensor calibration based on device use state
A wearable device includes: a first sensor configured to provide a first sensor signal; a second sensor configured to provide a second sensor signal; and a processor configured to i) determine whether the wearable device is being worn based on the first sensor signal, and ii) calibrate the second sensor responsive to determining that the wearable device is being worn. Also, a holdable device includes a first sensor configured to provide a first sensor signal; a second sensor configured to provide a second sensor signal; and a processor configured to i) determine whether the holdable device is being held based on the first sensor signal, and ii) calibrate the second sensor responsive to determining that the holdable device is being held. |
| US09746487B2 |
Device for storing of fluid containers
A device for container storing is presented. The device comprises storage with at least one storing level including a pipetting storing level for fluid pipetting. Each storing level has storing positions having a container holder to detachably hold at least one container. A handler is movable with respect to the storage for transferring containers with respect to the storing positions. A storing position of the pipetting storing level includes a flat spring to bias a container against the container holder. The flat spring has a through hole to provide a pipette access to a lid of the container. A system for pipetting is also presented, comprising the device and a pipettor movable with respect to the pipetting storing level with at least one pipette for pipetting contained in a container stored in the pipetting storing level. The pipette has a pipette tip to penetrate a lid of the container. |
| US09746486B2 |
Sample rack conveying apparatus, pipeline and conveying method using same
The present application provides a sample rack conveying apparatus, a sample rack conveying pipeline, and a sample rack conveying method. The sample rack conveying apparatus includes a track, a detector and dual-channel track switching areas. The detector provided at an outside of the analysis areas to detect whether there is a test tube or not. The dual-channel track switching areas are defined at two ends of the track and positions between every two analysis areas. The track includes an outer track and a parallel inner track. The inner track defines at least two analysis areas. The dual-channel track switching areas include two parallel connecting channels. The connecting channels are moved along a direction perpendicular to the track to transfer the tracks between the inner track and the outer track. |
| US09746485B2 |
Automatic blood coagulation analysis device
An automatic blood coagulation analysis device including a computation processing unit which executes computation processing according to a pre-installed program, and a storage unit which stores data acquired from outside and data obtained through computation processing by the computation processing unit. The computation processing unit comprises an Fbg computation module, a correction coefficient computation module, a reference value setting module and a difference module. The storage unit comprises a standard sample measured value holding unit, base value holding unit, standard sample difference value holding unit, reference value holding unit, correction coefficient holding unit, specimen measured value holding unit and specimen difference value holding unit. |
| US09746477B2 |
Quantifying FR-α and GART proteins for optimal cancer therapy
Improved methods are provided for treating cancer patients, particularly patients suffering from lung cancer. Methods are provided for identifying whether a lung tumor will be responsive to treatment with a therapeutic regimen that includes pemetrexed and optionally includes cisplatin. A specific FR-α fragment peptide and a specific GART fragment peptide are precisely detected and quantitated by SRM-mass spectrometry directly in lung tumor cells collected from lung tumor tissue that was obtained from a cancer patient and compared to reference levels in order to determine if the lung cancer patient will positively respond to treatment with the c therapeutic regimen. |
| US09746472B2 |
Methods and kits for the detection of cancer infiltration of the central nervous system
This invention relates to methods to detect the presence of cancer infiltration of the Central Nervous System (CNS) based on the detection of soluble proteins, preferably, in cerebrospinal fluid samples and vitreous fluid. The invention also relates to kits to perform the methods of the invention. |
| US09746471B2 |
P53 biomarkers
The present invention relates to the identification of p53 biomarker profiles that predict response in patients with hyperproliferative disease such as cancer to a therapy, and their use in methods of treating such patients with an anti-hyperproliferative disease gene therapy. |
| US09746470B2 |
Chaperone interaction assays and uses thereof
In some aspects, the invention provides methods of identifying, detecting, and/or measuring protein-protein interactions. In some aspects, the invention provides methods of identifying and/or characterizing modulators of protein-protein interactions. In some aspects, the invention provides methods of identifying and/or characterizing modulators of protein activity, wherein the methods are based at least in part on measuring interaction between a chaperone and client protein. In some aspects, the invention provides methods for identifying and/or characterizing compounds and/or for assessing compound specificity, wherein the methods are based at least in part on measuring interaction between a chaperone and client protein. In some embodiments, a client protein is a kinase. In some embodiments, a compound is a kinase inhibitor. In some aspects, the invention provides methods of profiling kinase inhibitor specificity. In some aspects, the invention provides assay systems and/or reagents useful for performing one or more of the inventive methods. In some aspects, the invention provides newly identified targets of a variety of kinase inhibitors. In some aspect, the invention provides methods of inhibiting kinases identified herein as targets of certain kinase inhibitors. In some aspects, the invention provides methods of treating a disease, e.g., cancer, by inhibiting one or more kinase(s) newly identified as targets of certain kinase inhibitors. |
| US09746462B2 |
Systems and methods for detecting a biological condition
The present invention provides self-contained systems, apparatus and methods for determining a chemical state, the system includes a stationary cartridge for performing the assay therein, the cartridge adapted to house at least one reagent adapted to react with a sample; and at least one reporter functionality adapted to report a reaction of the at least one reagent with the sample to report a result of the assay, a mechanical controller including a first urging means adapted to apply a force externally onto the cartridge to release the at least one reagent; and at least one second urging means adapted to apply a removable force to induce fluidic movement in a first direction in the cartridge and upon removal of the force causing fluidic movement in an opposite direction to the first direction, an optical reader adapted to detect the reaction and a processor adapted to receive data from the optical reader and to process the data to determine said chemical state. |
| US09746461B2 |
Urine sample analyzer and sample analyzing method
A urine analyzer capable of operating in a urine measurement mode and a body fluid measurement mode, the urine analyzer includes a specimen preparing section configured to prepare a measurement specimen and a detecting section configured to derive signals of particles in the measurement specimen supplied from the specimen preparing section. A computer and a memory including programs on a computer-readable medium that enable the computer to execute operations to control the specimen preparing section and the detecting section in the urine measurement mode and in the body fluid measurement mode. |
| US09746459B2 |
Antigen presenting cell assay
Disclosed herein are methods for diagnosing or predicting acute cellular and/or humoral rejection in a subject. In one example, a method of assessing organ rejection includes contacting a first sample comprising antigen presenting cells (APCs) obtained from a subject in need of or having received an organ transplant with a donor antigen from a donor under conditions sufficient to induce uptake of the donor antigen; contacting a second sample comprising APCs obtained from the subject in need of or having received an organ transplant with a third-party antigen under conditions sufficient to induce uptake of the third-party antigen; and determining an antigen presenting index by determining a ratio of uptake of the donor antigen in the first sample to uptake of the third-party antigen in the second sample, wherein the ratio of greater than one indicates organ rejection and the APCs are monocytes or monocyte-derived cells. |
| US09746457B2 |
Cardiac stem cells and methods of identifying and using the same
Methods of isolating cardiac cells, including cardiac cells capable of regenerating cardiac tissue are provided. Compositions comprising cardiac cells, including cardiac cells capable of regenerating cardiac tissue are also provided. Methods of using cardiac cells, cardiac progenitor cells, including cardiac cells capable of regenerating cardiac tissue, are provided. Methods of identifying the prognosis of patients treated for heart disease and/or methods of predicting the regeneration of cardiac cells in a subject are also provided. |
| US09746454B2 |
Multifunctional breath analyzer
A multifunctional breath analyzer includes a receptor unit for receiving a breath sample from a test subject, a sensing unit providing a signal corresponding to the concentration of at least one volatile substance within the sample, elements for providing a signal indicative of the dilution of the breath sample, and an analyzing unit/processing unit for the identification and quantification of the volatile substance of the breath sample. The signal processing unit is configured to perform at least two different calculations for the quantification, and the signal processing unit is also configured to automatically display the result of a selected calculation, the selection being based on the signal indicating dilution. |
| US09746453B2 |
Nucleated-cell capturing filter and nucleated-cell preparation method using same
The present invention has an object to solve the problem in a method for separating nucleated cells from a cell-containing fluid using a cell separation filter. Specifically, the present invention provides a cell separation filter and a method for preparing cells using a cell separation filter, which are capable of reducing unnecessary cell contamination in a nucleated cell fraction without needs of designing non-woven fabrics to suit cell species to be recovered. The present invention also provides a cell separation filter and a method for preparing cells using the filter capable of improving the recovery yield of nucleated cells. The present invention provides a cell separation filter comprising: a container having an inlet and an outlet, an adsorbent filled in the container, and a partition having an opening, the partition separating the adsorbent. The present invention also provides a method for preparing nucleated cells including the steps of: introducing a cell-containing fluid through the inlet of the cell separation filter to contact the cell-containing fluid with the adsorbent; and recovering a nucleated cell fraction from the filter. |
| US09746450B2 |
Online gas chromatograph operation with reduced usage of calibration gas
An online gas chromatograph is provided. The online gas chromatograph includes a sample inlet and at least one chromatographic column operably coupled to the sample inlet. At least one valve is interposed between the sample inlet and the at least one chromatographic column. A detector is fluidically coupled to the at least one chromatographic column. A controller is coupled to the detector and to the at least one valve, the controller is configured to control flow from the sample inlet through the chromatograph using the at least one valve. The controller is configured to generate a plurality of sequential calibration cycles, where each calibration cycle has a calibration gas purge operation. The first calibration gas purge operation lasts longer than the second calibration gas purge operation. |
| US09746449B2 |
Ultrasonic sensor device having an improved decoupling ring and motor vehicle
The invention relates to an ultrasonic sensor device (1) for a motor vehicle, comprising an ultrasonic sensor (2), which comprises a pot-shaped membrane (21) for emitting and/or receiving ultrasonic signals, comprising a decoupling ring (6), which is arranged to fit around the membrane (21) in contact with an outer circumference (34) of the membrane (21), and comprising a stiffening element (13), which is arranged around the decoupling ring (6), wherein the decoupling ring (6) comprises a circumferential first radial decoupling region (32) which is in contact with the outer circumference (34) of the membrane (21) as well as a second radial decoupling region (33) with an axial face (37) which is in contact with an axial face (38) of the stiffening element (13). |
| US09746444B2 |
Autonomous pipeline inspection using magnetic tomography
The present invention discloses a device and system for magnetographic analysis of mechanical flaws and defects along structures located underwater for example, metallic pipelines, utilizing an autonomous magnetic tomography method (MTM) apparatus based on the inverse magnetostrictive effect for magnetographic identification, in the form of an array of flexible autonomous undersea vehicle (AUV) torpedo constructions of interconnected elements or pods. The array of AUV torpedo constructions are flexibly linked together so that the device can readily navigate within the contours of pipeline to be inspected using the flow media as propulsion means or alternatively by means of independent motive means without interfering with the system flow. The torpedo construction elements or pods each contain three MTM sensors situated 120 degrees apart on a non-perpendicular cross section arrangement, and perform a variety of independent functions. e.g., data storage data, sensor data memory unit, odometer distance measurements, GPS location, geomagnetic navigation capability. |
| US09746442B2 |
Switched-capacitor biosensor device
A sensing apparatus includes a device containing microwells and a switched capacitor circuit in which at least one of the sensing/storage capacitors is a capacitor that extends perpendicularly with respect to a semiconductor device layer containing field effect transistors. Capacitor structures extend into microwells or within a doped layer on a handle substrate. Ion generation within the microwells is sensed using the circuit. |
| US09746438B2 |
Humidity sensor with temperature compensation
A gas sensing device that includes humidity compensation. |
| US09746421B2 |
Apparatuses, indicators, methods and kits with timed color change indication
An apparatus, method and kit includes one or more use protocol indicators having a color changeable dye, the dye being translucent or having a first color upon immediate exposure to an environment and for a defined time thereafter and the dye changing color after exposure to the environment for the defined time. A dual environment indicator includes a first indicator color changeable dye being translucent or having a first color upon immediate exposure to a first environment and changing color after exposure to a second environment and a second indicator color changeable dye being translucent or having a first color upon immediate exposure to the second environment and for a defined time thereafter and changing color after exposure to the second environment for the defined time. A time exposure indicator comprises at least one color changeable dye disposed to change color in a sequential manner. |
| US09746419B2 |
Optical MRI device
A dual modality imaging apparatus, comprising a magnetic resonance imaging (=MRI) system and a fluorescence molecular tomography (=FMT) system, for investigating a sample (42) located at a sample position (10), wherein the MRI system comprises a magnet (9) with a room temperature bore (8), with the sample position (10) located within the bore (8), and wherein the FMT system comprises means for directing a light beam (12, 17; 30) towards the sample position (10), and a position-sensitive detector (37) for collecting fluorescence light from the sample (42), is characterized in that the position-sensitive detector (37) is located within the bore (8), wherein at least part of the sample (42) is imaged onto the position-sensitive detector (37), and that the means for directing the light beam (12, 17; 30) comprise a focusing device for focusing the light beam (12, 17; 30) into a focal spot (41) on the sample (42), and a scanning device for scanning the focal spot (41) on the sample (42). The apparatus is simple in design and versatile in application, and in particular imposes less limitations on the maximum number of source/detector pairs during FMT imaging, thus allowing a better FMT image resolution. |
| US09746416B2 |
Photoacoustic imaging apparatus
A photoacoustic imaging apparatus includes a light source portion and a signal processing portion. The signal processing portion is configured to perform imaging processing on the basis of either a first acoustic wave signal or a second acoustic wave signal by performing processing for disabling either the first acoustic wave signal corresponding to a rising edge of a pulse signal of pulsed light or the second acoustic wave signal corresponding to a falling edge of the pulse signal of the pulsed light. |
| US09746414B2 |
Method and system for estimating the potential friction between a vehicle tyre and a rolling surface
A method and system for estimating the potential friction between a tire and a rolling surface in which: a first and second engaged-friction/kinematic-quantity reference curve respectively corresponding to a first and to a second reference value μρ1, μP2 of potential friction with μP2>μP1 are provided; a first and a second kinematic quantity threshold value or a first and a second engaged friction threshold value are provided; the engaged friction μ between the tire and the rolling surface is determined; a current value of a kinematic quantity between the tire and the rolling surface is determined; a current working point given by the engaged friction μ and the current value of the kinematic quantity is determined; and the current value of the kinematic quantity is compared with the first and the second kinematic quantity threshold value or, respectively, the engaged friction μ is compared with the first and the second engaged friction threshold value. |
| US09746410B2 |
System and methodology for determining properties of a substance
A method for characterizing properties of a porous sample that employs a test apparatus including a sample cell and associated pressure sensor having a configuration that measures pressure of the isolated sample cell. The porous sample is divided into a number of pieces, which are loaded into the sample cell. The test apparatus is configured to perform a sequence of test operations whereby the loaded isolated sample cell is filled with test fluid under pressure and the pressure sensor is used to generate and store pressure data over time. A data processing system processes the pressure data in conjunction with a computational model that includes a set of pressure curves with a number of curve-related variables and associated values in order to identify a matching pressure curve, and processes the variable values for the matching pressure curve in order to derive bulk properties of the porous sample. |
| US09746408B2 |
Dust sensor and electronic product using the same
A dust sensor includes a multi-wavelength light source, a receiver, and a controller. The light source emits light of different wavelengths. The receiver generates one or more acoustic wave measurement values based on acoustic waves irradiated from the light source to air particles. The controller controls at least one flickering cycle of the light source, determines the type particles based on the acoustic wave measurement values, and calculates the concentration of particles. The controller calculates the concentration of particles in proportion to an intensity of the acoustic wave measurement values, and determine the type of particles based on the acoustic wave measurement values. The acoustic waves are generated differently based on wavelengths of light emitted from the multi-wavelength light source. |
| US09746406B2 |
Flow test machine and an associated measurement method, as well as an associated cleaning process
A flow test machine 2 which, for example, is able to be used for viscosity tests on plastics, comprises a test piston 4, a test channel 38, at least one test weight 72 and a drive unit 92. The test piston 4 is able to move through the test channel 38 by means of a weight force 79 of the test weight 72. The test weight 72 is able to be loaded by an actuating additional force 108, 108′ by means of the drive unit 92 between a starting position 151 and an end position. The actuating additional force 108 enables a movement of the test piston 4 in the direction of the weight force 79, said movement being accelerated in comparison with an effect of the weight force 79. In a melt viscosity test, after a heating step, a thermoplastic plastic is pressed through a test channel 38 by a test piston 4. In a measurement preparation step and/or a cleaning step, the test mass is lowered along a weight force direction 79 under the influence of an actuating additional force 108, 108′. In a method for cleaning, a cleaning step is undertaken by means of an actuating additional force 108, 108′ from the drive unit 92, said drive unit 92 serving to drive a test piston movement during a melt viscosity test. |
| US09746396B2 |
Tire transport method, tire transport and fastening apparatus, and tire inspection system
Provided is a tire transport method for a tire inspection system in which a tire transported from the upstream side is fastened by an upper rim and a lower rim, and a measurement is performed, wherein the method includes transport stem in which a transport mechanism having a pair of transport units split in the width direction transports the tire to a fastening position for fastening, and a parting step in which the pair of transport units is parted in the width direction, such that it is possible for the lower rim to pass between the pair of transport units. |
| US09746387B2 |
Machine arrangement
A machine arrangement, including at least one bearing ring, wherein a glass fiber is connected with the machine arrangement. To allow a proper measurement of stresses, even at curved surfaces of the machine arrangement as it is typical in the case of bearing rings, the connection between the glass fiber and the machine arrangement is established by a glass material. The glass material is connected by material bonding with the machine arrangement as well as with the glass fiber. |
| US09746385B2 |
System and method for measuring varying parameters using adaptive signal conditioning
A method includes receiving a signal associated with one or more sensors. The method also includes examining one or more parameters of a signal conditioning circuit to determine whether clipping of the signal has occurred. The method further includes, upon a determination that clipping of the signal has occurred, decreasing a gain of the signal conditioning circuit. In addition, the method includes, upon a determination that clipping of the signal has not occurred, determining whether a cut-off frequency of the signal conditioning circuit is within a range of a frequency response of an object measured by the one or more sensors. The method can further include changing the cut-off frequency of the signal conditioning circuit and increasing a resistance or a capacitance of the signal conditioning circuit. |
| US09746380B2 |
Advanced multi-element consumable-disposable products
The invention involves the incorporation and enablement of multiple interactive elements into high-volume consumables products to increase utility, function and features of the consumable product at minimal incremental cost and adjustment to production and manufacturing processes. The invention further reports processes and compositions that enable consumable products with differentiating features which product would otherwise be deficient for their intended use and application. |
| US09746379B2 |
Cooling systems for imaging devices
An imaging assembly includes a base member defining an expansion chamber therein, the base member defining a gas inlet for receiving a compressed gas and a gas outlet for expelling expanded gas, and a focal plane array assembly mounted to the base member including a sensor and a lens. |
| US09746378B2 |
Terahertz time domain and frequency domain spectroscopy
Terahertz spectrometer having a wider range of terahertz radiation source, high temporal resolution of scanning (<0.0.099 μm or ˜0.3 pico second) over a wider range of scanning (up to ˜100 pico seconds). Also disclosed are exemplary applications of the spectrometer in biomedical, biological, pharmaceutical, and security areas. |
| US09746377B2 |
Compact light sensor
Provided are methods and systems for concurrent imaging at multiple wavelengths. In one aspect, a hyperspectral/multispectral imaging device includes a lens configured to receive light backscattered by an object, a plurality of photo-sensors, a plurality of bandpass filters covering respective photo-sensors, where each bandpass filter is configured to allow a different respective spectral band to pass through the filter, and a plurality of beam splitters in optical communication with the lens and the photo-sensors, where each beam splitter splits the light received by the lens into a plurality of optical paths, each path configured to direct light to a corresponding photo-sensor through the bandpass filter corresponding to the respective photo-sensor. |
| US09746376B2 |
Apparatus and methods for hyperspectral imaging with parallax measurement
An apparatus and corresponding method for line-scan imaging includes a 2D array of light-sensitive detector elements divided into a plurality of sub-arrays. An electrical circuit can be configured to determine a correction for parallax based on detector element values from at least two rows of parallax detecting elements to enable images captured by the sub-arrays to be co-aligned with each other. The 2D array and parallax detecting elements can be located on the same substrate chip. Image data from sub-arrays can be co-aligned with each other based on parallax data from the parallax detecting elements and used to produce hyperspectral images corrected for parallax. |
| US09746370B2 |
Method and apparatus for measuring illumination characteristics of a luminaire
A method and associated apparatus are disclosed for measuring illumination characteristics of a luminaire having unknown characteristics. The method includes steps of providing an array of calibrated photodetectors in known locations in proximity to a mounting location, and then illuminating the array with a luminaire having unknown illumination properties. The resulting data is used to calculate the luminous intensity vs. angle from the luminaire and the luminous flux of the luminaire. Methods of calibrating the measurement with a known luminaire are presented along with methods of determining the angular position of the detectors in the array. Color-sensitive detectors can be used to determine the angular distribution and average value of the luminaire's correlated color temperature. |
| US09746367B2 |
Systems and method for lagrangian monitoring of flooding conditions
A traffic monitoring system and method for mapping traffic speed and density while preserving privacy. The system can include fixed stations that make up a network and mobile probes that are associated with vehicles. The system and method do not gather, store, or transmit any unique or identifying information, and thereby preserves the privacy of members of traffic. The system and method provide real-time traffic density and speed mapping. The system and method can further be integrated with a complementary flood monitoring system and method. |
| US09746364B2 |
Flowmeter having pressure difference sensor in parallel with displacement meter
In a flow meter with a displacement meter (1) a parallel-connected pressure difference sensor (3) has a bypass channel (8) which frees a connection between the inflow side and the outflow side (4, 5) when a piston (7) butts against a maximum stroke stop (9). In the bypass channel (8) is a check valve (11) which prevents the backflow from the outflow side to the inflow side (5, 4) and thus enables a return of the piston (7) purely due to pressure. |
| US09746363B2 |
Sensing apparatus and method
A method of detecting one or more blocked sampling holes in a pipe of an aspirated smoke detector system. The method includes ascertaining the base flow of fluid through a particle detector using a flow sensor; monitoring subsequent flow through the particle detector; comparing the subsequent flow with the base flow; and indicating a fault if the difference between the base flow and the subsequent flow exceeds a predetermined threshold. |
| US09746360B2 |
Nonintrusive performance measurement of a gas turbine engine in real time
Performance of a gas turbine engine is monitored by computing a mass flow rate through the engine. Acoustic time-of-flight measurements are taken between acoustic transmitters and receivers in the flow path of the engine. The measurements are processed to determine average speeds of sound and gas flow velocities along those lines-of-sound. A volumetric flow rate in the flow path is computed using the gas flow velocities together with a representation of the flow path geometry. A gas density in the flow path is computed using the speeds of sound and a measured static pressure. The mass flow rate is calculated from the gas density and the volumetric flow rate. |
| US09746358B2 |
Ballast water treatment monitoring system
A system for withdrawing samples of fluids comprises a pitot tube assembly, a flow sensor to measure a flow rate of the sample, and a pump connected to the pitot tube assembly to withdraw a sample, wherein the system is configured to match a sample flow velocity to the flow velocity sensed by a flow sensor on a pitot wand. The pitot tube assembly comprises a housing with a sample outlet and a return sample inlet, an extendable/retractable pitot wand within the housing, wherein the pitot wand includes a passage extending the length thereof to transfer a sample from a pitot tube end to a sealed compartment in the housing connected to the sample outlet; wherein the return sample inlet is connected to a passage in the housing leading to an outlet from the housing, and a flow sensor on an end of the pitot wand. |
| US09746357B2 |
Flow sensing meter
A fluid flow sensor includes a hollow cylindrical casing containing a large number of solid spheres of identical diameter, packed tightly together. Fluid inflow and fluid outflow blocks are mounted to opposite ends of the casing, forming a fluid-tight seal. The fluid inflow and outflow blocks each enclose a generally conical fluid chamber tapering from where it meets an end of an interior of the casing to a respective inlet passage or outlet passage. Circular grilles divide the casing from each fluid chamber and retain the spheres in place. A pressure differential across the casing is measured via side passages extending laterally from each fluid chamber. For a given fluid, a given casing diameter and a given sphere diameter, this pressure differential can be converted to a fluid flow rate. |
| US09746356B2 |
Sensor, method for forming the same, and method of controlling the same
According to embodiments of the present invention, a sensor for determining a flow parameter of a fluid is provided. The sensor includes a polymer membrane, an elongate microstructure extending from the polymer membrane, and a hydrogel coupled to at least a portion of the elongate microstructure, wherein the hydrogel and the elongate microstructure are arranged to cooperate to cause a displacement of the polymer membrane in response to a fluid flowing and interacting with the sensor, and wherein the sensor is configured to provide a measurement indicative of a flow parameter of the fluid based on the displacement of the polymer membrane. According to further embodiments of the present invention, a method for forming a sensor and a method of controlling a sensor are also provided. |
| US09746355B2 |
Systems and methods for selective contextual illumination of digital information display devices and other information indication devices
An information indication system for a vehicle, a vessel, an aircraft as well as other equipment, the information indication system configured to indicate a value of a physical parameter to an operator of the vehicle, vessel or aircraft, the information indication system including a dial corresponding to a range of values of the physical parameter and a needle operable to move about the dial, wherein a current location of the needle on the dial indicates the value of a physical parameter within the range of values of the physical parameter, wherein the information indication system is configured to illuminate a portion of the dial in the immediate vicinity of the current location of the needle on the dial. In various embodiments, the information indication system may be a speedometer or a tachometer. |
| US09746353B2 |
Intelligent sensor system
A sensor system and method of using the system synergistically to improve the accuracy and usefulness of measured results is described. The system is comprised of electronically linked components that act as markers to trigger events, producers that gather data from sensors and aggregators that combine the data from a plurality of producers using triggers from marker devices to select the data of interest. The system is shown to be applicable to selection of data regions of interest and to analysis of the data to improve accuracy. The analysis of the data of any particular sensor within the system makes use of extrinsic data, being data generated by other sensors and intrinsic data, that is data or data limits that are known to be true from nature, laws of physics or just the particular information the user wants to acquire. The system is demonstrated on the analysis of Doppler radar measurements of a thrown object. |
| US09746346B2 |
Linear position and rotary position magnetic sensors, systems, and methods
Embodiments relate to a position sensor comprising a magnetic target. The magnetic target includes a magnetic multipole configured to generate a magnetic field. The magnetic field has three mutually-perpendicular components at a first region. Sensor elements can be configured to measure these field components at the first region. In embodiments, comparing the amplitudes of the components can be used to determine a global position, and the instantaneous values of these components can be used to determine a local position. |
| US09746345B2 |
Apparatus and method for determining a rotation angle of a rotor
A method and an apparatus for determining a rotation angle of a rotor in a motor with the aid of angle sensors by measurement of reference values and correction of the effected computations. The method is used, for example, in a synchronous motor. |
| US09746344B2 |
Sensor system and method for determining a switching point for a sensor system in an automated manner
A sensor system for detecting a position of a measuring object relative to a sensor, the system including a sensor for the provision of a measured value and an evaluation device for the evaluation of the measured value and for the provision of an evaluation result, wherein the evaluation device includes a comparison device and a timing element, the comparison device is configured for a comparison of a stored measured value with a currently detected measured value, the comparison device is configured for a provision of a control signal to the timing element if a result of the comparison meets a presettable criterion, the timing element is configured in such a way that a time measurement process is continued at the provision of the control signal and the time measurement process is started anew at an absence of the control signal, the timing element is configured in such a way that a trigger signal is output by the timing element on reaching a presettable period of time. |
| US09746341B2 |
Method and system for dynamic estimation and predictive route generation
The preferred embodiments of the present invention are directed to methods and systems for dynamic route estimation and prediction using discrete sampled location updates from various mobile devices for the purpose of providing a graphical representation of a mobile device's route along a known network path of map data. The embodiments also provide supplemental route metrics, such as traveled distance, elapsed time, etc., and the capability to assign destination points for the purpose of providing the ability to modify location update points in an application, such as a route planner, and/or to store the dynamically generated route based on various preferences for later retrieval. |
| US09746338B2 |
Binaural navigation cues
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for providing binaural navigational cures. In one aspect, a method includes presenting audio media in a non-directional playback state that presents the audible media in an original format, iteratively determining a navigational heading relative to a current navigational course, the navigational heading indicative of a direction to face to proceed along a navigational route, and for each iteration, determining whether a change is required to the current navigational course based on the navigational heading. For each determination that a change is not required to the current navigational course, presenting the audio media in the non-directional playback state, and for each determination that a change is required to the current navigational course, changing the non-directional playback state to a directional playback state that presents the audible media in a modified format that is directional from the navigational heading. |
| US09746336B2 |
Navigation device and method
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a navigation system, comprising data storage means arranged to store at least digital map data, traffic state information, and places of interest data, and a route planning module operably coupled to the data storage means and arranged to provide access to the digital map data and calculate a route to a destination, a traffic state interrogator operably coupled to the data storage means and arranged to access said traffic state information and to determine traffic status information relevant to said calculated route to the destination, a places data interrogator operably coupled to the data storage means and arranged to access said places of interest data and to determine relevant information portions about places of interest on the calculated route dependent on the determined traffic status information, and a navigation instruction generator operably coupled to the data storage means and arranged to generate navigation instructions including the relevant information portions about places of interest on the calculated route in response to the determined traffic status. |
| US09746334B1 |
Modifying navigation information for a lead navigation device and a follow navigation device
A device may determine a lead vehicle identifier and a follow vehicle identifier associated with navigating to a destination. The device may determine a plurality of device identifiers associated with the lead vehicle identifier or the follow vehicle identifier, identifying a plurality of devices. The device may determine navigation information. The device may provide the navigation information to a navigation device associated with a vehicle identifier. The device may receive a request to modify the navigation information. The device may determine a modification option. The device may provide the modification option to the plurality of devices for voting. The device may receive one or more voting responses. The device may determine a result of the voting based on the one or more voting responses. The device may provide, to the navigation device, an instruction associated with navigating to the destination based on the result of the voting. |
| US09746331B1 |
Method and apparatus for map matching
Aspects of the disclosure provide an apparatus for determining a matched position of a mobile device in a map. The apparatus can have a map matching system that can include a link selector that is configured to select candidate links in the map based on a previous matched position and a path length threshold, and a matching processor that is configured to determine a matched link in the candidate links based on an equivalent distance from an estimated position to a link in the candidate links and determine a current matched position on the matched link. In an embodiment, the map matching system can further include an initializer that is configured to determine a matched position based on an equivalent distance from a first estimated position to an initial candidate link in the map. |
| US09746330B2 |
System and method for localizing two or more moving nodes
UMAPS is a multifaceted system that can be robot-mounted, human-worn, or canine carried. UMAPS produces real-time, 3D mapping and localization for the user as they move throughout a GPS-denied environment (e.g. buildings, caves, or tunnels). An Operator Control Unit (OCU) displays information collected by UMAPS; 2D floorplans; 3D textured-enriched surfaces of the structure's interior; and the location of the users within that structure. UMAPS has an open architecture that allows it to function with any OCU. UMAPS has three distinct subsystems: obstacle maps for robot mobility, mapping, and positioning. |
| US09746329B2 |
Systems and methods for augmenting an inertial navigation system
Systems and methods for augmenting an inertial navigation system (INS) include outputting from the INS position information associated with the implement and adjusting the implement based upon a comparison of the position information of the implement and a desired position of the implement. The INS is periodically re-initialized using error estimates generated by a kalman filter as a function of position information from one or more positioning (or measuring) devices, such as a fan laser, an automatic total station (ATS), a GNSS receiver, or a ground based radio positioning system, to correct a drift of the position information that may be caused by inherent characteristics of the INS. |
| US09746325B2 |
Electronic device with calibrated compass
An electronic device may have electrical components mounted in alignment with an electronic device housing. A compass in the electronic device housing may potentially be misaligned with respect to the electrical components and the electronic device housing. Reference devices having compasses may be used to gather compass data while one or more electrical components in the reference devices are controlled to generate magnetic fields that are detected by the compasses. An electronic device may be calibrated in a factory or in the field using calibration data produced by comparing compass readings gathered from the compass in the device while controlling electrical components in the device to compass data from the reference devices. Calibration data may be applied to compass readings in real time to correct for misalignment between the compass and the electronic device housing. |
| US09746320B2 |
Device for adjusting the light source of an electronic alignment device, operation being simplified by motorized adjustment of the light source, and a method in which this device is used
Method and device for precision adjustment of the beam direction of the light source of a device for aligning two objects relative to one another, the beam direction being moved by a motor via input elements of the computer of the alignment device. |
| US09746311B2 |
Registering of a scene disintegrating into clusters with position tracking
A method for optically scanning and measuring a scene by a laser scanner includes generating multiple scans; tracking scanner positions with a position-tracking device for the multiple scans and providing tracked scanner positions in response; registering sequentially scans selected from the multiple scans into clusters using registration points or targets and confirming registration of the scans into the clusters according to specified quality criteria being fulfilled; selecting scans from the clusters and forming pairs of scans; forming an intersection of the selected pairs and comparing a size of the intersection with a threshold value obtained based at least in part on the tracked scanner positions; and attempting to register the pairs of scans if the size of the intersection exceeds the threshold value and accepting the registered pairs of scans if the registration is successful. |
| US09746310B2 |
Metrology system and measurement method using the same
A method for measuring an implant dosage distribution of a semiconductor sample is provided. The method includes generating a photomodulation effect in a three-dimensional structure of the semiconductor sample and measuring a reflection information of the three-dimensional structure. A geometry information of the three-dimensional structure of the semiconductor sample is obtained. The geometry information of the three-dimensional structure is converted into an estimated reflective data. The reflection information is compared with the estimated reflective data to determine the implant dosage distribution of the three-dimensional structure of the semiconductor sample. |
| US09746308B2 |
Metrology device and method of performing an inspection
A system is provided for communicating between a 3D metrology instrument and a portable computing device via near field communications. In one embodiment, the metrology device is an articulated coordinate measurement machine (AACMM), a laser tracker, a laser scanner or a triangulation scanner, and the portable communications device is a cellular phone or a tablet. The portable device may use the NFC to retrieve data stored on a circuit associated with an object to be inspected and use the data to perform an inspection on the object using the metrology device. |
| US09746305B2 |
Uneven surface deflection and amplitude measurement tool
A first aspect of the invention provides an apparatus to indicate an amplitude of an uneven measurement surface. The apparatus may include a frame slidingly supporting a set of pins, each pin including a high point stop and a low point stop; a low point isolator member moveable relative to the frame, the low point isolator member indicating a lowest point of the uneven measurement surface by a respective low point stop of a first; a high point isolator member moveable relative to the frame, the high point isolator member indicating a highest point of the uneven measurement surface by a respective high point stop of a second pin; a low point displacement sensor for identifying a low point displacement; a high point displacement sensor for identifying a high point displacement; and a calculator for calculating a difference between the low point displacement and the high point displacement. |
| US09746303B2 |
Coordinate measuring machine and method for calculating correction matrix by coordinate measuring machine
A first correction component calculation processing unit calculates diagonal components of a correction matrix based on first and second detection values. The first and second detection values are obtained by measurement in which a calibration reference body and the probe are moved relatively to each other in a normal direction on a surface of the calibration reference body so as to bring a measurement tip into contact with the surface of the calibration reference body at one point. A second correction component calculation processing unit calculates non-diagonal components of the correction matrix based on third and fourth detection values. The third and fourth detection values are obtained by scanning measurement using the measurement tip on the surface of the calibration reference body while maintaining a constant relative distance between the center of the measurement tip and a reference point or a reference line of the calibration reference body. |
| US09746301B2 |
Combination tape measure and marker
A combination tape measure and marker is provided. The combination tape measure and marker includes a measuring tape housing having a top portion and a front portion. A lever arm is connected to the top portion of the measuring tape housing. A cartridge is integrally attached to the front portion of the measuring tape housing. The lever arm extends through the cartridge. A marker is removably secured within the cartridge and is operationally attached to the lever arm. A spring is housed in the cartridge and provides a retracted and extended position for the marker. The marker is movable separately and independently from the measuring tape housing by selectively depressing the lever arm to lock the marker in an extended position to mark a surface. |
| US09746300B1 |
Voltage induced porosity in insensitive munition
A method of selectively increasing the sensitivity of an insensitive munition by inducing porosity or Joule heating in munitions assembly comprising a power source, an explosive apparatus and a fuze apparatus wherein the explosive apparatus contains a sensitized main explosive composition comprising a secondary explosive and a sensitizing agent. As a result, the otherwise insensitive munition is rendered sensitive to a propagating wave shock by approximately 10 to 25%. To this end, a voltage is applied across the main conductive explosive composition within the insensitive munition. Voltages above certain thresholds cause the decomposition of the explosive material or conductive binder, which leads to an increase in porosity, and therefore the shock sensitivity. |
| US09746297B2 |
Projectile
This invention relates to a non-lethal projectile to be fired using a paintball gun, and more particularly, but not exclusively, to an aerodynamic non-lethal projectile which is used for marking, inhibiting or administering medicinal or other chemical substances to live targets. According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a projectile comprising a body shaped to receive a capsule containing a substance, the body having a stabilizing member connected thereto for stabilizing the projectile in flight when the projectile is discharged from a weapon, and an annular member connected to the stabilising member at a rear end of the projectile for positioning the projectile relative to the weapon and relative to other projectiles to be discharged by the weapon. |
| US09746291B1 |
Multipurpose shooting platform target and stand
A multipurpose shooting platform target and stand devised for use in training with large caliber, high, and hyper velocity weaponry includes a target plate dependable from a frame member by hooked engagement between a cylindrical member and a rearward mount. The rearward mount is disposed upon a reverse surface of the target plate. Engagement with the cylindrical member of the frame member effects orientation of the target plate under the influence of gravity to rest at an acute angle relative an underlying surface. Impact of ballistics against an obverse surface of the target plate effects movement of a lowermost edge of the target plate rearwards, and impacted rounds are readily deflected in controlled trajectories downwards towards the underlying surface without danger of ricochet in unpredictable patterns. Swing of the target plate signals impact of the obverse surface to a shooter. |
| US09746288B1 |
Camouflage for garment assembly
A garment assembly such as a uniform, a military uniform and a military combat uniform is presented. The garment assembly includes a helmet or head cover being cut from a fabric having a first camouflage pattern with a first set of intermixed colored blotches thereon. The colors of the first set of intermixed colored blotches being selected from a first group of colors including an Olive 527 color, a Dark Green 528 color, a Tan 525 color, a Brown 529 color, a Bark Brown 561 color and a Dark Cream 559 color. The uniform also includes a coat being configured to fit at least a portion of a human torso and a trouser configured to fit at least a portion of human legs, the coat and trouser each being cut from a fabric having a second camouflage pattern with a second set of intermixed colored blotches thereon, the colors of the second set of intermixed colored blotches being selected from a second group of colors comprising an Olive 527 color, a Dark Green 528 color, a Light Sage 560 color, a Tan 525 color, a Brown 529 color, a Bark Brown 561 color and a Dark Cream 559 color. |
| US09746285B2 |
Protective scope cover design
A scope protector is provided that includes a front and rear hinged arch for encircling the scope. The hinged arches are connected by a plurality of protector rods. The scope protector can be attached to a gun rail such as a PICATINNY RAIL commonly found on modern firearms. |
| US09746284B2 |
Quick conversion sling
A sling for coupling a firearm to a user is disclosed. The sling comprises a front sling section having a front end and a rear end, a front connector located at the front end for connecting the front sling section to the firearm, and a front buckle having a handle that adjusts the length of the sling. The handle includes a first member extending outwardly from the front sling section and a second member transverse to first member, such that, when the second member is pulled in a first direction, the length of front sling section lengthens, and when the second member is pulled in a second direction, the length of the front sling section shortens. The sling further comprises rear sling section coupled to the front sling section and having a front portion and a rear portion, a rear buckle detachably coupling the front portion to the rear portion, a rear connector for connecting the rear sling section to the firearm, and a middle connector. The front connector releasably couples to the middle connector to form a loop. |
| US09746281B2 |
Latch and release mechanism for adjustable firearm stock
An adjustable stock assembly includes a housing, a stock rail, a release, a key movable with respect to the release, a latch rotatable about a latch pivot between a latched position, an unlatched position and a disassembly position, and a latch cam pin coupled to the release. The housing is extendable and retractable with respect to the stock rail. The stock rail has a slot and one or more recesses adjacent to the slot that can engage the latch, thereby preventing disassembly of the rail from the housing and further securing the rail in a particular configuration. When partially depressed along with the key, the release disengages the latch from the stock rail recesses, allowing the housing to extend and retract within its adjustment range. The housing can be disassembled from the stock rail when the key and release are fully depressed. |
| US09746280B2 |
Pressure regulator for paint ball gun
A pressure regulator for paint ball gun includes a first housing including a hollow projection on a first end surface, an axial channel through the projection, and a connector on a second end surface; an output pressure gauge on the first housing; a check valve on the first housing; a pressure regulation assembly including a sleeve fastened in the channel and having an axial tunnel, a biasing member in the tunnel, and a hub on the biasing member; a hollow second housing including an internal space with the projection disposed therein, and holes on an end, each hole having overlapping circular portions and of larger and smaller sizes; and fasteners through the overlapping circular portions of smaller size of the holes into the first housing. In an unfastened state of the second housing, the fasteners are through the overlapping circular portions of larger size of the holes. |
| US09746279B2 |
Compressed gas gun having removable firing mechanism
A paintball marker has an inline cylinder that includes a gas governor that reduces gas flow from a compressed gas source to a valve area when the bolt is in a firing position; this increases efficiency in the marker because only the required air is used to fire the paintball. This bolt operates independent of the valve pin, which increases cycle speed and enables the governor to open and close at an optimum time in the firing cycle. Further, when the bolt/piston is recocking, the gap between the valve pin and governor valve pin enables low pressure gas driving the piston to start pressurizing the cylinder and driving the piston rearwards without resistance from the high pressure gas. The marker also allows a user to remove the inline cylinder without tools, and provides a convenient carrying handle for holding the paintball marker, which is commonly called a “snatch grip.” |
| US09746278B1 |
Crossbow with a robust multi-functional string-pulling unit
A crossbow includes a barrel, a wing supported on a front portion of the barrel, a string connected to the wing at two ends, a rear sight supported on a rear portion of the barrel, and a string-pulling unit movably supported on the barrel and adapted for pulling the string backward on the barrel. The string-pulling unit includes two parallel shanks, a handle and a crossbar. The shanks are movable along two parallel lateral faces of the barrel. The handle is connected to the shanks near a rear end of each of the shanks. The crossbar is connected to the shanks near a front end of each of the shanks and adapted for keeping the shanks in position relative to each other. Moreover, the crossbar extends over the barrel. A front sight is formed on the crossbar and adapted for cooperation with the rear sight during aiming. |
| US09746271B2 |
Shot indicating resetting trigger firearm training system
A firearm training tool having a shot indicating system configured to provide a training rifle with a shot indicating laser activated by pressing a trigger rearward. |
| US09746267B2 |
Modular silencer
A modular noise suppressor for a firearm may have rearward and forward sections, and a front end cap. The rearward section may contain one or more baffles and can be configured to connect to the barrel of the firearm. The forward section can contain one or more baffles and may be connected to the rearward section. The front end cap can be connected to the forward section and provide a force to the baffles of the forward section. The connection between the rearward and forward sections can be in axial tension at least in response to the front end cap providing the force to the baffles of the forward section such that any loosening of the connection between the rearward and forward sections can be at least partially restricted in response to the axial tension. |
| US09746266B1 |
Trigger lock
A trigger lock that can be mounted to the trigger guard of a handheld firearm. The trigger lock has a cover assembly displaceably mounted to a lock housing assembly. The cover assembly is displaceable between a locked position and an unlocked position. A mount adapter is removeably mated to a housing body within the lock housing assembly. The removeable mount adapter has a mount surface shaped to correspond with the outer surface of the trigger guard, allowing the trigger lock to be used on various makes and models of firearms. The trigger lock includes a locking means which in one embodiment has a lock rotor with a camming surface to displace one or more locking members into the cover assembly. |
| US09746263B2 |
Left side charging handle for a rifle
A Picatinny mounted, left side charging handle system adapted for mounting on AR-15, M-4, or M-16 and similar rifles. The charging handle mounts on the foremost Picatinny mount of the upper receiver and replaces OEM charging handles provided with the rifle. Side mounting overcomes the problem of a shooter's finger being moved from the trigger and/or the shooter's cheek moving from the stock weld so that the shooter's eyes may remain on the intended target. The novel charging handle mounts on the upper receiver and readily accommodates mounting virtually any optical device in addition to the charging handle. The novel charging handle may be mounted to the rifle with no rifle modification required. Rifles may alternately be charged by pulling back a protruding rear portion of the charging handle. The apparatus may readily be transferred between rifles. The rifle equipped with novel charging handle remains fully field strippable without tools. |
| US09746261B2 |
Method for cleaning HVAC system and verifying cleaning effectiveness
A method of cleaning and a system and method of determining the effectiveness of a cleaning process for an HVAC system including a heat exchanger having a coil matrix. The coil matrix includes a plurality of rows of heat exchanging coils in which each adjacent row of coils is offset. The plurality of rows define channels extending through the coil matrix between an upstream side and a downstream side. The heat exchanger cleaning method includes applying a cleaning solution and a wet steam mixture directed into the channels. The effectiveness of the cleaning method is determine by a system and method which measures various operating parameters at the inlet side and outlet side of the heat exchanger both before and after the cleaning process. The system and method calculate a SEER rating using the total amount of heat removed by the HVAC system and the total power usage of the HVAC system. |
| US09746260B2 |
Heat exchanger with sections
The invention relates to a shell and tube heat exchanger (1) having a helical tube bundle (10) within a shell (20), that defines a shell space (200) surrounding the tube bundle (10). The tubes are helically coiled about a core pipe (100) in such a manner that there is formed at least one first section (11) and at least one second section (12), separate from the first section, that surrounds the first section (11). The two sections (11, 12) have in each case at least one associated inlet (E, E′) such that the two sections (11, 12) are able to be charged separately with the first medium. |
| US09746255B2 |
Heat pump heat exchanger having a low pressure drop distribution tube
A heat pump heat exchanger includes a first manifold, a second manifold spaced from the first manifold, a plurality of refrigerant tubes hydraulically connecting the manifolds, and a distribution tube disposed in the first manifold. The distribution tube includes an inlet end, a distal end opposite the inlet end, a plurality of orifices between the inlet end and the distal end. The distribution tube also includes a terminal aperture immediately adjacent the distal end, wherein the terminal aperture includes an open aperture area greater than any one of the open orifice area. The open aperture area is large enough to provide a uniform refrigerant collection with acceptable minimal pressure drop in evaporative mode, but small enough to prevent vapor overflow to an area of the manifold adjacent to the distal end in condenser mode. The length of the distribution tube is less than ¾ the length of the first manifold. |
| US09746254B2 |
Silicon-based thermal energy transfer device and apparatus
A thermal energy transfer device attached to an object to dissipate thermal energy from the object is described. In one aspect, the device includes a non-metal base plate and first and second non-metal plate structures. The base plate includes at least one groove on one of its primary surfaces. An edge of the first plate structure is received in a first groove of the at least one groove of the base plate. An edge of the second plate structure is received in a second groove of the at least one groove of the base plate. At least the first groove or the second groove is a V-notch groove such that the edge of the first plate structure or the edge of the second plate structure that is received in the first groove or the second groove is interlockingly received in the V-notch groove. |
| US09746251B2 |
Plate heat exchanger plate and a plate heat exchanger
A plate heat exchanger plate ports and, between the ports, a heat transfer area partly divided by a barrier. The heat exchanger plate comprises a first port, a second port, a third port and a fourth port. Further, the heat exchanger plate is provided with a first transition area between the first and second ports and the heat transfer area, and a second transition area between the third and fourth ports and the heat transfer area, the first and second transition areas being provided with transition ports. The first transition area is open towards the heat transfer area, and the second transition area is separated from the heat transfer area by a sealing. |
| US09746245B2 |
Heat exchanger equipped with cold reserving part and manufacturing method thereof
Provided are a heat exchanger equipped with a cold reserving part and a manufacturing method thereof, equipped with a cold reserving part, in which since a cold reserving material charging part is formed at a portion at which an inlet and outlet member is formed, an additionally protruding part to inject the cold reserving material is not required, such that the heat exchanger may be miniaturized and may more rapidly and effectively absorb cold air to increase a cold reserving effect, and a manufacturing method of a heat exchanger equipped with a cold reserving part which forms the cold reserving material charging part to charge the cold reserving material after coating the heat exchanger to block a coating solution from introducing into the heat exchanger, thereby preventing the heat exchanger from corroding due to the coating solution to increase durability and more increase manufacturing performance. |
| US09746244B2 |
Heat exchanger for vehicle
A heat exchanger comprises a first header, a second header, a plurality of tubes, and a flow reducer. The first header is connected to a hot fluid inlet and to a cold fluid outlet, so that the first header comprises a hot region and a cold region, separated by a wall. Each of the plurality of tubes provides fluid communication between the first and second headers, including one tube located next to the wall in the hot region of the first header, being called “hot end tube” , and one tube located next to the wall in the cold region of the first header, being called “cold end tube” . The flow reducer reduces the fluid flow in the hot end tube compared to the fluid flow in other tubes located in the hot region. |
| US09746241B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for drying electronic devices
Methods and apparatuses for drying electronic devices are disclosed. Embodiments include methods and apparatuses that heat and decrease pressure within the electronic device. Some embodiments increase and decrease pressure while adding heat energy, such as by using a heated platen in contact with the electronic device or by supplying a gas (e.g., air), which may be heated, into the interior of the electronic device. Embodiments include heating the gas supplied into the interior of the electronic device with pump used to decrease pressure within the electronic device and/or a separate heater. Still other embodiments include controlling the temperature of the gas supplied into the electronic device. Still further embodiments automatically control, such as by using an electronic processor, some or all aspects of the drying of the electronic device. |
| US09746235B2 |
Infrared float bar
Infrared air float bar for use in floating and drying a continuous planar web of a material in a dryer. Direct radiated or reflected infrared electromagnetic energy from an infrared light source in a removable channel assembly accelerates drying, or evaporation of solvents, or curing of web material passing in proximity to the bar, either by infrared electromagnetic energy, or in combination with convention airflow. The infrared source is cooled by pressurized air passing through an interior portion of the removable air bar channel assembly, and the air is further conducted into fluid contact with the web in an air gap between the emitter and web to promote convective heat transfer and to contribute to the air pressure field supporting web flotation. The removable channel assembly is configured for replacement of the infrared emitter and to allow the setting of the pressurized cooling air flow to the optimum level. |
| US09746234B2 |
Mixed refrigerant compression circuit
A refrigerant circuit includes a first compression stage for compressing a mixed refrigerant gas, the first compression stage including at least a first compressor body and a second parallel compressor body, each compressor body including a suction inlet and an outlet, a first distribution means for splitting the flow of refrigerant gas to the first stage of compression across the at least two parallel compressor bodies, such that a first stream of refrigerant gas is fed to the suction inlet of the first compressor body and a second stream of refrigerant gas is fed to the suction inlet of the second compressor body, a second compression stage for compressing the mixed refrigerant gas, and a first merging means for recombining the first stream of refrigerant gas with the second stream of refrigerant gas downstream of the first compression stage for delivery to the second compression stage. |
| US09746232B2 |
Heat exchanger assembly having a heated condensate drainage system
The disclosure presents a heat exchanger assembly for a heat pump system, having a heated condensate drainage system. The heat exchanger assembly includes a manifold with a plurality of pins extending substantially in the direction of gravity. A condensate drainage tray is positioned beneath the manifold. The drainage tray includes a plurality of drainage holes corresponding with the number and position of the pins. The pins extend from the manifold and through the corresponding the drainage holes of the drainage tray. Each of the plurality of pins includes a diameter smaller than the diameter of the drainage hole to allow for condensate to drain through the drainage hole. At least one of the pins includes a distal end and is tapered toward the distal end. The drainage tray may be tilted with respect to the manifold. |
| US09746231B2 |
Indoor unit of ceiling type air-conditioner
An indoor unit of a ceiling type air-conditioner includes a main body having an inlet port and an outlet port provided at a lower portion thereof, a heat exchanger having a tube through which a refrigerant flows, a blowing fan which forcibly causes air to flow, and a control box comprising a case which is fixed to the main body and a cover which is rotatably coupled to the case so as to open and close the case and to which a printed circuit board having electronic components mounted thereon is fixed. |
| US09746230B2 |
Flame retardant door for transport refrigeration unit
A cover for a transport refrigeration unit has at least one door (150) having a body formed of an inner sheet (152) and an outer sheet (154) and a joint (156) formed between the respective peripheral edges ((153), 155) of the inner and outer sheets such that the respective peripheral edges are integrally bonded together to provide a cavity (157) between the inner and outer sheets, with at least one of the inner sheet and the outer sheet formed of a flame retardant material. In an embodiment, the inner sheet (152) is formed of a flame retardant thermoplastic olefin sheet and the outer sheet (154) is formed of a non-flame retardant thermoplastic olefin sheet. |
| US09746228B2 |
Methods and systems for controlling a chiller system having a centrifugal compressor with a variable speed drive
Methods and systems for controlling a chiller system to achieve control stability while maintaining optimum efficiency. Particularly, methods and systems for controlling a centrifugal compressor speed and an inlet guide vane position that establishes three distinct regions in the control path: (i) during initial unloading from full load, the inlet guide vane position is kept at a fully open position while the centrifugal compressor speed is changed to achieve the desired cooling capacity; (ii) between an inflection point and a transition point, keeping the centrifugal compressor speed constant while the inlet guide vane position is changed to achieve the desired cooling capacity; and (iii) between the transition point and zero cooling capacity, changing both the inlet guide vane position and the centrifugal compressor speed to achieve the desired cooling capacity. |
| US09746226B2 |
Refrigerator
A refrigerator includes a compressor compressing a refrigerant, a condenser condensing the refrigerant compressed in the compressor, a refrigerant tube guiding a flow of the refrigerant condensed in the condenser, an expansion device decompressing the refrigerant condensed in the condenser, and an evaporator evaporating the refrigerant decompressed in the expansion device. The evaporator includes an evaporation tube through which the refrigerant decompressed in the expansion device flows, a coupling tube through a refrigerant heat-exchanged with the refrigerant of the evaporator flows, and a heat-exchange fin coupled to the evaporation tube and the coupling tube. |
| US09746216B2 |
Heat pump device, heat pump system, air conditioner, and freezer
A heat pump device includes: a compressor that compresses a refrigerant; a motor that drives the compressor; a wiring switching unit that switches a wiring structure of the motor; an inverter that applies a desired voltage to the motor; and an inverter control unit that generates a PWM signal for driving the inverter, that includes, as an operation mode, a heating operation mode in which a heating operation is performed on the compressor and a normal operation mode in which a refrigerant is compressed by performing a normal operation on the compressor, and that controls a switching operation of the wiring switching unit in accordance with an operation mode. |
| US09746208B2 |
Cooling system having dual suction port compressor
A cooling system for appliances, air conditioners, and other spaces includes a compressor, and a condenser that receives refrigerant from the compressor. The system also includes an evaporator that receives refrigerant from the condenser. Refrigerant received from the condenser flows through an upstream portion of the evaporator. A first portion of the refrigerant flows to the compressor without passing through a downstream portion of the evaporator, and a second portion of the refrigerant from the upstream portion of the condenser flows through the downstream portion of the evaporator after passing through the upstream portion of the evaporator. The second portion of the refrigerant flows to the compressor after passing through the downstream portion of the evaporator. The refrigeration system may be configured to cool an appliance such as a refrigerator and/or freezer, or it may be utilized in air conditioners for buildings, motor vehicles, or other such spaces. |
| US09746205B2 |
Double layer solar heating-and-cooling thermosyphon system
A solar liquid-heating-and-cooling system (20) includes: 1. a hot-liquid storage-tank (22); 2. a hot-liquid manifold-tank (26); 3. a coaxial heating-and-cooling-tube (24) that connects downward from the hot-liquid storage-tank (22) to the hot-liquid manifold-tank (26); 4. a double layer heating-and-cooling collector-array-panel (32) located beneath the hot-liquid manifold-tank (26), the panel (32) including, connected to the hot-liquid manifold-tank (26): a. an upper layer of glazed heating-tubes (36); and b. a lower layer of unglazed cooling-tubes (56); 5. parabolic-trough mirror reflectors (64) that are located between the upper and lower layers of tubes (36, 56); 6. cold-liquid manifold-tank (92) located below the panel (32) connected to lower ends both of the glazed heating-tubes (36) and of the unglazed cooling-tubes (56); 7. a cold liquid storage tank (98); and 8. a coaxial heating-and-cooling-tube (96) that connects downward from the cold-liquid manifold-tank (92) to the cold liquid storage tank (98). |
| US09746202B2 |
Dryer
A dryer includes a centrifugal impeller, a motor configured to rotate the impeller about a rotation axis which crosses a plane including a blowing axis, and a heater. The impeller is accommodated in a portion including a pair of side surfaces, each of which crosses the rotation axis, and an air inlet defined in at least one of the side surfaces. The impeller includes blades that are annular with the rotation axis as a center. The heater is supported on plate-shaped portions extending in a plurality of directions from the blowing axis in a cross-section perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the blowing axis. A rear edge of each of the plate-shaped portions with respect to the blowing axis extends in a direction which crosses radially outer edges of the blades with respect to the rotation axis when viewed along the blowing axis. |
| US09746201B2 |
Combustion apparatus
The present application discloses a combustion apparatus including: an air supply/exhaust port formed such that an air supply passage surrounds the outside of an exhaust passage; and an air supply port in which an air supply passage is formed. This combustion apparatus is configured such that in a case where this apparatus is installed in the double-pipe system, the air supply passage of the air supply port is closed, whereas in a case where it is installed in the separate-pipe system, the air supply passage of the air supply/exhaust port is closed. The combustion apparatus includes: a supplied-air temperature sensor; and a guide member, which is located near the air supply passage of the air supply/exhaust port or the air supply passage of the air supply port, and by which air flowing into the space in the housing is guided to the supplied-air temperature sensor. |
| US09746199B1 |
Integrated smart actuator and valve device
An integrated device in an HVAC system is configured to modify an environmental condition of a building. The device includes a valve configured to regulate the flow of fluid through a conduit, an actuator comprising a motor and a drive device, and a communications mechanism. The communications mechanism is configured to receive a flow rate setpoint from an external control device of an outer control loop. The device further includes a processing circuit. The processing circuit is configured to determine an actuator position setpoint using a cascaded feedback control mechanism based on the flow rate setpoint and a flow rate measurement from a flow rate sensor of an inner control loop. The valve, the actuator, the communications mechanism, and the processing circuit are located within a common integrated device chassis. |
| US09746198B2 |
Intelligent environmental control system
The current application is directed to intelligent controllers that continuously, periodically, or intermittently monitor progress towards one or more control goals under one or more constraints in order to achieve control that satisfies potentially conflicting goals. An intelligent controller may alter aspects of control, dynamically, while the control is being carried out, in order to ensure that goals are obtained and a balance is achieved between potentially conflicting goals. The intelligent controller uses various types of information to determine an initial control strategy as well as to dynamically adjust the control strategy as the control is being carried out. |
| US09746194B2 |
Thin film capillary vaporization: device and methods
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for the generation of directed vapor from a liquid source. Vaporization takes place within a device capable of confining boiling to a geometrically small volume, and expelling it as heated vapor via capillary vaporization. The foregoing is accomplished through the use of a lightweight, compact and portable personal vaporization device that generates heated vapor by the flash boiling of small volumes of aqueous liquid in a safe and energy-efficient manner. Further, the production of vapor absent microbes in aqueous systems is accomplished through the combination of microporous componentry and flash vaporization. The apparatus and methods are directed toward personal humidification for comfort and therapeutic purposes in the case of aqueous liquids, but may also be used with other, non-aqueous liquids. |
| US09746193B2 |
Air-conditioning apparatus and method of designing same
An air-conditioning apparatus includes a refrigerant circuit in which a compressor, a heat-source-side heat exchanger, an expansion device, and a refrigerant flow path in at least one intermediate heat exchanger are connected by a refrigerant pipe, and a heat medium circuit in which a pump, a use-side heat exchanger, and a heat-medium flow path in the at least one intermediate heat exchanger are connected by a heat-medium conveying pipe, the heat medium circuit being configured to cause a heat medium to circulate therethrough. The at least one intermediate heat exchanger comprises a plurality of intermediate heat exchangers. The plurality of intermediate heat exchangers are operative in a heating only operation mode, a cooling only operation mode, and a cooling and heating mixed operation mode in which some of the intermediate heat exchangers serve as the condenser and others of the intermediate heat exchangers serve as the evaporator. |
| US09746188B2 |
Recirculating downdraft system for a cooking appliance
Provided is a cooking appliance that includes an oven cavity and an oven door pivotally mounted to a front surface and configured to selectively provide access to an interior of the oven cavity. A cooktop includes a heating element and an inlet of a downdraft system exposed at a top surface of the cooking appliance. An outlet is provided through which air drawn into the downdraft system through the inlet is exhausted to an ambient environment of a room in which the cooking appliance is located. An air duct system conveys air between the inlet and the outlet, and a blower draws air from the ambient environment of the cooking appliance adjacent to the cooktop into the inlet and through the air duct system to be expelled through the outlet back into the ambient environment. |
| US09746181B2 |
Flame detecting system
A flame detecting system capable of easily performing a deterioration diagnosis of a flame sensor without being provided with a shutter mechanism. The flame detecting system comprising a flame sensor to detect light, a calculating device, and a reference light source, in which the calculating device, by operations of a central processing unit CPU, is configured to execute a first mode at which the discharge probability in the flame sensor is measured when the reference light source is turned off and a second mode at which the discharge probability in the flame sensor is measured when the reference light source is turned on, and calculate a current discharge probability of the flame sensor from data obtained at the first mode and the second mode. |
| US09746179B2 |
System and method for low load operation of coal mill
Disclosed herein is a coal fed power generation system comprising a mill in fluid communication with a furnace; where the mill is operative to pulverize coal and to ventilate the coal; where the furnace contains more than one burner or burner nozzles; where the burner or burner nozzles are operative to receive the coal from the mill and combust it in the furnace; and a plurality of flow control devices; where at least one flow control device is in fluid communication with the mill and with the burner or burner nozzle; and where the flow control device that is in fluid communication with the mill and with the burners or burner nozzles is closed to prevent fluid communication between the mill and the furnace during the operation of the furnace. |
| US09746177B2 |
Urea decomposition and improved SCR NOx reduction on industrial and small utility boilers
A lean burn combustion source includes a first side stream comprising an inlet and an outlet, both positioned downstream of a furnace and upstream of a particulate control device, and a second side stream comprising: an inlet positioned downstream of the particulate control device and upstream of the catalyst, a heat exchanger section passing through the first side stream, whereby heat from hot exhaust gas flowing through the first side stream is transferred to hot exhaust gas flowing through the second side stream, an injector positioned in the second side stream injecting aqueous based reagent into the hot exhaust gas flowing through the second side stream such that the aqueous based reagent decomposes to ammonia gas, and an outlet in fluid communication with a reagent distribution device positioned in the primary exhaust gas stream downstream of the particulate control device and upstream of the catalyst. |
| US09746169B2 |
Light with a film for altering the radiation characteristics
Light with housing, a plurality of illuminants arranged in the housing, a covering disc that closes the housing in the direction of radiation and a film for altering the radiation characteristics of the illuminants, which is arranged in front of the illuminants in the direction of radiation, wherein the film is arranged between the covering disc and a supporting disc, wherein the film is in direct contact with the two discs. |
| US09746168B1 |
Light-emitting touch buttons
A light-emitting touch button can include a first printed circuit board (PCB), a second PCB, and a pin coupling the first PCB to the second PCB. The first PCB can include first electronics to detect a touch event on a touch surface. The second PCB can include second electronics to control light emission. The pin can communicate the detected touch event from the first electronics to the second electronics. The touch button can also include a housing including one or more walls defining one or more light-emitting regions. One or more light sources can be disposed within the one or more light-emitting regions. The second electronics can control light emitted from the one or more light sources based at least in part on the detected touch event. The one or more walls can collimate the light emitted from the one or more light sources to the touch surface. |
| US09746167B2 |
Electrical wiring device having a bidirectional light pipe for use in an ambient environment
A light pipe device having a first light pipe branch including a first light flux interface at a first-first end thereof and a second light flux interface disposed at a first-second end thereof; a second light pipe branch including a third light flux interface at a second-first end thereof and a fourth light flux interface disposed at a second-second end thereof a bidirectional lens disposed at one of the ends; and an interface region coupled between the first and second light pipe branch, the interface region being further coupled to the bidirectional lens, the interface region being configured to direct light propagating in the first light pipe branch out of the bidirectional lens and into an ambient environment, the bidirectional element being configured to direct ambient light from the ambient environment into the interface region, the interface region being configured to further direct the ambient light into the second light pipe branch. |
| US09746165B2 |
Wearable illumination gear
The invention is illumination gear that has a strap pad slidably mounted on a strap. A battery-operated lamp is mounted on the strap pad. The strap pad with lamp may be adjusted anywhere along the strap, so as to adjust the position of the lamp to a desired height. The illumination gear may be constructed as a harness, as a vest, or as a set of suspenders. Anchor straps may be provided on the vest or the harness, to secure the straps to belt loops on a trouser waistband or to another garment, to prevent the illumination gear from riding up or shifting position. |
| US09746161B2 |
Method for manufacturing a linear lighting device
A method for manufacturing a linear lighting device, the method comprising the steps of providing a sheet of optically transmissive material, a sheet of thermally conductive material, and a plurality of light sources, arranging the light sources on the sheet of thermally conductive material, roll forming the sheet of thermally conductive material into a supporting heat spreader profile, roll forming the sheet of optically transmissive material into a first shape to cover the light sources and define an optical chamber, attaching end portions of the sheet of optically. The method enables the use of a lower amount of material and provides an efficient method for mass manufacturing linear lighting devices. |
| US09746151B1 |
Light source assembly, and headlamp and vehicle having the same
A light source assembly with default safety function includes a laser source, an optical splitter, a fluorescent layer, an optical-electrical converter, and a voltage controller. The optical splitter has first solid portion, a second solid portion, and an optical transition. The fluorescent layer can absorb a laser and convert it into visible light. The optical-electrical converter receives a portion of the visible light and converts it into an electrical signal. The voltage controller applies a voltage to the optical splitter when no electrical signal converted from visible light is received. Refractive indexes of the first and second solid portions are equal when no voltage is applied to the optical splitter but refractive index of the first solid portion increases when voltage is applied to the optical splitter, thereby causing total reflection of the laser beam. |
| US09746150B2 |
Headlight assembly comprising light-conducting rods for a headlight
The invention relates to a lamp unit (1) for a headlight, in particular a motor vehicle headlight, the lamp unit (1) comprising multiple light sources (2), a light guide unit (3), and a downstream projector lens (4), the light guide unit (3) having multiple light guides (30), each light guide (30) having one light decoupling surface (30a) and one light coupling surface (30b), and each light source (2) coupling light exactly into a light guide (30) assigned to it through a light coupling surface (30b). The invention provides that the light sources (2) and the light coupling surfaces (30b) of the light guides (30) have light conducting rods (10) arranged between them, which are joined into at least one light conducting rod bundle (100), each light source (2) coupling light essentially exclusively into the light conducting rod coupling areas (10a) of the light conducting rods (10) assigned to the respective light source (2), the light of an assigned light source (2) that exits from the light conducting rod decoupling areas (10b) being coupled essentially exclusively into the light coupling surface (30b) of the light guide (30) assigned to the respective light source (2). |
| US09746145B2 |
Light-emitting device with non-successive placement of light-emitting elements of one color, illumination light source having the same, and illumination device having the same
A light-emitting device includes a board; and light-emitting element arrays connected in parallel and each including light-emitting elements mounted on the board and connected in series. The light-emitting elements in each of the light-emitting element arrays include one or more red LED chips and one or more blue LED chips. Each of the red LED chips on the board is disposed non-successively to any other one of the red LED chips along a Y direction and along an X direction. The Y direction is parallel to a direction along which the red LED chips included in one of the light emitting arrays including the red LED chip are arranged. The X direction is perpendicular to the Y direction. |
| US09746138B1 |
Modular lighting and ancillary component apparatus and system
A modular lighting and ancillary component apparatus and system utilizes standard USB protocol and connections between modules so that different modules can be selected, installed, and changed by a user. The USB-C protocol is preferably used, which may permit bidirectional functionality between connected modules in an apparatus and potentially between separate apparatuses. The USB-PD protocol may also be employed so that a greater range of items can be powered. The apparatus includes a base module, and may include one or more ancillary modules and/or a light-emitting module. |
| US09746137B2 |
Lamp for general lighting
A lamp includes a lamp housing which has a light exit opening. A light source of a first type is arranged in the lamp housing. A mounting is fastened to the lamp housing and at least one light source of a second type is fastened to the holder. The at least one light source of the second type includes an organic light-emitting diode and the at least one light source of the second type is arranged downstream of the light exit opening in an emission direction. |
| US09746131B2 |
Attachment system
An attachment system is provided which may include a cord, a fastener coupled to a first portion of the cord, a tensioner coupled to a second portion of the cord, and a first fitting arranged to couple either the fastener or the tensioner to the cord. The tensioner is configured to retain a third portion of the cord to maintain the tension in the cord. An attachment system may include a first working component configured to be coupled to the cord, and a first fitting arranged to couple the first working component to the cord. The first working component may have a cavity configured to receive at least a portion of the first fitting, and the first fitting may have an actively moveable element configured to retain the cord when the first fitting is positioned in the working component cavity. |
| US09746128B2 |
Adjustable dual-screen monitor stand
An adjustable dual-screen monitor stand includes a base member having an upright post, an upper bushing and a lower bushing mounted on the upright post at different elevations, a first cantilever swivel screen mount including a first lower swivel arm, a first upper swivel arm and a first screen holder pivotally coupled to one another and pivotally supported on the upper bushing to hold a first flat display monitor and to allow adjustment of the angular position of the supported first flat display monitor, and a second cantilever swivel screen mount including a second lower swivel arm, a second upper swivel arm and a second screen holder pivotally coupled to one another and pivotally supported on the lower bushing to hold a second flat display monitor and to allow adjustment of the angular position of the supported second flat display monitor. |
| US09746123B2 |
Composite frequency-adjustable shock absorber
A composite frequency-adjustable shock absorber is provided, comprising a motion main machine stand bar and a shock absorption device, which are arranged on a foundation carrier platform; the shock absorption device is divided into an upper shock absorption device and a lower shock absorption device, the shock absorption device is arranged on a base with an inner cavity, and the upper shock absorption device for suppressing the low-frequency vibration and the lower shock absorption device for absorbing additional high-frequency vibration are connected in series; the upper shock absorption device comprises an elastic component based on a flexible hinge group and a prestress adjusting device, the flexible hinge group is arranged in the inner cavity of the base, the prestress adjusting device for adjusting the inherent frequency of the flexible hinge group is connected with the flexible hinge group, and the motion main machine stand bar is fixed on a load bearing portion of the flexible hinge group. The inherent frequency of the whole flexible hinge group is changed, so the high frequency band and the low frequency band of vibration systems with different masses and different excitation frequencies are effectively isolated, the structure is simple, the adjustment is convenient, and the cost is not high. |
| US09746122B2 |
Machine foot with locking spindle and use
The invention is directed to a machine foot, which includes a top part provided with a lock nut, which is mounted in a thread on a spindle, where the lock nut has an abutment complementary shaped to the housing of the lower part, which abutment forms a section of a sphere, and where there is a first gasket between the spindle and lock nut and where there is a second gasket between housing and lock nut. With the invention is achieved that the lower parts and top parts can be produced and stocked as separate and independent units, which for example are not assembled to a finished product until after order. |
| US09746117B2 |
Method of installing fuel lines in an aircraft
A fuel line assembly for an aircraft comprises a ferrule assembly comprising a ferrule affixed to an isolation tube, which may be directly affixed to a fuel tube or affixed to an extension tube, which in turn, is affixed to the fuel tube. The ferrule assembly provides electrostatic discharge protection and lightning protection as the isolation tube maintains a separation distance from the ferrule and fuel tube, both of which are made from metal. The isolation tube is made from a dielectric material, but which may have conductive particles added to aid in the dissipation of an electrostatic charge. The electrical resistance through the isolation tube has a lower limit to arrest the flow of the induced lightning current through the assembly. The amount of lightning protection afforded can be configured. The ferrule assembly components may be affixed by using thermo-welding, adhesive, or mechanical pressure. |
| US09746116B2 |
Pipe connector
A retainer is equipped with a regulation segment, which regulates the position of an O-ring placed in an insertion hole, and a prevention segment, which engages with a spool of a pipe and prevents the pipe from being removed from the insertion hole. Moreover, by moving the retainer toward the minus side in the Y direction and attaching it to an attachment segment, the retainer becomes sandwiched between an opposing wall portion and a tube segment in the X direction. Because of this, the number of parts can be reduced and the retainer that regulates the position of the O-ring can be prevented from being moved in the X direction by the pressure of fluid flowing inside the pipe connector in the X direction. |
| US09746112B2 |
Permanently lubricated film gasket and method of manufacture
A permanently lubricated film gasket for providing a fluid-tight seal between a corrugated pipe and a smooth annular section of an outer pipe or section when the corrugated pipe and the outer pipe or section are in a relative surrounded and surrounding relationship. A first portion of the gasket is shaped to fit within a groove or recess of the corrugated pipe. A second portion of the gasket extends from the first portion. The second portion is at least partially comprised of permanently lubricated film for facilitating in the connection of the pipes along a single direction. |
| US09746109B2 |
Fabricating formed hose with different fiber-reinforced regions
Fabrication of formed hoses is provided which include an innermost elastomer layer, a first fiber-reinforcement region, and multiple second fiber-reinforcement regions. The first fiber-reinforcement region has a first fiber-reinforcement density, and is disposed, at least in part, at a bend region of the formed hose, and the multiple second fiber-reinforcement regions have a second fiber-reinforcement density, and are disposed at least at the first and second end regions of the formed hose. The second fiber-reinforcement density is greater than the first fiber-reinforcement density, and results in the first and second ends of the formed hose being less radially-deformable than the bend region of the hose. This facilitates providing a mechanical fluid-tight connection with a hose barb fitting when the formed hose is slid over the hose barb fitting, absent any clamp over the formed hose and hose barb fitting connection. |
| US09746105B2 |
Conduit clamp for channel framing
A conduit clamp for securing a conduit component to channel framing includes first and second jaws each having opposite first and second end portions. The first end portions of the first and second jaws are configured for securement to one another, such that first and second jaws generally oppose one another and the second end portions of the first and second jaws are free from attachment to one another, to define a conduit receiving space between the first and second jaws. Each of the first and second jaws includes a coupling component at the second end portion thereof having a generally dovetail shape configured for reception in an external fitting groove of the channel framing to attach the conduit clamp to the channel framing. |
| US09746104B2 |
Device for laying an elongate element in a stretch of water, associated installation and associated method
This device comprises a drum (42) to be driven in rotation about a central axis (B-B′), wherein the drum (42) defines a circumferential casing (50) for winding the elongate element around the central axis (B-B′), wherein the elongate element is intended to form at least one turn around the central axis (B-B′) on the circumferential casing (50). It comprises a mechanism (44) for driving the turn(s) of the elongate element along the circumferential casing (50). The drive mechanism (44) comprises at least one assembly (80) following movement of the turn in a direction of movement (D) forming a non-zero angle with the local axis of the turn, taken at a contact region of the turn on the movement assembly (80). |
| US09746102B2 |
Fluid control valve
In order to make it possible to increase a diameter and output thereof, a diaphragm structure is provided that has low repulsiveness, can be largely deformed to increase a stroke even without being applied with a large force from an actuator, and is unlikely to give rise to a defect or fault even when formed thin, and a fluid control valve is provided with the diaphragm structure and the actuator that presses the diaphragm structure, wherein the diaphragm structure is provided with: a protruding part that is formed in a tubular shape and pressed by the actuator; a brim part that spreads from a base end of the protruding part outward with respect to the protruding part; and a support part that is formed on an outer circumference of the brim part and attached to another member, and the brim part is formed in a film shape. |
| US09746101B2 |
Valve positioner communication method utilizing two-dimensional graphical display
A valve positioning system for controlling a valve and exchanging information related to the valve is provided. The valve positioning system includes a valve positioner in operative association with the valve such that the valve positioner receives status information related to the valve. The valve positioner includes a graphical display that displays a graphical representation based on the status information. By displaying the graphical representation, the valve positioner optically transmits the status information to a computing device that is in a line of sight with the graphical display of the valve positioner. |
| US09746100B2 |
Pneumatically drivable valve actuator and method of locking a valve closure element relative to a valve body
The present disclosure provides a pneumatically drivable actuator for setting a position of a valve closure element in a valve, comprising a piston, which is moveable in a pressure chamber by influence of a drive gas, and a locking mechanism for mechanically locking the piston relative to the pressure chamber. The actuator further comprises a ventilation device for venting the drive gas from the pressure chamber while the piston is mechanically locked relative to the pressure chamber, such that pressurization of the pressure chamber is prevented.A method of locking a valve closure element relative to a valve body of a valve that is controllable by a pneumatically driven actuator is also disclosed. |
| US09746098B2 |
Valve operator assembly with compensating actuator
A valve operator assembly is adapted for use with a valve. The assembly comprises a housing, an input member rotatably mounted with respect to the housing and comprising a rotational drive input, and a transmission mechanism connected to the input member and comprising a stem, the transmission mechanism being adapted to convert applied rotation of the rotational drive input into axial translation of the stem. The assembly further comprises at least one elastic actuator axially located between the input member and the stem to obtain a compression of the actuator during an axial translation of the stem towards the input member and a release of the actuator during an axial translation in the opposite direction. |
| US09746095B2 |
Apparatus to attach a fluid valve bonnet
Apparatus to attach a fluid valve bonnet are disclosed. The apparatus includes a bonnet having a neck portion and a nut engaged with the neck portion of the bonnet to couple the bonnet to a body of a fluid valve. A central axis of the nut is coaxial to a longitudinal axis of the bonnet. |
| US09746089B2 |
Spool valve assembly with stationary insert
Valve assemblies and associated methods are disclosed that may include a spool valve and one or more stationary inserts. In some examples, the stationary inserts may be configured to be fixed within a valve bore of a valve body to provide a fluid seal between an outer surface of the insert and the valve bore. Embodiments may also include valve assembly repair kits that may include a spool valve and a stationary insert for repairing a malfunctioning spool valve and methods for installing the same. |
| US09746082B2 |
Dust-resistant structure for tooling machine
A dust-resistant structure for a tooling machine is disclosed. The tooling machine includes a front plate including an accommodation member and a shaft supporter disposed inside the accommodation member. The dust-resistant structure comprises a bridging ring, a dust-resistant rubber ring and a dust-resistant sealing cover. The bridging ring is disposed corresponding to the front plate, and includes a ring body, an inside-ring region corresponding to the accommodation member, and at least one pressure release member formed in the ring body and interconnecting with the inside-ring region for releasing pressure. The dust-resistant rubber ring is assembled to the ring body and disposed in the inside-region region with an inner rim contacting the accommodation member to block dust. The dust-resistant sealing cover includes a cover body assembled to and shielding the accommodation member for blocking dust; and an assembling hole formed in the cover body and penetrated by the dynamic module. |
| US09746078B2 |
Flat gasket
The invention relates to a flat seal such as those that are used in motor vehicle construction in particular. Such flat seals can be used for example as seals in the exhaust tract of internal combustion engines, as cylinder head gaskets, or also as hydraulic system control plates. Hydraulic system control plates, such as transmission control plates for example, always have a sealing function in addition to a fluid control function simultaneously. |
| US09746074B2 |
Vehicle transmission apparatus
A vehicle transmission apparatus having a starting engagement friction element, which has friction plates and a hydraulic servo including a piston that is moved according to a supplied oil pressure to press the friction plates, which is controlled to be engaged when a vehicle is started by using at least a driving force of the internal combustion engine, and which transfers creep torque. A control device capable of receiving an accelerator operation amount signal and capable of outputting a command value that controls the oil pressure. The control device executes temporary increase control of temporarily increasing the command value, when the accelerator operation amount signal is turned on from a state where the accelerator operation amount signal is off and the command value is output so that the starting engagement friction element transfers the creep torque. |
| US09746069B2 |
Axle assembly
An axle assembly that is configured with reduced weight and an internal configuration that is configured to reduce losses through, for example, higher efficiency gearing, low viscosity lubricant and reduced lubricant levels as compared with current production automotive axle assemblies that are configured with a similar overall gear ratio and capacity. |
| US09746068B2 |
Lubricating structure for vehicle drive system
A partition member including a bearing portion that supports a bearing for a first drive gear and a bearing for a second driven gear includes a partition wall portion. In the partition wall portion, a scoop-up wall that scoops up lubricating oil in cooperation with at least one of a first driven gear and the second driven gear is provided near the at least one of the first driven gear and the second driven gear, and a rib for reinforcing stiffness of the bearing portion is provided on a back face of the scoop-up wall. |
| US09746067B2 |
Gear having improved surface finish
There is a gear set. The gear set has a) a first gear having a first surface and b) an intermeshing second gear having a second surface. The first and second surfaces each, independently, have an isotropic arithmetic mean roughness, Ra, of about 0.0762 micrometers/3 microinches or less and are lubricated. There is also a method for increasing the contact surface-fatigue life of a gear set. |
| US09746064B2 |
Dual clutch drive module with single servo hydraulic pump and normally-open valve actuation
A vehicle driveline component having a dual friction clutch differential assembly and a hydraulic circuit for operating the friction clutches. The hydraulic circuit includes a pair of normally open, solenoid operated valves that are selectively closed to control the fluid pressure that acts on the friction clutches. The hydraulic circuit provides a simplified and cost-effective means for providing disconnecting and/or torque vectoring capabilities to the vehicle driveline component. |
| US09746063B2 |
Differential
A differential, including: a gear housing; an epicyclic housing which is mounted in the gear housing in a manner allowing rotation about a gear axis; a planet carrier arranged in the epicyclic housing in a manner allowing rotation; a first output sun gear; a second output sun gear; a planetary arrangement, accommodated in the planet carrier, coupling the output sun gears in a manner allowing opposite rotation; a brake device generating a bridging torque which places a load on relative rotation of the first and second output sun gears, according to a magnitude of an axial force applied to the brake device; and an actuating mechanism for the purpose of generating said axial force applied to the brake device. The actuating mechanism is designed in such a manner that the first bridging torque generated by the brake device increases as a rotary drive torque applied to the epicyclic housing increases. |
| US09746061B2 |
Drive assembly including turbine shell fixed to a damper assembly by a rectangular rivet
A drive assembly for a torque converter is provided. The drive assembly includes a turbine shell and a damper assembly fixed to the turbine shell by at least one rectangular rivet. A method of forming a drive assembly for a torque converter is also provided. The method includes fixing a turbine shell and a damper assembly together by a plurality of rectangular rivets. |
| US09746051B2 |
Vehicle vibration reducing apparatus
A vehicle vibration reducing apparatus includes: an inertial mass body; a first engagement device that is switched between a state where a running power source engages with a damper of a power transmission device so as to enable power transmission and a state where the engagement is released; a second engagement device that is switched between a state where the power transmission device engages with the inertial mass body so as to enable power transmission in a power transmission pass different from that of the first engagement device and a state where the engagement is released; and a third engagement device that is switched between a state where the running power source engages with the inertial mass body so as to enable power transmission in a power transmission path different from those of the first engagement device and the second engagement device and a state where the engagement is released. |
| US09746050B2 |
Spring function component for a hydroelastic bearing
A spring function component for a hydroelastic bearing is provided. The component includes an inner mounting connection, an outer mounting connection that radially encircles the inner mounting connection, and a spring body that flexibly connects the inner mounting connection and the outer mounting connection. The outer mounting connection is configured to be installed in an outer sleeve. In an assembled state of the outer mounting connection, the spring body at least partly forms a boundary between two working chambers configured to hold of a damping fluid, at least one choke channel is formed that hydraulically connects the working chambers to each other, and in addition to the choke channel there is at least one pressure relief valve configured so that when a specific pressure differential between the working chambers is exceeded, the at least one pressure relief valve opens and hydraulically connects the working chambers. |
| US09746048B2 |
Seat device for vehicle
In a seat device for a vehicle, a dynamic damper comprises a damper case that is formed from first and second case halves joined together so as to be capable of separating from each other to define a damper chamber therebetween, a weight that is housed in the damper chamber, and an elastic member that is disposed between the weight and an inner face of the damper chamber so as to allow vibration of the weight, the damper case being provided with a mounting part that is mounted on a frame of the seat. Thus, it is possible to provide a seat device for a vehicle in which replacement of a weight and an elastic member in order to adjust or change the damping characteristics is possible, and the ease of mounting a damper case on a seat is good. |
| US09746047B2 |
Sound reduction or vibration damping apparatus and structural member
Provided is a sound reduction or vibration damping apparatus that has a new sound control principle where the sound control principle is totally different from a known passive or active sound control apparatus. A sound reduction or vibration damping apparatus 1 includes a mass portion 11, spring portions 12a and 12b placed between the mass portion 11 and a structural member 13, and a control unit 4 for causing the spring constants of the spring portions 12a and 12b to continue changing. The sound reduction or vibration damping apparatus 1 is mounted on the structural member 13 to reduce sound passing through the structural member 13 or sound generated from the structural member, or damp the vibration of the structural member 13. |
| US09746046B2 |
Leaf spring made of a fiber composite material having integrated bearing eyes and method of producing said leaf spring
A leaf spring made of a fiber composite material having integrated bearing holes and a method for producing is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of cutting prepreg strips of a predetermined length from a prepreg strand, removing cut-outs from the particular prepreg strip in the axial ends where a bearing hole should be formed, laying a plurality of prepreg strips one over the other in a prepreg stack in alternation so that the surfaces of the prepreg strips are flush to form a raw leaf spring forming a bearing hole by deforming an axial end of the prepreg stack in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal extension (L) and perpendicular to the transverse extension (B) of the prepreg stack, setting the raw sheet spring to form the finished leaf spring in a mold with a suitable setting pressure and a suitable setting temperature. |
| US09746045B2 |
Method of fastening adherend to coating object, and fastened composite
Provided are a fastened composite and a method of fastening an adherend, which includes a friction material, to a coating object, comprising; forming on at least a part of a surface of the coating object a coated film with a curable resin-containing paint; and fastening the adherend to the surface of the coating object, by subjecting heating and/or irradiation of an active energy ray to the coated film, while making the adherend closely contact the coated film to press it by a predetermined pressure, to cure the coated film. |
| US09746043B2 |
Adjusting device for a disk brake, corresponding disk brake and method for operating a wear adjustment device for a disk brake
An adjusting device is disclosed for adjusting friction surface wear on brake linings and a brake disk of a disk brake. The adjusting device is couplable to a brake application device on the drive side, and to a spindle unit of the disk brake on the output side. The adjusting device includes a drive element on both sides of which a rolling element assembly is axially arranged; a pressure element; an output element coupled to the pressure element for coupling to a coupling wheel; an energy storage element; and a support body, one end of which is connected to a bearing plate and around which the drive element, the rolling element assemblies, the output element and the energy storage element are arranged axially in series with the bearing plate. The energy storage element is arranged between a bearing portion of the support body and the pressure element. |
| US09746042B2 |
Opposed-piston disc brake caliper
In an opposed-piston disc brake caliper, a pair of reinforcement bridge portions, which are inclined relative to an axial direction, are provided on outside of a rotor in a radial direction of the rotor so as to define corner opening portions in an opening portion which is defined by an inner body portion, an outer body portion, and an entry-side connection portion and an exit-side connection portion connecting the inner body portion and the outer body portion. A torque receiving portion of one of the entry-side torque receiving portion and the exit-side torque receiving portion is exposed toward an outside in the radial direction via the corner opening portions. |
| US09746036B2 |
Welding method for outer joint member of constant velocity universal joint, and outer joint member
A welding method for an outer joint member of a constant velocity universal joint includes constructing a cup section having track grooves, which engage with torque transmitting elements, formed along an inner periphery thereof and a shaft section that is formed on a bottom portion of the cup section by two or more separate members, joining a cup member forming the cup section and a shaft member forming the shaft section, and melt-welding end portions of the cup member and the shaft member. The cup member and the shaft member are shaped so that a sealed hollow cavity portion is formed when the end portions of the cup member and the shaft member are brought into abutment against each other, the melt-welding of the end portions being performed when the sealed hollow cavity portion is under atmospheric pressure or lower. |
| US09746033B2 |
Eccentrically bored sleeve for locating a bearing
A bearing assembly includes a sleeve and a bearing located within a bore of the sleeve. The sleeve extends between an inner surface and an outer surface. The inner surface at least partially defines the bore, which extends through the sleeve. The inner surface is configured eccentric to the outer surface. The bearing includes a plurality of rolling elements arranged between an inner ring and an outer ring. The outer ring is mounted to the sleeve. |
| US09746031B2 |
Bearing cage with active lubrication
A cage assembly for a bearing including a main body having a plurality of pockets arranged therein, the pockets operatively arranged to hold a plurality of rolling elements, a plurality of first lubrication elements retained within the main body and operatively arranged to contact the rolling elements, a plurality of second lubrication elements substantially similar to the first lubrication elements, arranged diametrically opposite from the first lubrication elements within the main body to contact the rolling elements and a plurality of pre-load members arranged within the main body to compress the first and second pluralities of lubrication elements against the rolling elements. |
| US09746030B2 |
Method for producing an extruded bearing journal
In a method for producing an extruded bearing journal, the bearing journal is extruded in an extrusion tool by means of at least one extrusion punch and, after the extrusion of the bearing journal, reworking of the bearing journal is performed in order to improve the cylindricity of the bearing journal at least over a section of the longitudinal extent of the bearing journal. During the reworking, the bearing journal is arranged, at least over a section of its longitudinal extent adjoining its free end, in a cavity that is delimited in a radial direction of the bearing journal by a wall surface surrounding the lateral surface of the bearing journal, and a reworking punch which is movable in the longitudinal direction of the bearing journal is moved toward the free end of the bearing journal and is pressed against the face surface of the bearing journal and, in this way, a plastic deformation of the bearing journal, with a flow of material of the bearing journal, is effected. |
| US09746029B1 |
Bearing
A bearing includes a bearing pad for supporting a rotary component and a housing attached to or formed integrally with the bearing pad. The housing defines a first fluid damper cavity positioned adjacent to the bearing pad and a second fluid damper cavity spaced from the first fluid damper cavity. The first and the second fluid damper cavities are in restrictive flow communication. The housing is configured to transfer a fluid from the first fluid damper cavity to the second fluid damper cavity in response to a force acting on the bearing pad to dampen a movement of the bearing pad. |
| US09746027B2 |
Auxiliary bearing of the ball bearing type for a magnetically suspended rotor system
An assembly includes a rotating shaft supported with respect to a stationary housing by at least one active magnetic bearing presenting a mean radial air gap and at least one auxiliary bearing having first and second coaxially arranged annular surfaces is provided. One of the first and second coaxially arranged annular surfaces defines a clearance (E2) with one of the stationary housing and the rotating shaft, the clearance (E2) being less than the mean radial air gap and the other of the first and second coaxially arranged annular surfaces being integral with the other one of the stationary housing and the rotating shaft. The auxiliary bearing provides a first ball bearing and a second ball bearing having a misalignment with respect to each other in order to increase the starting torque. |
| US09746021B2 |
Fastening structure
A sealing rubber is integrally molded to an outer peripheral face and a lower face of a flange portion of a collar, and a protruding portion is continuously formed along the circumferential direction around a through-hole in an upper face of a resin member. |
| US09746016B2 |
Fastening device and method for fastening an element in a keyhole-shaped cutout in a wall
A fastening device for fastening an element in a keyhole-shaped cutout in a wall includes a retaining element which in the fastened state of the fastening device is designed to rest against a front side of the wall, and to at least partially cover an edge of a narrower opening of the key-shaped section in a wall. The fastening device also includes a support element which in the fastened state of the fastening device is designed to engage through a wider opening of the keyhole-shaped cutout in the wall, and to support the fastening device against a lateral edge of the wider opening during fastening. |
| US09746013B2 |
Spring steel wire harness clip
A mounting clip and a mounting assembly include a mounting structure and the mounting clip. The mounting structure includes a mounting feature. The mounting clip includes a base, an inferior leg, and a catch. The base has a through hole therein. The inferior leg is disposed on an anterior side of the base. The catch is disposed on a posterior side of the base. The inferior leg and the catch are configured to engage the mounting structure when the mounting clip is assembled to the mounting structure, such that the mounting feature is accessible through the through hole when the mounting clip is assembled to the mounting structure. The mounting clip also includes a superior leg having a mounting aperture. |
| US09746007B2 |
Integrated implement downforce control systems, methods, and apparatus
A downforce controller for an agricultural implement having a double-acting hydraulic cylinder. The cylinder is configured to be coupled to an agricultural row unit and an agricultural toolbar for transmitting a net downforce between the agricultural toolbar and the agricultural row unit. A first pressure in a first chamber of the cylinder and a second pressure in a second chamber of the cylinder have counteracting effects on the net downforce. A manifold coupled to the cylinder is in fluid communication with the first chamber. A pressure control valve coupled to the manifold is in fluid communication with the manifold and the first chamber. |
| US09745999B2 |
Compressor diffuser and shroud for a motor driven compressor
An aspect includes a compressor diffuser and shroud for a motor driven compressor assembly. The motor driven compressor assembly includes a first stage compressor and a second stage compressor. The compressor diffuser and shroud of the second stage compressor includes a diffuser portion and a shroud portion. The diffuser portion includes a diffuser portion outer lip having a first sealing lip outer diameter to provide a first sealing interface to a second stage compressor housing. The shroud portion includes a curvature between the diffuser portion outer lip and a compressor inlet to align with a second stage compressor rotor, where a ratio of the first sealing lip outer diameter to an innermost diameter of the compressor diffuser and shroud is between 2.698 and 2.711. |
| US09745992B2 |
Turbocharger bearing damper assembly
A turbocharger system can include a housing that includes a bore defined at least in part by a bore wall; a rolling element bearing unit that includes an outer race; and a mixed-element damper assembly disposed at least in part between the outer race and the bore wall where the mixed-element damper assembly includes a lobed-spring element and a squeeze film damper element. |
| US09745991B2 |
Slotted washer pad for stage impellers of submersible centrifugal well pump
A submersible pump assembly includes a centrifugal pump driven by a motor. The pump has a number of stages, each of the stages having a diffuser and an impeller. An upthrust washer is located between a diffuser upthrust surface and an impeller upthrust surface. Balance holes extend from an inlet on an upper side of the impeller to an outlet within one of the impeller passages. The upthrust washer overlies the inlets while the impeller is in the upthrust position. Slots are located at an interface between the upthrust washer and the impeller upthrust surface. Each of the slots registers with the inlet of one of the balance holes to allow fluid flow into the inlets of the balance holes while the impeller is in the upthrust position. |
| US09745988B2 |
Fan
A fan includes a casing having an air inlet and an air outlet, an impeller housing located within the casing, an impeller located within the impeller housing for generating an air flow along a path extending from the air inlet to the air outlet through the impeller housing, a motor housing connected to the impeller housing, and a motor located within the motor housing for driving the impeller. A bellows support is provided for mounting the impeller housing within the casing. The bellows support is disposed on a seat connected to the casing. The bellows support extends about the impeller housing and forms a seal between the impeller housing and the casing. |
| US09745987B2 |
Fan
A fan includes a stationary portion, a rotating portion, and an impeller arranged to rotate about a central axis together with the rotating portion to produce an axial air current. The rotating portion includes a rotor holder. The impeller includes a cup portion arranged to cover the rotor holder and a plurality of blades arranged on an outer circumference of the cup portion. The cup portion includes a cup cover portion arranged to extend radially outward from the central axis; a cup cylindrical portion being substantially cylindrical in shape, and arranged to extend in an axial direction from an outer edge portion of the cup cover portion; and a cup through hole arranged to extend through the cup portion at a position overlapping with a portion or boundary between the cup cover portion and the cup cylindrical portion. |
| US09745986B2 |
Compression system
Provided is a compression system including: at least one impeller; a gear train configured to the at least one impeller; a main drive shaft configured to drive the gear train; and a housing comprising an impeller container configured to house the at least one impeller and a gear train container configured to house the gear train. |
| US09745985B2 |
Bushing structure and fan
A bushing structure cooperating with a shaft is disclosed. The bushing structure includes a cylindrical body and an extension portion. The cylindrical body has a shaft hole and the shaft is disposed in the shaft hole. The extension portion is disposed at one end of the cylindrical body and surrounds the cylindrical body. The cylindrical body and the extension portion are made of an iron-contained material. |
| US09745978B2 |
Housing for a rotary vane pump
A housing for a rotary vane pump includes a suction flange and a discharge flange having a multi-angular cross-section with at least two sides extending parallel to each other, cooling ribs provided on an outer surface of the housing, with the number of cooling ribs in the region with a high internal pressure being greater than a number of cooling ribs in the region with a low internal pressure, inlet and outlet, with the inlet cross-section being greater than the outlet cross-section, and connection elements provided on the housing and each having two installation surfaces connected by a connection surface. |
| US09745972B2 |
Drive train of a vehicle
A drive train (1) includes an internal combustion engine (2) and working hydraulics (4) having at least one hydraulic pump (7). When operated as a pump, the hydraulic pump (7) sucks hydraulic fluid from a tank (9) and delivers into a delivery line (10) that leads to the working hydraulics (4). When operated as a motor, the hydraulic pump (7) is supplied with hydraulic fluid from a hydraulic accumulator (25). The drive train (1) has a charge pump (20) to supply a charging circuit (23). The charge pump (20), when operated as a pump, sucks hydraulic fluid out of the tank (9) and delivers into a charge pressure line (22) that leads to a charging circuit (23), and the charge pump (20) when operated as a motor is supplied with hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic accumulator (25). |
| US09745969B2 |
Lid-pump assembly
The present invention involves a combination bucket lid and pump apparatus for pumping fluids out of a bucket having an open end, the pump mounted on the bucket lid, and the bucket lid extending over the open end of the bucket and having a circumferential clamp for clamping onto the bucket exterior and sealing the open end. |
| US09745965B2 |
Printed actuators and uses thereof
Printed active origami combines printed electronics with nanomaterial coated polymer based actuators to create active printed structures. The fabrication processes include the step of applying carbon nanomaterial coatings to polymeric films. Products produced by the processes include actuating materials, such as solid state actuators that can be used as active element(s) in a printable active origami robot. |
| US09745963B2 |
Energy weight storage
A first weight system for storing energy comprises a support platform with a lifting station having a plurality of vertically extending shafts, a cable and a motor located at ground level. This weight system hoists a heavily weighted device upwardly along the vertically extending shafts; holds it in a raised position and then lowers it along these same shafts to turn the motors and generate energy. The weighted device can include one or more flat rectangular containers or a weighted box. A second system employs a pair of containers connected to one another on an inclined track by a cable that can be moved about a guide wheel at a top of the track. The track further includes a media collection area, container filling area and means for conveying media from the bottom to the top of the inclined track. A third system pulls a plurality of large heavy wheels up an inclined track with wind power for subsequent lowering to turn a motor and generate energy. |
| US09745961B2 |
Offshore wind farm illumination
Method for operating an offshore wind farm with at least one wind turbine system and a navigation device, which is operated in a normal mode, wherein a hazard signal is received by a receiving device, the received hazard signal is supplied to a control device that switches the navigation device from the normal mode to a an emergency lighting mode. |
| US09745960B2 |
Power generation architecture using environmental fluid flow
Architecture that harnesses energy from natural atmospheric wind and water currents and self-generated wind and water currents from moving vehicles and natural fluid flow found in nature for moving or stationary applications. The power generation system harnesses energy from natural atmospheric sources utilizing pneumatic and/or hydraulic turbines with compound nozzles, meteorological sensors, computer controlled harmonic resonance valves, a control system, and other components. |
| US09745953B2 |
Method and system for replacing a single wind turbine blade
A method of replacing a wind turbine blade includes connecting a plurality of first hoisting devices between a wind turbine support hub and the wind turbine blade, suspending the wind turbine blade from the wind turbine support hub through the plurality of first hoisting devices, connecting a plurality of second hoisting devices between the wind turbine support hub and the wind turbine blade, supporting the wind turbine support blade with the plurality of second hoisting devices, disconnecting the plurality of first hoisting devices from the wind turbine blade, and lowering the wind turbine blade to the ground. |
| US09745952B2 |
Mass levitator with energy conversion
The various embodiments disclosed herein provide a generalized system for extracting gravitational energy from the planet and provide for a general, pollution free, mass lifting and energy conversion system in which the laws of fluid flow, and in particular buoyancy and gravity are utilized to lift an arbitrary mass to a higher gravitational potential energy, where upon the increased potential energy can be converted to other forms of energy. Novel and non-obvious features of the fluid interface device, used to insert the buoyant object into the buoyant fluid, insure that the insertion energy is less than the potential energy gained by the object. The net increase in potential energy can be converted to other forms of energy such as electrical power or mechanical energy. It is shown in that energy gain is effectively extracted from the gravitational field of the planet without breaking the laws of conservation of energy. |
| US09745951B1 |
Self-positioning robotic subsea power generation system
A self-propelled, robotic power generating system remains submerged in deep water areas, tethered within steady-state, generally unidirectional sea currents in non-tidal areas for the continuous production of turbine-generated electricity that is transmittable by multipurpose undersea power cable to onshore electric grids. System aspects include a shore-to-system communication means to remotely manage all system functions; a sea current intake consisting of a cone-like, retractable current amplifier to significantly increase the energy density of the currents passing through the amplifier to the turbine; a self propulsion means to move the system to maintain a desirable location within a prescribed area that may be subject to meandering currents; a snorkel-like vertical air conduit for ballast control; a seawater pumping means for ballast control; a retractable marine wildlife protector to cover the sea current intake; and a remotely retractable anchor means to maintain the generating system in a target position for extended time periods. |
| US09745945B2 |
Engine system for vessel propulsion device and vessel including the same
An engine system for a vessel propulsion device includes an engine including an intake amount adjusting unit and an ignition plug, and configured to generate a drive force for the vessel propulsion device. The engine system includes an ignition timing control unit, a knocking detecting unit, a knocking retard control unit that retards the ignition timing of the ignition plug by a unit retard amount when the knocking detecting unit detects knocking, an abnormality judging unit that, when a state where the knocking detecting unit detects knocking at intervals within a predetermined time continues, judges that an abnormality has occurred based on a continued state of knocking detection, and an intake amount limiting unit that limits the intake amount of the engine based on judgment of an abnormality made by the abnormality judging unit. |
| US09745941B2 |
Tunable starter resistor
A passive two-terminal circuit element may include a resistor including a carbon-metal composite resistive element. The resistive element is configured to maintain a resistivity that fluctuates less than one tenth of an ohm per ten degree temperature change up to 400 degrees Celsius. |
| US09745934B2 |
Mechanical system forming a cam follower or a rocker arm
A mechanical system that forms one of a cam follower or a rocker arm. The mechanical system comprises a support element including a first body portion and a second body portion, a pin extending between two opposite ends along a first axis and supported by the first body portion of the support element, and a roller mounted on pin, movable in rotation relative to the pin around the first axis and adapted to roll on a cam. The mechanical system further comprises a spacing element comprising a first body portion connected to the second body part of the support element and a second body portion adapted to be supported by a movable support. |
| US09745933B2 |
Fuel pressure regulator
A fuel pressure regulator includes a housing defining a fuel inlet and a fuel outlet; a valve seat located between the fuel inlet and the fuel outlet, the valve seat being centered about a valve seat axis; a valve member centered about a valve member axis, the valve member being moveable between 1) a closed position where the valve member engages the valve seat to prevent fuel flow from the fuel inlet to the fuel outlet and 2) an open position where the valve member is disengaged from the valve seat to permit fuel flow from the fuel inlet to the fuel outlet; and a grounding member grounded to the housing which engages the valve member to cause the valve member axis to tip relative to the valve seat axis when the valve member moves from the closed position to the open position. |
| US09745931B2 |
Fuel system with a fuel pump control module and a heat sink
A fuel system for an internal combustion engine includes an electric fuel pump; a conduit which defines a flow path through which fuel flows from the electric fuel pump to the internal combustion engine; a fuel pump control module with electronics which drive the electric fuel pump, the fuel pump control module being disposed within a compartment defined by a wall; and a heat sink in thermal contact with the fuel pump control module and extending out of the compartment through an aperture of the wall and into the flow path such that the heat sink is sealed to the wall, thereby preventing fluid communication through the aperture. |
| US09745926B2 |
Fluid line coupling
A fluid line coupling for a mechanical and fluidic coupling may include a fluid-carrying first component and a fluid-carrying second component. A pipe body may be at least one of integrated with and attached to the first component. A connection piece may be arranged coaxially to the pipe body in an inserted position, the connection piece being at least one of integrated with and attached to the second component. A securing clip may be disposed on an outer side of the pipe body and surround the pipe body in a circumferential direction at least 180°. The securing clip may be radially adjustable relative to the pipe body between a securing position in which the connection piece is secured to the pipe body in the inserted position, and a releasing position in which the connection piece is unsecured to the pipe body in the inserted position. |
| US09745920B2 |
Gas turbine nozzles with embossments in airfoil cavities
The present application provides a nozzle for a gas turbine engine. The nozzle may include a band, a seal slot positioned within the band, an airfoil extending from the band, a cavity within the airfoil, and an embossment positioned about the band and the cavity. |
| US09745908B2 |
System and method for evaluating operating capability of a prime mover
A method of evaluating operating capability of a prime mover includes: starting the prime mover with a minimum load requirement threshold; obtaining a reference prime mover operation parameter for the prime mover; comparing the reference prime mover operation parameter with a standard prime mover operation parameter to determine a reference matrix; and adjusting via a TRS controller a standard operation threshold based on the reference matrix to obtain an optimal operation threshold. |
| US09745904B2 |
Internal combustion engine control device, and control method
In order to prevent an abnormal combustion due to oil, a restriction region (B) is designated on a low-speed and high-load side of an internal combustion engine (1), and an opening of throttle valve (12) is restricted so that an engine operating condition is not observed within the restriction region (B). A predetermined designated inspection region (A) is set so as to include the restriction region (B), and it is judged whether or not the abnormal combustion actually occurred when the internal combustion engine (1) is running within the designated inspection region (A). If the abnormal combustion was detected, the restriction region (B) is expanded, meanwhile, if the abnormal combustion was not detected, the expanded restriction region (B) is gradually decreased. If the abnormal combustion occurred at a shorter interval than a threshold value, the restriction region (B) is expanded at once to a predetermined size. |
| US09745896B2 |
Systems and methods to control combustion dynamic frequencies based on a compressor discharge temperature
Systems and methods for frequency separation in a gas turbine engine are provided herein. The systems and methods for frequency separation in a gas turbine engine may include determining a hot gas path natural frequency, determining a combustion dynamic frequency, and modifying a compressor discharge temperature to separate the combustion dynamic frequency from the hot gas path natural frequency. |
| US09745894B2 |
Compressor air provided to combustion chamber plenum and turbine guide vane
A gas turbine having a combustion chamber with exhaust section through which combustion gas is exhaustable, plenum chamber and compressor are provided. The plenum chamber is coupled to the compressor wherein a first quantity of compressed fluid is injectable therein at a radially inner wall of the plenum chamber. A guide vane section with at least one airfoil is coupled to the exhaust section so combustion gas is flowable against the airfoil. The exhaust section and guide vane section are housed inside the plenum chamber. The airfoil has a first flow chamber where a second quantity of compressed fluid is flowable through the guide vane section from the compressor in the direction from the inner wall to a outer wall of the plenum chamber before being discharged. The second quantity of compressed fluid streamable through the guide vane section is larger than the first quantity of the compressed fluid. |
| US09745892B2 |
Prechamber ignition system
Generally, embodiments of a pre-chamber unit having a pre-combustion chamber including one or more induction ports in a configuration which achieves flow fields and flow field forces inside the pre-combustion chamber which act to direct flame growth away quenching surface of the pre-combustion chamber. |
| US09745891B2 |
Internal combustion engine with shrouded injection valve and precombustion chamber system
An engine is provided. In one embodiment, the engine includes a precombustion chamber having a body, a secondary combustion chamber disposed at least partially in the body, and a plurality of passages configured to place the precombustion chamber in fluid communication with a main combustion chamber. |
| US09745885B2 |
Modular manifold for motor vehicles
A modular exhaust manifold 1 for a motor vehicle, with multiple adjoining manifold pipe modules, having: at least one engine flange, via which an inlet connection pipe of the manifold pipe modules can be connected to a cylinder head of the motor vehicle; at least one manifold pipe module, configured as a collector pipe module and having a contact flange, via which the exhaust manifold can be connected to an exhaust system of the motor vehicle, the respective manifold pipe modules having an overlap contour of a length a that permits the telescoping of two manifold pipe modules to an insertion depth t for coupling purposes, at least two manifold pipe modules being identical in shape, and a variation of the insertion depth t of at least 5 mm to 30 mm or 10 mm or 15 mm or 20 mm or 25 mm being obtained by the formation of length a of the overlap contour. A method for producing a manifold formed from multiple adjoining manifold pipe modules. |
| US09745883B2 |
Inclined perforated plate at radial inlet
An exhaust component extends between a first end and a second end. The exhaust component defines an internal cavity with a central axis that extends from the first end to the second end. The exhaust component includes an inlet and an outlet, wherein the inlet extends transversely relative to the central axis. A perforated plate is positioned within the internal cavity at the inlet. The perforated plate extends obliquely relative to the center axis. |
| US09745876B2 |
Oil filter systems
Various methods and systems are provided for an oil filter system for a vehicle system. In one example, an oil filter system comprises a housing within which a plurality of oil filter elements are disposed and a frame supporting the housing, the frame including one or more mountings configured to support one or more vehicle sub-assemblies. |
| US09745875B2 |
Variable valve gear for internal combustion engine
A variable valve gear for an internal combustion engine includes: a cam base portion integrally or separately provided in a camshaft, and immovably fixed to the camshaft; a cam lobe portion connected to the cam base portion so as to swing and shift between a first state where the cam lobe portion is positioned to project from an outer circumference of the base portion and a second state where the cam lobe portion is positioned to be lower than the cam base portion in the first state; a lock mechanism locking the cam lobe portion in the first and second state; and a biasing member biasing the cam lobe portion to be shifted to the first state, to such an extent that the cam lobe portion is shifted to the second state by reaction force from a cam follower when the locking mechanism is unlocked. |
| US09745874B2 |
Piston assembly retainer with integrated spring seat
A piston assembly for pressurizing a hydraulic chamber is provided. The piston assembly has a cylinder and a piston configured to reciprocate within the cylinder. The piston has a first end in the cylinder and a second end adapted to be acted on by a drive element. The piston assembly also has a spring configured to bias the piston. The piston assembly further has a retainer mounted to an exterior of the cylinder and including a seat surface. The spring is seated on the seat surface. The outer diameter of the spring is less than the outer diameter of the cylinder. |
| US09745870B2 |
Organic rankine cycle decompression heat engine
An improved heat engine that includes an organic refrigerant exhibiting a boiling point below −35° C.; a heat source having a temperature of less than 82° C.; a heat sink; a sealed, closed-loop path for the organic refrigerant, the sealed, closed-loop path having both a high-pressure zone that absorbs heat from the heat source, and a low-pressure zone that transfers heat to the heat sink; a positive-displacement decompressor providing a pressure gradient through which the organic refrigerant in the gaseous phase flows continuously from the high-pressure zone to the low-pressure zone, the positive-displacement decompressor extracting mechanical energy due to the pressure gradient; and a positive-displacement hydraulic pump, which provides continuous flow of the organic refrigerant in the liquid phase from the low-pressure zone to the high-pressure zone, the hydraulic pump and the positive-displacement decompressor maintaining a pressure differential between the two zones of between about 20 to 42 bar. |
| US09745867B1 |
Compound energy co-generation system
A compound energy co-generation system converts forestry, agricultural, and similar biomass to energy at the source farm. A working fluid reserve at the base is coupled with a boiler inlet. The boiler has a combustion chamber, a vertically rising exhaust stack, and a liquid jacket around the combustion chamber and rising from the working fluid reserve. The liquid jacket receives thermal energy from the combustion chamber and converts a portion of the liquid working fluid into a gas to create a dual-phase working fluid. A reciprocal fluid container, which in one embodiment is a piston and in another is a sealed and insulated container, receives the elevated liquid working fluid. The change in weight drives a power conversion system to convert lowering of the fluid container into electrical energy. Additional ordinarily wasted energy components are employed to perform useful work to improve overall efficiency. |
| US09745866B2 |
Moisture separator unit for steam turbine and steam-turbine stationary blade
A steam turbine stationary blade is configured to be a stationary blade structure having a hollow structure. The steam turbine stationary blade is provided with a slit disposed on a stationary blade surface. The pressure of a stationary blade hollow is reduced to suction a liquid film through the slit for removing the liquid film formed on the stationary blade surface. An opening portion of the slit is covered with a sheet in a meshed pattern formed of a fine mesh thereby reducing an accompanied steam amount so as to effectively remove the liquid film. |
| US09745864B2 |
Systems and methods for anti-rotational features
Systems and methods are disclosed for anti-rotation lugs. A stator for a gas turbine engine may comprise an outer shroud, an inner shroud, and a plurality of vanes located between the outer shroud and the inner shroud. A plurality of anti-rotation lugs may be coupled to the inner shroud. The anti-rotation lugs may be configured to contact a diffuser case in order to prevent rotation of the stator. The anti-rotation lugs may comprise a body and a tapered shoulder. The tapered shoulder may distribute stress concentrations in the anti-rotation lugs. |
| US09745863B2 |
Method of manufacturing rotary machine, method of plating rotary machine, and rotary machine
Provided is a method of manufacturing a rotary machine, which includes: a casing forming process of forming a casing of the rotary machine that has multiple opening parts and suctions and discharges a fluid; a surface activating process of supplying a pretreatment liquid into the casing, then discharging the pretreatment liquid from the casing through the opening parts, and activating an inner surface of the casing after the casing forming process; a plating process of performing supply and discharge of a plating liquid into and from the easing through the opening parts to circulate the plating liquid and plating the inner surface of the casing after the surface activating process; and an assembling process of providing a rotating body that is rotatable relative to the casing so as to he covered from an outer circumference side by the casing plated in the plating process. |
| US09745862B2 |
Reduced misalignment gear system
A lubrication system for a fan drive planetary gear system according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a stationary first bearing configured to receive a lubricant from a lubricant input, the stationary first bearing is located adjacent a fan drive shaft. A second bearing is configured to rotate with the fan drive shaft, the first bearing engages the second bearing and is configured to transfer the lubricant from the first bearing to the second bearing and into at least one fluid passage in the fan drive shaft. A conduit fluidly connects the at least one passage in the fan drive shaft with at least one component on the fan drive gear system. |
| US09745855B2 |
Linear friction welding apparatus and method
The apparatus and method allows multiple components to be simultaneously bonded to a central shaft or tube using linear friction welding in a single welding process. The method involves simultaneously pressing the work pieces radially against the central shaft or tube at the desired locations while the shaft is vibrated axially. The weld is facilitated by the use of a linear friction welding machine, which includes a number of fixtures and press assemblies to hold and press the various work pieces against the central shaft or tube and a vibrating assembly for vibrating the central shaft or tube. |
| US09745852B2 |
Axial rotor portion and turbine rotor blade for a gas turbine
A turbine rotor blade is provided with a blade root, platform adjoining it, and turbine blade on that side of the platform which faces away from the blade root, with at least one opening for feeding coolant into the turbine rotor blade interior on an underside of the blade root, which opening merges into a coolant duct. An axial rotor section for a rotor is provided, having an outer circumferential surface adjoining two end-side first side surfaces with rotor blade holding grooves distributed over the circumference and extending along an axial direction, wherein a turbine rotor blade is arranged in every holding groove, wherein a multiplicity of sealing elements are at the side of a side surface of the rotor section, and lie opposite the end sides of blade roots to form a gap. Multiple outlet holes for impingement cooling of the sealing elements are provided in the end surface. |
| US09745849B2 |
Methods for treating field operated components
A method for treating a field operated component is disclosed which includes providing the component including a ceramic matrix composite and removing a first portion of the component, forming a first exposed surface on the component. The method further includes providing a second portion including the composite, the second portion having a second exposed surface including a conformation adapted to mate with the first exposed surface. The second portion is positioned in association with the component so as to replace the first portion, and the second portion and the component are joined to form a treated component. Another method is disclosed wherein the component is a turbine component which further includes removing an environmental barrier coating from the component, arranging and conforming the first exposed surface and the second exposed surface to define a joint, and applying an environmental barrier coating to the treated component. |
| US09745845B2 |
Casing defect determination using stored defect response information
A system comprises a wellbore having a plurality of casings disposed therein and one or more electromagnetic coils disposed within the wellbore. The one or more electromagnetic coils are configured to generate and direct one or more excitation signals toward the plurality of casings and receive one or more response signals based on interactions of the one or more excitation signals with the plurality of casings. The system further comprises a casing evaluation module comprising a processor and memory and communicably coupled to the one or more electromagnetic coils. The casing evaluation module is operable to determine whether defect exists in at least one of the plurality of casings using a first response signal received from the one or more electromagnetic coils and elemental defect information, the elemental defect information comprising a plurality of combinations of small defect information. |
| US09745842B2 |
Proximity calculation in a geoscience domain
Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for planning a well are provided. The method includes defining a well in a representation of a domain, and identifying an offset well in the domain that is within a threshold distance of the well. The method also includes deconstructing the offset well into a plurality of offset bases, and determining that a first offset base of the plurality of offset bases is within the threshold distance of the well. The method further includes determining that a second offset base of the plurality of offset bases is not within the threshold distance of the well, and performing a proximity computation for the well with respect to the first offset base but not the second offset base. |
| US09745840B2 |
Electric powered pump down
A method of operations in a subterranean formation, including driving a pump with an electrically powered motor to pressurize fluid, inserting a tool into a wellbore that intersects the formation, and directing the pressurized fluid into the wellbore above the tool to push the tool into the wellbore. |
| US09745831B2 |
Safety protection apparatus for personnel on oil drilling derricks
A safety apparatus for personnel on an oil drilling rig includes a cylindrical quick disconnect switch having a receptacle and a plunger. The receptacle has an open circuit pair of electrical wires. The plunger is configured to attach to a derrick man. The plunger and the receptacle are configured to mate when the plunger is inserted into the receptacle and to remain frictionally mated until pulled apart. The mating results in closing the circuit between the pair of electrical wires. |
| US09745829B2 |
Pressure differential device
In one aspect, a pressure differential device including: an inlet; an outlet; and a fluid restricting member fluidly associated with the inlet and the outlet, wherein the fluid restricting member is configured to provide a first backpressure at a first setting and a second plurality of backpressures at a plurality of second settings. In another aspect, a method to control backpressure including: providing a fluid line with an inlet fluid flow; supplying the inlet fluid flow into a pressure differential device; expelling an outlet fluid flow out of the pressure differential device; pressurizing the inlet fluid flow to a first backpressure at a first setting of the pressure differential device; pressurizing the inlet fluid flow to a second plurality of backpressures at a plurality of second settings of the pressure differential device. |
| US09745825B2 |
Method for deploying subsurface safety valve having integral pack off
To deploy a capillary string through a wellhead to a downhole safety valve, a control port and a retention port are drilled in an adapter between a casing hanger and a gate valve or elsewhere. The capillary string is connected to a first port of a capillary hanger and installed through the wellhead. The capillary hanger is landed on a tubing hanger, and a side port on the capillary hanger communicates with the control port. Because the side port's location may not align with the control port, operators may need to measure how long the capillary hanger should be. A control line connects to the control port in the wellhead's side to communicate with the capillary line, and a retention rod inserts in the retention port to support the capillary hanger. |
| US09745821B2 |
Method and apparatus for sealing tubulars
A method of controlling fluid flow between two tubulars includes disposing a sealing member in an annular area between two tubulars, wherein the two tubulars partially overlap; moving the sealing member to a lower position where it is not in contact with one of the tubulars, thereby allowing fluid flow through the annular area; and moving the sealing member to an upper position where it is in contact with both of the tubulars, thereby preventing fluid flow through the annular area. |
| US09745820B2 |
Plugging device deployment in subterranean wells
A method of releasing plugging devices into a wellbore can include conveying a dispensing tool to a desired downhole location in the wellbore, the dispensing tool including a container, and then releasing the plugging devices from the container into the wellbore at the downhole location. A plugging device dispensing system for use with a subterranean well can include a dispensing tool having a container configured for containing multiple plugging devices, and an actuator operable to release the plugging devices from the container at a downhole location in the well. |
| US09745816B2 |
Method of subsea containment and system
A method and system of subsea containment which includes the steps of lowering the running tool into a subsea containment system, wherein the subsea containment system comprises an annular preventer, engaging the running tool to a target, closing the annular preventer, pulling up the target, and circulating fluid about the target. In a preferred method, rotating the running tool, cutting tubing, circulating the fluid at of the circulation line through the outlet, pulling the running tool out of the subsea containment system, and/or opening the annular preventer also performed. The target may be any item found in a subsea environment including a tubing hanger, a casing hanger, a tubing, a seal assembly, a component of a wellhead, or a component of the downhole completion. |
| US09745813B2 |
Anchor system for imparting a rotational motion in a cutting apparatus
Systems and methods usable in conduit cutting operations are disclosed. Specifically, an anchor assembly is configured to be attached to a cutting apparatus and to equalize the upward and downward forces on the cutting apparatus during performance of the cutting operation. In addition, the anchor assembly is configured to impart a rotational motion in the cutting apparatus to produce a clean and complete horizontal cut of the conduit at a desired location. |
| US09745810B2 |
Fill up tool
A fill up tool includes a mandrel; a primary sealing member disposed around the mandrel; and a selectively operable secondary sealing member activated by rotation of the mandrel. In another embodiment, the selectively operable secondary sealing member is activated using hydraulic pressure. |
| US09745809B2 |
Liner hanger top packer
A liner hanger top packer comprising a body and, an adjusting sleeve, a retaining apparatus, a base-sealing apparatus, a base-hanging apparatus and a locking mechanism sleeved sequentially from top to bottom on the body. The locking mechanism is arranged between the base-sealing apparatus and the base-hanging apparatus. The locking mechanism comprises a locking ball sleeve, a ball socket, and a steel ball. As the lower part of the liner hanger top packer is met with friction, the arrangement of the steel ball restricts relative axial movements between an upper gauge ring of the base-sealing apparatus, the locking ball sleeve, and an upper conical body of the base-hanging apparatus, the friction transmitted to the upper conical body is not transmitted to a lower gauge ring of the base-sealing apparatus, is transmitted to the upper gauge ring via the steel ball, and is transmitted to the adjusting ring via the retaining apparatus. |
| US09745804B2 |
Cylinder assembly for snubbing and drilling applications
A cylinder assembly for use as a cylinder comprises an upper outer tubular cylinder and a lower outer tubular cylinder and a stationary sealing ring retained between the upper and lower outer cylinders slideably receiving an inner tubular piston having upper and lower sealing flanges to create upper and lower fluid chambers. Pressurized fluid is selectively directed through flow conduits in the sealing ring into the upper or lower fluid chamber as desired to move the inner tubular piston upward and downward. The upper tubular cylinder supports an attached bearing table and travelling slips. A pipe guide for supporting a length of pipe is positioned in the lower outer tubular cylinder. A mechanism rotating a pipe and pipe string is also provided. |
| US09745803B2 |
Centralizer assembly and method for attaching to a tubular
A centralizer, method, and centralizer assembly. For example, the centralizer assembly includes a first stop collar fixed in place on a tubular, and a first end collar that is sized to slide axially over the first stop collar. The centralizer assembly also includes a first retainer coupled with the first end collar. The first retainer prevents the first stop collar from sliding past the first stop collar in at least one axial direction. The assembly also includes a plurality of ribs coupled with the first end collar and configured to engage a surrounding tubular in which the tubular is disposed. |
| US09745799B2 |
Mud motor assembly
A longer-lasting, lower cost, more powerful, all metal, mud motor than the presently available progressing cavity type mud motors for drilling boreholes into the earth. A mud motor apparatus possessing one single drive shaft that turns a rotary drill bit, which apparatus is attached to a drill pipe which provides high pressure mud to the mud motor, wherein the drive shaft receives at least a first portion of its rotational torque from any high pressure mud flowing through a first hydraulic chamber within the apparatus, and receives at least a second portion of its rotational torque from any high pressure mud flowing through a second hydraulic chamber within the apparatus. The mud motor apparatus possesses two hydraulic chambers, each having its own power stroke, and return stroke, and acting together in a controlled fashion, provide continuous power to a rotary drill bit. |
| US09745798B2 |
Movable barrier seal assembly
A seal assembly for an upward acting door that is positionable between an open and closed position. The seal assembly contains a base member having a first and second flexible sealing member extending therefrom for sealing engagement with the door. The base member is mounted adjacent the door to facilitate sliding engagement between the door and the first and second seal members as the door is moved between the open and closed positions. |
| US09745797B2 |
Method for operating a motorized shade
An architectural covering is provided. The architectural covering includes: shade material; the shade material operatively connected to a motor unit such that movement of the motor unit causes movement of the shade material; the motor unit comprising a DC motor and a shaft connected to the DC motor; a power supply unit electrically connected to the motor unit; a controller unit electrically connected to the motor unit, the controller unit having a microprocessor; and a rotation detector configured to detect rotation of the motor unit and upon detection of rotation of the motor unit transmit a signal to the microprocessor, wherein the microprocessor of the controller unit is configured to power an encoder unit in response to determination of manual movement of the shade material. A motor and control unit for an architectural covering may be provided. |
| US09745795B2 |
Inflatable flood barrier
An inflatable flood barrier includes a board having a side plate and a peripheral plate attached to the side plate. The board being provided with a charging port, the peripheral plate has rounded corners, and the side plate has corner portions. The rounded corners and the corner portions are positionally corresponding. The corner portion has guiding grooves. A flexible seal embraces at least a part of the peripheral plate and has an internal channel, a gas inlet and a gas discharging port. When the flexible seal is inflated at the internal channel, a watertight combination between the inflatable flood barrier and a contacting surface of a gate it protects is achieved. The inflatable flood barrier is structurally simple, watertight, convenient to use and store, apparently pleasing, and functionally versatile. |
| US09745793B1 |
Hollow core door with internal air flow
Hollow core door apparatus for preventing the build up of pressure in a room having a register through which air flows into the room and the door includes an inside door skin and an outer door skin, and the door skins includes openings through which air flows into and out of the room and which openings have substantially the same area to provide for a non-linear flow of air through the door to prevent the build up of pressure in the room. An embodiment combining a noxious gas absorbent material with the pressure build up prevention capability is also illustrated. |
| US09745792B2 |
Nickel-aluminum blocker film multiple cavity controlled transmission coating
The invention provides a glazing sheet and a coating on the glazing sheet. The coating comprises, in sequence moving outwardly from the glazing sheet, a dielectric base coat comprising oxide film, nitride film, or oxynitride film, a first infrared-reflective layer, a first nickel-aluminum blocker layer in contact with the first infrared-reflective layer, a first dielectric spacer coat comprising an oxide film in contact with the first nickel-aluminum blocker layer, a second infrared-reflective layer, a second nickel-aluminum blocker layer in contact with the second infrared-reflective layer, a second dielectric spacer coat comprising an oxide film in contact with the second nickel-aluminum blocker layer, a third infrared-reflective layer, a third nickel-aluminum blocker layer in contact with the third infrared-reflective layer, and a dielectric top coat comprising an oxide film in contact with the third nickel-aluminum blocker layer. Also provided are methods of depositing such a coating. |
| US09745791B1 |
Corner flashing insert for recessed windows
A corner flashing insert including a one-piece, pre-formed flashing with an outside wall, a recessed jamb leg in the vertical plane and a recessed sill leg in the horizontal plane, the recessed sill leg in the horizontal plane having a rear surface, the recessed jamb leg in the vertical plane having a first vertical height with a first distance from a top of the jamb leg in the vertical plane to the rear surface of the recessed sill leg in the horizontal plane. The corner flashing insert also includes a recessed back leg in the vertical plane having a second vertical height with a second distance from where the recessed back leg in the vertical plane joins the recessed jamb leg in the vertical plane to the rear surface of the recessed sill leg in the horizontal plane. The first vertical height is greater than the second vertical height. |
| US09745789B2 |
Prefabricated flashing product
A expandable fenestration flashing product for an opening in an exterior surface of a structure includes a generally planar unitary flashing shaped to conform to the exterior surface, the flashing configured to extend outwardly from an entire perimeter of fenestration, and an inner portion configured to flexibly seal to the inner surface of the fenestrations. The expandable fenestration flashing product is formed as a unitary structure of a waterproof, expandable material. A method of integrating an expandable fenestration flashing product into an opening of an exterior surface of a structure includes securing the expandable fenestration flashing product described above onto the exterior of a structure about the fenestration, and pressing and securing the fenestration product at least partially into the fenestration. |
| US09745785B2 |
Door catch
Disclosed is a door catch that can help to prevent door sag, especially for heavy or tall residential or commercial doors, and provides for post-installation catch tension adjustment without removal or adjustment of mounting members. In one aspect, the door catch can include a ball catch base, a threaded ball plunger assembly, a catch bumper, and a bumper base. In another aspect, the catch bumper and the bumper base can optionally be combined into a single catch bar bracket. The ball plunger assembly is adjustably mounted within a threaded aperture of ball catch base. A ball captive in one end of the ball plunger assembly engages a detent in the catch bumper, or catch bar bracket, providing friction to hold the door open. The position of the ball plunger assembly can be adjusted vertically to increase or decrease the tension between the detent and the ball plunger assembly. |
| US09745780B2 |
Lock and case using the same
The lock of the present invention includes a housing, a fastening element, a stopping element, a first locking mechanism and a second locking mechanism. The fastening element is movable relative to the housing and is selectively located at a securing position and a releasing position; the stopping element has a first state and a second state. The stopping element in the first state restricts the fastening element to be in the securing position while the stopping element in the second state releases the fastening element. The first locking mechanism includes a dynamic element and a sensing device. The dynamic element drives the stopping element to change between the first state and the second state. The sensing device senses a signal and controls the dynamic element. |
| US09745779B2 |
Automated teller machine with an automatically actuatable locking element for locking cash boxes received in receiving compartments in these receiving compartments
An automated teller machine (10) has at least one receiving compartment (12 to 18) for receiving a cash box (102). At least one locking element (24, 26) is provided on a wall (20, 22) of the receiving compartment (12 to 18) and is movable between a locked and an unlocked position. The locking element (24, 26) is designed and mounted such that, when a cash box (102) is inserted the locking element (24, 26), the locking element (24, 26) is moved automatically from the unlocked into the locked position by contact with an engagement element (104) of the cash box (102). |
| US09745777B2 |
Safety hatch system
In one embodiment, an electronically controlled hatch system for safe ingress, egress, hazard detection, and methods thereof are provided to reduce or eliminate hazards to personnel, including protection of people above and below a scuttle hatch, access port, skylight or elevated deck. Said hatch system reduces the risk of falls while ascending or descending a ladder through an access port. In certain embodiments, severe weather, hazard, security, and other safety information are detected and transmitted to a central control unit for processing and regulating the opening and closing of a hatch covering the access port and/or raising and lowering a safety railing system based on said information and/or user input. Said hatch system may include an actuator and guides for automatically locking/unlocking and opening/closing a hatch, an actuator and guides for automatically raising/lowering a railing system, safety monitoring detectors/apparatuses, and a centralized controller. |
| US09745776B2 |
Key cylinder device
A key cylinder device includes a rotor resiliently mounting tumblers that are aligned by insertion of a mechanical key, a rotor case rotatably housing the rotor that is inserted in a direction opposite to an insertion direction of the mechanical key, and a cylindrical sleeve arranged around an outer peripheral surface of the rotor and fixed to an inner surface of the rotor case. The sleeve includes a hole that allows the tumblers to be disengaged when the mechanical key is inserted and to be engaged when the mechanical key is extracted. |
| US09745766B2 |
Biodegradable disposable debris bag
Some embodiments include a debris bag for a pool cleaner. The debris bag includes a sheet of filtration media that forms an opening and a hollow interior portion to capture debris from the pool cleaner. An attachment fixture is located at the opening and includes a ring having a hook area for coupling the attachment fixture to an outlet of the pool cleaner. |
| US09745764B2 |
Methods and devices for modular construction
A 3-dimensional modular construction system using only two, generally U-shaped prefabricated room size modules is used to form scalable, modular construction for schools, apartments, hotels, houses and the like. The modules may be formed of reinforced concrete. By using the above described modules, double walls within the buildings are eliminated thus, simplifying construction and reducing material and costs, while becoming a container for the pre-finishing of the spaces. |
| US09745761B2 |
Mast arm for a concrete distributor mast and method for the production thereof
A mast arm for a concrete distributor mast comprises an elongated box profile support composed, in at least some sections, of a lower belt, an upper belt, and two lateral walls that connect the belts, and comprising at least one partition sheet metal element arranged in a hollow cross-section of the box profile support, the partition sheet metal element being welded to the box profile support along longitudinal welding joints running along the box profile support. |
| US09745755B2 |
Canopy system
There is described a canopy system comprising two or more parallel elongated rods, one or more canopy pieces having two parallel edges, two or more elongated bars connected to each of the two or more parallel elongated rods and attached to each of the two parallel edges of the one or more canopy pieces, and at least one connection mechanism attached to each of the elongated rods having a connector that is capable of being suspended from a support. The elongated rods may include at least one lower cavity having two channels each configured to detachably and slidably receive each of the elongated bars. The lower cavity may have a groove that is configured to detachably and slidably receive an accessory. The elongated rods each may include at least one upper cavity configured to detachably and slidably receive each connection mechanism and a second accessory. |
| US09745753B1 |
Notched polymer roofing batten with measured detachable sections
A notched plastic roofing batten with a pair of side walls having V-shaped notches at regular intervals therealong such that measured sections of the batten can be removed to achieve a desired overall length in the field by manually cutting or breaking the batten at one of the V-shaped notches. |