Document Document Title
US09934583B2 Expectation maximization to determine position of ambient glints
Exemplary embodiments may involve analyzing reflections from an eye to help determine where the respective sources of the reflections are located. An exemplary method involves: (a) analyzing eye-image data to determine observed movement of a reflected feature on an eye surface; (b) determining an expected movement of the reflected feature on the eye surface given a value of a z-distance parameter; (c) determining a difference between the observed movement of the reflected feature on the eye surface and the expected movement of the reflected feature on the eye surface; (d) if the difference is less than a threshold, then associating the value of the z-distance parameter with a source of the reflected feature; and (e) if the difference is greater than the threshold, then: (i) making a predetermined adjustment to the value of the z-distance parameter; and (ii) repeating (a) to (d) with the adjusted value of the z-distance parameter.
US09934579B2 Coupled segmentation in 3D conventional ultrasound and contrast-enhanced ultrasound images
The present invention relates to an ultrasound imaging system (10) for inspecting an object (97) in a volume (40). The ultrasound imaging system comprises an image processor (36) configured to conduct a segmentation (80) of the object (97) simultaneously out of three-dimensional ultrasound mage data (62) and contrast-enhanced three-dimensional ultrasound image data (60). In particular, this may be done by minimizing an energy tem taking into account both the normal three-dimensional ultrasound image data and the contrast-enhanced three-dimensional image data. By this, the normal three-dimensional ultrasound image data and the contrast-enhanced three-dimensional image data may even be registered during segmentation. Hence, this invention allows a more precise quantification of one organ in two different modalities as well as the registration of two images for simultaneous visualization.
US09934577B2 Digital image edge detection
Edges are detected in a digital image including a plurality of pixels. For each of the plurality of pixels, a plurality of different edge assessments are made for that pixel. Each different edge assessment considers that pixel in a different position of a different pixel patch. The different edge assessments for each pixel are aggregated.
US09934575B2 Image processing apparatus, method and computer program to adjust 3D information based on human visual characteristics
According to some aspects, an image processing apparatus is provided, comprising circuitry configured to receive an input image, the input image being supplied as a stereoscopic image including a left image for a left eye and a right image for a right eye, calculate depth information for each of a plurality of sub-regions of the input image based at least in part on the right image and the left image, and determine, for each of the plurality of sub-regions of the input image, at least one luminance component based at least in part on the depth information and a function indicating a relationship between depth information and luminance value.
US09934570B2 Systems and methods for registering images obtained using various imaging modalities and verifying image registration
Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods to verify and/or obtain a registration of images obtained two image systems (such as a CT system and an MRI system) via the use of a third imaging modality (such as an ultrasound system).
US09934568B2 Computer-aided analysis and rendering of medical images using user-defined rules
Systems and methods that allow transfer and display rules to be defined based on one or more of several attributes, such as a particular user, site, device, and/or image/series characteristic, as well as whether individual images and/or image series are classified as thin slices and/or based on other characteristics, and applied to medical images in order to determine which images and/or image data are analyzed, downloaded, viewed, stored, rendered, processed, and/or any number of other actions that might be performed with respect to medical image data. The system and methods may include image analysis, image rendering, image transformation, image enhancement, and/or other aspects to enable efficient and customized review of medical images.
US09934566B2 3-D vessel tree surface reconstruction method
A method for reconstructing 3-D vessel geometry of a vessel includes: receiving a plurality of 2-D rotational X-ray images of the vessel; extracting vessel centerline points for normal cross sections of each of the plurality of 2-D images; establishing a correspondence of the centerline points; constructing a 3-D centerline vessel tree skeleton of the vessel; constructing an initial 3-D vessel surface having a uniform radius normal to the 3-D centerline vessel tree skeleton; and constructing a target 3-D vessel surface by deforming the initial vessel surface to provide a reconstructed 3-D vessel geometry of the vessel.
US09934563B2 3D object rotation-based mechanical parts selection through 2D image processing
Technologies are generally described for 3D object recognition through 2D image processing based on white balancing and object-rotation in machine vision systems. According to some examples, image recognition of an object captured with a camera under insufficient lighting may be achieved through white balancing. Processing cost reduction may be achieved in the learning process for image recognition through automatic generation of rotated 2D images of target objects to be detected, such as machine parts, from a small number of 2D images of a target object and generation of a 3D image of the target object from the rotated 2D images. Image recognition may thus be ensured even under insufficient lighting through execution of the image recognition process for multiple images and learning the successful recognition results. Some examples may be implemented in mechanical parts selection, where 2D images of the parts may be available beforehand.
US09934562B2 Method for dynamic range editing
A method of displaying a high dynamic range image, comprising receiving the high dynamic range image, calculating a first set of tone mapping parameters as a function of the high dynamic range image, sub-sampling the first set of tone mapping parameters at a first resolution to create a first sub-sampled parameter set, creating a first tone-mapped image by processing the high dynamic range image as a function of the first sub-sampled parameter set, and displaying the first tone-mapped image. A method of composting a plurality of versions of an image to create the high dynamic range image is also disclosed such that the compositing may be modified as a function of received user input.
US09934561B2 System, method, and computer program product for exchanging images
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for exchanging images. In use, one or more images are received at a server. Additionally, the one or more images are analyzed. Further, image processing code is outputted referencing the one or more images, based on the analysis of the one or more images. Additional systems, methods, and computer program products are also presented.
US09934559B2 Method for correcting an acquired image
A method of correcting an image obtained by an image acquisition device includes obtaining successive measurements, Gn, of device movement during exposure of each row of an image. An integration range, idx, is selected in proportion to an exposure time, te, for each row of the image. Accumulated measurements, Cn, of device movement for each row of an image are averaged across the integration range to provide successive filtered measurements, G, of device movement during exposure of each row of an image. The image is corrected for device movement using the filtered measurements G.
US09934558B2 Automatic video quality enhancement with temporal smoothing and user override
Technologies for a single-pass process for enhancing video quality with temporal smoothing. The process may include providing for user overrides of automatically enhanced video/frame characteristics and providing substantially immediate previews of enhanced video frames to a user. The process may also include detecting a degree of shakiness in a portion of the video, and performing or recommending stabilization based on the detected shakiness.
US09934557B2 Method and apparatus of image representation and processing for dynamic vision sensor
An apparatus and a method. The apparatus includes an image representation unit configured to receive a sequence of frames generated from events sensed by a dynamic vision sensor (DVS) and generate a confidence map from non-noise events; and an image denoising unit connected to the image representation unit and configured to denoise an image in a spatio-temporal domain. The method includes receiving, by an image representation unit, a sequence of frames generated from events sensed by a DVS, and generating a confidence map from non-noise events; and denoising, by an image denoising unit connected to the image representation unit, images formed from the frames in a spatio-temporal domain.
US09934554B2 Ultrasound imaging method/technique for speckle reduction/suppression in an improved ultra sound imaging system
The present invention relates to an improved ultrasound imaging method/technique for speckle reduction/suppression in an ultra sound imaging system in which scan conversion and speckle reduction is performed simultaneously in the scan conversion stage avoiding any kind of conventional interpolation. An improved method for speckle reduction in an ultrasound imaging system and an improved ultra sound imaging system for speckle reduction is provided in the present invention. The method comprises steps of receiving in a processor means raw data samples as an input comprising image signals with noises from a logarithmic amplifier, processing the received image signals for scan conversion and speckle reduction in the processor means so as to get pixel value from the raw data samples and to perform speckle reduction so as to provide speckle filtered output image.
US09934551B2 Split storage of anti-aliased samples
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to improving the performance of anti-aliased image rendering. One embodiment is a method of rendering a pixel from an anti-aliased image. The method includes: storing a first set and a second set of samples from a plurality of anti-aliased samples of the pixel respectively in a first memory and a second memory; and rendering a determined number of said samples from one of only the first set or the first and second sets. Corresponding system and computer program product embodiments are also disclosed.
US09934550B2 Method and device for composing a multilayer video image
A method for composing a multilayer video image of which the values of the pixels of the image layers are stored in a memory. The video image may include at least one first image layer and a second image layer located in front of the at least one first layer and having an opaque area. The method may include defining a region of the at least one first image layer to be hidden by the opaque area, reading from the memory the stored pixel values, with the exception of the values of the pixels of the region of the at least one first image layer, and composing the video image at least from the read pixel values.
US09934549B2 Tile-based graphics
A tile-based graphics system has a rendering space sub-divided into a plurality of tiles which are to be processed. Graphics data items, such as parameters or texels, are fetched into a cache for use in processing one of the tiles. Indicators are determined for the graphics data items, whereby the indicator for a graphics data item indicates the number of tiles with which that graphics data item is associated. The graphics data items are evicted from the cache in accordance with the indicators of the graphics data items. For example, the indicator for a graphics data item may be a count of the number of tiles with which that graphics data item is associated, whereby the graphics data item(s) with the lowest count(s) is (are) evicted from the cache.
US09934548B2 Hierarchical techniques for storing graphics primitives
Techniques are disclosed relating to storing primitive information for tile-based graphics rendering. In some embodiments, primitive information is stored using hierarchically arranged bins. In some embodiments, information for a given primitive may be stored at multiple levels in the hierarchy. For example, in some embodiments a graphics processor is configured to store primitive information for a primitive in a particular bin if the primitive (1) completely covers the area in screen space corresponding to the particular bin and (2) the primitive is not listed in any bins that correspond to a larger area that includes the area corresponding to the particular bin. This may reduce memory requirements because the memory needed for each primitive may be proportional to the width (or height) of the primitive multiplied by the log of the width (or height), rather than the area of the primitive.
US09934544B1 Secure consent management system
Features are disclosed relating to a network-based consent management system that securely manages various aspects of consenting and agreeing to engage in physical relationships, including sexual relationships. For example, the system can manage processes such as requesting and obtaining consent, agreeing to provide consent, declining to provide consent, preemptively providing or declining consent without a consent request, verifying identities of individual users, verifying users' capacity to consent, and the like. In addition, the system can securely maintain a record of consent agreements and refusals. Thus, users of the system can initiate or otherwise participate in certain physical interactions with other users, secure in the knowledge that the participants have provided unambiguous informed consent and that a record of such consent has been created and securely stored by a third party.
US09934538B2 Recalling crop-specific performance targets for controlling a mobile machine
Machine sensor inputs are received, and a set of performance metrics are calculated based upon the sensor inputs. The set of performance metrics are stored as a performance target along with one or more additional performance targets. One of the performance targets is retrieved and the machine automatically generates an action signal indicative of machine setting adjustments that can be made in order to control operation of the machine to more closely conform to the retrieved performance target.
US09934535B2 Systems and methods for the synchronization of transaction data
A method comprising receiving a category of metadata from an accounting software system, receiving a plurality of metadata labels associated with the category of metadata from the accounting software, receiving a ROC, receiving an association of one of the plurality of the metadata labels with the ROC, and/or transmitting the ROC and the association of the one of the plurality of the metadata labels with the ROC to the accounting software system. The category of metadata may comprise a card member name, an image of a receipt associated with the ROC, a description, and the like.
US09934529B2 Systems and methods for filtering colors in a color management system
A method of providing a color identification display includes accessing color data associated with a pool of candidate colors, wherein a first color metric and a second color metric are associated with each candidate color. Color data associated with a reference color is accessed, wherein the color data associated with the reference color includes values for the first color metric and the second color metric. A display is provided, wherein the display includes a first filter control associated with the first color metric and a second filter control associated with the second metric, wherein the first filter control and the second filter control are each selectable in two directions relative to the first color metric value and the second color metric value of the reference color. A selection of a first color metric direction relative to the reference color is received via the first filter control.
US09934528B2 Systems and methods for indicating the existence of accessible information pertaining to articles of commerce
A system and method are provided for indicating an existence of a link to information pertaining to an article of commerce. The present disclosure provides for downloading a look-up table from a server database to a mobile device via a communication network. The look-up table is configured to store a plurality of UPC numbers associated with a plurality of articles of commerce and a plurality of information link indicators. Each information link indicator is associated with a respective UPC number and article of commerce and indicates the existence of a link via the communication network to information pertaining to the respective article of commerce. The mobile device allows a consumer to immediately determine if product information is available for a particular article of commerce, via a visual or audible indication on the mobile device, without access to the communication network.
US09934527B2 Shoe selection support system
Provided is a shoe selection support system in which it is possible to utilize information from other people while considering individual differences and in which it is possible to easily select suitable shoes.This system is provided with: (a), a shoe information storage unit (27) which associates and stores shoe IDs and shoe information; (b), a member information storage unit (28) which associates and stores member IDs and member information that includes foot size; (c), a related information storage unit (29) which associates and stores related information, shoe IDs and member IDs; (d), a shoe size distribution generation unit (22) which generates shoe size distribution data for showing a shoe size distribution diagram; (e), a foot size distribution generation unit (23) which generates foot size distribution data for displaying a foot size distribution diagram; and (f), a member specification unit (25) which generates specific member data for showing the position corresponding to the foot size of the specified member in a shoe size distribution diagram and a foot size distribution diagram.
US09934524B2 Modifying configurations associated with a hosted electronic platform environment
Disclosed are various embodiments of a method and system for modifying configurations associated with a hosted electronic platform environment. A request to modify a configuration associated with an entity is obtained. The configuration describes at least one feature including an amount of bandwidth and/or an amount of storage space that is provided to the entity by a hosted service provider. A preview of the modified configuration is provided to the entity. After providing the preview, the configuration is modified.
US09934522B2 Systems and methods for batch- listing items stored offline on a mobile device
Embodiments of computer-implemented systems and methods are described for listing on a marketplace an item, or batch-listing a plurality of items, previously stored on a mobile device. One example embodiment comprises receiving a request from the mobile device for a price estimate for the prospective sale of an item or a plurality of items and subsequently receiving a request to list the item or a plurality of items. The listing process may include receiving images of one or more items, receiving data associated with the one or more items, and using the data, listing the one or more items on the marketplace.
US09934520B2 Revenue sharing
A server provides data to software applications executing at mobile devices. Billing information for each wireless device is shared with a provider of a software application. The server formats usage information into a transaction record for the content provider. A customer of a network carrier is charged differently based upon a type of content accessed through the server.
US09934518B2 Online reputation impacted information systems
Various embodiments may be generally directed to techniques and an apparatus to generate a plurality of rate indices from the historical rate information for one or more products, each of the rate indices associated with a different lead time, and determine a rate index from the plurality of rate indices associated with an optimal lead time based on a maximum correlation between the rate index and a reputation index, the reputation index based on the historical reputation information for the one or more products. In addition, a multiple linear regression model comprising one or more parameters may be generated using the rate index, the reputation index, and one or more indicator values, the multiple linear regression model may be used to determine a reputation impacted rate for a product.
US09934515B1 Content recommendation system using a neural network language model
The present disclosure relates to applying techniques similar to those used in neural network language modeling systems to a content recommendation system. For example, by associating consumed media content to words of a language model, the system may provide content predictions based on an ordering. Thus, the systems and techniques described herein may produce enhanced prediction results for recommending content (e.g. word) in a given sequence of consumed content. In addition, the system may account for additional user actions by representing particular actions as punctuation in the language model.
US09934510B2 Architecture for distribution of advertising content and change propagation
A system comprises an interface for enabling a user having a web property to input advertisement information including a web property advertisement, criteria indicating when presentation of the advertisement is desired by the user, a bid for the presentation of the advertisement when the criteria are met, and subsequent modifications to the advertisement information; geographically distributed servers, a plurality of the geographically distributed servers for storing the advertisement information, at least one of the geographically distributed servers for receiving a request for advertisement content from an advertising channel, at least one of the geographically distributed servers for determining whether the request meets the criteria, and at least one of the geographically distributed servers for forwarding the advertisement to the advertising channel in response to the request when the criteria have been met; and a distribution component for propagating the advertisement information to the geographically distributed servers according to an arrangement.
US09934509B2 Method for verifying the authenticity of a product
In order to verify the authenticity of a product associated with a host device, the product contains, in segments of a non-volatile memory, several different functions stored in ciphered fashion. The host device sends a control signal for selecting and activating one of those ciphered functions. The product then deciphers and executes the function. The result of the function execution is then communicated back to host device when a decision on product authenticity is made.
US09934503B2 Apparatus and method for manipulating images
An apparatus and method for manipulating images is disclosed. In one embodiment according to the invention, a method for manipulating images comprises: displaying for manipulation at a browser-based user interface a graphical representation of at least a portion of an image held at a remote image store; providing an internet communications link coupling the user interface to a remote image processor; transferring information about manipulations applied to the graphical representation between the user interface and the remote image processor; and causing the remote image processor to access the remote image store and apply, to at least a portion of the image held in the store, manipulations emulating those applied to the graphical representation. In another embodiment according to the invention, there is disclosed a method for applying a personalized image to a financial account access means corresponding to a financial account of a customer. The method comprises: associating financial data, corresponding to the financial account of the customer, with a customer image identifier in a financial account association table maintained securely from a user interface; associating the customer image identifier with user image selection data based on user selections made on the user interface in relation to a graphical representation of at least a portion of an original image held in an image store; and applying the personalized image to the financial account access means, the personalized image being based on the user image selection data associated with the customer image identifier.
US09934501B1 Systems and methods for an improved self-checkout with speed tender transaction options
A checkout apparatus including a self-checkout unit having a product identification device, a payment identification device, a microprocessor and a point-of-sale system configured to allow a touchless speed tender transaction. The invention also includes an apparatus and method for offering a mode-driven and/or customer-driven checkout transaction.
US09934500B2 Tailored display of payment options
A system according to an embodiment comprises one or more processors; and one or more memories in communication with the one or more processors and adapted to store a plurality of machine-readable instructions which when executed by the one or more processors are adapted to cause the system to: offer, by a merchant at a Point of Sale (POS), at least one payment option in connection with a transaction for at least one item, wherein the payment option(s) is presented in a display tailored to a specific user based on information maintained by the merchant about the specific user; and process the transaction using a payment option selected by the user.
US09934488B2 User interface navigation elements for navigating datasets
One embodiment of the invention sets forth a data navigation engine that generates user interface navigation elements for navigation large and expanding datasets. The user interface navigation elements may include a pivot control zoom slider for adjusting the data resolution with respect to different zoom pivot locations, an interactive ruler for consistent visual feedback and navigation of intervals of data within the dataset, a context bar for viewing the data proximate to a current view, and a multi-scale slider for repositioning the dataset within the current view. These user interface navigation elements provide the end-user with consistent control and visual feedback while navigating the dataset, independent of the size of the dataset or the portion of the dataset displayed within the current view. Therefore, large and expanding datasets can be navigated more effectively relative to prior art approaches.
US09934484B2 Global back-end taxonomy for commerce environments
A method for defining, generating, and using a global back-end taxonomy is disclosed. It is identified that a listing of an item is exposed to a plurality of users of a first subsystem via a set of categories of a first front-end taxonomy. The listing of the item is mapped to a set of categories of a global back-end taxonomy, the global back-end taxonomy being maintained independently of the first front-end taxonomy and a second front-end taxonomy, the second front-end taxonomy being associated with a second subsystem. A category of the set of categories of the global back-end taxonomy is mapped to a category of a set of categories of the second front-end taxonomy associated with the second subsystem. The listing of the item is exposed to a plurality of users of the second subsystem via the set of categories of the second front-end taxonomy.
US09934483B1 Off network return operations for pickup locations
A pickup location may be enabled to continue to operate when communication over a network is not available. When communication is not available, a pickup location may not be able to send a confirmation that a user has dropped off an item for a return or to send a request to have the item retrieved by a carrier. The pickup location may be enabled to assign a stored access code that was previously sent to a carrier and which will allow the item to be retrieved by the carrier who has arrived at the pickup location for reasons other than a request to retrieve the item. A retrieval confirmation from the carrier may be utilized to allow a refund or replacement process to be initiated, and to update capacity information for the pickup location, if the carrier meets a certain confidence threshold requirement based on past performance.
US09934472B2 Parking reservation system
A parking reservation system for a parking lot provided with a plurality of parking spaces, comprising parking spaces for reservation to which reservation of user with reservation is set and is also available for user without reservation; and spare parking spaces which the user with reservation can use instead of the parking spaces for reservation when the parking spaces for reservation to which reservation of the user with reservation is set is used by the user without reservation, wherein a spare number setting section is provided for setting number of the spare parking spaces by using usage behavior relation information in relation to usage behavior at the parking lot of the user at least either of the user without reservation or the user with reservation.
US09934470B2 Production equipment including machine learning system and assembly and test unit
Production equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a machine learning system and an assembly and test unit. The assembly and test unit chooses components from component groups having different characteristic values, assembles the chosen components into a product, and tests the assembled product. The machine learning system includes a state observer for observing a test result of the product and the inventory amounts of the components grouped based on the characteristic values of the components; a reward calculator for calculating a reward based on the test result and the inventory amounts; an artificial intelligence for determining an action value based on an observation result by the state observer and the reward calculated by the reward calculator; and a decision maker for choosing components to be used in the next product assembly from the component groups based on a determination result by the artificial intelligence.
US09934469B1 Method and apparatus for quantum information processing using entangled neutral-atom qubits
A method for preparing an entangled quantum state of an atomic ensemble is provided. The method includes loading each atom of the atomic ensemble into a respective optical trap; placing each atom of the atomic ensemble into a same first atomic quantum state by impingement of pump radiation; approaching the atoms of the atomic ensemble to within a dipole-dipole interaction length of each other; Rydberg-dressing the atomic ensemble; during the Rydberg-dressing operation, exciting the atomic ensemble with a Raman pulse tuned to stimulate a ground-state hyperfine transition from the first atomic quantum state to a second atomic quantum state; and separating the atoms of the atomic ensemble by more than a dipole-dipole interaction length.
US09934466B2 Enhanced personalization in multi-user devices
Disclosed herein is an enhanced device personalization that personalizes a user's experience with a device, e.g., a multi-user device. Rather than personalizing based on the specific user(s) that are using, an active entity, which represents a type of consumption, may be generated and used to make recommendations for personalizing an experience using the device. In a case of a multi-user device, each user's experience is personalized by determining an active entity for the user's experience and without knowledge of which user is using the device.
US09934465B2 Systems and methods for analyzing and synthesizing complex knowledge representations
Techniques for analyzing and synthesizing complex knowledge representations (KRs) may utilize an atomic knowledge representation model including both an elemental data structure and knowledge processing rules stored as machine-readable data and/or programming instructions. One or more of the knowledge processing rules may be applied to analyze an input complex KR to deconstruct its complex concepts and/or concept relationships to elemental concepts and/or concept relationships to be included in the elemental data structure. One or more of the knowledge processing rules may be applied to synthesize an output complex KR from the stored elemental data structure in accordance with an input context. Multiple input complex KRs of various types may be analyzed and deconstructed to populate the elemental data structure, and input complex KRs may be transformed through the elemental data structure to output complex KRs of different types, providing semantic interoperability to KRs of different types and/or KR models.
US09934462B1 Visualizing deep neural networks
Deep neural networks can be visualized. For example, first values for a first layer of nodes in a neural network, second values for a second layer of nodes in the neural network, and/or third values for connections between the first layer of nodes and the second layer of nodes can be received. A quilt graph can be output that includes (i) a first set of symbols having visual characteristics representative of the first values and representing the first layer of nodes along a first axis; (ii) a second set of symbols having visual characteristics representative of the second values and representing the second layer of nodes along a second axis; and/or (iii) a matrix of blocks between the first axis and the second axis having visual characteristics representative of the third values and representing the connections between the first layer of nodes and the second layer of nodes.
US09934461B2 Dose counter and dispensing apparatus
The present invention provides dose counter for displaying a count indication of the number or quantity of doses dispensed from or remaining in a container associated, in use, with the dose counter, comprising an indicator member comprising dose indicia and a priming indicator for prompting a user to carry out one or more priming actuations of the container. The priming indicator is initially arranged to at least partially overly the indicator member to thereby at least partially obscure viewing of the dose indicia of the indicator member until the one or more priming actuations of the container have been completed. The priming indicator is movable after the one or more priming actuations have been completed into a disposition where it no longer obscures viewing of the dose indicia of the indicator member. The invention also provides a dispensing apparatus comprising the dose counter.
US09934460B2 Dual-mode anti-counterfeiting tag
An NFC tag includes a foldable substrate in the form of a tape; an antenna located at a first end of the tape; a capacitor connected to the antenna, located at the first end of the tape; an impedance, in particular a capacitor, located at a second end of the tape; and conductive tracks running along the tape to connect the impedance to the antenna.
US09934457B2 Method of securing a two-dimensional barcode
A method of securing a redundant initial two-dimensional barcode includes providing an initial message having a unique identifier, encoding the initial message as a set of predefined symbols so as to generate a redundant initial two-dimensional barcode having a redundant zone, generating a unique secret character string having a predefined fixed size, encoding the unique secret character string as a set of predefined symbols identical to the symbols used to generate the redundant initial two-dimensional barcode, and inserting the encoded unique secret character string into a redundant zone of the redundant initial two-dimensional barcode, each symbol of said encoded unique secret character string having a predefined position, so as to create a final two-dimensional barcode.
US09934456B2 Printing device having restriction print function
A printing device includes: a supply tray; a sensor; a print unit; a memory; and a controller. The sensor is configured to selectively output a first signal indicating absence of a sheet on the supply tray and a second signal indicating presence of a sheet on the supply tray. The controller is configured to: create first authentication information when the first signal changes to the second signal; store the first authentication information in the memory; accept a job that uses a sheet on the supply tray; determine that a first job is accepted, the first job being such a job that accompanies second authentication information, the first job being executable when the second authentication information is in coincidence with the first authentication information; and control the print unit to execute the first job.
US09934453B2 Multi-source multi-modal activity recognition in aerial video surveillance
Multi-source multi-modal activity recognition for conducting aerial video surveillance comprising detecting and tracking multiple dynamic targets from a moving platform, representing FMV target tracks and chat-messages as graphs of attributes, associating FMV tracks and chat-messages using a probabilistic graph based mapping approach; and detecting spatial-temporal activity boundaries.
US09934452B2 Pruning and label selection in hidden Markov model-based OCR
Systems and techniques are provided for pruning a node from a possible nodes list for Hidden Markov Model with label transition node pruning. The node may be a label transition node. A frame may be at a predicted segmentation point in decoding input with the Hidden Markov Model. The node may be scored at the frame. The node may be pruned from the possible nodes list for the frame when score for the node is greater than the sum of a best score among nodes on the possible nodes list for the frame and a beam threshold minus a penalty term. A possible nodes list may be generated for a subsequent frame using label selection. A second node may be pruned from the possible nodes list for the subsequent frame with early pruning.
US09934448B2 Key blank identification system with groove scanning
A key identification system is provided. The key identification system comprises an imaging system to capture an image of a master key, and a logic to analyze the captured image. The imaging system may be capture an image of a groove in the master key from an angle between perpendicular and parallel to the blade of said master key. The logic analyzes the captured image to compare characteristics of the groove with groove characteristics of known key blanks to determine the likelihood of a match between the master key and a known key blank. The key identification system may further compensate for displacement or orientation of the master key with respect to the imaging system when analyzing characteristics of the groove.
US09934444B2 Image processing apparatus, image processing method and computer-readable storage medium
According to an embodiment, an image processing apparatus includes an interface that receives a first image and a second image. A processor extracts a first character string appearing on the first image, and a second character string appearing on the second image. The processor determines that both the first character string and the second character string correspond to a photographed subject in the first image and second image. The processor cuts out each of the characters constituting the first character string, in units of a character. The processor cuts out each of the characters constituting the second character string, in units of a character. The processor calculates a first similarity degree group and a second similarity degree group. The processor recognizes a character string of the subject, based on the first similarity degree group and the second similarity degree group.
US09934443B2 Methods and systems for detecting head motion during an authentication transaction
A method for detecting user head motion during an authentication transaction is provided that includes generating, by a processor, a motion type feature vector and a user head motion type prediction based on data generated for a sequence of frames. The frames are included in biometric data captured from a user. Moreover, the method includes generating a liveness rating feature vector based on the generated frame data, merging the motion type and liveness rating vectors, and generating a spoof prediction from the merged vector. When the generated spoof prediction indicates biometric data in the frames was spoofed, the method includes changing the user head motion type prediction to no motion. The method also includes storing the user head motion type prediction in a buffer and determining a final user head motion type detected for the frames.
US09934435B2 Image processing apparatus and image processing method
An image processing apparatus determines an exceptional frame of a plurality of frames forming a moving image captured by an ophthalmic apparatus including an aberration correction device, and applies image processing of a blood vessel area for a frame, among the plurality of frames, which has not been determined as the exceptional frame.
US09934428B2 Method and system for detecting pedestrians
The invention relates to a method for detecting a pedestrian (27) moving in an environmental region of a motor vehicle relatively to the motor vehicle based on a temporal sequence of images (18) of the environmental region, which are provided by means of a camera of the motor vehicle (1), wherein characteristic features are extracted from the images (18) and a plurality of optical flow vectors is determined to the characteristic features of at least two consecutively captured images of the sequence by means of an image processing device of the motor vehicle, which indicate a movement of the respective characteristic features over the sequence, wherein for detecting the pedestrian (27), several confidence metrics are determined based on the characteristic features and the optical flow vectors, and based on the confidence metrics, it is examined if a preset plausibility check criterion required for the detection of the pedestrian (27) is satisfied, wherein the pedestrian (27) is supposed to be detected if the plausibility check criterion with respect to the confidence metrics is satisfied.
US09934427B2 Video monitoring system
A monitoring system includes cameras adapted to capture images and depth data of the images. A computer device processes the image signals and depth data from the cameras according to various software modules that monitor one or more of the following: (a) compliance with patient care protocols; (b) patient activity; (c) equipment usage; (d) the location and/or usage of assets; (e) patient visitation metrics; (f) data from other sensors that is integrated with the image and depth data; (g) gestures by the patient or caregivers that are used as signals or for controls of equipment, and other items. Alerts may be issued if any conditions of importance are detected.
US09934426B2 System and method for inspecting emotion recognition capability using multisensory information, and system and method for training emotion recognition using multisensory information
The present invention relates to a system and a method for inspecting an emotion recognition capability using multisensory information, and a system and a method for training emotion recognition using multisensory information. More particularly, the present invention comprises: an output unit for outputting multisensory information including at least one emotional state of a subject person to the outside; an input unit for receiving, from a tested person, emotional state information, which indicates whether the output multisensory information is identical to at least one emotional state of the subject person, on the basis of the output multisensory information; a comparison identification unit for identifying whether the received emotional state information is identical to reference emotional state information corresponding to the multisensory information pre-stored in a storage unit; and a control unit for determining an emotion recognition capability of the tested person according to a result of the identification of the received emotional state information. Due to such a configuration, a system and a method for inspecting an emotion recognition capability using multisensory information and a system and a method for training emotion recognition using multisensory information according to the present invention can determine an emotional state of a subject person by using multisensory information and thus can easily identify an emotion recognition capability of other people.
US09934425B2 Collection of affect data from multiple mobile devices
A user interacts with various pieces of technology to perform numerous tasks and activities. Reactions can be observed and mental states inferred from these performances. Multiple devices, including mobile devices, can observe and record or transmit a user's mental state data. The mental state data collected from the multiple devices can be used to analyze the mental states of the user. The mental state data can be in the form of facial expressions, electrodermal activity, movements, or other detectable manifestations. Multiple cameras on the multiple devices can be usefully employed to collect facial data. An output can be rendered based on an analysis of the mental state data.
US09934420B2 Fingerprint information processing method and apparatus for speed improvement of fingerprint registration and authentication
A fingerprint information processing method and apparatus in which the method includes: obtaining a fingerprint image; calculating an average value of shading values of pixels in a specific region based on a pixel with respect to each pixel of the fingerprint image, performing a first processing of calculating a sum of average values of shading values of pixels included in an expanded region while gradually expanding the specific region, and generating a first processing image for the fingerprint image using a first processing-performed value for each pixel; and forming a window including a predetermined region in the first processing image, and selecting feature points among pixels in a window region while moving the window.
US09934419B2 Package structure, electronic device and method for manufacturing package structure
A package structure, an electronic device and a method for manufacturing the package structure are presented. The package structure comprises: a substrate (100), a sensing module (200) disposed on an upper surface of the substrate (100) and electrically connected to the substrate (100), and a package colloid (300) disposed on the upper surface of the substrate (100) and coating at least one portion of the sensing module (200), wherein the sensing module (200) comprises a capacitive sensor (210) and an optical sensor (220), and the package colloid (300) comprises at least one portion of a photic zone (310) disposed corresponding to the optical sensor (220). Thus, the capacitive sensor and the optical sensor can be packaged in one package structure, so as to improve the degree of integration of the package structure and save the package space.
US09934413B2 Magnetic reader identification of objects
A magnetic reader for identifying an object includes a hardware processor, a memory storing multiple magnetic field profiles, and a magnetic field detector. The hardware processor of the magnetic reader is configured to detect, using the magnetic field detector, a magnetic field produced by one or more elements incorporated into the object, and to measure, using the magnetic field detector, one or more characteristics of the magnetic field. The hardware processor of the magnetic reader is further configured to compare the one or more characteristics of the magnetic field to one or more of the multiple magnetic field profiles stored in the memory, and to identify the object based on the comparison.
US09934410B1 Security data path verification
A formal verification approach verifies data access and data propagation paths in a circuit design by proving the unreachability of path cover properties of the circuit design. A security path verification system receives an original circuit model of a circuit design, along with parameters identifying a first location within the circuit design that is a source of tainted data and a second location within the circuit design that is coupled to the first location. The security path verification system also receives a selection of portions of the circuit design to be excluded from the verification analysis. Using an abstracted version of the exclude portions, the security verification system generates a second circuit model of the circuit design for use in determining whether the tainted data can reach the second location from the first location within the circuit design.
US09934408B2 Secure personal content server
A local content server system (LCS) for creating a secure environment for digital content is disclosed, which system comprises: a communications port in communication for connecting the LCS via a network to at least one Secure Electronic Content Distributor (SECD), which SECD is capable of storing a plurality of data sets, is capable of receiving a request to transfer at least one content data set, and is capable of transmitting the at least one content data set in a secured transmission; a rewritable storage medium whereby content received from outside the LCS may be stored and retrieved; a domain processor that imposes rules and procedures for content being transferred between the LCS and devices outside the LCS; and a programmable address module which can be programmed with an identification code uniquely associated with the LCS. The LCS is provided with rules and procedures for accepting and transmitting content data.
US09934405B2 Inter-process access control
A kernel receives a request to execute a first process instance from an agent. The first process instance is an instance of a first program. The kernel obtains one or more access control rules related to the agent. The kernel permits execution of the first process instances based on the access control rules. The kernel detects the first process instance attempting to access a second process instance during execution of the first process instance. The second process instance is an instance of a second program currently being executed. The kernel determines whether to grant the first process instance permission to access the second process instances based on the access control rules.
US09934402B2 Method and system for protecting user choices
A system, method, and computer-accessible medium for protecting user choice settings are provided. The system and method provide an application programming interface that uses a security subsystem to unlock, write, and relock the user choice settings to insure that the user's choices are enforced and respected by the applications that attempt to change them in a manner that is verifiable and transparent to the user. The user is notified whenever a change to their user choice settings is made.
US09934398B2 Bluetooth key apparatus
A Bluetooth key apparatus is provided. The apparatus comprises a control unit; a Bluetooth locking device connected with the control unit; and a Bluetooth unlocking device connected with the control unit. After setting, the Bluetooth unlocking device and the Bluetooth locking device are specifically grouped for handshake communication. After waking up the Bluetooth locking device, the Bluetooth unlocking device receives a password provided by the Bluetooth locking device; and, after the Bluetooth unlocking device inputs the password, the Bluetooth locking device is unlocked. Thus, the present invention effectively enhances anti-theft, distributes key remotely, manages key databases and prevents password from leaking.
US09934390B2 Data redaction system
An electronic data storage and retrieval system comprising one or more first computing devices and a second computing device. The one or more first computing devices comprise a plurality of first data files, wherein, each of the plurality of first data files is associated with a first authentication level. The second computing device is associated with a second authentication level. Upon receiving a request to provide at least one of the plurality of first data files from the second computing device, the one or more first computing devices compares the first authentication level with the second authentication level, and creates a copy of the at least one of the plurality of first data files. The copy of the at least one of the plurality of first data files comprises a portion of the at least one of the plurality of first data files.
US09934384B2 Risk assessment for software applications
Disclosed are various embodiments for assessing risk associated with a software application on a user computing device in an enterprise networked environment. An application rating is generated for the software application based at least in part on application characteristics. A risk analysis for the installation of the application is generated based at least in part on the application rating, the user computing device, and user information.
US09934382B2 Virtual machine image encryption
Embodiments of the present disclosure include systems and methods for encrypting a virtual machine image and accessing an encrypted virtual machine image. According to some embodiments an encryption module can encrypt a virtual machine image and place an encryption boot loader. The encryption boot loader may be extracted from the encrypted virtual machine image, be transmitted to, and stored at a key storage system. Upon a request to boot an operating system associated with the encrypted virtual machine image, a pre-boot execution environment may communicate with an image service to retrieve the encryption boot loader from the remote key storage system. The virtual machine image may therefore be decrypted suing the encryption boot loader, which may allow booting of the operating system.
US09934381B1 System and method for detecting malicious activity based on at least one environmental property
Techniques for detecting exfiltration content are described herein. According to one embodiment, a malicious content suspect is executed and a packet inspection of outbound network traffic is performed by a packet inspector running within the virtual machine. Occurring before the outbound network traffic leaving the virtual machine, the packet inspector determines whether a portion of outbound network traffic matches one or more portions of predetermined network traffic patterns or signatures. If so, a determination is made whether the outbound network traffic includes at least one environmental property of the virtual machine that is unique or almost unique to the virtual machine. If so, migration of the outbound network traffic outside of the virtual machine is precluded and an alert is transmitted. The alert includes the malicious content suspect that is attempting to perform an exfiltration of data.
US09934378B1 Systems and methods for filtering log files
The disclosed computer-implemented method for filtering log files may include (1) identifying, on the endpoint computing device, log files that recorded events performed by processes executing on the endpoint computing device, (2) prior to sending the log files from the endpoint computing device to a security server for analysis, filtering, based on an analysis of the events recorded by the log files, the log files by excluding log files that recorded non-suspicious events, and (3) forwarding the filtered log files from the endpoint computing device to the security server for analysis. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US09934376B1 Malware detection appliance architecture
A threat-aware virtualization module may be deployed in a malware detection appliance architecture and execute on a malware detection system (MDS) appliance to provide exploit and malware detection within a network environment. The virtualization module may underlie an operating system kernel of the MDS appliance and execute in kernel space of the architecture to control access to kernel resources of the appliance for any operating system process. A type 0 virtual machine monitor may be disposed over the virtualization module and execute in user space of the architecture as a pass-through module configured to expose the kernel resources of the appliance to the operating system kernel. One or more hypervisors, e.g., type 1 VMM, may be further disposed over the virtualization module and execute in user space of the architecture under control of the virtualization module to support execution of one or more guest operating systems inside one or more full virtual machines.
US09934375B2 Secured execution of a web application
Methods and nodes for securing execution of a web application by determining that a call dependency from a first to a second function needs to be protected, adding a Partial Execution Stub (PES) function comprising code to establish a communication connection with a trusted module. Methods and nodes for secured execution of a web application by invoking a function of the web application, invoking a Partial Execution Stub (PES) function during execution of the function of the web application, sending, from the PES function, a message call with current execution information to a trusted module and receiving, a verification result from the trusted module.
US09934373B1 User enrollment and authentication
In some implementations, a system may control an environment in which biometric data is entered when a user enrolls data for a user account or authenticates after having enrolled user data. Enrollment and/or authentication may be required to occur under one or more conditions. In some implementations, data from an electronic device associated with a user may be used to determine whether conditions on enrollment and/or authentication have been satisfied.
US09934371B2 Fingerprint recognition method and electronic device performing thereof
A fingerprint recognition method and electronic device performing the same are provided. The electronic device includes a fingerprint sensor configured to perform fingerprint sensing according to a control signal of a processor, and includes the processor configured to obtain a fingerprint-unrecognizable position from a sensing area of the fingerprint sensor, to obtain, based on the fingerprint-unrecognizable position, a distance to a fingerprint from the fingerprint-unrecognizable position, and to control, based on the distance, the fingerprint sensor by adjusting a sensing operation of the fingerprint sensor.
US09934370B2 Mobile device access for medical devices
Methods for controlling a medical device using a software application on a mobile device are provided. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a request from the software application on the mobile device to open a communications channel for at least one of audio communication or text-based communication, and sending from the server an instruction to the medical device based on the request. The method also includes providing to the software application on the mobile device for display a result of the instruction. Systems, graphical user interfaces, and machine-readable media are also provided.
US09934365B2 Medical reminder and dispensing device
A system for dispensing doses of medication to a patient includes a reminder/dispenser device and a remote monitoring station. The reminder/dispenser device includes a plurality of medication holding drawers; a plurality of drawer rails mounted between a device housing and the plurality of drawers; and a plurality of electromagnets, each of which is mounted in the housing adjacent to one of the plurality of drawers configured to maintain the drawer in the closed position when the electromagnet is in a first state and to automatically open the drawer when the electromagnet is in a second state. The device also includes a patient input component to allow the patient to confirm that the drawer has been emptied of medication in accordance with a pre-programmed dosing schedule. The remote monitoring station is configured to receive an alert from the device when the patient is not in compliance with the dosing schedule.
US09934363B1 Automatically assessing the mental state of a user via drawing pattern detection and machine learning
A method and system for automatically assessing the mental state of a user from a drawing made by the user. The mental state of the user is automatically assessed by digitizing a drawing and determining and analyzing drawing characteristics, including color, objects, and location. Video analytics are used to determine and analyze user time characteristics and mood characteristics. The mental state of the user is automatically determined by interpreting the color, object, location, time and mood characteristics and to automatically select a user action. A machine learning algorithm can learn developmental patterns of the user from historical data about a plurality of the user's drawings and the characteristics of the drawings to determine the mental state of the user. The machine learning algorithm can be used in selecting the user action.
US09934361B2 Method for generating healthcare-related validated prediction models from multiple sources
Provided is a method for generating prediction models from multiple healthcare centers. The method allows a third party to use data sets from multiple sources to build prediction models. By entering the data sets in a Model Deconstruction and Transfer (MDT) platform, a healthcare center may provide data to a third party without the need to de-identify data or to physically transfer any identifying or de-identified data from the healthcare center. The MDT platform includes a variable library, which allows the healthcare center to select variables that will be used to generate and validate the prediction model. Also provided is a method for compensating sources that contribute data sets based upon the percentage of clinical data that is used to generate a prediction model.
US09934354B1 Methods, systems, and computer program product for implementing a layout-driven, multi-fabric schematic design
Disclosed are techniques for implementing a layout-driven, multi-fabric schematic design of an electronic design. These techniques identify a multi-fabric layout spanning across multiple design fabrics and layout connectivity information and determine a device map that correlates a first set of devices in the multi-fabric layout with respective parasitic models. The device map can be identified one or more pre-existing device maps or can be constructed anew. A multi-fabric schematic can be generated by using at least the respective parasitic models and the layout connectivity information.
US09934352B2 Method and system for manufacturing a semiconductor device
A method of making a three-dimensional (3D) integrated circuit (IC) includes performing a series of simulations of operations of a first die of the 3DIC in response to a corresponding series of input vectors and at least one environment temperature. The method also includes adjusting, for at least one simulation in the series of simulations, the at least one environment temperature based on an operational temperature profile of a second die of the 3DIC.
US09934344B2 Enhanced parameter tuning for very-large-scale integration synthesis
A method and system are provided for tuning parameters of a synthesis program for a design description. The method includes (a) ranking individual parameter impact by evaluating a design-cost function of each of the parameters. The method further includes (b) creating a set of possible parameter combinations that is ordered by an estimated-cost function. The method additionally includes (c) selecting, from the set of possible parameter combinations, top-k scenarios having best estimated costs to form a potential set, and running at least some of the top-k scenarios in parallel through the synthesis program. The method also includes (d) repeating steps (b)-(c) for one or more iterations until at least one of a maximum iteration limit is reached and an exit criterion is satisfied.
US09934343B2 System and method for generation of an integrated circuit design
A method for verification of a design of an electronic circuit is provided. The method includes executing test runs of the design. The method further includes increasing a fail counter if the executing of a test run of the test runs failed. The method further includes increasing a pass counter if the executing of the test run of the test runs passed. The method further includes halting the executing of the test runs of the design if the current ratio of the fail counter versus the pass counter exceeds a predetermined threshold.
US09934341B2 Simulation of modifications to microprocessor design
A first open path in a microprocessor design is identified. At least one modification to a design of that first open path is simulated. An updated arrival time at a pin is calculated based on the simulated modification or modifications. An updated path time is then calculated based on the updated arrival time.
US09934340B2 Contact simulation method for rubber material
A computer-implemented method for simulating a contact state of a rubber material with a contact surface is disclosed, wherein a rubber model of the rubber material is defined; the rubber material is modeled by a finite number of particles on which a motion equation is defined; a contact zone model of a contact zone including the contact surface is defined; the contact zone is modeled by a finite number of particles; the rubber model is contacted with the contact zone model and a deformation calculation of the rubber model is performed; and the motion equations defined on the particles of the rubber material have a term expressive of resilience of the rubber material.
US09934336B2 Method of correcting electron proximity effects using Voigt type scattering functions
A method for projecting an electron beam used notably in lithography by direct or indirect writing as well as in electron microscopy, is provided. Notably for critical dimensions or resolutions of less than 50 nm, the proximity effects created by the forward and backward scattering of the electrons of the beam in interaction with the target must be corrected. This is traditionally done using the convolution of a point spread function with the geometry of the target. In the prior art, said point spread function uses Gaussian distribution laws. At least one of the components of the point spread function is a linear combination of Voigt functions and/or of functions approximating Voigt functions, such as the Pearson VII functions. In certain embodiments, some of the functions are centered on the backward scattering peaks of the radiation.
US09934332B1 Random sample aggregation similarities
Disclosed are various embodiments for a similarity service. Multiple samplings of user accounts are randomly selected from a pool of user accounts. Interaction history data for each of the user accounts is used to determine item similarities corresponding to each of the user account samplings. The item similarity data is aggregated to determine similar items.
US09934331B2 Query suggestions
Technologies are described herein for providing query suggestions. In order to provide a query suggestion, access may be detected at a data source. An initial query suggestion for a query of the data source may then be identified based, at least in part, on non-query data. The initial query suggestion may then be returned for display in a user-interface (UI) element. Additional query suggestions might also be provided based upon non-query data in response to a modification of the query.
US09934330B2 Query generation
A query generator is operable to generate a query for retrieving data that satisfy a conditional expression from a database, and/or perform an arbitrary calculation on at least part of the retrieved data. The query generator can receive an input query and analyze the query to ascertain whether it contains a replaceable token. If the query contains a replaceable token, the query generator can replace that token with user input specifying a parameter of the conditional expression and/or the arbitrary calculation, thereby generating an output query for retrieving the data that satisfy the conditional expression and/or performing the arbitrary calculation on the retrieved data.
US09934329B2 Composite term index for graph data
This application is directed to an indexing system for graph data. In particular implementations, the indexing system uses a database index infrastructure that provides for flexible search capability to data objects and associations between data objects. Particular embodiments relate to an indexing system for storing and serving information modeled as a graph that includes nodes and edges that define associations or relationships between nodes that the edges connect in the graph.
US09934324B2 Index structure to accelerate graph traversal
A system, computer-implemented method, and computer-readable storage medium for generating a block-based index, are provided. A block index is generated where the block index comprises a plurality of blocks and a block corresponds to a section of a graph column that stores a value. A block range vector is also generated for the index where the block range vector includes range information for the block that corresponds to the section of the graph and where the block-based index facilitates traversal of the graph column that searches for the value by constraining the traversal to the section of the graph.
US09934321B2 System and method of accelerating response time to inquiries regarding inventory information in a network
A method and system for distributing access to inventory items available at vendor locations includes user stations transmitting user inquiries on a communications network. Network-connected location servers access a set of inventory availability information associated with inventory items available at their respective location, for example, tables at a restaurant. The host server receives user inquiries regarding availability of items associated with at least some of the location servers and queries a cache server that locally stores a binary subset of the information from the location servers to determine if the requested item is available without having to separately query the database at each location. Particularly, a web server receives and stores information regarding only whether a requested item is available or not available from a particular location rather than how many items are available at the location. A user, therefore, can access availability of inventory items with less communications traffic.
US09934319B2 Method of and system for determining creation time of a web resource
A method and server for determining a creation time of a target page is disclosed. A page network of a plurality of pages including the target page and a plurality of links therebetween is created. Each page is a source or destination page for at least one link. Each page has a creation time and a creation time parameter. An initial value is assigned to the creation time parameter for each page. The creation time parameter of the target page is varied to maximize a page network probability which is based on a link probability for each link which is based at least in part on a difference between the creation time parameters of the source and destination pages thereof. The creation time of the target page is determined to be the value of the creation time parameter thereof which maximizes the page network probability.
US09934317B2 Electronic audio product supporting interactive interconnected system
An electronic audio product supports transmit-receive of an audio information signal of an interactive interconnected system comprising an electronic reading device and an electronic transmitter-receiver. The audio information signal is formed by associated data and audio data. The associated data is a preset Uniform Resource Identifier. The electronic transmitter-receiver is provided with an associated data reception circuit, an associated data transmission circuit and a central processing unit (with memory). The associated data reception circuit is equipped with a short-distance signal transmission-reception circuit; and the electronic transmitter-receiver is configured to control transmit-receive of the associated data of the decomposed audio information signal, receive the associated data decomposed by the transmission circuit of the electronic reading device, transmit the associated data to an external information data storage center via a remote wireless technology, and quickly call out an associated electronic file.
US09934314B2 Systems and methods for implementing achievement guided recommendations
A method performed by one or more computing devices. The method uses data identifying a plurality of users and a plurality of achievements. The data identifies which of the plurality of achievements each of the plurality of users has earned and when any such achievements were earned. The method includes ordering the plurality of achievements to define an ordered achievement list, and for each of the plurality of users, removing from the ordered achievement list any of the plurality of achievements identified in the data as having been earned by the user to define a recommended achievement list for the user. The method also includes identifying a selected achievement, and identifying as a set of similar users any of the plurality of users whose recommended achievement list includes the selected achievement.
US09934313B2 Query templates and labeled search tip system, methods and techniques
Methods, systems, and techniques for creating, managing, and using query templates to facilitate the execution of relationship queries are provided. Example embodiments provide a Query Template System “QTS”, which enables users, a system, program code, or other people or code to define search tips (i.e., predefined searches) through the generation of query templates that can be used by other users or code, to perform relationship searches using IQL. In one embodiment, the QTS includes a QT editor, a QT dispatcher, a QT creation and index management system, and one or more QT data repositories and indexes. These components cooperate to create and maintain query templates and to search for and retrieve matching query templates. This abstract is provided to comply with rules requiring an abstract, and it is submitted with the intention that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.
US09934310B2 Determining repeat website users via browser uniqueness tracking
An approach for determining repeat website users via browser uniqueness tracking includes receiving browser information from a server based on a browser accessing a website. The approach includes creating a browser identifier based on the browser information. The approach includes determining the browser is one of a new visitor and a repeat visitor to the website by comparing the browser identifier to other browser identifiers associated with the website. The approach includes transmitting a message to the server indicating the browser is one of a new visitor and a repeat visitor to the website based on the determining.
US09934304B2 Systems and methods for memory optimization interest-driven business intelligence systems
Systems and methods for optimizing memory in an interest-driven business intelligence system in accordance with embodiments of the invention are illustrated. A dictionary for storing values of a dataset may be partitioned in accordance with some embodiments. The partitions of the dictionary may be generated by mapping and reducer processes. The mapping processes receive a value, determine the dimension of the data to which the value belongs, and provides the value to a reducer process that handles the determined dimension. Each reducer process generates partitions of the dictionary for each dimension. The number of values in each partition is determined and compared to a threshold value. Partitions that have a number of values greater than the threshold are stored in a common memory. Partitions smaller than the threshold value can be combined with other partitions such that the cardinality of the combined partition exceeds the threshold value.
US09934301B2 Methods and systems for file replication utilizing differences between versions of files
Methods and systems for efficient file replication are provided. In some embodiments, one or more coarse signatures for blocks in a base file are compared with those coarse signatures for blocks of a revised file, until a match is found. A fine signature is then generated for the matching block, of the revised file and compared to a fine signature of the base file. Thus, fine signatures are not computed unless a coarse signature match has been found, thereby minimizing unneeded time-consuming fine signature calculations. Methods are also provided for determining whether to initiate a delta file generation algorithm, or whether to utilize a more efficient replication method, based upon system and/or file parameters. In accordance with additional embodiments, the lengths of valid data on physical blocks are obtained from physical block mappings for the files, and these lengths and mappings are utilized for delta file generation, to minimize unnecessary signature computations.
US09934298B2 Systems and methods for categorizing and presenting performance assessment data
The field of the invention relates to systems and methods for data mining and processing, and more particularly to systems and methods for automating content from performance assessment data. In one embodiment, an automated notes and categorization system may include a primary database comprising performance assessment data. The primary database is operatively coupled to a computer program product having a computer-usable medium having a sequence of instructions which, when executed by a processor, causes said processor to execute a process that analyzes and converts raw performance data into automated content that presents data in readable user friendly form to facilitate human understanding.
US09934297B2 Method of facilitating contact between mutually interested people
An improved method of facilitating contact between mutually interested people takes advantage of existing contact lists such as those on social networking sites, instant messaging programs, or cell phones. A program is integrated into one or more of those technologies, allowing the user to characterize each contact on the basis of the user's level of interest in that contact as a date. The program keeps these rankings secret until two users indicate an interest in each other that surpasses a certain threshold. The users are then notified of the mutual interest. Ads and dating advice are sent along with the notification.
US09934284B2 Context-based selection of calls-to-action associated with search results
In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a search query for content items of the online social network, identifying content items of the online social network that match the search query, and sending, in response to the search query, search results corresponding to the identified content items, where each search result is presented with one or more call-to-action elements applicable to the content item, and where the call-to-action elements are presented in ranked order based on a suitability of the call-to-action element to the content item.
US09934271B2 Database query optimizer that takes network choice into consideration
In a networked computer system that includes multiple nodes and multiple networks interconnecting the nodes, a database query optimizer takes network choice into consideration when optimizing a query. The query optimizer logs historical information for queries that includes network information. A network monitor determines network characteristics of the multiple networks. The query optimizer then selects a network for a query based on the network characteristics, and optionally based on the historical information as well. The result is a query optimizer that takes network choice into consideration, thereby providing a query that is optimized according to the characteristics of the networks.
US09934268B2 Providing consistent tenant experiences for multi-tenant databases
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for providing consistent tenant experiences at multi-tenant database. Embodiments of the invention include an import service that facilitates data imports without any distribution logic on a tenant. A tenant (caller) provides data in essentially any order. The import service understands the distribution of data across multiple databases and determines for any given piece of import data what database the import data is to be inserted into. Accordingly, the tenant (caller) is relieved from having to know how the data is distributed across a set (of potentially hundreds or thousands) of databases. The import service can optimize an import process to provide load balancing and fairness across a dynamic distributed database system. For example, the import service can insure that a large import by one tenant does not deprive the import other tenants of appropriate resources.
US09934266B2 Memory-efficient computer system for dynamic updating of join processing
Described are methods, systems and computer readable media for dynamically updating join operation results in a computer system. A memory-efficient computer system for dynamically updating join operation results may include multiple memory devices having different access times. A computer system for dynamically updating join operation results in real time may re-apply a join operation based on a communication received over a network interface device.
US09934265B2 Management of log data
A system according to certain aspects improves the process of managing log data. The system may receive a log data file including one or more log lines that contain information relating to computing operations. At least some of the log lines may include a static portion and a variable portion. The system may process a first log line to identify and extract a static portion from the first log line, and determine a first value for the first log line based on the extracted static portion. The system may process a second log line to identify and extract a static portion from the second log line, and determine a second value for the second log line based on the extracted static portion. The system may compare the first and second values, and based on the comparison, organize the first and second log lines together for presentation to a user.
US09934262B2 Dynamic shuffle reconfiguration
A method includes receiving a request to perform a shuffle operation on a data stream, the request including a set of initial key ranges: generating a shuffler configuration that assigns a shuffler from a set of shufflers to each of the initial key ranges; initiating the set of shufflers to perform the shuffle operation on the data stream; analyzing metadata statistics to determine whether a shuffler configuration update event occurs, the metadata statistics produced by the set of shufflers during the shuffle operation and indicating load statistics for each shuffler in the set of shufflers; and upon occurrence of the shuffler configuration update event and during the shuffle operation, altering the shuffler configuration based at least in part on the metadata statistics to produce an assignment of shufflers to key ranges that is different from the assignment of shufflers to the initial key ranges.
US09934260B2 Streamlined analytic model training and scoring system
A computing device creates a state of an analytic model. An analytic engine of an analytic model of an analytic model type is initialized. The analytic model is trained using a dataset and the analytic engine. A request to save a state of the analytic model is received. In response to receipt of the third indicator, the state of the trained analytic model is serialized. The state includes a reentry point name of a function of the analytic model type called to instantiate the trained analytic model. The serialized state is written to an output file. The written state is read from the output file. The state of the trained analytic model is restored using the read state. An analytic result is computed based on data in a second dataset different from the named dataset using the restored state of the trained analytic model. The computed analytic result is output.
US09934256B2 End of retention processing using a database manager scheduler
End of retention processing is provided. Included is: creating, using a content manager (CM), an end of retention policy for a content in a database management system (DBMS; and creating, based on the end of retention policy, a stored procedure in the DBMS for managing the end of retention policy.
US09934254B2 Terminal apparatus, information processing system, and information processing method
A terminal apparatus includes a first execution unit. The first execution unit includes an acquisition unit that acquires a captured image captured by an image capturing unit, a transmitting unit that transmits the captured image acquired by the acquisition unit to an image search system including a storage unit, in which objects and associated information associated with each other are stored, and an image search server that retrieves associated information associated with an object contained in the transmitted captured image and transmit the retrieved associated information to a transmission source of the captured image, a receiving unit that receives the associated information transmitted from the image search system based on the captured image transmitted from the transmitting unit, and a presenting unit that presents associated information corresponding to an externally-fed parameter, among the associated information received by the receiving unit.
US09934251B2 Search supporting system, search supporting method and search supporting program
In a database, product image data is accumulated. A search portion acquires product image data having the image characteristics information that is the same as or similar to the image characteristics information that indicates the characteristics of the image of input image data from the database for the input image data. A search server outputs information on another product that is different from the product corresponding to the product image data together with the product image data acquired by the search portion.
US09934249B2 Systems and methods for context-aware and personalized access to visualizations of road events
The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for context-aware and personalized access to data corresponding to an event. The data is related to multiple predefined parameters including a location, date, time, and a classifier representing a status or an impact intensity for the event. The method includes receiving the data and an event type for the data. The event type is selected from multiple predefined event types. The method also includes creating a hierarchical data structure configured to spatially index the data based on the selected event type. The hierarchical data structure includes a node representing the selected event type. The node is augmented using a linked list for referring to the data to be stored in a database. The node is associated with a frequency of occurrence of the selected event type.
US09934247B2 Built-in search indexing for NAS systems
Methods, computing systems and computer program products implement embodiments of the present invention that include storing multiple files to a file-level storage system that includes one or more storage devices, and maintaining, by the file-level storage system, one or more searchable indexes for the multiple files, each of the indexes indexing a respective key field. In some embodiments the file-level storage system may be configured as a network attached storage system. Upon receiving, via a network, a search query from a computer, the file-level storage system can identify, using the one or more searchable indexes, one or more of the multiple files that match the search query, and convey, to the computer, the respective name and the respective location of each of the one or more identified files. In some embodiments, the file-level storage system includes a web server exposing a representational state transfer application programming interface.
US09934246B2 System and method for supporting a reference store in a distributed computing environment
A system and method support a reference store in a distributed computing environment such as a distributed data grid. The system associates a ticket with the reference store, wherein the reference store contains a plurality of references. Furthermore, the system uses the ticket to expose the reference store to one or more consumers in the distributed computing environment. The reference store type is selected in response to the number of references required to be stored and access overhead. Each reference store can be inflated or deflated according to the number of references it contains. Selection of different reference store types allows for reduced memory overhead while still providing acceptable reference retrieval times. The reduction in memory overhead enhances performance and capabilities of a distributed computing environment such as a distributed data grid.
US09934241B2 System and method for cloud-based read-only folder synchronization
A system and method are provided for synchronizing read-only folders from a cloud-based server. Users can set read-only permissions when sharing folders with other users. The read-only permissions are enforced by client devices of the users downloading content of the folders from the server. To prevent local changes made by a user having read-only access to a folder from being overwritten, the user's client identifies modified folders as local content. After identifying a modified folder as local content, the client may retrieve the original folder from the cloud-based server.
US09934240B2 On demand access to client cached files
Metadata for a set of files in a file system is stored in a client metadata database. In addition, a subset of content for the set of files in the client metadata database is stored in a client content database. The subset of content does not exceed a cache size that is less than a full size of the content in the set of the files. In response to a request, at least a portion of the content that is not already stored in the client content database is retrieved from a server content database, where the server content database is located remotely from the client device.
US09934238B2 Accessing a file system using tiered deduplication
An illustrative pseudo-file-system driver uses deduplication functionality and resources in a storage management system to provide an application and/or a virtual machine with access to a locally-stored file system. From the perspective of the application/virtual machine, the file system appears to be of virtually unlimited capacity. The pseudo-file-system driver instantiates the file system in primary storage, e.g., configured on a local disk. The application/virtual machine requires no configured settings or limits for the file system's storage capacity, and may thus treat the file system as “infinite.” The pseudo-file-system driver intercepts write requests and may use the deduplication infrastructure in the storage management system to offload excess data from local primary storage to deduplicated secondary storage, based on a deduplication database. The pseudo-file-system driver also intercepts read requests and in response may restore data from deduplicated secondary storage to primary storage, also based on the deduplication database.
US09934237B1 Metadata optimization for network replication using representative of metadata batch
A target storage system receives a representative fingerprint and fingerprint representations from a source storage system. Each fingerprint representation contains only a portion of a corresponding fingerprint and the representative fingerprint is a full fingerprint. The fingerprints of the data chunks are missing at the target storage system are identified based on the fingerprint representative and the fingerprint representations. A bitmap is transmitted to the source storage system, each bit indicating whether one of the fingerprints is missing. One or more fingerprints are received from the source storage system that are missing at the target storage system based on the bitmask. One or more missing data chunks are identified based on at least the one or more fingerprints received from the source storage system. The missing data chunks are then received from the source storage system to be stored at the target storage system.
US09934236B2 Streamlining data deduplication
Various embodiments for streamlining data deduplication by a processor. In file storage utilizing re-writable storage media with data deduplication, a host layer file system is informed of available file space based on at least one of an available plurality of tracking operations performed by the processor, thereby providing an adjustable virtual free capacity file of deduplication pointers to facilitate deduplication functionality across a plurality of storage devices. As one of the available plurality of tracking devices, an actual block utilization tracking operation is utilized for gathering periodic statistics from deduplicating sources to enable analysis of trends in storage capacity utilization.
US09934235B2 Efficient data compression and analysis as a service
Data may be efficiently analyzed and compressed as part of a data compression service. A data compression request may be received from a client indicating data to be compressed. An analysis of the data or metadata associated with the data may be performed. In at least some embodiments, this analysis may be a rules-based analysis. Some embodiments may employ one or more machine learning techniques to historical compression data to update the rules-based analysis. One or more compression techniques may be selected out of a plurality of compression techniques to be applied to the data. Data compression candidates may then be generated according to the selected compression techniques. In some embodiments, a compression service restriction may be enforced. One of the data compression candidates may be selected and sent in a response.
US09934233B2 Searchable data archive
A method and apparatus are provided to store transaction records in a retrievable form and to enable subsequent search and retrieval of stored transaction records. Transaction records are captured and then grouped according to predetermined grouping criteria such that they may be indexed to a first level and then efficiently compressed for bulk storage. In the event that records need to be retrieved subsequently, the first level index may be used to select one or more groups of records satisfying first level search criteria and, following retrieval of the selected groups from storage and de-compression, a second level index may be created to enable a more detailed record-level search for matching records in the retrieved groups. Preferably, the same indexing technique is used for both the first and second level of indexing.
US09934230B1 Delegations for non-regular files
Embodiments described herein enable a storage system configured with a cache, i.e., a caching storage system, to obtain soft locks on a plurality of files, including non-regular file types, supported by a plurality of file access protocols. The cache is illustratively embodied as a flexible volume configured to temporarily store information, such as contents of the files, through replication of attributes and data of the files from an origin storage system. The soft locks are illustratively implemented as delegations; a delegation on a file enables the caching storage system to serve the attributes and the data for the file without verifying validity of the data with the origin storage system.
US09934229B2 Telemetry file hash and conflict detection
In one embodiment, a server may identify an executable file using a hash identifier. The server 110 may compute a hash identifier based on a file metadata set associated with an executable file. The server 110 may identify the executable file using the hash identifier.
US09934218B2 Systems and methods for extracting attributes from text content
Systems and method for extracting attributes from text content are described. Example embodiments may include a computer implemented method for extracting attributes from text data, wherein the text data is obtained from at least one information source. As described, the implementation may include receiving, from a user, an address for the at least one information source and an attribute name, creating a tagged information file by associating a part of speech tag to text data obtained from the at least one information source, identifying a location of the attribute name in the tagged information file using an approximate text matching technique and determining at least one attribute descriptor from the tagged information file wherein the tagged information file is parsed based on a part of speech tag associated with the attribute name to determine a conclusion of the attribute descriptor.
US09934217B2 Index for electronic string of symbols
In one embodiment, a method includes accessing a string of symbols by a computing device. The string is divided into one or more string components each including at least one of the symbols, and each string component is associated with at least one string-position identifier. The string components and their respective associated string-position identifiers are stored for the string of symbols.
US09934216B2 Schema validation for metadata builder
Metadata is validated against a metadata schema by semantically validating metadata objects in metadata for a computer program, to confirm that required relationships among the metadata objects are present and conform to predefined rules. The metadata objects in the metadata for the computer program are also syntactically validated against a metadata schema for the metadata. Related methods, systems and computer programs are described.
US09934215B2 Generating sound files and transcriptions for use in spreadsheet applications
Systems for associating audio files with cells of a spreadsheet are provided. Both audio files and data may be associated with a single cell of the spreadsheet. An audio file may be recorded, retrieved from storage, or converted from a document (e.g., using text-to-speech technology) for association with a spreadsheet. Upon association, audio parameters may be viewed and/or manipulated by a user, providing audio processing functionality within a spreadsheet. Controls may be provided for listening to the audio file and/or playing the audio file in response to spreadsheet data satisfying a condition. Text transcriptions (e.g., speech-to-text) of audio files may be inserted into the spreadsheet. For low vision users, audio transcriptions (e.g., text-to-speech) of data may be generated and “played” for the user. Spreadsheet operations (e.g., sort and/or filter operations) may also be performed on a range of cells based on audio parameters of associated audio files.
US09934214B2 DOM snapshot capture
In response to detecting a user-defined event on a client computer, a DOM snapshot of a DOM is captured. The DOM snapshot is of a DOM being used to generate an image on a display of the client computer. A hypertext markup language (HTML) request is populated with the DOM snapshot. The HTML request is a virtual request that directs a recipient to save the HTML request without returning a webpage upon receipt. The HTML request with the DOM snapshot is transmitted to an HTML server. Subsequently, a request for the DOM snapshot is transmitted from the client computer to the HTML server. The client computer receives an HTML response from the HTML server. The HTML response HTML response includes the DOM snapshot. An image is generated on a display of the client computer using the DOM snapshot from the HTML response.
US09934206B2 Method and apparatus for extracting web page content
Methods and apparatus for extracting web page content are provided herein. An exemplary method can be implemented by a mobile terminal. A request command to open a first web page can be received. Whether a source code contains text content tags can be determined. When the source code corresponding to the first web page contains the text content tags, text content of the first web page enclosed within the text content tags can be extracted by a reader. When the source code does not contain the text content tags, a start position and an end position to indicate the text content of the first web page can be identified in the source code. The text content tags can be respectively added after the start position and before the end position. The text content of the first web page enclosed within the text content tags can then be extracted.
US09934205B2 Markup language parser
A method, system, and/or computer program product parse a plurality of data elements arranged in a structured tree within a document, where the elements are arranged with a root element at a root level branching to remaining elements at lower levels within branches of the structured tree. An external request to provide one or more elements from a structured tree is received. The one or more elements being requested are from a group consisting of a next sibling element and a next child element in the structured tree. A next sibling element is provided by fetching next and subsequent elements in the document until a specified sibling level in the structured tree is reached, and then returned to a requester. A next child element is provided by fetching and returning a next element in response to the next element being a child element, and then returned to the requester.
US09934201B2 Image preview
A method, apparatus, and system are provided for displaying a graphical representation of at least a portion of a file by interfacing with a graphical interface relating to the file. A request for viewing a file content is received. A window for viewing a graphical representation of at least a portion of the content of a file is provided.
US09934199B2 Digital filter device, digital filtering method, and storage medium having digital filter program stored thereon
In order to reduce the power consumed when using FFT processing and filtering in the frequency domain together, a digital filter device according to the present invention is provided with: a first filtering means for performing a first fast Fourier transformation using a first data sorting process, first filtering in the frequency domain, a first inverse fast Fourier transformation using a second data sorting process, and overlap removal on a first input block including overlapped data; a second filtering means for performing a second fast Fourier transformation, which simultaneously processes all data in a second input block including overlapped data, second filtering in the frequency domain, a second inverse fast Fourier transformation, which simultaneously processes all received filtered data, and overlap removal; and a data selection means for selecting either the first filtering means or the second filtering means, wherein the operation of the filtering means that is not selected by the data selection means is interrupted.
US09934198B2 Apparatus for performing modal interval calculations based on decoration configuration
Apparatus performs various modal interval computations, while accounting for various modal interval operand configurations that are not amenable to ordinary computational operations. Upon detecting an exponent field of all 1's, the apparatus adapts various conventions involving leading bits in the fraction field of the modal interval endpoints to return a result having a useful meaning.
US09934197B2 Method and device for providing a sparse Gaussian process model for calculation in an engine control unit
A method for determining a sparse Gaussian process model to be carried out in a solely hardware-based model calculation unit includes: providing supporting point data points, a parameter vector based thereon, and corresponding hyperparameters; determining or providing virtual supporting point data points for the sparse Gaussian process model; and determining a parameter vector Qy* for the sparse Gaussian process model with the aid of a Cholesky decomposition of a covariant matrix KM between the virtual supporting point data points and as a function of the supporting point data points, the parameter vector based thereon, and the corresponding hyperparameters, which define the sparse Gaussian process model.
US09934196B2 Thread optimized multiprocessor architecture
In one aspect, the invention comprises a thread optimized multiprocessor prepared by a semiconductor manufacturing process, comprising the steps of: (a) interconnecting less than 4 layers of metal on at least one die; (b) embedding at least one processor in said at least one die; and (c) mounting said at least one die on a dual inline memory module.
US09934193B2 Electronic apparatus
An electronic apparatus includes a main body housing, a design panel to be mounted to a front surface of the main body housing, a button which is configured such that an end extends in cantilever fashion from an end portion fixed to the design panel and in which an operation part provided at the end is exposed to the outside through an opening of the design panel, a drain groove, provided around the operation part, whose an end portion in a direction in which the end is tilted due to pressing of the operation part is open, and a drain groove provided in the front surface of the main body housing on the side of the open end portion of the drain groove and leads to the outside of the main body housing.
US09934187B2 Hot-pluggable computing system
Embodiments generally relate to hot-plug technology. The present technology discloses hardware and software specifications that can enable hot-plug functions for high-bandwidth and low-latency data transmission within a computing system. The present technology can provide hot-plug functions to PICe devices within a server rack by utilizing various controllers and power indicators embedded in the system. In addition to PCIe, the present technology can provide hot-plug functions to other high-throughput computer I/O (Input/Output) expansion technologies.
US09934186B2 Intelligent connector and bus controller
An intelligent connector is disclosed having a signal processing unit, a first port, and a second port. The signal processing unit communicates signals between a bus and a slave module. The first port is coupled between the bus and the signal processing unit, and is connected to a power supply line. The second port is coupled between the signal processing unit and the slave module, and is positioned to provide a power supply to the slave module.
US09934181B2 PCI express tunneling over a multi-protocol I/O interconnect
Described are embodiments of methods, apparatuses, and systems for PCIe tunneling across a multi-protocol I/O interconnect of a computer apparatus. A method for PCIe tunneling across the multi-protocol I/O interconnect may include establishing a first communication path between ports of a switching fabric of a multi-protocol I/O interconnect of a computer apparatus in response to a peripheral component interconnect express (PCIe) device being connected to the computer apparatus, and establishing a second communication path between the switching fabric and a PCIe controller. The method may further include routing, by the multi-protocol I/O interconnect, PCIe protocol packets of the PCIe device from the PCIe device to the PCIe controller over the first and second communication paths. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
US09934179B2 Wafer-level package with at least one input/output port connected to at least one management bus
A wafer-level package has a first input/output (I/O) port, a second I/O port, a first semiconductor die, and a second semiconductor die. The first I/O port and the second I/O port of the wafer-level package are arranged to connect at least one management bus. The first semiconductor die and the second semiconductor die assembled in the wafer-level package are arranged to receive commands from the first I/O port and the second I/O port, respectively.
US09934173B1 Pseudo cut-through architecture between non-volatile memory storage and remote hosts over a fabric
An example method of exchanging data between a remote host and a target system includes receiving at least one remote descriptor from the remote host over a front-end fabric at a controller, the at least one remote descriptor specifying a remote buffer in a remote memory of the remote host that is larger than a page size. The method includes adding entries to a table that map the remote buffer to a plurality of page-sized virtual buffers in a virtual address space managed by the controller, generating local descriptors referencing the plurality of paged-sized virtual buffers, receiving a sequence of page-sized direct memory access (DMA) requests at the controller, generating a sequence remote DMA (RDMA) requests from the sequence of DMA requests based on the entries in the table, and sending the sequence of RDMA requests to the remote host over the front-end fabric.
US09934171B2 Serial communication link with optimal transfer latency
A serial interface is provided with a finite state machine configured to compare a current state for a plurality of signals to a previous state to determine whether to transmit a frame including the plurality of signals or to transmit a frame that includes only a bit position of a changed one of the signals.
US09934168B2 Method and system of connecting and switching grouped input and output devices between computers
A system, method, and computer readable medium for switching (via a hub connection device) peripheral devices (such as a display, keyboard, mouse, audio) between a primary computing device (such as an embedded computer or a network connected server) and a secondary portable personal computing device (such as a laptop, or a smart-phone). The present invention relates generally to multi-user computing, docking stations, and embedded system on a chip computing and specifically to methods and systems for switching peripheral devices between multiple computers both for independent and/or multi-user operation. This invention enables a single set of peripherals to be used for both independent and docking station operation, increasing productivity for users of portable computing devices (through expanded peripheral access) and decreasing deployment costs for organizations (by supporting multiple use-cases via just a single set of peripherals).
US09934167B2 Method and control device for commissioning a sensor series circuit configured in a daisy chain topology, sensor series circuit in a daisy chain topology, and restraint means
A method for commissioning a sensor series circuit configured in a daisy chain topology. A second sensor being downstream from a first sensor. The method includes furnishing a first switch signal to the first sensor to close the first switch, the first switch signal being furnished in response to a successful initialization of the first sensor, monitoring a function of the second sensor during initialization of the second sensor to ascertain whether the second sensor exhibits a fault upon initialization or is initialized correctly, and to furnish a fault signal if it is ascertained that the second sensor exhibits a fault upon initialization; and outputting a suppression signal to the first sensor if the fault signal has been furnished, to prevent the first switch from being closed.
US09934165B2 Apparatus for monitoring data access to internal memory device and internal memory device
The application discloses an apparatus for monitoring data access to internal memory device and an internal memory device. The internal memory device is coupled to a memory controller via a memory bus. The monitoring apparatus includes a buffer memory module and a security control module. The buffer memory module is configured to couple with the memory bus to receive and store data exchanged via the memory bus and/or a data access command and a destination address associated with the exchanged data. The security control module is configured to process the exchanged data and/or the data access command and the destination address stored in the buffer memory module to identify the existence of security risk in the data access to the internal memory device. The monitoring apparatus will not affect the operation of the internal memory device, and thus is fully compatible with the conventional system architecture. Moreover, by monitoring the data access to the internal memory device, potential security risks can be identified to improve the security and stability of the system.
US09934161B2 Expiring virtual content from a cache in a virtual universe
Approaches for expiring cached virtual content in a virtual universe are provided. In one approach, there is an expiration tool, including an identification component configured to identify virtual content associated with an avatar in the virtual universe, an analysis component configured to analyze a behavior of the avatar in a region of the virtual universe, the behavior indicating a likely future location of the avatar, and an expiration component configured to expire cached virtual content associated with the avatar based on the behavior of the avatar in the region of the virtual universe, wherein the cached virtual content associated with the avatar in the future location is maintained in the cache longer than cached virtual content associated with the avatar in another region of the virtual universe.
US09934160B1 Bit-mapped DMA and IOC transfer with dependency table comprising plurality of index fields in the cache for DMA transfer
The invention provides the data flow communication control between the source (flash/IO) and destination (IO/flash) cores. The source and destination cores are started simultaneously instead of serially and get instructions from the descriptors provided and set-up by the processor. Each source and destination core's descriptors1 are correlated or tied with each other by the processor by providing information to the hardware assist mechanism. The hardware assist mechanism responsible for moderating the data transfer from source to destination. The flow tracker guarantees that data needed by destination exists. By applying the invention to the prior approach/solution, the data latency between the flash & IO bus will be reduced. Processor interrupts will be minimized while data transfer between the flash & IO bus is ongoing.
US09934157B2 Post-copy VM migration speedup using free page hinting
A system and methods for migrating a virtual machine (VM). In one embodiment, a hypervisor receives a request to migrate the contents of a memory of a source VM in a first physical memory area to a destination VM in a second physical memory area, where the first and second physical memory areas are disjoint. The hypervisor executes the destination VM in response to the request, and detects an access of a page of memory of the destination VM. The hypervisor determines, in view of a data structure maintained by a guest operating system executing in the destination VM, that a first page of a memory of the source VM in the first physical memory area is currently in use by the destination VM. In response to the detecting, the hypervisor: copies, in view of the first page of VM memory being used by the destination VM, the contents of the first page to a corresponding page of the destination VM; and maps, in view of a second page of VM memory not being used by the destination VM, (i) a physical memory page that is external to the first physical memory area and to the second physical memory area to (ii) a page of the destination VM corresponding to the second page.
US09934154B2 Electronic system with memory management mechanism and method of operation thereof
An electronic system includes: a processor configured to access operation data; a local cache memory, coupled to the processor, configured to store a limited amount of the operation data; a memory controller, coupled to the local cache memory, configured to maintain a flow of the operation data; and a memory subsystem, coupled to the memory controller, including: a first tier memory configured to store the operation data, with critical timing, by a fast control bus, and a second tier memory configured to store the operation data with non-critical timing, by a reduced performance control bus.
US09934153B2 Patch memory system
A patch memory system for accessing patches from a memory is disclosed. A patch is an abstraction that refers to a contiguous, array of data that is a subset of an N-dimensional array of data. The patch memory system includes a tile cache, and is configured to fetch data associated with a patch by determining one or more tiles associated with an N-dimensional array of data corresponding to the patch, and loading data for the one or more tiles from the memory into the tile cache. The N-dimensional array of data may be a two-dimensional (2D) digital image comprising a plurality of pixels. A patch of the 2D digital image may refer to a 2D subset of the image.
US09934152B1 Method and apparatus to use hardware alias detection and management in a virtually indexed physically tagged cache
Systems and techniques relating to hardware alias detection and management in caches are described. A cache controller can receive a cache request that specifies a virtual address, which includes a virtual page number (VPN) and a page offset; access, concurrently, one or more primary tags in a slot of the cache corresponding to a primary cache index that is based on a portion of the page offset and a portion of the VPN and one or more secondary tags in one or more slots corresponding to one or more secondary cache indices that are based on the portion of the page offset and one or more variations of the portion of the VPN; and determine whether there are any primary or secondary matching ways. The controller can write store data to a primary matching way if it exists and perform an alias management operation if any secondary matching ways exist.
US09934146B2 Hardware apparatuses and methods to control cache line coherency
Methods and apparatuses to control cache line coherency are described. A processor may include a first core having a cache to store a cache line, a second core to send a request for the cache line from the first core, moving logic to cause a move of the cache line between the first core and a memory and to update a tag directory of the move, and cache line coherency logic to create a chain home in the tag directory from the request to cause the cache line to be sent from the tag directory to the second core. A method to control cache line coherency may include creating a chain home in a tag directory from a request for a cache line in a first processor core from a second processor core to cause the cache line to be sent from the tag directory to the second processor core.
US09934142B2 Wear leveling in a memory system
Embodiments are disclosed for replacing one or more pages of a memory to level wear on the memory. In one embodiment, a system includes a page fault handling function and a memory address mapping function. Upon receipt of a page fault, the page fault handling function maps an evicted virtual memory address to a stressed page and maps a stressed virtual memory address to a free page using the memory address mapping function.
US09934140B1 Allocating blocks in storage systems
A method is used in allocating blocks in storage systems. A block allocation request is received for a file of a file system. The block allocation request includes a data block allocation request and an indirect block allocation request. A type of the file is determined. A cylinder group is selected from a set of cylinder groups for allocating an indirect block based on the block allocation request. A set of data blocks is reserved for allocating a data block based on the type of the file.
US09934136B2 Automated generation of scripted and manual test cases
Systems and methods that provide manual test cases and scripted test cases automatically based on metadata included in a software application. In an embodiment, an application may include elements that generate an output file containing information corresponding to one or more forms with one or more fields in an application. The information may be utilized by a test device or application to automatically generate manual test cases, automated scripted test cases, or a combination of manual and automated test cases based on the information. In an embodiment, a manual test case may include a sequence of instructions in a natural language format. In an embodiment, an automated test case may be in a script language configured to interact with the application or an appropriate application emulator.
US09934135B2 Generic test automation for application programming interface applications
A method for testing an application that invokes an application programming interface (API) comprises identifying signatures for APIs. A package associated with the API is identified in the application under test, and a package name of the API is identified in the signatures. During runtime of the application under test, request and response objects (or other objects) for the identified package are created using the package name and reflection. The created request object is then used to invoke the API to test the application under test and the response object is used to evaluate the response with expected response.
US09934129B1 Determining application test results using screenshot metadata
A system generates screenshots of a graphical user interface (GUI) of an application that is displayed by target devices testing the application. Each screenshot includes an image of the GUI and metadata indicative of elements of the GUI present in the image or a state of the application or target device when the image is generated. The system determines, based on the metadata of a screenshot from a first set of the screenshots and the metadata of a screenshot from a second set of the screenshots, whether the screenshots are similar and if so, the system assigns the screenshot from the second set of screenshots to a cluster that includes the screenshot from the first set of screenshots. The system outputs an indication of the cluster (e.g., a notification or graphical indication) indicative of the similarity or discrepancy between the screenshots.
US09934124B2 Implementation of processor trace in a processor that supports binary translation
In an embodiment, a processor includes execution logic to execute binary translated (BT) code that is translated from native architecture (NA) code. The processor also includes processor trace (PT) logic to output trace information responsive to execution of a BT direct branch instruction in the BT code when the NA code includes an NA direct branch instruction that corresponds to the BT direct branch instruction. The trace information is to include an indication of an NA outcome associated with an execution of the NA direct branch instruction. The trace information is to be based on a BT outcome associated with the execution of the BT direct branch instruction. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09934121B2 Intent-based interaction with cluster resources
Aspects extend to methods, systems, and computer program products for intent-based interactions with cluster resources. One or more computer systems are joined in a computer system cluster to provide defined computing functionality (e.g., storage, compute, network, etc.) to an external system. In one aspect, a data collection intent facilitates collection and aggregation of data to form a health report for one or more components of the computer system cluster. In another aspect, a command intent facilitates implementing a command at one or more components of the computer system cluster. Services span machines of the computer system cluster to abstract lower level aspects of data collection and aggregation and command implementation for higher level aspects of data collection and aggregation and command implementation. Services can be integrated into an operating system to relieve users from having to have operating system knowledge.
US09934118B2 Reducing SPQL tester time for the critical paths stress test
Embodiments disclose techniques for executing a test case to test a processor by bypassing an instruction pipeline of the processor. In one embodiment, the processor receives a plurality of test cases to execute on the processor. Each test case includes one or more instructions. Once received, the processor loads a plurality of registers with one or more first register values for the test case by bypassing the instruction pipeline. Once loaded, the processor runs the test case using the one or more first register values. The processor then retrieves, from the plurality of registers, one or more second register values associated with results of the test case run, by bypassing the instruction pipeline.
US09934111B2 Control and data transmission system, process device, and method for redundant process control with decentralized redundancy
There is provided a control and data transmission system, comprising at least one control device which, in normal operation, is connected by means of a communication network to at least one process device designed as an input and/or output device, wherein the process device comprises an evaluation unit designed to detect a failure in the control system, an emergency control program which can be parameterized and which is stored in a memory of the process device, and a runtime system designed to execute the emergency control program, and wherein the process device is designed to switch to emergency operation in response to a failure in the control system detected by the evaluation unit, in which emergency operation the process device executes the emergency control program. The invention further provides a process device for use in such a control and data transmission system and a method for redundant process control.
US09934108B2 System and method for optimizing mirror creation
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a method and system for optimizing mirror creation. The method includes receiving, within an electronic system, a request for creating a mirror of a portion of a volume and accessing a data structure comprising information about a plurality of regions of the volume. The method further includes determining a plurality of regions comprising non-zeros of the volume based on the data structure and copying only the plurality of regions comprising non-zeros to create the mirror.
US09934103B2 Managing multi-source restore operations in an information management system
According to certain aspects, an information management system may instruct a first secondary storage computing device in a set of secondary storage computing devices to initiate a restore of a first group of a plurality of files from a first storage device associated with the first secondary storage computing device, the first group including a first file. The computing system may instruct a second secondary storage computing device in the set to initiate a restore a second group of the plurality of files from a second storage device associated with the second secondary storage computing device, the second group including the first file. The computing system can, upon receiving notification that the restore of the first file from the first storage device has completed prior to completion of the restore of the first file from the second storage device, cancel restoration of the first file from the second storage device.
US09934101B2 Graphical user interface relationship graph for displaying relationships between image backup files in a backup job
Graphical user interface relationship graph for displaying relationships between image backup files in a backup job. In one example embodiment, one or more non-transitory computer-readable media store a program that causes a processor to generate and visually present, on an electronic display device associated with the processor, a graphical user interface (GUI) relationship graph for displaying relationships between image backup files in a backup job. The GUI relationship graph includes multiple image nodes each representing an image backup file of a source storage and a chain path including multiple links. Each of the links represents a parent-child relationship between one of the image nodes and another of the image nodes.
US09934098B2 Automatic serial order starting of resource groups on failover systems based on resource group usage prediction
A method for automatically prioritizing startup of resource groups during a migration event. The method may include monitoring resource usage of a first and a second set of applications associated, respectively, with a first and a second resource group executing on a first computing node. The method may additionally include generating respective first and second resource usage models for the first and second resource groups based on resource usage. The method may then include extrapolating, based on the first and second resource usage models, respective first and second resource group usage scores for the first and second resource groups at a second time in response to a migration event, the second time occurring subsequent to the first time. The method may further include determining, based on the extrapolating, a priority order for serially starting the first and second set of applications on a second computing node at the second time.
US09934097B2 Method and apparatus for startup of a central processing unit and a computer system
A startup method and apparatus, and a computer system. When a CPU fails to start a system, receiving, by a startup apparatus, a backup area selection instruction, where the backup area selection instruction is used to instruct the startup apparatus to read a boot loader from a backup area of Nand-Flash; receiving a program read instruction sent by the CPU, where the program read instruction includes a primary area address of the boot loader in the Nand-Flash; acquiring a backup address of the boot loader in the Nand-Flash from a correspondence between primary and backup addresses according to the primary area address; reading the boot loader from the backup address; and sending the boot loader to the CPU, such that the CPU starts the system according to the boot loader.
US09934095B2 System, method and recording medium for antifragile computing problem management
A computing problem management method, system, and non-transitory computer readable medium, include detecting an impending problem of a computing system, spawning a plurality of replicas when the detecting detects the impending problem, and launching a plurality of versions of an action, each version being launched and performed on a different replica of the plurality of replicas.
US09934094B2 Process for verification of randomly generated I/O requests
A sequence number is assigned to a data storage operation targeted for a persistent data storage device. The sequence number is used to seed a random number generator. A random sequence is obtained from the random number generator, each element of the random sequence being used to generate characteristics of the operation. The data storage operation is fulfilled in accordance with the characteristics, the characteristics being subsequently determinable using the sequence number.
US09934093B2 Control device, method of controlling a storage device, and storage system
A control device configured to control a storage device includes a memory and a processor coupled to the memory and configured to store, into the storage device, a plurality of data blocks including a plurality of data patterns, classify the plurality of data blocks into the plurality of data patterns, for each of the plurality of data patterns, count numbers of the classified plurality of data blocks classified into each of the plurality of data patterns, read a first data block among the plurality of data blocks from the storage device, select a first data pattern from the plurality of data patterns based on the counted numbers when an error is detected in first data included in the first data block, replacing the first data included in the first data block with the selected first data pattern, and output the first data block including the first data pattern.
US09934089B2 Storage cluster
A plurality of storage nodes in a single chassis is provided. The plurality of storage nodes in the single chassis is configured to communicate together as a storage cluster. Each of the plurality of storage nodes includes nonvolatile solid-state memory for user data storage. The plurality of storage nodes is configured to distribute the user data and metadata associated with the user data throughout the plurality of storage nodes such that the plurality of storage nodes maintain the ability to read the user data, using erasure coding, despite a loss of two of the plurality of storage nodes. A plurality of compute nodes is included in the single chassis, each of the plurality of compute nodes is configured to communicate with the plurality of storage nodes. A method for accessing user data in a plurality of storage nodes having nonvolatile solid-state memory is also provided.
US09934088B2 Reduced uncorrectable memory errors
Uncorrectable memory errors may be reduced by determining a logical array address for a set of memory arrays and transforming the logical array address to at least two unique array addresses based, at least in part, on logical locations of at least two memory arrays within the set of memory arrays. The at least two memory arrays are then accessed using the at least two unique array addresses, respectively.
US09934087B2 Decoding method, memory storage device and memory control circuit unit
A decoding method, a memory storage device and a memory control circuit unit are provided. The decoding method includes: reading a target physical unit based on a first read voltage level; performing a first decoding operation; reading an authentication physical unit based on a first candidate voltage level to obtain first assistance data and reading the authentication physical unit based on a second candidate voltage level to obtain second assistance data if the first decoding operation fails; obtaining a first estimation parameter according to the first assistance data and authentication data and obtaining a second estimation parameter according to the second assistance data and the authentication data; determining a second read voltage level according to the first estimation parameter and the second estimation parameter; and reading the target physical unit again based on the second read voltage level. Accordingly, the decoding efficiency may be improved.
US09934080B2 Systems and methods for reporting air mover events to an operating system during operating system runtime
In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, an information handling system may include a processor, a controller, a driver, and a basic/input output system. The controller may be associated with an air mover and configured to generate an interrupt responsive to an event associated with the air mover. The driver may be embodied in an operating system configured for execution on the processor, the driver configured to, during a runtime execution of the operating system in which the event occurred, receive at least one of the interrupt from the controller or an indication of the interrupt from a basic input/output system. The basic input/output system may comprise a program of instructions executable by the processor and configured to cause the processor to, responsive to the event, receive air mover data from the air mover, and communicate the air mover data to the driver.
US09934079B2 Fast remote communication and computation between processors using store and load operations on direct core-to-core memory
A system, and computer usable program product for fast remote communication and computation between processors are provided in the illustrative embodiments. A direct core to core communication unit (DCC) is configured to operate with a first processor, the first processor being a remote processor. A memory associated with the DCC receives a set of bytes, the set of bytes being sent from a second processor. An operation specified in the set of bytes is executed at the remote processor such that the operation is invoked without causing a software thread to execute.
US09934078B2 Collaborative work of applications
A method for collaborative work of applications can include reading a rule for defining a data transmission among collaborative working applications; initiating applications related to the rule; acquiring progress identifiers of the applications; and registering the progress identifiers of the applications.
US09934077B2 Reader-writer lock
A method and system for implementing a reader-writer lock having a write lock requested by a thread is disclosed. The reader-writer lock is structured to have counters and a flag. The counters use an atomic process to count read locks held or outstanding read lock requests. The flag identifies a counter and is configured to distinguish between counters. A read lock is prepared, acquired, and released. The atomic process is used and the flag or flagged counter is polled. A write lock is prepared, acquired, and released.
US09934075B2 Managing associated tasks using a task manager in communication devices
Technologies are generally described for task management on computing platforms. In some examples, a method performed under control of a task management system may include determining a relationship among a plurality of tasks executed on a first platform to identify one or more associated tasks; identifying at least one attribute of each of the one or more associated tasks; generating a job that includes the one or more associated tasks and the identified at least one attribute of each of the one or more associated tasks; and instantiating, on a second platform, the one or more associated tasks included in the job based on the at least one attribute of each of the one or more associated tasks, in response to a request to launch the job.
US09934073B2 Extension of resource constraints for service-defined containers
A method comprising receiving, by a processing thread executing on a host server, a container request to create a container on the host server by employing a container engine, wherein the container request indicates a first resource constraint and a second resource constraint for executing an application within the container, directing, by the processing thread, the container engine to create an operating environment for the container according to the first resource constraint and to execute the container on the host server, reserving, by the processing thread, a first resource from an operating system (OS) of the host server according to the second resource constraint of the container request, and updating dynamically, by the processing thread, the operating environment of the container to enable the container to directly utilize the reserved first resource for execution of the application to meet the second resource constraint of the container request.
US09934072B2 Register file segments for supporting code block execution by using virtual cores instantiated by partitionable engines
A system for executing instructions using a plurality of register file segments for a processor. The system includes a global front end scheduler for receiving an incoming instruction sequence, wherein the global front end scheduler partitions the incoming instruction sequence into a plurality of code blocks of instructions and generates a plurality of inheritance vectors describing interdependencies between instructions of the code blocks. The system further includes a plurality of virtual cores of the processor coupled to receive code blocks allocated by the global front end scheduler, wherein each virtual core comprises a respective subset of resources of a plurality of partitionable engines, wherein the code blocks are executed by using the partitionable engines in accordance with a virtual core mode and in accordance with the respective inheritance vectors. A plurality register file segments are coupled to the partitionable engines for providing data storage.
US09934071B2 Job scheduler for distributed systems using pervasive state estimation with modeling of capabilities of compute nodes
The following relates generally to computer system efficiency improvements. Broadly, systems and methods are disclosed that improve efficiency in a cluster of nodes by efficient processing of tasks among nodes in a cluster of nodes. Initially, tasks may be scheduled on the nodes in the cluster of nodes. Following that, state information may be received, and a determination may be made as to if tasks should be rescheduled.
US09934065B1 Servicing I/O requests in an I/O adapter device
Server computers may include one or more input/output (I/O) adapter devices for communicating with a network and/or direct-attached device. The I/O adapter device may have limited physical resources, such as memory. Large I/O transactions may occupy all available memory on the I/O adapter device, thus causing other I/O transactions to experience intermittent and excessive delays. The I/O adapter device can be configured to issue one or more transactions for a large I/O request. Each transaction transfers a portion of the data requested by the large I/O request. When all the transactions have completed, the client that requested the large I/O request is informed that the I/O request has completed.
US09934063B2 Feedback analysis for virtual machines manager scheduling
Embodiments of the present invention include a computer system for running a virtual manager scheduler for scheduling activities for virtual machines. The computer system may include program instructions to: define a schedule for one or more activities to be executed for a virtual machine; apply an adjustment to the schedule in accordance with feedback information received via a virtual machine client aggregating the feedback information from a plurality of virtual machine clients, each being related to a virtual machine, per scheduled activity type; and determine of a group adjustment for a determined group of the virtual machine clients based on a function of the feedback information of the plurality of virtual machine clients.
US09934062B2 Technologies for dynamically allocating hardware acceleration units to process data packets
Technologies for dynamically allocating acceleration units of a network device include a network device configured to determine a present compute usage value associated with a workload of the virtual machine, determine whether to accelerate the virtual machine as a function of the present compute usage and a compute capability usage limit, and select, in response to a determination to accelerate the virtual machine, an acceleration unit from one or more acceleration units, as a function of a type of the workload. Additionally, the network device is configured to allocate the identified acceleration unit. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09934059B2 Flow migration between virtual network appliances in a cloud computing network
Methods and systems for flow migration between virtual network appliances in a cloud computing network are described. A network appliances managing architecture for migrating flow between VNAs including a controller to receive performance data for a VNA and analyze the performance data to determine whether the VNA has a weak performance status, where the weak performance status corresponds to any one of an overloaded, an under-loaded, and a failed status. The network appliances managing architecture further includes a classifier to receive a flow migration request from the controller for migrating one or more flows of data packets from the VNA based on the analyzing. The classifier further identifies an active VNA for flow migration based on a mapping policy and migrates the one or more flows from the VNA to the at least one active VNA.
US09934058B2 Guest-influenced packet transmission
A method performed by a physical computing system includes, with a hypervisor, receiving a first packet from a virtual machine managed by the hypervisor, the first packet for transmission to a destination, the first packet including a first queue identifier, selecting a first transmission queue from a plurality of available transmission queues to transmit the first packet, the first transmission queue being based on the first queue identifier, receiving a second packet from the virtual machine, the second packet for transmission to the destination, the second packet including a second queue identifier, and selecting a second transmission queue from the plurality of available transmission queues to transmit the second packet, the second transmission queue being based on the second queue identifier.
US09934057B2 Shadow VNICs for the control and observability of IO virtual functions
A method for controlling a network interface controller (NIC). The method includes receiving, by a host operating system (OS) executing on a computer system, an instruction to map the NIC virtual function (VF) to a first virtual machine executing on the computer system. The method further includes allocating, according to the NIC VF, first NIC resources on a physical NIC operatively connected to the computer system, mapping the NIC VF to the first virtual machine, creating, in the host OS, a shadow virtual NIC for the first NIC resources allocated to the NIC VF, assigning the shadow virtual NIC to the first virtual machine, receiving, by the physical NIC, a first packet targeting the first virtual machine, and sending the first packet directly to the first virtual machine.
US09934056B2 Non-blocking unidirectional multi-queue virtual machine migration
Methods, systems, and computer program products for non-blocking unidirectional multi-queue virtual machine migration are provided. A computer-implemented method may include maintaining information to track an association between a memory area in a virtual machine and a stream for a first stage of virtual machine migration, detecting one or more updates to the memory area during the first stage of migration, examining the information to identify the stream associated with the memory area for the first stage of migration, sending the updates to the memory area on the identified stream during the first stage of migration, modifying the information to associate the memory area with a new stream for a second stage of the migration, and sending updates to the memory area on the new stream during the second stage of migration.
US09934055B2 Evaluating distributed application performance in a new environment
Evaluating the performance of an application when migrated from a first environment in which the application is currently executing to a different second environment includes generating a configuration file using data obtained from the application executing in the first environment, installing the configuration file in a virtual machine residing in the second environment, launching the application in the virtual machine after the installing, and obtaining a metric indicative of the performance from the virtual machine.
US09934054B2 Evaluating distributed application performance in a new environment
A method for evaluating the performance of an application when migrated from a first environment in which the application is currently executing to a different second environment includes generating a configuration file using data obtained from the application executing in the first environment, installing the configuration file in a virtual machine residing in the second environment, launching the application in the virtual machine after the installing, and obtaining a metric indicative of the performance from the virtual machine.
US09934041B2 Pattern based branch prediction
A method comprises identifying a number of branches (Nb) and a number of iterations (Ni) in a loop in an instruction stream, generating a number of forward branches until the number of forward branches equals Nb, generating a non-branch instruction in between the forward branch instruction, recording in a memory, instruction stream generated and a history of each branch, an associated target address of each branch, and whether the branch is a taken branch or a not taken branch, determining whether a loop iterator number (i) is less than Ni−1, generating a backward branch with a target address which is greater than or equal to the start address and is lesser than the current address responsive to determining that (i) is less than Ni, and recording in the memory, a branch instruction of the generated backward branch and the associated target address of the backward branch.
US09934039B2 Stack saved variable pointer value prediction
Methods of predicting stack pointer values of variables stored in a stack are described. When an instruction is seen which stores a variable in the stack in a position offset from the stack pointer, an entry is added to a data structure which identifies the physical register which currently stores the stack pointer, the physical register which stores the value of the variable and the offset value. Subsequently when an instruction to load a variable from the stack from a position which is identified by reference to the stack pointer is seen, the data structure is searched to see if there is a corresponding entry which includes the same offset and the same physical register storing the stack pointer as the load instruction. If a corresponding entry is found the architectural register in the load instruction is mapped to the physical register storing the value of the variable from the entry.
US09934036B2 Compiler method, parallel processing method, and compiler apparatus
A compiler method that performs parallel processing on a data set using multithreading. The method includes calculating a divisor for dividing the data set. The data set is divided into a number of subsets greater than a number of threads. The method generates a plurality of data subsets and executable code. The code performs processing operations and an instruction executed by a first thread that reaches the code. After completing processing operations related to the subsets that have been assigned to the threads, the next subsets are assigned to the threads. When assigning the next subsets, synchronous processing is performed in order to determine which one of “unprocessed”, “processed”, and “assigned to a different thread” is the state of each of the subsets.
US09934033B2 Operation of a multi-slice processor implementing simultaneous two-target loads and stores
Operation of a multi-slice processor that includes a plurality of execution slices and a load/store superslice, where the load/store superslice includes a set predict array, a first load/store slice, and a second load/store slice. Operation of such a multi-slice processor includes: receiving a two-target load instruction directed to the first load/store slice and a store instruction directed to the second load/store slice; determining a first subset of ports of the set predict array as inputs for an effective address for the two-target load instruction; determining a second subset of ports of the set predict array as inputs for an effective address for the store instruction; and generating, in dependence upon logic corresponding to the set predict array that is less than logic implementing an entire load/store slice, output for performing the two-target load instruction in parallel with generating output for performing the store instruction.
US09934029B2 Annotation driven representational state transfer (REST) web services
Techniques for annotation driven Representational State Transfer (REST) web services are presented. A platform-independent World-Wide Web application is annotated to expose the methods of the application when accessed via a WWW site. The methods are described when rendered via a WWW site in a REST compliant format (RESTful).
US09934026B2 Workflow generation and editing
Workflow definitions are broken into a set of components. Each workflow component has an instance-specific workflow definition that it operates from. Different steps can be injected into different workflow instance-specific definitions, based upon a given state of each individual workflow instance.
US09934025B2 Method and system for providing software updates to local machines
In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for a updating software in a plurality of devices coupled to one another in a communicating relationship through a local network, the method comprising receiving a descriptor file for a software update at the first device from a remote source outside the local network, the descriptor file including a hash code for each of a plurality of update sub-files and an order for assembling the update sub-files into the software update, downloading the plurality of update sub-files to the first device from a remote source outside the local network until the sub-files identified in the descriptor file are present on the first device, where a presence of the sub-files is evaluated using the hash codes in the descriptor file, and broadcasting every one of the plurality of update sub-files from the first device to the number of other devices.
US09934022B2 Secured firmware updates
When providing a user with native access to at least a portion of device hardware, the user can be prevented from modifying firmware and other configuration information by controlling the mechanisms used to update that information. For example, a clock or a timer mechanism can be used by a network interface card to define a mutability period. During the mutability period, firmware update to a peripheral device can be allowed. Once the mutability period has expired, firmware update to a peripheral device will no longer be allowed.
US09934021B2 System and method for adaptive application self-updating
An information handling system, includes a processor to execute an application and an update system to determine to provide an update to the application. The update system includes an identity context engine to determine an identity context for the information handling system and a system context engine to determine a system context for the information handling system. The update system determines whether to retrieve an update manifest for the update based upon the identity context, the system context, and a manifest policy, determines whether to download the update based upon the identity context, the system context, and a download policy, and determines whether to install update based upon the identity context, the system context, and an installation policy.
US09934020B2 Intelligent mobile application update
In an approach for managing updates of a mobile software application, a computer receives information regarding a mobile computing device and a mobile software application on the mobile computing device, wherein the information regarding the mobile computing device comprises at least one or more of a location of the mobile computing device, a network connection type, a security bit associated with the mobile computing device, and a checksum associated with the at least one mobile software application. The computer determines whether the mobile software application matches a stored mobile software application on a computing device. Responsive to determining that the mobile software application does not match the stored mobile software application on the computing device, the computer determines an update policy for scheduling an update to the mobile software application on the mobile computing device.
US09934018B2 Artifact deployment
A computing device communicates with a different computing device over a network. The computing device and the different computing device communicate with one another in a peer-to-peer architecture such that the computing device and the different computing device are peers to one another. An agent is executed on the computing device and receives an artifact deployed at the different computing device for deployment at the computing device. The agent receives the artifact via a user-initiated command. A run-time engine is executed on the computing device at which the artifact is to be deployed. After the user-initiated command has been triggered, the agent receives and deploys the artifact without further user interaction.
US09934010B1 Programming in a multiprocessor environment
Programming in a multiprocessor environment includes accepting a program specification that defines a plurality of processing modules and one or more channels for sending data between ports of the modules, mapping each of the processing modules to run on a set of one or more processing engines of a network of interconnected processing engines, and for at least some of the channels, assigning one or more elements of one or more processing engines in the network to the channel for sending data between respective processing modules.
US09934009B2 Processor that includes a special store instruction used in regions of a computer program where memory aliasing may occur
Processor hardware detects when memory aliasing occurs, and assures proper operation of the code even in the presence of memory aliasing. The processor defines a special store instruction that is different from a regular store instruction. The special store instruction is used in regions of the computer program where memory aliasing may occur. Because the hardware can detect and correct for memory aliasing, this allows a compiler to make optimizations such as register promotion even in regions of the code where memory aliasing may occur.
US09934007B2 Method for operating tool in working environment and machine using such method
A method for operating a tool in a working environment is provided. Firstly, a website-based working environment for operating a unified tool is provided in a browser. A software development kit is used as at least one standard interface of transmitting data and/or commands between the working environment and a unified inline frame. The software development kit is compatibly executed between the working environment and the unified inline frame. Then, the unified tool is operated in the working environment as the inline frame which is loaded with an adapter is loaded. The adapter is produced as a software module which is the integration of an original tool incompatible with the working environment and the standard interface. The original tool is executed by the working environment through the standard interface.
US09934006B2 Scalable code division and workflow chart
Generating a scalable code division and workflow chart. Based on definition-and-use cases of variables in a code snippet to be represented by a graph, crossing references to the variables in the code are determined, where a crossing reference associated with a statement involves a definition of the variable before the statement and a use of the variable at or after the statement. The code snippet is divided, based on the crossing references.
US09934003B2 System and method for creating a development and operational platform for mobile applications
The present invention provides a system and method for constructing a complete definition of a backend requirements model that can be automatically accessed and interpreted, and generated into a mobile consumable API for creation of, and use with, mobile applications. The mobile consumable API can be provided and made available to mobile app developers on a separate, stand-alone platform, and may act as an intermediary between the mobile app and the primary mainframe/enterprise/back end system. The method may include identification and definition of one or more of information providers, integration providers, and system behaviors, and creating a domain model. The domain model may be automatically codified into an API based solution as the app/mainframe interface, and stored on a development and operational platform for use.
US09934001B2 Simplified creation of an application in a selected stream processing platform
A stream processing handling arrangement provides a number of data handling blocks, selectable for forming a work flow. The blocks comprise data processing blocks. The arrangement receives selections of data handling blocks, block parameter settings and workflow property objectives, and compares the objectives with corresponding stream processing framework capabilities. The arrangement determines a stream processing framework for the work flow, provides a number software module groups, each corresponding to a different framework and comprising software modules corresponding to the data handling blocks, and chooses a group corresponding to the determined stream processing framework. The arrangement selects, in this group, software modules corresponding to the selected blocks and constructs an application using the selected software modules.
US09933999B2 Apparatus, method and program for calculating the result of a repeating iterative sum
An apparatus, method and program are provided for calculating a result value to a required precision of a repeating iterative sum, wherein the repeating iterative sum comprises multiple iterations of an addition using an input value. Addition is performed in a single iteration of addition as a sum operation using overlapping portions of the input value and a shifted version of the input value, wherein the shifted version of the input value has a partial overlap with the input value. At least one result portion is produced by incrementing an input derived from the input value using the output from the sum operation and the result value is constructed using the at least one result portion to give the result value to the required precision. The repeating iterative sum is thereby flattened into a flattened calculation which requires only a single iteration of addition using the input value, thus facilitating the calculation of the result value of the repeating iterative sum.
US09933995B2 Headphones with integral image display
Method and system for displaying images on headphones worn by a user and/or for displaying a status of the user. The headphones include a display screen on an outward-facing surface of the headphones. The display screen can display images related to audio being listened to by the user. The display screen can also display a status of the user, such as “on the phone” or “busy.” The display screen can be a touch screen display, and the user can input commands to the headphones by touching and/or gesturing on the display.
US09933994B2 Receiving at a device audible input that is spelled
In one aspect, a device includes a processor, a display accessible to the processor, and a memory accessible to the processor. The memory bears instructions executable by the processor to receive first input pertaining to second input to the device that will be spelled, receive the second input, and execute a function based on the second input. The second input is audible input.
US09933993B2 Cadence-based selection, playback, and transition between song versions
A system and methods for acquiring cadence and selecting a song version based on the acquired cadence are disclosed. If the system detects a new cadence, then a new song version that corresponds to the new cadence can be played. The new song version playback can start in a corresponding position as the location of playback in a currently-playing song version. Each related song version shares one or more characteristics, such as melody, but is different in at least one characteristic, such as tempo.
US09933992B2 Audio signal processing apparatus capable of signal processing for previewing purpose
A mixer includes a plurality of channel modules, and audio signals having processed in the individual channel modules are output from a main output. A temporary channel module is created and made usable in response to a preview start instruction for previewing a desired one of the channel modules as a preview-object channel module. The same audio signal as input to the preview-object channel module is input to the temporary channel module. The temporary channel module performs signal processing on the input audio signal independently of the preview-object channel module, and the audio signal having been subjected to the signal processing is output to a monitor output. Thus, a user is allowed to change a signal processing parameter value to be applied to an audio signal and preview the changed result, without influencing the main output.
US09933988B2 Display apparatus and method of controlling display apparatus
A display apparatus includes a communication interface configured to wirelessly receive first image data from a host apparatus, a user interface configured to display the received first image data, and a controller configured to control the user interface to generate second image data by operations of an operating system of the display apparatus, and display at least one of the generated second image data and the received first image data.
US09933982B2 Managing print job associated processing by user processes associated with separate logged-in users of an information processing apparatus
An information processing apparatus includes: circuitry configured to detect whether or not a print job is caused to be stuck in a printer queue where printer jobs are to be stored, the print job containing attribute information and data to be printed, the attribute information containing a printing condition; when detecting that the print job is stuck in the printer queue, specify user information, by which a user that has requested printing is identified; and provide information for use in processing to be performed by a user process, the user process being one, the one being associated with the specified user information, of a plurality of user processes that are in a one-to-one correspondence with a plurality of currently-logged-in users.
US09933975B1 Data transmission method, memory storage device and memory control circuit unit
A data transmission method, a memory storage device and a memory control circuit unit are provided. The method includes: obtaining a first command from a host system and counting a first time value; performing a first access operation corresponding to the first command on the rewritable non-volatile memory module; and generating a first completion message corresponding to completion of the first access operation and buffering the first completion message in a buffer area; and transmitting the first completion message buffered in the buffer area to the host system if the first time value meets a first waiting time value. Accordingly, a data access speed detected by the host system is stabilized.
US09933969B2 Securing encoding data slices using an integrity check value list
A method includes retrieving a read threshold number of integrity check value list (ICVL) encoded data slices of a set of ICVL encoded data slices. The method further includes determining whether an appended ICVL of each ICVL encoded data slice of the read threshold number of ICVL encoded data slices substantially match. When the appended ICVL of one of the ICVL encoded does not substantially match the appended ICVL of other ICVL encoded data slices, the method further includes determining a likely cause for the mismatch. When the likely cause is missing a revision update, the method further includes initiate rebuilding of the encoded data slice portion. The method further includes generating an integrity check value for the rebuilt encoded data slice and updating the integrity check value list. The method further includes appending the updated integrity check value list to the rebuilt encoded data slice.
US09933965B1 Method and system for providing storage checkpointing to a group of independent computer applications
A method and system for checkpointing at least one application in an application group. At least one full checkpoint and at least one incremental checkpoint are created for the application in the application group. The at least one incremental application checkpoint is merged against the at least one full application checkpoint, and checkpointing across all applications in the application group is synchronized. A storage checkpoint is taken for at least one of the full checkpoint and the incremental checkpoint, and memory and storage checkpoints are synchronized and consistent.
US09933964B2 Secondary storage operation instruction tags in information management systems
According to certain aspects, a system can include a client computing device configured to: in response to user interaction, store an identifier associated with a first tag in association with a first file; and in response to instructions to perform a secondary copy operation, forward the first file, a second file, and the identifier associated with the first tag. The system may also include a secondary storage controller computer(s) configured to: based on a review of the identifier associated with the first tag, identify the first file as having been tagged with the first tag; electronically obtain rules associated with the first tag; perform on the first file at least a first secondary storage operation specified by the rules associated with the first tag; and perform on the second file at least a second secondary storage operation, wherein the first and second secondary storage operations are different.
US09933957B1 Non-disruptively migrating virtual disks using virtualization appliance
A technique for migrating data of a virtual machine running on a server from a first storage array to a second storage array includes configuring a virtualization appliance to mirror data between the first storage array and the second storage array and redirecting IO (Input/Output) requests, which were previously directed to the first storage array, instead to the virtualization appliance. The virtualization appliance performs data mirroring to bring the data in the second storage array into synchronization with the data in the first storage array, such that migration of the data from the first storage array to the second storage array is achieved.
US09933955B1 Power safe write buffer for data storage device
Data from a host is received into a volatile memory of a Data Storage Device (DSD) for storage on a disk of the DSD. Data received in the volatile memory from the host is identified for inclusion in a Power Safe Write Buffer (PSWB) and an indication is sent to the host indicating storage of data received from the host and identified for inclusion in the PSWB before storing the identified data on the disk. In the event of an unexpected power loss of the DSD, the identified data is transferred from the volatile memory to a Non-Volatile Solid-State Memory (NVSM) of the DSD.
US09933953B1 Managing copy sessions in a data storage system to control resource consumption
A technique for managing copy sessions in a data storage system supports active and inactive copy-session states and reclaims memory for inactive copy sessions to reduce their memory footprints. When a copy session transitions from the active state to the inactive state, the copy session persists certain copy-progress data in non-volatile storage and frees structures in memory previously storing that copy-progress data. The inactive copy session continues to run but performs no copying and consumes less memory. When the copy session later transitions back to the active state, the copy session reads the copy-progress data back into memory and resumes copying.
US09933952B1 Balancing allocated cache pages among storage devices in a flash cache
Described herein are techniques for use in balancing allocated cache pages among storage devices in a flash cache. The techniques comprise determining an expected number of allocated cache pages in connection with a non-volatile storage device that forms at least part of a flash cache. The techniques also comprise performing a comparison between the expected number of allocated cache pages and an actual number of allocated or free cache pages in connection with the non-volatile storage device. The techniques further comprise selecting, based on the comparison, a free cache page in connection with the non-volatile storage device to allocate as a cache page.
US09933951B2 Reducing read latency using a pool of processing cores
In a read processing storage system, using a pool of CPU cores, the CPU cores are assigned to process either write operations, read operations, and read and write operations, that are scheduled for processing. A minimal number of the CPU cores are allocated for processing the write operations, thereby increasing write latency.
US09933948B2 Tiered storage system, computer using tiered storage device, and method of correcting count of accesses to file
According to one embodiment, a tiered storage system includes a tiered storage device and a computer. The computer uses the tiered storage device, and includes a file system and a correction support unit. If an access request from an application is a write request to request overwriting of data, the file system executes a copy-on-write operation. The correction support unit causes the storage controller to carry over an access count manacled by the storage controller and associated with the logical block address of a copy source in the copy-on-write operation, to an access count associated with the logical block address of a copy destination in the copy-on-write operation.
US09933945B1 Efficiently shrinking a dynamically-sized volume
Techniques for shrinking a filesystem backed by a volume identify slices in the volume to be evacuated in order to reach a target size, identify a target endpoint in the volume, and evacuate identified slices to available locations prior to the target endpoint. The same data is typically not moved from slice to slice multiple times.
US09933943B2 Configuration of a physical control unit to support multiple logical control units for different tape drive types in a mainframe native tape attachment storage system
A tape storage system having a physical control unit configured to support multiple logical control units is provided. Each logical control unit supports communication with a single tape drive model type up to a maximum number of drives. A customer obtains a number N of logical control units through purchase, lease or other legitimate avenues. Based on the number of tape drive model types L and the number of tape drives for each type QL, the model types are mapped to the N LCUs. In general, mapping priority is given to the newer generation model types and the model types in which the number of attached tape drives QL exceeds the capacity M of a single LCU. An exception being that the oldest model type is ensured a mapping to an LCU. The LCUs may be reconfigured and the model types remapped on the physical CU if the customer adds different model types to the storage system or obtains a different number of LCUs.
US09933942B2 Method for dimensioning and reconfiguring of a storage system with removable media
Embodiments include methods for operating a first storage system having a first number of data storage drives for enabling access to a first set of removable media. Aspects include providing a second storage system having a number K of data storage drives for enabling access to a second set of removable media and providing a set of parameters describing operational characteristics of the second storage system. Aspects also include determining an analytical model using the set of parameters, the analytical model describing the variation of average waiting time as a function of system load over a predefined range covering multiple system load regime domains and determining values of the set of parameters using the analytical model and data of the second storage system. Aspects further include using the analytical model and the values of the set of parameters for reconfiguring the first storage system.
US09933941B2 Memory system and control method thereof
A memory system includes a nonvolatile memory including a plurality of blocks as data erase units, a measuring unit which measures an erase time at which data of each block is erased, and a block controller which writes data supplied from at least an exterior into a first block which is set in a free state and whose erase time is oldest.
US09933940B2 Accessible keyboard for mobile devices and tablets
An accessible virtual keyboard provided as a computer-readable medium including instructions, that when executed by a controller in communication with a user interface, cause the controller to: in response to a request from a running application, display a keyboard including selectable cluster keys via the user interface, wherein each cluster key is associated with a character set including two or more characters, wherein each displayed cluster key includes each character of the character set displayed within a boundary; in response to a selection of one of the cluster keys, display selectable individual keys of the character set associated with the selected cluster key via the user interface, wherein each individual key is associated with a single character of the character set associated with the selected cluster key; and, in response to a selection of one of the individual keys, provide the associated character as an input to the running application.
US09933938B1 Minimizing software based keyboard
The subject matter of this specification can be implemented in, among other things, a computer-implemented user interface method including displaying on a touchscreen display a representation of a keyboard defining a top edge and a bottom edge, and a content area adjacent to the keyboard. The method further includes receiving a user dragging input having motion directed to the bottom edge of the keyboard. The method further includes removing the keyboard from the touchscreen display and expanding the content area to an area previously occupied by the keyboard.
US09933937B2 Portable multifunction device, method, and graphical user interface for playing online videos
A portable electronic device with a touch screen display displays a first list of information about online video items in a plurality of lists. The device displays a plurality of icons corresponding to at least some of the plurality of lists. In response to detecting a moving finger gesture on the first list, the device scrolls the first list. In response to detecting a stationary finger gesture on a first portion of a row in the first list, where the row contains information about a particular online video item, the device: initiates a request for the particular online video item from a remote computer, receives the particular online video item, and plays the particular online video item. In response to detecting a finger gesture on a respective icon in the plurality of icons, the device displays a corresponding list of information about online video items.
US09933934B2 Information processing apparatus
Provided is an information processing apparatus that displays on a screen at least a part of a display region, in which display elements are arranged; terminates the display of the display region when an operation of specifying a first direction with respect to a predetermined region in the screen is received from a user; and shifts into a state, in which the termination of the display of the display region, when an operation of specifying a second direction that is different from the first direction with respect to the predetermined region is received from the user.
US09933933B2 Mobile terminal and control method thereof
A mobile terminal including a wireless communication unit configured to provide wireless communication; a touch screen configured to display an execution screen; and a controller configured to receive a touch input to one end of the touch screen that continuously moves in a direction toward the other end of the touch screen, and display a control screen among any one of first and second control screens based on a point to which the touch input is applied.
US09933932B2 Information processing apparatus having a contact detection unit capable of detecting a plurality of contact points, storage medium having program recorded thereon, and object movement method
An information processing apparatus has a display unit operable to display an object, a contact detection unit operable to detect a plurality of contact points on the display unit, and a control unit operable to control the object displayed on the display unit so as to be movable with use of the contact detection unit. When the control unit detects contact with a display range of the object displayed on the display unit with use of the contact detection unit, detects contact with an active range of a display screen other than the display range of the object, and further detects a movement instruction to the object, then the control unit controls the object so as to be movable within the active range. Thus, use of a contact detection unit capable of a plurality of contact points permits a user's intuitive operation.
US09933931B2 Freeze pane with snap scrolling
A grid structure has a header section and a content section. A scroll user input is detected and columns in the content section are scrolled without scrolling the header section. The displayed grid structure is snapped to a column boundary.
US09933926B2 Method and system for medical data display
A system for efficiently displaying medical data to a user. For one or more of the image series, the system displays a thumbnail image representing the image series in a secondary segment of a display. In response to a selection of one of the displayed thumbnail images the system displays in the secondary segment a positioning grid with multiple sections, each section representing a section of a separate primary segment of the display that does not overlap the secondary segment. In response to a selection of one of the sections in the positioning grid the system updates the display to cause an image in the image series corresponding to the selected thumbnail image to be displayed in the section of the primary segment of the display represented by the selected section of the positioning grid.
US09933925B2 Screen layout manager
An electronic layout manager system for displaying a plurality of visual elements in different sections of a screen of an electronic device or of a screen image projected by an electronic device, said sections being in the form of assembled square or rectangular tiles of various sizes that in combination fill a square or rectangular screen surface area, the system comprising a layout manager program module configured to define the size and position of each of the tiles as a function of constraints stored in a memory of the system or calculated by an algorithm of the program module, the program module configured to recursively subdivide said screen surface area by horizontal and vertical partitions (H, V) to create a binary space partitioning (BSP) layout containing horizontal and vertical partitions representable by a logical binary tree where each node of the tree represents a partition and each leaf of the tree represents a tile, whereby each addition of a tile comprises either adding a vertical partition (V) or alternatively adding a horizontal partition (H) and each subtraction of a tile comprises either subtracting a vertical partition (V) or alternatively subtracting a horizontal partition (H), the program module configured to automatically resize, as a function of one or more of said constraints, at least one or more tiles aligned with the added or removed tile to fill the space that was occupied by said one or more resized tiles before said addition or subtraction, said aligned tiles sharing a common partition orthogonal to the added or subtracted partition, said automatic resizing occurring in a direction orthogonal to the added or subtracted partition whereby when a vertical partition is added or subtracted said automatically resized tiles are resized in width and when a horizontal partition is added or subtracted said automatically resized tiles are resized in height.
US09933922B2 Child container control of parent container of a user interface
Disclosed herein are technologies that give a disproportionate amount of screen real estate (or container real estate) to one of a group of user interface (UI) subcontainers to which a user is giving his or her attention. More particularly, in response to an indication that the user is focused and/or interested on a particular subcontainer, the device enlarges that subcontainer to occupy more (and perhaps all) of the available screen (or container) real estate. This Abstract is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.
US09933918B2 Specifying control and data connections in graph-based programs
A first component of a graph-based program specification includes an output control port. A second component includes an input control port and an input data port. A third component includes an output data port. The output control port is connected to the input control port, and the output data port is connected to the input data port. The first component includes control code that when executed causes the output control port to provide, to the input control port, at least one of suppression information or invocation information. The second component includes control code that when executed causes a computing system configured by the graph-based program specification to begin processing data received at the input data port in response to the invocation information if no suppression information is received at the input control port before the invocation information is received at the input control port.
US09933916B1 Methods, systems, and computer readable mediums for providing user interface information associated with a computing system
Methods, systems, and computer readable mediums for providing user interface (UI) information associated with a computing system are disclosed. According to one exemplary embodiment, a method for providing UI information comprises receiving, from a requesting entity, a request for information associated with an element of a computing system, selecting, using data from the request, a UI element for representing the element from a repository comprising a set of UI elements for representing various elements of the computing system, and providing, to the requesting entity, UI information for displaying the UI element.
US09933911B2 System and method for managing software applications in a graphical user interface
A system and method for managing software application windows in a graphical user interface having a desktop and taskbar display area are provided. Each instantiated program is represented as one or more graphical windows in the desktop and as a control tile in the taskbar. Control tiles are grouped into control tile groups that facilitate organization and single access control. Project control tile groups allow the grouping of multiple software applications. Additionally, minimized control tile group layout and state may be preserved and previewed prior to being restored.
US09933905B2 Touch-control display panel
A touch-control display panel includes a touch-control electrode including a plurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrode overlapping with the first electrodes in insulation, a plurality of cascaded first touch-control units selectively connected with the first electrodes, and a plurality of touch-control lines selectively connected with the second electrode. The first electrodes are stripe-shaped electrodes divided into a plurality of first electrode groups, each first electrode group including n first electrodes, with n being an integer and n≥2. The first electrodes in a first electrode group are connected to a same first touch-control unit, and each of the plurality of first touch-control units respectively transmits first touch-control signals to its corresponding first electrode group. The second electrodes are arranged in a plurality of rows and columns, and each row of the second electrodes overlapping at least one first electrode with insulation.
US09933904B2 Capacitive touch system
The invention concerns a capacitive touch system comprising: an active stylus (800) configured so as to continuously emit a signal a capacitive touch device (200) configured to be in a reset phase (1000), followed by a finger touch sensing phase (2000), the finger touches being sensed exclusively during the finger touch sensing phase (2000). The capacitive touch device (200) is configured to sense the signal from the active stylus (800) during the reset phase (1000). The capacitive touch device (200) comprises at least one charge sensor (208, 213) comprising a charge sensor amplifier (305) comprising an input (CSi) and an output (csaout), and a switch (Sw1) between this input (CSi) and this output (csaout). The charge sensor amplifier (305) is arranged for conveying the signal of the active stylus (800) through a non-zero resistance value (Ron) of the switch (Sw1) during the reset phase (1000).
US09933903B2 Input device and input/output device
An input device or an input/output device that is suitable for increasing in size is provided. An input device or an input/output device that can be driven at high frequencies is provided. An input device includes a plurality of row wirings and a plurality of column wirings. To each of the plurality of row wirings, periodic rectangular waves are applied. When attention is paid to one row wiring Xi (i is greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to m−1), a signal that has a phase opposite to that of a signal applied to the row wiring Xi and that is delayed for a given period is applied to a row wiring Xi+1, which is the row wiring next to the row wiring Xi. The width of each of the rectangular waves applied to the row wirings corresponds to a frame period.
US09933900B2 Sensing electrode group and sensed capacitance estimation method and apparatus
A sensing electrode group formed on a substrate of a touch apparatus includes a plurality of sensing electrode unit pairs arranged along a first direction. Each sensing electrode unit pair includes a first sensing electrode unit and a second sensing electrode unit corresponding to the first sensing electrode unit. The first sensing electrode unit includes at least one first electrode, at least one corresponding second electrode, a first conducting wire and a second conducting wire. The second sensing electrode unit includes at least one third electrode, at least one corresponding fourth electrode, a third conducting wire and a fourth conducting wire. The first and second sensing electrode units are arranged along a second direction, and the third and fourth conducting wires are routed along the second direction next to the first sensing electrode unit.
US09933899B2 Capacitive touch structure, in-cell touch panel, display device and scanning method
Disclosed are a capacitive touch structure, an in-cell touch panel, a display device and a scanning method thereof. The capacitive touch structure includes: a plurality of self-capacitance electrodes (10) disposed in a same layer and located in at least two regions contained in the layer surface where self-capacitance electrodes (10) are located; region electrodes (20) located in each of the regions and disposed in the same layer with the self-capacitance electrodes (10); first wires connected with the self-capacitance electrodes (10), wherein there is at least a plurality of first wires (41) that satisfy the following conditions: one of the first wire (41) is connected with at least two of the self-capacitance electrodes (10) located in different regions respectively; second wires connected with the region electrodes (20), wherein the region electrodes in respective regions are electrically connected with different second wires; and a touch sensing chip connected with the first wires (41) and the second wires.
US09933897B2 Array substrate and touch control display device
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to the technical field of touch control display, and an array substrate and a touch control display device are provided. The array substrate includes a plurality of touch emitting lines and a plurality of touch sensing lines arranged perpendicular to each other and isolated from each other, each of the touch emitting lines and each of the touch sensing lines form a touch sensing capacitor. The touch sensing can be realized by sensing a variation in the capacitance value of the touch sensing capacitor when touch occurs. Meanwhile, the projection of each of the touch emitting lines or each of the touch sensing lines on the substrate falls into the projection of gate lines or data lines on the substrate, thus the aperture ratio of the touch control display device is increased.
US09933896B2 Touch panel and method of manufacturing a touch panel
The present invention discloses a touch panel and a method of manufacturing a touch panel, to reduce the visibility of the transparent etching line of the transparent electrodes on the touch panel. The touch panel comprises a plurality of transparent electrode disposed distantly on the transparent conductive layer and the passivation layer of a transparent substrate, where the passivation layer covering the transparent conductive layer, to make the refractive index of the passivation layer and the transparent electrodes match with each other. Oxide with high refractive index added in the passivation material is filled in the etched area of the transparent conductive layer, so that the optical refractive index of the etched area and ITO area on transparent conductive layer become closer, and the difference in refractive index curve between ITO area and etched area is reduced, therefore, the effect of making the transparent electrode pattern is achieved.
US09933893B2 Method and program for driving information processing device
A method for driving an information processing device which is adaptable to a wider variety of input methods is provided. The coordinates of an operating body at a starting point in the XYZ space and the coordinates of the operating body at an ending point in the XYZ space after a certain period of time are obtained, and the Z coordinate at the ending point and the movement distance on the X-Y plane in the certain period of time are calculated. Then, a signal is output only in the case where both the distance from an operating surface to the operating body in the vertical direction and the movement distance in the horizontal direction exceed the respective threshold values. In this manner, input operation can be performed by a three-dimensional motion, which includes movement of the operating body in the vertical direction as well as in the horizontal direction.
US09933890B2 Touch panel and method for manufacturing the same
Disclosed are a touch panel and a method for manufacturing the same. A touch panel can include a substrate, a transparent electrode base on the substrate, a first transparent electrode on the transparent electrode base and extending in a first direction, and a second transparent electrode on the transparent electrode base and extending in a second direction. A method of manufacturing a touch panel can include preparing a substrate and a transparent electrode base, forming a transparent electrode over the transparent electrode base, and forming an electrode material over the transparent electrode base.
US09933888B2 Multimodal sensor and manufacturing method thereof
A multimodal sensor includes first conductive electrodes that are arranged in parallel with one another, being spaced from one another by a certain distance, an insulating layer that is formed on the first conductive electrodes, second conductive electrodes that are formed on the insulating layer, crossing the first conductive electrodes, and are arranged in parallel with one another, being spaced from one another, and a controller that applies voltages to the first and second conductive electrodes. The controller detects capacitance formed between the first and second conductive electrodes, and senses an external temperature, intensity of a pressure or a position, to which a pressure is applied, in response to a variation of the capacitance.
US09933887B2 Display device and method of driving the same
A display device and method of driving the same are disclosed. In one aspect, the display device includes a flexible display panel and a flexible touch panel disposed on one surface of the flexible display panel. The flexible touch panel is configured to output a plurality of sensing signals indicating a bent shape of the display device. The display device also includes a controller configured to receive the sensing signals, determine the bent shape of the display device based on the received sensing signals, compensate an input image signal based on the determined bent shape so as to generate a gradation signal and provide the gradation signal to the flexible display panel.
US09933882B2 Systems and methods for determining types of user input
The embodiments described herein thus provide devices and methods that facilitate improved input devices. Specifically, the devices, systems and methods provide the ability to accurately determine user input using multiple different sensing regimes. The different sensing regimes can be used to facilitate accurate position determination of objects both at the surface and away from the surface. For example, the different sensing regimes can be used to determine position information for both ungloved and gloved fingers. In one embodiment the first sensing regime uses a first duty cycle of absolute capacitive sensing and a first duty cycle of transcapacitive sensing. The second sensing regime uses a second duty cycle of absolute capacitive sensing and a second duty cycle of transcapacitive sensing, where the second duty cycle of absolute capacitive sensing is greater than the first duty cycle of absolute capacitive sensing.
US09933881B2 Inductive touch modules and inductive touch display devices and the manufacturing method thereof
An inductive touch module and an inductive touch display device and the manufacturing method thereof are disclosed. The induction touch module includes: an X-layer of metallic lines, a Y-layer of metallic lines and an electromagnetic induction coil layer stacked together, and the X-layer of metallic lines, the Y-layer of metallic lines, and the electromagnetic induction coil layer are insulated from each other; the X-layer of metallic lines comprises a plurality of X metallic lines arranged along a first direction; the Y-layer of metallic lines comprises a plurality of Y metallic lines arranged along a second direction; the electromagnetic induction coil layer comprises a plurality of electromagnetic induction coils arranged in a matrix; each of the electromagnetic induction coils is of a spiral structure, each of the electromagnetic induction coils connects to one X metallic line and one Y metallic line, and each of the electromagnetic induction coils corresponds to the X metallic line and the Y metallic line one by one. In this way, the number of coils of the electromagnetic induction coils within a specific dimension may be increased so as to enhance the sensibility of the touch module.
US09933874B2 Integrated touch control display panel and touch display device
The present disclosure provides an integrated touch control display panel. The integrated touch control display panel includes a display region and a peripheral circuit region located on at least one side of the display region. The display region includes a plurality of stripe shaped touch control electrodes that extend in a first direction and are sequentially arranged in a second direction which intersects with the first direction. Defining a width of a gap between the peripheral circuit region and a closest stripe shaped touch control electrode in the second direction as a first width, and defining a width of a gap between any two adjacent stripe shaped touch control electrodes as a second width, the first width is greater than the second width.
US09933873B2 Array substrate, touch display, and electronic device
An array substrate comprises a common electrode, an insulation layer, and a sensing layer, the common electrode comprises the touch electrodes, they are in spaced arrangement, the sensing layer comprises the touch traces and the suspending traces, the touch trace is disposed above the touch electrode and electrically connects to the touch electrode by the through hole, the suspending trace is disposed above the interval between two of the touch electrodes and electrically connects to the touch trace by the first trace. Using the electrical connection between the suspending trace and the touch trace, the electrical potentials of the suspending trace and the touch electrode are the same, the difference of the electric field between the interval area of the adjacent touch electrodes and the touch electrode decreases for avoiding the electric field formed in the data line under the touch electrode ingresses into the liquid crystal layer.
US09933872B2 Touch panel
An input device or an input/output device with higher sensing accuracy is provided. An input device or an input/output device with higher detection sensitivity is provided. A display device or an input/output device with high visibility is provided. A plurality of conductive layers arranged in a matrix has an outline including a linear portion parallel to a direction along an outline of a display region of a display portion and linear portions of adjacent two conductive layers face each other. Furthermore, in the plurality of conductive layers arranged in a matrix, a plurality of conductive layers arranged in a line in an oblique direction to the outline of the display portion are electrically connected to each other. Alternatively, a plurality of conductive layers arranged in a zigzag line along the outline of the display portion are electrically connected to each other.
US09933870B2 Back plate member for flexible display, display apparatus including the same, and method of manufacturing the same
Disclosed are a back plate member for flexible display, a display apparatus including the same, and a method of manufacturing the same, in which a bonding process of bonding a cover glass to a flexible display panel is easily performed. The back plate member includes a back plate including first and second supporting plates which are arranged in parallel with an open part therebetween, a first protective film including a first protection part attached to a bottom of the first supporting plate, a second protection part attached to a bottom of the second supporting plate, and a separation part overlapping the open part, and a second protective film attached to a top of the back plate, the second protective film having a plate shape.
US09933869B2 Touch substrate, touch panel and display display
The present disclosure provides a touch substrate, a touch panel and a display device. The touch substrate includes a periphery area and a touch area. The touch area includes a first edge and a second edge opposite to each other. The touch substrate includes: bonding terminals arranged in the periphery area, touch electrodes arranged in the touch area and signal transmission lines connecting the bonding terminals and the touch electrodes. The signal transmission lines are arranged between the first edge and the second edge.
US09933860B2 Alphabet input system
The present invention relates to an alphabet input system comprising: a plurality of representative keys for inputting matched first letters of the alphabet; and a combination key for generating combination letters of the alphabet that are excluded from the first letters and that are input by a combination with one of the plurality of representative keys, wherein each combination letter is pictographically derived from the shape of the first letter matched respectively to the plurality of representative keys and from a combination symbol of the combination key having a “reverse J” shape. Accordingly, the alphabet can be input more quickly and accurately by combining intuitive and consistent pictographic symbols in a miniaturised input device.
US09933853B2 Display control device, display control program, and display control method
Provided are a display control device attachable to a human body, a display control program, and a display control method capable of performing switching among images displayed on a display device along with movement of the human body. The attachment device according to the present invention is attachable to the human body, and includes: an acceleration device that detects acceleration; and a display device capable of switchingly displaying different images. The display device performs switching among a plurality of images in accordance with the acceleration that is detected by the acceleration device. In this case, the switching among the images displayed on the display device can be performed along with the movement of the human body.
US09933846B2 Electronic system with display mode mechanism and method of operation thereof
An electronic system includes: a control unit configured to: detect a motion applied to a device with a display in a mode; select another mode of the display based on the device motion; and a user interface, coupled to the control unit, configured to apply a screen motion to the another mode of the display.
US09933844B2 Clustering execution in a processing system to increase power savings
Embodiments relate to clustering execution in a processing system. An aspect includes accessing a control flow graph that defines a data dependency and an execution sequence of a plurality of tasks of an application that executes on a plurality of system components. The execution sequence of the tasks in the control flow graph is modified as a clustered control flow graph that clusters active and idle phases of a system component while maintaining the data dependency. The clustered control flow graph is sent to an operating system, where the operating system utilizes the clustered control flow graph for scheduling the tasks.
US09933839B2 Computer system and method of operating a computer system
A computer system includes a power supply unit, a system component including at least one processor, a microcontroller and a memory functionally connected to the microcontroller and stores information relating to an interruption in at least one operating voltage of the computer system. When at least one secondary standby voltage is applied to the microcontroller and the information relating to an interruption in the primary supply voltage of the computer system is read from the memory, the microcontroller is configured to selectively switch the computer system to a first operating state on the basis of the information which has been read.
US09933837B2 Electronic device, control method of electronic device, and program
Aspects of the present invention include a device comprising a first sensor and a circuitry configured to detect a first user action and a second user action, the second user action being detected by the first sensor. The circuitry is further configured to designate a first mode based on the first user action and a second mode based on the second user action, the first mode and the second mode being power saving modes and the second mode is configured to save power consumed by the first sensor.
US09933836B2 Management of core power state transition in a microprocessor
A method for adjusting a frequency of a processor is disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the method includes inhibiting one or more processor cores from exiting an idle state. The method further includes determining a number of processor cores requesting exit from the idle state and a number of non-idle processor cores. The method also includes selecting a maximum frequency for the inhibited and non-idle processor cores based on the number of inhibited processor cores requesting exit from the idle state and the number of non-idle processor cores. The method includes setting the maximum frequency for both the inhibited and the non-idle processor cores, and then uninhibiting the processor cores requesting exit from the idle state.
US09933834B2 Clock-free dual-data-rate link with built-in flow control
A dual-data-rate interface is provided that includes a transmitter driving a transmit pin coupled to a receive pin of a receiver. The receiver drives its receive pin with cycles of a fetch clock. The transmitter responds to each edge of the fetch clock by transmitting a bit over the transmit pin to the receiver.
US09933830B2 Validating power paths to IT equipment
A computer-implemented method for identifying power line segments and power line redundancies in a datacenter are provided. The computer-implemented method for identifying power line segments and power line redundancies in a datacenter include; transmitting a data packet from equipment compilers to a host program, where the data packet includes unique datacenter equipment identifiers, the datacenter equipment includes IT equipment and a power source; identifying one or more power line segments from the power source to the IT equipment; and determining an existence of a power line redundancy between the power source and the IT equipment.
US09933827B2 Method and apparatus for hybrid chip-level voltage scaling
Various aspects of a power management approach for a system-on-a-chip (SoC) is disclosed herein. In one aspect, the approach includes implementing a power profile for supplying power to a plurality of subsystems on a shared power bus in the SoC. The power profile includes at least one adjustable parameter for controlling the supplied power during an active use state. The approach further includes detecting a power profile change trigger; modifying the power profile based on the power profile change trigger; and adjusting the supplied power during the active use state based on the modified power profile to maintain a predetermined supplied power level.
US09933826B2 Method and apparatus for managing nodal power in a high performance computer system
A method controls power consumption in a high performance computing system having a plurality of nodes by gathering information relating to the plurality of nodes in the high performance computing system, setting a power range to a given power range for the plurality of nodes as a function of the gathered information, and executing an application program on one or more of the nodes. The method also receives power commands from the application program relative to the one or more nodes, and responsively changes the power range to a new power range for the one or more nodes executing the application program. Thus, the one or more nodes execute the application program within the new power range.
US09933825B2 Determining parameters that affect processor energy efficiency
An example process for controlling a processor may include: (i) obtaining parameters associated with operation of a processor, where each of the parameters has a different time scale; (ii) performing an iterative process to identify ones of the parameters that achieve a particular energy efficiency in the processor, where the energy efficiency of the processor corresponds to a quasi-concave function having a maximum that corresponds to the ones of the parameters; and (iii) controlling the processor using the ones of the parameters.
US09933824B2 Centrifugal fan and an electronic device having the same
A centrifugal fan for an electronic device is described. The centrifugal fan includes a volute casing with an outlet; and vanes accommodated in the volute casing. The volute casing has an inner surface facing the vanes, the inner surface being formed with a plurality of air guiding channels for directing air inside the volute casing in a direction towards the outlet of the volute casing.
US09933822B2 Electronic component case and electronic component device
An electronic component case includes, a lower case including a bottom plate, a side wall having a protruding portion, an engaging projection formed on an outer face of the side wall, and a screw hole formed in the side wall in a region where the protruding portion is provided, and an upper case including a top plate, a side wall in which an engaging hole is formed, and a notched hole formed in the side wall on the top plate side. The protruding portion of the lower case is engaged to the notched hole of the upper case, and the screw hole is exposed in the notched hole. The engaging projection of the lower case is engaged in the engaging hole of the upper case.
US09933821B2 Chassis with lock mechanism
An apparatus may include a chassis that can receive a sled and a locking mechanism. The locking mechanism can mechanically lock the sled to the chassis to prevent a sudden power loss that can be caused from an unexpected removal of the sled from the chassis. To avoid a sudden power loss, a voltage-sensing electrical switch lock can be implemented to the chassis to mechanically lock the sled to the chassis until the sled is ready to be removed. The sled may include one or more computing devices that need to be inactive before removing the sled. The apparatus includes a controller that may detect whether at least one of computing devices in the sled are in an active state or in an inactive state. Based on the determination of the state of the computing devices in the sled, the controller may activate the locking mechanism or de-active locking mechanism.
US09933820B2 Display device for a motor vehicle, method for operating a display device, and motor vehicle having a display device
A flexible display apparatus and an adjusting apparatus which is designed to move the flexible display apparatus from a stowing position into a usage position are included in a display device for a motor vehicle. The adjusting apparatus is designed to bend the flexible display apparatus from the stowing position into the usage position.
US09933817B2 Protective case with keyboard for portable electronic device
A protective case for a tablet device having a back face and a front face, a touchscreen on its front face, and one or more control buttons and ports on its perimeter walls. The case comprises a shell having front and back sides wherein the front side is configured to receive and retain the tablet device while providing user access to the touchscreen and user access to one or more of the control buttons, said shell including a back wall that is configured to cover at least a portion of the back face of the tablet. The protective case further includes a front cover that includes a tray, a wireless keyboard and keyboard housing. The tray includes opposing side rails and the keyboard housing includes opposing grooves on opposing side walls that are concealed and configured to engage the rails to allow the keyboard housing to slide in and out from the tray in a defined manner. The tray, keyboard and shell may each include magnets to facilitate the positioning of the case in the various open and closed positions.
US09933813B2 Information processing apparatus
An information processing apparatus includes a first housing, a second housing including an antenna, and a hinge member including a first shaft on a side of the first housing, and a second shaft parallel to the first shaft and on a side of the second housing, the hinge member coupling the first housing and the second housing such that the first housing and the second housing are rotatable 360 degrees, wherein, in a state where a rotation angle between the first housing and the second housing is 360 degrees, the second shaft is located at a position nearer than the first shaft to a free end side of the first housing, and the antenna protrudes beyond the first housing.
US09933807B2 In-rush current controller for a semiconductor switch
An in-rush current controller to turn-on a semiconductor output switch is described. The output switch is arranged in series with an output capacitor. The switch comprises a switch control port for controlling an output current and an output voltage. The controller comprises an amplifier to source or sink a switch control current to or from the switch control port, wherein the switch control current is dependent on an amplifier control current at an amplifier control port. The controller comprises a reference current source to provide a reference current at the amplifier control port, subject to a control signal indicating that the output switch is to be turned on. Furthermore, the controller comprises a feedback capacitor to provide a feedback current at the amplifier control port in dependence of a variation of the output voltage.
US09933805B2 Power converter using wide band-gap devices
Unique systems, methods, techniques and apparatuses of a power converter are disclosed. One exemplary embodiment is an electrical power conversion system comprising a first converter stage, a second converter stage, a third converter stage, and a control system. The first converter stage is operable to boost DC power received from a DC power source. The second converter stage is operable to boost DC power received from the first converter stage. The third converter stage includes an inverter. The control system is structured to receive as input voltage (Vpv) and current (Ipv) output by the DC power source, voltage (Vdc) output by the second controller stage, and voltage (Vac) and a current (Iac) which are output by the third stage to an AC electrical power system, provide a control command for the first converter stage, and process the information of Vdc, Vac and Iac to provide control commands for the inverter switches.
US09933802B1 Systems and methods for built-in self test of low dropout regulators
A low dropout regulator (LDO) system includes a first pseudo random binary sequence (PRBS) generator configured to output a first PRBS signal; an LDO configured to output an LDO output signal and having an error amplifier, wherein the first PRBS generator is coupled to an input of the error amplifier; a second PRBS generator configured to output a second PRBS signal; and a correlator coupled to the LDO and second PRBS generator and configured to correlate the LDO output signal with the second PRBS signal to provide an impulse response data sample of the LDO.
US09933801B1 Power device area saving by pairing different voltage rated power devices
A voltage regulator may include an auxiliary power device having a first terminal coupled to a control line, a second terminal coupled to an input voltage and a third terminal coupled to an output voltage pad. The voltage regulator may also include a main power device electrically coupled in parallel with the auxiliary power device. A second terminal of the main power device may be coupled to the input voltage, and a third terminal of the main power device may be coupled to the output voltage pad. The voltage regulator may further include a switching system selectively coupling the main power device into and out of the voltage regulator.
US09933800B1 Frequency compensation for linear regulators
A linear voltage regulator and associated integrated circuit and method are disclosed. The linear voltage regulator is operable within a plurality of predefined operational modes, and comprises a pass element configured to generate an output voltage based on a received input voltage. The linear voltage regulator further comprises an error amplifier comprising an output node coupled with a control node of the pass element. The error amplifier is configured to generate a control signal at the output node based on the output voltage and a reference voltage. The linear voltage regulator further comprises a frequency compensation circuit configured to selectively apply an impedance to the output node based on which of the predefined operational modes is selected.
US09933798B2 Voltage regulator
Provided is a voltage regulator configured to stably operate with low current consumption, and having good responsiveness. A delay circuit is provided between a transient response improvement circuit and a voltage amplifier circuit.
US09933794B2 Thermostat with self-configuring connections to facilitate do-it-yourself installation
A thermostat is configured for automated compatibility with HVAC systems that are either single-HVAC-transformer systems or dual-HVAC-transformer systems. The compatibility is automated in that a manual jumper installation is not required for adaptation to either single-HVAC-transformer systems or dual-HVAC-transformer systems. The thermostat has a plurality of HVAC wire connectors including a first call relay wire connector, a first power return wire connector, a second call relay wire connector, and a second power return wire connector. The thermostat is configured such that if the first and second external wires have been inserted into the first and second power return wire connectors, respectively, then the first and second power return wire connectors are electrically isolated from each other. Otherwise, the first and second power return wire connectors are electrically connected.
US09933792B2 Method and apparatus for flow regulation
A flow regulator system includes a flow regulator placed within a fluid flow path to maintain fluid flow therethrough at a desired flow rate. The flow regulator includes a flow washer having an orifice therethrough and a regulator body that receives the flow washer. At fluid pressures between a first fluid pressure and a second fluid pressure, the flow washer rotationally deforms to decrease or increase the size of the orifice, thereby maintaining the desired flow rate. When fluid pressure is greater than or equal to the second fluid pressure, the flow washer contacts a portion of the regulator body to prevent further rotational deformation of the flow washer. In addition, the flow washer radially compresses or expands to increase or decrease the size of the orifice, thereby maintaining the desired flow rate.
US09933790B2 Peer-to-peer air analysis and treatment
A method is disclosed comprising drawing air into a robotic vapor device, exposing the drawn air to a sensor to detect one or more constituents in the drawn air, determining first measurement data for the one or more constituents of the drawn air via the sensor, transmitting the first measurement data to a one or more of a plurality of vapor devices via a peer-to-peer network, receiving second measurement data from the one or more of the plurality of vapor devices via the peer-to-peer network, determining one or more vaporizable materials to vaporize based on the first measurement data and the second measurement data, and dispensing a vapor comprised of the one or more vaporizable materials.
US09933788B1 Spherical electro-magnetically initiated traveling excursor
A spherical modular autonomous robotic traveler (SMART) is provided for rolling along a surface from a first position to a second position. The SMART includes an outer spherical shell; an inner spherical chamber disposed within the outer shell; a plurality of weight-shifters arranged within the inner chamber; and a controller therein. The chamber maintains its orientation relative to the surface by a gyroscopically homing stabilizer. Each weight-shifter includes a mass disposed in a default position, and movable to an active position in response to activation. The controller selectively activates a weight-shifter among the plurality to shift the mass from the default position to the active position. The outer shell rolls in a direction that corresponds to the weight-shifter activated by the controller. For the spherical electromagnetically initiated traveling excursor (SEMITE), each weight-shifter includes a channel containing an armature and an electromagnet activated by the controller. For the symmetrical configuration, the channel is oriented from bottom periphery to lateral radial periphery of the inner chamber. The electromagnet is disposed proximal to the channel at the lateral radial periphery. The armature travels from the bottom periphery within the channel to the lateral radial periphery upon activation of the electromagnet.
US09933782B2 Locational and directional sensor control for search
A method of controlling a directional facing of a sensor mounted to a vehicle includes storing, by a sensor control computer, previously-searched locations of a terrain at which the sensor is directed. The method includes determining a likelihood of detecting a target at one or more points on the terrain and controlling a directional facing of the sensor onto the terrain based on the previously-searched locations and the likelihood of detecting the target.
US09933769B2 Adaptive multi-stage disturbance rejection
Apparatus and method for controlling the position of a control object using a multi-stage actuator. A multi-stage actuator is provided with first and second actuation stages adapted to position a control object. A control circuit includes a multi-tap lattice structure and parallel first and second multiple regression filters coupled to respective taps of the multi-tap lattice structure. The control circuit concurrently generates and applies first and second disturbance rejection signals to the respective first and second actuation stages to compensate a disturbance signal component in a position error signal (PES) indicative of position error of the control object.
US09933763B1 Control system for providing cloud based commands to control operation of internet connected devices
A control system for providing Cloud based commands to an Internet connected device that includes one or more Cloud servers for receiving commands from at least one mobile web enabled user device. A load balancer is used for receiving communication from a server for distributing commands from at least one web enabled device to the Cloud. A server based Internet connected device activator is used for receiving commands and controlling operation of an Internet connected device from the server. The state of the Internet connected device is determined by information local to the Internet connected device such that is communicated to the server for determining the state of the Internet connected device before activation.
US09933757B2 Satellite radio-wave reception device, radio clock, information acquisition method, and recording medium
A satellite radio-wave reception device includes a demodulator. A demodulator determines an assumption code, identifies a plurality of reception codes from a received radio wave, collates an assumption code in a deviation range, which is previously set with respect to reception timing of the reception codes, and each of the reception codes, holds information related to a collation result in each deviation amount with respect to the plurality of reception codes, determines one of correspondences and noncorrespondences, the number of which one is larger, as matching in each code block, and identifies a deviation amount in which the integrated value of matching corresponding to an integrated value of the number of matching codes in a plurality of code blocks in each deviation amount satisfies a predetermined matching condition.
US09933755B2 Apparatus for measuring response time, system for measuring response time and method for measuring response time
Example embodiments relate to a response time measurement apparatus, a response time measurement system and a response time measurement method for measuring a response output time from a facility corresponding to an input signal, and more particularly, a response time measurement apparatus, a response time measurement system and a response time measurement method in which the output display of a facility is captured through a capture device to detect an output time on the basis thereof.
US09933753B2 Increasing an area from which reconstruction from a computer generated hologram may be viewed
A method of enlarging an observation window from which the reconstruction from a Computer Generated Hologram (CGH) may be viewed, including reproducing a CGH, and shifting a location of an exit pupil or observation window of an optical system reproducing the CGH. A method of increasing a viewing angle from which the reconstruction from a Computer Generated Hologram (CGH) may be seen, including producing a plurality of instances of a CGH, projecting each one of the instances in a different direction so that a first exit pupil of a first instance is close to a second exit pupil of a second instance. An optical system including a plurality of exit pupils associated with a plurality of optical components, further including a light deflector for jittering a location of a first exit pupil so as to increase an overlap of the first exit pupil with a second exit pupil. Related apparatus and methods are also described.
US09933750B2 Image forming apparatus provided with contacting-separating member capable of moving developing roller relative to photosensitive drum
An image forming apparatus includes: a casing; photosensitive drums juxtaposed with each other in a juxtaposed direction; developing units each including a developing roller; an opening-closing member; and a first contacting-separating member. The opening-closing member is movable between an open position and a closed position. The first contacting-separating member is provided at the opening-closing member and movable relative to the casing in the juxtaposed direction for moving, in a state where the opening-closing member is at the closed position, the developing roller between an adjacent position adjacent to or in contact with the corresponding photosensitive drums and a separated position spaced apart from the corresponding photosensitive drums.
US09933749B2 Gear configuration for a developing cartridge
A developer cartridge may include a gear configured to be movable between an engagement position in which the gear engages an auger or supply gear to provide toner from a toner container to a developing unit and a disengaged position in which the gear does not engage the auger or supply gear. The gear may be moved by a cam and/or cam gear from the engagement position to the disengaged position and vice versa. The cam gear may include toothless and toothed portions to allow the developer cartridge to maintain the movable gear in either the engagement position or the disengaged position. In some arrangements, an urging member such as a spring may bias the cam gear in a rotation direction, while a lever may provide a counteracting force when the movable gear is to be maintained in a particular position.
US09933743B2 Recording material processing apparatus including alignment unit for aligning recording materials and image forming apparatus
A recording material processing apparatus includes: a first stacking unit configured to stack a recording material; a second stacking unit provided on a downstream side of the first stacking unit in a conveyance direction of the recording material; an alignment unit configured to align the recording material stacked in the first stacking unit before the recording material is discharged to the second stacking unit; and a control unit configured to perform control of discharging the recording material to the second stacking unit by switching between first control not to align the recording material by the alignment unit and second control to align the recording material by the alignment unit.
US09933742B2 Image forming apparatus and image forming system configured to control conveyance of a sheet to prevent deformation due to heating
An image forming apparatus includes: a conveying portion configured to convey a continuous recording medium in a first conveying direction or in a second conveying direction opposite to the first conveying direction; an image forming portion configured to form a toner image on the continuous recording medium at a transfer nip; a fixing portion provided on a lower stream side of the image forming portion in the first conveying direction and configured to heat and fix the toner image formed on the continuous recording medium, at a fixing nip; a retaining portion provided between the transfer nip and the fixing nip in the first conveying direction and configured to retain a part of the continuous recording medium; and a control portion configured to control the conveying portion to convey a passed portion that has passed through the fixing nip and control the retaining portion to retain the passed portion.
US09933739B2 Drum unit, image forming unit and image forming apparatus
A drum unit includes a photosensitive drum and a cleaning member. A scratch remaining depth measured by a scratch test of the photosensitive drum under a following Test Condition 1 is 110 nm or less. Test Condition 1 is; test environment temperature=25° C.; test environment humidity=50%; test indenter=pre-mount type Berkovich indenter; scratch direction=horizontal direction; scratch speed=20 μm/sec; initial load=0 mN; maximum reaching load=4 mN; and load at the time of measuring the scratch remaining depth=1.9 mN.
US09933737B1 Image forming apparatus for controlling a power supply provided to a staple unit
An image forming apparatus includes a staple unit, a print unit, a power supply, and a control unit. When the time that elapses after completion of a print job equals a standby time, the control unit stops supply of electric power to the staple unit. When it is predicted that the printout of a print job does not require stapling, the control unit sets the standby time to a first time. When it is predicted that stapling is required, the control unit sets the standby time to a second time that is longer than the first time.
US09933733B2 Fixing device and image forming apparatus having a switching portion
A fixing device includes a first support portion that supports an endless belt, and relatively moves with respect to a rotating body to press the endless belt against the rotating body, a second support portion that supports the first support portion to be relatively movable, a first member that is supported in the endless belt by the second support portion, a second member that is supported in the endless belt to be capable of approaching and being separated from the first support portion, a first biasing member that is provided in the first support portion, and biases the second member to a rotating body side, a second biasing member that is provided in the second support portion, and biases the first support portion to the rotating body side, and a switching portion that switches between a first state and a second state.
US09933730B2 Fixing device and image forming apparatus
A fixing device includes an endless belt, a first radiant heater including a first heat generator to heat the endless belt, and a second radiant heater including a second heat generator, disposed outboard from the first heat generator in an axial direction of the endless belt, to heat the endless belt. A nip formation pad includes a nip-side face disposed opposite the endless belt. A contact heater heats at least one lateral end of the endless belt in the axial direction of the endless belt. The contact heater includes a nip-side face disposed opposite the endless belt. A thermal conduction aid covers the nip-side face of the nip formation pad and the nip-side face of the contact heater and conducts heat applied to the endless belt in the axial direction of the endless belt.
US09933728B2 Toner container, image forming apparatus
A toner container includes a first rotation member rotatably provided in a container main body, a stirring member rotatably provided in such a way as to be parallel to the first rotation member, a lid member closing an opening portion of the container main body, a first bearing portion provided on an inner surface of the lid member and rotatably supporting a first end portion of a first rotation shaft of the first rotation member, a stirring bearing portion provided on the inner surface of the lid member and rotatably supporting a lid-side end portion of a stirring rotation shaft of the stirring member, a storage concave portion formed on the lid member and recessed from an outer surface of the lid member inward, and a transmission mechanism provided in the storage concave portion to transmit a rotation of the first rotation shaft to the stirring rotation shaft.
US09933725B2 Developing device, process cartridge, and electrophotographic image forming apparatus
A developing device includes a developer storage chamber configured to store developer to be supplied to the development chamber, a partition configured to separate a development chamber and the developer storage chamber and having an opening allowing communication between the developer storage chamber and the development chamber, and a protruding portion configured to protrude toward the inside of the developer storage chamber from the partition on a downstream side of the opening in the rotation direction of a rotating shaft, and within one turn of rotation of the rotating shaft, a receiving member moves while contacting the protruding portion according to the rotation of the rotating shaft.
US09933724B2 Image forming apparatus and image forming method with developing voltage correction processing
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming section, a transferring member, and a controller. The image forming section includes an image supporting member and a developer supporting member. The image supporting member supports a latent image on a surface of the image supporting member. The developer supporting member supports, on a surface of developer supporting member, a developer that develops the latent image. The transferring member transfers, onto a transferred medium as a medium on which a transfer is to be performed, an image formed by the image forming section. The controller controls, as an amount of the developer, a developer amount to be fed to the latent image supported on the surface of the image supporting member, on the basis of a traveling velocity of the transferred medium.
US09933722B2 Image forming method and image forming apparatus for forming an image by setting various pixels of an exposure pattern as a non-exposure pixel group or a high-output exposure pixel group
An image forming method is for forming an image using an electrostatic latent image that is formed by exposing a surface of an image bearer in accordance with an image pattern that includes a plurality of image areas in combination. Each of the plurality of image areas includes a plurality of pixels. A part of pixels to be exposed in each of the plurality of image areas is set as a non-exposure pixel group in accordance with a position of any one of the plurality of image areas in the image pattern. Pixels that are different from the non-exposure pixel group in each of the plurality of image areas are set as a high-output exposure pixel group that is exposed with an optical output value that is higher than a predetermined optical output value that is needed to expose the image area.
US09933717B2 Toner for electrostatic charge image development and image forming method
The present invention relates to a toner for electrostatic charge image development, including: a toner base particle having at least a binder resin, a releasing agent, and a colorant, wherein the following formula (1) is satisfied wherein a maximum value and a minimum value of a dielectric loss tangent tan δ, which are obtained by measuring at a frequency in the range of 1 kHz to 100 kHz under the condition at a temperature of 20° C. and a relative humidity of 50% RH, are defined as tan δmax and tan δmin, respectively. According to the present invention, a toner for electrostatic charge image development, with which the rising of the toner charge amount is improved while ensuring the low temperature fixability, and a high quality image having less density unevenness can be obtained even during the image forming at a high speed and a high printing rate, is provided. Frequency showing tan δmax
US09933711B2 Optical element
In order to make possible both good laser resistance and good antireflection properties, an optical element, in particular for UV lithography, comprising a substrate and a coating on the substrate having at least four layers, is proposed, wherein a first layer comprising a low refractive index inorganic fluoride compound is arranged on the substrate, a layer comprising an inorganic oxide-containing compound is arranged as a layer the most distant from the substrate, and at least two further layers each comprising an inorganic fluoride compound or an inorganic oxide-containing compound are arranged alternately between the first and the most distant layers.
US09933710B2 Projection exposure method and projection exposure apparatus
A projection exposure method for exposing a radiation-sensitive substrate with at least one image of a pattern of a mask in a projection exposure apparatus includes using an anamorphic projection lens
US09933707B2 Optical apparatus for use in photolithography
An optical apparatus includes an interchange mechanism and an optical assembly of an illumination system or a projection objective. At least one of the plurality of optical elements of the optical assembly is selected from among a plurality of ones selectable from the interchange mechanism which facilitates exchange of one for another in the beam path. To reduce transmission of vibration from the interchange mechanism to the optical assembly, the interchange mechanism is mounted on a structure which is substantially dynamically decoupled from the housing, and a selected selectable optical element is located at an operating position at which it is separate from the interchange mechanism.
US09933706B2 Illumination system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus
An illumination system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus includes a spatial light modulator which varies an intensity distribution in a pupil surface. The modulator includes an array of mirrors that reflect impinging projection light into directions that depend on control signals applied to the mirrors. A prism, which directs the projection light towards the spatial light modulator, has a double pass surface on which the projection light impinges twice, namely a first time when leaving the prism and before it is reflected by the mirrors, and a second time when entering the prism and after it has been reflected by the mirrors. A pupil perturbation suppressing mechanism is provided that reduces reflections of projection light when it impinges the first time on the double pass surface, and/or prevents that light portions being a result of such reflections contribute to the intensity distribution in the pupil surface.
US09933704B2 Microlithography illumination optical system and microlithography projection exposure apparatus including same
A microlithography illumination optical system is used to guide illumination light from a primary light source to an object field. A mirror array of the illumination optical system has a plurality of individual mirrors, which can be tilted independently of one another by actuators and are connected to associated tilting actuators. A controller is used to activate the actuators. A raster module of the illumination optical system has a plurality of raster elements to produce a spatially distributed arrangement of secondary light sources.
US09933702B2 Substrate processing apparatus
A processing fluid can be discharged according to a discharge type for a process involved, without a discharge defect. A substrate processing apparatus includes a nozzle and a pipeline. The nozzle is configured to discharge the processing fluid toward a substrate, and the processing fluid is supplied to the nozzle through the pipeline. The pipeline has a three-layer structure having a first layer, a second layer and a third layer in this sequence from an inner side thereof. Further, a leading end portion of the first layer and a leading end portion of the third layer are bonded to the nozzle, and the leading end portion of the first layer is located at a position which is not protruded more than a leading end portion of the second layer with respect to a discharging direction of the processing fluid.
US09933697B2 Projection subsystem for high contrast projection system
A projection subsystem for a high contrast projection system is described including three digital micro-mirror devices (MMD) and three prism assemblies and a crossed dichroic prism assembly, the prism assemblies having dual TIR prisms.
US09933695B2 Position detection device, optical device, light source device, and projector
A position detection device includes: a sensor that includes a light emission unit and a light reception unit receiving light emitted from the light emission unit; a driving unit; a gear (transmission gear) that is disposed at a position facing the sensor and is rotated by power from the driving unit; and a control unit that drives the driving unit based on an amount of light received by the light reception unit and detected by the sensor.
US09933693B2 Optical device, light source device, and projector
An optical device includes a reflector and a rotation member that dissipates the heat of the reflector. The rotation member includes a base portion placed on the reflector and a plurality of blade portions that project to the side opposite to the base portion. The plurality of blade portions each include an inclined portion that is inclined with respect to the base portion.
US09933692B2 Head-up display device
A head-up display device includes a screen, a projector that projects a visual image to the screen using a projection lens, and a processor. The processor is programmed to generate a virtual image of the visual image from the projected visual image and determine an image-generation position at which the virtual image is to be generated. The screen and the projection lens are configured to be movable along an optical path of the projector. The processor is programmed to determine a screen position to which the screen is to be moved based on the decided image-generation position and determine a lens position to which the projection lens is to be moved based on the determined screen position. The projector includes a screen-drive motor that moves the screen to the determined screen position and a lens-drive motor that moves the projection lens to the determined lens position.
US09933690B2 Lens driver adapter, lens barrel, and image capturing apparatus
The lens drive adapter is detachably attachable to a lens barrel on which an operation member and a lens electric contact portion are provided. The adapter includes a drive unit including a drive member configured to transmit a driving force to the operation member, an adapter electric contact portion configured to contact the lens electric contact portion to be electrically connected therewith, and two adapter coupling portions configured to couple with the lens barrel at its two circumferential locations to fix the adapter to the lens barrel. The adapter electric contact portion is provided, in a first direction corresponding to an optical axis direction of the lens barrel, at a position different from that of the drive member and between the two adapter coupling portions.
US09933688B1 Analog-to-digital converter using a continuous-wave laser and a timing reference derived from a multifrequency optical signal
An analog-to-digital converter can produce a digital signal representative of an analog input electrical signal. A continuous-wave laser can lock to a multifrequency optical signal and produce a continuous-wave optical signal. An optical amplitude modulator can modulate the continuous-wave optical signal using the analog input electrical signal to produce a first modulated optical signal. An optical splitter can split the first modulated optical signal into a plurality of modulated optical signals. A plurality of detectors can convert the modulated optical signals into respective modulated electrical signals. A plurality of comparators and a decoder arranged in a flash converter topology can receive the modulated electrical signals and output the digital signal using a timing reference derived from the multifrequency optical signal. Using a relatively high-precision multifrequency optical signal, such as produced by a photonic oscillator, can produce a relatively high-precision device.
US09933685B2 Switchable liquid crystal fresnel lens
A liquid crystal Fresnel lens is provided. The liquid crystal Fresnel lens includes a liquid crystal cell and two polarizers. The liquid crystal cell includes: two transparent substrates having conducting layers disposed thereon with alignment layers, wherein an alignment pattern formed by the alignment layers are configured to provide multiple alignment domains in a Fresnel zones pattern, and wherein an easy axis of adjacent alignment domains are oriented at an angle relative to one another; and a ferroelectric liquid crystal layer disposed between the two transparent substrates, wherein the ferroelectric liquid crystal layer has a planar surface orientation and smectic layers perpendicular to the two transparent substrates. The liquid crystal cell is disposed between the two polarizers.
US09933679B2 Birefringence improving agent, ferroelectric liquid crystal composition and liquid crystal display device using the agent, and compound
A main object of the present invention is to provide a birefringence improving agent that can realize a satisfactory white display even in a liquid crystal display device in which a ferroelectric liquid crystal composition is used and which can reduce the birefringence and has a large cell gap; a ferroelectric liquid crystal composition and a liquid crystal display device that use the birefringence improving agent; and a compound that can be used in a ferroelectric liquid crystal composition.
US09933677B2 Liquid crystal device and electronic apparatus
A liquid crystal device including a first connection terminal electrically connected to a first signal supply line that supplies a signal to a data line driving circuit, a second connection terminal electrically connected to a second signal supply line that supplies a signal to a scanning line driving circuit, and a third connection terminal electrically connected to a peripheral electrode line, which is electrically connected to a pixel peripheral electrode disposed between a pixel region and the scanning line driving circuit, and between the pixel region and the data line driving circuit. The third connection terminal is disposed between the first connection terminal, and the second connection terminal. The peripheral electrode line is disposed so as not to planarly intersect with at least a partial line of a first signal supply line and the second signal supply line.
US09933675B2 Method of repairing display substrate and display substrate repaired by the method
A display substrate includes a gate metal pattern including a gate line extending in a first direction, a gate electrode electrically connected to the gate line and a storage line, a data metal pattern including a data line extending in a second direction crossing the first direction, a source electrode electrically connected to the data line and a drain electrode spaced apart from the source electrode, an organic layer disposed on the data metal pattern, and a repair hole formed through the organic layer and exposing a portion of the gate metal pattern or a portion of the data metal pattern.
US09933672B2 Display panel and manufacturing method thereof, display device
A display panel and manufacturing method thereof, and a display device are disclosed. The display panel includes an array substrate and a counter substrate. The array substrate includes a main region and a peripheral region, the main region coincides with an orthographical projection of the counter substrate on the array substrate, and at least one glue dispensing zone is arranged in the peripheral region or the main region. Conductive adhesive is provided in the glue dispensing zone, and is electrically connected to a grounded unit; an electrostatic conducting structure is provided on the counter substrate, and the conductive adhesive is electrically connected to the electrostatic conducting structure.
US09933665B2 Liquid crystal display device
Disclosed is a liquid crystal display device that includes first and second substrates; a liquid crystal layer between the first and second substrates; first and second bumps on the first substrate; and at least one first protrusion facing the first bump, and at least one second protrusion facing the second bump, the first and second protrusions being on the second substrate, wherein the first protrusion faces one side of the first bump, and the second protrusion faces the other side of the second bump.
US09933664B2 Display panel and encapsulation method thereof, and liquid crystal display device
A display panel and an encapsulation method thereof, and a liquid crystal display device are provided. The display panel comprises an array substrate and a color filter substrate, the array substrate and the color filter substrate are connected together via a sealant component, the array substrate comprises a display region and a peripheral region surrounding the display region, the sealant component comprises insulating sealant and conductive sealant and is disposed in the peripheral region of the array substrate, a gate electrode driving GOA circuit is disposed in the peripheral region of the array substrate, and the gate electrode driving GOA circuit and the conductive sealant are not located on the same side of the peripheral region of the display region.
US09933663B2 Friction roller and method for using the same
The disclosure discloses a friction roller comprising: a friction roller body comprising an inner cylinder and a pattern-variable module wrapped outside the inner cylinder; and a controller connected with the pattern-variable module. The controller controls the pattern-variable module to deform according to step information of a surface for friction. Also disclosed is a method for using the friction roller. Embodiments of the disclosure enable alignment grooves with the same depth to be formed on the surface for friction by way of the friction roller, thereby reducing stripes on the surface for friction and enhancing the display effect.
US09933654B2 Polarising plate for a planar-switch mode LCD, and a planar-switch mode LCD comprising the same
A polarizer for use in an IPS-LCD includes: a polarizing element; and a retardation film laminate attached to a surface of the polarizing element. The retardation film laminate includes a combination of a +B film and a −B film or a combination of a +B film and a +A film.
US09933651B2 Liquid crystal display comprising a plurality of color filters each having at least one protrusion and at least one chamfered portion at different edges of a pixel area
A liquid crystal display including: a first display panel defining a plurality of pixel areas; a second display panel facing the first display panel; a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first display panel and the second display panel; and a plurality of color filters disposed in the respective pixel areas, wherein four different color filters are respectively disposed in four adjacent pixel areas, and each of the four color filters includes first and second protrusions formed at first and second edges of the corresponding pixel area and first and second chamfered portions at third and fourth edges thereof.
US09933643B2 Curved display device with predietemined curvature along two directions
A curved display device comprising a display panel having a display surface on which a plurality of pixel units are disposed. The display surface includes a first bending line, which extends in a first direction, and a second bending line, which extends in a second direction that crosses the first direction at a right angle, and is bent along each of the first bending line and the second bending line.
US09933641B2 Connector disengagement apparatus and inspection system for liquid crystal display module
The present disclosure provides a connector disengagement apparatus and an inspection system for a liquid crystal display module. The connector disengagement apparatus comprises a first member, a second member, a third member, a rotation axle and a stiffener carrying a part of a connector, one end of the first member being connected to one end of the second member, the other end of the first member being arranged towards the stiffener, the other end of the second member being connected to the third member, wherein the second member is rotatable about the rotation axle. The connector disengagement apparatus acts on the stiffener in a down-to-up direction to lift the stiffener to interrupt efficiently the connection of the connector. In the disengagement process, the pins of the connector will not be damaged as the force of the disengagement apparatus is not directly applied onto the connector.
US09933640B2 Optical effect layer
Disclosure relates to the field of graphical elements and is directed to a device for producing an optical effect layer (OEL). Disclosure provides an optical effect that is easy to detect as such and exhibits a viewing-angle dependent apparent motion of image features over an extended length if the viewing angle with respect to the OEL changes. OEL includes a binder material being at least partially transparent and a plurality of particles dispersed within the layer. Each particle has a non-isotropic reflectivity and may be magnetic or magnetizable. Orientation of the particles forms an orientation pattern extending over a length within an extended surface of the OEL, such that the local average of an angle between (i) a straight line along an observed longest dimension within the corresponding cross-section shape, and (ii) said first direction x varies according to a function (θ) of a position (P) along said first direction.
US09933635B2 Optical material, composition for optical material, and use thereof
The optical material of the present invention contains one or more kinds of ultraviolet absorber (a) having a maximum absorption peak within a range of equal to or greater than 350 nm and equal to or less than 370 nm, in which a light transmittance of the optical material having a thickness of 2 mm satisfies the following characteristics (1) to (3), (1) a light transmittance at a wavelength of 410 nm is equal to or less than 10%, (2) a light transmittance at a wavelength of 420 nm is equal to or less than 70%, and (3) a light transmittance at a wavelength of 440 nm is equal to or greater than 80%.
US09933629B2 Optical unit with shake correction function
Provided is an optical unit with a shake correction function, said optical unit being capable of ensuring a space wherein a drive mechanism and the like are positioned between a side surface of an optical module and a side surface of a stationary body, even when the optical module is supported by a gimbal mechanism in such a manner as to be able to swing with respect to the stationary body. In the optical unit, a gimbal mechanism is disposed by utilizing corners of an optical module and corners of a square tube-shaped body section of a stationary body. In other words, the optical unit is configured in such a manner that: a rectangular movable frame is positioned between a rectangular second frame of the optical module and a rectangular frame secured to the square tube-shaped body section); and a first corner and a third corner of the movable frame are swingably supported by corners of the rectangular frame. The optical unit is further configured in such a manner that a second corner and a fourth corner of the moveable frame swingably support corners of the second frame.
US09933625B2 Augmented reality system eye relief adjustment mechanism
A head mounted display (HMD) may comprise an adjustable crown band, a crown band circumference adjusting mechanism coupled to the adjustable crown band and configured to adjust a crown band circumference to releasably secure the crown band to the user's crown, an armature including left and right arms, each of the left and right arms mounted at a respective proximal end to corresponding left and right HMD attachment structures, a display mounted at left and right sides to respective distal ends of the left and right arms, and an eye relief distance adjustment mechanism configured to move the left and right arms in a timed manner toward and away from the crown band along a substantially linear path, to thereby adjust an eye relief distance from the display to an eye of a the user when the crown band is fitted on the crown of the user.
US09933622B2 See-through computer display systems
A compact head-worn display with multiply folded optics providing displayed images overlaid onto a see-through view of a surrounding environment includes a solid prism of a first material with an angled planar surface to fold an optical axis and one or more surfaces that provide optical power, one or more additional lens elements with optical power made of a second material that is different from the material of the solid prism, an image source that provides image light associated with the displayed images, a combiner that folds the optical axis and directs the image light toward a user's eye and wherein the multiply folded optics provide a more compact head-worn display and the first and second materials are selected to reduce a lateral color in the displayed images.
US09933620B2 Eye-mounted display system and method for providing images
Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a system, machine, device, manufacture, circuit, composition of matter, and/or user interface adapted for and/or resulting from, and/or a method and/or machine-readable medium comprising machine-implementable instructions for, activities that can comprise and/or relate to, via light from a light source, rendering an image on a retina.
US09933617B2 Mirror including polycrystalline diamond body for use with a motor, scanning systems including the same, and related methods
Mirrors for a deflection unit in a scanning system, scanning systems using such mirrors, and methods of manufacturing such mirrors are disclosed. In an embodiment, a mirror for a deflection unit in a laser system includes a sintered polycrystalline diamond body including a plurality of randomly oriented diamond grains defining a plurality of interstitial regions. At least a portion of the interstitial regions includes a material disposed interstitially therein. The mirror includes a reflective surface formed at least partially from the sintered polycrystalline diamond body or provided thereon. The reflective surface exhibits a surface roughness of less than about 50 nm Rrms.
US09933613B2 Smart mirror mount device
Techniques, systems, and devices are disclosed for manipulating light beams using one or more mirror mount assemblies communicatively coupled through a communication channel to similar devices or an external device for sensing purposes, providing user interface, or connection to the internet cloud. This mirror mount assembly provides movement of a mechanical mount and further includes an actuator, a driver electrically coupled to the actuator to drive the actuator; a control module electrically coupled to the driver to provide drive signals to the driver, a position sensor, and a control module including a processor for generating the drive signals and for autonomously implementing user defined functions on the mirror mount assembly. The mirror mount assembly also includes one or more communication interfaces coupled to the control module to receive one or more input signals from external devices. The external interface devices can include optical sensors and user interfaces.
US09933612B2 Unbalanced hub design
A optical device comprises a colour wheel, the colour wheel having a hub portion configured to act as a rotor for coupling to a motor and having a disk-shaped surface; an optically active radial portion, attached to or integrated with the hub portion and configured to optically process incident light; and a balancing adaptation to the disk-shaped surface of the hub portion, comprising one or more of: (a) a recess in the disk-shaped surface extending to an edge of the disk-shaped surface; (b) an annular groove in the disk-shaped surface having a non-uniform width and/or being non-concentric with the disk-shaped surface; (c) an annular groove in the disk-shaped surface, at least a portion of which is filled by a balancing mass part; and (d) a groove and/or a matrix of recesses in the disk-shaped surface arranged to define a portion of an annulus in shape.
US09933605B2 Laser-pumped high-radiance incoherent light source
A high-radiance broadband incoherent light source is provided by pumping a body formed from a doped material, such as a Ce:YAG crystal with one or more laser diodes. The laser diodes emit at a stimulus wavelength, which may be an absorption wavelength of the body, and the body fluoresces to emit broadband light in a wide emission band. The body is either disposed in, or forms a light-concentrating cavity, e.g., reflective surfaces, which may be dichroic surfaces, can be formed on or attached to the sides of the body to concentrate the emitted light. The light is captured by a light collector that is coupled to an output face of the body to produce a broadband illumination beam. One or more of the reflective surfaces forming the light-concentrating cavity may form a heat sink.
US09933602B1 Optical imaging lens
An optical imaging lens includes a first lens of an image-side surface with a concave portion in a vicinity of its optical-axis, a second lens of an object-side surface with a convex portion in a vicinity of its optical-axis, a third lens of an image-side surface with a concave portion in a vicinity of its optical-axis, a fifth lens of negative refractive power and with a thickness along its optical-axis larger than that of the second lens. EFL is the effective focal length of the optical imaging lens, TTL is the distance from the object-side surface of the first lens element to an image plane, ALT is a total thickness of all five lenses, the second lens has a second lens thickness T2 and an air gap G34 is between the third lens element and the fourth lens element along the optical axis to satisfy TTL/EFL≤1.000, TTL/G34≤12.000 and ALT/T2≤12.900.
US09933600B1 Optical camera lens
The present disclosure provides an optical camera lens, which includes: an aperture, a first lens having positive refraction power, a second lens having negative refraction power, a third lens having positive refraction power, a fourth lens having positive refraction power, and a fifth lens having negative refraction power; a combined focal length of the first lens and the second lens is f12, a focal length of the third lens is f3, a total track length of the integral optical camera lens is TTL, an image height of the integral optical camera lens is IH, curvature radii of the object-side surface and the image-side surface of the third lens is r5 and r6, respectively, which satisfy the following relational expressions: 53200. The optical camera lens provided by the present disclosure can satisfy the needs on low TTL and wide angle, meanwhile reducing sensitivity of the component.
US09933584B2 Duplex fiber optic connector plug with angles actuated latching
A duplex fiber optic connector plug includes at least one fiber optic connector, a first casing, a second casing and a release lever. The release lever is axially coupled to a surface of the first casing and has an end coupled to a release bracket of the fiber optic connector to form a seesaw design. During operation, the release lever is compressed by the force of the finger, so that an end of the release lever is elevated, and the other end compresses the release bracket downward to release from a fiber optic socket, so as to provide an intuitively convenient operation and improve the convenience of use.
US09933581B2 Optical fiber connector
An optical fiber splicer includes a fiber fixing portion, a first optical fiber fixed to the fiber fixing portion, a clamp portion which is capable of holding and fixing an extending portion extended from the fiber fixing portion of the first optical fiber and a tip portion of a second optical fiber optically connected to the extending portion of the first optical fiber between a base member and a pressing member being openable and closable with respect to the base member, and a solid index matching material which is attached to a tip surface of the extending portion of the first optical fiber and is interposed between the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber.
US09933577B2 Photonics chip
The present disclosure relates to semiconductor structures and, more particularly, to photonics chips and methods of manufacture. A structure includes: a photonics chip having a grated optical coupler; an interposer attached to the photonics chip, the interposer having a grated optical coupler; an optical epoxy material provided between the grated optical coupler of the photonics chip and the grated optical coupler of the interposer; and epoxy underfill material provided at interstitial regions between the photonics chip and the interposer which lie outside of an area of the grated optical couplers of the photonics chip and the interposer.
US09933571B2 Profiling of cleaved angled end faces of optical fiber(s)
A method for cleaving one or more optical fiber(s) at an angle to the optic axis is provided and includes clamping the optical fiber(s) with its coating stripped to expose its distal end. An axial force and/or a bending force is applied to the optical fiber to create internal stresses in the fiber. A sharp blade is provided in an orientation such the blade edge is perpendicular to the optical fiber. The blade is further orientated such that a plane bisecting the blade angle formed between two polished surfaces of the blade is slanted relative to the longitudinal axis of the fiber. The at least one optical fiber is scratched with the sharp blade to create a non-perpendicular cleave having a controlled shape in the region of the scratch. A method of splicing the fibers and a tool for cleaving the fibers are also provided.
US09933565B2 Contact imaging devices for fluorescence applications
Devices, systems, methods, and kits for contact imaging are provided. A contact imaging device includes an imaging sensor, a fixed fiber faceplate mechanically coupled to the imaging sensor, and an optical filtering layer mechanically coupled to the fixed fiber faceplate. The optical filtering layer can include an interference filter, an absorptive filter, and/or a removable fiber faceplate. The contact imaging device can be used to image fluorescent samples by filtering out excitation light on the basis of wavelength and/or angle of incidence.
US09933564B2 Back light module and display device
Disclosed are back light module and display device. The back light module comprises a light source, a back plate, a light guide plate and a positioning member. The back plate is formed with a frame for receiving the light guide plate; the light source is provided on an inside surface of a side panel of the back plate and oppositely to a light incident surface of the light guide plate. The positioning member is provided at both ends of the back plate on a side where the light source is formed and interposed between the light incident surface of light guide plate and the light source. The back light module herein ensures that the gap between the light incident surface of light guide plate and the light source has fixed value, thereby improving evenness of display images of display device.
US09933562B2 Display device
The display device contains a base and a display unit. The display unit contains a backlight source configured to an edge portion of the display unit. The edge portion of the display unit is plugged into the base. The present invention integrates a base with the display unit so that a thicker backlight source is concealed in the base whereas the portion of the display unit that is exposed outside the base can have an ultra-thin structure, thereby achieving the superior appearance and still conforming to the ultra-thin design trend.
US09933556B2 Backlight device and display device having the same
A backlight device includes a light guide plate on which a plurality of different light exiting patterns are formed and a display device. According to the backlight device and the display device, positions at which light is extracted on the light guide plate are changed, and thus, a 3-dimensional image of a high resolution may be provided.
US09933555B2 Receptacle assembly having a light pipe assembly
A receptacle assembly includes a receptacle housing having panels defining a housing cavity receiving a pluggable module. The panels are conductive to provide electromagnetic interference shielding. The receptacle housing has a bottom mounted to a circuit board. A communication module is received in the housing cavity and mounted to the circuit board. The communication module includes a communication connector interfacing with the pluggable module. The receptacle assembly includes a light pipe assembly coupled to the receptacle housing having has a plurality of flexible light pipes each extending between a light-receiving end and a light-emitting end. The light-receiving end is positioned proximate to the bottom to receive light from a light-emitting device mounted to the circuit board. The light-emitting end is provided proximate to the front end of the receptacle housing for displaying a status indicator for the communication connector.
US09933548B1 Method, apparatus and computer program product for providing local hazard warnings
Embodiments described herein may provide a method for providing a local hazard warning to vehicles or devices at locations near an observed weather condition. Methods may include: receiving an indication of an observed weather condition from a probe; receiving an indication of a location of the observed weather condition from the probe; generating an estimation of a local hazard at a plurality of locations proximate the location of the observed weather condition; generating a confidence level of the local hazard at each of the plurality of locations proximate the location of the observed weather condition; and generating a local hazard warning for at least one of the plurality of locations in response to the confidence level for the at least one of the plurality of locations satisfying a predefined measure.
US09933545B2 Use of atomic optical clocks for gravitational surveys
A method of estimating a parameter of an anomaly in an earth formation includes: disposing a measurement device at at least one measurement location, the measurement device including a frequency standard; estimating a frequency shift of a frequency standard due to a gravitational potential at at least one measurement location; and deriving a relationship between a mass and a depth of a formation anomaly at a distance to the at least one measurement location using the frequency shift.
US09933541B2 Determining resistivity anisotropy and formation structure for vertical wellbore sections
Formation properties in a vertical section of a wellbore are determined by considering the vertical section as consisting of one or more segments. Measurements are obtained with a directional resistivity tool at two or more measurement stations within each segment for which the complex 0th harmonic coefficients for the obtained measurements are non-trivially different from one another. For each such segment, the phase shift and attenuation are determined using the complex 0th harmonic coefficients obtained for that segment and an inversion is performed for the formation properties using the determined phase shift and attenuation for that segment. Formation properties for that segment may be output to a display or memory storage device. For certain segments, one or more gain factors may be obtained. The gain factors are used to correct the measured voltages for certain neighboring segments and the corrected voltages inverted to obtain anisotropy and formation structure.
US09933540B2 Multiple receivers for airborne electromagnetic surveying
The invention discloses a receiver section towed by an airborne electromagnetic survey system, comprising a plurality of receivers, each receiver comprising at least one receiver coil. The invention further discloses an airborne electromagnetic survey system, comprising: (a) a transmitter section for generating a primary electromagnetic field that induces a secondary electromagnetic field; and (b) a receiver section for detecting the secondary electromagnetic field, wherein the receiver section comprises a plurality of receivers, each receiver further comprising at least one receiver coil; and a tow assembly for an airborne electromagnetic surveying system, comprising a means for suspending a receiver section from an aircraft, the receiver section comprising a plurality of receivers each receiver comprising at least one receiver coil.
US09933536B2 Arctic seismic surveying operations
A marine seismic survey is performed in icy waters by initially planning a survey track traversing a survey area. The initial track is planned based on initial ice conditions in the survey area having the icy waters. After preparing the system, a seismic system is deployed into the water from a survey vessel at the survey area. This is typically done in an area relatively free of ice. At least one escort vessel escorts the survey vessel as it traverses the survey track and obtains seismic data. The survey vessel tows the seismic system under the surface of the icy water to avoid the ice. All the while, systems and operators monitor the survey area along the survey track for actual ice conditions. In this way, the escort vessel can handling the actual ice conditions along the survey track so the survey vessel does not need to halt.
US09933527B2 Determining location and direction of travel using map vector constraints
Systems, methods, and computer program products for determining the location and direction of travel of a mobile device using map vector constraints is disclosed.
US09933526B2 Techniques to improve the performance of a fixed, timing-based radio positioning network using external assistance information
Systems and methods for estimating error associated with one or more range measurements that are used to estimate the position of a receiver. Estimations of range error may be based on surveyed range errors associated with locations near the position of the receiver. Estimations of range error may alternatively be based on comparisons of actual movement by the receiver to estimated movement between estimates of the receiver's positions.
US09933524B2 Satellite-based position determination
Method and apparatuses involving satellite position signals are disclosed. Based on data indicating a usage environment, parameters, for example acquisition parameters or calculation parameters, are adapted.
US09933523B2 Systems and methods to enhance reliability of measured position data
There is disclosed systems and methods to enhance reliability of measured position data. Measuring devices, such mobile phones equipped with location measurement elements (such as GPS, LBS, network location reporting, or tower location triangulation reporting) may collect various samples of positions where the device is believed to be located at particular moments in time; however such measurements often vary even if the device is not moving because of device inaccuracy, atmospheric conditions, obstructing buildings, and the like, making it difficult to determine whether such devices are actually stationary or are in motion over predetermined time periods. Systems and methods of the present invention provide for enhanced accuracy of position data by selectively merging varying location positions that are attributable to noise or accuracy deviations, and providing an enhanced assessment of actual device position.
US09933519B2 Three dimensional radar system
A system and a method of generating a three-dimensional terrain model using one-dimensional interferometry of a rotating radar unit is provided herein. Height information is evaluated from phase differences between two echoes by applying a Kalman filter in relation to a phase confidence map that is generated from phase forward projections relating to formerly analyzed phase data. The radar system starts from a flat earth model and gathers height information of the actual terrain as the platform approaches it. Height ambiguities are corrected by removing redundant 2π multiples from the unwrapped phase difference between the echoes.
US09933514B1 LADAR systems with dynamic receiver filters
LADAR systems and methods are disclosed. LADAR systems include a LADAR transmitter configured to emit a laser signal from a platform and a LADAR receiver configured to detect the laser signal returning from a target moving relative to the platform. The LADAR receiver includes a dynamic receiver filter with a receiver bandwidth (which may be about equal to the linewidth of the laser signal) and a tunable receiver center wavelength. The LADAR receiver is configured to adjust the receiver center wavelength to a wavelength that is Doppler-shifted due to the target velocity. Methods include transmitting a laser signal from a platform, returning the laser signal from a moving target, adjusting a dynamic receiver filter to a receiver center wavelength that is based upon the center wavelength of the returned laser signal (that includes a Doppler offset due to the relative velocity of the target), and receiving the returned laser signal.
US09933510B2 Safety scanner and optical safety system
Provided is a safety scanner capable of easily grasping the correspondence relationship between a distance measurement position on a scanning plane and a real space. The safety scanner includes a distance measurement section that obtains distance measurement information corresponding to a distance optically sensed and a scanning angle of a detection light, an intrusion sensing section that senses an intruder within the protection area on the basis of the distance measurement information and a area designation information, a marker identification section that identifies a marker movably disposed within the detection area, and the distance measurement information of the marker as an area generation information for determining the protection area.
US09933508B2 Magnetic positioning management
Apparatus, method and computer program for magnetic positioning management. A management apparatus assigns an identifier for a transmitting mobile apparatus, and commands the transmitting mobile apparatus to transmit a radio beacon including the identifier. The management apparatus receives reception information from a receiving mobile apparatus that received the radio beacon, the reception information including the identifier of the transmitting mobile apparatus. For at least one of the transmitting mobile apparatus or the receiving mobile apparatus, the management apparatus determines its estimated location for a magnetic positioning based on an association of the transmitting mobile apparatus with the receiving mobile apparatus.
US09933504B2 Method and magnetic resonance apparatus to determine a magnetic resonance image from magnetic resonance data
In a method and apparatus to determine a magnetic resonance image from magnetic resonance data entered into k-space that are acquired with the magnetic resonance apparatus, in the acquisition of the data a deviation from ideal homogeneity, described by an interference field, is present in the imaging region that is covered by the magnetic resonance data. To reduce image artifacts generated by this interference field, the transformation of the magnetic resonance data from k-space into the image domain, at least along a readout direction of a readout gradient used in the acquisition, takes place by multiplication of the data with the inverse of a transformation matrix that is calculated depending on the interference field.
US09933503B2 Measurement of magnetic resonance rheology transducer vibrations using navigators
The invention provides for a medical instrument (200, 400, 500) comprising a magnetic resonance imaging system (202), a transducer (222) for mechanically vibrating at least a portion of the subject within the imaging zone. Instructions cause a processor (236) controlling the medical instrument to: control (100) the transducer to vibrate; control (102) the magnetic resonance imaging system to repeatedly acquire the magnetic resonance data (252) using a first spatially encoding pulse sequence (250); control (104) the magnetic resonance imaging system to acquire navigator data (256) using a second spatially encoding pulse sequence (254); construct (106) a set of navigator profiles (258, 804, 904, 1004, 1108, 1208, 1308) using the navigator data; determine (108) at least one parameter (260) descriptive of transducer vibrations using the set of navigator profiles; and reconstruct (110) at least one magnetic resonance rheology image (262) from the magnetic resonance data.
US09933502B2 Cardiac MRI curvilinear tagging
A preparation sequencing system and methods are disclosed for generating curvilinear taglines of altered magnetization in an imaging plane of an NMR image. A preparation sequencing module is disclosed for generating a sinusoidal gradient signal simultaneously with a continuous a radio frequency (RF) signal, wherein the sinusoidal gradient signal is shaped to generate a rotating on-resonance excitation plane such that each point in the imaged target volume is on-resonance at least once in a period corresponding to one full rotation of the excitation plane. The on-resonance excitation plane is configured to simultaneously generate a plurality of curvilinear or circular taglines of altered magnetization in the imaging plane.
US09933501B2 Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) coil with integrated decoupling
Example magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) radio frequency (RF) coils are described. An MRI RF coil may include an LC circuit and an integrated decoupling circuit. The integrated decoupling circuit may include a wire or other conductor that is connected to the LC circuit and that is positioned within a defined distance of the LC circuit. The integrated decoupling circuit may include a PIN diode and a tunable element. The tunable element may be tunable with respect to resistance, capacitance, or inductance, and thus may control, at least in part, the frequency at which the LC circuit resonates during RF transmission. The example MRI RF coil has more than one point of high impedance, which facilitates reducing heating and operational issues associated with conventional coils.
US09933500B2 Radio frequency coil structure and assembly, and MRI apparatus using the same
Disclosed are a radio frequency (RF) coil assembly and a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus using the RF coil assembly. The RF coil assembly includes a plurality of coils, and a plurality of distributed connecting elements to connect a first coil and a second coil of the coils. Each of the connecting elements is set to one of a short state and an open state. Isolation between the first coil and the second coil may vary depending upon the state of each of the connecting elements.
US09933496B2 Magnetic field sensor with multiple axis sense capability
A sensor for sensing an external magnetic field along a sensing direction comprises a sensor bridge. The sensor bridge has a first sensor leg that includes a first magnetoresistive sense element and a second sensor leg that includes a second magnetoresistive sense element. The first and second sense elements have respective first and second pinned layers having the same reference magnetization. The first and second sense elements have respective first and second sense layers, each self-biased to have a first sense magnetization. A permanent magnet layer is proximate the second sense element. In the absence of an external magnetic field, the permanent magnet layer magnetically biases the first sense magnetization of the second sense layer produce a second sense magnetization of the second sense layer that differs from the first sense magnetization, and the first sense layer of the first sense element retains the first sense magnetization.
US09933491B2 Electric storage system
An electric storage system includes electric storage blocks and a controller determining the state of each of the electric storage blocks. The plurality of electric storage blocks are connected in series, and each of the electric storage blocks has a plurality of electric storage elements connected in parallel. Each of the electric storage elements has a current breaker breaking a current path within the electric storage element. The controller acquires at least one parameter of an internal resistance and a full charge capacity of each of the electric storage blocks, and uses a change rate between the acquired parameter and a reference value to specify the number of current breakers in a broken state (the number of breaks) in each of the electric storage blocks. The reference value refers to the value of the parameter in the electric storage block not including the current breaker in the broken state.
US09933490B2 Semiconductor device, battery state monitoring module, and vehicle system
A vehicle system, includes a battery state monitoring module including a battery state monitoring device for measuring a current monitor voltage value that varies according to a current value flowing through a current detecting resistance coupled to power supply terminals of a battery, and an arithmetic circuit that determines a state of the battery based on the current monitor voltage value measured by the battery state monitoring device and transmits the determination result at a request from a high-order system, and a central control unit for outputting an internal ignition signal that directs start and stop of a engine to an electronic load circuit for controlling the engine and a starter, the battery state monitoring device carries out a short-circuit test operation for testing a short circuit state between two external terminals coupled to two ends of the current detecting resistance, and a current monitoring operation of measuring.
US09933488B2 Open circuit voltage checking for a battery system
Systems and methods for managing open circuit voltage checks of energy storage modules in an energy storage system. Embodiments of the present invention provide a controller of an energy storage system configured to schedule open circuit voltage checks for the energy storage modules, determine if conditions of an energy storage module, and of the overall energy storage system, are favorable for performing an open circuit voltage check, and defer an open circuit voltage check if at least one condition is not favorable. The controller is further configured to abandon an open circuit voltage check in progress if one or more conditions of the overall energy storage system changes in a manner that is unfavorable for continuing with the open circuit voltage check.
US09933479B2 Multi-die interface for semiconductor testing and method of manufacturing same
The present invention includes an interface apparatus for semiconductor testing. The interface apparatus comprises a housing substrate and two product substrates. The first product substrate has a first micro-scale conductive pattern and is situated within a first opening of the housing substrate. The second product substrate has a second micro-scale conductive pattern and is situated within a second opening of the housing substrate. The first and the second micro-scale conductive patterns are aligned to a conductive semiconductor wafer pattern using a continuous translucent media having targets corresponding to the conductive semiconductor wafer pattern.
US09933477B2 Semiconductor chip having transistor degradation reversal mechanism
A method is described that includes monitoring degradation of a semiconductor chip's transistors during normal operation. The method further includes raising an internal voltage of the semiconductor chip in response to the degradation. The method further includes determining that the degradation has reached a threshold. The method further includes triggering application of an elevated temperature to the semiconductor chip so that the degradation is at least partially reversed. The method further includes applying a new lower internal voltage of the semiconductor chip in account of the degradation reversal.
US09933475B2 Semiconductor device and multi-chip module
Provided is a semiconductor inspection circuit which is capable of inspecting connection states of power supply, ground, and signal bumps in a semiconductor package or a printed circuit board equipped with a semiconductor LSI mounted in a product operation state. As a means to solve the problem, a circuit capable of switching a path is provided at an input portion of a driver/receiver, a mechanism capable of transferring an output of a path switching circuit near a receiver circuit to a voltage waveform circuit with an internal variable terminal is provided, and a breakage state of a bump can be observed in the product operation state by observing a DC level at a terminal having a certain DC resistance when a signal bump connection state is observed and receiving a step wave and observing a response waveform thereof when an IO power supply bump connection state is observed.
US09933472B2 Method for checking a connection between a low-voltage supply system and a battery, and motor vehicle
A process to check a connection between a battery (2) supplying a low-voltage network (1) of a motor vehicle (12), the voltage of which is less than the voltage of a high-voltage network (6) of the motor vehicle (12), and the low-voltage network (1); wherein a DC voltage converter (5), which is configured for exchanging electrical power between the high-voltage network (6) and the low-voltage network (1), connects the high-voltage network (6) to the low-voltage network (1); wherein a DC voltage converter (5) modulates the output voltage into the low-voltage network at a modulation frequency; wherein the current hereby applied and the voltage hereby applied are measured by the battery (2), and a resistance value is determined and evaluated with respect to at least one connection criterion, according to which a connection fault is determined when at least one connection criterion is not fulfilled.
US09933468B2 Detecting device and detecting method for detecting output impedance angle of inverter
A method for detecting an output impedance angle of an inverter includes controlling an inverter to output a second voltage signal and a current signal based on a first voltage signal; receiving the signals, and calculating and outputting first and second active powers, and first and second reactive powers using the signals; calculating and outputting third and fourth active powers, and third and fourth reactive powers based on the first and second active powers, the first and second reactive powers, and the predetermined impedance angle; determining whether the amplitude is a constant value; if so, determining whether an absolute value of the first differential value of the third and fourth reactive powers is less than a first power reference value; if so, the impedance angle outputted from the inverter is the impedance angle; if not, setting the impedance angle as the predetermined impedance angle plus or minus the compensation angle.
US09933465B2 Local transformer level grid management systems and methods
A remotely readable apparatus for metering of a plurality of electricity consumer lines, comprising: (a) a meter head that measures electricity usage for each of the plurality of electricity consumer lines; and (b) sensors that sense environmental conditions in a second housing enclosing a distribution transformer that steps down voltage from a distribution level to a consumer level, said one sensors in communication with said meter head and not operable to sense environmental conditions in said first housing, and wherein said meter head connects and disconnects service on said plurality of electricity consumer lines in response to information received from said sensors; wherein a transponder transmits data received to/from said meter head to/from a remotely located computer, and said meter head is operable, based on data received from said transponder, to connect/disconnect service on said electricity consumer lines.
US09933464B2 Power detector
A power detector measures RF power delivered into a first load of uncertain impedance. A reference power meter measures power of a reference signal to a second load of known impedance. The reference power meter measures voltage across the second load; measures a current through the second load; and multiplies the measured voltage by the measured current to generate a reference power signal proportional to power delivered to the second load. A measurement power meter measures power of a signal to the first load. The measurement power meter measures voltage across the first load; measures current through the first load; and multiplies the measured voltage by the measured current to generate a measured power signal proportional to power delivered to the first load. The power detector includes a processor to calculate power delivered to the second load, and to generate a power delivered to the first load.
US09933462B2 Current sensor and current measuring device
A current sensor includes an element substrate that has a first surface facing a wire to which electric current to be measured is supplied and a second surface positioned on the opposite side of the first surface; a pair of sloping surfaces that are formed mutually juxtaposed in the element substrate so as to have slope angles by which their mutual spacing gradually decreases in a first direction approximately orthogonal with the first surface heading from the first surface to the second surface; a pair of magnetism detecting elements that are respectively attached to the pair of sloping surfaces formed in the element substrate; and external connection terminals that are respectively connected to the pair of magnetism detecting elements and that extend in a second direction that is the opposite direction of the first direction, in which the sensitivity directions of the pair of magnetism detecting elements are respectively set so as to slope along the pair of sloping surfaces.
US09933460B2 Terminal block having integrated current transformers
A terminal block for a power device includes a casing and a power cord. The terminal block is configured to be secured within the casing and to secure the power cord. The terminal block includes a body configured to fit within the casing of the power device. The body has at least one recess formed therein. The terminal block further includes at least one current transformer sized to fit within the at least one recess of the body.
US09933459B1 Magnetically coupled ground reference probe
Systems and methods of providing a magnetically coupled ground reference probe for use with test equipment, such as digital multimeters (DMMs). The magnetically coupled ground reference probes disclosed herein may be used instead of a typical test probe or alligator clip. A magnetically coupled ground reference probe may be provided which includes an insulative housing surrounding a conductive magnet such as a permanent magnet or an electromagnet. The magnet may autonomously retract into a cavity of the insulative housing when not coupled to a ground reference so that the magnet does not contact a high potential source when being handled by the operator. In at least some implementations, at least a portion of the insulation material of the housing may be compressible to allow the magnet to come into physical contact with a ground reference surface while providing a sufficient creepage and clearance path.
US09933456B2 Electro-optic probe with multiple sensitivity ranges
A test and measurement system including an electro-optical accessory with an electro-optical sensor configured to output a modulated output signal, a device under test connected to the electro-optical accessory with a variable input signal, and a processor. The electro-optical accessory includes two sets of electrodes in which a sensitivity of the first set of electrodes is different from a sensitivity of the second set of electrodes. The processor in the test and measurement system is configured to modify the modulated output signal from the electro-optical voltage accessory to reconstruct the variable input signal of the electro-optical voltage accessory that exceeds the linear input range of the optical sensor.
US09933449B2 Method and system of measurement of mach and dynamic pressure using internal sensors
A system for calculating airspeed and dynamic pressure comprises a system body, an internal accelerometer, located within the system body, an internal pressure sensor, located in the system body, the internal pressure sensor being not hermetically sealed within the system body and capable of measuring the static pressure of the ambient atmosphere, and a processor in reception of the internal accelerometer, and the internal pressure sensor, capable of calculating Mach number via an axial acceleration, and capable of calculating a dynamic pressure and a true airspeed via the Mach number.
US09933448B1 Stray-field robust, twist-insensitive magnetic speed sensors
Magnetic sensor modules, systems and methods are provided, configured to detect a rotation of an object. A magnetic sensor module includes an axially polarized back bias magnet that generates a radially symmetric bias magnetic field about a center axis of the axially polarized back bias magnet in a sensor plane, and a magnetic sensor including a plurality of sensor elements arranged in the sensor plane of the magnetic sensor and are configured to generate measurement values in response to sensing the radially symmetric bias magnetic field. The plurality of sensor elements are arranged on a circumference of a circle at equidistant angles about the center axis of the axially polarized back bias magnet. The plurality of sensor elements are grouped into a plurality of pairs such that each pair has a sensitivity axis sensitive to a different in-plane magnetic field component of the radially symmetric bias magnetic field.
US09933443B2 Method, apparatus, and computer program for blood sample determination, and blood sample analyzer
Disclosed is a blood sample determination method including: preparing a mixed plasma by mixing a subject plasma and a normal plasma; emitting light to a measurement specimen obtained by mixing the mixed plasma and a clotting time measuring reagent, to obtain optical information regarding an amount of light from the measurement specimen; and determining whether the subject plasma is suspected to be a coagulation-factor-deficient plasma, on the basis of optical information obtained from one measurement specimen.
US09933441B2 Progressive approximation of sample analyte concentration
Error may be introduced into an analysis by both the biosensor system used to perform the analysis and by errors in the output signal measured by the measurement device of the biosensor. For a reference sample, system error may be determined through the determination of relative error. However, during an analysis of a test sample with the measurement device of the biosensor system, true relative error cannot be known. A pseudo-reference concentration determined during the analysis may be used as a substitute for true relative error. The closer the analysis-determined pseudo-reference analyte concentration is to the reference analyte concentration of the test sample, the more accurate and/or precise the analyte concentration determined by the measurement device using an anchor parameter during compensation. The present invention provides an improvement in the accuracy and/or precision of the analysis determined pseudo-reference concentration through progressive approximation.
US09933440B2 Drug efficacy test method for dementias utilizing astrocyte-derived exosomes
Non-invasive method for diagnosing or prognosing Alzheimer's disease, frontotemporal dementia, or other dementia involving isolating astrocyte-derived exosomes (ADEs) and neuron-derived exosomes (NDEs) from a human biological sample (i.e., plasma, serum, urine or cerebrospinal fluid), analyzing cargo extracts of the ADEs and NDEs to detect at least one specified protein or microRNA biomarker, comparing the levels and activities of detected biomarker(s) to those in control samples to identify a statistically significant difference between the detected biomarker(s) and corresponding biomarker(s) in the control sample to determine presence of Alzheimer's disease, frontotemporal dementia, or other dementia; and testing effects of drugs on levels and activities of each biomarker, as well as effects of drugs administered to test subjects on levels and activities of each biomarker in ADEs and NDEs from subsequently obtained biological samples.
US09933432B2 Multi-dimensional chromatographic methods for separating N-glycans
A multi-dimensional chromatographic method for the separation of N-glycans. The method comprises providing a glycan preparation that includes at least one negatively charged N-glycan. The glycan preparation is then separated by anion-exchange chromatography and at least one secondary chromatographic technique.
US09933431B2 System and method for iterative detection of biological molecules
A system for the iterative detection of biological molecules includes a probe, and a fluorophore tethered to the probe with an azide-based linker. The linker is configured to be cleaved in the presence of tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine (TCEP), and the on/off ratio between a signal measured before treatment with TCEP and a signal measured after treatment with TCEP is at least about 20:1.
US09933429B2 Methods of identification, assessment, prevention and therapy of lung diseases and kits thereof
The invention provides biomarkers and combinations of biomarkers useful in diagnosing lung diseases such as non-small cell lung cancer or reactive airway disease. The invention also provides methods of differentiating lung disease, methods of monitoring therapy, and methods of predicting a subject's response to therapeutic intervention based on the extent of expression of the biomarkers and combinations of biomarkers. Kits comprising agents for detecting the biomarkers and combination of biomarkers are also provided.
US09933417B2 Azetidine-substituted fluorescent compounds
The presently-disclosed subject matter includes azetidine-substituted fluorescent compounds, where the compounds may be used as probes, dyes, tags, and the like. The presently-disclosed subject matter also includes kits comprising the same as well as methods for using the same to detect a target substance.
US09933413B2 Synthetic microfluidic systems for tumor metastasis
A method of assaying metastasis can include: providing a device of one of the embodiments; introducing the at least one cancer cell into the at least one internal chamber or at least one fluid channel; and studying metastasis of the at least one cancer cell. Optionally: introducing cancer cells into a first internal chamber; detecting escape of the cancer cell from the first internal chamber into the fluid channel; detecting migration of the cancer cell through the fluid channel; detecting adhesion of the cancer cell to a coating on the fluid channel; detecting invasion of the cancer cell into a second internal chamber from the fluid channel; or visualizing metastasis of the cancer cell with a visualization device.
US09933411B2 Analyte system and method for determining hemoglobin parameters in whole blood
A method of measuring whole-blood hemoglobin parameters includes providing a LED light source, guiding light having the spectral range from the LED light source along an optical path, providing a cuvette module with a sample receiving chamber, providing a pair of first and second optical diffusers disposed in the optical path where the cuvette module is disposed between the pair of first and second optical diffusers, guiding light from the cuvette module into an optical spectrometer, and processing an electrical signal from the spectrometer into an output signal useable for displaying and reporting hemoglobin parameter values and/or total bilirubin parameter values of the sample of whole blood.
US09933410B2 Biological sample measurement device
A biological sample measurement device includes a biological sample measuring instrument and measurement-related information supply instrument which supplies measurement-related information. Measurement-related information supply instrument has reading unit which reads the measurement-related information, first storage unit which stores identification information of measurement-related information supply instrument, and transmission unit which transmits the measurement-related information and the identification information of measurement-related information supply instrument to the biological sample measuring instrument. The biological sample measuring instrument has a main body case which has a mounting portion of a biological sample detection sensor and a display unit, a measurement unit which is connected to the mounting portion inside the main body case, a control unit which is connected to the measurement unit, and a reception unit which is connected to the control unit and receives the measurement-related information and the identification information of the measurement-related information supply instrument transmitted from the transmission unit.
US09933409B2 Strip connector with reliable insertion and ejection
A strip connector includes a connector housing having a housing cavity and guide feature. A strip carrier slidable in the housing cavity includes a carrier body having a strip channel slidably receiving a test strip in an insertion direction. A first biasing member biases the strip carrier in an ejection direction opposite the insertion direction. A second biasing member acting orthogonal to the first biasing member biases the carrier body in a contact direction orthogonal to the ejection direction. First and second male members of the carrier body slide with respect to the guide feature and prevent strip contact direction carrier displacement until the male members are axially aligned with guide feature branches extending orthogonally to the guide feature. A test strip conductor contacts connector housing electrical contacts when the male members axially align with the branches and the second biasing member displaces the strip carrier in the contact direction.
US09933407B2 Water cooler towers and other man-made aquatic systems as environmental collection systems for agents of concern
An apparatus and process of using existing process water sources such as cooling towers, fountains, and waterfalls is provided in which the water sources are utilized as monitoring system for the detection of environmental agents which may be present in the environment. The process water is associated with structures and have an inherent filtering or absorbing capability available in the materials and therefore can be used as a rapid screening tool for quality and quantitative assessment of environmental agents.
US09933403B2 Method for alarming gas and electronic device thereof
A method for use in an electronic device, comprising: sensing a state of the electronic device; detect whether the state satisfies a predetermined condition; detecting a concentration of a gas in response to the state satisfying the predetermined condition; and displaying an indication of the concentration of the gas.
US09933394B2 Method and apparatus for detecting cracks and delamination in composite materials
A method is disclosed for testing for delamination of a first composite component from a second composite component a composite material. The method comprises coupling a broad-band actuator to the composite material and connecting sweeping frequencies to the broad-band actuator for vibrating the composite material. An acoustic sensor is coupled to the composite material for measuring a resonant frequency curve of the vibrating composite material. The measured resonant frequency curve of the vibrating composite material is compared with a reference resonant frequency curve. A delaminated composite material produces a change in the measured resonant frequency curve relative to the reference resonant frequency curve. The method is suitable for detecting delamination in fuel cells as well as ceramic body armor.
US09933391B2 Ultrasound-based gas bubble and/or solid detector, dialysis apparatus and method for such detector
An ultrasound-based air bubble and/or solid detector comprising an ultrasonic transmitter for transmitting ultrasound through a medium to be examined, wherein the ultrasound is adapted to be received by an ultrasonic receiver. Energy input of the ultrasound into a medium to be monitored may be limited and/or monitored and/or adapted.
US09933389B2 Sensor control apparatus and gas detection system
A sensor control apparatus of a gas detection system includes a digital computation section having a PID computation section, a first filter section, and a second filter section as functional sections. The first filter section digitally extracts a DAC control signal (first filter signal) from a digital signal representing a supply control current Tip computed by the PID computation section. The DAC control signal is a digital signal which represents the supply control current Tip for pump current and in which noise components superimposed as a result of digital computation in the PID computation section have been attenuated.
US09933386B2 Setting method for conductive object of electrochemical test strip
The present invention relates a setting method for a conductive object of electrochemical test strip. In the embodiment, this manufacturing process is not complex, convenient, and has well precision, such that the cost of manufacturing an electrochemical test strip is reduced effectively, the disadvantage of past manufacturing process is improved. The present invention is highly applied and convenient, so that wide application can be expected in the future.
US09933384B2 Chemical sensor system
An example approach and structure for providing a chemical sensor, having an electrode that may receive a fluid that is passed on towards a dielectric between the electrode and one or more other electrodes. A capacitance between the electrodes may be changed by the dielectric which is affected by a parameter of the fluid. Measuring a change of the capacitance may indicate a magnitude of the parameter. The electrode receiving the fluid may have one or more layers of metal particles that by design of the particles and their arrangement can result in determined pore sizes and routes through the electrode for a controllable porosity of the electrode.
US09933383B2 Moisture sensor for a grain dryer
A moisture sensor for drying grain having a sensor block with built in ground bars, a removable electronic module having a circuit board encased in black potting compound, and a removable back plate.
US09933377B2 System for determining the zeta potential for characterizing a solid/liquid interface with controlled profile pressure loading
A device determines information indicative for a zeta potential at the interface between a solid phase and a liquid phase. The device includes a pressure vessel, in which the liquid phase can be accommodated and a measuring cell, downstream of the pressure vessel and such that it can be brought into fluid communication with the pressure vessel and in which the solid phase can be accommodated. A storage vessel is downstream of and in fluid communication with the measuring cell. A pressure loading apparatus, loads the pressure vessel with a pressure profile with a temporally continuous pressure change so a liquid phase can be conveyed out of the pressure vessel through the measuring cell into the storage vessel. A detection apparatus detects the information indicative for the zeta potential at the measuring cell during the loading of the pressure vessel with the pressure profile.
US09933376B2 Apparatus and method for analyzing defects by using heat distribution measurement
The present invention provides a method for analyzing defects by using heat distribution measurement, comprising: a sample loading unit for loading a sample to check whether or not there is a defect through heat distribution characteristics; a light source for radiating visible light onto the sample; a power supply unit for generating a driving signal in order to periodically heat the sample; a detection unit for detecting reflected light from the surface of the sample; and a signal generator for synchronizing the detection unit with the driving signal of the power supply unit.
US09933375B2 XRF/XRD system with dynamic management of multiple data processing units
Disclosed is a portable non-destructive testing (NDT) instrument system that transmits spectrum data measured from a test material sample to a remotely located computer for computation of the sample's atomic element composition. The atomic element composition is subsequently transmitted back to the portable instrument for display to the operator in real time. The precision and accuracy of the compositional computation is improved by the greater processing power of the high performance remote computer. The operator of the NDT instrument may choose to use the remote computer to perform part or all of the compositional computation.
US09933374B2 Device for measuring the quality factor of a cavity, in particular a superconducting cavity perturbed by resonant electron discharges
A device for measuring the unloaded quality factor of a resonant cavity which has an input port to accept incident power and an output port to measure the dissipated power, wherein the device includes: a transmission line designed to be coupled to the input port of the resonant cavity to be characterized, which has a coupling coefficient βi and which is designed to transmit an incident power generated by a power generator; a switch located upstream of the transmission line at a distance from the cavity which is equivalent to (2n+1)λg/4, where n is a whole number equal to or greater than zero and λg the wavelength of the wave guided by the transmission line, the switch allowing the coupling coefficient βi at the input port to the cavity to be modified at the time of the measurement of the unloaded quality factor of the cavity.
US09933373B2 Glass sheet acquisition and positioning mechanism for an inline system for measuring the optical characteristics of a glass sheet
A glass sheet acquisition and positioning mechanism and associated method are utilized in an in-line glass sheet optical inspection system. The mechanism includes an exterior support frame mounted in proximity to one of the glass sheet processing system conveyors, and an interior support frame operably connected to the exterior support frame such that the interior support frame may be selectively positioned from its first orientation to a second orientation whereby the retained glass sheet is positioned between the camera and the screen at a preselected position. The interior support frame is also operably connected to the exterior support frame to provide for positioning of the interior support frame to a third orientation in which the glass sheet is released from the interior support frame for continued movement on the conveyor. An in-line glass sheet optical inspection system incorporating the glass sheet acquisition and positioning mechanism is also disclosed.
US09933368B2 Device for analysing an oxidisable molten metal using a libs technique
A device for analyzing at least one oxidizable molten metal using a LIBS technique, including: a LIBS analyzer; a mechanical rotary mechanism stirring a liquid bath of the at least one oxidizable molten metal, and including a central section, to be positioned above the liquid bath of the at least one oxidizable molten metal, including an internal cavity forming an analysis chamber, the central section including a first end connected to the LIBS analyzer, and a plurality of mechanical stirring paddles to be partially submerged in the liquid bath of the at least one oxidizable molten metal and that are connected to a second end of the central section opposite the first end of the central section, the LIBS analyzer configured to allow the surface of the at least one oxidizable molten metal located in the portion plumb with the internal cavity of the central portion to be analyzed.
US09933363B2 System and method for dense-stochastic-sampling imaging
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to imaging technologies, and, in particular, to an imaging system that detects relatively weak signals, over time, and that uses the detected signals to determine the positions of signal emitters. Particular embodiments of the present invention are directed to methods and systems for imaging fluorophore-labeled samples in order to produce images of the sample at resolutions significantly greater than the diffraction-limited resolution associated with optical microscopy. Embodiments of the present invention employ overlapping-emitter-image disambiguation to allow data to be collected from densely arranged emitters, which significantly decreases the data-collection time for producing intermediate images as well as the number of intermediate images needed to computationally construct high-resolution final images. Additional embodiments of the present invention employ hierarchical image-processing techniques to further resolve and interpret disambiguated images.
US09933362B2 Assay devices and methods
A device for determining an assay result may include a test strip, a light source system, a light detection system, and a processor.
US09933361B2 Method for estimating denatured serum proteins in milk
The invention relates to a method for estimating denatured serum proteins in milk that has undergone a heat treatment. The method has the following successive steps: (a) rendering a sample of the milk transparent, (b) measuring diffusion in the transparent sample in order to deduce a first denatured serum protein (DSP) index representative of the concentration of denatured serum proteins.
US09933358B2 Automatic analyzer
According to one embodiment, an automatic analyzer comprises a light source, a spectroscope, a photo detection unit, a storage unit, a selection unit, and a calculation unit. The storage unit stores photo detector identifiers related to photo detectors and wavelength band identifiers in association with each other. The selection unit selects a specific photo detector from photo detectors. The specific photo detector corresponds to a specific photo detector identifier associated with a wavelength band identifier of a wavelength band according to a measurement item of a sample. The calculation unit calculates an absorbance related to the measurement item based on a signal from the selected specific photo detector.
US09933357B1 Elliposometer system with polarization state generator and polarization state analyzer in environmental chamber
An ellipsometer system with polarization state generator and polarization state analyzer components inside at least one internal environment supporting encasement, said at least one encasement being present inside said environmental chamber.
US09933356B2 Apparatus and method for detecting and analyzing macromolecules in biological fluid
An apparatus for detecting macromolecules in a biological fluid is discloses which includes a first substrate and a second substrate. The first substrate includes a plurality of sampling apertures, at least some of which have different diameters. The sampling apertures are configured to screen and isolate the macromolecules in the biological fluid. The second substrate is stacked with the first substrate and includes a plurality of detectors vertically corresponding in position to the sampling apertures. Each of the detectors is configured to detect whether one of the macromolecules is present in a corresponding one of the sampling apertures and produce a detection output signal. A method for detecting macromolecules in a biological fluid is also disclosed. The apparatus has high integration and simple manufacturability, while the method is easy to use.
US09933355B2 Multipass spectroscopic absorption cell
A multipass spectroscopic absorption cell comprises at least a first reflector (40) and a second reflector (42) that are configured to reflect a beam of light multiple times through a sample volume (V). At least one of the first and second reflectors (40,42) defines a principal optical axis (A) that extends through the sample volume (V). An optical folding system (52) is located on the principal optical axis (A) between the first and second reflectors, said optical folding system being configured to fold the principal optical axis (A) through an angle greater than 0°.
US09933354B2 Method for manufacturing a substrate for surface-enhanced raman spectography and substrate
A substrate for surface-enhanced Raman spectography includes a support including an upper surface; a multilayer deposited on the upper surface, with the multilayer including at least two metal layers separated from each other by an intermediate layer, the intermediate layer being selectively etchable with respect to the metal layers, the multilayer being passed through by at least one trench delimited by ends of each one of the layers of the multilayer, each end of each intermediate layer being set back with respect to the end of each metal layer adjacent to the intermediate layer in such a way that the ends of two successive metal layers form metal pins separated by a cavity; a reflective optical system arranged in each trench, with the reflective optical system being arranged to direct inside the cavities an incident light arriving according to an angle with respect to the upper surface of the support.
US09933353B2 Method for assessing corroded pipeline defect growth from partial inspection data and devices thereof
The technique relates to a system and method for assessing corroded pipeline defect growth rate from partial defect growth rate information. The method involves obtaining a plurality of observed defect growth rates from the inspection data collected at different time intervals then determining at least one unobserved defect growth rate on the basis of distribution pattern of the plurality of observed defect growth rates thereafter simulating condition of at least one hyper parameter on the inspection data based on prior information of the at least one hyper parameter then simulating the plurality of observed defect growth rates and the at least one unobserved defect growth rate based on the simulated hyper parameters and finally obtaining defect growth rate point estimate from the simulated growth rate data. The method also involves determining a probability of failure of a defect from the defect growth rate point estimates.
US09933351B2 Personal airborne particle monitor with quantum dots
An airborne biological particle monitoring device collects particles floating in air. The monitor includes a camera sensor, illumination source, and quantum-dot illumination source. The camera sensor captures a first image of the particles when the collected particles are illuminated by the illumination source. The camera sensor captures a second image of the particles when the collected particles are illuminated by the quantum-dot illumination source. The first and second images are analyzed to identify the collected particles.
US09933347B2 Method and system for determining fluid density
A method and system for determining a density of a fluid is provided. The method is carried out using an electrospraying apparatus connected in the system. At a first step fluid is introduced into an emitter of the electrospraying apparatus. A voltage is applied between the emitter and a counter-electrode spaced apart from the emitter for a number of intermittent time periods, wherein the duration of at least some of the time periods during which the voltage is applied progressively decreases. The current between the emitter and the counter-electrode is measured for each time period during which a voltage is applied and the shortest time period for which a current reading is obtained is recorded. The shortest time period is used to calculate the density of the fluid in the emitter.
US09933339B2 Miniature serial sectioning microtome for block-face imaging
The present disclosure is directed to embodiments of microtome devices and methods of their use. In some embodiments, a microtome can be mounted on the built-in stage of a scanning electron microscope and used to perform serial block-face scanning electron microscopy. In some cases, a microtome installed in a scanning electron microscope can cut the sample at a location off the electron beam axis of the scanning electron microscope. In some cases, a microtome can include a capacitive sensor which can measure the location of a blade of the microtome, and the microtome can be computer-controlled by program implemented in MATLAB.
US09933332B2 Dynamometer rotary table
The present invention relates to a dynamometer rotary table (1), which brings the dynamometer to the required position according to the test that will be conducted automatically or manually. The dynamometer rotary table (1) is mounted to the ground via a fixed plate (2). An inner table (4) is seated on the fixed plate (2), and there are lifters (5) on the inner table. The lifters (5) lift the rotary table (6), and the rotary table (6) is brought to the desired position by means of the reducer (3). The lifters (5) lower the rotary table (6) to its new position, and the lock unit (8) fixed the rotary table (6) at its new position.
US09933323B2 Systems and methods for measuring torque on rotating shaft
A torque measurement system for measuring a torque acting on a rotatable shaft is provided. The torque measurement system includes a first housing portion having a first end adapted to be fixedly coupled to the rotatable shaft and a second end. The torque measurement system includes a second housing portion having a first end spaced apart from the second end of the first housing portion so as to define a gap between the first housing portion and the second housing portion. The second housing portion is adapted to be fixedly coupled to the rotatable shaft. The torque measurement system includes at least one sensor that observes at least one of the second end of the first housing portion, the first end of the second housing portion and the gap and generates sensor signals based on the observation. The sensor signals are indicative of a torque acting on the rotatable shaft.
US09933318B2 Thermochromic clip for sensing temperature of air flowing through a vent in an air conditioning system
A thermochromic clip provides a visual indication of the temperature of the air flowing through an air vent as refrigerant is introduced into an air conditioning system. The thermochromic clip including an elongate body having an outer facing surface; a fastening member on the elongate body. The fastening member being sized and configured for selective attachment to the air vent. At least the outer facing surface coated with a thermochromic material. The thermochromic material of the outer facing surface being structured and disposed for changing from a first color state to a second color state in response to a change in temperature that places the thermochromic material at a temperature equal to or below a predetermined temperature value.
US09933310B2 Graphene-based infrared bolometer
An infrared bolometer. In one embodiment a waveguide configured to transmit infrared radiation is arranged to be adjacent a graphene sheet and configured so that evanescent waves from the waveguide overlap the graphene sheet. The graphene sheet has two contacts connected to an amplifier, and a power detector connected to the amplifier. Infrared electromagnetic power in the evanescent waves is absorbed in the graphene sheet, heating the graphene sheet. The power of Johnson noise generated at the contacts is proportional to the temperature of the graphene sheet. The Johnson noise is amplified and the power in the Johnson noise is used as a measure of the temperature of the graphene sheet, and of the amount of infrared power propagating in the waveguide.
US09933307B2 Method for detecting and analzying surface films
Disclosed herein are embodiments of a novel method and system to analyze films using plasma to produce spectral data and analyzing the spectral data.
US09933305B2 Spectrometry systems, methods, and applications
A hand held spectrometer is used to illuminate the object and measure the one or more spectra. The spectral data of the object can be used to determine one or more attributes of the object. In many embodiments, the spectrometer is coupled to a database of spectral information that can be used to determine the attributes of the object. The spectrometer system may comprise a hand held communication device coupled to a spectrometer, in which the user can input and receive data related to the measured object with the hand held communication device. The embodiments disclosed herein allow many users to share object data with many people, in order to provide many people with actionable intelligence in response to spectral data.
US09933302B2 Electronic circuit comprising a current conveyor arranged with an anti-saturation device and corresponding device for detecting photons
An electronic circuit including a current conveyor connected to a load is provided. The load delivers at least one first voltage output and one second voltage output. Such a circuit is noteworthy in that the second voltage output has what is called a non-linear behavior relative to the magnitude of the input current of the electronic circuit in a given range.
US09933300B2 Ultra-high dynamic range two photodiode pixel architecture
A pixel comprises a high-response photodiode that collects photocharge, a first transfer gate that enables the charge to be transferred off the high-response photodiode, completely emptying it onto a low-response photodiode, a second transfer gate enables the charge to be transferred off the low-response photodiode, completely emptying it onto floating diffusion, a third transfer gate for anti-blooming; the floating diffusion collects the transferred charge creating a change of voltage, a means of resetting the floating diffusion. A source-follower is modulated by the voltage on floating diffusion to control bit-line voltage and column-amplifier output. In examples, photocharge is integrated onto both the high-response photodiode and onto the low-response photodiode. The column readout circuit consists of a column amplifier that uses capacitors to set the amplifier gain, three sampling capacitors used as analog memory and for correlated double sampling, and a comparator that assists in providing the final output.
US09933299B2 Wearable illumination activity recording apparatus having a light sensing unit and a motion sensing unit
A wearable illumination activity recording apparatus (1) includes a processing unit (11), a light sensing unit (12) and a motion sensing unit (13). The light sensing unit (12) is electrically connected to the processing unit (11) and outputs a light sensing signal (LS) to the processing unit (11). The motion sensing unit (13) is electrically connected to the processing unit (11) and outputs a motion sensing signal (MS) to the processing unit (11). The processing unit (11) determines whether the wearable illumination activity recording apparatus (1) is indoors or outdoors according to the light sensing signal (LS), and determines whether the wearable illumination activity recording apparatus (1) is in motion or not according to the motion sensing signal (MS). When the wearable illumination activity recording apparatus (1) is outdoors and in motion, the processing unit (11) records an illumination-receiving time.
US09933298B2 Monitoring light exposure using a weighting function and light-monitoring system configured for user communication
Light exposure from at least one light source is received with a light detector of a light monitor that includes at least one of (a) an output device and (b) a communication device transported by a user. The light detector converts the light exposure into an electrical signal, and the current time of day at which the light exposure is received is recorded. An instantaneous light exposure value is generated from the electrical signal, and a weighting function is applied to the instantaneous light exposure value as a function of the recorded time of day associated with the light exposure to produce a weighted instantaneous light exposure value. The weighted instantaneous light exposure value is integrated to produce a weighted cumulative luminous exposure value; and the weighted cumulative luminous exposure value is compared with an established luminous-exposure target.
US09933296B2 Lens for pet rejecting passive infrared sensor
A passive infrared motion detection sensor that includes a Fresnel focusing arrangement that creates at least a first infrared sensing region, a second infrared sensing region, and a third infrared sensing region, in which target detection in one or more infrared sensing regions is weighted to be distinguishable from target detection in remaining infrared sensing regions. The Fresnel focusing arrangement creates the weighted infrared sensing regions using a lenslet region, an optically opaque region and a plurality of extruded cylindrical lenslets that extend across a portion of both the lenslet region and the optically opaque region. The signal detection in at least the second weighted infrared sensing region, for example, an infrared sensing range between 6 and 10 feet, is weighted to easily distinguish between a pet within the second infrared sensing range and a person at any infrared sensing range.
US09933294B1 Vehicle load indicator
A system for a vehicle comprises a load sensor configured to sense a load on the vehicle. The vehicle further includes a load indicator where the load indicator is disposed proximate the vehicle such that the load indicator generates an output in response to the load sensed by the load sensor.
US09933292B2 Thermal flow meter
The present invention provides a thermal flow meter 300 which reduces a stress applied from a fixing portion 3721, which is used to hold and fix a circuit package 400 with respect to a housing 302, to the circuit package 400 and has high reliability. In the thermal flow meter of the invention, the circuit package 400 embedded with a flow rate measurement circuit is formed through a first resin molding process, the fixing portion 3721 is formed along with the housing 302 through a second resin molding process, and the circuit package 400 is enveloped by the fixing portion 3721, whereby the circuit package 400 is held by and fixed to the housing 302. In order to reduce the influence of a stress, generated based on a temperature change of the fixing portion 3721, on the circuit package 400, the fixing portion 3721 is constituted of a thick portion 4714 and a thin portion 4710. Since thickness of a resin of the thin portion 4710 is small, the stress to be generated is small, and a force applied to the circuit package 400 can be reduced.
US09933291B2 Ultrasonic consumption meter with locking mechanism
An ultrasonic consumption meter includes two ultrasonic transducers for emitting and receiving ultrasonic waves, a flow channel, an electronic circuit for operating the meter, and a housing for the ultrasonic transducers and the electronic circuit. The housing is locked in position relative to the flow channel by a locking mechanism, and the flow channel has two holes for allowing the housing to get into contact with a media flowing in the flow channel.
US09933285B2 Piezoelectric sensor assembly, and sensor attachment assembly and electrical system employing same
A piezoelectric sensor assembly is for an electrical system. The electrical system includes a sensor attachment assembly and a number of electrical conductors. The sensor attachment assembly includes a sensor housing and a fastening member for fastening the sensor housing to a corresponding one of the electrical conductors. The piezoelectric sensor assembly includes a processor enclosed by the sensor housing, a piezoelectric sensor element, a wiring assembly electrically connecting the piezoelectric sensor element to the processor, an insulating member coupled to the piezoelectric sensor element and being structured to extend outwardly from the sensor housing to engage the corresponding one of the electrical conductors, and a mounting enclosure structured to mount the piezoelectric sensor element and the insulating member to the sensor housing.
US09933281B2 Position detection apparatus
A Halbach array is formed from first to third magnets provided to a rotor. Of shortest straight-line distances (clearance distances) between the first to third magnets and a Hall element as facing the first to third magnets after moving relative to the first to third magnets, the shortest straight-line distance between the second magnet and the Hall element is set the longest. In other words, the second magnet is placed at a position offset from the first magnet. In addition, the second magnet may be offset from the third magnet.
US09933279B2 Apparatus and method for contactless measurement of an angle
An apparatus 10 for the contactless measurement of a rotation angle 15 is described. A permanent magnet 60 having a number of poles, wherein the number of poles amounts to four or more and cannot be divided by three, is mounted on the front of an axle. In a plane below the permanent magnet 16 at least three first lateral Hall sensors 40a-c are located in a circular path 50. A method for calculation the rotation angle 15 with the aid of the lateral Hall sensors 40a-40c is also described.
US09933278B2 Adaptable voltage level detection with resistive ladder
A switch actuation detection unit has a switch actuation voltage reception terminal and a logic circuit. The logic circuit includes a first port, a second port, a zener diode, and a signal port. The switch actuation voltage reception terminal receives a switch actuation voltage. The first port is connected to the switch actuation voltage reception terminal. A first terminal of the zener diode is connected to the switch actuation voltage reception terminal while a second terminal of the zener diode is connected to the second port. The signal port provides a plurality of pre-determined switch state signals.
US09933274B2 Determining location information using a location data point provided by a computing device
A system and method for determining location information using a location data point provided by a computing device is described. A location data point is received by a system from a client computing device. The system determines whether the location data point is within a predefined region from a plurality of predefined regions configured by a user of the system. If the location data point is within a predefined region, location information corresponding to the predefined region is transmitted to the client device. If the location data point is not within a predefined region, one or more third-party reverse geocoding services can be used that translates the location data point to a street address.
US09933268B2 Method and system for improving accuracy of digital map data utilized by a vehicle
A digital map enhancement system and a method performed by the system are disclosed for improving accuracy of pre-stored digital map data of a digital map to be utilized by a vehicle. The system determines a current position of the vehicle, and identifies, in the pre-stored digital map data, a mapped digital landmark representing a stationary landmark predicted to be in the vicinity of the current position of the vehicle, which mapped digital landmark includes a pre-stored position of the stationary landmark. The system detects the stationary landmark by one or more sensor devices on-board the vehicle, which are adapted for observing the surroundings of the vehicle, and determines a detected position of the stationary landmark based on the current position of the vehicle and the detection of the stationary landmark. The system updates the pre-stored position of the mapped digital landmark with the detected position of the stationary landmark.
US09933267B2 Navigation device and navigation method
Map data is managed by being divided into a geometric information data list of pieces of geometric information or a phase information data list of pieces of phase information, an attribute information data list of pieces of attribute information, and a relation information data list of pieces of relation information each indicating a relation between the geometric information or the phase information and the attribute information. The pieces of attribute information in the attribute information data list are arranged in the order corresponding to the pieces of geometric information or phase information which are feature information, and the pieces of relation information are arranged in the order corresponding to the pieces of geometric information or phase information which are feature information.
US09933266B2 Method for the localization of an individual
A method for the localization of an individual, which comprises: —detecting a displacement associated with a movement of said individual; —recording environmental signals recordable during said step and forming a detected time series; —applying said displacement to the particles of a particle filter; —assigning a similarity index to each particle of the particle filter; —resampling the particle filter; —assuming, as the estimated position of the individual, the position of the particle having the greatest value of the similarity index or the center of a group of particles having a predefined common characteristic.
US09933259B1 Orthogonally-aligned level tool
The orthogonally aligned level tool comprises a plurality of bubble levels that measure the level of measured surfaces near walls and corners. The orthogonally aligned level tool comprises a central component, a first wing, and a second wing. The first wing and the central component are connected using a first telescopic shaft. The first telescopic shaft allows for a physical separation of distance between the first wing and the central component which allows for the level measurement of a larger surface than can be measured by a traditional level. The second wing and the central component are connected using a second telescopic shaft. The second telescopic shaft allows for a physical separation of distance between the second wing and the central component which allows for the level measurement of a larger surface than can be measured by a traditional level.
US09933258B2 Shoe mounted gradiometer tool and method of adjustment
There is disclosed a shoe mounted gradiometer tool. The tool includes an enclosed housing having a convex interior base and a transparent top. A ball is disposed within the enclosed housing. The ball is sized and shaped to roll on the convex interior base. There is a mounting piece connected to the enclosed housing for securing the enclosed housing to an exterior surface of a shoe. The position of the shoe mounted gradiometer tool may be adjusted by placing a fastener through a fastener-receiving hole on the mounting piece. The fastener is loosely connected to a shoe. The orientation of the housing is adjusted by pivoting the housing around the fastener-receiving hole so that a marked level position of the tool corresponds to the lowest position of the convex interior base. The mounting piece is then mounted fixedly to the shoe.
US09933256B2 Inspection program editing environment including real-time feedback related to throughput
A system is provided for programming workpiece feature inspection operations for a coordinate measuring machine (CMM). The system includes a computer-aided design (CAD) file processing portion and a user interface which includes an editing user interface portion and an execution time indicator. The CAD file processing portion analyzes an input CAD file to automatically determine workpiece features. The editing user interface portion includes an editable plan representation including an editable set of the workpiece features to be inspected. The execution time indicator is indicative of an estimated inspection program execution time for operating the CMM to execute a corresponding workpiece inspection program. The execution time indicator is automatically updated in response to a utilization of one of a first set of operations to modify the current workpiece feature inspection plan, so as to automatically indicate the estimated effect of the modification on the inspection program execution time.
US09933252B2 Self-position calculating apparatus and self-position calculating method
The self-position calculating apparatus includes: a patterned light beam extractor extracting a position of the patterned light beam an image of an area onto which the patterned light beam is projected. The apparatus calculates an orientation angle of the vehicle relative to the road surface from the position of calculates an amount of change in orientation of the vehicle based on temporal changes in multiple feature points on the road surface; and calculates a current position and a current orientation angle of the vehicle by adding the amount of change in the orientation to an initial position and an initial orientation angle of the vehicle. If a detected condition of the patterned light beam is equal to or greater than a threshold value, the patterned light beam extractor extracts the position from a superimposed image by superimposing images.
US09933246B2 Optical coherence tomography device
There is provided an optical coherence tomography device provided with: an OCT optical system configured to output OCT signal; and an analysis processing unit configured to process the OCT signal and generate motion contrast data of the specimen. The analysis processing unit is provided with: a first image data generation unit configured to process multiple OCT signals to generate first image data representing phase difference information of the multiple OCT signals, and a second image data generation unit configured to process the OCT signal to generate second image data representing amplitude information of the OCT signal. The analysis processing unit generates the motion contrast data based on the phase difference information in the first image data and the amplitude information in the second image data.
US09933245B2 Interferometric distance measuring arrangement for measuring surfaces and corresponding method with emission of at least two parallel channels
The invention relates to an interferometric distance measuring arrangement for measuring surfaces, with at least one laser source, which can be tuned, with a coherence length for generating measurement radiation modulated by a wave length ramp, an optical beam path with an optical transmitting system for emitting the measurement radiation to the surface and an optical capturing system for capturing the measurement radiation back-scattered by the surface, comprising a measuring arm and a reference arm and a radiation detector and an evaluation unit for determining the distance from a reference point of the distance measuring device to the surface. Channels are defined by at least one beamsplitter n≥2 for the parallel emission of measurement radiation, respectively one different sub area of the measurement range defined by the coherence length is allocated to the channels.
US09933235B1 Holster for a handgun
A holster for carrying a handgun inside a wearer's beltline is shown and described. In one embodiment, the holster includes a body-interface surface (BIS) having a body side (BS) and a gun side (GS). An elastic strap may be interfaced with the gun side of the body-interface surface. A clip may be interfaced with the elastic strap. Other embodiments include methods of making a holster and methods of carrying a handgun.
US09933231B2 Arrow gun with controlled retention force and barrel vibration damping
An arrow gun is provided having a controllable retention force on the arrow. By setting the retention force on the arrow, increased energy from motive compressed gas can be imparted to the arrow. The arrow gun also includes a damping coupling for reducing vibration of an unsupported length of the barrel.
US09933229B2 Drop away arrow rest
A drop away arrow rests which prevents movement of the rest element during the drawing, firing or let down of an archery bow. A drop away arrow rest that provides an optimized delay function for the dropping of the rest element after release of the bow string when firing the arrow to provide maximum support for the arrow during the launch with a last second, high speed dropping motion to clear the vanes on the arrow.
US09933226B2 Multipurpose securing device and methodology
Consistent with various embodiments, a firearm securing apparatus has a first securing interface that is configured to generate a holding force between the apparatus and a support surface in response to an applied pressure. A second securing interface is configured and arranged to receive and secure a firearm barrel and includes a graspable feature. A support piece is configured and arranged to physically connect the two securing interfaces and to provide space, to allow a person's fingers to seize a graspable feature and to allow the person to apply pressure sufficient to overcome the holding force between the apparatus and the surface in order to remove the firearm from the apparatus when desired.
US09933225B2 Bipod with a quick connect feature for standard rails
A bipod with a quick connect feature that engages with a standard rail. The bipod includes a pair legs pivotally attached at a pivot axis. A biasing mechanism is coupled to the legs that has a dead center position when the legs are in an intermediate configuration between a deployed configuration and a collapsed configuration. By shifting the biasing mechanism to one side or the other, the legs are automatically deployed to either the deployed configuration or the collapsed configuration. The biasing mechanism maintains the interface with the rail when in the deployed configuration and retains the lower portions of the legs adjacent each other in the collapsed configuration.
US09933224B2 Modular gun silencer
A modular silencer includes an outer tube and a plurality of chamber separators suspended through a tensile force within a bore of the outer tube and defining chambers between each pair of chamber separators in the silencer. An outer edge of the chamber separators is spaced apart from an inner surface of the tube to allow gas equalization between the chambers. A plurality of tube portions separate the chamber separators from each other and from the proximal and distal ends of the silencer assembly. The tube portions define a continuous center tube suspended in tension within the outer tube and through which the projectile travels. The tube portions have can have angled openings through which gas discharge exits into the chambers. Rotatable sleeves can be disposed over the tube portions to further disrupt gas flow and dissipate heat and sound. A carbon fiber sleeve can be disposed over the outer tube to inhibit burn injuries from contacting the silencer.
US09933223B2 Cover system for sound suppressor
A cover system for a sound suppressor that reduces the mirage created by the heat generated when a projectile is fired through the sound suppressor and allows the sound suppressor's appearance to be easily changed to blend in with the sound suppressor's surroundings. The cover system comprises a front cap and a cylindrical member. The front cap is configured for attachment to the cylindrical member. The cylindrical member is configured for attachment to the front cap and to receive the sound suppressor. An air gap is formed between an outer surface of the sound suppressor and an inner surface of the cylindrical member when the sound suppressor is at least partially received within the cylindrical member.
US09933220B1 Magazine loader
A magazine loader include a main body, a rounds abutment, and a rounds cavity in communication with a magazine cavity. A plurality of rounds are provided to the rounds cavity and are moveable along a movement plane abuttingly defined by first and second rounds cavity sides, at least one upper cavity abutment, and at least one lower cavity abutment. With a magazine positioned within the magazine cavity, as rounds are slidably moved towards the magazine cavity, pivot points of each round successively abuts a downwardly angled portion of the second rounds cavity side and pivots to angle a second round end of each round towards the magazine, so that each round successively enters the magazine.
US09933218B2 Firearm magazine loader and method of use
A one hand firearm magazine loader for loading a firearm with a firearm magazine including a lower member includes a magazine support housing that terminates in a lower end in a receiving section; a firearm magazine support extending from the magazine support housing to retain the firearm magazine in a substantially vertical position; a rotating support rotatably received in the receiving section for rotation about a first axis between the substantially vertical position and an angled position; and a magazine receiving member carried by the rotating support, the magazine receiving member receiving the lower member of the firearm magazine, wherein the magazine receiving member is rotatably mounted to the rotating support for rotation about a second axis, substantially perpendicular to the first axis, of the firearm magazine with mounted firearm.
US09933212B2 Heat pipe
A heat pipe having a wick structure for efficiently returning working fluid to an evaporating portion is provided. The heat pipe comprises a container 2 sealed at its both ends, a working fluid encapsulated in the container, and a wick structure 10 covering an inner face of the container. The wick structure 10 includes a porous wick 11 of a sintered metal powder, and a fiber wick 12 buried in the porous wick. A capillary pressure of the fiber wick 12 is weaker than that of the porous wick 11, and a pressure loss of the fiber wick 12 is smaller than that of the porous wick 11.
US09933209B1 Method for dewatering acoustical panels
The disclosure provides a method of forming an acoustical panel base mat, including providing a green board including an alkyl ether sulfate surfactant, wherein the green board includes from about 10 to about 40 wt. % solids, and dewatering the green board slurry to form a dewatered green board, wherein the dewatering comprises supplying hot air and applying a vacuum to the green board.
US09933208B2 Method and apparatus for separating a liquefiable gas mixture
The invention relates to a method for separating a liquefiable gas mixture consisting of a plurality of components, comprising at least one first component (K1) and one second component (K2), wherein, under an increased pressure p1, the first component (K1) has a melting point T*K1 that is higher than the melting point T*K2 of the second component (K2). In order to realise a configuration that is as compact as possible, it is provided in accordance with the invention that the method comprises the following steps: converting the gas mixture to a liquid state at a temperature T0 and a pressure p0, wherein T*K2
US09933207B2 Hydrocarbon gas processing
A process and an apparatus are disclosed for a compact processing assembly to recover ethane, ethylene, and heavier hydrocarbon components from a hydrocarbon gas stream. The gas stream is cooled and divided into first and second streams. The first stream is further cooled, expanded to lower pressure, heated, and its liquid fraction is supplied as a first top feed to an absorbing means. The second stream is expanded to lower pressure and supplied as a bottom feed to the absorbing means. A distillation vapor stream from the absorbing means is combined with the vapor fraction of the first stream, then cooled by the expanded first stream to form a condensed stream that is supplied as a second top feed to the absorbing means. A distillation liquid stream from the bottom of the absorbing means is heated in a heat and mass transfer means to strip out its volatile components.
US09933204B2 Method for controlling a refrigerating unit
A method for controlling a refrigerating unit that includes the steps of providing a freezing compartment, a user interface and a refrigeration circuit with a compressor; and setting a controlling routine through the user interface for avoiding freezer burns on food products to be stored in the freezing compartment, upon the setting changing the set temperature of the freezing compartment to a value from 2° C. to 10° C. lower than the previously set value, and changing the on/off control or the cooling capacity of the compressor so that temperature oscillations in the freezing compartment are limited to a range from 1° C. to 0.1° C.
US09933198B2 Endothermic footwear insert
A personal cooling device that provides cooling to a user, e.g., a wearer's feet, assuring even temperature distribution across contoured surfaces irrespective of the orientation of the personal cooling device and regardless of the pull of gravity. The personal cooling device includes a flexible non-porous upper component, a flexible non-porous lower component, a porous absorbent carrier component, at least one dry chemical reactant and at least one containment including at least one liquid reactant. The carrier component includes at least one dry chemical reactant distributed on the surface area thereof. When the at least one dry chemical reactant is combined with the at least one liquid chemical reactant and is absorbed by the carrier component, an endothermic reaction is produced. The carrier component absorbs the resulting cool substance evenly distributed thereover and, thereby assures equal distribution of this actual cooling throughout the entire device. The at least one containment is adapted to rupture under applied pressure. The upper and lower components are inseparably sealed to each other at their respective perimeters, the attachment forming a volume adapted to encapsulate the carrier component, the at least one dry chemical reactant and the at least one containment.
US09933196B2 System and method for simultaneous cooling and heating of sample matrix during solid and liquid phase extraction methods
The embodiments herein provide a low cost and effective system and method for simultaneous cooling and heating of a sample matrix during solid and liquid phase extraction methods. A cooling device is attached to atop of a sample vial and a heater is placed below the sample to simultaneous cooling and heating of the sample. The cooling device comprises two concentric metallic cylinders capped with welding. Two stainless steel capillary tubes are inserted respectively into two ends of the capped space for passing in and exiting out liquid carbon dioxide from the cooling device to cool the extracted analytes. The dimensions of the cylinders in the cooling device are suitably adjusted so that the cooling device is suited for use in liquid phase as well as solid phase micro-extraction processes.
US09933194B2 CO2 refrigeration system
A CO2 refrigeration system (1) includes: a compressor (3), a gas cooler (5), a temperature sensor (17) and an electronic control system (13), the electronic control system including a processor device (15) arranged to control operation of the compressor (3) according to input signals received from the temperature sensor (17), wherein the temperature sensor (17) is positioned to read an output temperature of the gas cooler. A method for controlling a compressor (3) in a CO2 refrigeration system (1) is also disclosed.
US09933186B2 Absorber tube
An absorber tube is provided that has a central metal tube, a glass cladding tube, and a glass-metal transition element. The metal tube and the glass-metal transition element are connected to each other by an expansion compensation device such that they can be displaced relative to each other in the longitudinal direction. The expansion compensation device is arranged at least partially in an annular space between the metal tube and the glass-metal transition element. In the annular space, at least one shielding device is arranged, which has a first annular disc-shaped segment arranged at an axial distance in front of the end face and covers at least the connection region of the attachment element and the inner end of the expansion compensation device.
US09933185B2 Fan and water heater provided with the same, and impeller and water heater provided with the same
A fan includes: an impeller including a main plate having a first plane, a plurality of first blades each formed the first plane, and a shroud formed integrally with the plurality of first blades; a fan case; a drive source; and a rotation shaft. The first blades each include a linearly protruding region that is linearly increased in height from an outer circumferential side to an inner circumferential side, and a curvedly protruding region that is curvedly increased in height from the outer circumferential side to the inner circumferential side, the height extending in a direction in which each first blade protrudes. The linearly protruding region is welded to the main plate. Accordingly, a highly durable fan can be implemented that allows sufficient durability to be maintained even under a high temperature environment or an acid environment.
US09933184B2 Cover plate with remotely controllable switching circuit
A cover plate for access to the thermostat of an electric water heater associated with a resistive heating element to control the operation thereof is described. The cover plate has mounted on a rear face thereof a remotely controllable switching circuit to control the power being fed to the thermostat and thereby remotely controlling the load. The cover plate with the remotely controllable switching circuit is also provided as a retrofit to convert existing electric water heaters to intelligent remotely controllable water heaters. The remote controller may be a utility, a utility provider or a remote control device. The remote controlled switching circuit is mounted concealed in the access cavity behind the cover plate.
US09933182B2 System for optimising an environmental parameter of an enclosed space
A system for optimizing one or more environmental parameters of an enclosed space comprising first and second relatively enclosed regions, such as a living space and a roof space within a building, is disclosed. The system comprises an internal sensor, in the first region, and an external sensor, external to the enclosed space, for measuring respective environmental parameters. The system also comprises a controller and a diverter valve. The controller is configured to specify the first region's ideal internal environmental parameter, and compare this specified parameter with the measured first region's internal parameter and the measured external parameter to determine whether the diverter valve directs air from the first or second enclosed region to exhaust through the ventilator.
US09933181B2 Method of and system for minimization of condenser-fan cycling for low ambient temperature
A method of controlling a heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system includes measuring an ambient temperature and determining whether the ambient temperature is below a threshold temperature value. Responsive to a determination that the ambient temperature is below the threshold temperature value, measuring a condenser-fan cycle time of the HVAC system and setting a speed of the compressor based on the measured condenser-fan cycle time.
US09933180B2 Data provision method using air conditioner log information
A data providing method is carried out by a computer (460) built in a data processing system (1) which is designed to collect log information from electronic devices through a network (30) and provide services based on that log information for authenticated users. The data providing method includes: receiving an air conditioner (102a, 102b)'s log information through the network; generating display data by reference to pieces of information which are included in the air conditioner's log information and which indicate (i) a preset temperature of the air conditioner, (ii) an outdoor temperature outside a living space in which the air conditioner is installed, and (iii) an indoor temperature of the living space in which the air conditioner is installed, the display data representing a trend of change of a turnaround time that indicates how long it takes from when the air conditioner starts operating until the indoor temperature reaches the preset temperature; and providing the display data for an authenticated user's display terminal (130a, 130b).
US09933171B2 Air conditioning and heat pump system with evaporative cooling system
An air conditioning and heat pump system includes a multi-communicative valve unit, a compressor unit connected to the multi-communicative valve unit, an evaporator unit connected to the multi-communicative valve unit, a heat exchanger connected to multi-communicative valve unit, a water heater connected to the compressor unit and the multi-communicative valve unit, and an evaporative cooling system which comprises at least one multiple-effect evaporative condenser for effectively cooling the working fluid. The air conditioning and heat pump system is selectively operated in one of an air conditioning mode, a heat pump mode, a water heater mode, and a defrosting mode, and can be switched such that the working fluid can either be cooled by the evaporator unit or and evaporative cooling system.
US09933170B2 Water-cooled split air conditioning system
A water-cooled split air conditioning system includes an indoor unit, an outdoor unit, and a plurality of connecting hoses. The outdoor unit includes an outdoor housing and a water cooling unit. The water cooling unit includes a pumping device, a top water collection basin, a fill material unit provided underneath the top water collection basin, a bottom water collection basin provided underneath the fill material unit, and a plurality of heat exchanging pipes provided in the bottom water collection basin and immersed in the cooling water. The cooling water collected in the bottom water collection tank is arranged to be guided to flow back into the top water collection basin. A predetermined amount of refrigerant is arranged to flow through the heat exchanging pipes to perform highly efficient heat exchanging process with the cooling water for lowering a temperature of the refrigerant.
US09933167B2 Retrofit smart components for use in a fluid transfer system
According to an embodiment of the disclosure, a retrofit for a system using a fluid to transfer thermal energy in a system that utilizes a thermostat to regulate a temperature associated with a terminal is provided. The retrofit includes a return line temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of a fluid leaving a terminal; and a circuit. The circuit is configured to: receive a signal from a thermostat, the signal commanding a modulated valve to open or close; receive a temperature from the return line temperature sensor; determine whether the temperature is either greater than a maximum set point or less than a minimum set point; and modify the signal from the thermostat if the temperature is either greater than the set point or less than set point.
US09933162B2 Combustor and gas turbine
A combustor includes: a pilot burner; a plurality of main burners, each of which is provided radially and outwardly along a circumferential direction about the pilot burner, and including a main nozzle disposed in a main burner cylinder; and an extension tube provided to extend toward a downstream side from the main burner cylinder of each of the main burners. The extension tube has a circular inlet communicating with the main burner cylinder, and an outlet at the downstream side comprising two radial edges parallel to the radial direction and two circumferential edges formed along the circumferential direction so as to connect both ends of the radial edges. The combustor further includes an air passage formed outside of the main burner cylinder; and an inner communication hole (formed at the side of the inlet of the extension tube and at a position corresponding to the radially and inwardly circumferential edge for allowing communication between the air passage and the inside of the extension tube.
US09933158B2 Underwater torch
A underwater cutting torch having a control valve assembly, a check valve assembly and a torch head all positioned within a housing. The control valve assembly and check valve assembly include a passageway for gasses to flow that includes a coupler formed of PTFE material to inhibit combustion within the handle of the underwater cutting torch.
US09933154B2 System for producing high pressure steam from low quality water
The present disclosure relates to a system for producing high pressure steam from low quality feedwater for a designated process. The system includes a first closed loop in fluid communication with a boiler and a heat exchanger assembly. A first fluid flows through the first closed loop, and is of acceptable quality for use in a boiler. Heat from the boiler is transferred to a second loop through the heat exchanger assembly. The second loop includes the low quality feedwater, which is converted to high pressure steam. The high pressure steam produced from the low quality water can be used in the designated process. This reduces corrosion/downtime in the boiler that might otherwise occur if the low quality water was directly heated by the boiler.
US09933150B2 Hands-free wearable lighting device
A hands-free wearable lighting device is a device utilized to provide illumination to the user's surroundings while being worn. At least one multicolor light-emitting diode (LED) is positioned within an LED compartment located on a housing. A control unit, a brightness adjustment switch, and a color adjustment switch allow the user to alter the light of the at least one multicolor LED. A necklace allows the housing to be worn around the user's neck in order to provide hands-free illumination. The user may utilize the device as a handheld light by grasping the device via a finger tab. Additionally, the user may utilize a prop stand to direct the light from the at least one multicolor LED in a desired direction. The device may include a laser diode as well in order to allow the device to emit a laser in addition to regular illumination.
US09933148B2 LED light bulbs
LED light bulbs include openings in base or cover portions, and optional forced flow elements, for convective cooling. Thermally conductive optically transmissive material may be used for cooling, optionally including fins. A LED light engine may be fabricated from a substrate via planar fabrication techniques and shaped to form a substantially rigid upright support structure. Mechanical, electrical, and thermal connections may be made between a LED light engine and a LED light bulb.
US09933145B2 LED lighting device
An LED lighting device is provided, having a lamp housing and at least one LED module. The lamp housing has a lamp cover and a housing-type heat-dissipating lamp bracket that directly radiates the heat generated by the LED module. The housing-type heat-dissipating lamp bracket is entirely made of heat-dissipating material, and several radiating hole devices are set on the housing-type heat-dissipating lamp bracket. The radiating hole devices on the housing-type heat-dissipating lamp bracket and the gaps between the LED modules form a mutually-reinforcing thermal honeycomb effect, providing a heat dissipation channel with unhindered air convection. Radiating holes are set at the head and tail of the housing-type heat-dissipating lamp bracket. The radiating holes and the gaps between the modules enhance the heat-dissipating effect and enhance air convection, to improve heat dissipation from the lamp housing and provide improved heat dissipation effect for the entire lamp.
US09933141B2 Luminaire and luminaire components
A luminaire (41, 141) for a double ended tubular HID lamp (110) is disclosed. The luminaire has a V-shaped reflector (2) having a spine (3) and is bendable into a tensioned state having a generally M-shaped configuration. A pair of lamp holders (60, 61; 160, 161) is connected to the spine and spaced apart a distance corresponding to the length of the tubular lamp. A hollow conduit (43, 158) extends between the lamp holders. A pair of insulated cables (31, 32) interconnects the lamp holders with one of the cables (32) passing through the hollow conduit. The distance between the spine (3) and lamp (110) is able to be adjusted.
US09933138B2 Holder for multiple interchangeable light accessories
The specification and drawings present a new light accessory holder, comprising only one part, for placing and interchanging multiple optical accessories in a lighting fixture near/in front of a light sources such as LEDs. The holder can use multiple notched springs (e.g., three) to push accessories forward and holds them in a desired position. The may be removed from the lighting fixture, so the user can load into the holder whatever accessories are needed, and then return the re-loaded holder into the light fixture. Accessories may include but are not limited to diffusers, glass components (optical filers), Hexcel Louvers, snoots, or other objects that are intended to alter the color or shape of a light source.
US09933129B2 Light source module
A light source module includes a light source which comprises a light emitting element, a stem configured to support the light emitting element, and a terminal having one end electrically connected to the light emitting element, a wiring board to which the other end of the terminal is electrically connected and which is configured to electrically connect the terminal to an external power supply terminal, and a thermal diffusion member which is disposed between the stem and the wiring board and is thermally connected to the light emitting element.
US09933127B2 Vehicle light
This invention relates to illumination systems, namely, to automotive headlamps and can be used as the principal head lighting of light and cargo vehicles. The automotive headlamp includes at least one LED and a system of lenses. The system of lenses includes both composite diverging and regulating lenses. The composite diverging lens is made up of two plano-concave lenses. The composite regulating lens is made up of the converging plano-convex lens and the refracting right-angled wedge placed in a series through the luminous flux. The composite regulating lens is placed between the LED and the composite diverging lens, which is suitable for controllable obscuration of the light flux. The invention enhances the reliability of the high/low-beam switch system.
US09933126B2 Lighting device with reflection layer and light shielding pattern
Provided is a lighting device, comprising: a light source module comprising: at least one light source disposed on a printed circuit board; and a resin layer disposed on the printed circuit board so that the light source is embedded; a light reflection member formed on at least any one of one side surface and another side surface of the resin layer; and a diffusion plate having an upper surface formed on the light source module, and a side wall which is integrally formed with the upper surface and formed to extend in a lower side direction and which is adhered onto the light reflection member, wherein a first separated space is formed between the light source module and the upper surface of the diffusion plate, whereby flexibility of the product itself can be secured, and durability and reliability of the product can be also improved.
US09933125B2 Bulb simulating light emitting diode headlight
A bulb simulating light emitting diode headlight is disposed through a lamp bowl of an illumination device on a vehicle or motorbike body. The bulb simulating light emitting diode headlight includes a main body, a circuit board, and two light emitting diode modules. The main body has a seat, and a first plate and a second plate disposed on the seat. The first and second plates have a first opening and a second opening, respectively, and form a housing space. The circuit board is disposed between the first and second plates. The light emitting diode modules are disposed on two lateral sides of the circuit board and face the first and second openings. When the light emitting diode modules are broken, the user simply picks out the circuit for replacement, without the need of replacing all the components, thus lowering the cost.
US09933124B2 Ceiling mounted lighting assembly with self-contained junction box apparatus and method
A ceiling mounted lighting assembly is disclosed having a below-the-ceiling junction box with a ceiling-mounting surface and a light socket disposed at least partially within the below-the-ceiling junction box; a terminal block disposed at least partially within the below-the-ceiling junction box and electrically couplable to the light socket; and at least one fastener coupled to the ceiling-mounting surface and extending in a direction away from the ceiling-mounting surface.
US09933121B2 Method of making LED light bulb with graphene filament
A method of making a LED light bulb with the Graphene filament contains steps of: A. providing a flexible substrate, wherein the flexible substrate is flexible printed circuit board (PCB); B. coating graphene-based heat dissipation ink on a back side of the flexible substrate; C. cutting the printed circuit board (PCB) on which a graphene-based heat dissipation film is coated to form plural Graphene filaments; D. fixing the plural Graphene filaments into a light bulb. The flexible substrate has copper lines formed on both sides thereof for electronic circuits and heat conduction, and LED chips are mounted on a front side of the flexible substrate. The graphene-based heat dissipation ink is coated on the back side of the flexible substrate before or after LED chips/phosphor molding and then is dried. In addition, the Graphene filaments are fixed in a bended or arched position.
US09933120B2 LED screen display unit and production method therefor
An LED screen display unit and production method therefor. The LED screen display unit comprises a circuit board (1), a driving IC (2) and LEDs (3); a first face of said circuit board (1) is provided with a contact pad matrix (41); the driving IC (2) is arranged on the circuit board (1) and is in electrical connection with contact pads (4) of said contact pad matrix (41); the pins (31) of the LEDs (3) are soldered to contact pads (4) of the contact pad matrix (41). The present display unit can ensure a higher permeability rate for LED display screens produced having high pixel density.
US09933117B2 Cryogenic tank arrangement and a marine vessel provided with the same
A cryogenic tank arrangement includes a tank body enclosing a storage space for storing liquefied gas. The tank arrangement has a safety valve arrangement in which at least one pressure relief valve is directly connected to the storage space of the tank body. There is a pressure relief valve arranged directly connected to at least two locations on a same face of the tank body.
US09933112B2 Mounting device
An improved mounting device for enabling a user to quickly and securely attach and detach an accessory (e.g., a strobe, flashlight, camera, etc.) to an object. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the device comprises an upper portion, a lower portion, and at least one locking mechanism to enable a user to quickly removably attach the improved mounting device to an object. In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the device also comprises a side wedge and side wedge spring.
US09933111B1 Electronics mount
An electronic mount is provided to secure various electronics systems to the surface of a boat. In some embodiments, the electronics mount utilizes a base member affixed to the boat surface, a vertical member connected to the base member, an arm assembly, elbow assembly, plate support member, and mounting plate that allows a user to pivot or rotate the system to achieve a desired orientation. The present invention allows a user to mount electronics to a boat in a secure manner while also providing freedom of direction.
US09933110B2 Toolless alignment and securing of sensor or other device
Mounting apparatus is used for supporting an accessory device, e.g., a sensor, in a manner permitting adjustment. An accessory device-receiving mount is fixable to the accessory device and has at least one surface forming a cross-section permitting adjustment in at least one degree of freedom. A clamp ring engages the device-receiving mount at the surface, so that the cross-section permitting adjustment. A clamping mechanism selectively clamps the clamp ring and includes a manually threaded fastener and a lever-operated clamp tightener. The lever-operated clamp tightener acts on the manually threaded fastener to releasably tighten the clamping mechanism beyond that achieved by manually threading the manually threaded fastener, permitting manually threading the clamping arrangement at a maximum tension less than a full tension applied by the lever-operated clamp tightener.
US09933106B2 Height adjustable support
A support comprises a device mount adapted to be connected to a user device such as a monitor. The device mount is supported on a first pivot for rotational motion about a first axis of rotation. A slide assembly comprises a carriage where the carriage is mounted for translational movement and supports the first pivot such that the first axis of rotation may be moved transversely. The support may be mounted on a technology cart comprising an upright supported on wheels where the upright supports a movable work platform. The support may be located in front of and closely adjacent to the upright where the movement of the pivot allows the user device to be rotated without interference from the upright.
US09933105B1 Underground pipe repair device with radial stepped annular spacer and related systems and methods
An underground pipe repair device is for a joint between a service pipe and a branch pipe. The underground pipe repair device may include a first T-shaped joint liner having a base portion extending laterally in the service pipe, and an arm portion extending vertically into the branch pipe, and a second ring-shaped liner under the first T-shaped joint liner and aligned with an opening in the branch pipe. The underground pipe repair device may include an annular spacer aligned with the opening in the branch pipe and being between the first T-shaped joint liner and the second ring-shaped liner. The annular spacer may include a radial step, and the second ring-shaped liner may be coupled to the base portion of the first T-shaped joint liner to retain the annular spacer.
US09933104B2 Expandable liner for the protection and strengthening of existing pipes
A method of lining an interior of a pipe in need of repair comprises providing a carrier tube having one or more expandable materials, coating the carrier tube with a binder, securing one or more layers of a fiber-laden material along an exterior surface of the carrier tube with the assistance of the binder. The carrier tube is delivered, together with the at least one layer of the fiber-laden material and the binder, to a targeted location inside a pipe in need of repair. The carrier tube comprises a first diameter while the carrier tube is being delivered to the targeted located inside the pipe in need of repair. The method additionally comprises radially expanding the carrier tube from the first diameter to a second diameter, such that the one or more layers of the fiber-laden material and the binder at least partially contact and/or adhere to an interior wall of the pipe.
US09933099B2 Pipe joint and method for forming the pipe joint
Pipe joint, which comprises at least one first pipe section (2), and a sleeve part 5, into which the butt end part of the pipe section (2) is disposed in such a way that the sleeve part (5) extends a distance on top of the pipe section (2) from the butt end of the pipe section that is inside the sleeve, and heating means (7), such as resistance wires. For forming the joint, a joint component (3) is arranged between the outer surface (16) of at least one pipe section (2) and the inside surface (15) of the sleeve part (5), which joint component is configured to form a joint with the sleeve part (5) when the joint area is warmed with the heating means (7), and that a collar (6) is arranged on the pipe section (2), which collar comprises a detent surface (10) for the joint component (3). The invention also relates to a method for forming a pipe joint.
US09933098B2 Apparatus to couple with and decouple from a male coupler
Described herein is a method and apparatus for providing an easy-flow flushing system to flushing out an engine and an out-drive. The easy-flow flushing system may include a cap with a tubular member, a capping member, and a sleeve. The tubular member may include a first outer surface, an inner surface, a coil circumscribing the tubular member to urge a sleeve to a closed configuration, an opening along the first outer surface, and a ball bearing seated in the opening. The capping member may be coupled to the tubular member and the capping member can include a capping member end and a sealing ring disposed along a second outer surface. The sleeve may be coupled to the tubular member. The sleeve may include an inner surface, where the sleeve is formed and shaped to slide along a portion of the first outer surface of the tubular member.
US09933097B2 Ring couplings
A ring coupling includes a first cylindrical body defining an outward facing coupling surface extending in a circumferential direction. A second cylindrical body defines an inward facing coupling surface extending in the circumferential direction. A retainer ring is engaged to the coupling surfaces of the first and second cylindrical bodies to prevent axial disengagement of the first and second cylindrical bodies. The cylindrical bodies can be coupled without relative circumferential rotation of the first and second cylindrical bodies.