| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US09779674B2 |
Touch panel system
Provided are a touch panel system with improved indicator detection accuracy and an electronic information device provided with the touch panel system. A touch panel system 1 includes: a touch panel 3 provided with a plurality of electrodes SL, DL; and an indicator position detection unit 5 for detecting a position of the indicator that is in contact with or close to the detection surface P, based on an output signal that is outputted by at least part of the electrodes SL, DL and shows a capacitance formed by the electrode SL. The touch panel system is characterized in that the indicator position detection unit 5 corrects detection sensitivity for each predetermined position within the detection surface P so as to correspond to a pattern of the electrodes SL, DL, and detects the position of the indicator within the detection surface P. |
| US09779673B2 |
Display and backlight controller and display system using the same
A display system is provided with a low frequency driving mode. A low frequency display interval of the display system is divided into a charge period and a suspend period in the low frequency driving mode. A backlight brightness of the display system is changed in the suspend period. |
| US09779662B1 |
Pixel circuit and drive method therefor, and display device
A pixel circuit, a drive method based on the pixel circuit, and a display device. The pixel circuit comprises: a first capacitor (C1), a second capacitor (C2), a second transistor (T2), a third transistor (T3) and a light-emitting branch for being coupled between a first common electrode (VDD) and a second common electrode (VSS); wherein the light-emitting branch comprises a first transistor (T1), a fourth transistor (T4) and a light-emitting element (OLED) which are connected in series; a first electrode of the first transistor (T1) is coupled to a second electrode of the fourth transistor (T4), and a coupling node is a third node (C); and a control electrode of the fourth transistor (T4) is used for inputting a second scanning control signal (VEM), and the fourth transistor (T4) switches the ON/OFF state of the light-emitting branch in response to the second scanning control signal (VEM). At the programming stage, a threshold voltage of the first transistor (T1) is input to a first node (A) through the third transistor (T3) and is stored; and at the light-emitting stage, a light-emitting current for driving the light-emitting element (OLED) is generated according to information about a voltage difference across two ends of the first capacitor (C1). The pixel circuit is used for compensating for the threshold voltage shift of the first transistor (T1) and the light-emitting element (OLED). |
| US09779661B2 |
Pixel circuit and display apparatus
A pixel circuit comprising two sub pixel circuits, each of which includes: five switching units, a driving unit, an energy storage unit and an electroluminescent unit. A first switching unit, a second switching unit and a fifth switching unit of a first sub pixel circuit and a first switching unit, a second switching unit and a fifth switching unit of a second sub pixel circuit share a scanning signal line. In the pixel circuit, the operating current flowing through the electroluminescent unit is not affected by the threshold voltage of the corresponding driving transistor, which solves the problem of non-uniformity of display luminance because of the threshold voltage drift of the driving transistor. At the same time, driving of two pixels is completed by using one compensation circuit, and the two adjacent pixels share a plurality of signal lines, which can reduce a number of signal lines used for the pixel circuit in the display apparatus, reduce a cost of an integrated circuit, decrease pixel spacing and achieve a higher pixel density. |
| US09779660B2 |
Pixel unit driving circuit, driving method and pixel cell
A pixel cell driving circuit driving an organic electric lighting component comprises a first, a second and a third thin film transistors and a storage capacitor. The first thin film transistor is turned on or turned off under a control of a first scanning signal. When the first thin film transistor is turned on, the storage capacitor is charged by a data signal. The second thin film transistor is turned on under an action of the storage capacitor and drives an OLED. The third thin film transistor is turned on under a control of the second scanning signal when the first thin film transistor is turned off, and the storage capacitor is charged by a charging signal. The pixel cell driving circuit may effectively avoid the flicker due to the electrical charge leakage of the storage capacitor. The disclosure further provides a pixel cell and a pixel cell driving method. |
| US09779656B2 |
Pixel driving method of a display panel and display panel thereof
A pixel driving method of a display panel is disclosed. The display panel includes a plurality of scan lines, data lines and pixels. Each of the pixel includes a first transistor with a first end coupled to the data line, and a gate end coupled to the scan line, a second transistor with a first end selectively coupled to a voltage source or current source, and a gate end coupled to a second end of the first transistor, and a light-emitting unit with a first end coupled to a second end of the second transistor. The method includes turning on the first transistors of the pixels; coupling the data lines and first ends of the second transistors to the current source; reading voltage levels of gate ends of the second transistors; and providing corresponding data voltages to the pixels according to voltage levels of gate ends of the second transistors. |
| US09779655B2 |
Organic light emitting display for luminance degradation compensation and a method thereof
An organic light emitting display can include a display panel including pixels, a degradation sensing circuit to sense a threshold voltage of organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) in the pixels and calculate an average degradation value based on the sensed threshold voltage of the OLEDs, a compensation target adjustor to adjust a compensation target based on the average degradation value, when the average degradation value is reduced by a previously determined reference value, and a data modulator to add and subtract a luminance compensation value determined depending on the adjusted compensation target to and from input digital video data and modulate the input digital video data. Also, each time the average degradation value is reduced by the previously determined reference value, the compensation target adjustor reduces stepwise the compensation target in conformity with changes in the average degradation value, and a stepwise adjustment width of the compensation target is non-uniform. |
| US09779643B2 |
Imaging structure emitter configurations
In embodiments of imaging structure emitter configurations, an imaging structure includes a silicon backplane with a driver pad array. The embedded light sources are formed on the driver pad array in an emitter material layer, and the embedded light sources can be individually controlled at the driver pad array to generate and emit light. The embedded light sources are configured in multiple rows for scanning by an imaging unit to generate a scanned image for display. |
| US09779639B1 |
Structurally compact display assembly
A media display assembly that has a base assembly, including a base and a steel plate, which forms a front surface of the base assembly and is removeably affixed to the base. Also, a cover includes a polymeric sheet having transparent display portion and a rearward extending peripheral wall, the peripheral wall snugly fitting the base assembly. Finally, display media is interposed between the steel plate and the cover. |
| US09779628B2 |
Convoy travel system and convoy travel apparatus
A convoy travel apparatus for organizing a convoy of vehicles is provided. The convoy travel apparatus controls at least one of the convoy of vehicles to change lanes to a lane that is opposite to a merging lane when it is determined that the convoy of vehicles approaches a merge point of a multi-lane road and a currently traveling lane of the convoy of vehicles has the merge point. In such a lane change scheme, a vehicle having no communication device may merge into the multi-lane road without compromising a ride comfort of the convoy of vehicles. |
| US09779626B2 |
Vehicle, and apparatus and method for controlling vehicle
Disclosed is a vehicle, and an apparatus and method for controlling the vehicle. The vehicle includes a line information obtainer configured to obtain information regarding a line; a vehicle controller configured to determine whether the vehicle is moving out of a lane based on the information regarding the line, and to determine a level of danger that indicates an extent of danger to the vehicle while the vehicle is changing the lane, based on at least one of a condition around the vehicle or a behavior of the vehicle while the vehicle is moving out of the lane; and a warning unit configured to provide different levels of alert to a driver based on the level of danger. |
| US09779620B2 |
Method for obtaining traffic information using billing information of mobile terminal
The present invention relates to a method for obtaining traffic information using the billing information of a mobile terminal. A specified number of a mobile terminal is obtained from billing information necessary for performing a billing operation when a telephone call is made using the mobile terminal on a highway (S61, S62 and S63). The moving time of the mobile terminal between base stations is tracked (S65), such that information of a traffic state on the highway can be obtained in real time (S66). The existing mobile communication network is employed to obtain the traffic information, such that the cost required for operating special vehicles for collecting traffic information and for obtaining traffic information from information providers can be reduced. Customer demand can be met as a measurement operations is continuously carried out and the traffic information abruptly changed is reflected in real time. |
| US09779618B2 |
Garage opener communicating device-equipped motorcycle
A garage door opening device for a motorcycle is provided that includes a vehicle-side communicating device configured to transmit a door opening or closing signal to a garage-side communicating device. The garage door opening device also includes a manual operation switch configured to initiate sending of the opening or closing signal via the vehicle-side communicating device. The vehicle-side communicating device and the manual operation switch are located separately from each other. The vehicle-side communicating device is disposed inside a front cowl that is forward of a meter housing of the motorcycle. |
| US09779617B2 |
Networked leak and overflow detection, control and prevention system
A microprocessor-operated, networked device that uses sensors in, on and near the toilet to detects toilet leaks and overflows of the toilet tank or bowl, then reports these errant conditions with a visual or audible indicator in addition to sending a message via a network (if available) to a computer system that may collate this data with that from other toilets and other sources and subsequently determine further action such as shutting off water or calling a technician. The present invention can be integral to a toilet or removably attached to an existing toilet without this technology. |
| US09779612B2 |
Wireless item loss prevention system
An item loss prevention system for protecting from the loss of items from a user, and more specifically to an electronic device utilizing a wireless connection between a remote unit attached to an item, such as a set of one or more keys, and a host or belt unit attached to the user, to prevent the loss of the item. The system includes magnetic sensors between the item and the belt, which are Hall type magnetic sensors, coupled with an accelerometer. With the additional input from the accelerometer, an alarm activates when the item, such as a key, is separated at a distance from the belt or host unit. Additionally, the key unit can attach to an unpairing station to re-set the remote unite for re-pairing to another host unit. |
| US09779611B1 |
Contextual assessment of current conditions
In some examples, systems, methods, and devices are described that generate exposure evaluations for dependent users. First data associated with a user and including objective values is accessed. Second data associated with the user and including subjective observations is accessed. The first data and the second data is used as input to evaluate one or more evaluation rules. Based on the evaluation, an exposure evaluation is generated. A notification is generated to include the exposure evaluation, which is provided to one or more destination entities. |
| US09779609B2 |
Temperature threshold monitoring system
A temperature threshold monitoring system for monitoring an ambient temperature within a discrete space, and methods of making and using such a temperature threshold monitoring system, whereby the temperature threshold monitoring system includes a temperature sensor and a microcontroller communicatively coupled to the temperature sensor. The microcontroller can be configured to generate an alert indicium when the temperature sensor senses an ambient temperature within the discrete space which corresponds to a predetermined low-temperature threshold or a predetermined high-temperature threshold. As to particular embodiments, the temperature threshold monitoring system can be configured for coupling to a dependent object within the discrete space. |
| US09779608B2 |
Alarm output circuit
An alarm output circuit can cope with simultaneous generations of a plurality of alarm factors based on alarm signals output from one output terminal. The alarm output circuit notifies externally of generations of alarm factors in an intelligent power module. A digital/analog converter, into which digital data indicating the presences and absences of generations of the alarm factors is input, outputs corresponding voltages. A voltage control oscillator outputs a signal of a frequency corresponding to an output voltage of the digital/analog converter. |
| US09779602B2 |
Merchandise tags incorporating a wireless communication device
Systems and methods are provided for labeling a piece of merchandise with a wireless communication device. In addition to a wireless communication device, the merchandise tag includes an associated label made of a washable fabric material. The wireless communication device is incorporated into the label and includes an RFID chip and a slot-loop hybrid antenna, with the antenna including a conductor sheet that defines a slot. The label is secured to a piece of merchandise at a sew line, with the sew line dividing the label into an upper portion and a lower portion. The RFID chip and the slot of the antenna are positioned within the upper portion of the label, which may itself be positioned within a seam or neckline or waistband of the piece of merchandise. |
| US09779601B2 |
Battery operated device and tag for a battery operated tool
A device tag including a housing that includes a first connector structure constructed and arranged to engage with a battery operated device and a second connector structure constructed and arranged to slidingly engage with a battery such that the device tag is provided between the battery operated device and the battery. The device tag also includes an electrical connector carried by the housing and constructed and arranged to provide an electrical connection between the battery operated device and the battery. The device tag further includes an electronic device carried by the housing and constructed and arranged to transmit electrical signals. |
| US09779600B2 |
Anti-theft tag
The present invention discloses a theft-deterrent tag, comprising a first member that has a fixed locking position in relation to a second member for securely engaging the theft-deterrent tag with an article, with the pressure exerted at tag engagement points and experienced by the article is commensurate with force exerted at the fixed locking position of the first member in relation to the second member and the article size. |
| US09779599B2 |
Alarming smart magnetic tag
Systems and methods for operating a security tag (132, 300). The methods comprise: wirelessly receiving at the security tag a signal sent from a remote device (104, 190); and preventing alarm issuance when first and second Magnetic Attracting (“MA”) halves (302, 312, 702, 704) of the security tag are pulled apart by deactivating alarm circuitry (264, 340) internal to the security tag in response to the security tag's reception of the signal. |
| US09779591B2 |
Keyboard backlight event messaging system
A keyboard backlight event messaging system includes a backlit keyboard that includes a plurality of keys and a plurality of light emitting subsystems. Each respective light emitting subsystem of the plurality of light emitting subsystems is configured to backlight a respective key of the plurality of keys. The keyboard backlight event messaging system also includes a computing system that is coupled to the backlit keyboard. The computing system includes a controller that is coupled to the backlit keyboard and that is configured, in response to an event occurring in the computing system, to receive event messaging information that is associated with the event and activate a subset of the plurality of light emitting subsystems according to an event messaging sequence defined by the event messaging information in order to backlight a respective subset of the plurality of keys to provide an event message. |
| US09779590B2 |
Multicolor signal light and controlling method thereof
The present invention provides a multicolor signal light and a controlling method thereof. The multicolor signal light includes: a multicolor layer, comprising a plurality of lights being capable of lighting multicolor lights and arranged in a certain pattern; a single control signal line for receiving a control signal from a controller outside; a processor for controlling the multicolor layer to light in a different mode and in a different color according to the control signal received by the single control signal line; and power supply terminals for receiving power supply voltage from outside. |
| US09779585B2 |
Multi-touch user interface for scaling reward value with random failure threshold for gaming system
A gaming system, and method of controlling a gaming system, having a touchscreen, that simulates a game of skill by showing a graphical object and detecting a pair of spaced-apart user input touch points on the touchscreen. An increase in distance between the touch points corresponds to an increase in stress upon the object, which is animated on the touchscreen, and scaling of an associated reward. A failure threshold is selected and the increase in stress is tested against the failure threshold. The failure threshold may be at least partly randomized. If the stress exceeds the threshold, then a failure event is shown. If the touch input ceases, the user may elect to accept then current reward value or to continue. The object may be a bubble and the stress may be expansion of the bubble, leading to popping of the bubble if the expansion exceeds the failure threshold. |
| US09779584B1 |
Systems, methods, and gaming machines having adjustable progressive awards
A gaming system may include a gaming machine having a monetary input device, a wager input device, and a processor may be coupled to the wager input device and a memory device. The processor may establish a credit balance based on the monetary value, decrease the credit balance by the selected wager, and present the wagering game at an interface. The wagering game may include a jackpot winnable based on an outcome of the wagering game. A game server may transmit content for the wagering game to the gaming machine. The game server may also determine a plurality of parameters relating to the jackpot, track a turnover of the gaming machine, and change a parameter of the plurality of parameters in response to comparison of the turnover to a predetermined value. |
| US09779579B2 |
Single reel game system and method
Systems and methods configured to display a single reel game including a plurality of cells and one or more scenarios, symbols or game event descriptions positioned within the cells that impact game credit, in which the selection of a cell is based on the prior cell selected and the random selection of a number from a group of a numbers. |
| US09779577B2 |
Game system, game control method and storage medium
A game system includes a game machine having a monitor that displays a game screen and a touch panel. This game system: receives an operation related to the progress of a game displayed upon the game screen in a game operation area specified within the game screen; controls the progression of the game on the basis of the operation that is inputted; displays a comment window upon the game screen; receives a movement operation for the comment window inside a comment operation area specified in the game screen; controls the movement of the comment window on the basis of the operation that is inputted; and limits reception of an operation by the game operation area when the movement operation for the comment window has been made. |
| US09779575B1 |
Mind controlled casino game
A computerized method for an electronic game includes starting a round of play of the electronic game, and monitoring a user's brain activity. The method includes determining whether at least one component of the user's brain activity exceeds a threshold level, and changing a chance of winning the round of play if the at least one components of the user's brain activity exceeds the threshold level. Changing the chance of winning the round of play may include increasing the chance of winning the round of play. |
| US09779567B1 |
Door lock using a mobile device as an input interface
A door lock uses a mobile device as an input interface. The door lock includes a latch device mounted to a door, an outer operating device mounted to an outer face of the door, and an inner operating device mounted to an inner face of the door. The outer operating device includes a contact-type connection interface for contact-type connection with the mobile device. After the mobile device is in electrical connection with the outer operating device, an input device of the mobile device is used to input a to-be-identified identification information to the door lock, and the door lock identifies whether the to-be-identified identification information matches authenticated identification information for subsequent unlocking operation or remaining in a locked state. |
| US09779564B2 |
Device and method for controlling an access authorisation and/or driving authorisation for a vehicle
A system for controlling an access authorization and/or driving authorization for a vehicle includes at least one mobile communication device and a control unit in the vehicle that receives and checks authorization data sent from the mobile communication device. The mobile communication device has a data carrier for storing the authorization data. The data carrier has at least one protected storage region for the storage of the authorization data. A database server transfers encrypted authorization data to the data carrier for storage in the protected storage region. |
| US09779563B2 |
Transfer dongle for stored vehicle information
A data transfer dongle for transferring information from an existing vehicle module to a predetermined replacement module. The dongle collects and stores data from an existing vehicle module in the original format and writes or uploads that original data to a repaired or replacement module. Preferably, the dongle is programmed for limited use and will disable itself after a successful data transfer. |
| US09779562B1 |
System for automatically characterizing a vehicle
A system for automatic characterization of a vehicle includes an input interface and a processor. The input interface is for receiving sensor data. The processor is for determining a vehicle characterization based at least in part on the sensor data and determining a vehicle identifier based at least in part on the vehicle characterization. |
| US09779561B1 |
Drive-through inspection system for a moving vehicle
A vehicle measurement station utilizing at least one displacement sensor disposed on each opposite side of a sensor region of a vehicle inspection lane to acquire displacement measurement data, associated with a moving vehicle passing through the sensor region. Each displacement sensor is configured to acquire measurement data along at least three discrete and vertically spaced measurement axes. A processing system receives the acquired data for evaluation, identification of outlier data points, and for determining a measurement associated with a characteristic of the moving vehicle, such as vehicle velocity, axle alignment, wheel alignment, or dimensions. |
| US09779560B1 |
System for multi-axis displacement measurement of surfaces on a moving vehicle
A vehicle measurement station utilizing at least one displacement sensor systems disposed on each opposite side of a sensor region of a vehicle inspection lane to acquire measurement data, associated with a vehicle passing through the sensor region. Each displacement sensor system is configured to acquire measurement data along at least three discrete and vertically spaced measurement axis in response to a trigger signal indicating the presence of a vehicle moving through the inspection lane. A processing system receives the acquired data for evaluation, identification of outlier data points, and for determining a measurement associated with a characteristic of the moving vehicle. |
| US09779559B2 |
Circuit for monitoring abnormality of ECU
An abnormality monitoring circuit of an ECU includes a microcomputer, a reset circuit that resets the microcomputer, a monitor circuit that monitors the operation of the microcomputer, and an output circuit that activates an external actuator. The monitor circuit has an abnormality decision signal output section that outputs an abnormality decision signal to the output circuit when not being able to confirm that an output of a normal monitor signal of the microcomputer has occurred within an abnormality decision time. The monitor circuit has a reset decision signal output section that outputs a reset decision signal to the reset circuit when not being able to confirm that an output of the normal monitor signal of the microcomputer has occurred within a BIST (Built In Self Test) completion time of the microcomputer and a reset decision time set to a time longer than the abnormality decision time. |
| US09779557B2 |
Automotive activity monitor
Embodiments are directed to monitoring vehicle operations. If sensor information based on sensor data captured by a sensor computer installed in a vehicle is provided to a server by a client computer. An analysis engine may compare the sensor information to vehicle models associated with the vehicle. One or more reports based on the comparison may be distributed registered subscribers. A modeling engine may be employed to update the vehicle models based on the sensor information. The one or more updated vehicle models may be communicated to one or more client computers that may be associated with one or more users. The sensor information may be obtained from the sensor computer. Sensor information may include metrics associated with the operation of the vehicle. Metrics may include timestamps, road shocks, straight line driving, harshness, acceleration, deceleration, trip length, travel speeds, or the like. |
| US09779553B2 |
System and method for defining an augmented reality view in a specific location
This invention is a system and method for defining a location-specific augmented reality capability for use in portable devices having a camera. The system and method uses recent photographs or digital drawings of a particular location to help the user of the system or method position the portable device in a specific place. Once aligned, a digital scene is displayed to the user transposed over (and combined with) the camera view of the current, real-world environment at that location, creating an augmented reality experience for the user. |
| US09779549B2 |
Information presentation system and method for controlling information presentation system
An information presentation system includes: a display that displays an image as a virtual image so that the image can be observed by the user, and a display control section that causes the display to display information based on a captured image acquired from an imaging section, the imaging section being equipped to the head of the user and capturing a range in the direction of the field of view of the user, when an object recognition range is set to part of an imaging range of the imaging section, the display displaying the virtual image in a virtual image display range, the virtual image display range having such a positional relationship with the object recognition range that at least part of the virtual image display range in which the virtual image is displayed overlaps part of the object recognition range. |
| US09779548B2 |
Multiuser augmented reality system
A multiuser, collaborative augmented reality (AR) system employs individual AR devices for viewing real-world anchors, that is, physical models that are recognizable to the camera and image processing module of the AR device. To mitigate ambiguous configurations when used in the collaborative mode, each anchor is registered with a server to ensure that only uniquely recognizable anchors are simultaneously active at a particular location. The system permits collaborative AR to span multiple sites, by associating a portal with an anchor at each site. Using the location of their corresponding AR device as a proxy for their position, AR renditions of the other participating users are provided. This AR system is particularly well suited for games. |
| US09779545B1 |
Footprint based business label placement
Aspects of the technology described herein optimally locate business labels within the footprint of a building shown on a digital map. An optimal arrangement comprises business labels displayed entirely within the building footprint without the business labels overlapping each other. The technology initially generates label arrangements and calculates a cost for the arrangements. A cost of zero means the arrangement is optimal. For non-zero costs, a lower cost means the arrangement is close to an optimal arrangement. The technology can continue to generate arrangements for analysis until an acceptable arrangement is found. |
| US09779544B2 |
Labeling for three-dimensional occluded shapes
Systems and methods for displaying labels in conjunction with geographic imagery provided, for instance, by a geographic information system, such as a mapping service or a virtual globe application are provided. Candidate positions for displaying labels in conjunction with geographic imagery can be determined based at least in part on a virtual camera viewpoint. The candidate positions can be associated with non-occluded points on three-dimensional models corresponding to the labels. Adjusted positions for labels can be determined form the plurality of candidate positions. The labels can be provided for display in conjunction with the geographic imagery at the adjusted positions. |
| US09779541B2 |
Virtual object discrimination for fast global illumination rendering
There is provided a system including a hardware processor, a memory, and an illumination rendering unit including a virtual object discrimination module stored in the memory. The hardware processor is configured to execute the illumination rendering unit to perform a first, primitive render of an illumination of a scene including multiple virtual objects, and to determine a score for each of the virtual objects corresponding to its respective contribution to the illumination of the scene. The hardware processor is also configured to execute the illumination rendering unit to identify one or more of the virtual objects as disregardable based on their respective scores, and to perform a second render of the illumination of the scene while disregarding presence of the identified one or more virtual objects as disregardable in the scene. |
| US09779533B2 |
Hierarchical tiled caching
One embodiment of the present invention includes a method for processing graphics objects. The method includes receiving a first draw-call and a second draw-call. The method also includes dividing the first draw-call into a first set of sub-draw-calls and the second draw-call into a second set of sub-draw-calls. The method further includes identifying a first screen tile. The method also includes identifying a first group of sub-draw-calls included in the first set of sub-draw-calls that overlap the first screen tile and a second group of sub-draw-calls included in the second set of sub-draw-calls that overlap the second screen tile. The method further includes causing the first group of sub-draw-calls and the second group of sub-draw-calls to be processed together. |
| US09779532B2 |
Customizable animations for text messages
A method and system for transforming simple user input into customizable animated images for use in text-messaging applications. |
| US09779527B2 |
Method, terminal device and storage medium for processing image
The present disclosure discloses a method and a terminal device for processing an image. The method includes: acquiring an image; recognizing a face contained in the image; acquiring information of character features according to the face in the image; processing the image according to the information of character features; and obtaining the processed image. In the embodiments of the present disclosure, by automatically recognizing the face in the image, and acquiring the information of character features thereby acquiring a cosmetic process mode corresponding to the information of character features, and then processing the image according to the selected cosmetic process mode, manual setting of cosmetic process parameters can be avoided and the efficiency of image processing can be improved. |
| US09779525B2 |
Generating object time series from data objects
Systems and methods are presented for representing non-numerical data objects in an object time series. An object time series of can be created by establishing one or more associations, each association including a mapping of at least one point in time with one or more objects that include properties and values. Visual representation of an object time series may include displaying non-numerical values associated with objects in the object time series in association with respective points in time. |
| US09779523B2 |
Display control apparatus, display method, and computer program
A display control apparatus includes a search unit for searching for a second content related to a first content in accordance with at least part of metadata attached to each of the first content and the second content, a generating unit for generating a three-dimensional display model, the three-dimensional display model including a first layer and a second layer, the first layer having one of a first image and a first character representing the first content arranged therewithin, and the second layer having one of a second image and a second character representing the second content arranged therewithin, and a display control unit for controlling displaying one of the first image and the first character and one of the second image and the second character using the three-dimensional display model. |
| US09779521B2 |
Gravity point drawing method
A system and method of a gravity point drawing that simulate a physical model to draw or modify vector curves. A node is identified in a drawing of a graphical application. A size of a predefined space around the node and an intensity value associated with the node are determined. The intensity value affects the curvature of a vector curve in the predefined space. The vector curve is generated in the predefined space. The curvature of the vector curve is based on the size of the predefined space and the intensity value associated with the node in the drawing. |
| US09779519B2 |
Systems and methods for color-based dynamic modification of shadows and highlights within media content
Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media can provide a first option to modify one or more shadow regions of a media content item. A second option to modify one or more highlight regions of the media content item can be provided. The second option can be provided in conjunction with the first option. A selection of at least one of the first option or the second option can be detected. At least one set of color swatches can be provided, based on the selection, for modifying at least one of: 1) the one or more shadow regions or 2) the one or more highlight regions. |
| US09779512B2 |
Automatic generation of virtual materials from real-world materials
Methods for automatically generating a texture exemplar that may be used for rendering virtual objects that appear to be made from the texture exemplar are described. In some embodiments, a head-mounted display device (HMD) may identify a real-world object within an environment, acquire a three-dimensional model of the real-world object, determine a portion of the real-world object from which a texture exemplar is to be generated, capture one or more images of the portion of the real-world object, determine an orientation of the real-world object, and generate the texture exemplar using the one or more images, the three-dimensional model, and the orientation of the real-world object. The HMD may then render and display images of a virtual object such that the virtual object appears to be made from a virtual material associated with the texture exemplar. |
| US09779510B2 |
Medical image processing apparatus, medical image processing method and medical image device
A medical image processing apparatus according to an embodiment includes an estimation circuitry and a tracking circuitry. The estimation circuitry is configured to estimate the activity of the myocardium across a plurality of images at different time phases from a group of images where a plurality of images containing a myocardium are chronologically arranged. The tracking circuitry is configured to set a search range for tracking the myocardium in the group according to the activity of the myocardium and perform the tracking. |
| US09779506B2 |
Method for processing information and electronic device
A method for processing information and an electronic device are provided. The electronic device includes a camera device, an image is acquired by the camera device as a preview image, and a first distance between the camera device and a shooting object which is shot in the preview image is obtained; the preview image is detected, and at least one area meeting a predetermined condition is obtained, where the first distance corresponding to the at least one area falls within the first predetermined distance scope. |
| US09779502B1 |
Systems, devices, and methods for tracking moving targets
A system for tracking a moving target having up to six degrees of freedom and rapidly determining positions of the target, said system includes an easy to locate precision optical target fixed to the target. This system includes at least two cameras positioned so as to view the optical camera from different directions with each of the at least two cameras being adapted to record two dimensional images of the precision optical target defining precise target point. A computer processor is programmed to determine the target position of x, y and z and pitch, roll and yaw. In an embodiment, the system can be configured to utilize an iteration procedure whereby an approximate first-order solution is proposed and tested against the identified precise target points to determine residual errors which can be divided by the local derivatives with respect to each component of rotation and translation, to determine an iterative correction. |
| US09779501B2 |
Image processing apparatus, method, and program
An image processing apparatus, a method, and a program for allowing cells to be quantitatively observed. A computer obtains a cell membrane image obtained by performing fluorescent observation on a cell membrane of a cell serving as a sample and a tricellular tight junction (tTJ) image obtained by performing fluorescent observation on a protein localized in a tTJ of the cell. The computer derives the size of area of a region of the cell by identifying the region of each cell from the cell membrane image, derives the size of area of the region of the protein localized in the cell from the tTJ image, and dividing the obtained size of area of the region of the protein by the size of area of the region of the cell, thus calculating an index of adhesion strength of the cells. The invention can be applied to an observation system. |
| US09779498B2 |
Device and method for assessing X-ray images
In the present embodiments, a statement related to an image point or an image region in a reconstructed x-ray image is made in relation to the reliability of the reconstructed grayscale value for the image points of a 2D/3D x-ray image. A confidence level is formed for the grayscale value from a first number of the available x-ray images in relation to a second number of required x-ray images for a complete reconstruction of the respective grayscale value of the 2D/3D x-ray image to be imaged. |
| US09779497B2 |
Measuring glomerular number from kidney MRI images
Measuring the number of glomeruli in the entire, intact kidney using non-destructive techniques is of immense importance in studying several renal and systemic diseases. In particular, a recent Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) technique, based on injection of a contrast agent, cationic ferritin, has been effective in identifying glomerular regions in the kidney. In various embodiments, a low-complexity, high accuracy method for obtaining the glomerular count from such kidney MRI images is described. This method employs a patch-based approach for identifying a low-dimensional embedding that enables the separation of glomeruli regions from the rest. By using only a few images marked by the expert for learning the model, the method provides an accurate estimate of the glomerular number for any kidney image obtained with the contrast agent. In addition, the implementation of our method shows that this method is near real-time, and can process about 5 images per second. |
| US09779496B2 |
Semi-automated heart valve morphometry and computational stress analysis from 3D images
A method is provided for measuring or estimating stress distributions on heart valve leaflets by obtaining three-dimensional images of the heart valve leaflets, segmenting the heart valve leaflets in the three-dimensional images by capturing locally varying thicknesses of the heart valve leaflets in three-dimensional image data to generate an image-derived patient-specific model of the heart valve leaflets, and applying the image-derived patient-specific model of the heart valve leaflets to a finite element analysis (FEA) algorithm to estimate stresses on the heart valve leaflets. The images of the heart valve leaflets may be obtained using real-time 3D transesophageal echocardiography (rt-3DTEE). Volumetric images of the mitral valve at mid-systole may be analyzed by user-initialized segmentation and 3D deformable modeling with continuous medial representation to obtain, a compact representation of shape. The regional leaflet stress distributions may be predicted in normal and diseased (regurgitant) mitral valves using the techniques of the invention. |
| US09779495B2 |
Anomaly diagnosis method and apparatus
To sensing an anomaly on the basis of a multi-dimensional time series sensor signal, in order to determine the next action for a countermeasure, survey, or the like, the present invention is configured such that a multi-dimensional feature vector for each time is extracted on the basis of a sensor signal, a reference feature vector for each time is extracted on the basis of a set of characteristic vectors for a predetermined learning period and the characteristic vector of each time, an anomaly measure is calculated on the basis of the difference between the feature vectors for the times and the reference feature vectors, an anomaly is detected by comparing the anomaly measure and a predetermined threshold value, and the anomaly-related sensor for the time the anomaly is detected is identified on the basis of a 2-dimensional distribution density of feature values. |
| US09779492B1 |
Retinal image quality assessment, error identification and automatic quality correction
Automatically determining image quality of a machine generated image may generate a local saliency map of the image to obtain a set of unsupervised features. The image is run through a trained convolutional neural network (CNN) to extract a set of supervised features from a fully connected layer of the CNN, the image convolved with a set of learned kernels from the CNN to obtain a complementary set of supervised features. The set of unsupervised features and the complementary set of supervised features are combined, and a first decision on gradability of the image is predicted. A second decision on gradability of the image is predicted based on the set of supervised features. Whether the image is gradable is determined based on a weighted combination of the first decision and the second decision. |
| US09779491B2 |
Algorithm and device for image processing
Deblurring a blurry image (14) includes the steps of (i) computing a spatial mask (256); (ii) computing a modified blurry image (264) using the blurry image (14) and the spatial mask (256); and (iii) computing a latent sharp image (16) using the modified blurry image (264) and a point spread function (260). Additionally, the image (714) to can be analyzed to identify areas of the image (714) that are suitable for point spread function estimation. Moreover, a region point spread function (1630) can be analyzed to classify the point spread function(s) as representing (i) motion blur, (ii) defocus blur, or (iii) mixed motion blur and defocus blur. A point spread function (2670) can also be estimated. |
| US09779489B2 |
Automatically suggesting regions for blur kernel estimation
Embodiments of the present invention provide systems, methods, and computer storage media directed towards automatic selection of regions for blur kernel estimation. In one embodiment, a process divides a blurred image into a regions. From these regions a first region and a second region can be selected based on a number of edge orientations within the selected regions. A first blur kernel can then be estimated based on the first region and a second blur kernel can be estimated for the second region. The first and second blur kernel can then be utilized to respectively deblur a first and second portion of the image to produce a deblurred image. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed. |
| US09779484B2 |
Dynamic motion path blur techniques
Dynamic motion path blur techniques are described. In one or more implementations, paths may be specified to constrain a motion blur effect to be applied to a single image. A variety of different techniques may be employed as part of the motion blur effects, including use of curved blur kernel shapes, use of a mesh representation of blur kernel parameter fields to support real time output of the motion blur effect to an image, use of flash effects, blur kernel positioning to support centered or directional blurring, tapered exposure modeling, and null paths. |
| US09779481B2 |
Device and program for controlling direction of displayed image
Mobile terminal device has a display rotation function for rotating a direction of an image on a screen so that the downward direction of the image fits the vertical downward direction in the real world. While no touch of a finger of a user is detected, the display rotation function remains on, and when a touch of the user is detected, the display rotation function is turned off. When the user does not wish to use the display rotation function, the user can temporarily turn off the display rotation function simply by maintaining his/her finger in contact with the screen, and when the user wishes to use the display rotation function, the user can turn on the display rotation function simply by releasing his/her finger from the screen. |
| US09779480B2 |
View-driven consumption of frameless media
This document describes techniques and apparatuses enabling view-driven consumption of frameless media. These techniques and apparatuses provide frameless media and enable a user to engage with the frameless media by orienting a viewing device within the world created by that frameless media. This orienting by the user drives what the user sees in this world and when the user sees it. |
| US09779477B2 |
Image enlarging apparatus, image enlarging method, surveillance camera, program and recording medium
In enlarging an image by a super-resolution process using learned data, a reference value obtained from each patch and the pixel values of peripheral pixels in the patch are compared to generate binary or ternary comparison codes, and a patch of a high-resolution component corresponding to a binary pattern code or a ternary pattern code generated from the comparison codes is read. When a high-frequency component is contained the binary pattern code may be used; otherwise the ternary pattern code may be used. It is possible to reduce the storage capacity of the coefficient data storage unit and to improve the sense of high resolution. |
| US09779475B2 |
Method and mobile device for displaying image
A method and a mobile device to display a specific image at the highest layer of a screen are provided. The mobile device displays moving images at a first region of a screen and, if an event to perform a function in a second region of the screen is received, determines a second region for displaying a specific image associated with the event. The mobile device determines whether the second region is overlapped with the first region. If the second region is overlapped with the first region, the mobile device determines a third region not overlapped with the second region. Thereafter, the mobile device displays the specific image at the second region and displays the moving images at the third region. |
| US09779472B2 |
Shared virtual memory
A method and system for shared virtual memory between a central processing unit (CPU) and a graphics processing unit (GPU) of a computing device are disclosed herein. The method includes allocating a surface within a system memory. A CPU virtual address space may be created, and the surface may be mapped to the CPU virtual address space within a CPU page table. The method also includes creating a GPU virtual address space equivalent to the CPU virtual address space, mapping the surface to the GPU virtual address space within a GPU page table, and pinning the surface. |
| US09779471B2 |
Transparent pixel format converter
A transparent format converter (TFC) may determine that a request by at least one processor for graphics data stored in graphics memory is indicative of a request for graphics data in a first data format. The TFC may retrieve the graphics data in a second data format from the graphics memory based at least in part on the request for the graphics data in the graphics memory. The TFC may convert the retrieved graphics data from the second data format to the first data format. The TFC may store the converted graphics data in the first data format into a memory that is accessible by the at least one processor. |
| US09779465B2 |
Apparatus and method for implementing power saving techniques when processing floating point values
An apparatus and method are described for reducing power when reading and writing graphics data. For example, one embodiment of an apparatus comprises: a graphics processor unit (GPU) to process graphics data including floating point data; a set of registers, at least one of the registers of the set partitioned to store the floating point data; and encode/decode logic to reduce a number of binary 1 values being read from the at least one register by causing a specified set of bit positions within the floating point data to be read out as 0s rather than 1s. |
| US09779454B2 |
Speed adjustable and reversible tool for slicer orders
A speed adjustable and reversible tool for slicer orders is used to adjust one or more parameters of a slicer order that has been submitted for trading or otherwise includes one or more child order to be submitted for trading. A user input device, or controller may be used to receive a command, such as by sliding one or more sliders along a range to affect adjustment of one or more corresponding parameters of the slicer order and child orders. |
| US09779451B2 |
System and method of accessing an online auction of a vehicle through an auction website and a dealer website
A system for auctioning a vehicle through the internet and through the collaboration of a vehicle dealer and an auction house. The system includes a vehicle dealer having their own website, and an auction house having their own website. Through collaboration between the vehicle dealer and the auction house various other cobranded websites are presented for the auction of vehicles. These cobranded websites are accessible either through the vehicle dealer website or the auction house website, and are either hosted on the vehicle dealer website or the auction house website. In this way, greater access is provided to the vehicle auction while maintaining the continuity of experience for the buyer, thereby increasing sales and internet traffic. |
| US09779444B2 |
Recommendations utilizing visual image analysis
Disclosed are various embodiments for generating recommendations utilizing visual image analysis, for example, by inserting a representative image of an item in an empty region of a digital image. Representative images for an item may be determined by generating a score for each potential image for insertion into the digital image, where a representative image is selected having a highest score from the ranking. The representative image selected may be pre-processed such that the image appears naturally in the setting. |
| US09779442B1 |
Provide a recommendation for garden items
Techniques for identifying and recommending garden items may be provided. For example, image and non-image data about a garden may be received and analyzed. Identifications of garden items from the garden and related constraints may be determined accordingly. The identifications and the constraints may be used to recommend uses of the garden items and/or to recommend additional garden items that may be ordered and used in conjunction with the garden items. |
| US09779440B2 |
Method and system of suggesting information used with items offered for sale in a network-based marketplace
Methods and systems to suggest information to be used with an item being listed for sale may include analyzing a plurality of stored entries of words and identifying certain entries based on desirability scores associated with those entries. The entries and the desirability scores may be identified based on their frequency of use in the plurality of stored entries and/or in the title information or other information associated with items offered for sale. |
| US09779436B2 |
Payment service capable of being integrated with merchant sites
A computer-implemented service integrates with merchant sites to enable registered users of the service to perform purchase transactions on the merchant sites. In one embodiment, a merchant can incorporate a reference to a display object served by the service into coding of a page of the merchant's site. When the page is loaded by a user's browser, the reference causes the browser to request the display object from the service for display on the page. If the user is recognized by the service, the service may return a personalized display object that includes functionality for the user to perform a purchase transaction using the service. Also disclosed are embodiments that enable users to initiate transfers of personal account information to the merchant sites. |
| US09779435B2 |
Systems, methods, and computer program products for mobile processing of package shipment orders at a point of sale
Various embodiments provide computer program products and mobile purchase shipping systems for facilitating purchase of a product by a customer. The products and systems may be configured to receive customer data associated with the customer and to validate at least a portion of the received customer data. The products and systems may then receive package data associated with the product and receive payment data from a type of payment presented by the customer. Once received, the products and systems may use at least a portion of the validated data, the package data, and the payment data to generate a shipping manifest. In certain embodiments, the products and systems may include a magnetic card reader configured to read customer data from a customer driver's license. Still other embodiments may incorporate a mobile printer, such that the products and systems may generate a package shipping label, a shipping manifest, and/or a receipt. |
| US09779427B2 |
System and method of secure content distribution
Exemplary embodiments of methods and systems of incentivized advertising are presented. A content identifier identifying a digital content item, such as a song, is displayed on a user computing device. The digital content item is typically of the type available for a purchase price by the general public. A selection icon is provided in visual association with the content identifier. If the icon is selected by the user, an advertisement media item, such as a video advertisement, is presented on the user computing device. If the advertisement media item is presented for at least a requisite ad impression period, the digital content item is imparted to the user for free. Follow-up ad engagement views are typically presented to the user with a button to redeem the earned digital content item. Administrator and server elements are configured to facilitate performance of the method, and to optimize efficient use of advertiser's budget. |
| US09779426B2 |
Methods and apparatus to access media
Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to share media are disclosed. An example system includes a first device to capture, via a sensor, a representation of media being presented by a media presentation device separate from the first device. The first device to send a first user identifier of a first user of the first device, a second user identifier of a second user, different from the first user, and the representation of media to a media share facility. In response to the sending of the first user identifier, the second user identifier and the representation of media to the media share facility, receiving access to the media for the second user. When the access to the media is provided to the second user, crediting the media content with audience-interest credit based on the first user identifier. |
| US09779424B1 |
Generic message injection system
Systems and related methods providing for dynamic message creation are discussed herein. Circuitry may be configured receive generic configuration data that references work chunks for message generation and time data indicating a message send time. The work chunks may include references to message data, but not the actual message data. Based on the time data, the work chunks may be placed in a message queue. Circuitry may also be configured to retrieve a work chunk from the message queue and to generate one or more messages based on the retrieved work chunk. The references to message data in the work chunk may be used to retrieve the message data at the time of message generation. |
| US09779418B2 |
Exclusive delivery of content within geographic areas
Application developers can request to have their applications registered for use with a content delivery platform. The operator of the content delivery platform establishes perimeters defining geographic areas, and maintains records reserving particular areas for delivery of content associated with particular sponsors. Registered applications running on mobile devices can request content from the content delivery platform. Based at least in part on the request, the content delivery platform can identify a target location, which may be the location of the mobile device, or some other location indicated in the request. A mobile device can be provided content based on the relationship of the target location to the geographic areas, so that a registered application running on a mobile device with a target location contained within a geographic area assigned to a particular sponsor will receive content related to that sponsor. |
| US09779413B2 |
Method and system for optimum placement of advertisements on a webpage
A method and system for placement of graphical objects on a page to optimize the occurrence of an event associated with such objects. The graphical objects might include, for instance, advertisements on a webpage, and the event would include a user clicking on that ad. The page includes positions for receipt of the object material. Data regarding the past performance of the objects is stored and updated as new data is received. A user requests a page from a server associated with system. The server uses the performance data to derive a prioritized arrangement of the objects on the page. The objects are arranged according to a calculation and returned to the user on the requested page. |
| US09779412B2 |
Method and system for optimum placement of advertisements on a webpage
A method and system for placement of graphical objects on a page to optimize the occurrence of an event associated with such objects. The graphical objects might include, for instance, advertisements on a webpage, and the event would include a user clicking on that ad. The page includes positions for receipt of the object material. Data regarding the past performance of the objects is stored and updated as new data is received. A user requests a page from a server associated with system. The server uses the performance data to derive a prioritized arrangement of the objects on the page. The objects are arranged according to a calculation and returned to the user on the requested page. |
| US09779401B2 |
Network access authentication using a point-of-sale device
A user device can be configured for network access, such as for guest network access. In one example, a first device receives an indication of a transaction that uses the first device. The first device communicates a request for network access to an access point of the network in response to receiving the indication of the transaction. The first device then receives a first key from the access point. The first device provides the first key to the user device. The user device is to use the first key to obtain the network access to the network. |
| US09779399B2 |
Multi user electronic wallet and management thereof
Systems and methods for sharing an e-wallet are disclosed. In some embodiments, the systems and methods may share an e-wallet among multiple users on a single device. In other embodiments, the systems and method may share an e-wallet among multiple devices and/or multiple users on multiple devices. In some instances, an remotely stored e-wallet may be used or leveraged by an e-wallet uncertified device. |
| US09779398B2 |
Selecting a contactless payment card
An approach is provided for purchasing items using contactless payment devices (credit cards and debit cards, key fobs, smartcards or other devices). The approach retrieves the contactless payment identifiers that each pertain to a separate payment account used by a user. One of the contactless payment identifiers is selected based on one or more selection criteria, such as user and monetary incentives. The approach further pays for purchases using the payment account that corresponds to the selected contactless payment identifier. |
| US09779391B2 |
Method and system for facilitation of wireless e-commerce transactions
A method for facilitating a wireless transaction includes receiving, by a transaction fulfillment system, a transaction request from a transaction requester and verifying an identity of the transaction requester. After verifying the identity of the transaction requester, a transaction code is communicated from the transaction fulfillment system to a wireless communication device. After receiving the transaction code, the transaction code is optically scanned from a visual display of the wireless communication device by the transaction fulfillment system. |
| US09779389B2 |
Generation of screenshots for a visual summary of an online meeting under diverse and/or varying network and/or client computer performance conditions
Screenshots are captured for a visual summary of an online meeting using a dynamically determined inactivity threshold time period. The inactivity threshold time period may be the sum of i) an average time interval between arrival times of screen update messages in a set of received screen update messages, and ii) a multiple of the standard deviation of such time intervals. If no significant updates to a shared screen occur during the inactivity threshold time period, a screenshot may be captured for the online meeting visual summary. A premature screenshot threshold time period may also be determined. If significant visual data is received during the premature screenshot threshold time period, the previously captured screenshot is replaced with an updated screenshot. |
| US09779385B2 |
Inferring topics from social networking system communications
A social networking system determines the meaning of an anchor term used in a communication received from a communicating user. Candidate nodes are identified in the dictionary based on the anchor term, where each candidate node represents a possible meaning of the anchor term. The context of the anchor term is determined, and a score is determined for each candidate node based on the determined context. A candidate node is selected that most likely represents the meaning of the anchor term based on the determined candidate node scores. The context of the anchor term may be a social context derived from users connected to the communicating user that use the anchor term in communications. A communicating user may be prompted to identify the meaning of the anchor term explicitly based on the use of the term in communications from other users connected to the communicating user. |
| US09779383B2 |
Intelligent point of purchase apparatus
Embodiments relate to system, method and computer readable storage medium that includes matching media content with inventory, the media content for display within a point of purchase apparatus. The apparatus is identified by a remote system using a computer remote at the apparatus. The physical inventory within the identified apparatus remotely identifiable and matchable to remotely available media content stored at the remote system for subsequent display at the point of purchase apparatus. |
| US09779382B1 |
Determining item availability
A facility for assessing availability of an item for purchase from a merchant using a model of the availability of the item is described. The facility receives asynchronous messages identifying changes in the merchant's inventory for the item that affects the availability of the item for purchase from the merchant. For each received asynchronous message, the facility updates the model to reflect the changes in the merchant's inventory identified in the message. The facility then evaluates the state of the model in order to assess availability of the item for purchase from the merchant. |
| US09779370B2 |
Monitoring user status by comparing public and private activities
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for detecting anomalous correlations between public and private activities of a user. During operation, the system collects public and private activity data associated with the user. The system generates a series of feature pairs, each feature pair including a public feature vector and a private feature vector generated from the activity data. Each respective feature pair corresponds to a respective point in time. The system generates a model to determine whether there is an anomaly in a correlation between the user's public and private activity data. The model is associated with a normal correlation between the user's public and private activity data over a period of time. The system collects additional public and private activity data and applies the model to determine whether there is an anomaly. The system may issue an alert in response to detecting an anomaly. |
| US09779365B2 |
Computer-implemented system and method for managing interchangeable EV charging-capable parking spaces
A centralized server-based system and method for managing and reserving parking spaces capable of charging an EV, that is, a plug-in hybrid or fully electric vehicle, treats sets of parking spaces as interchangeable pooled resources. An EV motorist can book a reservation with charging of the EV by specifying parking in a desired location. Parking spaces serve dual uses for parking alone or parking with charging. The parking spaces are handled as a common parking pool, such as on one side of a city block, and each space has equal access to a charging station. The server determines charging capacity availability within a time window and the motorist can choose a parking time up to or beyond, if permitted, the maximum charging time needed to charge the EV. Non-EV motorists can similarly reserve parking within a parking pool with the server ensuring optimal use of charging capacity and parking spaces. |
| US09779364B1 |
Machine learning based procurement system using risk scores pertaining to bids, suppliers, prices, and items
A machine learning based procurement system comprises a machine learning classifier to classify bids. The procurement system determines a price risk score and a supplier risk score for each of the bids based on the classifications, and determines if any of the bids are associated with a high-risk procurement based on comparing the price risk score and the supplier risk score to the respective threshold. The procurement system includes a graphical user interface that can display bid evaluation links, which are accessible to provide information explaining high-risk procurements. |
| US09779363B1 |
Disambiguating personal names
A system, method, and apparatus are provided for disambiguating personal names. Selected names that are shared among multiple people are categorized or characterized as either famous or non-famous and, if non-famous, are also designated as common or uncommon. As content items are received (e.g., news stories, magazine articles, social media content), occurrences of the selected names are identified. Each item that includes at least one name is then processed to determine which of the multiple people that have the name (if any) is the person referenced in the item. Depending on the name's categorization (e.g., famous, non-famous and common, non-famous and uncommon), different models or procedures may be applied to disambiguate the occurrence of the name. |
| US09779359B2 |
Quantum arithmetic on two-dimensional quantum architectures
2D nearest-neighbor quantum architectures for Shor's factoring algorithm may be accomplished using the form of three arithmetic building blocks: modular addition using Gossett's carry-save addition, modular multiplication using Montgomery's method, and non-modular multiplication using an original method. These arithmetic building blocks may assume that ancillae are cheap, that concurrent control may be available and scalable, and that execution time may be the bottleneck. Thus, the arithmetic building blocks may be optimized in favor of circuit width to provide improved depth existing nearest-neighbor implementations. |
| US09779358B2 |
Information processing system and method for monitoring a complex system
A data processor system for monitoring a complex system, the processor system configured to receive a plurality of pieces of state information and to merge at least the pieces of state information into a piece of failure information, at least one of the pieces of state information being associated with a confidence flag, and the piece of failure information also being associated with a confidence flag. The system performs the merging by implementing a fuzzy logic technique to produce the piece of failure information while taking account of the respective confidence flag of the pieces of state information and to produce the confidence flag associated with the failure information. |
| US09779356B2 |
Method of machine learning classes of search queries
A computer-implemented method of determining search intent, comprises: receiving a search query; searching content across a plurality of content classes using the search query, so as to obtain a plurality of search results; deriving summary data from the search results; applying the summary data to a trained machine learning model; and determining from the machine learning model a selected one of the content classes corresponding to the search intent of the search query. |
| US09779353B2 |
Antenna device and communication terminal device
An antenna device or a communication terminal device including the antenna device includes ground conductor, which serves as a plate-shaped conductor and is provided in an inner layer of a circuit board. An antenna coil is mounted so that a first main surface of a magnetic core faces the circuit board. The antenna coil is arranged so that a first conductor portion of a coil conductor is at a position that is closer to the ground conductor than a second conductor portion. The antenna coil is arranged so that the first conductor portion of the coil conductor is positioned in the vicinity of a longitudinal direction end portion of a casing, and the first conductor portion of the coil conductor is bent in a direction toward the ground conductor. |
| US09779351B1 |
Marine vessel hull with embedded wireless identification device
A marine vessel hull includes an outer hull layer and an inner liner connected to the outer hull layer forming a cavity therebetween. A wireless identification device is contained within the cavity between the outer hull layer and the inner liner. The wireless identification device stores and wirelessly transmits at least one of a vessel identifier, manufacture information, and ownership information for the marine vessel. |
| US09779347B2 |
Smart card and portable electronic apparatus
According to one embodiment, a smart card includes a communication unit, recording unit, first reception processor, determination unit, and first transmission processor. The recording unit records data defined by definition information. The first reception processor receives a command from an external terminal. If the first reception processor receives the command, the determination unit determines whether or not data required for execution of the command is stored in the recording unit. If the determination unit determines that the required data is not stored in the recording unit, the first transmission processor transmits a response indicating the start of a session required to acquire data related to that data from the external terminal to the external terminal. |
| US09779344B2 |
Optically readable code and method of marking printed circuit boards by means of an optically readable code
A printed circuit board comprises an optically readable code with product information. The information is encoded in code locations which are distributed over the printed circuit board at different positions. |
| US09779343B2 |
Weighted transaction card
Weighted transaction cards and methods of manufacturing the same. The weighted transaction cards may include a tungsten member that comprises at least a portion of a layer of the transaction card. The tungsten member may be encapsulated and/or disposed in an opening of a surround to define and inlay. The inlay may be laminated with one or more additional layers according to traditional card manufacturing techniques (e.g., a hot lamination process). The weighted transaction cards may have a weight significantly greater than traditional plastic transaction cards such that the weighted transaction cards. |
| US09779341B2 |
Data communication system, data transmission apparatus, and data reception apparatus
A control unit of a printing apparatus includes a data transfer unit forming a first error detection code generation unit and a second error detection code generation unit. A printhead of the printing apparatus includes an error detection unit including a first data reception unit for performing error detection based on a first error detection code and transfer data synchronized with a leading edge, and a second data reception unit for performing error detection based on a second error detection code and the transfer data synchronized with a trailing edge. |
| US09779339B2 |
Printer, terminal device, and printing system
A printer including a printing execution unit configured to execute printing; a code conversion unit configured to encode operational information in relation to the printing execution unit to generate an image pattern; and a display unit configured to display the image pattern, generated by the code conversion unit, on the display unit itself. |
| US09779336B2 |
Method for scheduling operator actions for a print-while-rip job and a print system
A method for scheduling operator actions for a print job to be printed in a print-while-rip mode includes assuming at least one part of a print job duration which is unknown due to missing information, establishing at least one operator action during the at least one second part of the print job duration based on a first part of the print job duration, displaying a time bar for the print job on the user interface, the time bar starting from the established start time and including a first time bar part corresponding to and proportional to the first part of the print job duration and at least one second time bar part corresponding to the at least one second part of the print job duration, and for each established operation action, displaying a digital object representing the operator action at the corresponding moment in time on the second time bar part. |
| US09779334B2 |
Light-source-driving control device, image forming apparatus, and light-source driving method
A light-source-driving control device thins a pixel at an edge portion of image data by a first pixel width; sets a second pixel width at the edge portion such that a ratio between the first and second pixel widths is constant; creates light amount information including a first light amount with which a pixel not included in the set second pixel width is exposed, and a second light amount with which a pixel included in the second pixel width is exposed; selects the first or second light amount based on a power-modulation control signal; drives light sources according to the selected light amount and a light-source-modulation pulse signal; and counts an addition value of pixel density considering a pixel width and a light amount, based on a data-width setting signal based on the second pixel width, and on a light-amount setting signal based on the light amount information. |
| US09779323B2 |
Paper sheet or presentation board such as white board with markers for assisting processing by digital cameras
A surface object comprises a surface with a boundary, the surface having a background color. At least one optical marker is provided on the surface for assisting of image processing for improving appearance of an image of the surface with the boundary. At least one optical marker includes at least one color which is lighter or darker than the background color and the color different ΔE between the background color and the at least one color of the optical marker being between ΔE=2 and ΔE=18. |
| US09779321B2 |
Image processing device and method thereof
This invention discloses an image processing device and an image processing method. The image processing device includes a line buffer, a pixel enhancing module, a smoothing module, a noise reduction module and a contrast adjusting module. The line buffer stores a plurality of pixel values of an image. The pixel enhancing module performs an edge-enhancing operation on the image. The smoothing module filters the image to improve the image in terms of roughness. The noise reduction module filters the image to improve the image in terms of a signal-to-noise ratio. The contrast adjusting module checks whether a target pixel is on a thin edge to decide the method of adjusting the contrast of the image. |
| US09779317B2 |
Image processing system, image processing apparatus, and method for image processing
An image processing system includes a reading unit, a checking unit, a display control unit, and an image correcting unit. The reading unit reads image information from an original manuscript to generate image data. The checking unit checks whether or not a plurality of items listed in the original manuscript include an unentered item with the result of a character recognition process for recognizing a character contained in the image data. When the unentered item is present, the display control unit performs control to display information for informing a user of the unentered item. The image correcting unit adds a text with respect to the unentered item according to an input made by a user to correct the image data. |
| US09779310B2 |
Method and device for detecting muzzle flash of light firearms
The invention comprises using a photodetector that it sensitive in the MWIR band, performing image differencing on two successive images at a time, and defining thresholds for said differences in order to extract only those exceeding the threshold used. |
| US09779308B2 |
Video monitoring system
A video transmission apparatus detects a target object to be monitored from images obtained by imaging a monitoring area, tracks the detected target object, obtains existence time from appearance to disappearance of the target object, and transmits a data volume reduced image of the target object to a video reception apparatus. The video reception apparatus analyzes the data volume reduced image transmitted from the video transmission apparatus and transmits a video request of the target object to the video transmission apparatus) based on input made according to the result of the analysis. When the video request transmitted from the video reception apparatus is received, the video transmission apparatus generates a monitoring video from the appearance to the disappearance of the target object based on the existence time of the target object and transmits the monitoring video to the video reception apparatus. |
| US09779307B2 |
Method and system for non-causal zone search in video monitoring
A computing system processes a video recording to identify a plurality of motion events, each corresponding to a respective video segment along a timeline of the video recording. The computing system identifies at least one object in motion within a scene depicted in the video recording and stores a respective event mask for each event. The computing system receives a definition of a zone of interest within the scene. In response to receiving the definition, the computing system determines, for each motion event, whether the respective event mask of the motion event overlaps with the zone of interest by at least a predetermined overlap factor, and identifies one or more events of interest from the plurality of motion events, wherein the respective event mask of each identified event of interest is determined to overlap with the zone of interest by at least the predetermined overlap factor. |
| US09779306B2 |
Content playback system, server, mobile terminal, content playback method, and recording medium
Selected image data or specific information thereon is stored in association with moving image data as a management marker of a selected image. The selected image data is selected from among still image data extracted from the moving image data. When an output image of the selected image is captured, image analysis is performed on the captured image data to acquire a management marker of a captured image. A management marker of a selected image corresponding to the management marker of the captured image from among management markers of selected images stored in the storage is specified. Digest moving image data is generated by picking out a part of moving image data associated with the specific management marker. Control is performed so that a digest moving image is playbacked and displayed on the display section. |
| US09779301B2 |
Method for providing imaging satellite opportunity notifications on a mobile device
A mobile device application and process provides real-time notifications to a user whenever imaging satellites are positioned in the vicinity of the user, such that the imaging satellite is in a position to capture imagery of the user's location or a user-specified location. The user may access and purchase, via the mobile device application, available satellite imagery. In certain embodiments, the user may also be provided with the opportunity to issue, via the mobile device, a satellite tasking request such that a satellite will be tasked to capture imagery of a specific location. |
| US09779299B2 |
Method for displaying gaze point data based on an eye-tracking unit
A method of presenting gaze-point data of a subject detected by an eye-tracking unit includes presenting a test scene picture acquired by a camera unit, and displaying shapes on the test scene picture. The shapes represent momentary gaze points of the subject. |
| US09779291B2 |
Method and system for optimizing accuracy-specificity trade-offs in large scale visual recognition
As visual recognition scales up to ever larger numbers of categories, maintaining high accuracy is increasingly difficult. Embodiment of the present invention include methods for optimizing accuracy-specificity trade-offs in large scale recognition where object categories form a semantic hierarchy consisting of many levels of abstraction. |
| US09779285B2 |
Face template balancing
Implementations generally relate to face template balancing. In some implementations, a method includes generating face templates corresponding to respective images. The method also includes matching the images to a user based on the face templates. The method also includes receiving a determination that one or more matched images are mismatched images. The method also includes flagging one or more face templates corresponding to the one or more mismatched images as negative face templates. |
| US09779281B2 |
Method and electronic device for noise mitigation
The present invention generally relates to a method for removing disturbances in an image captured by a fingerprint sensor, and specifically to reduction of noise in an acquired fingerprint image by incorporating the sensing principle into the applied method for noise reduction, wherein the noise reduced image is used for determining a representation of a fingerprint pattern. Advantages with the invention include enhanced determination of fingerprint patterns from fingerprint images captured using a fingerprint sensor. The invention also relates to a corresponding electronic device and to a computer program product. |
| US09779276B2 |
Depth sensor based auto-focus system for an indicia scanner
An indicia reading terminal has a three-dimensional depth sensor, a two dimensional image sensor, an autofocus lens assembly, and a processor. The three dimensional depth sensor captures a depth image of a field of view and create a depth map from the depth image, the depth map having one or more surface distances. The two dimensional image sensor receives incident light and capture an image therefrom. The autofocusing lens assembly is positioned proximate to the two dimensional image sensor such that the incident light passes through the autofocusing lens before reaching the two dimensional image sensor. The processor is communicatively coupled to the two dimensional image sensor, the three dimensional depth sensor, and the autofocusing lens assembly. |
| US09779275B2 |
Control system, terminal, information setting method, and program
A control system is provided with: a control device that controls facility equipment on the basis of previously set control information; and a terminal that communicates with the control device. The terminal has: an image capturer that captures an image; an analyzer that acquires setting-support information for setting the control information in the control device by analyzing the image captured by means of the image capturer; and a transmitter that transmits to the control device the setting-support information acquired by means of the analyzer. The control device has: a receiver that receives the setting-support information transmitted from the transmitter; and a setter that sets the control information on the basis of the setting-support information received by means of the receiver. |
| US09779268B1 |
Utilizing a non-repeating identifier to encrypt data
Utilizing a non-repeating identifier to encrypt data, including: receiving a request to write data to a storage device; selecting a segment-offset pair where the data will be stored, where the selected segment-offset pair is unique to every other segment-offset pair utilized during the lifetime of the storage device; and encrypting the data in dependence upon an identifier of the segment-offset pair. |
| US09779266B2 |
Generation of analysis reports using trusted and public distributed file systems
The invention provides for a data processing system comprising an application server comprising at least one processor. Execution of the instructions cause the processor to: receive an analysis request, the analysis request comprising multiple data analysis commands for generating an analysis report descriptive of a structured data file; divide the commands into private analysis commands and public analysis commands; send the private analysis commands to a trusted distributed file system; send a portion of the public analysis commands to a public distributed file system; send a remainder of the public analysis commands to the trusted distributed file system; and generate the analysis report using public analysis results from the public distributed file system and trusted analysis results from the trusted distributed file system. |
| US09779265B1 |
Encryption key effective date
The system may comprise receiving a data element, and receiving an encryption key and an associated encryption key identifier from an encryption keystore database. The system may further comprise transmitting the data element to an encryption module for encryption using the encryption key to form an encrypted data element. The system may also comprise receiving the encrypted data element from the encryption module and concatenating the encryption key identifier with the encrypted data element to form a protected data field entry. |
| US09779264B2 |
Method, server and computer program for security management in database
Disclosed is a program for security management in a database, which is stored in a computer readable medium to allow a computer to perform steps including: reading one or more data encrypted at a column level from a persistent storage medium or a memory; decrypting one or more data encrypted at the column level to generate one or more decrypted data; generating an index table based on the one or more generated decrypted data; and performing an operation of encrypting the generated index table at a block level. |
| US09779263B2 |
Access right estimation apparatus and non-transitory computer readable medium
A access right estimation apparatus includes an extraction unit that extracts at least one first component from a first object which forms a first document, an access right being set up for the first document; an association unit that associates the extracted first component with access right information which indicates a user who is capable of accessing the first component based on the access right which is set up for the first document; and an access right estimation unit that estimates an access right that should be set up for a second document, which includes at least one second component extracted from a second object that forms the second document, an access right being not set up for the second document, the access right estimation unit estimating the access right based on the second component and the access right information which is associated with the first component. |
| US09779262B2 |
Apparatus and method to decrypt file segments in parallel
Disclosed is a method and apparatus to decrypt file segments in parallel. In one embodiment, an integrated circuit may be used with a storage device of a computing device that comprises: a hardware interface to communicate with the storage device; a crypto-engine to encrypt file segments to be stored on the storage device and to decrypt file segments read from the storage device; and a processor. The processor may be configured to: read a plurality of decrypted file segments from the storage device through the crypto-engine in parallel; and to store the plurality of decrypted file segments. |
| US09779260B1 |
Aggregation and classification of secure data
In one embodiment, a method includes managing and controlling a plurality of data-access credentials. The method further includes accessing data from a plurality of sources in a plurality of data formats. The accessing includes using one or more data-access credentials of the plurality of data-access credentials. The one or more data-access credentials are associated with at least a portion of the plurality of data sources. The method also includes abstracting the data into a standardized format for further analysis. The abstracting includes selecting the standardized format based on a type of the data. In addition, the method includes applying a security policy to the data. The applying includes identifying at least a portion of the data for exclusion from storage based on the security policy. Additionally, the method includes filtering from storage any data identified for exclusion. Further, the method includes storing the data in the standardized format. |
| US09779259B2 |
System and method for application specific locking
An unlocking application limits access to a computer application on a computing device. The unlocking application is configurable with at least one unlocking command comprising a sequence of inputs received by input devices of the computing device. The unlocking application limits access to at least one of the computer applications by requiring a user of the computing device to provide the at least one unlocking command using the input devices to access the at least one computer application. |
| US09779255B2 |
Split storage and communication of documents
Embodiments for preventing data loss and allowing selective access data include systems and methods that receive a data payload to be stored by the system; split the data payload into a plurality of payload components; secure each of the plurality of payload components; store at least a first of the plurality of payload components at a first repository and at least a second of the plurality of payload components at a second repository; receive a request for access to the data payload; and provide certification that the data payload has not been altered since storing. |
| US09779252B2 |
Crowd-sourced security analysis
A cloud-based static analysis security tool that is accessible by a set of application development environments is augmented to provide for anonymous knowledge sharing to facilitate reducing security vulnerabilities. To the end, a crowdsourcing platform and social network are associated with the application development environments. Access to the social network platform by users of the application development environments is enabled. The anonymous access enables users to post messages without exposing sensitive data associated with a particular application development environment. As the static analysis security tool is used, a knowledgebase of information regarding identified security findings, fix priorities, and so forth, is continuously updated. Social network content (e.g., in the form of analytics, workflow recommendations, and the like) is then published from the knowledgebase to provide users with security knowledge generated by the tool from the set of application development environments. The approach provides for secure and anonymous cross-organization information sharing. |
| US09779251B2 |
System, method, and computer program product for monitoring an execution flow of a function
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for monitoring an execution flow of a function. In use, data associated with a function is identified within a call stack. Additionally, a call stack frame is determined from freed memory in the call stack. Further, an execution flow of the function is monitored, utilizing the call stack frame from the freed memory. |
| US09779240B2 |
System and method for hypervisor-based security
Aspects of the present invention include hypervisor based security using a hypervisor to monitor a VM. In embodiments of the present invention, the information gathered by the hypervisor in the monitoring is compared against a reference image to determine if there are possible rootkits present on the VM. If there are potential rootkits, the VM can be quarantined. |
| US09779238B2 |
Classifying malware by order of network behavior artifacts
The present invention generally relates to systems and methods for classifying executable files as likely malware or likely benign. The techniques utilize temporally-ordered network behavioral artifacts together with machine learning techniques to perform the classification. Because they rely on network behavioral artifacts, the disclosed techniques may be applied to executable files with obfuscated code. |
| US09779227B1 |
Security system using keys encoded in holograms
A system for controlling access to secured resources using a security token having a hologram embossed thereon is provided. A key is split into a user key and a complimentary key based on a mask, wherein key values in the user key correspond to idle state values in the complimentary key and vice versa. The user key is used to generate a user key array, that is used to generate a three-dimensional virtual image that is holographically embossed onto a security token. The hologram is merged with a corresponding hologram for the complimentary key and the combination compared to an image of an ensemble of the key. The combination can be mergers of images or extractions of holograms. If a match is found, within a tolerance, an access grant signal is sent to the secure resources, thereby securing the resources based on presence of the security token. |
| US09779225B2 |
Method and system to provide access to secure features of a device
A method of providing access to secure features of a device includes detecting motion of a secured device during entry of first access credentials on the secured device, storing first motion data in association with the first access credentials, the first motion data indicating a pattern of the detected motion, and granting access to a secured feature of the secured device when a user enters user access credentials matching the first access credentials accompanied by detected motion that produces user motion data matching the first motion data to a degree within a defined valid data range of the first motion data. |
| US09779223B2 |
Non-intrusive background synchronization when authentication is required
A non-modal notification user interface element is displayed persistently but unobtrusively such that a user may easily determine that authentication credentials are required by a background synchronization process. The non-modal notification is configured such that it may be ignored by the user such that their workflow is not interrupted. The background synchronization continues to synchronize the data it can even though the background synchronization may require authentication credentials for a subset of the data to be synchronized. The user may select the non-modal notification user interface element at any point in time in order to supply the required authentication credentials. The non-modal notification is removed from the display when there are no further authentication credentials required. |
| US09779220B1 |
Obscuring data using on-the-fly retokenizable tokens
A method includes (a) selecting a first token column or a second token column of a token table as an active token column based upon the value of a current token flag, (b) selecting a row of the token table uniquely associated with a sensitive piece of data, the selected row having a first token field storing a first token value and a second token field storing a second token value, (c) selectively extracting an active token value from the first token field when the first token column is the active token column and from the second token field when the second token column is the active token column, (d) selecting a row of a data table having the extracted active token value within a token field, and (e) causing contents of the selected row of the data table to be displayed to a user over a user interface. |
| US09779217B2 |
Method, apparatus, and computer program product for replenishment of articles in a dispensing system
Example embodiments of the present invention may provide an efficient method of replenishing canisters of an automated dispensing device off-line. In particular, methods may include automatically causing an image to be captured at each of two or more stages of a replenishment process, where respective images are of a loading receptacle of a replenishment station, the loading receptacle configured to hold medication. The method may also include providing for display of respective images on a device located remote from the replenishment station, and receiving an approval or rejection of at least one stage of the replenishment process in response to providing for the display of respective images. |
| US09779216B2 |
Systems and methods for storing and dispensing medication
A medication storage/dispenser unit comprises a processor connected to medication package storage compartments. The storage compartments comprise a medication package, and preferably may also include a content reader, a medication information reader, and a medication package indicator. The processor receives a medication request from the medical information system, receives content and other medication from the storage compartments, processes the information and automatically opens the appropriate compartment with the correct medication. |
| US09779205B2 |
Systems and methods for rational selection of context sequences and sequence templates
Provided are systems and methods for rational selection of context sequences and sequence templates including a computer implemented method for obtaining a repository of attributes sets where the attributes sets are statistically associated with a sequence template representing two or more context sequences. |
| US09779198B2 |
Individually coloring separated cell blocks in layout of integrated circuits
A method can include separating a design area of a substrate for a semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) into cell blocks, where a distance between adjacent ones of the cell blocks can be greater than or equal to a minimum distance defined by a design rule for the semiconductor integrated circuit to provide separated cell blocks, designing a layout for the semiconductor IC in the separated cell blocks, and individually coloring the layout of each of the separated cell blocks. |
| US09779196B2 |
Segmenting a model within a plasma system
Systems and methods for segmenting an impedance matching model are described. One of the methods includes receiving the impedance matching model. The impedance matching model represents an impedance matching circuit, which is coupled to an RF generator via an RF cable and to a plasma chamber via an RF transmission line. The method further includes segmenting the impedance matching model into two or more modules of a first set. Each module includes a series circuit and a shunt circuit. The shunt circuit is coupled to the series circuit. The series circuit of the first module is coupled to a cable model and the series circuit of the second module is coupled to an RF transmission model. The series circuit and the shunt circuit of the first module are coupled to the series circuit of the second module. The shunt circuit of the second module is coupled to the RF transmission model. |
| US09779194B2 |
Link system, link program, and link method
A client accepts operation information for operating a circuit design CAD tool. The client transmits the accepted operation information to an application server. The application server receives the transmitted operation information. The application server generates a result screen representing a result of operating an implementation design CAD tool according to the received operation information. The application server transmits the generated result screen to the client. |
| US09779190B2 |
Compensated molds for manufacturing ion exchange strengthened, 3D glass covers
Methods for compensating for the warp exhibited by three-dimensional glass covers as a result of ion exchange strengthening are provided. The methods use a computer-implemented model to predict/estimate changes to a target three-dimensional shape for the 3D glass cover as a result of ion exchange strengthening. The model includes the effects of ion exchange through the edge of the 3D glass cover. In an embodiment, the inverse of the predicted/estimated changes is used to produce a compensated (corrected) mold which produces as-molded parts which when subjected to ion exchange strengthening have shapes closer to the target shape than they would have had if the mold had not been compensated (corrected). |
| US09779188B1 |
Harmonic balance analysis memory usage estimation
Aspects of the present invention provide a system and method to estimate the amount of memory a harmonic balance analysis will require by measuring the memory allocated for a circuit database for a circuit undergoing harmonic balance analysis, determining the problem size of the harmonic balance analysis based on the information in the database, calculating the amount of memory for matrices, solution and auxiliary vectors needed for the harmonic balance analysis, and estimating the additional memory needed to complete a Newton iteration of the harmonic balance analysis using previously compiled statistical distributions. The total needed memory will be the sum of the measured, calculated, and estimated needed memory. A lower and an upper bound estimation of the total memory usage is provided. This information can be used by the circuit or system designer and/or an analysis or simulation tool for planning the computing resources necessary to execute the harmonic balance analysis. |
| US09779187B1 |
Automatic modeling farmer
Data can be accessed from a plurality of disparate data sources from at least one database. A plurality of test models can be automatically built by a model building engine. Each test model can have predetermined predictive variables. A final set of predictive variables can be determined by a variable selector from the predetermined predictive variables in the plurality of test models by comparing the predictive power of the predictive variables across the plurality of test models. A master dataset can be generated from the disparate data sources. A master model can be built from the master dataset. The master model can combine the final set of predictive variables from the plurality of disparate data sources. The master model can characterize a quantitative estimate of the probability that an entity will display a defined behavior. Related apparatus, systems, techniques, and articles are also described. |
| US09779183B2 |
Sensor management and sensor analytics system
Systems, apparatuses, and methods described herein are configured for monitoring and managing a plurality of sensors. The plurality of sensors may be fixed, mobile, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the monitoring and management of the sensors is facilitated via a graphical user interface. |
| US09779182B2 |
Semantic grouping in search
A system and method are disclosed for intelligent grouping and presentation of search results. In embodiments, the present technology groups results into relevant categories, and presents the categorized results on a single screen or small set of screens. The most relevant results for each category may be displayed in graphical tiles that a user may select to view more details on the search results. Alternatively, a user may select, or pivot on, a category heading to get more results for a given category. |
| US09779181B2 |
Dynamic folding of listed items for display
A list folding process dynamically groups items of a list into logically related visual folds to reduce the number of items to be displayed in a window of a computer screen. The process determines attributes of the items to be displayed and dynamically groups items together into a special group called a visual fold based on the attributes. The rules for folding items based on attributes can be defined by a particular user so that each view of the items may be different among users. As the attributes of each item change, the display of the items and visual folds may be automatically adjusted to reflect the current proper grouping. The folding process therefore allows a user to view the maximum amount of information in available display area of a computer screen window. |
| US09779180B2 |
Detection of the N-queries via unit test
In one aspect, there is provided a method. The method may include intercepting a request including one or more select queries sent to a database; generating a parametric form for each of one or more select queries; processing the parametric form to determine whether the one or more select queries cause an n-query issue comprising multiple selects, when executed at the database; and indicating an exception, when the one or more select queries cause the n-query issue. Related systems, methods, and articles of manufacture are also disclosed. |
| US09779178B2 |
Third party centralized data hub system providing shared access to third party questionnaires, third party responses, and other third party data
A system for providing a third party centralized data hub. The system includes a server storing a database of sets of third party data, and the system includes a third party risk management module on the server maintaining the third party data. The system includes a first set of client devices communicatively linked with the server over a digital communications network and operable by data providers to provide and modify one of the sets of third party data. The system includes a second set of client devices linked with the server and operable by data consumers to access a subset of the sets of third party data. During operations, the risk management module monitors the third party data, identifies a modification, by one of the data providers, of one of the sets of third party data, and automatically generates and transmits an alert to the second set of client devices. |
| US09779177B1 |
Service generation based on profiled data objects
An apparatus comprises a profiled data object service manager configured to generate at least one profiled data object service instantiation responsive to an invocation by a profiled data object service user. The profiled data object service manager comprises a profiled data object service reasoner configured to parse the user invocation, to map the parsed user invocation to one or more relevant profiled data objects using profiles of respective profiled data objects and relationships among multiple profiled data objects, to select one or more services to be instantiated based on the relevant profiled data objects, and to generate one or more instantiable service invocations for the one or more selected services. Additional functionality of the profiled data object service manager may comprise one or more of policy enforcement, service instantiation and service orchestration. The service manager is implemented using at least one processing device comprising a processor coupled to a memory. |
| US09779176B2 |
Accessing external functionality within a component-based web application
Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for incorporating functionality of a first web application into a second web application composed and managed by a component-based application framework, such as JSF. For example, the web pages of an existing application may be displayed to the user of a web application composed in the JSF framework, thus enabling the user to access the functionality of the secondary web application in a transparent and seamless manner. Further, the web application may be displayed using AJAX technology, in which page updates are performed asynchronously to user interactions. Embodiments of the invention may allow an application based on a component-based application framework to access functionality of a secondary web application, without requiring the applications to communicate directly. |
| US09779174B2 |
Framework for anonymous reporting of social incidents
Described herein is a framework to facilitate anonymous reporting of social incidents. In accordance with one aspect of the framework, at least one input report of a social incident is received from at least one user device. The input report may be submitted by a user associated with verified credentials. An equivalence class may be identified for the input report. If a count associated with the equivalence class exceeds a predetermined threshold value, anonymized information based on the input report may be distributed to initiate action responsive to the social incident. |
| US09779172B2 |
Personalized search result summary
Provided are techniques for displaying a personalized search result summary for a search result. A search result from executing a search query is received. A category of search for the search query is determined. A summary template is selected from a collection of summary templates based on the category of search. A personalized summary is generated using the selected summary template and the received search result. |
| US09779170B2 |
Personalized search result summary
Provided are techniques for displaying a personalized search result summary for a search result. A search result from executing a search query is received. A category of search for the search query is determined. A summary template is selected from a collection of summary templates based on the category of search. A personalized summary is generated using the selected summary template and the received search result. |
| US09779168B2 |
Contextual quick-picks
Techniques are provided for facilitating the formulation of queries by providing quick-picks to the user based, at least in part, on the context in which the query is being formulated. Quick-picks are items that, when selected, add search criteria items to a query that is being formed. The quick picks that are presented to the user are selected based on the context in which the search is being performed. For example, a user may be presented with (a) a search box for entering keywords for a search, and (b) selectable words extracted from or otherwise related to the content currently being displayed on the device that is being used to formulate the search query. When the user selects one of the selectable words, the selected word is inserted into the search box, thereby obviating the need to separately enter each character of the word. |
| US09779165B2 |
Mobile terminal controlling method thereof, and recording medium thereof
A mobile terminal, controlling method thereof and recording medium thereof are disclosed, by which video contents can be efficiently edited. The present invention includes a touchscreen configured to display a video content and a controller controlling a progress bar for the video content to be displayed on the touchscreen, the controller controlling a 1st time indicator and a 2nd time indicator to be displayed on the progress bar, the controller controlling a 1st scene at a 1st time corresponding to the 1st time indicator and a 2nd scene at a 2nd time corresponding to the 2nd time indicator to be displayed on the touchscreen. |
| US09779164B2 |
Easy 2D navigation of video database
A method of operating an apparatus for displaying content items on a display, a corresponding computer program for operating an apparatus and an apparatus for displaying content items on a display that is arranged for being coupled to the apparatus are provided. In particular, an apparatus is configured to display a plurality of content items in a two-dimensional grid in dependence of a respective relatedness between a selected content item and one of the content items to be displayed. The selected content item is positioned at a center of the display and the related content items are displayed such that associated relatedness values decrease both in left, right, up and down direction with respect to the center position. A user terminal that comprises such apparatus is provided. |
| US09779161B2 |
Visualizing conflicts in online messages
Visualizing social media conflict is provided. Active users in a set of human users authoring a number of textual messages regarding a particular topic more than a threshold number of textual messages are selected. Keywords are selected that occur more than a threshold number of times within the textual messages regarding the particular topic. A sentiment score is computed for each of the keywords occurring more than the threshold number of times within the textual messages using a keyword co-occurrence graph. A sentiment of each of the active users is determined based on the computed sentiment score of each of the selected keywords that are authored by a particular active user. Two distinct groups from the active users are selected based on at least one of a relationship between the two distinct groups and a determined degree of conflict between the two distinct groups with regard to the particular topic. |
| US09779154B2 |
Synchronization system for transforming database and method thereof
A synchronization system for transform databases and a method thereof are provided. The system includes a database transformer and a data adapter. The database transformer is used to transform tables from a source database to a target database. The data adapter includes a statement parsing unit, a storage unit and a synchronization control unit. The statement parsing unit receives a query statement and parses a query table associated with the query statement. The storage unit stores the query statement temporarily. The synchronization control unit determines a query mechanism and receives a transformation state about the query table from the database transformer. Based on the query mechanism and the transformation state, the synchronization control unit performs the query statement in the source database, the target database, or both of them. |
| US09779147B1 |
Systems and methods to query and visualize data and relationships
A method constructs data visualizations. The method receives a visual specification, which includes properties and corresponding user-selected property values. The visual specification defines a data visualization layout. One property value identifies source databases for the data visualization. The method constructs node queries from the visual specification corresponding to one or more data fields in the source databases. The method also constructs link queries from the visual specification corresponding to a relationship between rows of the source databases. The method retrieves node tuples from the database that satisfy at least one of the node queries and retrieves link tuples from the database that satisfy at least one of the link queries. The method displays visual marks corresponding to the retrieved node tuples and displays edge marks in the corresponding to the retrieved link tuples. Each edge mark visually connects a pair of visual marks corresponding to the node tuples. |
| US09779145B2 |
Variable result set size based on user expectation
An information retrieval system includes computing hardware, a database operatively coupled with the computing hardware and including documents for delivery to a user in response to a user search as well as a non-transitory, computer-readable memory component operatively coupled with the computing hardware. The non-transitory, computer-readable memory component further includes a receiving module configured to, upon actuation by the computing hardware, receive a search query and a corresponding relevancy expectation score from the user; a search module configured to, upon actuation by the computing hardware, search the database against the search query provided by the user and output an original list of results each of which exhibits a numerical score; and a post-processing module configured to, upon actuation by the computing hardware, perform post-processing of the numerical scores of the results of the original list. |
| US09779144B1 |
Identifying a level of relevancy of a keyword cluster related to an event category for a given time period relative to the event
Systems and methods for identifying relevancy scores of a keyword cluster related to an event category for a given time period relative to an event of the event category. Processors identify an event and determine event parameters of the event. Processors determine keyword clusters associated with the event parameters for serving content. Processors generate a relevancy score for each of the keyword clusters over plurality of time periods relative to the event. The relevancy score of a first subset of the keyword clusters is higher during a first time period than a second time period and the relevancy score of a second subset of the keyword clusters is higher during the second time period than the first time period. Processors create, for the event, a data structure including the keyword clusters and the generated relevancy scores for each of the keyword clusters over the time periods relative to the event. |
| US09779143B2 |
Information pushing method and apparatus
The present application provides an information pushing method and apparatus. The method comprises: collecting a pushing parameter of each piece of information pushed in a time segment T, the pushing parameter comprising information pushing time, an information pushing user, or the number of times of the information being accessed; determining, according to the collected pushing parameter, an information access parameter of each user in the time segment T, the information access parameter comprises at least: the number of times of the information being visited in the time segment T, an information access tendency, and time of a last access of the information in T, and the information access tendency being determined by the number of times of the information being accessed; and selecting, according to the information access parameter of each user in the time segment T, a target user meeting a requirement, and pushing information to the target user. |
| US09779141B2 |
Query techniques and ranking results for knowledge-based matching
Disclosed herein is a system and method for searching or processing queries for searching for documents contained in a domain specific knowledge base. The system takes a query and generates from the query a modified version of the query by passing the query through one or more filters in a query processor. The query processor adds or removes terms from the query. The query processor can add or recognize that two words that appear to be separate words actually identify a specific software entity or can determine that a number appearing in a query is not just a number but refers to a specific version or a number relevant to the specific problem. |
| US09779140B2 |
Ranking signals for sparse corpora
A method for retrieving information includes receiving a search query within an information corpus. Search results for the search query may be identified. A score for each of a plurality of data items identified in the search results may be generated. The score for a corresponding one of the plurality of data items may be based on a score dependent on the search query within the information corpus. The score may be also based on at least one score independent of the search query. The at least one score independent of the search query may include a ranking signal associated with a World Wide Web (WWW) search of the corresponding one of the plurality of data items using a second information corpus. The search results may be ranked based on the generated score. |
| US09779132B1 |
Predictive information discovery engine
A computer executes a predictive information discovery engine in an operating environment that includes execution of an application with which a user interacts to accomplish a task. Trigger signals are received from trigger components that monitor the user's interaction with the application and respond to user actions to generate the trigger signals. The trigger signals include signal-specific metadata obtained from a store of metadata including current context information about the user's use of the application. The trigger signals are automatically responded by (i) querying external data sources for information relevant to a current operating context as reflected in the signal-specific metadata, and (ii) for information returned in response to the querying, presenting the returned information to the user in the current operating context to enable the user to use the presented information in connection with the task. |
| US09779126B2 |
Hybrid database upgrade migration
According to some embodiments, it may be determined that a plurality of hybrid database version upgrade migrations are to be performed. Each upgrade migration may include, for example, a schema change portion and a data change portion. A first database migration tool instance may be automatically run to perform the upgrade migration schema change portions. Similarly, a second database migration tool instance may be automatically run to perform the upgrade migration data change portions, wherein the second instance is not run until the first instance is complete. |
| US09779125B2 |
Ensuring accurate domain name contact information
Systems and methods of the present invention provide for one or more server computers communicatively coupled to a network and configured to: identify a first contact data and a second contact data associated with at least one domain name stored in a database communicatively coupled to the network; a user interface may be displayed, allowing a user to select the first contact data or a second contact data, and the server may then: receive a selection of the first contact data to be associated with the at least one domain name; disassociate the second contact data from the at least one domain name; and update a plurality of domain names, comprising the first domain name, to be associated with the first contact data. |
| US09779122B2 |
Optimizing a content index for target audience queries
Apparatus and methods are provided for indexing electronic content to be served to users' mobile and/or stationary communications and computing devices. An index is composed of multiple slices, with each slice storing multiple entries and each entry representing one content item or one campaign or collection of content items. An entry is populated with tokens representing attribute/value pairs of a target audience of the content item and/or property/value pairs of the item or the item's campaign. A query or request to identify content items for serving to a particular user is similarly formatted with tokens representing attribute/value pairs of the user and/or item/campaign. Queries can then be executed rapidly across any or all index entries in any or all slices. Within a slice, entries may be sorted by value or score, and integer components within an individual entry may be sorted to facilitate rapid comparison with a query. |
| US09779119B2 |
Universal delta set management
The different advantageous embodiments provide a method for identifying changes in data sets. An ending version for a data set is received. A beginning version for the data set is identified. The ending version for the data set is compared with the beginning version for the data set. A number of differences is calculated between the ending version and the beginning version. A data structure is created that identifies the number of differences between the ending version and the beginning version. |
| US09779114B2 |
Media geotagging
Geotagging techniques allow automatic playback of media items based on position. Tagged items can be presented automatically in response to establishing network communications between two devices. |
| US09779111B2 |
Method and system for configuration of virtualized software applications
A method of virtualizing an application to execute on a plurality of operating systems without installation. The method includes creating an input configuration file for each operating system. The templates each include a collection of configurations that were made by the application during installation on a computing device executing the operating system. The templates are combined into a single application template having a layer including the collection of configurations for each operating system. The collection of configurations includes files and registry entries. The collections also identifies and configures environmental variables, systems, and the like. Files in the collection of configurations and references to those files may be replaced with references to files stored on installation media. The application template is used to build an executable of the virtualized application. The application template may be incorporated into a manifest listing other application templates and made available to users from a website. |
| US09779107B2 |
Dynamically synching elements in file
An approach is provided for synchronizing elements in files across a technical environment. In one embodiment, a processor obtains a first change to a first file. The processor also obtains data identifying a second file. The processor determines if the change is supported by a data library in a pre-defined list of data sources. The processor analyzes the data library to determine a type of the change. The processor applies the type of the change to the second file. |
| US09779106B2 |
Application management method and device
Disclosed are an application management method and device, applied to a first device connected to a second device. The method includes mapping at least one application in the second device, to obtain at least one corresponding application identifier; detecting a first operation; when the first operation satisfies a first preset condition, determining an application identifier of a first application according to the at least one application identifier; detecting a second operation; when the second operation satisfies a second preset condition, obtaining a corresponding application management command according to the second operation; and sending the application management command to the second device, so that the second device manages the first application according to the application management command. |
| US09779103B2 |
Preserving redundancy in data deduplication systems
Various embodiments for preserving data redundancy in a data deduplication system in a computing environment are provided. An indicator is configured. The indicator is provided with a selected data segment to be written through the data deduplication system to designate that the selected data segment must not be subject to a deduplication operation, such that repetitive data can be written and stored on physical locations despite being identical. |
| US09779101B2 |
Data conversion device
Devices for converting data are provided. In one embodiment, a data conversion device is provided that includes a conversion portion and an existing file segment database portion. The conversion portion is configured to partition a file to be converted into a plurality of file segments. The existing file segment database portion is connected to the conversion portion. Also, the existing file segment database portion is configured to store one or more existing file segments and one or more key values, each of the one or more key values associated with one of the one or more existing file segments. The conversion portion is also configured to assign a key value to each of the plurality of file segments and to create a key value file with the assigned key values. |
| US09779098B2 |
Navigating through media object collection
A method and apparatus are provided for navigating through a media object collection using a mobile device. Users navigate to the target media objects by repeatedly specifying filters. After a user specifies a filter, the filter is applied in combination with all previously specified filters to produce a filtered set of media objects. After a filter is applied, a display level is selected for each hierarchical dimension for which the media objects have metadata. The selection of the display level may be based on the number of distinct values that the media objects in the filtered set have for each level of the hierarchical dimension. Single-action controls are then displayed for each of the values that the media objects in the filtered set have for the selected display level. |
| US09779095B2 |
User input-based play-list generation and playback system
Systems are provided to enable users of a streaming media playback system to access play-lists generated automatically based on input of a plurality of users regarding previously played media resources, and to provide user input regarding the media resources of the play-lists. The user input regarding media resources may be received from a plurality of users using a plurality of playback interfaces executing on a plurality of internet enabled multimedia computing platforms. A rating component determines rating information from the user inputs provided by the plurality of users and modifies the rating information in an organizational data structure that describes rating information for the media resources. The system further includes a play-list generator adapted to generate and store or dynamically generate at least one play-list at least based on the rating information in the organizational data structure. |
| US09779093B2 |
Spatial seeking in media files
A method, apparatus, and computer program product are provided in order to playback video and/or audio files wherein a desired segment is selected and played back based on its spatial audio content. In the context of a method, playback of media data is provided. The method may include generating one or more spatial seek points for the media data and causing display of information corresponding to the one or more spatial seek points. The method may further include performing the generation of the one or more seek points based on receiving a request for spatial seek points, automatically upon receiving the media data or upon starting playback of the media data, or based on the format of the media data. The method may further include receiving a selection of one of the one or more spatial seek points and providing for playback of the media data from a time point corresponding to the selected spatial seek point. A corresponding apparatus and a computer program product are also provided. |
| US09779088B2 |
Translation station
An interactive electronic translation and communications process is provided for use in a translation station that provides a mobile or stationary fixed interactive facility for interviews or interrogations to be carried out between two persons speaking in different languages. The process can be assisted by animated virtual characters (avatars) realistically created and displayed on a computer screen to represent ethnic looks from around the globe. The avatars can be lip synchronized to deliver messages to the interviewee in the interviewee's languages and can guide the users and interviewee through a series of questions and answers. Biometric conditions of the interviewee and electronic identification of the interviewee can also be readily accomplished by the novel process. The process is particularly useful for hospitals, law enforcement, military, airport security, transportation terminals, financial institutions, and government agencies. |
| US09779080B2 |
Text auto-correction via N-grams
An input text string is received that contains characters or words. The input text string can be completed or corrected using contact scores based on n-grams. In addition, a subsequent text string and a preceding text string for the input text string are also identified, again using n-gram scores. A corrected text string is created by inserting the preceding text string before the input text string and appending the subsequent text string after the input text string. |
| US09779079B2 |
Authoring system
A method for supervising text includes receiving input text in a natural language, the input text including at least one source sentence. The input text is analyzed, which includes, for a source sentence in the input text, generating a syntacetic representation. A target sentence is generated in the same natural language, based on the syntacetic representation. The source sentence is compared with the target sentence to determine whether there is a match. A decision is output, based on the comparison. |
| US09779076B2 |
Utilizing classification and text analytics for optimizing processes in documents
Classification and text analytics are used to evaluate passages, extract text, identify concepts, and provide displayable and searchable notations to assist document editors in identifying and evaluating conflicting or duplicate directives (also called policies or rules) within a large document. |
| US09779074B2 |
Relevancy of communications about unstructured information
Provided are a method, computer program product, and system for relevant communications about unstructured information. Determining a relevant knowledge domain for the unstructured information. Generating one or more unstructured information annotations with a text analyzer, wherein the text analyzer is configured with at least one annotator related to the relevant knowledge domain. Generating one or more communication annotations for each of one or more communications with the configured text analyzer. Determining a relevance factor for each of the one or more communications based in part upon a comparison of the communication annotations to the information annotations. Presenting the communications with a relevance factor greater than a threshold relevance. |
| US09779069B2 |
Model traversing based compressed serialization of user interaction data and communication from a client-side application
A system can effectively compress instrumentation data related to a page view on a client-side application thread (such as a web browser thread) and communicate the compressed data over the Internet to a server (such as an analytics server). Leading up to the compression, the system can include data scanning, code building, code encoding, and code serialization. The compression can run on a background thread of the client-side application, so that it does not interfere with other processes run by the client-side application. For example, a web worker can implement the code compression described herein. |
| US09779063B1 |
Document processor program having document-type dependent interface
Systems and methods for document processing are discussed herein. In certain embodiments, novel document processor programs may allow for a knowledge worker to concentrate on the content of a document, rather than its formatting. Such programs may separately store layout and/or typesetting information from content, allowing for their combination after the content is created. Novel data structures and techniques are provided to permit the use of advanced version control, collaboration techniques and team/or workflows. User interfaces are also disclosed which dynamically adapt to a document type and/or a portion of a document being edited. Such features may significantly increase knowledge worker drafting efficiency. |
| US09779062B2 |
Apparatus, method, and computer program product for computing occurrence probability of vector
According to an embodiment, a computing apparatus includes a memory, and a processor. The memory stores N first vectors in a d-dimensional binary vector space consisting of binary values. The processor acquires a second vector in the d-dimensional binary vector space. The processor extracts M first vectors having a distance from the second vector satisfying a first condition out of the N first vectors, and calculate a distribution of distances of the M first vectors from the second vector. The processor acquires a first kernel function per a first distance between the M first vectors and the second vector in a first range. The processor generates a second kernel function based on the distribution and the first kernel functions. The processor calculates an occurrence probability of the second vector in the N first vectors based on the second kernel function. |
| US09779056B2 |
Communication server, communication system, program, and communication method
A communication server includes a terminal management unit managing data identifying each of a plurality of communication terminals in association with group identification data identifying a group to which the communication terminals belong; a determination unit determining, when a session for transmitting and receiving content data is established between first and second communication terminals, whether group identification information sets of the first and the second communication terminals associated with the session are the same as each other based on the group identification data; and a report unit reporting, when the group identification information sets of the first and the second communication terminals are the same as each other, shared location information indicating a location of a shared memory area shared between the first and the second communication terminals to the first and the second communication terminals associated with the session while the session is being established. |
| US09779054B2 |
System, apparatus and method for centralized management of security inspection devices via field bus network
Disclosed is system, apparatus and method for centralized management of security inspection devices, which provide connection and communication between local security inspection devices and a remote control site according to bus communication scheme. The system comprises: a plurality of security inspection devices arranged on the spot; a remote control site arranged at a remote side; and a field bus network connecting the plurality of security inspection devices with the remote control site and transmitting signals between the plurality of security inspection devices and the remote control site according to bus communication scheme. With implementations of the present invention, correct and reliable centralized management of local security inspection devices from the remote control site can be achieved with less signal lines and simpler layout of the lines. |
| US09779053B2 |
Physical interface for a serial interconnect
An apparatus that includes a physical interface for a serial interconnect is provided. The physical interface includes a buffer that is selectable to function as a drift buffer or an elastic buffer by a voltage level on a buffer control line. The physical interface also includes encoding logic that can be enabled or disabled by a voltage level on a logic control line. Further, the physical interface also includes and an ordered set generator that can be enabled or disabled by a voltage level on a communications control line. |
| US09779048B2 |
USB type-C cable and method for reading/writing a chip in a USB type-C cable
A method for reading/writing a chip in a USB type-C cable comprises converting a read/write command into unstructured vendor defined message (UVDM) that is conforming to a USB power delivery specification. Such UVDM will be delivered to the chip via a type-C configuration channel interface. The chip analyzes the UVDM to acquire the read/write command and reads or modifies the content of a non-volatile memory in the chip according to the read/write command. Due to use of the type-C configuration channel interface, which is inherent in the USB type-C cable, to read/write the chip, it needs no extra interface which otherwise increases costs. |
| US09779046B2 |
Electronic apparatus and port control method for locking downstream USB ports
A method of an embodiment enables locking of downstream ports of a USB hub controller in an electronic apparatus. The method includes the determination step, the assertion step and the lock step. The determination step determines, with a BIOS, whether a lock setting has been made on each of the downstream ports. The assertion step performs, with the BIOS, assertion control for resetting the USB hub controller. The lock step performs, with the BIOS, lock control during the assertion control based on whether the lock setting has been made. |
| US09779041B2 |
Enabling poll/select style interfaces with coherent accelerators
Embodiments disclose techniques for enabling the use poll and select subroutines with coherent accelerator block or character devices. In one embodiment, an operating system receives, from an application, a system call to attach a hardware context with the coherent accelerator block or character device. The operating system generates a channel based on a file descriptor associated with the attach system call. The operating system associates the channel with a hardware context selected from a plurality of hardware contexts available to the coherent accelerator, wherein the hardware context is attached to the application. Upon receiving, from the application, a system call to check for exceptions that have occurred on the coherent accelerator block device or character device, the operating system returns an indication of any exceptions which have occurred while the coherent accelerator was using the hardware context to the application. |
| US09779039B2 |
Impedance adjustment in a memory device
Methods and apparatus for impedance adjustment operations in memory devices are disclosed. One such method includes adjusting an impedance of a particular driver circuit of a particular memory device to a desired impedance, determining configuration information corresponding to a configuration of the particular driver circuit adjusted to the desired impedance, transferring the configuration information to a different memory device and configuring an impedance of a driver circuit of the different memory device responsive to the configuration information. |
| US09779038B2 |
Efficient suspend-resume operation in memory devices
A method includes executing a first memory access operation in a memory. A progress indication, which is indicative of a progress of execution of the first memory access operation, is obtained from the memory. Based on the progress indication, a decision is made whether to suspend the execution of the first memory access operation in order to execute a second memory access operation. |
| US09779030B2 |
Grouping tracks for destaging
Various embodiments for grouping tracks for destaging by a processor device in a computing environment are provided. Tracks are selected for destaging from a least recently used (LRU) list and the selected tracks are moved to a destaging wait list. One of the selected tracks is selected from the destaging wait list and the selected tracks are grouped for destaging. A first track and a last track are located from the group of selected tracks of the destaging wait list. The destaging is commenced from the first track in the group of selected tracks. A track is added to the group of selected tracks if the track is one of modified and located in a cache, otherwise, a next one of the selected tracks in the group of selected tracks is moved to. |
| US09779029B2 |
Cache replacement policy for data with strong temporal locality
Various cache replacement policies are described whose goals are to identify items for eviction from the cache that are not accessed often and to identify items stored in the cache that are regularly accessed that should be maintained longer in the cache. In particular, the cache replacement policies are useful for workloads that have a strong temporal locality, that is, items that are accessed very frequently for a period of time and then quickly decay in terms of further accesses. In one embodiment, a variation on the traditional least recently used caching algorithm uses a reuse period or reuse distance for an accessed item to determine whether the item should be promoted in the cache queue. In one embodiment, a variation on the traditional two queue caching algorithm evicts items from the cache from both an active queue and an inactive queue. |
| US09779021B2 |
Non-volatile memory controller cache architecture with support for separation of data streams
A system according to one embodiment includes non-volatile memory, and a non-volatile memory controller having a cache. An architecture of the cache supports separation of data streams, and the cache architecture supports parallel writes to different non-volatile memory channels. Additionally, the cache architecture supports pipelining of the parallel writes to different non-volatile memory planes. Furthermore, the non-volatile memory controller is configured to perform a direct memory lookup in the cache based on a physical block address. Other systems, methods, and computer program products are described in additional embodiments. |
| US09779013B2 |
Method and system for optimizing a test suite comprising plurality of test cases
The present disclosure relates to a method and system for optimizing a test suite comprising plurality of test cases. In an embodiment, the pluralities of test cases are received from data sources. The method identifies one or more redundant and non-redundant test cases among the plurality of test cases in the test suite and computes similarity percentage between each of the non-redundant test cases by comparing test description and steps of each non-redundant test case with test description and steps of other non-redundant test cases. The non-redundant test cases are grouped into clusters based on the similarity percentage. Further, the method identifies test functions in each of the clusters for determining reusable test functions. Upon identifying the reusable test functions, test cases in each of the clusters are reconstructed by replacing each of the test cases with the reusable test function references thereby optimizing the test suite. |
| US09779010B2 |
Registration-based remote debug watch and modify
A remote debugging technique provides anonymity of program variables and selective debugging capability by providing a registration facility by which program variables are registered locally with a debugging module. An external program then communicates with the debugging modules and observes and/or modifies the program variables by specifying either an index or a variable name. The need to publish symbols is thereby averted and only the variables that a developer is interested in observing need be registered. |
| US09779009B2 |
Source code equivalence verification device and source code equivalence verification method
When verifying rapidly the equivalence between source codes with respect to refactoring, the present invention performs two types of verification: verification based on structural comparison using structure graphs obtained by analyzing the source codes, and verification based on symbolic execution. If the structural comparison using the structure graphs can verify that the structures are identical with each other, then symbolic execution is not performed. Further, before the verification based on the structural comparison, the structure graphs of the source codes before and after refactoring are normalized on the basis of normalization information, which is defined for each refactoring pattern, and thereby adjusted so that the resulting structures are identical with each other when the refactoring is valid. Further, the structure graphs before and after the refactoring are subjected to abstraction before being subjected to symbolic execution for verification, thereby limiting locations to which symbolic execution is to be applied. |
| US09779008B2 |
File monitoring
A server receives a first set of file activity data from a first file monitor. The first set of file activity data indicates activity associated with a first set of files accessed at a first compute node in communication with a network. Further, the server receives a second set of file activity data from a second file monitor. The second set of file activity data indicates activity associated with a second set of files accessed at a second compute node in communication with the network. In addition, the server aggregates the first set of file activity data and the second set of file activity data into an aggregated set of network file activity data. |
| US09779007B1 |
System and method for building and repairing a script for retrieval of information from a web site
A system and method allows users to provide portions of scripts or scripts for retrieval of information from one or more web sites of one or more businesses by demonstrating operation of the one or more web sites and identifying locations of one or more fields on each web page of the one or more web sites, and the system and method stores the scripts and uses the scripts to retrieve information from such web site or web sites for any number of users. Different portions of different scripts may be used as a single script to retrieve information from a single web site. Scripts or portions of scripts may be repaired using information from previously working scripts or portions, the web site when the script or portion worked, and the web site when the script or portion did not work. |
| US09779005B2 |
Analyzing log streams based on correlations between data structures of defined node types
A method by a log stream analysis computer includes identifying records of log streams within a log repository containing a defined term. The log streams are generated by respective software sources executed by the host nodes. Similarity values are determined to indicate similarity between content of the records containing the defined term. A term node is generated to contain a data structure that identifies the defined term and lists identities of the records and corresponding ones of the similarity values. Related log stream analysis computers are disclosed. |
| US09779003B2 |
Safely mapping and unmapping host SCSI volumes
Methods, apparatus and computer program products implement embodiments of the present invention that include detecting, by a storage system, a change in a mapping of a logical volume to one or more host ports of a host computer communicating with the storage system via a storage area network (SAN). Subsequent to detecting the change, first and second input/output (I/O) requests for the logical volume are received from a given host port, and a first unit attention message is conveyed to the given host port in response to the first I/O request. A second unit attention message is conveyed to the given host port upon determining that the storage system received the second I/O request within a specific time period commencing upon receiving the first I/O request. However, the second I/O request can be performed if the storage system received the second I/O request subsequent to the specific time period. |
| US09778987B2 |
Writing encoded data slices in a dispersed storage network
A method for writing a set of encoded data slices to memory of a dispersed storage network (DSN) begins by a processing module identifying an encoded data slice of the set of encoded data slices for a redundant write operation to produce an identified encoded data slice. The method continues with the processing module generating a set of first write requests regarding the set of encoded data slices less the identified encoded data slice and generating a set of second write requests regarding the identified encoded data slice. The method continues with the processing module sending the set of first write requests to storage units of the DSN and sending the set of second write requests to a set of storage units of the DSN, where each storage unit of the set of storage units is sent a corresponding one of the set of second write requests. |
| US09778986B2 |
Storage system
The storage system according to the present invention comprises a controller, and multiple storage device constituting a RAID group. When storing write data to multiple discontinuous areas within stripes of a storage device, the storage system transmits a new data transmission command containing information for specifying the multiple discontinuous areas and a write data to the storage device, and thereafter, receives an intermediate parity generated from multiple write data and data before update of the multiple write data from the storage device, and then transmits the received intermediate parity and an intermediate parity transmission command to the storage device storing the parity. Thereafter, a data commitment command containing information for specifying multiple discontinuous areas is transmitted to multiple storage devices, and the storage device storing the parity generates a parity after update from the received intermediate parity and a parity before update corresponding to the intermediate parity, and stores the parity after update in a storage media. |
| US09778978B2 |
Memory device and memory system with sensor
According to one embodiment, a memory device includes a first address memory storing a first address; a controller which is based on a first interface which transmits a signal serially and outputs a first command in accordance with the first interface; and a memory which stores data in a nonvolatile manner, is based on the first interface, and stores received write data in an address based on the first address when the memory receives the first command. |
| US09778977B2 |
Microcode data recovery strategies for use of iterative decode
Various embodiments for data error recovery in a tape storage system, by a processor device, are provided. In one embodiment, a method comprises modifying erasure control configuration settings upon rereading a buffered dataset having passed through at least one microcode-initiated iterative decode cycle. X microcode-initiated iterative decode cycles are initiated on the buffered dataset while the tape is stopped, where x comprises at least one of a plurality of the microcode-initiated iterative decode cycles. The x microcode-initiated decode cycles are initiated on the buffered dataset until a predetermined error correction threshold is reached. |
| US09778976B2 |
Semiconductor device and driving method thereof
An error of stored data is detected with high accuracy. Data (e.g., a remainder in a CRC) used for detecting an error is stored in a memory in which an error is unlikely to occur. Specifically, the following semiconductor device is used: a memory element including a plurality of transistors, a capacitor, and a data storage portion is provided in a matrix; the data storage portion includes one of a source and a drain of one of the plurality of transistors, a gate of another one of the plurality of transistors, and one electrode of the capacitor; a semiconductor layer including a channel of the transistor, the one of the source and the drain of which is connected to the data storage portion, has a band gap of 2.8 eV or more, or 3.2 eV or more; and the data storage portion stores data for detecting an error. |
| US09778975B2 |
Hidden data identification in solid state drive forensics
A method of isolating hidden data in a solid state memory system is disclosed including obtaining a logical block address (LBA) image from the memory system, obtaining a physical block address (PBA) image, determining whether an error exists in the PBA image and correcting the error, calculating an ETCRC on each sector of the LBA image and building a search tree indexed on the ETCRC value. For each sector in the PBA image, the method also includes computing an error tolerant cyclic redundancy check (ETCRC) value and searching for the ETCRC value in the LBA search tree. If the ETCRC value is found, also included is comparing the cyclic redundancy check (CRC) of the LBA and PBA sectors, and outputting to an output file the PBA sector as hidden data if either the ETCRC value is not found in the LBA search tree or the CRC comparison fails. |
| US09778971B2 |
Slave device, master device, and communication method
A slave device is equipped with: a parameter setting portion for setting different values according to the content of commands sent from a master device, as parameter values for detecting anomalies; and an anomaly detecting portion for detecting anomalies by comparing the time corresponding to a parameter value that has been set by the parameter setting portion and the measured time of a process carried out in response to a command. |
| US09778970B2 |
Memory check, abnormality threshold count, and reset in an onboard electronic control unit
Provided is an onboard electronic control unit. A CPU regularly performs a memory check and, if a determination has been made that there is an error in the memory content, writes the number of times an error has been determined to an error count storage unit, and resets itself. Immediately after the CPU has been reset and before the first memory check is performed, an error determination unit determines whether or not the error count stored in the error count storage unit is at least an error determination threshold. If the error count is at least the error determination threshold, an error response unit causes the CPU to execute a specific error response program, out of the programs in the memory. |
| US09778968B1 |
Programatic implementations generated from an API call log
Systems and methods for generating a programmatic implementation based on a set of recorded API calls. One example includes determining an interval of time during which actions made on an interface associated with a session user account are made, obtaining a set of records from an API call log that indicates a set of API calls made during the interval of time, and generating a programmatic implementation that is usable to submit the set of API calls. |
| US09778966B2 |
Classification and modelling of exception types for integration middleware systems
The present disclosure describes methods, systems, and computer program products for modeling exception flows in an integration system. One computer-implemented method includes identifying, by operation of an application integration system, an exception corresponding to an integration operation of an integration process, determining, by operation of the application integration system, a type of the exception, determining, by operation of the application integration system, one or more exception handling patterns for the type of the exception, and configuring, by operation of the application integration system, an exception flow of the integration process based on the one or more exception handling patterns. |
| US09778961B2 |
Efficient scheduling of multi-versioned tasks
Methods, devices, systems, and non-transitory process-readable storage media for a multi-processor computing device to schedule multi-versioned tasks on a plurality of processing units. An embodiment method may include processor-executable operations for enqueuing a specialized version of a multi-versioned task in a task queue for each of the plurality of processing units, wherein each specialized version is configured to be executed by a different processing unit of the plurality of processing units, providing ownership over the multi-versioned task to a first processing unit when the first processing unit is available to immediately execute a corresponding specialized version of the multi-versioned task, and discarding other specialized versions of the multi-versioned task in response to providing ownership over the multi-versioned task to the first processing unit. Various operations of the method may be performed via a runtime functionality. |
| US09778960B2 |
Thermal prioritized computing application scheduling
Implementations disclosed herein relate to thermal based prioritized computing application scheduling. For example, a processor may determine a prioritized computing application. The processor may schedule the prioritized computing application to transfer execution from a first processing unit to a second processing unit based on a thermal reserve energy associated with the second processing unit. |
| US09778954B2 |
Systems and methods for handling limit parameters for a multi-core system
The present invention is directed towards systems and methods for handling limit parameters for multi-core systems. A pool manager divides the limited number of uses of a resource into an exclusive quota pool and a shared quota pool. Each packet processing engine operating on a core is allocated an exclusive number of uses of the resource from the exclusive quota pool. If a packet processing engine wishes to use the resource beyond its exclusive number, the packet processing engine must borrow from the shared quota pool. |
| US09778951B2 |
Task signaling off a critical path of execution
Embodiments include computing devices, systems, and methods for task signaling on a computing device. Execution of a task by an initial thread on a critical path of execution may be interrupted to create at least one parallel task by the initial thread that can be executed in parallel with the task executed by the initial thread. An initial signal indicating the creation of the at least one parallel task to a relay thread may be sent by the initial thread. Execution of the task by the initial thread may resume before an acquisition of the at least one parallel task. |
| US09778948B2 |
Information processing apparatus, computer readable storage medium, and collecting method
An information processing apparatus includes a processor, and a memory connected to the processor, that stores a piece of identification information allocated to a physical partition in the information processing apparatus. The processor executes a process including collecting pieces of the identification information that are stored by other information processing apparatuses included in an information processing system. The process includes notifying an operating system of the pieces of the identification information collected at the collecting. |
| US09778937B1 |
Method and implementation for starting and stopping the playing of media content during booting process
Certain aspects direct to a computing device, which include a processor, a microcontroller, a random access memory (RAM) having a frame buffer, a video controller configured to read video data from the frame buffer, and a non-volatile memory. The processor, the microcontroller, the RAM, the video controller, and the non-volatile memory are in communication with each other. The non-volatile memory stores an operating system, a media player, and first video data. The processor is configured to load the operating system to the RAM and execute the operating system. While the processor is loading the operating system, the microcontroller is configured to load and execute the media player into the RAM. The media player, when executed by the microcontroller, is configured to read the first video data from the non-volatile memory, and write second video data representing the first video data to the frame buffer. |
| US09778936B1 |
Booting a computing system into a manufacturing mode
A system firmware is disclosed that includes a pre-extensible firmware interface initialization (PEI) boot mode module that can determine the presence of a customizable manufacturing mode variable. If the PEI determines that the manufacturing mode variable exists, the computing system may be booted into a manufacturing mode of operation. A computing system booted into a manufacturing mode of operation may be in one of several manufacturing mode states. |
| US09778935B2 |
System and method for improving a startup speed of a wireless handheld device
The present disclosure discloses a startup method and a wireless handheld device. The present disclosure relates to the field of communications technologies. The startup method includes: when a wireless handheld device is started, if it is detected that a Kth Android installation package file in a data application directory is undergoing installation or updating, decompressing a library file of the Kth Android installation package file to a preset subdirectory in the data application directory, where K is an integer greater than zero. A corresponding wireless handheld device is further provided. By adopting the present disclosure, a startup speed of the wireless handheld device can be improved. |
| US09778933B2 |
Non-serialized push instruction for pushing a message payload from a sending thread to a receiving thread
In at least some embodiments, a processor core executes a sending thread including a first push instruction and a second push instruction subsequent to the first push instruction in a program order. Each of the first and second push instructions requests that a respective message payload be pushed to a mailbox of a receiving thread. In response to executing the first and second push instructions, the processor core transmits respective first and second co-processor requests to a switch in the data processing system via an interconnect fabric of the data processing system. The processor core transmits the second co-processor request to the switch without regard to acceptance of the first co-processor request by the switch. |
| US09778930B2 |
Evaluating software compliance
A software compliance assessment apparatus for determining a level of compliance of a software application in execution in a virtualized computing environment, the apparatus comprising: an identifier component operable to identify resources instantiated for execution of the application; a retriever component operable to retrieve a compliance characteristic for the application, the compliance characteristic being retrieved based on the identified resources, and the compliance characteristic having associated a compliance criterion based on a formal parameter; a selector component operable to select a software component for providing an actual parameter corresponding to the formal parameter, the actual parameter being based on data concerning at least one of the resources; an evaluator component operable to evaluate the compliance criterion using the actual parameter; and a detector component operable to detect a change to one or more of the resources, wherein the identifier component, selector component and evaluator component are operable in response to a determination by the detector component that one or more resources is changed, wherein the selector component selects the software component based on an identification of one or more data items that the software component is operable to provide. |
| US09778928B1 |
Compressed firmware update
It may be determined that a payment reader requires a firmware update, which may be transmitted to the payment reader as compressed firmware update blocks. The payment reader may receive a first portion of set of the compressed firmware update blocks. The payment reader may decompress the first portion and determine a partial firmware offset associated with the first portion. If the firmware update is incomplete, the payment reader may transmit that partial firmware offset to a second device. Based on this partial of firmware offset and an offset table that associates compressed firmware offsets with decompressed firmware offsets, the payment reader receive a second portion of compressed firmware update blocks to send to the payment reader. The payment reader may determine that entire update has been received and update its firmware. |
| US09778927B2 |
Storage control device to control storage devices of a first type and a second type
A storage control device includes a processor. The processor is configured to classify second type storage devices into a first group and a second group. The second type storage devices temporarily store thereof data held in a first type storage device. The processor is configured to access the first type storage device using storage devices belonging to the second group while updating firmware of storage devices belonging to the first group. |
| US09778926B2 |
Minimizing image copying during partition updates
Disclosed are apparatus and methods for updating binary images. A computing device can determine transfers for updating a binary source image to become a binary target image. A transfer can include a source memory reference for the source image and a target memory reference for the target image. The computing device can determine a graph based on ordering dependencies between the transfers. The graph can include vertices for the transfers with edges between vertices. The computing device can generate an edge from a first vertex for a first transfer to a second vertex for a second transfer, with the first transfer to be performed before the second transfer. The computing device can break any cycles present in the graph to obtain an acyclic graph. The computing device can order the transfers based on the acyclic graph and send the ordered transfers in an update package for the source image. |
| US09778921B2 |
Method for creating, exporting, sharing, and installing graphics functional blocks
Systems, apparatuses, computer readable media, and methods for creating, exporting, sharing, and installing graphics functional blocks are described herein. In one embodiment, a selection is received from a graphical user interface (GUI) for one or more patches of multiple linked patches representing a graphics composition. In response to the selection, a dependency analysis is performed to determine one or more related patches that have a dependency relationship with the selected patches. Based on the dependency analysis, source code associated with the selected patches and the related patches is extracted without extracting source code of unselected and unrelated patches. Thereafter, the selected patches, the related patches, and the extracted source code are exported into a composition file to be shared with another user. Other methods and apparatuses are also described. |
| US09778920B2 |
Mobile design patterns
A mobile design pattern. In an example embodiment, the design pattern includes a first user interface display screen that depicts a list of user interface controls organized in rows. Each row in the list includes a different set of one or more controls. Each different set of one or more controls is associated with a different set of functionality provided by one or more additional user interface display screens. The example design pattern further includes a second user interface display screen that is accessible via the different sets of one or more controls. The second user interface display screen includes a navigation bar, which includes one or more navigation controls and a title or header identifying a set of functionality associated with the different set of one or more controls. The second user interface display screen further includes an information-display region adapted to display data associated with the set of functionality. |
| US09778910B2 |
Multiplier pipelining optimization with a bit folding correction
One embodiment provides a system. The system includes a register to store an operand; a multiplier; and optimizer logic to initiate a square/multiply stage to operate on the operand, initiate a reduction stage prior to completion of the square/multiply stage, and determine whether a carry propagation has occurred. |
| US09778909B2 |
Double rounded combined floating-point multiply and add
Methods, apparatus, instructions and logic are disclosed providing double rounded combined floating-point multiply and add functionality as scalar or vector SIMD instructions or as fused micro-operations. Embodiments include detecting floating-point (FP) multiplication operations and subsequent FP operations specifying as source operands results of the FP multiplications. The FP multiplications and the subsequent FP operations are encoded as combined FP operations including rounding of the results of FP multiplication followed by the subsequent FP operations. The encoding of said combined FP operations may be stored and executed as part of an executable thread portion using fused-multiply-add hardware that includes overflow detection for the product of FP multipliers, first and second FP adders to add third operand addend mantissas and the products of the FP multipliers with different rounding inputs based on overflow, or no overflow, in the products of the FP multiplier. Final results are selected respectively using overflow detection. |
| US09778905B1 |
Multiplier circuits configurable for real or complex operation
A system includes an integrated circuit coupled to the memory. The integrated circuit is configured to receive first and second complex numbers at one or more data inputs. A first value is determined using a first set of product arrays of a first real number multiplier. A second value is determined using a second set of product arrays of the first real number multiplier and a third set of product arrays of a second real number multiplier. A third value is determined using a fourth set of product arrays of the second real number multiplier. A real value of a first product of the first complex number times a second complex number is determined using the first value and the second value. An imaginary value of the first product is determined using the second value and the third value. |
| US09778903B2 |
Apparatuses and methods for timing domain crossing
Apparatuses and methods for a timing domain transfer circuit are disclosed. Disclosed embodiments may be configured to receive an event from one timing domain, output the event to another timing domain, and further configured to mark the event as transferred. An example method includes receiving an Event In based in a first timing domain at a first latch and receiving an intermediate event from the first latch by a second latch. The event is transferred to a second timing domain by the second latch and the first latch is reset based on feedback. |
| US09778900B2 |
Causing a device to join a synchrony group
A system is described for maintaining synchrony of operations among a plurality of devices that have independent clocking arrangements. The system includes a task distribution device that distributes tasks to a synchrony group comprising a plurality of devices that are to perform the tasks distributed by the task distribution device in synchrony. The task distribution device distributes each task to the members of the synchrony group over a network. Each task is associated with a time stamp that indicates a time, relative to a clock maintained by the task distribution device, at which the members of the synchrony group are to execute the task. Each member of the synchrony group periodically obtains from the task distribution device an indication of the current time indicated by its clock, determines a time differential between the task distribution device's clock and its respective clock and determines therefrom a time at which, according to its respective clock, the time stamp indicates that it is to execute the task. |
| US09778895B2 |
Systems, devices, components and associated computer executable code for providing remote viewing of a display associated with a computational device
According to some embodiments of the present invention, there may be provided one or more remote display viewing units functionally associated with one or more computational devices. A remote display viewing unit (RDVU) may include a screen and/or other form of displaying component (e.g. retinal projection mechanism) adapted to present to a user a portion and/or complete display of an associated computing device display/screen, Graphic User Interface (GUI), and/or any other graphically rendered data relating to the device. According to further embodiments, a RDVU may include shading components adapted to prevent and/or mitigate exterior lighting/sunshine interference with viewing the remote screen and/or displaying component. For example, the RDVU may include a visor type component. |
| US09778893B2 |
Server printer synchronization for job ticket processing
A method is disclosed including a print controller receiving print job data defined according to a first language, receiving a job ticket defined according to a second language, processing the print job data according to the second language and implementing counters defined according to the first language to track progress while processing the print job data. |
| US09778891B2 |
Communication apparatus control method and storage medium
A communication apparatus including a near field wireless communication unit which holds communication information regarding a communication sets a communication mode to be used for a wireless communication unit supporting a longer field wireless communication than a wireless communication using a near field wireless communication unit in accordance with write information written from an external apparatus to the near field wireless communication unit. |
| US09778881B2 |
Techniques for automatically freeing space in a log-structured storage system based on segment fragmentation
A method includes (a) writing blocks of data to a storage device, pluralities of the blocks of data being organized into macroblocks, macroblocks having a first fixed size, pluralities of the macroblocks being organized into segments, segments having a second fixed size, (b) marking some of the written blocks as deleted, (c) computing a ratio of storage marked as deleted (SMD) from a segment and storage written (SW) to the segment (ratio SMD:SW), and (d) in response to the computed ratio exceeding a threshold value, performing a compaction operation on the segment. Performing the compaction operation on the segment includes (1) copying blocks which have not been marked as deleted from within macroblocks that contain at least one block marked as deleted to a new macroblock of the first fixed size and (2) in response to copying, marking the macroblocks from which the blocks were copied as free for reuse. |
| US09778877B1 |
High capacity, high performance memory system
Memory devices and a memory controller that controls such memory devices. Multiple memory devices receive commands and addresses on a command/address (C/A) bus that is relayed point-to-point by each memory device. Data is received and sent from these devices to/from a memory controller in a point-to-point configuration by adjusting the width of each individual data bus coupled between the individual memory devices and the memory controller. Along with the C/A bus are clock signals that are regenerated by each memory device and relayed. The memory controller and memory devices may be packaged on a single substrate using package-on-package technology. Using package-on-package technology allows the relayed C/A signals to connect from memory device to memory device using wire bonding. Wirebond connections provide a short, high-performance signaling environment for the chip-to-chip relaying of the C/A signals and clocks from one memory device to the next in the daisy-chain. |
| US09778875B2 |
Multi-partitioning of memories
Various embodiments comprise devices to manage multiple memory types and reconfigure partitions in a memory device as directed by a host. In one embodiment, the apparatus is to manage commands through a first interface controller to mapped portions of a first memory not having an attribute enhanced set, and map portions of a second memory having the attribute enhanced set through a second interface controller. Additional devices are described. |
| US09778873B2 |
Maintaining versions of data in solid state memory
Various embodiments are directed to maintaining versions of data within a solid state memory. At least one request to write at least one dataset to a logical page of a solid state memory is received from a file system. At least one physical page in a data block of the solid state memory associated with the logical page is identified. A processor stores the dataset in the at least one physical page. At least one data versioning tag is associated with the at least one dataset in a data structure associated with the logical page. The data versioning tag identifies the at least one dataset as a given version of the logical page. The at least one dataset is maintained as accessible from the at least one physical page irrespective of subsequent write operations to the logical page in response to associating the at least one data versioning tag. |
| US09778871B1 |
Power-reducing memory subsystem having a system cache and local resource management
Systems, methods, and computer programs are disclosed for method for reducing memory subsystem power. In an exemplary method, a system resource manager provides memory performance requirements for a plurality of memory clients to a double data rate (DDR) subsystem. The DDR subsystem and the system resource manager reside on a system on chip (SoC) electrically coupled to a dynamic random access memory (DRAM). A cache hit rate is determined of each of the plurality of memory clients associated with a system cache residing on the DDR subsystem. The DDR subsystem controls a DDR clock frequency based on the memory performance requirements received from the system resource manager and the cache hit rates of the plurality of memory clients. |
| US09778866B1 |
Method and system for providing storage checkpointing to a group of independent computer applications
A method and system for checkpointing at least one application in an application group. At least one full checkpoint and at least one incremental checkpoint are created for the application in the application group. The at least one incremental application checkpoint is merged against the at least one full application checkpoint, and checkpointing across all applications in the application group is synchronized. A storage checkpoint is taken for at least one of the full checkpoint and the incremental checkpoint, and memory and storage checkpoints are synchronized and consistent. |
| US09778859B2 |
Doorless protocol having multiple queue read requests in flight
The present disclosure relates to methods and systems for performing operations in a communications protocol. An example method can include submitting, from a device, a request for a queue entry representing a command from a host comprising a request for data stored at a device memory location; receiving the command from the host; and executing the command. An example method can also include selecting a bit string representing whether a requested data stream has been received, and storing the bit string into a memory buffer portion to mark the buffer portion. The method can include receiving, into the memory buffer, the stream. The method can include retrieving contents of the buffer portion, and determining whether the contents contain the bit string. If so, the method can include determining that portions of the stream have not been received. Otherwise, the method can include determining that the stream has been received. |
| US09778852B1 |
Automated storage tiering based on application awareness
Predictors of future application activity/inactivity are used in combination with monitored data access activity to prompt movement of data between tiers of storage. The apparent amount of activity for data associated with an application that is expected to become active to be increased even before data associated with that application becomes active. Further, the apparent amount of activity for data associated with an application that has become inactive is rapidly decreased by overriding algorithms that control rate of change to counter thrashing. |
| US09778850B1 |
Techniques for zeroing non-user data areas on allocation
Described are techniques for processing a write operation that writes first data to a target location of a logical address range of a logical device. It is determined whether the target location is mapped to physical storage. Responsive to determining that the target location is not mapped to physical storage, performing first processing to service the write operation. The first processing includes sending the write operation along with a hint to a caching layer where the hint indicates to store zeroes to locations that do not include user data. The caching layer forms a data portion denoting data stored at a logical address subrange of the logical device. The logical address subrange includes the target location. The data portion includes the first data and zeroes stored at remaining locations of the logical address subrange not including user data. The data portion is stored in cache by the caching layer. |
| US09778847B2 |
Techniques for surfacing host-side storage capacity to virtual machines when performing VM suspend or snapshot operations
Techniques for surfacing host-side flash storage capacity to a plurality of VMs running on a host system are provided. In one embodiment, the host system creates, for each VM in the plurality of VMs, a flash storage space allocation in a flash storage device that is locally attached to the host system. The host system then causes the flash storage space allocation to be readable and writable by the VM as a virtual flash memory device. |
| US09778845B2 |
File management system
Disclosed herein is a file management system that includes an unformatted raw data area storing a plurality of raw data files at respective locations within the unformatted raw data area. The storage medium also includes a formatted partitioned area that includes a plurality of partitions each associated with a different file system. Each partition includes a plurality of metadata files each corresponding with one of the plurality of raw data files. Each metadata file includes metadata regarding the corresponding one of the plurality of raw data files. |
| US09778843B2 |
Gestures for keyboard switch
In one embodiment, a method includes displaying a first one of a plurality of touch-screen keyboards on a touch-screen display of a computing device; and, in response to a touch gesture, displaying a second one of the keyboards on the touch-screen display in place of the first one of the keyboards. |
| US09778841B2 |
Apparatus having random ordered keypad
An apparatus including: a touch screen display for displaying information, including displaying a keypad comprising an array of touch keys; a processor for controlling software and firmware operation; and a housing for supporting the touch screen display and configured to facilitate an operator keypad data entry, wherein the processor changes the displayed key configuration at a predetermined time. |
| US09778840B2 |
Electronic device with an interactive pressure sensitive multi-touch display
An information view may be displayed on a multi-touch display based on detected force or pressure from a push by a touch on a displayed image and from the push an indentation of a component portion. |
| US09778839B2 |
Motion-based input method and system for electronic device
A method for efficient data input may include displaying a user interface, detecting a plurality of positions of an object, and, controlling a display screen to display a data content, in response to a plurality of movements of the object. If the controller determines the object moved substantially in a first direction, the display screen modifies the data content based on a group of data choices. If the controller determines the object moved substantially in a second direction, the controller stores, into a memory, the data content currently being displayed on the display screen. |
| US09778838B2 |
Vessel touch panel device
A vessel touch panel device mounted on a vessel includes a touch panel, a first instruction output that outputs a first instruction when a first operation instruction is input to the touch panel, a second instruction output that outputs a second instruction when a second operation instruction is input to the touch panel, a non-touch panel type activation operator that is provided separately from the touch panel, and a controller. The activation operator is operated by a user in order that a state of the vessel touch panel device is transferred from a first state where the first instruction output is inactive to a second state where the first instruction output is active. The controller performs activation control based on when a predetermined first condition is satisfied when in the first state, and deactivation control when in the second state a predetermined second condition is satisfied. |
| US09778834B2 |
Multidimensional split view for a pivot table or other grid-based component
A data view may be into multiple data panes. Splits between data panes may be horizontal or vertical, allowing data panes to be arranged horizontally and vertically. Scroll boundaries are set for each pair of adjacent data panes, such that each data pane may only scroll through a portion of the data on its side of the scroll boundary. Data panes may be scrolled independently in the direction of a split. Data panes may be scrolled together perpendicular to the direction of a split. |
| US09778833B2 |
Identifying and surfacing relevant report artifacts in documents
Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and software for enhancing document productivity. In at least one implementation, an attempt to add a data connection in a document is identified. In response to identifying the attempt to add the data connection in the document, at least one other document is identified as relevant to the attempt. A suggestion may be surfaced in a user interface that identifies at least a portion of the one other documents. |
| US09778828B2 |
Presenting object properties
The present disclosure includes, among other things, systems, methods and program products for presenting object properties by receiving selection of a component of a model presented in a graphical user interface (GUI) of a computer aided design tool, the GUI including an interactive display element having an arrangement of property fields related to the selected component, determining property values associated with the property fields based on the selected component, and providing the determined property values in corresponding property fields of the interactive display element for presentation in the GUI in conjunction with the model, such that responsive to receiving selection of a different component of the model, the property fields are updated with property values corresponding to the different component. |
| US09778827B2 |
Ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus
In the present invention, a plurality of functions are allocated to respective rotary encoders (RE1 to RE5) from among numerous functions involved in ultrasonic diagnosis, and each of the rotary encoders selectively targets for operation each of the allocated plurality of functions. Names for the plurality of functions allocated to each of the rotary encoders are displayed as a bundle within respectively corresponding function menus (FM1 to FM5). Within each of the function menus, the name of the function that is currently being targeted for operation is given a special display mode. For example, the function menu (FM1) displays BbH and AIP, which are the names for two functions allocated to the rotary encoder (RE1), the lower AIP being displayed at a lower brightness than the higher BbH, to explicitly show that the current target for operation is BbH. |
| US09778826B2 |
Method and system for computer-aided consumption of information from application data files
The present invention provides a system and method for collecting and aggregating user-generated data based on user provided parameters and measures of relevance of underlying content. A user's data is combined with already existing collective data to generate relevant mark-ups for a document or other consumable data file, such as audio or video. The marked-up version of the document or data file is then displayed to users to, inter alia, help increase efficiency and assist in comprehension. |
| US09778825B2 |
Mobile terminal and controlling method thereof
A mobile terminal and controlling method thereof are disclosed. The present invention includes a display unit configured to display an image including at least one object on a screen and a controller searching for at least one associated information on the object using a partial image corresponding to the object in the image, the controller displaying the searched associated information. Accordingly, when a user searches for an information on a specific object in an image using an image search function, it is unnecessary for the user to crop a partial image corresponding to the specific object in the image one by one. Instead, a mobile terminal automatically recognizes the specific object in the image and is then able to search for at least one associated information on the specific object using a partial image of the automatically recognized specific object. |
| US09778824B1 |
Bookmark overlays for displayed content
Virtual bookmarks can be set in digital content to enable a user to quickly locate a portion of interest. A user can provide an input to enter into an overview mode wherein multiple pages of content are displayed concurrently. The user can navigate through the pages, and when a bookmarked page is caused to no longer appear on the display an overlay element such as a thumbnail of the page can be positioned near the edge of the display, representing the current relative location of the page in the overview. A user can select one of the displayed pages to view, or can select the bookmark overlay element to return to the current page. A user can perform an action to cause the bookmarked page to be updated, or can perform various actions to cause multiple bookmarks to be created with respect to the content. |
| US09778822B2 |
Touch input method and electronic apparatus thereof
A touch input method and an electronic apparatus thereof are provided. The touch input method is adapted to a touch module and includes the following steps. A first position of a terminal point of a sliding trail and a second position of a click action are obtained on a defined plane of the touch module. There is a time interval between the times of obtaining the first position and the second position. On the defined plane, the first position is utilized as an origin to define a plurality of quadrants for determining a relative distance between the first position and the second position and for determining which quadrant the second position is located. According to the relative distance, the quadrant where the second position is located, and the time interval, it is determined whether to execute a specific function. |
| US09778820B2 |
Managing applications on a computing device
Disclosed are methods, apparatus, systems, and computer readable storage media for managing applications on a computing device. A computing device may receive allowed application data indicating applications that are launchable by a base application. A user interface with one or more selections of the applications may be displayed at a display of the computing device. The computing device may receive input data indicating a selection of an application. Identifier data associated with the base application and selection data associated with the application may be provided to the application. |
| US09778818B2 |
System and method for pyramidal navigation
In a system and method for navigating content, a first selection of an aggregated content category is received from a plurality of aggregated content categories provided in a first portion of a user interface for an application for browsing and viewing media content. A second portion of the user interface is populated with media content items categorized in the selected aggregated content category. A second selection of a media content item of the media content items categorized in the selected aggregated category is received. The media content items are shifted to the first portion of the user interface, and the second portion of the user interface is populated with user interface panels relating to aspects of the selected media content item. A third selection of an indicator to view the aspects of the selected media content item is received. The user interface is regenerated to cause the display of only the user interface panels. |
| US09778812B2 |
Screen transition diagram creator
A screen transition diagram creator that creates a screen transition diagram illustrating complicated transition relations in an easy-to-understand manner, including: a screen transition diagram editor providing the screen transition diagram in which transition relations among plural screens are illustrated by plural screen nodes and arrows between the screen nodes; a screen transition pattern applying unit applying a predetermined screen transition pattern to a target screen node group that includes at least part of the screen nodes illustrated in the screen transition diagram to provide a pattern-applied screen node group; and a screen transition structure diagram creator creating a screen transition structure diagram by abridgement processing on the pattern-applied screen node group according to a display layout corresponding to the screen transition pattern. In the abridgement processing, arrows are deleted and an icon that simplistically illustrates a transition pattern between the screen nodes displayed in the display layout is added. |
| US09778810B2 |
Techniques to modify content and view content on mobile devices
A computer-based method for rendering modified graphical content is disclosed. The graphical content includes a plurality of cells. The method includes receiving the graphical content with metadata modifying the graphical content, rendering the graphical content upon a screen according to the metadata, and receiving user input. The method also includes in response to the user input, progressing through at least a subset of the cells, wherein the progressing includes moving a camera view from cell to cell in the at least a subset, each of the cells in the at least a subset being displayed as a focus point with surrounding area being adjusted in opacity according to the metadata. |
| US09778808B2 |
Touch panel and method for manufacturing the same
A touch panel and a method for manufacturing the same, where the touch panel includes: a substrate; a first sensing electrode pattern disposed on the insulation substrate, including a plurality of first sensing electrodes, a first connection to connect the plurality of first sensing electrodes in a first direction, and a plurality of floating electrodes; and a second sensing electrode pattern including a plurality of second sensing electrodes insulated from the plurality of floating electrodes and overlapping the plurality of floating electrodes and a second connection to connect the plurality of second sensing electrodes in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The first sensing electrode pattern includes nanowire. The second sensing electrode pattern includes a transparent conductive material. |
| US09778807B2 |
Multi-touch input discrimination
Techniques for identifying and discriminating between different types of contacts to a multi-touch touch-screen device are described. Illustrative contact types include fingertips, thumbs, palms and cheeks. By way of example, thumb contacts may be distinguished from fingertip contacts using a patch eccentricity parameter. In addition, by non-linearly deemphasizing pixels in a touch-surface image, a reliable means of distinguishing between large objects (e.g., palms) from smaller objects (e.g., fingertips, thumbs and a stylus) is described. |
| US09778806B2 |
Electronic device and method of controlling the same for detecting a conductive object on a touch-panel
Provided is a touch detection device, including: a determining unit configured to determine a region of a conductive object based on measurement of a self-capacitance of each of a plurality of electrodes arranged to intersect with each other; and a detecting unit configured to detect the conductive object based on measurement of a mutual capacitance of, among the plurality of electrodes, an electrode corresponding to the region of the conductive object determined by the determining unit, without measuring a mutual capacitance of an electrode outside of the region of the conductive object determined by the determining unit. |
| US09778805B2 |
Electrostatic capacitance input device and electro-optical device having input device
Disclosed herein is an electrostatic capacitance input device including: an input region of a substrate, in which a plurality of input position detection electrodes are provided; a plurality of wires that are electrically connected to the plurality of input position detection electrodes and extend outside the input region of the substrate; and a shield electrode that overlaps the wires on the input operation side. |
| US09778804B2 |
Calibrating charge mismatch in a baseline correction circuit
Various embodiments provide a processing module that calibrates a current-mode baseline correction system to account for features in an input device that lead to “offset” in output of a charge integrator used for sensing presence of an input object. The offset is a difference between a common mode voltage, which is the average voltage output of the charge integrator over a sensing cycle and a mid-rail voltage midway between high and low power supply voltages. Calibration is performed by adjusting an N-side and/or P-side current flow duration parameter until common mode voltage falls within a low offset window in which the offset is deemed to be sufficiently close to the mid-rail voltage. The resulting duration parameters are stored and used for current-mode baseline corrections when operating an associated sensor electrode for capacitive sensing. |
| US09778799B2 |
Capacitive sensing circuit for multi-touch panel, and multi-touch sensing device having same
A capacitive sensing circuit for a multi-touch panel includes a transmitting circuit configured to supply a transmitting signal to a transmitting line; and a receiving circuit part configured to detect a difference of a capacitance between the transmitting line and a receiving line. A control signal generator in the capacitive sensing circuit is configured to output first and second integral control signals respectively having an opposite phase to and the same phase as the transmitting signal in a first phase mode, and to output the first and second integral control signals respectively having the same phase as and an opposite phase to the transmitting signal in a second phase mode. The first and second integral control signals are mutually opposite to each other. A touch determining part is configured to determine whether a touch is generated based on capacitance values detected in the first and second phase modes. |
| US09778789B2 |
Touch rejection
The rejection of undesired touch events on a touch surface is disclosed. A weighted meta-centroid of all touch events can be computed. In some examples, touches can be weighted inversely to their size and distance to the nearest neighboring touch. In some examples, touches can be weighted based on the size of their minor radii. A meta-ellipse can be fit to the weighted touch events. In some examples, the major axis of the meta-ellipse can be used to determine the orientation of a user's hand to reject undesired touches. In other examples, touches within the meta-ellipse can be rejected. |
| US09778785B2 |
Touch sensing system and method for providing proximity sensing function using touch screen panel
Provided is a touch sensing system and method for providing a proximity sensing function using a touch screen panel. The touch sensing system may include at least one storage unit including at least one program, a touch screen configured to detect a touch of an object, and at least one processor configured to activate a proximity sensing function on the touch screen according to a control of the at least one program, to detect proximity of the object based on sensing information of a proximity sensing area predetermined on a partial area of the touch screen, and to process a predetermined operation in response to detecting the proximity of the object. |
| US09778782B2 |
Single-layer projected capacitive touch panel and method of manufacturing the same
A single-layer projected capacitive touch panel has a glass cover, a touch sensing circuit layer, an insulating ink layer, a conductive wire layer, an insulator layer, a conductive glue layer and a flexible printed circuit (FPC) board. The touch sensing circuit layer, the insulating ink layer, the conductive wire layer, the insulator layer and the conductive glue layer are mounted on a circuit surface of the glass cover in sequence. The insulating ink layer covers the touch sensing circuit layer and has multiple through slots. Each through slot is filled with an electric conductor. The FPC is fastened on the conductive wire layer by a conductive glue laver. |
| US09778777B2 |
Electromagnetic input device and coil detection circuit thereof
A coil detection circuit thereof for an electromagnetic input device including a plurality of first loop coils and second loop coils includes a first detection unit, a second detection unit and a selection unit. When the selection unit selects one the first loop coils to emit an electromagnetic signal for each one of the second loop coils, each one of the second loop coils forms a second closed loop for receiving the electromagnetic signal, and the second detection unit detects a second signal. When one of the second loop coils forms an open circuit or short circuit, the second detection unit detects an open-circuit signal or a short-circuit signal. |
| US09778774B2 |
Mobile terminal
A mobile terminal including a body having a front surface, a roar surface and side surfaces; a window disposed on the front surface, and having its edge portion bent so as to form at least part of the side surfaces; a frame configured to support the window; a display disposed to face the window, and configured to output visual information and formed such that its edge portion is bent in correspondence to a bent shape of the window; and a touch sensor disposed between the window and the display, configured to sense a touch input applied to the window. Also, the touch sensor includes a folded part. Furthermore, the touch sensor comprises a curved portion curved by the folded part of the touch sensor. In addition, the curved portion is spaced from an end part of the display in a thickness direction of the body so as to form a space between the end part of the display and the curved portion. Lastly, an accommodation groove is recessed from the frame in the thickness direction of the body and is configured to accommodate therein at least part of the curved portion of the touch sensor. |
| US09778773B2 |
Method and device for decreasing leakage current of in-cell touch liquid crystal panel
The disclosure provides a method and a device for decreasing a leakage current of an in-cell touch liquid crystal panel. The method includes: outputting a signal after adjusting a voltage by the data line during a time period of scanning a touch signal according to a voltage on the data line connected to the pixel and a signal inputted to a common electrode of the pixel for scanning the touch signal, so as to decrease a drain source voltage of a thin film transistor in the pixel. According the method and the device, it is capable of decreasing the leakage current of the in-cell touch liquid crystal panel effectively. |
| US09778772B2 |
Bendable device with display in movable connection with body
A bendable device is provided. The device comprises: a body comprising a bending region and a flexible display stack comprising at least one active layer and a supporting layer positioned on the bottom of the flexible display stack. The supporting layer of the flexible display stack comprises one or more fastening areas; the body comprises one or more fastening components; and one or more fastening components of the body are configured to be operable in a movable connection with one or more fastening areas of the flexible display stack. |
| US09778768B2 |
Touch display screen and time division driving method thereof
The present invention provides a time division driving method for touch display screen, comprising multiple driving periods. For any two adjacent driving periods, in a former driving period, the method comprises: S1, providing scanning signals to N scanning lines sequentially arranged; S2, stopping providing scanning signals, and providing touch driving signals to the touch display screen; in a latter driving period, the method comprises: S3, providing scanning signals to N scanning lines sequentially arranged; S4, stopping providing scanning signals, and providing touch driving signals to the touch display screen, wherein the first n scanning lines scanned in step S3 are the last n scanning lines scanned in step S1, both N and n are positive integers and N>n; and gray-level signals of the first n scanning lines scanned in step S3 are the same as those of the last n scanning lines scanned in step S1. |
| US09778767B2 |
Display control apparatus and control method of display control apparatus
To achieve an improved touch operation, a display control apparatus includes a monitor unit provided with a display unit and rotatably connected to a main body via a hinge portion, a touch panel configured to detect a touch operation on the display unit, a variable angle state detection unit configured to detect a position of the monitor unit, and a system control unit configured to display a Q button to be used for releasing lock at a position nearer to the hinge portion than other display items when it is determined that the monitor unit is moved from a first position to a second position based on the detection result of the variable angle state detection unit. |
| US09778758B2 |
Electronic device, display control method, and display control program
A cellular telephone device with a control unit sets a display mode of a display unit to any one of a first display mode for performing two-dimensional display, and a second display mode for performing three-dimensional display; the cellular telephone device displays both of first information and second information, which is subordinate information to the first information, on the display unit, in a case of being set to the second display mode; and the cellular telephone device displays any one of the first information and the second information on the display unit, in a case of being set to the first display mode. |
| US09778755B2 |
Image processing system using polarization difference camera
A fast and stable image processing system detecting a mark from a polarization image is described. The system includes a camera capturing separately a first polarization image and a second polarization image, and an image processing device outputting a difference image of the first polarization image that is captured and the second polarization image that is captured. |
| US09778754B2 |
Method for controlling electronic apparatus and electronic apparatus applying the method
A method for controlling an electronic apparatus with a display and an input device, which comprises: sensing a tilt angle of the electronic apparatus in a sleep mode, wherein the display is off and the input device is non-active in the sleep mode; activating the input device without turning on the display based on the tilt angle of the electronic apparatus; receiving a user input from the input device while the display is off; and performing a predetermined function based on the user input. |
| US09778750B2 |
Hand-gesture-based region of interest localization
A method, non-transitory computer readable medium, and apparatus for localizing a region of interest using a hand gesture are disclosed. For example, the method acquires an image containing the hand gesture from the ego-centric video, detects pixels that correspond to one or more hands in the image using a hand segmentation algorithm, identifies a hand enclosure in the pixels that are detected within the image, localizes a region of interest based on the hand enclosure and performs an action based on the object in the region of interest. |
| US09778746B2 |
Transversal actuator for haptic feedback
An actuator configured to provide haptic feedback to a user. The actuator is located on a plate and is configured to apply various excitations to the plate to generate a mechanical wave propagating in the controlled direction. The excitations can be a translational motion of the actuator (or a portion of the actuator) in two or three perpendicular axes. Alternatively, the excitations can be a non-translational motion (e.g., rotation about an axis) of the actuator (or a portion of the actuator). By generating the mechanical wave traveling in the controlled direction, loss of energy due to scattering of the mechanical wave can be obviated. |
| US09778745B2 |
Force feedback system including multi-tasking graphical host environment and interface device
A force feedback system provides components for use in a force feedback system including a host computer and a force feedback interface device. An architecture for a host computer allows multi-tasking application programs to interface with the force feedback device without conflicts, where a single active application may output forces. A background application also provides force effects to be output and allows a user to assign force effects to graphical objects in a graphical user interface. Force feedback effects and structures are further described, such as events and enclosures. |
| US09778741B2 |
System and method for providing a three dimensional (3D) immersive artistic experience and interactive drawing environment
A method for providing a three dimensional (3D) drawing experience. The method includes capturing a 3D image of a participant and then processing this image to key the participant's image from a background. The keyed participant's image is mixed with a 3D background image such as frames or scenes from a 3D movie, and the mixed 3D image is projected on a projection screen. For example, left and right eye images may be projected from a pair of projectors with polarization films over the lenses, and the projection screen may be a polarization-maintaining surface such as a silver screen. The user moves a drawing instrument in space in front of the projection screen, and spatial tracking performed to generate a locus of 3D positions. These 3D positions are used to create a 3D drawing image that is projected with the 3D background and participant images in real time. |
| US09778739B2 |
Display device, control method, and control program for stereoscopically displaying three-dimensional object
According to one of aspects, a display device includes: a display unit configured to three-dimensionally display a planar object for executing processings related to spreadsheet, by displaying images respectively corresponding to both eyes of a user by being worn; a storage unit configured to store a rule in which operation to the object and a processing included in the processings are associated with each other; a detection unit configured to detect the operation; and a control unit configured to determine the processing to be executed according to the operation detected by the detection unit, based on the rule. |
| US09778736B2 |
Methods and systems for calibrating user devices
Methods and systems are described herein for a media guidance application that improves the customization and calibration of user devices to a particular user. For example, in response to erroneously detecting (or failing to detect) a user input of a first type, the media guidance application may re-calibrate the user device based on subsequent corrective inputs issued using a second input type such that future user inputs of the first type will not be erroneously detected (or fail to be detected). |
| US09778732B2 |
Intelligent electronic device with powering options for the display when not in use
An assembly includes a cabinet having an interior and a door to gain access to the interior. An intelligent electronic device (IED) is within the interior of the cabinet and includes inputs providing electrical connections to the IED, pushbuttons to provide user input to the IED, a display module including a display, a component, and a timer circuit. The timer circuit powers the component OFF or places it in a reduced power state when not in use after a certain amount of time. A switch is associated with the door and is electrically connected to at least one of the inputs so that when the display module is powered OFF or in the reduced power state and when the door is opened, the switch causes a signal to be sent to the timer circuit to cause the timer circuit to power the component fully ON. |
| US09778731B2 |
Method for performing system power budgeting within electronic device, and associated apparatus
A method for performing system power budgeting within an electronic device and an associated apparatus are provided. The method includes the steps of: utilizing a power consumption index generator positioned in a specific subsystem to generate a power consumption index corresponding to the specific subsystem, where the electronic device includes a plurality of subsystems, and the specific subsystem is one of the plurality of subsystems; and performing configuration adjustment on at least one portion of the electronic device according to the power consumption index corresponding to the specific subsystem. |
| US09778727B2 |
Ambient light sensors with auto gain switching capabilities
An ambient light sensor that is operable in high gain mode and low gain mode is provided. The high gain mode may help provide satisfactory sensitivity at low light levels but may generate saturated output levels in bright ambient lighting conditions. Low gain mode may therefore be switched into use when bright ambient lighting conditions are detected. The ambient light sensor may be placed in high gain mode by default. An auto-gain switch controller may detect whether the ambient light reading is saturated during as given period of time. In response to determining that the ambient light reading is saturated for a programmable number of consecutive time periods, the auto-gain switch controller may reset and switch the ambient light sensor to the low gain mode. The gain state may optionally be embedded into the ambient light sensor output. |
| US09778725B2 |
Semiconductor device and electronic device
The semiconductor device has a touch panel controller, a processor, and a display driver. The display driver has a memory circuit which rewritably stores control data for drive control of a display panel from outside the semiconductor device. The processor controls the touch panel controller based on a command provided from outside the semiconductor device, and accesses control data in the memory circuit for controlling internal parts of the semiconductor device. With the aid of the arrangement like this, the processor is allowed to control a touch panel based on the read control data fit to the control by the display driver, and to control, by writing control data, the display panel fit for a control condition of the touch panel. |
| US09778724B2 |
Power-saving computer system with a watchdog computer and method for controlling power saving of computer system with a watchdog computer
A first computer system including a first computer and a first display device is provided. The first computer includes a processor. The first display device is connected to the first computer and displays a graphics signal. The processor receives at least one of system state information and power state information from a second computer system including a second computer and a second display device, and generates a first power saving control command on the basis of the received state information. The processor transmits the first power saving control command to the second computer system. The first power saving control command is a command for controlling power saving of at least one of the second computer and the second display device. |
| US09778723B2 |
Apparatuses and methods for exiting low power states in memory devices
According to one embodiment, an apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a memory device having a device identification, The apparatus further includes a low power wake circuit configured to receive a low power wake signal and an identification information, and further configured to initiate a transition of the memory device from a low power state to an active state responsive to an active low power wake signal and the wake identification information matching the device identifier. |
| US09778722B2 |
Enclosure power controller
A system and method for controlling power consumption is described herein. A computer system includes an enclosure. The enclosure is configured to contain a plurality of removable compute nodes. The enclosure includes a power controller configured to individually control an amount of power consumed by each of the plurality of removable compute nodes. The power controller provides a plurality of power control signals. Each power control signal is provided to and controls the power consumption of one of the plurality of removable compute nodes. |
| US09778720B2 |
PCIE device power state control
An apparatus, system, and method, the method including receiving an indication of a idle state capability of a platform connected device; determining, by a chipset, an idle power state compatible with the device; and directing the device to enter the determined idle power state based on a power state of the chipset. |
| US09778716B2 |
Printer and control circuit for powering a cash drawer of a point-of-sale system
A printer connected to an external host device and a peripheral device, the printer comprising: a power generation circuit configured to supply a preset drive voltage required for an operation of the peripheral device to the peripheral; a drive circuit configured to operate the peripheral device with the drive voltage in response to input of a drive signal; a control circuit configured to output the drive signal to the drive circuit to operate the drive circuit only in a preset drive period during which the drive circuit operates; and a communication circuit connected to the control circuit and configured to receive data input from the external host device. |
| US09778715B2 |
Master-slave communication system including a standby operation in which a standby voltage is provided that is lower than a lower voltage threshold in a normal operating mode
The application describes a master/slave communication system, in particular a PSI5 communication system, including at least one slave participant, at least one master participant, and a communication connection between the slave participant and the master participant. In this case, the slave participant is supplied by the master participant with a supply voltage between a lower voltage threshold and an upper voltage threshold via the communication connection in a normal operating mode. The master/slave communication system has, in addition to the normal operating mode, a standby operating mode at its disposal in which the master participant supplies the slave participant with a standby voltage below the lower voltage threshold via the communication connection. |
| US09778703B2 |
Locking assemblies for computing devices
A locking assembly may be to locate a display member of a computing device relative to a base member of the computing device. A spring may be to attach to the display member. A first magnetic member may be in contact with to the spring. A wheel may be to attach to the display member to roll on the base member. A lock may be to engage the spring to lock the wheel when the first magnetic member is in proximity to a second magnetic member of the base member such that a magnetic force is exerted therebetween. |
| US09778700B2 |
Integrated pen holder for tablet computers and personal display and input devices
A sheath, or an encapsulated sheath, within tablet computers, smart phones, and similar electronic devices, or with enclosures for such electronic devices that would enable the seamless latching and unlatching of electronic pens of various sizes and thicknesses to such devices, or enclosures to such devices, through the pens' integrated flexible clips. |
| US09778694B2 |
Docking system
In some examples, a docking system includes a base, a deck having an upper surface to contact a computing device resting upon the deck, wherein the deck includes apertures therethrough, and projections extending upwardly from a surface of the base. The docking system further includes resilient bias elements to bias the deck at a raised position at which the upper surface of the deck extends at or above a height of each of the projections, where the deck is linearly movable from the raised position to a lowered position at which the projections extend through the apertures, the deck being linearly movable without being pivotably coupled to the base. |
| US09778693B2 |
Docking station and electrical apparatus
A docking station adapted to an electrical device is provided. The docking station includes a base and an input device. The base has a supporting portion and a bottom plate portion. A first angle is formed between the supporting portion and the bottom plate portion. The electrical device is adapted to be supported on the supporting portion. The input device has an input portion and a leaning portion. The leaning portion leans against the supporting portion. A second angle is formed between the input portion and the leaning portion. When the supporting portion is moved relatively to the bottom plate portion to change the first angle, the supporting portion drives the input portion and the leaning portion to be moved correspondingly to change the second angle. In addition, an electrical apparatus including the docking station and the electrical device is also provided. |
| US09778685B2 |
Housing for portable electronic device with reduced border region
An electronic device having a housing structure that is configured to receive at least one glass cover is disclosed. The glass cover serves to cover a display assembly provided within the electronic device. The glass cover can be secured to the housing structure so as to facilitate providing a narrow border between an active display area and an outer edge of the housing structure. The enclosure for the electronic device can be thin yet be sufficiently strong to be suitable for use in electronic devices, such as portable electronic devices. |
| US09778684B2 |
Locking arms for computing devices
A computing device may include a base member, a display member, a first hinge, a second hinge, a stop, and a locking arm. The first hinge may be attached to the base member to rotate the base member and the display member relative to each other about a first pivotal axis of rotation. A second hinge may be attached between the first hinge and the display member to rotate the base member and the display member relative to each other about a second pivotal axis of rotation to transition the computing device between a laptop mode and a tablet mode. The stop may be in the first hinge. The locking arm may be to engage the stop when the computing device is in the tablet mode to limit rotation of the base member and the display member relative to each other about the first pivotal axis. |
| US09778683B2 |
Locking mechanisms to lock key movement of keyboards
An example device in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure includes a base housing, display housing, and locking mechanism. The base housing includes a keyboard, and the display housing is pivotably coupled to the base housing. The locking mechanism is to lock key movement of the keyboard based on the display housing being pivoted according to a first range. The locking mechanism is to unlock key movement based on the display housing being pivoted according to a second range. |
| US09778681B2 |
Display device
An example display device includes a display device stand and display device housing pivotably connected to display device stand. The display device housing is to pivot between a vertical operating position and a horizontal servicing position, and a lid portion of the display device housing is to rotatably open away from a back portion of the display device housing to provide access to components within the display device housing. |
| US09778680B2 |
Electronic device
An electronic device is provided for solving a technical problem existed in the prior art that an electronic device is incapable of supporting itself independently. The electronic device includes a first component including a display unit, where the display unit is arranged on a first surface of the first component; and a second component including a connecting member and a supporter, where the second component is arranged at a first side portion of the first component. The supporter is movable with respect to the first component via the connecting member, and when the supporter moves to a first relative position with respect to the first component, the supporter may be used to support the first component. |
| US09778676B2 |
Power distribution network (PDN) droop/overshoot mitigation in dynamic frequency scaling
Systems and methods for power distribution network (PDN) droop/overshoot mitigation are provided. In certain embodiments, overshoot is mitigated by ramping down a frequency of a clock signal to a processor when the processor is switching clock frequencies and/or the processor is transitioning from an active mode to an idle mode. In certain embodiments, droop is mitigated by ramping up a frequency of a clock signal to a processor when the processor is switching clock frequencies and/or the processor is transitioning from an idle mode to an active mode. |
| US09778673B2 |
Collaborative load balancing within a community of energy nodes
A system for collaborative load balancing within a community of energy nodes includes a central allocation control device and local agent devices each associated with an energy node. The local agent devices solve an optimization problem over a planning horizon and communicate the solution to the central allocation control device. The central allocation control device uses the solutions in an allocation algorithm so as to determine an amount of energy which will be received from or supplied to individual ones of the energy nodes and provide the collaborative load balancing within the community. |
| US09778670B2 |
Current limiting circuit
A current limiting circuit includes a current sensing module that is configured to sense an output current of a power transistor and to generate a corresponding sensing current which is proportional to the output current. A first current limiting module coupled to the current sensing module is configured to generate a first limiting current based on the sensing current when a variation of the output current of the power transistor exceeds a first current level. A second current limiting module coupled to the current sensing module is configured to generate a second limiting current based on the sensing current when a variation of the output current of the power transistor exceeds a second current level. A converting module coupled to the first and second current limiting modules and the power transistor controls a gate voltage of the power transistor based at least on the first and second limiting currents. |
| US09778666B2 |
Dynamic current limit apparatus and method
A dynamic current limiter circuit is disclosed. The dynamic current limiter includes an input node an output node. The dynamic current limiter also includes a current control valve coupled between the input and output nodes, the current control valve being configured to limit current flow between the input and output nodes based on a control input. The dynamic current limiter also includes a current change detector coupled between the input and output nodes, the current change detector being configured to detect a change in current through the input and output nodes and generate a control signal configured to drive the control input. The current control valve is configured to limit current flow between the input and output nodes in response to the current control signal. |
| US09778665B2 |
Air-conditioning apparatus
An air-conditioning apparatus includes a receiving unit configured to receive remote control information transmitted from a remote control device, an adapter configured to receive remote information including operation details conveyed through an external network, an information outputting unit configured to output information when the adapter receives the remote information or when the receiving unit receives the remote control information, and a controller configured to control operations of the information outputting unit. The controller includes an information adjustment unit configured to cause the information outputting unit to output different information when the adapter receives the remote information and when the receiving unit receives the remote control information. |
| US09778661B2 |
Selective processing of sensor data
Systems and methods for navigating a vehicle within an environment are provided. In one aspect, a method comprises: (a) selecting, with aid of a processor, a subset of a plurality of sensors to be used for navigating the vehicle within the environment based on one or more predetermined criteria, wherein the plurality of sensors are arranged on the vehicle such that each sensor of the plurality of sensors is configured to obtain sensor data from a different field of view; (b) processing, with aid of the processor, the sensor data from the selected sensor(s) so as to generate navigation information for navigating the vehicle within the environment; and (c) outputting, with aid of the processor, signals for controlling the vehicle based on the navigation information. |
| US09778656B2 |
Multimode vehicular navigation control
Included are embodiments for multimode vehicular navigation control. Some embodiments include a vehicle that has a memory component and a vehicle control module (VCM), where the VCM includes a controller. Additionally, the memory component may store functional modes of operation and control modes of operation, each of the control modes of operation being associated with a mechanism for controlling the vehicle, and each of the functional modes of operation being associated with a desired function of the vehicle. In some embodiments the VCM receives control commands from a system operator and implements the control commands, utilizing the controller. In some embodiments, at least one of the control modes of operation is configured for automatic control of the vehicle and at least one of the control modes of operation is a torque control mode for providing a power signal directly to a vehicle motor, without utilization of the controller. |
| US09778653B1 |
Systems, devices and methods delivering energy using an uncrewed autonomous vehicle
Devices such as vehicles, remote sensors, and so forth consume energy during operation. Described herein are systems, devices, and methods for transferring energy from an uncrewed autonomous vehicle to a vehicle such as a car. The uncrewed autonomous vehicle may locate the vehicle at a rendezvous location, and connect with the vehicle while the vehicle moves. Once the uncrewed autonomous vehicle connects to the vehicle, the uncrewed autonomous vehicle may transfer the energy to the vehicle. |
| US09778645B2 |
Numerical controller provided with function of correcting displacement error caused by work
A numerical controller uses a work lattice region setting unit and a rotation axis work lattice region setting unit to form lattice points for error correction and uses a work-caused translation correction amount setting unit to set a correction amount of a work-caused translation error. A work-caused translation correction amount calculation unit calculates a correction amount at a tool center point position, and a correction section of the numerical controller adds the work-caused translation correction amount to positions of three commanded linear axes for error correction. |
| US09778639B2 |
Systems and methods for adaptively updating equipment models
An operating data aggregator module collects a first set of operating data and a second set of operating data for building equipment. A model generator module generates a first set of model coefficients and a second set of model coefficients for a predictive model for the building equipment using the first set of operating data and the second set of operating data, respectively. A test statistic module generates a test statistic based on a difference between the first set of model coefficients and the second set of model coefficients. A critical value module calculates critical value for the test statistic. A hypothesis testing module compares the test statistic with the critical value using a statistical hypothesis test to determine whether the predictive model has changed. In response to a determination that the predictive model has changed, a fault indication may be generated and/or the predictive model may be adaptively updated. |
| US09778638B2 |
Programmable logic controller communication system
A PLC communication system includes a PLC; a plurality of devices; three or more communication processing nodes that are provided respectively in the PLC and the devices to allow the PLC to communicate with each of the devices; and a plurality of communication lines that connect the communication processing nodes to each other to allow data communication. The PLC detects an incommunicable state between two of the communication processing nodes. The PLC communication system further includes a display device, and in a case where there are a plurality of types of incommunicable states detected by the PLC, the display device displays a portion where communication lines constituting the incommunicable states among the plurality of communication lines overlap with each other, as a line failure portion. |
| US09778636B2 |
Method for classifying and correlating simulation components to functional models
Methods for classifying and correlating simulation components to functional models. A method includes receiving a simulation component library comprising a plurality of simulation components into a memory of the data processing system, parsing the plurality of simulation components from the simulation component library, analyzing a plurality of extracted functions into a plurality of function graphs for each of the plurality of simulation components, composing an extracted functions graph with the plurality of extracted functions of the plurality of function graphs, and storing the extracted functions graph of the plurality of extracted functions in a components-to-function database. |
| US09778634B2 |
Method of controlling a target apparatus, selected from a plurality of apparatuses based on a selection from displayed apparatus information, place information, or operator information
A control method for controlling at least one of a plurality of apparatuses. The control method includes: displaying candidate information and obtaining, via a network, an operation history of each of the apparatuses. The method includes generating a control signal for performing a predetermined control on a target apparatus, when the user confirms that the predetermined control is to be performed. |
| US09778629B2 |
Situational awareness / situational intelligence system and method for analyzing, monitoring, predicting and controlling electric power systems
A system and method for modeling, controlling and analyzing electrical grids for use by control room operators and automatic control provides a multi-dimensional, multi-layer cellular computational network (CCN) comprising an information layer; a knowledge layer; a decision-making layer; and an action layer; wherein each said layer of said CCN represents one of a variable in an electric power system. Situational awareness/situational intelligence is provided therefrom so that the operators and grid control systems can make the correct decision and take informed actions under difficult circumstances to maintain a high degree of grid integrity and reliability by analyzing multiple variables within a volume of time and space to provide an understanding of their meaning and predict their states in the near future where these multiple variables can have different timescales. |
| US09778627B2 |
Method of controlling a power network
A method is provided for controlling a power network that includes a plurality of power generation facilities connected to an electricity grid and a plurality of power storage facilities connected to the power generation facilities. The method includes monitoring a production capacity of the power generation facilities, monitoring a storage capacity of the power storage facilities and determining an optimal facility control plan on the basis of the storage capacity and the production capacity. The method further includes operating the power network, according to the facility control plan, to feed power from the power generation facilities into the electricity grid and/or to transfer power from the power generation facilities to the power storage facilities and/or to consume power from the power storage facilities. |
| US09778622B2 |
Swim lap counting and timing system and methods for event detection from noisy source data
Systems and methods for lap timing and counting in athletic events are disclosed. The systems and methods do not require the athlete to wear a counter/timer, a transmitter, a reflector or another kind of marker. A portable computing device with a sensor, such as a tablet computer with a camera, is positioned in an appropriate location. Data from the sensor is transformed into a time series of data, and one or more learned statistics are calculated in real time as benchmark ambient conditions. The learned statistics are essentially continuously updated and data that indicates irrelevant volatility is excluded. A detection threshold is determined and essentially continuously updated based on the learned statistics, and lap completion is determined based on the threshold. Times, lap counts, and other data are displayed on the portable device in real time. |
| US09778615B2 |
Process cartridge and image forming apparatus
A process cartridge and an image forming apparatus are provided. The process cartridge is detachably mountable in an apparatus body of the image forming apparatus, and includes a plurality of photosensitive drums, a first outer side plate which is provided on one side of the photosensitive drums in an axial direction of the photosensitive drum, a second outer side plate which is provided on the other side of the photosensitive drums in the axial direction, and opposes the first outer side plate with the photosensitive drums interposed therebetween, and a plurality of input parts which are provided on ends of the photosensitive drums at the one side, respectively. An end face of each of the input parts being provided inward with respect to the outer surface of the first outer side plate. |
| US09778614B2 |
Drive transmitting unit and image forming apparatus including this
A drive transmitting unit includes a plurality of gears and a gear case. The plurality of gears composes a part of a gear train transmitting a rotational force from a main driving part to a rotational element within an apparatus body. The gear case is provided attachably to/detachably from an attachment part defined from a lower surface or aback surface of the apparatus body to inside of the apparatus body while rotatably supporting the plurality of gears. The gear case includes a hook part, a fitting part and a fixing part. The hook part is hooked with a hooked part provided within the attachment part. The fitting part is fitted with a fitted part provided within the attachment part. The fixing part is fixed to the apparatus body through a fastening member. |
| US09778610B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a carrying part that carries media, a supply part that forwards the media to the carrying part piece by piece, wherein when a preceding medium is detected to have been fed to the carrying part, a succeeding medium is next fed to the carrying part, and a carrying controller that stops the preceding medium at a stop position of the media before the preceding medium is carried to the image forming process. The carrying controller obtains a medium length of the preceding medium in the carrying path, and changes the stop position of the preceding medium based on the medium length such that the trailing edge of the preceding medium is maintained distant from the leading edge of the succeeding medium while the preceding medium stops at the stop position. |
| US09778609B2 |
Image forming device, image forming system, and program
An image forming device includes: a paper feeding unit configured to feed continuous form paper; an image forming unit configured to form an image on the continuous form paper; a fixing unit configured to fix the image formed on the continuous form paper; a measuring unit configured to measure a temperature of the fixing unit; and a control unit configured to control an operation of each of the paper feeding unit, the image forming unit, and the fixing unit, wherein when detecting a trouble with which feeding of the continuous form paper is suspended, the control unit performs determination processing of determining whether to prompt a user to execute removal of a part of the continuous form paper, which part is influenced by heat from the fixing unit, according to the temperature of the fixing unit which temperature is measured by the measuring unit in the detection of the trouble. |
| US09778606B2 |
Fixing device and image forming apparatus
A fixing device includes a first heater and a second heater disposed inside a fixing rotator to heat the fixing rotator. The first heater generates an increased amount of heat and includes a first heat generator having a first heating span in a longitudinal direction of the first heater. The second heater generates a decreased amount of heat and includes a second heat generator having a second heating span in a longitudinal direction of the second heater. A partition is interposed between the first heater and the second heater to define a first compartment having an increased size and accommodating the first heater and a second compartment having a decreased size and accommodating the second heater. |
| US09778604B2 |
Image forming apparatus including an electric charge applying unit
An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier carrying a toner image; a transfer unit disposed to contact the image carrier and transferring the toner image carried on the image carrier to a recording medium; and a gap forming unit that forms a gap between the image carrier and the transfer unit when one or more regions of the recording medium are positioned between the image carrier and the transfer unit. The one or more regions include at least one of a leading end and a trailing end of the recording medium. The image forming apparatus further includes an electric charge applying unit disposed on an upstream side of the transfer unit and applies electric charges to the one or more regions of the recording medium. The electric charges have an opposite polarity to a charging polarity of a toner which forms the toner image. |
| US09778602B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes at least an image bearer; an electrostatic latent image former to form an electrostatic latent image on the image bearer; an image developer to develop the electrostatic latent image with a toner to from a toner image; a first transferer to transfer the toner image from the image bearer onto an intermediate transfer belt; and a cleaner including a cleaning blade having a Martens hardness of from 0.8 to 10.0 N/m2, to clean the intermediate transfer belt while contacting the surface of the intermediate transfer belt. The intermediate transfer belt includes a thermoplastic resin and a conductive resin, and has a surface concentration of oxygen atoms derived from the conductive resin, measured by XPS, of from 1.0% to 3.0% by atom. |
| US09778600B2 |
Image forming apparatus with removable intermediate transfer belt
An image forming apparatus includes a belt unit capable of being inserted into and pulled out of the apparatus, the belt unit including a movable endless belt, a supporting frame supporting the endless belt and having an accommodating portion, a grip member which is provided on the supporting frame at a position outside the belt in a widthwise direction of the belt that is orthogonal to a moving direction of the belt and which is movable between a first position in which the grip member is projected out of the accommodating portion in a direction orthogonal to the widthwise direction and a second position in which the grip member is accommodated in the accommodating portion, and an urging member configured to urge the grip member in a direction from the second position toward the first position. |
| US09778596B2 |
Toner container and image forming apparatus including a shutter having extension
A system with a container including a protrusion, and a receiver to receive the container. The receiver includes a slide block that is movable relative to a body of the receiver, the slide block including two surfaces, a first surface, initially contacted by the protrusion of the container during insertion of the container into the receiver, having a first slope to resist movement of the container towards the receiver, and a second surface, subsequently contacted by the protrusion of the container during the insertion of the container into the receiver, having a second slope to interact with the protrusion of the container to assist movement of the container towards the receiver. This construction provides the user with a changing insertion force to indicate proper mounting of the container. |
| US09778595B2 |
Cartridge unit and electrophotographic image forming apparatus including the same
A cartridge unit to discharge toner via a toner outlet and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus are provided. The cartridge unit includes a shutter unit movable between an opening position in which the toner outlet is opened and a closing position in which the toner outlet is closed in a first direction, and a lever unit movable in a second direction across the first direction, and connected to the shutter unit such that the shutter unit moves in the first direction when the lever unit moves in the second direction. |
| US09778590B2 |
Charging device, process cartridge, and image forming apparatus
To provide a charging device which can be reduced in size and increased in speed while suppressing the occurrence of charging irregularities on the surface of the photosensitive drum, a process cartridge, and an image forming apparatus. A charging device 311Y which charges a surface of a photosensitive drum 310Y, comprises a discharge electrode 610 which applies a potential to the surface of the photosensitive drum 310Y and charges the surface, and a grid electrode 670 with a porous place shape disposed between the discharge electrode 610 and the surface of the photosensitive drum 310Y so as to face the surface of the photosensitive drum 310Y and which controls the charging potential of the surface, wherein the grid electrode 670 is divided into a plurality of regions approximately parallel to a direction orthogonal to a direction of rotation of the photosensitive drum 310Y, and the plurality of regions is characterized in that an opening ratio of a midstream region 672 close to the photosensitive drum 310Y is greater than an opening ratios of an upstream region 671 and a downstream region 673. |
| US09778589B1 |
Image forming apparatus and voltage applying method
According to one embodiment, a charger charges a surface of an image carrier by discharge in a wide-angle. A charging bias voltage application section applies a charging bias voltage to the charger. An exposing device forms an electrostatic latent image in a charged image carrier. A toner carrier causes toner to adhere to the electrostatic latent image formed in the image carrier. A developing bias voltage application section applies the developing bias voltage to the toner carrier. In addition, the developing bias voltage application section changes the charging bias voltage in one step and changes the developing bias voltage applied to the toner carrier in multiple steps. |
| US09778586B2 |
Core material of magnetic carrier for electrophotographic developer and process for producing the same, magnetic carrier for electrophotographic developer, and two-component system developer
The present invention provides a magnetic carrier for an electrophotographic developer which has an excellent durability and a stable charging property and is free from occurrence of spent toner thereonto, and a two-component system developer comprising the magnetic carrier for an electrophotographic developer and a toner. The present invention relates to a core material of a magnetic carrier for an electrophotographic developer comprising spherical composite particles comprising at least ferromagnetic iron oxide fine particles and a cured phenol resin and having an average particle diameter of 1 to 100 μm, a resin index of the spherical composite particles being within the range of 35 to 80%, and a magnetic carrier obtained by coating a surface of respective particles of the magnetic carrier core material with a resin. |
| US09778584B2 |
Toner for developing electrostatic charge image, electrostatic charge image developer, toner cartridge, process cartridge, image forming apparatus, and image forming method
According to one example of the present application, there is provided a toner for developing an electrostatic charge image, containing: a toner particle containing a binder resin; a particle adhering to a surface of the toner particle; and an elastomer particle containing one or more kinds of oil, wherein a volume particle size distribution index GSDT (D50T/D16T) on a small diameter side of the toner particle and a volume particle size distribution index GSDE (D50E/D16E) on a small diameter side of the elastomer particle satisfy Formula (1): GSDE/GSDT≧1. Formula (1): |
| US09778581B2 |
Electrophotographic photosensitive member, process cartridge, and electrophotographic apparatus
An electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a hole transporting layer containing a polyester resin having a structural unit expressed by formula (1) as a hole transporting substance. |
| US09778580B2 |
Exposure apparatus, exposure method, and method for producing device
Exposure apparatus exposes a substrate by irradiating the substrate with exposure light via a projection optical system and a liquid. The exposure apparatus is provided with a liquid immersion mechanism for supplying the liquid and recovering the liquid. The liquid immersion mechanism has an inclined surface, which is opposite to a surface of the substrate and is inclined with respect to the surface of the substrate, and a liquid recovering port of the liquid immersion mechanism is formed in the inclined surface. A flat portion is provided between the substrate and the projection optical system. A liquid immersion area can be maintained to be small. |
| US09778579B2 |
System and method for controlling a temperature of a reaction assembly
A stage assembly (10) that includes (i) a stage (14) that retains a device (26); (ii) a reaction assembly (18) that is spaced apart from the stage (14); (iii) a stage mover (16) that moves the stage (14), the stage mover (16) including a magnet array (38) that is coupled to the stage (14) and a conductor array (36) that is coupled to the reaction assembly (18); (iv) a temperature adjuster (20); and (v) a control system (22) that selectively controls the temperature adjuster (20). The conductor array (36) includes a set of first zone conductor units (250), and a set of second zone conductor units (252). The temperature adjuster (20) independently adjusts the temperature of the set of first zone conductor units (250), and the set of second zone conductor units (252). |
| US09778578B2 |
Low contact imprint lithography template chuck system for improved overlay correction
Imprint lithography template chucks and related systems and methods are provided that substantially maintain structural support functions while significantly enhancing imprint quality functions. The chucks incorporate dynamic vacuum seals to substantially reduce template contact during alignment and distortion correction while still providing good structural support upon separation. |
| US09778572B1 |
In-plane scanning probe microscopy tips and tools for wafers and substrates with diverse designs on one wafer or substrate
Cantilevers, SPM tips and nanomachining tools are created in the plane of wafers to obtain new and high performance parts. The method produces more parts for any given wafer, then conventional methods and allows every part on any given wafer to be different from any other, permitting great freedom in new SPM and nanomachining techniques and product development. |
| US09778571B2 |
Processing liquid supplying apparatus, processing liquid supplying method and storage medium
A processing liquid supplying apparatus supplies a processing liquid to a process object via a discharging part. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes: a processing liquid source that supplies a processing liquid; an intermediate tank connected to the processing liquid source via a transport line; a feed line provided between the intermediate tank and the discharging part; an evacuating unit that evacuates an interior of the intermediate tank to transport the processing liquid from the processing liquid source to the intermediate tank through the transport line; and a pressure adjusting unit that supplies a gas into the intermediate tank to return a pressure in the evacuated intermediate tank from a reduced pressure to a normal pressure, thereby to place the intermediate tank ready for feeding the processing liquid, having been transported into the intermediate tank, into the feed line. |
| US09778569B2 |
Positive photosensitive resin composition, method for producing film using same, and electronic component
A positive photosensitive resin composition according to the present invention contains at least (A) a polysiloxane compound having at least a structural unit of the general formula (1), (B) a photoacid generator or quinone diazide compound and (C) a solvent [(RX)bR1mSiOn/2] (1) where RX represents the following group; R1 each represents a hydrogen atom, C1-C3 alkyl group, phenyl group, hydroxy group, C1-C3 alkoxy group or C1-C3 fluoroalkyl group; b represents an integer of 1 to 3; m represents an integer of 0 to 2; n represents an integer of 1 to 3; and b, m and n satisfy b+m+n=4, where X each represents a hydrogen atom or acid labile group; and a represents an integer of 1 to 5. It is possible by the use of this positive photosensitive resin composition to provide a film with high resistance and heat-resistant transparency and provide an electronic component with such a film. |
| US09778566B2 |
Photocurable and thermocurable resin composition and dry film solder resist
Provided are a photocurable and thermocurable resin composition including: an acid-modified oligomer including an iminocarbonate-based compound containing a carboxyl group and a photocurable unsaturated functional group; a photopolymerizable monomer having two or more photocurable unsaturated functional groups; a thermocurable binder having a thermally curable functional group; a functional filler including one or more selected from the group consisting of carbon allotrope particles having a ceramic compound bound to a surface thereof and heat radiating ceramic particles; and a photoinitiator, and a dry film solder resist manufactured therefrom. |
| US09778563B2 |
Imprint lithography
A lithographic apparatus is disclosed that has a first substrate table arranged to hold a substrate and a second substrate table arranged to hold a substrate, an imprint template holder arranged to hold an imprint template, and an imprintable medium dispenser, wherein the first substrate table is moveable between a first position located at or adjacent to the imprintable medium dispenser, and a second position located at or adjacent to the imprint template holder, and the second substrate table is moveable between the first and second positions, such that the first and second substrate tables swap positions. |
| US09778553B2 |
Light-emitting apparatus and a related projection system
A light-emitting apparatus and a related projection system. The light-emitting apparatus comprises an excitation light source generating an excitation light and a first supplemental laser source generating a first light; a wavelength conversion apparatus comprising a first wavelength conversion layer for absorbing the excitation light to generate a converted light without absorbing the first light; the wavelength conversion layer receiving at one side thereof the excitation light and the first light and emits at same side at least a portion of the first light; a light guide apparatus comprising a smaller first area and a larger second area, the first light and the excitation light respectively entering the first and second areas via a first optical path, and being respectively guided by the first and second areas to the wavelength conversion apparatus; the second area also guiding the converted light and the reflected first light to a second optical path. |
| US09778541B2 |
Acousto-optic element, acousto-optic element array, and display apparatus including the acousto-optic element
Provided are an acousto-optic element, an acousto-optic element array, and a display apparatus including the acousto-optic element array. The acousto-optic element includes: an acousto-optic modulator which includes an acousto-optic layer formed of an acousto-optic material; a light supplier which supplies light to the acousto-optic modulator in a first direction; a first sound-wave modulator which applies first elastic waves to the acousto-optic modulator in a second direction; and a second sound-wave modulator which applies second elastic waves to the acousto-optic modulator in a third direction. The light supplied from the light supplier to the acousto-optic modulator is deflected by diffraction caused by the first elastic waves applied from the first sound-wave modulator and diffraction caused by the second elastic waves applied from the second sound-wave modulator, and is output from the acousto-optic modulator through a front side of the acousto-optic modulator. |
| US09778538B2 |
Aggregate particles for use in electrophoretic color displays
A multi-color display device has front and rear electrodes on opposed sides of an electrophoretic medium. The device has a voltage controller configured to apply a first and a smaller second potential difference, of either polarity, between the electrodes. The electrophoretic medium has first, second, and third species of particles of differing colors and charge polarities. The first and second particles move independently of one another in response to the first potential difference, but upon application of the second potential difference form charged aggregates, moving as a unit, having an aggregate color different from the first and second colors. |
| US09778535B2 |
Particle dispersion for display, display medium, and display device
A particle dispersion and the display devices in which the dispersion may be incorporated are provided. The particle dispersion includes a dispersion medium, one or more types of particle groups that are dispersed in the dispersion medium that may differ based on color and/or charge, and counter-ions oppositely charged than the one or more particle groups. The particle groups and counter-ions are moved in the dispersion medium according to an electric field formed in the dispersion medium. The one or more types of particle groups are configured such that the total amount of charges of one type of particle group (a) among the one or more types of particle groups is greater than a total amount of charges of the counter-ions that are charged with a polarity opposite to that of the particle group (a). |
| US09778533B2 |
Window construction
The present invention refers to a window construction, particularly to be used in a train, vehicle, car, helicopter, aircraft or building, which comprises a laminated window glazing having electrically switchable layer means arranged in a laminate, and controlling means being coupled to the switchable layer means for controlling the sunlight transparency of the switchable layer means. |
| US09778528B2 |
Display apparatus
A display apparatus includes gate lines configured to receive gate signals, data lines arranged to cross the gate lines and configured to receive data voltages, and pixels grouped into first pixel groups and second pixel groups and connected to the gate lines and the data lines. The gate signals are configured to be applied to the gate lines in a predetermined order while skipping at least one gate line without being sequentially and consecutively applied to two gate lines adjacent to each other among the gate lines. |
| US09778526B2 |
Display panel and pixel array thereof
A pixel array includes pixel rows. Each pixel row includes a first gate line, a second gate line, sub-pixels and data lines. Each data line includes a main portion, a branch portion and a connecting portion. The main portions of the data lines are arranged along a second direction in sequence. The branch portions and the main portions of the data lines are arranged alternately along the second direction in sequence, and each sub-pixel is disposed between any two of the adjoining main portion and branch portion. The connecting portion of each of the data lines is disposed between the first gate line and the second gate line, the connecting portion of each data line is electrically connected with the main portion and the branch portion of each data line, and the connecting portion of each data line penetrates through the corresponding sub-pixel along the second direction. |
| US09778525B2 |
Display device
A display device is disclosed. In one aspect, the display device includes a plurality of pixels each including first and second switching elements connected to a first gate line and a data line. Each pixel also includes a first memory capacitor connected to the first switching element and a capacitance voltage line, a second memory capacitor connected to the second switching element and the capacitance voltage line, and a third switching element and a fourth switching element each connected to a second gate line and a reference voltage line. Each pixel further includes a fifth switching element connected to a third gate line and the first memory capacitor, a sixth switching element connected to the third gate line and the second memory capacitor, a first subpixel electrode connected to the third and fifth switching elements, and a second subpixel electrode connected to the fourth and sixth switching element. |
| US09778524B2 |
Liquid crystal display, liquid crystal panel, and method of driving the same
A liquid crystal display includes a plurality of data lines and a plurality of gate lines disposed on a substrate in horizontal and vertical directions, respectively, pixel electrodes formed at intersecting regions of the data lines and the gate lines, a plurality of erasing signal lines disposed parallel to the gate lines, first thin film transistors, each including a first source electrode connected to one data line, a first gate electrode connected to one gate line, and a first drain electrode connected to one pixel electrode, and second thin film transistors, each including a second drain electrode connected to the pixel electrode, a second gate electrode connected to the erasing signal line, and a second source electrode connected to a predetermined potential. |
| US09778523B2 |
Array substrate, liquid crystal display panel and liquid crystal display device
An array substrate, a liquid crystal display panel and a liquid crystal display device of the present disclosure provided are designed to form a MIS storage capacitor by the polycrystalline semiconductor layer, the first metal layer and the insulating layer between the two or the polycrystalline semiconductor layer, the second metal layer and the insulating layer between the two. When one side of the first metal layer or the second metal layer is receiving the negative gray scale voltage, a P—Si in the polycrystalline semiconductor layer will gather to form a cavity, when receiving the positive gray scale voltage, a blocking layer will be formed on the P—Si to reduce the capacity of the MIS storage capacitor. |
| US09778520B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
In a liquid crystal display device, a common electrode is formed on an organic passivation film, an interlayer insulating film is formed on the common electrode, a pixel electrode with a slit is formed on the interlayer insulating film, and a through hole is formed in the organic passivation film and the interlayer insulating film, so that the pixel electrode is connected to a source electrode of a TFT through the through hole. Further, the taper angle around the upper base of the through hole is smaller than the taper angle around the lower base. Thus, the alignment film material can easily flow into the through hole when the diameter of the through hole is reduced to connect the pixel and source electrodes, preventing display defects such as uneven brightness due to the absence of the alignment film or due to the alignment film irregularity around the through hole. |
| US09778512B2 |
Array substrate having spacer, method for manufacturing the same, and display panel
A method for manufacturing an array substrate includes steps of: forming a pattern which includes a scanning line and a gate on a base substrate (301); forming a gate insulating layer on the pattern which includes the scanning line and the gate; forming a pattern which includes an active layer, a data line and a spacer matrix on the gate insulating layer; forming a passivation layer on the pattern which includes the active layer, the data line and the spacer matrix; dry etching the passivation layer to form a via hole which exposes the spacer matrix; under effect of an electric field generated between the spacer matrix exposed from the via hole and an etching gas, products obtained during the etching is induced to be deposited on the exposed surface of the spacer matrix so as to form a spacer. An array substrate and a display pane are further provided. |
| US09778502B2 |
Color filter and liquid crystal display comprising the same
Disclosed here is the technical field of liquid crystal display, and in particular to a color filter and a liquid crystal display with the color filter. The color filter has a plurality of diaphragm groups, each diaphragm group consists of at least one red diaphragm, at least one green diaphragm and at least one blue diaphragm, wherein the diaphragms of at least one of said diaphragm groups are configured in such a sequence that color cast caused by a RC delay of a pixel signal can be compensated. |
| US09778499B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate having a pixel electrode and a common electrode provided thereon; a second substrate formed of a resin material; a liquid crystal layer provided between the first substrate and the second substrate; an optical film facing the liquid crystal layer with the second substrate being provided between the optical film and the liquid crystal layer; and a conductive layer facing the second substrate; wherein the optical film is provided between the conductive layer and the second substrate. |
| US09778496B2 |
Nonreciprocal three-way divider based on a magneto-optical resonator
The present invention is based on a two-dimensional photonic crystal in which defects are inserted in a controlled manner, has the main function of division of the power of an input signal, excited in one of its six waveguides, among other three waveguides (output ones), while keeping isolation of the input port by means of two other waveguides. The operating principle of the device is based on the alignment of a dipole mode excited in the resonant cavity, in such a way that the nodes of this mode are oriented in the direction of two waveguides, so that these waveguides are not excited. Due to this alignment, each of the three output waveguides receive about one third of the power of input signal. The orientation of dipole mode is controlled by the applied DC magnetic field and the physical and geometrical parameters of the resonator. |
| US09778494B1 |
Temperature control of components on an optical device
The optical device includes a waveguide positioned on a base and a modulator positioned on the base. The modulator includes a ridge of an electro-absorption medium having a top side and a lateral side. The lateral side is between the top side and the base and the top side has a width. The waveguide is configured to guide a light signal through the modulator such that the light signal is guided through the ridge of electro-absorption medium. A heater is positioned over the lateral side of the electro-absorption medium without being positioned over the entire width of the ridge. |
| US09778491B2 |
Adjustable tint eyewear using polarized filters
Eyewear is configured to use pairs of polarized lenses, with one pair held stationary within an eyeglass frame, and the remaining pair disposed adjacent with the fixed pair and permitted to rotate under the control of the wearer. A novel mechanism is included within the eyewear for the wearer to use in rotating the movable lenses with respect to the fixed lenses. In particular, a flexible member is included to surround a majority of each rotatable lens, with the flexible member riding within a channel formed in the frame. A lever, or other type of hand control fixture, is attached to the flexible member. The wearer may than move the lever back and forth, which imparts a linear motion to the flexible member. The linear motion of the flexible member is translated into a rotational movement of the attached lenses, thus creating a wearer-adjustable tint. |
| US09778489B2 |
Electro-active spectacles
A spectacle lens is disclosed. The disclosed lens provides a vision correcting area for the correction of a wearer's refractive error. The viewing correction area provides correction for non-conventional refractive error to provide at least a part of the wearer's vision correction. The lens has a prescription based on a wave front analysis of the wearer's eye and the lens can further be modified to fit within an eyeglass frame. |
| US09778482B1 |
Pair of eyeglasses without temples
A pair of eyeglasses without temples includes two spectacles frames, an elastic connection piece, and two nose pads. Each of the spectacles frames accommodates a lens internally. The elastic connection piece is integrated between the spectacles frames and includes a horizontal top and two interconnecting portions respectively extending downward from two ends of the top. Each of the nose pads is integrated with an inner side of a corresponding spectacles frame and includes a pad body and a bonding segment. The pad body has a mounting hole internally in which a lower segment of one of interconnecting portions is engaged. The bonding segment has an upper portion with a groove internally in which a top segment of the inner side of one of the spectacles frames is engaged. |
| US09778481B2 |
Lens drive apparatus including damper compound suppressing undesired resonance
A lens drive apparatus includes an image stabilizer portion moves an auto-focusing lens driving portion in first and second directions orthogonal to an optical axis and perpendicular to each other, and the image stabilizer portion includes a fixed member disposed apart from the auto-focusing lens driving portion in a direction of the optical axis, a plurality of suspension wires each comprising an end fixed to the fixed member at an outer region thereof, a narrowing portion that is disposed between the fixed member and the auto-focusing lens driving portion and that narrows part of a gap between the fixed member and the auto-focusing lens driving portion, and a damper compound that is disposed at the narrowed part of the gap between the fixed member and the auto-focusing lens driving portion and that suppress undesired resonance in the direction of the optical axis of the auto-focusing lens driving portion. |
| US09778476B2 |
3D depth sensor and projection system and methods of operating thereof
A diffractive optical element includes: a first facet configured to perform an expansion optical function; and a second facet configured to perform a collimation optical function and a pattern generation function. |
| US09778474B2 |
Display panel and display apparatus
A display panel includes a plurality of display elements arranged in a matrix manner, a first transparent substrate including a plurality of signal input parts at a circumferential part of the first transparent substrate and a wiring connecting the signal input parts and the display elements formed on the first transparent substrate, and a second transparent substrate including a rectangular light shielding layer shielding light among the display elements and shielding light at an outside of a display region including the display elements, wherein markers for indicating positions with respect to the display elements are located in at least two parts of a circumferential edge of the first transparent substrate, and each of the markers has a crossing part crossing any one of rims at a circumferential edge of the light shielding layer. |
| US09778471B2 |
Method and device for producing multi-view images and optical film used in said method and device
A method and a device for producing multi-view images optical films used therein are disclosed. The method and device use an optical film 2, comprising a superlens array 3 with between 0.5 to 225 superlenses per inch, formed by two arrays of positive microlenses which are fixed relative to one another. In order to produce a multi-view image 1 between a viewer 11 and the optical film 2, an array 10 of elemental images is arranged between the focal plane 9 of the superlenses 3 and the optical film 2. |
| US09778466B2 |
Flexible arm and head-mounted display
The present invention provides a head mounted display and flexible arm that is easily bendable yet capable of maintaining a bent state thereof. The flexible arm 8 is constituted with a coil 80 and a tube 90 provided on an outer periphery thereof. The coil 80 is formed as a double-strand coil containing a wire rod, stainless used steel for coil springs with high tensile strength, (SUS304WPB) 82 having a round cross-section and a Stainless Used Steel wire rod (SUS) (SUS304) 84 having a triangular cross-section. On the outer periphery of the coil 80, the tube 90 made of silicone is provided so as to be in close contact therewith. By making an outside diameter of the coil 80 slightly larger than the inside diameter of the tube 90 (approximately 10% of the tube diameter), the tube 90 fits tightly to the outer periphery of the coil 80. The tube 90 is fitted over the coil 80 in a state stretched from a natural state thereof in a direction A in the figure. Accordingly, the flexible tube 90 attempts to move in the contraction direction, and therefore force in a direction compressing the coil 80 can be applied. Thus, the bent state of the flexible arm 8 can be maintained. |
| US09778463B2 |
Head-up display device
A head-up display device includes a housing, a guiding base, a projecting board assembly, a protecting cover and a driving mechanism. The projecting board assembly is movably arranged at the guiding base. The driving mechanism includes a link, a lever, and a drive wheel. A front end of the link is pivotally connected to the protecting cover, and a rear end of the link is engaged with the drive wheel. A lower end of the lever is pivotally connected to the projecting board assembly. The drive wheel is rotatable and can be selectively engaged with the lever. The rotation of the drive wheel can drive the link and the lever to move and thus drive the protecting cover and the projecting board assembly to move. Therefore, the driving mechanism can be more easily arranged, so as to simplify the structure and reduce cost. |
| US09778459B1 |
Assembly to reduce liquid droplet accumulation
An assembly to reduce droplet accumulation and impingement on a lens assembly is disclosed. The assembly includes a camera body; a camera lens mounted within the camera body; and a groove surrounding the camera body. The groove has a first portion defined by a first sidewall, a second sidewall, and a first floor portion and a second portion defined by the first sidewall, a third sidewall, and a second floor portion. The first portion has a first width and a second portion has a second width larger than the first width. |
| US09778452B2 |
Sighting device
A sighting device, including an optical element having a concave reflection surface and an aiming light source and forming in a visual field frame, comprises a main-body housing section that houses the optical element and the aiming light source and has an opening on an upper surface side, a cover member that covers the upper surface side of the main-body housing section, and a link mechanism that couples the main-body housing section and the cover member and moves the cover member with respect to the main-body housing section. The cover member is moved by the link mechanism between a closed position where the cover member covers the opening of the main-body housing section and an open position where the cover member is disposed in a position separated from the opening of the main-body housing section and forms an optical path of the aiming light. |
| US09778451B2 |
Microscope system
The invention provides a microscope system including a correction-gain storage portion that calculates a correction gain for performing shading correction of an image related to optical images of a specimen, obtained by a microscope, and stores specimen information indicating features of the specimen and optical information at the time of obtaining the image in association with the correction gain; a correction-gain selecting portion that selects the correction gain for use when performing the shading correction of the image to be corrected; and a correction portion that performs the shading correction of the image to be corrected, on the basis of the selected correction gain, wherein the correction-gain selecting portion selects, on the basis of the specimen information or a result of the shading correction with the plurality of correction gains, the correction gain to be used in the shading correction of the image to be corrected. |
| US09778448B2 |
Optical cross-coupling mitigation systems for wavelength beam combining laser systems
In various embodiments, wavelength beam combining laser systems incorporate optical cross-coupling mitigation systems and/or engineered partially reflective output couplers in order to reduce or substantially eliminate unwanted back-reflection of stray light. |
| US09778447B2 |
Luminescent solar concentrator
A solar concentrator device comprising a solar concentrator element comprising a radiation transmissive surface, a radiation absorptive material and a radiation concentrating/collection point and disposed on the incident radiation side thereof a recapture element for recapturing at least a portion of radiation lost from the concentrator element has improved solar radiation collection efficiency by reintroducing recaptured radiation into the concentrator element or by propagating said recaptured radiation through the recapture element to a radiation concentration point associated with the recapture element. It has been found that planar elements having a grooved or corrugated outer surface make for very good recapture elements for planar concentrator elements. |
| US09778444B1 |
Optical assembly for a wide field of view point action camera with low astigmatism
An optical assembly for a point action camera with a wide field of view includes multiple lens elements configured to provide a field of view in excess of 150 degrees. One or more lens elements has an aspheric surface. The optical assembly exhibits a low longitudinal astigmatism of approximately 0.3 mm or less. |
| US09778438B2 |
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 second lens group is constituted by one or two positive lenses and one negative lens. The third lens group is constituted by, in order from the object side to the image side, two or three positive lenses and one negative lens. |
| US09778436B2 |
Lens driving apparatus
A lens driving apparatus includes a holder, a cover, a carrier, a first magnet, a coil, a spring, two second magnets and a hall sensor. The holder includes an opening hole. The cover is made of metal material and coupled to the holder. The carrier is movably disposed in the cover, and for coupling to a lens. The first magnet is connected to an inner side of the cover. The coil is wound around an outer side of the carrier, and adjacent to the first magnet. The spring is coupled to the carrier. The second magnets are disposed on one end of the carrier which is toward the holder. The hall sensor is for detecting a magnetic field of any one of the second magnets, wherein the magnetic field is varied according to a relative displacement between the hall sensor and the second magnet which is detected. |
| US09778435B2 |
Lens barrel
The present invention provides a lens barrel applicable to digital cameras, image pickup devices and cell phones. The lens barrel is small, low-cost and high-performance, and can suppress, by means of a simple mechanism provided in the lens barrel, a variation in the focal position of the lens barrel caused by the change in temperature. The lens barrel comprises a lens group consisting of a plurality of lenses and a lens chamber for holding the lens group. An elastic member is provided between a set of adjacent lenses of the lens group, for urging the set of adjacent lenses in an optical axis direction of the lenses. The space between the set of lenses is increased or decreased by the elastic member, which causes a back focus of the lens barrel to move in a direction opposite to the direction in which the focal position of the lens barrel varies due to thermal expansion or thermal contraction of the lens group and the lens chamber and the change of refractive index of the lens group resulting from a temperature change. Hence, by increasing or decreasing the space in the optical axis direction between the lenses at both ends of the elastic member, the variation in the focal position of the lens barrel is suppressed. |
| US09778433B2 |
Splice module for fiber blade
A blade arrangement for use in a bladed chassis system includes a splice module coupled to a blade. The splice module includes a splice region, a storage region, a first enter/exit region at the first side, and a second enter/exit region at the second side. Either of the enter/exit regions can be faced towards a rear of the blade when the splice module is mounted to the blade. The splice allows unterminated optical cables routed to the rear of the blade to be optically spliced to connectorized pigtails that are received at rear ports of optical adapters on the blade. |
| US09778430B2 |
Structures and method for thermal management in active optical cable (AOC) assemblies
Disclosed are structures and methods for active optic cable (AOC) assembly having improved thermal characteristics. In one embodiment, an AOC assembly includes a fiber optic cable having a first end attached to a connector with a thermal insert attached to the housing for dissipating heat from the connector. The AOC assembly can dissipate a suitable heat transfer rate from the active components of the connector such as dissipating a heat transfer rate of 0.75 Watts or greater from the connector. In one embodiment, the thermal insert is at least partially disposed under the boot of the connector. In another embodiment, at least one component of the connector has a plurality of fins. Other AOC assemblies may include a connector having a pull tab for dissipating heat from the assembly. |
| US09778429B2 |
Heat sink for optical module array assembly
Apparatus comprising: a heat sink, the heat sink comprising: a body formed out of a heat-transmissive material; at least one channel extending through the body, the at least one channel having an inlet port and an outlet port; at least one opening extending through the body, the at least one opening being configured to receive an optical module therein; at least one securement element mounted to the body for releasably securing an optical module within the at least one opening; and at least one alignment element mounted to the body for ensuring appropriate alignment of an optical module received in the at least one opening. |
| US09778427B2 |
Cable assembly with cable attach structure having off-axis fiber routing
A cable attach structure for attaching a fiber-optic cable to a rear end and a connector to a front end is disclosed. In one embodiment, the cable attach structure is a portion of a fiber optic cable assembly having a fiber optic cable with at least one optical fiber and a connector attached to the optical fiber. The fiber optic cable is attached to the cable attach structure at a rear end and circuit board is attached to the cable attach structure at the front end. The cable attach structure also routes the at least one optical fiber away from the centerline of the connector for off-axis fiber routing. In other embodiments, the optical fiber can enter the connector from a first direction and attach to the connector in a second direction if desired. |
| US09778420B2 |
Connecting structure of optical module and optical connector
To make connection work be done easily and certainly, and, further, space-saving be achieved, when an optical fiber and an optical module are connected. An optical module includes a connecting face connected with an optical connector and a first diffraction grating, provided in an end part of a first optical waveguide, to convert an optical axis direction of the first optical waveguide to a direction toward an opposing face of the optical connector; in the optical connector, the second optical waveguide is provided in the optical connector along the opposing face toward the connecting face; the optical connector includes a second diffraction grating, provided in an end part of the second optical waveguide, to convert an optical axis direction of the second optical waveguide into a direction toward the optical module; and while the optical module and the optical connector are connected mechanically to make the opposing face of the optical connector oppose the connecting face of the optical module, the first diffraction grating and the second diffraction grating opposing each other and being coupled optically. |
| US09778414B2 |
Curved electronic display element
A head-mounted display (HMD) including an electronic display. The electronic display is configured to output image light. The electronic display includes a display panel including a surface configured to emit image light, and a fiber optic taper. The fiber optic taper includes a mounting surface and a display surface. The mounting surface is formed to, and affixed to, the surface of the display panel to receive the image light from the display panel. The display surface has a shape configured to output the image light corrected for optical distortion in the image light received from the cylindrically curved display panel. The HMD includes an optics block configured to optically direct the corrected image light to an exit pupil of the HMD corresponding to a location of an eye of a user of the HMD. |
| US09778412B2 |
Snap-fit for fixing optical film, and backlight module and liquid crystal display with the same
A snap-fit for fixing optical films is disclosed. The optical film includes at least one ear hook arranged above a border of a plastic frame. The plastic frame is assembled with a back frame so as to fix a light guiding plate within the back frame. The snap-fit includes a press portion and a connection portion extending from a first side of the press portion. The connection portion and the press portion cooperatively form an angle with a predetermined degree. The press portion presses the ear hook of the optical films on the border of the plastic frame. The connection portion clasps with the hook of the sidewall. By adopting the snap-fit, not only the narrow bezel design can be achieved, but also the optical film can be stably fixed. A backlight module with the above snap-fit and the liquid crystal display are also disclosed. |
| US09778409B2 |
Optical member, display device, and light emitting device having the same
Disclosed are an optical member and a display device. The display device includes a light source; a light conversion layer to convert a wavelength of light emitted from the light source; and a display panel into which the light is incident from the light conversion layer. Further, the light conversion layer includes a plurality of concave surfaces. |
| US09778405B2 |
Light guide plate and light source module
A light guide plate and a light source module are described. The light guide plate includes a main body, first stripe microstructures and second stripe microstructures. The main body includes a light incidence surface, a light-emitting surface and a light reflective surface opposite to the light-emitting surface. The light incidence surface is connected between the light-emitting surface and the light reflective surface. The light-emitting surface includes a first microstructure region and a second microstructure region arranged sequentially, and the first microstructure region is near the light incidence surface. The first stripe microstructures are disposed in the first microstructure region and extending along a direction from one side near the light incidence surface to the other side away from the light incidence surface. The second stripe microstructures are disposed in the second microstructure region along the direction. A gradient of each second stripe microstructure is gradually varied along the direction. |
| US09778404B2 |
Achromatic holographic phase masks, methods, and applications
A phase converting device capable of use over a broad wavelength range, which may be used for optical beam transformations and combining, conversion of resonator and waveguide modes, correction of aberrations in optical systems, and selection of photons with specific phase profile. This provides significant advantages in high power laser systems. Large-mode-area fibers can be used to provide higher incident powers than can be achieved by single-mode fibers, reducing the number of elements in a system necessary to achieve the desired output. The profiles of these LMA fiber modes can then be converted from the undesired modes into the desired mode while combing their total power into a single beam. |
| US09778402B2 |
Light reflective film and light reflector produced using the same
The light reflective film has improved adhesive property between a light reflective layer and a hard coat layer.The light reflective film has a high refractive index layer, a low refractive index layer, a resin adhesive layer, and a hard coat layer laminated on a substrate, in this order. The hard coat layer has an active energy ray-curable resin. The resin adhesive layer has at least one resin selected from polyvinyl acetal resins, acrylic resins, and urethane resins. |
| US09778398B2 |
Hard coating film and preparation method thereof
The present invention relates to a hard coating film and a preparation method thereof, and, more particularly, to a hard coating film having high hardness and excellent properties and a method of preparing the same. The method is advantageous in that a high-hardness hard coating film, which is not easily curled, can be easily prepared. The hard coating film prepared by this method can be usefully used in various fields because it has high hardness, scratch resistance, transparency, durability, light resistance, light transmittance and the like. |
| US09778393B2 |
Method and system for density correction for geophysical well logging inside drilling rods
A method and system for estimating density of material surrounding a borehole in mineral exploration, the method including inserting a tool into a drilling rod located within a borehole, the tool having a gamma radiation source and at least one sensor; raising the tool within the drilling rod; receiving gamma count readings at the at least one sensor; sending the gamma count readings to a computing device; and removing effects of the drilling rod from the gamma count readings at the computing device to calculate a density of material surrounding the borehole. |
| US09778392B2 |
3Helium gas proportional counter
A 3Helium gas counter comprising polyethylene slabs, a rectangular gas tube within the polyethylene slabs, and a mixture of 3Helium and Xenon. A 3Helium gas counter comprising polyethylene slabs, a rectangular gas tube within the polyethylene slabs, and a mixture of 3Helium and Krypton. A method of making a 3Helium gas counter comprising providing polyethylene slabs, placing a rectangular gas tube within the polyethylene slabs, and depositing a mixture of 3Helium and Xenon into the rectangular gas tube. |
| US09778389B2 |
Communication applications
In some embodiments, an apparatus and a system, as well as a method and an article, may operate to transmit and receive data. Transmission may comprise transforming larger values of acquired data into smaller values of transformed data using a transform defined by a seed value selected to reduce digital pulse position modulation transmission time for the acquired data. Additional activities include digital pulse position modulating the transformed data and a checksum associated with the transformed data to provide a propagation signal, and transmitting the propagation signal into drilling fluid or a geological formation. Reception may comprise receiving the propagation signal, demodulating the propagation signal to extract the transformed data and the checksum, and transforming the transformed data into an estimate of the acquired data, using the transform defined by the seed value validated by the checksum. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are described. |
| US09778379B2 |
Photon-counting X-ray CT apparatus and photon-counting X-ray diagnostic apparatus
A photon-counting X-ray computed tomography (CT) apparatus of an embodiment includes photon-counting CT detection circuitry, integral CT detection circuitry, switching circuitry, and a feedback capacitance. Photon-counting CT detection circuitry outputs count values for respective energy bins, based on voltage pulses output from a feedback capacitance with electric charges output from an X-ray detection element configured to detect incident X-rays. Integral CT detection circuitry outputs an integral value, based on the voltage pulses output from the feedback capacitance with the electric charges output from the X-ray detection element. Switching circuitry switches between a case of transmitting the electric charges output from the X-ray detection element to the photon-counting CT detection circuitry and a case of transmitting the electric charges output from the X-ray detection element to the integral CT detection circuitry. The feedback capacitance is connected with the photon-counting CT detection circuitry and the integral CT detection circuitry in parallel. |
| US09778375B2 |
X-ray detector and method for its production
An X-ray detector including a substrate having opposite first and second faces, at least a first temperature sensor on the side of the first or second face, and at least one stack including of a copper oxide layer and a copper layer. The copper oxide layer is located between the copper layer and the substrate. The stack covers at least partially the first temperature sensor or is at least partially opposite the first temperature sensor. |
| US09778369B2 |
Pedestrian positioning in high-reflection environments
A positioning system operates by first determining that a user is pedestrian, and then estimating a speed of the user. Having tracked a first signal from one radio transmitter whose position is known, the system attempts to detect additional signals from the one transmitter, in a search space such that the first signal and the or each additional signal are consistent with the estimated speed of the user and with one or more of the signals having been reflected off a reflector in the vicinity of the user. One or more detected additional signals from the one transmitter are then tracked, and candidate measurements, derived from the first signal and the one or more detected additional signals, are provided for use when estimating the position and/or velocity of the user. |
| US09778367B2 |
Anti-jamming apparatus and method for compact array antenna
An anti-jamming apparatus and method for a compact array antenna are provided. The anti-jamming apparatus for a compact array antenna includes a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) array antenna unit including a plurality of GNSS antennas for receiving GNSS signals transmitted from a satellite. A first beam-forming unit includes a plurality of combination units for receiving respective signals received by the plurality of GNSS antennas as a first reference signal and first auxiliary signals and combining the first reference signal with the first auxiliary signals, thus forming different beams. A second beam-forming unit receives signals of the different beams, and combining the signals of the different beams, thus forming an anti-jamming beam in which an invisible area is minimized. |
| US09778365B2 |
Single receiver GPS pointing vector sensing
A system and method of determining a pointing vector using two GPS antennas and a single GPS receiver is disclosed. Two stationary GPS antennas, with a separation preferably less than half of a wavelength (˜100 mm) may use a single receiver to determine the pointing vector of the system. Incorporation of a three axis angular rate measurement allows pointing determination during system rotation. Incorporation of three axis gyroscope system allows pointing determination while in motion. The system provides the ability to sense multipath and jamming. Also the system can potentially eliminate the impact and certainly alert the user that the measurement may not be reliable. |
| US09778364B2 |
Vehicle with multiple light detection and ranging devices (LIDARs)
A vehicle is provided that includes one or more wheels positioned at a bottom side of the vehicle. The vehicle also includes a first light detection and ranging device (LIDAR) positioned at a top side of the vehicle opposite to the bottom side. The first LIDAR is configured to scan an environment around the vehicle based on rotation of the first LIDAR about an axis. The first LIDAR has a first resolution. The vehicle also includes a second LIDAR configured to scan a field-of-view of the environment that extends away from the vehicle along a viewing direction of the second LIDAR. The second LIDAR has a second resolution. The vehicle also includes a controller configured to operate the vehicle based on the scans of the environment by the first LIDAR and the second LIDAR. |
| US09778363B2 |
Methods and apparatus for coded time-of-flight camera
In illustrative implementations, a time-of-flight camera robustly measures scene depths, despite multipath interference. The camera emits amplitude modulated light. An FPGA sends at least two electrical signals, the first being to control modulation of radiant power of a light source and the second being a reference signal to control modulation of pixel gain in a light sensor. These signals are identical, except for time delays. These signals comprise binary codes that are m-sequences or other broadband codes. The correlation waveform is not sinusoidal. During measurements, only one fundamental modulation frequency is used. One or more computer processors solve a linear system by deconvolution, in order to recover an environmental function. Sparse deconvolution is used if the scene has only a few objects at a finite depth. Another algorithm, such as Wiener deconvolution, is used is the scene has global illumination or a scattering media. |
| US09778362B2 |
Relative speed measuring doppler LiDAR
The general field of the invention is that of Doppler lidars intended to measure the speed of a target. The lidar according to the invention comprises:First means for modulating the optical frequency of the transmission signal, said frequency being the sum of a constant frequency and of a variable frequency of determined amplitude modulated by a periodic temporal function;Second means for computing the spectrum of the measured heterodyne signal and for creating two measurement spectra obtained by shifting the spectrum of the heterodyne signal by a positive and negative frequency value, said realignment frequency equal to the difference between the instantaneous frequency of the transmission signal and the frequency of a signal transmitted at a time shifted by the round-trip travel time between the lidar and the target;Third means for comparing the two measurement spectra, the difference in amplitude between the two spectra at the Doppler frequency determining the direction of the speed of the target. |
| US09778353B2 |
Handheld device, object positioning method and computer-readable recording medium
A handheld device, an object positioning method thereof and a computer-readable recording medium are provided. The handheld device includes a radar sensor, an image sensor and a control unit. The radar sensor emits a detection wave, and receives a reflected wave generated by an object by reflecting the detection wave. Each object generates one of the reflected waves. The image sensor captures an image. The image includes a subset of the objects. The control unit extracts a waveform signature of each reflected wave, recognizes the waveform signature in a time domain and a frequency domain to determine a first type of each object, obtains a first position of the object according to the reflected wave, obtains a second type and a second position of each object according to the first image, and performs object mapping to combine or compare the first position and the second position of the object. |
| US09778352B2 |
Object recognition apparatus
In an object recognition apparatus mounted on a vehicle, comprising: a plurality of recognizers each adapted to conduct object recognition ahead of the vehicle at intervals; and an object continuity determiner adapted to conduct object continuity determination based on a result of the object recognition conducted by the recognizers; the object continuity determiner determines that, when a first object recognized by any of the object recognizers at time (N) is present at a position within a predetermined area defined by a position of a second object recognized by other of the object recognizers at time (N−1) earlier than the time (N), the first object and the second object are identical to each other to be one object which is kept recognized continuously for a time period ranging from at least the time (N−1) to the time (N). |
| US09778351B1 |
System for surveillance by integrating radar with a panoramic staring sensor
Described is system for surveillance that integrates radar with a panoramic staring sensor. The system captures image frames of a field-of-view of a scene using a multi-camera panoramic staring sensor. The field-of-view is scanned with a radar sensor to detect an object of interest. A radar detection is received when the radar sensor detects the object of interest. A radar message indicating the presence of the object of interest is generated. Each image frame is marked with a timestamp. The image frames are stored in a frame storage database. The set of radar-based coordinates from the radar message is converted into a set of multi-camera panoramic sensor coordinates. A video clip comprising a sequence of image frames corresponding in time to the radar message is created. Finally, the video clip is displayed, showing the object of interest. |
| US09778350B2 |
Angularly resolving radar sensor
An angularly resolving radar sensor having multiple antenna elements that, in a direction in which the radar sensor is angularly resolving, are disposed in different positions, and having a control and evaluation device that is designed for an operating mode in which several of the antenna elements transmit signals that are respectively received by several of the antenna elements, and the angle (θ) of a located object is identified on the basis of amplitudes and/or phase relationships between signals which correspond to different configurations of transmitting and receiving antenna elements, wherein the control and evaluation device is embodied to supply several of the transmitting antenna elements simultaneously with identical-frequency signals (f1-f4) in such a way that the common phase center of said signals is located between the positions of two adjacent antenna elements. |
| US09778348B1 |
Symmetric receiver switch for bipolar pulser
Circuitry for ultrasound devices is described. A multilevel pulser is described, which can provide bipolar pulses of multiple levels. The multilevel pulser includes a pulsing circuit and pulser and feedback circuit. Symmetric switches are also described. The symmetric switches can be positioned as inputs to ultrasound receiving circuitry to block signals from the receiving circuitry. |
| US09778344B2 |
System and method of utilizing RF signaling to determine range and relative coordinates
A system and method of measuring the distance and determining the coordinate position of one or more target transceivers relative to a set of anchor transceivers with known locations is provided. The position of the target transceiver is determined by using a time-of-flight (TOF) initialization signal generated by the master anchor transceiver, a TOF response transmission generated by the target transceiver, calculation of the distances between the target transceiver and each anchor transceiver, and transmission of a TOF distance report by the master anchor transceiver. The system and method of the present invention permit the accurate locating of a target transceiver that is located “outside the box.” |
| US09778332B2 |
Spinning controller for NMR sample tube
A spinning controller has an arithmetic unit (18) and a controller (20). The arithmetic unit (18) establishes gate periods Tg for a pulse sequence signal (110) produced concomitantly with spinning of a sample tube (40) and obtains a count value (Ns) by counting the number of pulses falling within each gate period Tg. The arithmetic unit (18) has functions of finding differences in time from each gate period Tg to the pulse sequence signal (110) occurring around the starting point and ending point of each gate period Tg by making use of a high-speed clock signal (120) and of correcting the duration of the gate period Tg, based on the differences in time. |
| US09778322B2 |
Lighting jig
The present invention discloses a lighting jig for testing a backlight module, comprising a switch unit and a delay unit; wherein the switch unit is connected to a power supply, and when the switch unit is in closed position, a power output terminal of the lighting jig is electrically connected to a power input terminal of the backlight module, a closing signal is generated at the same time, and the closing signal is output to the delay unit; and the delay unit is connected to the power supply, and outputs a delayed power signal to the power input terminal of the backlight module upon receipt of the closing signal output from the switch unit so as to delay the lighting up of the backlight module. |
| US09778320B2 |
Apparatus and method for monitoring the function of a safety switch means
An apparatus and a method are provided for monitoring the function of a safety switch means, wherein the safety switch means in particular can be used to switch an actuator. The apparatus and method enable the function of a safety switch means to be reliably monitored in a cost-effective manner. Further, the apparatus and method can provide universal function monitoring. |
| US09778314B2 |
Capacitive opens testing of low profile components
A probe assembly for capacitive testing electrical connections of a low profile component to a circuit assembly. The probe assembly is configured to reduce coupling of noise signals from the circuit assembly to the capacitive probe. The probe assembly includes a sensing member with a geometry that allows the probe to preferentially couple to test signals from the pins of a component under test rather than conductive structures on the circuit assembly, such as pads, and signal traces to which those pins are attached. The sensing member may be a vertical capacitive sense plate such that coupling is to an edge of the plate. The sensing member alternatively may be a horizontal capacitive sense plate with an active area of the probe surrounded by an isolation ring. Measurements made with such capacitive probes may provide test measurements that yield a reliable discrimination between a properly attached pin and an open pin. |
| US09778311B2 |
Semiconductor inspection apparatus
The semiconductor inspection apparatus according to an embodiment includes a first detecting unit capable of being electrically connected to a source electrode of a field effect transistor to be evaluated, the first detecting unit used for detecting voltage, a first diode including a first anode electrode and a first cathode electrode, the first cathode electrode capable of being electrically connected to a drain electrode of the field effect transistor, a second detecting unit electrically connected to the first anode electrode, the second detecting unit used for detecting voltage, a first resistance element of which a first end is electrically connected to the first anode electrode, and a first electric power source electrically connected to a second end of the first resistance element. |
| US09778310B2 |
Apparatus and method for detection of solenoid current
An apparatus for detecting leakage current through a solenoid coil that includes a capacitor connected to one end of the solenoid coil and a feedback circuit that monitors the rate of decay of the capacitor voltage to determine if an excessive leakage current is present. |
| US09778305B2 |
Pulse width measurement method and apparatus
A tire monitoring apparatus comprising a monitor installed on a tire and a pulse width measuring apparatus for measuring the width of pulses produced by the monitor. The pulse width measuring apparatus comprises a frequency analyzer for producing a frequency representation of the pulse, a signal processor for determining a minimum value of the frequency representation, and a pulse width estimator that inverts the minimum value to produce a measurement for the pulse width. The tire monitoring apparatus uses the pulse width measurement as an indication of characteristics of the tire. |
| US09778303B2 |
Method and system for continuous off chip capacitor detection for linear regulators
Various embodiments efficiently detect the presence of an external capacitor electrically coupled to the output of a voltage regulator by perturbing the voltage output of the voltage regulator while the regulator is in operation and supplying, or ready to supply, regulated voltage to a load, and detecting the reaction of the regulator's output. |
| US09778297B2 |
Power detector and associated method for eliminating the difference of I-V phase difference between transmission path and detection path
A power detector for detecting an output power of a power amplifier is provided. The power amplifier is used to transmit signal power to the antenna. The power detector includes a phase shifter, a multiplier and a calibration unit. The phase shifter sequentially applies a plurality of candidate phase calibration amounts to the output voltage of the power amplifier to generate a plurality of adjusted signals with different phases in a calibration mode. The multiplier sequentially mixes the replica current and each of the plurality of adjusted signals, to generate a plurality of analog signals with different phases. The calibration circuit determines a target phase calibration amount of the phase shifter from the candidate phase calibration amounts according to the plurality of analog signals. |
| US09778294B2 |
Non-contact AC voltage measurement device
A non-contact AC voltage measurement device 100 applied to a conductor 12 of an electric wire 16, the device 100 being characterized in that a first electrode 32 is provided outside the electric wire 16, whereby a coupling capacitance 34 is formed between the conductor 12 and the first electrode 32, a parallel circuit 38 having a capacitor 40 and an opening/closing means 50 connected in parallel to the capacitor 40 is provided, the parallel circuit is connected in series to the coupling capacitance, and a first current I1 which flows through the parallel circuit 38 when the opening/closing means 50 of the parallel circuit 38 is closed and a second current I2 which flows through the parallel circuit 38 when the opening/closing means 50 is open are measured for the purpose of measuring the AC voltage 8 applied to the conductor 12. |
| US09778288B2 |
Fluxgate-based current sensor
Operating a current sensor by conducting a current serially through a first region and a second region of an electrically conductive member. A first magnetic field produced by the current in the first region is sensed using a first magnetic field based current (MFBC) sensor having a first sensitivity. The sensitivity of a second MFBC is reduced. A second magnetic field produced by the current in the second region is sensed using the second MFBC sensor having a reduced sensitivity, in which the reduced sensitivity is lower than the first sensitivity. A magnitude of the current is calculated based on the first magnetic field and the second magnetic field. A dynamic range of the current sensor is extended by calculating a magnitude of the current using the second magnetic field after the first MFBC is saturated. |
| US09778287B2 |
Current sensor
Provided is a current sensor capable of being assembled even if a bus bar inserted through a magnetic core has a complex shape that is difficult to insert through an opening portion of a case. A case includes a first case segment and a second case segment provided with opening portions having a cut-out shape that is open toward a direction orthogonal to a direction in which a detection target portion of a bus bar extends, and the case is assembled to the detection target portion by inserting the detection target portion into the opening portions from the direction orthogonal to the direction in which the detection target portion extends. |
| US09778285B2 |
Electrical sensor systems and methods
Various techniques are disclosed for providing electrical current and/or voltage sensor probes or tags integrated with measurement circuitry. For example, an electrical sensor is provided that includes a probe adapted to be arranged to at least partially encircle a conductor to be measured, wherein the probe has a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end terminating in a base portion that houses measurement circuitry. The base portion may also include electrical components suitable for displaying, wirelessly transmitting, and/or otherwise conveying the measured electrical parameters. In some embodiments, the distal end of the probe may be removably received by the base portion, such that the probe forms a loop encircling the conductor when measuring it. In other embodiments, the probe may resiliently clip on to the conductor. In another example, an electrical sensor includes an attachable tag that can be mounted to the conductor to be measured. |
| US09778281B1 |
Tachometer signal jitter reduction system and method
Assessing and removing jitter from tachometer signals enhances the performance of condition monitoring systems where accurate tachometer signals are needed. A system as disclosed herein can be designed and configured to have a low order of operations, so as to allow for implementation on low cost microcontrollers, which can be important for bused, distributed monitoring systems in which the tachometer zero crossing data is collected at a tachometer sensor and then broadcast to other remote sensors needing that information for vibration or other advanced analysis. Moreover, for monolithic architecture systems (e.g., a centralized processing and control architecture), the low order of operation and small software code base allows the system to be a simple/low cost addition to existing monitoring systems. |
| US09778280B2 |
Methods and systems for identification of event data having combined activity and location information of portable monitoring devices
Systems and methods for segmenting a period of time into identification of locations of a user who performs activities are described. One of the methods includes detecting activity of a monitoring device worn by the user. The activity includes an amount of movement of the monitoring device. The activity is performed for a period of time. The method further includes obtaining geo-location data for the monitoring device and storing, during the period of time, the detected activity and corresponding geo-location data. The method also includes analyzing the detected activity and the corresponding geo-location data to identify one or more events. Each event is associated with a group of activity data and one or more of the groups of activity data is associated with an identifier, which is obtained using the geo-location data. |
| US09778279B2 |
Inertial force sensor
An inertial sensor includes oscillating-type angular velocity sensing element (32), IC (34) for processing signals supplied from angular velocity sensing element (32), capacitor (36) for processing signals, and package (38) for accommodating angular velocity sensing element (32), IC (34), capacitor (36). Element (32) and IC (34) are housed in package (38) via a vibration isolator, which is formed of TAB tape (46), plate (40) on which IC (34) is placed, where angular velocity sensing element (32) is layered on IC (34), and outer frame (44) placed outside and separately from plate (40) and yet coupled to plate (40) via wiring pattern (42). |
| US09778278B2 |
Sample-taking unit
A sample-taking unit having a sampling unit and a hold-down device which is movable relative thereto in a parallel manner, said sample-taking unit including a self-holding mechanism which, as a result of a self-locking effect, automatically fixes the hold-down device in a lowered fixing position against an upward movement until the self-locking effect is removed again as a result of the self-holding mechanism being acted upon with a detaching force, preferably as a result of contact between the sampling unit and a clamping element of the self-holding mechanism. |
| US09778277B2 |
Process and apparatus for testing substances for potential carcinogenicity
An apparatus (2) for the automatic testing of substances for carcinogenicity comprises: a plate support (3) on which at least one micro-well plate (1) can be placed; a movable pipetting unit (4) comprising a predetermined number of pipettes (40); a number of containers (5) containing a liquid culture medium (50), the number of containers (5) corresponding to the number of pipettes (40) of the pipetting unit (4); a dish support (6) on which a corresponding number of dishes (60) can be placed, each having a bottom and an upstanding side wall (601); a plurality of spinners (63) for spinning the dishes (60); a plurality of suction cups (62) for placing a lid (600) on each of the dishes; and a plurality of laterally arranged belts (64,65) for transporting the closed dishes (60) to an intermediate storage (8). |
| US09778276B2 |
Liquid handling device
A liquid handling device that determines a position of a tray utilizing light reflected from structural features of the tray. |
| US09778267B2 |
Methods for identifying modulators of ion channels
The invention provides methods for identifying modulators of ion channels without the use of recombinant cell lines over-expressing the ion channel proteins or the use of detection labels. |
| US09778265B2 |
Charged peptide appendage to facilitate oriented protein covalent immobilization
Genetic fusions of proteins, for example single-domain antibodies (sdAbs), with a positively-charged domain enhanced immobilization of active protein in a desired orientation. |
| US09778262B2 |
Antibody cocktail
The present invention relates to a composition comprising at least three primary antibodies or fragments thereof, wherein the at least three antibodies or fragments thereof binds specifically to at least three different proteins, and wherein the at least three different proteins are AMCAR, CK 5/6, and HMWC. Methods for using the composition in diagnosis, prognosis, and assessing efficacy of treatment is further included as well as kits comprising said composition, and optionally, instructions of its use. |
| US09778256B2 |
Biochip substrate and biochip
A biochip substrate which is free from cross-contamination due to spot spreading or contact with spots adjacent to each other, and a biochip using the same. A biochip substrate on which multiple valleys for immobilizing biological substances are formed so as to prevent cross-contamination due to spot spreading or contact with spots adjacent to each other, and a biochip using the same are provided. Moreover, it is found out that a desired binding in a target molecule contained in a test sample occurs at a detectable level in a solution system even in the case where a valley have such a small capacity as 1 nL to 10 nL. |
| US09778253B2 |
Tube for measuring bio-related substance and quantifying system
A bio-related substance assay tube 2 comprises a target substance capture bead 3 serving as a first microparticle, compensation bead 4 serving as a second microparticle on which a given amount of a bio-related substance has been immobilized, and a negative control bead 5 serving as a third microparticle for use as a negative control. A mount unit 12 comprises a nozzle communicating with a pump, and the bio-related substance assay tube 2 is mounted in the mount unit 12 to ensure communication with this nozzle. An analyte is introduced into the bio-related substance assay tube 2, followed by labeling the bio-related substance bound to each microparticle to cause light emission. Based on light emission from each microparticle, a calibration curve is prepared or the emission intensity of the first microparticle is compensated to quantify the bio-related substance. |
| US09778249B2 |
Sequence and chiral selectivity of DNA-drug interactions revealed by force spectroscopy
Methods of quantifying the efficiency of a drug molecule for its targeted receptor, using a differential binding force to quantify the efficiency of a drug molecule to its targeted receptor. |
| US09778248B2 |
Method for measurement of thrombocyte function
With a method for measurement of thrombocyte function, a solution is created, by which the sensitivity of individual thrombocytes can be measured with the least possible apparatus effort, with high throughput, by passing a liquid thrombocyte solution, in which the thrombocytes are present in isolated form, into a microfluidic chamber and brought into contact with at least one stimulant, wherein an electrical field directed transverse to the entry direction of the thrombocyte solution is applied to the chamber, and the movement path of the thrombocytes in the electrical field is observed and evaluated, in such a manner that thrombocytes having a movement path directed in the direction toward the minus pole of the electrical field are classified as non-activated thrombocytes, and thrombocytes having a movement path directed in the direction toward the plus pole of the electrical field are classified as activated thrombocytes. |
| US09778247B2 |
Systems and methods for an equilibrium wet bath
A wet standard calibration system which utilizes a heat conducting foam with the liquid therein to serve as a primary heating device to avoid the need to include mechanical agitation. The system is particularly useful for generating a vapor comprising water and ethanol which can be used for the calibration of breath alcohol testers. |
| US09778245B2 |
Diagnostic devices and methods
A diagnostic device is provided that comprises a light source for transmitting a light beam through a blood sample to a light detector, and a permanent magnet, wherein one of the permanent magnet and blood sample is automatically movable relative to the other between a “HIGH” magnetic state position and a “LOW” magnetic state position, such that a substantially high magnetic field is applied to the blood sample causing any hemozoin in the blood sample to tend toward perpendicular orientation to the substantially magnetic field and the suppression, or enhancement of light based on its polarization, and a zero-to-near-zero magnetic field is applied to the blood sample causing the randomization of any hemozoin in the blood sample and a baseline amount of light to pass through the blood sample in the “LOW” magnetic state position. |
| US09778243B2 |
Methods for measuring renewable bio-source content in renewable bioplastic materials
The present invention relates to improved methods for measuring the renewable bio-source carbon content and renewable bio-content in renewable bioplastic resins produced in manufacturing plants. In particular, the present invention relates to measuring the renewable bio-source carbon content in renewable bioplastic resins produced during a production run by correlating measured δ13C values are measured by iTOC-CRDS and CM-CRDS with actual renewable bio-source carbon content measurements (AMS or LSC 14C) via a linear regression. |
| US09778241B2 |
Quartz crystal characterization of fractions derived from pre-refined crude and/or cracked streams
Methods are provided for characterizing the stability of a distillate fraction using a quartz crystal microbalance apparatus, such as a distillate fraction derived at least in part from a pre-refined crude oil. A sample can be aged for an aging period in a quartz crystal microbalance apparatus, and a frequency value for the sample in the quartz crystal microbalance apparatus can be determined before and after the aging period to determine a frequency difference. This frequency difference can be correlated directly with the ability of a jet fuel fraction to satisfy a stability test standard, such as a jet fuel breakpoint stability. The methods can also include using a temperature profile during characterization that can reduce or minimize operator error during the characterization. |
| US09778240B2 |
Characterization of crude oil by ultraviolet visible spectroscopy
A system and a method for characterizing a crude oil sample from the weight and ultraviolet visible spectroscopy of the sample, including calculating a crude oil ultraviolet visible index and using the index to calculate the API gravity and the aromaticity of the sample. |
| US09778237B2 |
Systems and methods for determining combustion properties of wellhead gas
Disclosed are methods, systems, and computer-readable mediums for determining combustion properties of wellhead gas. A methane concentration of a gas mixture is measured. A non-methane hydrocarbon concentration of the gas mixture is measured. An inert concentration of the gas mixture is calculated. A first surrogate for the non-methane hydrocarbon concentration is selected, where the first surrogate is selected as propane if the methane concentration is greater than a first threshold, and where the first surrogate is selected as pentane if the methane concentration is less than or equal to the first threshold. A methane number of the gas mixture is determined, where the methane number is based on the methane concentration, the first surrogate, and the inert concentration. |
| US09778220B2 |
Electrochemical gas sensor
An electrochemical gas sensor (10) with a housing (11), with an electrolyte reservoir (12) and with a plurality of electrodes (31, 32, 33). The electrodes (31, 32, 33) include at least one working electrode (31), one counterelectrode (32) and one reference electrode (33). The electrolyte reservoir (12) is filled with a liquid electrolyte (60). All of the electrodes (31, 32, 33) are arranged at or on a common electrode carrier (20). |
| US09778219B2 |
Electrochemical detection system and method of operation
An electrochemical detection system for determining a concentration of a gas in exhaust gases of a combustion process. The system includes an electrolyte, a reference electrode, and a sense electrode that cooperate to form an electrochemical sensor that exposes both the reference electrode and the sense electrode to the exhaust gases. The electrochemical sensor is configured to output a sensor signal indicative of a species concentration of a species gas in the exhaust gases. The sensor signal exhibits a transient error in response to a change in a reference concentration of a reference gas in the exhaust gases. The processor is configured to determine the species concentration based on the sensor signal, and to determine an estimate of the transient error based on an operating condition of the combustion process. |
| US09778217B2 |
Explosion-proof miniaturized combustible gas sensor
The present invention provides an explosion-proof miniaturized combustible gas sensor, comprising: a metal casing having an accommodation space therein; a wire mesh, a vertical surface perpendicular to a side surface where the wire mesh is located and the other side surface opposite thereto being used as a transfer surface of the combustible gas; a heat insulation module embedded in the metal casing; a detection module sensitive to a combustible gas; a compensation module insensitive to a combustible gas and matching the detection module; where the detection module has a higher catalytic combustion activity than the compensation module; a sealant, where a bonding length of the sealant in the accommodation space of the metal casing is used as an effective bonding surface, and the effective bonding surface is perpendicular to the transfer surface. The present invention has the advantages of a miniaturized size, good explosion-proof property and reliable performance. |
| US09778216B2 |
Hygrometer and dew-point instrument
A hygrometer and dew-point instrument is provided that is structurally simple while reducing the workload during maintenance. The hygrometer measures relative humidity of a measurement space, and has a main body that encapsulates a working fluid therein and causes a heat-pipe phenomenon. The main body is disposed across the measurement space and an external space spaced from the measurement space by a heat-insulating part and has a temperature lower than the measurement space. A first temperature deriving part derives the temperature of the main body in a section where the working fluid evaporates. A space temperature detecting unit detects the temperature of the measurement space. A computation unit calculate relative humidity of the measurement space based on the temperature of the main body derived by the first temperature deriving part and the temperature of the measurement space detected by the space temperature detecting unit. |
| US09778209B2 |
Substrate for mask blanks, mask blank, transfer mask, and method of manufacturing them
Provided is a mask blank substrate being a substrate having two main surfaces, in which one of the two main surfaces of the mask blank substrate on a side on which a transfer pattern is formed has such a surface profile that, when a measurement region of 2.8 mm×2.1 mm of the main surface in a transfer pattern formation region is measured using a white light interferometer under conditions of a pixel number of 640×480, a power spectrum density at a spatial frequency of 1.0×10−2 μm−1 calculated from a result of the measurement is 6.0×107 nm4 or less. |
| US09778205B2 |
Delta die and delta database inspection
Disclosed are methods and apparatus for inspecting a photolithographic reticle. An inspection tool is used to obtain a plurality of patch area images of each patch area of each die of a set of identical dies on a reticle. An integrated intensity value for each patch area image is determined. A gain is applied to the integrated intensity value for each patch area image based on a pattern sparseness metric of such patch area image and its relative value to other patch area images' pattern sparseness metric. A difference between the integrated intensity value of each patch of pairs of the dies, which each pair includes a test die and a reference die, is determined to form a difference intensity map of the reticle. The difference intensity map correlates with a feature characteristic variation that depends on feature edges of the reticle. |
| US09778199B2 |
Classification and identification of solid propellant rocket motors
Pressure variations within a solid propellant rocket motor produce like variations in the optical radiance of the motor exhaust plume. The periodicity of the variation is related to the length L of the rocket motor or speed of sound in the rocket motor combustion chamber to length ratio a/L. The optical radiance is collected and converted to electrical signals that are sampled at or above the Nyquist rate. An array of single-pixel photo detectors is well suited to provide amplitude data at high sample rates. The sampled data from the one or more detectors is assembled to form a high fidelity time sequence. A window of sampled data is processed to form a signal frequency spectrum. The mode structure in the frequency spectrum is related to the rocket motor length or speed of sound in the rocket motor chamber to length ratio. The rocket motor length or speed of sound to length ratio is used alone or in combination with other information to either classify or identify the rocket motor. |
| US09778198B2 |
Apparatus for performing a sensing application
An apparatus for performing a sensing application may a substrate having a plurality of nano-fingers positioned to receive the dispensed solution , first and second reservoirs, first and second dispensers to dispense first and second solutions from the first and second reservoirs onto first and second subsets of the plurality of nano-fingers. The plurality of nano-fingers are flexible, such that the plurality of nano-fingers are configurable with respect to each other. The apparatus may include an illumination source to illuminate the first and second solutions and an analyte introduced around the plurality of nano-fingers, wherein light is to be emitted from the analyte in response to being illuminated. The apparatus may include a detector to detect the light emitted from the analyte. |
| US09778194B2 |
In-situ combined sensing of uniaxial nanomechanical and micromechanical stress with simultaneous measurement of surface temperature profiles by raman shift in nanoscale and microscale structures
Embodiments of the present disclosure include separating a measured Raman shift signal into mechanical and thermal components when a uniaxial compressive load is applied in situ. In some embodiments, in situ uniaxial compressive loads are applied on examined specimens from room temperature to 150° C. In alternate embodiments, Raman shift measurements are performed as a function of strain at constant temperature and/or as a function of temperature at constant strain levels. It was realized that the Raman shift measured at a given temperature under a given level of applied stress can be expressed as a summation of stress-induced Raman shift signal and temperature-induced Raman shift signal measured separately. Such a separation of Raman shift signal is utilized by various embodiments to measure localized change in thermal conductivity and/or mechanical stress of structures (e.g., semiconductor structures) under applied stress. |
| US09778190B2 |
Fabrication of a fluorescent material for sensing an analyte
An analyte indicator may include a porous base and may be included in an analyte sensor. The analyte indicator may retain its physical, chemical, and optical properties in the presence of compression. The porous base may not vary in opacity. The analyte indicator may include (i) a polymer unit attached or polymerized onto or out of the porous base and (ii) an analyte sensing element attached to the polymer unit or copolymerized with the polymer unit. The analyte sensing element may include one or more indicator molecule. The analyte sensing element may include one or more indicator polymer chains. The analyte indicator may include (i) an indicator polymer chain attached or polymerized onto or out of the porous base and (ii) indicator molecules attached to the indicator polymer chain. |
| US09778185B2 |
Analytical instrument with collimated and adjustable length optical path
This disclosure relates generally to analytical instruments for measuring one or more properties of specimens or samples to be analyzed and, more particularly, to an analytical instrument with an adjustable optical path length. An analytical instrument may include a specimen support upon which a specimen may rest and a compression plate for controllably adjusting an optical path length of the specimen between the specimen support and the compression plate. In particular, a specimen may contact both the specimen support and the compression plate such that controlling a distance of the compression plate with respect to the specimen support effectively controls the optical path length of the specimen. An analytical instrument may include collimating lenses to collimate electromagnetic energy for transmission through a specimen and converging lenses for directing electromagnetic energy transmitted through the specimen into one or more sensors. |
| US09778183B2 |
Sensing chip
A sensing chip is provided, which includes a substrate and a plurality of nano structures periodically arranged on the substrate, wherein each of the nano structures includes a bottom metal layer disposed on the substrate, a middle dielectric layer disposed on the bottom metal layer, and a top metal layer disposed on the middle dielectric layer. The bottom metal layer has an area that is larger than that of the top metal layer. |
| US09778182B2 |
Device and method for monitoring fluid in subsea equipment
Monitoring device and method for monitoring a fluid in subsea equipment, wherein the monitoring device includes a sensing element in contact with the fluid, at least one detector and a waveguide, where the sensing element is configured to implement an evanescent field absorption technique, the at least one detector is configured to detect an attenuated optical signal fed into the waveguide by at least one radiation source, and where the attenuation is caused by evanescent field absorption due to the fluid. |
| US09778181B2 |
System and method for analyzing a sample liquid
The present invention provides a system for analyzing a sample liquid comprising a test tape having a plurality of test elements, a tape transport device which successively transports the test elements to a sample application site while advancing the tape, and a measuring device which scans the test elements loaded with sample liquid at a measuring site. The measuring site is located at a distance from the sample application site in the direction of tape movement. The tape transport is interrupted in order to exactly position a wetted area of the test elements carrying a sample liquid at the measuring site by means of a positioning device that responds to the presence of sample liquid on the test element. |
| US09778174B2 |
Single device for gas and flame detection, imaging and measurement
A device images radiation from a scene. The scene can include two materials with spectral characteristics in different radiation wavelength regions. A static filtering arrangement includes two filters with different passbands corresponding to the two wavelength regions. An image forming optic forms an image of the scene on a detector. The radiation from the scene is imaged simultaneously through an f-number of less than 1.5 onto two detector pixel subsets. The imaged radiation on one pixel subset includes radiation in one wavelength region. The imaged radiation on the other pixel subset includes radiation in the other wavelength region. Electronic circuitry produces a pixel signal from each detector pixel. The pixel signals include information associated with absorption or emission of radiation in one of the respective wavelength regions by the two materials. The electronic circuitry determines the presence or absence of each of the two materials based on the pixel signals. |
| US09778171B2 |
Optical cup
The present invention relates to a system for conducting the identification and quantification of micro-organisms, e.g., bacteria in biological samples. More particularly, the invention relates to a system comprising a disposable cartridge and an optical cup or cuvette having a tapered surface; wherein the walls are angled to allow for better coating and better striations of the light, an optics system including an optical reader and a thermal controller; an optical analyzer; a cooling system; and an improved spectrometer. The system may utilize the disposable cartridge in the sample processor and the optical cup or cuvette in the optical analyzer. |
| US09778170B2 |
Method and apparatus for determining a barrier effect of a coating on a substrate
Determining a barrier effect of a coating for a medium includes: providing a substrate having the coating on its surface, the substrate undergoing a volume change on contact with the medium; conditioning the substrate with the coating; removing the coating from a first part of the surface, leaving the coating on a second part, the first part having an extent in a first direction delimited by the coating remaining on the second; determining a height profile of the coating on the second part and the first part on a path in the first direction; exposing the remaining coating and the first part to the medium; determining a second height profile of the coating on the second part and the first part on the path in the first direction and/or determining a difference in height profile on the second and first part with respect to the height profile determined beforehand. |
| US09778168B2 |
Coating monitor for evaluating the effectiveness of protective coatings
The coating monitoring system is based on electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The system consists of one or more compact and rugged mini-potentiostat modules coupled to one or more electrodes mounted on top of the paint coating of the structure being monitored. The electrodes and modules can be coated with a topcoat if desired. Alternatively, they may be mounted only temporarily to the structure for spot inspection. They periodically report to a laptop. Communications may be implemented using a wireless protocol. The units may be battery powered with an estimated battery lifetime of up to ten years, depending on the frequency of measurement and interrogation Alternative power supplies may be used to replace or supplement the battery to allow extended battery lifetime. Moisture, humidity, or other sensors may be incorporated into the coating monitor. |
| US09778166B2 |
Microparticle measurement device
In a microparticle measurement device, a sample is passed through each channel in a multi-flow channel, and a predetermined linear area is illuminated with light. Measurement light originating from a microparticle in the sample, such as scattered or fluorescent light, is shaped into a parallel beam by an objective lens and passes through a first and second transmission portions. The beams transmitted through these two portions are converged as first and second measurement beams onto the same straight line by a cylindrical lens. The intensity of the interference light formed by these beams is detected with a detector. Meanwhile, the light emitted from the light source and passing through the multi-flow channel without hitting the microparticle falls through the objective lens onto a non-reflection portion and does not travel toward the cylindrical lens. Accordingly, only the interference light formed by the measurement beams is allowed to fall onto the detector. |
| US09778160B2 |
System for sensing particulate matter
Systems and methods are described for sensing particulate matter in an exhaust system of a vehicle. An example system comprises a first outer tube with a plurality of intake apertures on an upstream surface, a second inner tube with a plurality of intake apertures on a downstream surface, and a particulate matter sensor placed within the second inner tube. The second inner tube may be positioned within the first outer tube such that a central axis of the second inner tube is parallel to a central axis of the first outer tube. |
| US09778159B2 |
System and method for assessing rheological properties of grease
A system for investigating rheological properties of grease, the system including grease sample preparation arrangement for preparing a grease sample with a predetermined quantity of grease, at least two sample holder plates for holding the grease sample by sandwiching the grease sample between the sample holder plates, wherein at least one of the sample holder plates is transparent, and a loading system for generating a predetermined force acting on the grease sample sandwiched between the sample holder plates by pressing on the sample holder plates such that a spot formed by the grease sample on the sample holder plates is expanded. The loading system can include at least one transparent portion enabling a continuous observation of the expansion of the spot while the predetermined force is acting on the grease sample. |
| US09778157B2 |
Output member for a direct impact Hopkinson pressure bar
An output member for a Direct Impact Hopkinson pressure bar includes an elongate tube portion and a disc-shaped cap portion. The tube portion has a first end and an opposite second end, while the cap portion includes a first face and an opposite second face. A circular stub protrudes from a center of the first face, and a circular cavity is formed in the second face. Each of the stub and the cavity is concentric with the cap portion, with a diameter of the cavity being greater than a diameter of the stub. The second face of the cap portion is positioned in intimate contact with the first end of the tube portion, with the cap portion being concentric with the tube portion. |
| US09778156B2 |
High pressure and temperature valve
The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods which provide a seal-less high temperature and pressure valve for use in many applications. |
| US09778153B2 |
Microfluid device and method of producing diffusively built gradients
A microfluid device for producing diffusively built gradients comprising a bottom plate and a cover plate, wherein the cover plate has recesses and is connected to the bottom plate in a liquid-tight manner so that the recesses form at least two reservoirs and one observation chamber, which connects the reservoir, a reservoir can be filled particularly through an inlet/outlet through the cover plate, and the cross-sectional surface of the observation chamber is at least 5 times, preferably at least 200 times smaller at the aperture of the observation chamber into one of the reservoirs than the maximum cross-sectional surface of the reservoir in parallel to this cross-sectional surface of the observation chamber. |
| US09778143B2 |
System and method for estimating engine exhaust manifold operating parameters
A system and method are provided for estimating an operating parameter of an exhaust manifold of an engine. In the system, a flow value is determined that corresponds to a flow rate of exhaust gas through an EGR conduit fluidly coupled between the exhaust manifold and the intake manifold. The EGR conduit includes an exhaust gas cooler disposed in-line with the EGR conduit and a property of the exhaust gas exiting an exhaust gas outlet of the cooler is measured. The operating parameter of the exhaust manifold is estimated as a function of at least the flow value and the property of the exhaust gas exiting the exhaust gas outlet of the cooler. Illustratively, the operating parameter of the exhaust manifold may be exhaust manifold pressure and/or temperature. |
| US09778141B2 |
Video inspection system with deformable, self-supporting deployment tether
Non-destructive evaluation optical inspection systems include video cameras or other reflective-photonic optical instruments, such as laser profilometers or 3D white light laser dimensional scanners, which are incorporated in a camera head. The camera head is coupled to a distal end of a self-supporting and shape-retaining elongate deformable deployment tether. The deployment tether is bendable, for insertion through cavities of power generation machines and orientation of the camera head field of view on the internal area of interest. The deployment tether is capable of being deformed repeatedly, for inspection of different areas of interest. In some embodiments, interchangeable camera heads are selectively coupled to the deployment tether, so that a kit or family of different optical inspection instruments are available to carry out multiple types of inspections within a single or multiple types of power generation machinery. |
| US09778140B2 |
Engine testing apparatus, and engine testing method
An engine testing apparatus is provided with a memory portion for storing a control command value obtained when the rotation speed of a dynamometer is changed by the control command value in accordance with the change of the engine rotation speed in a real vehicle in a period in which the engine behavior in a real vehicle is reproduced without connecting the dynamometer to an engine under test. The engine testing apparatus is provided with an output portion that supplies the control command value stored in the memory portion to the dynamometer with reference to an engine output signal showing the start of the reproducing period. |
| US09778137B2 |
Methods and apparatus for measurement of modal characteristics of multimode fiber using Rayleigh scatter
One or more modal characteristics are determined for a waveguide that supports more than two modes. In an example implementation, optical frequency domain reflectometry (OFDR) is used to couple light into the waveguide and detect Rayleigh scatter reflections associated with a segment of the waveguide. An original set of Rayleigh scatter data associated with the detected Rayleigh scatter reflections is generated. In addition, a scaled set of Rayleigh scatter data associated with the detected Rayleigh scatter reflections is generated. The original set of Rayleigh scatter data is correlated with the scaled set of Rayleigh scatter data. One or more modal characteristics of the waveguide are determined based on the correlation. |
| US09778131B2 |
Pressure data acquisition assembly
A method and assembly for acquiring pressure data. A pressure sensor is applied to a target surface on an individual. A calibrator and a processing element are in communication with the pressure sensor. Processing element receives pressure data and provides an integrated pressure value over a measurement time period. The integrated pressure value is compared to an alert value and to a change condition value. Where an alert value is exceeded, an alert is transmitted to an output device for display. Where a change condition value is exceeded, a measurement parameter of the pressure sensor is changed, or the calibrator is applied to the pressure sensor to recalibrate the pressure sensor to a recalibrated pressure range. |
| US09778127B2 |
Physical quantity measuring device
A differential pressure sensor includes: a sensor module including: a sensor case including a port through which a target fluid is to be introduced and a base attached with the port; a sensor configured to detect a physical quantity of the target fluid; a sensor substrate attached with the sensor, the sensor substrate having an outer circumferential surface facing an inner circumferential surface of the base; and a cover configured to press the sensor substrate against the base; and a case body including an electric circuit that is housed therein and electrically connectable to the sensor module, the case body having an open end to which the sensor module is externally attached, in which a sensor module clearance is defined between the outer circumferential surface of the sensor substrate and an inner circumferential surface of the sensor case. |
| US09778126B2 |
Gage pressure transducer and method for making the same
A method, device and system for a gage pressure transducer including the making thereof are provided. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving, at a first diaphragm, a first pressure, wherein the first diaphragm is composed of metal; transferring, from the first diaphragm, to a first sensor, the first pressure using a first oil region, wherein the first oil region is disposed between the first diaphragm and the first sensor; receiving, at the first sensor, the first pressure; measuring, by the first sensor, the first pressure to generate a first pressure signal; and outputting, from the first sensor, to a first header pin, the first pressure signal, wherein the first header pin is electrically coupled to the first sensor using a first conductive glass frit. |
| US09778120B2 |
Load cell
A load cell includes a flexure element having a Roberval mechanism in which the respective ends of a pair of top and bottom parallel beams including a thin section are integrated in a fixed portion and in a movable portion, and a stopper for preventing an overload disposed between the pair of the top and bottom parallel beams by being fixed to the fixed portion. The front portion of the stopper is disposed in a concave portion for engaging the stopper formed on the inner side surface of the movable portion and extending in the width direction, and the front portion of the stopper of which a width is larger than the movable portion projects outwardly in the width direction of the movable portion. |
| US09778119B2 |
Load transducer and force measurement assembly using the same
A load transducer is disclosed herein. The load transducer includes a body portion having a plurality of sides, the plurality of sides of the body portion including a first side; a plurality of beam portions including a first beam portion and a second beam portion, the first beam portion being coupled to the body portion, the second beam portion being coupled to the first beam portion, and the second beam portion extending along the first side of the body portion; and at least one load cell disposed on one or more of the plurality of beam portions, the at least one load cell configured to measure at least one force or moment component of a load applied to the load transducer. A force measurement assembly including a plurality of load transducers with first and second beam portions is also disclosed herein. |
| US09778112B2 |
Segmented chirped-pulse Fourier transform spectroscopy
An emission can be obtained from a sample in response to excitation using a specified range of excitation frequencies. Such excitation can include generating a specified chirped waveform and a specified downconversion local oscillator (LO) frequency using a digital-to-analog converter (DAC), upconverting the chirped waveform via mixing the chirped waveform with a specified upconversion LO frequency, frequency multiplying the upconverted chirped waveform to provide a chirped excitation signal for exciting the sample, receiving an emission from sample, the emission elicited at least in part by the chirped excitation signal, and downconverting the received emission via mixing the received emission with a signal based on the specified downconversion LO signal to provide a downconverted emission signal within the bandwidth of an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). The specified chirped waveform can include a first chirped waveform during a first duration, and a second chirped waveform during a second duration. |
| US09778111B2 |
Method for estimating a cardiac frequency and associated device
The invention is a method for estimating a cardiac frequency via the detection of radiation backscattered or transmitted by a bodily zone. The part is illuminated, simultaneously or successively, by light radiation extending over a first spectral band and a second spectral band. A photodetector detects radiation emitted by the bodily zone under the effect of its illumination, in each of the spectral bands. A first detection function and a second detection function are formed from the radiation detected in each spectral band, respectively. The method allows the cardiac frequency to be determined via the determination of characteristic instants that are identified from the first detection function and the second detection function simultaneously. |
| US09778107B2 |
Linear frequency domain grating and multiband spectrometer having same
A linear frequency domain grating and a multiband spectrometer having the same. The linear frequency domain grating includes a dispersive optical element and a diffractive optical element being substantially in contact with the dispersive optical element or being substantially integrated with the dispersive optical element, configured to receive a beam of incident light along an incident optical path, and diffract and disperse it into its constituent spectrum of frequencies of the light that is output from the dispersive optical element along an output optical path, such that the output light has a spatial distribution on a focal plane in the output optical path that is a linear function of the frequency. The linear frequency domain grating is a transmissive-type grating or a reflective-type grating, depending on whether the incident optical path and the output optical path are in different sides or the same side of the diffractive optical element. |
| US09778105B2 |
Static interferometer with step-style reflective element
An apparatus for performing Raman spectral analysis of a sample is described, comprising a coherent light source, an first optical chain to direct the coherent light to impinge on the sample, a second optical chain to direct the scattered light onto a diffraction grating, and a third optical chain to direct the diffracted light onto detection array. The diffraction grating is a stairstep with a metalized surface, and a plurality of metalized stripes on a flat surface is disposed in a direction orthogonal to the long dimension of the stairsteps. The region between the flat surface and the stairstep is transparent. The zeroth-order fringe is selected by a slit and directed onto camera. The resultant interferogram is Fourier transformed to produce a representation of the Raman spectrum. |
| US09778104B2 |
Optical sensor for range finding and wind sensing measurements
Techniques are disclosed for providing an optical sensor that can be used for wind sensing and an optical scope. The optical sensor can include a photodiode, an electrical switch, a trans-impedance amplifier (TIA), and a capacitive trans-impedance amplifier (CTIA), enabling the optical sensor to perform both wind-sensing and range-finding functions. Some embodiments may include some or all of these components in an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), depending on desired functionality. |
| US09778100B2 |
Flame detector coverage verification system having a declination indicator to determine and visually display the tilt angle of a center line of the flame detector
An embodiment of a flame detector coverage verification system includes an optical source for generating a light beam, and a control unit configured to point the beam in a direction generally co-aligned with an optical center line of the flame detector and through a range of movement about the direction to visually demarcate an area that falls within the flame detector's field of view. In one embodiment, the control unit includes a movable mirror to deflect the laser beam. The system may include an indicator device configured to determine and visually indicate a pan direction of the detector optical center line with respect to a defined direction, and a declination indicator configured to determine and visually display the tilt angle (angle of declination) of the detector optical center line with respect to a ground plane. |
| US09778098B2 |
Natural-frequency measurement device
A natural-frequency measurement device for measuring the natural frequency of a belt includes: an acceleration sensor attached to a portion of the belt between an adjacent pair of pulleys to sense acceleration resulting from the vibration of the belt; and a measuring instrument configured to measure the natural frequency of the belt based on the acceleration sensed by the acceleration sensor. |
| US09778096B2 |
Method of measuring characteristics of crystal unit
A method of measuring characteristics of a crystal unit, includes: driving a crystal unit having a cover transmitting light, a crystal substrate, a first excitation electrode disposed on a first surface of the crystal substrate facing the cover, and a second excitation electrode disposed on a second surface of the crystal substrate opposite to the first surface; irradiating light to the first excitation electrode through the cover in the driving state of the crystal unit; and measuring vibration characteristics of the crystal unit based on reflected light obtained from the irradiated light. |
| US09778091B2 |
Systems and methods for analyzing fluid from a separator
A method for analyzing the reliability of a measured volumetric flow rate of a fluid in a gas outlet line of a gas-liquid separator is provided. In one embodiment, analyzing the reliability of the measured volumetric flow rate includes measuring a gas volume fraction of the fluid in the gas outlet line, comparing the measured gas volume fraction of the fluid to a threshold gas volume fraction level, and determining whether the measured volumetric flow rate of the fluid is reliable based on the comparison. Additional systems, devices, and methods are also disclosed. |
| US09778090B2 |
Sensor for determining a filling level
The invention relates to a sensor for determining a filling level of a liquid fellable into a container, having a light transmitter for transmitting at least one light pulse; having a receiver for receiving at least one reflected back light pulse, wherein the light pulse is at least partly reflect able at a liquid surface; having a control and evaluation unit for controlling the sensor and for evaluating the received back light pulse; and having a coupling and decoupling unit for coupling the light pulse into a liquid jet which can be introduced into the container and for decoupling the back light pulse to the receiver, wherein the control and evaluation unit is configured for determining a time difference between a transmission of the light pulse and a reception of the back light pulse to calculate a distance between the coupling and decoupling unit and the liquid surface. |
| US09778088B2 |
Sensor device for detecting a liquid and method therefor
The sensor device serves for detecting the absence or presence of a liquid (1) at the outlet (10a) of a feed line (10) through which there can be fed a feed substance which, when exiting from the outlet, has a pressure (p) in the feed line which has a course over time with a first characteristic in the absence of the liquid and has a course over time with a second characteristic in the presence of the liquid. The sensor device includes a sensing instrument (20-23) for sensing the pressure fluctuations in the feed line (10) and evaluator (30) which is designed to assign the sensed pressure fluctuations to the first or second characteristic and to generate a corresponding signal which indicates whether the liquid (1) is absent or present at the feed line outlet (10a). |
| US09778085B2 |
Flow sensor with a protruding portion for height control and a cover for suppressing sinking of the cover during welding
A flow rate sensor includes: a housing made from a resin material and having a bottom base portion and a side wall, at least one surface side of the housing being open; a cover made from a resin material, covering the one surface side of the housing, welded to an upper surface of the side wall of the housing, and defining, with the bottom base portion and the side wall of the housing, an auxiliary passage within which a gas to be measured flows that is taken in from a main passage; and a flow rate detection unit disposed within the auxiliary passage. A protruding portion for height control is provided to one of the housing and the cover at least in a vicinity of the side wall around the flow rate detection unit so as to suppress sinking in of the cover during welding. |
| US09778084B2 |
Flow-rate measurement device
A flow-rate measurement device which measures a flow rate of a fluid flowing through a fluid flow channel unit includes a tubular measurement flow channel unit that is stored in the fluid flow channel unit and has an inside in communication with the fluid flow channel unit. The flow-rate measurement device also includes a pair of sealing materials that blocks a flow of a fluid and is provided to encircle outer peripheries of the measurement flow channel unit at a first end and a second end; and a measurement unit including a substrate, on which a measurement circuit is mounted, and a pair of ultrasonic transducers. Further, the pair of ultrasonic transducers is electrically and fixedly connected to the substrate in the measurement unit, and the measurement unit is disposed between the pair of sealing materials on the measurement flow channel unit. |
| US09778081B2 |
Flow meter
A paddle wheel flow meter designed for measuring the flow rate of a viscous or debris-laden fluid with fewer parts, higher durability and simplicity of servicing. The flow meter includes a housing including a flow bore and an insert body with an integral rotor shaft. The insert body is removably insertable into the housing. A rotor includes rotor blades and is attached to the rotor shaft so as to be at least partially located in the flow bore such that flow of the fluid causes the rotor to rotate. A sensor unit generates a signal indicative of the rotational rate of the rotor, which can be used to determine the flow rate of the fluid. |
| US09778080B2 |
Selective decimation and analysis of oversampled data
Useful and meaningful machine characteristic information may be derived through analysis of oversampled digital data collected using dynamic signal analyzers, such as vibration analyzers. Such data have generally been discarded in prior art systems. In addition to peak values and decimated values, other oversampled values are used that are associated with characteristics of the machine being monitored and the sensors and circuits that gather the data. This provides more useful information than has previously been derived from oversampled data within a sampling interval. |
| US09778076B2 |
Proximity sensor having an optical routing module for guiding emitted light and target-reflected light
A proximity sensor for an electronic device comprises a proximity module, a lens and an optical module secured in an air gap therebetween. The proximity module has an emitter and a detector and is configured to generate a signal that is a function of light emitted by the emitter, and light detected by the detector, some portion of the detected light having been reflected by a target external to the electronic device. A transmissive-reflective surface of the optical module is aligned with the emitter field of view (FOV) and the detector FOV. The optical module guides emitted light through a transmissive portion of the lens to the exterior of the electronic device, and guides target-reflected light collected by the transmissive portion to the detector. The emitter FOV and the detector FOV are substantially aligned with one another. |
| US09778072B1 |
Absolute electromagnetic position encoder
An absolute electromagnetic position encoder comprises a readhead and an absolute scale. The readhead comprises a spatially modulated signal coupling configuration and a readhead processor. The absolute scale comprises a passive signal pattern, an active signal pattern and a timing and activation circuit connected to the active signal pattern. During a first signal generating cycle, the readhead processor is configured to provide first cycle spatially periodic signals and the timing and activation circuit is configured to receive and store energy. During a second signal generating cycle, the timing and activation circuit is configured to drive the active signal pattern and the readhead processor is configured to provide at least one corresponding second cycle signal. The readhead processor is configured to determine an absolute position of the readhead relative to the absolute scale based on at least the second cycle signal and the first cycle spatially periodic signals. |
| US09778070B2 |
Sensor device for use in determining an angle of rotation
A sensor device includes: at least one magnetic field generator having an end face line, the at least one magnetic field generator being configured to determine an angle of rotation by use of at least one sensor unit; and the at least one sensor unit configured to detect a magnetic flux density representative of the angle of rotation about an axis of rotation, which axis of rotation lies in a magnet plane of the at least one magnetic field generator and runs perpendicularly to the end face line. The magnetic field generator is formed as a dipole magnet with a north pole and a south pole. A pole separation plane separates the north pole and south pole. |
| US09778067B2 |
Sensing a physical quantity in relation to a sensor
A sensor operates to produce a differential signal with a voltage regulated that generates a regulated voltage to a first sensor element for detecting a physical parameter. A current mirror circuit is configured to provide a first sensor current to the first sensor element, detect the first sensor current at the first sensor element and duplicate the detected current to provide a second sensor current to a second sensor element. The second sensor element detects the physical quantity with the replicated current. |
| US09778066B2 |
User query and gauge-reading relationships
Domain agnostic systems and methods for the capture, storage, and analysis of sensor readings including: collecting gauge readings from a plurality of gauges; storing the gauge readings in a database; normalizing select gauge readings in near-real time at the server from the database of the server in response to a user query; and generating a relationship among the select gauge readings in response to the user query; generating information for configuring an entity that provides feedback in a domain agnostic system, based on said relationship among the select gauge readings; and generating an alert in response to the select gauge readings satisfying a certain condition. |
| US09778064B2 |
Method for providing traffic conditions data using a wireless communications device, and a navigation device in which this method is employed
A traffic condition data providing method using a wireless communication device and a navigation device performing the method are disclosed. The navigation device includes a travelling path displaying unit that searches a travelling path to a destination set by a user and displays the travelling path on map data, a traffic condition data receiving unit that receives traffic condition data from a content managing server through a wireless communication device in response to a request of providing the traffic condition data over the travelling path, and a traffic condition data providing unit that provides the user with the received traffic condition data. |