最新美国发明专利第2018-02-20期 - 专利汇|PatentHub专利检索|专利查询网|发明专利查询分析

Document	Document Title
US09898225B2	Content aligned block-based deduplication A content alignment system according to certain embodiments aligns a sliding window at the beginning of a data segment. The content alignment system performs a block alignment function on the data within the sliding window. A deduplication block is established if the output of the block alignment function meets a predetermined criteria. At least part of a gap is established if the output of the block alignment function does not meet the predetermined criteria. The predetermined criteria is changed if a threshold number of outputs fail to meet the predetermined criteria.
US09898224B1	Automatic adjustment of capacity usage by data storage optimizer for data migration When migrating data, a first message is received at a target data storage system from a source data storage system. The target data storage system includes a data storage optimizer that performs automated data movement optimizations. The first message requests a reservation of a first amount of storage on a first storage tier for performing a data migration to migrate data from the source to the target data storage system. A first capacity limit of the first storage tier is reduced by the first amount thereby representing the reservation of the first amount of storage for performing the data migration. If the first storage tier does not include an amount of available storage of at least the first amount, processing is performed to increase the amount of available storage of the first storage tier.
US09898212B1	Method and apparatus for selecting a memory block for writing data, based on a predicted frequency of updating the data Some of the embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method for programming a flash memory having a plurality of memory blocks, wherein each memory block of the plurality of memory blocks is either a single-level cell (SLC) memory block or a multi-level cell (MLC) memory block, the method comprising assigning a weighting factor to each memory block of the plurality of memory blocks based on whether the memory block is an SLC memory block or an MLC memory block, tracking a number of write-erase cycles for each memory block, and selecting one or more memory blocks for writing data based at least in part on the weighting factor and the tracked number of write-erase cycles of each memory block of the plurality of memory blocks. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
US09898209B2	Framework for balancing robustness and latency during collection of statistics from soft reads An apparatus includes a memory and a controller. The memory includes a plurality of memory devices. The controller may be coupled to the memory and configured to process a plurality of read/write operations to/from the memory, store data in the plurality of memory devices using units of super-blocks, and generate a number of unique weight statistics in a single read operation by reading a number of dies within a super-block with dissimilar read reference voltages. Each super-block generally includes a block from a die of each of the plurality of memory devices. The controller may be further configured to split the number of dies in each super-block into two sets and collect page weights for upper pages from one of the two sets and page weights for lower pages from the other of the two sets.
US09898206B2	Memory access processing method, apparatus, and system A memory access processing method and apparatus, and a system. The method includes receiving a memory access request sent by a processor, combining multiple memory access requests received within a preset time period to form a new memory access request, where the new memory access request includes a code bit vector corresponding to memory addresses. A first code bit identifier is configured for the code bits that are in the code bit vector and corresponding to the memory addresses accessed by the multiple memory access requests. The method further includes sending the new memory access request to a memory controller, so that the memory controller executes a memory access operation on a memory address corresponding to the first code bit identifier. The method effectively improves memory bandwidth utilization.
US09898204B2	Magnetic random access memory with dynamic random access memory (DRAM)-like interface A memory device configured to emulate DRAM comprising a memory array that includes a plurality of memory cells organized into rows and columns with at least one row of memory cells comprising one or more pages that store data during a burst write operation; a control circuit; an encoder operable to encode the data to be written to the memory array; and a decoder coupled to the memory array and operable to check and correct the data previously encoded by the encoder and saved in the memory array. The control circuit is operable to initiate the burst write operation that writes the data to the memory array while spanning multiple clock cycles; and after receiving one or more data units of the data by the memory array, allow a subsequent burst write or read command to begin before completion of the burst write operation in progress.
US09898198B2	Available frame queue processing In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method includes building an available frame header queue (AFHQ). The AFHQ includes one or more headers, each header including one or more frame references being no more than a maximum count of frame references. Each of the one or more frame references of each of the one or more headers refers to an available frame. A frame request is received for one or more requested frames. One or more frame references are extracted, by a computer processor, from the AFHQ in response to the frame request. The extracting includes extracting from the AFHQ one or more requested headers including the one or more frame references referring to at least a portion of the one or more requested frames.
US09898194B2	Semiconductor device with volatile and non-volatile memories to retain data during power interruption An object is to solve all of the following problems caused when a volatile register and a non-volatile register are used as registers in a processor: degradation of the integrity of data stored in the non-volatile register; loss of data security due to the processor and a non-volatile memory device that are provided apart from each other; and slow data processing speed due to wiring delay or the like caused by these devices provided apart from each other. When data maintained in the volatile register is stored in the non-volatile register before supply of power supply voltage is stopped, the data is encrypted by an encryption circuit and stored in a non-volatile memory device that is provided separately from the processor. Then, the data stored in the non-volatile register is compared with the compressed and encrypted data stored in the non-volatile memory device.
US09898191B2	User input apparatus, computer connected to user input apparatus, and control method for computer connected to user input apparatus, and storage medium A user input apparatus is provided with user input means for the user to input data or a command by using the user's human body, and use-form detection means for detecting a form in which the user uses the user input means by the user's human body. A computer connected to the user input apparatus changes the operation of the application being executed by application execution means, according to a detection result obtained by the use-form detection means. Therefore, input operations can be performed without inconvenience even if the user cannot use one hand due to another work.
US09898189B2	User trial feedback method, electronic device and computer-readable medium A user trial feedback method, an electronic device, and a computer-readable medium are provided. The user trial feedback method includes the following steps. A launch signal is received to record an image of current frame of the touch screen and launch the user trial feedback tool. An information is inputted by the user in the user trail feedback tool, and logs related to the inputted information are collected and upload to a server along with the recorded image of the current frame.
US09898185B2	Control method, electronic device and storage medium A control method that is executed by a processor included in an electronic device including a touch panel provided in association with a display device, the control method includes detecting magnitude of a contact area when the touch panel is touched; setting a threshold used for determining whether a touch position on the touch panel has changed, based on the magnitude of the contact area; determining that a scroll instruction to the display device has been made when a change in touch position is larger than the threshold; and executing move control of an image displayed on a screen of the display device in accordance with the scroll instruction.
US09898184B2	Operation method of operating system An operation method of an operating system, applied to an electronic device. The electronic device includes a touchpad and a screen. The touchpad has a first edge. The electronic device is used for executing the operating system. The screen is used for displaying a display image outputted by the operating system. A cursor is displayed at the display image. The operation method of the operating system comprises: determining whether a touch operation is a sliding gesture sliding from an edge when the touchpad senses the touch operation; determining which edge of the touchpad is sliding from by the sliding gesture if the touch operation is the sliding gesture sliding from the edge; displaying a charm bar in a first area of the display image and displaying the cursor on the charm bar if the sliding gesture slides from the first edge.
US09898183B1	Motions for object rendering and selection A user can navigate through a graphical user interface (GUI) displayed on a display of a computing device using a fingertip or other feature of a hand not holding the device. The interface can be scrolled, zoomed, or otherwise manipulated corresponding to the movement of the fingertip. The user can select a graphical object of the GUI using a thumb or other feature of the hand holding the device, enabling a precise navigation and selection process. Different detection techniques can be used, such as to capture and analyze images to determine the location of the navigation feature and to use capacitive touch sensing elements to detect the selection actions. In some embodiments, a user can perform an attachment action to cause a three-dimensional rendering of an element of the GUI to be adjusted based at least in part upon the position of a fingertip or other feature of the user.
US09898178B2	Systems and methods for utilizing available map resources to generate previews for map portions Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media can provide a particular map portion out of a plurality of map portions representing a particular region. An instruction to zoom in, to a requested zoom level, with respect to the particular map portion can be received. It can be determined that a set of four map portions for representing the particular map portion at the requested zoom level is yet to be available. The set of four map portions for representing the particular map portion at the requested zoom level can be acquired. An enlarged version of the particular map portion can be provided, based on the requested zoom level, as a preview for the set of four map portions. The enlarged version of the particular map portion can be provided while the set of four map portions is being acquired.
US09898176B2	Device, system, and method of communication A system for creating an application for a portable electronic device includes: a template selector to select an application template from a repository of application templates; a step-by-step creator module to receive user input, and to insert the user input at one or more placeholders in said application; a button inserter to insert into said application code that causes said portable electronic device to contact a third party, via a pre-defined communication method, upon user selection of a displayed button. A computerized method implementable via an application running on a portable electronic device, includes: displaying on the portable electronic device a first screen; in response to user input, displaying on the portable electronic device a second screen; wherein the first screen, the second screen, and all screens of said application comprise a user-selectable interface element that, when selected by the user, causes the portable electronic device to contact a third party via a pre-defined communication method.
US09898174B2	Previewing expandable content items This specification describes methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer-readable storage device, for providing a preview of an expandable content item. The subject matter of the specification is embodied in a method that includes presenting an interface configured to receive input for designating characteristics associated with an expandable content item and receiving, via the interface, a designation of one or more directions for expansion of the expandable content item. The method also includes presenting a control for enabling selection of a preview option, and receiving a selection of the control. The method further includes presenting a preview interface responsive to receiving the selection of the control, the preview interface including an option for designating a selection of at least a first or a second different preview environment. The preview interface also includes a preview area that displays the expandable content item in accordance with the one or more directions in a position on a page.
US09898172B2	Content item activity feed for presenting events associated with content items A content management system provides event data relating to other users' activity or interactions with a content item for display in an activity feed provided in conjunction with a user interface of a native application displaying the content item. Though provided in conjunction with the native application, the event data is maintained separate from the content data of the content item and displayed in the activity feed by an application separate from the native application of the content item. The activity feed permits users to exchange chat messages and retrieve information for multiple versions of the content item.
US09898170B2	Establishing user specified interaction modes in a question answering dialogue An approach is provided for automatically generating user-specific interaction modes for processing question and answers at the information handling system by receiving a question from a user, extracting user context parameters identifying a usage scenario for the user, identifying first input and output presentation modes for the user based on the extracted user context parameters, monitoring user interaction with the system in relation to the question, and adjusting the first input and output presentation modes based on the extracted user context parameters and detected user interaction with the system.
US09898169B2	Screen help with contextual shortcut on an appliance On-screen help with contextual shortcut on an appliance The invention relates to an appliance (100) with a user interface (110) comprising a display (111) for showing indications about conditions in the appliance, and first (112, 114) and second (113) touch-sensitive input means. The second input means causes the interface to enter an assistance mode displaying which assistance items, which a processing means (121) extracts from a collection (122) of assistance information based on the content of the display when the assistance mode is invoked. In one embodiment, a data record ensures that the user returns to the same page after consulting the assistance mode. In another embodiment, the appliance is adapted to update the collection of assistance information on the basis of data received at an external communication interface. In another embodiment, the display reacts differently to short and long activations of a given touch-sensitive input means. In another embodiment, the display includes parallax compensation.
US09898166B2	Enhanced UPnP AV media renderer A system for providing various overlay information one UPnP AV media renderers. According to the present invention, indications of messages and/or other information received by a UPnP mobile telephone or other UPnP control point can be directly transmitted to a renderer and exhibited in different manners. The present invention also permits the UPnP control point to transmit an event subscription to the renderer for subsequent use. The renderer permits accept or reject the receipt of various information at the particular time.
US09898164B2	Method for moving object between pages and interface apparatus A method and apparatus for moving an object between pages is provided. The method includes displaying a first page including an object; generating a first signal in response to the object on the first page being moved to a predetermined area of the first page; displaying a plurality of pages, including the first page, in response to the first signal; generating a second signal in response to the object being moved to overlap with a second page; and moving the object to the second page in response to the second signal.
US09898161B2	Method and apparatus for controlling multitasking in electronic device using double-sided display A method of controlling multitasking in an electronic device using a double-sided display is provided. The method includes detecting a first gesture which reverses a first direction of a first screen executing a first application to a second direction or reverses the second direction of a second screen to the first direction, displaying a first list of applications on the second screen of the second direction is reversed to the first direction, when the first gesture is detected, detecting a input for selecting a second application from the first list of applications, and executing and displaying the touched second application on the second screen having the first direction.
US09898154B2	Information input unit An information input unit includes a detection portion and a first protective member, and acquires information input with a writing instrument by detecting a position of the writing instrument. The detection portion can be folded along a first axis. The first protective member includes an insertion portion. An opening is formed in an opposing face of the insertion portion that faces toward the first axis. At least a portion of the detection portion is inserted into the first protective member such that a first length becomes shorter than a second length. The first length is a length between the opening and an edge of the detection portion that is on the opposite side from the opposing face. The edge of the detection portion is contained in the first protective member. The second length is the length between the edge of the detection portion and the first axis.
US09898153B2	Force sensing using capacitive touch surfaces In one general aspect, a method can include identifying contact with a surface of a touch-sensitive input device, identifying a location of the contact on the surface of the touch-sensitive input device, and calculating a change in a mutual capacitance between a first electrode and a second electrode included in a sensor module disposed below the surface of the touch-sensitive input device. The first electrode can be adjacent to the second electrode. The first electrode and the second electrode can be located approximate to the identified location of the contact on the surface of the touch-sensitive input device. The method can include estimating a contact-coupled capacitance based on the calculated change in a mutual capacitance between the first electrode and the second electrode, and calculating a force applied to the surface of the touch-sensitive input device at the identified location.
US09898152B2	Capacitive touch panel with low impedance that includes disconnected electrode strings A capacitive touch panel and a display device using the capacitive touch panel are provided. The capacitive touch panel includes a first electrode layer, a second electrode layer, and a dielectric layer disposed between two layers. The first electrode layer has a plurality of first A electrode strings and first B electrode strings extended along a first direction. The first A electrode string and the first B electrode string respectively has a plurality of first direction electrodes. The second electrode layer has a plurality of second direction electrodes connected in series along a second direction. The first A and B electrode strings are disconnected in the first electrode layer while they are simultaneously detected for presence of signal variation.
US09898150B2	Source driver uplink as indicator of downlink status In one embodiment, a system includes one or more source drivers operable to drive a portion of a row or column of a display. The system also includes a timing controller coupled to each of the one or more source drivers and configured to control the one or more source drivers. The system further includes a downstream link for each of the one or more source drivers, configured to transfer data from the timing controller to one of the one or more source drivers. The system also includes an upstream link for each of the one or more source drivers, configured to transfer uplink data from one of the one or more source drivers to the timing controller, wherein the uplink data includes at least one of downlink lock status information and touch data.
US09898149B2	Touch analog front end and touch sensor controller having the same A touch analog front-end (AFE) for a touch sensitive screen may include a transmitter configured to charge a touch panel and a receiver configured to sense the touch panel. The receiver may include a charge-to-voltage (C2V) converter configured to convert a change of capacitance received from the touch panel into a voltage signal, a correlated double sampling (CDS) block configured to convert the voltage signal into a differential signal and to sample each of the positive and the negative signals of the differential signal, and an integrator configured to accumulate a difference between the sampled positive and negative signals.
US09898148B2	Capacitive stereoscopic image sensing This disclosure generally provides an input device with near-field and far-field receiver electrodes. Using resulting signals captured by these receivers, the input device generates a near-field capacitive image and a far-field capacitive image. In one embodiment, the near-field capacitive image contains information identifying a location of an input object in a first plane in free space, while the far-field capacitive image contains information identifying a location of the input object in a second plane in free space. Further, the first and second planes may be parallel planes where the first plane is closer to an input surface of the input device than the second plane. In one embodiment, the input device compares the information in the near-field and far-field images in order to determine a state of the input object.
US09898147B2	Mesh electrode matrix having finite repeat length An array of electrodes is comprised of a plurality of electrodes. Each electrode extends along a first direction X, and is periodically arrayed along a second direction Y perpendicular to X at a pitch pe. Each electrode further comprises a continuous periodic metal mesh having a square unit cell of edge length pm, the square unit cell having axes displaced by an oblique angle θ from X and Y The array is configured such that θ=arctan (a/b) and pm=npe/(msqrt(a2+b2)), where a, b, m, and n are positive integers. In this way, the electrodes repeat with a finite repeat length, while rendering the common edges of the repeating units visually imperceptible by a user.
US09898144B2	Touch control display panel with touch control dual-gate thin film transistors and touch display device The invention discloses a touch control display panel and a touch control display apparatus, where the touch control display panel includes a TFT array substrate and a color film substrate arranged in opposition; the TFT array substrate includes a pixel array and a touch control dual-gate TFT array; and when there is a touch control occurring, an electrically conductive post at a press location approaches the touch control dual-gate TFT along with a press, and a channel current of the touch control dual-gate TFT can be modulated by a current generated by the electrically conductive post. There will be no interference with a display per se in operation of the touch control, and no adverse influence imposed on the arrangement of liquid crystals in the liquid crystal display panel. The process of preparing the pixel array can be compatible with that of the touch control dual-gate TFTs, greatly lowering cost.
US09898143B2	Predicting touch events to improve touchscreen usage accuracy Systems, apparatuses and methods may detect a hand-based object in front of a touchscreen, determine one or more motion attributes of the detected hand-based object and initiate a halt of one or more user interface updates associated with the touchscreen if the one or more attributes correspond to an impending impact between the hand-based object and the touchscreen. In one example, the hand is detected based on a signal from one or more of a micro-impulse radar (MIR) device, an infrared (IR) depth sensor or a camera.
US09898140B2	User interface device having transparent electrodes The invention relates to an interface device including an array of pixels and an insulating, transparent substrate, the pixels being connected to the substrate by linking elements, the contact surface between the linking elements and the pixels being strictly smaller than the surface of the pixels facing the substrate.
US09898136B2	Method for specifying touched position determined by first coordinate along first signal line and second coordinate along second signal line, and circuit for specifying the touched position A capacitance distribution detection circuit includes a multiplexer, a driver, and a sense amplifier, and the multiplexer switches states between a first connection state in which first signal lines are connected to the driver and second signal lines are connected to the sense amplifier, and a second connection state in which the first signal lines are connected to the sense amplifier and the second signal lines are connected to the driver.
US09898126B2	User defined active zones for touch screen displays on hand held device An application program installed in a hand held computing device such as a tablet computer presents a graphical user interface (GUI) on a touch screen display and receives touch input signals from the touch screen display. When an unintentional touch event is detected, the application switches from an active mode to a configuration mode. In the configuration mode, graphical tools are displayed on the touch screen display to enable a user to define or adjust the active zone of the touch screen display so as to exclude the area of the touch screen display touched by the hand that is grasping the hand held device. Interactive elements in the GUI are then rearranged so that the interactive elements are within the newly defined active zone.
US09898123B2	Sensing device A sensing device includes a comparator, a first and a second variable capacitor unit. A first comparator input of the comparator is electrically coupled to a touch pad. The first variable capacitor unit is configured to charge the first comparator input such that the first comparator input has a first potential. The second variable capacitor unit is configured to charge a second comparator input of the comparator such that the second comparator input has a second potential. The comparator is configured for comparing the first potential and the second potential to generate a comparator output signal. In a condition of the touch pad being operated, the first variable capacitor unit is adjusted according to the comparator output signal to perform potential compensation for the first comparator input, or the second variable capacitor unit is adjusted according to the comparator output signal to perform potential compensation for the second comparator input.
US09898121B2	Integrated capacitive sensing and displaying A display device having an integrated capacitive proximity sensor comprises a plurality of sensor electrodes disposed as part of a display element of the display device. The plurality of sensor electrodes is configured for performing both sensor and display functions of the display device. The display device also comprises a sensor drive mechanism coupled with the plurality of sensor electrodes and configured for driving a first electrical signal on a first at least one sensor electrode of the plurality of sensor electrodes. The sensor drive mechanism comprises at least one memory element that is configured for selecting drive excitation information for the first at least one sensor electrode. The display device also comprises a display drive mechanism coupled with the plurality of sensor electrodes and configured for driving a second electrical signal on a second least one sensor electrode of the plurality of sensor electrodes.
US09898119B2	Touch screen interface with feedback The invention relates to a method and an electric device comprising a screen (110), cooperating with said screen a sensor for detecting a presence of an object on or close to said screen, a controller (120) and a feedback element (140). The controller (120) is configured to interpret said presence of the object and calculate a force value and control said feedback element (140) to provide a feedback with respect to the force value.
US09898109B2	Active stylus pen and signal transmission methods for stylus pen and touch panel The disclosure provides an active stylus pen and signal transmission methods for the active stylus pen and a touch panel. The stylus has a touch module, a switching module, a signal comparison module, a control module and a pressure sensing module. The stylus determines a first signal generated by a touch panel, and compares an intensity of the first signal and a reference value through a first transmission path. When the intensity of the first signal exceeds the reference value, the stylus outputs a second signal to the touch panel. After the stylus outputs the second signal to the touch panel, the stylus switches to a second transmission path from the first transmission path. The stylus outputs a header signal to the touch panel. When determining a first time sequential distribution, the stylus outputs at least one bit of a pressure signal according to a second time sequential distribution.
US09898108B2	Image erasing device for electronic chalkboard system, control method thereof, display apparatus, control method thereof, and electronic chalkboard system An erasing device to erase an image displayed on a display apparatus, the erasing device including: a housing; a generator to generate an electromagnetic field so that the electromagnetic field is emitted from each of a plurality of portions of a tip of the housing; and a controller to control the generator to generate the electromagnetic field when the tip touches a surface of the display apparatus so that the display apparatus detecting the electromagnetic field erases an image within a preset image deletion region with a predetermined area based on a position on the surface touched by the tip, wherein the generator adjusts output of the electromagnetic field from each portion of the tip based on whether each portion of the tip touches the surface so that the display apparatus adjusts the area of the image deletion region based on the portion of the tip touched by the surface.
US09898105B2	Position indicator A position indicator includes a first electrode receiving an alternating current (AC) signal from a position detecting sensor and a second electrode transmitting an AC signal to the position detecting sensor. The position indicator includes: a tubular pen-shaped chassis; a central electrode provided such that one end protrudes outside of the chassis from an opening of the chassis, and formed of an electrically-conductive member forming a first one of the first and second electrodes; a peripheral electrode surrounding the central electrode and formed of an electrically-conductive member forming a second one of the first and second electrodes; and a shield member having a hollow part housing at least a part of the central electrode surrounded by the peripheral electrode. The shield member includes a tubular part electrically connected to ground and an insulating layer formed on an inner wall surface and an outer wall surface of the tubular part.
US09898104B2	Electronic terminal, input correction method, and program An information processing apparatus that includes a first sensor that receives a first signal; a second sensor that receives a second signal; and circuitry that calculates a position of a source from which the first signal and the second signal are transmitted based on a first time at which the first signal is received at the first sensor and a second time at which the second signal is received at the second sensor, and controls a display to display an image corresponding to a path obtained based on calculated changes in position of the source.
US09898103B2	Interacting tips for a digitizer stylus A stylus for use with a digitizer sensor includes a housing confined by a first and second end, a primary tip positioned at the first end of the housing and associated with a first transmitting element, the first transmitting element having a first diameter, a secondary tip positioned at the second end of the housing and associated with a second transmitting element, the second transmitting element having a second diameter that is larger than the first diameter, a transmitting unit for transmitting a first signal with a first amplitude via the first transmitting element and for transmitting a second signal with a second amplitude via the second transmitting element, wherein the first amplitude is at least twice the second amplitude and a powering unit for powering transmission of the first and second signal.
US09898094B2	Assemblable keyboard and assemblable key An assemblable keyboard includes plural assemblable keys and a main control key. Each assemblable key can be triggered to generate a key signal. The assemblable key includes a pedestal, a key structure and a conductive structure. The main control key includes a key processor and a transmission interface. The assemblable key includes plural coupling structures with the conductive structure. Every two adjacent assemblable keys are combined together and electrically connected with each other through the corresponding coupling structures. After the key signal generated by each assemblable key is transmitted to the main control key, the key signal is further outputted to a computer host. The layout space of the assemblable keyboard is reduced. Moreover, the assembling flexibility of the keyboard is enhanced.
US09898093B2	Gesture control Gesture control uses electromagnetic power signatures. A signal is received and a power of the signal is determined. The power is associated to a command, and the command is executed in response to a gesture.
US09898091B2	Virtual reality system with head-mounted display, camera and hand-held controllers A virtual-reality system includes a head-mounted display (HMD), a forward-looking camera coupled to the HMD and a hand-held controller communicatively coupleable to the HMD. The hand-held controller includes a first user-input key, a grip, and an outward-facing surface coupled to the grip. The outward-facing surface includes a plurality of illumination sources which provide light that is detectable by the camera for sensing a position of the controller based on a user motion.
US09898090B2	Apparatus, method and recording medium for controlling user interface using input image A method of controlling a user interface using an input image is provided. The method includes storing operation executing information of each of one or more gesture forms according to each of a plurality of functions, detecting a gesture form from the input image, and identifying the operation executing information mapped on the detected gesture form to execute an operation according to a function which is currently operated.
US09898089B2	Method and apparatus for providing tactile sensations The present disclosure concerns a method and apparatus for the creation of an acoustic field for providing tactile sensations. More particularly, but not exclusively, this disclosure concerns a method and apparatus for the creation of an acoustic field providing tactile sensations for use with an interactive device.The disclosure provides a method of generating a tactile sensation. The method comprises the steps of providing a plurality of acoustic transducers arranged to generate a predetermined distribution of pressure patterns, wherein the pressure patterns comprise a first region providing a first tactile sensation and a second region providing a second, different, tactile sensation.
US09898083B2	Method for operating a motor vehicle having a touch screen In a method for operating a motor vehicle having a display for displaying variable information, and a touch screen, situated above the display, for inputting commands by touching the touch screen, an operating element for operating a function of the motor vehicle is shown by the display, by touching the touch screen in the region of the operating element, and the function of the motor vehicle is executed based on a gesture of a hand executed in the vicinity of the touch screen, without touching the touch screen.
US09898082B1	Methods and apparatus for eye tracking A gaze tracking system uses visible light to track the pose of an eye. A display screen displays a display image, while a camera captures images of the eye. The images captured by the camera include a reflection of the display screen, reflecting from the cornea of the eye. The position of the reflection depends on the orientation of the eye. The system is trained on a set of training images. Each training image is captured by the camera while the eye looks at a different, known gaze point in the display screen. The system may track gaze of the eye, while the eye is looking at a calibrated image that has been displayed during training. Or the system may track gaze of an eye looking at a new, uncalibrated image, such as an image in a video.
US09898081B2	Gaze and saccade based graphical manipulation According to the invention, a system for presenting graphics on a display device is disclosed. The system may include an eye tracking device and a graphics processing device. The eye tracking device may be for determining a gaze point of a user on a display device. The graphics processing device may be for causing graphics to be displayed on the display device. The graphics displayed on the display device may be modified such that the graphics are of higher quality in an area including the gaze point of the user, than outside the area.
US09898077B2	Playback system for synchronised soundtracks for electronic media content A method for displaying electronic text and synchronizing the playback of a soundtrack for the electronic text. The soundtrack contains multiple audio regions configured for playback during corresponding text regions of the electronic text. Playback of the audio regions of the soundtrack over an audio output system is based on a reading position counter indicative of the user's estimate reading position, and which increments based on a user reading speed variable. The user reading speed variable is updated by processing eye tracking signals from an eye tracker to determine the user's reading scan rate.
US09898076B1	Adjusting electronic displays based on user viewing position The disclosure pertains to aligning an electronic display or light reflected from the electronic display relative to a position of a user (i.e., viewer), and thus enhancing an overall perceived brightness, contrast ratio, and viewing angle performance of an electronic display (e.g., a specular reflective display) irrespective of illumination conditions (e.g., sunlight, airplane lighting, and overhead lamps). In some embodiments, an electronic device may determine user position data for a position of a user with respect to the electronic display. For example, the electronic device may capture images of the user using one or more image sensors. The user position data may then be processed by the electronic device to generate signals which may modify display characteristics of the electronic display to align an electronic display or light reflected from the electronic display relative to the position of the user.
US09898075B2	Visual stabilization system for head-mounted displays Introduced herein are various techniques for displaying virtual and augmented reality content via a head-mounted display (HMD). The techniques can be used to improve the effectiveness of the HMD, as well as the general experience and comfort of users of the HMD. A binocular HMD system may present visual stabilizers to each eye that allow users to more easily fuse the digital content seen by each eye. In some embodiments the visual stabilizers are positioned within the digital content so that they converge to a shared location when viewed by a user, while in other embodiments the visual stabilizers are mapped to different locations within the user's field of view (e.g., peripheral areas) and are visually distinct from one another. These techniques allow the user to more easily fuse the digital content, thereby decreasing the eye fatigue and strain typically experienced when viewing virtual or augmented reality content.
US09898070B2	Semiconductor integrated circuit and power supply control method therefor A semiconductor integrated circuit (100) comprising: a plurality of processing circuits (11, 12, 13) each including a notification units for outputting a notification signal according to the processing state of the own processing circuit; a plurality of power supply switch units (SW1, SW2, SW3) for switching the connection states between the respective processing circuits and a power supply source; a power supply switch control circuit which is connected with the notification means (111, 121, 131), stores power supply control information (101) including a plurality of connection statuses, and controls the connection states on the basis of the notification signals and the power supply control information; and a data bus (BS) and the like connecting each of the processing circuits and the power supply switch control circuit, wherein: at least two or more of the plurality of processing circuits update the power supply control information via the data bus and the like before outputting a notification signal; and the power supply switch control circuit accepts a notification signal outputted from any one of the plurality of processing circuits after the update, and accordingly controls the connection states of respective ones of the plurality of power supply switch units on the basis of the updated power supply control information.
US09898058B2	Method for CPU/heatsink anti-tip and socket damage prevention An information handling system (IHS) includes a heatsink retention apparatus. A processor mounted on a board receives a heatsink base having peripheral, spaced apertures. At least two latching mechanisms include a mounting portion received respectively in peripheral, spaced apertures on opposites sides of the heatsink base. A latching surface is mounted to one of (i) the heatsink base and (ii) a terminal portion of the mounting portion to engage respectively with either the mounting portion or an upper edge of the corresponding peripheral, spaced aperture of the heatsink base. At least two peripheral, spaced loading screws are sized to be engageable by loading nuts when the heatsink base is positioned not higher than the engagement height. The engaged, at least two, latching mechanisms prevent tipping of the heatsink base during loading of the at least two peripheral, spaced loading screws with the at least two spaced apart loading nuts.
US09898056B2	Electronic assembly with thermal channel and method of manufacture thereof An electronic assembly and method of manufacturing includes: an airflow bracket having a circular rail and an airflow tab, the airflow bracket electrically coupling the circular rail and the airflow tab; a top board attached to the circular rail for electrically coupling the top board and the circular rail; and a bottom board attached to the circular rail for electrically coupling the top board and the circular rail, the bottom board positioned to form a thermal channel between the top board and the bottom board for directing air through a vent opening of the circular rail.
US09898045B2	Curved display apparatus A curved display apparatus includes an upper panel, a lower panel coupled to a lower portion of the upper panel, and a first stress reducing layer deposited on a panel facing surface of at least one of the upper panel and the lower panel to generate a force which bends the upper panel or the lower panel downward.
US09898037B2	Electronic device and display method An electronic device and a display method includes a main body apparatus with a processing unit that generates a first image and performs display control; a fixing apparatus connected with the main body apparatus, which maintains a relative location relationship between the electronic device and at least a part of body of a user; and a first display unit arranged on the main body apparatus and/or the fixing apparatus, which outputs the first image; wherein the first display unit comprises a first display component which displays the first image, and a first optical component which receives light corresponding to the first image emitted from the first display component, and changes the light path of the light corresponding to the first image to form a magnified virtual image corresponding to the first image.
US09898028B2	Low voltage, highly accurate current mirror Certain aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to a low voltage, accurate current mirror, which may be used for distributed sensing of a remote current in an integrated circuit (IC). One example current mirror typically includes a first pair of transistors, a second pair of transistors in cascode with the first pair of transistors, a switching network coupled to the second pair of transistors, and a third pair of transistors coupled to the switching network. An input node between the first and second pairs of transistors may be configured to receive an input current for the current mirror, and an output node at the first pair of transistors may be configured to sink an output current for the current mirror, proportional to the input current. This current mirror architecture offers a hybrid low-voltage/high-voltage solution, tolerates low input voltages, provides high output impedance, and offers low area and power consumption.
US09898023B2	Power management method, power management server, and office machine for managing electric power According to one embodiment, there is provided a power management method for connecting a server to office machines to control electric power of the office machines. The office machines respectively store machine side power plans, which are operation states with respect to transition times. The server stores server side power plans of the office machines and subjects electric powers of the office machines to management control. The power management method includes comparing the server side power plan stored in the server and the machine side power plan stored in the office machines, comparing, when an operation state based on the server side power plan and an operation state based on the machine side power plan are different, power consumptions in the operation state based on the server side power plan and an operation state based on the machine side power plan, and changing an operation state of the office machine to be an operation state with small power consumption.
US09898021B2	Dual-mode regulator circuit The present disclosure illustrates a dual-mode regulator circuit comprising: a first output terminal; a second output terminal; a switching regulator circuit coupled to the first output terminal and comprising a first transistor coupled between the first output terminal and ground; a linear regulator circuit coupled to the second output terminal and comprising a second transistor coupled between the second output terminal and a power source; a detection circuit configured to turn on the first transistor in order to connect the first output terminal to ground, turn on the second transistor in order to connect the second output terminal to the power source, and then generate a detection signal indicating whether an inductor is connected between the first and second output terminals; and a logic circuit configured to activate the switching regulator circuit or the linear regulator circuit according to the detection signal.
US09898019B2	Thyristor assisted on-load tap changer and method thereof A terminal I thereof is respectively connected with transition switches, and a terminal II is respectively connected with transition switches; the other terminals of the transition switches are jointly connected and are connected with the terminal through a saturable reactor and a thyristor switch; the other terminals of the transition switches are jointly connected and are connected with the terminal through a linear reactor, a saturable reactor and an overvoltage triggering thyristor circuit; an odd-numbered side main contact is respectively connected with the terminal I and a common terminal, and an even-numbered side main contact is respectively connected with the terminal II and the common terminal; the terminals of non-common terminals of a main path and a transition path are further connected with a bidirectional voltage stabilizing circuit.
US09898015B2	System for regulating pressure in a fluid supply pipe A system for regulating pressure in a fluid supply pipe, including a valve operated by a double acting piston cylinder and in which the chamber of the cylinder, the pressure of which acts on the piston to move the rod in the direction for closing the valve, communicates with the transmission mechanism for transmitting the instantaneous hydraulic pressure at a point of the pipe. The chamber of the cylinder, the pressure of which acts on the piston to move the rod in the direction for opening the valve, is connected to an energy accumulator accumulating energy in the form of pressurized gas at a predetermined pressure P0, which can be regulated.
US09898011B2	Driving assistance system and program for driving according to operations management Provided is a technology that, when an unmanned haulage vehicle and a manned haulage vehicle are allowed to exist together and are subjected to fleet operations management, can provide driving assistance to an operator of the manned vehicle by using control data similar to those to be transmitted to the unmanned haulage vehicle. To this end, the manned vehicle is provided with a terminal-side communication control unit, a control command value conversion unit and a control command value providing unit. The terminal-side communication control unit receives, from a fleet operations management server that performs operations management of the unmanned haulage vehicle, a control command value for allowing the unmanned haulage vehicle to travel autonomously. The control command value conversion unit converts contents of the control command value to perceivable information. The control command value providing unit provides the perceivable information to the operator.
US09898010B2	Systems, methods, and mobile client devices for supervising industrial vehicles The embodiments described herein relate to systems and methods for presenting information from a management server on a mobile client device to facilitate the management of industrial vehicles. Embodiments of the system can include a plurality of industrial vehicles communicatively coupled to the management server, and a mobile client device communicatively coupled to the management server. The mobile client device can include a display, a wireless communication circuit, and one or more client processors. Encoded objects, vehicular objects, or combinations thereof can be presented upon the display of the mobile client device to present information from the management server.
US09898008B2	Scenario aware perception system for an automated vehicle A scenario aware perception system suitable for use on an automated vehicle includes a traffic-scenario detector, an object-detection device, and a controller. The traffic-scenario detector is used to detect a present-scenario experienced by a host-vehicle. The object-detection device is used to detect an object proximate to the host-vehicle. The controller is in communication with the traffic-scenario detector and the object-detection device. The controller configured to determine a preferred-algorithm used to identify the object. The preferred-algorithm is determined based on the present-scenario.
US09898006B2	Drive assist device An automatic drive control unit implements automatic drive of a vehicle along a pre-set path without operation by a passenger while making decisions about the peripheral situation on the basis of vehicle peripheral environment information recognized by a peripheral environment information detection unit and a peripheral environment recognition unit. When the passenger's intention to make a right or left turn for changing to another path from the pre-set path is detected by a right or left turn intention input unit and a right or left turn intention detection unit, the automatic drive control unit continues the automatic drive while changing the path in a direction indicated by the right or left turn intention.
US09898003B2	External aircraft ground control Embodiments of the subject matter described herein provide an innovative method and system capable of enabling external ground control of a manned aircraft without a pilot or crew, in order to (i) move the aircraft, and (ii) command various subsystems of the aircraft. The provided method and system supports secure wireless communication between the aircraft and a remote device.
US09897999B2	Setting operation control in parts mounting device by reducing a variation of a distance value A technology is provided to enable lowering the fault generation rate related to a parts installation device. A parts installation device (100) (calculation device (150)) fetches or calculates state parameter values that represent the relative position relationship or the distance of a part holder and a part during the operation of removing and holding, calculates the fluctuation values of the state parameters, and corrects parameters having a small increase in the cycle time and is effective in reducing fluctuations among the parameter values of the holding position of the part holder, stop time, operating speed, and operation acceleration when the value of the fluctuations exceeds a first threshold.
US09897991B2	Machine tool A machine tool includes a movable structure 3, a numerical control unit 22, an external input unit 39 having a dedicated operation key for inputting an operation signal associated with at least a movement end point to which the movable structure 3 is moved, a display unit 39 displaying an image, a display control unit 25 controlling the display on the display unit 39, an input control unit 24 processing a signal input from the external input unit 39, and a movement path setting unit 32 receiving the operation signal input from the external input unit 39 and setting a movement path for moving the movable structure 3 corresponding to the operation signal to the movement end point according to a predetermined setting condition. The display control unit 25 displays an image relating to the movement path set by the movement path setting unit 32 on the display unit 39.
US09897990B2	Safety controller with rapid backup and configuration A safety controller and system of safety controllers and a removable memory module for rapid configuration and/or backup of safety controllers are provided. The safety controller comprises a non-volatile memory and one or more slots configured to host modules. A predetermined slot of the one or more slots is configured to communicatively couple the safety controller with a memory module. The safety controller is configured to transfer a backup of a configuration on the safety controller to a memory module hosted in the predetermined slot and configured to load a configuration from a memory module hosted in the predetermined slot. A method of distributing software to a plurality of industrial safety controller comprises utilizing a memory module.
US09897985B2	Energy exchange systems having actuators with multi-parametric control A dynamic energy exchange platform is described that provides real time control of various system components by using regular sensors as well as sensorless actuators, resulting in an overall balance of energy for the entire system. A sensorless multi-parametric control solution may provide regular operation control, support control, and improvement control. The regular operation control comprises system control during normal operation. The support control comprises abnormal operation recovery control, and the improvement control allows potential system growth and/or controlling aging degradation. Embodiments of the disclosure encompass man-machine and machine-machine (or machine/material) interfaces with active points where energy exchange takes place.
US09897984B2	Model predictive control with uncertainties A method controls a system for a multiple control steps according to the reference trajectory of a task of the operation to produce an actual trajectory of the system completing the task of the operation. For each control step, a control input to the system is determined using a model predictive control (MPC) having at least one parameter of uncertainty. The method determines a value of a learning cost function of a distance between the reference trajectory and the actual trajectory and determines, using a model free optimization, a value of the parameter of uncertainty reducing the value of the learning cost function. Next, the method determines a set of control inputs for completing the task according to the reference trajectory using the MPC with the updated parameter of uncertainty.
US09897971B2	Powder collecting device and processing apparatus including the same A powder collecting device includes a collecting container and a ventilation passage. The collecting container is removably attachable to a housing of a processing apparatus including a powder processing unit, has one or more collecting openings through which heat-melting powder transported from the powder processing unit is collected, and includes an accommodation space capable of accommodating the collected powder. The ventilation passage is partitioned from the accommodation space of the collecting container. Airflow generated by an airflow generator passes through the ventilation passage. The ventilation passage extends in a longitudinal direction of the collecting container, and has an inlet through which the airflow is introduced and a ventilation hole formed in a downstream section of the ventilation passage in a direction of the airflow.
US09897968B2	Image forming apparatus An image forming apparatus is provided including an image forming unit configured to form an image on a print medium, and a printed medium post-processing unit configured to receive and post-process printed media on which an image forming process is completed from the image forming unit. The printed medium post-processing unit selectively comprises one of a first stacker module in which a first amount of post-processed printed media is able to be loaded, and a second stacker module in which a second amount of post-processed printed media is able to be loaded. Therefore, it may be possible to flexibly respond to a loading amount of the printed media necessary for the printed medium post-processing unit.
US09897962B2	Sheet processing device and image forming apparatus provided with the same A sheet pressing device of the present invention includes: a pair of pressing rollers 70 that press, in a fold thickness direction, a fold of a folded sheet bundle BS conveyed in a folded state; and a pressing roller unit 56 that moves the pressing roller pair in a sheet fold direction while supporting the same. The pressing roller pair 70 presses the fold in one of a first region R1 where rollers of the pressing roller pair 70 are brought into pressure contact with each other and a second region R2 adjacent to the first region R1 on an upstream side thereof where rollers of the pressing roller pair 70 are opposed to each other at an interval. With this configuration, it is possible to minimize damage on a sheet end portion and reduce a moving load of the pressing roller pair 70.
US09897961B2	Image forming apparatus provided with transmission mechanism capable of interrupting transmission of rotational force to reconveying roller An image forming apparatus includes: an image-forming mechanism; a reconveying roller; an electric motor; and a transmission mechanism. The transmission mechanism is configured to operate in one of a reverse-rotation transmission mode for reversing a direction of a rotational force received from the electric motor to transmit the reversed rotational force to the reconveying roller and a normal-rotation transmission mode for transmitting the rotational force to the reconveying roller without reversing the direction of the rotational force. The transmission mechanism includes an interrupting unit for interrupting transmission of a rotational force from the reconveying roller to the electric motor at least when a sheet is being conveyed in the image-forming mechanism. The transmission mechanism is configured to interrupt transmission of the rotational force received from the electric motor to the reconveying roller when a sheet is being conveyed in the image-forming mechanism.
US09897959B2	Image forming apparatus with forced consumption mode for toner An image forming apparatus includes: an image bearing member, a developing device, and a controller configured to execute an operation in a forced consumption mode. The controller includes a difference calculating portion, an integrating portion, and a flag. In a case where the flag is set when a predetermined time is elapsed after the integrated value exceeds the predetermined threshold, the image formation on the predetermined number of the recording materials is effected and then the controller executes the operation in the forced consumption mode, and in a case where the flag is reset when the predetermined time is elapsed after the integrated value exceeds the predetermined threshold, the image formation on the predetermined number of the recording materials is effected and then the controller continues an image forming operation without executing the operation in the forced consumption mode.
US09897952B2	Image forming apparatus An image forming apparatus comprises a paper feeding unit which feeds a sheet-shaped recording medium, an image forming unit which forms a toner image on the recording medium fed from the paper feeding unit, a fixing unit which fixes the toner image formed by the image forming unit on the recording medium, a stacking unit which stacks the recording medium on which the toner image is fixed by the fixing unit, a temperature sensor which detects the surface temperature of the recording mediums stacked on the stacking unit and a control unit which determines, according to the printing information of the recording medium, whether or not to feed a new recording medium from the paper feeding unit when the surface temperature of the recording mediums detected by the temperature sensor is above a threshold temperature.
US09897951B2	Image forming apparatus and control method for the same An image forming apparatus and a control method are provided. The image forming apparatus includes fusing rollers that fuse a developer at a printing medium, and a transporting guide that guides the printing medium being transported toward the fusing rollers. The transporting guide is movably installed to move between a first position to guide the printing medium, and a second position spaced apart from the first position. Thus, a friction between the transporting guide and the printing medium as well as the subsequent generation of static electricity may be reduced.
US09897945B2	Intermediate transferrer and image forming apparatus An intermediate transfer belt includes a base layer, an elastic layer, and a surface layer. The elastic layer is composed of an elastomer composition containing an elastomer and metal oxide particles. At least a portion of a surface of the metal oxide particles is positioned at a surface of the elastic layer. At least the portion is coupling-treated with a metal coupling agent. A radical polymerizable functional group of the metal coupling agent is bonded to a radical polymerizable compound composing the surface layer via radical polymerization.
US09897944B2	Image forming apparatus that corrects deviation of a belt member An image forming apparatus includes: a belt member configured to be rotationally operated at least during performance of a job; an adjustment mechanism configured to adjust the position of the belt member; a detection unit configured to detect the position of the belt member; and a control unit configured to control the adjustment mechanism during performance of a job, and perform steering control for correcting deviation of the belt member, the control unit comparing the position of the belt member at the end of a job, and a determination threshold for determining deviation of the belt member from a belt reference position, and selecting a control mode relating to the steering control, according to a result of the comparison.
US09897941B2	Developing apparatus, process cartridge and image forming apparatus With a first line segment being a line segment that joins an axis line of a developer carrier and an axis line of an image carrier, a second line segment being a line segment that joins a position, which is a position on the surface of the developer carrier at which the magnetic flux density of a magnetic pole is maximal, and the axis line of the developer carrier, and a third line segment being a line segment that joins a downstream end portion, in a rotation direction of the developer carrier, then among angles in the rotation direction of the developer carrier, a first angle formed by the first line segment and the second line segment is larger than 0° and equal to or smaller than a second angle formed by the first line segment and the third line segment.
US09897934B2	Toner Provided is a toner that achieves low-temperature fixability, storability and charging performance all at a high level, in which a toner containing a crystalline resin and an amorphous resin, wherein a standard deviation of hydrogen nuclear relaxation times (HT1ρ-C) of the toner as measured by solid-state 13C-NMR is from 0.0 to 5.0, and a hydrogen nuclear relaxation time (HT1ρ-C1) of a 13C peak with the longest relaxation time out of the hydrogen nuclear relaxation times (HT1ρ-C) and a hydrogen nuclear relaxation time (HT1ρ-A1) of a 13C peak with the shortest relaxation time out of the hydrogen nuclear relaxation times (HT1ρ-A) satisfy 3.0≦{(HT1ρ-C1)/(HT1ρ-A1)}≦6.0.
US09897925B2	Method and device for monitoring multiple mirror arrays in an illumination system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus Microlithographic illumination system includes individually drivable elements to variably illuminate a pupil surface of the system. Each element deviates an incident light beam based on a control signal applied to the element. The system also includes an instrument to provide a measurement signal, and a model-based state estimator configured to compute, for each element, an estimated state vector based on the measurement signal. The estimated state vector represents: a deviation of a light beam caused by the element; and a time derivative of the deviation. The illumination system further includes a regulator configured to receive, for each element: a) the estimated state vector; and b) target values for: i) the deviation of the light beam caused by the deviating element; and ii) the time derivative of the deviation.
US09897921B2	Compositions comprising mineral spirits and methods related thereto This invention relates to a composition comprising mineral spirits in combination with an alcohol or diisopropylbenzene or both, and methods directed to the preparation and use of this composition. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present invention.
US09897919B2	Substrate liquid treatment apparatus, substrate liquid treatment method and storage medium A substrate liquid treatment method includes: (a) rotating the substrate about the vertical axis; (b) supplying the treatment liquid to the rotating substrate from the second nozzle with a falling point of the treatment liquid supplied from the second nozzle moving from the central portion to the peripheral portion of the substrate, while supplying the treatment liquid to the central portion of the substrate from the first nozzle, (c) after (b), moving the second nozzle from the peripheral portion to the central portion of the substrate with the supplying of the treatment liquid from the second nozzle being stopped, while continuing supplying the treatment liquid to the central portion of the rotating substrate from the first nozzle; and (d) after (c), supplying the treatment liquid to the rotating substrate from the second nozzle.
US09897915B2	Photosensitive resin composition, method for producing heat-resistant resin film and display device The present invention provides a photosensitive resin composition which uses a polyimide precursor that has excellent solubility in organic solvents and is capable of reducing the viscosity of a resin composition obtained therefrom. The solution according to the present invention is a photosensitive resin composition which contains: an aromatic amide resin that has, as a main repeating unit, a specific structure having an amide group, a trifluoromethyl group and an aromatic ring; (b) a sensitizer; and (c) a solvent.
US09897912B2	Color filter film manufacturing method and color filter film The present invention provides a color filter film manufacturing method and a color filer film. The color filter film manufacturing method of the present invention includes forming transparent photoresist layers in blue sub-pixel zones and forming first and second recesses respectively in red and green sub-pixel zones and subjecting bottoms thereof to a treatment for hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity. The difference of hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity between the bottoms of the first and second recesses and a surface of the photoresist layer, in combination with altitude differences, makes the red and green quantum dot materials to respectively form red and green quantum dot layers in the first and second recesses through autonomous flowing. The red and green quantum dot layers are excited by blue backlight source to respectively emit red light and green light, while the blue backlight source directly transmits through the transparent photoresist layers to give off blue light thereby providing three primary colors of red, green, and blue to achieve color displaying, increasing utilization of quantum dots, the effect of autonomous flowing of the quantum dot paste being made better for higher resolution and denser arrangement of pixels, and thus, making it better suitable for manufacture of high-resolution panels than ink-jet printing techniques.
US09897909B2	Mask blank substrate, substrate with multilayer reflection film, transmissive mask blank, reflective mask blank, transmissive mask, reflective mask, and semiconductor device fabrication method Disclosed is a mask blank substrate for use in lithography, wherein a main surface of the substrate satisfies a relational equation of (BA70−BA30)/(BD70−BD30)≧350 (%/nm), and has a maximum height (Rmax)≦1.2 nm in a relation between a bearing area (%) and a bearing depth (nm) obtained by measuring, with an atomic force microscope, an area of 1 μm×1 μm in the main surface on the side of the substrate where a transfer pattern is formed, wherein BA30 is defined as a bearing area of 30%, BA70 is defined as a bearing area of 70%, and BD70 and BD30 are defined to respectively represent bearing depths for the bearing area of 30% and the bearing area of 70%.
US09897905B2	Head-up display for displaying an image on a combiner capable of being self-returned to an original position A head-up display includes a case main body formed with an opening part, a combiner capable of closing the opening part, a combiner drive unit including a drive device and a spring, and a projection unit. The combiner, the combiner drive unit and the projection unit are accommodated inside the case main body. The combiner drive unit is integrally provided with a second turnable shaft and a bearing turnably supporting the second turnable shaft is provided in a base part fixed to the case main body so as to be turnable with respect to the base part. A first spring for urging the bearing with respect to the base part in one direction is provided between the base part and the bearing. A second spring for urging the combiner drive unit with respect to the bearing in an opposite direction is provided between the bearing and the combiner drive unit.
US09897903B2	Light source system and related projection system A light source system comprises: a light-emitting device for emitting a first light and a second light in sequence; a beam splitting system with which the first light is divided into one beam in a first range of wavelength and the other beam in a second range of wavelength, respectively emitted along a first optical path and a second optical path, and also with which at least a part of the second light is emitted along the first optical path; a first spatial light modulator for modulating the beam emitted from the beam splitting system along the first optical path; a second spatial light modulator for modulating the beam emitted from the beam splitting system along the second optical path. The light source system has the advantages of high light-emitting efficiency and low cost. A projection system comprising the aforementioned light source system is also provided.
US09897902B2	Discharge lamp driving device, projector, and discharge lamp driving method A discharge lamp driving device includes a discharge lamp driving section configured to supply a driving current to a discharge lamp including a first electrode and a second electrode and a control section configured to control the discharge lamp driving section. The control section is configured to repeat a unit period. The unit period includes a direct current period including a first direct current period in which a direct current having a first polarity is supplied to the discharge lamp and a second direct current period in which a direct current having a second polarity is supplied to the discharge lamp, and an alternating current period provided between the first direct current period and the second direct current period, an alternating current being supplied to the discharge lamp in the alternating current period. The control section is configured to temporally change length of the direct current period.
US09897895B2	Method for controlling a camera module, and associated camera module The present disclosure provides a control method for a camera module. The camera module comprises an imaging module, a sleeve module, a lens module which is mounted in the sleeve module and can move along an optical axis direction relative to the sleeve module, at least one coil, at least one magnetic component, and elastic components disposed between the lens module and the sleeve module. The method comprises: pressing the elastic components against the lens module, wherein a deformation of the elastic components perpendicular to the optical axis direction applies a radial positive pressure to the lens module, a frictional force in the optical axis direction is generated by the positive pressure on a contact surface of the elastic components and the lens module so that the frictional force can keep the lens module in a static state in the optical axis direction relative to the elastic components; and supplying current to the at least one coil, wherein the at least one coil or the at least one magnetic component optionally matches the lens module, and the lens module is subject to an electromagnetic force in the optical axis direction, the electromagnetic force acting as a driving force for the lens module to do rectilinear motion along the optical axis direction so as to drive the lens module to move.
US09897891B2	Multi-layered electrophoretic displays Apparatus and methods for forming a composite electrophoretic display comprised of multiple, stacked electrophoretic displays are described. The individual electrophoretic displays that form the composite display may be driven separately using different driving signals. The electrical connections for the individual displays may be configured to minimize the impact of the electrical connections on the overall aesthetic of the composite display.
US09897887B2	Electrochromic device capable of preventing damage of electrode Provided is an electrochromic device, which may prevent a damage of an electrode and include a lower substrate and an upper substrate configured to face each other with an electrolyte layer therebetween, an upper electrode provided between the electrolyte layer and the upper substrate, a lower electrode provided between the electrolyte layer and the lower substrate, an upper ion reactive layer provided between the upper electrode and the electrolyte layer, and a lower protection layer provided between the lower electrode and the electrolyte layer and configured to prohibit the lower electrode and the electrolyte layer from contacting.
US09897884B2	Liquid crystal display device A liquid crystal display (“LCD”) device includes: a first display panel including a first substrate, a first pixel electrode disposed on the first substrate, and a second pixel electrode disposed on the first substrate and insulated from the first pixel electrode; a second display panel including a second substrate opposite to the first substrate, and a common electrode disposed on the second substrate; and a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first and second display panels and including a plurality of liquid crystal molecules. In a black state, no voltage is applied to the common electrode and an electric field is generated between the first and second pixel electrodes in a way such that the liquid crystal molecules are aligned in a vertical direction with respect to the first substrate.
US09897883B2	Liquid crystal display A liquid crystal display includes a first substrate that includes a first switching element and first electric field forming electrodes that form a first electric field based on on/off signals received from the first switching element, a second substrate which faces the first substrate and that includes a second switching element and second electric field forming electrodes that form a second electric field b on/off signals received from the second switching element, and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the liquid crystal layer includes a first electric field area controlled by the first substrate in which the first electric field is formed, and a second electric field area controlled by the second substrate in which the second electric field is formed, and wherein the first electric field area and the second electric field area are arranged side by side.
US09897881B2	Thin film transistor array substrate and liquid crystal display panel The present invention provides a thin film transistor array substrate and a liquid crystal display panel. The thin film transistor array substrate comprises: a substrate; a light shielding layer, located at a middle part on a surface of the substrate; a buffer layer, covering the light shielding layer; a Low Temperature Poly-silicon layer, being located on the buffer layer, and corresponding to the light shielding layer; an isolation layer, covering the Low Temperature Poly-silicon layer, and the isolation layer comprises a through hole, wherein a width of the through hole is smaller than a width of the light shielding layer; a metal layer, located on the isolation layer, and the metal layer is connected with the Low Temperature Poly-silicon layer via the through hole. The thin film transistor array substrate and the liquid crystal display panel have a higher aperture ratio.
US09897880B2	Array substrate and manufacturing method thereof and liquid crystal display panel using the array substrate A manufacturing method of an array substrate includes: providing a first substrate; forming a gate line, a data line, and a thin-film transistor array on the first substrate; forming a pixel electrode on the thin-film transistor array; depositing and forming a first passivation layer on the pixel electrode, the data line, and the thin-film transistor array; forming a black matrix on the first passivation layer; and forming a common electrode on the black matrix and the first passivation layer. The black matrix has a size that completely covers at least the data line such that when the common electrode is formed on the black matrix and the first passivation layer, a portion of the common electrode that corresponds exactly to the data line is completely spaced from the data line by the black matrix and the first passivation layer.
US09897878B2	Thin film transistor array substrate, liquid crystal display panel and repair method of liquid crystal display panel A TFT array substrate includes parallel data lines parallel extend along a first direction, parallel scan lines crossing the data lines and extending along a second direction perpendicular to the second direction, pixels defined by the data lines and the scan lines, and a common electrode having a main line and growth lines. The main line is parallel to the scan lines. The growth lines extend from the main line. Each pixel includes a pixel electrode, a TFT, partial of the main line, and two growth lines. The TFT is electrically connected to the pixel electrode, a corresponding data line, and a corresponding scan line. The projections of the two growth lines in the pixel overlap with the pixel electrode. Each pixel includes common areas. The common areas overlapping with the two growth lines.
US09897876B2	Display substrate and method of manufacturing the same, display device A display substrate and a method of manufacturing the same, and a display device, are disclosed. The display substrate includes a control portion and a color portion, the control portion and the color portion both including position aligning regions at corresponding positions and further including position aligning marks provided in the position aligning regions. The black matrix is located on top of the color portion and at least the position aligning marks in the color filter layer are formed in a hollowed-out structure. The position aligning marks has an increased level drop or height difference, such that more accurate position alignment may be achieved by identifying the position aligning marks based on height difference at edge of standard pattern.
US09897875B2	Transparent display The present invention discloses a transparent display, comprising a backlight module, a lower polarizer, a phase delay thin film, a liquid crystal layer and an upper polarizer, which are sequentially stacked up in an image display direction, and the transparent display alternately comprises a plurality of transparent regions and a plurality of display regions in a first direction perpendicular with the image display direction, and the phase delay thin film comprises a plurality of first phase delay thin films located in the plurality of transparent regions and a plurality of second phase delay thin films located in the plurality of display regions, and the plurality of first phase delay thin films provide a first phase delay, and the plurality of second phase delay thin films provide a second phase delay, and a difference of the first phase delay and the second phase delay is λ/2.
US09897873B2	Blue phase liquid crystal display device and display module of the same The present invention provides a blue phase liquid crystal display device and a display module of the same. The blue phase liquid crystal display module includes: an upper substrate, a lower substrate and blue phase liquid crystals. The upper substrate having multiple upper sawtooth-shaped electrodes. The lower substrate is provided with multiple lower sawtooth-shaped electrodes which are alternately disposed with the multiple upper sawtooth-shaped electrodes. Convex portions of the multiple upper sawtooth-shaped electrodes are corresponding to concave portions of the multiple lower sawtooth-shaped electrodes. The multiple upper sawtooth-shaped electrodes are connected with a portion of the multiple upper sawtooth-shaped electrodes in order to form a first pixel electrode and a second pixel electrode which are separated from each other. Pixel electrode signals having opposite polarities are respectively applied on the first pixel electrode and the second pixel electrode.
US09897870B2	Liquid crystal display A liquid crystal display is provided which can avoid degradation of picture quality by preventing deviations in parasitic capacitance between a data line and a pixel electrode. The liquid crystal display includes data lines and gate lines, compensation patterns covering the data lines, thin film transistors disposed at regions neighbored to crossings of the data and gate lines, pixel electrodes disposed in pixel regions defined by the crossings and respectively connected to the thin film transistors; and a common electrode disposed to overlap the pixel electrodes, One edge of each of the compensation patterns is spaced apart from the pixel electrodes by a predetermined distance.
US09897868B2	LCD and method of manufacturing the same A liquid crystal display includes: a first substrate, on which pixel regions are defined; a second substrate opposite to the first substrate; a liquid crystal layer between the first and second substrates; gate and data lines on the first substrate and intersecting each other; pixel electrodes on the first substrate in the pixel regions, respectively; and green, blue and red color filters on the second substrate, where the pixel electrodes include first, second and third pixel electrodes, which correspond to the green, blue and red color filters, respectively, each of the first, second and third pixel electrodes includes a stem portion, which is near one of the data lines and extends in an extending direction of the data lines, and branch portions, which are branched off from the stem portion, and the stem portion of the first pixel electrode is near a side of the second pixel electrode.
US09897865B2	Array substrate, method of manufacturing the same, and liquid crystal display panel An array substrate, a method of manufacturing the same and a liquid crystal display panel are disclosed. In the array substrate, a connection part for connecting two adjacent pixel electrodes is configured to enclose the spacer from three sides and a corresponding thin film transistor is arranged to enclose the spacer from a side other than the three sides. A distance between an upper surface of the connection part and an upper surface of the base substrate is larger than a distance between a lower surface of the spacer and the upper surface of the base substrate. With this configuration, the spacer is limited within a position limiting structure formed by the connection part and the thin film transistor.
US09897864B2	Curved display panel comprising a substrate edge having recesses at positions corresponding to a plurality of spacers and electronic apparatus The present invention provides a curved display panel, comprising a color filter substrate, an array substrate and a plurality of spacers, and the color filter substrate and the array substrate are curved, and the plurality of spacers is positioned between the color filter substrate and the array substrate, and an edge of one of the color filter substrate and the array substrate comprises recesses at positions corresponding to the spacers, a center of one of the color filter substrate and the array substrate comprises bulges at positions corresponding to the spacers. By the method in which the recesses are positioned at the edge and the bulges are positioned at the center, the cell gaps at respective positions in the curved display panel are the same.
US09897863B2	Array substrate, display panel and display apparatus having recesses on data lines or gate lines An array substrate, a display panel and a display apparatus are disclosed. The array substrate includes a plurality of gate lines (10; 50) and a plurality of data lines (30; 51), and pixel units arranged in an array. Each of the pixel units includes one pixel electrode (41; 42) and one thin film transistor, the data line (30; 51) serve as a source electrode (31; 311) of the thin film transistor, the gate line (10; 50) serve as a gate electrode (11) of the thin film transistor, and a drain electrode (32; 321; 322) of the thin film transistor is electrically connected to the pixel electrode (41; 42), at least one of the gate lines (10; 50) and the data lines (30; 51) has a recess (363; 364) provided thereon aligned with a spacer for fixing. With the recess (363; 364), the post spacer is prevented from moving to affect the display region when the substrate is bent and deformed under an external pressure.
US09897857B2	Liquid crystal display device, polarizer and protective film Provided is a liquid crystal display device that has excellent visibility while using a protective film comprising a polyester film. The liquid crystal display device comprises a backlight light source, and a liquid crystal cell disposed between two polarizers; the backlight light source being a white light-emitting diode; each of the polarizers comprising a polarizing film and protective films laminated on both sides of the polarizing film; and at least one of the protective films being a polyester film having a retardation of 3,000 to 30,000 nm.
US09897855B2	Display panel and display apparatus Embodiments of the present invention disclose a display panel and a display apparatus so as to increase the optical conversion efficiency of the display panel. The display panel comprises: an array substrate and a color filter substrate which are arranged oppositely; a liquid crystal layer arranged between the array substrate and the color filter substrate; an upper polarizing layer provided between the color filter substrate and the liquid crystal layer; and a quantum dot excitation layer provided on the color substrate, wherein the upper polarizing layer is configured such that a first linearly polarized light transmitted through the upper polarizing layer irradiates on the quantum dot excitation layer. By disposing the upper polarizing layer between the color filter substrate and the liquid crystal layer, a first linearly polarized light transmitted through the upper polarizing layer arrives at the quantum dot excitation layer, then the quantum dot excitation layer is excited by the first linearly polarized light and emits scattered light, the optical conversion efficiency of the display panel is thus increased.
US09897854B2	Liquid crystal display having improved color reproduction A liquid crystal display according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes: a display panel, and a color conversion layer coupled to the display panel and having a color conversion layer, where the color conversion layer includes a block copolymer including a first copolymer and a second copolymer, and quantum rods dispersed within the block copolymer. The block copolymer includes a first block structure unit formed by the first copolymer; and a second block structure unit formed by the second copolymer, where the quantum rods is are disposed within either one of the first block structure unit and the second block structure unit.
US09897849B2	Protective film for polarizing plate A protective film for polarizing plate made by laminating k layers (k being an integer of 2 to 7) of thermoplastic resin, in which a refractive index ni(λ) at a wavelength X in the range of 380 to 780 nm of the i th thermoplastic resin layer as well as a refractive index ni+1(λ) at a wavelength λin the range of 380 to 780 nm of the i+1 th thermoplastic resin layer have a relationship of In \|ni(λ)−ni+1(λ)\|≦0.045 (i being an integer of 1 to k−l); and a polarizing plate comprising the protective film and a polarizer. The protective film has an in-plane retardation Re at a wavelength λof 550 nm of 50 nm or less, and is obtained by coextruding at least one layer (A) of thermoplastic resin having of a negative photoelastic coefficient with at least one layer (B) of thermoplastic resin having a positive photoelastic coefficient.
US09897848B2	Manufacturing method of color resist layer The invention provides a manufacturing method of color resist layer to manufacture the color resist layer by micro transfer printing (MTP), comprising forming a color resist thin film on a first substrate, using a MTP transfer stamp to adsorb a part of the color resist thin film to the plurality of protrusions of the MTP transfer stamp, and transferring the color resist thin film adsorbed by the plurality of protrusions of the MTP transfer stamp to the second substrate to form the color resist layer on the second substrate. The method uses the protrusions of the MTP transfer stamp to form the pattern to control the pattern of the color resist layer instead of exposure and development. No color resist material is wasted, the cost is reduced and the process is simple and widely applicable.
US09897846B2	Liquid crystal display device A liquid crystal display device includes a display panel having an active area and a non-active area; a first black matrix in the active area; a second black matrix on at least a peripheral portion of the display panel and the second black matrix spaced apart from the first black matrix, and the second black matrix positioned in the active area and a portion of the non-active area; and an opaque layer corresponding to a gap between the first black matrix and the second black matrix.
US09897842B2	Display device and manufacturing method thereof Provided is a display device including: an insulation substrate; a thin film transistor disposed on the substrate; a pixel electrode disposed on the thin film transistor; a roof layer formed to be spaced apart from the pixel electrode with a microcavity therebetween and including a support member; and a liquid crystal layer filling the microcavity, in which the microcavity includes a plurality of microcavities having a semicircular cross section arranged along an extending direction of the gate line and extending in the extending direction of the data line.
US09897835B2	Display apparatus A display apparatus includes a display panel configured to display an image, a backlight unit which is disposed under the display panel and configured to provide a light to the display panel, a mold frame which surrounds the display panel and the backlight unit, and in which a top cover combining groove and a bottom cover combining groove are defined, a top cover including a top cover protrusion which is protruded from the top cover and received in the top cover combining groove of the mold frame, and a bottom cover on which a bottom cover protrusion is protruded, the bottom cover protrusion being received in the bottom cover combining groove of the mold frame.
US09897830B2	Display panel inspection system and inspection method for the same A display panel inspection system and an inspection method for the same are provided. The system includes multiple electrode signal lines located in a display region, each has a starting terminal and an end terminal, multiple fan-out traces connected with the multiple electrode signal lines, multiple electrode signal input terminals connected with the multiple fan-out traces, multiple test pads connected with the multiple electrode signal input terminals, each has an end terminal, a signal transmitter and a signal receiver, wherein the signal transmitter transmits a signal at the starting terminal the electrode signal line, and the signal receiver receives a signal from the end terminal of the electrode signal line or the test pad. Accordingly, an open or short can be detected at the fan-out traces to decrease a light line ratio in the module process to increase the product yield rate.
US09897828B2	Apparatus for packaging liquid crystal glass substrates The present invention discloses an apparatus for packaging liquid crystal glass substrates, comprising multiple housings, a cover and a unit forming member, wherein the multiple housings are overlapped together in vertical direction, the cover covers the topmost housing of the multiple housings, each housing comprises a cavity for receiving a liquid crystal glass substrate, the unit forming member is configured to clamp at least two housings of the multiple housings together as a housing unit, the unit forming member comprises at least one clamp. According to the present invention, even when there are many layers of housings, the center of gravity of housings can be align with each other, and the risk of overturning can be avoided.
US09897824B2	Method and device for monitoring ophthalmic lens manufacturing conditions A method and communication system for ophthalmic device manufacturing line is disclosed. More specifically, the communication device may be incorporated in early stages of manufacturing of the ophthalmic device to monitor process controls without delay. In some embodiments, a unique pedigree profile can be stored for an ophthalmic device during manufacturing and correlated with one or more of: design profiles, controlled process parameters, performance, and distribution channels.
US09897818B2	Ocular frame for stereoscopic image viewer A stereoscopic image viewer comprises a frame to be physically coupled to a handheld electronic device. The frame comprises a face plate having a pair of lens sockets with a pair of lenses, and a pair of side arms with a pair of slots to receive the handheld electronic device. The lenses can be coupled in the sockets by twist-to-lock couplings. A forehead pad comprising a squat dome is disposed on the face plate.
US09897817B2	System and method for inspecting misalignment between display panel and film patterned retarder A system and a method for inspecting misalign between a display panel and a film patterned retarder (FPR) in the stereoscopic image display separating polarized lights of a left-eye image and a right-eye image using the FPR. The system for inspecting misalign between a display panel and a film patterned retarder includes: an inspection target panel including the display panel to which the film patterned retarder adheres; a misalign inspector for imaging edge images of both sides of the inspection target panel or imaging a central image of a pixel array of the inspection target panel; and a controller for analyzing an image received from the misalign inspector to measure a misalign degree between the film patterned retarder and the display panel.
US09897816B2	Glasses-free 3D liquid crystal display device and manufacturing method thereof A glasses-free 3D liquid crystal display device includes an array substrate, a plurality of data lines disposed horizontally and a plurality of gate lines disposed vertically on the array substrate, a plurality of pixel units defined by the data lines and the gate lines. A pixel unit includes a first sub-pixel and a second sub-pixel that are horizontally disposed and adjacent to each other. The data line is a periodically varying flexuous line extending horizontally, in addition, or alternatively, the gate line is a periodically varying flexuous line extending vertically. The display device reduces the unevenness of moire fringes.
US09897813B2	Ocular vision system with optical guide that can be positioned in two positions An ocular vision system with a display module, which includes a transparent optical guide, is adapted for propagating, by total internal reflections, a light beam transporting an image as far as an extraction section of the optical guide. The system may include: means for positioning the optical guide in a first position in which the extraction zone is placed along a first axis corresponding to a nominal axis of sight of the user's eye; means for positioning the optical guide in a second position in which the extraction zone is placed along a second axis offset with respect to the nominal axis of sight of the user's eye; and means for rotating the optical guide about an axis intended to pass substantially through the center of rotation of the user's eye, enabling the optical guide to pass from the first position to the second position and vice versa.
US09897809B2	Data-display glasses comprising an anti-glare screen A pair of spectacles equipped with at least one lens and intended to be worn by a user, the spectacles comprising displaying means allowing data to be projected into a field of view of the user, and an anti-glare screen provided with a variable transmission coefficient allowing the intensity of incident light intended to pass through the lens toward the user to be attenuated, the spectacles being configured to adapt the transmission coefficient of the anti-glare screen depending on the intensity of the incident light.
US09897808B2	Smart glass A smart glass may include a glass having a transparent display function, a first camera obtaining a front image, a second camera obtaining an image of a user's eyes, and a controller which analyzes the front image and the image of the user's eyes, determines a specific object selected by the user's gaze from a plurality of objects included in the front image based on the result of an analysis, obtains information about the specific object, and displays the information about the specific object on a transparent display area of the glass. The smart glass may provide information about the specific object selected by the user's gaze, and/or may execute a specific function corresponding to user's eye gesture.
US09897804B2	Liquid crystal lens A crystal lens includes a liquid crystal layer, a pair of alignment layers, a first electrode set, and a second electrode set. The alignment layers are positioned on different sides of the liquid crystal layer. The first and second electrode sets are positioned on different alignment layers. The first electrode set includes a first transparent insulating layer and a first electrode layer. The first electrode set attaches to one of the alignment layers. The second electrode set includes a second transparent insulating layer, a second electrode layer, and a dielectric film. The second electrode layer includes a hole-patterned electrode. The dielectric film attaches to the first transparent insulating layer. The hole-patterned electrode exposes the dielectric film. In addition, an external power supply provides a driving voltage to the hole-patterned electrode and the first electrode layer, so that the liquid crystal molecules inside the liquid crystal layer drive rotation.
US09897797B2	Display panel and electronic device The present invention provides a display panel, comprising a brightness enhancement film, a light guide plate and a backlight source, and the brightness enhancement film is located to stack with the light guide plate, and the backlight source is located at a lateral side of the light guide plate, wherein the display panel further comprises a MEMS reflective plate located at a bottom of the light guide plate, and the MEMS reflective plate comprises a control substrate and reflective units, and the control substrate is employed to control working statuses of the reflective units, and the reflective unit comprises a driving unit located at the control substrate and a reflective sheet rotatably connected to the driving unit, and the driving unit is employed to drive the reflective sheet to rotate.
US09897791B2	Optical scanning systems for in situ genetic analysis Presented herein are systems and methods for performing sequencing, including fluorescence in situ sequencing. In one embodiment, a confocal time delay and integration (TDI) line scan imaging system may include various pinhole and/or slit aperture mechanisms in front of the image sensor. The system may also include structures with focusing strips on a substrate in contact with the tissue sample to be imaged. Alternatively, these strips may be cut into the tissue sample. The system may also include configurations and methods of placing a tissue sample inside a reaction chamber of a flow cell during the assembly of the flow cell and then performing chemistry operations on the tissue sample. The flow cells may use an open container for performing chemistry operations on the tissue sample.
US09897790B2	Structured illumination device and structured illumination microscope device A structured illumination device includes: a diffraction unit that diffracts light beams of a plurality of wavelengths that are emitted simultaneously or sequentially by a light source into a plurality of diffracted beams; and an optical system that forms interference fringes on a surface of a sample using the plurality of diffracted beams diffracted by the diffraction unit, the optical system including a first optical system and a second optical system that focuses the plurality of diffracted beams at positions on or near a pupil plane of the first optical system, and a magnification characteristic dY(λ) of the second optical system satisfying the condition of (fo·nw−afλ/P)≦dY(λ)≦(fo·NA−afλ/P), where a=1 (for M=1, 2) or a=2 (for M=3).
US09897789B2	Light emitting device package and lighting device having the same A light emitting device package includes a reflective unit having a first surface and a second surface opposing the first surface and having a through hole formed in a central portion of the reflective unit to penetrate through the first and second surfaces, a light emitting device disposed in the through hole and externally exposed to one of the first and second surfaces, and an optical device disposed on the first surface of the reflective unit to cover the light emitting device. The optical device allows light generated by the light emitting device to be partially transmitted and partially reflected to be emitted externally.
US09897786B2	Two-surface narrow field-of-view compounds lens A two-surface narrow field-of-view (FOV) compound lens for producing an image of an object at an image plane of an imaging system includes a biplanar substrate between a plano-convex lens and a plano-concave lens having a common optical axis. The plano-convex lens has a first planar surface on a first side of the biplanar substrate and is formed of a material having a first Abbe number. The plano-concave lens has a second planar surface on a second side of the biplanar substrate opposite the first side, and is formed of a material having a second Abbe number less than the first Abbe number. The first and second lens have respective focal lengths F1 and F2 that may satisfy −1.4
US09897784B2	Camera lens A camera lens includes, arranged sequentially from an object side to an image side: a first lens with positive refractive power; a second lens with negative refractive power; a third lens with negative refractive power; fourth lens with positive refractive power; a fifth lens with positive refractive power; and a sixth lens with negative refractive power. The camera lens satisfies specific conditions.
US09897781B2	Optical image capturing system An optical image capturing system includes, along the optical axis in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens, a second lens, a third lens, a fourth lens, a fifth lens, a sixth lens, and a seventh lens. At least one lens among the first to the sixth lenses has positive refractive force. The seventh lens have negative refractive force, wherein both surfaces thereof can be aspheric, and at least one surface thereof has an inflection point. The lenses in the optical image capturing system which have refractive power include the first to the seventh lenses. The optical image capturing system can increase aperture value and improve the imagining quality for use in compact cameras.
US09897780B1	Optical imaging lens An optical imaging lens includes a first lens element, a second lens element, a third lens element, and a fourth lens element from an object side to an image side in order along an optical axis. The first lens element to the fourth lens element each include an object-side surface and an image-side surface. The first lens element has positive refracting power. The second lens element has negative refracting power. At least one of the object-side surface and the image-side surface of the third lens element is an aspheric surface. At least one of the object-side surface and the image-side surface of the fourth lens element is an aspheric surface. A maximum distance between the image-side surface of the first lens element and the object-side surface of the second lens element in a direction parallel to the optical axis is less than 0.2 mm.
US09897777B2	Optical system There is provided an optical system including: a first lens having positive refractive power; a second lens having positive refractive power; a third lens having refractive power and having a convex object-side surface; a fourth lens having refractive power; and a fifth lens having refractive power, wherein the first to fifth lenses are sequentially disposed from an object side, whereby spherical aberration and coma aberration may be improved to realize high resolution in images captured thereby and increase an amount of light incident through the lenses to an image sensor.
US09897775B2	Optical system and imaging apparatus including the same An optical system includes a focusing lens unit configured to move in a first focusing mode intended for focusing within a range of object distances from infinity to a first finite distance and in a second focusing mode intended for focusing within a range of object distances from a second finite distance that is shorter than infinity to a third finite distance that is shorter than the first finite distance, and a mode-changing unit configured to move when the focusing mode is changed between the first focusing mode and the second focusing mode. In the optical system, lateral magnification βf of the focusing lens unit when focusing on a point at infinity, and lateral magnification βr of a combination of any lenses that are on an image side with respect to the focusing lens unit when focusing on the point at infinity are set appropriately.
US09897774B2	Lens unit and imaging device First and second lens drive sections of the lens unit are disposed at positions where a center point connecting line, which connects center positions of the lens drive sections on a plane perpendicular to a lens axis, does not pass through the lens axis; and include yokes, voice coils, and plate-like magnets. The width of the magnet in a lens circumferential direction is smaller than the width of the yoke; and the magnets are disposed to be biased to end portions of the yokes, which are positioned in a divided area in which a lens axis center is present, of divided areas divided into two by a center point connecting line, in the lens circumferential direction, respectively. The shortest distance between an operating point connecting line is shorter than the shortest distance between the center point connecting line and the lens axis.
US09897765B1	Methods for fusing a fiber termination Aspects of the disclosure are drawn to methods for producing a fused connector termination. An exemplary method may include setting a specification requirement to be met by the fused connector termination and applying an amount of heat to a proximal region of an unfused connector termination. The proximal region of the unfused connector termination may include an inner optical fiber coaxially positioned within an outer ferrule, and applying the amount of heat may at least partially fuse the optical fiber to the outer ferrule to form an at least partially fused connector termination. The method may also include imaging the proximal region of the at least partially fused connector termination and determining, based on the imaging, whether the proximal region of the at least partially fused connector termination meets the specification.
US09897762B2	Multiple environment fiber optic cable A fiber optic cable is presented having a pressure fitting at an end of the cable. The pressure fitting can create a pressure and/or chemical seal to prevent migration of environmental elements into or out of the cable. The fiber optic cable can advantageously be configured for use in varied environments including, for example, one or more of caustic, high-pressure, or low-pressure environments.
US09897761B2	Optical fiber mounted photonic integrated circuit device for single mode optical fibers The invention relates to an optical fiber mounted photonic integrated circuit device where the tolerance in the positioning of the coupling between a single mode optical fiber and an optical waveguide provided in the photonic integrated circuit device is increased. A second optical waveguide of which the cross-section of the core is in the form of a slab having a width that is greater than the mode diameter of the single mode optical fiber, and which is tapered in such a manner that the thickness of the core is reduced as the location is closer to the connection portion with the single mode optical fiber, is provided on the input/output end side of the first optical waveguide through which light propagates in such a manner that the inclined connection end surface of the single mode optical fiber is coupled to the upper surface of the second optical waveguide.
US09897756B2	Fusion-splicing method and fusion splicer A method for fusion-splicing optical fibers and a fusion splicer are provided, which enable preventing a fusion spliced portion from disconnecting when the optical fiber is removed from the fusion splicer. A fusion-splicing method for optical fibers comprises: holding optical fibers and on optical fiber holding parts respectively provided on a pair of movable stages; butting ends of optical fibers by bringing the pair of movable stages mutually closer; fusion-splicing butted optical fibers to form a fusion spliced portion S; carrying out a proof test, the proof test including applying a tension to the fusion spliced portion S by moving the pair of movable stages so as to distance them from each other; and bringing the pair of movable stages mutually closer by a predetermined distance upon completion of the proof test.
US09897754B2	Waveguide structure and preparation method A waveguide structure is provided. A silicon substrate layer, a silicon waveguide layer, a first silicon dioxide layer, a silicide waveguide layer, and a second silicon dioxide layer are stacked in sequence, the silicon waveguide layer is a conical waveguide layer, the silicon waveguide layer and the silicide waveguide layer are coupled by using an evanescent wave, the silicide waveguide layer includes multiple first waveguide blocks and multiple second waveguide blocks, a material of the first waveguide blocks is the same as a material of the silicide waveguide layer, and a refractive index of a material of the second waveguide blocks is lower than a refractive index of the material of the first waveguide blocks. By using the waveguide structure, a waveguide flare size can be increased, so as to match a mode size of a fiber core of an optical fiber.
US09897753B2	Optical device and method of manufacturing the same An optical device includes a substrate; a trench in a portion of the substrate; a clad layer arranged in the trench; a first structure arranged on the clad layer to have a first depth; and a second structure arranged on the clad layer to have a second depth different from the first depth.
US09897752B2	Optical end coupling type silicon optical integrated circuit An optical end coupling type silicon optical integrated circuit is provided using an SOI substrate. This optical integrated circuit is constituted so as to connect with an external optical circuit at an end coupling part and have signal light incident to an optical circuit that includes a curved part. In the plane of the optical integrated circuit, the position of one end coupling part selected from among any thereof and the position of any multimode optical waveguide element to which a respective optical waveguide is connected via a respective curved part satisfy a positional relationship defined on the basis of a beam divergence angle [theta] of stray light.
US09897749B2	Display device and backlight module thereof A backlight module includes a back board, an illumination assembly, a supporting component and a frame. The illumination assembly is disposed on the back board. The supporting component includes a base, a first extending plate and a second extending plate. The base is disposed on the back board. Both of the first extending plate and the second extending plate stand on the base and extend along an axial direction of the base so that the first extending plate and the second extending plate are at a first angle and a second angle relative to the base, respectively. The first extending plate is located between the second extending plate and the illumination assembly. The frame is disposed on the supporting component, and the illumination assembly is located between the frame and the back board.
US09897748B2	Display device Discussed is a display device. The display device can include an optical frame, which provides light up to an edge of a display panel, thereby enlarging an active area of the display device.
US09897746B2	Liquid crystal display device The present invention includes a liquid crystal panel, a light guide member, at least one laser diode (LD), and a heat sink. The light guide member is arranged on a back surface of the liquid crystal panel. The LD is arranged on at least one side surface of the light guide member. The heat sink is arranged to extend along a back surface of the light guide member and the side surface of the light guide member integrally and at least partially. The heat sink is arranged such that a part of the heat sink corresponding to the side surface of the light guide member houses at least a light-emitting surface of the LD.
US09897745B2	Optical module, display device containing the same and method for manufacturing the same The present disclosure provides an optical module. The optical module includes a light guide plate and a decorative layer. The light guide plate includes at least one light-entering inclined surface, a first light-emitting inclined surface adjacent to the light-entering inclined surface and a second light-emitting inclined surface opposite to the first light-emitting inclined surface. The decorative layer is covered the second light-emitting inclined surface of the light guide plate by an injection molding process. A display device containing the optical module and a method for manufacturing the optical module are also provided herein.
US09897740B2	Backlight module and display device A backlight module includes a light source, a light guide plate, an optical film assembly, and a quantum dot film. The light guide plate includes a light exit surface, a back surface opposite to the light exit surface, and a side surface connected between the light exit surface and the back surface. The light source is arranged adjacent to the side surface of the light guide plate to emit light to the light guide plate. The quantum dot film includes a gamut conversion zone and a gamut ineffective zone located on an outer circumference of the gamut conversion zone. The gamut conversion zone is stacked between the optical film assembly and the light exit surface. The gamut ineffective zone projects outward from an edge of the optical film assembly. The backlight module allows for bezel narrowing, while possessing high color gamut.
US09897737B2	Quantum dot backlight module A quantum dot backlight module is disclosed. The quantum dot backlight module comprises a light source; a quantum dot layer, which emits fluorescence after being excited by light that is emitted by the light source; and a light guide plate, which guides the fluorescence that is emitted by the quantum dot layer to a needed direction, wherein the quantum dot layer is arranged on a light-entering side of the light guide plate, and a colloid layer is arranged between the light source and the quantum dot layer so as to enable the light source and the quantum dot layer to be bonded with each other closely, whereby the light source, the quantum dot layer, and the light guide plate are assembled together. According to the present disclosure, the light transmission mode of the light source after entering into the light guide plate is changed through changing the structure of the quantum dot backlight module, so that the light loss thereof can be reduced, and the light-emitting efficiency of the backlight module can be improved.
US09897736B2	Lighting device having light guide with helically-shaped input portions The lighting device includes at least two light sources; at least two input guides coupled to the light sources; and a light collector coupled to the light-sensing guides. Each of the input guides has an input end facing the corresponding light source, and an output end tangentially coupled to the light collector such as to lead a light beam from the corresponding light source into the collector. The input guides are helically-shaped between the input and the output ends.
US09897735B2	Wire grid polarizer and fabrication method thereof, and display device A wire grid polarizer (20) and a fabrication method thereof,and a display device are provided. The fabrication method of the wire grid polarizer (20) includes: applying a mixture (100) including a polymeric monomer (101) and a metal particle (102) on a surface of a base substrate (01); performing a curing treatment on the mixture (100) at a predetermined position; and forming a wire grid pattern including protrusions (110) arranged at intervals on the surface of the base substrate (01). Problems of a complicated process, great difficulty and high cost in a fabrication process of the wire grid polarizer (20) are solved.
US09897728B2	Method for manufacturing color filter, color filter, and liquid crystal display panel A method for manufacturing a color filter, a color filter, and a liquid crystal display panel are disclosed. The method for manufacturing the color filter comprises: coating a substrate with a first light resistance material and performing corresponding treatment, so as to form a black matrix layer with a plurality of space areas; coating said black matrix layer with a light resistance material different from said first light resistance material, performing treatment with a laser beam at predetermined positions, and then performing exposing, developing, and solidifying treatments, so as to form a color resistance layer in said space areas; and coating said color resistance layer with a conductive material to form a conductive film, thus obtaining said color filter.
US09897726B2	Color filter substrate and display panel using same A color filter substrate includes a substrate, a barrier layer located on the substrate; and a plurality of color filtering units and a plurality of black matrixes located on the barrier layer. The barrier layer includes a plurality of first portions respectively corresponding with the plurality of color filtering units and a plurality of second portions respectively corresponding with the plurality of black matrixes. Each of the second portions defines at least one groove. Each of black matrixes comprises at least one protrusion received in the at least one groove of a corresponding second portion and a base coupled with the at least one protrusion.
US09897723B2	Starshade with attributes facilitating assembly An exemplary starshade comprises a tensegrity truss structure having a central hub with radially extending, telescoping booms. Telescoping tension struts connected to the central hub and booms provide a compressive force on the booms during final truss deployment. Opaque petals, not supported by the tensegrity truss structure prior to its final deployment, are each sequentially placed on and attached to the tensegrity truss structure in side by side position to form a concentric ring of petals spaced apart from the central hub. A fan fold covering, not supported by the tensegrity truss structure prior to its final deployment, is placed on and attached to the tensegrity truss structure to form an opaque, concentric inner ring about the central hub. An outer edge of the inner ring is adjacent an interior edge of the concentric ring of petals to block light from the petals to the central hub.
US09897712B2	Method of acquiring ghost-free signatures for broadband source calibration Embodiments described herein provide a method for acquiring de-ghosted data that can be utilized for calibration of a seismic source (air gun) model. Positions of a plurality of seismic receivers can be determined to enable efficient removal of an interference effect of ghost signals originating from mirrored versions of at least one seismic source that are received at the plurality of seismic receivers (hydrophones). Data (de-ghosted or near de-ghosted) can be acquired from the plurality of seismic receivers located at the determined positions by operating the at least one seismic source. A calibrated model of the at least one seismic source can be prepared based on the acquired (de-ghosted) data.
US09897708B2	Polar effect model, system, and method for photon counting detector in medical imaging systems including computed tomography An apparatus and a method are provided for calculating an output spectrum of a photon-counting detector based on an incident spectrum. The apparatus includes processing circuitry to determine a plane extending from a top face of the photon-counting detector that includes regions that all possible incident rays will transverse; divide the determined plane into subregions; calculate a detector response function for each of the subregions; determine an overall detector response function by summing the calculated detector response function for each of the subregions and normalizing the summation by an area of the determined plane; and calculate the output spectrum based on the overall detector response function and the incident spectrum.
US09897705B2	Radiation detector, scintillator panel, and method for manufacturing the same According to the embodiment, a radiation detector includes a photoelectric conversion substrate converting light to an electrical signal and a scintillator layer being in contact with the photoelectric conversion substrate and converting externally incident radiation to light. The scintillator layer is made of a phosphor containing Tl as an activator in CsI, which is a halide. A concentration of the activator in the phosphor is 1.6 mass %±0.4 mass %, and a concentration distribution of the activator in an in-plane direction and a film thickness direction is within ±15%.
US09897702B2	Generation of linear feedback shift register based pseudo random noise (PRN) spreading code sequence for global navigation satellite system Technology to generation of linear feedback shift register based PRN spreading code sequence using a processor device in a computing system is disclosed. A system is provided for generating a GNSS code sequence in a computer system, the system comprising one or more logic circuits configured to at least: receive a plurality of waveform generation parameters; select between a short pseudo-random noise (PRN) cycle and a long PRN cycle according to at least one of the plurality of waveform generation parameters; and emulate a plurality of linear feedback shift registers (LFSR) for generating a block of PRN code chips.
US09897700B2	Vehicular ranging system and method of operation A vehicular object ranging system having a long-range sensor having a long-range field of view and a short-range sensor having a short-range field of view overlapping and exceeding said long-range field of view and having an angular resolution capability. The sampling rate of one of the long-range sensor and short-range sensor can be varied depending of the signal provided by the other.
US09897699B2	Methods and apparatus for virtual sensor array A time-of-flight camera images an object around a corner or through a diffuser. In the case of imaging around a corner, light from a hidden target object reflects off a diffuse surface and travels to the camera. Points on the diffuse surface function as a virtual sensors. In the case of imaging through a diffuser, light from the target object is transmitted through a diffusive media and travels to the camera. Points on a surface of the diffuse media that is visible to the camera function as virtual sensors. In both cases, a computer represents phase and intensity measurements taken by the camera as a system of linear equations and solves a linear inverse problem to (i) recover an image of the target object; or (ii) to compute a 3D position for each point in a set of points on an exterior surface of the target object.
US09897698B2	Intensity-based depth sensing system and method A system for determining a depth image representing distances to points of a scene includes a light source for generating and directing a set of light pulses toward the scene and a set of sensors for detecting and integrating light reflected from the scene. Each sensor is associated with a point in the scene and generates a signal indicative of an amount of light reflected from the point in the scene and reaching the sensor during a period of time. The system includes at least one processor for coordinating operations of the light source and the set of sensors and for determining the depth image having intensity values representing the distances to the points in the scene. The processor commands the light source to generate the set of light pulses including a first pulse with a first intensity profile having portions of identical lengths with different integrated intensities.
US09897693B2	Method and apparatus using light amount values and determined weight value for controlling gesture sensor An electronic device and a method for controlling a gesture sensor of the same are provided. The electronic device includes a gesture sensor and a threshold determining module configured to receive a light amount measurement with respect to light incident to the gesture sensor, to compare the light amount measurement with a light amount reference value, and to determine a light amount threshold that is used based on object recognition of the gesture sensor by adding the weight value to the light amount measurement.
US09897690B2	Technique for a pulse/phase based laser rangefinder utilizing a single photodiode in conjunction with separate pulse and phase receiver circuits A technique for a pulse/phase based laser rangefinding instrument utilizing a single photodiode in conjunction with separate pulse and phase receiver circuits. The photodiode receives phase and pulse ranging signals and a capacitor coupled to the photodiode and is operative to provide current through the photodiode to a transimpedance amplifier in a pulse mode of operation and from the photodiode through a tuned circuit to a narrow band amplifier in a phase mode of operation.
US09897686B2	Active IQ and quadrature generator for high frequency applications An active I/Q generator circuit comprises an input node for receiving a reference oscillation signal. The circuit has an I-output and a Q-output for respectively outputting an I-signal and a Q-signal. A first active component is electrically coupled to the input node and arranged to amplify the reference oscillation signal and to output an amplified reference oscillation signal. A second active component is electrically coupled to the first active component to receive the amplified reference oscillation signal. The second active component is arranged to generate, based on the amplified reference oscillation signal, an in-phase signal and a, with respect to the in-phase signal, phase shifted signal, the second active component electrically coupled to the in-phase signal output for providing the in-phase signal and electrically coupled to the quadrature-phase output for providing the phase-shifted signal.
US09897684B2	Systems and methods for estimating a position of a receiver in a network of beacons Systems and methods for estimating a position of a receiver within a venue using localized networks of beacons. Certain aspects relate to different configurations of networks. Other aspects relate to estimating the position of the receiver when the receiver approaches an edge of a localized network of beacons.
US09897683B2	Real time location system and method A method includes receiving a transmitted signal containing an object identifier at multiple dispersed antennas, and utilizing inverse Kriging to identify a probable location of each object within a reception area. An object being tracked may detect an event, generate a communication indicative of the event and an object identifier, and transmit the communication to multiple receivers to identify a location of the object.
US09897679B2	Magnetic resonance system with RF power measurement check using a calibrated test pulse A predetermined reference object is arranged in a scan volume of a magnetic resonance system. In the scope of adjustment measurements, the reference object is respectively exposed by a radiofrequency transmitter antenna to an adjustment pulse. Using at least one radiofrequency receiver antenna, a magnetic resonance signal excited by the respective adjustment pulse in the reference object is respectively recorded. An amplitude of a first test pulse is ascertained with the aid of the magnetic resonance signals recorded in the scope of the adjustment measurements. In the scope of a subsequent test measurement, the reference object is exposed to the first test pulse by the radiofrequency transmitter antenna. A first measurement signal dependent on the amplitude of the first test pulse is recorded during the exposure of the reference object to the first test pulse. Further measures are implemented based on the recorded first measurement signal.
US09897677B2	Method for correcting errors associated with asynchronous timing offsets between transmit and receive clocks in MRI wireless radiofrequency coils A method and apparatus correcting errors associated with timing offsets in radiofrequency coils. The method and apparatus include a memory element and a controller. The controller is configured to execute a set of instructions to receive data of a plurality of signals, the plurality of signals comprising at least one projection echo. The controller is also configured to identify a plurality of offsets of the plurality of signals based on the at least one projection echo. The controller is also configured to apply the plurality of offsets to a k-space of the plurality of signals.
US09897674B2	Method and magnetic resonance apparatus to determine a B0 field map In a method and magnetic resonance apparatus to determine a B0 field map describing the local deviation from a nominal Larmor frequency of the magnetic resonance apparatus, magnetic resonance data are acquired at at least two different dephasing times after an excitation, in measurements implemented at two different echo times whose difference forms a dephasing time, and a phase change used to determine the B0 field map is determined from a difference of phases measured at different echo times. The phase changes of different dephasing times are evaluated to at least partially reduce an ambiguity due to Nyquist phase wrapping. The measurements for different dephasing times are implemented at least in part with excitations that generate different excitation fields.
US09897671B2	Detuning apparatus for a receive coil for a magnetic resonance device including a number of coil elements A detuning apparatus for a receive coil for a magnetic resonance device includes a number of coil elements. The coil elements may be selectively connected to a receive channel of a data processing apparatus by way of a switching apparatus. Each of the coil elements includes at least one detuning assembly such as, for example, a PIN diode that may be switched between a detuning state and a receive state by way of a continuous switching signal. A controller is provided to switch the switching apparatus and to generate the switching signals. The detuning apparatus has first diplexers connected upstream of the switching apparatus for injecting switching signals for switching the detuning assembly for coil elements to be detuned dynamically. The detuning apparatus also includes detuning modules for each of the coil elements to switch the detuning assembly to the detuning state if there is no switching signal present.
US09897670B2	Magnetic resonance imaging system and coil control device thereof A coil control device of a magnetic resonance imaging system includes a DC-DC switching converter and a controller. The DC-DC switching converter is configured for switching and converting a DC power supply to a DC current or a DC voltage. An input end of the DC-DC switching converter is connected in parallel to the DC power supply. The controller is configured to control the DC-DC switching converter to switch and provide the DC current or the DC voltage. In some embodiments of the coil control device described herein, two power supplies (e.g., +15 V and −32 V) may be reduced to one power supply (e.g., +15 V), thereby saving energy and foregoing a water-cooling system.
US09897668B2	Coil assembly for magnetic resonance imaging A magnetic resonance imaging system is provided. The system includes a solenoid magnet configured to generate a static magnetic field and an annular coil assembly housed within at least a portion of the solenoid magnet. The coil assembly includes a gradient coil, wherein the annular coil assembly has an aperture formed therein.
US09897664B2	Method and apparatus for estimating state of battery A battery state estimation apparatus includes a sensing data acquirer configured to acquire sensing data of a battery. The apparatus further includes a state of health (SOH) information estimator configured to divide the sensing data based on a predetermined time interval, extract a segment comprising a predetermined number of items of the divided sensing data, and estimate SOH information of the battery based on the segments.
US09897663B2	Integrated DC/DC converter, electrochemical energy storage system, and methods for analyzing electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and working state of electrochemical energy storage apparatus An integrated DC/DC converter includes a first DC/DC converter, a second DC/DC converter, a first voltage sensor, a second voltage sensor, a first current sensor, a second current sensor, a third current sensor, and a controller. The first DC/DC converter has an input end and an output end. The input end of the first DC/DC converter is to be electrically connected to an output end of an electrochemical energy storage apparatus. The output end of the first DC/DC converter is to be electrically connected to an input end of an electrical load. The second DC/DC converter connects the first DC/DC converter in parallel.
US09897653B2	Scan chain circuit supporting logic self test pattern injection during run time A scan chain for testing a combinatorial logic circuit includes a first scan chain path of flip-flops connected to the combinatorial logic circuit for functional mode operation during runtime of the combinatorial logic circuit. A second scan chain path of flip-flops is also connected to the combinatorial logic circuit and supports both a shift mode and a capture mode. The second scan chain path operates in shift mode while the first scan chain path is connected to the combinatorial logic circuit for functional mode operation. The second scan chain is then connected to the combinatorial logic circuit when run time is interrupted and operates in capture mode to apply the test data to the combinatorial logic circuit.
US09897652B2	Logic analyzer A logic analyzer 6 is provided with a state controller 12 and analyzer circuitry. The logic analyzer switches between a programmable sequence of trigger states and generates an index signal within each trigger state. The index signal is used to control the analyzer circuitry to select appropriate portions of programmable trigger state data so as to configure the matching operation performed against hardware signal values taken from hardware circuitry 4 which is subject to analysis by the logic analyzer 6.
US09897647B2	Method and apparatus to commission voltage sensors and branch circuit current sensors for branch circuit monitoring systems A method and apparatus for detecting the wiring configuration of an electric power system based upon a particular voltage ratio that is determined for the electric power system. Also a method and apparatus for diagnosing voltage swap conditions in an electric power system. Finally, a method and apparatus for identifying virtual meters in an electric power system.
US09897646B2	System and methods for memory installation in functional test fixture A system and a method for testing information handling systems is provided. The system includes a top cover having a memory circuit and a bottom platform for receiving a test printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) including a slot. The system includes a sensor determining the relative position of the memory circuit and the slot; and a host controller coupled to the test PCBA and the sensor through a port. A computer program product including a non-transitory computer readable medium having computer readable and executable code is also provided. The code instructs a processor in a host controller in a test fixture to load a memory circuit on a crane; engage a sub-module carrying the memory circuit; load a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA); place a memory device on a slot in the PCBA; perform a system test on the PCBA; disengage the sub-module and the test fixture.
US09897645B2	Illuminator for wafer prober and related methods Various techniques are disclosed for an illuminator and related methods to be used with a wafer prober to provide illumination (e.g., visible and/or non-visible electromagnetic radiation) to perform testing, calibration, and/or inspection of devices on a wafer. For example, an illuminator may include a plurality of radiation sources, a reflector, an actuator for the reflector, a shutter, an actuator for the shutter, and/or a light pipe. Various components of the illuminator may interface with a wafer prober to provide sufficiently uniform and stable illumination with fast-switching intensities, wavelengths, and/or other properties. Such illumination provided by various embodiments of the illuminator may permit the wafer prober to perform high-throughput testing, calibration, and/or inspection of devices that may be fabricated and/or packaged on a wafer.
US09897644B2	Method and system for testing a semiconductor device against electrostatic discharge A method of testing a semiconductor device against electrostatic discharge includes operating the semiconductor device, and, while operating the semiconductor device, monitoring a functional performance of the semiconductor device. The monitoring includes monitoring one or more signal waveforms of respective one or more signals on respective one or more pins of the semiconductor device to obtain one or more monitor waveforms, and monitoring one or more register values of one or more registers of the semiconductor device to obtain one or more monitor register values as function of time. The method includes applying an electrostatic discharge event to the semiconductor device while monitoring the functional performance of the semiconductor device. The method can further comprise determining a functional change from the one or more monitor waveforms and the one or more monitor register values as function of time.
US09897643B2	Apparatuses, systems and methods for detecting corona Apparatuses, systems and methods for detecting corona using audio data are disclosed. A method of processing audio data to detect corona includes determining an indicator of energy at a substantially fundamental frequency in the audio data, determining an indicator of the energy at a plurality of harmonic frequencies in the audio data, determining an indicator of the noise energy in the audio data, determining a comparison indicator of the noise energy relative to the energy at the harmonic frequencies, determining a masking indicator having thresholds for each of the harmonics relative to the fundamental frequency, and determining a corona detection indicator. An apparatus for detecting corona includes a memory, an audio detector configured to obtain the audio data near an electrical conductor in an AC system, and a processor to process the audio data, fundamental and harmonic frequencies of the audio data and their corresponding thresholds to detect corona.
US09897642B1	Detection of arcing location on photovoltaic systems using filters The present invention relates to photovoltaic systems capable of identifying the location of an arc-fault. In particular, such systems include a unique filter connected to each photovoltaic (PV) string, thereby providing a unique filtered noise profile associated with a particular PV string. Also described herein are methods for identifying and isolating such arc-faults.
US09897640B2	Fault arc detection method and detection device A fault arc detection method includes: sampling an instantaneous current value of a circuit; using the instantaneous current value to predict a current peak value and, when the predicted current peak value is greater than a predetermined threshold, determining that a first energy fault arc is to appear; and comparing a time domain or frequency domain feature of the instantaneous current value with a reference time domain feature or a reference frequency domain feature of the current of a fault arc of the circuit. When the similarity between the time domain or frequency domain feature and the reference time or reference frequency domain feature of the current of the fault arc reaches a predetermined range, a second energy fault arc is determined to appear. The method and detection device detect the occurrence of a fault arc early and they are able to distinguish different types of fault arcs.
US09897636B2	Single wound current transformer impedance measurement circuit A single wound single current transformer impedance measurement circuit for determining a circuit element parameter in a ground fault circuit interrupter circuit. The circuit includes a transconductance amplifier having first and second input terminals and first and second output terminals. In an embodiment, a first detector has input terminal coupled to the first output terminal of the transconductance amplifier and another input terminal coupled for receiving a first electrical signal. A second detector has a terminal coupled to the second output terminal of the transconductance amplifier and an input terminal coupled for receiving the first electrical signal. Alternatively, the second detector has an input terminal coupled to the first output terminal of the transconductance amplifier and another input terminal coupled for receiving the first electrical signal.
US09897635B2	Sensor circuit A sensor circuit incorporates an analog to digital converter for providing a digital signal derived from sensing elements connected in a bridge configuration. The sensor circuit comprises first and second paths comprising respective first and second sensing elements connected between first and second supply lines; an analog to digital converter having a differential input connected to receive a differential voltage signal (Vinp−Vinn) between the first and second sensing elements and an output for providing a digital output signal (Dout) representing a difference between the first and second sensing elements, the analog to digital converter comprising: current sources connected between the first and second supply lines, each current source being switchably connected to either the first or second sensing elements; and control logic configured to selectively switch current from each of the current sources to either the first path or the second path in dependence on the differential voltage signal.
US09897632B2	Monitor circuit A monitor circuit for monitoring a CUT (Circuit Under Test) is provided. The monitor circuit includes a power switch and a current meter. The power switch is coupled between a supply voltage and the CUT. The current meter is coupled in parallel with the power switch. The current meter is configured to detect a current through the CUT.
US09897631B2	Current sensor and electric network comprising such a current sensor A current sensor including a measurement torus, arranged in a casing positioned around an electric conductor able to transmit an electric current, and a device for detecting a voltage in the electric conductor. The detection device is configured for surrounding the electric conductor when the current sensor is installed.
US09897616B2	Monoclonal antibody against D-dimer and methods of use therefor Disclosed are a monoclonal antibody against human D-dimer produced in a mouse and high molecular weight cross-linked fibrin including a corresponding epitope, a cell line secreting the monoclonal antibody, and methods for producing the same. The anti-D-dimer monoclonal antibody of the present invention may be effectively used as a diagnosis agent for screening and detecting in-vivo D-dimer, and high molecular weight cross-linked fibrin and its derivatives containing the D-dimer since the monoclonal antibody specifically reacts with D-dimer, and cross-linked fibrin and its derivatives containing the D-dimer, which do not bind to human fibrinogen or fibrin.
US09897615B2	Immunoassay for free vitamin D Disclosed is the invention to conduct immuno-adsorption of free 25(OH) vitamin D from blood or blood components, notably serum or plasma, after which the absorbed material is measured. A fluoro-alkyl surfactant is used to enhance the solubility of Vitamin D and allow the measurement of free Vitamin D. The invention thus employs a binding protein to absorb the free 25(OH) vitamin D. Thereafter the binding protein comprising the 25-OH vitamin D is subjected to a competitive binding assay with a labeled vitamin D compound, preferably radiolabeled, fluorescent labeled, luminescent labeled, biotin labeled, gold labeled or enzyme labeled. Alternatively the immunocaptured 25-OH vitamin D can be quantitated by mass spectrometry.
US09897613B2	Mass spectrometric measurement of microbial resistances Microorganisms, particularly bacteria, are identified and characterized on the basis of a mass spectrometric measurement of their protein profiles with ionization by matrix-assisted laser desorption. In order to measure the microbial resistance to antibiotics, the protein profiles of microorganisms are measured after cultivation for a short time duration in nutrient media containing the antibiotics.
US09897612B2	Fibronectin type III repeat based protein scaffolds with alternative binding surfaces Protein scaffolds and scaffold libraries based on a fibronectin type III (FN3) repeat with an alternative binding surface design, isolated nucleic acids encoding the protein scaffolds, vectors, host cells, and methods of making thereof are useful in the generation of therapeutic molecules and treatment and diagnosis of diseases and disorders.
US09897611B2	Molecule library constructed on the basis of backbone structure of microprotein Disclosed is a molecular library comprising a group of a plurality of molecules, wherein each member of the library is a polypeptide having a randomized sequence moiety and a microprotein moiety. The microprotein is a protein comprising an amino acid sequence of 30 or less amino acid residues having the ability to form a particular conformation by spontaneous folding in a solution and is, for example, chignolin comprising the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1. Also, disclosed is a method for identifying a novel functional molecule using the library of the present invention.
US09897609B2	Systems and apparatus to estimate nutritional needs of human and other patients and to support such nutritional needs Systems, techniques and methods for estimating the metabolic state or flux, e.g., the body energy state (“BES”) of a patient, are disclosed. The BES provides a deep insight into the nutritional needs of the patient, thus allowing for a sort of exquisite glycemic control with regard to the patient. The invention discloses systems and methods for estimating fractional gluconeogenesis. The invention also discloses systems and methods for estimating and targeting patient blood lactate concentration, both as a target itself and as an intermediate step to estimating and targeting patient fractional gluconeogenesis glucose production. Nutritional support methods and formulations are also disclosed. The invention is suitable for any sort of patient, including those who are injured, such as with traumatic brain injury, ill, or have other conditions that stress the metabolic system.
US09897600B2	Flow-through sensor In one general aspect, a flow-through sensor can include a carbon nanotube structure including a parallel array of micro-channels, a catalyst coupled to an inner surface of at least one of the micro-channels, and a functionalizing material disposed within the micro-channels.
US09897591B2	Breath alcohol ignition interlock system The system is of the type for use by a person and including a handpiece and an imaging device, the handpiece containing a breath alcohol tester and the imaging device being adapted to capture an image including the handpiece when a breath sample is delivered to the handpiece. The improvement includes a sensor arrangement and a computing functionality. The sensor arrangement is adapted to provide information from which an orientation and position of the handpiece can be calculated. The computing functionality is adapted to: generate a calculated orientation and position of the handpiece; and if a face appears in the image, precisely locate the features thereof. The features of the face are located using the calculated orientation and position of the handpiece.
US09897586B2	Multi point method and apparatus for monitoring the aging and changes in corresponding tensile performance properties of a polymer The molecular weight distribution in a polymer sample can be used as a measure for when parts need to be replaced, and can be tracked over time to allow for predicting when parts need to be replaced and/or identifying the type of aging taking place in the polymer part. Molecular weight distribution determination has particular application in determining the replacement time and or aging parameters in polyamide (e.g., formed from 11-aminoundecanoic acid or formed from 12 aminododecanoic acid) polyvinyldiflouride, and polyethyelene pipe liners used in, for example, offshore oil and gas production and fuel transport operations.
US09897581B1	Variable data-dependent acquisition and dynamic exclusion method for mass spectrometry A variable data dependent acquisition/dynamic exclusion (vDDA/DE) method selects target m/z range utilizing a MS1 precursor topography map over the most recently acquired MS spectrum to identify the precursor m/z values and MS/MS acquisition parameters to improve the selection of the next data-dependent MS/MS acquisition. The topography used to define the next set of DDA scan events is defined by previous tandem MS scan events defined by precursor quadrupole isolation windows as well as all detected compounds contained within the specific tandem MS events. At least some of the parameters used for MS/MS data acquisition are dynamic so as to exhaustively sample the user specified MS mass range with MS/MS information. These parameters include the quadrupole MS isolation width and symmetry around the targeted m/z value. Using this approach, a greater proportion of the precursor m/z space is effectively and efficiently sampled per chromatographic peak width.
US09897578B2	Chromatography columns A chromatography column (2) containing a bed of packed particles (22, 24, 26, 28, 30), wherein the packed particles comprise fused core particles and the particle diameters of the packed particles vary along the column. Preferably, the particles (2, 24, 26, 28, 30) are arranged according to their average particle diameter, in order of increasing average particle diameter from the inlet end (4) to the outlet end (6). The bed may comprise a plurality of bed sections and each bed section has an average particle diameter calculated from the particles in that section and there are at least two different average particle diameter bed sections, wherein the particles of each bed are separated from particles of an adjacent bed by a partition that is liquid permeable to allow through a flow of mobile phase. A high column efficiency can be provided with lower pressure drop per unit length of the column.
US09897577B2	Apparatus for field-flow fractionation The present invention relates to an apparatus for field-flow fractionation and to a method for separating samples by means of field-flow fractionation using this apparatus. The apparatuses of the invention comprise one or more reservoirs, a pump, a first flow volume splitting device, two valves for flow control, an injector, a separation channel having a first connector at a first end and a second connector at a second end or an AF4 separation channel having a first connector at a first end, a second connector at a second end and a third connector between the first and the second ends, optionally a second flow volume splitting device, a back-pressure element, one or more detector(s), a flow volume control device and one or more waste container(s). The apparatuses of the invention are characterized in that they comprise a valve for flow control in a first flow path and a second flow path which connect the pump to the first or the second or the third connector of the separation channel and that these valves are switched alternately in a controllable time ratio.
US09897576B2	Gas chromatography device A gas chromatography device includes a sample injection part, a detector, a separation column, and a transfer line connecting between the sample injection part and the separation column and between the sample injection part and the detector. Furthermore, a column temperature adjustment part for adjusting the temperature of the separation column, and a line temperature adjustment part for adjusting the temperature of the transfer line are provided. The line temperature adjustment part is structured to include a heat block which includes a heating element and which is in contact with the transfer line from one side, and a holding member which presses the transfer line toward the heat block side by being in contact from the other side, and to sandwich the transfer line by the heat block and the holding member.
US09897572B2	Devices and methods for high-throughput assay Apparatuses and associated methods for manipulating an assembly of glass slides employed in cellular assay processes are provided. Each apparatus can accommodate at least one removable rack of slides to undergo electrophoresis in a comet assay. The slides can remain in the same apparatus while being subjected to a sequence of fluid staining and washing with temperature control, advantageously shortening the amount of time required for processing the slides by keeping them in the same work station for the entire duration of the assay.
US09897570B2	Dissolved oxygen measurement system and method of calibrating dissolved oxygen meter In order to improve measurement accuracy by accurately calibrating sensitivity of a dissolved oxygen meter without impairing easiness in calibration, the present invention includes a dissolved oxygen measuring device that includes a cell to be loaded with a sample solution, and a dissolved oxygen meter that is attached to the cell and measures an oxygen concentration in the sample solution; and a mode switching mechanism to switch between a measurement mode, in which a sensor surface of the dissolved oxygen meter is substantially in contact with the sample solution in the cell, and a calibration mode, in which the sensor surface is substantially not in contact with the sample solution in the cell, by feeding air into the cell through a feed port disposed on the cell, and by discharging part of the sample solution through a discharge port disposed on the cell.
US09897567B2	Detection method for detecting blood glucose and hemoglobin of blood sample A detection method for detecting blood glucose value and blood hemoglobin value includes the steps: applying a first voltage to a blood sample and obtaining a first blood glucose value; applying a second voltage to the blood sample and obtaining a second blood glucose value; applying a third voltage to the blood sample and obtaining a hematocrit index and a hemoglobin index; transforming the hematocrit index into a hematocrit value and calibrating the second blood glucose value according to the hematocrit value; and transforming the hemoglobin index into a hemoglobin value. The detection method is advantageous for simultaneously detecting the blood glucose and hemoglobin by a single meter with a single strip.
US09897566B2	Disposable test sensor The present invention relates to disposable test sensors having improved sample application and measuring properties and their uses for detection, preferably, quantitative measurement, of analyte in a liquid sample like blood. In particular, the invention provides for an electrochemical biosensor which has a thin-layer fluid chamber having funnel-like shape with a novel extra wide opening as sampling entrance and a vent opening at the tip of the chamber for air escape. The thin-layer fluid chamber provides a reservoir from which a sample fluid can be drawn into it through capillary action. The extra wide sampling entrance provided by the present invention can draw blood into the chamber through any part of the opening, thus it allows easy targeting the samples with small volume, picking up smeared samples and it is more tolerant to users who jam the tip of the sensor into users' finger.
US09897561B2	Method of detecting defects in an object based on active thermography and a system thereof There is provided a method of detecting defects in an object based on active thermography, the method including heating a surface of the object at a plurality of localized regions thereof, selecting at least one of the localized regions as a reference region, selecting at least another one of the localized regions as a comparison region, comparing a thermal response at the comparison region to a thermal response at the reference region due to the heating, and determining whether the object has a defect based on the comparison. There is also provided a corresponding system for detecting defects in an object.
US09897556B2	Elemental analysis using temporal gating of a pulsed neutron generator Technologies related to determining elemental composition of a sample that comprises fissile material are described herein. In a general embodiment, a pulsed neutron generator periodically emits bursts of neutrons, and is synchronized with an analyzer circuit. The bursts of neutrons are used to interrogate the sample, and the sample outputs gamma rays based upon the neutrons impacting the sample. A detector outputs pulses based upon the gamma rays impinging upon the material of the detector, and the analyzer circuit assigns the pulses to temporally-based bins based upon the analyzer circuit being synchronized with the pulsed neutron generator. A computing device outputs data that is indicative of elemental composition of the sample based upon the binned pulses.
US09897553B2	Optical phase measurement method and system A method and system are presented for use in optical measurements on patterned structures. The method comprises performing a number of optical measurements on a structure with a measurement spot configured to provide detection of light reflected from an illuminating spot at least partially covering at least two different regions of the structure. The measurements include detection of light reflected from said at least part of the at least two different regions comprising interference of at least two complex electric fields reflected from said at least part of the at least two different regions, and being therefore indicative of a phase response of the structure, carrying information about properties of the structure.
US09897547B2	Gold nanorod/polymer nanocomposites and sensors based thereon A nanocomposite structure includes: a) a charged fibrous substrate including fibers having disposed on their surfaces a multilayer structure including a layer of a first polyelectrolyte and disposed thereon a layer of a second polyelectrolyte of opposite charge from the first, the second polyelectrolyte forming the outermost layer of the charged fibrous substrate; and b) charged nanorods having a charge opposite that of the charged fibrous substrate, including gold nanorods each having disposed on its surface one or more layers, the outermost of which is a third polyelectrolyte having a charge opposite that of the second polyelectrolyte, wherein the first and third polyelectrolytes may be the same or different; wherein the charged nanorods are disposed unaligned with respect to each other on the charged fibrous substrate.
US09897544B2	Latent fingerprint detection Systems, devices, and methods for detecting a contaminant on a substrate are discussed herein. Variations of such systems, devices, and methods may include one or more illumination sources that emit illumination at one or more desired wavelength ranges to illuminate one or more areas on the substrate; where the desired wavelength range is one that is absorbed by the contaminant while causing the substrate to fluoresce. Such fluorescence may be detected with a visible-spectrum detector, which will also detect the contaminant as a darker contrast area against the fluorescence. In some variations, an illumination source includes a broad-spectrum light source and a waveband filtering device that filters all but the desired illumination waveband out of the broad-spectrum light generated by the broad-spectrum light source.
US09897539B2	Apparatus and method for measuring deposition rate An apparatus for measuring a deposition rate includes a light source unit in a deposition region between a deposition source and a substrate in a vacuum chamber, the light source unit emits a monochromatic light toward a deposition material released from the deposition source, a photosensor unit that measures at least one of light absorption, scattering, and emission in the deposition region when light emitted from the light source unit passes through the deposition region, and a multi-pass forming unit defining a multi-pass path between the light source unit and the photosensor unit.
US09897538B2	Method and apparatus for improving image clarity and sensitivity in optical coherence tomography using dynamic feedback to control focal properties and coherence gating Methods for optical imaging, particularly with optical coherence tomography, using a low coherence light beam reflected from a sample surface and compared to a reference light beam, wherein real time dynamic optical feedback is used to detect the surface position of a tissue sample with respect to a reference point and the necessary delay scan range. The delay is provided by a tilting/rotating mirror actuated by a voltage adjustable galvanometer. An imaging probe apparatus for implementing the method is provided. The probe initially scans along one line until it finds the tissue surface, identifiable as a sharp transition from no signal to a stronger signal. The next time the probe scans the next line it adjusts the waveform depending on the previous scan. An algorithm is disclosed for determining the optimal scan range.
US09897537B2	Gas sensor with integrated optics and reference cell A method of fabricating a gas sensor on a substrate and a gas sensor fabricated on a substrate that includes optical and electronic components are described. The method includes fabricating a laser to output light over a range of wavelengths within a waveguide, fabricating a splitter to split the light output by the laser to a reference waveguide and to a detection waveguide, fabricating a reference cell to house the reference waveguide and a reference gas. An output of the reference waveguide is coupled to a first optical detector and an output of the detection waveguide is coupled to a second optical detector to identify or quantify an ambient gas.
US09897532B2	Method and device for high throughput cell deformability measurements A system is disclosed that enables the automated measurement of cellular mechanical parameters at high throughputs. The microfluidic device uses intersecting flows to create an extensional flow region where the cells undergo controlled stretching. Cells are focused into streamlines prior to entering the extensional flow region. In the extensional region, each cell's deformation is measured with an imaging device. Automated image analysis extracts a range of independent biomechanical parameters from the images. These may include cell size, deformability, and circularity. The single cell data that is obtained may then be used to in a variety of ways. Scatter density plots of deformability and circularity may be developed and displayed for the user. Mechanical parameters such as deformability and circularity may be gated or thresholded to identify certain cells of interest or sub-populations of interest. Similarly, the mechanical data obtained using the device may be used as cell signatures.
US09897531B2	Flow cytometry sample separation methods and apparatus A method for identifying sample boundaries of a plurality of samples is provided. The method includes moving a plurality of samples comprising particles into a fluid flow stream using a sampling probe and introducing marker beads into the fluid flow stream between adjacent samples in the plurality of samples via the sampling probe to produce a marker bead-separated plurality of samples in the fluid flow stream. Marker beads may be introduced into the fluid flow stream by introducing the marker beads from a chamber surrounding at least a portion of the sampling probe, or by introducing the marker beads from a cartridge having a pierceable membrane underlying at least one chamber, the at least one chamber containing marker beads. Sampling systems and apparatuses are also provided.
US09897529B2	Test system and test method for a simulation experiment of gas hydrate in a porous medium The present invention disclosures a test system and test method for a simulation experiment of gas hydrate in a porous medium. The test system comprises a reactor, a sensor system, a hardware interface apparatus and a data processing system; the reactor is used for containing tested medium, the sensor system is mounted inside the reactor, and the sensor system is connected to the data processing system through the hardware interface apparatus; the test method comprises a procedure of experiment and measurement data acquisition, and a procedure of analyzing and processing measurement signals; by establishing of electrical model I, acoustic model II and the fused model III, realizing the simulation of the synthesis/decomposition processes of gas hydrate in the deposits in laboratory environment and implementation of the acoustic and electrical parameters combined test, an accurate gas hydrate saturation calculation model can be established at last.
US09897528B2	Particulate detection system A particulate detection system (1) for detecting the quantity of particulates S in a gas under measurement EG includes first heater energization means S2 to S3, current convergence determination means S4 to S5, S7 to S8, second heater energization means S6, and detection start means S10. S2 to S3 performs low-temperature energization of heater (78) for a predetermined period after operation of ion source (11) is started by ion source drive circuit (210) such that gaseous discharge current Id becomes equal to a predetermined target current It. S4 to S5, S7 to S8 determines, after elapse of the predetermined period, whether or not Id has converged to an allowable range IR. When S4 to S5 determines that Id has not yet converged, S6 performs high-temperature energization of the heater (78) until Id converges. Then, S10 starts detection of particulates S using signal Is detected by a detection circuit (230).
US09897526B2	Vacuum apparatus and method of monitoring particles A vacuum apparatus includes a vacuum chamber, first sensor units disposed in the vacuum chamber facing a deposition direction of particles, and second sensor units disposed in the vacuum chamber, each disposed on a corresponding first sensor of the first sensor units facing the deposition direction, wherein the first sensor units are configured to sense a pressure in the vacuum chamber and an absorption amount of the particles adsorbed to the first sensor units, and the second sensor units are configured to sense the pressure in the vacuum chamber.
US09897525B2	Relating to particle characterisation A particle characterization apparatus is disclosed comprising: a first light source; a second light source, a sample cell; a first detector and a second detector. The first light source is operable to illuminate a first region of a sample comprising dispersed particles within the sample cell with a first light beam along a first light beam axis so as to produce scattered light by interactions of the first light beam with the sample. The first detector is configured to detect the scattered light. The second light source is operable to illuminate a second region of the sample with a second light beam along a second light beam axis. The second detector is an imaging detector, configured to image the particles along an imaging axis using the second light beam. The first light beam axis is at an angle of at least 5 degrees to the second light beam axis.
US09897524B1	Method and apparatus for measurement of particle characteristics using light scattering and optical imaging The present invention comprises methods and apparatus for measuring light scattering from particles and images of particles in the same sample cell utilizing two light sources.
US09897523B2	Contact mechanic tests using stylus alignment to probe material properties An apparatus for performing a contact mechanics test on a substrate includes a stylus, a core configured to engage the stylus against the substrate, a stylus engagement mechanism configured to induce a contact load or a penetration depth to the stylus, a core engagement mechanism configured to maintain contact of the core and to move the core along the substrate surface, a frame configured to be fixed with respect to the apparatus or to be moved together with the core engagement mechanism as an assembly, a frame engagement mechanism configured to engage the frame with the substrate surface; and a substrate monitoring device configured to measure characteristics of substrate contact response and/or collect material machined from the substrate. Methods of performing a contact mechanics test are also provided.
US09897522B2	Method for determining mechanical properties of a material A tool having at least one vibration sensor and at least one standoff is disposed in a contact with a material and the at least one standoff of the tool is pushed into the material. Vibration is excited by the at least one vibration source and at least one coupling frequency of the tool is measured by the at least one vibration sensor. Based on the determined coupling frequency determining a contact stiffness of the at least one standoff and the mechanical properties of the material are determined taking into account mechanical properties of the at least one standoff.
US09897520B2	All-in-one sample preparation device and method Sample preparation device that allows for a complete bind, wash, elute, buffer-exchange and concentration process to be carried out without sample transfer between multiple devices. The device includes a reservoir, a column for holding chromatography media, a holder region for holding a filtration device, and an outlet. The filtration device plugs into the holder region of the centrifugal device, and the assembly can be placed in an optional holder. The assembly, with or without the optional holder, can be placed in a conventional centrifuge tube for centrifugation. The entire bind, wash, elute, buffer exchange and concentration steps can be carried out with the apparatus without any pipette transfers (and the associated sample losses. The sample preparation device also can be used for binding and washing steps, in which case the filtration device is not needed, and for buffer exchange and concentration steps, in which case the media is not needed.
US09897518B2	Method and apparatus for measuring damping in a workpiece A method and apparatus for measuring damping of a work piece are provided. The method includes determining at least one suitable location to measure damping on the work piece, exciting the work piece at the at least one suitable location, measuring a dynamic response of the work piece at the suitable location, and calculating a damping factor and a Q factor from the dynamic response. The apparatus includes a response measurement device configured to obtain response data, such as displacement data and/or velocity data, used in determining the at least one suitable location to measure damping.
US09897512B2	Laminate variables measured electrically Embodiments of methods of non-destructively testing whether a laminated substrate satisfies structural requirements are disclosed herein. Additionally, laminated substrates that can be non-destructively tested are also disclosed along with methods of manufacturing the same. To non-destructively test whether the laminated substrates satisfies the structural requirement, an electrical characteristic of the laminated substrate may be detected. Since the detected electrical characteristic is related to a structural characteristic being tested, whether the structural characteristic complies with the structural requirement can be determined based on the electrical characteristic.
US09897504B2	System and method for a MEMS sensor A measurement method includes generating, by a sensor, a response signal in response to an excitation signal. The method also includes generating a sampling clock signal in accordance with a pseudo-random jitter, and sampling the response signal in accordance with the sampling clock signal to determine a plurality of digital samples. The method also includes combining the plurality of digital samples to form a measurement sample.
US09897502B2	Pressure transducer A pressure transducer comprising a resistive pressure sensor element with a measurement membrane which has at least four resistor elements. The resistor elements are arranged in a full-bridge circuit, having a longitudinal direction in which the full bridge circuit is to be supplied with a constant current. When being supplied with the constant current, a longitudinal voltage has a first pressure dependency and a first temperature dependency, and a diagonal voltage has a second pressure dependency and a second temperature dependency, the second pressure dependency being greater than the first pressure dependency at a given temperature. The pressure transducer has a processing circuit which is designed to determine a measured pressure value at least using the diagonal voltage and optionally the longitudinal voltage. The processing circuit is further designed to check whether a value pair of a longitudinal voltage and a diagonal voltage corresponds to an expected functional relationship at a current temperature.
US09897496B2	Stress measuring method, stress measuring member, and stress measuring set The present invention provides a stress measuring method including: irradiating a photoelastic product including a measurement subject with light penetrating a linear polarizing film and a phase difference film in this order, and detecting reflected light from the product which is derived from the light via the phase difference film and the linear polarizing film in this order, in which in-plane retardation Re (550) of the phase difference film with light having a wavelength of 550 nm satisfies 100 nm≦Re (550 nm)≦700 nm, and in-plane retardation Re (450) of the phase difference film with light having a wavelength of 450 nm satisfies Re (450)/Re (550)≧0.9, a stress measuring member including the linear polarizing film and the phase difference film, and a stress measuring set including the stress measuring member and a stress displaying member including a photoelastic layer.
US09897495B2	Roberval-type load cell A load cell includes a flexural element in which a Roberval mechanism is formed by a pair of top and bottom parallel beams each including two thin sections at a back and a front in a longitudinal direction, which are integrated with a fixed portion and a movable portion, and strain gauges bonded to the thin sections. Strain gauges are bonded to one of the thin sections of pulling side and to one of the thin sections of compressing side, and circular apertures are formed through the remaining two thin sections. The performances of the load cell such as the reduction of the measurement error and of the period of time before the start of the measurement are achieved.
US09897493B2	Method for temperature data acquisition A method for determining temperature information for a plurality of tubes in a furnace where one or more digital images provide temperature information for imaged tubes, and temperature information for non-imaged tubes is determined from the temperature information for the imaged tubes and measured temperatures of combined effluent from the imaged and non-imaged tubes.
US09897486B2	Method of calibrating and using a measuring apparatus that performs measurements using a spectrum of light A method of calibrating a measuring apparatus includes determining apparatus parameters that have an influence on a measurement spectrum generated by the measuring apparatus, generating the measurement spectrum by exposing a measurement target on a sample to light generated by the measuring apparatus, calculating an error of the apparatus parameters by comparing the measurement spectrum to an ideal spectrum corresponding to the apparatus parameters, and calibrating the measuring apparatus based on the calculated error of the apparatus parameters.
US09897479B2	Assembly and method of component monitoring A method of component monitoring for machinery having multiple rotating elements, which are rotated at different rotational speeds, the method including sampling data from the vibration sensor at a sampling frequency at least as great as the fastest rotational speed of the multiple rotating elements to form a data set and determining an actual rotational frequency for at least some of the rotating elements during the sampling of the data.
US09897477B2	Delivery unit with fill level sensor for a liquid additive, tank for storing liquid additive, motor vehicle and method for monitoring a fill level A delivery unit for extracting liquid additive from a tank can be mounted on the tank and includes a fill level sensor for measuring the fill level of liquid additive in the tank. The fill level sensor is set up to emit waves into an emission region of the tank, and the fill level can be measured by using a propagation time measurement of the waves reflected by a liquid surface and striking the fill level sensor again. At least one first reference surface extends at least partially into the emission region and is at a first distance from the fill level sensor. The at least one first reference surface is disposed on a separate calibration component mounted on an outer side of a housing of the delivery unit. A tank for storing liquid additive, a motor vehicle and a method for monitoring a fill level are also provided.
US09897476B1	Measuring apparatus to accurately determine the amount of melted wax to be poured into a container for the purpose of producing a candle A measuring device for measuring the depth of candle wax in a container. The measuring device has a hook that rests on the side of the container while melted hot viscous liquid candle wax is poured from a pouring container into the candle wax container. The user of the present invention can easily see the depth of the candle wax when candle wax is poured into a container by various line markers that correspond to different elevations within the container. The user is also able to measure the distance from the top of the container to the top level of candle wax.
US09897471B2	Coupling element, ultrasonic transducer and ultrasonic flow meter A coupling element for an ultrasonic transducer, which comprises a first recess provided for the arrangement of a piezoelectric element and comprising a terminal base surface in which an ultrasound signal generated by the piezoelectric element can be fed into the coupling element. The coupling element comprising inside the first recess one or a plurality of stops, each of which comprises at least one stop surface which extends along a plane, the plane extending parallel to the base surface of the first recess, and there being defined between this plane and the base surface a space for accommodating material for an acoustic adaptation layer. The invention further concerns an ultrasonic transducer and an ultrasonic flow meter.
US09897469B2	Resolver phase compensation A resolver rotatably coupled to a rotatable member is described, including a method for evaluating an output signal therefrom. This includes supplying an excitation signal to the resolver and dynamically determining corresponding output signals from the resolver. A plurality of datasets are determined, with each dataset including digitized states of the excitation signal supplied to the resolver and corresponding output signals from the resolver. The digitized states of the excitation signal and the corresponding output signals from the resolver for each of the datasets are arithmetically combined, and a moving average thereof is determined. A phase shift error term is determined based upon the moving average, and a phase shift is determined between the excitation signal and the corresponding output signals based upon the phase shift error term.
US09897465B2	Portable computer sleep mode system with angle sensor A sleep mode system for an electronic device can include a magnetic component and a proximately located sensor configured to detect magnetic field properties that vary with a variable rotation of the magnetic component. The magnetic component can rotate with one device component, such as a laptop lid, while the sensor remains stationary with another device component, such as a laptop base. A controller can determine the orientation angle of the magnetic component based on the detected properties, and can put the device into or remove the device from a sleep mode based on the angle, which can reflect an open state or closed state for the electronic device.
US09897461B2	Intelligent electronic device with expandable functionality An intelligent electronic device (IED) is provided. The IED includes a metering sub-assembly and an input base module sub-assembly. The metering sub-assembly is hinged to the input base module sub-assembly, where when in an open position, various cables, connectors, and input/output cards/modules are accessible. Various input/output cards/modules are interchangeable to add/change functionality and/or communication capabilities to the IED.
US09897460B2	Method and system for quadrature error compensation The present invention concerns an MEMS sensor and a method for compensation of a quadrature error on an MEMS sensor, which is intended for detection of movements of a substrate, especially accelerations and/or rotation rates. At least one mass arranged on the substrate and mounted to move relative to it is driven by means of drive electrodes. The mass/es execute a movement deviating from the prescribed movement due to a quadrature error. A deflection of the mass/es occurring due to Coriolis force and quadrature error is detected with detection electrodes. It is proposed according to the invention that a capacitance change be detected as a function of drive movement of the mass/es by means of compensation electrodes. A compensation charge dependent on the quadrature error of the MEMS sensor is generated on the compensation electrodes. For compensation, the distorted or incorrect charge generated by the quadrature error in the detection electrodes is compensated with the compensation charge.
US09897459B2	Systems and methods of determining locations of medical devices relative to wearable devices According to some aspects, a wearable device is provided. The wearable device includes a memory, one or more antennas, one or more processors coupled with the memory and the one or more antennas, a location manager component executable by the one or more processors and configured to determine a location of the wearable device, and a direction manager component executable by the one or more processors. The direction manager component may be configured to receive, via the one or more antennas, information descriptive of a location of the medical device, determine a path between the location of the wearable device and the location of the medical device, and provide information descriptive of the path.
US09897457B2	Method and system for controlling vehicles and drones Embodiments are provided for controlling a fleet of vehicles and drones. The vehicles are directed to respectively drop off passenger groups at multiple locations. Routes are calculated routes for the vehicles to respectively pick up the passenger groups from the multiple locations based on predicted pick-up times, passenger group sizes and available vehicle capacities. One or more assign drones are assigned to each passenger group at each location. Each drone is configured to broadcast a current location of the passenger group in the location and a corresponding one of the predicted pick-up times and delay the corresponding passenger group in the location based on one of the vehicles assigned as a pick-up vehicle for the passenger group being delayed.
US09897455B2	Travel route information generation apparatus A server acquires location information data and direction information data. The location information data indicates a travel path of vehicles with discrete locations. The direction information data indicates a traveling direction at each location indicated by the location information data. The server generates information about a new travel route that does not exist in the map data, based on off-route location information data indicative of a travel path deviated from travel routes existing in map data. The server estimates partial travel routes indicative of parts of the new travel route, based on the off-route location information data and the direction information data indicative of associated traveling directions of vehicles. The server then estimates the shape of the new travel route, based on the estimated partial travel routes.
US09897454B2	Host-vehicle-travel-position specification apparatus and host-vehicle-travel-position specification program product The host-vehicle-travel-position specification apparatus specifies an estimation error range of map matching reference positions based on relation between a map-matching reference trajectory and an estimation error range of estimated absolute positions. The map-matching reference trajectory is corrected to accord with the estimation error range of map matching reference positions. A vehicle travel position is specified based on the corrected map-matching reference trajectory.
US09897451B2	Position accuracy testing system Accuracy of a positioning device may be determined without requiring the device to be at any specific location, such as a test location. Instead of comparing the reported location and directional data to a known location and directional data, the present technology may use multiple discrete location and directional reports for comparison with the reported data at multiple locations. The multiple comparisons are used to assess the relative accuracy of the positional telematics system. The reported location may be a GPS location or from another positioning system.
US09897450B2	Method and apparatus to obtain differential location information In accordance with an example embodiment of the invention there is at least a method and apparatus to perform operations including determining, by a media recording device, a differential location sample identifying a current location in time associated with the media recording device relative to a reference location; and at least one of storing and transmitting, by the media recording device, the differential location sample in an audio-visual media file. In accordance with another example embodiment of the invention there is at least a method and apparatus to perform operations including receiving and parsing, by a parser device, a plurality of differential location samples of an audio-visual media file to identify an absolute location of a media recording device.
US09897447B2	Quadrature compensation A microelectromechanical sensor device that comprises a seismic mass, and a spring structure that defines for the seismic mass a drive direction, and a sense direction that is perpendicular to the drive direction. A capacitive transducer structure includes a stator to be anchored to a static support structure, and a rotor mechanically connected to the seismic mass. The capacitive transducer structure is arranged into a slanted orientation where a non-zero angle is formed between the drive direction and a tangent of the stator surface. The slated capacitive transducer structure creates an electrostatic force to decrease quadrature error of the linear oscillation.
US09897445B2	Target direction determination method and system A method of determining a direction of a target in a ground referential, the method including: acquiring an image of a scene including the target and a control object using a camera; obtaining position data of the camera and control object using a geo-spatial positioning system; determining a control direction from the camera to the control object in the ground referential using the position data; estimating a camera attitude in the ground referential using the control direction; determining the target direction from the camera to the target using the estimated camera attitude and a pixel position of the target in the image.
US09897444B2	Measurements of an integrated circuit chip and connected chip carrier to estimate height of interconnect Systems and methods are provided for obtaining measurements of an integrated circuit chip and a connected carrier to obtain the measurements of the interconnect heights. More specifically, a method is provided that includes defining a top best fit reference plane and a bottom best fit reference plane, and adjusting the top best fit reference and the bottom best fit reference to be superposed to one another. The method further includes calculating first distances between each height measurement for a first set of points and the adjusted top best fit reference plane, and calculating second distances between each height measurement for a second set of points and the adjusted bottom best fit reference plane. The method further includes calculating height values of a gap or interconnect between the first substrate and the second substrate by subtracting the thickness of the first substrate and the second distances from the first distances.
US09897443B2	Thickness detection device for sheet medium A thickness detection device for sheet-type medium includes a fixing frame, a reference shaft and a detection assembly shaft. A reference roller is fixedly sleeved on the reference shaft. At least one detection roller is provided on the detection assembly shaft, and the detection roller is in an elastic contact with the reference roller. The detection roller is sleeved on the detection assembly shaft by a bracket, the bracket has an elongated hole through which the bracket is sleeved on the detection assembly shaft, an elastic element is provided between an end of the elongated hole and the detection assembly shaft, and the elastic element enables the detection assembly shaft to elastically maintain a certain distance from the end of the elongated hole. Thus, thickness signal obtained is not interfered by banknote displacements in other directions, and thickness detection of the full banknote can be achieved.
US09897442B2	Method and system for determining spatial coordinates with a mobile coordinate measuring machine The invention pertains to a method for determining at least one spatial coordinate of a measurement point of a local structure of an object, providing a mobile coordinate measuring machine, the method comprising at least placing the mobile coordinate measuring machine on a surface of the object to be measured, approaching the measurement point with a sensing head, and determining at least one spatial coordinate of the at least one measurement point, characterized by establishing a defined spatial relation between the coordinate measuring machine and the local structure wherein the defined spatial relation is established by means of a mechanical fixation of the coordinate measuring machine to the object, and/or a continuous determination of position and orientation of the coordinate measuring machine relative to the object. The invention furthermore pertains to a mobile coordinate measuring machine and a computer program product for execution of said method.
US09897441B2	Measuring object dimensions using mobile computer Devices, methods, and software are disclosed for determining dimensions of a physical object using a mobile computer equipped with a motion sensing device. In an illustrative embodiment, the mobile computer can comprise a microprocessor, a memory, a user interface, a motion sensing device, and a dimensioning program executable by the microprocessor. The processor can be in communicative connection with executable instructions for enabling the processor for various steps. One step includes initiating a trajectory tracking mode responsive to receiving a first user interface action. Another step includes tracking the mobile computer's trajectory along a surface of a physical object by storing in the memory a plurality of motion sensing data items outputted by the motion sensing device. Another step includes exiting the trajectory tracking mode responsive to receiving a second user interface action. Another step includes calculating three dimensions of a minimum bounding box corresponding to the physical object.
US09897433B2	Method and system for regional phase unwrapping with pattern-assisted correction A wafer metrology system includes an interferometer sub-system and a controller. The interferometer sub-system is configured to generate an interferogram with an intensity map that corresponds to a modulated representation of a wafer surface. Further, the interferometer sub-system includes a detector configured to capture the interferogram. The controller includes one or more processors configured to generate a wrapped phase map of the interferogram, define patterns associated with features on the wafer, and correct phase discontinuities by applying a phase unwrapping procedure to the wrapped phase map to generate an unwrapped phase map and correcting phase discontinuities in the unwrapped phase map based on the patterns, or by combining phase unwrapping and correction in a unified step. Further, the patterns comprise two or more structures such that a portion of the unwrapped phase map associated with structures of the same type is continuous across borders separating structures of the same type.
US09897430B2	Skate blade edge measurement system An ice skate blade edge measurement device includes a measurement device frame and a measurement indicator. The measurement device frame defines at least one storage location for the measurement indicator such that, when not being used to measure an alignment of a pair of sharpened skate blade edges, the measurement indicator can be stored. One storage location can be on a front side of the measurement device frame away from a measurement location and another storage location can be on a back side of the measurement device frame.
US09897428B2	Diametral measurement system for evaluation of cylindrical objects, including rock cores Diametral measurement systems can be used to measure and evaluate the diametral variation of cylindrical objects, such as cylindrical rock cores. A diametral measurement system can include two indicator gauges aligned opposite one another for measuring diametral variation as the cylindrical object is rotated. Measurements from the diametral measurement system may be obtained at predetermined intervals through one or more rotations of the cylindrical object. The measurements obtained from diametral measurement systems can be used to evaluate the magnitude and orientation of in-situ stress and strain normal to the rock core axis.
US09897427B2	Educational ruler An educational ruler is a protractor, where the protractor can draw and measure angles. The educational ruler includes a planar disk having a semicircular circumference and labeled in scales along the semicircular circumference; a straight line edge connecting two edges of the semicircular circumference; a through hole on the planar disk; a first edge and a second edge extending from the through hole to the straight line edge; a third edge and a fourth edge extending from the semicircular circumference to the straight line edge. The first edge of the through hole of the educational ruler and the second edge of the through hole of the educational ruler intersect at 90 degrees scale of the planar disk to form the first right angle, and the included angle of the first edge of the through hole of the educational ruler and the straight line edge of the educational ruler is 45 degrees.
US09897424B2	Shot shells with performance-enhancing absorbers Shot shells with enhanced performance due to inclusion of an absorber between the shot wad and the shot payload. The absorber reduces the pressure within a shot gun's chamber during firing of the shell, such as by absorbing energy generated during the firing process, and may thereafter return some of the energy to the pellets as the absorber and pellets are propelled along the firearm's barrel. Accordingly, the absorber enables a shot shell to generate shot payload velocities that are greater than would be achieved without the absorber, typically at a lower internal chamber pressure. In some embodiments, the absorber has (1) a Young's Modulus of less than 2,000 psi (137.9 bar), (2) a compressive strength of at least 100 psi (6.9 bar) and/or less than 10,000 psi (689.5 bar), and/or (3) a tensile strength of at least 145 psi (10 bar) and/or less than 10,000 psi (689.5 bar).
US09897420B2	Bullet fragment collection tray A bullet fragment collection tray is disclosed that is mounted to a bullet trap by means of hinge at a first end and a releasable latch at a second end, to facilitate removal and collection of bullet fragments that drop into the collection tray from the bullet trap during target practice.
US09897417B2	Payload delivery Disclosed is a method for delivering a load on-board an aircraft to a target. The method comprises: acquiring a position of the target; acquiring parameter values relating to aircraft maneuverability; acquiring load properties; acquiring parameter values relating to environmental conditions; using the acquired information, determining a position and a velocity value; performing, by the aircraft, the procedure; and, at a point in the procedure that the aircraft has the determined position and its travelling at a velocity equal to the determined velocity value, releasing the load. The determined position and velocity value are such that, were the aircraft to release the load while having the determined position and velocity, the load would travel to be within a predetermined distance of the target. The procedure is such that the aircraft would have the determined position and velocity at some time-step.
US09897414B2	Firearm sight system A firearm and firearm sight system includes a rear sight that changes the image of the front sight, that is, what the operator observes when viewing the front sight through the rear sight. The rear sight accomplishes this front sight image change by obscuring portions of the front sight and its shape when the operator observes the front sight looking through the rear sight. This obscuring of the front sight results in the observance by the operator of a new front sight shape. The new front sight shape represents an aligned sight picture, meaning the new front sight shape indicates the firearm sights are correctly aligned on the firearm and can then be aligned with the intended target.
US09897413B1	Process for launching a cruise missile from an aircraft A process for starting an engine in a cruise missile that is launched from an aircraft during flight, where the cruise missile is ejected from a weapons bay of the aircraft and towed using a tow line, where the cruise missile engine is started while being towed and then released after the engine has started. The tow line is a low radar signature line and the weapons bay door is closed quickly after the cruise missile has been ejected to reduce radar signatures.
US09897412B1	Firearms retention system A fixed assembly includes a locking pin in a cylindrical configuration and formed with an annular recess. A movable assembly includes an interior sub-assembly and an exterior sub-assembly. The exterior sub-assembly has parallel side walls forming an exterior chamber. A first aperture passes through the parallel side walls. A hollow cylinder in the first aperture is aligned with the first aperture. The hollow cylinder is adapted to removably receive the locking pin. The hollow cylinder has a radial hole aligned with the annular recess when the locking pin is within the hollow cylinder. The interior sub-assembly has opposed plates forming an interior chamber. A lever is pivotably mounted within the interior chamber. The lever has an arcuate section rotatable between an advanced position into the annular recess to lock the locking pin. The arcuate section is rotatable to a retracted position withdrawn from the annular recess.
US09897409B2	Flow dividing valve structure for toy gun A flow dividing valve structure for a toy gun includes: a propulsion portion; a rotating auxiliary portion extended from one face of the propulsion portion; and a latching portion, configured on one end of the rotating auxiliary portion far away from the propulsion portion, where the rotating auxiliary portion is configured with a plurality of wing portions each twisted toward a direction away from the propulsion portion so as to be allowed to have at least one twisted face. Whereby, high pressure gas will drive the rotating auxiliary portion to rotate through the wing portions when flowing through the rotating auxiliary portion, and further remove the frost generated inside a gas chamber so as to prevent the unsmooth operation of the flow dividing valve.
US09897405B2	Mini-gun with access door A delinking feeder of a minigun includes an access door mounted to a delinking feeder housing and movable between a closed position and an open position. The access door has an enclosed recess for receiving a tongue that is rotationally coupled to the access door and is movable between a retracted position and a deployed position. When the access door is in the open position, the tongue is in the deployed position and a tongue first contact surface can contact and secure a linked cartridge positioned in the delinking feeder. When the access door is in the closed position, the tongue is in the retracted position and a tongue second contact surface can contact and guide a cartridge positioned in the delinking feeder. The enclosed recess is covered so that when the access door is in the closed position, the tongue does not protrude through the access door.
US09897402B2	Magazine well extension and trigger guard extension for a firearm The present application teaches an improved magazine well extension and trigger guard extension for a firearm.
US09897400B2	Temperature control system having adjacently-installed temperature equalizer and heat transfer fluid and application device thereof The present invention provides a temperature control system having adjacently-installed temperature equalizer and heat transfer fluid and application device thereof, in which one or more adjacently-installed temperature equalizer formed with a heat transferring adjacent surface is provided, a fluid channel thereof is utilized for allowing a heat transfer fluid to pass thereby enabling to perform temperature equalizing heat transfer with the external surface and/or the internal surface of an object (103) disposed to the adjacent surface.
US09897399B2	Water collection trough assembly A liquid collection trough assembly for a cooling tower, condenser or dephlegmator includes a plurality of elongate troughs and associated inclined capture plates arranged to receive liquid on a front face thereof and direct the liquid into an associated elongate trough. Each capture plate has a generally upright deflection plate extending downwards from an upper region on its rear face so as to be capable of receiving liquid droplets contacting it and directing such liquid into or onto an adjacent trough or capture plate, in use. The deflection plate extends downwards to terminate in a bottom edge that is located downwards of the upper region of the capture plate and spaced rearwards of the rear face of an inclined portion of the capture plate.
US09897398B2	Extreme environment heat exchanger The heat exchanger (10) includes a ceramic matrix composite (12) (stable at temperatures up to 1,650° C.) surrounding and defining a hot fluid conduit (14). A hardenable material (18) having a high thermal conductivity is formed into a heat transfer layer (16) surrounding the ceramic matrix composite (12). A metal pipe (20) is coextensive with the heat transfer layer (16) and defines at least a portion (22) of at least one cool fluid passage (24, 34, 54) defined adjacent to and in heat exchange relationship with the heat transfer layer (16) so that a fluid passing through the cool fluid passage (24, 34, 54) absorbs heat passing through the heat transfer layer (16) from the hot fluid passing through the hot fluid conduit (14).
US09897394B2	Subsurface thermal energy storage of heat generated by concentrating solar power Techniques for subsurface thermal energy storage of heat generated by concentrating solar power enable smoothing of available energy with respect to daily and/or seasonal variation. Solar thermal collectors produce saturated steam that is injected into a producing or wholly/partially depleted oil reservoir that operates as a heat storage reservoir. Some of the saturated steam generated by the collectors is optionally used to generate electricity. Heat is withdrawn from the reservoir as saturated steam and is used to operate an active thermal recovery project (such as a producing thermally enhanced oil reservoir) and/or to generate electricity. Withdrawn heat is optionally augmented by heat produced by firing natural gas. The reservoir is optionally one that has been used for thermally enhanced oil recovery and thus is already warm, minimizing heat losses.
US09897393B2	Heat dissipating module The present invention relates to a heat dissipating module which comprises a first flat shell body and a plurality of second flat shell bodies. The first flat shell body has a first chamber and a first wick structure formed on an inner wall of the first chamber. Each of the second flat shell bodies defines a second chamber which is provided with a working fluid and a second wick structure therein. Each of the second flat shell bodies has a heat pipe plugged and connected to the first flat shell body. Therefore, the working fluid in each of the second chambers flows into the first chamber through the corresponding heat pipes to perform heat dissipation by liquid-vapor circulation.
US09897391B2	Phase transformation heat exchange device The invention provides a phase transformation heat exchange device. The device includes an inner tube, an outer tube, and a heat exchange medium; the space between the inner tube and the outer tube forms a whole or a part of a liquid phase region; a whole or a part of space inside the inner tube forms a vaporization region; the heat exchange medium with a relatively high pressure inside the liquid phase region enters the vaporization region with a relatively low pressure while being heated in vortex flow, and flows out of the device after being vapored, so as to complete heat exchange. The device can be applied to DSG systems of the solar energy photothermal field, and can also be applied to an input-output system of a heat storage system, or the field of boiler heating. It is achieved with safe operation, low cost, and good application range.
US09897388B2	Composite exhaust gas recirculation cooler A cooler having a first component made of at least one of steel, stainless steel, plastic and ceramic. A second component may be made of aluminum, wherein the two components may be connected to each other in a connecting area via a friction stir weld joint.
US09897386B2	Marine engine heat exchanger A heat exchanger for a marine engine has a housing with an internal cavity. Twisted tubes snake back and forth inside the cavity and carry a first fluid to cool a second engine cooling fluid flowing through the cavity. Each of the twisted tubes has a plurality of ridges to increase the surface area of the tube exposed to the second fluid. Dividers inside the cavity direct the flow of the second fluid through the cavity. The housing may have a removable cover to access the housing cavity.
US09897380B2	Carrier transport system A carrier transport system transports a plurality of carriers by a transport conveyor into a heating furnace, advances a comb-shaped carrier stopper having a plurality of protrusions toward the carriers, moves the carriers by the transport conveyor in a transport direction to engage cutout grooves, provided respectively for the carriers, with the protrusions of the carrier stopper to thereby position the carriers at a time. The carrier transport system advances the carrier stopper toward the carriers to insert distal ends of the protrusions of the carrier stopper into insertion holes, and then determines, on the basis of a moved distance X of the carrier stopper, whether the carriers are properly positioned.
US09897376B2	Drying method for processing material and horizontal rotary dryer To provide a drying method for processing material and a horizontal rotary dryer allowing easy performance of mass processing of the processing material and enabling size reduction by improving drying performance of the dryer. In a drying method for processing material in which a horizontal rotary dryer provided with: a rotating shell having a feed port for processing material on one end side thereof and a discharge port for processing material on the other end side thereof, and capable of freely rotating around an axial center; and a group of heating tubes through which a heating medium passes, provided within the rotating shell, and configured in a manner that the processing material is lifted up in a rotational direction by the group of heating tubes in accordance with the rotation of the rotating shell, is used, and the processing material is dried, through indirect heating, by using the group of heating tubes in a process of feeding the processing material to the one end side of the rotating shell and discharging the processing material from the other end side of the rotating shell, the rotating shell is rotated to make a critical speed ratio α defined by the following expression 1 and expression 2 become 30 to less than 100% to dry the processing material, Vc=2.21D1/2 Expression 1 α=V/Vc·100 Expression 2 wherein Vc indicates a critical speed (m/s), D indicates an inside diameter (m) of the rotating shell, α indicates the critical speed ratio (%), and V indicates a rotation speed (m/s).
US09897374B2	Cold water tank There is provided a cold water tank including: a first tank having an inlet pipe through which water to be cooled is introduced; and a second tank provided in the interior of the first tank such that water of the first tank can be introduced thereinto, having an evaporator included in a refrigerating cycle to cool the introduced water, and having an outlet pipe through which cooled water flows. Although water is introduced at high pressure, the introduced water can remain in the cold water tank for a period of time required for being cooled, and although water is introduced at high pressure, the introduced water can be in a stable state in the cold water tank. Thus, water can be cooled with its inflow pressure maintained, and the degree of freedom of a faucet or cock for allowing cold water to flow therethrough can be improved in its height.
US09897372B2	Integrated lighting system for the interior liner of an appliance An integrated lighting system for a kitchen appliance includes a refrigerated appliance having an appliance door that includes an inner door liner, an outer door wrapper and an insulation layer disposed within a cavity defined between the inner door liner and the outer door wrapper. The inner door liner defines a bin receptacle. A bin is selectively received by the bin receptacle. The bin receptacle includes a bin divider defined by the inner door liner and extends away from the outer door wrapper. The bin divider cooperates with the bin to define sub compartments of the bin. A lighting assembly is coupled to the bin divider, wherein the lighting assembly is configured to illuminate the bin and at least a portion of the interior compartment.
US09897370B2	Self-contained pantry box system for insertion into an appliance A pantry box system for a refrigerating appliance includes a pantry mullion having an interstitial space defined therein, a pantry wall extending perpendicularly from the pantry mullion, a base positioned substantially parallel with the pantry mullion. The pantry mullion, pantry wall and base define an insertable pantry compartment having an internal pantry volume. A pantry drawer is in operable communication with the internal pantry volume, and is operable through a drawer aperture defined in the pantry wall between open and closed positions. The pantry drawer includes an exterior drawer panel that conceals the drawer aperture when the at least one pantry drawer in the closed position. A pantry box cooling system is configured to deliver cooling to the insertable pantry compartment from an external location, wherein the pantry box cooling system includes a control that independently controls a pantry temperature of the insertable pantry compartment.
US09897368B2	Refrigerator including a door opening device A refrigerator equipped with a door opening device that can be triggered to facilitate door opening when a door handle is moved by a user in either of the two permitted opposite directions. A first link member is coupled to the door handle and can be rotated in the same direction as the door handle. A second link member is coupled to the first link member. The second link member is configured to be rotated by the first link member when the door handle is rotated in one direction, and to remain stationary when the door handle is rotated in another direction. When door handle is rotated, the first or the second link member can cause a slide member to slide out of the refrigerator door partially to press against the main body, thereby opening the door.
US09897366B2	Device for controlling the flow of a coolant, and circuit including such a device The invention relates to a device (1) for controlling the flow of a coolant in a circuit (20) and capable of being exposed to a flow (26) of outside air at the front surface of a vehicle (21), including a means for controlling the flow of coolant, at least one opening of which is placed under the control of a thermostatic detection means, characterized in that the thermostatic detection means includes a thermally conductive surface (9) exposed to said flow (26) of outside air. The invention also relates to the coolant circuit (20) including said control device (1), and to a vehicle (21) provided with such a circuit. The invention can be used for motor vehicles.
US09897362B2	Ice maker and refrigerator having the same An ice maker and a refrigerator including an ice maker are provided. The ice maker may include a tray including at least one projection that extends and protrudes from an inner surface of the tray, an ejector that rotates to separate the ice from the tray, and an ice separation motor connected to a side of the ejector to provide power to rotate the ejector so that the ice maker may effectively discharge ice out of the tray and the ice maker.
US09897360B2	Refrigeration apparatus A refrigeration apparatus includes a compressor and a controller. The compressor has a casing and a compression element. Compressed refrigerant is sent out of the casing after being discharged into an internal space of the casing. An oil sump formed in the casing collects refrigerator oil. A heater heats the refrigerator oil collected. The controller controls the heater while the refrigeration apparatus is stopped so that a temperature of the refrigerator oil collected in the oil sump reaches a first oil temperature target value. The first oil temperature target value is set in order to keep a refrigerant condensation amount of the refrigerant equal to or less than an allowable condensation amount at which the concentration or viscosity of the refrigerator oil needed to lubricate the compressor can be maintained. The refrigerant condensation amount is caused by in-dome condensation at the start of operation of the refrigeration apparatus.
US09897358B2	Vapor compression air-conditioning system equipped with energy efficiency booster A vapor compression air-conditioning system equipped with an energy efficiency booster (6) in a working fluid circulation loop of the system. The energy efficiency booster (6) comprises a variable volume container (61) and an actuator mechanism (62) for changing the volume of the container. The energy efficiency booster (6) is capable of utilizing the variable volume container (61) to receive a working fluid in the loop of the system and to change the average density of the working fluid, thus allowing the system to be at the optimal energy efficiency ratio, and improving the operational performance of the air-conditioning system.
US09897355B2	Refrigeration apparatus A refrigeration apparatus uses R32 as refrigerant, and includes a compressor, a condenser, an expansion mechanism, an evaporator, a branch flow channel branching from a main refrigerant channel joining the condenser and the evaporator, a first opening adjustable valve disposed along the branch flow channel, an injection heat exchanger, a first injection channel, a refrigerant storage tank disposed along the main refrigerant channel, and a second injection channel. The injection heat exchanger exchanges heat between refrigerant in the main refrigerant channel and refrigerant passing through the first opening adjustable valve. The first injection channel guides refrigerant that flows in the branch flow channel and that exits from the injection heat exchanger to the compressor or the suction passage. The second injection channel guides a gas component of refrigerant accumulated inside the refrigerant storage tank to the compressor or the suction passage.
US09897353B2	Hybrid condenser The invention is a hybrid condenser having a direct contact condenser segment (9) and a surface condenser segment (10) arranged in a common condensation space. The hybrid condenser includes a surface condenser segment (10) arranged downstream the direct contact condenser segment (9) in the direction of steam flow or below the direct contact condenser segment (9), and a water guiding element (17) ensuring that the cooling water and condensate mixture generated in the direct contact condenser segment (9) flows downward avoiding the surface condenser segment (10).
US09897349B2	Refrigeration cycle device A refrigeration cycle apparatus includes: a refrigeration cycle circuit including a compressor, a four-way valve, a heat source side heat exchanger, a heat source side pressure-reducing mechanism, an indoor side pressure-reducing mechanism, and an indoor side heat exchanger, and a hot water supply refrigerant circuit branching off from between the compressor and the four-way valve, including a hot water supply side heat exchanger and a hot water supply side pressure-reducing mechanism in order, and connected between the heat source side pressure-reducing mechanism and the indoor side pressure-reducing mechanism, wherein when a refrigerant state value on at least one of a low pressure side of the refrigeration cycle circuit and a discharge side of the compressor becomes a refrigerant collection start state value, a refrigerant collecting operation that collects refrigerant accumulated in the hot water supply refrigerant circuit into the refrigeration cycle circuit is started.
US09897347B2	Screw-in geothermal heat exchanger systems and methods A method of installing a tubular heat exchanger into soil includes providing the tubular heat exchanger and screwing the tubular heat exchanger into the soil with an installation apparatus. The installation apparatus may be removed from the soil without removing the tubular heat exchanger from the soil.
US09897346B2	Opposing row linear concentrator architecture A solar concentrator assembly is disclosed. The solar concentrator assembly comprises a first reflector facing in a first direction, a second reflector facing in a second direction, the second direction opposite the first direction, and a rotational member having a long axis transverse to the first and second directions, the rotational member disposed between and coupled to each of the first and second reflectors.
US09897343B2	Water heating apparatus A water heating apparatus, including: a heat source circuit including a first circulation pump, a heat pump, and a heat source side of a hot water supply tank heat exchanger that are connected to each other by a pipe, the heat source circuit being configured to allow water to circulate therethrough; a hot water supply circuit including a second circulation pump, a use side of the hot water supply tank-use heat exchanger, and a hot water supply tank that are connected to each other by a pipe, the hot water supply circuit being configured to allow water to circulate therethrough; and a control unit configured to perform, when the hot water supply tank temperature falls below the reheating tank temperature, reheating, and control a flow rate of the second circulation pump.
US09897337B2	Combination scale This invention relates to a combination scale including an ejector to be supplied with compressed air to ventilate a central cabinet of the combination scale, wherein an interior of the central cabinet and a suction port of the ejector are connected to and communicating with each other.
US09897336B2	High efficiency air delivery system and method HVAC systems and methods for delivering highly efficient heating and cooling using ambient air as the working fluid. A plenum has an upstream inlet and a downstream outlet, each in fluid communication with a target space to be heated or cooled. Ambient air is drawn into the inlet at an incoming pressure and an incoming temperature. The inlet and outlet are gated, respectively, by first and second rotary pumps. A heat exchanger in the plenum transfers heat into or out of the air, provoking a change in air volume within the plenum. Work is harvested in response to change in air volume. The systems and methods can be configured to replace a traditional blower fan used to circulate the interior and exterior air. The systems and methods can be configured to implement a technique referred to as Convergent Refrigeration.
US09897333B2	Water heater having a waterway changeover control apparatus and method for operating the same A water heating system includes a first water heater having a first heating source of a first type, and a second water heater having a second heating source of a second type. The system further includes a valve having a first interface connected to the cold water source, a second interface connected to the first cold water inlet of the first water heater, a third interface connected to a second hot water outlet of the second water heater, and a fourth interface connected to the first hot water outlet of the first water heater. A motor positions the valve to one of at least three positions Finally, the system also includes a control circuit including a temperature sensor near the first hot water outlet of the first water heater, and a controller configured to control the motor based on a sensed temperature by the temperature sensor.
US09897316B2	Combustion chamber for a turbine engine A combustion chamber for a turbine engine such as an airplane turboprop or turbojet has inner and outer annular walls forming bodies of revolution that are connected together by an annular chamber end wall. The inner wall is constituted by a single thickness of material that presents thickness and/or nature varying along the longitudinal axis and/or the circumferential direction of said wall.
US09897310B2	Effervescent atomizer with gas injection at reduced pressures An injector model for atomization of liquid fuel using a low pressure atomized gas. The model is focused to mix a volume of liquid fuel with a volume of corresponding atomizing gas to obtain a pressurized liquid fuel-gas mixture. This liquid-gas mixture is ejected through a discharge orifice into a lower combustion chamber pressure, as a result of which the liquid fuel breaks up into ligaments. The atomized gas emerges from the liquid fuel-gas mixture as a result of pressure jump and further enhances this break-up of liquid fuel into smaller droplets and promotes combustion of these droplets in the chamber.
US09897309B2	Forced circulation steam generator An oil recovery process entails recovering an oil-water mixture from an oil bearing formation and separating the oil-water mixture to produce an oil product and produced water. The produced water includes suspended and dissolved solids and is subjected to treatment which removes suspended and dissolved solids therefrom. The treated water is then directed to a forced circulation steam generator that includes a furnace having a burner, water cooled walls and an evaporator unit. The treated water is pumped through the water cooled walls and the evaporator unit. The water passing through the water cooled walls and evaporator unit are heated to produce approximately 10% to approximately 30% quality steam in both the water cooled walls and the evaporator unit. The steam is collected and separated from a water-steam mixture to produce high quality steam, on the order of 95% or greater quality steam. This steam constitutes injection steam which is injected into an injection well to facilitate the recovery of the oil-water mixture.
US09897300B2	Lighting device A lighting device may include a light irradiation portion, a light control portion, a sensing portion and a main control module. The light irradiation portion to generate and irradiate light. The light control portion to control a power applied to the light irradiation portion. The sensing portion to sense an environment of a space to which the light irradiation portion irradiates light. The main control module communicate with an external device by a wireless communication and control the light control portion according to a control signal from the external device. The main control module may include a first connector that connects the main control module and the sensing portion by a wired communication. The second connector may connects the light control portion and the main control module by the wired communication. The lighting device may be capable of being installed in an environment desired by the user.
US09897298B2	Light emitting module and light unit having the same Disclosed is a light emitting module including a circuit board and a light source unit disposed on the circuit board. The light source unit includes a plurality of first, second and third light emitting devices emitting light of different colors, the plurality of first light emitting devices are disposed in an outer circumference of the second and third light emitting devices, the plurality of second light emitting devices are disposed in both sides of the plurality of the third light emitting devices, the plurality of first light emitting devices emits light having a wavelength longer than that of light emitted from the second and third light emitting devices. The plurality of second light emitting devices emits light having a wavelength longer than that of light emitted from the third light emitting devices, and the numbers of the first to third light emitting devices are different from one another.
US09897293B2	Backlight module and display device The present disclosure relates to a field of display technology and discloses a backlight module and a display device. The backlight module comprises: a backplate comprising a bottom plate and side plates, which form a mounting recess; an optical film positioned in the mounting recess; at least two supporting bars positioned between the bottom plate and the optical film and arranged crosswise, wherein each two supporting bars are fastened to each other and each of the supporting bars is fastened on the bottom plate. In the above backlight module, a mechanical strength of the backplate of the backlight module may be increased due to the supporting bars mounted on the bottom plate and arranged crosswise, and a resistance to bending of the backplate is thus improved. Further, as the used supporting bars have a bar-shape structure and are arranged crosswise without covering the overall surface of the backplate, the weight of the backlight module is increased by a smaller amount than the existing backlight module with an increasing strength of the backplate. Thus, the backlight module has a high strength and a light weight.
US09897291B2	Light fixture joint with notched edge and methods incorporating the same Low-profile light fixture joints reduce the appearance of a seam between joined ends of one or more polymeric panels at a connection interface. The joint is formed between a first end of a polymeric panel and a second end of the same or a separate polymeric panel. Each end has an upper edge portion, a lower edge portion opposite the upper edge portion, a flange extending between the upper edge portion and the lower edge portion, and a notch disposed between the flange and one or more of the lower edge portion or the upper edge portion. The notch enables the upper and/or lower edge portions to present straight edges at the connection interface, the joined straight edges forming a butt seam at the connection interface, while the flanges present rounded edges at the connection interface, the joined rounded edges forming a tucked seam at the connection interface.
US09897290B2	Wall lamp A wall lamp includes a main frame including a first side portion, a second side portion, a third side portion, and a fourth side portion that are connected to each other successively; a luminous component located in the main frame; a first blocking plate, a second blocking plate, a third blocking plate, and a fourth blocking plate positioned on the first side portion, the second side portion, the third side portion, and the fourth side portion, respectively; an upper blocking plate positioned on a top portion of the main frame; and a base assembled to a bottom portion of the main frame; wherein at least one of the first blocking plate, the second blocking plate, the third blocking plate, the fourth blocking plate, and the upper blocking plate is a detachable shielding plate.
US09897288B2	Removable louver or lens holder for a ceiling support grid and method of use Technologies are described for a louver or lens holder having a rectangular or square frame with parallel first side edge and a second side edges. At least one extension extends from the first side edge and at least one retractable support arm is configured to be extended from, and retracted into, the second side edge. The louver or lens holder is configured to be inserted into a ceiling support grid and to be held therewith.
US09897283B2	Generating a light emission pattern by illuminating a phosphor surface A method for generating a light emission pattern by illuminating at least one phosphor surface by at least one primary light beam is provided. The method includes: directing the primary light beam only onto a partial surface of the entire illuminatable phosphor surface; and illuminating at least one partial region of said partial surface more intensely than in the case of uniform illumination of the illuminatable phosphor surface.
US09897281B2	Optical module and light source An optical module and a light source are provided. The light source includes a circuit board, a plurality of light-emitting element chips, a plurality of total reflection elements, an encapsulant, and a plurality of optical wavelength conversion particles. The light-emitting element chips are disposed on the circuit board. Each of the light-emitting element chips is adapted to emit a light beam. The total reflection elements are disposed on the circuit board. Each of the total reflection elements is configured adjacent to one of the light-emitting element chips, a partial light beam of the light beam emitted by the one of the light-emitting element chips enters the total reflection element, and is transmitted in the total reflection element, and emits out from the total reflection element. The encapsulant covers the light-emitting element chips and the total reflection elements. The optical wavelength conversion particles are distributed in the encapsulant.
US09897276B2	Reduced phosphor lighting devices A lighting device comprising a solid-state light source, and a diffuser configured for color mixing of the light from the solid-state light source and spatially separated therefrom, the diffuser comprising at least one phosphor material. Methods of fabricating a lighting device having a reduced total amount of phosphor comprising combining an amount of phosphor with a diffuser structure.
US09897273B2	Light emitting apparatus and vehicle lighting fixture A light emitting apparatus can include: a first connecting part and a second connecting part connected to each other to form a propagation channel therebetween through which laser beam from a laser light source can propagate, and a power supply cable including a pair of terminals provided in a middle thereof and connected to and separated from each other. One of the terminals can be included in the first connecting part and the other thereof can be included in the second connecting part. When the first connecting part and the second connecting part are connected to each other, the terminals can be connected to each other to constitute a supply channel configured to supply drive power to a driving circuit. When the first and second connecting parts are disconnected, the connected terminals can be separated from each other to cut off the supply channel.
US09897272B2	Vehicle lighting device A vehicle lighting device includes a light source, a projection lens, a drive circuit board, and a housing. The light source includes a light emitting surface. The projection lens faces the light emitting surface and is disposed so that at least a part of light emitted from the light source passes through the projection lens. The drive circuit board includes a circuit to control switching of the light source on and off. The housing supports the light source and the drive circuit board and defines a part of a lamp chamber which houses the projection lens. A first direction that is a normal direction to the light emitting surface intersects a second direction that is a normal direction to a main surface of the drive circuit board.
US09897268B2	Stackable tower trailer A portable tower trailer having a light tower housing constructed to allow for both stacking and nesting which is beneficial in both storage and shipping of light towers is disclosed. The portable tower trailer employs a frame having a hinged axle that allows the wheels to operate in a conventional manner. The hinged axle further allows the wheels to be rotated upward allowing the frame to rest flush on the ground or stacked upon a similar shaped portable tower. The stackable light tower is constructed having a base employing an engine system and a fuel tank; and a mast pivotally coupled to the base and movable between a storage configuration and a positioning configuration. The storage configuration is when the mast is folded over an upper surface of the base whereby an additional light tower base or tower trailer may be placed or stacked over the top of the first light tower base.
US09897265B2	LED tube lamp having LED light strip An LED tube lamp, comprising a lamp tube, which includes a light transmissive portion, a reinforcing portion and an end cap; an LED module, which includes an LED light source and an LED light strip; and a power supply module, which includes a set of N electronic components operably interconnected to drive the LED light source, wherein: the light transmissive portion is fixedly connected to the reinforcing portion; the reinforcing portion includes a platform and a bracing structure; the bracing structure is fixedly connected to the platform and holds the platform in place; the LED light source is thermally and electrically connected to the LED light strip, which is in turn thermally connected to the reinforcing portion; and the end cap is attached to an end of the lamp tube.
US09897264B1	Negative connecting terminal and negative connector for LED bulb drive board and lamp cap A negative connecting terminal for an LED bulb drive board and a lamp cap is provided. A side of a base plate is formed with an elastic sheet to be electrically connected with a lamp cap negative pole. The elastic sheet is bent from the side of the base plate to form a small curved portion having an opening facing rearward and then bent again to form a big curved portion having an opening facing forward, and obliquely extends forward to form an oblique extension portion, and finally is bent to form a head portion. The side of the base plate extends outward to form an insertion pin to be electrically connected with a drive board. The negative connecting terminal is simple in structure and more flexible and has a greater working stroke and can be processed more easily.
US09897259B1	Control system in a gas pipeline network to satisfy pressure constraints Controlling flow of gas in a gas pipeline network, wherein flow within each pipeline segment is associated with a direction (positive or negative). Minimum and maximum signed flow rates are calculated for each pipeline segment constituting lower and upper bounds, respectively, for flow in each pipeline segment. A nonlinear pressure drop relationship is linearized within the lower and upper flow bounds to create a linear pressure drop model for each pipeline segment. A network flow solution is calculated, using the linear pressure drop model, and includes flow rates for each pipeline segment to satisfy demand constraints and pressures for each of a plurality of network nodes to satisfy pressure constraints. Lower and upper bounds on the pressure constraint comprise a minimum delivery pressure and a maximum operating pressure, respectively. The network flow solution is associated with control element setpoints used by a controller to control one or more control elements.
US09897256B2	Compressed gas delivery method A method of continuously conveying compressed gas to a plurality of vehicles, where the plurality of vehicles includes at least a first vehicle having a higher tank pressure and a second vehicle having a lower tank pressure that are simultaneously seeking compressed gas from the same delivery conduit. The method includes compressing gas using at least one compressor, conveying the compressed gas from the at least one compressor to a backpressure apparatus, conveying a non-bypass fill portion through the backpressure apparatus, diverting a bypass fill portion through a bypass conduit to at least one distributor, conveying the bypass fill portion through the at least one distributor to at least one of the one or more delivery conduits and subsequently to at least the first vehicle, and conveying the non-bypass fill portion through at least one of the one or more the delivery conduits to at least the second vehicle.
US09897255B2	Pressure vessel with PCM and method of use The present invention provides a metal-lined composite gas storage device comprising a phase-change material coated on the exterior surface of a metallic liner. The presence of the phase-change material on the exterior surface of the metal liner reduces the temperature change within the interior of the metal liner during a gas filling process compared to a similar vessel that does not have a phase-change material coating, thereby allowing a significantly greater amount of gas to be filled at a given pressure.
US09897244B1	Grout reinforced piggable pipeline connector A pipeline connector that is piggable and is reinforced against deformation. At the point where the connector diverges from one pipeline to multiple pipelines, the connector may be surrounded by a tube, forming a space between the connector and the tube. The space may be filled with filler material, such as grout. Thus, radial pressure from the contents of the pipeline may be borne by the tube rather than the connector at the point of divergence. The ends of the tube surrounding the connector may be covered by plates, which may enclose the grout-filled space and which may act as feet for the pipeline connector.
US09897237B2	Method of coupling high pressure fitting A fitting, such as an anti-blowback fitting, that includes a friction reducing device that enables easy removal of the fitting from a high pressure connection such as one associated with an HVAC unit. When used in connection with refrigeration, anti-blow back fittings function to keep the refrigerant in the hose to which it is connected in order to minimize or prevent the refrigerant from escaping to the environment. In certain embodiments, a friction reducing device is positioned in the fitting, and decreases the load on the rear housing, which enables easy rotation of the outer or swivel housing of the fitting to remove the same from the high pressure connection. In certain embodiments, the friction reducing device is a thrust bearing.
US09897234B2	Steam generator tube support A tube support assembly for a steam generator system is disclosed herein, including a sheet or support bar configured to support a plurality of heat transfer tubes of the steam generator system and a set of projections extending from a surface of the sheet or support bar. A distance that the set of projections extend from the surface of the sheet or support bar may be greater than, or equal to, an external diameter of a heat transfer tube. The adjacent tubes of the plurality of tubes may be separated from each other by one or more projections.
US09897233B2	Micro valve device and valve body assembly Provided are a micro valve device and a valve body assembly. The micro valve device comprises at least two control ports (402, 404) and at least two movable members (302), wherein the at least two movable members (302) respectively control each of the at least two control ports (402, 404) to realize that opening and closing of the control ports (402, 404) are independently controlled, so that the at least two control ports (402, 404) can output fluids with the same or different flow rate(s) or pressure(s). The valve body assembly comprises the micro valve device.
US09897230B2	Intermediate bulk container and valve opening/closing device therefor The present invention discloses a valve opening/closing device for an intermediate bulk container. the container comprises a base, side plates, and a valve provided on the base. Wherein the valve opening/closing device comprises a handle, a motion-transferring device, and a valve opening/closing mechanism, wherein the handle is mounted on the side plate and connected to the motion-transferring device, and the motion-transferring device is used to transfer the force applied on the handle to the valve, so as to open or close the valve. For the valve opening/closing device of the present invention, the operating handle is provided at an appropriate position at the side plate of the container, thereby avoiding bending over or squatting on the ground, etc when opening or closing the valve, facilitating use. In addition, the operating moment can be adjusted through adjusting the transmission ratio of the motion-transferring device, which makes it easy to control the operating force.
US09897222B2	Material suitable for the manufacture of valve shutters for the cylinders of the reciprocating compressors, and valves thus obtained Material suitable for the manufacture of valve shutters for the cylinders of the reciprocating compressors comprising a thermoplastic matrix consisting of polyether ether ketone (PEEK) or polyether imide (PEI) or mixtures thereof filled with glass and/or carbon fibers, characterized by comprising, in percentages by weight at least one of the following inorganic nano-particles, or a mixture thereof: 4-30% of wollastonite, 4-30% of metal oxide, 4-30% of carbon nano-fibers, 4-30% of sepiolite, 4-30% of mixtures of silica and alumina, 4-30% of fluoro-mica for a total quantity of 4-30% of nano-particles.
US09897216B1	Stop valve A ball valve includes an inner valve unit having a ball valve unit and a valve seat in which the ball valve unit is received. A shaft extends from the ball valve which is clamped between two retainers. The valve seat has a tubular shank and a lateral hole is defined radially through the shank. The shaft extends through the valve seat. The housing is made of metal and has a chamber for receiving the inner valve unit. The housing has an inlet and an outlet which is located corresponding to the lateral hole of the valve seat and the central holes of the retainers. The shaft extends through the installation hole of the housing and is connected with a switch which is operated to rotate the ball valve between open and sealed positions. The water does not contact the metallic parts and the structure is simple and easily assembled.
US09897215B2	Multi-valve seat seal assembly for a gate valve A gate valve for use in oil field applications and including a seat seal assembly. The seat seal assembly includes primary, secondary, and tertiary seals for sealing the space between the seat rings and the valve body. The provision of multiple seals in the seat seal assembly provides redundancy that allows for maintenance of the seal between the components even if one or two of the individual seals fail.
US09897212B2	Seal assembly for a turbine engine comprising means for lubricating a brush seal An assembly forming a seal for a turbine engine, comprising a brush seal formed by a plurality of sealing bristles surrounding a core, a retaining cap comprising a portion at least partially housing the brush seal, and a support cover placed in contact with the brush seal in order to hold it in position against the retaining cap, the brush seal being situated between the retaining cap and the support cover. The support cover comprises a structure for lubricating the bristles of the brush seal, comprising an opening for collecting lubricating oil, a lubricating oil distribution groove connected to the opening, and at least one channel for flow of lubricating oil towards the bristles of the brush seal, connected to the groove.
US09897211B2	Device and method for extending the lifespan of a shaft seal for an open-drive compressor A device and method for extending the lifespan of a shaft seal for an open-drive compressor is provided. The device and method can also reduce and/or prevent deterioration of the shaft seal regardless of the operation condition of the open-drive compressor. The device and method can further reduce and/or prevent leakage of a lubricant and/or refrigerant that can cause deterioration of components within a transport refrigeration unit (TRU).
US09897210B2	Knife edge seal tree What is described is a tree seal for use on a rotating element. The tree seal includes a trunk configured to be coupled to the rotating element. The tree seal also includes a first branch coupled to the trunk and having a first edge configured to form a first mini seal with a housing. The tree seal also includes a second branch coupled to the trunk and having a second edge configured to form a second mini seal with the housing.
US09897209B2	Seal assembly and/or component thereof and method of manufacturing and/or using same A sleeve, rotary seal, rotary seal assembly, shaft with an integrated primary surface, rotary seal assembly component, and/or any combination thereof which preferably results in rotary seals having a higher tolerance for radial eccentricity (static eccentricity and/or dynamic eccentricity). Related methods of manufacturing, using, and/or providing same are also set forth.
US09897206B2	Actuator for actuating a parking lock An actuator for activating a parking lock, in particular for automatic transmissions in motor vehicles, includes a hydraulic piston which is guided in a cylinder and which activates a locking pawl for a parking lock wheel in the transmission by way of an actuating rod. The piston disengages the parking lock against the force of a preload spring which engages the parking lock in the pressureless state. An electromagnetically activated locking device can positively secure the piston in the disengaged position, with the locking device securing the piston relative to a guide sleeve attached to the cylinder with radially extendable locking elements. To improve system protection, the piston can also be secured in a positively locking fashion by the locking device in the position corresponding to the engaged state of the parking lock.
US09897204B2	Control apparatus and control method for automatic transmission In a control apparatus for an automatic transmission including a continuously variable transmission mechanism continuously modifying speed ratio and a stepped transmission mechanism that is disposed on a downstream side of the continuously variable transmission mechanism and being switched between a plurality of gear positions by engaging and disengaging a plurality of frictional engagement elements, the control apparatus comprises a control unit that performs a coordinated shift by shifting the stepped transmission mechanism and simultaneously shifting the continuously variable transmission mechanism in an opposite direction to a shift direction of the stepped transmission mechanism in order to suppress variation in a through speed ratio, which is an overall speed ratio of the automatic transmission, when the stepped transmission mechanism is upshifted and the control unit predicts, on the basis of an increase in an accelerator opening, that judder will occur in the frictional engagement element during the upshift, the control unit reduces a shift speed of the continuously variable transmission mechanism while shudder is predicted to occur in the frictional engagement element in comparison with a shift speed of the continuously variable transmission mechanism during the coordinated shift, the coordinated shift being executed at an accelerator opening corresponding to the increased accelerator opening.
US09897203B2	Gear change lever device for a vehicle gearing, evaluation device for a gear change lever device and method for electronic activation of a vehicle device A gear change lever device for a vehicle transmission with a holder, a gear change lever movably arranged on a holder and comprising a gripping surface, wherein the gear change lever can be moved to pre-determined positions (P, R, N, D), a sensor device, by which the current position of the gear change lever can be detected, an evaluation device coupled to the sensor device for the control of transmission, by means of which in cooperation with the sensor device a change in the gear change lever position can be recognized, and at least one touch sensor coupled to the evaluation device and arranged on the gear change lever in the area of the grip surface, by means of which a human touch of the grip surface can be detected and information about the touch state of the gripping surface can be sent to evaluation device.
US09897200B2	Optimization of switching operations A method of optimizing shifting of a shifting element which fixes a shaft to another component of the drive-train. Three shifting processes are influenced by respective characteristic forms of a control parameter. The first and second characteristic forms are different from one another. Each shifting process has a distinct start and end time (tBeginn, tEnde). The rotational speed of the shaft is a function n(t) of time t. An idealized rotational speed nideal(t):=G{n(t)} is determined by a filter G. First and second evaluation indexes I:=I(t−Δt,t)/I (tBeginn−t, tBeginn) are calculated, in which tBeginn
US09897199B2	Hydraulic circuit for power transmission device of vehicle A fitting clearance of a relief valve functions as an air bleeding orifice. When a discharge pressure reaches a relief pressure so that the relief valve turns into a relief state, a spool is moved so as to limit flow-out of hydraulic oil through the fitting clearance. As a result, generation of air trapping is suppressed by air bleeding function of the relief valve in a closed state. Air in a discharge oil passage is discharged quickly in the initial period of the startup of an electric oil pump, thereby improving rise-up of discharge pressure. During normal pump operation in which the relief valve is held in a relief state, pressure loss due to flow out of the hydraulic oil from the fitting clearance is suppressed and consequently, an electric oil pump having substantially the same discharge performance as conventionally can be used.
US09897195B2	Planetary gear drive A planetary gear drive has needle roller bearings of full roller type as planetary gear bearings for planetary gears. The needle roller bearings have lubrication mechanisms, respectively. Each lubrication mechanism has an annular grease retaining groove. The grease retaining groove is formed on an inner peripheral surface (an outer-race-side raceway surface) of the shaft hole of each planetary gear. Poor lubrication can be prevented from occurring when needle roller bearings of full roller type are employed as the planetary gear bearings.
US09897194B2	Method to control an electric motor of a hydraulic system of a transmission in a vehicle A method to control an electric motor of a hydraulic system of a transmission in a vehicle; the hydraulic system has a circulation pump, which allows a lubricant oil to circulate, and/or an actuation pump, which provides the hydraulic pressure needed to operate the transmission, a carrier shaft on which the pumps are mounted, and the electric motor designed to cause the rotation of the carrier shaft; the steps provided are: determining a requested torque to be applied by the electric motor to the carrier shaft; determining a requested rotation speed to be imparted by the electric motor to the carrier shaft; and controlling the electric motor so as to pursue the requested torque and the requested rotation speed.
US09897186B2	Vehicular differential apparatus A vehicular differential apparatus includes: a differential case; a first output portion in which a first coupling member and a first side gear mesh with each other via helical teeth; a second output portion in which a second coupling member and a second side gear mesh with each other via helical teeth; and a center washer 30 disposed between the first and second output portions. A clearance through which the first coupling member is movable in an axial direction between the center washer and the first sidewall portion is different in axial width from that through which the first side gear is movable in that direction therebetween. A clearance through which the second coupling member is movable in the axial direction between the center washer and the second sidewall portion is different in axial width from that through which the second side gear is movable in that direction therebetween.
US09897185B2	Shift power transmission apparatus and travel power transmission device Disclosed is a shift power transmission apparatus for readily suppressing or avoiding size increase thereof. The apparatus includes an input shaft (22) receiving engine drive force, a hydraulic continuously variable transmission (30) driven by the input shaft (22), a planetary power transmission section (40) combining drive force from the input shaft (22) and output from the hydraulic continuously variable transmission (30) for outputting the combined drive force, and an output rotary member (24) outputting power to a travel apparatus. The planetary power transmission section (40) and the output rotary member (24) are arranged on a side of the hydraulic continuously variable transmission (30) associated with an engine-coupled side of the input shaft (22). The drive force is inputted to the planetary power transmission section (40) from a portion between the engine-coupled side and the hydraulic continuously variable transmission-coupled side of the input shaft (22).
US09897182B2	Transmission system An exemplary transmission system (TS) includes a clutch module (CM) having an input (In) and a first and a second output (O1, O2). A first clutch device (B, B1, C2) provided with a first actuator is present between the first output and the input, and a second clutch device (C, B2) with a second actuator is present between the second output and the input. The transmission system also includes a transmission module (TM), with an output (Out) and a first and a second input (i1, i2). A first partial transmission provided with at least one transmission (VAR) is present between the first input and the output, and a second partial transmission provided with at least one further transmission or a mechanical connection is present between the second input and the output. Two outputs (O1, O2) of the clutch module are connected to the two inputs (i1, i2) of the transmission module.
US09897177B2	Planetary gear train of automatic transmission for vehicle A planetary gear train of an automatic transmission for a vehicle may include an input shaft receiving power from an engine, an output shaft configured to output power, a first planetary gear set including first, second, and third rotating elements, a second planetary gear set including fourth, fifth, and sixth rotating elements, a third planetary gear set including seventh, eighth, and ninth rotating elements, a fourth planetary gear set including tenth, eleventh, and twelfth rotating elements, and six control elements, each of which is disposed at a position where one rotating element among twelve rotating elements including the first to twelfth rotating elements is selectively connected with another rotating element among the twelve rotating elements or disposed at a position where one rotating element among the twelve rotating elements is selectively connected to a transmission housing.
US09897175B2	Planetary gear train of automatic transmission for vehicles A planetary gear train of claim of an automatic transmission for a vehicle may include an input shaft for receiving an engine torque, an output shaft for outputting a shifted torque, a first planetary gear set, a second planetary gear set, a third planetary gear set, a fourth planetary gear set, a first shaft, a second shaft, a third shaft, a fourth shaft, a fifth shaft selectively connectable with the first shaft and the second shaft, and directly connected with the input shaft, a sixth shaft selectively connectable with the second shaft, a seventh shaft selectively connectable with the second shaft, and an eighth shaft directly connected with the output shaft.
US09897173B2	Planetary gear train of automatic transmission for vehicles A planetary gear train of claim of an automatic transmission for a vehicle may include an input shaft for receiving an engine torque, an output shaft, a first planetary gear set, a second planetary gear set, a third planetary gear set, a fourth planetary gear set, a first shaft, a second shaft directly connected with the input shaft, a third shaft, a fourth shaft, a fifth shaft selectively connectable with each of the third shaft and the fourth shaft, a sixth shaft selectively connectable with the second shaft, a seventh shaft, and an eighth shaft directly connected with the output shaft.
US09897172B2	Planetary gear train of automatic transmission for vehicle A planetary gear train of an automatic transmission for a vehicle may include an input shaft receiving torque of an engine, an output shaft outputting torque of the engine, a first planetary gear set, a second planetary gear set, a third planetary gear set, a fourth planetary gear set, a first shaft selectively connectable to the input shaft, a second shaft, a third shaft selectively connectable to the input shaft, a fourth shaft, a fifth shaft, a sixth shaft directly connected to the output shaft, and a seventh shaft selectively connectable to the input shaft.
US09897165B2	Dual-clutch transmission with multiple first gears A dual-clutch transmission assembly is disclosed that splits the torque generated by an engine between first and second layshafts. A first input hub is connected to the first layshaft by a first clutch and a second input hub is connected to the second layshaft by a second clutch. A first gearset is carried on the first layshaft and a second gearset is carried on the second layshaft. The first gearset includes a primary first gear and the second gearset includes a duplicate first gear. The first and second layshafts receive torque from the transmission input shaft in response to contemporaneous engagement of the primary first gear, the duplicate first gear, and the first and second clutches, which can be used during vehicle launch to split the torque applied to the first and second clutches.
US09897158B2	Adapter for an isolation mount design An isolation mount assembly comprises a resilient member defining a central aperture that defines a load axis and an annular depression about the load axis, and an adapter plate including an outer mechanical attachment structure that defines a first thickness and an inner attachment structure that is closer to the load axis than the outer attachment structure along a direction that is perpendicular to the load axis and that defines a second thickness. The inner attachment structure is disposed in the annular depression and the second thickness is at least twice the first thickness.
US09897157B2	Friction material A friction material, such as those belonging to the NAO or LS classes. The friction material is substantially free from copper and includes non-spherical particles in the form of powders and/or fibers each constituted by a preferably ferrous metallic core and by an at least partial coating of core formed at least partially or totally by tin and/or tin compounds, such as intermetallic Fe—Sn compounds.
US09897156B2	Method for functional testing of a holding brake of an electric motor Method for functional testing of a holding brake of an electric motor. Method includes applying, while the holding brake is closed, phase currents to the electric motor in magnitude and angle for producing a current vector; varying, while the holding brake is closed, the phase currents so as to rotate the current vector to be normal to a rotor flux direction at least one time; and checking whether the holding brake slips when the phase currents are being applied.
US09897153B2	Low radial profile brake disk insert retainer System and methods for retaining a clip to a rotor are provided. A retainer for retaining a clip to a rotor may have a first end and a second end defining a length between the first end and the second end, the retainer being partially positionable within an opening in the rotor such that at least one of the first end and the second end protrudes axially from the opening at a greater radial location of the rotor than a flange of the clip, the retainer being configured to radially retain the clip to the rotor, the length of the retainer being between 105% and 200% of a width of the rotor at the opening.
US09897151B2	One-way clutch A one-way clutch includes an inner ring, an outer ring, a plurality of rollers, an annular cage in which pockets are formed at intervals in a circumferential direction so that the rollers are held in the pockets, and springs attached to cage bars of the cage to bias the rollers. The cage has protruding portions fitted in the inner ring so that the cage is not allowed to rotate with respect to the inner ring. The inner ring has recessed portions each including a cam surface that allows a corresponding one of the engagement elements to be engaged between the cam surface and an inner peripheral surface of the outer ring. Each of the recessed portions further has a fitting surface that is formed as a surface continuous with the cam surface in the recessed portion and on which a corresponding one of the protruding portions is closely fitted.
US09897146B2	Method of providing lubricant to a bearing assembly A method of providing lubricant to a bearing assembly is provided. The method includes providing a bearing assembly including a housing with an inner surface that forms an outer race, a plurality of rolling elements that roll on the outer race, and a packet having a rupturable membrane and a predetermined volume of lubricant therein. At least one of a shaft or a cage is inserted into the bearing assembly and ruptures the packet via engagement of the packet with at least one of the shaft or the cage such that the volume of lubricant is distributed to contact surfaces of the bearing assembly.
US09897144B1	Flexible bearing comprising spacers A flexible bearing including spacers is provided. The flexible bearing includes: an outer race including a rolling groove; an inner race arranged in the outer race and including a rolling trough corresponding the rolling groove to collectively define a loading passage; rolling elements arranged in the loading passage; and spacers each including a retention section for receiving and retaining the rolling elements. Two adjacent ones of the spacers are in contact engagement with each other with end faces thereof and the two end faces are respectively a concave surface and a convex surface. The concave surface and the convex surface of the spacers are allowed to undergo relative sliding so as to allow the spacers to adjust, with respect to each other, an angular position thereof during an operation of the flexible bearing in order to prevent the spacers from interfering with the outer race or the inner race.
US09897142B1	Linear slide with dust protection plate A linear slide includes: a rail; a slide block, which is mounted on the rail and is movable relative to the rail; a plurality of rolling elements, which are arranged between the rail and the slide block; two end caps, which are respectively mounted to two ends of the slide block, the end caps each comprising a mounting trough formed therein to correspond to and face the rail, the mounting trough having a wall; and two dust protection plates, each of which is arranged in each of the mounting troughs, each of the dust protection plates comprising a main body and two elastic sections projecting from two opposite sides of the main body such that one of the elastic sections is in contact engagement with the wall and the other one of the elastic sections is engageable with a surface of the rail.
US09897139B2	Tapered roller bearing and power transmission apparatus A tapered roller bearing includes inner ring, outer ring, plurality of tapered rollers placed between inner and outer rings, and retainer having pockets receiving tapered rollers. Small diameter annular portion of retainer closes a small diameter side opening portion so that lubricating oil more than needed for lubrication can be limited from flowing into a bearing internal space. The small diameter side opening portion is constituted by a small collar portion provided on one axial end side of inner ring and one axial end portion of outer ring. A sliding contact face and recess portion are provided in radially outer side surface of each columnar portion. The sliding contact face is in sliding contact with outer ring raceway surface so that the retainer can be positioned radially by an outer ring raceway surface. Recess portion is recessed radially so that adjacent ones of the pockets can communicate with each other.
US09897136B1	Hinge A hinge of low profile design includes a bearing seat member made of a non-deformable metal and providing an axle hole and a mating connection part that is fastened to a first panel member, a pivot shaft including a disc-shaped head pivotally coupled to the axle hole, a stem extended from the disc-shaped head and suspending outside the axle hole and conical riveting portion located at the distal end of the stem and riveted to a through hole of a second panel member, and a washer mounted around the step and stopped between the bearing seat member and the second panel member for allowing relative rotation between the first panel member and the second panel member smoothly and stably.
US09897132B2	Diffusion bonded fastener assembly A fastener assembly includes a bolt having a shaft and a head. The shaft has proximal and distal shaft ends and a shaft body, with the head at the proximal shaft end. At least a bondable portion of the shaft body is at least partially made of a bondable material. At least one collar has proximal and distal collar ends longitudinally separated by a collar body which includes a longitudinally oriented collar aperture extending through a thickness thereof between proximal and distal collar surfaces. The collar aperture defines an inner collar wall having a bondable portion which is at least partially made of a bondable material. At least the bondable portion of the shaft body is located inside the collar aperture. The bondable material of both of the inner collar wall and the shaft body is activated to bond the shaft and the collar into an integral fastener assembly structure.
US09897131B2	Method and a connecting system for the joining of moulded parts A method for the connection of moulded parts, wherein a locking collar pin with locking grooves or with an external thread, is driven through the moulded parts and subsequently a locking collar is locked together with at least some of the locking grooves, or with threaded sections of the locking collar pin, by the application of radial pressure, or by means of a screwing operation. A connecting system with a locking ring pin, which has a punching section for purposes of punching through the moulded parts, and also locking grooves for purposes of active engagement with a locking ring; the latter extends over at least two adjacent locking grooves in the axial direction, or over at least two adjacent threads in the axial direction.
US09897129B2	Captive floating flare nut A non-rotational, flare nut attached to a panel with tolerance float formed and applied using special flaring tool, which simultaneously creates a square profile on the shank as the nut is attached. During flaring, the shank is broken into radially extending segments that provide retention to the panel with the ability to “float” on the panel by an amount equal to the clearance between the hole and the shank of the nut. The length of the segments allow for a greater float distance. The anti-rotation capability is provided by interference between the flat sides of the nut shank and the sides of the rectangular receiving hole.
US09897128B2	Part fitted with fastening member, and method of attaching the same An object of the invention is to resolve the inconvenience of separately handling a nut member and a bolt member and improve workability in fastening and fixing a part. There is adopted a part fitted with a fastening member including: one fastening member that includes a high-rigidity screw portion, a low-rigidity crushable portion, and a locking portion provided against a member to which a part is attached; another fastening member that includes a screw portion tightly screwed with the high-rigidity screw portion to be able to crush the crushable portion; and a part that is temporarily fastened and held between the one fastening member and the other fastening member while the two screw portions are loosely screwed together.
US09897125B2	Fastener with retaining portion A fastener is provided. The fastener includes a fastening portion configured to fasten a body; and a retaining portion configured to retain a portion of the body after the fastening portion is fastened to the body. The fastener apparatus may be used to attach composite body materials to a vehicle.
US09897120B2	Hydraulic system having energy recovery A hydraulic system for a machine is disclosed. The system may have a pump and a motor driven by pressurized fluid from the pump. An accumulator is configured to receive fluid discharged from the motor and to discharge fluid to the motor. The system may include a first valve to selectively communicate the higher pressure of conduits coupled between the pump and motor to the accumulator. A second valve and a third valve can be used to facilitate charging and discharging of the accumulator. The system may include a controller configured to implement a plurality of modes of operation, which each mode of operation may include a different combination of motor deceleration and motor acceleration segments during which the accumulator receives and discharges fluid, respectively. An input may be used to determine the segment of the work cycle.
US09897118B2	Flow control actuator with an adjustable frequency A fluidic oscillator includes a structure having an input port and an output port. A chamber within the structure is configured to channel a fluid from the input port to the output port. A volume of the chamber is configured to change so as to change to change a frequency at which the fluid flows out of the output port.
US09897115B2	Hydraulic system The present disclosure relates to a hydraulic system with at least two main control valves and with a hydraulic pilot control system for actuating the main control valves, wherein the hydraulic pilot control system and/or the main control valves are constructed such that the at least two main control valves open one after the other.
US09897110B2	Centrifugal compressor The centrifugal compressor (1) includes: an impeller (3); and a casing (2) accommodating the impeller (3). The casing (2) includes: an inlet (6); an impeller-accommodating portion (14) in which the impeller (3) is disposed; an annular flow passageway (5) formed around the impeller (3); an outlet (9) communicating with the annular flow passageway (5); and an annular chamber (11) formed around at least one of the inlet (6) and the impeller-accommodating portion (14). An inner circumferential surface (2a) of the casing (2) facing the impeller-accommodating portion (14) is provided with a groove (12) which communicates the impeller-accommodating portion (14) and the annular chamber (11) with each other and which is formed over the entire circumference of the inner circumferential surface (2a). In addition, the annular chamber (11) communicates with another space only through the groove (12).
US09897109B2	Fan vibration damping structure and fan with the vibration damping structure A fan vibration damping structure and a fan with the vibration damping structure. The fan vibration damping structure includes a bearing cup, a first bearing, a second bearing, a third bearing, an elastic member and at least one oil seal. The bearing cup has an internal receiving space and a bearing hole in communication with each other. The first, second and third bearings and the elastic member are disposed in the receiving space. A high-viscosity-coefficient oil is filled in the receiving space. The fan vibration damping structure is applied to the fan to greatly reduce vibration of the fan in operation.
US09897101B2	Impeller for centrifugal rotary machine, and centrifugal rotary machine An impeller for a centrifugal rotary machine has a plurality of blades (4) arranged at intervals in a circumferential direction on a face facing a direction of an axis of a disc (3) formed in a discoid shape about the axis, wherein the blades (4) each include a first section (10A) rising from the disc (3) and inclined toward an opposite direction of a rotary direction (R) as the distance from the disc and a second section (11A) continuing from the first section (10A) and inclined toward a forward direction of the rotary direction (R) as the distance from the disc (3) between the leading edges and the trailing edges in the blades (4).
US09897098B2	Gas turbine engine axial drum-style compressor rotor assembly A gas turbine engine includes an axial compressor which includes a rotor assembly including a first rotor segment with a first inner rim, a first sealing surface, and a first aft engagement feature, and a second rotor segment positioned aft of the first rotor segment and having a second inner rim, a second sealing surface, and a second inner rim with a second fore engagement feature that is complementary to the first aft engagement feature. The first and second sealing surfaces are complementary to each other, and are bonded together via a transient liquid phase diffusion process. The first and second sealing surfaces are disposed on the outer rim. The first aft engagement member may be a notch that is complementary to the second fore engagement feature, which may be a shelf.
US09897096B2	Bearing unit A bearing unit (2), designed for attachment on a shaft of a pump assembly, has an inner sleeve (6) for receiving the shaft and a bearing sleeve (4) fixed on the outer periphery of the inner sleeve (6). At a first axial end (7) the inner sleeve (6) includes an engagement element (8), designed for positive, rotationally fixed engagement with the shaft or with a component (42) connected to the shaft. At a second opposite axial end the inner sleeve (6) includes a second contact shoulder (10), which fixes the bearing sleeve (4) in an axial direction (X). A pump assembly having such a bearing unit is also provided.
US09897086B2	Vane pump A vane pump used as a fluid pressure source includes: a rotor that is rotationally driven; a plurality of vanes that are inserted into the rotor in a freely slidable manner; a cam ring at which tip-end portions of the vanes slides as the rotor rotates; a pump chamber that is defined between the adjacent vanes; a suction port that guides working fluid to the pump chamber; a discharge port through which the working fluid discharged from the pump chamber is guided; a groove-like notch that extends from an opening edge of the discharge port in an opposite direction from rotation direction of the rotor, and the notch has a gradient-changing portion at which a rate of change of opening area is decreased in the rotation direction of the rotor.
US09897084B2	Sensorless adaptive pump control with self-calibration apparatus for hydronic pumping system The present invention provides apparatus that features a signal processor or processing module configured to receive signaling containing information about an adaptive or self-calibrating set point control curve and a varying equivalent system characteristic curve based at least partly on an instant pump pressure and a flow rate using an adaptive moving average filter, and equivalent hydronic system characteristics associated with the instant pump pressure and the flow rate to corresponding motor power and speed reconstructed and remapped using a discrete numerical approach; and determine an adaptive pressure set point, based at least partly on the signaling received.
US09897083B2	Calculating downhole cards in deviated wells Diagnosing a pump apparatus having a downhole pump disposed in a deviated wellbore characterizes axial and transverse displacement of a rod string with two coupled non-linear differential equations of fourth order, which include axial and transverse equations of motion. To solve the equations, derivatives are replaced with finite difference analogs. Initial axial displacement of the rod string is calculated by assuming there is no transverse displacement and solving the axial equation. Initial axial force is calculated using the initial axial displacement and assuming there is no transverse displacement. Initial transverse displacement is calculated using the initial axial force and the initial axial displacement. Axial force and friction force are calculated using the initial displacements, and the axial displacement at the downhole pump is calculated by solving the axial equation with the axial force and the friction force. Load at the downhole pump is calculated so a downhole card can be generated.
US09897082B2	Air compressor prognostic system Systems and methods of the invention relate to monitoring a change in a rotational speed of a crankshaft to identify a failure related to a crankcase breather valve. A reciprocating compressor can include a detection component that is configured to track a rotational speed of a crankshaft of a compressor to identify a change in rotational speed. In an embodiment, the rotational speed can be monitored while unloaded and/or below approximately 800 Revolutions Per Minute (RPM). Based on a change in a rotational speed of the crankshaft, a controller can be configured to communicate an alert which corresponds to a failure related to the crankcase breather valve.
US09897079B2	External discharge hall thruster The invention is a Hall thruster that does not have any discharge channel, and magnetic pole piece. The Hall thruster utilizes permanent magnets to produce magnetic field with strong radial component in front of an annular anode, and expands propellant directly into vacuum through the anode acting also as a gas distributor. The invention reduces mass and complexity of conventional Hall thrusters, and offers a radical solution to discharge channel and magnetic pole piece erosion problem.
US09897068B2	Method for mounting a rotor blade and assembly arrangement The invention relates to a method for mounting a rotor blade with a rotor blade shell and an internal space defined by the rotor blade shell, by at least one rotor blade clamp being applied around the outside of the rotor blade shell, by means of which at least one clamping force is exerted from the outside to the rotor blade shell, directed into the internal space by at least one expansion device being introduced into the internal space, by the expansion device inside the internal space being moved into at least one segment of the rotor blade around which the at least one rotor blade clamp is applied, by the at least one expansion device being expanded inside the at least one segment until at least one outwardly-acting counteracting force is exerted from the inside on the rotor blade shell.
US09897060B2	Injector arrangement for an internal combustion engine Methods and systems are provided for an injector arrangement for an internal combustion engine. In one example, an injector arrangement may include an actuator positioned between a fuel injector and a cylinder head, with the actuator configured to adjust a position of the fuel injector relative to the cylinder head in order to adjust a protrusion amount of a fuel nozzle tip within a combustion chamber.
US09897057B2	Valve for metering a flowing medium A valve for metering a flowing medium, particularly a fluid, which has a filter situated in the medium stream and has a filter ring that includes a plurality of filter pores and a support element supporting the filter ring on its outgoing flow side. The support element is developed as a radially elastic support ring having a plurality of through holes, which rests against the filter ring with radial prestressing.
US09897054B2	Centrifugal fuel pump with variable pressure control A fuel flow control system includes a centrifugal pump, a gas inlet valve, and a control. The centrifugal pump has a fuel inlet, a gas inlet, and an outlet. The gas inlet valve is disposed upstream of the gas inlet and is responsive to valve position commands to move between a closed position, in which inert gas is prevented from flowing into the gas inlet, and a plurality of open positions, in which inert gas may flow into the gas inlet. The control is coupled to the gas inlet valve and is configured to supply the valve position commands to the gas inlet valve to command the gas inlet valve to selectively move to the closed position, such that the centrifugal pump is configured to operate as a fuel pump, or any open position, such that the centrifugal pump is configured to operate as a fuel-gas mixer.
US09897051B2	Variable intake system A variable intake system includes first runners, each including a first inlet formed at one side thereof to introduce air from a surge tank thereinto, a first valve formed at the first inlet, and a first outlet formed at the other side thereof to discharge the introduced air, and second runners, each including a second inlet formed at one side thereof to introduce air from the surge tank thereinto, a second valve formed at the second inlet, and a second outlet formed at the other side thereof, wherein an extension part branched from the second runner is formed at the second runner, a third inlet is formed at the end of the extension part, and the total length of the second runner provided with the extension part is longer than the total length of the first runner.
US09897044B2	Control system of engine A control system of an engine is provided. The control system includes an exhaust emission control catalyst provided in an exhaust passage, a deceleration fuel cutoff module for performing a deceleration fuel cutoff when a deceleration fuel cutoff condition is satisfied in an engine decelerating state, a purging unit for performing a purge to supply a purge gas to an intake passage during the deceleration fuel cutoff, an evaporated fuel supply amount estimating module for estimating a supply amount of evaporated fuel to the intake passage when the purge is performed, and a catalyst temperature estimating module for estimating a temperature of the exhaust emission control catalyst when the purge is performed, based on the supply amount of the evaporated fuel. The purging unit controls a supply flow rate of the purge gas to the intake passage when the purge is performed, based on the exhaust emission control catalyst temperature.
US09897041B2	Engine for propelling an aircraft and aircraft having at least one engine and at least one hydrogen tank An engine for propelling an aircraft includes an annular fuel cell arrangement having at least one fuel cell, at least one electric motor couplable to the fuel cell arrangement, at least one fan couplable to the electric motor and a cowling having an inlet and an outlet nozzle. The fuel cell arrangement is arranged inside the cowling, the at least one fan is arranged between the inlet and the fuel cell arrangement inside the cowling, the electric motor is operable under consumption of electric power delivered by the fuel cell arrangement and the at least one fan is designed to produce a thrust force by creating an accelerated airflow at the outlet nozzle. The engine is extremely efficient and comprises a distinct low noise.
US09897037B2	Fuel control system of engine A fuel control system of an engine is provided which controls, by using a tumble flow, a behavior of fuel directly injected into a combustion chamber formed inside a cylinder of the engine. The fuel control system includes a fuel injector for directly injecting the fuel into the combustion chamber, a tumble flow generator for generating the tumble flow within the combustion chamber, and a fuel injector controlling module for causing the fuel injector to inject the fuel at a first injection timing and then inject a smaller amount of fuel than an amount injected at the first injection timing, in a direction opposing a positive direction of the tumble flow at a second injection timing, the first injection timing designed to be in an intake stroke of the cylinder, the second injection timing designed to be in a latter half of the compression stroke of the cylinder.
US09897031B2	Method of controlling operation of swirl control valve for diesel engine The present disclosure is a method of controlling an operation of a swirl control valve for a diesel engine, which predicts an internal temperature of a swirl control valve for a diesel engine, and limit a motor duty ratio of the swirl control valve based on the predicted temperature. In particular, the method predicts an internal temperature (a temperature of a motor coil) of a swirl control valve in real time through modelling, and controls a motor duty ratio of the swirl control valve, so that the internal temperature does not reach a maximum coil temperature, at which the swirl control valve is damaged and/or is irresistible, based on the predicted temperature.
US09897029B2	Control apparatus for internal combustion engine A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine, the internal combustion engine including a plurality of cylinders, and the control apparatus including: an electronic control unit configured to: a) determine whether or not acceleration of a crank shaft at compression top dead center is equal to or greater than a threshold value; b) determine that a compression loss has occurred in the cylinder, when the acceleration of the crank shaft is equal to or greater than the threshold value; and c) prohibit the determination of compression loss, when acceleration of rotation of the crank shaft at compression top dead center has occurred a first specific number of times consecutively in the plurality of cylinders.
US09897028B2	Diagnosis system of internal combustion engine An internal combustion engine comprises an exhaust purification catalyst and an air-fuel ratio sensor arranged at a downstream side of the exhaust purification catalyst, stops or decreases a feed of fuel as fuel cut control, and controls an air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas to a rich air-fuel ratio after the end of the fuel cut control as post reset rich control. The diagnosis system calculates a first characteristic of change of air-fuel ratio at the time when the output air-fuel ratio first passes a first air-fuel ratio region leaner than a stoichiometric air-fuel ratio and a second characteristic of change of air-fuel ratio at the time when the output air-fuel ratio first passes a second air-fuel ratio region including a stoichiometric air-fuel ratio. The diagnosis system diagnoses the abnormality of the air-fuel ratio sensor based on the first characteristic of change of air-fuel ratio and the second characteristic of change of air-fuel ratio. As a result, it is possible to suppress the effects of the change of state of the exhaust purification catalyst while accurately diagnosing the abnormality of deterioration of response of a downstream side air-fuel ratio sensor.
US09897023B2	System and method for operating a transmission power take off Methods and systems for operating a vehicle powertrain that includes an engine and a transmission including a power take off output are presented. In one non-limiting example, engine speed may be adjusted responsive to a level of a signal input to a controller. The controller may select an operating mode responsive to the level of the signal input to the controller.
US09897020B2	Method and system for engine control Methods and systems are provided for reducing a spark plug soot load and a combustion chamber soot load by controlling spark plug timing while injecting water or washer fluid. In one example, water or washer fluid is injected during a torque reduction while advancing spark timing so as to provide at least a portion of the torque reduction while opportunistically cleaning soot from the spark plug and combustion chamber. By reducing spark plug soot load, misfire occurrence is reduced, while pre-ignition occurrence is reduced by decarbonizing the combustion chamber.
US09897019B2	Device and method for controlling the operation of an exhaust gas recirculation valve using an ignition advance management device An engine includes at least one spark plug, an ignition advance management device to determine and to apply an optimum ignition advance of the spark plug, and an exhaust gas recirculation device equipped with a gas recirculation control valve. A control device for the internal combustion engine includes a first actuator to force opening and closing of the control valve, a map in which are stored theoretical ignition advance values as a function of engine speed and engine load, a first calculator to calculate a diagnostic criterion as a function of the theoretical ignition advance determined from the map and the optimum ignition advance, and a comparator to compare the diagnostic criterion to a control valve failure threshold.
US09897010B2	Air turbine starter systems including gearbox-integrated clutch modules and gas turbine engines employing the same Air Turbine Starter (ATS) systems are provided, as gas turbine engines including ATS systems. In one embodiment, a gas turbine engine includes an accessory gearbox (AGB) and an integrated Air Turbine Starter (ATS) system. The AGB includes a gearbox gear train within a gearbox housing. The integrated ATS system is removably installed on the AGB and includes an ATS having an air turbine and an output shaft coupled thereto. An ATS clutch module is coupled to the ATS output shaft. The ATS clutch module is further within the gearbox housing and mechanically couples the ATS output shaft to the gearbox gear train when the integrated ATS system is installed on the AGB.
US09897009B2	Flexible thermal blanket Aspects of the disclosure are directed to a flexible thermal blanket assembly, comprising: a stack-up of material layers that are configured to wrap around a component, a plurality of snaps configured to be mechanically fastened through the material layers, and a cap configured as a baffle to prevent thermal energy located at an exterior of the thermal blanket assembly from entering an interior of the thermal blanket assembly when the thermal blanket assembly is assembled.
US09897007B2	Thrust reverser-integrated track beam and inner fixed structure A panel for a nacelle structure that surrounds a jet engine core includes a longitudinally extending, generally semicircular center region, an upper bifurcation region, a lower bifurcation region, a hinge beam region extending from the upper bifurcation region and configured to receive an upper thrust reverser track guide, and a latch beam region extending from the lower bifurcation region and configured to receive a lower thrust reverser track guide. A bypass duct is formed in a space between the panel and the nacelle structure. A hinge beam structure and latch beam structure are integrally formed with the panel. An inner skin layer extends continuously across a bond panel surface generally facing the engine core and an outer skin layer extends continuously across a bond panel surface generally facing the bypass duct, the inner and outer skin layers extending across the center region, upper and lower bifurcation regions, hinge beam region, and latch beam region. The outer skin layer may have an acoustic treatment, such as being perforated in at least the center region and the upper and lower bifurcation regions. In this way, a separate hinge beam and latch beam are not used, and therefore there is no need to couple the panel to the respective beams.
US09896997B2	Control apparatus for internal combustion engine A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine executes shaft heating control that controls the energization of an electric motor so that a driving torque and a braking torque are alternately imparted from the electric motor to a rotary shaft when the temperature of a lubricating oil (lubricant) is less than or equal to a predetermined value. According to the shaft heating control, in a case where a target intake air pressure Pt is higher than an actual intake air pressure P, a proportion that a driving torque impartation period τD occupies in a cycle T is increased relative to a case where Pt and P are equal or substantially equal, and in a case where Pt is lower than P, the proportion τD that the driving torque impartation period occupies in the cycle T is decreased relative to a case where Pt and P are equal or substantially equal.
US09896996B2	Reducing turbocharger ice damage The present technology provides methods and systems for reducing ice buildup in a closed engine breather system. The systems comprise an air inlet duct, a compressor wheel and a compressor cover. The compressor cover comprises a breather gas port. The breather gas port is placed in the compressor cover at a location within close proximity to the leading edge of the compressor wheel so that the compressor wheel is capable of removing ice that accumulates at the breather gas port. The present technology also provides methods that include providing an air inlet duct, a compressor wheel, and a compressor cover with a breather gas port in the compressor cover. In this manner the compressor wheel can grind or shave off ice that accumulates at the breather gas port.
US09896990B2	Internal combustion engine with port communication An internal combustion engine including internal cavities slidingly receiving a respective piston to define a respective combustion chamber, at least one inlet port for each internal cavity in fluid communication with the combustion chamber at least during the intake phase and a beginning of the compression phase, at least one exhaust port for each of the internal cavities and in fluid communication with the combustion chamber during the exhaust phase, a plenum for receiving pressurized air, and conduits in fluid communication with the plenum. Each conduit defines a fluid communication between a first respective internal cavity and a second respective internal cavity through the inlet ports. The combustion chamber of the first respective internal cavity undergoes the beginning of the compression phase simultaneously with the combustion chamber of the second respective internal cavity undergoing the beginning of the intake phase.
US09896988B2	Three way catalytic control method and system for decreasing fuel consumption and vehicle having the same A three-way catalytic control method for reducing fuel consumption is provided. The method includes determining whether oxygen storage capacity of the three-way catalyst is under condition of increasing oxygen, when condition of performing O2 purge control for the three-way catalyst is detected and performing O2 purge control by applying a predetermined O2 purge time period to which a set initial value of oxygen of OSC is applied, when the OSC is not under the condition of increasing oxygen. The O2 purge control is performed by applying O2 purge time period for a deteriorated product based on an oxygen sensor or O2 purge time period for on board diagnosis, when an increase amount of the calculated O2 purge time period is equal to or greater than the O2 purge time period for the deteriorated product during the O2 purge control.
US09896986B2	Method and apparatus for operating an internal combustion engine A method and apparatus for operating an internal combustion engine, in particular for commercial vehicles, having a fuel/air feed device and a downstream exhaust system, wherein, to achieve improved efficiency, the exhaust gas enthalpy in the exhaust gas flow of the internal combustion engine is used to operate a heat engine, in particular a Stirling engine, which produces mechanical energy.
US09896980B2	Exhaust aftertreatment supplying a reducing agent The present disclosure relates to on-vehicle systems and methods for mixing an NOx reductant solution from a concentrated source of NOx reductant and water. The mixed DEF is then used to treat exhaust from the vehicle to reduce pollutants.
US09896976B2	Variable camshaft phaser with a linear actuator for absolute positioning A variable camshaft phaser having a stator arranged to receive torque from an engine; a rotor arranged to be non-rotatably connected to a camshaft; a first wedge plate and a second wedge plate radially disposed between the stator and the rotor; a spinner, operatively arranged about a central hub; a paddle arranged about the spinner including an annular ring having an engagement projection extending outwardly therefrom, the engagement projection having a proximate section and a distal section; the proximate section operatively arranged to engage a twisting groove of the spinner, and the distal section operatively arranged to engage either the first or second wedge plates; wherein the spinner, paddle, central hub, and engagement projection are operatively arranged to displace the first or the second wedge plate in either an advance mode or in a retard mode.
US09896974B2	Multiple organic rankine cycle systems and methods Systems and methods are provided for the recovery mechanical power from heat energy sources using a common working fluid comprising, in some embodiments, an organic refrigerant flowing through multiple heat exchangers and expanders. The distribution of heat energy from the source may be portioned, distributed, and communicated to each of the heat exchangers so as to permit utilization of up to all available heat energy. In some embodiments, the system utilizes up to and including all of the available heat energy from the source. The expanders may be operatively coupled to one or more generators that convert the mechanical energy of the expansion process into electrical energy, or the mechanical energy may be communicated to other devices to perform work.
US09896973B2	Assembly tool for exhaust turbochargers A lifting apparatus for assembly of exhaust turbocharger allows the removal of the rotor block from the housing in a horizontal direction. The lifting apparatus includes a cantilever, which is fastened on a vertical stop, i.e. on an axial end, of the housing, and on which there is arranged a structure which can be moved along the cantilever and which is likewise fastened on a vertical stop, i.e. an axial end of the rotor block.
US09896970B2	Method and system for sealing an annulus A method and system for a compartment baffle system are provided. The compartment baffle system includes a first baffle portion extending along an axial length of a casing, the first baffle portion extending radially outwardly from an outer surface of the casing and a second baffle portion extending at least partially radially outwardly from the first baffle portion. The second baffle portion further includes a radially inner edge supported by the first baffle portion and a radially outer edge extending proximate an inner surface of a radially outer cowl. The compartment baffle system also includes a gap extending between the radially outer edge and the inner surface.
US09896967B2	Turbocharger A turbocharger (1) in which the bearing-housing-side diffuser wall is thermally decoupled in order to reduce the heat introduction at the bearing housing cover (5). The turbocharger (1) includes a turbine (2), a compressor (3) which has a diffuser, and a bearing housing (4) which is arranged between the turbine (2) and the compressor (3) and which has the bearing housing cover (5). The bearing housing cover (5) is composed of a material with a low thermal conductivity of at most 5 W/mK, for example a temperature-resistant plastic.
US09896965B2	Thrust bearing assembly with flow path restriction A bearing assembly includes a shaft and a thrust runner attached to the shaft. The shaft runner protrudes radially outward from the shaft. A thrust bearing is positioned axially adjacent to the thrust runner. A first flow passage is between the thrust runner and a first face of the thrust bearing. A second flow passage is between a second face of the thrust bearing and a housing. A restriction feature restricts a flow of fluid through the second flow passage.
US09896961B2	Use of ss data trends in fault resolution process An automated method for resolving fault in an engine is disclosed. The method may include providing a reasoner module for recommending a set of maintenance actions to resolve fault in the engine, inputting steady state performance data from the engine into the reasoner module, and using the reasoner module to recommend a set of maintenance actions based at least in part on the steady state performance data. A fault resolution system for a gas turbine engine is also disclosed. The fault resolution system may include at least one computer processor operatively configured to receive steady state performance data from the gas turbine engine, and recommend a set of maintenance actions to resolve fault in the gas turbine engine based at least in part on the steady state performance data.
US09896959B2	Pitch angle measuring system and method for wind turbines The present invention relates to a wind turbine and a measuring system for determining the pitch angle of at least one blade relative to a hub of a wind turbine. The measurement comprises a first angular-velocity sensor (130) measuring a first angular velocity (φ) around a first sensor axis (e1), the first angular-velocity sensor (130) fixedly attached to the at least one blade (100) with a first predetermined orientation selected to produce a first projection of the main rotational axis (32) onto the first sensor axis (e1), a second angular-velocity sensor (140) measuring a second angular velocity (β) around a second sensor axis (e2), the second angular-velocity sensor (140) fixedly attached to the at least one blade (100) with a second predetermined orientation selected to produce a second projection of the main rotational axis (32) onto the second sensor axis (e2), the first sensor axis (e1) and the second sensor axis (e2) being linearly independent, and a first computational unit (160) computing a computed pitch angle (θ1c) based on of the first angular velocity (φ) and the second angular velocity (β).The invention relates also to a method for determining an azimuthal position and azimuthal rotational velocity of the at least one blade relative to the nacelle, the azimuthal position being defined by the rotational motion of the hub relative to the nacelle.
US09896957B2	Exhaust-gas turbocharger An exhaust-gas turbocharger (1) having a turbine (2) which has a turbine wheel (3) surrounded by an inflow duct (4), and having a VTG cartridge (5), which VTG cartridge has a disc (6) and a vane bearing ring (7), which delimit the inflow duct (4), and which VTG cartridge has a multiplicity of vanes (8) which are arranged in the inflow duct (4) and which are mounted in the vane bearing ring (7) by way of rotatable vane shafts (9), which vane shafts are connected to vane levers (10), the lever heads (11) of which engage into associated grooves (12) in an adjusting ring (13) which surrounds the vane bearing ring (7) on the outside; and having a radial bearing between the adjusting ring (13) and the vane bearing ring (7). Two min-flow stops (25, 26) are arranged, with a selectable angular spacing (α) with respect to one another, on the vane bearing ring (7).
US09896953B2	Seal runner A seal runner for a gas turbine engine, the seal runner including an annular body having a sealed cavity defined therein, the cavity being elongated along an axial direction of the body and being annular, the cavity at least partially filled with a coolant, the coolant being liquid across a range of operating temperatures of the gas turbine engine, the coolant having a temperature dependent density across the range of operating temperatures of the gas turbine engine. A gas turbine engine and a method of cooling a seal runner exposed to a temperature gradient are also discussed.
US09896949B2	Bonded fan platform A fan is provided. The fan may comprise a fan blade and a blade platform coupled to the fan blade. The blade platform may be a thermoplastic. A fan blade platform is also provided. The fan blade platform may comprise a first platform half comprising a slot at a first end of the first platform half and a first receiving member at a second end of the first platform half opposite the first end of the first platform half. A second platform half may comprise a hook. The second platform half may also include a second receiving member at a second end of the second platform half opposite the first end of the second platform half with the hook configured to interface with the slot. A pin may be configured to pass through the first receiving member and the second receiving member.
US09896947B2	Turbine airfoil attachment with multi-radial serration profile An attachment root of an airfoil is provided comprising a serration profile with a symmetry plane bisecting the serration profile. A first lobe of the serration profile has a first contact face angled 45 degrees from the symmetry plane. A second lobe of the serration profile has a second contact face angled 45 degrees from the symmetry plane. The first contact face may have a shorter length than the second contact face.
US09896945B2	Process of producing a ceramic matrix composite turbine bucket, insert for a ceramic matrix composite turbine bucket and ceramic matrix composite turbine bucket A process of producing a ceramic matrix composite turbine bucket, an insert for a ceramic matrix composite turbine bucket, and a ceramic matrix composite turbine bucket are disclosed. The process includes providing a bucket preform having a dovetail cavity, the dovetail cavity being enclosed within a dovetail shank of the bucket preform, positioning an insert within the dovetail cavity, then forming the ceramic matrix composite turbine bucket in a furnace. The insert includes a geometry configured to be fit within a dovetail cavity of the ceramic matrix composite turbine bucket, a bucket preform, or both. The insert is foam material or a plurality of ceramic matrix composite plies. The ceramic matrix composite turbine bucket includes a dovetail shank and a dovetail cavity enclosed within the dovetail shank. The dovetail cavity is arranged and disposed for receiving an insert.
US09896944B2	Forming a secondary structure directly onto a turbine blade A process and apparatus for solid freeform fabrication and repair of components on existing bodies (such as turbine blades), the innovative process and apparatus as well as the resultant product having the following advantages: a) Can build on existing 3-D surfaces. Not limited to horizontal flat surfaces, b) Usable for metals that are difficult to weld. c) Robust process that is adaptable to new damage modes. d) No shielding of the melt pool by inert gas is needed. e) Wide range of powder sizes.
US09896941B2	Fan blade composite cover with tapered edges A fan blade for a turbofan gas turbine engine is disclosed. The fan blade includes a body having a pressure side and a suction side and a cover. The suction side of the body includes an opening exposing at least one cavity to reduce the weight of the fan blade. The cover overlays the opening and includes a leading portion and a trailing portion that are tapered in the direction of the cover leading edge and cover trailing edge.
US09896940B2	Blade for a gas turbomachine A blade, in particular a rotor blade or a stator vane, for a gas turbomachine, in particular a turbojet engine, the blade having an airfoil (1) for deflecting a flow of working fluid and a first platform (3) connected thereto, in particular integrally connected thereto, to radially bound a flow duct for the working fluid, the airfoil having a suction side and a pressure side (1.1) which are connected at a leading edge (1.2) and at a trailing edge (1.3). The trailing edge has a first minimum wall thickness in a first region (A) of a radial longitudinal extent (R) of the airfoil proximal to the first platform (3), and a maximum wall thickness that is smaller than the first minimum wall thickness in a platform-distal region (C) of the radial longitudinal extent.
US09896939B2	Integral metering feature, systems and methods A swirler tube is disclosed. A swirler is provided comprising a flange defining a first surface, a tube extending away from the first surface, a flow surface defined by a flange inner surface and a tube inner surface, the flange inner surface having an inlet diameter, and a metering feature disposed on the flow surface, wherein the metering feature is integral to the tube, the metering feature have a metering feature diameter that is less than the inlet diameter.
US09896937B2	Turbine hub with surface discontinuity and turbocharger incorporating the same A turbocharger (5) comprising a housing (10) including a compressor shroud (14) and a turbine shroud (12). The turbocharger (5) also includes a compressor wheel (18) and a turbine wheel (116, 216, 316, 416). The compressor wheel (18) includes a compressor hub (44) and a plurality of circumferentially spaced compressor blades (45, 46) extending radially from the compressor hub (44). The turbine wheel (116, 216, 316, 416) includes a turbine hub (124, 224, 324, 424) and a plurality of circumferentially spaced blades (126, 226, 326, 426) extending radially from the turbine hub (124, 224, 324, 424) with a hub surface (125, 225, 325, 425) extending between adjacent blades (126, 226, 326, 426). The turbine wheel (116, 216, 316, 416) also includes at least one surface discontinuity (135, 235, 335, 435) on the turbine hub surface (125, 225, 325, 425).
US09896932B2	Cutting tool holding device A cutting tool holding device includes a base, a cutting tool holder, a screw element, a fitting positioning element and a pulling element. The base includes an accommodating groove, a receiving hole and a fitting positioning hole. The cutting tool holder includes a holder and a cutting tool receiving component. The holder includes an engaging portion detachably engaged in the accommodating groove, and a concave portion communicated with the fitting positioning hole is formed on the engaging portion. The fitting positioning element is driven by the pulling element to move in the fitting positioning hole for pressing against the concave portion tightly.
US09896930B2	Three-dimensional reservoir pressure determination using real time pressure data from downhole gauges Well production rate, injection rate and pressure data are measured in an existing reservoir using in situ real time measurement gauges. Production and injection rates are entered as input to a history match model in a data processing system. Measures of projected reservoir pressure with time are generated by running the updated history match model using a reservoir simulator. Actual reservoir data values obtained at a given date or time slice from reservoir production are compared with projected data obtained from the reservoir simulator for that same date or time slice. At each time slice, the real-time pressure values measured at the wellbore are converted into reservoir pressures through a well model. The real time reservoir pressure values and the projected reservoir pressure are then used to interpolate the reservoir pressure array over the entire three dimensions using a geostatistical modeling process.
US09896927B2	Hydrocarbon well performance monitoring system A method for real-time data acquisition and presentation of force, position, load, pressures, and movement within a subterranean well pumping system, such as an oil well. Data is gathered using sensors attached to a surface level pump drive and wellhead system. Well structural data and well production data are combined therewith to generate a real-time display of down-hole well operation, including animated graphics of the pump operation, including pump movement, rod and tubing stretch, fluid movement, gas compression, system forces, and fluid pressures. Liquid levels are tested using an acoustic liquid level instrument, and incorporated to improve well performance analysis.
US09896925B2	Systems and methods for alerting of abnormal drilling conditions A system and method acquire raw data from drilling equipment that includes at least two drilling related parameters measured in real time during a drilling operation by a drilling rig and conditioning the raw data by removing outlier data values and/or filtering out noise. The conditioned data is processed to generate output values and generating an alarm based on the output values to indicate an abnormal drilling condition. Processing the conditioned data includes determining incremental changes in data values and whether the incremental changes are an increase, decrease or no change for each of the at least two drilling related parameters. The incremental changes are summed over a user-defined time period for each of the at least two drilling related parameters and compared to a threshold for the user-defined time period for each of the at least two drilling related parameters.
US09896924B2	Squeeze treatment for in situ scavenging of hydrogen sulfide A method of performing a squeeze treatment comprises pumping a treatment fluid under pressure through a wellbore into a subterranean formation, wherein the treatment fluid includes a hydrogen sulfide scavenging compound that adsorbs onto the subterranean formation in a region around the wellbore. Production fluids are then allowed to flow from the subterranean formation into the wellbore, wherein the production fluids contact the adsorbed hydrogen sulfide scavenging compound as the production fluids flow through the region around the wellbore, and wherein the production fluids contain hydrogen sulfide that reacts with the hydrogen sulfide scavenging compound to reduce an amount of hydrogen sulfide in the production fluids before the production fluids flow into the wellbore.
US09896922B2	System and apparatus for creating a liquid carbon dioxide fracturing fluid A method, system, and apparatus required for creating a mixture of dry proppant and liquid carbon dioxide (LCO2) for fracturing oil and gas formations is presented. The operation includes making a mixture of dry proppant and liquid carbon dioxide (LCO2) for use in a fracturing operation by supplying dry proppant that is pressurized to between 75 and 600 psia with a gas; further supplying a stream of sub-cooled LCO2 having a pressure substantially equal to that of the pressurized dry proppant; and adding dry, pressurized proppant to the stream of sub-cooled LCO2, thereby forming a mixed LCO2 and proppant fracturing slurry.
US09896921B2	Encapsulated microenergetic material Providing high energy materials that can be placed in previously created fractures and activating them in place to extend or change an existing fracture system. Also detecting the location of fractures or permeable pathways and a means to assess the extent and efficiency of proppant emplacement.
US09896919B1	Using radio waves to fracture rocks in a hydrocarbon reservoir The present disclosure describes methods and systems for fracturing geological formations in a hydrocarbon reservoir. One method includes forming a borehole in a hydrocarbon reservoir from a surface of the hydrocarbon reservoir extending downward into the hydrocarbon reservoir; transmitting an electromagnetic (EM) wave through the borehole: directing at least a portion of the EM wave to rocks at a location below the surface in the hydrocarbon reservoir; and fracturing the rocks at the location below the surface in the hydrocarbon reservoir by irradiating the rocks around the borehole using at least the portion of the EM wave, wherein irradiating the rocks elevates pore-water pressure in the rocks causing fracturing of the rocks.
US09896914B2	Downhole tubular expansion tool and method An expansion tool includes a housing and a hydraulic power section for stroking an expander on a pulling mandrel through a bore of an expandable liner, the expansion tool including a ratcheting reaction assembly, having a ratchet rack and a ratcheting component thereon, that engages a proximal end of the liner to prevent axial movement of the liner as the expander is drawn through a portion of the bore of the liner to expand the liner. The ratcheting reaction assembly remains engaged with the proximal end of the liner as the housing is repositioned uphole to permit staged expansion of the liner using the expander. The expansion tool improves sealing and structure integrity of the expanded liner within the casing by maintaining the liner in a position throughout the staged expansion process.
US09896913B2	Petroleum well tracer release flow shunt chamber A petroleum well tracer release flow shunt chamber in an annulus space about a base pipe and method of estimating one or more pressure differences or gradients, wherein the flow shunt chamber extending generally axial-parallel with the base pipe, and provided with a shunt flow passage for holding a shunt chamber fluid, and including a tracer system exposed to and arranged for releasing unique tracer molecules at a generally even release time rate to the shunt chamber fluid, a first inlet aperture for receiving a first fluid, a second outlet aperture for releasing the shunt chamber fluid to a fluid, a flow restrictor allowing a pressure gradient between the inlet and outlet apertures driving the shunt chamber fluid out via the flow restrictor.
US09896912B2	Active rectifier for downhole applications An apparatus for generating direct current (DC) electrical energy downhole at a selected voltage includes a drill tubular, a turbine to convert drilling fluid flow energy into rotational energy, an alternator coupled to the turbine to provide AC electrical energy, and an active rectifier configured to rectify the AC electrical energy into DC electrical energy at a controllable voltage. The active rectifier includes (a) a bridge circuit having a circuit branch having first and second rectifier sets including a semiconductor switch in parallel with a diode for each phase of the AC electrical energy and (b) a feedback control loop having a micro-processor and configured to receive an output voltage measurement and a voltage measurement and/or a current measurement in at least one circuit branch as an input and to provide a control signal to each semiconductor switch in order to provide the DC electrical energy at the selected voltage.
US09896907B2	Equalizer valve with opposed seals biased toward closed from rising pressure on either of opposed sides An equalizer valve is configured to stay shut when pressure on one side or the other goes up. A dynamic seal and a metal to metal seal are located within the housing. Pressure from above is directed uphole of the metal to metal seal and downhole of the larger dynamic seal for a net closing force. Pressure from downhole is directed between the metal to metal and dynamic seals for a net force uphole to keep the metal seal closed. Normal operation is from a control line moving a rod piston to move a valve member to open the metal to metal seal for flow through the valve body.
US09896905B2	Inflow control system for use in a wellbore A well system for producing fluids from a well that intersects a subterranean formation; where the well system includes an inflow control device for providing a continuous rate of fluid flow. The inflow control device is formed so that the pressure drop of the fluid per unit length remains substantially constant along the length of the well. The inflow control device has an inner diameter that increases at a constant rate with distance from the bottom of the well. Multiple inflow control devices are coupled together in series to form an inflow control system in the well, and wherein the inner diameter of the inflow control system uniformly increases with distance from the bottom of the well.
US09896901B2	IPacker bridge plug with slips The present invention is to a packer plug that can be tripped into a particular location in a well bore and set using slips or expansion rings and packer elements. The plug presents little flow resistance because of its wide inner diameter throat through the mandrel. A ball seat at an upper end allows for the sealing of the interior passage. The ball can be flowed upward or dissolved to remove the seal and allow flow through the plug.
US09896900B2	Sealing apparatus A sealing apparatus for sealing a well bore is described. The sealing apparatus comprises a sealing element adapted to be moved from a run-in configuration to a set configuration, a first back-up layer and at least one second back-up layer sandwiched between the sealing element and the first back-up layer. The at least one second back-up layer comprises a thinner material than the first back-up layer. The first back-up layer and the at least one second back-up layer are adapted to be moved from the run-in configuration to the set configuration under the action of the sealing element.
US09896899B2	Downhole tool with rounded mandrel A downhole tool for use in a wellbore, the downhole tool including a mandrel further comprising a first end and a second end. The second end includes a first outer surface area and a second outer surface area. The first outer surface area further includes at least one rounded segment that has a radius of curvature in longitudinal cross-section.
US09896897B2	Subsea universal Xmas tree hang-off adapter Adapter (15) for an oil or gas field Christmas tree (4), said adapter (15) comprising a first interface (16) to connect the adapter (15) to a corresponding Christmas tree interface (17) on the top of the Christmas tree (4), distinctive in that the adapter (15) further comprises a second interface (18), at least one feed-through, and at least one of: a well barrier element, an internal profile for setting a plug, a hanger or a combined hanger and plug.
US09896896B2	Hinged cable termination A subsea termination head assembly adapted for both communicating and controlled load earning connection via a termination head to a subsea structure to be installed on the seabed, is described. The termination head allows a subsea cable, a power cable, a power umbilical or an umbilical, to be connected to the subsea structure before lowering them as a unit from a vessel and into the sea. The termination head assembly and subsea structure are to be lowered together while concurrently paying out the cable all the way to the seabed. The termination head is arranged to be hingedly connected relative to the subsea structure, which allows the termination head to pivot about a pivot axis in order to let the subsea cable adopt a natural catenary curvature in the sea during lowering thereof. The cable extends in a pigtail loop from the termination head and into the subsea structure. The pigtail loop is able to perform a “rolling motion” during such pivotal movement of the termination head.
US09896895B2	Annulus pressure release running tool A system includes a downhole tool assembly extendable within a wellbore. A running tool axially interposes the downhole tool assembly and the conveyance and includes an elongate body providing an interior and one or more radial protrusions. A connection sub is disposed about the body and provides a releasable connection engageable with the downhole tool assembly. A torque sleeve is disposed about the body and at least a portion of the connection sub. A connection sub piston interposes the body and the connection sub and is axially movable between a supported position, where the connection sub piston radially supports the connection sub, and an unsupported position, where at least a portion of the connection sub is radially unsupported by the connection sub piston. Increasing pressure within an annulus between the running tool and the wellbore moves the connection sub piston from the supported position to the unsupported position.
US09896887B2	Drilling rig with hinged, retractable outriggers A method includes coupling a plurality of outriggers to a drill rig structure, supporting the weight of the drill rig structure with the plurality of outriggers, and moving the drill rig structure while supporting the weight with the plurality of outriggers.
US09896884B2	Telescopic ladder for firefighting vehicle An telescopic ladder for a vehicle. The telescopic ladder comprises a first ladder section and a second ladder section, with each ladder section comprising a front portion and a rear portion and each including opposing sides extending from the front portion to the rear portion. The second ladder section is configured to telescopically extend from the first ladder section. The telescopic ladder further includes an extension support for facilitating the extension of the second ladder section from the first ladder section. The extension support includes at least one front roller assembly positioned adjacent to a front portion of the first ladder section, at least one pair of side roller assemblies positioned on the sides of the first ladder section, and at least one pair of cam-follower assemblies positioned on the sides of the second ladder section adjacent to the rear portion of the second ladder section.
US09896881B2	Fixing assembly for a shading body A fixing assembly for a shading body includes a fixing rail, an elastic fastener and an extendable rod. A slit is arranged at a top side of the fixing rail. The elastic fastener includes a rod-retaining section and two engaging sections. The rod-retaining section is arranged between the two engaging sections. The elastic fastener is engaged with the fixing rail by the two engaging sections. The rod-retaining section is received in the fixing rail and has two positioning portions. The extendable rod is inserted in the rod-retaining section of the elastic fastener through the slit. The two positioning portions abut against an outer periphery of the extendable rod.
US09896879B2	Integrated insulation extrusion and extrusion technology for window and door systems Extruded plastic profiles with integrated insulation, the method for extruding such products, and the windows and doors made with such plastic extrusions. The plastic extrusions may additionally include a low heat build-up capstock system comprising an acrylic cap and pigment system that is substantially IR transparent. The extruded plastic profiles with integrated insulation are recyclable using conventional plastic extrusion process and are fully weldable in conventional window and door manufacturing.
US09896876B2	Device and method for determining the closing state of a house door or of a house window A method for ascertaining a closing state of a house door or of a house window, having the following method steps: acquisition of a rate of rotation of the house door or of the house window using a first acquisition device, and calculation of an opening angle of the house door or of the house window on the basis of the acquired rate of rotation, and ascertaining whether the calculated opening angle falls below a prespecified angular threshold value; acquisition of a rate of vibration of the house door or of the house window using a second acquisition device, and ascertaining whether the acquired rate of vibration exceeds a prespecified rate of vibration threshold value within a prespecified first time span; and ascertaining whether the acquired rate of rotation exceeds a prespecified rate of rotation threshold value within a prespecified second time span since the exceeding of the vibration rate threshold value.
US09896875B2	Adaptive ventilating window for different weather conditions A window frame supports a central panel, with two adjacent pivoting side panels. The pivoting side panel includes two frames coupled by a hinge. Two side panel pivot actuators couple to the pivoting side panels. Movable awnings support photovoltaic modules to provide a power source. An awning open-close actuator couples to the movable awnings. Indoor and outdoor sensors send measurements to the controller that, based on the measurements, selectively operates the awning open-close actuator and the side panel pivot actuators.
US09896873B2	Tension applying apparatus, drum apparatus and opening and closing body drive apparatus for vehicle A tension applying apparatus includes a tension applying member applying a tensile force to a drive cable by being pressed against the drive cable, a biasing member generating a biasing force for pressing the tension applying member against the drive cable, a holding member including a guide portion which restricts a moving direction of the tension applying member and a housing member housing the tension applying member and the holding member. The holding member is configured to change the moving direction of the tension applying member which is guided by the guide portion in a state where the holding member including a rotation shaft is housed within the housing member. The housing member includes a holding structure holding the holding member at a position to which the holding member rotates in a direction where a pressing angle of the tension applying member relative to the drive cable becomes shallow.
US09896870B2	Enclosure having ribbed stanchions An enclosure having identical ribbed stanchions and panels, and a gate which may be pivotably hung from the stanchions such that it swings in either direction, and may be opened from either side, depending on the assembly of the enclosure, is described. This enables the enclosure to be assembled and disassembled without having to identify the supporting members and without having to purchase right- and left-handed gates. A latch which may be opened from both inside and outside of the enclosure is also described.
US09896863B2	Method of setting up a portable barrier A method of setting up a portable barrier includes (a) moving a first leg and a second leg away from each other to an arrangement in which a first extension portion of the first leg and a second extension portion of the second leg are each supported on a substantially horizontal surface, (b) moving a flooring from a collapsed flooring configuration to an expanded flooring configuration in response to step (a), (c) moving a first arm and a second arm away from each other, (d) moving a covering from a collapsed covering configuration to an expanded covering configuration in response to step (c), and (e) securing a supplemental component in fixed relation to the second leg after step (d). When the flooring is in the expanded flooring configuration and the covering is in the expanded covering configuration, an occupant space is defined between the flooring and the covering.
US09896861B2	Post holder This invention relates to railings, and more particularly to post holders for hollow posts. The post holders of the present invention comprise a shaft extending from a base, and in use a post slides over the shaft of the post holder.
US09896860B2	Structural support system and methods of use The present disclosure describes a base structural building module employing a core structural member having an array of upwardly and outwardly and downwardly and outwardly extending braces or arms extending therefrom. Tubular cans are mounted at the ends of each of the upper and lower arms to receive piles. One upper arm is aligned and paired with one lower arm and the pair's respective cans are aligned about their can axis. The modules employ flexible design by varying the lengths of the arms and their respective inclination or declination angles. Modules can be stacked one on top of another (and secured) to form multi-tiered structural building jackets for building vertical structures such as, for example, oil and gas platforms used onshore or offshore as well as other structures. Each tier can also comprise multiple modules joined laterally together to provide a wide variety of potential template configurations and building applications.
US09896856B2	Swimming pool cleaner with backwash system A swimming pool cleaner comprising a housing (1, 2), drive means (4, 41), a water inlet (11), a water outlet (12), a filter (20) and a pump (3), arranged so that, in a first operation mode of the swimming pool cleaner, the pump (3) displaces water from said inlet (11) to said outlet (12) through said filter (20), so that debris entering with the water is retained in a first part of said filter (20). The swimming pool cleaner is configured so that in a second operation mode, debris is displaced from said first part to a second part of the filter. Thus, a backwash effect is provided that prevents clogging.
US09896854B2	Pool apparatus A pool apparatus includes a pool body, a water inlet, a water outlet, and an outlet valve. The water inlet is used for carrying water into the pool body. The water outlet is used for draining water out of the pool body. The outlet valve covers the water outlet. The outlet valve has a drainage surface for draining water out of the pool body from the drainage surface with a drainage direction. The outlet valve has a protrusion block protruding with a distance opposite to the drainage direction from the drainage surface to decrease the risk that the user may be sucked on the outlet valve.
US09896851B1	Hard surface veneer and wood polymer composite flooring tile An apparatus includes a first floor tile that includes a bottom layer that is composed of a wood polymer composite and having a main portion, a tongue portion extending beyond a first edge of the main portion, a groove portion extending within the main portion at a second edge of the main portion opposite the first edge, the base portion having a width. The first floor tile includes a top layer that is composed of ceramic and having a width greater than the width of the main portion, the top layer fixed to the bottom layer such that (1) a first edge of the top layer extends beyond the first edge of the main portion and covers a portion of the tongue portion, (2) a second edge of the top layer extends beyond the second edge of the main portion and covers a portion of the tongue portion.
US09896849B1	Flush or lap siding system A wall siding system that utilizes the same primary hardware (e.g. bottom rail and short clip) for mounting panels to a surface can be used to mount the panels in a lapped horizontal configuration, flush horizontal configuration or a flush vertical configuration. This greatly simplifies manufacturing of the hardware and yet allows for three different configurations. Additionally, the same finishing hardware (e.g. top cap, trim cleat and edge trim) may be used to hide one or more pieces of the primary hardware. The wall siding system may be mounted indoors or outdoors because the wall siding system allows for water trapped behind the panels to drain out and air out so that water is not trapped behind the panels.
US09896845B2	Spindle lock anchor for post tensioned concrete member An anchor is disclosed. The anchor may include an anchor body, the anchor body having an internal passage, and a lock nut, the lock nut having an internal tapered surface defining a forcing cone. The lock nut may be coupled to the anchor body. The anchor may also include a spindle, the spindle positioned within the internal passage and threadedly coupled to the lock nut. The spindle may have an expansion wedge.
US09896841B2	Prefabricated building product structure made of sintered expanded polystyrene and method for the relative production A prefabricated building product structure made of sintered expanded polystyrene includes a composite assembly formed by aggregating steel to the sintered expanded polymeric mass, preferably of high density, and by embedding therein rod-like steel elements, preferably pre-assembled and forming a cage of electrowelded elements. A method of related production includes positioning the rod-like steel elements, preferably pre-assembled forming a cage of electrowelded elements, in the mold for the expansion of the polystyrene, pouring in the mold incoherent granules or pearls obtained from the polymerization of the styrene, with grain size and volume appropriate for the attainment of a high density finished product, expanding and sintering or amassing the incoherent polystyrene through contact with water vapor at a temperature higher than ninety degrees centigrade, and trapping the armor in the monolithic mass thus obtained to attain a solid geometry, according to the mold, of armored sintered expanded polystyrene.
US09896838B2	Concrete panel and concrete panel connector structure for forming reinforced concrete building components A concrete panel system includes first, second, and third rectangular precast concrete panels, each defining a respective top edge, bottom edge, and first and second lateral edges. A first type connector is formed in the concrete material at least along the top edge of the first panel and along the first lateral edge of the first panel. A second type connector is formed in the concrete material at least along the second lateral edge of the second panel, and along the bottom edge of the third panel. The first type connector and the second type connector are configured to connect together so as to form a cavity between the respective panel edges. This cavity extends along the first lateral edge of the first panel to facilitate positioning rebar between adjacent panels.
US09896834B1	Tree house elevated in a simulated tree, and method of making A tree house propped upon a simulated tree trunk has a platform, a cabin thereon, a main support column supported in a ground anchor, a plurality of diagonal struts, and a variety of simulate tree dressings for the column and struts. The cabin is built upon the platform and forms an inner living space that is served with potable water utilities, waste water utilities, and public-utility electric service. The main support column extends downward from the platform about a relative center of mass of the platform and cabin together, to ultimately sink into the ground anchor. The plurality of diagonal struts extended diagonally downward from the cabin radially spaced away from where the column extends downward from the platform, and join the column intermediate the platform and ground anchor. There furthermore are simulated tree trunk dressing covering the column, and, simulated tree branch dressing covering the struts.
US09896827B1	Drainage overflow pipe structure for bathtub A drainage overflow pipe structure for a bathtub, wherein an overflow pipe of the drainage overflow pipe structure is mounted on a bathtub, and the drainage overflow pipe contains: a tee part, a drainage part, an overflow part, a pipe elbow, and a universal rotation assembly. The tee part includes a first coupling orifice, a second coupling orifice, and a third coupling orifice. The drainage part is connected with the first coupling orifice and the drainage hole. The overflow part includes a joining section and a connecting seat which has outer threads and a groove-shaped holding portion. The pipe elbow includes an inlet and an outlet. The universal rotation assembly includes a connector and a limitation member, wherein the connector has a screwing portion, a spherical knob, and a through orifice, and the limitation member includes inner threads.
US09896825B2	Method for diverting a flow of a fluid In accordance with an embodiment, a method for diverting a flow of a fluid is provided. The fluid is introduced into a conduit that has a central portion, an elbow spout, and a diverter. The spout is coupled to the conduit and the diverter is coupled to the spout. The inverter can be configured in a first position or a second position. In the first position, the diverter enables the fluid to flow through the spout and in the second position, the diverter inhibits fluid from flowing through the spout.
US09896815B2	Method and apparatus for collecting surface layer of liquid A method for collecting a surface layer of a liquid into confined area, method including forming confined area by means of wall structure and moving some of surface layer of liquid into confined area by means of a flow of air directed into confined area through an opening made into wall structure of confined area so that amount of substance in surface layer of the liquid increases in confined area in comparison with surroundings. The bottom edge of opening made into wall structure of confined area is arranged to be below surface level of liquid outside confined area whereas its top edge is substantially above surface level of liquid outside confined area. The surface level of liquid inside confined area is arranged to be kept substantially on same level with surface level of liquid outside by providing a continuous liquid flow connection through lower portion of confined area into surroundings.
US09896814B2	Quay wall with absorption blocks and inter-chamber flow paths A quay wall absorption block includes a back wall, a cap, and a half columnar wall extending between the back wall and cap. The half columnar wall defines a plurality of chamber surfaces and mating surfaces on opposite sides thereof such that the chamber surfaces define portions of a plurality of closed-end flow chambers on opposite sides of the half columnar wall when the mating surfaces are in contact with corresponding mating surfaces of other quay wall absorption blocks. The half columnar wall also defines a plurality of flow paths that extends therethrough to fluidly connect the plurality of closed-end flow chambers on opposite sides of the half columnar wall.
US09896812B2	Mounting device for a debris deflector Methods and systems for a mounting device for mounting debris deflector to transportation vehicles such as light rail which helps to position the deflector at the front or rear end of vehicles are disclosed. The mounting device is located between the deflector and transportation vehicle and includes a longitudinal member having a proximal end and a distal end, a first base plate rigidly connected to the proximal end of the longitudinal member, and a second base plate rigidly connected to the distal end of the longitudinal member. Further, the first base plate may be connected to understructure of the transportation vehicle, and the second base plate may be connected to the debris deflector.
US09896806B2	Sanitary tissue products Sanitary tissue products employing fibrous structures that exhibit a novel combination of compressibility properties, plate stiffness properties, and slip stick coefficient of friction properties, and methods for making same.
US09896805B2	Durable wet-pressed tissue The disclosure provides a wet-pressed tissue product having improved cross-machine tensile, toughness and durability properties. Cross-machine properties are significant because tissue products often fail in the cross-machine direction because it is often the weaker of the two product orientations (cross and machine directions). Accordingly, in certain embodiments the present disclosure provides a conventional wet pressed tissue product having a CD Tensile greater than about 450 g/3″ and a CD Stretch greater than about 6.0 percent.
US09896803B2	Fibrous sheet that disintegrates in water, process for manufacturing said fibrous sheet, core consisting of strips of said fibrous sheet A fibrous sheet having a basis weight of between 20 and 1000 g/m2 that disintegrates in water, has 10% to 70% starch on the basis of the total weight of the dry fibrous sheet. The disintegration time in water, measured in accordance with standard NF Q34-020 applied to a specimen of the sheet of 9×8 cm2, is less than 50 seconds. A loss of strength of the sheet measured in accordance with a defined table test corresponds to a loss of strength of a specimen of said sheet forming an angle of at least 85° after having being wetted with water for a duration of 6 seconds, and/or a residual wet strength of the sheet relative to its dry strength, as measured according to a defined ring crush test, is less than 1%. The fibrous sheet may be used for the manufacture of a water disintegrable core in a roll of tissue paper.
US09896802B2	Creping blade and method for its manufacturing The invention relates to a creping blade for the detachment of a travelling paper web from a dryer cylinder, said blade having a working edge to be placed against the cylinder, wherein the creping blade has a tensile strength of 1800-2500 N/mm2 and a hardness of 57-66 HRC in the hardened and tempered condition and wherein the blade is made from a steel, which comprises the following main components (in wt. %): C: 1.2-1.5; Si: 0.1-0.8; Mn: 0.1-0.7; Cr: 4.2-5.2; Mo: 3.0-4.0; V: 3.2-4.2; N: 0.01-0.15; balance Fe and impurities.
US09896800B2	Method for producing an underwater pipe A method for producing a tubular underwater pipe including: assembling a structure of peripheral metal elements (3A, 3B, 3C) wound in an S-Z configuration about a central flexible core (1) as the core is driven in movement along its longitudinal axis; providing an inductive sensor (12) arranged for rotation about the central flexible core (1) in a manner synchronized with the longitudinal movement of the core so that the sensor scans the periphery of the structure opposite and in the immediate proximity of peripheral elements wound about the core and during the assembly step; using the sensor (12) to acquire measurement signals (S) of which the amplitude varies according to whether or not the sensor (12) is located opposite a peripheral element during the rotation of the sensor (12); and using the measurement signals to control the positioning of the assembled peripheral elements.
US09896796B2	Laundry machine and control method of the same A laundry machine and a control method of the same are disclosed. The disclosed laundry machine includes a tub, a drum rotatably installed in the tub, to receive laundry, a washing heater provided at the tub, to heat wash water, a first wash water passage for supplying the wash water from an external water supply source to the drum via a detergent box, a second wash water passage for supplying the wash water from the external water supply source to an interior of the tub while preventing the wash water from passing through the drum, a course selector for selecting one of a plurality of washing courses, and a controller for selectively opening the first wash water passage or the second wash water passage in accordance with the course selected through the course selector.
US09896795B2	Method of controlling drum type washing machine A method of controlling a drum type washing machine is disclosed. The method includes sensing laundry weight to perform a washing cycle (a laundry weight sensing step), immediately executing a first spin-drying pattern without additional laundry weight sensing when a laundry weight value sensed at the laundry weight sensing step is equal to or less than A in a spin-drying cycle, and executing a second spin-drying pattern after sensing the laundry weight when the laundry weight value sensed at the laundry weight sensing step is greater than A in the spin-drying cycle. In a case in which the laundry weight is low, spin-drying is immediately performed without performing laundry weight sensing, whereby it is possible to reduce time necessary to sense the laundry weight.
US09896790B2	Elastic fabric with ventilation effect An elastic fabric made by a plurality of rubber threads, first elastic wefts, second elastic wefts, first wraps, high-tensile nylons and second wraps. The rubber thread, the first elastic weft, the second elastic weft are elastic, and the first elastic weft, and the second elastic weft are knitted across and interlaced with the rubber thread at right angles such that the elastic fabric is configured to be stretched in all directions. The first elastic weft and the second elastic weft are wrapped on at least three rubber threads to form a plurality of breathing holes therebetween, and the first wrap and the second wrap are wrapped along the single rubber thread such that the elastic fabric is configured to have the solid structure and the great ventilation effect simultaneously.
US09896789B2	Weaving loom A handicraft weaving loom with improved usability is provided. The weaving loom includes a main body having a pair of edge portions that are spaced apart from each other in a predetermined first direction. Each edge portion extends elongated in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The weaving loom further includes a yarn catch member provided with a yarn catch portion for holding threads in parallel. The yarn catch member is detachably attached to one of the two edge portions.
US09896786B2	Systems and methods for improving and controlling yarn texture A system and method for controlling and improving the consistency of yarn texture in a yarn system. The system and method are configured to monitor, improve and/or control the operating parameters of the yarn system. A plurality of sensors sense the operating conditions and send the sensed conditions to a processor. The processor and/or a user monitoring the system can make adjustments to the operating parameters in a parameter is outside of a predetermined tolerance.
US09896784B2	Method for producing a flat semi-finished product from a fiber composite material and flat semi-finished product A method produces a flat semi-finished product from a fiber composite material that contains individual carbon fibers, carbon fiber bundles, or a mixture thereof in a defined anisotropic fiber orientation and a thermoplastic matrix material. The anisotropy of the carbon fibers is created in a carding process using the high orientability of admixed non-carbon textile fibers, at least some of the non-carbon textile fibers being thermoplastic, and the carbon fibers having been isolated from waste or used parts. The flat fibrous web which is produced by a carding process and which has a specific orientation of the carbon fibers in the longitudinal direction is compressed into a sheet material under the effect of heat. This enables the use of carbon fibers, for example from production waste, as reinforcing fibers, whereby a less expensive raw material is provided and the carbon fibers are contained in the waste materials are recycled.
US09896782B2	Method for producing porous calcium phosphate body To provide a method for producing a porous calcium phosphate body having open micro-pores, by the method for producing the porous calcium phosphate body, in which calcium phosphate is subjected to electro-spinning.
US09896781B2	Silicon carbide single-crystal substrate, silicon carbide epitaxial substrate and method of manufacturing them A silicon carbide single-crystal substrate includes a first main surface and a second main surface opposite to the first main surface. The first main surface has a maximum diameter of not less than 100 mm. The first main surface includes a first central region excluding a region within 3 mm from an outer circumference of the first main surface. When the first central region is divided into first square regions each having a side of 250 μm, each of the first square regions has an arithmetic average roughness (Sa) of less than 0.2 nm, and an oxygen concentration in each of the first square regions is not less than 5 atom % and less than 20 atom %.
US09896780B2	Method for pretreatment of base substrate and method for manufacturing layered body using pretreated base substrate Provided is a method for pretreatment of a group III nitride single crystal substrate having a high Al composition ratio, for manufacturing a high-quality group III nitride thin film.The method includes heating the base substrate at a temperature range of 1000 to 1250° C. for no less than 5 minutes under a first mixed gas atmosphere before a layer of a second group III nitride single crystal is grown, wherein the first mixed gas includes hydrogen gas and nitrogen gas; the base substrate includes a layer of a first group III nitride single crystal at least on a surface of the base substrate; the first group III nitride single crystal is represented by a composition formula of AlAGaBInCN; and the layer of the second group III nitride single crystal is to be grown on the layer of the first group III nitride single crystal.
US09896778B2	Apparatus for producing SiC single crystals and method of producing SiC single crystals using said production apparatus An apparatus for producing SiC single crystals where the quality of the SiC single crystals is improved, and a production method using such an apparatus are provided. The apparatus for producing SiC single crystals according to an embodiment of the present invention is employed to produce an SiC single crystal by the solution growth method. The production apparatus includes a crucible and a support shaft. The crucible accommodates an Si—C solution. The support shaft supports the crucible. The support shaft includes a heat removing portion for removing heat from a bottom portion of the crucible. The heat removing portion includes one of (a) a contact portion having a thermal conductivity not less than that of the bottom portion and contacting at least a portion of the bottom portion and (b) a space adjacent to at least a portion of the contact portion or the bottom portion.
US09896776B2	Chemical and electrochemical synthesis and deposition of chalcogenides from room temperature ionic liquids Room temperature electrochemical methods to deposit thin films of chalcogenide glasses.
US09896775B2	Process for manufacturing aluminum from bauxite or its residue The present disclosure related to an economic and environmental safe process for obtaining one or more metals from the red mud slag, bauxite, karst bauxite, lateritic bauxite, clay and the like. The present disclosure also related to a process for obtaining elemental aluminum by electrolyzing AlCl3 in the electrolysis cell.
US09896773B2	Busbar arrangement for aluminum electrolysers with a longitudinal position The invention relates to a busbar arrangement for heavy-duty aluminum electrolyzers when said electrolyzers have a longitudinal position. The busbar arrangement comprises anode busbars, risers and cathode rods, which are divided into groups, each of which is connected to separate cathode busbars, wherein the cathode busbars for the groups of rods closest to the input end of the preceding electrolyzer are connected to the risers positioned at the input end of the following electrolyzer, and the remaining groups of cathode rods are connected to the risers at the output end of the following electrolyzer. The cathode busbars for the groups of rods closest to the input end of the preceding electrolyzer are positioned beneath the base of the preceding electrolyzer, and the cathode busbars of the remaining groups of rods are positioned beneath the base of the preceding and the following electrolyzers or of the preceeding and following electrolyzers and along the cathode sheath on the front face side of the following electrolyzer. The risers at the input end of the following electrolyzer are mounted with an offset towards the center of the electrolyzer relative to the risers at the output end of the following electrolyzer. A high degree of compensation of electromagnetic forces in the melt is achieved by virtue of optimization of the configuration of the magnetic field in the electrolyzer bath and a reduction in the vertical magnetic field.
US09896771B2	Dehydrogenation device An exemplary dehydrogenation device for generating a hydrogen gas through dehydrogenation according to the present disclosure comprises an anode containing a dehydrogenation catalyst, a cathode containing catalyst capable of reducing protons, and a proton conductor disposed between the anode and the cathode. The proton conductor has a perovskite crystal structure expressed by the compositional formula AaB1-xB′xO3-δ. The A element is an alkaline-earth metal and is contained in a range of 0.4
US09896770B2	Methods of etching films with reduced surface roughness Provided are methods for etching films comprising transition metals which help to minimize higher etch rates at the grain boundaries of polycrystalline materials. Certain methods pertain to amorphization of the polycrystalline material, other pertain to plasma treatments, and yet other pertain to the use of small doses of halide transfer agents in the etch process.
US09896767B2	Low stress hard coatings and applications thereof In one aspect, coated cutting tools are described herein comprising a substrate and a coating comprising a refractory layer deposited by physical vapor deposition adhered to the substrate, the refractory layer comprising M1-xAlxN wherein x≧0.68 and M is titanium, chromium or zirconium, the refractory layer including a cubic crystalline phase and having hardness of at least 25 GPa.
US09896764B2	Method for producing siliceous film and polysilazane coating treatment liquid used therefor The present invention provides a method for forming a siliceous film. According to the method, a siliceous film having a hydrophilic surface can be formed from a polysilazane compound at a low temperature. In the method, a composition containing a polysilazane compound and a silica-conversion reaction accelerator is applied on a substrate surface to form a polysilazane film, and then a polysilazane film-treatment solution is applied thereon so that the polysilazane compound can be converted into a siliceous film at 300° C. or less. The polysilazane film-treatment solution contains a solvent, hydrogen peroxide and an alcohol.
US09896758B2	Method to produce highly transparent hydrogenated carbon protective coating for transparent substrates A physical vapor deposition (PVD) chamber for depositing a transparent and clear hydrogenated carbon, e.g., hydrogenated diamond-like carbon, film. A chamber body is configured for maintaining vacuum condition therein, the chamber body having an aperture on its sidewall. A plasma cage having an orifice is attached to the sidewall, such that the orifice overlaps the aperture. Two sputtering targets are situated on cathodes inside the plasma cage and are oriented opposite each other and configured to sustain plasma there-between and confined inside the plasma cage. The plasma inside the cage sputters material from the targets, which then passes through the orifice and aperture and lands on the substrate. The substrate is moved continuously in a pass-by fashion during the process.
US09896751B2	High strength steel sheet and high strength galvanized steel sheet excellent in shapeability and methods of production of same High strength steel sheet and high strength galvanized steel sheet which are excellent in shapeability which secure a tensile maximum strength 900 MPa or more high strength while obtaining excellent ductility and stretch flangeability, which sheets have predetermined compositions of ingredients, have steel sheet structures which contain volume fraction 1 to 20% of residual austenite phases, and which have martensite transformation points of the residual austenite phases of −60° C. or less.
US09896750B2	Steel wire rod having high strength and ductility and method for producing same There are provided a steel wire rod for ultra-high-strength parts such as automobile engine bolts or structural mechanical parts, and a method for producing the steel wire rod. The steel wire rod having high strength and ductility includes, by wt %, carbon (C): 0.7% to 0.9%, manganese (Mn): 13% to 17%, copper (Cu): 1% to 3%, and the balance of iron (Fe) and inevitable impurities.
US09896749B2	Steel for induction hardening with excellent fatigue properties A steel for induction hardening includes as a chemical composition, by mass %, C: 0.45% to 0.85%, Si: 0.01% to 0.80%, Mn: 0.1% to 1.5%, Al: 0.01% to 0.05%, REM: 0.0001% to 0.050%, O: 0.0001% to 0.0030%. Ca: 0.0050% or less as necessary, Ti: less than 0.005%, N: 0.015% or less, P: 0.03% or less, S: 0.01% or less, and the balance consists of Fe and impurities. The steel for induction hardening also includes a composition inclusion which is an inclusion containing REM, O, S, and Al, or an inclusion containing REM, Ca, O, S, and Al, to which TiN is adhered.
US09896748B2	Low yield ratio dual phase steel linepipe with superior strain aging resistance A steel composition and method from making a dual phase steel therefrom. The dual phase steel may have carbon of about 0.05% by weight to about 0.12 wt %; niobium of about 0.005 wt % to about 0.03 wt %; titanium of about 0.005 wt % to about 0.02 wt %; nitrogen of about 0.001 wt % to about 0.01 wt %; silicon of about 0.01 wt % to about 0.5 wt %; manganese of about 0.5 wt % to about 2.0 wt %; and a total of molybdenum, chromium, vanadium and copper less than about 0.15 wt %. The steel may have a first phase consisting of ferrite and a second phase having one or more of carbide, pearlite, martensite, lower bainite, granular bainite, upper bainite, and degenerate upper bainite. A solute carbon content in the first phase may be about 0.01 wt % or less.
US09896744B2	Process for metals leaching and recovery from radioactive wastes Provided is a process for recovering metals from solid radioactive waste, preferably uranium, cesium, mercury, thorium, rare earths or combinations thereof. The process comprises a leaching step and a separation step. The leaching step comprises contacting the solid radioactive waste with an aqueous inorganic acid and a leaching salt to produce a mixture of a metal-rich leachate and a metal-poor waste, which are separated in the separation step. Also provided is a process for recovering metals from solid radioactive waste comprising an attrition step, a leaching step, a washing step, a combination step and a recovery step.
US09896743B2	Method for re-extraction of rare-earth metals from organic solutions and preparing concentrate of rare-earth metals The present invention relates to a method for recovery of rare earth metals (REM) from diluted aqueous acidic solutions comprising steps of liquid-phase extraction of REM into an organic phase and re-extraction of REM from the organic phase. The re-extraction is carried out by precipitation of REM as a solid phase in the form of a poorly soluble salt of a strong acid (pKa<0). Recovery of REM into the concentrate is up to 99% in the course of one stage of the re-extraction.
US09896741B2	Method of producing metal carbonate from an ultramafic rock material A method of producing a metal carbonate from an ultramafic rock material is provided. The method includes providing an ultramafic rock material comprising a metal silicate; reacting the ultramafic rock material with an acid to form a mixture comprising a salt of the metal; contacting the mixture comprising a salt of the metal with oxygen so as to aerate impurities in the mixture and/or to remove residual acid from the mixture; heating the resultant mixture to decompose the salt of the metal to form metal oxide; and reacting the metal oxide with aqueous ammonium carbonate to obtain the metal carbonate. A system for producing a metal carbonate from ultramafic rock material is also provided.
US09896740B2	Method for operating flash vessel The present invention is such that, with H1 being the height from a slurry outlet to a control liquid level, H2 being the height from the control liquid level to the top of a flash vessel, and being the diameter of the flash vessel, 0.35D≦H1≦0.45D, and 0.75D≦H2≦0.85D, and at least one liquid level sensor detects a slurry liquid surface at a control liquid level; when the liquid level sensor detects a slurry liquid surface which has risen, a slurry discharge valve installed on a slurry discharge pipe derived from the flash vessel is opened; and when the liquid level sensor detects a slurry liquid surface which has fallen, the slurry discharge valve is closed, whereby opening and closing of the valve is appropriately controlled thereby to reduce troubles with a steam discharge pipe, the slurry discharge pipe, and the slurry discharge valve.
US09896739B2	System and method for melting metal chips In a process for melting metal chips, the process being of the type that uses a charge system for delivering the metal chips to a melt furnace, and of the type that uses a pre-treatment system for drying the metal chips, the improvement comprising the step of capturing an exhaust stream from the charge system, where the exhaust stream includes hydrocarbons, and combusting the hydrocarbons to produce heat that is utilized in drying the chips.
US09896738B2	Process for dissolving aluminum for recovering nuclear fuel A process for controlling the dissolution of a metal in an acid bath is described. The metal may comprise aluminum and the acid bath may contain a metal catalyst that causes the metal to dissolve. In order to control the rate of dissolution and/or the amount of gas evolved during the process, an iron source is added to the bath. In one embodiment, the process can be used to dissolve aluminum contained in spent fuel assemblies for recovering a nuclear fuel, such as uranium.
US09896737B2	Hot-rolled steel sheet A hot-rolled steel sheet consists of, in mass %, C: 0.03-0.2%, Mn: 0.1-3.0%, P: 0.10% or less, S: 0.03% or less, Al+Si: 0.2-3.0%, N: more than 0% to 0.01%, O: more than 0% to 0.01%, and balance: iron and impurities. A microstructure contains ferrite and hard phases of martensite and/or austenite in an amount of, in area fraction, 3% to less than 20%. Hard phases with an aspect ratio of 3 or more account for 60% or more of the hard phases present in a sheet-thickness central portion. A length in a rolling direction of the hard phases is less than 20 μm. An average aspect ratio of ferrite grains is less than 5. The sum of X-ray random intensity ratios of <011> and <111> orientation from the rolling direction is 3.5 or more, and an X-ray random intensity ratio of <001> orientation from the rolling direction is 1.0 or less.
US09896735B2	Method for heating a blast furnace stove A method for heating a blast furnace stove includes combusting a fuel with a lower heating value (LHV) of 9 MJ/Nm3 or less in a combustion zone which is arranged in a combustion chamber in the stove, and causing the combustion gases to flow through and thereby heat refractory material in the stove. The fuel is combusted with an oxidant including at least 85% oxygen, and combustion gases are recirculated into the combustion zone for diluting the mixture of fuel and oxidant therein sufficiently for the combustion to be flameless.
US09896733B2	Method and kit for prediction success of in vitro fertilization The disclosure provides a method of determining the chance of a successful pregnancy based on the ratio indicated as a formula that uses the presence of Lactobacillus and Staphylococcus bacteria in relation to the total amount of bacteria in a sample of a subject, preferably a urine sample. Also provided in the disclosure is a kit, preferably a qPCR kit, for performing the method of the disclosure and outputting the result. Such a method and kit are particularly advantageous for predicting the chance of a successful pregnancy in subjects undergoing or eligible for an artificial insemination method such as IVF or ICSI.
US09896730B2	Use of EMT gene signatures in cancer drug discovery, diagnostics, and treatment The present invention provides diagnostic methods for assessing the EMT status of tumor cells, and for predicting the effectiveness of treatment of a cancer patient with an EGFR or IGF-1R kinase inhibitor, utilizing an EMT gene signature index score. The present invention further provides methods for treating patients with cancer that incorporate these methods.
US09896726B2	Methods and compositions for discrimination between cytosine and modifications thereof, and for methylome analysis Compositions and methods are provided for discrimination between cytosine and modifications thereof using cytidine deaminases and/or oxygenases. Variants of wild type cytidine deaminases are described which show reduced bias with respect to adjacent nucleotides upstream of the cytosine. The methods provide a rapid and convenient use of enzymes to obtain methylomes.
US09896725B2	Real-time, label-free detection of macromolecules in droplets based on electrical measurements A method for detecting presence of a macromolecule of interest in a test droplet. A set of detection electrodes are provided in contact with a fluidic channel. The test droplet is provided in vicinity of the detection electrodes through the fluidic channel. An alternate current (AC) power at a first frequency is applied across the set of detection electrodes. A first measurement value that reflects electrical characteristics (e.g., impedance) of the test droplet at the first frequency is obtained. This value is compared with a corresponding reference value, wherein the corresponding reference value is obtained by measuring a reference droplet containing the macromolecule of interest or free of the macromolecule at the first frequency. The presence of the macromolecule in the test droplet is thus determined based on the comparison.
US09896723B2	Methods of isothermal amplification using blocked primers Methods for rapidly detecting clinically relevant mutations in the infectious genome of an agent are disclosed. The methods include use of a novel target and temperature dependent RNase H mediated cleavage of blocked DNA primers to initiate isothermal helicase-dependent amplification of a target sequence such as a sequence in the the rpoB gene.
US09896722B2	Systems for handling microfluidic droplets The invention generally relates to assemblies for displacing droplets from a vessel that facilitate the collection and transfer of the droplets while minimizing sample loss. In certain aspects, the assembly includes at least one droplet formation module, in which the module is configured to form droplets surrounded by an immiscible fluid. The assembly also includes at least one chamber including an outlet, in which the chamber is configured to receive droplets and an immiscible fluid, and in which the outlet is configured to receive substantially only droplets. The assembly further includes a channel, configured such that the droplet formation module and the chamber are in fluid communication with each other via the channel. In other aspects, the assembly includes a plurality of hollow members, in which the hollow members are channels and in which the members are configured to interact with a vessel. The plurality of hollow members includes a first member configured to expel a fluid immiscible with droplets in the vessel and a second member configured to substantially only droplets from the vessel. The assembly also includes a main channel, in which the second member is in fluid communication with the main channel. The assembly also includes at least one analysis module connected to the main channel.
US09896721B2	Strategies for high throughput identification and detection of polymorphisms The invention relates to a method for the high throughput identification of single nucleotide polymorphisms by performing a complexity reduction on two or more samples to yield two or more libraries, sequencing at least part of the libraries, aligning the identified sequences and determining any putative single nucleotide polymorphisms, confirming any putative single nucleotide polymorphism, generating detection probes for the confirmed single nucleotide polymorphisms, subjection a test sample to the same complexity reduction to provide a test library and screen the test library for the presence or absence of the single nucleotide polymorphisms using the detection probe.
US09896719B2	DNA glycosylase/lyase and AP endonuclease substrates A new class of nucleic acid substrates for AP endonucleases and members of the glycosylase/lyase family of enzymes is described. Representatives of each family, the enzymes Nfo and fpg, respectively, cleave nucleic acid backbones at positions in which a base has been replaced by a linker to which a variety of label moieties may be attached. The use of these synthetic substrates embedded within oligonucleotides is of utility in a number of applications.
US09896711B2	Fluorogenic or fluorophoric compounds and uses thereof Compounds are provided that are either fluorogenic or fluorophoric. Compositions and articles that include the compounds are also provided. Additionally, methods of detecting a microorganism using the compounds are provided. The compounds are fluorinated and can be used advantageously under acidic conditions.
US09896704B2	Method for producing L-isoleucine using a bacterium of the family Enterobacteriaceae having overexpressed the cycA gene The present invention provides a method for producing L-isoleucine by fermentation using a bacterium belonging to the family Enterobacteriaceae which has been modified to overexpress the cycA gene. The method also allows reducing the amount of byproduct amino acids that are produced during fementative production of L-isoleucine using Enterobacteriaceae bacterium having an L-isoleucine-producing ability.
US09896703B2	Method for producing transesterified fat and/or oil An object of the present invention is to provide a method in which a fat and/or oil is produced by a transesterification reaction using a lipase. Specifically, the present invention relates to a method for producing a transesterified fat and/or oil, comprising: (1) a low-temperature clay treatment step of bringing a fat and/or oil and a clay into contact with each other at 30 to 80° C. to obtain a reaction substrate; and (2) a step of subjecting the reaction substrate to a transesterification reaction in the presence of a lipase-containing composition.
US09896700B2	Engineered recombinant enzymes for methane oxidation Provided herein are soluble engineered polypeptides for oxidizing hydrocarbons, and methods of use, manufacture, and design thereof. In particular, soluble, polypeptides capable of oxidizing methane to methanol (e.g., hydroxylation) are provided.
US09896699B2	Somatic cell nuclear transfer methods The present invention provides methods for making reconstructed diploid human oocytes comprising the diploid genome of a human somatic cell, and also methods for making human nuclear transfer embryos, human embryonic stem cells, and human differentiated cells therefrom. The present invention also provides reconstructed human oocytes, human nuclear transfer embryos, human embryonic stem cells, and differentiated cells made using such methods, as well as compositions and kits useful in performing such methods.
US09896694B2	Acyltransferase polynucleotides, polypeptides and methods of use The invention provides chimeric DGAT1 proteins comprising: a) at their N-terminal ends, an N-terminal portion of a first DGAT1 protein, and b) at their C-terminal ends, a C-terminal portion of a second DGAT1 protein. The chimeric DGAT proteins show enhanced activity relative to at least one of the first DGAT1 protein and the second DGAT1 protein. The chimeric DGAT proteins of the invention can be expressed in cells to increase cellular lipid accumulation and/or modify the cellular lipid profile. The invention also provides polynucleotides encoding the chimeric DGAT1 proteins, cells and compositions comprising the polynucleotides or chimeric DGAT1 proteins, and methods using the chimeric DGAT1 proteins to produce oil.

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